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Author: Ava Rating: PG-13 Disclaimer: JAG and all its characters belong to Belisarius Productions, Paramount, CBS, Viacom, and probably endless others. Summary: AJ and Mac take leave at the same time...and end up guests at the same ranch in Wyoming. Author's comments: Characters' speaking parts are in double quotes ("text"); characters' thoughts are in single quotes ('text'). |
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Tuesday, 10 July 2001
1030 EDT
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, VA
His office door opened and Lieutenant Colonel Sarah MacKenzie walked up to his desk and snapped to attention. "Reporting as ordered, Sir."
"Have a seat, Colonel," the Admiral instructed. "Colonel, as you know, our caseload at JAG is pretty light right now. Not terribly unusual for this time of year."
Mac looked at the Admiral questioningly. 'I wonder what he has on his mind? Is he going to send me to another location for a TDY? Oh God, I hope not. Now that Mic isn't around, I'm so enjoying having my apartment all to myself, again!'
The Admiral continued, "Mac, I know this isn't the best time to bring this up, but damn, I have to. You were scheduled for three weeks of leave the last of May and first half of June. You didn't take it."
Mac replied calmly, "No, Sir. That was to be my honeymoon. I didn't get married, so I didn't take the time off. Is there a problem, Sir?"
"Hell, yes! You've got more leave time on the books than the rest of my staff, put together!" He added under his breath, "Except me, of course."
Mac squirmed in her chair. She really didn't want to take a vacation right now. But she could tell that's what was coming.
"Mac, I need you to take at least 3 weeks of leave between now and Thanksgiving. And because October and November tend to be extremely busy months in this office, I would prefer that you take it between now and the end of September."
"All 3 weeks, Sir? Together?"
"Not necessarily. Take them together if you want to, but the important thing is, take them!" the Admiral insisted.
"Yes, Sir. I have a couple of cases that I need to..."
He interrupted her. "Anything you currently have can be reassigned, Mac. Look at your calendar, and let me know when you're going to be gone. I need to be sure I don't schedule my vacation at the same time you're gone."
"Your vacation, Sir?"
"The SecNav insists that I take some time off, too. But I'm not going anywhere. And if I do, there's no timetable about it. So you schedule yours, and I'll schedule around you," the Admiral offered. "As my Chief of Staff, I want you here when I'm gone."
"Admiral, that's very generous of you, but I'm not going anywhere either," Mac replied.
"You should. You should get away. Go to a ranch or something. Clear your head," he thought aloud.
"A ranch, Admiral? You mean like...out west?" she asked.
"Best ranches are in Texas. Plenty of 'em, too. And there's one in Wyoming that's been around for years. It's a damned fine place. Worked there one summer when I was in high school. Fine horses. Fine. I hear they even have a new swimming pond now," he commented. "Beats the hell out of swimming in the cow pond," he mumbled.
"Yes, Sir, I'm sure it does," Mac chuckled.
The Admiral looked right at Mac. "You ever swim in a cow pond, Colonel?"
Mac sobered instantly. "No, Sir. I can't say that I have, Sir."
"You wouldn't want to," he said emphatically. "That's all, Colonel. Dismissed."
Mac stood and said, "Aye, Sir." She left his office and closed the door behind her. "Damn!" she said as she made her way back to her office.
Commander Harmon Rabb and Lieutenant Harriett Sims came out of the kitchen just as Mac 'slammed' her office door. "One of these days, she's going to have to show me how she does that," Harm said.
"What is that, Sir?" asked Harriett.
"Slams her door but doesn't let it make a sound."
"Don't you know, Sir?" asked Lieutenant Bud Roberts, walking up to them. "She has crushproof foam surrounding the entire door fascia."
"You're kidding. How come I don't have that on my office door?" Harm complained.
"Probably because you've never put it up, Sir. Colonel MacKenzie put hers up herself, years ago."
"It's been there since before I arrived, Commander," offered Harriett.
Harm knocked on Mac's door and opened it. "Lunch?" he asked.
"Not hungry," she said.
"Wanna talk about it?" Harm offered.
"Talk about what?" she asked.
"About what's bothering you. About why you're not hungry. You, who is always hungry."
"The Admiral just told me that I have to take 3 weeks of leave in the next two months," she complained.
"Wish he'd tell me that," Harm said.
"Harm, I don't want to take time off right now. I don't have anywhere to go; no one to visit..."
"You could always go up to my Grandmother's place in PA. She'd love to have you," Harm offered.
"Harm, I've never even met your Grandmother. I can't invade her house for 3 weeks!"
"Gram loves having guests, Mac. You wouldn't be invading, believe me."
"Maybe I should do like the Admiral suggested and go to a ranch out west," she mused.
"A ranch? As in a cattle ranch? Why in the world would he have suggested you go to a cattle ranch?"
"Harm, I think he was referring to a horse ranch...you know, a dude ranch? Well, at least I think he was. He did mention swimming in a cow pond, though..."
Tuesday, 10 July 2001
2345 EDT
Sarah MacKenzie's Apartment
Georgetown, Washington, DC
Mac sat on her sofa with her arms folded around her legs curled up to her chest. Her calendar was in front of her on the coffee table. She had also strewn travel brochures all over the table, sofa, and floor. She'd stopped on her way home at a travel agency, and the woman there was happy to give her anything she wanted. Mac had the brochures in piles now...and grouped by location. One group for the Caribbean...divided by island. One group for Europe, divided by country. One group for Hawaii, divided by...
"Damn!" she said as she pushed all of them back together, scooped them up in her arms, and tossed them all in the kitchen garbage can. She went to the phone and dialed a number from memory. "This is Lt. Colonel Sarah MacKenzie. Would it be possible to speak with Colonel Matthew O'Hara, please?"
"Good evening, Colonel. I'm sorry, but this isn't visiting hours, and I..."
"I know that, Sergeant. I was just hoping you could make an exception this once. I really need to talk to my Uncle. Never mind. I'm sorry; I shouldn't have called..."
"Colonel. If you would, please, Ma'am, hold the line a moment." Mac could tell that the Sergeant had covered the mouthpiece of the receiver, but she could still hear what he was saying...just not what the other person was responding. "Colonel, this is Lt. Colonel MacKenzie on the phone; she asked to speak with her Uncle, Sir. ... O'Hara, Sir. Colonel Matthew O'Hara. ... Yes, Sir. Colonel MacKenzie is with JAG, Sir. ... No, Sir, she's never called except during visitation hours before, Sir."
"Colonel MacKenzie?" a gruff voice sounded in her ear.
"Speaking," she replied.
"Colonel Madison. I'm the..."
"Warden at Leavenworth. Yes, Sir," Mac interrupted. "My Uncle has spoken of you several times, Sir."
"Has he now? Doubt that he's had anything good to say about me. But then, what does that matter? The inmates aren't supposed to like the Warden. I understand you want to speak to Colonel O'Hara?"
"Yes, Sir, if it's possible."
"This isn't visiting hours, Colonel," Madison said.
"No, Sir, I'm aware of that. I was hoping you might make an exception this once. But I understand that's not possible, Sir. My apologies for bothering you, Sir. It won't happen again," Mac said quickly and hung up the phone.
Wednesday, 11 July 2001
Bud set his cover and briefcase on his desk and hurried to Mac's office. "Yes, Ma'am?"
"Bud, how do I get on the Internet?" she asked in a frustrated voice.
"Ma'am? You've been using the Internet for over a year now. What..."
"I don't know what happened, Bud. It just won't come up anymore."
Bud walked around behind her desk and looked at the screen. "Would you like to drive or shall I, Ma'am?"
"Drive?" she asked. "Where are going?"
Bud chuckled, "No, Ma'am. When someone is helping you with something on the computer, the person at the keyboard is the one 'driving'," he explained.
"Oh. You drive," she said getting up out of her chair and allowing him to sit.
Bud opened her Internet preferences and found that the proxies were not set correctly. He changed them and refreshed the screen. The official Marines home page appeared instantly.
"What'd you do?" she asked.
"Just changed your proxies, Ma'am. There was a note about it a couple of months ago. They finally turned off the old server last week, so if you aren't accessing the new proxy, you can't get past the firewall," he explained.
"So I shouldn't ignore those notes anymore, eh?" she mused. "Thanks, Bud," she added as he walked out of her office."No problem, Ma'am."
Wednesday, 11 July 2001
0930 EDT
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, VA
"How would you know, Flyboy? You've only been in the office for 15 minutes."
"Tiner, get me Colonel MacKenzie! Yesterday!" barked Admiral Chegwidden's voice over the intercom. It was so loud, everyone in the bullpen heard it.
"You've been summoned," Harm whispered as Mac headed for the Admiral's office.
Mac had knocked only once when she heard, "Enter!"
Mac opened the door and walked in, saying "Colonel MacKenzie reporting..."
"What the hell were you thinking, Colonel?" the Admiral asked.
"Sir? I'm sorry, Sir, I don't know to what you're referring..."
"Leavenworth! A call you placed last night at 2245 their time! Ring any bells, Colonel?"
'Uh oh.' "Admiral, I did call there last night, but I didn't infer that I was representing JAG when I called, Sir. I even said that I wanted to speak with my Uncle, so they'd know it was a personal call, not..."
"You hung up on the Warden, Colonel," he accused her.
"I didn't think I hung up on him, Sir. I apologized for bothering them and told him it wouldn't happen again."
"And you hung up. Before he had a chance to speak."
"Yes, Sir, I guess I did," she admitted. "Admiral, I knew it wasn't visiting hours, but I really needed...wanted...to talk to my Uncle. I'm sorry, Sir. I never meant to cause..."
"Have a seat, Colonel." Mac sat. The Admiral stood and walked out from behind his desk. He pulled his phone to the edge and handed Mac the receiver. Then he punched Line 2. "Your Uncle," he said as he headed for the door. "Take as long as you need, Mac."
Mac was stunned. She heard a voice coming over the line. "Sarah? Sarah, are you there?"
"Uncle Matt?" she said putting the receiver to her face.
"Sarah! Hello, Sweetheart. How's my favorite niece?" Matthew O'Hara asked.
"I'm your only niece, Uncle Matt," she laughed.
"Yes, I suppose that's true. Doesn't mean you're not my favorite, though," he joked. Then he became more serious. "I understand you tried to call me last night, Sarah. Is something wrong?"
"I'm sorry about that, Uncle Matt. I didn't mean to cause a problem. I just needed to talk to you about... I wanted to talk about..." Mac couldn't finish. Tears sprang to her eyes and threatened to spill down her cheeks. Her throat constricted and she choked back a sob.
"Sarah, Sweetheart. Do you want to talk about Mic?" he asked knowingly.
"Oh, Uncle Matt. I know I did the right thing calling off the wedding. But everyone thinks it's because of Harm. Yes, it was because of Harm's going down that I finally came to my senses, but I didn't call off the wedding because of him. I postponed it because of him, yes. But I called it off because I realized I didn't really love Mic," she explained.
"I know that, Sarah. And I was very relieved when you called it off."
"Why, Uncle Matt?"
"Because you never spoke of him with love in your voice. You never even spoke of him with respect in your voice. It was more like you were resigned to being with him."
"I was."
"I know."
"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked.
"Wasn't my place, Sarah. And you wouldn't have listened anyway," he chuckled.
"You're probably right. I didn't listen when anyone around here told me that," she admitted.
"Who around there told you?" Colonel O'Hara was curious. He had his own suspicions as to whom his niece was really in love with. And if he was right, she was in very deep water.
"Chloe, Harriett, Harm, Gunny...hell, even the Admiral tried to tell me!"
"What exactly did they say, Sweetheart?"
"Chloe told me I couldn't marry Mic because I really loved Harm. Harriett told me I couldn't marry Mic because I really loved Harm."
"I'm seeing a pattern here. Harm's a fine young man, Sarah."
"Yes, he is, Uncle Matt. But he's not for me. Maybe once, years ago, we might have had a chance. But not now. Too much has happened in our lives...we're not the same people we once were."
"No, you're not. Okay, so what did Harm say?"
"Just that he didn't believe I really loved Mic. But that if I did, he'd support me."
"And the Gunny?"
"He never actually came out and said anything; that wouldn't have been appropriate. He just always shook his head whenever Mic came to the office. It was obvious he didn't like him...didn't think I was making the right choice."
"What about the Admiral? What did he say?"
"I think he was just concerned that we might leave DC and he'd lose his Chief of Staff!" Mac laughed.
"I doubt that, Sarah," O'Hara said. "He thinks a lot of you."
"I think a lot of him. He's a wonderful CO...best I've ever had...best I've ever known."
"Sarah, how long do you plan to stay at JAG?" her Uncle asked.
Mac became a bit flustered, "I don't know, Uncle Matt. Could be a long time. I'm happy here. Why do you ask that?"
"Don't stay too long, Sarah. Move on. Get back on a Marine base," he advised.
"Uncle Matt, why are suggesting this? I'm happy where I am at JAG," she insisted.
"I know you are, Sarah. But I want to see you happy in your personal life, too. And I don't think that's going to happen while you're at JAG," he said cryptically. 'And under Chegwidden's command,' he added to himself.
"Uncle Matt," Mac said, changing subjects abruptly. "I have to take 3 weeks of leave in the next two months. Where should I go? What should I do? Any suggestions...ideas?"
"Considering you hop all over the globe with that job of yours, I would suggest something in the U.S. would be novel. What about a ranch? You've never been to a ranch before. Be something new and different for you."
"A ranch? Funny, that's what the Admiral suggested, too," she commented.
"Did he now? Must be a good idea, then, hmm? Sarah, I'm going to have to go now. The Warden just came in and said my time is up. Think about what I said, Sweetheart. About the ranch...and about getting back to a Marine base. I love you, Sarah. Be safe."
"Goodbye, Uncle Matt. I love you, too."
Just as Mac was ready to hang up the receiver, she heard another voice coming over the line. "Colonel MacKenzie?"
"Yes?"
"Colonel Madison."
"Colonel! Thank you for allowing me to talk with my Uncle, Sir. I'm sorry about last night, Colonel, I..."
"Quite all right, Colonel. I spoke with your Admiral Chegwidden this morning, and he convinced me to allow you to speak with your Uncle. So any thanks really go to him."
"Not completely, Sir. Even with the Admiral's recommendation, it was still your right of refusal, Sir."
"Quite right, Colonel."
"Colonel Madison, just to set the record straight, Sir. Uncle Matt has spoken of you several times, as I said last night. Every time, he's let me know that you are a fair and honorable man, an officer he would have been proud to serve alongside," she informed him.
"Thank you, Colonel. That's nice to hear. I appreciate your sharing that with me." He was very glad to hear that, actually. It affirmed what he thought, what they all thought, about Colonel O'Hara there at Leavenworth. "Colonel?"
"Sir?"
"I believe I heard your Uncle saying something about a ranch. Are you planning a vacation?" he asked.
"Yes, Sir. I have to take 3 weeks' leave before October 1."
"Well, let me tell you, if you decide to go to a ranch, the best one I know is called the Brush Creek Ranch. It's outside of Saratoga, Wyoming. Kinta Blumenthal runs the place. If you decide to go, you give her my name. She'll treat you right," Madison said.
Mac was flabbergasted. "Thank you, Colonel. Brush Creek Ranch. I'll look into it."
"Enjoy your leave, Colonel. Goodbye." And he hung up.
Wednesday, 11 July 2001
1545 EST
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, VA
"Not likely. This is a Web site for a ranch I'm thinking about...maybe...going to for a while," she stammered.
"You? A ranch? You're serious?" Harm couldn't believe his ears. Mac was far from being a cowgirl in his eyes.
"I haven't decided for sure. And I probably won't go. But I'm looking into it."
Harm just shook his head and walked away.In the meantime, Harriett had walked in and heard the last part of their conversation. "So how did you ever find their Web site, Ma'am? I can't ever find anything; I always have to call Bud."
"Actually, it was easy. Bud told me a couple of months ago to just type www. and then the name of the company or whatever and .com at the end. He said about 4 out of 5 times you'll get the Web site you want. And he's right. In fact, so far, the only one that didn't work out that way was when I was trying to get to Dick's Sporting Goods. All I typed was Dicks. I left off the Sporting Goods. Boy did I get an eyeful!"
Harriett gasped. "Colonel! You don't mean..."
"Oh, yes, Harriett. I do mean!"
"Oh my God!"
When their laughter died down, Harriett told Mac what she needed for the Admiral. Mac handed her the file, and made her decision. She'd call and find out if the Ranch had an opening for her. Half an hour later, Mac hung up the phone. Kinta had been very polite and answered all of Mac's questions satisfactorily. If she wanted to stay for 3 weeks, she could come as early as the 22nd. Mac asked to be penciled in; she explained that she'd have to verify the dates with her boss before committing to them. And she promised to call back by Friday noon with a definite answer.
Mac knocked on the Admiral's door. "Enter!"
After the preliminaries, Mac said, "Admiral, I'd like to take my 3 weeks of leave at one time, Sir, commencing on Sunday, 22 July. Is that acceptable, Sir?"
"That's fine, Colonel. Anything else?"
The Admiral was busy; he didn't have time for small talk. Mac had hoped to tell him that she was going to a ranch in Wyoming, just as he suggested. She wanted to ask him some questions about ranch life. About clothes. About horseback riding. And about cow ponds! But he obviously wasn't in the mood for small talk. So she answered, "No, Sir."
"Dismissed," he said.
Tuesday, 17 July 2001
2130 EDT
Chegwidden Residence
McLean, VA
And that cinched it. He picked up the phone and called. "Name's Chegwidden. Wonder if you have room for one person for 3 weeks?"
"Chegwidden? I know that name. Not Jess Chegwidden, by any chance?" the old voice asked.
"Yes, that's right," AJ said, remembering his old nickname.
"Good God! A voice from the past! Jess, it's me...Harry, Harry Caldwell."
"Mr. Caldwell?" Caldwell was AJ's boss from his one high school summer on the Ranch.
"It's Harry, Jess, please. Haven't heard from you in years. Last I knew, you were in the Navy. Seem to remember you became a SeAL; that right?"
"That's right, Harry. Reason I'm calling is I was hoping to spend some time at the Ranch. I've been thinking a lot about the place recently, and I've got leave time coming...3 weeks' worth. So I thought I'd check to see if you could take me."
"Of course we can, Jess! You want to work or just play when you come? We have city slickers visiting with us each week now, you know. Place is a lot different than it was when you were here. We're still a working ranch, mind you, don't get me wrong."
"I know, Harry. Actually, I've kept up with the place over the years, even though I've never been back. I hear you've even got a new swimming hole! Don't have to swim with the cows anymore?" AJ chuckled.
Harry laughed outright. "Couple of years ago, we had a bunch here from Canada. Not a one of them would go in that cow pond, and you know what? It was a hundred degrees in the shade that week! When they left, they wrote the wife a check for $5000 and begged her to put in a swimming hole! Figured we couldn't pass up that opportunity, so we did. Right nice hole, too. You'll like it. 'Course you, 'specially, will miss those cows, Jess!" Harry laughed, again.
"Not likely!" AJ laughed with him.
"Looking at the calendar here, Jess... How about the 22nd? No, wait. Damn! We're full that week. What about the 29th? Yea, that'll work. Three weeks? Yea, that's the best date to start...July 29. Can you make it?" Harry Caldwell asked.
"What about the12th of August? Will that work?" AJ asked. Mac was going to be gone from July 22 through August 11. He'd need a few hours to brief her upon her return, and then he could leave.
"Sorry, no, Jess. We're booked solid, again, starting August 12, for the rest of the summer. I have openings in October and November, though. You interested in those?" Harry doubted it, but he'd ask.
"No, I really wanted the summer. Okay, Harry. Put me down for 29 July for 3 weeks. I'll arrange work...somehow."
"Look forward to seeing you, again, Jess!"
"Me, too, Harry. Thanks."
Wednesday, 18 July 2001
0815 EDT
Pentagon, Naval Wing
Arlington, VA
"Very well, Mr. Secretary. Then you may cancel my leave request. Is that all, Sir?" AJ snapped. He was annoyed. Highly annoyed. This little twit of a man could get under AJ's skin so fast.
"Cancel your request? Hell, AJ! You're the senior officer! You take your leave and have MacKenzie move hers!"
"With all due respect, Mr. Secretary. I told the Colonel to schedule her leave according to her convenience and that I would schedule mine around her plans. I will not ask her to change her plans," AJ rebuffed.
"Why the hell would you do that?!" growled the SecNav. "Doesn't sound like an Admiral to me."
"Perhaps not, Mr. Secretary. But it is what you do in a family. And JAG is a family," he stated flatly. "If there's nothing else, Sir?"
"Nothing else," the SecNav dismissed him. "AJ?" he changed his mind.
The Admiral turned back around to face him. "Yes, Mr. Secretary?"
"You wouldn't have asked this if you thought there'd be any complications. Rabb has handled your office before, I know. And he usually does a pretty good job of it. But two weeks of overlap? Hell, I guess it's all right. Go ahead. Put Rabb in command. Just be sure he and I know how to reach you in case anything happens."
"Thank you, Mr. Secretary." AJ turned quickly and left. 'Get out of here before he changes his mind!'
Friday, 20 July 2001
1545 EDT
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, VA
"Harm, I'm going. And I'm going to enjoy myself...even if it kills me. Uncle Matt thinks it'll be good for me," she replied. 'Not to mention, so does the Admiral. And he's never been wrong yet...about what's good for me, anyway.'
"Okay," Harm resigned himself to being without her for 3 weeks. "You're going to have your cell phone with you, right? So I can call you and check up on you?"
"Harm, I'll be fine. But yes, I will have my cell phone. I'm not going to have it turned on, though. So you'll just have to leave a message and I'll call you back."
"If you're not going to turn it on, why take it?" Harm groused."Harm, too many people have my cell number. My relaxing vacation wouldn't be very relaxing if I kept getting work-related calls. I'll take the phone, and I'll check my messages once or twice a day. If it's an emergency, you can always call the Ranch directly," Mac explained. "I wrote down all the pertinent information and gave it to Tiner. He has my flight itinerary, the address & phone number for the Ranch, everything."
"Okay, okay. So, what time do you want me to pick you up on Sunday?"
Mac looked questioningly at him. "You are going to let me drive you to the airport, aren't you?" he asked.
"Oh, yea. Sure, that would be great. Thanks, Harm," Mac replied.
"Excuse me, Ma'am," Petty Officer Tiner said as he stood in the doorway to Mac's office. "The Admiral would like to see you before you leave, Ma'am."
"Thanks, Tiner," she smiled as she followed him back to the Admiral's office area. Tiner buzzed the Admiral's intercom."Yes?"
"Admiral, Colonel MacKenzie is here to see you, Sir."
"Send her in Tiner." Mac opened the door and walked inside. "Colonel. All set for your vacation?" he asked.
"Yes, Sir. I just finished cleaning off my desk and handing off all of my cases to Lieutenant Roberts. I'm sure he'll do a fine job, Sir."
"Yes, yes, I'm sure he will. Scuttlebutt has it that you're off to a ranch for your leave." Mac nodded. "Good, good. Ranch'll do you good. Help you to clear your head. Of course, you'll have to get used to the smell first," he joked.
"The smell, Sir?"
"Cows, Colonel. Cows smell. For that matter, so do horses. Pigs, sheep, goats. They all smell. Takes a while to get used to, but once you do, it won't bother you. Which ranch did you decide on? A working ranch or just a city slicker ranch? Some are both, you know."
"It's one of the latter, Sir. It is still a working ranch, but it also allows for guests. Actually, Sir, it's one that the Warden from Leavenworth recommended to me. It's called..."
"Excuse me, Colonel," the Admiral interrupted as his intercom buzzed. He punched the button and said in a distracted voice, "Can't this wait, Tiner?"
"I'm sorry, Admiral. But it's Secretary Colin Powell on Line 1, Sir. It's not just his office, Sir. It's him!" Tiner explained in a hurry.
"Okay, Tiner. Sorry Mac. Go ahead and leave whenever you're ready. Have a great vacation; you deserve it. Dismissed."
AJ punched Line 1 on his phone as Mac came to attention stance and said, "Thank you, Sir." She turned and left.
Sunday, 22 July 2001
0800 EDT
Dulles International Airport
Washington, DC
Mac and Harm sat next to each other in the United Airlines departure lounge. "Harm, you really didn't have to come in with me. You could have just dropped me at the curb," Mac said.
"I wanted to come with you, Mac," he answered as he picked up her hand and squeezed it tightly, not letting go afterward. "Mac, we haven't really talked much about...us...since Brumby left," he began.
"Harm, this really isn't the time to start that conversation. I have to board a plane in 32 minutes," Mac said quietly. She really didn't want to have this discussion. She was afraid that Harm might have changed his mind about his feelings for her. He'd made it quite clear to her that night on the ferry in Australia that he didn't want her. He broke her heart that night, and she'd gone straight into Brumby's arms. Not the arms she wanted...but then, Harm's arms weren't really the arms she wanted either, if she was truly honest with herself.
It took Harm's going down in a storm while doing his quals the day before her scheduled wedding to bring her to her senses. She postponed the wedding at first, telling Mic that once Harm was found and well, they could reschedule. But as the weeks passed, she knew she would never reschedule. Finally Mic returned to Australia, ring in hand. She didn't really love Mic; that was obvious to her now. He was there to catch her on the rebound.
"Mac? Mac?" Harm was waving his hand in front of her face.
"What?" she finally said.
"Where'd you go? You zoned out on me for a while there," he informed her.
"I just thinking about Mic. I really hurt him, Harm. I never meant to," she lamented.
"Mic's a big boy, Mac. He'll get over it. Probably already is." Harm never liked the Australian, not from the first day he met him. And he'd certainly never understood how Mac could have accepted a date with him, let alone a marriage proposal from him. After all, he tried to pin a murder on her! "Mac, I hurt Renee, too. I didn't intend to either. But she's already dating someone else. I'm sure Mic is doing fine. Mac, I want to talk about us...not Mic," Harm tried, again.
"There is no 'us', Harm. There never really has been. Except as partners once. We're best friends, again, Harm. Let's leave it at that, shall we?"
"Is that what you really want, Mac? Just to be friends? You don't want any more than that?" he asked sadly.
"No, Harm. I don't. When I look for more than that from you, I get hurt. And I've been in enough pain for the last few years, thank you. I'd just like to have you as my best friend, again. With no complications."
"But on the ferry, in Australia, you said..."
"I know what I said, Harm. And I know what you said. You broke my heart that night, Harm. But it was my fault. I left myself wide open to it. That was two years ago, Harm. Let's just forget about it. Pretend that we never had that conversation. Can you do that for me?" she pleaded.
"Is there someone else, Mac? Is that why you're saying this?"
"Does there have to be someone else? Can't I just decide that I want to get on with my life? And have it be uncomplicated by a man for a change?" she whispered.
Harm brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it. "Of course you can, Mac. And we'll do it your way. Ferry? What ferry? I don't remember any ferry," he said quietly.
Mac looked at him and brought her other hand up to his face, cupping his cheek. "Thank you, Harm. Thank you very much."
The loudspeaker squawked and a voice announced the boarding of Mac's flight to Denver.
"You renting a car when you get there?" Harm asked as they both stood up.
"No, I'm taking a limousine from the airport to Laramie. A car from the Ranch will pick me up there. I should be to the Ranch by about 1600 their time."
"And they're 2 hours behind us, right?" Mac nodded. Harm took Mac in his arms and hugged her fiercely. When he slightly released his hold on her, he asked, "One kiss? Or should I say, one more kiss?" remembering their kiss on the Admiral's porch.
Mac nodded, and they both leaned in for a sweet goodbye. Mac picked up her carry-on bag and started down the gangway. She hadn't quite reached the door to the plane when a single tear slipped out of her eye and trailed down her cheek.
