Author: Jaggie 107
Subject: HBX Challenge - December 2007 - Of Dates And Tattoos

(b)HBX CHALLENGE – DECEMBER 2007(/b)

Harm: You're a good looking woman, Mac.
You're smart. (Teasing tone for both). Of course you do have a tattoo.
Mac: Every now and then I catch you being nice.
Harm: Keep it to yourself, okay?
I've got a reputation to protect.
(Chains of Command)

Set early in Season Ten. After finding Harm cooking dinner at home for Alicia Montes, Mac thinks they’re now ‘dating’.



(b)OF DATES AND TATTOOS…(/b)



(b)Saturday afternoon, The Shops At Georgetown Park, Washington DC(/b)

Mac and a heavily-pregnant Harriet were sat in the food court of the mall, eating their selected choices of burger for Mac and salad for Harriet. (i)‘Trying to eat healthy now to get rid of post baby weight, times two, later!’ Harriet had offered in explanation. Mac had grinned, saying that she thought Harriet was converting to Harm’s healthy eating regime. Harriet had given Mac a look of horror. ‘Meatless meatloaf? Never!’ (/i)

As usual their conversation had turned around to Harm, and Mac gave non-committal responses to the comments Harriet made. Eventually Harriet went for the jugular.

“So, are you two dating?”

“No!” Mac’s protest was instantaneous, and then she groaned as she realized she’d fallen into Harriet’s neatly-placed trap. Hastily she backtracked. “I mean…I’m not dating. I don’t know about Harm. I…I haven’t seen much of him lately.” Mac took a drink of her iced coffee, wanting to ease the lump that had risen in her throat. Harriet deftly sidestepped Mac’s distraction and continued blithely.

“I really don’t understand that man! I mean, you’re a good looking woman, Mac. You’re smart. Of course, you (i)do have a tattoo…”(/i)

Mac managed to get a napkin to her mouth before she sprayed Harriet with the iced coffee. Harriet waited patiently for Mac to catch her breath, her face a picture of innocence.

“How…how do you know? About the…the…” Mac was caught with a bout of coughing, and Harriet offered her a clean napkin as she answered.

“The tattoo? Mic told Bud when they went out for a drink one night, just before the…er…wedding and Bud, of course, can’t keep a secret. Especially from me...” Harriet added with a smug smile, and then she added warily, “…um, does Harm know?”

Mac raised watery eyes to Harriet and nodded, knowing it was pointless to deny.

“Oh, wow!” murmured Harriet, but Mac shook her head.

“He just knows that I have one. Not it’s location.”

“Oh,” Harriet responded, and fell silent. Mac was more concerned at the silence than if Harriet had continued to talk. Silence from Harriet meant she was plotting. Mac groaned.



(b) Monday, JAG Headquarters(/b)

Harriet walked into the familiar, wood-paneled office of the Judge Advocate General. With a brief glance at the spot where her son had been delivered, and a whimsical smile, Harriet glanced up as Sturgis Turner got to his feet behind the Admiral’s desk. Harriet silently caught and remonstrated against herself; it was no longer the domain of A J Chegwidden. Time marched on, she thought briefly, turning fully to face the Acting Judge Advocate.

“Sturgis, I need a favor.” In civilian attire, Harriet felt no need to beat around the bush bowing and scraping to a senior officer. She was here to ask something of a friend.

“Uh, oh,” Sturgis groaned good-naturedly. “Now I know how Bud feels,” he announced resignedly, and Harriet laughed in response. “Okay, Harriet, what’s the favor?”

Harriet dived into her ‘plan’ for Harm and Mac and Sturgis listened, making no comment until Harriet had finished.

“You do realize Harm and I are not on the best of terms right now. I don’t know whether he will listen to me,” Sturgis advised her, and Harriet sighed. Bud had told her as much, and it saddened her to think of the rift between the former friends.

“You could make it an order,” Harriet suggested, and Sturgis smiled.

“I’d prefer not to. Harm and Mac are my friends, despite this current animosity. I’d much rather they think of me as a friend too. I’ll do my best, Harriet.”
“Thank you,” Harriet replied, and surprised Sturgis by giving him a hug. As she stepped away she smiled up at him. “You know, every now and then I catch you being nice.”
Sturgis surprised Harriet too, by hugging her in return. As they each stepped back Sturgis leaned forward to murmur conspiratorially, “Keep it to yourself, okay? I’ve got a reputation to protect.”
Harriet pulled an imaginary zipper across her mouth and waved as she left the office with a wide smile on her face.
Her plan was coming together!



(b)Friday afternoon, JAG Headquarters(/b)

Sturgis spotted Harm entering his office and he walked across the Bullpen to the open office door. Harm glanced up at the sound of knocking at his door. This took him by surprise – Sturgis had taken to ordering everyone to come to him in the JAG’s office.
“Commander?” Harm murmured, the question in his tone, the dislike on his face.
“I’m here as a friend, Harm. I’d like you to confer with Mac on the Watson case.”
“Watson? That’s Mac’s case. I’m not involved,” Harm answered dismissively, looking up from the file on his desk. Sturgis bit back a retort and let out a calming breath.
“I would like you to liaise with her. Mac’s taking some leave, so I’m redistributing her cases. Watson is high profile, and I’d…”

“Mac’s ill?” Harm interrupted without apology, and Sturgis hid a smile. (i)’Harriet was right,’ he thought. ‘This just might work!’(/i)

“Mac asked for the weekend. She’ll be back on Tuesday.”

“I’ll do it.”

“Thank you.” Sturgis moved to leave, then turned and glanced over his shoulder as Harm spoke.

“You know, Sturgis, despite our differences, you’re okay…”

“So I’ve been told,” Sturgis responded with a smile. It wasn’t quite an end to their hostilities, but it was a start.



(b)Friday evening, Mac’s Apartment(/b)

“Mac, are you there? It’s Harm.”

Mac opened the door almost as soon as Harm had spoken, and the hand he had raised to knock on the wooden frame fell to his side in surprise.

“Hey, there you are,” he murmured, trying to appear unaffected by the thoughts that had been tumbling around in his head, wondering if she was ill, wondering if she was still not over Webb.

“Apparently so, considering it’s my apartment,” Mac answered, not really up to company, and giving Harm short shrift in response. Harm picked up on her animosity, and chose to ignore it, walking past her and into the apartment. Mac sighed, and closed the door behind him, resting her back against the frame. “What are you doing here, Harm? Did I leave something at JAG?”

“Actually, no. It’s more like something you took with you.” Harm’s cryptic answer was the straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back for Mac, and she swung around angrily, opening the door wide and glaring at him in silence. “Mac?” Harm was shocked.

“Please leave. I have a few days off, and I want to be alone. If you have any questions about work, ask Sturgis. I left my caseload with him.”

“Well, that’s the thing, see… Sturgis gave me one of your cases, but you must have the file with you. I couldn’t find it at work. The Watson Article 32.”

“Watson?” Mac looked confused for a moment, and then her expression cleared, leaving behind more anger. “Harm, if you think you can come in here on the pretext of…”

“What pretext?” Harm interrupted, getting tired of Mac’s behavior. “Turner said you had taken some leave, and asked if I would take up your case on Watson. I looked for the file, but couldn’t find it, so he suggested I contact you. And here I am.”

“For a case that doesn’t exist?” Mac sneered, still standing by the open door.

“What do you mean, ‘doesn’t exist’?” Harm’s question caught Mac by surprise; she realized that he genuinely didn’t know!

“Watson was cleared, earlier in the week. A witness came forward, gave him a credible alibi, and identified the actual assailant. It’s gone to civil court to be tried. The JAG’s office is no longer involved.”

“I think I’ve been had,” Harm murmured, and raised his eyes to look at Mac speculatively.

“Hey, nothing to do with me!” Mac retorted, knowing his look held some doubt. “I suggest you take it up with Sturgis, and leave me out of this war of yours.”

“There is no war, Mac. We’ve reached a truce. At least we had…” Harm trailed off, and then laughed softly.

“What’s so funny?” Mac’s curiosity was piqued, but she still held open the door. It was only when one of the other tenants on her floor walked past the open door, gawking inside at the tall man in the Naval uniform, that Mac pushed the door closed once more. With her back to the door again, Mac waited for a reply.

“I never took Sturgis to be a matchmaker,” Harm answered, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Why would you think that?”

“Why not? He’s the one who gave me a case that ‘doesn’t exist’, to use your words. He had to have known. So why else would he send me over here?”

“Harriet hasn’t been into the office this week, has she?” Mac countered, a thought suddenly coming to mind. Harm nodded, looking at Mac for an explanation. “There’s your culprit, then. She’s up to something.”

“What the hell for?”

Mac paused at Harm’s angry tone, and bit back the answer she had been about to give. Harm noticed her reticence. He moved forward, putting a hand out and then lowering it before he reached Mac.

“It doesn’t matter, anyway. I told her you were already dat…” Mac began, before she’d even realized what she was saying. Harm’s eyes widened in surprise at her words.

“Dating? What exactly did Harriet suggest, Mac?”

“Nothing! Look, Harm, if you don’t mind…I really am tired, and I took these days off to relax. So, now you know there’s no case you’re free for the weekend to...”

“Free to date?”

“I didn’t say that!” Mac was defensive, and Harm grinned, moving toward Mac again. Mac backed up as far as she could on the door frame, and Harm put a hand either side of her, effectively trapping her. He knew she could fell him on the spot, if she chose to implement her Marine training. Mac knew it too, and at that moment realized that Harm had given her an ‘out’. If she wanted to move away she could. Mac chose to stay put, at least for the moment. To see what Harm might, or might not, do.

“You told Harriet I was dating, hm? And who might the person be, I wonder?”

“I wouldn’t know, nor care.” Mac’s expressive eyes gave Harm the message that she was hurting, even as her face gave nothing away.

“Liar,” Harm murmured, and to the surprise of both of them he leaned forward and kissed Mac. It was brief, just a taste, just their lips touching, but it served to heighten Mac’s color and Harm’s awareness. As he pulled back, their bodies still not touching, his eyes darkened equally with Mac’s, both very aware now of the other’s proximity. It would only take a moment to come together, and fulfill all their dreams…

“You were with Alicia…” Mac managed to get out, her voice a near whisper, her eyes frantically searching Harm’s face for acknowledgement. Harm noticed the fearful glance Mac gave him, and realized their fate and their future lay with him.

“It was only dinner, Mac. Nothing more. I can’t…(i)won’t(/i) let you put her between us!” Almost as soon as he’d finished speaking Mac lurched forward, her arms coming around Harm’s neck as his fastened securely around her waist. Their combined weight forced Harm to his knees, and then Mac continued to fall against him, pushing him onto his back, cushioning her as she landed against his chest. As they looked at each other, Harm managed a grin and Mac responded with a shy smile.

“Does this mean I can stay, Mac?”

Mac nodded, and then laughed at something Harriet had said.

“If you’re good, you might even get to see my…umf!”

Before the word (i)‘tattoo’(/i) was even formed, Mac was being kissed once more.

(Well, quite a few times more actually, but that’s a whole (i)other(/i) story!)



(b)The End(/b)