Title: The Beginning

Author: Ann
Prompt: Take matters into your own hands. You will succeed.
Word Count: 647
Category: romance
Rating: G
Summary: Harm gets a fortune cookie message that pushes him into action.

AN: This takes place a few days after Jagathon - apparently in an alternate universe since it isn't what really happened on the show. OTH, it might have been nice if it *had* happened on the show. And many, many thanks to my beta-reader who did it on very short notice.

**************

1930
Asian Pearl Restaurant


"A man who makes no mistakes seldom makes anything." Sturgis Turner rolled his eyes as he read the slip of paper from his fortune cookie.

Harm grinned. "Then I guess you'll never make anything. I doubt you've ever made a mistake."

Sturgis's deep chuckle rumbled from his chest. "Oh, you might be surprised." He laughed at Harm's raised eyebrows. "Maybe someday I'll tell you about it." He took a sip of tea. "What does yours say?"

Harm broke open the cookie and pulled out the paper. "56 24 1 8 34 62. What kind of fortune is that?"

"I believe those are the lottery picks. Try the other side."

"Right. Hmm." Harm looked at the words: "Take matters into your own hands. You will succeed."

Sturgis grinned. "At least that sounds optimistic. Better than mine."

"True. And speaking of taking things into my own hands, want to help me rebuild my 'Vette?"

"You bet, buddy. How much do you need to do?"

"I've got a few more parts to add. Still haven't found a top, either. But it's getting there."

Sturgis nodded. "Just let me know when and where. I still know my way around a carburetor."

"I will." Harm slid the fortune into his wallet along with the credit card receipt. "How does next Saturday sound?"

"Works for me." Sturgis reached for his jacket. "And now it's time for me to go. I've got court in the morning and I need to work on a case."

Harm slid out of the booth. "Good luck."

Sturgis grinned. "I'll need it. I'm up against the Colonel."

**************

2300
North of Union Station


Soft blues filled the loft, a single lamp lit the room, and Harm sprawled back on his sofa, twisting and turning the fortune cookie message between his fingers. "Take matters into your own hands. You will succeed." The cryptic message taunted him. After the past disastrous week at headquarters, where it seemed that all he had to do was open his mouth to insult Mac, "At the end" was the only possible answer to Mac's question about where they were. He had stuck his foot into his mouth so many times that he could still taste his socks. And then she had offered him a crumb of hope. Maybe after another five or six years, he'd be able to get up his nerve to move forward with her.

Harm looked at the message again. Could it really be that simple? He'd been dancing around his feelings for Mac for years, afraid to ruin their friendship by asking for more. One look at her gorgeous face, and he reverted to the awkward boy he'd been, unable to ask the girl of his dreams to dance. Yet he now had the feeling that she wanted more too. It really was too bad she hadn't waited to hear him say he'd give up his girlfriend for her, back on the Guadalcanal. Perhaps he could have avoided his mistakes of the past few weeks.

"Take matters into your own hands. You will succeed." The slip of paper mocked him. Could it really be that easy? And could he actually make the first move? Then it hit him. Cyrus the undertaker had done just that with Renee. If Cyrus could do it, surely it couldn't be that hard.

Harm reached for the phone and hit #1 on speed dial. Two rings later, he heard her voice.

"Hi, Mac. It's me. Would you like to go out on Saturday? ... Yes, on a date." Seconds later, a smile lit his face. "Great. I'll pick you up at seven. ... All right. I'll see you tomorrow. 'Night, Mac." He clicked the off button and put the handset back on the table.

"You will succeed." He hoped so. And if he did, maybe he'd buy a lottery ticket.

The End.