Chapter 9

AN: Thank you all for the feedback! I'm sorry to disappoint, but nothing happens quite yet, these two need a bit more time to be friends before they can move towards a relationship. There are a few more "months" remaining before they make that step but I think there will be enough shipper moments to last until then!
AN2: We're delving into Harm's feelings this time, while he deals with some interesting questions posed to him by Admiral Chegwidden. Read on!

"Hey, don't fall asleep Marine," said Harm, two hours later when the movie credits were rolling and he'd glanced beside him to see Mac almost asleep.

"I'm not asleep…not yet anyway," said Mac, stifling a yawn.

"You could go to sleep and I'd wake you when Bud and Harriet get home if you like," said Harm helpfully.

"Thanks, but they're due home now anyway," said Mac. Sure enough, the sound of a car was heard and Mac stood up quickly.

"Get upstairs now…what would they think?" said Mac, gesturing at his bare chest, the towel still around his shoulders.

"Bud wouldn't think anything of it. Harriet might but there is an innocent explanation," said Harm, although he quickly went to the laundry room to retrieve his shirt out of the dryer and disappeared up the stairs, amused at Mac's anxiety over what Bud and Harriet would think had happened if they came home and saw him without his shirt on. He pulled the shirt on over his head and went to check on AJ.

"Hi, how was your evening?" asked Mac, meeting Bud and Harriet.

"Oh, it was great," said Harriet with a grin as she hung up her coat, along with Bud's.

"How was little AJ?" asked Bud as they sat down in the living room.

"He was an angel," said Mac smiling.

"Is that the edited version?" asked Harriet with a laugh.

"No, he really was good. He got spaghetti all over himself at dinner so we gave him a bath and he dropped right off to sleep afterwards. Harm's just upstairs checking on him," said Mac.

At that moment Harm came back downstairs, telling them that little AJ was still fast asleep and taking a seat beside Mac in the living room. A short while later, they had said goodnight to Bud and Harriet and Harm drove Mac home, walking her up to her apartment.

"I had fun today," said Harm as they stood at the door.

"So did I. I swear AJ gets cuter every day," said Mac with a smile.

"Yeah, he does," agreed Harm.

"So about that movie I took a raincheck on so we could babysit our godson…does the offer still hold?" asked Mac with a smile.

"Of course," replied Harm, giving her his flyboy grin. "Pick you up at 1830 tomorrow night?"

"Sure," said Mac.

"All right, well, good night," said Harm, giving her a hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Good night," replied Mac, kissing his cheek

October

Harm and Mac were having lunch in Mac's office, joking and laughing, when Admiral Chegwidden stepped out into the bullpen. As he watched, Mac playfully threw a napkin at Harm who laughed and threw it back. He'd seen a few things between them in the last couple of months that could be considered intimate. AJ thought back to the other incidents. He'd seen many hugs exchanged, and he'd known them long enough to know that this action was a new one between them. He'd seen the two share kisses - on the cheek of course, but it still gave him a lot to think about. As lunch ended, the Admiral again watched the two curiously, and seeing Harm give Mac a quick hug before returning to his office seemed to confirm his suspicions.

"Rabb!" called Admiral Chegwidden.

Harm looked worried for a moment and then made his way to AJ's office. Mac had looked up and was now wondering why the Admiral had sounded so annoyed. She hoped Harm hadn't gone and landed himself in trouble again. She got back to work, reminding herself to ask Harm about it later.

AJ's office

"You called sir?" asked Harm, standing at attention.

"Take a seat Commander," instructed AJ curtly, closing the report he was reading and taking off his glasses.

"Right, I have a question for you and your reply had better be in the negative," said AJ in a dangerous voice. Harm merely nodded, wondering what he had done wrong this time.

"Are you dating Colonel Mackenzie?" asked AJ, his eyes boring into Harm expectantly. Of all the possible questions his CO could have asked him, that wasn't one Harm had been expecting.

"No sir!" he replied quickly.

"I do not appreciate being lied to Commander," said AJ loudly, noting that Harm's reply had been quick...a little too quick.

"Sir, I am not dating the Colonel," said Harm. He willed himself not to become too nervous under the Admiral's furious gaze and wondered what would happen if he admitted to the Admiral that while he was not dating Mac, he certainly wanted to be.

"I have to say, it certainly doesn't look that way," said AJ, his tone slightly calmer.

"May I speak freely sir?" asked Harm.

"Go ahead," said AJ.

"What makes you think I'm dating the Colonel sir?" asked Harm.

"A number of things I have noticed in this office lately. The two of you seem very close," replied AJ.

"Well, Mac, er, Colonel Mackenzie, is my best friend sir," said Harm.

"I realise that. I just mean that for quite awhile now, actually since after your accident, you've been closer than you had been previously. More er, intimate," said AJ, giving Harm a pointed look.

"We've worked on building up our friendship sir," said Harm nervously, not daring to ask what AJ meant by 'intimate'.

"Let me ask you something else. Have you been seeing the Colonel in any way that could be perceived as dating?" asked AJ, hoping he could get to the bottom of whatever was going on by rephrasing his question. Harm hesitated and saw that the Admiral was starting to look dangerous again.

"Um, we, spend time together outside of work and have dinner every week sir," replied Harm.

"Dinner," repeated AJ, his eyebrows rising to their highest extent.

"Yes, it's just as friends though sir. There really is nothing going on," explained Harm.

"You walked right into this next question then Commander. Do you want something to be going on?" asked AJ.

"It feels as though the Colonel and I are working toward something sir," said Harm, thinking it would probably be best to come clean. AJ pinched the bridge of his nose, he could feel a headache coming on.

"Is that a problem sir?" asked Harm, unnerved by the lack of response.

"A problem for two of my senior officers to become involved? Oh no, of course not Commander," said AJ gruffly, his sarcasm evident.

"I am sorry sir, but I really can't help the way I feel about Mac…the Colonel," said Harm. The meeting was not going as well as he would have liked and he'd said it without really thinking.

"The way you feel? You're in love with her aren't you?" asked AJ, now definitely feeling a headache coming on.

"Yes sir," replied Harm softly.

"I see," said AJ, his lips twitching only briefly as the hint of a smile that had threatened to appear was immediately masked. Harm hadn't noticed and remained silent, waiting for some sort of response from AJ.

"Well, all I can say is you'd better keep me informed so I don't need to deal with any surprises and you damn well better keep it out of this office," said AJ sternly.

"Yes sir. If we get to that point sir, I'll inform you," said Harm, allowing himself to relax a little.

"Very well. Dismissed!" said AJ.

"Aye aye Sir!" said Harm, leaving the office.

Only then did AJ allow himself to smile briefly before returning to the report he'd been working on

Later that night

"What!" said Mac, after he'd filled her in while they were having dinner that night.

"I know, I hadn't considered how we might look to other people," said Harm, taking a bite of his salad.

"I don't want to act like we're not friends at work," said Mac, frowning slightly.

"We won't need to do that," said Harm.

"He didn't like it when we were at each others throats and now we're not allowed to be close?" said Mac, twirling pasta around her fork.

"Well, you haven't heard it all yet. There's more," said Harm. Mac looked at him curiously.

"He told me if something were to happen, er, between us, it would be okay as long as we kept it out of the office," said Harm, a little nervous to be telling her but knowing she'd be likely to find out if the Admiral had a similar talk with her.

"Unbelievable," laughed Mac.

"I guess we're allowed to be best friends at work then," she said with a smile.

Harm relaxed and smiled back. "Yeah, I guess so."