Mac places her arm around Harm's waist "Honey, why don't you stay here and catch up with Beth and Peter while I grab this round of drinks?"

Harm acknowledges her offer with only a twinkle in his eye and a soft smile. Mac looks over at CDR Jackson to confirm, "So, two beers and a Jack Daniels straight up?"

Knowing that Harm was the one nursing a bourbon earlier, Peter looks at his wife and exclaims, "You ordered a beer?"

Beth brings her hand over her mouth in surprise, "I'm sorry. I'm so used to having a beer while hanging out with the guys that I didn't even think about it. I'll have an orange juice instead if you don't mind, Mac."

Noticing the matching quizzical expressions on Harm and Mac's faces, Peter fills in the blanks, "We're expecting. Beth just found out for sure a couple of days ago, although we have suspected for a few weeks. I think we are still getting used to the idea that our duo will soon become a trio. We haven't really even had a chance to tell folks about it yet."

Mac pulls Skates into a warm hug as Harm shakes Peter's hand both offering their hearty congratulations. Mac smiles, "In that case, I'll have them put your juice in a champagne flute so that no one is the wiser."

Skates chuckles, "Hammer, you married a good woman."

Harm gives her his Flyboy grin, "Couldn't agree with you more. However, she knows all too well how tough it is to be the only woman around a bunch of egos." He doesn't mention that he also knows how tough it can be sometimes for his wife to be the only one in the room not drinking.

Skates needles him, "Of course she does. You are cocky enough on your own to represent an entire squadron by yourself. I don't know how she manages to handle that much and not go crazy!" Noticing Harm's brow raising, she adds, "Sir."

Mac laughs good naturedly at her husband's expense, "I'm a Marine, Skates, we can handle anything. However, you also know him well enough to realize that most of it is all an act. I'll bet when it is just the two of you (outside of a plane of course) that he is a perfect gentleman."

Harm nudges Mac with his hip, "Would you stop giving away all my secrets?"

She whispers in his ear, "I could tell them just how 'cocky' you really are and that I am the perfect woman to take it all in."

Harm blushes furiously, "Umm, no. That will not be necessary."

Mac pats him lightly on the six, "I'll be right back," leaving him to face the inquisition alone.

CDR Jackson stares at Harm wondering what that little unheard side conversation was all about, while Skates just stands there grinning. Peter questions, "Do I even want to know?"

Giving Harm a chance to find his voice again, Skates answers for him, "Probably not, knowing these two. However, it is quite amusing to see them banter with all the strings cut loose. I think I have seen Harm blush more tonight than in all the time that I have known him. Before they got their heads out of their sixes and admitted how they felt about each other, you could barely breath in the same room as them with all the unresolved sexual tension surrounding them. Be thankful they have an outlet for it now."

Harm immediately reddens again at her blunt observation, "Skates!"

Beth laughs, "With all the stunts you pulled in the cockpit with me riding backseat, I figure I owed you one! I wasn't the one preventing you from getting your tail hooked years ago, that was all your own doing."

Harm nods sheepishly, "That's very true. If I had known then what I know now, I definitely wouldn't of waiting so long to tell her how I feel. While I thought I was protecting my heart, I was really just letting all the good things pass me by not realizing the things I could have if I just gave in."

Skates grins, "Back when you were on the ship, you were definitely the one that all the girls mooned over. I can't count how many women asked me to introduce them to you."

Harm elevates his brows, in total shock. He figured that prior to his court martial that Lieutenant Buxton would have been the one the women on the carrier were after. He was the ace pilot at the time, and had the All-American look. Teasing Beth, he replies, "And I am just hearing about this now? How come you never told me?"

Beth merely smiles, "It didn't take me long to realize where your heart belonged, even if you weren't ready to admit it yet. As your wife already pointed out, you are all business and full of yourself when you are in the cockpit. But, when you didn't have to keep all your wits about you to focus on only the mission at hand, Mac was always in your thoughts. I had faith that you would figure it out sooner or later."

Harm absentmindedly fiddles with his wedding ring, "Unlike our colleagues at JAG, you barely ever saw Mac and I together. How could you tell how I felt about her?"

Skates shakes her head in disbelief. Are all men this clueless? Just pilots? Or just Harm? She inquires, "Did you forget that I can hear everything that goes on in the cockpit? You might have said it low enough that you thought I couldn't hear, but you asked your Marine to give you a 'dispassionate plan' more than once on a mission. And if that isn't enough evidence for you, her picture in the top pocket of your flight suit that you carried all the time was a dead giveaway!"

Peter places a comforting hand on Beth's shoulder, whispering in her ear, "Honey, you are embarrassing a senior officer here."

Harm doesn't catch the gesture because his eyes have already begun scanning the crowd for his wife.

From across the room, Mac can feel his gaze searching for her, and turns in his direction cocking her head to the side in silent question.

Harm lets his intense gaze drink her in as he gives her only a soft smile in response. Whatever mistakes he made before; all is perfect in his world right now.