Harm felt a tug of conscience over saying to Loren that he'd be back soon.

In actuality he didn't go to the PX on-base, but to a store in the town. Unfortunately, the end of his research had coincided with the evening rush hour and he groaned internally at the line at the registers.

First he quickly searched out the items he wanted to buy, because he forgot to write them down in his rush out the door. Surprisingly, they had them all.

Then he concentrated on the things on Loren's list.

The snacks were quickly put in the cart, as were a few bottles of mineral water. He felt pretty silly standing there, looking for the magazines she wanted. He had half-expected to find something like "Soldier of Fortune" on the list, but instead they were all just magazines that women usually read. With the requisite questionaires, like "is your man a pig?", "enhance your sex life with following tips" and, his ever-favorite, "is your relationship working for you?" or some of that type.

'I swear, these thing have destroyed more relationships than alcohol, cars and other addictions combined.' thought Harm as he looked with disgust at the glossy magazines. A man who, by the expression on his face, was also buying these magazines by the instructions of his wife (unlike Harm), sent him a agreeing look when he saw Harm looking disgustedly at the magazines. They nodded at each other with the perfect understanding of each other's misery.

He then had to move on.

He had to search for a while longer for the right brand of the chocolate she wanted.

'Chocolate? And such a big piece? Where does she put all these calories? I mean the woman's so slim and tiny.'

Shaking his head in bemusement, and to stop thinking of the petite LT's figure, he put the chocolate in the cart with the other purchases.

He read the next one on the list and froze in his tracks.

'Oh God, please no!!!'

----------------

Loren was going through the case file, trying to make light of it when she suddenly got the feeling that she had forgotten something important.

It nagged at her for a while, while she tried to concetrate on work, but it would persist.

Finally she gave up on the file and concentrated on figuring out just what was bothering her.

Then her eyes became like saucers when the answer suddenly struck her and she gasped in shock.

'Oh, shit!!!!!!!!'

She grabbed the phone to prevent the disaster from happening. When no-one answered she remembered that Harm had left his phone in his room in order to let it charge.

'Oh no.'

Loren groaned, thinking of the list she had given Harm. She wrote it for herself for when she would've had the chance to go to the store. She was getting low on things. Things she needed.

'Well, at least I for once wrote down the model. So, he'll buy the right ones, at least. Yeah, if he's gonna buy them at all and not freak out. I don't care anymore how much embarrassment it'll cost me, just that I get them cause I need them, badly.'

----------------

Harm was slowly freaking out.

He re-checked, double-checked and triple-checked the list and still there it was.

It was just not going away.

'What the hell do I do? Do I ignore it and act as if nothing had happened? Do I ignore it and then apologize to her somehow for not buying it? Or do I buy it and act as nonchalantly as possible when giving her what I've bought? She wouldn't have put it on the list if it wasn't urgent.'

He closed his eyes for a few seconds in the hopes of it being just a mirage, and when he opened them there it was still:

----------------

AN: I know, I'm evil, but I promise to update sooner, especially in trade for reviews that don't have anything to do with promising me death, fear, mutilation and so on.

Loren may seem out of character in this fic, by being too nice and too soft, but remember: she's uncomfortable and in pain and being nasty takes up a lot of effort and energy. Which she can't spare on being nasty right now...