Title: The Ride Home

Author: rooster dawn

Classification: Harm/Mac

Spoiler: Tangle Web Two

Disclaimer: 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.

Summary: On the way home from Paraguay Harm and Mac think about what went wrong and how to fix it.

Good feedback is good for one's soul and everyone's happiness.

part 2

They would be getting to the airport soon. He wouldn't blame her if she didn't want to sit with him on the flight home. She'll probably sit with Webb now since he had made such an ass of himself. That would leave him with Gunny.

How would he explain to Gunny why Mac was angry with him. He closed his eyes again. He reached over to where her hand was and took a hold of it. He gave it a gentle squeeze before letting her hand go. He let out a sigh.

A tear came to his eye as he thought about how he had come to Paraguay to rescue her, only to lose her once again to another man.

A tear came to Mac's eye as she felt Harm squeeze her hand. Her heart was breaking. How could she have said Never to the man she loved. She could kick herself for saying it now. She was going to have to tell him she was wrong to say Never.

But he was going to have to change. Jealousy was not a pleasant look for Harm. It made him do and say ugly things. He was going to have to get his act together. If they could get pass this latest disagreement, maybe there would be hope for them in the future. But things had to change. She was tired of being hurt by the things he said to her in anger.

An hour later Harm was laying back in his seat on the plane with his eyes close. He had survive one bullet. Mac had elected to sit with him and not Webb. He guess it was her way of once again showing him, that being with Webb was not what she wanted.

Now all he had to do was survive the trip home with Mac without saying something stupid. He thought the best way to do that was to pretend he was sleeping. Somehow he would make it up to her later when they were back in Washington.

Mac looked over at Harm. She could see that he was trying to sleep. It had been a rough couple of days. With all the words that they had exchanged he probably hadn't slept very well. She knew she hadn't. She needed to clear the air.

"Harm!" called Mac as she shook Harm's shoulder.

"What?" replied Harm with his eyes still close.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said never. You just made me so mad I lost it." wailed Mac.

"It's not your fault Mac. I'm the one who made the stupid comments. I'm the one who brought up the ancient history. I'm the one who failed to listen to what you were trying to tell me." replied Harm as he opened his eyes. He felt some hope that their relationship could now be savaged.

"I wanted to thank you for coming after me Harm. I knew you would come, though I was surprise that you waited so long." continued Mac.

"I would have come sooner Mac, but the Admiral wouldn't let me. He wouldn't even let me take leave. I was having nightmares, I knew you were in trouble, that you were going to die.

But the Admiral didn't seem to care. He said it was a CIA mission. That the CIA would do what was necessary to get you and Webb out. But everyone I talked to said they probably wouldn't do anything.

That's why I had to resign my commission. You're the most important thing in the world to me Mac. You're more important to me than the Navy and flying. I can get another job anywhere, but there is only one you." whispered Harm back as he held her hand. He wanted to kiss her so much right now.

"I'm sorry I didn't say it sooner, but the last week has been the worse week of my life. First Gunny was shot. I thought he was dead. Then they executed two missionaries right in front of me." wailed Mac.

"I know Mac. Gunny and I had just gotten to the edge of the compound. We saw them shoot the missionaries. That's why I sent him after Webb and I kept an eye on you." replied Harm.

"You saw that? They were torturing Webb to tell them who he was and why he was there. They were going to torture me before you rescued me.

Even though there was a nice adrenaline rush flying the plane while you bombed the truck, the crash afterwards sucked all the joy out of me. The only good thing to happen this week was seeing you there when I needed you the most.

The only thing I wanted after we crashed was to get back to somewhere safe where you could just hold me so I would know everything was alright again.

I was so stress out, you know like when I had to kill the poacher with his own knife. Then you started in on Webb and how I wanted him. I never did want him, Harm. The kiss was just a way of saying thank you for keeping me safe." sighed Mac.

"I should have known Mac. All the time you were away I knew something bad was going to happen to you. I should have known that you would have been traumatized by it all. I shouldn't have fought with you, especially since all I wanted to do was hold you and kiss you." replied Harm.

"The Admiral will take you back, won't he? He knows that you did the right thing. Never leave a man behind is the creed of the Seals." replied Mac enjoying the feel of her hand in Harm's strong one.

She wish he would pull her into his lap and hold her tightly. She wished he would just kiss her passionately until all the pain was gone.

"I don't know Mac. I have the feeling that it won't be easy. The last time I screwed up was when Bud stepped on the land mine. I figure there wasn't any way he could do anything then after I saved the battle fleet from the dirty nuke." answered Harm.

"So that's why you insisted that I take the JAG position on ship." moaned Mac understanding.

"Yes, but this time it wasn't the same. I wasn't on a Navy mission." replied Harm.

"But you saved my life, Webb's life. You also destroyed the stinger missiles, you completed the mission. That's what it's all about. You potentially save many thousands of American lives." wailed Mac trying to convince him that he was a hero and should get a medal.

"That may well be true, but it was a CIA mission, not a Navy one. I think I push the proverbial window a bit too far this time Mac." sighed Harm.

"What are you going to do Harm if he doesn't take you back?" asked Mac.

"It doesn't matter as long as I have you in my life." replied Harm as he leaned in for a soft kiss with Mac. "Like I told you on the porch years ago, I never want to lose you."

Mac returned the kiss placing one arm around his neck so he couldn't move away too soon. She wanted more. She had waited a long time for this.

A stewardess walking by smiled at the sight. She thought they made a handsome couple. They looked to be very much in love. She saw a man struggling to walk down the aisle.

"Mr. Webb, shouldn't you be in your seat resting. Your friend told me you have been seriously ill and need to rest."

"I need to see Sarah. She sitting with a friend a few rows up ahead. I need see her. I need to tell her something." replied Webb.

"You mean the beautiful woman with the long dark brown hair with the tall and very sexy looking man?" asked the stewardess smiling.

"Yes! It's very important." replied Webb now beginning to become annoyed with her whimsical attitude. It was getting difficult for him to stay standing.

"I think she's busy with her boy friend." smiled the stewardess as she looked back at them.

Webb took a look in the direction she was looking. He saw them kissing. His face became red as he was about to blow a gasket.

"Damm" he said to himself. Breaking them up and having Sarah all to himself might be more difficult than he imagine. He thought he had put the final nails into the coffin known as their relationship.

First he told Mac in front of Harm "he loved her." Then later pointing out all the stupid things Harm did to Mac. It had worked like a charm. Harm kept digging himself deeper and deeper into a hole. There was no way out he thought, but as usual somehow he seem to have found it.

"Mr. Webb, let's get you back to your seat. You're about ready to keel over. I'll let her know you would like to speak to her. You can talk to Sarah later." ordered the stewardess.

"Thank you Ma'am, I would appreciate that." sighed Webb.

The stewardess waited until she thought Harm and Mac were finish kissing. She didn't want to interrupt them. They made such a nice couple.

"Excused me Ma'am, is your name Sarah?"

"Yes." replied Mac curiously.

"Mr. Webb would like to talk to you when you have time." informed the stewardess.

"I bet he does." moaned Harm.

"Thank you Miss, I had planned to talked to him and Gunny later." replied Mac.

"Don't start Harm. We've already cover this before. Don't say anything you're regret later. Let's not spoiled the last ten minutes we've spent together." ordered Mac.

"Yes Ma'am!" mocked Harm.

"You're right. If you want to go talk to him now, I don't mind." moaned Harm.

"He can wait Harm. It's a long flight back to the states. I'd like to get some rest. I didn't sleep very well last night after our fight. I'm sure you didn't either. I need your shoulder for a pillow." smiled Mac.

The stewardess came by several hours later. The plane would be landing in fifteen minutes. She wanted to make sure everyone was awake and sitting upright in their seats. She was happy to see that Harm and Mac were happy together.

They had seem to be quite angry with each other when they first arrived, but she had seen them makeup. They did make such a handsome couple. Webb meanwhile never did get the opportunity to speak to Mac before he was whisked away to the nearest hospital for a two week stay to recover from his injuries.

Harm and Mac enjoyed a nice evening at Harm's place where he cooked her one of her favorite meals before calling it an early night. Tomorrow was going to be another difficult day. They needed to see the Admiral about whether or not Harm still had a job to return to.

The End