AN: Happy Easter everyone! Just for you to enjoy the holdiday, here's another chapter. Special thanks to all my loyal reviewers, with a special mentioning of Charmed-angel4. If you are willing to write a review with just one hand, you must like my story a lot. Which means very much to me.
So...this one's for you.
Disclaimer: Always the same old story...don't sue, don't own.
Sit back and enjoy...
If anyone had seen anything, they were peculiarly quiet about it. Maybe a tad too quiet? They'd been sitting there for five long uncomfortable minutes already and still, no secret glances, no smiles, no hints…nothing.
Just when they were lulled into a false assumption that they were off the hook, that nobody had actually found out about them yet, the Admiral came in. All stood at attention, but were waved off by their CO.
"At ease, people. No need to salute. It's the weekend and you're not supposed to be here in the first place."
Then, looking at the recently emerged, slightly dishelved officers he addressed them with a combination of a stern and fatherly voice.
"Commander, Colonel, good morning, how nice of you to finally join us. As soon as you've finished your coffee, I expect the both of you in my office."
They didn't notice the gleam of amusement in his eyes as he closed the door. Silence took over the room once again, nobody daring to look anybody else in the eyes.
"Busted," Harm mumbled, loud enough for the others to hear. Harriet almost choked with suppressed laughter, which sent off the entire break room. Mac tried not to see the humor of it, nervous as she was for the unavoidable chew out they were about to receive, but as her glance met Harm's, she saw his struggle to bite back a grin and couldn't hold on any longer herself.
Since everybody seemed to know everything already, Mac accepted the outstretched hand of her man and sat down next to him. Harriet, who was done laughing and wiping away her tears, was the first one to speak up.
"So does this mean congratulations are in order here, Harm, Mac?"
Harm hadn't let go of Mac's hand yet and now softly kissed her knuckles (grinning as she shivered at the simple gesture), answering Harriet with a remarkable tenderness in his tone.
"I think they are, Harriet. Right, jarhead?"
Mac could only nod, suddenly feeling very exposed, very shy. Though it felt good, this new Harm, being tactile, using sweet nicknames, was all so new, so beautiful…she had a hard time getting it into her head that this was real. She accepted the blessings of her friends and coworkers with a smile that got brighter and brighter, mainly because their hands seemed glued together. This was getting more real by the minute.
Reaching for his cup with his free hand he gulped the remainder of his coffee down. Then he gave her a sweet smile.
"Well, time for us to face our doom!"
She felt herself go pale, but followed him out anyway, straightening her shoulders as a true Marine. A true Marine with a cold sweat, that is. Harm saw her distress and stopped her right outside their CO's office. Gently he lifted her chin with one finger, forcing her to look at him.
"We'll be facing it together, Mac. And besides, the Admiral is not about to kick our sixes out of JAG you know."
"How can you be so sure of that?"
"Because, dear Mac, first of all, he can't miss us. We're both good lawyers and good officers. And second…if he kicks your pretty six out, I'll kick his six all the way to the moon."
She grinned at his chivalrous, though dorky remark and rewarded him with a soft kiss on his lips, which he would gladly have taken a few steps further if there had been more than just a door between them and the Admiral. Giving her one last reassuring hug, Harm knocked.
He hadn't let go of her hand, even in the Admiral's office. This perhaps so insignificant detail was the only thing Mac would forever remember. She couldn't know that the same gesture hadn't escaped the Admiral's attention, nor did she know how much he liked to see it, how he had prayed that this exact day would come for them.
As Harm had predicted, neither of them was fired, though suggestions for a transfer out of the Admiral's chain of command for either one of them were made. Which immediately indicated their CO's hope and expectation that they would take their relationship to all the next levels. His approval warmed the both of them, as it was as close to a fatherly blessing as either of them would get.
They did get some comment on their little antics in Harm's office, but apart from a 'don't let me catch you in that position again' they were let go without too many ruffled feathers and at closer inspection, even a carefully hidden smile. Though Harm had to extract his foot from his mouth for pointing out that the Admiral had clearly said they could set up their sleeping arrangements as they pleased. He received a warning glare from AJ as well as a rather painful kick in the shin from his jarhead.
They were dismissed after that and decided to join the others to tell them the news, or lack thereof. They were all happy for them, but even more happy when the Admiral delivered the news that all roads were free again, so that they could finally leave.
"Good, I'm dying for some decent breakfast",
Mac sighed, her voice barely overpowering her stomach grunts.
"That's what you get for sleeping in late", was Harm's fast retort.
"And who caused that?" She huffed indignantly.
"If memory serves me well, you came to me last night."
He ducked just in time as Mac aimed to punch him. All she hit was air, but it was a very close call. Only then did Harm register the highly amused faces of their friends. Bud had to lean against a table to keep himself from falling over, laughing so hard.
"Just like the two of you, only together for a few hours and already at each other's throats."
Grabbing her fist, Harm effectively ended their little 'fight'.
"Better get some food into you quickly, Marine. My treat."
"It'd better be."
No way she was letting him get away with it so easily. Even if in her heart she found it highly exhilarating to be bantering like this with him. Playing it safe, he clearly opted not to retort.
Yelling 'goodbye' and 'have a nice weekend' to each other, all of them left the office in a hurry, glad to be able to go home. Even the cleaning of the cars couldn't spoil their good moods. Even locating the right car to clean was fun.
And as spring finally rears her beautiful head, we leave them in the snow until next update...reviews more than welcome.