“Congratulations Commander.” Chegwidden shook the tall officer’s hand and smiled broadly. “You pulled off the impossible.”

“Thank you, sir.” Commander Jarod McKinley smiled broadly at the admiral then nodded to the man at his side. “But Commander Rabb’s closing that clinched the members’ opinion.”

“Well, congratulations to you both.” The older man grinned. “Though, I suspect Lieutenant Singer isn’t exactly pleased with either one of you.”

Both commanders chuckled.

“I wouldn’t say she is, sir.” Harm agreed, barely surpressing a grin as the Lieutenant in question stalked into the JAG offices, openly glaring at the two men as she passed. “Not in the least.”

“You should have heard her in the car on the way back here.” Mac laughed out, joining them. “She thought we had this case in the bag.”

“So did we.” Her regular partner replied with a shrug. “But Jarod pulled a miracle out of his hat, proving the Major’d set up his own suicide to look like a murder.”

The other man shrugged as well. “There was something about it that didn’t feel right. Both Harm and I agreed on that one.”

“It did have an odd ‘feel’ to it.” Mac nodded. “But to actually go so far as to kill yourself in order to set up someone else for murder...It’s an extreme idea. I can’t believe anyone would think about it.”

“Well, Major Deakins certainly did.” Jarod pointed out.

“He did indeed.” Chegwidden nodded. “Well, gentlemen, Colonel, if you’ll excuse me, the SecNav’s expecting a call.” After excusing himself, the Admiral turned toward his office.

“So, what do you two boys have planned for tonight?” Mac questioned, the trio unconsciously lingering near the elevators. “Celebratory drinks?”

“Actually, I’m gonna take Jarod by the garage, see the car.” Harm grinned proudly. “I’ve been telling him about it.”

“It certainly sounds like quite the project.” The other man agreed.

“You’re interested in cars, Commander?” Mac looked up at Jarod who smiled mysteriously.

“I’m interested in everything, Colonel.”

----

“Well, what do you think?” Harm asked, watching the other man walk in to examine the car.

Jarod prowled around the vehicle, giving it an expert look before looking up and smiling. “You’ve put a lot of work into it.” He touched the hood then sent an appraising glance in the other man’s direction. “Does Colonel MacKenzie help you with it?”

The implications of the question were not lost on the other officer who laughed. “Mac? Here?” He shook his head. “It’s not her kind of thing.”

Jarod’s “Mmhmmm...” floated up from beneath the hood. “Are you sure?”

Shrugging out of his jacket, Harm frowned over at the other man. “Commander, may I ask what you’re getting at?”

The tall man straightened up and shrugged lightly. “I’m sorry, is this something you don’t discuss?”

“Excuse me?”

“Your feelings for Colonel MacKenzie.” Jarod replied frankly. “I take it the subject is taboo?”

“No,” Harm hedged slightly, somewhat surprised by the other man’s direct question. “Not exactly it’s just...complicated.”

The other man grinned. “I know complicated, Harm, and believe me, compared to some, you and Mac are remarkably simple.”

“We are, huh?” Harm folded his arms across his chest and leaned back against the wall. “Do tell, Commander.”

“You’re overthinking it.” Jarod replied immediately. “I may be overstepping my bounds here, Harm, but I’m quite sure I’m not alone in my opinion.”

Harm’s grin widened. This was quite the conversation. He’d come here expecting to talk about cars and ended up talking about Mac. This was definitely not in his plan. “I won’t disagree there, but there’s a lot of baggage between us.”

The other officer mirrored his posture against the other wall. “Define baggage?”

With a sigh, the pilot related the many and varied events that had happened to himself and Mac over the years. The things that, in some ways, now stood between them. To his amazement, when he was done, Jarod looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “That’s it?”

“That’s *it*?!” Harm stared at him in flabbergasted amazement. “What do you mean that’s it?”

Jarod grinned wryly. “Frankly, given the buildup everyone at the office has been giving me, I was expecting something like nuclear war will break out if you and Mac actually tried it.” He chuckled lightly. “Harm, despite what the movie industry would have the world believe, love is neither hard, nor easy. It’s work.”

“Thank you for ruining my carefully guarded illusions.” The other man replied dryly, grinning slightly. “But I already knew that.”

“Did you?” His friend countered. “Somehow, I’m not so sure - you’re both military officers and both expect to be in charge of every aspect of your life.” He shrugged. “A relationship isn’t about chains of command. It’s about giving a little and getting a little and keeping a balance.”

“I know.” Harm insisted with a stubborn expression.

“Ok...then let me put it this way.” Jarod pinned him with a knowing look. “Every moment you delay, dancing around a chance at a real relationship, is a moment you’ll never get back. It’s gone forever and every moment lost is one that you’ll never have to spend with her. There isn’t an infinite number of moments, Harm. We’re all mortal last I checked and that means no guarantees. At any second you could lose her. All it would take is one car going too fast or an accidental tumble down the stairs or, given her line of work, a stray bullet. She’d be gone and all you’d have is what? The thought of how complicated it would be? Will that be enough for you? If you lose her, will that be enough?”

----

“Harm?” Opening her door to find him standing there, Mac frowned at him in shocked confusion. “Is something wrong? You look...strange.” Actually, strange was an understatement. Harm had the most alarming expression on his face, a strangely intent look that thrilled her and scared her at the same time. He looked like a man who’d gone without water for a week and was now staring at a tall glass of crisp, cool water.

He stepped in, closing the door before reached out and pulled her into an embrace, holding her tightly before lowering his mouth to hers.

To say she was even more confused didn’t begin to cover it but she also found any reason to protest rapidly fleeing her mind along with almost every rational thought she was capable of. The very thorough and passionate kiss of the man holding her was quite dilligently chasing each and every one of them from her mind. To be truthful, she didn’t mind all that much and that showed when she pressed herself closer, forgetting the movie marathon she’d been enjoying before his unannounced arrival at her door, and returned the kiss with the same desperation he was giving it.

When they finally parted, their lungs screaming for air, Harm rested his forehead against hers. “I love you.” He gasped out, his fingertips brushing down her cheeks. “I love you, and I don’t care what we have to do to make it work...I want it to work.”

“Where is this coming from?” She questioned softly, her own voice uneven and ragged. “Why now?”

His mouth hovered near hers and he flashed a brief smile. “Let’s just say I had a few things pointed out to me. Things I’ve been trying very hard to ignore but shouldn’t have. It’s a different world, Mac and I think I’m finally seeing the truth of that. Cherish every second...” Their lips brushed again. “And worry about ‘complications’ later.”

She smiled, her lips moving against his. “And when’s later?”

Regaining his breath, Harm slid his arms about her again, pulling her body flush against his. “Never.”

Throwing caution to the wind for once, Mac’s smile broadened. “Works for me.”

He grinned, backing her farther into the apartment. “I thought it might.” He caught sight of her popcorn and the solitary beer bottle that sat next to it. “Did I interrupt your night?”

She slipped her hands up his chest and around to the back of his neck, drawing his head down to hers again. “Yes but I think I like the way it’s turning out better than anything Abbott & Costello have to offer.”

“And how is it turning out?” He questioned cautiously, feeling a flash of concern.

Mac tilted her head back slightly, quirking a grin at him. “Commander Rabb...I thought you flyboys knew this by heart?” Her eyes sparked with playful mischief. “Or perhaps I should specify another organ?”

“Colonel...” He countered with a grin of his own. “Is that an implication becoming an officer?”

“Harm?”

“Yes?”

“Shut up and kiss me.”

“Aye, aye, ma’am.” Harm murmured in agreement, taking her mouth with his again.

This time they took their time, leisurely deepening the kiss, their mouths and tongues duelling with each other before Mac pushed his coat from his shoulders an action that signalled a change, crossed an unspoken line. Slowly, Harm dragged his fingers along her hips and up to curl into the fabric of her sweatshirt, pushing it up to give him access to her skin. She gasped reflexively when he squeezed her flesh, the cold of his ring a sharp contrast to the warmth of his hands.

After a moment, his mouth left hers, wandering down the column of her throat and pulling away long enough to give him a chance to remove her shirt, tossing it aside. He allowed himself a chance to appreciate her nearly nude upper body before returning his lips to her shoulder. They played across the smooth skin, his softly-spoken endearments creating a feather-light pattern that had her gasping for her very breath.

With firm insistence, Mac brought his lips to hers again, seeming to draw life from him and he, in return, did the same from her. They surfaced for air, staring at each other for a long moment before Harm reached for her again and, to her delight, Lt. Colonel Sarah MacKenzie found herself being swept off her feet.

----

Thinking back to that night, Harm honestly could not recall anything from those few moments in which he carried her from the living room to her bedroom, anything but the way her eyes seemed to glow with an inner light. It was all he saw, all he was aware of, and all he cared about. As long as she looked at him that way, he was convinced everything was all right. Everything was perfect.

And, for those few moments, everything was.

----

When they reached her bedroom, he set her on her feet and, immediately, she pulled his shirt off, pressing a lingering kiss to the smooth skin of his broad chest. Harm groaned in response, his hands sliding into her hair, curling about the silken fibers before drawing her mouth up to his. As the kiss deepened, he pulled her flush against him, the heated skin of their upper bodies coming into full contact, an action that sent a surge of pleasure through them.

Slowly, one of Harm’s hands slid free of her hair, skimming along the column of her throat and down her chest. One finger trailed against the skin, moving down between her breasts, leaving a trail of pleasure in it’s wake until reaching the fasten of her bra. Carefully, he hooked it free, his other hand moving to guide the strap down one shoulder then the other. He took great enjoyment from the simple act of freeing her from the undergarment and she shivered when his ring brushed against her arm, coaxing goosebumps, as he pulled the scrap of material from her body.

His fingers, having dispatched of the bra, now traced the outline of her breasts, causing a shudder of anticipation which ran through Mac’s body, pooling into a delicious heat. Not one to sit back and take a passive role, the marine slipped her hands down between them, finding the fastening of his pants. Undoing the button then the zipper, she shoved them down before grasping his arms and spinning them. With a grin, she pushed just hard enough to send him toppling back on the bed before straddling his midsection and pinning his arms to the bed.

Harm grinned in response, his eyes gleaming in the darkness of the room, holding a promise that brought decidely erotic imagery to mind which had her hips rock unconsciously against him. Immediately, he groaned and closed his eyes. The sensations that simple action had sent rocketing from his brain to groin and vice versa had him reaching for her hips. The action was halted when Mac pressed down on his wrists, a reminder that they were to stay put.

Shifting her position slightly, she returned her attention to his chest, picking up where she’d left off. Her nails stroked along his arms as her mouth played across his chest, nipping, sucking, and teasing. He was on the verge of complaining when she stopped only to have that incredibly imaginative mouth land on his neck, attacking it with a vigor.

When he could take no more, Harm reversed their positions, mimicking her attentions to his body and quickly had Mac offering up soft cries and moans of her own pleasure.

They teased each other for as long as they dared but before long, their arousal-fogged minds had narrowed down to one goal and one goal only - completion. The joining of their bodies was, despite the urgency of the moment, a slow act accompanied by a deep, probing kiss that they luxuriated in as much as in the act of coming together.

Savoring the feeling, Harm took a moment to rest his head on her chest, feeling her lightly comb her fingers though his hair before the demands of both their bodies could no longer be ignored. Strong, purposeful strokes soon had them both crying out the pleasure of their climaxes in the form of each other’s names. Losing themselves in the sheer intensity of the moment, it took some time before they returned to anything resembling an ordinary state of mind.

But when they did, though they were reluctant to separate, Harm rolled onto his side, pulling her against him. In deference to the chill of the room against their fevered skin, Mac reached down to pull the comforter over them before she cuddled against the warmth of his larger frame. Resting an arm across his midsection, she pressed her cheek against his chest, her fingertips drawing nonsensical patterns on his skin.

“Harm?”

Though his eyes were closed, Harm was wide awake, half afraid to fall asleep only to find he’d been dreaming. “Mmm?”

“Why did you come here tonight?” Voicing a variation on her earlier questions, Mac shifted her head slightly, peering up at his features through her tousled hair.

He smiled in the darkness. “Like I said, I had a few things pointed out ot me.”

“By who?”

He chuckled. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

-----

“Who are you? Really?” Somehow, when Harm returned to his apartment a few days later, he was unsurprised to find Jarod inside it - helping himself to a cup of coffee.

“Ahh...” The other man grinned back at him. “The Navy’s realized it, have they?”

“Realized that there is currently no Jarod McKinley serving in any sort of JAG position anywhere in the world and have started an investigation to find out who he is and where he’s disappeared to?” The lawyer grinned. “Yeah, I’d say they’ve realized it.” Walking across the apartment, he poured himself a cup before fixing a hard look on his ‘guest’. “Who are you?”

“That, Commander, is a question I’m not even sure I can answer.” Jarod replied honestly. “There are more questions than answers for the conundrum of my identity. Most days, I’m not even sure.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“It means, any answer I could give you would be one that should never make it into any form of official documentation. Doing so would only attract the wrong attention and get you into more trouble then you would know what do to with.”

“Is that...”

“A threat?” Jarod shook his head. “No. It’s a warning.” He lifted the mug to his lips, taking a fortifying swallow. “You’re a good man, Commander Rabb. And the last thing I want is for you to be dragged into the disaster that seems to be my life most of the time.” He smiled ruefully. “I’m afraid that any answer I could give you would be likely to do exactly that and it wouldn’t be fair to you.”

“Then why are you here?” Harm pressed, believing the other man’s warnings. The sincere fear in Jarod’s eyes was hard to ignore.

“We’re of a kind, you and me.” The mystery man replied softly. “We’ve both spent a good portion of our lives trying to figure out what happened to our family and I thought, just this once, you deserved what answers I could give you. Believe me, I know how frustrating it can be to have the truth just beyond your reach. I live my life that way.”

“Jarod...if I can help...”

“You can’t.” He interrupted sadly. “No one can. I have to face this myself.” Standing, he set the cup down. “I’d ask you to give Colonel MacKenzie a kiss for me but - “ he grinned roguishly. “I think she’ll be getting enough from you as is. You don’t need an excuse.”

Harm grinned before he could stop himself. “I won’t argue with that one.” He agreed with a nod, watching the other man cross the room to the door. “Jarod?”

The Pretender stopped in the open doorway, looking back.

“Be careful.” Harm smiled. “And thank you.”

Jarod’s smile nearly split his face. “You’re welcome.” He said simply. “Someone deserves a happy ending to this story.” He lifted a shoulder. “And you two fit the bill.” Stepping back, he let the door swing shut with an air of finalty.

Standing at the kitchen island, Harm didn’t move to follow. He had a suspicion that if he did open the door, he fould find the hallway empty. The other man vanished as if he’d never been.

Without a trace.

Memories of their conversation - that fateful exchange of words - surfaced in his mind and he altered his thought.

Jarod had vanished but he’d left a mark. His unexpected words of wisdom had quite literally changed two people’s lives forever and had, in all probability, put them on a path toward an outcome both had dreamt of but never dared acknowledge.

Being together.

 

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