TITLE: "Time Gives and Time Takes Away" Ch.3
                    AUTHORS:  Anne R. and Pat Steiner
                    SUMMARY:   The third chapter of what will be an ongoing series in 2003 
featuring Lt. Cdr. Hunter Reed.   Story began in the summer of 2002, without the Sergei or 
Singer stories, nor the events of Enemy Below  a factor.
                    CLASSIFICATION/RATING:   J/S/R/A    PG for language and mild violence.
                    SPOILERS:  In any of our work, any JAG episode may be referred to.
                    FEEDBACK:  If you're so moved but never expected nor begged for.  Addy is 
ssbpmn@aol.com.  Please however, we request you respect the work, and the effort that 
goes into writing it.
                    NOTE:  All parts of this story and previous chapters, as well as much of our 
other works, are available at 
                                  
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subbing required.  Please ignore any notice of adult content you may see-there is no R nor 
NC17 content there.
                                  
                                  Other archives containing our stories:
                                  
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http://www.netroenterprises.com/exlibrisjag
                                                
                                                or the Harm-Mac shipper archive at    
http://hmarchive.topcities.com/index2.html  [sadly, not always up and running]
                                  
                                            or BTL-
                                            http://www.wtv-zone.com/trgarchive/btl/
                                            http://destined.to/btlarchive - {BTL H/M Fanfiction archive.}

===============
Previously in Time Gives—
          Meeting Lt. Cdr. Hunter Reed at Patuxent River during a mishap investigation, Harm 
and Mac soon become embroiled in sabotage and murder.  With the death of the instigator 
and Hunter's career-ending crash,  Mac and Harm return to DC while Hunter recuperates 
and the closeness between the two JAG officers grows more apparent.
================== 

JAG HQ
Nov. 2002
 
 "Colonel Mackenzie?"
 
 "Come in," Mac called without looking up from her computer.
 
 "Thanks I think I will."  A second later Hunter strode toward her, a cane having replaced his 
crutches.
 
 "Well look at you Flyboy," she gasped.  "When did this happen?  Why didn't you tell me?"
 
 "Today at rehab," he grinned happily.  "Walking cast now.  I didn't even tell Harm, who 
about fell over when he came to pick me up and I walked out to the car."
 
 "He's got that right," Harm said from behind.  "And he's got more news as well."
 
 "I'm returning to limited duty on Monday," Hunter smiled.
 
 "And he's actually almost halfway excited about it."
 
 "Yeah OK I am a little," He admitted.  "For a while in college I toyed with the idea of law 
enforcement.  I guess that's why I took right away to working with you guys.  I have a minor 
in criminology anyway, enough that it's on my record as a secondary designator.  And the 
prognosis on the foot is that it's going to heal enough that I can qualify."
 
 "For what for crying out loud?" she yelped.
 
 "NCIS.  I'm going to take a 4 week course in procedures and then I get assigned to a 
training officer."
 
 "I'm impressed," she smiled, shaking her head in amazement.
 
 "I fly Tomcats," Harm spoke up, echoing a long ago comment of his when she had been 
talking about Dalton Lowne.
 
 "Yes you do and you're going to do that soon aren't you," she sighed, remembering what 
was troubling her if she allowed herself to dwell on it.
 
 "Yes I have quals coming up thank you.  And two weeks of flight duty to help give some 
pilots some stand down time and to keep up my flight hours.  I put in the paperwork just for 
the hell of it and no one was more surprised than me when it was approved."
 
 "Whoa I didn't hear about that," Hunter said quietly, his eyes narrowing.  "Where is this?"
 
 "Off the Stennis in the Gulf, the no-fly zone over Iraq," he said casually, keeping his eyes 
averted from both of them.
 
 "Mac did you know about this?"
 
 "I knew he had quals coming," she answered quietly, recovering her surprise.  "And I was 
bothered enough about that.  Now I've gone from concerned, passing worried, to semi-
panicked."
  
  "Mac it's no big deal" Harm sighed. "I'm sorry I brought it up."
  
  "When did you plan on telling me you were going to be gone for two weeks?"
  
  "Maybe I should take a walk," Hunter said as he looked back and forth 
  between them. "I think you two need to talk."
  
  "If you wouldn't mind Hunter" Mac said quietly. "There's a lounge down the 
  hall if you want to sit."
  
  "Sure no problem. I'll just be outside wandering around."
  
  Neither seemed to notice he'd left her office, carefully closing the door 
  behind him.
  
  "I'll repeat my question. When did you plan on telling me you were going to 
  be in the Gulf for two weeks."
  
  "I don't know," he admitted. "I knew you'd be upset but I didn't think you'd 
  be this upset. It's not like I'm going to be gone for six months. It's just 
  two weeks."
  
  "Two weeks in the middle of an area that's ready to explode" she whispered.
  
  "And this is why I didn't tell you ahead of time. I figured you'd spend 
  enough time worrying while I was gone as it is."
  
  "Why are you doing this? Why aren't you just doing your quals? What are you 
  trying to prove?"
  
  "I'm not trying to prove anything" he sighed.
  
  "Yes you are. You're doing this because you saw what happened to Hunter. You 
  don't want what little flying career you have left taken away from you 
  either."
  
  "Maybe. Hell Mac I don't know. It just seemed like a good idea at the time."
  
  "I really wish you'd told me about this" she sighed.
  
  "I'm sorry. But I didn't want you to worry. And it's just two weeks. I'll be 
  back before you know it. And it's really no big deal."
  
  "So I'm just over reacting here?" she asked.
  
  "Yes you are. It's going to be fine."
  
  "It better be" she sighed as she walked into his arms, allowing him to give 
  her a hug. "Because we're working on something here sailor. And there can't 
  be an us if you're not around."
  
  "I'll be around. Always," he promised as he held her tightly.
  
  Outside the office Hunter looked around the JAG office. It was his first 
  visit to the offices and he was surprised at how busy it was.
  
  "Can I help you?" Harriet asked as she returned to her desk to find Hunter 
  standing nearby.
  
  "I'm just waiting for Harm and Mac" Hunter smiled.
  
  "You must be Hunter" Harriet smiled as she recognized the handsome man Mac 
  had told her about. "I'm Harriet Sims."
  
  "Nice to meet you" Hunter nodded. "Mac said there was a lounge somewhere I 
  could wait in. I'm not real used to being on my ankle yet."
  
  "Oh of course. It's just down the hall.  Let me show you."
  
  She guided him down the hall to the visitors lounge and he gratefully sank 
  into one of the chairs.
  
  "Thank you. This is much better."
  
  "I'll let them know you're down here" Harriet replied. "Can I get you 
  anything while you're waiting?"
  
  "No I'm fine. Just needed to get off my feet."
  
  "Well if you need anything holler" Harriet smiled. "And I'll see if the 
  Colonel and Commander are done yet."
  
  "It might be a while" Hunter sighed as he leaned back in the chair.
  
  Harriet gave him a curious look but said nothing as she walked out. He 
  closed his eyes as the throbbing in his ankle began again.
  
  "Who are you?" a voice demanded. "And what are you doing here?"
  
  His eyes flew open and he looked up at the blonde Lieutenant. "Hunter Reed. I'm 
  waiting for Harm and Mac."
  
  "I'm sorry" Loren Singer smiled as she looked over the handsome man in front 
  of her. "I didn't mean to snap at you like that."
  
  "It's okay. I suppose I should have a pass or something. Harm just brought 
  me up so I figured it was okay."
  
  "So you're friends of the Commander and Colonel?" Loren asked.
  
  "Yeah. I'm staying with Harm right now until I get back on my feet."
  
  "I'm Lt. Loren Singer. I'm a big part of the JAG staff here. One day I'm 
  going to be the first female JAG."
  
  "I see" he nodded.
  
  "So what do you do Hunter?" Loren asked.
  
  "That's Lieutenant Commander Reed to you" Harm said as he walked into the lounge, 
  "Sorry Hunter. We didn't mean to leave you hanging like that."
  
  "No problem" Hunter said as he pushed himself to his feet. "I just needed to 
  sit and Harriet was kind enough to show me the way down here."
  
  "Well we're ready if you are" Harm continued. "Lieutenant if you'll excuse us."
  
  She gave Harm a long glare before smiling again at Hunter. "Nice meeting 
  you. Maybe I'll see you around."
  
  "Maybe" Hunter said with a forced smile.
  
  Loren gave him once last look before leaving the lounge.
  
  "Okay who is she?" Hunter asked when she was gone.
  
  "Loren Singer" Harm sighed. "The biggest pain in my six for the past few 
  years."
  
  "Yeah I got the feeling you to don't like each other" Hunter smiled. "She 
  told me she was big part of the JAG staff."
  
  "In her dreams" Harm scoffed.
  
  "Well thank you for saving me. The looks she was giving me was kind of 
  freaky."
  
  "She liked you" Harm laughed.
  
  "Can we go before she comes back? And next time I come here, don't leave me 
  alone."
  
  "Afraid of the Lieutenant.?" Harm grinned.
  
  "Yes. Now are you and Mac okay?"
  
  "She's not happy that I'm going but I guess she's okay now" he sighed.
  
  "Well you can't blame her. You conveniently forgot to mention you'd signed 
  up for two weeks of duty in a war zone."
  
  "I didn't want her to worry."
  
  "Why didn't you mention it to me?" Hunter asked.
  
  "I figured you didn't want to be reminded of what you couldn't do," Harm 
  said quietly. "So I kept it to myself."
  
 "Harm you don't have to baby me," he grunted.
 
 "I know I don't.  Look it came up suddenly.  I applied to do my quals and the Captain asked 
me if I'd like to stay on and join the squadron just to provide some pilot relief.  Naturally I 
jumped at the chance and submitted the paperwork; and then when I thought about it later I 
realized two weeks is a long time to be away from Mac but I'm committed."
 
 "And you want to, pretty bad," Hunter grinned.
 
 "Uh. . .guilty yeah.  It's not easy to live in two worlds.  I failed at returning to a flight career 
full time but it's always been in my blood.  What keeps me grounded of course is. . .well you 
know what it is.  So you up for a little outing in Sarah?  We take Mac, some food, and head 
out to Leesburg soon as we can.  You can show me what you've got."
 
 "Oh yeah.  And the other thing I wanted to talk to you about is finding a place.  Now that I 
know I'm staying in DC I need to get out of your hair."
 
 "Well there's certainly no rush," Harm frowned.  
 
 "Now that I can get around, I think it's time.  I mean what if you and Mac want to have some 
time alone?"
 
 "There's always her place," he laughed.  "Seriously there's no hurry for that.  I would 
suggest though if you want to find a place you not look where you're presently staying.  
When I moved in there I thought the neighborhood was kind of turning around but lately it's 
more of a war zone than ever.  I'm honestly getting concerned about having Mac driving 
through there when she comes."
 
 "Maybe I'll look over in Mac's part of town then," he mused.
 
 "Yeah good idea," Harm nodded, hoping he sounded convincing.
 
 "Are you two boys ready to go?" Mac called, catching up to them.  "And Harm don't think 
I've  forgotten we're going to talk plea bargain for Cpl. Mathias.  If you can curb your desire 
to give him the Chair."
 
 "I could be talked into a firing squad," he grinned.
 
 "Funny.  And then we're going to talk about this flying thing and why you didn't tell me."
 
 "What a fun evening," he muttered.  
 
 "Please drop me off first," Hunter begged.
 
 "Not necessary," Harm told him.
 
 "Yeah it is.  I've got some preliminary reading for my orientation that came with my 
assignment and actually guys, the truth is, I'm feeling a lot like a third wheel here."
 
 "Hunter. . ."Mac began only to have Harm shake her off.  
 
 "Man needs a little space.  And besides he doesn't need to hear the lecture you're wanting 
to give me on the flying thing."
 
 "Thank you," Hunter grinned, "and that reminds me, Mac I'm about to be in the market for 
an apartment.  I don't suppose there's anything in your building?"
 
 Harm held his breath, awaiting her reply.
 
 "No there's not.  There's only a dozen apartments anyway and likely the people that have 
them will die holding them because the rents are cheap.  Lord knows that's how I got mine--I 
was there when this poor lady's son came in to the landlord to tell him his mother had died.  
But you're interested in my area?"
 
 "Yeah I think so," Hunter nodded.  "Harm discouraged me from his, and yours is an easy 
drive to the Navy Yard anyway."
 ================
 They took Hunter back to Harm's as he requested and then to Mac's for dinner and to work 
on the case, both carefully avoiding the subject of his departure until Mac finally quietly 
jammed her fist onto the folder.  "We're not getting anywhere here, so let's table this a 
minute and tell me about flying.  Why?  On second thought no don't even bother.  I know 
why.  Just why didn't you tell me you were thinking about it?"
    
  "Mac" he groaned. "We've been through this already. I didn't tell you 
  because I knew you would freak like this. And for no good reason I might 
  add."
  
  "No good reason? I'd call something happening every time you go up in the 
  air a good reason."
  
  "Its not every time" he sighed. "And you know that. I have plenty of flying 
  hours without incident."
  
  "Okay fine. But recently you've had your share of close calls."
  
  "And because of that I shouldn't do this?"
  
  "I don't know" she sighed. "I just wish you hadn't sprung this on me like 
  this. Especially after watching what happened to Hunter. I'm still having 
  nightmares about that as it is."
  
  "I'm not Hunter" he reminded her. "And nothing is going to happen."
  
  "You're so sure of that?"
  
  "Mac if I worried about something happening I would never fly. And that's 
  not going to happen until the Navy tells me I'm out."
  
  "It doesn't matter what I think does it?" she asked quietly.  "That's why 
  you didn't tell me."
  
  "Mac" he sighed.
  
  "Never mind. Let's just forget about it."
  
  "Can you forget about it? Or are you going to be mad at me until I leave?"
  
  "Yes I'll forget about it. But next time could you remember that we're 
  supposed to be working on a relationship here and that usually means you 
  communicate with the other person."
  
  "I'm sorry. I messed up."
  
  "Just promise me it won't happen again," she said softly. "Because I'd like 
  to think I'm a part of your life."
  
  "You are" he whispered. "A very big part that I don't want to lose."
  
  He leaned forward, their lips meeting in a gentle but meaningful kiss.
  
  "Am I forgiven?" he asked with a small smile when they parted.
  
  "For the moment" she smiled.
  
  "Good. Then you'll come with Hunter and me when we go out to Leesburg on 
  Saturday? They're calling for a warm weekend before the winter blast hits."
  
  "You really going to let him fly Sarah?" Mac asked.
  
  "Sure why not. As long as he can handle it. And of course I'll take you up 
  as well."
  
  "No poachers?"
  
  "No. We won't even land away from the airfield."
  
  "Then of course I'll go" she smiled.
  
  ******************
  Saturday Afternoon
  Leesburg, VA
  
  "There she is" Harm said proudly as he and Mac and Hunter walked into the 
  hanger.
  
  "Nice" Hunter nodded. "You did all the work on her yourself?"
  
  "Most of it. So what do you think?"
  
  "I think I'm ready to take her up" Hunter grinned. "She may not be a Tomcat 
  but at this point I'll take anything."
  
  "Exactly how I felt after my crash" Harm smiled. "That's why I worked so 
  hard to get her together."
  
  "You boys aren't going to get lost are you?" Mac smiled. "Or should I go 
  find the nearest mall and come back in a few hours."
  
  "We won't abandon you" Harm assured her. "And I did promise you a ride too."
  
  "Take care of Mr. Reed first" she laughed. "He's going to explode if he 
  doesn't get in that cockpit soon."
  
  "You know me too well already" Hunter sighed.
  
  "All right. Let me check her over and then we'll head on up."   

  "Be sure you look at the fuel line there Ace," Mac called.  "And then if you come back alive 
you can take me."
  
  "She's a beauty all right," Hunter approved looking over the yellow craft.
  
  "Yeah they take good care of her when I'm not able to," he nodded, gesturing to the hangar 
and then drew Mac into his embrace.  "You gonna wish your Flyboys luck?"
  
  "You are so full of yourself," she groaned, nevertheless capturing his lips in a long kiss. 
  
  "Get a room you guys, and Harm we're burning daylight."
  
  "For that no hug for you," Harm laughed, pushing Mac aside. "OK Pilot get up there.   I'll let 
you take it off."
  
  "Harm look at the clouds," Mac spoke up suddenly, grabbing his arm urgently.
  
  "The flight weather report said there was a front coming in, but we've got time," he soothed.  
"Relax honey. I won't take any chances with your boy here."
  
  "Or yourself please."
  
  "Yes ma'am."  He tossed her one of his standard smiles and headed for the plane, clapping 
Hunter's shoulder as they went.
  
  Mac stepped back from the plane and could not help holding her breath as it took off.  She 
watched until it was a yellow speck above the mountains and busied herself with the picnic 
food.  She could not help keep an eye out for the Stearman and a long forty minutes later 
heard the engine.  Torn between wanting to run to the strip and afraid to look, she settled for 
kneeling on the blanket, finding herself hardly daring to breathe and hating that she had so 
little faith, but the wind had picked up and the sky had grown totally overcast and she could 
not help but be concerned.
================  
  "You got it Harm?" Hunter called from the front cockpit.
  
  "Yeah watch and learn son."
  
  "Heavy weather moving in.  Where did this dark come from?"
  
  "These fronts come in over the mountains all the time.  We'll pick up a little crosswind and 
haze."
  
   "Well be careful.  Mac is watching."
  
  Harm brought the plane over the field for his first pass and turned to line up with the 
runway.
  
  "Harm you're off the glide path," Hunter called lightly.
  
  "Not."
  
  Hunter turned to him, wondering if he was serious or messing with his head.  "Harm?"
  
  "What is your problem?"
  
  "Harm you're not lined up I'm telling you."
  
  "Look do you know how many times I've made this landing?" Harm snapped.
 
 "And you know perfectly well none of them matter.  Only the landing we're trying to make.  
You are not lined up.  That white line down the center is there for a reason."
 
 "Thank you.  I didn't realize I was up here to get flight lessons.  You just need to quiet 
yourself and let me do this."
 
 "Harm. . ." Hunter tried once more.
 
 "Not another word mister," Harm raged, feeling himself strain forward to see through the 
swirling haze and the darkening sky.
 
 "Yes sir," Hunter sighed, bracing himself.
 
 The yellow Stearman swooped low over the field and Harm knew his wings were wobbling 
as he sought the field.  
 
 "Mac's watching," Hunter said quietly, having seen her at the edge of the field.
 
 She was indeed watching for she had heard the plane and saw that Harm was not making a 
straight-in landing but instead was hovering over the field in hesitation.  "Harm what the hell 
are you doing up there," she muttered, feeling the first fear tickle her spinal cord.
    
 Above her Harm struggled to line the plane up, squinting hard to see below 
 him. He hadn't had this much of a problem the last time he'd flown. Why was 
 he now?
 
 "Harm--wave off. You'd better go around" Hunter yelled as he realized it 
 had taken Harm too long to lineup. They would run out of runway before they 
 could get stopped.
 
 "No I've got it" Harm snapped and proceeded to bring the plane down towards 
 the runway.
 
 Hunter could only close his eyes and brace himself as he waited. Harm let 
 out a litany of swear words as he realized Hunter was right, the runway 
 quickly running out in front of them. Moments later they were jolted hard as 
 the wheels ran out of asphalt, bouncing hard on the ground.
 
 Mac watched the landing with muted horror, stifling a cry as the plane ran 
 off the runway. It finally came to a stop and she hurried towards it.
 
 "Well I have to say that was an adventure," Hunter said as he let out a long 
 breath.
 
 "Harm, Hunter are you okay?" Mac demanded as she reached the plane.
 
 "We're fine" Hunter answered for both of them.
 
 "Harm what happened?" Mac asked as she climbed up the wing and crouched next to 
Harm.
 
 "I just blew the landing" he shrugged. "That's all. It happens sometimes. 
 But with this weather there's no way I'm taking you up now. It's not safe 
 with this front coming through."
 
 Hunter opened his mouth to speak and promptly closed it. He would take up 
 the matter with Harm later. He carefully climbed out of the plane, Harm and 
 Mac joining him a moment later.
 
 "Well I'm glad you two are okay. You really know how to scare a girl."
 
 "There was nothing for you to be scared about" Harm said with a forced 
 smile. "I had it under control the whole time."
 
 "I guess we'll need to take our picnic inside" Mac sighed as the first of 
 the raindrops began to fall.
 
 "Hunter why don't you help her while I get Sarah put away."
 
 "Whatever you say" Hunter murmured.
 
 "You okay?" Mac asked as she and Hunter quickly gathered up the picnic 
 basket and food.
 
 "Yeah I'm fine. I was just having a few flashbacks there for a while. But at 
 least we weren't traveling at 250 miles per hour."
 
 "Thank god. I'd be having another heart attack."
 
 They hurried inside just as the heavy rain began to fall, Hunter limping in 
 behind Mac. Minutes later Harm had Sarah put away and he joined them in the 
 hanger.
 
 "Mac do you mind if we call it a day?" Hunter sighed. "I'm really kind of 
 tired and if you don't mind I'd rather we just head home."
 
 "Yeah sure" Mac frowned as she looked at him. "You okay?"
 
 "Yeah I'm just tired. You know I'm not back to myself yet."
 
 She nodded and looked at Harm. "Is that okay? I know you had big plans for 
 today?"
 
 "No that's fine," Harm said quietly. "We'll just do this another day when 
 the weather is better."
 
 The ride back to DC was made in silence; Mac getting the feeling she'd 
 missed something while they were up in the air. That feeling only grew when 
 Harm headed to her place first.
 
 "I guess this means you're not staying" she sighed as he pulled up in front 
 of her building.
 
 "Rain check on that offer" he smiled. "I'll call you tomorrow."
 
 "You two stay out of trouble" Mac said softly. She leaned over to Harm and 
 dropped a quick kiss before heading out.
 
 "So how long has your vision been off?" Hunter asked once they were alone. 
 "I'm guessing for a while because that's how we got in that accident at Pax. 
 You couldn't see the road until it was too late."
 
 "Reed my vision is just fine" Harm snapped.
 
 "Yeah that's why you blew the landing" Hunter countered. "If we'd been in a 
 Tomcat Mac would have been planning both our funerals."
 
 "Well we weren't."
 
 "Yeah but you will be real soon," Hunter said quietly. "And I'm betting 
 you're not going to offer to the CAG that you're having problems seeing are 
 you?"
 
 "I am not having problems seeing" Harm shouted as his fist slammed the 
 steering wheel. "So just drop it Hunter."
 
 "Dammit Harm you may not care about yourself and that's fine. But that woman 
 loves you and if anything happened to you she'd be devastated."
 
 "Well it would make it real easy for you now wouldn't?" Harm retorted.
 
 "You know you really are a self centered egotistical jerk" Hunter sighed. 
 "You don't even care about what it would do to Mac if something happened to 
 you. All you care about if proving you've still got it."
 
"Don't even," Harm warned sharply.  "Don't you even start to demean what I feel for her by 
comparing it to flying.  They're totally separate things.  I need Mac to live, but I need flying to 
be alive.  And I don't believe I'm waxing poetic to you."

"OK let's just drop it," Hunter muttered, sending him a sidelong glance and shaking his head 
at the same time, his mind already debating his dilemma.  It was not safe for Harm to fly 
given his eyes.  He could kill himself, his RIO and/or a whole lot of carrier deck crew, not to 
mention destroying the woman he loved.  Hunter just was not sure what he should do about 
it.
==================
For the next several days Harm and Hunter remained cool to each other, and Mac carefully 
refrained from bringing up the incident to either of them.  A wary truce existed and it was 
working for the most part.

"Mac you wanted to talk plea bargain on Phillips?" Harm asked, breezing into her office and 
plopping down tiredly.  "And fair warning, if you come out with anything but life in front of a 
firing squad you're going to have a fight."

"Then maybe I'll wait until you're in a better mood," she smiled.  "You want to tell me what's 
wrong?"

"I was expecting my flight orders by now is all," he groused.  "I swear the Navy would screw 
up a wet. . .never mind.  And you're right.  I'm in no mood to give the jerk. . .I mean Lt. 
Phillips. . .any kind of a break."

"And I know something more than just the slow personnel system is bothering you," she said 
softly, not looking up.  "But I also know you and I know I'm not going to hear what it is until 
you're ready to tell me."

"You know me too well," he sighed.  

"Is it us?"

Her question hit him between the eyes and he at once leaned forward in his chair, reaching 
for her hand.  "No.  NO.  That we're finding our way is one of the things that's right in my 
life."

"OK thanks," she breathed.  "And to change to a safer subject, wonder how Hunter did with 
his class today, and if he's still coming to see that apartment in the building around the 
corner from me.  He'd better not let it get away, they don't come easy in his price range."

"I was going to suggest he look at something in Fredericksburg."

"What?  Why would he want. . ." she yelped before she realized he was being sarcastic.
"Harm do we have to go over that again?"

"No let's not," he sighed.  "And to show you what kind of a guy I am, if he's wanting to see 
the apartment, tell him we'll get some Chinese and take it back to your place after. And I 
promise by then my attitude will have improved.  Some."
===========
CHILTON GARDENS APTS
3 Hours Later

"This is really not bad," Hunter declared, looking around.  "Certainly it's the best thing I've 
seen that I can afford that didn't have a condemned sign on the door.  And Mac I can look 
out here and see your bedroom windows."

"I guess that means you'll be installing a telescope," Harm muttered.

"Hey Flyboy what happened to that attitude check?" Mac chided him.  "Hunter if you want 
this, you'd better go leave a deposit check.  You know it won't be here tomorrow."

"Yeah OK, and then I'm starved.  Later we can order my telescope off the Internet.  
Seriously Harm your letting me stay with you was great, but it's time for me to get out of your 
hair.  And time for me to start developing a life of my own here.  You guys are great, but I 
should be finding my own Mac."

"Amen," Harm said with more vehemence than he intended.  "Sorry.  Touchy subject."

"You've been touchy about everything," Mac frowned.  "Come on let's get you some food.  
Maybe feeding your stomach will help.  And Hunter can tell us how is training is going."  She 
looped her arm through Hunter's and reached for Harm's hand, urging them both out.
===================
1 WEEK LATER
JAG HQ

"Goddamit what is the matter with those people," Harm screeched, the volume turning 
everyone's head toward his office, including AJ's, being that he was standing at Tiner's desk.

"Colonel," he started, turning to Mac who was talking to Bud.

"Yes sir, I'll go muzzle him," she sighed, striding to Harm's office and closing the door.

"OK now that you've gotten everyone's attention, including the Admiral's, what are you 
screaming about?"

"Only this," he shouted again, flinging a piece of paper in her face.  "Sorry," he added hastily 
as she took it and scanned the contents.

"Uh. . .I don't get it.  You just had a regular physical not that long ago and you were fine," 
she frowned.  "Why would they think they'd want to look at you again?  And why would they 
hold up your flight orders."  Her face blanched.  "Harm did they find something in your 
regular physical you didn't tell me about?  Something serious?"

"No of course not.  And this is bullshit too.  I have current flight status.  I shouldn't need to 
take a flight physical.  Report to the flight surgeon at Bethesda my ass.   Who do they think 
they're dealing with, some newly pinned Lieutenant for godsake."

"Well I know one thing, if you don't calm down, you're probably going to have a stroke before 
you get there," she frowned.  "Big deal.  Take the physical.   It gets you out of this zoo for an 
afternoon you should welcome it."
 
 "No" he shouted. "I am not having a physical. This is ludicrous."
 
 "Harm what is the big deal here?" Mac demanded. "Why do you not want to have 
 a physical."
 
 "Because I don't need one" he snapped as he picked up his phone. "And I'm  
 going to find out whose bright idea this was."
 
 "Okay" Mac sighed. "I'll leave you alone."
 
 She walked out of his office, making sure she closed the door behind her.
 
 "Everything okay Colonel?" AJ asked as he followed her to her office.
 
 "Well you know he's been waiting for his orders for his quals" Mac said 
 slowly. "And instead of getting his orders he got a notice that he needs to 
 report to Bethesda for a physical before his flight orders are granted."
 
 "So he goes and has a physical and then he'll get his orders."
 
 "That's what I tried to tell him" Mac sighed. "But he's been in this mood 
 recently and of course nothing I said meant anything to him."
 
 "Do you know what this mood is about?" AJ asked.
 
 "To be honest sir I don't. I just know after the afternoon we took Hunter to 
 Leesburg to go up in Sarah he's been like this. I have no idea what in the 
 world happened that put him in this mood."
 
 "Well if you find out, fix it" AJ said as he walked out.
 
 "Aye aye sir" Mac sighed.  She sat there for several minutes before picking 
 up the phone and dialing Hunter's cell phone. It was nearly lunchtime and 
 she hoped she'd catch him between training classes.
 
 "Hello"
 
 At his cheery voice she couldn't help but smile. "Hi Hunter it's Mac. I hope 
 I didn't catch you at a bad time but I really need to talk to you."
 
 "No perfect timing. We just broke for lunch. Is this something we can 
 discuss on the phone or would you rather meet somewhere?"
 
 "If you can manage, I'd like to meet you. Please."
 
 "Mac is something wrong?" Hunter asked. "You sound upset."
 
 "Nothing bad like that. Just something I really need to talk to you about."
 
 "Fine. Do you want me to come there?"
 
 "No. I'll come there. And thanks."
 
 With a sigh she hung up and reached for her purse. For a moment she 
 considered telling Harm where she was going but decided against it. Likely 
 he wouldn't even notice she was gone. And hopefully Hunter would provide her 
 with some answers to what was going on with Harm.
 
 He was waiting for her outside the offices of NCIS at the Navy Yard and 
 quickly hoped inside the 'Vette.
 
 "Okay what's up?" he asked. "And let me guess it's something to do with 
 Harm. Otherwise you wouldn't be having lunch with me."
 
 "Well you know Harm has been waiting for his flight orders. And today 
 instead of his flight orders he got an order to report to Bethesda for a 
 physical before his flight orders are granted."
 
 Hunter said nothing and Mac glanced over at him as she reached a red light.
 
 "You're not surprised," she said quietly. "Why?"
 
 "Mac I don't know how to tell you this" Hunter said slowly. "But I'm the 
 reason Harm got that order."
 
 "You? I don't get it?"
 
 "I made a call and told someone that I thought Harm needed to take a 
 physical before he did his quals."
 
 "What?" Mac screeched. "Why did you do that? You know how much flying means 
 to him. After everything he's done for you, you turn around and do that to 
 him."
 
 "Mac I did it because I care about you" Hunter sighed.
 
 "No you did it because he can fly and you can't" Mac snapped. "Isn't that it?"
 
 "No Mac it's not" he said calmly. "And I would hope that by now you would 
 know me better than that."
 
 "Then why did you do it?" she demanded.
 
 "Do you remember the day Harm took me up in Sarah?" he sighed. "The day he 
 blew the landing?"
 
 "How could I forget. Since that day he's been a bear to deal with."
 
 "Mac the reason he blew the landing was because he was having problems 
 seeing" Hunter said quietly. "I tried to tell him but he didn't want to 
 listen. He finally realized it when it was too late. That's why we ran out 
 of runway."
 
 "You're saying Harm is having problems seeing?" she whispered.
 
 "Yes. You remember the accident we had at Pax when we went to see the Master 
 Chief. Same thing. I told him where the road was but he didn't see it until 
 he was right on top of it."
 
 "And you've spoken to Harm about this haven't you?" she said quietly. "And 
 that's why you and him have been at odds since that day."
 
 "Yes I did. And of course he wasn't listening. So I did what I thought was 
 the right thing. For both of you. Mac do you realize what could happen if 
 we'd been flying an F-14 that day and we trying to land on a carrier?"
 
 "You'd both be dead" Mac whispered.
 
 "Exactly. And that's why I called a buddy I knew was on the Stennis and got 
 in touch with the CAG. As much as Harm may have a death wish, I'm not going 
 to let him destroy you like that. I hated like hell to do it but I know in 
 the end it was the right decision. I don't expect he's going to understand 
 and likely our days of friendship are over but it's better than me holding your 
 hand at his funeral."
 
 "Do you really think his eye sight is that bad?" she asked.
 
 "Mac if I could see the runway when we were coming down in Sarah so should 
 have he. But he didn't. And Mac you can't make those kinds of mistakes in a 
 carrier landing. Not if you want to live."
 
Mac simply stared at him for a long minute, digesting all that he was telling her, and he 
reached for her hand, giving it a quick squeeze.  

"It wasn't easy for me to do that.  And I know he hates me now.  Well he will soon as you tell 
him it was me, and he's got that right, but at least he'll be alive to do so."

Hunter at that moment looked so miserable that she touched his cheek with the back of his 
hand.  "I'm not sure what I'm feeling right now, but I'm tempted to yield to your judgment.  
You must have been sure or you wouldn't have taken such a drastic step.  But maybe you 
should have gone to Harm first?"

"Have you ever tried to bring up something with him that he doesn't want any part of talking 
about?" he replied gently.

"OK point taken," she sighed.  "What is bad is that I'm the one who's going to have to deal 
with this."

"I guess that's part of loving him."

"Yeah.  And I do thank you for being so honest with me.  I'll think of a way to tell him, to 
explain it to him."

"No."

"No?  Are you saying I shouldn't tell him?" she frowned.

"No I'm saying I realize that I should," he replied firmly.

"Oh Hunter I don't know if that's a good idea," she sighed.  

"You weren't planning to keep it from him were you?  That I was the one what ratted him 
out."

"No I wouldn't have lied to him," she admitted.   

"Well so either way he finds out, and either way he hates me, and he may as well hear it 
from me, and that might keep you from being on his shit list."

She nodded silently and after a long moment he spoke again.  "Do you understand why I did 
it?  For you, for  him, for the people who might be taken out with him if he should crash."

"Part of me does.  Part of me wishes you'd minded your own business," she said with 
complete candor.

"I did what I thought was right, not only as a friend to both of you but as a member of the 
United States Navy," he said softly.  "And if you two don't want me as part of your life any 
more either, well I can live with that.  What I couldn't bear would be to see him die, to kill 
others, and to tear your life into pieces, knowing I could have prevented it."

"I know," she sighed.  "I'll talk to him."

"Mac I said no.  I said I was going to tell him.  You can be there to support him.  Let me meet 
you and him at your place about 1800.  Please."

She shook her head, trying to decide, trying to figure out what would hurt Harm the least.  In 
the end it was the pleading in Hunter's eyes as the man desperately wanted to try to salvage 
something from a horrible situation.

"OK we'll try it your way.  He's just pretty upset right now."

"Mac if he passes the eye test I'll kiss his six to apologize," he sighed.  "But if he does. . .well 
then this will have been the most wrong I've ever been about anything in my career.  And I 
don't think I am."

They  stopped and had a quick hamburger, discussing Harm no further until Mac took 
Hunter back to his duty station.  "I'm sorry," he whispered.  "Not for what I did, but for 
catching you in the middle again."

"I'm a big girl Marine.  I'll survive," she said softly, leaning over to kiss his cheek.

"You're still not one hundred percent that I did the right thing."

"It'll take some thinking on," she admitted.  "See you tonight."
 
  She headed back to JAG and with a long sigh stepped off the elevator a short 
  time later. She was surprised to see Harm's office dark and she headed 
  towards the Admiral's office to see Tiner.
  
  "Tiner, did Commander Rabb leave?" she asked.
  
  "Yes ma'am. He said he was going over to Bethesda to straighten someone out" 
  Tiner replied.
  
  "Oh boy" Mac said with a long sigh. "That's what I was afraid of. Thanks 
  Tiner."
  
  She spent the rest of the afternoon attempting to work, but her mind wasn't 
  on the papers in front of her. Finally with still no word from him she 
  headed home. She tried his cell phone several times on the way home but 
  continued to get his voice mail. When she pulled into her parking lot she 
  realized why. He was waiting inside his car and as she pulled up he climbed 
  out.
  
  "Harm thank god" she whispered as he reached her car. "Are you okay?"
  
  "Did you know?" he demanded.
  
  "Know what?" she said slowly.
  
  "That Reed turned me in?" he shouted. "Did he tell you or did he just inform 
  the CAG of the Stennis?"
  
  "I just found out. And he was going to tell you tonight. He's on his way 
  over."
  
  As if on cue, Hunter's car pulled up and Mac shot him a warning look as he 
  slowly walked over to them.
  
  "You sonafabitch" Harm said coldly as Hunter approached. "How dare you do 
  something like that?"
  
  "I guess you found out," Hunter said quietly.
  
  "I have friends on the Stennis too" Harm retorted. "And after finding out 
  from Bethesda that the CAG of the Stennis ordered this I made a few phone 
  calls myself."
  
  "Harm I did it because I thought it was the right thing to do."
  
  "You did it because I had something you didn't have anymore. That's why you 
  did it."
  
  "Think what you want Harm but you're wrong."
  
  "No I'm not. You couldn't stand that I could still fly and you can't. So you 
  had to take it away from me didn't you?"
  
  "No. But I can see I'm wasting my breath trying to reason with you. You're 
  too damn self centered to see the big picture here."
  
  What happened next surprised both Mac and Hunter as Harm suddenly swung at 
  Hunter, leveling a blow to his left eye that sent him staggering back.
  
  "Harm" Mac shrieked as she stood in front of Harm before he could raise his 
  fist again. "What the hell are you doing?"
  
  "Mac this is between me and Reed. Now get out of the way."
  
  "No" she said as she grabbed his arm. "Dammit Harm you're being 
  unreasonable."
  
  "Unreasonable?" Harm shouted. "Because of this lousy bastard I'm going to 
  lose something that means more than anything else in the world to me."
  
  If he'd slapped her she wouldn't have been more hurt. "I'm sorry," Mac said 
  quietly. "I obviously didn't understand how much flying meant to you. I 
  thought us was more important."
  
  "You are important. But so is flying."
  
  "Harm there is no us if you're dead because you missed a carrier landing."
  
  "So he's got you convinced as well. I guess I see where your loyalty lies."
  
  "When you wake up and realize there's more to life than just Harmon Rabb, 
  give me a call" Mac retorted. "Otherwise I don't think there's any room in 
  your life for anyone besides you and your damn ego."
  
  "Fine" Harm shouted. "You can be damn sure that as soon as I prove you both 
  wrong I'll be out of JAG."
  
  He turned and headed to his SUV, tires squealing a moment later as he pulled 
  out of the lot.
  
  "Mac I am so sorry" Hunter said quietly.
  
  "No" she whispered. "You shouldn't be. You just saved me from making the 
  biggest mistake of my life."
  
  "Mac he does love you. More than he loves flying. But right now he's lashing 
  out because he knows he's about to have it taken away from him. But deep 
  down inside he loves you more than he loves being a Naval Aviator."
  
  "That's where you're wrong" Mac sniffled. "But I don't want to talk about 
  it. And we need to get some ice on that eye before it swells up."
  
  "I don't care about my eye" Hunter said softly. "I care about you. And I am 
  so sorry for getting you hurt like this."
  
  "Stop babbling Reed and move it" she ordered with another long sniffle. 
  "You're going to look like you went ten rounds tomorrow if we don't get 
  something on that."
  
  Reluctantly he allowed her to lead him up to her place and she gently pushed 
  him down on the sofa.
  
  "I'll be right back with some ice and some Tylenol," she said quietly. "Just 
  sit and relax."
  
 "You can nursemaid me, but I'm not going to let you think that Harm feels like being an 
aviator means more to him than loving you does," he groused.
 
 "Hunter please.  Please let it go for now," she begged.  "I do not--do not--want to talk about 
it right now.  It's going to take some calming down time for him and me both, and then we 
can see if we can talk our way past this.  If we can't, well then we probably didn't have 
anything worth saving in the first place."  
 
 "Mac please.  Maybe I could. . ."
 
 "No.  I appreciate that, but no.  You've done enough."
 
 "I'm sorry."
 
 "No I didn't mean it like that," she hastily corrected.  "Much as I hate to admit it, you did the 
right thing.  If Harm is not able to fly--if his vision makes him a hazard to himself and others--
then you did the right thing.  I just wish there had been a better way to go about it."
 
 "If I had told you straight out, and suggested that you make the report would you have?"
 
 "I don't honestly know," she said after a moment's thought while she pressed an icy cloth to 
his eye.  "I hope I would have.  I mean the bottom line is that he's alive.  Anything else can 
be worked out.  That's the optimistic viewpoint.  Problem is, I know how important flying is to 
him.  It was taken from him before not once, but twice, and now this time, probably forever.  
I'm not sure he can forgive either of us that."
 
 "If his priorities were straight there would be no question," Hunter maintained.   "Hell I can't 
think of anything I wouldn't give up to have you."
 
 "Stop that," she scolded.  "Don't make this any more complicated than it's already getting.  
Let me see that eye."  She took the ice away and gave a low whistle.  "This is already 
swollen almost closed."
 
 "It's not the first shiner I've had," he laughed.  "But it is the first one that's had such TLC.  
And I'll get out of your hair now in case Harm decides to come back over."
 
 "No on both counts," she said firmly.  "I don't want you going back to his place.  If he takes a 
notion to start up again one of you could get really hurt, or if someone calls police about a 
disturbance--well neither of you needs something like that in their jacket, especially you 
trying to start a career with NCIS.  You're staying right here for the night."
 
 "Mac that's not a good idea.  You know what Harm is going to think, and that's not going to 
help the two of you start mending fences."
 
 "I'll take care of Harm.  You're not going anywhere tonight mister.  In fact your place is going 
to be ready in a few days.  I think it might be a good idea if you stayed here for that time.  On 
my sofa of course.  Don't get any other ideas please."
 
 "No I wouldn't but are you sure?  I can get a hotel just as well."
 
 "That's not necessary.  And I'm sure."
 =============
 
  JAG HQ's
  Next Morning
  
  Mac was sitting at her desk nursing her second cup of coffee when Harm 
  stepped off the elevator and headed towards her office.
  
  "I guess he spent the night with you" he said curtly. "Seeing as how he 
  didn't come back to my place."
  
  "Yes he did. And that was my decision. I didn't want you two going at it 
  again."
  
  "Well it didn't take you long now did it?" he snapped.
  
  "I'll pretend you didn't say something that stupid" she sighed. "And lets 
  just keep our conversations on a business level shall we?"
  
  "Fine. When is your new boyfriend getting his stuff out of my place?"
  
  "Tonight. I'll be coming with him to make sure you don't try and assault him 
  again."
  
  "Whatever" he retorted before walking out of her office.
==============  
  It was later that evening that she and Hunter made their way up to Harm's 
  place to gather his stuff.
  
  "Mac I really wish you weren't here" Hunter sighed. "I can handle Harm."
  
  "You don't know what he's like right now" Mac said quietly. "And I'm not 
  letting you do this alone."
  
  "Harm was right when he said you were stubborn" Hunter said as they reached 
  Harm's door. With a deep breath he knocked on the door and a moment later it 
  opened.
  
  "I see you brought your protection" Harm said sarcastically.
  
  "Harm don't start" Mac sighed. "We're just here to get his stuff and then 
  we'll be out of your life."
  
  "Too bad it hadn't been earlier" Harm said with a long glare in Hunter's 
  direction.
  
  "Harm you got something to say, say it" Hunter sighed. "And say it to me. Mac 
  had nothing to do with this. I'm the one who ratted you out."
  
  "Well she sure didn't have a hard time seeing your side of it now did she?" 
  Harm retorted.
  
  "Because for some stupid reason she cares about you. God only knows why when 
  the only person you care about is yourself."
  
  "Well then I guess she's better off with you."
  
  "Never mind" Hunter shook his head. "It's so pointless to talk to you. Maybe 
  one day you'll get it. I'll get my things and we'll be out of here."
  
  "Is he staying with you?" Harm asked as Hunter went to get his stuff.
  
  "What does it matter if he is?" Mac hissed. "You've made it clear what's 
  important to you. And it's obviously not me."
  
  "And it obviously didn't take you long to get over us did it?" he retorted.
  
  "What us?" she said with a sarcastic laugh. "There never was any us Harm. 
  And you know why. Because you have only one love. And it isn't me."
  
  "Mac I'm ready" Hunter said a moment later. "Let's get out of here."
  
  "You got what you wanted didn't you Reed" Harm said as Mac and Hunter 
  reached the door.
  
  "No I didn't Harm. And if you weren't so blind, you'd see that." With that 
  he and Mac walked out, gently closing the door behind them.
  
  "Mac I'm sorry" Hunter started.
  
  "Don't" she whispered. "Please. I don't want to talk about it."
  
  He nodded but gently slipped his arm around her shoulder as they made their 
  way down to her car. He didn't press her to talk on the way home and it was 
  only after they were back at her place that he tried to talk to her.
  
  "Mac if you want me to get lost just say the word" he said quietly. "Because 
  I'll understand if you do. I've messed up everything for you and Harm and 
  I'm sorry."
  
  "Please don't go" she sniffled. "Because right now I don't want to be 
  alone."
  
  "Mac please don't cry" Hunter begged as the tears started to slide down her 
  face. "I can't stand to see you cry."
  
  "It's over Hunter" she wailed. "This time it's really its over."
  
  "I'm so sorry" he whispered as he gathered her into his arms as she sobbed. 
  "I am so sorry for hurting you like this."
  
  "You didn't hurt me" she sobbed. "He did. He's the one who doesn't love me."
 
 "I don't buy that for a second, but if I was in your shoes, yeah I can see that you would," 
Hunter said softly, letting her weep into his shoulder.  "What can I do for you?"
 
 "You already are," she sighed.  "Thank you.  You're much better than my pillow."
 
 For a long thirty minutes they sat like that until Mac raised her head and then pushed 
herself away from Hunter.  "Thanks.  I'm through with that--at least for now."
 
 "So now what?"
 
 "Well Harm has had periods in his life where what he was doing wasn't making a whole lot 
of sense to me," she whispered.  "I have to hope this is one of them."
 
 "Are you going to just wait in the wings for him to come back?  Until his next aberration?" 
Hunter demanded.
 
 "Well sometimes that's what love does," she smiled softly.  "But honestly I have no idea, 
and tonight I'm in no shape to make any decision beyond that I'm going to take a hot bath 
and some Advil and go to bed.  Please make yourself comfortable."
 
 "I'm going to a hotel tomorrow."
 
 "No please don't," she whispered.  "Not unless you'd be more comfortable.  Don't on my 
account is what I'm trying to say."
 
 "Well we'll see.  Good night Sarah."
 
 "Night Hunter."
 ===========
 Hunter was gone when she dragged herself from the bed the next morning, having slept 
little.  Now would come the hard part, facing Harm at JAG.  Acting as if nothing was wrong.
 
 Staff call would be the first test of that.  She managed to arrive only a couple of minutes 
late, secretly pleased to note that she had still beaten Harm in.  He joined the group 
gathered in AJ's office just as AJ was saying good morning.
 
 "And good morning to you Mr. Rabb," AJ nodded, frowning slightly, but immediately getting 
into the business of the day.  "OK people that's all, get to work," he concluded, and as Harm 
and Mac both made for the door.  "Not you Commander, Colonel.  Sit please."
 
 With a joint aggrieved sigh, both returned to his desk.
 
 "For starters, neither of you looks like you slept, and Commander, combined with that is a 
slight hangover in your case.  Right so far?"
 
 "Yes sir," Harm sighed, carefully avoiding looking to Mac, who added her own affirmative.
 
 "Is there something I should know about?  Something that's going to blow up and give me 
another ulcer?"
 
 "No sir," Mac spoke up.  "There is a problem, but we're going to keep it out of the office."
 
 "Well that's one thing we can agree on," Harm muttered.  "Sir I have a headache that won't 
quit and a pile of work. . .and I must be out of my mind to suggest that I be excused before 
you're finished."
 
 AJ's glare told him he was correct in that assumption.  
 
 "And Mr. Rabb I have something else to ask you about.  Colonel, that's all."
 
 AJ peered took a long look at a paper in front of him and peered over his glasses at Harm.  
"There's a problem with your flight orders Commander."
 
 "You're damn right there is, and its name is Reed," he snapped.
 
 AJ waited calmly and a second later Harm shook his head.  "Sir I'm sorry.  I'm not myself 
today.  Obviously. Commander Reed has filed a notification with the CAG that my vision is 
not what it should be.  The flight surgeon made that same determination and my flight orders 
have been rescinded.  Only temporarily I hasten to add.  I'm appealing the decision sir.  
Soon as I can file the paperwork."
 
 "You're aware that once the flight surgeon presents the evidence of your tests at your 
hearing, you're dead in the water.  I know I don't have to explain that to you."
 
 "No sir, but I'm going to a civilian specialist, just as soon as I can arrange it.  These Navy 
doctors spout the party line too much of the time."
 
 AJ took off his glasses and dropped them onto his stack of papers.  "All right Commander.  
You do what you feel you must, as will I.  Right now I'm ordering you to work.  And to come 
in this office tomorrow morning much more prepared to do so.  That's all."
  
 **************
 1 Week Later
 
 "I hope you're happy" Harm snapped as he walked into Mac's office.
 
 "Happy about what?" she sighed.
 
 "It's over. My flying career. My flight status has been revoked. I'll never 
 fly a Tomcat again."
 
 "Harm I'm sorry" she whispered.
 
 "I'm sure you are. But you can tell Reed he got what he wanted. I could have 
 flown for at least a few more years if it hadn't been for him."
 
 "If you hadn't killed yourself first" she retorted. "Or someone else."
 
 "Well you don't have to worry about that anymore now do you" he snapped
 
 He strode out before Mac could say anything and she let out a long sigh. It 
 had been a hard enough week dealing with the stress between her and Harm.  Secretly 
she'd been hoping Hunter had been wrong. But that obviously wasn't the case. And now she 
wasn't sure there was any hope for her and Harm. He obviously blamed her as much as he 
did Hunter for what had happened.
 
 "Colonel got a moment?" AJ asked as he stood at her door.
 
 "Right now sir?" she said softly.
 
 "I overheard Mr. Rabb and I've got an assignment you might be interested in. 
 It will get you out of the office for the rest of the day."
 
 "You think I should be out of the office?"
 
 "At least until I have a chance to remind Mr. Rabb about the proper behavior 
 of a Naval Officer" AJ sighed. "After that I hope this won't continue."
 
 "Sir I'm sorry."
 
 "You're not the one acting out Colonel. And whatever is going on between you 
 and Commander is between you two as long as you keep it out of here."
 
 "There is nothing between us anymore" Mac said softly. "So you don't have to 
 worry about that."
 
 "Mac I don't know what happened here. But if there's anything I can do, let 
 me know."
 
 "Thank you sir, but we'll just learn to live with it I guess" Mac sighed. 
 "Without disrupting the office."
 
 "I hope so. In the meantime how would you like to take a ride to Norfolk? 
 Lt. Singer was supposed to interview Melanie Michaels regarding her 
 boyfriend's disappearance from the Truman the other night. But maybe you'd like that task 
instead?"
 
 "Yes sir that would be wonderful. Thank you."
 
 "I thought so. I'll see you later Colonel."
 
 Three hours later Mac pulled up at the apartment complex in Norfolk. She 
 doubled checked the address and moments later walked up to the first floor 
 apartment and knocked on the door.
 
 "Ms. Michaels" she called when she received no answer. "It's Colonel 
 Mackenzie from JAG."
 
 "You looking for Melanie?" a neighbor asked as she walked out of her nearby 
 apartment.
 
 "Yes have you seen her?" Mac asked.
 
 "Her car is here," the woman said as she pointed to a car in the lot. "So 
 I'm sure she's here."
 
 Mac nodded and knocked again as the other woman headed to the parking lot.  She waited 
before reaching for the doorknob, surprised to find it open.
 
 "Ms. Michaels" Mac called as she gently pushed the door open. "It's Colonel 
 Mackenzie from JAG." She'd taken but a few steps inside the apartment when she finally 
saw Melanie Michaels lying in a pool of blood on the living room floor. 
 **********************
 "Admiral I have Colonel Mackenzie on the line" Tiner said as he hurried into 
 AJ's office. "She says it's important."
 
 "Colonel what's wrong?" AJ asked.
 
 "Melanie Michaels was murdered" Mac whispered. "I found her."

AJ swallowed hard, gaining a calm voice before he could speak.  "Understand Colonel.  
Have you made your calls?"

"Yes sir.  Police and NCIS are on the way, but both said it could be awhile."

"I'm sorry.  That leaves you to protect the crime scene."

"Yes sir it does.  I wanted you to know.  I'm not going to be back right away I guess."

"You going to be OK?"

"Yes sir, I'll have to be.  I'll call you again when I know more."  She hung up the phone and 
turned her back on the body, trying to ignore the blood puddled on the floor almost beneath 
her feet, and the nausea rising into her throat at the same time.  Not just from the sight, but 
the smell.

It was a full two hours before the first police and detectives arrived on the scene, followed a 
few minutes later by the NCIS team.

"Colonel Mackenzie you're the one who called?" Lt. Cdr. Nathan Clark acknowledged her 
introduction. 

"Yes it was," she sighed.  "And it's been a long two  hours."

"I'm sure," Nathan nodded.  "And I'm sorry.  But when your call came through we were 
already on this case.  About twenty miles from here.  Pulling the body of Chief Thomas 
Jones from the Bay.  He left a pretty detailed note, confessing to this murder."

"Suicide?" she gasped.

"Yeah.  To be confirmed by medical examiner of course.  Likely we'll find that the bullet that 
killed her came from the same gun we found on the boat he rented.  A fisherman heard the 
shot and called the Harbormaster and . . .well it's a long story but I think we've got it 
handled.  You're welcome to stay and join in the post mortem if you'd like, after you file your 
report on finding the body."

She pursed her lips in thought.  "No I'll do that and recommend to my CO that the case be 
kept in local jurisdiction pending the ruling of the M.E."

Nathan nodded and it took another hour for her to file her report with him.  

"Thank you Commander.  Call me if you need anything."

"Are you going to drive back to D.C.?"

"Yes I am.  Why do you ask?"

"Because Colonel if you'll pardon me, you're looking a little rocky there.  It can't have been 
pleasant for you to be in this room with the deceased.  You JAGs don't usually get into the 
nitty gritty like this."

She shook her head firmly.  "I just need to get out of here and some fresh air.  I'll be fine 
thank you."  Satisfied that she had done all she could, she took one long look at the 
ambulance that was bearing the body bag of the victim and ran for her car.
============
JAG HQ
Same time

"Mr. Rabb, I asked to see you because I wanted to tell you how sorry I am that your flight 
career is over," AJ told him once he had sat down, having come in at AJ's request.

"Thank you sir."  The words escaped his lips more as a hiss, which caused AJ to frown.

"Commander you have a couple of choices here," AJ went on, using that fatherly tone that 
implied he was also making a supreme effort at patience.  "You can let this affect the rest of 
your Naval career, or you can consider it to be part of that career that's done with now and 
move on.  Hell look at me.  I could be mourning I'm not making HALO jumps, but there 
comes a time when you have to reckon with time passing."

"Sir, understand something.  Since I was old enough to know what it was, all I've ever 
wanted to do was be a Naval Aviator.  And that was taken from me.  Not once but twice.  
Now the third time it's for good.  Excuse me if I don't really want a lot of sunshine blown up 
my boxers right now."

AJ leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers before he spoke again.  "Mr. Rabb, not 
only is your aviation career gone, your JAG career, at least on my staff, is on the rocks.  
Your behavior is not acceptable for a member of that staff."

"You're threatening me?"

"No Mr. Rabb.  That's not how I do things.  I state facts.  You can clean up your act or face 
reassignment.  And by the way, if it had been me who found out about your eyes, I would 
have done the same thing.  In a heartbeat."

  
 ******************
  1-64 East
  
  Mac drove in a daze through the afternoon traffic jam on I-64 through the 
  Hampton Roads area and beyond, not realizing she'd driven way out of her way 
  until she saw the sign noting how far it was to Charlottesville. In her daze 
  she'd passed both the I-295 and I-95 exits, her mind on the woman whose body 
  she'd found lying in a pool of blood, an image that she couldn't seem to 
  wipe from her mind. She shivered at the thought, tears forming once again.
  
  "Suck it up Mackenzie" she whispered to herself. Falling apart wasn't going 
  to do her any good now. She needed to turn around at the next exit and find 
  her way back to I-95.
  
  She spotted the sign for the next exit in the rapidly approaching darkness 
  and tried to keep her attention focused on her driving. Not on the dead 
  woman she'd found. Not on the fact that her relationship with Harm was over.
  
  A deer suddenly leapt in front of her from the right and she slammed the 
  brakes hard to avoid hitting it. She managed to miss the animal, sliding 
  instead off the road and into the grassy median. The animal continued on its 
  way across the highway while Mac sat dazed in the car. A moment later she 
  burst into tears, the events of the day suddenly too much for her to deal 
  with. She just wanted to be home. With someone's arms around her to tell her 
  it was okay. She sobbed even more as she realized the person she wanted no 
  longer wanted her and finally she pulled out her phone and dialed a now 
  familiar number.
  
  "Hunter" came the cheerful answer.
  
  "Hunter it's Mac" she sobbed.
  
  "Mac where are you and what's wrong?" he demanded at once.
  
  "I'm somewhere between Richmond and Charlottesville on I-64" she sobbed. "I 
  found a woman who'd been murdered today and now I almost hit a deer."
  
  "Are you hurt?" he asked gently.
  
  "No. I just know I can't drive anymore and I don't want to go to a hotel 
  alone because I just keep seeing her lying there dead."
  
  "Who lying dead?"
  
  "The woman I was going to talk to today" Mac sobbed. "I found her at her 
  apartment. Her boyfriend murdered her before killing himself."
  
  "And you tried to drive home alone after finding that" he chided her gently.
  
  "I thought I could. But I missed the exits for DC and I just don't want to 
  be alone right now. It was so awful Hunter. There was blood everywhere."
  
  "Okay don't think about it. Just think of anything else but that. And if you 
  tell me where you are I'll come and get you."
  
  "Right now I'm in the median" she sniffled. "But I think I can get across 
  the highway to the exit."
  
  "Which exit?"
  
  "Louisa" Mac sniffled again.
  
  "All right I know where you are. There's a little diner just off the 
  freeway there. I'll meet you there in a few hours. Just drink some coffee 
  and try and relax."
  
  "Thanks Hunter" she whispered. "I didn't know who else to call."
  
  "Well there should be someone else you could call" Hunter sighed. "But he's 
  being a jerk right now and yes I'm going to shut my mouth before I say 
  anything else. Just hang tight and I'll be there as soon as I can."
  
  She was holding a cold cup of coffee when Hunter arrived a few hours later, 
  dropping into the booth next to her.
  
  "You look like hell" he said softly. "I knew I should have checked on you 
  this week."
  
  "You have your own life" she sighed. "And I didn't want to bother you."
  
  "You should have. You know you can always call me. And we're going to get us 
  a room and we're going to get some rest."
  
  "Hunter" she started.
  
  "Mac it's starting to sleet out there and even if you are following me I 
  don't want you driving. You're in no condition whatsoever to be behind the 
  wheel."
  
  "I can't spend the night here" she sighed.
  
  "Mac if you looked at yourself in the mirror you'd understand why I'm saying 
  this. And after what happened today you don't actually think I'm going to 
  leave you alone do you?"
  
  "You're way too good to me" she sniffled.
  
  "I'm the reason you're miserable" he said with a small smile. "It's the 
  least I could do. Short of kicking Harm's six for being such a jerk."
  
 "And right now I don't have the strength to argue with that," she sighed.  "Plus curling up in 
a warm bed sounds awfully good.  I don't know where my Marine fighting spirit is, because 
that bed thing sounded even better when I said it out loud.  I'll be fine in a few hours.  I'm just 
tired from not sleeping and bothered by the crime scene and. . ."
 
 "And kindly stop feeling like you have to justify yourself to me," he interrupted.  "I'm not 
Harm here.  You're allowed to be vulnerable with me."
 
 "And my feelings where he's concerned are so messed up right now I won't even get into 
them with myself, let alone you.  Please."
 
 "Yes ma'am.   Now there's a Red Roof Inn about a mile from here.  Connecting rooms or 
what?"
 
 "No please.  Something with two beds.  I need to feel the presence of another human 
being."
 
 RED ROOF INN
 1 Hour Later
 
 "Mac is that all you're going to eat," Hunter chided her, seeing the almost untouched 
remains of her burger and fries on the bed beside her.  She was sitting with her back against 
the wall, her knees drawn up to her chest and simply shook her head.  "Good grief Colonel I 
walk across the parking lot to the best restaurant in the area, duck under the golden arches, 
and hustle this back to you so's it stays warm."
 
 "I'm sorry."
 
 "And I'm kidding of course.  But can I get you something else?" 
 
 "No I honestly couldn't eat another. . " was all she got out before she leaped from the bed, 
making the bathroom in four strides.
 
 "Mac you OK," he demanded from the doorway a moment later.
 
 "Yeah I'm just going to fill the tub and drown myself if that's OK."
 
 "I think you could benefit from a doctor," he said when she emerged a long hour later.
 
 "No you're sitting on the only thing I could benefit from.  That bed," she returned.  "Good 
night.  Please, you won't bother me with the light or the TV.  No reason for you to be 
miserable too."
 ===================
 JAG HQ
 Following Morning
 
 "And we're all here," AJ announced, looking around the table at staff call.
 
 "Sir begging the Admiral's pardon but we're not," Harm objected.  "Colonel Mackenzie?"
 
 "Is driving back from the Richmond area this morning with Commander Reed," AJ said 
quietly.  "She became ill yesterday and didn't feel like she was up to the drive, so she had 
Commander Reed come to pick her up."
 
 "Reed?  Reed and not Rabb?" Harm demanded loudly, pounding his fist on the table.  "Why 
the hell not?"  "Sir," he added after a beat, and the catching of AJ's eye.  "Let me start again.  
Sir, why did Colonel Mackenzie, especially if she's not well, not call her partner--that's me by 
the way?"
 
 "Well now I don't know," AJ smiled in that faux patient tone he often used.  "Especially given 
how calm he always is.  Anyway, I gave her the rest of the day.  Mr. Rabb if you'd like to 
stick around after the meeting, I'll be glad to tell you the story."
 
 "Yes sir, thank you," he mumbled, wishing for all the world he had never heard the name 
Hunter Reed.
  
 He waited impatiently for the meeting to end and when AJ finally dismissed 
 the others he let out a long sigh.
 
 "Okay sir, what happened?"
 
 "Mac went to interview a young woman regarding the disappearance of her 
 boyfriend from the Truman. When she got to the woman's apartment, she found 
 her dead. She'd been murdered."
 
 "Oh god" Harm gasped. "Mac found her like that?"
 
 "Yes. Apparently her boyfriend shot her and then drowned himself in the 
 Chesapeake."

 "But Mac is okay right?"
 
 "With the exception of being pretty upset by what she saw, yes. She 
 apparently started driving home and had some difficulties and pulled off and 
 called Mr. Reed. And I don't think I have to explain to you why she didn't 
 call you."
 
 "If this is going to turn into another lecture, I'd rather be dismissed" 
 Harm glared.
 
 "Fine. Dismissed. I'm not wasting my breath with you anymore. You're 
 obviously not going to listen to anyone anyway. But for the record, I think 
 you're making a big mistake by blaming Mac for this."
 
 "Mac is much happier with Hunter anyway" Harm retorted.
 
 "Never mind" AJ shook his head. "I'm not going to touch that one. I told 
 myself I would stay out of this and I will."
 
 **************
 "Morning Mac" Hunter said softly as Mac opened her eyes and looked over at 
 him. "Feeling any better?"
 
 "I guess" she murmured as she pushed herself up. Realization as to the time 
 hit her and she let out a gasp. "Hunter why did you let me sleep? I should 
 be at JAG by now."
 
 "Relax. I called and spoke to Admiral Chegwidden."
 
 "You told him I was with you?"
 
 "And likely he'll tell Harm and I'm sorry I'm such a jerk. You'll never get 
 things worked out with Harm if I keep opening my big mouth."
 
 "Hunter it's okay. If Harm doesn't understand why you came down here, then 
 he's more hopeless than I thought."
 
 "Well this isn't going to help. I'm sorry."
 
 "Sorry for what. You called my CO and told him where I was so I wouldn't get 
 written up for being UA."
 
 "True. And I let you sleep which I get the feeling hasn't happened in a 
 while."
 
 "No it hasn't" she sighed. "I guess this thing with Harm is hitting me 
 harder than I thought it would."
 
 "Probably because you love the guy and it makes no sense why you're not 
 together," Hunter said with a small smile. "Personally I think the man is 
 out of his mind for turning his back on you."
 
 "Yeah well too bad he doesn't feel that way," Mac said softly. "I think he's 
 perfectly happy with the way things are right now."
 
 "I don't believe that for one minute. He's just too darn stubborn to admit 
 he was wrong and apologize."
 
 "Well you got that. Hell will have to freeze over before Harm admits he was 
 wrong on this one."
 
 **************
 JAG HQ's
 Next Morning
 
 "Hi Mac" Harm said quietly as he stepped into her office. "You okay after 
 what happened?"
 
 "I'm fine. I just had a delayed reaction on the way home."
 
 "Well I'm glad you're okay."
 
 He walked away and she let out a long sigh. She'd wanted so much more from 
 him. But that wasn't going to happen. Not unless there was some kind of 
 miracle.
==============
Another week passed in which the relationship between Harm and Mac remained as it was--
strained at best, now and then turning into heated words.  Hunter's apartment was readied 
and he moved in, leaving he and Mac seeing less of each other.  

"Mr. Rabb just the person I'm looking for," AJ called, hailing Harm as he passed by coming 
in from court.  "My office please."

"Sir."  Harm hurried to follow his CO, wondering what he was about to get his six chewed for 
this time.  It had not been an easy week, despite effort by both he and Mac to keep their 
problem away from the office.

"Have a seat.  I just got off the phone with the Secnav.  Two Tomcats collided off the coast 
out of Oceana.  The radio transmissions are inconclusive as to whether any of the four 
managed to punch out.  S and R is up, and reporting floating wreckage."

"I see," Harm nodded gravely.  "How does this. . ."

"Getting to that.  The Squadron CO had initiated an investigation in two areas.  First he was 
concerned about one of the pilot's fitness to fly but had not removed him from flight duty; and 
then there's been a mechanical issue for the last month or so there.  Some unreliability that 
can't seem to be de-bugged.  I want you to get down there and see what you can find out.  
Secnav is raving about Commander Rochester already, saying if the man should not have 
been in the cockpit why was he."

"Sir it's not like we've got pilots standing six deep for every cockpit," Harm reminded him.  
Since nine-eleven the pilot resources are strained at best.  And while flight school is turning 
them out, what they're producing is kids who know the rudiments of flying.  It takes a helluva 
lot more than that to make a combat pilot."

"Thank you Commander.  I'm aware.  You want to get started please.  And leave the Colonel 
your pending cases for her to distribute.  Dismissed."

Harm strode quickly to his office, spending the next hour making sure he was not leaving a 
mess.

"I hear you're about to be traveling."

"Uh. . .yeah I am.  I was just coming to see you.  The Admiral said you'd make sure these 
cases got handled."

"Just got those orders," Mac nodded.  "Listen I don't know what kind of a mess you're getting 
into down there but. . .well call me if you need anything.  And. . ."  She paused and let out 
the breath she was holding.  "And be careful will you."

He looked at her in surprise, not associating that plea with how they had been of late. 
"What?"

"I said be careful," she shrugged.  "It's a hairy drive down there for one thing.  And for 
another you don't know what you're going to walk into.  So be careful.  Please.  And don't try 
to handle everything yourself if it gets too much.  Call me.  I'm still your partner.  And your 
friend."

He regarded her solemnly, his eyes wide, and she flushed under his gaze.  "Thanks," he 
finally managed as he backed out of the room.  "And you are mine--on both counts," he flung 
over his shoulder before making quickly for the door, feeling the tightness that was around 
his heart ease just slightly for the first time in a long time.
===========
OLIVE GARDEN
That evening

"Hey you're pretty quiet," Hunter frowned.  "You OK?  Anything you want to talk about?  Bad 
case?"

"I'm sorry.  No nothing is really wrong," Mac smiled wanly.   "At least as far as I know.  Harm 
went to Oceana and I'm feeling his absence is all.  Not that we're all that much connected 
any more."

"You're in love with the man," Hunter reminded her gently.  "That's pretty connected.  And 
that his being gone is bothering you so much is pretty telling too."  

"Well I'm still sorry.  You were craving fettucine and I'm spoiling it," she sighed.  "Don't mind 
me."

"Not at all," Hunter grinned.  "Just don't deny your feelings.  That only compounds things."

"Yeah I know.  I told him to be careful."

Another broad grin.  "And what was his reaction?"

"Confusion. Not something he expected from me I guess.  Now it's kind of been on my mind.  
I can't shake the feeling that there's something in the wind and that's why I told him to be 
careful.  It wouldn't be the first time I've had one of those really strange. . .uh I think I'll stop 
there before you have me psych eval'd."

"Well speaking of that," he laughed, sensing she wanted to change the subject.  "I met my 
training officer slash partner today.  What a piece of work."

"What's he like?"

"She.  Civilian no less, with about twenty years with the place.  Beverly Alberts.  She's about 
forty I'd say, late thirties if I want to be real generous.  This long blonde out of a bottle hair 
that she leaves loose.  Thinks she's funny that much I can tell, and not above making a 
sexual innuendo type joke."  He laughed and shrugged.  "Who knows.  It's just for a month 
so nothing I can't handle."

"Commander Krennick."

"Huh?  Excuse me?"

Mac was laughing at that point, remembering some of the stories Harm had told her about 
Allison Krennick and how she had lusted after him.  "A superior officer to Harm long long 
ago.  Was warm for his form."
 
 "No way. She actually tried to make it with him?"
 
 "So I'm told. I think Harm was happy when she was reassigned."
 
 "Well Beverly sounds like this woman's twin" Hunter sighed. "And I am not 
 looking forward to having her as my partner."
 
 "How long is she going to be your partner?" Mac asked.
 
 "Only until my training is over for the month. Then I'll be reassigned a permanent 
 partner. In the meantime, I'll just have to tell her to get lost."
 
 "You're not interested in her at all?"
 
 "No way" Hunter laughed. "She is definitely not my type."
 
 "Is there a your type?"
 
 "Oh yeah. She's out there. I just haven't met her. Well I did. But 
 unfortunately her heart belonged to someone else."
 
 "Hunter" she said softly.
 
 "Sorry. I promised I wouldn't do that anymore. I know you belong with Harm 
 and I accept that."
 
 "Well you must know more than I do" she sighed. "Because it doesn't seem 
 like Harm and I are going to work this out."
 
 "You will. He'll come to his senses soon enough."
 
 "And if he doesn't?"
 
 "He will Mac. I'm not that lucky of a guy."
 
 **********************
 NAS Oceana
 Same Time
 
 "Thank you for coming so quickly Commander" Captain Leary said as Harm 
 walked into his office.
 
 "No problem sir."
 
 "This is a really difficult situation" Leary sighed. "Never have I felt so 
 damn responsible for what's happened."
 
 "Why don't we hold off on the blame until I investigate" Harm said gently. 
 "There could have been several factors that caused the accident."
 
 "Thank you Commander. I don't want it to be because Cdr. Rochester 
 wouldn't step down when he should have."
 
 "Sir there have been problems with the Tomcats. Documented problems that 
 haven't been resolved."
 
 "I know. And half the time I wonder why they haven't just grounded the rest 
 of them so good men don't die for no reason."
 
 "You found them?" Harm asked.
 
 "We found enough wreckage to know we're not going to find any of them alive" 
 Captain Leary sighed.
 
 "I'm sorry" Harm said quietly. "If there's anything I can do to help, let me 
 know."
 
 "No Commander I need to face their families myself. Chaplain Myers will come 
 as well of course."
 
 "So close to the holidays" Harm said quietly as he looked at the calendar on 
 Captain Leary's wall. It was just days till Christmas, a thought he'd been 
 ignoring.
 
 "I know. God I hate this. How do you tell a little boy his father isn't 
 coming back?"
 
 "Cdr. Rochester had a young son?" Harm asked.
 
 "He and Sheila waited to have kids" Leary sighed. "And then it took a while 
 before she got pregnant. Jimmy is just ten."
 
 "Sir if you'd like, I'll go with you" Harm said quietly.
 
 "No Commander. I'd rather you found out what happened here. The only thing I 
 can offer their families is an explanation as to why this happened."
 
 "Understood sir. I'll get right on it."

Harm did his dismissal turn and walked out into the outer office, then kept walking to the 
outside, taking in deep breaths of fresh cold air.  'Cdr. Rochester wouldn't step down'.  The 
words echoed over and over as he walked down the sidewalk, relating that situation to his 
own.  

The walk and the air gave him some sense of what he needed to do, and he drove to the 
hangar, wanting to talk to the pilots who flew with Rochester.

His first few interviews told nothing but the same story.  Rochester was extolled as a 
superior pilot despite his age, which Harm noted from the record was the same as his own, 
the man in fact a few months his junior.

He was making notes at desk of which he had been given the use when a young woman 
approached him, looking anxiously over her shoulder. 

"Lieutenant what can I do you for?" Harm smiled his best smile, sensing she had information 
she wanted to share, even if hesitantly.  "Have a seat."

"Sir thank you.  Lieutenant Fran Borders sir.  I was Commander Rochester's RIO for a time."

Harm leaned back in his chair and nodded.  "Was being the operative word?"

"Yes sir.  I requested a change because. . .well frankly sir. . . he scared me.  More than 
once.  The last time I was truly upset and I reported the incident, along with what happened 
previously.  The Commander accused me of not having the nerves needed to fly in fighters 
and we just went round and round in front of Capt. Leary.  Finally I was glad just to move to 
Lt. Jasper's Tomcat and we get along fine. All my nervousness has vanished."

"OK Lieutenant," Harm nodded, now leaning forward to scribble notes.  "Why exactly--
precisely--did the man scare you in the air?"  He held his breath as he awaited her answer.

"He couldn't think sir.  I mean his reaction time was slow.  I know his fit rep scores were 
falling.  Lord knows he complained about that enough.  He just couldn't adjust fast enough to 
changing situations in the air.  I can so exactly see this accident.  Something went wrong.  
Either with his Tomcat or maybe Lt. Fox made a bad maneuver.  Anyway, he didn't react 
quickly enough and. . .boom."

"Thank you Lieutenant," Harm said slowly, thinking over her words as he was uttering a 
prayer of thanks that so far the matter of vision had not come up.  "You'd be willing to make 
a sworn statement right?"

"Not willing but I will yes sir," she sighed.  "I mean he's not the only old guy still flying.  I 
know the pilot situation is bad news, but I can't imagine the better alternative is to keep ones 
on flight status who are problematic.  What do you think sir?"

Her question caught him short and he swallowed hard.  "I'll save my opinion for my report 
thank you," he stammered, "that's all."

He spent the rest of the afternoon talking to anyone else he could corral, and went to Flight 
Operations to listen to the transmissions and talk to the controllers.

Finally it was an exhausted Rabb who went to his room and collapsed onto the bed, eyeing 
the clock for the time.  It would be good to hear her voice---the voice of his partner.  Several 
times his hand reached for his phone only to withdraw.  When his rang from the bedside 
table a half hour later he jumped and grabbed it, seeing it was a line from JAG HQ.

"Mac?"

"Sorry to disappoint," AJ chuckled.  "I was just getting ready to head home and thought I 
might get a status report."

"Yes sir.  Sorry sir.  Very much a work in progress.  May I take the fifth until I formulate a 
better theory?"
 
  "Anything would be better than nothing when I talk to the SecNav tomorrow 
  morning" AJ replied.
  
  "It's nothing good sir. So I'd rather not say anything until I've had a 
  chance to investigate further."
  
  "Rochester shouldn't have been flying" AJ sighed.
  
  "I didn't say that sir" Harm said quickly.
  
  "No Commander and I may be reading between the lines here but I'm betting 
  that's what you're hearing from the others."
  
  "Yes sir" Harm sighed. "But again I don't have anything factual yet. I don't 
  want to formulate my opinion based solely on the opinions of others."
  
  "Understand. And I won't hold you to this but at least this will give me 
  something to tell SecNav."
  
  It was with a long sigh that Harm hung up the phone. Deep down he knew what 
  he was eventually going to find. Cdr. Rochester shouldn't have been 
  flying. And because no one had forced him to stand down, three other men had 
  died along with him.
  
  That night his sleep was marred with nightmares of crashing jets. His jet. 
  His Tomcat striking the deck of the Patrick Henry when he missed the 
  landing. And unlike his first ramp strike he couldn't eject in time.
  
  He awoke with a start, his heart pounding and sweat pouring off him just as 
  he'd been encompassed by the flames in his dream. It took a moment before he 
  realized it had been a nightmare. He wasn't in the cockpit of a Tomcat. He 
  was in his quarters at Oceana. He was alive. He hadn't crashed again.
  
  It was a somber Commander Rabb that worked diligently the next day, 
  gathering more information about Captain Rochester. From the younger guys he 
  heard the same story; Rochester should have stepped down. From the older men 
  of the squadron it had been a grudging admittance that Rochester might have 
  had a problem. None would come straight out and say he should have been 
  removed from flight duty but Harm knew that was how they felt.
  
  "I guess I don't have to ask how it's going" Captain Leary said somberly 
  when Harm walked into his office later that day.
  
  "No good sir" Harm sighed. "Course we'll likely never know exactly what 
  happened but from the transmissions and the information I've gathered, it 
  looks like Cdr. Rochester couldn't handle the maneuver. He didn't pull up 
  in time and they collided."
  
  "And I knew he was having difficulties. But he wouldn't admit it. And I 
  didn't force the issue. And because I didn't he and three others are dead."
  
  "Sir it's not your fault" Harm said quietly.
  
  "Commander it's my job to make sure that every man whose up in the air, 
  should be in the air. And in this case I failed to do my job. I should have 
  made him stand down. But I let him talk me into believing he could still 
  handle it."
  
  "Speaking from experience sir, it's not always easy for some of us to admit 
  it's time to hang it up."
  
  He spent a quiet evening in his quarters, again reaching several times for 
  the phone to call Mac. He wanted to talk to her. The nightmare the night 
  before and now the realization of what had happened here was getting to him.
  
  But he couldn't make himself call, afraid to call her despite how her offer 
  when he'd left. She'd extended the olive branch but he was still afraid to 
  reach for it.
  
  *****************
  JAG HQ's
  Next Morning
  
  "Sir have you heard from Harm?" Mac asked AJ as he walked through the 
  bullpen with his coffee in hand.
  
  "He didn't call in last night" AJ frowned. "I'm expecting this morning he 
  should have more for me. Do you want to speak to him if he does call in?"
  
  "I really just wanted to know how he was" Mac sighed. "But yes if he does 
  call, can you transfer him to me?"
  
  "Be happy to."
  
 ============
 OCEANA NAS
 That Afternoon
 
 Harm sat at the desk he had been provided, staring unseeingly at the paperwork before 
him.   He had spent the last six hours doing interviews and he knew there was but one 
conclusion he could draw.  The fault should be laid at Rochester's feet, and for that he was 
sorry. 
 
 "Commander Rabb may I come in?  Your door is open?"  
 
 "Of course," he gasped, taking in the vision of the woman in the doorway.  Her long auburn 
hair gave her the appearance of being sixteen.  Devoid of make up, she looked pale and it 
was obvious she had recently been in tears.  But the one aspect that got his attention most 
was her middle.  She was pregnant, very pregnant, as in she should have been in a labor 
room he thought.
 
 "Ma'am please sit down," he managed, getting up to take her arm.  "Are you OK first of all, 
and then if so, what can I do for you?"
 
 "I'm Shannon Koenig," she sighed.  "Lieutenant Westbrook was my fiance."
 
 Realization dawned and Harm guided her into a chair.  Charles Westbrook was Lt. Fox's 
RIO.  His file had said no immediate family.  Obviously there was about to be.
 
 "Ma'am I am so sorry for your loss," Harm said automatically.  "What can I do for you?"
 
 "First you can relax," she smiled wanly.  "I'm not going into labor.  At least not in the next 
fifteen minutes, though I could wish.  Nathaniel Charles here has been doing nothing but 
kicking since we got up this morning, but then since I spent the night crying I'm not 
surprised."
 
 Harm gave her a sympathetic nod.  "OK, I'm relaxing but I'm keeping the phone nearby.  
Now I say again, how can I help you?"
 
 "I want to know how Chuck died.  I mean why he died.  Please.  My dad said you were 
investigating.  He works in the CO's shop see.  That's how Chuck and I met.  I hang around 
out her a lot, but never mind that.  I want to know why he died.  Why I'm going to have to 
raise his son alone."
 
 Harm swallowed hard  and shook his head.  The tragedy was compounding before his eyes.  
All because a man could not admit when it was time to stand down.  "My findings will be 
made available as soon as they're run through the system," he sighed.  "Until then the report 
is confidential."
 
 "It doesn't matter anyway," she sniffled softly.  "Chuck knew the Captain was dangerous.  
He and Brett--Lt. Fox I mean--talked about it a lot.  I just wish they'd had the guts to do 
something about it."
 
 Her words went straight to his heart and head.   Guts to do something about it.  The 
'something' that Hunter Reed had the courage to do.  
 
 "Yeah I do too," he finally got out.
 
 "And I shouldn't take up any more of your time.  I was just hoping this would help me kind of 
understand," Shannon whispered.  "Mr. Rabb, please, please make these people 
understand.  A guy that doesn't belong in the air doesn't just hurt himself when he messes 
up."
 
 "I will.  I promise," he said firmly, eyeing the paperwork he had begun.  He knew now 
exactly what his findings would say.
 ==============
 Three hours later he was happy with what he had done.  Still on his agenda were the 
matters of Mac and Hunter.  He owed both of them apologies.  In the meantime something 
else had come up.  The memorial service for the four aviators was scheduled for noon the 
following day and he felt he needed to attend.  Not that it would be easy.
  
 Meanwhile Mac had given up waiting for Harm to call her and finally had 
 decided she would call him. It had been too long since she's heard from him 
 and she needed to know he was okay there. It had been a long day at JAG 
 waiting for his call and when she got home she headed straight to her phone 
 and dialed his cell phone number.
 
 "You do still exist," she said softly when he finally answered.
 
 "Mac hi. I've been meaning to call you but it's been a little crazy around 
 here."
 
 "Everything okay?" she asked.
 
 "If you mean the investigation, well it's pretty much complete" he said with 
 a long sigh.
 
 "Anything you want to talk about?"
 
 "Not on the phone. What I need to say to you needs to be said in person."
 
 "Are you coming back tomorrow?" she asked. "Since it sounds like you've got 
 things wrapped up there."
 
 "I'm going to the memorial tomorrow," he said quietly. "Which isn't going to 
 be easy but I know I need to do it."
 
 "I'm sorry. I wish I was there with you so you wouldn't have to do that 
 alone."
 
 "I wish you were too," he said so softly she barely heard him.
 
 "Harm do you want me to come down there? I'm sure if I ask the Admiral for 
 the day off he won't mind."
 
 There was a long pause on the line before he finally answered. "No. There's 
 no reason for you to come down here. I'll be coming home after the service 
 anyway and it's crazy for you to drive three hours just for you to hold my 
 hand during the service."
 
 "I don't mind. All I care about is you."
 
 "Even after I've been the biggest jerk on earth?" he sighed. "I'm surprised 
 you even want to talk to me."
 
 "You're admitting you were a jerk?"
 
 "It's part of that long talk we need to have. Which I don't want to have on 
 the phone. But I promise when I get back we will have it."
 
 "Then you don't want me to come down there?"
 
 "I don't want you driving all that way alone just for me. I'll be fine. But 
 I appreciate the offer."
 
 "Well just promise you'll call if you do need anything" she said softly. 
 "Because you know I'll be there in the drop of a hat if you do."
 
 "Promise. And I'm sorry I haven't called this week. I've been in a bit of 
 funk during this investigation."
 
 "It's okay. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."
 
 "I'll be a lot better when this whole thing is over and I get back home and 
 I can talk to you. I have so much I need to say to you."
 
 "I'll be here. And I'm looking forward to that talk. Take care of yourself 
 sailor."
 
 "I will. I'll see you later."
 
 ****************
 NAS Oceana Chapel
 10AM
 
 Harm stood outside the big doors of the chapel, willing himself to open the 
 door and go in. He'd been to memorial services before. He could suck it up 
 and get through this one just like the others.
 
 His hand was just about to reach for the door when he heard the clicking of 
 heels behind him. He moved to the side to let whoever it was go in ahead of 
 him and to his surprise Mac stood beside him in full dress uniform.
 
 "Hi" she said softly.
 
 "Mac what are you doing here?" he frowned.
 
 "Coming to be with you. If that's okay with you."
 
 "More than okay" he whispered. "Because to be honest, I wasn't sure I could 
 go in there. I mean I guess I would have but having you here makes it a lot 
 easier."
 
 "Then let's go" she said as she took his hand. "And when this is over maybe 
 we can have that talk."

"Please yes.  Walk on the beach. . uh if you brought a change?"

"I did and that sounds perfect," she whispered, squeezing his hand as the music filled the 
chapel.  "Let's do this Flyboy."

The took a pew in the back, their hands surreptitiously joined between them and the 
chaplain stepped forward, his hands raised in blessing as the families filed in.  Mrs. 
Richardson led the group, her son's hand in hers, and Shannon Koenig followed, walking 
slowly with the weight of the baby boy his father would never see.  Harm's hand trembled 
slightly in Mac's and she leaned her head against his arm for a second.  Two other women 
followed, each carrying a child, and along side one of them a boy of about six walked stiffly.

Harm shook his head, swallowing hard to keep a sob from escaping.  "Another time another 
place this could have been me as the cause.  One of those women could have been you."

"Ssshhh it's OK," she soothed.  "It's not going to happen now.  It was stopped before it 
could."

Harm nodded and fell silent as the service continued.  Afterwards they greeted the families, 
Harm taking special care to give Shannon a quick hug and to introduce her to Mac.  

"I think we can safely go now," he finally said softly.  "I need badly to get out of here.  That 
beach walk is sounding really good."

"To me too," she whispered back.

An hour later they had both changed and were walking hand in hand along the rock hard 
sand, the waves crashing nearby, mingling with the cries of gulls overhead.

She remained silent, wanting him to set the tone for their talk, and finally after they had 
covered nearly a mile of beach, he tugged at her arm and urged her to sit, easing her down 
and dropping next to her.

"You know when I thought about us talking, it seemed like I had so much to say, and now. . 
.well I'm not sure I do," he admitted.  "Seems like what we've just come from pretty much 
said it all.  All except my apology for how I've been.  I was a fool Mac.  A fool to think I could 
still fly when my eyes are below qualification.  I don't even know how to apologize.  It's not 
something I'm good at.  And I owe Hunter one too and I'm going to be even less good with 
that one probably.  Although I don't know.  It's not easy to tell the person you love that you 
know you've screwed up big time, and that's what I'm doing with you."

"Harm it's not. . ." she began and stopped short, having finally heard the total gist of what he 
was saying. "Harm repeat your last couple sentences please."

"Huh?"

"You heard me.  Repeat what you just said."

"I said it's not easy to tell the person you love that you. . ."  His mouth fell open as he heard 
himself.  "We haven't said that to each other have we?"

"I don't think so," she smiled, her eyes fastened to his.  "But I think we're about to aren't 
we?"  

"Yeah.  Yeah we are," he breathed.

"You want me to go first?" she giggled, now slightly nervous.

"No.  I can take this one," he grinned before turning totally serious.  His hands held her face, 
his thumbs stroking just under her eyes along the high cheek bones he knew so well.  
"Sarah Mackenzie, I'm in love with you."

"And I am very much in love with you," she replied just ahead of his lips meeting hers.  It 
was not the first time they had kissed, but never before with this intensity, or with this feeling.  
It left them both panting, wrapped in a tangled embrace, and lying back on the sand.  

"Now what," he finally managed.

"Now we go home," she murmured.  "Why don't I call Hunter and tell him we'd like to meet 
him for dinner, and then after that. . .well I think you and I might want to pick up where we 
left off here.  Work for you?"
  
 ****************
 8 PM
 Olive Garden
 Vienna, VA
 
 Hunter was waiting inside the restaurant when they arrived and he smiled 
 when he saw Mac's hand in Harm's as they walked in.
 
 "Well that looks a little better" he smiled. "Good to see you Harm. I was a 
 little surprised when Mac called and said you wanted to get together."
 
 "Yeah it finally sunk in that you did the right thing" Harm said quietly. 
 "But I'll explain all that over dinner."
 
 "You going to explain the hand holding too?" Hunter grinned.
 
 "Be happy to" Harm smiled as well. "I finally got my head out of my six and 
 told Mac I loved her. And amazingly she feels the same way."
 
 "And you're both surprised?" Hunter laughed.
 
 "Hey we're just a little slow" Mac smiled. "And I'm now starving so don't 
 tell me there's a wait."
 
 A few minutes moment they were led to a large booth and Harm and Mac happily 
 scooted in on one side while Hunter took the other.
 
 "So what did you want to talk about?" Hunter asked once the waiter had taken 
 their orders.
 
 "First off I owe you an apology. You did the right thing.  Now I see that."
 
 "Because of the investigation you just finished?"
 
 "The crash was caused because one of the pilots refused to step down even 
 though he knew his reflects weren't like they should have. There's four 
 women without the men they love and several children without fathers because 
 of it."
 
 "So you understand why I did it then? That it wasn't to get you out of 
 flying. That it was because I didn't want to see that happen to Mac."
 
 "Bingo" Harm nodded. "And none of that was clear until this investigation."
 
 "I'm just glad I found out before you went out on your quals and that I had 
 the guts to do it" Hunter said quietly. "Because as much as I'd love a shot 
 with Mac I wouldn't want it that way."
 
 "Well I think you're going to have to give up on that now" Harm smiled as he 
 looked at Mac.
 
 "Sorry Hunter" Mac said softly. "This guy and I have finally gotten past 
 those three little words so the rest is easy from here."
 
 "So I see. And I happy for you two. Really I am. I guess I'll just have to 
 start looking for someone for me."
 
 "What about your hot new partner?" Mac giggled and Hunter rolled his eyes.
 
 "Okay what did I miss?" Harm asked.
 
 "He's been assigned to Krennick the second" Mac laughed.
 
 "No way. Your partner is hitting on you?"
 
 "She's just my training partner" Hunter sighed. "I'll be so glad when I get 
 assigned a real partner.  Beverly is just a wack."
 
 "She Navy?" Harm asked.
 
 "No civilian. And she thinks she's god's gift to men and that I should just 
 be falling at her feet. Which I'm not. I'm counting the days until I get 
 reassigned."
 
 "So other then that how's it going?" Harm asked.
 
 "Great. I'm glad I listened to you two. Otherwise I'd been sitting on the 
 farm feeling sorry for myself. I never thought there'd be life after flying 
 but I guess there is."
 
 "Yes there is" Harm nodded. "And you find the right person to share it with 
 and it'll be even better."
 
 "Well there is someone who was in the class with me" Hunter said sheepishly.
 
 "What's her name?" Mac demanded. "Come on spill the beans."
 
 "Ann Marie" Hunter smiled. "We got to talking one day and I found out she 
 was new to the area too. So we kind of hung out during breaks and at lunch 
 while we were in class. Course I haven't really seen her around since we got 
 assigned our training partners. Just in passing here and there."
 
 "Well next time you pass her maybe you should ask her out" Harm suggested.
 
 "Where would I take her?" Hunter asked. "The most I've learned of this area 
 is how to get to and from the Yard and that's about it."

"Well there's always McDonalds," Mac teased.  "Ann Marie is a pretty name.  Civilian?"

"Just out of college.  She was recruited on campus," Hunter nodded.  "So of course that 
makes her slightly younger than me."

"Cradle robbing," Harm laughed.  "Nothing wrong with young women.  I've had my share."

"Is this something you'd care to share with the group?" Mac asked, trying to keep a straight 
face.

"Only if I'm subpoenaed," he returned, taking her hand and putting a quick kiss in the palm.  
"Thanks no.  I've met the only woman I want to share anything with from now on, but this 
isn't solving Hunter's problem.  Look bring her around and the four of us will do something.  
Sometimes that's easier."

"Oh right," Mac giggled at once.  "I remember the double date you and I went on with Ms. 
Peterson and Mr. Brumby."

"Yeah well so do I," he growled.  "Please I'm eating here."

"You guys have such a history," Hunter sighed, forking up a bite of salad.

"Yeah well we're about to make new history," Mac smiled.  "Seriously, yes by all means.  
Just casually ask her if she'd like to meet a couple of friends of yours.  There's dinner and a 
movie, or there's always a concert or play to see.  That's what living in DC is about--how 
everything is close.  Well everything except where we work."

"I can do that," Hunter nodded and shook his head, watching Harm and Mac for a moment 
as he whispered something to her ear and made her blush.  It was over.  And Harm had won 
her hand, along with her heart and soul.  He never had a chance.
================
"Well my place or yours for that nightcap?" Harm asked after they were in his car, and when 
she gave him a blank look, his face took on an expression of almost-horror.  "Mac I'm sorry.  
What we talked about this morning on the beach.  We were going to. . .OK just kill me now."

"Relax Flyboy I'm just messing with you," she giggled, and before he could reply she leaned 
over to wind her arms around his neck, pulling him to her.  The kiss she gave him left no 
doubt as to what she had in mind.  "In fact I've been waiting for this all day," she purred 
teasingly.  

"Oh yeah me too," he managed, putting the SUV into gear and pulling away from the 
restaurant with the accompaniment tire squealing.

"Hey slow down there mister.  You're not in the air, and I want to live to enjoy what's about to 
happen," she chided him.

They reached Harm's apartment and once inside the kissing began in earnest.  "I like a 
woman who knows what she wants," he panted.

"I have wanted you to love me forever," she whispered.  "That's what it was about.  Not 
about what we're going to do.  That's just frosting for the cake as my grandmother used to 
say--except she said it in Farsi."

"I can't say anything in Farsi," he whispered back.  "I can only say that I have. . .loved you 
forever that is."  With that he lifted her into his arms and carefully carried her to the bed.  "I'm 
not even going to ask if you're sure," he went on as hands worked quickly to divest each 
other of clothes.

"Thank you," she replied, "because never in my life have I been more sure of anything."
   
  "Neither have I" he whispered.
  
  Afterwards she lay in his arms, never more content than she was at that 
  moment.
  
  "Everything okay?" he asked as he dropped a quick kiss on her forehead.
  
  "Wonderful" she smiled. "More than wonderful. I still can't believe this is 
  all real. Less than twenty-four hours ago we weren't even speaking to each 
  other."

  "That will not happen again. I was a jerk for acting like I was and I just 
  thank God you didn't tell me to take a flying leap for good."
  
  "Not likely. I just didn't know what to do to fix it."
  
  "You couldn't do anything. I had to realize for myself that Hunter had done 
  the right thing."
  
  "Well I'm sorry it had to come from this other tragedy," she said softly. "I 
  feel for those women and children."
  
  "So do I. And unfortunately they don't get another chance like we do."
  
  "I hope we don't waste this chance. We can't have too many left you know."
  
  "I don't want to" he said softly. "I want this to work Sarah. More than 
  anything."
  
  "And it will" she said firmly.

THE END

Watch for the NEXT CHAPTER coming soon, wherein Hunter's new assignment makes 
trouble for all.