The Deal

By Bernadeen

Rated: M

Spoilers: Goodbyes, Standards of Conduct, and almost any other episodes before the end of season 8.

Disclaimers: I don't own and claim no rights to any of these wonderful characters. This story is only for entertainment purposes.

Summary: Of course it's about "The Baby Deal."

Chapter 3

JAG HQ

Tuesday

0800 EST

Mac walked into her office, noting as she passed through the bullpen that Harm wasn't in yet. Her campaign didn't involve anything dramatic at this point. She planned to ignore the tension that was between them and pretend they were still friends. Be nice .. be friendly .. be slightly flirtatious .. she had to be careful of that since this was still a military workplace .. she couldn't do anything to upset the good order and discipline of the office. She might need the Admiral as her ally so she couldn't do anything to jeopardize that.

She glanced up just as Harm walked toward his office, greeting the staff as he went. His smile was a bit subdued and he looked tired. He had looked that way for awhile, she realized. As though something was not right in his world. Dare she think that their estrangement had anything to do with that? If it did, she regretted it .. she wanted Harm to be happy .. yet it also gave her hope that he was realizing something was missing in his life .. and maybe that something was her.

Okay, here goes .. the first step, she thought to herself, as she walked over to his office. Just talk to him .. be nice. She stood in Harm's office doorway and smiled, "Good morning." He looked up and returned her greeting with a smile. She took a step into his office. "Are you okay?" she asked softly.

Harm looked puzzled. With a frown, he answered a bit defensively, "Yeah, I'm fine. Why?"

Mac shook her head. "Just wondering. You've seemed a little quiet lately. Probably my imagination." With that, she turned to leave, with a quick smile and, "see you later," over her shoulder.

Mac returned to her office and tackled her caseload. A half hour later she went to the kitchenette for some coffee. She had seen Harm leave his office and suspected that he also was going for coffee.

She found Harm leaning against the counter with a pensive look while he waited for a new pot of coffee he had just made to finish brewing. When she walked in to the room, he looked up at her with a strange expression. There was sadness, almost desolation, in his eyes for an instant. Then his expression quickly became cautiously, neutrally friendly .. the same expression he wore much of the time with her lately. "I just made a new pot, though I expect it won't be up to your standards," he said quietly.

"Maybe my Marine standards are unrealistic. As long as it's fresh, it'll be fine," she answered. An awkward moment settled in as they waited for the coffee to be ready. Mac searched for something to say. "How's the Clancy case coming along?"

Harm grinned. "Sturgis and I square off this afternoon in court, and since he wouldn't settle, I intend to kick his butt," he answered with much of his usual cockiness.

His confident, take-no-prisoners attitude when defending a client he believed in was one of the things Mac loved about him. She smiled warmly and said, "I'm sure you will." She glanced toward the coffee which now appeared to be ready. Her cup was on a shelf directly behind where Harm was standing. She stepped close to him and reached around his shoulder for her cup, saying softly, "excuse me."

Harm only moved slightly, as though he wanted to remain close to her. It was a very subtle, almost sexual dance between them that surprised and pleased Mac very much and made her heart pound. Maybe she wouldn't have to work as hard at this as she thought.

After clasping the cup's handle, she didn't turn away immediately, but instead looked up to meet Harm's eyes. What she thought she saw there made her heart pound even harder and she had to finally move away before she made a complete fool of herself. With sheer will power she forced her hand to remain steady as she took the coffee pot, filled her own cup and then offered to pour for Harm. He silently held his cup forward and the task was accomplished. But during the entire exchange, Mac felt as though there was electricity in the air around them .. like just before a severe summer storm when your skin prickles with the impending forces to be unleashed.

She left the room with a slightly breathless, "see you later."

Back in her office, she replayed the scene. Was she imagining Harm's reaction because she wanted it so much? Desire could play tricks on one's senses. But she didn't think she was mistaken. Determinedly, she turned her attention back to her cases.

Near the end of the day, Mac was in the bullpen looking for a file when Sturgis walked in, looking dejected. Mac looked up and smiled, "How did it go in court?"

With a sigh, Sturgis answered, "Harm kicked my butt. I should have settled," then continued toward his office.

Mac grinned and lingered over the file, hoping Harm would appear. Just as she decided she couldn't stand there any longer, Harm came though the glass doors, a subtle additional confidence in his walk. Catching his eye, she said, "I hear you won."

"I did," he confirmed. He held her gaze for a second longer, then raised his hand in a half salute and proceeded to his office. Mac returned to her office, thinking about her next move. If she read what she saw in Harm's eyes this morning correctly, she wouldn't have to work as hard as she thought to make him see her as a woman and not a Marine. In fact, she was pretty sure he was already there. Still, would he do anything about it? She just had to give him the opportunity. She needed to find a reason for them to spend some time together outside of work and out of uniform.

End Chapter 3