| Subject: The Consequences of Suppositions, Chapter 1 |
Author:
Cammy
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Date Posted: 10:50:30 01/04/09 Sun
The Consequences of Suppositions
By: Cammy
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Rated: R (for language and sexual situations)
Author’s Note #1: This is a longer shipper fic that follows what might have happened if different external forces exerted themselves on our heroes’ relationship. This keeps with the show’s cannon through about mid-Season 8. This takes place in late summer and fall of 2003. Imagine this diverges sometime right around the Heart & Soul, Empty Quiver, Fortunate Son period in February of 2003. The happy times! Singer didn’t die, Harm wasn’t tried for murder, Paraguay never happened, Meredith never cheated. However, I use many of the same conversations and situations verbatim intentionally, including (warning) Mac and Harm’s respective interactions with Clayton Webb and Catherine Gale.
Author’s Note #2: It has been several years since I first started this story, and I posted what I had finished on a couple of the fanfic boards. However, real life was hectic and I never did finish the whole thing. It was bothering me lately, so I decided to finish the story and repost the entire thing. As a slight warning to anyone that might have in the off chance read this before, I went back and rewrote different parts. The general plot is the same, but many of the details have changed, so it will probably make more sense to reread all again. I have finished the story – finally – and will try to post one chapter a day, hopefully more but probably less.
Author’s Note #3, #4 and #5: The first couple chapters do start out slow. My apologies. Also, I tried to make some of the legal stuff realistic, but please forgive any glaring inaccuracies. Finally, I really liked the idea of this storyline, but I am just sad that I couldn’t have read it done by one of the much more talented writers, like Sooz, Manette, Aerogirl – the list goes on.
The Consequences of Suppositions, Chapter 1
1323 EDT
Friday afternoon
August 29, 2003
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia
“Oh, It's so confusing. I wish you'd just confess. But think of what I'd be losing, if your answer wasn't yes.” – Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Complicated
"You know, I'm surprised you managed to actually find time to prepare for your case, dealing with a one-man fan club must have been just exhausting. What with all the: `Colonel, I love your car. Red is definitely your color, ma'am. Thank you soo much for everything you're doing for me, Colonel. You're the best lawyer in the entire world, ma'am.'" Harm's face had cringed up as he impersonated the 20-year-old petty officer that had been acquitted only a half hour ago.
Mac laughed. "Are you telling me that you pursued this case with the fervor of a lawyer prosecuting his first capital case because you were jealous?"
"Taking other people's cars, especially those of two star admirals for joyrides is a very serious offense."
"You should have gone easier on him. He's just a naïve kid from a poor Kansas family. The only reason he was even suspected of taking those cars was because of the high school job he took to help support his family as a part-time mechanic and because of his obsession with corvettes. Besides…he is just too cute to have committed those offenses."
"Give me a break, Mac." Harm rolled his eyes, ignoring her last comment as he rose from behind his desk to return a file to one of his two filing cabinets. "That little hoodlum was guiltier than hell, and you know it. He should be putting his vast knowledge of hotwiring cars," at Mac's pointed look Harm humored her with a revision, "fixing cars to better use at the military vehicle repair shop at Leavenworth."
Mac shifted in her seat, the chair in front of Harm's desk, and re-crossed her long legs, She drawled her reply, "Harmon, I don't think you need to take your own feelings of inferiority as an attorney out on me. Just because you were out-lawyered today doesn't mean….."
"Oh, so now I'm an inferior attorney?" Harm crossed the office to sit on the edge of his desk, positioning himself directly in front of Mac, just inches away from her. His look of incredulity and irritation almost seemed genuine until he dropped his head to conceal a grin.
"Who said it was a recent development?" Mac teased back as her smile betrayed her enjoyment at ribbing him about his most recent loss to her in the courtroom. She unconsciously leaned forward just a bit, his scent causing her body to reflexively crave closer proximity.
"So you're questioning my…" Harm's last comment was interrupted when he glanced to his doorway and found Sturgis standing in it.
Sturgis, having heard most of the conversation, tried to hide his amusement at the bantering of his two friends, "I'm not interrupting anything, am I? I just came by to see if we were still on for tonight, Harm"
Harm shook his head and motioned towards the other seat in front of his desk. "Of course you're not interrupting, Sturgis. Mac was just telling me that I have a rather weak grasp of the law because I failed to convict a twenty-something petty officer she has a crush on. And yes, we are still on for 1900. You bring the ball."
"Correction: I only claimed that Harm was inferior to me, not to all lawyers And, I don't have a crush on my client. I just think he's a cute kid. In fact, I may introduce him to Coates." Mac's rebuttal was good-natured, reflecting the ease of her friendships with both
Harm and Sturgis.
Harm voiced his disapproval, "Can't do that."
"Why not?" Mac and Sturgis both asked at the same time.
"Because Tiner seems to have developed a bit of a thing for our young Jennifer Coates."
Mac was skeptical, "How do you know that?"
Harm returned to his seat behind the desk and leaned back in his chair, placing his hands behind his head. "I hear things, Mac. People tell me things."
His cryptic statement drew derisive snorts from both Sturgis and Mac. Sturgis was the first to speak up. "Well you just keep listening, buddy. I'll see you tonight. Mac." He nodded respectively at both of them, taking his leave from Harm's office.
As he left, they both heard him swear under his breath. "This place is worse than the damn love connection"
Sturgis' not so subtle comment spurred Mac's exit. She stood and slightly rolled her shoulders, trying to shrug off the stiffness brought on by a full morning of sitting in court. "I have a deposition at 1400 and a pre-trial hearing at 1530 I need to get ready for. I guess I'll see you later."
"How much later?" Harm asked in a mildly seductive voice; the gleam in his wonderfully expressive eyes was a little bit solicitous.
"I don't know." Mac's voice dipped lower to match his. "What did you have in mind?"
"How about dinner tomorrow night?"
"Works for me." Mac let a casual toss of her hair hide any clue of how this easy closeness they'd developed following her tumultuous engagement affected her.
Before turning to go she added, "And, Harm, keep Sturgis out of the paint. His jump shot's got no distance."
"I'll call and let you know what time."
She shot him a wink and grin as she left his office.
1703 EDT
Friday evening
August 29, 2003
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia
A few hours later found Mac preparing to leave for the weekend; she was just double-checking to make sure no needed file got left behind. Her pretrial meeting had gone longer than expected and most of the staff appeared to have gotten an early start on their Friday nights. Given the relative emptiness of the bullpen, she was surprised to see
Harriet headed towards her.
"Harriet, what are you doing here so late? I'm sure you have several handsome gentlemen anxiously awaiting your arrival home."
Harriet walked into Mac's office and took a seat in front of the desk. "Bud already left to pick up A.J. and Jimmy from daycare and has promised to feed them. I was in the library all afternoon and thought I would come back up here to finish a few things while it was quiet. Everyone sure did clear out of here quickly, didn't they, ma'am?"
"The Admiral, despite his best efforts to avoid it, had to meet Meredith this afternoon for an appointment with a prospective caterer and I had a pretrial meeting that ran longer than expected. Ten to one says Harm and Sturgis persuaded the rest of the staff to play hooky after the Admiral left." Mac had dropped back into her comfortable leather chair, enjoying the unhurried conversation rarely afforded the two women.
Harriet laughed at the high probability that the two commanders were indeed the rabble rousers. "You know, I was just thinking. Bud's going up to Annapolis tomorrow night to treat Mikey to a night out. What do you say I see about getting a babysitter and we cause some trouble of our own?”
The woman paused a little uncertainly, fearing she was being presumptuous, “that is, if you don't have plans, ma'am."
Despite the plans she had made earlier with Harm, Mac barely hesitated before agreeing.
Harriet had only returned to JAG a week ago when her maternity leave ended and Mac knew she hadn't had anytime to herself since James Kirk had come along. Harm would understand. "Sounds like fun. In fact, I may even have a sitter that'll work for food. Tell you what, if he's not available, I'll let you know. Otherwise, plan on it."
Harriet was glowing. "I'm so excited. It's been ages since I had a girls' night out, or any night out for that matter."
"Fantastic. How about I drop by your house around eight?" Mac found herself almost equally excited about the prospect of spending time with her younger friend.
"Great." Harriet was set to leave Mac's office until a thought dawned on her. "You said `him'. I assume you mean Harm, but how do you know he doesn't already have plans on a Saturday night?" A second thought dawned on her and she couldn't decide whether she felt guilty or giddy. "Unless of course you two already had plans. Ma'am, I don't want to intrude, we could just do it another weekend…"
Mac interrupted Harriet's rambling, "Don't be silly, Harriet. Harm and I do it every weekend. How often do you and I get to go out?"
Harriet’s mouth formed a startled but amused ‘o’.
Realizing her slip, Mac decided it was time to end the conversation before she said anything else that sounded remotely incriminating. "Go home already, I'll see you tomorrow."
The twinkle in the lieutenant's eye was unmistakable. "Have a good night, ma'am.
1913 EDT
Saturday night
August 30, 2003
Mac's apartment
Georgetown, Washington D.C.
“When I look in your eyes I can feel the butterflies. I love you when you're blue. Tell me darlin' true. What am I to you?” Norah Jones, What Am I To You?
The rich melodies of her best of Motown CD drifted through the apartment as she finished getting ready for her Saturday night. Her collection of music was large and eccentric but Mac often drifted back to the oldies her mother had introduced her to so long ago. Listening to music in the afternoons in the kitchen while her mother cooked dinner was one of the few good memories she had of her childhood.
She was excited about spending time with Harriet, and she definitely couldn’t blame Harriet for wanting to flee the nest for a night. God knows that with a newborn and toddler in the house the woman must be exhausted.
Mac hadn't been surprised when Harm took the news of his forthcoming babysitting gig well. In fact, he may be a bit too excited about it for her taste, considering he was forgoing what was sure to have been another lovely and purely platonic evening with her.
Her stereo mostly drowned out the knock at the door, but she still caught it.
"Come in!" Mac yelled loud enough to be heard by the visitor outside her apartment. The fact that she hadn't expected him to be on time, let alone early, explained why she was still busy applying mascara in front of her mirror
From her bathroom, Mac could hear him throwing his keys on the counter, followed by the sound of his footfalls across her solid maple floor.
"Where are you?" His inquiry was unnecessary considering it must have been painfully obvious that she was somewhere in her bedroom.
Harm walked in to find Mac standing in the doorway of her bathroom wrapped in a rather skimpy navy blue silk robe. Their questions collided in midair.
"What are you doing here fifteen minutes early?" "Why was your front door unlocked?"
Mac's attire seemed to give her the edge in response time, but she waited until his eyes finished taking the long journey up and down her well-formed body. Her only acknowledgement of momentarily throwing him off his game was a slight arch of one perfectly manicured brow and the light blush that rose to her cheeks under his heated gaze. "I left it open for you."
As she walked from her bathroom into her walk-in closet, she noticed him scanning the room for a seat. She thought about telling him to sit anywhere, but considering he didn't wait for an invitation before waltzing into her bedroom, it seemed unnecessary.
"You shouldn’t keep your door unlocked, Mac. D.C. isn't exactly Mayberry, you know?"
Harm's little lecture was completely lost on Mac as she tried to decide between two different outfits hanging in her walk-in closet. "What?...Never mind. Anyways, why are you so early?"
A loud thud she heard told her that Harm had chosen to occupy her bed and it sounded like he was making himself at home. Mac didn't bother to close the door to her closet or kick him out of her room while she changed. He couldn't see her from his current location and if he worked up the nerve to walk over, she might as well reward his effort.
"Mac, I think you chronically exaggerate my issues with time. Just because I've been late to work a few times in like what, eight years, doesn't make be a `tardy' person. In fact, I'll have you know that in four years as a midshipman I was never once given a demerit for being late."
Mac exited the closet fully clothed and carrying her ecru Gucci heels in one hand and the silk robe she had just taken off in the other. She immediately threw the robe at Harm's head. Her reply to his claims was a bit indignant, "You're such a liar."
Mac walked back into her bathroom to grab her lipstick, put away the rest of her makeup and turn off the lights. When finished a few minutes later, she leaned against the door while she slipped into her heels. She finally caught her first real glimpse of him on her bed.
In all the time Harm had spent in Mac's apartment over the years, he probably hadn't been in her bedroom more than once or twice. However, here he was now and apparently was rather comfortable because he looked to be asleep. She really couldn't blame him though – it had been an awfully long week.
Harm's large frame was sprawled lazily in the middle of her bed laying on top of her king size down comforter; his hands behind his head and her robe lying haphazardly across his chest where it must have landed. He was dressed casually in faded jeans and a light heather gray t-shirt, fitting attire for an evening with a four-year-old and an infant.
She avoided dwelling on the part about their godson being four years old.
She moved to her dresser to take a last look in the mirror and to apply just a little perfume. Mac had decided on a casual mid-length rust- colored linen sundress with thin straps. The color blended nicely with the deep bronze color her normally olive skin had acquired over the summer months. An elegant choker completed the ensemble
A second glance in the dresser mirror allowed Mac another moment to slyly stare at the man occupying her bed. He looked peaceful right now, like he didn't have a care in the world.
The scene touched Mac on such a visceral level that she felt her next breath catch.
Not for the first time Mac wondered what was going on between them, and more importantly, what wasn’t. It’s not that she was unhappy. She was happier now than she'd ever been in her life, but being happy and being satisfied were two very different things.
Mac was sure of one thing, she wasn't going to push him into anything. She tried in the past and hadn't gotten them anywhere except for farther apart. The ball was in his court.
Mac moved toward the bed, sat down on the edge and brought her hand to rest on Harm's muscular shoulder, gently waking him. "Time to go or we'll be late."
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