Callisto’s
Friday night
2030 Local

Harm stared at the beautiful marine sitting across the table from him, talking animatedly with Bobbi. He had high hopes for this evening. Allowing his eyes to trail admiringly over her, his mind wandered back to the beginning of the evening.

He and Mac had run into Bobbi as they were leaving JAG for the weekend, and she had invited them to join Sturgis and she for dinner. Grateful for the opportunity to spend some time with Mac, he had agreed immediately and cajoled Mac into it. Callisto’s was the agreed upon meeting place in an hour, after they had changed out of their uniforms.

Their relationship had gone back to friendship since the Jagathon a few months ago. And as relieved as he was for that, he found that he wanted more. And it was frustrating him no end that Mac didn’t seem to want that kind of relationship with him anymore. The banter and fun was back, but it was like she always held a small piece of herself away from him. Had her feelings changed that drastically?

Fortune had again smiled upon him when Mac’s vette had a flat tire, giving him the perfect excuse to pick her up, and spend some time with her on Saturday.

“Come on Mac, I’ll drop you at home, you can change, and I’ll pick you up.”

“I don’t know Harm; maybe I should just do this now and stay in for the night. I don’t want to have to deal with this tomorrow and I’m kind of tired anyway. It’s just been one thing after another today…” As much as she enjoyed spending time with Harm, she wasn’t sure this was the wisest course for her. Finally having faced her feelings for this man, time spent with him was both a pleasure and a form of torture. The effort of keeping those feelings in check was exhausting in the best of circumstances, and having a “couple” dinner with Sturgis and Bobbi might just be more difficult for her.

He jumped in before she could finish her excuses. “Mac, it’ll do you good to get out. Tomorrow we’ll come back here and change the tire. Problem solved.” He shot her a pleading look; one he knew she had trouble resisting. It was much more effective than the ‘flyboy grin.’

Indecision hovered momentarily in her eyes as she waged an internal battle before breaking into a smile. “OK Flyboy. It’s a date.” Realizing the implication of her statement, she flushed and tried to backpedal immediately. “Uh…I mean… not a date exactly…”

He cut her off again, surprising himself with how smoothly the words flowed from him. “That’s OK Mac. You can say the word. In fact I like it. It’s a date.” Grinning at her stunned expression, he held out his arm dramatically. “May I escort you to the car, Madam?”

Laughing, she accepted his arm. The ride to her apartment was comfortable; he was careful to keep the conversation to various cases and things at the office. He dropped her off, raced to his apartment to shower and change, and was back in record time at her door.

She opened the door with a smile at his knock. The handsome man in front of her took her breath away. “I can’t believe you managed to change that fast.” Getting that out in a normal tone of voice was one of the most difficult things she ever had to do. The dark blue suit and lighter blue shirt brought out his azure eyes, and she could almost see herself drowning in them. “But you do look nice.”

Accustomed as he was to seeing beautiful women, Harm had a difficult time keeping a level head when he saw the vision in red in front of him. The silk of the dress clung in all the right places, the neckline dipping low to reveal a lovely cleavage. “You look gorgeous yourself, Sarah.” The husky sound of his voice surprised him.

Blushing at his tone, and the obvious admiration in his eyes, she stammered a little as she invited him in. “C-Come in, Harm. I’ll just get my wrap.” Turning, she walked over to the couch where she had put her matching shawl.

His breath caught as she turned. The dress barely had a back, and he admired her sexy curves as she walked away. Mac was always beautiful, even in uniform, but in civilian dress she could knock his socks off.

He stepped in and waited at the door as she returned to him. He took the shawl from her, smiling at her look of confusion. “A gentleman always helps a lady with her wrap.” Moving behind her, he draped the shawl over her, letting his hands rest lightly on her shoulders. Feeling bold, as she made no protest, he leaned in and inhaled her perfume, then lightly nuzzled her neck where it met her shoulder. “You smell wonderful too.” He let his lips linger after placing a light kiss there.

A gasp and a trail of goosebumps were his reward as she turned towards him; her brandy colored eyes revealing both desire and fear. “Harm…” Her voice was low and trailed away as she met his gaze.

Standing this close to her, it was all he could do not to crush her to him. “It’s time Sarah. In fact it’s past time.”

“But…”

He touched a finger to her lips to silence her. “Let’s just enjoy the evening, shall we?” He lifted her hand to his lips. Turning it over, he placed a kiss in her palm, trailing up to the inside of her wrist. His eyes never left hers as he nibbled lightly.

Unable to breathe, she managed a nod. He smiled as he tucked her hand into the crook of his arm and led her out.

“You gonna stare at her all night, buddy?” Sturgis’s voice broke into his thoughts.

Tearing his eyes away from Mac, he turned to face his grinning friend. “Any reason why I shouldn’t? She’s worth staring at.”

“Well, I have to agree with you there, Harm. But I thought you didn’t notice her that way.” Sturgis was a little smug.

“Oh I noticed, I just never did anything about it.” Harm was a little smug himself.

A little concerned at Harm’s seemingly cavalier attitude, Sturgis leaned forward to talk quietly. “Harm, be careful. Don’t play with her feelings. She’s vulnerable right now…” He had come to like and respect Mac, and remembered her slip about how she felt about Harm.

Surprised at his friend’s protective attitude towards Mac, Harm turned serious as well. “I’m not playing, Sturgis. I’m serious about her.”

Sturgis met Harm’s steady gaze, considering his statement. Finally he broke into a smile. “Glad you came to your senses, buddy. It’s about time.”

Harm’s eyes returned to Mac, still deep in conversation with Bobbi. She looked up to catch him staring, and smiled at him. Returning her smile, he murmured to Sturgis, “It’s way past time, Sturgis.”

Getting up, he walked over to Mac and held out his hand. “Would you like to dance Sarah?”

Feeling shy and a little nervous, she placed her hand in his as she rose, nodding her acquiescence.

Bobbi stared at Harm, a small smile gracing her features, before shifting her eyes to Sturgis and allowing a full-fledged grin to take over. Sturgis answered her grin with one of his own.

Oblivious to the by-play of their friends, Harm led Mac to the dance floor and took her in his arms as a song began to play, a woman’s voice singing a capella at first, then slowly a low bass beat came in.

Touch my skin

And tell me what you’re thinking,

Take my hand

And show me where we’re going.

Lie down next to me, look into my eyes

And tell me, oh tell me what you’re seeing

Harm pulled her close, resting his cheek on Mac’s hair as the music continued, the words aptly fitting their situation. He felt her tension at first, but she soon relaxed, settling comfortably in his arms as the words and music washed over them.

So sit on top of the world

And tell me how you’re feeling,

What you feel now is what I feel for you.

Take my hand and if I’m lying to you,

I’ll always be alone, if I’m lying to you.

He so wanted her to know how he felt, but he never could get the words out. His hand caressed the bare skin of her back, fingertips lightly tracing patterns on her back before traveling up to tangle in her hair.

See my eyes

They carry your reflection,

Watch my lips and hear the words I’m telling you.

Give your trust to me and look into my heart,

And show me, show me you’re doing.

He pulled back a little, and looked down into her questioning eyes. Leaning down, he rested his forehead against hers as they barely moved to the music.

So sit on top of the world

And tell me how you’re feeling,

What you feel is what I feel for you.

Take my hand, and if I’m lying to you,

I’ll always be alone, if I’m lying to you.

Take your time, if I’m lying to you,

I know you’ll find that you believe me, you believe me

The music swirled around them, encompassing them in it’s magic. Slowly, softly, he let his lips meet hers in a feather-light kiss, stopping when he felt her tremble.

Feel the sun on your face and tell me what you’re thinking,

Catch the snow on your tongue and show me how it tastes.

Take my hand, and if I’m lying to you,

I’ll always be alone, if I’m lying to you.

Take your time, and I know you’ll find that you believe me, you believe me

As the song faded, he met her eyes again. “Trust me, Mac. I will never hurt you. Please, let’s give ‘us’ a chance. Please.”

He held his breath as he awaited her answer.

Mac tried to control her racing pulse as she regarded him solemnly. In her heart, she had always known that if Harm ever really expressed desire for her, she would have given him anything he wanted in an instant, even in the beginning. Now that she had admitted to herself that she loved him, she found him impossible to resist. In spite of the pain they had inflicted on each other over the years, she trusted him implicitly. All this flashed through her mind in an instant, although it seemed like hours to Harm.

Her answer was not in words.

Reaching up, she placed her hands on either side of his face and gently pulled him down to her, letting the warm sensuous kiss be her answer. The music of the next song began, but neither heard it over the thundering of their hearts. The kiss deepened as Harm put his arms around her and pulled her closer.

Belatedly realizing where they were, he broke the kiss off reluctantly. Unwilling to let her go, he kept her close as he whispered to her, “Let’s get out of here.”

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she replied, “Yes, let’s. I want you, Harm.”

The passion burning in his eyes increased, and he began to kiss her again, heedless of their location. Her hand on his chest stopped him, but her eyes answered him in kind. “Let’s go, Harm.”

His arm around her, he guided her back to the table where they made their farewells to Sturgis and Bobbi. Knowing smiles followed them out, which they ignored.

As they made their way out to his SUV, he kept her close. Unlocking the door for her, he couldn’t stop himself from stealing another kiss. Her mouth opened under his, and a low groan emanated from him as his hands glided over the soft skin of her back. Her arms went around his neck, drawing him even closer as she molded her body to his. As his hand gently cupped her breast, he heard her whisper his name with a gasp. “Oh Harm, please…”

Realizing that they were still in a public place, he again broke the kiss and helped her into the car, stealing another kiss as he fastened her seat belt for her. As the fire between them flamed higher, he tore himself away with a laugh. “Mac! Behave yourself, or we’ll never make it home.”

‘Don’t blame me, Commander. It’s not my fault you can’t keep your hands to yourself.” Her tone was teasing, if a little breathless.

He closed the door with a laugh, leaning against it for a moment to get himself under control. He didn’t notice Bobbi and Sturgis a few cars away getting into their own vehicle, laughing at him.

“I guess they finally figured it out.” Bobbi was still smiling as she got into the car.

Not unaware of Bobbi’s history with Harm, Sturgis had to ask. “Does it bother you?”

Recognizing the emotion behind that question, Bobbi gave it the serious consideration it deserved, and then answered. “No. Harm and I would never have worked; I realized that a long time ago. I’m just happy to see him happy. Like I’m happy.”

A smile lit up his face at her reply. “I’m glad to know that.” He leaned in for a kiss, and she obliged.

Harm’s SUV

On the way home

Harm admired the hand he held for a moment, before raising it for a kiss. It was strong, yet delicate at the same time. The soft skin felt wonderful beneath his lips. He risked a glance at the marine beside him. Her head was resting against the seat, her eyes shining at him. He caught his breath at the love he saw there.

He turned his gaze reluctantly back to the road, the silence comfortable between them. Finally, they both knew where they were headed, and there were no more fears.

The click of her safety belt unfastening caught his attention. A slim arm snaked around the back of his neck as her body pressed close to his side. He almost veered off the road when her lips met his ear, her tongue flicking it lightly. Her warm breath sent shivers down his spine, all the way to his toes. The rest of his body came to instant attention.

Pulling her other hand out of his, she snuck it over his chest, loosening the tie and unbuttoning the first few buttons of his shirt before slipping inside. Her fingers played with the hair on his chest; her gentle touch sending what little blood he had left above the waist straight to his groin. “Oh God…Sarah.” He held on to the steering wheel, white-knuckled; determined to make it home in record time.

When her hand drifted down to his lap, teasing the hard outline she found there, he slammed the brakes on. With a curse he dragged her into his lap, unable to control the flames she had ignited. As his mouth plundered hers ruthlessly, his hand slipped up her leg until it reached bare thigh. Thanking god she wore thigh high stockings, he stroked the delicate skin he found there, eliciting low moans from her.

He moved his hand up a little farther, unable to stop himself from further exploration. When his hand met no panties, only her warm wet center, he drew back from her a little and gave her a surprised look. “Panty lines,” she explained in an embarrassed voice. “Oh, I’m not complaining, believe me.” He continued his exploration, her low moans and gasps against his lips making him crazy.

There was a tap on the window of the SUV. Mac gave a startled yelp and jumped back over to her seat. Struggling to gain control of himself, Harm turned and faced the Police Officer who had rapped on the window with his nightstick. Flushing red with embarrassment, Harm rolled the window down.

“Is there a problem here?” The Officer was mightily amused, knowing the reason for their stop. “It’s not wise to stop in the middle of the road, Sir.”

“Uh…sorry Officer. I…uh… was just looking for…” Harm’s voice trailed off, he couldn’t think of a logical excuse other than the real one.

“A map. He was looking for the map, Officer.” Mac’s voice broke in, saving him from complete humiliation. She was sitting demurely in her seat, her skirt pulled down, and her seatbelt buckled. He had no idea how she did that so quickly.

The Officer laughed out loud. “Yes, I’m sure he was. In the future, I would suggest you pull out of the street before looking for the…map.” His tone was sarcastic. “In fact, I would suggest you look for it at home.”

“Yes Officer, we’ll be sure to be more careful. Thank you for checking on us.” Harm finally found his voice again.

“Just keep moving, please.” The Officer waved and walked off, still laughing.

There was a short silence as Harm stepped on the gas, getting the SUV moving again. He looked over at Mac and found her struggling to control a giggle. When their eyes met they both burst out laughing. “Marine, stay on your side of the vehicle, please. I refuse to be responsible for the consequences if you don’t.”

The hilarity of the moment struck her again. “I thought you were very smooth, Harm. Really. I was looking for the …uh…” She mimicked his earlier performance before going off in another gale of laughter.

“Yeah, thanks for the help, map lady. Looking for the map? I’m sure he bought that story.” His sarcastic tone sent her off again.

As he pulled into a parking place outside his apartment the silence settled over them, almost awkward. The past started washing over them as they sat quietly in the SUV, neither one making a move to get out.

The longer the silence went, the more Mac began to panic. All she could think about were the times he backed away. He always backs away. Oh God, he’s starting to regret this already. But he started it; I didn’t force him into it. Oh my God, this is going to be bad.

Somehow Harm had lost the spontaneity that had carried him through the evening. It wasn’t that he had changed his mind; it was just that euphoric feeling had been interrupted and reality had intruded. This was Mac, for God’s sake, the woman he had spent years both avoiding and yearning for. He turned to her, not sure what he wanted to say, but the silence was deafening. “Mac…” His voice was a little shaky.

Abruptly she turned her head to look out the window as she cut him off. “It’s OK, Harm. I understand. Please just take me home.” Her voice held it’s normal firm tone, but her hands were clenched together in her lap.

His eyes took in the clenched hands and the tension revealed in her posture. Suddenly the awkwardness was gone, and nothing was more important than reaching out to her, than showing her what she meant to him. Reaching out to her face, he gently turned her around to face him. Her eyes were full of tears that she refused to let fall.

Still holding her face, he asked her, “Is that really what you want?”

She looked down, refusing to meet his eyes even as he gently caressed her cheek. “It doesn’t matter, Harm. I understand, really. Just take me home and we’ll forget all about this…”

It was his turn to cut her off. “I don’t want to forget about it, Sarah. I want you. But if you’re not ready, or you really want to go home, it’s all right. I’ll wait till you are ready.”

She looked up at him sharply. “But I thought…I mean…” Her voice trailed way as the full import of his words hit her. “Harm?” Her hand came up to cover his.

“Sarah, the past is done. We can talk about it any time you want too, any time you need too, but I want us to be together tonight. I thought you wanted that too. Do you?”

She nodded slowly, a smile breaking through the tears. He leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss, tasting the salt of her tears. He vowed to himself that he would never again to be the cause of those. “Wait here. I’ll come around and get you.” He whispered against her lips.

He hurried around to open her door, taking her into his arms as she stepped out. Holding her close against him, he laid his cheek against her hair as her arms went around him. “You never have to be afraid again Sarah, I promise you that. Not of me.”

A watery laugh was his answer as she hid her face against his shoulder. “I know that, Harm. I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be like this, really.”

“Hey, I kinda like you all weak and female.” He tried to make her laugh.

“Oh shut up, Squid.” She hit him on the arm as she drew away, smiling. “Don’t make me hurt you.” She started walking towards the building.

“Woman, you don’t know you’re place.” His voice took on a more “caveman” tone as he followed her.

“And you’re not going to teach it to me, either.” The challenge was teasing, but definitely a challenge.

Not giving her a chance to get in a defensive position, he grabbed her and threw her over his shoulder, rather liking the cave man approach.

“Harm! Put me down!” Giggles followed this demand, so he didn’t take it seriously. Instead, he slapped her on the derriere.

“I’m putting you in your place, woman. Be quiet!”

She didn’t seem intimidated by this at all as giggles continued to ring out as he strode up the stairs and down the hall. He dug his keys out of his pocket, unlocked the door and entered the apartment, all actions accompanied by her musical laughter.

Setting her down by the door, he regarded her sternly as he locked it. “Now do you know your place?”

A saucy look was what he got in return. “I know my place; I just have to teach it to you. You seem to have a mistaken impression as to where that is.”

“And where do you think it is?” His words were teasing, but the tone had shifted to his low ‘come to me’ voice.

She took the lapels of his jacket in her hands and pulled him close to her, pressing her body up against him. “I think it’s right here.” And she reached up to pull his head down for another kiss.

The ardor that had waned after the policeman interrupted them blazed hot in an instant. Her mouth opened under his, and their tongues tangled. He crushed her to him, desperate for the feel of her against him. He had waited so long for this, and nothing was going to get in his way.

Before he could begin exploring her body again, she was pushing his suit jacket of his shoulders. In an effort to cooperate with her, he allowed the jacket to drop without interrupting their kiss. He still couldn’t get close to her, her hands were between them, pulling off his tie and fumbling with the buttons of his shirt.

In frustration he pulled away for a moment. “God damn it!” The frenzied desire he felt caused frustration when his shirt wouldn’t cooperate. He ripped at it, buttons flying everywhere, and threw it on the floor. A little startled at his curse, she had stepped back, but a heated smile was on her face when she realized his intent. When he grabbed her back to kiss her almost savagely, she came willingly into his arms.

Her hands searched his muscled torso, fingers tracing his ribs. Breaking away from the kiss, her mouth savored the feel of him, sucking on his nipple as her hands reached down to caress his hard shaft through his pants.

As his hands again began the investigation of her body, he forced himself to slow down. Gently trailing his fingertips across her back again, his lips left hers to wander across her cheek and down her neck, nipping and sucking all the way. The low moans in the back of her throat and the way she trembled told him she loved what he was doing to her.

The red silk dress pooled at her feet easily when he pushed the straps down. There was no zipper, it was only held up by those straps. She wore no bra, and stood before him in only stockings and red high heels. A fantasy come to life before his eyes. Better than any fantasy, and he had had some doozies.

“Sarah…” He couldn’t speak as he looked at her, glorying in the sight of the woman he had wanted for so long. Of their own accord, his hands reached out and touched her breasts, cupping them as his thumbs grazed her nipples.

“Oh God…Harm…” Her head fell back, and again he trailed hot kisses across her neck before bending down to take one taut cinnamon nipple in his mouth, sucking it and swirling his tongue. Her knees buckled at the onslaught of sensations, and he swept her up in his arms.

He made his way to the bedroom, laying her gently on the bed. His impassioned gaze never left her as he removed her shoes and stockings; his fingers lingering at his self appointed task. Then he quickly shed his remaining clothes. Settling in next to her, he moaned loudly as her fingers curled around his hard shaft, teasing the smooth skin. Before he could recover his wits and renew his own assault, she slipped down and enveloped him completely in her warm mouth.

The struggle not to come immediately was arduous. Her tongue swirled around the head, tasting the drops already there, and then traveled down the long satin shaft before again encompassing his hardness. The pleasure she was giving him was rioting through him, and it took every bit of will power he had to pull her up and stop her. “Sarah…please. I want this to last, and I can’t if you do that.”

Pushing her back into the pillows, his mouth again teased her nipple, his fingers playing in the curls at the juncture of her thighs. She parted her legs willingly, and he finally was able to delve into that warm wet place he had dreamed of so often. His fingers wet from her center, he lightly flicked her clit, bringing loud moans from her.

He had to taste her; it was impossible not too. Shifting swiftly down, he sank his tongue in her depths, relishing the nectar he found there. Her unique taste and scent surrounded him, and he thought he would never willingly leave her again as long as he lived.

He slipped a finger inside her, her muscles instantly tightening around it. As his tongue teased the bundle of nerves just above, he could hear her calling his name loudly. He reached up with his other hand and caught hers, as he felt her orgasm crash around him. He stayed with her, drawing it out as long as he could, the pleasure almost overwhelming him.

He felt her pull at his shoulders. As he rose in answer to her summons, he realized his face was wet from her sexual juices. Stopping, he grinned teasingly at her before leaning over to rub his lightly stubbled cheek against the sensitive skin on her inner thigh. A stifled squeal and laugh escaped her, but before she could react further he was all the way on top of her.

Their eyes met as the laughter between them faded, and she allowed him no escape. Her beautiful eyes held him captive as her hand guided him inside her.

The delicious sensation of slipping inside her inundated him. Her eyes closed in ecstasy at the feeling of being filled by him, but he could not tear his eyes from her. Every curve of her face was erotic to him, every angle.

Their bodies pressed closely together, her legs around his waist, his arms around her; the age-old rhythm was begun. The waves of pleasure washed over them as the burn began building. He could feel her muscles tighten as the pace increased, and she began moaning his name. “Harm…oh…Yes…Harm.”

Concentrating on the pleasure he was giving and receiving, he didn’t even realize that he was calling her name as well. He felt her begin to orgasm, her inner muscles clutching at him, her nails raking his back as she cried out. “Yes…oh God…It feels so good…Oh Harm!”

His own orgasm overwhelmed, and a blinding surge of pleasure washed over him. Crying out her name as he climaxed, he held her closely as the ecstasy poured through him. “Sarah!”

The world slowly came back into focus for him. Realizing he was collapsed on top of her and probably crushing her, he started to roll off. She held him tightly to her. “Stay…please. I just want to feel you.”

“It’s my pleasure Sarah, believe me.” Kissing her gently, he reveled in the feeling of being surrounded by her. “I never want to leave.”

They fell asleep in each other’s arms, stilled joined.

JAG Headquarters

Saturday

1114 Local

Harm was attempting to change the tire on Mac’s vette, not an easy task when a certain Marine Lieutenant Colonel could not resist tickling him. After several sneak attacks, he had finally ordered her to the other side of the car to wait, and she had subsided meekly. Too meekly, he thought suspiciously.

He had had good intentions of an early start this morning, but a shower with the aforementioned Lieutenant Colonel had taken a little longer than anticipated. Not that he minded the delay. His thoughts drifted to the feeling of a wet, soapy Sarah under his hands. Yes, the shower took a lot longer than anticipated. He smiled to himself as he remembered it.

And somehow breakfast had taken longer as well. The eggs he had fixed had gotten knocked off the table, and he had been too distracted to clean them up immediately. Making love to Mac on the table had seemed much more important at the time. Chuckling, he realized that simple tasks like washing and eating were going to take much more time than they used to. Not that he was complaining, not at all.

A finger delicately traced his ear, sending a shiver down his spine. He looked up from trying to get the jack under the car to see Mac sprawled across the hood of the car, smiling down at him. She looked adorable in his shorts and T-shirt, barefoot. Her silk dress was not really appropriate for changing a tire, and her red high heels had not matched his clothes. He had convinced her to just run with him to JAG to take care of the car, enjoying seeing her in his clothes. He guessed it was a guy thing, but she looked damn sexy in them.

“I thought I told you to stay on your side of the car.” He attempted to be stern with her, but it was a wasted effort. His eyes betrayed him.

She grinned at him, unrepentant. “I thought I taught you last night that you couldn’t put me in my place.” Reaching out, she smudged his nose with a little grease from the tire.

“That’s it. Now I’m really gonna teach you your place.” He leaped to his feet and grabbed for her.

Giving a little scream, she evaded his hands and slid back onto the other side of the car. Feeling totally carefree and immature, she stuck her tongue out at him. “Na na na na na.”

Laughing, he accepted the challenge and started around the car after her.

She ran around to the rear of the car, laughing all the way. Unfortunately for her, she was barefoot and couldn’t run as fast as he could. Catching up with her, he grabbed her around the waist and lifted her up.

“Harm!” She could barely speak she was laughing so hard. He waved his hand, dirty from the tire changing, threateningly in front of her face while keeping a firm grip around her with the other arm.

“No, I’ll be good! I swear! Harm!” At her words he loosened his grip and dropped his guard. His mistake. She turned and hooked her foot around him, hitting him in the back of the knees. He grabbed her again as he went down, careful to land with her on top of him. After all, he had jeans on; he didn’t want her to get scratched up from the pavement.

The fight degenerated into tickling and more laughter. They didn’t hear the car pull up and park near them, or the footsteps that closed in on them. Their first inkling that they had an audience was the sound of a throat clearing.

Harm was half lying on top of a squirming, giggling Mac. She had managed to cover his face with dirt and grease, and he was returning the favor when he heard the loud “Ahem.” Glancing over towards the sound, his eyes took in an immaculate pair of uniform shoes and pants. As his look traveled upward, he realized with growing horror that it was Admiral AJ Chegwidden.

Scrambling to his feet, he helped Mac up and both of them came to attention automatically.

Highly amused, AJ looked the disheveled, dirty pair over. Harm was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, along with a pair of tennis shoes. His Chief of Staff was in shorts that were obviously too big for her, barefoot, and a GO NAVY T-shirt that was also way too big. They were both covered with grease and dirt.

“I wasn’t aware that you had duty this weekend Commander, Colonel, or that the dress codes had changed this drastically.”

Seeing that Mac seemed to have lost her voice completely, Harm volunteered the explanation. “Well…Sir…We…I mean, I was helping the Colonel change a flat tire on her car.”

The Admiral looked at the two tires visible to him. Neither was flat. He shifted his gaze back to Harm questioningly.

Harm felt his face go red. “It’s uh…on the other side Sir.”

Not saying anything, AJ walked around and saw the flat tire and the jack lying next to the car. “It’s a little difficult to change the tire from the other side of the car, isn’t it, Commander?” AJ was enjoying himself hugely. It was obvious to him that these two had finally gotten together. He was glad for it, but he planned to enjoy himself some more at their expense.

Both of his officers were brick red by this time. Neither volunteered anything.Noticing Mac’s attire, he zeroed in on her for a moment. “Colonel, planning on switching branches?”She glanced down at the GO NAVY emblazoned on the T-shirt she wore. “No Sir. Commander Rabb offered me a shirt so that I wouldn’t get mine dirty.” Amazingly, she didn’t stutter, although she was still blushing.“I see. How gallant of you Commander.” AJ’s tone was sarcastic.Neither officer replied, correctly surmising this was rhetorical.Finally having a little pity on them, AJ relented. “OK. I needed to talk to you both, so I’m glad you’re here. Finish this job up quickly and meet me in my office. And I mean quickly.” AJ gave them both another stern look for good measure before turning on his heel and walking away, smiling once they couldn’t see his face.When he reached the step he turned just in time to see Mac slap Harm on the arm and then wipe her hands on his shirt. Laughing to himself, he continued on to his office.Admiral Chegwidden’s office30 minutes laterIn spite of the embarrassment of that little scene with the Admiral, Harm got the tire changed in record time. Mac finally managed to keep her hands to herself and even helped. Although she did have an annoying tendency to giggle for no apparent reason.They hurried into headquarters and washed up in the restrooms, Mac bemoaning the fact that she was in his clothes and barefoot. “How am I supposed to meet the Admiral in his office like this? We could have stopped by my apartment, you know. I could at least be wearing shoes. And a MARINE T-shirt.”He thought better of telling her how cute she looked. Somehow he didn’t think she would appreciate it. He felt a spark of jealousy towards the Admiral, however. He was sure it hadn’t escaped the Admiral’s notice that Mac looked adorable, and she wasn’t wearing a bra. Shit, no heterosexual male on the planet could help noticing it.“No use whining about it, Marine. Suck it up and deal with it.” At her immediate glare, he decided that maybe that particular tack wasn’t any better than telling her she was cute. He felt relieved when she broke into a smile after a moment.Laughing to let him know she was kidding, she answered, “I still say this is all your fault. And did you have to attack me in the parking lot? I don’t think the Admiral appreciated that.” This was said in a whisper as they approached the Admiral’s office door.Indignation at the unfairness of that last statement made him raise his voice a little as she knocked on the door. “My fault? How is it my fault? You’re the one…”

The Admiral’s brisk “Enter” interrupted him.

Just as she opened the door she stuck her tongue out at him again. “It is your fault.”

He was stifling a laugh as he entered behind her, wondering if he was ever going to get the last word again. They didn’t come to attention as they were not in uniform. Their earlier stance in the parking lot was merely the automatic guilty response of being caught in a rather compromising position.

AJ waved them into a chair, and tried not to smirk. It wasn’t easy. Harm looked relatively clean, except for his clothes, which were filthy with handprints. Being fully dressed in his own clothes was a distinct advantage.

The Colonel, however, did not resemble the squared away marine that she normally did. She looked more like a very accessible, sexy woman. AJ ran an appreciative eye over her unobtrusively. He was a man, after all. He almost blushed when he caught Harm’s distinctly territorial look, but caught himself. Luckily Mac hadn’t noticed his momentary lapse, but Harm definitely had.

AJ focused on business for the moment and forced his voice to a neutral tone. “Commander, Colonel, as I said earlier, I’m glad I ran into you. I was going to call you in to speak with you. Have either of you had any accounting or warehouse experience?”

Harm and Mac exchanged a glance at this odd question. Harm answered first. “Well, I haven’t, Sir. Accounting wasn’t in my major at Annapolis, and the Navy never assigned me to a base. I was either in flight school or on a ship before I came to JAG.”

Mac followed up. “Well, I had basic accounting in college, Sir. But I don’t remember any of it. And when I was the admin. officer in Okinawa I occasionally had to follow up on warehouse supply problems. But I’m hardly an expert.”

“Well, Colonel, I’m afraid you’re elected for a little undercover assignment. It seems that North Island NAS in San Diego has some rather large supply problems. Specifically, quite a lot of material seems to have disappeared from the Defense Logistics Center. Most of it aircraft parts. And they need someone to investigate."

“Sir, shouldn’t the Pacific JAG region handle this? And even if we do, why undercover? Wouldn’t a jagman investigation be more appropriate?” Harm didn’t want to come out and say it, but he didn’t want Mac going undercover on her own. Knowing she was perfectly capable of handling herself in a hostile situation didn’t ease his concern; nor did he want to be separated from her now.

“An investigation was already implemented by JAG Pacific. They couldn’t locate the missing parts. The paperwork just wasn’t enough to follow, and no one is giving any usable information. They need someone unknown over there to investigate. In fact, now that I think about it, you are too well known over there Harm. You couldn’t go in undercover.”

“But Sir…”

Mac cut him off. “What will my cover be, Sir?” She didn’t look at Harm, knowing full well his reasons for objection. It should have irritated her that he tried to protect her, but it didn’t. She knew him too well to think he doubted her capabilities; he was just being…Harm.

“We’ll send you in as Chief Petty Officer Sarah Miles. You’ll be in a fairly low-level position, mostly handling the paperwork for shipping and receiving. Tiner will have travel information, a full case file, and appropriate uniforms for you tonight. He can drop everything by your apartment. I believe you will be scheduled on a flight out tomorrow afternoon.”

“Yes Sir.”

“And Colonel. Let me add one word of caution.” AJ made sure to look her in the eye and impress upon her that he was serious. “Close to a million dollars in inventory is missing, possibly more. If you find there is something underhanded going on, you are to investigate only. Do not attempt to apprehend anyone single handedly. For security reasons, no one on the base will have knowledge of your true identity. We don’t know whom we can trust. You will be in contact with me, or the Commander. And you will check in on a regular schedule, whether or not you have located any information. Is that clear?”

“Yes Sir.” Mac was completely professional, in spite of her attire.

“Sir, other than the Colonel checking in with me, am I to have a role in this?” Harm desperately wanted in. It wasn’t just that he wanted to keep an eye on Mac, he loved being in on the action.

“Not at present, Commander. I will be sending you to the base in official JAG capacity, but not right away. I want to give the Colonel some time to investigate.”

“Aye Sir.” Harm was also the consummate professional.

“Dismissed.”

They turned to go when Mac suddenly shot Harm a look he found difficult to decipher. “Sir, about before…” She faltered a little, not sure what she wanted to say.

“Yes Colonel?” The Admiral remained neutral, still a little embarrassed by his reaction to her earlier.

“Well Sir…Commander Rabb and I are…”

“There is no regulation against Officers of the same rank in the same chain of command seeing each other socially, Colonel. Just keep it out of the office.”

Relieved, they both again turned to leave.

“In the future, however, I will expect you to wear shoes when at JAG, Colonel. And I would suggest that you form a different strategy for changing flat tires, Commander.” The Admiral didn’t look up as he said this; afraid he would betray his laughter.

Both Harm and Mac blushed, muttered “Yes Sir” and escaped to the relative safety of the bullpen.

They were both silent as they crossed to the exit. Mac was already thinking about the coming separation. Damn it, they had just found each other. It wasn’t fair; they deserved a little time together before reality intruded. She sighed heavily.

Afraid that she was mad at him, Harm didn’t say anything at first. At her sigh, he looked at her. “Mac…I wasn’t trying to imply you couldn’t do the job. You know that, don’t you? I mean, after all we’ve done together I know better than anyone how really good you are.”

His double entendre was unintended, but brought a glint of humor to her eye. “Well thank you Harm. How nice of you to say so.”

Grinning as he caught her meaning, he answered arrogantly. “Well, I’ve got a lot of practical experience to compare your actions too, and I can tell you without reservation that you are the best.”

She eyed him mischievously. “Well, all that practical experience has paid off handsomely. I am happy to be the recipient of it.” He was smirking by now, and unprepared when her look changed to a warning glare. “However, if I find that you are still researching and experiencing things, practically or otherwise, I warn you that that I will make sure you are physically incapable of continuing said research.”

Shooting him an angelic smile, she preceded him out the door. He followed, still laughing, and still wondering if he was ever going to get the last word again.

Mac’s Apartment

Saturday

1440 Local

Harm watched her pulling out plates to put their pizza on. There was a tension in her stance, her shoulders. He didn’t think she was angry with him, but something was wrong. After leaving JAG, Mac had followed him to a service station to repair the tire and have it put back on. Then she had headed home while he stopped for a pizza. Something had upset her between JAG and home.

“Is everything OK Mac?”

Her hesitation was slight, but it was there. She was putting on a good act of normalcy. If he hadn’t known her so well, he would have bought it. But he did know her, very well, and something was bothering his marine.

She did that thing with her lip before she answered. “Of course.” She busied herself with a couple of glasses from the cupboard. Studying her as she poured their drinks, he decided that he needed to know what was wrong, and he wasn’t going to let her shrug him off.

Crossing over to her, he took the glasses from her, set them on the counter, and took her hands in his. “Mac, this is Harm. Talk to me.” It wasn’t a plea; it was a demand. He wanted no secrets between them. There had been enough miscommunication between them to last a lifetime.

Sighing, she looked up into the calm blue eyes. His steady gaze seemed to reassure her, for she smiled suddenly. And, thank goodness, it was a real smile “Nothing, really. I’m just being stupid.” Her tone was wry, self-deprecating.

Knowing she usually need a little coaxing to talk, if not actual coercion, he reached a hand up to her cheek in a gesture he unknowingly only used with her. “I know you’re not stupid, and you know I’m not going to let this go. Spill it, marine.”

Unexpectedly she brushed his hand away from her face and wrapped her arms around his waist in a fierce embrace. Her face hidden against his chest, a muffled voice answered him, sounding embarrassed. “I just don’t want to leave you. I know it’s stupid, we’ve been separated a million times, but I feel like I just found you and I don’t want to be away from you.”

Touched by her sudden vulnerability, he enfolded her in his arms and rested his cheek against her hair, just holding her. Part of him wanted to dance and shout with glee, because she was revealing how much she cared, but the bigger part of him identified with her feelings. “Baby, don’t you think I feel the same way?”

He cuddled her close, stroking her hair.

They just held each other, soaking in the love, as yet unspoken but definitely sensed.

Finally she drew away with a tiny sniffle, trying to hide the fact she had been crying. She looked up at him again with a watery laugh. “I guess we’d better eat the pizza before it gets cold.” She tried to pull away and regain control of herself.

His answer surprised him as much as it did her. “To hell with the pizza.” Reaching down, he swung her up in his arms, eliciting a startled gasp. “This is more important.” Carrying her into the living room, he sat on the couch with her in his lap. This wasn’t about passion this time; it was about love and the expression of it.

She nestled against him with a soft sigh, content to be in his arms. His fingers played in the silken strands of her hair, softly caressing her. “Mac...” His voice was low, and it unexpectedly cracked. Clearing his throat, he tried again. “Sarah. You know I love you, don’t you?” Nerves made his voice tremble as he confessed it.

He felt her freeze. In the quiet that followed his question, he could only hear his heartbeat. Slowly she lifted her head from his shoulder and gazed into his eyes. He half expected to see tears or uncertainty, but the look in her eyes revealed a depth of feeling he had never suspected.

Mac was stunned at his revelation. Oh, she had known he cared for her; she had known that for a long time. She had gotten used to the idea that he would never be able to act on those feelings for whatever convoluted reasons he had. And when he had surprised her last night by his romantic overtures, she felt certain that even if he did love her, it would take him a long time to admit it, if he ever did.

The only thing she could do was nod, astounded that he had actually said that he loved her. His eyes never left hers as he leaned down to kiss her tenderly. He kissed her forehead, then her eyes, the tip of her nose, and then her cheeks. Light, butterfly kisses that sent shivers down her spine.

Her voice was a whisper between his kisses, “And you know I love you, Harm.”

Resting his forehead against hers, he paused to savor the moment. “I know.”

She put both her hands on either side of his face and looked deeply into his eyes. “You should know that I have never loved anyone in my life the way I love you Harm.” She looked down for a moment, gathering her thoughts, then met his eyes bravely. “Not Chris, not John, not Dalton, not Mic. No one.”

Moved by her sincere declaration, he pulled her back against his chest and kissed her hair. “It’s the same for me, baby. There’s never been anyone like you. It’s the same for me.”

Mac’s Apartment

1630 Local

A knock at the door woke Harm. After their recent emotional declarations, and the lack of sleep from the previous nights activities they had fallen asleep together on the couch. Sliding carefully out from underneath the sleeping marine, he padded to the door and opened it.

A surprised Tiner greeted him, taking in his still dirty shirt and disheveled appearance. “Uh…Hello Commander. I have some information for Colonel Mackenzie from the Admiral. Is she at home?”

A little befuddled from sleep, Harm ran a hand through his rumpled hair as he answered. “Yes Tiner, but she’s asleep. Can you leave it with me?”

“No she isn’t.” Mac’s voice cut in. “She’s awake. Come in, Tiner. Thank you for bringing everything.”

Tiner’s eyes widened even further in surprise when he stepped in and he saw her get up off the couch. She was still in Harm’s clothes. His quick glance took in the Commander in front of him, obviously still trying to wake up. Acting as if he didn’t see anything unusual, he answered her formally. “Your welcome, Ma’am.” He handed her a thick file, and set the suitcase he was carrying down on the carpet just inside the door. “The Admiral said that all the information you need is in that file, Ma’am. And there are several petty officer uniforms with appropriate insignia in here. Your flight leaves Dulles tomorrow at 1400, and you are to check in every evening by 1800 with the Commander. Your tickets, ID, and travel information are in that folder as well Ma’am.”

“Sounds like you have everything I need, Tiner. Thanks again. Would you like a soda or anything?”

“No thank you Ma’am. Do you need anything else?” Tiner had a natural curiosity about the situation, but realized that prying or gossiping was only going to get him reprimanded. Silently he wished Gunny was in town. Gunny was the only person he would trust to discuss this with. Well, maybe a few other people. He’d have to think about it.

“No Tiner, that will be all.”

After Tiner left, Harm and Mac exchanged a smile, knowing exactly what was running through the petty officer’s mind. “Well, I guess our relationship is not going to remain a secret now.” Harm laughed, not troubled at all by this thought.

Walking over to Mac, who was flipping through the file near her desk, he removed the file from her hands and laid it on the desk. “That can wait.” She didn’t resist as he pulled her into an embrace. Relishing the freedom to hold her whenever he wanted to, he realized that in all of his prior relationships he had never felt the need to be so physical. It wasn’t just the sexual part, although that was awesome, it was just the simple desire to touch her.

A low subterranean rumble interrupted his thoughts. Stifling a laugh, he asked in a serious tone, “What was that? An earthquake? I think I felt the earth move.”

She laughed and gave him the obligatory slap on the arm. “Very funny, Squid. You are such a comedian. Feed me, will you? I’m starving.”

“As you wish Ma’am” Shooting a glance at the now cold pizza sitting on the counter, he decided to go out. “What do you feel like eating? Cold pizza just doesn’t sound appetizing.”

She looked at his shirt, still filthy from their escapade this morning. He had brushed off the worst of the dirt, but it was still stained. Shooting him a grin, she answered, “Why don’t we change and then decide? I’ve got one or two of your shirts here.”

“AHA!” He all but yelled. “Finally, the mystery of the missing shirts is solved. I always wondered how I could lose so many shirts while traveling.”

She rolled her eyes at his dramatics. “I didn’t take THAT many, you know. Just every once in a while.”

He liked the thought of her stealing his shirts. It implied a closeness that he had often felt, but had no way of expressing in their enigmatic relationship. “You can have as many as you want, Sarah. Just as long as I get to see you in them.” The slow smile that spread across his face was seductive.

She reached up for him, pulling his head down to her. The warm kiss was a vow of good things to come. “I’ll model anything you like, Harm.” Her words were whispered against his lips, stirring his hands into action. As he reached under her (his) shirt to caress her breasts, she stepped back teasingly. “But first, I need food. I’ll need to keep up my strength for later tonight.” The dark eyes promised a myriad of pleasures.

Heaving a heavy sigh of mock frustration, he teased her a little more. “You are testing my patience, Marine. It’s lucky for you I’m a nice guy. All right, let’s get changed and go out.”

“Finally! A man who knows his place! It took you long enough to learn it.” She turned and headed for the bedroom ahead of him.

Unable to let that last taunt go, he reached down and pinched her bottom. “Woman, this is really it! You’re too uppity for your own good!” When she squealed and started running, he gave chase, trying to tickle her as he followed her.

Aboard the jet to San Diego

Sunday

1548 Local

Mac jerked awake with a start from a particularly vivid dream about Harm, a blush suffusing her cheeks. Feeling like an idiot, she did a quick scan to see if anyone had noticed. Fortunately, she had the row to herself. Apparently Sunday afternoon was not a popular time to fly to San Diego.

Putting her hands to her hot cheeks, she willed her blush away, smiling as she thought of Harm. The dream had actually been a re-enactment of part of their last night together. And what a night it had been. Little tendrils of desire shot through her as she thought about it. Although she had always suspected Harm of being a passionate, caring lover, but her suspicions had been nothing compared to the reality. What that man could do with his hands, his mouth, his…She stopped that train of thought abruptly, squirming on her seat a little. That way led to madness.

Yes, the night had been full of passion. But in between the sessions of lovemaking, they had not slept. Instead, he had held her, gently, and with a tenderness she had never known in her life. Granted, she had not known much tenderness in her life. In fact she had known none at all until she met Chris Ragle. His limited ability to show affection had seemed like so much to her in her love-starved life that she had married him. The promiscuous life she had lived before Chris as a troubled alcoholic teen was not something she cared to remember. Nor the ending of her relationship with Chris. She shook off the unwelcome memories of Chris, and moved on in thoughts.

John Farrow had been a strong and affectionate person. He was the first emotionally healthy relationship she had ever had. If it were not for the fact he had been her commanding officer, and the fact that she was already married, she might have really committed herself to him. He was the first man, other than her Uncle Mat, who had really believed in her. Emotional growth on her part, and time and distance, allowed her to recognize that he was more of a father figure than a lover, but she still thought of him with affection. Her only regret was that she had caused him so much trouble at the end. Prosecuting him was bad enough, but the fiasco of the murder trial still brought shame.

Dalton was another story completely. What at first had seemed like such a wonderful thing (not to mention a way to avoid her growing attraction to her partner), soon had weighed heavily upon her shoulders. At first she thought she had actually been able to grab the gold ring of the merry-go-round, only to discover it was brass and turned her finger green. Dalton had worn her on his arm, an ornament. He had wanted her to be a part of his world, and to change to fit it. When she couldn’t and broke away from him, he couldn’t accept the loss of control. His refusal to let her go only fueled her determination to get away from him, but he had not deserved death. Again she shook herself mentally, resolutely refusing to give in to morbidity.

Mic. Her most recent mistake. And her biggest. Even now she felt guilt over him. In trying to run away from Harm’s supposed rejection of her, she had hurt a man that had loved her truly. Yes, he had had a tendency to manipulate her. Oh hell, he had absolutely known how to play on her weaknesses. Once he had wormed his way into her heart, he had basically run her life. Her lack of backbone embarrassed her even now. Had she really been that emotionally needy? In the end, it hadn’t even been her realization of the mistake she would be making if she married him. It had been he that walked away, finally realizing what she herself refused to accept, that Harm was the man she loved. It was only after he had gone, and she had gained some perspective, that she realized that he was totally within his rights to leave.

Harm. Even now, the realization that he loved her was difficult for her to comprehend. So many years of denial, both on her part and on his. Still, she had trusted him after the first mission together. Not that he was really aware of that. Trust was not something she gave out easily. Too many betrayals, including her own Mother and Father, had honed her ability to protect herself emotionally to the point where she had been almost inaccessible. In a strange way, the ability to trust Harm is what started her on the journey with Dalton. She never would have been open to Dalton if Harm had not already started the journey into opening her heart. Silently laughing at herself, she thought about the irony of that.

Her mind drifted back to Harm. She had always thought he was such a complex man, difficult to figure out. The truth was that he had honor. And everything that drove him was based on that honor. Everything that he was about, truth, justice, loyalty, was all based on that one premise, even his behavior with her. He had honored her in Sydney with the truth; she had just mistaken it for rejection. The truth was that he hadn’t been ready; he didn’t feel his life was together enough. And until it was, he couldn’t become involved with her. He, too, had had his demons. Her resemblance to Diane, the many losses he had suffered in his life, both people and flying. Even when she became engaged to Mic, honor had held him back. Except for one small slip at her engagement party, but even then, he did the honorable thing. She gave a small chuckle. She loved the fact that he was so honorable, but he could communicate a little better.

On second though, something must have broken loose in him, because he communicated his love for her with everything, not just in words. It was revealed in his fingertips, the way he touched her. It was revealed in his passion, the way he made love to her. It was revealed in his eyes, the way he looked at her. And it was revealed by words, for he had said the words to her. A thrill of joy ran through at that thought.

Harmon Rabb had said he loved her. And then he had just held her, almost as if he cherished her. Her heart, which had been hungry for so long, was finally being filled with a special kind of love. Her fingers strayed to the gold watch on her wrist. Right before she had entered the security gates, Harm had pressed a small box into her hand as he kissed her lingeringly one last time. “I know you don’t really need this, but I wanted you to know that I will be counting the minutes till you come back to me. I love you Sarah.” He had sounded almost embarrassed as he said it, but his blue eyes had conveyed to her how important it was.

She had nodded, so upset about leaving she couldn’t speak. If she had had to utter one more word at that point, she would have burst into tears. With one last kiss he had left her, and she had turned and gone through security. Struggling with tears as she worked her way through the lines, she hadn’t opened the box until she was actually at the gate and checked in for her flight.

She had dropped her luggage beside a chair and sat down, the box still clutched in her fingers. The first thing she saw when she opened it was a folded note. She set the box down in her lap and unfolded it. It was short, written in his blocky script.

Sarah,

With your own internal clock, you don’t really need this. But I need to know you have a tangible reminder that the time is ticking away, and soon you will be back. To me. There have been many times we have parted and come back together, too numerous to count, and some too painful to dwell on. This time, it’s different. Although we’ll be apart, every time you look at this watch, you’ll know I’m thinking of the time when you’ll be back.

Harm.

Tears had obscured her vision for a few minutes as she fumbled with the box again, moving aside the tissue paper to reveal a lovely antique gold watch. Turning it over, she read the engraving on the back.

Sarah - For Eternity. H.

With shaking hands she fastened the watch on her wrist, admiring the elegant beauty of it.

In all her life, she had never known anyone as thoughtful or loving as Harm. She hoped she would be lucky enough to enjoy it for a long, long time.

With a sigh she pulled out the file the Admiral had sent her. The flight had 3 more hours; she might as well put that time to good use. One last look at the watch, then she flipped the file open and began reading.

Harm’s Apartment

North of Union Station

After dropping Mac at the Airport

Taking another swig of beer, Harm put his feet up on the table as he settled back on the couch. He leaned his head back and thought one more time about the Marine he had just dropped at Dulles.

She was amazing. For someone who had had the difficult life she had led, faced the problems she had conquered, she was totally amazing. She was sexy as hell, smart as a whip, and could kick his six. He allowed his thoughts to drift back through the whole weekend, the weekend where his life had changed so drastically.

Even now, he was not sure what had precipitated his actions on Friday night. He had just been swept away on a current, and had not been able to stop. And thank God, she had responded. He took another swig of beer as he grinned to himself. Boy, had she ever responded. Nothing in his wild fantasies had prepared him for the reality of Mac, his Sarah, in bed. Or out of it, he thought with a smirk. She had always seemed so…so…he struggled for the correct adjective for a moment…proper.

He knew about her past, not all of it, but enough to know it was a wild past. But she had always seemed to be so buttoned down, so in control, as if the passionate side of her nature was not even present any more. He’d made that crack about being in control to her on the Admiral’s porch that night at her engagement party, but he really thought she was more in control then he was.

When he had first met her, he’d been taken aback by her cool demeanor. He never had trouble “warming” women up, winning them over to his side. From the first moment, she’d held back. She hadn’t trusted him when he was trying to help her Uncle Matt; he’d had to fight for every little step forward with her. She’d never backed down, never given in. And except for one small slip in Columbia, she’d never given a hint that she’d ever even given a thought to him as a man...

Unlike his previous partners. Kate and he had a tempestuous relationship, but he had always known that he had the ultimate word. And Meg, as sweet as she was, was almost like a little sister to him. He’d known that she had hoped for a more familiar relationship with him, but he had had no interest that way. He had respected and liked her; she’d looked up to him. But Mac…Mac had had her own mind and had never hesitated to voice her thoughts or act on them, with or without his consent or approval. And no amount of arguing or disapproval from him stopped her.

He laughed to himself as he thought about the times she’d fought with him, sobering quickly as he thought about the times he had almost lost her. On the Watertown, when his own refusal to acknowledge her abilities almost cost them their lives. He shuddered as he remembered frantically feeling for her pulse and administering mouth to mouth. The relief of hearing her cough, of holding her close while she struggled for breath.

And the psychotic poachers in the mountains. He’d almost lost her then too, but her courage and toughness had astounded him. Coster, Ragle, and Russia. Twice. It hit him hard, all of the sudden. There had been so many times he could have lost her. And that’s just the ways he could have lost her in life. He could have lost her emotionally so many times. Lowne the clown. Bugme.

Not to mention how he got involved in relationships himself. Annie hadn’t lasted long. Mac, even when she was drunk, had been right about her. Annie had once been a strong, vital woman, but the loss of her husband had changed her. She really had been neurotic. He had to admit he hadn’t helped the situation when he took Josh on that Tiger cruise. Annie had had every right to leave him.

But except for that one remark, Mac had always treated the other woman in his life with respect. (Unlike you, his conscience reminded him. He’d always given her a hard time about the men in her life. Jealousy rearing it’s ugly head.) She’d been kind to Annie. And she had actually made friends with Jordan. When Mac told him what Jordan had said to her, you could have knocked him for a loop. He was Jordan’s until Mac decided she wanted him. He still couldn’t believe that.

And let’s not forget Renee. The Video Princess, as Mac had once dubbed her. Those two women had had very little in common, but Mac had been gracious enough to say she’d been good for him, which in a way she had been. The biggest problem he’d had with her was that she wasn’t Mac.

But his biggest mistake with Mac had been Australia. Sighing, he took another long drink of his beer. Not even his leaving to return to flying had done that much damage. If he’d understood what she was thinking, or made her understand why he wasn’t ready to let go, that trip might have ended a whole lot better than it did. She’d covered the hurt well that night. He’d actually been relieved that she seemed to understand what he meant without him having to spell it out. Until she showed up with Bugme’s ring on her hand.

He’d tried to busy himself with Renee. He’d tried to keep his distance, and for the most part had succeeded, a little too well. He’d ended up hurting Renee, unable to commit to her. And he’d almost lost Mac completely. As strange as it sounded, he was glad he’d had that dip in the ocean. Without that little accident, there was not telling where Mac might be now. Probably married to Bugme.

At that thought he got up. Going to the kitchen, he threw the now empty bottle of beer away. He’d caused her so much hurt. And she still loved him. A thrill went through him. Sarah Mackenzie loved him. And now, finally, she was his and he was hers. And if he had anything to say about it, it was going to stay that way.

Turning around, he noticed a pile of red silk near the couch. He went over and picked it up, the delicate fabric sliding through his fingers as he played with it. Mac had looked so fabulous in this dress. And even better out of it. He smiled again at the thought of his Marine, so proper on the outside, so sensual on the inside. God, he was one lucky bastard. He hoped she’d call soon.

North Island Naval Air Station

San Diego

Enlisted Quarters

Thursday

1800 Local

Mac lifted the phone for her daily check in with Harm. Because of the 3-hour time difference, he was usually at home, which meant the conversation could take a more personal tone. She really looked forward to these nightly phone calls; they were the highpoint of her day.

As she dialed the familiar number, Mac tried to control her frustration with this assignment. It was not going well. She had not managed to even get a sniff of a lead, and to top it off the officer in charge of the Naval Logistics Center apparently didn’t like her. Hopefully her call to Harm would eliminate some of that frustration.

Disappointed when she reached his voicemail, she nevertheless summoned as cheerful a tone as she could manage to leave a message. “Hey Flyboy, sorry I missed you. This is my daily check in call.” Unable to stop herself, she let a small sigh slip out. “There is really nothing new to report. I’m still stuck doing all the backlogged filing, and Lieutenant Commander Benton still doesn’t like me.” Somehow just leaving a message for her sailor cheered her up, and she managed a little laugh. “Hard to believe, isn’t it? That someone wouldn’t like wonderful me?”

Then she remembered she wasn’t going to be able to talk to him tonight. “I guess I have to tell you I’m going out with one of the girls from the warehouse, Petty Officer Linda Charles. She’s been working her for over a year, and is the one person who’s been kinda friendly. I’m hoping to get something out of her tonight. Maybe she knows something that might give me a lead. I probably won’t call you back tonight; it will be so late in Washington when I get home. I love you, Flyboy, and I really miss you. I’ll talk to you tomorrow, I hope.”

She hung up, wondering where he was. He was usually waiting for her call. She thought about trying his cell, but didn’t want to seem like she was chasing him down. He was allowed to go out, after all, and she

trusted him. She just wanted to talk to him, but was afraid to seem too clingy.

With another sigh, she started to get ready for her evening out with her new friend.

Harm’s Apartment

North of Union Station

2115 Local

Harm rushed into his apartment, hoping he would catch Mac’s phone call. He’d been working late with Sturgis on a case and it had run over. When the time for her call arrived he was already speeding home, but he knew it was already too late. Mac always called at 2100 on the button.

He hit the message button on his machine and listened, deleting the one from a long distance company soliciting his business, skipping one from Harriet (he’d listen later), and finally settled on Mac’s message. His heart ached with sympathy when she started talking. He knew she was putting on a cheerful front, but could fell the frustration behind the words. Then he focused tightly; she was going out? He relaxed slightly as he realized she was going out for a lead, and it was a woman. Then he smiled when she said she loved him and missed him. He could hear the unspoken question there, loud and clear. Where the hell are you?

He picked up the phone, hoping to catch her before she went out. She picked up on the second ring.

“Hello?” His heart jumped a little when he heard her voice, he felt like a teenager again, calling for his first date. Damn, she got to him like no one else ever had.

“So Marine, you’re already going out? You’re not going ‘looking for a few good men’, are you?” His voice was teasing, he knew her better than that.

“Harm!” The pleasure in her voice sent another thrill through him. “Yeah, Flyboy. You know us marines, always on the prowl.” She gave his teasing right back to him.

“Hmmm, maybe I should just make a trip out there. It seems you still haven’t learned your place, woman.” He assumed the “caveman” tone for the last sentence.

She giggled at his play, and then her voice changed to the husky tone that sent his heart into overdrive. “Maybe you should make a trip out here. I could be persuaded to learn where my place is.”

Deciding to change the subject before he got in too deep, he asked. “So why didn’t you call me on my cell? I was working late with Sturgis and couldn’t get home in time for your call.”

There was a short embarrassed silence on her end. “Well…uh…I didn’t want you to think I was hunting you down. I didn’t have anything new to report on the case, and…well…I didn’t want you to think I was like Renee, always chasing you down…” her voice trailed away. God, she was mortified.

“Mac…” His deep soothing voice calmed her. “You are nothing like Renee, thank God. Don’t you get it? I want you to hunt me down. I want you to throw a screaming fit if you’re not happy with me, and I definitely want you to feel free to ask me questions.”

She answered without thinking. “But Mic never liked…” She stopped abruptly, horrified that she had even mentioned Mic’s name. “I’m sorry Harm; I didn’t mean to bring him up, really. I just…” Again her voice faded; she felt like she was just making things worse. Mic had never liked her to question him, he just did his thing and expected her to accept it and like it, but she should have realized Harm was not like that.

He was unprepared for her nervous reply. Surprised, he realized that Mac was actually afraid. Of what, he wasn’t sure, but he was damn sure going to find out. Inwardly he cursed her Father, and every man in her life that had made her insecure, especially Brumby. With the benefit of hindsight, he realized that Brumby had managed to play on all her insecurities, manipulating her into what he wanted. The silence lengthened as all this ran through his mind, and he was brought back to the conversation when she called his name.

“Harm? I’m sorry, really. Please don’t be…”

“Sarah, please don’t apologize. You have nothing to be sorry for.” With all his heart he wished he was with her, that he could take her in his arms and soothe her. “You don’t have to be afraid, baby. It’s OK to mention Mic’s name, or anybody else’s. But I’m not him. Whatever he or anybody else liked or didn’t like, you need to know that I want you to be free to express your concerns. I’m not going anywhere. There might be a time when I get mad, but if I do, you stick to your guns and we’ll argue it out. This can’t work if we don’t. I love you, but I’m not perfect. I’m sure at some point I’ll do something you don’t like, and you have to be free to call me on it.”

Another short silence as she considered what he said. “You’re sure you’re not perfect?” She’d tried for a sarcastic tone to lighten the mood, but it came out more sentimentally. She hated to admit it, but in her eyes he really was perfect; everything she’d ever wanted in a man. And he’d just proved it to her again.

“Well, modesty prevents me from claiming perfection. But I will remind you of this conversation when the time is right.” He caught her attempt to lighten up, and was glad to go that way. For now. Later, when they were together and he could hold her, he’d bring it up again.

Laughing finally, she went back to the banter that had been so much a part of their relationship. “I’m sure I’ll have a memory block about that. Don’t try me, Squid.” Then, a little more seriously, “I love you Harm. I really do.”

He answered her seriously as well. “I love you, baby, and I miss you. It’s lonely here without you.” Then he tried to make her laugh again, knowing how hard it was to be away from everything. “And Singer is picking on me. You have to hurry back to protect me.”

“I’ll be back soon to shield you, sweet cakes. You can count on it.”

“Sweet cakes? Did you just call me sweet cakes?” Stifling a laugh, he tried to make his voice outraged.

“Oh sorry Flyboy. That’s just what I always call you in my head. I didn’t mean to say it out loud.” He could hear a stifled giggle as she teased him.

“See that you don’t. I’m way too manly for that nickname. You can just think of another, missy.”

“Snookums? Honeypie? How about my little snuggle bear?”

“Mac! Stop! I never knew you had a sadistic side. I can see that you really ARE in need of a lesson about learning your place. Hurry up and come home.”

“I’m trying, Flyboy. I’m looking forward to that lesson.”

There was another silence, both of them knowing they needed to hang up, but not wanting to break the connection between them. Finally she spoke up reluctantly. “I’ve got to go, Harm. Linda will be here in 14 minutes, and I still have to finish changing.”

“I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Mac, at the usual time.” He used his command voice for the next statement. “And if I’m not home, call me on my cell. That’s an order, Marine.”

“Yes Sir. I will be in touch.” Her voice softened. “I’ll be sure and check my watch for the time. I’m counting the minutes till I get home.”

Smiling, he answered her just as softly. “So will I, baby. So will I.”

The Sea Snail Bar

San Diego

1 hour later

Mac looked her friend over. Linda was a pretty girl, about 22, with blonde hair and blue eyes. She was the first person that Mac had made friends with. Unlike most places where she had been stationed, the Naval Logistics Center was a place where people tried to mind their own business and keep to themselves. Linda was practically the only one that had been a little friendly.

Commander Benton, who was the CO of NLC, made sure it was run strictly and professionally. There was no horseplay or camaraderie. Most of the personnel were enlisted, but a few officers were also assigned there. The officers kept strict professional bounds in place at all times, and the enlisted people took their cue from them.

Linda had been a little reserved at first, but had warmed up quickly to Mac; giving details about her life, her loves, and family. Tonight, however, she seemed down, though she tried to cover it. They had only been there 32 minutes, but Linda was on her third drink.

“Linda, don’t you think you should slow down a little? I mean, the evenings young. You don’t have to do all your drinking in the first hour.” Mac was trying to keep it light, but she was concerned about her. Linda seemed to be drinking to avoid something, and Mac was all too familiar with the pitfalls of that particular path.

Linda laughed and took another sip of her drink. “Don’t worry, I can handle it. But you haven’t even had one. What’s the problem?”

“I don’t drink. Besides, from the looks of things I’m the designated driver.” Not about to give away her problem if she could help it, Mac played it off.

It was a nice bar, as bars go. Dark, music playing lightly in the background. They were sitting in a booth. Linda had said sitting at the bar was like an open invitation to be hit on. Mac had agreed, not anxious to fend off romantic overtures from drunken sailors.

Linda was quiet for a moment as she stared into her drink. “Sarah, have you ever had to compromise? Give up an idea?”

“I’m not sure exactly what you’re asking. Of course I’ve had to compromise and give up on some things. You learn to do those things when you become an adult. Why do you ask?” It was obvious Linda wanted to talk about something that was bothering her, but she was going to have to be a lot more direct than that.

“Well…I…I’ve been stationed at NLC for 6 months. Before that, I was very happy in the Navy, felt like I was contributing something to my country, especially after 9/11. But since I’ve been here…” her voice trailed away.

Mac waited for a minute, giving her time to collect her thoughts. “What is it, Linda? What’s wrong?”

Linda’s blue eyes met Mac’s for a minute before sliding away. “It’s just…” she broke into a short bitter laugh. “It’s not what I thought it was going to be.” Mac could swear that she changed the statement at the last minute.

Mac laughed too, trying to make Linda relax and talk. “Well, it really isn’t the most exciting work. All I’ve done is file. Who knew joining the Navy was going to be all paperwork?” She paused; thinking about all the paperwork her JAG position called for. “But it’s still important, Linda. We make sure the ships in the Pacific theatre get everything they need. Hell, if it weren’t for the aircraft parts we supply, they wouldn’t even be able to fly those planes.”

At her mention of aircraft parts, Linda’s head shot up and her eyes met Mac’s again. Mac had thrown that in deliberately, fishing for information. It looked like Linda knew something. Whether or not she could get Linda to confide in her was another matter.

“Yeah, well…you know Commander Benton, right?” Linda sounded nervous.

“Of course.” With all her might, Mac tried to convey strength and support.

“He…uh…well, just be careful around him, OK?” Linda appeared to chicken out at the last minute.

Mac put her hand over Linda’s. “Linda, is he bothering you? You can tell me anything. Maybe I can help.” Mac didn’t want to jump to conclusions. Maybe Linda had a problem that was not related to her assignment.

“Not like that. Look, it’s too hard to explain. Just trust me on this, and stay away from. As far as you can.” Linda’s eyes looked tortured, breaking Mac’s heart. “I can’t say more than that.” She withdrew her hand from Mac’s.

Mac had no choice but to accept her words. For now. It might take her a few days, but she would get to the heart of Linda’s problem. Instinct told her Linda could be very helpful in solving her case. Hopefully, she could help Linda at the same time.“All right, Linda. I’ll try, but you know he is the CO. If he says jump, I’ve got to jump as hard and as high as I can. Just like everybody else. Maybe if you told me what this was about, it would help me.” Mac made one last try.“Let’s go home, Sarah. I don’t feel good all the sudden.” Linda stood up and picked up her purse. She gave Mac the keys to her car. “You drive; I’ve had a little too much to drink.”Mac took the keys and stood up as well, conceding defeat for the moment. “All right. Let’s go.”Mac drove a silent Linda home. She walked Linda up to her door. “Are you going to be OK? Do you need anything?”Linda shook her head sadly. “No, I’ll be fine. I’ll see you at work in the morning. G’night Sarah.”“Good night Linda. Sleep well.”

Mac walked to her own door, trying to make sense of everything Linda talked about. She wished she could call Harm, but it was too late.

Naval Logistics Center
Friday
0930 Local

Mac was worried as she finished up the last of the backlogged filing. Linda was supposed to report to work at 0800, but hadn’t shown up. There had been no word from her. She had tried to call Linda twice, but there was no answer at Linda’s apartment.

“Chief Miles! Have you heard from PO Charles this morning? She was supposed to be in at 0800!” Commander Benton’s voice was sharp. He was a big man, obviously a weight lifter. If he were only friendlier, he might actually be considered handsome.
Mac stood at attention immediately. “No Sir.”“Well let me know immediately if you hear from her. Understood?”“Yes Sir.”Benton looked her over carefully, as if appraising her capabilities. “Have you done anything but file since you’ve been here?”“No Sir.”“Well, it looks like you’re going to learn something knew today. Follow me. I wanted PO Charles, but you’ll do.”He quickly showed Mac what he wanted. Receiving documents were received all day in the warehouses as supplies were delivered. These documents needed to be entered into the computers along with the bin locations in the warehouse, then matched with the appropriate requisition forms. A tedious job, but one that had to be kept up with daily. To fall behind in that was to risk chaos.Mac began on the papers, wishing she could go to Linda’s apartment and check on her. Linda said she wasn’t feeling well last night, but Mac had a gut feeling that something worse had happened.

1320 Local

Mac pulled up and parked her car outside the enlisted quarters. Almost apprehensively, she looked up at the second floor where Linda’s apartment was located. She had tried to call her several times this morning, all to no avail; an answering machine picked up.

Commander Benton had not reported Linda as UA, surprising her. “Just giving her a chance to come in on her own, Chief. I will discipline her as I see fit, she doesn’t need this on her record.”

Mac had only replied, “Yes Sir”. This seemed out of character for the Commander, but Mac didn’t know him well enough to be sure. His record was not outstanding, but certainly didn’t show any excess of prosecuting personnel under his command. His former postings were mostly stateside in some type of warehouse management, with 2 excursions on a battleship in the Mediterranean when he was a lieutenant jg.

He had refused her request to go check Linda’s apartment brusquely. “She’s probably just oversleeping, Chief. She’ll show up soon, hungover. She’s done it before. And I need you here. With PO Charles absent, I need you to pick up the slack.” Without the benefit of her rank and position at JAG to back her up, there was nothing she could do without blowing her cover.

Her answer of “Yes Sir” had rung in her ears, branding her a traitor to her friend in her eyes, but she didn’t know what else to do. Her hands were tied. She decided to use her lunch hour to check on Linda.

Sighing, she exited her car and walked up the stairs to Linda’s apartment. Knocking at the door, she waited and hoped Linda would come to the door, but there was nothing. Peering through the window revealed nothing as well, the blinds were closed and she couldn’t see inside. Gingerly she tried the door, and found it unlocked.

An almost unbearable tension had come over her; she was terrified of what she was going to find. Desperately she hoped her terrible foreboding was the result of nerves, and not the clairvoyant talent that had recently afflicted her. True, it had allowed her to locate Chloe and Harm, but it had also left her with a terrible feeling when she was unable to save the Commander who assisted on Russian Nuclear Arms Treaties. She had only been able to locate the murderer. While there was a certain satisfaction in that, a more satisfactory ending would have been stopping the murderer before he committed the act.

Taking a deep breath to fortify herself, she reminded herself that she was a marine, and opened the door. The apartment was eerily quiet; the only sound was the ticking of a clock she could see in the living room. “Linda? Are you home?” To Mac’s ears, her voice sounded unnaturally loud in the silent apartment.

No answer.

“Linda?” Slowly Mac stepped inside, scanning everywhere she could. All her senses were on overdrive now, alert to the slightest sound or movement. There was still nothing except the ticking of the clock.

No lights were on, but there was enough light to see by in spite of the drawn blinds. Moving on, Mac scanned the living room again and entered the kitchen area. Everything was neat and clean except for a dirty plate and glass in the sink. She jumped when the refrigerator suddenly powered on, her heart leaping in alarm.

‘Settle down’ she told herself sternly. ‘Act like you have a spine.’ The layout of the apartment was the same as the one Mac occupied. Cautiously she made her way down the hall towards the bedroom. The door was closed, and as she neared it, her nerves were almost screaming at her.

“Linda?”

She pushed the door open with a trembling hand. It wasn’t latched. The door swung open soundlessly. “Linda, are you here?” She felt like an idiot calling out repeatedly, but couldn’t seem to stop herself. The tension and fear for her friend were definitely getting to her. She cursed herself silently for being a coward.

Her heart beating loudly in her ears, she took a careful step inside the bedroom. The bed wasn’t made. Linda’s clothes from the previous evening were thrown carelessly on a chair, but her uniform was hung up and hanging from the closet door.

Mac couldn’t bring herself to call out again. With a sinking feeling of dread, she saw the half-closed bathroom door and had to steel herself to continue. A shaft of light was shining softly from the bathroom, and suddenly she a cold sweat break out on her forehead. She knew what she was going to find.

Walking as steadily as she could, she crossed to the bathroom and pushed the door. This time the door opened with a loud creak, making her jump. Her heart, already pounding, started doing double-time in her chest.

She smelled it before she saw it. The metallic, slightly rotten smell of the blood almost made her wretch. She realized that a slight scent must have been present throughout the apartment, and her subconscious had picked it up, contributing to her nervous state.

Linda was in the bathtub, but it was full of blood. Her wrists were slit. Her eyes were open, but staring vacantly into space; her skin was unnaturally white. If her expression revealed anything at all, Mac was unable to discern it.

Mac didn’t rush to her side. There was no point; it was obvious Linda had been dead for some time.

“Oh Linda.” Mac choked back a sob.

For a moment she stood stock-still, unable to comprehend that this…this…person was the warm, friendly girl who had befriended her. Numbly, she stood staring before her training kicked in.

Turning away, she whipped out her cell phone and called base security. The number was preprogrammed into her phone, a precaution she took whenever she was undercover.

“Security. Gunnery Sargent Rivera.”

“Gunny, this is Col…uh...Chief Petty Officer Miles. I am in PO Charles’s apartment, number 213A. I think she’s committed suicide.”

“What? Is this some kind of joke?”

Shit. When this was over, she was going to have to pay a visit to Security and teach them how to deal with problems. Trying to remain calm, she repeated the story again.

“OK Chief. Stay there. We’ll have a team there in a minute.”

After hanging up, Mac thought quickly about who else she should call. Harm, obviously, but he could wait. With a sigh, she realized she had to make a call to Commander Benton. As Linda and her CO, she would have to report it to him. It wouldn’t look good to ignore him.

Punching in the numbers for NLC, she waited impatiently for someone to answer. When she was finally transferred to Commander Benton, her patience was rapidly ebbing, but she tried to control herself. Losing her cool with her CO was not going to get her anywhere.

“Lieutenant Commander Benton here.”

“Commander, this is Chief Miles. I’m in PO Charles’s apartment Sir. It looks like she committed suicide.”

There was a short silence.

“Commander?”

“Have you notified security?” His voice was unemotional, cold.

“Yes Sir. They are on the way here.”

“I guess this means you have to wait for them. And they’ll want to get your statement, so you probably wont’ be back in here today.”

‘Damn him. Did he have no feelings?’ “I don’t know, Sir. I’m not sure of the procedure on this.” Actually, she knew exactly what was going to happen, but she couldn’t let that out. The base JAG would conduct an investigation, and would definitely be taking her statement after Security did. The scene would be taped off; evidence collected, and finally Linda would be transferred to the morgue. Her final duty station. She blinked back the sudden tears.

“Keep me informed Chief. If you can’t get back here today, I will expect you to be on time tomorrow.”

“Yes Sir.” Damn, she was getting tired of saying that to this ass.

Snapping her phone closed again, she suddenly felt tired. And guilty. If she had only pushed Linda a little harder last night, she might not have done this.

A thought struck her, and she went back to the bedroom and looked around carefully, not touching anything. Linda’s uniform, ironed and hung up for work the next day. No note, no nothing. A suspicion entered Mac’s mind. One she should have though of before.

She couldn’t believe Linda committed suicide. Thinking back over the previous evening, she decided Linda had been upset, but not to the point of killing herself. There was something else going on here.

Someone had killed Linda. Someone who didn’t want her to talk, and made it look like a suicide.

2/3

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