TITLE: "Capital Crimes of the Heart"
AUTHORS: Anne R. and Pat Steiner
SUMMARY: Re-visit of Capital Crimes. Only this is the Shipper Version. 
A Harm-Mac story of course.
DISCLAIMER: JAG belongs to CBS, Paramount et al. No copyright 
infringement is intended with this work of fiction.
FEEDBACK: Yes, if you're moved to do so, to [SSbpmn@a...] and it 
would be much appreciated by both of us. However, if your intent is only to 
tell us you are not liking our work, please don't spend the time. While we 
realize our work does not please everyone, we do ask that the journey be 
respected.

NOTE: All parts of this story will be available at 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AnniePatJAGstories
No subbing is required to read from the message archives.

"Capital Crimes of the Heart"

Mac's Apartment
02:00 AM EST

Her scream echoed off the walls of her silent apartment as Mac sat up 
straight in bed, the sweat dripping from her. She tried to calm herself, her 
breath coming in gasps as if she'd run a marathon.

"It was only a nightmare" she told herself, but nonetheless shivered as she 
remembered seeing herself lying dead on the ground. "Just block it out. 
Think of something happy."

Her mind immediately went to her Harm and seemingly of its own mind her hand 
reached for the phone, knowing the sound of his voice would calm her.

"It's 2:00 AM Mackenzie" she said as she snatched her hand back. "You'll 
wake the man out of a sound sleep for nothing."

She fell back against the covers, hugging her pillow for comfort. She closed 
her eyes but the only image that appeared was the one of herself dead.

Harm's Apartment
Same Time

"Mac"

He soon realized the scream came from himself and as total consciousness 
returned managed to stop the screaming. For a moment he sat there catching 
his breath, his mind still seeing the image of Mac lying on the ground, a 
knife through her heart. He shook his head to clear the image from his mind, 
all the while telling himself it was just a nightmare. But what if she'd 
gone jogging in the park tonight. It wouldn't be the first time she'd done 
something like that, no matter how many times he'd told her it wasn't safe.

"Get a grip Rabb she's fine" he muttered to himself. But at the same time he 
couldn't shake the image from his head and before he could stop himself his 
hand reached for the phone.

She answered on the first ring as if she'd been waiting for his call.

"Mac are you all right?" he demanded.

"Harm" she said with relief. "Yeah I'm fine. I..uh. . .had a nightmare and 
I'm 
having a hard time going back to sleep. Can I ask why you're calling at this 
time of the night?"

"I had a nightmare too," he said softly. "About you. And I just needed to 
hear your voice and make sure you were okay."

"What was your nightmare?" she asked as she clutched her pillow tighter.

"It's too horrible to even think about again. It just seemed so real that I 
was really scared."

"You were worried about me?"

"Well if you knew my nightmare you'd know why. Just do me a favor and don't 
go jogging in the park at night for a while."

There was silence on her end as she realized that his dream sounded very 
much like hers.

"Mac, you still there? You okay?"

"Yeah I'm here. Sorry I was just zoning for a minute."

"I'd better let you get back to sleep then," Harm said softly.

"You don't have too," she said quickly. "I mean, unless you want to go back 
to sleep."

"That isn't going to happen for a while" he sighed. "Seeing you dead even if 
it was a nightmare isn't something I can just close my eyes and forget."

"Harm, tell me about your nightmare" she whispered, the connection between 
their nightmares sending a chill down her spine. Could he have dreamed the 
same thing she had?

"Mac, if I do that I'll never let you go back to sleep."

"In the morning then."

"Why do you want to know my nightmare?" he prodded.

"Because I think I had the same one" she said quietly.

"OK now we're sharing each other's dreams?"

"Hell I don't know. Did you dream my death?" 

The bluntness of her words startled him into momentary silence. "Yes."

"Well then I guess we did," she sighed. "Have the same dream I mean. In 
fact I was going to call you when I woke up because I couldn't get back to 
sleep."

"Well I wish you had because it would have saved me from waking up in a cold 
sweat," he returned. "Honestly Mac I know you go to Rock Creek sometimes. 
Please, please don't do that after dark any more."

"Harm I'm really not sure I want to make a dream scare me from doing things."

"This was more than a dream."

"OK now you sound like my Iranian Grandmother. Why don't we go to bed. 
Sturgis is going to expect us to be reasonably alert tomorrow when we talk to 
Commander Aikin."

"Your doors locked?"

"Good night Harm."
=================
JAG HQ
Following Morning

"Morning."

Mac turned from the coffee urn to face Harm. "Morning. You get back to 
sleep?"

"Do I look like I got my beauty rest," he grumped. "You?"

"Yeah, but only when the daylight brightened the room," she sighed. "I'm 
getting me a Donald Duck nightlight at lunch today."

"It bothered you more than you were letting on last night," he observed 
gently.

"Yeah OK," she admitted, "but not until every time I closed my eyes I heard 
the hoof beats and then I was running and panting and. . ." She stopped and 
shuddered slightly, "and you know the rest."

"You didn't mention the horse last night."

"I didn't think it was important."

"Every time I closed my eyes that's what was in my head, those pounding 
hooves," he admitted.

"OK this is getting too weird," she moaned. "And I think this coffee maker 
is having an emotional breakdown. Coffee and excedrin are badly needed." As 
if hearing her, the coffee maker slowed even more.

"Go on to your office and I'll bring you a cup when it's done."

"Look if this is a ploy to get me to plea bargain the Wilson. . ." she began 
and sighed, heading out the door. "OK thanks."

"Whoa Colonel hold up," Sturgis laughed from the doorway where Mac had nearly 
collided with him. "Where's the fire? And you look tired. You OK?"

"Yeah didn't sleep. Weird dream."

Sturgis looked her up and down. "Scary weird or naked in front of the Marine 
Corps Band weird."

"Wait hold up," Harm yelped. "Why the hell don't you share that kind of 
dream with me."

Mac gave Sturgis a gentle smile. "Commander I learn something about you 
every day. And Rabb---shut up."

"Am I missing something there?" Sturgis asked Harm when they were alone. 
"And you look tired too. Does that have anything to do with her. . .and 
sharing?"

Harm opened his mouth before promptly closing it. "No, I won't go there 
with 
you. Not before a cup of coffee anyway."

"Well when you're ready to share I'm all ears" Sturgis smiled. "And don't 
forget we're talking to Commander Aikin this morning. So when you take Mac 
her cup of coffee don't get lost in there."

"I'm sure you'll buzz us when she's here" Harm sighed as he poured the two 
cups of coffee.

"You're no fun when you're grumpy Rabb" Sturgis teased. "Yes I'll let you 
two know when she's here. Hopefully by then you'll both be more awake by 
then. You know a guy could make some interesting assumptions about you two."

"Yeah and you know what happens when you assume" Harm retorted as he walked 
out.

"Well in this case I think I'd be pretty close" Sturgis murmured to himself.

Two hours later he knocked on Mac's door.

"Sorry to interrupt" he said as he stuck his head in. "You didn't by any 
chance hear from Commander Aikin. So far she's a no show this morning and 
she's always been prompt."

"No she didn't" Mac replied. "Did you try calling her cell?"

Before Sturgis could answer a vision of a horse chasing someone flashed 
through Mac's head.

"Mac you okay?" Harm asked. "Mac what's wrong?"

"Let's go," she said as she stood up. "We need to go to her apartment."

"Why?" Sturgis questioned.

"Just trust me on this" Mac said as she reached for her purse. "We need to 
go to her place."

"You heard her," Harm said as he stood up. "Come on Commander."

A short time later Mac knocked on the door to Commander Aikin apartment.
"I'll try the neighbor" Harm offered and knocked next door.

"She went for a jog in the park last night around 10:00" the elderly lady 
informed them. "Was upset about some harassing phone calls she's been 
receiving."

"Do you know what time she came back?" Sturgis asked.

"Sorry, I went to bed" she smiled.

"Okay now what Colonel?" Sturgis asked as they stood in the hall of the 
apartment building.

"The park" Mac said as she turned and started to walk away.

"The park? Why are we going to the park? Harm, come on. This is insane. 
You're not going along with this are you?"

"Commander Aikin isn't answering and the last time she was seen she was 
going jogging in the park" Harm sighed. "I'm not sure what Mac's up to but 
we're going with her."

"Okay Colonel" Sturgis said as they wandered the park a short time later. 
"I've humored you this long. Would you mind telling us why we're here?"

"It's hard to explain" Mac sighed. "But the dream I had"

"We both had" Harm interrupted.

"Okay, now you two are both starting to scare me" Sturgis said as he shook 
his head. "Someone want to tell me about this dream?"

"No but she was here" Mac said as she looked around the park. She could 
hear 
the pounding of the horse again and she started to walk away from both of 
them. "She went that way. She was being pursued."

"Are you claiming some parapsychological talent here?" Sturgis scoffed as 
he 
and Harm followed her.

"I. . .uh have had visions" Mac said as she looked at Harm. "I know it 
sounds 
crazy. I have a little sister. She was lost in the woods. I saw where she 
was. And . . I . . uh saw Harm when he was lost."

"You're kidding right?"

"No she's not Sturgis" Harm said softly. "She saved my life."

Sturgis looked at both of them with total incredulity. "You saved his life 
from D.C. while he was in the ocean?"

"Yeah I did," she nodded, not really liking thinking about that horrible 
night. "I just knew where he was and directed the SAR people that's all." 
She gave him an impatient glare. "This way." Without waiting any further 
for them she started off.

"Harm you're not swallowing this are you?"

"Look she saved my life with those visions. As for this, if you've got a 
better idea this would be a good time to mention it. Because at the moment 
we have a missing Naval Officer."

"Missing but not necessarily a victim of foul play," Sturgis pointed out. 
"And there's only so much of this psychic hokum I can stand."

Harm was about to answer when he realized Mac had gotten a good fifty feet 
ahead of them. "Go with it for now," he begged his friend and called, "Mac 
wait up." He sprinted after her, leaving Sturgis to follow more slowly, 
shaking his head.

Mac heard his footsteps and looked around, just as she was about to reach 
down over a stone wall to a blanket wrapped figure. Holding her breath, she 
pulled at the blanket, giving a small cry when the sleeping homeless man 
jumped and ran, as terrified as she was. 

Harm reached her a second later, catching her arm. "You OK?" he asked 
anxiously.

"Yeah, just startled," she panted, starting to look around again.

"Colonel this is getting us nowhere," Sturgis objected, looking at his watch 
impatiently.

"She tried to get to the road, but the hill was too steep," she said, her 
voice getting slightly distant as she concentrated and she pulled her arm 
away from Harm's grasp. "Maybe we could spread out in this area?"

"Colonel," Sturgis yelped again.

"Sturgis, would you just go with it. Look at it this way, she'll owe you 
one."

"And don't think I'll be shy about collecting," he groaned, moving off to 
one side.

"Don't get out of sight," Harm ordered her, feeling a sudden jump in his 
protectiveness quota.

She gave him a dazed look and walked forward while he took the side. They 
scuffled through the leaves for the next several minutes until her hoarse cry 
of his name broke the silence. 

He wheeled around in alarm, hearing a note in her voice that he had not 
heard at any time in the past. "Mac what is it?" 

She was kneeling beside a pile of leaves, similar to all the others in the 
clearing save one thing. These leaves had been used to hide a body. With 
trembling hands Mac was pushing away the leaves when Harm reached her. 
"Commander Aikin," she whispered tearfully.

"Let's make a call and let the professionals handle that," Harm told her 
softly, pulling her to his feet and keeping his arm around her, carefully 
leading her away from the body and calling loudly, "Sturgis over here please."

"What's going. . ." Sturgis froze when he reached them and saw the body. 
"Colonel I may owe you an apology."

"Psychic hokum Commander?" Harm chided him, leading an obviously shocked 
Marine still further away.

"I. . ." Sturgis stammered. "Why don't I call the police."

"Please," Harm urged over his shoulder, taking Mac to the far end of the 
stone wall and easing her down. "You're OK right? I mean you're not going 
to faint on me."

"No of course I'm not," she snapped, impatient with herself. "I just didn't 
expect. . .well OK I did but it was still a shock. You know I don't do death 
well, as often as I've seen it."

"Yeah I know, and I hope you never do," he told her firmly. "If you become 
callous toward death then your compassion as a human being is sadly lacking. 
And enough lecture. Just take a minute and gather your wits OK. In a few 
minutes this place is going to be crawling with cops." He started to walk 
back towards Sturgis only to have her grab his hand. "Thanks Harm. And 
thanks for not agreeing the Sturgis that I'm insane."

"Well I think he's revised that opinion," Harm grinned. "Last time I saw him 
he looked confused, but impressed."

Thirty minutes later, Mac, with Harm hovering close behind and Sturgis 
looking on in amazement, pointed out to the detective where he should begin 
to look.

He issued the orders. "Colonel I'll need your statement."

"I know," she nodded numbly. "I can come down. . ."

"Later she can come down," Harm spoke up. "Detective, can she get a little 
break here. She's too proud and stubborn to ask for it, but she did just 
uncover a body here this morning. Can it wait a couple hours. I could bring 
her down this afternoon to the precinct."

"Yeah OK, but keep the details fresh," he told him, hurrying after his deputy.

"Maybe we should stay and help," Mac suggested hesitantly.

"Or maybe we could let these guys do what they get the big bucks for," 
Sturgis told her. "You've played bloodhound enough for one morning."

"He's right," Harm agreed quickly. "For a lot of reasons, one being I don't 
think I want you trailing a killer."

"Because I'm a woman?"

"No because you're not a cop and this is not our case unless we're invited to 
help," he answered in that annoyingly reasonable tone she hated. "And right 
now you look like you need some coffee and some down time. If you won't take 
care of yourself, then I'll take care of you."

Too discouraged to argue, she let him take her arm and lead her back to the 
car. Silent for the forty-five minute ride to Falls Church, she went 
straight to her office and with just a bare nod to Harm that she was OK, 
closed the door.

"You know I'm pretty confused here," Sturgis sighed, adding quietly, "as for 
what's between you and her. . ."

"Don't Sturgis," he cautioned him. "You've been there before remember. It's 
complicated, it's a story that started in a Rose Garden a long time ago and 
it's anything but finished. Mac and I are. . .well handling it. Leave it 
alone."

"It doesn't belong in the office."

"And it's not," he snapped, only to be sorry a moment later. "I'm going to 
get some coffee. And I'm sorry for that. Blame lack of sleep and you 
hitting a touchy subject OK?"

Sturgis nodded and made a hasty retreat to his office. There was something 
there all right, a lot of something, and at some point he expected he would 
know what it was.

Three hours later Mac knocked at Harm's open door. "Hey. The police just 
called. They've got the guy, and they want my statement. So I'm heading 
back down there."

"I'll drive you."

"Harm that's not necessary."

"I'd feel better if you had someone with you. You want me to ask Sturgis to 
do it?"

"No and he's in court anyway. Look Big Brother, you can't shadow me all the 
time."

"Yeah I can," he retorted. "On something like this I can. I happen to care 
what happens to you."

Mac threw up her hands in surrender and meekly followed him to his SUV.

METRO POLICE PRECINCT
1 Hour Later

"Yuri Lentov, there he is," the detective pointed out.

"No he's not our man," Mac spoke up to the amazement of both Harm and the 
officer.

"What?"

"Mac how do you know?"

"There's a connection with horses I can't explain," she offered.

"Is this something with this ouigi thing you've got going?" he asked, and the 
derision in his voice made Harm step forward.

"Watch your tone Sergeant. If it wasn't for her, and whatever she's got 
going, you'd have an unsolved missing person's case."

"Well I go by hard facts," he groused. "We picked up this guy, her stuff in 
his possession including this." He handed Harm a sheet of paper. "Why don't 
you just let us take it from here."

"This is a request for transfer," Harm frowned. "She never mentioned wanting 
to leave in the times we've talked to her."

The detective shrugged. "Like I said, we've got it. Colonel if we can get 
your signature on a statement, you're done."

"I want to talk to her boss," Mac hissed, looking over the paper she was 
handed to sign.

"Because?" Harm asked in puzzlement.

"Because I can't let this go just yet," she insisted. "You in or out?"

"You'd go without me?"

"In a heartbeat," she smiled, "but I'd rather have my partner with me."

"You've chased after me in worse places and scenarios," he smiled as well. 
"I guess I can hang with you for this."

An hour later Mac eyed Morgan Dietz suspiciously as he explained Commander 
Aikin's position at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

"We spoke to your secretary when we came in" Harm spoke up. "She mentioned 
the Commander had left a message. She had something urgent to discuss. Do 
you know what that was about sir?"

"I know as much as you do" Dietz replied. "The Commander was a marvelous 
person. Gifted. And we'll all miss her very much."

"She apparently didn't feel the same way," Mac said as she handed him the 
transfer request. "Do you know about this?"

"NO" Dietz said as he stood up and walked from behind the desk.

"So you have no idea why she might have requested a transfer?" Mac prodded.

"I know she wanted to be closer to the action. Since we're at war, they all 
do. Maybe that's what she wanted to talk about so urgently."

"She cited a work environment that was incompatible with her principles? Do 
you know anything about that?"

"Not a clue. In fact I'm shocked."

He turned and walked back to his desk, Mac's eye catching the horse's head 
statue on the pedestal. Somehow she'd missed it when they'd first walked in 
but now it suddenly stood out. She stared at the statue, hearing once again 
the pounding of hooves.

"Mac" Harm said gently as he realized she'd zoned out on him. "Mac, are you 
okay?" He followed her gaze to the statue and at once he knew what was 
wrong.

"Yeah Iuh, I'm fine" she managed finally, her eyes still on the statute. 
"We're done here. Thank you sir."

"Okay, tell me what's going on Marine" Harm demanded once they were 
outside. 
"You look liked you'd left the planet back there. It was the statue wasn't 
it?"

"I heard the hooves again" she shuddered and at once he wrapped his arm 
over 
her shoulder.

"Mac, this is too much for you" Harm fretted as he lead her to the car. 
"You're way too involved in this. I think you should let me and Sturgis 
handle the rest of this."

"Oh no. You're not pushing me out of this investigation. I found her body. 
And I'm going to find her killer."

"Would you listen to yourself? You're way too involved Mac. I don't like 
this at all."

"Harm, I can't just turn my back on her now" Mac snapped. "I owe it to her 
to find her killer. She called out to me last night Harm. And I'm going to 
help her rest in peace."

"Without worrying what happens to yourself?"

"That's why I have you to cover my six," she said with a small smile. 
"Don't 
I?"

"You know there's no way I'm leaving you alone on this " he sighed.

"So what's next?" she asked.

"We go home and relax. Neither of us got any sleep last night and it's been 
a long day."

"Tomorrow morning we go see the coroner?" she asked and he gave her a long 
look.

"Mac, I don't think you need to see that" he said quietly.

"Harm, we need to find out what happened to Commander Aikin. And the 
coroner 
may find something we didn't know about."

"There's nothing I can do to talk you out of this is there?" he sighed.

"No way. Now is there a dinner offer anywhere in that we go home and relax 
you mentioned earlier?" she asked hopefully.

"I think I could manage that" he smiled. "How about we stop and pick 
something up and then head back to your place? That way I don't have to 
worry about you driving across town at night."

"No I just have to worry about you instead."

"You could invite me to stay if you're really worried" Harm teased.

"Don't push it Flyboy" she groaned. "Come on, hungry Marine."

They stopped at the local pizza place near Mac's apartment and a short time 
later were happily munching on it.

"Thanks for the pizza" she smiled between bites. "Next time it's my treat."

"I'm holding you to that" he grinned. "You know it's been a long time since 
we've hung out like this."

"It's kind of nice," she admitted. "Especially after today."

"It got to you a lot--the whole thing didn't it," he said gently.

"Yeah, but I can handle it. I mean I have some help."

He cocked his head and looked at her quizzically and she smiled sheepishly. 
"I mean I've got my best friend on this with me." Now she looked at him with 
the same expression. "I do don't I?"

"Of course you do, against his better judgment maybe but that's only because 
he's concerned about you and doesn't want to see you hurt or upset."

"I can handle it," she repeated as firmly as she could. "I can handle it 
and I'm going to see it through."

He threw up his hands in surrender. "OK I'm not going to say anything here, 
except to beg you to tell me when you're really needing a shoulder to lean 
on."

"You know it's not easy for me to ask for help. It's the Marine in me. And 
it's that you and I haven't been. . ." She stopped at that point. "We're 
not back all the way yet."

"But we're trying pretty damn hard," he objected. "At least one of us is."

"I was trying pretty hard the night Mic left. . ." she began and shook her 
head. "No I'm not going to do that. I'm not going pay for real estate 
twice. That's done. Right now I'm glad for the pizza and glad for the 
company and I don't want to think any further than that. You up for a movie?"

In response he dropped a chunk of crust into the box, leaning back onto the 
sofa. By the time she returned from putting in the movie, his arm was across 
the back of the sofa in silent invitation. She hesitated a moment and then 
settled in against him, relaxing when that arm fit neatly across her 
shoulders.

By the time the movie ended both were resting drowsily against each other. 
"I need to get going," Harm groaned. "You need to get to bed."

"The sofa is yours if you want it," she smiled, turning to him.

"Tempting but I think not this time," he said slowly. "Tonight was great 
though. I've missed this a whole helluva lot. We used to do things like 
this often. Even back in the time of Dalton and Annie, or even Jordan."

"Yeah I know," she nodded, firmly keeping to herself any comment about how 
that all changed upon his return from flight duty. "It was great, and I do 
want us to do it again. Soon."

"See you in the morning," he told her walking to the door. "Sleep well."

She followed him, resting her hand on the knob. "Drive safe Sailor." For a 
long moment their eyes held, and for one brief second a kiss hung in the air 
between them and then he was gone.

JAG HQ
Next Morning

"Look alive Sailor. I just talked to the D.C. Medical Examiner's office and 
if we get over there now, we can see the report and view the body before it's 
released." 

"Now there's something to look forward to before lunch," he returned. "Mac 
please, just let the man fax you a copy would you?"

"No. I need to do this."

"You don't. It's not our case and you don't need to," he replied 
stubbornly. "You're already having nightmares, which somehow you seem to 
have communicated to me. I'm hearing those hoof beats in my sleep."

"So am I, and that's another reason for doing this. Once it's laid to rest 
the nightmares will stop," she answered just as stubbornly. "Are you coming 
or not. It's not good to keep the man waiting since he's doing a favor."

"I'm coming," he groaned. "I have never seen anyone so stubborn or 
obsessed."

"Did you not look in the mirror when you shaved this morning," she flung 
back over her shoulder.
========
OFFICE OF THE DC MEDICAL EXAMINER
1 Hour later

"Dr. Bostwick is waiting for you. Go right in, but . . .well you said you 
wanted to see the body and it's. . . ," the young receptionist pointed. 

"Thanks," Harm nodded to her, giving her a glimpse of his smile. He opened 
the door, holding it for Mac who had hesitated. "You don't have to," he 
reminded her. "Wait here and I'll get the report."

"No," she told him, her stubbornness coming up full and she marched 
resolutely ahead, only to stop abruptly before the victim. "Lara," she 
gasped, and was not ungrateful for Harm's immediate hand to her shoulder when 
he heard her distress.

"Colonel, Commander," the doctor greeted them. "She endured a thrust that 
punctured the pericardial sac is the cause of death."

"Stabbed in the heart," Mac murmured. "Anything else?"

"And four weeks pregnant."

Her shoulders slumped and with a long sigh, she stepped forward to the 
table, looking into the face of the dead woman, with whom she could have been 
friends. "We'll find the truth," she whispered, unable to take her eyes from 
the victim.

"Mac let's go. Nothing more we can do here." He reached for her arm only 
to have his phone ring and her to pull away at the same time. "Rabb," he 
answered as he glared at her in frustration and listened. "OK Lieutenant 
thank you and well done."

She raised an eyebrow in question and he shook his head. "Later. Are you 
ready? I think we're done here."

She nodded and allowed him to guide her from the room. Both took a long 
breath once they were outside.

"You okay?" Harm asked.

"Yeah I think so," Mac said finally. "So what did Bud find out."

"Commander Aikin's phone records turned up a number. One that she called 
repeatedly."

"Who was it?"

"Deputy Director Morgan Dietz. The calls were made to his private pager well 
after hours."

"I knew there was something about him that I didn't like" Mac sighed.

"We need to bring the Admiral up to speed," Harm said quietly. "Let's head 
back to JAG."

Mac took one last glance door to the room where the victim lie, more 
determined than 
ever to find the killer.

***********
"You're accusing Deputy Director Dietz of murder" AJ demanded.

"Commander Aikin was pregnant sir. I think we can prove she and the Deputy 
Director were having an affair."

"Having an affair doesn't mean he killed her" AJ reminded her.

Before either could reply there was a knock at the Admiral's door and Bud 
walked in.

"Excuse me for interrupting Admiral. The Colonel asked me to review 
Commander Aikin's phone records. I've discovered a pattern in the phone 
call's she's received sir. They were all made from pay phone's that form a 
circle around the Dietz's home."

"You think Dietz made the calls?" Mac asked.

"He was out of town at the times the calls were made ma'am." Bud replied.

"Okay so what do we have here?" Harm asked as he and Mac made their way back 
to his office. "She calls him. Someone from his residence calls back but all 
the calls are made when he's out of town."

"Sounds like we need to talk to Mrs. Dietz" Mac sighed.

Two hours later they'd learned that Mrs. Dietz had made the calls, that 
she'd been aware of her husband's indiscretion and that her husband had not 
been home the night of Lara Aikin's murder.

"He's our horsemen Harm" Mac sighed as they walked off the elevator. "He has 
no alibi and he was having an affair staring down the barrel of a major 
scandal. I say we go back to his office and get the real story from him."

"How about some lunch first? We've had a rough morning as it is and before 
we go back and try and hang Dietz you need some down time."

"Harm, stop hovering over me" Mac snapped. "I am capable of handling this. 
And if you don't want to go, I'll just go talk to Morgan Dietz myself."

"Fine. Do whatever you want" he snapped back, ignoring Sturgis and Bud's 
curious glances. He hurried into his office and grabbed his coat, pushing 
past her as he headed back to the elevator. Mac let out a long sigh before 
heading to her office.

"What was that all about?" Bud asked as he looked at Sturgis.

"Not sure" Sturgis said as he looked in at Mac. "But I'm going to try and 
find out."

He walked over to her office and knocked on the door.

"Everything okay?" he asked quietly. "I figured you and Harm were arguing 
about the Aikin case and thought maybe you could use another person to 
bounce stuff off of."

"That's part of it" she sighed.

"There seems to be a certain tension between you two" Sturgis commented.

"Some"

"A lot"

"Look, you're missing the point Sturgis"

"Come on Mac"

"I've never slept with him."

"Is that the problem?"

"There is no problem" Mac snapped as she stood up and walked to the door.

"Then why don't you just get over it and move on?" Sturgis asked.

"It wouldn't work"

"Why?"

"Because I'm in love with him" she said as she closed the door.

For a moment there was silence in the office as Sturgis sank uncomfortably 
into the chair. Somehow he'd always guessed that was how she felt but he 
was surprised she'd said the words.

"Did I say that?" she whispered as she turned around. He said nothing and 
with a long sigh she walked over and sat down next to him. "You have to keep 
that to yourself."

"How long have you been in love with him?" Sturgis prodded.

"Sturgis please" Mac sniffled. "I can't talk about this now. And you can't 
tell him."

"Don't you think he has the right to know?"

"Sturgis, just promise me you won't tell him I said that" she pleaded.

"I won't. Because I'm not the one that should tell him. You are."

"Right. I'm going to walk right up to him and tap him on the shoulder and 
go, Harm here's the notes on the McMillen court martial and by the way I'm in 
love with you."

"Mac have you no romance in your soul," he moaned. "No of course you don't 
do that. You let him know, so that gives him an opening to share similar 
feelings with you."

"You're assuming an awful lot there Commander," she sighed. "Frankly we're 
doing real good to be where we are at this point."

"Which is?"

"Good friends--well best friends now--who care about each other. I mean 
after all the awkwardness between us after his flight duty and then Mic and 
Renee and. . ." she trailed off and looked at Sturgis helplessly.

"Hey I don't need to get into all that," he smiled. "And by the way, I know 
what it must have cost you to admit what you did. I wouldn't break a 
confidence--you can be sure of that. But I would also bet the rent he feels 
the same way."

"He's got a real good way of keeping it to himself," she sighed and rose. "I 
have your word?"

"You do," he smiled, patting her hand awkwardly. "Now where are we in the 
case?"

"Commander Aikin's autopsy showed her four weeks pregnant," she murmured. 
"I'm wanting to have another word with Mr. Dietz, and then I'm going to head 
home."

"Harm?"

"I think we need an afternoon apart," she smiled wanly. "I'll just go feel 
the man out."

"Mac you need to stop short of any out right accusation," he cautioned at 
once. "He's a high ranking well respected civilian. Toothpaste can't be put 
back in the tube."

She smiled gently at that. "I know. No I'm just going to talk to him."

"You should wait for Harm. I'd offer, but I'm due in court in twenty."

"I'll be fine. I'm just going to his office." She rose to go, stopping at 
the door. "Your word now?"

"You got it," he answered.
==============
Thirty minutes later Sturgis emerged from the courtroom, having granted the 
continuance the other side wanted, only to nearly collide with Harm. 

"Sorry. Where did Mac go? I need to apologize."

"You were Commander Jerk again?"

"Something like that," Harm groaned. "I didn't read her well enough to know 
when I should back off and I pushed too far, but dammit Sturgis I'm worried 
about her."

Sturgis nodded and urged him forward, walking him to his office and closing 
the door.

"OK what's going on," Harm demanded at once. "Where is Mac first of all. . . 
.OK no, she didn't go see Dietz alone?"

"She went to talk to the man and then she was going home," Sturgis told him 
calmly.

"What the hell is the matter with you," Harm practically shouted. "You let 
her go alone to see a man who could be a killer?"

"In his office," Sturgis soothed. "In his office. I hardly think he would 
try anything there. And she's not going to accuse him anyway. She's got 
better legal sense than that."

"I still don't like it," Harm glowered. "I wish she had waited for me."

Sturgis took a long breath, reminding himself of his promise to Mac. "There 
seems to be a certain tension between you two," he ventured as he had with 
her.

"Yeah OK, some. A little. Sometimes."

"A lot, a lot of the time."

"What do you want from me man? I mean it's not like we've slept together."

Sturgis smiled at that. "Is that the problem?"

"No that's not the problem. There is no problem. Leave it go."

Sturgis smiled again. This was working better than he could have hoped. "OK 
then why don't you do just that. Why don't you just get past it, and move 
on?"

Harm, much as Mac had done, rose impatiently and paced a lap. "I can't. It 
won't work like that. I'm in love with her."

Sturgis said nothing, smiling to himself.

"And why on earth am I telling you this" Harm groaned. "Don't you dare 
breathe a word of what I said to Mac."

"Harm" Sturgis started.

"No, I'm serious here. You have to promise me you won't tell her."

"Fine I won't."

"Thank you" Harm sighed as he dropped back in his chair.

"You will though"

"What. Are you nuts? That's the last thing Mac needs to hear from me. We're 
just getting back to being friends again."

"Harm have you ever stopped to consider she might feel the same way?"

"Yeah right" Harm scoffed. "Get real Sturgis. You heard her out there 
earlier."

Sturgis just shook his head as he stood up. "Rabb you know nothing about 
women."

"Yeah tell me something I don't know" Harm sighed. "Maybe I should go over 
to Dietz's office and make sure she's okay."

"Harm, she is a big girl you know. She'll be fine."

"I shouldn't have pushed her like that. I know this whole case is getting to 
her and I should have just been there for her instead of trying to tell her 
what to do."

"Maybe you should relax" Sturgis laughed. "Everything will be okay."

"Sure whatever you say" Harm muttered.

"Oh it will be" Sturgis smiled, the plan already hatching in his mind. His 
two friends loved each other. They just needed the chance to tell each other 
they did.

*************
JAG HQ's
24 Hours Later

"Mac, you got plans for dinner tonight?" Sturgis asked as casually as he 
could.

"Excuse me? You're asking me to dinner?"

"I thought we could talk about that subject some more" Sturgis smiled. "You 
know which one."

"Sturgis" Mac groaned. "This isn't a good time. I'm back to square one with 
finding Commander Aikin's murderer now that Dietz has an alibi and I'm 
really not good company."

"We can talk about that too then. Maybe another point of view will help 
clear things a little. Come on. Let me try my counseling one last time. If 
you still think I'm wrong after I plead the case, I promise I won't bring up 
the subject again."

"It's pointless Sturgis" Mac sighed. "But I hate to cook and I'm not one to 
turn down a free meal. You are buying right?"

"Of course. So you'll come?"

"Where and what time?"
=========== 
"One down, one to go" Sturgis smiled to himself as he walked out of Mac's 
office. He went in search of Harm, finally finding him in the law library.

"Hiding out down here?" Sturgis teased.

"I'm doing research" Harm retorted. "And yeah maybe I am hiding out. Mac 
doesn't seem to be in a real good mood and I don't want to say the wrong 
thing like I did yesterday."

"You obviously haven't talked to her then and found out that Dietz has an 
alibi for the night of the murder?"

"Like I said, I was keeping my distance" Harm sighed. "No wonder she's 
upset. She was so sure Dietz was the murderer."

"You two will find the real killer. If you can get past this thing between 
you two."

"Did you want something?" Harm demanded. "Because I was working here."

"Lighten up buddy. I came to see if you were busy for dinner tonight?"

"Let me check my social calendar and I'll let you know" Harm said 
sarcastically.

"Funny Rabb. I'm serious. You got plans or not?"

"No. What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking food, a couple of beers and the basketball game. Now how bad 
can that be?"

"You don't expect a lot of good cheer from me do you?" Harm demanded 
sarcastically, "at least not before the second beer."

"Just come," Sturgis ordered. "See you at my place at 1800."
================
STURGIS's APARTMENT
555PM

"Colonel you look great," Sturgis enthused when he opened the door to her, 
eyeing her trim figure in the black jeans and pale blue sweater.

"I'm still not sure I know why I'm here," she sighed, "but a free meal I 
didn't have to pick up or nuke can't be all that bad. Thanks for having. . . 
" Her voice trailed off as she looked past him to the dining table. There 
was soft music playing and little light save the candles on the table.

"Look Commander, if I didn't know better I'd say you were planning a 
seduction or something," she said warily, stepping back into the open doorway.

"Not at all," he grinned. "Hey I don't get much chance to put out a nice 
table, and that and cooking are something I don't do often. I live alone, 
and dinner to me is usually something on the couch in front of the TV, or the 
computer if I'm working. Please come in. No ulterior motives to get you 
into my bed--you have my word."

She stepped forward, allowing him to take her arm. It was at that moment 
Harm came around the corner in the hallway, stopping dead when he saw Mac and 
Turner.

"Excuse me," he gasped, taking a couple of breaths as if all the air had left 
his body. "Excuse me. I must have my nights mixed or something. Obviously 
I'm interrupting." 

"Harm?" she gasped as well, looking from Sturgis to the table to Harm and 
back again. "I didn't know you. . ."

"Well I didn't know you. . ." he tried. "I guess I'll see you. . ."

"Rabb shut up and get in here," Sturgis ordered. "Mac, he's supposed to be 
here. You're supposed to be here. It's me who's the third wheel. I have 
Wizards tickets and a young lady meeting me there. Excuse me." With that he 
grabbed his jacket from the back of the sofa and fled, leaving an astonished 
Naval Commander and Marine Lieutenant Colonel to stare at each other in 
disbelief.

"We've been set up," Mac whispered, shaking her head and backing away from 
him toward the kitchen.

"I would say so," Harm agreed, following her slowly. "I'm not sure what that 
big idiot has on his mind, except it may uh. . . may go back to a 
conversation we--him and me--had the other day about. . ."

Her ears perked up at once, remembering a similar circumstance between 
herself and Sturgis. "Anything you want to share?"

When he did not answer, she put a gentle hand on his arm. "Sturgis and I 
also talked. Maybe I'll tell you if you'll tell me."

His head cocked quizzically, his mind trying to run the table of 
possibilities. "Over dinner? Because whatever he's making smells wonderful. 
And it would be a shame to waste the candles and the wine. . .well he 
doesn't know about that."

"Water will be fine," she smiled, wrapping her hand around his arm. "If you 
serve I'll clean up."

"You are on Colonel," he laughed, feeling himself relax, and he lead her to 
the table, pulling out her chair and guiding her into it. "And no case talk. 
Not over dinner."

"I think I can live with that" Mac smiled.

He headed to the kitchen, returning seconds later with the piping hot dish 
of chicken parmesan. One more trip to the kitchen and he returned with a 
water for both of them before finally sitting down.

"You think he cooked this?" Mac asked as Harm dished out a piece of chicken 
for her.

"Not sure but it smells delicious." He served Mac some spaghetti and sauce 
before loading up his plate.

"So what did you and Sturgis talk about?" Mac prodded.

"You first" Harm smiled.

"Always the Marine who has to go in first" she teased before taking a deep 
breath and looking at him seriously. "We talked about you and me," she said 
boldly.

"Funny that's what we talked about too. What did you tell him?"

For a moment she froze, not really sure she could utter the same words to 
Harm that she'd said to Sturgis.

"I told him how I feel about you," she admitted. "What did you tell him?"

"How I feel about you" Harm whispered.

"And?" she prodded nervously.

"And what?"

"And how do you feel?"

"How do you feel?"

"I told him I loved you" she whispered so softly she wasn't even sure he'd 
heard her at first. He froze for a second before a small smile crossed his 
face.

"I told him I loved you" he whispered just as softly.

"You did?"

He nodded and his hand reached across the table for hers. "Yes I did. 
Because it's the truth. I love you Sarah Mackenzie. No matter how hard I try 
and deny it, I can't anymore. I haven't been able to since that night in May 
when I wasn't sure I was ever going to see you again. But we've been like 
two ships passing in the night since then and there never seemed to be the 
right time to tell you how I felt. And I couldn't just blurt it out."

"I never thought I'd hear those words from you" she smiled. "I'd hoped and 
prayed a thousand times, but I never actually thought you'd feel the same. 
And then when I suddenly blurted it out to Sturgis, I made him promise not 
to tell you. I was so afraid of finding out that you didn't feel the same 
way."

"Never" Harm smiled as he squeezed her hand. "I love you. Never doubt that."

"I love you too," she said softly. "So where do we go from here?"

"Well now that our buddy Sturgis has seen fit to get us to admit to each 
other how we feel, I don't think we should waste the opportunity. And even 
though it seems like we've jumped a few steps ahead, I'd like very much to 
have the chance to show you how much you do mean to me."

"Does that mean what I think it means?" she smiled.

"I want to win your heart Sarah Mackenzie" Harm whispered. "And prove to you 
that you are the only woman I will ever love."

"You already have my heart sailor" Mac whispered back. "You had it from the 
beginning."

"Which beginning?" he smiled.

"The beginning. In the Rose Garden. I just couldn't admit it to myself."

"Neither could I. I guess that's why six years later we're at the beginning 
again."

"Better than being at the end" she smiled.

"Yes it is" he agreed. "You think we can make this work?"

"Not going to be easy. You know we are the two most stubborn people on the 
face of this earth. Look what Sturgis had to do to get us together."

"So can we?" he persisted. "Can we make this thing that's been between us 
forever really work?"

She took a long breath and when she looked up her eyes were wet with unshed 
tears. "I want to try. I want that more than anything in my life. You?"

In reply he rose from his side of the table and taking both her hands brought 
her to her feet as well. He leaned toward her, his intention obvious, and 
she wasted no time in following suit. Their lips touched, lightly at first 
and then more urgently. A second later they each side-stepped away from the 
table and their bodies melded as one, another kiss making the bond more 
permanent. 

An old dance had come to an end. A new one was about to begin.

THE END