TITLE: "Double Bubble-Toil and Trouble"
       AUTHORS:  Anne R. and Pat Steiner
      SUMMARY:   Fall, 2003.  Paraguay is over.  Harm is back where he belongs.    And hopefully  
all is being put behind them as the reunited partners embark on their first assignment as the 
team they always were.  A story in the best traditions of Halloween.
      CLASSIFICATION/RATING:   J/S/R/A    PG for language and some violence.
     SPOILERS:  A Tangled Webb and all subsequent episodes especially, but in any of our work, 
any JAG episode may be referred to.
     FEEDBACK:  If you're so moved but never expected nor begged for.  Addy is 
ssbpmn@aol.com.  Please however, we request you respect the work, and the effort that goes 
into writing it.
    
        NOTE:  All parts of this story and previous chapters, as well as much of our other works, are 
available at 
                                          
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ignore any notice of adult content you may see-there is no R nor NC17 content there.
                                          
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     Our work is also being featured at Lisa's archive: 
Http://www.capitalcitycollaborations.com
++++++++++++++++++++++
"Double Bubble-Toil and Trouble"
  
 Friday, October 24th
 JAG HQ
 
 "Seems a little strange for the Admiral to hold a meeting with just us " Bud 
 said to Mac as the pair made their way to the conference room.
 
 "Nothing seems strange to me anymore" Mac sighed.
 
 "The last few months have had you down haven't they ma'am? The Commander 
 being gone and everything going to hell around here."
 
 "It hasn't been a picnic Bud. I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to 
 put in my own resignation papers."
 
 "I'm glad you didn't" Bud said with a small smile. "It's bad enough 
 Commander Rabb is gone. Without you, it wouldn't be JAG to me anymore. I 
 mean we've all been together since the beginning."
 
 "Bud we were lucky to stay together this long" Mac reminded him. "And maybe 
 that's what this is all about. Maybe there's going to be some changes around 
 here. Starting with me getting a spot in Iceland."
 
 "Ma'am you haven't done anything to warrant a spot in Iceland. You're the 
 best attorney we've got now."
 
 "Now that Harm is gone," she added.
 
 "No ma'am I didn't mean it that way."
 
 "It's okay Bud" Mac sighed. "I'm not offended. I'd be the first to agree 
 that Harm was probably better at this that me."
 
 They reached the conference room just as Sturgis rounded the corner from the 
 other direction.
 
 "You know what this is about?" he asked.
 
 "Your guess is as good as mine" Mac answered. "It can't be good."
 
 "You know where those resignation forms are kept?" Sturgis murmured as he 
 opened the door to the conference room.
 
 It was empty and the three attorneys took seats around the large table.
 
 "Maybe the Admiral is bringing in Harm's replacement" Sturgis offered a few 
 moments later. "And we're getting the first chance to meet them."
 
 Mac nodded slowly, Sturgis's words suddenly making sense. They couldn't 
 continue to handle the workload without a replacement for Harm. But the 
 thought of working with someone else. . .
 
 "I was hoping he was coming back" Bud sighed. "But you're probably right."
 
 The doors to room opened again and Mac held her breath as AJ walked in. A 
 small gasp soon followed as she realized who was behind him.
 
 "I do believe you three all know Commander Rabb" AJ smiled slightly. "And 
 I'm sure you won't have any problem welcoming him back to the team now that 
 he's done playing Bond."
 
 "You're coming back for real," Bud said happily. "We're all going to be a 
 team again."
 
 "If that's not a problem" Harm said quietly, his gaze going at once to the 
 Marine Colonel who had avoided his look since he'd walked in the room.
 
 "Hell no it's not" Sturgis added enthusiastically. "About time you came back 
 to share the responsibility around here. Maybe now I can get a weekend off."
 
 "Colonel?" AJ asked.
 
 "Welcome back Commander" she said finally. "I'm sure everyone will be 
 pleased to have you around."
 
 "Including yourself?" AJ asked.
 
 "Sir I have no problem working with the Commander again."
 
 "Good. Because I'm going to throw the Commander right back into the fire and 
 you're going with him" AJ continued. "Unless there's some objection."
 
 "What fire is that sir?" Mac asked.
 
 "The Enterprise. I'm sure you've all heard about the troubles that have 
 plagued the ship the last six months. Well they've continued even now that 
 they're deployed. And Captain Clark is asking for a JAGMAN investigation 
 since he's beginning to think the problems may be the work of a saboteur on 
 board. I figured you two would be the best to handle this based on your 
 experience on the Watertown."
   
"Now there's a lot of fun memories," Harm groaned.

"Oh it wasn't that bad," Mac laughed.  "We aired a lot of differences didn't we?  Got a lot out in 
the open right?"

"Yeah OK.  But then I thought you were dead."

"I don't remember any of that," she said softly.  "Not until I woke up in your arms."

"Should I be here for this conversation?" AJ screeched.

"After he saved my life sir," she smiled.

"Oh right.  OK. I remember the report," AJ nodded.

Harm fell quiet, biting his lip as his mind replayed the scene.  She was dying.  Or dead. 
Collapsing into his arms.  He laid her flat, tilting her head back and breathing life giving air into 
her lungs.  Once.  Nothing.  Twice.  She coughed.  She coughed--that means she's alive.  He sat 
her up, still holding to her, feeling at that moment he might never let her go.  Her hand palmed 
the side of his face, expressing gratitude she did not have words for.  She would be all. . .

"Mr. Rabb?" 

"Harm are you OK?"  He dimly heard her voice and AJ's, and felt a soft hand on his arm that 
could only be hers.

"Sorry.  Yes fine.  I just. . .never mind."  He shook at awful time from his thoughts.  "Sir I'm glad to 
be back, glad my duty with the CIA is done and I'm ready to do this job.  With my partner thank 
you."

"And thank you for that," AJ smiled.  "Go.  Stay in touch.  Here, read the file on the way.  It's 
fascinating." 

"I'll bet."  Harm grinned and turned to Mac.  "You ready to get tail hooked?"

"I see a summer playing 007 didn't ruin that rapier wit," she groaned.  "Yeah let's get out of here.  
Thank you sir.  We'll make you proud."

Once outside AJ's office, Mac took a long look at Harm.  "You look good Sailor.  Being out of 
uniform must have agreed with you.  It's a real shame though."

"What's that," he frowned.

"That they didn't have any working email system, and of course phones were out of the 
question."

"Yeah I can sort of explain that," he stammered, watching her walk to her office.  "Maybe later," 
he murmured.

Not until Mac was inside her office did she let out the breath she had seemingly been holding.  
Harm was back.  Her partner.  Of course nothing had been resolved since Paraguay but why 
would that surprise her.  It was just another in a long line of unfinished business items between 
them.  Well for right now this case would occupy their attention.  Idly she turned the calendar to 
see what if anything she had to make arrangements for.  Harm's birthday.  The 25th.  'Harm' was 
written above the date in the lower corner.  Not just an ordinary birthday either but the big 4-0.  
They would be leaving tomorrow  but there was time to do something for him.  Assuming he even 
remembered.  Or even if he didn't.  
 
 **************************
 Harm's Apartment
 6:00 PM
 
 Harm was busy packing his bag when he heard the knock on his door. He 
 dropped his clothes and headed to the door, surprise evident on his face a 
 moment later when he saw Mac at the door, a large bag in her hand.
 
 "Am I late?" he frowned. "I thought we were leaving tomorrow."
 
 "We are" she nodded. "Can I come in?"
 
 "Yeah sure. What's in the bag?"
 
 "A surprise."
 
 "Okay Marine what are you up to?" he asked.
 
 "Nothing."
 
 "Mac you're here for a reason. What is it?"
 
 "I was checking my calendar and I realized tomorrow is a big day" she 
 smiled. "Care to venture any guesses why?"
 
 "You didn't forget did you?" he sighed. "You know I almost held back coming 
 just for that reason."
 
 "You think I'd forget my partner's fortieth birthday. Come on Harm. It's not 
 every day this happens."
 
 "No and that's a good thing. I don't need to be reminded how old I am. 
 That'll happen soon enough as it is and we get to the Enterprise and I see 
 all these kids running around. Most of the crew is half my age Mac."
 
 "So you're telling me you're not going to be happy that I called everyone 
 and put together a last minute surprise party?" Mac smiled.
 
 "Tell me you didn't?" he groaned.
 
 "I didn't. It did enter my mind though."
 
 "I'm glad it went right back out."
 
 "But I would like to take you out to dinner to celebrate" she said quietly. 
 "Seeing as how we're leaving first thing tomorrow and the officers mess 
 isn't exactly what I had in mind."
 
 "You want to take me out?"
 
 "Harm no matter what's happened we've always been friends" Mac answered. 
 "And I wouldn't forget a friend's birthday."
 
 "You really mean that? The friends part?"
 
 "Well you still have some explaining to do about the last few months."
 
 "I'm sorry. I know that sounds lame and nothing I'm going to say will make 
 up for the fact that I didn't call or email."
 
 "One phone call Harm" she said softly. "Just an I'm okay how are you would 
 have been nice."
 
 "I know" he sighed. "Honestly you don't know how many times I picked up the 
 phone to call you but I couldn't."
 
 "Why?"
 
 "I don't know. It was easier to not think about it I guess."
 
 "Hasn't that been the story of our relationship" she said softly. "We just 
 let things go without ever talking about them."
 
 "Sounds like what you said to me on the Watertown."
 
 "Do you know how many years ago that was?" Mac whispered. "And how little 
 anything has changed since then."
 
"I do actually have a reason why I didn't stay in touch.  Not with anyone and most certainly not 
with you," he said, speaking up while he had the courage to do so.  "Would you care to hear it?"

"Of course if you'd like to tell me.  We're still best friends aren't we?"

"I hope so."  He sounded almost little boy-ish and she smiled at that, perching on the arm of a 
nearby chair.  

"I was afraid."

"Uh. . .OK of all things you might have said, that's not one of them that I thought of," she frowned.   
"So expound Sailor.  Now."

"That if I talked to you, or to anyone else for that matter, that I would find out that you and Clay. . 
."

Her eyes grew large as she heard his words.  "Me and Clay were what?"

"You know. . .like you and Mic," he stammered.  "In fact I had the same dream like eight times--I 
came home and found you wearing Clay's rings.  Rings-plural. One on each hand."

"So you were afraid that while you were gone me and Clay. . ." she demanded.  "That you'd 
come back to find me and Clay. . ."

"Mac think," he begged.  "I saw you kiss the guy.  I heard what you two said about things.  In fact, 
it suddenly occurs to me that I don't know where Clay is right now, and I don't know for sure that 
you and him aren't now. . ."

Impatiently she held up her hand.  "At the moment I don't know where the man is either.  You 
could have just asked.  At any point.  Harm, when Clay left us, I was afraid he was dying.  He 
was afraid he was dying.  And I would have talked to you then about what we went through but 
the plane and everything happened.  Then when you and I said goodbye in Asuncion that was so 
awkward.  I just figured once we got back to DC and put all that behind us we could get back to 
where we were back before all the craziness started.  But that didn't happen either.   We needed 
to rewind the tape, Harm.  To back before Singer's murder even."

"Yeah.  Yeah that's right," he said thoughtfully.  "But I still need to hear you say it."

"Excuse me?"

"Say that I have nothing to be concerned about.  Sorry to be so whiny.  Or needy."

She shook her head and gave him a soft smile, having had no idea Clay was that big an issue 
with him.  As far as she had been concerned, once she and Clay had parted company upon his 
recovery,  it was a closed matter.  They were friends, and no doubt a certain amount of bonding 
had taken place given the terror of the situation but. . .

"I'm not in love with Clayton Webb.  How's that?  Or should I raise my right hand?"

"No don't do that," he sighed.  "The whole situation was surreal.  From the time you came to my 
place to tell me you were going."

"I won't deny that," she smiled softly.  "So where do we go from here?  I mean we tried the 
beginning once before remember."

"Right now we go to the Enterprise and do this investigation," he said after a moment's thought.  
"Maybe things will fall back into place."

"If we want them to," she nodded.  "If we make them.  Open your present and then I have a cake 
and candles."

"Mac if you light forty candles in here the place is going to spontaneously combust."
 
 "No it won't" she giggled. "Come on Harm. It's not every day you turn 
 forty."
 
 "No next year it's worse" he sighed. "It's all downhill from here."
 
 "Only if you let it. You're back at JAG with your favorite partner. Sounds 
 pretty good to me."
 
 Harm smiled slightly at his words. "Yeah I guess you're right. Course that 
 only means you're not going to win as many cases now."
 
 "Oh please" she groaned. "Come on Flyboy before I change my mind about 
 dinner. Besides we don't have a lot of time here. Early morning flight 
 remember."
 
 "Did you have something in mind?" he asked as he reached for his coat.
 
 "It's your birthday" Mac shrugged. "You choose."
 
 "You're being way to nice to me. I don't deserve this."
 
 "No you don't. But if we're really going to start over again this is the 
 first step. Forgetting about what's happened and move on."
 
 "I'm with you Marine" Harm smiled. "And thank you for doing this. I really 
 wasn't expecting anything. Hell I wasn't expecting you to talk to me."
 
 "You're welcome. Now let's go. Starving person here."
 
 They settled on a Chinese buffet and it was after several trips that Mac 
 pushed away her plate with a groan. "I have eaten way to much. And we still 
 have cake."
 
 "We can skip the flaming torch" he laughed. "I won't mind."
 
 "Oh no. I went out of my way to get a cake and we're going to eat it. After 
 we have candles and you make a wish."
 
 "You singing happy birthday too?"
 
 "Wouldn't be right if I didn't" Mac smiled. "Course I never claimed I could 
 sing."
 
 "I'm sure you'll do fine."
 
 "So what do you think about our investigation?" she asked. "Think there 
 could be someone sabotaging the ship?"
 
 "Could be. Course the ship is pretty old. It could simply just be falling 
 apart piece by piece."
 
 "Harm there's a lot of things going wrong there. You really think it's just 
 because it's old."
 
 "Probably not" he admitted. "And it wouldn't be the first time someone has 
 done something like that to avoid going out to sea."
 
 "Well the good news is they haven't hurt anyone like Hodge did on the 
 Watertown" she sighed. "I don't think we're dealing with anyone that crazy 
 this time."
 
 "Don't remind me of that," Harm said with a slight shiver. "And if we do 
 find there is someone like that on board again, you're going back to JAG."
 
 "I'll pretend you didn't just tell me that if this gets scary you're sending 
 me back to JAG."
 
 "Mac I'm serious."
 
 "Well I'm not. I didn't leave the Watertown and I won't leave until we 
 figure out what's going on aboard the Enterprise."
 
 "You couldn't leave the Watertown. We were under the polar ice remember. 
 Trust me if there had been any way to get you off that sub, I would have 
 done it."
 
 "Okay this is an interesting revelation," Mac said finally.
 
 "Look I just don't want you getting involved in something like that again."
 
 "Harm he almost killed you too in case you forgot. If anything, it should 
 remind us that we need to work together on this."
 
 "Yes we do" he sighed. "As much as I hate to admit it, I need you around."
 
 "And I need you. And that's why we're both going out there to figure this 
 out."
 
 Once dinner was finished they returned to Harm's apartment and Mac quickly 
 set up the cake and candles.
 
 "You're lucky" she smiled. "I decided each candle would represent ten years. 
 So there's only four."
 
 "Oh good so we don't have to have the fire department on standby" he 
 laughed.
 
 "Nope all you have to do is make a wish," she said as she lit the candles. 
 "I'll spare you the singing. Instead I'll just say Happy Birthday."
 
 "Thank you" he smiled. "Do I really have to blow out the candles?"
 
 "After you make a wish."
 
 For a moment he was silent before deciding on his wish. With his wish in 
 mind, he blew out the candles, Mac smiling as she looked on.
 
 "You have no idea how silly I feel" he laughed when it was over.
 
 "I promise I won't tell anyone.  And if you'll cut the cake, I'll get your 
 present."
 
 He'd cut two pieces by the time she returned and she handed him the wrapped 
 box. "Happy Birthday. I hope you like it."
 
 Harm unwrapped the box, smiling brightly as he pulled out wooden picture 
 frame with several pictures in it. There was one of them at Bud and 
 Harriet's wedding, AJ's christening as well as Harm's Vette and his 
 bi-plane.
 
 "You obviously didn't do this tonight" he smiled.
 
 "No I'd been working on it for a while" she admitted. "I just didn't know if 
 you were going to be around to get it from me or not."
   
"I don't know what to say," he whispered.

"Well in fact I had just gotten the idea and fixed it up and then put it away.  It really wasn't until I 
checked my calendar that I realized this was the perfect time for it.  Before I thought maybe it 
would be simply welcome home."

He nodded thoughtfully, reaching out to grasp her arm.  "Before when you said you didn't know if 
I was going to be around to get it, how so?"

She gave him a helpless shrug in response.  "You know I honestly didn't know if I was going to 
see you again.  It was like when you were on the Henry.  You were just gone out of my life."

"I was never planning to do more than serve my time and come back," he protested.  "I'd applied 
for reinstatement.  Meanwhile I was being a good boy and doing what Uncle Sam wanted."

"I felt bad because of why you did it too," she admitted quietly.

"Yeah well I would have done it again in a heartbeat," he told her firmly.  "No regrets.  Not one.  
You were--you are--worth it."

Her mouth dropped open as soon as she heard that.  "Wow.  An expression of feeling from you.  
Like you were trying to get through to me in Paraguay that I wasn't receiving well.  Thanks.  I'm 
touched.  And I mean that---it wasn't a sarcastic response."

"I know.  It's part of something I promised myself."

"Oh yeah?  You care to enlighten?"

"Nah.  Except to say that like I said before, I want us to do this investigation and then I want us to 
get back on track like we were before it all got so crazy.  It's what I wished. . ." he tried to catch 
himself and could not.  "Well now maybe it won't happen," he sighed.

"That was your wish?" she whispered, looking up to study his eyes.

"Yeah," he admitted with a bright blush.  "Yeah.  I said before I wanted things to fall back into 
place.  Well I added a little insurance and wished.  Like I wanted the banana seat bike when I 
was eight."

"Did you get it?" she giggled.

"Yeah."

"Then maybe someone was listening this time," she told him softly, running her fingertips down 
his lower arm.  "But truth is, only you and I can make that happen."

For a long minute their eyes held firm and he nodded.  "I know, and I want it."

"Me too Flyboy.  Me too."  She swallowed hard until his eyes released hers and she took a bite of 
cake.  "I'm so stuffed but this is so good.  Put the rest in your freezer for when we come back."

"Candlelight dinner with frozen birthday cake?"

"Sounds like the perfect date.  And on that note, I need to get out of here.  0500 comes awfully 
early."

"It is late," Harm gasped in realization.  "Uh uh, no way."

"What?"

"You're not driving alone across the city at this hour.  I forbid it."

"Excuse me," she gasped in amazement.  "You realize you just sounded like a husband on one 
of those old lame sitcoms telling his wife she couldn't take a job."
 
 "Mac I'm serious. You're not leaving."
 
 "You planning on holding me hostage?" she laughed. "Because I'm leaving here 
 otherwise. I'm a grown woman who is totally capable of driving herself 
 home."
 
 "Then I'm holding you hostage because you are not leaving."
 
 "Harm" Mac groaned. "I need to get home. Things to do before we leave 
 tomorrow you know."
 
 "Is your bag packed?"
 
 "Of course."
 
 "Okay so then you're all set. We'll stop by your place in the morning and 
 pick it up before we go to Andrews."
 
 "You're serious aren't you?"
 
 "Very" Harm nodded. "Don't you read the paper about people getting carjacked 
 at this time of the night? Happens all the time and I'm not about to let it 
 happen to you."
 
 "So much for my long soak in a hot tub" she sighed. "I guess it'll have to 
 wait until we get back. Which hopefully won't be that long."
 
 "Look how long we were on the Watertown. You might want to bring your 
 Halloween costume."
 
 Mac laughed at his words. "Rabb you've lost it. Even if we are there on 
 Halloween, I'm not dressing up. And I don't think they have trick or treat 
 down the passageways."
 
 "Now there's a picture" he laughed as well. "You in some costume making your 
 way down the passageway carrying a trick or treat bag."
 
 "You need help. Okay partner where's the sheet and blanket so I can crash on 
 your sofa. 05:00 is going to come way before we know it."
 
 Harm quickly put together the sofa for Mac while she looked on.
 
 "Okay all set" he announced a few minutes later.
 
 "Got anything I can sleep in?" she asked. "Jeans are not going to make it."
 
 "Long t-shirt and oversized sweats?"
 
 "Works for me."
 
 When she emerged from the bathroom wearing one of his t-shirts and a 
 shrunken pair of sweats he was on the sofa staring at the photo collage 
 she'd put together for him.
 
 "You like that don't you?" she smiled.
 
 "Yeah I do" he smiled as well. "It's the best gift I've gotten in a while. 
 And what makes it even better is I wasn't even expecting anything."
 
 "I'm glad you came back to JAG before your birthday" Mac said softly. "I've 
 really enjoyed tonight. Especially since I wasn't expecting you to be back."
 
 "The Admiral never told anyone did he?"
 
 "We honestly thought we were going to meet your replacement. Which would 
 have sucked."
 
 "You missed me that much?" he asked.
 
 "It wasn't fun and games while you were gone that's for sure. Everything was 
 going wrong and I swear the Admiral thought it was my fault."
 
 "I'm sorry. You know I was only doing what I had to."
 
 "Well I'm glad you're back. And we didn't get stuck with someone new to 
 break in."
 
 "Come on you've wanted a new partner" Harm teased.
 
 "No I haven't," she said seriously. "I just wanted my old partner back. The 
 one from way back when everything was good."
 
 "Has it been that bad?"
 
 "It's had its moments" she shrugged. "I just remember a time when things 
 were so different between us. Maybe one day we'll be there again." Her eyes 
 went to the picture of her and Harm at Bud and Harriet's wedding and he 
 caught her gaze.
 
 "One day we will" he said softly. "And I'm going to let you get some sleep. 
 I'll see you in the morning."
 
 "Night Harm."
 
 "Night Mac" he smiled. "Thanks for tonight. It really meant a lot."
  
"To me too," she sighed, snuggling down into her pillow.  It might just be that they might just be 
OK was her last conscious thought.  Her last thought until at 0343 she heard him.  He screamed 
her name and it came out as a long sob as much as a cry.

"Harm my God," she gasped, rolling from the sofa and hitting her foot on the coffee table as she 
did so.  A short curse escaped her as she made her way to the bedroom area of the loft.  Without 
waiting for an invitation she was at his side just as his mouth opened to scream again.  Quickly 
she clamped a firm but gentle hand over his lips, giving his bare shoulder a sharp shake with her 
free hand.  Her hand was immediately soaked with his sweat and she could feel him trembling 
violently under her grasp.  She began to feel fear, imagining that something was badly wrong 
with him. 

"Harm talk to me," she demanded urgently.  "Now.  Or I'm on the phone to 911."

"Mac?"

"No.  It's Singer come back to life.  Of course it's me.  What the hell is wrong with you and you'd 
better tell me something that's going to calm me down.  Fast."

"I haven't had that one in a long time."

"That one?  You mean a dream?  A dream where you're shouting my name?  Harm tell me I'm 
not the object of some sexual fantasy please."

"No.  No far from it," he sighed, his eyes focusing on her for the first time.  "I mean that's not what 
happened.  I mean if I did fantasize.   Never mind.  Yeah it's a dream.  A nightmare of epic 
proportions.  But I haven't had it for a long time.  Just like I really hadn't thought of the Watertown 
in a good while.  But all the talking about it today must have set it off.  I'm sorry I woke you.  
Good thing these old buildings are so solidly built else the neighbors would be saving you a call."

She frowned and reached out to push a large stray lock of hair off his forehead.  "So your dream 
is about Hodge?"

"And what he did to you, except in the dream I freeze and can't do the CPR," he sighed.  "At 
least always before it was that way.  This was a new wrinkle."

She nodded to encourage him to go on, and instead he shook his head in refusal.  

"This is crazy.  Go back to bed.  I'm fine."

"Of course you're fine.  You always wake up in the middle of the night screaming, soaked and 
shaking all over which you still are.  Out of that bed Stickboy before you catch your death and I 
have to handle this investigation alone.  Or worse, while you whine about your sinuses killing 
you."

"OK.  I'll get dried off and into a tee shirt.  But you go back to bed.  I'm sorry I woke you.  I 
imagine I scared you to death."

"Oh yeah," she smiled softly, and a pain shot through her foot, reminding her that her nerves 
were not the only casualty.  "Back to bed I go.  But if you need anything, holler."

"Yeah thanks. "  He watched her go let out a long sigh when he was alone.  The dream had been 
familiar.  An oft visitor to his sleep in the first months after the Watertown.  This night there was 
an alternate ending.  He was able to perform the CPR---to no avail.
 
 "It was just a nightmare Rabb," he said to himself. "Just let it go."
 
 But somehow he couldn't help but think it wasn't just a nightmare. It wasn't 
 like all the others had been. It was as if it were a warning of what was to 
 come. A shiver ran thought him and at once he stood up and headed for the 
 bathroom. A warm shower would take away the chill that suddenly had gone 
 through him. Besides there would be no way he would sleep after this.
 
 *****************
 Aboard the COD to the Enterprise
 Several hours later
 
 "Harm why don't you sit back and get some sleep" Mac urged. "You're barely 
 keeping those eyes open as it is. No one will care if you get a little shut 
 eye."
 
 "How come you're not tired?" he sighed.
 
 "I went back to sleep and you didn't. Which of course I don't understand why 
 you didn't."
 
 "If you'd had my nightmare you'd understand" he murmured as he closed his 
 eyes for a brief moment. The vision of her dead in his arms was not 
 something he wanted to think about again.
 
 "That really bothered you didn't it?" she asked softly. "Harm it was just a 
 nightmare. Brought on by us talking about the Watertown which obviously 
 still upsets you. Something I didn't realize."
 
 "You never had nightmares about the Watertown?"
 
 For a moment she was tempted to lie, to tell him that she'd never thought 
 about what had happened while they were aboard the sub. But it would have 
 been a lie. Many nights her sleep had been invaded by nightmares of what had 
 happened, her mind bringing to life the worst of what had happened. But not 
 to herself. To Harm.
 
 "I had a few nightmares," she admitted finally as she felt his gaze upon 
 her. "But mine were about Hodge doing worse to you than he had."
 
 "You never told me."
 
 "You never told me you had nightmares" she countered. "But I guess it's not 
 something you can just bring up."
 
 "Mac since we don't know what's going on aboard this ship, I want you to 
 promise me you'll be careful," he said quietly. "If there is someone like 
 Hodge aboard"
 
 "As long as we stick together we'll be fine Flyboy" Mac said with a small 
 smile. "We work together and we watch each others backs and we'll be fine."
 
 He nodded and once again closed his eyes as he leaned back in his seat. 
 Maybe it was just imagination. Maybe it would all be okay.
 
 He dozed off and it was the sound of Mac's anxious voice that woke him a 
 short time later.
 
 "Harm wake up" she whispered as she gently shook him.
 
 "What?" he murmured as he pushed his eyes open.
 
 "There's some kind of problem" she hissed. "Something on the Enterprise and 
 they're not sure if we'll be able to land."
 
 "So we'll circle for a bit while they figure it out" Harm shrugged. "It's 
 nothing to worry about."
 
 "I heard the pilot say we don't have much fuel. And apparently there's a 
 storm moving this way."
 
 "Okay keep cool" he urged as he heard the anxiety in her voice. "These guys 
 are pro's and they'll know what to do. You getting upset won't do us any 
 good."
 
 "You're sure there's no reason to be concerned?" she asked nervously.
 
 "I'm sure we'll be fine. I'm sure they'll get whatever's wrong on the 
 Enterprise fixed and we'll be able to land before the storm gets here."
 
 "When you say it, it sounds like no big deal" Mac sighed. "I'm glad you're 
 with me."
 
 "You're really glad to have your partner back?" he smiled.
 
 "Very" she said as she nervously played with her hands. A moment later he 
 reached out for them and squeezed them gently between his.
 
 "Mac it's going to be okay. Just relax."
  
"I'm not a pilot.  I can't just say it's going to be fine.  We all know it's not always fine.  May I 
remind you of a cold rainy day in May two years ago."

"Oh please don't," he groaned.  "Talk about bad memories."

"It was a nightmare," she whispered.  Despite her anxiety over their current situation, that was 
worse.  Far worse.

"Hey it kept you from marrying the Australian Bozo," he laughed softly, giving her hands a hard 
squeeze."

"You could have just said Mac don't marry the man," she returned.

"I thought I did that.  Like at the party."

"I needed it in exact words," she admitted.  "Why do you think I stood there with my hand on the 
doorknob?  I was waiting for you to say something like 'let's go tell everyone this was all a huge 
mistake'."

"I couldn't get the words out," he sighed miserably and she jolted their hands together.

"Doesn't matter.  I'm trying not to live in the past remember.  What are we going to do about the 
fact that this rust bucket is going to dump us in the water?  Strap on parachutes?"

"I don't think we're there yet," he murmured, looking into her alarmed face.   "But why don't you 
let me go see if I can find out what the problem is.  These gold wings should be good for 
something else other than what I told you years ago."

"Yeah well remember what I told you," she replied, removing her hands from his grasp.  "Please 
see if I'm panicked over nothing here."

One look at his face when he returned from speaking to the flight crew told her she did in fact 
have good reason to worry.  "Harm?"

"A supply COD ahead of ours fouled the deck.  They thought they'd have it cleaned up before we 
were due in.  But they didn't count on the fuel we burned going around that one weather front."

"Harm is there a bottom line here?"

"Yeah.  Do the words 'in the unlikely event of a water landing' mean anything to you?"

"What?  You're not funny Johnny Carson."

"He's going to set us on the water while he still has the fuel to do it," Harm replied quietly.  "Then 
the ship will send a chopper to pick us up.  To them it will be just another drill."

"To them maybe.  Not to me," she yelped.

"Ssshhh OK.  You've done this kind of thing in training exercises before," he soothed.  "You know 
it's all a matter of keeping your head.  Besides I'm going to be right beside you, and you know I 
won't let anything happen to you."
 
 "This is not happening" she wailed. "Tell them to figure something else out. 
 I am not going in the water."
 
 "Mac calm" Harm said sharply. "I mean it. I need you to keep a clear head 
 here. That's the only way we're going to get through this."
 
 "I'm sorry. I'm just not good at this kind of thing."
 
 "None of us are. But if you stay calm and stick with me, I promise we'll be 
 fine."
 
 "I'm scared" she whispered.
 
 "We'll be fine. I mean it. He'll set it down gently and we'll get out and 
 before you know it the chopper will be here. But in the meantime we might as 
 well get ready."
 
 "Ready?"
 
 "Life vest" he said as he stood up and reached above them to pull out the 
 vests. "We'll need these."
 
 She took the vest from him and quickly strapped it around her while he did 
 the same. Her fingers fumbled slightly due to her anxiety and Harm helped 
 her finish strapping on tight.
 
 "Thank you" she sighed. "You're sure we can get out of here before this 
 bucket fills up with water?"
 
 "We'll have enough time. Not a lot but enough that we'll be okay. I 
 promise."
 
 "You won't let me drown?"
 
 He frowned hard at her words. "There is no way I will let that happen. And I 
 don't even want you thinking about it."
 
 "I'm trying not to" she whispered. "But I'm scared."
 
 Before he could answer the word came from the cockpit that they were going 
 to set down in the water and to assume crash positions.
 
 "Harm" Mac wailed as the plane began to descend towards the water.
 
 His answer was to reach for her hand and it remained around hers as the 
 plane hit the water a few seconds later. They both were pitched forward and 
 it was then that he lost his grip on her hand. For a few chaotic seconds his 
 hand couldn't find hers but finally he connected just as he felt the cold 
 water hit his feet.
 
 "Stay with me" he shouted as he once again took her hand firmly in his. "Do 
 not let go."
 
 She nodded and followed him towards the hatch; the water quickly rising 
 around them as the plane started to sink.
 
 "Commander this way" the pilot called from the front. "We don't have much 
 time."
 
 Harm pulled Mac along with him, the water now deep enough to force them to 
 swim to where the pilot and co-pilot were waiting for them. It was a few 
 heart-pounding seconds but finally they emerged from the plane, dropping at 
 once into the waves of the Gulf. Once again Harm lost his grip on Mac, the 
 churning waters quickly pulling her away from him.
 
 "Mac" he screamed.
 
 "Harm" she managed. "Harm I can't reach you."
 
 At once he dove towards her, determined not to let her be taken away from 
 him. It took several attempts but finally he was able to grab hold of her, 
 pulling her at once to him. The sound of the chopper overhead was a welcome 
 sound and he let out a sigh of relief when he saw the first line drop 
 towards them.

"Stay with me Marine," he ordered, locking his body to hers, and watching the chopper having 
difficulty holding its position in the rising storm.

"How do we decide who's first?" she whispered, her teeth starting to chatter in the cold water.  
"Rank?"

"Well technically the pilot should be last," he sputtered, watching the line being caught by the first 
officer and then handed to the only other passengers, two enlisted personnel who were reporting 
for duty aboard.

"You hang tight now," Harm encouraged her, alarmed at how quickly the cold water was affecting 
her.  She was shivering hard and her lips were already tinged with blue.  "Think hot shower.  It 
won't be long."  His words were punctuated by a large crack of lightning, followed immediately by 
a sheet of cold stinging rain.  They watched the ring carry the two survivors skyward while the 
pilot swam to their side, towing his first officer along.  The young Lieutenant was bleeding heavily 
from a gash across his forehead and seemed barely conscious.

"What happened to him?" Harm demanded.

"Hit his head on the console in the jerk when we stopped," Cdr. Wesley Thomas explained.  "I'm 
afraid he's got a concussion.  I'm also afraid this is going to be the last trip for the chopper until 
the storm lets up."

"Yeah," Harm nodded his understanding.  "Commander I want my partner out of here."

"I was just going to say, why don't you and me ride this out and let the Marine and Lt. Davies get 
on back."

"Thank you," Harm nodded.

"What?  No wait what just happened?" Mac shrieked.  "Ride this out?  You're staying in the 
water?  Are you insane?  Then I'm staying with you."

"The hell you are," Harm exploded, eyeing the lifeline that was snaking down to them.  'You're 
going to get your Marine six out of this water before you freeze to death.  I'll be fine.  They'll cut 
the line and leave us the ring, and we have our vests."

"You're talking about this like it's a normal part of your day," Mac screeched.  "Like we're deciding 
who's going to pick up donuts.  I'm not going back without you."

"Oh yeah you are," Harm told her firmly, grabbing the life-ring and putting it over her, watching 
Wesley guide the ever increasingly weakening younger man to do the same.

"Harm don't make me go," she begged, struggling as best she could.

"I'll see you aboard.  By the time you've showered and put on warm dry clothes I'll be there," he 
told her and just as the ring started to lift, he placed a quick kiss in the general vicinity of her 
mouth.

"Commander did I just see you kiss your partner?" Wesley demanded, his eyes crinkled in 
amusement as the lifeline was pulled into the chopper.

"Nah, you're imagining things," Harm grinned, heaving a long sigh of relief when Mac was pulled 
aboard the helo.

As soon as she was aboard, Mac flung herself back at the door, staring down at Harm. 

"Ma'am come and sit," Ensign Jack Carmichael urged.

She turned and grabbed two handfuls of his life vest, giving him as much of a hard shake as she 
had strength for.  "Listen up.  You tell your pilot we are going to get those last two men out before 
we go back.  I don't care of that's a typhoon out there."

"Ma'am the CAG has ordered us back," the young man told her quietly.   "We have a badly 
injured man, plus this storm is risking all of us and the helo.  But the good news is normally they 
blow over quickly."

"Harm."  The word came from her lips in a cross between a prayer and a plea, and she sank to 
the floor of the chopper.
 
 "We'll get to him soon as this is over."
 
 "No" she moaned. "You have to get him now. Please. You can't leave him out 
 there."

 "Ma'am we have orders. And if we don't go back now, we'll be joining them in 
 the water."
 
 Mac nodded slowly, knowing the young man was right but hating it just the 
 same. Already this trip was doomed and they hadn't even gotten aboard the 
 Enterprise.
 
 "This sucks" Harm yelled as the rain continued to pelt them, the waves 
 swelling as the storm front neared them.
 
 "Yes it does Commander," he shouted back. "Twenty years of flying and this 
 is the first bird I lost."
 
 Harm smiled slightly at the other man, realizing he wasn't the least bit 
 concerned about them getting back to the ship in one piece.
 
 "Sounds like you're a helluva pilot" Harm commented.
 
 "I was until I came out to the Enterprise. All kinds of weird stuff 
 happening out here Commander. And it's not just me. That COD that messed up 
 before us is just another in a long line of mishaps. Last week I nearly lost 
 it bringing that baby in."
 
 "The Colonel and I were coming out to investigate all that" Harm told him. 
 "Maybe you can tell me more while we're waiting for our friends to come 
 back."
 
 "Between chattering teeth sure" Wesley laughed.  "You going to remember this 
 all Commander?"
 
 "My mind is pretty good" Harm smiled before another wave washed over him, 
 dredging him with cold water. He came up sputtering, and Wesley swam closer 
 to him to make sure he was okay."
 
 "You okay?"
 
 "Didn't see that one coming" Harm managed between coughs.
 
 "I think we'll have to save that talk for later" Wesley answered. "Let's 
 just concentrate on staying alive until they come back. That partner of 
 yours would be a little upset if she lost you."
 
 Upset was exactly what Mac was as the chopper touched down on the deck. She 
 move out of the way so that the medics could attend to the injured Lt. but 
 made no attempt to move off the chopper.
 
 "Ma'am we'll take you to sick bay" a medic offered.
 
 "I'm not leaving" she told him. "Not until we go back and get my partner and 
 the pilot."
 
 "Ma'am that may be a while."
 
 "I'm not going anywhere."
 
 "Ma'am you need to get out of those wet clothes" he said patiently. "Why 
 don't you do that and then we'll bring you back up here? Deal?"
 
 Mac shook her head. She was not going to get warm and dry while Harm was 
 still out there in the cold water. It wasn't fair.
 
 "No. I'm staying here until we go back up."
 
 "Colonel the Commander will be fine," Lt. Davies said wearily from where the 
 medics were treating him. "He's in good hands with Commander Thomas."
 
 "I wish I could believe that" Mac whispered.
 
 "You should get changed ma'am" Lt. Davies continued. "I think Commander Rabb 
 will be a little upset if you're all wet when you come back to get him."
 
 "Ma'am it'll only take a moment" Corpsmen Mark Muffrey told her. "And then 
 you can come back up and wait for the storm to pass."
 
 Mac finally relented and allowed Muffrey to lead her down to the sick bay, a 
 young ensign providing her with a clean and dry uniform a few minutes later.
 
  
"Thank you.  What's the word on the storm," she asked anxiously.

"Still howling ma'am," he replied.  "You need anything else?"

"Yeah, about six-four, two hundred pounds of stubborn sailor," she muttered, slamming the door 
to the cubicle.  The hot water of the shower felt wonderful and yet she barely noticed, hurrying 
through.  She dried and dressed in record time and made her way topside to the bridge.  "Lt. Col. 
Sarah Mackenzie, JAG Corps.  Permission to join the bridge?"

"Permission granted Colonel, come in.  Stephen Grant, CAG.  I'm sorry about your partner."

Her eyes flashed in immediate alarm tinged with anger.  "What are you talking about?"

"Whoa relax Colonel.  Just sorry that we couldn't get him out.  Him and Cdr. Thomas.  But it's 
pretty typical of what's been happening on the E.  Which of course is why you're here."

"Thank you.  I know why we're here.  What I don't know is what you're doing to get my partner 
out of that water."

Her raised voice brought silence on the bridge and Stephen quickly looked around at his crew.  
"You people have got better things to do than listen to our conversation I'm sure," he shouted.

"And I'm sorry," Mac added quickly.  "Yelling at you isn't going to get him back here."

"No but that will."  Stephen pointed down to the chopper pad and the helo that was warming up.  
"I'm giving the storm another five minutes to peter out just a little more and then I'm launching."

"Thank you.  You've got room for me don't you and please don't say no."

"Well of course the chopper can carry you but I'm not sure that's something. . ." Stephen replied, 
his voice trailing off as he looked into the face of the anxious Marine Colonel.  If rescue turned 
into recovery, was it a good idea for her--someone who obviously had more than a professional 
interest in one of the victims--to be there.  "Colonel.  I think your partner would prefer you waited 
here," he tried.

"No one is asking him.  CAG, I need to be on that helo."
===========
"Commander?  Harm?  You OK?  You're hanging in there right?"  Wesley asked anxiously.  "I 
feel like I'm responsible for you."

Harm nodded, trying for force some life into limbs gone numb from the cold.  "OK, yeah.  And you 
worry about yourself.  You got a family?"

"Wife and twin daughters yes.   Kelly started Annapolis this fall.  And Kathy got a full ride to 
Cornell."

"You're proud of them.  And rightly so."

"I am.  Uh. . .you?"

At once Harm's thoughts went to the woman he had sent back to the ship.  "I hope so."  He 
coughed hard and had he not been so cold would have doubled over from the cramping his belly 
was doing.  The wave which had taken him by surprise had delivered a mouthful of salt water 
that he had swallowed in his distress.  His eyes closed and Stephen gave his arm a firm shake.  
"Hang tight Harm."

Five long minutes later Harmon Rabb's prayers were answered as the chopper appeared 
overhead, the whap-whap of the rotors making a wonderful to the ears sound.

Ensign Carmichael leaned out of the door as far as he dared, trying to size up the situation 
below.  He looked back at the Colonel he was told to bring along, against the better judgment of 
all concerned.  Her face was white but otherwise impassive.  If they had to haul aboard her 
partner's lifeless body. . .  "They're alive."  The words tore from his lips in a shout of jubilation as 
he looked down again and saw two men, their arms in the air with a thumbs-up sign.

Mac was out of her seat and crowding the door at once.  "Ma'am I'm going to need a little room to 
work here please."
 
 At once she moved back, not wanting to impede them bringing Harm up. She 
 could only imagine how cold and tired he had to be after all the time in the 
 water.
 
 "Hang tight Colonel" Carmichael smiled. "I'll have your partner up in a 
 moment."
 
 It was several anxious moments but finally Harm appeared at the opening of 
 the chopper, Mac moving to quickly help Carmichael lift him inside the 
 chopper and down on the floor, a blanket from Corpsman Larry Saunders medic 
 quickly going around him.
 
 "Hey you're the last person I expected to see on here" Harm managed between 
 chattering teeth as Mac sat down beside him.
 
 "Yeah we'll you didn't think I was going to trust them to get you back 
 safely did you?" she frowned as her eyes went over him, noticing at once how 
 cold and exhausted he was. "And I think we got here just in time."
 
 "Commander Thomas?" Harm asked as he forced himself to stay awake. "Where is 
 he?"
 
 "On his way up Commander" Saunders informed him. "He'll be with us in a 
 second and we'll have you back to the Enterprise real quick."
 
 Harm nodded and as soon as Thomas was inside the chopper he gave, he let his 
 eyes shut, finally giving into the cold and exhaustion.
 
 "He'll be okay ma'am" Saunders told Mac when he saw the look of alarm on her 
 face. "Right now the important thing is to get him back and warmed up. I'd 
 say we got them out just in time."
 
 "I'd agree" Mac said softly, as she looked at Harm. She'd only gotten her 
 partner back yesterday. She wasn't ready to lose him again. And not for 
 good.
 
 She kept her hand around his on the flight back to the ship, tucked safely 
 under the blanket so no one would notice. It was only when they touched down 
 on the deck that she finally let it go as a swarm of corpsmen surrounded the 
 chopper, gurney's ready to transport the patients.
 
 "Ma'am the Captain would like to see you" a young Ensign informed her as she 
 stepped off the chopper. "Right away."
 
 Mac turned her attention back to Harm, not wanting to leave him but at the 
 same time knowing she couldn't disobey the Captain's order.
 
 "Ma'am?"
 
 "We'll take good care of him" Corpsman Saunders told Mac when he realized 
 she was still watching them attend to Harm. "By the time you come down to 
 sick bay he'll be fine."
 
 "Thank you" Mac murmured before following the Ensign to the Captain's 
 office.
 
 "Colonel Mackenzie, glad to have you aboard" Captain Clark greeted her. "And 
 let me apologize at once for your rough arrival. I just got the update on 
 the Commander's and I've told them to let me know if anything changes."
 
 "Is this a typical day aboard the Enterprise?" Mac asked.
 
 "No today is one of our worse days" Clark admitted. "Normally it's systems 
 fouling up or stuff breaking down."
 
 "But you have had other issues with aircraft having problems landing?"
 
 "I won't lie and say we haven't. There's been more of those aboard here than 
 normal that's for sure."
 
 "Do you have any idea what's going on here Captain?" she asked.
 
 "I honestly think one of my crew, or several for that matter, are trying to 
 sabotage this cruise so we'll have to go back to Norfolk. This many things 
 just don't break or foul up on a ship, not one right after another."
 
 "Any idea who?"
 
 "Unfortunately no" he sighed.
 
 "You know Captain this was a little easier when my partner and I were aboard 
 a sub and we only had a hundred suspects" Mac said with a small smile. 
 "Having a couple thousand is going to make this a little difficult."
 
 "I know. And I guess we can narrow it down a bit."
 
 "Obviously we'd start with anyone who'd had disciplinary action taken 
 against them recently for whatever reason. And then narrow it down from 
 there."

 "I can get that for you right away" Clark nodded. "I honestly didn't know 
 where else to turn to. This is just getting out hand."
 
 "Have there been injuries from any of these problems?" Mac asked.
 
 "For the most case no. But in the last week, it seems like things have 
 gotten a little more serious. And we have had some crewmen injured. Then of 
 course what happened today is just a nightmare. Nearly losing an aircraft 
 and everyone aboard is not something I want happening aboard my ship."
  
"No I wasn't real thrilled either," Mac sighed, shaking off visions of being in the water and the 
memory of leaving Harm behind.  "Wanting to go back to port is an interesting motive.  
Something we can slant our questioning to at least.  But honestly sir, I don't see how sabotage 
could have played a part in this morning's incident.  I mean it was weather related.  Had we not 
had to go around that front, we would have had enough fuel to hold off the landing until you 
repaired the deck."

"Possibly," Clark nodded.  "Or you just got caught up in an act that was perpetrated on the 
incoming flight before yours."

Mac's turn to nod.  "Looks like we're going to be here for a while sir."

"And we're glad to have you.  Uh. . .how is your partner?  Commander Rabb's reputation has 
preceded him you know."

"Of that I'm sure," she laughed slightly and gave a long sigh at the same time.

"You don't know how he is?"

"No sir.  The order to report came as they were taking him down."

"I see.  I gather you and him are close?"

"Yes sir," she admitted carefully.  "Eight years worth of working together."

"Get out.  Go see him.  You won't be any good until you know he's OK anyway.  Then come have 
dinner with me tonight.  We'll talk more."

"Yes sir thank you," she gasped gratefully, wasting no time in hurrying to sick bay.

"Colonel hello," Saunders greeted her when she poked her head in.

"Commander Rabb?" she asked anxiously at once.

"He's. . ." Saunders got out as he studied her face, trying to determine exactly what the 
relationship was there and thus what he should come forth with.

"Corpsman," she demanded.

"Yes ma'am.  The doctor--Marine Capt. Cavanaugh--has been with him.  He's somewhat 
hypothermic."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning his temp and BP are low.  We're warming him and he's on a medication drip.  Plus he 
swallowed a lot of sea water he said.  Hell on the stomach."

"I want him medivack'd."  Mac heard herself say the words without conscious thought.

"Colonel we're not there yet."  Capt. Dan Cavanaugh said softly and Mac turned to stare into 
what she would later remember were the bluest eyes she had ever seen.

"I wouldn't subject him to the rigors of a medivac unless there was no other choice," Dan went on 
firmly.   "He's much better off here, warm and dry, under medication."

Mac swallowed hard.  "But he's going to be OK right."

"I have no reason right now to think he won't," Dan smiled kindly.  "Bet you want to see him."
  
 "You'd bet right" she whispered. "Please."
 
 "He's anxious to see you too I'm sure."
 
 Mac followed Dan back to one of the rooms, bracing herself as he opened the 
 door.
 
 "Go on" Dan urged. "I'll be by shortly."
 
 She nodded and walked into the room, doing her best not to be alarmed when 
 she saw how pale and still he looked. For a moment she was tempted to turn 
 around and tell the Captain to have Harm medivack'd but then she felt Harm's 
 cold hand reach out for hers.
 
 "Hey you keep that hand where it's warm" she said softly as she gently 
 tucked it back under the several layers of blankets they had on him before 
 sitting down beside him.
 
 "You okay?" he asked, his voice hoarse from the cold and salt water.
 
 "You're the one who's hypothermic and you're worried about me?" she 
 whispered.
 
 "Slightly hypothermic" he corrected with a weak smile. "Don't look so 
 scared. From what Skates told me about the last time, this is a walk in the 
 park."
 
 "This is not a walk in the park for me" Mac sighed. "Do you have any idea 
 how worried I am about you? I just got you back into my life and here I am 
 losing you again." Her words ended with a small sob as the events of the day 
 finally caught up with her.
 
 "Mac don't" he whispered as he once again reached out his hand to hers. This 
 time she took his, holding it tightly between her two hands.
 
 "I'm sorry. This has been a nightmare today."
 
 "I know. But it's over now."
 
 "It won't be over until I know you're going to be okay," she said softly. 
 "Slightly hypothermic is not good sailor."
 
 "Better than hypothermic."
 
 "You need to rest" Mac sniffled. "You've been through hell today."
 
 "So have you. Will you stay?"
 
 "I'm not sure they're going to let me. You want me to?"
 
 "I'll rest better if you are" Harm said tiredly as he fought to keep his 
 eyes open.
 
 "Then I'll stay," she said as she tightened her hold on his hand, hoping her 
 warmth would transfer to him. "Until they kick me out."
 
 He was sleeping again when Dan walked into the room a short time later; a 
 small smile crossing his face when he saw Harm's hand tucked in Mac's.
 
 "Keeping him warm?" he said softly.
 
 "Please tell me he's getting better. He still seems so pale and cold."
 
 "I know. But it's a gradual rewarming process. Otherwise there's the risk of 
 shock to the system which can cause all kinds of things you don't want to 
 know about."
 
 "No I don't" Mac shuddered. "I just want to know he's going to be okay."
 
 "We're on the right track and honestly I think he'll be just fine. Having 
 you holding his hand probably is helping a lot."
 
 "You won't mention this to the Captain" Mac said sheepishly.
 
 "Course not" Dan smiled. "Obviously you and the Commander are close and I 
 have no problem with it. So long as my patient stays on the road to recovery 
 that's all that matters."
 
 "Captain how is Commander Thomas?" Mac asked.
 
 "A little better shape thanks to the fact that he had a flight suit which 
 kept him warmer. In fact he's been pretty concerned about Commander Rabb. 
 Apparently he knew Mr. Rabb was barely hanging on when you got there."
  
"I don't think I needed to hear that," Mac sighed, giving Harm another long look and then figuring 
Dan already knew how it was with them, reached out to press the back of her hand against his 
cheek.  She swallowed hard and looked up at the doctor.  "He uh. . .he almost died didn't he?"

"He uh. . .I'm afraid. . ." he stammered and Mac's eyes never left his face.  She wanted the truth.  
"Yes ma'am.  If he had slipped into unconsciousness out there, I don't know that we could have 
brought him back."

Another swallow and she shuddered slightly.  "Thank you.  Now tell me once more he's going to 
be fine."

"Well once in a while hypothermic victims develop some heartbeat irregularities, hence why I'm 
keeping  him here, and he's hooked up to the monitor.  But I right now, all he needs is some rest.  
And so do you.  Ma'am you look like hell.  And when you write me up for that, please remember I 
said ma'am."

"I can't just go up to my cabin and leave him.  I'd consider it a personal favor if you wouldn't ask 
me to."

"Well he may sleep for a while.  I've given him something mild to keep him quiet so his body can 
recover."

"That's OK.  I just don't feel like I can leave him right now.   I do have a dinner invitation from your 
captain though."

"He's a good man.  And pretty mystified by the things that are happening around here."

"Yeah well that's what we're here for.  But right now that this man is going to be OK is more of a 
concern if I'm being honest."

"Frankly a little honesty is refreshing," Dan smiled.  "OK I've got reports and rounds.  There's 
always a corpsman on duty if you need anything."

"What I need is right here," Mac sighed, her hand going to Harm's forehead, and she was not 
able to suppress a gasp at the cold radiating from him still.  "Flyboy don't you even think about 
being less than OK," she begged, keeping her hand in place as she relaxed, resting her head on 
his arm.

"I'll leave you guys," Dan told her.  "He's obviously in good hands."
   
  She stayed with Harm as he slept, finally slipping away to join the Captain 
  at dinner as he'd requested.
  
  "How's your partner?" Captain Clark asked as he let her into his office.
  
  "Okay I guess" she sighed. "I'm not thoroughly convinced that's the case but 
  so far he seems okay."
  
  "How long have you and the Commander been working together?" he asked.
  
  "Eight years. Some days it feels like eighty," she said with a small smile. 
  "Especially on days like this."
  
  "Well let's go get some dinner and if you don't mind, I'd like to talk to 
  you a bit more about what's going on around here."
  
  "Deal" she nodded.
  
  She followed Captain Clark to the Officer's Mess, smiling slightly at the 
  sight of a small group of officer's obviously celebrating someone's 
  birthday.
  
  "My XO, Commander Berry turned forty-five today" Captain Clark told her. 
  "The guys decided to have a little party for him."
  
  "Harm's birthday is today too. His fortieth."
  
  "He made his way up pretty quick" Captain Clark commented. "Course I've 
  heard about the Commander before. I bet his service record is pretty 
  interesting reading."
  
  "Yes it is" Mac nodded. "I just wish he wasn't spending his birthday in the 
  sick bay."
  
  "I can't tell you again how sorry I am about that Colonel. I was really 
  hoping you two would come up with something before anything else happened."
  
  "I promise as soon as I know Harm is going to be okay, I'll get to work. And 
  then when he's feeling better he can assist."
  
  "You don't want anyone else out here with you?"
  
  "Harm and I have done this kind of investigation before" Mac admitted. "So 
  I'd rather have him working with me."
  
  "Understand. I just want to get to the bottom of this. Admiral Chegwidden 
  assured me if anyone could, it would be you two."
  
  She spent another hour with the Captain before managing to excuse herself 
  and immediately headed back to the sick bay.
  
  "He's still sleeping Colonel" Dan informed her. "And honestly you need to do 
  the same."
  
  "I'll sleep in the chair" she told him. "Right now I just want to be close 
  to him."
  
  "Colonel he's fine. All his vitals are stable and his temperature is moving 
  up. I'm very happy with his progress so far."
  
  "I know. But I still want to be with him."
  
  "I can't make you leave" Dan sighed before walking out.
  
  Mac sat down beside Harm, reaching at once for his hand. It was warmer that 
  it had been and she allowed herself a small measure of relief. That was a 
  good sign.
  
  "Happy Birthday Harm" she said softly. "This is definitely not how I wanted 
  to spend your birthday."
  
  Exhaustion from the long day soon took over her and she laid her head down 
  on the bed beside him, her eyes closing almost at once. And almost at once 
  her sleep was invaded by nightmares. She was aboard the Enterprise, running 
  down the long passageways. She wasn't running from someone, she was running 
  to Harm. He was dying and she had to get to him. Faster she ran, gasping as 
  she reached sick bay doors.
  
  "Harm" she wailed.
  
  She threw open the door and suddenly she was no longer on the Enterprise. 
  Instead she was at Arlington National Cemetery staring down at the tombstone 
  marker.
  
  Commander Harmon David Rabb  
  October 25, 1961 - October 25, 2003.
  
  She opened her mouth and screamed, screaming loud enough to wake the dead 
  but it wasn't the dead that she woke. At the sound of Mac's screams, Harm's 
  eyes opened at once, his befuddled mind knowing at once that the screaming 
  belonged to Mac.  At the same time, her screams had been heard by all those 
  in sick bay, Captain Dan Cavanaugh the first one to reach the room.
  
  "Colonel" he said gently as he shook her. "Colonel wake up."
  
  "No" she screamed, still locked in the nightmare of Harm being dead. "No he 
  can't be dead. He can't be." Her screams turned to a sob and a corpsman came 
  running into the room with a syringe.
  
  "No" Harm managed when he saw what they were going to do. "Let me try." He 
  reached for Mac, his arms going around her sobbing and shaking form. "Sarah 
  it's okay," he said softly. "I'm not dead. I'm right here with you."
   
 His voice reached her like no other could.  "Harm?"
 
 "Yeah right here.  Right here and alive.  And scared to death when I woke up and heard you.  I 
thought you were in trouble or something.  Couldn't quite get my mind wrapped around where we 
are at first.  Anyway, please.  Calm down honey."
 
 Honey?  Of all the words he might have used, that one hit her hard and fast.
 
 She nodded and looked at the corpsman still holding needle at the ready.  "Get that thing away 
from me," she hissed.  
 
 "Colonel?" Dan asked quietly.  "Would you like something mild to help you rest?"
 
 She looked at Harm, whose color was better and who was seemingly more alert and she gave 
him a soft smile, allowing herself a sizable measure of relief.  "Thanks, no.  Just seeing this guy 
here looking better is calming me.  And I do apologize for making such a scene."
 
 "All right.  Corpsman stand down."
 
 "Yes sir."  
 
 Dan gave Harm a quick check and then an encouraging nod.  "Commander you keep this 
progress up and you'll be out of here."
 
 "Thanks," Harm nodded and relaxed back onto his pillows, only to come again to alertness as he 
heard Mac attempt to suppress a sob.  "OK?"
 
 "Yeah.  Just feeling a little overwhelmed at the moment.  Not much like a Marine."
 
 "I think the Marine has held up very well," Dan smiled.  "Both of you get some rest."
 
 They were alone in the semi-darkness and Harm at once tightened his grasp of her.  "OK Marine 
now it's just us.  What the hell is going on with you?"
 
 She shrugged helplessly within his grasp.  "Nightmare.  What can I say.  Nightmare that you 
died.  And don't try to say you don't know how that is.  Remember your place before we left."
 
 "The CPR one," he smiled softly, his free hand going to stroke her hair.  It had been very real to 
him.  And if hers had been only half as much so, no wonder she awoke terrified.
 
 "Yeah.  I'm glad you're doing better.  Very glad."
 
 "You were worried?" he teased and was instantly sorry as she sobbed once more.  "Hey I'm 
sorry again.  Honey don't cry.  It's all over but the recovery."
 
 That word again.  What he was trying to get her to understand when they were in Paraguay he 
was still trying to get across to her.  Only now she was more of a frame of mind to pay attention.
 
 She lifted her head and brushed at her wet face, with some help from the back of his hand.  
 
 "Happy Birthday Harm," she smiled softly and leaned over to brush her lips to his.  "Happy 
fortieth."
 
 "Thank you," he whispered, trying to ignore the shock waves of what she had just done that 
were washing through him.  "I wish you'd go back to your cabin.  Please.  I just want to sleep, 
and I'll rest better knowing you're getting some rest yourself."
  
 "I'm afraid" she whispered. "Afraid if I leave you won't be okay."
 
 "Hey you said yourself I'm looking better," he said softly. "And I can 
 promise you all I'm going to do is sleep. Which is what you need too. You're 
 exhausted and you're going to make yourself sick if you don't get some 
 rest."
 
 "You promise you'll be okay?"
 
 "Promise" he smiled. "You don't think I'm going to let you handle this mess 
 alone do you?"
 
 "Well we'll see how involved you are" she frowned. "You've been through a 
 lot Flyboy. I'm not sure you're going to be up to much right away."
 
 "Mac this could be like the Watertown and if that's the case, you are 
 definitely not doing anything without me."
 
 "Or it could simply be an old ship falling apart."
 
 "Unlikely but it sure would be nice."
 
 "Yes it would. But we'll talk about this later. I woke you up from a sound 
 sleep that you obviously needed."
 
 "I want you to get some rest too. Promise me you'll find your quarters and 
 get some sleep."
 
 "I'd sleep a lot better if I were here" she countered.
 
 "Mac you'll wake up with an aching back if you sleep in that chair. Please 
 go find your quarters and get some real sleep."
 
 "All right" she sighed. "But I'll be back in the morning to make sure you're 
 okay. Then we'll figure out how we're going to tackle this mess." She leaned 
 closer to drop another quick kiss but this time he was ready and he pulled 
 her closer, their lips meeting in a real kiss.
 
 "What was that all about?" she murmured when they parted.
 
 "Well it is my birthday. I'm entitled." he smiled.
 
 "On that note I am out of here. Get some rest Flyboy. I want to hear only 
 good words from Captain Cavanaugh tomorrow morning. You scared me enough 
 today to last me the rest of my life."
 
 "I'm sorry. But all I could think about was making sure you got on that 
 chopper and out of the water" Harm said softly. "I didn't care what happened 
 to me. All I knew was I'd promised you I wouldn't let anything happen to you."
 
 "You almost died in the process" she whispered. "Harm you just came back 
 into my life and for a while there I thought I'd lost you again."
 
 "Hey that's not going to happen again. At least not as long as I have 
 anything to do with it. But you've had a long day Marine and you need to get 
 some rest. Now go."
 
 She sniffled and with one last squeeze of his hand finally found her way out 
 of his room.
 
 "Colonel you need a walk back to your quarters?" Dan asked. "You look pretty 
 out of it right now."
 
 "Honestly I don't even know where my quarters are yet" Mac admitted, 
 suddenly feeling as exhausted as she guessed she looked. "That was the last 
 of my worries."
 
 "Okay I think we need to find you a bed of your own and quick" Dan said as 
 he noticed her start to sway on her feet, his arm going around her at once. 
 "I've got a nice little room just down the hall from the Commander that has 
 your name on it. How's that sound?"
 
 "Right now as long as it's a bed it sounds wonderful" she sighed.
 
 "I bet. And maybe you'd like that little something to sleep now too?"
 
 She shook her head at that. "No. I want to be awake in the morning. I just 
 need a bed and I promise you I can sleep."
 
 "OK but there's an intercom on your nightstand and if you need anything you can touch the 
button," he told her.  "Colonel. Please do try to get some sleep.  Even if you just manage four 
hours.  Mr. Rabb isn't going to be a hundred percent for a few days and he looks the type who's 
going to try to push it.  You'll need your rest."

"You already know him so well," she smiled.  "Thank you Captain. . .Dan.  You likely saved his 
life."

"And my fit-rep is coming due so if you want to mention that to Commander Howell, the chief 
medical officer by all means.  Writing would be nice."  His face crinkled in his smile and she 
smiled back.

"You've got it.  Good night."

Despite Dan's concern that she would be too wired to sleep, a quick hot shower in the tiny 
adjoining bathroom and she felt anxiety flooding from her body.  A few doors down she knew 
Harm was sleeping, knew he was recovering.  Recovering from his second near death at the 
hands of ocean water.  Long weeks before she had turned him out of her life with a few words 
about how they both wanted to be on top.  Words that when she replayed them in her mind now, 
made no sense to her.  Miraculously he had been returned to her.  And the kiss they shared 
earlier. . .the kiss was more than just Happy Birthday.

She fell into bed and with a tight fist, pounded the pillow into submission, taking out some of 
frustrations of the past month.  There was still much to work through, but Harm was here and 
with her and that was a good thing.

The object of her thoughts was himself trying to get comfortable in the strange bed.  Assaulted by 
the wires of his monitor and the tubing from his IV, and by something else.  Thoughts of the 
woman down the corridor.  He had been serious earlier when he told her getting her out of that 
cold water was the most important thing on his mind at that moment.  He smiled softly to himself 
as his eyes closed.  He had kissed her.  And he was proud of it.
=================
"I thought you were ordered to get some sleep."  Harm's words broke sharply into Mac's reverie 
the next morning and she was on her feet at once, feeling the sharp jerk to his hand which she 
had been cradling in her lap.

"Good morning Flyboy, and I did thank you.  Five nice hours; then I had some coffee and now I'm 
here with you.  Unless you'd like me to un-ass."

"Don't you dare unless you're taking me with you.  How the hell am I anyway?"

"Dan is off duty but Dr. Watts told me first thing your numbers are much better."

"Dan huh?  Is last name isn't Webb is it?"

"If you can do sick comedy you must be feeling OK," she returned.  "That's not still a sore point 
with you is it?"

His mouth opened to protest his innocence and instead he ended up looking sheepishly to her.  
"Trying to get past it ma'am."

"See that you do," she ordered sternly.  "He's a friend and a good one.  It's you I'm. . ."  She 
paused for a breath and in just that amount of time a young petty officer breezed through the 
door.

"Ma'am, Sir, breakfast times two."
  
 "Just tell me I'm getting out of here" Harm sighed. "We have better things 
 to do than lay around here all day."
 
 "Sorry" Dr. Watts said as she walked into the room. "But laying around is 
 all you'll be doing for at least the next forty-eight. And then we'll see 
 how you're doing."
 
 "Who are you?" Harm glared. "And I want a second opinion."
 
 "Ma'am" she corrected with a smile. "Captain Katrina Watts, United States 
 Navy. So you might want to rephrase that request Commander."
 
 "Yes ma'am, sorry ma'am" he sighed. "But you have to understand, I just 
 can't be lying around here. We have an investigation to conduct."
 
 "You have a body that went through hell yesterday and needs at least another 
 forty-eight hours to recover before you go running around this hunk of junk 
 called a ship. Thirty-six hours maybe if I see that you're not demonstrating 
 any signs that something else is going to creep up like a respiratory 
 infection."
 
 "Forty-eight hours mister" Mac said firmly to Harm. "Then we'll see where 
 you are. Getting sick will only keep you here longer."
 
 "I'd listen to her" Katrina laughed. "She means business."
 
 "This sucks" Harm muttered. "Totally sucks."
 
 "Yes it does but at least you're alive" Katrina reminded him. "I would think 
 that would mean something. I'll let you two enjoy breakfast and then I'll be 
 back."
 
 "Well I guess I'm on my own for a bit," Mac said as she sat down. "You think 
 I can trust to leave you alone and not worry about you causing a ruckus down 
 here."
 
 "I don't want you investigating alone" Harm pouted.
 
 "Okay fine then I'll bring you the crew log and you can start going through 
 and seeing who might be a likely suspect while I start talking to people in 
 the areas where there's been problems. I don't think Captain Watts will have 
 a problem with you reading."
 
 "You're really going to start talking to people? Without me?"
 
 "Harm I have to. We need to figure out what's going on around here before 
 someone gets hurt again. Yesterday was bad enough."
 
 "I want you to be careful" he sighed.
 
 "I will. I promise. Now eat your breakfast."
 
 They ate for several minutes without talking before Harm put his fork down. 
 "Mac I really don't like the idea of you investigation alone."
 
 "So I'll find the staff JAG aboard and ask for help" she shrugged.
 
 "I'd feel better if I were with you."
 
 "Sailor we just had this discussion. What part of forty-eight hours did you 
 miss?"
 
 "Thirty-six" he muttered.
 
 "If you're lucky. Harm its two days. Just sit back and chill please. You 
 almost died yesterday."
 
 "Yeah well I don't want you dying on me either."
 
 "Now where on earth did that come from?" she frowned as she looked over at 
 him. "Harm I'm just going to talk to people. There's no reason for you to 
 get all worked up about this."
 
 "Mac the nightmare I had the other night. It wasn't just a nightmare. It was 
 like it was a premonition."
 
 "Premonition of what?"
 
 "I don't know. I just know something doesn't feel right."
  
Her breath caught in her throat.  She had the exact same thought regarding the old carrier.  It 
was as if below decks the air was old and oppressive.  More than any other carrier they had been 
on, Enterprise creaked and groaned.  Evidence of its age abounded.  "I know," she finally got 
out.  "Of course my dream that you died on your birthday isn't coming true, since it's here."

"Yeah unless we've crossed the date line or something," he offered, trying to lighten the mood.

"Stop that.  Get your rest," she growled.  "No one is dying.  Least of all you or me.  Now soon as I 
finish this stuff that's passing for food,  I'm going to go find whatever passes for security aboard 
this bucket and get started."

She took his tray when they finished and playfully wiped his mouth with a napkin wrapped finger.  
"I'll check back in a couple of hours.  By the way, I'm leaving orders that restraints are to be used 
if you misbehave."

"You're too kind."

"Never mind.  You can help with the case. You just can't go running around this ship until we're 
sure you're OK."

"I'm trying to accept that. You will come back and visit me?"

"I'll bring you lunch. Promise."  As she leaned down to kiss him, she rested her hand briefly on 
his forehead, her lips touching his a second later.

"I'm liking the way we take leave of each other all of a sudden," he smiled softly.

"Me and you both."  

It was not easy for her to leave him, but she knew he was being watched over carefully.  Harm 
had his own misgivings--ones he had voiced to her, about wandering around the ship asking 
questions.  If someone--or multiple someone's--were perpetrating acts of sabotage, the stakes 
would only get higher.

With the help of a young Ensign, Mac wended her way through the ship to the offices of the 
ship's JAG and NCIS.  The lone JAG officer offered no help.  He was swamped with just the legal 
matters of the ship and instead referred her to NCIS down the corridor.

"Hey company.  Come in.  Look Brandi, we've got company."  The young Lieutenant [jg] was 
smiling and holding out his hand to her the second she walked through the door.

"Good afternoon Lieutenant. . ." Mac smiled at his enthusiasm.  

"Carpenter ma'am.  Joshua."

"Josh what are you yammering. . .whoa ma'am I'm sorry,"  Lt. [jg] Brandi Tremaine yelped as 
soon as she saw Mac.  "Obviously we don't get a lot of senior officer visitors and my partner gets 
overly excited.  Like a cocker spaniel.  Hopefully he won't pee on your foot."

"Yes I hope that too," Mac smiled.  "At ease both of you.  I'm Sarah Mackenzie, JAG HQ.  
Apparently your ship has been having a lot of problems.
  
  "That's an understatement" Brandi laughed. "This floating hunk of junk 
  should have been condemned. My first assignment out of OCS and I get stuck 
  here."
  
  "So I take it you two have been busy following up on all these mishaps?" Mac 
  asked.
  
  "Yes ma'am. Case file gets larger every week. Course we don't have a clue if 
  anyone's behind it or if the thing is just falling apart."
  
  "Any thoughts as to what it might be?" Mac asked. "Or who?"
  
  "Actually we think it could be both" Brandi answered. "Some of the stuff is 
  just naturally old and systems are failing. Some looks like it could be the 
  work of a saboteur. And then there's some stuff that you haven't read about 
  that just doesn't make any sense."
  
  "What kind of stuff?"
  
  "It's not in the official reports ma'am because no one will go on record 
  about it" Brandi told her. "No one wants to admit they think this boat is 
  haunted."
  
  "Haunted?"
  
  "Yes ma'am" Brandi nodded.
  
  "So a spooky specter is causing all the problems?" Mac smiled. "Come on you 
  two. You don't expect me to believe that do you?"
  
  "Specters" Brandi continued. "I did some research about a month ago when 
  people first started mentioning the weird stuff to us and I found out that 
  during the Gulf War, two people were reported missing from this ship. A male 
  and female."
  
  "Were they ever found?"
  
  "No. They were thought to have jumped ship together but to this day no one 
  has ever heard from them."
  
  "Lieutenant. they could be somewhere hiding out."
  
  "Or they could have died aboard the ship and no one ever found them."
  
  "Brandi you're sounding like a bad horror story" Josh laughed. "Colonel pay 
  no attention to her. She's got a bit of an active imagination."
  
  "Josh you said you believed me. Now all of a sudden we're talking to someone 
  from JAG and you act like I'm crazy."
  
  "Well if you heard yourself you'd understand why."
  
  Brandi shot him an evil look and Mac rubbed her suddenly aching head. "Okay 
  you two enough. Brandi I want all your research on these two missing people. 
  It'll give my partner something to do while he's cooped up in sick bay."
  
  "What happened to him?" Brandi asked.
  
  "We were the lucky people who got to land in the water instead of on the 
  deck" Mac sighed. "Thanks to whatever mishap there was right before us. And 
  I got picked up right away but they had to wait to send out the chopper for 
  my partner and the pilot because of the storm. Needless to say slightly 
  hypothermic is not a pretty."
  
  "Is he okay?" Josh asked.
  
  "A little worse for the wear but they say he'll be fine. And he's going stir 
  crazy so I promised I'd bring down some stuff for him to read over. That'll 
  be a good starting place for him. And any of your notes on all the rest of 
  the stuff that's been going on."
  
  "I'll get a copy of that for you right away ma'am" Brandi said before 
  hurrying off.

  "Lieutenantt. I'll want you to take me around to talk to some of the people who've 
  been involved in the most recent accidents and problems" Mac said to Josh. 
  "Can you spare the time?"
  
  "Be happy to ma'am."
  
  "Good. And I guess your partner can come along. As long as you two keep the 
  bantering down."
  
  "Yes ma'am" Josh smiled. "I'll go help her with those copies."
  
  Mac carried a large stack into Harm's room a short time later, his eyes 
  lighting up at the sight of her.
  
  "I thought you'd forgotten about me."
  
  "Never. Some reading material compliments of the NCIS team aboard. Pay close 
  attention to the missing sailors part."
  
  "There's sailors  missing?" Harm frowned.
  
  "Not from this cruise. From about ten years ago. Brandi thinks the ship is 
  haunted."
  
  "Brandi?"
   
 "Well instead of my very well seasoned despite being over the hill partner--that's you by the way, 
I'm working with NCIS.  And NCIS aboard this bucket is two kids on their first assignment out of 
training."
 
 "I bet they're cute," he teased and she wrinkled her nose.  
 
 "Commander 'cute' is not a word I might think you would have ever used concerning fellow 
officers."
 
 "Now that I'm forty I'm senile," he grinned.  "Not to mention how insane I'm going to be lying 
here.  In fact I'm needing the head and I don't mean that stupid bottle."
 
 "Uh in case you haven't noticed you're pretty tied up there mister," she reminded him, giving one 
of his monitor leads a playful nudge. 
 
 "I hate this."
 
 "And I hate that you nearly died, so stop with the griping," she returned, more sharply than she 
intended.
 
 "I'm sorry."
 
 "No I'm sorry," she said softly, leaning down to kiss his cheek just as Brandi and Josh walked in.
 
 "Whoa ma'am, sir excuse us," Brandi gasped and attempted to push Josh back out of the room.  
Josh was having none of it.  
 
 "Quit.  This is a helluva lot better than that stupid movie you dragged me to last night."
 
 Mac straightened up at once and regarded her new associates.  
 
 "Ma'am I'm really sorry about him.  He needs help."
 
 "Come in and say hello you two."
 
 "Sir.  Brandi Tremaine and the Howdy Doody bouncing clown here is my partner Josh 
Carpenter.  That's Joshua if you're planning to write him up."
 
 "Thanks dear," Josh teased and she stuck her tongue out.  "Sir.  Understand you had a close 
call yesterday."
 
 "We both did," Harm nodded to Mac.  "But everything's OK now.  Thanks for making these 
copies for me."
 
 "Yes sir," Josh grinned.  "And sir about that kiss. . ."
 
 "I'll take him out," Brandi laughed and grabbed his arm, tugging him through the door.
 
 "They are cute," Harm grinned.  "I'm glad you've got them to work with."
 
 "I'm going to need Excedrin," she moaned.  "I'm glad for the help, but it's like working with the 
Marx brothers or something.  What I really want is my partner well and back on his feet and 
where he belongs."
 
 "Which would be where?"  he prompted at once.
 
 "Do you have to ask," she returned, stroking his cheek briefly.  "Harm I need you.  I want you on 
this case, but I need you period.  I just need you to be well and strong."
 
 He nodded with a short sniffle.  "Thank you.  You know in Paraguay. . ."  That was as far as he 
got for she lay a quick hand to his mouth.  
 
 "I was a different person in Paraguay.  Someone even I didn't recognize.  The real me, the real 
Sarah, is the one you just heard from."
 
 "OK.  Thank you.  Now you stop worrying over me.  I'm fine.  You worry about being careful and 
not letting the kids make you crazy."
 
 "Easier said than done. And I don't want you overdoing it either. I'll have 
 plenty of time to read later so don't think you have to do everything."
 
 "Understood ma'am" he smiled. "But if I can make some headway on this it'll 
 help. And maybe tomorrow"
 
 "Tomorrow you'll still be in that bed mister. Don't even think otherwise."
 
 "We'll see" he countered. "But I think the kids are waiting for you so you 
 better go."
 
 "Take it easy sailor" Mac said softly as she leaned down again and dropped a 
 quick kiss. "I'll see you for dinner."
 
 "Dinner? What about lunch?"
 
 "Harm I've got a lot of work here. I'll grab a bite with them. But I'll save 
 dinner for you."
 
 "It's something at least" he sighed. "And thanks again for this. It'll make 
 the afternoon go by a lot faster."
 
 "I'll see you later" she smiled before hurrying out.
 
 "So ma'am you want to explain that one?" Josh smiled when Mac emerged from 
 sick bay.
 
 "Lieutenant, I don't owe you any explanations. And I suggest you keep what you saw 
 to yourself."
 
 "Yes ma'am. I won't say a word. You have my word."
 
 "Your partner is kinda of cute ma'am" Brandi giggled. "Most of the guys in 
 OCS who wanted to be JAG lawyers were geeks."
 
 "The Commander is a very decorated Naval Aviator" Mac said proudly. "And the 
 best lawyer I've ever worked with. And definitely not a geek."
 
 "Hornet pilot?" Josh asked.
 
 "Tomcats."
 
 "Not too much longer left for him then. The Tomcats are being phased out you 
 know."
 
 "Yes and I'll be happy when they're all gone."
 
 "You don't like him flying?" Brandi asked.
 
 "Only because he puts everything before himself" Mac sighed. "And enough 
 about me and the Commander. We have some work to do here. You promised me 
 you'd take me around to talk to people about what's going on."
 
 "Yes ma'am. We're starting down in the engine room where there's been the 
 most problems" Josh told her.
 
 "And you've given me a crew listing of who works there?" Mac asked as she 
 flipped through her papers.
 
 "Yes ma'am. There's a few newbies on the list. We figured you'd want to talk 
 to them first."
 
 "Good call. Let's go."
 
 Seaman Randy Walker was the first on Mac's list and she pulled the young man 
 aside to talk to him.
 
 "Having some problems down here aren't you?" she asked.
 
 "Yes ma'am. First cruise and everything's going wrong. And its not my 
 fault. I swear. I know everyone's blaming me but this stuff isn't my fault."
 
 "Okay seaman calm down" Mac urged. "I'm not blaming you for anything. I'm 
 just trying to figure out what's going on here."
 
 "Ma'am if I tell you something, can it stay with us?" the young man asked 
 quietly.
 
 "For the moment" Mac nodded. "What is it?"
 
 "When all this stuff first started happening, I thought it was just cause 
 this thing was old. But then the few times well it seemed like to me someone 
 had done something."
 
 "You mean someone had sabotaged the systems?"
 
 "Yes ma'am."
 
 "Any idea who seaman?"
 
 "No ma'am. I'm the new guy so no one really talks to me. But I've heard some 
 guys talking amongst themselves. I think there's more than one person 
 involved."
 
 "Involved in what?"
 
 "Getting the Enterprise back to port."
  
"So you're saying there's some kind of plot or conspiracy afoot to turn the cruise around?"  Mac's 
pen poised over her pad.

"Look I'm just a scared Seaman on his first cruise," Randy sighed.  "With nothing to compare this 
place to.  Some things seem wrong, and some things maybe I just don't know any better I don't 
know.  But I hear scuttlebutt in the crews' quarters about how this tub isn't sea-worthy and how if 
things keep happening we'll have to go back to port.  Ask any of us.  Everyone has heard the 
same thing."

Mac nodded thoughtfully and looked at Brandi and Josh.  "Yes ma'am," Josh spoke up.  "It's 
talked about amongst the junior officers too but honestly ma'am no one thinks that's what they'd 
do."

"Well that's not what the enlisted are saying," Randy said softly.  "Sir."

"It might be something the XO or the captain could address," Brandi offered shyly.  "If he made it 
clear we were not going back no matter what, maybe some of this would stop."

Mac gave the young woman a quick smile.  "Might be."

"Seaman let me meet your Senior Chief please," Mac requested after glancing through her 
notes. 

"Senior Chief Cliff Owens ma'am.  This way."

The Senior Chief was exactly as she suspected he would be.  Cut in the mold of Big Bud 
Roberts.  Reluctantly he got to his feet as the three officers entered his office.

"As you were Chief," Josh spoke up and realized at once his gaff.  "Sorry ma'am."

"Lt. Carpenter I'm much more worried about how we're going to figure out what's going on 
around here than I am about protocol," Mac told him.  "Senior Chief Owens, you know these 
NCIS people and I'm Sarah Mackenzie from JAG.  I'd like to see your daily log for the last six 
months please.  With the incidents highlighted."

"Ma'am I didn't highlight.  Something goes wrong down here every day," he grunted.  "I mean 
what do you expect.  You see what I've got to work with?  These are babies.  Boys and girls who 
should be in the back seat of a car out by the lake.  The Navy is like a revolving door.  The older 
ones with the knowledge are leaving, and we get these kids.  Some of them are OK, but a lot of 
them are goldbricks.  Now when my dad was doing this kind of work, he'd take a kid a few decks 
down and straighten him out."

"Well bless than you don't do that.  We have a place in Kansas for supervisors who use force," 
Mac smiled.  

"Right.  Ma'am I thought the Navy sent me to school to be a machinist mate, but nowadays it 
seems like I'm more a baby-sitter and paper-pusher.  The hard copy is right here, and of course I 
make the daily entry in the computer."

Mac nodded, making a note that gave Josh the chance to speak up.  "Chief, what do you think of 
the rumors that there's a conspiracy of sorts to terminate the cruise."

Owens made a snorting noise.  "I'd sooner believe in the ghosts."
 
 "Speaking of ghosts, have you heard the scuttlebutt about this ship being 
 haunted?" Mac asked.
 
 "Oh come on Colonel" he laughed. "Half these kids around here would tell you 
 anything if they thought it would get them back to port sooner."
 
 "You really believe that?"
 
 "Hell yeah. They sign up for the Navy thinking it'll be neat and two weeks 
 into the cruise they're whining they want to go home. Bunch of big babies is 
 what they are. And the new one out there is the worst."
 
 "Seaman Walker?" Mac frowned.
 
 "Big baby. In my day you joined the Navy and you didn't cry about missing 
 home. Now we have to hold their hands while they deal with their first 
 cruise. It's ridiculous."
 
 "Has the Seaman been doing his job?" Mac asked.
 
 "Well I'll tell you most of the stuff going wrong is on his watch" the Chief 
 told her. "I'll make you a copy of the reports and you'll see. His name is 
 all over the place."
 
 "Have you talked to him about it?"
 
 "Of course. And he says he's following standard ops like he was taught. But 
 if he were, this stuff wouldn't be breaking like it is."
 
 "Is it possible someone else might be behind the problems?"
 
 "Possible. Walker isn't exactly chummy with the rest of the guys."
 
 "Thank you Chief, you've been very helpful" Mac smiled. "And I'm sure we'll 
 be talking again."
 
 "Okay now what?" Brandi asked once they were out of the engine room.
 
 "I want to talk to Seaman Walker's bunkmates. Find out where his berthing 
 area is and then we'll go chat with them and see if Seaman Walker is as 
 homesick as the Chief says he is."
 
 "You think someone could be setting him up ma'am?" Josh asked. "Seaman 
 Walker that is."
 
 "Possible. Low man on the totem pole and he isn't getting along with the 
 others. Very possible. But he could be the one who wants to go home too. And 
 of course I'm not going to just take the Chief's word on everything either."
 
 "You don't trust him?"
 
 "I didn't say that. But it seems to me that the Senior Chief has it in for 
 Seaman Walker. And before we go talk to Seaman Walker's bunkmates I want to 
 make a call and have someone back at JAG send me all they can find on Seaman 
 Walker."
 
 "Why don't you make a detour through sick bay" Brandi suggested with a 
 smile. "Josh and I will meet up with you there once we have Seaman Walker's 
 berthing area."
 
 "Good idea Lt." Mac smiled. "I'll see you in a bit."
 
 She hurried down to sick bay and a few minutes later walked into Harm's 
 room. "How's the reading going?" she smiled.
 
 "Hey this is a surprise" he smiled as well. "I didn't expect to see you till 
 later."
 
 "Well I wanted to check up on you and run some stuff past you," she said as 
 she sat down. "But first how are you? Feeling okay?"
 
 "Mac I'm fine. Just a little tired. I actually feel asleep reading the notes 
 earlier."
 
 "Good you need your rest. You find anything interesting before you dozed 
 off."
 
 "There's quite a story about the two missing sailors from the Gulf War 
 cruise," he said as he opened the file. "Did you know it was a he and she?"
 
 "Brandi had mentioned that. So what's the story?"
 
 "Apparently they'd been reprimanded for being involved. He was her CO. And 
 apparently they disappeared the day before he was going to be sent back to 
 Norfolk to face charges. It's believed they went overboard together."
 
 "They committed suicide together?" Mac frowned.
 
 "That's the legend" Harm smiled. "No one actually knows what happened to 
 them. No bodies were ever found."
 
 "So they died together so they could stay together," she said softly.
 
 "They must have really been in love," he added. "Though I guess it wouldn't 
 be that hard to imagine doing something like that given the circumstances."
 
 "He probably thought he was never going to see her again."
 
 "And decided life wasn't worth it without her."
 
 "Do you think they jumped together?" Mac asked. "Or did she find out that's 
 what he did and then jumped too."
 
 "They were reported missing at the same time. But that doesn't mean he 
 didn't jump first."

"Wow.  Like some kind of Romeo and Juliet suicide thing?"

"The file's too sketchy on motive.  She was an Ensign.  April Porter.  He was a Lieutenant named 
Houston Malloy and she worked on his crew in the maintenance bay," he went on.

"And they fell in love," she sighed. "Against all orders and regs."

"Well you can't control who you fall in love with," he grinned and reached out to slide his long 
fingers into her palm.

"So. . .so I've heard," she stammered.  "More story please."

"Well there's not a lot more to tell.  She requested a transfer to a different crew but the 
Commander who ran the shop refused.  Said he wouldn't do it for a man, he sure as hell wouldn't 
do it for a woman who should have been back Norfolk in the typing pool."

"My god he actually went on record as saying that?"

"At the hearing yep.  Sad huh?"

"Very," she whispered.  "What happened to him?  Is he still in does it say?"

"Not hardly.  An engine part they were testing blew apart a couple weeks after their deaths.  
Piece of shrapnel pierced his carotid and he died on the spot."

"Oh gross," she shuddered and squeezed his fingers hard.  Too much talk of death coming on 
top of her nearly experiencing losing him  She gave a long sigh before she asked, "is there 
more?"

"That they were last seen up on the fantail watching night ops and talking," he said softly.  
Supposedly the ship was searched, and a look out was issued for the bodies to be washed up 
which of course never happened.  Then after that--well you know how these things area passed 
to each new crew that comes aboard--there's a lot of tales of sightings.  Some on the fantail, 
some on the aft deck, a lot in the corridor where their quarters were.  And not just them.  There's 
also stories of seeing the ghost of Cdr. Russell Vance.  Blood pouring from his neck is an added 
touch."

"OK that's enough," she ordered.  "I don't need a bloodied ghost haunting my nightmares.  You 
ready to think about food?  We'll talk about this later.  If then.  Now what sounds good to you for 
when I come back?"

"Me getting out of this bed.  Me walking to the officers' mess with you."

"You being strapped into restraints," she returned.  "Now what would you like?"

"Have I mentioned how much I hate this?"

"Probably not in the last thirty or forty seconds," she smiled and kissed his cheek.  "Dinner order 
Commander?"

"Pasta or salad or both or either," he grumped.  "Now what else did you find?"

"Well the Senior Chief down in the engine room is blaming one of his new hires which of course 
is always easy to do.  But even if it was him, that does explain mishaps else where.  I've only 
skimmed the reports but there's mess accidents, flight deck problems, finance records.  Things 
like crashing computers there messing everyone's pay and allowances up.  And we haven't even 
talked to the aviators.  I didn't go up there at all  yet."

"Good."

"Excuse me?"

"Well I don't want you going up there talking to guys ten years younger than me standing around 
in various states of undress."

"I'm so there," she teased.  "No that can wait for you.  We both know they'll talk to one of the 
boys' club members a lot better than they'll pay any attention to me."

"Oh I don't know.  Did you bring the blue bikini?"

"OK that's it, though if you can make sick jokes you must be feeling better.  I'm going to go talk to 
Seaman Walker's bunk mates, poke around some and be back in a while with food.  That work 
for you?"

"No but I don't have any choice it seems."

"Think of that snowball in hell," she laughed.  "See you soon."

"Careful please," he begged as she walked to the door.

"Always, but especially now. See there's suddenly a guy back in my life."
  
 "I never left your life. Not willingly.  You're the one who said we didn't have a chance."
 
 "I was wrong.  So very wrong.   And I'm glad you didn't give up on us."
 
 "Not in a hundred years" he said softly.
 
 "Get some rest. I'll see you later."
 
 Brandi and Josh were waiting outside of sickbay for her, giggling and 
 laughing in the passageway.
 
 "Come on kids" Mac smiled. "You do have the information right?"
 
 "Yes ma'am" Brandi nodded. "How's the Commander?"
 
 "Doing much better thank you. He told me about our Romeo and Juliet ghosts. 
 Sad."
 
 "Very" Brandi agreed. "That awful Commander Vance didn't have to treat them 
 that way. He could have easily reassigned her so they could be together."
 
 "I didn't realize he was one of our ghostly specters as well. "
 
 "Ma'am you don't believe everything you read do you?" Josh asked. "Most of 
 what's in that file is just the legends that have been passed down. I doubt 
 much of it is true."
 
 "Just because you haven't seen it doesn't mean it doesn't exist" Brandi 
 countered. "I for one believe all of it. It's a perfectly good explanation 
 for what's going on around here."
 
 "Oh and I'm sure the Colonel is going to write that one up in her report" 
 Josh laughed. "Reason for problems. Ghosts. Yeah that'll go over real well 
 in Washington."
 
 "I'm not jumping to the ghost conclusion just yet" Mac told them. "More 
 likely it's someone on the crew that's responsible and they're just taking 
 advantage of the legend. And we're burning time here. Let's move it. Who are 
 we going to talk to anyway?"
 
 "Seaman Wayne Childress and Seaman Fred Carlin."
 
 The two men were in the berthing area when they arrived and they quickly 
 snapped to attention when they saw Mac.
 
 "At ease Seamen. We'd just like to talk to you about Seaman Walker."
 
 "Whiner Walker you mean" Childress snickered.
 
 "You don't like the Seaman?" Mac asked.
 
 "With all due respect ma'am, he can't hack it out here. This is his first 
 cruise and I swear to God I've heard him balling like a baby when he thinks 
 no one is around."
 
 "I take it you and the Seaman aren't friends then?"
 
 "No one's friends with Whiner Walker."
 
 "So out of the say five thousand people on this ship, he's not friends with 
 anyone?"
 
 "If he is, we don't know about it" Seaman Carlin spoke up. "He keeps to 
 himself ma'am. Always writing letters back home. Like Wayne said, he can't 
 hack it out here."
 
 "And of course you two haven't done much to make it any easier on him have 
 you?" Mac asked.
 
 "Look Colonel you either can do this or you can't. Walker isn't cut out for 
 the Navy."
 
 "Nice group of guys" Mac said when they finally left a short time later. "So 
 friendly and welcoming. No wonder Walker isn't happy. Course I'm not sure I 
 believe everything they say either."
 
 "Seems like everyone has it in for Seaman Walker" Brandi spoke up.
 
 "Yeah it does. I wonder if they're trying to make him the scapegoat since 
 he's the newbie aboard this cruise."
 
 "So you think he might have been telling the truth when he said that he 
 thought the others were plotting something?" Josh frowned. "And that they're 
 using him to throw any suspicion off themselves."
 
 "It's possible. I'm going to look into all their backgrounds. Someone aboard 
 this ship is up to something."
 
 "Anything else we can do to help ma'am?" Brandi asked.
 
 "See what else you can find out about Seaman Walker. Like who he hangs out 
 with. I can't believe the man doesn't have one friend on board this ship."
 
 "If he doesn't, it could make him a better suspect" Josh offered. "He's 
 homesick. No one likes him. It would make sense that he'd do something to 
 get back to port quicker."
 
 "It does. But I don't believe he's behind this. Course I've been wrong 
 before."
 
 "So you just want us to find out what we can about Walker?"
 
 "You don't mind?"
 
 "Course not ma'am. We're happy to help."
 
 "I'm sure you are" she smiled. "Okay I'll see you two in the morning. I'm 
 going to go spend some time with Harm going over the rest of what you gave 
 him."
 
 "Just let us know if you need anything ma'am" Josh said before he and Brandi 
 took off.
 
 Harm was sleeping when she walked into his room and she quietly sat down 
 beside him, taking advantage of the moment to look at him. How could she 
 ever have thought she could live her life without Harm in it? How crazy had 
 she been in Paraguay when she'd told him it would never work?  Where had her head been?

Her fingers brushed lightly at his hair and he smiled softly in that pleasant dreamy state where 
we're not awake enough to move but still fully aware of what was going on around us.  For a long 
moment his mind drifted back to a place and time not all that long ago.  Beth O'Neal and he were 
talking and he was telling her about moving on and greener pastures.  He must have been out of 
his mind.

His eyes opened slowly and she froze, her fingers still in place in his silky strands.  "Hi."

"Hi yourself," he said softly.  "Are you an angel?"

"Now I know  you've lost it Rabb," she sighed, letting her fingers squiggle a little more in his hair.  
She had pushed him away in Paraguay, and he had done the same to her when he came back 
and found out he was not to be back at JAG.  Now they were being given another chance.

"Blame whatever it is they've got me on," he sighed.  "Messes with my mind.  But I will in fact 
lose it if I don't get out of this bed tomorrow."

"What did the doctor tell you?"

"That unless I have another incident I can. . ."  The look on her face told him at once he had said 
something he had not planned to admit.

At once it was if she was back in the frigid ocean as ice ran through her veins.  "You better 
explain yourself really quick Flyboy because what I'm thinking right now isn't pleasant."

"It's nothing really," he assured her, reaching for her hand.  "I set off the alarm earlier on my 
monitor."

She had to swallow hard before she could speak.  "Your heart?"

"Mac really.  It was a lot of noise over nothing, and I'm sorry I said anything.  Your friend Dan 
came running, shut off the noise, gave an order to have something put in my IV and I went back 
to sleep.  End of incident.  I'm fine."

"You know I'll be checking with Dan. . .I mean the doctor."

"I'm sure you will.  Just please don't fret OK.  What's new with the case?"

"Nice segue into new territory there Commander," she groaned.  "Well so far everyone is talking 
about Seaman Walker like he's the pariah of the place.  But there's no way one lone seaman 
could perpetrate the kind of sabotage that these incidents are.  If they are that.   My gut is saying 
the truth lies somewhere in between.  There's been an inordinate amount of accidents and 
failures attributed to the age and budget, but that there's been some taking advantage of that.  
And I think having this ship turn back is a real motive.  Not that it ever would."

"I don't think we're going home any time soon," he sighed.  "Not unless someone falls on their 
sword."

"Yeah well I'm not sure I want you out here on this floating barge of rust if you're in need of good 
medical care.  You should be at Bethesda."

"And that's where you're going to end up if you don't stop worrying," he laughed and grabbed her 
arm, pulling her down onto his chest.  "See I'm strong enough to do this."

"You missed the fact that I'm not resisting."
   
  With that he leaned forward and their lips met in a kiss that was 
  interrupted a few seconds late by the sound of Dan clearing his throat.
  
  "Uh Commander you're going to set off the alarms again if you keep that up" 
  he said with a small smile and at once Mac pulled away, blushing profusely.
  
  "I'm sorry" she murmured.
  
  "Quite okay Colonel" Dan smiled. "But my first concern is my patient and 
  since he already gave us one scare today I think he'd better take it easy."
  
  "Thanks for mentioning that again" Harm sighed. "She wasn't freaked enough 
  when I slipped up earlier."
  
  "And obviously for good reason" Mac frowned. "Dan we're going to talk. Just 
  give me a minute here and then I'll be out."
  
  "Yes ma'am" he nodded before leaving the room.
  
  "You're freaking" Harm said softly.
  
  "Of course I am. Wouldn't you if you were in my place?"
  
  "Yeah" he sighed. "But that's not the issue. You getting all worked about me 
  when you have other stuff on your mind is."
  
  "Harm I happen to care about you" she said quietly. "And after years of 
  messing everything up, we might finally have a chance to make something work 
  out here. But that can't happen if you're not here."
  
  "I'm not going anywhere," he said as he took her hand. "I promise."
  
  "You better not. We deserve this chance Harm. We were both wrong in the past 
  and we've admitted it and now we have a clean slate."
  
  "And we're going to work with that clean slate. This time we're going to get 
  it right."
  
  "You really believe that?"
  
  "Yes. We have to Sarah. This might be our last chance."
  
  She nodded and squeezed his hand. "Okay I'm going to go talk to Dan and then 
  I'm going to grab us some real food from the mess and come back and eat with 
  you. Deal?"
  
  "Deal."
  
  She headed to the door, stopping at his next words. "I was really enjoying 
  the moment before we were interrupted."
  
  "So was I" she said softly as she turned and gave him a quick smile. "And 
  when you're not hooked up to monitors we'll try that again."
  
  Mac found Dan outside in the hall and he led her to some nearby chairs and 
  sat down with her.
  
  "Okay tell me it all," she said once she was seated. "Not the fluff version 
  Harm gave me."
  
  "He just doesn't want you to worry that's all."
  
  "Well I'm worrying anyway so I might as well hear it straight. What 
  happened?"
  
  "His heart rate dropped dangerously low. Remember I told you initially there 
  could be problems like this."
  
  "But he's going to be okay right?"
  
  "We're still confident of that yes. But that doesn't mean something like 
  this won't happen again. And it's exactly why Captain Watts doesn't want him 
  going anywhere just yet."
  
  "So you're keeping him longer then?"
  
  "Another twenty four for sure. Maybe forty-eight. And then we'll reevaluate 
  and see how he's doing."
  
  "Okay I'm still worried but at least you've been up front" Mac sighed. 
  "Thank you. I just wish we weren't on this hunk of junk right now."
  
  "It might be a hunk of junk but it's got one of the best medical staffs" Dan 
  smiled. "We won't let anything happen to him."
  
  "I know. And I'm very grateful for everything you've done."
  
  "Try not to worry too much. I know it's not easy when you care about someone 
  as much as you do the Commander but stressing yourself out won't help him 
  either."
  
  "Duly noted" she nodded. "Do you mind if I go get us some real food from the 
  Mess?"
  
  "Of course not. And if there's anything else I can do just let me know."
  
  "How about an answer to what's going on around here" she sighed.
  
  "Sorry" Dan smiled. "Wish I did but I haven't a clue. Course I'm just 
  thankful that nothing has happened down here so far."
  
  "And hopefully nothing will" Mac said softly as her eyes went back to Harm's 
  room.
   
 "We're taking good care of him Colonel," Dan assured her.  "The machines he's got strapped to 
him will warn us if anything drastic happens.  There's always a corpsman here.  We won't let 
anything happen to him.  He's uh. . .he's pretty important to you I can tell."
 
 "Can you?" she smiled and blushed together.
 
 "If I was blindfolded," he grinned.  "Remember too, we have the medivac option.  It's just not 
something I like to use.  It's not real easy on the patient."
 
 "OK.  I trust you.  I just worry.  We're finally. . .well if you had a few hours and an inclination to be 
bored to death I'd try to explain it all.  But we're finally. . .never mind.  Can I get you anything 
from the mess?"
 
 "No I have a date for later," he smiled.
 
 "Of course you do," she giggled.  "Maybe I can meet her."
 
 "Maybe.  Go get your food.  He's fine.  You know Capt. Watts thinks we're being overly cautious 
but doesn't want to err on the other side.  If he was twenty and not forty it wouldn't be an issue at 
all."
 
 "I'm glad he's getting such good care.  You make him behave."
 
 When she got to the officer's mess, she gave her to-go order to the steward and spotted Josh 
and Brandi at a small table eating and laughing.  With a shake of her head she walked over to 
them, marveling at the ease they had with each other.  They were friends.  Close friends.  
Whether there would be more in the future was something to be determined.
 
 As soon as she saw Mac approaching, Brandi quickly sobered and gave Josh's arm a quick 
punch as they scrambled to their feet.
 
 "As you were.  Now and for the duration," Mac ordered.  "We're going to be working together 
and rank can get in the way.  I need you guys' help on this. More now than before in fact."
 
 "Ma'am?" Josh was totally serious at once.  "Commander Rabb?"
 
 "He's not bouncing back as quickly as the had hoped," she replied, choosing her words carefully 
so as not to betray how deep down scared she was.
 
 "So he's not going to be able to assist you for a few days?"
 
 "That's right.  So us three are going to do some legwork around here.  I still want it to be him 
who talks to the aviators.  Brandi I don't have your full attention."
 
 Brandi had in fact been looking across the room, and now looked up at Mac, swallowing guiltily.  
"I'm so sorry ma'am.  No excuse."  Her last two words came out with a decided quaver and Josh 
looked at her intently while Mac looked across the dining facility.  The object of Brandi's attention 
was still staring, though as soon as he saw he had drawn Mac's attention, he folded his 
newspaper and exited the room.
 
 "Brandi?" Mac prompted, getting no response which alarmed Josh fully.
 
 "Brandi what the hell is wrong with you," he exploded.
 
 "I'm sorry.  Nothing," she mumbled.  "Excuse me."  With that she jumped from her chair and ran 
to the restroom.
 
 "Now what the hell was that all about," Josh seethed, "and who was that guy staring at her.  I 
didn't get a good look before he got up.  Enough to see the rank.  Lieutenant Commander.  Why 
would that guy stare at her, and more to the point why would it bother her so."
 
 "Calm Lieutenant." Mac urged. "And we'll find out. But she doesn't need you hassling 
 her right now."
 
 "I'm going to go find her."
 
 "Sit Lt. She'll be back. And when she comes back we'll go somewhere private 
 and talk."
 
 Josh nodded but said nothing, his eyes watching for Brandi's return. That 
 happened a few minutes later and at once he was on his feet as she 
 approached the table.
 
 "You okay?" he asked.
 
 "I'm fine. Honest."
 
 "I think we need to talk Lt." Mac said to the young woman. "Back in your 
 office?"
 
 "It's nothing ma'am."
 
 "Who was the Lt. Commander that was looking at you?"
 
 "Ma'am please."
 
 "Brandi he upset you and I want to know why" Mac frowned. "Now who is he and 
 why did he upset you like that?"
 
 "Raymond Hendrix. He's in charge of the money on the ship. And a few weeks ago 
 I saw him just after one of the incidents. And since then he's been watching 
 me."
 
 "Watching you?" Josh shrieked. "And you didn't tell me?"
 
 "Okay both of you calm" Mac urged. "Brandi we need to talk some more. And 
 not here. But first I need to get some food back to Harm. Why don't you come 
 with me and then we'll go back to your office and talk."
 
 "Yes ma'am" she said softly.
 
 "Josh I want you to chill" Mac said to the young man. "We will figure out 
 what's going on but you freaking is not going to do us any good."
 
 "You'd be freaking if it was the Commander" he shot back and she gave him a 
 long look.
 
 "I'll ignore the insubordination for the moment" Mac sighed. "Now let me get 
 some food for Harm and myself then we'll go back to sickbay and then to your 
 office. Deal?"
 
 "Why the hell didn't you tell me that creep was watching you?" Josh hissed 
 when he and Brandi were alone.
 
 "Because I knew you'd freak like this. And I didn't want you doing something 
 stupid."
 
 They didn't speak as they made their way to sickbay with Mac and it was just 
 before she went into Harm's room that she stopped.
 
 "Let's keep this thing about this guy watching you to ourselves right now" 
 she said quietly. "I don't want Harm worrying about anything he doesn't need 
 to."
 
 "Yes ma'am" the two junior officers nodded.
 
 "Hey sailor I brought company" Mac smiled as she opened the door and walked 
 into his room. "I hope you don't mind."
 
 "Well I was hoping you were alone" he grinned. "Hi guys."
 
 "How you feeling Commander?" Josh asked.
 
 "Good enough to get out of here but trying to convince the doctors is 
 another thing" Harm smiled. "And I'm really glad you two are helping Mac."
 
 "Glad to sir."
 
 "I hope you don't mind if I eat and run" Mac said as she spread out the food 
 on Harm's tray table
 
 "You're not staying?" Harm frowned.
 
 "Case stuff" she smiled. "I promise I'll come back after I'm finished."
 
 "If it's case stuff, I should be involved. Mac you know I don't want you 
 handling this alone."
 
 "I'm not alone. Josh and Brandi are helping me remember. Now eat your soup 
 like a good boy."
 
 Even Brandi couldn't help but smile at Mac's comment. "Ma'am he's not a 
 little boy" she giggled.
 
 "Far from it" Mac laughed as well. "The Commander just celebrated the big 
 four oh yesterday."
 
 "Do you have to tell everyone" he groaned.
 
 They kept the conversation light during dinner and it was just as Mac was 
 finishing the last of her dinner that she smelled something. Something that 
 smelled very much like smoke.
 
 "Mac what's wrong?" Harm asked as she got up and walked towards the door.
 
 The answer came as smoke alarms suddenly began to blare throughout the sick 
 bay area and when Mac opened the door her eyes widened with alarm.
 
 "There's a fire down the hall" she gasped.  "You two get out of here now."