AN: Webb is not dead, Mattie still hates her father, Harriet's not leaving,
Mac's not sick, and the Admiral's not retiring in this story. It's just
easier to continue without adjusting to what DPB decides to throw at us
viewers.
Sorry, I know it's been a while but I've been busy with graduation and a
vacation to Hawaii. Thanks for being patient.
CHAPTER 7: So much for secrets
"Sarah?" he spoke hesitantly. Oh, please say something.
All of the sudden, he found himself holding her in a tight hug. He heard her murmur something, but because her face was buried against his chest, he couldn't make out the words.
"What?" Harm softly asked.
She lifted her head to look up at him. "I love you, Harm."
He felt as though a huge weight had been lifted and a feeling of incredible joy spread throughout him. He pulled her close, gently kissed her, and then pulled her even closer and hugged her. They sat on his couch, holding each other, both crying for lost chances and eight years of unspoken feelings.
Mattie never got a chance to talk to her dad that weekend, which was fine with her. She was just happy that he and Mac were finally getting together.
Harm and Mac managed to clean up his apartment, but that was the least of their worries that weekend. Instead, they spent much of their time focusing on rebuilding their friendship. They spent Sunday afternoon watching movies, both perfectly content just to sit there together, holding each other. When Top Gun was over, they didn't move and just began to talk. They had decided that, if nothing else, they would be honest with each other and hope for the best. Neither wanted to mess this up.
"Harm?"
"Yeah?" He was somewhat distracted, having been playing with her hair.
"What are we going to tell the Admiral?" she asked. Fraternization charges could ruin their careers. They had both worked too hard to risk all they had earned over the years, that she knew. But somehow she knew wasn't willing to give him up for the military and her career.
"Who says we have to tell him yet?" he countered.
"Yet?" she repeated.
"Yeah, let's keep it all a secret for a while. Give us some time to work on this and figure out where we're headed," suggested Harm.
"Are you sure that's going to work?"
"Honestly, I think if we all told them, there'd be too much pressure from them. This way we can go at our own pace and not worry about them interfering."
"Okay," she quietly agreed.
After several minutes of a comfortable silence, Harm voiced his own worries. "What do you want me to do about the bet? Sturgis won't let me back out, I've already tried."
She pondered for a moment, taking the time to roll on her back to look up at him. He was lying on his side, back up against the couch. It was barely big enough for them to be settled in like this but neither wanted to move. "Why not just go for it?" she challenged.
"I don't want them anymore," he declared.
"Why not?" she asked, surprised.
"Because I don't want you thinking that I want those tickets over you. When I said that I love you, I meant it." Harm was surprised at the easy manner he was able to open up to her. Usually those words became stuck in his throat, unable to be voiced. Somehow, she had managed to get him to open up in a way he had never done before.
She was surprised too. Maybe there was greater hope for them yet. Maybe she did mean a lot more to him than she could ever realize. In the space of one weekend, he had managed to admit that he loved her, and several times, in fact. She couldn't help but smile. "Why don't you just let it drop? Don't say anything about it to them and see if they'll forget it."
"Mac, they aren't going to forget it and you know it," he almost whined.
Mac laughed at him. He sounded like a little boy. It was rather cute, actually. She decided not to respond with words and kissed him instead, their usual fire sparking with the first touch.
MONDAY MORNING JAG OFFICE
Harm and Mac had left his apartment together early that morning, yet driving separately. They had come no closer to solving their problems with the Admiral or about the bet, but somehow both were more relaxed than they had been in quite a while. Harm was even whistling as they both entered the bullpen.
Very few people were there and out in the bullpen to see them both arrive together, but Sturgis was there. He was at the copy machine, copying several papers that he needed for court that morning, but he looked up at the sound of the whistling. He watched as Harm and Mac walked in, both headed towards their offices, each with a smile on their face.
Minutes later, Sturgis was back in his office, on the phone to Keeter. "You won't believe what's happened..."
"Did Harm finally do it?" Keeter asked.
"No, not yet. But something's happened between him and Mac. He came in whistling just now, walking with Mac. And he's on time."
"Maybe someone had a good weekend," suggested Jack.
"With Mac?"
"Maybe. Any more heated moments or missed attempts?" After Sturgis had seen Harm and Mac kissing in the break room, he had called Keeter. Keeter had said that he wanted to know all the dirty details on Harm's attempts.
"You think he's wasting time?" Sturgis asked distractedly, watching as Harm and Mac went to their offices, then as the both returned to the middle of the bullpen to trade briefcases. Both were grinning sheepishly as they returned the briefcases to the rightful owners.
"Hello?...Sturgis?"
"Something's definitely going on," Turner decided.
Over the next week, Turner's suspicions were only confirmed. Harm and Mac though that they were keeping their growing relationship a secret and for the most part, they were. No one knew or would have guessed that nightly family dinners at Harm's apartment included Harm, Mattie, and Mac. Jen's life was too busy lately for her to notice that the Colonel was spending most of the time down the hall.
But everyone in the office knew that something had changed because the two were no longer getting on each other's nerves. They could see the smiles shared between the two officers as they playfully argued about their cases in public. Harm had become a lot more cheerful and pleasant to be around, especially when Mac was mentioned. Since Paraguay, any time someone from the office had brought up Mac, a dark look had entered his eyes and he had become cold and distant. Talking about Mattie had been the only subject that had gotten a real smile out of him.
They were both just so comfortable in their new relationship and so happy to finally be with each other that they couldn't help but show it. Even the Admiral began to notice the lack of tension between the two and after several discreet inquiries, he was presented with the idea that Harm and Mac had finally gotten together.
Weeks passed by and their relationship had done nothing but grow. The bet seemed to have been forgotten by them until Turner finally brought it up one night. After a particularly hard week of work, the Admiral suggested that they have a little get-together at McMurphy's to take a little time off. Harm and Mac had arrived together, causing a few whispers and glances among the others.
Harm was at the bar with the Admiral, watching as Mac and Harriet picked out a few songs on the jukebox.
"The Colonel's been in a good mood lately, hasn't she?" Chegwidden commented.
Harm swallowed nervously, hoping that it was just an offhand comment and nothing more.
"Yes, sir, I guess she has."
"I trust you will do nothing to ruin that mood, Commander."
"I try, sir."
"Because if you do, you may not live to regret it," the Admiral casually threatened.
"Yes, sir." AJ knew he was making the younger man nervous. Good, Harm needed to know that if he screwed up one more time with Mac that there would be someone to dole out the punishment. But maybe he was coming down too hard on him. Mac had her fair share of the blame to shoulder for some of the things that had happened. Brumby, for one, had been a particular sore spot between the two.
"Harm," AJ began, with a more personal tone.
"Yes?"
"Don't let her go; she's too good for you."
"I know," Harm simply answered.
"When you want to make things more permanent...let me know, the SECNAV owes me some favors." With that said, the Admiral gathered his things, bid goodnight his staff, and left the bar.
Harm was left standing at the bar, drink in hand. So the Admiral already knew that he and Mac were together. Harm could only wonder how much he knew about. He was snapped out of his thoughts when Turner came and sat down beside him.
"So Keeter called me yesterday, wanted to know if you needed those tickets yet," Turner started out.
"Don't need 'em, don't want 'em," Harm told him, taking a sip of his beer.
"Can't get it or backing out of it?"
"Don't want it."
"Thought you were a man of your word. Oh, well. How are things between you and Mac anyway?" Sturgis asked, knowing full well that Harm and Mac were doing fine together.
"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" Harm was getting more and more stressed lately. Harriet had asked him if he and the Colonel were getting along, Bud had had a question or two the past week about the Colonel for him, even Coates had been asking him about it. So much for keeping their relationship a secret. He had been right; their friends were putting the pressure on them not to mess it up this time. Yes, they only wanted Harm and Mac to be happy but Harm and Mac had wanted to take it slow, not wanting to mess things up. Next thing he knew, they would be pressuring him to ask her to marry him.
"Harm, buddy, it's not a secret anymore."
"What's not a secret anymore?" Harm decided to stick to what he and Mac had agreed on, to keep it all quiet.
"The fact that you two finally hooked up; everybody knows about it," said Turner.
Harm let out a groan of frustration. "What do you mean, everybody knows about it?"
"Harriet told me that a very good source had told her that you two had patched everything up and were now more than best friends. Don't mess it up, Harm," Turner warned.
Mac had finally picked a song, one that she wanted to dance with Harm to. It began playing as she looked around for him. He was still at the bar, Sturgis sitting next to him. It looked like Harm was about to explode in anger and frustration. Worried, she hesitated a moment before heading over to see what was wrong.
"Hello, Mac. I'm afraid I must be going now, it's getting late," Turner greeted, excusing himself.
"Good night," Mac said.
"Harm, don't miss the opportunity this time," he cautioned, moving away from the couple.
Harm turned back to the bar and buried his face in his hands, moaning softly.
"The bet?" assumed Mac, wishing that she could touch him and comfort him but since they were in public, in front of their friends, it would have to wait till later.
"No, it's nothing," he lied, not looking up at her. Maybe the Admiral was right; maybe she was too good for him. What was he thinking, going after the great Sarah Mackenzie? She deserved better than him.
"Harm?"
"I'm going home," he announced, getting up to leave. He just wanted to get out of there, away from everybody who suddenly felt the need to warn him not to screw things up. He knew she wasn't being told the same thing; she would be the innocent one to them, the victim if something went wrong.
"Harm?"
"What?" he almost snapped, whirling around to face her, his eyes cold and dark.
He was already shutting her out. What had Sturgis said to put him in this mood? "You're my ride home," she pointed out.
"Fine, let's go."
Nothing was said in the car ride. She was surprised when he pulled up in front of her apartment and parked. Most of her stuff had been moved over to his place and she had been spending more nights there than at her place. Had she said or done something wrong to offend him?
As soon as she stepped out of the car, shut the door, and had stepped inside her apartment building, he sped off, tires squealing.
CHAPTER 7: So much for secrets
"Sarah?" he spoke hesitantly. Oh, please say something.
All of the sudden, he found himself holding her in a tight hug. He heard her murmur something, but because her face was buried against his chest, he couldn't make out the words.
"What?" Harm softly asked.
She lifted her head to look up at him. "I love you, Harm."
He felt as though a huge weight had been lifted and a feeling of incredible joy spread throughout him. He pulled her close, gently kissed her, and then pulled her even closer and hugged her. They sat on his couch, holding each other, both crying for lost chances and eight years of unspoken feelings.
Mattie never got a chance to talk to her dad that weekend, which was fine with her. She was just happy that he and Mac were finally getting together.
Harm and Mac managed to clean up his apartment, but that was the least of their worries that weekend. Instead, they spent much of their time focusing on rebuilding their friendship. They spent Sunday afternoon watching movies, both perfectly content just to sit there together, holding each other. When Top Gun was over, they didn't move and just began to talk. They had decided that, if nothing else, they would be honest with each other and hope for the best. Neither wanted to mess this up.
"Harm?"
"Yeah?" He was somewhat distracted, having been playing with her hair.
"What are we going to tell the Admiral?" she asked. Fraternization charges could ruin their careers. They had both worked too hard to risk all they had earned over the years, that she knew. But somehow she knew wasn't willing to give him up for the military and her career.
"Who says we have to tell him yet?" he countered.
"Yet?" she repeated.
"Yeah, let's keep it all a secret for a while. Give us some time to work on this and figure out where we're headed," suggested Harm.
"Are you sure that's going to work?"
"Honestly, I think if we all told them, there'd be too much pressure from them. This way we can go at our own pace and not worry about them interfering."
"Okay," she quietly agreed.
After several minutes of a comfortable silence, Harm voiced his own worries. "What do you want me to do about the bet? Sturgis won't let me back out, I've already tried."
She pondered for a moment, taking the time to roll on her back to look up at him. He was lying on his side, back up against the couch. It was barely big enough for them to be settled in like this but neither wanted to move. "Why not just go for it?" she challenged.
"I don't want them anymore," he declared.
"Why not?" she asked, surprised.
"Because I don't want you thinking that I want those tickets over you. When I said that I love you, I meant it." Harm was surprised at the easy manner he was able to open up to her. Usually those words became stuck in his throat, unable to be voiced. Somehow, she had managed to get him to open up in a way he had never done before.
She was surprised too. Maybe there was greater hope for them yet. Maybe she did mean a lot more to him than she could ever realize. In the space of one weekend, he had managed to admit that he loved her, and several times, in fact. She couldn't help but smile. "Why don't you just let it drop? Don't say anything about it to them and see if they'll forget it."
"Mac, they aren't going to forget it and you know it," he almost whined.
Mac laughed at him. He sounded like a little boy. It was rather cute, actually. She decided not to respond with words and kissed him instead, their usual fire sparking with the first touch.
MONDAY MORNING JAG OFFICE
Harm and Mac had left his apartment together early that morning, yet driving separately. They had come no closer to solving their problems with the Admiral or about the bet, but somehow both were more relaxed than they had been in quite a while. Harm was even whistling as they both entered the bullpen.
Very few people were there and out in the bullpen to see them both arrive together, but Sturgis was there. He was at the copy machine, copying several papers that he needed for court that morning, but he looked up at the sound of the whistling. He watched as Harm and Mac walked in, both headed towards their offices, each with a smile on their face.
Minutes later, Sturgis was back in his office, on the phone to Keeter. "You won't believe what's happened..."
"Did Harm finally do it?" Keeter asked.
"No, not yet. But something's happened between him and Mac. He came in whistling just now, walking with Mac. And he's on time."
"Maybe someone had a good weekend," suggested Jack.
"With Mac?"
"Maybe. Any more heated moments or missed attempts?" After Sturgis had seen Harm and Mac kissing in the break room, he had called Keeter. Keeter had said that he wanted to know all the dirty details on Harm's attempts.
"You think he's wasting time?" Sturgis asked distractedly, watching as Harm and Mac went to their offices, then as the both returned to the middle of the bullpen to trade briefcases. Both were grinning sheepishly as they returned the briefcases to the rightful owners.
"Hello?...Sturgis?"
"Something's definitely going on," Turner decided.
Over the next week, Turner's suspicions were only confirmed. Harm and Mac though that they were keeping their growing relationship a secret and for the most part, they were. No one knew or would have guessed that nightly family dinners at Harm's apartment included Harm, Mattie, and Mac. Jen's life was too busy lately for her to notice that the Colonel was spending most of the time down the hall.
But everyone in the office knew that something had changed because the two were no longer getting on each other's nerves. They could see the smiles shared between the two officers as they playfully argued about their cases in public. Harm had become a lot more cheerful and pleasant to be around, especially when Mac was mentioned. Since Paraguay, any time someone from the office had brought up Mac, a dark look had entered his eyes and he had become cold and distant. Talking about Mattie had been the only subject that had gotten a real smile out of him.
They were both just so comfortable in their new relationship and so happy to finally be with each other that they couldn't help but show it. Even the Admiral began to notice the lack of tension between the two and after several discreet inquiries, he was presented with the idea that Harm and Mac had finally gotten together.
Weeks passed by and their relationship had done nothing but grow. The bet seemed to have been forgotten by them until Turner finally brought it up one night. After a particularly hard week of work, the Admiral suggested that they have a little get-together at McMurphy's to take a little time off. Harm and Mac had arrived together, causing a few whispers and glances among the others.
Harm was at the bar with the Admiral, watching as Mac and Harriet picked out a few songs on the jukebox.
"The Colonel's been in a good mood lately, hasn't she?" Chegwidden commented.
Harm swallowed nervously, hoping that it was just an offhand comment and nothing more.
"Yes, sir, I guess she has."
"I trust you will do nothing to ruin that mood, Commander."
"I try, sir."
"Because if you do, you may not live to regret it," the Admiral casually threatened.
"Yes, sir." AJ knew he was making the younger man nervous. Good, Harm needed to know that if he screwed up one more time with Mac that there would be someone to dole out the punishment. But maybe he was coming down too hard on him. Mac had her fair share of the blame to shoulder for some of the things that had happened. Brumby, for one, had been a particular sore spot between the two.
"Harm," AJ began, with a more personal tone.
"Yes?"
"Don't let her go; she's too good for you."
"I know," Harm simply answered.
"When you want to make things more permanent...let me know, the SECNAV owes me some favors." With that said, the Admiral gathered his things, bid goodnight his staff, and left the bar.
Harm was left standing at the bar, drink in hand. So the Admiral already knew that he and Mac were together. Harm could only wonder how much he knew about. He was snapped out of his thoughts when Turner came and sat down beside him.
"So Keeter called me yesterday, wanted to know if you needed those tickets yet," Turner started out.
"Don't need 'em, don't want 'em," Harm told him, taking a sip of his beer.
"Can't get it or backing out of it?"
"Don't want it."
"Thought you were a man of your word. Oh, well. How are things between you and Mac anyway?" Sturgis asked, knowing full well that Harm and Mac were doing fine together.
"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" Harm was getting more and more stressed lately. Harriet had asked him if he and the Colonel were getting along, Bud had had a question or two the past week about the Colonel for him, even Coates had been asking him about it. So much for keeping their relationship a secret. He had been right; their friends were putting the pressure on them not to mess it up this time. Yes, they only wanted Harm and Mac to be happy but Harm and Mac had wanted to take it slow, not wanting to mess things up. Next thing he knew, they would be pressuring him to ask her to marry him.
"Harm, buddy, it's not a secret anymore."
"What's not a secret anymore?" Harm decided to stick to what he and Mac had agreed on, to keep it all quiet.
"The fact that you two finally hooked up; everybody knows about it," said Turner.
Harm let out a groan of frustration. "What do you mean, everybody knows about it?"
"Harriet told me that a very good source had told her that you two had patched everything up and were now more than best friends. Don't mess it up, Harm," Turner warned.
Mac had finally picked a song, one that she wanted to dance with Harm to. It began playing as she looked around for him. He was still at the bar, Sturgis sitting next to him. It looked like Harm was about to explode in anger and frustration. Worried, she hesitated a moment before heading over to see what was wrong.
"Hello, Mac. I'm afraid I must be going now, it's getting late," Turner greeted, excusing himself.
"Good night," Mac said.
"Harm, don't miss the opportunity this time," he cautioned, moving away from the couple.
Harm turned back to the bar and buried his face in his hands, moaning softly.
"The bet?" assumed Mac, wishing that she could touch him and comfort him but since they were in public, in front of their friends, it would have to wait till later.
"No, it's nothing," he lied, not looking up at her. Maybe the Admiral was right; maybe she was too good for him. What was he thinking, going after the great Sarah Mackenzie? She deserved better than him.
"Harm?"
"I'm going home," he announced, getting up to leave. He just wanted to get out of there, away from everybody who suddenly felt the need to warn him not to screw things up. He knew she wasn't being told the same thing; she would be the innocent one to them, the victim if something went wrong.
"Harm?"
"What?" he almost snapped, whirling around to face her, his eyes cold and dark.
He was already shutting her out. What had Sturgis said to put him in this mood? "You're my ride home," she pointed out.
"Fine, let's go."
Nothing was said in the car ride. She was surprised when he pulled up in front of her apartment and parked. Most of her stuff had been moved over to his place and she had been spending more nights there than at her place. Had she said or done something wrong to offend him?
As soon as she stepped out of the car, shut the door, and had stepped inside her apartment building, he sped off, tires squealing.