JAG Calling A Bluff

TITLE: Calling A Bluff

AUTHOR: Vid Z.

PAIRING: Harm/Jen

TIMELINE: sometime in 2004, but before Cresswell

DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc of the TV show JAG are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this fic. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

SUMMARY: life is like a game of poker sometimes. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. But what happens when you call a bluff?

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Jen watched as Mac once again rejected Harm, hurting him badly in the process. Jen guessed that the other woman had probably brought Webb up again and, from the pain in Harm's eyes as he walked out of Mac's office, Mac had probably also said something hurtful. As usual.

It might've been intentional and it might've been unintentional, since this had become such a part of her that she didn't even notice it anymore when she said something hurtful

As her heart twisted for him Jen shook her head. 'Why does he keep doing this to himself?'

Jen then decided to do something she'd been considering for a while now and she got up, notified the Admiral she'd be away from her desk for a few minutes, and made her way to Mac's office.

She knocked and entered the office at Mac's permission.

She handed over some files she'd taken with her as an excuse and, when Mac wanted to dismiss her, she spoke up. "Ma'am, permission to speak off the record?"

Mac looked up at her warily. "Granted. What's on your mind?"

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Jen noted that Mac didn't use her name, even though it had been implied that the coming discussion would be personal.

It was a testament of their relationship.

No matter what others may have assumed, from their very slightly similar childhoods (with them turning out decidedly differently, with Jen being a very positive, friendly and caring person), Mac and Jen had never been close, had never socialized (during those one or two times when Mac turned up at Jen, Harm and Mattie's building Mac and Jen were always reserved towards each other and interacted as little as possible); nor had they wanted, much less worked for, a friendship between them.

Jen didn't like Mac, the way the other woman had been for a while now.

Jen was also mainly Harm's friend, in his corner,... whatever, and this alone excluded any warm fuzzy friendship feelings between her and Mac. As Harm's friend Jen was fiercely protective of him, sometimes even possessive and territorial, and couldn't stand to see nor allow someone to hurt him, which meant that there was no chance of her ever being friends with Mac, the source of all of Harm's heartache and pain.

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"Ma'am, I just wanted to give you an advice with regards to the Commander." said Jen.

"Oh?" Mac's eyebrow rose arrogantly and her tone became dangerous.

Jen, not afraid of even the Admiral in his surliest moods, nodded. "Ma'am, please be aware that, while you may not appreciate him, there ARE women out there who WOULD appreciate him and would give everything to get their hands on him. He's a good man, one of the best, and any woman would love to have him. If you continue pushing him away and hurting him, one day he'll give up and one of those women just might get their hands on him. And they'll appreciate him, treat him the way he deserves and, unlike Miss Petersen and late LCDR Parker, they will definitely not be letting him go. And you WON'T get him back. Just thought you should know that before you make a mistake, in regards to him, that you'll regret."

"Are you giving me an ultimatum, Petty Officer? You know that declaring an interest for an officer is a sure way to get thrown out of the Navy?" Mac asked dangerously.

"No, ma'am, I said 'other women', never have I explicitly stated nor implied that I count myself into that category." denied Jen, not letting the other woman intimidate her. She'd met much scarier people than Mac and she was still here to tell the tale.

Besides, she would really have to be stupid to admit to this vengeful and vindictive woman that she loved Harm and would love to be the one to spend the rest of her life with him, treating him the way he deserved and be treated like a queen in return.

Mac decided that Jen was bluffing, that she was wrong in her prophecies.

Harm was Mac's property and, as long as she kept stringing him along, as she'd done for years, since taking Brumby's ring, he'd continue to follow blindly and no other woman would have a chance with him, since he'd keep waiting for Mac.

Mac rebuffed Jen's advice, completely safe in her control over the man in question.

"Be that as it may, you'd do best to keep your nose out of my relationship with the CDR, Petty Officer, or you might get burnt."

Jen nodded, knowing she'd done all she could, and left the office, her conscience clear with the knowledge that she'd given Mac a fair chance. Now she could put her plan into action.

Mac leaned back in her chair, not being able to believe the younger woman's audacity. No-one was going to take Harm away from her, he was her property and no other woman would ever have a chance with him. Mac would never be losing Harm, of that she was sure.

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And now, watching Harm and Jen take their vows, pledging their love and themselves to each other for eternity, with barely a dry eye among the audience, who all agree that they are the perfect couple, a year and a half after Jen had resigned from the Navy (a week after her talk to Mac), Mac realizes just how wrong she'd been.

THE END

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JAG, Drama, Romance