Disclaimer: I wish I owned Harm but I don't. I wish I owned JAG but I don't own that either. You all knew that anyway.
Author's Note: Hey thanks for the great reviews. I'm glad that you're all getting into the story. Definitely will be a little more thrilling as all the setting up is over and the fun is about to begin.
Chapter Summary: Mic's got news for the JAG team and it's all bad.
[PREVIOUSLY]
"Brumby?" Harm spat, walking into the Admiral's office.
Mic smiled widely, indicating that his cockiness had not dissolved since there last meeting.
"It's pleasing to see you to Rabb." He said sarcastically, watching Harm carefully.
Mac was frozen in her tracks. She gulped down a mouthful of air and took a step into the room.
"Mic? What exactly are you doing here?"
CHAPTER THREE – MEETING OF FOES PART B
Mic gave Mac an indignant look and stalked towards the row of chairs sitting across from the Admiral's desk. A third chair had been placed next to the normal two, an obvious sign that the Admiral had been expecting Mic's visit. There was no sign of the Admiral and slightly shaken by seeing Mic, Mac followed him. Mic lifted his head and looked into Mac eyes. She was taken back by the deflated look he gave her.
"What am I doing here?" he repeated quietly. "I'm here on business if that puts you at ease."
Harm snorted candidly and turned back towards the open door. He closed it gently and twisted his gaze back to Mic and Mac. He felt protective of Mac but thought it best to stay out of it, after all a feeling of pride settled in his stomach. He had won Mac. Mic surely wasn't here to get her back. He would have returned sooner if that were what he wanted.
"Puts me at ease?" Mac asked croakily, staring at him fiercely. "Why would that put me at ease Mic? The unnerving thing is that your hear at all!"
Pushing away the thought of not interfering, Harm strode towards Mac, gently pulling her away from Mic. She looked like she was going to take a swing a Mic and no matter how much Harm would have loved to join in, he felt that in this situation he had to be the grown up.
"Mac." He hushed warningly. "This isn't the place."
Mac bit her lip angrily. She couldn't believe that Harm was actually lecturing her on an issue like this. She was usually the calm and collected one that had to rescue him from a hot-headed situation. She peeked over Harm's shoulder to see Mic sitting quietly in the chair, his head bowed and leaning against his right arm that was leaning on the arm of the chair.
"I didn't realise that you actually hated me so much Sarah." He replied loudly, lifting his gaze to Mac. "I came here for your help, but now I'm actually wondering why I thought that you would agree to help me. I see something haven't changed."
Mac's eyes flashed and not wanting to be caught in the firing line Harm moved towards a row of books in the corner. He was only going to intervene if it was a life and death situation or if he had the proper chance to punch Brumby right in his smug Australian suntanned nose.
"What do you mean help?" She asked angrily, leaning on the side of the Admiral's desk.
Mic sighed deeply and folded his arms in his lap.
"I mean legal help, Sarah. I'm in a bit of trouble." He replied lowering his voice to a normal level.
Harm bit his lip and folded his arms across his chest. Hearing Mic virtually beg for Mac's help amused him mildly. Mac's face contorted into an expression of confusion. She nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and folded her shaky hands into her lap. Mic words kept repeating in her head. 'I mean legal help Sarah. I'm in a bit of trouble.'
"Trouble?" Harm mused, moving into the silent conversation. "Anything you want to fill us in on before Mac agrees."
Mic smiled feebly. He could always count on Rabb to stick his nose in.
"I'm not just here for Mac's help." He admitted, shifting uneasy in his chair. "I'm asking for your's too Rabb."
Harm smiled smartly.
"What makes you think that I'm going to help you Brumby?" He asked moving towards Mic. "I mean I do have a rather large caseload at the moment-"
Mic frowned, remembering how much he really hated the guy standing in front of him.
"Listen Rabb, I'm not here to help inflate your ego." He snapped in return. "I thought you might want to be involved – you never did pass up the chance to be involved in a murder case."
Mac slid of the side of the desk and stumbled for her footing.
"Murder case?" she asked softly. "What murder case?"
Mic swallowed hard.
"I'm being charged with murder." He said inaudibly staring her straight in the eye.
Unable to come up with a sensible reply, Mac bit her tongue and sat down in a chair beside Mic. Harm's smiled vanished and a look of pure disbelief replaced it.
"You're being charged with murder?" he asked tactlessly before he could stop himself.
Mic nodded and folded his arms across his chest again.
"Don't sound so amused Rabb. I didn't commit the murder. Do you think that I would have flown all the way to JAG to ask for your help if I had done it? I want to prove that I'm innocent."
Mac opened her mouth to reply, but the Admiral opened the door and stepped into the office at the same time. At once all three officers stood to attention upon seeing the Admiral.
"As you were." A.J barked closing the door behind him and moving towards his desk.
Mac glanced at Harm, hoping that he could understand exactly what she was thinking. He seemed to, as he nodded and took the seat between Mic and Mac and sat down. Mic flopped back into his chair, a sigh of stress escaping his lips. Mac glanced around unsure before her gaze fell to the Admiral sitting silently behind his desk.
"I'm guessing you've told them." He asked Mic quietly.
Mic nodded.
"Yes sir. I was going to wait until your return but truth be told sir, the Commander and Colonel weren't exactly happy to see me. I decided to explain myself, sir."
A.J nodded slowly, folding his hands into a steeple in front of his chest. He took a deep breath and switched his gaze between Harm and Mac whose expressions showed that they wanted answered.
"Commander Brumby has requested that JAG help him prove his innocence. I'm guessing that he has told you this much."
Harm and Mac nodded.
"Yes sir."
"Commander Brumby's superior Admiral McManus believes that he is innocent also. That is why I have allowed this case to come thus far. McManus had asked that JAG place their best attorney's on this case and they happen to be sitting before me. The only thing left to discuss is whether you are willing to take it. I am giving you the choice, given the history between the three of you."
Harm nodded slowly, his mind already made up. Brumby must have had to swallow a lot of pride to ask for his help – the least he could do was give him the time of day. Mac on the other hand, made no moment or any sign that she had heard anything that the Admiral had said. A cell phone ringing broke the silence and Mic dove into his civilian jacket to retrieve it. He studied the number and pressed the green button to receive the call.
"Mic." He said softly getting up. He smiled and then nodded. "Just give me a sec." He said to the person on the other line. He looked towards the Admiral for approval and solemnly A.J nodded.
Mic mouth thank you and exited the room. Mac however breathed a sigh of relief.
"Sir, can I ask the nature of the case? What is Mic's situation?"
A.J nodded gravely, before lifting Mic's file from his desk.
"Major Megan O'Neil was found dead in her hotel room on R and R. Commander Brumby is the last know person to see her alive and his prints were found everywhere in the hotel room. The only option was to charge him with O'Neil's murder. He claims that he's innocent but the evidence states otherwise."
Harm nodded.
"Does Brumby have a alibi?" he asked calmly.
The Admiral nodded and flipped through the file.
"Yes and no. Brumby claims that he was sound asleep next to his fiancée at the alleged time of the Major's murder. His fiancée, Jennifer Gallagher, is unable to back him up. She was asleep at the time Brumby arrived home and didn't wake until the next morning."
Mac felt a sudden stab of hurt at the thought of Mic being engaged. It knocked her to think that he had moved on with his life, gotten himself engaged and she was still dancing around with Harm. Even though over the weekend the dancing had stopped and more 'intimate' action had occurred, Mac still felt lonely at the thought of Harm and her being in an extremely new relationship even after nearly 8 years of friendship.
"How exactly was the Major murdered?" Mac asked.
A.J frowned and searched the information from the file.
"She was strangled." He concluded, looking up again. "Strangled and left on the floor of her hotel room."
"Brutal." Harm commented, rubbing his eyes. "Doesn't seem like Brumby's style."
Mac raised an eyebrow. The look of her face still displayed her shock from Brumby's announcement.
"And murder is?" she asked quietly.
Harm frowned.
"You know what I mean."
Mac gave him a disapproving look. Indignantly, A.J coughed.
"Decisions?" he asked sitting forward in his chair. "Commander?"
Harm searched Mac for an answer. She turned her head away, staring at the Admiral. Biting his lip Harm replied,
"I'm willing to take Brumby's case on."
A.J nodded gravely.
"I thought as much." He looked towards Mac. "Colonel?"
Mac played with the hem of her blouse* absentmindedly. Did she really want to get herself involved? Did she really want to have to work anywhere near Mic. She looked up to A.J searching eyes.
"I have three files at the moment that I'm working on sir." She replied. " And this case is very demanding."
A.J sighed.
"I'm not asking you about your current workload Colonel. If you decided to work on this case the others can be wavered to Commanders Turner and Manetti. What is your decision?" A.J replied bluntly.
Mac sighed half-heartedly, feeling suddenly deflated.
"Mic has asked for my help sir. If he has the courage to ask, I have the readiness to comply."
Harm snorted.
"Just answer the question." He whispered. "Do you have to-"
"Yes." Mac replied loudly, drowning out Harm. "That means yes sir. I'll help Commander Rabb with Commander Brumby's case."
*
1200 HRS
JAG HEADQUARTERS
FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIAHarriet poked her head through the door of Mac's office catching Mac staring blandly at the pile of paperwork on her desk. She smiled weakly and entered, two steaming mugs of coffee in her hand.
"Here you go Ma'am." She greeted, placing the coffee in front of Mac. "I thought that this might help."
Mac nodded and smiled appreciatively.
"Thank you Harriet." She said thankfully, taking the steaming mug into her hand. "This is exactly what I need."
Harriet nodded and took a seat across from Mac's desk.
"I saw Commander Brumby in here this morning ma'am. Do you know why he's here?"
Mac hesitated and then nodded gravely.
"Yes." She said quietly. "I'm helping Mic with a case."
Harriet frowned.
"You think that such a wise idea ma'am?" Harriet asked sincerely. "I mean your past with the commander isn't exactly smooth ma'am."
Mac smiled warmly and leant back in her chair.
"I know Harriet but I'll be fine."
Harriet nodded again.
"I wasn't worried about you ma'am. I was worried for Commander Brumby."
Mac smiled.
"I don't think you need to worry about him either Harriet." Mac replied happily. "Mic has his own fan club to do that."
"Fan club ma'am?" Harriet asked naively taking a large sip from her mug.
Mac nodded.
"Yes, his fiancée."
Harriet choked and spat out her coffee, making Mac's smiled larger.
"I'm sorry," Harriet gushed, mopping up the coffee from her uniform and Mac's desk.
Mac waved her hand lifelessly and stood up from her chair.
"Don't worry about it Harriet, I'll get you another." She replied ignoring Harriet's protests and exiting her office quickly.
Harm looked up from the fridge as Mac entered the kitchen. He noticed her lighter mood and smiled slightly.
"You look a little happier than before." He said pulling a plastic bag from the fridge.
Upon further inspection of the week old sandwich Harm screwed up his face and dumped it in the bin. Mac snorted amused and walked towards the coffee pot.
"Is there a reason that I shouldn't be happy?" she asked innocently, pouring freshly brewed coffee in a mug from the drainer.
Harm frowned, leaning up against the bench.
"I think having a drink with Brumby tonight is a good reason."
Mac's face fell and she turned back to Harm.
"What?" she asked softly. "I didn't agree to that."
"You don't have a choice." Harm replied unenthused. "He invited us for a drink so that we can meet Ms. Jennifer Gallagher."
Mac snorted.
"That's certainly going to make my day isn't it? First Mic walks back into my life and second I have to have a drink with him and his fiancée."
Harm smiled.
"Come on Mac. Anyone would think that you're jealous." He joked.
Mac glared and added 2 teaspoons of sugar to Harriet's coffee.
"Don't worry your self flyboy, I'm not."
Harm chuckled.
"I wasn't worried Sarah. Just amused."
Mac groaned.
"I really don't want to have a drink with him tonight Harm. Is there anyway we can get out of this. I mean I wouldn't do that with any normal client."
Harm shrugged.
"I'm not impressed that Mic's here either Mac, but he is and tomorrow we're flying out to Australia to investigate and prove his innocence. The least you can do is meet him and Jennifer at McMurphy's tonight and chat with them for an hour at the most."
Mac eyed Harm exasperated.
"Why do you always make me feel guilty?" she asked, stirring the coffee. "I only agreed to this because you were so keen to help and I didn't want you to out do me."
Harm laughed and raised an eyebrow.
"Why doesn't that surprise me?" he laughed taking Harriet's coffee from the bench and sipping at it.
Mac scolded.
"That's Harriet's." she said exasperated, leaning on the bench. "It isn't so hard to make your own you know."
Harm ignored Mac.
"Are you coming out tonight or what?" he asked screwing up his face at the coffee and tipping it down the sink. "Cause maybe afterwards I could cook us some dinner."
Mac scolded watching the coffee run down the sink.
"As long as it isn't any rabbit food I'm in." She said defeated.
Harm nodded.
"Deal. I'll pick you up at 1900 then."
Mac sighed, grabbed a fresh mug from the rack and filled it with coffee.
"Deal."
TO BE CONTINUED –*NB: This has been changed. AnchorsAweighNavy kindly pointed out this little mistake, I originally had cover written here but realised my mistake when it was pointed out. Thank you for that. *Grins*