Pickles, Anchovies, and Dreams - Part 3

Author: Ava E-mail: mmmThatAJ@yahoo.com Rating:  PG-13 Classification: AJ/Mac Romance Disclaimer: JAG and all its characters belong to Belisarius Productions, Paramount, CBS, Viacom, and probably endless others. Summary:  Harriett's having some very strange dreams during this pregnancy; will any of them come true? Author's comments:  Characters' speaking parts are in double quotes ("text"); characters' thoughts are in single quotes ('text'). Historical notes:  The Eilean Donan is a real castle in Scotland.  It was built in the 13th Century.  Eilean Donan was Clan MacKenzie's most important stronghold from the 13th Century until it was destroyed in 1719.  In 1719, the castle was held by 46 Spanish Jacobites. On May 10th, three English frigates - the Flamborough, the Worcester and the Enterprise - sailed into Loch Duich and attacked the castle, causing extensive damage. When the bombardment was over, Captain Herdman of the Enterprise went ashore and blew up the garrison's powder magazine of 343 barrels of gunpowder.  The castle was reconstructed in the early 1900s, completed in 1932.

The Eilean Donan in ruins.   The Eilean Donan as it stands today.

Monday, 21 April 2003
0915 EDT
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia

Mac arrived at the office much later than her usual time.  When she walked through the double doors in the bullpen, Petty Officer Tiner saw her and called, "Colonel!  The Admiral would like to see you in his office ASAP."

"Damn," she muttered.  "Okay, Tiner," she raised her voice.  "I'll be right there."

She quickly darted in her office and set her briefcase and cover on her desk.  She opened her case, pulled out the file she assumed the Admiral would want to discuss, and headed for his office.  She knocked and heard his call to enter.  "Lieutenant Colonel MacKenzie reporting as ordered, Admiral," she said, coming to attention stance in front of his desk.

"At ease, Colonel.  Have a seat," he motioned to the chair opposite his desk.  "You're running a little later than usual, aren't you?  I expected to see you in here 2 hours ago."

"My apologies, Admiral.  I had a blow-out on the way in this morning," she replied.

He looked up at her.  "A blow-out?  Are you okay?  You got the car stopped without a problem?" 

"I'm fine, Sir. Thank you," she replied, not answering his last question.

He didn't realize that, and responded, "Good. Good." Then he got right down to business. "There's been an incident at 29 Palms. It seems they had an enlisted men's fight that got out of hand last night. There are 12 men in the hospital, 35 were treated and released." Mac looked puzzled. "You're wondering why you're going?" he asked.

She nodded. "Yes, Sir. Enlisted men's fights have always been handled by the local..."

"I mentioned it got out of hand? It got way out of hand, Colonel. Two of the hospitalized men are officers."

"Officers?" she repeated. "What on..."

"Evidently they were not trying to break it up either, Colonel. They were part of the fight that got out of hand."

Mac shook her head. "Hard to believe officers would do something so stupid, Sir."

Admiral Chegwidden nodded his head. "Yes, well... they did. Five of them, in fact."

"Five!?"

"That's right, Colonel. Five. Only two ended up in the hospital; the other three are suspended right now, pending your investigation."

"Do you have names, Sir?" AJ handed Mac the folder. She opened it and glanced down the page. "Oh my God," she breathed.

He nodded. "That's right, Mac. Two Majors, two Lieutenant Colonels, and a bird Colonel."

Mac closed her eyes and sighed. "That's the end of their careers."

"More than likely," he agreed. "But go in with an open mind, Mac. The General is very anxious to get his people back to work. He believes they were trying to break up the fight."

"What do they say, Sir?"

"Four of them say they were breaking it up. The fifth... the bird Colonel... says otherwise."

"This is not going to be pretty."

"You got that right, Mac. Your flight is at 1145." AJ looked at her. "You have something for me? I noticed you brought a folder in with you."

"Oh, it's just the Nielson case file, Sir. I thought you were wanting to discuss that," she replied, wondering how she was going to make an 1145 flight today.

He sighed. "I guess you'd better turn that one over to Bud before you leave."

"Aye, Sir."

"Dismissed." Mac rose and turned to leave. "Oh, one more thing, Mac." She turned back around to face him. "About yesterday."

Mac bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from smiling. "Yesterday, Sir?" she asked innocently.

"What you said... about my proposal to Meredith..."

Mac nodded that she remembered. 'Thank goodness that's what he wants to talk about!'

"Was it really that bad? Was it really that offensive to a woman?" he asked, standing up and walking around his desk.

Mac nodded. "I meant what I said, Sir. If a man ever proposes to me that way, he'd better protect himself."

AJ sighed. "I don't know, Mac. I guess it's just the whole..." he sighed. "Never mind; I shouldn't be discussing this with you, anyway..."

"I don't mind, Admiral. Really. If I can help, I'll be glad to," she offered as he sat on the edge of his desk.

"That's just it, Mac. I don't know that I want help with Meredith. Maybe that's why I asked the way I did. I know better than that! I'm not an insensitive idiot." He looked up at her and she smiled. "Well, not all the time," he corrected.

Mac chuckled lightly. "No, Sir. You're not. I would have to agree with that. I've seen you interact with women before, and you are definitely not an insensitive idiot."

AJ grinned. "Well, thank you, Mac."

"Admiral, if I may..." she started. He nodded for her to continue. "You were really not sure about your relationship with Meredith and the direction it was taking... until your 'brush with the wilds of winter'," she smiled gently. "Then suddenly you were talking about marriage. Are you sure that..."

"No, Mac, I'm not sure. That's just it. But I've told Meredith that I love her." He pounded his fist on his knee. "I think I was just relieved to be back in civilization again. And I'd had these visions of her when I was out there in the snow. Some of them were good. Some weren't. But they got me through."

"And you felt an obligation?" Mac suggested.

"Maybe."

"Admiral, no woman wants a man to propose because he feels an obligation to her. She wants him to love her. To want her... only her!"

"And she doesn't want to be used as an excuse to retire?" he added.

Mac shook her head. "No, she doesn't."

"Damn, I really put my foot in this one, didn't I?"

Mac smiled. "Meredith is a pretty smart cookie, Sir. I think she probably already knows the truth. She's just waiting for you to confess... and..."

"And say goodbye?"

Mac nodded. "Probably."

"Damn, it's going to be lonely again," he muttered under his breath... but Mac heard him. He looked up at her. "Thank you, Mac. I appreciate your sharing your viewpoint."

"I hope I was some help, Sir."

"You were." Mac turned around and headed for the door again. "So, was I right?" he asked before she opened his door.

Mac turned around again. "Right, Sir? Right about what, Admiral?"

He grinned evilly. "About the three AJs?"

Mac wasn't prepared for that, and she blushed profusely. "I'm afraid so, Sir." He chuckled. "Harriett had a rather vivid dream Saturday night."

"Hard to believe she dreamed about me that way," he shook his head in wonder.

Mac giggled and corrected him, "About us that way!" When she realized what she'd given away, she looked up into his surprised eyes.

"About us?" he repeated.

Mac bit her upper lip and blushed even more. "I'm afraid so, Sir. You and I were together... she and Bud were together... and Harm..." she started to laugh. "Harm was a vicar!"

AJ laughed at that. "Harm!? A vicar?"

"My reaction exactly, Sir!"

He shook his head in amazement. "You'll have to tell me more about this dream of hers, Mac. Unfortunately, there isn't time now. You have a plane to catch."

Mac was relieved at that. Perhaps he'd forget about the dream by the time she got back from California. He dismissed Mac again. This time, she actually got out of his office without his stopping her. As she reached the bullpen, the others looked up when they heard the Admiral laughing in his office. "A vicar! That'll be the day!"

Mac headed right for Harm's office. "You busy?" she asked.

He looked up. "Yeah, I am. I have court in 20 minutes. What's up?"

She shook her head. "It'll take longer than that. Never mind. I'm off to 29 Palms; I'll see you when I get back."

"Okay, Mac. Sorry. Hey! Call me if you need something..." he called after her.

"Thanks!" Now is when she really missed Gunny. Mac grinned as she thought of Harriett's dream and the role Gunny played in it. 'I wonder how much of that dream she didn't tell me?!' Mac almost giggled as she walked through the bullpen and stopped at Harriett's desk. It was completely clear. "Damn, I forgot! She's off today."

Bud was standing just inside the library, and he heard Mac's words. He stepped into the bullpen and said, "Ma'am, did you need something?"

"Had a problem with my car this morning, Bud. And now I have an 1145 flight. Since I don't have my car, I don't have my gear... which means I have to go home and pack... but since I don't have my car, I don't have any way to get there... or to the airport." She sighed. "I was hoping to get a ride from Harm, but he's in court. And Harriett's out today..."

"And I'm opposite the Commander in court," Bud explained, "or I'd be glad to give you a ride, Ma'am. Why don't you just get a car from the motor pool?"

"Not enough time, Bud," she said. "They never get a car here in less than an hour anymore."

The Admiral made his way from his office to the break room, but Mac's back was to him, so she hadn't heard him approach... nor knew that he stopped to listen to their conversation. She was surprised when he spoke. "Colonel, you didn't tell me you didn't have your car."

She spun around on her heel. "Admiral!" He waited for an answer. "I did mention, Sir, that I had a blow-out."

"And I asked if everything was okay."

"I'm okay, Sir. But my car isn't," Mac admitted.

"Mac, what happened?" he pressed.

"I skidded off the road, Sir... and into a ditch. With all the wetness we've had this last winter and the rain this last week, the shoulders are all mush. The car got stuck and had to be towed out. That was fine... until we got to the tire shop. The tow truck driver wasn't exactly working on all cylinders, and he released the cables on the wheels of my 'Vette before he got it off the truck bed. So when he tilted the bed to take the car off, the car just rolled off.. all by itself... and down a hill. It crashed into a phone booth."

"Oh my God!" Bud exclaimed.

"At least the phone booth was there. If it hadn't been, the car would probably be totaled. There was a huge hill on the other side of the phone booth, and the car wouldn't have stopped until it hit the bottom."

"And you saw all this?" AJ asked.

Mac nodded and sighed, "Yes, Sir."

"Good God, Mac! Why didn't you tell me this when I asked you?"

She shrugged. "I wasn't hurt, Sir."

"You said you have to go home and pack?" he asked, shaking his head in frustration.

"Yes, Sir. My gear bag was in the trunk. They couldn't get into the trunk; it was... well, squashed."

"When you're ready to leave, let me know, Mac. I'll drive you," AJ said.

"You, Sir?"

"My schedule is wide open this morning, Mac. Seems everyone else is booked."

"I could just call a cab, Sir," Mac suggested as Bud walked back into the library.

AJ grinned. "Nah. I'll drive you. You can tell me some more of that dream of Harriett's!"

Monday, 21 April 2003
0950 EDT
EnRoute to Mac's Apartment
in Georgetown, Washington, DC

Mac finished elaborating on the story of her car, hoping that the Admiral would not ask for any more details about Harriett's dream.  She knew better.  But she tried.

"Mac, the next time I ask you a question, I expect a complete answer," AJ said.  Before she had time to reply, he added, "...when I ask the question... not 30 minutes later."

"Aye, Sir," she answered in a small voice.

"Now, tell me more about Harriett's dream."

She bit her upper lip to try and keep from grinning.  "What else did you want to know, Sir?"

He turned and grinned at her.  "Start at the beginning, why don't you?"

Mac smiled.  "I'm sure she didn't tell me everything, Admiral.  Just the high spots..."

"Fine.  So, tell me the high spots," he chuckled.

"Well, it started at the Eilean Tonad castle in Scotland.." she started.

"Donan," he corrected.

"Sir?"

"Eilean Donan is the name of the castle, Mac."

"You know of the castle, Sir?" Mac asked, surprised.

He nodded.  "Sure.  It's quite a place.  Was destroyed back in the early 18th Century, and they did major reconstruction in the early 20th Century.  It's been open for tours now for quite some time."

"I didn't know that."

"You should!  It was a very important part of MacKenzie history in Scotland," he informed her.

"Oh.  I wonder why Harriett dreamed of it?"

He chuckled.  "Two reasons.  One, she's pregnant.  She's apt to do anything for the next few months!"  They laughed together.  "And two, we were talking only last week about places in Europe for them to visit when they're on leave next month.  I told her all about the castles in Scotland, particularly the Eilean Donan."

"Well, that explains it."

"So, she was living at the castle?"

"Sir?"

"Harriett's dream, Mac," he prodded.

"Oh.  Actually, I was the daughter of the owner... well, not owner... but..."

He nodded.  "I know what you mean.  Go on."

"Harriett was my ladies maid, evidently."

"Nice," he chuckled.

"Some Spanish soldiers came and took over the castle with Harriett and me still there.  That's where Gunny fit in... he was in charge of the soldiers, I guess."  AJ chuckled again, but he didn't interrupt.  "He found out that my father had made a bet with Mic..."

This time he did interrupt.  "Brumby?!"

"That's what she said.  Anyway, my father lost the bet."

"What did he wager?"

"Me."

"Uh oh."

"Yeah.  Well, then I was going to marry Gunny to keep from having to marry Mic... and then you came along with two other English ships and blew up the castle and killed Gunny."

"How inconsiderate of me," he quipped.

"Here we are!" she said as they pulled up in front of her apartment building.  They went inside and she grabbed a duffle bag from the hall closet and headed for her bedroom.  "Just make yourself at home, Sir.  I won't be but 5 minutes."

"Need me to do anything for you, Mac?" he called to her.

"Would you check and see if my answering machine is blinking, Sir?  If it is, just hit Play.  It's loud enough that I can hear it in here."

He looked around and finally saw the machine sitting on the end table by the sofa.  "No messages!" he told her.

"Admiral, would you come in here a second, please?" she called, sounding very frustrated.

"Sure."  He walked into her bedroom and saw her stuffing something in her duffel.  "What do you need?" he asked.

"My other cover is on the shelf in my closet; can you reach it for me, please, Sir?"

He turned to the closet and looked on the shelf.  The cover was all the way in the far-back corner.  He stretched his arm and barely reached it.  As he flipped it down on the bed next to her duffle, he chuckled, "You always hide it in the corner, Mac?"

"No, Sir.  But when I reached for it, I bumped it and it slid back there.  When it does that, I always have to get a chair from the dining room to stand on so I can reach it."

"I can believe that."

"Thank you for saving me the trouble, Admiral," Mac said as she zipped the duffle closed.  "All set!"  She picked up the duffle and motioned toward the front door.

The Admiral took the duffle from her and said, "You get the door," preempting any argument from her about his carrying a junior officer's bag.

"Which airport?" he asked, setting her bag in the back seat.

"Reagan National, Sir," Mac replied, taking her place in the passenger seat again.

He climbed in behind the steering wheel.  "Good.  You'll have plenty of time then.  Dulles would really be stretching a point."

"Anything interesting coming up this week while..." she started to ask.

"Oh, no you don't!" he chuckled.  "Finish the dream, Mac!"

She laughed at his expression and replied smugly, "And if I don't?"

"I'll have to ask Harriett," was his reply.

"She would die of embarrassment on the spot, and you know it!"  He didn't answer.  He just turned and grinned.  "Okay, okay.  Where was I?"

"I'd just arrived and blown up your castle and killed your lover, I believe," he teased.  "By the way, that's all part of the actual history, you know.  Well, except the lover part."

"He wasn't my lover," she spoke at the same time.  Then, "Part of the actual history?"

"Yeah.  Spanish Jacobites took the castle in 1719.  Then in May, three English ships came up the Loch Duich and bombarded the castle, killing the Spaniards.  One of the Captains went ashore and blew up their powder magazine."  Mac smiled.  "I take it that was in her dream?" he asked, seeing her expression.

"Slightly different, I think... but the gist was the same."  Mac shook her head.  "Anyway, you convinced my cousin, the vicar..."

"Rabb," added the Admiral, chuckling and shaking his head. 

"Right.  You convinced him to give me to you."

"Nice to know," he mumbled.

"Sir?" Mac questioned, not hearing him fully.

"Nothing, Mac.  I just said it was nice to know that Harriett knows I'm a smart man... even in her dreams," he chuckled.

Mac took a second to understand his meaning.  "Oh," was all she said.  But she smiled.  A very big, very bright smile.

"I took you with me on my ship?" he prompted, liking the fact that she appreciated his compliment.

Mac nodded, "Yes, Sir.  And Harriett, too, of course.  She was my maid, after all."

"Of course," he chuckled.

"Bud was an officer on your ship, and they fell in love, and you performed their wedding ceremony," Mac said happily, folding her hands in her lap as though that was the end of the story.

The Admiral waited.  "Finish the dream, Mac," he finally said when she didn't continue.

"Oh, well, you and I got married, too.  I believe it was Captain Sebring who performed our ceremony," she said in a small voice.  "And then Harriett woke up."

He nodded.  "Uh huh.  I'll bet.  So when did..."

"Admiral, please..." Mac turned pleading eyes to him. 

He grinned and looked at her.  "I suppose I shouldn't ask."  Then he turned his gaze back to the road in front of him.  "But, damn!  I'd sure like to know," he muttered.

They were both quiet for another 5 minutes.  The Admiral took the exit for the airport and they came to a complete halt; the traffic was backed up all the way to the highway.  He sighed heavily.

"It was on our wedding night," Mac almost whispered.  The Admiral didn't say a word; he just listened.  "I was a... virgin... and you... 'taught' me, is what Harriett said.  And before the night was over, I'd decided to name him 'AJ'."

The traffic started moving at a snail's pace, but they were getting closer to the drop-off point.  The Admiral turned and looked at Mac.  "So was I a good teacher?"  He meant it as a joke, but his voice was husky and it sounded, even to his own ears, almost like a proposition.

"I wouldn't know, Sir.  It was Harriett's dream, remember?" Mac replied softly.  She bit her lips together.  They were on thin ice right now; they both knew it.  But she couldn't help herself.  "Did Meredith name him?"

He chuckled lightly.  "No, Mac.  Well, not that she ever told me.  I never encourage that.  Marcella, yes.  But no one since."  Then he cocked his head to the side and teased, "Do you name your men?"

She grinned.  "Never have.  Never really wanted to."  AJ nodded.  "What was it?" she asked.

"Hmm?"

"Marcella's name for you.  What was it?"  She chanced a glance at him, and she saw his mouth turn into a sad smile.  "I'm sorry, Sir.  That's none of my business."

"Alberto," he said.

"Alberto?" she repeated.

He nodded.  "Uh huh.  She used my first name.  She called me 'AJ'... and him 'Alberto'.  That's why I figured it out so easily yesterday.  It was just opposite," he said as he pulled over to the curb.  "Here we are."

Mac reached for the handle.  "Thank you for driving, Admiral.  I do appreciate it." 

The Admiral reached his hand over and laid it on Mac's leg before she opened the door.  "Thank you, Mac.  I shouldn't have pressed about the dream.  But I'm glad you were comfortable enough with me to tell me about it."

She giggled and looked at him.  "Comfortable enough?"

He lowered his head.  When he looked back up at her, he was grinning that lopsided smile of his.  "I am a good teacher, by the way."

"I'm sure you are... AJ."

"Now why do I have a feeling you're not talking to 'AJ, the man'?" he chuckled.

Mac smiled evilly.  "Because you're smart."  She quickly opened the door and hopped out.  She opened the back door and grabbed her duffle.  "Thanks again, Admiral!"

"Keep me posted, Mac!" he called to her.  Mac slammed the back door and headed inside the terminal.  The Admiral chuckled, "Down, AJ," before shifting into gear and heading back to JAG.

Saturday, 17 May 2003
1735 EDT
Chegwidden Residence
McLean, Virginia

AJ looked around the kitchen.  Everything was in order for this evening.  The appetizers and drinks were chilled, the ice chest was full, and the charcoal was lit on the grill outside.  He moved into the living room and made sure everything was "just so", plumping the cushions on the sofa.  He walked into the guest bathroom.  Yes, he'd put the fresh towels on the rod, set a new bar of soap in the dish, and flushed the commode after he put the cleansing tablet in the tank.  He headed for his bedroom.  He kicked the pair of tennis shoes into his closet, grabbed the shorts he'd worn earlier and stuffed those in the laundry hamper, and smoothed the wrinkles on his bed.  He checked his bathroom, too, and everything seemed fine in there.

As he went back outside to check the coals, he thought back over the last couple of weeks.  Neither he nor Mac had said anything more about Harriett's dream... or their discussion of it.  That was probably best, he knew.  He'd had several fantasies of his own over the next couple of days immediately following their conversation on the way to the airport.  When he found himself having a problem thinking of Mac while sitting in the SecNav's office, he realized he had to do something.  And like all other personal problems in his life, he dealt with it.  Privately.  Immediately.  And completely.  He hadn't even flinched when Mac returned to the office from 29 Palms.  They were back to normal.  Everything was fine.

The doorbell rang, and AJ went back through the house to answer it.  As he pulled the door open and saw Mac standing there in a low-cut tank top that hugged her body, he felt himself stir.  "Oh God," he groaned aloud.

"Admiral?" she looked concerned at his expression.  "Is something wrong, Sir?"

AJ shook his head.  "No!  No, nothing's wrong, Colonel.  Come in."

"Am I the first one here?"  He nodded his head.  "That's unusual.  Bud and Harriett usually beat everyone!"

"True."

"Admiral, are you sure you're okay?" she asked again.

He swallowed hard.  "I'm perfectly fine, Mac," he said, shutting the door behind her and turning to face her.

She smiled, as she took in his neat appearance.  "You look very nice this... evening, Sir," she hesitated as she noticed the problem he was having. 'Oops.  Now I know what the problem is.'  Mac felt a chill run down her spine and almost instantly, her nipples pebbled under her shirt.

AJ noticed them right away.  He grinned as she blushed slightly.  When the doorbell rang again, they both moved to answer it... and their hands met on the doorknob.  AJ looked deep into Mac's eyes, and their mouths fell open slightly.  He lifted his hand and Mac drew hers away from the doorknob, stepping back a couple of paces.  He took a deep breath, pasted a smile on his face, and opened the door.

"Good evening, Admiral!" chirped Harriett.  She tried not to notice the Admiral's trousers, but ever since her dream last month, her eyes automatically moved there every time she saw him.  It was getting very embarrassing... because her husband always noticed.  'Thank God the Admiral hasn't noticed.  Or at least, he hasn't said anything.'  And her eyes traveled south this time, too.  'Oh my gosh!'

"Hello, Sir," added Bud.

"Good evening, Harriett.  Bud.  Come in, come in!" AJ urged, stepping back to allow his guests to enter.  "Mac just arrived, too."

"Good evening, Colonel," Harriett smiled, her mind working overtime as she noticed Mac's protruding nipples... something Mac usually took great pains to avoid showing in public.  It wasn't appropriate for an officer, she always said.  "Are you cold, Mac?"

Mac nodded.  "Have a slight chill.  You have a sweater with you, Harriett?" she asked hopefully.

Bud laughed.  "A sweater?  Harriett?  Not a chance, Ma'am!  She peels layers off these days.  It's all I can do to make her wear..."

"Bud!!" Harriett almost screamed.

Bud looked embarrassed as Harriett blushed profusely.  "I can only imagine," AJ chuckled.  "I have a sweater you can wear, Mac.  It's in my closet; I'll get it."  He headed for his bedroom, and heard Harriett scolding Bud.

"Bud, you don't go around telling people that I don't wear anything on the bottom at home!" she whispered a little too loudly.

Mac and AJ tried to ignore her words.  "Mac, why don't you come choose one for yourself?" AJ offered.

"Good idea, Sir!"  Mac followed him and their laughter bubbled up as they entered his walk-in closet together.  He flipped the light on and then pulled a sweater from a shelf and handed it to her.  "This one's a little big, Sir," she said as she held it up to her. 

He took it back and set it on the shelf.  Then he squatted and pulled a sweater from the bottom shelf.  He handed it to Mac over his shoulder.  "Try this one.  It's one Francesca left here a couple of years ago."  Mac knew if it was his daughter's sweater, it would be too small in the bust for her.  But maybe it was a little large for Francesca, and it might fit.  She slipped her arms into the sleeves and pulled it around her.  AJ stood up and turned around.  "How's that?" he asked.

She dropped her arms and said, "Not quite big enough in the bust, I'm afraid."

"Oh, Mac.  You are definitely big enough in the bust.  Perfect, in fact," he breathed.  Then his eyes took on the look of shock.  "Mac, I am sorry.  I don't... I had no..."  He took a deep breath.  "I'm sorry, Mac.  That was inexcusable.  I'll let you find a sweater that suits you.  They're all on the shelves." 

He moved to walk around her and leave the closet, but she put her hand on his arm as he tried to pass.  "I'm glad you think so... AJ."  He looked at her, their eyes smoldering.  "I wish..." she started... and bit her lips.  She couldn't say it.  It wasn't right.  They could both end up in a lot of trouble.  "I'll find a sweater and be right out."

He reached the doorway of the closet and stopped.  "I wish it too, Mac," he said before quickly leaving the bedroom.

The others from JAG arrived, and soon the dinner party was in full swing.  It wasn't often that the Admiral had a truly casual dinner party at his home... usually they were informal.  But tonight, they were celebrating Armed Forces Day with an outdoor cookout.  When dinner was finished, they all gathered in the living room and cracked jokes.  Most of them were blonde jokes, aimed at Harm's fetish for blondes.  Harriett, though blonde herself, was right in the thick of them, too.

When Harm finally said, "Okay, okay!  You like blonde jokes?  I have one for you."

"Oh yeah?" said Sturgis.

"Personal experience, Harm?" teased Mac.

"Come on, let him talk," urged AJ, laughing along with the others.

Harm began, "One day this blonde was talking to her coworker."  Harm changed his voice to a high pitch for the blonde, and continued.  "'I'm so proud of myself,' she said.  'I've been studying really, really hard for a long time now.'"

Bud laughed, "A blonde, studying?  That's a good one!"

Harriett reached over and punched his arm, "Hush, you!" 

The others laughed as Harm continued.  "Her coworker asked, 'Studying what?'  'I know all the capitols of allthe countries in the whole world,' the blonde bragged.'  Her coworker was impressed, but she thought, 'How could she know so much?  I don't even know all the capitols.'  So, the coworker said, 'Wow, that's impressive.  I don't even know them all.  How about I ask you one that I do know, and you can tell me the capitol, okay?'  The blonde agreed, and the coworker said, 'Um, okay.  What's the capitol of France?'"  Harm looked around at this friends.  "Know what the blonde said?" he asked, grinning.

They all looked at each other with blank stares.  All except Harriett, that is.  She smiled from ear to ear and said, "I know!  I know!!  F!"

Harm nodded.  It took about 5 seconds, but when it finally registered to everyone else, the entire room exploded in laughter.  "Oh my God!"  "That's too funny!"  "Can you just imagine!"

"Hey, Harriett, had you heard that one before?" asked Harm.

She shook her head.  "No.  I just thought... F for France."

This brought another round of laughter, and Bud saying, "Leave it to a blonde!"... which, of course, earned him another punch from his wife.

"Hey, Harriett!  Had any more dreams lately?" asked Harm sometime later.

Mac had just taken a sip of her drink, and at Harm's words, she almost spewed it all over him.  She swallowed hard, and it hurt.  "Harm!  That's none of your business!" she admonished him.

They turned to see Harriett's face completely suffused in red.  "Excuse me," she croaked, getting up and waddling to the guest bathroom.

"Good one, Harm," Mac scolded.  She noticed Bud getting up to follow his wife.  "I'll go, Bud," Mac offered, getting to her feet and heading to the bathroom.

"That might be best, Ma'am.  Thank you," returned Bud.  He looked back at the men still sitting there.  "She is still dreaming a lot, actually.  Won't tell me much about them anymore.  But I can always tell..."

"How so, Bud?" asked Sturgis... who had never actually been privy to much of the previous dream details.

"Well I either get punched or get laid, Sir," Bud said candidly.  Harm choked on his beer as Bud continued, "Most of the time, I get punched."  The men chortled. 

Mac perched herself on the counter while Harriett sat on the commode with the lid down.  "Harriett, have you had more dreams?" Mac asked bluntly.

"Uh huh."

"Like the other one?"

"Uh huh."

"With who?"

"Different people," Harriett hedged.

"Harriett..."

Harriett sighed.  "But two people are always there... always end up together... always look so good with each other..."  She chanced a glace up at her friend. 

"You and Bud?" Mac assumed.

Harriett shook her head.  "Uh uh."

Mac looked puzzled for a moment.  Then she turned shocked eyes to Harriett.  "No..."

Harriett nodded.  "Uh huh.  You and the Admiral."

"Harriett, that..."

"I know!  But I can't control my dreams, Mac.  And you two are so good together.  You really know how to satisfy each other.  I've learned a few things!" she giggled.

"Harriett!" Mac squealed, giggling right along with her. 

The men in the living room heard the squeal and the giggles.  "Must have been quite a dream," commented Harm.

"You going to wear his sweater home, Mac?" Harriett asked.

Mac looked down, realizing that she still wore his sweater.  "It smells like him," she sighed.

"And it's such a nice smell," added Harriett.

"We are so bad!" Mac giggled.

"We should probably go back out now," offered Harriett.

"And I should give the Admiral his sweater."

"Naah.  Wear it home.  You can sleep with it and have a nice erotic dream like I have!"  The women burst into gales of laughter at this. 

Bud had heard enough.  He got up and knocked on the bathroom door.  "Harriett?  What's going on in there?"

Before he even finished speaking, the door was opening and the two women stepped out.  "Not a thing, Bud.  Is something wrong, Dear?"

Mac laughed again and preceded them into the living room.

Harm stood and said, "I think it's about time to call it a night."

"What's wrong, Rabb?  Have a blonde waiting for you to help her learn the capitols?" joked AJ.

Harm grinned.  "Not exactly, Sir."

The party broke up and one by one, the officers left.  As Bud and Harriett left, leaving only Mac still there with AJ, he commented, "Interesting.  Everyone left in exactly the reverse order that they arrived."

Mac was shrugging the sweater off of her shoulders when AJ turned around.  "Don't you want to wear it home, Mac?  You might get cold going outside, now that you've worn that all evening."

"Actually, Harriett suggested that I wear it home."

"Did she now?" he quirked his eyebrow and his lips turned up in a lopsided grin.

"Uh huh.  Even suggested that I sleep with it."

"Sleep with it?" he questioned, taking a step closer to her.

"Mmm.  She said I might have an erotic dream about you... like she's been having," Mac replied, taking a step closer to him.

AJ stopped and looked at her, surprised.  "Harriett?"

Mac giggled.  "Not you and her.  You and me."

AJ grinned again.  "Really?"

"Mmm hmm," Mac breathed sexily, taking the final step to him.

"Mac," he groaned.  "We can't do this."

She closed her eyes.  "I know."

"Harriett's dreams are her dreams.  But this..." he sighed heavily.  "This isn't a dream."

"No, it's not," she agreed.

"Is this something you want, Mac?  Truly want?"  He reached out and raised her chin.  When she opened her eyes, his were boring into hers.

"It isn't possible.  I know that."

"Actually, it is possible.  If you are willing to wait," he confessed.

"What do you mean?" she asked, her breath coming in short, almost gasps.

"I wasn't planning on telling anyone this for a while yet... but..."

"My lips are sealed..." she whispered.

He smiled; he'd like them sealed to his.  Mac smiled back, thinking exactly the same thing.

"I informed the SecNav two weeks ago that I plan to retire at the end of July."  Mac gasped in surprise.  "You know I've been thinking of it for some time.  The more I think about it, the more it appeals to me."  He smiled.  "Even more so now."

Mac's lips turned up in a small smile.  "How long would we have to wait after you retire?"

"If you're sure about this, Mac..."  She nodded.  "Then I'll broach the subject with Sheffield next week.  See what he says.  I would guess only a month or two."

"We'll have to be extremely careful between now and then... so no one can have anything to..."

"Mac, more than likely, Sheffield will insist on your taking a TDY until I'm gone."

She nodded.  "That would make sense."

"Are you okay with that?" he asked gently.  When she didn't answer, he said, "We don't have to do this, Mac.  I know I'm a lot older than you, and..."

"No!  I'm fine with that.  It's just... I won't be there for your last weeks at JAG," she sniffed.  "That will hurt."

"I'm sorry, Mac."

"Don't be," she smiled up at him.  "I'll have you in the end.  That's what matters."

"You should go now, before it gets any later."  He took a deep breath.  "And I'm not going to kiss you.  Not until I'm retired.  It isn't right."

She nodded.  "I know.  I understand."  She looked down at the sweater she still wore.  "May I keep this?"

"Of course."

"I'm looking forward to that erotic dream tonight... and tomorrow night... and..."

"I'm looking forward to more than the dream, Sarah."

The end.