Author: Teacup
Subject: HBX Feb. 2008 Challenge - Risk of Assumption

A/N 1: To those waiting for more of 'Take it Back,' I've decided to hold up on posting the next part. I'm about to leave for a trip where I won't be able to post or even type things up, so I think it's best to leave you where I did last - with our favorite couple sleeping, Mac in Harm's comforting arms. I will post the next part when I return, but that won't be until the end of the month. Sorry.

A/N 2: I was inspired to write this short piece based on the Feb challenge line. It's the first time I've ever written a story in one day. I hope you enjoy it!

Risk of Assumption
February 2008 Challenge
By Teacup

Gary had found the item under a chair at the restaurant/bar. It probably wasn’t worth much, but it might have sentimental value to someone.

He doubted that he would be able to find the owner, but thought it was worth a try, so he approached the bartender. The man behind the counter surprised him by actually giving him a suggestion as to who the thing might belong to.

With a name and directions to the table, Gary now set off to find the man who might be the owner of the found item. He slipped it into his pocket for the moment.

The bartender had told him to try the farthest table back on the right. Gary’s eyes scanned until they rested on the given table. Instead of a man, there was only a beautiful woman with dark hair seated there, sipping on a fountain drink. The seat across from her was vacant, but the place setting was not. A large glass awaited someone.

She must have sensed him watching her, because she looked up at him, and their eyes met. He couldn’t very well ignore her now.

He walked closer to her table and, after noticing how nicely this woman fit into her sweater in addition to having such facial beauty, he managed to squeak out, “Hi.”

The woman smiled at him, but also eyed him curiously. “Hi …” she replied, waiting for him to say something … since he was the one who had approached her.

He ripped his eyes away from her, uneasily looking about towards the bathrooms, over to the bar, and then back to the woman’s table.

When he did not speak, the woman prompted him. “… Are you looking for someone?”

“Oh. Yes,” answered Gary. “I, uh, found something on the floor back there. The bartender told me the owner might be at this table. … I assume you’re here with someone.” He indicated the empty seat.

“I am,” she stated.

Gary nodded, indicating he heard her. He glanced toward the restrooms again and then settled back on the woman who was giving him an expectant look.

“Are you going to show me what you found?” she inquired, again in a prompting tone.

“Oh, yeah. Sorry.” The man fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a Marine Corp keychain. “This look familiar?” he asked.

The woman recognized it immediately. “Yes.” Taking it into her hand, she mused, “It must have broke when we squeezed past the crowd that was up front when we came in. … They were a rough bunch.” She smiled.

“There weren’t any keys on it,” Gary pointed out.

“I know. … It’s purely ornamental.”

Gary figured that the woman’s date probably had it connected to a zipper on his jacket or something.

After examining the broken point on the clasp, she placed the keychain on the table and looked back up at the man who had brought it over. “Thank you.”

“You’ll give it back to him, I guess,” Gary pointed at the empty seat, “… when he returns.”

“… Actually, it’s mine. … It fell off my bag.”

“Oh.” Gary was slightly embarrassed. “Sorry, I just assumed …”

“It’s okay,” the woman assured him. She was used to the gender bias from the outside world.

Gary was glad she understood. He realized that it only made sense that a girlfriend or wife of a Marine would also proudly display such paraphernalia.

“Thanks again,” the woman smiled at him.

“You’re welcome,” he replied. He started to turn to walk away, but hesitated. She had a gorgeous smile. “You know,” Gary told her. “Mac is a very lucky man to have you.”

“Excuse me?” the woman asked, as if he said something wrong.

“Oh,” Gary backtracked, “I assumed that you were involved with him,” Gary indicated the vacant seat again. He tried to redeem the compliment. “Well, Mac is still a lucky man for having your company tonight.”

The woman still eyed him with wonder, but then something seemed to click in her mind. Her mouth curled up, as she made clear, “I’m not involved with Mac.”

Gary breathed a sigh of mixed emotions. On one hand, he was again embarrassed, this time for assuming she was involved with the man who she was having dinner with. On the other, … he found himself hopeful at this news. Could this beautiful lady actually be available?

An odd hope started rising in his chest, as his mind started flipping through possible scenarios for him to get her interest and, hopefully, her phone number.

“Good to know,” he said. “… My name is Gary, by the way. I’m …”

His sentence stalled, as a tall man came to stand between him and the seated woman.

“Oh, don’t let me interrupt you,” the man stated.

But Gary had lost his confidence with the appearance of this man. This must be Mac. And although the woman insisted she was not involved with Mac, the look in this man’s eyes disagreed.”

The woman cautiously intervened, though she also couldn’t hide her amusement. “Uh, … Gary, … I’d like you to meet Harm, … the person who is involved with Mac.”

Harm held out his hand for the shorter man to shake. “Her husband, actually,” Harm clarified, gripping the man’s hand with dominant might.

The shocked and confused look on Gary’s face did not go away. Harm didn’t wait for the man to speak, considering it didn’t seem that was going to happen anytime soon.

“What’s going on here, Mac?” he asked his wife.

“Um, … Gary here found my Marine Corps keychain on the floor over there. He was just returning it to me.”

Harm looked back at the still stunned man. “That was very kind of you.” He placed his hand affectionately on his wife’s shoulder, but continued to speak to Gary. “Mac would have been very upset to have lost that. … And I appreciate not having an upset Marine on my hands when she noticed it was gone.”

Gary looked back at the woman, who wore a slightly apologetic expression. “You’re Mac,” he realized.

“I’m Mac,” she confirmed.

“I’m sorry,” muttered Gary. “The bartender told me to check with Mac at this table about the keychain. … I assumed …”

“It’s okay. It’s a common mistake. … ‘Mac’ is short for ‘MacKenzie,’ my last name when I entered the Corps. Don’t feel bad. I expect confusion now and then, … and I can’t blame anyone, – I assumed that risk when I kept the nickname.”

“Still, … I shouldn’t have risked that assumption,” Gary apologized.

Harm was catching the gist of what had happened. “Yeah, well, you know what they say about people who assume …”

“Harm,” Mac scolded, stopping him from completing that thought aloud. Addressing Gary again, she said, “I appreciate you going out of your way to find me and return the keychain.”

“No problem. … Have a good night then.” He looked at Harm and then back to Mac for a second before walking away at the sound of their ‘good night’ responses.

Harm slid back into his chair and picked up the broken keychain. “I think we can fix this.”

“I’m sure we can.”

“So, … he was initially looking for a man named Mac?”

“Yep.” She took the keychain from Harm.

“And instead he found you.”

“Yep.”

Harm didn’t pursue it anymore, although he clearly had an opinion on Gary’s intentions regarding Mac, even if those weren’t the intentions that caused the man to talk to her in the first place.

Instead, Harm changed subjects. “So, … I took next Friday off. I thought that since you’re due some time off, we could both take a long weekend. … Rent a cabin …”

“You took time off without discussing this first?”

“… Well, yeah.”

“You just knew that I would go along with these plans? … Now who’s making assumptions?” she pointedly questioned.

“Oh, come on. You’d turn down a romantic getaway at a cozy little cabin where all we’d have to do is commune with nature … and each other?”

Mac didn’t answer, but she smiled as Harm scooted his chair around the table next to her. He took her hand in his and caressed it.

“If I have a chance at a weekend with you to myself, without any distractions,” he told her in a soft voice, “… that assumption … is a risk I’m willing to take.”

“Some assumptions are safer than others,” she admitted. “You didn’t have to be jealous of Gary, you know.”

“I wasn’t jealous. … You are assuming I was jealous … just because I come out of the restroom to find some guy flirting with my very stunning wife.”

“I’m not assuming anything,” Mac told him saucily. “… But regardless, …” she compassionately assured him, “you know I only have eyes for you.” She leaned over and kissed him soundly on the lips.

Harm grinned. “Does this mean you’ll come to the cabin with me next weekend?” he asked hopefully.

“… Yes,” she agreed.

He quickly gave her another kiss in response to that.

Their eyes shared a look of love before Mac abruptly told him, “Now, get back over to your side of the table before I start ‘communing’ with your nature right here and now.”

Harm laughed, but didn’t move right away.

Mac leaned over and whispered in his ear, “Don’t assume I won’t.” She followed that up with a small nip to his lobe.

Harm quickly pulled his head away from her … and gulped.

If they were in private, he would really enjoy this game. She wore a devious expression, and he knew she was most likely just playing with him. But in a public place, … he wasn’t willing to take that risk.

Gary sat at the bar and took the opportunity to watch the couple that he had just met interact with each other. The man was good-looking and confident, an acceptable match for such a woman.

Gary still couldn’t believe she was a Marine. He watched as they exchanged a few kisses and as Mac gently tempted her husband. ‘Oh, to be that man,’ thought Gary. He saw her husband cautiously slide back to his original position at the table, grinning as if to tell his wife to expect a response … later.

Watching the exchange of expressions between the two, he didn’t need to ‘assume’ that they had a wonderful and loving marriage; that much was obvious.

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The End.

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A/N: I hope this little story was in keeping with today's sentiments. Happy Valentine's Day!