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�We�ll never know,� Harm said softly. He, too, was slightly distracted by the illusion of Diane in front of him. In the back of his mind he knew that it wasn�t Diane standing in front of him in crisp summer whites, but Mac wearing an ensign�s uniform.
He couldn�t stop himself when he started leaning in. One last kiss, he said to himself. Just to say goodbye. Just to help me move on with my life.
Mac leaned in as well, partially because she knew Harm needed it, and partially because she wanted to know what it would feel like to have his lips caressing hers; even if he thought that her lips were that of her doppelganger.
Their lips met and a tender kiss goodbye became more very quickly. It wasn�t like kissing Diane had been. Diane was always shy, playful and teasing. Mac was passionate, giving all she could into the brief kiss.
When they broke, despite the Navy uniform, Harm couldn�t see anything other than Mac.
�I know,� Mac said softly, hoping that her disappointment wasn�t coming across in her voice. �You were kissing her,� she said, reassuring Harm that she wouldn�t take the past minute the wrong way.
Harm was about to contradict her when Bud and several corpsmen from the ship came racing toward them, trying to save the bastard who had killed Diane and, legally, gotten away with it. The ship, however, hadn�t been blind to his sins and had tried and had executed the guilty party quickly and efficiently.
�Can you give me a ride home?� Mac asked as they left the edge of the dock. She didn�t want to see the mangled body coming out of the water and she knew that Harm shouldn�t have to watch it, either. Harm nodded and they headed across the paved dock toward his Corvette.
The long drive back to DC was silent.
There was too much to say and nowhere to start.