Assignment for Webb
By Bernadeen

A/N: Thanks to those still reading. I hope my story has provided some entertainment. Only one chapter left after this one. Chapter 13 is short, but I split it up so there is a total of 14 chapters. I'm not particularly superstitious about the number 13, but one never knows ...

Chapter 13

Wednesday
JAG HQ
Falls Church, VA

Mac worked diligently at the files on her current cases, but every so often she couldn't keep her mind from sliding ahead a few days. Harm's promise of two weeks was due on Friday. Neither had mentioned it, but she was pretty sure Harm was just as aware of the upcoming deadline as she was. They had spent a lot of time together since returning to Washington. A few times they disagreed strongly enough about something that a few sparks flew. Then Harm's eyes would start to dance and the smile he kept just for Mac would pull at his lips. Mac just couldn't stay mad at him when he looked at her like that, though she was loath to admit it to Harm. She just looked back at him, doing her best not to smile back, and abruptly changed the subject to something either neutral or something she knew they would agree on, a tactic that only made Harm smile more broadly.

The evening before, Harm had brought the ingredients and he and Mac prepared supper together at Mac's apartment. Afterwards they talked about their work and their cases. Harm had been pleasantly surprised at the duties his new assignment included. He had been a bit concerned that Admiral Chegwidden had called in some favors and gotten some kind of "made" job for him at the Pentagon for three months. Instead, Harm found himself working closely with the Deputy Secretary of Defense, advising him on international law and military matters of all kinds. Clearly, the Deputy Secretary found Harm's combat experience, as well as his training as both an aviator and a lawyer, to be of great value. The work was interesting; Harm felt useful in the position; and he was happy with his work assignment.

As they told each other about their day's experiences, Harm and Mac had fallen into the habit of sitting close together on the sofa. One evening, Mac shivered slightly when she sat down. Harm immediately pulled her back against his chest and wrapped a fleece blanket around both of them. Mac snuggled back under his arm and felt warm and content. From that evening forward, that was their favorite position for their chat about the days' events, even if the apartment wasn't cold enough to warrant the need of each other's body heat.

On Tuesday evening, Harm formally asked Mac to go to dinner with him on Friday evening. They had many times gone to each other's apartments to spend the evening together, but both recognized that this was their first real "date." Mac readily accepted and though again neither acknowledged the approaching deadline, both had great anticipation of the weekend.

So it was that on Wednesday morning, as Mac worked on her cases, Harm's sparkling eyes and teasing smile on several occasions invaded her senses, forcing her to pause in her work for a few seconds, first to allow her to take pleasure in the image and then to redirect her mind back to the case at hand.

It was 1100 when Mac's phone rang and Tiner told her that the Admiral wanted to see her. Immediately, Mac had a sinking feeling that the much anticipated weekend ahead was about to be sidetracked.

And she was right. She and Sturgis were sent to the Seahawk on its way to the Med. An altercation had occurred involving six sailors and three marines. All were in the brig and none were willing to explain the reason for the fight. Mac and Sturgis were to help the ship board JAG and NCIS officer investigate the incident and bring whatever charges were warranted. With a day's travel each way, nine participants and an undetermined number of witnesses to interview, it was unlikely that they would be able to return to Washington until well into the following week.

Mac sighed with disappointment as she sat down at her desk and picked up the phone to call Harm to cancel their date for Friday. Sounding equally disappointed, Harm wished her a safe and speedy trip and a quick resolution of the case. To be safe, they postponed their date for one week.

-o-o-o-o-o-

Eight days later Sturgis and Mac were finally on their way back to Washington on the COD. Their investigation had revealed an unlawful gambling operation run by one of the sailors and unhappily participated in by the others involved in the fight. There were accusations that the results of bets were intentionally being incorrectly announced, that the full winnings weren't paid out, that bets were incorrectly recorded as losers instead of winners, practices that enraged those placing the bets. Everyone participating in the gambling was violating the UCMJ, as well as being charged for fighting aboard ship. The captain didn't want the men on his ship any longer and believed it would be too disruptive to hold the trials on board. Consequently, the nine accused men were sent to the closest Navy base for trial. Luckily, Sturgis and Mac weren't assigned to the trials so they were able to return home.

Mac and Harm had talked a couple of times, but ship to shore time for personal reasons was limited. Mac managed to leave Harm a voice mail that she was on her way home, but she hadn't talked with him for two days.

It was just after 1900 when Mac wearily got to her apartment door .. and paused. It sounded like music playing inside. Cautiously she reached for the door handle and found it unlocked. She pushed the door open and was enveloped by delicious smells from the kitchen and soft music that seemed to flow and curl around her. She had been quiet but Harm's radar must have been on alert, because a second later he hurried out of the kitchen toward her. He hesitated just a second in front of her, then swept her into his arms in a warm, welcoming hug. Mac clung to him, while the realization of just how much she had missed him punched her in the chest and stole her breath for several seconds. When she found her voice, she pressed her face into his neck and whispered, "I missed you, Sailor."

"I missed you, too, Marine."

In an effort to defuse the emotionally charged homecoming, Mac stepped back and asked, "What smells so heavenly from the kitchen?"

Harm's response, "pot roast," shot Mac's eyebrows nearly to her hairline, and made her eyes suspiciously moist. She knew full well that Harm would never make beef for himself, that he had made it just for her homecoming.

Mac's voice was a bit choked as she said, "You'll spoil me, Sailor."

"And you deserve to be spoiled," Harm promptly responded. Then he took her hand and led her into the kitchen where they proceeded to put the finishing touches on the meal together.

As they sat contentedly at the table after their meal, Harm asked, "So are we still on for tomorrow night?"

"I hope so. How's your side, by the way?" Mac decided to give Harm a nudge in case he had forgotten his promise or challenge, depending on the perspective.

"I'm 100 percent – fully recovered," he assured her with a slight leer in is expression.

TBC