2135 Zulu
Naval Air Show
Marietta, Georgia

"Look, Tommy," the young father said to his son as he pointed to the approaching plane. "That's the Tomcat."

"Wow!" The boy stood up on his seat in an effort to see the plane better as it slowed down to prepare for a landing. As the plane began to climb again, the boy turned his attention back to his father. "Why didn't they land, Daddy? Is something wrong?"

The man shook his head as he directed his son's attention back to the plane. "No, nothing's wrong, Tommy. They're just going to circle around and come in again."

The boy watched with thousands of other spectators as the Tomcat made a sharp turn, then started shaking violently. An audible gasp was heard from the crowd as the plane spiraled out of control, bursting into flames as it crashed into the ground.

0045 Zulu
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia

Harm dropped his bag on the floor next to Mac's before reaching up to knock on the Admiral's door. "Come in, Commander," the Admiral stated as he looked up from his desk. He nodded to a chair. "Have a seat."

Harm smiled over at Mac as he sat down. "What's going on, sir?"

Admiral Chegwidden crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned back in his chair. "I'm sorry to have to call you two in on a Saturday, but this couldn't wait. An F-14 crashed earlier this afternoon at the Naval Air Show in Marietta, Georgia. Both the pilot, Lieutenant David Shaw, and his RIO, Lieutenant Steven Moore were killed in the crash."

"Any word on the cause of the crash, Sir?" Harm asked as he leaned slightly forward in his chair.

Admiral Chegwidden shook his head as he stood up and picked up a file off of his desk. "The media is speculating on everything from an intentional suicide to sabotage, Commander."

"And what is the Navy saying, Sir?" Mac asked.

Admiral Chegwidden handed the file to Harm before moving over to look out his window. "Not a lot, Colonel. In fact, when I spoke with Admiral Wells a couple of hours ago, he requested that I send my best investigators down to look into this crash. You two are booked on the next flight into Atlanta." He turned back to look at them as he continued, "The media is on a feeding frenzy over this. I don't want you two getting caught up in it. Is that understood?"

"Completely, Sir," Harm answered for them.

The Admiral nodded slowly and stated, "There will be a car downstairs in ten minutes to drive you to the airport. Do either of you have any questions?"

"No, Sir," they replied simultaneously.

"Dismissed."

Harm and Mac both stood up and came to attention with an "Aye, aye, Sir," before they made their way out of the office.

After they retrieved their luggage, Harm glanced over at Mac. "I need to make a quick phone call before we leave."

Mac nodded in understanding as she replied, "Yeah, so do I."

Harm flashed her a grin as they headed towards their separate offices. After dropping his bag on the floor inside of his door, Harm made his way over to his desk and picked up the phone. He took a deep breath as he dialed the familiar number.

"Renee Peterson."

"Hi, Renee, it's Harm."

"Where are you? You were supposed to be here twenty minutes ago."

"I know, Renee, and I'm sorry. I got a call from Admiral Chegwidden as I was on my way out the door. He's sending Mac and I down to Marietta, and I..."

"You and Mac?"

Harm rolled his eyes at the note of sarcasm evident in her voice. "Yes, Renee. Mac and I."

"What is it with you two lately, Harm? I feel like every time we start to get closer, you're running out of town with Mac."

Harm ran a hand through his hair as he tried to keep the edginess out of his voice. "This is business, Renee."

"It's *always* business, Harm."

"Renee, not now. We can discuss this when I get back if you want, but I am not having this discussion now. Goodbye."

"Don't you dare hang up on..."

Harm cut off her protests by returning the phone to its cradle. He gave a soft sigh before straightening up and grabbing his bag. He would have to deal with Renee later.

Meanwhile, in Mac's office.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Mic."

"Sarah, love, where are you? Is everything okay?"

"Relax, Mic. Everything is fine. I just wanted to call and let you know that I'm not going to be able to make dinner tonight. Harm and I have to go to Marietta..."

"This is the second time this month that you've broken a date with me because of Rabb. What's going on with you two?"

Mac took a calming breath before she answered him. "This is business, Mic."

"Does he know that, Sarah?"

Mac looked up to see Harm waiting for her outside of her office. "I've got to go, Mic. We can talk about this later."

"You'd better believe that we'll talk about this later."

"Goodbye, Mic," Mac replied before hanging up the phone without waiting for a response. After straightening her uniform, she walked around her desk and out of her office.

"Everything okay?" Harm asked.

"Let's not go there right now," Mac replied with a small smile.

Harm returned the smile. "Ah, I take it that Mic took the news as well as Renee did."

Mac gave a soft chuckle as she picked up her bag. "These investigations sure were a lot easier when our social lives were nonexistent."

"That's true," Harm replied as they headed towards the elevator. "But what fun is having a partner of the opposite sex if you can't stir up a little jealousy with your significant other every time you go out of town?"

Mac's sigh as she pressed the button for the elevator prompted Harm to look over at her. "What?" he asked. "You don't think that a little jealousy is good for a relationship?"

Mac shrugged as she turned to face him. "I don't know, Harm. I guess I was just wondering at what point in the relationship they'll trust us enough to let us go out of town together without suspecting that we're sleeping together."

Harm bit back a quick reply as he took in the seriousness of her tone. Instead he met her intense gaze and replied, "Maybe that happens when we reach the point that we know for sure that we're with the person we want to be with. If we're not sure ourselves, how can we ever expect them to be?"

Mac dropped her eyes from his as memories from their last undercover assignment flooded her mind. "I guess you're right, Harm."

He placed a finger under her chin and tilted her face up until she was looking at him. "You know, we never did get around to having that talk."

"I know," she replied as she drew a shaky breath.

"Mac, I..." he began, but he was cut off by the dinging of the elevator. As the doors opened, they realized that the elevator was already occupied by a member of the cleaning crew, thus ending their conversation, before it could even begin.

1200 Zulu
Sunday Morning
Naval Air Base
Marietta, Georgia

"Commander Rabb and Lieutenant Colonel MacKenzie reporting as ordered, Sir," Harm stated as he and Mac came to attention. By the time their flight had landed the night before, it had been too late to begin their investigation, so they had been escorted to their quarters with orders to report to the Admiral at 0700 sharp. Now they stood under the close scrutiny of the man who had requested their presence on the base.

"At ease," Admiral Wells finally stated. "Have a seat." As Harm and Mac moved to the chairs and made themselves comfortable, Admiral Wells continued, "I wish that I had more information to give to you, but unfortunately, I don't. We have recovered the flight data recorder, but so far, it hasn't given us any useful information. I've got my people working on it around the clock, and as soon as they turn something up, I'll let you two know."

"Thank you, Sir," Harm stated. "In the meantime, we'd like to visit the crash site as soon as possible."

Admiral Wells nodded his agreement. "I'll have Lieutenant Graves escort you out there as soon as we're finished here. Is there anything else that you need from me before you head out?"

Mac glanced over at Harm, and then turned her attention back to Admiral Wells as she replied, "We'd like to take a look at Lieutenant Shaw's and Lieutenant Moore's personnel files, and then we'd also like for all of the members of their squadron to be available for questioning."

"I'll have the files waiting for you when you return from the crash site, Colonel," Admiral Wells stated. "And Lieutenant Graves will be available to assist you with duty schedules for interviews. Is there anything else?"

"I think that will be enough for now," Harm replied.

Admiral Wells glanced back and forth between the two of them. "If you need anything else, just let Lieutenant Graves know. Dismissed."

Harm and Mac stood up and came to attention with an, "Aye, Sir," before they turned and left the office.

1300 Zulu
Crash Site
Outside Marietta, Georgia

Harm and Mac stepped out of the jeep and headed off in opposite directions. They each made a complete circle around the perimeter of the crash before meeting up on the far side of the debris.

"It looks like most of the debris is centralized in this area," Mac observed as she stopped next to Harm.

Harm nodded slowly as he allowed his eyes to roam over the area again. "It means that the plane was still in one piece when it crashed, Mac."

Mac looked up at him. "Does that point towards pilot error?"

Harm glanced over at her as they started back around the perimeter of the crash. "Not necessarily, Mac. It still could have been something mechanical, it just means that the plane didn't explode or anything until impact."

"According to the news reports, eye witness reports state that the plane started shaking violently right before it went down," Mac stated. "Do you have any idea what could have caused that, Harm?"

"There are a lot of things that could have gone wrong, Mac," Harm replied as he stopped and turned back to look at the crash site again. Turning back to face Lieutenant Graves, Harm added, "Lieutenant, has the Navy managed to acquire any of the home video tapes that were made at the Air Show?"

"Not to my knowledge, Sir," Graves replied. "However, there is rumor that one of the spectators from the show has a copy that they've offered to sell to the highest bidder."

Harm stepped closer to Graves as anger flashed in his eyes. "Do you have a name to go with this rumor?"

"No, Sir," Graves replied as he stood up to full attention.

Mac placed a hand on Harm's arm in an effort to calm him down as she asked, "Where did you hear about it?"

"At the base, Ma'am," he replied. "My roommate, Lieutenant Rodney Dean, works in communications. He mentioned that he saw a news flash about it over the wire last night. That's all I know, Ma'am."

Harm took a calming breath as he stepped away from Graves. "Let's get back to the base then, Lieutenant. I'd like to have a chat with your roommate, and then I'd like to find out just exactly *who* is trying to profit off of the deaths of two Navy pilots."

"Aye, aye, Sir," Graves stated as he moved around the jeep.

Harm turned back to look at the crash site one last time before he joined Mac and Graves in the jeep and they made their way back to the base.

1345 Zulu
Communications Room
Naval Air Base
Marietta, Georgia

Harm and Mac followed Lieutenant Graves into the communications room, stopping when they reached his side behind one of the computers.

At Lieutenant Graves' nod, Harm spoke to the officer sitting there. "Lieutenant Dean?"

The young man looked up from his terminal at the sound of his name, and he immediately stood to attention. "Yes, Sir?"

"At ease," Harm stated. "I'm Commander Rabb and this is Lieutenant Colonel MacKenzie. We're conducting the investigation into the F-14 crash that happened yesterday, and we understand that you might be able to help us out."

"I'll do my best, Sir."

"Did you see a transmission last night regarding the existence of a video tape of the crash?" Mac asked.

"Yes, Ma'am," Dean replied. "Would you like me to pull it up on the computer?"

"Yes, please," Mac replied as she glanced over at Harm. She knew that he hated the prospect of somebody making money off of the unfortunate loss of two pilots, and she hoped that he would be able to maintain his professionalism when they had to meet with the person who was responsible for it.

Lieutenant Dean's voice interrupted Mac's thoughts as he pointed at his computer monitor. "There it is, Ma'am."

Harm and Mac both took a step closer to the desk in an effort to read the message on the screen. "Can you get us a name and address on this person, Lieutenant?" Harm asked as he finished reading the notice.

"Sure, just give me a minute."

Harm and Mac stepped back to give the lieutenant room to work, and three minutes later, they were handed a printout. "Here you go, Sir, Ma'am. John Grimes. He lives ten miles outside of the base."

"Thank you, Lieutenant Dean," Harm stated as he handed the address to Lieutenant Graves.

"You're welcome, Sir," Lieutenant Dean replied as he watched the three of them make their way out of the communications room.

1405 Zulu
Home of John Grimes
Marietta, Georgia

Harm knocked on the door, and then stepped back to stand between Mac and Lieutenant Graves. After a brief moment, a man opened the door. "May I help you?"

"Are you John Grimes?" Harm asked.

The man eyed them wearily as he replied, " Yes, who are you?"

"I'm Commander Rabb, and this is my partner, Lieutenant Colonel MacKenzie. We're with the Judge Advocate General's office, and we're conducting the investigation into the crash that took place yesterday afternoon at the Air Show."

John glanced over at Graves. "And who is he?"

"This is Lieutenant Graves," Harm replied. "He is stationed on the base here in Marietta, and has been assigned as our escort for the duration of our investigation."

John gave a short nod as he looked them over carefully. "So what do you want with me?"

"We understand that you have a videotape of the crash," Mac stated.

"Maybe," John replied in a noncommitted fashion. "What's it to you?"

"We would like for you to turn it over to us," Harm answered.

John gave a soft chuckle as he asked, "Why on earth would I just turn this tape over to the Navy?"

"It would be a valuable tool to assist us in our investigation," Mac replied calmly.

"Yeah, right," John replied. "It's going to be a valuable tool for me, also. This videotape is going to make me a very rich man."

Mac felt Harm bristle, but his voice remained calm as he spoke. "Actually, Mr. Grimes, this videotape could end up costing you a small fortune if you decide to keep it and use it for your personal gain."

"How do you figure that?" he replied. "I've already had an offer from a television network to buy the tape to use in one of their real life series. And believe me, their offer was more than generous."

"Well, Mr. Grimes, I'm sure that the United States Navy isn't going to like the fact that a fellow citizen is trying to make a profit off of the deaths of two Navy Aviators," Harm stated. "Once the Navy finishes with you, I'm sure that the families of the deceased pilots will probably sue you, also. Not to mention the fact that if you should choose to withhold this videotape, we will just have to subpoena it as evidence. Once we do that, failure to produce it on your part, will land you in jail for obstruction of justice."

"You're bluffing," John challenged as he met Harm's intense gaze.

"Try me," Harm retorted icily.

Grimes averted his eyes from Harm's and looked over at Mac. "This isn't legal. I have rights, too."

"Actually, Mr. Grimes, this is legal," Mac stated. "The Air Show took place on the Naval Base; therefore, this is a government investigation. Any videotapes and/or still pictures taken at the Air Show are fair game to be called upon as evidence. We can easily get a warrant for the seizure of the tape, but we thought that we would give you the opportunity to hand it over willingly first."

John looked back at Harm. "If any videotape is fair game, why are you after mine? There must have been five hundred videos taken of that crash."

Harm set his jaw as he stared at him and answered, "You're probably right, Mr. Grimes. However, you're the only one who is trying to sell your copy to the highest bidder, and I will not stand by and allow you to disgrace the memory of these two officers just so you can make an easy buck."

John continued to stare at Harm for a moment before he finally turned his back and walked back into the house. Harm glanced over at Mac with a raised brow before John reappeared with the videotape in his hand. "Here you go, Commander."

Harm took the tape as he met John's gaze. "Thank you, Mr. Grimes. The Navy appreciates your cooperation in this matter." With that, the trio turned around and made their way back to the jeep.

1600 Zulu
Naval Air Base
Marietta, Georgia

Lieutenant Graves knocked on the door to the conference room and waited for the command to enter before he opened the door and stepped inside.

"Commander, Colonel, everything is set up whenever you're ready to view the videotape."

Harm and Mac looked up from the table where they had been going through Moore's and Shaw's personnel files. "Thank you, Lieutenant," Harm said as they started gathering up files. "We'll be right there."

"Aye, Sir," Graves stated before he stepped back into the hall to wait for them.

Mac stood up as she closed the last of the files and handed it to Harm. "Both Moore and Shaw have exemplary records, Harm. They are rated as one of the best teams on the base."

"I know, Mac. It doesn't make any sense." Harm closed his briefcase and stood up to join her as he continued, "Let's go watch the tape, maybe it can help shed some light on the situation."

Mac nodded her agreement, and they joined Lieutenant Graves in the hallway. "Admiral Wells wanted to be present while you viewed the tape, Sir, Ma'am," Graves informed them as they made their way down the hall. "Other than him, all other personnel have been asked to leave the conference room."

"Thank you, Lieutenant," Mac replied as Graves opened the door to the other conference room, and stepped back to allow her to enter.

Harm paused before he entered the room. "Are you joining us, Lieutenant?"

"If it's okay with you, Sir, I would rather not. I lived through it yesterday, and I'm not entirely sure that I'm ready to watch it again."

Harm nodded in understanding. "I know the feeling, Lieutenant." With that, he stepped inside the conference room and closed the door.

"Have a seat, Commander," Admiral Wells stated.

Harm lowered himself into the chair next to Mac and they both turned their attention to the television screen as it roared to life. The three of them watched in silence as the Tomcat flew across the screen, gradually decreasing in speed as it prepared to land. As they continued to watch, the plane pulled up and increased speed. As it made a sharp turn to complete the wave-off landing, the plane started shaking and them plummeted to the ground where it burst into flames.

Mac heard Harm's sharp intake of breath as the video zoomed in on the wreckage. They could easily see the debris that was spread across the ground, as well as the flames that engulfed the rest of the plane.

The silence in the room was shattered as Harm stood to his feet. "Will you excuse me, please, Admiral?"

The Admiral nodded his permission and turned his attention to Mac as Harm wordlessly left the room.

Mac stood up as she met the Admiral's gaze. "Permission to be excused, Sir?"

"Would you care to explain what just happened here first, Colonel?"

"Sir, Commander Rabb was involved in a crash that killed his RIO, and forced him to give up his career as an aviator," Mac responded softly.

Admiral Wells nodded as recognition flooded his features. "Go."

"Aye, Sir," Mac replied before she quickly made her way out into the hallway.

Lieutenant Graves pointed down the hall. "He went that way, Ma'am."

"Thank you, Lieutenant," Mac called over her shoulder as she hurried down the corridor in search of her partner. She turned the corner and made her way down the hall to the only door located in that part of the building. She stopped outside of the door and drew in a deep breath before pushing it open and stepping into the dimly lit room.

"Harm?"

"Not now, Mac," came his response from deep within the room.

Mac closed the door behind her and made her way over to where he was sitting. "Talk to your friends, Sailor."

Harm glanced over at her as she sat down next to him. "It's nothing, Mac."

Mac turned to face him and replied, "I can see that. I'm sure that the reason you left Admiral Wells and I in the conference room was for no other reason than an overwhelming urge to sit here in the dark by yourself, right?"

"Something like that," came his mumbled reply.

"Do you want to know what I think your reason is for being here?"

"Do I have a choice?" he asked sharply.

"You always have a choice, Harm. It's those choices that define who we are."

At her softly spoken words, the memory of a similar conversation replayed through Harm's mind. A time when he had chosen to ignore his feelings for her for the sake of duty to his country. He dropped his gaze from hers as he asked, "What do you think, Colonel?"

Mac reached over and tilted his chin back up until his eyes met hers before she spoke. "I think that this case has hit a little too close for comfort. I think that watching the video of the crash has caused some old memories to resurface."

Harm closed his eyes against the intensity of her gaze. When he opened them again, Mac could see the moisture pooling in them. "He was just a kid, Mac. He was so young, and so full of life, and then he was gone. Just like that. I made a mistake, and it cost Mace his life."

"It wasn't your fault, Harm."

Harm shook his head as he stood up and began pacing. "It was my fault, Mac. He trusted me. He put his life in my hands, and I let him down. I stole someone's son from them. Someone's brother. Someone's lover. Don't you see that?" he asked as he turned his back to her and stared out of the lone window in the room.

Mac stood up and quietly walked over to stand behind him. "No, Harm, that's not what I see. I see a man who has devoted his entire life to his country, to the search for truth, and to doing the right thing. You were just a kid yourself at the time, Harm. It was a horrible accident, but if it had been you that had died in that crash, would you have wanted Mace to go through the rest of his life feeling guilty because he had survived when you didn't?"

Mac saw the slight shake of his head, so she took a deep breath and plunged ahead. "No, that's right. You wouldn't have wanted Mace to blame himself. You would have wanted him to go on with his life." She saw him nod his agreement, so she continued, "Then don't you think you owe it to Mace to do the same for him? You can't change the fact that Mace is dead. Nobody can, but you've carried the guilt long enough, Harm. Don't you think it's about time you let it go?"

Harm shuddered as he drew in a deep breath. He exhaled it slowly as he turned to face her. In the stillness of the room, with tears streaming down his face, he met her gaze and softly whispered, "I don't know *how* to let go, Mac."

Her only response was to open her arms to him. He stepped willingly into her embrace, allowing her to hold him while the tears flowed freely down his face.

Ten Minutes Later
Conference Room
Naval Air Base
Marietta, Georgia

Harm and Mac entered the conference room and came to attention. "At ease," Admiral Wells ordered as he paused the video tape.

"My apologies, Sir," Harm stated.

Admiral Wells waved him off. "Not necessary, Commander. We all have demons in our past that we have to fight. We don't necessarily get to chose the times or places that they rear their heads."

"No, Sir," Harm replied.

Admiral Wells motioned them to the chairs. "Take a look at this and tell me what you think, Commander."

Harm and Mac settled themselves in the chairs as the Admiral played the tape for them again. As the Tomcat pulled up from the landing pattern, Admiral Wells put the tape on slow motion. "Watch right here," he demanded.

Harm and Mac watched in silence as the plane began to turn and then started shaking. Admiral Wells turned around to look at them. "Did you see that?"

Harm stood up and walked closer to the television screen. "Rewind that again, Sir."

"What is it, Harm?" Mac asked as she joined him. They watched the tape through again, and then Harm pointed to the screen.

"Look right there, Mac. One of the engines went down."

Admiral Wells rewound the tape again, and paused it at the point where the engine went down. "What do you make of that, Commander?"

Harm turned to face Admiral Wells before he replied, "I'm not sure, Admiral. It almost looks as if Lieutenant Shaw intentionally killed the engine as they went into that turn."

"That wouldn't cause the plane to start shaking though, would it?" Mac asked.

Admiral Wells shook his head as he glanced over at her. "No, Colonel, it wouldn't. However, it is possible that Lieutenant Shaw killed the engine because of some sort of malfunction."

Harm picked up the remote control and rewound the tape again, watching every detail closely. Mac and Admiral Wells stood there silently as he continued rewinding and playing the tape. Finally, he turned to look at them. "Watch this part here." He pointed back to the screen, as he played the tape again. "Did you see that? The plane started shaking before the engine went out. It was almost as if Shaw forgot what he was supposed to be doing up there."

Admiral Wells nodded his agreement. "I'm going to go check and see if we've managed to get any useful information from the Flight Data Recorder.."

Mac stopped him before he made it out the door. "Admiral Wells?"

"Yes, Colonel?"

"Sir, have autopsies been performed yet?"

"They're scheduled for first thing in the morning, Colonel," Admiral Wells replied.

"Thank you, Sir." Mac turned her attention back to Harm as he continued to rewind and watch the tape. "What are you thinking, Harm?"

Harm shook his head slightly. "I'm not sure, Mac. This just doesn't feel right. It's like we're not looking at the entire picture."

"Maybe we should go talk to some of Shaw's friends. Find out what his state of mind was before he went up yesterday," Mac suggested.

Harm nodded his agreement as he turned off the television and ejected the tape. He turned around to find Mac watching him closely. "What?"

"Are you okay?" she asked softly.

Harm flashed her a small grin as he answered, "Yeah, I'm okay." After a brief pause, he added, "Thank you."

"Anytime, Sailor," she replied as she led the way out of the room.

1445 Zulu
Monday Morning
Naval Air Base
Marietta, Georgia

Harm watched from his seat at the table as Mac paced the floor of the conference room. "Everybody that I talked to yesterday said the exact same thing about Shaw. He was one of the best pilots on the base, and everybody liked him."

"I got the same story on him," Harm replied. "However, when it came to Moore, most of his buddies seemed a little reluctant to talk. Did you have any better luck?"

Mac stopped pacing and looked down at the file on the table. "General consensus is that he was an okay guy, but pretty much kept to himself most of the time. Although, there was a mention of an altercation involving Moore and a Lieutenant Gaston that took place a couple of weekends ago while they were out at a bar."

"Do you know what the altercation was about?" Harm asked as he stood up to stand beside her in order to look over her shoulder at the file.

Mac grinned over her shoulder at him. "I would have passed you the file, Harm."

Harm smiled sheepishly as he took a step back. "Sorry."

Mac turned her attention back to the file as she tried not to focus on the fact that he was still standing close enough to her that she could feel his breath on the back of her neck. "Ensign Taylor is the one who told me about the altercation. He said he wasn't entirely sure what had happened, but he knew that they exchanged a few heated words, and then Moore left the bar and headed back to the base."

"Have you talked to Lieutenant Gaston yet?"

"No, he was on duty last night," Mac replied as she turned around to face him.

Harm allowed his gaze to roam over her face as he replied distractedly, "I think we should go talk to him now, then."

Mac's eyes locked on his as she unconsciously leaned closer to him. "Sounds like a good plan, Sailor."

Harm dropped his gaze to her lips as he remembered the feel of them pressed against his, softly yielding as he had finally allowed himself to let go - even if only for a moment in time. She had accused him of using her as a substitute, but she was wrong. She had never been a substitute. Not even that night in Norfolk. It had always been her. He slowly moved his gaze back to her eyes. "Mac."

She closed her eyes as he leaned closer to her, his lips coming into contact with hers. She sighed softly as she felt her arms move around his neck, pulling him closer as she felt his hands lock around her waist. It was a soft kiss, not nearly as passionate as the first one they had shared in Twentynine Palms, but it effected her just as much. There was something different about him, something that she couldn't seem to put her finger on.

Mac pulled away from his kiss, but she allowed him to keep his hold on her. "What are we doing, Harm? What's happening between us?"

He pulled away from her slightly, resting his head on her forehead. "I'm not sure, Mac. There's so much that still needs to be said."

Mac slowly nodded her agreement. "This isn't the time, though."

"No, it isn't," he agreed. Taking a deep breath, he dropped his arms from around her and stepped away. "We will have that talk, though, Mac. Soon."

Mac turned her back to him as she took a steadying breath. "Come on, Commander. Let's go see what Lieutenant Gaston has to say about his relationship with Moore."

"Lead the way, Colonel," Harm replied.

1532 Zulu
Naval Air Base
Marietta, Georgia

"Tell us about your relationship with Lieutenant Moore," Mac stated as Lieutenant Gaston sat down across from them in the mess hall.

"Steven and I were friends, Ma'am," Gaston replied. "We both grew up here in Georgia, so we had a lot in common."

"Had you two been fighting recently?" Harm asked.

Gaston shrugged slightly. "I wouldn't exactly call it fighting, Sir."

"What would you call it, Lieutenant?"

"We had a difference of opinion a couple of weeks ago while we were on liberty."

"Tell us about it," Mac urged.

Gaston drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly as he began, Steven and I had gone with a bunch of our buddies out to a bar called 'The Empty Pocket'. One of the waitresses there started flirting with Steven, and he started flirting back. That's what led to the argument."

"Go on," Harm said.

"Steven had been seeing this girl, Sherry, for almost a year now. They were practically engaged, Sir. Steven had already bought her a ring, he was just waiting until her birthday next month to give it to her. Anyway, when he started flirting back with the waitress, I called him on it," Gaston replied.

"You called him on it?" Mac questioned.

"Yes, Ma'am," he answered. "I told him that if he was really serious about being involved with Sherry, that he shouldn't be going behind her back with other women. I know that might sound a little old fashioned, but that's the way I was raised, Ma'am."

Harm avoided looking over at Mac as he asked, "Lieutenant Moore didn't agree with you?"

"It wasn't that, Sir," Gaston replied. "In his heart, Steven knew that Sherry was the only one for him, so when I said something to him, he took his frustrations out on me. It wasn't that he didn't agree with me, he just didn't want to hear it right then."

"So the two of you argued?" Mac prompted.

Gaston gave a firm nod. "Yes, Ma'am, we argued. And then Steven came back to the base by himself. The next day, he was knocking on my door at 0600 to apologize, and to thank me for being his friend. That's just the way Steven was. He wasn't an easy guy to get close to, but once you did, he was a friend for life." Gaston dropped his gaze down to where his hands rested on the table as he drew in a deep breath before he continued, "There wasn't anything he wouldn't do for his friends, Ma'am."

Harm finally looked over at Mac, and allowed his eyes to lock with hers briefly. If Harm hadn't known better, he would have sworn that Gaston was describing his relationship with her. It hadn't been easy to get inside the walls that she had constructed around herself, but once he had, he had managed to earn a friend for life. And she had followed him around the world for the sake of that friendship.

Mac read the silent message of thanks in Harm's eyes as she met his gaze. She knew that he was thinking about their own relationship, so she offered him a brief smile before turning her attention back to Gaston. "Thank you for your time, Lieutenant. You're dismissed."

Gaston stood up and came to attention with a "Yes, Ma'am," before he turned and made his way out of the room.

Mac turned her attention back to Harm. "I guess that rules out sabotage due to bad blood between friends. Where do you want to go next?"

Before Harm had the chance to answer, Lieutenant Graves walked into the room. Harm motioned him into the chair as he asked, "Do you have some information for us, Lieutenant?

Lieutenant Graves handed him the files that he had been carrying. "The top report is the information from the flight data recorder, Sir. The other two are the autopsy reports on Lieutenant Shaw and Lieutenant Moore."

Harm handed the autopsy reports to Mac as he began to read through the other file. After several moments of silence, he heard Mac gasp and he turned to look at her. "What is it?"

Mac handed him one of the files as she answered him, "Read the cause of death, Harm."

Harm read the report silently, and then raised his eyes back to Mac's.. "That would explain this, then." He picked back up the other file and began to read from it. "After completing the wave off portion of the landing, the Tomcat began to accelerate again, before going into a circling pattern for another landing. Before the Tomcat completed the turn that would allow it to enter the pattern, the port side engine was manually turned off. As soon as the engine was turned off, the plane was turned in the opposite direction by the pilot. The sudden change in acceleration coupled with the change in direction caused the plane to start shaking. However, there is no mechanical reason as to why the plane continued to lose altitude, the end result being the loss of the Tomcat due to a crash."

Lieutenant Graves sat silently as he watched the exchange between the two JAG officers. When it appeared that they had reached the same conclusion, he finally spoke up. "Sir, Ma'am, there's something else that I think you should know."

"What is it, Lieutenant?" Mac asked as she looked over at him.

"Rodney, that is, Lieutenant Dean, informed me that Mr. Grimes' video is still on the market, Ma'am. It would appear as if he had made a copy of the tape."

Harm glanced over at Mac as he responded, "I guess that explains why he gave it up so easily." Turning his attention back to Graves, he added, "Thank you, Lieutenant. That will be all."

"Aye, Sir," Graves replied as he came to attention before leaving them alone again.

Mac looked back down at the report in her hands. "Do you think that Shaw knew something was wrong and was trying to land the plane?"

Harm nodded slowly. "It sounds that way, Mac." Glancing back down at his own report, Harm added, "Let's go talk to Admiral Wells about this."

Mac agreed and they made their way to the Admiral's office in silence, each of them caught up in their own thoughts about the case as well as their own changing relationship.

"What have you found out?" Admiral Wells inquired after he motioned them to be seated.

"Sir, the autopsy reports and the report from the flight data recorder have both been turned over to us," Harm answered.

"Were you able to get any useful information as to the cause of the crash from them?" Admiral Wells questioned.

"Yes, Sir," Harm replied. "The flight data recorder shows that the plane's engine was manually turned off by Lieutenant Shaw before he tried to reverse directions in the middle of the turn. We believe that the crash had nothing to do with any type of mechanical failure."

"Are you saying that it was pilot error, Commander?"

"No, Sir," Mac answered for them. "Sir, the cause of death listed on Lieutenant Shaw's autopsy states that he died from an aneurysm. It is our belief that in the brief time between the rupture of the artery that killed him, and the crash of the Tomcat, Lieutenant Shaw attempted to turn the plane around and get it back on the ground."

Admiral Wells looked thoughtful for a minute before he finally spoke, "How does a United States Navy pilot pass a physical with flying colors one month, and then the next month die from an aneurysm?"

"Sir," Harm began, "The physicals that pilots go through are very grueling, and they deal with both the physical, emotional, and psychological well being of the pilot. However, there is no diagnostic test that can predict a weakening in the structure of an arterial wall."

Admiral Wells stood up and slowly began to pace his office as he processed the information. When he finally turned back to them, he stated, "Thank you, Commander, Colonel, for your handling of this investigation. I appreciate the timely manner in which you have completed it. I will expect a copy of your report as soon as it is finished."

"Aye, Sir," they replied in unison.

"If there is nothing else," Admiral Wells remarked.

"Actually, Sir," Mac answered. "There is one thing."

2100 Zulu
Home of John Grimes
Marietta, Georgia

Harm knocked on the door, and then stepped back to stand between Mac and Lieutenant Graves. After a brief moment, a man opened the door. "Commander Rabb, what do you want now?"

Harm held up a folded up piece of paper. "We have a warrant here to search the premises."

"Excuse me?" Grimes stated. "Search the premises for what?"

Harm motioned to the dozen MP's who were waiting just off to the right of the porch, and they followed him into the house. Grimes took the warrant from Harm and began to read it. He finally looked up at him. "You have no right to do this."

"Yes, we do, Mr. Grimes. We have legitimate reason to believe that you are withholding evidence related to the investigation into the crash of the F-14 that took place two days ago on the Naval Air Base."

"That's absurd," Grimes shouted as he looked around at the MP's going through his personal belongings in search of the original videotape. "I turned over the tape to you."

"Then why is it that your tape is still listed as on the market, Mr. Grimes?" Mac asked from Harm's side.

Grimes paused for a moment before he replied, "I haven't had time to take the ad down. That's all."

"Then you have no cause for alarm, Mr. Grimes," Mac replied sweetly. "These men will conduct their search, and if no evidence is found, we will be on our way."

About that time, one of the MP's called from the bedroom. "Commander Rabb, I think you need to come and have a look at this."

Harm and Mac made their way back to the bedroom with Grimes following close behind. "What have you got, Ensign?" Harm asked.

The young ensign help up a box of videotapes. "These were in the corner of the closet, Sir."

Harm turned around to look at Grimes. "Would you care to explain these, Mr. Grimes?"

Grimes shook his head defiantly. "I don't have to explain anything to you, Commander."

"Fine," Harm replied. He turned back to the ensign. "Take those.. We can determine their contents back at the base."

As he started to turn back around, Harm heard Mac say his name with panic in her voice. Before he could turn to see her, Harm felt Grimes fist connect with his jaw, and he stumbled backwards. His eyes focused on the man in front of him as he regained his footing.

Harm lunged at Grimes, knocking him back against the wall as his own fist connected with Grimes' face. He landed two more blows before he felt a restraining hand on his arm. "That's enough, Harm," Mac stated calmly.

Harm turned to look at her as he released his hold on Grimes. He kept his gaze locked on hers as he straightened up and adjusted his uniform. "Ensign, the Commander and I will be outside if you need us."

"Aye, Ma'am," the young man replied as they continued their search for any other evidence.

Mac waited until Harm left the bedroom before she turned to look at Grimes. "Mr. Grimes, I suggest that you don't try to interfere anymore, or we will be forced to place you under arrest." With that parting shot, she followed Harm out of the bedroom, and out of the house.

Mac caught up with him as he reached the jeep they had arrived in. "Harm, turn around and let me look at your mouth."

Harm complied, but he refused to meet her gaze. "I'm sorry, Mac. I know that I shouldn't have hit him."

Mac shrugged as she pulled out a tissue to wipe away the slight trickle of blood from where his lip had been cut. "No, probably not. But then again, he shouldn't have blind sided you."

Harm lifted his gaze to find her smiling at him. "No lecture?"

Mac shook her head slowly. "Not this time, Sailor."

Harm looked over her shoulder to where the MP's were carrying out the box of videotapes, and said softly, "Thank you for arranging this with Admiral Wells, Mac."

Mac turned back to face the house as she replied, "I couldn't let him get away with it, Harm."

Harm watched her for a moment before he asked the question that had been on his mind since early that morning when she had brought up the subject with Admiral Wells. "Why, Mac?"

Mac started to give him a flippant reply as she turned back to look at him, but the look in his eyes stopped the words before they could make their way out of her mouth. Instead, she found herself forcing her gaze away from his, and answered slowly, "The truth, Harm?"

"Always," he encouraged as he stepped around her, blocking everything else from her line of vision.

Mac licked her suddenly dry lips as she looked up at him. "If it had been you that had been killed like that, Harm, I wouldn't have wanted to see it on some Saturday night special. It would have torn me up inside, and there was no way that I was going to allow Shaw's and Moore's families to be put through that."

Harm nodded as the seriousness of her words hit him. He wanted to pull her into his arms, but he knew that he couldn't because of where they were. Instead, he locked his gaze on hers and gave her a soft smile. "It wasn't me though, Mac."

"No, it wasn't, and I'm very thankful for that."

"Commander Rabb?" Lieutenant Graves' voice interrupted any further conversation as he approached them.

Harm sighed in frustration as he turned to look at the young man. "Yes, Lieutenant?"

"We're finished here, Sir."

Harm nodded as he felt Mac move away from him. "Then let's get out of here, Lieutenant."

As they loaded back into the jeep, Lieutenant Graves turned to look at both Harm and Mac. "Permission to speak freely, Sir?" At Harm's nod of approval, he continued, "Thank you both for what you've done here. David and Steven were good men, and we all appreciate the extra effort you put into this investigation."

Harm grinned as he looked back at Mac. "I guess we can mark another one up for the good guys, Lieutenant."

"That we can, Sir," Graves replied as they headed away from John Grimes' house.

The End