OOOO

Ch 4

Harm knocked on her office door, later that afternoon. Looking up and seeing who it was, Mac was tempted to turn him away. She could clearly see by his face that this was definitely not a work-related visit. However, she summoned him in, all the same.

"Hey, just wanted to ask…" Harm started to ask something else, then changed his mind, taking a seat, "hey, you okay, Mac?"

"I will be if I ever get this damn court martial off my hands," Mac commented, dryly.

"Maaac…" he frowned as he drew her name out in that childish way she hated, that infuriated her. She used that to cement her resolve.

"Haaarm!" She replied, mimicking his childish tone, before giving him a piercing look, "Why are you in here, driving me insane just a breath after asking me if I'm okay? I'm not; I'm tired, I'm overworked and now I've got you coming down on me too…"

"I only asked if you were okay…" Harm actually sounded even more like a child, now.

"And when I make a completely innocent joke, you start harping on at me for not being serious...I'm having a tough time, lately, what with cases and all and I'd rather not have my face rubbed in it, not when I'm wading ankle deep in this sh…mess…already!"

"Fine," Harm replied, sullenly and turned around for the door.

Mac almost called out to him, but stopped her lips before they began to move. No hesitation, no second thoughts.

Mac just gave a sigh, got up and closed her office blinds. That should tell everyone that her office was out-of-bounds today…and to her surprise, it worked.

She took off early, that day, after requesting and being granted it from the General. Harriet and the rest of the staff watched unobtrusively from the doorway of the break room as Mac walked quickly and determinedly out of JAG Ops and towards the elevators.

Harm, who had noticed and turned back to the coffee machine, commented, snidely, "Wish we all got away with that, with the General. Marine Corps membership must come with freemason-like perks, these days…"

"Excuse me, Sir?" Harriet and Jennifer both looked at him, wide-eyed, incredulous.

They both told themselves that they must have misheard him, misinterpreted the malice in his voice.

"Well, she didn't get here until 1100 today and here it is, only 1630 and she's already heading home. The General must be softening up, these days…"

His tone was no less snide and was clearly understood by all in the room; Bud, Harriet, Jen, Sturgis and General Cresswell, who had entered while Harm had poured his coffee and added sugar and cream.

Jennifer should have announced his arrival and in the process cut Harm's tirade off, but had been shocked into silence by Harm's attitude and too much had already been said.

"Commander, my office, NOW…" the General didn't look shocked, but plenty angry.

Harm's bravado quickly disappeared. He followed the General, automatically, into his office. He was thrown for a loop when he got there, waiting for Cresswell to seat himself and he looked briefly at the man to find all traces of anger gone.

"I could never bring myself to think that a naval officer would have such low regard for a fellow officer, one with whom he has reputed to have been through so much, so I'm currently telling myself that there must be some sort of explanation that I'm missing…"

He paused, looking at Harm, as if this explanation would be pinned somewhere on his uniform, perhaps beside his fruit salad.

"And those fellow officers outside seemed to be as perplexed by this situation as I am…Harm, what on earth is going on? What motivated you to say something so hateful?"

Now Harm really was perplexed.

"No disrespect meant to you, Sir," Harm started, picking his words carefully, "But I was only puzzled by the Colonel's unusual hours, today…To say nothing of her attitude…"

The last thing was said under his breath, but Cresswell heard it anyway.

"Tell me, Commander," he asked, "When was the last time you spoke to the Colonel?"

"Uh, she and I had a…uh, discourse…in her office in her office just over an hour ago, but I'd hardly say it was a conversation, Sir…"

"Then I can only presume you don't know…" Cresswell concluded.

"What exactly is it about what I've said that has so shocked everyone, sir?" Harm asked, genuinely, "Perhaps if I understood, I could begin to put things right with everyone, make amends…"

"I think you may be the only one out of the loop with Colonel Mackenzie's obligations, this week…Bud and Harriet have been helping her with some…aspects they have experience with, Sturgis was on hand to help her discuss ceremony arrangements with Chaplain Turner and Jen helped with ordering the flowers and such…"

"Ceremony arrangements, Sir? Flowers?"

"Harm, Mac was at the funeral ceremony for that abandoned baby girl, this morning. She herself paid the extra, so that the little girl could be placed to rest in a private cemetery, with more than just a basic ceremony and an unmarked grave. This case has been slowly destroying her, for the past three weeks. Surely you noticed this?"

Seconds passed and all that Harm was able to think about was the bile that was rising in his throat. He swallowed it down, hard, before opening his mouth and attempting to speak, again.

"I'm sorry, Sir…I had no idea…I…Mac never said anything to me. Neither did anyone else…I…I guess that I haven't been paying the colonel much attention, this week…"

"I'd say so, Commander," the General let his irritation get the better of him, but powered down when he saw Harm's pale, repentant countenance, "I think you owe those people out there an explanation. Especially the parents of your Godchild, whom they buried in similar tragic circumstances and who have relived it all again this week, in a bid to help a friend who they saw was struggling with everything on her own. Then, I think you need to take off and offer your friend and fellow officer an apology and some support that has been sorely lacking, this week…"

"Yes, Sir," Harm snapped to, with admirable energy, despite his shaky appearance.

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