Title: The Halloween Party
Author: StarTrails
Summary: The gang from JAG has a little fun for Halloween, with H/M 
shipper 
moments for good measure.  (Even better than chocolate and other 
holiday 
goodies!)
Rating: PG/Humor/Shipper
Spoiler: *shrug* Through Critical Condition, I guess.
A.N. - For this piece, Singer is still at JAG.
Feedback is welcomed with open arms. Send to StarTrails@hotmail.com

October 31
Admiral Chegwidden's Residence
Maclean, VA
1930 EST

Mac knocked on the door to the Admiral's house.  AJ answered. He was 
wearing 
an Elizabethan costume, complete with a feathered hat and purple 
tights.

"Colonel, come on in.

Mac regarded him strangely, not saying anything.

"Something wrong, Colonel?"

"Uh, no Sir, it's just..."

"Spit it out, Colonel."

"Tights, Sir?"

AJ rolled his eyes. "Romeo and Juliet. That's what I get for dating a 
Shakespearean scholar, huh?"

Mac smiled. "I think it's very sweet, Sir."

"Well, enjoy it while you can. It's the first and last time you'll ever 
see 
me in a getup like this. Next year I'm dressing as a pissed off Navy 
Seal."

Mac laughed. "Yes Sir."

"Come get some punch with me." They walked across the room to a large 
table 
where fruit and hors d'oeuvres were laid out.  AJ ladled two cups of 
punch 
from a large bowl and handed one to Mac.  Noting her trenchcoat, 
business 
suit, and homemade press pass, AJ asked, "Are you supposed to be a 
reporter?"

"Lois Lane, Daily Planet, at your service, Sir."
"And where's your other half? You do know the theme of the party is 
famous 
couples?"
"Yes Sir. Superman is, uh, late, as usual."
"Late, huh? Must be Rabb then."  There was a knock at the door. "Tiner, 
would you get that please?"
"Aye Sir." Tiner's jungle-print Tarzan costume was a far cry from his 
Navy 
uniform. The date he'd brought was dressed as Jane.  AJ saw from where 
was 
that it was Harm at the door. "Well, there he is - truth, justice, and 
the 
American way himself."
Many heads turned conspicuously to get a look at the very fit Commander 
in 
his blue, red, and yellow spandex costume.
"Now that's a walking contradiction if I ever saw one," AJ commented.
"Sir?" Mac prodded.
"Superman's supposed to solve problems. All Rabb ever does is create 
'em."
Mac smiled. "You're too hard on him, Sir."
"And you're not hard *enough* on him, Mac." AJ noticed someone else 
across 
the room whom he hadn't greeted yet. "Excuse me, Colonel."
After saying hello to people as he made his way across the room, Harm 
approached Mac. "Sorry I'm late."
"Not that I didn't expect it, but it did ruin our grand entrance 
together."
"You could've waited outside, y'know."
"Out on the porch? No way. It wouldn't be the same without you." Before 
Harm 
could reply, Bud and Harriet came over.
"And who do we have here?" Mac asked playfully.
"Princess Leia," Harm said. "I'd know that hair anywhere."
Harriet was wearing a brown-haired wig, with twin buns on either side. 
"Don't tell me you had that fantasy too, Commander?"
"What fantasy?" Mac asked.
"The Princess Leia fantasy," Harriet answered. "When we were deciding 
what 
to dress up as, Bud told me he'd always had a thing for her."
"I think all warm-blooded American men had that fantasy at one time or 
another," Harm said.
Bud considered those words. "You're right, Sir. Harriet, we are leaving 
right now and coming back as ghosts, with big, shapeless sheets over 
our 
heads."
"Never mind him, Harriet, you look great," Harm countered. He looked 
down at 
his skin-tight costume. "And for my sake, I'll keep my old fantasies in 
check."
Harriet turned beet red and smiled. "Yes Sir."
Mac turned to Bud. "Then that would make you..."
"Han Solo, Ma'am, right after flying debris from the exploded Death 
Star 
shredded his leg." He chuckled. Everyone was glad Bud was getting his 
sense 
of humor back. It made them feel that much more at ease around him.
"Han Solo's the best pilot in the galaxy, right?" Mac asked, knowing it 
would irritate Harm.
"Yes Ma'am. But right now he needs to sit down." Bud and Harriet found 
a 
place on one of the sofas.
"Want me to pour you some punch?" Mac asked Harm.
He rolled his eyes. "I'll give you a punch," he joked. "Best pilot - 
hmph!"
"Whoa, Harm. Try to stay in character. Man of Steel, remember? your 
ego's 
not that easily bruised."
"It is when Lois Lane says mean things to me," he pouted.
"Just drink your punch, Flyboy," she said, handing him a cup.
A few minutes later, Lieutenant Singer approached the table to get some 
hors 
d'oeuvres. She wore a long-sleeved black gown, and her face was covered 
with 
white makeup, while her lips were painted black, as were the areas 
around 
her eyes. Her long hair was white from talcum powder and was supported 
above 
her head by several intricately placed clips. "Sir, Ma'am," she said, 
acknowledging Harm and Mac.
"Lieutenant," Harm said, surprised. He hardly recognized her. "Ah, the 
Bride 
of Frankenstein. How...creative."
"Great costume," Mac told her.
"You too, Ma'am, Sir," she replied. She looked at Harm, and took in the 
long 
red cape behind him. "Always have to be something that flies, don't you 
Sir?"
Harm was taken aback by her tone, but covered his feelings. "Force of 
habit, 
Loren. So where's your Frankenstein?"
"Over by the window. Assistant to the Junior Deputy of the U.S. Mission 
to 
France."
"Your Rolodex must be enormous," Harm said.
"As big as it can be, Sir. It's a small Navy." She took her plate and 
walked 
back to her date.
Harm took a plate as well and chose from among the finger foods. He was 
about to sample a stuffed mushroom when AJ approached quickly and 
grabbed 
his arm. "Commander," he said quietly, "far be it for me to tell you 
what to 
eat, but I thought you might like to know Meredith made those."
Harm's eyes went wide and he put the plate down. "Yes Sir, thank you 
Sir!"
Mac eyed several chafing dishes. "Is there anything safe to eat, Sir?"
"Yeah," AJ whispered, "the pizza we're gonna order after everyone 
leaves, 
including her. So stick around."
Mac smiled. "Yes Sir." She looked from the Admiral to Harm. "I can't 
believe 
you're both in tights." AJ gave her a stern look. "Uh, with *respect*, 
Sir."
"Of course."
"What are you supposed to be anyway, Sir?" Harm asked.
"Romeo. Meredith is Juliet."
"Uh, you do know that play's a tragedy, right? They both die at the 
end."
"I know, Commander, all too well. If I see any black cats, I'm runnin' 
for 
my life."
After a little while, Mac went outside to get some fresh air and Harm 
mingled with Mattoni and his wife, who were perfect as Sonny and Cher, 
complete with bell bottoms and other 70's accessories. Soon after, he 
went 
to join Mac on the porch.
Mac was facing the street, but she could feel Harm's presence even 
before 
she heard or saw him. "Deja vu, huh?"
"Oh, I don't know, Mac." He observed her suit and trenchcoat. "As I 
recall, 
you were wearing a lot less than that last time."
"Not that much less."
"That dress didn't leave much to the imagination."
"Harm, it was just a regular dress. Not skimpy at all."
"It was skimpy enough. Like you were rubbing my face in it."
"In what?"
"Your engagement. Like you were showing me all the good stuff Brumby 
was 
going to have."
Mac put her hand up. "Harm, stop it right now. I will not do this out 
here 
again with you. First of all, that's history, and second, this is a 
party 
and I am not going to let you dampen my mood."
Harm was lost for words, and Mac shivered slightly in the cool autumn 
air. 
"Want me to warm you up with my special heating laser beams?"
"I can think of better ways to warm me up than that," she teased.
"How do you do it, Mac?"
"Do what?"
"Look equally beautiful whether you're berating me or teasing me. Or 
standing up to object in court. Or getting into your car. Or eating a 
sandwich, for that matter."
Mac was confused. "Something's frying your brain, Superman. There must 
be 
some kryptonite around here somewhere." She pretended to look around 
the 
porch, and Harm grabbed her, putting his hands on her shoulders.
"*You* are my kryptonite."
"Excuse me?"
"Don't you know anything about Superman?"
"I know enough."
"Then you know that kryptonite was very special to him. After all, it's 
pieces of Krypton, the only physical link to his home. So it's 
extremely 
important, but it's dangerous to him. It makes him weak."
"So how am I like that?"
"Don't you know by now, Sarah?" he said, and he brought one hand to her 
face 
and caressed her cheek. "So special. So incredibly special to me, but 
when 
you're around, I get weak. Tongue-tied. Can't compose a single sentence 
that 
makes sense."
"Try."
"You and me, we're a lot like Lois and Superman."
"How so?"
"Earth and Krypton. Two different worlds. Fate brought them together. 
Destiny. A lot of bad things had to happen for that good to come out of 
it. 
Krypton had to explode."
"You had to crash," Mac followed.
"You had to have a life that led you to the Marine Corps."
"And our destiny?"
"Began in the rose garden."
"And where does it end?"
"Wherever you want it to," he said. "Why don't you take the controls 
for a 
while? I want to be the RIO for a change. I'm gonna sit back and enjoy 
the 
ride."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mac awoke to a loud knocking on her door. She must've fallen asleep 
waiting 
for Harm to pick her up for the party. She opened the door and Harm was 
there in his Superman costume.
"You ready?" he asked.
She considered his question, and all it might imply. She looked deep 
into 
his eyes and nodded slowly. "I've been waiting forever."

The End.