Author: Teacup
Subject: Stranger at the Halloween Dance - Part 3/4 (HBX Chall. - Oct '08)

A/N - I tried to fit the conclusion in part 3, but I found that the system doesn't support such a long post. So, here is part 3 as a whole, but the conclusion will have to be part 4 after all.
~Teacup

From Part 2:

“He wants me to get involved with Clay. Romantically.”

Harm grimaces. “As a cover? I don’t think you should do any more missions with him …”

“No. For real.”

The grimace turns into annoyed astonishment, and if he didn’t have such a valid reason to be upset, I would find Harm’s agitated behavior to be very amusing.

“What, the guy’s hiring gorillas to woo you now?” he asks. “He’s more desperate than I thought.”

“No,” Sarah halts Harm’s line of thinking. “I don’t think this is completely Webb’s doing. The …”

She pauses, searching for the appropriate word, I think.

“… gorilla,” she decides on, “kept talking about this all being about business, and the ‘bigger picture,’ … and the future of JAG.”

“I’m missing something here.” Harm is looking baffled and concerned.

“Yeah, … me too,” she agrees. “We apparently don’t ‘need to know.’ … It sounds like it might be politics.”

“Could be,” he agrees. “There’s rarely much that makes sense when Capitol Hill is involved. He didn’t say who he was?”

“No, and I didn’t recognize him.”

“Yeah, me neither.” Harm scans Sarah’s face carefully. “… There’s something you’re not telling me.”

She looks up at him, caught, but questioning him just the same.

“Your lip still does that funny turn up thing,” he points out.

Aw, how cute! He knows her well enough to read her facial quirks.

Sarah averts her eyes and takes in a deep breath. “He seems most concerned that you and I don’t get involved. Not anytime soon, anyway.”

Harm’s face completely softens, and his gaze turns downwards. “Well, … I guess that’s not a problem then.”

He says it so dejectedly. What happened between these two?

She searches his eyes for a moment before looking away. With her own sense of grief, she concurs, “I guess not.” She is clearly disappointed.

Oh, Harm, follow up on this! Her words might sound dismissive, but her eyes are shouting that she hopes for things to be otherwise.

Part 3

I think he does pick up on this incongruence, because he finally does say, with some confusion, “You were the one who said we could never be together.”

What?? She said what??? Was she completely insane?

“I …” She appears contrite as she musters up the courage to say, “… I’ve been … willing to reconsider.”

Okay, that’s better. Obviously, it was temporary insanity. … Or hormones. My friend would definitely blame that kind of thing on hormones.

“Really?” Harm seems more shocked than anything, as if he doesn’t believe her.

But Sarah’s eyes are so expressive right now. They are saying, … ‘I want you.’ … More than that. They are saying, ‘… I want you to want me.’

Oh man, now I’m going to have that Cheap Trick song stuck in my head all night.

“Convince me,” she says pleadingly. “Convince me I was wrong.”

“… How?” he asks in earnest.

I think she expected him to know how, because she bows her head in disappointment. Then she shivers.

“You’re cold,” he observes. Switching to concern for her, he asks, “… Did you bring a jacket?”

“In the car.”

“Here …” He pulls her a few more feet towards a corner and takes off his vest. “Hang on to this for a sec.”

He has her hold the black garment, and then, to my surprise and delight, he pulls his shirt off over his head. … Oh, he is dreamy!

Sarah is probably just as elated as I am, maybe more so, but my eyes are fixed on the planes of his chest and abs, so I’m not looking at her reaction. Once again, I’m glad I grabbed those cocktail napkins, … this time for any drool.

Within a second though, he swaps the cargo vest in her hand for his shirt, leaving Sarah holding the larger garment.

He quickly puts the vest back on, sans shirt. I can’t help it … I don’t know why exactly, but the image reminds me of something akin to a Chippendale dancer.

“Go ahead, put the shirt on,” he instructs Sarah. “You’re lucky I wear a big enough size that it should fit over all of your … armor.”

She shoots him a look for that remark, but allows him to help her pull the shirt on over all of her metal coverings.

“Thanks,” she whispers. Sarah rubs the material of the shirt over her arms, trying to make the most of the new warmth. She isn’t looking at Harm.

“Mac …” his voice gets her to glance up at him.

I still don’t know why he calls her ‘Mac.’ It seems like such a guy name.

“You know how I feel about you,” he says.

She timidly shakes her head. But then she offers, “… You care about me.”

“More than that,” he softly tells her.

The way she’s looking at him right now, so vulnerable, but hopeful, seems such a contrast with the Marine she is supposed to be.

“Enough to make a relationship work?” she questions.

“… I’d like to try,” he softly opines. “… If you’re willing.”

“Why?”

“Why what?” he asks. He’s confused, and I don’t blame him. She is supposed to jump into his arms now!

“Why do you want a relationship with me?” she questions.

Harm immediately glances away in frustration. “Look, Mac, I’m trying here.” He looks back to her. “But you’ve got to work with me. This can’t be an interrogation.”

“… I’m sorry,” she apologizes sincerely. “… I guess this has always been our problem. Neither one of us wants to go first. … We’re both scared to put our hearts on the line.”

“Then meet me halfway,” he suggests after a beat. “My heart’s already on the line.”

She nods. “Mine too.”

A moment goes by. I don’t know about them, but I’m holding my breath. Pretty soon my skin color is going to match that of the guy who is posing tonight as a member of the ‘Blue Man Group.”

“Okay,” she says, metaphorically jumping in. “You’re right. I should tell you that … at some point … during the years that we’ve known each other, … I fell in love with you.” She visibly swallows, before admitting, “… That feeling hasn’t gone away … even when you have.”

My eyes are seriously watering, and I’m definitely using those extra napkins I grabbed from the table now.

I can’t even describe Harm’s grateful countenance as he cups her cheek with his hand.

“Sarah …”

He finally called her by her given name!

His gaze is intense, and he is moving closer to her. Closer … closer … and there it is! He’s kissing her!

And, … WOW, … that’s some kiss.

… Okay, I admit, I’m feeling like a bit of a voyeur now. This is definitely a private moment, but I can’t make myself look away. … Which is odd really, because I normally hate it when people start making out in public.

Not that this is really making out. It’s more … meaningful, more … sacred. And that kind of makes me feel worse for looking, … but it isn’t stopping me.

Harm finally pulls his head back, grasping Sarah’s face between his two hands. “… I love you, too.”

Sarah’s eyes are glistening. She smiles, and then she is kissing him again, … which is exactly what I would be doing if I were her.

Harm suddenly stops. “Someone is watching us.”

A hot flash pulses through me. I’ve been caught!

“What?” Sarah asks, slightly dazed.

I prepare to fumble through my apologies, but they don’t look my way.

“You know Webb is probably keeping surveillance on us. He’s probably cursing right now.”

“Let him curse,” she says dismissively. But then her face suddenly sobers. “But we probably shouldn’t do this here.”

The Marine begins to reluctantly pull away from Harm. He clings to her more tightly to stop her, but she protests. “Harm, the Admiral is here. He might see us. And you’re already trying to get out of the doghouse with him.”

“We’re not guilty of anything,” he insists. “Plus, what’s he going to do to me? He can’t possibly demote me to a smaller office than he’s got me in now.”

Sarah silently chuckles, before pointing out, “No, but he could kick me out of my current office.”

“Well, that’s okay,” Harm says with one of his wonderful grins. “You’re welcome to share my closet-office with me. … It’d be … cozy.”

His suggestive manner earns him a smile from her, but also a roll of the eyes.

After another moment, Sarah declares, “Harm, … I want this. … Us. … But, … we do need to think it through.”

Oh, no. Please don’t be taking steps backwards, Sarah. You two just admitted to loving each other. Love can conquer all, … especially when it lands you a guy like that!

She continues, “It’s going to affect us at work. And if there is one thing I got from my discussion with the big gorilla, … it’s that there is a good chance that you and I are going to be transferred … away from each other.”

She is very solemn as she points out, “We’ve both been stationed at headquarters much longer than normal as it is. You know we are both overdue to be transferred out.”

Harm seems to seriously consider this for a few seconds. “Then it’s a good idea for us to get involved now, before they decide to send us to opposite sides of the planet.”

Sarah’s face turns to surprise. “Harm, I don’t want a short-term relationship with you.” She pulls out of his arms. “I don’t think I could survive the fallout.”

“No, … that’s not what I mean.” He reaches for her again. “I … I want it to be so that, … by the time we can’t be with each other at work, … we might at least be able to arrange to be with each other at home. You know, … request assignments in the same geographic area.”

“… They’d only consider that if we were married,” she states with a tone that indicates she is not following his logic.

“I know.”

Her eyebrows rise. “You’re serious?”

He takes on a small smile. “Well, it’s a little early for a proposal, but … that’s the direction I’d like to be headed.”

A grin grows on her face, as if she has just been given the best news of her life. … Probably because she has just been given the best news of her life. Her eyes are sparkling with joy.

“I think I’d like that, … ‘Captain Solo.’” She slides her hand inside his vest and runs her fingers up his bare abdomen and chest.

His face threatens to outshine hers with bliss, but he grabs her hand to keep it from wandering too much. Then he says, “I don’t want to be ‘solo’ anymore. We’re better together.”

Oh, that is so corny, … but so sweet.

“I can’t disagree there,” she says with a smile. Sarah then glances around. “… Do you think we need to stick around for the costume contest?”

“I don’t think you should let yourself get cold again by revealing your costume to everyone.”

“Are you jealous of other men looking at me?” she asks. I can tell she is feeling much more confident than she was earlier tonight.

“Didn’t you say you have somewhere else you’d rather be?”

He thinks he’s being clever by distracting her with another question.

“You’re changing the subject,” she calls him on his diversionary tactic. She does give him a reprieve though. “… But yeah, I’d rather be elsewhere. I’m beginning to think this whole evening was some sort of Halloween prank by the CIA.”

“Maybe,” he acknowledges lightly. “Could be their idea of the ‘trick’ in trick-or-treat.”

“Well, then the joke’s on them,” she says. “Because this has definitely ended up being a treat for us.”

“Yeah,” Harm agrees. “You are by far the best Halloween treat I’ve ever gotten. Best birthday present, too.”

Sarah gets a more serious look on her face. “I still need to give you your birthday present,” she says, somewhat apologetically. “I got you something,” she explains, “it’s just that things have been … strained between us recently, so I wasn’t sure …”

“They’re not strained anymore, are they?” he interrupts.

“No,” she answers.

They share another one of those appreciative, loving looks that’s better than any I’ve ever seen … even in one of those Hallmark movies, which I confess are something of a guilty pleasure of mine. Well, maybe ‘guilty pleasure’ is the wrong the phrase … You can’t really feel guilty about enjoying sappy, wholesome Hallmark movies. – Embarrassed perhaps, … but not guilty.

The couple’s sweet moment is interrupted when they get bumped into by someone wearing one of those masks from the ‘Scream’ movies. Appropriately or not, those masks always remind me of the Edvard Munch painting. I keep expecting the wearer to put his hands up to the sides of his face and give a loud, primal shriek. … Or maybe I’m just confusing things with Macaulay Culkin’s after-shave scene from ‘Home Alone.’

“Oh, sorry,” mumbles the oaf who bumped into them, lifting up his mask. “This thing’s hard to see out of.”

Based on the way the guy is stumbling about, I don’t think that lack of visibility is the only thing causing him to knock into people.

“Whoa, there,” says another guy, grabbing onto his buddy to hold him up. This second guy is wearing one of those low-priced, plastic-looking outfits that you might see at a local convenience store. … There is something about this guy that makes me think that it’s not only his outfit that is cheap.

“Hey, another Han Solo,” this second fellow tells Harm. The guy scrunches his face and then jokes, “I’m not sure there’s room for two of us.”

Hmm. I guess there are certain similarities between the costumes, although the quality is vastly different.

“By the way,” the new guy loudly whispers to Harm, “… you’re missing your shirt.” His tone is oozing with superiority.

The annoyingly arrogant male is much shorter than Harm and is definitely younger. I admit that he is not hard on the eyes, but if he thinks he is anywhere in the same league as my ‘captain,’ … well, … Sarah’s ‘captain,’ … he is sorely mistaken.

“Thank you for pointing that out,” Harm answers sarcastically about his missing shirt.

“No problem.”

The short Solo-wannabe notices Sarah, and for a brief moment, I think his eyes might just pop out. … I suppose that eyeballs dislodged from their sockets would be a really neat Halloween effect.

I hate to think what his reaction would be if Sarah wasn’t wearing Harm’s shirt over her costume; no doubt, in that case, Mr. Arrogant’s eyes would definitely be springing out of his head as if he were Bugs Bunny or some other Loony Tune. But since he’s not a cartoon character, I get this image of those costume glasses with large googley eyeballs attached to slinky-type springs that come boinging out.

“Hi,” he addresses Sarah, plastering on a slimy smile. Forget the googley eyes, he’s now got that reptilian predator look. … I feel a bad pick-up line coming on.

The guy adjusts his hold on his friend with the ‘Scream’ mask and shifts himself to better face Sarah.

“I noticed you earlier when you first came in wearing … less than you’ve got on now, and, … well, …” He leans closer to her. “… If I told you that you had a great body, … would you hold it against me?”

Yep, I’d say that ranks pretty high on the ‘really bad pick-up line’ scale, not to mention being shallow and lewd.

“No, I won’t,” is Sarah’s simple answer. I’m guessing she’s heard that line before.

Do guys really think they’re being clever? Of course, the better question is – do guys really think that those kind of lines will get them anywhere with a woman?

The guy persists, “Excuse me for saying so, but … you’re far too beautiful to be covering yourself up with that big shirt.”

“She’s keeping warm,” Harm intercedes, clearly unhappy that this guy is attempting to hit on Sarah.

The short man replies to Harm’s comment with, “Of course,” but he does not take his eyes away from Sarah. He then suggestively tells her, “But you know, there are other ways of keeping warm.”

On second thought, if I were to compare this guy to a Looney Tunes’ character, it would probably be Pepe la Pew. If he wasn’t holding his friend up, I’m sure he would already be kissing his way up Sarah’s arm.

“Really?” she asks in an uninterested tone.

“Really. And I’d be more than happy to help you try out one of those ways.”

She smiles, but it’s not a happy smile. “I bet you would.”

“Hey, say the word, and I’ll take you out to my Millennium Falcon,” the guy suggests. “You ever been in hyper-speed?”

Bingo! There is the lame, costume-themed come-on I knew I would hear from some sleazo tonight. But Sarah is swift with a come-back.

“As a matter of fact, I have. And it usually ends with me getting sick to my stomach.”

That throws him off, but only for a second. “Maybe you just weren’t with the right pilot.”

“Right pilot, wrong speed,” she answers quickly. “Besides, I really prefer both he and I stay on the ground.”

I notice that Harm looks like he had been about to say something to the younger man about the pilot remark, but he stopped when he heard Sarah’s response. Harm’s pause gives the other guy a chance to speak.

“I’d be happy to find a speed that you’re comfortable with, … and I have no objection to spending time on the ground with you.” The shorter man’s tone is dripping with sexual innuendo. “… Or whatever surface you prefer.”

I think Harm should just slug the guy now. Or better yet, … Sarah should knee this Star Wars imposter in his ‘Space Balls.’

“My name’s Gregory,” he says, as if Sarah was dying to know that information. “… But you can call me ‘Vic,’ … or if you prefer, ‘Lieutenant.’ I’m with the Navy.”

“Okay, Vic,” Sarah replies, “… maybe you should help your friend here to a seat before he falls over.”

“Uh, … yeah, okay.” But Vic makes no move to leave. Instead, he flashes her with a conceited grin. “Tell me your name first.”

“You can call her ‘Colonel,’” interjects Harm, rather sternly. “She’s with the Marines.”

Harm’s subtext is clear … ‘She is a woman to be respected, and she is off-limits, so get lost.’

“Really?” The fact that this woman is a Marine only seems to excite the young man.

Vic must be one of those guys who see women as potential conquests. He probably thinks of the Colonel as a challenge. … I hope she wipes the floor with him.

“Really,” Sarah confirms her Marine status. “You know, your friend is really not looking well,” she adds with genuine concern.

The clumsy man who has now lost his ‘Scream’ mask does look extremely peaked. Greenish really.

“Him? He’ll be fine,” Vic dismisses. “Won’t ya?” The young Lieutenant goes to illustrate his point by patting the guy firmly on the stomach a few times.

Ohhhhh!! Ewwwwwww!! I cringe.

That was a bad move! The guy just threw up all over Vic.

Serves Vic right though! I can’t help laughing now. … Sweet justice.

Sarah and Harm have each instinctively taken a step backwards, away from the incident. But it appears that Vic managed to get everything on himself, saving the floor from needing to be mopped. That’s fortunate. … I guess it saves the step of Sarah having to ‘wipe the floor’ with this guy after all.

Vic hasn’t said a word since being splattered. The expression on his face though is … priceless.

Yes, … it’s worthy of a Mastercard commercial.

But he shouldn’t be too upset. After all, his outfit is plastic, so it ought to be fairly easy to clean up … if he wants to bother keeping it at all.

“Um, the restrooms are over there,” Sarah tells him, pointing across the way.

She is losing the battle to hide her own enjoyment at the turn of events.

“Yeah. Thanks,” he replies.

Sarah puts her hand up to her mouth, resting a finger under her nose. I wonder if the reason for this is to try to hide her amused grin or to block out the smell of vomit that I’m sure is permeating off of that guy now. I chuckle. - One more thing he has in common with Pepe la Pew.

With disgust, Vic says, “Come on,” directing his ‘buddy’ to move. Dragging the sick man with him, the Lieutenant starts off in the direction that Sarah had pointed.

I have to concede that I’ve had far more entertainment this evening than I’ve had in a long time.

“What an idiot.” This statement comes from my favorite ‘captain.’ Yes, it’s the tall, handsome one, … speaking about the short, knock-off.

Sarah shoots Harm an amused look at his comment. There is something knowing in her expression.

“What?” Harm asks defensively. “I don’t like him.”

“I never would have guessed,” Sarah responds with sweet sarcasm.

He turns to face her with a look that says that he is ready to change the topic. “So, you don’t like flying with me?”

Sarah’s eyebrows rise for a moment, making her seem surprised that he would have to ask that.

But then she sighs and tells him, “Harm, you are a great pilot. You’ve got medals to prove that.” She is speaking as if she was explaining something to a child while trying to not hurt his feelings. “But you know our luck is just not good when you and I are in a plane that you are flying.”

I wonder what kind of stories are behind that statement? And what kind of flying does this guy do anyhow? I know he mentioned liking to fly earlier, but isn’t he a lawyer? Why would he have flying medals?

“And with the stunts you pull, … I have good reason to worry whenever you’re up there,” Sarah continues.

Oooh, … he must be a stunt pilot on the side. He probably got his medals in flying competitions.

Harm crosses his arms. “So you don’t like me flying even when you’re not in the plane?”

Sarah smiles, and I can tell that she’s trying to keep things light. “Well, if you’re up there and I’m down here, I can’t watch your six.”

Six? What would he have six of that she wants to be watching? … Six … -pack? I got a peek at those abs of his, and I’m sure she wants to be watching those, but that still doesn’t make sense in the context of flying, … at least, I don’t think it does.

Maybe ‘six’ refers to something on the controls, … like there being six gauges or something that she could keep an eye on for him.

I notice that Harm is grinning now. “You like watching my six?”

She is still wearing a playful expression. “You need to stay on the ground for me to do that.”

Okay, so maybe the ‘six’ are not plane controls.

“You expect Han Solo to give up flying?” Harm asks, feigning disbelief.

“I’m not asking you to give up flying. I’m just saying it makes me nervous. … And, I thought you didn’t want to be ‘solo’ anymore?” she reminds him.

Harm takes too long to come up with a retort because Sarah decides to add another point.

“Besides, if I remember correctly,” she continues, “in that last movie, … when Han knew how Leia felt about him, … he let someone else fly his ship while he chose to don camouflage and join the woman that he loved fight in the battle on the ground.”

“Huh,” Harm says with a look that acknowledges that she is right. He softly concedes, “I guess he realized there are more important things than flying.”

If I’m not mistaken, Sarah’s eyes are starting to glisten from moisture, and I’m guessing from the serious gaze that she is getting from Harm that he just made a meaningful statement.

But the moment doesn’t last long, when Harm then teases, “You know - He had to be there to protect his girl.”

“Protect her?” Sarah’s eyebrows shoot up again along with the corners of her mouth. “As I recall, it’s Leia who had to save Han’s six several times in that last movie.”

Save his six? That’s got to refer to his body somehow. Maybe it stands for six feet tall, since he’s definitely got that in height … and then some.

Harm grins. “I told you she was a ‘warrior princess.’ … So you want to reconsider being Leia tonight?” he asks.

“In her green camouflage, carrying a gun?” Sarah specifies. She cheerfully answers, “Sure.”

Ha. I’m glad I know enough to get the inside joke. That’s funny because she’s a Marine; … She probably loves being in her combat gear. I bet she relaxes in camouflage P.J.s with a gun under her pillow.

“It’s not a gun,” Harm corrects her. “Bud made it very clear that it’s a blaster. … And if having a firearm makes you happy, you can play with mine if you’d like.” He starts to draw the prop weapon from his holster.

She puts her hand up, motioning him to leave the ‘blaster’ where it is. “You know what I’d really like?”

“What?”

“To get out of here.”

Sarah starts to move toward Harm. I think she is about to put her arm around him and make another comment when her eyes suddenly divert, and she very quickly pulls away.

I realize that she has spotted ‘Mr. and Mrs. Jetson,’ a.k.a. Bud and Harriet, heading our way. … I really am proud of myself for keeping track of all these new names tonight.

When Harm registers that the other couple is coming over he takes an extra step away from Sarah. I get the definite impression that they are glad that they have not been caught embracing.

“Hey,” Sarah greets her coworkers as they approach.

“Hi,” is the distracted response from Harriet, who seems to be looking around the room for something.

It’s probably good that she is not focused on the other two officers, because otherwise she would surely notice the matching 'masks of virtue' on Harm’s and Sarah’s faces, along with the touches of guilt that betray that very notion of innocence.

TBC ... Conclusion in Part 4