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I unhooked the chain and let the ring slip off into my palm. Since Harm had given it to me three months earlier on a weekend trip to his grandmother�s farm the ring had spent more time hanging around my neck than it had on my finger. And, while just knowing that Harmon Rabb Jr loved me and wanted me to be his wife was enough, sometimes I would have liked to have people gush over my ring like they did over Harriet�s after Bud proposed to her.
We had talked about how and when we were going to �come out� in out own special way, and we had yet to come to a decision other than the fact that we had to tell the Admiral first. Even though we still weren�t sure how to tell him that we�d been lying to him for over a year and breaking one of the cardinal rules at in the military and, specifically, at JAG by �fraternizing�, Harm and I had instantly agreed that he needed to be the first to know. Or, second, really, since it had been impossible to hide our engagement from Harm�s grandmother since she had walked out onto the porch only moment�s after Harm had got down on one knee in the front garden.
An elongated shadow blocked the sun and made me snap my hand shut around the ring.
�Deep thoughts, Commander?�
�Something like that,� I replied, not entirely eager to speak to the woman who was standing behind me. �And I help you with something, Agent Scully?�
�I got the impression that you were none too pleased to see me with Harm before,� Scully said. �And I honestly cannot understand why.�
�I�m very protective of my partner, ma�am,� I replied, the ring in my palm digging into my skin.
Scully sat down next to me. �I understand that. Believe me, I do. But what I don�t understand is why you felt you needed to protect him from me.