1705 (5:05 p.m.)
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia

“Your Honor!” Lieutenant Colonel Sarah “Mac” MacKenzie jumped to her feet. “Lieutenant Haler already stated earlier that he was at his weekly bowling class the night of the murder.”

Judge Helfman nodded. “You’re right, Colonel. Commander Rabb, don’t try that tactic again.”

“No, Your Honor.” Commander Harmon “Harm” Rabb, Jr. turned to face the judge. “I have no further questions.” He returned to his seat, throwing a glare at Mac.

“Due to the late time, we will resume this trial on Monday at 0900. Court is in recess.” The gavel fell.

Mac rose out of her chair again and started packing up her paperwork. Harm came over and gave her a soft pinch on the arm. “Thanks a lot,” he told her. “I could’ve gotten a really good point across if you had kept your little prosecution mouth shut.”

Mac looked up at him triumphantly. “I’m going to win this case, so don’t expect any leeway from me.”

Harm rolled his eyes. “Come on, let’s go.” He picked up his briefcase and followed Mac out of the courtroom.

*~*~*~*~

Five Minutes Later
Mac’s Office

Harm knocked on the doorjamb of Mac’s office. “Mac, I was wondering… hey, what’s the rush?” he asked, watching her quickly stuff files, folders, and papers into her briefcase and collect her cover.

“I have to pick Chloe up at the airport in 69 minutes,” Mac told him, shutting her computer down.

“Chloe’s coming this weekend? You never told me that.”

“Yeah, Sunday’s her birthday. Her grandmother surprised her with a plane ticket to DC to visit me. I only found out on Tuesday.”

“But that was three days ago,” Harm pointed out.

“Hey, I’m sorry, it just slipped my mind. Anyway, I was wondering if you wanted to come over to my place tomorrow for dinner. I’m throwing Chloe a small party and I’ve already invited Harriet and little A.J., and Sturgis is coming with Bobbi Latham. You can bring Sergei, too, if you want.”

Harm nodded. “Sounds good. How old is she going to be?”

“Thirteen. She’s officially a teenager in a little over 48 hours.”

Harm let out a whistle. “Her poor grandmother,” he said.

“I know. Well, I better get going. I have to fight rush hour traffic as it is.” Mac tried to walk out of her office, but Harm blocked her way. “Harm! Let me out.”

“Only if you let me come with you to pick her up. I need to buy her a present anyway, so you can fill me in on what she’d like on our way to the airport.”

“That’s easy - anything to do with N Sync or horses. But if you want to come along that badly, be my guest. I have to warn you, though, I get a little… testy when I’m driving during rush hour.”

“Hey, I’ve seen you in every other mood you’ve been in. I think I can handle a little road rage,” Harm told her with a grin.

“OK. Now, let me out of my office. Go get your stuff, and meet me at your car in two minutes.”

“Why do we have to take my car?”

“Because if you want to come along, that will make three people in the vehicle once we pick up Chloe. My ‘Vette only holds two. Your Lexus has five seats. Now, outta my way.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Harm replied, stepping aside to let her pass.

*~*~*~*~

1819 (6:19 p.m.)
Dulles International Airport
Washington, DC

“Well, Mac, I’ll say you definitely made it in time,” Harm said wryly, looking at his watch. Chloe’s plane wasn’t originally supposed to arrive for another ten minutes, but there had just been an announcement over the PA system that the flight had been delayed and was twenty minutes behind schedule.

“I know, I just didn’t want to keep Chloe waiting all by herself,” Mac told him. “And besides, I didn’t know that the plane was late.”

“Yeah, but you didn’t have to yell at that guy on the highway, either,” Harm said. “Poor kid probably just got his license, and you nearly ran into his bumper.”

“I did not,” Mac protested.

“Yes, you did. Plus, you were going ten miles over the speed limit.”

“Five.”

“Whatever, you were still speeding and you still almost rear ended him.”

“Did not.”

“Did, too. I still can’t believe that I let you drive. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

“I’m a better driver, and besides, I didn’t actually have an accident.” Mac shot him a triumphant look, silently telling him the subject was closed. “Since we’ve got time to kill, want to hit a couple stores? Maybe you can find something for Chloe’s birthday.”

“OK,” Harm agreed, rising out of the hard plastic chair he’d been sitting in. “Lead the way.”

*~*~*~*~

Twenty Minutes Later
1839 (6:39 p.m.)
Gifts 4 Kids Store, inside Dulles International Airport

Mac was examining a pair of earrings when Harm walked up to her. He’d gone off to the other end of the store in search of the entertainment section.

“How’s this?” he asked, holding out a bag that was nearly bursting at the seams.

Mac took the bag and looked inside. “Harm!” she exclaimed. “How many things did you buy?!”

“Well, you said that she liked N Sync, so I got her some stuff with ‘em on it. It’s just a T-shirt, a keychain, a notebook, and a teen magazine with that Justin guy on the front.”

Mac shook her head and handed the bag back to him. “OK, Harm. Chloe is going to love you forever when she sees this.”

“She already loves me,” Harm protested.

Mac rolled her eyes. “I need coffee.”

Harm had already paid for the gifts, so they left the store and headed for the coffee shop. But when they arrived, they saw a huge line in front of the counter, much to their dismay.

“Well, Mac, I guess you’ll have to skip the coffee for now,” Harm told her.

“I’m not leaving here without a cappuccino,” Mac declared. “Why don’t you go meet Chloe’s plane, and I’ll be over in a few minutes. I’ll buy your coffee.”

“All right, just please don’t make it another decaf grande soy latte,” Harm begged, starting toward the gate where they were supposed to meet Chloe.

“I won’t,” Mac replied, throwing him a dirty look.

*~*~*~*~

Seven Minutes Later

“Harm!” Chloe Madison dropped her backpack and ran up to Harm, throwing her arms around him. She was grinning from ear to ear.

“Hey, kiddo.” Harm leaned down to embrace her. “How are you?”

“I’m great!” Chloe exclaimed. “Where’s Mac?”

“Right here,” Mac called, walking up behind Harm.

Excitedly squealing her name, Chloe hurried to give her a hug.

Mac handed Harm the two Styrofoam cups she’d been carrying and gave Chloe a huge squeeze. “How was your flight?” she asked as she and Chloe rubbed noses like they always did.

“It was great. The hostess was really nice, and guess what? She’s seen N Sync in concert four times, and she has an Appaloosa that she was telling me about. And she liked me so much that she gave me an extra soda, and not one, not two, but three bags of peanuts.” Chloe did her best version of an angelic expression. “And I didn’t even have to beg.”

Harm and Mac laughed. “Well, that’s great,” Mac said. “Now, grab your backpack and let’s go get the rest of your stuff. Harm and I are taking you to dinner as an early birthday present.”

“Goody! I’m starved.” Chloe slung her backpack over her shoulder. “Where are we going to eat?”

“Wherever you want,” Harm told her. “You get to pick.”

“Really?!” Chloe asked, her face lighting up.

“Really,” said Harm.

“Cool! But now, how am I gonna decide? There’s Burger King, and Wendy’s, and McDonald’s…” Chloe droned on, naming her favorite restaurants to herself.

“Um, Chloe, you might want to try for something a little nicer than fast food,” Harm told her.

“OK, that’s fine! Hmm, Pizza Hut, TGI Fridays…”

Harm and Mac just shook their heads at each other as the three of them headed for the luggage pickup.

*~*~*~*~

Thirty Three Minutes Later (7:19 p.m.)

“Mac!” Harm nearly choked on his coffee. “What on earth is this stuff?!”

“It’s a French Vanilla latte,” Mac told him, keeping her eyes on the road while trying not to laugh at Harm’s reaction to the coffee.

“It’s disgusting.” Harm rolled the window down and dumped the offending brew out. “And why did I let her drive again?” he moaned under his breath as Mac changed lanes in an amount of time that even Jeff Gordon would be impressed at.

“OK, Chloe, we’re coming up to our exit. Which restaurant do you want?” Mac asked, flipping on her turn signal.

“Red Lobster,” Chloe said immediately.

“All right, Red Lobster, it is!”

*~*~*~*~

1955 (7:55 p.m.)
Red Lobster Restaurant
Georgetown

“What can I get for you folks tonight?” asked their waitress, a pretty young blonde with a pencil stuck behind her ear.

“I think I’ll have the fried shrimp,” said Mac, looking up from her menu. “With extra cocktail sauce.”

“All right.” The waitress whipped her pencil out from behind her ear and scribbled a few words down on her notepad. “Sir?”

“Steamed lobster plate, caesar salad, and mashed potatoes.” Harm handed her his menu.

“OK.” She jotted it down, then looked expectantly at Chloe. “What about you, sweetie?”

“Popcorn shrimp and cheese sticks, please,” said Chloe, “and a big glass of Coke.”

“No problem,” the waitress replied, adding Chloe’s order to the check.

“Thanks,” Chloe told her.

“You’re welcome,” said the waitress with a smile. “You have a very sweet daughter,” she told Harm as she took Mac and Chloes’ menus.

Harm opened his mouth to correct the woman’s mistake, but decided against it and just smiled at the waitress. “Thank you,” he said.

As the waitress nodded and walked off to get Chloe’s Coke, Mac raised her eyebrows at Harm, her expression amused.

Harm just threw her his flyboy grin.

*~*~*~*~

2145 (9:45 p.m.)
Mac’s Apartment
Georgetown

Chloe sighed happily as she flopped onto Mac’s couch a few hours later.

“What’s that for?” Mac asked, sitting down beside her.

“What’s what for?”

“Your big sigh.” “Oh. Nothing,” Chloe replied. “I’m just happy to be back here. Seems like it’s been forever since I visited you last.”

“It’s only been since Christmas,” Mac told her. “But I know what you mean.”

Chloe was silent for a little while, then asked suddenly, “Mac, are you and Harm dating yet?”

Mac chuckled. “No, we’re not.”

“Well, you should be,” Chloe informed her, turning to gaze up at Mac.

“I know, I know. We just haven’t decided it’s the right time… yet.”

“But he’s your best friend. There isn’t much difference between best friends and boyfriends, are there? I mean, Rick and I have been dating for months, and we still act the same around each other,” Chloe said with a grin.

“It’s harder than it sounds, Chloe.”

“But you love him, don’t you?” Mac sighed. “Yeah, I do.”

“Then tell him!”

“It’s not that simple. Both of us have had a lot of problems to deal with this past year, and it takes a while to get over them.”

“You mean Mic?”

“Well, he’s one of the reasons. But Harm and I are working on it, don’t worry. We’re still best friends.”

“I’ll say,” Chloe said under her breath. “You two are practically joined at the hip.”

“I heard that.” Mac gave Chloe a small whack on the arm.

“I just wish you guys would hurry up and get together.”

“Why?”

“So you’d be happy,” Chloe told her, looking even more intently at her big sister.

Mac smiled at her. “All right.” She reached over and gave Chloe a hug. “Now you better go get ready for bed. We’re going shopping in DC tomorrow.”

“Really?!” Chloe squealed.

“Yup. Now, scoot.” Mac gave her a small slap on the butt, and Chloe hurried to the bathroom to brush her teeth.

*~*~*~*~

Thirty Minutes Later (10:15 p.m.)

Mac poured herself a cup of decaf, and she was heading to the living room to watch TV when the phone rang. Hoping the loud noise wouldn’t wake Chloe, she picked up the receiver.

“Lieutenant Colonel MacKenzie,” she said into the phone.

“Mac, it’s Mrs. Madison.” The voice of Chloe’s grandmother came from the other end of the line.

“Oh, hi! How are you?”

“I’m just fine. Listen, I wanted to call and inform you that I’ll be coming to see Chloe tomorrow - with her father.”

“I’m sorry?” Mac asked, confused.

“Kyle’s ship just came in port down there. He’s been granted weekend leave. I’m planning to pick him up and we’re hoping to surprise Chloe.”

“But Chloe never said anything about her father coming home.”

“We didn’t tell her, in case he wasn’t given leave. But he has, and I’m going to drive down there and get him tomorrow. We’re both going to be able to come and help Chloe celebrate her birthday.”

“But, Mrs. Madison, that’s an awfully long drive,” Mac reminded her, thinking of the four states separating Virginia and Vermont. “Would you prefer that I pick her father up instead?”

“Oh, no, this is fine,” the woman insisted. “I’ve driven long distances in the dark before. All I have to do is pack my suitcase, and I’ll be on my way.”

“You’re starting tonight?”

“Yes.”

“All right,” Mac relented. “I’m throwing a small party for Chloe at about six tomorrow. Will you be here by then?”

“That sounds fine. We’ll be there.”

“OK. Have a safe trip.”

“I will. Can you give me directions to your place from the highway?” Then, after Mac did, “Thank you. See you tomorrow.”

“You’re welcome, Mrs. Madison. Good night.”

“Good night.”

As Mac hung up the phone, she tried to imagine how thrilled Chloe would be when she saw her father. It’s a better surprise than I could ever give her, she thought.