0900 Zulu

JAG Headquarters

Falls Church, Virginia

Harm and Mac walk together into the bullpen, while this is nothing new it is the first time they have been in the office together as a couple. The entire staff stands and gives Harm a standing ovation for his exploits in the skies above Kosovo and for their engagement. Harm shakes hands with the staff while Mac is mobbed by the female staffers by hugs and congratulatory remarks.

Harm kisses his bride to be and walks to the admiral's office while heads to her office and picks up her messages from Harriet.

"Good morning commander, good to see back and congratulations on your engagement and the baby." Says a happy petty officer Tyner. "The admiral is expecting you go right in."

"Thank you Tyner. How is school going for you? You're pre-law aren't you?"

"Yes sir and it is going well."

"If you need any assistance give me call." Harm says as he knocks on the admiral's door.

"Thank you sir."

"Enter." A gruff voice commands.

"Commander Rabb reporting as ordered sir."

"Have a seat commander. The first order of business is to congratulate you on your engagement and the baby."

"Well thank you sir. It is been a long time coming."

"You're telling me!" They both share a laugh. "Secondly commander I need to figure out what to do with you. I hate to lose you as a lawyer because there is no one better in the courtroom. But you are also a damn fine investigator. I have been trying to decide which billet will allow you to use your talents and give you an opportunity for career advancement."

"That is good to hear Admiral. Have you made a decision?"

"Well commander let's go over the options; first I have a request from SECNAV to consider assigning you to his office as a congressional liaison, second there is an opening at NCIS for an investigator which would also allow you to try cases and keep your lawyer skills sharp, third there is an opening in the Inspector general's office as an investigator. You are qualified for any of these billets but I feel you are best suited for the NCIS billet. So I am assigning you TAD to NCIS. I will bring you back to JAG when Mac takes maternity leave and after that you will be up for new orders."

"Aye sir I am happy with whatever you decide. When do I report to NCIS?"

"After your leave in two weeks."

"Aye sir, thank you sir. Wil that be all sir?"

"No commander when is the bachelor party?"

"Well sir Mac and I have decided to set the date for our wedding after the birth of the baby. So it will be quite some time before that party sir."

"Fair enough commander. Then how about you, lieutenant Roberts, commander Metoni and some of the other male staff come to my house on Saturday at twenty one hundred for a guy's night. Informal apparel, bring lots of cash as we will be playing poker."

"I'll be there sir."

"You're dismissed commander."

"Aye sir."

Harm leaves the admiral's office and heads towards Mac's office to tell her the news that he will be assigned to NCIS until her maternity leave.

Harm knocks on Mac's door and peaks his head in, "Hey, are you busy?"

"Not for your sailor come in." Mac face brightens as she sees her love walk in. "I've missed you."

"I missed you too. The admiral is assigning me TAD to NCIS until you go on maternity leave. Then I will be reassigned to JAG until your return then I will receive new orders."

"That's great. Did he say where you might be going after I return?"

"No but he hinted at a couple of other billets at the Inspector general's office and in SECNAV's office. So I think I could be assigned to one of those billets."

"Those are good billets. You would still be able to help a lot of people."

"We'll see who it goes at NCIS. I may request orders to return there if I like it. I can do investigations and possibly try cases in court so that would be a win-win situation for me."

"Yes it would. And I would have you close by. That would be a win-win situation for me."

"For both of us."

"Yes, for both of us. So what are your plans for the rest of the day?"

"Well Sarah, I have to start packing up my apartment and putting some things in storage until we are ready to move into our house. Then I thought I'd go and do some grocery shopping so the frig is full of something edible so we do not have to call for delivery every day. Then I thought I would go for a run this afternoon since you're on the court docket all day and then I would cook dinner and have it ready for when you get home tonight."

"Wow, I didn't think you had put that much thought into it."

"Sarah I have been focusing on you and your needs. Now that I am home you are my number one priority."

Mac walks out from behind her desk and wraps her arms around the man she loves and gives him a sweet, soft kiss. "I love you Harm Rabb Junior."

"I love you Sarah MacKenzie." They kiss each other again, "Do want to be called Sarah Rabb or Sarah MacKenzie-Rabb?"

"I like the sound of both actually. But I will go with Sarah MacKenzie-Rabb if you don't mind."

"Why would I mind, I have you that is all that matters." Harm takes her hand into his, kisses it softly. "But I got to go now; you're due in court in fifteen minutes. Call me when you get a break."

"Ok sweetheart. Have a good day. I love you."

"I love you too Sarah." Harm stares at her as he backs out of her office and shuts the door behind him.

1400 Zulu

Harm's Apartment

North of Union Station

Harm is packing up his belongings and he notices his academy graduation class picture. He gets an idea and calls Bud for help. Bud is able to supply Harm with the information he requested. Harm had been so busy with his pursuit of his aviation career and his preoccupation of Mac that he had all but forgotten to stay in touch with a lot of his friends from the academy. So he decided to pick the phone and let his fingers do their thing and called an old buddy.

"This is Commander Turner."

"Sturgis!" Yells an excited Harm.

"You don't have to shout Harm. I think I've gone deaf."

"How you doing at Pearl?"

"What? Can you say that again I cannot hear you."

"Very funny Sturgis. I'm sorry I yelled at you."

The two laugh out loud, "I am doing well buddy. And you have been all over my tv the last few months. The lieutenant Buxton trial, you pushing another F-14 out of enemy territory by its tailhook. I thought to myself only Rabb would a damn fool enough to try that. Scuttlebutt says you got put in for another Distinguished flying Cross."

"Yeah Sturgis, Admiral Davis put me up for my second. But the reason I called is to tell you that I am getting married and I am going to be a father."

"With the same woman right?"

"Sturgis! You're talking about my future wife here. Don't make relive the academy boxing finals again on you." Harm says with a big grin on his face.

"Ok buddy I am sorry. I cannot believe the ultimate bachelor is going down."

"What did you always say to me Sturgis?"

"When the right one comes along, grab on and don't let go." They say in unison.

"Sturgis I want you to be one of my groomsmen."

"I'd be honored my friend. When is the wedding?"

"We are going wait until after the baby is born."

"I see. So I guess there isn't a bachelor's party in the near future then?"

"No, but a house warming party is in the works. I'll send you an invite when we get it organized."

"So we can I meet the woman that stole your heart?"

"Well Sturgis may be Sarah and I can fly out to Hawaii and I can introduce you."

"I'd like that. You know what Harm, we have a war game going on in three weeks. After that I have a week of leave scheduled. Is it possible for you two to fly out for a few days then?"

"I'll check with Sarah and get back to you on that. But I'll also be TAD to NCIS starting next week so it might be difficult for me to get away."

"Why are leaving JAG? Admiral Chegwidden wouldn't take you back after your carrier duty?"

"No Sturgis my fiancée is a JAG."

"So you are marrying the woman at the office that would drive you so nuts you'd call me half drunk and talk to me about it all night?"

"Yes I am."

"Now I gotta meet this woman."

"Relax Sturgis, in due time. I got get finished packing things up here. I will call you when we have a date for the house warming party and I hope you'll be able to attend."

"Ok buddy. I'll be waiting for your call. Bye Harm."

"Bye Sturgis."

Harm hangs up the phone and turns to look for his roll of tape. As he scans the area he spots a couple of bottles of wine he has on his counter. He has a sudden thought about Mac's alcoholism. It was never a problem for him to avoid alcohol when Mac was at his apartment, but now he is going to be living with her. Is he going to be able to give up the occasional casual drink? Mac never gave him trouble over a drink when they were at a bar but being at home will be different. Harm slowly strolls over the counter, uncorks the wine bottles and pours them down the drain. Giving up alcohol for his love is no great sacrifice. Harm locates his tape and gets back to work packing up his apartment.

1800 Zulu

Mac's Apartment

Georgetown, MD

Mac pulls to a stop after another hard day at the office. Pre-trial motions, depositions and trials made her day one long headache. She notices Harm's car and smile makes its way through out her face. Suddenly all of the hardship of her has left and she cannot wait to get inside to see him.

"Harm?" she yells out, "I'm home."

"Hey sweetheart." She hears and feels two strong arms pull her in from behind.

"Oh I needed that. I missed you so much baby." Mac turns around in his arms and gives him a big kiss.

Harm can sense that something isn't quite right with his love, funny how one can spot that with just a kiss but this couple is on a wave length unbeknownst by others. "What's wrong sweetheart? Did you have a tough day?"

"Yes honey I did." As she buries her head into his chest. "Metoni was being pigheaded about a plea bargain, Captain Seabring threw out my motion to dismiss and the new lawyer that joined the staff a lieutenant Singer is such a bitch!"

"Sarah, how can you say that after just one day?"

"Oh I spot that a mile away. She was rude to Harriet and I could tell by the way she was looking at me that she was checking out her competition."

"Competition for what, men?"

"No. For advancement silly. She told me her goal was to be the first female JAG."

"Really, that's ambitious. You have to admire that in anyone."

"Harm are you defending her?"

"No just giving her the benefit of the doubt."

"Well I am going to avoid the Christmas rush and start hating her now."

"Ok Grinch. This is not an argument I am going to have with you. I will make my own determination when I meet this lieutenant Singer."

"Fair enough. But we'll see things the same afterwards. I guarantee it."

Harm chuckles out loud. "Alright hun, I have dinner just about ready. You wanna go cleanup for dinner dear?"

"Yes I do. But I'll make desert tonight." Mac says with a sly grin.