Chapter Two

JUNE 13, 2003

1028 EDT/ 1428

JAG HEADQUARTERS

FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA

I knock and enter Harm's office, taking a seat next to one of the agents. I feel the lanky guy's eye as it travels up my leg and back down. The female agent notices her partner's lapse and gives him a slight backhand to get his attention. Not that it bothers me… he is fairly attractive, after all… eyes an alluring deep green, strong nose, his lips are also very nice, he's probably tall. Not tall like Harm, but still taller than me. I think it'll be kind of funny to watch how protective Harm will get with this new guy pecking around. Introductions are made all around, and I struggle to keep their names straight. Finally, we are ready to discuss what has brought us together.

Agent Mulder, the man, begins without preamble, the case is convoluted and incredibly hard to follow. He tells us the he thinks Annie and Darlin might have been clones of a little girl kidnapped from Kansas in the late fifties. From the expression on Harm's face, I can tell he's buying about as much of this story as I am, which is not much. I'm not hearing a damn thing that makes sense.

Agent Scully adds a few points, but the whole case seems so ludicrous, the more she agrees with him, the less and less I am inclined to believe. Finally, I can't take the insanity, I'm about ready to explode. Harm graciously tries to excuse himself from the room. Just as I am about to hurl a shoe at him to give him the hint that I have to leave, he speaks the most heavenly words I have ever heard.

"Excuse us for a moment… can we get you some coffee?" At their nods, he motions to me and I follow him out. He smiles at them one last time before he pulls the door shut behind himself. I continue to follow him, silently, through the bullpen and into the break room.

I wait until we are out of hearing range for the rest of the staff. This discussion should not be seen by the enlisted personnel, because I'm afraid it would ruin our 'officer and gentleman' images. Finally, I can hold it no longer and I round on him.

"Are you believing this bullshit?!" I exclaim quietly, I don't want to attract too much attention.

"What bullshit?" He replies, equally hushed, "You read the file, you should have known what this was all about," The truth of the matter hits me, and I look away from him before settling on staring at the floor, "Oh Christ, Mac! You didn't read the file, did you?" I can't help but wince at the panic in his voice. Harm turns away from me and runs his hands through his hair in frustration. I fidget for a few seconds before the silence forces me to defend myself.

"Harm, come on, I read part of it, and then I decided it was all just a joke, I decided that I had more important things to do than chase phantoms, like, clean out my already loaded inbox." I say, trying to explain that I didn't think he could possibly be serious. He spins on me and fires off the first thing that comes to his mind.

"Fuck, Mac… what are we going to do? I was counting on you being there to help me out. I needed you on this!" It's obvious he's as confused as I am, this whole case bugs the hell out of me, and I have no idea how I am going to help, or even why they want us in the first place.

I pin him with my eyes, Harm never says fuck at work… he hardly says it in his own home. The expression on his face is priceless, and if I weren't so uncomfortable, I would laugh. His expression screams, 'Uh, oh… I am in deep shit now.'

"Watch your language, sailor. And what do you mean, "needed", am I of no value to you because I didn't read some psychotic report that hasn't been verified?!" My ire was up, and so was the flush across my chest and cheeks. Harm notices, but declines to comment… I think he'd like his testicles to remain right where they are, or maybe… where they ought to be, close to me. Not that I would resist if he offered.

He draws closer to me, and I can barely breathe. I still, for once shutting up when I ought to. His eyes watch mine as he gets closer, almost close enough for me to whisper the illicit thoughts that have popped into my mind over the years.

"Sir! Ma'am!" Squeaks a startled Jennifer Coates as she rounds the corner into the break room. Harm and I jump away from each other as if we have been shot. She begins stammering apologies as she backs out. Harm grabs her arm, almost knocking her off balance.

"No, it's ok, Coates… the Colonel and I were just having a heated discussion about a case we are currently working on. You're fine."

"What's your case about, sir?" She is trying to calm herself down now.

"Well, he'd tell you, but then he'd have to kill you." Scully deadpans from the doorway, "We were beginning to worry about our coffee." She smiles menacingly. Coates stares at Agent Scully in surprise, as if unable to decide how serious she is. Never taking her eyes off the agent, she twists her lips in Harm's direction.

"So who's the suit?" She asks, her voice betraying a little bit of an accent. He vamps for time by introducing them.

"Petty Officer Coates, this is Special Agent Dana Scully of the FBI. Special Agent Scully, this is Jennifer Coates." The women shake hands and murmur their hellos. Suddenly Scully adds:

"I don't know why he's standing on all the formality… he and I used to play school when we were kids. He always was teacher's pet, weren't you, Harm?" Her use of his first name so freely kind of pisses me off a little bit, and I notice that he doesn't seem to mind too terribly with this almost complete stranger's ease with him. He just smiles, I am very uncomfortable, and I'm about ready to get this discussion over so I can take a moment to collect my scattered thoughts.

"I'm sorry… my partner can be a little overzealous. I hope he didn't frighten you. We have some new evidence that you should probably take a look at. And I was wondering if the Navy would cooperate by giving the FBI a sample of both Annie and Darlin's blood. We'd like to run DNA tests to match it up with the DNA sample Agent Mulder has to show you both." Coates stands halfway between Harm and me, looking from Harm to Agent Scully questioningly.

Without missing a beat, she laughingly asks, "So, what are you looking for, aliens?" Scully's face betrays no emotion. "Please step into Commander Rabb's office." She reaches for Jen's arm, and Harm steps between them.

"Leave her alone, she's just kidding."

"Back off," I say at the same time and step forward until I am almost shoulder to shoulder with him. Coates backs away from the FBI agent, using the two of us as cover. Coates' eyes never leave Scully as she and Harm argue back and forth. I'm not sure I like this, this… FBI spy. Harm pours four coffees, and hands two to Agent Scully. She takes both cups and with a last poisonous glance at Jen, she turns and heads for Harm's office.

Offering one cup to me, he stops to make sure Coates is alright.

"What the hell was that all about, sir?" She juts her chin in the direction Scully took.

"Mac and I are working a joint FBI/ Navy case. They want to use our resources from a case I was on a few years ago. It's not a big deal."

She eyes him, "And the Great Barrier Reef's just a pet rock. Excuse me, sir." Jen slips past him and out into the bullpen.

"She's right, you know. I have a feeling this case is going to be difficult, if not impossible." He sighs.

"Well, I guess we'll just have to give it a shot. Between the two of us, we should be able to accomplish the impossible." I smile at him, as much to reassure him as to bolster my confidence, and breeze past him on my way to his office.