SPOILERS: Skeleton Crew
RATING: PG
SUMMARY: Why did Meg leave, and can Harm get her to go back where she belongs?
DISCLAIMER: All recognizable characters are the property of Belisarius Productions and are used without permission. All unrecognizable characters and the story itself are the property of the author. This story was written for entertainment purposes only.
AUTHORS NOTES: This is my first �real� JAG fic. I�d love to know what you thought. Thanks to Paige for beta�ing this for me!
Harm looked at the phone number he had been given, then he quickly looked around to make sure no one was listening. Taking a deep breath, he picked up the phone and dialed the number. Putting the phone to his ear, Harm swiveled the seat around so he could look out the window at the snow. The phone rang several times before someone answered.
�Ah, yes, I�m trying to locate an officer, I was told you could help out... My name is Lieutenant Commander Harmon Rabb, I�m with JAG... No, this has nothing to do with a case... I have no idea where she is, her last known position was here at JAG in DC... I�d really rather not tell you why I�m trying to find her... It�s a personal matter... Come on, can�t you just...� He looked at the phone as he realized the person had hung up.
�Damn!� Harm growled, slamming the hand piece back on its cradle. He�d hoped, perhaps foolishly, that they wouldn�t have asked any questions, knowing that they wouldn�t hand out information for personal reasons. Still, he was willing to try anything to find her. He looked up and jumped when he saw the Admiral standing in front of his desk. �Sir!�
�Problems, Rabb?� Chegwidden asked, hiding a grin.
�No, Sir. I was just trying to...�
�Find out where Lieutenant Austin has disappeared to?�
Harm had the good grace to look sheepish. �Yes, Sir. I�ve tried everywhere. Are you sure you don�t know where she transferred to? I mean, it�s been three months and I haven�t heard a word from her.�
�I�ve already told you, Commander. Perhaps you should try her home?�
Harm looked at his commanding officer like he�d grown two heads. �Sir, that was the first place I went when I found out. The apartment was already cleared out and she was long gone.�
AJ shook his head, his smile alerting Harm that he knew more than he was saying. �Austin�s family live in Texas, don�t they? Perhaps they know where she is.� With that he threw a file on Harm�s desk. �Here�s your next assignment. Take Mackenzie with you.�
�Yes, Sir,� Harm replied reluctantly. He opened the file and his eyes darted up to meet the Admiral�s. �I�ll get right on it, Sir.�
�You do that. Oh, and Harm? Tell her that we all miss her.�
�Aye, aye, Sir!�
Harm watched as his commanding officer walked out of his office. Looking back at the file, he examined the address of the Austin ranch. He had found her. Now all he had to do was convince her to come home.
*****
Mac sighed as she settled into the seat on the plane. She took a folder out of her briefcase. �I can�t believe that the Admiral sent us to investigate such a straight forward case,� she complained, as she looked at the dossier in front of her. �I mean it�s a simple dereliction of duty. A perfect case for one of the juniors.�
�He probably doesn�t want us to think we�re above the little cases,� Harm replied, not at all sorry he was lying to his partner. He didn�t want to have to explain to Mac that they were sent there for his own personal reasons. If he did, he�d have to tell her about Meg, and he wasn�t sure if he could do that yet.
She looked at him suspiciously, �Why aren�t you annoyed?�
He shrugged, �There�s not much I can do about it, so why let it bother me?�
Mac gave him another suspicious glance before settling back to read the dossier.
When they landed at Fort Worth, the Naval Air Base just out of Dallas, they were driven straight to the office of the Base Commanding Officer. After the initial pleasantries, they asked to see their client. He was a young man in his mid twenties who jumped to attention as the two lawyers entered the brig.
�At ease, Marine,� Mac said, as they sat at the table. �You want to tell us how you ended up on a dereliction of duty charge?� she asked brusquely.
As the marine explained what had happened, Harm let his mind wander. He was so close to Meg now. It was just under six hours drive to Eldorado. With any luck they�d get this case wrapped up quickly and he�d be at the Austin ranch within a day or two. He couldn�t wait to see her face again, and hear her voice. It had been so long since he�d seen those sparkling blue eyes, or received one of her megawatt smiles. Deep in thought, he didn�t even hear Mac speak to him at first.
�Harm?� she asked, giving him a little jab in the ribs.
�Sorry, Mac. What did you say?�
�I asked if there was anything you wanted to ask?�
He shook his head and, following Mac�s lead, got to his feet.
She turned to him once they�d exited the brig, pinning him with her gaze. �You didn�t hear a word of that interview, did you?�
He tried his charming smile, but he could see it wouldn�t work. �Sorry, Mac. I guess I�m just a little pre-occupied. I�ll take your lead for the plea bargain.�
Mac shrugged and led the way.
A plea bargain was quickly reached and the case was closed by the following morning. �What a waste of time,� Mac complained. What annoyed her more was the fact that Harm didn�t seem to care that the Admiral had just wasted two of their days on a case that anyone could have handled. She looked across at the man in question, seeing that he hadn�t even heard her. He seemed very preoccupied and she�d love to know what he was thinking.
Harm turned to look at Mac, knowing he was going to have to tell her eventually. �I, uh, wanted to take a little side trip while we were out this way.�
Mac narrowed her eyes suspiciously, but agreed. They got a rental car and headed out of the city. She didn�t question him until they�d been driving for an hour. �Harm? Where are we going?�
�I told you, just a little side trip. Can you grab my briefcase, please? There�s a map in there.�
With a glare, Mac did as she was asked, taking out the map. She looked at it, noticing an address attached to it. �Is this the Admiral�s handwriting?� she asked.
�Yeah, it is. You wanna direct me, so we�re not driving around out here all day?�
�Can you at least tell me why we�re going to Eldorado?� Mac asked as they drove along highway 20.
�To see a friend, and hopefully get one of JAG�s lawyers back.�
�Who?�
Harm kept his eyes firmly on the road. �My old partner.�
�Gee, didn�t know I was that bad as a partner,� Mac teased.
�I didn�t mean...�
�It�s fine, Harm. I gather this woman was more then just a friend?�
�No, she wasn�t,� he replied, a little too quickly.
�But you wanted her to be?� Mac deduced.
Harm sighed. �Yeah, I wanted her to be.�
Mac was surprised by his openness. Harm wasn�t the kind of man to just come out and share his feelings. �So, what happened?�
Harm shrugged. �I have no idea. I went on furlough and when I came back, she�d gone. No forwarding address, nothing. It was like she�d disappeared off the face of the earth.�
�Did the two of you have a fight?�
He shook his head. �That�s the thing. We were the closest we�d ever been. She�d just cleared me of Diane�s murder and we were both pretty happy about it. She saw me off at the airport and... we kissed goodbye. I thought... well it felt like a promise, you know? I was pretty confused at the time, but the two weeks away made me realize how much I wanted to be with her. When I got back, she was gone.�
Mac�s heart went out to her partner. They�d only been working together for a few months, but she already felt close to him and she knew him well enough to know that he felt things very deeply. �So you tracked her down?�
�Well, the Admiral did. I guess you can�t get much past him. I can�t believe I never thought to try her family�s ranch. I just assumed she�d transferred somewhere.� He snorted. �And I call myself an investigative lawyer.�
�So that�s where we�re going now?�
Harm nodded. �I�m sorry for dragging you along like this, Mac. I just couldn�t pass up the opportunity. I need to know why she left.�
�It�s okay, Harm. Just remember this next time I need a favor.�
*****
They made it to the Austin Ranch late in the afternoon. Harm couldn�t believe how nervous he was as he drove towards the old, split-level ranch house. He parked next to a red pick-up and paused, taking a deep breath before getting out of the car.
�Do you want me to wait here?� Mac asked, unbuckling her seat belt.
�No. If I know Meg, it�ll take me at least a few hours to get her to talk to me. You may as well come too.�
They made their way across the lawn and up the stairs to the front door. Mac gave Harm a reassuring smile as he moved to press the door bell. They waited for a minute or two, before the door opened. The woman that stood before them was in her mid-fifties, and Harm knew immediately that it was Meg�s mother. Even if he hadn�t seen her photo on her daughter�s mantle, Harm could see the remarkable resemblance.
�Can I help you?� she asked, a kind smile gracing her features.
Before Harm had the chance to answer, they heard another voice coming from inside the house. A familiar voice that made Harm�s heart skip a beat. �Mom! Would you please sit down and relax? The doctor told you your blood pressure was up. You�re going to have a relapse if you keep running around.�
�Meagan Austin, I walked from the couch to the door. I hardly think that will cause another heart attack. Besides, the doctor told me to start exercising again, as long as I didn�t overdo it.�
Harm heard an exasperated sigh. He knew that sound well, he�d heard it directed at him often enough.
�Fine,� Martha Austin replied, with the same tone of exasperation. �I get the feeling this is for you, anyway.�
He tensed as he heard footsteps coming toward the door. �What�s that supposed to...?� She stopped dead as she saw who was standing at the door. �Harm? What... how...?�
�Hi, Meg,� he greeted softly.
She stood there, just staring at the man before her.
�Where are your manners, Meg?� her mother asked moving next to her daughter. �Hi. I�m Martha Austin, Meg�s mother,� she told Harm, holding her hand out.
�Harmon Rabb,� he replied, shaking the woman�s hand. �It�s nice to finally meet you ma�am. Meg told me a lot about you.�
�And me about you,� Martha returned.
Harm turned to Mac. �This is Sarah Mackenzie, my partner. Mac, this is Meg Austin.�
�Nice to meet you,� Mac said politely.
�Hi,� Meg returned, as they shook hands.
Martha ushered them into the house and they were led into the living room �Will you two be staying for dinner?�
Meg gave her mother a look. �Mom, I�m sure they�ve got to get back to DC.�
Harm smiled at Martha. �We�d love to, if you don�t mind, ma�am.�
Martha laughed. �Of course not, as long as you both call me Martha. We�re not that formal around here.�
�Certainly, Martha. Perhaps you could suggest the closest motel as well?� He smiled his most charming smile and Meg knew exactly what her mother was going to say next.
�Don�t be silly, you can both stay here. Meg�s friends are always welcome.�
Meg sighed. �I don�t want to be rude, but I�ve got horses to tend to,� she informed everyone.
Martha smiled at Harm. �Perhaps you can help her, Harmon?� She then turned to Mac. �Would you mind helping me in the kitchen, Sarah? It�s the only thing I�m allowed to do around here since my heart attack.�
�I�d love to, Martha,� Mac replied. She smiled at Harm. �Have fun with the horses.�
He chuckled. �Have fun in the kitchen.�
Watching as his partner disappeared into the kitchen, he turned to see Meg scowling at him. Ignoring the look, he gave her his best grin. �Okay, lead the way.�
She tried hard not to smile in return. �Ah, no offence, Harm, but if you�re serious about helping me, you may want to change out of your dress whites first.�
He looked down at himself and then back up at her, still smiling. �Maybe you�re right. I�ll just get my bag.�
Ten minutes later, Harm was comfortably dressed in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. Meg tried hard not to look, but it fit him so well, she couldn�t help but appreciate the view. �Come on, Harm. I�ve got work to do.�
She led him out of the house and down to the large, white barn. Inside, the building had the sweet smell of hay and horses. Meg led him out the other end of the barn to where the horses were grazing. She took two halters, which had been hanging on the fence, and proceeded to catch two of the horses. Handing one lead to Harm, she told him to follow her and they started to put the horses in their stalls. They worked efficiently, as they always had, but a tense silence hung between them.
Harm didn�t ask her any questions until they were in the feed room, making up the horse�s feeds. �So,� he began, placing dippers of chaff into the buckets. �You�re mom was sick?�
Meg nodded, trying not to look at him. �That�s right. She had a heart attack. Thankfully, they were able to revive her and she�s doing okay now.�
�When did that happen?�
�About three months ago.�
Trying to delay the inevitable, Meg asked him to help her give the horses their feeds. Again, they worked quickly, and soon all of the horses were bedded down and fed for the evening. Meg closed the door on the final stall when she felt Harm come up beside her and turn her towards him. �Are you ready to talk to me now?�
She sighed, not meeting his eyes. �Why are you here, Harm?�
�Why do you think? You take off without a word and you expect me not to try and find you? Meg, I thought we were closer then that.�
�What would you have done if I�d told you?�
�I�d have tried to get you to stay.�
�Exactly. Harm, my family needs me. I couldn�t just ignore them.�
Harm shook his head in frustration as she turned and walked away from him once more. �Meg,� he called.
She didn�t even stop walking. �Come on, Mom doesn�t like it when we�re late for dinner.�
Dinner wasn�t as tense as Harm thought it would be. It wasn�t only Meg, Harm, Mac and Martha. Meg�s brother, Jack, two of the ranch workers, Harry and Brent, and the Austin�s old family friend, Ollie, were also present. There was much talking and laughter. Harm couldn�t quite remember the last time he�d been in such a warm environment. It was easy to see that everyone doted on Meg. Her face flushed many times as they recalled stories of her youth. The only thing that spoilt the evening for Harm was that Meg refused to look at him. It wasn�t something he was used to, so it disturbed him to think that she couldn�t look him in the eye.
Meg went to bed early, feigning a headache. However, sleep would not come as she thought of the man sleeping two rooms down the hall. She had thought that she had finally resolved her feelings for Harm, but seeing him earlier, standing on the doorstep in his dress whites, Meg felt the familiar flutter of her heart and the tell tale twist of her stomach. She just hoped that he would leave in the morning so she could pretend to forget about him again.
Meg was up early the next morning, trying to get the horses worked and avoid having to talk to Harm. She�d already exercised three horses by the time Harm walked out and spotted her. He watched her riding around the arena. She trotted some circles before pushing her horse into a canter. The slow lope soon became fast paced and she started spinning the animal on his haunches. Harm had never seen anything like it. She hardly moved, but the horse knew exactly what she wanted. She galloped toward him and, with only a shift of her weight in the saddle and a tightening of the reins, the horse skidded to a halt in front of him, spraying him in sand.
�Are you going home today?� she asked him, patting the horse�s neck.
Harm shook his head, brushing sand off himself. �Your mom invited us to stay. Mac�s never been to a rodeo before and I think your mom�s determined to make her a cowgirl before we leave. Besides, it�s nice to get away from the snow for a while.�
�What about the Admiral? Won�t he be a bit peeved that his two star lawyers have gone AWOL?�
�I phoned him this morning, he told me we deserved some leave. He told me I could stay as long as I want if I brought his other star lawyer back with me.�
�Didn�t know you planned to retire here,� she snapped, reining the horse around and cantering off before he could say another word.
Sighing, Harm went back to the house for breakfast.
Martha smiled as she saw the young man enter her kitchen. She poured him a cup of coffee and put a plate of eggs in front of him.
�Thanks,� he said, a touch glumly.
Martha gave him a knowing smile. �She can drive you crazy when she�s in a stubborn mood, can�t she?�
Harm snorted. �Oh, yeah.�
�You here to take her back?�
Harm shrugged. �I guess that depends on her. I was kinda hoping she would want to come back.�
�Just give her some time, Harm. Meg�s got a lot on her mind at the moment. Things will be different once the State Rodeo Titles are over.�
Harm was about to ask more when Mac entered the room, effectively ending the conversation.
*****
When they went outside later, Meg was riding another horse in the arena. This time there were three barrels set up. �What�s happening?� Mac asked, fascinated by the whole thing.
�Meg is competing in the barrels at this weekend�s state titles. She has to get her time down into the low sixteen�s if she�s going to have a chance,� Martha explained.
Meg caught sight of Harm, just as she took off out of the chute. Her concentration wavered and the horse turned too early, colliding with the barrel. The horse fell, the momentum making him roll over Meg before he got up, galloping off in fright. Brent caught the horse as Harm, Martha, Mac and Jack raced over to where Meg lay, unmoving.
�Meagan!� Martha cried, kneeling by her side.
Harm knelt down on the other side of her. �Meg?! Come on, Meg. Say something,� he implored, running his hands over her and checking her for injuries.
�Ow,� she wheezed, trying to get her breath back.
�Where�s it hurt?� Harm asked her.
She shook her head, pushing his hands away. �I�m okay. Just a bit winded.� Pulling herself up into a sitting position, she looked across at Brent. �Is Toshak okay?� she asked, concerned. If the horse was injured, she wouldn�t have a chance of winning the barrels at the rodeo.
�He�s okay, just a bit spooked.�
Sighing with relief, Meg rose to her feet, brushing the sand off herself and walking over to retrieve her hat. �Fix the barrel up,� she said as she walked over to the horse.
�What do you think you�re doing?� Harm asked, incredulous.
Martha patted Harm�s arm. �It�s the first rule of riding a horse, Harm. If you fall off, you get straight back on again.�
Meg remounted, hiding the grimace of pain, and headed back to the start chute. Everyone cleared the arena and then Meg took off at a full gallop. She spun the horse around the first barrel, before taking off for the second. Turning around it, she galloped up to the top barrel and spun around before galloping back to the chute. She came to a halt just before the fence, smiling slightly as Brent told her she�d done the course in 16.34 seconds.
She walked over to where the group was standing and pulled the horse up. It was then that Harm noticed her pale complexion. �Meg?� he asked, moving towards her.
She swung her leg over the horse�s rump and dismounted, her legs buckling as her feet hit the ground. Harm caught her, stopping her from falling in a heap. He was alarmed to see that she was unconscious.
�We need to get her to a hospital!� he cried, gently laying her on the ground and checking her vitals. He released the breath he�d been holding when he felt the tickle of her breath on the back of his hand, and the strong thud of her pulse beneath his fingers.
The Ambulance seemed to take forever, but in reality Meg was soon on her way to hospital. Martha had gone with Meg, the rest piled into Harm and Mac�s car and the red pick-up, before heading for the hospital. When they got there, Meg had been taken for x-rays.
�She came around in the back of the Ambulance,� Martha informed them. �She demanded that they turn around and take her back to the ranch.�
Jack laughed, ushering his mother to sit down. �That sounds like our Meg.� He looked closely at his mother. �You take it easy, Mom. The last thing we need is you getting stressed on us.�
�Stop fussing, Jack. It�s your sister you should be worried about.�
The doctor came out about twenty minutes later, smiling at the group of worried faces. �She has a concussion and a few cracked ribs. She�s pretty groggy, but she should be okay to take home in a few hours.�
�Can we see her?� Martha asked.
The doctor nodded. �Sure, right this way.�
They walked quietly into the little cubicle and Meg opened her eyes as she heard them approach. �Hey,� she said quietly. �You guys come to take me home?�
�Soon, little sis. The doctor�s gotta make sure you haven�t lost those few remaining brain cells first,� Jack quipped.
Meg giggled, groaning as her tender ribs protested. �I�ve got more brains than you,� she returned.
�Hush, you two. I thought you would have grown out of this by now,� Martha said, shaking her head at her two children.
�Are you okay, Meg?� Harm asked, the concern clear in his voice.
�I�m fine. I�ve got a headache and my ribs hurt, but I just want to go home.�
�Soon, baby girl,� Martha soothed. �You more than anyone should know that you need to be careful with a head injury.�
They kept her for another four hours, before releasing her. Between Martha, Jack and Harm, Meg was about ready to scream at their endless fussing. In the end it was Mac that told them to just leave her to rest. Meg thanked her as she ushered everyone out of her room, closing the door behind her.
Later, Mac found Harm sitting on the veranda, smoking a cigar. �Hey,� she said quietly, sitting down beside him. �You okay?�
�Of course,� he replied. �Why wouldn�t I be?�
�Because you watched the woman you care very deeply for get injured today. I was there, Harm. I can�t believe she got away with such minor injuries.�
Harm let out a long breath. �I know, I thought the worst when I saw that horse roll over her. Then when she collapsed...�
�Have you talked to her yet?�
He snorted. �I tried. She�s being worse than normal. Meg was always stubborn, but this is unbelievable.�
�Maybe because it�s close to her heart as well. Speaking as a woman, it�s hard sometimes to let ourselves open up to someone you care about. Once you do, you�ve opened yourself up to be hurt by them.�
�I won�t hurt her.�
Mac patted his arm. �I know that, but maybe Meg needs to be reassured of it.�
�You�re right,� Harm replied. He smiled at his partner. �Thanks, Mac. You�re a good friend.�
*****
Harm never found the chance to talk to Meg alone over the next few days. He was too busy trying to talk her out of riding in the rodeo, which she still insisted on competing in. He didn�t understand why she would risk herself for the sake of a state title. It frustrated him that she wouldn�t tell him why. He felt like he didn�t know her anymore.
Resigning himself to the fact that she would compete, Harm tried hard to enjoy the rodeo. Mac was awe-struck. She cheered with the rest of the crowd as the bull riders rode for eight seconds, and the ropers caught their steers.
Meg rode in the first round of the Barrels, getting a respectable time and a spot in the final. Later that day, she sought out her friend and his partner, finding them sitting in the stands as they watched the entertainment. �Are you guys having fun?� she asked as she sat down next to Mac.
�This is unbelievable,� Mac replied. �You�re sure none of this hurts the animals?�
Meg smiled. �Positive. Most of the things you see here are just a normal part of ranch life.� She sat and watched a few of the cowboys in the Buck-jumping competition before she rose to her feet. �Just wanted to make sure you were okay. I�ve gotta go get ready for the final. Do you mind if my mom comes and sits with you?�
�Not at all,� Mac replied.
They watched as Meg made her way out of the stands and saw Martha coming towards them a few minutes later. Harm got up, helping her up the last few steps and she sat down beside Mac. �You look more nervous then your daughter,� he commented, seeing her wringing her hands.
She laughed. �I can�t help it, there�s a lot riding on this one.�
Harm rose an eyebrow in query. �What do you mean by that, Martha?�
She sighed. �The ranch is in trouble. If Meg can win this, we�ll not only have the prize money, but it should also increase the value of our stock. If we�re lucky, we�ll get enough money from the spring sale to put us comfortably back in the black.�
Harm nodded, finally understanding. �That�s why this is so important to Meg. I didn�t understand before, why she�d risk herself like this.�
They watched as the barrels were set out and the sand was raked in preparation for the final of the Barrels. Martha, Harm and Mac were joined by Ollie and they all sat nervously in the stands while Jack, Brett and Harry helped Meg get ready. She was the last to go, having to wait until all the other riders had competed.
�And our final competitor in the Ladies Barrels is Meagan Austin on Toshak. Meg is a five time state champion in this event, but we haven�t seen her riding for the last few years. It�s good to see her back in the saddle. She needs to beat sixteen point two eight seconds to win this event and claim the title.�
The crowd cheered as Meg galloped out of the pen, turning quickly around the first barrel before racing to the second. She touched the barrel, but it didn�t fall and she galloped to the third and final barrel. Ducking around it, Meg spurred Toshak to the finish line, skidding to a halt just before the fence. �Sixteen point two three seconds! Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner!�
The crowd cheered as Meg galloped around the arena, a huge smile on her face. Soon after, she was presented with her awards, a healthy check and an engraved belt buckle.
�We did it,� Meg said as she met up with her family. She groaned as her brother hugged her, pressing on her sore ribs.
�Sorry,� he replied, releasing her. �Little Meg saves the day,� he said, his voice full of pride. �Thanks, sis. Thanks for coming down and helping us. We couldn�t have done it without you.�
*****
They enjoyed the rest of the rodeo and traveled home later that afternoon. Meg dozed during the trip, tired and sore from the hectic day. They were almost home when Martha told them that she�d found someone who she wanted to hire to take Meg�s place. Meg�s head snapped up. �What are you talking about, mom?�
�Well, Meg. Now the young stock are ready and there�s a bit of pressure off us financially, I thought we could hire this girl so you could go back to Washington.�
�When were you planning on discussing this with me?�
�Meg, you�re career can�t wait indefinitely. You need to get back to work.�
Jack, seeing his sister was unimpressed, intervened, �Let�s talk about this later, huh? Right now, I think we need to celebrate some more. How �bout a cook-out when we get home? I think there�s some wine in the cupboard, we can have a real little party.�
�That sounds great, Jack,� Martha replied.
Harm, who had been listening silently, didn�t understand Meg�s reaction. Didn�t she want to go home with him?
They got back to the ranch and Meg unloaded Toshak from the trailer while Brent unloaded the tack. The others headed for the house, but Harm hung back, wanting to speak to Meg. He waited until she�d come out of the barn, having put Toshak in his stable. �So, now that you�ve saved the day and the horses are ready for sale, what do you say we go back to Washington?�
She shook her head, looking at him, but avoiding his eyes. �Harm...�
�Meg, I understand that you had to help your family, but you heard them, you don�t have to be here now.�
�What if I *want* to be here? Things are so much simpler here. I can do what I love, be with my family. I don�t want to leave.�
�What about me?�
She sighed. �You don�t need me, Harm. You never did.� She held her hand up to stop him from interrupting. �Mac is a really nice person, and from what I hear, a great lawyer. She has more experience then me, and I bet you don�t feel the need to protect her. I know you didn�t think I could look after myself. She�s a better partner for you.�
�Okay, besides the fact what you said was a load of crap, I wasn�t talking about work.� His eyes begged her to understand.
Sighing again, Meg turned away from him. She knew if she looked into his eyes, she could never lie to him, and he could always see when she was hiding something. �I�m sorry I kissed you before I left. It was wrong of me. I just... I guess I was so relieved that we got you off the charges and I acted without thinking. I know that you were confused enough at the time and I apologize if I added to that.� She felt Harm�s hands on her arms, trying to turn her to face him. She shook them off. �I�ve got to tend to the horses before the party,� she said, walking off without looking at him.
Harm sighed deeply, unsure what to do next. She obviously didn�t share the same feelings as he had, so was there any point in staying and trying to get her to return to DC? He was so deep in thought, he started when someone put a hand on his shoulder. Turning, he saw Ollie standing behind him, a sympathetic smile on his face.
�Hi, Colonel,� Harm greeted, half-heartedly.
�I guess things aren�t going quite the way you�d hoped, Commander?�
Harm gave a snort. �You could say that.� He shook his head, the need to vent overwhelming him. �I don�t understand her. They�ve all told her that they can cope here without her. Why won�t she come back?�
Ollie patted the younger man on the back. �Harm, Meg was always an independent child. As soon as she could, she was working around this place. She�s never felt the need to be close to anyone but her family. I think she got scared. I think she came here to run away as much as she came to help out.�
�Run away? From what?�
Ollie laughed, shaking his head in amusement. �I thought you were a lawyer? Aren�t they supposed to be able to put two and two together? She was running away from you.�
�From me? Why would she do that?� Harm felt hurt at the thought that he was the cause.
�Geez, Commander. The woman�s in love with you. Surely you can see that?�
Harm was struck dumb. Was that possible? Could she have come to care for him as much as he cared for her? �Did she tell you that?�
�She didn�t have to, son. Whatever you do, don�t let her keep running. It�s about time she was happy.�
�Thank you, Sir,� Harm told the older man, shaking his hand.
He strode off towards the stables, knowing that Meg was still tending to the horses. He found her coming out of Toshak�s stall. Without letting her say a word, he strode up to her and pulled her into a spectacular kiss. She struggled against him for a second before melting into him. She opened her mouth at his gentle insistence and deepened the kiss. Only the need for air forced them to part, breathless.
Harm sighed, resting his forehead against hers, �I�ve missed you, Meg.�
She met his eyes for a moment, before pulling away. �I should go, I�ve got things to do before the party tonight.�
�Why are you running away from me? Are you that scared of being happy?�
�Harm, please just go home. Go home and forget about me.� She turned and started to walk away from him and he panicked.
�I love you!� he shouted, seeing her stop dead. �I love you, Meg,� he repeated, softly.
She turned slowly, her blue eyes bright with tears. �Do you really mean that?�
A glimmer of hope smoldered within him as he stepped towards her. �Of course I mean it. I tried so hard not to let you into my heart, but I couldn�t resist you. I never said anything, I suppose I always thought there�d be time to tell you, and then you disappeared without a trace. If it hadn�t been for the Admiral...�
�But if I go back, it�ll be the same thing all over again. We�ll be in the same chain of command and you�ll be off limits. I can�t live like that anymore, Harm. Seeing you every day and knowing that I can�t have you...�
He reached for her, framing her face gently with his hands. �We�ll work it out, Meg. Just come home with me and I promise we�ll work it out.�
She looked deep into his eyes and saw that he meant it. He�d work it all out and they�d be together. His face blurred as his lips met hers in a deep, soul stirring kiss, which affirmed the depth of their feelings for each other.
Meg gave a contented sigh as the kiss finally finished. �I�m in love with you, Harm. I�m sorry I ran away. I honestly thought it was the right thing to do. They really did need my help here, and I didn�t think you felt like this. I didn�t think I�d ever measure up to the likes of Maria, or Kate...�
�You�re better then them, Meg. I can�t describe it, but no one can move me like you can.�
�Then don�t describe it. Just love me, Harm.�
�I do love you, Meg.� He lowered his lips to hers, and sealed it with a kiss.
THE END