Title : Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil

Author : Jaggie 107

Disclaimer : JAG characters belong to DPB, CBS and Paramount. Update on 'Sue Thomas, F.B.Eye' - the program is aired on PAX TV - and I still hope all parties will allow me to have fun for a little while, and replace them all when I'm done. Thank you.

Rating : G to PG-13

Author's Notes 1 & 2 : See Default Chapter

Thanks go to Ninjaturtle, Starryeyes10, Another Tracy and Jtbwriter for their reviews so far. I hope you'll all stay with me for the rest of the story.

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Harm's apartment - North of Union Station

Harm picked up the handset on the second ring. "Rabb."

"Hiya, Harm. We're back; just got in. Bud's gone home."

"Where are you?"

"At the airport. Problems with the organised flight, so we hopped a commercial. Remind me to wear civilian clothes next time. If one more bozo calls me 'Hey, Private...' I'll deck them and happily take the consequences!"

Harm laughed softly. "Have you eaten yet?"

"Nope, not yet. I was planning on murdering a burger, and dropping onto my bed, fully-clothed, in exhaustion. You got a better idea?"

"Yeah, I could pick you up and take you somewhere for a proper meal."

"Aw, thanks, Sailor. Rain check on going out - I really am bushed."

"Okay, I'll pick you up and feed you here. You can crash for a few hours and go home when you're ready."

"Now that I can live with," Mac replied softly, eager to see Harm again.

"I'll be there in an hour. Go find yourself a Java to keep you going for a while."

"Okay. Maybe I'll manage two, I know your sense of timing."

"Go, Marine. I'll be there as soon as."

"Harm?" Mac paused, not sure quite how to say she was more than grateful that she had Harm in her life. "Thanks isn't enough, but 'thanks' anyway."

"I know," Harm replied. "I'm leaving now, foot out the door... bye!"

Mac hung up on the call and smiled to herself, turning to locate the nearest coffee stand in the Arrivals area.

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington DC, 1930 Hours

"Hey," Harm spoke, as he sat himself in the chair next to Mac. "Welcome home, Marine." Leaning forward slightly he dropped a quick kiss on Mac's lips. Her groan was audible only to him, but he grinned against her mouth as he sat back.

"We shouldn't really..." she started to say, but Harm put a finger against her mouth.

"I'm in civvies, and in the middle of a crowded airport arrivals lounge I doubt very much that anyone is paying us much attention. So, I get to kiss you. Just so you know, I'm going to hold your hand, too."

Mac grinned. "Right now I don't think I'd mind if you picked me up and carried me out of here. Like in 'An Officer And A Gentleman'."

"Okay," Harm got to his feet, bending as if to pick her up. Mac laughed out loud and smacked his hand away.

"Don't even think about it, Sailor," she murmured, and then cocked her head at the expression in his eyes. "What?"

"I was actually thinking more of a fireman's lift. I mean, I'd still need a hand free to carry your bag." Harm evaded another of Mac's blows as he laughed, and she joined in.

"Come on, Sailor, take me home and feed me."

"With pleasure." Harm didn't know if Mac was aware of the slip of the tongue when she had said 'home'. Whether she did or not, it made him think that they were on the same page this time.

Mac glanced at Harm as he picked up her carry-on holdall. As he straightened he gave her a smile, took her left hand in his right and walked out of the airport building and across to the car park. His Corvette was parked in a reserved area, one of the perks of a military position, and he had Mac settled in the passenger seat, her luggage stowed in the trunk and on their way in a very short time. As he drove, Mac told him what had happened at Leavenworth, in between her tired yawns.

"I'm sorry, Harm," she apologised again for yawning.

"We can talk about this tomorrow. We need to get in touch with Jack and Sue anyway, and let them know what you found out. It can wait until then. Close your eyes. I'll wake you when we get home." Harm let the word slip, and was even more pleased than before when Mac nodded sleepily, her eyes already closed.

Harm drove towards Union Station, with a slight detour to collect Mac's favourite food - even the smell of the burger couldn't rouse her from her sleep, which made him laugh softly. As he parked the Corvette outside his apartment building Mac opened her eyes.

"We're here," Harm murmured softly, smiling across at her.

"Mmmn, thanks." Mac paused, her nose rising in the air. "You bought me a burger! Harm, that's so thoughtful... I'm going to owe you big-time, aren't I?"

"Only if you want to." Harm lifted Mac's left hand and kissed her palm before stepping out of the car and walking around to open the trunk. Picking up her bag in one hand, he closed the lid and then carried on around to her door, opening it and helping her out. They made their way up the stairs to his apartment - the elevator was out, again - and then while Harm decanted the burger to a plate and made tea for them both, Mac undressed in his bedroom and changed into the sweats he had put on the bed for her.

Harm looked up from stirring the tea as Mac appeared in his line of vision. In the grey top and pants with 'NAVY' written across the chest and down one leg, Mac looked like a tired child, bearing a sleepy smile.

"I don't know if I can stay awake long enough to eat this burger, but I'll try."

"Give it your best shot, Marine," Harm replied, nodding across to the sofa where a lap tray held her waiting burger.

"And fries! Wow, Sailor, you've gone all out tonight. Are we celebrating?"

"Nah, just thought I'd give you a break from my usual 'healthy eating' speeches."

"Believe me, I'm grateful!" Mac smiled, and bit into the burger, groaning with delight at the taste of the meat, the sauces and the salad.

Harm watched as she ate, holding his mug of tea cupped in one hand. His gaze was not intrusive, and Mac felt oddly warmed that he cared enough to offer her this feast. As she finished the last of the fries and wiped her hand on the napkin, he passed her the mug of tea he'd poured earlier. Mac sipped at the still steaming liquid, and then looked at Harm across the top of her mug.

"We're doing okay, aren't we, Harm?" she asked, nipping her bottom lip between her teeth as she waited for his response.

"I think we're doing just great. It's taken us time, but I think we're at a place we're both comfortable with, and can move on from, together."

"Do you think we've wasted too much time?"

"A little, but then again, what we've been through has made us into who we are now. If we had got together earlier in our lives, maybe we wouldn't have lasted. Who knows?"

"I don't need to know, anymore. I'm glad I'm here, Harm."

"So'm I," Harm responded softly, leaning forward to kiss Mac, but stopped by her hand going up to her mouth as she yawned again. Their laughter was a happy sound. Harm reached out a hand and touched her cheek. "Come on, Marine, time for bed."

There was no question of not sharing the bed. Mac trusted Harm implicitly, and his offer that she sleep as long as she needed and then leave when she was ready was exactly what he meant. If she woke up in the night and felt ready to go to her apartment he would willingly take her. Sharing his bed in the meantime meant only that he would lie alongside her and protect her while she slept.

Mac was asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow, and Harm tucked the covers around her as he lay down beside her and watched her features relax in sleep, giving him a glimpse of her child-like innocence beneath the tough Marine exterior. Eventually his own eyes closed in sleep, and he didn't remember anything until the morning light filtered through the glass slats.

Mac had been awake for a short while, ten minutes and seven seconds to be precise, and had been watching Harm sleep. It hadn't surprised her that she had stayed the whole night - her mind seemed to know it was safe to sleep when she was with Harm, and she had slept, almost nine hours! Now, watching Harm sleep, she felt safe and loved. A fleeting thought passed through her mind that it had been Harm she had called when she arrived at the airport, and not Clay. As fast as it had entered her head it left, and she returned to looking at Harm, who was now awake and watching her.

To be continued