Title: Our Girls

Author: Anne Taul

Classification: Story; Harm/Mac romance

Rating: PG at most

 

Spoilers: Most anything in the ongoing saga could be touched upon, but no major ones

 

Summary: Harm and Mac experience the matchmaking attempts of Mattie and Chloe

 

OUR GIRLS

 

 

   "Do you want to go to the airport with me, Mattie?" Mac asked over Harm's shoulder.

 

              "I don't think so." the young girl answered. "You haven't seen Chloe in a while, so you guys probably need some time alone. I'm looking forward to meeting her, though."

 

      "Yeah, Mac, we'll pick you two up for dinner later, the girls can meet then."

 

                Agreeing, Mac excused herself and left on her errand.

 

    Harm turned to his youthful ward, "I'm proud of you for being so willing to help entertain Chloe on her visit here."

 

         "Well, you and Mac don't have time, besides there aren't many of your friends that are my age, and she might know stories about you."

 

     "Aw, the truth…" Harm whispered.  "You'll like Chloe. She's overcome a lot since meeting her dad and going to live with her grandparents."

 

                     "So? What are you hoping... that she'll be a good influence on me or something?"

 

 "Or something, I guess."

 

*******************

************************

 

               To both Harm's and Mac's relief, Chloe and Mattie hit it off like gangbusters. The adults rationalized that it was probably due to the fact that neither of them had had too many friends their own age growing up. Chloe was doing fine with the kids in her school, and Harm had hopes that Mattie would make connections in her new school as well, but for now seeing the two of them together was enough for the JAG officers.

 

    After dinner, the two young ladies went for a walk outside the restaurant while waiting for the old folks to finish up.

 

                  Mattie decided to test Chloe's knowledge about her new guardian and his friend. "So, Mac and Harm seem like they're pretty close."

 

     "Are you kidding?" Chloe laughed. "She's totally in love with him."

 

          "Really?"

 

                     "Yeah, and he's in love with her too."

 

               "But they're not…….together…. are they?"

 

       "No."

 

                       "Why not?"

 

                   "They've both been through so much that I think they must be scared."

 

      "What do you mean?"

 

               Chloe told her new friend about Harm and Mac's struggles growing up, their recent romantic relationships and things she knew about their relationship to each other.

 

        Mattie listened closely. At the end, her comment was, "They really belong together, don't they?"

 

            As the girls talked, they were convinced that Harm and Mac needed to be together romantically and that they should help their mentors find their way.

 

                "They won't like it." Chloe warned.

 

                          "I know. But we care about them and they need this."

 

         They began to talk over schemes and finally hatched a plan.

 

   *************

 

              Mac had outlined a whole list of activities for Chloe during her week in Washington, including museums, galleries and the like. Since she would have to work some during the visit, Mattie had been enlisted as a companion for some of this. The two girls were enjoying each other's company, but spent most of their time discussing plans for bringing the adults together.

 

    One evening, Chloe and Mattie were alone together at Mac's apartment when they decided the time had come. Mattie had heard talk about a really great night club that she wanted them to go to. Of course, Harm and Mac would say no to allowing two 15 year old girls to go to a place like this, so they didn't tell them where they were going. They just left.

 

            Mac arrived home from a meeting at about 8:30 pm. The girls weren't there, so she assumed Harm had picked them up. An hour later the phone rang.

      

                           "Hey, Mac," Harm's familiar voice sounded, "It's me. I'm going to come by and get Mattie. There are a few things we need to discuss before my meeting with the judge in the morning."

 

     "Harm?" she asked cautiously. "She's not here. Didn't you already pick the girls up?"

 

              "No. Isn't Chloe there either?"

 

                       "No. Neither of them was here when I got home. I just assumed they were with you."

 

       "Where could they be?" He tried not to let panic creep into his voice.

 

                             "I don't know. There's no note……nothing."

            

                  "Stay there. I'll be right over."

 

                            ****************************

 

           By the time Harm got there, Mac's mind had invented all kinds of awful scenarios. Harm saw her worry immediately.

 

                      First they called Jennifer Coats, who hadn't seen them. Next they tried all of Mattie's friends from school. Then, racking their brains, they called everyone they could think of.

  

         Finally, they called the police. Of course, DCPD could do nothing until they'd been missing for 24 hours. So, Mac and Harm sat down to wait, each frantic about the child they loved.

 

                At first they talked a little, but then became silent as they waited. 

 

     A little after midnight, Harm had had enough. He got up and walked to the window, flexing his fists as he went. "I'm going out looking for them." He announced.

 

                  "Where are you going to go?" she challenged.

 

        "I don't know, but anything's better than this waiting."

 

                         "Let me fix you a cup of coffee." Mac offered.

 

               Both went to the kitchen to make coffee, temporarily distracting Harm from his mission.

 

         As they sipped warm liquid from mugs, she warned him, "You can't just go out there looking. It's a big city and they could be anywhere."

 

                   "But I need to do something."

 

     "I know." She touched his arm. "At least we know that they are smart kids."

 

                 "Well, I thought so until now."

 

           "What on earth would possess them to go out without telling us and to stay out this late?" she wondered.

                    

                    "They're probably together. Surely they'll take care of each other." He rationalized.

 

       "Of course they will. We probably shouldn't even be worried."

 

              It was three o'clock when Harm finally did leave to "just drive around and look." Mac tried to dissuade him, but really wanted to go with him. But it had been decided that she must remain home in case they came home or called. Harm would stay in touch via cell phone.

 

       Rain began to fall on the streets of Washington as he drove aimlessly.

 

                      ***************

 

                     Mac's phone rang at 20 minutes til 5. An annoyed voice on the other end informed her that it was a night club with a couple of underage girls trying buy alcohol with fake IDs. She almost felt sick as she asked, "How did they get in there?"

 

        "We're not sure, Ma'am. Apparently they snuck past the screener at the door somehow."

 

                A quick call to Harm alerted him to Mattie and Chloe's whereabouts. He swung by to pick up Mac before going to rescue the girls.

 

AN HOUR LATER

 

           "But what were you thinking of?" Mac bellowed at her young charge.

 

                  Chloe, who just couldn't tell her "sister" that this error in judgment had been an unsuccessful attempt to manipulate her love life, shrugged her shoulders. "We didn't mean to cause trouble; we were just trying to have some fun."

 

     "With alcohol?"

 

                      "I wasn't going to drink, really I wasn't. Besides, Mac, just because you have a problem with it doesn't make it evil."

 

           "You're underage."

 

       "I'm sorry." Chloe repeated.

 

                   "Don't you realize," Mac now sounded sad, "that if I can't take care of you and keep you safe, we might not be able to see each other any more?"

 

         Chloe now moved close and wrapped her arms around Mac's waist. "I love you." She whispered.

 

                     "I love you too, Kiddo."

 

MEANWHILE

NORTH OF UNION STATION

 

                            "Because I'm responsible for you, Young Lady."

 

             "Maybe I'm just not used to answering to somebody else yet."

 

  "Well, you better get used to it, because you're living with me now, and I expect you to exercise better judgment. I care about you, you know?"

 

                     Mattie opened her mouth and started to say that this fiasco was for his benefit -- to force him closer to Mac so he might admit his feelings for her, but she thought better of it.  "I promise I'll try to do better."

 

           "You know, if we can't get it together, social services will yank you out of here. Is that what you want?"

 

    Her head shook. "I'm sorry, Harm."

 

 

                "Well, you can think about it while you're restricted to the house for the next two weeks."

 

          "I'm grounded! You can't do that to me -- I'm not a little kid!"

 

 "Then stop acting like one. Yes, I can and yes, you are."

 

                 Her jaw dropped. She just couldn't believe it.

 

LATE THAT NIGHT

 

                   A phone rang, but was picked up immediately to make sure it wasn't heard by anybody else.

       

"Yeah, Chloe, it's me."

 

              "Hi. Did Harm blow a gasket?"

 

                      "Yeah, he grounded me." Mattie explained.

 

                             "Sorry. Mac's not letting me out the door without her for the rest of the visit. Plus I'm on probation; if I don't have good conduct, I won't get to come back anytime soon."

 

       "Bummer."

 

            "Speaking of a bummer, what are we going to do about our plan? With neither one of us able to get out, it's going to be hard.  Do you think we should just drop it?" Chloe thought they might have failed.

 

                  "No. They both deserve some happiness. But they're both so stubborn that if we don't help them, they'll never get it right. We'll just have to think of something."

 

     Chloe recapped the situation. "We were gone and they didn't know where we were. I know they were worried, and I think they were together, why do you think they didn't turn to each other for comfort?"

 

                      Mattie replied, "They were mad at us, that's what they focused on. We didn't count on the anger getting in the way.

 

        "Do you have a new idea?" Chloe asked.

 

             "No…..wait a minute, maybe I do…… I'll talk to Jen and see if she'll help us."

 

                     "Do you think it's smart to get her involved?"

 

        "Yeah, we can trust her. Here's what we'll do………"

 

NEXT NIGHT

MIDNIGHT

JAG HEADQUARTERS

 

                      Mac exited the elevator and headed toward the Admiral's outer office. It had been a long time since she'd been in here this late. But Petty Officer Coates had called her to say that the Admiral wanted her to pick up notes for a sensitive case tonight. She had asked why it couldn't wait until tomorrow and was told that Admiral Chegwidden had ordered that she have them tonight. Coates hoped she didn't mind stopping by; they'd be left on the petty officer's desk after 11:30. That's how she came to be here, Mac reflected, picking up the file in question.  Then a sound startled her. No one should be here. Yet, she heard footsteps coming from the area of the stairwell.

 

        She automatically stepped back to conceal herself while she looked out to see who else was here.

 

              Harmon Rabb came striding across the bullpen toward her. When he reached the yeoman's desk, he stopped and reached down to get a file.

 

                 "What are you doing here so late?" Mac asked.

 

         He seemed surprised by her presence. "Coates called and said the Admiral wanted me to come pick this up."

 

                 "In the middle of the night?" she sounded skeptical.

 

                       "Sounds strange, doesn't it?"

 

           "Yeah, but I got the same call." She confessed, indicating the file she held.

 

                    Harm smiled at her. "Well, long as we're here, you wanna get a cup of coffee and look at these."

 

               "Okay, sure. Just let me make a quick call to Chloe to tell her I won't be right home."

 

                          They left together and went to a nearby diner. Unfortunately, what they got along with their coffee was an argument. 

 

       "Harm, don't be so stubborn." She chastised as they left.

 

             "Stubborn? Me? You're the one who won't listen to reason." He returned.

 

                   They both thought it was a good idea that they were getting into their respective cars and heading home now.

 

MEANWHILE

NORTH OF UNION STATION

 

                   Mattie Grace picked up her phone to a commotion on the other end.

 

                       The very excited voice of Chloe Madison all but yelled, "It's working! It's working!"

 

                 "How do you know?" Mattie asked.

 

           Chloe slowed down and took a breath. "Mac called. She said she ran into Harm at the office and they were going to get a cup of coffee before she headed home."

 

                             "Well, that doesn't mean anything's happening."

 

                  "At least they're talking." Chloe rationalized.

 

NEXT MORNING

JAG HEADQUARTERS

 

                   Mac and Harm were both summoned to the Admiral's office.

 

           AJ sighed. "The night log indicates that both of you were here after hours last night. Why?"

 

                        "You wanted us to pick up the briefings on the Benson case, Sir." Mac answered.

 

                 "You could've gotten it this morning. The trial doesn't start until Friday."

 

                             "Petty Officer Coates indicated that you wanted us to get the information as soon as possible, Admiral."

 

                   "Oh." Chegwidden replied. "I may have said something like that, but I'm sure I didn't mean in the middle of the night."

 

          "She's just a little overanxious, Sir." Mac explained.

 

   As she and Harm exited the Admiral's office, they discussed how strange it was that they had been asked to come in so late, if their C.O, hadn't specified it. But they didn't give it too much thought.

 

SAME TIME

MAC'S APARTMENT

 

                Chloe, left on her own until Mac picked her up at lunch time, answered the phone on its first ring.

 

         "Well did she tell you anything?" Mattie's excited voice demanded.

   

                   "Yeah, she said they had an argument." She replied.

 

                        "Oh, I guess that explains Harm's foul mood this morning."

 

 "He didn't tell you anything."

 

             "No, but he came in pretty late."

 

                    "Maybe we're wasting our time." Chloe lamented. "Maybe they're just not ready for this yet."

 

                "Chloe!" Mattie yelled. "I know you don't really believe that. They need each other."

 

                          "Of course they do, but we might not be able to help them. I'm leaving tomorrow afternoon."

 

                                 "We can't give up." Mattie challenged. "I've got an idea."

 

 

***********************************************************************************

************************************************************************************

 

JAG HEADQUARTERS

LATER

 

         Harm answered his phone and a broad smile broke out across his face at the sound of Mattie's voice. They chatted idly for a few minutes, then she asked him if they could have dinner together. He was pleased by her interest in family activities. They arranged to meet for their "date" at Benzinger's at 6. She said that she could catch the Metro, so wouldn't need for him to pick her up. This would be fun -- just the two of them.

 

MAC'S OFFICE

 

               Mac hurried into her office to answer the persistent telephone, balancing a stack of files folders precariously. She got the phone before it quit ringing, but several of the folders fell to the floor.  Chloe's voice on the receiver cheered her a bit.

 

     It was the young woman's last night in Washington before she would return to her grandparents' farm in New England, so she wanted to do something special. Mac had planned to suggest this herself, but was glad Chloe had made a plan. Chloe would catch the bus that ran right near Mac's apartment and the two of them would meet for dinner at Benzinger's at 6. She also spoke of several after dinner entertainment options, but Mac tabled this discussion until over dinner.

 

BENZINGER'S

1800 HOURS

 

          Mac arrived first. Since Chloe wasn't there yet, she got a table and ordered her favorite cocktail, tonic water with a lime twist. As she sipped her drink, she reflected on how very much the young girl meant to her and how much she was going to miss her.

 

                   When Harm arrived, a fashionable 15 minutes late, he didn't see Mattie anywhere. He thought that it wasn't like her to be late, especially when she had sounded so anxious to have this dinner. Much to his surprise, he spotted Mac sitting alone at a table near the back.  He walked toward her.

 

      "Hey, Mac," he drawled. "What brings you here?"

 

                     She sighed. "Chloe wanted me to meet her for dinner, but she must be running late. You?"

 

              "Meeting Mattie. She's not here yet either."

 

                        "Well, you might as well sit down and wait.' She motioned toward the empty chair opposite her own.

 

      He took it, and they engaged in idle conversation for a while. Then, Harm looked at his watch and said, "It's almost 1930. What could be keeping those girls?"

 

                    A look of panic crossed Mac's face. "Nothing could have happened to them, could it? They weren't even together. "

 

                                       "I was thinking maybe they're late on purpose."

 

 "You don't think they conspired to get us here, out of the way, so they could sneak out again?"

 

           Harm ran his fingers nervously through his hair. "Surely they wouldn't do that."

 

                   "Harm, we've been in some pretty strange situations since the two of them met."

 

  "What do you mean?"

 

           "Well, think about it. They disappear and leave us together to worry about them. Then, we end up alone together at JAG in the middle of the night. Now, here we are at a restaurant alone together waiting for them. I bet they never show. This was probably just an excuse to get us to eat dinner together."

 

       An amused expression passed over his handsome face. "Do you think they're trying to fix us up or something?"

 

                       "That's exactly what I think. Chloe has always talked about getting us together. When Mattie came along, I think she found an ally."

 

           "Why those sneaky……."

 

                     "Harm, what are we going to do about it?"

 

                             "Mac, we've both always known that there's something special between us. I used to think that we were destined to hook up romantically. But I backed off after South America when you made it clear that you didn't want any part of it."

 

      "When I what? Harm, I never said that."

 

              "Sure you did. Something about we would never work out because both of us tried to be on top."

 

      "That was just a rationalization to try to take the pressure off a tense situation. I assume that nothing will ever happen between us since it hasn't in all these years. The both of us needing to be in control thing is just a way to explain that. My feelings have never changed."

 

                  "They haven't?" he asked cautiously, as he took her hand in his.

 

"No." she answered. 

 

             He stood pulling her gently to her feet. "Dance with me?"

 

              "Okay." She responded. And they swayed together to soft strains from the jukebox.

 

                      Harm's arms found their way around her to pull her close against him as he whispered in her ear. "Sarah, I think about you all the time. I even dream about you. There's never been anyone in my life that I've been closer to. I really do love you, and if you're willing to take a chance on it, I'd like to see where this could take us."

 

        When he had finished, she looked up into his eyes. Their heads came closer and closer until their lips touched in a gentle kiss. It was followed by several more of increasing intensity. "Is this really happening?" she sighed through tears.

 

                  He wiped her tears and held her tightly, moving back to the table. "Yeah, Baby; if you'll have me."

 

          She looked into his eyes and nodded.  "It won't be easy." She reminded him.

 

                        He kissed her. "But if we get past the rough spots, it will be the adventure of a lifetime."

 

         "I love you, Harm." She whispered.

 

                            Outside Benzinger's, two young faces were pressed against the glass, watching this scene. They turned toward each other for a high five.