Author: Jubellant
Subject: HBX Challenge December 2008 – Cheek Music

Disclaimer: I do not own these JAG characters.


Harm met them at the club. He had just arrived at the table and heard Sturgis saying,

“You look tired Mac.”

Mac knew she should have backed out of the evening. According to Sturgis her efforts to look dazzling had failed but, you would never have known it, if Harm’s stare was anything to go by.

“I don’t think that is the effect most women are going for when they spend hours getting ready to go out,” Harm stated to Sturgis.

“Forget him, you look beautiful Mac,” he continued as he took in her strapless black dress and rainbow coloured shawl. She wore a hint of makeup and her hair was swept up and away from her neckline. The scent of her chosen perfume was alluring but not overpowering and that glint in her eye meant he had once again stepped right in it!

“I should hope so after taking HOURS, (she made a point to emphasize that word), to obtain this look?”

Harm was tripping all over himself to add that with Mac’s natural beauty she could throw on anything in seconds and still dazzle.

“So, now you are saying I look thrown together,” she continued.

Harm’s exasperated look was too delightful to ignore. Mac could not help but burst out laughing.

“It’s not like you to fish for compliments Mac.”

“Truce you two; this is supposed to be a relaxing, fun night out,” said Varese.

“Oh, but this is what passes as fun for these two, children,” piped in Sturgis.

“Heaven forbid they address real issues like adults,” he muttered for Mac’s ears only.

Sturgis was taking a big chance here and was counting on Mac being fatigued and the fact that she did not know Varese well enough to embarrass him. Luckily he was right on both counts.

Varese had had the opportunity to meet Harm and Mac on the rare occasions she had been at JAG. If there was one thing she had seen scores of in her line of work, it was people in love. She had become quite the expert at picking out the infatuations, the newly discovered lovers, the one nighters, the elicit lovers and those rare hand and glove relationships that seemed to be slipped into with ease and fit together so well. Harm and Mac were definitely in the latter category whether they chose to acknowledge that undisputable fact or not. No matter, she was more than willing and able to assist on that front.

It had taken months for her to get Sturgis to invite his co-workers to hear her sing. He had denied it a little too strongly when she hinted she thought there was something going on between the lawyers and practically blanched when she hinted at having a girly tete a tete with Mac. Yowza, she had hit pay-dirt. He had questioned her insistence and motives and finally agreed when she asked why he was so reluctant to have her socialize with JAG’s poster people.

Sturgis was not vain but he was proud of his girlfriend and the fact that people paid to hear her sing. Not that he was exactly chopped liver when in Harm’s company but it would be nice to be in an environment where the focus would be on his talented girlfriend. He would soon be totally regretting that decision.

Varese’s rich voice was magical. Harm and Mac seemed to be really relaxing and the crowd was appreciative of the song selections. It was nice being out with friends. Mac’s energy had picked up and she was looking radiant. They should get out informally more often.

Mac leaned over to Sturgis and stated, “I can see why you wanted to keep Varese to yourself. I haven’t felt so mellow in a long time. Her voice is just so soothing and magical. I was leery at first about the setting you chose but am now very happy I came. I might even overlook your earlier comment.”

Well so much for his assumptions Sturgis thought.

Harm was happy he was here too. Nightclubs were great! The lighting was just enough to see what was close to you and to illuminate the performer on stage. This atmosphere gave him just the cover he needed to stare at Mac to his heart’s content. She probably wasn’t aware that she was swaying to the music and nudging him gently as she rocked. She was even mouthing the words softly and he imagined she was singing quietly just for his ears alone.

Varese was speaking and called Sturgis to the stage. She was about to do a favourite feature in her act and she needed his assistance.

“For those of you who are regulars here, you know that I usually do a signature closing song with assistance from a random audience couple. As I know there are some military members in the audience I thought I would ask my friend Sturgis to clarify a certain term that might mean something totally different to those not in civilian life. Just in case a military couple is chosen, I don’t want anyone to embarrass themselves.”

“Okay Sturgis, if one was in a tight cheek to cheek situation what would that mean to you.”

“Well, probably that they were in close quarters and their sixes, I mean derrieres were in close proximity or contact.”

“Spoken like a true military man, however the next number pertains to cheeks higher up on the anatomical chain. Now, with that said, the roving spotlight please.”

Varese turned her back to the audience and then randomly said, “Stop.” When she turned around, much to her delight (if not surprise), Harm and Mac were the lucky couple. The MC guided them onto the dance floor and informed them they had to carry out any actions mentioned in the song.

Mac and Harm started dancing stiffly to the words “Heaven, I’m in Heaven...” looking more like they were in the opposite direction, but Varese’s words of warning to remember their upper anatomy had them and the audience laughing as she continued to sing and reached “When we’re out together dancing cheek to cheek”. The laughter relaxed them, Harm stepped in closer and Mac’s arms drew him in tighter as they embraced the spirit of the event as well as the song.

(Written by Irving Berlin)

Heaven I'm in heaven
And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak
And I seem to find the happiness I seek
When we're out together dancing cheek to cheek

Oh heaven I'm in heaven
And the cares that hung around me through the week
Seem to vanish like a gambler's lucky streak
When we're out together dancing cheek to cheek

Oh I’d love to go out fishing
In an ocean or a creek
But it wouldn't thrill me half as much
As dancing cheek to cheek

Oh I’d love to climb a mountain
And reach the highest peak
But it wouldn't thrill me half as much
As dancing cheek to cheek

Won't you come and dance with me
I want my arms about you
The charms about you
Will carry me through

To heaven I'm in heaven
The cares that hung around me through the week
Seem to vanish like a gambler's lucky streak
When we're out together dancing cheek to cheek

Won't you come and dance with me
I want my arms about you
The charms about you
Will carry me through

To heaven I'm in heaven
And the cares that hung around me through the week
Seem to vanish like a gambler's lucky streak
Oh when we're out together out together
When we're out together dancing cheek to cheek

They were still dancing unaware of their surroundings long after the song had ended and Harm could only hear his Marine softly mouthing the words in his ear. The canned music had taken over and Mac and Harm made it back to their table in a trance. They both certainly looked like they had visited heaven.

A note was handed to each of them, relieving the pressure of finding the right words to say or the risk of spoiling the magic.

Harm’s note read; When I told Mac she looked tired I was about to add and so do you but you seemed to have found your second wind. P.S. This was NOT my idea but since the opportunity has presented itself, why not do the navy proud and run with it.

Mac’s note read; I thought I caught a hint of Marine in your eye as the dance began. Please be informed that Sturgis had no idea what I was up to and if his six belongs to anyone, it is to me! P.S. You’ll have to hitch a ride home with Harm.

Mac was thankful for the neutral topic as she informed Harm she was hitching a ride home with him.

Harm was glad that she would be in his company a little longer. How to keep her there was something he was hoping would come to him en route.

They arrived at his vehicle deep in thought neither wanting to break the heavenly feeling. He opened the car door for her, walked around and started the ignition. The sound of a phone ringing had them reaching for their cells. They both got a dial-tone. Laughter filled the air as they recognized Varese’s voice surrounding them from the car speakers and they heard the beginning strains of a familiar song.

“I saved the best song for the road. Feel free to sing along and acknowledge it, if you dare” said Varese.

Weighing if the dare was worth the risk, Mac and Harm let her voice wash over them and beamed when they noticed they had both simultaneously reached for their cell phones to quietly mouth the final refrain from Stevie Wonder’s song.

I just called to say I love you.

I just called to say how much I care.

I just called to say I love you,

And I mean it from the bottom of my heart,

Of my heart,

Of my heart.