Title: Paraguay didn't solve anything
Author: Nan
Rating: PG-13
Classification: Mac/Harm
Spoilers: Anything up to Close Quarters in Season 9
Summary: (sigh) In Close Quarters, JAG seemed so, so, well normal. Harm and the admiral were getting along. Mac and Harm joked and helped each other with no underlying tension or misunderstanding. Sure, Harm is now parked in a cramped office with a dead animal hidden in the wall but that is just a minor detail.
Sooooo, I guess this story takes off from there. I realize that this will never happen. TPTB will never put Harm and Mac together. Never. So I just couldn't resist doing it myself. So sue me. But I warn you; it starts with Mac and Webb...
******************************************************************
1620 Zulu
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia
Sarah Mackenzie sighed as she put down the phone. Clay had called to see if she could attend a private reception at Mount Vernon tonight. Fundraiser for a literacy cause his mother championed. She said yes because that is what girlfriend and boyfriend do, right? They do things together. And she had a made a pact with herself to get closer to Clay. And once she had made up her mind to do something, she did it.
She looked at the small stack of manila envelopes at the corner of her desk. Those were the Singer/Imes cases, newly transferred from Harm's desk to hers. She toyed with the idea of calling Clay back.
The admiral giving Harm those Singer files seemed a little on the cruel side, she admitted to herself. It wasn't so long ago that Harm had been accused of murdering that very same person. She wasn't quite sure which of Harm's buttons the admiral was trying to push with that gesture. But while she was admitting things, she had to confess that somehow the admiral's tactics worked. She had stood in his ornate office, listening with amazement and relief while Harm and the admiral sorted out the terms of their new relationship. And with that, the tension of the office dissipated.
Those Singer files were going to have to wait one more day. She deserved a night off and she had an obligation to Clay. It wasn't often they had a chance to get together.
She winced to herself as she sorted the papers on her desk. Why was Clay taking her to yet another tedious charity event of his mother's? She knew the evening would grate on her nerves like nails on chalkboard. Clay's mother was always gracious but...
Whatever. She glanced up from her desk into the bullpen. Harm was towering over Bud, Coates and Harriet, pointing at a file open on the copier. She could see Coates and Harriet smiling up at him and Bud laughing. Harm's eyes crinkled and the corners of his mouth tugged upward.
She smiled at the scene then shook her head. Why was she grinning like that? She grinned every time she saw Harm talking to someone, attending a staff meeting, sitting in her chair, or filling the doorway of her office. Since returning to JAG, Harm seemed to be firmly resolved to let bygones be bygones. And she relished in his easygoing attitude. It was such a relief to have a normal conversation with the man.
A little thought crept into the back of her mind. If she wasn't going out with Clay, she could work late. Harm would be working late too. They could order in pizza, half and half, and go over Singer's cases together. She sighed again.
***************************
"Sarah!" Clay called. "Over here." She wove her way across the crowded reception room toward Clay and his mother. He stepped slightly away from the group and held out his arm to wrap around her waist. "Beautiful as usual." He leaned in and kissed her cheek.
"How's work?" he asked.
"Busy," she said. "I considered declining your invitation just to make a dent on the mountain of paperwork."
"I'm glad you didn't." He squeezed her waist with his arm. "I thought with Rabb back, the pressure would be off."
She looked at him. "You knew he was back?" She hadn't told him yet and wondered who had.
He smirked in that superior way of his. "I know everything. Remember? Besides, sooner or later, we all knew the admiral would take him back."
"Not me. And nor you, if you had seen how the admiral was over the last few months," she said.
"Harm will survive. He always does."
"He thinks you fired him," she stated. "Did you?"
"Why would I do that?"
She pegged him with a look. "Did you?" she repeated.
"Despite everything that has gone on, I still consider Harm one of my closest friends. And he is one of the best pilots to step into the CIA. And I'd give you proof of that if it didn't violate national security. Why would I want to see him fired?"
"Come on, Clay.."
"And send him back to JAG? Where he would see you everyday?"
"Clay," she repeated. "Why did you fire Harm?"
"Blaisdell was using him for every crazy mission there was. Some truly dangerous situations. It crossed my mind that Rabb might be a little less cautious than normal because of recent events. I didn't want to look at those nameless stars at Langley and see Harmon Rabb," said Webb.
Mac felt a shiver go up her spine. Clay just put words to that ill-defined panic she had felt the day in the hospital when she had learned Harm was flying for the company. She looked at Clay. She felt grateful for his intervention. Harm was back at JAG where he belonged. Maybe they could start to put Paraguay behind them.
"He's still angry about Paraguay," she said.
"Yeah, well and someday I plan to thank him. But it's hard to get past that truck load of resentment he currently carries around."
"You're not the only one he is mad at," she said.
He looked at her. "He's still not talking to you?"
Mac averted her eyes. "Yeah, he's talking. But that's only because the admiral would toss him out if he didn't. Now, he's so polite, it's like he's walking on glass."
"You made a choice. A choice he's not too happy with at the present. I can't blame him for that." Clay leaned forward in affectionate affirmation and nuzzled her neck. "Speaking of choices, have I told you how appreciative I am that you are in my life?" he said, his voice low.
Mac smiled and closed her eyes as she felt Clay's lips lightly kiss her nape. "Clay..." she murmured.
Clay straightened up to look into her eyes again. "You've made your choice. He has to let it go."
"I'm not sure what he has to let go of. It's not like we ever had anything," she said glumly. "Like a wise man once said, Harm is oblivious."
"Yeah, well, I've revised that opinion since Paraguay. Pubertal is a better word."
"Clay," she said. "If he was that, how did he manage to save both our lives in Paraguay?"
"Okay, so pubertal is a bit harsh. But Harm can't do what he did in Paraguay too often. There are many of our allies who are quick to misrepresent American actions on foreign soil, even if those actions did manage to destroy a semi full of stinger missiles."
Mac bristled. "Lay off Harm, Clay. He doesn't deserve your criticism. He resigned his commission to find both of us. He could have been killed too. You think that Hardy would have lifted a finger?"
"No, Sarah, Hardy wouldn't. And that's because it was supposed to be a covert operation. Period. Chegwidden was right when he ordered Rabb not to come. Why is this so hard to understand? You marines order men into combat situations all of the time, knowing full well that some people will die. This was no different. We were just two patriots about to die for a cause."
Mac felt a hot flush creep up her neck. "I wouldn't be standing here at this gala affair tonight, if it wasn't for Harm. Are you telling me I shouldn't feel something?"
"He isn't the only one who made sacrifices, Sarah. The reason I was in Paraguay and not here in Washington was because of Rabb. Remember the Angel Shark investigation?"
On cue, Mac looked at Clay's left arm. His usual practice these days was to keep his hand tucked in a pocket to hide the tremors. Tonight was no different. She knew what Clay said was true. He had made sacrifices too, especially for her.
Webb watched the emotions play across her face. He turned away slightly and said, "Look Sarah, talking about Rabb is depressing. He'll get over this. He always does. I want to have fun this evening. Come on. Let's join Mother."
Mac mentally shook away the thoughts of Harm. Talk of Harm always ended with Clay's impatience at the topic. Clay was right. He would get over it. She had to let it go. Mac followed him obediently into the throng of people.
Author: Nan
Rating: PG-13
Classification: Mac/Harm
Spoilers: Anything up to Close Quarters in Season 9
Summary: (sigh) In Close Quarters, JAG seemed so, so, well normal. Harm and the admiral were getting along. Mac and Harm joked and helped each other with no underlying tension or misunderstanding. Sure, Harm is now parked in a cramped office with a dead animal hidden in the wall but that is just a minor detail.
Sooooo, I guess this story takes off from there. I realize that this will never happen. TPTB will never put Harm and Mac together. Never. So I just couldn't resist doing it myself. So sue me. But I warn you; it starts with Mac and Webb...
******************************************************************
1620 Zulu
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia
Sarah Mackenzie sighed as she put down the phone. Clay had called to see if she could attend a private reception at Mount Vernon tonight. Fundraiser for a literacy cause his mother championed. She said yes because that is what girlfriend and boyfriend do, right? They do things together. And she had a made a pact with herself to get closer to Clay. And once she had made up her mind to do something, she did it.
She looked at the small stack of manila envelopes at the corner of her desk. Those were the Singer/Imes cases, newly transferred from Harm's desk to hers. She toyed with the idea of calling Clay back.
The admiral giving Harm those Singer files seemed a little on the cruel side, she admitted to herself. It wasn't so long ago that Harm had been accused of murdering that very same person. She wasn't quite sure which of Harm's buttons the admiral was trying to push with that gesture. But while she was admitting things, she had to confess that somehow the admiral's tactics worked. She had stood in his ornate office, listening with amazement and relief while Harm and the admiral sorted out the terms of their new relationship. And with that, the tension of the office dissipated.
Those Singer files were going to have to wait one more day. She deserved a night off and she had an obligation to Clay. It wasn't often they had a chance to get together.
She winced to herself as she sorted the papers on her desk. Why was Clay taking her to yet another tedious charity event of his mother's? She knew the evening would grate on her nerves like nails on chalkboard. Clay's mother was always gracious but...
Whatever. She glanced up from her desk into the bullpen. Harm was towering over Bud, Coates and Harriet, pointing at a file open on the copier. She could see Coates and Harriet smiling up at him and Bud laughing. Harm's eyes crinkled and the corners of his mouth tugged upward.
She smiled at the scene then shook her head. Why was she grinning like that? She grinned every time she saw Harm talking to someone, attending a staff meeting, sitting in her chair, or filling the doorway of her office. Since returning to JAG, Harm seemed to be firmly resolved to let bygones be bygones. And she relished in his easygoing attitude. It was such a relief to have a normal conversation with the man.
A little thought crept into the back of her mind. If she wasn't going out with Clay, she could work late. Harm would be working late too. They could order in pizza, half and half, and go over Singer's cases together. She sighed again.
***************************
"Sarah!" Clay called. "Over here." She wove her way across the crowded reception room toward Clay and his mother. He stepped slightly away from the group and held out his arm to wrap around her waist. "Beautiful as usual." He leaned in and kissed her cheek.
"How's work?" he asked.
"Busy," she said. "I considered declining your invitation just to make a dent on the mountain of paperwork."
"I'm glad you didn't." He squeezed her waist with his arm. "I thought with Rabb back, the pressure would be off."
She looked at him. "You knew he was back?" She hadn't told him yet and wondered who had.
He smirked in that superior way of his. "I know everything. Remember? Besides, sooner or later, we all knew the admiral would take him back."
"Not me. And nor you, if you had seen how the admiral was over the last few months," she said.
"Harm will survive. He always does."
"He thinks you fired him," she stated. "Did you?"
"Why would I do that?"
She pegged him with a look. "Did you?" she repeated.
"Despite everything that has gone on, I still consider Harm one of my closest friends. And he is one of the best pilots to step into the CIA. And I'd give you proof of that if it didn't violate national security. Why would I want to see him fired?"
"Come on, Clay.."
"And send him back to JAG? Where he would see you everyday?"
"Clay," she repeated. "Why did you fire Harm?"
"Blaisdell was using him for every crazy mission there was. Some truly dangerous situations. It crossed my mind that Rabb might be a little less cautious than normal because of recent events. I didn't want to look at those nameless stars at Langley and see Harmon Rabb," said Webb.
Mac felt a shiver go up her spine. Clay just put words to that ill-defined panic she had felt the day in the hospital when she had learned Harm was flying for the company. She looked at Clay. She felt grateful for his intervention. Harm was back at JAG where he belonged. Maybe they could start to put Paraguay behind them.
"He's still angry about Paraguay," she said.
"Yeah, well and someday I plan to thank him. But it's hard to get past that truck load of resentment he currently carries around."
"You're not the only one he is mad at," she said.
He looked at her. "He's still not talking to you?"
Mac averted her eyes. "Yeah, he's talking. But that's only because the admiral would toss him out if he didn't. Now, he's so polite, it's like he's walking on glass."
"You made a choice. A choice he's not too happy with at the present. I can't blame him for that." Clay leaned forward in affectionate affirmation and nuzzled her neck. "Speaking of choices, have I told you how appreciative I am that you are in my life?" he said, his voice low.
Mac smiled and closed her eyes as she felt Clay's lips lightly kiss her nape. "Clay..." she murmured.
Clay straightened up to look into her eyes again. "You've made your choice. He has to let it go."
"I'm not sure what he has to let go of. It's not like we ever had anything," she said glumly. "Like a wise man once said, Harm is oblivious."
"Yeah, well, I've revised that opinion since Paraguay. Pubertal is a better word."
"Clay," she said. "If he was that, how did he manage to save both our lives in Paraguay?"
"Okay, so pubertal is a bit harsh. But Harm can't do what he did in Paraguay too often. There are many of our allies who are quick to misrepresent American actions on foreign soil, even if those actions did manage to destroy a semi full of stinger missiles."
Mac bristled. "Lay off Harm, Clay. He doesn't deserve your criticism. He resigned his commission to find both of us. He could have been killed too. You think that Hardy would have lifted a finger?"
"No, Sarah, Hardy wouldn't. And that's because it was supposed to be a covert operation. Period. Chegwidden was right when he ordered Rabb not to come. Why is this so hard to understand? You marines order men into combat situations all of the time, knowing full well that some people will die. This was no different. We were just two patriots about to die for a cause."
Mac felt a hot flush creep up her neck. "I wouldn't be standing here at this gala affair tonight, if it wasn't for Harm. Are you telling me I shouldn't feel something?"
"He isn't the only one who made sacrifices, Sarah. The reason I was in Paraguay and not here in Washington was because of Rabb. Remember the Angel Shark investigation?"
On cue, Mac looked at Clay's left arm. His usual practice these days was to keep his hand tucked in a pocket to hide the tremors. Tonight was no different. She knew what Clay said was true. He had made sacrifices too, especially for her.
Webb watched the emotions play across her face. He turned away slightly and said, "Look Sarah, talking about Rabb is depressing. He'll get over this. He always does. I want to have fun this evening. Come on. Let's join Mother."
Mac mentally shook away the thoughts of Harm. Talk of Harm always ended with Clay's impatience at the topic. Clay was right. He would get over it. She had to let it go. Mac followed him obediently into the throng of people.