Disclaimer: If JAG was a Missy Higgins CD, then I still wouldn't own it, but that doesn't change the fact that I still want to! Nope, I do not own JAG (or Missy Higgins…)

A/N: well, I am a tad bored, and VERY excited about this story; it is giving my life meaning!

A HUGE thank you for all of the support and reviews, hope you like this chappie :)

Go nuts :)

Minorcadence

0604 EST

They walked into the ice rink at 4 minutes and 21 seconds past 6:00 (entirely Harm's fault) and the cold hit them hard.

"OH MY GOD! It's FREEZING! People actually come in here willingly?" Mac spoke through chattering teeth.

"Well" came a voice from the side, "most do, but then you have the ones that we have to drag in here kicking and screaming by their earlobes. What can I say? Ice skating is a nasty sport!" a smiling young woman with green eyes, and brown hair tied in a pony tail came into view "oh, hi. We didn't realize that anyone was around, sorry. I'm Colonel Mackenzie, and this is Commander Rabb, we're looking for Analese Hensey."

"I figured as much, that guy told me a bit about what you look like, and besides, what other adults would be skating this early on a weekday? But please, call me Lise. Analese sounds so… ugh" Analese shuddered at the sound of her full name.

"You're Analese?" Harm spoke up, "but you couldn't be any older than 17!"

"I'm 17 in October as a matter of fact."

She saw the worried look on Harm's face. "But don't worry, I'm not your coach. I'm just a stand in for Jo and Brad until they get back next week - they're your coaches. So, lets go and get started shall we?"

Harm's raised eyebrows lowered slightly as his forehead furrowed into a frown. "I don't like this Mac, she shouldn't be involved with any of this; she's just a kid, and this is a dangerous mission"

"I know, but let's just go, and we'll discuss this with the General and Webb tomorrow." Mac walked off in the direction Analese went, and Harm followed, each step taking them closer to the dreaded ice.

They wound up in a change room, a sort of dingy room with black rubber flooring, hideous orange walls where half of the paint had peeled off, and a long bench that ran around the entire length of the room. Analese sat down on the bench and proceeded to take her skates out of the bag, Harm and Mac followed her lead; not quite sure how to act. "So" Analese braved, wanting to break the silence, "have you two ever skated before?"

"No" Mac answered, "and to be totally honest, I'm not sure I am looking forward to the experience, it looks very intimidating!"

"Aww, come on Mac. You know, since our discussion in your office, I've been doing some thinking, and really; how hard can it be? I actually think it will be ok" Harm said, putting laces in his new skates.

"Now" Analese began, "a few things before you put your skates on. A figure skate has one very distinguishable feature on it: the toe pick." She said, holding up one of Mac's skates and pointing to the set of jagged spikes at the top of the blade.

"Contrary to popular opinion, it has nothing to do with personal hygiene. Although it is very important, it can really get in the way when you skate, so watch out, ok! When you step onto the ice, don't roll forwards on your foot, because you'll trip over the toe pick and just end up head over tail on the floor, the same goes for actually skating. You don't push with your toe pick, you push with the sides of the blade, and if you lean too far forward you will stack it royally."

"Ok, thanks" Mac replied, her voice filled with apprehension.

"Did I do this right?" She asked Analese, and showed the younger girl how she had put the laces in her skates. "Yep, that's fine. Now you can just put them on, and step onto the ice! But I must warn you that new skates need breaking in, and I'm guessing since you only got yours yesterday, that you haven't had a chance to wear them around the house and start to break them down… so they might be pretty sore until you get used to them"

'Fantastic' Mac thought, 'sore feet'. 'I guess my ice skates wont be going on my list of comfortable shoes for a while'.

After Harm and Mac had tied their skates up, Harm having to re-tie his a couple of times because he had missed some loops up the top, they stood up and attempted to walk.

"Ooh… whoa… AAH!"

CRASH

Mac fell on top Harm, who in turn fell on Analese. Mac had underestimated how hard it would be to walk in her too-tightly laced skates. Squished under Harm's weight, Analese made a funny squeaking sound, whilst Mac, still on top of Harm, timidly poked her head up and asked "is everyone alive?" Analese said something that sounded like a muffled "no" and Harm moved to pull himself up, using the bench. "No, wait Mac, don't put your knee there! If you just hold on to me and don't move, then I can just pull both of us up much easier than trying to disentangle us first."

Mac obediently clung to Harms neck and he lifted them both up, using the bench as a hand hold.

When they finally stood up, neither wanted to move. "Are you ok? Mac asked Harm, her arms still around his neck, "I'm sorry I fell, I think my skates are too tight"

"do you want me to help you do them up again?" he said, his hands resting on her hips,

"ok" she whispered, still not moving.

"HELLO! Can I get some help down here?" Analese was still squished to the floor. "Oh, yeah, sorry" Harm reached down to give her a hand up. "Whew! Ok, I'm going to get some Tylenol, and after you guys relieve your erm… tension feel free to hop on the ice, ok?" and with that, she walked off, holding her bum and muttering "I don't know how I let him talk me into this!"

Harm heard her and thought as he turned back to Mac, 'you and me both, missy!' Mac sat down and began untying her skates. "You know I don't know what she is talking about. Tension, yeah right! As if we had tension! The only time we have tension is when I'm kicking your six in the court room!"

"Ah, Mac?"

"What?"

"Your skate is pretty much undone!"

Mac looked down at her skate and realized that she had been pulling at the undone lace for a while. "yeah… right…"

"Oooookay, here we go!" Mac stepped up to the barrier door of the ice, and a look of pure dread crossed her face.

"C'mon Jarhead, get on the ice"

"no, wait, maybe you should go first" Mac was starting to think that maybe this really wasn't a good idea…

"Ladies first Mac, don't be such a chicken!"

"Right, yes… sure… ok…" Mac was now looking very green, and suddenly it dawned on Harm that Mac might actually be frightened of stepping onto the ice - a realization that had him grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"You're not scared are you Marine? It's just ice skating" Harm smiled, if she was scared, he'd never let her live it down…

He pushed In front of her, teasing "You've seen it on T.V, how hard can it be, right?"

He was promptly answered as soon as he stepped onto the ice, as with a loud crash Harm fell flat on his six.

Mac couldn't contain her laughter as she doubled over, gasping for breath at Harm's failed attempt at showing her up. 'Well, it serves him right for being so damn cocky!'

She put her fears aside and gamely stepped onto the ice, holding onto the barrier for dear life. Harm collected what was left of his dignity, and tried to get back up. 'Tried' being the key word. Analese came out and spied a struggling Harm on the ice. Chuckling to herself, she quipped "So, Mr. Commander, you're not so sure of yourself now, are you!" Mac, still holding onto the barrier laughed and watched as Harm slipped all over the place, desperately trying to get up off the cold, wet ice.

"Here" said Analese, "let me help you.

"Get on all fours, like a dog. Good. Now kneel up, and stick one of your legs out in front of you, like you are going to tie your shoe. That's it, now put both of your hands on that knee and push yourself up. There you go! Easy!" 'Well' she thought, 'it was!'

'Whew!' Harm thought, 'glad that's over!' and both he and Mac silently prayed that they both would do better throughout the rest of the lesson.

A/N: Ok, I had to add the 'cutting edge' quote in there, it was a great movie! this was pretty much a 'whats-to-come' chapter untill i get the actual skating one done, it should be innished soon :)