Disclaimer: They are not mine.
AN:This is all in fun and mistakes are mine. It doesn't really fit in anywhere and is just some H&M fluff.

36 Hours

Half awake in the middle of Wednesday night, Mac took in the tearful little girl tugging on her arm.
"Mommy..." Came the pitiful cry and Mac was wide awake.
"What is it, pumpkin?" she asked, pulling back the covers and scooping up her distressed five year old daughter.
"I miss daddy," she sobbed, snuggling into her mother.
"I miss daddy too," Mac replied, kissing the child's head.
"I want him to come home," she said, clinging onto Mac's tee.
"I want that too," she replied quietly as she rubbed her daughter's back.
"I don't want him to get dead," she sobbed and to that Mac had no reply.

Kissing her daughter's head once more, Mac pulled Lily closer and sighed deeply. Her beautiful daughter had started sleeping through the night at six months old and Mac had considered herself blessed; however, that all ended two weeks ago and now they both missed Harm more than ever.

Deployed to Afghanistan two months ago to replace the incumbent who was on four months leave, Harm found spending time away from his wife and child painfully hard. Each email, each phone call, reminded him of just how far away the loves of his life were. Invariably, he'd find himself in tears, many nights, just staring at their photos.

As hard as it was, Harm was there because it was his duty and he was proud to serve. With another two months to go, he checked off the half way mark of his deployment and prayed it wouldn't be extended. He'd already missed Lily's first day of school and the tooth fairy's first visit along with a whole host of mundane daily tasks he'd never thought he'd miss.

Reaching for his cell, Harm just needed to hear Mac's voice. In recent calls, she'd sounded so tired and he would have given anything just to hold her in their bed once more.
"MacKenzie," she said wearily, grabbing the cell before it woke Lily.
"Hello, beautiful," he said.
"Mmm, Harm," she replied, dreamily. "You okay?" she asked, now more alert, knowing he was always careful with the time differences.
"I know it's late there, I was just missing you and needed to hear your voice," Harm said, looking at her photo.
"I miss you too, baby, so much," she replied. "Wish you were here."
"Wish I was there too," he said, tears forming.

Before anything else was said, Lily started to cry and Harm could hear Mac trying to console their daughter.
"Daddy's on the phone," Mac told her. "Here talk to him." She had meant it to placate Lily but it only served to distress her further.
"I'm sorry, Harm," Mac replied, sitting and hoisting Lily up so she was nestled in her arms. "I have to..."
"What's going on?" he asked, concerned by the utter sadness he could hear down the line.
"Lily's a bit upset," Mac informed him.
"I can hear that. Is she sleeping with you again?" he asked, knowing this was something new.
"Came in about twenty minutes ago," she said, rubbing Lily's back.
"Put her on," he said and Mac offered Lily the cell once more but Lily just buried her head further into Mac and cried.
"No luck, Harm. Sorry, sweetheart," Mac replied, knowing how upset Harm would be listening to all of it.
"What's going on with her?" he asked again.
"Amy Michaels, a girl in her class, her dad was killed over there two weeks ago and she's been fretting badly for you ever since," Mac said, she'd been debating whether to tell Harm or not, and now it was done.
"Oh god," he said, "No wonder she's so upset," he added, trying not to cry at his baby girl's distress.
"Yeah, she's been getting better during the day but night time's been a struggle," Mac admitted as she kissed Lily's head.
"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked.
"Because there's nothing you can do from there and I didn't want you to fret for her too, well, more than you already do," she said with a deep sigh.
"Has she calmed down now?" he asked, listening intently for his daughter in the background.
"Yeah, she's drifting off again," Mac said, hoping that Lily would now sleep through until morning.
"I'm so sorry I'm not there," Harm said wistfully.
"I'm sorry too but we know it can't be helped," she replied. Mac knew as well as anybody that duty was duty and you didn't pick and choose it.
"I love you both so much," he said, knowing that his time was almost up.
"We love you too," Mac replied as the first of her tears trickled down her cheeks. She could handle him serving their country; she could handle being a single parent. The thing she found the hardest was saying goodbye.
"I'll phone you as soon as I can," he promised.
"Okay, that will be great," she said with a sniffle.
"Bye, Mac," he said and then the line dropped out.

Mother and daughter were curled up in bed again in the early hours of Saturday morning when Mac stirred to the feeling there was somewhere else there.
"God, you're more beautiful than I remember," Harm said, sitting down facing her, his thumb tracing the swell of her cheek.
"Harm?" she said, trying to sit up but being impeded by the child attached to her.
"Yeah, it's me," he said, smiling wearily.
"How? Why?" she asked, before looking over his body. "You're not hurt are you?"
"No, I'm fine," he replied. "Just a little dirty and scruffy," he added, running his hand over his stubble.

Shaking her head, Mac tried to find some clarity.
"Am I dreaming?" she asked, tentatively reaching out and touching his hand.
"No, Mac, I'm really here," he said, smiling.
"You said nothing about leave, did you?" she questioned. "I'm sure I would have remembered."
"No, it was a last minute thing," he replied. "After I heard you two on Wednesday, I just had to come and see you. So I begged, borrowed and traded and now, I'm here."
"For how long?" she asked, her hand finally moving to snake around his neck.
"Thirty six hours," he replied. "Got to be at Andrews at noon tomorrow."
"Not nearly long enough," she replied, pulling him down to kiss her.
"I know," he mumbled into her mouth. "I know."

Not able to take the kiss any further because of the presence of their daughter, Mac pulled back before leaning down to the child.
"Lily," she called softly. "Lily, wake up."

With a few more calls and soft shakes, Lily wearily opened her eyes.
"Mommy," she said. "I'm still tired."
"I know, pumpkin," Mac said. "But I have a surprise for you."
"What?" she said with a big yawn.

Pointing towards Harm, Mac helped the child turn around. "Look who's here!"
"Daddy!" she exclaimed, jumping up and launching herself at her father.
"Hello, Lily," he replied, smothering her in kisses. "I've missed you so, so much."
"Missed you too," she replied, squeezing him tightly. "Are you home for good?"
"No, pumpkin, just til tomorrow," he replied and watched as her eyes filled with tears.
"But I don't want you to go back," she cried.
"I know, Lily, but you know it's daddy's job to go," he soothed, stroking her head.
"But I don't want you to get dead," she continued, holding tight to him.

At that, Harm didn't know what to say. While he would do everything in his power to return safely to his family, war came with no guarantees.
"I don't want to get dead either," he finally replied. "I'm going to do my best to stay safe."

Not happy with her father's response in the least, Lily climbed back into her mother's arms.
"Don't let him go, mommy," she said sternly, clutching onto Mac's arm. "Tell him no!"
"We've talked about this, Lily," Mac said calmly. "It's mommy and daddy's job to serve the country and now it's daddy's turn to go away. It's a very important job and it keeps all the little girls and boys safe."
"I don't care!" she retorted. At five, the purpose of serving one's country was lost on her. All she knew was that she wanted her daddy and that all the wishing in the world wouldn't ensure he'd come home alive.
"Okay, okay," Mac said quietly, pulling herself and daughter down under the covers. "We'll talk about this tomorrow. You go to sleep now," she whispered, kissing her head. "Love you."
"Love you, mommy," came the yawned reply.
"I love you too, Lily," Harm said, kissing her cheek.
For a few moments, Lily just looked at him. "Amy's daddy's dead, you know?"
Harm simply nodded. "Love you," he repeated.
But Lily said nothing.

In less than five minutes Lily was sound asleep and snoring softly. It was then that Mac looked up and saw the tears on her husband's cheek.
"Lily loves you very much, baby," Mac said, caressing his face. "Very much."
"I know," he said, drawing a deep breath.
"And I love you too," she replied, bringing him to her for a kiss.
"Love you so much," he replied, kissing her.

Gently easing herself away from her daughter, Mac climbed out of bed and walked around it, offering her hand to Harm.
"How about a proper kiss?" she asked, as he wrapped his arms around her.

Pressing into him, Mac threaded her arms around his neck as he leant down, tenderly brushing his lips across hers.
"God, I've missed you so much," he whispered as his lips settled over hers.

The kiss was tender and loving but quickly became desperate and passionate as their need for each other escalated. Lily turned over in bed and Mac pulled back.
"I think you should go have a shower, Harm," she whispered almost breathlessly.
"I'd rather stay here kissing you," he replied, pulling her back.
"If you go have a shower, I'll join you," she said, raising an eyebrow.
Harm's shirt was off before he even reached the bathroom door.

Ensuring Lily was truly asleep, Mac slipped into the bathroom, locking the door behind her, just in case. The sight of her naked husband sent Mac's senses into overdrive. It was obvious he'd spent his down time working on his physical fitness and if his strongly defined muscles suggested anything, it was that he was using weights as a substitute for his physical encounters with his wife.

"Like what you see?" he asked, turning and smiling when he found her staring.
"Oh yeah," she said with a hungry grin. "Very much so."
"Well, it's all yours," he replied, moving to her and tugging Mac's nightie over her head. "And all this is..."
"Yours," she supplied, before reaching into the shower to turn on the taps.

As she stepped in and adjusted the temperature, she realised Harm hadn't followed her. "What?" she asked, as he stood outside and stared at her.
"When were you going to tell me?" he asked, pointing at her.
"Tell you what?" she asked, looking down at your body.
"You're pregnant," he said, staring at the barely noticeable swell.

Mac stared at him long and hard, this wasn't how she wanted him to find out and she hadn't thought she was showing at all. Trust him to be so observant when it came to her body.
"Mac?" he prompted when she gave no response. "Talk."
"We're pregnant," she admitted, her gaze dropping to her abdomen. "About eleven weeks..." her voice trailed as she looked up to meet his gaze.
"Eleven weeks?" Harm echoed, not moving.
"Yeah, a memento of that farewell weekend we had before you left," she said, her eyes filling with tears.
"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, finally moving and wrapping her in his arms.
"Well," she started slowly. "I only found out about three weeks ago. I hadn't been feeling well for a few weeks but it was nothing major and I thought maybe it was because I was missing you so much. Then Harriet said something about being pregnant, so I took the test and it was positive – I went to my doctor and he confirmed it."
"Why didn't you tell me?" he repeated, using his hand to draw her face up.
"I was going to. I tried to figure out the best way to do it and decided to have an ultrasound and send you the picture as a surprise. But then, Mitch Michaels died and Lily was so upset, and I didn't know whether you'd be happy or distressed and so, I just did nothing about it," she admitted. "I haven't told anyone."
"Well, I'm very, very happy about it," Harm replied quickly kissing his wife. "And now I know, you can tell the world." He kissed her again and again, moving her backwards and under the water spray.

Although the shower cubicle wasn't the most comfortable place for Harm and Mac to express their mutual desire and love for each other, it was a suitable substitute, given their bed was occupied by a five year old.

Holding Mac close as she came down from another blissful high, Harm raked his fingers through her short sodden locks.
"Are you going to let your hair grow again in this pregnancy?" he asked.
"You prefer it longer, don't you?" she asked, looking up at him, a sleepy, satisfied smile on her lips.
"Yeah," he admitted. "But you're sexy regardless."
"You're sexy yourself," she countered, her hands locking behind his neck as she pulled herself up his body once more.
"Water bill's going to be huge this month," Harm murmured as he nuzzled into her neck.
"Don't care," Mac replied, lifting one leg up and hooking it around his waist, ready for another round of loving.

When the alarm went off at 0800, Harm reached out and turned it off, wondering why such devices were ever invented. Looking down, he smiled at his wife and daughter curled up in his arms, leaning down he kissed them both.
"Mmm, time to get up?" Mac mumbled, opening her eyes.
"Well, the alarm went off," he replied. "Don't know if that means we have to get up."
"Yeah, we do," she yawned. "Lily's got dance at 0930."
"Dance?" he questioned. "When did she start dance?"
"About a month ago," Mac yawned again. "Most of the girls in her class go, and she wanted to as well. Lily told you about it the day before she started."
"Oh yeah," he nodded. "I just thought it was a one off thing."
"Nope, every week," she replied wearily.
"You're exhausted, Mac," Harm said, kissing her head once more.
"That's because you exhausted me," she replied dreamily.

Harm grinned; exhausting his wife was his favourite pastime. "What if I take Lily to dance and you get some sleep?"
"That would be good," Mac replied with a smile. "Just depends on Lily," she added, not sure how the child would react to her father today.
"Well, let's find out," he said, reaching down and tussling Lily's hair. "Wake up, pumpkin."

It took a few minutes before Lily was awake enough to speak.
"You've got dance, pumpkin," Mac said. "So, it's time to get up."
Lily's face brightened, she loved dance.
"Daddy would love to see you dance, Lily," she continued. "Would you like him to take you?"
Lily became serious once more as she studied her father's smiling face and considered the offer before nodding.
"Are you coming too, mommy?" she asked.
"Just you and daddy – he can even take you to IHOP on the way home," Mac added, trying to sweeten the deal and allow father and daughter some special time.
Lily nodded again.
"Then this afternoon, Mattie is coming to take you to the performance," she continued.
"Performance of what?" Harm asked, feeling out of touch.
"Jonas Brothers have a matinee performance and Mattie thought that Lily might like something fun to do," Mac explained.
"Sounds like a good idea," he replied.
"Then we can all go out for dinner," Mac said. "Mommy, daddy, Mattie and Lily."
"Where will we go?" Lily asked.
"How about you decide?" Harm said, hoping to see his daughter smile once more.

Lily just nodded again and Harm sighed; his baby girl wasn't the bright, chatty child he'd left behind two months ago and it broke his heart.