Title: Number One Couple in Washington D.C.
Author: rooster dawn
Classification: Harm/Mac
Summary: Harm and Mac are trying to keep a low profile, but they keep ending up being shown as a couple in the society pages.
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.
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part two
An hour later Harm and Mac quickly walked back to their offices. They needed to come up with a game plan to defuse the fallout that this article was sure to generate.
They figured that if the Admiral and SecNav knew about the article, then Harriet would soon find out about it if she hadn't already. Alas they weren't quite quick enough as Harriet caught them at their door.
"Ma'am, Sir, congratulations!" chirp Harriet excitedly.
"What's up Harriet?" asked Mac as they went into Harm's office and sat down. She wasn't going to tip their hand.
"Don't you know Ma'am?" asked Harriet.
Mac decided quickly to feign ignorance and draw it out of Harriet.
"I haven't a clue Harriet. We're been in with the Admiral all morning." replied Mac coyly.
"The paper Ma'am, didn't you read the newspaper yesterday?" whined Harriet.
"No, not really Harriet. I glance at a few sections that I like to read, but since I wasn't home most of the day, I didn't get a chance to read it." replied Mac observing the increasing frustration on Harriet's face.
God, this was a lot of fun Mac thought. Harm sat there being amused with the little cat and mouse game Mac was playing with Harriet.
"What about you Sir?" asked Harriet hoping that at least he knew what she was talking about.
"What about me Harriet?" smiled Harm.
"Didn't you read yesterday's Sunday newspaper Commander?" asked a frustrated Harriet.
"I don't usually have time to read the newspaper Harriet. I'm usually getting ready for court or going away on an investigation. Besides I went flying in my bi-plane yesterday." smiled Harm looking over to Mac and his smiled grew larger.
"Did you go with him Ma'am?" asked Harriet now more confused then ever, but hopeful that the Commander and Colonel were spending some time together.
"Yes Harriet, Harm took me flying in his plane. We were looking at the spring foliage from the air. It was truly amazing, with all the different colors painting a beautiful mosaic." smiled Mac.
"We even had a picnic by a stream in a mountain meadow." Harriet stood there looking stunned.
She didn't know what to say. She slowly turned away and walked backed to her desk, forgetting why she had gone to Harm's office in the first place. Mac shook her head. She couldn't believe it was that easy to distract Harriet. They both laughed.
"You're bad marine. She came in here so excited about seeing us in the newspaper and you blew her off the scent without batting an eye." grinned Harm.
"I learnt from the best Flyboy. Give them a little misdirection and then lead them in the direction you want them to go." smiled Mac seductively.
"How long to you think it will take for her head to clear and realize what you just told her?" asked Harm.
"Most of the day I believe. Harriet has a one track mind that can easily be sidetracked onto something else. She will be thinking about us spending the day flying. Sometime later today she will come into my office to discuss the implications with me.
She will be so excited and happy. Unless she talked about the article with someone else this morning, we shouldn't hear another word about it today." smiled Mac. God she looks beautiful when she's devious thought Harm.
"I hope you're right Mac. This isn't something I want to spend a lot of time on. Somehow though I think Harriet must have played a part in all this." sighed Harm.
"Why do you say that Harm?" asked Mac curiously.
"They had pictures of us at Aj's baptism. They also had picture of us in Afghanistan. They knew about the tribunal and the dirty nuke. They had to have an inside source, someone had to have given them the idea to pick us as a couple in the first place.
There is only one person we know who would do something like that." explained Harm.
"Harriet!" replied Mac.
"Right! You know how much she wants us to be together. This is a classic Harriet stunt." smiled Harm.
"When you're right, you're right Flyboy. I'll catch you later for lunch." smile Mac as she walked back to her office to go to work on some paperwork. This could be a long day
28 May 2003
JAG Headquarters
Admiral's Office
The SecNav was in the Admiral's office. To say he wasn't very happy was an understatement. It was all he could do to hold his temper and keep his voice under control. He held up several copies of the Washington Post in his hand.
"Have you seen this! Everyday for the last two weeks there is another article in the newspaper about two of your officers. One day it shows them carousing in the park in a compromising position on the grass.
The next day shows them dressed to the hilt in formal attire sharing a slow dance in a very close and loving embrace. I have one here showing them going for a joy ride in an F-14.
I don't mind seeing them in pictures doing their jobs like these in the courtroom or this one where they were dressed in desert BDU's on patrol in Afghanistan with a M-16.
But all these other pictures showing them in less than flattering military decor is bad. There are pictures of them socializing all around town together. It smells of possible fraternization AJ." bellowed out the SecNav.
"I beg to disagree Sir. First off they are the same rank. Second, they aren't in the same direct chain of command. Neither one reports to the other, they both report to me.
Third, fraternization only refers to members of the opposite sex engaging in inappropriate sexual activities during a time of war while serving in combat situations. Since none of these pictures show them engaged in any sexual activity during a time of war, there is no problem.
Besides Sir, it's good publicity for the Navy and the Military in general. It shows that even though one serves their country, they can still have a life outside the duty day, a normal life. The military can be an Attractive alternative." replied the Admiral trying to diffuse the situation.
At that moment Harm and Mac knocked on the door before entering. The Admiral asked them to take a seat.
"You both are aware of why you're here in my office today?" asked the Admiral.
"No Sir!" they both replied.
"It seems that the Post has decided to do follow up stories of you both together. They have been doing a story each day for the past two weeks." continued the Admiral.
"Sir, with everything that has been going on in Iraq and Afghanistan these days along with our normal duties, the last thing we have time to do is sit down and read the newspaper." replied Harm.
"We've been putting in sixteen hour days six or seven days a week Sir." continued Mac.
"We've probably been out of the country at least half the time since the war in Iraq was inevitable." added Harm.
"We've had to update and rewrite the Rules of Engagement for every possible scenario that might possibly happen for the ground troops, bombers, missile fire from the battle groups, urban warfare, and when the enemy uses civilians as human shields." explained Mac.
The last two months have entailed the policing of the cities, conducting checkpoint searches, and how to handle the different factions in the same area." replied Harm solemnly.
"We don't have time to read the newspaper, much less socialize around town here in Washington." moaned Mac thinking what it would be like if her life was normal once again.
"If the Post is printing pictures and stories about us, it must be from some archives of events they have covered in the past that we have attended." added Harm wishing life was simple again.
"There's your answer Sir. I believe it's just the Post trying to sell newspapers. What better way then to use the Commander and the Colonel to counter balance the horrors of war than to give the military a human side to associate with." smiled the Admiral.
"I don't know AJ. Something sounds amiss here, but I'll take your word for it. I have to agree with you that giving the public a positive view of the military is probably a good idea. We can't have them thinking we're all warmongers." sighed the SecNav.