Disclaimer: I do not own the show or the characters. I just really love them. In fact, I'm addicted to the show. Story is mine! Back off you…you...GARR!

That's It!

**The next day. At 10:00 ZULU**

Knock. Knock.

"Enter." The AJ looked up from the papers he was filing. Harm walked in. "Ah, Commander. How are you?"

"…Good, Sir. You?" Harm replied standing at attention, staring out the window.

"Not too bad," the Admiral sighed. "You look tired and- have you and Lt. Vukovic been fighting again?" AJ asked, seeing the cuts and bruises covering his best officer's face.

"…No," Harm said. "Not yet…" he muttered.

"Well good. So what- as you were, Rabb, relax. Good. So, what can I do for you?"

"Have you seen Mac anywhere?" Harm replied, walking over to the window.

"No, not since I came to work. Why? I thought she was with you?" the Admiral put his pen down and leaned back in his chair.

"She was. She made me drop her off at her place on my way to work. She said she'd be okay but needed to check in and get a change of clothes and feed Rufus, her new puppy. She said she'd drive to work when she was ready and that she'd be here in half an hour…that was 31 minutes ago." He started pacing back and forth, yet, he was trying not to give anyone any reason to think that he was the least bit worried.

The Admiral chuckled. "I'm sure she's fine. She's a big girl, Rabb. Not to mention, she's a marine." He looked at Harm. The smile disappeared from his face. He removed his glasses and laid them on the desk as he saw the worried, faraway look in the Commander's face. Just then a familiar voice rang through the door.

"Hey, Admiral! Have you seen Harm anywhere? I need to find him and I can't."

Harm tensed at the sound of his rival's voice. His head whipped round and he crossed his arms, ready to fight, as the rookie walked into the room, unaware of his presence. AJ gave Harm a warning look and said, "Why? Why do you need him? Do I need to transfer you to the command of Bud or someone? I don't want you to get to the point where you need anyone… Well, male, anyway." He got that glint and tone of voice that only someone in charge could get.

Vukovic raised an eyebrow. "So…Does that mean I can have Mackenzie?" he said with that cocky, perverted look and smirk of his. That was it! Harm couldn't take it. That was the last straw. He pounced. He jumped onto the man's back and tackled him to the ground.

"Where is she!?"

"What!? Who!?" chocked Vukovic as he wrestled to get free of the deathly headlock the other man had him trapped in.

"Mac! Where is she!?" Harm growled.

"How the hell am I supposed to know!?"

"ATTENTION!" the Admiral barked. Both men froze. Harm let go of Vukovic and they both just stood there. "Now, what the hell is goin' on?"

Harm shook his head. "I'm done!" and he walked out.

**At Mac's apartment**

Harm pulled up and got out of his car. He greeted the guard who smiled and gave him a questioning look. Harm took the steps three at a time. He sped down the familiar hallway and knocked on Mac's door. No answer. Knocked again. Nothing. He tried the door. It opened and Harm froze. There she was cradling something in her arms. "Mac?" Harm said, walking towards where her figure was sitting on the floor with her back to him. "Mac?" he repeated, putting a hand on her shoulder. He gasped. She was cradling her 2 month old Airedale puppy in her arms. Her uniform that she was still wearing from yesterday was covered in blood. She looked up at him. "What happened? Who did this?" He asked looking into her tear-streaked, blood-covered face.

"He was the closest thing I've ever gotten…"she said.

"Oh, babe. How did it happen? Who did it?" he asked. The pain in her voice made him want to scoop her into his arms and never let go. She looked back down at her dog, which had stopped bleeding from the wound on his neck. Harm gently took him from her arms and put him on the tile on the floor of the kitchen. "Mac, did he hit you again? Did he do this?" Harm asked gently.

She just looked away. He took her into his arms. "That's it. I've had enough of it." He kissed on the top of her head and held her as she wrapped her arms around him, crying into the crook of his neck. He stroked her hair. "I should never have left you." He whispered into her ear.

"Sir?" Harm looked up to see Bud standing in the doorway. "I'll go get Admiral," he whispered, turning and walking down the hall. Harm sighed and kissed Mac again.

**Ok, kinda short but I had to stop it there as… well, you'll see. 'Till next time! Check out A letter From Daddy :-)**