Title: Meeting in a Rose Garden
Summary: Mac reconnects with someone she knew in law school. (West Wing Crossover) (Mac/Other, Mac/Harm friendship)
Note: A few of you have asked about Singer and we'll get back to that little bit of drama very soon.
Part Thirty
Harm tapped once on Mac's open-door frame, and smiled when she looked up. "Busy?" She shook her head and he moved into the office. "Are you okay?"
She nodded. "I'm ready to be in California for Christmas, but I'm okay." The Vickie Hilton case had just ended, and while it hadn't been quite as ugly as she had imagined it would be she was still ready to escape DC for a few days. John had been called as a witness, but his testimony had been conveniently placed in the middle, and wasn't as salacious as some of the others. She smiled at him. "Congratulations on the win, though. You and Manetti did a great job." Her smile slightly faded as she thought about the staff meeting that morning, and how Harm had been partnered with Manetti again, on yet another high-profile case. "You make a good team."
He shook his head. "She's fine, but she's not you." They fell silent for a moment, and Harm sighed. "I don't know why I keep ending up with her. It doesn't make any sense to me."
Mac shrugged and looked over his shoulder into the bullpen. Manetti was standing at Harriet's desk, laughing at something. She hadn't been here long, but already looked so comfortable – so confident. And Mac was envious of that. It had taken her ages to really connect with anyone besides Harm. "I have my suspicions."
He raised an eyebrow and leaned back in his chair. "Oh really? Care to share with the rest of the class?"
"You get a lot of attention, and a lot of the best cases, because of your high profile." She shrugged again. "It makes sense to me that she, and her southern daddy, want her to work with you." She tried to mimic a southern accent and had failed miserably, which made him snort with laughter. She smiled, and tossed a crumpled post-it at him. "And since the SECNAV is a close family friend, I'm sure he's using his considerable power to make that happen."
Harm winced, knowing she was likely correct. He hated that thought. He hated thinking that staffing and assignments within this office were tangled up with messy political favors. He shook his head. "I hate politicians." She smirked and he blushed. "Sorry."
She waved away the apology. "Don't worry about it."
They were quiet again, and he tried to relax. "I don't hate him, you know."
Mac smiled softly. "I know. Anyway. That's what I think. I just hope the Admiral knows what he's doing, because this really isn't fair to the other senior attorneys here. I don't mind being out of the limelight right now, but I get the feeling Sturgis isn't used to being overlooked so frequently."
Harm frowned, thinking of the hostility his old friend had shown him recently. "Should I say something?"
She shook her head. "I wouldn't; you haven't done anything wrong. And he's been in such a mood lately. I don't see you questioning his decision-making skills going over very well. Sturgis is a grown man. He'll eventually say something himself."
"Yeah, I guess you're right." Her phone rang and he stood. "I'll let you get back to work. Are you still coming to the Christmas party tonight?" She nodded, and he grinned. "See you tonight, then." He walked out of the office, and left her to her ringing phone.
The Admiral opened the door to his home and offered her a smile. He looked tired, and the smile forced, but she returned it and stepped inside.
"May I take your coat?"
Mac nodded and shrugged out of her fitted navy blue coat and festive plaid scarf. She handed both to him and looked around as he took the coats to his guestroom. No one she was close to had arrived yet, and she wished for the thousandth time that Sam was here. Or that she was with him. He had been tormenting her for days with single line emails, bragging about the significantly warmer temperatures in California and she couldn't wait for her plane to touch down at LAX in the morning. She made her way to the bar and was accepting a glass of water from the bartender when the doorbell rang. The admiral hurried to answer it, and she watched with relief as he greeted Harm and Julia. He offered them both the same forced smile as he took their coats. Once he headed back to the guestroom, she watched Harm scan the room and smile once he spotted her. He lowered his head to whisper something to Julia, and then they made their way to the bar.
Julia immediately gave her a warm hug, and beamed as she pulled back. "Your dress is absolutely gorgeous!"
Mac looked down at her dress, as if she needed a reminder of what she was wearing. The off-the-shoulder dress was red and fitted, but not tight, and fell just below her knees. "Thank you. And I love yours." She grinned as she realized that Julia's slinky silk dress was the exact same shade of silver as Harm's tie. "You guys match."
Harm groaned and Julia laughed. She took his hand and leaned in to kiss his cheek. "Okay, maybe people will notice." He rolled his eyes and she turned her attention back to Mac. "It wasn't planned, but I kind of like it." The doorbell rang again, and they all turned as Tiner got the door this time, and welcomed in three groups that had apparently arrived at the same time. Tracy Manetti and her date were among them, and Julia and Mac both looked at each other in surprise.
"That's unexpected," Mac said softly.
Tracy looked stunning in an emerald green velvet dress, and her date was an incredibly attractive man with dark blonde hair, wearing a charcoal-colored suit. He wasn't wearing a tie and had one button too many undone on the shirt. But it wasn't the apparel or his obvious sexiness that caught their attention – it was his height. He was tall. Taller than Harm tall. And next to Tracy, who was maybe 5'2", it was jarring.
Julia leaned in closer to Mac. "How on earth do they have sex?" Mac choked on her sip of water and looked at Julia with wide eyes. "What?" She smiled, and the smile was the picture of innocence. She looked at Mac and at Harm, who rolled his eyes at the two of them. "Oh, come on. You two are telling me that you never look at an attractive couple and aren't a little bit curious about their sex life?"
Mac blushed, and looked away. Julia was right. She did wonder about that sometimes. She had wondered about Harm and Julia the first time she had seen them together at that bar. "I plead the fifth."
"Jules, stop making everyone blush. What do you want to drink?"
"Champagne, please." She smiled as turned to the bartender and began a conversation about Whiskey, and she turned back to Mac. "Speaking of very attractive couples, how are you and Sam doing?"
She smiled and was about to tell Julia that they were doing well, when the doorbell rang again and Tiner hurried to open it. This time the guest wasn't a couple, but a single woman in a long black coat. Mac watched as she took off the coat, revealing a form fitting black dress that showed off her growing belly. Julia reached for Mac's hand and gave it a gentle, knowing squeeze.
Loren Singer was back. And she obviously hadn't had an abortion.
The Next Day…
She spotted Sam almost immediately, and felt a rush of relief. He was leaning against a wall near a baggage carousel, holding a cup of coffee in one hand, and typing something on his Blackberry with the other. It was so damned good to see him. It had only been a couple of weeks since her impromptu trip out here, but she had missed him desperately. She watched as he tucked the phone back in his pocket, and scanned the airport crowd, his face lighting up when his eyes landed on her. They hurried to one another, and he pulled her against him with his free hand.
"I've missed you," he whispered, his breath warm against her ear.
"I've missed you too."
He started to pull back, wanting to kiss her, but she tightened her arms around him and held him tighter. After a moment, she let her arms fall and she took a step back. Sam reached up, and ran a finger over the curve of her cheek. "Are you okay?"
She shook her head. "Not really." He opened his mouth and she shook her head. "Not here. I'll tell you about it in the car." He nodded and handed her the coffee.
"Want some? It's still warm." She nodded and took the cup.
"Thanks." She took a few sips, and drew warmth from the strong coffee, and from his fingers running up and down her spine. Last night had been hard. Singer's arrival had affected her for obvious reasons, but the atmosphere of the party was different after her arrival. The admiral went from merely looking tired to looking angry, and everyone seemed to notice it. She had even briefly wondered if he was the father of the baby. She imagined a long night, a few drinks to relax after Harm had played tag with a Russian missile, and an immediately regrettable night together.
Then she had realized that was ridiculous. She obviously could see him having a dalliance with a subordinate, but not with someone as vindictive and as spiteful as Loren Singer. The baggage carousel buzzed and she turned to it. The flight hadn't been full, and it didn't take long for her dark pink suitcase to make an appearance. She went to grab it, but Sam beat her to it.
They made their way to the parking deck and once they were settled in the car, he dropped the keys in the cupholder and turned to look at her. "What's wrong?"
Mac looked down at her hands, and let out a slow breath. "Singer was at the party last night." She looked up and met his eyes. "She didn't go through with the abortion." A tear fell, and she brushed it away. "I know it's crazy to be upset. I mean, I was crushed at the thought of her having an abortion. And now I'm crushed at the thought of her having the baby."
"It isn't crazy." She raised an eyebrow, her expression skeptical. He shrugged. "It isn't."
"You're just trying to make me feel better."
Sam shook his head. "I'm not, though. I know this is hard for you. It's hard for me too." He let out a breath and leaned back in his seat. "Toby's ex-wife is pregnant with his twins." Her eyes widened and he gave her a small smile. "Yeah, I know. But I found out when we were in North Carolina doing debate prep, and it was hard. Andy has wanted children for a very long time, and I'm so happy for them, but it stung a bit."
Mac nodded slowly and felt some of the tension dissipate. None of that mattered right now – not Singer, or Admiral Chegwidden's strange behavior, or Toby and Andy. She was away from all of that for the next ten days, and vowed to enjoy every single second of it.
Christmas Eve...
"So, wait. Let me get this straight – we're spending Christmas Eve with your mother, father, and your father's girlfriend because neither of them are willing to celebrate on Christmas Day?"
Sam straightened his tie and nodded. "Unfortunately, yes." Mac sighed and shook her head. She grabbed her makeup bag and moved to the small vanity in the bathroom. He finished fidgeting with his tie and leaned against the bathroom door frame. "You look gorgeous."
She lowered the mascara wand for a moment and smiled at him. "Thank you." She returned her attention to her reflection. She ran a finger under her eye, smudging her eyeliner the tiniest bit, and then turned to face him. She ran her hands over the bodice of the dress, the same one she had worn for the JAG holiday party a few nights earlier. "It isn't too much, is it?"
"It's perfect." He grinned and moved to kiss her bare shoulder.
She looked at the two of them in the mirror and took a deep breath. "I don't know why I'm nervous. I mean, I've already met your mother wearing much less than this."
It was a relatively short drive to the house he had grown up in. He parked the car and then sat there quietly for a moment. Mac reached out and touched his hand. "Are you okay?"
He nodded. "Yeah. Just dreading this." Last Christmas was bad enough when they were still pretending to be happily married. But at some point over the past year, his father had decided that he wanted a divorce and wanted to marry his girlfriend, but his mother had refused to grant him one. And now they were all stuck in this uncomfortable limbo – his father living across town with another woman, and his mother living in their family home.
She nodded and opened the car door. "Well, let's get it over with."
He took a deep breath and got out of the car. He hoisted a bag with gifts for his parents over one shoulder and then took her hand. "A few hours of this, and then we won't have to see them again till next Christmas."
"I don't know… if this is going to be as bad as you think it will be, I think we should go to Hawaii or Paris or somewhere far away next year." She smiled at him and gave his hand a gentle squeeze.
He grinned and leaned in to kiss her. "Have I ever told you that I love the way your mind works?"
They made their way up the stone path, through the impressive landscaping, and Sam rang the doorbell. His mother answered the door an even though Mac had only met the woman once, she knew her smile was forced.
"Hi mom." Sam let go of Mac's hand and leaned in to kiss his mother's cheek.
"Hello, sweetheart." Andrea Seaborn reached up and brushed his hair back. "You need a haircut."
He rolled his eyes and pushed her hand away. "You remember my fiancée, Sarah MacKenzie."
Andrea's eyes moved over her, and she nodded. "Of course. It's nice to see you again."
"Likewise."
They all stood at the door for a minute longer, no one saying anything. Finally, Sam looked over his mother's shoulder, and she seemed to suddenly realize she was supposed to invite them in. She stepped back and held the door open wider, and they all went inside.
Mac had been by the house before – Sam had driven them by it on her last trip here, but she hadn't been prepared for the opulence inside. She followed them into a stunning formal living room, with floor to ceiling windows that overlooked the beach. She glanced at Sam, and then at his mother. "Your home is beautiful, Mrs. Seaborn."
"Thank you, Sarah." She moved to nook that housed a well-stocked bar cart and grabbed a bottle of vodka. "I'm making a martini. What would the two of you like?"
Mac glanced at Sam and she discretely shook her head. He took the gifts to the tree and joined his mother at the bar cart. "Let me make the drinks, mom. You've got a little bit of everything, and I'm not quite sure what I want." She shrugged and handed him the bottle she had been holding. He finished the martini and handed it to her. She took a sip and let out a long sigh.
"I'm going to go check on dinner." Andrea took her glass into the kitchen, and they both let out breaths when she was gone.
Sam turned to Mac and cocked his head to the side. "I don't know much about alcoholism, but I thought it was important to be upfront about it."
She blushed and opened a bottle of tonic water. She slowly poured it into a glass, before dropping in a slice of lime and a few ice cubes. "It is important. But this is all awkward enough without getting into all of that." She took a sip of the drink and dropped the empty bottle in the small trash can. "I tell people who need to know, or who I'm comfortable with. And right now, your parents don't fall into either category."
He nodded, understanding. "Fair enough. Do you want me to abstain?"
Mac shook her head. "I want you to do whatever you want to do." Her eyes moved to the bottle of scotch, and she wrinkled her nose. "I remember that stuff being pretty vile, but if you want a drink, you should have one." She watched as he opened the bottle and poured a small amount into a glass. He raised it, and clinked it against hers.
"Tonight is going to be pretty awkward and uncomfortable, but I'm so glad you're here."
"There isn't anywhere else I'd rather be." She smiled as he pulled her close, and covered her mouth with his. His lips were warm and soft, and she was anxious to get this evening over and have him to herself.
They pulled apart when they heard the front door open, and both turned in that direction. Sam seemed to deflate at the sight of the newcomers, and Mac studied the man with curiosity. The man was obviously his father, and she now knew beyond a shadow of a doubt what Sam would look like in thirty years. His hair was still thick and mostly dark, with just a few silver strands, his eyes were the same piercing blue, and his physique would have been enviable to men much, much younger.
Sam briefly looked at his father's girlfriend before meeting his eyes. "Hi dad."
Richard Seaborn moved closer and pulled his son in for a hug. "It's good to see you, Sam."
Sam nodded, but didn't return the sentiment. He moved closer to Mac, and settled his free hand at the small of her back. "This is my fiancée, Sarah. Sarah, my dad and his… friend."
Richard rolled his eyes. "Good to meet you, Sarah. This Penelope. Who I'd love to introduce as my fiancée, or wife even, if Andrea would ever grant me my goddamned divorce."
Sam closed his eyes momentarily and then took a sip of his drink. It was going to be a long night.
Mac buckled her seatbelt and glanced at Sam. He was sitting in the driver's seat, his head tilted back and his eyes closed. "I've got to say, you really undersold this evening." He glanced at her and she smiled, relieved to be out of that house, and thrilled he was nothing like either of his parents. "Awkward and uncomfortable was an understatement."
He snorted and reached for her hand. He brought it to his lips and placed a soft kiss on her palm. "Still want to marry me?"
"Yeah." She smiled and leaned back. "But I do think we should go away next year for Christmas."
He nodded. "We'll start planning as soon as we're home." He started the car and pulled out of the driveway and began the short drive back to his apartment. He was quiet for a few minutes; his fingers tapping against the steering wheel the only sound. Finally, he cleared his throat and glanced at her. "Promise me that'll never be us."
Mac looked up in surprise, and shook her head. "It won't be." She looked out the window, the large houses getting smaller in the distance. She thought of how close she came to having a life that was just as dysfunctional – married to Mic, wanting to be with Harm. She hadn't really thought about how that would have affected any of them long term, or the children she and Mic had planned on having. "There won't be a third person in our marriage. I'm sure our marriage will have its own challenges," she said softly, and placed her hand on her abdomen. She swallowed hard, thinking of the one challenge that she knew awaited them. "But we're not going to be your parents, and we definitely won't be mine."
The rest of the drive to his apartment was mostly quiet, both lost in their own thoughts. Once they were inside, Mac toed off her heels by the front door and placed her hands on his chest. "I know tonight was hard. Want me to leave you alone?" He shook his head, and ran his arms over her bare shoulders. She gently tugged at his tie, before undoing it and wrapping the silk around her hands. "Want to talk about it anymore?" Her voice was low and husky, and he shook his head again.
"Not right now."
"Want me to distract you with sex?" He barked out a laugh, and she smiled. She moved closer to him, feeling the beginnings of his erection pressing against her, and placed her lips against his neck. She ran her tongue over his warm skin, and then gently bit. Mac pulled back, and took in his closed eyes and pink cheeks. "What do you want?" He swallowed, and she began undoing the buttons on his shirt. She tugged the shirt out of his pants, finished undoing the final few buttons, and pushed the shirt and suit jacket off of his shoulders.
"I don't care. I just want you. Always you." Sam kicked the clothes out of the way, and then turned them around so her back was to the door. He reached for the zipper at the back of her dress, tugging it down and pushing the red material to the floor. The black lace strapless bra quickly joined the dress, as did the matching panties.
She pushed him back, and moved her fingers to his pants. "Off. Now," she demanded, and waited for him to remove the rest of his clothes.
"Bedroom?" Mac shook her head, and he knew what she wanted. He pressed her completely into the door, and lowered his lips to her neck as one of her legs wrapped around his waist.
End Part 30