He enters the morgue, and finds Ducky examining a body. He stops next to the autopsy table. He exhales, and asks his usual question.
"What have you got for me, Ducky?"
"Cause of death was exsanguination. That is all I can tell you at this point."
"Thanks, Duck," he turns to leave.
"Jethro?"
"Yeah?"
"Are you okay?"
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"You seem awfully pensive lately," he points out, "Anything in particular on your mind?"
"Nope," he insists.
"You haven't been thinking about a certain brunette JAG General, have you?"
"No, Ducky."
"Maybe you should consider acting on some of those feelings," Ducky suggests.
"It's not going to go anywhere."
"How can you be certain?"
"She was a murder suspect."
"You cleared her name."
"We both have too much baggage to bring to the table."
"Your four marriages, and her small child?"
He nods, "Yeah, something like that."
"She just lost the man that she was married to for nine years."
"Ducky I've got to go see Abby."
He leaves the squad room, and jumps on the elevator. He finds himself consumed in thought as he heads into the parking lot. He is completely wrapped up in the thought of a certain brunette one star general who he let walk away. He clicks the uses the automatic starter and the engine turns over. As he approaches the car he notices a figure sitting in his front seat.
When he reaches the car he unlocks the doors, and takes a seat in the driver's seat. He looks to his right, and finds a familiar face in his passenger's seat. He closes the door, and furrows his brow.
"I was just thinking about you," he admits.
"You're not going to ask…"
He cuts her off, "I assume that car thief is somewhere in your skill set," he guesses
"Maybe," she responds coyly.
"What are you doing in the front seat of my car?"
"Waiting on you," she admits.
"I gathered that. Have you been waiting long?"
"No."
"Why are you waiting for me in the car?"
"I figured you would have to go home eventually."
"You could have waited in your car."
"I didn't want to miss you."
"General?"
"I wanted to apologize, but I won't because I have heard that there is a rule against that."
He tilts his head, "What do you have to apologize for?"
"I didn't want you to get the wrong impression."
He furrows his brow, "You're going to have to be more specific."
"About me."
"What about you?"
"I am not some lonely widow who…"
He cuts her off, "I know that."
"I was emotionally separated from him for a long time before there was a legal separation."
"You don't have to explain yourself to me."
"I feel as if I do."
"Weeks after the fact?"
She grins, "I don't have many nights off."
He breaks eye contact, and reaches into his pocket. He pulls out his phone. He waves it in the air.
"This still works."
"From what I've heard you have a tendency to be unreachable."
"You've heard a lot about me, and none of it from me."
"True."
"I would have answered your call."
"Maybe you should take me to dinner and tell me about yourself."
"There's not much to say."
"How many times have you been married?" She jokes.
"About twice as many as you have."
"Both of my husbands are dead. I have a pattern."
He grins, "So do I."
"Redheads?"
"Those too."
"How would you describe it?"
"Women way out of my league."
"I see," she nods.
"You said that you were hungry?"
"I could eat."
"How do you feel about diner food?" He queries.
"That depends, do they serve hamburgers?"
"All night long."
"What are we waiting for?"
They have just sat down at their booth at the diner when Mac's phone rings. She pulls the phone from her pocket, and presses it to her ear.
"General MacKenzie," she answers out of habit, "Okay. I'll be right there," she hangs up.
"Everything okay?"
"I am so sorry, I have to go. Rain check?" She vacates the booth.
He follows her to the door. She turns to him.
"You're my ride," she recalls.
He nods, "Where are we headed?"
"The sitter just called, Izzy is sick."
"I'll take you home."
She enters the apartment, and finds her daughter passed out on the couch wearing nothing but a pull-up, and a pair of pigtails. She finds Harriet in the kitchen scouring the floor.
"What are you doing?" Mac raises an eyebrow.
"Apparently I still have a lot of things to teach my son."
Mac glances back over at the couch. A.J. sits on the couch holding Izzy while she sleeps.
"He's fifteen," Mac points out.
"And he can't handle a little puke. He called me completely hysterical, and then he hung up, and called you. I literally left for five minutes to drop off uniforms at the dry cleaner."
Mac grins, "It's okay."
She leaves the kitchen, and heads into the living room. She takes a seat next to A.J. on the couch. She reaches for Izzy. He carefully passes the sleeping toddler over to her.
"What happened?"
"One minute we were playing with blocks. She was laughing maniacally because she kept knocking my tower over. Next thing I know she started puking everywhere. It was a like the poltergeist."
"I knew that I should have kept her home from daycare today. They said there was a nasty bug going around. You guys can go. Thank you so much for watching her."
"We were only here for half an hour," A.J. points out.
"I've got it from here."
Harriet, and A.J. leave the apartment. Mac snuggles Izzy on the couch.