Wednesday...

"Could I speak to you for a moment, please?" Sturgis pulled him into the break room. Harm decided it wasn't really the most covert area within all of JAG. "I saw you last night."

"Where?" Harm said as he crossed his arms.

"At The Lotus, Harm," he replied bluntly, "while I walked by on the street."

Harm rolled his eyes and exhaled a breath, knowing that the submariner would preach to him about the enigmatic relationship with Mac. "Look, Sturgis, it was just-"

"I hardly think any way to treat Elizabeth! Now, Mac's is your close friend, but at the same place you went with Elizabeth last week? Have some tact, Harm. I never thought you'd two-time a woman."

Now, that he was not expecting. He pulled at his jacket distractedly and kept his gaze fixed on the floor. "It was platonic."

"She was hardly dressed for a working dinner," Sturgis murmured.

"If I went out with you and Mac that night, would it bother Elizabeth?"

"I guess not-"

"So, there," he finished and blew past his friend. He turned around and puffed up his chest slightly as he said for good measure, "Besides, Liz and I are keeping it open." That is it, he decided, I am officially insane. Why in the name of God would he indulge in this stupid charade?

Sturgis shook his head and chuckled quietly. "Sorry, I shouldn't have meddled, but I'm just tired of seeing you screw things up, especially after how much Mac told me you liked that girl."

"Thanks," Harm replied sarcastically and left without another word.

In the bullpen, an ecstatic looking Alan Mattoni pulled him aside. "Harm, haven't had the chance to talk to you in a while."

"I'm a bit busy right now," Harm started, eyeing his office with desperation. "Could you come back some time later?"

The wide grin on Mattoni's face fell slightly, and Harm felt a pang of guilt. "It'll just take a minute. The wife and I are having a little get-together next Friday, dinner, wine and all that."

"So?" Harm snapped, knowing he sounded far too rude.

Mattoni arched a brow and put his hands up in surrender. "I thought you'd like to come. You can bring Liz with you too. The more the merrier?"

"Liz?" Harm said, losing his footing for a moment.

"Yeah," he said slowly, "weren't you seeing someone named Liz? Colonel Mackenzie may have misinformed me."

"Mac told you?" Harm frowned. She would be taking him out to the Ritz if that was true. "I think Liz may be busy that day. But, I'll be there," he said quickly and dismissed himself before Mattoni could put another word in.

Mac was still in court, so admonishing her would be out of the question for now, he decided as he made quick strides across the vast expanse between him and the other side of the bullpen. Before he could retreat to the safety of his office, Harriet buzzed behind him and handed him a file. He took it with a small grunt of reply before her voice stopped him again. "Sir," she started hesitantly.

If it had anything to do with one Elizabeth Vandelay, he'd scream and rip his hair out. "Yes?" he forced out shakily with a smile.

"I hear you're seeing someone," she smiled and arched an eyebrow suggestively. "Good for you, Commander. What's her name?"

Damnit.

Did the JAG office have nothing better to do? Were there not actual legal matters to tend to? Did nothing take priority over his non-existent personal life?

Tiner came up behind them and crossed his arms confidently. "Elizabeth Vandelay, Ma'am. I met her myself about a year ago when the Admiral and General Vandelay were meeting for lunch, she's very nice," he said as he bounced visibly on his heels in that naïve way of his.

"Petty Officer?" Harm glared forcefully and the young man took a step back.

"Admiral's office, Commander," Tiner stuttered and scurried away in the direction he came. Harm trudged away indignantly, leaving a wake of uncertainty behind him as he did so.

TBC (sorry for the relatively short chapter...next one's longer, I promise. Thanks for all of the reviews)