Chapter 2

Friday

October 14th, 2005

1630 local

Starbucks

San Diego, CA

"Thanks for coming to meet me Harriet, I didn't know who else to talk to," Harm said gratefully.

"I was glad to get out of the house, that's why I suggested we meet out here. I was kinda craving a strawberries and crème frappuccino anyway," answered Harriet.

"So where are the kids?"

"Mikey's visiting, so he offered to watch the kids for a little while."

Harriet has had a change of heart since convincing Bud to turn down both Harm and Mac's offers to work for them respectively. She had called Mac up a couple of months after Mac had arrived in San Diego and practically begged her to reconsider. She wanted their families to stay close and Harriet also realized that Bud's medical needs would be met just as well in San Diego. Bud took the job with Mac as her second in command and the children, being so young had no problems adjusting. In fact, little AJ was ecstatic to be close to his Aunt Mac again.

"How is he doing? Is he still with General Cresswell's daughter?"

"Umm… they've decided to take it slow. I guess time will tell how that one will turn out," Harriet said. "Sir, I know you didn't call me up today for idle chit chat. What's up?"

"Harriet, you're Mac's best friend…"

"Her best girl friend, sir. You're still her best friend."

"Right…" Harm smiled, slightly. "Has she mentioned anything to you about being unhappy… or anything along those lines…?"

"Not at all! The last time we spoke a few days ago she told me how excited she was about the wedding next month."

"Really?" Harm asked, still sounding unsure.

"Sir, what's the matter?" Harriet asked, concerned.

Harm then proceeded to tell her everything he had overheard the previous night. The conversation between Mac and Jamie really shook him to the core. It was bad enough that Jamie had all but confessed that he was in love with his fiancée, but what was worse was that his fiancée actually believed all the crap that Jamie had told her about Harm not loving her enough.

"What do I do, Harriet?" Harm asked, half pleadingly.

"You eavesdropped on them, sir?" Harriet asked, ignoring Harm's question.

"I didn't mean to, but I couldn't bring myself to stop listening! They were talking about me. And not in a way that I'd like!"

"I have no idea how you could possibly bring this up with the Colonel, sir. She'd be furious if she found out you were eavesdropping."

"I know, I know. I just can't believe that she thinks I don't need her, and that Mic loved her more and that she's not a priority in my life. Harriet, she is my life!" Harm said, exasperated. "And who the hell does this Jamie guy think he is anyway?"

"Sir, I haven't met this guy… But I'll try to be fair in my opinion. Sir, I know how much you love the Colonel and I know that what this Jamie guy said about you was completely untrue. But perhaps he really is looking out for his old friend. I mean, whether you meant to or not, you did hurt the Colonel in the past, and more than once like the guy said. I guess from someone on the outside looking in, it may look like you don't love the Colonel as much as I know you do," Harriet paused, trying to gauge Harm's reaction. "Or… there's also the possibility that this guy is in love with her and that he's trying to plant seeds of doubt in her mind about you two… I really don't know, sir."

"Neither do I, Harriet. Neither do I. In a way, I'm glad I heard what I did. I had no idea that Mac thought this way about me, about how I feel about her. She seemed so happy to me."

"Well, she is, sir. I've never seen her happier. I guess it just doesn't matter to her how much you love her, only that you do," Harriet said, trying to cheer Harm up.

"That's not good enough, Harriet. I'm not going to risk losing Mac just because some smooth talker convinces her that he loves her more than I do."

"She's devoted to you, sir. You won't lose her. And besides, it's not possible, sir."

"What do you mean?"

"It's not possible for anyone to love her more than you, sir."

"Thanks, Harriet," and for the first time that day, Harm felt a little better.

(same time)

Mac's office

Mac couldn't stop thinking about her conversation with Jamie the night before. The conversation brought up painful memories of her and Harm's past. Jamie brought up things that she and Harm hadn't even spoken about. Mac couldn't help but play the conversation over and over again in her mind, trying to categorize the pieces of the conversation and categorizing them as either: true or untrue. Suddenly, the ringing of her phone brought her out of her deep thoughts.

"Hello?" Mac answered.

"Hi, Sarah?" It was Jamie.

"Jamie… hi…" Mac didn't know quite what to say. She still felt somewhat awkward from the night before.

"Look, Sarah, I'm sorry about last night. Don't read too much into it. Though you're one of my oldest friends, I still forgot that we haven't seen each other in a long time and I guess I just got a little carried away. I'm far too outspoken, it's one of my biggest faults… but you knew that already," Jamie chuckled a bit to ease the tension.

"It's ok Jamie. I know you're just looking out for me," Mac said, relieved that it seemed Jamie hadn't developed feelings for her like she thought he might have from some of the things he said the night before.

"Always, Sarah," Mac didn't know what to say. There was a long pause until Jamie asked, "So… are we good?"

"Of course," Mac said, relieved the tension was cut.

"Anyway, I also called to ask if you'd be willing to help me out on a case I'm working on. I really could use another lawyer's point of view, and you're one of the best."

Mac had to laugh at his tactics. It wasn't the first time he tried using it in the history of their friendship. He would often try to flatter her until she gave in. "Jamie, flattery will get you… everything!" Mac said giggling. "Where did you want to meet?"

"Umm… how about Tom's Diner down the street from your office? You know the place?"

"Yeah, I have lunch there sometimes. When did you want to meet?"

"How about in a half hour?"

"Ok, did you want me to bring any notes? Any of my past cases?"

"No, I just want your opinion. See ya in a bit!"

(half an hour later)

Tom's Diner

The waitress had just brought Mac and Jamie's orders. Mac was engrossed in the case file that Jamie had brought.

"Jamie, I have to admit, I'm not an expert on insurance fraud, but I think that your client should definitely make an offer to settle. I mean it says here under their policy that leukemia falls under the category of terminal illness and therefore as an insurance company they have to pay out. It may very well have been the case that the boy died because your client failed to uphold their end of the deal," Mac said, very much intrigued by the case he brought.

Mac couldn't have known that the case had nothing to do with why Jamie had called her. She had no idea that he hadn't given up on her yet.

"You know Sarah, I was thinking the same thing. I'm glad your opinion matches my own. But I'm not surprised, we're usually on the same page you and I."

"Well, great minds think alike," Mac said cheerfully, missing Jamie's not-so-subtle hint. "Anyway, I have to get going, I want to spend some quality time with Harm and Mattie before it's bedtime. I've barely seen them all week. Work has just been so hectic. Look at me, I don't even have any make-up on I haven't had the time!"

"It doesn't matter, you're always beautiful, Sarah," Jamie said. He noticed how she blushed at his compliment.

"Please, Jamie, you don't have to flatter me anymore, I've already looked through your case," Mac said, teasingly.

"I wasn't joking, Sarah," Jamie said, seriously. "I had forgotten how beautiful you were until I saw you again yesterday."

"Jamie… I… I have to go…" Mac said, knowing full well that Jamie wasn't joking around anymore.

Jamie blocked Mac's path. For a second there, Mac looked like she was a deer caught in the headlights. "Jamie… what… do you…"

"Let me make you happy. I love you more than he does," Jamie said, quietly, almost pleadingly.

"Oh, Jamie…" Mac said, not quite sure how to respond. "You don't really feel that way…"

"I've felt that way about you since the beginning… but with your alcoholism, and then Chris, and then you joining the Marines… I just never got the opportunity. It was just never the right time. By the time I saw you again in Portland, you were clearly smitten with your partner," Jamie paused, unsure how to continue. "When I saw you again yesterday at the airport after all these years, I had no idea all these feelings would come flooding back."

"Jamie… I'm engaged!"

"Since when has that stopped you?!"

Mac fought the urge to slap him. Since the night before, Mac had given him the benefit of the doubt that he was just looking out for her. But now, she felt like he's stepped over the line. "What did you say?"

"Had Harm told you he loved you while you were engaged to Mic, you would have run to him with arms wide open. You told me so yourself."

Mac had told him that, years ago. She didn't know what to say for a moment there. "Look, Jamie, the last thing I want to do is hurt your feelings… we've been through a lot together…"

"Yes we have! I'd never let you down, Sarah. Not like him. You would never have to share my attention with anyone. You'd be my only obsession."

"I don't want to be anyone's obsession. You may think you know me, Jamie, but I've changed so much from the person I was the last time you saw me. I'm not the love-starved teenager you once knew. I'm no longer willing to sell my soul just to be loved. I've learned my lesson."

"Have you really? I had warned you about Chris, but you were either too drunk or too stubborn to listen to me and look what happened!"

At this point people around the diner began staring at them. Mac knew she had to end this conversation. She genuinely liked Jamie. He had been a good friend to her and she wasn't about to forget all the good things he had done for her because of one evening where he seemed to have lost all his senses.

"Jamie, you're one of my oldest friends, and that's probably why I let this conversation go as far as it did. But for the sake of our friendship… drop it," Mac said, her voice deadly serious.

Mac turned to leave and walked out of the diner, but Jamie followed her outside to her car.

"I don't understand, Sarah. You insist on being with a man who has broken your heart time and time again! Add to that, he's got so much baggage!"

"I've got baggage too, Jamie!"

"Exactly, Sarah, and that's why it wouldn't work between you two. You need a man who can focus on you. Not someone whose baggage adds to your own."

"What in the world are you babbling about?"

"His search for his father nearly got you killed! That's a crap load of baggage if you ask me! But like a loyal golden retriever, you followed him anyway. How about his obsession with proving that he's still a hotshot pilot? He left you for that, or have you forgotten? It was because of all his problems in his past that he broke your heart in Australia. What was it, because you looked too much like his ex? Or take Mattie for example, how conducive is it to start married life by having to be some handicapped teenager's caretaker? Her medical expenses becomes your own too. How considerate of Harm to think about that when he asked you to marry him!"

"Well that's what a marriage is, Jamie. Problems are halved and the happiness is shared. I knew all about Harm's "baggage" when I agreed to marry him."

"You really are a glutton for punishment. Do you get a certain satisfaction from being hurt by the men in your life? I guess your father made you so use to it that you no longer know how to live life without the hurt. Is your self worth really so little that you'd settle with a man who would always puts you last in his life?"

Mac couldn't help herself. She slapped him across the face. The comment about her father had hurt her more than her pride would ever let her admit. She didn't even wait for a reaction from Jamie. She got into her car and drove away.

TBC in chapter 3

Ok, I really hope you guys like where the story's going, or at least I hope I've kept you interested. Please let me know what you think. The next chapter will have a long talk between Harm and Mac. By the way, I looked over my outline again and I made a mistake. As of now, the story will have a prologue, 9 chapters and an epilogue. Of course I can change that at any time if I feel like I can't finish the story in that many chapters. Oh yeah, a very kind reader informed me that Top Gun's no longer located in California (a big boo boo from me), let's just all imagine for the sake of my story that Top Gun's still in CA. Thanks again for all your feedback. It keeps me going. Suggestions are welcome as well.