A/N: Sorry it took me so long to get this out. I got distracted by a need to both write a Valentine's story and torture Webb. I also had some problems writing this chapter. I knew where I wanted to go but had trouble getting there.

Spoiler Warning: There are references to some of the events in 'Crash' but considering I don't follow the details of the case, I'm not sure it should count as spoilers

Thanks again to Chris for the beta, especially since the more trouble I have with the substance of a chapter the more trouble I have with the mechanics of the chapter!

JAG Headquarters
1310 Hours
3/17/2004

It's good to be home but I'm not looking forward to this meeting with the admiral. Harm and I just got back from investigating a ramp strike. Sturgis was already out of town, so both Harm and I had to go. Jason came and stayed with the kids.

The trip is over but the case is just beginning. If the admiral does what I think he's going to do things could get very tense at home. I think I'll end up prosecuting the CAG for dereliction of duty and Harm will be defending.

Normally this wouldn't be a problem but Harm didn't agree with the decision to bring charges. I'm not even sure he agrees that the pilot committed suicide. I'm not sure if it's because he believes that no pilot would endanger others while committing suicide, or if he doesn't agree that the CAG should have kept the pilot out of the air. Whichever it was he was pretty upset with me for even suggesting charges.

"The admiral said for you to go right in."

"Thank you, Coates."

Here we go.

Mac's Office
1345 hours
3/18/2004

As I walk into my office, I can't help but wish I'd never suggested bringing the CAG up on DOD charges. Harm's mad at me. Well, mad might be too strong a word but he's not happy with me. He didn't go running with me this morning and we brought both cars to work. Harm told me he just wanted to drive his vette since the weather's nice, but I don't believe him. I would if he wasn't avoiding me. He's stayed out of the break room, and he went to lunch without me.

Not only am I prosecuting a case that Harm's mad at me about but the person who should be my star witness is threatening to commit perjury. I just got back from interviewing the widow and she doesn't want her husband's death ruled anything but an accident. Of course, if it's an accident she gets a tidy sum from the Navy and won't have to worry as much about how she's going to raise her son. She's got no job and no college degree. She's not qualified to do anything that would pay enough to support a child.

I told her I could subpoena her. Her response was not what a prosecuting attorney wants to hear. She told me to go ahead and subpoena her, I could make her testify but I couldn't force her to remember the last couple of conversations she and her husband had. I can't prove the pilot was suicidal without her testimony, but I may not be able to prove it with her testimony either. Actually if she follows through on her threat, putting her on the stand may help make Harm's case instead of mine.

Maybe I should go talk to Harm and see if we can reach a plea bargain.

Mac's Office
1850 Hours
3/18/2004

I need to get home. Harm turned me down on the plea bargain. Actually he told me I was nuts to even suggest it, his client was not guilty and there was no way they were even going to consider a plea bargain.

I had to stay late and work on my prosecution strategy. The thing is I promised Harm I'd be home in time to help get the boys ready for bed and I'm not going to make it. I should be able to get home before AJ goes to bed but Harm's going to have to handle getting the boys ready. I meant to leave earlier but I was talking to the widow again to see if I could get her to be reasonable.

I pack up my laptop and my files so that I can head home. I hope I can get some more work done tonight so that I don't have to cram it all in during the weekend. I wonder if I should stop and pick up some takeout for dinner. I decide against it. I don't want to get home any later than I have to.

Harm and Mac's house
1935 Hours
3/18/2004

"Hey everybody, I'm home."

"Hey, Mac."

I head in the direction of Mattie's voice. I find her in the kitchen doing the dishes.

"Hi, Mattie. Where is everybody?"

"Jimmy's in bed and Harm's reading AJ a story before bedtime."

"Oh, okay."

"What did you have for dinner?"

"Spaghetti. We left you some in the fridge."

"Thanks." I take the gladware container out of the fridge and pop it into the microwave.

"Hey Mac?"

"Yeah."

"What's going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you're working late and Harm's grouchy. I figure something has to be wrong."

I knew Mattie was a smart kid.

" I recommended charges in relationship to that crash Harm and I investigated. Harm didn't agree with my recommendation, now we're on opposite sides in the case. I'm prosecuting and Harm's defending. I had to work late because my case isn't coming together like I thought it would. So, Harm's grouchy huh?"

"Yeah, I was asking him about the crash and he snapped at me. He also was upset when you weren't home in time to help get the boys ready for bed."

"Okay, I'll go talk to him. Why don't you go work on your homework?"

"I'm going. I'm going." Mattie rolls her eyes just like Chloe does when I suggest something she doesn't want to do.

I rinse my dishes and put them in the dishwasher before heading upstairs. Harm and I meet in the hallway outside AJ's room.

"You're home."

"Yeah, sorry I'm late. I'm having some problems with my case."

"What's the matter? It not the slam dunk you expected? You know, Mac, sometimes a duck is just a duck."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"This was an accident, plain and simple. You just wanted charges because to you the words are more important than the actions."

"Excuse me?" Who does he think he is?

"Well it's true, Mac, actions speak louder than words for everybody I know but you. You take whatever anybody says as one hundred percent truth even when their actions say something else."

"Really? What makes you think that?" We're both yelling now.

"Let's see. You accept a ring from a man you've never dated. Clayton takes you on a mission to Paraguay and almost gets you tortured and killed yet you start a relationship with him after he expresses interest. I say not yet and you hear never. My having an immediate answer to your question was more important than the fact I followed you halfway around the world. Oh, I resign my commission and spend my own money to come rescue you in Paraguay but when I don't immediately say I love you, I get told that we'll never work because we both want to be on top. I didn't want to be on top, Mac, I just wanted to be with the woman I loved."

I'm in shock. I can't say anything. Harm looks at me for a second.

"I should have known you wouldn't have anything to say."

Thirty-nine seconds later I hear the door to the garage slam. Ten seconds after that I hear the garage door being opened. He left but I still can't move.

Then I hear the crying. I look around and discover AJ and Mattie standing at the bottom of the stairs. They heard us and know Harm left. AJ's bawling and Mattie is trying to calm him down even though she's crying too. The sight of my kids, and I do think of them as mine, crying snaps me out of my stupor and I move to calm the two of them down, all the while making promises to fix this mess. If I only knew how.