"Everything okay Jen?" Mac asked as she tightened her seatbelt.

"Yes ma'am." Jen said flatly.

"Jen? You don't want me to order you to tell me."

"It's nothing ma'am honestly."

"Jen we're friends you can tell me."

"It's just Jason ma'am, he was acting strangely yesterday after I told him we were coming to Italy. It's probably nothing."

"I'm sure it's fine. He's just going to miss you." Mac tried to be supportive.

"Yes ma'am." Jen replied.

"What is it?"

"He just kept starting to say something then stopping. I just being paranoid ignore me." She paused. "Is Commander Rabb going to be okay with Abi while we're away?"

"He's going to have to be. There really wasn't anything we could do about it, just like I couldn't do anything about him staying on the Patrick Henry. Harriet is going to help out, so he should be okay. But just to make sure I'll call a few times a day."

"Are you going to be okay with being away ma'am?" Jen asked.

"It's going to be the first time I've been away from her for more than twelve hours in one go, I guess I'm going to have to take it minute by minute. Which is going to be hard given my internal clock."

"Yes ma'am, maybe we should change the subject otherwise we'll just get maudlin."

"Probably. So happy thoughts, if you could go anywhere would it be?"

"The Caribbean sounds nice." Jen replied.

"It is." Mac replied.

"You've been there ma'am?"

"Unofficially yes. But it is gorgeous there."

"Italy sounds nice too." Jen added.

"It's got to be warmer than Virginia."

"True."

~

"Commander, do you have a minute?" Tiner asked stood in Harm's office doorway.

"What can I do for you Tiner?"

"I was just wondering if you'd heard from Colonel Mackenzie."

"Their flight doesn't land for another hour and five minutes. I'm sure Jen will call you when they land."

"Yes sir, sorry to have bothered you." He turned to leave. "Should have asked her before she left." He muttered under his breath.

"What was that?" Harm said.

"Nothing sir."

"Sounded like something. Come in and close the door."

"Sir, I should let you get back to work." He still hesitated in the doorway.

"Tiner, don't make me make it an order."

"Yes sir." Tiner closed the door and sat down.

"So what's this all about apart from Jen and Mac going halfway around the world?"

"Sir, promise you won't tell anyone?" Harm nodded. Tiner reached in his pocket and pulled out a ring box and put it on the table in front of Harm.

"May I?" Harm asked.

"Of course sir." Harm picked up the box and opened it.

"It's a beautiful ring Tiner. Did you pick it yourself?"

"I had a little help sir." Harm connected the dots.

"Mac and Harriet."

"How did you know sir?" Tiner questioned.

"I knew Mac was hiding something from me when she came back from shopping. I didn't know what it was but..."

"I'm sorry I asked her to lie to you sir."

"She wasn't lying exactly, just not telling me everything. Besides it worked out pretty well for me so it doesn't matter. Who else knows about this?"

"Just the Colonel, Lieutenant Sims and the Admiral. The Colonel made me call him and to get his opinion on the situation."

"Put it back in your pocket and don't lose it." Harm handed him back the box.

"Yes sir."

"She'll be back in two weeks, just think of it this way it will give you plenty of time to plan something very romantic."

"Yes sir. Any suggestions?"

"Give me a couple of days and I'll see what I can come up with."

"Thank you sir." Tiner relaxed.

"Now get back to work and I'll let you know if and when Mac calls."

"Aye aye sir."

TBC