March 2004

Harm and Mac's apartment

Harm opened the door and let Jennifer Coates inside. He had gotten a new assignment along with Mac and they were to travel to Hague that night with SECNAV to defend him in the International Criminal Court.

"Jennifer," Mac said as she walked up to them. "Thank you so much for this."

"It's no problem, sir, ma'am," Jennifer smiled.

"You can take my room," Harm motioned for the hallway.

"I can't do that, sir," Jennifer said without thinking about it. "It would be weird, sir. You're a man."

Mac smiled. "I have set you up in my room, Jenn. Follow me."

"Thanks, ma'am," Jenn said and followed Mac.

"We've stocked the fridge, Mattie knows where we left money and if there's a problem just call," Mac motioned for her room. "Just feel like home, Jenn."

Jennifer stepped inside the bedroom and put her bag down. "Thank you, ma'am."

"Thank you, Jennifer. We don't know what we'd do without you," Mac said with a thankful smile.

Mattie and Harm were waiting on them in the living room. "We should get going. The car is here," Harm said.

Mac nodded. "Okay, you be good. Jennifer is the boss," she told Mattie.

"Yes, ma'am, I'll be a model prisoner," Mattie promised.

Mac moved in for a hug. "I love you."

"I love you too," Mattie said and happily accepted the hug.

"Be good," Harm said once Mac had released Mattie. He stole a quick hug too.

"You can tell me that you love me, you know," Mattie reasoned as she moved back.

"I love you," Harm said and smiled sheepishly.

Mac and Jenifer shared sweet smiles.

"I love you too," Mattie said and smiled. "And we'll be fine. You don't have to worry."

"Who said I was worried?" Harm questioned.

"Your face and attitude," Mattie suggested.

Harm didn't respond to that. "We better go."

"We'll call you when we can," Mac promised as she grabbed her suitcase.

Harm opened the door and grabbed his suitcase. "Bye."

Once the door was locked behind them Harm noticed Mac's amused look. "What?" he questioned.

"It's just sweet," she teased. "You opened up. Mattie is good for you."

Harm thought about it. "I guess."

"It's not so terrible, is it? Letting people in?" Mac questioned as they walked for the elevator.

"No, I guess it's not," Harm admitted.

Five days later

Harm got torn out of restless sleep. He'd fallen asleep worrying about little AJ, and he'd had a weird dream. He heard steps by the door and he half sat up to see.

"Mac?"

"Did I wake you up?" she wondered. They were sharing an apartment. Bud too, but he'd left to go home when he got the news that little AJ was missing.

"No," he lied as he sat up fully. "Are you okay?" he questioned.

She shook her head. "No."

"Come here," he motioned for his bed.

She walked over and sat down on the bed. "What if they don't find him, Harm?"

"We have to keep up hope, Mac," he reached for her hand. She looked cute in her PJs. He knew Chloe had given it to her for Christmas one year. It was her favorite.

"I know, but.." she wiped away a tear.

He pulled her into his arms. "Come here," he rubbed her back. "It'll be okay, Mac. They'll find him. I'm sure of it."

She nodded against him, then pulled back. "Sorry for waking you up. Thanks."

"Any time, Mac," he cupped her cheek and wiped a tear away with his thumb.

She smiled. Their eyes locked and she felt those well-known butterflies in her belly. The ones she felt every time he looked at her a certain way.

Harm had a flashback to Paraguay. He had wondered what could have happened if they hadn't been interrupted in that hotel room. He leaned closer and kissed her softly.

Mac deepened the kiss. He was a great kisser, she thought as his arms moved around her pulling her closer.

Harm pulled her closer as her arms went around his neck. Deep down he knew this wasn't the time. They were facing a demanding trial, they were on assignment, working together.

Mac was the first one to pull away. She couldn't do this. Not now. They were on assignment, facing a challenging trial. They had to be responsible and not let their feelings get the best of them.

"We have to stop," she said as she let go of him.

He nodded and released her. "I got caught up in the moment," he apologized.

"Me too," she said and offered a sweet smile. "We're on assignment."

"It's not the time," he agreed.

She nodded. "I should go back to my room."

"Will you be able to sleep?" he wondered as he watched her stand.

She turned in the doorway and smiled. "I might have to take a cold shower first…"

He chuckled as he got comfortable in bed. "Night, Mac."

"Good night, Harm," she said and closed the door behind her. She let out a sigh and tried to calm her beating heart as she headed for her own room.

Ten days later

Harm opened the apartment door and let Mac in before him. Finally, they had arrived home. It had been an exciting trip. Luckily little AJ had been found fairly quickly and they had been able to focus fully on the trial after they had gotten the good news.

"Harm! Mac!" Mattie hurried towards them.

"Hi," Mac said and hugged the teenager.

"It's good to be home," Harm said as he got a hug too.

"We saw you guys on TV," Mattie said with excitement. "You did a good job."

"Thanks," Harm smiled.

"How are things around here?" Mac wondered.

"Well, you're pretty much caught up from our phone calls, but it's going pretty good. I've done my homework, helped Jenn around the apartment. She's on a stricter cleaning schedule than the two of you," Mattie joked.

"I heard that," Jennifer said as she walked up to them. "Sir, Ma'am, welcome back."

"Thank you, Jenn," Mac smiled. "And thank you for keeping an eye on Mattie."

"We've had fun," Jennifer reassured. "I made up the bed for you, ma'am. I should get going. I'd like to get settled in my apartment before it gets too late. Will I see you at the office in the morning?"

"The Admiral told us to start the weekend early," Harm said.

"I'm sleeping in late and spending the day finishing the paperwork for this case," Mac said as she moved further into the apartment. "I'll take a quick shower and we can catch up, Mattie. I'll see you, Jennifer."

"Yes, ma'am," Jennifer grabbed her bag. "I'll get going. See you all soon."

"We owe you, Jenn," Harm reminded the young Petty Officer.

"No, sir, it's fine. I enjoyed my time with Mattie. And it's more peaceful here than at my place so you can ask me any time," Jennifer reassured.

When Jennifer had left, Harm waited for Mac to finish in the shower, then he excused himself to shower and change. They spent the night catching each other up before they all turned in early.

Saturday

Mac tied her rollerblades and stood They had decided to spend the weekend together all of them doing things Mattie wanted. When she had suggested the roller rink they had agreed that it could be fun. Harm looked really good out there, she noticed. She knew he had played some ice hockey in his youth and he obviously had some skating skills even on rollerblades. Mattie had found some people from her school and was rollerblading with them. Mac rolled over to the rink and was about to roll over to Harm when she noticed him talking to a woman. She was tall, skinny, and blonde. Mac remembered her as a Lieutenant Commander with the Public Affairs office. She looked pleased to talk with Harm and she did what most women did around him, she batted her eyes and pushed her chest upwards. Harm's eyes locked with Mac's and he waved her over.

"Commander," Mac said as she reached them.

"Colonel," the blonde said.

"Looking good Mac. You didn't tell me that you had skills," Harm said.

Mac smiled. "I used to work in a place like this."

"Really," he was surprised.

"Well, I better find my friend," the Lieutenant Commander said and rolled away.

"I think she's disappointed to see me," Mac said teasingly.

Harm chuckled. "I'd rather have you here, Mac."

"Smooth," she said and motioned for him to follow her. "Mattie seems to have forgotten about us."

"Yeah, so much for missing us, huh?" he teased as they rolled together. "It's good to be home."

"It's great to be home. Not that living in that big apartment in Hague wasn't amazing, but I would have liked to have more time for sightseeing," she smiled. "But home is definitely best."

"Definitely," he agreed.

Half an hour later Mattie rolled up to them and wondered if they should have a snack. They found a table and sat down.

"Thanks for this," Mattie smiled. "I know this isn't exactly your thing. Right Harm?"

"I've mostly skated on ice, but this is perfectly fine," Harm reassured. "I just want to spend time with you."

"Maybe later we'll go to the movies?" Mattie suggested.

"Sure, we can do that," Mac agreed. "What do you say Harm?"

"I'm open to the idea. But no chick flicks," he requested.

"Do you have something against romance, Harm?" Mattie wondered.

"What? No, it's just that people don't meet and then an hour later they confess their undying love for one another. It's unrealistic."

"You don't believe in love at first sight then?" Mattie assumed.

"I believe in attraction at first sight, but love takes more time," he reasoned.

"What do you think, Mac?" Mattie wondered.

"I think Harm is right on this one," Mac admitted. "But I do love a good romance movie," she added.

"Wow, Mac admitting that I'm right," Harm pretended to be shocked.

"I said you were right on this one," she reminded him. "Doesn't mean I'll agree with you at work on Monday."

"Or when I suggest tonight's dinner?" he questioned with a chuckle.

"We're having pizza out tonight," Mattie reminded them. "My choice, remember?"

"I remember," Harm said and smiled.

Mac looked at him and returned the smile. She loved these lighthearted conversations between them. Mattie had definitely helped fix something between them.