Disclaimer: None of the JAG characters are mine, they belong to Donald Bellisario and CBS and whatnot.

Ok, so I didn't actually get the chapter done last night like I thought I would. I did try but my roommate and I kinda ended up with a spontaneous cat so I ended up with less time than I thought. But I did manage to get it finished in class today! So here's chapter 13 (the question is... is it a lucky 13 or not?). Thanks to SailorGirl97, froggy0139, LiseGirardi, mjag, starryeyes10, and rainydays9 for the reviews! And thanks to everyone who's reading! Hope you enjoy this chapter also.

Vukovic grinned at her, trying out his most charming smile, "Hi Colonel, I was in the neighborhood, thought I'd drop by." Mac simply gazed at him, pondering her options for a brief moment. A stray thought flitted across her mind; his smile isn't half as gorgeous as Harm's. Because she had to admit, Harm definitely had a great smile and it affected her no matter how much she wished it didn't. She quickly banished the thoughts, torn between grinning at the thought of how inferior Vukovic was and sobbing at the thought of Harm. Vukovic watched her for a moment then asked, his smile slipping a bit, "May I come in?"

Mac sighed, moving backwards a step, "Yeah sure." She closed the door behind him, briefly considering the merits of shooting both men. Nah, don't want to deal with the cops, she concluded. Vukovic stepped into the apartment, hiding a triumphant grin. He glanced around briefly, intending to compliment her on the room but his scan came to a screeching halt as he noticed the other man. His eyes narrowed slightly, who the hell was this guy?

Clay watched the lieutenant enter; he had a pretty good guess as to who it was. Though not dating Mac any more he had kept his eye on the JAG offices. A small smile played about his lips at the lieutenant's reaction to his presence. Casually he stepped forward, moving closer to Mac who promptly moved out of the way. Clay shot her a mildly annoyed look but she merely smiled blandly at him. Vukovic watched the interaction closely, trying to figure out what was going on. After a moment he decided he'd figure it out eventually. Smiling again he looked at Mac then jumped as he felt something tug on his pants. Glancing down he spied a small dog doing it's best to chew a hole in the hem of his pants, "What the hell?"

Now Mac did grin, eyes dancing with amusement, "Lieutenant, meet Hammer."

He glanced up at her, still trying to move his leg away from the puppy that was following tenaciously, "Hammer?" Mac nodded slightly, still smiling in amusement. Vukovic looked down at the dog, trying to decide whether to be annoyed or not. After a moment he asked, "Does he do this to everyone?"

Clay looked vaguely disgruntled; the dog had barked its fool head off at him. Mac shrugged slightly, "So far you and Clay are the only ones he's reacted to like this." At the sound of her voice Hammer let go of Vukovic and settled for barking a few times instead before scampering over to bat at her leg. Smiling fondly she bent down, using the nearby wall as support so she could pick up the insistent animal. She nuzzled the top of his head and was rewarded with a quick lick. Grinning she glanced at the two men who were both looking at her a bit oddly. Mac sighed, damn, they weren't just a pain or drug induced dream.

Mac grabbed her crutch and hobbled to the same chair she'd sat in on Saturday. She let out a soft sigh of relief as she took the weight off her broken foot. Glancing up expectantly she scratched Hammer's ears absently, "So… what can I do for you, lieutenant?" Vukovic blinked, jerking himself back to the present.

He glanced over at Clay then back at Mac, "Who's this guy?"

Mac sighed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. He was avoiding the subject, great, that would just make this all take longer. Mac looked over at Clay, clearly expecting him to answer the question as she certainly wasn't going to. Clay arched an eyebrow at her but she just smiled. After a brief moment he conceded and looked over at Vukovic, "I'm Clayton Webb." He paused for a moment then opted for politeness, "And you are?"

"Lieutenant Gregory Vukovic," he glanced at Mac who was watching the exchange expressionlessly. He frowned slightly then looked at Clay, this wasn't going as he had planned, "You're a friend of the Colonel's?"

Clay flashed a grin, leaning casually against the back of the couch, "Yeah, Sarah and I have been friends for years. Close friends actually." Vukovic blinked, that definitely wasn't the answer he'd been hoping for. So focused were the two men on their verbal pissing contest that they missed Mac rolling her eyes. "And you? Been friend's with Sarah long?"

"Oh uh… just a few months. We work together at JAG," Vukovic flashed a grin of his own, not-so-subtly implying that he and Mac were on their way to being close friends as well. Mac sighed, starting to rise then sinking back into the chair with a soft groan. Oh yeah, bad idea, damned ankle, she muttered mentally. Both men glanced at her then at each other, holding a silent contest as to who would go to her. Mac ignored them both, wishing they were competing for who would leave first. Unfortunately that wasn't the case and Vukovic managed to make it to the chair first, "You alright, Colonel?"

She glanced up at him and grimaced mentally though outwardly she smiled as blandly as possible, "I'm fine, thank you, lieutenant." She felt at a distinct disadvantage sitting in the chair while they both towered over her. Sighing, and figuring she wasn't going to get rid of either one any time soon she waved a hand towards the couch, "Why don't you two sit down."

Webb and Vukovic eyed each other over her head for a moment before quietly making their way to the couch. Mac praised herself for having the good sense to pick a seat where neither could sit next to her; it was a small blessing at least. Silence reined for a brief time and Mac rolled her eyes, oh good grief. Finally she spoke up, breaking the silent war between the two men, "So lieutenant, what brings you here?"

He looked over at her and shifted slightly, trying to force himself to relax. He flashed another smile, putting on his most charming act, "I just wanted to see how you were doing, what with the ribs and all."

Ha, sure he did, she thought cynically though she plastered on a smile, pretending to appreciate his thoughtfulness. "Thanks for your concern, lieutenant," she commented, sounding as sincere as possible.

"Please, call me Vic," he smiled broadly, starting to feel more comfortable as he began to feel like he was making progress. Mac was saved from answering by the sound of yet another knock on the door. She managed to prevent herself from sighing in relief; at this point anything was better than being alone with Lt. Idiot and Agent Moron.

She rose as quickly as possible, pointedly ignoring the guys subtly jockeying for position behind her. Hobbling to the door she absently toed Hammer out of the way when he tried to walk directly in front of her. The puppy plopped on the floor, eyeing Webb and Vukovic as they edged closer. Mac glanced down at him then over at the other two. Smothering a laugh she glanced through the peephole then broke into a huge grin, opening the door as quickly as possible, "Admiral! Sorry, AJ."

AJ Chegwidden stepped inside, swiftly wrapping Mac up in a hug. He pulled back and gazed directly into her eyes, making it obvious he expected an answer to his question, "How're you holding up, Mac?"

She smiled, a combination of sorrow and amusement, "I bought a puppy." AJ blinked, that was no where near the answer he'd been expecting. Frowning he fixed her with a glare, silently conveying that he expected a straight answer not a joke. Mac laughed softly at his look and shrugged slightly, "I bought a puppy, and his name is Hammer."

AJ's eyes widened slightly at the name then he glanced down, feeling something pat lightly at his leg. With a chuckle he bent down and picked up the puppy that was looking up at him earnestly. Straightening he smiled at Mac, "I see you weren't kidding." Mac grinned briefly and shook her head. He smiled down at the puppy, scratching his back lightly. Softly he commented, "The name is perfect." Mac nodded, feeling tears choke her. Swallowing past them she hobbled a bit farther into the apartment, letting AJ enter.

Still petting Hammer he froze when he saw there were already two other occupants. Frowning thoughtfully he glanced back at Mac who was shutting the door. When she turned around he looked at her expectantly, waiting for an explanation. Mac sighed, glancing at Clay and Vukovic; she'd forgotten they were there. Briefly she introduced them, "Sir, you already know Clay, and this is Lieutenant Vukovic. Lieutenant this is Admiral Chegwidden."

"Sir," Vukovic instinctively straightened.

AJ studied him for a long moment before nodding slightly, "Lieutenant." He glanced at the other man, "Clayton."

Webb nodded with a slight smile, "AJ."

Chegwidden glanced over at Mac, his eyes reflecting his puzzlement though he spoke lightly, "Having a party, Colonel?" He still cradled the puppy, petting him lightly as the dog slowly fell asleep in his arms.

Mac grimaced, "An unplanned one, sir… AJ."

"Ah," he glanced back at Clay and Vukovic who were both beginning to look decidedly uncomfortable. Vukovic watched the admiral with interest, mentally cursing himself for not taking more interest in the dog. It was clear that Mac appreciated AJ's involvement with the puppy, why didn't I think of that? Being enthusiastic about a puppy isn't that hard if it gets on her good side! Clay was having similar thoughts; though not a big animal person himself he'd known how much Mac liked dogs. After all she'd had Jingo for years, hell he'd dated her for a few months, he should've known better.

AJ glanced from Mac to Vukovic and Clay, silently taking in the situation. It didn't take him long to realize that when she said "unplanned" she'd really meant "unplanned and unwanted." Making a decision he smiled over at Mac, asking casually, "So, Mac, you ready for brunch?"

"Sir?" she looked vaguely startled.

AJ smiled calmly, "Don't tell me you forgot, we agreed on Friday, remember?"

Mac looked at him for a moment in mild confusion then her face relaxed into a smile, "Oh right, sorry it slipped my mind. I just need my purse." She glanced back at Clay and "Vic" who were both eyeing the admiral. "Sorry, guys…"

Clay cut her off, "Can we please talk, Sarah?"

Mac stiffened, "No, Clay, I told you earlier, we talked on Saturday, the answer has not, and will not, change."

Clay took a step forward only to be confronted by the solid mass of AJ Chegwidden who was suddenly looking every inch the ex-SEAL. Hammer had somehow moved from the admiral to Mac and AJ now stood with his arms crossed over his chest, glowering at the CIA agent, "I think it's time you leave, Mr. Webb." Clay swiftly took a step backwards, distinctly remembering his broken nose and having no desire to relive the experience.

He craned his neck slightly to look at Mac who was now behind AJ, pleading, "Sarah?"

Mac gazed at him stoically, unmoved, "No, Clay. Now please, leave." The agent looked once more at AJ who was still glaring, his body language speaking volumes. If Clay didn't leave now a broken nose was going to be the least of his worries. Clay sighed and nodded, shooting one last pleading look at Mac. Seeing it have no effect he nodded briefly to Vukovic then strode out, doing his best to appear unbeaten. Vukovic watched the exchange from a safe distance. He couldn't help but eye the admiral warily, not wanting to get on this man's bad side. Though he felt he was tougher than the pansy CIA guy he felt discretion was definitely the better part of valor in this case.

He smiled weakly, edging himself towards the door as AJ's glare fell on him, daring him to comment. Quit while you're ahead, Vic. Forcing his smile to become a little stronger he excused himself, "I should be leaving as well. I'll, uh, see you around, Colonel." Without waiting for an answer he slipped out the door and fled. Mac waited until the door had completely closed before laughing appreciatively.

She looked up at AJ with a grateful smile, "Thanks, AJ."

He grinned down at her, suddenly becoming the father-like figure again, "Anytime. Now how about that brunch?"

Mac blinked, surprised, "You were serious?"

"About us making plans, no. But brunch, why not?"

Mac thought about that for a moment then smiled and nodded slightly, "Sure, just let me take Hammer out first."

"Of course," AJ grabbed the door knob and held the door open for her. He had no intention of letting her out of his sight for at least a little while, not wanting to risk Clay or that lieutenant coming back. Though he didn't know Vukovic something about the guy rubbed him wrong. He also had a feeling there was a lot more to this story about Iraq than anyone would let on. His gut told him the lieutenant was a key figure and not in a good way.

Unknown Location

Same Day

1400 ZULU

Harm surfaced slowly from sleep. He could barely remember a recent time when he hadn't been kicked awake. Carefully he cracked one eye open, hoping that somehow maybe it had all been a dream. His vision was met with unrelieved darkness, so complete he couldn't see anything. Opening his other eye he strained to see, blinking a few times to make sure he really had his eyes open. It was of no use however, he couldn't see a thing. Slowly he moved his hand from under his head, waving it gently in front of his face. He couldn't see it, even when he accidentally smacked himself in the nose he still couldn't see his own hand. So much for that idea, he thought ruefully.

Lowering his hand back to the ground he started to push up from the floor then gasped in pain as his broken ribs made themselves known. He'd been breathing shallowly without realizing it, instinctively trying to keep his ribs as pain free as possible. But for that brief moment he'd forgotten and tried to use his chest muscles. Collapsing back to the floor he bit back a yelp as he landed solidly on his side. He clenched his teeth, slowly breathing through the pain until it subsided enough for him to relax again.

Ok, so moving is out of the question. He closed his eyes again, deciding he might as well since they weren't doing him any good when they were open. Cautiously Harm let his mind drift over recent events, his memory coming to an abrupt halt at his capture. Sighing softly he refused to let himself remember, forcibly blocking out his own memories, what I don't remember can't hurt them. There were some memories he couldn't bring himself to block out, some that he couldn't block. He comforted himself with these memories, letting his mind drift over the years and his partner.

She was all he would allow himself to remember. Sarah, his mind breathed, picturing her. Happy, sad, pissed, he remembered clearly every moment with her. It was odd he supposed, he couldn't remember Diane so clearly, nor any of his girlfriends. Yet somehow, despite the fact that he had never dated Mac, he could recall everything perfectly. But he tamped down on the oddity; it was irrelevant, for now he was just grateful the pain was dull enough to allow him to think clearly. It wasn't gone completely, far from it, but as long as he didn't move and breathed shallowly enough it was bearable. Briefly he wondered how long it had been since they'd come to see him, he had no clue how much time had passed.

Vaguely he recalled being given food a few times though he'd not bothered to keep count after the first few since it was obvious they weren't feeding him at regular intervals. Even that method of timekeeping was lost to him. He wondered whether anyone was looking for him, whether she was looking for him. Part of him desperately hoped so; he didn't think he could bear to die without seeing her at least once more. But part of him hoped not, he could bear it even less if she was captured once more. Especially not if it was in an attempt to save him, he would never be able to forgive himself. With a last smile at the memory of his partner and the woman he loved Harm allowed himself to drift back to sleep, comforted by the only memories he allowed himself to have.