Okay, this is the last one. Selena, I think it's your turn now. (By the way, thanks for keeping me busy over Spring Break.)

Title: Silent Service Revisited

Rating: PG

Spoilers: Silent Service

Disclaimer: I don’t own them, please don’t sue.

Feedback always appreciated

Susan <SStroud@aol.com>

2000 Zulu

JAG Headquarters

Falls Church, Virginia

Admiral Chegwidden glanced at the two officers who stood at attention in front of his desk. “At ease, Commander, Major.” He waited until they both relaxed before he continued. “You two did an excellent job handling this case. Is it safe to assume that you two have settled your differences?”

Mac glanced at Harm before turning her attention back to the Admiral. “Yes, Sir. I believe that the Commander and I have reached an understanding.”

Admiral Chegwidden looked at Harm. “And do you agree with the Major, Commander?”

Harm nodded his agreement and gave a hoarse, “Yes, Sir.”

The Admiral looked from Harm over to Mac and nodded. “Very well. I expect to see you both in here first thing in the morning. Dismissed.”

They both came to attention again and gave an “Aye, aye, Sir.” before turning to leave his office.

As they stepped into the bullpen, Harm stopped Mac with a hand on her arm. His voice still hoarse he asked, “Can I give you a ride home? I think we should talk.”

Mac saw Jordan walk into the bullpen before she looked up to meet his eyes. “I think you have a visitor, Harm. We can talk later.”

Harm followed her gaze over to where Jordan was waiting outside of his office. “Can I drop by later?”

Mac nodded. “Sure, if you want.”

“I do.” He gave her a quick smile before they parted and he headed to his office to talk to Jordan.

2330 Zulu

Mac’s Apartment

Mac opened the door and stepped back to allow Harm to enter. “How are you feeling?”

Harm shrugged and gave her a hoarse answer. “Better.”

Mac grinned as she closed the door and followed him into the apartment. “You still sound pretty horrible.”

“Gee thanks, Mac.”

Mac motioned for him to have a seat on the couch. “Sorry. So how is Jordan?”

Harm rolled his eyes as Mac sat down next to him. “She’s mad at me for not getting in touch with her while we were on the sub.”

“Does she not understand that we were under the Arctic ice?” Mac questioned.

Harm shook his head. “All that Jordan understands is that I’ve been gone for two weeks, and that those two weeks were spent with you.”

Mac met his gaze. “Tell me that she’s not jealous.”

Harm grinned. “Jealous doesn’t even come close to describing Jordan right now.”

“I’m sorry, Harm.” Mac laid a comforting hand on his arm. “Do you want me to talk to her?”

Harm looked down at where her arm rested on his arm. “No, that’s okay. We had a nice, long talk this afternoon. We decided that it would be best for both of us if we didn’t see each other anymore.”

Mac’s shock at his statement registered on her face. “You can’t be serious, Harm. You can’t just let things end like that. Especially when there’s nothing going on between us.”

His eyes locked with hers. “Isn’t there?”

Mac averted her gaze from his and pulled her hand back into her lap. “I thought that you didn’t want to go there with me.”

Harm shrugged his shoulders as he continued to stare at her. “I changed my mind. I guess that almost losing you on board the Watertown made me realize that you were right. There are some deeper issues that we should deal with.”

“Like why you don’t trust me?” Mac asked as she looked back up at him.

“That’s not true, Mac. I trust you with my life.”

“Then why have you been challenging everything I’ve tried to do for the last three weeks?”

Harm dropped his eyes down to his hands. “I needed to put some distance between us, Mac, and I had no idea how to go about doing that other than by picking fights with you.”

“Why, Harm?” Mac reached out and tilted his face back up until their eyes met. “Why did you need distance?”

Harm stood up and began pacing. “You said it yourself, Mac. Things had been going so smooth lately that it was like we were on a honeymoon of sorts.”

Mac stood up and walked over to stand in front of him. “So why is that such a bad thing?”

Harm forced his eyes to meet hers. “Because you were haunting me, Mac.”

“I’m not sure that I’m following you, Harm.”

“Because working with you just isn’t enough, Mac.” Harm ran a hand through his hair in frustration. “You haunt my dreams at night. You’re my last conscious thought before I fall asleep at night and my first thought when I wake up in the morning.” Harm reached out and gently traced a finger down her cheek before dropping his hand back to his side. “It’s not a question of trust, Mac. It never has been. It’s a question of how to deal with my feelings for you without destroying the best relationship in my life.”

Mac allowed his words to sink in before she spoke. “But what about Jordan, Harm?”

Harm gave a slight shrug. “She’s not blind, Mac. She knew that it would only be a matter of time before I figured out that my feelings for you went beyond friendship.”

Mac stood there staring at him. “I don’t know what to say, Harm.”

A grin played on his lips as he watched her struggle with her emotions. “Well, the way I see it, you have two options, Major. Option number one: tell me that you don’t have any feelings for me other than friendship. In which case, I will tuck my tail between my legs and try to make a graceful exit without humiliating myself any further. Or you have option number two: tell me that you do have feelings for me beyond friendship. It’s not that difficult of a decision.”

Mac graced him with a small smile. “And if I pick option number two, what will you do?”

“Probably something like this.” He cupped her face in his hands, leaned down, and brushed his lips against hers in a barely there kiss.

Mac opened her eyes slowly as he pulled away from her. She smiled at the look of love in his eyes that she knew was mirrored in her own. “Then I am definitely going to have to go with option number two, Commander.”

Harm allowed himself a brief smile before his expression turned serious again. “I am very sorry for my behavior for the past three weeks.”

Mac reached up to cover his hands where they rested on her face. “Apology accepted.” She gave him a sly smile as she continued, “Now can we move on to the kissing and making up part?”

Harm smiled as he leaned back towards her. “You’ll get no argument from me on that one, Major.”

Mac couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face as she moved her hands down to his waist. “See, I told you that if you’d be more sensitive, I wouldn’t have to worry about being less.”

Harm moved his hands from her face as he pulled her closer into his embrace. “And I should have listened to you.”

Mac placed a soft kiss on his lips. “Yes, you should have. Now enough talking.”

Harm smiled as he covered her lips with his. Talking was overrated anyway.

The End