JAG HQ

Falls Church, VA

The sharp clicking of Mac's regulation pumps against the linoleum floor echoes throughout the bullpen as she exits the Admiral's office and makes her way to her own sanctuary. If that isn't enough of an indicator to her present mood, the slamming of her office door surely is.

Singer gets off the elevator, and enters the bullpen extremely irritated with the exculpatory evidence she just received that she now has to hand over to Colonel MacKenzie in the Walker case. She walks over to Harriet's desk and agitatedly asks, "Do you know if Colonel MacKenzie is done with the Admiral yet?"

Harriet nods towards Mac's closed door, "She just came out a couple of minutes ago, but I wouldn't go near her right now."

Singer slightly raises her eyebrow in question, but Harriet doesn't offer any further details. Lt. Witch should be happy that Harriet gave her any kind of warning at all. Harriet is still pissed at Singer for the way she cleaned out Bud's office to claim it as her own.

Since Singer isn't in a very good mood herself, therefore, she doesn't see any reason to make the Colonel's life any easier. Misery loves company. The evidence she has to turn over can just as easily be given to the Colonel tomorrow. As she turns towards her office, she tells Harriet over her shoulder, "Thanks for the heads up."

Harriet mutters under her breath, "I should have just let her walk into the lion's den without any warning."

Mac rubs her temples, trying to stave off the headache that is already forming, when someone knocks on her door. Not sure which object of her ire is on the other side, she silently wills them to go away. Harm is in court all afternoon, so it can't be him, and Sturgis is the same place Harm is. If it's Lt. Sims, she is going to get the dressing down of her career. Carolyn, well, they are the same rank, so she will just have to think about that one. She wants to completely ignore the knocking, but it could very well be the Admiral coming to ream her a new one for the temper tantrum she just threw as she left his office. Maybe not conduct unbecoming, but definitely not typical officer behavior either. Unfortunately, the persistent thumping on her door hasn't ceased, and she draws upon every ounce of military decorum she has to state, "Enter" through gritted teeth.

Tiner sighs deeply before walking in and standing at attention in front of the Colonel's desk, silently cursing the Admiral for the mood he put the Colonel in. He only hopes that the Colonel doesn't take it out on him. He makes a mental note to stop at the drugstore on his way home, he needs his own bottle of aspirin.

Mac looks up from her desk, completely surprised at who her visitor is, "At ease, Tiner. What can I do for you?"

Tiner hands her a note, "The Admiral asked me to give you this Ma'am."

Mac unfolds the piece of paper, listing the contact information and address for All2Dance Studio. She audibly sighs, "Thank you Tiner, dismissed."

Tiner does an about face, and quietly closes the Colonel's door behind him, thanking his lucky stars that he got away unscathed.

Harriet sees Tiner exit the Colonel's office, and decides that a little reconnaissance of her own is needed. She takes a stack of folders that require the Admiral's signature over to Petty Officer Tiner's desk. She leans over and quietly asks, "So what's the word?"

Tiner stammers, "Ma'am?"

Harriet resists the urge to tap her foot at him. There are definitely some occasions that Tiner reminds her of a two-year-old. He simply cannot be that oblivious! "What did the Admiral say that has the Colonel so upset?"

Tiner replies, "I'm not entirely sure, Ma'am."

Harriet rolls her eyes at him, "You must know something, Petty Officer."

Tiner starts, "I…." before being saved from any more of the Lieutenant's interrogation when the Admiral opens his door looking inquisitively between the two of them.

Harriet straightens her spine, "Good Afternoon, Admiral. I was dropping off some folders that need your John Hancock."

The Admiral eyes her warily before stating, "Ok, bring them in, and close the hatch. There is something I need to discuss with you."

While Harriet is in with the Admiral, Colonel Mackenzie is doing a little searching of her own on the Internet in relation to the slip of paper that Tiner gave her. Hopefully, All2Dance Studio offers a wide range of classes. She assumes that ballroom will be offered, but she chuckles at the thought of Harm trying to dance his way through a hip-hop class. Somehow, she can't see him dropping his ass to the floor or doing the Tootsie Roll, but she would get a good laugh out of seeing him try! She suddenly realizes that this is the first time she has smiled almost all day. The thought only lasts for a moment though, when her internal clock kicks in to tell her that it's time to secure for the day in order to be able to meet Harm on time at his apartment for dinner. The rest of her research will have to wait for later.

Mac's Corvette

I-66 E

On her drive home from work, sitting in beltway traffic, Mac's anger resurfaces with a vengeance. How can the Admiral even think that they can do this? They are still trying to get their footing back after the departure of Mic and Renee. Perhaps that is his point, they need to get their footing back, both literally and figuratively. She sighs audibly as she realizes that there are far worse things than being held closely in the arms of the man that you love. Maybe these classes won't be so bad after all.

Harm's Apartment

North of Union Station

Mac arrives at Harm's apartment for dinner just as he returns from shopping, his arms full of grocery bags, and a small smile on his face. She can't control the butterflies in her stomach, whether they are from nerves or anticipation, she is unsure. Just the sight of him quiets the anger that she has been carrying around most of the day.

Mac thinks to herself, 'What a shame, he has no free hand to open the door. I'll just have to get the keys out of his pocket.' She offers, "Harm let me get the door, just tell me which pocket your keys are in, and I'll grab them."

Harm looks at her like she has suddenly grown another head as he precariously balances the bags against the wall outside his apartment. He silently wonders, 'She has her own key to my place, and she knows where I keep the spare, why the hell is she asking me which pocket mine are in?' He asks her, "Don't you have your key? If not, just grab the spare one I hide for emergencies."

Mac sighs is frustration. Damn! Well, that blew that plan right out of the water. Why can't this stupid Squid ever make anything easy? She rummages through her purse and produces her key. "Scoot over, Flyboy, so I can open the door."

Harm moves out her way as she unlocks and opens the door. Keeping one of the bags balanced on his knee, he motions for her to go ahead of him.

Mac walks in and sets her purse and coat down like she was just here yesterday. It's amazing that she still feels so comfortable in his apartment even though it has been quite a while she has visited him. It still feels like a second home to her, regardless of how long it has been. She inquires, "So what are we having for dinner?"

Harm sets his bags on the counter, and tosses his cover toward the coat rack, sailing it over Mac's head. It unerringly catches the hook. She squats down as the object flies over her head. Harm chuckles, "I thought Marine's didn't duck."

Mac smiles, "I wasn't ducking, I was taking cover."

Harm laughs as he gestures to the rungs next to the front door, "Really? My cover is over there, not in your hand, so you didn't take cover very well."

Mac walks over and swats him in the arm. It is so nice to have a small glimpse of their banter back, even if it is still slightly off. "You didn't answer me, Squid, what are we having for dinner?"

Harm smiles, "That's my Marine, her stomach leads the charge. I picked up some fresh shrimp. I was thinking we would have grilled shrimp, rice pilaf, and an arugula salad with homemade vinaigrette."

Mac is shocked, she was expecting something pasta related. Her mouth waters as he details the ingredients for their dinner. She really has missed Harm's cooking, well everything except his toxic meatless meatloaf. Since Mic left, her normal fare has been TV dinners, pizza, and Chinese takeout. It's been a really long time since she had a good home cooked meal. "You're feeding me protein? What's the occasion?"

Harm stops short as he pulls the salad dressing ingredients out of the fridge. He'd like to feed her some protein all right, and it's not shrimp sized either. He shakes his head in an attempt to clear the slightly carnal thoughts he is having. "I just figured it had been a long time since we had dinner together and I felt like something a little different. You don't mind, do you?"

Mac hoists herself onto a bar stool, so that she can watch him as he starts preparing their dinner. She can't resist teasing him a little, "Not at all, but I did have my heart set on a nice big fat juicy steak when you said you would be cooking something fit for a carnivore."

Harm chuckles, "I'm feeding you meat, just not the artery clogging type."

Mac's thoughts absentmindedly wander to other types of meat he could feed her, but those would be best served in bed, not the kitchen. Before she lets her desirous thoughts consume her, she decides to change the direction of the conversation to the reason for his invitation to dinner tonight. "So, do you have any idea why the Admiral thought we should take dancing lessons together?"

Harm scoffs, "I guess he mentioned it to you too. My guess is that he thinks we've lost our rhythm."

Mac grunts at his insinuation, "Maybe you have, but I sure haven't." She lightens it up a little, "Besides, you were bound to lose your mojo sooner or later. After all, you are an old man."

Harm sighs, "He meant our rhythm together, Mac. Admit it, we aren't as in sync as we used to be. And I am not an old man!" He thinks to himself, 'If I was sure she wouldn't deck me, I would drag her the few shorts steps to my bed and show her just how young I really am!' Why is he all of a sudden having all these lewd thoughts about Mac? He really needs to reign himself in before she causes more bodily harm than just a swat on his arm.

Mac admits to herself that he is right. While they have been back on the road to where their friendship used to be before the Video Princess and Bugme entered their lives, they haven't yet reached their old level of comfort. She hopes that when they get there this time, that they will surpass where they have previously been, and surge forward to a future together as a couple.