Mac was sitting at the bar of McMurphy's Tavern a couple hours later, fingering a glass, staring intently at it's contents and debating whether or not she was going to drink them when she heard a throat clear behind her. She turned around on the barstool to find herself face to face with Harm. "Hi," she whispered.

"Hi yourself." Harm said just as softly. He took mental note of the fact that she'd been crying.

"You haven't been back to the office yet?" She gestured at him, noting he was still wearing his summer whites.

"Um…yeah…I dropped Bud off, saw the Admiral so he could finish chewing me out, and finished up my paperwork real quick… I just thought I'd stop by on my way home and see if there was anything you needed, but you weren't there. I figured you might have gone out so…" Harm just let that sentence hang. After all, there was no point in telling her he'd already looked in three other locations trying to find out where she had gone so they could talk.

"My apartment isn't exactly on your way home, Harm, and McMurphy's isn't either." The minute she said that she regretted it. She didn't want to try and make him explain anything. It'd only lead to a fight. She quickly added, "I think I'm fine, though. Thanks anyway."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"Alright, I'll ah, I guess I'll see you when you come back to the office unless you need something before…then." He stopped talking as he noticed the dark soda in her glass with a fresh cut of lime on one of those plastic sword things. "What's that?" He asked pointing.

She blocked his view. "Nothing." She said sharply. Rum and Coke just didn't seem like the right answer.

"Don't lie to me."

Mac could have groaned aloud. She had hoped he'd come back with a patronizing 'Mac' so she could just say 'Don't Mac me, Harmon' and then tell him to leave her the hell alone. But no, he'd caught her with the good old honor trap, and now she felt guilty. Not only had she come within seconds of falling off the wagon again, he was just being his usual protective self.

He interrupted her train of thought, "Come on, Mac. Talk to me." He took a slow step forward and put his fingers under her chin, lifting it up so he could look her in the eyes. "Please?"

Now he'd gone and done it. He'd pulled the trump card: he asked nicely staring straight at her with those soft blue eyes of his. She felt the pressure building behind her eyes. Before she could stop them, the tears started to flow all over again. "Harm…"

He wasted no time slapping some money on the bar to pay for the drink, and pulled her outside into the alley. He swept her into a huge hug. "Hey, hey, hey. What's this? It's okay, Mac." His voice was so warm, gentle.

"No it's not," she sobbed. Her own Suck-it-up-Marine speech just didn't seem to be working the way it was supposed to. "Everyone probably thinks I'm a complete nut case…I haven't seen anyone in weeks…Clay is God knows where…"

Harm sighed. "Shh, no one thinks you're a…nut case, everyone ELSE was going crazy because you weren't there to keep JAG running smoothly, and Clay will call you as soon as he can, I'm sure."

She sniffled, "You probably hate me for what I said in the hospital, and I don't even know how I…" More sniffles.

Harm's heart sank. So she didn't love him, or at the very least, she wouldn't admit to it. Not that he should really be surprised. Sturgis and Mac had that conversation years ago. "Oh, Mac. I don't hate you. Why would you think so? I know we haven't been getting along lately, but I certainly don't hate you. And is all of this really worth drinking over?"

"Yes!" She half sobbed, half screamed, although it was somewhat muffled by Harm's chest. Deep down, she knew nothing was worth drinking for again, but a little voice in her head kept saying: take another sip and everything will start to feel better. She tried to pull away, but Harm wouldn't let her.

"No, Mac."

"Let go, Harm. I'm fine. I can take care of myself, I'm a-"

"You're a marine, I know." Harm finished for her. "That doesn't mean they know when to stop drinking when they should. I was Recon for a while, remember?"

She smirked. "Yeah, and you almost got yourself killed."

"Minor technicality."

"They were going to level the exercise area. It was anything but minor. I almost lost my oak leaves because of it."

"Mac," he spoke with the same gentle tone and pulled her chin up again to look her in the eye. "Do you think you still deserve those oak leaves if you get drunk tonight?"

"It doesn't matter anymore. I can't face anyone in that office ever again, especially you." She tried again to pull out of his grasp, but he held his firm grip. "Harm, let…go!" she said, pulling even harder.

"I'm not gonna let you go back in there Mac."

"It's none of your damn business! NOW LET…GO!"

Three men, obviously college students from their hooded "Georgetown" sweatshirts, but all almost as tall and just as muscular as Harm stepped into the alley on their way to the bar. "Hey, lady? This guy bothering you?" the one in front asked.

"Yes," "No," Mac and Harm said simultaneously.

"I think you'd better leave, pal. The lady doesn't want you here."

"She might not want me here, but she needs me here."

"No I don't." Mac finally shrugged out of Harm's grasp and headed back for the door.

"Mac, wait. Let me at least stay with you and drive you home when you're ready." Harm reached out to grab her elbow, but was forcefully yanked backwards by two of the guys behind him who firmly held onto his arms.

"Dude, the lady said no now back off!"

"Uuuhhh." Mac turned around when she heard the unmistakable smacking sound of a fist hitting a face. She quickly turned around to see one of the three landing two quick punches into Harm's ribs, and Harm immediately reacting by elbowing the guy on his left in the stomach and winding up to take a swing at the guy who had hit him.

"NO! Stop it! It's okay." The guys trying to hold Harm immediately let go of him and he slowly put his hands on his knees, gasping for breath. The three of them shrugged at each other, told Mac if she needed anything they'd be sitting at the bar, and walked into the tavern. Mac ran to Harm's side. "Harm are you okay?" She had tears in her eyes. Once again, her drinking had caused someone to get hurt.

Harm winced and looked up at her. "Are you done drinking?" He asked, the pain he was in evident in his voice, yet it was still filled with concern.

"Yes."

"Then I'm fine," he said, as he slowly stood upright.

Choking back another sob, Mac asked in a small voice, "Will you ever be able to forget all this and forgive me?"

"Forget all what? You didn't hit me…although…I wouldn't really have been surprised if you had.…"

"What happened at the hospital, and me being a total jerk by not listening to you just now." Maybe, if she was lucky, he'd just ignore that part about being engaged. After all, she was happy with Clay…wasn't she?

'Damn. She doesn't want anything to come of that 'engagement ring' comment. So much for not wasting anymore time.' "Mac, you're upset right now. I understand that, and you had a concussion. How could I hold you responsible for anything you said after you fell? And you're still here talking to me aren't you?" Harm mentally patted himself on the back for not exploding in anger at those guys in front of Mac. She needed a friend right now, and besides those three guys who'd just…well…to be honest…beat the crap out of him…he didn't see any others nearby. "I just…I just want what's best for you. You'd go nuts without the Marine Corps, and we need you back at the office Mac. This is obviously a tough time for you. I just want to help. If that means taking a punch so you won't drink, that's fine; I've taken them for a lot less. As long as I don't have to crash another airplane with you in it, we'll be okay." He smiled, trying to lighten the emotional load. It worked, and Mac grinned back.

"I know you just want to help, and you have. I don't know how to thank you. You stopped me from drinking…again." She paused. "Everything will really be okay at the office?"

"Everything will be fine at the office. I promise. Hey. What are friends for?"

"Are we still friends?"

"Of course we are. Mac, look. It doesn't matter to me if you drink or not. But I know, deep down, it matters to YOU. And it's not like you verbally assaulted me this time." He gave her one of his bigger grins.

She couldn't help but giggle. "Yeah, I guess." He wiped her tears away with his thumb. "I'm sorry they hurt you. I…" 'I'm sorry you don't love me as much as I love you.' She added to herself.

Harm cut her off. "Can barely feel a thing." 'Except my heart breaking…Again.' He simply ignored the pain he actually was in; nothing was more important to him than finishing this conversation.

Harm walked her to his car and drove her home since Mac had taken a cab to get there. On the way there, each was lost in their own thoughts, both wishing the other wanted to move their relationship to the next level.

'Mac has Clay,' Harm reminded himself.

'Harm has Mattie,' Mac reminded herself.

Harm had taken Mac's keys and unlocked the door to her apartment. He pushed it open and turned on the light and turned to tell Mac he was going to go put some tea on. They still had a lot to talk about: Paraguay was still a huge issue, her drinking and pushing him away, but what they needed to discuss was mostly assurances that everything really was getting back on track. He pushed the door shut as he finished the turn. Mac wasn't expecting him to turn so fast, and literally fell into his arms when she couldn't stop moving fast enough to stay out of his way.

Harm's arms instinctively wrapped around Mac's waist, and Mac's instinctively moved up and wrapped around Harm's neck. They just stood there staring at each other. They didn't really want to be in this position after everything that had happened that day, but they weren't ready to give up the intimate contact either. Harm was afraid Mac would deck him if he tried to kiss her. Mac was afraid Harm wouldn't kiss her back. In the end, they both moved in at the same time. Their lips met, sending sparks through each of them. Maybe it was the frustration from not having kissed her for three years that made Harm deepen the kiss. Maybe it was knowing the truth about Mac's feelings that Sturgis had told him about. Most of it was probably because he just couldn't hold back any longer. He let his tongue dance across Mac's lips, begging for entrance. Mac immediately complied. When they finally broke the kiss for lack of oxygen, both were breathing heavily and gazing intently at each other. Neither, however, released the firm hold they had on the other.

"Mac, I …uh…" Harm was still breathing hard. As much as he didn't want to ask the question, he didn't want to push or force anything, "Do you want me to go?" he said softly.

"No." She paused. "Do you want to go?"

"No." He looked her straight in the eyes. She could have melted from all the concern, honesty, and…love?… that she saw in those endless pools of blue.

Harm was just as fascinated with her as he watched the light reflect in her chocolate brown eyes. Inspired by the raw honesty he found there, he decided to dive into the situation headfirst. "Can I tell you something?"

"Of course."

"In the hospital, I had to…I mean… I wanted…" Harm stopped, took a deep breath and started over. "Well, when you told me you loved me, I wanted to tell you that I love you too," he finished the sentence as quickly as he could. There. He said it. He glanced down and was surprised to see that he was still alive. He held his breath as he waited for her response.

Mac thought her heart stopped. He loved her! And he admitted it…she briefly wondered if pigs were flying somewhere in the world. "You do?"

"Very much. I would have told you sooner, but…" He faltered for a second or two. "But I didn't think you felt the same way. And even if you did, let's face it. We have yet to put all our cards on the table."

She smiled, and decided to tease him a little bit. "What made you change your mind, sailor?"

"The look in your eyes after we kissed just now." He grinned. "You can't ever try and deny it now, you do realize that don't you?"

"I wouldn't want to." They both smiled and leaned in for another kiss. Harm knelt down and gently picked Mac up and took her to the couch, and set her down in his lap. "Mac, maybe we should really talk about some things. I mean…"

"Harm, the past is in the past. We can't change it. We've both said things that caused pain and regret, but no more. I just want to concentrate on US…on the future. Not the past."

He started kissing her again, gently at first, and then gradually building up the intensity to show his support for that decision. She ran her hands through his soft, dark hair. He was mustering all his strength to be conservative in his approach. He didn't want to go too fast. Settling for moving his hands gently up and down her back, he eventually found himself leaning back into the cushions as Mac rested comfortably on top of him.

They were both content with this new place they had found for themselves, and when they finally stopped kissing, they both had an unspoken agreement it was a good thing it had. They still had a lot to talk about from the events that had happened that day, even if they had agreed not to relive the past. She smiled and reached up to brush his now tousled hair off of his forehead, and then ran her hand down the side of his face. Unable to control the reflex, Harm winced and inhaled a sharp breath.

"What's wrong?" Mac asked as she leaned around him for a better look. "Oh my God. Harm, that bruise looks terrible." While it had looked fine twenty minutes ago, his right temple just temple just above his eye was turning an interesting shade of purple. Suddenly, the events of the day came crashing down all around them.

Harm grinned and shrugged, trying to lighten the mood "I gotta hand it to him. That kid had a great left hook." And he leaned in to kiss her again, but just briefly. He looked into Mac's eyes and saw the concern and regret. "I'm fine, Mac. But I should get going; I want to try and see Mattie before she leaves for Susan's tonight. They're working on a science project that's due tomorrow and she's spending the night over there."

"And to put some ice on that eye." Her marine command tone was unmistakable.

Harm tried to counteract it with his flyboy grin, but wasn't entirely successful. "It's fine, Mac." He chuckled, and then rose, forcing Mac to stand. She walked him to the door. "I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay." She leaned in to kiss him, but he held back.

"Mac…"

"It's over with Webb, Harm. I promise."

He grinned shyly, but was pleased that she knew him well enough to know he didn't want this new… relationship…or…whatever… to be a problem for her. "Are you…"

"I'm sure. I haven't talked to him in days, and we haven't exactly been enjoying each other's company lately." She kissed him. "Now go home to your daughter."

He looked deep into her eyes. "I love you."

"I love you too." She responded immediately and without hesitation. He smiled, kissed her, turned and left.

THE END

Ok, ok, you can stop throwing the cheese at me. You can't say I didn't warn you. Thanks to everyone who read this. I'd like to also thank my roomy, Steph, for encouraging me to finish when everyone else thinks I'm a nutcase for liking JAG. Catch the sequel: Flash From the Past. On second thought…maybe it won't be a sequel. Adding on to FWAFS might be too much temptation. Then again, it might just do better as a stand-alone. Anyway , it's coming. Hopefully sooner rather than later, and I'll be sure to clarify whatever the heck it turns out to be. Thanks so much for all the reviews and comments and stuff. I know I don't take the time to thank all you guys personally, but I really do appreciate it.

TomcatGM