A/N: I love the comments! Thanks! Alix33, you made me laugh with your 'hot' review.

Anyhow, this picks up right where it left off last chapter with Harm talking to Mac at the party (and being oh so sweet, as the reviewers noted). -- Teacup

I See – Chapter 7

"Listen, Mac. The other day … you told me you'd be around to talk … if I came to my senses."

"The Jacobs case," she remembered. "You finally thinking of taking that deal?"

"Actually, Jacobs agreed to take the deal earlier today. … I would have let you know sooner, as co-counsel, but I couldn't get in touch with you."

Mac was surprised. "Was that on your advice?"

"It was. I assume you're okay with that decision."

"Yeah. What changed your mind?"

"Uh, NCIS came across some new evidence that was going to be sent for DNA testing."

"That would be very conclusive. … But only bad for Jacobs if he was guilty."

Harm looked at the floor, "Yeah, uh, … I thought about what you said, and so I pushed Jacobs a little on his story."

Looking around to make sure no one else could hear, in the interest of keeping attorney-client privilege, he whispered in her ear, "He sort of slipped up and pretty much had to admit to doing it. So I knew the DNA would be the nail in his coffin."

Despite the pleasant chill that Mac got from Harm's breath on her ear, she managed to stay focused. "But Singer would know that having DNA would make her case airtight. She didn't retract the deal?"

Harm gave Mac a sly smile. "She was out of the office this morning when I heard from NCIS. I met with Jacobs and made the deal with her as soon as she walked in this afternoon."

"She didn't know about the new evidence yet," Mac surmised. "Lucky for our client," she commented.

Then, ready to rub in the fact that it would not have come down to such last minute luck if he had taken the deal immediately as she had suggested, Mac began to add, "Of course, …"

"I know, I know," Harm interrupted. "If I had listened to you to begin with …"

Mac grinned. "When are you going to learn to trust me, sailor?" she teased.

"In the few areas where I don't already trust you implicitly? I'm … working on changing that." He quickly added, "Though, I still reserve the right to have a difference of opinion, … especially on professional issues."

Before Mac could respond to the first part of his reply, Harm changed subjects. "Mac, when I said I came to my senses and wanted to speak to you, … I wasn't really talking about the Jacobs case."

"Well, that's what I had been referring to when I made that comment."

"Were you?" He was thinking about what Sturgis had said, about their argument being about more than work to her.

Mac had no idea what the man in front of her was talking about. "You've lost me, Harm."

"Mac, I … seem to have upset you this week … several times."

Mac sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "I told you, Harm, we go through these periods when we argue, but we get through them." She smirked. " … Especially when you admit I'm right," she added playfully, before taking the last bite of her food.

Harm gave her a glare in response, but was not to be deterred. "I just think that maybe our fighting … sometimes indicates … other things. Underlying things … going on between us."

"Since when do you want to analyze our underlying issues? As a matter of fact, I distinctly remember a time when you and I were at each other's throats on the Watertown, and when I suggested we talk about deeper issues, you -"

"I was wrong," Harm interrupted.

Mac was taken aback. "Wow, you are on some kind of roll tonight. Twice now, you've admitted I was right and you were -"

"Hey, don't rub it in!" he acted offended for a few seconds, but then gave her a grin.

Getting serious, he decided to try a more direct approach. He softly asked, "Why did you get mad when I asked you to join me and my neighbor, Mac?"

And with that simple question, all of Mac's defenses went into full operation. "I didn't get mad."

"You weren't happy."

"I simply told you I had plans," she explained, not wanting to get into this.

"What plans?"

"That's none of your business!" she snapped. She wasn't going to admit that she had invented an excuse so she wouldn't have to see him with another woman.

"I don't think you had any plans, Mac. You were fine until I mentioned my female neighbor."

Damn! When did he get to be so perceptive? And why was he attacking her? Sticking with her denial strategy, she responded, "Why would I be upset about your neighbor?"

"I don't know."

"Harm, this is ridiculous. You're looking for problems where there are none."

"I think you were jealous," he persisted.

"Jealous?" Of course she was, but there was no way in hell that she was going to admit that to him. She was not going to let him see her weakness. "Harm, that would imply I have some sort of vested interest in you."

"You don't think you do?" he asked, searching what she meant by that. Did she not care?

She just stared at him. Terrified. Was he asking her for an admission?

He rescued her, by trying to start over. "Mac, I told you I wanted to talk about us."

Finding her voice again, she quickly dismissed his idea. "There is no 'us' right now, Harm. Except for being partners and … and I don't even know what else we are!" Despite her intensity, Mac's voice was barely louder than a whisper.

"And maybe there should be more," she said, "but … can we not do this here? We're in the middle of a party at our CO's house, for god sake. And I'm really not up for this discussion right now."

"Okay. But, I think we should define it."

"What?"

"'Us.' I think we need to establish our boundaries."

Boundaries? It echoed in Mac's head. Boundaries meant borders, restraints, … confinement. He wanted to limit their relationship? For a moment, she had actually thought his insistence on this topic might mean he was considering moving forward with her. But, of course not. There were other reasons for bringing this issue to the table.

He had sensed her jealousy, she thought, which probably scared him. He would want to make sure he wasn't leading her on. He was honorable that way. And he'd want to make sure their friendship was kept intact.

"I need some air." She turned to head toward the door, but suddenly stopped and looked back at him. "Do not follow me out there!"

Her demand had not been at a high volume, as she had no desire to attract attention to herself or Harm. But he got the message loud and clear.

Mac swiftly made her way to the front door and disappeared. Harm stood, frozen. How had things gone so wrong? Once again, he had forced her to run. Maybe she wasn't ready after all. He was conflicted as to whether he should go after her, even though she had insisted that he not. More than ever, he felt he needed to clear things up.

Without making a conscious decision, he took a step in the direction of the door. But he felt a hand on his arm stopping him.

"Give her a minute," said Harriet, sympathetically. "Then go to her."

"She told me not to," he automatically responded.

"I know," said Harriet. She had overheard the last parts of their exchange. Putting that together with what Bud had told her about how Harm had recently been asking questions regarding the behavior of women in love, she had gotten the gist of what was going on.

"She'll be mad if I go out there," he pointed out.

"Yes, she will," Harriet conceded. Harm looked at her with confusion. She continued, "But she'll be grateful in the long run … if you get things right."

"I don't know that I can."

"Piece of advice, sir?"

He didn't know how Harriet had any clue as to what was going on, but right now he really didn't care. He was feeling pretty desperate.

"If you truthfully open up with her, … she's more likely to do the same with you."

He nodded, in blind understanding, and started for the door again.

"Commander!" Harriet called, stopping him. "Give her a minute though."

Harm turned back to the junior officer with a pained look on his face. "What if she's leaving?"

"She won't leave yet," Harriet declared with confidence.

"How do you know?"

"Because she hasn't talked with Francesca and the Admiral yet." Harriet smiled. "She won't leave until she's at least touched base with them."

TBC …

----

A/N: Sorry, I don't have time to put up more this morning. I'll see if I can do the next post tonight.