The night fell over San Diego, where a marine and former navy lawyer enjoyed a quiet night on the couch in front of the TV. Harm had his legs popped up on the coffee table and Mac cuddled to his side, her head resting on his chest and his arm loosely around her. Though it was rather warm inside the house, Mac had blanket around her for extra warmth while Harm couldn't help but wonder, how she could always be cold. But then again he'd never object to her snuggling close to his body with a mission of gaining some warmth which he was willing to give as long as it meant that he got to hold his marine tight. Some days he was convinced that Mac made up those excuses so she'd have a reason to request his arms around her – either way it was a win for both of them and he'd never question her motives in case she decides to stop her habit of snuggling with him during their nights in front of the television.
Though the TV was playing and both of their eyes were focused on the movie, Harm's mind was drifting, running around the place like a wild animal.
That didn't go unnoticed by the observant marine.
"What's on your mind?" she asked softly.
"Nothing," Harm brushed it off.
Mac raised an eyebrow and gave her fiancé a penetrating glare. He should've known better – after all she was a lawyer and investigator, which meant a part of her job was to get people talking about things they really didn't like to. As much as Harm liked to think that he was immune to her methods, he was proven wrong almost every time.
"I'm just thinking about us, you know all the years we spent together, yet wasted on dating other people," he said softly.
"Maybe I should have given you a deadline before," Mac commented.
"Yeah, or I could've just asked you out," Harm added.
Mac smiled and looked up. He leaned in and dropped a quick kiss to her lips.
"Do you remember the time Webb sent us to Sudanese embassy and we ended up being held hostage?" Harm asked.
"How could I not?" she responded and added sarcastic comment, "The ambassador was a real gentlemen with his gun and armed guards, why?"
Harm stayed silent for a moment. His grip on her tightened and he pulled her closer, satisfied when she was half-way on his lap.
"What made you think of that?" she asked again.
"I've been thinking about all the times we defeated death and how it all could have ended up so differently," he said and kissed the crown of her head.
"But it didn't. We're both here and together," Mac tried and offered a smile. She was aware that Harm had been having nightmares about different situations over quite some time, but they had been more frequent in the past week, ever since she faced off an aggressive defendant and he was not there. It broke her heart every time, when she woke up to restless Harm at her side, calling out for her.
"I know," Harm said quietly, "It's never easy to see you with a gun pointed at your head or some bastard violating you."
She pressed her lips on his chest and held herself tight against him.
"It's not why I was thinking about that night," he clarified.
Mac looked up in surprise, wondering why that night was stuck in his mind.
"You know, when he had you and used you as a shield, he made it clear that if I shoot to the left I'd hit my date aka you and he had the virus on his left. How you'd be dead either way," he started and Mac knew better than to interrupt.
"For a moment it caught me off guard, because I though he said my fate and not date," he continued, "Just remembered how right that terrorist was. You weren't only my date, but you also serve as my fate."
Mac smiled.
"I love you, Sarah," he said, even though he was fairly certain that she already knew it. Harm had made a point to tell her that every day at least once since the night he finally proposed, though he put the ring on her finger weeks later.
"I love you too," she replied easily.
"I should have asked you out right after that night instead of making a silly suggestion that we should go out more often," he continued talking about that night, "But then again I was a bit distracted."
"I guess being held at gunpoint does that to people," she commented.
He chuckled.
"He didn't get me that distracted. It was you," he clarified.
"I'm sorry, sailor," she apologized out of formality.
"Don't be, your dress did half the work," he smirked.
"Especially after it was ripped," she added.
Harm nod with a mischievous smirk. He trailed his hand downwards and ran it over her thigh, he stopped at her knee and brought it back up to her waist, repeating the motion.
"I remember I was mad at first, because it was not for them to see, but after a few moments all I could think about was running my hand over your skin," he confessed.
"Yet it took you nearly 7 years to do it for real?" she questioned.
"It was worth the wait," he shrugged.
Mac smiled appreciatively and moved herself on the couch, forcing his hands to break the contact while she shifted, leaving Harm questioning her intentions. They became clearer, when she dropped the blanket to her side and sat on his lap while facing him and her knees on the couch beside his thighs.
"It better have been," she was seductive and pressed her lips against his.
Harm didn't second guess before wrapping his arms around her back and deepening the kiss she started. Absentmindedly he felt her hands holding his head and then moving lower to unbutton his shirt.
"Someone has dirty ideas," Harm commented, when his lips parted from hers, but not because he minded.
"You started it, sailor," she excused herself.
Harm only moaned as her hands moved so gently on his chest and her lips captured the skin on his neck.
"I just remembered what a distraction you are," he played innocent, "And what a distraction you were on that night in the Sudanese Embassy."
Mac smiled contently against his neck and moved her head to level with him.
"I take that as a compliment," she said with a grin.
He ducked his head and pressed his lips on her left collarbone, where ambassador had hit her years ago, but he still remembered the bruise on her skin as if it was yesterday.
"Honey, how about you forget that night and focus on today?" she suggested, not that she minded reminiscence and walk down the memory lane, but mostly she wanted to remember how Harm was there and they were finally together.
Harm captured her lips as they were proven to be too irresistible. She obliged, but as she ran her fingers over the stubble on his chin, she pulled back.
"But you were much cleaner shaven than night," she accused.
"Well, I've had my hands full with one marine lately, shaving has to wait," he excused himself, "Fate is on our side, that much I do know."
Mac smiled at him, "Yeah, it must be," she agreed, "But you good luck might be ending soon, if you don't shave. I didn't choose hairy Stickboy to marry," she said firmly, but he could tell that she was partially joking.
"Yes, ma'am," he said instantly.
Mac laughed and kissed the side of his lips, smile playing on hers as she pulled away.
"You know, I couldn't imagine my life if I had been partnered some tattooed, arm-wrestling jarhead instead of you," he said sheepishly.
"I think we proved that I am all three," Mac said and raised an eyebrow.
Harm shook his head and leaned in, so their foreheads touched.
"You're mine, Sarah. You are my marine, which is so much more than I could've hoped for and I am so glad I finally got to see that tattoo of yours," he said with one of his signature smiles.
Harm traced his hands on her body, until settling on her side. Even though she was wearing a t-shirt, he knew exactly where her tattoo was hidden, he no longer needed to see it, because it was embedded in his brain just like the rest of her body.
"Semper Fi," he whispered.
She returned it.
"You don't wanna know how much time I spent wondering where you were hiding that," he confessed.
"Really? You weren't having impure thoughts while working, were you?" Mac teased.
Harm broke into smile.
"Only every time I saw you, specially when we were on an assignment and sharing a room," Harm confessed.
"Oh, you," she said with compassion and caressed his cheek.
"I am still partially impressed you never called me out on sexual harassment. I can't believe that you never noticed my eyes on you," he said, finally addressing his actions.
"I was well aware yes, but maybe I didn't mind," she smirked.
"Oh, Mac," he said and brushed his lips against hers.
They were both startled by loud noises coming from the television. Mac broke the kiss and almost jumped, then turned around so she could see the object that disturbed their moment, while Harm simply held onto her tighter and looked around until he realized it was just the movie.
"Bruce Willis ruined the moment," Mac commented – Die Hard was on the program.
Harm agreed with her non-verbally.
Mac still in his embrace, her body hallway on top of his and her head comfortably on his shoulder and his hand resting on her back, just the way he liked it; they both focused on the screen, where Bruce Willis fought against terrorists in a skyscraper.
It wasn't long before Mac started yawning. At first Harm didn't take action, but when he finally felt her body getting heavier, he realized that she had fallen asleep on him, again.
He chucked to himself.
Harm reached for the remote and turned off the television, then secured his one arm below her knees and the other one stayed on her back. He stood from the couch and groaned loudly – this used to be so much easier. It's not that Mac has gotten much heavier over the time, but he is not as young as he used to be, after all he has carried her before, even ran with her over his shoulder.
He got upstairs to their bedroom and placed her gently in the middle of their bed, then looked at how she rolled to her side and snuggled to the pillow.
Harm couldn't help the smile coming over his face.
He opened the drawer and took out one of his t-shirts and pair of shorts she used for bed and dropped them beside her. Harm was careful to undress her, because he really didn't want to wake her, after all he is the blame for her lack of sleep. With ease he removed her t-shirt and bra, replaced it with his t-shirt, then slid off her pants and undergarment, but he was quick to get the shorts on.
In all honesty, he was a fool for thinking that she'd sleep through the undressing procedure, maybe he'd even be worried if she did. She acknowledged his actions, but didn't say anything or stop him, instead she opened her eyes for a moment and closed them again. Mac was comfortable enough with him to let him dress and undress her, after all he's seen her naked body more than she could count.
Harm stripped down to his boxers and got to the bed beside her and he instantly felt tiredness. Lazily he pulled the blanket over both of them and turned to his right side. Harm had to scoot in the bed until he was satisfied – Mac's back was pressed against his chest. His hand fell around her and she intertwined their fingers.
"Good night, sailor," she whispered in her sleep.
"Good night, marine," he replied and let sleep claim him.
This time his dreams were quite pleasant unlike the previous ones. He did see the hostage situation in the embassy, but his mind created a new memory.
He opened his eyes in the middle of the night with her in his mind. The marine made her presence known by shifting in his grip. He swore under his breath – even now while she was safely in his arms, she was being a distraction.
Harm decided that she'd have to pay for that, but the punishment could wait until morning or the next night.
"What a distraction you are, Ninja girl," he whispered to her and kissed the side of her head.
"Thank you," she mumbled through her sleep.
Harm smiled and snuggled closer, his head on her shoulder and closed his eyes, letting sleep claim him with one distraction in his dreams.
Sarah.