Disclaimer: No infringement of rights is intended. This story is for entertainment purposes only, not for profit.

Spoilers: Anything up to and including season 6 (Lifeline)

You Have Someone Who'll Always Love You

Mac's POV

I had always said I would never be like my mother. I could never understand how any woman would stay with a man that beat the living hell out of her. I was stronger than that. That's what I always said.

That's way I can't figure out why I didn't see it coming. I can't figure out how I could have let him manipulate me. And I can't figure out why I'm lying on the floor on my kitchen broken and bloody. I'm a marine, damn it!

The phone is ringing. The phone is hanging on the wall right above my head, next to the refrigerator. I try to get up to reach it but the pain in my ribs steals my breath. My head feels heavy. My vision swims and narrows. I lay my head back down on the cold linoleum floor.

"You've reached Sarah MacKenzie, please leave a message at the beep…BEEP"

I hear the answering machine pick up. The voice on the line sounds like an angel, a knight in shining armor. But he has no idea I'm hurt. I know that if he did there would be nothing in this world that would stop him from being at my side. I've always known. I just couldn't accept it.

"I'm sorry Harm," I whisper as I begin to lose consciousness. "I love you." As the world slowly goes black I hear Navy Cmdr. Harmon Rabb leaving a message.

"Mac, please call me when you get a chance. I think we need to talk. Please, Sarah, I *sigh*…just call me back. Please." BEEP

Harm's POV

I don't know what to do with myself. Tonight I had the only woman I've ever really loved in my arms. Lt. Col. Sarah MacKenzie, my Mac. She kissed me like I was her salvation. I've known she's mine for a long time. But I let her go. She's marrying another man. We had forgotten for one beautiful moment why we were there, at the home of our commanding officer Admiral A.J. Chegwidden. We were supposed to be celebrating Mac's engagement to Australian Naval officer, Mic Brumby.

Suddenly my apartment feels stifling. I need to get out. I rip the tie from my neck and loosen the top buttons of my dress shirt. I grab the keys to my Corvette and my leather bomber jacket and practically run from my apartment. As I the engine of the Vette roars to life I decide to call Mac. When she doesn't answer I leave a message and try not to think about what why Mac's not picking up the phone.

I drive for a while and end up at our familiar watering hole, McMurphy's Pub. I decide to drown my sorrows. As I walk in I see some people I know have stopped out for a drink after the party. I'm not really in the mood to be social and start to turn to walk out again when I hear someone calling out to me.

"Commander! Sir, would you like to join us at the pool table," Gunny Galindez is waving to me. We could use a fourth for teams," He gestures to his two burly friends that I recognize as marine guards from JAG headquarter.

"No thanks Gunny," I answer, trying to sound light. "Think I'm going to have a beer and head home. I'm beat." I put my head down so the observant marine doesn't notice that my smile isn't sincere. I find an open stool at the bar and claim it, my back to the pool table. I order whatever's on tap from the bartender and sip it slowly.

Suddenly there's a commotion at the other end of the bar. The bartender is cutting off an inebriated patron. The man's loud and obnoxious voice makes my head snap up. I'd recognize that Australian accent anywhere. What was Mic Brumby doing in a bar, drunk, on the night of his engagement party?

"Gunny!" I wave Galindez over to me. "What is Brumby doing here? Have you seen the Colonel?"

"I didn't realize he was here, sir," the Gunny answered. "And we haven't seen Colonel Mackenzie since we said goodbye at the party."

"Thanks, Gunny. Will you help me corral Cmdr. Brumby, it looks like he's giving the bartender some trouble and I don't see a bouncer on duty tonight," I asked.

"Yes, sir!" he answered.

As Gunny and I approach I notice that Brumby looks like he's gone 10 rounds with a wild cat. His face and neck are scratched. His knuckles are bloody. My stomach clenches. Where the hell is Mac while her fiancé is out getting into drunken bar fights?

"Murph," I say, addressing the bartender. "Let me and Gunny give you a hand. We'll get Mic here home."

Brumby turns toward me and I'm not prepared to the force of the rage radiating from the Aussie, directed at me. He pulls himself from Murph's grip and launches himself at me. I sidestep him easily and he careens into the marine that has my back. Gunny easily locks Mic's arm behind his back and holds him there. "We'll take this outside, Murph. Sorry for the trouble." I toss a generous pile of cash on the bar and help Gunny guide the now swearing and struggling Mic out of the bar.

Once were out in the alley Gunny and I pin Mic against the brick wall and demand to know where Mac is. Brumby sneers at me and growls out, "At home, in the kitchen where she bloody belongs!"

"What the hell are you talking about!? Who have you been fighting with?" I demand.

"Fighting? I guess she put up a bit of a fight," Mic said and my blood went cold. "Probably won't next time."

For a moment I think I could have killed him. But Gunny's urgent "He's not worth it, Sir" penetrated my rage. I realized Gunny's marine buddies had followed us outside. "We can handle him, Commander. Go find the Colonel."

"Thanks Gunny," I whisper. I release Brumby with one last hard shove that causes his head to bounce off the hard bricks. I turn and sprint for my car, praying Mac's OK.

"Semper Fi, Sir!"

TBC – This chapter has been newly edited in anticipation of my continuing this story. It's been a really long time since I've written anything, but I've been feeling the itch lately. :)