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 : Sometimes the 'old fashioned way' is the best way to go!
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 – starryeyes10 – CAZ-TX – Lynnp – Niout-FrenchFanficAddict – judy52sa – SmileyMare1810 – michelle UK – Lori – Staz – Lu78 – ColieMacKenzie – AllAboutMe123 – cbw – katydid13 – Cheryl – the blur – rockrgirl777 – Cathy F. – Radiorox – SEAL2 – SamBrace – sandrajagfan – Syrae – JulieM - Nikki
To old friends and new, for all your good wishes and wonderful reviews.
(I missed a name earlier - sorry, rockrgirl! - so if I do it again, be sure I'll catch up and add it asap!)
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
JAG HEADQUARTERS – FALLS CHURCH – VIRGINIA
Mac walked through the glass doors into the bullpen and noticed Harm's cover and briefcase on his desk as she walked into her own office. Having seen his SUV in the parking lot as she drove in, Mac knew he was at work and was assailed by the memories of their time together. It amazed her how much had changed since the previous morning. Now they were engaged, and they had a future to plan. Taking a deep breath, Mac placed her own cover and purse on her desk and walked to the break room, her pace slowing as she heard a jaunty tune being whistled, and she tried to identify the notes.
"Are you going in, or are you waiting for an invitation?" Harm's voice came from behind Mac and she jumped in surprise, turning to face his irrepressible grin.
"Harm! I thought you…" Mac stopped and walked into the break room, to find Sturgis pouring himself some coffee.
"Come on in, Mac. Coffee's not fresh, but it's still drinkable. Jen made it earlier, before she left."
"Earlier? Sturgis it's not even 0730 yet!" Sturgis shrugged his shoulders and smiled, then explained the early presence and departure of the young Petty Officer.
"Jen has registration for her classes next semester, so she came in early, set up the office and the coffee, and then left. She should be back before lunch."
"Efficient to the last," murmured Harm, slipping past Mac to reach for two mugs. "Coffee, Mac?"
"Yes…please," Mac answered, and raised her hand to reach for the coffee pot as Harm turned with a mug in each hand. Their actions were so in tune that Sturgis watched in stunned silence, his own coffee at his mouth forgotten as he observed their movements. Then he observed something else.
"I see congratulations are in order." Mac and Harm froze in place, their eyes wide as they followed Sturgis's gaze to Mac's left hand, and the ring on her finger.
"I…we…" Mac looked from Sturgis to Harm and back again. "Sturgis, we were going to make an appointment…soon…" Mac began, and Harm came to stand behind her, putting down the two mugs, as they faced Sturgis. Mac felt Harm's presence behind her like a wall at her back, solid and strong. His voice brooked no argument as he spoke.
"We know the UCMJ requires us to be under separate commands once we're married, and we'll sort that out shortly, but right now we're just taking our time…" Harm stopped as he looked at Sturgis, who cocked his head to one side as he continued to look at them, then his face broke into a wide smile.
"I'm very happy for the two of you and right now, as acting JAG," Sturgis paused slightly, and Harm raised an eyebrow at him but said nothing. "As acting JAG, I think it would be best to leave the…matter…in your hands, and trust that when the new JAG is appointed, you will make the appropriate motions for transfer at that time."
"Oh, Sturgis…thank you!" Mac stepped forward and hugged the man who had kept her love for Harm a secret; not that it mattered now, but Sturgis felt it was better to keep that information to himself still, and he murmured the same to Mac as he returned her hug. Harm leaned across and the two men shook hands warmly.
"Thanks, Sturgis. It means a lot, to both of us." Harm's words were sincere, and Sturgis nodded, accepting the gesture.
"Not a problem, buddy, but if you're going to keep this low key for the time being, you might want to move the ring at work."
Mac and Harm both glanced at the ring on Mac's finger, and then at each other, and Mac nodded in acceptance, but Harm noticed her face wasn't showing the happiness of a few moments before as she removed the ring and palmed it in her left hand. Crossing the bullpen back to their offices, coffees in hand, Mac returned to her own office and Harm followed her in, closing the door. Mac turned to face him, her words coming thick and fast, as if she wanted to get rid of something distasteful in her mouth.
"I don't want to wear my ring with my dog-tags, Harm. It's…what I did…before, when I went to the Guadalcanal." Harm was at a loss for a moment, then realized what Mac was trying to say – she didn't want to belittle her relationship with him by wearing the ring in the same manner as she had Mic Brumby's.
"You could put it in your purse, or your briefcase," Harm suggested, even though he would have much preferred that Mac wear it on her finger, where it belonged. Heck, he wanted to shout from the rooftops that he loved Sarah Mackenzie, and she loved him! Mac was shaking her head, negating the ideas he had mentioned, and so he put out his hand, palm up.
"What?" asked Mac, curious as to what Harm wanted her to do.
"I'll put it on with my tags. That way it will be safe, and you'll be happy."
"I'll be happy when I can wear the ring all the time," Mac murmured, opening her hand to let Harm take it from her.
"Me too," Harm agreed, and located his tags under his uniform. Mac watched as he threaded the ring onto the chain, and then returned the chain under his collar. Mac checked through the glass panel in the door before lifting her hand to Harm's chest, laying her hand against his heart.
"This is going to be a long day," muttered Harm, closing his eyes briefly at Mac's touch. Mac laughed softly, dropping her hand and stepping away as Harm opened his eyes again. "Later, Marine," he murmured briefly, promising much more with his eyes, and Mac felt a shiver of anticipation run down her spine.
As Harm turned to leave Mac's office Bud appeared, opening the door and blocking his exit.
"Hello sir, ma'am."
"Morning, Bud," Harm and Mac responded together, and then Harm noticed the travel bag over Bud's shoulder.
"So, you're off to the Henry. Let us know if you need anything. We'll check in on Harriet too."
"I will, sir, thanks. Ma'am." Bud turned away then and left Mac's office. Harm followed him, turning slightly to look at Mac. "Later," he mouthed before walking away. Mac sighed as she sat down at her desk. It was going to be a long day.
Later in the day…
"Ma'am, you have a delivery." Mac looked up as Jennifer Coates appeared at her door, a huge bouquet of flowers in her hands. Not just any flowers, Mac noted. They were roses, and there appeared to be a riot of colour, each rose a separate shade, and in the centre – with a note attached to its stem – was one red rose bud, not yet unfurled. "They're beautiful, ma'am," noted Jennifer, a hint of wistfulness in her voice as she watched a myriad of expressions cross Mac's face.
"Could…you get me a vase, please?" Mac asked, unsure if her voice would hold as she spoke to the younger woman. Jennifer nodded and left the office, heading for the break room to find a vase large enough to hold the bouquet. In her absence Mac lifted the single rose bud out of the arrangement and pulled the card attached to the top of the stem.
S
'You love me, I love you;
Please come to me, for Date Number Two.'
H
Jennifer returned with a vase big enough for the arrangement, and as she busied herself arranging the roses for Mac she noticed the red rose bud in Mac's left hand, and the card in the other.
"Secret admirer, ma'am?"
"You could say that…" Mac responded softly, and then cleared her throat a little, trying to appear focused on work once more. "Is the Commander in, Jen?" Jennifer raised her eyes to Mac and shook her head.
"No, ma'am. He secured early. An appointment, I believe."
"Thank you. That will be all," Mac responded, and Jennifer nodded, wondering just who had sent the roses. As far as Jennifer – and by association, Harriet – knew, Mac had ended her relationship with Clayton Webb, and there had been no other men visiting her at work. Harm was still there, of course, but their relationship was nowhere near as close as sending roses, or any flowers, period!
"Yes, ma'am." Jennifer left Mac's office and closed the door behind her, turning briefly to see Mac bend her head to the remaining roses with a knowing smile on her lips. Jennifer raised an eyebrow in surprise – whoever the mystery man was, Mac was hooked!
To be continued
AN1 :
Sorry for the delay; net facilities are down to a tenth of my usual service, and we're a computer down, so I'm sharing facilities too! Better late than never!
AN2 :
For SmileyMare1810 – I have checked the UCMJ online, the IG regs and other sources, and so far the only item I have found on Officer/Officer fraternization is the following statement. With this in mind, my storyline reflects that the only issue Harm/Mac will have is that one will be required to transfer. Who and where will be written later. Hope that resolves the 'work' issue.
'There are fraternisation regulations that say that two officers in the same chain of command are not allowed to have romantic relationships. Only working ones.'
AN3 :
There appears to be a fault with the underline facility in Edit/Preview mode. WYSIWYG