Title: Unresolved

Author: MacKenzie Rabb

Rating: PG

Classification: Angst

Feedback: mackenzie_rabb@yahoo.com

Spoilers: "Touch and Go"

Written: February 11- March 30, 2001

Disclaimer: I do not own JAG, and really the only part of it I'd want is Harm anyway, and that's just not happening. :( Anyway, it all belongs to Donald Bellisario, Paramount Pictures, and CBS. No infringement is intended.

Summary: Harm and Mac have a conversation. Post "Touch and Go"

Author's Notes: This is something I started back in February, and was quite sure that I was never going to finish. However, I finally did last night. For those of you who like things finished, well, there's a reason that this bears the title that it does. This is merely a 'scene' or a conversation that was bugging me for quite sometime, and there won't be a sequel. If this bothers you, jump ship now! LOL Otherwise, read on...
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There was a knock on Harm's door, and he jumped up from where he was working at his desk to answer it.

"Mac?" he said, a surprised look on his face. "Is something wrong?"

"Not really. I just needed to talk to you," she said. "Are you busy?"

"No. Come in," he said, stepping aside to let her pass. He closed the door and turned to face her, a questioning look on his face.

That's almost it, she thought. That's almost the exact same look he was giving me this afternoon, except there's more of a question there now.

She cleared her throat. Her greatest fear right now was that something in the deep recesses of her mind might slip out of her mouth.

"Harm, we need to have a serious talk," she finally managed. She always found it hard to string a sentence together in the grip of his gaze. It was even harder than usual now.

"What about?" Harm asked as casually as he could. You're busted, Rabb, he thought. How are you going to screw up this time? She wants to talk about this week, and today. . .

"First, I want to apologize for not telling you about this," she said, displaying the ring that now resided on her left hand.

The ring that shouldn't even be there, Harm thought to himself.

She continued. "I never meant for it to happen that way, but once Harriet noticed, that flew out the window."

"Finding out's finding out," he replied, trying desperately to remain indifferent.

Mac sighed. Of course he said that. You knew he was going to be just this way, she thought.

"I also think we need to talk about this afternoon," she stated before she could change her mind again. What happened now was up to him.

She saw him swallow hard.

"What about this afternoon?"

Mac rolled her eyes and sighed.

"What did Kate say to you, Harm? She had to have said something. You were staring at me, Harm. Remember?" He is *not* getting off this time, she thought.

You're doing it again, don't clam up this time. "We just said goodbye, Mac."

"Really? Mac said, unconvinced.

"Look, it's complicated. Did you come here just to interrogate me or what?"

"No, Harm, I came here to talk to you, but apparently you're incapable of having a simple conversation anymore. I'm going home," she said, heading for the door.

But Harm backed against it.

"There's no such thing as a simple conversation with us anymore," he said, looking straight at her.

"What. . .?" She was going to ask him what that was supposed to mean, but she already knew.

"So why'd you do it?"

He's not going to move, she thought.

"If you mean why did I say yes, then the answer is that's what most people in love do- get engaged." Why do I feel like sticking my tongue out at him? Irritation does such juvenile things to me.

"And you love him?"

"Who's interrogating now?" she accused. " I don't have to stand here and listen to this."

"You are unless you care to climb out of the window," he replied, crossing his arms and bracing himself against the door.

"Harm, you're being childish."

"No, I'm not, Mac. You came here yourself. I didn't invite you. There must've been some reason."

She had to concede. If she didn't, they'd be here all night. She knew him, or at least she used to, and when it came to being stubborn, he was a mule.

"Does it bother you that we're barely friends anymore? After everything. . ." She couldn't finish. It pained her too much, and he saw it in her face, her eyes.

"After everything we've been through together?"

"Yeah, and I feel like we've lost a lot, Harm. I just haven't known how to tell you."

"Mac, you've got Brumby now. You can't have us both. Now, I can try to be your friend, but that hasn't been working out very well, has it?"

"Does that mean you want me as more than a friend, or that you don't want anything at all?" She knew he could probably see the torture in her eyes, but she didn't care anymore.

"It doesn't really matter, does it, Mac? I've done plenty to wreck our friendship. Maybe I pushed you into his arms, maybe you just couldn't accept that I wasn't ready. Either way, you're the one engaged, the ball's in your court, and you have to decide what *you* want. But I think you already know that."

"I- " she started. But what could she really say to that?

"Look, I'm going to tell you right now that I don't know what you see in him, Mac. Even Dalton, though I wasn't fond of him either, treated you better than Mic does. And you're just going to tell me it's none of my business, so I might as well shut up now.

"I don't want to stop being your friend, Mac. Even in the shambles it's been in lately, our friendship still means something to me. But feeling how I feel, I don't know how well things are going to go after you're married. But like I said, it's up to you."

"Will you move now?" she asked pointedly.

Harm didn't want to, but he didn't have a choice. "Fine," he said, moving. "You run away this time."

That comment incited her anger and, without saying a word, she opened the door and slammed it behind her.

She turned in the hall and looked back at the door. But she couldn't face the man behind it again, not tonight.

And the man behind it was sure he'd just lost her forever.

The End.

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