Title: A Helping Hand
Author: Ashlee
e-mail: zyp959@hotmail.com
Rating: PG for some naughty words
Spoilers: Um...none really
Kewords: Harm/Mac romance/humor
Timeline: Before Harm's crash into the ocean
Disclimer: In the story
Summery: Sometimes love needs a helping hand, and finally the right 
person 
comes along to help.


Disclaimer: As much as I would love to own these nice
folks I doubt David B. and CBS would go for that.
Besides I can only offer what I’m offering the
creators of the Pretender, Steve and Craig, fifty
bucks. So until then, David B. owns ‘em. 


Author’s Note: Hey all, this would be my first JAG
fanfic, and it’s a long one, 29 pages, at twelve point
font. Yuppers, when I come out, I come all out J. I
usually stick with the Pretender, so if this is a
little off base, um blame Steve and Craig! Yeah that’s
it.  



McMurphy’s Bar
December 15
2230 



Men suck ass. Yup, that’s the professional analysis. I
just can’t win with the opposite sex. That is why I’m
here sipping a scotch on the rocks and watching the
college football game on the big screen here at a
McMurphy’s. I’m thirty-five, a decent looking woman
and yet I get stuck with the bottom of the gene pool
when it comes to men. I think the problem is that I
attract the good-looking ones, okay so all the men
I’ve been in a serious relationship with have been
hot. But they, at least in my experience, seem to be
the biggest assholes that ever walked the earth. They
are so full of them selves, and then expect me to do
whatever the hell they ask. I’m a nice, giving person
so they always end up taking advantage of me. Yeah I
know, you would think that since I realize this it
wouldn’t be a problem…the thing is I end up falling so
head over heals so fast that I just end up getting
hurt.

Take for instance Jake, my latest ex. I had cooked
dinner for us, it was our one-year anniversary, and he
was two hours late. That’s right, two hours. So I
figure that he got stuck at work, he was a manager at
a big corporation after all, so I wait…and wait. And
when the jerk does come home he has a *prostitute*,
you heard me right, he had a two cent whore on his
arm. Then, after that, he has the audacity to ask me
if I want a threesome. I blew up. I yelled “If you
love me how can you ask me to do this? Ask me to sleep
with someone who could have any number of diseases?
Who walks the streets for cash because she can’t get
herself a real job?” I calmed down for a minute and
realized just how much I had been putting up with. I
told him to get out. That was two days ago.

At this thought I snort a little in disgust, which
apparently gets the attention of the man I didn’t
realize was sitting on the stool beside me. “What’s so
funny?” He asks, also sipping on a drink, bourbon I
believe.

I look at him; he’s about my age, maybe a few years
older. Suck. Another good-looking man, ah who was I
kidding, the dude had it going on. “Just thinking
about how much the opposite sex sucks.”

He looks at me funny, like he was half insulted.
“Ouch.”

“Yeah well, you tell me how you feel when your
girlfriend comes home with a prostitute and asks you
to have a threesome…” I pause… “Nevermind.”

He grins a beautiful grin. “Ah, he was one of
*those*.” He offered. “You know, not all of us are
like that.”

“Yeah, I haven’t heard *that* before.” I snort into my
drink.

“Well I’m Harm.” He offered me his hand. I look at if
for a moment before giving it a shake.

“I’m Ashlee.” 

He nods. “Nice to meet you.”

“So now that you know why I’m here, what’s your
excuse?”

He frowned into his drink, and then stares at what’s
behind the bartender. “I guess I’m having my share of
issues with the opposite sex as well.”

“Hmmph. What are these problems, if you don’t mind me
asking?” I notice we are both out of drinks, so I
signal the bartender for another round; this was going
to take a while.

He shook his head. “Ah, why the hell not. I’m with
this girl, Renee, and well I’m not sure if I should
be.”

I nod. “I know the feeling Harm. Questioning destiny
takes its toll. So why don’t you think you should be
with her?”

He thinks for another moment, drinking down the glass
of bourbon in front of him, and signals for another.
“Well, we’ve been together for almost a year, and I’m
not quite feeling what I should at this point, you
know? It’s like I still sorta feel empty, and I
shouldn’t. And she keeps asking me about proposing
because on of our friends did.”

“Where’s the romance if she asks for it? Proposals are
supposed to be a surprise, and you shouldn’t propose
because it’s some sort of new trend.” I shake my head
at the poor girl.

Harm, however, seems to find a small amount of humor
in my statement as one corner of his mouth turns up in
a grin. “Yeah, well that’s Renee. When she knows what
she wants she lets everyone know.”

“She sounds like a bratty three year old.” When Harm
doesn’t respond I decide to change the topic to a
lighter one. “So what is it that you do when you
aren’t getting drunk with a stranger?”

That got him to smile. “I’m a naval officer. I work at
JAG.”

A throw my hands up in the air. “It figures!”

He looks at me confused. “What?”

“You’re good-looking *and* in the military, you cannot
possibly be a decent guy.” I let my hands fall back on
the table, and pick up my fourth drink, and finish it
off.

“I’d be offended if I weren’t slightly buzzed. Besides
it’s the Army men who are assholes, not the Navy.
Sheesh, you get one bad branch of the military and the
rest take the blame.”

I grin at that, he took it well, maybe he was decent.
“I apologize then.”

He nodded. “Good. I accept. So what exactly is it you
do miss smarty pants?”

“I’m an elementary school teacher. I teach fourth
grade at Pierce Elementary.” He raises an eyebrow.
“What?” I ask.

“It’s just that I never thought elementary school
teachers drank. I never, I mean I couldn’t picture my
elementary school teachers drinking.”

“Yeah, well the world is changing my friend.” Man I’m
starting to feel really buzzed, I think about
stopping, but what the hell, it’s a Friday night.

“So it is.” Once again the conversation comes to a
halt. Lost in my thoughts, I snort again. “What?” Harm
asks.

I turn to look him in the eye, nearly falling off my
chair in the process. I had to be on my ninth or tenth
shot in the last forty-five minutes. “How is it that
two good looking people like you and me can’t seem to
find love? I mean you’re hot, I’m hot, what the hell
is going on? I think that God just likes to mess with
us. I think we are just clowns in God’s little messed
up circus.”

“Is that a personal or professional philosophy?”

“Not a philoscophy Harm, a truph.” I don’t drink much
and I was starting to slur and couldn’t see quite
right. It felt like my head was full of cotton.

“Hey,” Harm said as he reached out to me. “Are you
okay?”

“I doesn’t drink bunch, Harm.” I slur as my eyes get
fuzzy. I lay me head on the table in hopes that that
will help, instead I start to doze. I feel myself get
pulled up by someone, but I’m too tired to care. I had
had something like twelve shots of 60 proof scotch,
and for someone who has an occasional wine cooler,
well let’s just say that that’s a lot. 

The last thing I hear is someone mumble something to
me about an address, but before I can respond the
blissful darkness takes me in. 



Harm’s Apartment

December 16

0900  



I awake slowly, unaware of where I am. I think back
and realize I had been out drinking last night. No
headache, I guess it was a good idea to eat before I
went on my binge. I open my eyes to find myself in a
completely strange bedroom. Shit, what happened? I
lift the covers. Well, I’m still completely dressed
and I don’t feel like I’ve had sex; that’s always a
good sign. So I was sitting in this bar…and I was
talking to some guy. Ham…no…Harm, that’s it Harm, and
the twelve or so shots of scotch in that hour started
taking affect. Harm must have taken me to his place
since he didn’t know where I lived. I had forgotten to
bring my drivers license, not that I got carded, I had
been there enough.

It was then that I heard a clank from the other part
of the house. I stood up slowly, just to make sure
that a headache didn’t hit. When all was clear I stood
and walked past the little glass partition thing to
the stairs. I walked slowly down, raking my fingers
through my hair so that I might look somewhat
presentable. “Harm?” I ask rather confused.

“In here!” I see him standing behind a breakfast bar,
cooking. I smile shyly, not quite sure what to say or
do. “Hey.” He says in greeting when he sees me. “How
are you feeling?” 

“Pretty good, no headache at least. I just still feel
kinda funky, but that’s what happens when someone like
me drinks more than two wine coolers.” He laughs at
that and I smirk back. “So, not to be insulting, but
why am I here? And where is here?”

“Well, after you basically fell down drunk, I tried to
ask you your address so I could get a cab to take us
home, but at that point I could barely keep you
walking, much less talking. So I decided rather than
leave you there I’d take you here, we’re just north of
Union Station. Don’t worry I slept on the couch.”

I look him in the eye then. “I never thought you took
advantage of me Harm, I just couldn’t remember what
happened.” He smiles and nods again. I wonder if Renee
knows how lucky she is. “Hey Harm?”

“Yeah?”

“This is going to sound weird, I mean I am the drunk
school teacher you brought home wasted from the bar
last night, but do you think we could be friends?” He
raises an eyebrow in question. “No, don’t take this
wrong Harm, but there is no way I want any sort of
romance with a good looking man, from now on I’m going
for the average looking ones.”

“I think I’ll take that as a compliment, and you know
what Ashlee?” He raises his juice glass, and puts
another one that had been sitting behind the counter
in front of where I sit at the breakfast bar. “I think
this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

I grin and raise my glass. “I have to agree, I haven’t
had a conversation as good as the one we had last
night in a long time.”

He nodded. “Me neither.”

“So whatchya cooking back there, Chef?”

“Pancakes. Bisquick to be exact.”

“The perfect Saturday morning breakfast, and it goes
perfectly with Saturday morning cartoons. Do you
mind?” I ask indicating to the television in the other
part of the loft.

“Cartoons?” He asks.

“Yes, cartoons. It’s Saturday, how can you let any
Saturday go by with out watching the antics of Bugs
Bunny, Daffy Duck, or While E. Coyote?” I ask as I
walk over to the television and turn on Fox in time
for the “Bugs and Tweety Show”

He laughs. “I think you’ve been hanging out with
fourth graders to long.”

“And I think you’ve been hanging out with to many
serious grown-ups. Cartoons make you feel nine again;
it’s a great way to forget your responsibilities for a
couple of hours. C’mon Navy boy, get those pancakes
over here and watch some cartoons!”

He laughs, and grabs a couple plates of pancakes and
brings them over to the couch. “You win.”

I grin as I start to watch. “I usually do.” 

Two hours had passed since we sat down with our
pancakes and began watching cartoons, and it had to be
the funniest two hours that I can remember. After
watching the Bugs and Tweety show some old Donald Duck
cartoons came on along with some Chip and Dale. Harm
was determined to learn how to talk like Donald Duck,
and well, let’s just say he isn’t very good. I was
laughing so hard, I nearly peed my pants! We were
laughing at my lame attempt to say, “Red Robin ran
across the road” in a Donald Duck voice when someone
knocks on the door. I look at him and raise my
eyebrow, “Renee?” I ask. He shrugs his shoulders and
gets up to answer the door. I can’t help but admire
the view, I mean it’s right in my face. Him in some
nice tight jeans and a white T-shirt…anyway. He’s
eyecandy, you get the point. 

Harm turns to me one last time, and looks like all
shits about to hit the fan. Man I hope it’s not
Renee…Harm pulls open the door and some blond is
standing in the doorway in a pink power suit. It’s
freaking Saturday, who wears a power suit on Saturday?
It’s the official day of sweats. “Hi Renee.” Oh shit,
it *is* her.

“Harm!” She squeals in delight as she runs into his
arms. It’s enough to trigger my gag reflex. “I’ve
missed you so much! All I thought about while I was
in…” She stops her incessant ranting when she sees me
sitting on the couch, still in my own jeans, but
wearing one of Harm’s many Navy shirts.

“Hi,” I say, not sure what else to do. “I’m Ashlee
Miller.”

“And what exactly are *you* doing here?” She demands,
hands on her hips. 

Man, what a bitch, but if she wants to go, bring it
on! “I got drunk while talking to your boyfriend, and,
instead of leaving me unconscious in the bar, he
brought me here.” I say in the most indignant voice I
can muster. 

It’s at this point that she decides that I am no
longer an important part of this conversation.
Instead, she turns and pouts at Harm. “I thought you
were going to come meet me at my plane, I left you
three messages.” She said, her arms slung across his
shoulders.

“I didn’t play my answering machine, sorry. I went out
after work”

Her pout grew, but after a moment of contemplation,
which I’m not quite sure she’s capable of, her pout
turns into a smirk. “What do you say to make up for
that you take me out for the day! We can spend the
whole day out on the town, just the two of us.” I am,
once again, near the point of needing a toilet and a
toothbrush. This girl was nauseating.

Harm looks over at me and I shrug, hell it’s up to
him. “Actually Renee, Ashlee and I already made plans,
we’re supposed to meet Mac, Mic, Bud and Harriet all
for an early dinner, and before that I have to take
her home so she can get cleaned up.”

Renee frowned. “Well, can’t I come?”

“Actually,” I interrupt, attempting to save Harm from
further persecution by the brainless wonder. “We
already made the reservations.”

“I see.” She whines. “Well I can tell when I’m not
wanted.” And with that she turned on her heel and
left, slamming the door.

Harm went to chase after her, but I stop him. “She’s
not worth it. God, she even sounds like a bratty
three-year old. I have never heard a woman that age
whine so much in my entire life.”

“So you don’t like her either?” He asks, sitting
resignately on the couch.

“Either? Who else doesn’t like her?” I ask sitting
beside him.

He turns to face me. “My partner at JAG, Mac. She
hates Renee, just about as much as I hate Mac’s
fiancé, Mic.” 

“Aha. So how long have you known this Mac?”

“I’ve known her about five years now. We’re actually
best friends, or were, I’m not quite sure where we
stand in that department right now. I left a couple
years back to go back to flying and went out to sea.
When I came back everything was weird.” He runs a hand
through his hair and sighs. “Then she got engaged to
the guy who had filled in for me while I was gone.” 

Okay, I admit I have a double major, one in education
and one in psychology, and well, this kind of sounds
like one of those psychological moments. I can tell by
his reaction to Mac getting engaged that he has a
thing for her, and the fact that Mac got engaged to
the man who had temporarily filled in for him leads me
to believe the same about her. But, then again, I
barely know these people, and I’ve never actually
practiced psychology.

“I think there’s a bit more to this story then you’re
telling me.” I prompt.

He nods and sighs again. “Yeah. Before Mac even got
engaged to Mic, we where in Australia, where he’s
from. Mac and I were on a ferry cruise and she asked
me if I was willing or ready to let things go and be
with her. I choked, I mean totally. I had no idea what
to say. What do you say in a situation like that?”

“How about ‘yes’” I offer.

“Yeah, well, I wasn’t ready for that.”

“Are you ready now?” I ask. This was better than a
romance novel.

“How about we talk about something else?” He says
getting up abruptly, carrying our dishes into the
kitchen, and running them under water before placing
them in the other side of the sink. “Like about what
we’re going to do today.” 

I shrug. “I know that the thing about dinner isn’t
going on, but kudos for getting her the hell out of
here. Tell you what Sailor, why don’t you take the
next two days off, maybe get some work done, so on
Monday we can go out for lunch. Besides,” I grin, “I
don’t want to wear out my welcome to fast!’

He grins back. “Sounds good. Then on Monday you can
return my shirt washed and pressed.”

“Just for that I’m gunna spill coffee and ketchup all
over it and give it back to you dirty. Maybe even get
the kids to finger paint it in the morning.”

He laughs again. “Wait, don’t you have to stay in the
building all day at school?”

“Monday is a half day. It’s the start of Christmas
Break.”

He nods. “Okay, tell you what. On the way to your
place I’ll show you how to get to JAG and you can meet
me there for lunch whenever you get out. Sound good?”

“Yup, let’s get moving!” 



Monday

December 18

1300 



Man today was hell. When kids know it’s a half day
there is absolutely no calming them down or getting
their attention. The little rascals ran me all over
the place, but what can I say, I couldn’t wait to get
out of there either. Besides, they deserve to have fun
one day out of the week, though why they decided to
even have school today is beyond me. Oh well, I still
get to have lunch with Harm. 

I pull up to the gate entering JAG, and they make me
go get a temporary pass. It’s a pain in the ass, but I
guess I can deal with it. Besides the guy was nice
about it. Anyway, I digress. As I walk into the
building I feel horribly out of place in my typical
teacher’s clothing. I was wearing a white dress with a
blue floral print, and a blue sweater over top.
Meanwhile everyone else is either in Army BDU’s or
Navy uniforms. I did, however, get a couple once
overs, and I’d like to tell myself it was because I
was looking good. After arriving to the floor that
Harm told me to go to, I was lost. I stop a pudgy man
in a Navy uniform. “Excuse me sir, but do you know
where Commander Rabb is?”

The man looks at me oddly. “He’s still in court ma’am.
May I ask why you need to see him?”

“Oh, we’re just supposed to meet for lunch.” The man
looks at me oddly. I’m not sure what he’s thinking. I
barely know Harm and I know he wouldn’t cheat, so I’m
fairly sure his collogues wouldn’t think that. But,
then, I’m sure very few civilian women, other than
Renee, come to see him.

After getting over his confusion, the man shows me to
Harm’s office. “He should be out any minute ma’am. You
can wait here until he’s finished.”

“Thank you…um, I didn’t catch your name.”

“Oh! Sorry ma’am. I’m Lieutenant Bud Roberts.” He
offers his hand.

I take it and shake it. “Nice to meet you Bud, I’m
Ashlee Miller.”

“Nice to meet you to ma’am. But I really have to be
going, I need to meet my wife for lunch.”

I nod. This must be the Bud that Harm said we were
going to dinner with when he lied to Renee. “Alright
Bud, and thank you. And call me Ashlee!”

He nods. “Yes ma’am…I mean Ashlee.” 

And with that he leaves me alone in the office. I sit
for a couple minutes, but the bustle outside gets my
attention and I decide to check it out. I stand in the
doorway of his office and survey the goings on without
being noticed. There were desks littering the main
room, and people where either busily working at them,
or standing around them holding files and handing them
off. Some stood reading them and others talked on the
phone. I have no idea how these people can work so
efficiently with all of the noise. I’m tempted to go
walk around, but I hear Harm’s voice coming from the
entryway. “No way Mac, no deal. The guy killed two
people, I’m not about to give him manslaughter unless
you can prove to me that he was sleepwalking, or was
being controlled by hypnosis. The guy *knew* what he
was doing.”

The slender brunette by his side is wearing what looks
like an army uniform, but because Harm told me Mac was
a marine, I know that it isn’t.

“Harm, the guy did it, but does he really deserve to
be in Leavenworth for the rest of his life? It was a
momentary lapse, and he’s a good kid. He just took his
training to seriously.”

They were talking while walking towards his office.
They were so engrossed in their conversation that Harm
doesn’t notice me until he nearly runs into me.
“Ashlee! You’re here. What time is it?”

At his side Mac responds before I can process the
question. “1315 and 27 seconds.”

“Thanks Mac.” He sees my bewildered face and smiles.
“It’s a marine thing.”

“I guess so. You must be Mac.” I say extending my
hand. She looks confused, but takes it. “I’m Ashlee.”

“Nice to meet you.” She looks at Harm, a confused look
on her face, as if to ask ‘Aren’t you dating Renee?’
It scares me when Harm responds to that very question.

“We’re just friends Mac, we met at a bar on Friday
night.”

“Yeah Harm scraped me off the floor after having one
to many drinks and took care of me. For being a guy, I
guess he’s okay.” I grin and wink at Harm, who just
grins. “Oh, Harm.” He stops and looks back at me and I
whisper, “What happened with Renee?”

He looks at me then at Mac. “I took your advice. Just
give me a couple minutes to sign some things off and
then we can get going. Okay?”

I nod and walk out of his office to let him take care
of whatever it is that lawyers sign off on. Mac looks
over at me confused. “What happened?”

I look at her as an evil little plan forms in my mind.
“Let’s go to your office.” She nods and we walk across
the room littered with people until we reach an office
identical to Harm’s, just decorated differently. I
close the door behind me. I proceed to tell her of the
events leading me to Harm’s house, the fact that I had
forgotten my ID and he didn’t know my address blah
blah blah. And carefully censored Saturday morning’s
events, figuring that Harm didn’t want everyone to
know of his new goal in life, and finally come to
Renee’s arrival. “So Renee knocks at the door and Harm
answers. Within seconds the woman is all over him,
practically smothering the poor guy and cooing at him.
It was enough to sicken the most romantic person.
Anyway, she spots me and gets all defensive, so I tell
her what happened. She turns her attention back to
Harm and asks him to take her out for the day. Harm
told her that he and I were going to meet you, Bud,
and Harriet for dinner and that he couldn’t. She got
mad and ran out.” I shrug. “That’s about it.”

“What advice did you give him?”

I sigh. “Oh that. I told him not to run after her,
that she wasn’t worth it. I guess he agrees.” Mac nods
again, her head was down and she looked confused -
somewhere between happy and scared. “Hey Mac, are you
okay?”

She looks up, as is if she were pulled out of some
deep thought. “Oh yeah, it’s just I’ve been telling
him she’s worthless since they got together and he
would never listen to me.”

“Does that fact have anything to do with you being
with Mic?” I ask before I can stop myself. Oops. 

“Huh?” She asks, totally confused. “What do you…” I’m
saved by a knocking on the door, thank God! “Enter!”
Mac says, while still looking at me confused.

“Hey you two, mind if I steal Ashlee here for lunch?”
He notices the look Mac is giving me and looks at me. 

“Uh, yeah Harm, I’m coming.” Before leaving I turn and
face Mac. “Oh and Mac, just think about what I said.”
With that I close the door.

As we walk out the door Harm looks at me oddly. “What
was that about?”

I smile a sort of secrete smile, I think I’ve figured
out why this was all set in place. “Just some women
talk, nothing that would interest you men-folk.” I
joke as we walk out the door.

Lunch went off without a hitch. We laughed and he
never brought up my conversation with Mac. That’s one
thing I’m grateful for. I also think I know why I met
Harm. I mean I know that we can’t be anything more
than friends, that’s a given, but him and Mac…well
there’s something there, and I think it’s my duty to
see that it is taken care of. Now I just need to
figure out a way to get them to realize this,
especially when one of them is engaged. Well, no one
ever said that this was going to be easy. But the good
thing is I get to meet Mic tonight. Harm and Renee
where supposed to have dinner with the other couple
along with Bud and Harriet. I guess it was some
post-Christmas get together thing or something incase
they got called out on assignment on Christmas. And
since he’s no longer with Renee, he asked me. Now, to
pick out what I’m going to wear…. 



Ashlee’s Residence

December 18

1900 



I’m just putting the final touches on when I hear a
knock at the door. I quickly finish fastening the last
of my earrings and run to get the door. In the doorway
stands Harm, casually dressed up in some nice kakies
and a long sleeved white, ribbed, shirt. He was
looking very good, but the look on his face made me
laugh. “Out of your loose teaching clothes I see.”

I grin. I had picked out a nice, simple red dress that
hugged my curves and showed a little cleavage. I had
also pulled my long auburn hair up on my head and had
put wanna-be diamond earrings in all ten holes that
decorated my ears. “Yeah, I decided to relax tonight,
as I see you have sailor.”

“Yeah,” He said looking down at himself. “So you ready
to go to Bud and Harriet’s?”

“Yeah, just let me grab my hand bag and jacket.” I
walk over to the couch where they were both sitting.
“Though, I have to say Harm, I feel a little weird, I
mean Bud and Harriet won’t mind, will they?”

“No, I think you made quite the impression on both Mac
and Bud today.”

“What do you mean?” I ask as we walk to his car.

“I don’t know. You just seem to affect people, make
them like you without trying.”

I nod. “Must be the teacher in me.” He grins as he
opens my door.

“Must be.” 



Bud and Harriet Roberts’ Residence

December 18

1930 



Harm knocks on the door as I stand nervously at his
side. I have never been a big fan of family get
togethers, especially with *my* family. I just keep
telling myself this is all part of my plan to get Harm
and Mac together, and it is kind of working. I look at
Harm and smile nervously. He smiles back. A few
seconds later a pretty blond woman opens the door. “Hi
Harriet!” Harm says and gives him an affectionate
smile.

“Hello Commander. Please, come in.” She opens the door
a little wider for us, and Harm motions for me to
enter first. As I do Harriet gives me a friendly
smile. I like her, and I can see why her and Bud got
together. They are two of a kind.

After getting in, Harm introduces me to Harriet. I
smile and thank her for letting me come, but my
attention is drawn to the man standing with Mac. I
excuse myself quickly in order to get over there. "Hey
Mac!” I say as I get near the two. 

She turns, seemingly startled to see me here. “Oh,
hello Ashlee. This is my fiancé, Mic. Mic, this is
Harm’s friend Ashlee.”

“Oh really?” The man says, taking the hand I offer.
“What happened to Renee?”

“We’re not dating.” I want to add ‘you pompous pig’
but I don’t. It’s sad that I already don’t like this
guy. And it’s not because he’s in the way of me and my
goal; it’s just that he really does seem to be a jerk.
“He and Renee broke up.”

The shocked look in Mic’s eyes was worth it all, and,
if I’m not mistaken, I see a little fear there. I
think Mic’s threatened by the single Commander. “Well,
that is a surprise.”

I see Mac’s eyes dart over to me, and then linger on
Harm, who is now walking towards us. “Hey Mac.” He
pauses then, in a hidden form of disgust, “Hey Brumby.
How are you?”

“Fine, Commander, just fine. So I hear you and Renee
are quits.” Replied Brumby, taking an unnecessary jab
at Harm.

To my surprise Harm stays cool, but an odd look comes
over him, like he’s fighting over some territory.
“Yeah, well when you wake up and realize she’s not the
one for you it’s not fair to keep a relationship
going.”

The same look comes into Brumby’s eyes as he put an
arm around Mac. “Yeah, well it’s good to know that
Sarah and I won’t have to worry about that, will we
love?”

Mac looks like she doesn’t know what to say. “Uh,
right.” I turn and see Harriet observe the exchange,
and go to talk to her. 

I walk up behind her in the kitchen as she’s preparing
some eggnog – I guess poring it from a milk carton
isn’t exactly preparing, but you know what I mean.
“Harriet, right?” I ask, the woman turns and smiles.

“Yes ma’am.”

I smile. “You and your husband have a bad habit of
that. Please, call me Ashlee. Besides, ma’am makes me
feel old.”

Harriet smiles in return. “Okay Ashlee.”

“Do you need a hand?” I offer, seeing she also has a
plate of ordourves to serve as well.

“Well, if you don’t mind I would love a hand. With
trying to get everything ready, Bud being late from
work, and little AJ running me ragged, I kind of got
behind.”

“Oh I totally understand,” I say as I pick up the
tray. “I teach fourth grade myself, and those kids can
wipe you out in no time.” 

“To think I only have one and you have twenty! I’m not
sure I could handle it, one nearly kills me.”

“Well, you have to count Bud, so that makes two.”
Harriet smiles. “Besides, once you lay down the rules
of the classroom it isn’t that bad. Having them do
little chores helps a lot, it gives them some control,
and it makes them feel a lot better about having to
listen to me the rest of the day.”

“Sounds like you have it down.” Harriet replies,
gently setting the eggnog on the table that holds the
rest of the food and drinks. 

“I’m still working on it, but it’s coming along. And
I’m sure you’re a lot more organized than you feel, I
hear that you have everything filed perfectly in the
office and you keep a beautiful home.”

Harriet smiled again. “Thank you, I really appreciate
it.”

“No problem.” I say as I look around from the buffet
that we had just put the final touches on, noticing
Mac and Brumby still talking, this time to another
woman with dark hair. Noticing that Harriet is looking
on to, I decide that this is the perfect time to get
to the point of this conversation. “What do you think
of Mac and Bugme over there?” I ask.

Harriet looks shocked at first and then laughs. “So
you hold that opinion too?”

“What opinion?”

“That Mic is a pain in the six.”

“Oh *that* opinion. Yeah. I mean, I know Harm doesn’t
like him, but I don’t know, the guy is just
irritating. And he and Mac seem like such an odd mix.
I would picture Mic with someone more like….” I pause,
thinking. “Well, more like Renee to be more honest.”

Harriet looks at me open mouthed and then whispers,
“You thing that too? I thought I was the only one! I
mean, I love Mac and everything, she’s a wonderful
friend and co-worker, but I just think her and Mic are
a horrible match.” 

I see the glint in her eye as she says this and I know
it’s time to make a move. I lean closer to her and
look around to make sure that no one is watching. “You
think she should be with the Commander, don’t you?” I
whisper.

Once again her jaw drops in astonishment, then she
regains her composure. She quickly drags me to the
back of the room, down a hallway and into a bedroom
before I can protest. “Yes!!!” She exclaims after she
closes the door. “I mean, Bud thinks I’m just way too
much of a romantic, but I think they’re in love. It
would be wonderful if they could both just admit that
to one another and, well, look at me and Bud. We made
it work, and I think that they could too.” She pauses
for a second trying to see my reaction. “What do you
think?”

I smile. “I think that I completely agree with you.
That’s why I came over to talk to you, I saw you
standing over there watching the exchange of
testosterone and thought that you might feel this
way.” I pause and watch her eyes light up with the
prospects of someone like me being on her side. I can
tell she knows what I’m about to say and is just
waiting for it. I take a big breath. “And I want to do
something to get them together.” Harriet jumps up in
the air and gives a yell of excitement, then runs over
and gives me a hug. 

“Oh, Ashlee, that’s so great, I can’t wait to help
you!!!” She says finally stepping back and rubbing her
hands together excitedly. Just then I hear foot steps
hurrying towards the door. I guess her yell brought
some visitors. 

“Honey, are you all right?” Bud asked as he ran
through the door with Harm, Mic, Mac, and just about
every other guest flanking him.

“Oh yeah I’m fine sweety, we where…uh…” Harriet looks
at me desperately as she gives her husband a hug.

“We were just talking about how I was getting back in
the dating scene, and she was excited about the
prospect of hooking me up.” I say, knowing that it’s a
lame cover, but it’s the best I can do with such short
notice. 

Harm looks at me quizzically, but doesn’t say
anything. Everyone else just shakes their heads and
walk off. Though I’m sure they appreciate the
excitement, they were probably disappointed that
nothing interesting was actually happening. After one
last glance Harriet and Bud exit the room, leaving me
and Harm alone. He looks at me again and frowns
slightly. “So, what where you two really talking
about?”

I shake my head, not willing to give in. This plan
will not work if one of the unwilling parties has a
chance to spoil it. “Nothing, seriously, the woman is
a romantic at heart, and I told her I was single, and
she got all excited about setting me up.”

“And you where in the bedroom because….” He left the
question hanging, crossing his arms sternly, waiting
for my response. 

I shrugged nonchalantly. “I was looking for the
restroom and got lost, I saw her in here and asked for
directions, but she got me caught up in a
conversation.”

“And the door was closed because….” He asked, once
again leaving the question hanging.

“Because we were having hot lesbian sex Harm.” His
eyebrows rise in shock. “Look, what does it matter,
maybe I shut it out of habit or something, okay? Geez,
I didn’t realize I had committed a crime, nor did I
realize how little faith you have in me.”

His arms dropped from their crossed position and his
face lightened. “I’m sorry Ashlee, really. It’s just,
well,” He pauses, “You’re right, I’m sorry, it’s
really none of my business. Forgive me?” He grins, and
I smile back, unable to stay angry. Not that I have a
right to, I am, after all, lying to him through my
teeth. But he’ll thank me in the end.

“Forgiven, and I shouldn’t have snapped.” I grin as I
nudge him with my elbow. “But you got some good mental
pictures with that whole lesbian sex thing.” He
smiles, but wisely keeps his mouth shut, not that I
can’t tell what he’s thinking. 

We walk out into the main room again, smiling and
talking quietly when I notice the look the brown
haired woman was giving us. “Who’s that?” I ask. 

Harm looks to where I’m pointing. “Oh that’s
Lieutenant Loran Singer.”

“Well, I think she has a thing for you. I’m getting
the death glare.”

He smiles. “Yeah. To be quite honest, and blunt, she’s
been trying to get in my pants since her first day at
JAG.”

“High career goals, huh?” Harm laughs at that, and I
grin for no other reason than to upset her, and it
works wonderfully. With one last glare, she turns and
starts a conversation with someone else. 

I was about to say something to Harm, when someone
spoke from behind me. “So, back in the dating scene,
are we?”

I turn to see an older man, bald, but still oddly
handsome. “Yes sir. I’m determined to find the, quote
upon quote, right man, though it seems to be a losing
battle.”

“Well, the same goes for the opposite sex, I’m sad to
say.” I smile, he might sound commanding, but this man
was a sweetheart deep down.

“Don’t let her tell you her philosophy on why life is
that way, Admiral.” Harm says, smiling, as he enters
the conversation. I return the smile, and the Admiral
turns back to me.

“I’m sure it’s a very insightful one.” He stretches
out his hand and I clasp it. “I’m Admiral A.J.
Chegwiden, but just call me A.J.”

I smile at his gesture. “Well, A.J.,” I emphasis his
name, “I’m Ashlee Miller, but just call me Ashlee.”

He smiles. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Just then
someone else comes up, and he is pulled away into
another conversation.

“How do you do that?”

I look at Mac, who is now standing beside me,
quizzically. “What?”

“Get people to warm up to you like that? I mean, the
Admiral is a good man, but I don’t ever think anyone
has gotten such a warm welcome from him.”

I look at the Admiral and shrug. “I guess the same way
that you can tell what time it is. We all have gifts,
mine is people I guess. Which is weird when I think
about it; I was totally antisocial most of my life.”

Mac smiles at me. “Now *that* I find hard to believe.”

“It’s true.” I shrug. “I didn’t even have a boyfriend
until I was twenty two.” I nod in confirmation at her
disbelieving look. “It’s true, and every single one of
them since have been complete and utter jerks.” 

Mac nods. “I know what you mean. I haven’t been very
successful with the opposite sex either. My first
husband was abusive, and I tend to attract jerks. I
just can’t seem to win.”

“Or maybe you’re setting yourself up to fail because
you’re too afraid to see what’s right in front of your
eyes.” I raise an enquiring brow. Having taken notice
that she hadn’t mentioned Bugme, I took the
opportunity to make the suggestion. 

Once again, before Mac can question the meaning behind
my words, someone else walks up. “Excuse me, ma’am,
but the Admiral is asking everyone to join him in a
toast.”

Mac looks dazed, but shakes out of it, “Okay, thank
you Tiner.” Man, he’s a cutie, to young for me,
though. See, look at me. I’m a romantic at heart.
Everyone is potential. I shake my head at this
insanity. “C’mon Ashlee, lets go see what the Admiral
has to say.” My words are momentarily forgotten as we
join the crowd.

I walk over to stand next to Harriet and nudge her. “I
made a move. I got her thinking.” Harriet smiles, “But
we need to take it slow at first, don’t want them
getting suspicious.” She nods in confirmation, and we
turn our attention to the Admiral.  



JAG Headquarters

Tuesday December 19

1200 hours 



It’s business as usual as I walk into JAG
headquarters, but I am determined to get some sort of
plan set into motion today. As I figure it I have
planted the seeds. Harm all but admitted he was in
love with Mac, and Mac is, quite obviously, using Mic
to hide from her feelings for Harm. A true love
triangle at work. That, however, shouldn’t last too
much longer with me and Harriet on the job, in fact,
if my instincts are right, we’ll have this baby
wrapped up in less than a week. 

I enter what I have learned is called the bull pen at
what seems a good time. The room is calmer than my
first visit, and there is a clear path to my
destination. I take full opportunity of my rare
advantage and head toward the desk in front of me,
when a figure blocks my path. I nearly run into the
person before noticing that they are obstructing my
path. “Oh, excuse me,” I say looking up to see who
this roadblock is. “Admiral?”

“Ashlee, this is a surprise. Here to see the
Commander?” He asks looking down at me, his hands
clasped behind his back.

“Oh, no sir. Actually I was hopping to see if
Lieutenant Harriet Roberts was free for lunch.”

“That would be Lieutenant Sims, and feel free. I was
just off to grab some lunch myself.”

I smile in response. “Thank you Admiral, and enjoy
your lunch.” The Admiral returns my smile and heads
out the door. My path once again open, I continue to
my destination. “Harriet?” I ask as I approach.

Harriet turns, surprised. “Ashlee! What are you doing
here?”

I lean down conspiratorially and whisper, “I wanted to
see if my favorite coconspirator would like to join me
for a business lunch.”

Harriet grins widely and quickly agrees. “Oh, but I
promised Bud I would eat with him.”

I stop and think for a moment. “Would he like to join
us? I mean he won’t tell them, will he?”

Harriet also pauses. “I think he would like to join
us, but he might be against this whole plotting thing.
And I’m pretty sure he won’t tell, especially if I
make him give his word.”

“Well then, the more the merrier!” I exclaim as Bud
walks in.

“Honey,” Harriet says approaching her husband. “Would
you mind if Ashlee joined us for lunch?”

“Oh no, I’d be glad to have her along. But I warn you,
we’re having cafeteria food.”

I wipe away his comment with a brisk swipe of my hand.
“You haven’t eaten at the elementary school I teach
at, now *that* should contain warnings.”  



JAG Cafeteria

Tuesday December 19

1230 hours 



We began dinning in silence, both me and Harriet
nervous about telling Bud our plan, but I can’t take
it anymore. “Bud, Harriet and I are plotting to get
Mac and Harm together.” I blurt out.

“You’re *what*?” He asks in astonishment. “Plotting?
These are people not characters in some storyline. You
can’t plot against them.”

“But it’s not like we’re plotting per se,” Harriet
says, trying to cover my damage, “we’re just trying to
fix what they aren’t willing to. Mac and Mic will be
making a huge mistake if they get married. Harm is
just too afraid to say anything, and we both know that
Mac would drop Mic in a minute for him.”

“If they aren’t willing to do it themselves, what
gives us the right to play God? Sure we all know that
Harm and Mac are in love, but does that give us the
right to butt in where we don’t belong? Things should
come to be because the people want them to, not
because other people step in and force it upon them.”

I look at Harriet, a little discouraged. “Bud,” I say
calmly. “You are thinking way to much like a lawyer.
These are your friends. If you know that one of them
is making a huge mistake, shouldn’t you stop it and
fix it?” I pause giving him time to think about that.
“Because that’s what we’re doing. We’re taking
something that we know is wrong and fixing it because
we know that they can’t or won’t, and that we can.
Besides, Harm all but admitted that he loved Mac. He
just regrets not telling her on that ferry cruise in
Australia.”

Both Harriet and Bud freeze. “He what?” They ask
simultaneously.

I look at them wide eyed. “You don’t know?” They both
shake their heads to the negative. My mouth drops
open, and I close it with a conscious effort. “Mac
asked Harm if he loved her when they were in
Australia. Harm froze, and said he wasn’t ready to let
go yet. He regrets that he didn’t say what he wanted
to. He didn’t exactly say what that was, but I think
we can all guess.”

Bud shakes his head. “I don’t know what I should do. I
mean I know that what we would be doing would be
right, but the act of doing it would be wrong.”

“We would be helping our friends get to a place that
they want to be.” Harriet rationalizes, and slowly I
see Bud giving in to our appeals to his emotions.
Sighing, he reluctantly agrees.

“Yes!” I nearly yell in triumph, raising a fist into
the air. I get some looks from the people within
earshot, and lower my voice. “Okay guys, here’s the
plan…”

It took us almost an hour and a half to talk about all
of the arrangements that would need to be made and to
iron out my original outline. The one thing that we
did discover is that we were going to need some extra
help. Namely the Admiral. Going about it, however, was
going to be quite the task, but I think we came up
with a somewhat plausible plan. We were going to need
to recruit Tiner, since he was the closest to the
Admiral, and then it was going to be up to he and I to
convince the Admiral to go along with a plan whose
results would, essentially, be going against the
biggest rule of the military, fraternization. Leave it
to me to walk into something and fix it by breaking
nearly every rule in the book. Not only was I about to
break up an intended marriage, but also a federal law.
I sigh deeply and walk back into the bull pin. 

It took me only a few minutes to sort through the sea
of people and spot Tiner sitting at his desk in front
of the Admiral’s office. I approach him, taking a deep
breath. “Hey Tiner, do you have a few minutes?”

The man looks at me cautiously, as if I were some evil
temptress trying to get him into trouble by luring him
away from his designated duties. “Not to be rude
ma’am, but may I ask what for?”

I smile. “Call me Ashlee Tiner, and this is about the
Colonel and Commander. It’s not too important, but I
would really like to talk to you.”

He stops to think for a moment, and then looks down at
the schedule on his desk, contemplating the
consequences of his actions. “All right,” he sighs, “I
have a half an hour before the Admiral’s next
appointment.”

I smile. “Don’t worry Tiner, I’ll take the full blame.
Let’s go to the conference room, this is something
that probably shouldn’t be discussed in public.” I get
a quizzical look, but ignore it as he leads me to the
conference room. 

“So what’s going on between the Commander and
Colonel?” 

I take a deep breath before beginning, man I hope he’s
willing to help, otherwise I’m not sure what I’m going
to do. If I can’t get through to the Admiral, I’m
helpless. “We have a plan to get Harm and Mac
together, and we need your help to recruit the
Admiral.”

“Who’s we and what do you mean a plan?”

“I…” I pause trying to decide if I should divulge
names, ah what the hell, he’s going to find out sooner
or later. “Me, Harriet, and Bud so far. As for the
plan, well I think we all know that Harm and Mac are
in love, but they just won’t admit it, and if we don’t
so something they never will and Mac will merry Bugme
and Harm will end up with some dumb bimbo and before
you know it….well, you get my point.” I stop my
ramblings before they get me in trouble. “The point is
that we have a plan to get them together, we just need
the Admiral to arrange it.”

Tiner looks like he’s deep in thought. “I always knew
there was something.” A smile crosses his face. “Hey,
if this works the Gunny will owe me fifty bucks.” He
rubs his hands together. “What do you need me to do?”

I smile at his eagerness to get to Gunnery Sergeant
Galindez. “Have you seen any sign as to what the
Admiral thinks of the two together?”

“Honestly, I think he likes the idea. He’s never
actually voiced it, but I’ve seen the way he almost
smiles when the two of them flirt, or argue of the
other’s choice of company. But it would go against
protocol, and I’m not sure how he would handle it. Bud
and Harriet where one thing, but two high ranking
officers? I’m just afraid he might make on of them
leave, and then where will they be?”

I frown. Sure they would get together, but would one
of them be willing to quite JAG so far into their
careers? Would the Admiral make them? A transfer of
one after getting together would jeopardize the
relationship. “Hmmm. How could we convince him that
this wouldn’t hurt their working relationship?”

“I don’t know ma’am. It’ll be tough just convincing
him to take part in your plan, no matter what it is.”

“Okay one last question. Would it better to approach
him while he’s at work, or when he’s at home?”

Tiner thinks for a minute before responding. “I’d go
for at home ma’am. If he’s having a bad day at work
the last thing you want to do is introduce something
like this. I’d wait until he’s been at home for a
while and had time to relax. That way he’s in a better
mood and might be willing to listen to you.” 

I nod. “Thanks Tiner, you’ve been a big help. Just
wish me luck.”

He smiles before leaving the room. “Good luck ma’am.
You can count on me for help.”

I smile in return. “Anything to beat the Gunny, huh?”

His grin broadens. “Yes ma’am.” And with that Tiner
leaves, with me still trying to figure out just how
well the Admiral was going to take this. I walk back
out to the bull pin, not really paying attention, and
leave the building to formulate a plan.  



Admiral Chagwiden’s House

Tuesday December 19

2100 hours 



I walk up to the door cautiously, not quite sure how
the Admiral will great me. I got the address from
Tiner and I’m not so sure that AJ is going to be
pleased to see me standing on his front porch on a
Tuesday night, asking for help. To calm my nerves I
take a deep breath and knock. I hear a couple of
thumps as someone walks toward the door, and then
suddenly AJ is right in front of me. “Ashlee.”

I stop, my mouth agape. I was planning on saying
something to try to rationalize what I was doing here,
but the Admiral didn’t sound at all surprised to see
me. “Uh, hello AJ, may I come in?”

“Of course, come in,” he says, opening the door for
me. He leads me into the living room and indicates for
me to take a seat. “Scuttlebutt says that you have a
favor to ask.”

Okay, he’s straight to the point. “I…well, I have this
plan to get Harm and Mac together, and I need your
help to make it happen.” I raise my eyes to his. “If
Mac marries Mic she’ll be making a huge mistake and I
don’t want to see that happen. Harm all but admitted
to me the other night that he was in love with Mac,
and Mac, well I think she’s using Mic as a cheap
replacement for Harm.”

The Admiral sits quietly across from me, his face
completely blank. I’m beginning to wonder if he even
heard me when he finally speaks. “I see. And what
exactly do you want me to do about it?” 

“Well, we have this idea. See, we figure that with a
little nudging Harm and Mac will confess their
feelings for one another. So, with a little help form
me, Bud and Harriet we think that maybe, just maybe
they will realize how they feel. However, knowing both
of them, we think they might just be too stubborn or
scared to make the first move. That’s where you come
in. We need you to force them to spend more time
together. Make them partners again, going off and
working on cases on submarines or something. That way
they have to spend time together and talk, and they’ll
have to confront their feelings for one another.”

The Admiral sits back in his chair a blank look still
making the thoughts that I know are going through his
head unreadable. As he sits there in quiet
contemplation I begin to get more and more antsy. What
if he doesn’t go along with the idea? What am I going
to do then? If Harm and Mac are indeed too scared to
admit their feelings and the Admiral refuses,
everything will be a failure. I look at my watch. Bud
should be at Harm’s and Harriet at Mac’s right about
now. Something from the corner of my eye rips me out
of my thoughts. It was AJ repositioning.

“Ashlee. Let me get this right, you want me to get two
of my high ranking officers to admit there love to one
another and have them, with, essentially, my
permission, commit fraternization?”

I pause. “Well, when you put it that way…yes.” I look
at him pleadingly. “Look sir, this isn’t about two
officers who have some one night fling that will
forever cause tension because one is mad at the other
for not calling, this is about two people who are
obviously in love. Two people that I know you care
about and have watched over the last six years. Two
people that I know you want to see together more than
anyone else, other than Harriet.”

AJ pauses at the emotion behind my words. He nods his
head slowly, and then looks at me. “You know something
Ashlee, you sure know how to pull at a man’s heart
strings.” I smile; I guess I didn’t need to be so
worried after all. See I *knew* he was a big softy!
“And Tiner was right about my wanting them to be
together.” My mouth drops open at his last comment,
but before I can ask, the Admiral replies. “Tiner told
me everything. I guess he was afraid that I would get
mad about this, and didn’t want me to blow up at you
tonight. He’s a good kid. Make a great lawyer one day;
very convincing. He made me see a few things that I
had been trying to convince myself were none of my
business. But the lives Harm and Mac are my business,
especially when I see them both making huge mistakes
in their personal lives and denying what everyone else
can plainly see.” He pauses and shakes his head a
little at his admission.

I pause as well, trying to gauge his words, they took
me a bit off guard. “So I can take that as a yes?”

AJ laughs loudly. “Yeah, I guess you can.” 

I smile. Now it’s all up to Bud, Harriet, and of
course Harm and Mac. 



Harm’s Apartment

Tuesday December 19

2130 



Bud still wasn’t sure about being a part of this whole
thing, but Harriet and Ashlee where sure, and well, he
wanted his two friends, being Harm and Mac, to be
together. He knew that that’s what they wanted to,
they just couldn’t admit it. His job tonight was to
make sure that, should Ashlee be able to convince the
Admiral to send them on this trip, that Harm would
make a move. At this moment, as he knocked on the
door, he would give anything to be the one talking to
the Admiral instead of Harm, but like Ashlee had said,
he had been closer to Harm for longer than she had,
and he would trust Bud’s opinion more than hers at
this point. 

When the door finally opened it took Bud by surprise
causing him to jump back a little. It didn’t help that
he was already tense. “Hey Bud, a little jumpy?”

“Oh, uh, I just figured you weren’t home, I was about
to leave.”

“Sorry about that. I was fixing some dinner.” Harm
said stepping back to let his friend in. “So what’s
up?”

“Not much, Harriet wanted to go out with some friends
tonight so we decided to get a babysitter and take a
night off. So I came over here. Figured Brumby’s lack
of intelligence would only entertain me for about five
seconds.” Harm laughs. “Hey Comm…I mean Harm, what is
it that bugs you so much about Mic?” Bud asks sitting
on a bar stool, accepting a beer from Harm. 

Harm thinks about it for a minute. “He’s just so
obnoxious. He thinks he’s God’s gift to women when
really he just charms them until he can get into their
pants.”

Bud looks doubtful. “Do you really believe that? Or is
it something else?”

“What do you mean?” Harm took a long swig from his
bottle. “Have you been talking to Ashlee?”

Bud smiled. “Yeah, she has a lot to say on the
subject.”

Harm shakes his head. “I’ll have to be more careful
about which drunken school teachers I bring home with
me. Look, Bud, even if there is some other reason that
I don’t like Brumby it doesn’t matter, Mac has made
her choice. She wants to be with Mic and there’s
nothing that I can do to stop it or change her mind.
And I don’t want to be the one to break up something
just because I don’t happen to like her choice. It’s
been up to her, and it always will be.”

Bud was starting to get frustrated at his friends bull
headedness. “Now that’s a load of BS if I ever heard
it! I know about the ferry incident in Sydney.” He
pauses and watches Harm’s mouth drop open and then
continues. “It was up to you then, she was confronting
you and you didn’t respond. So I think it’s about time
that you make up for what you did. You messed up your
chance the first time and now you have a chance to
make up for it before Mac marries him. It’s up to
*you* Harm, and it always has been. You’ve just been
to scared and proud to do anything about it. Are you
afraid of rejection? Because I can guarantee she feels
the same way about you. Hell, at least she had the
balls to confront the situation, and you where the
wuss that backed out of it!” 

Harm stares at Bud, surprised and mouth agape. This
was the most forward Bud had been about anything.
“Okay, I get the point.” Harm sits dejectedly on the
stool next to his friend. “It’s just that, well, I
didn’t want to mess up our friendship, well, at least
what we had before I left. And then when I came back
things were all weird. Mic was there in my place, Mac
was near unresponsive to me, and I just felt totally
unwanted by her, and then she asks me that on the
ferry and it just seemed, well, unwarranted after the
way she treated me. I went blank. I had no idea why
she was asking me. We hadn’t exactly been wonderful
friends since I had returned. That’s why I said I
wasn’t ready to let go. I didn’t realize how out of
hand things would get just because I wasn’t ready
*right* then. I thought she would give me time, not go
running to the one man I hate the most.”

Bud nods. “Most of us think that she ran to him to get
you mad enough to say what you really felt.”

“Yeah, well it was a stupid plan, it only made me
angrier.”

“Yours wasn’t exactly a stroke of genius either, look
where it got you.”

“You’re telling me. I totally messed up Bud, and I
don’t know what I should do. If I say something I’ll
be the one responsible for breaking up a
would-have-been marriage, and if she rejects me things
will be even worse than they already are.”

“She won’t reject you.” Bud said confidently.

Harm looks up from his drink, unsure. “How do you
know?”

“Let’s just say I know.” Bud smiles and takes another
long drink, thinking of what Harriet’s conversation
might sound like. 



Mac and Mic’s Apartment

Tuesday, December 19

2130 



Harriet was waiting patiently outside Mac’s apartment,
all dressed up and ready to go out and have a nice
little chat with the Colonel she considered a dear
friend. This was just one conversation that Mic did
*not* need to hear. A few minutes after she had
knocked, Mic opened the door. “Harriet, what are you
doing here?” He asks, his accent making his words
sound harsh.

“I came to see Mac, is she here?”

Mac walks up behind her fiancé and smiles. “Harriet!
Come on in, we were just watching a movie!”

Harriet smiles. “Thank you Col…Sarah.” Mac smiles in
return. As soon as they get in Harriet turns to Mac.
“Do you want to go out for a little while? Bud wanted
to go out with some friends to a sports bar and watch
a game, so we got a babysitter so we could both take a
night off, and well, I was hoping you and I could go
somewhere.”

Mac hesitates for a moment, and then smiles. “You know
what Harriet, I would love to! We were just going to
sit around and watch movies, and I haven’t been out in
a while. You don’t mind, do you Mic?”

Caught a bit of guard by it, Mic thinks of saying
something, but doesn’t. “No luv, you go on ahead.
Maybe I’ll catch a game on the tellie.”

“Great!!” Mac says, a broad smile on her face. “I’ll
just take a couple minutes to get ready!” Mac races of
to her bedroom while Mic gracefully avoids talking to
Harriet as he rewinds the movie and looks for some
sort of sporting event on the television. A few
minutes later Mac comes out in a nice pair of tight
jeans and a red silky blouse. “Ready when you are
Harriet.”

“Wow Colonel, you look great!” Harriet said, smiling.

“Thank you, and you’re looking great to, is that a new
dress?” She asks as they head toward the door.

“Actually yes, Bud bought it for me…” There
conversation continues as they head out the door. Mac
shouts a quick goodbye, and leaves Mic grumbling on
the couch. 



McMurphy’s Bar

Tuesday, December 19

2200 



As they walked into the bar, the bartender waved a
hello, knowing them from there frequent after work
social gatherings. They waved back and wove through
the crowd until they reach a spot toward the back. It
was a little quieter, but not totally secluded. As
Harriet looked out amongst the many people in the bar,
many of whom seemed to be single, she spoke. “You
know, it’s hard these days to find a man that you can
be in love with and want to be with for the rest of
your life. Look at all of these people, single and
looking. And with the millions upon millions of single
people in the world how can you ever be sure that you
will find the right one? I’m just glad that I’m one of
the lucky few.”

Mac nodded, for some reason feeling uncomfortable with
the subject. “Yeah, I know what you mean. I looked for
a long time before I met Mic.” 

“Sarah, can I ask you something?” Harriet asked as the
waiter delivered their drinks. A glass of red wine for
her and a tonic water with lime for Mac.

“Of course Harriet. What is it?”

“What do you think of Harm and Ashlee together? I mean
do you think she would be his type?” Harriet asked,
hoping to get a reaction out of her. Being unsure of
what to ask, this seemed an appropriate way to bring
up her feelings about Harm.

“Honestly, I don’t think she wants him, nor do I think
it would work.”

Harriet nodded. “That’s what Ashlee thinks, well
mostly, but she had some reasoning why it wouldn’t
work.” 

“What reasoning is that?” Mac asked, leaning back in
her chair.

“Well, she thinks that he’s in love with you, and that
despite the fact that you’re engaged to Mic, you love
him to. You’re just too afraid to say anything since
the incident aboard that ferry in Sydney.”

Mac’s jaw dropped. “How the hell does she know about
that?” Her voice filled with both amazement and anger.

Harriet shrugged. “I suppose the Commander told her.
She does have a way for getting information out of
people. Besides, that’s not what’s important, what’s
important is that you weren’t willing to sit around
and wait for Harm, the man you love, to get his head
on straight and tell you the truth, so you ran to the
one man who was ready and willing to commit, namely
Mic Brumby.”

Mac downs her tonic water in one last gulp and raises
her glass in the air to signal for another drink. “You
know, sometimes I wonder how I ended up with Mic, I
seriously was not interested in him at all. I thought
he was an over zealous ass, and then when Harm turned
me down…I guess I wanted to get back at him by dating
the one man he hated the most. I guess in one way it
worked, but I never imagined that it would get so out
of control.” Mac shook her head. “What is it that song
says, falling in love is hard on the knees? I prayed a
lot of nights that Harm would realize what he had
done, that he would come to his senses, and before
that I just prayed that he thought of me the same way
I thought of him, but after all of that praying and
hoping, well I couldn’t take it anymore. So I did what
I felt I had to. I thought I could learn to love Mic
and deal with my feelings for Harm.” A tear slipped
down her cheek, and she wiped it away. “But you see
how well that one worked for me.” 

Her sardonic reply made Harriet reach across the table
and grab her hand. “You have to realize, Sarah, that
Harm is a bit of a slow learner.” A hint of a smile
turned up on Mac’s lips. “I’m pretty sure you just
caught him off guard. At that point in time you guys
weren’t exactly in the best of places, and asking him
at that point must have thrown him off balance. I also
don’t think he expected you to run off with another
man before he could think things through.”  

Mac sighed and but her cup down. Looking up at Harriet
with a self ridiculing smile she sighed again. “You’re
probably right. My timing wasn’t exact exactly great,
and I know I should have given him time, but
everything just seemed so out of place, and I figured
that what had been said would have just made things
worse, so I decided to move on. Ashlee said something
the other day that really hit home. She said that I
set myself up to fail in relationships because I’m too
afraid to see what is in front of me. I wonder
sometimes if that isn’t what happened that night on
the ferry. That maybe I knew that he was going to come
around and I didn’t want to face it.” Mac shrugs
heavily. “Or maybe it really just isn’t meant to be.”

“What are you talking about?!” Harriet nearly yells.
“Harm is so head over heals in love with you he can
barely think enough to tie his shoes! And the way he
acts around you, laughing, smiling, nearly giggly but
trying to maintain his cool. It’s so blatantly obvious
that everyone at work knows it. We can even see it in
you! I just don’t get why the two of you are so blind
to what everyone else can plainly see. In fact, it
mystifies me.”

“Really? I mean *every*one can see it?”

“Oh yeah. In fact I think Singer started a couple
betting pools as to when you two would either sleep
together or get together.”

“But doesn’t she want Harm for herself? She’s been
after him since her first day at JAG.”

“Loren may be vicious, but she’s not stupid. She knows
the truth, and she’ll take Harm until he realizes that
he loves you. Annie saw it, Renee saw it, that
psychiatrist Jordan saw it, and even his ex-partner
Meg, and Kate Pike, the one that said she had been
sexually harassed while at sea, they all saw it Mac,
they made comments. And if they could see it, what
makes you think that people who worked with the two of
you day after day couldn’t?”

“Because I couldn’t.” Mac said, almost ashamed of her
ignorance. 

“Well, now that you do see it, maybe you should do
something about it.” 

 “What about Mic? I can’t just leave him like that, on
some whim that this thing between me and Harm *might*
work out.”

“Do you love him? I mean love him as *in* love with
him, not some friendship love, or something else.”

Mac thought for a few moments. “No. I want to but I
don’t. It’s just, well, it’s not right.”

“If you don’t love him Sarah, is it fair to marry him?
Doesn’t he deserve better than that?”

“You’re right Harriet, as you seem to have been all
night long.” She gives her friend a half smile and
stands up. “I think I should get home, I have a lot to
think about and a lot to say. I just hope that he
isn’t to mad at me. I’m doing it for our own good. If
I enter into this not loving him it’ll ruin our
chances, and it’s not fair to him.”

Harriet smiles back. “You’re absolutely right.” 



JAG Headquarters

Wednesday, December 20

0700 



Admiral AJ Chegwiden was at a loss as to what he
should do. Should he send his two officers out on what
could potentially become a romantic outing or should
he let things lie the way they were. Let things
progress as they would. Of course, that is what he had
been doing for the last, what, six years? And look at
all of the good that had done. He sighed. Maybe he
should ask Tiner. He always knew what was going on, or
Gunny. His pacing was interrupted by the intercom.
“Sir, Commander Rabb and Colonel Mackenzie are here to
see you.”

The Admiral thought for a moment about ignoring Tiner,
he wasn’t ready to make a decision yet, but there was
nothing he could do. Hitting the button he replied.
“Send them in.” 



A Few Minutes Earlier 



Harm arrived to work somewhat cautiously. He wanted to
tell Mac how he felt, but at work? Wouldn’t that be
weird? Or at the very least inappropriate? Maybe he
should ask her out to diner, say that he needed to
talk to her about….uh…a case. He could make his move
then, but starting out with a lie? Maybe that wasn’t
the best approach either. He sighed as he stepped out
of his car and walked toward the building that he was
sure was housing the cause of his inner turmoil at
this very moment. Mac was always one to arrive at
least ten minutes before him. Usually he would damn
her and her internal clock, but not today, today that
clock was a blessing. 



Sarah McKenzie’s Office 



Mac sat at her desk consumed by thoughts of her
conversation with Harriet from the previous night. She
knew that she had to confront Harm about her feelings
and their current situation, but how? Being straight
forward and shoving the truth in his face wasn’t going
to be anywhere near the best approach. And at work?
That would get her booted out real fast. Just what she
needed, another accusation of fraternization on her
record. She sighed. What was a girl in love to do? 

As if it wasn’t bad enough that she had to deal with
telling Mic the truth. It had gone better than
expected, but that was only because he was so shocked
that he walked out. She hadn’t even had a chance to
apologize, not that that would make him feel any
better, she was sure. He had called a couple of hours
later to say he was in a hotel and that he would come
buy today and pack while she was at work, and not to
worry, he would leave his key on the table. He had
thought that this might happen, and thought he was a
fool for sticking around when he knew that in the long
run the relationship would never have worked. She
tried to apologize again, but he wiped away her words
with a snort. He would be leaving for home in the
afternoon. 

Mac rubbed her hand over her eyes in an attempt to
wipe away the feelings of guilt. She was a marine for
God’s sake, so why was this so hard? Determined, Mac
realized that maybe head on *was* the best idea. She
would confront Harm at lunch and tell him the truth. 

As she made the decision she heard someone knock on
her door. Harm. Her heart stopped for a split second,
allowing her jaw to drop a little. “Ha…Harm. You’re
early.”

“I think your clocks off, marine. I’m right on time.
Exactly ten minutes late.” He smiled brightly and she
couldn’t help but return it. 

“Yeah, I guess I’ll have to reset it.” There was a
small pause in their conversation. “Harm, do you think
you could meet me for….”

Before she could finish there was another knock on the
door. “Ma’am, Sir, the Admiral is expecting you in his
office.”

Harm and Mac looked at each other for a moment before
a look of realization came over them. “The meeting!”
They said at once, and both went to retrieve their
files.  



Admiral’s Office 



AJ was still pacing the floor when his two officers
arrived, and he was still at a loss as to what to do.
He looked at the two of them standing next to each
other and saw them steeling glances when they thought
that the other wasn’t looking. He smiled a small smile
and knew what he had to do. It looked like Ashlee’s
plan had been set into motion and now it was in his
hands to make sure that this thing was finished.

“Admiral, sorry we’re late sir.” Mac started, becoming
quite uncomfortable under the Admiral’s stare.

“Take a seat.” He said as he took his seat behind his
desk. “I need you two to go to Norfolk for the
weekend. A ship came into port and the usual onboard
attorney is sick. There are a lot of cases that need
to be dealt with before the ship heads back out to sea
at 0700 Monday morning. You will finish up here today
and head out tomorrow. That means have all of your
cases handed off to capable people and you paperwork
done. I’ll have a rental car waiting here at 0800. I
want you here and ready to head out, is that clear?”

“Yes sir.” They reply in unison. Mac sighed inwardly,
I guess that means no lunch or dinner together, she
thought.

“Good.” The Admiral moved a file on his desk. “You’re
dismissed.”

Both Mac and Harm stood and snapped to and turned to
walk out. As they walked out they looked at each
other. “With all of this work I guess I’ll be seeing
you tomorrow bright and early sailor.”

He smiled. “You got it Marine. Want me to pick you
up?”

“What, so we can be ten minutes late? No way. I’ll
pick you up at exactly 0715, and you had better be
ready to head out that door!”

Harm smiled at her. “Aye Aye ma’am” He gave her a mock
solute and turned to leave. 



Harm’s Apartment

0714

Thursday, December 21 



Mac counted down the seconds in her head until the
time would be exactly 0715. She was also trying to
muster up the courage to face her partner. Ever since
her talk with Harriet and dumping Mic, she was almost
afraid to be in the same room as Harm. She still had
the same reaction to him, a faster pulse, butterflies
in her stomach, and aching in her…well all of that
hadn’t changed, but now that she was more aware of it,
it just seemed so obvious to her that she was afraid
that he would notice. Boy, wouldn’t that be
humiliating.

0715 her internal clock nearly screamed at her. She
raised her hand and knocked at the door. A couple
seconds later she heard some thudding and finally the
door opened. Before her was a rushed looking Harm, bag
in hand. Mac gave him the once over, astonished.
“You’re ready?” 

“Believe it or not Ninja Girl, I can get ready on
time, given the right incentive.” He said pulling the
door closed and locking it.

“What was your incentive?”

“The fear of you kicking by six from here to next
Tuesday.” He replied with a smile, walking down the
stairs behind her. 

She turned back around and smiled. “Don’t think I
couldn’t do it.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt it for a second.”  



JAG Headquarters

0745 



The car ride had been filled with friendly banter; in
fact it was as though the last two years had never
happened. It’s amazing what a small realization, like
figuring out you love someone, can do. 

“See what happens when you’re on time Flyboy?” Mac
said exiting her corvette. 

“You get here before the car does and you have to sit
around?”

She rolled her eyes. “No, you have time to grab a cup
of coffee, something to eat, and a restroom break
before hitting the road, saving you time.” Harm rolled
his eyes in return. Just then the car pulled up. “I’ll
take care of the paper work, you go fetch some coffee
and bagels, deal?”

Harm nodded. “Deal.” He walked into the building and
rode the elevator to his floor and went into the
kitchen. There stood Bud. “Hey Bud. How are you this
morning?”

Bud turned around shocked. “Commander!! You’re early!!
Wait, aren’t you supposed to be on your way to
Norfolk?”

“Yeah, the Colonel and I got here early, so I’m
grabbing some coffee and bagels while she takes care
of the car.”

“Uhuh.” He drops his voice, and looks around. “Have
you told her yet?”

“I haven’t had time. Last night I was looking over
some of my old law books to refresh myself on the
little laws that the sailors might need help on. Plus
I had to finish the ten pounds of paper work.”

“But you’re going to, right?”

“Yes Bud. Look, I promise, okay? Stop worrying.”

“Okay, you better get going before the Colonel has
your head.” He says, looking at his watch as he
leaves. 

The Commander headed back outside to find the Mac
leaning on the front bumper, her arms crossed in front
of her, a mock exasperated statement on her face.
“Nine minutes and forty six seconds, that had best be
some damn good coffee.” She said walking over to the
driver’s side door and climbing in. 

Harm smiled and shook his head, climbing into the
passenger side door. Man, he loved that woman.  



JAG Headquarters

Admiral A.J. Chegwidden’s Office

0800 



Looking out his window AJ saw the car and its two
passengers drive away. He smiled. It looked as though
this thing might work out. They were talking and
smiling, something that hadn’t happened very often in
a long time. Walking over to his desk he hit his
intercom button. “Tiner, have you made base hotel
reservations for the Commander and Colonel yet?”

“No sir.”

“Good. I want you to call and reserve one room for the
two of them, and then make sure that the officer or
receptionist understands that neither Mac nor Harm can
change rooms, reserve the rest of the rooms if you
have to.”

“But sir…”

“That’s an order Tiner.”

“Yes sir, I’ll get right on it sir.”

“Thank you.” AJ walked back to his window and looked
out at the cars pulling into the parking lot. If this
didn’t work he was just going to have to resort to
locking them both in a small room filled with
pheromones. Let those CIA spooks enjoy putting one of
their experiments to use.  



Ashlee’s House

0900 



I sit up slowly rubbing my eyes. It’s hard to believe
that so much has happened in the past week. I met a
man and set him up with the love of his life thanks to
the Admiral, though I guess the mission isn’t quite
complete…I pause. Slowly I put my feet on the ground
and think. I pick up the receiver and dial Harm’s cell
phone. 

“Commander Harmon Rabb.” 

I can hear the motor running in the background and
know he’s on the road. “Hey Navy-boy, where you off
to?”

“Oh hey Ashlee!! Mac and I are heading toward Norfolk.
We have to spend the weekend going over legal maters
of some sailors; apparently the usual on-board lawyer
is ill.”

I have to keep myself from shouting in joy. The
Admiral came through, he really came through!! “That’s
great…I mean that you get to spend time alone with
Mac.” I say suggestively. 

Harm sighs. “Yeah, I know. I just wish I knew if it
worked both ways.”

I can almost see him looking over at Mac, and she
looking in return, confused. I, on the other hand know
perfectly well what he means. “It does Harm, I can
guarantee it. Just do me a really big favor, okay?
Actually make that two.”

“What would they be?”

“One, call her Mac, not Sarah. It’s much more personal
between you two. Sarah just sounds out of place. It
would be like her….calling you Harmon all the time
instead of Harm or Flyboy, you know? Stick with Mac or
Ninja girl.”

Harm laughs on the other end. “And what’s the second
one?”

“Call me the minute you two finally confess….unless
there’s some other important *act* taking place, then
you can call me later.”

Harm laughed again, sounding almost embarrassed. “You
got it.”

“Harm, she’s meant for you. I know she is.” I say
sincerely.

“I know, Ashlee, I know.”

“Then tell her!! But be romantic! She’s lucky to have
you.” I hang up the phone before he can respond, and
shake my head. I just really hope this works.  



Norfolk, Virginia

Thursday, December 21st

1900 



It had been a long day of work. They had started
almost immediately when they arrived and had food
ordered in. Who knew that so many sailors would have
so many legal issues? They ranged anywhere from
divorces, to having wills drawn up, to insurance
claims for property lost. Harm was just glad that he
had taken the time to get reacquainted with this type
of law. 

He and Mac finally arrived back at the hotel at 1900,
and both were ready to order in and rest, maybe look
over a few law books, but nothing that required more
exertion than that. Mac walked up to the desk and
smiled. “I believe you have two reservations. One for
Colonel Sarah McKenzie and the other for Commander
Harmon Rabb.”

The man at the desk looked at his book and frowned.
“We have a single reservation for the both of you, but
not separate ones.”

Mac looked at Harm and then back to the desk clerk.
“There must have been some sort of mistake. We should
have separate rooms, are you sure that’s what the
reservation is?”

“Yes ma’am. It says right here, room 314 reserved for
Colonel McKenzie and Commander Rabb.”

Harm was now looking at the log as well. “Can we get
another room?”

“I’m sorry sir, but the hotel is booked. I’m afraid
the one room is all we can give you.”

Mac and Harm shared a worried look. “Well, sailor, I
can hack it if you can.”

Harm smiled. “I can handle anything you can.” She
smiled back. “All right, “Harm said, returning his
attention to the desk attendant. “We’ll take it. Thank
you.” Harm gathered both of their baggage and carried
it while Mac got the key from the clerk. 

They walked in nervous silence to their room, seeing
as the elevator was taking far too long for them to
wait to go up one floor. When they arrived Mac opened
the door and walked in, Harm following with their
bags. He looked in dismay at the one bed…and then at
the short couch. This was going to be one painful,
sleepless weekend. There was no way that he could tell
her how he felt now, not in this cramped little room
with no escape. No way.

Mac was also surveying the room with much the same
regret as Harm. This was going to be hard, very, very,
very hard. There was absolutely no way that she was
going to tell him…but she had promised Harriet, given
her her word. Maybe she would understand. “No marine,
suck it up, you can do this,” she thought to herself.
She would tell him before the weekend was out, no
before the *night* was out….maybe.

Looking behind her she saw the look on Harm’s face as
he stared at the couch. She smiled at the look of
dread. “Don’t worry Harm, I’ll take the couch. I can
fit on it, you can’t.” She said finishing the argument
before he could even start.

“Are you sure?” He asked looking at her almost
pleadingly.

“Yeah I’m sure, don’t worry about it. Enjoy the bed
while you can flyboy. Next time I just might make you
take the couch.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Next time?”

Ignoring him she shuffled through her bag and brought
her toiletry bag into the bathroom to unpack it. When
she was done she stuck her head out and looked at the
prone figure on the bed. “You want the shower first?”

“Nah, you go ahead. I can’t get up.”

“’Kay.” Mac grabbed her nightgown and other
necessities and turned the shower on. Climbing in
under the hot shower, she sighed as the water
immediately began to relax her and she let her mind
wander. 

‘Sometime I wonder why I bother with him, after all
that he’s done. He’s hurt me so much. But then, I’ve
hurt him too. Maybe worse than he did me, I’m not
sure. I know that being with Mic hurt him a lot,
especially when I accepted his ring so soon after our
conversation. Sure it wasn’t on my left hand, but it
still held the same meaning, and I know that I did it
to make him mad. He hurt me when he turned me down,
and I wanted to hurt him too. Maybe it’s time to stop,
stop the childish games, the eye for an eye mentality.
I know that I love him, I’ve just been waiting for him
to make his move, but this is Harm we’re talking about
and he never had been good at expressing his emotions.
Maybe I just need to make the first move…that’s what
I’ll do. Harriet was right.’ 



Ashlee’s Apartment

1930 



I barely looked up from the lesson I was making as I
picked up the phone. “Hello?”

“Ashlee, its Harm.” He whispered conspiratorially into
the phone.

“Harm!” I say astonished. “What are you doing calling
me.”

“Ashlee, they only gave us one room and I promised Bud
I would tell Mac how I really felt about her tonight,
but I’m not sure I should…”

I broke in mid run-on sentence. “Harm, Harm, what do
you mean you only have one room?”

“The reservations, they messed them up. So we only
have on room”

“The Admiral,” I mumble under my breath. I can’t
believe he came through!! The next time I see him I’ll
have to give him a hug.

“What?”

I stop as I realize that I said that out loud. “I, uh,
said unbelievable.”

“And I’ve been thinking, I’ve hurt her so much, Ash, I
just…I don’t know if she can look past this. We’ve
been really cold toward one another and made pot
shots…”

“You both have, and I think Mac is a smart girl and
she realizes this. She knows it goes both ways.”

“But what about my flying? That hurt her a lot and we
really didn’t keep in contact. I think that hurt her
too.”

“Of course it did Harm, It probably hurt a lot. But
like I said, these things, they didn’t just hurt you,
they made you realize things. Sometimes Harm, you have
to see the lesson that you’re learning behind all the
pain. When she comes back into the room look into her
eyes, and if you see what I think you will, you’ll
have your answer. You might be nervous Harm, but you
have to listen to your heart.”

I hear him sigh at the other end of the line.
“Okay...” he pauses. “She just turned off the water, I
have to go.”

“Go…” Before I can finish the line goes dead. I smile,
he’s gunna do it, I know it! I realize that I now have
two phone calls to make. I pick up the phone again and
dial, the smile never leaving my face. 



Mac and Harm’s Hotel Room

1945 



Mac dried off and looked skeptically at her pajamas.
She really wasn’t sure about this. The nightgown was
long, so it wasn’t like it was going to show a lot,
but she hadn’t planned on sharing a room with her
partner and had packed a silk nightgown that cut down
in the front, and it hugged her in all the right
places. She sighed and dried off extra well to make
sure it didn’t stick as much. 

Harm lay still on the bed thinking about Ashlee’s
advice. He was going to look her in the eye and look
for the answers there. He heard the bathroom door
creak open and he pushed himself up a bit to look at
her…he tried, he honestly tried to look her in the
eyes, but there was his beautiful partner in a silk,
low cut nightgown…she was gorgeous. 

“What did you say Harm.”

“Uh?” He asked, finally looking her in the eye, only
to find her blushing.

“You said something.”

He visibly shook his head. “I think I said you were
gorgeous.”

“You think?”

“Well it isn’t everyday that you come walking into a
room dressed like *that*. I was, a bit, uh, taken
aback.”

“Mmmhmmm,” She said smiling, causing Harm to smile in
return.

“You really do look amazing Mac.” And this time as he
looked in her eyes he saw it. He couldn’t quite
explain it, but there was this light, a shimmer, a
sparkle in her eyes that he knew was meant for only
him. His smile broadened, and he sat up. 

“Harm…”

“Mac…”

They sated together and laughed. “You first,” they
said together again. “Seriously Mac, you go first.”

She nodded and sat on the couch across from him. She
paused, thinking, and sighed. “I know I’ve hurt you,
in fact we’ve hurt each other a lot in this past year.
Said some stupid things because we were scared of what
we were feeling, did stupid things out of jealousy,
made stupid mistakes to cover our hurt, and for that
I’m sorry Harm. I’ve realized a few things these last
couple days. I realized that I accepted Mic’s ring to
get back at you for rejecting me,” she raises her hand
to stop an interruption, “stupid, I know, but I was
hurting. I told Mic that it isn’t going to work and he
left. But most of all, I realized that…” she paused
again taking a deep breath, “that I love you.” She
looked up to catch Harm smiling at her, and then she
heard him chuckle. She smiled. “What?”

“I wanted to say it first!” He began laughing harder,
and fell back on the bed. Mac wasn’t sure how she
should take his laughing, so she waited until he
caught his breath. He finally sat up again and saw the
confused look on her face. “I’m sorry Mac, I wasn’t
laughing at you, it’s just I’m so relieved. I came
here this weekend hell bent on telling you how I felt,
and then we we’re alone in this room, and I was
afraid. What if you had said no? It would have been
horrible having to share a room with me after that. I
love you Mac, I think I have since I first met you.
You’re strong, you’re smart, you trust me after
everything I’ve done, and I trust you. For the first
time in my life I feel whole. I love you Mac.” He
finished, staring at her. 

After a minute she broke into a smile. “I think this
might be the start of a beautiful relationship.” With
a smile Harm leaned over and kissed her gently on the
mouth, a gentle kiss that held all of the pent up
passion of the last few years.

When they broke apart both smiled. “Harm, our
relationship is fragile as it is, and I don’t want to
hurry things. We’re still working out a lot of things,
we both just broke off relationships.”

“I agree. So we keep the same sleeping arrangements?” 

She nodded, biting her lip. “Thank you.”

“Hey I want this thing to work. Besides, Bud would
kill me if I messed this thing up. Actually he’s the
reason I finally got the courage up to tell you. I
think he actually made me realize…” He paused at the
shocked look on Mac’s face. “What?”

“When did he tell you this?” 

“Two days ago,” he said hesitantly. “Why?”

Mac shook her head. “Harriet talked to me the same
night. She said Bud went out to a bar to watch a game
with some friends, and since…”

“They had gotten a sitter to watch baby AJ…” Harm
broke in. The both laughed. “I think we’ve been had!”

“Yeah, I’d say this was an elaborate conspiracy.”

A look of realization came over him. “So *this* is
what Ashlee and Harriet were discussing at the
Christmas Party, it wasn’t her new found freedom, it
was mine!” 

“You mean Ashlee is the master mind behind this whole
thing? Come on Harm, she wouldn’t…Oh dear.”

“Yeah.” He smirked and picked up his phone. He dialed
a number and held the small contraption to his ear.
Mac came and sat next to him so she could hear as
well.

“Hello?” Came Ashlee’s voice over the line.

“Ashlee, its Harm.”

“Did you tell her?” She asked, the excitement dripping
from her voice. 

“Yeah, and she said the same thing.”

“On my God, this is too good…um I’m on the other line
with someone, give me a second.”

Ashlee quickly switched back to the conversation she
was having with Harriet. “He told her!!” She nearly
screamed.

“He what?? What did she say?” She could practically
hear Harriet jumping for joy.

“She said she did too!!! This is to good, wait their
on hold, I’ll call you back!!” Ashlee switched back
over, calming herself. Everything had worked! “Uh, hey
you still there?”

“Yeah, and thank you for setting this up.”

He heard her sharp intake of breath. “I don’t know
what you’re talking about.” She said, mustering up as
much indignation as she could. 

He laughed. “It took us a couple minutes, but we
realized that we had both talked to Bud and Harriet
the same night, and they aren’t as cunning as that.”

“Oh and I am?” She replied hotly.

“Yeah. The only question I have is who set us up in
the same room.”

“That’s classified sailor, and that’s not admitting
guilt either.”

“That’s unbelievable,” he whispered, then thought
about it. “The Admiral?! How did you manage to get him
to agree?”

“I have charm, Harm.” 

He smiled at her confession. “That you do. Seriously
Ashlee, thank you, we appreciate it.”

“I know sailor, now quit talking to me, and start
talking to your woman! Call me when you get back, we
can talk then!”

Both Harm and Mac smiled. Somehow they both knew that
tomorrow the sick attorney would be feeling fine and
they could go home. All Ashlee had to do was call the
Admiral, which they were sure she was doing. They
sighed, said goodnight, and settled in for the first
real, relaxing sleep they had had in a long while. 



Ashlee Apartment

2030 



I sit back in my chair, a satisfied smile gracing my
features. It’s been a long time since I felt this good
about something and somehow I feel whole. Like, for
the first time in a while I did something that
mattered. I often wondered why I had met Harm, how I
could possibly help. But then I realized maybe this
wasn’t all for them. I met a wonderful group of people
this last week, ones that have changed me, and me
them. Sometimes love needs a helping hand, and I was
blessed to be chosen for this assignment.