A little late! Sorry about that guys, my annual Halloween Party is coming up so I've been pooling most of my energy into that. :)
Anyway, here we go, a little more progression in the Harm and Mac relationship. grin
Enjoy!
Jackie
CHAPTER 5 – Wet Down
1145 Local
USS Patrick Henry
NAS Norfolk
Norfolk, Virginia
"But, Major!" Lieutenant Bud Roberts wasn't one to shirk his former duties despite the change in rank. He had promised to help Major MacKenzie and though small cases were now part of his workload, he was going to see the Rabb case through – even if it meant being served to the sharks.
Mac spun on her heel and Bud nearly crashed into her as a result. "No 'buts' about it, Lieutenant." She used his rank forcefully, hoping to excite the prowess within him that she'd seen before. Bud had the makings of an excellent lawyer and she was going to make sure that he took control of every situation he was in. "Part of being at JAG means you'll have to go on investigations. And sometimes you will have pain in the ass, son of a bitch to deal with. . .Now you will go find the CAG and keep him away from the skipper. . .They can't corroborate their stories if both men are being questioned at the same time." She shoved a folder his way. "If he refuses to cooperate you will tell him, in your best Naval Officer with a bug up his six voice, that it's a direct order from Admiral Chegwidden. . .If he doesn't comply, he'll be disobeying orders and will be held to the standards of the UCMJ. . .You know? Give him any of our lawyerly sounding."
The lawyerly sounding was fine with Bud, but not when the CAG was a man that you'd served with and had a reputation for eating JAG officers for lunch. "Aye, ma'am."
After ascending into the vessel, the pair went their separate ways. If things had not changed much, Bud knew that the CAG, Commander Henry 'Grunt' Corman would be in the ready room. "Here goes nothing." He said under his breath and then stepped through the open door without so much as an announcement. As he thought, Corman was sitting in one of the oversized chairs watching videos of the landings during the cruise. He held a clipboard in hand, jotting down notes in a frantic fashion. "Commander Corman, if I may have a word with you."
Corman turned slightly, his brow furling at the intrusion. "Mr. Roberts. . .seems you actually made something of yourself after you left us. . .Congratulations." He did not seem sincere at all. "Why the legal weenies though?"
Bud ignored the comment and walked until he was standing a couple of feet in front of Corman. "I have to ask you some questions, Commander." He refrained from using 'sir', something that he noticed Mac often did when dealing with higher ranking officers. It leveled the playing field a bit more. When the senior officer chose to ignore him, Bud pressed on, "It's about the accident involving Commander Rabb."
Snorting, Corman glanced up at the screen, took the remote and began fast forwarding through the video. "Accident, huh? Is that what you think it was Mr. Roberts?"
"That's what we're trying to figure out, Commander." He glanced up at the screen watching what he knew to be a night trap. The plane was moving erratically and Bud felt his heart start to race as he realized that Corman was reviewing Harm's crash. Holding his breath, he watched as the plane hit the ramp and burst into flames, it was horrific. "I'll need a copy of that video. . .the JAG office previously requested one and what we viewed had nothing but snow." He noted that Corman had rewound the image and was now playing it in slow motion.
"Sit down, Mr. Roberts." He paused it for a moment, waited for Bud to be situated and then began again. "Scary sight isn't it?"
"Yes." Bud cringed when the plane impacted the ramp and broke apart slowly. "Can you back that up a bit, Commander?" Corman did as told and it was then that Bud saw the tiny explosion of Reaper's ejector seat and then Harm's. After the big blast he saw Reaper flying into the flames. "About the accident. . .Where were you that night?"
Shivering unconsciously, Corman recalled his exact location. He wasn't on the ship that night, but higher above, ready to land after Harm. "I was right behind Lieutenant Commander Rabb, next to land. . .If it weren't for a refueling plane in the area I would have had to ditch the plane into the sea. . .I was nearly bingo fuel." He stated in a tone void of emotion. "Rabb hadn't been flying well before the accident. Besides the bolter, there were a couple of wave offs and a time when he caught the one wire. . . Past that, I have no other information that is pertinent to you."
Bud turned away from the screen long enough to catch a look of distaste on the Commander's face. "You're the CAG. . .There's no one better on this ship with information about a pilot's performance."
"I have nothing else to say, Mr. Roberts, dismissed."
Remembering what Mac had said, Bud stood steadfast. "I am sorry, Commander, but you do not have that authority at the moment. I am here by the orders of the Judge Advocate General of the Navy, Admiral Chegwidden. . .Failure to comply with this inquiry can be seen as a direct violation of section 892, Article 92 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice." Mac would be proud. He spoke the words with the fierceness and conviction of a seasoned litigator.
It was convincing enough that Corman ignored the slight shake to Bud's hand and the fear in his eyes. "Well, Lieutenant, I guess you may be a successful lawyer after all." It was the first time he'd ever used Bud's rank.
At the other end of the ship, Mac had been weaving through masses of steel until she reached the bridge. On the Captain's chair she found Kohanek looking out over the bay as if they were on maneuvers. She took a breath and summoned up the Marine in her to deal with the man. "I need to have a word or two with you, Captain."
Kohanek was not surprised that the JAGs were back, he resented her sneaking up behind him though. "I thought Marines were supposed to sneak up on the enemy, not their allies."
"Marines sneak up on whoever they need to in order to complete the mission"
"That's a good answer. . .but I doubt that a lawyer knows much about missions and such past what's on paper."
Mac ground her teeth and took a breath, she felt the blood rush to her face. Lately, people were starting to piss her off more than ever, especially the old school boys who tended to see the law as nothing more than a nuisance. "Not that it matters, Captain, but I've seen my fair share of combat before joining JAG. . . I served in both Okinawa and Bosnia, both times I've had to shoot in self defense. .I know about missions and about the design of the military in general. . .I am truly sorry if you do not care about the legal aspects of war but it is imperative that we get to the bottom of Lieutenant Commander Rabb's accident." She walked around to his side and dropped her briefcase on the hard floor. "As convening authority, JAG expects complete cooperation."
Kohanek spun his chair to face her. "I thought we had cooperated, Major"
"To your satisfaction, maybe. . . But you gave us so many interviews that neither Lieutenant Roberts nor myself knew where to start. And when we started it seemed like some of the interviews were either doctored or placed in there to throw me off of some sort of scent."
"I don't like those accusations, Major."
"Permission to speak freely?" Mac bit back a smirk when he nodded at her, the man was becoming defensive, a poor move on his part. "I can't apologize. I am under orders to find the truth." She held out a folder with the word 'classified' printed in big red letters across it. "Why was this deemed classified, sir?"
Kohanek took the file and read through the first few lines. He tried not to blanch, but his emotions were shown in any case. "Where did you get this?"
"I have friends in high places." Okay, so even jackass, CIA agents had their uses. As far as she was concerned, Webb owed her into the next millennium and she was going to make sure he paid it in full. "You covered up Lieutenant Mace's Captain's Mast." Out of curiosity, when certain interviews hadn't made sense, she'd asked Webb to look into Mace's record and found three particular sections, all having to do with disciplinary actions, blacked out. The last one was six months prior.
Never before was the captain so glad to be alone in the bridge. Most of the service men and women were on liberty. "He was the only son of Senator Sofia Mace. . .I am not sure if you're familiar with her, really familiar with her, but she does not like the Navy."
"I am aware of that, sir. . .but just because he was the child of a senator does not mean that he has privilege over other service members."
"She didn't want to tarnish his name."
'You didn't want to tarnish your own.' Mac thought and then shook her head. If Senator Mace was sticking her fingers in this pie, then Harm's case had just become more complicated. The classified information would never be used in a military court, Senator Mace would see to it. "I am sure she didn't, but maybe Jason Mace wasn't supposed to be inside the cockpit of an F-14? Did you ever think about that, Captain?" He had thought about it, if his expression was anything to go by. "I just find it very. . .enlightening that not a single squadron member had anything nice to say about Lieutenant Mace. . .it was quite the contrary, everyone I interviewed had said that he was a terrible officer and an even worse RIO. He went to Rabb as a last resort."
"Rabb was the only pilot who could handle him." Kohanek revealed with a snort. "So, the kid was difficult? If we had to put aside our duties because someone we work with is difficult, then the military would not exist."
Mac sighed, "You excused Mace's errors but not Rabb's."
"Commander Rabb's ramp strike cost the Navy millions and millions of dollars."
"That may be so, but perhaps that error would not have happened had Mace been grounded and not in Rabb's backseat. . .See, you can't stand errors. You pick and prod at those that are fallible in order to excel your rank. . .I find that disgusting and offensive to the men and women who are here to serve their country, not make you an Admiral. That's why it is easy for you to destroy one man's career to save yourself the embarrassment."
Kohanek hopped off of his chair and came within breathing distance fromMac. He didn't tower over her and with her high heels he pretty much only came nose to nose. "Chegwidden will be hearing about this from me, Major, and you can count on your Marine Green ass venturing to the Aleutians."
"Somehow I doubt that sir. You did allow me to speak freely." Her spunk had been noted through many commands, this time, she was sure it would cost her a reaming from Chegwidden and, more useful, it would show Kohanek that she wasn't someone to be toyed with.
2020 Local
McMurphy's Tavern
Washington, DC
Admiral AJ Chegwidden leaned against the shiny wood bar, raising a frothy beer glass upwards. "Settle down everyone." He commanded and waited for the din to become a low chatter before proceeding. "I've been to a lot of wet downs in my life but never before have I been so proud to have an officer in my staff as I am of Lieutenant Bud J. Roberts. Good luck in the future and I congratulate you on the new promotion, you deserve it."
Mac stood to the right of Admiral Chegwidden, tonic water with a twist in hand, which she raised to toast the newly promoted Lieutenant Roberts. He already begun trying his own cases three days prior, going up against her when his father had been arrested under suspicions of stealing. "You're a worthy adversary, Bud." She said, slapping the man on the back.
He grinned. "I learned from the best, Major."
In the distance a figure stood with a former shipmate and academy buddy, both men holding pool cues as they studied the balls on the table. "Eight ball, corner pocket" He waved the cue towards the pocket and then bent down to take his shot. He glanced up momentarily, to find a perplexed expression on Major MacKenzie's face. It was almost as if it were the first time she'd seen him.
In this instance, he figured that she was wondering what he was doing out of Balboa. He winked at her and then struck the ball with a quick force, sending it bouncing off of all of the bumpers and missing its target completely. "Damnit." He cursed, then reached into his pocket and handed a five dollar bill to his shipmate. He knew why he lost and a certain brunette had a lot to do with it. Smitten, Rabb. He cringed at the thought, though it really wasn't that unpleasant. There were worst women to be interested in, although Mac was off limits.
Harm pretended not to notice that she was weaving through the crowd and headed towards him with a satisfied smirk on her face. She wore the smirk well, he noted, unlike Diane who's smirk often reminded him of something sinister. "Oooh, well, aren't you a hottie?" His friend, Jack Keeter, a former Academy and Flight School buddy said as he looked the Major up and down. "Baby, there must be a mirror in your pocket because I can see myself in your pants." It had often been a game of Jack's to flirt with Diane. He knew that the ribbing tended to tick her off but it was fun for him.
"Uh, Keeter, that's not Di. . ."
Often on the receiving end of such statements, Mac just chuckled. "Next thing I know you're going to be asking for my sign?"
Jack grinned at the opening. "Not really, but since you mentioned it – what is your sign?"
"Stop." Mac moved close enough for him to smell her perfume but not quite as in reach. She then turned to Harm who had stepped back and watched the interaction with a great deal of amusement. At first, he was going interrupt, but decided to hang back and watch Keeter make a fool of himself. "Commander, nice to see you out of Bethesda."
"Thank you, Major. It's nice to be seen out of Bethesda . .I was sprung yesterday." He stated with a wide grin.
"What's all this "Commander" and "Major" crap?" Jack glanced between the two of them and then stared at Mac intently. "Di, don't tell me you went Jarhead on us!"
"Ah." Mac turned to Harm hoping he would offer then explanation which would likely be better than her own. "Commander?"
Harm sighed, "Sarah MacKenzie this is Lieutenant Commander Jack Keeter, a friend of mine from the Academy and Fight School. Jack's an instructor's assistant down in Fallon." He then turned to a very confused Jack Keeter and patted him on the shoulder. "This isn't Diane and before you ask, no, it's not a joke. No they aren't related and no, we have no idea why they look alike. . .I think that sums it up."
For some reason, Keeter seemed to be the least befuddled of the group. He took inventory about what he knew of Diane and noted that they were two different women. "Well then." Turning into his more charming self, Jack took Mac's hand and kissed the back of it. "Enchanted. . .How do you know Harm?"
"I'm a Marine lawyer from the JAG Corps. I'm investigating the accident."
Turning to Harm he slapped him on the chest, an act that winded his friend slightly. "You ever seen a Marine looking that good?" He was going to mention something else that would potentially embarrass him – something about Female Marines and Energizer bunnies up until a redhead caught his eye across the room. Jack, one could say, was a ladies man. "Uh, Hammer, I'll catch you two later. . .I uh. . yeah. . .Bye Major." He kissed her cheek as if he'd know her all of his life and then crossed the room in several long strides.
Perplexed, Mac stood watching him. She never did quite understand jet jocks. Just when you thought that one of them was normal, you got surprised. "Jack really is a good guy, Major. He's just. . .in love with women. All women." She heard Harm whisper in her ear and then turned to face him. He wanted to say something about her civilian attire - a cute combination of a pink and white baby doll blouse and dark blue jeans with high heels – but he thought better of it. Keeter hadn't exactly set the standard for jet jocks and she was his lawyer. "Care to play some pool?" He offered the cue which she took with fervor. "I'll take it as a yes."
"Oh, I love playing pool." She also most certainly loved the fact that she played the game better than most guys did. It was a product of her misspent youth when she spent countless nights at a pool hall with her trouble maker boyfriend and his crew. "Rack 'em up." He dutifully did as told and Mac's first shot landed the six ball in the side pocket with a clean break that left most of the balls spread out.
Harm let out a low whistle. "Damn, Major. Nice shot."
She was impressed that he didn't suddenly turn into a jerk about it, like most men did. "Harm, I think we can cut the military formality in this setting. Call me Mac." She pointed out and a smile of gratitude from his part stated that he accepted the informality well.
"Alright, Mac." Standing against a nearby wall, he watched as she practically emptied the whole table. The only shot she'd missed was the 10 ball and that was only because someone had bumped into her whilst taking the shot. Mac had been a good sport about it, surrendering the cue to Harm for his chance to redeem himself.
"Commander!" A beaming voice turned his attention away from the billiard game and towards its owner. He grinned as one Ensign Harriet Simms came his way. "How are you, sir?" On the Henry, she'd become Bud's replacement and took over most of the public affairs duties which often had run ins with all of the crew. Harm had been one of the most memorable – the good looking, good guy with the cockiness that came with fighter pilots.
Harm hugged the blond tightly. "I am doing good Harriet and out of uniform it's Harm." He motioned towards Mac in an attempt to introduce her only to be interrupted. "This is Maj. . ."
"Harriet works for the Inspector General who's based on the same floor as JAG. . .She's also Mrs. Bud Roberts."
As if on queue Bud stepped up behind his wife, wrapping his arms around her middle. "Commander, sir. . .It's good to see you out of the hospital."
"It's good to be out. . .Congratulations on the promotion and on your marriage." Who would have thought that the, sometimes bumbling, always dutiful Bud J. Roberts would get married before half of the eligible bachelors on the ship?
Bud smiled. "Thank you, sir." Turning to his wife, he regarded her for a moment. "Honey, I think we'd better go. . .Harriet and I are driving to Ocean City for the long weekend. They have a nice little B&B there." He extended his hand to Harm who took it graciously. "Good to see you again, sir, and I'll be sure to assist Major MacKenzie in anything pertaining to the mishap." He said his goodbye's to Mac and then weaved his way through the crowd and back to the JAG staff who was also heading out.
Harm motioned towards the group. "I guess you have to go too?" He didn't think to hide the disappointment in his voice and it showed even with the sound of the music blaring.
Mac waved at the group as they departed, each going their own way for Memorial Day weekend. She, on the other hand, had no plans other than vegetating for three whole days while fighting her workaholic need to do some investigative work. She needed the rest and relaxation more than anything despite the cases that were pressing to turn her desk into Mount Rushmore. "Nope. . .But I wouldn't mind getting out of here. It's getting a bit too stuffy."
"Sure, there's a Starbucks up the road if you don't mind walking a bit." He suggested. It was fairly early evening and the coffee shop wouldn't close for a few more hours. Harm didn't know why that pleased him but suspected it had to do with spending some non-business time with a certain lawyer.
"That's fine, let me just go and make sure our tab is settled. Meet you outside." She weaved her way through the crowd and towards the bar. Harm took care of his own tab with the waitress that had been serving him and Keeter. He found his friend in an animated conversation with the red head from earlier. "Hey Jack, I'm leaving, buddy."
Jack pulled himself from the redhead enough to follow Harm's gaze which was fixated on Mac who had walked out of the door. "Sorry to leave you alone with the Major, but I figured that you could handle it."
"It was a shock."
"And it still is." He noted the way that Harm was glancing out of the window and towards where Mac was standing, waiting for him. "You like her, don't you?"
"She's investigating my case, Keeter." He rolled his eyes in hopes that it would keep his friend from assuming more although it was sort of odd for him to leave a bar with his lawyer, who happened to be a very attractive woman, in tow.
Keeter snorted. "Yeah, whatever. The Major's pretty and she seems nice enough to let a jerk like me flirt with her. She took it well." His friend confessed with a lopsided grin.
"You just hate that Diane never banters back, she just puts you in your place."
Snorting again, Keeter excused his 'date' and stood up next to Harm. "Diane's a bitch. I've never liked the broad and frankly, in case I haven't told you lately, I don't like the shit she's done to you. Harm, you deserve better considering you've been pining after her like a dog in heat since the Academy. All she does is use you when she needs you and then kicks you to the curb - in case I haven't told you lately."
Keeter had never liked the woman and often stated his dislike to his friend. Diane was not nice, but when someone was in love (or thought they were) perceptions tended to change greatly. "I know. I know . .By the way, I think it's over for good this time." He stated with a conviction that, for once, rang true.
"Yeah, that's what you said the last sixteen times you broke up. Take my advice, ditch Schonke for good and don't let her coy little smile wrap you around her little finger again." He patted his friend on the back and then slid back next to the redhead.
"I'll do that." Harm agreed and then headed outside where Mac had been patiently waiting for him.
The walk to Starbucks was pleasant with few stops to look through store and restaurant windows. After arriving at their destination and ordering their drinks, they fell into overstuffed lounge chairs, a small table dividing the space between the two. Mac sipped from her caramel macchiato and Harm from his cappuccino. "So how come that friend of yours is an instructor and the Navy's best is still actively shooting off a carrier?" Mac asked, her smirk hiding behind the brim of the glass.
"Hah. 'Navy's best.' I really wish people would stop saying that about me."
"I've seen your service record, even the classified stuff. . .You're quite a brilliant pilot." He was a man to be envied, not everyone became the Navy's poster boy. "You should be proud of it."
Harm shrugged. "I do what I do because I love flying. Not for the recognition or the medals. Anyway, Keeter served in Desert Storm with me. He got picked to teach at Fallon and I didn't. . .Despite his. . ." He trailed off for a moment, seeking the correct word, "charms . .Keeter is a good guy and an excellent pilot. At one point, back at the Academy, I couldn't hack it anymore. . .went UA. . .Keeter brought me back."
Mac wanted to tell him about the information she'd been privy to – Harm had recently been added to the promotion list and was likely to become one of the new instructors at Fallon. The mishap had put a damper on the situation. "He does sound like a good guy. . .Right now, my closest friends are Bud and Harriet. . .I keep in touch with some of my friends back home but, it's not the same."
"Where's home?"
"Lots of places. My father was a Marine so we moved around a lot, but I was born in Arizona and that was the last place I lived before joining the Corps."
Harm nodded. "I am a California boy, born and slightly raised here. . .There were a few years that mom and I lived in Pennsylvania with my grandmother, though."
"What about your father?"
His brow rose up in question. Just how many people knew about his father? Then again, she was investigating his case, it was likely to be all in his record. "It's all in my record isn't it?"
"What is?" Mac asked, wearing a confused expression.
Sitting up straighter, he placed the half empty cup of coffee on the table between them. "About him going down in 'Nam. . . me following at age sixteen?"
Shaking her head, "I read though all of your service record and there's no mention of anything pertaining your father." Mac remained silent for a moment, watching as a myriad of emotions played on his facial features. He was suffering, she could tell and if his father went down in Vietnam, by her calculations, Harm had to have been four or five or so. "By your expression, I assume he's MIA?"
Harm swallowed. "I really don't know what happened to him. . .When I was sixteen I got this information that a former Colonel named Striker was searching through Laos for POWs. Or at least, for information that they'd either died or were being held captive somewhere. So I ran away, headed off to join the search and nearly got myself killed." He paused for a moment, deciding not to delve too much into that particular part of his past. Though he hadn't been killed, a friend of his, a young girl named Jym, had been shot by boarder patrol. To this day, he still blamed himself. "Anyway, the Academy had trouble accepting me because of that news. . .It took some fancy footwork from my dad's former wingman to even get me an interview."
Mac cleared her throat, it was the only action that hinted at the barrage of emotions playing within. She couldn't imagine ever being that brave at sixteen. Then again, she had her own brand of bravery that came only through the taste of liquor on her lips. "It's funny how we grow up. . .At sixteen I was hanging with the wrong crowd, stealing cars and drinking too much."
"Somehow I can't picture you doing that." He said, a twinge of amusement in his voice though he knew that Marines had a knack for breaking down the trouble makers and rebuilding them to a functional human being.
She chuckled. "I wasn't always a straight laced jarhead, Commander." Mac took a sip of her coffee and let him in on a secret of hers. "It's the reason why I don't drink anymore. . .I'm a recovering alcoholic. . .Haven't had a drink since I was nineteen."
Harm was impressed. Most persons with that particular addiction recovered only to fall off of the wagon again. "How to you fight the temptation to drink while at a bar?"
Mac nodded. "It's either stay sober or risk losing everything that I have. . .I think my career and my life is worth more than a drink or two. . ." She paused momentarily, recalling the reason why she dried out in the first place. "I probably would have still been drinking had it not been for the accident. . . My best friend, at the time, and I had graduated High School and decided to go on a drinking binge. . .And then he decided to drive. . .Eddie died and I was hurt pretty bad. . .My mother's brother – Uncle Matt, he came to the hospital, helped me through the recovery and then took me out to the desert to dry out. . .Haven't had a drink since then because of him."
"Sounds like a good guy."
"He's the best." She said with a watery smile. "He's in Leavenworth now for stealing the Declaration of Independence."
Eyes widening, it occurred to Harm who Mac was talking about. He remembered watching on TV as a Marine Colonel O'Hara and his team, the Defenders, spoke about reclaiming an American dignity that had long since disappeared. "I remember that. He was all over ZNN. . .I agreed with a lot of what he said. . .I'm sorry he's in Leavenworth, Mac." If they were closer, he'd have placed a comforting hand on hers, even so, their eyes touched and Mac could feel the comfort even though they were a few feet apart.
"Thank you." She swiped at a lone tear and finished off her coffee with a swig. "Can I ask you a personal question?" It had been bugging her for the last couple of days though it really wasn't any of her business. At his nod, she took a breath and offered up a bit of her insecurities on a platter. "Just what is your relationship with Lieutenant Schonke?"
The question was so direct it almost made his head spin. One moment they were discussing the follies of their youth and now. . . "Uh. . .well." A good look at Mac revealed something that made him pleased. An expectant glance shot his way with what he could swear was a twinge of green. Could Mac be jealous of Diane? The notion was wonderful. "Diane and I were together." He emphasized the word 'were' making it abundantly clear that it was past tense. "She and I broke up the day of the accident, but in reality, we've never really been a couple." He thought about what Keeter said, the constant on again, off again that was his relationship with Diane. Why hadn't he really seen it before? Why did it take him the introduction of Diane's 'twin' to understand just how destructive his relationship with Diane had really been? "I liked her when we were at the Academy and we really couldn't date, so I waited until our last year. . .I mean, there's something about having someone you shouldn't or can't have. . .We've been on again, off again, ever since. . .Different careers, different continents, different cruises. . .After the mishap she was just. . .I think she felt guilty about baiting me into a fight before I flew."
"So you miss more than you connect?" Though that wasn't quite what Mac wanted to hear. Even upon meeting Diane for a few minutes the day she'd interviewed the two of them, she hadn't liked what she'd seen. There was an aggressive possessiveness that truly disgusted her. Furthermore, she disliked the uncomfortable look on his face as Diane clung to him like a leech. "It happens."
Harm shook his head. "No. . .This is different. . .I mean, Diane has her agenda. . .One moment she's with you, the next she's not. . .But, the second another woman starts to show interest in me, she gets territorial. When she wants something from me, she's there, smothering me." He finished his coffee and placed the cup on the table. "I honestly didn't realize it until a recent conversation with Keeter. . .I finally saw who she really was. . .Sometimes I feel like she wants me only to make me miserable."
Mac had never heard such a detailed reason for a failed relationship. Usually it was the same old 'we fought a lot – don't have the same things in common – he's an ass – she's a bitch – I hate him/her, he/she had an affair.' Never has a man as accomplished as Harm stated with such clarity what he felt inside. But there was something else that was bothering her, a notion that she couldn't shake which made her fear for his safety. "I know this isn't the time or the place to discuss your case but. . .could Diane have had something to do with the mishap?"
The question seemed to be tossed in from deep left field at the most unexpected of times. "I don't understand what you're asking."
"Let me rephrase it – do you think she had something against you which could cause her aim for revenge or sabotage?"
"No." He said quickly. Whatever Diane was, she wasn't a murderer, nor was she the type to get involved in sabotage. "Diane loves her country and the Navy, she wouldn't do anything to jeopardize that. ..It was one of the reasons we never connected. . .We both refused to accommodate our jobs for one another. . .Why would you ask that?"
Mac shrugged. "Just covering all of my bases." She lied knowing full well that this gut feeling she had about Diane wasn't a particularly good one. "Anyway, let's change the subject. . .How is rehab going?"
Harm let it drop reluctantly. He wasn't upset at Mac's snooping but rather worried about Diane's sudden need to be there for him. The tender love and care was starting to annoy him which was much the reason why he begged to be let out early. At least now he could disconnect the phone and the doorbell, hide out in his bedroom and ignore the pounding of the front door – like he did all day with the aid of his stereo. It was only a moment in time when Diane would catch up to him though. "That's going well. . .Just a few weeks more and I should be one hundred percent. . .The ribs still hurt and my knee is giving me problems, but they figure it will be e full recovery."
"It didn't hurt your pool game any." She teased.
"What pool game?" He said with a chuckle so infectious that it caught on. Harm hadn't really seen her laugh or smile the way she was doing now. It was breathtakingly beautiful and he found himself wanting to hear her laughter again. "You should have seen my first shot of the night. I nearly whacked a waitress over the head when the cue ball went flying off of the table."
She laughed again, this time with more feeling than before. No doubt she was imagining the sight. Harm's heart fluttered a little. Her laughter was music to his ears. "What would you be doing if you hadn't joined the Corps?" He didn't care where the conversation led as long as she kept talking to him.
A tiny grin and his heart fluttered so much that he nearly pressed a hand to his chest. "That's a good question. . . Probably a paleontologist. . .I do a little amateur work." The word brought up memories of walking through Red Rock Mesa with her Uncle Matt searching for remnants of dinosaurs.
"Wow." He smiled, imagining Mac with a small shovel and a brush going through fossils. "How'd you get into that?"
"Uncle Matt. . .we used to head into Red Rock Mesa and look for ichnites."
"Ich-what?" The positively perturbed expression on his face was almost comical.
"Ichnites. Dinosaur tracks. Much more fun than hunting their bones; the tracks tell a story. Were they hunting, running, playing?"
"Never thought about Dinosaurs playing."
Mac shrugged, "It's not too hard to imagine. . .It's really amazing though, one summer the tracks are hidden, the next, they'll appear almost out of the blue. Nature's cruel and amazing that way." She bit her lower lip, considering her dear uncle and that the next time she would see him free wouldn't be for another ten years. "Anyway, what about you? If jet fuel wasn't in your blood, what do you think you'd be doing?"
Harm hadn't ever really thought about another profession. As far as he remembered he'd wanted to be a jet pilot, just like his father. Nothing else really called to him. "I never really thought about it. . .I am one of those guys that has the Navy ingrained into my DNA. . .My mother wanted me to be a lawyer. . .and my grandmother wanted me to be a doctor. I never entertained either notion."
"When I was younger, I would have never seen myself as a lawyer and now. . .it's what I am and what I love. . .there's a rush when you are picking someone apart on the stand, knowing that you're going to win. . I enjoy every aspect of it."
"Even when you lose?"
Mac chuckled. "Okay, maybe not every aspect. . .Losing is not so much a difficult thing for me, but more so for the fate of my client. . .Though, there have been some clients that. . .I hate to say it, I am glad I lost."
"Must be hell trying to prove someone is innocent when they aren't."
She shrugged again and sighed deeply. "Part of the job. Besides, it's not all bad, we get to meet some really interesting people. . .I got to meet the Navy's best pilot." She smiled at him in earnest, an action that lit up her eyes in such a way that Harm's defenses went down a notch.
"You have a beautiful smile." The thought wasn't meant to be said out loud and yet, Harm didn't regret uttering it.
Mac's cheeks tinted a soft pink which lit up her features even more. Their conversation had been pleasant and she'd been fighting off the little butterflies in her stomach at his want to know more intimate details of her life. "Your smile's not so bad either." She covered up with her own compliment which did nothing to hide how flustered she suddenly was. Grabbing her empty cup, she stood suddenly. "I have to get going. . ."
Harm stood with her. "I didn't make you uncomfortable did I?. . .I appologi. . ."
"No." Yes. Due to the current status of their relationship, Mac needed to treat the case with the most decorum possible and ignore the strange tug at her chest that she'd felt from day one. "It's a long weekend, but I still have work to do." She lied knowing that her weekend plans meant vegetating with DVDs from Blockbuster and a pint of Ben and Jerry's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. She smiled at him, though this time it didn't really light up her eyes.
"I understand . .Have a good weekend, then." Harm shook the hand that she offered and watched her leave. He then sunk back into the large chair and huffed out a breath. Life really did suck sometimes. Just when you met someone who could captivate you with a smile, they turned out to be unavailable. "Story of my life."
Mac hurried to her car and slid behind the wheel, closing the door to the relative safety that she felt. "Not again." Two of her former boyfriends had decided her fate with men. Dalton, the upper class lawyer who she thought was a good guy, had turned out to be a scumbag who stole a file from her apartment. It nearly jeopardized her career and the case. Signaling the end of their relationship, it was CIA jackass, Clayton Webb who picked up the pieces, or at least tried to. Mac saw that relationship as the biggest mistake of her life. Clay was a self-serving jerk and she was the trophy girlfriend. Thank God that she never let it move from anything more than dating. Mac would have shot herself if she'd been vulnerable enough to let the spook into her bed. "Amen for that." Still, the trend in her life of wanting the absolute wrong man seemed to be never ending.
In this case, she didn't think that Harm was a bad guy, quite the contrary, he was one of the good ones. A catch. Despite their small conversation, she believed he was someone she could confide in, the type that would listen to her secrets and confess some of his own. He looked the type to fiercely protect those which he loved. It was a shame really, to meet someone who was damned good looking and had a good heart to boot. A damned shame that she was working his case and likely to be named his attorney. Mac had a feeling that if she wasn't appointed, Harm would request her.
"Damn." All she had to do was ignore her feelings and concentrate on the case. However, with looks as good as Harm's, that was easier said than done. "God help me."
