AN-Hi guys. Thanks for all the reviews, greatly appreciated. Here is another chapter. I was going to post sooner, but the real world caught up in the forms of exams and had to spend a greater part of the weekend studying. Enjoy this, I know I enjoyed writing it. (PS - They will be getting engaged soon)

Chapter Thirty Five

1100 EST

Harm's House

King George, VA

Harm pulled into the driveway right after Mac did. He helped Mattie out of the car. Over the top of the house he could see that the Ferris wheel was up and he could see the ticket booth being resurrected. He helped Mattie up the stairs of the house where Mac and Mackenzie were waiting for them.

"Hey Mac, you are looking all sweaty. How's my baby girl?" He tickled her tummy. He lifted her up and smelled the sour milk. "Mac, did you jiggle her again?"

"What, she loves it. It is only in the car when she gets a little sick." She smiled at him. "Besides she loves wearing her bananas and milk in the park."

"Ugh. I'll take her in the shower with me so she can get clean again, I guess I'll take downstairs. It looks like my mother has already laid out our clothes. You would think she would let me pick out my own clothes."

"Well, flyboy, she has laid mine out too."

Mattie started laughing at them. "Wait a minute, mine are down here too. Gram!" Mattie shouted as she got inside. "Mac, did you see what dad got me?" She dangled the bracelet up.

"It's beautiful." His mother said descending the stairs looking like a million dollars. "Mathilda darling, you really shouldn't scream like that. It isn't good for the vocal chords. Now what do you need?"

"Mom, why are our clothes laid out?"

"Naturally, to make sure everything is in good working order," AJ said coming out of the bathroom downstairs. "You guys are running late. Commander, I suggest you get ready, you have to debrief the security crew who are coming in 30 minutes. Colonel, you have to help Harriet with the bake goods stand."

Harm and Mac looked at each other and grabbed their clothes. He grabbed a diaper for Mackenzie. While putting things up in his house, he had learned that he needed to keep certain things accessible for easy access. He kept diapers in the nursery, in his bedroom, in a basket in the hall closet, the pool house, and his office. His mom laughed when she realized how many hiding places he could find. He went into the downstairs bathroom and took his shower.

Harm walked out of bathroom a couple minutes later after singing Jailhouse Rocks to Mackenzie. He was wearing a pair of cargo khakis and a navy blue polo shirt. Mac was coming down the stairs wearing a white linen A-line skirt that fell mid calf and a yellow three quarter length sleeve baby fit shirt. Mattie came down after Mac wearing a pair of bootcut jeans paired with a brown belt and a t-shirt that sported the American flag. Harm picked up the dress that his mother had bought for Mackenzie, a little navy blue dress, trimmed with white with dandelions all over it. They stood in front of his mother for inspection.

"Ok Mom, does this meet your inspection."

"Yes, and don't you guys look darling. I couldn't resist myself yesterday when I went shopping."

Harm looks at his mom, and said, "I think you should start resisting yourself."

Jen came in wearing almost the same outfit as Mattie, just with a red shirt with the American flag on it. "Commander, the Admiral just pulled up. Gram, thanks for the clothes."

"Okay, thank you Jennifer. Watch the baby Mac, I have to go find shoes."

"No you don't Harm, I got all three of you new Rainbow flip-flops. Your shoes were so old, I wanted to replace them."

"Trish, I don't know what to say other than thank you." Mac said.

"I want to get a family picture," AJ said as he walked into the room. Jen started to slip out of the room. "That includes you too Jennifer." Harm's parents, Jen, Mattie, Harm, and Mac holding Mackenzie all stood in front of the staircase. AJ snapped the picture. "Mr. and Mrs. Burnett, you have a very lovely family."

"Yeah, I think Mom and Frank did well raising me," Harm said. "Now if you will excuse me, I am going to check on that little surprise we talked about."

Frank stood there stunned for a moment. Trish looked at her husband. Mac handed Mackenzie to her grandparents. "You know, to this day, he is still amazing me."

"Mac, I know the feeling." Frank commented.

"Jen, get out here!" Harm called to her. Outside there were two Jeep Liberties fully loaded. Jen and the entire JAG family along with his parents stepped out on the front porch. "I am assuming my parents have already told you about the car."

"You were in on it?"

"Of course. I picked out the color – the green one."

"Well, tomorrow morning, after we get finished cleaning up after the carnival I would love to take you out for a ride, and to lunch," Jen said to her former roommate. "If it is okay with Harm of course."

"Yeah Jen, its okay with me."

"Frank, what is the other car for?" Mac asked him.

"Well, Harm and I thought we could sell off raffle tickets for the car, winner gets the car."

"It's too much." Mac said.

"Well, it is a last year model that hasn't sold yet, and it has 4,000 miles on it from test drives. So, we can use this as another tax write off," he explained. "Harm actually came up with the idea."

They set the car up in the front lawn, and Jen moved her new car off to the garage area. They watched as a group of Marines dropped in. Harm walked over to them, and gave them the rundown, and gave them a list of people who would only be allowed in the house. The JAG crew all had to work an hour at the booths, and other military personal around the area all pitched in. It was the SecNav's idea. The Harm and Mac would take the first hour at the ticket booth. They all went to their places and waited for the people to start coming.

1300 EST

Harm's House

Fourth of July Carnival

Harm, Mac, and Mackenzie worked the ticket booth for the first hour. The tickets were 50 cents a piece or 25 for ten dollars. The children of the military personal could by an armband for 10 dollars and ride as many rides as they wanted, but still had to pay for games and food. The SecNav arrived at the carnival followed by the ZNN crew.

Harm and Mac stood up to greet him. "Sir, how can we help you?"

"ZNN is going to do a piece on how the military helps families all over the world, including here in the US. I thought this would be a feel good piece."

"That's fine."

"Who is the owner of this house?" The SecNav asked.

"Actually sir, I am." Harm answered. He was surprised that the SecNav didn't know that it was his place. "All the shots have to be outside, I don't want anyone watching the news in Leavenworth seeing the inside of my house, or the house for that matter."

Harm's parents walked up behind them to take Mackenzie around the carnival. "Harm, we are here to relieve you of Mackenzie."

"Thanks Mom. It's about time for her lunch. The guard knows to let you guys in the house. Mom, let me introduce you to the Secretary of the Navy. Mr. Secretary, this is my mom, Trish Burnett, and my dad, Frank Burnett."

"It is a pleasure to meet your both. Mrs. Burnett, may I say that the country is forever indebted to you."

"I know," Trish answered. "But, we all know that there is a price for freedom. Now, Mr. Secretary, would you like it if I were to show you around Harm's home. I believe Admiral Jonas is talking to the head marine guard inside."

"That would be lovely Mrs. Burnett."

Frank stood there for a moment looking at the child he has always regarded to as a son. "Harm, thank you for introducing me like that."

"Frank, truth of the matter being is that I was rotten to you. I never gave you a chance, but you are my dad in every sense of the word."

"Still, thank you." A crowd of people were coming up to buy their tickets. They gave each other a nod, and with that Frank went to join his wife.

Mac looked at him and said, "You know, I think becoming a father has made you soft."

"No, being a father to a teenager and a baby changes your perspective. You should know that. And it's true, he is my dad. I don't think I can ever really call him that title, but at least now he knows how I feel."

The rush of customers was getting closer to the ticket booth. Harm and Mac's moment was lost in a sea of people wanting to buy tickets or bracelets. They sold so many tickets in the first hour, they lost count of how much money was actually collected. Harm got on the radio, and called for the marine guard to change out the lock boxes. When they were relieved by the next group of people, Harm went off to find his family.

It had been decided since Harm and his family had donated the land that they wouldn't have to pay for anything. Harm grabbed Mac's hand and led her into the backyard where the SecNav immediately spotted them.

"Commander, I must compliment you on your beautiful home and beautiful family."

"Thank you Mr. Secretary."

"Do you think you could meet up with the rest of the JAG officers and your parents down at the stable? We thought it would be the best place to set up so we didn't capture your house in any of the shots."

"We are on our way."

Harm and Mac made their way down to the stable. "Harm, look at all these people. I never expected such a turn out."

"Neither did I." They stopped and gazed at the American flag that Harm had started flying the day that they bought the house. He even went as far as getting a pole resurrected for it.

"It's beautiful isn't it." Mac commented.

"It wouldn't be my color choice," he joked, "But what is beautiful are the women and men serving underneath it. I can think of one beauty in particular."

She swatted his arm. "Dad, Mac, we are all over here. Come on and do this stupid interview so we can get back to the fun."

Harm and Mac stopped their moment of reverie when they hear Mattie's voice. He took her hand and led her to the stables.

"Rabb, it is always nice to see you. Tell me, how did you end up hosting a carnival?" Chuck de Palma asked him.

"How did you end up covering a fluff piece?" He countered back.

"He didn't." Stuart Dunston said from behind. "I did."

"I'm here with my granddaughters. She wanted to ride the horse." Chuck said. "These are friendly creatures right Rabb?"

"Of course. Can we get this started? Mackenzie has to go down for her nap soon." Harm said.

Mac was holding her daughter on her hip. For some reason, Harm couldn't resist himself. He walked over to her, tilted her chin up, and kissed her. "You are so beautiful."

Harm and Mac was totally oblivious to the world at that moment. The camera started rolling, and the JAG crew started talking about how the carnival had started out as a simple picnic, and then escaladed into a project to raise money. Stuart got the interview he wanted and told the camera crew to stick around to capture more of the events. They had resurrected a dance floor with a DJ where they would be able to call everyone together for the raffle.

Harm's mom walked up to them, "You guys did a really good job."

"Thanks Mom. We couldn't have done it without the backing of you and Frank."

"Well, we do run a business Harm. You know, a business that supported you for awhile too."

"Yeah Mom I know."

"Trish stop harassing Harm, and let him be. Why don't me and you go to the dance floor and go cut a rug."

"That would be lovely Frank," Trish answered him.

"Thanks Frank," Harm mouthed to him.

Mattie found another camp counselor, and they went their own separate ways, but not without giving her father a hug.

"Max, keep an eye on her. If she gets dizzy find me straight away."

"I will sir."

"Thank you."

Harm and Mac decided to go to the dance floor where he found many people beginning to gather for the beginning of the dance contest. Harm's mother walked up to the DJ and whispered something in his ear. Harm had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach when it came to his mother. The contest started Harm and Mac sat on the bleachers in each other's arms. They contest consisted of three different dances: the cha cha, the mambo, and the tango. They were going to be judged by a local dance troop that came in and wanted to volunteer at the carnival. Harm thought this event had Harriet written all over it. They watched the contest progress. The camera crew from ZNN even stayed to tape a portion of it.

The mambo portion of the contest came on. Harm's mother was sitting in the next to him with a look on her face. Jen came down and sat next to them.

"Sir, ma'am how are you enjoying the contest so far?"

"It has been delightful to watch. Who came up with this idea?"

"Actually sir, it was mine. I always loved dancing."

Just then, a face from long ago appeared next to them.

"Hells bells, if it isn't Jason Tiner." AJ said.

"Jen, I entered us in the mambo, are you ready to show these old timers what being young still feels like?"

"Sure Jase." Jen winked at her family, and started dancing with Tiner. Mac watched them move. It seemed as if they were doing the dance from Dirty Dancing.

At the end of their dance, even their old CO was up on his feet applauding the officers he had come to regard as his children.

"Are you two together?"

"No, I ran into Jason at the library at school and told him about the carnival. He wanted to come in a surprise everyone." Jen answered her former CO.

The judges looked at each other and they nodded to the DJ as a signal to show they were ready to judge the next dance, the tango. Harm was playing with Mackenzie and wasn't listening to the DJ.

"The Tango is one of the most sensual dances that are danced in the world today. But it did not start off as so. The story of the Tango, as so it is told is that is started off with gauchos of Argentina. The gauchos would go to the crowded bars in Argentina after work to ask the women to dance with them. Since the gaucho didn't shower, the woman would often dance in the crook of his right arm holding her head back. The women would dance with their hand close to the man's pocket as if for asking for payment for dancing with them. The curvy fashion of the dance originated due to them having to dance around the rounded tables of the night club.

Now we call upon the couples to get ready to show off their flirtatious dancing. We have a Raymond and Nikki de la Cruz, Jesse and Anita Longthorn, and Harmon Rabb with Sarah Mackenzie."

Harm and Mac's heads shot up. The rest of the JAG crew sat there and hooted at them.

"Mother!"

"Well Harmon, Frank and I did pay for ballroom dancing lessons for you, you might as well use them."

"I'm wearing flipflops. Besides you made me take ballroom dancing due to all those stupid functions you made me go to."

"Come on out and join the other two groups, Sarah and Harmon wherever you are!" The DJ called them.

Mattie came up with Max. "Dad, Mom, I got different shoes for you. Please Dad, you never told me you could dance. I have heard stories about you two dancing at different events. I would dance, but . . ." she pointed to her cast.

"Colonel, Commander, do I have to make it an order?" Admiral Jonas said showing up with Alina, his granddaughter.

"I guess not sir." Harm and Mac while holding Mackenzie went out onto the dance floor and waved to the crowd. The judges took a good look at them, and the crowd clapped.

They took their seats as the first couple did a very stiff rendition of the tango. Harm put on the pair of shoes that Mattie brought out to him, and Mac was adjusting the straps on her shoes. "Commander, it is a pleasant surprise to learn you have talents other than flying." Admiral Jonas joked with him.

He watched the second couple dance on the floor. He smiled, they definitely had the rhythm down. He was thankful that the DJ kept switching the tango music. His mother winked at the DJ as he announced Harm and Mac's names.

"You with me on this Marine?"

"If there is one thing they taught us in boot is how to dance!" she laughed smiling at him.

"Well, now I know we are going to lose." Harm walked past the DJ stand to get to his side of the dance floor. He noticed a bouquet of roses on the record stand and discretely picked one up.

Tango417 (True Lies Tango) came on the loud speakers with Mac diagonally opposite of him on the dance floor. The sound of the strings came on and Harm found Mac's eyes from across the room, and he made his way over to her. He stopped over in the middle of the dance floor, and beckoned her over with his finger. As if a magnet was pulling her to him, she glided to meet him in the middle.

He pulled the rose out from his back pocket, and ran it down her check, and placed it in his mouth. Right before the piano stomp, she ran her hand up the material of the polo shirt, across the hard planes of his chest. She cupped his cheek, heard the infamous piano stomp, placed her hand on the rose, took it from his mouth and stomped five times and placed the rose in her mouth. He grabbed her, shoving her body into his. She ran her hand down to his thigh, and grabbed and pressed her body into him.

Harm and Mac never lost eye contact. They moved in a curvy motion across the dance floor in quick succession with the music. Her head was placed in the crook of his arm. At the very end he dipped her low, ran his hand up her side, he cupped her cheek, took the rose for her mouth. He gave her kiss and handed the rose to her. She laughed.

"Well Colonel, I definitely went to the wrong boot camp." He whispered in her ear, causing his breath to touch her neck, eliciting a feeling she never knew before. Unbeknownst to them, the crowd looked on in silence, watching the sensuality between the two rush in like the ocean tide. It was Stuart Dunston who broke the silence with an applause and a standing ovation from the crowd. Harm went back and sat with his parents leading Mac off the dance floor.

"Well Harm, if I had known you could dance so well, I would have made you dance with me more," his mother said. "Thank you for doing that with him Sarah. I hope he didn't step on your feet too much."

"Well, I did get a thorn in the mouth."

"Where did you learn how to dance like that Mac," AJ asked.

"Boot," She said laughing.

TBC