A/N An apology to Fawe…I inadvertently said that A Tangled Gateway was written by Anika Skywalker when it was written by Fawe. (I came across it while looking over Anika's list of favorite stories) My apologies for the mix up. Still…anyone who hasn't read it…go read it, excellent reading. The original reference to a Tangled Gateway has been corrected.

A/N 2: Just a response to Dan about his thoughts about the World Court not having jurisdiction over American military personnel. Your recollection is correct in this regard Dan, however I felt that for the story it would fit nicely to have that threat looming. Call it artistic license. Also, you never know what politicians will do if enough pressure is applied.

A/N 3: Ok…this one is going to be a little short. I just basically did this chapter to show some interaction between the characters…mostly Harm and Mac when they weren't in the courtroom. waits for the cheering to die down Not quite fluff…but a lot lighter than the story has been so far.

Chapter 17

USS Patrick Henry
Wednesday June 16, 2004
2200 Zulu

Harm stood with his arms crossed on the rail before him as he looked out over the moonlight reflected in the waves. He knew he should be inside enjoying the celebration the Raptors were having because he and Skates and been cleared but he just didn't feel like partying much. He was happy that the Skipper had dismissed the charges…but there was something that just didn't sit right with him and he didn't know what it was. He didn't long for them often since he had kicked the habit years ago, but right now he would kill for a good cigar.

Even high up on vulture's row he could hear the sounds of a turbine winding up followed by the harsh crash of the catapult firing. As he looked up two more Tomcats were thrown into the night to start their patrols over the carrier group. Tuna and Reaper he thought to himself mentally picturing the duty board in the ready room.

He was so caught up in watching the two Tomcats take off he didn't hear the hatch open behind him, nor did he catch her footsteps on the deck. It was her smell that alerted him to her presence, even before she stood beside him at the rail. He would know her smell anywhere, even masked by salty air. It was almost like he could feel her in his soul when she was around, and feel the hole left by her absence when she wasn't.

"Mac." Harm said quietly once she stepped up to the rail beside him.

"Hey flyboy." She replied just as softly. "Not enjoying your party?"

Shaking his head Harm continued to watch the navigation lights of the Tomcats fade into the velvet sky until they had become another set of stars. "Not really in the mood for partying. How come you're not there?" Harm asked without thinking about his words.

Mac laughed sharply as she looked up at the man standing next to her. "As if I would be welcome there Harm. Remember, I'm the one who tried to have your wings and your commission. Yeah, I bet the Raptors would love to see me." Mac said bitterly.

Finally looking down at her Harm noticed the tears in her eyes. "Mac…you had to do it…orders."

"Damn it Harm, I shouldn't have had to do it!"

"Mac, everyone knew something like that would be high profile…I'm sure they just wanted the second best lawyer at JAG on it." Harm said teasingly with a small smile, trying to cheer her up.

Harm could see Mac struggling not to smile, she always did that when she felt his humor was inappropriate. And just like she usually did she failed and a tiny smile graced her lips. "Second best?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. "I'm not sure I would say Sturgis was better than me…"

"Oh very funny Mac, very funny." Harm said with a laugh.

"Hey, you're not a lawyer right now Harm…you're CAG, remember? And besides, you haven't exactly been at the top of your game lately. I bet Coates could beat you in the courtroom."

With a snort Harm chose to ignore here and turned to look back out into the night. Maybe he wasn't at the top of his game, but it had been a long hard year. And how could he tell her that after getting something that he'd wanted for as long as he could remember, that it wasn't enough; that it was smoke and mirrors…with what he truly wanted hidden from view...no longer his to have, if it ever was in the first place. Leaning forward onto his arms as they rested on the rail Harm silently watched the reflected moon and starlight in the water. From the corner of his eye he noticed Mac shivering in the night air and without thought stood up straight to remove his flight jacket. Laying it across her shoulders he paused when he felt her hand on his.

"Harm…I'm so sorry that you had to go through that." She said quietly, looking up at him with…something…reflected in her eyes. He's seen that look in her eyes before, but it had been so long he wasn't sure he recognized it anymore.

"Mac, I'm sorry we had to go through that. You're right, you shouldn't have had to be the one to prosecute." Harm said, wondering for only the most recent time, how would he ever find himself again if he let himself truly get lost in her eyes as he longed to do.

Taking a deep breath Harm left his hand on Mac's shoulder, squeezing gently. Why couldn't it be like this all the time? The easy banter, the gentle words, everything he missed about their past friendship. Could he allow himself to let this latest incident widen the rift between them? Sure, part of him resented that Mac didn't remove herself from the case, but he also knew she was the best JAG had to do the job of trying to win a tough case in the public eye.

"Whatcha thinking about?" Mac asked quietly.

After a moment to formulate his words Harm answered quietly "About you having to prosecute. Like I said, I'm sure the Admiral just wanted his best on it. It was a tough case, and it was in the public eye."

"You don't resent me for prosecuting?" Mac asked, unconsciously echoing his thoughts.

"I'd be lying if I said no Mac…part of me wants to." Harm paused before rushing on. "Part of me wants to think that you would excuse yourself from a case that involved me, that if the roles were reversed and you were going up and I was tasked to prosecute I'd remove myself. But to be honest Mac, I don't know if I would. I guess I can't know until something like that comes along."

Nodding Mac turned to watch the moonlight on the water. Harm just stood there no longer watching how the moonlight played off the water, but rather how the moonlight accentuated the beauty of the woman before him, how it danced in her hair.

As they both stood there lost in thought the hatch opened behind them. "Hammer." Skates said as she stepped out on to vulture's row and saw him and Mac standing a short distance away. "Sorry to interrupt CAG, but I'm supposed to tell you that if you don't get your six in gear you get dawn patrol."

Looking over his shoulder at his RIO Harm couldn't help but smile. The last time he'd seen Skates she was being carried around the wardroom on the shoulders of some of her squadron mates.

"CAG?"

"Yeah Skates?"

"I don't want dawn patrol tomorrow. So if you'll excuse the impudence sir, get your six in there."

Squeezing Mac's shoulder again Harm looked down to find her looking up at him with those eyes…god, why couldn't he just let go and fall into those eyes forever? "Coming?" he asked quietly.

"No…I think I'll just stay up here for awhile longer. Its good for thinking." Mac said sadly.

"Mac…I told you…its ok. I know you didn't choose to prosecute me." Harm said gently.

"Harm…its not that."

"What is it?" he asked intently.

"Nothing…go back to the party Harm…to your party."

"Are you sure?" Harm said and then paused waiting for her to ask him stay.

"Damn it Harm…go. You deserve it." Mac said as she gave him a little shove towards Skates.

"Alright then. I'll see you later ok?" Harm said with a sad little smile as he moved to where Skates waited. "Lead on Skates."

Had Harm looked back he might have seen the look in Mac's eyes, or the fresh tears that were softly making their way down her dusky cheeks.

When Harm and Skates entered the wardroom they walked in on some of the Raptors telling Bud and the Admiral stories about their CAG. All of them stopped as the two guests of honor returned and turned towards them.

"Commander, what is this I'm told you engaged in an unauthorized flyby of the carrier?" the Admiral asked as Harm walked up to the group.

"Well sir it wasn't so much an unauthorized flyby as it was…pest control." Harm said with a smile, and a wink for Bud.

"Pest control Commander?" the Admiral asked skeptically.

"Aye sir. All manner of birds were taking their ease along the superstructure sir. It was sure to foul up…something or other…so I took it upon myself to remove the creatures from the ship's surface sir." Harm said.

The Admiral just stood there looking at Harm as if he were a suspect upon the stand. Without warning he threw back his head and laughed heartily. "Pest control Commander…god I'm glad you're someone else's problem for awhile."

"What he means to say sir, I'm sure, is that the office has been too quiet without you." Bud piped up.

Turning his head to look at Bud the Admiral stopped laughing and raised his eyebrow. "Well I suppose it has been quiet without you and the Colonel squabbling in the bullpen. Where is she by the way?" he asked turning his gaze back to Harm.

"She didn't feel it would be appropriate for her to attend sir. Last I saw she was up on vulture's row…thinking." Harm said solemnly.

"Excuse me Commander, Raptors. Enjoy the party."

"Aye aye sir."

As he walked away from the gathered pilots and single lawyer the Admiral started to shake his head in wonder and said "Pest control." softly to himself.

Harm couldn't help but let his smile grown bigger as he turned back to his pilots and join in on the tale telling.

USS Patrick Henry
Thursday June 17, 2004
0645 Zulu

A continuous pounding at his hatch brought Harm out of a deep sleep in which he'd been having that damn dream again. Snorting he sat up and called out "Just a minute damn it!" Moving over to his locker he pulled it open and grabbed a t-shirt to pull on with his boxers. Stumbling over to the hatch he pulled it open as he added "There better be an all out attack on the carrier group, damn your eyes."

When the hatch was fully open it revealed a thoroughly amused looking Marine Lieutenant Colonel. "Good morning Harm." She said smiling sweetly.

"Yeah…whatever. Come on in." Harm grumbled as he waved her to follow him and made his way back to his rack.

"My my, aren't we grumpy this morning." Mac said without even bothering to hide her smirk.

"You'd be too if you tried to keep up with those kids." Harm said as he tried to make his brain focus and come fully awake. "Look princess…I know its not much and it's a little beat up, but my heart is your's." he added blearily.

"What was that?" Mac asked in shock.

"What was what?" Harm asked confusedly.

"What you just said..." Mac prompted watching him closely with a raised eyebrow.

"Uhhh…you'd be too if you tried to keep up with my kids." Harm said still confused. Blinking his eyes owlishly at Mac he was wondering why she made him repeat himself. Then it struck him what he'd said and he was wide awake with the realization. Damn that dream! Oh boy…how was he going to get out of this one? Right on the tail of that thought came the little voice in his head saying 'Do you really want to get out of this one?'

Mac saved him from having to make a decision between the two options by simply holding out her hand and saying "I just came by to drop this off."

Silently Harm looked at the object in her hand without saying a word. She was holding his flight jacket…he'd left it with her on vulture's row last night.

"Uhhh…the Admiral, Bud and I are leaving on a Cod in thirty minutes and I thought you'd want this back." Mac said, obviously confused by Harm's lack of reaction.

Shaking his head violently Harm smiled up at her and said "Yeah…thanks. Guess I'll need that around here." Reaching up he took his jacket from her hand trying to ignore the feeling running down his arm when his fingers brushed hers. Looking around Harm just shrugged and tossed his jacket onto a chair.

Dropping her hand to her side once Harm had his jacket draped casually over the chair Mac cocked her head to one side. "Harm…I haven't had a chance to ask you this before now…with everything that was going on…"

"What is it?" he asked wondering where she was going. She couldn't be going…there…could she? Could he hope?

"Well…I don't know how to ask this…"

'Oh god…she was going there!' he thought to himself. Keep calm Rabb…just stay calm. How can he stay calm? This was Mac. He felt the beginnings of what she called his "flyboy" smile forming on his lips when her next words threw him for a loop.

"What is Meg doing here? I mean one day she just doesn't show up at the office, the Admiral says she's working out of the Pentagon, and then when Bud and I get here she's a weapons officer? And the Captain introduced her as Lieutenant Porter. What's going on Harm?"

Well that definitely wasn't what he was thinking she was going to ask. Deep in the recesses of his mind Harm heard his little voice laughing hysterically. Great, now even his little voice is laughing at him.

"Harm? Are you ok? You've been acting a little strange this morning." Mac asked with concern evident in her features.

"Uh...yeah. Still half asleep…sorry." Harm mumbled. "Mac…I don't know if I can tell you why Meg's here…you'd probably better ask the Admiral."

"Haarm." Mac said, obviously deciding to try wheedling the answer out of him.

"Sorry Mac…its not my place to say. Why are you so curious anyway?"

Mac paused a moment before she answered. "Just curious is all. Anyway…I really need to get going. Our Cod leaves in eighteen minutes, twelve seconds."

Harm stood up from his rack and stretched trying to get the kinks out of his back. He remembered shipboard racks as being more comfortable. Reaching out he gave Mac a quick chaste hug. "Take care of yourself Marine." He said with a smile.

"You too flyboy." Mac said softly.

"See you in a couple months I guess." Harm said looking down at where his feet met the deck. He heard her move towards the hatch after a moment.

"Harm…"

Looking up he saw her standing just outside the hatch. She'd turned around and leaned against the combing with her hand grasping just the edge…the way she was standing there reminded him of….that time he'd taken a head blow and had wacked out dreams of her! "Yeah?" he asked after a momentary pause.

"Take care of yourself…I don't want to have to come back out here to do another investigation because you'd managed to lose another Tomcat." Mac said with a smile.

"I'll do my best to keep from inconveniencing you." Harm said with a big smile.

As she started to turn away Mac stopped again and looked over her shoulder. Did she have any idea how sexy she looked when she did that? "Harm?"

"Yes Mac?" he asked. She sure was taking her time rushing to the Cod.

"This is nice…oh damn! Thirteen minutes!" Mac said in a hurry.

"Mac?"

"Harm, I really need to go."

"Uh…you'll probably get cold on the Cod…you know what those things are like. Here." Harm said with his tongue almost tripping over the words. He grabbed his jacket off the chair and tossed it at her. "Go…you're going to miss your flight."

"Harm…" Mac said holding his jacket where she'd caught it reflexively.

"Go. You really don't want to be on a Cod with the Admiral after you've made him wait, do you?"

"No I wouldn't…bye Harm." Mac said as she rushed down the passageway with a last smile.

"Bye ninja girl." Harm said to himself softly with a smile.

As Harm watched Mac hurry down the passageway he couldn't help but admire the way her legs led up to her…the growler phone on his bulkhead rang dragging him out of his contemplation of the way Sarah MacKenzie was put together in all the right ways.

Grabbing the phone of the hook he snapped into it "Rabb."

"CAG…I need you on the bridge right away." Captain Ingles' voice said on the other end.

"Right away Skipper." Harm said and then hung up the phone. He knew some would consider it rude to hang up on a superior officer, but Harm knew the Skipper was more concerned with how his people function than with niceties.

Grabbing his flight suit from the still open locker Harm paused to look at the photo of him and Mac. After a moment he slammed the door shut and slipped into his suit and then left to make his way to the bridge.