OOOO

Part 7

Over the next six months, Harm and Mac spent a lot of time together, both inside the office and outside it. They often got together for working dinners, at Mac's residence on-base and on the weekends they went running together. Of course, the whole situation had been quite confusing at first, particularly for Harm, considering how Mac was the double of his ex-wife. And later, he of course worried about what others would think, but eventually decided that he didn't care. Mac was of course nothing like his ex-wife, who Harm now realized had been high-maintenance, at the best of times! Mac was easy-going in her free-time, despite being devoted to her job and razor-sharp, especially when she was in the courtroom or on investigations. It was with no small amount of shock that Harm realized that he was falling for her! And despite how much he had adored his wife, back in their happier times, he realized that what he was beginning to feel for Mac easily eclipsed it, even at this early stage.

Harm let out a chuckle, just as James entered his office with some case files to request Harm's opinion on.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing…Kim just said something, this morning…"

"Was it anything to do with the goofy grin you have on your face, this morning?"

Harm's gaze shot up to James' in question.

"And I," James continued, "think it might have something to do with everyone's favourite Marine Major…"

"Oh, you do, do you?" Harm took the jesting in good humor, "And how do you figure that?"

"Hmm…Maybe it's the wild sparks that fly, every time you two are in close proximity! Seriously, buddy, I haven't seem chemistry like that in a long time. I'm just happy it's happening to you. You deserve to be happy."

"You don't think it's kinda weird?"

"Well, I understand the whole similarity-to-Dianne-thing…But you and I know that they're nothing alike. Most of the people in the office do, too, now. And there's no issue with the regs, because you two are in separate chains of command…and if anything, this attraction seems to be improving both of your work records! I say go for it, buddy!"

"Hmm," Harm continued to muse, "I think I'll have to proceed with caution, James. I don't know if Mac feels the same way I do and then there's Kim to think of. She doesn't know Mac like we do. Whatever might happen between Mac and I is probably going to be very strange to her. She doesn't need any more turmoil in her life…She's been through so much, already."

Here, James had to agree that Harm was right…Introducing Mac into his life might become difficult, considering Kim was a big part of it. How would Kim take to Mac?

OOOO

As it turned out, Harm didn't need to worry about how Mac felt about him; she was just as enchanted with him as he was with her!

One evening they went to conduct a mishap investigation, driving Mac's car down to the shipyard where the carrier in question was under-going repairs. Within three hours, it was clearly a cut and dry case of electronics failure, so almost certainly nobody would be held accountable for the events of the day before. The other vessel in question was a small boat belonging to the Balinese coastguard, so they would be compensated, but the whole incident had proved to be a fluke beyond anybody's control. Harm and Mac would not have any further involvement, once they submitted their report.

"Would you like to join me for some dinner?" Harm asked, as he assisted Mac down the gangway.

Thinking that she'd probably make excuses and turn the offer down, he was surprised when she readily accepted.

"I'm not up to much in the kitchen, so eating out is probably the best option, though I was going to ask if you'd like to join me!" Mac smiled.

They had a very pleasant evening, although it had taken them some time to get to the restaurant, which was far out of their way. Both had decided upon this place not only because it had very good food, but also because its remote location meant that few military officers knew about it.

"So is Kim being looked after by your house-keeper, tonight?" Mac asked.

"No, tonight is one of Melissa's nights-off," Harm shook his head, "But Kim's spending the night at the house of one of her friends. Yan and his family live next door to us and if they hadn't been friends since they were five years old, I'd probably not allow it, but I know Major and Mrs. Patterson very well."

"Major Doug Patterson is your neighbour?" Mac asked, recognizing the name.

"Yes, Yan is in Kim's class at school. Doug's wife, Wayan is Balinese and has a lot of involvement with the performances at the temple, helping with the make-up and costumes. She's also got the eye of an eagle, so I don't have to worry about the kids getting to mischief!"

Mac smiled and Harm thought again how especially pretty she was when she smiled. She didn't do so nearly enough, in his opinion.

After dinner, they drove down to Kuta to have a walk along the beachfront. The bars along there were rather rowdy, so they spent most of their time on the beach, walking at the water's-edge with their shoes in their hands.

"Harm?" Mac broached the subject, "Do…do you ever look at me and still see your ex-wife, Kim's Mom?"

Harm was a little startled by this question, but reasoned that Mac must have noticed him watching her, lately.

"I see you, Mac," he answered, honestly, "I can promise you, you aren't a bit like my ex-wife, physical appearance aside. I know you probably still get funny looks from other officers and enlisted on-base, but they don't know much about you. They just remember how awkward things were once Kim and I moved here and Dianne and I were both running into each other on-base...But I don't see her when I look at you. You actually look quite different, if you look closely. Your hair is obviously longer, because she couldn't abide having to twist it up every morning before she went into work. But most of all, you're a happy person. Even when I first met Dianne, she wasn't that happy a person. She always seemed to be running from something, because she never went home during holidays, while we were at the Academy. She never had her folks come to visit for special occasions, not even when she graduated. Kim never even met them and they never sent any letters, asking about her. From what little I saw of them at our wedding, they were cold, unaffectionate people and although Dianne wasn't what I'd call cold, there was something missing…She was missing something and even after Kim was born, she seemed like she was still only partly-happy. And soon, even we couldn't make her happy, anymore. I tried to talk to her about it, but she never wanted to confide in me, so in the end I just stopped trying."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Mac reached out and took his hand in her, giving it a consoling squeeze.

"And I'm sorry that I got so in-depth about it," Harm apologized for getting carried away, "But I want you to understand just how you are nothing like her; nothing. You had a hard time when you first got here and I know I didn't exactly say much to help matters, but I don't see her when I look at you. There are days when I don't even think of her, but having a child who looks so much like her doesn't make that easy….I know you've probably caught me looking at you, while we're in the office, or when we get together outside of work, but I can assure you, when that happens, Dianne couldn't be further from my mind…"

He had the decency to blush and Mac found it very endearing.

"I'm glad," she smiled as she broke the awkward silence, reaching up to touch his face and bringing his gaze back to hers, "I was wondering for a while there, but now that I know, I can sit back and enjoy it!"

Mac laughed, quietly and Harm broke into a smile of his own and without even being aware of it they drifted closer together, until they were mere inches away. And with one more crooked smile of invitation from Mac, Harm closed the inches between them and they were locked in one of the most satisfying kisses either of them could remember. Harm lifted his hand to the back of her neck and the hand that Mac held within hers entwined around it. The kiss itself was both exquisitely intimate and exploratory, yet exceedingly gentle. Mac found that she was disappointed when it finally ended, even though the kiss had been anything but brief.

"I think we should probably get going, Mac," Harm regretfully remembered the late hour, knowing that they'd have an early start tomorrow, "But, if it would be okay with you, I'd very much like to do this again, sometime…"

"What, stand on a beach and kiss?!" Mac smiled, jokingly.

"Well, I can't say that I didn't enjoy it," Harm grinned, "but I would certainly like to do dinner and maybe dancing, afterwards…But you never know where that'll lead. I'm sure we'll get around to another walk along the beach and kissing in the moonlight…"

"Are you free this weekend?" Mac asked.

Harm nodded, "I'm sure Melissa wouldn't mind watching Kim for me."

OOOO