Hey gang!! Okay, before you drop me from the highest building, stop, listen, look and think… or something.

Been busy. Very busy. Still busy, but found a little time to do something. Things should regulate itself soon, after deadlines are met.

My personal life is nil. Thank God I am single, if not, I would be anyway. ;)

Okay… so this part…. Well, some tidbits. You guys know Harm is taking Mac flying… NO POACHERS… I thought about re-vamping "Full Engagement." But, no.

Why not? Well, in this story there is something worse than poachers – Diane Schonke. Yes, now that I have you all visibly cringing, you will cringe a bit more and hate her to the extreme by the end of this chapter.

You may even hate Harm a little, please don't. The man is confused and needs a hug… Or a bat to the side of his head. Haven't decided which yet. ;)

So…. Enjoy.

Jackie

PS: Mistakes are mine (If anyone spots some crap about California, ignore it. Originally, I was going to base this in San Diego but found it too much of a pain in the ass to relocate everyone.)

Chapter 7 – Come Fly With Me

0720 Local
Diane's Apartment
Near Rock Creek Park
Washington, DC

"You have it." Diane stood at her semi-opened front door wearing the nightie she used for pajamas and an annoyed expression. She was looking through one eye, the other still shut from sleep deprivation. "Di, you have it."

So he said twice before and still, she wasn't too sure what the handsome, six foot, four inch hunk of a male specimen before her was talking about. "Harm, what the hell is 'it' and why do I have it?"

Harm sighed in desperation. He was running late and in need of his bomber jacket so as not to freeze his six off when they hit cruising altitude in his Stearman. "My bomber jacket? Remember? You said that it stayed behind on the carrier and Tuna gave it to you for safe keeping?" While he wasn't a morning riser, Diane was damned near catatonic before coffee and a real bitch to boot. "Di, please, I'm in a hurry."

"Rabb, what the fuck do you want?" She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and now sported a scowl to replace the annoyance. Anytime the woman used that tone along with his last name, it was never a good sign.

Why me? He thought to himself, realizing that punctuality was never going to be one of his strong suits. "The. Bomber. Jacket. That. Tuna. Gave. You." He punctuated each word as if speaking to a misbehaving child and even threw in a few hand gestures in case the point wasn't driven home. He would have drawn a picture but doubted very much that it would get through to Diane. "You know, if you let me in, I bet I can find it." Without warning, he shoved past her, stalking through the living room and straight to the small closet across from the sofa. There, next to Diane's jackets, he found the bomber jacket and something else that belonged to him which was hanging on the hook behind the door.

Harm took the item in his hands, smiling fondly. "My 'Go To Hell' buckle. . .Thanks, Di." He gave her a quick peck on the cheek and then reached for the jacket. "Listen, sorry to wake you so early, but I'm in a hurry."

"So you said, I think." She closed the closet door as he slipped past her and headed towards the door in a somewhat hasty retreat. "Wait. What's the rush?" The way that he was running around could only mean one thing. "It's a girl, isn't it?" Sleep deprived or not, it was still easy to see that distinct tint to his cheeks. "Who is she?"

"It's not what you think. . .I'm just taking Major MacKenzie up on 'Sarah' to reenact the seconds before the mishap." And that may have seemed like a perfectly innocent and plausible explanation if it wasn't for the smile he sported after mentioning that Mac was joining him. Or the fact that it was nearly impossible to recreate anything pertaining the mishap.

Had it been any other woman Diane would have egged him on, cheered for him to catch another conquest. As it was, Mac rubbed her the wrong way and the thoughts of the pair conquering the skies together was unsettling. "Oh! Let me brush my teeth and throw on some of clothes."

The change in her demeanor had been so sudden that Harm barely had a chance to register what had happened. He'd dealt with people trying to butt in before, but never with such spontaneity and speed. Most just guilted you to death. "Di?" He went after her, soon realizing his mistake as he stepped into the room to find her naked, the nightie pooled on the floor. "Oh. . .Sorry." Ever the gentleman, he turned around, facing away only to have her walk in front of him in order to get a bra that was hanging on the back of the door.

"Oh please, Harm. . .You've seen me naked before."

He didn't understand why it was so difficult for him to look at her nude form. Besides the fact that they were 'broken up' as it was, part of him felt guilty. Why, he couldn't comprehend. "Yeah, but. . .Look. . .Thanks for the jacket."

"You're not taking me with you?" The question seemed so innocent and yet it was perfectly planned and executed. He could never resist her pouting lips and that would be her trick to get him away from the little flying trip with Little Miss Marine Mac. Yes, now that she thought about it, they never had to even make it to the airfield. "You know how much I love to fly. . All types of flying. . . There's something about taking control of the stick."

It became quite obvious that the type of flying she was referring to required a bed instead of a plane. Ignoring her nakedness, Harm shook his head and grinned. "I know what you're trying to do, Di. It isn't going to work." He stood his ground when she took two steps forward and stood so close that her breasts were nearly touching his chest.

"And what is it that I am doing, Harm?" Her voice had become so bedroom soft that a lesser man would have surrendered to her siren's song. It was forcing Harm to walk a fine line between heading to the airfield or straight into Diane's bed.

When she pressed her flesh against him it took an added measure of control to ward her off. "You're trying to seduce me and it isn't working." He lied and took two steps backwards. "I have to get going and you need a cold shower." Walking out of her apartment had the feeling of challenging the gauntlet. He made it through, a little worse for wear and sporting a semi-erection that he prayed would go away.

Furiously, Diane tossed a robe on and rushed to the door in time to see Harm getting into his Corvette. He didn't wave goodbye and he didn't even glance at her direction. He simply tossed the car into gear and took off as if she'd been nothing but a meaningless one night stand. Thoughts of joining them at the airfield were hard to squash and before she knew it, Diane was in her car headed after Harm.

1015 Local
Belleville, Pennsylvania.

Driving up to the hangar, Harm expected Mac to be there before him. He was already running late when he left Diane's place. He was surprised, however, not to find a vehicle near the hangar that held 'Sarah.' He then heard the growl of a motorcycle coming up behind him, but he didn't expect Mac to be the driver.

Harm stood frozen when she removed the helmet and settled it against the seat, then proceeded to remove the small backpack she'd been wearing. Next, Mac unzipped the leather jacket, removing it completely and tossing it over the helmet. She was wearing a fitted t-shirt and faded black jeans. God, why did all of that turn him on?

"You ride motorcycles?" His mouth felt full of cotton, his throat unwilling to cooperate so that his question sounded out more like a squeak.

Mac grinned mischievously. What was it about guys and women on bikes? "It was a beautiful day."

'So are you.' He almost said out loud and bit his cheek instead.

"Besides, my Jeep's in the shop."

Christ, what was going on with him? Why did he believe that this would be a fun little trip, to possibly aid in an investigation that could mean life or death to him? There was no denying that Sarah MacKenzie was beautiful, but he'd seen his share of beautiful women. He'd certainly indulged some sexual fantasies with some very gorgeous women and was far past the point of being a tongue-tied teenager, but this woman, who he didn't even know, was turning his brain to mush. "Yeah, it's. . .it's gorgeous." He looked up at the skies and then pointed towards the hangar. "Plane's that way." He checked to make sure that she was following and then picked up the pace. "I need to do a pre-fly. .She's maintained well, but you always have to check to make sure everything is in place."

"Understood, and if you can give her an extra once-over for me, I'd appreciate it." She really didn't like planes much at all, even commercial flights. From her backpack, Mac pulled out a tan jacket which she slug over her arm. "Wow."

Harm smiled brightly as they stepped into the hangar where 'Sarah' was. The yellow Stearman was kept in peak condition. It had been his pride and joy, the one big link he had to his father. "It was my grandfather's. . . They used to train in a Stearman like 'Sarah' back during World War Two. . .She was sitting on my grandmother's farm in forever. .Dad and I were going to restore her." He ran a hand over a wing, caressing the smooth lines and ignoring the pain over his heart whenever he remembered his father. "Restoring her was everything to me. . .Kinda felt like dad was with me."

Mac was taken back by the sentiment that so few men were keen to let show. She'd never understand the affinity that Navy pilots had with the airborne hunks of metal. It seemed like they were just big boys with expensive toys. Recently, her belief had started to change. "Probably feels like he's with you when you fly too. . .I bet he was with you during that crash." Something had kept him alive and it was more than just the ejector seat and Navy training. She'd seen the footage, the carnage. Harm shouldn't have survived.

"Yeah, probably. . .Alright, if you brought anything we can stow it behind the pilot's seat." He said, pointing up to the seats in the plane. "You sit in the front, the pilot sits in the back."

After the preflight check, Harm settled into the front and started the engines. He eased the Stearman out of its home and headed slowly towards the runway. "Don't touch anything when we're up there. . .These old girls have dual controls." She blanched at the thought and quickly placed her hands on her lap. Harm practically read her mind and chuckled. "You can hold on, Mac. . .just not to the stick or the controls."

Over the sounds of the engine Harm could not hear the screams coming from near the hangar. Diane had arrived a little late due to an accident on the interstate. She ran towards the plane, waving her hands widely in order to get their attention. There wasn't any space for her, but it didn't mean a thing. She could always try her charms to get her in the passenger seat and to the mountains where she'd con Harm into staying the night. Mac would just have to wait or go home. The latter idea pleased her immensely. "Harm damnit! Look this way!" She yelled but it was futile. Either they couldn't hear or were ignoring her. Still, she was going to stop that plane. Diane ran back to her car and sped towards the plane and almost reached it.

Almost.

After getting clearance from the tower, 'Sarah' sped down the runway and then lifted gracefully into the perfectly blue skies. The sensation scared Mac a little, especially seeing that all of the 'guts' were in visible sight. Still, she used her Marine bravado, swallowed down hard and placed her life in the hands of a pilot that had recently suffered a crash. She trusted him. As they made one turn, she spotted a vehicle below, its headlights turning on and off, seemingly trying to signal them. "Harm, I think that car down there is trying to signal us."

Harm glanced down briefly and cringed. The woman was becoming nothing but a nuisance. "Nah, they'd use the tower. . .Don't worry about it, just hang on." He turned the plane a hard right and headed north. It wasn't long before 'Sarah' was out over the tops of the trees. "Okay, Mac. . .You think you can stomach some aerial maneuvers?" It wasn't supersonic, but the old girl could manage a few tricks that definitely gave Harm his jollies.

"Sure, why not?" Why not, indeed. Mac held on for dear life as he took the plane skyward, onto its back and then leveled off again. She could hear Harm's laughter over the headset and realized that the aerobatics weren't too bad.

"Take the stick!" He said suddenly

Mac froze. "What stick?"

"The stick, Mac. . .I'll teach you to do a few maneuvers. . .Got it?"

She wrapped her right hand around the top of the stick and gulped. "Uh yeah, I got it."

Mac followed Harm's instructions, taking the plane through a few rolls and dips. Then, she had the plane headed straight down, towards the ground. "Haaarm!" She cried out as the trees came rushing closer and closer. She wanted to kill him as he chuckled and took the controls from her, quickly pulling Sarah skyward.

"I've got her."

For nearly an hour they toured over Pennsylvania, enjoying the clear blue skies and the comfort they felt around one another. When it was time to head back, Mac couldn't believe they'd been up for that long.

"Hour and a half by my watch." He confirmed, though off by two minutes. They remained silent for a bit, Harm contemplating letting her know one little detail about their flight. Five minutes before reaching the airfield, he decided to fess up. "Mac, you do know that I can't really show you what happened during that crash, right?"

Mac figured as much. This wasn't something that could be duplicated in order to test and see how a normal flight should have been conducted. Still, she played coy. "So why did you take me flying?"

"I wanted to." He confessed. "I mean, I can give you an idea of what it was like up there, but I don't think you really want to go through all of the rocking and rolling." For effect he moved the plane, causing a rough movement that shook through the fuselage.

"What about the crash itself? Could you have corrected enough to prevent it?"

Harm had wondered the same thing several times. In truth, he believed that if Mace hadn't ejected, the plane would have landed successfully. At the very least, it would have been a bolter or he'd have caught the one wire. "I think I could have. . .Mace ejected us at a very crucial moment. . .The jolt from the ejector seat didn't help any. . .I still screwed the pooch, Mac. . .I'm still at fault. . .But it could have been prevented." She mulled over that thought as he made a perfect landing back at the airfield. "There's this little café about twenty minutes away from here. Care to go for lunch?"

"Sounds like a plan." She agreed and took a deep breath as she glanced skyward. This was something she'd have to indulge in again.

Next to the hangar, leaning against her vehicle, which was parked next to Harm's Corvette and Mac's motorcycle, was Diane, with a look that could kill anyone within twenty paces. She watched as Harm taxied 'Sarah' into the hangar and then helped Major MacKenzie down, his hands lingering on her waist. The action turned something deep in her gut. She figured it was the same thing that serial killers felt as they went for their kill. Diane managed to plaster a smile to her face and greeted them as politely as possible. "Hey you two."

No matter how many times she came across the woman, Mac still had a sense of unease when she was anywhere near Diane Schonke. At fist, she would have blamed their likeness, now she was starting to believe that it was something potentially sinister. "Hello Lieutenant." Out of habit, she regarded the woman by her rank and then quickly corrected herself. "I mean, Diane."

"Mac. . .Hey Harm." She wrapped her arms around Harm's neck and then planted him with a deep kiss that he couldn't help but respond to. "You left without me."

Thoroughly confused – hadn't she broken up with him? – he let his hands slowly fall from her body. "I ah." Harm took a step backwards and stood next to Mac. "The Major and I were just trying to figure out what went wrong before the crash."

"For an hour and a half? I hope this means the case will be closed soon." Her sharp tongue had gotten her in trouble a time or two in the Academy, but it also got her things that she wanted. "Harm, how about lunch and a movie?" She asked and when it seemed like he was about to object, she slipped the ace out of her sleeve. "You owe me."

And he did owe her. He'd promised to take her out after he'd gotten out of the hospital and had yet to have done so. Turning to Mac, he noted the annoyed expression on her face. Neither of them were up for this intrusion and as a result, this sickening tension began to wind itself, threatening to choke him. "I know. . .but. . ."

Sadly, Mac gave him an out. "Harm, go with Diane. I'm exhausted anyway, all that flying wiped me out." She said with a smile and then headed towards her motorcycle and switched to her leather riding jacket. "I had a good time, thanks."

Harm suddenly felt completely out of control. Never had someone destroyed his plans with such finesses. He tossed a displeased glanced towards Diane and then raced after the other woman.. "Mac, wait. . .You could join us." The chase was absolutely futile; she'd bowed out and he would have to take it like a man. He'd said too much at Diane's place, given himself away and now was left to face the consequences.

As much as Mac wanted to spend a little more time with Harm, she wasn't about to be the third wheel. She slipped on her helmet and pulled up its visor, making her eyes the only thing visible. "Nah, I'd be no fun." Not to mention, she wasn't sure she could take having to watch Harm and Diane cozying up to one another. Electro shock therapy seemed more pleasant. "Have a good time."

Arguing was made impossible by the sounds of the Ducati's engine revving up. So, he stepped back and waved as Mac drove away from the hangar. His heart gave a little lurch which disappeared almost as fast as she had. As dejected as he felt, Harm didn't have the strength to pull Diane's arm away as she threaded it through his arm. "Let's go, sailor. . .I'm starving." It paid to be a winner.

1700 Local
Diane's Apartment
Near Rock Creek Park
Washington, DC

Diane was seething, though she'd done her best not to let it show. Their lunch had been utterly boring, Harm hadn't said much and let the whole of the conversation on her. She'd managed to find a few things that slightly were of interest and even then he kept looking at his watch as if he had somewhere else to be. "In a hurry?"

"Nope." When he did respond it was either a singular sentence or a monosyllabic word. Harm spent their whole lunch barely touching his sandwich and indulging in five beers which had started to get the best of him on an empty stomach. He cursed himself as he tried to get into his 'Vette only to realize that he wasn't drunk, but too drunk to drive.

Now, he was at Diane's mercy. With the interlude between Diane and Mac, he'd forgotten his house keys and cell phone which were still on the plane. "Why are we at your place? I need my keys, Di." He'd also fallen asleep on the drive back from Belleville which is why he hadn't protested when Diane's car headed in the opposite direction of the hangar.

Harm was standing so close to her sofa that a slight push sent him into the soft cushions. He groaned as Diane straddled him and situated herself on his lap. "We're at my place because you are too drunk to drive." She smiled at him and brought her hands down to his chest, tracing the muscles beneath his shirt. "What?" His expression was strange(.) It wasn't necessarily bad, but it was strange. She half expected him to protest, he'd been doing a lot of that lately. "You know, I expected you to resist." She brought her head down close to his own and pressed her lips to his in a simple kiss. There was no magic, but there was a long history that no one could take away from them.

"What do you want from me?" Harm's question was whispered and he stared up with the same expression as before – confusion. He didn't know what was going on with Diane. A few months previous she had shot him down and now she was so intent to re-conquer him all over again. It was their cycle, the push and pull that they lived for. But, their argument had such finality that he'd taken it at face value. She didn't want him and he was trying to live with that. "Back on the cruise you made it crystal clear that we were through."

Diane shrugged with an aloof expression that he'd always found adorable. "Things change. . .I changed." She wanted to believe that her sudden want to be with Harm had nothing to do with Mac and decided not to put too much thought into it all. If she still felt something for him why bother trying to fight it? "I love you, Harm. . .You know I do."

Muddled thoughts from a slight hang over prevented him from remembering that she'd once called him 'love starved.' Her sweet voice was forcing him to give in and Harm was too helpless to stop it. "I love you." She said again and again, repeating the words as she pressed soft kisses on his face.

Breathless from a deep kiss, he lost thought of the other woman who looked so much like the woman on his lap. This woman was familiar and the other was still a mystery. Whether Harm wanted to admit it or not, history did matter and between him and Mac such a word didn't exist.

"I love you, too." The words seemed foreign to him. Forced. Yet, he gave in to the temptation that Diane was serving up to him.

They made love on the sofa, hot and passionately and with a fervor that hadn't been experienced since their first time. Afterwards, Diane lay curled on her side and Harm sat on the edge of the sofa, his head pounding mercilessly. They'd never had a 'morning after' debacle and, up to that point, he'd never thought they would. Sexually speaking, they fit like hand and glove. Slowly, he turned to her sleeping form and that was when the feelings hit him.

He'd made the worst mistake of his life letting Diane back in. He'd been doing so well to rid himself of all emotions that were tied to her and now he fell back in – hook, line and sinker.

Even with history on their side, why did it feel so wrong this time?

Damn history.