* * * * *
That evening, Harm lay on the couch staring at the ceiling. His knees were bent so that his butt wasn't touching the cushion. He'd taken stock of the damage when he got home – welts and small bruises covered his rear end. He'd never been spanked that hard in his life, and it only served to upset him more and make him feel even guiltier for betraying his mentor's trust.
A sharp knock on the door broke him out of his thoughts with a groan. He struggled to his feet, wincing as he got up. He looked through the peephole, fully expecting to see Mac. He slowly unlocked the door, opened it and looked at the floor as he admitted the Admiral.
"Good evening Sir," he said quietly as he closed the door. The Admiral stood next to the couch, his cover under his arm. Harm looked up slowly, but the Admiral's face betrayed nothing about what he was thinking. It was set in its normal sternness. Harm looked down again and leaned against the door.
"How's your six?" the Admiral finally asked. Harm reddened, but said nothing. The Admiral nodded at his lack of response – it told him what he needed to know. "Commander, we need to talk."
Harm looked up suddenly. "Sir, I would have thought you already said everything you needed to say earlier. And I truly am sorry."
"I know, and I appreciate it. But that's not what we need to talk about." He walked to the kitchen and pulled a stool away from the counter. He perched on it and waited for Harm to join him. Not seeing any other option, Harm walked to the kitchen and leaned against the counter.
"SecNav called, of course. I don't know how he finds things out, but he knows you called Mrs. Hodges." Harm's head dropped as he prepared for another scathing lecture. "I smoothed things over with him," the Admiral continued gently. "As far as he's concerned, you didn't know any better. And," he added firmly, "I was never here. Understood?" He raised an eyebrow and leveled a look at Harm. Harm looked at him for a moment, and then nodded in understanding. "Good. Now, you were absolutely correct. This case was political. But it wasn't what you, or even I, thought."
He looked at Harm and saw that he'd gotten the younger man's attention. He grinned slightly and continued. "Ian Hodges did not end up in Iran accidentally. He was sent there. By the CIA." He paused to let the information sink in before he continued. "Major Hodges' team wasn't sent in on a rescue mission. It was a classified op. I don't know exactly what the op was, so don't bother asking. All I know is that Ian Hodges and his team was sent in to do recognizance before the Marines were sent in. And that someone, either at the CIA or the Pentagon, screwed the pooch when father and son ended up on the same op."
"So how was Mrs. Hodges involved?" Harm asked.
"I don't know. But you could have blown the whole thing by calling her."
"Did I?" Harm asked, swallowing hard.
The Admiral stood up and picked up his cover. "No. Fortunately. Somehow, someone managed to convince her that you were only investigating her husband's death – nothing more."
"But Sir, that's all I was doing."
"Yes," the Admiral said with a look, "and that's the story you and I are sticking to. If you know what I mean."
Harm started to protest again, and then understood. The Admiral was still covering his – rather sore – ass. "Yes Sir. I understand."
"Good night, Commander," the Admiral said as he took his leave.
"Sir…"
"I know Commander. It's over now, and we're moving on."
"Thank you Sir," Harm said, a lump growing in his throat.
"I mean it, Harm. Move on."
Harm closed the door, leaned against it and closed his eyes. A sudden knock on the door a minute later made him nearly jump out of his skin. He turned and opened the door, expecting the Admiral had returned. Once again, he was surprised by the person on the other side of the door.
Mac pushed past him holding a paper bag. She headed straight for the kitchen and pulled two take out containers on the counter. "I brought dessert," she said.
Harm looked out into the hall to make sure no one else was dropping by and then closed the door. "I'm not really in the mood for company, Mac," he said miserably.
"What did the Admiral want?" she asked, ignoring his protest as she handed him a fork and a container full of cheesecake. Harm took the container and fork but put them on the counter and turned away. "Where's your coffee?"
"Mac! I mean it. I'm not in the mood."
Mac walked over to him and put her hands on his shoulders. "Harm, you screwed up really badly. And the Admiral punished you for it, from the sound of it, really badly." Harm blushed again. "But you know that once he whips our butts, it's over. So get over it."
"Is this your idea of a pep talk?" he asked, still looking miserable.
"Uh huh," she answered around a mouthful of cheesecake and strawberries.
"I give you a D-," Harm said.
"So what did he say?" she asked.
"When?"
Mac laughed. "Well, I know what he said in his office."
"Yeah, you and the rest of Virginia," Harm agreed reluctantly. Mac grinned at him, and he finally relaxed. "Unfortunately, I can't tell you what the Admiral said because he wasn't even supposed to tell me."
Mac nodded. "Ok. Just tell me this – were you right?"
Harm poked the cheesecake he'd abandoned with the fork. "Partly. But not enough to justify what I did."
Mac nodded again. "Live and learn, right?" Harm looked at her sadly then returned to his examination of his dessert. "It's organic," she assured him. He reluctantly took a small bite. And then another much larger one. In no time, they were talking and joking with each other as if it had just been a normal day.
Mac deposited her container in the trash and looked tentatively at Harm. "So," she began hesitantly, "was it as bad as it sounded?"
Harm suddenly lost his appetite. "Worst I've ever gotten."
"It sounded like…I mean, did he really give you three separate spankings?"
"He paddled me for arguing with him about contacting Mrs. Hodges. Then he paddled me for interrupting him while he was reprimanding me for arguing with him. And of course, he paddled me for disobeying his order. And once he was done with those three, he took his belt to me."
"Why?" Mac asked in disbelief.
Harm sighed and rubbed his hand across his face. "Because I deserved it."
Mac studied his face for a moment and then nodded in understanding. She looked thoughtful for a moment. "I was surprised he didn't spank you when you argued with him right at the beginning. I really thought he was going to after he dismissed us. I wonder why he waited until you had disobeyed him? I bet if he'd spanked you then, you wouldn't have disobeyed."
Harm shrugged, but said nothing, suddenly very interested in his big toe.
As they said good night and Harm walked her to the door, Mac looked up at Harm. "Will you need to borrow a pillow tomorrow?"
Harm grinned and put his arm around her. "I'll bring my own. But thanks, Pal," he joked sarcastically.
"Oh, I get it now!" she said suddenly.
"What?" Harm asked, pulling away from her.
"The Admiral played baseball."
Harm rolled his eyes. "Good night Mac."