Drink

Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Let your heart be light
From now on, your troubles will be out of sight

It was still early evening, but the lights in the bar had already been dimmed to accentuate the holiday atmosphere. While red and green Christmas lights flickered in festive patterns across the stage, one of the in-house singers crooned a soft, jazzy version of some well-known Christmas carols, accompanied by a piano and a bass. The place wasn't crowded, and Bud and Harm easily found two seats at the bar.

"What can I get you?" the bartender asked.

"I'll have a draft beer," Harm said.

"Same here," Bud echoed.

"Coming right up."

"I'm sorry I didn't have a chance to throw you a real bachelor's party, sir," Bud apologized. "Things have been so hectic lately, especially with Harriet and the kids."

"It's all right, Bud." Harm clapped his friend on the back with a grin. "Wouldn't have wanted it to end up like yours anyway."

Bud groaned at the memory. The night before his wedding had been a complete nightmare, going from bad to worse in a matter of minutes. Although Bud had initial concerns about his father throwing him a bachelor's party at a strip club, he never would have thought it would end up with Mac bailing him, Harm, and Admiral Chegwidden out of jail.

Despite the utter horror and embarrassment of that night, Bud couldn't help but chuckle a little now.

"Well, sir, I guess we're a little older and wiser now."

Harm raised an eyebrow.

"Well, maybe just a little older," Bud conceded.

"Here you go, gentlemen."

The bartender set down two frothy glasses of beer in front of them.

"It's been some ride over the years, hasn't it, Bud?" Harm asked, thoughtfully tracing circles on the rim of his glass.

"It has, sir," Bud agreed. "Sometimes I wonder if Admiral Chegwidden knew what he was doing when he first partnered you and the Colonel."

"Bud—"

"I mean, I'm not sure if then-Major MacKenzie was all that fond of you at first, sir. And then she left JAG and came back and then you both almost died in Russia. And then you left JAG and came back and you both almost died in Russia again. And then you almost drowned—"

"Bud—"

"And then you got arrested and she left on that CIA mission and you resigned your commission to go after her—"

"Bud!" Harm snapped. He wasn't sure if there was a point to this recap of his and Mac's rather unusual service records.

"But I never lost faith in you and the Colonel, sir," Bud said adamantly. "No matter where you were, somehow you always came back to each other. I think that can only mean that you're destined to be together, and I couldn't be happier that the two of you are finally getting married."

Bud raised his glass in a toast, and Harm smiled and clinked his glass against his friend's.

"Congratulations, sir."