A/N: This is a revised version of a story I wrote between January and August 2004. As it was my first attempt at fan fiction, there were a lot of things that made me cringe when I went back and re-read it recently… so here is the revision, which is pretty much the same as the original except where I didn’t like what I’d written the first time around. :-)

Events in the story are generally consistent with the show through the 9th season episode “A Girl’s Best Friend,” but then things begin to diverge (i.e., in my world, Sadik never came back to torment Mac, and her relationship with Webb never even got off the ground, let alone developed into what happened on TV).

Summary: Little A.J.’s finally turning five... here’s my take on a possible H/M reaction.

Disclaimer: I don’t claim to own them, I just borrowed them for a little – okay, a long – while for my own entertainment. All characters belong to Donald Bellisario, et cetera…


Chapter 1

Mid-May 2004
Thursday
2213 Zulu
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia

Lieutenant Colonel Sarah “Mac” MacKenzie sat at her desk, flipping through the contents of a standard manila folder with a slight frown. She and her former partner, Commander Harmon Rabb, Jr., had been going over their most recent case for the last hour, but hadn’t made much progress developing their defense strategy. Harm was now stretched out in one of the chairs opposite Mac’s desk, watching her expectantly, when a knock rang through the office. Lieutenant Harriet Sims stood in the doorway, a large pile of files held in her arms.

“Ma’am, sir, I’m sorry to interrupt,” Harriet stepped into the office with a tired smile. “Here are the additional documents you requested regarding the Miller court martial.”

“Thanks, Harriet.”

“Don’t forget, I need you both to be at the house by 1100 Saturday to help set up for A.J.’s party,” Harriet continued as she hefted the files onto the file cabinet next to the doorway. “You’re both bringing something, right?”

“Count me in for chips and soda.”

“Pasta salad and Boca burgers.” Harm shrugged and grinned up at Harriet. “A guy can’t live on cake and ice cream alone. Think of what that would do to my waistline.”

Both women chuckled.

“Works for me,” Harriet agreed. “Do either of you need anything else before I take off?”

Mac and Harm shook their heads and Harriet left the office, quietly closing the door behind her. Mac’s smile faded as she returned her gaze momentarily to Harm. I wonder if he realizes how old A.J. is going to be this year, she thought absently. Hard to believe he’s five already! She gave herself a mental shake and looked down at the open file on her desk.

“Five years, Mac.”

“What?” Her head whipped up, surprised that he seemed willing to speak about their deal, not to mention that he was actually bringing up the topic! She stared at him incredulously.

“This is A.J.’s fifth birthday,” Harm trailed off, suddenly unsure of where this conversation might lead. He glanced down at his hands, took a deep breath, and continued. “The five years is up.”

“Yeah, I suppose it is.”

Silence.

“Where do we go from here? Do you still want to go through with our little agreement?” There, he’d managed to get the words out without suffering a stroke. He looked back up at her, trying to gauge her reaction.

Mac’s gaze drifted to the bullpen, visible just over Harm’s shoulder. After a few tense moments, she squared her shoulders and picked up the file sitting open before her.

Damn, she won’t look at me. Not a good sign, Harm thought. He wanted to say something, wanted to find out what she was feeling, but feared that if he pushed she would back away into the perennial tango of wills that had seemed to plague their relationship in recent years. So he sat quietly, and waited for her to speak. Finally, Mac leaned back in her chair with a sigh.

“I honestly don’t know,” she admitted. “We’ve both been through a lot since we made that deal. Mic and Renee, Bud’s accident, Paraguay, Mattie, Webb...” She brought her eyes up to meet his. “What do you want to do?” Here we go again, Mac thought.

“I never make a promise I won’t keep.” Harm’s gaze was guarded, but his voice firm.

That was not the reaction Mac had been expecting. “Excuse me?”

“For my part, I think we should stick to the original deal.”

“You and me, have a baby together?” The words flew through time. Mac remembered having asked him that once before, five years previously when they had watched Bud and Harriet and baby A.J. drive away from the JAG Headquarters entrance. She watched Harm’s face carefully now, waiting for him to try backpedaling out of the situation.

Instead, he gave her his best ‘you-can-trust-me’ grin and nodded slightly. “What do you say?”

“Are you sure?”

“The five years are over. Neither of us is getting any younger, and there’s no one else I would rather have be the mother of my child.”

His sincerity and candor had Mac’s eyes going wide. Surprise and another, warmer, emotion flooded through her. Suddenly, she wanted to look away, but her gaze stayed riveted on his. With a brief flash back to her own testimony on Harm’s behalf during his custody hearing for Mattie the previous December, Mac knew what she had to do.

“There’s no one else I’d rather have as the father of mine,” she said softly.

For a few moments they simply stared at each other, wordless. It was Harm who broke away first, when he realized that the normal bustling sounds of the bullpen had quieted. It was well after five o’clock, and all but the evening skeleton crew had most likely secured for the evening. He turned back to Mac, who closed the folder before her.

“I don’t think we’re going to get anything else done tonight,” she said, pushing back from her desk with a rueful smile.

“Want to continue this discussion over dinner?”

“You read my mind,” she chuckled, relaxing a bit. “Your car or mine?”

“Mine. After sitting in this chair all afternoon, I’m afraid my back isn’t going squeeze into your ‘Vette without protesting.” He stood and opened the door. “Let me go grab my cover. Meet me by the elevator?”

“I’ll be right there.” Mac nodded, and then smiled to herself as Harm left her office and disappeared from sight. It was going to be a very interesting evening.



Chapter 2

Thursday
2314 Zulu
Dominic’s Cafe & Restaurant
Georgetown, Washington D.C.

Forty-five minutes later, Harm and Mac were sitting at a corner table waiting for someone to take their order. Dominic’s was usually pretty crowded on Thursdays during the dinner hour, but tonight the establishment was relatively empty. Mac supposed that would change once the sun had set and the temperature began to drop, but for now only the muted sound of jazz music and the occasional clinking of glasses filtered back to their table, allowing them to talk with ease.

“Okay, how exactly do you propose we go about this?” she asked, her eyes twinkling with a mischievousness that she didn’t really feel. Harm looked slightly uncomfortable too.

“I, um, had thought you might have some suggestions.”

“Me? The entire plan was your idea, buster.”

“Yeah, I guess it was. But you bought into it.” He leaned back into his chair, and looked thoughtful. “Well, how many options do we have? There’s in-vitro, artificial insemination, or good old-fashioned—”

“Wait a minute,” Mac interrupted with a shake of her hand. “We should work out some of the bigger logistical issues first. No offense, but there’s more to having a baby than the mechanics of actually making a baby.”

“Sounds like you’ve given this some thought. What did you have in mind?” Harm crossed his arms over his chest, eyes narrowing in curiosity.

“Custody arrangements, day-care, insurance, pediatrician, education,” she rattled off, “not to mention what we’re going to tell the Admiral and everyone at the office. Having a baby should be easy; it’s everything else that’s going to present a challenge.”

She folded her hands in her lap as the server approached. Once they had placed their orders and the menus had been removed, Harm reached for his water and absently began stirring it with his straw. Mac pulled a legal pad and pen out of her briefcase.

“You’re right,” Harm ultimately conceded, and flashed her a smile. “The ever-practical Marine. Okay, so we’ll deal with the logistical issues first. If it’s all right with you, I’d like to have joint custody.”

“Won’t that put a wrench in your bachelor lifestyle?” she teased.

“Mac, I’m serious.”

“So am I. A lot of women don’t want ready-made families, Harm.”

“After what I went through losing my father, do you honestly think that I would settle for being an every-other-weekend parent?” His voice dropped slightly. “I don’t take the responsibility of fatherhood lightly, and frankly, I’m a little hurt that you would insinuate otherwise. If you see me as being such a player, then why did you help me become Mattie’s guardian last fall?”

Reaching out to take his hand, Mac caught his gaze, trying to reassure him. “I meant it when I said you’d be a great father. But there’s a world of difference between a newborn infant and a fifteen year-old teenager. Babies require a lot of time and energy.”

Harm looked away, but didn’t pull his hand from hers. They sat for a moment in silence. Finally, he looked back at her and took a deep breath.

“What if I were to move into your place for a while?”

“What?” This was the second time in the last few hours that Harm had thrown her a proverbial curveball. Mac looked at him in surprise.

“You’ve got a sleeper sofa, right?” he asked.

“Yes, but—”

“Hear me out.” He leaned forward, moving closer to her. “With both of us around it would be easier to provide our child with the love and attention it needs. Once the baby is old enough, we can transition to a more conventional custody arrangement.”

“How old is ‘old enough’?”

“Well, we can figure that out as we go,” he grinned, giving her hand a squeeze. “Better your place than mine.”

“That’s true. My apartment does have more space than yours, and more privacy. Nicer neighborhood, better schools—”

“So that much is settled. What’s next?”

Their food came, with the discussion continuing over the meal and Mac taking notes. One by one, they came to agreement on each of the areas previously discussed, as well as several others. After sunset, the noise level inside the restaurant rose commensurately with the number of patrons until further conversation was practically impossible. Finally, Harm and Mac rose to leave. Now only three obvious matters remained: how the child would be conceived, what they planned to tell their CO and colleagues, and how they intended to both remain at JAG.



Chapter 3

Saturday
1547 Zulu
Roberts Family Residence

Ringing the doorbell with her elbow, Mac stood on Bud and Harriet’s front porch with A.J.’s wrapped present under her left arm and several weighty plastic grocery bags hanging from her right. The front door was open, but without a free hand she found herself unable to grab the screen door to let herself in.

“Just a minute!” a male voice called from the rear of the house. An instant later, Lieutenant Bud Roberts appeared at the end of the hallway holding a roll of paper towels. Greeting Mac, he rushed to open the door.

“Accident?” she asked sagely, noting the towels and the prominent brown wet spot gracing the front of Bud’s shirt. He looked down and smiled sheepishly.

“You could say that. A.J. tried opening a bottle of root beer and shook it a little too much in the process. It exploded all over the kitchen counter, and the floor, and the party favors and even the cake. Harriet and I are doing damage control. Here, let me help you with that.” Taking the groceries, he glanced into one of the bags. “Ah, more root beer. Thanks, ma’am.”

“Bud—”

“Sorry… Mac,” Bud smiled self-deprecatingly. “After eight years, it’s a hard habit to break.” The screen shut quietly behind them as they made their way back into the kitchen.

“Is that the Colonel?” Harriet’s disembodied voice asked as they stepped into the room.

“Hi, Harriet. Where are you?” Setting the gift down on a chair, Mac peered around the island to see her friend kneeling on the floor between the island and the sink, wiping up a giant brown puddle. Light brown liquid was dripping down the front of the cabinets, and Harriet’s blouse sported a mottled stain similar to Bud’s. A moment later Harriet rocked back on her heels, blowing her bangs out of her face in exasperation.

“Morning, ma’am,” she smiled weakly. “Bud, will you pass me some more paper towels?

“Looks like you had a minor catastrophe. Anything I can do to help?” Mac offered.

“No, thanks, I think we’ve got it under control,” replied Bud. Handing the roll to his wife, he grabbed a sponge from the sink and began to wipe off the trickle of soda on the cabinet doors. He glanced up at Mac. “Ma’am, why don’t you go out back and help the Commander and Mikey keep an eye on A.J.? The guests should be arriving soon and it would really help if you could keep him out of trouble.”

“Sure, no problem.” Harm’s here already? Mac thought, but hid her surprise from her friends. She hadn’t crossed paths with Harm the day before as he’d spent most of the day in Norfolk conducting interviews. He must actually be early for once. Dismissing the thought, Mac pushed open the screen door.

Stepping out onto the back verandah, her gaze skimmed over the yard. It was a gorgeous day for the party. Springtime in Washington tended to be unpredictable, but the sun was out and shining down warmly on the earth below. The yard was decorated with clusters of red and blue helium balloons, swirling ribbons of similarly colored crepe streamers, and a giant blue banner that read “HAPPY BIRTHDAY A.J.”. Over in the corner, little A.J. and his uncle sat in the sandbox playing with a plastic bucket and an old set of what appeared to be Star Trek action figures. Mike glanced over and waved. Nodding in acknowledgement, Mac noted that the front of A.J.’s overalls was immaculate; Harriet must have cleaned him up before tackling the mess in the kitchen. Of course, what would she think when she saw the knees of those nice clean pants covered in sand?

Chuckling, Mac started down the steps when a sound to her right drew her attention. The Roberts’ picnic table had been moved out of the middle of the yard closer to the fence, where Harm was now entertaining baby Jimmy. Mac’s breath caught in her throat. Bouncing the eight-month-old child up and down on his knee, Harm appeared completely absorbed by Jimmy’s gurgling laughter. Fascinated and somewhat overwhelmed, Mac simply watched as Harm’s generally serious façade melted away in the face of infant babble. She couldn’t recall ever having seen him this at ease with a child, even A.J., whom she knew Harm loved like he would his own son. Seconds ticked by before Harm’s eyes lifted to meet hers.

“Hey, ninja girl.”

He hasn’t called me that in years. Snapping out of her reverie, Mac strolled towards him. “Hey, yourself, sailor,” she smiled back. “You’re here early. Feeling okay?”

“You make it sound like I’m never on time for anything,” he said, acting affronted.

Mac looked at him pointedly.

After a moment, Harm flashed a self-satisfied grin and patted the bench in invitation. “I wanted to give A.J. his present before the rest of the party showed up.” He gestured towards the willow tree opposite the garage, and the tire now hanging sturdily from one of the branches.

“Tire swing, huh? Clever.”

“Bud and I hung it this morning.”

Sitting beside him, Mac looked down at Jimmy, whose attention immediately focused in on the shiny necklace Mac wore. The infant reached an open hand for the pendant and widely missed.

“Oh, no you don’t,” she admonished, tweaking Jimmy’s nose. “Mine.” Both adults chuckled at the child’s reaction: he gazed up at his godmother with a scowl. As she leaned over to give Jimmy a kiss on the forehead, Jimmy, enraptured by the glint of light off her earring, saw an opportunity and grabbed.

“Ow!” Mac grunted as the baby’s hand fisted tightly around a chunk of her hair and pulled her towards him. Surprised at the strength of the youngster’s grip, she fell sideways and collided with Harm’s chest. Despite the sudden awkwardness of the situation, Mac was grateful when Harm reached over her shoulder to help unclench the tiny fingers from their grip.

“Aunt Mac!” Young A.J. bounded over from the sandbox, bucket in hand, and tackled her. Bud’s younger brother Mike, an Annapolis midshipman, followed close behind.

“Look, it’s the Birthday Boy!” Mac greeted AJ warmly, giving the little boy a clumsy hug and wincing briefly as Harm pulled the last of her hair from Jimmy’s hold. “How old are you today?”

A.J. proudly held up five fingers and announced, “I’m five years old and I’m gonna join the Navy when I grow up!” Harm and Mike laughed, but Mac shot AJ a mildly challenging look.

“Oh, really? Why the Navy and not the Marines?”

For a moment, the little boy appeared perplexed. “Can I be a Marine and still be an admiral?” he finally questioned.

“Nope, they don’t have admirals in the Marines. But you could be a general instead.”

A.J.’s response was immediate and firm. “No, I’m gonna join the Navy so I can be an admiral, just like Uncle A.J.” Then, switching gears, he asked, “Want to help me and Uncle Mikey build a fort for Mr. Spock?” Without waiting for an answer, he turned and raced back towards the sandbox. Mike excused himself and headed after his nephew.

“Looks like you’ve been overruled, counselor,” Harm teased as he watched his godson dive knee-first into the sand.

When Mac didn’t immediately respond, he glanced over to see her vainly attempting to comb her fingers through her hair. Between the baby’s grasp and Harm’s subsequently hurried efforts to free her, a huge snarl had formed behind Mac’s ear.

“Here, you take Jimmy and let me do that.” He plopped the infant over onto her lap and lifted his hands to her hair before she could protest. “Wow, you’ve got a good knot back here. It’s a real bird’s nest.”

The familiarity of Harm’s fingers on her scalp was startling, and surprisingly intimate. The heat of Harm’s physical nearness suddenly pushed the reality of Thursday’s discussion, and their agreement, into sharp focus. Mac swallowed hard. After all they had endured over the last five years, it was actually happening. They were really going to go through with it. The man at her shoulder, her one-time best friend and a man she’d long ago thought herself in love with, Harmon Rabb. Jr., was going to father her child.

Harm’s fingers went still.

“All done.” His arms drifted down, one hand settling down on the picnic table behind them, the other resting casually on Mac’s forearm. Tentatively, she brought her gaze up to meet his.

“Thanks,” she said, unable to look away.

“You’re welcome,” he replied softly.



Chapter 4

Saturday
1605 Zulu
Roberts Family Residence

The words lingered between them as the two friends stared at each other. Harm was certain Mac could feel his heart beating wildly in his chest despite his barely touching her. He was surprised to find that he wasn’t afraid or anxious, but instead felt energized and full of anticipation: it was the same exhilaration he felt when launching a Tomcat off an aircraft carrier. Every take-off brought with it the underlying concern of something potentially going wrong, a mild sense of uneasiness that stayed with him until the moment the plane’s wheels left the ship. Suddenly the security and safety of the landing deck would fall away and he’d be in momentary free-fall, filled with uncertainty at whether the bird would fly. But then the plane would steady and start to climb, and all apprehension would be washed away by a powerful surge of elation and the strength of the wind at his back. It was that initial wave of exhilaration that compelled him to fly, and he felt it now as he unconsciously tightened his fingers around Mac’s arm. He leaned towards her.

!!!CRASH!!!

“Nice shot, A.J.!” Mike’s voice rang through the yard, breaking Harm out of his trance. Startled, both he and Mac turned to see little A.J. Roberts sitting next to a large pile of sandbox toys and grinning hugely up at his uncle, who had started applauding.

“What happened?” Mac called.

“Mr. Spock blew up the Klingons’ tower!” A.J. happily explained.

“Oh, I see.”

Harm looked back at Mac. Their eyes met again briefly but the intimate moment was gone, leaving him with a profound sense of disappointment. He shot her a look he hoped would express his appreciation for what they’d just shared, and that he wouldn’t mind sharing similar moments in the future. Their track record at interpersonal communication, though, meant that the odds of her getting the message were not in his favor. He also knew that as much as he wanted to make certain she understood his feelings, now was not the time or place. Harm squeezed her arm lightly before removing his hand.

“Poor Harriet,” Mac commented. “First Bud names Jimmy after ‘James T. Kirk,’ and now A.J.’s playing ‘Star Trek’ in the sandbox. I don’t know how she takes it.” She looked down at the infant in her lap. “This little guy sure is a sweet one, though.”

“Speaking of ‘sweet ones,’ you and I have a conversation to finish.”

“Yes, we do,” Mac agreed, an understanding smile playing on her lips. She shifted Jimmy to her other knee. “Are we still on for tonight?”

“1900 at my place. Will you be up for Chinese?”

“Always.” She glanced back towards the house. “But I’ll need to stop at home first to get the Miller case files.”

“Files?” Harm asked in confusion, knowing that he’d brought everything they’d need back from Norfolk the day before. “What files—”

“Good to see you two getting along for a change,” a familiar voice interrupted. A few feet away stood Rear Admiral A.J. Chegwidden, arms crossed and watching his senior attorneys with a rather amused expression.

“Ah, good morning, sir,” Harm said quickly. Nice save, Mac, he thought. “Great day for the party, isn’t it?”

“Damned fine day, if I do say so myself. How’s preparation for the Miller court martial coming?”

“We were just talking about it, sir,” Mac answered, sneaking a glance at Harm. “There are several last minute details the Commander and I need to discuss before opening statements on Monday, but we’ll be ready.”

“Glad to hear it.” The Admiral paused. “But I suggest you postpone the discussion until after the party. Your client might be somewhat disturbed to hear his defense team chatting about their case in the prosecution’s back yard.”

“Understood, sir.”

“Good.” Satisfied that his point had been made, the Admiral turned and headed off towards the sandbox to see his namesake. Harm and Mac glanced at each other sheepishly.

“Oops.”

“Yeah, we walked right into that one.”

“Uh-uh, YOU walked into that one,” Harm disagreed. Mac rolled her eyes, but smiled.

“Okay, you win,” she said, adding quietly, “I’ll meet you at your apartment at 1900. Need me to bring anything?”

“Just your appetite.”

“Done.” With a laugh she turned her attention to baby Jimmy, who had in the meantime started to squirm. Lifting him up, Mac sniffed and made a face. “Ugh, someone’s a little stinky. Let’s go get you changed, shall we?” She stood and looked back at Harm. “Want to come?”

“No, I’ll wait out here.”

“Coward,” she teased, and carried the baby off to the house. Watching her go, Harm reflected on the Admiral’s words: ‘Good to see the two of you getting along for a change.’ His relationship with Mac had been strained for so long that it was sometimes hard to remember how close they had once been. The easy banter and lightness from early on had been replaced in recent years by harsh words and bitter disappointments. Only recently had the rift between them, once seemingly irreparable, begun to narrow and a tenuous rebuilding begun. They still had their share of miscommunications, but the tension had lessened considerably. Harm only hoped that the step they were about to take wouldn’t ruin their relationship for good.



Chapter 5

Saturday
0135 Zulu (2035 Local)
North of Union Station

Upon leaving Bud and Harriet’s, Mac and Harm had mutually agreed that the Miller case took priority over the other conversation that still needed to be held. They chatted casually over dinner, mostly about the court martial to make sure they would be fully prepared for Monday’s court session. Neither seemed to want to ruin the good mood that had graced them throughout the day; it was nice to finally be back in their easy, comfortable relationship. Empty white take-out cartons and legal files littered the coffee table in front of where Mac now sat comfortably at one end of the couch, feet tucked under her legs. She watched Harm as he began gathering up the assorted papers that lay scattered around them.

“A.J. really liked his tire swing,” she commented. “But I thought you had been planning to get him a remote-controlled airplane. What made you change your mind?”

Harm paused for a moment to think about it before answering.

“When I was little and we were living on base, my dad promised that when we finally settled into a house of our own, I could have a tire swing. It was something he was always talking about. Looking back I wonder if he hadn’t wanted it more for me than I wanted it for myself.” Harm half-shrugged but didn’t look at her. “Anyway, it wasn’t a promise he was able to keep. I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately, and it just seemed like a gift that A.J. would appreciate.” He dropped the files onto Mac’s briefcase and turned to collect the discarded doggie boxes.

“You never told me.”

“I’d frankly forgotten all about it until a few months ago. I don’t know why it suddenly came back to me.” Then, breaking into a grin, he added, “But I don’t mind – it was certainly a lot cheaper than the plane would have been. And it’ll be nearly impossible for AJ to break.”

Mac returned the smile. “He’s certainly turned into quite the hell-raiser, hasn’t he?”

“Yeah. You should have seen Harriet’s face this morning when she realized he’d managed to get soda all over the cake. Bud said she’d spent over an hour decorating it.”

“Believe me, I can imagine.”

Arms full, Harm moved over into the kitchen and dropped everything into the garbage. “Would you like some coffee?”

“Coffee sounds good,” Mac replied. “What’s Mattie up to tonight?”

“She and Jennifer rented some DVDs and are having a ‘girls-only’ movie night.” Catching her frown out of the corner of his eye, he confessed, “I kind of told them we needed to work on the case. Otherwise you would have been invited.”

“Oh. Wanted me all to yourself, squid?”

“Something like that.” The sound of coffee brewing filled the apartment as he settled down in the chair across from her. “So, any thoughts on what we should tell the Admiral?”

Sensing the change in Harm’s voice, Mac straightened up and looked at him. “I don’t want to say anything until there’s something to tell. Regs don’t require me to tell him right away, anyway: the Marine Corps Policy on Pregnancy and Parenthood specifically states that ‘a Marine who suspects she is pregnant is responsible for… …informing her commanding officer within thirty days of confirmation’ ”.

“You want to wait until after you get pregnant?”

Mac nodded.

Harm leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Shouldn’t we at least give him the head’s up so that he can start working on a way for both of us to stay at JAG?”

“There will be plenty of time for that. Besides,” she argued, “who says that we will be able to conceive right away? We’re both over thirty-five, which means we run a greater risk of suffering infertility problems.” Staring down at her hands, she muttered to herself, “Good thing you wear boxers.”

“Okay, so we won’t tell anyone until you’re pregnant. Which leads to…”

“…how we go about getting there,” Mac finished. Her eyes met his as they both fell silent, trying to figure out how to maneuver through the inevitable awkwardness of this conversation. A long moment passed before Harm finally worked up the courage to speak.

“I think we should try the traditional way before resorting to medical intervention.”

Over the years since A.J.’s birth Mac had, admittedly, developed an image in her mind of how this tête-à-tête would proceed. Despite all her daydreams, a little voice of reason always cautioned that Harm would probably suggest the most impersonal method possible, or even back out of the deal entirely. Over the years, every time she had opened the door to deepen their relationship he had just as surely slammed it in her face. But now their positions were suddenly reversed: he had tossed the gauntlet at her feet. A jumble of thoughts ran through her mind as she stared at him, unable to quite reconcile the words with the situation before her. His expression was shielded, features kept carefully neutral.

Just as she opened her mouth to respond, a quick knock on the door rang through the loft, followed by the sound of a key in the lock. They dragged their eyes away from each other to see Mattie letting herself in.

“Oh, hey, Harm, Mac. I didn’t think you were here.” The teenager noted the uncomfortable tension between the two adults but wisely refrained from commenting.

“Where did you think we’d be?” Harm asked, recovering quickly. “I told you we were working on the case.”

“I dunno,” Mattie said. “I guess I figured you’d be working over at Mac’s.”

At the sound of her name, Mac snapped out of her thoughts. “Harm said you and Jen were having a movie night?”

“Yeah, actually that’s why I came over. We need some butter and salt for the popcorn.” Without waiting for a response, Mattie crossed over to the kitchen. “Um, your coffee’s done.”

Harm and Mac just glanced at each other.



Chapter 6

Saturday
00200 Zulu (2200 Local)
North of Union Station

While Harm moved to the counter and poured two mugs of coffee for himself and Mac, Mattie hurriedly grabbed the salt and a stick of butter from the fridge. She didn’t know what exactly was going on between her guardian and his friend, but had a suspicious feeling that there was more to it than just the court martial they were defending together. Maybe it’s better that I don’t know, she thought wryly.

“What movies did you guys get?” Mac asked from the living room.

“Only one, the BBC version of Pride And Prejudice from 1996. It’s over five hours long, so we didn’t rent anything else. I’m reading the book for school and Jen thought watching the movie would be a good way for me to better understand the characters,” Mattie explained. “Plus, the guy who plays Mr. Darcy is gorgeous.” She waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

“Added bonus, definitely,” agreed Mac. Harm simply rolled his eyes, watching as Mattie headed out the door.

“The movie’s only about halfway over so if you want to come join us when you get done working, you’re more than welcome. See you later!” The door closed with a soft click.

Carrying the steaming mugs back over to where Mac sat, Harm handed one to her and reclaimed his chair. She stretched her legs out in front of her before taking the first sip. While Mattie’s interruption had at first seemed very badly timed, Mac realized that the few minutes of distraction had done wonders to relieve her embarrassment.

“So you think we should try the natural way first, huh?” she asked nonchalantly, eyeing Harm over the rim of her mug.

“Yeah, I do.” Mac watched him intently but didn’t say anything, so he continued. “The other methods are all so… sterile, and impersonal. If we encounter problems doing this the old-fashioned way then I’m all for bringing science into the mix, but only as a last resort. This kid is going to be half of you and half of me. I want its creation to mean something.”

“And you wouldn’t feel the connection if your part was limited to a doctor’s office visit?”

“Mac, what you’re suggesting is me going into a bathroom and…” Harm trailed off with a hoarse chuckle. “No offense, but I’m not sixteen anymore. I just want the full experience, same as you.”

Several seconds ticked by as Mac pondered his words. After all, she would be the one carrying the baby, which she imagined would be the most awe-inspiring bond she would ever experience. What right did she have to deny Harm the same connection? Still, sleeping with Harm and going back to the status-quo could prove to be awkward at best.

“All right,” she finally said, “I’ll agree to try this the traditional way. But with one stipulation.” Surprised but simultaneously relieved, Harm nodded for her to go on. “It has to happen on neutral territory.”

“What do you mean?” He frowned.

“The baby’s conception has to take place on neutral territory. Not here,” she gestured around them, “and not at my apartment.” Despite the closeness she and Harm had shared over the years, she found herself stumbling over the words. “They’re too familiar to both of us. And it would be too weird seeing you every day at work if I knew that we had been together at…” She stopped, hoping he would understand what she was trying to say.

“An independent location would help us to keep this separate from our professional relationship,” he supplied.

“Exactly,” she nodded, relief evident in her voice.

“I know just the place.”

“Where’s that?”

“Mattie said we could use her house.”

“You told Mattie?” she said incredulously. The momentary relief was immediately overwhelmed by anger, and her voice rose a notch. “Mattie knows about all this? She’s only fifteen, Harm! Not to mention the fact that her roommate is our CO’s yeoman—”

“Whoa, hold up, Marine,” Harm said quickly, instantly realizing his error. “I did NOT tell Mattie anything about you, me, or our little agreement.”

Mac didn’t look like she believed him but held her tongue so he could explain.

“A while back she offered to let me crash at the house if I ever needed to stay overnight after working on ‘Sarah’. I thought maybe we could make a weekend of it, just you and me. Go flying, among other things.”

Staring at him for a moment, Mac’s anger vanished as rapidly as it had come. Memories of their previous flights together, coupled with the surreal quality of this entire conversation, brought an errant laugh bubbling up from somewhere inside. “And what makes you think I’d go flying with you again? Your track record isn’t that great, hotshot.” She eyed him smartly and finished off her coffee.

“Okay, okay,” he conceded guiltily, “I promise to be extra careful when I do the pre-flight check. And I’ll do my best to protect you if we encounter any psychotic poachers or missile-toting eighteen-wheelers.” He shot her a million-dollar grin. “Can’t guarantee we won’t punch out, though.”

“Maybe you should just let me control the stick. You always seem to get us into trouble,” she teased.

“If you want, she’s all yours.”

Mac laughed softly and stood. “It’s a deal. Here, let me get that,” she said, extending her free hand to Harm and motioning to his now-empty coffee cup, which he obediently handed over. She carried the mugs over to the kitchen and placed them in the sink. “So, do you have a particular weekend in mind for this little expedition of ours?”

“What are your plans for Friday?”

He watched as Mac’s eyes went momentarily round, but when she spoke her voice was calm and controlled.

“Actually, I’m free all next weekend.”

“Then why don’t we count on heading up Friday, after work? I’ve been wanting to take ‘Sarah’ for a spin.”

“Okay.” The uncomfortable silence returned as they stared wordlessly at one another. Finally, Mac cocked her head. “Would you be interested in joining Mattie and Jen, and watching the rest of the movie?”

“Isn’t it a ‘chick flick’?” Harm asked warily.

Mac’s smile was bright. “Yeah, but it’s based on one of the most widely-read pieces of English literature ever written. Think of it as participating in Mattie’s educational experience.”

“All right, I’ll go.” Caving, Harm arose with a heavy sigh. “But the moment you start drooling over Mr. Darcy, I’m heading home.”

“Then c’mon, flyboy, let’s go.” Laughing, Mac waited patiently for Harm to open the door, then moved past him into the hall and headed towards the other apartment. The lights turned off and the loft was plunged into darkness as the door latched shut behind them.



Chapter 7

Friday
2144 Zulu
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia

Throughout the course of the week, Harm and Mac hadn’t talked about much aside from their case. Despite the preparation they had done, their strategy had been blown out of the water within twenty minutes of the defendant’s taking the witness stand: Lieutenant Commander Miller had cracked under Commander Sturgis Turner’s cross-examination and subsequently all but admitted his guilt to the judge and members. Scrambling to salvage what they could, Harm and Mac had worked overtime to minimize the damage from Miller’s self-incriminating testimony. They successfully negotiated a plea bargain with Sturgis and Bud, and although the sentence imposed was severe it was still less than the maximum their client had faced.

The office had grown quiet by late afternoon, many people having left early to take advantage of the fine weather that had continued to bless the Washington area. It had been a long week, but the weekend had finally arrived. Harm’s feet were propped casually in front of him as he talked with Mattie over the phone.

“We’ll probably be taking off in a few minutes,” he said. “Anything you want me to pick up for you while we’re out at the house?”

“I don’t think so. Just make sure to give me a call when you get there, okay?”

“Will do. I’ll see you Sunday, kiddo.”

“Drive safely, Harm.”

Dropping the receiver back in the cradle, he stood and straightened some of the paperwork on his desk before sauntering out towards Mac’s office. It was empty, and Mac was nowhere to be seen around the bullpen. He turned and headed towards Admiral Chegwidden’s anteroom, where Petty Officer Jennifer Coates sat deeply engrossed in something on her computer screen. At his knock, she glanced up and greeted him cheerfully.

“Can I do something for you, sir?”

“Have you seen Colonel MacKenzie?”

“She’s in with the Admiral, sir.”

“Oh,” Harm frowned. Jennifer looked at him knowingly.

“He called her in about ten minutes ago. I don’t know how long they’ll be.”

“Thanks, Petty Officer.”

“No problem, sir. You must be anxious to get on the road; it’s a long drive out to Blacksburg.”

Harm chuckled, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned against the doorframe. “Good guess. I hear Harriet talked you and Mattie into baby-sitting for A.J. and Jimmy tonight.”

“Yes, sir. She and Lieutenant Roberts are going out for dinner and to the theater.”

At that moment, the door to the Admiral’s office opened and Mac stepped out. She spotted Harm immediately and smiled at him tiredly.

“Ready to go, squid?” she asked as she shut the door quietly behind her.

“Whenever you are.” Nodding to Jennifer, he followed silently after Mac as she walked back to her office. “What did the Admiral want?”

Mac sat down behind her desk and began to power down her computer. “Webb wants me to help out the CIA on another assignment,” she said shortly.

“What did you say?” Harm’s brow shot up.

“I told him I’d think about it.”

Floored by her cavalier tone, Harm gaped at her. “What do you mean, you’d ‘think about it’? Mac, you can’t possibly be considering going on another undercover operation with the guy. He nearly got you killed last time.”

“True, but I knew the risks going down to Paraguay, and I certainly know them now.” She turned to him, her gaze softening. “I haven’t said ‘yes’ yet, Harm.”

“That’s a relief,” he muttered, watching her as she tidied up a bit before flipping the switch to her desk lamp. Turning off the monitor, she slid some documents into her briefcase and stood.

“Anyway, Clay doesn’t need a definite answer until Monday, so we’re still on to go flying this weekend. That is,” she added, “assuming you’re up to it.” A small twinkle lit her eyes.

“Oh, I’m definitely ‘up’ to it,” Harm challenged softly, returning her seductive gaze. “Lead the way, Marine.”
Knowing that she hadn’t officially accepted the CIA’s mission helped to alleviate the feeling of impending dread that had settled in Harm’s chest, but he wasn’t entirely reassured. There was no way Mac would be going on another mission with Webb, especially if he had anything to say about it.

* * * * * * * * * *

It was well after 2300 hours when they pulled into the drive leading up to the house Mattie had inherited from her mother. After dropping Mac’s Corvette off at her apartment in Georgetown, she and Harm had stopped for a quick dinner before getting on the expressway. The fact that she hadn’t actually turned the CIA’s offer down had Harm’s temper slowly stewing all the way across the state, growing hotter with each passing mile. Despite this, however, he made a valiant effort to keep his opinions to himself, as both he and Mac were already on edge.

Other than an occasional disagreement over the radio, the ride was uneventful until it started to rain, just northeast of Roanoke. What began as a light drizzle had turned into a downpour by the time they’d reached Blacksburg. Lightning ripped across the sky, and even with the Lexus’ traction control Harm had found himself fighting heavy winds to keep the SUV on the road. The effort it took to keep the wheel from jerking out of his hands didn’t help his mood any. At long last, gravel crunched loudly under the tires as the wraparound porch came into view, but the heavy rainfall and pumping windshield wipers drowned out the sound. Parking as close as he could to the house, Harm killed the ignition.

“Why don’t you make a run for it? I can grab our bags,” he said.

Mac nodded mutely. A moment later she was dashing out of the car towards the house, bounding up the front steps to the safety of the porch. She watched as Harm’s darkened figure hoisted their belongings from the rear of the vehicle and carried them up to the front door.

“I hope this lets up before tomorrow,” he said ruefully, unlocking the door and pushing it inward. When he flipped the light switch, however, nothing happened. “The storm must have knocked the power out. Wait here. I’ll go see if I can find a flashlight.” He disappeared down the hallway.

A burst of lightning lit up the foyer and adjoining living room. Closing the door behind her, Mac slipped off her wet cover and shook her hair, which was soaked despite having only been exposed to the rain for a few moments. Four minutes and forty-three seconds passed until she heard Harm’s muffled cry of triumph towards the back of the house. It was followed by a grunt and loud crash.

“Everything okay?” she called into the darkness.

“I found a flashlight, but the batteries are dead.” Harm emerged from the shadows at the end of the hall carrying a large utility lantern. He was limping slightly.

“Handy.”

Glancing over at Mac, Harm set the flashlight down. “C’mon, why don’t we go get out of these wet uniforms?”

“Gee Harm, you really know how to proposition a girl,” she smiled as she followed him up the stairs.

* * * * * * * * * *

The temperature outside had plummeted with the storm’s arrival, so at Harm’s insistence Mac had taken a quick shower to warm herself before changing into dry clothes. The electricity was still out when she emerged from the bathroom ten minutes later running a towel through her hair. Following the sound of Harm’s voice down to the pitch-black living room, she found that he had changed clothes as well.

“Her answer is no,” he was saying into the cell phone. “Look, I’ll have her call you.” He listened for another moment before ending the call.

“Anyone I know?” Mac asked, stepping into the room.

Harm didn’t answer, but instead handed her the phone. He took an unconscious step backwards as she read the familiar number displayed on the caller ID. It took her a minute to realize he had been talking on HER phone… and the caller had been Clayton Webb.

“You were in the shower—” Harm began to explain.

Her voice icy cold, Mac’s eyes narrowed. “And you took it upon yourself to answer, instead of letting it go to voicemail.”

“Well, I didn’t know how long you were going to be and figured it was probably important.”

She snorted in disbelief. “Right. Do I need to remind you, yet again, which one of us showers faster? And in a thunderstorm, no less.” As if to illustrate her point, the room was momentarily lit by a flicker of lightning. Harm’s expression was difficult to read in the darkness. “What did Clay want?” Mac prompted.

“He wanted to see if you’d made a decision yet,” Harm answered.

Despite his outwardly calm demeanor, his emotions were tumbling fiercely. When Webb’s number had appeared on the phone’s display, Harm had correctly assumed that the CIA operative was calling to talk Mac into joining him on the mission. Harm had answered because he knew that Webb’s missions, no matter how carefully planned, were usually near-fatal disasters.

“And you told him my answer was no?” Only the sudden rise in her voice betrayed her anger. Mac stepped towards him menacingly, but Harm held his ground.

“Yes, I did.”

“How dare you,” she accused. “I’m a Marine, Harm. I am perfectly capable of making my own decisions, even when it comes to Webb. What gives you the right to stick your nose into affairs that don’t have anything to do with you? You had absolutely no right—“

“No right? No right to what, Mac? No right to tell him that the mother of my future children won’t be signing up for his latest escapade? No right to protect you from the legacy of his mistakes? ” Harm’s control snapped as he closed the gap between them. “There’s no way, Mac. There’s no way I’m going to sit back this time and let you go off on your own. I will NOT let you walk out on me like you did when you went down to Paraguay. I will NOT let you walk out on me again!” his voice hitched as the words rushed out.

The torment in Harm’s voice penetrated the haze of Mac’s fury. When a flash of lightning illuminated the room an instant later, the sight of his face sucked the breath from her lungs. Harm stood before her, chest heaving, eyes shining brightly, his expression one of misery and anguish. The last time he had looked at her that way had been, she remembered, on the Admiral’s porch during her engagement party. Right after they’d kissed and she’d gone back inside, to Mic.

“I’m not walking out on you,” she murmured softly.

Plunged once again into darkness, Mac now reached up to cup Harm’s cheek. She held her hand there as they stood facing one another, the silence broken only by the sounds of the storm outside. Within a heartbeat she leaned forward into him, and then suddenly their lips met, his warm arms wrapping around her waist as her hands wound their way upwards to the nape of his neck. At first the kiss was hesitant, uncertain, tender as they shyly embarked on an exploration of the other’s mouths. But soon they could not resist the pull of inevitability. Tumbling into the abyss together, their lips began to merge and meld in a way that neither had dared dream of before, Harm and Mac headily devouring the warmth and need that only came for each when in the heat of the other’s embrace.



Chapter 8

The two shadowy figures stood entwined together in the center of the living room, oblivious to everything but each other. Drowning in the necessity of their embrace, Harm felt something give way to the gentle and unavoidable rightness of their union. What surprised him, however, in the part of his mind still capable of rational thought, was that neither seemed to be in any hurry. There was no sense of urgency; he and Mac had all night. Savoring the taste of her lips on his, the texture of her tongue and the scent of her perfume, he held her close with the intention of never letting go. They remained that way for some time, until Mac began to pull away. It wasn’t until she finally broke the kiss that the shrill ringing pierced through the haze clouding Harm’s mind. Not wanting to release her, he reached for her again, but she took a step back.

“I think that’s yours,” she whispered hoarsely.

Focused wholly on the sight of Mac’s mussed hair and swollen lips, it took Harm another moment before her meaning penetrated the haze of arousal: his cell phone lay nearby on an end table, cheerily and loudly announcing the incoming call. Somewhat dazed, he picked it up.

“Rabb.” His voice was rough, too.

“Harm,” Mattie’s voice crackled through static. “Did you and Mac make it okay?”

“Hey, I was just about to call you,” he said, clearing his throat as he glanced over at Mac, who stood nearby with her hand to her lips. A loud clap of thunder drowned out Mattie’s response on the other end of the line. “Sorry, Mattie, could you repeat that?” Harm asked.

“I asked if everything was all right. You sound like you’re out of breath.”

You have no idea, Harm thought. Aloud, he answered, “Everything’s fine. We’ve got a whale of a storm here, and the power’s out. Do you know off the top of your head where we might find some candles?”

“Try the kitchen, in the junk drawer next to the stove. I think there may also be a flashlight under the sink.”

“Found it. It didn’t work.” He watched as Mac moved over to the window to observe the rain falling outside. “So, are you still at Bud and Harriet’s?”

“Yeah, they’re not back yet. We put the baby down around eight, and A.J. fell asleep about two hours ago watching Finding Nemo.”

“Did he behave for you?”

“Aside from his dropping a full bag of marbles down the toilet, he’s been a perfect angel,” she chuckled.

Harm groaned. “Please tell me you’re joking.”

“Nope. It took Jen forty-five minutes to fish them all out. Listen, Harm, I think Harriet and Bud just pulled in. Have a great time flying tomorrow and I’ll see you Sunday, okay?”

“Thanks, kiddo. See you then.”

He ended the call and shut the phone. Setting it back down on the table Harm crossed over to Mac, whose silhouette was outlined by the sporadic flashes of lightning visible through the window. He now moved up close behind her, placing his hand on her shoulder. Mac tensed for a moment, then relaxed and covered his hand with her own. The warmth of his body at her back was immensely comforting.

“Mac, I’m sorry if I was out of line before, for answering your phone.” Harm’s quiet apology whispered in her ears. “If you want to go on this mission with Webb then it’s your decision. But I’ve already come close to losing you once because I was too stubborn to let you know how I felt. I won’t take the chance of doing the same thing again.”

Turning around in his arms, she tilted her head back to look at him. “You won’t lose me. I’d already made up my mind to say no.”

“You did?” Harm’s heart fluttered.

“Webb won’t be happy about it, but that’s my decision. He has to learn that he can’t just waltz into the Admiral’s office and expect us to go along with whatever scheme he has hiding up his sleeve. As for you and me,” she added softly, lifting a tentative hand to Harm’s chest, “we still have an agreement to fulfill. I’m ready. Are you?”

Harm’s eyes met hers. “Yes.” There was no trace of hesitation in his voice.

“Good, because any other answer and I might have been forced to demonstrate one of my sneakier Marine tactics.” Wrapping her arms possessively around his waist, Mac beamed at him somewhat nervously.

Harm ran his hands from her shoulders down the length of her back, where they settled on her rear end before pulling her snugly against him. He leaned down to her, the brightness of desire in his eyes a beacon to Mac’s soul.

“You forget, Ms. MacKenzie,” he murmured softly against her lips, where he took a quick nibble. “Sailors have a few sneaky tactics of their own.”

With that, he promptly swept her up into his arms, ignoring her yelp of protest with a confident grin as he started for the staircase.

“Who do you think you are? Richard Gere?” Mac started to laugh, holding on to his shoulders for dear life as he slowly took the first step upstairs. “This isn’t An Officer and a Gentleman, Harm. You’re going to hurt yourself.”

Smiling, Harm merely leaned over and planted a resolute kiss on her lips, continuing all the while to climb the staircase to the home’s second story. He finally lowered Mac to her feet when they reached the darkened landing, but he didn’t let her go. Instead, her hand firmly intertwined in his, he moved silently down the short hallway to the door at the far end.

Inside the room, between the intermittent flashes of lightning from the storm outside, Mac could see their bags set neatly to one side of a bed so big it seemed to fill the entire room. In less than a second the anxiety level again began to rise. Would they really go through with this? The two friends stood frozen next to one another in the doorway, still holding hands.

“God, I haven’t been this nervous since I was sixteen and Frank caught me making out with Karen Johnson behind the living room couch,” Harm admitted softly, eyes focused on the queen-sized bed before them. He swallowed hard.

“Me neither.” Nodding in agreement, Mac’s free hand began to play a light trail up the side of Harm’s arm. The nerves under his shirt sleeve tingled to life. “Hard or easy?” she finally asked, turning to face him.

“Hard or easy?” he repeated, not sure what she meant.

“We can do this the hard way, or the easy way.” Mac gestured towards the bed with her head, taking a small step closer to him so that their bodies were only inches apart. Her head tilted up backwards in order to maintain eye contact. “Dip in one toe at a time—”

“Or cannonball right into the water,” Harm finished for her.

Mac nodded.

Giving it a moment’s thought, at long last Harm shrugged. “I’ve never been one to test the waters first,” he murmured. Then his lips were swooping down onto hers, his arms pulling her closer into his lithe body more tightly than she’d ever been held before.

Chapter 8.5

Their tongues once again meeting in a fiery clash, Mac’s hands ran a hot path up the long lines of Harm’s torso and over his chest and shoulders before settling possessively around the nape of his neck. A small moan escaped her lips when he laid a trembling hand over the curve of her buttock and pulled her hard against him. Unable to stop herself, Mac pressed herself more tightly into him, lifting one knee slightly to gain better leverage.

One hand still on her six and the other cupped firmly in the small of her spine, it wasn’t long before Harm’s fingers began to delve beneath the soft knit fabric of Mac’s t-shirt. The skin underneath was silky and warm to his touch. Harm couldn’t get enough. Splaying his hand across her bare back, his sweeping caress moved upwards until his fingers finally encountered the clasp of her bra.

Feeling his touch along her skin sent shivers up Mac’s nerves. Deepening the kiss, she devoured Harm’s mouth in a way that she’d up till now only fantasized about. As his fingers played distractedly up and down across her back, one hand as high as her brassiere and the other beginning to dip below the waistband of her jeans, Mac steered Harm the few steps backwards towards the bed. Releasing her hold on his nape, she slid her hands around to the front of his shirt and began, slowly, unfastening the buttons one by one.

The mattress was solid against the back of Harm’s knees, but he resisted pulling Mac onto the bed just yet. Instead, he eased up on the kiss, at last releasing her lips so he could pull her t-shirt over her head. Mac lifted her arms without protest as he did so, but as soon as the shirt landed in a pile on the floor she once again captured his mouth with her own, unwilling to release him for any longer than was absolutely necessary. Moments later she was pushing his shirt off his broad shoulders, and it joined hers in the heap of clothing along the baseboard.

Standing torso-to-torso, Harm broke the kiss and leaned backwards against the support of the bed so he could take a good look at Mac. He had wanted this moment for years, and now that it was finally here he couldn’t help but realize that the Sarah MacKenzie of his dreams paled in comparison to the reality of the woman before him. Her skin was flushed, eyes heavy-lidded as she gazed at him with an equal share of intensive longing. Tentatively, Harm lifted his fingers to touch the swell of her breast above the lacy edge of her bra, suddenly unsure that what he was experiencing was real.

It was.

Mac saw the hesitation in Harm’s face replaced by a newfound wonder and awe. Her heart soared. Unable to restrain herself any longer, she too reached out to Harm, trailing her fingers along the smooth skin of his ribcage, up the taut muscular body to his nipples, around his back to his firm and well-toned buttocks, which she cupped with unreserved enthusiasm.

As Mac pulled him close, once again Harm caught her mouth with his, only this time feeling a sense of urgency and desire that had not been there before. He wanted her more than life itself, his instincts taking over with the primal male urge to brand her with his child. Soon Mac’s bra fell to the floor, as did their jeans and underwear, leaving them entwined in a naked embrace as they at last tumbled together onto the bed.

For a few moments they simply lay there, kissing and enjoying the marvelous novelty of finally facing one another flesh-to-flesh. This was the first time they had ever allowed themselves to give into the passion that had lay beneath the surface of their relationship for so many years.

Then the intensity of their kissing once again began to surge. Facing Mac on the bed, Harm’s hand skimmed from her shoulder down to her collarbone, to her breast, to her navel. As he did so, his tongue began to trace a path down the line of her jaw and throat. Beneath his lips he could feel her tiny tremors of arousal, could smell the musky odor of her feminine heat.

Powerless to do anything but feel, Mac’s head tossed restlessly on the pillow as the fiery trail of Harm’s mouth reached the swell of her breast. She bit her lip to keep from crying out, but it was in vain: her back arched and a low moan escaped when his mouth latched onto her nipple and his hand moved unexpectedly between her legs. She was soft, and hot, and waiting for him.

Harm was thoroughly absorbed in paying attention to the delicate skin of her breasts when he felt Mac’s hands tug on his biceps. With a soft groan he looked up.

“There’ll be time for that later. Right now I want you inside me,” she purred quietly, unable to take the sweet torment any longer. Now that she had his attention, she reached down and wrapped her fingers firmly around his erection, letting the pad of her thumb linger sensuously along the sensitive underside of his head. Harm groaned again.

Moving back up the bed and settling into the welcoming cradle between her legs, he couldn’t help the wave of emotion that washed over him. Looking into Mac’s eyes, Harm knew suddenly that she felt the same way. They were on the brink of something enormous, something bigger than either of them had realized. There was no need to use a condom, no need to worry about unintended pregnancy. He and Mac were taking the ultimate step two humans could make: creating new life together. It was the point of no return.

“Are you sure?” Harm whispered, wanting to give her one last chance to back out. The last thing he wanted was to force Mac into something she wasn’t ready to do.

She smiled up at him lovingly. “Shut up and kiss me, sailor.”

Not needing to be told twice, Harm did as he was instructed, pushing himself into Mac’s heat as his lips tenderly descended onto hers.

The feel of Harm sliding into her core was like nothing Mac had ever experienced, a sense of completion so right that she couldn’t lie back passively any longer. Lifting her legs to take more of him, she wrapped her feet around the backs of his thighs and pressed him as far into her body as he could physically go, urging him to begin the rhythm so many lovers had danced to before.

Together they rocked back and forth, allowing themselves to be swept away on the tidal wave of physical sensation and emotion. At long last, Harm felt the tremors of Mac’s release grow in intensity until her tight sheath gripped him convulsively. The sensation of being buried inside Mac, coupled with the knowledge that tonight they might be making a baby, pushed Harm over the edge. Joining her, they plunged together off the cliff of ecstasy.

Chapter 9

Monday
1309 Zulu
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia

Harm waited impatiently as the coffeepot slowly filled. Leaning back against the break room counter, his mind drifted back over the preceding few days. Once he and Mac had gotten past the initial awkwardness of becoming lovers, they’d found themselves inseparable throughout the entire weekend. Saturday they had awoken in each other’s arms to sunshine and clear skies, and subsequently spent most of the day up in Harm’s yellow Navy Stearman flying over the hilly Virginian terrain. That evening they had sat quietly together watching a marathon of old Humphrey Bogart films on television, followed by another tender night of lovemaking. It wasn’t until late Sunday evening that the two friends finally returned to Washington.

Now, staring absently at the freshly brewed coffee dripping into the bottom of the carafe, Harm wondered how he and Mac were to go back to their platonic professional friendship. Despite their unusually strong bond to one another, he hadn’t seen Mac since dropping her off at her apartment the evening before and was anxious to see how their interactions at work would be affected by the weekend’s events, if at all. Hypothetically, it wasn’t hard to imagine a return to their old companionable, non-sexual relationship. But he was a little surprised at the twinge of disappointment that came when he finally realized he no longer had her all to himself.

“Morning, sailor,” her voice interrupted his thoughts. “Sleep well?”

Glancing up, Harm focused in on Mac as she rested casually against the doorjamb, a smile playing around the corners of her mouth.

“Yes, I did,” he grinned. “Didn’t get a whole lot of rest over the weekend, you know.”

“Me neither. Must be something going around,” Mac chuckled suggestively, stepping into the room. She sidled up next to Harm and reached to open the overhead cabinet. “Have you seen the Frosted Cocoa Bombs?”

Harm looked down at her with mock disdain. “No, I can’t say that I have.” Mac was close enough that he could smell her perfume. This is going to be more difficult than I expected, he thought to himself.

“Well, they were here Friday morning.”

“Maybe one of the night staff decided to go on a health kick and cleaned out the kitchen.”

Just as Mac smiled up at him, an acerbic remark on her tongue, Commander Sturgis Turner strode into the room. Immediately, the two other officers slid away from each other. Mac opened the adjoining cupboard, searching intently for her sugary cereal. Harm, on the other hand, stepped across to the coffeemaker. Sturgis’s gaze shifted from Harm to Mac, then back to Harm.

“Is that coffee fresh?” he asked.

Harm nodded. “I just put it on.”

“I’ll wait, then.”

The room fell uncomfortably silent. Sturgis watched as Mac gave a small cry of victory and pulled a large brown cereal box from the rear of the cupboard, turning back towards them. Harm rolled his eyes.

“Did you have a good weekend?” asked Sturgis. Crossing the room, Mac emptied the box’s contents into a large bowl.

“It was all right.”

“Uneventful.”

For a second, Mac froze and Harm raised a questioning eyebrow, looking at each other as they answered simultaneously. Then, breaking eye contact, Mac stepped over to the refrigerator for some milk.

Taking note his colleagues’ reactions, Sturgis shot them an odd glance and gestured towards the machine next to Harm. “Coffee’s done.”

Grabbing the coffeepot, Harm filled two Styrofoam cups and reached for the sugar. His hand brushed lightly across Mac’s as she did the same. Both pulled back instantly as Sturgis continued to observe them from a few feet away.

Harm recovered quickly. “That stuff’s already got enough sugar to put you into orbit,” he chastised as Mac snatched up the sugar and proceeded to pour a substantial amount onto her cereal. She glanced up at him with a knowing smile.

“At least I won’t have to worry about falling asleep during staff call.” Handing him the container, she started towards the bullpen but found her way blocked by Petty Officer Coates.

“Good morning, sirs, ma’am.” Jennifer greeted as she entered the room. Glancing between Harm and Mac, she asked cheerfully, “Did you two have fun in Blacksburg over the weekend?”

Their eyes went wide with shock, Mac’s mouth gaping open, and an expression of guilt fleeting across Harm’s face. Sturgis observed the two of them with sudden amusement. Aha, he thought. Busted! Outwardly, though, he simply crossed his arms and frowned. For her part, Jennifer seemed totally oblivious to the officers’ discomfort.

Finally, Mac regained her composure. “Yeah, we had a great time. Thanks for asking.” Nodding in silent agreement, Harm smiled at Jennifer.

“We’ll tell you about it later,” he promised. “See you in the conference room, Sturgis.” With that, Harm handed Mac one of the two coffee cups he’d filled and ushered her out of the room. Gesturing for Jennifer to go ahead and help herself to coffee first, Sturgis watched thoughtfully as his two peers walked out of sight.

* * * * * * * * * *

Later That Week
0429 Zulu
Mac’s Apartment
Georgetown, Washington D.C.

It had been an excruciatingly long day. The walls glowed warm in the flickering candlelight, and the scents of lavender and chamomile filled the air. Soothing strains of Miles Davis could be heard playing quietly in the background. With a sigh, Sarah MacKenzie slipped further into the sudsy bubble bath and closed her eyes, letting the balmy water calm her aching body and mind. Just as she was drifting into peaceful oblivion, the cordless phone she’d set down by the tub began to ring. Opening her eyes, Mac looked at the offending piece of technology. Chiding herself for bringing the handset into the room, she belatedly realized that part of her had been expecting this call. Quickly drying one hand, she reached for the receiver and answered.

“MacKenzie.”

“Hey there.”

She let out a low chuckle at the familiar voice and settled back into the tub. “I should have known it was you. No one else would call me this late.”

“Did I catch you at a bad time?”

“No, I was just trying to unwind a little.”

“Bad day, huh? How was your trip down to Quantico?”

“The witness was uncooperative and belligerent. I think he left scratch marks.”

“Maybe you scared him.”

“Ha ha, very funny. What do you want?”

“Ouch, Marine, you wound me!” he teased.

“Suck it up, squid.” Trailing a finger back through the bubbles, she closed her eyes. “At least I wasn’t stuck behind my desk all day doing paperwork.”

“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that and politely change the subject before this turns into war.”

“Whatever makes you feel better.”

“Listen, I’ve been doing some thinking about this past weekend.”

At the softening of his voice, Mac’s smile disappeared. “Harm, it’s a little late to be having second thoughts.”

“Who said anything about second thoughts? Actually, I was wondering if we shouldn’t start thinking about some kind of a contingency plan.”

She frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Well, I’ve been doing some research online. The odds of us hitting the jackpot on the first try aren’t very good, so maybe we should go on the assumption that we weren’t successful. You know, assume that you’re not pregnant and figure out what our next steps are.”

“Harm, is this an attempt to get me back in the sack?”

“Maaacc…”

“Sorry, go on. I’m listening.”

“Look, according to the stuff I’ve been reading, there’s a general window of opportunity towards the middle of a woman’s cycle when it’s most likely she’ll conceive. As long as we’re conscious of the timing, it may just be a matter of persistence.”

“So what you’re saying is that we only need to ‘do it like bunnies’ a couple of weeks each month and sooner or later I’m bound to get pregnant?” She heard him chuckle.

“That’s one option. But there are a few other things we might try too, like…”

Going down the list, he filled her in on some of the different things he had discovered. Mac couldn’t help but be impressed by the extent of his investigation. Throughout their years of working together she had come to admire his attention to detail. Nonetheless, when they had agreed five years before to have a child together, she had not anticipated this level of involvement from him. She was beyond words with his apparent commitment to this venture. It literally took her breath away.

“Hey, you still with me?”

With a start, Mac realized that she’d gotten lost in the sound of his voice. “Wow, you’re really getting into this,” she ribbed, attempting to lighten her suddenly serious mood.

“Mac, are you with me or not?” A twinge of exasperation crept into his tone.

“What, can’t you take a joke? Honestly, I think it’s sweet,” she said in all seriousness.

“I can’t help myself Mac,” Harm admitted quietly. “I think I’m finally starting to realize how much this means to me. I want to be a father.” In his apartment across town, Harm leaned back against the pillows and pulled the bedcovers up around him.

“You already are a father, to Mattie.”

“That’s not the same and you know it.”

Reaching up to turn off the light, Harm heard the splash of water on the other end of the line. His hand froze midair.

“Mac, what are you doing?”

“Taking a bubble bath,” she admitted. “I needed something to help me calm down.”

“We’re having a serious conversation about our future, and you’re sitting in the bathtub?”

“You called me, remember? I can’t help it if you called after I’d already hopped in the tub.”

“Do you always take the phone in with you when you take a bath?” He fought against the bevy of intriguing images that popped into his mind.

“Only when I think you’re going to call.” Harm’s eyes widened, and Mac paused for a moment. “Please tell me I didn’t just say that out loud.”

“Sorry Mac, I heard you loud and clear,” he chuckled. “Listen, go back to your bubbles. We can finish this conversation later.”

“And what are your plans for the rest of the evening?”

“I was about to go to sleep,” Harm smiled ruefully. “But now that my mind is racing a million miles per minute picturing you in your bathtub, I think I’m going to go take a nice cold shower first.”

“Have fun.”

He could hear her silent laughter over the phone. “Gee, thanks. Goodnight.”

“G’night, Harm.”

Setting the phone down on the bedside table, Harm closed his eyes with a sigh. A moment later, he threw back the blanket and got out of bed, heading towards the bathroom. Even after all these years, Sarah MacKenzie never stopped surprising him. It was going to be a very, very long night.



Chapter 10

1305 Zulu
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia

Rain beat on the window to Mac’s office as she read through her morning email. Her schedule today would be tight, between client meetings and other odds and ends that needed to get done. She just knew it was going to be one of those days. With a melancholy sigh she scanned down the list of items in her Inbox. One message in particular jumped out at her: it was from her former ‘little sister,’ Chloe Madison. Elated that Chloe had emailed, Mac was about to open the message when she heard Harm’s voice outside in the bullpen. She had been waiting for him to arrive so that she could squeeze in a few minutes with him before her first meeting.

Sorry, Chloe, but you’re going to have to wait, Mac thought, grabbing a file as she pushed back her chair and headed out into JAG Ops. Following the curve of the hallway, she made her way towards Harm’s office. As she approached she could see him removing his coat and setting his umbrella down on the floor to dry.

“Morning, stranger,” Mac greeted him with a tired smile as she paused in the doorway. Looking up, Harm grinned warmly.

“Hey, Mac. Come on in.”

Closing the door, she stepped into the office and took a seat in one of the vacant chairs while Harm snapped open his briefcase.

He glanced up at her as he settled behind his desk. Caffeine must not have kicked in yet, he noted, seeing how weary she looked. “Do you still have time to review the Collins deposition today?”

She handed him the file she’d brought in with her. “My morning is packed, but how about over lunch? That way you’ll have some time to review it beforehand.”

“Sure,” Harm agreed. “By the way, you left this over at my place last night.” Next to his briefcase sat a small Tupperware container, which he passed over to her.

She smiled softly, although it didn’t reach her eyes. “Thanks. I knew I’d forgotten something. You know, you can be a pretty good cook when you want to be.”

“Don’t even start on the ‘meatless meatloaf’,” Harm warned with a laugh. “I only made that once and you’re still giving me flack over it.”

“Well, I hadn’t planned to bring it up, but now that you mention it…” The mock-murderous expression in Harm’s eyes had her stifling a giggle. To his relief, she smiled. “All right, no more jabs about the meatloaf incident.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

“Good. Now that that’s out of the way, want to tell me why you’re so down this morning?” he inquired. Leaning his elbows on his desk, he watched her intently. Unable to meet the intensity of his gaze Mac looked down at the leftovers in her hands. “C’mon, Mac, what’s going on?” Harm prodded.

“I got my period this morning.” She said it simply, disappointment in her eyes as she glanced up at him, waiting to see how he would react. The understanding look in his eyes surprised her.

“Ah,” he nodded. “So I guess this means we’re moving on to Plan B.”

“I guess so.”

“Have you given any more thought to which ‘Plan B’ you’d like to go with?” Relaxing back into his chair, Harm rubbed his fingers across his lips in contemplation as he waited for her to answer. Since their phone conversation a few weeks prior, he had provided Mac with the information he had found on the Internet so that she could make an educated decision. They had talked about it on several different occasions but until now had never actually settled on a course of action.

“Well,” she began, taking a deep breath, “it’s only been one month, so I don’t think we should give up on Mother Nature just yet. Based on everything you’ve found out so far, the best time to conceive is between the twelfth and sixteenth days after menstruation begins. Since I started this morning, that would mean we can start trying again—”

“A week from next Tuesday,” Harm finished for her, mentally calculating the days. “Guess another trip to Blacksburg is out of the question. We’re going to need to find someplace closer to D.C., someplace that’ll be available all week—“

“How about my place?”

Cocking his eyebrow, Harm eyed her questioningly. “What happened to your stipulation for ‘neutral territory’?”

“Now that we’ve taken the first step, ‘neutral territory’ doesn’t seem like it’s absolutely necessary. I mean,” she gestured to the building around them, “so far we’ve been successful in keeping… this… separate from work. I’m willing to waive my original condition for the interest of expediency.”

“Well,” Harm said with a shrug, “then I guess it’s settled.”

“So it would seem.”

They looked intently at each other for a few moments. Finally, Mac broke the silence. “I should get going if I want to be on time to my 0830 appointment.” Harm peeked at his watch.

“It’s only 0819.”

Mac smiled warmly. “Yeah, but I have to finish checking my email, among other things.” Rising, she opened the door. “Thanks for remembering the food. Want me to come get you around lunchtime?”

“Sure,” Harm agreed, frowning down at the mountain of paperwork on his desk. “I doubt I’ll be going anywhere for a while.”

“All right. Catch you later, then.” Grinning, Mac headed back towards the bullpen and her office. Her thoughts turned to the email she’d received from Chloe and she laughed softly to herself. Despite the way it had started out, her day was getting better by the minute.

* * * * * * * * * *

Twelve Days Later
2223 Zulu
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia

Except for some murmuring back in the gallery, the courtroom was silent. Mac sat next to Sturgis at the prosecution’s table, energetically tapping her pen on the pad of paper in front of her. The Article 32 hearing had run well over the expected time limits, and she was anxious to get home.

“Will the defendant please rise,” the bailiff intoned.

Across the aisle, Harm, Bud, and their client stood to hear the judge’s decision. Stealing a quick look over, Mac watched as Harm smoothed down the front of his summer whites. Her pen stopped tapping when she saw him flash her a fleeting look out of the corner of his eye, and she returned her gaze to the judge’s bench. Beside her, Sturgis observed her behavior with amusement. His two friends had been shooting each other glances all day long when they thought no one was looking, and Mac had been acting nervous most of the afternoon.

I wonder what all that’s about, he speculated. Admittedly, he had been preoccupied over most of the past year with his own personal demons. He didn’t know what all had happened between his friends after their return from Paraguay the previous summer, but for a while after Harm’s return to JAG things had been unbelievably tense. Over the last few weeks, however, ever since their ‘uneventful’ trip to Blacksburg, both Harm and Mac had been much more pleasant to work with. Whatever had happened to effect this change, Sturgis just hoped it would last.

“Lieutenant Masterson,” Judge Helfman began. “Based on the evidence and testimony presented today, I feel that reasonable grounds exist for this case to be referred to general court-martial. We will reconvene in two weeks for opening arguments. Court is adjourned.”

At the bang of the gavel, the prosecuting attorneys also stood and the bailiffs moved to take the defendant back to confinement. As Sturgis turned to shake hands with Harm and Bud, Mac quickly dropped her notepad and case file into her briefcase. Sturgis had barely released Bud’s hand when Mac moved past him, patted Bud on the back, and flipped Harm a bright smile.

“Ready to go?”

Harm shot her one of his famous grins and hurriedly ushered her out of the courtroom. Staring after them, Sturgis and Bud stood perplexed.

“They were sure in a hurry to leave,” Bud commented absently as the courtroom door swung shut. “Harriet asked them over for dinner tonight, but the Commander said that he and the Colonel had already made plans for a working dinner.” He frowned. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen the Commander so excited over a working dinner before.”

Sturgis nodded, and turned to gather his belongings. “I agree, Lieutenant. I agree.” Something is definitely going on, there, he thought. But the question is what?

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TBC…

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