'I wouldn't mind being mauled...if it was AJ doing the...  Stop that!' she chided herself.  "They're probably just getting a look at the Marine Colonel who frightened their little Navy Plebes!" Mac laughed quietly.  

"Don't count on it, Sarah," said AJ, startling her by his use of her given name.  "Shall we find our table?  Excuse us, Pam.  Sam." 

"You're at Table 4 this year, AJ," Pam said.  "And so are we.  I'll see you two in a bit."

AJ took Mac's elbow and they wound their way through the crowd to their table.  As they approached, the men at Table 4 stood as AJ held Mac's chair for her.  When seated, the men all took their seats, again.  AJ stood behind Mac's chair and formally introduced her to the other guests at the table.  "Ladies and gentlemen, may I present Colonel Sarah MacKenzie, USMC.  She's one of my lawyers," AJ said formally.

"AJ, you old dog.  I thought you'd finally gotten your butt in gear and found yourself a gorgeous woman, again," said a Captain at the table.

The Commander laughed.  "Hell, Dennis, he did find a gorgeous woman.  He just can't have her!  I feel sorry for him."

Mac was blushing profusely, again.  Maybe if she wasn't so attracted to the Admiral, this kind of talk wouldn't affect her.  But she was.  And it did.

"Sarah, allow me to introduce these two buffoons.  First is Captain Dennis Whitford; he heads up the Oceanography Department here at the Academy.  And his wife, Laurie.  And this is Commander James Vasquez.  Corky heads up the Leadership, Ethics, and Law Department.  His wife, Mayra.  The polite one over here is Captain Robert Voigt.  Bob oversees the Electrical Engineering Department.  And his wife, Melissa."  Then he took his seat next to Mac.

Mac looked at the Admiral and quietly asked, "What about Admiral Locklear?  Where does he fit in around here?"

AJ answered just as quietly, "He's the Commandant of Midshipmen."  Mac nodded in understanding.

After the last guests arrived, Sam and Pam Locklear made their way to the table.  "I'm starving!" said Sam as he seated his wife.

"Sam!" she chided as they both laughed.  "So tell me, Sarah, what exactly did happen at Tecumseh Court this afternoon?"

Mac was just about to answer when AJ spoke up.  "A few Plebes decided that Sarah and I weren't...stupid, I believe is the word she used."

"Stupid?  Some of my Midshipmen called you stupid?" Sam raised his voice, which brought curious looks from neighboring tables.  "Who?  Who were they, Colonel?"

"No, Sam, they didn't call us stupid.  Sarah did.  Or rather..." he stumbled.

Mac came to the rescue.  "Actually, Admiral Locklear, I asked them if I looked stupid to them; to which they all said 'no'.  Then I asked if they thought Admiral Chegwidden was stupid; they, again, said 'no'."

"And that's when you told them your being together here at the Academy as a couple would be the 'ultimate in stupidity', am I right?" asked Pam.

Mac nodded.  "That about sums it up, yes."  Mac was extremely nervous now.  The faces around the table were all very serious.  Mac realized that most other conversations around the room had stopped and everyone was focused on their table.  'Oh God, this was such a mistake.  Why did I ever volunteer to come here with him?  You idiot!'

Suddenly Admiral Locklear, Captains Whitford and Voigt, Commander Vasquez, and AJ burst into laughter.  "Damn, AJ!  You set this place on its ear every time you come here.  But this!  My God, man!" exclaimed Sam.  "Sarah, I hope you don't have to put up with too much of this guy's crap at the office.  Hell, please tell me that you at least don't have to sit on the same floor with him!"

"Actually, Sir, I do.  I'm his Chief of Staff; my office is fairly close by," Mac replied quietly.

"His Chief of Staff!  Wow!  What an honor," exclaimed Mayra Vasquez.  "I'm not really that up to speed on Marine ranks, I'm sorry to say.  What does your rank equate to in the Navy, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Not at all," replied Mac.  "I'm a Lieutenant Colonel.  That equates to a Commander in the Navy."

"A full Commander?  Or a Lieutenant Commander?" Mayra asked.

"A full Commander.  A Major would be equal to a Lieutenant Commander," Mac explained.

"I'm impressed," said Mayra.  "And do you enjoy the Marine Corps?"

"Very much," answered Mac.  "My current assignment has me working with a bunch of squids, however.  But I make the best of it," she joked.

"A bunch of squids, are we?" AJ rebutted.  "You should feel honored that we even allow a jarhead on the premises," he teased.

"Actually, it's the jarheads that allow the squids on the premises," Mac retorted saucily.  AJ looked at her questioningly.  "The guards are Marines, AJ.  You couldn't get in the door if the jarheads didn't let you."

"Ooooo, she's got you there, AJ!" laughed Sam.

"I'll say!" agreed Bob.

"I don't think I'll have any difficulty..." started AJ, but Mac interrupted him.

"But, Admiral.  You always have difficulty.  That's why you have me!" she bantered.  AJ stared at her.  'Uh oh.  I went too far.'

'God, does she have any idea how true those statements are?  And not professionally, either!' AJ thought.

"Ha!  She's got you, AJ!  Sarah, you're great!" cried Laurie.

"God, I've never seen AJ at such a loss!  Look at him!  He's speechless!!" Dennis laughed.

"Oh good, food!  I'm starving!" said Mac, trying to move the conversation to a safer topic.

"You're always starving," quipped AJ with a smirk.

"You complaining?" she asked quirking her eyebrow up at his remark.

"Not me.  I know better than come between a Marine and her food," he said in a tone that brooked no discussion.

The waiter set their appetizers on the table and their meal began in earnest.  As they finished their dessert, music filled the room.  They looked up to see a small band at the side of the room.  Almost immediately, the dance floor was full.  AJ stood and asked Melissa to dance.  He cut in on several others, too.  After about two hours of officers approaching the table asking Mac to dance and she politely refusing each request with a "Perhaps later?", Mac pushed her chair back and said, "Excuse me."

"Something wrong?" asked AJ as he stood quickly.

She looked at him sadly.  "No, Sir.  I just need to visit the powder room," Mac answered quickly and sped away before AJ could offer to escort her.  

AJ wondered why Mac had become so quiet and reserved.  And she refused all the dance invitations; it just didn't make sense.  He knew Mac loved to dance.  Why would she refuse?  And then it dawned on him.  'Oh God!  What an ass I am!'  He excused himself from the others and followed her to the powder room, waiting just outside the door.  He had a rather long wait; Mac didn't come out for 15 minutes.  When she finally did, her eyes were a little puffy and her nose slightly pink.  'She's been crying.  God, Chegwidden!  You bring her here and then you completely ignore her.  And don't even give her the chance to enjoy herself.  You are the biggest jerk of all time!'

"Admiral?" Mac questioned his being outside the powder room.  "Are you ready to leave, Sir?  I just need to..."

"No, Sarah," he said softly.  "But I am ready to apologize for being such a...such a dimwitted idiot.  Here I tell you that tonight is 'old school', and then I don't follow through."  AJ took her hands in his.  "I'm sorry, Sarah.  I honestly forgot that you couldn't accept anyone else until I danced with you first.  It's a wonder Pam didn't kick me in the shin before now."  Mac just stared at the floor.  He moved one hand to her face and lifted her chin so he could see her eyes.  "Will you allow me the privilege of dancing with you, Sarah?"

"Of course, Admiral."

"AJ," he corrected.  "Please?"

Mac lowered her eyes and then looked back at him, again.  "AJ," she amended.

AJ took her hand and led her to the dance floor.  He whirled her around into his arms and they danced... and they danced... and they danced.  Each time the music stopped, AJ kept a firm hold on Mac's waist and hand, not letting her back away.  They danced for an hour without missing a beat.  Finally AJ felt someone tap him on the shoulder.  He wanted to ignore it, but he knew better.  He stopped and stepped back to find Colonel Blose waiting patiently.  "May I cut in?" he asked.

Mac didn't want anyone cutting in.  She was perfectly happy in AJ's arms, but she knew that he didn't really care for dancing.  She smiled to the Colonel, giving AJ a dismissing nod.  "Colonel...?" she asked.

"Blose.  Robert Blose."

"Nice to meet you, Colonel," said Mac.

"I understand you're a Lieutenant Colonel?" he asked.

"That's right, Sir."

"No, please... it's Robert, at least while we're dancing," he smiled.

"Thank you... Robert."

"And you work with Chegwidden?"

"I'm his Chief of Staff."

"I'm surprised he asked you to come here this weekend."

"He didn't, actually," Mac explained.  "He was supposed to bring Captain Stolzer's wife as a favor, but the Captain's ship docked a month early.  So she cancelled this morning.  When I found out about it, I offered to come with him... mostly to keep him out of trouble," she said lightly.

"You know, you look very familiar to me.  Have we met before?" asked Robert.

"I don't think so, Sir," Mac replied stiffly.  'Oh please, I really don't want someone hitting on me tonight!'

"That wasn't a line, Sarah," he said, recognizing the stiffness in her voice.  "You just look very familiar...  I've got it!  You're Matthew O'Hara's niece!"

Mac looked at him with surprised eyes.  "Yes, I am."

"I knew I'd seen you before.  I met you...God, years ago.  You were probably a First Lieutenant.  Your uncle was stationed at Cherry Point, and you attended a Christmas party with him."

"I remember that party.  But I was actually only a Second Lieutenant then," Mac recalled.

"Really?  And you're already a Lieutenant Colonel.  That's amazing, Sarah.  Your uncle must be very proud of you.  Damn shame about what happened to him.  Is he doing all right?"

"Yes, he is; thank you, Robert.  So tell me, what do you do here at the Academy?"

"Nothing terribly exciting, I'm afraid.  I head up the Humanities and Social Sciences department."

Mac and Robert danced for two more songs before he returned her to AJ at the table.  "Thank you, Sarah," he said kissing her hand before seating her.  "Admiral Chegwidden," he nodded.  'Lucky man.  But they're sure playing with fire.  Fairly obvious how they feel about each other.  I sure wish there was something I could do for her.'

"Colonel."  AJ looked at Mac.  "Another dance, Sarah?" he asked.

She smiled slightly and said, "No, thank you, Sir."  She knew he didn't really want to dance with her.  And she certainly didn't want to force him to.

"Had enough?  You ready to leave?" he asked quietly.  

"Whenever you're ready, Admiral."

AJ sighed.  'She is so damned perfect.  Why the hell...  Get a grip, Chegwidden!  You can't have her; you've known that for 5 years.  Nothing's changed.  Except that I want her even more now than I did 5 years ago.  Well, she doesn't want you...even if the regs weren't there, she wouldn't want you.  That's rather obvious, isn't it!'

"I believe we're going to call it a night.  We'll see you all tomorrow," AJ said as she stood and held Mac's chair for her to rise.

"Oh, but the evening is still young!" complained Pam.

"It's not even midnight yet," argued Corky.  

"Actually, it's 2343... and 44 seconds," offered Mac.

"What?"

"She didn't even look at a watch...you're not even wearing a watch.  How'd you know?" asked Sam.

"I have great timing," she said simply.

"If you'll excuse us?" said AJ as he put his arm around Mac's waist and steered her toward the exit.

AJ led Mac outside and down the steps, just as the clock began chiming the 3/4 hour above them.  Mac stopped and looked up at the clock tower.  "That's beautiful," she said.  "Late by 1 minute and 39 seconds, but beautiful."  AJ smiled and gazed at her.  She noticed he wasn't looking up.  "What?  What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing," he said simply.  "Would you like to take a walk around the grounds before we go back to the Gatehouse?" he asked quietly.  Mac didn't answer.  She just turned and began walking down the path.  AJ followed and took her hand, slipping it through his arm.  They walked down the path together, arm in arm, not noticing anyone else around them...or rather, not caring that anyone was there.

"Have you forgiven me yet?" he whispered.

"Forgiven you, Sir?  For what?"

"God, you mean there's more than one thing?  Damn, I'll bet there is."

"No, Sir.  I mean, I don't know to what you're referring, Admiral.  You haven't done anything that needs forgiveness.  I..."

"Mac, I let you sit at that table for two hours.  God, I wish you'd said something.  I wish someone had said something.  I completely forgot.  I've never done that before, Mac.  I never..."

"It's all right, Admiral," she said looking up at him and smiling.  "Really, it's all right.  You more than made up for it."

"I still can't believe Pam didn't say something to me.  Did you tell her not to?"  He suddenly had visions of the women conspiring against him.

"No, Sir, I never said anything to her...or anyone else.  Just forget about it, Admiral.  It's over and done with."

"Just do me one favor, Mac?  Don't tell Rabb.  Or Harriett!  God, Harriett would have heart failure if she found out how badly I breeched etiquette tonight."  Mac laughed.  "What?"

"Admiral, there was no breech in etiquette, tonight.  I didn't dance with anyone until I danced with the man who brought me.  So it took you 2 hours to ask me to dance; that's not a breech in etiquette."

"No, it's just stupidity!" AJ blurted out.  Mac stopped in her tracks and looked at him.  He turned and looked back at her.  And they both burst out laughing.  "Utter and complete stupidity!!" he roared.

"Shhh!  Someone will hear you!  And I just convinced everyone this afternoon that you aren't stupid!  You admit it now and I'll never win another case in court!" she laughed as they started walking, again.

"Somehow I doubt that, Colonel.  Even Rabb is afraid to go up against you in court these days."

"Harm?  Afraid?  I don't think so, Sir."

"Seriously.  Why do you think he's asked to be co-counsel with you these last few months?  Because he didn't want to be opposing counsel, that's why!"  

"But why would he be afraid, Admiral?  Harm and I have worked together..."

"Mac, you buried him on the USS Guadalcanal.  Harm had a solid defense, and you tore it apart in a matter of minutes.  That really shook him up.  He hasn't wanted to be opposing counsel to you since."

"I had no idea," Mac said quietly causing AJ to stop and turn her to face him.  He put his hands on her shoulders.

"Mac, you've been through a lot this year.  And you've come out on top, through all of it.  Rabb's a big boy; his ego was hurt when you tore through his defense that way.  But he's over it now.  He's just not wanting to be in the line of fire, again, for a while," AJ smiled.

"But, Admiral..."

"No buts, Colonel.  No buts... no regrets... no apologies.  You are a damned good lawyer, a fine human being, and a very desirable woman.  Don't sell yourself short, Sarah."

Mac knew he was referring to her broken engagement to Mic Brumby.  "Is that what you think I was doing, Sir?  With Mic, I mean?  Selling myself short?"

"Not for me to say, Colonel." 

"I'd like your opinion, though, Sir.  I value your opinion.  Please?"

AJ hesitated.  He didn't want to get into this right now.  If he did, he was afraid he might not be able to control his own emotions.  He loved Mac; it tore him up inside thinking she was going to marry that idiot from Australia.  Worst of all was the fact that AJ knew he could never have her.  Even now with Brumby gone, she was still off limits to him.  'And even if she weren't, she wouldn't very likely want me,' he groused.  "Yes, Sarah.  I think you can do a lot better than Mic Brumby," AJ replied softly as the clock in the tower now well behind them struck midnight.  "Plebes are in," he commented.  "Liberty ends at midnight."

"Does that mean we have to go in, Sir?" she said sadly.

"Why is it so hard for you to call me AJ?"

His tone of voice stirred something inside her, and she answered him honesty.  "Because if I do, I'll forget I can't have y..." she stopped short, with a quick intake of breath. 

AJ turned her to face him.  "You'll forget you can't have... what, Sarah?"  Mac shook her head; she couldn't possibly answer him.  "What, Sarah?"

"Not what, Sir.  Who," she whispered and lowered her eyes to the ground.  

AJ's eyes narrowed and he felt a tightening in his abdomen.  'Don't lose it now, Chegwidden.'  Mac started walking, again, and AJ fell in step beside her.  He took her hand and pulled it through his arm, as before.  'Could she mean me?  No...not possible.' 

AJ and Mac kept walking for another hour around the campus.  Mac kept walking slower and slower until finally AJ realized that her shoes weren't exactly conducive to a long walk.  "Are you okay?" he asked suddenly.  "Those shoes couldn't be comfortable."

Mac smiled in agreement.  "No, Sir.  They aren't the most comfortable walking shoes.  They were fine inside, but out here on the path, they're a little uncomfortable."

"Mac, we need to have an agreement here.  You need to tell me if you don't want to do something, or if I'm out of line or...  We didn't have to go for a walk.  I suggested it; that didn't mean you had to agree.  Please tell me what you want...and don't want...this weekend.  Don't just go along with me.  This is your weekend, too."

Mac smiled and nodded, "All right, AJ.  But I did want to go for a walk tonight.  I just didn't think about the shoes.  Damn, I've got a blister now," she said as she hopped on one foot, trying to adjust the strap on the other one to avoid the sore spot.

"Lean on me, Mac," AJ offered.  "Better still, why don't you just take those things off and walk barefoot?  We'll cut across the grass; the parking lot is just over there."

Mac took her shoes off and immediately grabbed the dress and hiked it up.  "Oh!" she cried.  "The dress is too long without the shoes!  I can't go barefoot!"

"The hell you can't," AJ said as he scooped her up in his arms and started walking across the grass.

"AJ!  Put me down!  What if someone sees us?" she whispered urgently.

"You injured your foot while we walking, Mac.  I did the only thing a gentleman could do; I carried you," he smiled.  Mac laid her shoes and bag in her lap and put her arms around AJ's neck to hold on.  "That's better," he said softly.

"Much," she breathed as their eyes locked on each other.  They reached the car far sooner than AJ would have liked.

Meanwhile, the four Midshipmen who had been following and eavesdropping on AJ and Mac, were back in their room at Bancroft Hall.  "Damn, I really thought we had something when they walked off together arm in arm."

"I told you before, man, he's her CO.  There's no way they're involved!"

"I'd have to agree with you now.  Seeing them together like that and her still addressing him as 'Admiral' and 'Sir'.  And him calling her 'Colonel'."

"Sure hope I never have someone that gorgeous reporting to me.  That would be murder!"

"You're not kidding."

"I'd want to pick her up and carry her off!"  Little did they know, that's exactly what AJ just did.