A/N: Thank you very much for the feedback! I'm happy to know that people are enjoying this. -- Teacup
I See – Chapter 4
The next day, Harm steeled himself and walked to Mac's office where he knocked on her open door.
"Hi," he said nervously.
"What do you want, Harm?" she asked impatiently, keeping her eyes on her work.
"Do you have a minute? To talk?"
She looked up at him. "If this is about the Jacobs case, Harm, I haven't changed my opinion. I still think he should take the deal. Soon, … before any more evidence comes in and Singer withdraws her offer."
"I know. I mean, … I figured you'd say that. … Actually, you might have been right about that, but … that's not why I'm here."
He looked so serious and so anxious that Mac softened. "Come on in." She put her pen down.
Harm entered, shut the door behind him, and took a seat across from her desk. "I wanted to talk … about us."
"Us?"
"Yeah, us."
Figuring he was referring to their argument, she replied, "Harm, you know we go through periods when we fight and irritate each other, … but we always get through it."
"I know. I meant I want to talk about … you and me. Where we are. … Our … relationship."
Wow, Mac wasn't expecting this. She leaned back in her chair and tentatively folded her arms. "What brought this on all of a sudden?" she asked.
"Well, I was talking to Sturgis, and …"
A bolt of panic struck Mac with the fear that Sturgis spilled her secret … that she was in love with Harm. She quickly sat up in her chair and interrupted, "What did Sturgis tell you?"
Harm was confused as to why Mac looked so worried all of a sudden. But he glanced away from her and mumbled, "You don't want to know."
"I think I do," she insisted.
Harm stood up, walked to the corner of her office, and awkwardly faced the wall, leaving Mac to look at his side profile, while he fingered a knick-knack on one of her shelves. "Basically, … he wanted to know … why I … haven't slept with you."
Mac could tell this was very uncomfortable for Harm, and she realized that what he had just said was the big news, … at least, as far as what he had gotten from Sturgis. Fairly confident that Sturgis had kept her secret, she felt relieved and leaned back in her chair.
Time to deal with what Harm was actually talking about, which, when she let the topic sink in, obliterated her recent sense of relief. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I see," she finally said. Cautiously, she asked, "And … what did you say?"
Harm turned to face Mac, without looking at her, and nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "I said … I'm not interested in … having a fling with you."
Mac didn't know how to take that. Was he saying he wasn't interested in her at all? Or that he wanted something more than a fling?
Fortunately, he clarified, "I mean, … I don't just want some short term thing with you for the heck of it." He finally ventured his eyes up to meet hers.
Mac thought that sounded like he might be interested in something more with her, and when she saw the look in his eyes her heart did some strange type of leap. But she had to be sure.
"So, … what are you interested in … with me?" Her heart was now racing. This was the big question that haunted her day after day.
Harm swallowed hard. "Well, uh, …" He sat back down. "I kinda think that's something we should discuss … later."
Mac could almost scream. Couldn't he ever just give her a clear answer? Just this once? But she recomposed herself and sat up, taking a long breath. "Yeah, I guess now is not the time or the place for that."
"Right," agreed Harm quickly. He knew he was being a coward, but he just wasn't sure he could take it if Mac didn't feel the same way as he did. He needed to do this gradually and be more sure about what he thought Mac wanted.
"Uh, in the meantime," he said, trying to lighten things up, "do you have any plans for Friday night?"
Mac's frustration quickly dissipated, leaving her with a pleasant anxiety. Could he actually be asking her out on a date? She smiled. "Why?"
"I was wondering if you could possibly join me for something."
Harm noticed the way she started looking at him. There seemed to be a glimmer in her eyes to match her beautiful smile. There was something more in the way she was gazing at him that he couldn't quite place; but it touched him.
Mac was thinking that, for as maddening as Harm's ambiguous statements could be, she loved the man. She looked at him with her heart fully admitting that she was completely in love with him.
"What kind of something?" she asked.
Her mind was reeling with possibilities of what she hoped he would say. 'A date, … a nice dinner out, … or dancing, … a date, … a movie, … or a quiet evening at his apartment, … a date. Please let it be a date!'
"Well, … I have a new neighbor who just moved in downstairs," he said. "She wanted me to show her around, but she's really into shopping. You're a lot more familiar with good shopping places than I am. I thought … maybe you'd like to join us … You know, a night out on the town."
Harm was going for what he thought would be safe. They could spend time together on something entirely non-work related, but with a third party along, there would be no pressure.
Plus, this was an opportunity to show Mac that there were things for which he really did rely on her. He didn't want to make the mistake of her thinking that he didn't need or want her around. In this case, he'd be depending on her shopping expertise. Of course, he did need her for much more important things, but he'd have to wait to explain that to her.
Unfortunately, Mac didn't understand his intent. Her heart practically hit the floor. He wanted her to come along as a third wheel, while he flirted with his new neighbor!?! He wanted to use Mac's shopping knowledge so he could look better in the eyes of some new woman in his life!?!
God, how could he tease her like that? Make her think he might actually be interested in her and then put her right back in place as good old reliable Mac, who he could call on for help, but who would never be the focus of his interests.
Well, there was no way! But her first mission was to save face. She told herself, 'Alright, Marine. Suck it up. Do not let him know that you were about to throw yourself in his arms. Do not let him know that he just destroyed your heart … again.'
She managed to keep the smile on her face for a moment, though it became a forced grimace, and the sparkle had instantly vanished from her eyes. She stood and looked away from him.
Walking to the door, she replied more bitterly than she intended, "I think I might actually have other plans on Friday."
Mac yanked the door open. She wasn't sure if she was going to storm out herself or kick Harm out on his sorry six, but there was no way she was spending one more moment in the small room with that man.
Tiner, who was on the other side of the door poised to knock, nearly had a heart attack from the surprise of the door flying open and facing a not-so-happy looking Marine.
"Uh, ma'am," he recovered, "I was just letting you and the Commander know that the Admiral is about to make an announcement. He wants everyone out in the bullpen."
"Thank you, Tiner," she said curtly.
Harm stood and walked outside the door, stepping next to Mac just as the Admiral appeared before them.
Their Commanding Officer cleared his throat and addressed everyone. "As some of you know, several years ago I hosted a get-together at my house for the people who work here to meet my daughter, Francesca. Her birthday is coming up, and she is coming back from Italy to visit me."
A few eyebrows rose from the newcomers in the office who were not aware the Admiral had a daughter.
"She requested an opportunity to meet all the new faces that have been added to this office since that time," said A.J., "as well as see some of the old ones again. So, um, … I've decided to have another party at my house, in her honor, … and you're all invited. This Friday, 1900. Oh, … and you're free to bring a guest. That'll be all. Carry on."
Harm looked over at Mac, and lightly noted, "Well, I guess we both have new plans for Friday night." Hopefully, he asked, "Do you want me to pick you up? We could go together."
"No. I'll manage to get there without you," Mac said quietly, trying to mask her irritability. Taking on a false cheeriness, she added, "But you shouldn't disappoint your new neighbor. Why don't you invite her along as your date?" Mac then sulked off, leaving a very confused sailor in her wake.
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TBC …
