A/N: Had to work all weekend, brain a little fried. I have been working on updates for others, just didn't have enough time to devote to get them right yet. Please send good vibes for next week. My drain needs a breast.

Miscommunication

Bud walks into the bullpen on a dreary Monday morning, drops his overcoat on the back of his chair, slams his briefcase down on the desk, pushes all his folders to the side, and buries his head in his hands muttering, "I don't think today could possibly get any worse and the day has just barely started."

Mac and Harm were discussing a case as they were walking back from the breakroom, and noticed Bud's unusual behavior. They share a conversation with their eyes debating which one of them is going on the reconnaissance mission, and Mac nods signaling that she will be the one to go talk to him. Harm heads towards his office while Mac heads back to the breakroom to pour a cup of coffee for the obvious lost soul.

She sits down in the visitor chair next to his desk. He is so lost in thought that it takes him two minutes and eighteen seconds before he even acknowledges her presence, "I'm so sorry, Colonel. I didn't even notice you sitting there."

Mac extends one arm, offering him the cup of coffee, "I can see that Lieutenant, what do you say we go in my office so you can tell me what is going on."

Bud mutely nods before standing up to follow her.

She shuts the door, "Take a seat, Bud, and tell me what has you so off kilter this morning."

Bud sighs, "Harriet and I had a fight this morning."

Mac gestures with her hands for Bud to continue.

He remarks flatly, "She caught me in bed with a chick."

Mac's eyebrows reach to her hairline as she jumps out of her chair. Didn't Harriet once tell her that Bud was like a Boy Scout? Of all the things that Mac thought the Roberts' might have been fighting about, Bud cheating on Harriet was no where on the list. She exclaims, "I can't believe you would do that, Bud! What on earth would have possessed you to do such a thing? Harriet isn't only the perfect wife; she is also the perfect mother."

Bud starts waving his hands in front of her, attempting to stop her tirade, but before he can get a word out, Harm has heard the commotion and poked his head in the door, "What's going on in here?"

Mac blurts out, "Harriet caught Bud in bed with another woman!"

Harm shouts, "What?!" while thinking to himself maybe he should have been the one to talk to Bud this morning instead. Although he's quite angry with his protégé, he can only imagine how angry Mac is.

Bud sighs, exasperated, "Sir, would you please shut the door and let me explain before the Admiral comes in here too? It's not what you think it is."

Harm leans against the wall and folds his arms across his chest, still furious, "It had better not be Lieutenant, or I might have to get the Admiral myself. This is not acceptable behavior for an officer and a gentleman at all!"

Bud drops his hands in his lap and hangs down his head, "Little AJ's class was doing a science experiment. Their teacher had brought in an incubator with a bunch of eggs so that she could teach the class about life cycles. The students were rotating who could bring them home for the weekend. Since Harriet was visiting her mother, I told AJ he could bring them home this weekend, figuring that we would drop them off at school this morning. Unfortunately, the eggs hatched over the weekend. AJ left the top ajar on the crate that they were in last night, and all the babies got out. Harriet had taken the first flight out this morning, and found one of the chicks sitting on my shoulder while I was still sleeping. Apparently, she had specifically told AJ that he wasn't allowed to bring them home when she wasn't going to be here. So, after she woke me up screaming, I had to help her wrangle all the babies to get them back in the crate to take back to the school."

Harm and Mac both break out into laughter, and Bud replies, "It's not funny. She is really mad at me!"

Harm claps Bud on the shoulder, "She'll be okay, Bud. But I think that the two of you need to make sure that you talk with AJ together when it involves school projects, homework, and field trips. It sounds like he is at the age where if mom says no, I'll go ask dad, and vice versa."

Mac grins, "I'll call Harriet up at ask her out to lunch. I'll get her side of the story and come back with some pointers for you. Now, if you can manage to get your head in the game, we could use your help on the Peters court-martial"

Buds shakes his head, "Marriage and Parenting are a lot tougher than I thought they were going to be. You guys are lucky you don't have to deal with that on top of your already busy lives. Research would definitely help me get my mind off of it for a bit, what can I help with?"

Mac gives him the names of a few cases to go research to see if any of the arguments will be plausible and sends him off the library. Harm closes the door behind him, and takes Mac's bare hand in his. He coyly asks, "Are we really lucky that we aren't married?"

Mac shrugs her shoulders, and pulls her dog tags off their chain leaving a rather unique engagement ring left on it. She inquires, "Is it time to move it to its proper location?"

Harm idly runs his finger over her knuckle, "I told you that she could move it there when you felt ready. It's entirely up to you if that means five minutes from now, five months from now, or five decades from now. I'll still be waiting for you for as long as it takes."

Mac smiles, "How about you make dinner for four and a half folks tonight and we will see how it goes."

Harm replies, Mission acceptable. Two couples and a chick."