Disclaimer: I don't own them…I do own Dani…but I don't own her money…so it's not that exciting!

A/N: I'm baaack! And hopefully I won't go UA quickly. First of all, I'm sorry for being a bum and disappearing for weeks at a time. I could provide a number of excuses, but they're all pretty lame, so I won't insult you all by listing them. Hopefully you all still do exist, because I would understand if you boycotted me out anger. But if you are still out there, please read and reply!

Many thanks to everyone who has reviewed! I love to hear things whether they be good, bad, threatening, or guilt trips…it's all good!

1605 ZULU

JAG HEADQUARTERS

FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA

"Major Sarah MacKenzie," Mac answered her office phone Wednesday morning, almost three weeks after returning from France.

"Salaam abakem."

"Abakem salaam," she responded automatically, "Dani?"

"I'm trying to embrace my Iranian heritage," Dani switched to English.

"So you decided to learn Farsi?" Mac questioned, "It's not the easiest of languages to master."

"I have a good tutor," she drawled from the terrace of her cousin's chateau.

"You still have tutors? I thought that kind of thing stopped once you went to college."

"A true scholar never stops learning," she proclaimed sagely, then returned to her normal joking manner, "And it takes a lot of work for one to become as worldly as me."

"Cute," she chuckled, "What's up?"

"I'm getting out of France!"

"I thought you had four weeks left of your sentence."

"Eh, I got early parole," Dani sat down on a comfortable deck chair, "More like an extended conjugal visit."

"You're coming to D.C. for a booty call?" she gasped.

"No, I'm hardly a lady of the night," she said indignantly.

"I should hope not."

"Naturally," Dani smiled, "My parole actually has a few stipulations."

"And those are?"

"The Kazakhstani Embassy in D.C. is having some sort of ball and I'm invited, as long as I go as Luka's date," Mac could tell without even seeing Dani that her sister was making a face, "But we arrive tomorrow afternoon and the ball isn't until Saturday night so I have all day Friday to sightsee."

"And we all know how you like that," Mac said suggestively.

"Shh!" she ordered, "There's more."

"Sorry."

"Gigi managed to get two extra tickets for you and a certain someone," she grinned mischievously waiting for Mac's response, but none came, "Why is there silence? Sarah! What happened to Harm and you?"

"There is no Harm and me," Mac sighed.

"What do you mean? What happened to France?"

"Nothing, that's what."

"When I told you what happens in France stays in France, I hoped it would jumpstart your relationship," she stood up and began pacing the length of the terrace, "I didn't mean for you to take it literally."

"Well, that wasn't my intention either," Mac leaned back in her chair and watched Harm stride across the bullpen through the slats of her office blinds, "it's just that two days after we got back, the son of one of Harm's old friends witnessed a murder. His friend died a couple of years ago, so Harm had them stay with him for protection. One thing led to another…"

"And he and the widow?"

"Pretty much."

"Swell," Dani muttered, "Did you fight for him?"

"It hardly would have been appropriate considering everything that was going on."

"Not if you truly cared," she was met with more silence.

"It's not just that," Mac continued, "I'm not going to pursue this if he doesn't want to."

"But that night in Paris?"

"Was a lapse in judgement."

'How can you say that?"

"We've moved on."

"Already?"

"Yes."

"Wait," she paused, "You did the plural thing again. Have you?"

"Yes."

"Sarah! With whom?"

"A civilian attorney."

"Does he have a name?"

"Dalton Lowne."

"Dalton, interesting," she paused a beat, "I bet he's no Harm."

"Dani, let it go," Mac rubbed her forehead, "Please."

"Fine."

"And no concocting any scheme that ends with both of us at the ball."

"I'd never!" she feigned disgust.

"Spare me," Mac rolled her eyes, "You're a girl with tremendous resources and way too much time on her hands."

"Look, I promise I will stay one hundred percent out of it, but I have to warn you, things like this have a tendency of working out. It's called fate."

"Whatever."

"Fine, don't believe me, but give it time and you'll see I'm right."

"Keep telling yourself that."

"I will."

"Dani, I have to get back to work," she saw Harm at her window and signaled for him to wait a minute, "Can you call me when I get off?"

"Yeah, I'll be up late."

"Good."

"Love you."

"Me too," she waved Harm in, "Talk to you later."

"Who was that?" Harm sat down as Mac hung up the phone.

"Dani."

"What's new with her?"

"She's coming to D.C." she told him, "There's a ball at the Kazakhstani Embassy."

"Is she going with Tiner?"

"No, she has to be escorted by Luka or she's stuck in France."

"Who's Luka?"

"Sorry, her cousin Giselle's brother-in-law," she explained, "She's getting in a day early and plans to see Tiner then."

"Work him into her sightseeing?" he guessed.

"Exactly," she looked up to see Tiner in the doorway, "Hey, Tiner, we were just talking about you."

"Ma'am?"

"Have you spoken to Dani recently?"

"Yes, ma'am," he paused, "She called me before I came in."

"So you know she's coming to D.C.?" Harm asked.

"Yes, sir."

"Did she tell you about Luka?" Mac asked tentatively. She knew Tiner was aware of Luka, but she wasn't sure how much he know about Luka and Dani's past together.

"We'll find a way to work around him, ma'am."

"I'm confident you will," she smirked, "So what really brings you by?"

"The admiral wants to see you, Major," he looked to Harm, "You too, Commander."

"Thanks, Tiner," Harm stood up, "We'll be right there."

"Reporting as ordered, sir," Harm and Mac snapped to attention before the admiral's desk.

"Have a seat," he told them.

"Webb?" Harm found the unannounced spy standing in the shadows, "What does the 'state department' need now?"

"Rebel forces in Kazakhstan have been threatening the national government. They have the manpower but lack the capital for an effective coup," Webb explained, "They hope to get the money by threatening the life of a wealthy heiress and countess. My people have been tracking the group, but it is precisely that lack of capital, which allows them to move a lot. We believe they will make their move when the heiress comes to the U.S. for the embassy ball," he looked directly at Harm, "That is where you come in."

"Admiral, you can't expect me to play babysitter to another spoiled socialite?" Harm asked with thinly veiled annoyance, while Mac hid a smirk, "I had enough of that with Princess Alexi."

"This is a strictly voluntary assignment, Commander," the admiral said, "But allow Mr. Webb to finish."

"Thank you, Admiral," Webb returned to his spiel, "It was your performance with Princess Alexandra, Rabb, that leads us to believe we can see you and the major to Mr. Arkada as protection for his niece."

"Arkada?" Mac exchanged glances with Harm, "As in Paul Arkada?"

"Yes," Webb answered, "Do you know him?"

"We've met," she thought back to the admiral convincing Dani to go to France without a fight and turned to him, "Did you know about this, sir?"

"I only just found out," he assured her, "I figured since Webb's people didn't know, you could tell him."

"What don't I know?"

"You won't have to 'sell' us to Mr. Arkada," Mac smiled, happy to have one-upped the spook, "I was invited to the embassy ball by Daniela Korsakoff herself."

"How do you know the countess?" he looked utterly confused.

"You really have to check your sources, Webb," Harm laughed.

"Dani is my half-sister," she said and his jaw dropped slightly.

"Good," Webb recovered quickly, "I assume you'll want to accompany me when I speak with Mr. Arkada."

"Lieutenant Roberts has cleared your schedule, Major," the admiral told her.

"Thank you, sir."

"Commander, your schedule is cleared starting tomorrow," he paused, "You're dismissed.

"Aye, aye, sir," they both stood.

"And Webb, I do not want to be kept out of the loop on this one."

"You won't Admiral," he left followed by Mac.

"Sir?" Harm paused before leaving, glancing at Tiner as the door swung shut.

"Yes Commander?"

"Are you going to tell Tiner any of this? He and Dani have gotten pretty close."

"Well, if they have gotten close then don't you suppose she'll tell him herself?"

"Aye, sir," Harm left the office and the admiral sighed, knowing without a doubt that Webb's plan would not go exactly as planned. Things with his officers never did.

A/N: Nothing like ending with things that anger up the blood…