The simple things you do to me
Simple things you say
I sometimes can't believe that it's for real
Yeah, that's the way you make me feel
Better than I've ever known it
Better than it's ever been
I can't seem to control it, no
It's the way you make me feel

- In A Split Second -

I wake to a small movement. Only slowly my surroundings come into focus. I feel something heavy on my arm when I try to bring it up to my face. A warm body is pressed against mine. Soft hair rustles against my arm and shoulder. I smell her sweet perfume mixed with her sweat and mine. It is an intoxicating odour. And it immediately brings back the loving memories of the night that gives way to a new day just now.

I slightly turn my head to have a look at the beautiful woman in my arms. Last night, the whole day yesterday, has been one of the most amazing in my life. And for a second – a second of old insecurity – I wonder if this is real. But then I feel her press her back a little bit tighter to my body, feel her legs gently brush against mine. This is for real. She is for real. We are for real. We finally are where our hearts have always been.

I bury my nose in her hair and kiss the back of her head when I realize that the small movement that woke me comes from her. Mac's whole body is trembling slightly. All of a sudden a strong anxiety claims my heart. What happened? Is it a bad dream? Something worse? Does she have second thoughts? Carefully I back away slightly so I can turn her around. I can do so effortlessly.

But what I see is nothing like I expected. Or maybe it is though totally different. I thought she was crying, crying for she still believes we did the wrong thing. But now, when I look into her face, I see her eyes shining brightly and the most beautiful smile I've ever seen on her lips. Yet still there are wet trails along her temples and bridging her nose.

"I didn't mean to wake you," she whispers, turning around a little more to come resting on her side.

My words stick in my throat for a moment before I am able to voice my worries and my confusion. "Mac, Sarah. What is it?" My hand automatically reaches for her face to dry the damp skin where only moments before tears have lingered.

"When I woke up, I was convinced I must have been dreaming. That you were still across the room. That nothing of last night happened. No, not nothing. I was afraid I once again succeeded in pushing you away. That I had screwed up our last chance. I thought the rest of the night was just in my dreams.

"But then, I felt your arm beneath me. I felt your heart beat against my back. And then I knew that I haven't been dreaming. That this, that we really happened."

My arm wraps a tad tighter around her when I hear her words. It is a little extra assurance for the both of us.

"Then why were you crying?" I'm even more confused.

"These were happy tears." She places her hand on my chest, her finger starts to draw short lines. "Believe me," she adds when she sees me pull my eyebrow up questioningly.

And then, with a brilliant smile she rolls over even more so her body now covers half of mine. Slowly and tenderly she starts kissing my jaw line. I remain immobile for now, just revelling in her sweet kisses. Mac completes her way up to my ear, then goes back down. I roll my head to the other side to grant her better access when I remember something.

"Not that I mind what you're doing, but how late is it?"

"0647. Enough time," she mumbles without ever losing track.

Satisfied by her answer I let myself fall back into the emotions consuming me, that are so new yet feel so familiar.

-J-A-G-

-J-A-G-

When we resurface into the world, it's to my nagging timing telling me we need to get up. This is one of these days I really despise having this ability. I don't want to get up, to leave the save heaven that I'm currently enveloped in. I don't want to let go of the sound of his heartbeat in my ear that is pressed to his chest. I don't want to stop the movement of my fingers that play over his muscles. Neither do I want to lose the feeling of his hand rubbing gently up and down my arm. And I certainly need to hear the calming sound of his deep breaths. I know that Harm isn't asleep. He, just like me, wants to revel in this moment for all it's worth.

Yet still.

"We need to get up," I murmur, but don't move.

"Mmm hmm," Harm answers.

I wish this moment could last forever. So I just extend it for a little while longer. However, I feel the seconds tick by mercilessly.

"It really is time," I try again with a more convincing voice raising my head to look at him.

"You don't think the judge would announce his findings without us present, would you?" Harm has now opened his eyes, looking straight at me.

"Afraid not, counsel."

He kisses the tip of my nose and moves so I roll onto my back and he can sit up.

"You know, this is all your fault, Marine." He lightly tips his index finger against my chest. "We could be lying here all day, not knowing what time it is."

I'm not able to suppress the smile that magically appears on my lips with the pleasant thought.

"Yeah, and then face an angry judge, not to mention a totally pissed-off General back in Washington." Even I can hear the laughter in my voice.

"It would all be worth it."

I sigh. This is sweet and I'm tempted to give in for just a short time longer. But Harm has at last complied to the unchangeable. He once again kisses my nose – I guess it became his favorite spot – before he turns and gets out of bed.

I remain lying in his bed, watching as he turns the corner into his bathroom. I close my eyes again and am immediately back into his arms. There isn't a place I feel any better.

Only when I hear the water running behind the wall at my head do I drift back into reality. Alright, time to get moving. When I cross the short distance to my room my eyes catch the sunlight that filters in through the slightly open curtains. And suddenly I realize that this day will be a little brighter than the others. That the sun will shine a little warmer. Happily I take the remaining steps to my own bathroom, ready to face the day, knowing that Harm will be by my side through all of it.

-T-O-P-

-G-U-N-

So this is the day. The day that will determine my future.

I kiss my wife good morning when we wake up, like every other day since we got married. But this moment I already feel the heavy atmosphere looming over me. Charlie senses my mood and smiles at me reassuringly. But it's the same smile I cast back in her direction. Meant to show confidence but hidden somewhere in the dark there lingers doubts.

Together we greet the boys at the breakfast table. Their easy banter takes my mind off the hours that will follow. We bit them goodbye when they leave for school. I know no decision made today could ever change what I have with my family. But it can easily change everything I ever defined myself as professionally.

Charlie and I remain silent during the short drive out of the housing area, across the road to town and onto the main base. She guides the car into a parking lot outside the Administration building.

I don't move. Neither does she. My eyes wander up to the third floor. I search out the windows that belong to courtroom number two. It's not much longer now.

When I turn to kiss Charlie this suddenly feels like a goodbye that's to last longer than until tonight. Like those we share when I head out to a carrier to get my annual traps. I lean over and kiss her gently. When I settle back I hear her say a soft, "Good luck." It's the same thing she always says before my week at sea.

"Nothing will change. We'll win." I reassure her just as much as myself.

I was confident about this all of the weekend. My counsel is confident about it. So why am I worried now?

I get out of the car. Turning around I watch Charlie set back the car and drive further onto the base for her class.

I take the steps, all of them up to the third floor, slowly. Stopping in front of the closed doors to the courtroom I catch my breath and steel myself for whatever outcome. Good or bad.

Harm isn't there yet when I enter. But my whole group of students is. Even Lieutenant Reese is there. We trade glances for a moment. She doesn't seem to feel too good either. When I turn my head I spot Viper. He hasn't been here any other day. I feel like I let him down just by being accused. I tear my eyes away, no longer able to hold his gaze.

I settle down into my now well known seat.

I should calm down about this. We're going to win. I recall Harm's words from yesterday when we briefly talked about it. "There's no way Mac can still win this one." I focus on his words. They are true. They have to be true. However with one decision of the judge I could be dangerously close to losing everything I ever wanted to do in life, everything I've ever been good at. This isn't easy to face.

-J-A-G-

-J-A-G-

"I'll take a little detour," Mac says, pointing to the restroom door to her right.

"Okay, see you in court."

When I enter the court room it is already crowded. It must be the biggest crowd that gathered here during all of the hearing. Nearly all the places are filled. I see all of the current training group of Top Gun, including Lt. Reese. They are all placed behind the Captain. When I walk down the aisle I spot Admiral Metcalf sitting somewhere in the middle on the other side.

"Good morning, Captain," I greet when I settle into my chair at our table.

"To you as well," Mav answers casually before he leans a little closer for his next statement. "So you and Mac, heh?"

I cast a quick and uneasy glance around us. Has somebody heard? But to my relief nobody seemed to have listened in. They probably think that we're talking business here.

"We're working on it." I don't know what made me say that, but the moment the words leave my lips I know that it is true. We are working on a relationship.

"What do you mean, you're working on it?"

"We're taking it one step at a time. There are things we still need to talk about. Things we need to figure out." 'And wounds to heal,' I silently add.

"But you are together?"

"Yeah." I won't suppress the smile that comes on whenever I think about it. "Yet still, it's only the first step."

Mav looks at me like I've gone totally nuts.

"Don't tell me things between you and Charlie always ran smooth."

A relationship always means w

Still totally confused I return my gaze to the bench where the judge has now sat down.

"Good morning." He then stops, realizing what I already saw.

"Why isn't the prosecution present? Commander Rabb, do you know where the Colonel is?"

I rise to speak. "No sir. May I step up to the bench?"

"You may."

When I reach the bench I start to explain what I know only to be interrupted by the bang of the gravel right next to my ear.

"Quiet." The unusual aspect of the missing prosecution led to vivid murmur in the audience, that by now has gotten too much out of hand for the judge's liking.

So when everything is quiet again I start to explain anew. "The Colonel and I arrived here together. She then needed to go to the toilets while I came in here. I haven't seen her since."

"Do you know of anything she might have wanted to do before court?" the judge questions me silently, his hand covering the micro.

"No, Your Honor."

"Okay. I suggest you better find her Commander. Soon. And she better has a good reason for this."

Nodding my head I step back to my chair.

"This court is in recess until further notice."

As soon as I'm allowed to, I turn on my heals and all but run down the aisle. What happened? For all I know Mac could be lying unconscious on the bathroom floor. Was she feeling ill? Was there anything about her that should have tipped me off that things weren't right? I try to recall the morning when inside me diverse worries and scenarios well up all at once. At a moment's notice my mind swirls with pictures of what could have happened. But hasn't she been perfectly fine this morning?

By now I have reached the ladies' room, stopping dead at the door. I know I should storm in there, search for Mac. But something stops me. I'm not supposed to be in there, there could be other women in there as well. However if there was somebody inside, wouldn't they have spotted Mac and called for help. That is, if Mac is in there. But if nobody else is there, Mac could still be lying there unfound.

Then a female Petty Officer passes by me. On impulse I reach out my hand to stop her. With a surprised look she turns to face me.

"Sir?"

"Petty Officer, would you please go in here and see if there is a Marine's Colonel inside." It sounds more like a plea than an actual order, but the woman nods nonetheless.

When the door falls shut behind her Mav catches up with me. "Harm?"

I shake my head. I know no more than he does. Desperately I wait for the Petty Officer to come back out. Endless minutes pass.

"No one in there, sirs."

Immediately I rush past her to have a look myself. I need to make sure. But the woman was right. The room is completely empty. No sign of Mac or that she has ever been here.

Exhausted I lean against the basins. Where is she? Where has she gone? Did she go on her own or was she forced to go?

"Where is she?" Mav voices my thoughts exactly.

I shake my head. If only I knew. But this minute I realize something now that I should have never doubted. She would have told me if she had other things to do. Mac didn't go on her own. Not now of all times. True, she needed to get away before, but that had been different. She had suffered a great emotional loss back then. I won't pretend that I understood why she did have to run from me and hide on a ship in the ocean. However, I do know that she won't run from me now. Not after last night, when her biggest fear was that I might be the one to leave her.

Hence, somebody must have taken her. But who and what for?

"Could she have gone on her own?"

"No!" I might have convinced myself she didn't, but Mav sure doesn't know her as well as I do.

This is just fate playing another mean trick on us. Throwing another rock onto the road we need to struggle around. Why can't things be easy for us? Just for once, for one day.

"Then somebody kidnapped her," Mav says, gently placing a hand on my arm to get my attention.

For a few more seconds I drift unfocused in the unfairness of life before the other man's voice finally cuts through my daze and I understand his words.

"Can you think of anybody doing something like this?"

Immediately names pop up in my head. "There are a few. But none of them seems likely." Then I think about Palmer for a second. He used my girlfriend against me once. And he doesn't need any special reason to strike. This could be him.

"But I better check," I tell Mav in a rush before I hurry out of the bathroom. I need to get my cell phone and call Leavenworth. He can't have escaped again. He can't!

-T-O-P-

-G-U-N-

It's the throbbing headache that pulls me back into consciousness. I feel like I had not one, but several drinks too many. But I can't remember drinking at all. Where there should be memories, there is just a big blur of nothing. However, the dizziness tells me something must have happened.

I try to pry open my eyes. And though I feel they are open I see nothing but darkness. A total and complete darkness surrounds me. I close my eyes again, concentrating on the rhythm of my heart that beats in turn with the pulsating of my head.

I check for the time. 0945. What day? Sunday? Monday?

Thump. Thump.

Monday, definitely Monday. 0945 Monday, oh my god. I should have been in court 45 minutes ago.

I force open my eyes. I need to get up. Why isn't there any light at 0945? There should be some. My headache increases incredibly when I try to sit up. Slowly, very slowly I rise, breathing deeply. In and out. It's your own fault MacKenzie, now bear it like a Marine. No whining.

Thump. Thump.

I wait a minute or two for my head to stop spinning. Then I swing my legs out of bed and start the process of standing up. Finally standing on shaky legs I rest for another moment.

My eyes strained on the darkness I slowly, but relatively steady, make my way to my bathroom. I'll need a considerable amount of cold water to get me going this morning.

But to my surprise I don't find the bathroom where I expected it to be. Instead I ran right into a wall. Though figuring out that it's actually a wall took me a minute or two. The wall feels strangely soft under my hands, like it's upholstered or something. This is most definitely not my place. Where the heck am I?

Carefully I feel my way along the wall. It isn't far from where I started until I reach the first corner. In a slow progress I make my way around the whole room. It isn't big and seems totally empty except for the bed. And all the walls are upholstered like the first one. I've absolutely no idea where I am. I've never been at a place like this before.

But how did I end up here in the first place? In a room with supposedly no windows and a hidden door.

I settle back onto the bed, leaning my head against the soft wall and stare off into the black distance. My headache has lessened somewhat over the past minutes. So I'm now able to think almost clearly.

Court… I should now be in court.

For what?... The hearing of Captain Pete Mitchell… Maverick.

We're in Nevada. We, Harm and I.

Harm. His face appears in front of me in the darkness. I reach out for him. But he's hovering just out of reach. Harm's always been out of reach.

Then, all of a sudden another recollection explodes in my head, coming back to life. Harm's no longer unreachable. He's been with me. We were close. Amazingly close. And he promised we always will be.

Pictures of last night find their way through the darkness to complete the memory I would never wish to forget. And bit by bit the whole day assembles in my brain. The barbeque… the nice time we spent with Charlie and Mav… the morning hunting dinosaur fossils. Once I pulled the plug, the pictures come floating easily. But in the end they leave me with a question still unanswered.

How did I end up here?

I now know I haven't been drinking.

Thump. Thump.

The fog in my brain might have cleared concerning yesterday but it sure keeps obscuring my memory of this morning. Or did I end up here last night after all? So there is nothing to remember about today?

I try to concentrate fully.

We were on our way to court. I needed to go to the toilet. Harm left me with a bright smile.

I stood there in the ladies' room, watching myself in the mirror. I admired what I saw. Just like back at the hotel. I couldn't stop looking. Looking at the happy smile on my lips. Looking at the glow in my eyes. This must be it. The way I look when I am truly happy. For happy I was.

I kept staring on when my spherical vision caught up on something unusual. I shifted my gaze to have a look at the face that appeared behind me. An eerie grin greeted me when our eyes connected through the mirror.

"Colonel." I remember the word to be spoken with a great deal of animosity, like he had to force himself to address me with my rank. It sounded as if he despised me for having it.

I spun around facing the man that had already come close.

"What…" but I was greeted by a blow to the head. And that's when everything went black.

I scan my memory for a face but all I can come up with is this evil grin and a torn image of his eyes looking at me through the mirror. I know I've seen them before. I squeeze my eyes shut. Think MacKenzie, think. You know this guy. But all I accomplish is that my head starts pounding heavily again.

Thump. Thump.

I open my eyes again, exhaling deeply. I can't force it. My mind would come up with the solution in its own time.

This very moment a bright light comes on above me, forcing me to shut my eyes yet again. And then there it is all over again, that voice, that tone.

"Colonel."

-J-A-G-

-J-A-G-