Title: One Night Before Everything
Author: rooster dawn
pairing: Harm and Mac
Disclaimer: JAG is property of Belisarius productions, no copyright
infringement intended.
Summary: After the accident all Mac wants is time alone.
Spoiler: Four percent solution
Good feedback is good for one's soul and everyone's happiness.
Mac was returning from Norfolk after investigating an incident between two marines who had been drinking in a bar. They became involved in an altercation with some civilians after a Carolina Panthers football game.
Mac had been driving for a couple of hours when she became tired of listening to Christmas carols on the local radio stations. It seems all the stations were either playing the carols or were talk shows.
Mac was playing with the tuner on the radio when she hit a slick spot on the road. She felt the car sliding out of control off the road. She saw a large tree approaching the car. She braced for impact praying that she wouldn't die.
Ten minutes later she felt herself being lifted out of the car and placed onto a stretcher. She moaned "Harm, Harm, Harm." as she was placed into an ambulance and taken to Bethesda.
Over the next hour she felt herself being poked, prodded, and blood being taken. She was X-Rayed and had a MRI before finding herself in a bed in a private room with an IV in her arm.
Harm's office
Jag Headquarters
Harm was working late in his office. He thought all the grunt work would have disappeared once the new JAG took over from Sturgis, but he was wrong. Well not exactly. The workload had actually lightened up quite a bit.
General Creswell didn't think his senior officers should be doing menial paperwork usually reserved for newbies. But the man was anal in how he wanted reports done and on time.
Harm didn't know how to really deal with the man. The General seemed as if he had something to prove. He thought the navy way was the lazy way. That he would have everyone doing it his way, the anal way, in a few months.
But what had bothered Harm the most was the apparent lack of trust the General had in them. He and Mac had been working off and on together for over eight years. They knew how to do their job. He needed to leave them alone.
They had the reputation as being the best in Jag. Why was the General questioning their methods? Why did he assume that they didn't know what they were doing and would somehow screw up?
His cell phone rang. He wondered who it could be. It shouldn't be Sturgis. He told him he was working late and didn't want to be disturbed. It wasn't likely to be Mattie, he had talked to her this morning.
He had wished her a merry Christmas. It could be Mac. God he hoped it was her. She had been gone all day. He hadn't been able to talk to her today. He wondered what she was doing tomorrow.
If she was free, he hoped that he could convince her to come over to his place for a Christmas meal. He didn't want to be alone after spending almost a year with Mattie. He also didn't want Mac to be alone either.
"Hello, this is Commander Harmon Rabb." answered Harm.
"Commander, this is Detective Mike Miller. There has been an accident. Colonel Sarah MacKenzie's car went off the road and hit a tree. She's being taken to Bethesda Hospital." replied Mike.
"How did you know to contact me?" asked Harm.
"She was moaning your name. I found her cell phone. I dial the number associated with your name." replied Mike.
"How is she Mike?" asked Harm who was beside himself with worry.
He had quickly put everything in his briefcase as he was listening to Mike. He had his overcoat on and cover under his arm. He began walking to the elevator.
"She's banged up pretty good, but fortunately the air bag deployed like it's suppose to. The EMT's are taking every possible precaution. Hopefully all she will be is sore tomorrow." replied Mike.
"Thanks for calling me Mike. I'll be there as quickly as I can. Tell her I'm coming Mike." sighed Harm.
"Will do Commander. Drive safely. We don't need another accident." replied Mike.
Bethesda Hospital
Harm was out the door and into his corvette. He hit all the lights on the way to Bethesda. It wasn't long before he was there and running up the stairs to admitting. He saw a nurse at the nurse's station.
"Hi, my name is Commander Rabb. I'm looking for Colonel Sarah MacKenzie." Harm greeted the nurse.
"Are you her husband?" asked the nurse.
"No, not yet, but I'm working on it. The police called me saying she was asking for me." replied Harm
The nurse looked at Harm giving him the once over and sighed. The Colonel was a lucky woman to have such a hunk for a boyfriend.
"She's in room 302. Take the elevator up two floors. Take a right at the nurse's station. It's the room all he way down on the left." smiled the nurse.
Harm quickly made his way to her room. He looked in to see her sleeping. She looked so small and frail lying there. She had an IV in her left arm. Her right hand was bandaged up. He could see a bruise on her face.
There was a tap on his right shoulder. It was the doctor.
"How is she doctor?" asked Harm.
"Are you Harm?" asked the doctor.
"Yes Sir." replied Harm.
"She's been asking for you since she arrived. She has been sedated so she can sleep. Her face is bruised from the airbag.
She sprained her wrist when she braced herself for the impact. She suffered a mild concussion. Everything else seems fine. She's going to be sore though. She's going to need her rest the next couple of days." replied the doctor.
"Thank you Doctor." replied Harm.
Harm went into the room and pulled over the chair. He took her hand into his and held it as he sat down. Mac opened her eyes to see him there.
"You came." she said sleepily.
"They called me and told me you were hurt. Where else would I be Mac?" asked Harm.
"Thank you Harm. I'm so tired." she moaned.
"Then sleep marine, I'll be right here with you." replied Harm as he squeezed her hand. He kissed her cheek.
"Night Harm." she mumbled.
Harm sat with her for an hour before going down to the cafeteria for coffee and something to eat. He made a few phone calls. The first one was to the General. He wasn't please to hear about the accident.
Harm wondered if he was angry with her or that he didn't know how to show compassion. Harm told him he would call him tomorrow with any additional news. He then called the Admiral, Sturgis, Jen, Bud and Harriet.
They all wanted to come to the hospital for him and Mac. But Harm told them it wasn't necessary. Mac was sleeping and couldn't have any visitors anyway. He was going to spend the night in her room in case she woke up.
He spent the rest of the night in the chair holding her hand. He slept most of the night, but woke up once after he had a nightmare of her careening into the tree.
The next morning Mac woke up and felt someone holding her hand. She looked over to see Harm sleeping there in the chair by the bed. She smiled. It hadn't been a dream after all. He had been there last night.
A half hour later Harm woke up. He smiled when he saw Mac's beautiful brown eyes gazing into his eyes. Even with the bruising she was still beautiful.
"Hi there sleepy head." greeted Mac with a smile.
"Hi there Ninja girl. I see you lost a fight with a tree. How are you feeling this morning?" smiled Harm in return.
"A little bit sore. Do you know how long I have to stay here?" asked Mac.
"The doctor said if you're coherent and can get up and walk around this morning, then he would discharge you after lunch." smiled Harm.
"I'm hungry Harm." whined Mac as her stomach rumbled.
"I'll get a nurse and see if I can take you down stairs to the cafeteria for an exotic breakfast." smiled Harm.
"Be quick about it Squid. You know how I am when I'm hungry." teased Mac.
Twenty minutes later they had gone down to the cafeteria and had breakfast. It wasn't bad. They talked for a little while before going back upstairs. Harm had convinced her to come over to his place for a Christmas dinner.
They would stop over her place first so she could change. She was dreaming of taking a hot bath first to soak away some of the aches she felt in her muscles.
As promised the doctor came by at 1300 hours with her discharge papers. Harm wheeled her to the front door where his corvette was waiting. It was a quiet ride home, Harm held her hand except when changing gears.
Mac's apartment
They pulled up to her apartment.
"Does anyone know about the accident Harm?" asked Mac.
"I called the General last night. He wasn't too happy. I don't think he knows anything about compassion. I also call the Admiral, Sturgis, Jen, Bud and Harriet.
I told them you would be sleeping and probably wouldn't be up for any visitors." replied Harm.
"Thank you Harm. I don't think I'm up for a lot of holiday cheer. A quiet afternoon with you sounds good." smiled Mac as leaned over for a kiss.
Harm helped her out of the car and they slowly walked up to her apartment.
"Home at last. I'm dying for a hot bath." she mumbled to herself.
When she open the door she was shock to see so many people there. She closed the door before going in.
"Did you know anything about this Harm?" she asked. She wasn't very happy. She was tired. The last thing she needed was an apartment full of people.
"No Mac I didn't. I told Harriet last night that you weren't up for any visitors. You know how she is. She likes to be the mother hen looking out for everyone." replied Harm.
"Well I'm going to go into my bedroom. I'm going to get undress and take a long hot bath. I'm going to soak for at least an hour. When I come out of my bedroom I want everyone gone. I'm not in the mood for company. Please Harm." pleaded Mac.
"I'll take care of it Mac. You take care of yourself. You're my number one priority this weekend." Harm leaned down and gave her a loving kiss.
Mac opened the door again and walked in. She was immediately greeted by Harriet and then Bud. They were trying to be very cheerful and happy for Mac. Soon after them everyone else greeted her and wished her a Merry Christmas.
Mac quickly disengaged from everyone and went to her room. She filled her tub for a long hot soak. Harm gathered everyone in the living room.
"I want to thank you all for coming here on such short notice to wish Mac a Merry Christmas, but unfortunately Mac is still suffering from her accident last night. She is very tired and needs her rest.
She has asked me to thank you all and say good night. I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you all to leave. Once again thank you for coming."
They were all very disappointed. They all wanted to be there for Mac. It was why they went through such great lengths to move Christmas dinner to Mac's apartment. They all loved her and wanted to be with her.
Harriet almost cried when Harm asked them to leave. He tried to explain to her that her efforts were appreciated, but they were too much too soon after the accident. He would try to arrange something with her before the end of the year.
After he had gotten everyone out the door, he sat down on the couch. Before too long he was fast asleep. Mac slept in the tub until the water became cold. She got out and dried herself off before putting on some comfortable clothes.
She saw Harm sleeping on the couch and smiled. He hadn't left with the others. He had stayed. She was please. She decided to let him sleep. He must be quite tired from sleeping in the uncomfortable chair last night.
They could get something to eat later. She decided to lay down and rest herself. She was starting to feel better. And later with Harm by her side, everything would be alright.
The End