A Notorious JAG

Chapter 2

Disclaimers: I don't own any of the JAG characters they are the property of Belasarius Productions. I don't own any product or label mentioned for the purposes of telling this story. I don't own the rights to the story or movie 'Notorious.' Any similarities to situations or persons living or dead are purely coincidental.

Spoilers: Any JAG episode through season 9. The premise of this story is loosely based on the story in the movie 'Notorious.'

A/N: Thanks to Karen for her excellent beta reading skills and support.

Rating M for language and adult situations

1835

Wednesday

October 22 2003

Ipanema Towers

Rio De Janeiro

Their hotel was located on a beautiful tree lined avenue just one street off of Ipanema Beach. Harm stepped to the concierge desk to check into his suite. The hotel was very upscale; Harm thought that the Company was putting out a lot of money for this mission and they hadn't even started yet.

Mac walked up behind him, gave her name and received her key. She took it and started for the elevators. Harm followed and pushed the button for the 5th floor. Mac frowned and looked at her room number; it read 952 on the 9th floor.

"We're not on the same floor?" She held up her card showing her room number.

Harm looked at his and answered. "I guess not."

Mac was quiet

"Maybe we have completely separate assignments." He wasn't sure, and he was getting that feeling again that he was going to regret taking this assignment. He, Mac and South America just didn't seem to be a good combination.

The elevator stopped on Harms floor, he exited and turned to look at Mac. "I'll let you know as soon as I hear from Prescott."

"Okay"

She looked directly at him, and continued to do so as the doors closed. For a moment she didn't want him to leave her. They'd made polite conversation through out their trip, it had been uncomfortable a lot of the time, but just now she didn't want to be where she couldn't reach him immediately. Why were they being separated?

She took a deep breath and shook off the feeling, it was irrational. They weren't close anymore, but if she were honest, she felt her connection to him as strongly as she ever had. The elevator opened on the 9th floor and she exited to her room.

One hour later…

Harm stood on his balcony looking out to sea and at the narrow strip of beach below. It was beautiful here; the beach that made the girl from Impanema famous, but it wasn't quite warm enough for a Brazilian bikini. Mac on Ipanema Beach would definitely be something he would have a difficult time forgetting. Lost in thought, he was startled by knock on his door.

He opened it to find Mac waiting. She was wearing a dress with a jacket of the same color. It was short but not too short; it didn't have to be to look sexy on Mac. It was a deep shade of rose, so dark that it was almost brown, it made the color of her eyes sharper and the dark chestnut color in her hair more vibrant. Beth's comment to him about knowing whether or not it was over when he saw her again came to him suddenly. For him, he knew now, it was definitely not over.

"Are you going out for dinner tonight?"

"I don't know, I thought I'd order in." She looked entirely too good to be spending the evening with. He didn't trust himself after having to sit so near to her on the plane. He had nearly reached out to touch her when she laid her head back and closed her eyes to take a nap.

"Okay…I think I'm going out."

Harm frowned, "Where were you going to go? You don't even know where you are."

"I have no idea; I'm just not spending my first night in Rio in my hotel room."

"Makes sense…but by yourself?" 'In that dress?' Harm thought.

Mac gave him a sharp look. "I think I can handle it."

Harm put both hands up surrendering before the war started. "Okay…just…call me when you get back in."

Mac nodded. "Night"

She left both disappointed and relieved that Harm hadn't come along. A few minutes later, as she was walking out of the main entrance of the building, Harm caught up with her.

He had showered and changed earlier that evening into a black long sleeved pullover with his jeans so he grabbed a sport coat and nearly ran to catch up with her. He reasoned that she shouldn't be alone. For all he knew Sadiq could still be in South America. He convinced himself it would be foolish to take any chances. His reasoning was enough to drown out the little voice in his head that told him to keep her at arms length.

Mac gave him a sidelong glance, "Change your mind?"

Harm ignored her question, but returned her look as he walked along with her down the Rua Prudente de Morais. It looked as though they could find anything they were looking for tonight. The street was lined with restaurants, shops and night clubs. It was still light outside, but barely. Under different circumstances, this might have been a great place to begin again and to make their way back to each other. But they had wounds that were a long way from healing, and a responsibility to complete their mission. Whatever else there was to be between them would come later.

2045

Galeria Café

Ipanema Beach

They had just finished dinner which they ate in near silence. Mac was wishing she had walked out of the hotel a bit faster. This had been difficult and confusing, she felt as though she longed to be with him, but then when she was, she couldn't wait to get away. It made no sense. Harm had been watching her and seemed to read her thoughts.

"Look I know you probably wanted to get out on your own tonight, but I don't think that's a good idea for now. For all we know, Sadiq could still be in South America. He knows you by sight; I think it's a risk to go out alone."

Mac considered what he had said, "You're probably right, I just didn't want to spend the night in my room tonight. How long do you think it will be till you hear from Prescott?"

"It could be tomorrow, it could be a week, it's hard to say."

Mac took this assignment mainly because she wanted to stop Sadiq. The memory of his torture of Webb and his murder of the missionaries Warren and Karla Robinson would forever be burned into her mind. Karla had betrayed her, but she didn't deserve what happened to her. Mac understood now that Karla had been out of her mind with fear. She just wanted to go home, to be free. She had never in her life seen such unreasoning hatred as she had when Sadiq looked into her eyes.

Harm noticed that she appeared lost in thought. "Mac?"

"Yeah, I was just thinking…I was thinking that I hope this is about Sadiq, and that we get him this time."

"How are you doing with that anyway?" His tone didn't betray anything other than casual interest.

"I hate him." It was a simple statement.

Harm's expression changed to one of concern in focused silence.

Mac felt the words rush out before she had given them full thought. "I've never let anyone make me hate them like that. Not for a long time. I never wanted to give anyone that much power over me again. The reason I took this assignment was so that I could do something with this hate…this rage I feel inside. Then maybe it will go away and I can feel like myself again."

"It may not go away Mac, not right away."

"I know" She looked at him, and the concern on his face helped her put those feelings aside for the time being.

Harm understood unexpressed anger at things that were out of his control, he had dealt with that as a child and young man and more recently since his return from Paraguay. He began to think of other times and felt himself being pulled into the depths of that rage again. He wanted to talk about something else, anything else, even if it meant fighting with her. This was still too painful for him and he didn't like where those feelings took him.

He decided to lighten the conversation but didn't quite succeed.

"You hate me and seem to be doing alright." He began with a smile, but it faded when he saw the look on her face. 'That was pathetic Rabb,' he thought.

"I'll never hate you, Harm." Her look was direct and sincere.

Mac looked away watching people pass the outdoor café. "It was partly because of you that I stopped hating my father. It seemed that after I went to see him when he died that I could let that hatred go. It was okay to love him again, to remember what was good about him. You encouraged me to go and see him when everything in me wanted to run the other way."

Harm was at a loss for words. One moment she was totally closed off and distant from him, then the next moment her heart seemed completely open to him. She spoke to him as the Mac he had once known, his best friend. It was as though they had always been close, never at odds, and Paraguay had never happened.

Mac noticed the look on his face, poor Harm, he looked completely off balance. She looked down suddenly embarrassed at her candor. "We better get back."

Harm rose and left his money on the table. "Yeah."

"Do you mind if we take the long way? I'd like to walk along the beach for awhile."

"Sure" There were still a lot of people on the street.

They walked along together with Harm stepping slightly closer to her but not touching her. He still felt protective of her, though he would never have admitted it to her. Since their argument after the reception, there was something about her that made her seem more fragile, but also completely untouchable. He had the feeling that if he pushed her too hard she would shatter into a million pieces.

Mac felt him step closer and surprisingly his nearness put her at ease. She always had plenty of confidence in her ability to take care of herself, but just standing with him, at this moment she felt as though she could face anything. When they stood together in any way, they really were unstoppable; it was the one thing about them that she could count on in any circumstance. Being with him like this made her feel complete too, in a way she hadn't in a very long time. She continued to walk with him, nearly matching him stride for stride.

They came upon a dance club that was open onto the street; they slowed their pace as they approached it. There were a number of couples dancing to the driving beat and the sight and sound of it all drew them both in. They stepped inside and watched the couples dancing the samba de salao. For a few moments neither of them could tear their eyes away from the dancers' fluid and sensual movements.

Harm stood behind Mac totally captivated, as she seemed to be. He could feel the music inside him as he imagined holding Mac tightly to him, with his hands sliding down low on her back. He leaned forward involuntarily and breathed in her sweet scent. Needing her and not having her had almost become second nature to him. But that had been when they had uniforms and protocols between them, or when the events of last spring had seemingly blown them apart for good. Here in Rio, at this moment, what he felt for her was almost overpowering, and there was very little to rein him in. He shifted slightly and stepped around beside her. The look on her face did nothing to help him get his desire for her under control.

She was a vision, her face hiding nothing, her eyes held a dreamy heavy lidded gaze. She seemed spellbound by what she was witnessing. He would have given anything to know what she was thinking about at this moment. Looking back out onto the dance floor, he watched as one couple drew apart then intimately back together. Mac drew in a breath, and Harm couldn't keep himself from reaching out and gently grasping her at her hip.

Mac looked up at him; the passion still in her eyes, her gaze fell on his lips then up into his eyes. She remembered those beautiful but changeable eyes. Eyes that poured out and withdrew affection without warning. She took a breath and tried to ignore the tingling sensation from where he was touching her down to her feet. She heard herself ask. "Are you…ready?"

Harm nearly leaned down, just to press his lips to hers, but as he saw Mac trying to regain control he released her hip and nodded his answer. He turned and as he did he caught her by her hand, not wanting to lose her in the gathering crowd. As they reached its edge Harm noticed a young man walking into the club, giving Mac what would be termed as a more than admiring look. He then looked at Harm directly and winked, conveying an unspoken message that he would love to be him tonight. As they stepped out onto the walkway, Harm stepped more closely to her and placed his hand at the small of her back. The sensual beat of the samba followed them as they walked. Looking back over his shoulder, he saw Mac's admirer still watching them.

Mac looked up at Harm as he looked back, and saw him frown. "What is it?"

"You seem to have an admirer."

"What?"

"From the dance club, he was watching you as we left."

Mac glanced over her shoulder and saw the man who stood on the sidewalk nearly half a block behind them now. He bowed slightly and placed his hand over his heart. She turned back and began to pick up her pace. For reasons she could not explain she felt foolish suddenly, and very uncomfortable.

"Hey slow down."

Mac continued walking at the same pace.

Harm knew the attention had made her uncomfortable. "He was just making his intentions known, Mac."

He had just caught up with her and looked at her with his eyes gleaming mischievously

Mac shook her head and returned his look. "Oh, no, Harmon Rabb, I'm not doing that dance tonight." She was in no mood to spar with him, if this was bait she wasn't taking it.

"Too bad we don't know that dance Mac" He looked back toward the dance club indicating the couples they had been watching a few moments before. He gave her a sly grin.

She stepped further away from him as they walked, then looked at him directly. "I didn't know you knew how, Harm" He asked for it and as usual she couldn't resist, after all.

They returned to their hotel rooms in amused silence. They both loved and hated their 'dance,' and for the life of them they didn't know how to stop.

1030

Thursday

October 23, 2003

Ipanema Towers

Room 545

Harm called Mac's room for the second time that morning. There hadn't been an answer so he tried the concierge desk. Mac had left a message that she was doing some sight seeing and that she would check in hourly to see if her presence was required. Harm ended the call; he was getting out of here too. The plan had been for Prescott to contact him by cell phone anyway.

Harm walked nearly every street in Ipanema. He was subconsciously looking for Mac, telling himself all the while that he didn't care where she went. The sense he had of always knowing where she was seemed lost to him now, and it filled him an unease that he could not shake.

At that same moment…

Mac held onto the frame of the jeep as it climbed higher into the mountains and the green of the Tijuca forest. She had come upon a group of tourists waiting for their transportation and tour guide early this morning. She decided it was the perfect opportunity to get away.

It was cooler as they climbed, and Mac breathed in the fresh clean air. It was a different world from the congestion and the noise of the city. This had been a good idea. She wished for just a moment that she had invited Harm along, but banished the thought immediately. She needed this time alone.

When they reached a plateau Mac's tour guide stopped to allow his passengers to rest. Mac and another couple got out to enjoy the view. Keeping to herself, she stepped closer to the outer edge of the rest area and looked at the city below. She was feeling so much better today, in fact, she felt almost euphoric at this moment. Placing her hand on her chest, she breathed deeply trying to rein in all of her churning emotions. She knew that to Harm she must seem the most unstable person in the world, with her moods changing from highs to lows very quickly. She knew it wasn't normal, but thought too that it would pass. When this mission was complete and she got back to Washington, got into the normal routine of her life, she believed things would calm down again. The trouble was, without Harm, her life had felt anything but normal. Maybe this mission would take care of that too. They would remember what they were to each other, friends above all. She hoped they would. In fact, she was counting on it.

Later that day…

Harm sat watching the late afternoon foot traffic at the oceanfront. The tourist brochures that he found in his room had been right. The scenery was beautiful here; it was still early spring, with everything green and coming alive instead of dying out. It was fall in the States, and Harm smiled thinking that it was just another example of how things turned upside down in South America. He stood and looked down Avenue Viera Souto. Where was Mac? He had called the hotel a number of times to see if she had come back to her room, but she had not. He knew why she left on her own and he didn't blame her, but it was as he said… a risk. Exploring the city on his own had taken up most of the day, he wandered in and out of the small shops on the residential streets, he had looked through an art gallery on Rua Prudente de Morais, walked the entire beach thinking he might see her somewhere. Deciding to check on Mac's return without calling yet again, he walked back toward their hotel. He was almost ashamed to call the concierge desk.

1740

Thursday

Ipanema Towers

Harm was just a block away from the hotel when he saw Mac coming from the opposite direction. He called to her before he thought about it. "Mac!"

She stopped and looked around recognizing his voice. She finally saw him across the street. Smiling, she waved and continued to walk toward the hotel, Harm crossed the street and caught up with her just as she entered the hotel.

"Where have you been?"

"I took a Jeep tour of the Tijuca forest. You should go Harm, it was fantastic." Her cheeks were flushed a tawny pink and her eyes were bright with happiness, almost too bright.

He was just going to remind her about how foolish it was for her to go off alone, but she looked so radiantly happy now he didn't have the heart to do it. He tried to smile but the thought that Sadiq could resurface and take her from him again would not allow it.

Mac knew he wouldn't like the idea of her tour, but she had to go. They couldn't spend any more time together without another argument of some kind, and they had to be able to work together on this mission. She had thought a break was just what they needed; and truth be told she just wanted to do something to make herself feel better.

Harm followed her into the elevator silently, pushing the button for the 9th floor. He stood eyes forward, considering carefully what he would say. Mac seemed to be all over the map, one moment she was sniping and surly and then she would be as she was now. The one he understood and knew was his friend. Her behavior had been erratic at best. He didn't want to fight with her; he wanted to help, he just didn't trust himself to be too close to her. There didn't seem to be any way them to win in this situation.

They had a job to do, who knew what would be required of them. Being detached always helped in the past, but he was beginning to think that he just couldn't do it anymore. In his minds eye he saw Mac at Sadiq's compound in the Chaco Boreal, her wrists shackled to the table, her face white with fear. If he had taken a second longer to reach her who knew what she might have had to endure? She left today as though she were on some kind of vacation, this was serious, she had to know that.

Mac reached her floor and Harm got out of the elevator with her. Mac smirked, "Like to join me in my room Harm?"

He didn't answer her right away, but as he approached her door he said evenly. "I want to talk to you."

"I'm taking a shower, and then we'll talk." She said it calmly and matter of fact, as she unlocked her door. Harm followed her in and she walked directly to her bathroom without a backward look.

He walked around looking at her much larger suite with its separate bedroom and kitchen, then he walked outside and waited on her balcony. He shook his head trying to clear it, even his thoughts betrayed him. The temptation was to let Mac draw him into her happy mood and forget the chance she took today. She had to listen to him; she had to understand this wasn't about anything but his concern for her. How many times had he intended to tell her how important she was to him, and then all he had been able to do was push them further apart?

Mac came back into the room from her shower 20 minutes later; she had dressed in gray sweat pants that rested low on her waist and a t-shirt that barely covered her flat stomach. Her nearly dry, just washed, hair fell loosely around her shoulders. Harm tried but failed to keep from taking her all in, the clean scent of her shampoo and soap seemed to precede her into the room. Mac could attract him wearing just about anything from cammies to an evening gown, and tonight was no exception. Her t-shirt accentuated her curves and the strength of her body, the sweat pants followed the curve of her thigh and the well-defined muscles in her torso. Harm had turned to look at her, then for his own self-preservation he turned to look out at the mountains in clear view from Mac's balcony.

"Look Harm, I'm sorry I worried you, but you were right last night, I just needed to get away by myself. I need to clear my head so I can concentrate on this mission, whatever it is. I want to finish what we started last spring."

He would love a chance to finish what he had begun last spring, when he left for Paraguay to bring Mac back home. He put his hands in his pockets and drew a deep breath, he wanted to say this the right way, and still make it clear that she should not do that again. Damn he hated that this was so hard.

He did not turn to face her but said quietly, "We did talk about this last night, Mac."

Mac still sounded so happy and at ease, "I know, but I really needed today, the mountains were beautiful Harm. Paraguay may have been a green hell, but this is paradise. Everything is here. The beach, the mountains, there is even a jungle if you feel so inclined." She laughed.

"We're not on vacation, Mac." He didn't understand her, didn't she realize the risk she took. He steeled himself and turned to look at her.

Mac was getting tired of his attitude and she started to tell him so, when she saw the look on his face. He had been really worried about her, but she knew he would have died before he admitted it.

"Oh poor Harm, I've been running around all day and you've been worrying about me."

She walked over and stood in front of him. She smiled and shook her head, "Poor Harm, having to deal with this out of control Marine." She chuckled and reached up to give him an affectionate touch on his cheek. She stopped when she saw the look in his eyes.

"It's not funny." Anger and desire intermingled and flared in his eyes and something else, something he was having a hell of a hard time hiding anymore. A raw and visceral need for her on so many levels he would never be able to explain. He still wanted what he left the Navy for; he wanted to keep her safe and make her his… alone.

He stepped closer, just inches from her and reached down, with Mac's eyes following his hands as he placed them on each of her hips. Digging in his thumbs and flattening his palm, he spread his fingers wide. He tightened his grip, pressing in the tips of his fingers, making her straighten her spine and look up into his eyes. He leaned closer to her face. "Stop it." His voice held a husky and impatient edge.

Mac was too stunned for a second to do anything but physically react to his touch. He was losing his grip on that iron control… with her. She would endure every one of his smug smiles for a glimpse of this side of him. This change in him made her feel powerful and reckless, and suddenly she couldn't keep herself from taunting him.

"What's this? A dent in the man of steel?" She leaned in closer, challenging him to show her more.

Harm narrowed his gaze and asked her in a low voice. "Why don't you take a closer look and find out, Mac?" He took her hand and placed it on his chest and nipped at her bottom lip.

His question and his hands on her were making her feel as though she were melting to her very core. She took up his challenge and nipped his upper and lower lips. As she reached to touch his face, he impatiently caught her hands and brought them down and then up and under his shirt. He had to feel her hands on his skin, this is what he had wanted…needed like the air he breathed since long before Paraguay. As she skimmed her hands over his chest and then around his back, he broke the kiss for a moment and pulled back just far enough to look into her eyes. "Any dents, Mac?"

Mac started to speak but Harm drew closer, and his warm mouth on the sensitive skin on her neck took the words away. Linking her arms around him she skimmed her fingers up to the nape of his neck, fisting her fingers in the now longer hair there. He nearly took her breath as he pulled her in, lifting her slightly up and into him, increasing desire and sensation for them both.

He could not bite back the sound of pure pleasure at the feel of her in his arms. Kissing her hungrily, he lifted her up and she wrapped herself around him, full on. He ran his hands up her legs as he held on to her tightly, as though he feared she would disappear if he let her go. He tightened his grip further and Mac pulled back, drawing in a sharp breath. The look in his eyes told her he hadn't meant to hurt her, she kissed him as she looked deeply into his eyes and repeated between her kisses… "Its okay… its okay" Her fingers stroked his cheek and they were still eye to eye, and soul to soul. His touch gentled and they began again.

There was no turning back. He could not tell her what he felt for her; he thought that if she felt a fraction of what he felt for her, she would love him forever. All he knew was that she was here and his need for her had finally overpowered his reason.

No more thinking now, maybe not ever.

TBC