Disclaimer: I do not own JAG, Harmon Rabb, Sarah MacKenzie, et al. I am not making any money off this endeavor.

~*~*~

Candlelight & Roses

"Hello?" Mac picked up the phone on the fourth ring.

"I was just about to give up."

"Harm, is that you?" Mac questioned the voice on the other end of the line. "What are you up to?"

"Yep, it's me. It's such a beautiful night, I thought I'd take a ride with the top down." Harm paused for a moment. "Care to join me?"

Mac crossed over to the window and opened it. I was, indeed, a beautiful night. The air caressed her cheek as it wafted in through the open window. She could see the lights of the city shining all around. It was a night for lovers. Whoa! Where had that thought come from?

"Hey, Mac, you still there?" Harm's voice startled her out of her thoughts.

"I'm here. I don't know if I should." She was hesitant, but didn't know why.

"Aw, come on. It's me, Harm, your partner," he said in a teasing voice. "What could possibly happen, especially in a small sports car like mine? I'll pick you up in ten minutes, okay?"

"Okay. See you in a few," Mac agreed. Harm was right. What could possibly happen? He was her partner and her friend. And...his car was very small.

**Twenty Minutes Later**

Mac had remained at the window staring out into the soft night. The warm night air wafted in and enveloped her in its wispy arms. Her mind meandered through a maze of memories of the man she was waiting for. Her mind continued to weave a tapestry of images of a gentle man, a man who understood her, a man who was always there for her, and through a myriad of gestures, large and small, had unknowingly expressed his love for her.

Why had she not accepted this fact before? She became aware of her surroundings again, checked her watch and shook her head. "You'll be late for your own wedding," she said out loud at the door.

Just at that moment the door swung open and there he stood. Mac caught her breath at the sight of him in his blue jeans and crisp, white tee shirt that was in bright contrast to his tanned skin.

With his ever-present cocky aviator grin in place, he caressed her face with his eyes and said, "Not if I were marrying you."

"You're late," she laughed.

"Well, I had to get these." He held out a bouquet of the creamiest looking roses Mac had ever seen.

"Where did you get these at this time of night?" Mac held them up to her face and inhaled deeply. She looked at him above the velvety blooms, her eyes vast brown pools. "They're beautiful. Thank you."

"Not as beautiful as you." He smiled at her. "Come on, let's go. Bring those with you." He indicated the flowers with an uplifting of his chin and reached for her hand.

"But Harm, they need water," she protested.

"They won't by tomorrow," he said cryptically. "Now, let's go."

~*~

Harm confidently steered his car through what remained of traffic and headed north. Eventually, apartments gave way to houses and after awhile those became fewer and farther between. The Maryland countryside was awash in the silvery light of an almost full moon. The soft glow of fireflies flickered in the shadows of the meadows and fields. Thousands of stars glittered in the sky now that the city lights were far behind them.

Mac leaned back and gazed up into night then looked over at Harm. "So what's this all about?" she questioned. "The flowers and the drive in the country."

He reached over and wove his fingers through hers and without looking at her replied, "It's about you, Sarah. The breeze just whispered your name in my ear and the night beckoned for me to make you a part of it."

"Where are we going?" There was no question about it. There was only enough room in her being for this man.

"You'll just have to wait and see." Harm kept hold of her hand.

They drove on a bit farther and finally Harm turned the car onto a dirt road. A few minutes later, they pulled into a gravel driveway next to a small white farmhouse with dark green shutters and a white picket fence. "Here we are." He turned off the ignition and came around to open the car door and helped Mac out of his low-slung car.

"It's charming. Who does it belong to and why are we here?" She looked all around at the small garden filled with roses and daisies and all sorts of wildflowers. Then she gazed at the house finally noticing that the windows were slightly illuminated with a soft glow behind gauzy curtains. "Is someone expecting us?"

"So many questions, you must be a lawyer or something." He looked at her with just a hint of a smile on his lips and a faint flicker of desire in his eyes. He answered her questions one by one. "It belongs to a friend of mine who is going out of town and owes me a favor. We're here because the night told me to bring you here. And no, no one is expecting us. It's just you and me. Don't forget to bring the roses." He led her to the front door and pushed it open.

Mac wondered about the flowers.

Once inside, Harm took the bouquet from her and gently tossed it onto the coffee table. He took her in his arms and placed a gentle kiss on her lips, looked deep into her brown eyes, and caressed her face with his eyes as well as his fingers. "You are too beautiful for words." His body was aching to go farther, but his brain remained in control. He had planned this out and was determined to see it through for her sake. "Shall we take a walk out back in the meadow and look for some of those fireflies we passed along the way?"

She nodded and he led her through the living room and kitchen, then out the back door into the yard. The moonlight filtered through a stand of very tall maple trees. The fireflies were out in full force as Harm and Mac strolled hand in hand out into the fields. They just walked not needing spoken words for each to know how the other was feeling. Eventually Harm led Mac back to the house.

"Now sit here while I get us something to drink." He pointed to one of several Adirondack chairs arranged by the back door.

Mac complied and was listening to the sound of the countryside at night. The crickets were still making their chirping noises, but there was also the silence, a comfortable peaceful silence. She closed her eyes and allowed the warm air to surround and overtake her. She wondered what could be taking Harm so long to get something to drink, but was unwilling or unable to leave the quietness to investigate.

"I'm back," said Harm as a slight click alerted her that he had finally returned. She opened her eyes to see him holding two long stemmed flutes full of something bubbly.

"What do we have here?" she questioned knowing that he would never offer her alcohol.

"Just ginger ale." He sat in the chair next to hers and contemplated his next words. "Mac, I just want you to know how special you are to me. You have changed my life in so many ways; there is just no way to list them all. That day in the rose garden I didn't realize that it was you...only you. I'm sorry it took me so long to wake up." He paused for a moment before continuing. "Come on, I just have one last thing to show you. You can decide what happens after that." They stood up simultaneously and he took her by the hand. "Close your eyes."

Harm led her across the grass and placed her other hand on a handrail. "There are two steps up here. Be careful."

She obediently ascended the two steps onto what felt like a deck.

"Are your eyes still shut?"

She nodded.

"OK, just over this way. You can stop now."

Mac felt him move behind her and he positioned her just where he wanted her. She felt the loss of his presence as she heard him move off and then a soft click followed by a gentle whir. "You can open your eyes now, Sarah," he whispered ever so close to her ear. His use of her given name delighted her.

She gasped at the scene in font of her. The French doors were open to a room dominated by a huge bed. Candles were everywhere, radiating the golden glow only they could create. Creamy rose petals were strewn everywhere: the floor, the dresser, the bed...As she turned to face Harm, the tears fell slowly down her cheeks. Just then the music began...

Look into my eyes... You will see... what you mean to me.
Search your heart...
Search your soul.
And when you find me there, you'll search no more.

Don't tell me it's not worth trying for.
You can't tell me it's not worth dying for.
You know it's true, everything I do, I do it for you.

Look into your heart...
You will find... there's nothing there to hide.
Take me as I am... Take my life... I would give it all... I would sacrifice.
Don't tell me it's not worth fighting for.
I can't help it. There's nothing I want more.
You know it's true, everything I do, I do it for you.

There's no love... like your love.
And no other... could give more love.
There's no where... unless you're there.
All the time... All the way... Yeahhh.
Ohhh...You can't tell me it's not worth trying for.
I can't help it. There's nothing I want more.

Yeahhh...I would fight for you...I'd lie for you.
Walk the mile for you...Yeahhh...I'd die for you.
You know it's true... Everything I do... Ohhh... I do it for you.

Mac just stood there, the tears streaming down her face. She could barely see Harm; he was just a blur through her tears. As the song ended and the music faded away, Mac wiped her face and turned to face him, the only one to ever touch that special place inside her. She reached out to him. "Harm..." it was barely a whisper. He came to her and surrounded her with his arms and with his heart. She lifted her face to his and watched as his lips descended upon hers.

~Fin~

The song is from Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves; Performed by Bryan Adams