Author: Lace
Subject: HBX Challenge April 2008 That place

HBX Challenge April 2008
The character are not mine, I'll just use them for this story.

That place

Mac entered the gym later than she had intended. She had been delayed in Norfolk, after a witness came forward with new information on her ongoing investigation. She had changed out of her uniform and in to civilian clothes before she left Norfolk, that way she didn't have to wear her uniform to a basketball game. She had promised Harm that she would come watch him play, she didn't want to break her promise since they both had been busy lately. Sturgis had picked up Harm at his apartment earlier; Harm was counting on Mac to come watch him play so they could drive one car back to his apartment, where they would spend the weekend together. Ever since they became a couple, they tried to spend most nights and weekend together. Lately they had both been to busy to do anything together other than sleep and a few rounds of love making now and then.

Harm had played basketball once a week with Sturgis and some other guys; this was their first game against another team. They were playing against a group of public defenders, a group of lawyers with love handles; that's the way Harm had described them.

Mac saw that the gym was mostly empty, only a few women were seated to watch the game. Probably some of the players wives and girlfriends Mac thought. She sat down behind a group of women and focused on the players to find Harm. He was easy to find, considering he was the tallest of them. He looked good running around, made some decent shots too.

“That tall guy is too good to be true.” Mac heard one of the women say.

“I know. I wonder if his single.” One of her friends said.

“There is no way that man is single. Come on! Look at him.” A third woman said.

“I bet he has some tall, skinny, blond wife waiting on him at home. She's probably only for show off, and to raise the kids.” The first woman said.

“I think he's military. Look at his hair, it's cut short like most military men wear it. I think he's NAVY, he has that 'dress whites' kind of smile.” The second woman said.

“Have you had a lot of experience with sailors, Anna?” The first woman laughed.

“Before I married Barry, I worked in a bar. I served many sailors on leave.” Anna smiled. “They all have those smiles.

Mac had to smile. She was thankful Harm didn't hear what they said about him, his ego was large enough as it was.

“I wish John would have a body like the tall guy has. He's good enough to eat.” The first woman said.

“Come on Gwen, you're married. What would John say if he knew you were ogling some other guy. I know Barry would hit the roof.” Anna said.

“But he doesn't need to know. I can dream, can't I?” The first woman looked longingly towards where Harm lifted his shirt up to dry some sweat from his face, leaving his stomach bare for everyone to look.

“WOW. Did you see that?” The third woman was ecstatic.

“Off course I saw that, I'm married not dead.” Anna said.

Mac listened to the women until the men decided that the game was over, she saw the women rush down to greet their men. Mac waited until Harm had shook hands with the other players before she walked to meet him. Harm was busy talking to another man, he didn't notice that Mac approached him. Mac decided to surprise him with a sneak attack. She quietly walked close to him before she snatched the ball he was holding from him, dunked it and shot the ball through the basket.

“Showing off Mackenzie?” Harm smiled.

Mac smiled back at him and walked closer. “Are you impressed?”

“I am. What did you think of the game?” He took her hand and kissed her on the mouth.

“I think you did good.” Mac kissed him again.

“What about me Mac?” Sturgis had approached them.

“You were the best one out there.” Mac smiled when she saw Harm look offended.

“Sorry honey. But if it's any consolation you had the best looking six?” Mac put her hand on his butt and kissed him on the mouth.

“That is a consolation.” Harm grinned and pulled her closer.

“The guys want to go out for dinner and have a few drinks. What do you say Harm?” Sturgis asked.

“What do you say Mac?” Harm looked at her.

“Sure.” Mac kissed him then she pulled away. “But you need a shower.”

Harm laughed. “I'll be right back.”

When the guys had left to shower, the women who had been sitting in front of her earlier approached her.

“I guess you heard everything we said?” The one Mac remembered as Anna said apologetic.

Mac laughed. “That's okay, I'm used to it. Just don't say something like that in front of Harm, he doesn't need a bigger ego.”

The women looked relieved. “We would never have said anything if we knew that his wife was sitting right behind us. We just come here to support our husbands, not because we think the game is interesting.” One of the other women said.

“Really, it's okay. We are not married though, not yet anyway.” Mac smiled, to put the women at ease. They still looked like they were ashamed of what they had said.

“Figures a guy like him would be with a girl like you. Isn't it hard to be with a military man? He is military right?” Anna asked.

“We both are military actually. I'm a Lt Colonel in the United States Marine Corps, Harm is a Commander in the NAVY. We both work for the Judge Advocate General her in Washington D.C. It's hard sometimes, because we both travel a lot. We make it work though.” Mac spent the rest of her time waiting for Harm, to answer all the questions the women had about the military. They seemed to be fascinated by the fact that Mac was a Marine.

A little while later Harm came back and Mac said goodbye to the other women.

“Were you making friends?” Harm took her hand as they left the gym.

“Not really, they just had a lot of questions about our job. Apparently we live very exiting lives.” Mac watched Harm's eyes darken when she mentioned their job.

“Sometimes I wish we didn't live the lives we do.” Harm stopped when they reached their car. “I've been lonely lately.” He pulled her close.

“I know what you mean, all we've been doing together lately are sleep and sex. Not that I'm complaining, the sex is great, but I feel that there should be more.” Mac didn't want to seam needy, but it was hard when that was the way she felt.

“There should be more. I miss you whenever I'm in a room without you, and let's face it; I've been in a room without you a lot the last weeks.” Harm ran his thumb down her cheek, down her neck and further down her arm until he found her hand. He lifted her hand and kissed it.

Mac was distracted by his touch, but managed to ask. “What do we do.”

Harm didn't say anything at first, he just stared in to her eyes; focusing on the love he saw there, but also the insecurity she felt.

“There's only one solution I feel is right.” He put his hand in one of his pockets and pulled out a ring. Mac stared at the ring, then she focused on Harm.

“I ask you to marry me, you say yes. Then we decide if I should retire when I reach my twenty years in a month. You stay in until you have your twenty years, then you retire too. We get ourselves some jobs in civilian firms and spend the rest of our lives fighting and making love. What do you say?”

“Have you noticed that we're beginning to think a lot alike?” Mac took the ring and put it on her finger.

“That's something isn't it? How do you account for that?” Harm leaned his head close to hers, making their noses touch.

“Er...A rip in the time/space continuum.” She smiled, but then she turned serious. “Or maybe we just found that place where nothing else is more important than us.”

Harm kissed her lightly on the lips. “I think you're right, I definitely found that place.” He said against her lips, then he deepened the kiss.