With the moment gone, Harm sat in the middle of the bed. "What do you think he wanted?"

"Not to walk in on this," Mac giggled.

"It's just I wasn't expecting him and he normally doesn't walk right in." Harm tried to explain.

"Maybe something's wrong," said Mac pulling the sheet with her as she sat up in bed. "You should go after him."

"I'd rather stay here and finish what we started." He reached out and took her hand.

"I'd rather you did too but until we know why he was here we wouldn't really enjoy ourselves, would we?" She wriggled her arm from his grasp.

"I don't know Mac, I could force myself," Harm grinned, but as disappointed as he felt knew she was right.

"Go; see if you can catch him." Mac's plan was two-fold. One, to resolve the matter with Bud and get back to their earlier activity and two, to have the opportunity, and thrill, of seeing him get out of bed buck-naked.

---------------------------------------

Harm didn't have far to go to catch Bud, he was sitting on the top step in the hallway.

"Bud?" he called from the doorway.

"Oh, ah, Harm," Bud muttered getting to his feet. "I'm so sorry for… I mean I didn't mean to… It's just that I got here and the door was opened, I called out and you said "Come in" and I did and …well, you know what happened next." Bud's face was beet red.

"I never heard you Bud," said Harm, sheepishly.

"You said "Come in." " Bud looked up, never quite making eye contact.

"No, I said…never mind." It was Harm's turn to blush, I said I'll be COMING he thought. "You said the door was opened?"

"Yeah, wide opened. I figured you opened it because you knew I was coming." Bud shuffled his feet anxiously.

"I didn't know you were coming and I didn't open the door. I haven't been up this morning yet."

"Then why was the door opened?" Bud asked scanning the apartment. "You did lock it last night?"

"Yeah, I guess." Harm turned to look around.

"You guess?" Bud asked.

"To tell you the truth Bud, I don't remember last night." Harm shook his head.

"And Mac?" Bud blushed again he didn't want to think of her naked in the other room.

"She doesn't remember either."

"Really!"

"I remember the hotel but not leaving and …" Harm started.

"You had had a few drinks and then you and Mac had the accident." Bud finished.

"Accident? What accident?" Harm's eyes opened wide.

"You took your keys out and went to open your car door. Mac told you you couldn't drive home and as she moved to stop you, you opened the car door and she hit her head." Bud explained.

"She hit her head on what?"

"On the car door. Ringing any bells?"

"Nope."

"We thought she was a bit dazed but she said she was fine and drove you home. Obviously she wasn't."

"Obviously. Although I can't understand why I can't remember, I had a few drinks, over the limit for driving maybe but not really drunk."

"I can't explain that Harm."

-----------------------------------

When Mac decided she had had enough of waiting and of eavesdropping, she put on Harm's summer robe and headed out to the living room.

"Morning Bud," she said brightly.

"Morning Mac," he mumbled looking at his shoes.

"To what do we owe this pleasure?" she asked trying to ignore the tension in the room.

"Last night, Harm and I agreed to meet up this morning to review the Barnes case."

"I'm sorry Bud, I didn't…" Mac started.

"Remember? That's the theme of this conversation. How's your head, Mac?" Bud asked.

"My head? What's wrong with my head?" she asked running her hand through her hair. "Ow!"

"You hit your head quite hard on Harm's SUV door as we were leaving last night."

"Well, that explains it."

They stood around in an uncomfortable silence for a while longer before being saved by the shrill ring of the telephone.

"Rabb. Yes sir. Yes sir. He is, sir. I understand. Aye, aye, sir."

"Bad news I'm afraid," Harm started, bad news for him anyway. "Bud, the General wants you and me in his office in less than thirty minutes."

"On a Sunday, what's up?" Bud asked, relieved to be leaving.

"Something he didn't want to discuss on the phone."

"I'm not dressed for the office," he said scanning the sweats he had on.

"General said to come in anyway we were but I think I'll put some clothes on first."

Bud blushed again, the earlier memories flooding back.

"I'll be ready to go in five, Bud; you don't mind giving me a ride, do you?"

I don't mind you giving me a ride, Harm, Mac thought to herself.

"That's fine, Harm, I'll wait for you in the car."

"You can wait here, Bud," Mac offered as Harm left the room.

"If it's all the same, I…I…"

"Go wait in the car, Bud," Mac smiled as she ushered him out the door. At least this way she could kiss Harm goodbye without an audience.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Dress and nearly ready to go in five minutes, Mac slowed down his departure by a very long, very passionate kiss as he stood in the doorway.

"Wow!" he said trying to regain his composure.

"Wow, yourself!" Mac smiled.

"Stay here, this shouldn't take too long. I'll ring you as soon as I know anything."

"You'd better. A girl doesn't like to be kept waiting any more than six or seven years you know." She kissed him again and pushed him out the door.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The morning seemed to move interminably slowly. Harm and Bud sat in the General's office listening to him itemise concerns he had about staffing issues. The General felt having this discussion on a Sunday morning, when the walls didn't have ears, was more beneficial for all concerned. Harm agreed with his logic, just not his timing. Right now Mac is probably lying in my bed, naked, waiting for me to come and…

"Rabb!"

"Sorry, General, you were saying?"

"Am I keeping you from something more important?"

Yes, sir. ""No, sir."

"Very well. Now what do you propose we…" this time the phone interrupted him. A brief conversation ensued and Harm knew before the receiver was replaced he wouldn't be going home that night.

"Rabb, you've got an hour to be out at Andrews for a flight to the Seahawk. Roberts will take you home to pick up your gear and drop you off. Seems the duty JAG has been given emergency leave due to a family bereavement and…" The General caught the look on Harm's face. "Sorry Commander, but you are the only one with no cases due for trial in the near future."

"I understand, sir."