Title: Reunion

Author: red rooster dawn

Pairing: Harm/Mac

Disclaimer: JAG is property of Belisarius productions, no copyright infringement intended.

Summary: With trepidation Mac returns home for her high school reunion.

part one

Thursday

2 May 2002

It was a warm and sunny spring day. Mac didn't have any cases that needed her attention that afternoon. She wanted to go somewhere and take a long lunch. She wondered if Harm had anything scheduled for that afternoon. She took a walk over to his office to see if he wanted to join her for lunch.

Harm had just returned from court and placed his briefcase on his desk. He looked like he needed a break. He must have had a rough morning in court she thought. Hopefully he didn't have court that afternoon.

"What are you doing for lunch Harm?" Mac asked sweetly.

Harm could sense that she wanted to go out to lunch somewhere. She had a twinkle in her eye and her hands were behind her back while she was swaying a little impatiently. And then there was that coy seductive smile she always gave him whenever she wanted something.

"Nothing that I'm aware of Mac. I'm not due back in court this afternoon. What do you suggest?" he replied noticing that the smile on her face grew larger.

"It's a beautiful day outside. Why don't we pick up some take out from Ho's Chinese and go to the mall and picnic on the lawn." she replied. She was sure the mention of Chinese food would entice him.

"Sounds like a good idea Mac. Let's go." he replied.

The Mall

Twenty minutes later they found a spot near the pond. They spread out their lunch on a blanket between them and began to eat. They had been eating for awhile and enjoying the view when a stranger came up to them.

His name was Ben Johnson and he was in Washington DC on a business trip. He sold widgets to the government. He was hoping to extend the contract another three years. He was taking a walk around the mall when he saw what he thought was a familiar face from his distant past.

At least he thought he knew her. She was dressed in a military uniform, marines he thought. She was still a very beautiful woman even if her hair was much shorter these days. He decided to walk over to her and say hello to her.

"Excuse me, I happened to notice that your nametag says MacKenzie. You look like someone I knew a long time ago. Your name wouldn't be by any chance Sarah MacKenzie who attended Indian Ridge high school outside Phoenix, Arizona?" asked Ben.

"Yes I am, how do you know that?" asked Mac.

"My name is Ben Johnson. I went to high school with you almost twenty years ago." replied Ben.

"Ben Johnson ....." Mac though back to another time that was not so pleasant in her life.

"You were a band geek weren't you?" she said causing Harm to chuckle. Ben looked like the average guy who had a crush on the prom queen, but was too afraid to say a word to her back then. And when he finally did his ego would be stomped into the ground.

"Well, I was in the band, but I hardly considered myself a geek. I just happened to like playing music and the band was all we had back then." he struggled to regain his composure. Sarah was even more beautiful than he remembered.

"Must be seventeen years now I reckon."

"I believe so. How are you doing Ben?" smiled Mac. Might as well be polite to him. Maybe he might tell her something about one of her old friends.

"Good, good. I'm here in DC on business. I see you're in the military like your father was." replied Ben.

"Yes, I'm in the Marine Corp. I'm a lawyer in the JAG corp. I'm stationed right here in Washington at JAG Headquarters. This is Commander Harmon Rabb. He's my partner at JAG." replied Mac as she introduced Harm who stood up to shake Ben's hand.

"Good to meet you Ben. Mac doesn't talk too much about her high school days. Not too many pleasant memories for her." said Harm.

"I'm really surprised to hear that. She was the most popular girl in high school. All the guys wanted to date her and all the girls wanted to be like her." smiled Ben at the revelation.

"You're exaggerating Ben. No one wanted to be like me. I barely survived high school." argued Mac.

"We have a reunion coming up in three weeks Sarah. It would be nice if you could attend. So many people would love to see you again." informed Ben.

"I doubt that very much Ben. I don't think there's anyone who misses me." argued Mac.

"Sarah, we all had our problems in high school. We all thought ours were the worse. A third of the class had parents that were divorce and another twenty percent that wished their parents were. Sarah, I'm sure you're not the same person you were in high school.

Very few of us are. There are some people who didn't say two words to me during high school who are my best friends now. People grow, they become better people. They all want the same thing out of life.

Here's my card Sarah. I hope you decide to come. I think you will find there are a lot of people who miss you and wished that you were still in their lives." countered Ben. He gave Harm one of his cards too hoping that he could convince her to come.

"I don't know Ben. I've left my past behind me a long time ago. It's something I don't think about anymore." replied said their goodbyes and went their separate ways. While Harm could understand why Mac didn't want to revisit her past, he thought it was something she needed to do if she was ever going to completely heal. She had come a long way after her father's death and seeing her mother again after so many years had help."I think you should go Mac." said Harm.

"Harm!" cried Mac. She wondered why he was doing this to her.

"Mac, you need this to complete the healing process. You've been able to put to rest most of the pain you suffered with your father. You have a relationship with your mother now.

Wouldn't it be nice to see your old friends again, the ones who helped you get through high school after your mother left. Maybe it will change the way you view your life then." pleaded Harm.

"Would you go with me?" asked Mac.

"If the Admiral will let me. You know I will always be there for you." he replied.

Harm conducted some maneuvers over the next few days. He had called Ben to tell him that Mac was amicable to going to their reunion. Ben asked Harm if he had any pictures of Sarah and any information they could use to celebrate Sarah's return.

They wanted to honor her Military Service to their country. Harm told Ben that he would have Sarah bring along several photo albums with her and he could have the choice of any picture he wanted.

Ben was pleased to hear that Sarah was going to attend. He called his wife Tammy to let her know that he had found the infamous Sarah Mackenzie and that she would be coming back to town and would attend the reunion. He told her his plan of honoring her as an American hero.

As the day drew near that Mac would be returning to her hometown, she became very anxious about it and was wavering about making the trip. It was only with Harm's assurance that everything would be alright and that he would be there with her that helped her to relax.

"I don't understand why you want me to bring my photo albums with me Harm." sighed Mac.

"I would think you would want to share with your friends what your life has been like since you left home seventeen years ago. They will want to know. They will probably show you pictures of their lives. You will have them in case you do." smiled Harm. He left out mentioning showing pictures of their families.

"I guess you're right. There's a reason why I have so many. I am very proud of my life." replied Mac.