Title : Melted Ice

Author : Jaggie 107

Disclaimer : JAG/NCIS characters belong to DPB, CBS and Paramount. I hope all parties will allow me to have fun for a little while, and replace them all when I'm done. Thank you.

Rating : T (I think!) Some language!

Spoilers : Series 8

Summary : Mac proves loyal to Harm…and a lot more!

Notes : I don't have the exact dialogue for the conversation between Harm and Harriet that happened on screen, so I've winged it and hope it's as close to the original as possible. I just thought it was such a cute scene, and entirely appropriate for Harm to watch out for such a close friend. They had shared grief over the loss of baby Sarah previously, and so it isn't out of place for him to worry about Harriet now.


Thanks for all your wonderful reviews and comments, but I regret I can't access the reviews feature right now to add to this chapter, so I'll put everything on the next (and last!) chapter. I could hold the chapter over for a while longer, but I'm sure you don't want that!

JAG Headquarters

Next Day

If anyone noticed that Commander Rabb and Colonel Mackenzie arrived in one car, they made no obvious comment. It was a bittersweet welcome that met Harm when he entered the bullpen behind Mac. Harriet was the first to greet him, and he returned her restrained welcome with a brief hug. Not quite protocol, but Harriet was unconcerned by the possible repercussions if someone were to point out the oversight. No-one did. As the well-wishers returned to duty stations, Harm gave Mac a reassuring smile and headed for his own office. The sight that met him was a scene of devastation. Files and boxes were strewn around the room. His personal items were in a box on top of a file cabinet; the model of his Stearman lying crookedly on the top of the box. Dropping his briefcase in a gap on his desk, and laying his cover on top of that, he picked up the airplane model and turned it in his hands. The silence in the room was broken by a discreet cough, and the voice of his long-time friend. Sturgis Turner entered the room.

"We tried to minimize the fallout. NCIS and IA are hardly what you would call

'tidy', I'm afraid. Harriet did most of the work."

"In her condition?" Harm looked surprised, spotting the Lieutenant in question at her desk in the bullpen, sitting down in her chair and rubbing at her distended stomach in an unconsciously soothing gesture.

Sturgis laughed, shaking his head. "No. I should rephrase – Harriet directed operations while Bud and I followed orders."

"Ah, now that makes sense." Harm put the model down on the bookshelf in its former place, and began to lift other items out of the box that Harriet had deemed personal items. As he did this, Sturgis spoke.

"I hope Mac gave you our message?" Harm cocked his head at Sturgis's words, contemplating what he had said. Sturgis continued, and Harm nodded then, understanding the direction Sturgis was going in.

"It was appreciated, Sturg. I know you couldn't all come to the Brig; I'm glad it was Mac who came."

Sturgis nodded, knowing that nothing would have dissuaded Mac from going to visit Harm, orders be damned! As he watched Harm replace some items on the bookshelf, and some on his desk, he asked the obvious question.

"What happens now?"

"I'm not sure. I'm out on bail, but the charges have still got to be addressed. I'll face a court-martial, and hope that I can prove I didn't kill Singer."

"I can't believe there is still doubt, bro!"

"I'm trying not to dwell on it, you know? But it's hard to believe that this could have gone so far!"

"Does NCIS have any idea on the paternity of the Lieutenant's baby?" Sturgis asked Harm, but the answer to his question came from the Admiral, standing in the doorway. Both Harm and Sturgis came to attention, and they were waved down as the Admiral came forward to shake Harm's hand.

"Welcome back, Commander. I appreciate your being in the office, but under the circumstances I can't assign cases to you at this time."

"I understand, sir. It will give me time to rearrange my office…" Harm tailed off, and Chegwidden nodded in somber reflection around the room. Bringing his gaze back to Harm's face, he allowed a small smile.

"I trust you'll spend some time working on your defense?"

"Absolutely, sir. The Colonel, and Commander Turner, along with the Roberts'..." Harm waved a hand around to indicate the people he had mentioned, smiling as he saw Mac appear at the Admiral's shoulder.

"Sir?" Mac addressed the Admiral, and he turned to face her.

"You need me for something, Colonel?"

"Sir, I have to be out of the office for a while. I have been requested to go to the Pentagon. The SecNav's office? Do you know what it might be about, sir?" Mac was reluctant to leave Harm's side right now, even to go into DC, and the request from the Pentagon had come out of the blue. The Admiral shook his head.

"I have no idea, Colonel. I suggest you go – take the pool car, and driver – and then get back here as soon as you can. If it's the SecNav's office, I guess it could just be your turn to be Secretary Sheffield's messenger."

"I could do without it, sir," Mac groused good-naturedly, and Chegwidden smiled, knowing she wanted to stay close to Headquarters until Harm's case was heard at court-martial.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that, Colonel. I'll inform Coates that you are out of the office for the time being. Report as soon as you return."

"Yes, sir." Mac acknowledged, and then watched as Chegwidden took his leave and returned to his office, via PO Coates' desk. Sturgis excused himself also, promising to come back and help out with filing when he had a free moment or two. Mac glanced around the office and her eyes settled on the Stearman before returning to focus on Harm. The blinds in his office had been closed since Harm had left to go to NCIS Headquarters, and Mac took advantage of this fact, pushing the door closed behind her as she stepped fully into the room.

"Are you planning on doing something, Colonel?" Harm teased, but stood down when he saw the somber look on Mac's face. "Sarah?"

Mac managed a small smile at the sound of her given name. Since the night before, and their mutual declarations, Harm had used her given name as often as possible. Shaking her head gently, she put a finger up to his lips.

"I don't want to leave you…something doesn't feel right, Harm."

"You won't be long. It's only into DC; not like driving down to Norfolk. You'll be back in a couple of hours."

"A lot can happen in a 'couple of hours', Harm!" Mac protested, but Harm soothed her with his words and his low voice. There was no way he would ever dismiss her 'feelings', especially as she had been able to use her unusual talents to save his life, and he reassured her that he would still be there when she returned from DC.

Despite Mac's continued uneasiness she returned from her journey to find Harm still in his office, blinds now opened, and still working to restore order to his room and its contents. Standing in his doorway, she watched as he worked – lifting boxes of files, the muscles in his body showing as the material stretched over his back, round his arms , over his six, and down his legs. His uniform molded to him like a second skin, causing Mac to tilt her lips at her fanciful thoughts. Or perhaps they were something more than fanciful…

"You planning on standing there, ogling me, all afternoon?" Harm asked conversationally, stopping to look at her over the box in his arms. He grinned at the blush that stained her cheeks, caught out as she had been.

"In your dreams, Sailor. I just got back."

"Sure you did," Harm retorted, and added softly. "Remember, Marine, I always know when you're near…" to which Mac nodded in acceptance. It was true – Harm may not share her abilities, but he had an uncanny sense of her presence sometimes.

"So…what've you got planned for tonight? You don't have much in the way of food in your place…" Mac began, but Harm grinned and pointed his finger.

"What you mean is that I don't have much in the way of your kind of food. Want to come to the market with me?"

"We'll have two cars, Harm," Mac responded, pointing out that now Harm was back at JAG, he could drive himself home. He had been taken to NCIS in Gibbs' vehicle, leaving his own SUV in the parking lot outside Headquarters.

"Well, I could leave mine here for another day…" Harm began, and then shook his head, as if negating the next thought before it became spoken. For all that they had spent the night before together at Harm's apartment, it was still presumptuous of him to think that Mac would want to spend every waking, and sleeping, moment with him! He was serious about the direction their lives were now going, and he wasn't prepared to shatter the fragility of their new relationship by taking anything for granted.

"Harm, I can practically hear the wheels going around in your head," Mac mused, giving him a soft smile. "Would you like to have din…" she began to ask, and laughed in surprise as Harm interrupted her.

"Would it be too fast for you if I said 'yes' now?"

"What? No thinking it through? Who are you, and what've you done with my partner?" Mac joked, giving Harm a look of mock-horror.

"Very funny…" Harm began, and glanced over Mac's shoulder to the bullpen beyond, before leaning over and touching his finger to the tip of her nose. "In lieu of a kiss," he murmured, and gave her a hint of her future with him in the look in his eyes. It could always…would always be like this now, she knew. Loving, and being loved by this man, was all she wanted – along with the great career, and the comfortable shoes! Reluctantly Mac drew herself back to the conversation, and in particular to the unspoken question Harm had asked along with the spoken one.

"It couldn't be fast enough…"

Harm looked at Mac as he heard her answer, and he grinned as he recognized her meaning. It was going to be an interesting relationship, he knew without doubt, but it was also a faithful one – seven years had already proved that – and knowing they would be in the same bed at the end of the day, wherever they were, he was going to be a very happy man!

"I'd…ah…better get in to see the Admiral. He was right; I was the appointed gofer for the SecNav. It would seem since he disposed of Lindsay he's taken to using our offices as his own private staff pool." Mac had already half-turned to leave Harm's room.

"Not for much longer," Harm responded, pulling some files out of a box and stacking them alongside other piles on his desk.

"What do you mean?" Turning back to look at him, Mac waited patiently until Harm lifted his dark head.

"Not that I put much stock in scuttlebutt, but you never know…I've heard that Manetti is in line to replace Lindsay."

"Manetti? How come? I know her father is a friend of the SecNav, but that's hardly been her step up the ladder. To her credit, Tracey's always been sure to steer clear of her father's connections."

"I know that, and I'm not pointing fingers. Just something I heard, that's all."

"Okay…" Mac responded, and then smiled. "So, you going to be here when I get finished with the Admiral?"

Harm nodded, waving a hand over the files, boxes and paraphernalia in his room, silently acknowledging that he wasn't going anywhere. Mac nodded in equally silent response, and left his office, heading across the bullpen to talk to PO Coates.

Harm took a moment to watch her walk away, and he would have sworn she knew, swaying her hips just a little more than usual…

When Harm's gaze returned to his office, he passed over the staff in the bullpen with a cursory glance, and then focused on one in particular. Harriet was seated again, rubbing her stomach with more force, and with her feet propped up on a second chair. Putting the files in his hand down on his desk he left his office and walked over to Harriet.

"Lieutenant? You okay?"

Harriet looked up at Harm, and nodded, biting her lip to stem the ever-present tears. Hormones were hell, she decided, moreso when she was pregnant, and especially when she was feeling so out of sorts with herself. It had hit her hard when she had learned of Lauren Singer's fate, and that of her unborn child. Feeling somewhat responsible for the fact that Singer had decided to continue with the pregnancy, it made Harriet question the wisdom of her decision to try and talk the woman out of the termination she had planned. In her heart, Harriet knew, the baby's life would have been ended anyway, but with the choice made to have her baby, Singer had opted to change her life, and for her to have died as she had, Harriet felt the loss two-fold. Bringing her thoughts, and her tears, under control, Harriet sniffed and then smiled at Harm.

"I'm fine, sir." Harm nodded, about to turn away, and then Harriet sniffed again. Turning back, he knelt down, resting one hand against the arm of her chair.

"Harriet, what is it?"

"Sir…Harm…I just, you know…I love being pregnant, and I put up with the big belly, and the swollen ankles, and the whole nine months…but after all I've been through, with little AJ and then baby Sarah, you'd think Someone Upstairs would cut me some slack, you know?" Harriet swiped at her nose, and gave Harm a rare pitiful look. Patting her hand as he got to his feet, Harm gave her one of his famed smiles, to which she couldn't help but respond with a watery laugh and a smile of her own.

"Harriet, have you eaten yet?"

"No…sir," Harriet remembered protocol at the last moment, and addressed Harm officially.

"Then would you like to join me in the cafeteria? My treat."

Harriet gave Harm a grateful smile, but shook her head at the same time.

"I'd love to, sir, but I don't think I can make it all the way down…sir? Harm! Sir, what are you doing?" Harriet squealed as Harm lifted her legs gently off the supporting chair, placed them on the circular bar of her own chair base, and turned the whole chair around to face the double glass doors of the JAG Ops floor. When it became clear what Harm's actual intention was, Harriet settled back with a giggle, and then another squeal as he pushed her out through the doors and into the conveniently open elevator. As Harm turned the chair around to face the doors when they would re-open, he saw Mac's face as she appeared in the bullpen with Jennifer Coates, both drawn by Harriet's happy outburst. With a smile and a wave, he pointed down and then to his mouth, indicating exactly where he was taking Harriet. He caught Mac's nod and smile as the doors closed.

Mac's Apartment

Georgetown

Same Day

"That was a nice thing you did today, Harm. Harriet told me you took her mind off everything with your 'surprise' lunch."

Mac was leaning back against Harm's chest, her head tucked under his chin, and she moved slightly to look up at him, dropping a gentle kiss on his jaw.

"It seemed the right thing to do, and it's not like I didn't have time on my hands," Harm shrugged, dropping a kiss in return on Mac's head, taking in the scent of her shampoo as he did so.

"It meant a lot to her."

"She told me that this pregnancy was getting her down some," Harm acknowledged, and Mac nodded her head in agreement, and added something more.

"It has something to do with Singer, too."

Harm lifted his head at that statement, and looked at Mac with a question in his eyes. Mac took a deep breath, and told him what Harriet had told her, about feeling responsible for the death of the unborn baby.

"I don't see how, Mac. Singer was going to terminate the pregnancy anyway! That's what she told me…that's why I said I'd take the baby…" Harm's voice rose slightly, and Mac pushed herself up in his arms, turning to touch his face.

"You wanted to keep the baby? Why? It wasn't yours…" Mac faltered slightly, not because she believed Harm to be the father – she just knew he wasn't – but because she suddenly realized Harm's desire to save the child was because he believed he was related somehow. Sergei!

"I think…I thought Sergei was the father," Harm voiced her unspoken word, and gave her a long look, taking in her dark hair, her deep brown eyes, and her soft mouth. No-one seeing her like this would take this Sarah Mackenzie to be the squared-away Marine who knew hand to hand combat, could field strip a rifle and reassemble it in record time, and had served in war-zone deployment. "God, Sarah, I love you…" he murmured, leaning in to seal his lips to hers in a soft, questioning kiss, to which she responded in kind. When they broke for need of air, Mac lifted her head slightly to whisper in his ear, and then they kissed again, and again…

I love you too…


To be continued