Title : The Old Fashioned Way
Author : Jaggie 107
Disclaimer : JAG characters belong to DPB, CBS and Paramount – and I hope all parties will allow me to have fun for a little while, and replace them all when I'm done. Thank you.
Summary : Mac asks Harm to 'help' her have a child as he promised – with IVF – but while they wait for the doctors to give the go-ahead, Mother Nature has other ideas!
Spoilers : None, pure fluff, but imagine it to be shortly after the time of the Admiral's Dining Out, where Mac told Harm the truth about her condition. Sturgis is acting JAG – don't know why I want it to be him in charge, but I'm sure all will become clear in time!
Rating : Racy!
Thanks to : Peggy – VeraBell – BrittanyLS – aserene – bluejay65 – TV Angel 711 – pryrmtns – T. Roesch – McRose – BrookeUT – shron – Odakota – KJFlygirl87 – jtbwriter – kchs123 – Jeanaz8 – daisymh – froggy0319 – ams – charming-kayleigh
To old friends and new, for all your good wishes and wonderful reviews.
Dance in the old fashioned way
Won't you stay in my arms
Just melt against my skin
And let me feel your heart
Don't let the music win
By dancing far apart
Come close where you belong
Let's hear our secret song
LA CHAUMIERE RESTAURANT – GEORGETOWN, DC
Mac watched as Harm gave their orders for drinks and then glanced around at the interior of the building that, from the outside, resembled a cottage. The ambience was cozy, and Mac felt almost 'at home', a sensation that surprised her at first, but then became comfortable as she settled into enjoying the evening. A polite cough brought her attention back to the present, and Mac looked up to see a waiter handing her a menu. Harm was seated across from her, watching with an amused smile as she focused on the menu and put a hand out to take it from the waiter. With a polite nod the man moved away to hand a second menu to Harm.
"Harm, you're staring."
"I can't help it," answered Harm, and Mac felt the heat rise a notch in the room. Did he really say that? "You look wonderful, Mac. That color suits you."
That 'color' was a shade of red listed as 'Very Berry' on the label of the strapless dress, and Mac had been drawn to the garment as it hung in the store window months before. Initially she had balked at buying on a whim, and then she had gone in to try the dress. A perfect fit, the tulip-style skirt revealed more than a hint of leg when she walked and she smiled at the thought of teasing a man with that little treat. A sudden heat had swept through her as she realized the man she was thinking of was Harm. Looking back at her reflection in the store mirror, Mac saw the blush that stained her skin but instead of making her look embarrassed the color only heightened the effect of the dress. Mac admitted to herself at the time that she had no idea where or when she would ever wear the dress, and yet she had no hesitation in handing over her credit card to secure the purchase, but following Harm's invitation earlier in the day Mac knew exactly what to wear for their 'date'.
Mac smiled at Harm in acknowledgement of his compliment, and hoped that her reminiscing hadn't taken too long. Judging by the look on Harm's face, he probably wouldn't have noticed anyway! He was still looking intently at her.
"Harm?"
"Mmmn?"
"How did you find this place?"
"Turned right on the corner…" Harm began a throwaway quip, and then decided against it. Tonight was not about being flip and casual. Tonight he had an agenda, of sorts, and so he began again in a more serious tone of voice. "Actually, I saw it on one occasion I was leaving your place. I'd heard about it, but I've never eaten here before. Have you? Eaten here, I mean?"
"No…never. It's one of those clichés where you live in an area but you never know street names. You pass a store each day but if someone were to stop and ask, you would swear blind no such place existed." Mac grinned as Harm nodded, and then she saw a fleeting look cross his face before he grinned in return. "What?" she asked, holding the stem of her water glass as she would a life preserver in a storm. Harm's eyes met hers, and Mac was aware of holding the stem a little tighter.
"Oh…I just thought…maybe Mic, or Dalton…" Harm stopped as he saw Mac's eyelids close and he thought he could see her face pale slightly at the mention of the two men. "Mac, please…I'm sorry." Harm reached out and gently put his hand on top of Mac's on the table. "This evening was…I wanted to spend time with you…not drag up the past. Will you forgive me?"
"There's nothing to forgive, Harm, and it's forgotten already. So…what are you going to order? It's not exactly a vegetarian restaurant here…" Mac observed, her eyes fixed on her menu now, and Harm didn't force her to look at him just then. He was aware, though, of the sheen of tears in her eyes. Was she upset at him? Remembering her past loves? "Harm?"
"Yes?"
"It's okay, really. I'm happy to be here with you, and I am enjoying myself."
"Good," Harm responded, expelling the word on a breath of air he didn't realize he'd been holding. Glancing at his menu once more he opted for a selection of sea foods while he waited for Mac to make her selection. As usual, she didn't disappoint when it came to food, and chose a red meat dish that did make him raise his eyebrow but he wisely opted not to comment on the choice. With a quick nod at the hovering waiter, Harm placed their orders and they sat back slightly in their respective chairs, giving each a little breathing space. Harm's hand had slipped back to his side of the table when ordering the food, and now the distance between them seemed gaping. Sitting forward again, Harm broached a neutral topic.
"Mattie's taking flying lessons now."
"Really? So she's serious about the Academy too?"
"Yes, she brought…wait a minute… How did you know about her interest in the Academy?" Harm was intrigued, and Mac tilted her head, giving him a secretive smile.
"We girls talk, you know."
"We girls? You and Mattie? I had no idea!"
"Not just me. Jennifer and Harriet come along too."
"Along where? To the apartment? Mattie never said anything."
"Any reason she should?" Mac was a little peeved at Harm's rapid fire questions, and he backed down, shaking his head.
"I didn't mean to pry."
"Actually the four of us have been shopping a time or two, at the malls in DC. I've only been over to the apartment three times. The once when you invited me over; another time when you were TAD, and the night you and…well, Mattie wants to keep tabs on me. It feels kind of nice to be wanted."
I want you. Harm sat up straight. Had he said that out loud? Apparently not. Mac was staring at the water in her glass again and he wondered what she was thinking about. He quickly recalled her words, stating when she'd been to see Mattie and Jennifer Coates in their apartment. He recalled the pause in her conversation, and then she had changed topics.
"You were saying?" he prompted, and Mac looked at him, shaking her head in some confusion.
"Nothing, really. Just that it's been nice to spend time with Mattie and Jen. I miss having Chloe around these days."
"Will she be coming by to visit soon? Maybe she and Mattie could get together?"
"I'm not sure what she's doing for her next break, but I guess sometime it would be nice for the two of them to meet up. I didn't know…I don't…" Mac paused, flustered at the thought that if Mattie and Chloe were to meet up, then maybe she and Harm could do something together too? Harm reached over once more, and Mac was taken aback at the tenderness of both his gesture and his words.
"Mac, I'm not sure how long Mattie is going to be staying with me. Tom Johnson is getting his life back in order and I'm sure he's going to petition for custody again, so it's probably going to be sooner rather than later that she goes back to him. I will never forget that you helped bring her into my life."
"Is that what tonight is about? To say 'thanks' for Mattie?" Mac pulled her hand back from under Harm's and missed the shake of his head in denial at her words as she looked away.
"Mac, please…look at me." Harm waited, his words hanging in the space between them. Mac raised her eyes to his, reluctantly, knowing he would see the shimmer there. Harm gave her a smile, but she realized he was as nervous as she was. "I'm here with you because that's what I want tonight. To be with you. The past is what has brought us to this moment, Mac, and I don't want to waste any more of our lives on 'what if's'. I want you."
"Oh…" mouthed Mac, her eyes wide as she looked at Harm in stunned silence.
At that moment the waiter approached their table with their meals.
To be continued
AN1 : Forgot to mention before – this story is not a songfic, but the lyrics at the start were the idea for the story. The song is 'Dance In The Old Fashioned Way', and the voice I hear in my ear is that of French singer, Charles Aznavour. Okay, so I'm showing my age now! - :o)
AN2 :I have never been to the restaurant mentioned; all details are from online sites. It seemed quaint, and suited my purpose, so I plead ignorance to any discrepancies if any readers have eaten there!