Delayed

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. This story came to my head as my friend Melissa was delayed in CO last night.. not sure on the time frame of this but I'm going with around season 10 since Macs hair was longer then and just seemed to fit perfectly. Not sure on chapters but I'm thinking around 3 or 4…. Happy New Year to everyone!!!

December 20, Season 10. (ha, cant remember the year)

"Bye Sailor." She felt as though she fell into his arms as they circled around her body and pulled her close to him.

"Take care Marine." He whispered into her neck letting his lips lay a feather light touch on her soft skin.

He wanted to hold her longer but considering they were both in uniform and it was completely against regulations, he moved away from her, sliding his hand down her arm and grasping her hand one more time before their fingers parted. He smiled and winked at her as he backed toward the door. He broke the eye contact by waiving once more and turning away from her, to walk down the long corridor to the waiting plane.

She stood watching him as he rounded the corner and stepped onto the plane. The plane that would take him back to cold Washington DC. Her plane was to leave in forty five minutes just one gate down, bound for Portland Oregon. The last case had worked out perfectly with them meeting in San Diego. Harm had just flown in from Iraq, and she had finished her case in Vermont. Why they were on a sudden travel excursion was beyond her thinking. When she had learned of this case and had less than an hour to pack, all she thought was how exhausted she was and the simple fact that she knew Harm would be arriving back to the states that evening. What she didn't know was that his orders had directed him straight to San Diego to help her on the crazy case.

When he had called her cell phone after he landed, she had felt ecstatic knowing he was within a few miles from her. After all they had been through over the past decade, they had finally made amends and swallowed their pride. Their friendship grew to what it had been before their ridiculous feud or whatever anyone wanted to call it. It was all his fault anyways, everyone knew it. Men just didn't understand. What was it all about anyways? She shrugged her shoulders and laughed. She tossed her carryon over her shoulder and headed toward her gate.

"Going to PDX?" A woman asked her as Mac sat down two seats from her.

"I am. I thought." Mac answered but quickly frowned as CANCELLED flashed across their flight on the board above the door.

"Well, I guess I will call my daughter again. I have been trying to get to Portland all day long." The woman smiled. "What takes you there dear?"

"A case. I'm with the JAG corp." She saw an angry crowd headed toward the desk agent and decided to skip the fun of taking all anger issues out on the woman who of course controlled the entire airport and all outgoing flights. Mac laughed at the thought she had just had, wondering if the woman even knew she had that much control.

"Was that your man?" The woman asked as Mac looked back at her.

"Man?"

"That good looking Sailor you hugged a bit ago." She answered.

"Harm is a friend." She glanced at her cell phone and wondered who to call about her cancelled flight. Maybe Harriet could find her a flight north.

"You keep telling yourself that my dear and someday you might believe it. Now you better go change out of that uniform into something comfortable. Its going to be a long night." The woman smiled and pointed to the television screen across the lobby.

"You have got to be kidding me." Mac sat staring at the monitor at the snow that was putting the Oregon city to a sudden stand still. "Comfort, that is what I need." She smiled at the woman and headed to the restroom to change her clothes.

Two hours later, Mac was still sitting in the airport flipping through her case files and staring blankly at each page as her mind wandered to the past few days.

Flashback

Three days beforehand

"Colonel, a new co-council has been assigned to you. He should be arriving within the hour." The judge announced as he recessed for the day.

Mac looked toward the man with a question on her lips but apparently he caught the look and answered before she had the chance to ask.

"It seems your co-council couldn't work with you. So another one is being sent in from your office. One you can work with I was assured by Admiral Chedwiggen. Have a nice day Colonel." He rose and stalked out of the courtroom.

Mac packed up her case files and muttered the whole time about irresponsible idiots that the Navy allowed to enter into JAG. She retrieved her rental car and headed back to the hotel she was staying at. She changed into a pair of green cargo shorts and a white tank and grabbed the remote as she plopped herself down on the overstuffed couch. She was just watching the blank television screen as her mind wandered off into Harmland. Where had they gone wrong? They had been such good friends before. Before that kiss. That wonderful horrid not the right time both of them were insane and it just happened kiss. She didn't know how it had happened, it just had.

He had been standing at her door after a fun evening with Budd, Harriet, Sturgis, Jen and some others from the office. They had danced, talked, ate and laughed all evening. Her car had not wanted to start so Harm had offered to drop her off at her apartment. No big deal. When they had arrived, he had been ever the gentleman and opened her car door, took her hand and helped her out of the car, only he had never released her hand. They walked hand in hand to her door and as she stepped inside, he had pulled her toward him and kissed her. She had kissed him back and she had butterflies every time she thought about that moment. However, things had then gone wrong. He had stepped away and had said it was wrong. WRONG, she was so tired of wrong. For once she just wanted him to not be Mr. Perfect and live life. Take her in his arms and carry her off to her room. She had called him a few choice words and slammed the door on him. Harm had demanded she open the door, pissing her off even more. He had begged, pleaded and apologized. He had finally left at 0400 after the police had escorted him out of the building thanks to the neighbor calling for a disturbance. That had been the last time she had spoke to him. That next month in the office was hell. Hell on her, him and everyone else around them. They couldn't look at each other or work together. Everyone walked on broken glass around them and tried to stay clear. She remembered the threatening lecture they had both received from the Admiral and then shook her head at the last words he had said to them ordering them to work it out or he would intervene.

Just as she flipped the television on she heard a knock at the door. She knew she didn't order any room service so she rose slowly and cautiously walked to the door. Mac's heart flipped over and jump started again as she peered out the peephole at the man standing on the other side looking all around like he thought he was about to get caught standing there knocking on a girls hotel door. "Harm."

She swung the door open and growled at him. "He sent YOU? I thought it was supposed to be someone I got along with."

"Hi honey, I'm home. Miss me? Of course you did. How the heck are ya Mac, long time no see. Lets see, wait, I know when it was…. One month ago when you kicked me out of your apartment and slammed the door on me." Harm leaned against the door, making sure to get his foot propped just right so when she did slam the door on him again, he could pop it back open.

"You are NOT my co-council Commander." She demanded as she gripped the door harder and thought about slamming it.

"Oh trust me sweetheart, I drew the short stick. No one wanted to come work with you, I was starting to feel bad about everyone running away when the Admiral asked. But then I remembered who he was asking to meet their doom about, COLONEL." He smiled knowing he had struck a nerve and saw her eyes turn black.

"Fine. Just stay away from me as much as possible since I'm so hard to get along with. Now you made your appearance, switch to act two and disappear." She went to slam the door but he stepped further into the room and caught it with his hand.

"Just hold that thought Mac. Let me get out of the way this time. Now, where do I bunk?" He pushed past her and smiled at the volcano erupting behind him.

"Excuse me? Go get your own room Commander." She ordered as she watched him feel the soft couch and nod his approval.

"Can't, there's some conference in town and every hotel is booked. Looks like we are hot bunking it baby." He smirked as he stood up and looked at her.

The steam was rising to boiling point very fast as Mac narrowed her eyes and gave Harm a stare down he hadn't seen before. When he smiled her stomach flipped, making her even more mad than she was. "No. You cant stay here." She left it with that knowing if she said anymore, he would catch the waiver in her voice.

Too late, he caught it. "Are you okay Mac?" He walked towards her.

"No, I'm not okay Harm. I'm tired of fighting with you, I'm tired of wondering why we cant be, why we cant get over this thing. We both know there is something here and its going to kill us before long. Or we might kill each other just to ease the tension."

"Do you want to kill me Mac?" He asked with a smirk.

"Harm, I'm not kidding here. Yes I want to kill you." She took a deep breath and took a step closer to him, placing her hands on his strong chest. That strong hard chest.

"I don't think I could survive if you released your passion on me." He smiled at her as she shook her head.

He took in all of her, her gorgeous brown eyes, her dark hair hanging loose around her shoulders, her white tank top, exposing just enough to level his imagination, her cargo shorts, her long dark legs, her long dark skin all over, her hands touching his chest. He raised his hand to her face and felt her breath quicken.

"Harm, if I released my passion on you, you can guarantee you wouldn't survive Sailor." She said as she raised up on her tip toes and brought her lips within mere millimeters from his.

"Well then, I guess I shouldn't piss you off so I can stay alive." He laughed and his eyes twinkled with mischief.

He swept one arm around her waist and pulled her flush against him. His other hand pulled her head those last millimeters to his and he met her lips with all the passion he had been saving up for the past ten years.

As Mac regained her composure and found her footing on unsteady legs, she took a deep breath. "Wow."

"Ten years and all I get is a wow?" Harm laughed as he sat down on the couch, pulling her along with him.

"I, uh. Ya." She answered and turned to look at him. "Do we have everything settled now?" She gained her composure finally, unless he kissed her like that again.

"I'm sorry Mac. I just put that wall up again. This last month though, you tore it down, more like bulldozed it down with your silent treatment. Please, can I have a second chance?" He begged and reached toward her.

"Third, Fourth, gee what number are we on now?" She slapped his hand away. She knew they wouldn't get where they should be if his hand continued to move toward her like that.

"Mac."

"Ok Harm. Fine. BUT….no more walls or we take a paint ball gun to them next time and battle it out on the field." She replied and flipped the TV to Miracle on 34th street laughing as Harm groaned in disapproval. "My room Commander, if you don't like it get your own."

"Deal, about the paint ball fight, as for the room, I like this one. The decorating is very nice in here. Where will I sleep?" He replied ready for an elbow in the gut.

"The couch is comfy." She answered.

"Good, you get the couch, ill take the bed." He wasn't fast enough blocking her elbow and took a low blow to the gut as she just laughed.

"Ya, I don't think so Sailor." She laughed as his lips found her neck and his arms wrapped around her.