First Date

A/N: Ok, guys – this is actually a continuation of 'Sense and Sensitivity'. After this I'll write another one with Sturgis' 'talk' to Harm (just for you, doc). I don't own these characters and all the mistakes are my own and all that. I am totally humbled by the comment that I'm a good writer like all the folks listed on that comment. That was very sweet to say. I just write the words that I think of and try to describe the action as the characters say the words. It's a weird process. Hope you all like this one!

A/N 2: Harm is wearing sweats and an oversized T-shirt for this scene.

After several long, animated, and intricate kisses involving sensual caresses and whispers of 'I love you', 'I love you more', 'I want you', 'I've wanted you for so long', 'I'm so in love with you', and 'I've been so in love with you for so long' – they broke apart, still touching, and looked longingly into each others eyes.

Mac finally broke the spell. While punching Harm on his right bicep, she sweetly smirked: "I'm mad at you!!!"

Harm, softly chuckling and STILL stroking her up and down: "For what?!!"

Mac: 'THIS (while stroking him up and down) – YOU -- HERE, --JAG headquarters – by the ELEVATOR, of all places, no less – and ME, in my grotty uniform!!! It's not how I pictured this moment happening for us!!! Gosh, Harm, it's almost as bad as kissing me naked in front of the Marine Corps band!! What are you doing here?!"

Harm, first huskily murmured while kissing her again: "Something I should've done a long time ago" and then , laughing heartily, but STILL tightly embracing Mac – now that he crossed the line with her – there was no going back – he was unconsciously, even consciously thinking he would and COULD never stop touching her ever again!: "Mac, the moment I ever DO get to kiss you naked, no matter WHERE we are – believe me – it won't be a BAD thing, (whispering in her ear)I promise – especially if I'm naked, too (saying this in a sexy 'sing-song' way and AGAIN, kissing her while ending the sentence). "Furthermore, Counselor, I've OFTEN thought MANY times about this very scene – YOU, ME, the elevator at JAG headquarters, of all places (waggishly raising his eyebrows), you in your…. uh…. sexy uniform…..THIS (kissing and caressing her AGAIN!! -- the man was certifiably crazy in love!). Through his continued nibbling kisses, Harm quietly, almost whispering, exclaimed, "And, I gotcha! You, TOO, have pictured this moment happening for us!! So, prey tell, how and where did you think it would go down?! (He was teasing her without mercy). Mac continued to softly stroke Harm, but she responded to his teasing by turning her head toward the wall, averting her eyes away from his, and with silence. Harm tilted his head down and tried to catch her eyes, but she wouldn't look at him. 'Uh, oh', Harm thought. He had felt totally comfortable with their explosion of love declarations and mutual desire – something he yearned for as long as he could remember and something he was frankly tired of NOT happening. He was tired of Mac not sharing his heart, his bed, his life. They belonged together. He was never going to move on from Mac because he never WANTED to move on. Mac was 'it' for him. He felt it the first time their hands touched in that Rose Garden years ago. It only got stronger with every passing year. And no matter how many girlfriends for him and suitors for her came along and no matter what stresses and strains their relationship had endured over the years, especially this past year, when he heard her chuckling and then laughing right before those elevator doors opened and then when their eyes met, he KNEW she felt the same way – he felt 'love' -- he 'saw' it in her eyes – he felt like he had come 'home'. He couldn't hold back – thinking of the Joshua Radin song he had just heard on the radio driving to JAG HQ --he 'got bold' because he wanted to 'grow old with a girl like' her – WITH her – with his lovely Sarah. 'This is it, Rabb', he thought, 'You love her so much. Get the big foot out of your mouth and refrain from shooting holes into the ceiling. She IS the other half of your heart, BUT, she's different, thank God, from you. Now or never, you've got to still that ramming, beating heart of yours for a moment so you can listen to the soft and delicate strains of hers. Understand her, man!'

Mac stayed quiet with her eyes downcast. She was also actually blushing. Ah, now he understood. The enormity and life-changing significance of this impromptu, totally unplanned implosion of their everlasting love and desire for one another was too much for his 'always-prepared and appropriately planned and executed' Marine to handle. And she probably thought that he wanted to keep kissing and stroking, escalate to necking and fondling, and then take her right there against the wall or, worse yet, on the floor. Oh, man, he WAS acting like a love-starved teenager. He needed her to know that's NOT what he had in mind -- AT ALL. He swiftly engulfed her in a sweet, comforting hug.

Harm (tenderly and lovingly): "Mac, talk to me. Tell me how you pictured 'this moment' happening – and be honest."

Mac (finally looking up to Harm with unshed tears, while STILL holding on to him): "Well…. ah…as you know and of course, can see -- I'm a Marine and am usually as direct and straightforward as can be and I AM a bit of a 'tomboy' – always have been, but , for some reason, Harm …when I envisioned the moment I – WE – because there's no one else for me, Harm, believe me (stroking his face tenderly) – anyway, whenever I pictured the moment we would come together in uninhibited loving bliss --- (and now she just looked up gently smiling and so carefree) -- I would be wearing a beautiful, flowing, girly dress and you would be all debonair in your whites or, maybe in a suit, or even in jeans and that tight-fitting grey polo and I'd at least be in a cute civvy outfit and feeling fresh and pretty – not bedraggled and wearing a week's worth of court cases -- and that you would sweep me off my feet and…and… well (now chuckling ironically)… I thought we'd at least be on better speaking terms than we've been lately and be 'warmed up' to each other again before we got to the point of being so….(now looking down again and blushing)…intimate with each other. I was planning on coming to you – tomorrow -- to get 'us' moving again – together – to talk – to tell you…everything…to see if you wanted to, you know, start…..(now in a lower voice) dating. Before we…ah…progress to, well, 'you know' (arching her eyebrow) – I want us to get to 'know' each other better in 'that' way – as two people who are a part of a couple. I mean, of course, I 'KNOW' you and you 'KNOW' me – gosh – it's been how many years? (chuckling nervously now), but we need to just learn 'that' part of 'us' slowly, sweetly. We need time to go out together – to enjoy the innocent touches and to just get used to each other like that before we become the 'lovers' we'll eventually, oh, (now opening her eyes bright and wide) MOST DEFINITELY will become!"

'Ah, there it was! His little romantic!' Gosh, he couldn't fall more in love with her than he already did that very second. She was always the wise one, wasn't she? And no matter what she thought she looked like tonight – to him – she looked gorgeous. But, as DIFFERENT in approaches and in nuances of their personalities as they were – that's why, actually, they would work so well as a couple – they complemented each other – he couldn't agree with her more right now. He wanted that, too – to 'romance' her, to 'woo' her. She was a drop-dead, gorgeous woman – HIS woman – and she deserved not a speck less.

Harm (STILL holding her in his arms, looking into her eyes and a breath away): "Mac, I can't think of anything else I would love more than to 'court' you with dinners, and flowers, and movie dates, and picnics, dinosaur hunts, days out on 'Sarah' (kissing her softly before she preempted him on this point), holding hands, beach walks, whisking you on dance floors, and anything else your beautiful heart desires! I get excited and happy just thinking about it! I will enjoy SO MUCH learning to get to know every delectable inch of you. We're already 'making love', Mac! The 'you know' (teasingly mimicking how she referred to it) will happen when it happens!! It's no big deal, sweet thing. I love you, Sarah (kissing her sweetly again).

Mac (breathing a sigh of relief and hugging him tightly and then reaching up to kiss him): "Thank you. I love you, too – more than you know, my lovely Harm."

Harm (grinning from ear to ear): "Now, let me get to why I'm here! You're not going to believe this, Mac, but I was CRAVING a meat-lovers pizza tonight! (Mac shook her head at him in shock and disbelief). I remembered I had a coupon in my desk drawer here for 5 bucks for the meat-lovers pizza at that Italian place across the street from here that the Admiral always used to go to. Sturgis swears by their pizza – so, whaddya say???!! – join me for a bite (as he softly bit her lip)?"

Mac(as her stomach rumbled and they both started laughing): "I guess you just got your answer!"

And then Harm had to be Harm and gathered her up off her feet with Mac squealing in utter surprise: "Harm, are YOU crazy – put me down!!! Think of your back, where we ARE, protocol!!! "

He totally ignored her, walked with her to his office, unlocking his door while still firmly holding her in his arms. They walked into his office and he bent down a bit and instructed Mac: "Open the top drawer and grab that coupon, woman – I'm starving!"

Waving the coupon in her hand and laughing, Harm walked himself and her back to the elevator, he scooped down to pick up her briefcase, and they made their way down the lift, kissing all the way down.

As they exited the doors and Harm continued to carry her across the street to Martinelli's, Mac asked: "Harm, is this our first date?"

Harm: "The very one and swept off your feet the whole first half of it!! Pretty good start, huh?" And they kissed yet again!

The End.