Somewhere in rural Virginia
2230 Local

Mac again paced around the room she’d been locked in. The door had been opened exactly twice in the last 24 hours. Both times, a sandwich and chips on a paper plate had been placed inside, along with a plastic bottle of water. Other than that, there had been no contact with anyone.

She was tired, but she couldn’t sleep. She had actually tried, but found herself coming wide-awake in a panic every few minutes, afraid someone had entered the room while she was asleep.

Her internal clock was still working, and she knew exactly what time it was. For all the good it did her. There was no window, only one light bulb in the overhead fixture above the door. Thank God there was a sink and a toilet. She could at least go to the bathroom and wash.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, she again went over everything that had happened, unable to make sense of it at all. What did these men want? She didn’t recognize any of them, and they had made no demands on her. She wasn’t worth kidnapping; no one she knew had any money to speak of.

She flopped back on the bed, irritated. It had to be something to do with JAG, but what? She could think of no case that would cause anything like this. That brought her back to thoughts of Harm. Never far from her thoughts, she knew he had to be frantic about her disappearance. For the hundredth time she wished she had a way to contact him, to let him know she was all right.

The door creaked open, startling her. She was on her feet at once, ready to face whoever it was head on.

It was the dark haired man from before, the one with the gun. He still had it, and it was pointed at her. Before she could even ask what he wanted, he fired at her. She felt a burning pain in her shoulder and automatically reached for it. Her hand encountered another dart, which she pulled out.

The drug already beginning to affect her, she still managed to ask, “Why?” Her knees buckled, and she slid to the floor beside the bed. She was still conscious, but unable to move. A strange lassitude came over her, fear and worry fading away.

The man came over and lifted her on to the bed. “Name?” she managed to slur out.

He looked at her for a moment, then smiled. “Call me Sean.” She really was too pretty to be so tough.

“Why, Sean?” The words were getting more difficult, and she had difficulty remembering what she was asking about.

“I just need some pictures, Sarah, and I didn’t think you’d cooperate.” He smiled at her again.

She smiled back, the drug influencing her judgment strongly.

He reached down to her shirt and ripped it open, buttons flying everywhere. Startled out of her stupor for a moment, she reached up and grabbed his hands. “No.” It was all she could get out.

Surprised at her resistance, he easily shook off her hands. “It’ll be okay, Sarah. You can trust me.”

Dimly aware that something was not right, she continued to struggle, trying to push him away as best she could. “No.”

Ignoring her attempts to get him away, he leaned over and kissed her. She managed to gather all her strength and shoved. He wasn’t expecting her to be that strong, and fell away from her on his knee beside the bed.

She managed to get to her feet and start towards the door, the drug slowing her reaction time considerably. Before she had gone one step, he had her by the arm. Swinging her around to the bed again, he slapped her.

The combination of the drug and the slap depleted what little strength she had left, and she fell across the bed. Everything began to go black. Desperate, she fought against the drug's effects, but couldn’t maintain consciousness. Before everything faded to black, she thought she heard another voice.

“That’s enough, Sean.”

Sean turned around at the sound of the voice. “Thank God. I’m not into rape, Palmer.”

“Neither am I. This is just a little video for a friend. I’m sure he’ll enjoy it.”

Harm’s Apartment
North of Union Station
0500

Harm pulled his SUV into his parking place. Totally exhausted, totally frustrated, and totally enraged. There had been no leads as to how or where Palmer and Sullivan escaped. The only thing they could all agree on is that it had to be an inside job. Somebody had been bought off.

Webb’s men were working on it, interrogating everyone in the prison. The only problem with that was that it would take time. And time was something Harm felt in his bones they were running out of.

Wearily he entered the elevator. The Admiral had finally ordered everyone home. Harm knew AJ was right, they couldn’t work twenty-four hours a day, but he couldn’t stop until Mac was home. With him.

The elevator stopped on his floor. As the door opened and he headed for his door, he noticed a small package in front of it. Puzzled, he leaned over and picked it up, examining it carefully. There was no address and no identifying marks of any kind.

Unlocking his door, he threw the package on the kitchen island, then took off his coat. He started to walk over to the couch, but curiosity pulled him back to the package. He unwrapped it and opened the box. Inside was a videotape.

A cold terror settled in the pit of his stomach as he considered it. He knew Palmer was behind Mac’s abduction, and he knew Palmer’s style. Handling the tape gingerly, as if afraid it would explode, he turned it over, looking for any type of information.

Finally, his hand shaking, he walked over and pushed the tape into his VCR. Steeling himself for anything that might come; he picked up the remote, turned on the television, and pushed play.

His heart leaped as he saw Mac. She was in some non-discript room, lying on a bed. She appeared to be unharmed, if a bit rumpled. He jumped when she leaped to her feet unexpectedly and faced the camera as if facing an enemy. A dart appeared in her arm, which she reached up and pulled out.

There was no sound to the video, and he watched in horror as she slid to the floor. A man entered the room, his back to the camera. He could see it wasn’t Palmer, but did not recognize him.

He couldn’t help the rage that came over him when the man picked up Mac and put her on the bed. He could see Mac’s lips move, but couldn’t make out what she said.

Then she smiled at the man.

Harm pushed pause, terrified, and not sure he was strong enough to watch what was going to happen. He knew the drug must be affecting her, and that paralyzed him with fear. Furious at his inability to help her, he knew he had to view the rest of the video.

His hands still shaking, he pushed play. He watched helplessly as the man reached for Mac’s shirt. She managed to grab the man’s wrists, but he easily pushed her hands away. Harm could see her lips for the word ‘NO’ as she continued to weakly fight him off.

The man suddenly ripped Mac’s shirt open, and she began to struggle harder with him.

White knuckled; Harm could not look away as the scene played out with Mac succeeding in pushing the man away. Obviously still under the drug’s effects, she tried to run. When the unknown man grabbed her and slapped her, Harm turned, and in a blind rage kicked the coffee table across the room. “God damn it to hell!”

Suddenly the video blacked out, only to be replaced by Palmer’s smiling face. “Well, what do you think, Harm? Do you want to come play with me? If you don’t, I’ll just play with Sarah. That’ll be just as fun. Probably more fun, actually. There’s an address written on the inside of the box this video arrived in.”

There was a short pause.

Palmer got serious. “Oh I almost forgot, come alone. If you bring friends, I’m afraid I’ll just keep the lovely Colonel and send her back to you in pieces. See you soon Harm.”

The picture faded to black. Harm stood there, staring at the now dark screen. Another curse erupted from him as he threw the remote control across the room, smashing it into the wall. Completely engulfed in rage, he went to his bedroom to get his sidearm.

Pulling it out of the drawer of the nightstand, he checked the clip to make sure it was full, and then pulled two more full clips out of the drawer. He thrust the gun in his belt behind his back and the extra clips in his pockets, then hurried to the kitchen island to check the address written on the inside of the box, when suddenly he could almost hear Mac’s voice speaking to him.

‘Slow down, take a breath. You can’t go after Palmer alone.’

The fury inside him argued with her cool voice of reason. ‘Yes I can. I’m going to get you back and make sure he’s dead. He’s not going to hurt anyone ever again.’

In his mind’s eye, he could see her as she was the night he went after Diane’s murderer. ‘Harm, you have to use your brain now, not just react in anger. Both of our lives depend on it.’

Stubbornly he wanted to argue further, but all he could picture was that night. The night Mac saved his career, and possibly his life by interrupting his rage induced attempt to murder the man responsible for Diane’s death.

With a start, he realized he was still in uniform. If he was to approach this meeting with Palmer in stealth, he needed to be dressed for that. Hurriedly he pulled out his black jeans and a black turtleneck from the dresser drawer. As he changed, he tried to formulate a plan, a plan that had a chance at success. Again placing the gun in his belt behind his back and the clips in his pockets, he realized another thing he had to do.

He went to the computer and turned it on, tapping his fingers impatiently as it booted up and the dial up modem connected him to the Internet. Pulling up a map of the address Palmer had given him, he checked out the location. From what he could see, it was an isolated rural area about a two-hour drive from Washington.

Shutting off the computer, he considered his options. 1). He could go alone. The only problem was if he failed, Mac would still be at Palmer’s mercy with no one to assist her. 2). He could take reinforcements. The Admiral, Sturgis, Webb, and Bud would all be willing to help him. The only problem was, if Palmer saw them, he would kill Mac.

Sighing tiredly, he rubbed his eyes when a third option occurred to him. It had the benefits of both options he had previously considered, without the risks. Hurriedly he rose to make preparations and be on his way to get his marine back.

A cabin in rural Virginia
0500 Local

A terrible feeling of vertigo struck her as she came back to consciousness. She waited for the room to stop spinning before attempting to open her eyes. Cautiously, she finally peeped one eye open, trying to see if she was alone.

“Colonel, I’m so glad you’re awake.” The voice sounded vaguely familiar, but she couldn’t place it. Since whoever it was was obviously aware she was conscious, she opened both eyes and pushed herself up to a sitting position. Again the room whirled, but she forced herself to stay up.

The ache in her head intensified as the light hit her eyes. Squinting, she peered at the man who was sitting in a chair across from the bed. She rubbed her eyes, trying to bring her blurry vision into focus.

“You know Sarah, I may call you Sarah, I hope, you really are a beautiful woman.” The voice was very smarmy and annoying. Belatedly, she realized her shirt was hanging open. Snatching it together to cover herself, she tried to remember everything that had happened. It was difficult; she was woozy.

“Feeling better Sarah?” God, why couldn’t she remember that voice?

Finally her vision cleared and the room stopped spinning. The man’s face came into view. “Palmer!”

“Ahhh, you remember me. I’m flattered.” He smiled at her, raising her ire.

“Don’t be. I don’t remember you kindly.” Groggily she leaned back against the wall, needing some kind of support. What the hell was Palmer doing here?

“You wound me, Sarah.”

She didn’t deign to answer.

The silence lengthened as he stared at her. Meeting his gaze unflinchingly, she crossed her arms in front of her and waited.

Finally Palmer laughed. “Amazing. You really have nerve. Most women would be crying by now and begging to be let go.”

Again, she didn’t answer him. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of showing fear.

“I assume you would like to know what’s going to happen next.”

She matched his sardonic manner. “If you would be so kind as to inform me, yes I would.”

“First, let me apologize for that bit of roughness you had to suffer through. I really detest that kind of thing, but it was necessary.”

Silence seemed the best weapon with him, so she used it again.

He smiled delightedly. “You are so cool, Sarah. It’s wonderful.” He leaned towards her, anxious to read her reaction to his next revelation. “It was necessary to make a little movie, with you as the star. Harm should be enjoying that video right now.”

Horrified, she paled as she considered the implications of that. She knew Harm, and she knew his temper. She’d seen it in action more than once. She was unable to conceal her fear totally from Palmer. It was not fear for herself, it was fear for Harm.

“I’d say he’ll be joining us shortly. I gave him an address, and I’m sure he wants to see you, to be sure you’re all right.” It wasn’t bravado that kept her quiet this time. It was out and out terror for Harm.

Still smiling, pleased by her reaction, Palmer rose from the chair. “I’ll leave you now Sarah. But I’ll let you know as soon as Harm is here. I’m sure it will be a touching reunion.”

He turned and went to the door. As he reached it, he turned and looked back. “Be of good cheer. Soon you’ll be back together.” And then he left, locking the door behind him.

When the door latched and the lock clicked she finally let her guard down. Pulling her knees up to her chest, she rested her forehead on them, shivering in fear.

Harm would go crazy. She knew how he reacted to people he cared about in danger. All thoughts of his own safety left him. Taking a deep breath, she tried to reach out to him, to send him her thoughts.

“Please Harm. Use your brain, don’t come alone. I need you in my life; I need you to be safe. Please Harm, for my sake, for both our sakes, don’t come alone.

The adrenaline from her fear made her restless. She stood up, swaying a little, and walked over to the sink to rinse her face. Whatever was to come, she had to be ready for it. She had to be alert. Harm’s safety depended on it.

Bud and Harriet’s Apartment
0615 Local

Harm pulled into the driveway and parked the SUV. Knowing Bud had to be exhausted, he hated to wake him, but he had to.

He walked up to the door and rang the bell. There was no sound from within at first. He rang again. A sleepy Harriet finally came to the door.

“Commander! What’s wrong? Is there some news?” Her voice was apprehensive; Harm did not look like there was good news.

“I’m sorry Harriet. I need to talk to Bud. It’s important.” He didn’t mean to be short with her, but he was in a hurry now.

Sensing Harm’s intense mood, she gave a nod. “I’ll get him. Sit down in the living room, Sir.”

Harm made his way there and sat on the edge of a chair, the box in his hand almost burning it from his anxiety.

“Commander, what is it?” Bud came in wearing pajamas, his normally cheerful face showing the lack of sleep and worry he had been experiencing.

“Just listen Bud. I’ve got to go. I need you to do me a favor.” Again, Harm was short and to the point.

“Of course Sir. Whatever you need.” He knew he could count on Bud.

Handing over the box, he gave Bud his instructions. “I need you to take this to the Admiral, Bud. Call him, and Sturgis and Webb. Take this to them at JAG. Once they view this video, you’ll know what I had to do.”

“Sir? What’s going on?”

Not wanting to lie to him, but not able to tell him everything yet, Harm didn’t answer directly. “It’s all on the video, Bud. Please hurry. Call everyone as soon as I leave and meet at JAG. I’ve got to go.”

Confused, but still wanting to help, Bud agreed. “Yes Sir. I’ll call right away. Where will you be?”

“I’m going after Mac, Bud.”

“Let me go with you Sir. Whatever this is, you’ll need help.”

“I know Bud. That’s why I’m giving you this. You can help me by doing as I ask. Please.”

Harm’s desperate tone got through to Bud as nothing else could have. “You can count on me, Sir.”

“I am, Bud.”

And with that, Harm left.

Hurrying back to the SUV, he gave a last look at Bud and Harriet’s apartment, now lit. He prayed that everything would go right, and he would find Mac. He felt some comfort knowing that as soon as his friends viewed the video, they would be right behind him. The cavalry would arrive.

He estimated they would be about two hours behind him. Time enough for him to meet with Palmer and see what he wanted. He reached to make sure his cell phone was turned off. The Admiral would try to reach him, and he didn’t want to disobey a direct order to wait for them.

The Admiral would be angry. Hell, they all would be. Angry that he hadn’t come to them first before going on alone. But he knew that if anyone were with him, Palmer would know it. His only hope was that his friends would come later, and catch Palmer unaware.

Rural Virginia
0715 Local

The sun had risen above the horizon, bathing the countryside around him in that fey light that only occurs immediately after sunrise. Although the day promised to be beautiful, Harm was unaware of the beauty surrounding him. His sole focus was getting to Mac.

The last few miles of the journey had been on a dirt road. He had parked the SUV in the woods; approximately a half-mile away from the address Palmer had given him. He would go the rest of the way on foot, hoping to catch Palmer unaware.

He started walking through the forest, where the morning light had not yet penetrated completely. Moving as stealthily as possible, he moved quickly over the woodland landscape, closing in on the house where he hoped Mac was located.

Finally, the back of the house was in front of him. He crouched in the bushes, hiding as much as possible. Surveying the open lawn that lay in front of him, he cursed silently, wishing for the darkness to cover his approach. Palmer had timed this well. The house was nothing special. A small brick house, well off the beaten path. Some of the windows were boarded up. He hoped that meant that Mac was here, locked in one of those closed off rooms. Closing his eyes, he tried to feel Mac’s presence, hoping a bit of her gift had rubbed off on him. Unfortunately, it apparently hadn’t.

Realistically he knew the chances of sneaking up on Palmer were nil. Palmer knew he was coming, and was waiting for him.

Hoping to find a more covert approach, he worked his away around to the side of the house. Still in the forest, he came upon something he hadn’t expected. Two bodies face down in the dirt, carelessly covered with some branches and leaves. His heart jumped in fear before he realized that neither body could be Mac’s. They were both too big.

Pushing away the branches as quietly as he could, he rolled first one, then the other body over. It was apparent they had been dead for some time. He didn’t recognize either one, but assumed they had run afoul of Palmer. He could nothing for them.

The realization that success was impossible alone hit him hard. He made a decision he hoped he wouldn’t regret. Reaching down, he unclipped his cell phone and turned it on. He dialed the familiar number and was both relieved and apprehensive when he heard the clipped greeting.

“Chegwidden.”

“Admiral, this is Commander Rabb.” Harm spoke softly, aware that he was close to the house.

“Harm! Where the hell are you? What do you think you’re doing, going after Palmer alone?” AJ wanted to curse Harm for being a stubborn idiot.

“I’m not, Sir. I made sure you knew where I was going. You are on your way, aren’t you?” He hoped to God they were.

“Of course, we’re about an hour out as far as I can tell.” AJ restrained himself from chewing Harm out, choosing instead to deal with the matter at hand.

Quickly Harm gave a description of the house, the bodies he had found, and how he had approached it. Then he gave the Admiral the rest of his idea. “I’m going in, Sir.”

“Commander, wait for us. That’s an order. You can’t do this alone.”

“Sir, if I don’t go in, Palmer will kill her. You know he will. I’m counting on you to get us out. You’re the cavalry, so to speak.”

There was a short silence as AJ considered Harm’s plan. He didn’t like it, but he knew Harm was right.

“All right, Harm. We’ll be there ASAP. Do whatever you have to do to stall him. We’re on our way.”

“Thank you Sir.” Harm started to hang up, but AJ had one more thing to tell him.

“And Harm? Be careful. I want both of my officers back safe.”

“Yes Sir.” Harm broke the connection.

Taking a deep breath to fortify his nerve, he stood up and walked boldly across the lawn and around to the front of the house. And then he knocked loudly on the front door.

For a moment, there was no sound or response. Then the door opened, revealing Clark Palmer, smiling at him. “Commander Rabb, this is an unexpected pleasure. How nice of you to drop by. Please come in.”

Tightly controlling himself, Harm pushed past Palmer and strode into the house. Once inside, he asked the one question he wanted an answer to. “Where is she?”

“Harm, you’ll be seeing her very soon, don’t worry. And she’s not damaged in any way. Please come in and sit down. Let’s talk for a minute.” Palmer was enjoying this just a little too much.

Abruptly Harm’s control snapped. Grabbing Palmer by his collar with both hands, he got right in his face. “Let’s get something straight right now, Palmer. I don’t give a shit about you or your little games. I want to see Mac, and I want to see her now.” Without being completely aware of how he did it, his gun was in his hand and pressed up to Palmer’s temple.

The flash of hatred in Palmer’s eyes did not surprise him, but before Palmer could say anything, another voice barked out a command. “Drop it, Commander, and let him go.” The sound of a round being chambered in a gun made him freeze.

Without releasing Palmer or dropping his gun, Harm turned to see who made the sound. The man who held the gun strongly resembled Thomas Sullivan.

“Sean Sullivan, I presume.” He recognized the man who had attached Mac on the video. Sean smiled briefly before his expression hardened again. “Drop the gun and sit down.”

“I could just shoot him, you know.” Harm was loath to let the advantage slip totally to the enemy.

Sean replied calmly. “Yes, you could. But then, I would shoot you. And the Colonel wouldn’t have a hero to rescue her, would she?”

The mention of Mac made him release Palmer reluctantly. Lowering his gun, he stepped away.

“Drop it on the floor.”

Harm gently put the gun down at his feet.

Careful not to get in the line of fire, Palmer walked over and picked up the gun. Unexpectedly, he sent a punch into Harm’s midsection, causing him to double over and gasp. “You shouldn’t piss me off, Harm. I was going to try to do this nicely, but you’re making it difficult.”

As he caught his breath, Harm took a quick glance around the room. An old sagging couch and a couple of chairs were the only furniture. There was a small kitchen in one corner where a rickety table and 4 chairs were located.

As surreptitiously as possible he took stock of the two men in front of him. Palmer, he knew from experience, was a tough man capable of extreme acts of cruelty. Sean Sullivan looked to be cut from the same mold. Again he hoped the Admiral would hurry.

Following the gestures of Sullivan, he sat down unwillingly in one of the kitchen chairs. He wished he had Mac’s internal clock so he could figure out how long until the Admiral and Co. arrived. He did not want to check his watch in front of Palmer.

“OK, you got me here. Where is she?”

“Shut up Harm. You’ll see her soon enough.” Palmer had regained his equanimity, and now that he was back in control, was actually enjoying himself.

Harm was having difficulty controlling his temper. “For the last time, Palmer, where the hell is she? I’m not playing any of your damn games until I see for myself that she is OK.” He met Palmer’s smirk with a steely glare.

“You’ll be doing what I say and nothing else. That is, if you really want to see her.” Palmer held up two pairs of handcuffs. “Put your hands around the back of the chair.”

“I don’t think so Palmer.” Harm crossed his arms, defying Palmer. Every step Palmer took was a step he was going to have to fight for.

There was another flash of hatred in Palmer’s eyes. “But I do. And as much as I’d love to just shoot you and be done with it, we do have a plan here.” He nodded to Sullivan, who immediately stepped up and shoved the gun up against the base of Harm’s neck. “Once again, Harm, put your hands behind you. I can alter the plan and let Sean damage you a little if you like.”

Grudgingly lowering his arms, Harm allowing Palmer to handcuff each wrist to the chair. Again he looked around the room, this time noticing the three video monitors sitting on the counter of the kitchen. Each one showed a different view of the outside of the house. Thank god that the monitors did not show the area where he had made the phone call to the Admiral.

Palmer caught his glance at the monitors. “Yes, I saw you coming Harm. It’s not that I don’t trust you, but I had to be sure you were alone. I’m glad to see you followed orders.” Once he was securely handcuffed to the chair, Palmer quickly frisked him, pulling out the two clips of ammo, his cell phone, and his wallet. He set them all on the counter next to the video monitors.

“Where is she, Palmer?” Again Harm asked, knowing he was playing into Palmer’s hands, but unable to stop himself.

“Go get her, Sean.” Palmer commanded. Then he turned to Harm again. “Actually, we’re going to be playing a little game, Harm. One I’m sure you’ll enjoy.” A slow grin played across Palmer’s face, chilling Harm to the bone.

While Palmer was speaking, he set Harm’s gun on the table. Then he pulled one of the kitchen chairs out from the table. Sean and Thomas Sullivan appeared, carrying Mac’s limp body between them. “Put her here.” He gestured to the chair he just pulled out.

Harm’s heart stopped when he saw her still form. She had tied the bottom of her uniform shirt together for some semblance of modesty, but the shirt still flared open, showing her white satin bra. Her uniform pants were a little wrinkled, but he could discern no actual wounds on her.

“Mac!” He called urgently. There was no response from her.

“Don’t worry Harm. She’s fine. She just proved little too excitable when I explained the game we were going to play. She seemed to think you wouldn’t like it. I just gave her a little tranquilizer to calm her down. We’re going to wake her up in just a few minutes.”

“She’d better be all right, Palmer. If you’ve hurt her…”

“I don’t think you’re in a position to threaten me, Harm.” Palmer cut him off. He quickly produced a roll of duct tape and began securing Mac’s arms and legs to the chair the Sullivan’s had set her in. He shot another grin at Harm. “Ran out of handcuffs. Too bad, isn’t it?”

Harm didn’t bother to reply, his attention solely on Mac. He still couldn’t see her face; her head had fallen forward.

After he finished taping, Palmer pulled out a syringe. “This will wake her up. She probably won’t feel too good at first, but she’ll come around.”

Harm watched tensely as Palmer injected Mac. For a few moments there was no movement, but finally a low groan issued from her. She shook her head and raised it, trying to look around her. He could see she was disoriented. He could also see she had a bruise on her cheek from where that son of a bitch had slapped her.

“Mac?” In spite of their situation, he was greatly relieved to see her. “Are you all right?”

At the sound of his voice her head jerked around towards him. Squinting across the table, she asked disbelievingly, “Harm?” Groggily she shook her head, trying to clear her vision.

“What a touching reunion.” Palmer’s irritating voice interrupted them. He pulled out a stun gun and set it on the table next to the gun. Harm desperately tried to calculate the time; it couldn’t be long now before help arrived.

“You see, Harm, the little game we’re going to play is called twenty questions. I ask the questions, and you answer. If I don’t like your answer, Sarah here gets a little shock.”

Thomas picked up the stun gun and played with it. “It seems Thomas here holds a little grudge against you two, and has volunteered to administer the shock. He thinks he would enjoy it.” As though emphasizing Palmer’s words, Thomas pulled the trigger on the stun gun. The resulting buzz cut through the quiet.

“What the hell are you talking about Palmer? I don’t know anything you want to know. I’m not into any of the top secret stuff.” Harm was frantically trying to stall for time. “I’m just a JAG lawyer.”

“Harm, don’t disappoint me now. I’m sure you know something I could use to interest a foreign government. And think of the fun we’ll have seeing what you do know.”

The full extent of Palmer’s little game hit him then. Palmer didn’t want information; he didn’t care about anything Harm may or may not know. He just wanted to torture Mac in front of him. Sweat broke out on his brow as the full realization washed over him.

Mac, on the other hand, had finally become aware of what was happening. She turned her head and looked straight into Palmer’s eyes. “Fuck you, Palmer.” Her voice was steady as she turned back to gaze into Harm’s eyes, willing her strength to him.

A flash of anger in Palmer’s eyes signaled Harm as to what was coming. Helpless to stop it, he still pulled at the handcuffs and tried to stand as Palmer backhanded Mac. “Watch your language, Sarah.” A trickle of blood ran from her lip where his slap had split it open, but her eyes were clear as she ignored Palmer and focused on Harm. She just hoped her Flyboy had a plan up his sleeve, that he hadn’t fallen into Palmer’s trap. His eyes seemed to be sending her a message, one she hoped she was reading correctly. Help was not far away.

“You’re a dead man, Palmer.” Harm’s voice was cold, menacing. He meant it with every fiber of his being. Palmer was not going to walk away from this alive, regardless of what happened.

Instead of replying, Palmer just smiled at him. “We’ll see, won’t we, Harm?” Palmer walked around the table, pretending to be deep in thought. “Now let’s see, what should I ask? Hmmm…” Suddenly he turned and bent over, getting close to Harm’s face. “How about the Jimmy Carter? You worked on that case, didn’t you? I bet you can get me the all the information on that sub, couldn’t you?

Startled that Palmer would even be aware of that case, Harm didn’t reply for a minute. Stalling for time, he finally asked, “How do you know about that?”

“I have my ways. I want the sonar signature, Harm. The Chinese would be very interested in that.” Palmer was thoroughly enjoying himself.

There was another silence as Harm struggled to find a way out of this. Even if he had that information, he couldn’t give it to Palmer, no matter what the circumstances. He knew Mac knew that as well. He tried to steel himself for what he knew was coming, but it was impossible.

Harm watched as Palmer gave a nod to Thomas. Thomas gave an evil smile, touched the stun gun to Mac’s neck and pulled the trigger. Unable to stop himself, Harm struggled against the handcuffs, trying to reach her. Mac jumped, pulling against the duct tape that held her captive in the air. Time seemed to stand still as Harm watched her body strain, then slump back into the chair. Mercifully, she had fainted from the shock.

Palmer walked over to Thomas. “Thomas! That seemed to be the highest setting! What were you thinking?” He made a show of taking the stun gun from Sullivan and checking it. “Shame on you!”

Harm was sweating profusely now, his eyes never leaving Mac’s still form. He still struggled mightily with the cuffs, feeling the chair give a little. “Damn you Palmer! Let her go! She has nothing to do with anything between us.”

Palmer turned to him quickly with a hateful glare. “That’s where you’re wrong, Rabb. She has everything to do with us. She’s the instrument I’m going to use to break you. Before I’m done, you’ll be begging to give me information.”

Sean stepped in with a glass of water. Instead of giving a sip to Mac, he splashed the water into her face, causing her to come awake quickly. She shook her head trying to shake off the water dripping down her face, her damp hair flipping back. Taking a deep breath to fortify herself, she looked up at Harm. She could see the anger and fear for her etched all over his face. Quickly giving him a tremulous smile of reassurance, she noticed a movement on the video monitor out of the corner of her eye.

She shifted her gaze to include the other three men in the room. All their attention was on her. Trying not to look at the monitor again, she saw the Admiral moving stealthily along the side of the house. Trying to keep the attention on her, and away from the monitors, she looked up at Palmer. “Go fuck yourself, Palmer. You and your two pinhead pals are gonna have to do a hell of a lot better than that to break him, you worthless piece of shit.”

Enraged at her insolence, Palmer stepped closer to her. “Listen bitch, I’ve had enough of your mouth. It’s time you learned some manners.” Grabbing the stun gun from Thomas, he deliberately put it against a damp spot on her neck and pulled the trigger.

The resulting scream of pain as the electrical charge burned into her brought an instant animal rage to Harm. With a strength he did not know he possessed he wrenched his arms against the handcuffs. The handcuffs held, but the chair didn’t. The wooden frame broke, finally freeing him.

The momentum of his jump carried him across the table where he latched onto Palmer with all the fury of a maniac.

As the two men struggled, the Sullivans were caught unawares. Sean snapped out of his surprise to step in to separate the two combatants, while Thomas picked up the gun that had been knocked off the table. As he swung it around to cover the battle, the sound of a shot interrupted him, richoting off the floor near his feet.

“Drop it, Sullivan.” The Admiral’s voice commanded.

Sturgis and Webb ran over to the struggling men and pulled Sean Sullivan out of the fray. Bud ran to Mac and began cutting away at her bonds.

Palmer had a death grip on the stun gun; Harm had a grip on Palmer’s wrist. Slowly, inexorably, Harm was forcing it towards Palmer. Both men were red-faced from effort, sweat trickling down their faces.

With one last push, Harm overpowered Palmer and forced the stun gun against his chest. Suddenly Harm managed a fierce grin. “See how you like it, you son of a bitch.” And then he shifted his grip slightly. The charge went off and the two men were pushed apart. Palmer was out cold from the force of the charge, Harm found himself sitting next to him, dazed.

Jumping up, he rushed over to Mac just as Bud finished freeing her. Gently lowering her to his lap, he stroked her hair gently. “Mac? Come on, baby, wake up. Mac?”

Completely focused on Mac, Harm was oblivious to the room around him and the people in it. The fear began to overwhelm him, as there was no response to his ministrations. “Sarah! Please, wake up. Come on baby.” He frantically felt for a pulse in her neck, a sigh of relief going through him as he found one.

A sense of imminent danger came over him when he became aware of rustling movement behind him. Before he could turn, a shot rang out. Startled, he looked up into the shocked face of Bud, who was holding a pistol aimed over Harm’s head. Harm made a slow turn, shocked to see Palmer collapsing slowly behind him, clutching his chest, an expression of surprise on his face. There was a thunk as a knife fell from his hand.

Palmer looked around the room in an almost bewildered fashion until his gaze fastened upon Harm, still sitting on the floor holding Mac. For a brief moment that familiar glint of hatred shone in his eyes before a smile crossed his face. “See you in hell, Rabb.” Then his body went limp.

There was a moment of absolute stillness in the room, and then the Admiral took charge. “Sturgis, make sure those two are tied up securely.” Sturgis, who had been covering the Sullivans, gave a nod of acknowledgment. “Webb, check out Palmer.”

Webb had gone outside to make calls for back up and medical attention. At the sound of the shot he had rushed back in, stopping short as he realized what happened. Walking over to Palmer, he kicked the knife away before bending and checking Palmer’s pulse. “He’s dead.” His voice betrayed no emotion whatsoever.

The Admiral went to Bud and took the gun from his still outstretched hands. “Good shot, Lieutenant.” Taking in Bud’s dazed expression, he added, “You did what had to be done, Bud.”

There was another pause as Bud took a deep breath before answering. “I know, Sir. I just never had to…” His voice trailed off uncertainly, then gained strength. “I never had to kill anyone before, Sir.”

AJ placed a comforting hand on Bud’s shoulder. The lesson that killing was never easy, even in the heat of battle or in defense of a friend, was a difficult one. And the first time it happened, it was not necessarily the hardest, but certainly the most shocking.

Unwilling to let go of Mac, Harm didn’t get up. “Thanks Bud. I’d be dead now if it wasn’t for you.” The simple affirmation seemed to bring some of the color back to Bud’s face, but he seemed to struggle for a reply.

Movement from Mac distracted all of them from Bud. Attempting ineffectively to get away from whomever was holding her; she placed a hand on Harm’s chest to push away. He pulled her closer in response. “Mac?” The hand on his chest slid up to his face as her eyes fluttered open. Realizing who held her, she relaxed back into his arms. “I’m getting damn tired of waking up and not knowing what is going on.” Her tone was wry, if a little weak.

The relief of hearing her voice made the small effort at humor seem hysterically funny, and all the men laughed, even Bud.

The laughter died quickly as they all returned to the business at hand. The Admiral, Bud, and Sturgis stepped away to give them some privacy and to watch the Sullivan brothers. Webb returned to making phone calls.

“Are you all right?” His intense gaze said so much more than the simple words, the depth of emotion revealed in them almost took her breath away. His fingers lovingly traced her jaw line. He longed to kiss her, to show her how much she meant to him.

“I think so. I feel like I’ve been run over by a truck, and my neck hurts like hell. But I’ll survive.” She gave him a smile and tried to pour all the happiness she felt at seeing him into her own expressive coffee eyes.

Concern clouded his gaze as he checked the nasty burn at the base of her neck where Palmer had used the stun gun to burn her. “It looks painful. Are you sure you’re all right?” Again his eyes conveyed the silent yearning.

“She’ll be checked out at Bathesda to be on the safe side, Commander.” Both Harm and Mac jumped guiltily at the sound of the Admiral’s voice. They had not noticed his return. “Webb has called for a chopper to get her there quickly. That’s an order, Colonel.” The Admiral’s stern look made her protest subside before she even started it.

“Yes Sir.” She wanted to let the Admiral know how glad she was to see him as well, but protocol and her own natural sense of decorum prevented any sentimental overture. Again she tried to convey her gratitude with a look. “Thank you Sir. For everything.”

AJ’s authoritarian stance softened as he met her gaze. “You’re more than welcome, Mac.”

“Can you stand, Marine?” As much as Harm wanted to kiss her and hold her, now was not the time for any declarations of love, however heartfelt. There was business to be taken care of first. And the first business on the agenda was for her to be checked out.

Gratefully she looked at him, understanding what he was doing. “Yeah, I think so.”

He noticed the trembling in her hands when he took them in his to help her rise. As he quickly put his arm around her for support, he could feel the shaking throughout her entire body. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

Her pallor became noticeably pronounced as she stood, but she nodded stubbornly. That familiar feeling of the room swimming increased, and she tightened her hold on his arm. “Yeah, just give me a minute. Every time I wake up…” She stopped abruptly, putting a hand to her head as if dizzy.

“Mac?” Harm and AJ spoke as one, worry again overtaking them. Instead of answering, her knees buckled and she started to go down.

“Damn it! Where is that chopper, Admiral?” Harm caught her as she fell and swung her up effortlessly in his arms.

“It’s on its way, Harm.” AJ reached out and took Mac’s wrist in his hand, checking her pulse. It was there, fast and thready, but at least it was there. “Take her outside into the fresh air. I’ll bring some water out in a second.”

While Harm took her outside, AJ went to the sink and wet a handkerchief. As he soaked it in water, all he could do was pray that his officer and friend would be all right. Then he hurried out to join them as they waited for the chopper.

Bathesda Medical Center
Emergency Room
1115 Local

Harm tried his best to wait patiently for word on Mac’s condition, but the stress of waiting was getting to him. The only thing they had told him was they were going to run some tests, and they would give him the results as soon as they could. In the meantime, Mac was back in there with the Dr. while he was relegated to the waiting room.

The chopper had arrived just ten minutes after Mac’s collapse. Harm insisted on riding with her, tossing his keys to the Admiral with some quick instructions on where his SUV was located. That had been over an hour and a half ago. Again he checked his watch, seemingly for the tenth time in as many minutes.

The Admiral and Bud walked through the Emergency Room doors, obviously looking for him. He had left his cell phone at the scene, and had been unable to contact them. They were clearly worried.

“Harm! Any word?” AJ called out as they approached him.

Harm shook his head. “No Sir, no one will tell me anything. I keep asking, and they say ‘soon.’ I’m ready to go find her for myself.” He was about to resume his pacing when a doctor finally emerged from the emergency room double doors.

“I’m looking for Commander Rabb.” Harm thanked God the doctor didn’t look overly worried or stressed.

“Here I am. What’s the word on Colonel Mackenzie?”

“She’s going to be fine. She’s still unconscious, but she should wake up within the next hour or so. The drugs she was given, the electric shocks, and the stress have just caught up with her. That’s a second degree burn on her neck, and the dressing will have to be changed twice a day, but other than that, the main thing she needs is a few days of rest.”

All three men breathed a heavy sigh of relief. “Can I see her?” Harm’s voice almost trembled from the release of fear and worry.

“She’s not awake yet, and we’re going to move her into a private room until she wakes. We’ll come get you as soon as she’s settled.” Glad to be delivering good news for a change, the doctor smiled at them before disappearing back through the double doors.

A brilliant smile crossed Harm’s face. She was going to be fine.

“Uh…Sir? I’m going to call Commander Turner and Mr. Webb. They’ll want to know.” Even as he was speaking, Bud pulled out his cell phone to make the call. “They stayed behind to deal with everything at the scene.” He explained to Harm as he dialed.

“Good idea, Mr. Roberts. Commander Rabb and I are going to step outside to have a celebratory cigar. Do you mind waiting here for further word on Colonel Mackenzie?” AJ held up two cigars with a bright smile of his own. “Found them in your SUV, thought you might want one if we had to wait too long.”

3 hours later
Mac’s Hospital room

The spinning room feeling was not as bad this time she woke up, for which she was very grateful. Mac’s eyes opened up to the welcome sight of a hospital room, and the even more welcome sight of her partner. It took her a moment to focus, but as soon as her vision cleared, a smile broke across her face.

Harm was seated in the easy chair beside her bed, his hand clasping hers. His head was leaned back and he was snoring softly. In spite of the fact he looked like he hadn’t shaved or slept in days, he had never looked more handsome to her. As she watched, his head popped up with a snort and he opened his eyes. She stifled a giggle. ‘ He looked a little befuddled as he looked at her, seemingly surprised at seeing her.

“Hi.” She spoke softly, as if he was still asleep.

“Hi yourself.” He grinned sleepily at her.

“You aren’t awake yet, are you?” She could see the toll her recent captivity had taken on him. It showed on his face.

“Not really.” He continued to smile, but it was easy to see that he was not really aware of everything.

“It’s okay. Go back to sleep. I’ll be here when you wake up.” She squeezed his hand gently as she spoke.

“OK.” His head fell back and he seemed to be asleep instantly.

She was just falling back to sleep when his loud call made her jump. “MAC!”

Heart pounding, she opened her eyes to find him standing next to the bed, still holding her hand.

“Jeez, Flyboy, you trying to give me a heart attack?” She put her free hand to her chest, trying to calm her heart down.

Without saying a word, he sat down on the edge of the bed, leaned over, and kissed her. His soft lips pressed gently against hers, teasing her sweetly as he slid his arms around her, lifting her up against him. Cuddling her close, the loving assault continued as his lips traveled across her cheek and down her neck, all the while kissing and nibbling.

She could only gasp his name as he continued the onslaught. “Harm.”

Lifting his head at the sound of his name, his azure eyes looked deeply into hers. “I couldn’t breathe without you, Mac. I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t eat. Don’t ever do that again, please.”

The love revealed by her normally rather reticent sailor left her speechless for a moment. Tears welled up as she raised a hand to caress his cheek. “I love you, Harm.”

Harm blinked back his own tears at her softly spoken declaration. Too choked up to reply with words, he answered her by crushing her against him. Holding her tightly to his heart, he bent and kissed her hair, just managing to whisper to her, “I love you, Sarah. So very much.”

Nothing else was said as they held on to one another, cherishing each other. Finally Mac pushed herself away a little. Looking up at him tearfully, she tried to make him laugh. “It seems like you were able to smoke, though, Flyboy. I can’t believe you started that again.”

Looking a little embarrassed, he gave her a cheeky grin. “It was the Admiral’s fault. He made me.”

His obvious lie made her laugh out loud. “Harm! I can’t believe you!” She hit him on the arm.

Fortunately for him, the Dr. walked in at that point. Seeing his patient awake and laughing, he smiled at the couple. “Well, it looks like the patient is feeling better.”

Harm stood up, releasing his hold on Mac. “Yes, I believe she is, Dr.”

“Well, if you don’t mind, I need to give her a quick once over. If all is well, I’ll let her go home in the morning. Provided there is someone to be with her, of course.” The Dr. shot a look of amusement at Harm. “Do you know anyone who might be willing?”

Still sitting on the edge of the bed, Harm smiled back at the Dr. “I don’t think that will be a problem, Dr.”

20 minutes later
Mac’s Hospital Room

Harm returned to Mac’s room after seeing the Dr. leave. There he found a rather sleepy Mac waiting for him.

“Well? Did he give you a clean bill of health?” He felt sure she was going to be fine, but it would be nice to have it confirmed by the doctor. Seating himself once again on the edge of the bed, he took her hand in his.

“Of course. He’s releasing me in the morning. I’m fine, Harm.” She stifled a yawn.

The last bit of worry finally left him. “Thank god.” Taking in her tired features, he realized he was exhausted as well. “OK, we’ll worry about whose apartment we stay in tomorrow. Right now you need some sleep.” He leaned over to give her a soft kiss.

“Are you leaving?” She sounded a little down at the prospect.

“No, I’ll be right here next to you.” Smiling at her, he indicated the chair beside the bed.

“Don’t you think that’s a little far away?”

A slow smile made its way across his face. “Did you have something else in mind?”

Scooting over, she made room for him in the bed with her, then she winked at him.

Lying down beside her, he reached out to gather her into his arms. She snuggled close and lay her head on his chest. “Marine, sometimes you have very good ideas.”

5 Days later
Somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico
1730 Local

Harm woke peacefully to the sounds of the waves lapping gently at the side of the sailboat. The sun was setting, and a spectacular array of colors decorated the late afternoon sky. The heat of the afternoon was past, and a breeze rippled across the water, giving him a mild case of goosebumps.

He looked down at the sleeping marine, cocooned tenderly in his arms. A few days of sun and fun on a sailboat had done wonders for her. This healthy, tanned beauty barely resembled the pale trembling woman he brought here. The doctor had been adamant that she was not to return to work right away, and he had used that excuse to steal away with her. Luckily the Admiral had granted his request for leave with a stern admonishment. "Don’t screw it up this time, Harm."

The embarrassment of that little scene had been bad enough, but the scene at the hospital had been far worse. The Admiral had walked in to Mac’s room while they were both still asleep.

Harm had slowly become aware of another presence in the room, and opened his eyes to look into the amused eyes of his CO. He also became aware of his position with Mac. They were spooned together, her bottom pressed intimately against him. Somehow, his arms had encircled her, with one of his hands cupped gently around her breast. Although a blanket covered them both, there was little doubt as to their closeness.

Fortunately AJ had given him a break, and gestured to meet him outside the room. Then he turned and left, leaving Harm to extricate himself from Mac without waking her, and allowing him a moment of privacy to calm down. Mac’s proximity had definitely had an effect on him.

It had not taken much to convince Mac to come to Panama City with him. Frank had a friend who had a 45-foot sailboat, and he was happy to let Harm have it for a week, the only stipulation being that it was returned in the same pristine condition in which it was found. A fully stocked galley, 2 bedrooms, living area, and 2 full baths had made life very comfortable for both of them.

Careful of Mac’s health, he had only taken day trips the first two days, staying in the marina at night. Even these short trips had tired Mac tremendously, and she had retired early each night with apologies. He had just enjoyed the nights, sitting out on the sailboat and staring at the starry night sky, before going in to join her.

As of yet, the next logical step in their relationship had not taken place. Although making love had not actually happened, they had spent every waking minute together, slept together every night, and touched, talked, and kissed more than they ever had previously. He could not seem to be near her without touching her, and he was glad to see that she seemed to reciprocate the feeling fully. And even though he was looking forward to the day he actually made love with her, he found that he was content to wait until she was fully recovered and ready for that step.

In these last two days, Mac’s strength had almost fully returned, and with it her ability to talk him into things against his better judgment. He wanted to stick to day trips; she wanted to explore the coast.

And so today they had ventured out to sail along the shoreline for the last couple of days of their leave. The wind had been strong, the sea calm, and the sun very warm. As they made their way along the coast, dolphins had often joined them, jumping and splashing along the bow of the boat, riding the wake. The silvery mammals had been entrancing to watch, and they had both enjoyed the show tremendously.

The combination of sun and fun had finally gotten to them both, and they had decided an afternoon nap was in order. Motoring slowly into a deserted cove of an uninhabited island, Harm finally decided on a place to anchor where the ebbing tide would not leave them high and dry. They had eaten a late lunch, and fallen asleep on the cushioned seats, cuddled up closely out of the sun.

Leaning over her, he kissed the tip of her nose, then sat back to see if she woke up. When there was no movement on her part, he leaned over again and trailed kisses down her neck, nuzzling softly at the base. This had the desired effect.

A tiny giggle escaped her as her eyes fluttered open. "That tickles," she whispered, a smile gracing her face. Squinching up her shoulder to discourage him, she ordered him to stop. This, of course, only encouraged him. In fact it was a challenge. Using his greater strength and the advantage of holding her, he quickly attacked her sides with his fingers.

Squealing and laughing, she twisted and turned in his arms, trying to escape. Finally, in desperation, she pushed off his chest and managed to jump away from him. Unfortunately, Harm was still tickling her sides when she jumped, and his fingers got caught in the bikini top she was wearing. When she left Harm’s arms, the top was hanging off his fingers.

Stunned, Harm tried not to stare at the beautiful topless woman in front of him, but failed miserably. Before he could stop himself, his eyes drank in the sight of those full breasts, free and unbound. Imagining what he would like to do to with them, he slowly licked his lips.

"Harm!" Her voice was stern, startling him out of his daydream. A full blush covered his face as he looked away, the bikini top still dangling from his hand. "Uh…sorry Mac. It was an accident."

"Was it?" Her voice had taken on a decided teasing tone. His head jerked back around to face her. Was she…? She was!

Slowly, temptingly, Mac was peeling off her bikini bottoms. Stepping out of them, she tossed them over to Harm. They landed in his lap. "Maybe I did it on purpose, did you ever think of that?" the sultry resonance in her voice stirred something primal in him. "Last one into the water naked is a rotten egg." And before he could even blink, she was over the side.

Drops of water splashed him from her dive, but he still sat there, stunned. He looked at the bikini top still caught in his hand, and then at the bottoms resting on his lap. A slow grin spread across his face. Things were definitely getting interesting.

A splash of water across his back made him jump to his feet and spin around. Mac was treading water, grinning at him. "Aren’t you coming in, Harmon?" The water was crystal clear, and the lighter colored skin where the bikini normally covered her contrasted sharply with her dark tan.

He felt his cock harden at the sight of a sexy nude Mac giving him that ‘come hither’ stare. He stepped up to the side of the boat to jump off when she yelled at him. "Stop!"

Startled, he looked questioningly at her. "Only naked people are allowed to swim here." She gave him a saucy leer. Fortunately for him, his own tan hid his blush. "Oh, excuse me Ma’am." His hand went to the drawstring of his bathing suit, when he realized he was going to strip in front of her with a hard on. He wasn’t sure he could do it.

Again she splashed water at him. "You’re not chicken, are you, Flyboy? I thought all you navy aviators weren’t scared of anything!" Her laughing eyes dared him to do it, knowing full well why he was hesitating.

That was it. He couldn’t back down now. Not that he really wanted to. With a laugh he stripped off his bathing suit and dove in towards her. She turned with a squeal of laughter and started a fast crawl away from him, her white bottom showing through the water.

He broke the surface and saw her swimming off. Pausing to admire the view for a moment, he started after her, reveling in the lighthearted play and the sexy overtones. With his longer reach he easily caught up with her.

Forgetting nudity for just moment in the excitement of the chase, he grabbed her foot and pulled her back. To his delight, she came easily to him, whirling around to grab his shoulders and close in for a heated kiss. The press of her naked body against him stirred his senses, and he gasped as she wrapped her legs around him.

The cool water had done nothing to diminish his ardor, and his rock hard penis rubbed gently against her. Without giving it another thought, his mouth found hers and there tongues engaged in a teasing duel. She broke away for a moment to breathe, resting easily against him as they tread water.

"Sarah, are you sure?" The huskiness in his voice surprised him.

"I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life." Her sexy whisper inflamed him, and he closed in for another kiss. "But first you have to catch me." A push on his shoulders sent him under the water for a moment as she caught him unaware again. She turned and swam as fast as she could for the beach.

Grinning at her play, he gave her a head start before following her. She was wading knee deep towards the shore when he caught her this time. Not giving her another chance to get away, he simply swung her up in his arms.

Instead of struggling, she simply put her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply. Pulling away for a moment, she rested her forehead against his. “Well, you caught me. What are you going to do with me?”

Instead of answering her with words, he slowly set her down on her feet in the water and pulled her close. The feel of her body flush against him drove any rational thought from his mind as he bent his head to kiss her. His hands slid slowly up between them to cup her breasts, the nipples already taut.

The salty tang of the sea was on her skin. He could taste it as his lips traveled down her neck, and lower. The small moans in the back of her throat only urged him on. As his mouth slid back up to capture her lips, the feel of her hand on his penis made him gasp.

Slowly, softly her fingers traveled over the smooth shaft, a delicate touch that tormented his senses and left him panting for more. He felt her as she slid down his body, wanting to keep her where he could plunder her body, but unwilling to stop her from where she wanted to go.

A loud, “Oh God, Mac!” escaped him as she enveloped him with her mouth. The contrast between the cool air and her warm mouth almost overwhelming him. Her tongue swirled around the head, making his knees buckle before he braced himself on her shoulders.

She continued the wondrous torture, sliding her mouth up and down, gently sucking. His hands found their way into her damp hair as his head fell back and he gasped for air. He knew it was happening too fast, that this would be over too quickly if this continued. The pleasure was just too great.

Grasping her shoulders again, he tried to make her rise, but she resisted. He was perilously close, and he desperately called to her. “Mac, please…I’m going to…” Getting out a coherent sentence was impossible at this point, but surely she knew what he meant.

There was no pause in her ministrations. One hand circled the base of his cock, tantalizing him, while the other gently caressed his balls. And the warm wet of her mouth never did not cease, nor did the whirling tease of her tongue. The combination of her, along with the feeling of the waves breaking over his feet, the breeze rippling over him, and the long hidden desire he had for her finally overwhelmed him.

He felt himself falling into a whirlpool of absolute pleasure, the force of his orgasm arching his back as he called her name. As the continuing spurts finally stopped, he sank to his knees and embraced her, unable to say anything. She held him silently, waiting for him to recover.

After a few moments he spoke, a little shakily. “That definitely wasn’t fair, marine. But, it was absolutely amazing.”

He felt her smile against his shoulder. “I’m glad you think so.”

“But I also think it was a little one sided.” Before she could reply, he began kissing her again. His hands traveled to her breasts, fingers gently tracing them while his mouth plundered hers.

Still kneeling in the surf kissing, his hand slipped down to her folds. The wetness he found there was not due to the ocean, and as he inserted a finger inside her she moaned against his mouth. “Harm.” His name was a whisper he barely heard.

He leaned down and took a turgid nipple in his mouth, sucking it and nipping at it. All the while, his fingers continued to slip in and out of her, sometimes circling her clit. Now she was the one bracing herself on his shoulders, gasping and moaning.

“Harm…wait. We can’t…here.” Her voice was throaty with passion.

Without stopping his fondling, he murmured, “Why not?”

“Because…we…don’t…” Her words were lost as his hand found a particularly sensitive spot.

“We don’t what?” His mouth moved to the other breast.

“Sand…no towel.”

He finally raised his head, one hand still touching her center, one arm securely around her back. “Best way to hit the beach, Sarah. As a marine, you should know that.”

The tide had ebbed enough so that the water was barely reaching them now. He laid her back into the water; she was practically limp in his arms. As his mouth reached the juncture of her thighs and his tongue dipped into her, all he could think of was how wonderful she tasted.

The waves still splashed over their legs as he continued. His fingers playing inside of her, enjoying the feel of her inside muscles clenching as orgasm neared. His tongue teased her clit, flicking and rubbing it. The warm flood of her sexual juice flowed over his mouth and hand when she came, and he tried to get every drop of it, savoring her flavor.

As she lay there, slowly reviving from her pleasure, he raised himself up over her and pushed inside of her. He felt her welcoming embrace as his penis slid home, into her sexual core.

He heard her soft moan at his entrance, her legs wrapping around him, warmly receiving him and pulling him closer. Her arms pulled him down, and their mouths met again in a passionate kiss.

He was conscious that his face was still damp from her, but she would not let him avoid her. Her entire body seemed to invite him in, and it was not an invitation he was able or willing to refuse. The delightful friction of the slow push and pull sent shivers down his body, her low moans against his mouth driving his passion even higher.

All Mac could think of was the ecstasy of having him inside her. After so many years of dreaming and wanting, the rapture of this moment sent her into a place she had never been before. And the reality was so much more than she had ever dreamed.

As she felt the oncoming surge of electricity begin to flow through her again, she couldn’t stop her self from calling his name. “Harm…oh yes…” The words flew from her unbidden.

Her urging had him going faster, and they were both caught up in the swell of need, striving for that ultimate pleasure one more time. He felt her reach the crest and go over the edge, and she took him with her.

As he lay there with Mac, his heart slowly going back to a normal rhythm, he became aware of the ocean water lapping gently at his feet. Dusk had fallen, and the stars were just beginning to show. The moon was lighting the water, and the palm trees rustled gently in the breeze. It was one of the most romantic settings in the world.

He also became aware that he was intensely uncomfortable. It was chilly; he was wet, and covered with sand. “Uh…Mac?”

“Yes?” Her voice sounded contented, replete.

He looked down at her. “That was absolutely wonderful, but wouldn’t you like to go back to the boat and get a little more…comfortable?”

Her eyes finally opened; he could see the glint of humor hiding in them. “I can’t help it if you squids aren’t comfortable anywhere except aboard a boat.”

“You look like you might be more comfortable there too.” He brushed some sand off her forehead.

Without warning, he felt a large handful of wet sand hit his back. “Mac!” He jumped to his feet, brushing at the sand. “I can’t believe you did that!”

“Suck it up sailor. Sand is part of the whole beach experience. As a naval officer, you should know that.”

He reached down and grabbed her, heaving her over his shoulder while striding off toward the water. “Smartass comments are only going to get you dunked, Sarah.” She could only giggle as she hung upside down.

He was going to just toss her in, but he couldn’t do it. When he reached waist deep water, he set her down carefully and kissed her, pulling her against him again. The sheer perfection of the day robbed him of any pretense. “I love you, Mac.”

She answered softly as she leaned against him. “I love you, Harm.”

And together they started the swim back to the boat.

The End.

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