Texas Buttercups
Disclaimer: I again dont own any of these characters, pies, or whatever else is in this story.. just the fun and knowing or hoping that you are smiling when you finish reading!
"You did what?" Harm yelled into the phone as his heart skipped about 10 beats.
His mother held the receiving end out from her ear and just smiled, knowing that her plan was in action.
"Now Harm dear, don't work yourself up into a frenzy, I'm sure Mac will agree to be your fiancé at our family reunion. Besides she's perfect for you. You love her, she loves you. Can't you just play along for me?
"I'm not asking her mom, this is ridiculous. How could you even think of this?" Harm protested in a panic.
How could she think of this? What possessed this woman to even dream up this scheme? And to include Mac in it of all things. As his Fiancé ? Was she on medications? Maybe he should talk to Frank about the whole mother loosing her marbles new life moment.
His heart was not beating as he stepped off the elevator and came face to face with just the person he and his mother had been discussing earlier this morning.
"Harm, I need you." Mac said as she grabbed his arm
He knew his heart hadn't stopped completely, he could feel that one beat, till she said those four words. What didn't help was when she took his arm and guided him to her office. She directed him to the chair in front of her desk and pushed him to the chair so he was sitting directly in front of her.
Mac could tell something wasn't right with Harm this morning. From that first look of shock when she greeted him at the elevator, he hadn't said a thing to her. Quite unlike him to be speechless, especially with an opening as she had given him. Any other time he would have had a wisecrack to nail her right back. Something was up with him, he was just watching her with eyes glistened over. Had he fallen and hit his head again? Certainly she could break him, one way or another.
"Harm!"
"What?" he came back to reality
"What's wrong with you?'
"Noth…. Nothing, why?"
'Ok sailor, have an answer for me?"
'What?"
"Harm, for heavens sake, where are you today? Ever since you came into the office you seem distant.HELOOOO, are you with me? Are you clear?" She waved her hand in front of his face only to have him swat her hand away.
"I need you" He blurted out without thinking.
"Harm, you always need me, im what keeps you going, im the answer to all your prayers, now, answer my prayers and say you have a deal for me."
"Oh, you can't imagine the deal I have for you."
Mac just stood there leaning against her desk, ankles crossed, arms crossed, head cocked to the side and that… Mac glare bearing down on him waiting for his next line.
"This better be good, im at the point I just want this over with Harm."
"Me too, trust me, me too."
Mac scrunched her face up and studied the man in front of her. Were they on the same page here?
"We aren't talking about the case are we?" She asked him with a smirk
"No, No were not. I… Mac, I…"
"You can't stand this anymore and have to clear your head… or you … oh I know, you will take me to dinner tonight."
"I think it's going to be a lot more that what you're expecting"
"Out with it Sailor."
"My mother called this morning. They are having a family reunion this weekend... such as starting tomorrow. I tried to get out of it, but its not going over too well with her. She sort of told everyone that I'm engaged."
Mac made a laughing snorting sound proving to him that she thought this was hilarious.
"Could you be my fiancé Mac? PLEASE, I wouldn't ask anyone else you know that. I promised mom I would ask, you have to do this, and she's holding baby pictures over my head here. It's the only thing I will ever ask you Mac, PLEASE do this, save my life, I saved yours before remember? Please... please… please… please"
'Harm… your one big run on sentence, STOP. This weekend? You're paying for my ticket?" This could actually be fun. What made it even better was the fact that Harms mother had already discussed the whole topic with her two weeks ago. Harm was always the last to know. She had to admit, she had second thoughts at first but the more she listened to Harms mom, the more .. What's the word, devious it sounded? This was the last straw for them. This was it.
"Yes and everything else you need, we leave tonight. Ill love you forever."
"Oh I know you will."
She started to turn away, but smiled and stepped closer to Harm. She leaned up towards him and touched his cheek with her lips with a feather light kiss. Reality of what had just happened hit him suddenly and for the second time this morning, Harmon Rabb Jr. felt his heart stop beating. How did she do this to him, what was this sudden effect she was having on him?
That evening, Mac changed out of her uniform, into a pair of jeans and a black dressy tank. She slipped on her black flip flops and took her hair out of the official marine hair style, letting her dark locks swish down to her shoulders. She added some more mascara to her lashes and touched up her lipstick. As she picked up her bag, she was in her own little Harm world and pushed the door open a bit harder than usual. She instantly heard a UMF sound as the door connected with something hard on the other side.
She stopped suddenly and scrunched her face up worried about what she would find. She slowly pushed it open and peaked around the corner to find Harm standing there with his hand over his nose.
Mac stifled a laugh, "Why do you stand in front of the door?"
'I didn't expect you to come barreling out like a heard of elephants Mac." He replied, removing his hand and checking for damage.
"Are we ready or do you need comforting?" she asked with a smirk
"What are you implying Miss McKenzie?"
'Hmmm, well…."
"Let's go Scarlett." Harm smiled as he took a step forward and reached for Macs bag.
She generously moved it further away so he had to lean closer to her. She kept her stance as she felt his breath close to her neck. He paused just long enough to inhale the lavender spray she had sprayed before coming out of the restroom. This would be one trip he would not survive. He had a feeling, between his mother and Mac; this was going to make his heart stop again.
The overnight flight to the Texas ranch was only a few hours. When they arrived, they collected their bags and found Harms cousin Jacob waiting at the airport entrance for them. When he caught sight of Mac, he straightened up and fell in love. Harm saw the quick change in his cousin and reached for Macs hand. Mac smiled as his hand enveloped hers and she moved closer to him. Harm stole a glance at Mac and was caught in her eyes. His body took over and he leaned down to kiss Mac. The kiss was short, but one that would be remembered. The stolen airport kiss. The first of many to come over the weekend.
One hour later, Mac was putting names to faces and lost in the whirlwind of down home Texas charm. Harm was a constant touch, she felt him with her the whole time and the gestures were not missed by Harms mother. She stood back and watched the love these two shared. She knew the weekend was perfect. After having Mac admit her love for her son, she knew she had to help. It was going to take a family to get these two to come to terms of what reality should be.
"Mac, can you help bring dinner outside?" She piped in when she saw two of Harms cousins headed towards Harm and Mac.
"Definitely," then whispered "Thank you" to Trish.
Trish linked her arms with Macs and headed to the kitchen.
"So… hows things?" Trish smiled to Mac
"You are so bad, you do know that right? Hes going to catch on."
"No he wont honey, hes a Rabb, hes exactly like his father. He may be one of the top laywers for JAG but in real life.. hes a man!" Trish replied
"And what a man he is." Mac said with a dreamy smile in her eyes.
As Mac carried a hot apple pie out the door she missed the fast movement of the puppy rushing between her legs. She gripped the apple pie thinking to save it first since she really wanted to get the fist slice…smothered in melting vanilla ice cream… that first taste of the soft apples dissolving…...
All of a sudden two hands grasped her around the waist and pulled her close. She immediately raised her hands up so the pie would not be smashed between herself and the savior of the moment. She turned to thank the wonderful man, only to come face to face with Jacob.
"Gotcha Mac, now what do I get in payment?" He asked as he tried to pull her even closer to himself.
"How about a knee in the groins if you don't release me?"
"Awe mac, now you know that wouldn't be any fun, I always helped Harm out with his girlfriends, come on." He started to pull her along with him down the stairs, but Mac swiftly escaped from the ever roaming hands encircled around her waist. She raised her right foot and planted it squarely in middle of Jacobs.. buttocks... She put all her weight into the shove and Jacob went flying down the stairs, face first into an unsuspecting puddle of dark rich mud. Harm was instantly beside Mac with a question on his lips.
"Don't ask Sailor." She smiled and kissed him. She waived the pie in front of his face and said, "I saved the pie."
Harm laughed and took the pie from her, using one hand to hold the plate and one hand on macs back to guide her to the front of the dessert line. Mac grabbed a knife and stood ready to dig into the hot scrumptious pie.
As she sat in the swing five minutes later with her pie and melting ice cream, Harm stood behind her pushing her, letting the wind blow through her hair. She leaned down and laid the paper plate on the ground and then leaned back towards Harm. He leaned forward and grasped her face while she was looking up at him. He leaned down and kissed her making her giggle from the fact that she was upside down and just brought a crazy thought to her mind. She stood up and wrapped her arms around Harms neck.
"Harm, …."
"Mac, Sarah, I love you." Harm spoke the words before he brought his lips crushing to Macs. Macs hands roamed to Harms face as his went to her waist pulling her as close as he possibly could. The kiss was intense and was getting even more intense when they heard giggles coming from the tree above them. Mac giggled along with them and they slowly raised their heads to look toward the interrupting sounds. Four sets of little eyes looked down upon them as seven year old Kala sent a thumbs up to her great aunt Trish standing on the deck of the ranch house.
Taking her hand, Harm whipped his head in a lets go motion. Mac smiled and waved goodbye to the children in the tree. They were singing the K-I-S-S-I-N-G song and breaking into fits of laughter as they watched Harm and Mac head towards the swimming pond.
Harm and Mac walked half a mile through the field and trees. The trail broke into a wide opening of yellow buttercups and a narrow path leading down to the dock of the pond. Harm leaned down and snatched a yellow buttercup and handed it to Mac. He led Mac to the dock and leaned down to roll his pants up. He kicked off his shoes and sat down, dipping his feet in the cool refreshing water. He smiled up at Mac and she melted. She kicked off her flip flops and sat beside him facing him with one foot dangling in the water. Harm flipped one foot up and faced her, taking her hands in his.
"Mac, I want to tell you, when mom first had this idea of me bringing you, I was scared to death."
"Scared, why on earth would you be scared to bring me?"
"I love you Mac, I need you in my life. This trip has shown me that. Ive known it for years but was to afraid to say it aloud. I need you."
'Isnt that what I told you when you got off the elevator this morning?"
" Yes, why yes it is Marine, however you forgot to toss the I love you in there."
"Did I?" She asked with a huge grin on her face
With one swift motion Mac felt the cool water suck her under and felt her assailant follow beside her. When she surfaced she was laughing and gasping. As Harm came up beside her, she slipped her arms around his neck and kissed him furiously. Harms feet found the ground and he realized his plan just didn't work as he had liked. However this was working just fine as well. Mac was laughing and ducked down below the dock, bringing Harm along with her.
'That, Sailor was NOT very smart."
"I got you out of site from giggling little spooks."
"Oh, so you did plan that, however im thinking you didn't plan on going in with me did you?"
"Well, honestly no, but I knew you could take me.'
"So you do admit that im better than you?"
"I do."
"You do what Harm?"
"I think we figured this out before didn't we?"
"Im not sure, are we totally clear?"
Harm laughed and shook his head. "What's with this clear business?"
"You wouldn't understand. Seriously, its.. its just… you just wouldn't understand one bit. You're a man anyways." With her last words, she grabbed his head and dunked him underwater.
He circled her waist with his arms and as he came up for air, his lips landed their mark on her neck, in that one special place below her ear. He felt her legs give out and felt her melt against him leaning in for more. She could feel his muscles beneath his shirt as she gasped his arms and pulled herself closer to his body.
"Say it Mac"
"I love you Harm, now make me yours forever flyboy." She giggled as he tickled her endlessly.
"I do have a confession to make though Harm, your mom and I.. well we sort of had this whole thing planned."
'I figured something was up, you agreed too easily to come with me. You didn't even demand dinner."
"Oh I knew what I was doing. I'm demanding forever Harm. Forever together." She kissed him again and touched her forehead to his.
"Forever it is. Marry me Mac." He stated making her smile.
"That's romantic, under a dock in the middle of a Texas ranch stock pond."
"Sarah, Will you marry me?" He had that little boy harm pleading love me forever puppy dog look in his eyes. And he had said her name.
Her heart stopped beating as she took a breath. "I will, I will marry you Harm." She pulled him out from under the dock and they found the entire family cheering in unison for them. Their undercover assignment had turned into a dream come true. She lunged at Harm and wrapped herself around him.
Trish stood on the dock with her hands in the air facing the family. 'Thank you, Thank you very much. This took work but I do have to say, it was a task well worth the wait."
Harm shook his head and smiled at Mac knowing they were one, one heart, one beating heart. Forever. However, both hearts had stopped beating at that very moment!