Hey gang! Today I am a happy camper, I feel better, hacking up less of my lungs and Hunter (the 80s cop show) was picked up by TV Land and is having a marathon today. Tee Hee! I remember watching that when I was a kid. Loved it! :D Anyway. . . here is a another fluffish (if that is even a word) Harm and Mac part for you guys. The next parts have been a pain, but fun to write. I should have them posted either very late tomorrow or sometime on Monday depending on how much work I have to do tomorrow night.

XBlueShadowX, LieutenantjgMegAustin , maidenpride21, froggy0319, Navy Babe, Hieros Gamos, Charmboy4, blonde-brain, Anaika Skywalker, Charmboy4, zeilfanaat, Nikki, jaggurl, achaon, cbw, Manda May, FoxyWombat, zeilfanaat, Jackia & Jenny, for all the feedback. :)

Enjoy!
Jackie

Part 8 – Fights, Countdowns and Mistletoe
Christmas Eve
0030 Zulu
Robert's Home
Rosslyn, Virginia

(Note: There will be no Coates & No Sergie, that just complicates things!)

The months heading towards the Holidays went off without any real problems. Harm and Mac learned to juggle both their personal and business relationship, which, for the most part, they handled rather well. There were arguments, but it's Harm and Mac we're talking about, when you put together two passionate (read: stubborn) people, there are bound to be arguments. Most were handled well, with the exception of one that left them both reeling. . .

Sturgis had started dating Bobbi Latham, something that didn't bother Harm in the least, actually, he gave them his blessing. However, one evening, when Harm and Mac met with Sturgis and AJ in a local bar, things got sketchy. The JAG crew had been noticing that their faithful leader seemed somewhat gruffer than usual. Figuring it had to do with his lack of a personal relationship, Harm and Sturgis jumped in trying to help. The result was an attractive, blond member of congress that had her hands all over Harm. "Uh, you did tell her she was here to meet an Admiral NOT a Commander didn't you, Bobbi?" Harm said with an amused grin as Bobbi's friend Cindy, eyed Harm from across the room. (Don't remember the actual girls name or what she did and I am too lazy to check. . . :P)

At the bar, a very annoyed Lt. Colonel sat by wanting to stake Cindy through the heart with the small plastic sword impaling the olive in her tonic water and lemon. It wasn't that she was jealous per se (though we knew she was), it was more of a problem that Harm wasn't doing a damned thing to show he was no longer in the running. It was her fault of course, seeing as a month earlier he wanted to come clean with his friends and she decided to keep them a secret at least until after the Holidays.

Harm had noted Mac's glare and figured she was just seeing green and everything would be fine. That was, of course, until they got to his apartment and the argument went into full bloom. "Were you even planning on getting her hand OFF of your lap, Rabb? Or were you doing that just to make me get pissed at you?"

"Hey, it wouldn't have happened I you'd let me tell our friends that we're an item." He countered with a satisfied smirk that Mac wanted to slap away and did. "What the hell was that for?"

Truthfully, she had no idea why she had just slapped him only that she felt some sort of feminine pride at knocking that smile away. "Do you want to be with me?"

Harm sighed dramatically, "I hate when you get this way. . . you manage to zap the fun out of everything."

That was the straw that broke the camel's back, at least for Mac. Can we say miscommunication? "I am sorry that I zapped the fun out of your time with little miss all over you like a cheap suit." Grabbing her purse and briefcase, Mac headed towards the door. "I won't let it happen again."

He reached out to stop her, but Mac just snaked her arm out of his. "I didn't mean it that way."

"I don't care how you meant it. . ." She snapped at him and left. As she drove home, Mac couldn't help the tears she was crying. "Damnit." She swore, slamming her hand against the steering wheel. "Damn you, Harm."

It was hours later, when he didn't receive a call from Mac, and his rational side beat out the argument with his macho side, that Harm decided it was time to mend fences. As he was heading out to Mac's, he opened the door, surprised to find her on the other side. "I heard once that you should never go to bed angry at the one you love."

"My grandmother told me the same thing." Harm said with a soft smile. "Harmon, never let the sun set on an argument." He opened the door wider for her to enter and watched as she walked in and stood before him.

"I am sorry I slapped you, it was uncalled for. . ." Sighing, she brushed away a stray hair and suddenly found and interesting spot on the floor. "I don't normally go around beating my boyfriends. . . I'm not a female version of my father."

"I never thought that, Mac." Harm sighed then smiled slightly. "I could have been a bit smoother with. . .uh. . .what did you call her?"

"Little miss all over you like a cheap suit." She said, resisting the urge to grin.

Tucking his hand under her chin, Harm raised her head up. "I can't promise we won't fight ever again, though I wish I could. . ."

"Neither of us can promise that, Harm. . . It'd be foolish to try. . . but we can promise each other to listen and speak rationally rather than close up and yell."

Leaning in Harm kissed her softly and smiled. "I like that idea." Mac took on of his hands in hers and tugged him towards the bedroom. "Uh, Mac?"

"Shhh. . . it's called 'makeup sex' flyboy. . ." She said with a grin, pushing Harm onto the his bed.

Harm was remembering that night particularly as he walked into Harriet's kitchen and leaned lightly against the door jam watching Mac preparing more deviled eggs for the annual Robert's Christmas party. She looked incredible to him wearing something that resembled a business suit with light red, almost pinkish lapels. Her hair was slicked back and she was wearing a pair of earrings that were a gift from him, just a few months ago on her birthday. Harm couldn't wait to get home and see what was under the suit. Smoothly coming to his feet, he sauntered across the kitchen and placed his hands on either side, trapping Mac between him and the kitchen counter. His mouth sought out a certain spot on her neck that always made her giggle.

Biting her lower lip, Mac leaned back against him, turning her head slightly to allow him more access. "Mmmm, sailor . . . you might wanna save that for later."

Harm growled lightly and resumed kissing her neck. "Couldn't help myself, Mac. . .You did promise to show me what you had underneath. . . I was hoping to steal a peak." His hands came around her waist as they melted into each other oblivious that there was someone nearby.

"Ahem." Walking into the kitchen was non-other that Admiral AJ Chegwidden. He nearly howled in laughter when Mac and Harm instantly came apart and snapped to attention. Smiling, he walked into the kitchen and searched the fridge. "Harriet asked me to grab the eggnog." Taking the carton, AJ placed it on the kitchen island and moved his arms across his chest, still maintaining somewhat of a pleased smirk. "Lovely party isn't it?"

"Yes, sir." His senior attorney's said in unison.

AJ grabbed the eggnog and turned away chuckling. "As you were."

Harm and Mac slowly came out of attention and looked at each other before they shared nervous laughter. "That was. . ."

"Odd." Mac supplied for him. With a sigh, she turned, grabbed the deviled eggs and gave Harm a kiss on the cheek. "Let's join the party shall we?"

Wrapping his hand around Mac's arm, he gently stopped her from leaving. "Wait a sec." Sighing, he leaned against the kitchen island. "Come with me tonight. . . to the wall."

Mac placed the tray on the island and studied Harm for a moment, he was being serious. "I can't. . . it's not my place."

Taking her hand in his, Harm squeezed slightly. "I want you there. . ." Sighing, he leaned forward and whispered. "I need you to be there, Sarah."

The color of his eyes seemed to intensify as he requested for her to be by his side. Sure, she had been to the wall before and even recalled going to the wall to find Harm, but it was his moment with his father. It was supposed to be special for him and something that she didn't have a right to be part of. She figured that after the Christmas Mass, she would head over to her place and he would join her later. To have him want her there, held a special meaning in her heart. "Okay."

Leaning in farther, Harm kissed her gently on the lips and then smiled genuinely. "Thank you."

The party was it's usual success and Harriet the happy hostess. The whole JAG crew was there, as they usually were for most get togethers. It was, when they were leaving the party to hear Chaplain Turner's Christmas sermon, that it happened. Little AJ sauntered into the room holding Tiner's hand and pointed upward to a sprig of mistletoe that Harriet had under the front door. Who was standing under it? Non-other than Harm and Mac. "Aunt Mac. . . Kiss Uncle Harm."

Ever since Christmas preparations stared, AJ had been curious as to why mommy had been hanging leaves on doors. Harriet explained, as best she could, that each time someone wound up under that sprig they had to kiss the person standing next to him. Little AJ had become very good at trying to get either him or his parents under the sprig, but had forgotten all about it when the JAG crew had arrived for the party. Now, seeing two of his favorite people under the sprig, he couldn't help himself. The little blond boy bounced up and down, pointing at the mistletoe. "Uncle Harm kiss Aunt Mac."

Harm and Mac exchanged smiles as both turned a lovely shade of pink. Though their surrogate family guessed that they were an item, nothing was officially announced. Hence, why being discovered by the Admiral was such an awkward moment. His arms came around Mac, holding her closer than you would someone who was just a partner. Her arms wrapped around Harm's neck, drawing him in. As they kissed, they felt the whole room disappear until they heard little AJ giggling right next to them. Harm and Mac broke apart, a bit too consumed with each other to notice that they just had a little make out session in front of their co-workers. If there was anyone who doubted the depth of Harm and Mac's current relationship status, the doubts ended the moment their lips met.

New Year's Eve
0445 Zulu
AJ Chegwidden's House
McLean, Virginia

"It's wonderful for you to have a New Years Eve party, Admiral." Bud said with a smile as the Admiral began handing out champagne.

"I see your suit hasn't befallen any. . . problems this evening Mr., Roberts?" AJ grinned referring to Bud's uncanny ability to destroy his wardrobe during certain functions.

Bud shook his head and chuckled. "It's still early, sir."

Harm and Mac stood to the side, chatting about Chloe and how her father had planned to go camping with her after the holidays. "I never really did the camping thing when I was a kid. . . I would just grab sheets, put them all over the room and pretend that was my tent." Sighing, he shook his head and frowned. "After dad went MIA, mom wouldn't let me out of her sights much, so joining the boy scouts just didn't happen."

Mac chuckled, imagining little Harm securely placing sheets all over his room. "But, I heard you did the camping thing when you were older. . . in fact, Pops at the airfield specifically mentioned you flying off with an attractive woman and not returning until morning." It was the first time that they had gone flying and Mac was standing by Harm's plane waiting for him to arrive. Pops, the former caretaker of the hanger and a friend had stumbled on a conversation about the Naval Officer, his plane and the women who had flown with him, only to return in the morning.

Harm flashed several different colors and nearly choked on the champagne he was drinking. "That ah. . . was a long time ago."

"So was that what you were trying the day we had to make an emergency pit stop in the Appalachians?" Mac mused on winking seductively at him. "You know, that whole fuel line problem?"

"Noooo. . . that was genuine." He flashed a satisfied grin then leaned in to whisper. "You were completely jealous when I mentioned the name 'Sarah' weren't you?"

Nonchalantly she shrugged and took a sip of her apple juice. "Yea, well, you clarified it rather well."

"Commander, I need your help with something." AJ pulled Harm away from Mac walking him towards where Matonni and the Gunny were exchanging a conversation suited for Harm's knowledge on Navy vessels.

Mac watched him from across the room, passionately giving details to the men, laughing along with AJ who had made a joke. She sighed, happy at the complete feeling she had around him. To think that if they never would have had to eject over the Atlantic, she would have either been in Australia or worst off, standing at this very spot with someone she didn't truly love.

Mic had sent her a Christmas card, apparently, for all of the love he felt for her, he too managed to move on. He was married now, working on a family with an English woman he had met in Australia. She was some sort of liaison between the Australian Navy and some government firm. It surprised Mac that he even bothered, considering she probably ripped him to shreds. 'I hope all is well, Sarah. . . you deserve the best. Happy Holidays.' She would have written back had she not felt so guilty in regards to Mic. He was a good man and deserved the truth from her. Oh well, nothing she could do now except bury it with everything else that had happened that year.

A melancholic feeling befell Mac and she decided to take some time away from the party. Grabbing her coat, she made her way past her co-workers and outside onto AJ's porch. The night was cold, but nice, peaceful. Every single star in the sky was shining brightly. It had been earlier that year when she stood on the porch with Harm discussing the twists and turns of their odd relationship. It was then that all of her resolve crumbled and she realized that no matter who she was with, Harmon Rabb was etched in her heart forever. He was that one scar that would always show and never really heal. And the kiss, THAT kiss. The memory was permanently burned into her. Harm looked so sad when they parted as probably did she. All Mac wanted to do then was take him into her arms and forget about her wedding and his girlfriend. Sighing, she leaned against the banister caught up in memories of the roller coaster that was her life.

Harm had noticed she was missing from the party and due to that bit of Mac intuition that he had, he was sure she was out on the porch. Grabbing his own coat, he excused himself and headed outside to find Mac leaning against the banister in thought. "I can't believe things changed so drastically." She said softly, obviously knowing it was him.

"Is it bad that they changed?" He leaned up against the wall, studying her for a moment.

"Change can be a good thing." But she sounded unsure and distant, it scared him.

Something was bugging her, he didn't know what and only hoped that she would tell him. Slowly, he walked up next to her and smiled. "Change can be a great thing."

Mac nodded, closed her eyes and swallowed. Not all change was good and not all change meant things were headed in a right direction. "But it can also bring trouble."

He nodded solemnly. "Yea it can."

Mac straightened and moved closer to him, keeping only a few inches apart. "When you kissed me that night. . .I know it was wrong, but. . . for that moment when our lips met, it felt right. . . I felt I belonged to someone. . . really, truly belonged to someone."

Sighing, he moved his hands around her and held on loosely. "I know. . ."

Her lips twisted up into a grin as she rocked with him, almost dancing very slowly. "This feels right."

"I love you, Sarah. . ."

Now that was something he rarely called her. Smiling shyly, Mac picked an imaginary piece of lint from his coat and smoothed her hands over his shoulders. "I like it when you call me that. . . in private." She clarified. IT was nice to hear him call her Sarah, but that was reserved for intimate settings. She knew that to Harm, she'd always be Mac and she wouldn't want it any other way. He moved his head lower to capture her lips, but Mac stopped him. "It's almost midnight. . . twenty seconds and counting."

Harm couldn't help but chuckle. "You ever going to teach me to do that?"

"When I figure out how I can do that, sure." She gave him a playful wink and wrapped her arms around him.

"Countdown?"

Mac closed her eyes and started counting back from ten. "Ten. . . nine. . .eight. . .seven. . . six. . . five . . . four. . .three . . . two. . . one. . . Happy New Year." Her words repeated with the group inside who was a fraction of a second off. Opening her eyes, she found his gazing lovingly at her. She smiled as Harm bent down to kiss her, keeping the old lover's tradition. They kissed deeply, passionately and Harm just wrapped his arms even tighter around her. When they broke apart, Mac kissed the tip of his nose and giggled. "Your nose it cold."

"We can warm each other up later." He said with a twinkle in his eyes, but he felt an urge to kiss her again before they headed back inside so he did.

AJ went around greeting everyone as normally happened during the new year, when he noticed that Harm and Mac were missing. Stepping towards the French door that lead the way to his porch, he stopped and chuckled. "Well, would you look at that?"

The rest of the JAG crew peaked out through windows, doors and any other way possible to find Harm and Mac still deeply lost in a kiss. Well, several kisses. It was the catcalls and whistles that brought the two love struck officers back to the real world.

Mac looked at her friends and laughed along with Harm. "Well, the secret is out."

As Harm led Mac back into the house, Bud raised his glass and offered a toast. "To Harm and Mac."

When the hum drum of the New Year wound down, Harm and Mac were surprised to see just how many people were backing them. Even more amusing was the office pool that had been started the day a former Marine Major had joined the ranks at JAG. Everyone at the party had to laugh when AJ basically ordered Harm and Mac to keep it out of the office as well as get married within the next year.

The ride home for the dynamic duo was fun filled. Harm was attempting to keep the car straight on the road as Mac was attempting to be blatantly sexy. He was tempted to just park the car on the side of the road and have his way with her, but that didn't seem appropriate. Harm could just imagine the police catching them and then they would never hear the end of it back at JAG. Suffice to say, the New Year was looking to be a rather pleasant one. However, they didn't know that someone from their recent past, had found a way to put a wedge between them.

--
Froggy - I am sorry, but she will make some sort of appearance. It's okay though! We'll all hold hands and hate her together.

XBlue - Nah, the cooties were not received from me. I lysol the story before posting. :D I wouldn't want to give this to my worst enemy. . .Well. . .Muahaha.

Zeil - Yes you do have some catching up! Thanks for dropping a line :)

Navy Babe - Bask in the in the fluffyness and togetherness, the end result won't be so bad, trust me.

Nikki - Conflict rocks, things shouldn't be all fluffy all the time, would give you guys a tooth ache! LOL!

LtJGMeg - This SHOULD have happened on the show. I mean, hook them up and screw around with them. It works! methinks!