ABOUT US 3: The Good And The Bad 5/14
Author: LeE
e-mail: lee_81881@yahoo.com
Classification: Romance H/M, Clay/Annika
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimers: If they belonged to me... no comment. :) JAG is property of DPB and CBS. I'm just having some fun while procrastinating on homework...
Author's Note: This story takes place two months after the events of About Us 2. The rest of the information related to LLNL and the different laboratories mentioned, as well as the current research on Nitrogen bond-dissociation is real, although not nearly as advanced as I make it in the story. Believe me, the world would be a whole lot different. Even though chemistry is a passion of mine, Nitrogen compounds is not my area of expertise; but if anyone is interested in further information about anything mentioned on this story, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Many thanks to my betas, who always do such a great job keeping me motivated... you're the best, guys!...
FROM PART 4
"Clay?"
"Hmm?"
"You need a haircut"
He looked sideways with weary eyes. "Do I, now?"
"Yes"
"I'll make sure and get one before I leave tomorrow." His deadpan face made her laugh.
"Good" She managed between chuckles.
"Anything else?" His eyebrows rose as he turned fully towards her.
Her smile turned wicked. "Well, you also need a pedicure, but I'll let your mother take care of that."
"Nik!"
Her laughter reached his ears and he couldn't help but join her. It was good to have their friendship back; so good, and yet so frustrating that friendship was all it was. Bittersweet.
PART 5
LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL LABORATORY
LIVERMORE, CA
THURSDAY JUNE 6, 2002
2305 EST
"Hi honey" the sultry feminine voice inundated his ears and he tensed up at once.
"Are you crazy? You can't call me here and you know it. Are you trying to ruin everything?" Michael's voice had risen considerably as he spoke and taking a deep breath he reminded himself that he needed to do this, that it would only be for a little while longer until his purpose was fulfilled.
"Ohh, you're no fun. We haven't been together in a long time and I thought..." she trailed off and he closed his eyes as he willed the words out of his mouth.
"Listen to me. I know we've been apart for a while. I'm sorry. I promise I'll make it up to you, but for now I need you to concentrate on this okay?"
"Okay" she answered with a long disappointed sigh. "But once we're done with this madness you're all mine" her voice lower this time and he fought the urge to hang up and throw it all away, but he couldn't. He hadn't meant for Dr. Jones to get hurt. But the old man got in the way and there was nothing he could do. He was almost there. Almost. A few more weeks and N Division research would finally be history. Now he had to figure out how to get rid of his new problem. March.
JAG HQ
FRIDAY JUNE 7, 2002
0934 EST
"At ease" the Admiral spoke evenly as he studied the pair in front of him. 'These two are gonna be the death of me. And God help us all when they're married' he thought and with a rueful smile turned his attention to Harm and Mac once again.
"So, you've got orders to go and represent a Lt. Jason Fleming down in California. I gather you've read the file and know what to expect, correct?"
"Yes, Sir" Harm answered and Mac simply nodded her assent.
"Well, I guess the only thing I can say is good luck and keep me the hell informed. I don't wanna be hearing about my senior officers on the evening news, got it?" the Admiral finished, his voice still as stern as it usually was, but a hint of fatherly concern radiating through every word. Harm and Mac hid their smiles and answered.
"Understood, Sir"
"Good. Dismissed"
"Aye, aye Sir" they answered and turned on their heels to leave. The Admiral's voice stopped them before opening the thick wood door.
"Uh, take care okay? I think two life or death experiences is more than your annual quota, don't you?"
Harm and Mac nodded with a hint of a smile on their faces. "Yes, Sir"
The Admiral simply nodded and turned away as they exited his office. If someone had told him seven years ago that those two would be like family to him he'd have laughed. Furthermore, if anyone had told him seven years, hell, a year ago that he'd find himself worrying about Clay as much as he worried about Harm and Mac, then he would've readily recommended a psych evaluation. However, the truth was, that they did feel like family to him, even Annika, whom he'd met only a few short months before. Suddenly, sitting in that big ole' chair didn't feel quite that bad. There was more to his life than issuing orders and scaring poor junior officers with his sometimes gruff tone. Closing his eyes for a moment, he wished they would all get out of this mess as well as they'd done before.
DULLES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
1105 EST
"Harm" No response.
"Harm!" Shaking his head a little he turned towards her and offered a sheepish smile.
"I, uh, got distracted watching the planes. Sorry." He knew his excuse would fly well with anyone else. Anyone else but Mac. She knew he loved planes, but he wasn't that much in love with 747's that he'd forget she was sitting right next to him. She sighed. 'Here we go again' she thought before she spoke again.
"Harm, are you all right?"
"Of course, Mac. Listen..." he stopped to run a hurried hand over his face as he took a deep breath and continued. "I know you're worried. There's something that's been bothering me for a while now, but I'm trying to figure it out, Mac. I swear to you I'm trying. I just...need more time" the last few words spoken so softly she never would've heard if she weren't hanging on his every word.
"Is it me? Is it us? Are you..." She was pretty sure she had an idea of what was on his mind, but she was not going to force him to talk.
"NO! No. It's not us. I'm happy with what we are. Ecstatic would be more fitting. It's not you either, it's not anyone really, I just... need to figure out where it's all coming from," he answered as truthfully as he could and met her worried gaze with a pleading one.
"I told you, Harm. I'll wait for you to talk about whatever is bothering you, but I'll be here while I wait. You're not getting rid of me with that 'I need more time' line this time. Other women? Yes. Me? No."
Nodding somberly he reached out and grasped her hand in his, squeezing softly to let her know he appreciated her support. His eyes told her everything she needed to know. He needed her. He needed her to be there for him, no questions asked, and that's exactly what she would do.
Minutes later, their flight was called and she looked on with a grim expression on her face as Harm stalled and waited until they were the last ones to board the plane. Whatever happened to 'eager to fly' Harm? Dismissing his attitude as simply rare, she looked away and continued waiting for their turn to board. She couldn't really make much sense of it at the moment, but something about him was making her uneasy. Sometimes she would get these vibes from him, a special connection they shared. Like the time she found him on the ocean after his crash. That inexplicable connection was sure trying to tell her something now.
She watched him cautiously as they boarded the plane, and once the engines were turned on and the plane began take off, he reached out and clasped her hand almost painfully in his.
Her mind wandered back to the night before. She remembered his restlessness. His face contorted in agony as he fought in his sleep to keep the tears from falling. Thoughts of the nightmares he'd had after Afghanistan plagued her once again.
"Harm" her soft whisper broke through his thoughts and he squeezed her hand harder as he held his eyes shut for a few seconds before opening them up and looking sideways at her.
"Mac, I...I don't know what's going on. I think...I need to figure it out, I..." he was speaking more to himself than her and she recognized his attempt at letting her in. Knowing how hard it was for him to open up and admit confusion- not professionally, but personally- she simply held his hand as well, drawing small shapely figures in the back of his hand with her fingertips as she knew he liked. His face was a mass of mixed up feelings and emotions and he had let his guard down enough for her to see it, for her to share in it, for her to help, or try to at least.
However, right at the moment, her heart wanted nothing more than to take him in her arms and carry him away to a place where he wouldn't feel the way he did; to a place where his past decisions and actions didn't keep him awake at night; a place where his insecurities couldn't mar the incredible man that he really was. She sighed. There wasn't such a place. There was just the here and now, so what would she do to help? At the moment, letting him know she was there seemed like the only thing to do, and it frustrated her beyond anything she could've imagined that she couldn't do more.
"It's okay, Harm. We don't have to figure this out right now. We'll take our time. Now, how about you let me hold you while you get some rest, flyboy. You didn't sleep a wink last night."
"I didn't mean to keep you awake, I just..." his apology was halted immediately by her raised hand.
"I didn't say you kept me awake. I just said that I know you didn't sleep" she sighed. This was not the time to tell him she knew about his nightmares. In his sleep, he would start tossing and turning, she'd wake up, hold him close, and he'd calm down after a few minutes. He never remembered it in the morning, and if he did, he never said anything.
"Harm I can feel when you're in pain, when you're worried, when you're happy, too. I wish I could take whatever it is that's bothering you away somehow. But I can't. Well, at least not yet. I've been trying to let you work through this alone, but I can't bear to see you like this and know I'm not doing anything to make it better..."
"Sarah, baby. You make everything better. You make everything just...perfect. You always have" his words were accompanied by a tender caress of his hand through her hair and she melted inside from the warmth she found in him.
"I love you, Harm" that was all she could think to say as she fought to keep her tears at bay. Reaching out, she enveloped him in her arms, and he willingly let her hold him, not caring who saw even though they were in uniform. The plane was pretty empty anyway.
"I love you too, Sarah. Thank you"
With a soft kiss to his forehead she sighed and rested her head on top of his. The seat near the window was empty, so he had some space to slide sideways enough to rest his head on her shoulder.
"No need to thank me, Harm. Now how about you get some rest, Sailor. We've got some tough stuff ahead this week" Harm only nodded. Feeling instantly tired and letting his eyes close around the comfort her arms offered. A tug of war was going on inside him. If he loved this woman so much, if her mere presence could calm the raging storm inside him, if her touch could take him places he'd never been before, then why couldn't he just let her in completely? Because every time he tried to tell her about his dreams, his heart ached. But why?
LIVERMORE, CA
1606 PT
"I swear to you, Sir. I did not kill him" the young man spoke convincingly to Harm and Mac as the first hour of their interview came to a close.
"Calm down, Lieutenant. We are not here to prosecute just yet. As I've said before, we're here to investigate. Now, you've given us some valuable information. However, because you were found near the scene of the crime, and your fingerprints were identified on both the weapon and a few other objects in the crime scene, you will be transferred into our custody, or rather the Navy's."
"So, I'm going to the brig, Sir?" Lt. Fleming answered dejectedly.
"I'm afraid so. However, we will make sure we go over all the facts ourselves once more and then we'll figure out how to best help you, okay?" this time it was Mac who attempted to calm the obviously distressed young man.
"Understood, ma'am"
"Good. We'll see you in a couple of days then, Lt." Harm said as they rose to leave.
"I have a weird feeling about this one, Harm" Mac said once the doors closed and they were safely inside their vehicle.
"Me too, Mac. I mean, the evidence seems so clear, but that's exactly what's wrong. It's all too perfect, don't you think? I mean, the fingerprints, the timing..."
"...Lt. Fleming's relationship to the deceased Dr. Fleming who just happened to work in the same building as Dr. Jones. Still, what does Dr. Jones have to do with Dr. March being head of the N Division after Dr. Fleming's death?" Mac sighed as she ran a hand through her face. This case was getting more and more complicated. There were just too many variables to control.
Harm was still having trouble connecting the dots. "So, here's what we've got. Lt. Fleming got a call on Tuesday morning. He was told there was information about his father's whereabouts and was given the address to meet someone who would give it to him. Lt. Fleming's father disappeared three years ago, and so he didn't hesitate in going after he received the call. He gets to the place and it turns out to be the corner of Dr. Jones' residence. Five minutes after he arrives police are all over him and arrest him as a suspect. NCIS comes in Wednesday afternoon, a few hours after the murder, they check for fingerprints and find they belong to Lt. Fleming. Now he's charged with murder and we need to finish up the investigation and make recommendations to the Admiral. What are we missing?" he finished with a wave of his hand. Mac laughed sarcastically.
"What are we missing? Ha! Try the real killer. I don't believe he killed him, Harm. I just keep getting this idea he was set up. But by who?"
"I don't know, Mac. Maybe it's time we called up Webb and see what we can figure out" Harm finished as they drove into the parking lot of their hotel.
"I agree. But first..."
"I know, I know. I have to feed you" Harm said with a smile and Mac hit him lightly in the arm.
"Yes, Sailor. That would be correct"
"Figures"
"Well, I thought I should keep my energy levels up you know..." Harm wiggled his eyebrows a few times and Mac laughed "for the investigation, Harmon" she finished and laughed at his deflated expression.
CIA HEADQUARTERS
LANGLEY, VIRGINIA
"Annika, when are you planning on cleaning up your desk?"
"When yours gets dirty."
Clay snorted. "Right."
"Damn it, it's in here somewhere."
"Somewhere. Now, *that* narrows it down."
"You're pissing me off, Clay" She warned him, and at that point, he had no clue whether she was serious or not. But she wasn't the only one with a temper around here.
"Good. Channel your anger and find the damn file."
Annika huffed in silent aggravation. Rarely did Clay have the upper hand in their arguments. Today was his lucky day.
"You should go. I'll fax it to you when I find it. You're gonna miss your flight." Annika said from her place in the floor where she hoped to find the file among the pile that rested next to her desk.
"My flight's three hours away. We're having dinner first."
"No"
"No?"
"You heard me."
"You're not mad at me, are ya?" His hands came together, and his fingers intertwined nervously a few times before she spoke.
"Didn't I say you were pissing me off already?"
It wasn't anger. It was frustration. "Right. So, are you mad at me?" His cheeky smile would've made her smile if she'd seen it.
"Clay, you...." She stopped speaking and rose from the floor, the coveted file in her hand, and with a triumphant smile handed it to him.
"Well, I must say I'm impressed. It only took us...one hour and thirty eight minutes to find a file in your office."
"Hmm." The dissatisfied sound coming from her lips as she swiped at her pants. "Harm and Mac are supposed to call soon."
Clay nodded. "They are. Think they'll let up on each other long enough to make the call?" Clay quipped and braced himself for Annika's answer.
"Clayton Webb!"
Clay laughed. "Oh, come on. You know how they are."
"They're in love."
"I know. It's just that their relationship can get a little...uhh...intense at times." Clay spoke with a grin spreading on his face. He was genuinely happy for his friends. Didn't mean he couldn't exercise his right to mess with them every now and then.
"Intense sounds like watts per square meter to me." She turned to hide her smile from him.
He groaned. "Don't start. I hate chemistry."
"That's not chemistry. That's physics." Score one for the redhead.
"Same thing."
"Now that's blasphemy" Her brow was furrowed, but her eyes were full of laughter.
"Aaaaaaannnika...."
Annika turned and regarded him with a raised eyebrow, deciding to let him off the hook for now. "Stop whining and get moving. I'm hungry."
"Good Lord, thank you!" Annika's laughter followed him out of the office.
TBC
Author: LeE
e-mail: lee_81881@yahoo.com
Classification: Romance H/M, Clay/Annika
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimers: If they belonged to me... no comment. :) JAG is property of DPB and CBS. I'm just having some fun while procrastinating on homework...
Author's Note: This story takes place two months after the events of About Us 2. The rest of the information related to LLNL and the different laboratories mentioned, as well as the current research on Nitrogen bond-dissociation is real, although not nearly as advanced as I make it in the story. Believe me, the world would be a whole lot different. Even though chemistry is a passion of mine, Nitrogen compounds is not my area of expertise; but if anyone is interested in further information about anything mentioned on this story, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Many thanks to my betas, who always do such a great job keeping me motivated... you're the best, guys!...
FROM PART 4
"Clay?"
"Hmm?"
"You need a haircut"
He looked sideways with weary eyes. "Do I, now?"
"Yes"
"I'll make sure and get one before I leave tomorrow." His deadpan face made her laugh.
"Good" She managed between chuckles.
"Anything else?" His eyebrows rose as he turned fully towards her.
Her smile turned wicked. "Well, you also need a pedicure, but I'll let your mother take care of that."
"Nik!"
Her laughter reached his ears and he couldn't help but join her. It was good to have their friendship back; so good, and yet so frustrating that friendship was all it was. Bittersweet.
PART 5
LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL LABORATORY
LIVERMORE, CA
THURSDAY JUNE 6, 2002
2305 EST
"Hi honey" the sultry feminine voice inundated his ears and he tensed up at once.
"Are you crazy? You can't call me here and you know it. Are you trying to ruin everything?" Michael's voice had risen considerably as he spoke and taking a deep breath he reminded himself that he needed to do this, that it would only be for a little while longer until his purpose was fulfilled.
"Ohh, you're no fun. We haven't been together in a long time and I thought..." she trailed off and he closed his eyes as he willed the words out of his mouth.
"Listen to me. I know we've been apart for a while. I'm sorry. I promise I'll make it up to you, but for now I need you to concentrate on this okay?"
"Okay" she answered with a long disappointed sigh. "But once we're done with this madness you're all mine" her voice lower this time and he fought the urge to hang up and throw it all away, but he couldn't. He hadn't meant for Dr. Jones to get hurt. But the old man got in the way and there was nothing he could do. He was almost there. Almost. A few more weeks and N Division research would finally be history. Now he had to figure out how to get rid of his new problem. March.
JAG HQ
FRIDAY JUNE 7, 2002
0934 EST
"At ease" the Admiral spoke evenly as he studied the pair in front of him. 'These two are gonna be the death of me. And God help us all when they're married' he thought and with a rueful smile turned his attention to Harm and Mac once again.
"So, you've got orders to go and represent a Lt. Jason Fleming down in California. I gather you've read the file and know what to expect, correct?"
"Yes, Sir" Harm answered and Mac simply nodded her assent.
"Well, I guess the only thing I can say is good luck and keep me the hell informed. I don't wanna be hearing about my senior officers on the evening news, got it?" the Admiral finished, his voice still as stern as it usually was, but a hint of fatherly concern radiating through every word. Harm and Mac hid their smiles and answered.
"Understood, Sir"
"Good. Dismissed"
"Aye, aye Sir" they answered and turned on their heels to leave. The Admiral's voice stopped them before opening the thick wood door.
"Uh, take care okay? I think two life or death experiences is more than your annual quota, don't you?"
Harm and Mac nodded with a hint of a smile on their faces. "Yes, Sir"
The Admiral simply nodded and turned away as they exited his office. If someone had told him seven years ago that those two would be like family to him he'd have laughed. Furthermore, if anyone had told him seven years, hell, a year ago that he'd find himself worrying about Clay as much as he worried about Harm and Mac, then he would've readily recommended a psych evaluation. However, the truth was, that they did feel like family to him, even Annika, whom he'd met only a few short months before. Suddenly, sitting in that big ole' chair didn't feel quite that bad. There was more to his life than issuing orders and scaring poor junior officers with his sometimes gruff tone. Closing his eyes for a moment, he wished they would all get out of this mess as well as they'd done before.
DULLES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
1105 EST
"Harm" No response.
"Harm!" Shaking his head a little he turned towards her and offered a sheepish smile.
"I, uh, got distracted watching the planes. Sorry." He knew his excuse would fly well with anyone else. Anyone else but Mac. She knew he loved planes, but he wasn't that much in love with 747's that he'd forget she was sitting right next to him. She sighed. 'Here we go again' she thought before she spoke again.
"Harm, are you all right?"
"Of course, Mac. Listen..." he stopped to run a hurried hand over his face as he took a deep breath and continued. "I know you're worried. There's something that's been bothering me for a while now, but I'm trying to figure it out, Mac. I swear to you I'm trying. I just...need more time" the last few words spoken so softly she never would've heard if she weren't hanging on his every word.
"Is it me? Is it us? Are you..." She was pretty sure she had an idea of what was on his mind, but she was not going to force him to talk.
"NO! No. It's not us. I'm happy with what we are. Ecstatic would be more fitting. It's not you either, it's not anyone really, I just... need to figure out where it's all coming from," he answered as truthfully as he could and met her worried gaze with a pleading one.
"I told you, Harm. I'll wait for you to talk about whatever is bothering you, but I'll be here while I wait. You're not getting rid of me with that 'I need more time' line this time. Other women? Yes. Me? No."
Nodding somberly he reached out and grasped her hand in his, squeezing softly to let her know he appreciated her support. His eyes told her everything she needed to know. He needed her. He needed her to be there for him, no questions asked, and that's exactly what she would do.
Minutes later, their flight was called and she looked on with a grim expression on her face as Harm stalled and waited until they were the last ones to board the plane. Whatever happened to 'eager to fly' Harm? Dismissing his attitude as simply rare, she looked away and continued waiting for their turn to board. She couldn't really make much sense of it at the moment, but something about him was making her uneasy. Sometimes she would get these vibes from him, a special connection they shared. Like the time she found him on the ocean after his crash. That inexplicable connection was sure trying to tell her something now.
She watched him cautiously as they boarded the plane, and once the engines were turned on and the plane began take off, he reached out and clasped her hand almost painfully in his.
Her mind wandered back to the night before. She remembered his restlessness. His face contorted in agony as he fought in his sleep to keep the tears from falling. Thoughts of the nightmares he'd had after Afghanistan plagued her once again.
"Harm" her soft whisper broke through his thoughts and he squeezed her hand harder as he held his eyes shut for a few seconds before opening them up and looking sideways at her.
"Mac, I...I don't know what's going on. I think...I need to figure it out, I..." he was speaking more to himself than her and she recognized his attempt at letting her in. Knowing how hard it was for him to open up and admit confusion- not professionally, but personally- she simply held his hand as well, drawing small shapely figures in the back of his hand with her fingertips as she knew he liked. His face was a mass of mixed up feelings and emotions and he had let his guard down enough for her to see it, for her to share in it, for her to help, or try to at least.
However, right at the moment, her heart wanted nothing more than to take him in her arms and carry him away to a place where he wouldn't feel the way he did; to a place where his past decisions and actions didn't keep him awake at night; a place where his insecurities couldn't mar the incredible man that he really was. She sighed. There wasn't such a place. There was just the here and now, so what would she do to help? At the moment, letting him know she was there seemed like the only thing to do, and it frustrated her beyond anything she could've imagined that she couldn't do more.
"It's okay, Harm. We don't have to figure this out right now. We'll take our time. Now, how about you let me hold you while you get some rest, flyboy. You didn't sleep a wink last night."
"I didn't mean to keep you awake, I just..." his apology was halted immediately by her raised hand.
"I didn't say you kept me awake. I just said that I know you didn't sleep" she sighed. This was not the time to tell him she knew about his nightmares. In his sleep, he would start tossing and turning, she'd wake up, hold him close, and he'd calm down after a few minutes. He never remembered it in the morning, and if he did, he never said anything.
"Harm I can feel when you're in pain, when you're worried, when you're happy, too. I wish I could take whatever it is that's bothering you away somehow. But I can't. Well, at least not yet. I've been trying to let you work through this alone, but I can't bear to see you like this and know I'm not doing anything to make it better..."
"Sarah, baby. You make everything better. You make everything just...perfect. You always have" his words were accompanied by a tender caress of his hand through her hair and she melted inside from the warmth she found in him.
"I love you, Harm" that was all she could think to say as she fought to keep her tears at bay. Reaching out, she enveloped him in her arms, and he willingly let her hold him, not caring who saw even though they were in uniform. The plane was pretty empty anyway.
"I love you too, Sarah. Thank you"
With a soft kiss to his forehead she sighed and rested her head on top of his. The seat near the window was empty, so he had some space to slide sideways enough to rest his head on her shoulder.
"No need to thank me, Harm. Now how about you get some rest, Sailor. We've got some tough stuff ahead this week" Harm only nodded. Feeling instantly tired and letting his eyes close around the comfort her arms offered. A tug of war was going on inside him. If he loved this woman so much, if her mere presence could calm the raging storm inside him, if her touch could take him places he'd never been before, then why couldn't he just let her in completely? Because every time he tried to tell her about his dreams, his heart ached. But why?
LIVERMORE, CA
1606 PT
"I swear to you, Sir. I did not kill him" the young man spoke convincingly to Harm and Mac as the first hour of their interview came to a close.
"Calm down, Lieutenant. We are not here to prosecute just yet. As I've said before, we're here to investigate. Now, you've given us some valuable information. However, because you were found near the scene of the crime, and your fingerprints were identified on both the weapon and a few other objects in the crime scene, you will be transferred into our custody, or rather the Navy's."
"So, I'm going to the brig, Sir?" Lt. Fleming answered dejectedly.
"I'm afraid so. However, we will make sure we go over all the facts ourselves once more and then we'll figure out how to best help you, okay?" this time it was Mac who attempted to calm the obviously distressed young man.
"Understood, ma'am"
"Good. We'll see you in a couple of days then, Lt." Harm said as they rose to leave.
"I have a weird feeling about this one, Harm" Mac said once the doors closed and they were safely inside their vehicle.
"Me too, Mac. I mean, the evidence seems so clear, but that's exactly what's wrong. It's all too perfect, don't you think? I mean, the fingerprints, the timing..."
"...Lt. Fleming's relationship to the deceased Dr. Fleming who just happened to work in the same building as Dr. Jones. Still, what does Dr. Jones have to do with Dr. March being head of the N Division after Dr. Fleming's death?" Mac sighed as she ran a hand through her face. This case was getting more and more complicated. There were just too many variables to control.
Harm was still having trouble connecting the dots. "So, here's what we've got. Lt. Fleming got a call on Tuesday morning. He was told there was information about his father's whereabouts and was given the address to meet someone who would give it to him. Lt. Fleming's father disappeared three years ago, and so he didn't hesitate in going after he received the call. He gets to the place and it turns out to be the corner of Dr. Jones' residence. Five minutes after he arrives police are all over him and arrest him as a suspect. NCIS comes in Wednesday afternoon, a few hours after the murder, they check for fingerprints and find they belong to Lt. Fleming. Now he's charged with murder and we need to finish up the investigation and make recommendations to the Admiral. What are we missing?" he finished with a wave of his hand. Mac laughed sarcastically.
"What are we missing? Ha! Try the real killer. I don't believe he killed him, Harm. I just keep getting this idea he was set up. But by who?"
"I don't know, Mac. Maybe it's time we called up Webb and see what we can figure out" Harm finished as they drove into the parking lot of their hotel.
"I agree. But first..."
"I know, I know. I have to feed you" Harm said with a smile and Mac hit him lightly in the arm.
"Yes, Sailor. That would be correct"
"Figures"
"Well, I thought I should keep my energy levels up you know..." Harm wiggled his eyebrows a few times and Mac laughed "for the investigation, Harmon" she finished and laughed at his deflated expression.
CIA HEADQUARTERS
LANGLEY, VIRGINIA
"Annika, when are you planning on cleaning up your desk?"
"When yours gets dirty."
Clay snorted. "Right."
"Damn it, it's in here somewhere."
"Somewhere. Now, *that* narrows it down."
"You're pissing me off, Clay" She warned him, and at that point, he had no clue whether she was serious or not. But she wasn't the only one with a temper around here.
"Good. Channel your anger and find the damn file."
Annika huffed in silent aggravation. Rarely did Clay have the upper hand in their arguments. Today was his lucky day.
"You should go. I'll fax it to you when I find it. You're gonna miss your flight." Annika said from her place in the floor where she hoped to find the file among the pile that rested next to her desk.
"My flight's three hours away. We're having dinner first."
"No"
"No?"
"You heard me."
"You're not mad at me, are ya?" His hands came together, and his fingers intertwined nervously a few times before she spoke.
"Didn't I say you were pissing me off already?"
It wasn't anger. It was frustration. "Right. So, are you mad at me?" His cheeky smile would've made her smile if she'd seen it.
"Clay, you...." She stopped speaking and rose from the floor, the coveted file in her hand, and with a triumphant smile handed it to him.
"Well, I must say I'm impressed. It only took us...one hour and thirty eight minutes to find a file in your office."
"Hmm." The dissatisfied sound coming from her lips as she swiped at her pants. "Harm and Mac are supposed to call soon."
Clay nodded. "They are. Think they'll let up on each other long enough to make the call?" Clay quipped and braced himself for Annika's answer.
"Clayton Webb!"
Clay laughed. "Oh, come on. You know how they are."
"They're in love."
"I know. It's just that their relationship can get a little...uhh...intense at times." Clay spoke with a grin spreading on his face. He was genuinely happy for his friends. Didn't mean he couldn't exercise his right to mess with them every now and then.
"Intense sounds like watts per square meter to me." She turned to hide her smile from him.
He groaned. "Don't start. I hate chemistry."
"That's not chemistry. That's physics." Score one for the redhead.
"Same thing."
"Now that's blasphemy" Her brow was furrowed, but her eyes were full of laughter.
"Aaaaaaannnika...."
Annika turned and regarded him with a raised eyebrow, deciding to let him off the hook for now. "Stop whining and get moving. I'm hungry."
"Good Lord, thank you!" Annika's laughter followed him out of the office.
TBC