As you read this, remember that Harm and Mac were written as quite human characters, sometimes doing things without really thinking through the consequences. This story deals with two flawed people, (despite the fact, we love both characters) and their journey to find each other after circumstances (read Paraguay) tear them apart, seemingly for good. Harm makes an impulsive decision when he runs into an acquaintance that alters his life in ways he could not imagine because of he didn't take the time to ask Mac a couple of questions before their return to DC after destroying the missiles in Paraguay. Mac realizes, just a little too late, how much Harm means to her. Will they ever make it as a couple, just wait and see.

Harm/Other and Harm/Mac

Rating is Kid plus, a few scenes a long ways down the road deal with sensitive issues.

Part 1

LaJolla California

Harm was trying to tie his tie, a seemingly hopeless task on this momentous day. For many years, he'd spent a few minutes each day putting a tie on that went with his dress blues, and other times in his civilian life that had required one, but this was one time he would have preferred to use a clip on tie. He was getting married, to the love of his life, finally. He and his beloved princess had taken a circuitous route to the altar, a trip that had nearly never taken place because of simple misunderstandings. Misunderstandings they both had made, intentionally or accidentally. Harm knew this time he had the right bride, and was marrying for the right reason, and despite all the heartache, he'd caused himself and his beloved Sarah, he would not, could not erase his past. As his fingers worked their magic in finally tying the knot the groom to be thought back to a low point in his life and an impulsive decision that had altered more than one life besides his own.

US Virgin Islands

Frederiksted City Hall

1345 local time

"You may kiss the bride," the justice–of-the-peace told the tall dark-haired groom.

It was the second time in as just as many months Harmon Rabb Junior was the groom. However, this wedding was legal, the other a sham to get information. Information to save someone whose heart apparently belonged to another.

He'd given up everything: nearly twenty years in service to his country, a career in the law he'd come to love and a healthy portion of his savings. More importantly at the time, he'd given his heart, to rescue Sarah McKenzie and supposed friend from a terrorist.

It seemed to Harm that Mac hadn't appreciated his sacrifice, never even thanking him for what he'd done. She'd had the gall to kiss Clayton Webb in front of him, when the mission was finally over. When they should've been reconnecting, they had said bitter things to each other; things said which likely ended any deep friendship they'd had. That had only been the start of a week he wanted to forget because upon his return to DC Harm went to JAG ready for Admiral Chegwidden to take him back or he even expected a transfer him to Alaska or some other remote portion of the planet. Even though he'd prepared for it, it was a shock to hear his resignation indeed had been pushed through with dispatch. The only plus he could see; besides seeing the world on the government's dime, was that he was still a federal employee; he needed to stick it out for two more years so he could retire with a government pension. He would then have his twenty years in.

Harm's start date with the CIA was June 9, which gave him a few days of nothing to do, so he decided to get away from familiar surroundings and flew down to the US Virgin Islands, where he ran into Francesca Peretti. She'd just finished working for another designer, the photo shoot had taken place on the beach at sunrise, and she was at loose ends for the moment. What was just supposed to be a drink with a friend turned into dinner and dancing then they went to her place.

Francesca told him several friends had been trying as of late to set her up, going on blind dates, since her recent breakup with her latest boyfriend Lorenzo. "I want to concentrate on my career right now, how you say clock isn't ticking yet".

Months from turning forty, Harm easily understood, his own biological clock was starting to say time was of the essence. He'd been on few dates since he and Renee had broken up two years earlier. He'd been hurt by Renee's sudden departure, even though the signs were evident that they were about to call it quits. What had been a blow to his pride, what he hadn't seen coming was just how quickly Renee had married her former beau, the mortician.

"I'm nearly forty; and I want a family while I'm still young enough to enjoy my kids when they are teens. I thought Mac might be the one for me, but it looks like that was a colossal waste of time, she doesn't want that kind of relationship, at least with me."

He set his drink down, silent for a moment. A crazy idea popped into his head and he just had to tell her before he changed his mind. "Francesca I just had an idea, why don't we get 'engaged'. His fingers made the quote marks in the air. "I'll see you when I can for appearances sake. In several months, we break off the engagement, we'll say the distance was too much or some other plausible excuse. Meanwhile, if one of us finds that special someone; we break it off with no hard feelings, and your friends and mine will stop trying to set us up on dates."

Francesca thought the idea just crazy enough to work. She knew from a very good friend, a broken engagement should garner sympathy from the right man; meantime, she wouldn't have the pressure from well-meaning friends.

"We've known each other just long enough some people might wonder just how long we've been together." The only fly in the ointment, Harm commented, he didn't want AJ to think he'd been two-timing Francesca while dating either Renee or Jordan.

It was good Francesca kept her father appraised to what was going on in her life since her kidnapping a few years earlier. They both knew, if they didn't handle this right Harm could have a very angry admiral/father after his hide.

The two toasted their 'engagement' in style, after three in the morning when they arrived at her temporary home, they'd polished off the bottle of champagne and things progressed further than they might have if both had been sober. Later, Harm apologized for taking things as far as they did.

"Don't worry; I wouldn't have done it if I didn't want to. Harm I wanted to sleep with you since I first met you in the parking lot at JAG," Francesca said shocking Harm. "This was dream come true for me. You know, if I'm going to be engaged woman, this story will work better with a ring. I have a good friend here on the island, she makes jewelry, we'll get something that passes as an engagement ring."

Harm agreed the ruse would work better with that particular prop and the two left to visit her good friend Gina D'Lando.

Harm was glad Gina was a jewelry designer, not an owner of a jewelry store. This could be an expensive deception. Harm mentally reviewed his credit card balances, which, after the past month, were close to their limit. In a pinch, he knew could dip into the trust fund from Frank's parents. The only time he'd used it was for law school, and when the Navy had reimbursed him, he'd repaid the fund. The same fund which had nearly gotten him into hot water, shortly after his promotion to Commander. Thankfully, he had the paperwork to prove that he had a completely different fund. It turned out Clark Palmer was behind the frame, as the sociopath had information on him that was incorrect, and Harm had notarized proof that the information the federal prisoner planted was incorrect.

Gina was surprised to see Francesca, especially when she said she wanted Gina to make her an engagement ring. Just days ago Francesca informed her she was taking a break from dating.

Francesca wanted a simple design for the ring, but not such a simple design people would easily figure the engagement for the hoax it was. Within minutes, Gina had a design in mind, and within the hour, the ring was ready for inspection. Harm tried to pay Gina but the artist demurred, the women formed an instant bond when they'd met years earlier "she's like a sister to me. I wouldn't charge my sister." It was the only reason Harm accepted for taking the ring.

Walking along the waterfront, they held hands and just enjoyed the scenery. Francesca was very quiet, so what she said stunned him but to his eternal surprise, he wasn't adverse to the idea.