Title: 24/7: Tuesday

Disclaimer: puh-leeze

Summary: A week in the lives of our favorite should-be couple.

Spoilers: Boomerang II, A little of the one where Mac spills the beans to Sturgis, but nothing major.

AN2: Anyone who has ever been to Charlotte, NC knows that ‘Sport’s Page’ is the most awesome place. It’s like the ‘gathering place’ of the west side. Everyone in there knows everyone. It’s awesome. And the food. <Sigh> Anyhoo…

“Damn! Damn! Damn!” Harm exclaimed as he stepped in the shower. He had forgotten to buy shampoo again. Fighting with Mac was making his hair smell like a girl. He massaged his scalp gently, not wanting to aggravate his head anymore. He had a killer hangover and all in all it was not a good morning.

Mac stepped out of the shower, dried off and into her thick pink robe. She sat down in front of her vanity, and begins to apply her make up. She took very special care with her appearance this morning. Harmon Rabb Jr. could go to hell. She didn’t care about him. But she still wanted to look good. She painted her lips the deep burgundy she always used, and added a touch of gloss. She lined her eyes carefully, and applied lengthening mascara to her already long lashes. Finishing her makeup, she discarded her robe and smoothed ‘Love Spell’ lotion from Victoria’s Secret all over her body. She knew the scent drove him wild. Harm was going to suffer.

***

Mac forced a smile as she entered the bullpen. She walked over to Sturgis and Harriet. She grabbed both of their arms and pulled them into her office. “I know what you two are up to.”

Sturgis and Harriet exchanged confused looks. “What are you talking about?” She asked. Her blue eyes got as wide as physically possible.

“Don’t look at me like that.” Mac warned. “I’m not an idiot. I know a set up when I see one and last night was a set up. The only reason I am not furious is because Harm is a complete ass and he deserves a lot worse then that.”

Sturgis smiled. “He was jealous though.”

Mac rolled her eyes. “The man gets jealous over any and everything. I swear to God, he got jealous when a 50 year old doctor smiled at me He’s a jerk. Big, selfish, loser jerk. And I’m through wasting my time on him, and you two are wasting your time on us.”

Harriet nodded. “I’m sorry.”

“Me too.” Sturgis said.

“Thank you.” Mac grinned and sat down behind her desk. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a lot to work to do.”

Her two friends smiled and left her office. The door shut behind them, and almost immediately opened again.

“We need to talk.” Harm said.

She looked up, the smile disappearing from her face. “We have nothing to talk about.”

“How dare you get mad at me for going out with Caroline, when you are going out with Harriet’s cousin.”

Harm, not that it’s any of your business, I’m not dating Harriet’s cousin. Harriet and I were going to go do something, and Bud and Jake asked us to join them. And I don’t know why in the hell I’m explaining this to you.”

“Are you going to see him again?”

She opened her mouth, and then it shut again. Taking a deep breath, trying really hard not to lose her temper she finally answered him. “Harm, it was a set up. Harriet & Sturgis figured out the only way to get you to show emotion is to piss you off or make you jealous. Apparently everyone knew except for us.” She looked up at him, noting the sudden change in his face. “If you’ll excuse me please, I have work to do.”

“You didn’t answer my question. Are you going to see him again?”

She shrugged. “I’m a single woman. I can see any and everyone I want too.”

“You gonna accept a ring from him too?”

Her face went white. He hadn’t seen her that white or that hurt since the day where she overheard him tell Sturgis about the men in her life. “I’m sorry.”

“Get out.”

***

He walked out of her office, slamming the door. And he walked right into the Admiral. “Admiral.” He said quietly.

“In my office now.”

Harm nodded and headed over to his office. He turned back and saw him in Mac’s office. He saw Mac sigh and walk out of her office, their CO right behind her. Harm waited patiently till the other two made there way over and then followed him inside.

“Sit down. Now.”

Both officers, not wanting to anger him anymore quickly took their seats. Mac glanced at Harm, and then back at AJ, her gaze finally resting on her folded hands.

“Mac,” he began, “What is your job title?”

She swallowed, and looked at him. “Chief of Staff, sir.”

“Harm, who are the Senior Attorneys in this office?”

Harm sighed. “The Colonel and myself, sir.”

AJ moved from his perch on the desk and moved to sit down in his chair. “Ok. So we’ve established that Mac is my Chief of Staff, and the two of you are my Senior Attorneys. One of you could very well be the next JAG. And you’re walking around here acting like children. What the hell is wrong with you two?”

“I apologize for my behavior sir.” Mac said softly.

“So do I sir.”

AJ nodded. “Usually, that would be fine. But this is going to have to stop. I’m tired of this soap opera crap. You two are decorated officers and you’re acting like high school kids. Playing he said, she said crap, drawing the whole office into your personal lives. This is exactly why we have fraternization rules.”

“Sir, with all due respect,” Mac started, “We aren’t fraternizing.”

AJ raised his eyebrows and sighed. “This cat and mouse game has been going on for six years. And I am so tired of it. So. You two are going to work through your problems. Commander, I’m taking your office today. You two are staying in here. And you are not leaving this office untill things are back the way they used to be, or untill you’ve killed each other. Right now I don’t really give a damn which one it is.” He gathered some files and walked out of the office.

Mac and Harm looked at each other, the shock more then evident on their faces.

“So.” Harm said softly.

Mac got up, and sat down in the Admirals chair. “So.” She repeated.

***

Everyone in the bullpen was in shock. The Admiral was working in Harm’s office.

AJ was trying to do some work, but being out here was distracting. The final distraction came when someone knocked on the door. He looked up and saw the tall blonde enter. ‘What was her name.’ He thought silently. ‘Cameron, Carrigan?’ “Can I help you?” He asked.

She nodded. “Yeah, I thought this was Commander Rabb’s office.”

‘Caroline.’ “Caroline, correct?”

“Yes sir. Do you know where I can find him?”

AJ tried to suppress his smile. “Yes. Him and Colonel MacKenzie are working together on some personal issues.”

Caroline looked at him, “I thought they were just friends.”

“That’s what they’re working on.” He smiled. “May I leave him a message for you.”

Caroline shook her head. “No. Thank you.” She started to walk out, but turned, a somewhat charming smile on her face. “How about you, *AJ*. Wanna have lunch with me?”

He smiled. “Not really. But thank you.”

Her eyes widened and she left the office.

“And that’s why I’m the Admiral.”

***

“Are we going to talk or what.” Harm asked.

Mac looked up from her file. The Admiral had brought them their purses and briefcases. ‘You two could be in here for a while. You can work and talk at the same time.’ “What are we going to talk about Harm? I had no right to get jealous over Caroline, and you have no right to get jealous over Jake. We’re both single, attractive people. We can see whom we want. And we don’t have to clear it with each other.”

“What about everything that’s happened, Mac. Australia, your engagement party, what could’ve happened at my apartment if Renee’s father hadn’t died. What about our talk on the Guadalcanal. You asked if I would give Renee up for you. But you left before I could give you my answer. Maybe if you had waited around, had a little faith of me and listened to my answer, we wouldn’t be in this situation right now.”

She stood up. “How dare you blame this on me. I asked you that question, and you replied with, ‘what would happen if I did.’ You answered my question with a question. We’ve been dancing around us for years, and I’m so tired of it. There is no ‘us’ Harm. There never was and it doesn’t look like it ever will be.”

“Do you want there to be?” He asked softly.

She looked at him. “Honestly, I don’t know anymore.”

***

Mac sat on the floor, leaning against the wall. “Harm, lets just agree to get along while we’re at work. That way the Admiral will be satisfied and we can go home.”

“I don’t want to. Mac, I’m so tired of pretending everything’s ok, and its not. We’re not ok. And the Admiral had the right idea. We need to work through this.”

“Harm, we’re never going to be able to work through this. You can’t give me what I need.”

“What do you need?” He asked.

She sighed. “I need what Mic was offering me. Love, a husband, a family. I’m not getting any younger. And I’m tired of waiting for you to realize- No. I’m just tired of waiting on you period. I’ve been waiting six years, Harm. You say you’d have given up Renee for me, you follow me to the Guadalcanal, and then you go out with someone else. I don’t understand you.”

“The date with Caroline was a set up.” He said softly.

She stood up. “Excuse me?”

“It was a set up. I knew you’d get upset if you saw me with her. Right before the JAG-a-thon, you said we could talk. We kinda talked afterwards, but I don’t want to start from the beginning. I want to pick up where we left off the night of your engagement party.’

Mac looked at him, eyes wide. “You really have lost your mind, Rabb.”

“Why have I lost my mind?”

“It’s been 10 months since that night. 10 months. And look at where we are now. Maybe it’s just not meant to happen.”

“It is. I know it is.” He paused and stepped closer to her. “You know why I’ve gotten so upset over this whole situation? How could you have so little faith in me to think I would jump right on Caroline? Even if it hadn’t been a set up, all it would have been was a dinner. Mac you have to have some idea of what you mean to me.”

“Oh yeah. I can tell I mean SO much to you. That’s why the night Renee’s father died you picked her over me. If I mean SO much to you, why don’t I ever come first in your life.”

“Mac, that’s selfish. Her father died. I couldn’t just leave her.” He tried to reason.

“Yes you could. Harm, she had a family, she had other friends, and hell she got engaged a few weeks after the funeral. She had other sources of comfort. What did I have? I had nothing. Chloe was furious at me for calling off the wedding, Mic was gone; you were the only person I could really turn to. And you weren’t there. I’ve never needed anyone as much as I needed you that night. When my father died, I was alone. You were too busy getting your eyes fixed so you could leave JAG, and I had to deal with that alone. My fiancé left me, and you had said you would be there. You told me to ‘come to you.’ I did. Against my better judgment I did. And you turned me away for her. I am so damned tired of coming after everyone else when I need you just as bad as they do.”

“I’m sorry.” He said. “I didn’t know I hurt you so bad.”

“No. You don’t. So don’t expect this to be easy to fix. There is three years of built up anger and hurt here. And It’s going to take more then an ‘I’m sorry’ and ‘lets pick up where we left off’ to fix it. It’s going to take time and it’s going to think the one thing you have the most trouble with. Communication.”

The looked over at the door as they heard it open. They saw it was the Admiral and both stood at attention. “Sir.”

“Have you two worked through your problems yet?”

Mac looked at Harm. “Not completely sir. But we did work through some of our issues.” She paused for a moment and said, “May we go home, sir?”

He sighed. “Yes, you may. I’ll see you both in the morning. And if I see anymore arguments about personal business in my office, you will spend tomorrow like this too.”

“Yes sir.” They said in unison.

“Dismissed.”

The both left the office, as quickly as possible.

“Mac,” Harm said, “We really need to finish our talk.”

She turned and smiled softly. “Harm, there’s nothing left for us to say. Have a good night.” She unlocked her car, got in and drove away, leaving Harm staring after her.

“Goodnight.” He whispered.

End ‘Tuesday’

I’m holding Wednesday hostage. The ransom is FEEDBACK!