Filler chapter..one of those "not sure why I wrote it" things we do. This is wrapping up soon - aiming for 6 more chapters a lot of which are outlined...I have diff ideas..

Chapter 34

Breakfast in bed was a luxury Mac hadn't really experienced. She joked once that most ment she spent the evening making her breakfast but, the reality was far from the truth. Chris did, from time to time but she was always expected to join him in the kitchen of their tiny apartment. Mic couldn't cook and every attempt to do something nice for her wound up with the fire alarm shrieking in complaint, several days of burning scented candles and an eventual trip to a nearby greasy spoon.

Harm was on the opposite spectrum from her past lovers. The man could cook and his breakfast, however pedestrian, was absolutely delicious. Pancakes, four strips of bacon and the fluffiest eggs she'd ever had - all a peace offering of sorts that she happily accepted. It was almost painful to push the tray away knowing she had to be in uniform and out the door in less than an hour. It was a simple morning, a nice morning and Mac wanted more of these. She kissed his cheek and sighed heavily. "This was wonderful but I'm gonna be late for work."

"No, you won't." He was polishing off his own breakfast, one that was far more healthier than hers - a simple bowl of oatmeal topped with fresh fruits. His mug of coffee sitting on the tray alongside her own that he'd periodically sip from. She liked that contrast, the his and hers that had settled in rather fluidly as it was almost meant to be. "I called us both out. Had admiral Morris push back court until the afternoon."

She raised a brow, Harm would never be on the Admiral's good side. "And he agreed?"

"I think he's about done with this crap as much as we are. This could have been handled in a simple Article 32 or hell, Admiral's Mast. He knows it's a three-ring circus and we're the clowns."

No better words had been used to describe this sham of a scenario they'd all been thrust into. "At least something good came out of you slugging Vukovic." She took his hand and kissed his knuckles right where Harm's wedding ring had replaced his Academy ring. "I'm not sure we would have seen each other again."

"You really believe that?" He didn't. Not when every nerve in his body was pushing him to her. Hell, he'd even sent a postcard and was ready to send another and another until he eventually had the guts to fly to California or ask her to visit. "I couldn't get you out of my mind, Mac. I hate to use the word 'inevitable' but-"

"Yeah, I know. I couldn't get you off of my mind either. When I got that postcard from you, it was so unexpected. This will sound stupid but it's like…like I conjured you back into my life."

"It's not stupid." He leaned towards her until his lips touched hers in a sweet kiss. She tasted like maple syrup and something so very much Mac and Harm swore he was falling in love again. Yes, he was still upset but the rage from the past day had been shed in the middle of the night when her body moved against his a certain way and they wound up making love. "You sorta bewitched me years ago." And though he would have happily pushed the tray onto the ground and spent the morning kissing every curve on her body his phone had other ideas.

Mac cursed audibly. His mouth had begun to leave a trail of fire down her collarbone and was slowly inching his way to one of her breasts. She wasn't aroused enough to demand he ignore his phone but he still chuckled at her second muffled curse when he sauntered across the room and retrieved the mobile on his armoire. "Rabb. Yeah…absolutely. We'll be there in an hour. Yes, we, as in me and Colonel MacKenzie. Alright and thank you Admiral."

The other voice boomed over the line, its familiar baritone reaching Mac's ears. It was Admiral Hollings and she might have cringed at his interruption if Harm didn't seem so pleased with himself. "What was that about and should I be worried?"

"Hollings did me a favor, I think. And yeah, you should be a little worried but this isn't about you and me - at least not directly." He sat on the edge of the bed and it was cute to see his little boyish expression, the slight concern that made her want to kiss the monsters away. "How'd you feel about visiting the Winfield House?"

"Winfield House?" There wasn't too much familiarity with London and its various history sites. She still had a list of locations on her ever growing bucklet ist but Mac was too practical to think most of those would get tackled given why she was actually in England. The Winfield House rang a bell not just for its size and grandeur but for the inhabitant that was currently a thorn on their side. "You want us to visit Adele DeLong?" She almost scoffed at the notion, the woman would probably have them both shot the very second they reached the gates.

Harm nodded. "Hollings pulled a few strings. I'm not exactly sure she knows we're coming but her Chief of Staff set up the meeting and we're expected there in about an hour." He glanced over his shoulder to the small clock on the bedside table but Mac was already doing the math.

"Fiffty-five minutes. Let's get a move on, Sailor." She practically trampled him, hopping over the mattress enroute to the bathroom.

It was still an irregularly sunny day, warm even like those Indian Summers experienced in the North Eastern United States, a farewell to usher in the change of seasons. Victor Kirsh, Ambassador DeLong's Chief of Staff stood at the very edge of the expansive gardens and took a deep, deep breath.

This was a betrayal of the highest order, he knew - inviting the Ambassador's enemies right into her home, her sanctuary would never be forgiven but, he was past the point of wishing for atonement. His own involvement in covering up family lies had reached a boiling point.

Oddly enough, a notice came in the form of a phone call to his personal cell phone from a private number. The message at the end forced a call to a commanding officer, an Admiral Hollings who held the position of commander of Naval Forces Europe in Grosvenor Square. Their conversation was lengthy and Kirsh's already wavering loyalties completely broke like a flood gate when the word 'rape' was introduced and he felt a chill down his spine. His career in politics, a road he'd chosen to take over military life, had finally met with the seedy choices of the woman he was tasked to care for.

Adele DeLong could be kind as she could be cruel. The woman was demanding and often, unreasonably so. He'd cleaned up some of her messes, spoken publicly about her choices like a good Chief of Staff would in order to protect the office and the country he swore fealty to. But, there was only so far Victor was willing to go for her godson, the sniveling, erratic man-child that was now constantly threatening the good order and business of DeLong's position.

Whatever facade the woman presented to the World crumbled the seconds he entered the estate. She'd lost focus and what little compassion she held for the house's staff. Victor was now picking up those pieces, fielding complaints about erratic behaviors and missed meetings and he knew the crux of the Ambassador's problems lay at the feet of her precious little godson. He didn't hate Adele DeLong, just the opposite - he admired her tenacity, her work ethic but the current state of affairs could no longer continue.

Maybe it was fate that had him returning an unknown caller's message but, once he heard that a Captain Rabb and Colonel MacKenzie had arrived on the premises, the weight on his shoulders - the feeling of betrayal - lifted somewhat. He would lie, of course, pretend the meeting slipped just under his nose. Yes, someone would be fired, a secretary or some young office staff that would be better off suited in a different billet but, some peace would come to his life.

What surprised him the most about Rabb and MacKenzie was how well they suited one another. The Colonel's drab Marine Greens meshed well with the Captain's dark Navy blues. They cared a great deal for one another, evident on how the Captain pressed his palm against the Colonel's lower back and let it linger a breath longer than normally accepted. From the matching wedding rings, it was clear that they were more than just colleagues, a fact that would have confused Kirsh had he not overheard Adele's stupid godson drunkenly blubbering about weddings and a woman that would never be his.

From just one glance he could tell that MacKenzie was far out of Vukovic's league - lightyears away and in another solar system, if he was being realistic. She'd never fall for a man like him even if coerced or blackmailed. Part of him wanted to shake the Captain's hand and thank the man who'd single handedly beaten his ward's godson into a pulp. Instead, he straightened his suit and waited for the pair to enter the foyer. "Captain Rabb, Colonel MacKenzie, welcome to Winfield House."

"Victor Kirsh, I presume?" The Naval Officer asked, his voice a little hesitant until Victor nodded. "Admiral Hollings said-"

"I know nothing about this meeting, Captain. I didn't approve it and will be completely appalled when the Ambassador tells me she didn't ask to see you or the Colonel." His voice was low, dangerous - well, as dangerous as it could sound from a man Vuckovic called "Pointdexter."

Mac glanced up at her husband with a curt nod motioned at the chief of staff. "Understood, Mr. Kirsh."

"It's Victor and I hope the two of you are a little more successful at extracting Gregory from the equation." He paused with his hand on the handle of the thick, heavy door. "Every time he visits the Ambassador she's different afterwards, off kilter. I know about her past interaction with you, Captain and I assure you, she's doing great things here - keeping the peace. Adele isn't perfect but-"

Mac pressed a hand on the man's forearm and squeezed gently. "You're not betraying her - you're helping. She doesn't know how sick he is."

Foreign relations required a level head and something of a poker face. Two qualities that were Adele Delong's specialty. She could act with empathy and inturn be the biggest bitch of them all. Very little surprised the Ambassador and the staff surrounding her had been hand picked for the ability to be discreet. She trusted her people until Rabb and MacKenzie stepped into her private office.

Their uniforms may have well been armor compared to the dark red Armani tracksuit she wore. At once she slowed the treadmill she walked on, its belt coming to a smooth stop seconds later. It was graceful how she stepped down and reached for a plush white towel to dab the sweat at her brow.

DeLong was making them wait. As a commanding officer Mac used similar tactics to gather her thoughts and shift the ball of control in her favor. She looked up at Harm and softly sighed when his hand squeezed hers.

It'll be alright.

Their silent conversations were still powerful as ever and Mac added it to the list of things she missed about their relationship. "Ambassador, we're sorry to intrude but-"

"Victor." DeLong's raspy voice cracked a little as she motioned for the water bottle on her desk. "How are they here?"

He moved quickly, as if being summoned by a Queen and handed her the bottle. "I don't know Ambassador. I think Amber set up this meeting, ma'am…She's the new girl and-"

"Fire her. Fire her immediately, Victor." She glared at her chief of staff and pointed at the door. "Leave us and keep a guard on stand by just in case." Her eyes landed on Harm first, Mac next and then came the eyeroll with a heaving sigh. "Ah, the newlyweds. How's married life? I suspect you'll be expecting soon?"

The woman wouldn't have known of Mac's illness, the endometriosis that made fertility impossible. It still stung and Mac had to turn away from Adele's scrutiny to look up at her husband. Harm was livid, the stone cold hatred growing with each passing second.

"Bitch." He said under his breath, so low Mac barely heard and then, without being asked, he ushered his wife into one of the two oversized chairs in front of the Ambassador's desk. "Let's cut to the chase. We know Vukovic's your godson."

"And we know you've been helping him move up the ranks when he should have been passed up for promotions." Mac added. She absentmindedly placed a hand on her flat belly and quickly snapped herself out of those thoughts. She was a Marine here to battle, personal emotions had no context in this setting.

Adele grinned. She rather enjoyed how tenacious the pair was, if they'd met under better circumstances, she suspected they'd all be allies. "A claim that can't be substantiated, not really. Or were you planning on pulling his baptism records too?"

"Ma'am."

"Yes, he's my godson and yes, I've had a hand or two in helping Gregory move along. He has a bright mind that requires a little push from time to time." She locked eyes with Mac and that sardonic smile spread on her lips. "Surely an officer such as yourself knows the advantages of having a helping hand. Colonel Farrow wasn't it?"

Mac smiled back. "Looks like you've had no trouble looking through my file. Yes, my career could be a discretionary tale of how not to move through the ranks. It's the reason I was passed up for a promotion and had to work even harder to get where I am. The difference between me and Gregory is that I'm qualified to do my job. Also, I'm not a serial rapist."

As Mac spoke Adele began to craft a spectacular rebuttal. That all changed the second her godon's indiscretions came into question. As far as Adele knew, Vic's supposed assault was a 'one time thing' over a girl who drank too much and let accusations fly. Of course there was his failed wedding to a woman Adele knew was never the kind to entice her godson to rid his special appetites. "Colonel, you better have concrete evidence before you let those kinds of accusations fly."

She'd made copies of Vic's thumbdrive. Three similar usb sticks Mac dared not open out of fear that more information would be erased. Her palm opened and she stood to place the drive on the dark leather blotter in the center of DeLong's desk. "The proof you need."

"What is that?"

"Vukovic kept files of all his victims. Most interesting are the folders labeled 'baseball' that have actual videos of the assault."

Mac's tone left little doubt to the validity of her claim and, for once, Adele was positively shell shocked. She eyed the tiny piece of media at the center of the desk like an insect she was weary of. "Gregory had some interludes but they were dealt with. I got him the best medical care possible. I assure you Colonel, your accusation wouldn't have been allowed on my watch. Contrary to you or Captain Rabb's opinion - I advocate for women and if my own godson portrayed such an act, I would have condemned him myself."

"I knew he was a womanizer. It was evident how he tried and failed to seduce me in Washington." Mac swallowed hard in an effort to suppress the bile that had risen. She hated her part in it, the amusement found in Vukovic's attempt to woo her that wasn't stopped sooner. "I blame myself. I was hurt and broken and enjoyed his flirting."

"So you were interested in him? It wasn't something Gregory made up?"

"Amused, yes. Interested, no. But sick men mistake kindness for love and I was never, ever, in any way attracted to your godson. He took my kindness, my want to give second chances and make him a better officer and twisted it to something gross and impossible."

Adele nodded slowly. She understood now because, unlike before, a victim had come forward and given her godson's obsessions with MacKenzie, it all clicked. "He is romantically interested in you."

"Obsessed." Harm, who'd been forgotten until this point chimed in. "There's a video of a woman named Jessica - she looks like the Colonel. Disturbingly so. She'd admitted to me and Colonel MacKenzie that Vukovic sexually assaulted her. Took a girl who liked him but was hesitant to have sex - drugged her and forced her." He pointed with his finger at the drive. "It's all there."

"He calls her 'Sarah' repeatedly. Did the same with a former colleague he slept with. That drive is his trophy - it shows who your godson really is. I know you love him and want to protect his and your career but he needs to be stopped."

Adele plucked the drive and dropped it into her top drawer which she closed and locked. Her heart was drumming hard, it was deafening. Beneath her desk she used her nails to dig into her thigh, a trick she developed that helped her relax when faced with adversity. "Thank you for shedding some light on Gregory's illness. He's always been different, a little emotional, but a special boy. Very smart… I'll have him reassigned and get him the help he needs."

"Help? He's past that point! You can't just give him another billet and hope this goes away!"

"I won't see him in jail, Captain." She flashed back decades earlier when Vukovic's mother lay in hospice dying from a crippling disease. A promise was made, one that she'd never back away from no matter the reasons. "He was seven when his mother passed and as her dying wish she made me promise to always take care of Gregory. I'm trying to do that. He isn't a violent boy just…misguided at times."

"Not violent?" Mac stood up suddenly and it was Harm's steady hand that kept her from lunging forward. "He tried to attack me in the Captain's office."

"And you attacked back. You aren't some damsel in distress, Sarah. Given your training, you could have killed him and yet, Gregory didn't file charges." Adele's calm exterior remained and the hard beats of her heart eased tremendously. She'd find a solution and given the way Rabb cared for MacKenzie, there was a way to alleviate this problem. "You want my help? Finish the trial, don't try to intervene or stop the proceedings. When all is said and done, no matter the verdict you must leave the Navy and never come back - give Gregory that win."

"He won't do that." Mac said but, when she turned to face Harm saw a look of acceptance in his eyes. "Harm?"

"Fine…yes."

"You can't. He'll win."

He took her hand and let his thumb run a circle across her wrist. "Baby, this wasn't gonna end another way. I've been in the Navy long enough. It's time."

"Harm, no."

"Yes."

"Colonel, listen to your husband. I swear to you that Gregory won't ever hurt any woman ever again." She lied but then she was good at lies. Convincing others had never been difficult for Adele DeLong and with a firm shake of the Captain's hand, she knew she'd won.

They didn't speak for most of the drive to the office. Mac sat as far away as possible with her eyes fixated on the buildings that passed outside her window. She was tired, emotionally drained to know she'd destroyed another man's career.

"You're mad at me."

"Yes. You're an idiot if you think Adele will do anything that she promised."

Harm grinned. "Did you just call me an idiot?" He joked and tried to reach for her but Mac only recoiled.

"That wasn't meant to be funny. None of this is. Knowing DeLong they'll lock you back up and force me to take it just so they won't hurt you."

"I don't trust her. I don't believe a word she said…I have a back up plan." And it was wild and impulsive, a bit unconventional but Admiral Morris would expect nothing less. "Don't come to court today."

"Why?"

He sighed heavily. A marriage to this woman would be a constant battle of wits but, he wouldn't want it any other way. "Mac, for the love of God. Please don't come to court today…promise me."

"I have issues with the 'obey' part of our vows, remember?"

"Please." Harm wasn't above begging and would have dropped to his knees had they been on solid ground. "Please. I could make it a direct order… Colonel MacKenzie, I order you to remain in your office during my trial."

His voice boomed in the confines of the vehicle and made Mac visibly wince. Orders were orders and for the first time in forever, he was technically her superior by a few months. "Aye, sir."

"I love you, Mac. I love you so damned much." And he'd end this for her and allow them both to heal.