Title: Meeting in a Rose Garden
Summary: Mac reconnects with someone she knew in law school. (West Wing Crossover) (Mac/Other, Mac/Harm friendship)
Part Eleven
"You're going where?"
Her fork paused in mid-air. She studied him for a second, and then sat the fork down on the edge of her plate. "Saudi Arabia. Riyadh to be exact."
"Why?"
She cocked her head to the side. "Because all of those military bases the government wants all over the world have to be manned by Americans. And every so often one of those Americans find themselves needing a little legal assistance."
He rolled his eyes, but smiled. She could be such a smart ass at times. He thought about the stack of briefing reports he had brought home that evening. He didn't remember reading anything about Saudi Arabia. "Thank you, Colonel MacKenzie. Now, what's going on in Riyadh?"
She smiled and ate the bite of salmon she had sat down. "Nothing that'll make your job harder. There's a Navy lieutenant that has been charged with disobeying a direct order. Harm and I are going to defend her." She waited for some kind of reaction to the news that Harm was going with her, but was pleased to see that his face remained neutral.
"What's the order?"
She took a deep breath and leaned back in her seat. "She won't wear an abaya. An Air Force security guard ran into her off base and ordered her into the back seat of his car, so he could take her back to base. She refused."
Sam was quiet for a while. Finally, he sat his fork down and frowned. "Do the foreign bases not have legal offices to handle these issues themselves?"
"Not situations like this. They can handle wills, powers of attorney. But they aren't staffed to do their normal work and handle defending and prosecuting a court martial. Besides. It's an Air Force base, but she's in the Navy."
He nodded. "I guess my military ignorance is showing again."
She shrugged and smiled. "You always ask questions and are open to being educated. I'd say you're more uninformed than ignorant."
He smiled, and picked up a piece of carrot. "So, you and Harm, huh?"
She bit back a groan, but relaxed when she realized he was teasing. "Oh, so we've reached the point where we can joke around about Harm?"
Sam shrugged. "Sure, why not?"
Mac raised an eyebrow. "Sure, why not?" She repeated. "Since when are you so… accepting of him?"
He shrugged again, but his eyes sparkled. He pushed his plate aside and moved closer to her. His lips went to her neck, and he smiled as she tilted her head to give him better access. "Since you spend every night with me." His hands moved to her waist and he pulled back to look at her. "Since you're madly in love with me."
His smiled dimmed slightly, and she could see a little of the insecurity he was trying to hide. She ran a hand through his hair and then cupped his cheek. "I really am."
Mac leaned back in her desk was chair and rubbed her hand over her face. She was so ready to be home. The case was trying her patience. She was frustrated with the young lieutenant, but at the same time she agreed with her issues. She was embarrassed by how dismissive she had been of her initially. And then she put on the abaya, and her opinions had shifted. She had only been able to wear the veil and the abaya for a short period of time before she had had enough and ripped it off. And now she was frustrated with everything. She was frustrated that Harm was walking around in short sleeves, while she wore long sleeves. She was tired of sitting in the backseat of the car. She thought of her spirited grandmother, as she often did when she was in this area, and wondered for the millionth time how she had grown up in this world?
She moved her hand over her mouse, and woke up her computer. She waited for her computer to wake up and then logged in to her email. She smiled slightly when she saw Sam's name, but groaned once she opened the message.
Your lieutenant's plight has made it to Leo's office. Congresswoman Latham has been in with him, Josh, and Admiral Fitzwallace for a while this morning. Just wanted to give you a heads up.
Anyway. I miss you. I had Beltway Burger for lunch today, and I ordered what you usually get. So, if I die of a heart attack before you get home, you know why.
Love you.
Bobbi Latham. Jeez. This woman had been a pain in her ass for years now. She closed the laptop and went down the hall to Harm's room. She knocked lightly on the door to Harm's room and offered a wry smile when he opened. "Can I come in?" He nodded and she stepped inside, being careful to keep the door partially open. She sat down in one in the desk chair and watched him sit on the edge of the bed. "I got an email from Sam. Apparently Bobbi Latham has been in with the White House Chief of Staff and Admiral Fitzwallace."
He nodded. "I know. I got a similar email from Sturgis." He shook his head. "The politicians need to stay out of this and let us do our jobs."
"I know." She thought of the case they had five or six years ago when Congresswoman DeLong had meddled, and resulted in the death of the female pilot she was trying to champion. That one had weighed on Harm. "Anyway. Just thought I'd let you know." She stood and started for the door when he stopped her.
"Mac, wait. Want to get dinner?"
She grimaced. "I don't really feel like going out."
He shrugs. "Neither do I. We'll grab something on base and bring it back here." She looked down at herself and frowned. She was dressed reasonably, in shorts and a t-shirt, but knew she'd need to change clothes if she were going to venture out of her room. He looked her over, taking in her long legs and bit back a groan. She was stunning even in PT gear, but knew she was right. "Yeah, okay."
"Would you mind picking something up for me? And then we'll have dinner here."
Harm grinned and nodded. "I'll be right back. Tofu and kale for both of us." He started to walk out of the room, and she hurried after him.
"Don't make me regret this!" She heard him laugh and couldn't help but smile. She went back into her room and sat down in front of her computer. She hit reply on Sam's email and typed out a quick message.
Thanks for the heads up. I hate it when members of Congress start interfering in our cases. Remind me to tell you why when I get home. And you're making me jealous… I'd kill for a Beltway Burger right now. Harm went to grab us some dinner and I'm a little terrified that he'll come back with something with a high nutritional value and zero flavor.
She paused for a minute and reread the sentence about Harm. This was her newest tactic to make Sam more comfortable with her relationship with Harm. She would bring him up occasionally in friendly, non-threatening ways. She wasn't sure if it was helping, but it didn't seem to be hurting anything.
Anyway. I miss you. Can't wait to see you in a few days.
Love, Sarah
She read over the message again, corrected a typo and hit send. She moved to the bed and picked up one of the books she had brought with her and was a few pages in when there was a knock on the door. "It's open!"
Harm opened the door and stepped inside with two Styrofoam to-go containers. He kept the door open, and sat the food down on the small table. She moved from the bed and smiled. "Thanks."
"Anytime."
Mac closed her laptop and gathered up her notes, and moved everything to the bed. She grabbed two bottles of water from the small fridge and joined him at the table. "I'm almost afraid to look."
He grinned and handed her a box. "Chicken thighs, rice and black beans. No vegetables, but only because everything they had looked disgusting."
She smiled and opened her box of food and glanced at him. "It's not a bacon cheeseburger, but this'll do." They ate in silence for a few minutes, and for at least the hundredth time she missed how easy things used to be between them.
"So, are you-"
"How are-"
They spoke at the same time, and both laughed nervously. "Go ahead," she said.
He pushed his fork around the sad looking salad and then looked up at her. "How are you and Sam doing?"
Her eyes widened in surprise. Harm had never asked about Sam, not once in the six months they had been together. "Um, things are good."
"Yeah?"
She nodded. "Yeah." And she couldn't help but smile. She realized what she was doing and tried to neutralize her expression.
"Don't do that."
"Don't do what?"
He shook his head. "Don't try to downplay your happiness to save my feelings. I want you to be happy, Mac. I've always wanted that for you."
She looked down at her meal and then back at him. "I want that for you too."
He grinned and stabbed at a piece of broccoli. "I'm working on it. I've actually been on a few dates with a woman Keeter set me up with." He watched her eyes widen in surprise and he shrugged. "I don't think she's my soulmate or anything, but we have fun together."
"I had no idea. I'm glad, Harm."
He studied her and realized that for the first time in their friendship she wasn't jealous over another woman in his life. She always had been before, even if she was in her own relationship. But she wasn't now. It was strange, but also freeing. She really had moved on, and it was time for him to move forward as well.
Mac unlocked the door to her apartment and pushed her suitcase inside. Coming home to her dark, empty apartment after a trip was always jarring. Even if their accommodations were quiet, there were still sounds that came with sharing a space with lots of other people – the ice machine, the elevator dinging, people laughing and talking as they walked by her room. But now she was home, and it was unnaturally quiet.
She walked over to her answering machine and played the messages while rifling through her mail. There was one from Harriet asking if she'd be able to babysit over the weekend, two from her friend Maddie, and one from Sam.
It was too late to call Maddie or Harriet, but she picked up her phone and dialed Sam's cell phone number. He answered instantly and she smiled. "Hey."
"You sound like you're back in the same time zone as I am."
"Not only the same time zone, but roughly the same city. I just got home." He laughed, and the sound warmed her. "Anyway. I got your message and just wanted to let you know I'm back." She heard people talking in the background and frowned. "Are you still at work."
"I am. Listen, I'm going to be leaving here in a few minutes. Can I come over?"
"Of course. I'll be in the bathtub when you get here, so just let yourself in." He groaned and she laughed. "See you soon."
They disconnected and she headed towards her bedroom. She started filling the tub with hot water and the ginger bath oil she liked, and slid in once the tub was half full. She had been traveling for over twelve hours, and she had been looking forward to this bath for at least ten of those hours.
Half an hour later she heard her front door open and footsteps heading toward her. He leaned against the door frame and smiled at her. She stuck a receipt in the book to mark her place and dropped the book on the floor. "Hey handsome."
"We should move in together." Her eyes widened and she sat up straighter, causing her legs to fall from their perch at the end of the tub. He winced as the splash covered everything nearby in droplets of water. She reached for her towel and wiped the water off of her face.
"Sam…" He moved closer and sat on the edge of her tub. "You're getting your suit wet."
He shrugged. "Doesn't matter." He smiled and gestured to her bedroom. "I bet if I went and looked in your closet I'd see about half of my wardrobe. Which is appropriate since my closet is now full of your clothes. We spend every night together, Sarah. And I want to come home to this every night."
She wanted the same thing. She loved it when he came over after work, or when they went back to his place after going out to dinner or a concert. She loved that her kitchen was full of his favorite foods, and that his bathroom was full of her favorite bath products and the candles she liked to burn while she soaked in the tub.
"You're not going to always come home to this." She waved a hand over her body.
He nodded. "I know. But for whatever reason I find you sitting cross-legged on the couch with mountains of paperwork just as appealing." She raised an eyebrow and he grinned. "Okay, maybe not just as appealing. But still. I like coming home to you." She didn't say anything and he felt less confident. "I'm sorry, I'm rushing you. Just forget I said anything."
"Hey. Don't do that." She reached for him, and placed her hand on his. "I want the same thing, you know. To come home to you every night. We just haven't talked about this yet, and you caught me off guard."
He looked sheepish. "Yeah, I didn't plan on bringing this up tonight. It just kind of slipped out."
"I'm glad it did." His eyes widened and she smiled. "And we can talk about it more after you've properly welcomed me home." She faked a pout, and playfully smacked him when he snorted. "You haven't even kissed me yet."
He knelt next to the tub and cradled her face. He leaned in and brushed his lips over hers. He pulled back and brushed her damp hair off of her forehead. "Can the talking wait a little while?"
"God, yes." And she grabbed his tie and pulled him close for another kiss.
"I had an interesting conversation with The President tonight."
She propped herself up on an elbow and studied him. "Don't you do that every day?"
He smiled and ran a hand over her hip. "Yeah. But this conversation was more personal. He brought me a chessboard from India. As a sort of 'thank you' for the State of the Union. So, we played a game. He killed me, of course." She laughed and he grinned. "But while we were playing there was a situation going on with China." Her eyes widened and he shook his head. "Everything is fine. But we talked about China, and he told me – he told me that one day I'd run for President, and I'd do great and I shouldn't be afraid."
She sat up and he did the same. "Do you want to run for President someday?"
He shrugged. "I don't know. I have considered running for office over the years. Just never that particular office." Her face was hard to read, and he lay back down. "What do you think?"
She was quiet for a minute. "I don't know." She licked her lips and then studied her hands.
"Would that be a deal breaker for you? I know how you feel about privacy."
Mac walked over to the dresser and pulled out a t-shirt and a pair of panties. She dressed quickly and returned to bed. He raised an eyebrow and she shrugged. "It felt strange to talk about this while naked." She pulled the duvet over her legs and leaned against the headboard. "I can see you running for office. And I can see you doing well. But Sam – I'm a liability. My past…" She shook her head. "People would use me against you."
"Sarah, you're an alcoholic and the thing with your ex-"
"It wasn't a 'thing', Sam. I shot him. I shot and killed my ex-husband and went on trial for murder with my ex-lover. Any opponent would have a field day with that."
He shrugs. "Okay. So what? The woman I love has a past and made mistakes. So what? You're also a decorated Marine, a lawyer, and you have your work with the mentoring program. You turned your life around and that's admirable." He shifted in bed and tugged her close. "I love you, and my future includes you. So, tell me what you think. Would you be okay if I ran for office someday?"
She studied him for a long moment. He was so idealistic and kind, and insanely smart. And some district somewhere would be so fortunate to have him as their elected representative. She didn't love the idea of people digging up her past, but in actuality all of the dirt had already been dug up and was already out there. Finally, she nodded. "Yeah. I'd be okay."
"Really?"
She nodded again. "Yeah." He kissed her, and she felt herself relax. She curled into his side and closed her eyes as his fingers moved up and down her spine. "So, about moving in together." He stilled, and she felt his heart beat a little faster.
"I promise I'm not trying to rush you."
"I just don't think I'm quite ready for that yet. Hold on one second." She climbed out of bed and disappeared into the living room. She came back holding a small metal object and extended it to him. "It's a key to my apartment." He took the key from her and smiled. "Use it anytime. I'm sorry; I know it's not the same as officially living together, but-"
He silenced her with a kiss. "Hey. You don't need to apologize. It's okay that you're not ready yet." He put the key on the nightstand next to his wallet and Blackberry. "I'll get you one for my place. And when you're ready for the next step, just let me know."
End Part 11