Monday morning Mac arrived at JAG Headquarters early, something that was normal for her. She went to her office and began to work through some of the numerous piles of files that had begun to stack up on her desk. She looked out of her office window and into the bullpen to see Harriet Sims-Roberts and Bud Roberts arriving. She watched as Harriet walked to her desk and as Bud walked to his office. Even when the two were showing no affection for each other on the outside, a person could easily see that the two were still in love after five years of marriage. I want that one day. Mac thought to herself. You could have it if you do something about it. Another voice inside of Mac's head chimed in. Mac's thoughts then wondered to her day she had spent with her old friend Alex and her two children, Tommy and Lizzy. By the end of the evening they had dubbed her the 'cool, pretty, marine.' Mac smiled at the memory of the two children.
Harm watched from the doorway as Mac's features lit up. I wonder what she is thinking about, Harm thought. The tough marine looked as though she was in a day dream and Harm did not want to interrupt it. He turned to leave when Mac finally came back to earth and noticed him turning away.
"How long have you been standing there?" She asked Harm. She wasn't accusing him; it was just a simple question out of pure curiosity.
"Long enough to know that you were daydreaming about something." Harm said as he invited himself in closing the door behind him, and sitting in one of the chairs across from Mac's desk.
Mac raised one eyebrow, "I wasn't day dreaming Harm."
"Oh really? Then what was that expression you had on your face then?" Harm asked.
"I was just thinking about my weekend, not daydreaming, just thinking. Something you should try doing." She added the last comment as a joke. She knew very well that Harm could think he was actually quite smart.
"Oh was your weekend interesting?" He asked.
"Not really, I spent Saturday at an old friend's house and her two children." Mac responded.
"Uh-hu," Harm said, "did you have fun?"
"Yes, I had fun. It was interesting being around two eight year olds who are totally different from one another." Mac said.
"Sounds like you had fun,"
"Yeah I did. You know Harm, I promised to take little AJ to the carnival this weekend, I was wondering if you would like to come?" Mac said. She was hoping that he would say yes. Mac always loved to watch Harm interact with children because he acted so much like a child himself when he was with them. She knew that he would make a great father some day. In fact she secretly hoped that one day Harm would be the father of her children.
"I would love to Mac, but I have a previous engagement." Harm answered.
Mac's face slightly fell when he responded. You know he probably has a date. Any woman would love to go to dinner with him; he was a very handsome man, Mac thought. "Of course you do Harm, I wasn't thinking," Mac said as she bent her head down.
Harm heard the change in Mac's voice and he could also see the change in her mood on her face. "Mac..." Harm started but was interrupted by Mac.
"Harm, I understand really I do. Now if you would please leave, Commander, I have some work that I need to do. They don't pay me to sit around and talk with ex-fighter pilots turned lawyer all day," Mac said.
Harm slowly stood up and walked to the door. He looked back to see Mac bent over an open file marking a page. He walked out of the door and into his own office. I wonder what set Mac off so quickly. Harm thought as he got to work on his on cases.
Mac worked alone in her office until lunch when she only left her office to get something from the break room to eat. Harm on the other hand, sat outside and ate with Sturgis.
"Sturgis I don't know what happened," Harm told his friend as the two sat down at a table and bench. "One minuet we are talking and joking around like we normally do, and the next she refers to me as 'Commander.' The only time she refers to me by rank is when she's mad or annoyed with me."
"And you can't think of anything you said that may have offended her?" Sturgis asked. He was often Harm's confidant when it came to situations with Mac.
"Nothing," Harm said exasperated as he picked a fork full of salad off of his plate and put it into his mouth.
"Well what were you talking about before she changed?"
"She had asked if I would go to the carnival with her and little AJ." Harm said.
"And what did you say?" Sturgis asked.
"I told her I had a previous engagement on Saturday, which I do." Harm said.
Sturgis rolled his eyes as he thought about how dense his friend could be. Do not get him wrong, Sturgis knew that Harm was a smart man, at times even brilliant— but he'd never admit that to Harm— however when it came to his relationship with Mac, Harm was slow and oblivious to how Mac felt. "Did you tell her what kind of plans you have for Saturday?" Sturgis asked.
"Well no, I didn't have time to. In fact the minuet I finished saying I couldn't go her whole attitude towards me changed. Then she kicked me out." Harm said.
"And you have no clue why she kicked you out?" Sturgis said sarcastically. He was on the verger of bursting into fits of laughter.
"No I don't" Harm said truly troubled. Anyone could see how distressed he was about having Mac's attitude towards him change.
"Well Harm, I'll let you figure that out on your own." Sturgis said as he picked up his trash and headed inside leaving a very confused Harm sitting alone at the table.
Mac's attitude towards Harm didn't get any better as the week went on. In fact as it came closer and closer to Saturday her attitude became worse, and Harm had no clue why. At least I have Saturday to look forward to. Maybe the weekend will calm her down a bit and we can talk. Harm thought as he walked out of JAG headquarters on Friday evening.
AN: I'm not quite sure exactly where to go from here. I have an idea of what to do but any suggestions would be helpful. I love reviews both good and bad. Thanks for reading. Hope you liked it.