Title: Missing in Action
Author: Jennifer Kelley
(JnnLuvsU@hotmail.com)
Spoilers: Good-byes, Legacy, and minor ones everywhere else. Set after Legacy.
Rating: PG-13 for language
Disclaimer: Any character that you recognize does not belong to me. No Copyright Infringement intended, so please don't sue me. I'm only 15 and this is purely for fun. Characters belong to Bellisarius Productions and are the sole creations of Donald P. Bellisario.
Category: Harm and Mac shipper alert! If that frightens you, run away, run far, far away.
Summary: Alternate Universe in which Harm didn't return to flying when he did on the show. In my world, Harm dumped Jordan, and Mac never got with Brumby even though he is here. Renee never entered the picture, and Harm and Mac are closer than ever. Harm has just gotten his sight fixed after meeting his brother in Russia, and is about to change his designator. Will their friendship survive?
Author's Notes: This idea came to me when watching Good-byes for like the hundredth time. That was the episode where Harm and Mac's relationship took a turn for the worse, and they started to drift apart. I always wondered what would have happened if he hadn't left then. This is my
take on that theory.
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Chapter 1
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Harm's Apartment
Friday

Lt. Commander Harmon 'Harm' Rabb stared at the paper in his hand in shock. He just couldn't believe it, and read it again in disbelief, it read, "Lt. Commander Harmon Rabb, Jr., it has been determined that the night blindness you have been affected with is no longer a problem. It has also been determined that you are able to perform night carrier operations. Therefore, your request of change of designator has been approved, and you will return immediately to flight status. Report to Admiral Chedwiggen for your new orders. Upon receiving them, you will report to Pensecola Bay next Tuesday for your departure to the U.S.S. Patrick Henry..."

Harm was so excited, and couldn't wait to tell Mac. She'd seemed happy for him when he was considering it after the operation, and he knew that she would be happy for him now. Looking at his watch, he realized that he was late for work, and ran out the door. He'd just tell her later.

Lt. Colonel Sarah 'Mac' Mackenzie stepped off the elevator and headed towards Harm's office. Noticing that he wasn't in yet, she walked toward her own office. "Hey, Harriet, how's AJ?" She asked, stopping by Lt. Harriet Simms desk.

Harriet smiled, "Well, he's about as rambunctious as a two year old can get. He's visiting my parents this weekend, though."

"Ok, well, when Harm gets here, would you tell him that I need to talk to him," she said, and walked to her office.

"Yes, ma'am." Harriet answered. Mac hadn't been sitting there that long when she noticed a shadow in her doorway. Looking up, she expected to see Harm, but was greeted instead by Commander Mic Brumby, "Hello, Commander," she greeted, "What can I do for you?"

He smiled, "Actually, I was wondering if you were ready to take me up on my offer of dinner yet?" He asked.

Mac sighed, he asked her the same thing everyday. In fact, if she wasn't so in love with her partner, she would have probably taken him up on his offer, but that wasn't the case, "Sorry, Commander, I don't think so," she said.

Mic's smile quickly turned to a frown, and he left her office without another word. After he left, Mac sighed again. She found herself doing that a lot lately, ever since the day months ago when she finally realized that she was hopelessly in love with Harm. She had denied those feelings for so long, it felt so good to finally admit them to herself. She only wished that he felt the same. Getting back to the file in front her, she tried to concentrate, but became lost in her thoughts.

Harm stepped off the elevator and headed to the Admiral's office. On the way there, he was stopped by Lt. Harriet Simms. "Sir, Colonel Mackenzie said that she would like to speak to you when you got in," she told him.

Harm smiled, as he usually did when Mac's name was mentioned, "Ok, thanks Harriet. "I'll go see her now," he said, and walked over to her office. Leaning in the doorway, he noticed that she appeared to be reading a file, but she didn't turn pages, or move her eyes. She appeared to be lost in thought. He enjoyed just watching her. The way her hair fell over her face, and the way her lips moved when she talked. He would find times to just stand and gaze at her, knowing that she would kill him if she ever saw him. "Hey, Mac," he said, snapping her out of her reverie, "You won't believe what happened!"

Mac was forced out of her reverie when she heard her partner's voice. He was grinning like a cheshire cat. His smile made her heart race, "Hey Harm, what?" She asked, grinning.

"It's been approved, Mac," he said, setting the letter down on her desk, "It's official, I'm going back to full flight status," he said.

Mac couldn't believe her ears and felt her face fall. He was leaving. She picked up the letter, and quickly read it. It was true. She felt tears come to her eyes, he was really leaving. She blinked them back, and mustered up a grin, "I'm very happy for you Harm," she said, getting up to hug him. After a few moments, she let him go and walked out of the room. She didn't want to cry in front of him, so she went into the ladies' room, and locked the door behind her.

Harm was surprised when Mac left the room, "Mac," he said, as he watched her walk across the bullpen. He started to follow him, but was stopped again by Harriet Simms, "Commander, I couldn't help but overhear, Congratulations. Let me give you some advice, though, let me talk to her. The Admiral wants to see you," she said, and walked in the same direction that Mac had went in moments earlier. Harm turned and walked in the direction of the Admiral's office, Lt. Bud Roberts falling in step beside him, "Congratulations, Sir," he said.

Harm was distracted by Mac's reaction, but smiled, "Thanks Bud," he said, knocking on the Admiral's door. "Enter!" He heard from within and walked in the room, coming to attention in front of the Admiral's desk. "You wanted to see me, sir," he said.

Admiral AJ Chedwiggen couldn't believe that he was about to lose one of his best lawyers, "Yes, at ease, Commander. It seems that your request for change of designator has been approved. Your assignment for the next 6 months is on board the U.S.S. Patrick Henry. After that, we will have new orders for you. The Secnav has already lined up a replacement of sorts for you. In actuality, Commander Brumby will be your replacement, but we will be acquiring a new young naval officer on another one of those exchange programs who wishes to be a lawyer. It seems we need to improve our relationship with Russia, and he is from there. He will be here later today. Actually, I believe you know him, his name is Sergei Zhukov. I believe you and the Colonel met him on your last trip to Russia." AJ said.

Harm felt his eyes grow big, "Yes, sir. Actually, it seems Sergei is my half-brother. He'll make a fine addition to the JAG team sir."

"Well, I certainly hope so. It seems we are done here, Commander. It was a pleasure to have you in my chain of command. Good luck, son," AJ said, and stuck out his hand.

Harm shook his hand, "It was a pleasure serving under you, sir."

AJ grinned, "Brief Commander Brumby and Lt. Roberts on your current cases, they can take them over. Dismissed."

Harm snapped to attention, "Yes, sir," and turned and left the office. Just as he opened the door, the Admiral called out to him, "Oh, and Commander, take care of yourself, you hear."

"Yes, sir," Harm said, and left the room.