First chapter disclaimers

Meg sighed as she looked at the mountain of paperwork that was formerly known as her desk. As much as she hated to admit it, things used to be smoother when she was the junior partner to Harmon Rabb. Sure, she did not tend to end up in as many life threatening situations this way, but Harm had always had a way of clearing up paper work.

A muffled groan was issued outside of Meg's office door. Looking up she saw Mac shaking her head in frustration as Harm just stood there grinning. Maybe the extra paper work was not such a bad trade off after all.

Meg smiled down at her task. She was going to be at this mountain for a while. A large cup of coffee was most definitely in order. She began to stride towards the coffee machine when she saw an abrupt movement in Harm's office. Curious, she peered into the office, but she did not see any additional movement. Shrugging her shoulders, Meg continued on her way brushing off the movement as her over active imagination.

Clayton Webb, meanwhile, was swearing like a sailor in as many languages as he could speak. You take one month off for recuperative projects and your lackeys forget to inform you of important developments. Clayton Webb, evil task master of special operations concerning toilets, was going to return with a vengeance as soon as he made it back to the office.

Slowly, he poked his head around the corner of Rabb's desk. Meg's legs passed the open door of Rabb's office without slowing down. With a sigh of relief, Webb pulled back behind the desk and prepared to get up off of the floor.

"Clay, can I ask what exactly they did to you in rehab? Because this is strange even for you," the infuriating smirk of Harmon Rabb glared down from above.

"Rabb, did you ever think of drinking lots of coffee? You need to turn the wattage down on those incisors."

"Well, they obviously didn't do anything for your brain. You're still as snipper as ever."

"I don't think 'snipper' is a real word."

"No, but 'chipper' can't really be used to describe you, and you snip comments at me constantly so…"

"Rabb…"

"So, are you going to tell me why you're crawling around on my office floor?"

"I, ah, there was a mistake at the office while I was out and they bugged your desk. I was removing the bug."

"They bugged my desk?"

"Oh please, they didn't find out anything important, and I pulled it out. See?" Clay handed a small metallic piece toward Harm.

"Is this new? I don't think I've ever seen a bug like this before."

"Yes, yes. It's a brand new model. They were testing it out for reception range. Of, by the way, I got you that file you wanted."

"Thanks, but Mac wanted this. Why don't you take it down the hall to her office?"

"No, no. I've really got to run. You know, first day back and all. I've got paperwork to do, people to berate. I'm swamped," with that, Clay fairly sprinted from Harm's office.

"Man, what kind of pain killers did they put him on?" Harm muttered to himself.

"Commander?" Bud asked from the doorway.

"Oh, nothing Bud. I was just thinking out loud."

"Yes, sir. Sir?"

"Yes, Bud?"

"Why are you holding one of those cellphone signal boosters? You know they don't work."

"What?"

"That thing in your hand, its one of those signal boosters they advertise on TV all the time… which, of course, you wouldn't know about."

"That isn't what Webb said."

"Sir, after the way Mr. Webb just bolted out of here, I'm not sure he's exactly sane."

"You're right, Bud. He didn't seem his normal snoopy and arrogant self."

"No, sir. He didn't even stop by and tell me how inferior I was. I've seen him run slower when the admiral was chasing him."

"That does it. Something is definitely wrong with Webb."

"With who?" Meg asked as she entered the room with Mac.

"A friend of ours," Mac replied, "Webb works for the State Department."

Bud snorted and Harm smiled back at Meg, "Well, he's my and Mac's friend; he and Bud have a sort of Hate-Tolerate relationship."

"I see."

Mac took the file Webb had left and started paging through it, "Well, he got all the information I requested."

"You know, Mac, I'd like to know just exactly how you got him to give you that information."

"I simply asked, Harm. The fact that he was up on pain killers at the time had nothing to do with it."

"Pain killers?" Meg asked from the office corner.

Harm's customary grin faltered, "Yeah, Webb, had a freak…"

"…stable accident," Mac finished the sentence for Harm.

"His horse went crazy while he was in the stall with him," Bud helpfully supplied the details.

Meg stared at them suspiciously they were all lying, but why? Before she could complete her train of thought, Mac changed the topic.

"Well, Meg and I are going out for lunch. She needed a break from her paperwork. You're welcome to join us, Harm."

"Lunch? With you two? I'd sooner jump out of a plane without a parachute. Sometimes it is better if you don't know what's being said about you. Besides, I think I'll go check up on Webb."

"If you need help, call the Admiral. I'm sure he'll be more than willing to help you out."

"I'm sure he would, Mac, but I'll deal with this on my own."

"Suit yourself. Have a nice lunch, flyboy."

"You too, Marine."

Clayton Webb smiled at the now half empty office. That would teach the junior officers to omit necessary information from his briefings. To think that Meg had been in Virginia for almost a month and no-one had thought to inform him. He was supposed to be told of all developments at J.A.G.

"Was there a fire drill?" Harmon Rabb's voice interrupted Webb's musings.

"Rabb! How did you get in here?"

"Well, it wasn't that difficult considering the fact that your receptionist is busy cleaning out the coffee pot with a cotton swab."

"Oh, right. Well, what do you want?"

"Truthfully? I want to know why you're acting so strange."

"I'm not acting strange."

"Oh, yes, I forgot. You routinely huddle underneath my desk with a cellphone signal booster."

"Who told you that?"

"Bud."

"Drat that Roberts."

"You know that brings up another point. You didn't make any smart remarks to Bud today."

"So? That doesn't mean anything."

"Webb, with the exception of your mother, I probably know you about as well as anyone else."

"You really don't want to know."

"Would I be here if I didn't?"

"My ex was at J.A.G. today."

"The ex?"

"Yes."

"Really? I didn't notice her."

"I didn't think you would have. She works there."

"She works at J.A.G.?"

"Isn't that what I just said?"

"I thought that she lived somewhere else."

"She did. She must have gotten transferred, a fact of which my staff apparently forgot to inform me."

"At least that explains why that guy was using his hair comb to straighten the carpet pile."

"Hey, that technique can be very useful for gathering evidence."

"And it makes the carpet look brand-new."

"It does have that advantage, yes."

"You didn't tell me she was a member of the armed services," Harm said as he switched back to their previous conversation.

"Yes, well I didn't tell you she was a lawyer either."

"She's a lawyer?" Harm's voice choked a little on the words as a horrible realization began to dawn.

"Rabb, are you going to keep repeating everything I say as a question?"

"Meg?" Harm's voice was definitely strangled.

"Do you have any other new lawyers that I don't know about?"

"Meg?!" Harm was beginning to look oxygen deprived.

"Harm? Harm, maybe you'd better sit down. You look terrible."

"You and, and Meg? I don't believe it. That is impossible, sweet little upright Meg and you?"

"Hey, I do have feelings."

"But, you aren't her type. You're…"

"Rich? Snobby? Egocentric? Secretive?"

"Yes."

"Don't worry. Its over, remember? You can pursue her to your heart's content."

"Why would I want to pursue my former partner?"

"You're former… Oh."

A look of understanding spread across Webb's face seconds before he dashed behind his desk.

"What are you doing?" Harm asked.

"I'm putting a solid object between us."

"Why?"

"Do I look stupid? You might not be a SEAL, but I know you can throw a punch just as well as Chegwidden can."

"Webb, I'm not going to hit you."

"Is that a real promise or a John Wayne 'I'm not gonna hit ya?'"

"Clay, did I ever hit Dalton Lowne?"

"Not that my files show."

"The why would I hit you? You aren't the greatest guy in the world, but I like you better than half of Mac's boyfriends."

"Even Brumby?"

"Especially Brumby. I supported Mac's choices. I'll support Meg's the same way."

"Begrudgingly?"

"I didn't say I was happy did I? Besides, at least you had a bona fide reason for not telling the truth, even if Meg doesn't know it."

"Well, then, I guess I only have one problem left."

"What's that?"

"Confronting Meg."