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JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia
Thursday, October 16, 2003
1047 Hours (local)

"Lieutenant Colonel MacKenzie," Mac answered her phone.

"Mac, it's Denise."

"What do you want?" Mac said curtly.

"I wanted to make sure that you guys knew I was still on the case but we weren't going to go to the club this weekend."

"We were informed."

"Good. Um… listen, I'm really sorry about everything."

"You don't need to apologize to me, Denise. It was your choice."

"I didn't want to cause any problems between you and Harm. You said that you never did anything, but I can't help to feel that there is something between you."

"No, there's not. And there have been problems between us for a while."

"I just didn't want to make it worse."

"Well, you did. Are we done?"

"I guess so," Denise said. "I'm sorry, Mac, I really am."

"Have a nice day," Mac said icily as she hung up. She rose to her feet and picked up a few files. Walking to Harm's office, she knocked on his door. "Commander?" she called.

Harm looked up. "Yes?"

Mac strode into the office and handed the files over. "Motions and witness lists."

"Mac," Harm began.

"You want to hurl more insults at me, Harm? 'Cause if you do, I'd like the chance to throw some back at you. That whole ambushing thing you did last night wasn't very fair."

"I didn't want it to turn out like that last night."

"Does anything you do work out like you want?"

"Well, I do win some cases…" Harm trailed off, offering Mac a peaceful smile.

"Funny," Mac said, not smiling.

"No. I actually wanted to apologize for some of the things I said last night."

"Well, it's not accepted," Mac responded.

"Okay," Harm said, suddenly uncertain. He looked down at the information Mac had given him and pulled out one of the folders. "Thanks, for these. I was on my way over to the brig to talk to Roland."

"Don't get lost," Mac said as she turned to go.

"Fat chance. I learned my way around pretty well while I was there, not that you would know."

Mac turned around to him, her eyes blazing. "Are you looking to start something again?"

"No."

"It sounded like you were."

"Then what was that 'Don't get lost,' comment about?"

"I simply meant don't get lost."

"You tend to simplify things, Mac. Tell me what you meant."

Mac simply walked out of his office and back to hers. A moment later, he was in there with her, the door shut.

"You wouldn't know anything about my time in the brig, would you? You never came to visit, you never offered me any encouraging words or showed your support, and when I got out, you never asked me how I was!"

"You're complicating things, Harm."

"Why didn't you? I didn't have a friend in the world while I was in there."

"We were ordered not to."

"And that's it? You were ordered not to? That wouldn't have stopped me, Mac. I would have at least come in to lend you support."

Mac just glared at Harm.

"You know what, Mac? I don't know why I was so worried about you and Brumby and then you and Webb. You would have either gotten tired of them or driven them crazy. 'Cause you drive me crazy and I've never even been in a relationship with you. Perhaps I should be grateful!" Harm turned on his heel and left the office, leaving Mac flustered at her desk.

"I hate you, Harmon Rabb," she growled in a low voice.

Sturgis strode in to talk to her for a moment. "That's certainly a change," he said, smiling.

"Get out," Mac growled to him, her eyes narrowed.

Sturgis could see she meant business so he handed her a folder and left, pulling the door shut behind him.

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