Rating: K+
Summary: Set near the beginning of season 6 before Mac has moved the ring. Mac is prosecuting a case being shown live on television and is receiving a lot of press coverage including a feature in People Magazine. A feature which Harm reads leading him to send Mac a surprising letter which just may change everything.
Disclaimer: JAG was created by Donald P. Bellisario and is owned in whole or in part by Belisarius Productions and Paramount Network Television (CBS Studios). This is a work of fiction playing with the characters that I have loved for more than twenty years – I make no money from this and no copyright infringement or disrespect is intended.
Significant Mail
By: visions2share (a.k.a. Vi)
Mac wore a sundress that was a couple of months out of season and an old flannel shirt she'd found in Harm's closet. It was a less than cohesive outfit but hopefully Harm would be happy enough to find her waiting for him on the flight line he wouldn't notice.
She hadn't been home since her breakfast 'date' with Mic on Wednesday and had been living out of her go bag and camping out at Harm's place. News of her confrontation with Mic on the street in downtown DC had practically beat her to the office. Everyone, from colleagues to those damned reporters, had asked her about it. She was humiliated.
Oh, not because of the scene Mic had made, or the names he had called her, or even by the stories people were making up to justify his comments. No, it was the fact that she'd ever been interested in him in the first place that was so utterly demoralizing and humiliating. The salacious peek into her personal life had led to the reporters trying to follow her home.
That first day it was only luck that saw her lose them. Only she got to her apartment building to find Mic's car parked in the street and the man himself planted like a bouncer at a club in front of her building's door so if she wanted to get inside she'd have to walk by him first. But it had been late, nearly dark out, and even as a Marine Mac knew it wouldn't be wise for her to come face to face with the former professional boxer in such an isolated place. So she'd driven away before he could spot her - and with nowhere else to go she'd gone to Harm's loft.
Thursday and Friday repeated the pattern except she'd driven Harm's SUV to work so it was easier to lose the reporters. But Mic was still waiting for her each day.
Mac wrapped Harm's flannel shirt more tightly around herself and wished she'd had the guts to steal his flight jacket instead to protect her from the biting early November wind. Would he be happy to see her waiting for him? Would he regret sending her the letter? Now that she was free and willing would he still be interested? Or was he only interested when she was beyond his reach? Mac wished she could reread his letter to quiet her doubts - but it was in her nightstand, in her apartment, with the building door being guarded by her ex-boyfriend.
On the other hand even if Harm was interested was it fair for her to turn to him with all her bad decisions still wreaking havoc on her life? She'd have to be upfront, apologize, and give him ample opportunities to change his mind.
The thud of a plane landing drew Mac's attention back to the flight line. It was a COD and it was time for Harm to arrive but was this his flight? The first two people off the plane were much too short to be Harm - and one too female. The third, however, unfolded himself to be a head and a half taller and moved with a swagger unique to only one man. Harm was home.
He looked around for his ride - there was supposed to be a car and driver waiting for him but Mac had cancelled them and come herself. She knew the instant he saw her waiting for him, his swagger faultered and he hesitated - then when he did come towards her it was with a resignation at odds with his letter. Had he changed his mind? Mac wanted to let him greet her but she couldn't do that to him - he'd taken the risk and sent the letter so it was her turn. And, she reminded herself, even if he didn't want a relationship he was still her best friend.
"Hi, Sailor! Good flight?" Mac asked sliding off the hood of her corvette.
"It was fine. I slept through it. Uh, not to be rude, but why are you here?"
Mac stepped forward until they were standing toe to toe, "I didn't burn your letter. And, I don't want to pretend I never read it. In fact I memorized every word," she raised both hands like she was surrendering but swiveled her wrists to show him the backs of her hands. "I'm not engaged to Mic. I never was. He lied to the magazine reporter and I gave the ring back because I can't be with a person who doesn't respect me," she'd tell him the rest later, and spoke faster and faster in her nervousness. "I never should have accepted his ring. I regret it for so many reasons but mostly because it hurt you and that's the very last thing I ever want to do. Because I love you too. I want -,"
Her words were lost in his kiss. He cradled her head at the base of her skull in one of his large hands and pulled her tight against him with his other hand on the small of her back. He'd bent down to meet her lips but she threw her arms around his neck and hoisted herself up to hang off him and bring them into better alignment.
Mac was no ingenue but she'd never experienced a kiss like this. Even the other time they'd kissed - when he kissed Diane goodbye - had been nothing like this. That kiss for all it involved tongues was surface level, this kiss Mac thought she felt their very souls caressing.
Eventually - three minutes and twenty-nine seconds later - Harm pulled back. He gripped her waist in both hands and swung her around in circles laughing while she fought to catch her breath.
"I'm sorry I didn't do that on the ferry," Harm said when they stopped spinning - although Mac was still suspended several inches above the ground, "I'm so sorry I didn't have the courage then to tell you how much I love you." He braced his forehead against hers and held her gaze trapped in his. "I adore you and want to be with you always and forever. Say you want that too. Please, say you'll be mine."
Mac knew she must look like a fool - she'd never smiled so widely before in her whole life - her face felt tight, just on the verge of splitting in two. She'd never been this happy - never even knew this kind of happy existed anywhere in the world. She gave the only response she could manage.
"Always." This time - she kissed him.
