Harm's godfather stares at him with disgust in his eyes, "Son, just what in the world do you think you are doing?"

Harm calls upon every ounce of military discipline he has to reply, "Admiral, with all due respect, you have no idea what this is about."

The Admiral chuckles, "Oh, I believe I do. I recall seeing a similar look on your father's face one night when I danced with your mother. He wanted to kill me too."

Harm smiles slightly at that. The CAG knows them all well enough to be able to compare Harm and Keeter's relationship to that of him and his former wingman. Harm imagines that some of his overprotectiveness was directly inherited from his father, but he doesn't remember seeing it too much in the short amount of time he had with him. Harm finds it rather amusing to hear his dad considered decking Admiral Boone. Harm remarks, "This is about far more than just a dance. I wouldn't get this upset over just that."

The CAG isn't quite sure if he is telling the truth or not. He knows how jealous Harm gets when it comes to other men and Mac. He isn't sure if the fact that said "other man" is one of his best friends is a help or a hindrance to the current situation. Even in his youngest jet jock days, the Admiral was nowhere as brazen as Keeter. Add to that the fact that Keeter is a playboy by trade and likes to rile Harm up at the same time makes for a very potent combination. He tells Harm, "I might be old, but I am not deaf, blind, or stupid! So, if this isn't about a dance, then what has you ready to take his head off?"

Harm stares at his feet and mumbles, "He insinuated that he would be more than willing to engage in carnal activities with my wife if given the opportunity. Or at the very least, undress her."

The CAG stares at Harm incredulously. He honestly can't believe that Jack would have said something like that. "Do you want to repeat that, Harm?"

Harm looks up, and the Admiral can see him trying to hold back all the rage he is feeling, "Do I really have to, Sir?"

The CAG sympathizes with the turmoil that Harm is feeling. "No son, you don't. Now, you go back to your wife, please give her a hug for me and tell her I will catch up with her later. I will take care of Keeter."

Harm starts to argue, "But Sir,…this is my fight, not yours."

The CAG shakes his head, "Harm, that might be true, but I have somewhat been in his shoes before, and I can probably get him to see reason better than you can. Besides, simply beating the crap out him isn't going to address the underlying issue, and all it will do is land you both in the brig! And knowing you, you would regret it later, regardless of how good it would feel in the moment. I'm pulling rank! Now, march your butt back to the lovely Sarah, and go mingle with some friends and calm down. That's an order!"

As Harm does an about face, he scans the crowd for Mac. He finds her as she is slightly nodding her head at something behind him. He glances quickly over his shoulder to find Admiral Boone winking at Mac. He chuckles to himself, thinking "Why that little sneak!"

Admiral Boone finds Keeter shamelessly flirting with the woman Mac had dubbed "axe kick victim #2". Unbeknownst to Keeter or the Admiral, she is the same tall, busty blonde that was eyeing up Harm like a piece of meat earlier. She is hanging onto his every word, thoroughly smitten by the dress whites and gold wings. When he approaches them, he can smell the bourbon radiating off of Keeter. He thinks to himself, 'Well, that partially explains his behavior, but then again, he wouldn't have danced with Mac that drunk.' He places a hand on Jack's shoulder, and politely sticks out his hand to the woman, "Good evening, I'm Admiral Boone."

She gives him her best smile, happy to have snagged the attention of another aviator, even if this one is old enough to be her father. She extends her hand and says with her saccharin sweet voice, "I'm pleased to meet you Admiral, I'm Melissa Krennick."

As they shake hands, all sorts of warning bells are going off in the Admiral's head. He clears his throat and inquires, "Any relation to Admiral Alison Krennick?"

Melissa replies, "Why yes sir, she is my older sister. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to make it tonight, but she insisted that I still come to make apologies for her unintended absence."

The Admiral thinks to himself, 'I'm sure she did.' He gives Melissa a half flyboy grin and states, "Well her loss is our gain. However, I need to steal this Sailor a way for a few minutes to discuss some business if you don't mind excusing us."

Melissa blushes at his compliment, "No problem, as long as both of you promise to save me a dance for later."

Keeter responds in his best cowboy drawl, "I will be happy to oblige you, Ma'am."

The Admiral pulls a couple of cigars out of his pocket and nods towards the balcony, "Shall we, Jack?"

Jack proceeds to follow the Admiral outside to the far corner of the balcony, outside of view of anyone else. "What did you want to talk about, CAG?"

Admiral Boone looks Keeter square in the eye and promptly smacks him upside the back of his head.

Jack rubs his head and exclaims, "What the hell was that for?"

The Admiral bellows, "Where would you like me to start? The comments you made to Mac, the fact that you smell like the inside of a bourbon bottle, the way I had to stop Harm from decking you, or the fact that you are sweet talking the younger sister of a barracuda who repeatedly sexually harassed your best friend in his early years at JAG. Good Lord, Jack! Would you please at least show some honor and dignity for the uniform that you wear instead of using it as a chick magnet!"

Jack stares at his former CAG completely befuddled by this turn of events. He starts to defend the accusations, "I was only mildly flirting with Mac, she never puts up with any of my crap anyway, so I didn't think anything of it. After I finished dancing with her, I was standing at the bar when some idiot sloshed his whole double bourbon all over my uniform which is why I smell like a bottle of it. I have only had two drinks total tonight! I didn't mean to piss Harm off, and I will apologize to both of them if it will make you feel better. And why do you care who in the hell I flirt with?"

The Admiral just shakes his head at one of his former ace pilots. "You are totally missing the point here, Jack," and then the truth dawns on him, "You're jealous!"

Jack sighs, "Yeah, I guess I am. I miss having the friend that I could go out and shoot the shit with about everything and nothing. I miss having my wingman to pick up girls with." Jack hangs his head before reluctantly admitting, "But most of all, I see how happy they are, and part of me wants to experience a love like theirs. When he looks at her, nothing else in the world exists. She looks at him the same way. I've never felt anything remotely close to that with anyone."

The Admiral is shocked that Keeter is finally letting some of his shield slip away. He solemnly says, "Jack, sit down." He hands him a cigar as he also lights his own before continuing, "I've been in your shoes. I'm going to tell you the same thing I told Harm, and just so you know, it took a while for him to acknowledge my words of wisdom and do something about it too. I understand what it's like to live the life of a confirmed bachelor and sacrifice everything for duty and country. I've experienced enough loss that I never want to let anyone get close enough to me to hurt me again. But one day, you will meet the right woman, and she will walk past every defense you have, and even those you haven't invented yet. She will be able to see into your soul, and no matter how hard you try to fight it, a part of her will always exist in your heart. It will be up to you what you choose to do with it."

Jack silently wondered, 'When did the CAG become a psychologist?' He had summed up everything that Jack didn't want anyone to know perfectly. They sat out on the balcony for a while, each contemplating the words spoken.