Part 17: Help
October 9th 2003
Harm knocked on the doorpost of Mac's office, but didn't wait with entering until she called him in.
"Did they call you about Mattie yet?"
"Yeah. She gets to stay with me... They're sending someone over tomorrow to enroll her in school and everything, so I guess it will work out for a while at least," Mac told him without looking up from her papers.
"I met someone today who could use some help..." Harm started, but was quite promptly interrupted by Mac.
"Don't you dare look at me, Harm," she looked him sternly in the eyes.
That didn't stop Harm from telling her the whole story about the former seaman Minnerly, who had been arrested for theft.
"Where is he staying right now? And just so you don't get any ideas, my apartment is already too crowded," when Harm didn't answer she understood. "He's on your couch."
Harm just admitted by nodding his head a bit.
"Harm, you can't help everyone. If you try to you'll end up not being able to help anyone. Do you realize how much we have to do here at JAG? We were behind as it was and now we have all of Imes-cases too. Elena and Mattie deserve that I put the rest of my energy into caring for them."
"But the admiral always lets you slide, Mac," Harm tried to convince her. He was as it was already stuck with the majority of the Imes-cases and that would require some all-nighters before he could get to work on anything else.
"Get out, Harm."
October 10th 2003
Harm and Mac were walking out of the office together.
"Well, that went pretty well I think," Harm said. The admiral had discovered Minnerly in the office and when he had heard his story he had helped him himself.
"Yeah," Mac agreed.
"I'm sorry if I tried to push you into helping him. I know you're busy. It was just with all of Imes' and Singer's cases, I felt like I was in over my head."
"I know you always want to help. I love you for that. It's a wonderful part of your personality and you shouldn't apologize for it. It's hard for you to be back here, I can see that."
"It is, but it will be fine. It's better than it was the last time I came back," Harm smiled grateful that she wasn't mad at him.
"I'm sorry about that," Mac apologized.
"I know you are."
"Have you talked to Bud and Harriet? About being back and so?"
"A bit. I think they understand why I wasn't in contact with them and all."
"Why weren't you? I never understood that," Mac asked. She had wondered about that a lot.
"I was ashamed I guess."
"Of what? You don't have anything to be ashamed of," this didn't make anything clearer to her.
"I didn't know how I should act around them when I wasn't..." he didn't finish his sentence.
"Bud and Harriet respect you just as much with a uniform as without, Harm. Possibly more considering how you lost it," Mac said to make sure he really knew this.
"And then being in the CIA. We always had an opinion of Webb as one of the few decent agents. I wasn't sure they would understand."
"You should give your friends more credit. They knew you were serving your country honorably. We all did." Since they were both in uniform walking across the parking lot she couldn't display him physical affection the way she wanted. She had to settle with taking his hand and giving it a tender squeeze.
"So what are you doing this weekend? Do you want me to come over?" Harm asked as they had come to the place where they had parked both of their cars.
"I have Elena the whole weekend since Sturgis is sick and I have to help Mattie with getting started with all of her catching up for school, so I probably won't have any time to see you..." Mac started explaining. Unconsciously she wished he would come over and help her out with Mattie, but didn't directly ask him for it.
"I guess I'll see you Monday then," Harm said getting the feeling that he shouldn't impose on them.
TBC
October 9th 2003
Harm knocked on the doorpost of Mac's office, but didn't wait with entering until she called him in.
"Did they call you about Mattie yet?"
"Yeah. She gets to stay with me... They're sending someone over tomorrow to enroll her in school and everything, so I guess it will work out for a while at least," Mac told him without looking up from her papers.
"I met someone today who could use some help..." Harm started, but was quite promptly interrupted by Mac.
"Don't you dare look at me, Harm," she looked him sternly in the eyes.
That didn't stop Harm from telling her the whole story about the former seaman Minnerly, who had been arrested for theft.
"Where is he staying right now? And just so you don't get any ideas, my apartment is already too crowded," when Harm didn't answer she understood. "He's on your couch."
Harm just admitted by nodding his head a bit.
"Harm, you can't help everyone. If you try to you'll end up not being able to help anyone. Do you realize how much we have to do here at JAG? We were behind as it was and now we have all of Imes-cases too. Elena and Mattie deserve that I put the rest of my energy into caring for them."
"But the admiral always lets you slide, Mac," Harm tried to convince her. He was as it was already stuck with the majority of the Imes-cases and that would require some all-nighters before he could get to work on anything else.
"Get out, Harm."
October 10th 2003
Harm and Mac were walking out of the office together.
"Well, that went pretty well I think," Harm said. The admiral had discovered Minnerly in the office and when he had heard his story he had helped him himself.
"Yeah," Mac agreed.
"I'm sorry if I tried to push you into helping him. I know you're busy. It was just with all of Imes' and Singer's cases, I felt like I was in over my head."
"I know you always want to help. I love you for that. It's a wonderful part of your personality and you shouldn't apologize for it. It's hard for you to be back here, I can see that."
"It is, but it will be fine. It's better than it was the last time I came back," Harm smiled grateful that she wasn't mad at him.
"I'm sorry about that," Mac apologized.
"I know you are."
"Have you talked to Bud and Harriet? About being back and so?"
"A bit. I think they understand why I wasn't in contact with them and all."
"Why weren't you? I never understood that," Mac asked. She had wondered about that a lot.
"I was ashamed I guess."
"Of what? You don't have anything to be ashamed of," this didn't make anything clearer to her.
"I didn't know how I should act around them when I wasn't..." he didn't finish his sentence.
"Bud and Harriet respect you just as much with a uniform as without, Harm. Possibly more considering how you lost it," Mac said to make sure he really knew this.
"And then being in the CIA. We always had an opinion of Webb as one of the few decent agents. I wasn't sure they would understand."
"You should give your friends more credit. They knew you were serving your country honorably. We all did." Since they were both in uniform walking across the parking lot she couldn't display him physical affection the way she wanted. She had to settle with taking his hand and giving it a tender squeeze.
"So what are you doing this weekend? Do you want me to come over?" Harm asked as they had come to the place where they had parked both of their cars.
"I have Elena the whole weekend since Sturgis is sick and I have to help Mattie with getting started with all of her catching up for school, so I probably won't have any time to see you..." Mac started explaining. Unconsciously she wished he would come over and help her out with Mattie, but didn't directly ask him for it.
"I guess I'll see you Monday then," Harm said getting the feeling that he shouldn't impose on them.
TBC