Title: TV Style pt 3
Author: Navygirl
Rating: PG-13
Classification: Harm/Mac
Spoiler: Capital Crime
Summary: Surprises all around.
Disclaimers: All characters of JAG belong to Donald Bellasarius and Bellasarius Productions; no copyright infringement intended.
1643 hrs. ET
April 6, 2002
JAG HQ
Falls Church, VA
Harm arrived back at JAG a few minutes behind the Admiral. He strolled off the elevator feeling particularly alive, eager to see his favorite lady and still exhilarated from having flown security out of Gitmo. He hoped to put in about an hour checking messages and catching up, then he intended to take Mac to dinner. As he eased his way through the bullpen, cover under his arm, his plan was to go directly to Mac's office. He could see her working at her desk and couldn't wait to talk to her, but Bud popped into his path, nearly running him down.
"Commander, sir," Bud said, over-eager, over-zealous as always.
"Hey, Bud, how's it going?" Rabb said, expecting to continue on his glide path towards Mac's door.
"You have a call, sir, and she sounds, well, uh," Bud lowered his voice. "A little p'od, sir. She's been calling and calling all day today. She sounds Latin or something, but of course I could be wrong, but then again, I think she's probably Latin as she did say, what did she say, oh I don't remember, sir, anyway, do you want to take the call, sir? I think you have to take her call, she's just going to call back if you don't."
Rabb stopped dead in his tracks, realizing instantly who the caller had to be. "Okay, Bud, I'll take it in my office." He was resigned to his fate, and resigned to the realization that he would not be able to speak to Mac for at least a few more minutes. He turned and walked to his office.
"Cmdr. Rabb," he said into the mouthpiece and quickly braced as an onslaught of angry words were flung at him. The woman was p'od, no doubts there. Bud had called the ball.
"Well," he started to say, but could not get a word in as she continued to read him her own riot act. "Maria, you have to…"
He looked up to see Mac standing at his open door. "Just a minute," he said into the phone, in order to look up at her and smile. "Hi." He flashed his best one, full of the apology he wanted to give. He really had meant to go directly to her office, to see her, he tried to say with his eyes. "I'm sorry, this should only take a second, Mac."
At that even Mac could hear some of the language coming through the phone, forcing Harm to hold the phone at little father from his ear. "Hang on, hang on, Maria. I know you wanted to come by here to see me, although I have no idea why, but…" She interrupted him again, and he gave Mac a hopeless look. As he looked at Mac, he noticed
that behind her was another woman, the ever adorable Enemy 1, standing close enough to hear, making no bones about eavesdropping.
Lt. Singer was indeed all ears as she realized this could be the moment she needed to affirm what Mic Brumby had told her, for clearly if Cmdr. Rabb was speaking to another woman, and there was anything between the Commander and Colonel Mackenzie, it would show on the woman's face. Singer studied Mac, seeing only a sort of amused smirk cross her face as she watched the Commander squirm.
"Maria, I know I was supposed to be here. But, hey, I got called away. Duty calls." He was angling to get off the phone, but could only hope for a rescue. "I was sent to fly security…What? You don't want to hear an excuse you say. Look, I thought you were coming by for a visit..."
Singer could see that Rabb was in trouble with the woman on the other end of the phone, and obviously that woman had some sort of proprietary interest in him. She looked again at the Colonel, and seeing the same small smirk, decided that all her hopes of finding evidence to support Mic's claims were sinking. Clearly this was the woman with whom Rabb was involved, and obviously the woman didn't see his interview on television. Equally obvious, the comments he made on television were not intended towards the Colonel, since clearly the Commander was involved with someone else. A woman who could keep him in check, apparently. Resigned, Singer walked away, but she stole one look back to see that the Colonel was now laughing at the Commander's predicament. "How could I have been so wrong?" Singer said aloud to herself.
"Hmmm?" Cmdr. Turner asked as he passed the sullen lieutenant. "Were you speaking to me?"
"No sir, sorry sir." Singer replied and kept moving.
Turner looked away from her to see what was taking up so much of the Colonel's interest. He walked up to her. "Rabb's back I see."
"Yes, and having a grand time trying to explain to an old friend why he missed an appointment with her."
"Another woman?"
"Not like that Sturgis," Mac said, knocking him on the arm in a playful punch. "Well, maybe at one time she was, but not any more."
"You sound pretty sure of yourself, Colonel," he replied. "And you should be." He gave her an appreciative smile and turned his attention to his friend who was struggling with the call and beginning to sweat profusely.
Mac smiled to herself and walked away, shaking her head as she thought about Harm's efforts to handle things.
"Maria, I know you wanted to see me, but frankly, I don't understand why. That was years ago. Years ago, Maria. I've got a...What? Maria, it doesn't matter who it is...Well, yes, that's right." Rabb was losing the battle with the outraged woman, but was somewhat relieved when the line suddenly went dead.
He looked up to see Turner where he had expected Mac. Muttering an "ah shoot" he brushed past Turner. "Sorry, buddy, catch up with you later, I've got to find a certain Colonel before she goes TAD to Bangkok or something."
"Rabb, watch what you say." Turner admonished him as he hurried towards Mac's office.
"Believe me, Sturgis I know."
He slowed only when he reached Mac's door, finding her just sitting down at her desk, a strange smile on her face at the sight of him. "Hey, I like your style, there Commander," Mac said, watching him squirm a little at the unexpected comment.
He didn't know what she meant. "What style? You mean that call?" Harm was a little nervous, not quite sure what to expect. Would she bust his chops over the call?
"No, Harm, relax." Mac paused for several breaths, enjoying his discomfort but not wanting it to go on too long. "I mean your TV style, Harm, you ought to be in pictures."
Relief washed over him and an easy smile came to his face. "Yeah, but you're the one lovely to see."
"Whew, you can turn on the charge, can't you?" She enjoyed bantering with him, but hoped he would not slip into his fighter jock mode and evade sincerity once again.
"Mac," he said her name slowly. "I meant what I said, I couldn't wait to get back, to get back here to you." He spoke very softly.
His sweetness made her blush. "Close the door," she said. After he turned and closed the door, she added, "And come over here and say that one more time."
He raised an eyebrow and hesitated, but then walked to her side of the desk. "I said," he stared into her eyes, and leaned in close to her. "I couldn't wait to get back here to you."
She looked up into his eyes and could not speak. She remembered a line from the movie Top Gun, "take me to bed or loose me forever," but was too shy to say it.
"Well?" He was so close she could smell his aftershave, feel his breath. When she still didn't speak, he added. "I mean it, Mac, you and me, it's time, don't you think?"
She could only say, "Yes." And her voice crackled with nervousness.
"So, let's go to dinner in an hour," he said and touched a hand to her hair. "I have lots of things I want to say to you. Things I should have said a long time ago."
"Me too," she uttered. They looked at each other for several minutes, neither one moving, barely breathing.
Remembering that they were in the office and the blinds were open, he slowly and reluctantly backed away. "Okay, then I'll swing by here later," he said softly. "You think about where you want to eat."
As he walked to the door, she called after him. "Your place? I want to eat at your place."
"I don't have any food Mac." He said without turning around.
"Doesn't matter."
He liked her reply and turned back to let her know it with a wide, wide grin. "We can pick something up on the way."
He started to open the door and almost added, "You're going to need the energy, Colonel."
But he was truly surprised when she said softly, unaware he could hear it, "You're going to need the energy, Commander."
She couldn't see the amused look on his face as he opened the door and sauntered into the bullpen.
Within fifty minutes, he was waiting at her office door, just standing there, watching her as she tried to concentrate on a brief.
She knew he was there, but pretended otherwise.
He waited for her to look up, but she continued with the game and he continued to stand there, fairly certain she had sensed his presence.
They were so caught up in the pretense that when the Admiral walked up behind him, he was completely surprised.
"Gads are you still here, Commander. You must be tired. I know I am."
"Yes, sir," he said. "I'm just about to leave, just waiting to speak to the Colonel."
"Good night, then," the Admiral said, amused, but not allowing it to show. I'll bet you want to talk to her, son. I just hope you get it right for a change. Man can fly a tomcat like it's strapped to his six, but can't manage even a simple conversation if it's from the heart.
The Admiral sighed as he watched Rabb from the elevator, secretly wishing him luck.
Mac was standing beside him in an instant, standing ever so close. "I'm ready," she said, and blushed at the double meaning of her own words. She hit the light switch by the door, and they walked through the bullpen, the last to leave. At the elevator, Harm turned towards her and paused. He wanted to say something, but the words would not come. "How 'bout Chinese?" he said. "I'll stop by and pick it up and meet you at my place." She just gave him a half nod.
They stepped onto the elevator and the door closed, and he couldn't stand it any longer. He stepped closer to her and touched her hair. She leaned slightly towards him, aware that the elevator door would open quickly and someone might be waiting outside. "I've missed you," was all he managed to say before the door opened and she started to walk out. No one was waiting and he quickly grabbed her hand, pulled her back inside and hit the door 'close' and 'stop' buttons. Then he smiled.
"Am I your prisoner?"
"Yes,"
"Then you're in trouble, 'cause I'm a Marine."
"I was hoping you'd forget that for a few minutes anyway," he said, and ran a hand through one side of her hair, pulling her closer. He kissed her gently but firmly. "Now, don't kick my six for that," he said.
"Wouldn't think of it." She said and ran her hand over his arm and up to his shoulder. The elevator started to move and he quickly hit the stop button again, leaning on it, drawing her over to his side. He nuzzled her hair and took a deep breath. "Okay, so you saw what I said on TV."
"Yes," she answered softly. "And, I understood it just fine."
"Ah, you mean we're finally on the same wave length?"
"I think so, Harm, at least it looks that way."
"Because, you know, I'm falling for you," he said.
It was quite an admission, and she knew it and did not take it lightly. She kissed him quickly and lovingly, and he kissed her back, the passion beginning to take control of both of them, just as it nearly did one night on the Admiral's porch.
"Let's get out of here, Harm. And, uh, don't bother stopping for Chinese."
"Well, would it be presumptuous of me to ask if you want to just ride home with me?" he asked.
"I don't think I should leave my car here, people might see it, talk, you know." This practical concern could not be ignored. He nodded and they walked to the parking lot in silence.
He opened the driver's side door for her and she slipped inside and opened the window. "I'll see you there in minutes. Don't stop for anything, Harm." She gave him a coy look.
He leaned just inside the window for a second, but rether than kiss her as she expected, she touched the tip of her nose with his finger, then he backed away and watched her drive off, walking to his SUV and starting it up.
"Finally," he thought, pulling out of the lot. As he drove towards home in the late evening light, memories kept him company. Their meeting in the Rose Garden, the funny way she acted when she caught him kissing Lt. Schiparelli, dancing with her, Sydney, Mic, the stolen moments on the Admiral's porch, agonizing over the confusion when Renee's father died, the fear of losing her, and hearing the words "back at the beginning" at a time when he felt he had lost her for sure. Looking back on it this way, he had to admit that it had slowly dawned on him how he felt about her. It had built like a wave until it washed over him. He smiled remembering the kiss they exchanged under the mistletoe at Christmas. He knew it then, but didn't have a clue what to do about it.
As he approached the off ramp, his cell phone rang. "Hey, I said don't stop for anything," she said. "I'm already sitting on your couch, lonely."
"Ah, I got tangled up in a road crew mess, trying to take a short cut," he said. "I'm sorry. I'm just a few seconds away."
"Seconds? Are you sure?"
"Okay, minutes given your precise Swiss time mechanism thing," he said. "Hey, I have the new Dave Mathews C.D. on my desk, if you want to put it on. And, you know I do have some lasagna in the freezer if you want to stick it in the microwave, it's veggie lasagna, but you know..."
"Harm, I'm not hungry. I just want you to shut up and get here."
"Yes, ma'am." He hung up the phone and smiled to himself. God, finally, finally they were getting it right.
When he opened the door to his apartment, the lights were out. Her car had been parked outside, so she was up to something. "Mac?" He called out, only slightly confused, hoping he could guess where she was.
She didn't answer, so he flicked on a small lamp, enough to keep from stumbling around, then waited. "Mac?"
"I'm in here, Harm," came the intriguing reply from the vicinity of his bedroom.
Tossing his cover on the couch, he made it to the bedroom in seconds, but did not turn on the light. He looked at the bed, but in the dark, wasn't certain if she was there. "Mac?" he asked again.
From behind the door, she slipped up behind him and grabbed him, giggling as she wrapped her arms around the waist. But, he wasn't completely surprised, half expecting something just like this from her, given her penchant for playful mischief at times.
"Got ya, Harm," she said. "You can't sneek up on a Marine," she laughed.
"Ah, come on Mac, be serious already," he said, surprising himself with his own words.
She was a little taken aback, felt a little as if she had been chastised, and walked a few steps away. "Okay, sorry." Then she admitted, "I'm just nervous."
"Well, I am nervous too." He said and in the dim light he saw that she understood as he reached for her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He eagerly kissed her.
"This is amazing, that we're here together at last," she said.
"I was thinking the same thing," he replied. "And I was thinking that given how I feel about you…." She was looking up at him, and he had to remember to breathe. "I mean, I guess, I don't want to start something unless we're sure about what we're doing. I care too much. I said it on the Admiral's porch, and I mean it even more now. I don't want to ever lose you."
"Harm, that won't happen. There's no Mic, there's no Renee. We are finally together. But, honestly, I've been thinking so much about this, that I don't think I could live one more day just being friends."
He leaned over and kissed her. Then he stepped back a little and took a deep breath. "Mac, you've got to know by now that I love you."
The emotions overwhelmed her, she could not speak. Hearing him say the words brought tears to her eyes. She could not draw a breath for fear that the spell would break. But it was broken anyway when the phone rang.
They only stood there looking at each other.
"Mac?" He asked. "Say something, please."
She started to speak, but, before she could do so, they heard the answering machine and the Admiral's voice.
"Commander, I hope I'm not being presumptuous, but I need to get in touch with Colonel Mackenzie, and she's not answering her phone at home…"
Harm walked over to pick up the cordless phone from the bedstand. "Sir?"
"Ah, good, Commander. Do you know where the Colonel is?"
"She's right here, Admiral." He held out the phone, not wanting to interfere with her duties, but still wanting to hear her response, his heart aching as he waited.
"Admiral?" She spoke into the phone but looked at Harm. When he started to turn and walk away, she reached for his hand and held it. His eyes lifted a little. He waited next to her as she listened to the Admiral. Clearly it was important.
"Yes sir, I can do that. I'll be ready, sir." She hung up the phone and sighed. "Harm, I need to leave, I'm sorry. The Admiral is sending me on an assignment at Webb's request." She took his hand and put it close to her heart. "I don't know how else to say it, my heart will be here with you."
"That's enough for me," he said and kissed her, every prayer he held in his heart expressed as his lips touched her's. "I do love you," he said and pulled away to look at her.
She had to be able to say the words, she felt them. Fear was tightening around her chest. What is wrong with me, she thought. I'm not afraid of the mission, I'm afraid to tell the man I love that he is the most important person in the world to me. Marine, you need to speak.
She reached up and touched his face, "I love you Harm," she said finally. "But I have to go. The Admiral wants me on a plane right away. I don't have much time." With that she walked away, picking up her purse.
Harm followed her, unsettled and more than a little worried about the "mission."
"We will have our time together, Mac," he said as she walked out the door.
"Yes, we have to," she said, tears threatening as she looked back. Without hesitation, she rushed back to him for one more kiss.