TITLE: We All Have Secret

AUTHOR: Clairisant

CLASSIFICATION: Mac/Tom Boone

FEEDBACK: Would love to hear both good and bad feedback but please try to be kind and constructive. Clairisant

AUTHOR'S NOTE: The ideas for this story were suggested to me by my evil beta. I take no responsibility for them at all! I only write them!

CREDITS: A special thank you to my beta readers Qupeydoll and Michele.

Chapter 1

Colonel Sarah Mackenzie wondered if the world was somehow out to play one cruel joke after another on her, as Admiral Chegwidden assigned her to investigate the latest charges against Tom Boone. This was the second time she had been sent to find out if he was guilty of accusations brought against him.

She remembered the odd look of speculation on the face of the then Captain Boone in regard to her parting words to him when the Crossing the Line investigation had ended. She had known after meeting Captain Boone that a man of his stature would have been too honorable to have ever done the things that Lieutenant Isaaks had accused him of. Still, she'd had to conduct an impartial unbiased investigation, which she had done. However, her admiration for Tom Boone the man had led her to search him out before her team had left the Seahawk.

The then Major Mackenzie had gone up to him and requested permission to speak freely. When he granted her request, she informed him that she had believed he was innocent of the charges all along and had only been doing her job in pursuing the investigation.

After he commented on the almost TOO good of job she had done, Sarah apologized, and added that she was very glad he had been cleared of all suspicion in the matter.

She walked away with the memory of his stunned look in her mind. That had been three years, nine months, and twenty seven days ago. Now, here he was, up for another promotion, and an anonymous call had accused him of war crimes while he was in Viet Nam.

Mac had felt horrible through the entire investigation this time. Before, she'd known in her heart and head that Tom Boone had been innocent of the sexual harassment charges. This time, however, as much as she wanted to believe the same thing, the evidence kept piling up to the contrary. Added to that Admiral Boone's own reticence in regard to talking about the events that took place. She just didn't know what to believe. Her heart told her one thing while her head was full of facts to the contrary.

She'd noticed several looks directed her way from Admiral Boone during this last series of meetings as well as the trial. However, she had no way of knowing if he was thinking about her comments from three years ago or whether he was just trying to figure out her strategies and motives on this current case.

But at last it was over and once again his name had been cleared. Even if she couldn't let herself show elation over Drax showing up at the end and telling the truth of what had happened in the village of Dun Dien, her heart was secretly rejoicing.

Three years ago Mac admitted to herself that she had been attracted to Tom Boone and this most recent encounter hadn't changed that at all. But, she knew after being in the position of accuser twice now, there would be little to no chance that he could ever be interested in her. The only thing she could take comfort in now, was that he had been found innocent. There should be no reason his promotion shouldn't go through. At least she hadn't cost him his third star!

She had packed her briefcase with work to take home and headed for the stairwell as usual. Mac took the stairs whenever she could rather than the elevator because most of her job was behind a desk so she took her exercise wherever she could get it.

Mac had taken about three steps down the flight of stairs when she heard someone behind her. Turning, she was surprised to see the very person she'd been thinking about. "Admiral Boone! I didn't expect to see you here!"

"You thought I was too old for the stairs, Colonel?"

"No Sir! Not at all!" she gasped.

"Then?" he inquired with the quirk of an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry, Sir. It's just not often you see an Admiral taking the stairs."

"Really? Chegwidden seems pretty fit."

"Oh yes, Sir, he is. He almost always takes the…" Mac trailed off as she realized she'd just contradicted herself. "He really seemed to be the exception. I rarely see any of the other Admiral's taking the stairs, is what I meant."

"Ah," was his only reply.

Then, both of them just stood there for a time staring at each other. Neither of them quite sure what to say next.

To be continued…..