"Last Bit of Kindness"

By Rita Widmer

Disclaimer: I don't own JAG.

Rating: PG

Summary: Mac wants to do one last thing for Harm as they get ready to transfer across the world from each other.

AN: Well here we go again with another version of Friday's episode. There are some spoilers in it. Please read and review.

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She stood in the doorway watching the two sleeping forms. One hooked up to so many contraptions she couldn't tell where one ended and one started. The other had his head laying on the edge of the bed looking very uncomfortable.

She knew he hadn't been getting much sleep lately between work and visiting Mattie as she recovered from her injuries. His worries were burdening him even more now as he had to say good-bye to the young girl in front of her when she needed him most. All she knew at that moment was she had to do something for them.

Turning around, she headed back towards the elevator. In the hospital, she could do nothing more. Harm wasn't still letting her in, and the best help for Mattie was being provided by the doctors and nurses.

For now, she knew where she had to go to help him.

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Mac set down the phone with a sigh of relief. It had not been an easy task to complete especially on such short time schedule, but it had finally been fulfilled. All she had to do is get the papers and hand them over to Harm, and her task would be fulfilled.

Her desk was now almost empty as she finished her paper work for JAG. As Chief of Staff at JAG there was so much she had to do before she could leave there and very little time to do it in on top of all the packing that had to be done. It all had to be done in day's time.

"Who ever thought 72 hours would be enough for people to transfer in?" she mumbled to herself.

"Ma'am?" asked Jennifer Coates as she walked into the office.

"Did I say that aloud? It's nothing, Jen. Just transfer blues. Can I help you with something?"

"This is about Captain Rabb, ma'am."

"What about him?"

"I'm worried about him. It can't be easy knowing he's leaving without knowing what's going to happen to Mattie."

"Has he talked you at all about what he is feeling? He's not letting me in."

"No, ma'am. The only person he's talked with was Mattie, and most of it was while she was still unconscious. I'm not even sure he's told her he's leaving. He is going to go through with the transfer, isn't he?"

"He certainly deserves it, and I hope he does go through with it. There are no easy answers, Jen. Hopefully there is some middle ground to be found."

"Permission to speak freely?"

"Go ahead."

"You can help him even if he doesn't believe he wants it right now."

"I'm doing my best. Now I need to get back to last of the paperwork. Dismissed."

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The envelope in her hand held the answers Harm needed, but didn't realize was possible. It was all his without his asking, and Mac knew it would be a very emotional reaction. Part of her wanted to burst in his apartment, and hand it to him if he was actually home.

The other part of her wanted to give him space as he read what it held. Part of that feeling came from her feeling of being left out of his feelings as he dealt with Mattie and now his transfer.

She didn't blame him or angry, because she understood why. It had little to do with revenge for pushing him away, but more to do with sometimes we need to push away before we can allow in.

It's not an easy process for either side, but she knew there were times we have to be narrow of mind before we can open up to others. 'And hearts,' she thought to herself.

Her decision was made. She would leave it for him to find, and he knew where to find her when he was ready to face her.

Before she could change her mind, she moved towards his door, and put the envelope underneath. Slowly she headed back to the elevator which for once was working. She reached for the handle to close the iron gate.

"Mac!"

She heard the voice before she saw the man. Looking up, she looked at the man who had taken over all her thoughts.

"Is this…did you…?"

"Yes and yes." She smiled at the shocked man standing before her.

Shaking his head slightly to clear all the thoughts running through him, he realized he had missed an important detail. "Where are you going?"

"I was going home. I figured if you wanted to talk to me, you knew where to find me."

"I always do, but come inside, please."

She didn't answer, but just moved forward to follow him inside his apartment. Once inside, they stood watching each other.

"What are you doing home? I would have thought you were with Mattie."

He sarcastically laughed as he thought of earlier that evening. "She kicked me out when she found out I was leaving."

"You might be leaving now, Harm, but she's yours as soon as she is well enough to travel. What her father did was wrong leaving her like that when she needed him the most. The courts weren't going to overlook it this time."

She watched as he lowered his head before looking her in the eye. "Thank you, Mac. You've always been here for me even when I don't expect it." He sat down on the next stool to her.

For a moment, they just stared at each other. She could see all the love shining through his eyes. There was no shadowing over this time.

"Why did it take so long for us to get here?" Mac asked softly.

"Maybe we needed a deadline."

The love in his eyes was putting her in a trance as she moved closer to him. Their lips finally meeting after so long, and after so long of a time there was passion. She fell into the kiss as it got hotter by the moment.

Needing breath, they broke apart. "I love you, Mac," Harm whispered.

She stared at him for quite awhile before she found her voice to enter. "I love you too, Harm"

"Let's get married."

Her breath stolen from her, she did the only thing she knew to do. She kissed him senseless, and the night of passion began.

The End