Fair winds and following seas

The moment had been … Mac couldn't find one word to describe how she felt at the moment. She was on her side, in her… Fiancé? Well, Harm's arms, and he was holding her, softly caressing her back as they rested after making love. Scratch that, making love sounded too sweet for what they had been doing. They had just had amazing sex. She didn't have to wonder any more about his bedroom skills, because he had given her the most intense love making that she had ever experienced. Their breathing had calmed down a little while ago, he hadn't said a word, just pulled her close and held her. She was beginning to think back to what they had agreed on before they stumbled into his bedroom. Maybe faith could keep us together forever, he had said. What did he mean by that? And she really had to go to the bathroom, but she really didn't want to move. She had never been more comfortable. She fit perfectly into his arms.

"How are we going to do this?"

She really needed to use the bathroom she decided and started to move away from him. "Sorry…" She hurried to the bathroom, not even worrying about being totally naked.

When she came back, he turned to her and propped himself up on an elbow. "God you're beautiful."

She smiled as she moved under the thin sheet that was covering him and moved up his body until she found his mouth with hers. He was a great kisser. She lost all strain of thoughts as he placed one hand on her breast and moved the other down her body until… "Oh God," she said and lost herself in him the second time that night.

A while later when her brain started working again, she was the happiest girl on the planet. This time they had made love. Slow, thoroughly lovemaking, leaving her feeling like she would never want to leave his side.

"You are really good at this." She smiled as she turned to look at him.

He laughed softly. "Well, thank you, ma'am." He kissed her deeply and pulled her on top of him. "I could do this forever."

She nuzzled his nose with hers. "But you can't."

He looked confused.

"Because we're leaving in ten hours."

He nodded thoughtfully. "So, how are we going to do this?"

"You said something about letting fate decide?" She moved off him and sat up. "How?"

He looked thoughtful as he too sat up. "We can flip a coin?"

"That sounds crazy enough to work." She reached for his hand.

"I could just retire, you know."

"Me too."

"It wouldn't make sense for both of us to do it." He released her hand and got out of bed, slipping on his boxers. "I can't be naked when I talk to Bud."

Mac looked confused as she watched him find his phone. "Sorry, Bud, are you busy? Good. Listen, can you meet me at McMurphy's in an hour? Bring the JAG coin the Admiral gave you. And Harriet too. Well, Mac and I are getting married, and we need you to help us figure out who's leaving the service. Not insane, I think, just sick of being without the woman I love. So, you'll come? Great Bud. And Bud. Can you call Turner and Coates? And the General too. But don't tell them what's going on, okay? Thanks. See you soon."

Mac slipped out of bed and started looking for her underwear and clothes.

"This is nice."

She slipped on her panties and turned to Harm. "What?"

"Don't put on any clothes on my behalf."

She smiled cleverly and put her bra on. "I have to go home. I need a shower, and a dress."

"Will you be ready in an hour?" He didn't look so sure about that.

"I'm a Marine, Harm."

He waited until her pants and sweater were on before he walked over to her. "Don't change your mind."

"I won't if you won't." She kissed him and let him go. "See you soon."

He turned and followed her downstairs, watched her walk to the front door. "I love you Mac."

She smiled lovingly. "I love you too, Harm."

Later that night

Harm let Mac walk into the apartment first, before he closed the door and watched as she put her purse on the kitchen counter. She looked beautiful in the red dress. She turned to him smilingly, and he flashed her a full-blown smile as he walked over to her. She had the most amazing lips, he thought as he leaned in and kissed her sweetly. He had done that a lot that evening.

"The General didn't agree with our decision."

"To hell with the General, I only care what you think." Harm smiled and kissed her again. "I'm sorry you lost."

She smiled cleverly. "I'm not."

He looked questioningly at her. "You did seem surprisingly at ease when the coin landed in my favor."

"Maybe I'm insane for doing this, but you know what?"

"What?"

"I love being a Marine, but I'm ready for a new chapter in the book of life. I'm ready to be with you."

"And I'm ready to let go. I would have followed you to San Diego. I still will if that's what you want."

She cupped his face. "I want you. And I want a family. I want to try and make a baby with you."

He looked into her eyes. "I will do whatever I have to, to make that happen for us."

Their lips met in a passionate kiss, and Harm moved them over to the bedroom.

The next morning

Harm stretched lazily in bed and pulled the woman next to him closer. The last twelve hours had been intense, going from a proposal to making love for the first time, and then deciding who would stay in the service. He had won the coin toss, and been surprised when Mac had declared him the winner with a happy smile on her face. It took General Creswell two seconds to ask her if she was seriously going to turn down the assignment.

"Absolutely, sir," Mac said firmly.

"I can find a way for you to stay in," he had suggested.

"We can make it work," Harm had chimed in.

"I appreciate that, sir, really, but I'm putting my career on hold for now," Mac said and focused on Harm. "I have other priorities."

Harm had reached into his pocket for the ring he wanted to give her. "Can I put this on your finger now?"

"Yes," Mac said and held her hand out and smiled when Harm slipped it on. "I love you."

"I love you too," Harm said and kissed her.

There was a round of congratulations, before the General raised his glass and proposed a toast. "I hope you know what you're doing Colonel, and I wish you both good luck. However, I refuse to let you retire. Inactive reserves for now, and you can decide at a later point."

"That sounds like a good idea, Mac," Harm agreed.

Mac nodded. "Inactive reserves it is then."

They had stayed for a while longer, then they had excused themselves. Harm had an early plane to catch the next morning and they still had a few decisions to make.

As Harm woke up, Mac wrapped in his arms, he had a feeling of happiness that he had never felt before. It was as though the missing piece in the puzzle that was his life had finally found its way to where it belonged.

"Morning," Mac said and stretched. "You better get up and get ready. You have to be at the airport in one hour and ten minutes."

"Don't that clock ever rest?" he said as he sat up.

She laughed softly as she too sat up. "Not really. I have to be at JAG in an hour. The General cut my orders, but I still have to serve while I wait for my request to an inactive billet to be accepted."

"I hope we get a court date within the next few weeks so that we can get a final answer in the Mattie situation. It should be strictly routine since her father isn't contesting it, but we still need to wait for the court to rule before it's official. I need to fly back for that." He reached for her hand. "We never talked about our wedding."

"No, we didn't get around to that," she said and blushed.

He leaned in and kissed her softly. "This feels abrupt."

"That's what we get for waiting until the last possible minute," she whispered softly.

He cupped her face. "I don't want you to have any regrets. If you're not sure about giving up your career, we can make it work with both of us in the service."

She moved to straddle his waste, moving her face close to his, her arms going around his neck. "I want to be where you are. I want a chance to be happy. And I want to try and conceive. I can't do any of that away from you."

He pulled her close, running his hands down her back. "I love you, Sarah. I want to give you everything you want. I want to make you happy." If only there was a way to express how much he meant it. He had never been this open about his feeling before, and he found that it wasn't as scary as he'd thought in the past.

She leaned in and kissed him deeply, he moved them around so that he was on top. "Damn it, I need to find a later plane," he said between kisses. This made her giggle, which only made him fall more in love with her.

"As much as I'd love it if you stayed, I need to report to the General, and you need to report to your new command."

He reluctantly let her go. "Shower with me."

She smiled and followed him to the bathroom.

Later that day Mac was in the library researching a case when Lieutenant Vucovik approached her.

"There's a rumor going around that you turned down your new assignment," he said with wonder.

Mac put the book she'd been holding down on the conference table. "It's true."

Vucovik was about to reply when Bud and Sturgis walked through the door. "Morning Mac," Sturgis said. "Did Harm get off okay?"

"Yes, he did," she confirmed.

"So, when's the wedding?" Bud wondered.

"I have no idea," Mac admitted. "By the way, I have the keys to my apartment for Varese."

"I can give them to her," Sturgis looked hesitant. "Where are you going to live?"

"Harm's apartment. He's selling, but he's putting it off until we know when I can join him in London," Mac explained.

"So it's really happening? You're leaving the Marine Corps," Sturgis said with wonder.

"As soon as my request to an inactive billet goes through I'm moving to London," Mac confirmed as a few more staff members entered the conference room, then General Creswell entered too and the morning staff meeting started.

After work Mac visited Mattie at the hospital. Mattie was happy to see her.

"I can't believe you and Harm are getting married!" Mattie more or less yelled when Mac walked through the door to her room.

Mac smiled and held her hand out to show her ring. "We are."

"I knew you would get together, I just knew it!" Mattie continued with excitement. "It's the best news since the Doctor told me that I will be fine again."

"How are you doing? Mac wondered as she sat down by Mattie's bed.

"The physiotherapy is murder. The Doctor is really pleased with my recovery, and I'm healing as I should after my surgery. My feet are working well, but my left hand is still weak," Mattie said and hesitated. "Are you sure you really want me to live with you and Harm?"

Mac smiled and took Mattie's hand. "Absolutely. We're in this together."

"Thanks," Mattie looked relieved. "So, when's the wedding?"

"I have no idea. We never found the time to discuss it," Mac admitted. "There's a lot of other things to think about. Finding a house in London. The Navy have found housing for Harm, but it's not big enough for all of us to live in. That needs to be in order before our court date in two weeks. Not to mention that we need to organize your move, and you'll need new therapist's and Doctor's over there."

"I'm really making this difficult for you and Harm," Mattie said with a sigh.

"We're on top of things, so you just worry about your recovery and we'll worry about everything else, okay? Mac said.

Mattie smiled. "Harm is really lucky to have you in his life. We both are. You're the reason I got to live with him in the first place. And now you're helping Harm to get custody of me again."

"We're not doing this just for you. Sure, our marriage will be helpful in convincing the court to let you live with us, but we're doing this because we really love each other. You're just an added bonus," Mac said.

Mattie smiled. "Thank you for putting it that way."

"You are really important to Harm, which makes you really important to me. I've always wanted a family, and now I have one," Mac said.

One week later Mac was sitting in Harm's apartment after waking up from a restless sleep. She was looking forward to Friday, which would be her last day at JAG and she would be picking Harm up at the airport. Their wedding was on Saturday, then they had a court date on Monday, and they would both be travelling to London on Tuesday.

During the quiet times alone in Harm's empty apartment, surrounded by the few things she needed to cope, which was the coffee maker, clothes to wear and a bed, she found the time to process what was going on in her life. She went from feeling absolutely happy to full panic mode. She was leaving the one thing that had given her life meaning, to marry a man she had spent nine years dancing around a relationship with. Then she would pick up the phone and call him, and she'd hear his voice and know that she was doing the right thing, because picturing a life apart from him was just too painful to bear.

"Hi."

She smiled as his voice came over the line. "Hi."

"What are you doing?" he wondered as she heard people talking around him.

"Just sitting in bed, my only furniture, thinking about you. Where are you anyway?"

"Just leave it on my desk, Petty Officer. Sorry, Mac, now I'm alone. In bed you say? Wish I could be there too."

"Yeah, what would you do then?" she wondered.

"I don't think my office is the right place for dirty talk, baby," he said and laughed.

She knew he was deliberately calling her that, because she had told him before that she hated to be called that. "I miss you."

"Me too. I can't wait until Friday. Can you pick me up?"

"Absolutely. I'll be out of there in time to meet you."

"Everything on route for Saturday?"

She smiled as she looked at her wedding gown that hung on the closet door in his bedroom. "Yes."

"Hey, you're not planning on not spending the night with me, are you?"

"I don't believe in bad luck anymore."

"Good, because I don't think I can be in the same city as you without being with you."

"That's sweet."

"And Mac?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't change your mind."

"I won't if you won't."

"There's no way. I'm ready."

"So am I."

"I better go. I have a meeting. I love you so much."

"I love you too."

They hung up and Mac put the phone away. She smiled and got out of bed. Only four days left.

On Friday, there was a small gathering at the office arranged by the General in her honor. Her office was packed, and her internal clock told her it was time to pick up her soon to be husband.

"Excuse me, can I have your attention please."

Everyone stopped their conversations and looked at her.

"I know you all think that I'm a little nuts for doing this, and you are probably right." There was a round of laughter. "I'm doing what I want, what feels right. I will miss this place, I will miss putting on my uniform, but what I gain by doing this will give my life new meaning. I will be with the love of my life, and I will have a family. It's been an honor serving with all of you. Thank you all."

"Thank you, Colonel," the General raised his glass. "It's been an honor having you in my command, and I hope, when you're ready again, that you'll be back in uniform. Good luck."

"Thank you, sir." Mac looked around the room and smiled when Bud approached her.

"Permission to hug the Colonel?"

"Permission granted," Mac said and hugged him.

Sturgis smiled as he too stole a hug. "It's been an honor, Mac."

"Right back at you." Mac looked at Coates. "Good luck Jennifer."

Jen smiled. "Thank you, ma'am." They hugged.

"If you change your mind about London, Harm has a place waiting for you." Mac said when she released the younger woman.

"I appreciate that, and I will definitely think about it."

"That goes for you too, Bud."

Bud smiled. "It's tempting."

Mac said her final goodbyes and left JAG. She felt light and energetic as she started the car and drove off. It was time to write a new chapter in the book that was her life.

Later that night, Harm's apartment

Harm stretched lazily and pulled Mac closer. It had been a passionate hello at the airport a few hours earlier, then they had composed themselves and visited with Mattie.

Later in his apartment they had barely closed the door before the passion took over.

"We really should get some sleep. We have to get up in seven hours and ten seconds."

Harm let out a groan. "I have to figure out a way to throw off that internal clock of yours."

"Well, you kind of did a little while ago," she admitted with a small laugh.

"Really?" he looked into her eyes. "Does sex always throw you off?"

"Nope, only with you." She kissed him and tried to get out of bed, but he was holding her back.

"You're just saying that," he accused with a slight eyeroll.

She relaxed back into his arms. "I swear, it has never happened before. Not even when I was shot in the thigh all those years ago, and was under general anesthesia. Not the last time either when they removed the scar tissue due to my endometrioses. Daylight savings makes me think twice though."

"How long does it take for you to set the time again?" he wondered.

"Not log. A minute maybe"

He looked thoughtful. "I really have to work harder the next time then, and maybe throw you off a while longer."

She laughed softly and kissed him, then moved out of bed and went to the bathroom. As she got into bed with him she noticed that he looked thoughtful. "Are you thinking about how to throw my clock off?"

He smiled. "Just thinking that tomorrow when we go to bed it'll be as Mr. and Mrs. Rabb." He turned on his side and looked into her eyes. "Hey, Mac."

She nodded. "Yeah?"

"I know there's a lot to talk about for us. About the past, I mean, but do you think we can leave it all in the past and just focus on the future? Because I know that I love you, and I know that I can't live without having you in my life, and I would really like us to grow old together." He caressed her face softly. "And I know I haven't been the best at expressing feelings in the past, but I would really like to do better with you."

"I'm in this for the long haul, Harm. The past will always be a part of who we are, but I don't want to dwell on it. You are my best friend, and I love you so much." She leaned in and kissed him. When the kiss ended, she let him wrap his arms around her and she smiled when he whispered in her ear. "I love you, Sarah."