Here we go, its the final chapter, i hope you all like it!
Thanks to each and everyone of you who have left me reviews for this story! I can't emphasise enough how much i appreciate all the reviews i get - good or bad!
Special thanks go to Mari for beta-ing - its been so helpful to hear your views and and suggestions, so thanks a million :o)
"When are we going to tell the General?" Harm asked hesitantly, taking a bite of his salad. He and Mac had stopped in a diner for lunch on their way back to Falls Church, having been interviewing witnesses for their case for half of the morning.
Mac smiled back at him nervously. "This afternoon?" she replied, amused at the flicker of fear that appeared on Harm's face.
"How about on Thursday? I'm sure our client would like us to be alive to defend him on Wednesday."
"Scaredy cat!" she teased, reaching over and giving his free hand a quick squeeze.
"I'm not scared!" Harm protested good naturedly, "I'd just like to be around to enjoy our time together." Mac blushed at his words.
"So what are we going to tell him?" she asked. Harm shrugged.
"The truth, I guess. We've wasted so much time apart, I don't want to hide now that we're finally together." He replied with nervous and shy smile.
Mac looked at him in surprise. "You know for someone who is absolutely terrible at talking about their feelings, and has always been so good at running at the slightest hint of commitment, you sure do know how to say the right thing when you want to!" she replied, letting out a little giggle when Harm started pouting again. "Stop pouting, Flyboy! How am I supposed to keep my hands off you when you look so damn cute?!"
"What if I don't want you to keep your hands off me?!" Harm countered quickly with a grin. Mac looked at him sternly.
"Red Light, Commander…" she paused and winked at him, lowering her voice slightly, "At least while we're in uniform!"
Harm couldn't resist the grin that appeared on his face as he whispered huskily,
"Are you inviting me to get you out of your uniform Colonel?!" Mac's jaw dropped slightly, before she collapsed into giggles, throwing her balled up napkin at him.
"Jen, does the General have a minute?" Harm asked nervously, trying to ignore the knowing grin that had appeared on the young Petty Officer's face.
"He's just finishing up with Commander Turner. I'll let him know that you and Colonel MacKenzie are waiting to see him."
"Thanks, Jen. I'll be in my office." Harm replied, not wanting to wait in a place where people could see him.
He had just sat down at his desk, when his phone rang. "Rabb" he said, picking up the receiver.
"The General is waiting for you, Sir." Jen's voice came over the speaker.
"We'll be right in, Jen." He replied, feeling the butterflies in his stomach increase tenfold.
He stood up and went next door to pick up Mac on his way to the General's office
"Are you ready Ninja Girl?" She looked up and smiled warmly at him.
"As I'll ever be." She replied, moving to follow him out of the door.
Once they arrived at Jen's desk, she buzzed the General to let him know they were waiting.
"Send them in." His gruff voice sounded over the intercom after a few seconds, and Mac heard Harm take a deep breath.
"Good Luck, Sir, Ma'am." Jen said softly as she ushered them into the office, closing the door quickly behind them.
Mac followed Harm into the room, and came to attention beside him. Cresswell didn't look up from his papers, but said "At ease, both of you." They both relaxed, but Harm couldn't stop shifting about nervously. "Something on your mind, Commander?" Cresswell said finally, looking up at the two officers standing in front of him.
"No, Sir." Harm replied automatically. Mac glanced at him sideways. "I mean yes, Sir."
Cresswell frowned at the pair, wondering what the hell was going on with them. He wasn't a fool, he had picked up on the tension between them from the moment he'd met them. They hadn't been speaking to each other at the time, but their body language had spoken volumes. His subsequent conversations with his predecessor had only served to confirm his thoughts, and he had secretly been waiting for them to come knocking on his door looking just as nervous and guilty as they did right now.
"Well, which is it, Commander?" he replied sternly.
"Permission to speak freely, Sir?" Harm requested nervously.
"Granted. Why don't you both sit down." Momentarily forgetting their military discipline, they exchanged bewildered glances, before sitting down and returning their attention to their CO.
Harm hesitated again. "Sir, the Colonel and I," he paused, "We uh, wanted to let you know that…."
"Yes, Commander?" Cresswell couldn't stop a small smirk from appearing, it was just too funny watching them both squirm. And they say Generals don't have a sense of humour!
"Umm, the Colonel and I have, uh reached an understanding regarding our personal uh relationship, Sir." Harm carried on, hoping that the General would understand the euphemism.
"I see," Cresswell furrowed his brow as he continued to gaze at them impassively. "I noticed that there has been a fair amount of tension between the pair of you since I took over from Admiral Chegwidden. Am I to understand that you have resumed your friendship?" The look on Harm's face was priceless. He was clearly dreading having to say the actual words.
"Yes, Sir, I suppose you could say that." Harm replied evasively. Cresswell noticed that Mac couldn't resist rolling her eyes at her partner's response.
"Something you would like to add, Colonel?" he added gruffly. This was just too much fun. Mac went pale, shooting Harm a glare out the corner of her eye when she noticed him smirking. Fine, she thought stubbornly, If he can't do it, I will!
"Yes, Sir. The Commander didn't quite paint the right picture regarding our relationship, Sir. We agreed over the weekend to start seeing each other romantically, Sir." She blushed as she said it, as did Harm, as they waited silently for his reaction.
"I see." He said gravely. Then, to the shock of the two officers sitting opposite him, his face cracked into a smile. "I've only known the pair of you a short while, but even I think it's about time!"
"Sir?" Harm asked uncertainly, looking completely confused by his reaction.
"Let's just say I had a couple of conversations with Admiral Chegwidden regarding the pair of you. As long as you keep things professional in the office, then I'm happy for you both." The look of relief on their faces was almost funny.
"Thank you, Sir." They chorused.
"Of course, if your relationship takes on a more permanent nature, then we will have to revisit this." Cresswell took a moment to observe their reactions to his words. Harm looked at him warily, as if he knew that conversation was inevitable but still wasn't sure he ever wanted to hear it. Mac, for her part, looked worried at the thought of such a conversation; one that would tear apart their joint existence which they had clung to for almost ten years, even if it was for a greater good, offering an even more intertwined reality. Whether they both realised it yet or not, it was clear to the man who sat watching them that the two of them had already decided, separately, that the two of them were going to be together forever. That one's future could not exist without the other.
"Dismissed." They both came to attention, executed a perfectly in sync about turn and left the office smiling bashfully at each other.
Shaking his head, General Cresswell reached for his phone, dialling a number that he hadn't had to use yet.
"A.J.? Gordon Cresswell." He paused as the man on the other end of the line responded
"Fine, thank you. How are you enjoying retirement? Good, I'm glad. I just had a most interesting conversation with Mackenzie and Rabb…" he trailed off as AJ Chegwidden's excited voice interrupted him.
"Yes, it appears they have finally seen the light." He added. "I don't think they have told the others yet. Although Coates seemed rather excited when she told me they were waiting to see me. I think she might know." He paused again, listening. "I've never seen Rabb look so nervous! Well I have a meeting with the SecNav shortly, but I thought you might like to know. You, too, Admiral. Goodbye."
As they left the General's office, they exchanged relieved smiles, and through silent agreement, Harm followed Mac into her office and shut the door.
"Thank goodness that's over with." He said collapsing into the other seat, as Mac sat down in her own.
"What are you looking so relieved about Flyboy, I told the General, that means you have to tell Harriet!"
"But Maacc!" Harm whined, grinning at her, "That's not fair! I was trying to tell him, and you jumped in and finished it off!"
"Sure Harm, you were going to tell him…ummmm uhh I uhh." She stuttered in a fairly accurate impression of him.
"Maaaccccc!" he whined again, pouting at her. "It's still not…" he was interrupted by a knock at the door. They exchanged amused glances,
"Come in, Jen!" Mac called with a grin, and was rewarded with Coates' head appearing around the door.
"How did you know it was me Ma'am?"
"Just a wild guess!" Mac replied with a genuine smile at the young Petty Officer.
"The General was ok then?" Jen asked, although she though she already knew the answer. They looked too relaxed, and she hadn't heard the General raise his voice during their meeting.
"He didn't seem to be surprised Jen," Harm admitted, "But we haven't told Bud and Harriet yet, so can you manage to keep it to yourself for a little while longer?"
"No worries sir." Jen replied with a grin "Can I be there when you tell her?!"
They all laughed, "We're going for drinks after work this evening, we were going to tell them then. Mattie's staying over at a girlfriend's as you know, are you going to join us?"
"Wouldn't miss it for the world, Sir!" Jen replied with a happy smile, just as Harriet passed by the open door.
"Wouldn't miss what for the world, Petty Officer?" she asked curiously.
"Drinks this evening." Harm said quickly, "It's been a while since we've all got together for drinks."
"We are too!" Harriet replied, oblivious to the looks of relief that the other three were exchanging.
Shortly after 1800 Harm, Mac, Bud, Harriet, Jen, Sturgis and a couple of the other lawyers were gathered in McMurphy's (took out phrase here). They had changed into civvies, and were all crammed in a booth together like old times, laughing and joking.
It struck Sturgis that something was up. Harm and Mac seemed too relaxed around each other. Not that he was complaining, mind you, whatever had happened there had also caused the ice that had appeared around his and Harm's relationship to thaw. But still, something was up. His thoughts were interrupted by the pair standing up and heading to the dance floor. As he watched them dance, he suddenly saw it. He knew exactly what had changed between them. Well I'll be damned, he thought, a grin appearing across his handsome features, They've finally come to their senses. As he watched them, it became clearer and clearer. In recent times they had lost that special thing that made them Harm and Mac. But now, it was back. They were completely in sync with each other, both the centre of the other's universe once again. And they finally seemed to realise it. He watched as Harm pulled Mac closer, and she rested her head against his shoulder.
"They look happy don't they, Sir?" Jen said to his right, with a knowing grin on her face. She had watched him watch them and had seen the realisation dawn.
"Yes, Jen, they do." Sturgis replied with a grin of his own.
"Harm, you're supposed to be telling the others." Mac hissed as he pulled her into his arms.
"I know!" he replied, flashing his Flyboy grin at her, "But I've got a better idea."
"And what may I ask would that be?!" Harm glanced over at the table and, seeing that most of the table was watching them dance, put his plan into motion.
"This" he said with an adorable grin, leaning down and pressing his lips firmly against hers. His movement caught her by surprise, but it only took her a second to relax and enjoy the kiss, pulling him closer, her tongue asking permission to deepen the kiss.
After a few minutes, they pulled back, their cheeks flushed, both grinning madly.
Harm risked a glance at their table,
"Well I think they know now," he said with a chuckle. All of the occupants of the table, apart from Jen and for some reason Sturgis, were staring at them in shock.
Mac leaned back and punched him gently on the shoulder, "Wimp!" she accused with a grin, standing up on tiptoe to press her lips gently against his once again.
"Guilty as charged!" Harm replied when they pulled back again, "What says we go and face the music?" Mac gave him a reluctant smile,
"Sure." She said, slipping her hand down to link with his, and leading him back to the booth, a mask of total innocence.
Total silence greeted them.
"What's going on, guys?" she asked innocently, as Harm slung his arm casually around her shoulders.
"You…uhh..!" Harriet stuttered, complete shock preventing her excitement from shining through.
"It's about damn time!" Sturgis broke in, leaning over to offer Harm a hand of congratulations, which the latter took gratefully.
"Thanks, Sturgis." Mac smiled at him, before turning her attention back to Bud and Harriet, who were still looking shocked.
"Well?" she asked them, amusement dancing in her dark eyes. Suddenly Harriet let out a squeal. Her excitement finally making its way through.
"Oh my God! How long has this been going on? When did it happen? How did it happen? Is this why you broke up with Mr Webb?"
Harm and Mac exchanged amused glances at her exuberance.
"No Harriet, I didn't break up with Clay for Harm. Well, not exactly anyway." Mac replied, to which Harm quirked an eyebrow at her. "Anyway, it only happened over the weekend" she added hurriedly.
"Oh, my gosh, this is just so exciting! We've been waiting for this moment for so long!" Harriet exclaimed, glancing at her husband for support. The tips of Bud's ears turned pink, but he nodded his agreement.
"So how did this all happen?" she pressed.
They both laughed. Harm leaned over and pressed a quick kiss on Mac's cheek, much to Harriet's excitement, and then, flashing his Flyboy grin, replied
"Lets just say we had a run in with a match making teen…."
There we go! its all over now! it started as a bit of a drabble, i had no idea where i was going with it! but here we go! i hope you have enjoyed the ride!!
All feedback is appreciated!