Disclaimer: I do not own the characters because if I did we all would have gotten a better ending. LOL!

This is a challenge piece that required us to have a Halloween adventure for our happy couple and favorite characters of all time. Hope you enjoy. I will try for only two chapters but it may be a few more.

Chapter 1

"Petty Officer Coates…Get me Lt. Simms"

"Aye, Aye, Sir." Coates hit the button on her phone to dial Harriet's extension.

"Ma'am, the Admiral would like to see you."

"On my way Coates" Harriet closed up the file she was working on and made her way to the Admirals office. "Do you know what he wants?"

"No Ma'am" Jennifer punched the intercom. "Sir, Lt. Simms is here to see you."

"Send her in Coates."

"Good Luck Ma'am." Harriet made her way into the Admirals office.

"Sir, You wanted to see me."

"Yes, Harriet, please sit. I have something I want to discuss with you. You have always been our unofficial event organizer." Harriet nodded with a smile, "I feel we need a little something to help with morale around here and I was thinking that maybe you might have a few ideas." Harriet looked at him with a look of uncertainty.

"Well Sir, what did you have in mind? I'm sure I can come of with a few ideas for you to choose from if you give me until tomorrow to report them."

"Excellent..I knew you were my best choice for this assignment. I was thinking of doing something fun for Halloween. It is right around the corner and it would be totally different than anything we have ever done. I don't really want anything formal or even semi-formal. Just something fun that gets us out of the office and into some situations that may push us out of our comfort zones."

"Yes, Sir, I will start brainstorming and researching options as soon as I finish with this file for Commander Rabb."

"Harriet, I am ordering you to return whatever the Commander has you doing and get started right away. I want this planned and moving forward by the end of the week because I need to rearrange court dates and assignments so that everyone can participate 100%. Are we clear?"

"Aye, Aye, Sir." Harriet stood and made her way back to her desk with thoughts of spooky matchmaking in her head. As she returned to her desk she closed up her file and made her way to Harm's office to let him know he would have to find someone else to make his calls for him for his upcoming interview confirmations. "Sorry Commander but the Admiral has appropriated my time with something he needs done asap. I won't be able to continue with your phone calls."

"Thanks Harriet. I'll get someone to help me out. I have to try to get my desk cleared off quickly so that I can get a move on. I have some errands that are pertinent to my planned evening."

"I wish I could help you Sir. What have you got going on this evening?"

"Just a little dinner date for someone special. She is not expecting anything special but I am trying to up my game and move our relationship along a little." Harriet immediately felt deflated once again. She just didn't understand how he could continue to ignore Sarah when she was so perfect for him and literally right in front of him.

"Anyone I know Sir? Oh, forgive me Sir, that was inappropriate for me to pry. I'll just be on my way. I have tons to get done for the Admiral." Harriet made her way to her desk just as Colonel Mackenzie rushed through the bullpen and made a bee line for Harms' office. Harriet just watched her as she seemed to have a one-track mind. These two drove her crazy! She watched as Harms' face lit up as Mac made her way into his office. They had such an animated conversation and then Harm made is way around his desk and straight into her arms for a big hug. 'Well, that sure is a new development.'

"Harm, I can't believe it. You know how much I love Halloween, this is going to be great. I can't believe I got tickets."

"Ah, Mac, you know how much I hate scary stuff. I don't want to go to a haunted house, do I have to?"

"Suck it up buttercup, you said anything I wanted when I beat you on our last run. This is what I want." Harm was already dreading the night he would have to make good on that bet. He hated being scared for no good reason. Being scared because your in a combat situation or hostage situation is one thing but to deliberately pay money to have someone scare you for the fun of it…well, that's just not fun to him. "Harm, I'll hold your hand and keep you safe. I promise." Harm started thinking this might be worth it if Mac was going to hold his hand.

"I'm not one to welch on a bet so you can count me in. Are we still on for tonight?"

"You bet, I never turn down a home cooked meal by my favorite sailor. What time should I swing by?"

"1900 hours should give me enough time to get everything ready. Are you going to bring the closing arguments to work on or did you get that all done?"

"Nope, got it done. I wanted to make sure we had time for our rematch." Mac started laughing quietly as Harm looked at her with a not so friendly look. "What? You're the one who said you wanted a rematch."

"I think we will leave scrabble for another night. Tonight I am going to bust out a different game."

"Do I get to know what I'm walking into or am I to be surprised?"

"I think surprises are good…don't you?" Mac just smirked at him and got up to go back to her office to wrap up the rest of her day.

"Alright Harm, I'll see you later." Harm looked down at his list of things to get done and determined that he should be able to sneak out of the office about 30 minutes early if he kept his nose down and got his reports done. Harm took his time but got his reports submitted to his Chief of Staff, the slave driver, even earlier than he calculated so he had time to find a junior officer to make his confirmation calls for his interviews at the end of the week. As he was heading out of the office, briefcase in hand he ran into Mac. "Heading out early Harm?"

"Yep, I need to run by a few stores for tonight but I got my reports submitted so I should be good." Mac gave him a little smirk that always gave his heart a little flutter. "What Mac?"

"Oh, nothing…I'll see you later Harm."


"Harriet, did you pick up the dry cleaning this afternoon?"

"No Bud, I am really busy with this assignment the Admiral gave me that's why we are having hotdogs for dinner. I don't have time to cook. He wants this report by tomorrow at 1000 hours."

"Wow, sounds important. Anything I can help with?"

"No, I'm just finishing up my research so that I can type it up tomorrow morning, but thanks Sweetie?" Harriet had a solid list of possibilities for the Admiral to choose from and she was excited because all of them sounded like fun to her and they were things she had never done before.

"Ok, I'm going to get my cleanest dirty uniform out so that we can spray it and press it. Do you need me to get yours out?"

"Thanks Bud, that would be great."


Harm had finished his errands and was just getting all the bags into his apartment when his phone rang. Dropping his stuff onto his counter he reached into his pocket for his cell phone. "Rabb"

"Hey buddy, I just got back into town and I wanted to see if you wanted to meet for a few drinks later."

"Keeter, it's so good to hear from you, but I'm sorry I have plans tonight. How long are you going to be in town?"

"Oh a few days, how about a raincheck?"

"Sounds good Keeter. Give me a call tomorrow and we can work out the details."

"Ok, Tell Mac I said Hi." Keeter starts chucking as he hangs up the phone. Harm had too many things to get started to even be concerned with Keeter and his antics so he gets down to work. He runs into his bedroom to change into something more comfortable and heads back to get dinner started. He always makes make some type of pasta dish but tonight he is doing something a little fancy. He picked up some lobster tails and a filet mignon. He first got the sweet potatoes washed and peeled, then cubed and seasoned with dry french onion soup mix then roasted in the oven with a little olive oil. Those would take the longest. He then prepped the salad and stowed it in the refrigerator. Next he moved to preparing his hibachi grill for his small veranda so that he could grill the lobster tails and her steak. Setting the steak to marinade to the side he then prepared the flavored butter as well as the fresh bread he picked up from the bakery while he stopped to grab something chocolate for dessert. Dinner was moving along nicely so he began to set the table with the new candles and flowers he had picked up on his way home then he changed his cd's in his stereo to reflect the mood he was hoping to create. Lastly he got out his chess board and tucked it under his coffee table. He turned around surveying the atmosphere he had created and decided to dim the lights and only use his lamps and candles. Still having time before he expected Mac to arrive he chose to tidy up a bit before adding the tails and steak to the grill.

Mac was sitting in her car parked outside of Harm's loft. She was a little early and didn't want to seem too eager to arrive. She was always waiting it seemed for the right time and the right moment when it came to Harmon Rabb Jr. I wonder if we will ever move from this phase our friendship…maybe I should just be grateful that our friendship is finally back to normal. Mac made her way into the building and was just about to knock on the door when she heard the music drifting through the door. If she didn't know better that sounded like Barry White. I wonder…

"Hey Harm."

"Hey Mac, come on in…can I get you something to drink while we wait?"

"That sounds great. Thanks"

"I have a few different choices. Flavored Teas, juices, flavored mineral waters." Harm looked over his shoulder at her as he pulled the refrigerator open.

"Tea sounds good, just surprise me." Harm grabbed a drink for the both of them and sat them on the counter. He pulled out the salad and the plate of bread he had sliced and buttered after a little oven time. "Harm it smells great in here, can I help with anything?"

"Well, I'm just about to add dinner to the grill, but everything is pretty much ready. I just wanted everything to be nice and warm when we ate so I waited for you to get here because they shouldn't take long. Be right back." Mac looked around at the candles and the dim lighting. 'If I didn't know any better I would think he is setting quite the mood.' Harm came back in with a platter of tails and steak, he then pulled out the tray of potatoes and slid them into a serving bowl.

"Harm everything looks so nice. Shall we move to the table?"

"Sounds perfect, here, can you take these two bowls over for me?" Mac reached out and grabbed the bowls and made her way to the table. Just as she was about to pull out her chair Harm stopped her.

"Just a second Mac, Let me get that for you." Harm stepped over to pull out her chair for her. She sat and looked over her shoulder at Harm and they both smiled. She thought to herself , 'that's something new'

"I love the music. Is that Barry White?" Harm just nodded as he sat down himself. "Nice touch Sailor." Dinner was served and the conversation was engaging between the two of them, they spoke of everything and anything but secretly each was grateful that work didn't seem to pop up. Harm was grateful for that article he read about conversation starters for first dates. Mac couldn't remember the last time she had had so much fun just talking about silly things with anyone. "Harm, this dinner is by far one of your best. It was so tasty. Can I help with the clean up?"

"It's done…I worked through the mess as I was cooking. The only thing left is our dishes but let's just leave them in the sink for now. They can soak while we move on to dessert."

"You made dessert too?"

"No, I picked it up at the bakery around the corner. But we can wait if you're too full."

"I am a bit full, maybe we should go for a walk to work a little of this dinner off?"

"I have a better idea…Let's dance." Mac looked at him with one eyebrow raised.

"Dance…You want to dance? What's gotten into you Harm?"

"Is that too weird?"

"No,No, its just a little out of character for you. I would love to dance with you. What did you have in mind?" Harm walked over to his stereo and selected the cd he had added specifically for this moment. "If I didn't know better I would say you planned this Harm." Harm just shrugged and said…

"My mom told me to always be prepared." They both chuckled. Harm walked up to her and she opened her arms to him. "How am I doing?"

"I would say it's a welcome surprise and change. I am very happy."

"Good, because if you will let me, I hope to do my very best to make you happy for as long as you will let me." Mac looked into his eyes,

"Harm? What are you trying to say?" He took a deep breath and thought, 'Well, it's now or never, hammer!'

"Sarah, I…umm…I decided I don't want anything to be miscommunicated between the two of us. We always seem to talk around what we really want to say. I know I do it out of fear and I kind of think you have that same fear because of the way I blundered any conversation we have ever tried to have when it comes to this topic. It always seems one of us is ready when the other is in a holding pattern." Harm started swaying to the music while Mac was distracted with what he was saying. Mac was looking into his eyes when things began to click. Harm began to pull her in closer to him as they danced to Nina Simone's I put a spell on you. Harm knew this was one of Mac's favorites.

"Harm, are you trying to say what I think you are trying to say? Are you ready to…" Harm had her in such a tight embrace that when he pulled his dirty dancing move it caught Mac totally by surprise. He stepped between her legs and dipped her back slowly while never breaking eye contact. "Nice move Mr. Rabb. Is that Nina? Harm just nodded as he pulled her slowly back towards him. "Harm, sometimes my words don't do justice to my emotions. Please tell me what it is you want to say…no deflections, no riddles. Just say what you mean and I will too." Harm leaned in closely as if he was going to kiss her. Mac's heart began to beat quickly and her breaths seemed to be short and shallow.

"Sarah, you are the only woman that sets my soul at ease. I am so comfortable with you in my life that I want to make sure that you are always with me. I want to know that I can kiss you whenever I feel like it, I want to wake up with you in my arms, and I want to do my best to make your dreams come true. I love you Sarah Catherine Mackenzie, with all my heart and with every fiber of my body." Mac's eyes began to shimmer. "Don't cry beautiful." Harm then closed the small distance between their lips, the kiss began slowly with a tenderness she didn't expect. Slowly her arms drifted from his shoulders up behind his neck, gently she pulled him closer to her and when she slid the tip of her tongue along his lips she heard him moan. He pulled back to look at her before allowing himself to be lost in her kiss. "Sarah?"

"Harm, I may not be as eloquent at you just were but, I have been waiting so long to hear those words from you. I want nothing more then to love you for as long as you will put up with me. You are the only man who sees me for who I am, who listens and hears what I am really saying, and who recognizes when I need to work something out for myself and when I need you to help and support me. Are we really both in the same headspace?"

"I want you forever Sarah…Can I finish that kiss now?" He smirked at her, and she smiled such a wonderfully vibrant smile that he felt as though his heart split wide open at the sight of it.

"You're the one who stopped it." She chuckled

"Are you busting my chops, Marine?"

"Always and forever…I love you Harmon." Harm smiled and leaned in to finish his kiss, and oh what a kiss it was. When they broke away she realized they were still dancing and asked him if he wanted to sit on the couch. He slowly shook his head with a sexy and lustful look in his eyes. "Why not Harm?

"I want to take my time moving our relationship along and I don't know if my will power can sustain that type of temptation."

"Maybe I'm not so into moving things along slowly…I mean six years is a long time."

"Maybe so, but I kind of like the thought of us making out like a bunch of teenagers." Mac chuckled and moved her hips against him. When he moaned once more she said,

"That's what the couch is for…silly."

"Silly…I'll show you silly." The music changed just at that moment to Sade and his hips seemed to have a mind of their own which truly surprised Mac so much that she looked up at him with raised eyebrows. "Dance with me, baby." Mac just nodded and dropped her arm around his waist to allow for his rhythm to find its way into her body and she decided that she liked dancing with Harm and was fully expecting the rest of the evening to be full of surprises. It was much later that dessert was shared between the two of them…on the couch.


Harriet sat at her desk the next morning finishing up her report for the Admiral. Just as she was about to print the report Harm and Mac strolled into the bullpen. They seemed to be enraptured with each other, not noticing that she has greeted them both. She watched as Harm walked her to her office and as she smiled up at him before he made his way to his office. 'Huh? Yet another interesting development.' "Coates, tell the Admiral I have my report ready whenever he has time."

"Yes, Ma'am."