A/N - This covers Seasons 2 through 5 of JAG (1996-2000)

A/N 2 - Some of you asked to see the fireworks when Mac and Tracy first meet. Well they meet at the Surface Warfare Ball, and I hope you like what happened.

Chapter 1

Several weeks later when Harm was promoted to Lieutenant Commander and awarded his first DFC, he was introduced to his new partner - a Marine Major named Sarah MacKenzie. She reminded him very much of his former girlfriend Diane. Harm was not sure what to make of her. Their first mission out to Arizona to rescue the Declaration of Independence from her Uncle (Marine Colonel Matthew O'Hara) as well as her admission that she was an alcoholic, started Harm thinking.

"I have to work with her but something tells me that she has a lot of emotional baggage. Rabb, make a note, Do NOT fall in love with her." Having told himself this, Harm elected to remain friends. After all they did have to work together.

Slowly over the next few years Mac's secrets came to light. How she was married but had lied on her application forms, how she had killed her ex-husband, supposedly in self-defence. Then Harm watched as Mac jumped ship to go work with Dalton Lowne in the private sector, only to discover that he just wanted her for a trophy and that the firm really had no intention of using her skills as a lawyer. Then it was discovered that Mac had been sleeping with her commanding officers - which explained why she had reached a high rank so fast. One of those lovers was Colonel John Farrow.

When Harm had the chance to have his eyes fixed through laser surgery, his next step was to change his designator in order to return to flying. He didn't feel the need to tell his partner. After all, this was his life, he needed to find some closure, and if she didn't like it, well that was her problem.

Mac was not at all happy that Harm had gone back to flying. She acted like he was abandoning her permanently. This was made clear when Mac showed up onboard his carrier with new Lieutenant Colonel pips on her shoulders, which meant she had received a promotion and NOT told Harm about it.

Several weeks later he was forced to return to JAG after he was told that he did not have enough hours in the air or enough traps to compete with his younger teammates. So once again, he was forced to leave his first choice of career and settle back into his second choice. But this time he did have some closure, as he was still King of the Greenie Board and he knew he was still one of the best aviators in the Navy.

Once Harm was released back to JAG from the SeaHawk, and his designator was changed back to that of a JAG Lawyer, the Admiral immediately sent him to the Pentagon to defend SECNAV Nelson's son who was accused of disobeying an order. Harm didn't know it, but fate was already in motion to change his life.

People rushed to move out of the way of the tall Naval officer who was striding through the halls of the Pentagon at a fast pace. Rabb was late for an appointment with the SecNav. Not slowing down to turn the corner, he blindly barreled into a young naval officer coming from the opposite direction and around the same corner, her arms piled high with folders. As they collided, the officers arms collapsed like a concertina and all the folders spiralled outwards, releasing their papers. In slow motion it was almost like rain, except that each raindrop was a piece of paper.

"Shoot! Why don't you watch where you are going?" The female voice with the southern accent, demanded as she crouched down to start grabbing as many papers together as she could. "I just spent ages getting these organized and now I going to have to sort them out, all over again."

The young lady had not looked up at all during her ranting. So she was shocked when a male voice replied. "Look, I have an appointment with the SECNAV, but perhaps I can help you organise these papers after my appointment? Which office are you in, Lieutenant Commander-?"

Tracy looked up into the most gorgeous blue eyes she had ever seen, and fell instantly in love. She could not see his stripes, so she had no idea what his rank was, but it was always better to err on the side of caution.

"Manetti, sir. I'm Lieutenant Commander Tracy Manetti. And I apologise for my harsh words, sir."

Harm stood up, and smiled. Now Tracy could see that he was the same rank as her, which was a relief. He was less likely to chew her out for insubordination.

"Lieutenant Commander Harmon Rabb. I hate to leave you with all this mess, but I have got to get the SecNav's office. Where is your office, Commander? I'll find you after I am done."

"2B444" she stated.

"Two B four forty four. Got it. I should be there in an hour to help. Now if you'll excuse me?" Harm turned and continued on his way with his long strides down the corridor. Tracy watched him go and then sighed.

"So that's the famous Harmon Rabb? Well, he sure looks good in his uniform. But I had no idea that he was so tall."

Tracy continued to gather her papers together and slowly made her way back to her office. Once there, she dumped the pile onto a coffee table and decide to leave them for now. After all, there was someone coming in an hour to help sort them all out again.

Tracy kept herself busy with legal briefs for the next fifty minutes and was surprised at just how fast the time had gone when there was a knock on her door.

"Enter" she called and watched the door open. Then a gorgeous pair of blue eyes peeked around the door.

"Is it safe to enter, Commander? I wouldn't want to be facing your wrath for the second time in an hour." Harm smiled as Tracy waved him in. Closing the door behind him, Harm wandered over to her desk and stood at parade rest, without invitation. She waved him to a seat.

"Those folders you knocked out of my arms, Commander. They're on the table beside you. Mostly legal briefs, but I had them sorted by case and then by date order. The case file numbers will be easy, it's the dates that were the hard part."

Harm looked at the pile on the table and asked. "Are any of those mine?"

Tracy frowned. "What do you mean, yours? You are a naval aviator, aren't you?"

Harm smiled his flyboy smile. "I'm also a lawyer at JAG. That's why I'm here today actually. I've been charged with defending Lieutenant Nelson (the SECNAV's son) against a charge of disobeying a lawful order."

Tracy was astounded, and her mouth fell open. "H Rabb is you? Yes. There are quite a few cases in there with H Rabb either prosecuting or defending."

"Good" exclaimed Harm as he moved his chair closer to the table."That will make this a lot easier, because I remember all my own cases."

Two hours later, Harm looked up as Tracy stopped in front of him. "Commander?" she asked. "It's 1830 hours. Do you want to get a bite to eat? Don't worry about those. I'll finish them off tomorrow."

"Almost finished, Commander, just give me a minute...there and done." he said as he closed the last folder and placed it nearly on the pile.

"Thank you, Commander," Tracy smiled. "Now about that offer. A bite to eat?"

"Certainly Commander. I don't eat meat, but I do eat chicken and fish."

"Do you like Mediterranean? Hummus, pita bread, falafel, chicken, that kind of stuff?" she asked.

Harm's face lit up. "I love Mediterranean cuisine."

"Excellent!" exclaimed Tracy. She led Harm to a Mediterranean cafe in the Pentagon food court, where they sat and chatted, mostly about the world events, politics, the economy and other non-personal subjects like that. At the end of the meal, they swapped business cards. Rabb had really enjoyed chatting with Tracy. He vowed to himself that he WOULD be back in touch with her some day.

A few weeks later, when Harm received his promotion to Commander, as well as his second DFC, he finally had a reason to call her again. So he called Tracy Manetti in the Pentagon, and left her a message, just to let her know of his promotion. She called him back that night and they spent several hours on the phone, chatting. It was as if only a few hours had passed since they last spoke, and not several weeks. Harm was thrilled at just how easy Tracy was to talk to, and how much they had in common.

Harm began asking Lieutenant Commander Tracy Manetti out on a few dates. One of the early dates was on a Saturday flying in his bi-pane, Sarah, over the Shenandoah National Forest in Virginia. Fortunately the plane did not develop any trouble, and he was not forced to land in the forest, unlike the last time he had taken a female passenger flying. Harm discovered that Tracy shared his love of flying. Having been raised on a tobacco farm, she loved the outdoors life just as he did.

In the meantime, back at the JAG office, Mac ignored Harm as much as she could. She was still angry that he had left her to "go off, gallivanting around the skies," as she put it.

Things became even worse when the team went down under to Australia to help Mic Brumby with a case. Mac threw herself at Harm, asking for what he thought was a one night stand. He tried to avoid saying No by saying Not Yet instead. The next day she was playing tonsil hockey with Brumby. It was very clear that she had slept with him and was now wearing Brumby's ring, even if it was on the right hand as a "friendship" ring. Brumby fully expected it to be moved over to Mac's left hand at a later date.

Harm took a big step back from Mac on an emotional level. It had taken him a while, but he finally understood that Mac was essentially an emotionally needy person. Which explained why she had seldom been available for him when he needed her. Harm decided that a totally clean break was absolutely necessary because he didn't have time for dealing with all her emotional needs. He had a job to do. Knowing that Brumby was a somewhat jealous man, Harm stopped looking to Mac for his emotional needs.

Asking Tracy to be his date for the Surface Warfare Ball was an easy decision for Harm. Harm had briefly told Tracy about Mac, just so she might have some idea what to expect at the Ball.

"Then there's Mac. Colonel Sarah MacKenzie. She once propositioned me and I turned her down. She didn't like that. She may try and proposition me again. But even if she does, it will be an easy decision to turn her down again, now that I know what kind of person she really is."

Tracy cocked her head and raised her eyebrows.

Harm shrugged."Mac is an emotionally needy person. She has a great body, and a beautiful face, but she uses her body to get whatever or whomever she wants. She does not take rejection very well."

At the Ball, Mac wore a long low cut red dress. She had intended going to the ball alone. That is, until Mic Brumby showed up wearing a tuxedo and saying that he had resigned his commission and moved half way around the world to be with the woman he loved. So Mac and Brumby entered the ballroom together.

Tracy arrived on Harm's arm looking spectacular in a black strapless floor length gown with gold threads that shimmered as she moved. Mac's eyes were staring daggers at Harm and his date.

Harm and Tracy moved over to the JAG table and everyone was looking at Tracy with interest.

"Everyone, This is Lieutenant Commander Tracy Manetti from the Pentagon. Tracy, these are my colleagues from JAG. Admiral AJ Chegwidden, Lieutenant Commander Alan Mattoni and his wife Jackie, Lieutenant Bud Roberts and his wife Lieutenant Harriet Sims, Lieutenant Loren Singer, Lieutenant Commander Carolyn Imes, Colonel Sarah MacKenzie and Mr Michael Brumby from Australia."

Everyone acknowledged Tracy with a nod and a smile, except for Mac and Brumby. Mac's eyes were flashing daggers at Tracy. Brumby's eyes were lustful, and Tracy felt like he was undressing her. She shivered. Harm drew closer and asked her what was wrong.

"I do not like the way Mr Brumby looks at me. He looks like he wants to undress me."

Harm frowned. "Do you want to press charges?" he asked.

"No. I can't prove anything at this point. But if I do end up dancing with him, and he tries anything, I do have the perfect way to deal with men like him."

Harm went off to get some drinks from the bar, and the ladies from JAG gathered around Tracy's chair and bombarded her with questions.

"So, Commander Manetti, where are you from?"

"Southern Virginia."

"What do you do at the Pentagon?"

"Not a lot."

"How did you meet Commander Rabb?"

"We bumped into each other at the Pentagon."

"How long have you been dating Commander Rabb?"

"Not long, just a few months."

"You're not blonde. He won't be around very long. Harm prefers blondes. Did you know that?" This last comment was spoken in a snide all-knowing tone of voice by Mac.

"And you think he belongs to you, Colonel MacKenzie?" Tracy asked. "If Harm does prefer blondes, then he could not be dating you, since you are clearly not a blonde."

Mac was shocked. So were all the other JAG ladies. No-one had ever responded to any of Mac's snide remarks before. The competition usually deflated and left soon after. They always accepted the warning Mac was conveying to stay away from Harm, because everyone in JAG knew that Harm belonged to her.

"One more thing, Colonel." Tracy spoke up again. "I understand that Mr Brumby is your date, this evening? I would appreciate it, if you could do me a favour, and ask him to keep his eyes to himself. If he looks at me as if he wants to undress me, one more time, I will report him for sexual harassment. So for both our sakes, I would like to suggest that you ask him to keep himself under control."

Mac gasped. "You do not tell me what to do. I'm a marine. Noone tells me what to do." Mac was getting angry and did not realise what she was saying.

"Really, Colonel?" Tracy raised an eyebrow as if she were asking a question. "I thought you were required to obey any and all orders that Admiral Chegwidden gave you? Am I wrong? Besides I was not telling you. I was strongly suggesting. But if you wish to ignore me, then that's fine. Mr Brumby will just have to deal with the consequences of his actions. "

Mac deflated. She scowled at Tracy and walked off towards the ladies room.

Tracy looked warily at the JAG ladies who were gathered around her chair. Some of them were smiling, while others were shocked.

"Commander Manetti?" came the gravelly voice of the Australian from behind her. "May I have this dance?"

"No, thank you. I am not available to you. I would appreciate that you do not ask me again this evening." Tracy was being polite.

"Why not? I have done nothing. This is the first time I am asking you." Brumby moved around to face Tracy and then began leaning forward into Tracy's personal space. Tracy leaned back.

"I do have the right to say NO, and I am exercising that right, Mr Brumby."

When Mac exited from the Ladies room, the first thing she saw was Mic Brumby leaning over Tracy in a somewhat threatening manner. Keeping in mind what Tracy had said about reporting Brumby for sexual harassment, Mac decided it would be a good idea to remove Brumby from that situation.

"Mic, I'll dance with you." she said in bright tone.

"Naaah, it's OK Sarah. I want to dance with Harm's date. I wanna see what Harm sees in the gook."

Brumby had not seen Rabb returning from the bar with drinks for himself and his date.

"Mr Brumby!" Harm snapped. Brumby automatically straightened up. Harm put his drinks down on a table, and then got into Brumby's personal space, using his height to intimidate the Australian.

"I expect you to apologise to Lieutenant Commander Manetti, for the racist word you just used."

Brumby sneered."I didn't say anything of a racist nature, Commander Rabb."

"Yes you did. That word is spelt G-O-O-K. It is a well known racist term in California for anyone of Asian descent, specifically with Asian eyes. I was raised in California. I heard it quite often when I was growing up."

Noone heard or saw the Admiral stop behind the JAG crowd.

"What is going on here?" Chegwidden demanded.

Harm spoke up first.

"Sir. I heard Mr Brumby refer to Commander Manetti using a racist word. I am ordering him to apologise."

Chegwidden looked around at the crowd. "Did anyone else hear this word?" Mac and the other JAG ladies nodded. He turned back to Rabb. "What was the word, Commander?"

"I'd rather not repeat it, but it is spelled G-O-O-K."

Chegwidden's eyes opened wide. He had heard that word a lot during the Vietnam war.

"In what way was he using this word, Commander?"

Harm repeated what Brumby had said to Mac.

The Admiral raised his eyebrows in question to Mac, who nodded silently.

"Brumby. On my six, now!" he snapped out.

The Admiral led Brumby outside of the ballroom and nothing more was heard for several minutes. Eventually Chegwidden stepped back into the ballroom and walked over to the crowd who were all still together. Turning to Mac, he spoke.

"Mr Brumby is no longer permitted to have any access to the JAG HQ as long as he is a civilian. He has asked for you to take him home, since he took a cab to get here. Please gather your coats and covers and take him home, Colonel."

Mac nodded and departed. She was fuming and furious. At Manetti for embarassing her and at Brumby for humiliating her in front of the JAG crowd.

Admiral Chegwidden stood to attention in front of Commander Manetti and apologised on behalf of all the JAG lawyers in the HQ office.

Rabb and Tracy both left the Ball shortly after. Rabb was quiet as he drove Tracy home. He was astounded at Brumby's rudeness and the racist remark made to Tracy as well as the cavalier attitude towards Mac. He also added this as one more reason not to stay in the Navy any longer past the 20 years necessary to qualify for a pension. As of now, he had just 2 years left before he could put in his retirement papers.