Who Would Have Thought?    by Jaggie 107

Using Challenge #1 lines:

      Line 1:  Your story's so touching, but it sounds just like a lie
      Line 2:  Now listen, Jack -
      Line 3:  Straighten up, and fly right
      Line 4:  Cool down, papa

     Bonus Line:  Release your hold, and I will set you free

Disclaimer: JAG characters belong to DPB, CBS and Paramount – and I hope all parties will allow me to have fun for a little while, and replace them all when I'm done.  Thank you.
 

Summary: (Set around Seasons 9/10; all else is AU.)  A series of unrelated events over a period of time finally lead to an unexpected conclusion. 

A/N #1: Harm and Mac are a couple now, and Mattie has been adopted by Harm.  There is no change of post and no coin toss.

A/N #2:  I checked online, and the Navy equivalent of an Army/Marine PX (Post Exchange) is the Navy Exchange, shortened to NEX.  I have it on reliable authority that there is also the MCX (Marine Corps Exchange), but for my purpose, as it’s a Petty Officer in trouble, it’s a Navy Exchange he used.
 

Who Would Have Thought?

by Jaggie 107

MAC’S OFFICE – a hectic start to a week

“Your story’s so touching, but it sounds just like a lie,” Mac pinned her client with a stare that had him gasping for air, stunned at her words.  When the man eventually found his voice, all he could do was stutter.

“You… What?  No!”

“You broke into the NEX after hours, for the sole intent of helping yourself to whatever you wanted.”  Mac read down the list of items the Petty Officer had been caught with, and unexpectedly, her stomach grumbled.  “There was no ‘emergency,’ Petty Officer.  Unless you tell me the truth now, I’m going to have to recommend we take Commander Rabb’s offer.”

“Colonel … ma’am … I’m sorry.  You’re right, there was no emergency; at least not what I said.”

“So, what is the real story, Petty Officer?”

“Ma’am, I admit I broke into the Exchange, but I left money for what I took.  Enough to cover everything and more!  I swear!”

“There’s no mention in your initial statement that you paid for the goods.  If, as you say, you left money, where is it?”

“I … I don’t know, ma’am.”

“Okay, so tell me where you left it.  How was it left?  Just notes on the counter?  In a bag?  An envelope?  What?”

“A … a bag, ma’am.  One of those used to bag fruit, you know?  I thought it would keep the money together, and be easy to see.  I even wrote a note.”

“You did?  Petty Officer, my records and your story still don’t tally.  However, I am prepared to go back over the store tapes and check.  Until then you’re going back to the Brig.  I’ll be in touch.”

“Yes, ma’am.  Thank you, for listening.”

“Perhaps if you’d said all this up front, we could have avoided all this mess.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

As the Petty Officer was taken away, Mac walked around to Harm’s office to talk to him but noticed he had Ensign Buckman with him.  As she was prosecuting his case, it wasn’t ethical to intrude on the interview.  Deciding on a snack to assuage the continued grumbling in her stomach, Mac indicated she was heading for the break room instead.

HARM’S OFFICE – same time …

“You agree to straighten up and fly right, Ensign, and we might have a chance at an acquittal.  But in the meantime, we need to work out some damage control before we go into court again.  Colonel MacKenzie is a tough prosecutor, but she’s fair.  If she sees you’re repentant, she might be willing to reduce the charge.”

“But I thought you just said we could get an acquittal?” Ensign Buckman shot back, confused at Harm’s cross purposes.

“I said we might have a chance, but you haven’t given the Colonel, or me for that matter, the impression that you’re contrite over what happened.”

“I don’t see what I have to apologize for,” the Ensign began as Harm glanced up to see Mac pass his door.  He was about to wave her in, but she shook her head and pointed at the break room.  Nodding his head, he watched as she walked away. 

Something about the way her uniform was riding up caught his attention, like it was a little tight maybe?  He smiled, reminding himself to risk permanent injury by asking her if she was overdoing the Beltway Burgers.  It would be worth it, he decided, just to see the expression on her face!

Ensign Buckman turned in his chair to follow Harm’s gaze, and a sly grin was on his face when he looked back at Harm.

“Colonel MacKenzie doesn’t look so tough, Commander.  I bet you can beat her in court.”

“Attention, Ensign, and wipe that smirk off your face.  You’re in enough trouble as it is.  Don’t add insubordination and disrespect for a senior officer to the list.”

“Aye, sir.”

Harm sighed heavily; the case - and the Ensign - were wearing him down.

ROCKCREEKPARK- a weekend afternoon

Keeter was regaling Mattie with stories of Harm and himself at Annapolis and during their early years in the Navy.  (When Keeter moved onto the ‘Dark Side’ - Mac’s definition of the CIA - they didn’t get together as often, but once in a while their paths crossed, and they then reverted to what Mac termed, ‘TheTestosterone Twins,’ and all bets were off as to what they might get up to!)

“I remember one occasion where Harm and I did our Top Gun routine…” Keeter began, and Mattie grinned as Harm went beet red, and Mac looked amused.  She’d heard the stories before; knew the Keeter version, as well as the real one!

“Am I old enough to hear this?” asked Mattie, and both Harm and Keeter looked aggrieved.  A slur on their age?  From a teenager?  It deserved an apology, they decided, and set about tickling Mattie until she called ‘Uncle,’ and Keeter carried on with the tale.

“Now listen, Jack…” Mac began, and Keeter stopped to give her a wide smile and a shrug.  “Is that any example to set for a future Navy cadet?”

“Really?  Hey, that’s great!”  Jack’s smile widened.  “Another Rabb at the Academy, huh?”  With an arm around her shoulder, Jack began to walk Mattie ahead of Harm and Mac, but his voice was pitched loud enough for them to overhear.

“Why don’t I tell you what they called Harm at Annapo…”

“Hey, Keeter,” Harm called out, “…don’t forget I know what they called you too!”

“And I can tell a tale or two myself,” added Mac, grinning.  “Remember the desert, Jack?”

Keeter threw them a dirty look over his shoulder.

“You two sure do know how to spoil my fun!” he groused, but as he turned back to Mattie he lowered his voice and continued walking and talking, and Mattie made an ‘ok’ sign with her finger and thumb behind Keeter’s back, which had Harm and Mac smiling as they followed on behind.  Their arms were around each other’s waists, and Harm was suddenly reminded of his thoughts in the office a week or two before.  As Keeter and Mattie walked on ahead, Harm decided to broach the subject of Beltway Burgers.

“Hey, Mac…” Harm began, and was soon sporting a bruised arm.  A disgruntled Mac was storming ahead to join Keeter and Mattie.

“Hey, Mac … I was only joking!”  Harm started to jog to catch up and apologize.  This was going to take some major groveling on his part, he knew, and he grinned.

MAC’S APARTMENT – one rainy Sunday

In the silence of the darkened apartment low voices punctuated by husky laughter could be heard.  Harm and Mac lay on the couch, stretched out, Mac on top.  Their hands were clasped, and Harm had their arms stretched out over his head.

“When you look at me like that, what do you see?” Mac asked, noting the sudden seriousness of Harm’s expression.

“I see a desirable woman,” he responded softly, “…who has me fastened up so tight in her spell that I won’t ever break free.”

Mac’s indrawn breath caused her resulting words to come out in a whisper. 

“Release your hold, and I’ll set you free …”

“I don’t ever want to be free of you, Sarah.”  Harm watched as tears shimmered in Mac’s dark eyes just before she lowered her head to his, her lips moving over his own, her tongue seeking an entrance she knew he would give.

The kiss was as expressive as others they had shared, but both knew this was something more.  Admitting to themselves that they had moved onto another level of their relationship, a commitment to their future.  It was a pity then, at that very moment, that Mac lurched up off Harm’s frame and made a dash for the bathroom.

“Mac?”  Harm, shocked at the suddenness of Mac’s actions, sat up and got to his feet.  Concerned at the sounds he heard, he headed for the bathroom.  The door was wide open, as Mac had merely pushed it aside as an obstruction to her goal. Harm reached for a washcloth on the sink and wet it with cold water.  Splashing water into a glass also, he ran the cloth around the back of Mac’s exposed neck as she kept her head over the toilet bowl.  Now there was only the residual retching, but Mac daren’t move away. 

As Harm knelt down beside her, she opened her eyes and slid her gaze to his, taking the glass he offered and having a few sips of the liquid.  When she had spit out the first few mouthfuls, she gave him the glass back and struggled to her feet, with Harm’s help. 

“Sweetheart, what caused this?”

“Dunno…” Mac answered faintly.  “I’ve been feeling off color for a couple of days; may be the stomach flu.  Harriet’s down with it … I visited last week, and she was ill while I was there.”

“C’mon, let’s get you into bed, huh?  You’ll be more comfortable.  I’ll bring you a bowl, just in case.”

“And here I thought you were trying to have your way with me, Commander…” Mac managed to joke, and Harm kissed her clammy forehead.

“I’d like it better if you saw your doctor, Mac.  This could be the flu, or it could be a reaction to the drugs for the endometriosis.”

Mac shook her head.  “Doubt it, Harm.  If there was any reaction, it would have happened when I first started treatment.  I’ll be fine … in a day or so.  It’s just a bug.”

“Promise me you’ll call the doctor anyway?”

“I promise,” Mac whispered.  The slight smile on her lips reached her eyes, so he knew she was serious.

HARM’S APARTMENT - days later

“Oh, cool down, Papa Bear!  I was only joking …  Sheesh, Harm!”  Mattie stood her ground, and Mac admired the young woman’s courage as they both waited for Harm’s reaction.  When it came, they were both taken aback as to how subdued he sounded.

“I thought I was looking out for you, that’s all …”

“I know,” Mattie relented, her anger gone.  She sighed as she went up to Harm, her arms coming around his waist in a hug.  Lifting her eyes to meet his, she nodded her head.  “You want to keep me safe, Harm, but I can do this, you know ...”

“I know you can, Mats.  Just … don’t forget to be you, okay?  You’ve had to grow up so fast already; I just wanted you to enjoy being a teenager first, the way you should have been able to.”

“I am, Harm.  Thanks to you … and Mac.”  Mattie turned her head at the same time as Harm, and Mac was hit with two wide smiles.  Stepping forward, she joined in a group hug. 

Mattie continued, addressing them both.  “It’s only college, and I’m not going to be that far away, okay?”

“Okay,” both Harm and Mac answered, and Mattie grinned in response.

“You two really should think about getting married, you know.  You’re practically an old married couple already!”

Both Mac and Harm looked at Mattie in shock.  “Old?” they chorused together, and Mattie laughed, giving them both another hug.

“I think this is a good time to make an exit.  You know where to find me!”  With a wave over her shoulder, Mattie left the apartment.

HARM’S APARMENT - moments later …

“She’s right, you know,” Harm said, and Mac was struck dumb when Harm got down on one knee.

“Harm?” Mac’s voice was wavering, and she coughed to clear her throat.  “What … what are you doing?”

“What I should have done a long time ago,” Harm answered conversationally.  Taking Mac’s left hand in his, he looked up at her. 

“Sarah, I am so sorry for every wrong impression I’ve given you, for every time I’ve stepped in on your life, for never telling you…”

“Yes.”

“… that I love you.  That I’m in love with you.”  Harm paused.  “Yes?”

“Yes,” Mac repeated, smiling as Harm looked confused.  But just for a moment.

“You really will marry me?”

“I will,” Mac answered softly, and then she gave him a beatific smile.  “I always wanted to be married before we had a baby together,” she added, and waited for the reaction.

“Well, Mattie’s not exactly a ba…” Harm began, and then gazed dumbly at Mac. 

Nodding at him as he processed her words, and came to the right conclusion, Mac told him of the unrelated incidents that had finally made sense.  The grumbling stomach when she read down the list of Petty Officer Lewis’ shopping haul;  ice cream, pickles, salted crackers, and soda water, to name a few.  The ‘diet’ of a pregnant woman with irrational taste swings. 

Then there was the reference to the overeating of Beltway Burgers; Mac had also noticed that her waistline had thickened slightly, but she’d put it down to bloating, medications … any number of factors that would have most women reaching for a pregnancy test.  Last, and most obvious, had been the sickness, but again Mac had just put it down to a bug. 

“So, I never once thought I might be pregnant; there was just too much against it for me to get my hopes up,” Mac explained, her voice husky with unshed tears.

As Harm lifted her up, Mac put her arms around his neck and gave him a watery smile.

“Where’re we going, Sailor?”

“Well, considering I forgot to give you a ring when I proposed just now, I need to make amends.”

“Harm, there aren’t any stores open this time of night,” Mac pointed out gently, not wanting to hurt his feelings.

“Oh, I’ve got that part covered,” Harm grinned like a kid with a secret.  “I was thinking more of a celebration – it’s not everyday a guy gets to propose and find out he’s a Daddy at the same time!”

“You have a ring …” Mac murmured in surprise, and Harm stopped to give her a peck on the nose.

“I do … I’ve had it for quite a while, actually.”

“You have?” 

“I have …”  Harm’s voice dropped a notch or two, and then he leaned in to kiss Mac in a more satisfying manner, until his back twinged, and he moved forward to the bedroom.  Depositing Mac gently on the comforter, Harm reached over to his bedside cabinet and opened the drawer.  Removing a velvet pouch, he came back to lie beside Mac. 

As Harm pulled open the drawstrings, Mac had the first inkling that this ring was something special.  The velvet material of the pouch was a little worn, and when Harm finally withdrew the ring she noticed that, although the diamond sparkled brightly, the elegant setting and band of the ring itself had a soft, worn patina.

“May I have your hand, Sarah?” Harm asked, somewhat formally, and she lifted her left hand to his, watching in silence as he slid the band home to the base of her third finger.  It was a perfect fit.  He had never doubted.

“It’s … beautiful,” Mac breathed, hardly daring to speak any louder in case she broke the spell around them.  Lifting her eyes to Harm’s, Mac watched him lift her hand to his lips and kiss the ring and her knuckle.

Then he told her the story of the ring.  How it was a family heirloom that his paternal grandfather had given to his bride-to-be, and how that ring had been passed to Harm’s father … and then to him.

At that moment, Mac fell a little more in love with Harm.  He made her feel wanted, needed, cherished, and loved.

And then he made her his, again.

THE END