I caught some stupid virus, so please forgive me if there are more mistakes left than usual.

Leyte: thanks for the tip, will get to reading that fic once I managed to get rid of the bug and can find some time for it.

Leigh: Thanks! Well, there's a lack of Harm's POV for a reason, which will be revealed soon.

Lynnp: did you get the email I sent you on your work account?

Huge thanks to TallerSister, zeilfanaat, Rittanicus, Leyte, Leigh, michelle UK, Sarai, Tempe4Booth and Lynnp.

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And it was getting worse.

It'd been 4 months since they'd last seen each other and 2 days since they'd had any sort of contact.

Harm had warned her that he would be out of reach for a few days and truthfully Meg was going out of her mind with worry, even though he'd told her there was nothing to worry about.

Quietly she fumed at Harm for telling her not to worry. She trusted his flying, she knew Harm was one of the best pilots the Navy had and would never resent him for flying or try to force him to give it up, but that didn't mean she didn't worry. She was his wife, more than that, she was the woman who loved him and thus had the right to be concerned about him, damnit! When would the man finally realize he was no longer alone and that someone loved him enough to be constantly worried about him?

Probably not soon, because it had not fully sunk in for her either.

Neither of them had ever been married before so they were still getting used to things that come with being married to a person. It was hard, though, since with the lives they were leading it was as if they weren't married at all. The lives they were leading were essentially the lives of two singles who had a romantic interest on the other side of the world, nothing more.

True, she was living in his, their, apartment, but she was living there alone, even with his things surrounding her. They were in no way the usual newlyweds who get married after months of living together, being used to each other's company all the time and continuing to live together after the wedding. Harm and Meg had been single until the day they'd gotten married and continued to live separately even after that life-changing event.

Of which the unfortunate side-effect was that, even though they had the rings and marriage certificate (which Meg had framed and put on a wall in the apartment) to prove it, they continued to feel as if they were singles. At least Meg was in a better position since she lived in an apartment that positively screamed Harm and the presence of him surrounded her every second she spent at home. The fact that his sheets and pillow had his scent was something she treasured, it also helped her fall asleep faster and with the sense of security she always felt around him.

Harm on the other hand, when he wasn't flying, was fighting hard battles to ward off the feeling as if he had found Meg only to lose her again because she wasn't with him. It was those time that he sent his wife the most emails and spent hours playing and staring at his wedding ring. He couldn't wait until he'd have her in his arms again.

Meg continued driving her own car, knowing it would immediately give the game away if she came to work with Harm's SUV.

She was sure though Mac's (and Brumby's) expressions would've been priceless, though.

However Meg wasn't looking forward to the aftermath of such a realization. She knew it was inevitable, Harm's sea duty would be over in the next couple of months and he'd come ashore. There was no chance of their marriage remaining a secret for much longer, but Meg wasn't about to announce it herself, not without Harm's approval and him there as protection and support.

It would also have to be their joint decision as to how to let the cat out of the bag, for Harm had known these people for much longer than she had.

At least they had the Admiral in their corner...

Which was something that still took Meg by surprise whenever she thought of it. To think that there'd been a running betting pool with Admirals, Generals, Senators, and a boat load of other politicians and soldiers in on it...

To think that all these people had seen something that she and Harm themselves had been blind to for so long. Amazing!

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The first clue that the day would be memorable should've been a blond head and Commander's bars on an older officer's uniform.

Meg stood frozen in shock as a ghost of the past floated into the bullpen and headed straight for the Admiral's office, then changing course when she caught sight of stunned Lieutenant.

"LT, a surprise to see you here. I heard you got transferred out the same time I was." the woman asked in her scratchy voice, damaged from decades of intense smoking.

"Commander Krennick." Meg stuttered, still recovering from the shock of seeing the woman again after so many years "No... I... I came back 4 months ago."

"Interesting." the other woman muttered, then Meg noticed the wondering eyes "Is LCDR Rabb by any chance here too?"

Meg bristled at the tone and wandering eyes. She'd always hated the way the older woman had harrassed Harm and her previous position of being merely his partner and best friend had prevented her from putting the lecherous CDR in her place.

"The Commander went back to flying 6 months ago, ma'am." she sent the older woman a glare.

"A shame." Krennick commented, ignoring the glare "He is being wasted on a carrier out on high seas. Unless he found himself a distraction what with all those young women on the ships nowadays..." she trailed off musingly.

But Meg didn't take the bait "Considering Harm always respected fraternization regulations I would say it's highly doubtful, ma'am." Her tone left no doubt as to who'd been the one to whom the frat regs had meant nothing.

"Hm." Allison grunted in return, her eyes scrutinizing Meg, who was careful to keep her anger off her face, but couldn't completely hide her annoyance.

"Commander Krennick?" Tiner's voice cut through the tense silence and Meg sent him a silent thanks for interrupting their standoff "Admiral Chegwidden is waiting."

Krennick nodded "I'm coming." sending Meg a long, considering look she rasped "We'll talk later, Lieutenant."

Meg nodded, the CDR's last sounding more ominous to her than they'd probably been meant.

Looking after the CDR, Meg couldn't help but try to figure out what exactly was Krennick doing here. As far as she knew there was no reason for Krennick reporting to Chegwidden, unless he had personally requested she drop by.

' The Admiral must have his reasons.' Meg shrugged, but couldn't shake off the unease at Krennick being there.

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