A/N: What are we going to do with these two? Will they ever stop misunderstanding one another?

Regrets

London, UK
May 26, 2007
0930 Local

Harm's point of view

"Mac?"

"Harm?"

"Go ahead," Mac said.

"No, you first. After all, Marines are always the first to storm the beaches." In times past, his half-hearted joke would have warranted a snappy comeback, but instead Mac lowered her eyes.

"Hey, I'm sorry Mac. Poor attempt at humor. Please continue."

"It's okay. Guess I'm a little nervous."

She was nervous? Harm was glad he wasn't in a courtroom right now facing a jury. He hadn't been this tongue-tied when he tried his first case all those years ago.

Mac took a sip of coffee before continuing. "Harm, do you ever have regrets? Wish you could go back and do things differently?"

Only every hour of the day for the past two years. "Yeah, plenty."

She stood, then began to pace the room, crossing her arms as if she were cold. "I'm thinking of resigning my commission."

Harm couldn't have been more shocked if she'd suddenly sprouted wings. "You're what?"

She turned to look at him. "You heard right. I'm considering resigning my commission."

"Mac, the marines are—"

"Yeah, I know. All I have. I seem to recall I told you the same thing about the navy when we were in Paraguay. You don't know how many times I wish I could take those words back."

"Yeah, well, we've both said things to one another over the years that we've come to regret."

"Ever wonder why do we keep doing that to one another?" She sat back down at the table.

"All the time. But tell me why you want to resign. Is there someone special in your life?"

Mac shook her head. "There was. I'm afraid I blew any chances of happiness with him."

Harm felt like someone had stabbed him and twisted the knife in the wound. She had met someone else. Things didn't work out, and now she had come to see her "best friend" for advice. Two years of not communicating and she had the gall to come because her little world wasn't going the way she planned.

The pain he felt quickly turned to anger, and it took every ounce of restraint he had not to respond in haste. He didn't want to know about any of her lovers—he'd had enough of that thrown in his face too many times throughout the years they served together at Falls Church. But for now, he'd play it cool and listen to what she had to say.

"But that's not exactly the reason I'm considering leaving the corps," Mac continued. "You may have heard the Navy is closing down JLS San Diego. Said it isn't working."

"No, I hadn't heard. I'm sorry."

"I knew there was a chance it might happen when I accepted the position. After all, it was considered a prototype. I've, uh, been offered another command position at Okinawa."

"That's great, Mac. You'll probably make bird colonel before long."

"Doesn't mean that much to me anymore."

"Mac, this doesn't sound like you. When we… our last night in DC you said you didn't want to give up your commission. You wanted that command position."

"Harm, I won't argue the fact I was excited to be selected to head up JLS. But I didn't exactly say I didn't want to give it up."

Okay, where had he missed that clue? "No? You accused me of putting conditions on our relationship."

"You were. Told me you loved me, but then said you didn't want to give up your career. What what I supposed to think?"

"You didn't give me a chance to finish. You went off on how women have both families and careers. What was I supposed to think?"

"Well obviously you didn't want to give up the Navy for me. You can't deny saying those words."

"I don't deny it. What I couldn't understand was why you were unwilling to give up your career for me. Why did you even come to me that night?"

"I made a mistake."

"Yeah, I guess you did at that. If you'd just stayed away, we might have at least been able to salvage our friendship and not parted angrily."

"That's not what I meant. I don't deny I made mistakes that night. I shouldn't have led you to believe I wasn't willing to give up my position. I shouldn't have accused you of putting conditions on our relationship. But my biggest mistake was keeping you out of my life for the past two years."

"Well, I think that was by mutual consent. I told the truth when I said I loved you, but whatever I do is never enough. And I'm not sorry to say that I'm glad I wasn't around to see you become involved with another man."

Mac's point of view

Mac supposed she should be upset at Harm's comment. How dare he believe she'd hooked up with someone else? How could he even think that after she'd declared her love for him? Confessed she'd fallen in love almost from the first moment they met.

But then she remembered the times she had flaunted other men in his face. Dalton. Mic. Webb. All in hopes he would admit his feelings for her.

Okay, that wasn't exactly the case with Webb. The incident in Paraguay took its toll on her. She wasn't thinking rationally after being locked up in that hut and having been forced to watch those missionaries die. Hearing Clay's screams of torture was devastating.

The entire situation caused her to say and do things she didn't mean. She'd hurt Harm deeply. When they returned to DC and learned the admiral had processed his resignation, she should have done more to fight for him. But she just stood there and listened to their CO throw insults at his once top attorney. Harm deserved a lot more than her half-hearted, "But sir he saved my life." Throughout the years, they'd been through hell together. But rather than protesting, she threw friendship to the wolves in the name of the Marine Corps.

Then she turned to a man who was incapable of loving anyone more than he loved his job. She should have known Webb would deceive her one day. And when he did, Harm was there to help pick up the pieces of her shattered life.

You know men just seem to pass through my life. Except for you. Will you always be there?

Yes.

And even then, she'd turned him away.

"Harm, there's no other man in my life. Hasn't been since I left DC."

"Then who were you—?

"Who was I talking about when I mentioned someone special?"

"Yeah."

Mac smiled. "You, Harm. I'm afraid I blew my chances with you."