Disclaimer: Just doing this for fun, no stealing of rights involved, promise!

A/N: okay, a few things:

I know, this is getting real silly real fast. I planned a whole other chapter but the flashback bit took over and wrote itself! So this turned out to be an explanation slash crazy chapter and the next one will actually get us moving forward, ok?

I'm taking my Writer's Privilege (thanks Jackie!), deciding that Harm has a TV and DVD Player.

I never played guitar, but my brother does, so I'm hoping the C chord bit seems logical to the guitar players among you, feel free to let me know if it doesn't.

The part written in third person is a flashback. This chapter's from Harm's POV.

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"Love you too.."

God, I hope she heard me. That just came so easy, who knows if I'll be able to say it face to face.

My phone's still glued to my head. Finally I hear the tone, signaling her end of the line is disconnected, and I slowly lower my hand and disconnect myself. The guitar is still in my lap, my fingers clutching the C chord.

What was that about? I don't think I've ever heard Mac like that. But it was fun!

She caught me just strumming on my guitar. I was supposed to drive to my grandma's for the weekend but decided earlier that I didn't feel like making the long drive tonight and that I'd just wake up early and drive in daylight.

I place the guitar back in its place and head to my bedroom, still very preoccupied by the weird phone conversation. Where did that fairytale come from? I just made up a story on the spot. I've never done that before, and yet it seemed to just flow out so easily. Lying on my back, staring at the ceiling, a slow smile spreads on my face. I know where it came from!

Tuesday night, Mac showed up on my doorstep with both hands behind her back and a grin on her face. It had been a particularly bad day, filled with endless paperwork, a lost case do to lack of evidence and a lying, stupid client and to top it all off my computer decided to crash for no apparent reason and sent whatever confidence I ever had in the damn machine, out the window. After it crashed I decided I didn't wanna stick around for more bad things to happen and took my paperwork home with me.

Naturally, Mac decided to turn my day around. From behind her back she produced a Blockbuster bag in one hand and a bag from our favorite Chinese place in the other.

/ "You're my hero!" He exclaimed happily, taking the food from her as she entered and peering inside.

"I knew you'd be too agitated to cook and too lazy to order in," she said with a smirk, "So, I thought to myself, 'better feed the sailor if I don't wanna break in a new partner', then I saw Blockbuster on the way and decided to go all out and make it a movie night."

She made herself comfortable on his couch, and he had to smile at her ease around his apartment.

He disappeared into the kitchen and came back with two water bottles and a couple of forks. Mac had already spread the food on the coffee table and was sampling the lo mein with her fingers.

"Hey! Get your filthy fingers out of my food, jarhead!"

Licking her fingers clean she flashed him a grin. "I'll have you know, my fingers are very clean."

"Yeah, I bet."

"Besides, 'clean' food has no character." She took a fork from him and proceeded to eat the noodles, without giving him a second glance.

Amused, he just shook his head, "Marines... go figure..."

They ate in silence, enjoying the company and the food.

When they finished Mac flopped back on the couch with a content sigh. Harm smiled at her as he cleared the table, then came to sit on the other side of the couch, facing her.

"So... what movie did you pick for us? Could it be... Top Gun..?"

She snorted "Yeah, right. You're not depressed enough for me to actually sit and watch it with you again." Reaching for the bag she took out the DVD. "I got us Aladdin!"

Harm made a face. "A kid's movie? If that's your way to say I'm childish, it's not very original..."

"Ha! If I had to find an original way to tell you each time I thought you were being childish..." She laughed at the dirty look that statement earned her. "Actually, you'd be surprised. I watched it with Chloe once and found it very entertaining."

Ignoring his grunt of doubt, Mac got up, put the DVD in the player and opened the TV.

Settling back on the couch, she reached for the bag again, and dumped its contents in the space between them.

"You did go all out..." Harm stated, looking at 10 different kinds of chocolate treats.

Mac just smiled. "You ready, sailor? We're headed for the dry desert."

The exasperated look on his face didn't dampen her enthusiasm as she happily pressed play and fished a box of Buncha Crunch from the pile of sugar beside her.

To his surprise, Harm found himself enjoying the movie, and even more enjoying the sight of Mac laughing and singing along to some of the songs.

When she caught him looking during a particular song, she was quick in her defense, "Chloe has the soundtrack!"

When the movie ended and the credits began to roll along with the songs, Mac turned to face Harm, legs crossed in front of her.

"Hey, did you notice how a Marine is like a Genie?" He raised an eyebrow and she explained verbally as well as with her hands, "Phenomenal cosmic powers... itty-bitty living space!"

He laughed so hard, tears began pooling and she was laughing just as hard. He finally calmed enough to speak. "I think this Marine had a bit too much sugar tonight.." Chancing a glance her way he found her calm again. "Besides, I think you're more like Jasmine."

"Who, me?" Mock humility became her. "Well, you could definitely be Aladdin. Flying carpet and all."

"Are you calling an F-14 a carpet, Marine?" Harm challenged as she got up to retrieve the disc.

Rather than answer she suddenly turned to him, eyes alight. "Oh! Sturgis can be Abu!"

Harm's eyes widened as Mac slumped to the floor in a fit of laughter, then broke into laughter until his cheeks and stomach muscles hurt.

"Oh, god, Mac, you're crazy!" He said when she finally managed to make her was back to the couch.

Still giggling she nodded her head in agreement. "Just don't tell Sturgis... he'll kill me..."

"Hmmm... I'll consider it."

Getting up with the DVD in hand, she picked up her purse from the chair she threw it on earlier and swatted him playfully with it. "Well, my work here is done. I'll see you tomorrow morning?"

Harm got up to walk her to the door. "You sure you can drive now? You might break out laughing in the middle of the road, then /I'll/ have to break in a new partner."

"Funny, sailor! No, really, I'm cracking up." She kissed him on the cheek and was out the door.

Leaning against his door he just had to say, "Good night, Jasmine..."

From the elevator she answered through a giggle, "Good night, Al!"

The door closed on his smile. /

So I guess the first thing that came to mind when I thought of a bed-time story was Aladdin... only shorter, more to the point, and no magic lamp or carpet. Fascinating, the way the mind works.

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TBC

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