A/N: Sorry about the delay on this one…honestly I got caught up during the day with the 'A Man Called Ghost' story and the first couple chapters of it, and then I had to beat a minor case of writer's block into submission before I got this one out. But here it is…enjoy.

Chapter 28

JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Viringia
Wednesday August 18, 2004
0900 Zulu

Harm tossed his briefcase down on one of his extra chairs and set his cover on top of his filing cabinet. Sinking into his chair he looked over the case files that had piled up in his in basket while he was on the Henry. Not too bad all things considered. Turning on his computer Harm fired up his email program to see what had piled up in that inbox. Most of the messages were internal office mail, announcements and the like. One message however caught his attention.

H.

I'll be coming by your office when you're back.

-M

Well considering he'd seen Mac last night he would assume the message was from Meg, which was good news. He had questions about Riley and Rivers that Meg might be able to answer. Plus it would be good to see her as well. A polite knock at his door caused Harm to look up and smile when he saw Jen standing in his doorway.

"Morning Jen."

"Welcome back sir, its good to have you back."

"Its good to be home Jen. Was Mattie any trouble while I was away?"

"I can neither confirm nor deny that sir on the grounds that to do so would implicate myself in her mischief."

"Really." Harm said with a raised eyebrow. He still was floored sometimes at how well the two girls got on. Ten years difference in age didn't seem to be a factor in their friendship; they really did act like sisters instead of friends.

"Indeed sir. Did you have any luck out on the Patrick Henry sir?"

"Some, Petty Officer, not a lot, but some."

"Good to hear sir. She wants to see you and the Colonel right away sir."

"She does, does she? Tell the Captain the Colonel and I will be right there, will you Jen?"

"Aye aye sir." Jen said with a bright smile as she came to attention. Turning crisply she walked back to the front office.

Getting up and grabbing his notes from the investigation Harm went over to Mac's office and knocked on the door.

"Morning Marine. Care to join me?"

"Where are we going?" Mac asked as she looked up at Harm. He noticed right away that her smile was forced…now what did he do?

"The Captain has summoned us to her domain."

"Well then we must not keep her waiting." Mac said with a sigh.

The two of them made their way over to the front office and were informed by Jen that they could go right in.

When they had come to attention in front of Krennick's desk she made them wait while she flipped through some files on her desk. Finally she looked up and said "Commander, Colonel. Have a seat."

"Thank you ma'am." Harm said politely. He wasn't going to be the one to get this meeting off to a bad start.

"How did the investigation go out there?"

"Not too badly ma'am. We've got a few more leads than we did when we went out there; unfortunately we also have some more questions."

"Such as?"

"We know that Lieutenant Commander Riley was seen meeting with a man named Rivers. Commander Rabb has identified the man as the CIA agent who debriefed him after his mission on the fifth of June." Mac said in a crisp business-like tone.

"And this is important?"

"We think it is ma'am. Rivers disappeared around the time Riley was killed, and no one has seen him since. I'm hoping to get some more information from Riley's partner when I speak to her today. Colonel MacKenzie is also going to use her contacts at the CIA to try and get some information." Harm said.

"Anything else?"

"We've confirmed that there was nothing wrong with the Hawkeye when it returned to the carrier on the sixth of June. Apparently Riley faked a mechanical problem and got me to order him to return to the carrier."

"How would he know you would do that?"

"SOP ma'am. If an aircraft can't complete the mission profile it is to return to base so as not to jeopardize itself or others involved with the mission." Harm said matter-of-factly.

"I see. So where does this leave us?"

"Ma'am, I'm beginning to think that Rivers might be our man. I recommend we wait until we've checked out our sources here to see if we can find out more before we decide where to go with this."

"Very good Commander. Give me a written report by 1200. The SecNav is very interested to find out where you are with this, and I want…us…to look good for him."

"Yes ma'am." Harm said simply. "If that will be all?"

"Actually there is something else." Krennick said. Ah here it is Harm thought. He'd been wondering when she would bring it up. Squaring his shoulders he waited for her to continue. "I want to discuss your relationship with each other."

"What about it ma'am?"

"I don't think I will be sending the two of you on any more investigations together."

"Respectfully Captain, may I ask why?" Harm inquired.

"Why not?" Mac asked simply.

"Because Colonel, I don't think it would project the proper image." Krennick said through clenched teeth.

"And why would that be ma'am?" Harm asked resisting the urge to put a hand on Mac's knee to calm her down.

"I think it would be better if we discussed this in private Commander. Say over dinner tonight?"

"Well that depends on if the Colonel is available for dinner Captain."

"I wasn't inviting her Commander." Krennick said with an arched eyebrow. Harm realized that he'd played into her hands. "Do the two of you have anything you wish to tell me?"

"About what ma'am?" Harm asked warily.

"About your relationship with each other." Krennick said with a little smile.

"There is nothing to say ma'am. The Lieutenant Colonel and I are partners and friends. Working together for as long as we have has allowed us to develop a close and friendship and bond."

"Are you romantically involved?"

"No ma'am." Harm said harshly. He saw Mac stiffen up at his words and fought his urge to look at her and ask her what was wrong.

"Colonel? Do you have anything you wish to add?"

"Apparently not ma'am." Mac said sharply.

"Very well. Colonel you are dismissed."

Mac silently stood up and left the room. Harm watched her leave and then turned back to Krennick.

"What are you playing at Allison?" Harm asked when Mac was gone.

"Oh, we're on a first name basis are we Harm?" Krennick asked with an arched eyebrow. "I'll make it easy on you Harm. I'll look the other way while you do whatever it is you want to do with her, but in return I get what I want."

"And what is that Allison?"

"Why Harm, I thought you would have figured that out years ago. I want you."

"Why? Because I'm the one who got away? The only one to say no?"

"Admittedly that is part of it. But you're still the rising star of JAG, and I find you very sexy Commander." Krennick said as she got up and walked around her desk to sit on the edge and put her hand on Harm's knee.

"And if I say no?"

"Then I'm afraid that I'm going to have to start an investigation into the nature of your relationship with Lieutenant Colonel MacKenzie. Since I got here I've noticed some very disturbing things about you two that I can not in good conscience ignore."

Harm couldn't help but laugh, and he laughed harder yet at the look in Krennick's eyes. Standing up he patted her on the shoulder and started to walk towards the door. Stopping with it half open he turned around to look at her. "Allison. You and I both know that you're not going to do that."

"Are you threatening me Commander?"

"Not at all Captain. But you and I both know that you wouldn't have approached a civilian detective agency if you intended to pursue this in earnest. You would have used a JAG from outside the office…or hell even Sturgis or Bud. But you know as well as I that they wouldn't find anything."

"You'd be surprised Commander Rabb."

"No ma'am I wouldn't."

"Think of your career Harm."

Harm laughed again at this. "Allison, I resigned my commission once already. My career isn't the most important thing in my life anymore. On the other hand, you will not ruin the Colonel's career. I won't allow that, and you and I both know that I can call your own career into question any time I want."

With that Harm walked out of her office and shut the door firmly. Turning around he saw Jennifer standing behind her desk with eyes as wide as saucers. Winking at her Harm walked out into the bullpen feeling very good about how he had handled that. As he was crossing to his office Harriet stood up from her desk and placed herself in Harm's way. (A/N I really hate putting these in the middle of things, they break up the flow but I just have to say…no pun intended!)

"Harriet."

"Commander…what did you say to the Colonel?"

"What do you mean Harriet? I didn't say anything to her."

"Well maybe that's the problem sir. Maybe you should say something to her sir. Isn't there something you want to say?"

"Harriet." Harm said in a warning tone of voice. "I don't think we should discuss that right now, do you?"

"Uhh no sir."

"Now tell me why you think I said or didn't say something to Mac?"

"Because of the way she stormed into her office and then two minutes later stormed out again. She only gets that mad at you sir." Harriet said quietly.

"Do you know where she went?"

"No sir."

"Did she go home?"

"No sir, her purse and cover are in her office."

"Thanks Harriet." Harm said with a hand on Harriet's shoulder.

He finally found Mac in the law library, the last place in the building he looked for her.

"Mac." He said quietly.

She ignored him and continued to stare out of the window she was standing in front of.

"Mac…sweetie, what is it?" Harm asked coming up to her and putting a hand on her arm.

Pulling her arm away from him Mac whirled and stared at him like he'd grown another head. "'Mac…sweetie'? Where the hell do you get off calling me that Commander?"

"What do you mean Mac?"

"You know Commander; I think the problem is you don't even know what you want. One minute it seems like you want me…you're calling Mattie 'our' daughter…you talk about us, and then next you're all professional and you get embarrassed at being near me."

"What are you talking about Mac?"

"Nothing apparently. So when is the Captain going to start the inquiry?"

"She's not. I talked to her and explained how things are between us."

"Oh you told her that we're 'just friends'? So now she can feel free to pursue you some more?"

"Mac, I told her we're friends, which we are. Anything beyond that is none of her damn business."

"Is there anything beyond that Harm? Really, is there? Because a week ago it seemed like you were opening up to me, that we were getting close, finally getting close and then you turned it off again. All of a sudden its all business with you Harmon Rabb. And I don't want you to do something you don't want. Maybe I should just request a transfer…that way we can all have what we want."

"What makes you think that's what I want Mac?"

"Don't you?"

"No Mac, I don't want you to leave. And I don't want to leave. And for god's sake I don't want Krennick."

"What do you want Harm? And be careful how you answer."

Harm looked at her incredulously. She was asking him this in the middle of the JAG law library.

Taking a deep breath he shrugged his shoulders. "Well Mac, this isn't where I pictured us having this talk, but if you want to have it now…" he started and then was interrupted by a knock at the door behind them.

Turning to the door Harm saw Meg standing in the doorway. "Sorry to interrupt." Meg said.

"Nothing was going to happen Lieutenant Commander, don't worry. You didn't interrupt anything." Mac said bitterly and then walked out of the library.

With a sigh Harm dropped into a seat and gestured Meg to the do the same.

"I see you still have such an easy time opening up to those close to you Harm." Meg said as she sat down. "Why don't you just tell her? Everyone can see you love her. Even I can and I haven't seen you in how many years? You never looked at me like that."

"Oh yes I did Meg, trust me. You just never saw it."

"Are you telling me you loved me sir?"

"Maybe not quite Meg, but it might have become that. Its taken Mac and me eight years to get to this point…"

"How long until you loved her?"

"A heartbeat."

"Then tell her that sir."

"I don't know if I can Meg…I think I've screwed up too many times. I held my tongue too many times when I shouldn't have. If you've got a few days I'll tell you about them."

"That's in the past sir, this is the now. She's still here, all you need to do is find the words."

"Meg, with all that Mac and I have been through…"

"Harm…with all due respect shut up and listen to what I'm saying. You and Mac have years of history, true. You've learned a lot about each other in those years, you've hurt each other, and you've helped each other. Bud was telling me about how she followed you to Russia when she knew you for what? A matter of months? Harm you grow from those experiences, but you don't hold onto them. You use them to grow more experiences. If you hold onto what happened in the past and try to live in the then you never get a chance to explore the now. Where do you want to be Commander? In the past or in the now?"

"In the now Meg. When the hell did you get so smart?"

"Always was sir. I just figured you liked dumb blondes and played to that." Meg said with a wink.

"Very funny Lieutenant Commander. Now…tell me you didn't just come here to play my relationship councilor."

"Well as fun as that is sir, I actually came to give you this." Meg said handing Harm a thick yellow envelope that she'd put on the table.

"What is it?"

"A signed affidavit with my testimony as to then Commander Allison Krennick's misconduct and sexual harassment of then Lieutenant Commander Harmon Rabb Jr. while she was the Admiral's aide. There are a few other people around the office who have envelopes like this one if you need them Harm. You've got some good friends here…they're willing to put their careers on the line to protect you."

Taking the envelope Harm stared at it thoughtfully. He hoped he'd never need to use it, but having it made him feel more comfortable. "Thank you Meg. You have no idea what this means to me."

"I think I do sir. Like I said, you have some good friends willing to put themselves on the line for you, and I hope you count me one of them." Meg said sadly.

"Always Meg. You will always be my friend."

"Well if I can't have more, then I will always cherish that sir." Meg said with a sad smile. "She's a good woman Harm…you shouldn't let her get away."

"Well I don't mean to. I just need to figure out how I'm gonna keep that from happening. Meg while you're here I need to ask you…do you know anything about a man named Rivers?"

"I do Harm…but the most important thing for you to know is that he's here in DC, and he's looking for you."