A/N: Thank you, steamboat, for taking your time to read and review! Your question is a very good one, and I really have no idea why. The only thing I can imagine is that Harm can hide his feelings very well, and that he either feels he owes Webb for their old time's sake, that he wants to be nice because he knows how much Webb means to Mac, or that he genuinely cares for him. After all, they've known each other quite a while. And maybe it's a combination of all three? What do you think?
# 10 – Conversation (Season 9 episode 3 Secret Agent Man)
Mac's uniform was spotless and immaculate as always. Her smile was guarded, the same way she used to look whenever she was doubtful whether what she was doing (what he was trying to get her to do) actually was a good idea. She looked at him that way a lot, actually.
"So what are you up to these days, Harm?"
"Oh, you know," he shrugged. "Flying, working. This and that, here and there."
Her smile vanished without a trace. "You're working for the CIA."
His grin took on an edge, he could feel it. "That's classified." Mac looked like she seriously contemplated strangling him. "Come on, Mac," he said. "What do you expect me to do? Throw away a perfectly good opportunity to make my living? A man's gotta eat, you know."
"A spook, Harm, really? I expected more from you."
"Webb's a spook and you seem to get along awfully well," he offered and instantly felt guilty for having drawn an argument – a weapon – against which she had no defense. Mac paled, her eyes taking on the look of betrayal he knew so well. Somehow it seemed he really was unable to stop himself from hurting her.
"You bastard," she hissed. Or maybe he just was unable to stop making her mad. "Why didn't you talk to me before taking the offer?"
"Oh, now I should have talked to you?" His voice reflected the incredulity he felt. "You were the one who was avoiding me completely!"
"Maybe you should have picked up your phone," she shot back. "I called you."
"Twice!"
"I didn't hear you calling back."
"Actually, Mac, you made it abundantly clear that we would never work out. I didn't think I needed to clear the specifics of my life with you since you obviously don't want to be part of it."
Something in her eyes flashed, too fast for him to identify.
"Don't twist my words, Harm. I said we could never work out as a couple, I didn't mean we couldn't be friends. We were friends before, weren't we?"
"We were also colleagues before and now we aren't anymore." The words tasted bitter in his mouth. The look of hurt that again crossed her face made his heart clench painfully.
"So it's a Sorry but I can't be your friend anymore? That's ridiculous."
He couldn't let the opportunity slip. "There is truth in the saying that men and women can't be just friends, I suppose."
Her gaze was scathing. "It is just your ego that is hurt because I chose Clay over you. And I will always pick someone else over you as long as you can't say what you think, Harm. It's impossible for me to read your mind and as long as you aren't forthcoming with your thoughts I don't have a way to understand you."
"As I said: you finally realized I'd never change. And now you're not talking to me, either."
And that was where her glare turned from betrayed to sad. "Oh, Harm. This game is always played by two. Wake up."
He did.
Alone.