Harm's Birthday Wish – A WYABT Story
Chapter 1/1
Disclaimers: I don't own any of the JAG characters. I don't own any product or label mentioned for the purposes of telling this story. Any similarities to situations or persons living or dead are purely coincidental.
Spoilers: The fanfic 'Will You Always Be There?' It's a really long story so if you just read the epilogue you will be able to follow this story without a problem.
A/N: I promised that I would write more about my secondary characters in WYABT this summer and I didn't get much done, so I just thought I'd take a little peek into the lives of our DD just after the end of the story. Harm and Mac are on Tilghman Island and Jack and Mrs. Rabb are in Pennsylvania. Mrs. Rabb is looking after Jackie and Mattie… with a little help from Jack.
A/N: This is a response to Theresa's challenge for Harm's birthday on the Recon board. I'm a little late, but I figured if I get it posted before the month is out, I'm ok. The challenge words are as follows: Cake, Surprise, Package and Wish
A/N: Man, many thanks to Karen for her beta reading skills.
0735
Tuesday
October 25, 2005
Tilghman Island, Maryland
Mac stood at the kitchen counter wearing an apron over one of Harms button down, oxford shirts, which looked more like a short dress on Mac than a shirt. She was trying to be as quiet as possible as she finished the last touches on the small birthday cake she had made just this morning. She had slipped out of bed at 0530 determined to surprise him. It was just a small one layer cake, with chocolate icing, of course.
Mac was sure he would wake up, considering all the racket that she made this morning. She had dropped the metal cake pan on the floor when she removed it from the cabinet. Tiptoeing gingerly toward the bedroom, she peeked in, praying he was still asleep. He was. He lay on his back, tangled in the sheets that came to rest just below his waist; his long legs sprawled out from under them.
Mac had smiled and backed away, closing the door quietly. The last few days had gone a long way to help them feel like a couple again. Harm being a half a world away, her recovery from Jackie's birth and the lack of any real privacy when they were together had been difficult at times. These few days away had been a godsend and coming to this particular place had only made it more special.
Mac placed the cake, with candles, on the tray, along with a small package she had wrapped for him before he came home. It was a small framed picture of Harm and Jackie while she was still in the hospital on the neonatal unit. Of all the smiles Mac had seen Harm give her, this one was the most beautiful. She had never seen him so happy.
Balancing the tray on one hand, she pushed the bedroom door open. Harm woke and looked up at her. "Hey." His voice was still gravely from sleep.
"Happy Birthday Harm" Mac beamed at him, she was so glad she had been able to pull this off.
He managed a sleepy smile, "What do you have there?"
"I made you a birthday cake."
Harm's eyebrows shot up. "You did?" He gave her a wary look.
"Yes….I'm a good cook, I know I can bake a better cake than you." She narrowed her eyes in a mock glare.
Harm chuckled a bit and Mac thought seriously about letting him wear this birthday cake.
"I'm just kidding Mac. Let me see." Harm scooted up in the bed, pulling the pillows up and placing them behind his back. Mac allowed the legs of the tray to unfold and she sat it across Harm's lap.
What a picture he made, even with sleepy eyes and bed head, he was gorgeous. Mac grinned in spite of her self.
"What?"
"I was just wishing I had a camera." He was wearing nothing but a tray and a sheet.
Harm looked at the candles which were the numerals 4 and 2. "This is nice Mac" He frowned, "but, I think you spelled birthday wrong."
Mac stepped closer to him and looked down at the cake quickly. "Really?'
"No, not really." Harm teased her and smiled seductively. "Why don't you get in here?" He nodded toward her side of the bed.
She slowly walked over to her side of the bed, considering his invitation and sat up on her knees, just out of his reach. "Don't you want me to light the candles so you can make a wish?"
"We can do that, there are only two candles, anyway." Indicating he had more than birthday candles on his mind.
'I know, I thought if I used the individual candles," She grinned mischievously. "I could set the cabin on fire." Mac waggled her eyebrows, paying him back for teasing her.
Harm nodded, "Oh….I see." He lifted the tray and leaned down to set it on the floor. "Let's just see how 'old' I am." He then turned quickly toward her and before Mac could escape, he had her pinned, or he thought he did.
Mac poked Harm in the ribs, allowing her just enough time to flip him over on his back.
"I didn't say you were old Harm…you're just not as fast as you used to be."
Harm was enjoying this; he didn't mind Mac being on top at all. At least not until Mac reached down and took a piece of his cake and lifted it up toward his face.
"Mac….Mac don't do it." Harm looked her in the eye, trying, but failing to be serious.
Mac only smiled at him sweetly. "What do you mean Harm…what am I going to do?" Her eyebrows raising in question.
"You know what I mean…you'll be sorry…I mean it." Harm was laughing.
"What was it you used to say? No guts…no glory." With that she smeared a nice big glob of chocolate icing on Harms cheek.
"Oh, that's it Mackenzie, it's on." He reached down and took a big handful of his cake and caught Mac right on the side of her face. "Oh honey….that's pretty." He patted her cake and icing covered cheek.
They were both laughing so hard couldn't fight each other anymore, but when Mac started to reach for his cake again he turned her onto her back and kissed her soundly, getting his first real taste of his birthday cake.
"Mmmm, this is good Mac" Both of their faces were a chocolaty mess.
"Thank you, I think I'll get a taste too." She kissed his cheek and made her way down to the bit of cake and icing on his neck. "I have to agree, but I think it tastes even better on you."
Harm and Mac had breakfast in bed.
Two hours later….
Harm stood on the front porch of their cabin, drinking the last of his coffee. It was mid morning and the day was beginning to warm up. Mac walked up behind him and linked her arms around his waist. Harm pulled her into his arms and kissed her. "Hello." He kept her close and kissed her hair.
"Hello." Mac closed her eyes, still reveling in the nearness of him. She had missed him so much.
"I can still smell chocolate in your hair."
Mac chuckled remembering how it got there. "I tried to get it all out." Changing the subject she asked. "Did you like your gift?"
"Which one?" He smiled at her slyly.
Mac gave him an indulgent look waiting for him to answer her question.
"Yes I did, thank you." He kissed her forehead and thinking of the picture, his heart ached, he missed his daughter.
"You know you never told me what your birthday wish was?" She leaned back and looked up at him questioning.
"You're not supposed to tell, and besides I have everything I want."
Mac looked into his eyes, waiting for him to continue.
"I do Mac, I couldn't ask for more."
He kissed her and looked into her eyes. Mac thought she saw something there, he seemed almost wistful.
"Harm, what is it?"
He looked away from her; he had hoped she wouldn't see.
"What?" She frowned.
"Mac…" He looked back at her. "I don't want you to take this the wrong way."
"I think you'd better tell me." He was scaring her. What could it be?
He saw the fear come up in her eyes and cursed himself for being so cryptic.
"I just…I just miss the baby. I know we have another day, but I really want to go back to Belleville."
Mac heaved a sigh of relief and stepped slightly back from him. Placing her hand on her chest, she shook her head, almost amazed; she had been thinking the same thing since last night. She thought she would spoil their time together if she seemed to be in a rush to return to Pennsylvania.
"I've had so little time with her and I've already missed so much. I needed this time alone with you; I've loved every minute of it." His eyes were pleading with her to understand. "But I want my daughter too."
"I know, it's alright. I feel the same way. How long do you think it will take to get packed?" She slipped back into his arms and hugged him tightly.
Harm grinned sheepishly, "I, uh, started while you were in the tub."
Mac slipped out of his arms and headed back into the cabin. "Great, so it shouldn't take long."
Harm followed close behind her, ready to get back to the rest of his family.
1755
Tuesday
October, 25 2005
Rabb Farm
Belleville, Pennsylvania
Harm and Mac turned onto the drive that lead to his grandmother's house. The evening sun was setting and causing the trees that lined the winding drive to look as though they were ablaze with orange red color.
It was hard to believe that just a year ago they had begun the first tentative steps of their relationship here. Back then Harm only wanted Mac; in anyway she would have him. He never believed that they would have a future, never mind a family. He parked his Lexus behind Jack's Chrysler 300. He and Mac got out of the SUV without a word, both of them quietly anticipating their reunion with their daughter. Harm opened the front door and Mac followed behind. His grandmother walked out of the kitchen with her finger to her lips to quiet them.
Mrs. Rabb nodded toward the sofa were Jack Keeter lay on his back with Jacqueline Patricia Rabb sleeping soundly on his chest. She was wrapped in a pink blanket and as Harm looked at her, the thought occurred to him.
His birthday wish this year was his daughter, wrapped up like little pink package, nestled in the arms of her 'uncle' Jack, for whom she was named.
FIN