Hey All-

It's after midnight for the east coasters...technically it Friday. I don't care what the little posted-time-clock in the corner says.

I'm posting it now for the early raises. What can I say I feel guilty, because I get to sleep in on Friday and they can't. It's either that or it's because I'm very tired right now.

Which might be why I'm considering Jackia's request of "Tomorrow is Friday...give us 2 Chapters to start the weekend...PLZ" I'm not sure. What do you guys think??? She's the only one who's said this, so I guess...well...she might be the only one that wants this.

Smiles-

-Carol

First Impressions Part 6/11

Disclaimer - See part one for all important information

Lenny's Diner

1:30 PM

The trio sat in a booth in the back of the diner. Harm and Mac finished relating the whole story to Sturgis, including how Trish met Mac and everything that transpired since Sunday morning.

"You two have been dating for a month," Sturgis repeated to the couple.

"Yes." Mac took a bite of her burger.

"I'm shocked." Sturgis took a drink of his coke, wishing it was something stronger.

Harm smiled. "Well, get over it."

Sturgis smiled at the couple as he watched them. Harm stole a fry from Mac's plate and she glared at him. "Thief."

Harm smiled, ate the fry, and pointed to his salad. "You can steal a tomato."

"Cute doesn't work on me, Harm."

He leaned into her ear and whispered. "Yeah, but I know what does work on you."

Mac blushed slight at his comment.

Sturgis laughed. "Didn't know Marines knew how to blush."

"Watch it, Sturgis, or Bobbie might find something out," Mac threatened him.

"You say anything to Bobbie and Harm might find something out," Sturgis warned her.

Mac smiled. "He knows."

"Really?" Sturgis said with slightly surprised face.

"What do I know?" Harm questioned, as he wondered what the two of them were talking about.

Mac looked at Harm. "You know a few things, dear." He looked at her with a confused look. Mac laughed and lightly kissed him. "I'll tell you later."

"Yes, dear."

Sturgis laughed. "Harmon Rabb saying 'Yes, dear.' Oh, this is great."

Mac looked at Sturgis with a straight face. "Anything you say Sturgie-bear."

Sturgis' face turned stone cold as Harm broke out laughing. "How do you know about that?"

"Girl talk," Mac reported.

"So, what are you going to do about Trish?" Sturgis asked bluntly as he tried to move the attention off of him and back to the problem at hand.

Harm took a deep breath. "At this point and time I don't care."

"Harm," Mac said to him.

"I'm sorry. She has gone too far."

"You need to talk to her."

"Why?"

"She's your mother," Sturgis interjected.

"I'll talk to her eventually." Mac and Sturgis looked at him and Harm returned their glances. "I'll call her tonight after she gets home."

"Thank you," Mac said to him.

Harm looked at Mac. "How do you do it?"

"Do what?" Mac asked as she finished her burger.

"She has been hateful towards you and your still civil towards her. How do you do it?" Harm asked.

Mac thought for a second. "She didn't mean what she said."

"How do you know that?" Sturgis asked.

"I've had too many people who meant it call me those words. She didn't mean it, no matter how much she thinks she did," Mac said to them sadly.

Harm picked up her free hand and kissed it softly. Sturgis smiled at his two friends knowing that no matter what they came across in life they would fight it together.

Thursday, June 29 (1 month later)

11:43 PM

Mac's Apartment

"I had a wonderful time tonight," Mac told Harm as they walked into her apartment.

"So did I." Harm kissed the back of her neck. He turned Mac around in his arms, "You look wonderful tonight." His hands skimmed over the silky material of her gown.

Mac slid her left hand around his neck. "You've said that about twenty times all ready. But you look pretty good yourself." She ran the finger of her right hand over his metals on his dress whites.

"It's kind of hard going to those functions with you looking so great and having to resist the urge to hit every man that was looking at you. I'm not even going to think about the ones that were flirting with you."

Mac laughed at his words. "I don't know what to think about that."

"I wish there was some way to mark you as mine, so everyone would know you are taken by me." Harm started to kiss her neck.

"Don't even think about putting a mark there, I'm not fourteen anymore." Mac moved her neck away from his lips.

Harm pulled back and smiled at her face. She smiled and leaned up and kissed his lips. "How about if I put a mark somewhere else?"

"Where?" Mac asked with a flirtatious smile.

Harm gently took her left hand off of his neck and rubbed his fingers over her ring finger. He looked into her eyes. "How about right here?"

Mac gave him an odd look and didn't know what to say. He pulled a diamond ring from his pocket and held it in his hand. "Marry me?"

Mac stared at him and took a deep breath. "Yes." As a few tears fell from her eyes. Harm slid the ring on her finger, gathered her into his arms, and kissed her. "I love you."

"I love you." Harm placed his forehead against hers.

Mac looked at ring and then his eyes. "It's beautiful."

"My grandfather gave it to my grandmother. Dad gave it to Mom after he added a stone. She gave it to me a few years ago. And now I give it to you after I added another stone," Harm explained.

"And we'll give it to our son when he meets the woman he is going to marry."

Harm smiled and kissed her. "I like the way you think."

"Then you'll love this idea. Hold me all night long."

"Yes, ma'am," Harm took her hand and they walked into the bedroom.

Friday June 30

JAG

9:03 AM

Harm stepped off the elevator when he quickly joined Mac as she walked down the hall. "Hello, Colonel."

"Commander, the admiral said he could see us at ten."

Harm leaned closer to her. "Good, because I'm dying to tell someone."

Mac laughed. "I know. I called Leavenworth, Captain Morris said he would get a guard to bring Matt down for a call at one. Will you be able to be with me when I tell him?"

"I have to be in court. But he already knows I was going to ask."

"How?" Mac asked as they walked into the bullpen.

"I'll tell you later," Harm said as Tiner walked over to them.

"Ma'am, sir, the admiral would like to see the two of you now instead of at ten," Tiner said.

Harm and Mac exchanged a glance. "Thank you, Tiner," Harm said.

"Yes, sir." Tiner walked back to his desk with Harm and Mac behind him.

AJ saw Harm and Mac approach the open door and told them to come in. Mac walked through first and Harm closed the door behind him. He looked carefully at them. "Have a seat. You two called this meeting, not me. So I'm guessing you haven't destroyed any government property, Commander?"

"Not yet, sir, but it's still early," Harm smiled.

"Actually, sir, we have something to discuss with you," Mac said as their CO sat straighter in his seat and looked at the pair. "For the past two months Commander Rabb and I have been seeing each other socially."

"Humm." AJ got a sinking feeling in his stomach about what they were going to say next.

"And last night Colonel MacKenzie accepted my proposal," Harm said.

AJ stared at them soundly for a second. "Who knows about you two?"

"Commander Turner knows we are dating," Mac said.

"As for us being engaged, only you, sir," Harm said.

"Only me?" AJ fought the urge to smile at the couple.

"Well, Colonel O'Hara knew I was going to propose, but he doesn't know I've asked."

Mac gave Harm a surprised look. "You asked for his permission?"

"Yeah," Harm said, looking at her.

Mac was about to say something but AJ cleared his throat and both of them quickly looked at him. "You both know what the rules say about this." Mac and Harm shook their heads. "However, since neither of you have had the chance to upset our newest SECNAV, there might be something we can do to keep both of you here. If not, something will work out."

"Thank you, sir," they both said.

AJ looked at Mac's hands. "Where's the ring?"

Mac smiled even more and tugged at the collar of her shirt. She pulled at her dog-tags and removed the ring from the chain. She placed the ring on her finger. Harm watched her with a sense of love and pride as she showed AJ the ring. "It is beautiful, Sarah. Congratulations."

"Thank you, sir." Mac smiled.

"Now, when will you two be announcing this?"

Harm smiled. "We were going to ask a few people to join us tonight at McMurphys and tell them there."

"Good idea," AJ agreed.

"We would really like you to be there, sir," Mac said to him.

AJ smiled at her softly. "I would be honored. Meredith was going to cook dinner, but we'll change our plans. Thank god."

Mac and Harm chuckled at his last comment. "We were thinking around seven, sir."

"Great." AJ looked at Harm and noticed there was something else on Harm's mind. "Anything else, Harm?"

"Yes, sir, would it be possible for us to have Monday as a personal day? I would really like to be able to tell my Grandmother in person and Mac hasn't met her yet."

"Granted. You two do realize that someone is getting a lot of money tonight from your dating pool."

"Yes, sir." Harm looked at Mac, who was trying to suppress a mischievous smile and some laughter. "What's so funny?"

"You'll find out tonight," Mac informed Harm as AJ gave her an odd look.

"Is there anything else?" AJ asked.

"No, sir," they both said.

"Good, then I will see you two tonight at McMurphys."

Harm and Mac stood up and left the office, but not before Mac placed the ring back on her dog-tags.

End Part 6