"Starting Over" Author: Hugo "Animal" Chikamori E-mail: hchikamori@yahoo.com Rating: G Classification: Harm/Mac R; Mac/Other R... Spoilers: Summary: Mac's jealousy gets the better of her. Enlisting the help of a friend, she suddenly realizes that she is falling in love with her friend. Harm realizes what an idiot he's been. Disclaimers: The characters Harm Rabb, Jr., AJ Chegwidden, et al. belong in concept if not name) to CBS/Bellisarius. No profit is being made from this story, nor is any infringement intended. Author's Note: THIS WILL END IN A TYPICAL SHIPPER ENDING. DO NOT FLAME ME. ******************************************************************* Part 1/3 JAG HEADQUARTERS FALLS CHURCH, VA 0945 EST "Jordan Parker", that name rankled in the pit of Major Sarah Mackenzie's stomach like the rancid coffee she had mistakenly drank last night. That little blonde bimbette had showed up at Harm's workplace and she was being sickly sappy as usual. If Parker had been a dog, she'd have her tongue hanging out, panting and wagging her tail, as she slobbered all over Harm. "The men 'I' go out with..." Mac thought furious, as she went over her case files. It was hopeless. She couldn't concentrate, with that...that... thing...in the other room with the man that she cared for. It topped off everything that had happened last week. That was because Lieutenant (now senior grade) Meg Austin had popped back into the JAG staff. She had been reassigned to JAG. But at least when the three of them had all gone for lunch, Meg had admitted that her 'love' for Harm had been an infatuation. What had she said,'that Harm was a terrific guy, but not her type of guy...she was looking for someone more adventurous, more daring, more...well, suffice it to say, Harm wasn't the man that Meg was looking for.' Harm had looked rather stunned at this, but Mac was relieved. That was one less competitor she had for his charming wiles. But the look on Harm's face, one of rejection and shock, had been a look to remember. Plus the fact that Jordan was still in the picture. Bobbi Latham hadn't gone away, and neither had Lieutenant Commander Teresa Coulter. It was either BIMBO the shrink, the Forensic pathologist, or Bobbi "Brain" Latham who was trying to take over the world. She giggled to herself as she had thought about one of Lieutenant Commander Philip Burrows' pastimes of watching Pinky and the Brain on Animaniacs. That guy never grew up. He had sung, in his off-key voice the theme song... "It's Pinky and the Brain... It's Pinky and the Brain... One is a genius, the other's insane... They're laboratory mice, Their genes have been spliced. They're dinky, they're Pinky and the... Brain...brain...brain...brain..." She chuckled again as the words of that song ran through her mind. It fit Bobbi Latham perfectly. Like that large-craniumed mouse, she was always looking for power, just like Commander Krennick was. They both had wanted Harm for sex, but sex to them, was a power struggle. They both wanted power. They didn't really love Harm, like Mac did. But while Harm was burdened with that blonde bimbo on his arm, Mac wouldn't have a chance. 'Do I really want to play second fiddle to some insensate, blanched twit who has about enough braincells to make up a one-celled amoeba.' she asked herself.'When was enough going to be enough for Harm.' she seethed internally.'Well, I'm not going to wait around for him while he makes up his mind.' The NATO Ball was coming up this weekend and she needed a date. She had wanted to originally go with Harm, but evidently he wasn't going to be asking her since that witch already had him tied up. She ran down the mental list of the military men, she knew and it was a relatively easy choice. Keeter was a bit too infantile for her and LCDR Burrows was definitely out of the question. 'He's probably off watching Samurai Pizza Cats again...' she grinned to herself. But hmmm, which naval aviator could she pick that would make Harm hot and jealous. She grinned... 'ah, that certain navy fighter jock, who still flys a Tomcat and he's adventurous and he is mature and he does have that devil-may-care attitude that all fighter jocks seem to carry with them like a coat. Hmmm, maybe...' Sarah Mackenzie had that little devilish grin on her face as she dialed the phone number of the NAS Oceana fighter squadron. 'Plus, I'd look good on the arm of a full-commander of a Navy fighter squadron.' she grinned. 'Hmmm, and he does outrank Harm.' "VF-41 Black Aces Squadron...This is Petty Officer Leon Trebalos. How can I help you?" "Is...Commander Chikamori in?" Mac asked. "Yes, he is...May I tell him who's calling?" the PO asked. "Tell him..." said Mac seductively,"It's Sarah..." "OK...I'll tell him." the PO couldn't get off the phone fast enough. The woman on the other end sounded HOT!!! "Mac, what are you doing calling..." Animal's voice was warm on the other end of the phone-line. "Well...I was wondering if you might meet me for lunch this after- noon." she said, still keeping that seductive tone in her voice. Animal was starting to get nervous. She could sense that over the phone. "Yeah...I could..." She heard an audible gulp over the phone. "But, I don't have khakis with me, today was a flight day...I'm just in my flight- suit..." "Is it the one with the patches..." Mac grinned as she turned on her charm full blast, giving him a subtle hint of her interest. "So much the better..." "Yeah, why?" Animal was definitely nervous now. "Well, could you be a sweetheart and come by and pick me up?" she grinned as she whispered this in a husky voice. She could hear Animal choking out an assent. "OK, then...sweetie..." She put as much romantic inklings into that endearment as she could. "I'll be waiting in my Marine greens for you...Bye ...." "Bye..." was all Animal could croak out. "New date?" LCDR Harmon Rabb Jr. stood there at the door to her office holding a case-file. "Yep..." Mac grinned,"And he's a naval aviator, just like you..." she couldn't resist needling him. "Well, at least you're picking better men, now..." OUCH. That one hurt especially when the one she wanted was standing in front of her. But Animal would have to do. But Animal was a catch in himself too, she thought. It would be a nice second prize if she could land him too. Harm was a little shocked,'First Meg didn't want him, said that she was looking for someone different, someone more adventurous than him, some- one who had a great understanding of what romance was. Now Mac was telling him that someone ELSE was in her life too. Twice in one week. But who could that be?' He knew relatively few number of aviators who he called his friends and many of them were the same friends as Mac's. He ran down the list of them and figured,'Hmmm, Can't think of anyone that Mac would be interested in...' "Well, he is a sweetheart and he is the commander of a fighter squadron over at NAS Oceana". 'Well, that narrowed it down.' he thought. There were only two people that he knew who commanded a fighter squadron out of Oceana. Commander Chuck "Links" Forrester and Commander Hugo "Animal" Chikamori. Both were full three-striper commanders and he had flown with both of them. Links flew with the Pukin' Dogs of VF-143 and Animal flew with the Black Aces from the time that he had first received his Navy Wings of Gold. But Links was engaged to a vice-admiral's daughter. Naw, it couldn't be. He wasn't about to voice his suspicions but he already knew. Mac looked at the devastation across his face and knew that he knew. But she wasn't about to stop this. Harm would have to go through this entire torture from beginning to end. And she was revelling in it. JAG HEADQUARTERS FALLS CHURCH, VA 1145 EST Commander Hugo Chikamori came through the JAG office doors and ran right into Lieutenant Commander Harmon Rabb Jr. "Sorry, sir..." Harm said to Animal. "Harm...geez..." Animal said."What the heck is going on?" "Well, why don't you tell me?" Harm said...trying to restrain himself from being sarcastic with an old friend. "Well, all I get is my yeoman telling me that there's a phonecall from Mac and hell, next thing I know, she's all over me?" Animal blinked like he had been blind-sided by a truck. "What's going on, you two have a fight or something?" "Hi...who's this?" A cheery looking blonde Lieutenant Commander appeared on Harm's arm and looked brightly at the Commander. Animal shrugged his shoulders and raised a questioning look over at Harm. "Oh, he's a fighter pilot?" the Lieutenant Commander said looking brightly and rather vacantly at Animal. "Actually, he's also a three-striper commander." "Oh, I'm sorry, sir..." she said as she tossed him a crisp salute. She had to know full well, that regulations stated that one was not supposed to salute in-doors. Animal chose to ignore that and just nodded acknowledg- ing the salute. "Oh, there you are..." said Mac who had just come around the corner. Shooting a rather venomous look at Jordan, she grabbed Animal and gave him a passionate kiss right in front of a gaping Harmon Rabb Jr. "Hi, sweetheart, How was your flight today?" "Woah, Mac, what is going on?" Animal said looking both at Mac and at Harm who was by now turning a brilliant shade of red. "I'll tell you, when we have our lunch..." Mac grinned at him as she placed a possessive arm around Animal's flight-suited waist and guided him back into the JAG office. She tossed Harm a victorious look as she mouthed the words,'See ya, Harm.' Harm could only stand there vacantly open-mouthed as he saw the love of his life walk off with another man. And he couldn't say anything because this man was just as good for Sarah, as he was. Part 2/3 BELTWAY BURGERS FALLS CHURCH, VA 1230 EST "You want me to go steady with you?" Animal just about nearly choked on the mouthful of his cheeseburger. "Yes..." Mac said, caressing Animal's arm."I'm sick and tired of having to wait for Harm to make up his mind." "And..." Animal prompted. "Well...do I get a yes?" Mac asked as she grasped his forearm and brought Animal's burger down to the table. "God, this is putting me on the spot." Animal said. "What do you want me to say?" he asked making eye-to-eye contact with Mac. And fixing her with a serious stare,"And why are you doing this to Harm?" Mac looked frustrated,"Well, why is everybody psychoanalyzing me...I just want something that Harm isn't ready to give me yet. I don't want to be 50 and still single." Animal was starting to get a pressure-headache right between his eyes as he sat there looking at Mac who was giving him the 100% doe-eyes. It was hard to resist, but he didn't want to take Harm's best friend and the woman that Harm loved, if she wasn't completely one-hundred percent certain. And from the way that Mac was waffling, she certainly did not seem to be all too certain of that herself. He rubbed that spot with his index and middle fingers, trying to make the pressure headache go away. Mac leaned over and planted a kiss on Animal's lips. "You know..." she whispered,"You're a lot like Harm. You both are so self-righteous. You think that you're walking a morally straight line. That's what attracts me to you...c'mon, Animal, say that you love me..." "I do love you, Sarah," He reached for her hands,"but you're not certain about me..." he said. "What makes you so certain of that..." she whispered, surprised that she was hurt by his doubts. "Because, I know that deep down, in your own heart, that you love Harm." Animal said,"This is hurting him..." "Well, he's hurting me, by going out with Parker..." Mac said stubborn- ly as she grabbed Animal's hands and caressed them. "So, why shouldn't I get a little fun with someone else." "Because..." Animal said,"Because you're playing with someone else's emotions as well. You want to commit to someone, but that someone is Harm... not me..." "Were you a psychologist too?" Mac said, looking sourly at Animal who shook his head. "Well, you sure sound like one..." "Maybe because I got 100% on my psychology exam on a correspondence course...It was a course that I wanted to do to get a better feel on how to be a commander of a fighter squadron...but it also helps me to read people better too." Animal replied, his dark eyes looked hurt that Mac was just using him to get to Harm. Mac saw that too, and her heart melted. "But, I've always loved you... Animal..." she said, a tear slipping from her eye. "You are also a part of me...Don't you remember..." Animal sighed. There was that one afternoon in Pensacola, where they had spent the afternoon together at the beach. Mac or Sarah as she was known back then had been a raw 2nd Lieutenant in a Recon platoon and Animal had been a rookie fighter pilot Lieutenant JG. There had been a lot of love between the two of them that day, which had spread into months, as they had been together through most of Sarah's Recon assignment and his flight East Coast Reserve Air Group familiarization course, with the F-14 Tomcat. They had fallen in love with one another back then. But that was then, and this was now. Animal remembered, but her heart belonged now to someone else. There was no other person, other than Harm who knew her as intimately as Animal did. Sarah knew that if she was going to marry someone other than Harm, it would be Animal. And she said,"Animal, we have a history together, that no other person does, except for Harm. If I can't have Harm, then all I want is YOU..." she said punctuating that statement with a tender kiss that seemed to make time stop for the both of them. "I love you, too, Sarah..." was Animal's only response as they deepened their kiss, but he broke loose, and said,"I'll take you to the Ball, but promise me, ONE THING..." The look on his face was the look of the squad- ron commander and it brooked no dissent. "What..." Mac said as she breathed hard. That kiss had been one of the most passionate she had ever had and her heart was racing. "You will have at least ONE dance with Harm..." Mac almost objected, but Animal held up his hand,"ONE DANCE that night with him, and if at the end of that night, you can truly come back to me and tell me still...that YOU LOVE ME...then, I'll follow you to the ends of the earth. I'll marry you." Animal said firmly. "You'll marry me...with all my faults..." Mac asked tenderly. "I will...but only on that one condition..." Animal said firmly. "I don't care about your faults, all I care about is one beautiful Marine sitting here in front of me." Mac knew that Animal was faithful to his word, but she didn't realize that her heart was falling for him. He was so faithful to her. Her mind went over the countless dinners and the romance that had blossomed through their time in Pensacola. They had separated with the hopes that they would be able to continue their romance, but the separation turned from days, to months, to years. And finally each of them had gone their separate ways. Until the fact that JAG had brought them all back together. Animal had served with Harm on the VF-33 Howlers squadron as a temporary duty assign- ment from his regular squadron during the Gulf War, since the squadron was short on pilots and the fact that they had needed more pilots to carry out their mission. Animal had requested, had not been told, but had requested to stay behind with the Howlers in order to augment their pilot roster and his commander back then, had assented to that decision. For that move alone, Animal had been nominated for the Defense Distinguished Service Medal. He had flown over 100 combat sorties himself alone and had flown Combat Air Patrol and SEAD missions till he could fly them to their Iraqi targets in his sleep. At the end of the Gulf War he had been promoted to full Lieutenant. Animal checked his watch. "Geez, is it already..." "1326 and 45 seconds..." Mac grinned at Animal. "How...do you do that?" Animal asked. "I've got great timing..." She grinned suggestively. Animal groaned. "We'd better go..." Animal suggested."AJ will probably not like your being gone this long..." Mac reluctantly grabbed her things as she headed for Animal's Camaro. It was dark metallic blue and Animal loved to tinker with it. He had just put in an augmented V8 in the hood and that car had power. Fighter jocks loved their fast cars as well as their fast planes and Animal was no exception. Mac loved the way, Animal handled his car. It was like an extension of his fingertips. Lying his hand on the automatic transmission stick, which he didn't have to move anyways, he eased the car into the flow of traffic with a practiced ease. Mac couldn't resist extending her hand and covering Animal's hand on the stick with her own as she stole little glances over at him. Animal seemed to be a natural at everything that he did, whether it be flying or expertly maneuvering a fast vehicle or just playing sports, especially hockey, with his friends. JAG HEADQUARTERS FALLS CHURCH, VA 1355 EST Animal's Camaro pulled up in front of the JAG building as the Marine Sentry looked at the Marine Major and the Navy Commander in the vehicle as they handed their passes over to him. "Good afternoon, sir, ma'am." "Thank you. Gunny..." Animal said as he eased the vehicle forward. It was almost 2 o'clock as he pulled into the parking space reserved for visitors to the base. "Thanks for being there for me..." Mac said as she leaned over and gave Animal another kiss. "I love you, you know that..." "I know..." Animal said, not willing to believe that when the object of her attention was standing by the door in dress blues and his white officer's cap. She got out of the car and waggled her fingers at him as Animal saluted her. She returned the salute crisply,"Sir..." she said, her voice making that term of respect more euphonious by the little touch of affection that she put into it. "Major." Animal responded. "I'll see you tonight...my Commander." she grinned as she turned on her heels, the curves of her body, enticing Animal to go take a very COLD shower when he got back to the base. She just about nearly ran into Lieutenant Commander Harmon Rabb Jr. "So, was lunch romantic?" he said insinuating that something must have gone on. "That's just your imagination." she riposted. "Oh, Major, I know your history with the Commander." Harm said, and that infuriated her. What could he possibly know about her relationship with Animal. Besides, Animal respected her. He was a good man. Not opinionated. "I think you'd better take that as a red light..." Mac said frigidly as she turned on her heels to go into the office. Harm cursed at himself. With one stupid comment, he had effectively lost the woman that he loved. Part 3/3 NATO BALL WASHINGTON DC 1847 EST Harm & Jordan Lieutenant Commander Harmon Rabb Jr. resigned himself to having cling- ing to his arm a ditsy blonde by the name of Lieutenant Commander Jordan Parker who was wearing a clingy metallic blue shimmering evening gown. When he saw the couple enter, a young Asian male with a dark haired beauty on his arm. The young Asian male was a United States Navy commander with three striped shoulderboards on each shoulder and at least 4 rows of ribbons on his mess-dress uniform. "Oh, Harm...don't those two make a wonderful couple..." gushed Jordan who didn't see Harm wince as he looked at Commander Chikamori and Major Sarah Mackenzie, Harm's JAG partner, in each other's arms. The pain in his heart was too great for words. How he had screwed up the only true friend- ship that he had. Mac hadn't talked to him all week and when he had asked if she was planning anything for the evening, he had gotten a frigid answer that she had planned things for herself and Commander Chikamori all week. Harm frankly didn't know what to do anymore. Meg didn't want him, now Mac didn't want him. He couldn't foresee a future with Jordan Parker, the very thought just frightened him. 'Why did I shoot off my mouth like that?' he asked himself. Even as he and Jordan were dancing, his eyes kept straying to Mac and her Commander. He couldn't feel bitter at Animal. Animal wasn't enjoying this as much as the Marine Major in his arms, because, he knew that his date's heart was with the man who was dancing with the blonde Lieutenant Commander. Mac & Animal "Hugo...why are you looking as though you're dancing with your sister?" Mac asked. Animal looked at her,"I don't have a sister..." That took Mac off guard, she hadn't meant it literally. "I meant that you don't seem to be enjoying this as much as I am." she said as she caressed his cheek. "Look, I know that this sounds stupid, but why don't you dance the next dance with Harm?" Mac looked at him in shock. "You don't seem to get that I'm not in love with Harm anymore." Mac said. Animal raised one eyebrow, faintly reminiscent of Spock in Star Trek and said,"Remember our agreement." Mac sighed,"Oh, all right...but let me sit this next one out, I'm famished." "So am I, but first of all, I have to take a break for a second." As he saw Harm headed for the washrooms. This was his only chance to set things right. He gave Mac a quick brush on the lips with his own and set out after Harm. Jordan Parker was off to the side, waiting for Harm. THE WASHROOM NATO BALL Animal saw Harm standing at the sink washing his hands. "So, I see that you're with Mac now..." Harm said trying to keep the bitterness out of his voice. "You two look happy..." "Oh, cut the bullshit, Harm..." Animal snapped."You love Mac and you know it. Why the hell are you being such an ass about it?" "Look, I don't see what this has to do about it..." "Lieutenant Commander..." Animal said, his tone frosty. Harm knew that Animal could turn on the frosty tone of a commanding officer just like a light-switch and beware of that, when that happened. "You are going to shut up and listen, or I'm going to have to beat some sense into you..." "But..." "SHUT UP!!! LIEUTENANT COMMANDER!!! THAT'S AN ORDER!!!" Animal's roar stopped Harm silent. When Animal spoke next, his voice was cold as a steel blade..."Mac deserves someone good. Someone who hasn't got a preconceived opinion about what she should be like. Now, she has said that she loves me. But I know who she really loves." Animal's words cut deeply into Harm. Had he been so opinionated that he hadn't taken Mac's feelings into account. "She told me what you said. I thought better of you, Harm. Now I'm not so sure. Your arrogance may have just about cost you her friendship. So, I am giving you one last chance to make it right by her." What even hurt Harm even more was the fact that one of his best friends was saying this to him. That he had been an absolutely arrogant jerk. A Commander stepped into the room..."WALK NOW!!! COMMANDER!!!" Animal snapped. "THIS IS A PRIVATE CONVERSATION. FIND SOMEPLACE ELSE!!!" The full commander didn't bother trying to figure out who was the senior commander; he walked out looking for another washroom facility. That was the unmistake- able command voice quality. It brooked no questions and it was the voice of command. "Lieutenant Commander Rabb, I am going to give you an order to take this next dance with Major Mackenzie, and you had better make it good and make it worth her while. Because I will marry her, if she tells me that she loves me by the end of tonight." Animal said."I am giving you the chance to make it right. Make it count, Commander." At that, Animal turned on his heels and left the room. Harm stood there for a long time. BALLROOM NATO BALL WASHINGTON DC Mac reluctantly passed her date to Lieutenant Meg Austin as Mac's co-worker and legal partner, LCDR Harmon Rabb Jr. reached for her hand. "Hi, Commander," Meg said to Commander Chikamori, whose eyes kind of lit up at the tall blonde Navy Lieutenant. "Hello, Lieutenant." Animal said to Meg. "Aren't you a little young to be a Commander...oops..." she covered her mouth with embarrasment. "Oh, I'm sorry, sir..." "That's all right." Animal grinned congenially, his mind was a little pre-occupied for the moment seeing how Mac and Harm were hitting it off. "They make a nice couple, don't they..." Meg said softly..."I thought that Harm and I would have made a couple at one time...but..." "But...what..." Animal asked as Meg paused for a moment..."I'm curious." he said softly. He couldn't understand it but this beautiful young tall Navy lieutenant fascinated him. "But, I'm more inclined now to someone who's more adventurous..." She laughed modestly."Someone who can keep up with me. Who craves a little excitement. You're a fighter pilot...you can understand that, right? Sir?" As when Mac had said that, that term of respect rolling off her lips sounded like an endearment. "So, are you up for a little excitement in your life? Commander?" That sounded like a challenge. "Uh, yeah..." Animal winced as that response sounded like Sylvester Stallone on a good day. He really had to work on his response level. Meg smiled at him. Like Mac, her smile could light up a room. Maybe, just may- be, Animal thought, 'I'll find happiness with Meg...' Their fingers inter- twined as they headed for the dancefloor. Mac & Harm. "Mac, I..." Harm started to say as the music was playing. "I never found out why you walked away... And never said...good-bye... And now that I see you...I'm torn inside... But I've still got my pride..." "Don't say it...Harm..." Mac said, she was still wounded at the way that Harm had treated her, as if she was just some accessory. She was a human being, she had feelings. "Look I don't even know why we're even bothering..." "I...I know that you felt like you didn't mean anything to me. That I was happy with Jordan and you felt left out..." Harm said...trying to find the right words but stumbling. "I understand...that some things are better left unsaid... I'm afraid of the truth... But what can I do...if I still want you..." Mac looked up at Harm's gray-green eyes. Animal had been right, she still loved Harm. Animal was such a good man, he understood everything that there was to know about her. She didn't know what had gone on when Animal said that he had needed to take a break, but she somehow knew in the pit of her stomach that Animal had raked Harm down the coals. What better friend could she have. "If we could start over again, I know if we tried, our love could be stronger. If we could start over again, I'm sure, wo-oh... We'd never have to let go..." It was true, Mac never wanted to let Harm go. Harm, whether or not he was opinionated and true, he was, he was still a good man in every sense of the word. Every bit Animal's equal. They were both worthy of her un- conditional trust. And both would defend her to the death. She sighed,"I ....Harm, maybe I was too hard on you." she admitted. "I love you, Sarah, what were we thinking?" Harm asked,"We let our- selves be carried away." "I know...but I have to admit to you, that I had a past with Animal ...." "Yeah, but it was one that was good for you, not like Chris, not like Farrow, not like any of the others..." Harm thought thanking Animal that he had given her some joy, unlike some of the relationships that she had had in the past. "Well, there was you as well..." Mac said, correcting herself,"I should say, there IS you..." changing the past tense to the present. "Is there?" Harm asked searching into her dark brown eyes. "For so many years now, I've held inside...things I've meant to say... But faced with the past, now I realize... I can't let that stand in our way. I never knew...that a love so strong would never fade But what can we do... If I still want you... And you want me too..." "I do want you, Harm..." Mac admitted, tears welling up in her eyes. "I'm sorry, I hurt you with our best friend." "I don't care about that, Mac, he still brought us together..." Harm said as he tenderly kissed her. "How can we walk away... From something that was once so strong... Have we the strength to say we're wrong..." "I'm sorry, Harm..." Mac said. " I love you, Harm." "I'm sorry, that I was so opinionated." Harm said, as he covered Mac's lips with his own. They danced quietly together as the strains of the chorus repeated. "If we could start over again, I know if we try our love would be stronger, If we could start over again I'm sure...wo-oh... We'd never, have to let go..." Harm peered over Mac's shoulder to see Meg and Animal locked in an embrace as they danced to the song. Everything was right again in Harm's world. "Just what did he say to you..." Mac grinned up at him. Harm winced as he replied,"He called me a stubborn, obnoxious arrogant ass...and that he would have to give me a beating if I wouldn't co-operate and ask you to dance with me." "That bad, huh?" Mac teased. "Oh, well, he mentioned that he would marry you if I didn't dance with you..." Harm replied. "You were a stubborn old goat, weren't you..." Mac grinned as she caressed his cheek. "Lucky you obeyed his command." She said as she gave him that mischievous look that Harm loved so much. "Why is that?" Harm asked. "Because he is a third degree black-belt in Karate and also is just about as deadly as Admiral Chegwidden when it comes to hand-to-hand combat." Mac replied snidely. "Where did you learn that?" Harm asked shocked. "Well, what did you think we did back when Animal and I were going out together in Pensacola. It wasn't all sex." she said snidely. Harm choked a bit on that. "You...knew that he had martial arts skills," He had only known the Top Gun flying skills that Animal possessed as a combat pilot. He blanched when he thought about the trouble he would have gotten into with only his kickboxing skills if he had tangled with Animal. Mac grinned, the 'sex' comment hadn't fazed him, he was having more trouble with the happy-go-lucky Animal as deadly comment. They headed to their table as the last strains of the song died into silence. The two met up with Meg and Animal at the table. "Harm can you give Animal and I a minute..." Mac said. Meg nodded as she and Harm went to get some refreshments. "You were right..." Mac said when Animal and her were alone. "I knew it was..." Animal said nodding. It hurt to let her go, but he knew that she would be happier with Harm than with him. "You look happy with Meg..." Mac said. "She's a really interesting person," Animal replied. "Are you..." "Yes..." Animal said,"I'm going to ask her out..." "You know this means that I'm still not going to stop loving you..." Mac said to Animal. "I know..." Animal grinned,"But, you're just going to love me in a different way." He said to Mac. "For what might have been, sailor..." she said as she leaned over the table and gave him a last passionate kiss. Animal nodded as he broke the kiss."For what might have been..." he whispered. "Thank you..." was all Mac had to say...as Harm and Meg came back with their drinks. The looks that Animal and Mac passed each other were proof enough that that part of their relationship was over. Each turned to their new relationship with a look and a kiss. "Hi, sailor..." Mac said to Harm as Harm embraced her. "Hi, there..." Animal turned to Meg...who gave him a kiss. *****THE END****** OK. I told you that this would have a shipper ending. :) So, comments, liked it, loved it? Hated it? Didn't like Meg...Didn't like Mac...what... Need FEEDBACK!!!! *Celine Dion's "If We Could Start Over Again" is the song from her CD Unison copyrighted to Columbia Records c.1990 *Pinky and the Brain song. well...it's from the Animaniacs. Don't have any idea where to credit that too, so it's credited to it's creators whoever the heck they are. :)