2002 - Harm and Mac’s Year Part I: Subterfuge JoAnn Fisher Summary: Admiral Chegwidden tires of having his two best attorneys at each other’s throats and decides to do something about it. Disclaimer: Donald P. Bellisario owns JAG and all of its characters. I am merely borrowing them for my writing (and hopefully your reading) pleasure. I derive no profit from this hobby. Spoliers: Everything up and including Answered Prayers is fair game. Author’s Notes: Thanks go out to my best friend, Sue, for proofreading this for me. This is my first attempt at this and I only recently discovered fan fiction even existed. Any similarities to anyone else’s fan fiction is purely coincidental. I have not studied every episode, so I apologize if my characterizations of Harm, Mac, and the rest are not completely accurate. I also have not studied the UCMJ; therefore, my characters are likely to violate it, but this is fiction so... Feedback is welcomed; however, if you have negative feedback for me, I’d prefer you send it to me off list. Thank you. I hope you enjoy! 0100 Local Time Thursday, January 24, 2002 Admiral Chegwidden’s Home AJ couldn’t sleep. It wasn’t a particular case or the budget that had him tossing and turning. It was his staff - two particular members of his staff to be precise. Amazingly, Lieutenant Lauren Singer wasn’t giving him insomnia; although, she was still a pain in the butt. AJ sighed and shook his head. Tonight, Harmon Rabb and Sarah McKenzie were causing him to pace the floor at this early hour. “Damn it! I need my sleep,” he shouted into the empty house. Despite a stern request to knock it off, Harm still seemed to be pushing Mac’s hot buttons. He was pretty sure he knew how they both really felt about each other. ‘Hell, I’m pretty sure everyone in damn office knows,’ he thought. Things improved for a while after the Jagathon, but became worse than ever after Christmas. AJ wondered briefly if he could order the pair to admit their feelings. He shook his head, “You are losing it seal! That is one order that could be justifiably ignored and might just get you court-martialed in the process,” he told himself, shaking his head slowly. He crossed his arms over his chest and walked to the window to look out on his dark lawn. “But I have to do something before the situation gets out of hand,” he grumbled. He wished he could knock some sense into the both of them or make them knock some sense into each other, like he did with Rabb and Brumby in Australia when they broke Roberts’ jaw. “That’s it,” he bellowed. 0700 Local Time JAG Headquarters “Tiner! I want to see Lieutenant Simms in my office the minute she gets in,” the Admiral barked as he strode into his office. He slammed the door behind him before Tiner, still at attention, could respond, “Yes, sir!” The intercom on his desk interrupted AJ’s thoughts, a scant two minutes later. Punching the button, he yelled “Yes, Tiner?” “Lieutenant Simms is here, sir.” “Good. Send her in and do not interrupt us unless it is a dire emergency or the SecNav!” “Yes, sir.” Lieutenant Harriet Simms snapped to attention as Tiner shut the door behind her. “Reporting as ordered, sir.” 0715 Local Time JAG Headquarters Harm approached Tiner’s desk. Tiner immediately saluted the officer and stood at attention. Harm returned the salute and ordered, “At ease, Tiner. Is the Admiral in?” “Yes, sir.” Harm waited for a few seconds before cocking an eyebrow at the young Petty Officer and continued, “Could you tell him I’d like to see him?” “No, sir. Sorry, sir. He said he did not want to be interrupted unless it was an emergency or the SecNav.” “Very well. Then will you let him know that I’d like five minutes of his time when he is available to discuss a wrinkle in a case?” “Yes, sir.” “Thank you, Tiner,” Harm said as he shook his head at the young man’s obtuseness. He turned on his heel to leave and immediately bumped into Mac, sending her files and cup of coffee to the floor. “Can’t you look where you are going once in a while?” Sarah spat. “Good morning to you, too,” he shot back. Both squatted to pick up the files while Tiner reached for a roll of paper towels to clean up the coffee. “I can get this, Commander,” Mac announced huffily. “I’m just trying to help. It is my fault after all. You better put some water on that coffee on your sleeve before it stains. I’ll put these files on your desk for you,” Harm offered, trying to disarm her. “Just leave them here. I need to go over them with the Admiral.” “I’m sorry, ma’am,” Tiner interjected. “He’s busy and can’t be interrupted.” “Thank you, Tiner,” Mac responded a bit deflated. They both straightened and Mac looked at Harm for a moment before handing him the files and headed towards the ladies room to clean up. “Is she okay, sir?” Tiner asked. “As far as I know, Tiner,” he said. ‘Damned if I know,’ he thought. “Why do you ask?” “She just seems to be rather bitchy lately, sir.” Harm shot Tiner a pointed look, “I’m going to pretend I didn’t just hear you disrespect an officer.” Tiner dipped his head, “Yes, sir. Thank you, sir!” Before Harm could leave, the Admiral’s door opened, and AJ and Harriet emerged. “I want that information in one hour, Lieutenant,” he said sharply. “No problem, sir,” she replied and saluted both senior officers before walking away. Seizing the opportunity, Harm asked, “Sir, do have you a minute?” “Not now, Commander,” he replied and started back into his office. “Sir, I’d really like to discuss a wrinkle in the DeLorio case.” “Can it possibly wait until this afternoon? I’m very busy right now.” “I suppose it can, sir.” “Good,” he said as he shut his office door. Harm thought as he walked to Mac’s office to deposit the files on her desk, ‘Tiner was absolutely right about Mac, and I‘m sure I‘m at least partly to blame.’ 1130 Local Time JAG Headquarters AJ smiled smugly. Everything was in place, all he needed to do now was inform the pair of their new “assignment” with a straight face and wait. A knock on the door signaled their arrival. “Enter!” He called. Without looking up from the paperwork on his desk, he ordered them to sit before they could fully come to attention. “A retired, two star, Marine General in Mathias, West Virginia has gotten himself into a scrape with the local law authorities,” he began and paused to be sure he had their attention. “Apparently, he can’t afford legal representation, and the county doesn’t have a public defender available, so he has requested JAG representation. I‘ve decided to send you two. Clear your cases. They are expecting you there at 0900 tomorrow. Not clear on how long you will be gone, but I hope you‘ll be back by Monday afternoon.” Harm and Mac looked at each other with bewilderment. Mac spoke first, “Sir, why us?” AJ shuffled some papers on his desk and picked one up before answering. “Apparently, General Smitz has friends in high places, namely the Pentagon. I was asked to send him my best. That’s you two.” He handed Mac the limited information he had on the case. Mac and Harm smiled at the compliment. “But both of us, sir? Is that really necessary?” Harm asked looking directly at his commanding officer. His eyes begged, ‘She’s been a bear, please do not make me spend God only knows how long trapped in a car with her.’ “Yes, Commander. It is necessary. This is a two star general we’re talking about here. Besides, I don’t like the idea of sending one of my people into some rural, backwoods town to face who knows what, alone. Any more questions?” He asked glaring at both officers. “No, sir,” they chorused. “Good. Your travel arrangements are taken care of. I have a friend who owns a cabin a few miles off of the main road into Mathias. He owes me a favor, so he’s agreed to let you use it for as long as you need. Lieutenant Simms has the directions and will help you with anything else you need before you go. I suggest you leave sooner rather than later to try to be there before dark. Go over your cases with Commander Turner. He can redistribute them. Dismissed.” Mac and Harm rose, snapped to attention, and called in unison, “Yes, sir,” before turning to leave the office. “Wait! One more thing,” AJ said. “Do either of you have an especially challenging, but low profile, case with lots of investigation to be completed?” “Yes, sir,” Mac replied. “Why?” “Good. Make sure Lieutenant Singer gets that case,” he ordered. “Yes, sir.” ‘Maybe it’ll keep her out of everybody’s hair for a while,’ he thought. Harriet met Mac and Harm in the bullpen. “Ma’am, Sir, here are the directions to the cabin and to Matthias. A fleet car is already waiting for whenever you are ready to leave. Is there anything, else I can do?” “Thank you, Harriet,” Mac said before turning to Harm. “It shouldn’t take me long to clear my cases with Turner, but I need to run home and pack a bag.” “I thought you Marines always had your sea bags packed?” Harm asked with a touch of humor in his eyes and smile. “Usually I do, but I just had my uniforms dry cleaned and haven’t had a chance to repack the bag,” she returned with just a hint of a smile. “Ma’am, I’d be happy to run by your apartment and pack a bag for you if you like,” Harriet offered. “It would save you time,” she persuaded when Mac looked like she was going to refuse the offer. “Thank you, Harriet, that would be very helpful.” “Well, I still need to go to my place and pack a bag,” Harm stated. “Not to worry, big brother, I’ve already taken care of it.” Harm turned to see Sergei standing in the doorway with Harm’s bag and a huge smile on his face. He looked perplexed and started to ask how Sergei knew, but Harriet answered before he could form the question. “I hope you don’t mind, sir, I took the liberty of calling your brother,” she stated timidly. “That’s fine, Harriet. Thank you,” Harm replied. He turned to Mac, “Is thirty minutes enough time for you, Marine?” “That should be fine, sailor” she replied, looking the least bit fine. 1800 Local Time Rural West Virginia Harm pulled the car to a stop in front of a small, but well-built cabin. “Finally! I was beginning to think we were going to have to sleep in the car,” he said to Mac with a relieved smile on his face. Mac returned his smile with a nervous one of her own. “It looks nice enough,” she replied. Mac couldn’t wait to get out of the car. The long ride had been fairly quiet and a bit uncomfortable. She was tired and just wanted to get into bed and away from Harm. She loved him for so long and believed that he loved her too, but waiting for him to admit it and act on those feelings was torturous. She had all but given up after Christmas. Too much had happened over the past few months, and she was too tired of waiting for him to come around. This was their first trip together since she returned from the USS Guadalcanal, since Mic left, since Harm crashed, and since their kiss on the Admiral’s porch. ‘When I am going to stop thinking about that kiss?’ Harm grabbed the bags from the trunk, while Mac found the key under the mat and unlocked the cabin door. “Oh, my,” she exclaimed. “What’s the matter?” Harm asked with a tinge of concern as he reached her side. He stopped short just inside the threshold. “Oh,” he stated as he took in their surroundings. The cabin was sparsely furnished with a table and 2 chairs, a loveseat, an armoire, and a queen-sized bed. A fireplace and kitchen area completed the room. ‘Only one bed,’ they both thought. “What do you suppose the chances are that there is another bed behind that door over there?” Harm asked, pointing to their left. “Since that is the only other door, I hope it leads to a bathroom. I really hate the thoughts of using an outhouse. Or worse,” Mac replied as she crossed to the door in question. She opened the door to reveal a full bathroom complete with whirlpool tub. “Well that sofa is too small for either of us sleep on, so I’ll take the floor,” Harm announced gallantly. She opened her mouth to argue, but he raised his hand, “no arguments.” She looked at him for a moment before finally nodding her agreement. The bed really did look a lot more comfortable than the floor. “I hope they left us some food. I’m starving. How about if I fix us something to eat and you build a fire?” Mac asked taking off her jacket and hanging it carefully over the back of one of the chairs. Harm cocked an eyebrow at her as if to ask, ‘When did you start cooking?’ He left the question unspoken and said instead, “Okay.” He then went out onto the porch to collect wood from the pile he had noticed on their way into the cabin. It also gave him a chance to collect his thoughts for a moment. His offer to sleep on the floor was the only way to keep from suggesting they share the bed. He noticed that she didn’t offer to share the bed either. Things between had become very strained between them since the night Mic left and Renee’s father died. Mac had called it an awkward moment when they found themselves under the mistletoe at Bud and Harriet’s on Christmas Eve. He had thought of it as a golden opportunity. “Hell,” he said to himself. “If she found it that objectionable she could have walked away without saying anything, and I probably wouldn’t have noticed the mistletoe.” It had taken a great deal of restraint not to haul her into his arms and kiss her the with all of the pent up passion he felt for her. But, people were waiting for them that night. ‘You do have lousy timing, you know that?’ He thought to himself. There was a part of him that wanted very badly to tell her that he loved her, but with the way things had been between them lately, it was probably a better idea that he not do that. He shook his head to clear it and went to work gathering logs. Mac wondered what was taking Harm so long, yet was grateful for the few minutes alone. It was so tempting to offer to share that bed with him, but how could she do that and not touch him? And if she touched him, it would just set her to longing for him again. ‘Oh who are you kidding, you long for him without touching him!’ she silently scolded herself. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and began searching the kitchen drawers for a can opener so she could open the two cans of vegetable soup she had found in the surprisingly well-stocked kitchen. Harm re-entered the cabin as Mac was setting the table. “Is vegetable soup okay?” She asked pointing to the empty cans on the counter. “Sounds good. It’s really getting cold out there. I’m going to bring in some extra logs in case we get cold through the night.” He went back out onto the porch before she could respond. They ate in near silence. When they were finished, Harm offered to wash the dishes while she used the bathroom first. Having already removed his jacket and tie, he now rolled up his sleeves, unbuttoned the top couple of buttons on his dress shirt and set to work on the dishes. She emerged a short time later wearing nothing but a towel, which she clutched to her with both hands, and an embarrassed grin. Her hair was wet from the shower. Harm nearly dropped the bowl he was drying when he saw her. He blinked. ‘I can’t really being seeing this,’ he thought. The vision before him was eerily similar to his fantasy that had been plaguing his dreams for almost a year. Mac couldn’t decipher the look on Harm’s face, but it was definitely making her uncomfortable. “I seem to have forgotten my bag,” she explained. “Would you mind handing it to me?” “Sure.” Harm swallowed hard and crossed to the end of bed. He reached down to pick up her bag from the floor and walked towards her. Their fingers brushed and a spark of awareness jolted both of them. He fought to keep from hauling her into his arms, kiss her senseless, and find out what she hid under that towel. “Want some coffee?” He asked with a voice that sounded far calmer than he felt. Their eyes locked. “No, thanks,” she replied breathlessly. “I’m exhausted. I just want to get some sleep.” It was a long moment before she managed to break eye contact and return to the bathroom. The door shut and Harm silently warned himself to cool his jets before he did something they might both regret. He turned back to the remaining dishes and making coffee for himself. Mac leaned her forehead against the door and took a few deep breaths. She hadn’t missed the look of desire in Harm’s eyes, and she knew she needed to retreat back into the back into the bathroom before she threw herself into his arms and begged him to make love to her. Pulling herself together, she opened the bag and groaned silently when she saw the sleepwear Harriet had packed for her. Harm didn’t turn around again until he heard the bathroom door open again. If he thought seeing Mac in that towel was rough on his hormones, the nightgown she now wore certainly didn’t help them any. Mac stood in the bathroom doorway in a long, red nightgown that clung to every curve and barely hid her breasts behind the lace bodice. With his cup halfway to his mouth, he stopped suddenly and some coffee sloshed out of the cup and onto the front of his shirt. He reacted quickly to put the cup down and wipe at his shirt before she could offer to help. He had no idea how he was going to get any sleep knowing she was in the bed wearing that gown. Mac blushed and stammered, “I don’t know what Harriet was thinking.” She noted that the desire was still in his eyes. “It’s very nice. That’s a good color on you,” he said huskily as he wiped coffee from the outside of the cup. “Thanks,” she said in a near whisper. “Your turn!” She smiled weakly and moved away from the bathroom door. He strode across the room, picked up his bag, and went into the bathroom. He had been planning on taking a hot shower to try to work some of the kinks out of his neck and shoulders after that long drive, but he decided that a cold shower might be more beneficial overall. Ten minutes later, his hormones were somewhat calmer, his lips were turning blue, and his teeth were chattering so he turned off the water, dried himself, and stepped out of the shower. Opening his bag, he easily found the pair of sweatpants Sergei had packed, pulled them out, and stepped into them. He reached into the bag a second time for a tee shirt or sweat shirt. He found neither, but he did find a box tucked into the corner of the bag. He pulled the box out only to discover it contained condoms - 12 of them. “What the hell?” He asked louder than he intended. “Harm? Are you all right?” Mac called from the other room. “Yeah, fine,” he responded and quickly dropped the box back into the bag as if it were a hot potato. He looked again for a shirt to wear to bed. Finding none, he emerged from the bathroom bare-chested. Mac’s breath caught when she saw him. Harm gave her one his heart-stopping, flyboy grins. “Sergei seems to have forgotten to pack any undershirts for me,” he choked out. “So I see,” she said with a bemused smile that she hoped hid the desire she was desperately trying to control. “We have a bigger problem, I’m afraid.” “Oh?” “There doesn’t seem to be any spare bedding for you to use on the floor. Looks like we’ll have to share the bed,” she said averting her eyes from both Harm and the bed. “How about in that cabinet?” He asked pointing to the armoire. “Nope,” she replied and opened the doors to reveal a television, DVD player, small stereo, and an assortment of books, games, DVDs and CDs. Harm looked from Mac to the bed and back before speaking, “Well, I guess we can handle that. We’ve handled tougher assignments, and we don’t seem to have much choice. It is too cold for either of us to sleep on the floor or the couch without any covering.” “Harm, does anything about this whole trip strike you as odd?” Mac asked with a puzzled look on her face.` “Like what?” Harm asked, frowning. “Like the fact that we know nothing about this case. Our secluded lodging and its lack of ample bedding. Our attire,” she stated and looked at his bare chest then down at her nightgown. “Something just smells fishy about all of this to me.” Harm considered her words and thought about telling her about the box in his bag but decided against it. “I’m sure there must be some logical explanation for everything. I’ll call the office in the morning.” “You’re right. I guess I’m just being paranoid.” “Now there’s a switch,” he said and flashed her another one his flyboy grins. She returned the smile and walked towards the bed. “So, which side of the bed is yours, sailor?” Harm pointed to the side closest to him with a questioning look on his face. She nodded her affirmation of his choice and moved towards the opposite side of the bed. “We might as well get some sleep,” she said. She pulled the comforter back on her side of the bed and he did the same on his side. “You know,” he started. “If you would feel more comfortable, we can see if there is a motel in town tomorrow and stay there instead. Separate rooms that is.” “That would be a good idea, but…,” her voice trailed off as a thought struck her. “It would probably upset the Admiral and his friend. Maybe we can just find a sleeping bag or something?” She climbed into bed. “Sounds like a plan. What time do you think we ought to leave to be there by 0900?” “No later than 0815. The directions indicated that it would only take 30 minutes to get there, but who knows.” Harm nodded and climbed into the bed beside her. They looked at each other for what seemed to be a lifetime but was only a long moment in reality. Finally, Mac broke the eye contact. “Good night,” she said and turned her back towards Harm. “Good night,” he returned. ‘Sleep well, Sarah,’ he continued in his mind. He turned on his side so that his back was to Mac, reached up and turned off the light, and stared into the darkness. 0700 Local Time Friday, January 25, 2002 Rural West Virginia Harm was already up, dressed and rummaging around the kitchen area when Mac awoke. She couldn’t believe how well she had slept. She had thought she’d have trouble going to sleep knowing that the man she desired and loved was only inches away. Instead, she fell asleep within minutes of getting into bed and slept the whole night through. Harm noticed Mac stir. “Good morning,” he called from across the room. “I’m going to go start the car to warm it up, then I’ll make my famous omelets for breakfast!” “Sounds good! I’ll get dressed.” She waited until the door closed behind Harm before climbing out of the bed. She thought it was quite a coincidence that the ingredients Harm needed for his omelets were available in the cabin. “Oh, stop! You’re being paranoid again,” she said to her reflection in the mirror. Harm dragged the cold morning air into his lungs in hopes of cooling the desire that once again threatened to consume him. He had slept remarkably well until 0530, when he woke to discover that sometime during the night they had both turned towards each other in the bed. Mac had unknowingly snuggled up against him, and he had apparently put one arm over her. He savored this position for a few minutes before easing himself away from her and out of the bed. ‘She’d probably be horrified if she knew that we slept like that,’ he thought as he unlocked the car door. He slid into the driver’s seat and turned the key in the ignition. The car would not start. He tried three times before noticing that the gas gauge. It registered on empty. “How can that be?” He wondered aloud. Harm entered the cabin just as Mac emerged from the bathroom. “I’m beginning to think you were right last night about something not being right,” he told her. She took in his concerned look. “Why? What’s wrong?” She demanded as concern began to knot at her stomach. “The car won’t start. It is out of gas.” “How can that be? I know we had almost half a tank when we drove through the last little town yesterday. It wasn’t more than 10 miles back, so we couldn’t have used all that gas getting here.” “I don’t know,” he replied reaching for his uniform jacket still hanging on the chair. “I checked for a leak but there isn’t any evidence of one. I’m going to call for some help. You have the number for the sheriff’s office?” “No. I thought you had it,” she said growing even more concerned. “Okay. I’ll call the office. They must have it.” He punched the button to turn on his cell phone. “Oh, hell! The battery’s dead and my charger is in my car.” “Here. I’ll use mine.” Mac pulled her cell phone out of her purse and began to dial. She stopped noticing that there was no reception indicated on the display screen. She crossed the room and walked outside, but still could not get any reception. Not wanting to give up so easily, she dialed anyway and held the phone to her ear. Nothing. “No reception out here anyway,” she said. A disturbing thought crossed her mind and Harm immediately noticed her body stiffen and her face pale. He moved quickly to her side and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Mac, what’s wrong?” She turned to look at him. “Do you think Clark Palmer could have anything to do with all of this?” Harm weighed the thought carefully. He agreed that things were definitely strange, but his instinct weren’t telling him anything about the culprit - which was unusual. “No. I think I’d feel it in my gut if Palmer were behind this” he said and pulled her into his arms for a quick reassuring hug. Pulling back, he looked into her eyes and said, “Come on. How about those omelets I promised? We’ll try to figure things out while we eat. Okay?” She nodded in agreement. Twenty minutes later, they were enjoying the last of their breakfast. “So, let’s add up what we know so far,” she suggested. “The admiral hands both of us a…” “Mac,” Harm interrupted. “I’m sorry, but don’t you think it would be more beneficial to try to figure out how we are going to reach town and General Smith?” “Harm, Matthias is almost seven miles from here. It has been a very long time since I have hiked anywhere near that far, and I’m not about to do it so we can defend some retired general, Marine or not, on unknown charges,” she bit off and paused to collect herself. “Besides, Harriet didn’t pack hiking boots for me,” her voice trailed off as she thought of the things Harriet did pack for her. “You’re right. It wouldn’t be wise to hike that far without proper shoes and clothing. Let’s just wait here. I’m sure the sheriff’s office will contact JAG when we don’t show up and then someone will come looking for us,” Harm said with more confidence than he actually felt. He smiled at her, “So, what do you suggest we do while we wait?” Mac looked at him for a long moment and wondered what was going through his mind because she couldn’t voice the x-rated idea that filled her head. She loved it when he smiled at her like that. It made her heart skip and her mind believe that all was right with the world. She knew she had to answer him soon or that smile might fade as he began to think she was lost in space or something. “I think I will clean up these dishes,” she said as she stood and picked up their plates. “Why don’t you put another log on the fire and pick out a movie?” “Sounds good,” he said. He walked over to the fireplace and picked up one of the logs. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed her bend over at the sink to retrieve the dish soap from the cabinet below. Her position gave him an excellent view of the jeans molded to her bottom. The sight almost undid him. He felt his own jeans become tighter, and he turned back to his task to keep from marching over there, hauling her into his arms, and finding out if that bottom felt as good as it looked. He had had a rough time keeping his eyes off her ample breasts during breakfast. She was wearing a tight knit sweater with a neckline that gave him the briefest glimpse at the tops of her breasts. Feeling his collar was like a noose, he had reached to undo the top button only to realize it wasn’t buttoned. He hoped she had been too busy with her own thoughts to notice. ‘Whew! That was close,’ she thought. She was glad not to be sitting in front of Harm anymore. It had been so hard to keep her eyes off his chest. Even thought it was covered with a red flannel shirt, the shirt fit like a glove. Therefore, it did nothing to hide his well-developed muscles. She wasn’t sure why she asked him to put another log on the fire. She was already warm just from looking at him and imagining the things she would like to do to him. Finished with the dishes, she turned around to see Harm in profile. ‘God. He has the whole package, doesn’t he?’ Shaking the thought from her head, she asked, “So, what looks good?” ‘You,’ was the thought that came to his mind. But he knew she was referring to the movie selection. He wet his lips and said, “Well, there isn’t a big selection here: a couple of thrillers that might give both of us nightmares tonight, ‘Pearl Harbor’, one other action flick or a couple of sappy girl movies including ‘My Best Friend’s Wedding’.” As soon as the words were out his mouth, he wished he could take them back. Why did he have to name that movie? He snuck a look at her face but could not tell what she was thinking. ‘Of all the movies,’ she thought of what had almost happened a few months prior. But that was past history. Screwing up her resolve, she brightened and said, “how about ‘Pearl Harbor? I didn’t get to see that one in the theater.” Relieved that she seemed okay, he nodded and inserted the disc into the tray. Then they went to sit down. Suddenly, they realized that they were either going to have sit very close together on the loveseat or at least one of them was going to have sit on one of the hard, straight back chairs or the cold, hard floor. They looked at each other and knew instantly that they were both considering their options. “We slept in the same bed,” she started. “I guess we can manage sitting together.” She took a seat on one side of the two person couch and patted the space beside her. “I promise I won’t bite,” she teased. “Oh, darn,” he said without thinking. Did he really just say that out loud? One look at her face told him she thought he had been teasing. ‘Whew!’ He sat next to her and pushed the play button on the remote. They became engrossed in the movie and somewhere along the way, Harm put his arm along the back of the loveseat behind Mac’s shoulders. She, in turn, leaned into him a bit, and, eventually, rested her head on his shoulder and one hand on his chest. When the movie was over they suddenly became aware that Harm had been absently caressing her shoulder, and she had been lightly rubbing his chest with her fingers. All of their movements ceased as their eyes locked. Harm broke the eye contact only to drop his gaze to her sweet lips, which parted slightly in awareness and desire. Consequences be damned, he knew he wasn’t going to be able to keep from kissing her. He lowered his head slowly, giving her ample time to pull away. She moved only to change the angle of her head slightly. When he was a fraction of an inch away from his target, he stopped to take one last look into her eyes. He wasn’t sure what he expected to find there, but what he saw nearly made his heart stop from excitement. The desire in her liquid brown eyes seemed to match his own. Finally, he brushed his lips over hers in a sweet, warm, barely there kiss. It was light yet persuasive. Romantic, yet tempting. She ached for what he was still holding back. This kiss was similar to the one they shared a few weeks ago under the mistletoe. She wanted more, she wanted him to kiss her the way he had on the Admiral’s porch last spring. He yearned to give her more, but restrained himself to taking his time and care. After everything that had transpired between them over the past several months, he didn’t want to lose any ground he might have gained in winning back her trust, her friendship, her love. Her thoughts scrambled then fled all together. Her pulse raced. Her hand slowly eased its way up from his chest to his shoulder. This motion put their bodies even closer together. She parted her lips slightly, silently giving him permission to seek entrance into her mouth. Still he took his time, alternately biting and soothing her bottom lip. She moaned softly. Or was it him? He wasn’t sure. He was beginning to lose the tight grip he had on his desire. She grew impatient and chased his mouth with her own in an attempt to deepen the drugging kiss. He couldn’t suppress the moan that escaped his throat and his tongue finally sought hers. He crushed her to him and splayed his hands on her back and sides. His thumb caressed the side of one breast. Her hand cupped the back of his head and they engaged in a hot, open-mouthed, tongue tangling kiss that may have lasted several minutes or even an hour. Neither was sure how long it went on, nor did they care. Harm moaned again and, without breaking the kiss, shifted them on the loveseat so that he was leaning back and she was practically sprawled on top of him. Finally, their lungs screaming for air, they reluctantly broke the kiss. He looked into her eyes seeking answers to his silent questions, ‘Did I just screw everything up? Should I kiss you again? Should I back away?’ He could still see some of the desire in her eyes, but he thought he saw wariness, too. ‘Oh man, Harm, if you screw this up again, you are a dead man,’ he thought miserably. Mac met his gaze and tried to read his thoughts. She couldn’t. ‘What just happened here? What do I want to happen next?’ she wondered to herself. Her body was telling her to initiate another long, deep kiss, maybe something more. Her brain was telling her to let him make the next move. Her heart was warning her to be careful. Not knowing what else to do, Harm smiled at her and said a silent, ‘thank goodness,’ when she returned the smile. He lifted his head towards hers again and gave a quick peck on the lips as if he was testing the waters. When she didn’t push away or frown, he did it again. And again. And a fourth time for good measure. Finally, he spoke. “I’m…,” he started but she silenced him by placing two fingers against his lips. “Don’t you dare say you’re sorry,” she said. “Don’t you dare.” ‘Or my heart will break again,’ she finished silently. He gently wrapped his hand around her wrist, lifted her hand, placed a kiss on her palm, and said, “I was only going to say that I was sorry that I waited so damn long to do that.” He prayed it wasn’t the wrong thing to say. She looked at him for another long moment before speaking. “Me, too,” she finally said with a slight smile. Then she lowered her head and pressed her lips to his again. They finally stopped kissing when Mac’s stomach growled. “I can’t believe it’s lunch time already,” she said. Harm checked his watch. She was right again. It was 12:02. It still amazed him that she could tell time almost to the precise minute without a watch. She pushed herself off of him with a sigh. “I’ll see what I can find for lunch,” she said as she stood. “Okay,” Harm replied. Now that he had lost contact with her, he became aware of three things: that it was chilly in the cabin, that he missed having her in his arms already, and that he loved her with his whole heart. He looked over at the fireplace to see that the fire had all but died. He rose and put another log on the fire. “Find anything good?” He asked as he came up behind her. His question startled her out of her own thoughts. “Clam chowder or beef noodle soup,” she said turning to him with a can of soup in each hand. Harm chose the clam chowder by pointing to the can in her right hand. She turned back to the counter to set to work on preparing their lunch. He set the table and tried to figure out what else to do with himself. He really wanted to put his arms around her and nibble on her neck and ears, but he didn’t want to push his luck with her. He knew he should tell her that he loved her, but he was afraid of being too forward and scaring her off. The last thing he wanted was to hurt her in anyway or give her any reason to back away from him again. With the soup heating on the stove and the table set, Mac wandered back over to the entertainment cabinet. She took the movie from the machine and put it back in its case. “How about some music while we eat?” She asked. Harm joined her in looking over the small collection of a children’s music CD, a CD by a popular, but offensive rap artist, and two home burned CD’s entitled ‘Special Mix I’ and ‘Special Mix II’. They easily agreed on one of the mix CD’s. “There doesn’t seem to be a list of songs on either of these two CD’s,” she mused. “We’ll just have to see what happens.” As they sat down to bowls of steaming chowder and cups of coffee, the opening strains of U2’s ‘With or Without You’ filled the room. “Good choice so far,” Harm commented. Mac nodded her agreement. After a few minutes, Mac put her spoon down with a frown on her face. Noticing, Harm covered her hand with his and asked, “What’s the matter?” “I just now realized that no one has shown up looking for us yet.” ‘And this is a bad thing?’ Harm thought to himself. “Funny, I didn’t realize it either. I don’t think it’s time to panic, yet.” Harm commented. “Maybe the sheriff’s office got busy with something else and hasn’t noticed that we haven’t shown up?” He asked sheepishly. The pointed look Mac shot at Harm told him instantly that she didn’t buy his theory, but she let the matter drop. For now. Trying to get her mind off it, Harm asked, “How about we go for a walk outside after we clean up these dishes?” Sensing she was going to object, he continued, “We’ll stay fairly close to the cabin so we can see if the sheriff or anyone else shows up.” He gave her a look that reminded her of a young boy all but begging his mother for something. She couldn’t come up with compelling reason not to go for a walk, so she agreed. She thought it was probably safer than sitting in the cabin with him. Who knows what might happen if they picked up where they left off before lunch. As much as she enjoyed kissing him, she wasn’t sure either of them were truly ready to go beyond kissing. She turned to pick up her coat, which was lying across the end of the bed, and groaned inwardly. ‘How on earth are we going to manage sharing this bed tonight after what happened this morning?” She wondered to herself. As it turned out, Harm’s idea to take a walk had been an excellent one. The fresh air helped Mac think more clearly about things. She decided not to worry about whatever happened next and to just let nature take its course in her relationship with Harm. They climbed to the top of a hill behind the cabin. The view was breath-taking. Harm stood behind Mac and wrapped his arms around her waist. “It’s seeing sights like this that remind you that all is not wrong with the world right now.” Leaning into him a little, she said, “I know what you mean. I feel like we are the only two people on earth at the moment.” Harm leaned down to whisper in her ear, “Me too.” Then he kissed her cheek. She smiled and turned her head towards him. He pressed his lips to hers for a moment, then smiled and straightened. They stood like that for several minutes before deciding they should head back down before it became dark. Harm had considered telling her what was on his heart - what he felt for her, but was afraid it was too soon. It would be unbearable if he did anything to screw up what had taken so long to finally get right. For now, she was comfortable being in his arms, and he hoped to keep her there for as long as possible. They returned to the cabin and decided to make spaghetti for dinner. They worked companionably together. Harm prepared the sauce the and pasta while Mac fixed a salad and set the table. “How fresh are those carrots?” Harm asked and reached for one of carrots Mac had washed and cut. She gently smacked the back of his hand and pushed it away from the carrots. “You’ll spoil your appetite,” she chided with a smile. “You can wait a few more minutes can’t you?” “Yes, mom,” he intoned and grinned. She simply rolled her eyes at him. When they were finished eating, Mac asked Harm, “So how many of them do you suppose are in on this?” “Huh?” Harm asked confused. “I think I’ve finally figured out why the sheriff never came to look for us. I think someone or, more likely, some people at JAG decided we needed to spend some time alone together.” Harm thought about this for a moment. “I think you may be right. But, what reason would anyone at JAG have for getting us out of the office for two days?” He paused before continuing, "Even Leuitenant Witch, err, Singer wouldn't be interested in sending us here together." “I haven’t decided who masterminded it, but Harriet and the Admiral are definitely involved.” “Sergei, too,” Harm said without thinking. Mac raised an eyebrow. “How so?” Harm squirmed uncomfortably. “I think I’ll get started on these dishes. Why don’t you pick out a movie.” He stood and picked up his plate. He reached for hers, but she stopped him by laying her hand over his. Waiting until his eyes met hers, she asked, “What did you mean by that? How is Sergei involved?” Resigning himself, he took a deep breath and said, “Something Sergei packed for me makes me think he was let in on whatever Harriet and the Admiral are up to and not just asked to pack a bag for me.” He looked away and hoped that answer would satisfy her. One glance at her face told him it wouldn’t. He sighed in surrender. “He packed a box of condoms,” he told her before she could ask. Mac removed her hand from his, allowing him to pick up her plate. She was both amused and embarrassed by Harm’s admission. Not knowing what to say, she simply followed his earlier suggestion and wandered over to the entertainment armoire to review the movie choices. Harm watched her out of the corner of his eye as he washed the dishes. ‘Damn,’ he thought. Where previously there had been an enjoyable peace between them, now existed a strained silence. The tension in the air could probably be cut with a knife. He didn’t know what to say or how to put things right again. ‘Why couldn’t I have lied to her?’ He was so lost in his thoughts; he hadn’t noticed that she had joined him at the sink to dry the dishes. Finding his voice, he asked, “So what movie did you pick?” “I didn’t yet,” she replied without looking at him. She came back over to him and began to dry the dishes. “So, your little brother packed condoms for you, huh?” She asked with a bemused smile and a gleam in her eye. “Yeah,” he said sheepishly. “Gee, it would be a shame not to use them,” she teased. Harm nearly dropped the dish he was washing. He turned to look at her with a raised eyebrow. He didn’t know what to think about that comment. It wasn’t that he didn’t want her, the tightness of his jeans proved otherwise. “I agree,” he said with a wink and a smile. She felt a quiver of excitement run through her. Before she could respond, he placed a finger on her lips. “But I don’t think we use the availability of condoms as a reason to rush into anything. Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t that I don’t want to, I just think we should let nature take its course. Then we’ll both know when the time is right. It could be tonight. It could next week. It could be some other time. We’ve just overcome a fairly rough spot in our relationship, I don’t want jeopardize what we have together.” He waited a moment or two for her to absorb what he said. “Am I making any sense?” He asked before moving his finger away from her lips. She nodded. “We should take it slowly. Now that we have, more or less, admitted having feelings of something more than friendship, we should take care not to wreck our friendship and our working relationship. It will happen when it happens, if it happens at all,” she said and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. He responded by pulling her into a long hug. A knock at the door interrupted them. Harm wandered over to the door and peeked cautiously out the window before opening it. “May I help you?” He asked the visitor. “I’m Mike Fitzgerald, a friend of AJ’s. I own this cabin.” Harm extended his hand to the man. “Nice to meet you. I’m Harm. This is Sarah,” he said pointing to Mac. “Nice to meet you both. I’m sorry I didn’t come around earlier. I’ve been busy, but I wanted to check and make sure you two were okay out here. I apologize that the cabin is rather sparse.” “Nonsense,” Harm said. “It’s been fine.” Mac nodded her agreement. “Good! Glad to hear that. You need anything?” Mike asked. “Well, actually, our car seems to be out of gas,” Harm stated. “Would it be possible for you to take me into town to buy some gas so we can fill the tank?” “You’re car is out of gas?” Mike asked incredulously. “Lucky you made it here before it ran out.” “We had a little less than half a tank when we pulled up yesterday,” Mac told him. Mike looked confused. “But your tank is empty now?” Harm and Mac nodded. “There doesn’t appear to be a leak in the tank. There is no gas on the ground under the car. Our guess is that someone siphoned the gas out of the tank,” Harm said. “Hmm. That’s not good! Tell you what. I’ll swing by around 9:00 AM with a can of gas. I own a gas station and live next door to it, so it is no problem to get it for you.” “Thank you, Mike. We would appreciate that,” Harm said and Mac smiled. “Consider it done. I’m sorry that happened. There aren’t too many people familiar with these parts, I don’t know who could have done such a thing.” “We don’t know either, but it’s not terribly important. However, our cell phones don’t work out here, either so we weren’t able to get in touch with the Admiral to let him know we weren’t able to meet with the client. Could you possibly also let him know what happened?” Harm asked. “Certainly. Well, I best be going. I’ll be back in the morning with that gas, then you can get out of here. If you want. Feel free to stay as long as you like.” “Thank you for the invitation. We are due back at JAG on Monday,” Mac said. “Okay. Goodnight,” Mike said and turned to leave. “Goodnight. Thanks for stopping by,” Mac said. “Yes, thank you,” Harm said and shut the door behind Mike’s retreating figure. Turning to Mac, he asked, “So, how about that movie?” 0900 EST Saturday, January 26, 2002 Rural West Virginia A knock on the cabin door signaled Mike’s arrival. “Right on time,” Mac announced. Harm raised an eyebrow and looked at her. “Anxious to get out of here?” Mac blushed as she thought about their lovemaking the night before and first thing this morning. She shook her head before opening the door. “Good Morning! I put the gas in your tank. You are all set to go anytime you are ready, but you are welcome to stay as long as you like,” Mike said. “Oh, and I brought you something else,” he said and handed a bag to Mac. Mac peered into the bag and smiled. “Doughnuts!” She announced to Harm. “Thank you so much, Mike. How much do we owe you?” “Not a dime!” “Can’t we pay you something for the gas, the use of the cabin, the doughnuts?” Harm’s voice trailed off as Mike stubbornly shook his head. “No. The cabin is a favor to AJ, and the gas and doughnuts are on me. Now, I have to be getting back to my gas station. It was nice meeting you both,” Mike said looking at the two of them. Harm had moved to stand beside Mac and put his arm around her waist. “Oh!” Mike said, snapping his fingers. “I almost forgot. I talked to AJ last night and explained what happened with your car. He said not worry about the case and he doesn’t expect to see you until 1300 on Monday. Take care.” “Thanks, Mike. You too,” Harm said. “Well, Mac, do you want to leave right away, or do you think you could stand being stuck here with me for another day?” Harm asked. Mac smacked his arm. “I don’t consider it being stuck with you,” she said with a tentative smile. “I’d like to stay until tomorrow, if that’s okay. I’ll need my other uniform at home before I can go into the office on Monday.” Harm smiled at her, relieved that she wasn’t in a hurry to get away from him. He felt like he had been given a gift. “Sounds good to me,” he said and dropped a kiss on her lips. 1300 EST Monday, January 28, 2002 JAG Headquarters Harm waited for Mac before going to the Admiral’s office. Tiner announced them and they stood at attention before their commanding officer gave them permission to be seated. Looking at them carefully, he asked, “I understand you had some car trouble?” “Yes, sir. It appears as though the gas was siphoned out of the tank,” Harm stated. “Really?” AJ asked, rubbing one hand across his jaw. “What makes you think that?” “Well, sir. We had almost half a tank when we pulled up to the cabin, it was empty the next morning, and there was no sign of a leak,” Harm replied. AJ crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in his chair. “Any idea who might have done such a thing?” “We’re not sure, sir. But we do believe the trip was a set up,” Mac ventured looking to Harm for support. AJ raised an eyebrow then lowered it again and smirked. “You are correct, Colonel. You two were set up. I hope you’ll forgive the subterfuge, but I was getting tired of the two of you getting on each other’s nerves and everyone else’s,” AJ confessed. “This ex-seal still has some stealthy abilities.” AJ looked at them smugly. “You siphoned the gas, sir?” Harm asked and looked at Mac. “That’s right, Commander. I siphoned the gas so that you two would be stuck together to either work out things between you two, or kill each other.” He paused to look at them. “Since you are both sitting here I hope that means you two have finally admitted your feelings for one another.” Mac and Harm looked incredulously at one another then at AJ. “Sir?” They asked simultaneously. “I’m not blind or stupid, you two. In fact, the only people in this office who don’t seem to recognize that you have feelings that go beyond friendship for one another are you two.” He looked at them pointedly. “The tension between you two was beginning to affect other people in this office. Therefore, I felt it necessary to take drastic measures. I hope you both can forgive me.” They both nodded and he continued. “Okay. Now, as long as you two keep your personal relationship out of the office and don’t let it affect your professional relationship, I won’t separate you two. I really can’t afford to lose either of my best lawyers. Oh, and it might be best if you kept your relationship on a low profile so that my superiors don’t get wind of it until I can figure out how to best approach the situation with them,” he said with a look that clearly showed he meant business. “Do I make myself clear?” “Yes, sir!” They said in unison. “Good,” AJ said. “I think would also be wise to make certain Lieutenant Singer doesn’t get wind of it, either. She’d probably be happy to share the news with her new friend, Commander Lindsey.” Harm and Mac nodded in agreement. “Now, on a personal note,” AJ continued. “I’m very happy for both of you. “You make a terrific team at JAG and I think you could make a great couple, too.” “Thank you, sir,” Mac said with a slightly embarrassed smile. She looked at Harm, who looked like a child who got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Then, he looked at her and smiled. “Thank you, sir. I quite agree with you,” he said not taking his eyes off Mac. “Good,” AJ stated. On the exterior, he appeared the stern, commanding officer, but inside, his heart swelled with happiness for his friends. “Okay, you two, back to work!” Mac and Harm faced their commanding officer. “Yes, sir,” they said together. They stood, snapped to attention momentarily, turned, and left the Admiral’s office. The end - for now.