A/N: The MCAT is over…did anyone else take it? Feel free to leave MCAT feedback as well as fic feedback, especially if you hated the biological sciences section as much as I did.
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Mac's Apartment, Georgetown
Mac
We stay in bed for another hour, just enjoying each other's presence. I finally call for shower time, and I'm not the least bit surprised when Harm offers to join me. After all, he used to offer before we were involved. Back then, I'd throw him a red light and we'd drop it. Today, I grab an extra towel and we get to it. I like this much better.
After my apartment is out of hot water and we're freshly scrubbed, we head back into my bedroom. I'm pulling on a clean shirt when I realize he's watching me, leaning against the wall and smiling.
"What?"
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Mac's Apartment, Georgetown
Harm
My smile widens; I can't help it. "You're so beautiful." She looks like she doesn't know what to say, so I plow on. "I could never get away with just sitting around and watching you before. I had to do it in secret. It's nice to be able to admire you openly."
She's blushing fiercely, which is one of the cutest things I've ever seen.
"I – thank you." She looks down at her hands for a moment, then back up at me. "Aren't you going to get dressed?"
I shrug. "All I have is my uniform from yesterday and my sweats."
"You should probably go home and change." She sounds about as happy about that as I feel. I don't want to go home.
"Yeah. Hey, want to come with? I'll make breakfast," I wheedle, and she comes over to peck my cheek.
"It's a date," she replies.
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Webb's Apartment, Alexandria
Webb
I wake up around nine wondering why Andie hasn't come in looking for a ride to Langley yet. The note on the breakfast table doesn't really surprise me. I scan its contents as I put on a pot of coffee. It says Andie got a call from IDTF around four this morning and she'll be in Colombia until further notice; she didn't want to wake me up, so she called a company car. She also thanked me for loaning her my bed and suggested we get together the next time we're both in town. I'm almost relieved she's gone. I wasn't sure how to conduct myself after last night. This way I'll have a little while to get myself in order and plan my next move. I just hope she doesn't know how hard it was for me to restrain myself last night. She definitely looks better in my clothes than I do.
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The next day
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Colombia, Coordinates Classified
Andie
The mere existence of Colombia pisses me off sometimes. I know it has great scenery and even better coffee, but every time I come here I end up in a godforsaken jungle busting two-bit drug dealers and trying to find the big fish behind the whole operation. This is a half-team mission, so I brought the three I thought would blend in the best. Gilcrest, apparently still not over my 'miraculous' return from our last mission, is treating me like Jesus resurrected from the dead. I'm about ready to kill him. If he didn't speak fluent Spanish, I would have traded him for someone who was more interested in working than worshipping.
Klein, the communications guy on this mission, flips me his cell phone and I read the text message on the screen with dawning fury. It's a formal recommendation from Control to abort the mission based on lack of intel. Screw that; I didn't just spend four hours on a plane and four more in the jungle letting bugs treat me like a twenty-four hour blood bank to abort the mission and come back empty handed. Besides, the last communication I had with C and C was before I left, and since then we've discovered the location of the drug factory.
I take team coordinator's privilege and deep-six the rec based on new intel, or 'facts formerly not in evidence', as Mac used to say. Shaking my head at Klein, I motion for the team to move in. I'm up for evaluation soon, so I probably ought to earn my keep while I have the chance.
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Harm's apartment, North of Union Station
Mac
The pounding at the door to Harm's apartment wakes me as my internal clock tells me it's 0914 on a Sunday. Two days after Andie's and my return from our missions; two days since Harm and I finally admitted our feelings to each other. I can't help smiling to myself as I remember how we spent all of yesterday. Even though we were just hanging out and doing errands, we did them as a couple, not just friends or partners. And then, of course, there were the obvious other activities that weren't available to us as friends. I think Harm's trying to make up for lost time.
Another loud knock brings me back to the present, and I look over at Harm, but he's out like a light. Grumbling under my breath about Harm's crazy friends, I tug on his t-shirt and boxers and go over to get rid of whoever's at the door.
The man in the naval commander's uniform gives me a moment's pause; I don't know him. He smiles at me.
"You must be Major Mackenzie."
I'm instantly suspicious, but his easy smile is contagious.
"Can I help you?"
"Actually, I was looking for Harm. I'm Sturgis Turner. Harm and I went to the academy together."
My brain catches up with my mouth when he gives me his name.
"Oh, yes. You're the new guy at JAG." He gives me another smile and I return it. "Nice to meet you, Commander. I've heard good things."
"It's mutual, Major, on both counts. You're all Harm talks about."
"Please, call me Mac." I glance down. "I'm not really in uniform."
He has a nice laugh, and after a moment I join in. I step aside, offering him a seat at the counter in Harm's kitchen.
"Coffee, Commander?"
"Please," he replies. "And it's Sturgis."
"Got it."
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We're still sitting at the counter twenty minutes later, exchanging stories about Harm's escapades, when the object of our anecdotes comes in.
"Morning, baby," he murmurs to me, and I'm not even sure he sees his old friend as he drops a kiss on the top of my head and heads straight for the coffee.
"Good morning, sweetheart," Sturgis replies, batting his eyelashes at my partner, and I choke on a laugh. The look on Harm's face is priceless.
"How long have you been here?" he demands, looking from Turner to me and back.
"About half an hour," I reply for him. "We've been comparing notes. You were a busy boy at the academy."
He groans. "Why me?"
I smile and sidestep the question. "Now that you're up, I'm going to go get dressed."
He nods, but when I start to leave he grabs my shoulder.
"Harm-"
He kisses me passionately, snaking one arm around my waist to hold me up as my knees buckle under his assault. "Good morning," he says finally, releasing me. That's the kind of greeting I could get used to.
"Morning," I reply, dazed, and I can hear Sturgis chuckling behind me. Anyone else would have been embarrassed or offended or both. I like this guy.
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Colombia, Coordinates Classified
Andie
We take the drug factory with almost no resistance, and it's razed to the ground in a matter of minutes thanks to the C4 Klein had the presence of mind to bring. Sending in our finished mission profile via text message and taking a moment to appreciate the still-new technology that makes it possible for me to get my team out of here without having to visit a regional office to submit the profile, I gather the team and we head back to the little air strip where our plane is stored. I'm ready to ditch this place and head back to Langley, where I've got two COs and, if I'm lucky, a CIA agent waiting for me.
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Harm's apartment, North of Union Station
Harm
I lean back against the counter, meeting my old friend's gaze squarely. After a moment, he merely shakes his head.
"Never thought I'd see the day," he tells me, a sparkle in his eyes. "The great Harmon Rabb Jr. acting like a teenager in love."
I shrug, too happy to be bothered by Sturgis' teasing this morning. "I never thought I could love anybody like I love her, bro."
The smile he gives me reminds me why we're friends; he's truly happy for me. It's hard to find friends who can see you achieve complete happiness and be happy for you instead of jealous.