Tangled Up In You
Chapter Two
By LizD
Written Summer 2003
Spoilers – Through the End of Season 8
Tangled Up In You – Part 2
1830 EST
McKenzie Apartment
Mac arrived home after court; she nailed the opening arguments and was on her way to winning this case. The rest of her day had been quiet considering how disruptive her morning was. Harm of course was on her mind quite a bit. She was surprised to not find him waiting for her at the office or on her front door step. She knew the conversation with him was not over. He won't walk away now, not without a few more rounds, not since she told him that she loved him. That was stupid.
She could barely remember what he said to her or she to him; all she really remembered was her all powering need to be away from him. What did she say to him? What did he say? If she had to testify, there was no way she could. But what did the words matter, it was the intent. In the course of their seven years together, she never was able to figure out what he as thinking or feeling and the only intent that she could put her finger on was to push her away. He held everything so close to the vest. Could he read her? She knew that she was slightly more transparent than he was, but still – did he READ her? I don't think so or else things would be a little different. Wasn't that half the problem between them: reading each other? Rather MIS-reading each other; probably more than half the problem.
So let's review – what did he look like, what were his expressions, what could she glean from those interactions today? When he was first talking to her, telling her that they were destined to be "just friends", he looked like a doctor explaining to the family that the operation was a success but the patient died. Then when she was laying into him, he had that deer in the headlights look. She had never spoken to him like that. It felt good. To be that mad at him and let it all loose, was cathartic. Most people never took that chance. Then of course there was the last scene in the library. After he kissed her. She wanted to kiss him back. She really did, but something in her took over and told her "NO." No, she could not let him win. Then all she saw in his face was love and fear. Harm afraid? Afraid of what? Of her? Or of them? Of losing their friendship – more than a friendship? Oh God, this was for real. She panicked. Threw her hardest punch – figuratively – and bailed. "I won't let you break my heart again." Those words did echo in her ears. I guess she won, that round. Walking away from him with a statement of "never again" felt strong, felt determined, felt decisive. It was also total horse puckey. She knew it if he didn't. She was in the position of power and she trumped herself. She never did play this mating game well. Game? Win? Lose? Trump? Position of power? Were relationships supposed to be this complicated? This riddled with game metaphors? I didn't think so; on the other hand it wasn't called the battle of the sexes for nothing.
So how did it get so complicated? Back on the admiral's porch the night of her engagement party, he accused her of making complicated things too simple to which she said he made simple things too complicated. But was this . . . this thing . . . this issue . . . really Harm's fault? All Harm's fault? Certainly not 100, but more than 50? Maybe . . . on the other hand, maybe this whole meshugass was more her fault. Maybe she was rushing everything. Back in Sydney harbor she put his back against the wall and demanded an answer. What did he say? Location didn't change who they were? There was some truth to that. If he had said, implied or intimated anything it would have changed both their lives completely, and maybe not in a good way. God knows it would have complicated matters more if he had said or done what she wanted that night. But why didn't he? Did she read it as Harm had feelings for her that he was not comfortable expressing because of their close working relationship? No, she took it as he was either not interested, not interested enough or too afraid to make a commitment. So, what did she do? She turned to Brumby. Taking his ring, even as friendship ring, was wrong. She wanted Harm, she had always wanted him, but when he left her with a simple 'no' she had to do something. Did she take the ring to punish Harm? To make him jealous? Maybe. Or was it purely to save face? To prove to herself that she was lovable. More than likely it was that one. That whole thing got very confusing and she hurt Mic badly. It was very unfair, to everyone.
Now there was this misconception around Webb. Was it unreasonable for Harm to believe that she would turn to Webb? No, not at all. Her history had been being with the man who showed the most interest and since Harm would not let it be shown – at least not as overtly as people like Dalton, Mic and Clayton - it was not going to be him. He did ask her not to go; maybe she should have stayed and they could have actually worked it out. But Mac made decisions quickly and to go back on those decisions always felt like a sign of weakness. Mac was anything but weak especially as it related to men. Yeah, right.
There was a knock at the door. Had to be Harm, she wasn't expecting anyone else. She took a deep breath and opened it. The admiral stood before her looking sheepish and shy. Not his normal look.
"Good Evening, Mac." He said quickly. "I hope I am not disturbing you."
"No, sir." She stepped back to let him in the door. "Please come in."
"I won't take up much of your time."
"What can I do for you sir?"
"Did you talk with Commander Rabb today?"
In a manner of speaking, she did most of the talking, well YELLING. "Yes, sir."
"So you know he will be coming back to JAG on Monday?"
"Yes sir."
He looked nervous and shuffled his feet a little. "Colonel, I don't know how to say this."
"Sir?"
"This is none of my business, but actually it is my business and further more I care about the two of you."
"I'm not following sir."
"You and the commander."
"Strictly professional associates." She said a little too easily.
The admiral looked disappointed. "I see." There was a big part of him that hoped that they would some how work it out together. He would then have to deal with that issue, but at least his friends would be happy. Why couldn't they see what anyone who came within radar range of them took for granted? He took a moment. "So you will have no problem working with him as co-counsel or opposing counsel."
"I can't imagine that I would sir."
"And the commander?"
"You will need to ask him, but we are both professionals and dedicated to our chosen professions." She was very reasonable, like she was talking about working with someone of a different faith or ethnicity. The admiral was trying to read her expression. "Was there something else, sir?"
"No. Very well, colonel." He turned to leave. "If something should change such that you felt that you could not work together, please know that my door is always open for you."
"Yes sir. Thank you sir."
"Before you make any life altering decisions – like relocating or resigning, please come discuss it with me first."
"I will sir."
"You are a damn fine lawyer and a good friend, colonel."
"Thank you sir."
The admiral nodded. That last remark about her being a friend was true, but probably inappropriate. Why didn't the lot of them – from the admiral down to Tiner - just bag this Navy/Marine madness and open a jazz club together; so much easier on the nerves and with a lot less rules and regs to follow. "Sorry to have bothered you, Colonel."
The admiral left. Mac was impressed. It took a lot for him to come speak to her like that. He was not a touchy feely commanding officer (for obvious reasons) and what he just did showed a great deal of sensitivity and concern for her and Harm.
So where was she? Oh yes, Webb. Why did she take that mission with Webb? Were things just getting too comfortable with Harm? Too stagnant? On more than one occasion she wondered if Harm would ever try to advance their relationship to the next level. Was she was trying to make him jealous? She certainly never expected the mission to go as badly as it did, but a few weeks away with another man, might have been all that she needed to push Harm over that next hurdle. Oh my, did she just think that? Wow, now there was game playing for you; serious game playing. But that was not why she took the mission. She actually was flattered that Webb would ask her. Flattered to think that she could do something without the JAG support and without the rules and regulations that gave her safe boundaries. But look how it turned out. Harm had to save her life, he lost his job and they lost their friendship in the process. Hardly seemed worth it; to her, and probably to him, as well as their family and friends at JAG.
Oh, Harm. Harmon Rabb. What was it with him? Always the first to play hero; put his life on the line but afraid to show his feelings. Now look at them, they had both said they loved the other and they still weren't together. What did love have to do with it anyway? Egos. It was all about egos and pride and fear of commitment and abandonment. What did Sturgis say, 'leave before you get left'? Yeah, that was it. If they never got together, then they would never break up. One way to be sure never to lose a game was to never play. Of course, you reduce your chances of winning too. But that was another matter.
A knock came on the door. She jumped three feet. It was probably him, this time. What was she going to say? What was he going to say? How was she going to play this? How about you just don't play it at all and be real? The knock came again, followed by: "Miss MacKenzie, it is the super. I need to get into your kitchen." She sighed in disappointed relief. She opened the door and let the super in. He went to the kitchen and after much crashing and banging returned and told her that she couldn't use the stove and she might want to think about cleaning out the refrigerator, it will be down at least over night. She sent him on his way grateful to have her privacy back.
She went into the bedroom and considered taking a shower or a long hot bath, but she didn't want to be unreachable in case there should be another knock at the door or the phone should ring. Why don't you just call him, Mac? If you were dying to talk to him so much, call him. No, she was not going to do that, at least not tonight. But if he wanted to talk to her, she would be available. Was that game playing too? Or was it just a good idea not to start a conversation that you don't have a clue where you want it to go? Those lawyer skills working overtime, don't open a line of questioning that you don't know where it will lead and don't ask a question you don't know the answer to. Instead she changed into her favorite sweats (the ones that she had worn so much that she can't wear them out of the house anymore) and fluffy socks. It was time for a little old fashion comfort for Mac. A big bowl of popcorn and a sappy movie where she can cry was just what the doctor ordered. Hmm … any Ben and Jerry's in the freezer?
20:16 EST
Rabb Apartment
Harm's day went from good (he got his job back) to wretched (Mac's lambasting) to down right infuriating (wait 'til you hear this). He had every intention of catching up with Mac after court. He was there for opening arguments and the first cross. Damn, she was on fire. Maybe they should fight before every court appearance. Maybe not. She did not see him; she really was not looking to the gallery. Anyway, Bud found Harm in the back and whispered to him that they were towing his car. That was just the beginning.
They towed his car because his parking permit had expired. When he went to retrieve the car from impound, it was discovered that his credit card was maxed (construction will do it to you every time), his check book was in the car, but they would not let him near it and his naval ID had also expired. The MP's (a whole new batch who did not know him from Adam) tried to have him forcibly removed and he wound up needing to call the admiral to clear up the matter. The admiral of course found great humor in the whole mess and left him hanging for about two hours. He said he had meetings.
On the way home, he was cut off but two kids who borrowed (read: stole) their dad's car and ran it into a tree. They were fine – treated and released at the scene. But the father, who just happened to be driving by to see the whole incident, blamed Harm. Said he was driving too fast. After heated debate that the police needed to intervene between, Harm was told to leave the scene. The damage to Harm's car was minor; he could fix it. He thought discretion was the better part of valor. He left.
Finally he was home and able to remove his coffee stained uniform. He was going to speak to Mac tonight if he had to walk all the way to Georgetown, but he needed to calm down from the day first. A hot shower was in order, however the pilot light had gone out and there was no hot water. So now he was sitting there – rather leaning there (no furniture) in just a towel drinking his last beer waiting for the water heater to do its thing. He was trying not to allow himself to believe that all that crap that happened over the last several hours was an omen. He did not believe in omens. How long does a water heater take to heat up?
There was a knock on his door. It could be Mac. Maybe she decided that she wanted to talk to him. Good, that would save him from having to figure out what to say first. He couldn't greet her in just a towel. He pulled on shorts and a t-shirt. The knock came again. He opened the door fully expecting to see Mac. Nope. Bambi.
"Hi, Harmsy. I hope I am interrupting something." She said as she sauntered in.
"Bambi, I really don't have time right now." He started. "I have to be some place. I am late already."
"Now, Harmsy. I know you don't have to be anywhere? You are just playing hard to get." She wrapped her arms around his neck; he pulled them away quickly.
"Bambi, you have to listen to me. Nothing is going to happen between us."
"Aren't you attracted to me?" She sidled up next to him.
"You are a very attractive young woman and I am sure there are plenty of young men who would be interested. But not me."
"Why not?"
"There are many reasons, not the least of which is that your father, brother and uncle would kill me. And I don't think your mother would be pleased either."
"My family likes you."
"They don't like me well enough to date their nineteen year old daughter."
There was another knock on the door. Harm's face melted clean away. Here we go again: Mac showing up and finding another woman there. Oh for the love of Pete. He took a deep breath and went to the door. Might as well get it over with. He opened the door to reveal - Sturgis.
"Sturgis?"
"Harm. Bambi." He smiled at Harm who gave him a 'save me' look. "Bambi, now just what are you doing here on a school night."
"I don't have class in the morning, Sturgie." Sturgis was also an old family friend. Old enough for both Harm and him to remember little Bambi running around in pig tails and rompers.
"Bambi, you will have to excuse us. Sturgis and I have some business to discuss." Harm was trying to lead her to the door.
"Dry, boring, Navy lawyer business I bet." She whined.
"I am sure you won't find it interesting." He opened the door.
"OK, I'll go. But I'll see you both this weekend at the picnic."
The men nodded and she was gone. Harm looked at Sturgis. "Thank you."
"They need to put a leash on her."
"Are you going to tell General Muenster that his beautiful baby daughter isn't a baby anymore?"
"She is more than that. She is dangerous."
"Don't I know it?" Harm looked away. "I'd offer you a beer, but I don't have any."
Sturgis looked around and saw that the place was devoid of any furniture. "I love what you have done with the place. Taking minimalist a little too literally."
"Funny. You ought to do stand up. So are you here to bust my chops?"
"I just stopped by to see how you were doing."
"You saw Mac."
"I saw her in court and knew something must have lit a fire under her. So I guess you two did not work it out."
"I screwed up. I screwed up badly."
"I know."
"You could have told me before."
"I have told you many times. You just weren't ready to hear it."
"Next time try a baseball bat."
"You think there will be a next time?"
"Oh," he exhaled everything he had. "I don't know."
"Do you want there to be a next time?"
"I am not ready to let go of this time."
"Well that is good, I guess. Decisive. Determined. Resolute. What are you going to do?"
"How should I know? I'll start with talking to her again, but what I am supposed to say?"
"What do you want to say?"
"Well first of all, this is not 100 my fault."
"Not sure that should be the first thing out of your mouth."
"I could defend myself, show her how her actions forced my reactions."
"I am sure that will win her heart."
"No matter what I say, it will be a fight. Debate actually. Maybe I should take her to court."
"After her performance today, I am not sure I would want to be sitting opposing counsel on something this big."
"So you are saying I should I just suck it up and apologize."
"Another way to go."
"Are you helping me?"
"Didn't say I was going to help, just said that I was here to see how you were."
Harm shook his head. He pulled himself up onto the counter and rubbed his face in with his hands. "This whole thing is so out of control."
"Why?"
"We work together. Do you know how complicated things would get if we . . . you know . . ."
"Slept together?"
"No. Well yes, but no. I don't want to sleep with her. I mean I do, but not just that. Relationships with women are impossible."
"I think they say the same thing about men." Harm looked frustrated. Sturgis ventured forward. "What are you worried about?"
"What if it is not all we – I have built it up to be. What if is the exact WRONG thing to do?"
"So, you break up. No hard feelings."
"Right, and go back to work the next day like nothing is different."
"You have never had a problem maintaining a friendship with a woman after things went south, what makes you think you can't this time?"
"Mac is different."
"Different how?"
"I don't know. She is just different."
"You are not making any sense."
"I know. Look Mac has had a lot of trouble with men in her past."
"Her present too it would appear."
"I don't want to be just another guy who let her down."
"So you would rather be the one that never took a chance – well that is different from the others I suppose."
"Thanks for stopping by, do you really have to leave so soon?" Harm said good heartedly.
"So you are thinking Mac won't be able to handle life after the Great Harmon Rabb."
"You can be such a jerk sometimes." He tossed his beer bottle into the garbage. "I think we move forward we can take a complicated yet workable situation and turn it into a seriously dysfunctional one. One that both of us would regret."
"What are you going to do?"
"I am going to take a long hot shower, get dressed and drive over to her apartment."
"It is getting late."
"I'll get permission from my mother to stay up past my bed time."
"You think you are going to hash this out tonight?"
"Don't try talk me out of this Sturgis. I know her better than you do. If I don't talk to her tonight – it will be another nail in my coffin – hell I should have been there when she got home."
"So even if you don't know what you are going to say or do, you will push another confrontation? You don't think that will cause serious damage?"
"A little late for that now."
"Do you even know what you want?"
"I know what I want, I just don't know if it is still an option – hell it may never have been an option – and I don't know if what I want is good for me or her."
21:36 EST
MacKenzie Apartment
Mac was wrapped up in a blanket on the couch. There was a half eaten bowl of popcorn, three cans of soda and an empty pint of Ben and Jerry's Caramel Fudge Swirl sitting on the coffee table. She was casually flipping through the channels not really watching anything. She had expected Harm to call or come by. She was grateful that he hadn't, but surprised that he didn't. Her life would be so much less complicated without men in it – particularly that man. What was she supposed to do, call him? To say what? Apologize? She didn't want to apologize. She meant everything she said. Well most everything. Except for the part about breaking her heart. He didn't break it, she just gave such a big piece to him that she felt empty – broken. Since he apparently didn't want it; she wanted it back. How do you get back a piece of your heart?
CLICK – change the channel.
Kip Lurie Lawyers should never marry other lawyers. This is called "inbreeding," from which comes idiot children and more lawyers.
CLICK – Change the channel
Charlie
What do you wanna do? Just drop down on the tile and go for it?
Maverick
No, actually I had this counter in mind.
Charlie
Great, that would be very, very comfortable, yeah.
Maverick
It could be.
CLICK – Change the channel
Anne
Osborne It's Okay.
I have never had much luck with sex.
Remy
McSwain (jumping on
the bed kissing her) Your luck is about to change.
CLICK – change the channel.
Amanda
Bonner What I said was true, there's no
difference between the sexes. Men, women, the same.
Adam
Bonner They are?
Amanda
Bonner Well, maybe there is a difference,
but it's a little difference.
Adam
Bonner Well, you know as the French say...
Amanda
Bonner What do they say?
Adam
Bonner Vive la difference!
Amanda
Bonner Which means?
Adam
Bonner Which means hurrah for that little
difference.
CLICK – change the channel.
Maverick: . . . When I fly I have you know that my crew and my plane come first.
Charlie: I am going to finish my sentence Lieutenant, my review of your flight performance was right on.
Maverick: Is that right?
Charlie: That is right, but I held something back I see some real genius in your flying Maverick but I can't say that in there, I was afraid that everyone in the tax trailer would see right through me and I just don't want anyone to know that I've fallen for you.
CLICK – change the channel.
Oliver Barrett IV Love means never having to say you're sorry.
CLICK – change the channel.
David Addison: I'll tell you what I don't believe in. I don't believe in wasting anymore time. Two years of is you is or is you ain't.
Maddie Hayes: Two years of bees being and ducks ducking. And a man who thinks culture is dark beer. This is ridiculous. I'm miserable.
David Addison: So am I.
Maddie Hayes: Yeah, well, I may have just let the best thing that ever happened to me walk away and look at me, here I am, spending the evening having another pointless argument with you.
David Addison: Fine.
Maddie Hayes: Fine.
David Addison: Good.
Maddie Hayes: Good.
David Addison: Bitch.
Maddie Hayes: Bastard.
SLAP
Maddie Hayes: Get Out.
SLAP
Maddie Hayes: Get Out.
ABORTED SLAP
Music Up
KISS
Caress
HOT KISS
On the floor
HOTTER KISS
Coffee table – out of the way!
HOTTER HOT KISS
Roll across the floor
OH MY KISS
Watch the andirons!
CLICK – TURN IT OFF
She sat for a moment. Why didn't he come by?
A knock came on her door. It was a soft knock but she heard it. It had to be him. No one drops by at 9:58PM. She sat motionless on the couch for a moment, not really knowing what she was going to do. The knock came again. Slightly louder this time, but still soft. She got up and went to the door. She looked through the peephole. Yep. It was Harm. He was looking down; she couldn't see his face. She took a deep breath and opened the door.
"Hi." He said nervously. She didn't know what her face looked like, what kind of expression she was wearing, but it could not have been inviting. "Can I come in?" He braved.
She stepped back to let him in and retreated to the safety of her blanket and the couch. He stepped over the threshold and closed the door behind him. He was about to flip the lock, but thought better of it. He made need an easy exit. He sat down in the chair opposite and surveyed the mess on the table. He would normally have made an offhand comment, but his heart wasn't into it.
After a moment of stiff and uncomfortable silence, he said, "What are we going to do, Mac?"
"Go to bed." She said flatly. He looked up at her shocked. Did she mean that they should go to bed - together? "I have court early tomorrow. I need to get some sleep." Oh – she wanted him to leave.
"I saw you today, you were very impassioned."
"What do you mean you saw me?"
"I was in the back of the courtroom for opening arguments and for the cross of the first witness."
"I didn't see you."
"Doesn't mean I wasn't there."
"What were you trying to do, throw me off?"
"No, of course not."
"I can't believe you would show up in court after the fight we just had." She was irate. "You were trying to sabotage me."
"WHAT!" He was getting annoyed now too. "If I wanted to throw you off, all I had to do was sit behind the prosecution table. Hell, Sturgis missed so many objections it was hard to stay quiet."
"Are you saying that I wasn't making cogent arguments?"
"I am saying that you over stepped your boundaries – as usual – and Sturgis was too blinded by your passion that he didn't know what to object to."
"I can't believe you are saying this to me."
"Mac, please you were leading the witness, drawing conclusions and assuming facts not in evidence."
"Not true." (Note to the reader: it wasn't true. Harmon Rabb the arrogant jerk just showed up.)
"I beg to differ with you counselor."
"I don't remember signing up for the Rabb Lecture on Cross Examination."
"You can still learn a thing or two from me."
"Why are you here? I don't need to listen to this in my own house." She stood up and moved to the door.
He stood up. "I didn't come here to fight with you."
"You never seem to get what you want, do you? Poor baby." She opened it for him to leave. "Good night. Thanks for dropping by, next time call first, or better yet don't come at all."
He was standing in the door looking down on her. There were times when he loved being 6' 4". He was imposing, when he wanted to be. He loomed over her and she stepped back. He closed the door and put his back against it. He was not leaving.
"I am not leaving. Not until we get a few things straight."
"There is nothing to get straight, commander."
"We are going to be working together and we can't have this kind of . . ."
"Anger, animosity, down right hatred for each other." She went too far.
The last part of her statement took him off guard. "Do you hate me Mac?" She folded and went back to the couch to clutch a pillow. "Jesus, Mac. Do you really hate me?"
"No." She felt defeated.
"Then why did you say that? Do you think I hate you?"
"No. Look, I'm sorry. You frustrate the hell out of me and it makes me say things I don't mean."
He laughed a little. "We are quite a pair." He slumped down onto the couch near (but not next) to her. "You frustrate the hell out of me and I don't say things I want to say."
"Harm."
"Mac." He reached over and picked up her hand with his. "Can we try to make some sense of this?"
"I don't know."
"Don't you think we should try?"
"I don't know. It might just make things worse."
"I don't see how that is possible."
"You need a bigger imagination."
He sat up and turned sideways on the couch to face her. She turned to face him.
"I'm sorry." He put arm over the back of the couch and let his hand rest on her arm. "I'm sorry I hurt you."
"Yeah, me too."
He smiled. "Sorry I hurt you?"
She smiled back. "Yeah."
"God help me, but I do love you."
"Why 'God help you'?" She got a little defensive.
"Because you are not an easy woman to love Sarah."
"Really?"
"You are headstrong and stubborn, independent and free thinking. You state your opinions like they are facts. And you have a wall up around you that is near impossible to scale."
"Are you talking about me or you?"
"I'm not like that."
"You better take a look in the mirror, sailor. You just described yourself to a TEE."
"I don't see that at all. I don't have a wall, I just --."
"Live by a set of rules."
"So do you?"
"In a manner of speaking. But not when it comes to -." She stopped. She was about to say love, but then she realized that this argument would be worse for her. She was in no position to accuse him of engaging in bad relationships when she had been in much worse that have taken her down the wrong path much further than he had gone.
"Not when it comes to what?" She shook her head. "What? Love? Relationships? I suppose I do impose a set of rules on my relationships that you don't." He laughed. "I don't think it has done either one of us any good."
"Would you have married Renee?"
"What?"
"I don't understand how a man your age who has been in a number of serious relationships, never thought of getting married."
"What are you asking me?"
"Is it a commitment issues? Or do you pick women that you know you don't want to marry? What?"
"This is odd coming from you."
"Why are you here? What do you expect to happen tonight?"
He was dumbfounded. She was all over the board. "Why am I here? We need to figure this out."
"Figure what out? There is nothing to figure. We love each other. So what. It doesn't have to mean any more than that. Nothing else need come from it. There are plenty of people in the world who love each other and are good friends."
"So now we are friends again? I thought you wanted nothing to do with me."
"I was angry with you." She smiled oddly. "But I am over it. We can be friends again." She didn't mean it.
"Don't think it is that easy, Mac." He waited for her to look at him. "Why are you so angry with me?"
She exhaled and tilted her head back and craned her neck. "I am not angry with you. I am angry with myself. I hate acting like a fool."
"Why are you a fool?" She looked away. "Mac, why do you think you are a fool?"
"Why do you think?" She snapped back at him.
"I wouldn't venture to guess."
"So let's keep it my secret."
"Mac." He pleaded.
"Why is this all on me? Why am I the one doing all the talking here? You came to see me, say what you have to say."
"I don't want us to be this disconnected."
"You don't always get what you want."
"But sometimes you get what you need – like a kick in the ass."
"Excuse me?"
"I was referring to me. Sarah, I don't what to be 'just friends'." Did he just say what she thinks he said? "I don't love you like a friend." She exhaled and looked down. There was no getting around that. She got what she asked for, now what was she going to do? "And I feel something other than 'friendly' toward you."
He reached out to caress her cheek. She looked up at him. His eyes were intent and sincere. He wanted her and, no, it was not in a friendly way. "Mac. Sarah." There was a brief pause as each summoned up the nerve to do what came next. They leaned in and kissed. It was a wonderful, soft, loving kiss between two people who truly care for one another. It was not a next-stop-wild-monkey-sex kiss; it was real love. It ended with a very sweet embrace. Neither one of them had ever felt safer, warmer, more protected in their lives. It was like finally realizing that all the pieces of the puzzle were in place.
Mac tightened her hold on him. She felt the tears well up in her throat. Before she lost all power of speech, she whispered in his ear, "This isn't going to work."
He tightened his hold on her, "I know."
Movie/TV Credits:
Maverick and Charlie are from TOP GUN.
Anne Osborne and Remy McSwain are from THE BIG EASY.
Adam and Amanda Bonner and Kip Laurie are from ADAM'S RIB.
Oliver Barrett IV is from LOVE STORY.
Maddie Hayes and David Addison from MOONLIGHTING (now there are two people who know how to fight).
