Title: Old Friends Come Back
Author: rooster dawn
Classification: Harm/Mac
Spoiler: n/a
Summary: Kate and Meg come back to JAG for love, will Mac have a say in the matter.
Disclaimers: The characters of JAG are the property of Donald Bellisario and Bellisarius Production, Inc. Used without permission. No copyright infringement intended. May be reproduce if unchanged, author given full credit, and no financial transaction is involved.
Feedback is greatly appreciated and welcomed.
part 1
0800 hours
Spring 2001
The beltway
Lieutenant Commander Meg Austin was returning to DC. More importantly she was returning to JAG and Commander Harmon Rabb. It had been five years since she had last seen him.
She was hoping that she could have a relationship with him now. She was ready and she hoped he would be ready too. She was too young before and she knew he wasn't ready to settle down.
He loved to live life on the wild side. She was more mature now and ready to deal with his little quirks. It would be great to see him again. She pulled into the parking lot and looked up at the building. It felt like she was finally home again at last.
0800 hours
JAG HQ
Lieutenant Bud Roberts hurried into Commander Rabb's office. He had news about who the new lawyer that was coming to JAG.
He knocked on the Commander's door and entered when directed to by the Commander. He saw Lieutenant Colonel MacKenzie sitting in the office with the Commander.
"Sir, Ma'am, I have found out who the new JAG officer is going to be." stuttered Bud as he tried to catch his breath.
"Well spit it out Bud." chuckled Harm as he looked over to Mac. She giggled and shook her head. Bud could be such a buffoon at times.
"It's Lieutenant Commander Meg Austin, Sir." replied a calmer Bud.
"Do you know her Harm?" asked Mac curiously.
"Yes Mac, she was my partner before you." replied Harm with a smile.
"They work very well together Ma'am. They had a close working relationship." continue Bud.
"And how would you know that Bud? You weren't working here when Meg was here at Jag. Though I will admit she did like you Bud. When she recommended to the Admiral that you be allowed to join Jag, I thought she wanted to be with you." smiled Harm causing Mac to laugh.
"Sir?" questioned Bud. He didn't understand. Harriet wouldn't understand. There was never anything between him and Commander Austin.
"Should I be concern Harm?" asked Mac as she looked at him coyly.
"No Mac, you don't. Bud is just excited to be seeing an old friend who was responsible for him getting a job here at Jag. She helped him get posted here so he could go to law school.
There was never anything going on between us. She was junior in rank and quite a few years younger. We just flirted with each other a lot. She was Caitlin's friend." replied Harm.
"Well we know you won't be doing that anymore, right flyboy." stated Mac with a looked that said you better not be lying to me.
"Yes Ma'am." replied Harm.
They shared a laugh together before asking Bud when Meg was expected to arrived. Bud had a puzzled look on his face. He wasn't sure what was going on between Harm and Mac.
He never could understand the relationship between Harm and Mac. He knew that they were good friends that took care of each other. But sometimes it seemed like there was so much more between them that they didn't let anyone on to.
Harriet kept on telling him that they were in love, but were in denial of that love. He would tell her it wasn't their place to get involved. If they were meant to be together, they would.
"When is she due in Bud?" asked Mac.
"She is expected to arrive this morning Ma'am." replied Bud.
"Well it will be nice to see her again." commented Harm.
0900 Hours
JAG HQ
The JAG staff was in the conference room for their weekly briefing. The Admiral was getting an update on the current cases from everyone and was getting ready to hand out new ones. But before he did he stood up to announce the arrival of the new JAG officer.
"I would like to introduce everyone to our newest member of the JAG family. A few of you remember her and have worked with her in the past. She was a valued member of JAG in the past and is a great addition now.
Please welcome Lieutenant Commander Meg Austin. She will be working with Commander Imes. Lieutenant Roberts will be working with Lieutenant Commander Mattonie." bellowed the Admiral.
After everyone greeted her the Admiral handed out the new cases. Harm and Mac went back to her office to talk. Meg went with Bud to his office to talk about old times.
"She seems to be a nice person Harm. She smiles a lot though." observed Mac.
"Yes she does. I think it's a nervous habit. It's her way of coping and fitting in." replied Harm with a smile.
"Do you think that she will work out okay with Carolyn?" asked Mac.
"Oh I'm sure they will do just fine together. She's a good kid, but I don't think that's she quite up to your speed ninja girl." replied Harm.
"What do you mean by that?" asked a concerned Mac.
"She's more of a follower not a leader like you. She doesn't have your strong military bearing. Besides Bud is a much stronger lawyer than she was at the same stage of their JAG career. And we both know Bud doesn't hold a candle to you." smiled Harm.
"Did you miss her Harm?" asked Mac with curiosity.
"Only in that she left without saying goodbye. It would have been nice to have had the chance to say good bye. He had worked together for nearly a year, but after I saw you for the first time in the rose garden and looked deep into your eyes I forgot that Meg ever existed?
You know I love you ninja girl. I don't want anyone else. We have worked long and hard to get where we are to throw it all away." replied Harm as he gave Mac a hug.
"You better not fly boy. I love you too. Your place or mine for dinner?" asked Mac.
"Why don't you come over to my place. I picked up some food yesterday for a special meal tonight." grinned Harm.
Meanwhile in Bud's office Bud was talking to Meg about Harriet and the past four years.
"It's so good to see again Meg. How have you been?" asked Bud.
"Very good Bud." replied Meg.
"Where were you stationed Ma'am?" asked Bud.
"I was station for two years in Europe, another year in Japan, and the last two in Hawaii." smiled Meg as she wondered how she could change the direction of the conversation to talk about Harm.
"Sounds like you got around. It must have been great to have been stationed at some of the nicest places in the world Ma'am." continued Bud.
"Yes it was but I'm glad to be back here at JAG." replied Meg.
"It's good to have you back Ma'am. I don't know if you heard, but I got married two years ago." smiled Bud as he thought about Harriet.
"That's great Bud. What's her name?" asked Meg.
"Her name is Harriet. She's in the naval reserves right now. We had a boy a year ago. We named him little Aj, Ma'am." grinned Bud.
"Wow! That is great news." exclaimed Meg sincerely.
"Yes it is Ma'am. The Commander and the Colonel are his godparents." responded Bud.
"Is that because they are a couple Bud?" asked Meg.
Finally they were talking about Harm. She knew Bud would have the answers to the questions she needed answered. She hoped and prayed that the answers were Harm was single and available.
"No Ma'am. They are Harriet and my best friends. As far as I know they are just good friends Ma'am. I don't think they are seeing each other." replied Bud.
Good thought Meg. Maybe I still have a chance with Harm. The Colonel is a very beautiful woman, she could have anyone she wants. It would be hard to get Harm away from her.
"So how is Colonel MacKenzie? Is she a good lawyer?" asked Meg.
"She is one of the best Ma'am. She is almost as good as the Commander. They work very well together and are considered the best team under the Admiral's command. They have traveled all over the world solving cases." beamed Bud proudly.
"Well I have to get back to work Bud. I'll talk to you later about dinner and meeting your wife." responded Meg.
Dinner with Harriet would surely fill in the blanks thought Meg. Bud was sweet, but he wasn't good about office gossip. As Meg walked away from Bud's office she felt good. It wasn't too late. Harm wasn't seeing anyone right now. She would talk to him later about getting together.