Friday 0930 Eastern JAG HQ Falls Church, VA

Mac walked into the bullpen the next morning and her face was glowing, but she looked troubled. Harriet spotted her and picked up on the odd behavior. As soon as Mac had taken her coat off, and put her briefcase down, Harriet was at her door.

"Good morning, Harriet," she said brightly, and she began to shuffle through the messages already waiting on her desk.

"Good morning, ma'am" Harriet replied, but then she caught the flash of the ring on Mac's finger. "Ma'am, is that what I think it is?"

Mac looked up from the messages and smiled. "Close the door, Harriet."

Harriet turned and closed the door quickly, and as soon as it was shut, she rounded on Mac, beaming at her. "Ma'am, congratulations!"

"Harriet, shh," Mac assured her, shooing her friend into one of the empty chairs and sitting down next to her. When Harriet was comfortable, Mac began to tell her everything that had happened.

Meanwhile, Harm was standing at attention in front of Admiral Chegwidden's desk. The Admiral sat silently seething behind the large piece of heavy oak, and Harm had the distinct impression that what was coming was worse that take down he'd gotten after firing an automatic weapon at the courtroom ceiling.

When the Admiral finally, spoke he said calmly, "The last time you asked me for a transfer it was to go back to flying. You've given me no reason why you want to transfer now."

Harm would have preferred a take down. "Sir, I have put in for a transfer so that I may expand another part of my life."

"And which part would that be, Commander?"

Harm swallowed, "My personal life, sir."

AJ got up out of his chair and walked around the desk to stand next to Harm. He stared hard into Harm's face, as if daring him to flinch. In all the years that he'd used the technique on him, Harm had never done so. AJ decided to cut him a little slack, and acknowledge that he already knew why Harm had come to him.

"Have you asked her to marry you, yet?"

At that, Harm didn't just flinch, he turned his entire head to face the Admiral. AJ had to work very hard to keep the grin off from creeping into his lips. Harm snapped his head back to attention, and AJ walked around behind him and returned to stand behind his desk.

"Yes, sir, I have," Harm answered when he found his voice.

"I seem to remember telling you two not to get too close, but seeing as you haven't been able to accomplish that."

Harm opened his mouth to interrupt, but the Admiral glared at him, and he shut it.

"Are you sure you want a transfer, Commander?" he asked pointedly.

Harm didn't hesitate. "Yes, sir," he said, "But, if I may, I'd like to request being stationed somewhere nearby, perhaps at the Pentagon or at Norfolk."

The Admiral pondered Harm's statement for a moment, then replied, "I'll see what's available. Dismissed."

"Aye, aye, sir," Harm said, and he turned and left the office. He glanced over at Mac's office on the way back to his own, but when he saw that her door was closed he continued on and went into his own.

The rest of the day was torture for both Harm and Mac. They watched the Admiral's door every spare second they could. Every time he came out of his office they both looked up expectantly, but he didn't say anything. His expressions weren't helpful either. He gave away nothing. At they end of the day, they were both tied in knots.