SUNDAY, 28 MAY
1425 ZULU
SARAH MACKENZIE'S APARTMENT
GEORGETOWN
WASHINGTON D.C.

Mac took one last look at herself in the mirror in her bedroom and brushed a stray lock of hair off her forehead with her fingers. What is the big deal? she thought as she admired herself. Nobody is going to care if you look perfect. This is just a day at the park with Bud, Harriet and baby AJ...

And him, she added silently. He will be there. She was doing all this because of him, choosing the perfect clothes, the perfect makeup, the perfect hairstyle. All because she wanted to be admired by one Navy Commander. Trying to impress someone who probably didn't want to notice her, not like that. What was it Mic had once told her? That Harm had told him that he didn't see Mac as a woman? At the time, Mac had known that Mic was just saying that because he had been trying to knock Harm down a peg or two in her eyes. Which Mac had taken then with a grain of salt since she had still been pissed at Mic for his treatment of her at her murder trial. But then Australia. . . .

No, she admonished herself, Harm has never said anything to make you think that he doesn't see you as a woman. In fact, when she had suggested that dancing with her was like dancing with a sister at the NATO ball a few years back, he had been the one to say 'I don't think of you as a sister.' And he had said nothing in Australia to indicate he didn't see her as a woman. Really, he hadn't said much of anything on the ferry. She had done most of the talking. She had been the one who had accused him of not being able to let go, not that he had disagreed with her. He was just too damn wrapped up in duty and honor and rules and regulations that he had effectively closed his heart off to her. He may see her as a woman, but he would never let himself treat her as a woman, his woman.

"Why the hell am I even thinking about this?" she said aloud, then laughed bitterly. Now he had her talking to herself. She was so tied up in knots it hurt. First a few stolen moments on the dance floor on Friday, then on Saturday Mic, who had been the one pushing for a commitment in the first place, suggested that she find out what she really felt. With a heavy sigh, she looked down to find Jingo looking up at her with adoring dog eyes. She knelt beside him and buried her face in his neck.

"Why do men have to be so damn complicated?" she whispered. Jingo answered by giving her a comforting lick on her arm. Lifting her head, she smiled. Rubbing his head, she told him, "At least someone can make me feel better."

Standing, she whistled for him to follow her as she walked to the kitchen counter to grab Jingo's leash. He whimpered as he rubbed himself against her leg, but he let her put the leash on. "Sorry," she said. "We're going to the park and D.C. has a leash law." Taking the end of the leash in her left hand, she grabbed her car keys and left the apartment, praying silently that she could get through the day without falling apart.

Down on the street in front of her apartment building, she let out an exasperated groan. Of all the things to happen. There was her beloved Corvette sitting at the curb as normal, but for a flat rear passenger side tire. Kneeling down beside the car, she examined the tire closely, finding a nail imbedded in it. She hadn't driven it since she had returned from Florida and had barely paid attention to it in her comings and goings the last two days so she hadn't noticed.

She opened the passenger door and let Jingo jump in the car before she opened the trunk to retrieve the spare tire and jack. Only she was in for more frustration when she opened the trunk. Her spare tire was there all right, only it was nearly as flat as the tire already on her car. Deciding that it wouldn't hurt to leave Jingo sitting inside her car for a few moments while she ran back inside the apartment, she headed back in to call Bud and Harriet.

Mac picked up her phone and sighed. Bud and Harriet lived in Rosslyn and had probably already left so that they could make the park in time for the agreed upon meeting time of 1100 hours. Taking a deep breath, she clicked on the phone and pressed one of the speed dial buttons. She bet herself that someone else hadn't already left for the park.

She was right. After the second ring, the phone was picked up on the other end. "I thought you would have already left for the park, Mac," Harm said. He had known it was her without hearing her voice thanks to the modern invention of caller ID.

Mac took a deep breath, trying to ease the tension of the past two days. "My car has a flat and the spare is no good," she told him, trying to remain brief and to the point. "Can you pick me up?"

"No problem," he replied, a smile on his face. Of course, he had no problem picking her up. It would give him a some time alone with her, he thought, just the two of them. "I'd be happy to give you a ride. I was just getting ready to leave when you called, so I'll be there in about fifteen, twenty minutes."

"Fine," she said. "Jingo and I will be waiting outside for you." She was reaching with her thumb to click off the phone, but then she heard his voice, husky and soft.

"I'm looking forward to it, Ninja Girl," he said before he hung up from his end. Mac stood there staring at the phone for a long moment before she finally clicked it off and returned it to its cradle. Why had he gone and spoken like that? With one sentence, he had managed to turn her knees to jelly and set her heart racing in anticipation.

In his apartment, Harm grabbed the keys to his SUV and headed out, the smile still on his face. He was determined to spend today beginning to put things right with the woman who held his heart and soul prisoner. He was ready to show her that he was ready to let go, for her. Only for her.

-----

1450 ZULU
OUTSIDE SARAH MACKENZIE'S APARTMENT
GEORGETOWN
WASHINGTON D.C.

Harm turned his SUV onto Mac's street and saw her sitting on the hood of her car, Jingo's leash in her hand. She was staring off into the distance and did not even realize that he had pulled up beside her until he honked his horn.

Mac jumped slightly at the sound and turned to find Harm looking at her, flyboy grin firmly in place. She didn't return the smile, getting down off her car and walking the short distance to his vehicle, pausing to put Jingo into the back seat before climbing up into the front passenger seat. As she fastened her seatbelt, she stole a glance at him out of the corner of her eye. He looked incredible as usual, she thought. He was dressed in a navy blue button-down shirt which he didn't have tucked into the waistband of his denim shorts. Unconsciously, she licked her lips as she imagined unbuttoning his shirt, running her hands over the muscles of his chest and stomach. . . . Down girl, she warned herself as she averted her gaze before her thoughts traveled any further down that particular closed-off road. She forced herself to look out the window as he drove off.

Her face turned away from him, she didn't notice how Harm would glance her way every so often, his gaze traveling over every curve and contour of her body. She was dressed similarly to him, in denim shorts and a button-down shirt, hers in a maroon color.

He wanted so much to talk to her, had so many things to tell her, to explain. But where to begin? What to say so that everything didn't come out all wrong, pushing her even further away when all that he wanted was to finally bring her closer?

-----

1510 ZULU
ROCK CREEK PARK
WASHINGTON D.C.

Harm pulled into the parking lot near the main entrance to the park and managed to find a parking spot just a few spaces down from the Roberts' minivan. He could see Bud and Harriet seated on a bench just outside the entrance to the park, a picnic basket beside the bench, little AJ, dressed in a sailor suit and cap, in his stroller in front of them, entranced by the set of plastic keys Bud dangled in front of him. Harm pulled into the spot and turned off the engine. He then reached over and took Mac's hand in his. "We're here," he said as he clasped his hand gently around hers, startling her.

She pulled her hand away from his as if she had been burned. She had been. She could still feel the heat from his touch, the tingling sensation that was spreading throughout her body. If he could do this with just a simple touch, she thought, then shook her head, trying to banish the thought from her mind. No. Not now. She had to be strong. If she wasn't, it wouldn't take much more than a touch to send her tumbling into his arms.

Harm was saddened when she pulled her hand away, but he tried to remain philosophical about it. Her life was probably in an uproar right now, he thought, with Mic's sudden return. He wished he could say something, anything, to put her at ease, to make her feel better. But he didn't know what to say. Didn't know how to say it.

From the park bench, Harriet looked up to see Harm's car pulling into the parking space, then she smiled broadly as she realized that Mac was with him. Elbowing her husband gently in the ribs, she pointed out Harm and Mac in the SUV. Bud shrugged, unimpressed.

"They were both coming anyway," Bud said. "It makes sense for them to only bring one car."

Harriet sighed. She loved the man dearly, but sometimes he could be so obtuse. "When they live in opposite directions from the park?" she pointed out then shook her head. It didn't matter what Bud thought. In Harriet's matchmaking mind, it was a sign.

Harm got out of the car and let Jingo out on his side while Mac was still climbing out of the car herself. The three of them walked over to the bench, Mac careful to keep her distance from Harm. Harriet and Bud both smiled up at them as they reached the bench while Jingo immediately sat down beside the stroller and pressed his cold, wet nose to AJ's cheek, eliciting giggles from the little boy. After a moment, all four adults joined in the laughter.

"Thank you for coming, Sir, Ma'am," Bud said, standing up before turning to help his pregnant wife up from the bench. "AJ's been so excited about spending time with Aunt Mac and Uncle Harm."

Hearing his father mention their names, AJ lost interest in Jingo and held out his arms in Harm and Mac's direction. "Aun' Mac, Unca Harm," he called out happily as Mac reached down and lifted him from the stroller, holding him against her as she kissed his forehead. AJ wrapped his arms around her neck and kissed her back on the nose.

Harm watched the little scene, imagining Mac holding their child at some point in the future. A smile lit his face as the thought warmed his heart.

While he was watching Mac, Harriet was watching him, noting the faraway expression in his eyes. How sweet, she thought happily, it's obvious he is so in love with her. That would just make her job that much easier.

After a moment cuddling AJ, Mac reluctantly handed him over to his godfather while Harm handed her Jingo's leash. Harm lifted the little boy above his head and spun him around in a slow circle, making little airplane engine noises. Mac tried to look away from the beautiful scene, but couldn't help but stare. He was going to make a wonderful father someday, she thought.

When Mac had handed AJ over, Harriet had turned her attention to the other woman, curious about how she would react while watching Harm and AJ. Harriet noted the longing look in Mac's eyes with satisfaction. Perfect, Harriet thought. All that was left was to make sure that her friends could finally learn to read the truth of their feelings in each others' eyes.

-----

1822 ZULU
ROCK CREEK PARK
WASHINGTON D.C.

Harriet, seated on a blanket next to her husband, his hand gently massaging her aching back, let out a contented sigh as she watched Harm and Mac taking turns pushing AJ on the baby swings a few yards away, while Jingo stretched out in the grass at their feet. It's going well, she thought as she saw Harm laughed at something Mac said. Harriet had been a little concerned. After they had settled down for their picnic, she had noticed a bit of tension between Harm and Mac, mostly from Mac. Every time Harm had gotten a little too close, brushing against her accidentally, Mac would step back as if burned and put some distance between them. Harriet had seen the sadness and frustration in Harm's eyes every time it happened and had thought at the time that maybe this wasn't going to be as easy as she had thought.

Eventually, however, Mac had relaxed and instead of jumping back, she smiled when Harm looked at her or when their hands made contact when both had been reaching into the picnic basket for something. And she had happily accepted his invitation when Harm had suggested the two of them taking AJ over to the swings so Bud and Harriet could have some time alone. Now it was time to set the next phase of her plan in motion, Harriet decided, and let them see what they were missing out on.

"Bud, honey," she said, patting her pregnant belly. "I need to get up and move around. And we should take some of this stuff back to the car. Can we walk around a little bit?"

Bud, still rubbing her back, smiled down at her. "Whatever you want, dear," he replied. "I'll go get AJ. . . ."

Harriet interrupted, "AJ's having too much fun over there with the Commander and the Colonel," she pointed out. "Do you really think he would be happy going into the stroller? I'm sure they wouldn't mind staying here with him while we wander around."

Bud considered for a moment. With one child still an infant and another one on the way, they didn't get too much time alone together, either due to demands on their time or because they were tired. It would be nice to walk around the park, just the two of them. Still, he felt a twinge of guilt about imposing on his friends. "Are you sure Commander Rabb and Colonel Mackenzie wouldn't mind keeping an eye on him?"

"Bud, just look at them," Harriet insisted, waving her hand in their direction. "They're having fun. Of course, they won't mind." She started to push herself up off the ground, Bud quickly jumping up to help her up. Harriet smiled as she glanced at the threesome at the swings again. They looked just like a little family out there. Now to give them a chance to see that the two of them could be a family together.

Harriet and Bud wandered over to the swings, Bud's arm around his wife's shoulders. As they got closer, they could hear their son urging Harm to push him higher, while Mac teased that apparently they had another flyboy on their hands. The look that Harm gave Mac warmed Harriet's heart. Perhaps he's imagining them having a little 'flyboy' of their own, she told herself.

Not surprisingly, the sharp-eyed Harriet was right on target. Harm's mind turned back to their promise to go halves on a kid together. What he could do with a son, passing on his love of flying. Or with his daughter. No reason why his daughter couldn't fall in love with the feeling of the wind in her hair, the freedom of the air, too. It would be in her blood.

Harm and Mac noticed Bud and Harriet approach at the same time and Harm pulled the swing to a stop, much to AJ's disappointment. He pouted for a moment before he saw his parents coming. "Mama, Da," he called out happily.

"Hi, baby," Harriet called back. They stopped just in front of the swing and Harriet began, "Sir, Ma'am. . . ."

Harm and Mac both immediately interrupted, "Harriet!"

Harriet laughed and started again, "Mac, Harm, Bud and I are going to put the basket and AJ's stroller back in the car then we were thinking of taking a walk around the park, just the two of us. Do you mind staying with AJ while we're gone?"

They looked at each other and shrugged. Harm wasn't about to object to spending time alone with Mac, even if they weren't really going to be by themselves. Mac, despite her earlier hesitancy, found herself thinking the exact same thing. Anyway, their friends deserved a break together. They both nodded.

"Of course we don't mind," Mac answered for both of them. "Go on, enjoy yourselves, take as much time as you'd like. We'll be around here when you get back."

"Thank you, Sir. . . Harm, Mac," Harriet replied enthusiastically. "Bud and I really appreciate this." She leaned over and kissed the top of her son's head. "Be a good boy for Aunt Mac and Uncle Harm," she told him.

"Good, Unca Harm, Aun' Mac," he repeated, nodding.

Bud reached out and ran his hand over AJ's fine hair. "That's right, son," he said. "Be good for Uncle Harm and Aunt Mac."

"Get going, you two," Harm said as he and Mac shooed them away. Bud and Harriet turned to leave, giving Harm and Mac just a glimpse of the self-satisfied smile on Harriet's face before they walked away.

Harm and Mac looked at each other for a long moment, not saying a word, both having the suspicion that they were being set up after that look on Harriet's face, until AJ tugged insistently on Harm's hand. "San," he said, pointing at the nearby sandbox where a few other children were already playing.

Harm unfastened the straps and lifted the boy out of the infant swing. "Want to play in the sandbox, huh?" Harm asked as he held AJ close. "That was one of my favorite things to do when I was little, too." Of course, his childhood sandbox had been an entire beach at La Jolla, but the concept was the same.

They walked over to the sandbox with Harm carrying AJ with his left arm while Mac held Jingo's leash in her right hand. After a few steps, Harm reached over and took Mac's hand with his right hand. Mac considered pulling away, knew she probably should pull away, but she enjoyed the heat, the tingling of his touch. After a few seconds that seemed like an eternity to Harm, she wrapped her fingers around his hand, squeezing gently.

When they reached the sandbox, Harm set AJ down in an unoccupied corner of the sandbox and he and Mac sat down cross legged on the sandy grass just outside the box while Jingo settled in to Mac's right. AJ began picking up fistfuls of sand, letting it stream back to the ground through his fingers as he stretched his hands out wide, babbling delightedly all the while.

"Too bad Bud and Harriet didn't think to bring a shovel and pail," Harm commented softly as they watched AJ enjoy himself playing with the sand. "We could build a little castle."

Mac smiled at him. This was a side of Harmon Rabb she didn't get to see much. Not many would have thought that the cocky, self-assured officer could have been a marshmallow when it came to kids. She had seen him before with AJ, with Josh Pendry, with Dar-lin Lewis and again she thought what a wonderful father he was going to be someday.

Another little boy close to AJ's age rolled a ball in AJ's direction, looking for a playmate. Delighted, AJ rolled the ball back and soon the two boys were passing the ball back and forth while Harm and Mac watched, smiling.

A young woman they assumed to be the mother of AJ's new friend turned to them and commented, "That's a beautiful little boy you've got there. How old is he?"

Both realized that she assumed they were AJ's parents, but neither jumped in to correct that assumption. "He just turned a year old last week," Mac answered. Bud and Harriet had held a birthday party for their son, attended by most of the JAG office, just two days before Bud had headed to Florida. The sailor suit AJ wore had been one of Harm's presents, while one of Mac's had been the matching cap he wore. A week before the party, they had gone shopping together, wanting to get something for their godson that was from both of them.

"Alex here turned a year old last month," the woman said proudly, indicating her son. She then laughed, slightly embarrassed. "How silly of me not to introduce myself. I'm Sandy and like I just said, this is Alex."

"I'm Mac," she returned before indicating the others. "This is Harm and this little angel is AJ." Harm nodded and smiled at Sandy while AJ ignored them, continuing to roll the ball back and forth with Alex.

"What does AJ stand for?" Sandy asked as she watched the boys play.

"Albert Jethro," Harm replied, then added quickly. "He's named after our commanding officer."

"You're military?" Sandy questioned, not really surprised. Generally, people who lived or worked in the D.C. area were associated with either the federal government or the military.

"I'm Navy and Mac is a Marine," Harm said, smiling at his partner.

"My younger brother is in Navy boot camp right now. He wants to work sonar on a submarine," Sandy told them. "I think he's seen 'The Hunt For Red October' one too many times. Anyway, I thought Navy and Marines didn't get along? At least, that's what John says."

Mac turned to Harm with a mock glare. "Don't tell me they teach you squids to hate Marines in boot camp!" she teased, getting a laugh from both Harm and Sandy.

"And they don't teach you jarheads the reverse at Parris Island?" Harm shot back as he reached over to push Mac's falling bangs out of her eyes. "Anyway, this Marine is pretty special," Harm added quietly as his eyes locked with hers and he read the longing in their chocolate depths.

Oblivious to the look passing between them, Sandy looked down at her watch with a sigh. "Come on, Alex," she called to her son. "We've got to go pick up Daddy. Say bye bye."

"Bye bye," Alex said as he stretched out his arms in his mother's direction. Sandy stood and swooped up her son, telling them, "It was nice to meet you both," before walking away.

AJ frowned at losing his playmate and decided to turn his attention to his godparents, tossing a handful of sand in their direction. Harm got a gleam in his eyes as he teased AJ, "You want to play with the big guys, huh? Better watch out." Harm began pushing handfuls of sand over AJ's outstretched legs, burying them.

"Harm," Mac laughed, "I hope you realize that you're going to have to get all that sand out of his clothes."

"Me!" Harm shot back in mock indignation. "That's what he has parents for!"

Mac reached over and playfully swatted him, prompting him to reach over to tickle her side. Mac returned the favor, tickling his stomach as AJ and Jingo both watched them curiously.

After a few moments of their play, oblivious to the other children and adults around, Mac became aware of the fact that she had somehow ended up in his arms, leaning her head against his chest. Pulling back slightly, she looked up at him, breathing heavily from her laughter, trying to decipher the expression on his face.

"Have dinner with me tonight, at my place," Harm suggested impulsively, figuring it was a good idea to ask while she was so relaxed and comfortable in his company.

Mac hesitated. She wanted to, oh, how she wanted to. She just didn't think she could take getting her heart trampled on again. "I really do need to take Jingo home and get him fed when we leave here," she said lamely.

"I understand," Harm said quietly. She didn't want to have dinner with him. He could read between the lines of her tone of voice. He would just have to live with it.

Mac saw the crestfallen look on his face and she felt her resolve weakening. She hated that she had caused the hurt expression on his face, even though he had hurt her first, months ago. "Why don't we have dinner at my place?" she suggested. "Since we were out of town, I don't have much in my fridge, but we can order a pizza."

Harm felt a surge of hope in his heart as he pulled Mac into his warm embrace, her head resting on his chest, him tilting his head to rest his cheek on top of her head. After a long moment, Mac wrapped her arms around him and closed her eyes, breathing in deeply his scent. For just a moment, she found herself forgetting everything that had come between them, the hurt and pain of the last year. She could admit to herself that she was finally right where she wanted to be. And then he spoke and her heart surged with happiness. "I'd like nothing more, Sarah."

Across the grassy meadow, Mic Brumby watched them with a heavy heart. He had not gone to the park to spy on them, not really. But he had needed to see them together. Now he finally saw what had been in front of him all along. The dance at the Surface Warfare Ball, everything Renee had said, it all crystallized in his mind in a bitter truth. He could never, would never, hold any higher than second place in Sarah Mackenzie's heart.

-----

2257 ZULU
SARAH MACKENZIE'S APARTMENT
GEORGETOWN
WASHINGTON D.C.

Mac entered her apartment and flipped on a light switch, Harm and Jingo trailing behind her. Mac tossed her keys on the coffee table as Jingo went immediately into the kitchen to stand expectantly beside his food bowl. "Why don't you turn on the stereo?" she suggested as she followed Jingo into the kitchen.

Harm went over and flipped the stereo on, glancing at Mac's CD collection before deciding to leave the radio on. Mac came out of the kitchen and was about to pick up the phone to call for their pizza when they both stopped and stared at each other as they heard the song that was beginning to play.

For Mac, everything seemed to move in slow motion as Harm walked over to her and pulled her into his arms, Mac resting her ear against his chest, listening to the steady thump thump of his heart, the two of them swaying gently to the 'Friends And Lovers', the music drifting out over the room and into their hearts.

Harm closed his eyes as he held Mac as if he was never going to let her go. He had agonized over how to tell her, how to avoid the mistakes he had made before. Now fate had stepped in. As they continued swaying together in her living room, Harm began singing softly in her ear along with the song.

Tears began to form in Mac's eyes as she finally made the decision that she had been agonizing over for months. She hated that someone was going to get hurt, but she couldn't feel regret about grabbing hold of everything she had wanted ever since the Rose Garden.

As the song ended, Mac stepped out of Harm's embrace and looked up at him, finally seeing everything she had ever longed for etched in his eyes, everything she had desperately wanted him to feel and tell her that night under the stars. Raising her right hand so he could see, her gaze locked with his, she slipped Mic's ring off her finger and dropped it into the front pocket of her shorts. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw the tears forming in his eyes and she reached up to brush a stray tear off his cheek with her thumb, her fingers tracing the contours of his face, memorizing every angle and curve.

"Sarah. . . ." he began, his voice hoarse with emotion. She pressed her fingertips to his lips, silencing him, shivering when he pressed a soft kiss to her fingers.

She felt her heart racing as she knew that he was finally ready to let go. "I know," she whispered softly as he removed her hand from his face, pressing it to his chest, where she could feel his heart racing at the same frantic pace as hers. Finally confident in her feelings, his feelings, in the reality now in front of them, she took the final figurative step to everything her heart desired. "Stay with me tonight," she whispered.

"Yes," Harm groaned as he pulled her hard against him, releasing the denied feelings of four long years in one devastating kiss that left them breathless and desperately wanting more.

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To be continued…