For Every Action 2

~*1*~

Mac shifted unconfortably in her seat. Their flight had been delayed two hours ago and the end was no where in sight. Needing something to occupy her mind, she pulled the crime scene photos and reports out of her briefcase. She glanced over the pictures and picked up the obvious clues: all three victims were women, all three were tied up the same way, all three had had their eyes gouged out. Mac set the pictures aside and poured over the reports. Later, she pulled her head up and rubbed her eyes. Trying to sort out a common link in the victims' belongings was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Harm shot a a sidelong glance at her, concerned. She hadn't looked at him in two and a half hours. He shook his head as he heard the announcement that their flight would be boarding. Unfolding from the chair, he stretched. He'd waited to talk to her about the concert. He was trying to give them both some time to sort things out maybe that had been a mistake. He rolled his shoulders and slumped them dejectedly as he bent to pick up his carry on bag. Or maybe she's just decided she doesn't want to...doesn't want me. With that thought, he put a hand on her shoulder and felt her jump.

"Sorry." he said and squeezed her shoulder. "They're calling our row to board."

Standing up she stretched drawing several pairs of male eyes to her lithe form. "All right." She nodded and bent to pick up her bags, drawing yet more attention. As she straightened she watched a dark, violent look pass over Harm's features. "What?" she looked around, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He answered through clenched teeth.

"What?" Mac asked again as she followed him toward the gate. He muttered something under his breath. "What?" She all but yelled. He threw a hand but to stop her next inquiry.

They got to their seats and stowed their carry ons. Harm looked at his ticket. Aisle. Of course. He sighed, but let her slide by him. He sat and jerked his seatbelt across his lap. Mac's earlier anger was now replaced with concern. "Harm?"

His head shot up. His hands stopped tyring to jam the seatbelt together. It was the first timein days she'd said his name without a note of irritation. Her eyes looked at him concerned, pleading, and something else. Something that was always there but he could never put his finger on it.

"I'm all right, Mac."

"Okay, I thought I saw murder in your face when we were getting ready to board."

Trying his hand at humor on this tenuous new ground, Harm commented, "Well, I could have killed that jerk business man who kept mentally undressing you."

"Who?" Mac asked, amused.

"Some guy waiting on the plane." Harm shrugged. "But I can't really blame him. You were being pretty--" he paused and gave her a pointed look, "Conspicuous."

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, come on, Mac. All the stretching and bending?" Harm rolled his eyes then looked pointed at her uniform skirt. "All of you do that on purpose."

"All of us."

"You know, women." He knew he should stop before he ended up in a world of hurt, but sometimes he was just too thick skulled for his own good.

"Women." She nodded ruefully. "Well, Mr. Expert-on-motivations-of-all-womankind, I'd appreciate it if you left me out of your generalizations regarding the fairer sex."

"Mac." Harm said, his eye wide. "I was joking."

"Mmm. Too little, too late –that seems to a pattern for you."

Harm started to respond but the captain began making preflight announcements, and Mac was pulling her discman from her briefcase. Sighing he sat back and wished for the 90 minute flight to be over already.

When they landed in New Orleans, Harm went after luggage while Mac checked for their transportation. She was mildly surprised to see a Marine holding a placard bearing her name. "I'm Colonel McKenzie." she said nodding at his sign.

"Nice to meet you, Ma'am. Lt. Colonel Gregory." He smiled at her briefly. "I'll be driving you and Commander, uh," he stopped."

"Rabb." she stated for him with just a little glee in her voice.

"What about Rabb?" Harm said as he approached from behind her. Seeing the young Marine smiling at Mac had his tomach in knots again, but he'd learned his lesson. He wasn't about to say anything remotely personal.

"Sir, I'm Lt.Colonel Gregory. I'll drive the car to Pascagoula, then you'll be on your own. I think they've got car ready for you there. It's a really small town," he said handing Mac a map. "It shouldn't be difficult to get around." Harm made his way to the car and threw the luggage in the trunk. "All right I'm going to--" he stopped short seeing the mass of fur fastened into the front seat. "What—Why?"

"Oh," Gregory said opening the back door. "I work with the New Orleans Coast Guard Installation. I was over here doing a random drug check for the vechiles going on base." He smiled at the toothy German Shepard. "Angelus here is a good boy, but he does get car sick so you'll have to ride in the back."

Harm nodded and watched Mac slide into the car. Oh, good a gentleman, just the competition I need here. Harm rolled his eyes and grumbled about having to get into the tiny sub compact.

Mac sighed and looked out the window. Her briefcase was in the trunk so there was little to do. Knotting her hands in her lap she leaned her throbbing head against the seat back. "How long is the drive?"

Gregory looked over his shoulder for oncoming traffic as he merged onto Highway 90. "About two hours."

Mac let her eyes flutter closed. Gregory's sympathetic green eyes filled her last concious vision, but it was Harm's rueful blue eyes that filled her dreams.



~*2*~

Two hours and ten minutes later, Gregory pulled to a stop at the front door of the BOQ, grandly called Lakeside. In fact, the lake was a small pond less than six feet in depth. While a few die hards fished in it, there were No Swimming signs posted and the few paddles boats were tied to a dilapidated fence post. Harm rolled his tired shoulders and put a hand on Mac's shoulder. She was aware of the light pressure on her shoulder; she was also aware the jolt of electricity that ran through her body when he touched her. Mac knew despite her groggy state that Harm hand touched her: her body had never given such areaction to any one else. Groaning at the thought, she forced her eyes open. When he was sure she was awake Harm pushed the car door open.

The heat was the first thing to hit him. Wet heat. While he'd heard people explain the difference before he could now feel it for himself. The weight of moisture in the air lent the sense of drowning to every breath.

Shaking the thought from his head, he went to help Gregory with the luggage. Gregory nodded,and noting that Commander Rabb was handlingthelasttwo bags he went to Colonel Mckenzie's door and helped her out of the car. While Mac smiled, Harm muttered something about polite Marines under his breath.

Mac caught the look Harm was giving her and rubbed at her still throbbing temples. Well, this trip ought be loads of fun. A serial killer and a pissed off jet jockey. Trying to think of a more uncomfortable situation, she picked up one of her bags and followed Harm inside.