Title: Dreams Come True

Authors: Shannon (kitty72885@yahoo.com), Kris 
(k809@sbcglobal.net), Rising Sun (jagrslc@yahoo.com),
Kim 
(magali@mindspring.com), Sarah B.
(sbrown@slbrown.com), 
Clair (Clairisant@revealed.net), and Paula B. 
(paulabilyeu2001@yahoo.com) 

The FF of Shannon is archived at: 
http://www.geocities.com/kitty72885/ 
The FF of Rising Sun is archived at: 
http://www.geocities.com/jagrslc 
Updates on Rising Sun FF join: 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jagrslc 
Join the Fan Fiction Challenge at: 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ffchallange/ 

Rating: NC-17

Category: Round Robin; Romance; Other?

Spoilers: Vanished, Some One To Watch Over Annie, The
Stalker, Retreat Hell, 
People vs Rabb, Yeah Baby, Touch and Go, Going After
Francesca, A Tangled 
Webb

Disclaimers: None of these characters belong to any of
the authors.  
They all belong to DPB and CBS.  No author is doing
this for 
monetary benefit.

Authors' Notes: This story was started before the
three-part season 
finale.  Therefore, the events of "Lawyers, Guns, and
Money", 
"Pas De Deux", and "A Tangled Webb" have not occurred
--unless 
someone wants to write it that way. ;-)

AN2: I'm so glad that there are so many enthusiastic
authors 
willing to do this!  I really hope we can get a good
story going.  
This'll be pretty much open; whoever wants to add a
part, feel free 
to do so.

AN3: If anyone can think of a good title for this
story, go ahead 
and use it!

AN4: The Shania Twain lyrics are both from the Album
"Up!"
The Quotes are from Othello and A Midsummer Night's
Dream by 
William Shakespeare.

Feedback: Tis food for the soul so YES! Send it.

Permission to archive: You need to ask.

Story started: June 29, 2003

==================================================

Saturday, 10 May 2003
1330 EDT
Sarah MacKenzie's Apartment
201 The Washington
Georgetown, Washington, DC

"He proposed!"

The two words Sarah MacKenzie had been dreading for
the past 
three months hung in the air like a thick fog.  Her
friend, Meredith 
Cavanaugh, and her commanding officer, AJ Chegwidden,
had 
been dating on and off for about a year now.  In
February, after AJ 
had become lost in a blizzard after punching out of an
F-14, they 
had finally become serious.  Now, evidently, they were
going to 
take the final step.

Mac licked her suddenly dry lips.  "That's--that's
wonderful, 
Meredith."

Of course, to Mac, AJ was not just her CO... but she
couldn't admit 
that to anyone.  It would mean her oak leaves.

She wasn't certain when her feelings for the tall,
handsome admiral 
had changed.  Oh, she had always found him
attractive--actually, 
downright sexy.  She supposed it had been just after
Mic Brumby 
had left.  She had been feeling quite down after the
wedding had 
been cancelled, and AJ had basically called Mic a fool
for letting 
her go.  She had taken that thought with her on her
TDY to the 
Guadalcanal, mulling over it at quiet times--which
were rare, but 
happened enough to keep the memory fresh in her mind. 
Then, 
when she had returned from the Guadalcanal, AJ had
suggested 
they run together in order to train for the JAGathon,
the 10k race 
that had taken place in November 2001.  Over the three
months 
that they had trained together, she had learned many
little things 
about her CO, which made her like him more and more as
a 
person.  Mac supposed it was during his Flag Mast that
her 
feelings had really solidified. She couldn't stand the
thought of AJ 
retiring--and not just because he was the best CO she
had ever had.  
And when he had been lost in that blizzard... she had
tried to 
prepare herself for the worst, so that it wouldn't
hurt so much if it 
did happen.

When AJ and Meredith had met, Mac had been almost
certain that 
nothing would come of it.  Meredith just seemed too...
flighty for 
what Mac had seen and heard of AJ's tastes in women. 
'Well, you 
were obviously wrong, MacKenzie!' she told herself,
silently 
berating herself for the tears that threatened to
escape.

"Mac?  Hello?  Mac... you still there?"

Mac turned her attention back to the telephone
receiver by her ear.  
"Yeah, I'm here. Sorry, Mer, I have a lot on my mind."

"Not too much, I hope.  Mac, will you stand up for
me?"

Mac dropped the phone.  Fumbling to pick it up, her
mind 
scrambled for a reply.  "Uh, Meredith, aren't you
supposed to ask a 
female relative to do that... or at the very least, a
close friend?"

Meredith's laughter bubbled over the line.  "Oh, Mac,
I know that. 
But my sister and I haven't spoken for nearly fifteen
years now, 
and I don't have too many close friends.  Besides, if
it weren't for 
you, AJ and I would never have met!  Please, Mac? 
Won't you be 
my maid of honor?"

"Meredith, this is highly irregular... not to mention
improper.  I 
can't be in my CO's wedding party!"

"Oh, bosh.  Why not?  Everyone knows that we're
friends. Please," 
Meredith beseeched her.

Mac took a deep, shuddering breath.  Every nerve
ending in her 
body was screaming, 'No! Hang up and run!'  She
ignored her 
tumbling emotions, and said, "Yes. Of course I will,
Meredith."

"Wonderful!  Now, we're going to have to have lunch
sometime 
soon.  I saw this gorgeous dress pattern while window
shopping 
that I simply loved..." Mac tuned Meredith out as she
rambled on.

'Oh, God. What have I done?' she thought in despair.

Part 2

Mac felt like throwing something against the wall just
to hear it 
break, just like her heart was breaking.  It was too
late, she had 
waited to long.  Now he was engaged to a woman she
considered a 
friend.  How could she even think of telling the
Adm….AJ how 
she felt?  That was how she thought of him, even if
she shouldn't.  
In her heart he was and always would be AJ.

Going for a run helped the edginess she was feeling,
but it did 
nothing to lessen the pain in her heart.  How could
she walk up the 
aisle of a church with him waiting there in the
front……for 
someone else not her?  She would have to call Meredith
and tell 
her she could not be her maid of honor.

'Maybe I should go and talk to AJ and see if he
could,' Mac shook 
her head, 'No!  Bad idea Marine!  Stay away from him! 
He is not 
yours and never will be now!'

Saturday, 10 May 2003
2330 EDT
AJ Chegwidden's home
McLean Virginia

Mac walked to the door, ignoring the lateness of the
hour and 
knocked.  The Admiral came to the door rather quickly,
indicating 
that he had not been in bed.  He was dressed in jeans
and a T-shirt 
and Mac found herself staring at the tight fit of
those jeans.

"Mac, what are you doing here at this hour?  Is
something wrong?"

"No, AJ, I just had to talk to you."

Startled at the use of his first name, AJ nonetheless
backed up and 
allowed her to come into the living room.

"Have a seat, Mac, and tell me what you need to talk
about. It must 
be pretty important if it brings you out at this
hour."

"Yes, it is.  I want a transfer."

"What?!" he bellowed.

"You heard me, I want a transfer," she insisted.

"Mac, …..have you been drinking?"

"God, I wish I had been….it would make this so much
easier."

"Please sit down and tell me what's wrong.  Why would
you want 
a transfer?  I thought you were happy at JAG."

"I was till you……"

"Me?  What did I do to make you unhappy, Mac?"

Throwing caution to the winds, Mac exclaimed, "You got
engaged 
dam nit!!!  How could you?"

"Mac, why should my engagement upset you so?"

"Because you are mine!!!" there she had said it!  She
had admitted 
how she felt, finally!  This admission freed her to do
what she had 
wanted to do for years, she stepped close to him and
took his face 
in her hands and pulled him down to meet her lips in a
rough and 
passionate kiss.

Not allowing him to pull back when she felt him try. 
Mac kept his 
lips locked with hers and started to lift his T-shirt
over his head.  
She had come this far now she was not going to back
out now!

AJ all of a sudden stopped resisting the kiss she had
started and 
began to kiss her back.  He was also busy trying to
remove her 
clothing.  It seemed he was as eager to see her naked
as she was to 
see him that way.

Dropping to her knees, Mac snapped open his jeans and
undid the 
zipper with her teeth.  She practically tore them off,
thrilled to find 
he was wearing no underwear.  His cock sprang free of
his jeans 
right in front of her eyes.  In seconds she had it in
her mouth and 
began sucking on him.  He tasted as good as she had
imagined, the 
many times she had dreamed of doing this very thing.

He stopped her after just a few minutes and dragged
her to her feet 
so he could kiss her again.  Not wanting to move very
far at all 
they both fell naked onto the couch.  Wrapped in each
other's arms 
where both had wanted to be for so very long.

Mac grasped his cock in her hand and guided it into
her; she was 
wet and ready for her.  He met her desire by thrusting
home, deep 
inside of her.  Matching him thrust for thrust, Mac
looked up into 
his passion filled eyes.  She came screaming his name!

The sound of her voice calling out, 'AJ' is what woke
her from the 
most realistic dream she had ever had.

Miles away in McLean, AJ jerked awake as well.  It had
been a 
long time since he had had a wet dream.  'My god, I am
engaged to 
Meredith!  What am I doing having that kind of dream
about 
Mac?' he thought as he got up to clean himself and the
bed up.

Part 3

JAG Headquarters
The Next Day
0500 Hours

Mac had gone into the office that morning early after
waking up 
from her dream.  She was restless and decided that she
might as 
well go and get an early start to the day.  

The Admiral was surprised when he walked into the
bullpen and 
went to Mac's office to find her there at this hour. 
He knocked on 
the door and she rose at attention.

"Please, sit.  Mac, what are you doing here at this
hour?  Better yet, 
what time did you get here?"

"About 0400, Sir. I...I couldn't sleep so I figured I
might as well 
get some work done."

AJ nodded his head. "Yeah, I thought the same thing
this morning. 
I have been up since about 0300 but...I guess I was
trying to fight 
it."

"Wedding Day nerves, Sir?" AJ looked up at her with
surprised 
eyes. "I am sorry, Sir, that is none of my business."

"Well, in a way, I guess it is.  Meredith told me that
she asked you 
to be her maid of honor."  Mac nodded and looked down
at her 
paperwork, desperately trying to avoid his face.  He
sat down in 
the chair in front of hers and tried to see what she
was trying to 
conceal.  She looked up slightly to find her eyes
locked with his 
eyes.  They stared at each other like this for what
seemed like 
eternity, but it was actually only about 30 seconds.

"Mac; if you don't feel comfortable standing up for
Meredith, I can 
tell her to find someone else.  I could easily say
that it is against 
protocol or something like that."

"Well, Sir...it isn't...I mean...I don't...." Mac
could feel the tear 
coming down her cheek but was unable to push them all
back.  She 
was desperately trying to fight her feelings, but was
not succeeding 
with much grace.  Her dream only brought her feelings
more to 
life.  Having him here now only made it feel more
real.  AJ could 
see something was upsetting Mac.  He reached into his
pants and 
pulled out a napkin and gave it to her.

"Mac, what is it?  What's wrong?

"I'm sorry, A., I mean, Sir... I am ok, now"

'Was she really about to call me AJ? Is it something
that I said?' 
"Mac, you obviously are not fine, otherwise you
wouldn't be 
crying.  You know you can talk to me if you want?  I
am always 
here for you."

Mac shook her head.  Hearing him say that he was
always going to 
be there for her upset her even more, because pretty
soon, he 
wasn't going to be there. He would be with Meredith. 

AJ sat in his chair confused and baffled.  He had
never seen Mac 
so upset.  He desperately wanted to take her into his
arms and tell 
her it would be ok.  That he would make everything
right some 
how. 'Where did that come from?'  AJ stood and went to
the door.  
He thought maybe she wanted to be alone.  He was also
very 
confused.  

"Mac, I will let you have some privacy. I am just
around the corner 
if you need me though."  AJ was almost out of the door
when he 
heard Mac's whisper.

"Please, don't go."

Part 4

Coming back inside he closed the door.  "What is it?"

She took a deep breath.  She couldn't do this.  She
wouldn't do this 
to herself.  All last night, after her dream, she had
thought of 
nothing but drinking.  Nothing, not even AJ
Chegwidden, was 
worth that.  She had get away from him.  But what?  

Like a sign from above she remembered a message she
had deleted 
yesterday.  Friends were always sending her job
postings and 
before Meredith's call she had always deleted them
without 
question.  But now she remembered it.  

"Mac?" His voice was soft and full of concern.  But
she knew she 
had to broach the subject carefully.  Somehow, 'I need
to leave 
because I want to fuck you senseless,' didn't seem
quite right.  It 
would certainly work, but she didn't need him thinking
she was a 
slut.  

 "Sir.  I have a request.  I've given it a lot of
thought.  I know it 
will put you in a bind, but it will be good for me and
my career."

He cocked his head and wondered what that had to do
with 
standing up for Meredith.  He felt his insides grow
cold, dreading 
what she was about to say.  "You aren't resigning
again are you, 
Colonel?" He hadn't meant for his voice to sound so
cold, but he 
couldn't help it.  

Her head jerked up and she bit her lip so hard she
could taste 
blood.  "No sir.  This could actually mean a full
Colonel."

"Indeed." His eyes narrowed and he crossed his arms. 
All 
thoughts of weddings and Meredith suddenly moved to
the back 
burner.  "Well?"

There's a posting for a military attaché for our
embassy in 
London."  «Don't you see.  Oh please see.  This is
best.  For me.  
For you.  For Meredith.  I have to do this.  Maybe
that dream had 
meant something.  Just not what I wanted it to mean.»

 AJ felt lightheaded.  He wasn't sure he heard her
correctly.  «She 
wants to leave?  Leave me?  How could she?»  "You feel
like 
you're in a rut here, Colonel?"

"It's time to move on, sir.  I feel it is best for the
Marine Corps and 
my career.  I'm just going through the motions."

"Indeed.  I hadn't noticed." He glared down at the
woman he had 
wanted for nearly five years now.  He had tried hard
to find 
adequate substitutes.  He had found one.  Meredith. 
Available; she 
didn't have the restrictions of being a subordinate. 
Age he and 
Meredith shared the same history.  Interests; they
shared a love of 
Shakespeare.  And, if Meredith was reckless, she
seemed to be 
working on it.  He knew a lot of men who cracked jokes
about 
their wives' cooking.  He didn't want to be alone in
his old age.  
He wanted a companion even if there wasn't deep
passion.  Damn, 
he wanted Mac.  «Well sailor, you can't have her. 
Maybe this is 
all for the best.»  

«What is he thinking about?  He looks so sad, so
angry.  Is he mad 
at me?  Tough!  I need this.»

 He quickly nodded his head.  "Very well, Colonel. 
Allow me to 
make some phone calls.  I'll get back to you this
afternoon."
 
"Thank you, sir." 

Without another word, AJ turned and practically threw
open her 
door.  And if he closed it a little harder than
necessary, she told 
herself it was just an accident.  It was like a weight
had been lifted 
from her shoulders only to settle in the pit of her
stomach.  «Fine 
and good.  He wants this too.  He didn't even try and
talk me out of 
it.  He is probably disappointed in me.  Or he just
doesn't care.  
This will be good for me.  This will be good for me. I
will not cry.  
Maybe the transfer won't go through.  Stop it.  I want
this.»

Part 5

JAG Headquarters
The Next Day
0850 Hours

Commander Harmon Rabb Jr. was in a hurry.  He was late

AGAIN.  The Admiral was going to have his head or
maybe just 
put him on bread, water and little old ladies wills
for the next 
eighteen years or so.

Traffic was getting worse in DC. What he needed was
his own air 
transport after all he was a pilot – military at that.

Feeling like the last kid in class Harm pushed open
the large oak 
doors to the conference room that doubled as the
weekly briefing 
room and of course all eyes zoomed his way.  

He could cut the atmosphere with a knife.  "Sorry
sir." He 
mumbled and slipped into the nearest seat.  Even as he
settled 
down he felt the atmosphere – something was not right.

Then the other shoe dropped.

The Admiral took a deep breath and not even looking
Mac's way 
made the announcement.  "The Colonel has been made
Legal 
Attaché to the US Ambassador to St James's Court…" The

collective gasp cut him short.

Harriett spoke first.  "Effective immediately, Sir?"

This time AJ looked at Mac she seemed to have shrunk,
or was that 
his imagination. God! She was so beautiful and deadly
– an 
irresistible combination.   He scanned her, but she
refused to look 
at him.   She looked as miserable as he felt.  He had
made 
arrangements for the assignment to be immediate but
now his 
SEAL instincts were kicking in.

Why the sudden need to move?
Why NOW?
Why not a change chain of command?
Why change country?
What about Harm? Even Meredith had noted they needed
couple 
counseling.
If she was getting the assignment why the mournful
look?

He came to decision; well actually he played a hunch. 
"No, 
Lieutenant. Meredith has asked and the Colonel has
agreed to be 
the Maid of Honour at our wedding.  Once that
obligation is met, 
then it will be immediate."  What was that he saw
cross Mac's 
face?  Relief? Horror? What was wrong with that woman!
 Well 
now he had time to find out.

Mac heard the words and was torn. That was fast. Was
he THAT 
eager to see the back of her? Well she too needed to
get away but 
she so wanted to be near him.  She focused. When was
the 
wedding?  Lord she hoped it wasn't this time next
year.  With her 
luck who knew?

It was bad enough that she had to stay here but as
Chief of Staff it 
was now budget season and if last year was any
indication she and 
AJ were about to spend some long nights together.  Or
may be that 
was good.  Who knew?  By now her nerves were too raw
for her 
logic to make any sense.  "Huh?" she looked up at
Sturgis.

"Congrats Mac." He said.

She looked round. They were alone. "Where is
everyone?"

He looked round as if to confirm the absence. "Gone."

"But you stayed." She stood.

"I was wondering…"

"About."

"Harm." He said in a conspirital manner.

"What about him." She gathered her files together.

"How can you leave the man you love behind?" He was
recalling 
her confession all those months ago.

Mac stood, took a deep breath, looked the man in the
eye and said, 
"I've met someone worthy of me.  Unrequited love will
only go so 
far."  And that's more of the truth than you will know
she thought.

"Uh huh." Sturgis nodded, he fell into step with her. 
"As a friend I 
love Harm dearly, but as a friend I KNOW that the man
is a fool. 
And letting to slip through his fingers is one I'll
never understand. 
On the other hand, I wish you all the best, with the
new career and 
new man."

"That all she's ever wanted." Harm said as they
rounded the 
corner.

Mac paled, had he heard? If so how much?

His next words left no doubt. "Remember it's what you
have 
always wanted - a great career, a good man, and
comfortable 
shoes, lots and lots of them."  Then he turned on his
heel and 
walked away.

"He didn't hear." Sturgis had read her mind.

She only managed to nod as she headed for her office.
She needed 
to find out when the wedding was.  The decision now
was who to 
ask.  The Admiral or Meredith?  

She groaned first an aspirin as she considered not
just that but the 
upcoming budget nights.
Part 6

JAG HQ
2030 Hours
One Week Later

"... so the Comptroller allotted us only $22 million
total for 
computer-related expenses, but that's not going to
leave enough for 
the equipment upgrades we need to tie offices in the
PACCOM 
into the new case-tracking system, so maybe we can
suggest 
shifting some from the, uh, the ... hmm ... where can
we spare 
some money?" Mac asked, scratching her head and
digging 
through a pile of papers.

AJ looked through a printout on his lap and then up at
Mac.  "I 
don't know where we can squeeze out another penny," he
said.  
"Maybe we can put the equipment in as a procurement
request 
instead of under Operations & Maintenance. ..."  He
rattled on for 
several minutes, throwing out various strategies and
figures, and 
finally said, "What do you think, Mac?  Mac??"

Mac started at the sound of her name.  She'd pretty
much stopped 
paying attention as soon as he looked up at her,
peering at her over 
the top of his glasses.  He thought the reading
glasses made him 
look old, but she thought there was no sexier sight
than him with 
those half glasses perched on his nose, staring deeply
into her eyes.  
She couldn't count the number of dreams she'd had that
began with 
her reaching over to pull those glasses from his face
just before she 
put her lips to his in a hot, wet, frantic kiss ...
mmmm ... she 
unconsciously licked her lips thinking about it as she
drifted back 
into her fantasy.

AJ stared at her glazed eyes and flushed cheeks,
stunned.  Dear 
Lord, if he didn't know better, he'd swear the woman
was in the 
throes of a sexual fantasy!  What it was about budget
figures and 
end-of-year forecasts that could get her excited, he
couldn't begin 
to imagine.  Although he had to admit that he'd
drifted off into that 
realm once or twice himself this evening.  Something
about her 
sitting across the coffee table from him sitting in
that oversized 
armchair ... she'd discarded her shoes hours ago, and
he found the 
way she fidgeted her bare feet when she was trying to
figure 
something out unbelievably sexy.  He wanted to pull
her out of the 
chair and on top of him as he stretched out on the
couch ... He 
pulled himself up with a jerk.  "MAC!" he repeated, as
much to 
snap himself out of it as her.

"Oh, Sir, I'm sorry, I was just..." she trailed off
lamely.  "Tell me 
again why Bud isn't here helping us?" she said, trying
to divert 
him.

"He's still on restricted duty, can't let him work the
late nights 
anymore," AJ explained.  "Damn shame, too – that boy
is a wonder 
with budgets.  We could really use his brain right
now.  Uh, no 
offense, Colonel."

"None taken believe me.  Maybe it's time to return him
to full 
active status.  When I'm gone, he'd make a great Chief
of Staff."  
She saw him wince as mentioned her departure, just as
she felt the 
pain inside herself.  They'd manage to avoid the
subject for a week 
by unspoken agreement.  Oh, well, now that it was out
in the open 
again ...  "Uh, speaking of which, Sir, when is the
wedding?  
Meredith never said."  Probably because Mac had been
dodging 
her phone calls.  She couldn't bear listening to her
friend go on and 
on about how happy she was to be marrying AJ.

"Uh, let's see, I had Tiner put it on my schedule,
hang on..." he 
replied, picking up his Palm Pilot.  "Oh, yes, four
weeks from next 
Saturday."  He felt that sinking feeling again – the
one he got every 
time he thought about his wedding day.  He'd managed
to avoid 
getting sucked into all the wedding plans by pleading
budget 
season, but that wouldn't work forever.  He sighed.

Mac caught the look of disquiet that passed over his
face and felt a 
flare of hope.  Maybe he wasn't as thrilled to be
getting married as 
he pretended to be.  He didn't even know the date of
his own 
wedding without looking it up.  She still had four
weeks.  Did she 
dare use them to find out if it she wasn't too late,
if she could make 
him feel about her the way she felt about him?  She
knew he 
desired her – she'd caught him in a few times this
week staring at 
her legs in a very unbusineslike manner.  Once they'd
accidentally 
touched hands reaching for the same chart, and she was
sure he'd 
felt the same jolt she had at the contact.  And they
knew each other 
so well – these late work nights had reminded her how
close they'd 
gotten on a personal level in the past couple of
years.  Could she 
put those two facets together and make them click in
his heart?

'But what about Meredith?' her conscience prodded. 
'Remember 
Mer, your FRIEND?  Who asked you to be her Maid of
Honor?  
Who TRUSTS you to spend all these nights alone with
her fiancé?'  
Mac parried, 'Hey, is my fault the woman is stupid? 
Besides,' she 
rationalized, 'if AJ and I are really meant to be
together, than I'm 
saving her from marrying the wrong man.'  She realized
how lame 
that sounded, but dammit, this was serious!  Her whole
future 
depended on it, and she couldn't see how Meredith
could possibly 
love AJ in the same soul-deep way that she did.  She
looked across 
at him for a moment and came to a decision.

"Sir, I don't know about you, but I'm starving," she
said.  "Why 
don't we pack all this stuff up and go to my
apartment?  I'll fix 
some dinner and we can finish most of this stuff in
just a few 
hours."  'And then maybe I'll see how long it takes to
finish you 
off,' she thought naughtily.

AJ stared at her for a long moment, assessing her.  He
wasn't sure 
what she was up to, but he knew she was up to
something.  And by 
the gleam in her eye, it was something ... good.  For
the last week, 
he'd fretted about his decision to marry Meredith,
knowing he 
would never love her as he did the woman across from
him.  He'd 
asked for a sign, something to tell him if he was
doing the right 
thing.  Maybe this was the answer he'd been asking
for.  

Ever since she'd abruptly asked for a transfer after
his engagement, 
he'd wondered.  Maybe his wedding is what had made her
cry that 
morning in her office.  That's why he'd played a hunch
and delayed 
her transfer.  He'd thought about laying his feelings
out in the open 
and seeing if he could ever hope for Mac to return
them.  He knew 
she found him attractive – hell, hadn't he just caught
her 
fantasizing?  He was pretty sure it wasn't the FY04
budget that had 
put that look in her eyes.  And the last week being
closeted 
together for hours at a time had reminded him how
close they'd 
gotten over the years, all the little personal things
they'd shared.  
Could she be thinking the same way he was?  He decided
it was 
time to find out.

"Sounds good, Mac, but I've tasted your cooking," he
said, 
beginning to stack up the papers surrounding them. 
"We'll go to 
my place."

Part 7

Monday, 19 May 2003
Chegwidden Residence
McLean, Virginia
2130 EST 

An hour later, AJ and Mac were pulling up to AJ's
ranch house. 
Parking and climbing out of their cars, they walked up
the pathway 
in silence. Mac, who was watching the object of her
fantasies 
instead of where she was going, tripped going up the
steps. AJ 
moved quickly and caught her before she fell. Mac
smiled at him, 
and he stood there, transfixed by her beautiful brown
eyes shining 
in the dim light. 

"Thank you, sir," Mac murmured breathlessly. 

AJ blinked. "Oh, no problem, Mac," he replied,
flashing her a 
crooked grin. Mac's heart leapt into her throat. Did
he have any 
idea how strongly he affected her? 'Probably not; we
wouldn't be 
here if he did. Or would we...?' 

AJ unlocked the door and gestured for Mac to precede
him into the 
house. He followed and flipped on the light switch,
illuminating 
the living room. AJ walked through to the kitchen,
throwing his 
keys and cover onto a low table as he did. 

"Just make yourself at home, Mac," he called. "Would
you like 
something to drink?" 

"Um, water, please," Mac answered distractedly. She
was looking 
at the pictures on the mantle above the fireplace.
There were many 
of Francesca, AJ's daughter; a few of Meredith (Mac
winced as she 
saw these; her conscience was active enough as it
was); but the 
majority of the photographs were of the JAG staff. Mac
smiled 
sadly as she realized that, like herself, AJ
considered JAG his 
family. Her eyes fell onto a photograph toward the
back, and she 
laughed. 

Lifting the frame so she could see the picture better,
she asked 
quietly, "Where in the world did you get a copy of
this?" 

"Rabb," AJ answered just as quietly. Mac jumped, not
expecting 
him to be so close. AJ smiled, handing her a bottle of
water. "I 
believe he gave them to everyone. He said that it was
the first time 
he had ever beaten you in a fight of any kind, and
wanted to 'save 
the moment for posterity'.

" Mac snorted, replacing the picture of the snowball
fight. "Uh-
huh. I won that fight, thank you very much!" she said,
smirking. 
"As if a squid could ever beat a Marine at anything!" 

"Oh, I think there have been a few times," AJ replied,
raising an 
eyebrow. 

"Name three," Mac said, eyes sparkling. 

AJ smiled slightly then said, "Why don't you start the
salad while I 
go get the printouts from my car?" 

"Sure," Mac answered. Then, "Hey, you're just trying
to worm 
your way out of my challenge, aren't you?" 

AJ just nodded. She sighed theatrically then said,
"Fine, fine, I'll 
go make the salad." She placed the picture back in its
place and 
went into the kitchen. 

AJ lifted the frame and gazed at the photograph. Mac's
eyes were 
sparkling, her cheeks were pink from cold and
exertion, and her 
hair was wild from the wind. She looked beautiful. AJ
replaced the 
frame and went outside. 

**** 

After a delicious dinner of pasta and salad, Mac and
AJ were in the 
living room, getting back to work on the budget. 

After a few moments, AJ put his papers aside and
turned to Mac. 
"Mac, something's been bothering you. What is it?" 

Mac's hands tightened on the sheaf of papers she held.
"N-nothing, 
sir. I'm fine." "Mac, you are not fine. I've known you
for seven 
years; I can tell when you're upset." He couldn't see
why Mac was 
being so stubborn about it. He pulled the papers out
of her hands 
and placed them on the table. Taking her hands in his,
he gazed at 
her and said softly, "Mac, please. Talk to me. If
something's 
wrong, I want to help." 

Mac bit her lip and looked down. 'I can't. This is
wrong. It's 
inappropriate. There are so many reasons why we can't
do this. 
What was I thinking, coming here?' She looked at their
intertwined 
hands. "I wish..." she started, then broke off. 

"You wish what, Mac?" AJ placed a finger under her
chin and 
lifted her head. Meeting her eyes, he asked gently.
"What do you 
wish for?" 

She sat, mesmerized by his face so close to hers,
unable to move. 
He usually looked so stern and forbidding, every inch
an admiral. 
Now, as he tried to get her to talk to him, he looked
so tender and 
gentle. She had many wishes. Her biggest one would
never be 
granted. However, she could give herself one small
wish; one to 
tide her over on those cold, lonely nights without
him. Even if it 
wasn't much, it was something. With that reasoning,
and firmly 
pushing her nagging conscience aside for a few
moments, she 
reached up and pulled his glasses off of his face. She
leaned 
forward, closing the few inches between them. AJ sat
in shock, 
unable to move as Mac's lips met his. Finally, he gave
himself a 
mental shake. He wrapped his arms around her waist,
pulling her 
closer, deepening the kiss. Following his fantasy in
his office, he 
lay back, pulling Mac with him. He moved his hands,
running his 
fingers through her hair, cupping her rear with the
other. Mac 
moaned and pressed closer. She couldn't believe it.
She was finally 
there with AJ, after wanting him for so long. She
pulled away from 
his lips and started trailing kisses down his neck.
The sound a car 
pulling into the driveway pulled the two from their
reverie. Mac 
scrambled toward the opposite end of the couch and
tried to neaten 
herself. The front door opened. 

"AJ! Are you home, sweetheart?" 

**** 

Part 8

AJ jumped to his feet, "Meredith!  I didn't expect you
tonight!"

"I can see that," she replied, taking in Mac on the
couch and the 
paper work spread all around.

"Was there something that could not wait?  Mac and I
really need 
to get this budget work finished."

"Oh I just dropped by to talk over some of the wedding
plans.  I 
did not know you would be working on the budget here
at home."

Mac spoke for the first time, "It was getting late and
we needed to 
eat, it was either take time off and go get food or
come here and 
keep working while we ate."

"Good thinking then," she answered.  "That way you can
finish 
quicker and I can have this man's evenings back to
myself all the 
sooner.  But while you are here I wanted to show you
the dress I 
was thinking of for you as maid-of-honor."  Meredith
came over 
and sat down between Mac and AJ on the couch.  She
flipped open 
a magazine that she had brought in with her and
pointed to one of 
the most ugly dresses that Mac had ever seen.  "What
do you think 
of this one?"

Trying to find a diplomatic way to tell her friend
just how much 
she hated the dress, Mac's eyes fell on the wedding
dress on the 
opposite page of the magazine.  It was as beautiful as
the other one 
was ugly.  The dress was champagne colored satin and
lace, with 
embroidered bead work on the front, the back plunged
to the waist 
line and the skirt and train of the dress must have
had twelve yards 
of fabric in them!  Mac could just see herself in this
wedding 
gown, and her fantasy led her even farther.  She saw
herself 
walking up the aisle with AJ waiting there for her in
his dress 
whites.  Her sigh of regret was audible and caused AJ
to turn and 
look at her.

He too had seen the wedding gown and his thoughts had
also put 
Mac in the dress and in the church coming up the aisle
to him.  
`My god,' there he went again!  `Your fiancé is
sitting right next to 
you and you are having fantasies about Mac!  You
should be 
ashamed, squid!' 

"Meredith, I really don't think plum is Mac's color,"
AJ finally 
managed to say.

"How did you know…oh I forgot that your daughter is a
fashion 
designer, you must have learned about color from her? 
By the 
way, 
have you found out if she will be able to come to the
wedding 
yet?"

>From the guilty look on AJ's face, Mac knew he had
not talked to 
Francesca yet about coming to the wedding.

"Not yet, Meredith.  I will call her again about the
date and let you 
know.  Now I hate to rush you off but we must get back
to work."

"You are not sending me off without a kiss are you,
AJ?" she 
purred, turning to face him and puckering up her lips.

`It was a good thing her eyes were closed,' Mac
thought, so she did 
not see that AJ pulled back a bit at her request. 
With hungry eyes, 
Mac watched him place a peck on her lips, and her
thoughts turned 
back to the kiss they had been sharing when Meredith
had come in.  
The two could not compare!  Maybe there was some
feelings for 
her after all!  Could she work up the courage to do
something 
about it when Meredith finally left???

Part 9

Five minutes later, AJ closed the door behind Meredith
and turned 
back to the couch where Mac was sitting.  He walked
back to the 
sofa and sat down on the opposite end.

Mac sat on the couch wrestling with her conscience.
Not ten 
minutes ago she was kissing AJ and then five minutes
later looking 
at a maid of honor dress. 'Honor.  I can't do this.  I
won't betray 
Meredith like that, no matter what my feelings for AJ
are.  He 
asked her to marry him.  That means something.  He
isn't going to 
walk away from that because of a kiss.  A kiss I
started.  Let me 
just finish this work and walk out of here with what
little dignity I 
have left.'

AJ was studying Mac trying to figure out what she must
be 
thinking. 'I am so confused.  I wish I knew what was
going on.  Is 
there a chance that Mac could have real feelings for
me?  As much 
as I do care for Meredith, I love Mac.  I always have.
 I would 
walk through water to make Mac mine.' AJ cleared his
throat.  

"Mac, what just happened here?  Where did this come
from?"

Mac searched his eyes for a ray of hope but all she
saw was 
confusion.  She knew she had no right to feel the way
she did and 
ever hope that he would want her the same way.

"I am so sorry, Sir.  My behavior was inexcusable.  I
would 
completely understand if you want to bring me up on
charges, but 
if you are willing to put it behind us, I would be
eternally grateful, 
Sir."

AJ looked down.  He was sad and heartbroken, but got
his answer. 
"Consider it forgotten, Colonel.  Let's finish the
budget tomorrow 
at the office.  I am exhausted."

Mac stood and came to attention. "Aye, Sir."
Without another word, Mac collected her belongings and
was 
gone.  

The next few days at the office were business as
usual.  They 
finished the budget and turned it into the SecNav. 
Meredith was 
showing up more and more at the office, going over
wedding day 
plans with AJ.  Mac stood in the background and
watched with a 
sad and heavy heart.  She loved this man so much that
seeing him 
every day was almost becoming unbearable.  Mac used to
look 
forward to staff meetings and conferences.  Any excuse
to be near 
him.  Now, being this close to him only hurt her,
because she 
believed that he could never love her and return her
feelings.

The wedding was approaching quickly.  Mac was dreading
and 
looking forward to the day at the same time.  Today
was especially 
difficult.  Mac was meeting Meredith for lunch to
discuss details 
and her heart just wasn't in it.

Meredith came into the bullpen about 11:00.  Mac came
out of her 
office confused.

"Meredith, I thought we were meeting at noon?"

"I know, Mac, but something has come up and I am just
frantic." 
Meredith looked extremely irritated and in full panic
mode.

"Calm down. Take a deep breath."  Meredith nodded her
head and 
took in several deep breaths.  AJ was walking toward
the kitchen 
when he saw Meredith nearly hipper ventilating in the
bullpen.  He 
sat down his coffee cup and rushed over.

"Meredith, what's wrong? What is it, darlin?"

Mac tried to back off and leave, but Meredith held her
hand tight.  
After a few minutes, Meredith started to calm down.

"AJ, we have a problem.  I have an emergency meeting
out of 
town.  I have tried to get out of it, but I can't.  I
am supposed to be 
meeting with the wedding planner first thing tomorrow
morning."

"Can't you reschedule the appointment, Meredith?  I am
sure the 
wedding planner would understand."

Meredith shook her head furiously. "I tried.  She said
that 
tomorrow was it and if one of us wasn't there then
there would be 
no way that she could make things ready by the wedding
date."

AJ crossed his arms and slowly nodded his head. "Ok. I
will do it. I 
will take the meeting."

Meredith began to calm down and nodded her head. "Oh,
thank 
goodness.  Thank you, AJ.  There is only one thing
that I insist 
on."

"Of course, dear, what is that?"
Meredith smiled and looked at Mac. "That you take Mac
with 
you."

Part 10

AJ glared at his fiancé.  "Why would I take Mac with
me?" he 
demanded.  He could see the bright red spread across
Mac's face 
and realized that she was about to say something. 
Something 
dangerous that could possibly destroy her career.  

"Because, Mac will know what to do." Meredith said
with 
surprising determination.  "After all men, are so
silly about this 
kind of thing."  There was something in her voice,
something in 
her stance that scared AJ more than the look on Mac's
face.  «She 
knows.  Dear 
God, she knows.»

"Indeed, madam." AJ put a hurt look on his face. 
"Unfortunately, 
Colonel MacKenzie has other things she needs to do
tomorrow.  
I'll go and handle it."  He stomped out of the
bullpen. 

"Now what?" Meredith huffed but Mac caught the look in
her eye.  

«She's hurt.  She suspects something.  She noticed
something the 
other night»

Coolly, Meredith gave her full attention to Mac.  "He
couldn't even 
manage to propose right and he expects me to leave the
wedding 
planner to him?  I don't think so.  See what you can
do to get out of 
your meeting, Mac.  After all, you are the maid of
honor."

Mac licked lips that felt like they had in
Afghanistan.  "Actually, 
Mer, I can't.  I'm sorry.  But it's your wedding.  I
would think that 
something this important would overshadow anything
else.  I know 
it would for me." She too left her friend in the
middle of the 
bullpen, slamming her office door a bit too
forcefully.  

She flopped down in her chair.  She couldn't do this. 
The wedding 
was a week away and she knew she couldn't do this.  He
couldn't 
ask her to do this.  Resolutely, she picked up the
phone on her desk 
and dialed Harriet's extension.  "Let me know when Dr.

Cavanaugh has left the building."

"She's going into see the Admiral now.  You want to
talk?" Harriet 
said softly.

"Nothing to talk about." Mac hung up the phone and
pulled out 
another report that she had to go over.  She wasn't
handling any 
cases now, but there were reports that had to get done
and if she 
had her way, they had to be done by tonight.  

At the soft tap on her door she muttered, "Enter." She
wasn't 
surprised to see Harriet standing there.  She wasn't
surprised at the 
concerned look on the woman's face.  She just didn't
want to deal 
with it right now.  

"Is she gone?"

"Yes and she didn't look happy." Harriet closed the
door.  
"Ma'am…Sarah, what's going on?"

"Nothing I can talk about, Harriet."  She stood up.

"You're in love with him, aren't you?  That's why
you're leaving." 

Mac forced her knees to remain locked.  She breathed
deeply 
through her nose and held it for a count before
answering.  "You'll 
excuse me, Lieutenant Sims, I have a report to take to
my 
commanding officer." 

"He won't be your CO once you transfer." Harriet's
look of concern 
almost undid Mac, but she straightened her shoulders.

"No.  He'll be married.  And besides, what are you
thinking, 
Harriet?  I can transfer and two weeks later start
dating him?  You 
think that's going to fly?  I would appreciate it if
you kept this 
conversation to yourself."  She walked around her desk
and gently 
emphasized her request.  "Yourself, Harriet.  Not
Coates, not Bud, 
certainly not Harm."  She opened the door and made her
way 
across the bullpen.    

Not even stopping for Tiner to announce her, she
firmly rapped on 
the door and entered AJ's office.  

He was sitting back in his chair staring at her - no -
staring through 
her.  She had never seen him look so sad before and
somehow she 
knew.  "Let me guess, no wedding?"

He finally focused on her.  "She knew."

Even as she nodded, she had to ask.  "Knew what?"

He just looked at her and sighed again.  "She had no
meeting."

"I figured.  Meredith is a lot of things, but she
isn't stupid."

"I tried to talk her out of it." 

"Why?  You want to marry her?"

"Who else?"

She shrugged.  She should have been elated, but she
wasn't.  
Nothing had changed.  What she told Harriet was true. 
"I want to 
go tonight.  I can't wait around anymore."

"I don't want you to go."  His eyes were tortured and
she knew he 
had accepted the fact of the kiss.  He loved her,
perhaps as much as 
she loved him.  Tough.

"Sure you do." She stepped up to the desk.  "Here's
the manpower 
report.  Everything else can wait."

"You doing my job for me now, Colonel?"  There was no
anger in 
his voice, only an intense weariness – and sadness. 
She longed to 
reach out to him, touch him, comfort him.  But, she
knew that even 
that was denied her.  

"I have always done that part of the job for you." She
could feel 
the tears rising in her throat.  She would not cry
over something 
she could do nothing about.  "Please…AJ.  Either sign
the transfer 
now or I'm afraid I'm going to be too sick to come
into work." 

He nodded, knowing in his heart that it was the only
way.  She was 
too young to give up her career.  Hell, he was too
young.  What 
would he do?  Was there anything else?  How could he
make this 
work?  He sat back and studied her for a long time. 
Long enough 
for her to begin to lose that Marine resolve.  He had
never seen her 
fidget before.  He did that to her.  He wanted only
one thing now, 
he wanted her and he would have her.  He had run black
ops, he 
had commanded men in battle and he had run roughshod
over 
Harmon Rabb, Junior for nearly eight years.  Okay, so
he hadn't 
succeeded there as well as he would have wished, but
this he 
would not fail in.  

Standing, he walked over to her.  Getting into her
personal space 
until only a breath of air separated their lips. 
"Very well, Colonel, 
run to London.  But just make sure to look over your
shoulder."

She wanted nothing more than to close the whisper of a
gap.  But 
her eyes were mesmerized by his intense stare.  "Why
is that, sir?"

"Because you'll see me there one of these days."

"You can't."

"I will find a way." With that he closed the distance
for just a 
moment.  "Go pack, Marine."

"Aye-aye, sir," she breathed.  

As she turned to exit the office she wondered how long
the 
euphoria would last before reality set back in. 

~*~*~*~*~

Part 11

THAT NIGHT
AJ CHEDWIDGGEN'S RESIDENCE

The bed was hot.

His body burned 
She's leaving! MAC IS LEAVING!!!
Meredith! You did her wrong!!!
Then must you speak Of One that lov'd not wisely but
too well.
Officer and Gentleman – HA!!!
SHAME ON YOU!
Set this right!
Procrastination is the thief of time!
She's leaving! MAC IS LEAVING!!!

AJ tossed and turned.

Dammit just watched his master fascinated.

Finally AJ surrendered and got out of bed.

0209 LOCAL
OUTSIDE MAC'S APARTMENT

The vehicle reeked of the pizza.  Yet still AJ sat in
his car.  

Pizza?
Was this a peace offering?
Why pizza?
What peace?
Why at this God forsaken hour?
What the hell was Mac doing up at this time any way? 
What was HE doing here?!

He got a grip of himself.  After all he was a SEAL!

0211 LOCAL
MAC'S APARTMENT

Mac peeped through the spy hole in her door and
sighed. She 
opened the door and there stood AJ with a pizza in his
hand. 
"Seemed like the thing to do." He confessed, "The man
suggested 
a half and half."

Despite the situation she could not help but chuckle
"The man 
knows. Come on in." She swung the door open and he
followed 
her in. The position had its advantages. She was
barefoot with a 
long flowing shirt, which was split to reveal well
shaped long legs 
and she had on a tight top.  
The combination left no doubt that Mac as all woman.  

Temptation!

As she moved to turn the music down she asked, "Why
are you 
here sir?" and leaned in toward the CD Player but not
before 
Shania Twain had her say...

(I'm not in the mood) I'm not in the mood
(I'm not in the mood) To be shy - to stand by - and
not give 
it a try
No, I'm not in the mood
(I'm not in the mood) To stay home - be alone - face
the 
night on my own
No, I'm not in the mood (to say) - to say - (to say) -
to say 
no!

"Don't." AJ requested, "The music is fine." 
[Suggestive] he 
thought.

She paused, "Sure?"

"Sure." he confirmed.

She changed direction and headed for the kitchen "Half
and half 
pizza is what Harm brings over when we work late." She
explained 
and then froze at what she had just said.

AJ had heard and his heart skipped a beat.  Not
commenting on the 
statement he placed the pizza down and lifted the
cover.  The smell 
instantly took over the kitchen. 

"Plates." She said as she reached for the shelf.  Then
repeated, 
"Sir, Why are you here?"

He had not a clue why he was there but with her back
to him 
reaching up into the cupboard for the plats AJ's
resolve broke. 
With two steps he was standing behind her. He slipped
his arm 
around her now exposed waist as she was in the process
of 
reaching.  The suddenness of the move caused her to
stumble but 
he had a firm grip on her. She turned and came face to
face with 
his hunger.

AJ lowered his head and kissed her.  She didn't have
to be told 
twice, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulled
him closer 
and deepened the kiss. "Oh Mac God forgive me but I
love you 
so!" He said.

She replied with a similar need. "Then we will burn in
hell 
together."

"No!" He stated and disentangled himself.

"No?" She echoed.

"No." He explained. "No…I don't know." He wailed.  The
self 
assured Admiral of action who had promised to track
her down, 
but a few hours ago was now a bundle of nerves.

"Well!" She stood to her full height. "Then this is …
what then?!"

"Meredith..." He reached over and wiped the tears from
her face.  
"Hey" AJ was worried she was crying.

"Damnit, why am I the only one crying?" she sniffed.

"Cause I have cried already." He confessed.  "But as
an Officer 
and a Gentleman…" he trailed off.

 "So this is it?" Now she couldn't leave the country
fast enough!  
To hell with the Wedding, she had been right that
afternoon to 
force the issue.

"Yes." He was sober. "Meredith..." again he trailed
off.  How 
could he explain what he had not yet figured out for
himself? All 
he knew was that before he could give his all to Mac
he had to 
make it right with Meredith.  

But he didn't say that and Mac was left to draw her
own 
conclusions.  She could only nod. Yes indeed Meredith.

She didn't bother to escort AJ he knew his way out. 
She stood 
frozen in the room till the door closed.  Then as if
puppet strings 
had been holding her and the closing of the door had
cut the strings 
- she collapsed.

Shania sang

And it only hurts when I'm breathing
My heart only breaks when it's beating
My dreams only die when I'm dreaming
So, I hold my breath - to forget

 
*             *             *

JAG
NEXT DAY

Lt. Colonel Sarah Mackenzie did not report for duty
that day.

Or the next.

AJ agonized over what to do.  Mac hadn't been in
office in two 
days and she hadn't called.  He was miserable.  He
missed her 
presence.  He groaned.  He had a headache, he wasn't
eating, he 
hadn't faced Meredith and it was only two days that he
hadn't seen 
Mac. Is this what it would be like when she assigned
to London?

 What would he do if it were Rabb? This is why one did
not 
fraternize in the military!  Here he was second
guessing himself.  
He finally made a decision.

*             *             *
That afternoon AJ walked into Sturgis' office.  "It's
either you or 
Rabb."  AJ launched with no introduction.  "Rabb is on

assignment, so that means you.  Find her before I
report her UA."

Turner watched the back of his CO as her walked away. 
No 
explanation was necessary.  He meant Mac. "Aye, Sir."

And so Sturgis went in search of Mac.

*             *             *

Two dozen phone calls later; to her home and her cell
and 
Commander Sturgis Turner was at the front door of Lt.
Colonel 
Sarah Mackenzie, with her landlady in tow.
 
"Are you sure?" she hesitated.

Sturgis got deadly.  "We have two choices here ma'am. 
I can 
watch you unlock the door or you can watch me break it
down."

She unlocked the door.

He was in, in a flash. "Mac? Mac?"  He called. 
Something was not 
right.  All the lights were on, Shania Twain was
playing and the 
place stank of bad pizza.  For no reason Sturgis could
explain he 
broke into a cold sweat.

As he headed for the bedroom he switched the CD player
off.  
"Mac? Mac?"  He continued to call.
 
"Commander!" The landlady virtually screamed.

He came running, his fear becoming dread.  There she
lay 
unconscious on the kitchen floor.

"Is she..." the landlady could hardly say the word. 
"... dead?" she 
finally whispered.

Part 12 

Sturgis crouched down and put his fingers to her neck.
 Her skin 
was warm and pulse steady.  Relieved, he shook her
gently.  "Mac!  
Mac, wake up!"  He shook her harder.  She stirred and
murmured, 
but didn't open her eyes.  

He turned his head to the landlady.  "Call 911 – we
need to get an 
ambulance up here!  Tell them we'll be going to
Bethesda."  He 
examined Mac carefully, but couldn't see anything
wrong.  There 
were no bumps or bruises, no blood.  He shook her
again.  "Mac, 
please, wake up!"  

This time Mac groggily opened her eyes and looked up
at Sturgis.  
"Wh- Sturg's ... what're you doin here?" she mumbled.

"Trying to figure out why you've been AWOL for two
days," he 
responded.  "Mac, what's wrong, are you sick?  Do you
hurt 
anywhere?"

Mac seemed to ponder that for a moment.  "No, don't
hurt.  Just 
tired. Need a nap ..."  

Sturgis stopped her as she tried to lay her head back
on the floor 
and pulled her up until she was leaning against his
chest as he sat 
on the floor.  The landlady handed him a throw from
the couch and 
told him that the ambulance was on its way.  He
wrapped Mac up 
and then pulled out his cell phone.  "Mac, hang on,"
he told her.  
"We're going to get you to a hospital.  I'm just going
to call the 
Admiral to let him know I found you."

Mac struggled weakly in his arms.  "No, no, don't call
... don't call 
him.  He doesn't care ... left me here, alone ...
don't -" She 
continued to protest weakly but Turner ignored her as
he dialed the 
number.  "Yes, it's Commander Turner, please put me
through to 
Admiral Chegwidden.  ... Tiner!  I found her.  Let me
talk to the 
Admiral, please." 

A moment later, AJ's voice came booming through the
phone.  
"Were is she?  Is she ok?  She'd better have a damned
good excuse 
for this!  Is she alright?"

Turner broke in.  "Sir, I'm not sure.  I found her
unconscious on her 
kitchen floor.  She must have been here for some time,
because 
there's a pizza here that's clearly been sitting out
for quite awhile.  
The ambulance is on its way."

On the other end of the line, AJ's heart dropped. 
Could she have 
been lying there, alone, ill, since the time he left
her?  Oh, God, he 
would never forgive himself!  She had needed him and
he had 
walked out without a backward glance so he could go
home and 
nurse his guilty conscience.  Suddenly, a horrible
thought occurred 
to him.  "Turner, she's not drunk, is she?"

"No sir, I don't see any signs of alcohol around here.
And I don't 
think ..." 

Suddenly the phone was snatched out of his hand. 
"Drunk!"  Mac 
cried into it.  "You tell tha' bastard he better not
'cuse me of that. 
..."  She slumped back, seemingly exhausted by her
outburst, and 
dropped the phone to her side.  Turner picked it back
up, hearing 
the wail of the ambulance in the background.

"Sir, the ambulance is almost here.  I'll follow it to
Bethesda and 
call you back when I have a report on her progress."

"Never mind that, Commander, I'll meet you both
there."

"Sir, Harm will probably want to know what's going
on..."

"Well then Harm should have damned well gone looking
for her 
himself a long time ago," AJ roared.  'And so should I
have,' he 
thought bitterly to himself.  'If I wasn't so afraid
to confront her 
again, if I could have pulled my shit together and
talked to 
Meredith like a man so I could go to Mac free to offer
myself to 
her ...'  "I'm sorry, Sturgis. 
I'll let Harm know where she is, but he's going to
have to man the 
fort, because I AM coming over there.  I'll see you in
a half an 
hour."  AJ slammed the phone down, grabbed his cover,
and ran 
out the door, stopping only long enough to tell Tiner
where he was 
going.

ONE HOUR LATER
BETHESDA NAVAL HOSPITAL
BETHESDA, MD

The doctor came out to meet the two anxious Naval
officers in the 
waiting room.  

"What is it, what's wrong with her?" AJ demanded.

"It appears she's suffering from exhaustion," the
doctor explained.  
"She's dehydrated, it looks like she's lost some
weight recently, and 
I doubt she's gotten much sleep in the last few weeks.
 Is there 
something going on in her life that would cause her
unusual 
stress?" he asked.

Sturgis looked over at AJ.  He'd like to know the
answer to that 
one himself.  Something weird had been going on
between Mac 
and her CO lately.  He hoped it was nothing he'd have
to prosecute 
them for later.

AJ stammered, "Uh, she's getting ready to transfer
overseas 
shortly.  That may be it."

The doctor nodded, satisfied.  "That could do it, I
guess."

"Will she be ok?"  AJ asked anxiously. 

"I think she'll be fine, but she's going to have to
spend a couple of 
days in the hospital while we get her back into shape.
 Anytime 
someone spends that long unconscious, we have to be
concerned 
about lingering effects.  She's scheduled to have a
CAT scan in a 
few minutes, so I'll know more after that, but if I
suspect that two 
days of rest and IVs will have her back on her feet. 
And ..." he 
hesitated.

"Yes?" AJ prodded.

"And I'm going to send up a counselor to talk to her
tomorrow 
when she's more herself.  Normally you don't see
someone end up 
in this bad of shape without there being some ...
emotional issues 
that need to be addressed."

AJ felt a lance of pain go through him at the doctor's
words.  'This 
*is* my fault,' he thought.  'Because I couldn't reach
out for what I 
wanted, because I wasn't honest with her or Meredith. 
I'm the one 
who needs the shrink.  Well, no more.  This
foolishness ends now.'

"She's awake if you want to see her before she goes
for her CAT 
scan," the doctor added.

"Of course, Doctor," Turner said when AJ was silent. 
"Thank 
you."  He shook hands with the doctor and then turned
to AJ.  
"Shall we, Sir?" he asked.

"No, you go," he said.  "Make sure someone stays with
her.  If you 
have to go back to the office, get Harm, or Harriett."
 He turned to 
leave.  Sturgis was shocked.  "But sir, aren't you
going to at least 
look in on her?"

"No, Commander.  I've got to go talk to Meredith." 
And with that 
he turned and stalked out, leaving a stunned Sturgis
behind him. 

===============

Part 13

Mac jerked up, gasping for breath.  Her eyes adjusted
slowly to the 
dim light, and she almost wept with relief seeing she
was in her 
apartment, not a hospital room.  "Owww!"   Sitting up
fully, she 
pressed her fists to her throbbing temples.  `Great,
this damn 
wedding is giving ME migraines,' she grumbled, but
couldn't stop 
the uneasy feeling from creeping up her spine.   She'd
been 
dreaming.  Dreams that could, or could not, mean
anything.  

They'd started the night after the disastrous,
heavenly, kiss at the 
Admiral's house.  She dropped her head back onto the
couch, 
pulling the afghan up around her shoulders.  She saw
the surprise, 
the acknowledgment, in his eyes as she pulled his
glasses off, felt 
again the broad hands cupping her buttocks to hold her
close.   Her 
heart thudded and her blood sang.  It had meant
something.  You 
don't kiss a woman like that without it meaning
something, 
especially when you were engaged to someone else.

However, for all the change it brought to their lives,
it could have 
never happened.  They didn't speak of it and the
wedding was 
going on as planned.  `Which reminds me,' she thought,

uncovering her arm to snag the remote.  She turned off
the snowy 
TV and knew immediately what one part of her dream
meant.  
Watching the Wedding Planner when her life was so
screwed was 
just an exercise in torture, but it had fit her mood. 
Hopeless.  

The man she wanted was marrying a woman she respected.
 And 
that very same woman was putting her into a gown of
the most 
hideous shade of chartreuse she'd ever seen.  If
anyone needed a 
wedding planner it was Meredith Cavenaugh.  The sick
yellowish 
green satin made her look like she was seconds away
from 
throwing up a month's worth of meals.  Mac snorted
rudely.  The 
thought of the Admiral marrying did make her sick to
her stomach, 
at least the dress gave her an excuse for looking
nauseous.  
  
There was more to that dream than the fact that
Meredith 
possessed no taste whatsoever.  AJ was never going to
call it off.  
Out of honor, he'd go through with it.  She sighed
heavily.  In her 
dream she'd tried to manipulate the situation, made
Meredith break 
it off with him, made him show up on her doorstep with
a pizza of 
all things.  It hadn't mattered.  He'd kissed her,
touched her, said he 
loved her, then he'd left.  Left with Meredith's name
hovering in 
the air between them.


There was also a message there, for her.  Suck it up
and move on.  
Her health was beginning to suffer.  She wasn't
sleeping and had 
lost over ten pounds.  She was also becoming short
tempered, 
especially when anything was mentioned about the
upcoming 
wedding or her transfer.  In her dream Sturgis and
Harriet had 
caught onto why she was different.  It couldn't happen
in real life.  

Blinking to keep her tears from falling, she resolved
to get through 
the next few weeks with as much of her dignity intact
as possible.  
She drifted into a fitful sleep, the surprisingly
strong voice 
whispering in her ear, "Very well, Colonel, run to
London.  But 
just make sure to look over your shoulder."

JAG Headquarters
0030

AJ caught his head right before it hit the desk.  `I
need to go home,' 
he thought, coming fully awake quickly.  Staying until
midnight 
had started years ago as an excuse to avoid going home
to an 
empty house had evolved into avoiding going home to
Meredith's 
cooking, but falling asleep on his desk was ridicules
when he had a 
perfectly good bed at home.

Ignoring the pile of paper covering his desk, he
picked up his cover 
and headed for the door.  Unable to stop himself, he
stopped in 
front of Mac's office.  Even though the office was
deserted, he 
looked around before opening the door.  Stopping just
inside, he 
breathed deeply, the scent of her leaving him weak.  
He looked at 
her chair and felt the despair of his dream swamp him.
 Mac.  
Meredith.  What the hell was he going to do?

He'd proposed.  Badly, but she'd accepted and was so
happy.  He 
loved her, but it was becoming painfully apparent his
feelings for 
Mac ran deeper than those he had for Meredith.  He
couldn't stop 
thinking about her, or the kiss they'd shared.  He
leaned his elbows 
on his knees, dropping his head.  If she had stood and
stripped 
naked, it would not have been as provocative, as
arousing, as the 
threes seconds it took her to remove his glasses.  He
put his hand 
to his eyes, remembering the doubt and determination
in her eyes, 
the lushness of her mouth, and the way his body gave
into the 
inevitable, even as his mind protested.   

If Meredith hadn't shown up, there's no telling where
that kiss 
would have led.  He liked to believe they would have
stopped, but 
he couldn't deny the heat that had exploded between
them.  His 
mind had almost shut down at the feel of her through
clothing; all 
reason would have been abandoned if he'd actually
touched her 
skin.  He was adult enough to admit they would have
spent the 
night pleasuring each other and the next day regret
and duty would 
have destroyed 
them.  If it hadn't already.  

The easy working relationship they'd fallen into was
gone.  They 
now only spoke when necessary and then only about JAG
related 
topics.  Because of rank they'd never been what you
could call 
`friends' but there was something between them.  He
often knew 
what she was thinking by the look that was NOT on her
face.  He 
could tell when she was tired, angry, hurt,
amused....aroused.   
There were very few people in his life that he could
read like he 
could Sarah Mackenzie, especially with so little
personal contact.  

Swallowing past the tightness in his throat, he moved
further into 
the office to sit in one of the chairs by her desk. 
She was leaving 
soon and he'd be a married man.  Meredith.  He
remembered the 
dream, how she'd broke it off with him, and knew that
he was 
subconsciously searching for an easy way out.  Out for
what reason 
though?  A fling with a junior officer?  He knew the
attraction ran 
both ways between him and Mac, but was it reason
enough to 
throw away the love that was being offered so readily
by 
Meredith?  But, on the other hand, wasn't he doing her
a disservice, 
going into marriage with such conflicting emotions?  

That dream had seemed so real.  Usually the only ones
he 
experienced on that level were the ones where he
relived a combat 
situation.  But, the confusion and censure he'd felt
from Sturgis as 
they waited for the doctor's report had been very
real.  He knew 
why it had been Sturgis, not Harm or Harriet, he'd
sent looking for 
Mac.  He'd seen the younger man watching Mac earlier
in the day.  
She'd been staring into space with a look of such
profound sadness 
on her face, that it had been embarrassing to witness.
 Sturgis had 
seen her also, and had turned immediately to face him.
 It might be 
his over active imagination that had Sturgis blaming
him for 
putting that look there.  For all he knew Sturgis had
not even seen 
him, but had just been turning away from a private
moment. 

He slumped suddenly.  Hospital.  Dear God, why did he
imagine 
her in a hospital!  He'd noticed she was losing
weight.  Her face 
was thinner, her eyes deep sunk and shadowed.  Surely
that one 
breach of protocol had not done that to her.  It had
to be the stress 
of wrapping up one posting, leaving her friends in
Washington, 
and preparing to leave the country on top of
participating in a 
wedding she obviously was reluctant to participate in.
 

London.  She should be excited about being posted
there.  It was a 
very large feather in her cap.  Instead she looked
like someone 
kicked her favorite puppy.  Surely it couldn't be him
that put that 
look on her face.  He tried not to think of her
leaving very often.  It 
hurt too badly.  He was going to miss her.  

"I will find a way."  The sound of his voice was loud
in the quiet 
office.  Where had that come from?  Find a way to
what?

"Because you'll see me there one of these days."  He
touched the 
nameplate on her desk.  The dream.  `How can you go to
London, 
if you're married to Meredith.'

"I can't."  Standing, he left her office, closing the
door softly 
behind him.

Part 14

Tuesday, 21 May 2003
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia
0930 EDT

"Mac!" Meredith's voice carried across the bullpen. 
Mac, who had 
been on her way to the break room, paused.  Meredith
continued 
toward her.

"Mac, you're not busy today, are you?  Please tell me
you can 
come with me..." 

"Meredith, slow down!  What's wrong?"  Mac turned and
faced 
Meredith once they made it to the break room.

Meredith, who was full of anxious energy, declined the
seat that 
was offered.  "Oh, Mac, the wedding planner had to
reschedule for 
Friday--she had a family emergency--so I need to find
my gown 
today!  You have to come with me!"

"Hold on, Meredith.  Let me go check my schedule and
make sure 
there's nothing due."  Mac smiled wanly and turned to
go to her 
office.  Just then, AJ entered the break room.

"AJ!" Meredith called.  AJ smiled and walked over to
his fiancée.

"Good morning, Meredith," AJ said.

"Good morning, darling," Meredith replied, standing on
tiptoe to 
kiss AJ quickly.  "AJ, I need to borrow your Chief of
Staff.  Do 
you think I could steal her away for the day?"

"I thought we were meeting with the wedding planner
today?" AJ 
said, pouring himself some coffee.

"Yes, we were supposed to, but there's been a slight
change in 
plans.  Liz won't be in town until Thursday, so I need
to flip-flop 
my schedule."

"Well, what are you going to do today, then?" AJ
asked, taking a 
sip of his coffee.

"I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you,"
Meredith cooed.

Mac watched this exchange with a masked face and a
heavy heart.  
She should be happy for Meredith and the Admiral.  Her
mind 
knew this, but her heart didn't want to accept it. 
She wondered 
where she had gotten this sudden masochistic streak
from, and why 
she didn't just request an immediate transfer.

"Well, then, I guess the Colonel can have the day off
for your 
mysterious activities," AJ said, smiling at Meredith.

"Thanks, AJ," Meredith said, kissing AJ again.  "If
you're free for 
lunch, why don't you meet us at that little café I
showed you last 
week?  You know, the one by that boutique I was
window-
shopping at?" Grabbing Mac's arm, she said, "Come on,
Mac, we 
have places to go, people to see, gowns to try on!" 
Mac let herself 
be dragged out of the break room.



Rebecca's Boutique
Washington, DC
1230 EDT

Three hours later, Mac sat in a dress shop downtown,
watching 
Meredith try on practically every dress in the store. 
She was 
starting to get hungry, and her patience was running
short.

"What do you think, Mac?" Meredith asked from the
dressing 
room entrance.

'I think that that's the thousandth gown you've tried
today,' Mac 
thought in exasperation.  She looked at Meredith and
pasted a 
smile on her face.  "You look beautiful, Meredith. 
But really, I 
don't think the Admiral would care if you showed up in
a potato 
sack.  He's marrying you, not your dress."

Meredith laughed gaily.  "I know, Mac, but I just want
to look 
perfect for AJ."  She looked at her reflection
critically.  "I think I 
liked the other one--you know, the one with the beaded
train?  I'm 
going to try that one on again."

Mac nodded and tried not to roll her eyes.  As
Meredith went back 
into the dressing room, Mac looked around at the
wedding gowns 
surrounding her.

A particular one caught her eye.  It was the one she
had seen in the 
magazine that night Meredith had interrupted her and
AJ.  She 
sighed, reaching out to stroke the cool satin and
rough lace.  She 
traced her fingers over the beaded embroidery,
imagining herself in 
the gown.

"Oh!" Mac spun around, hearing Meredith's voice behind
her.  
"That's gorgeous, Mac!  You have to try it on!"

"Um, I don't think so, Meredith.  We're here to find
you a gown, 
remember?" Mac hedged.

"Oh, don't be silly.  Go ahead; try it on!  What will
it hurt?"

'My pride?  My dignity?' Mac thought sardonically. 
Aloud, she 
answered, "Fine, I'll try it on."

"Great!  Let me change first; then I want to see you
in that dress."  
Meredith went back into the dressing room once more,
and came 
out in her street clothes.  She ushered Mac into the
dressing room.

Mac stripped out of her clothing and removed the dress
from its 
hanger.  She gingerly slipped it on, trying not to
snag the fine 
material.  Straightening the dress, she stepped out of
the dressing 
room.

Meredith squealed as she saw the gowned Sarah walk
out.  "You 
look absolutely beautiful, Mac!  But you have to put
the veil on.  
The veil completes the look."  She handed Mac a veil,
which Mac 
placed on her head gently.  "Well, look at yourself!"

Mac turned around and looked in the mirror.  The dress
fit her 
perfectly, as if it had been made for her.  Her eyes
welled with 
tears.  She knew she would never purchase a dress like
this.  There 
was only one person who she would want to walk up the
aisle to in 
this masterpiece... and he was marrying someone else.

"Oh, you look simply amazing, ma'am!" a saleswoman
said 
admiringly.  "When is your wedding?" she asked
curiously.

"Oh, I--I'm not the one getting married," Mac replied.
 "My friend 
is.  I'm the maid of honor; I'm just trying this on." 
The 
saleswoman looked vaguely disappointed.

Suddenly, a bell jangled as the door to the shop
opened.  Mac froze 
as a man in a familiar uniform stepped through the
doorway.

Part 15

Coming into the darkened store from the sunlit street,
it took a 
minute for AJ's eyes to adjust, but when they did, the
vision that 
stood before him was one from his dreams!  Sarah stood
there in 
the very gown he had seen in that magazine that
Meredith had 
brought over the other night, she was stunning! 

Mac saw the man of her dreams enter the store through
the mirror 
that she was still looking into.  After his eyes
adjusted to the 
dimness his gaze met hers in the mirror.  For just a
moment he 
stood there and she wondered what he was thinking
seeing her 
standing there, in a wedding gown.  He stepped up
behind her, 
slightly off to one side; they were both there in the
mirror, him in 
his uniform and her in the lovely gown.  Their eyes
met and in that 
moment all the love they felt for each other was there
for the world 
to see.  A world that included Meredith Cavanaugh, who
Mac had 
forgotten about and AJ had not seen when he came into
the store.

"You are breathtaking Sarah!  That gown is perfect on
you." He 
turned slightly to the clerk who was still standing
next to Mac and 
handed her is charge card.  "She will take it!"

Mac spun around to face him, which was no easy task
with all the 
yards of material around her legs, "Oh no, AJ, I
can't!  You can't!"

Before he had a chance to reply, Meredith sighed in a
tortured 
voice, "You love her, don't you, AJ?"

"Meredith!" he exclaimed, startled.

"You did not even see me when you came in.  You only
had eyes 
for her.  How long have you loved her?" she asked.

"Over seven years now," he found himself admitting,
because he 
was an honest man.  "But there is nothing that can be
done about it 
Meredith, and you and I are getting married in just a
few days."

"How can I marry you knowing you love another woman?"

"Because I have made a promise to you that I do not
plan on 
breaking.  Sarah and I can never be together because
she is under 
my chain of command, regulations would not allow it."

"But you would be with her if it weren't for the damn
regulations, 
wouldn't you?" Meredith demanded.

"If she would have me, yes, Meredith I would offer her
my heart."

Mac, who had been silent this entire time, drew in a
delighted 
breath.  To hear the man she loved finally express his
feelings for 
her was the most wonderful thing she could ever
imagine, and the 
worst at the same time.  They were both hurting
someone close to 
them; Meredith did not deserve this from either of
them.  Before 
she could tell her friend how sorry she was that this
was 
happening, Meredith turned her attention to Mac.

"You love him too, don't you?" she accused her
maid-of-honor.

For one split second, Mac thought about lying, and
then her eyes 
met AJ's, and she knew that no matter what came of it
she had to 
tell the truth.  "Yes, I have loved him since the day
we met.  But, 
Meredith nothing can come of…"

Sliding her engagement ring off of her finger,
Meredith held it out 
to AJ, "I will not be the person who stands in the way
of a love that 
strong." 

AJ looked at the ring she held out to him, he
remembered the day 
they had gone to pick it out, even then he had been
dreaming of 
having Sarah at his side, picking out engagement
rings.  He took 
the ring from Meredith's hand, he looked into her sad
but 
determined eyes, "Meredith, I am sorry that this
happened.  I hope 
that someday you will find the person that is worthy
of your love.  
Please believe that I never intended to hurt you in
any way."

"I know that AJ.  And in my heart I always knew that
there was 
someone else, but I had convinced myself that it was
someone you 
no longer saw.  Everything is planned and reserved,
you have even 
bought her dress for her, marry her AJ, both of you be
happy.  Just 
don't ask me to be maid-of-honor please." 

Part 16

Meredith turned to Mac. "I know you will do the right
thing, Mac.  
You know you want this man as much as he wants you."
Mac had 
tears in her eyes now. She was crying for several
reasons.  She did 
want AJ, she was happy, but she also felt incredibly
guilty.  
"Meredith... I never..."  
Meredith put up her hand in protest, begging her not
to say another 
word.

"I know, Mac.  I know.  I will be ok, really. 
Consider this a 
wedding gift."  Meredith smiled and hugged Mac.  As
Meredith 
put her neck around Mac's, she whispered into Mac's
ear, "Don't let 
him get away, Sarah. He is a keeper. A love like this
doesn't 
happen every day."  Meredith pulled away and went to
the door to 
leave.  She opened the door and the bell went off
again.  She 
turned around one last to look at the man she loved
and her best 
friend. She smiled.  She knew that this was the way it
was meant to 
be. She also knew that her heart was breaking, too.
She knew she 
could have fought harder and AJ would have married
her, but she 
knew that he would never look at her the way that he
just looked at 
Mac. She looked straight into AJ's face and with her
best teacher 
voice she yelled, "Don't blow this, buster!"  Without
another word 
she turned and walked out the door.

AJ and Mac stood there stunned.  Everything happened
so fast.  
The wedding was off. AJ revealed his feelings.  Mac
admitted her 
feelings and Meredith practically gave them her
blessing.  She 
didn't put up a fight. Nothing was thrown.  Mac
expected some sort 
of angry reaction. 'I know that if AJ were my fiancée
that I would 
be fighting for him.'

Once again, AJ turned to see Mac in her wedding dress.
 She did 
look absolutely breath taking.  AJ never imagined that
one minute 
in time could change everything for them.  He loved
her so much 
and heard her say that she loved him, too.  Mac stared
back into 
AJ's eyes.  AJ knew that she was waiting on him to
make the next 
move.

AJ took Mac's trembling hands into his. "I will always
regret that I 
hurt Meredith.  I never meant to, but I think I would
have regretted 
not having this moment more.  I do love you, Sarah.  I
have for a 
long time."  AJ gently got on one knee.  Mac's tears
were coming 
full force now. "Please say that you will be mine. 
Marry me, 
Sarah."

Sarah nodded her head furiously through the streams of
tears 
flowing down her cheeks.  She could hardly speak, but
she found 
her voice long enough to scream, "Yes!!!"

AJ stood and gathered Sarah in his arms and swung her
around.  
The scene had caused quite a commotion in the store. 
Everyone 
was clapping and yelling for the happy couple.  AJ
gently put 
Sarah down and took her face into his hands and
brought his face 
down on hers.  Their kiss was gentle but passionate. 
AJ smiled 
down at Sarah as he pulled away.  AJ was about to lead
her out of 
the store when the salesperson stopped them.

"Miss... you are still in the dress.  Wouldn't you
like to change 
first?"  Sarah laughed and nodded her head.  She
turned to AJ, "I 
will be right back, AJ."

Hearing her say his name for the first time was the
sweetest sound 
that he had ever heard.  His broad grin only made
Sarah blush 
slightly as she disappeared into the dressing room. 
Within five 
minutes, she walked out of the dressing room.   She
was glad that 
Meredith had insisted that she go home and change. 
She wore 
tight jeans and a lovely white silk shirt.  The look
on AJ's face was 
priceless.  He definitely appreciated what he saw.

As they walked out of the store hand in hand, Sarah
turned to AJ, 
"Where to?"

Part 17 

Sarah groaned and rolled over.  Her head hurt like she
had been 
drinking straight vodka for a week.  Glaring at the
clock she 
sighed.  Today was the day.  Harm was coming to pick
her up and 
take her to the airport.  They had her farewell party
last night and 
she knew she hadn't had anything to drink.  AJ and
Meredith had 
been there and she would have rather gnawed off her
right arm 
than showed anyone that she was anything other than
100% happy 
at going. 

Meredith had been upset with her for going, but AJ had
pulled his 
fiancé back from the brink of rudeness.  "Now,
Meredith, this is 
good for Mac."

"But I want her there," Meredith had insisted like a
spoilt child.

"Sometimes we can't get what we want." The utter
sadness in AJ 
eyes had brought tears to Mac's.  Fortunately,
everyone, including 
Meredith, had assumed that Mac was upset to be missing
the 
wedding.  

"Oh dear.  Listen to me.  Mac, I'm sorry.  Maybe you
can fly back 
for it."

Mac had just smiled and turned to the other guests at
her party.  
Even Webb had shown up.  She had been happy at first
until she 
caught the way he was intently staring at her then AJ,
then back at 
her.  She had always figured Webb was astute but the
look he had 
given her was one of such pity that she knew he had
worked it out.  
It was Webb who had driven her home and Webb who had
sat 
there outside her apartment holding her while she
cried.  It was 
Webb who said, "Everything will work out, Mac.  You
and AJ are 
a couple of the good guys.  Let me work on it."

"You won't do anything to her."  He had looked so hurt
she had 
immediately apologized.  Perhaps that's why she had
all those 
strange dreams.  

****

London was a frenetic town and the security at the
embassy was 
complicated at best.  For nearly a month she had
stayed on the 
grounds in one of the guest rooms down the hall from
the 
Ambassador's apartments.  On the day she found an
apartment less 
than a mile from the embassy she received her first
shock.  

She was just leaving her office when the phone rang. 
She almost 
didn't answer it.  "Colonel MacKenzie."

"Ma'am!"

"Harriet!  Oh it's good to hear your voice.  How are
Bud and the 
babies?"

"Buddy's great.  Little AJ is wonderful and I'm trying
to give little 
Mikey away to gypsies." Her rueful laugh told Mac she
was just 
kidding.

"That bad?"

"The worst.  The little darling has got his days and
nights 
confused."

Mac felt a pang.  She was beginning to accept the fact
that she 
would never experience such sweet horrors.  "Well that
won't last 
long."

"No then he'll start to teethe." Harriet paused and
then took a deep 
breath.  "But that's not why I called."

"Oh yeah?"

"You'll never believe it."  Her excitement was thick
as the fog that 
rolled off the Thames most nights.

"Well you better tell me."

"Meredith broke off her engagement with the Admiral."

Mac didn't know whether to laugh with joy or cry out
at the 
injustice that anyone could do that to AJ.  She
settled for an 
indignant gasp.  "What happened?" 

"Seems the University of Barcelona offered her a
position to teach 
graduate level Shakespeare."

"Meredith?"  Mac closed her eyes and remembered what
Webb 
had told her.  Did Webb have those kind of
connections?  How 
could he have known it would work? 

"Yeah.  She said it was something she always wanted,
for like 
forever, since she was in grad school herself.  I
guess the Admiral 
didn't want her to take it.  Said he didn't want a
long distance 
romance or something like that and there was not a
damn thing for 
him to do in Spain while she taught."

"Harriet," Mac settled back into her chair, "how do
you know 
that?"

"Well, I guess half of Washington knows it.  They had
this huge 
fight in the middle of Calisto's.  She threw the ring
at the waiter – I 
don't get that, must have something to do with the way
the admiral 
proposed to her – and stomped out of the restaurant."

"He really must be hurting," Mac whispered.  She
suddenly wanted 
to track down Webb and find out if he had anything to
do with the 
job offer.  She couldn't believe that the job offer
just popped up out 
of nowhere.  Gazing down at her hand resting on the
desk, she 
rested the phone against her shoulder and pinched the
skin with her 
nails until he cringed from the pain.  No she wasn't
dreaming.    

"He seems pretty good to me.  But there's more news."

"What?"

"He's leaving JAG." Even from 5000 miles away Mac
could hear 
the heartache in her friend's voice.  "I can't believe
it.  First you, 
now the Admiral."

"But for what?"

"That's just it.  He won't tell anyone, but Tiner told
me he's selling 
his house in McLean."  

Oh she was definitely going to call Webb as soon as
she hung up 
the phone.

Part 18

MAC'S APARTMENT

She hung up the phone.  She should have NEVER called
Webb.  
Not only had he dodged her questions but she now found
herself 
on some mission with him!

She headed for the shower.

=============

US EMBASSY
LONDON
 
The name plate read Colonel Sarah Mackenzie.
 
She had hoped the assignment would eventually produce
a 
promotion but not this fast!  As the Ambassador had
put it.  "The 
Post calls for a Colonel not a Lt. Colonel."
 
And so here she was a full Colonel.
 
=============
 
POKER NIGHT
 
What had started out as a definite chore in fact it
had been an order 
- had not turned out too bad in the end.
 
The New Secretary realizing that one: he had started
out on the 
wrong foot and that two his "people" were not the
enemy but good 
loyal people, he had set out to regain badly lost
ground.  
 
Hence the poker night.
 
He had gathered his senior staff for a casual night. 
The officers 
had attended; none would have dared a charge of
disobeying an 
order. Such had been the success of the venture that
it was now six 
months since they begun gathering on the last Friday
of the month 
to 'socialise'
 
"AJ, just how long are you going to stare at those
cards?!"  
Admiral Phil Mayers asked.
 
"Pity the man." SECNAV reproached.
 
"Pity!"  Admiral Don English snorted.  "With all due
respect; Sir.  
If I were to pity AJ and I do; it is not for his
hand."
 
AJ looked up confused.
 
"Oh you can't let  that comment hang!" SECNAV
encouraged.
 
"Have you ever met the Chief of Staff of JAG?" Don
continued.
 
Phil whistled.  "Yep. Pity the man.  To have someone
like that so 
close and yet so far."
 
SECNAV shook his head as if to clear the cobwebs. 
"I'm missing 
something here."
 
"Damn straight!"  Phil replied "Sorry, Sir."  Then to
AJ "She is 
straight… right?"
 
"Oh God tell me she is straight!"  Don begged.
 
AJ frowned, "Don! You are a married with
grandchildren."
 
"And that equals death?"  He retorted, "That is one
fine woman. I 
can look. And I do look."
 
"Gentlemen that is an Officer of the US Military you
speak of!" 
SECNAV teased.
 
"Again, Sir with all due respect, have you EVER seen
Colonel 
Sarah Mackenzie?" As his superior officer shook his
head Phil 
continued.  "All I can say is if that is what the
Marine Corps is 
putting out then God Bless America!"

"Seriously..." Don said, "…as a Marine Colonel she is
inherently 
deadly, but the packaging, the packaging…"
 
AJ was torn.  He didn't know how to react to the
sudden spotlight 
on Mac.  Finally he said.  "Enough. This is my Chief
of Staff you 
speak of."
 
"Don't you mean former?" Phil corrected.
 
"What ever." AJ grumbled.
 
"What is she up to now?" Don asked.
 
"Attaché to the US Ambassador London."  Phil seemed to
know a 
lot, they all looked at him.  "I read the
correspondence on 
movements." He defended.
 
"Actually…" SECNAV added "I think the Ambassador has
her in 
Amsterdam at the moment."
 
"Amsterdam?" AJ's radar went into over drive.
Ambassador his A 
S=squared.  That smelled of WEBB.

"Got your retirement request."  SECNAV said.

The other two men focused on AJ. He was now in the
spotlight of 
three powerful men.
 
"Er yes, Sir... personal reasons."

"JAG don't interest you anymore?" Phil winked
knowingly.

"Let it rest Phil." AJ growled.

"Don't go just yet." SECNAV suggested. "I have a
proposal for 
you... One I hope will keep you in the NAVY even if
not JAG."

AJ hesitated.

SECNAV continued.  "Take a leave of absence - Lord
knows you 
have enough time on the books."

AJ winced.  The last time he's gone on leave he'd
ended up being 
fired from a Movie.  But then if he had time off he
could travel: 
Milan and London jumped to mind.  He smiled "Yes sir. 
I'll take 
some time off Rabb can act as JAG and I can return and
look at 
your proposal with an objective eye."

"Good!" SECNAV slapped the Admiral on the back.  "Now
are 
you in the game or out?"

=============
 
HOLAND
JULY 4
1921 LOCAL

Mac was attending the US Ambassador's Annual
Independence 
Day Cocktail Party.  She had been in Holland for about
two weeks, 
undercover as a widow and with the assistance of the 
Ambassador's Staff and the conniving of Webb she was
already 
connected to the rich and famous.  In fact the mission
was over and 
this was her last night in town; she headed back to
London the next 
day.  But she figured she deserved the swaree. 

Antonia Van Dross approached her as she stood waiting
for a tonic 
and lime at the bar.  "Mac!" 

"Toni." Mac replied.  "How are you?"

"Not as good as you. You look gorgeous all the men are
eyeing 
you." 

"Well that IS good isn't it?" Mac smiled in character.

"Not if my husband is in that drooling group." Toni
replied.  "But I 
have the cure for that."

"You do?" Mac had met the woman at a tea party for
some charity 
and the two had become fast friends.  

"Oh yes. I have the most delicious US Naval Officer
for you to 
meet.  Like you he is single.  Now I want you to
appreciate the 
favour Mac. If I were younger I would not do this."

"Toni you are married." Mac teased.

"Your point?'

Mac gave up. "Lead on."

The two women crossed the lawn, waded through a few
hundred 
people stopping all along the way to touch base with
friends or to 
be introduced to new ones.  Finally they approached
the Officer.  
Mac got cold as she recognised him from the back. She
prayed to 
all Gods that he didn't blow her cover...

Part 19

LONDON
JULY 3RD

"Colonel Mackenzie please?"

"I'm sorry, Sir.  She's not in."

"When do you expect her back?"

"I'm not sure, Sir."

"You have no idea when she's returning?"

"I'm not at liberty to say.  I'm sorry, I didn't get
your name."

"Admiral AJ Chegwidden.  Now can you tell me where she
is?"

"I'm afraid not.  I can tell you that she is working
out of the 
country, but I still don't know when she's expected to
return or the 
nature of her business.  May I take a message?"

Gnashing his teeth in frustration, AJ declined and
hung up the 
phone.  He crossed to the bed, sitting down and
leaning against the 
headboard.  Reaching onto the nightstand he picked up
the ornate 
wooden frame that held Francesca's picture.   The time
he'd spent 
with her over the last three weeks had been well worth
it, or it had 
been until he found out Mac was out of town.  He had
three more 
weeks before he had to report back and had planned to
spend them 
finding out what, if any, feelings Mac had for him.

He closed his eyes and smiled softly, remembering the
kiss they'd 
shared.  There was definitely something there and he
ached to hold 
her again.  He groaned thinking that at the rate he
was going, that 
memory would be all he'd be holding onto.  `I'm
whining,' he 
thought, his eyes flying opening, before narrowing
with purpose.  
Reaching for his suit bag and phone, he called a cab. 
Maybe a 
personal visit to the embassy, in uniform, would yield
more 
information on her whereabouts.  

Two hours later

"Where is she?"

"Nice to hear from you Admiral.  Enjoying your
vacation?"

"Enjoying your health?  Where is she, Webb?"

Clayton Webb sat back in his chair, tenting his
fingers over his 
stomach, prepared to enjoy this conversation.  "What
makes you 
think I know where Mac is."

"I didn't; but, since I didn't give any names, how did
you know 
who I'm talking about."

"Just a hunch.  The last time I saw you both, it
looked like a double 
suicide was imminent.  Which reminds me,
congratulations on 
narrowly escaping the old ball and chain."

"Your ass must hurt, Webb."

"What makes you say that?"

"You've obviously been sitting on that dig for a
while."  AJ 
grinned humorlessly.  It was an old game of insults
that he'd never 
admit enjoying.  "If you must know, I'm heartbroken."

"Sure you are, AJ.  That's why you're threatening me
with bodily 
harm if I don't produce Mac...what a month after the
blessed event 
was called off."

"Blessed events usually indicate a birth of a child. 
Get your 
platitudes straight."  The silence stretched as each
man waited to 
see who would speak first.  Finally, AJ asked softly,
"Do you want 
to hear me beg, Clay?"

"No.  I don't want to hear you beg.  I want to hear
you're going 
after her."

"I can't go after her if I don't know where she is."

"Got a pen?"

HOLLAND
JULY 4

Mac allowed Toni to drag her across the lawn, praying,
`Oh 
please...oh please....please...go along with whatever
Toni says...'

Toni leaned closer, "Isn't he delicious."

"If you like that flavor."  Mac muttered, making her
companion 
laugh.

"Commander," Toni purred.  When he turned to face
them, she 
patted Mac's shoulder.  "This is the friend I said you
must meet.  
Mackenzie Reid, this is Commander Mic Brumby. 
Commander, 
this is Mackenzie Reid."

"Pleasure to meet you."  Mac said, holding out her
hand, pleading 
with him silently to accept the introduction.

"No, I believe the pleasure is mine."  Mic said,
winking and 
bending low over her hand to kiss it.

"Oooo!"  Toni trilled.  "Are all American Naval
Officer's so 
romantic."

Mic turned his brilliant smile on the older woman,
mainly to cover 
his confusion, "No American I know is that romantic. 
I'm 
Australian Navy, Mrs. Van Dross."

"American...Australian...same difference."

"Big difference, Toni."  Mac said sharply.

"Now... now.... you know I didn't mean anything by
that."  Antonia 
turned to Mic gushing, "Rule number one, don't insult
an American 
on their Independence Day."

"Yes.  They are very big on their Independence."  Mic
said dryly.  
Hearing the music start up, he turned to Mac.  "Care
to dance?"

"I'd love to."

"Excuse us, Mrs. Van Dross."

"Have fun you two!"

Within moments they were dancing closely on the
crowded floor.  
"What are you doing here?"  The looked at each other,
wide eyed, 
as their questions meshed, finally laughing softly.  
They danced 
quietly, and finally Mic said, "Mackenzie Reid?"

Mac leaned closer whispering, "Work."

"JAG?"

"Webb."

Mic nodded and said, "Well, that's better than
wondering why 
you'd married and changed your last name to your
first."

"What are you doing here?"

"Visiting my wife's family."

"Your wife!  Toni said you were single!"

"She also said I was American."

"True," Mac laughed, before asking, "How long have you
been 
married."

"A little over five months."

"Anyone I know?"  Mac said, wondering if she'd met the
woman 
on any of her trips to visit Mic.

"No.  Helen came down on holiday last summer.  I
talked her into 
extending her stay."

Mac's throat closed seeing that quick, loving, grin
again.  Only this 
time, it wasn't directed at her.  "I'm happy for you,
Mic."

"Thanks, Sarah."  Mic grew quiet as the music changed.
 When it 
started again, he spoke under the cover of sound. 
"How are you 
and Harm doing?"

Mac's smile was both exasperated and sad, "I guess
he's doing 
well.  I'm stationed in London now."

"Harm doesn't mind?"

"Harm doesn't have a say.  Mic... I didn't run from
you to Harm.  I 
didn't run to Harm at all."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Well, don't I feel like an idiot."

Mac gestured to the ring on his hand.  "A happily
married idiot."

Mic smiled thinking of the beautiful woman he'd fallen
in love 
with.  "Who gave you that rock?"  He asked, gesturing
to the large 
gold and diamond wedding set on Mac's finger.

"Government issue."

"Aaah."  Mic looked around as if expecting a couple of
bad men to 
jump out of the bushes surrounding the lawn.  "Any
danger?"

"Not anymore."  

The music ended and they applauded the band quietly. 
Walking to 
the edge of the dance floor, Mac smiled, "I think I've
had enough 
partying tonight.  I'm going to head back to my house.
 It was good 
to see you again, Mic."

"Have you got a ride?"

"No.  I'll call a taxi."

"Let me drive you.  I should be getting back to Helen
anyway."

"Isn't she here?"

"No.  She doesn't get morning sickness, she get's all
day but 
especially after dark sickness."

Mac put out her hand, touching his arm, "Mic!  How
wonderful!  
You're going to be a father!"  Her voice, her words,
her 
mannerisms were all correct, but she couldn't help
feel a pang of 
sadness.  This man was supposed to be the father of
her children.  
It was best it hadn't worked out between them.  She
had a 
mountain of unresolved feelings for AJ Chegwidden and
he was 
married to someone who he obviously treasured, but she
still 
couldn't help but wish for a child of her own.

Mic beamed proudly, not missing the sadness in her
eyes, but 
knowing her well enough to not call attention to her
weakness.  "In 
about seven months.  I wouldn't have come tonight, but
she 
insisted.  You'd like her, Sarah."

"I'm just glad you do."  Mac sighed tiredly and noted
the time.  "I'd 
love a ride home, if it's not out of your way."

Mic held out his arm, "Do you need to say goodbye to
anyone?"

"No.  Just take me home."

Toni watched the two of them leave arm in arm, barely
resisting 
the urge to clap like a child.  She knew they'd hit it
off.

Twenty minutes later, Mic pulled up in front of a
lovely house in 
an exclusive neighborhood.  Whistling softly, he
grinned, 
"Certainly a come up from a one bedroom, 2nd floor
apartment."

Mac laughed, "It's drafty, decorated like a museum,
and echoes.  I 
miss my little apartment."

Ever the gentleman, Mic walked her up to the door. 
"It was good 
seeing you again Sarah.  I've always regretted..."

Mac put her hand on his chest.  "Mic stop.  It's over.
 I'm just glad 
you're happy."

"Are you happy?"

Mac thought of the man she longed to see, "I could
be...one day.  
Right now, I'm content with my life the way it is."

"If you ever need anything...."

Mac smiled, put her hand on his shoulder, and leaned
forward to 
kiss him lightly on the cheek.  "Thanks Mic.  Now.  Go
home.  
Take care of your wife."

"I will.  Mac, I hate to ask, but do you mind if I use
your phone?  I 
meant to call Helen before I left the party, but I
didn't.  I want to 
make sure she doesn't need anything from the grocery
before I go 
home."

"Come on in."  Mac said, smiling at his
thoughtfulness.  She 
opened the door and ushered him inside.    

AJ sat in his rented car feeling his body ice over. 
Mic Brumby.  
His lips tightened, seeing her smile at him, touch
him, kiss him, 
lead him into the house for a night of who knew what. 
He cranked 
the car, turning up the radio to drown out the voice
in his head 
sneering at him, "Why should it make you angry that
she's making 
love to Mic.  She was married to the man after all." 
He gunned the 
engine, roaring away, the image of gold and diamonds
flashing on 
their hands burning in his mind.

Part 20

They stood an unfathomable distance apart, gazing at
each other 
for a precious few seconds that seemed like an
eternity.  Finally, he 
started to turn away.  She tried to call out to him,
but her voice was 
silenced.  He began to walk away.  She tried to
follow, but her 
movements were slow, like she was moving through a
bog.  
Finally, she found her voice.  "Wait!"

He stopped and turned to face her. The look on his
face was one of 
loathing and disgust.  She flinched from the
_expression, but 
reached out just the same.  Just as she was about to
wrap her 
fingers around his the cloth of his blue uniform
jacket--

-- she woke up, panting.  She brushed at her face. 
Her hand came 
away wet with tears.

MONDAY, 7 JULY 2003
0930 BST
AMERICAN EMBASSY
LONDON, ENGLAND

Mac threw open the door to her office, slamming her
briefcase and 
cover down on a chair beside her desk.  Said desk,
which always 
looked like an avalanche had hit it, now looked like
it was on the 
verge of collapse.  She groaned and covered her eyes,
hoping the 
paperwork would go away.  It didn't.

Mac sighed and sat down.  She started shuffling
through the reams 
of paper, separating them into piles mentally labeled
as 'Urgent', 
'Important', and 'Ignore until further notice'.

She continued this until a familiar voice interrupted
her.  "Good 
morning, Colonel MacKenzie."

"Whatever it is, Webb, the answer is no."  She glared
at the spy.  
He wore the smug, knowing look that always made her
itch to slap 
him.

"Why, Mac, I was only going to ask if you had a nice
weekend," 
Webb said, smirking.

"As a matter of fact, no, I didn't," Mac snapped. 
"What are you 
still doing here, anyway?  Shouldn't you be back in
the States?"

"Now, now, Sarah, you know I can't answer that."

Mac rolled her eyes.  "I don't have the time for your
mind games, 
Webb.  I have work to do.  You know, for my job?  The
one that 
I'm paid to do?"

"Someone got up on the wrong side of the bed this
morning.  So... 
did you have any... unexpected visitors this weekend?"

"Actually, yes, I did.  I ran into Mic Brumby at the
Ambassador's 
party on Friday."

"Brumby?  That Australian that you were engaged to? 
Well, it's a 
small world, after all."

"Oh, come on, Webb.  That was trite, even for you."

"So," Webb said, returning to the original subject,
"you didn't have 
anyone else show up at your house?"

"No--why?" Mac asked, narrowing her eyes in suspicion.
 "Was 
one of your spook friends supposed to drop by for a
visit?"

"No.  Someone was looking for you."

"Get to the point."

"He was searching everywhere for you.  It was quite
interesting to 
see how worried he was."

"Damn it, Webb, are you going to tell me who it was,
or do I have 
to beat it out of you?"

"You know, you and AJ are incredibly alike.  He used
the same 
threat.  And I'll have you know, you wouldn't get any
information 
out of me if I didn't want you to."

Mac's heart started pounding.  "He--was it--did he--"

Webb's smirk became more pronounced.  "You know, Mac,
I've 
never heard you stunned speechless before."

Mac glared at Webb.  "Do you know where he is?"

"I thought he went to Amsterdam to find you.  I gave
him the 
address and everything," Webb said mildly.

"Well, I didn't see him.  Are you sure he's all
right?"  Mac 
suddenly felt a rush of worry.  What could have
happened that AJ 
didn't get to where he was going?

"I'm sure he's fine, Mac.  Maybe he just chickened out
at the last 
moment."

Mac's temper flared.  "AJ Chegwidden would not
'chicken out' of 
anything.  He is the strongest, bravest man I've ever
known.  Don't 
you dare--"

"Calm down, Mac.  I didn't mean anything by it.  I
know better 
than anyone how brave AJ can be.  But for some men,
putting their 
hearts on the line is more frightening than risking
their lives in 
battle."

They sat in silence for a few moments.  Finally, Webb
said, "So he 
didn't contact you?"

Mac shook her head in the negative.

"Well, you'll just have to call him, then."

"What?  What would I say?  'Hello, Admiral, I'm
calling because 
Webb told me to'?  Are you out of your mind?"

"Sometimes, I truly think so," Webb muttered.  "No,
you say that 
you miss him and want to see him again.  Do I have to
write it out 
for you?  Now, enough of this agony aunt business, I
have work to 
do myself."  Webb walked to the door.  "Call him,
Mac."

Mac watched as the door swung closed.  She groaned. 
She needed 
coffee, and an aspirin the size of her head.

Part 21

"Damn it Webb!!!  Why the hell did you let me go
looking for her 
when you knew she was married?!"  AJ growled, the next
day as 
he entered Webb's office.

"Hello and how are you too, AJ!  Married?  She's not
married."

"She is!  I saw her and Brumby going into their
apartment, they 
were both wearing wedding rings."

"God you do have it bad!  She was undercover as a
widow.  Mac 
met him at a party and he took her home, that's it,
that's all.  She 
was in here yesterday asking about you.  My god, man,
get your 
head out of your six and go after her already!  She
wanted to 
contact you but she had no idea what to say.  I am
beginning to feel 
like I am running a dating service for you two!!!"

For just a minute AJ thought about breaking the spy's
nose again, 
but restrained himself when he thought that he still
needed this 
help.  "What do you mean she wanted to contact me?"

"Which part of the statement did you not understand
exactly, AJ?" 
there was a pause and Webb added, "If I can get you
two both in 
the same place at the same time can you handle the
rest?  Or do I 
need to be there hold your hand through that too?"

Glaring at the spy, AJ snarled, "Just make the
arrangements Webb, 
I can take it from there!"

Sighing, Webb picked up the phone and placed a call to
Mac's 
office.  "Mac?  It's Webb.  Listen I want you to have
dinner with 
me this evening so we can talk over how you should
contact AJ.  
The two of you guys are meant to be together and I am
tired of 
watching you guys dance around each other for all
these years.  
Meet me tonight at Chez Louie's at 1900."

**************

1900 EST
Chez Louie's Restaurant
London

AJ had been at the restaurant for ten minutes when
Sarah arrived 
exactly on time as she always was.  He wanted to wait
to make his 
presence known, to be sure that she would not take one
look at 
him, at the table that she was supposed to be sharing
with Webb, 
and run off into the night.  There was a single red
rose at her place 
when the waiter showed her to her seat and held her
chair out for 
her.  She lifted it to her nose and with her eyes
closed, inhaled 
deeply of the heavy sensual scent.  Approaching the
table at last, 
AJ sat down while her eyes were still closed.

Hearing the chair across from her being pulled out and
someone 
sitting down, Mac still enjoyed the scent of her rose
for a few more 
seconds.  Assuming it was just Webb, she was in no
hurry to greet 
him, even if he was the provider of the lovely rose. 
When she 
finally opened her eyes, she was looking into the
dearest, sexiest 
chocolate brown eyes she had ever known………..

Part 22

"Hello, Sarah."

Mac sat there stunned.  She figured she had to be
dreaming.  Her 
dreams had been deceiving her lately so, why should
now be any 
different. "I'm dreaming, aren't I?"

AJ smiled. "No" He moved around to sit in the chair
beside her and 
took her hand in his. "See, I am very much real and
very much 
here."

"But...how?"

"Webb"

Mac slowly nodded her head in understanding.  She
could hardly 
believe that he was sitting next to her, holding her
hand.  Neither 
one of them were saying anything.  AJ gently stroked
her hand.  
Finally, needing to break the silence he cleared his
throat.  

"Webb told me you were looking for me."

"I heard him tell me the same thing."

AJ smiled and nodded his head. "Well, here we are. I
guess we 
found each other."

Mac nodded her head and look down at her hand being
held.  She 
never thought one simple touch could mean so much to
her.  If she 
was dreaming, then this was the memory she wanted to
hold onto 
to. 

The waiter came to the table and interrupted them
before AJ got 
the chance to say anything else.

"Good evening.  I will be your server today.  My name
is Clay.  
Mr. Webb said I was to give you anything you wanted
tonight on 
him.  Please forgive me, but I was also told to give
you both a 
direct quoted message from Mr. Webb."  The waiter
pulled a small 
piece of paper out of his pocket.  He began to read,
"I have done 
my damn part as matchmaker.  My dating services ends
here.  
Enjoy dinner on me.  I expect the first invitation to
your wedding."  
The waiter handed the slip of paper to AJ.  He was
smiling when 
he looked at Mac who had turned a few shades of red.

"So, what can I start you with?"

AJ and Mac looked at the menu and told the waiter
their drink 
order.  The waiter wrote down their requests and left
the table.  A 
few minutes later he returned with their drinks.  AJ
and Mac 
placed their dinner order and then the waiter was gone
again, 
leaving AJ to take over where Webb had left off.

"I think Webb is trying to tell us something."

Mac nodded her head and waited for AJ to continue. 
She 
desperately wanted to know where he stood.  There had
been so 
many miscommunications. To this point, fate had not
been kind to 
them.  She seemed to be suffering from one nightmare
to another.  
Her dreams were playing very EVIL and cruel tricks on
her.  She 
was almost doubting how AJ felt for her, but there he
sat.  Right 
next to her was the man she was hopeless and
passionately in love 
with and he came all the way to London to find her. 
He didn't 
chase after Meredith.  He came to find her.  That had
to mean 
something.  She hoped that he felt the same way that
she did, but 
she had to know from him first.

AJ searched Mac's eyes and saw confusion and yes, even
fear. 'Can 
she possible think after all this that I don't love
her.?' He had his 
fair share of doubts as well. Right up to thinking
that she had 
married Mic Brumby. 'How could I be so stupid? I let
my own 
doubts and fear cloud my good judgment.'

"Sarah... may I call you Sarah?"

Mac smiled, "Yes, only if I get to call you AJ."

AJ laughed, "Please do. I could think of a few things
to call 
myself.  Stupid, blind, and a real ass."

"No more than I was, AJ."
"Sarah, I have been in love with you for a long time. 
Duty and my 
own doubts and fears have kept me from telling you a
long time 
ago.  Please tell me that I am not too late to win
you?  I would do 
anything to be given the chance to have you.  I walked
away from 
JAG and sold my home.  I want to be where you are.  I
know I 
took a big risk doing that, especially not knowing how
you feel 
about me, but you are worth it.  I would do it all
again."

Part 23

Mac's finger traced a pattern on the back of his hand.
 "What do 
you want to do AJ?" 

"Well darlin' right now I want to take you back to the
hotel and 
make love to you.  However, if you want to wait."

"Wait?" She quirked a sly smile at him.  "Wait,
Admiral?  I don't 
know if we can get out of the restaurant without me
making a fool 
out of myself."

He stood.  "Well, Webb has already taken care of the
tab.  He 
probably got off damn lucky.  You would normally order
desert."

"Oh I'll get desert, AJ." She boldly let her gaze drop
to his crotch.  
"Yum." 

He hadn't blushed like this since he was in high
school.  "Colonel 
Mackenzie!"

"Admiral Chegwidden." She winked and turned away.  He 
watched as every man in the restaurant watched her
progress out 
the door.  Grinning like a fool, not caring if anyone
saw, he quickly 
followed her.  Neither noticed the shocked wide-eyed
stare of the 
man sitting just behind them.  

She was standing at the curb.  The night breeze played
in her hair, 
just like he wanted to.  "Taxi!" 

"Anxious?" She grinned.  "I think Webb heard you in
Alexandria."

Roughly he pulled her to him. "Enough of Webb." 
Finally, he 
claimed her lips.  

"Hey buddy!  Climb in, I haven't had a show since
Congressman 
Tate left town."  They climbed into the taxi, but the
only show the 
cabbie got was of Mac resting her head on AJ's chest. 
"Where to 
folks?"

"The Willard." They answered in unison and Mac
giggled.  "Who 
made your arrangements?"

"Who do you think?  Webb is definitely annoying but he
can 
handle an op."

"Can you handle me?" she whispered. 

"I'm a former SEAL.  I can handle you, darlin'."  His
fingers were 
still drawing patterns on her skin. 

They walked through the lobby and entered the
elevator.  Neither 
was surprised when their fingers both touched fifteen.
 Neither was 
surprised when they discovered their rooms were
connecting.  

Pushing her onto the bed he stood above her, watching
her as she 
arched up to rest her weight about her elbows.  "I've
wanted you 
for eight years.  When I'm done with you, you want be
able to 
walk."

"Promise?" She reached out and traced the line of his
cock, already 
straining against his slacks.  "I've had dreams about
sucking this.  
May I?"  She didn't give him a chance to say no.  

"Oh God." He threw his head back as her mouth engulfed
his cock.  
Slowly, torturously, she lowered her head then bobbed
up, 
releasing him with a pop.  

"Good?" She ran her tongue over her teeth.  "Tasted
wonderful."

He fisted her hair.  "Don't tease." His growl sent
chills down her 
spine.  Pulling her back she grinned and struggled a
bit.  But, her 
hands were kneading the muscles on his thighs, letting
him know 
she was enjoying it.  Finally, she took pity on him
and swallowed 
him until her nose rested in his pubic hair.  "God
Sarah!" He 
shouted as he came.  She licked him clean and
collapsed back on 
the bed.  

"My turn." She whispered seductively.
 
Part 24

HARM'S APARTMENT
WASHINGTON DC

Harm awoke in a cold sweat.  He scanned the room
frantically. 
Realizing that he was alone he took a deep breath to
calm himself.

This was the third night in a row he was having dreams
that awoke 
him.

 Night One:

Harm: It'll be okay, Mac.  You'll get to see Chloe
again.  
One day you'll have kids of your own.
Mac: Not at this rate...  My biological clock is going
off 
and I keep hitting the snooze button.
Harm: Tell you what.  Five years from this moment, if 
neither one of us is in a relationship, we'll go
halves on a 
kid.

Night Two:
Renee: Are you in love with her?
Harm: Come on Rene, we fight like cats and dogs.

Now tonight – Night Three
Admiral Chedwigen:  What are you willing to do to keep

her?

He got out of bed and went in search of a drink of
water.  He stood 
in the moonlight and stared at nothing.  Bobbie Lathum
came to 
mind.  

Bobbi: Women like you, Harm.  Mac likes you.

And Rene…

Rene: Harm you called me Mac… is she your dream girl?

He had never answered that question. Why hadn't he? 
Then Rene 
had really got to the meat of the matter and he hadn't
answered 
that either!

Enough! He had made a mess of things from day one, as
for that 
day on the USS Guadalcanal!  It was time to get this
UST over and 
done with!  

He Harm, was going after Mac!

~*~*~*~*~

JAG HQ
LATER THAT DAY

"You sent for me, Harm?" Sturgis sauntered into the
office.

"Yes." Harm was packing some files.  "I need to be out
of office 
for a while and the Admiral is not back yet…"

"So that makes me JAG." Sturgis finished.

"Uh huh." Harm said as he slapped his friend in the
shoulder and 
was out the door.

 ~*~*~*~*~

ROOM 15
THE WILLARD HOTEL

He was dreaming again.  They never made sense anyway,
but at 
least there was a common thread.

Mac: May I sir?

She kissed him on the cheek.

Mac: I've always wanted to do that.
 
THEN…

Mac stood at the bedroom door changed her mind and
retraced her 
steps.  

Mac: I think I will take that aspirin.

He had been fiddling with the bottle - unsuccessfully.
 She 
tucked her bag under her arm and reached to assist her

Commanding Officer.  Their fingers interlocked and as
they 
looked up their eyes locked.

Like two magnets they began to move toward each other.
 

AJ: This is wrong.
Mac: Yes Sir

AND YET MORE…

AJ: You have something else, Major?
Mac: No, Sir. I thought maybe you'd want someone to
talk 
to.
AJ: What, precisely, would we talk about?
Mac: May I speak frankly, Sir?
AJ: Seems like you're bound and determined to
Mac: Well, I know this is difficult for you. And I
thought 
maybe a friendly shoulder to cry on? This isn't going
well, 
is it?
AJ: You have a gift for the understatement, Major.
Mac: Just forget about this?
AJ: Already have. Close the hatch on your way out.

 (Mac leaves)

 AJ: (to himself): Thanks, Sarah.

AND THAT TIME IN THE KITCHEN…
 
Mac was digging deep into one of the cupboards when he
JAG 
walked in.  

AJ: Looking for something Colonel?
Mac: A… Yes sir something with enough sugar to put me
in 
coma.
AJ: Problems?
Mac: The Commander.
AJ: Rabb or Brumby.
Mac: Both.
AJ: Anything I can help with?
Mac: No you are one of them.
AJ: Sorry?
Mac: Did I say that? Can we forget I said that?

She began to leave but spotted the box of doughnuts in
his hand.  
Without thinking she reached over and took one. Then
reached and 
took a second.  AJ just watched her amused.

He moaned her name softly… Mac.

~*~*~*~*~

ROOM 15
THE WILLARD HOTEL

Even as she dreamed yet again of her former CO, Mac
moaned his 
name in her sleep.

Like a metal shaving to a magnet he slipped his hand
higher and 
slipped his fingers up and began curling her hairs
then slipped his 
fingers into Mac's hot wet pussy. "You're not wearing
anything 
under that."

"That you knew the moment I opened the door." She
breathed then 
leaned in to kiss him; all thoughts of the problematic
computer 
gone from her head. They were probably never in his to
begin 
with.

He returned the kiss. His fingers worked their magic
in her as his 
free hand began to caress her breasts through the
t-shirt. The 
nipples responded instantly.

Mac was so wet by then that every move his fingers
made, made a 
slurpy sound. She reached for his pants and set his
cock free. AJ 
never failed to meet a woman's demands and he was rock
hard. 
She shifted position and sat on him. Neither of them
had removed 
one piece of clothing but contact was made. She began
to fuck 
him.

AJ anchored Mac by holding onto her waist and adding
to each 
thrust she made. "God Mac that is great. Don't stop."
He was 
breathing heavily and she was just as flushed.

She buried her face in his shoulder for a split
second. "You are so 
sweet." She told him as their rhythm intensified. It
was true AJ had 
the ability to fill her up the way no other man could.
Mac was 
many things but dumb was not one and she knew a good
thing 
when she got it but when 
AJ jammed himself into her all she felt was pure
pleasure, and at 
that moment he was giving it in full measure.

He removed the one piece of clothing that she had on
and she 
didn't think it possible but the simple act made her
even hornier. 
There she was completely naked being screwed by a
fully clothed 
man. 

That meant that her breasts were now his for the
taking and take he 
did. The best way to describe the act is to equate it
to a baby. She 
suckled him. 

Suddenly she felt the sign of organism. The man didn't
disappoint 
– it rocked her world and felt her helpless.

 Mac sat up bolt upright in bed, wet from sweating and
from other 
things.  What was she doing!  This was not the kind of
dreams one 
was supposed to be having when one slept alone –
Damnit!

She felt a presence next to her and turned.  No it
hadn't been a 
dream.  There next to her lay all the man she had ever
wanted.

Part 25 

THE WILLARD
0530

Mac's eyes rested on his sleeping face. How was it
possible he was 
even more appealing asleep? The dark eyes that flashed
with so 
much emotion were closed. The downward sweep of lashes
and 
still eyebrows made him seem vulnerable. His mouth was
parted 
slightly. The memory of how the soft pillows of flesh
could make 
her tremble with barely a touch, or scream when they
tightened on 
nerves heightened by a sexual haze, made her shift
restlessly.

They'd spent three weeks in London getting to know
each other, in 
and out of the bedroom. Her smile was lightening
bright in the dim 
room, remembering that it had been mostly in the
bedroom. The 
only time they'd been apart was when she was required
to be at the 
embassy. They'd gone out infrequently, preferring to
order food in 
and talk. In the tiny one bedroom apartment she'd
leased, they'd 
explored each other's bodies and minds, forging a bond
that was 
proving difficult to break.

When she'd put him on a plane to return to the states,
she'd put her 
heart on it also. She'd ached for him in a way she'd
not thought 
possible and when he'd called that evening to let her
know he'd 
arrived home safely, she'd wept. The SECNAV's offer
was one that 
he couldn't refuse and she knew they'd have some
decisions to 
make soon. His new posting would take him out of JAG,
but keep 
him in Washington. Her posting in London would last at
least 
another year. Once over, she could write her own
ticket and the 
number of plum assignments that would be waiting for
her should 
make her salivate with anticipation.

She watched him sigh in his sleep and knew she'd
turned a corner 
in her life. The only thing that made her salivate
with anticipation 
was the magnificent man that lay beside her. She
touched his 
cheek, wondering how he'd managed to surprise her,
when she'd 
only arrived stateside yesterday afternoon. While the
selection for 
his replacement was being made, he was still the JAG;
but, in 
reality, Harm had been acting as the JAG more and more
often as 
AJ attended meetings regarding his own promotion,
including the 
one that had taken him to California for a week. 

After their last phone call, she'd asked for, and
received, 
permission for a four-day leave. Taking the next
available flight 
had put her in Washington a day before he was
scheduled to return. 
She'd hoped to spend today shopping for something
spectacularly 
provocative and show up on his doorstep that evening
with the 
express purpose of spending three days making love. A
small oasis 
of time to sustain them until they could meet again.

Instead, when he hadn't been able to reach her at the
embassy, he'd 
discovered her itinerary from one of the secretaries
she was 
friendly with and had shown up at the Willard,
surprising her in the 
middle of the night. The old t-shirt she'd wore
apparently had been 
provocative enough and, remembering the frenzy with
which 
they'd fallen on each other, she shuddered. The feel
of the soft, 
rough, cotton sheet on her love abraded skin was
erotic, the scent 
of their earlier lovemaking intoxicating, the promise
of the long, 
strong, body beside her exhilarating.

Licking her lips, Mac gave into a long denied fantasy.
Waking him 
up. Pulling the sheet overhead, she slid down to the
foot of the bed. 
Her touch was light enough to not wake him, firm
enough not to 
tickle. She stroked his calves and feet with her
hands, lightly licked 
behind his knees, making him shift and mumble in his
sleep. Poor 
baby. He must be tired. Working all day, flying most
of the 
evening, and loving her all night. She tongued and
kneaded the 
heavily muscled thighs, feeling his balls contract
against her cheek 
and his cock stir against her head. He may be tired,
but he was 
definitely willing.

Sliding up his body, she rubbed her breasts on his
thighs, her belly 
on his knees, and sliding his calf into the juncture
of her thighs, 
rubbing her clit against the hair roughened skin. His
cock was not 
yet fully erect, but he was certainly enjoying her
ministrations, she 
thought smugly. Using just her lips, she nuzzled the
semi-engorged 
flesh. Stroking his hips and balls, sliding under his
heavy body to 
cup his ass, she opened her mouth, taking him. She
felt the 
immediate hardening as his brain registered the wet
heat 
surrounding the sensitive organ and knew the minute he
came 
awake. 

His swirled her tongue around him, tasting the
mingling essence of 
their fluids on him, and felt his body curl upward,
thighs coming 
around her body and hands burying in her head. The
soft expletive 
was like music to her ears and the fresh trickle of
precum headier 
than the strongest liquor she'd ever drank. Sliding
her mouth down, 
she took him deep, scraping him lightly with her teeth
as she rose 
off him. 

"Trying to damage me, darlin?"

Mac grinned, releasing him with a muffled pop. She
felt the sheet 
being whipped off their bodies and neither knew which
was the 
more pleasing sight. Mac saw his body revealed in the
dim 
morning light, glittering eyes still hazy with sleep,
his frame dark 
and passion flushed against the pale sheets. AJ saw a
fantasy of 
wickedly gleaming brown eyes, swollen lips caressing
his cock, 
and the lithe, soft body rising upward from his feet. 

"Come here?"

Mac laugh was a throaty gurgle at the growled command.
Moving 
slowly up his body, letting his cock rest between her
breasts 
briefly, teasing him by letting him nestle against
her, sliding the 
thick flesh over and between her slippery folds,
kissing and 
nipping his stomach, his nipples, the sensitive
throat, before finally 
reaching his lips. "Bully," she whispered, against his
mouth.

"Tease," he countered, thrusting his hand between her
thighs to 
take her mound in his palm. Clenching his hand, he
felt the 
wetness seep through his fingers and slid his hand
back to caress 
her anus, ripping a moan from her throat. The sound,
the memory 
of what he'd done to her there, in London, made his
cock jerk 
against her belly, demanding that attention be paid to
it. "Can't a 
man get any sleep around here?"

Mac rocked against his hand, rising up; delivering
hard nipples and 
quivering breasts into a mouth already open, waiting,
for them. 
"Fuck me, AJ. Tire me out, and I'll let you sleep."

Her body was unresisting as he jerked her upward as
his body slid 
down, burying his face in the steamy flesh of her
mound. Rubbing 
her fluids over his face, he murmured, "Deal."

THE WILLARD
0545

Harm strolled through the lobby slowly, getting his
story straight 
before he approached the front desk. The early hour
meant the 
spacious entry was almost deserted and his appearance
had not 
gone unnoticed. Pasting a smile on his face, he called
upon all his 
experience to appear calm, in control, and charming.

"May I help you, Sir?"

"Yes please. I'm looking for Sarah Mackenzie's room
please."

Aware that stalkers came in even the most impressive
packages, 
the clerk eyed him suspiciously. "Is she expecting
you, Sir?"

Harm dipped his head, letting a shy smile cross his
face, "Not 
really." He saw her key up some information on the
computer, and 
remembering a hotelier he'd once dated, he kept
talking. "She 
arrived from London yesterday while I was out of town.
I came 
back earlier than I expected, and...." Clinching the
deal, he drew 
forth a small, black velvet box from his leather
jacket. "I was kind 
of hoping to surprise her instead."

The young clerk felt her heart melt at the sight of
the box and the 
hope in the man's eyes. His story had seemed
plausible. Ms. 
Mackenzie HAD arrived from the airport yesterday, her
address 
and information listed London as her home address. "I
could ring 
her room for you...."

Harm's voice was wickedly soft, "Please. I was hoping
to wake her 
myself."

"Oh!" She blushed, and made a decision she hoped she
wouldn't 
regret. Slipping him the key card, she told him the
room number.
"Thank you!" Harm said, sprinting for the elevator.

The ride up was short, but he had worked out his plan
from the 
moment he'd found out from the embassy she was in
Washington. 
He was puzzled about why she'd contacted no one about
her 
arrival, but figured he'd asked her after the ring was
on her finger, 
and he'd had a chance to finally make love to her. The
hallway was 
deserted, most of the patrons either sleeping or just
waking for the 
day. The thick carpeting muffled his steps and the key
card slid 
into the door just as soundlessly.

He closed the door behind him, preparing to creep
through the 
shadowy room to join her in the bed. His blood froze
realizing 
someone had beaten him to it. The entwined couple was
unaware 
of his presence, and he stood silently in shock,
unable to believe 
what he was seeing.

They lay sideways on the bed, Mac draped on top,
sucking a fully 
erect cock with abandon. He saw broad hands cupping
her bare ass 
and a head busy between her thighs. The wet sounds of
oral sex 
filled the room and his embarrassment was complete. So
he 
thought.

"Don't cum in my mouth," Mac murmured, taking AJ out
of her 
mouth, dipping her head to suck lightly on his balls.
His reply was 
nothing verbal but Mac arched high off him,
unknowingly 
revealing the splendor of her breasts to Harm, as her
clit was 
clamped gently between his teeth, his very talented
tongue 
attacking the swollen, trapped, nub. She trembled and
swayed as 
her body orgasmed, finally gasping, "I can cum again.
I don't want 
to waste this beauty in my mouth." Mac purred,
stroking the thick 
member in front of her.

"I don't consider it a waste." AJ laughed. He watched
Mac rise 
fluidly off him, to kneel up by the headboard.

Mac looked back over her shoulder, thrusting her ass
into the air, 
"I said I'd let you sleep if you fucked me, not if you
came in my 
mouth."

AJ knelt behind her, stroking his cock in addition to
positioning it 
at Mac's gaping slit. "Slave driver."

Mac reached behind her, pulling him down for a searing
kiss. 
Releasing him, licking his lips to better taste
herself, she purred, 
"Speaking of driving...."

Harm watched, open mouthed with shock, thankful for
the 
shadows that hid him as the man parted Mac's cheeks,
rubbing the 
head of his cock over once before slamming into her.
He heard the 
bed creak, saw the shadowy figures undulate furiously
together, 
and his brain finally registered that the man who was
hammering 
into the woman he'd finally decided to propose to was
Admiral AJ 
Chegwidden.

The sounds of pleasure surrounded him as he backed to
the 
doorway. His heart tried to deny what his eyes saw,
his ears heard. 
She was chanting, moaning, another man's name. He
heard that 
man demand that she tell him what she wanted. He
fumbled with 
the key card, dropping it, when Mac begged `AJ' to
fuck her. 
Forgetting the card, he surged to his feet, escaping.
As he closed 
the door quietly behind him, he heard Mac cry out her
love for `AJ' 
in a voice close to a sob, heard the answering growl
of completion, 
of love, by the man who'd beat him to Sarah
Mackenzie's heart.

Part 26

0900 EDT
THE WILLARD
WASHINGTON, DC

AJ Chegwidden lay in bed and listened to the shower
running.  He 
smiled.  He was exhausted from the cross-country
flight, and from 
making love to Mac all night long, but he still
couldn't get enough 
of her.  He recalled the way she demanded he fuck her
before he 
went back to sleep.  He shuddered.  God, she was
magnificent.

AJ grinned as he heard the beginning of a song echo
from the 
bathroom.  He chuckled.  He never would've guessed his
Marine 
liked to sing in the shower.

Standing, he made his way to the bathroom and opened
the door.

"In a way I know--Oh, good morning, AJ!"  Mac pulled
aside the 
curtain and smiled beckoningly at AJ.

"Good morning, darlin'."  AJ walked over and pulled
Mac into his 
arms.  Kissing her neck, he asked, "Did you sleep
well?"

"Very well; especially with you next to me."  Mac
twined her arms 
around AJ's neck, pulling him down for a long, steamy
kiss.  
"Shower with me?"

AJ grinned.  "Why do you think I came in here in the
first place?"

"Well, you never know..." Mac purred.

"Oh, I always know."

"Really?  What do you know, AJ?"

"I know..." he splayed his hand on the small of her
back, "that you 
are..." he ran his thumb over her nipple, "the most
beautiful woman 
I've ever seen."  AJ pulled back to look into Mac's
big brown eyes.  
"And I'm glad that you're mine."

Mac felt her heart melt at the soft admission.  "And
I'm glad that 
you're mine," she replied.

AJ pressed a soft kiss on the top of Mac's head, then
picked up the 
bar of soap.  "Now, my love," he said, grinning
wickedly, "let's get 
you cleaned up."

Rubbing the bar of soap between his palms, AJ worked
up a rich 
lather.  He set the bar down, and lifted his hands to
Mac's 
shoulders.  He ran his hands over her slick skin,
massaging gently.  
He chuckled at Mac's sigh of pleasure.

Mac relaxed under AJ's skillful hands.  Her skin
started to tingle 
from AJ's touch.  AJ gently turned Mac around so that
her back 
leaned against his chest.  He worked up another
lather, then moved 
his hands to Mac's breasts.  Mac moaned as his strong
hands 
kneaded her soft flesh.

AJ dropped kisses on Mac's face as he lowered his
hands to her 
hips and abdomen.  He traced small circles with his
fingers, 
becoming ever more slow as he moved south.

Mac's breath came faster with every sweep of AJ's
hands.  He slid 
his fingers against the heat of her thighs, then
removed his hands 
altogether.  "AJ," she groaned.

"Yes, darlin'?"  She could hear the laughter in his
voice as he knelt 
to wash her legs.

"You enjoy teasing me, don't you?"

"I enjoy touching you, holding you, kissing you... and
teasing you, 
yes," AJ answered playfully.  Mac growled, and AJ
grinned.  He 
slowly washed from her ankles to her knees... from her
knees to 
her hips.  He feathered kisses down her spine.  His
broad palms 
covered her buttocks.  He nipped at the cheeks.  Mac
gasped as she 
felt his tongue probing the tight opening.

AJ's questing tongue moved lower.  He licked at her
folds, moving 
one hand around to explore her dripping mound.  Mac
moaned and 
swayed as AJ's fingers brushed against her clit.

"AJ," Mac whimpered.

AJ smiled and stood.  Turning Mac around, he backed
her against 
the shower wall.  Catching her lips in a kiss, he
lifted her leg and 
placed it on the side of the tub.  He slowly began to
rub the head of 
his cock between her thighs.

"AJ... stop torturing me," Mac hissed.

"What do you say, darlin'?" AJ asked huskily.

Mac gritted her teeth in frustration.  "Please."

"All you had to do was ask," AJ said as he thrust into
her.  "You 
know I can't deny you anything."

"I'll keep that in mind," Mac panted.  "Oh, God, AJ,"
she moaned 
as he pounded into her.  She could feel the tightening
in the pit of 
her stomach.  She threw her head back, abandoning her
body to the 
overwhelming sensations.  "Oh... oh... oh... AJ!" she
cried as she 
came.

AJ paused, watching the flush rise in Mac's cheeks,
feeling her 
arch against him, the sensation of her walls pulsing
around him 
nearly driving him insane with need.  He pressed his
lips against 
the fluttering pulse in her neck.  He growled as her
eyes opened 
and she smiled at him, "Hold on, darlin'."  Gripping
her hips, he 
pounded deep into her.  Five thrusts, and he was
there.  He shouted 
as he felt the pressure in his groin suddenly release.

Mac purred as AJ relaxed against her.  "I thought the
point was to 
clean me up?"

"I did that, didn't I?"  AJ smiled tiredly.

Mac chuckled.  "You did."  She shifted against him. 
"I need to put 
my leg down, hon."

"Sorry."  AJ moved off of her, and Mac stood straight,
stretching.  
She reached over and turned off the water.  Grabbing a
couple of 
towels, she wrapped one around herself.  AJ reached
for the other 
one, but Mac kept a firm hold on it.

"You washed me; it's only fair that I dry you off,"
she said with a 
naughty gleam in her eye.

AJ sighed theatrically.  "Very well."

It was a while before they left the bathroom.

1130 EDT
THE WILLARD
WASHINGTON, DC

Mac had finished packing what few things she had
brought, and 
was ready to check out.  She placed her suitcase by
the door.  As 
she did, she spotted an object on the floor.  She
picked it up and 
frowned.  It was a keycard.

"AJ?" she asked.

"Yes, darlin'?"

"Did the clerk give you a spare keycard when you got
here?"

AJ shook his head.  "No.  I didn't ask for one.  Why?"

Mac bit her lip.  She shook her head and said, "It's
probably 
nothing.  Are you ready to go?"

"Mmm, yes.  I want you in my bed tonight, Colonel
Mackenzie," 
AJ whispered in Mac's ear.

Mac shivered at the timbre of his voice.  "Well, let's
go then," she 
replied, smiling.

AJ picked up her suitcase, and the two left the room. 
They made 
their way to the front desk.

"Good morning, ma'am, sir," the desk clerk chirped. 
"How can I 
help you today?  Are you ready to check out?"

"Yes.  Oh, and I found this in my room," Mac said,
handing the 
clerk the keycard.

"Okay.  Thank you for returning it.  Name, please?"

"Sarah Mackenzie."

"All right."  The clerk typed in the name.  "Oh, and 
congratulations, ma'am!"  She beamed at Mac.

Mac's brow furrowed in confusion.  "Congratulations? 
For what?"

"Your boyfriend--well, fiancé, I would suppose
now--stopped by 
earlier, didn't he?  Around five-thirty, quarter of
six, I think it was.  
Was it a good surprise?"

Mac blinked.  What in the world was the girl talking
about?  Her 
eyes narrowed in suspicion.  "This man.  Was he about
five-foot-
ten, brown hair, green eyes, smirks a lot?"

The clerk's face mirrored Mac's confusion.  "No,
ma'am.  He was 
really tall--over six feet--with black hair and blue
eyes.  He had a 
really nice smile."

Mac's heart dropped into her stomach.  "Was... was he
wearing a 
black leather jacket, with gold wings?"  'Please no,
please no..."

"Yes, I believe so.  Ma'am, is something wrong?"

"Oh, God," Mac whispered in horror.

AJ was swiftly by Mac's side.  "Mac?  What's wrong?"

"Harm.  AJ, I think he saw us..."

"Saw us...?"  AJ saw the look on Mac's face and
realized what 
Harm had seen.  "Oh, God," AJ groaned.

"AJ, I need to talk to him," Mac said agitatedly.

"All right, Mac.  It's okay.  Check out, and we'll go
to Rabb's 
place."

1400 EDT
HARM'S APARTMENT
NORTH OF UNION STATION
WASHINGTON, DC

Harmon Rabb sat on his couch, holding his guitar. 
Whenever he 
had problems, he liked to play his guitar--it was
rather therapeutic.  
However, today he was too shocked to do much more than
sit 
there.

When he had left the hotel, the image of Mac and the
Admiral still 
burned into his brain, he had gotten into his car and
gone for a long 
drive.  He was fortunate that he hadn't been stopped
by a 
policeman--he had been going at least ninety once he
hit the 
Beltway.

He still couldn't believe what he had seen.  It was
embarrassing 
enough to walk in on... that, but ten times worse when
it was the 
woman you loved with your commanding officer!  Not
just 
embarrassing--humiliating.

He had asked her to wait as long as he needed.  She
must have 
known that he loved her.  Why couldn't she have waited
for him?  
They had been through so much together.  From the
jungles of 
Colombia, to the desert of Afghanistan--and beyond.

Had they been together when she was still at JAG?  Was
their 
relationship the reason Mac had transferred; why the
Admiral 
hadn't married Meredith?  God, he hoped not.  He might
be angry, 
confused, hurt--but he didn't want to have to
prosecute either of 
them.  He felt resentful at the moment, but he wasn't
vindictive.

A knock at the door startled Harm out of his reverie. 
He stood, 
walked to the door, and peered through the spy hole. 
Mac?  He 
really didn't need to talk to her right now.  He
opened the door.

"Mac, I--"

"Harm, we need to talk."  Okay, apparently she didn't
agree with 
him.

Harm stepped aside to let Mac pass.  "Would you like
something to 
drink?" he asked stiffly.

"No, thanks.  Where were you this morning, Harm?" Mac
asked, 
getting straight to the point.

"I woke up--here, in case you're wondering--I went for
a drive, I 
came back.  Why?"

"Oh?  You didn't make any side stops on your little...
drive?"

"Why?"

"Harm, don't screw around with me--"

"I'm not 'screwing around' with you, Mac.  But someone
else is, 
isn't he?" Harm said snidely.

"Excuse me, Commander?  You'd better watch your tone
of voice."

"Don't take that 'high-and-mighty' tone with me,
Colonel.  You 
want to know where I went today?  I went to the
Willard.  I asked 
the clerk for your room number.  When she found out
that I 
intended to propose to you, she gave me the number and
a keycard.  
I went up to your floor, I opened your door, and I saw
something I 
never expected.  I'm probably gonna need therapy after
this."

"Harm, you've needed therapy for a long time."  Mac
paused.  
"Wait... you were going to propose to me?"

"That's what I said, isn't it?"  Harm disappeared into
his bedroom.  
He came out carrying a small black velvet box.  "Mac,
I love you.  
I know I haven't told you before now, but I do.  I've
loved you for a 
long time.  I don't think I could bear losing you
again."

Seeing the pain that the man before her was in, Mac's
anger ebbed 
away.  "Oh, Harm," she whispered.  "I'm so sorry." 
She sat down 
on nearby stool.  Taking a deep breath, she started,
"Harm, I love 
you.  But only as a friend.  A very good friend, but
only a friend, 
nonetheless.  We've been through so much together,
Harm... too 
much."  She paused.  "Harm, if you had said something
two years 
ago, I would've been ecstatic.  I was in love with you
once, Harm.  
I 
would've given up anything to be with you.  But that
time's passed.  
I'm in love with a man who's in an emotional position
to love me 
back."

"What about your professional positions, Mac?  You
don't mean to 
tell me that you weren't involved when you were in
JAG, do you?"

Mac fought down a flare of irritation.  "In fact, I do
mean to tell 
you that.  AJ and I," Harm flinched at the casual use
of the 
Admiral's given name, "have only been together since
the 
beginning of July.  And even that almost didn't
happen," Mac said 
softly.

"Come on, Mac.  You must know that even if that were
true, this 
isn't going to be easily accepted by the powers that
be."

"It *is* true, Harm.  And we know that.  But we love
each other, 
and we can weather the storm together."

Harm turned away to stare out the window.  "Why
couldn't you 
have waited?  I asked you to."

"Harm, I did wait.  For nearly seven years.  But I
could only 
subjugate my happiness for so long," Mac said softly. 
"I'm sorry 
for hurting you, Harm.  I never wanted to hurt you. 
But I'm happy 
now, and I'm not giving that up."

They sat in silence for a few minutes.  Then Harm
said, "Mac... I'm 
sorry, too.  I should've said something earlier, I
know.  You 
deserve better than someone who can't commit for so
long."

"Harm, no, that's not it at all."

"Isn't it?"  He turned to face her.  "I waited too
long.  The Admiral 
knew what he wanted, and he went after it.  No
waffling, no 
avoidance.  He won, and I lost."

"I'm not some trophy to be won, Harm.  And I don't
appreciate 
being treated like one."

Harm winced.  "I know, Mac.  Believe me, I know.  The
infamous 
Rabb foot-in-mouth gene strikes again.  That's not
what I meant.  I 
meant... well, that he gets a wonderful woman's love,
and I get... an 
empty apartment."

He laughed, but it was devoid of emotion.  "Go on,
Mac.  You're 
only in town for a few days.  You should be spending
your time 
with," here his voice broke, "the man you love."

"Harm, are you going to be all right?" Mac asked
concernedly.

"I'll be fine, Mac.  I just need some time."  He
smiled sadly.  "And 
Mac?  Don't ask me to walk you down the aisle."

"We haven't even talked about marriage, Harm."

Harm looked at Mac intensely.  In a low voice, he
said, "Sarah... if 
AJ Chegwidden doesn't want you for his wife, he's more
of a fool 
than I am."  He held the stare for a moment, then
turned away.  
"Go.  He's waiting for you."

"I'll call you, Harm."

"Sure."

And with that, Mac left, leaving Harm more confused
than ever.

Part 27

AJ was waiting in the car for her just as he said he
would be, "He 
really intended on proposing to me, can you believe
that?" she 
asked when she got in.

"Yes, I can, Sarah.  Any man would be blessed to have
you as his 
wife.  Maybe Rabb has finally come to his senses. 
What did you 
say to him?"

"I told him that I would always consider him one of my
very best 
friends but that that was all it could ever be between
us now.  I 
have you in my life, AJ and I won't give that up for
anything."

"Let's go home darlin', there is something that we
need to talk 
about."

"That sounds ominous."

"No, just something that I would like to devote my
full attention to.  
Not something I want to discuss while driving."

A SHORT TIME LATER AT AJ'S HOUSE

"What did you want to talk about AJ?" Mac asked almost
before 
they were through the door to his house.

"Come in and sit down, Sarah.  I need to get something
from the 
other room," he turned and went into his bedroom,
coming back 
within a few minutes with a large box in his hands. 
"I hope this it 
right, darlin'," he said as he put the box down in
front of her.

Mac looked at the box in front of her and a chill went
down her 
spine.  She thought of her dream of the bridal shop
and AJ seeing 
her in the dress from the magazine.  The box had
Rebecca's 
Boutique's logo on it.  Slowly she reached out and
opened it.  
There inside was the dress from her dream, the dress
from the 
magazine that Meredith had brought over one night. 
The dress was 
champagne colored satin and lace, with embroidered
beadwork on 
the front, the back plunged 
to the waist line and the skirt and train of the dress
must have had 
twelve yards of fabric in them!  Mac remembered how
she had 
envisioned in this wedding gown, and her fantasy had
led her even 
farther.  She saw herself walking up the aisle with AJ
waiting there 
for her in his dress whites.

Her eyes flew to AJ's, pleading for an explanation.

"I remembered us looking at that dress from Meredith's
magazine, 
and then one night I had this vivid dream.  You were
in this bridal 
store with her and you had tried on this dress.  In
the dream I 
walked in and saw you, I had to buy it for you Sarah. 
Will you 
wear it for me?"  AJ gently got on one knee.  "Please
say that you 
will be mine.  Marry me, Sarah."

Throwing herself into his arms, she gasped, "Yes, oh
AJ, yes!" she 
was about to kiss him, when she paused and told him,
"You better 
pinch me!  I want to be sure that this is NOT a
dream!"

AJ roared with laughter, "It is a dream, Sarah, a
dream come true!"

Part 28

Sarah reached over and took AJ's face in her hands and
brought her 
lips to his for a passionate kiss.  She pulled back
and smiled. "AJ, 
everything is so perfect.  I never thought I could be
this happy. All 
my dreams are coming true, too.  I love you so much."

AJ smiled and kissed Sarah again. "There is one thing
missing, 
darlin."

"What is it, AJ?"

"This" AJ reached into his pocket and pulled a small
velvet box 
out.  He gently opened the box to reveal a diamond
ring.  A 
beautiful ring.  Sarah's eyes grew in surprise and
delight.  AJ 
gently slid the finger onto her hand.  He held onto
her hand as she 
brought the ring closer to see it better.  There was a
beautiful cut 
diamond in the center with one green stones on either
side of the 
diamond.

Mac's eyes were glistening as she was trying to fight
back tears. 
"AJ, it is beautiful.  I have never seen anything more
beautiful."

AJ looked up into Mac's eyes. "I have."

Mac smiled and pulled AJ closer. "Come here, Sailor"

AJ moved closer to Sarah and began to kiss her. She
pulled him on 
top of her as she leaned back on the couch.  AJ began
kissing down 
her neck as she moved her arms around his back and
under his 
shirt.  Sarah took his shirt off and began rubbing his
chest and 
running her nails down his back.  AJ began nibbling on
her neck as 
he put his hand under her blouse and began to massage
on her 
breasts.

Mac moaned her pleasure at his attention.  AJ was
becoming hard 
quickly and pressing himself into her, driving her
crazy.  She took 
her teeth and began to nibble on his earlobe and
gently blow in his 
ear.  Sarah smiled as she heard AJ moan above as he
pinched her 
nipples a little harder.  She grabbed his butt and
pulled him tighter 
against her as she moved her mouth closer to his ear
to whisper in 
it.

"AJ, I want you to take me to the bedroom and show me
how much 
you love me all night long."

He growled his desire at her bold request.  He quickly
stood and 
swept her up in his arms and carried her to the
bedroom.  Once 
inside the bedroom, he put her gently on the floor. 
Piece by piece 
he removed her clothes as she watched him.  As he sled
her thong 
off, he could feel how wet she was for him.  It only
made him want 
to be inside her that much more.  Sarah reached to
begin to take 
AJ's clothes off but he stepped back.  He looked deep
into her eyes 
and began to slowly undress. She moaned as she watched
him 
move very slowly.  Desperate to touch him, she tried
to move 
forward toward him but he smiled and shook his head.

"Let me love you, Sarah.  Be patient, darlin."

Sarah smiled and did as AJ asked and watched.  He
slowly 
removed his jeans.  Sarah could see his cock bulging
inside his 
boxers.  She licked her lips in anticipation causing
AJ to smile 
again.  He was glad that she liked what she saw.  He
was so hard.  
The very thought of having her naked in front of him,
knowing she 
was his, aroused him almost as much as the first touch
of her skin.  
AJ moved his hands slowly under the elastic of his
boxers.  He 
began to slide down his boxers down very slowly,
revealing more 
and more of his hard member to Sarah who was
practically 
salivating at the sight.  As the boxers hit the floor,
he stepped out 
of them and stood in front of her hard and at
attention.  Sarah 
couldn't take the teasing anymore.  Her core was so
hot and aching 
that she thought she would explode right then and
there if he didnt 
hurry.

"Mmm.... AJ, please, I need you inside me now."

AJ moved quickly this time and slid her on the bed and
then lay 
above her.  He positioned himself at her entry and
looked deep into 
her eyes.

"I love you, Sarah Mackenzie."  Without another word
he entered 
her in one full stroke.  They both screamed their
pleasure.  AJ 
began to move.  Slowly at first and then harder and
faster.  Sarah 
grabbed his butt again and drove him deeper and deeper
inside.  He 
filled her so much.  She could feel him pounding right
down to her 
core and it drove her crazy with desire and pleasure. 
She moved 
her legs around his back and gave him a deeper angle
to move into.  

"Sarah, I am so close.  Cum with me, darlin."

"Oh yes, AJ, I am so close too.  Harder baby.  Don't
hold back.  I 
will cum with you."  AJ slide deeper and harder. 
Sarah began to 
scream in delight causing AJ to follow as he came
harder than he 
ever thought he could.  They shared a mind blowing
orgasm and 
held each other tight as they began to come down. 
After they both 
were spent, AJ gently rolled off Mac and took her into
his arms 
and kissed her soundly.  She smiled, as they pulled
apart.  Their 
breathing was slowly returning to normal.  Mac moved
closer to 
AJ and snuggled into his chest and closed her eyes. 
AJ smiled and 
lifted her chin to him so that he could see her face.

"I am not through with you yet, Darlin.  Just give me
a minute."

Part 29

AJ's PLACE 

Mac took a long look at the man she was determined to
marry and 
sighed. As a human and as a US Marine there was one
thing she 
had to do she turned and walked out the door.  

There was no way around it. 

~*~*~*~*~ 

ONE HOUR TWENTY THREE MINUTES LATER 

Mac was on a mission and would not be deterred from
it.  The 
sports car she was driving zipped along.  She knew the
route in her 
sleep and even after all this time there was no need
to verify the 
way with a map. 

She pulled into the drive way as if she owned the
place.  Still 
oozing confidence she headed for the front door and
rang the 
doorbell.  As she waited for the call to be answered
then and only 
then did she break out into a cold sweat of doubt. 
Maybe this was 
wrong.... too late the door opened. 

The two women faced each other - it had been a long
time.  May 
be too long.  In silence the woman opened the door
further, turned 
and walked back the way she had come.  Mac followed. 

"What do you want, Mac?" she asked with out looking
up.  She 
wrapped a glass and placed it in a box, then reached
for another. 

Mac felt like one of Meredith's students.  "To be
friends." 

The glass fell and broke. "Friends?" 

Mac summoned her courage.  "Merited, you and I were
friends.  I 
don't want AJ to come between us." 

Meredith stopped what she was doing "But he did." 

Mac was losing the case.  "Is there no hope?" 

"There is always hope." 

The state of room finally registered.  "You are
packing?" 

The scholar only smiled. 

Mac pressed on.  "Where are you going?" 

"Would you believe? Stratford-Upon-Avon?"  She
grinned.  Her 
first since Mac had arrived. 

Mac found herself floundering.  She wanted make peace
with her 
friend but didn't know how. 

Meredith offered the olive branch.  Without warning
she opened 
her arms.  Aut9matically Mac moved in and the two
hugged.  Mac 
sobbed with relief. 

"There, there..." The older woman soothed. 

  "Meredith..." It was not often that Mac found
herself at a loss for 
words. 

"Sit." Meredith ordered.  "Sorry..." there was nowhere
to sit. 

"When do you leave?" 

"In two days." 

Mac gave the room a skeptical look and raised an
eyebrow.  
"When?" 

"I know, I know."  She chuckled. 

"Need help?"  Mac found herself offering. 

Meredith accepted.  Mac spent the weekend helping her
friend 
pack.  They forged a new bond and never once mentioned
the man 
who had strained the bond in the first place. 

~*~*~*~*~ 
You have to understand that Puck was not of this time
frame.  It is 
with great concentration for some of us to understand
the English 
of the fifteenth century.  So it was for Puck to
follow the English 
of the twentieth century. 

And so it is the saga did end, me thinks it doth end
for...
 
Mac became The Inspector General
AJ became Dog Robber to SECNAV
Sturgis became The JAG
Harm found Glenn Millar and no one found Harm 

Puck stared at the drama that had unfolded.  A myriad
of thoughts 
and emotions played across his face. 

Confusion
Frustration
Amusement
Finally, understanding. 

But! 

As no minds ever think alike Puck's understanding was
not that of 
yours or mine. 

He shrugged in resignation, turned to me and
pronounced... 

If we shadows have offended, 
Think but this, and all is mended, 
That you have but slumber'd here 
While these visions did appear. 
And this weak and idle theme, 
No more yielding but a dream... 
  
Part 30

 JACKSON AUDITORIUM

"Isn't this fabulous!"

AJ pulled himself out of his stupor with difficulty. 
He patted 
Meredith's hand, thankful for the dark that hid his
distaste, "It's 
something."

The students on stage sat in a semi-circle, wrapping
up what used 
to be one of his favorites of Shakespeare's works in a
complete 
monotone.   From start to, thank God, finish the
voices had droned 
on and on and he was finding it increasingly difficult
not to jump 
up and yell, just to see if the audience was still
awake.  

He shifted in his seat and rapidly calculated how much
longer the 
torture would last.  Tonight was almost over, but
tomorrow night it 
would be King Lear on roller blades.  He closed his
eyes as if in 
pain, wondering if that could be any worse than last
nights Othello 
done by a group of college age, wanna be, mimes.  Damn

Meredith's brilliant end of the year project idea. 
Having her 
students give unusual interpretations of the great
man's works 
might well be having them absorb the text in new ways,
but it was 
killing him.  He sighed with relief, hearing the play
wrapping up, 
knowing there'd only be Meredith's quick meeting with
the `actors' 
to sit through.  

He smiled absently when she rose to go to her
students, his mind 
falling back into the daydream, hallucination, he'd
escaped into.  
Very real.  He shifted, feeling the semi-engorged
flesh between his 
legs twitch.  Too real.  Mac.  What the hell was that
about moving 
to London.   She was firmly settled at JAGops for the
time being.  
And, he and Meredith weren't having an elaborate
wedding.  He'd 
put his foot down about that from the start.  Besides,
why would 
Meredith pick her as a bridesmaid?  She barely knew
Mac having 
met her just a few times before they'd started dating.
 Brumby?  
Harm?  Sex in London and at the Willard?  Unbelievably
hot, `I 
can't believe 
I wanted to and she let me do that to her' sex.

He ran his hand down his face, sighing heavily.  Most
disturbing of 
all was there was a thread of truth running through
the whole 
scenario.  He was attracted to Mac.  Very attracted. 
Too much so 
to go into a marriage with another woman while he had
unresolved 
feelings for another.  One divorce per lifetime was
enough for him.  
What to do though?

MAC'S APARTMENT

Mac shook herself to clear the cobwebs.  Flipping off
the TV, she 
gathered the empty ice cream dish and her glass from
the coffee 
table.  "Well, that was certainly not as interesting
as I thought it 
would be."

Finishing her work early, she'd flipped through the
channels, 
coming upon a Shakespearian revival on an obscure
educational 
channel she never watched.  She was getting ready to
turn to the 
pay-per-view movies when the sound of the Admiral's
voice, 
reading that bit of 
Shakespeare to her long ago in his office, drifted
through her mind.  
Deciding to see what all the fuss was about, she'd
settled down to 
watch A Midsummer Night's Dream.

She rinsed her dishes, putting them in the dishwasher,
finally 
coming to the conclusion that unless she was lucky
enough to hear 
the Admiral's rich voice delivering the lines, then
she'd stick with 
HBO.  Evening chores finished, she walked around the
apartment 
restlessly.  She wasn't the least bit sleepy.  The nap
she'd had 
during the second act had proved to be very
refreshing.

She blew out the candles on the mantle, blushing hotly
and 
suddenly groaning, remembering parts of the dream
she'd had.  
The blush because of the memory of the Admiral's head
busy 
between her thighs, the groan at the thought of Harm
watching 
them.  Dropping back onto the couch, she hugged a
throw pillow, 
wondering where those thoughts had come from.  She
knew part of 
it had to do with the lead actor's nasal voice.  Right
before 
dropping off, she'd thought how much better the play
would sound 
if the Admiral was doing the acting.  Hence, she'd
been thinking 
about him when she dropped off.
Thinking about him was right.  The dream had been one
long 
obsession about a man she'd never really considered
attainable.  
Would she really be THAT unhappy about being posted 
somewhere other than Washington, because she couldn't
see him?  
Could her casual, `Oh, they're getting married?  Bully
for them, 
now leave me alone' attitude be stemming from the fact
that she 
was wildly jealous of Meredith snagging him?  Was she
seriously 
still holding out for a proposal from Harm or did she
only imagine 
that part of the dream because she WANTED him to see
she was 
capable of moving on, of having a life, that didn't
include him.

Did she really, subconsciously, wish that life she
lived out of the 
Harmisphere could include the man who was commanding
officer?  
She wouldn't deny she was curious about him.  He was a
private 
man, possessing layer upon layer of quirks and
personality traits 
that he never revealed to the JAGops staff.  She
snickered, thinking 
they were the type of layers that just begged a woman
to peel them 
away, revealing the true man underneath.  

Sighing, she rose, locking the door for the night. 
Dreams and 
wishes aside, AJ Chegwidden was her CO, and he was
engaged to 
another woman.  Next time she'd watch Shrek.

JACKSON AUDITORIUM

AJ stared at the stage.  He wasn't watching the crew
breakdown the 
set.  There had been no set, and the actors had
stacked up their 
chairs neatly before taking their bows.  His mind was
on two 
women and fact he should have never stopped keeping
company 
with his hand.  He was not cut out for heartfelt,
emotional 
revelations.  Or, the scenes that accompanied them.

"Oh!  AJ!  Didn't they do a fantastic job?!  I've
never experienced 
it that way before."

"Neither have I," AJ said dryly.  He pulled the seat
beside him 
down, patting it slowly.  "Have a seat Meredith.  We
need to talk."

The End!