Disclaimer: I own nothing and intend no infringement of rights.
A/N: This one was strongly inspired by the song All Night by Sam Phillips.
Huge thanks out to Colie for her thoughts and help in making this story better – you're the best missy!
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The entire city was dark.
Earlier that day there was a major power outage that plunged the city into darkness. Officials predicted it would be fixed within a couple of hours and urged the citizens to stay off the roads. As daylight hours neared their end, most of the people at the office decided to go home, preferring to drive in the remaining light since the traffic lights were out.
Mac stayed to work. She had nothing to run home to and she had enough paperwork she could do without the aid of the computer and with the rays of light filtering in through the window.
The week had been an ordinary one. Harm had been away on a case with Sturgis and Bud, but they'd returned earlier that day. She'd seen both Bud and Sturgis, who reported the case had been a bore mostly but ended well for both parties. She tried to get a hold of Harm but seemed to just miss him every time.
The light faded and eventually died out, letting in the night. And now she stood staring out the window at the outside world. She couldn't really see much but it was besides the point; her stare was blank and her thoughts were running a mile a minute.
She figured Harm had already left. The bullpen was deserted.
Try as she might, she couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, and not just by anyone. She felt Harm's eyes on her. She'd ventured out of her office countless times after everyone had left and couldn't find anyone around. She'd even gone as far as the supply room but the place was empty. Not a living soul. Still she felt him there, felt it through her skin and in her heart.
Sadly, she had to admit this wasn't the first time she felt Harm's presence washing over her without a cause. She learned to breathe through these moments and that's exactly what she was trying to do at the moment. She was focusing on her breathing – in and then out in deep measured breaths.
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Harm stood at Mac's door and stared at her back. She was standing ramrod straight in front of the window. Usually when he found her in a pensive mood she'd stand with her arms crossed and an impatient air around her, broadcasting as usual that she'd rather go out and do something about the thoughts running around her head. This time was different. Her legs were rigid and her shoulders squared but her hands were slack at her sides.
For some reason her wrists caught his eyes; creamy and soft peaking out of the material of her uniform. A bit of the woman was showing behind the Marine.
He moved slowly across the dark room, feeling slightly ill at ease for sneaking up on her like that, but at the same time thrilled and full of anticipation; he'd been waiting for this moment for a while now.
He wrapped his hands around her wrists as he came up behind her and whispered next to her ear.
"What are you looking at?"
She gasped at the contact and the whispered words, her eyes widening for the briefest moment then drifting shut. She relaxed slightly but otherwise moved no muscle, still very much focused on her breathing.
His touch on her skin burned, she both reveled in it and felt the instinct dictating her to move away from the source of the fire. He didn't move; still awaiting her answer that wouldn't come.
"I've been looking for you." It seemed the words had formed on her lips independently; whispered on a breath that wasn't hers and claimed by the air around them.
"I..." the rest of his response was cut by flickering lights and the hum of electrical appliances coming to life. The light on her desk flickered twice more and shone steadily, as did the lights in the bullpen. They both looked up and around, then at each other.
Harm felt Mac's arms twitch in his hold, and immediately released her wrists. Catching their reflection in the window he saw two very unsettled human beings. Their eyes met for an instant, and Mac looked away, staring into the distance and away from him.
Left alone, still standing together, Harm stared into his own eyes. His brain refused to resume function. With the return of power to the city, it seemed his internal power was gone, what was he about to do just a second ago? It felt like he'd been pulling a rope that suddenly unraveled and sent him tumbling backwards to the floor. He had to get his focus back.
He'd never be able to explain what force made him move away from her and out of her office. He went out and shut off all the lights in the bullpen and in the offices, finally returning to switch off the light at her desk.
He looked up to find her eyes locked on him. One step forward was all he took before he caught the gaze and returned it with more intensity. For a moment she looked away and he was sure all was lost. With a determined jaw she opened her eyes again; unwilling to be the one who walked away.
She was sick and tired of playing games; of finding herself analyzing every little touch and nuance till she forgot what it was that started her thinking in the first place. She needed to know where she stood and what he wanted from her.
"What do you need, Harm?" Her voice came harsher than she would've liked and her eyes stung, but she actually felt relieved. She's managed to ask.
She held her breath as Harm took the two steps that separated them. The darkness enveloped them once more. There existed nothing besides his eyes and the feeling of him standing right in front of her. A small flame came to life inside of her, burning through her system in moments.
Once again his fingers came to rest against her wrists and her breathing was released and caught again. It was there and then he felt the calm and built the resolve to take that ever elusive step and reach out for that which he needed.
"Everything you're willing to give."
Her mouth opened and closed a couple of times. A smile began to form but stopped, then began again. She wanted to believe so badly.
She was dying to touch him. Ever since they met, it had taken extreme effort to keep from doing it. Military training left aside and her brain otherwise engaged, her hands found their way to his jaw and cheeks, holding his face gently.
Harm finally let go of her soft wrists and moved to warm her waist, just holding her. He felt her slowly bringing his face forward, as her body lifted without his assistance; her face angling towards his.
Her lips molded against his and they just stayed close, prolonging the moment. Severing the connection and moving her head just a breath away, Mac whispered to his lips "I'm willing to give one Sarah MacKenzie... is that what you need?"
His response was to bring her flush against him and kiss her with an intensity that pushed all thoughts out of her mind, which was a definite first. Just as she started building the heat on her part, she felt him pull back slowly. Her feet came back into contact with the ground and her heavy eyelids lay low.
Leaving one hand at her waist, making sure she went nowhere, Harm lifted the other to her neck, lifting her head to his.
When she finally opened her eyes to look at Harm, Mac found a warm, honest smile gracing his lips and her own smile followed soon.
"More than anything." He voiced his thoughts.
Lost in the moment they almost didn't notice when suddenly everything became quieter than usual. Harm raised a brow and moved slightly away to Mac's desk. A quick try with the switch proved them right.
Mac let out a chuckle and lightened the mood. "Guess we're stuck here... wouldn't want to drive out in this darkness..."
Harm gathered her back into his arms and rested against her. "Damn." He mocked her and received a threatening look. He decided to change course.
"And what is it that you need, Sarah MacKenzie?"
She seemed to contemplate his question seriously for a moment, then a mischievous spirit lifted the corner of her mouth and sparkled in her eyes.
"I need to fly." Mac gave Harm a few moments to catch on and continued when his grin widened. "Will you take me flying, Harm?" She whispered in the sweetest voice she could muster.
At his whispered answer in her ear, Mac couldn't help but laugh out loud and Harm joined her immediately. Their laughter finally cut short when their lips gravitated towards each other and met in joy.
In the enveloping darkness they finally found the time and place they needed to meet halfway, their senses sharpening to compensate for the slight loss of sight. She went looking for him and he had found her, at the same time grounding her and lifting her to the sky.
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Kinda ended on me there.
Fin.