HBX Challenge - March 2009
Doctor Walden: The man I'm travelling with is
Navy. We're sneaking off to the
islands for the weekend.
Mac: Sounds romantic.
Drop Zone
LETTING GO
Dulles International Airport
Mac was seated in the lounge of the airport, waiting for her flight to be called. After the recent court case, and Harm's cross-examination of Renee, plus the exciting news from Bud and Harriet coupled with Harm's enigmatic glance in her direction that brought to mind the baby deal, Mac had decided she had to think over her relationship with Mic, and she had come to the conclusion that she needed to meet with the Australian in order to decide for herself once and for all.
"Going anywhere nice?"
"Excuse me?" Mac turned to her right at the sound of a woman's voice, and the question being asked. Beside her was a woman, a blonde with a somewhat 'fixed' smile which Mac realised was a cosmetically tattooed expression.
"Are you going anywhere nice?" The blonde repeated her question, and Mac managed a polite response.
"Wow, Australia! Like, that's so far!" The amazed response had Mac's lips twitching, and she compressed her lips in an attempt not to laugh. As she fought against the urge, the woman spoke again. "The man I'm travelling with is Navy. We're sneaking off to the islands for the weekend."
"That...um..." Mac mentally shook herself to regain some composure and managed to finish her sentence, "...sounds romantic."
"Oh, it will be!" The blonde responded eagerly, and Mac wondered what sort of man wanted a trip to the islands with such an obvious female. As always, blondes raised Mac's radar but on this occasion even she excused Harm from the obvious military connection, and so was both surprised and disappointed when the man himself turned up at the entrance to the lounge, looking for someone.
"I...um...thought about some coffee. Would you like me to bring you one?" Mac needed to put distance between herself and the blonde, unwilling to put herself through yet more heartache at the thought of Harm with this woman. The blonde nodded eagerly.
"That's so nice, thank you! Cream, three sugars."
"I'll be right back," Mac managed, even as her stomach lurched at the proposed sugar rush.
"I'll be right here," replied the blonde, and laughed at her own humor. Mac got to her feet and walked away to the nearby concession stand. As she waited in line, she watched Harm search the nearby area. Given his height he already had an advantage, and Mac realised immediately that he'd homed in on his target and began to head in the general direction of the blonde. Despite the fact that she was actually there to travel to another man herself, Mac felt the disappointment manifest as an ache as she watched Harm stop in front of the blonde and hit her with a smile. Turning away, her stomach churning, Mac failed to see Harm look in her direction and walk away from the blonde.
"Hey..." Mac froze in place, Harm's voice in her ear as she still had her back turned. As she felt his hand touch her shoulder, Mac moved around slowly.
"Um...hi...." she managed to utter, but she wasn't quick enough to hide the moisture in her eyes.
"Sarah...I'm....I hope I'm not too late..." Harm reached up with one hand and gently cupped Mac's face. Resisting the temptation to release a sigh and nestle her cheek into his large palm, Mac managed to ask what he was doing. Without words, Harm gave her a look of such longing that all thoughts of coffee...hell, all thoughts of Australia, and Mic, fled her mind as he lowered his head.
"Har..." Mac began, but didn't finish as her lips were covered by his in a kiss that was gently inquisitive, and then masterfully demanding. With no thought other than to respond, Mac brought her arms up around Harm's shoulders and ran her fingers in his short hair as her body sought the closeness of his.
"Oh, wow!" The sound of the blonde's excited voice reverberated somewhere nearby, and both Harm and Mac regained enough sense of decorum as to end the kiss but not to move too far away from each other. Over Harm's shoulder, Mac could see the blonde pointing eagerly in her direction, and the man now in the company of the blonde.
"Tiner?" Mac murmured, and Harm turned her in his arms so that they both faced the younger man. With Mac in civilian attire, it was hardly likely that anyone would think anything of the tall officer in Navy blues kissing a woman, albeit a heated kiss! With Tiner though, that raised an issue.
"Commander Rabb! Sir...I..." Tiner began, flustered to see two of his senior officers, together, and in a compromising position! "Co..." he was about to blurt out Mac's title when Harm hit him and the blonde with a confident smile and walked back to the younger couple.
"Tiner! Great to see you! If you'll excuse us, we have to get going. See you back at JAG next week, huh?"
"Er...yes, sir..." Tiner responded, aware of the implied order that Harm would be talking to him about this meeting once the pair of them were back at work.
In the car park, Dulles International Airport
"So, tell me again why you're here," Mac enquired huskily, her head still spinning from the speed at which her plans had changed. Harm put down Mac's holdall at the side of the Lexus and as he straightened he took her in his arms once more.
"I overheard Tiner confirming your flight and I was scared," Harm answered honestly. Mac's eyes widened at the statement, her voice tremulous as she asked what he was scared of.
"Scared that once you were back with Brumby that you'd want to stay there..."
"Why now?" Mac had to ask.
"I love you, Sarah Mackenzie, and I'm letting go; stating my intentions and staking a claim..."
"Wow..." was all Mac could manage in return before she raised her mouth to Harm's. Seeking, and finding, a response. As they eventually parted to the sound of 'get a room...' from a passing cab driver, Mac managed a strangled laugh. "When you let go, Harm..."
"I know..." Harm answered softly. "We have to speak to the Admiral on Monday, but right now..." Harm stopped, his need obvious to Mac as she remained close up to him.
"I have one more question," Mac murmured, and Harm nodded, willing to answer any questions honestly; no more diversions.
"Your place or mine?"
Harm grinned as he lowered his head once more.
The End