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 – zats – Acer

To old friends and new, for all your good wishes and wonderful reviews.

(I missed a name earlier - so if I do it again, be sure I'll catch up and add it asap!)

I couldn't add new names to the reviewers list as not co-operating at time of posting! I promise to update asap! Thanks.

Sorry this is a short chapter – RL intrudes as I am traveling back for the start of my daughter's schooling – and I would like to thank Pryrmtns for the idea! Regular service will resume asap! Jaggie

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

ROBERTS' RESIDENCE

Two days later

"Mac, thank you so much for all your help the last couple of days." Harriet, seated on the couch, her legs propped up on pillows, looked at Mac with a grateful smile.

"Not a problem, Harriet. I've got time on my hands…I wanted to do what I could." Mac covered herself as she almost said 'while Harm's away'. "With the twins, Jimmy and AJ you both have your hands full, and until you're back to fighting fit I'll help out where I can. Besides, it has only been a couple of days."

"It feels like forever!" Harriet groaned good naturedly, and Mac smiled, taking a sip of the coffee from the cup in her hand. Harriet watched her friend, and narrowed her eyes slightly, wondering why Mac had hesitated when she had spoke about having time on her hands. With her career workload, Harriet knew Mac was always busy, and since she had ended her relationship with Clayton Webb she seemed to be at JAG almost all the time. Bud had already observed that Mac was in the office when he arrived, and last to leave at the end of the day. Until recently…

Harriet lifted a hand to her mouth in surprise, and Mac paused in mid-sip.

"Are you okay?"

"Um…yes, I'm okay. Just twinges here and there. It's almost settled now, and I should be up and about tomorrow. In fact, I will be up and about. Bud's been great, but he has to get back to work himself. With Harm out on the Henry and him at home with me, that just leaves you as the senior in the office, and you've got enough on your plate. Let's just say I need Bud to be back at work. He won't let me do anything, and I'm going crazy!" Mac laughed at the look of exasperation on Harriet's face. That Harriet loved her husband was in no doubt, but Bud in 'mom-mode' was obviously driving her to distraction.

"I'm sure you'll be fine tomorrow, and you're right – with Harm away I could use Bud's help back at work."

"Then we have a deal, Colonel," Harriet said with determination, and put out her hand to shake Mac's. From the kitchen came Bud's voice.

"You say something, honey?"

Harriet and Mac looked at each other and laughed, and then Harriet answered Bud.

"No, sweetie, we're fine." Harriet sat back against the pillows behind her, and then she grinned at Mac.

"How about a barbecue? This weekend? If you're not busy…?"

"I'd like that, Harriet. Thanks." Mac didn't hesitate in her answer, and Harriet felt a stab of disappointment that there was no indication of a 'significant other', but she shook off the disappointment when she voiced the rest of her invitation. "Bud can ask Harm, when he gets back."

"Ask the Commander what, honey?" Bud asked, coming into the lounge from the kitchen, ostensibly to check whether Harriet and Mac had finished their drinks, but in reality to make sure Harriet was still seated on the couch.

"If he'd like to come by for a barbecue at the weekend. It's been so long since I saw anyone from JAG, and as I'm sure I'll be on my feet again by then, I can help you arrange things. In fact, Mac was just saying, they're snowed under at JAG; you're going to have your hands full with the backlog, let alone the new cases you'll get. Don't you think it might be good for you to at least check in with the office?"

Mac watched the interchange with an amused tilt to her lips, and when Bud looked at her for inspiration she shrugged her shoulders. "We are swamped, Bud. If Harriet can spare you, it would help."

"Well, maybe I could go in the morning, see what's happening? If you're sure you'll be able to manage on your own?"

"I'm sure I will. I promise not to do more than I can manage." Harriet gave Bud a beaming smile and a peck on the cheek as he leaned over her, and then she gave Mac a conspiratorial wink over his shoulder.

Mac smiled back, not sure whether Harriet was just pleased to be able to get on with running her house, or whether the younger woman was planning something.

When Mac got up to leave, Bud showed her to the door and wished her a safe trip home. When he came back to sit down with Harriet he noticed the contemplative look on her face.

"What's going on, Harriet?"

"What? Nothing… I just was wondering if Mac was seeing anyone again. She's been so good helping out while I've been out of commission; I hope I haven't put the jinx on her having a new relationship with her being out here with us."

"I wouldn't have thought so, honey. The Colonel's been busy, I told you. She just said as much too, about being swamped. She looks kinda happy I guess, but then she's been a lot happier since the Commander came back to JAG."

"Really?" Harriet murmured, and narrowed her eyes at her husband's guileless comment. Bud was cute, but he was clueless sometimes!

Mac's Corvette – en route to JAG

Mac was driving back to work, having taken an extended lunch to go visit Harriet and Bud, and realization dawned. Harriet may not know that she and Harm were together, but she had an idea there was someone, and now she was 'fishing' for clues.

"Sneaky, Lieutenant Sims. Very sneaky," Mac murmured, grinning widely as she drove.

To be continued