"Making a continuing commitment." Ch01: The recap:

A/N: In 2018 - when I discovered the original Harm-Meg story "Making a Commitment" by the excellent author VisualIDentificationZeta - it struck me that this story had further potential. In the 14th and final chapter of the original, Vidz confessed a lack of ideas to take the story forward. I offered to take on this task in due course. I am delighted and honoured to have been entrusted by Vidz with this task. The JAG canon timeline is "the way Season 5 should have gone."

I had decided to delay publication until Saturday 26th October 2019 (the 10th anniversary of the last update, when "Vidz" announced the end of "Making a Commitment" due to an absence of further ideas of where to go). So, we now begin the further adventures of Harm and Meg Rabb as they commence married life. For those of you unfamiliar with the original 14-chapter story (go read it!) I have produced most of their first chapter as a synopsis.

A/N: I pay tribute to my wonderful beta-reader and muse, Syrae. I have kept to Vidz' phraseology for the most part.

A/N – link to Canon Episodes: Harm went back from flying to JAG in "Goodbyes (S04Ep24, 25-May-1999); "True Callings" (S05Ep03) first broadcast 05-Oct-1999 and also "The Return" (S05Ep04) first broadcast 12-Oct-1999.

# For those of you unfamiliar with the original story by Vidz, this is a 13-page synopsis of the 14 chapters, beginning from when Harm and Meg had met up again in 1999 when he was ashore on liberty with his shipmates. Please note that I have made some minor re-phrasings in the interests of clarity.

Summer 1999 - A BEACH ON ISCHIA, AN ISLAND NEAR NAPLES, ITALY

Harm was delighted to have re-connected with Meg. He truly felt at home with her. Contrary to Annie, Mac and Jordan, she didn't resent him or hate him for his love of flying and the importance planes had in his life. Even now, years later, perhaps especially now after seeing how other women he got involved with reacted to his flying, he was kicking himself for letting Meg slip out of his grasp.

While everyone at JAG had taken his decision to go back to flying as some kind of betrayal (Mac especially), Meg had understood it and supported it fully. Early on they had made a connection, a bond that proved unbreakable - even after three years apart.

Harm's eyes softened when they focused on her. "No-one but you, you're the only one who understands me; who ever actually understood or knew the real me."

#

"Why didn't you ask for a transfer back to JAG HQ?" Harm blurted out suddenly, the question having pestered him for years.

Meg averted her gaze and he cursed himself for asking. "I... I didn't know if I would still be welcome," she finally confessed on a whisper.

That shocked Harm and he sat there, not knowing what to think. "Meg..." he stuttered, reaching out to take her hand in his; "Why would you think that?"

"You've all moved on and I didn't want to intrude on your lives," she continued, unwilling to meet his eyes.

"Oh, Meg," he murmured sadly. "You could never intrude."

Her eyes came up haltingly, hesitant hope blooming in those beautiful orbs. "I couldn't?" she whispered in a choked voice.

"No way. We've been missing you all so much." Swallowing heavily he forced himself to continue, to expose himself. "Especially me."

"Really?" Tears glistened as Meg's chin trembled.

"Really," Harm nodded, wiping away an errant tear. Looking around at the packed restaurant garden he suggested: "What do you say we get out of here?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "Lets."

Counting out the money for the drinks and a tip, Harm put it under a glass, grabbed Meg's hand and together they left the restaurant at a half-run.

They stopped at the edge of the water, breathless from the run and the joyful laughing.

Looking into Meg's shining eyes Harm knew this was THE moment, the perfect moment.

"Meg," he murmured deadly serious.

A cute frown curved her brow. "Yes?"

"I've really missed you these past few years."

"I missed you, too," she smiled gently, but Harm could see she wasn't getting the point so he carried on steadfastly.

"And I realized a few things about me... about us."

She looked confused now, as he explained: "About what I feel for you."

Hope started blossoming quickly in Meg's chest, but she quelled it down, not wanting to get her hopes up. Yet, she couldn't completely suppress the way her heart skipped a beat and then began racing a mile a minute. Not wanting to hope, but doing so nonetheless, she breathed from the onslaught of emotions. "How DO you feel about me?"

Harm's mouth opened and closed a few times as he tried to find the right words. Meg waited patiently, knowing he'd find a way to get his point across. Pushing Harm for answers, especially about his feelings, tended to be counterproductive. When pushed, he'd retreat back behind his walls.

Not finding the correct words Harm eventually decided on the one way that had served him well through the years. He showed her with action.

Pulling her gently, but quickly into his arms, he swallowed her gasp of surprise with his mouth.

For a second Meg stiffened in shock, but then when her brain caught up to what was happening, she melted into him.

They stood there, the waves breaking on the coast as the two star-crossed lovers kissed under the blanket of stars.

It was minutes before they stopped and returned to the here-and-now and minutes more before they regained enough breath to speak.

"Is that so, Harm?" Meg inquired, smiling up at him, happiness singing in her words.

"Yes, it is, Meg" Harm nodded sagely. "Now, the question is how do YOU feel about me?"

Wordlessly Meg leaned towards him, her eyes slipping closed, and pressed her lips to his. This time it took much longer before they parted and when they did, their foreheads touched and they shared their breaths.

"Is that so, Meg?" Harm finally murmured after he'd recovered from the passion of the kiss.

"It is, Harm."

"Meg Austin, will you be my girl in port?" he asked her solemnly at length.

Her already large smile widened even further and her eyes sparkled when he made his request. With a fake nonchalance she stipulated: "If I'm your girl in port then I'd better be your only girl in any port, Harm."

"Of course." Harm nodded in agreement. "Wouldn't want it any other way."

"Wow." Meg mock-gasped, her grin betraying her. "I'm taking the great Harmon Rabb off the market!"

"There will be a lot of hearts broken and rivers of tears shed when it comes out."

Encouraged by the last successes Harm decided to go all the way, to try to make his dreams come true in their entirety.

"Meg, sweetheart." Harm started and his obvious nervousness compelled Meg to listen carefully. She wondered what more he could have to say, considering he'd already dropped a pretty big bomb, but she definitely wasn't about to miss out on what he was about to say. "It's now no longer a secret how we've always felt about each other and these past few years were torture without you there. I've been missing you and nothing felt right. Until I found you again today. I don't want us to lose contact again, I don't want to lose YOU again."

Meg was listening; her chest tight from emotion and her eyes glistening with tears.

Harm looked around the dark beach and took a deep breath, gathering his courage. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, I want us to make a commitment to each other, a commitment that will prevent us from losing contact again, especially for stupid or banal reasons. There's only one way I can see us insuring we'll never do that and while I know it's huge and definitely going too fast in a relationship that's only started, I believe we can make it. We've been friends a long time, no-one has ever known me as thoroughly as you know me and I know you better than anyone. We know each other's strengths and weaknesses and we get along and love each other despite and because of them, so we don't need to date to get to know each other as other couples have to, we just need to get used to being a couple. And we'll have plenty of time for that once we make that commitment, which is what will actually give us a chance to get used to it. What I'm trying to say is, Meg Austin, will you marry me?"

Head spinning from Harm's ramblings it took her a few seconds to catch his last question, then another few seconds to realize what he was actually asking. He was asking her to marry him, to spend the rest of her life with only him and, because she knew he'd been wanting a family for a long time, have his children.

It took her only a fraction of a second to decide. A sob broke through and Meg threw herself into his arms. "Yes!"

#

About an hour later, as they were sitting on some boulders at the edge of the water, Meg broached the topic they both had avoided until then. "When does your leave end?"

"Four days."

She was quiet for a while, thinking through something furiously. "How much do you still have left on this deployment?"

"Up to four months." Harm replied and asked her gently "What are you thinking about? I can hear the cogs turning even from here."

"Harm, what kind of a wedding do you want? A big affair or a small one?" she whispered.

#

Nicole, Meg's friend, squealed happily as she embraced Meg, congratulated her and quickly involved her in a chatter, speaking quicker than anything Harm had ever heard before. His attention was dragged from his new wife to his friend Tuna, who was right that second shaking his hand and patting him on the back "Congrats, buddy. I really thought you were one of us eternal bachelors, but I'm glad to see I've been proven wrong."

"Thanks, Tuna." Harm grinned and then accepted a congratulations from the man who had officiated the wedding.

After the two witnesses signed, Harm and Meg were given their marriage certificate.

Grinning, his arm around his new wife, who was holding the certificate, Harm looked around. "What do you all say we retire this party to the reception?"

#

In no time at all they were in the bedroom, tearing each other's clothes off. Just when he was about to join them for the first time, Harm suddenly remembered something and paused long enough to ask. "Are you on anything?"

Meg froze, having been on the verge of pulling him inside herself if he wouldn't do it himself fast enough, when her brain processed Harm's question. In the space of a second half of the lust and desire coursing through her veins left her. She didn't even have to think about the answer.

"Oh crap! No. Dammit Harm, I didn't think – I should have told you. How could I have been so dumb? Please forgive me, Husband."

She hadn't been involved with anyone – ever - even before she had met Harm the first time. During their year of working together, his encouragement had made her far more self-confident, yet no-one had caught her attention. As a result, she had continued to keep a secret, something she felt embarrassed about. The thing was, the older she got the more embarrassed she was over it. This was her secret, which she would eventually tell Harm because he had the right to know, but right at that moment was obviously not the right time. How could she have been so swept up in the past four days of passion, not to think about what she would need for their wedding night!

They eventually agreed to wait: Harm didn't want to miss a single day of what (they both hoped) would be the resulting pregnancy. Having passed his 36th birthday and with Meg now in her early 30s, he didn't want to delay family life any further.

"OK wife, we'll have to wait; it's the responsible thing to do. But you owe me big, Mrs Rabb."

"And I look forward to welcoming you when you come to collect my debt, Mr Rabb." They settled into the bed, kissing passionately as their carnal urges abated. He really wished that she had told him beforehand.

#

"Sir, your 0900 appointment is here," reported Tiner.

"Send them in."

He put down his pen and observed as - for the first time in more than 3 years – Lt. Meg Austin came before him, stood to attention and announced herself. "Lt. Austin reporting for duty, sir!"

"At ease, Lt." he smiled and rose, extending a hand which Meg shook. "Welcome back! It's been a hell of a long time and I'm damn proud and glad to have you with us again."

"As am I, sir. I never thought my transfer request would go through so quickly," she commented, sitting down at Chegwidden's prompt.

#

"We were both lucky on this count, Lt. With Rabb leaving, a huge hole was left behind and we're slowly drowning in the caseload." He was observing her intently and the lack of any reaction to his news puzzled him. "You're not surprised to have not seen Rabb here – in fact, you haven't even asked about him. How come?"

"The Commander and I ran into each other in Naples a couple months back, sir." Meg smiled a cryptic smile. The memory of just how they'd run into each other, with her literally jumping into his arms, almost made her blush.

#

"Brings back memories, doesn't it, Lt?" Meg was startled by the voice and jumped slightly, tearing her gaze away from her periodic stare into what had been Harm's office. Whirling around she faced her again-CO of one month.

Smiling ruefully she replied: "Yes, sir, it does. Almost like old times. Almost." She said the last word sadly, thinking of her husband and missing him. "The building is not the same, nor are the offices, but the feeling is the same."

"Yeah, we just need to get Rabb and Commander Krennick back and it'll be like old times again," the older man laughed. "Can just imagine the face Rabb would make if he saw Krennick here as well, when he came back?"

Meg chuckled with him, remembering full well what her husband's feelings were on Cmdr. Krennick. He wouldn't have been impressed.

#

"He never got the chance to leave it on his own terms, so when he got his second chance he had to take it, to put his demons to rest. He didn't go because he wanted to get away from JAG; he went because he needed to heal. And when he closes that chapter, when he makes peace with the ghost of his father, then he will come back. One day, when you'll least expect it, sir, you will find his transfer request on your desk. And when it does, please do what is right, sir," she pled passionately.

"Know him that well, huh?" the Admiral finally asked sombrely.

Meg blushed and did her turtle-dove tuck. Then she looked up at him with her eyes shining and, with a shy smile that betrayed inner peace and happiness, declared: "Well, sir, I sure hope so; I mean, I *did* marry the man..."

To this day Meg had never seen him speechless, but it seemed that this was a memorable day. Admiral Albert Jethro Chegwidden was standing there, eyes wide, face pale, and incapable of even forming one sound. It had to be for the record books.

"When did this happen, Lieutenant?"

"A couple of months ago, sir."

"Really? How did it happen?"

"Well, sir, you already know Harm and I ran into each other in Naples. Anyway, we went out to dinner and eventually feelings got revealed. Then we decided to do something spontaneous and with which we would be committing ourselves to never again lose contact like that."

"But why do you act as if you haven't met Harm in years? I've gone along with your act, but I'd really like to know."

"If I hadn't pretended then everyone would've been curious as to how I know all this and then I would have to tell them about meeting Harm in Italy. Harm and I made a deal that I wouldn't tell anyone in this office about our marriage yet, not without him. Besides, I was warned by Harm about Major Mackenzie and about how jealous she always gets when it comes to Harm and women other than herself."

Chegwidden chuckled at the accuracy of the statement. Mac had always gotten prickly when Harm was around other women or, god help them, was involved with them. Various derogatory names that were quickly invented by Mac and her hostile behaviour towards Harm and the woman were proof enough.

"So, that's why 'Austin' and not 'Rabb', right? To hide the fact that you're married?"

"Aye, sir. What would be the point of hiding if my name was 'Rabb'?"

"Good point. But does that mean Rabb intends to come back after all? Is that what you were just doing? Buttering me up for when your husband wants to return?" His voice was beginning to have a betrayed growl to it.

She shrugged. "Oh no, sir; we didn't discuss any schedule for him returning or even if he will return to JAG. We didn't discuss anything precise, only that we'll try to find a way to make this marriage work. I know deep down he intends to come back eventually, but I don't know when. And I'm not gonna pressure him either, because I know just what flying means to him. It has to be his decision when and if he comes back to JAG. I'll still love him and wait for him. And I meant everything I said previously, nothing of it was a lie."

Chegwidden looked at her admiringly. "You're the type of woman any man would want for his wife, Lieutenant."

Meg blushed. They'd been missing each other as people in love miss each other, but because of being in denial they hadn't previously realized the entire spectrum of their feelings. Now, that they were finally openly in love and even married at that, did they identify that suffocating sensation.

Several months had now passed since their wedding and Meg was sinking even deeper into depression over having to be separated from her husband - deeper than she had been before she returned from her overseas posting.

Add to that, the office was no longer what it had once been. Most of the staff that had been there during Meg's time had already been rotated out and now she was having to make new acquaintances. And since she was no longer a mere LTJG and was a newcomer to boot, making friends among the support staff was even harder. Before, she'd been immediately accepted as a junior officer, but now she was high enough for the Petty Officers and Seamen to adhere to the distinction between them and her.

#

It'd been several months since they'd last seen each other and 2 days since they'd had any sort of contact. Harm had warned her that he would be out of reach for a few days and truthfully Meg was going out of her mind with worry, even though he'd told her there was nothing to worry about. Quietly she fumed at Harm for telling her not to worry. She trusted his flying, she knew Harm was one of the best pilots the Navy had, but that didn't mean she didn't worry. She was his wife: more than that, she was the woman who loved him and thus had the right to be concerned about him, dammit! When would the man finally realize he was no longer alone and that someone loved him enough to be constantly worried about him?

Probably not soon, because it had not fully sunk in for her either. Neither of them had ever been married before so they were still getting used to things that come with being married to a person. It was hard, though, since with the lives they were leading it was as if they weren't married at all. The lives they were leading were essentially the lives of two singles who had a romantic interest on the other side of the world, nothing more.

True, she was living in his – their - apartment, but she was living there alone, even with his things surrounding her. They were in no way the usual newlyweds who get married after months of living together, being used to each other's company all the time and continuing to live together after the wedding. Harm and Meg had been single until the day they'd gotten married and – because of their postings – had continued to live separately even after that life-changing event.

Of which the unfortunate side-effect was that, even though they had the rings and marriage certificate (which Meg had framed and put on a wall in the apartment) to prove it, they continued to feel as if they were singles. At least Meg was in a better position since she lived in an apartment that positively screamed Harm and the presence of him surrounded her every second she spent at home. The fact that his sheets and pillow had his scent was something she treasured, it also helped her fall asleep faster and with the sense of security she always felt around him.

Harm on the other hand, when he wasn't flying, was fighting hard battles to ward off the feeling as if he had found Meg only to lose her again because she wasn't with him. It was those time that he sent his wife the greatest number of emails and spent hours playing with and staring at his wedding ring. He couldn't wait until he'd have her in his arms again.

#

Meg continued driving her own car, knowing it would immediately give the game away if she came to work with Harm's SUV. However Meg wasn't looking forward to the aftermath of such a revelation.

She knew it was inevitable - Harm's sea duty would be over in the next couple of months and he'd come ashore. There was no chance of their marriage remaining a secret for much longer, but Meg wasn't about to announce it herself, not without Harm's approval and him there as protection and support.

It would also have to be their joint decision as to how to let the cat out of the bag, because Harm had known these people for much longer than she had. At least they had the Admiral in their corner... Which was something that still took Meg by surprise whenever she thought of it. To think that there'd been a running betting pool with Admirals, Generals, Senators, and a boat load of other politicians and soldiers in on it... To think that all these people had seen something that she and Harm themselves had been blind to for so long. Amazing!

Meg stood frozen in shock as a ghost of the past floated into the bullpen and headed straight for the Admiral's office, then changing course when she caught sight of the stunned Lieutenant.

"Lieutenant, a surprise to see you here. I heard you got transferred out the same time I was?" the woman asked in her scratchy voice, damaged from decades of intense smoking.

"Commander Krennick," Meg stuttered, still recovering from the shock of seeing the woman again after so many years. "No... I... I came back some months ago."

"A shame. I wonder where Lt. Rabb is," Krennick commented, ignoring the glare. "He is being wasted on a carrier out on high seas. Unless he found himself a distraction what with all those young women on the ships nowadays..." she trailed off musingly.

But Meg didn't take the bait. "Considering Harm always respected fraternization regulations I would say it's highly doubtful, ma'am." Her tone left no doubt as to who'd been the one to whom the frat regs had meant nothing.

"Hm." Allison grunted in return, her eyes scrutinizing Meg, who was careful to keep her anger off her face, but couldn't completely hide her annoyance.

#

Lost in her dreamy thoughts of making love to her husband, Meg would've missed the flash of sunlight reflecting against a fruit salad had it not hit her directly in the eyes.

Frowning in consternation she blinked several times to get rid of the black spots in her vision, only to have them widen comically. Sure she was just seeing things she closed her eyes and rubbed them, then opened them again. Still the same.

She blinked.

Yup, it was still there.

It being Commander Harmon Rabb Jr., positively swaggering towards her with that grin on his face, the grin that made female hearts beat faster and their knees weaken.

"Hello there, Lieutenant, long time no see," Harm flirted as he finally came to a stop in front of her.

No-one would think anything special of the question. They all knew Harm and Meg had been partners a few years back and had been informed of the Rabb-Austin dynamic by the staff members who had already been at HQ back then. Everyone thought Harm and Meg hadn't seen each other in years.

"Commander."

Harm's smile slipped at the cool tone, accompanied by a glare as she snapped to attention before him. What had he done now?

Upon seeing the Admiral coming towards him Harm came to attention and declared in a clear voice: "Commander Rabb reporting for duty, sir!"

"At ease, Commander." Chegwidden nodded "And welcome back."

Meg could see her co-workers look at each other, not having expected either Harm coming back or having been promoted in the meantime. Looking at Harm's silver oak leaves Mac and Brumby were envious and quite unhappy with the prospect of Harm being a superior officer, for they would've loved to be the ones with silver leaves to use it on Harm.

"You still remember Commander Krennick, don't you, Mr Rabb?"

Harm's eyes widened as he heard the name, having been too focused first on Meg and then on Chegwidden to notice her. Krennick's scratchy voice was as close to a purr as she could make it and Meg couldn't help but smirk when she saw Harm taking an involuntary half-step backwards.

"Commander, so lovely to see you again. Congratulations on your promotion." Her eyes narrowed speculatively. "I guess this makes us equal now."

"Cmdr. Krennick." Harm nodded back. "It's been a while. Are you being transferred back?"

Meg snickered quietly at Harm's version of 'what the hell are you doing here!?'

"I'm starting my retirement tomorrow and Admiral Chegwidden requested I report to him before I go."

"Retiring, ma'am?" Harm and Meg's eyes met, both having the same thought: had one of the men she'd harassed reported her and she'd been forced into retirement because of it? Of course there was no way of finding that out.

"My 20 are up and I've been thinking of settling down for a while now. This opportunity does open up some possibilities..." Krennick smiled what she hoped was a seductive smile, but one which left Harm unmoved and Meg wanting put a stamp with 'Property of Megan Rabb' on Harm's forehead.

She didn't get the reaction she wanted, though.

#

"I wish you all the best, Commander..." Harm smiled sincerely, ignoring the subtext. "And when you find the one you're looking for, don't hesitate inviting us to the wedding." Checking with Meg, Harm was glad she wasn't angry he'd decided to blow their pretence at that moment and in such a way. He'd have to find out later why she'd greeted him so coolly, though.

"Us?" retorted Krennick, confused.

In answer Harm's eyes bored into Meg's as he stepped towards her. The entire bullpen watched as his hand rose and confidently extended towards Meg's chest. Meg could see Chegwidden frowning in indecision - whether to interrupt or see what Harm would do.

Meg shivered slightly at the instant shot of desire that ran through her when Harm's fingers touched her breast when he unbuttoned her left chest pocket. But when he slipped his hand inside the pocket, brushing against her sensitive nipple, her eyes slipped closed as heat pooled low in her belly and she moaned lowly, her hard peak aching for his fingers. They hadn't made love yet and her body was hypersensitive to his touch. She swore, if he didn't stop touching her ASAP she would jump him right there and then. She didn't fill her blouse as much as some other women did, didn't make the material strain like Mac did, so she was sure he was doing it on purpose since he could've easily avoided direct physical contact. She'd married an evil husband.

Or one who was yearning for her as much as she was for him.

Dimly she could hear scandalised gasps from others at the intimate way in which the Commander was touching her and a growl from Mac, who was clearly unhappy Harm was touching a woman other than herself.

Meg really shouldn't have been surprised he knew exactly where she was keeping her ring, Harm knew her better than anyone she'd ever met, after all, even better than her own mother. If he'd known what kind of a dress she would wear just 2 weeks after first being partnered for a recon mission without having seen her, the location of her ring was a child's play.

"The pocket above the heart, Meg?" Harm whispered and smirked knowingly, but couldn't hide the pleasure he felt at her showing so obviously how much she loved him.

"Yes, us." Harm then spoke out loud to answer Krennick's question, taking Meg's smaller hand tenderly into his own and slipped the ring on her finger, his eyes on her all the while. Meg's baby blues misted, that same look had been in his eyes when he'd first put that ring on her and she felt as if he was marrying her all-over again. Harm continued talking to a stunned Krennick, his eyes still on Meg. "You can find our address in the phone book under my name."

Now, if that didn't clue everyone in... Still, Meg could see everyone who had the line of vision, directing their eyes to Harm's left hand to check for a ring. To their surprise they found a ring identical to the one Meg was now wearing.

Meg rolled her eyes, some people could really be dim.

"Just address it to Harmon and Meg Rabb."

"Congratulations, Lieutenant, I guess the better woman won." She extended her hand, which Meg refused to take, explaining.

"No, ma'am, there was never any competition that would make someone a winner and the other a loser. Ma'am, love isn't a competition or a power struggle or trying to teach someone a lesson and make them suffer." From the corner of her eyes she saw as the words hit Mac, for whom they were partially meant.

"Love just is. The reason I married Harm is because I love him - and I always have."

Krennick nodded her head in acknowledgement of the truth in Meg's words and, offering congratulations to Harm and Meg on their marriage, made her goodbyes and left JAG one last time. Then suddenly everyone winced, nearly going deaf.

"YOU'RE MARRIED!?" the piercingly-shrill voice belonged to Mac, who had only now shaken off her stupor and was staring accusingly at Harm.

He winced, at both the volume of her voice, the rage in it and over knowing just how deep in hot water he truly was. Trying for flippancy and nonchalance he turned to her and smiled forcedly. "Uh, yeah, have been for months. You mean I didn't tell you?"

When Mac's face first took on a deathly white shade then turned lobster-red Harm realized just what exactly he'd said and that it could've been taken as a rebuke to her never once having told him about her own existing marriage during their three years of partnership until the secret had been forced into the light.

"But since you weren't talking to me, not answering my mails until I gave up, I couldn't even do that."

Noticing Mac was on a slow boil he cut to the chase, making sure others could hear him so he wouldn't have to repeat himself and that no outrageous theories would crop up. On the other hand, that last was probably unattainable since the staff had pretty much fantastic imaginations and obviously nothing better to do.

"As most of you probably know, Lt. Meg Austin and I were partners for a year before she was unfortunately rotated out. By pure coincidence we met again, some months ago, in Naples where she was stationed when I was on my shore leave. To make a long story short, we still loved each other, took the opportunity that presented ourselves and got married before my ship had to leave port. The rest, as they say, is history."

Meg, ignoring Mac's vicious glare, took the opportunity to make it clear to the staff: "But we assure you all that our relationship won't affect this office and if we'll have any problems we'll keep them at home."

Harm nodded emphatically and turned to his new CO.

"Now, sir..."

"No." Chegwidden shook his head emphatically before Harm could even finish his sentence.

"But, sir, you don't know what I was going to ask," complained Harm.

"Oh, I do know. I'm not letting you and Lt. Rabb share the same office again. I know you did that while you were still partners, but you're married now. I don't want to speculate what's happening whenever one of you closes the blinds or locks the door." He shuddered at the prospect of what could be happening in the office at such an occasion.

"Scout's honor, sir, we won't do that here," Harm swore, Meg directing her own large, pleading eyes at the Admiral, who turned his back on them to walk away just so he wouldn't have to see them.

"You've never been a Scout, Commander."

"What about a pilot's honor?"

"I wouldn't trust a pilot as far as I can throw him."

"But I'm a pilot, sir."

"Exactly my point."

Harm knew Chegwidden trusted him no matter what he said, but he still sounded a protest at that statement as he followed behind his CO.

"But since you're back you can resume your old job as the Chief of Staff." the Admiral's voice turned evil. "You'll like it, there are plenty of candidates-for-staff files to review, plus other paperwork. There is a new Gunnery Sergeant to assist you in keeping everything ship-shape."

"Thank you, sir, I'm looking forward to it," was Harm's immediate response (in a voice which was less than enthusiastic).

Sighing as the voices died down as the two men entered the Admiral's office, Meg rubbed the bridge of her nose, looking around.

She noticed the expressions of the staff - especially the eager, demanding one on Harriet, who was clearly just waiting until she could pounce on Meg to get the info she wanted. Harriet would then inevitably recycle that information around the rumor mill. She smiled inwardly at the eternally-confused expression on Bud and the jealous, angry visage on Mac; Meg paled and almost ran to the safety of the Admiral's office.

She was no coward; she *definitely* wasn't afraid of her co-workers pouncing on her; it was just that her husband needed help.

Right?

THE END OF THE RECAP.

Later that evening:

Home of Harmon and Megan Rabb (find the address)

"Honey, I'm home."

"Bedroom, honey!"

Harm strolled through the living area and paused just before the bedroom door; through the glazed wall, he had caught sight of a splash of bright red.

She hadn't?

Oh yes, she had!

"Welcome home, sailor!"

Mrs. Megan Rabb strode towards her husband, wearing the red dress which had so entranced him early in their working career together. Considering that she had also strapped on a pair of four-inch heels, she moved remarkably steadily across the floor until she stood, almost at his height, ready to begin their married life properly.

Harm smiled: married life was gonna be such fun – and he was honoured by his wife's choice of colour scheme. Gently, he began to kiss his way up her bare arms, starting from her knuckles, via her wedding ring, her wrists, elbows and up to her bare shoulders.

"Thanks for waiting, darling and I'm sorry that I went radio-silent on you."

She looked at him and did her turtle-dove tuck before responding: "Well, you are forgiven, but I expect your attention for the next hour at least."

"You've got it."

He paused as his hands caressed her body: "Darling, what are you wearing under this dress?"

Meg smiled. "You mean, apart from perfume? Why don't you find out, sailor?"

End of the new beginning.