TITLE: "Zone of Hypocrisy" AUTHORS: Anne R. and Pat Steiner SUMMARY: The first in what will be an ongoing series of episode re-writes from 5th and 6th season. Simply a matter of putting things right. This one is from the episode "Drop Zone". DISCLAIMER: JAG belongs to Paramount, DB, CBS, et all. No copyright infringement is intended in this work of entertainment. FEEDBACK: Never demanded or expected-always appreciated. Feedback addy is ssbpmn@aol.com NOTE: All parts of this story, as well as much of our other works, are available at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AnniePatJAGstories The message archives are open to all registered Yahoo users-no 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: http://thearchive.mine.nu:85/exlibris/ or http://www.netroenterprises.com/exlibrisjag or BTL- http://www.wtv-zone.com/trgarchive/btl/ http://destined.to/btlarchive - {BTL, H/M Fanfiction archive.} or the Harm-Mac shipper archive at http://hmarchive.topcities.com/index2.html [sadly, not always up and running] "Zone of Hypocrisy" Part 1a--- Harm did not know if it was the dream or the siren that made him wake. A glance at the clock proved it was but two minutes until it would have jangled him from sleep anyway, but nevertheless he felt like he had not slept at all. Renee and Mac. . .fighting. Fighting over him. As he and Mic had fought in Sydney? No. NO. He thought he had pushed that whole time in his life out of his thoughts and now it was coming back in his dreams. "Well no wonder when I have to look at that damn ring every morning," he groused, throwing the covers back. And look indeed he did, first hoping it would be gone, and then hoping if it had to be still in place, that it was still on her right hand. He rolled from the bed and stripped off the sweat soaked undershirt. "Aussie bastard," he muttered, flinging the shirt across the room before heading for the shower, which he hoped would put him in a better mood. Seeing Mac first thing did in fact make him feel better. Her cheerful smile always managed to touch a chord inside him. "You haven't been fighting have you?" The words that came out of his mouth surprised him as much as her. Her quizzical look prompted him to give her a sheepish smile and he gestured to her face. "You've a dark area there under your eye." "Newsprint," she laughed and repeated her quizzical look. "Are you OK? Something you want to talk about? Renee?" "No nothing about Renee," he groaned, the dream replaying itself in fast forward. "I'll see you later Colonel." ============== "I take it then you're not here to negotiate?" Mac pegged Bud with her gaze. To his credit, he returned her look and then looked to Master Chief Bracken and to Singer. "No ma'am. Not at this time." "Then we'll see you in court." When they were alone Singer gave a little smirk and a shake of her head. "See not so tough." "Loren," Bud cautioned her softly. To be convinced of their client's innocence was one thing, but to want the win as badly as she seemed to gave him pause. "I know." Her only comment as she left the room. =========== "Sir there are a couple of kick boxers here for you." The dream had become less startling and had taken on more the air of an erotic fantasy between the two women in his life and now here was Tiner announcing that a repeat performance. . . "Big boxes sir. Probably the US code." "Oh. Take them to the library Tiner." "Yes sir. Sir are you OK?" The second time he'd been asked that today. Damn that dream. "Yes I'm fine. Close the door on your way out." With a deep breath for courage, he dialed Renee's number, getting her machine and leaving a message. At the same time his thoughts drifted again, this time to Mac in Norfolk. He missed the times they had worked together. "Sir, the Admiral would like to see you" Tiner said as he stuck his head in Harm's office. "He say why?" Harm frowned. "No sir. Just asked if you were available sir." "Commander, have a seat" AJ gestured as he closed the door behind Harm. "You uh seem to have a fairly active social life." "Well I uh would hardly call it active" Harm said with a short laugh. "Well there's Ms. Peterson and before that there was Lieutenant Commander Parker and before that there was---well I forget her name." "Annie" Harm offered. "Uh, where's this leading sir?" "Where do you take a female companion for a romantic weekend these days?" "Well there's always sailing in the Virgin Islands. The beaches of Antigua are quite stunning." As he said the words, his mind was picturing Mac, in the blue bikini she'd worn in Australia, lying on a sandy beach in Antigua, the shimmering blue ocean inches away. "Uh, it would really depend on what you you're looking for." "Hmm" AJ nodded thoughtfully. "Been a while has it sir?" Harm chuckled. "Thank you Commander that will be all." "Yes sir" Harm said as he hurried out of the Admiral's office. It was ironic that the Admiral was asking him for advice on women. The last two women had dumped him and it was likely that Renee was going to be the third one to send him packing. She was still upset with his cross examination of her in the Seaman Granato case and he wasn't sure she was going to get over it any time soon. ================== Madison Manor Park Next Afternoon "I didn't think you'd come?" Harm said as Renee approached the park bench he was sitting on. "I'm not sure why I did" Renee pouted as she sat down on the end of the bench. "I think you made it pretty clear how you felt about our friendship when you humiliated me like that." "Renee you were the prosecutions witness. It was my job to cross examine you and defend my client." "Well you didn't have to tear me apart like that" she retorted. "Look I'm sorry if I embarrassed you" he sighed. "You would do it again wouldn't' you?" "I don't know" he started. "Probably." "The duty will always come first won't it" Renee pouted. "Not me." "Renee" Harm sighed. "I said I was sorry. What more do you want me to do?" "Nothing" she snapped. "Nothing at all." She stomped away and Harm let out a long sigh. He hadn't really expected her to understand. Renee was only worried about one person. Renee. He still wondered how she'd managed to convince him to go out with her in the first place. A moment of weakness that had continued thanks to Mac and Mic's seemingly deepening relationship. ************ "How's it going?" Harm asked as he stuck his head in Mac's office. "Interesting" Mac sighed. "Anything you want to talk about?" he offered. "No thanks. I think I'm heading in the right direction." "Well if you need any help, you know I'm around" he said with a forced smiled. "You okay?" she asked. "You seem a little down today. Renee still not talking to you?" "Well she talked to me. And made it clear that she was finished with me." "Harm, I'm sorry," Mac said. "Hey it's okay," he said quickly. "We were just uh passing time together. We didn't really have anything in common." "No. Really?" Mac smiled. "Sorry. I shouldn't have said that." "No it's the truth" Harm sighed. "And the last thing you need right now is to hear about my pathetic love life. I'll get out of your hair." "Harm if you want to talk, you know I'm here" Mac said quietly. "Despite the fact we haven't really been too close since Australia I do care." "Well so do I" he smiled. "I'll see you tomorrow." ================ "You humiliated me in there," Singer hissed as she and Bud stomped from the courtroom. Bud knew he had been one-upped by Mac, and he knew it was her fault. "I underestimated her," Singer admitted. "Or overestimated yourself." "Either way, it won't happen again," she vowed through clenched teeth. ========= The Colonel in question was a few minutes later holding a document in her hands as she sat in her darkened car. Naval Aircraft Investigation Report. With only a moments hesitation, she opened it. "Did you read it?" Harm asked her gently, still marveling over the fact that she had come to him at his place. She had not been a frequent visitor since the time of his return from the Henry. She was troubled, and trying to keep that fact hidden as she talked, though he knew that she would not have come had she not been. "I glanced at it," she replied, trying unsuccessfully for even a small air of defiance. "You can't disclose it. It's a criminal offense." "I don't intend to disclose anything." "You can't use it or any information derived thereof." "Fruit of the poisonous tree I know," she murmured, just a note of desperation creeping into her voice. At the timer bell's ding, Harm reached into the oven below and withdrew a steaming pan. "Smells good. Lasagna?" "Yeah vegetarian," he nodded. "Oh. Renee strikes me as more of a meat eater." When she received no more than a raised eyebrow for her comment she returned the conversation to business. "Look what if Bracken is acquitted and another jumper dies." She picked up the document and walked into the living room, feeling little tendrils of desperation beginning to wrap around her spine. "I'm not sure that makes it OK to break the rules. Any idea who put it in your car and how?" "Nothing I can substantiate." She was about to speak further when there was a light tapping at the door. "Your dinner guest has arrived. Ms. Peterson I assume." "Well we were going to talk again," he admitted sheepishly as he walked to the door. "Her idea for what it's worth." Mac's gaze fell on the free standing stove and she slipped the document through the door, watching for a second as its edges curled. Destroying evidence. Why not. It took Renee a moment to recover her surprise at seeing Mac there. "I interrupted something work related?" she asked hopefully. "No we're finished," Mac said at once, picking up her coat and looking to Harm. "You leaving already?" Renee inquired in that same hopeful tone. "No she's not," Harm spoke up firmly, seeing Mac's forlorn face. He could not just turn her out, not while she was this troubled. The one person she might talk to was on the other side of the world, and Harm was not of a mind to let her go home alone. "No she's not leaving," he repeated more firmly. "Excuse me" Renee said irritably. "What do you mean she's not leaving?" "Harm I should go" Mac said quietly. "You and Renee obviously need to talk." "Thank you Mac" Renee said with a fake smile. "Mac stay" Harm said as he reached for her arm. "You and I were talking and we're going to finish talking. Renee, I'm sorry but this is more important right now." "Harm" Mac started. "Everything is always more important than me" Renee snapped. "It's now or never Harm. Either we talk now or I walk for good." "Harm it's okay really" Mac said as she started towards the door. "We can talk about this another time." "No we're in the middle of talking now," Harm said quietly. "And we're going to finish talking. You came because you needed someone and I'm not going to turn my back on you." "And that tells me you've made your decision" Renee said tersely. "About tonight--and about us. Good bye Harm. I hope you have a nice life." She stomped out of the apartment, slamming the door as she left. "Harm, I'm sorry" Mac sighed. "If you want to go after her it's okay. I'll leave." "I don't want to go after her," Harm said with a small smile. "It's over. And that's fine with me." "I thought you and her were getting serious?" Mac asked. "In her mind maybe" Harm scoffed. "Not in mine." "So why were you hanging out with her so much. Wait, never mind don't answer that." "I'm human what can I say" Harm grinned. "And now you probably think even less of me." "Harm, I've known you for how long now" Mac laughed. "I know you pretty well sailor. And I am real sorry about this." "Mac stop apologizing. It was over last week when I tore her up on the witness stand. She realized then she wasn't the center of my world. And never would be." "And that was my fault too. I shouldn't have called her as a witness." "Actually I'm glad you did" he smiled. "And enough about her. Why don't we eat and then we can talk about you and the report?" "Vegetarian lasagna? I don't know flyboy." "Give it a try" Harm urged. "And if you really don't like it, I'll order you a pizza." "Thanks. You know I didn't come over to have you feed me and to break up your relationship with Renee" she sighed. "But I don't seem to be doing much right this week." "Mac I'm okay with Renee leaving. How many times do I have to tell you that before you believe me?" "You sure?" "Mac" he said with a long look. "Okay. You're not upset. And I'd be happy to try some of that lasagna." "That's more like it" he smiled. "Come on. Guarantee you'll be asking for the recipe for this once you taste it." "Harm I don't even cook" Mac laughed. "Did you forget that?" "Not too late to learn" he said as they headed to the kitchen. "And I know a great teacher." "You're serious aren't you Flyboy?" She looked at him quizzically as he set the lasagna pan on the table and removed the wine glasses. "Won't be needing these." "Harm really you know it doesn't bother me," she reminded him. "And getting back to the cooking lessons. Serious or teasing?" He shrugged with elaborate casualness. "You know you'd always be welcomed here and cooking is something I do for relaxation anyway." He took a long breath before adding, "Of course you have a fiance to think about." "Counselor, don't go marrying us off yet," she laughed, waggling her left finger which bore only her Marine ring. "You care to talk about that?" he asked gently, guiding her to her chair. "Which part of that?" she asked, in sudden peevishness. "The part where you pushed me away?" "The part where you hit me with a load of emotion out of a clear blue," he responded, keeping his voice calm. "Mac you and I had not been particularly close in the weeks I had been back. Put yourself in my place for a minute. You asked me how long we were going to wait? Honestly, I had about figured we weren't going to wait for each other at all, that we were going on with separate lives outside JAG." "Is that what you wanted?" She turned her face up to his as she spoke, her eyes piercing his. "Since the ring happened I've made myself not think about it," he told her in all honesty. "My wants are secondary as long as you're wearing that ring. But if it helps, remember when I asked you to dinner there? I was going to tell you that I'd had time to regroup and that I wanted to talk about it all." Her eyes fell at those words. "Well thanks for being honest at least. And the least I can do is be honest back and tell you I don't know what I'm going to do about this ring and Mic. How can something that seemed so right at the time look so different a couple months later and several thousand miles away?" "Do you love the man?" She took a breath to answer and when nothing came out Harm shook his head. "Don't answer that. It was a rhetorical question. Eat. As for the case file, you know if you need an attorney, I don't want you to look any further than me. If the need is there, I want to help." "Thanks" Mac smiled. "For everything. You know I wasn't sure it was such a good idea to come over here or not." "Well I'm real glad you did" Harm smiled. "And hopefully this won't be a one time thing." Two Days Later JAG Courtroom "Objection" Singer snapped as she sprang to her feet. "Move to strike." "On what grounds?" the judge asked. "The government elicited testimony from this witness unlawfully" Singer continued. "What?" Mac glared at Singer. "The mishap report" Singer hissed to Bud. "How else would she know?" Hours later Harm sat in the courtyard with Bud and Singer listening to Singer gloat. "With Bracken's drinking suppressed there's nothing between us and the finish line" Singer smiled. "Then why do I feel so lousy" Bud groaned. "You're a lawyer Bud" Singer sighed. "Get over it. Right Commander?" "What happens in the courtroom stays in the courtroom" Harm replied. "Now how do you know Colonel Mackenzie got her information from the mishap report?" "It's the only place she could have sir" Bud replied. "Lauren figured it out before I did." "She did?" Harm said as he glanced over at the Lieutenant. "There's got to be a way to win cases without destroying your friends" Bud sighed. "Colonel Mackenzie is far from destroyed" Singer scoffed. *********** "You okay?" Harm asked as he walked into Mac's office. He'd been summoned to the Admiral's office minutes earlier and been told he was now handling the prosecution of Bracken. "Yeah I'm fine" she sighed. "So you're finishing the case?" "I just got the assignment from the Admiral" Harm nodded as he closed the door behind him. "Can we talk for a minute?" "If it's about Bracken sure. Otherwise I'd rather not talk about it." "I take it the Admiral was pretty hard on you?" Harm asked. "Let's just say that I'm not one of his favorite people right now" she sighed. "Mac we need to find out who put that report in your car" Harm said quietly. "Because someone set you up." "Harm honestly I'd rather not even think about it. It's too late to worry about now." "Wrong. The only reason you saw that report was because someone left it in your car open to that particular page. And I'm going to find out who." "I don't want you doing anything that's going to get you in trouble" Mac sighed. "You don't need the Admiral's wrath. He's just start to forgive you for leaving." "Have you forgiven me?" Harm prodded. "You want absolution go see your priest," she returned, trying for sarcasm and succeeding only in sharpness, which she at once realized. "I'm sorry. Uncalled for. And immaterial." "No it's not," he said softly. "I knew my leaving was going to be hard for you. Hell it was hard for me but it wasn't until you were crying that I realized how much I was hurting you." She dropped her head in embarrassment. "Well I don't believe I actually sobbed in your arms." "You weren't the only one crying," he said softly. "I just managed to hold it back that's all." "Well you weren't upset when I got to the Henry. Remember 'I was born to fly Mac'?" "Hah. I found out shortly afterward that I wasn't. That I left a good life at JAG for a life I couldn't have back." "Well you did come back though and I'm glad." He looked up in surprise. "Are you?" "Yeah," she nodded quietly, and added even more quietly. "I missed you. A lot." "Same here," he replied, taking her hand and squeezing hard, stopping suddenly when he felt the pressure of Brumby's ring. She felt the same thing and pulled her hand back. "You should know that I've booked a flight to Sydney." His mouth fell open and for a second he stared. "Brumby know you're coming?" "Not yet." "Ah a surprise." "You're expecting that I'll catch him fooling around with some Sheila. You would love that wouldn't you." "You said that, not me." "Mic is a good man Harm. You may want to come to terms with that." "Well if he's good for you then I'm all for it; but are you going to see Mic or are you just trying to get away from here." "A little of both," she replied, her voice very quiet. Before he could further speak, Gunny called him to the phone. "Duty calls," he said regretfully. "Please don't go until we talk again." She shrugged noncommittally and he gave her a hopeful smile as he walked out. It was done. The case finished, and the truth was out for all to see. Now Harm stared out the window into the darkness of the JAG parking lot. Mac was not answering his calls and he assumed she was home packing. She had not promised she would talk to him, and apparently had decided against it. In frustration he slammed his fist down on the window ledge and shook his head. "Damn you Brumby." If not for the cocky Australian it might be him to whom she would turn. "It was you Rabb," he berated himself, again aloud, "on a ferry in Sydney Harbor, she turned to you and you pushed her away." Movement in the parking lot caught his attention and he realized that the guard was making his way through the parking lot. Suddenly he realized that the answer to who had set Mac up might be as simple as talking to the guard at the gate. He hurried outside and moments later he had the answer to his question. "Are you sure you saw Lt. Singer at Colonel Mackenzie's car?" Harm asked. "Yes sir. I remember because I was going to ask her why she was at the Colonel's car. But then I got a call about something in the building and I never got the chance to ask her." "Did she go into the Colonel's car?" "Yes sir. It looked like she was leaving something for her. I guess that's why I didn't think about it again." "Thank you. Would you be willing to testify to what you saw if you had too?" "Yes sir. Did the Lieutenant do something wrong?" "Yes she did" Harm said quietly. He strode back into the building and headed to AJ's office only to remember that he'd taken off early for his weekend away. "Good night sir" Singer said as she headed to the elevator. "Lieutenant, do you have a few minutes?" Harm asked. "My office please." Obediently she followed Harm to his office and he dropped into his chair again. "Lieutenant someone gave Colonel Mackenzie a copy of the mishap investigation report." "I realize that." "That someone was you wasn't it?" "You're accusing me sir?" "Yes I am Lieutenant.. And I promise you this will end your career." "You have no proof" she countered. "That's where you're wrong" Harm said with a small smile. "I do. And when the Admiral returns I'm going to present him with the evidence." "You're lying" she whispered. "You wouldn't." "Yes I would. And I will. What you did was unethical and you have no business being a JAG lawyer. And that's exactly what I'm going to tell the Admiral." "You'd ruin me to keep her from looking bad" Singer snapped. "In a heartbeat." "I'll fight you on this." "Go ahead Lieutenant. But I'll win. I have the truth on my side." She turned and ran from his office and Harm felt a small degree of satisfaction. He'd found the person responsible for setting up Mac. But it might be too late. He picked up his phone and dialed her place again only to get the answering machine again. He hung up and with a long sigh debated what he should do. He knew where she was. The question was whether or not he should stop her from going. Minutes later he was heading to Dulles, having called and found out that the flight to Sydney was leaving in an hour. If he could stop her from going, there might still be a chance. The drive out to Dulles was interminable, and he blessed the fact that she would have been required to check in early. He parked and sprinted into the terminal at a dead run, and it wasn't until he approached the gate that he realized he had no idea what he was going to say to her. Truth be told, given her frame of mind, he was afraid she would not return. Afraid that the last contact he would have with her would be seeing her faxed in resignation, signed Sarah Catherine Brumby. A shiver passed through him as he slowed, and he came to a full halt when he saw her standing alone by a distant window, staring out across the dark tarmac. At the gate the big 747 waited, its door already opened, ready to take her away, possibly for good. "It was Lieutenant Singer who put that document in your car," he called softly. "I'm drawing up charges tomorrow. Her career is over." Mac turned around slowly, her mouth falling open. "I'm. . .I'm not surprised I guess. I didn't want to accuse, but logically it couldn't have been anyone else that would hate me that much. . .well Renee maybe. But she's more the type to hire a hit man." "Yeah." "I'm going to subpoena you you know," he went on. "You're going to have to be there to testify." He gestured out to the aircraft. "So this had better be a round trip, and a short one at that." "I'll depose from Sydney." "Yeah you could do that," he said evenly. "But the Marine that I've known all these months would be standing up and fighting. Railing against the wrong that was done to her." "Harm I'm not sure I have any fight in me," she replied. "A lot of it went out of me on a day last May when my best friend decided his life at JAG wasn't enough for him any more. Then a lot more some weeks back on a ferry in Sydney Harbor. This was just kind of like that last straw you know." "Yeah." Put like that, he knew he could not argue with her. But he was damned if he was going to let her leave without hearing him out. "Hey you've got an hour and there's a Starbucks stand right there. After all we've been to each other, partners and best friends, you can buy me a cup of coffee and we can talk. Were you planning on leaving without saying goodbye?" "I sent you an email from here," she smiled softly. "I didn't want you to talk me out of it I guess. But now that you're all the way out here, and since you brought me sort of good news, well OK, a turtle mocha." "Thanks," he smiled in relief. "And I promise you if you still want to leave, I'll plaster a smile on my face and say bon voyage." He took her arm and at the same time sent a small prayer heavenward. 'Please God, make her stay'. Minutes later they were sitting at a small table in the coffee shop. "So how did you find out it was Singer?" she asked as she sipped her mocha. "A little detective work" Harm smiled. "I noticed the guard wandering in the parking lot tonight and I asked him if he remembered seeing anything the other night. Of course he did and is willing to testify to what he saw." "Nice job counselor" she said with a forced smile. "I figured it was her." "I knew it was her. But I didn't come out here to talk about Singer. I want to talk about you. And me." "I'm listening sailor." "I'm sorry about Sydney. That night you just took me by surprise. I wasn't expecting that." "I guess I sort of ambushed you," she admitted quietly. "But I was trying to find out how you felt." "Because you knew Mic was waiting in the wings?" he prodded. "And if it wasn't going to work with us you still had him?" She opened her mouth at once to deny his words before slowly closing it. "Yes" she said quietly. "Mac why are you going to Sydney? Besides to get away from what happened. Do you really want to be with Mic?" "I don't know why I'm going" she sighed. "Maybe it was to get away from here. Maybe it's because I know there's a man waiting in Sydney who loves me and will do anything in the world for me." "There's a man sitting right here who feels the same way" Harm whispered, this time without hesitation. "If you'll give him another chance he'll prove it." "Harm" she breathed, her eyes wide with awe at what he had just admitted to. "Mac please don't go" Harm said as he reached across the table for her hands, gently wrapping his around them. "I know things haven't been right for us since I came back from the Henry in September. But I think we can fix that. If you stay." "Did you mean what you said?" she whispered. "About feeling the same way as Mic." "Yes. If I'd known that what I'd said that night was going to push you into his arms, I would never have let you go. I want another chance Sarah. Please don't go." For a moment she could only stare. She had not expected him to do this. And she knew that he meant every word he said. "I have to go" she said as she let go of his hands and stood up. "OK I understand," he said resignedly, assuming she meant she had to go to Sydney. He had promised if that were her decision he would respect it. "No I have to go retrieve my luggage before it's too late," she said with a wide smile. It was his turn to stare and she laughed at his surprise. "You thought I was still going to go to Sydney after that" Mac said softly. "I…I didn't know" he said as a small smile crossed his face. "I was hoping not." "If you meant what you said, I have no reason to go to Sydney." "I meant it," he said vehemently. "Every single word." "Then let's go find my luggage and then you can buy me dinner" she said as she reached for his hand. "If that's okay with you." "More than okay" Harm smiled as he squeezed her hand. ************* Epilogue "We the members find Lt. Lauren Singer guilty of all charges and specifications." With a wide smile Harm looked back in the courtroom, his eyes meeting Mac's. She smiled back and moments later was at his side. "Nice job Commander" Mac said softly. "And thank you." "Just doing my job ma'am" he smiled. "Would you be interested in a celebration dinner?" "I think I can be talked into it. But we need to stop at the Post Office first." He gave her a confused look before smiling again. "My pleasure." An hour later she dropped the envelope addressed to Lt. Cdr. Michael J. Brumby into the mailbox and turned back to Harm with a wide smile. "I'm ready for that celebration dinner now." A ring that was accepted for all the wrong reasons began its journey home; while a man and a woman, whom Fate had joined together long months before, began a journey of another sort. THE END.