Everything is Going to be Okay
Author: PreppyPrincess5103
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Summary: Harm. & Mac struggle with a long-distance relationship after his return to flying.
Notes: If I were to rank my least favorite JAG characters of all time, Mic would be in the top 3. His position within that three varies based on the season I'm watching at the time, but he's always in the top 3.
Part 3
Mac walked into the break room and found Sturgis slicing into a bagel with surgical precision. She smiled and headed towards the coffee. "Morning Sturgis."
He looked over his shoulder and smiled. "Morning Mac. Bagel?"
She wrinkled her nose and shook her head. "No thank you. I will take a muffin though."
He popped his bagel slices in the toaster, and turned to her, handing her a blueberry muffin. "Mac, can I ask you a question? It's about Admiral Chegwidden's 4th of July party."
"Shoot." She pulled a piece of the muffin top off and popped it in her mouth.
"I know he said that we were welcome to bring our families. What about just a date?"
Mac raised an eyebrow and smiled. "You've met someone already? Boy, you move fast."
Sturgis laughed and shrugged. "What can I say. We met at an event at the Kennedy Center and hit it off immediately." The bagel popped up and he moved the slices from the toaster to his plate. "I think it's important to go, since I'm still fairly new around here. But I was really hoping to spend the evening with Bobbi."
Mac's eyes widened. He couldn't mean… "Bobbi? As in Bobbi Latham?"
"Yeah. Do you know her?"
She bit her lip and then nodded. "Yeah, we've met a few times." She tossed the muffin wrapper in the trash and picked up the plate and her coffee. "I think you should bring her. Not many people bring dates, simply because nearly everyone here is already married."
He nodded. "Okay, I will. Are you bringing anyone?"
"No." Harm had always been her date for office events. Even before they were dating. "This year it's just me." She forced a smile before taking her breakfast back to her office.
Sturgis frowned as he watched her leave. He liked Mac, and enjoyed her company. But she was a little odd every once in a while.
Mac sat down at her desk and turned on her computer. She opened her official email account to see if there was anything pressing, and when she saw there wasn't, she signed into her personal email and opened up a new message.
To: HRabb1963
From: SarahMacKenzie
Re: Gossip
Good morning, handsome. Guess who Sturgis is bringing to the Admiral's 7/4 celebration? No guesses? I guess I'll tell you. He's bringing Bobbi. I haven't seen her in quite a while, but apparently they met at the Kennedy Center and hit it off instantly. It's a small world, isn't it? Anyways. I guess I should get to work. Have a great day.
S.
Mac read over the email once more and then hit send. She had just started pulling files out of her briefcase when she heard the familiar ring of her cellphone. She abandoned the files and dug around in her purse, finally pulling out the phone. "Hello?"
"If I murder someone, can I count on you to represent me?"
Her eyebrow raised and she leaned back in her chair. "Haven't I already done that once?"
"Very funny."
She smiled. "What happened? Brumby is still here, as far as I know, so it can't be him this time."
Harm snorted. "No, this time it's Buxton. Excuse me, the X-Man." Her laughter lightened his mood and he smiled at the sound. "This kid is making me crazy, Mac. It doesn't help that I'm pretty damned sure he's the one responsible for the 'Pappy' call sign." She laughed again and this time he smiled. "I'm glad you find my suffering funny."
"It's a little funny. But don't kill the younger officers, Harm." She logged out of her personal email account and returned to her official one, and began sorting through them.
"I've been spoiled by the younger officers I've worked with recently. Skates is a great RIO. And Bud and Harriet set the bar pretty high. These guys are just jerks. I don't think I would have been friends with them 10 years ago."
"Bud had an amazing teacher. And by that`` I mean me. You were a bad influence." He actually laughed and she smiled. "Give it time. You'll get used to them, and then they won't bother you as much."
"I hope you're right." He looked down at his watch and saw he had a few more minutes. "So, Sturgis is dating Bobbi?"
She sat up a little straighter and gave him her full attention. "He is. He asked me if I thought it would be okay to bring her, since the invitation technically said families. I told him to bring her. And that I knew her."
"Did you – Does he-?"
She found his nervousness completely charming. "As far as I know he doesn't know about the two of you. I didn't tell him, and he didn't mention it."
"Should I tell him?
"I don't think so," she said. "He told me you were both horrible at staying in touch, and it was just a casual thing. Right?"
He smiled softly. "It was very casual." He leaned back against the wall and scanned the room. He was still alone. "So, are you taking anyone to the party?"
His voice was low & teasing, and just that tone sent warmth through her. "Not unless you want to fly one of those planes out here and be my date."
"God, I wish I could. I miss you."
"I miss you too." There was a tap on her door and she looked up. She held up one finger to Bud and then pointed at her phone. "I hate to do this, but I need to run. Bud is outside my door."
"Okay. I'll try to call again tonight when you get off. I love you."
"I love you too." She hung up and signaled to Bud that he could come in. "What's going on, Lieutenant?"
Mac arrived at the Admiral's home and found that almost the entire office was already there. She opened the back door of her car and pulled out two covered dishes and used her hip to push the door shut. She was walking up the front path when Sturgis and Bobbi spotted her and made their way over. He silently took a dish from her hands and waved off her gratitude with the other.
"Hey Mac," Bobbi started, "it's good to see you again."
Mac could hear the nervousness in the other woman's voice, and for the first time since they had met, the smile she gave her was genuine. "It's good to see you too." The three of them went into the house and sat the dishes on the counter with the other food and then went through the back door to join everyone in the yard.
"I'm going to go get a drink," he said, gesturing at the bar that had been set up. "Can I bring you two anything?"
"I'd love a bottle of water."
Bobbi glanced at the table and squinted a bit. "I think I see a bottle of tequila. If possible, I'd love a margarita. If not, just a beer." He nodded and they watched him walk away. Bobbi settled in a red Adirondack chair and looked up at Mac. "Have you talked to Harm since he's been gone?"
Mac blushed and quickly looked at her hands. She wiped off one of the other chairs and sat once she felt her face was back to its normal color. "We've kept in touch. He's ready to kill some of the younger pilots he's working with, but other than that he's doing good."
Bobbi laughed and looked over at Sturgis. He was talking to Tiner and looking through the various beer bottles in a massive blue tub. "I was floored when I first met Sturgis and he told me where he was working and who he had replaced. Harm's a great attorney, I just couldn't believe it."
She nodded. "I think we were all in disbelief when he made that announcement." She thought about her next words for a minute before finally settling on what she wanted to say. "Did Sturgis tell you that he and Harm were friends from the Academy?" Bobbi nodded and Mac leaned back in the char. "Harm's not going to say anything to him. I was catching him up on office gossip and told him about you & Sturgis. I don't think it's a big deal if he knows, but that's up to you."
"I know." Bobbi looked at him again and smiled. "I never understood why the two of you didn't get together."
She blushed again. "We worked together. And fought all the time."
Bobbi studied her. "That's exactly what he said when I asked him why." She noticed Sturgis approaching and their conversation ended.
Mac stood and took the bottle of water from him. "Thanks Sturgis. I'm going to go socialize a bit. I'll see you both later." She smiled and headed towards Bud & Harriet.
Mac slipped away when the fireworks started and found herself on the large porch. It was quiet and private, but she still had a view of the impressive show. She sat on one step and watched. Her solitude was short lived, and Mic approached her just a few minutes later.
"Flying solo tonight? Where's the mystery boyfriend?"
She looked at him briefly and then returned her attention to the fireworks. "Go away, Mic."
He sat next to her on the step. "I'm a lot of fun when you get to know me. You really should give me a chance."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "I know enough. We're coworkers, Mic. That's all."
"There's something between us, Sarah. Why are you playing hard to get?" He leaned in to kiss her.
She realized what was happening a second before his lips could touch hers and she jumped up. "God, you're delusional. I was nice to you when we met, because I had no reason not to be. I've been nice at work, because other than the fact that I found your flirting annoying, I had no reason not to be. But I'm done being nice. Come near me again without a legitimate, professional reason and you will be very, very sorry."
"Mac, I-"
She shook her head. "From this point on you will only address me as Major MacKenzie. We are done here."
"Is everything okay?" They both turned and saw Tiner approaching them.
"Everything is fine, Tiner. Thank you." Mac smiled at him and started walking back into the yard. "Just a disagreement. I'm going to go see if it's my turn to hold Baby AJ." She walked away from the two men in a hurry, both watching her go.
"Leave her alone, Mic." Tiner said, his voice cool. He turned and followed Mac back to the party.
The ringing phone woke her up. She reached towards the nightstand and felt around for it, trying to keep from having to actually open her eyes. She gave up and opened her eyes once she had knocked some unknown object to the floor, and grabbed the phone. "Hello?"
"Did I wake you?" His voice was warm and appealing, and she woke up a little more.
"You did."
"Want me to let you go?"
She scoffed. "I'm already awake now."
He frowned, even though she couldn't see him. "You're not usually this irritable when I wake you up. Is everything okay?'
She sighed, and sat up a little. "I'm fine. It was a long night."
"Did the Admiral's party go long? Last year Bud and Tiner went a bit overboard with the fireworks display. I doubt that changed much this year."
She smiled at the memory of their excitement. Bud claimed to have gone overboard this year since it was the baby's first major holiday. And Harriet had smiled indulgently, knowing that this had nothing to do with their son. "Pretty spectacular display, as usual. The party went long, but it was good. Bobbi and Sturgis are absolutely perfect for one another. The baby was dressed in the little Navy outfit Carolyn and I found for him, and was absolutely adorable. Everyone had a good time."
He was quiet on his end. Something was off, he just couldn't put a finger on what it was. "What's wrong, Mac?"
She bit her lip, not really wanting to tell him. But she knew that honesty in a long-distance relationship was more important than anything else. "You were right about Mic. He's been trying to weasel his way into my life since you left. And tonight, he tried to kiss me."
The urge to punch someone had never in his life been as strong as it was at this moment. "What! Are you kidding me? What did you do?"
She took a breath. "I realized what he was doing before he could actually kiss me. I had needed some quiet, so I went to the porch to get away from everything for a few minutes. I guess he followed me." She told him about the brief conversation, the attempted kiss, her response, and then Tiner showing up. He was silent, and it was making her nervous. "Should I not have told you?"
"No, I'm glad you told me. I just really, really hate that guy."
"I know. I'm not too fond of him either."
He took a deep breath. "Mac, I know I'm going to sound like such a chauvinist when I say this, but I have to say it. Please be careful around him. Don't be alone with him if you can help it. I know its easy to say he's just persistent, but I don't trust him, and I don't know what I would do if anything happened to you."
"I know how to take care of myself," she started, "and part of taking care of myself means staying clear of bad situations. I'll be safe. I promise."
"Please do." He was quiet for a minute. "I love you. I need you to stay safe."
"I know. And I will. I do think he's harmless for the most part, but I won't be alone with him again if I can help it."
"Is our relationship still a secret around JAG?" She didn't say anything and he ran a hand through his hair. "I don't understand why this still needs to be a secret."
"It's not a total secret. The Admiral knows. Your parents know. Maddie and Ben know. I just want to keep my personal life and my professional life separate."
"It can't stay a secret forever."
"I know." She sighed. "Harm, the Admiral and I both think there's a chance you'll end up back here. And life will just be easier if that happens if people don't know we're a couple."
"I don't know where I'll end up career-wise."
His tone was gentle, and it made her want to scream. It made her feel like disappointment was around the corner. "I know."
They were both silent for a long moment. "Well, I guess I better get going. I'm sorry I woke you up."
"Harm, I don't like leaving things like this." She took a deep breath. "If something were to happen today…" She trailed off, not needing to finish the thought.
"Sarah." He waited a second, trying to make sure he would say the right thing. "I want to tell everyone on the planet about us, but I do understand why you don't. I don't know where I'll end up career wise, but I know that as long as I have you, none of it really matters. I know you're capable of taking care of yourself, and I honestly think Mic would probably rather I punch him than you. And I love you."
She sniffled and wiped her eyes. "I love you too."
"I know that too." He smiled when she laughed. "I'm going to hop off here. I have to fly soon. But I'll be safe, I promise. Go back to sleep."
"I will. Goodnight, Harm."
"Sweet dreams, Mac."
End Part 3