Chapter 22: Clueless

Trying to lighten the mood slightly, and knowing airplanes are one of Harm's favorite subjects, Mac inquires, "So do you think you will get in any flying time while we are on board?"

Harm ponders this for a moment. Now that him and Mac might be moving in the direction of a relationship, at least he is hoping that was where tonight was headed, he isn't really sure that he wants to be in an F-14 on a dangerous mission that could risk bringing him back to her. He shrugs his shoulders, indifferently, and responds in a monotone voice, "Not really sure. Don't know if I really want to."

Mac places the back of her hand against his forehead. Not detecting a fever, she reaches back up, and pinches his cheek, Hard.

Harm rubs the side of his face, "Ouch! What the hell was that for?"

Mac tries to keep her voice down as she tells him, "I don't know what is up with you tonight. First, you kiss me. Then, you won't let the SecNav harass me, and now you aren't sure if you want to fly a Tomcat. I'm merely checking to see if you are running a temperature, and when I didn't notice one, I figured I'd better make sure that Palmer hadn't stolen your face again. As adorable as it is, I told you before I can only handle one of you in my life. You are not acting like the Harmon Rabb I know at all. What is going on?"

Harm chuckles, "It's me, I swear. I'm not quite sure how to explain it. Maybe now my priorities are different, and I have realized that there are more important things than flying. Maybe it isn't the number one thing in my world anymore."

Mac's mind flashes back again, this time to the night he came to her apartment to let her know he was changing his designator to go back to an active squadron. She had accused him then of valuing flying over JAG, Jordan, and everything else. She had stopped just short of saying that he valued it over her. She knows what he is trying to say, and her eyes go wide. This is another item to place in the "I think he loves me" column. Come to think of it, those points are really starting to add up. All this time, she has waited for the words, and his actions over the years, especially recently, have spoken volumes.

Why do they have to be cooped up in the back of a damn military transport on their way to a floating heap of metal in the middle of the ocean? She really should have let them stop at her apartment on the way to the airfield, and led him up to bed first. That way she could show him that she feels the same way. She smiles, "I understand what you are saying, Harm, and thank you."

He looks directly into her eyes, and quietly asks, "Do you?"

She smiles, and then sighs. She says, "Yeah, I really do. However, I don't think that Captain Johnson is going to see things the same way. The last time you were aboard, he put you in the front seat because you understand the law, and the Rules of Engagement. That hasn't changed, you are still valuable to him."

Harm answers, "That might be, but this is a high-profile case. Hopefully he will realize that my skills as a lawyer and investigator are more important in this instance than my skills as a pilot. Unless he absolutely needs me, I really don't want to be launched off the deck of the carrier this trip."

Mac gives a non-committal, "Hmm."

Harm inquires, "What's that for?"

Mac replies, "Nothing, I was just thinking about the RIO that he assigned you last time we were on the Seahawk."

Harm thinks back for a moment, "Are you talking about Lt. Jorgensen?"

Mac responds, "Yep. If she is still on board, we might want to break from the gender lines in our investigation where she is concerned. She is definitely more likely to talk to you than to me."

Harm, slightly shocked, asks, "Why do you think that?"

Mac shakes her head, chuckling, "Harm. You are completely oblivious when it comes to women. That woman had the hots for you! Big time!"

Harm looks at her, incredulous, "What? You can't be serious."

Mac gets a good laugh at his expense, "As I said, clueless."

Harm continues to argue, "Mac, she was just pumped up on adrenaline from that crazy mission we were on. We barely made it back aboard in one piece, and our aircraft wasn't as lucky. It required a bunch of repairs. She was not flirting with me!"

Mac supplies, "Yep, If I remember her words correctly, they were something along the lines of 'things happening with you around.' You can be guaranteed she wanted something more to happen with you, and in a much more personal nature."

Harm shakes his head, "Well, if that's the case, she is just going to be out of luck. The only woman on that ship that I have any intention of being alone with is definitely not her. So, my big bad partner will just have to be around to protect me. However, there is one thing that definitely hasn't changed since that last trip."

Mac asks, "What's that?"

Harm squeezes her hand, and replies softly, "I'm still glad that you are here."