A/N Well so much for nice weather. Looks like its going to be me and the laptop on the couch writing all day. So I might even bang out even more than 5 if it keeps raining.

A/N 2: AngelaB: Now now…patience is a virtue…you'll just have to wait and see what he got Mac.

Chapter 21

Mac's Apartment
Saturday August 7, 2004
0300 Zulu

Silently Harm stepped away from Mac and just looked at her standing there wearing his flight jacket over a pair of marine sweats. She was, at that moment, the most beautiful woman he'd ever know, and would ever know. He knew she had her flaws, lord knew he knew that he had his share of flaws. Somehow though, he had to make her see that he was ready to make it work.

"When did you get home?" she asked softly.

"Got in a couple hours ago. Stopped off to see Mattie and Jen to let them know I was home and then came over here." Harm answered just as tenderly. It was almost as if they were both afraid to speak too loud for fear of waking from a dream.

"You could have called for a ride you know?" Mac said reprovingly. "I would have come to get you."

"And ruin the moment we just had…never." Harm said with a smile.

"So we just had a moment did we?" Mac asked with an arched eyebrow and a smile to show him she was only teasing.

"We did." Harm confirmed seriously. The silence that followed his earnest statement could almost be felt, touched.

"Harm…" Mac said.

"Mac…" Harm said at exactly the same time. "I'm sorry, you first." Harm sat down on her couch and patted the couch beside him.

When Mac had sat down on the couch beside him and curled her feet up underneath her she finally looked up at him. Wiggling herself a little bit on the couch Mac managed to move right up to him and rest her head on his shoulder with a small sigh of contentment. "So you didn't lose anymore of the government's aircraft?" she asked with a sly smile.

"Ah…no. But I'm sure the Iraqi dissidents are going to be looking for some replacements soon." Harm said. Lifting his arm he reached over and pulled Mac even closer and left it lying on top of her shoulder. "Is that what you wanted to tell me?" he prompted softly.

"No." Mac said quietly into his shoulder. She looked up at him and he could feel her lips brush against his neck and send a jolt through his spine. He was sure she hadn't meant to do that, but all the same it was thoroughly enjoyable. "Harm…what is this?"

"What is what Mac?"

"This…you…me…this?"

Harm thought about that, really thought about it. What was what he and Mac had? Was it friendship? In a way. Was it love? He knew he loved her, and he hoped she could love him one day, but that wasn't what it was either. Harm really couldn't answer that question to himself. "Mac…Sarah. I don't know what this is. But I've had the time to think about a couple things. Honey, I know things haven't been easy for you lately." He said avoiding mentioning Webb's death and their difficulties directly. "Things have been wrong between us for too long Mac…I don't want to let you face anything alone…not anymore."

"Harm…" Mac said with a catch in her voice.

"Mac, please let me finish…I've been trying to think of what to say to you for so long…I just have to say it now or I'll never get up the nerve to say it again." Harm said pulling her close. "I know we've got a long way to go to make things right…we've come along way…together and apart. I've spent the better part of the last six months wishing that you and I could have what we once had Mac."

Harm could feel her low, bitter laugh more than hear it. "Me too Harm."

"But Mac, that Admiral said something to me at Al Basrah that made sense. Mac, he told me that we can't live in the past, that you and I have changed too much for that. We're not the people we once were. And that makes sense to me."

"What are you saying Harm?" Mac asked with a note of something almost unfamiliar to him in her voice. Fear.

"Mac…I'm not sure what I'm saying. All I know is that whatever we do, I want it to be an us, a we. I want to make things right between us."

They both sat there quietly thinking about his words for a long time before Mac answered. "Harm, I miss him." She said and then she started to sob quietly. He knew instinctively that she wasn't referring to the Admiral.

"I know you do sweetie." Harm said softly as he held her while she cried. If he had to put money on it, he would have guessed that Mac hadn't cried for Webb yet. Harm waited patiently for her to finish crying on her own, it was too important for her for him to interrupt.

"What are we going to do Harm?" she asked finally. Immediately following her question her stomach growled loudly.

Raising an eyebrow Harm looked down at the woman in his arms. "Is that a marine meal call I hear?"

With a little smile Mac just said "Well you know me."

"Always hungry. Want to order pizza?"

"You read my mind. Half and half?" Mac asked recalling he'd told her earlier that he hadn't eaten with Mattie and Jen.

"Sure…my treat." Harm said as he pulled his cell phone from his pocket.

"Not on your life flyboy. You come home from three months at sea and won't let me buy pizza? I won't stand for that." Mac said with mock severity. He knew better than to argue with her and simply handed her the phone.

An hour later they were looking over the devastated remains of what was once a large half meat lovers, half vegetarian pizza. Mac had a contented look on her face as she snuggled close to him once more. Sensing that Mac wasn't quite ready to resume a serious conversation Harm instead started to tell her stories about his weeks and months on the carrier and the people he had served with.

"Harm?" Mac asked interrupting one story about how Tuna had filled Skates' locker full of dry oatmeal on her birthday.

"Yeah?" he asked quietly. His long flight had finally caught up to him and he was starting to wear down.

"Is it true you called Skates by my name?" she asked quietly. She was obviously just as drained as he was and starting to tire out as well.

"Where'd you hear about that?" he asked surprised she knew about it.

"Skates and Tuna told me in Al Basrah."

"Well she said she took it as a compliment and I agree with her." He said giving her a squeeze.

"mmm. That's nice of her to say." Mac mumbled.

"Well she knows how I feel about you Mac." Harm said quietly. When he didn't get a response he looked down and saw that she'd fallen asleep. With a small smile he laid his head back and closed his eyes giving himself to the weariness pulling at him.

JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia
Monday August 9, 2004
1247 Zulu

Harm smiled to himself as he walked into the building. For the first time in a long time it felt good to be coming to work at JAG. He and Mac had talked some more Sunday morning when they'd woken up on the couch in Mac's living room. Most of their conversation was light hearted and trivial. She'd let him in on some of the office gossip, but had also refused to tell him who the new interim JAG was, saying she would be in "direct violation of a direct order" if she did. Now he was really curious; but he was trying his best to not let it show. He and Mac had also touched on their relationship a little, and Harm had decided that he wanted to move slowly for now…Mac had been through a lot lately, with Webb dying. Harm didn't want to make it look like he was just looking for a rebound. First, he would work on rebuilding his friendship with her, gain her trust back. Nodding to the few people who greeted him on the way to the elevator Harm smiled when he saw Mac waiting for him.

"Good morning Colonel." He greeted her with a smile.

"Early for a change? I'm impressed Commander…or is this some trick? Did they send a robot back from the Patrick Henry instead?" Mac teased.

"You've been spending far too much time with Bud." Harm said with a smile. "Speaking of Bud, I'm going to go over to Bud and Harriet's after work…spend some time with AJ and Jimmy. Care to join me?"

"Sure…sounds like fun." Mac said with a smile as the elevator got to their floor and the doors opened.

"Great…want to grab lunch today?"

"I'd love to Harm." Mac said happily.

"Alright…I'll see you later? I need to report to the mystery JAG."

"Bye." Mac said as she moved towards her office.

Harm turned around to find Bud and Harriet standing in front of him.

"Good morning Lieutenant Commander, Lieutenant."

"Commander!" Harriet squealed with obvious joy and a huge smile. "Welcome back!"

Bud just stuck out his hand and smiled. "Welcome home Commander."

"Thanks guys. Hey listen…I was wondering if I could stop by…"

"Commander Rabb. I will have you in my office. Now."

Harm stopped and closed his eyes. He knew that voice, and he was more familiar than he wanted to be at the low and sultry way it was pitched. Krennick. It had to be Krennick. He tried his best to ignore the double meaning of her words…knowing Krennick she'd phrased it that way on purpose. He caught sight of Mac and the shocked look in her eyes and knew she'd caught the sexual overtones as well. Well…one more thing to talk to Mac about.

Turning towards the JAG's office Harm came to attention and simply said "Aye aye ma'am." Turning back to Bud and Harriet he saw the pitying looks on their faces…and a hint on mirth in Harriet's eyes. "Laughing at a superior officer is an offense Harriet. Anyway…I'll come find you guys later and talk. I want to see Jimmy and AJ tonight…I brought them back some gifts."

"Oh they'd love that Commander." Harriet said with a big smile.

"Good…now I need to go see how long I'm going to live." Harm said wryly and moved towards the Admiral's….Krennick's office. When he got to Coates' desk a through struck him. Turning abruptly to face Jennifer he smiled at her. In a low voice he asked "Jen…in five minutes could you buzz in and say I have an important call?"

"Sir?"

"I need you to spring me Jen." Harm said with a wink. Suddenly a thought struck him and he grinned evilly. "Say that it's a Maria Elena Carmen Gutierrez, and that I have to take it."

"Commander, are you trying to get me in trouble?" Jen asked with a disapproving tone. Only the sparkle in her eyes gave away the mirth that was always lurking below the surface with her.

"Not at all Petty Officer, I'll take whatever heat there is."

"Alright sir, but its going to cost you."

"Bribery Jen?"

"Mattie and I need some new DVDs…the ones we have are getting old…sir."

"Petty Officer, where is Commander Rabb?" Krennick's voice came over the intercom.

Picking up her phone Jen answered "He's on his way in right now ma'am." And then winked at Harm.

Shaking his head Harm set his briefcase and cover on Jen's desk. "Could you put those in my office please?"

"Aye aye sir. Good DVDs too. We'll make a list."

With another wry shake of his head Harm set his shoulders and marched in to face the dragon lady.

Coming stiffly to attention in front of her desk Harm said crisply "Commander Rabb reporting as ordered ma'am."

Slowly Krennick's gaze rose from the file spread out on her desk. A quick glance showed Harm that it was his own service jacket. This should be interesting.

"So, the golden boy has returned from his joyride. Its been a long time Commander. Have a seat."

"Thank you ma'am." Harm said simply. He wasn't going to say anything more than he had to to get out of this. A quick glance around the office showed how bare it looked without the Admiral's touches. That would take a lot of getting used to.

"Admiral Chegwidden still speaks highly of you Commander, but I've been going over your service record since we last saw each other and I must say I am slightly shocked."

"Shocked, ma'am?"

"Shocked. An automatic weapon in the courtroom? Defending the man who stole the Declaration of Independence? A hospital full of terrorists? It appears your penchant for attracting danger has increased if nothing else over the last few years Commander."

Harm just sat there silently, there wasn't much he could say. Its not like he went out looking for the danger, it just usually found him.

"Two more DFCs, one of them awarded for your actions while flying with the CIA no less? Resigning your commission to go down to Paraguay to rescue Colonel MacKenzie and a CIA agent named Webb? Playing tag with a dirty nuke? I can't even go on Commander, there's more in here that we have time to talk about today. Is this the sort of behavior I can expect from you in the future?"

Harm bit his lip to keep himself from making a sharp retort. "I merely do my duty ma'am. In the past that has unfortunately sometimes required me to take extreme steps."

"Indeed." Krennick said seductively as she stood up from behind her desk. With slow steps she walked around her desk and sat on the edge facing Harm. "As I said Commander, it has been a long time."

"Yes ma'am."

"Commander, I understand that you've been away temporarily assigned to the Patrick Henry. Your caseload has been placed in your office and I would like to know your thoughts no the cases assigned to you. Say, tonight over dinner."

"Ma'am, I regretfully will have to decline. I have a pressing previous engagement this evening."

"What is it?"

"I'm having dinner with my godson and his brother at the Roberts'." Harm said swallowing the lump that was suddenly in his throat. Keep it together Rabb…you're not a young Lieutenant Commander being chased by this woman now.

"We'll make it a late dinner then. Don't eat too much at the Roberts'. And yes Commander, that is an order. Get my address from my yeoman…" Krennick was interrupted by the sound of her intercom buzzing. Leaning across her desk she punched a button and said "Yes Petty Officer?"

"I'm sorry to interrupt ma'am, but there's an urgent phone call for the Commander. A Maria Elena Carmen Gutierrez ma'am."

"What?" Kreenick shouted.

"A phone call, for the Commander ma'am. I'm told its urgent and he needs to take it." Jen said nervously.

Harm had to keep from smiling when Krennick whirled to face him with her anger plain on her face. "That…that…that woman!" she hissed, forgetting that her intercom was still active.

"You remember her ma'am?"

"You still talk to that woman?"

"Yes ma'am…I really should get this call, I'm sorry ma'am. If I may be excused."

Krennick took a moment and visibly calmed herself down. "Very well Commander. You are dismissed. Remember, we'll discuss your case load….later." she said in a low pitched voice.

Coming to attention Harm took two steps back turned and started for the hatch. He needed to get out of here, now. As he reached the hatch however Krennick called out to him again.

"Commander."

"Yes ma'am?"

"It will be good to have you beneath me again."

Surprised at the heat he felt rising in his face Harm simply nodded and left the room. As he got to Jen's desk he couldn't help but notice the shocked expression on her face. Obviously Krennick had neglected to turn off her intercom before her last comment.

"Sir…a question?"

"Yes Jen?"

"Lieutenant Commander Roberts said you used to call her the dragon lady. Is that true?"

"All the time Jen, all the time." Harm said then made his way to his office.

Two hours later as he leaned back from his desk Harm looked up to see Sturgis standing in his office doorway.

"Hey buddy."

"Welcome back buddy. I take it you've met our interim JAG, Captain Krennick."

"Unfortunately I knew her years ago. She used to be the Admiral's aide."

"Oh I feel a story here."

"More than you know buddy."

"And your thoughts on having her back?"

Harm paused for a moment and then answered wryly. "I'm thinking I should have taken Captain Ingles up on his offer to let him find me a CAG position with the fleet."