This is my first attempt at songfic, so bear with me. If you like it,
a not to that effect would be much appreciated. :o
Song is by John Mayer, from the album "Room for Squares".
All copyrighted material used under fair use privilege of USC Title
17. No infringement intended.
Layla
******************************************************************
"winter/wonderland"
*******
Harm's apartment
North of Union Station
Early December, Saturday
late morning
Mac breathed a sigh of relief as she finally reached the top of
the stairs outside Harm's apartment. Normally, she'd have considered
the broken elevator a minor inconvenience, but when hauling a
briefcase, another bag loaded with her law books that rivaled a full
field pack in weight, yet another bag filled with law books that Harm
had forgotten the night before, and a bakery bag filed with fresh
pastries (the afternoon's survival rations), the minor inconvenience
became a major pain in the posterior. She took a few more steps, then
decided that discretion was indeed the better part of valor. She set
down the two bags of books to retrieve later, after she got rid of her
other burdens and her bulky winter coat.
Pausing as she straightened, she finally registered the soft
sounds drifting through the door. A slow, lilting, whimsical tune,
being played softly but with deliberate care, reached her ears. It
was clearly not a recording; still, it had literally been years since
she'd heard Harm playing his guitar. He must've found a new song he
had to learn.
She listened for a moment, eyes drifting slightly closed, head
titled to one side. The melody, even with the rare occasional
'hiccup', was hypnotic and sweetly, innocently seductive.
Interrupting it seemed like a crime... And Harm was expecting her to
show up at any moment...
Without a sound, she slowly tried the door handle, which opened
under the slight pressure. Like an uncertain child, she poked her
head around the door first, before slowly moving in, and was
unexpectedly entranced by the sight before her.
His dark head was bent over a few pages of handwritten music,
studying they with his usual intensity, even as his long, nimble
fingers picked out the melody. The toe of his right foot unconsciously
tapped out a slow tempo, and his focused concentration made itself
evident in the way he occasionally stopped his soft humming of the tune
to bite at his lower lip in contemplation.
Willingly entranced by the hypnotic music, Mac's thoughts
scattered until one made its way to the forefront.
"Damn, I wish we didn't have to work on these comments for the
revised evidence rules."
Instantly, the trance was broken as Harm's fingers drug
discordantly across the strings. His head snapped up in surprise, and
he lost his balance, the stool and him wobbling as he nearly fell off.
"Mac! What-- why didn't you say something?!" he gasped out, before
grinning. "You trying to give the old man here a heart attack or
something?"
She smiled back, sheepish. "Sorry... I didn't mean to-- er, I
didn't realize I'd said that out loud," she explained. " I just...
Well, I haven't heard you play in ages, and it's such a beautiful song,
that it seemed like a shame to disturb you right away..." her voice
drifted off, shyly uncertain.
"No problem... I understand," he said, smiling, even as he began
gathering up the sheets of music. "I kinda hate to stop playing-- it's
such a great song. Still, we need to get to work if we want to have
any hope of having this done in time for Monday." He moved across the
room to put the guitar back in its stand, before tucking the
sheet music in a desk drawer.
"I know, I know. It's jobs like this that make being a junior
clerk look appealing," Mac replied, having returned with the heavy bags
of books and hefted them on to the counter. "So what's the song?"
"Hunh?" Harm looked up from the legal pads, folders, and such
he was retrieving from his desk.
"What's the song you were playing?" Leave it to Harm to have
his head in clouds even when he wasn't flying, she thought as she
unpacked her own briefcase and began setting up to work at the kitchen
table.
"Oh, just something I heard on the radio," Harm said casually,
but he was grateful for her preoccupation. Otherwise she might have
noticed the faint but distinct blush creeping up his face.
As it was, he was thanking whatever higher power had kept her
from recognizing the music. A simple song making the mighty Harmon
Rabb blush? Damn straight.
He'd first heard it about a week and a half ago, the unusual
melody catching his ear while he worked at home. When the whispery,
tentative voice filled in with the lyrics, he couldn't help but close
his eyes, letting his mind and imagination drift off into their
favorite activity: dreaming of Mac.
*************
We got the afternoon
You got this room for two
One thing I've left to do
Discover me
Discovering you
One mile to every inch of
Your skin like porcelain
One pair of candy lips and
Your bubblegum tongue
And if want love
we'll make it
Swimming in a deep sea of blankets
take all your big plans
and break 'em
This is bound to be a while
Your body is a wonderland
Your body is a wonder
(I'll use my hands)
Your body is a wonderland...
***************
"Harm? ...Harm... Haaarrrrmmmmm..." Mac sighed. Harm had
always been fairly easily distracted, but this was getting ridiculous.
Oh well, every now and then it *was* useful to be the only Marine in an
office of squids... "CADET RABB, SNAP TO!!" she bellowed in her best
drill-instructor voice, and was immediately rewarded with Harm dropping
everything he held and snapping to attention, purely out of reflex.
The pens were still clattering across the floor when he realized
the trick. "That was rotten, Marine," he chided, grinning, before
moving to pick up the scattered office supplies. "If you wanted my
attention, all you had to do was ask, not resurrect my Academy
nightmares."
She gave him a dirty look. "I did, Harm. Three times."
"Oh." Whoops. Score another one for the Marines. "Sorry. I
guess my mind's been wandering a bit today," he said sheepishly.
"Must've been somewhere good. The look on your face was
absolutely blissful," she commented, taking a seat at the table.
Once again, he felt the blush creep up his cheeks, even worse
than before, but blessedly, she was busy looking at her notes, not his
face. Whew... close one.
As he joined her at the table, some imp of the perverse asked
him why he didn't just come out with it. Oh yeah, that'll go over
well. 'Actually, Mac, I was daydreaming about making slow, sweet love
to you in a heavenly soft and warm bed. So, let's see, where were we?
Section 24-3-6, subsection (c)?' This could only get two possible
reactions from her, and both of them ended with him in some sort of
pain. Thanks, but no thanks. The dreams will have to do for now; he
wasn't about to screw things up again by moving too fast.
Shoving the music and the dreams to the back of his mind, he
dismissed her comment. "It's nothing. So, where were we? Section 24-
3-6, subsection (c)?"
*************************************
Hours later... well after midnight, but before dawn
His first thought was an odd one: why on earth was his nose
hurting? He cracked open an eye, only to see a page of printing
*really* close. Oh... that's why. He'd fallen asleep face down in his
old evidence textbook, looking for an obscure case reference.
His second thought was simple. Mac's gonna kill me for nodding
off on her. Hell, she probably already had most of the comments done
for the current hearsay exception chapter. Crap.
With an inward groan, he slowly straightened up in the chair,
his back protesting the movement after hours of inactivity, and looked
up, trying to come up with a passable excuse/apology for Mac for
drifting off...
And found himself looking at a deeply asleep Sarah Mackenzie,
curled up in chair, her head resting on her arm.
Looking at her, he noted the empty coffee cup near her elbow,
and the pen that had fallen from her grasp. Damn, this stupid project
was really wearing them out...
The hell with it. He'd take full responsibility for this if
they didn't get done. Right now, they were both so exhausted it was
doubtful they were getting anything useful done anyway. Now, if he
could only pull this off without getting his clock cleaned for it at
some point...
He made a quick trip to the bedroom, trading his slacks and
shirt for black flannel pajama pants and an old t-shirt, worn soft with
age. It was too cold for either of them to take the couch; besides,
the thing was downright uncomfortable to sleep on anymore. Hopefully
she wouldn't be too mad at sharing... He turned back the blankets,
then returned to the kitchen.
He bent down next to her, speaking quietly. "Mac...?" a soft
murmur was his response. Good enough. "Hey Marine, it's late, and
we've getting nowhere. We need some sleep, okay?" Another soft murmur
and a drowsy nod, and Harm grinned. God, he loved her like this.
"Okay, ninja-girl, I'm just gonna move you somewhere more comfortable,
so don't kill me here, okay?" he said, carefully sliding an arm beneath
her thighs and another around her back and gently pulling her close.
Her head lolled against his chest, a sleepy smile gracing her
lips as Harm carried her to the bedroom. With infinite care, he set her
on the bed, letting her head gently fall on to the pillow. He removed
her shoes and socks, and after a discreet check, gently pulling off her
sweater, leaving her in her jeans and a plain white t-shirt.
He pulled the covers up over her lithe frame, then crawled in
himself on the other side of the bed. Pulling up the covers all the
way, he saw she'd rolled on to her side, facing him. He smiled, and
settled down into the bed. "Good night, Mac," he whispered, softly
brushing his lips against hers before drifting off, a smile on his
lips.
********************************************
The next day... afternoon
Something was making a very annoying shrill beeping noise. Damn,
the phone. Forcing himself awake, he grabbed the handset and rolled
out of bed, moving into the living room. "Rabb," he mumbled, still
tired.
"Late night, Commander?" Oh, crap... the Admiral. Or, to be
more precise, the Admiral, their boss, who knew damn well that they, or
at least he, wasn't working on the massive project due the next
morning.
"Sir... uh... actually, yes, sir, it was." The hell with it.
He'd just explain the situation to Chegwidden, and take the blame like
he'd planned. "Sir, I... I'm afraid me might be a little behind on the
project, sir. We tried sir, but... we were up until o-dark-hundred
last night working on this, sir. I guess our short naps ran a bit
long. It's entirely my fault, sir... I'm sorry."
"Relax, Commander." Wait... it sounded like Chegwidden was
still in a good mood...?
"Sir?"
"Even I hadn't convinced the printing office there was no way
those notes could be ready Monday, you got a reprieve. Look outside."
He glanced toward the window, and saw white... and nothing
else. "A storm?" he said, half to himself.
Chegwidden had heard. "That's putting it lightly," he snorted.
"Looks like D.C. was overdue for a blizzard, and now it's here. Best
information I've got is that it's going to take at least a full day to
get the roads cleared. Add to that the power is out at JAG, and...
Well, consider this your official notice. The office is closed
tomorrow, and likely the day after, due to the power outage."
Harm said the only thing that came to mind. "Thank you, sir."
"Don't thank me, Commander, thank the weatherman," AJ said
wryly. "By the way, I haven't been able to reach the Colonel..."
"She's here... asleep, sir. She was here working last night,
and was too tired to drive home."
"Imagine that. See you in a day or so, Commander."
Harm returned the farewell, then hung up the phone. Thankfully,
it looked like all the utilities were still working, although his alarm
clock provided blinking proof that the power had gone out at some
point.
Silently moving to the bed, he checked on Mac, only to find her
still sound asleep. He studied her a moment, reaching down to gently
brush away the stray lock of hair that had fallen across her face.
Like this-- her face relaxed in deep slumber, her body curled slightly
as she slept-- she was the most wonderful thing he'd ever seen. She
was so beautiful to him it was almost painful.
Finally awake, he left he to sleep. Despite his fatigue, he
felt restless. He was at loss for what to do, until he spotted the
guitar in the corner. Surely, if he was quiet, it wouldn't disturb
her...
She came awake slowly, the soft music gently teasing her from
sleep. Harm was playing the song again, very softly, but this time he
was singing as well.
Silently, she crept from the bed, too intrigued by the music and
person playing it to spare a thought for being embarrassed at waking up
in her partner/best friend's bed.
Moving slightly around the glass louvers that separated the
bedroom, she could only watch and listen, entranced, as Harm, eyes
half-closed, played and sang, the words now clearly reaching her...
***********************
Something 'bout the way
Your hair falls in your face
I love the shape you take when crawling
towards the pillowcase
You tell me where to go and
Though I might leave to find it
I'll never let your head hit the bed
without my hand behind it
You want love?
We'll make it
Swimming a deep sea
of blankets
Take all your big plans
And break 'em
This is bound to be a while
Your body is a wonderland
Your body is a wonder
(I'll use my hands)
Your body is a wonderland...
*****************************
His voice trailed off, the guitar carrying the tune. And that
was when he looked up and saw her. His hands froze on the strings,
knowing his face and voice had given him away.
Mac took a tentative step forward. She knew she shouldn't ask,
that there really was no way, but maybe, just maybe... "It's
beautiful... and you sing it so..." Just ask, dammit. "Who is she?"
"What?"
She smiled, a slight touch of sadness. "It's obvious you're
singing it with someone in mind. Who is she?"
Harm could only stare at her. She didn't really think... How
could she not realize...? "You don't know?"
"No, Harm. I don't."
He took a deep breath. "You, Mac."
Her eyes went wide, frozen in shock. Oh, hell, this was going
to go downhill fast unless he did something quick....
Almost without conscious thought, his fingers resumed playing,
picking up the melody. A moment later, his voice picked up the bridge
of the song, changing one critical word....
****************
Damn baby
You frustrate me
I wish you're mine all mine
But you look so good it hurts sometimes
***********************************
A deep breath, and he plunged forward into the chorus...
**********************************
Your body is a wonderland
Your body is a wonder
(I'll use my hands)
Your body is a wonderland
***************************
He played the chorus twice, before letting the melody drift off
and daring to look at her once more. Her expression was a mix of
amazement, hope, and joy. She took the few steps needed to stand next
to him. An uncertain hand touched his cheek with featherlight
fingertips. "Would you... play it again? For me? The whole song," she
asked, stumbling slightly over the words.
He could only nod, and she took a step back, leaning against the
couch as he began playing. This time, as he began to sing, he looked
into her eyes, trying to touch the soul inside, begging, pleading,
cajoling, calmly desperate for her to understand everything he was
putting into the words and music.
He finished, the music trailing off. It was several long moments
before either of them moved or spoke, with Mac being the one to break
the silence. "How long have you been working on this?"
He nodded towards the stereo. "I picked up the cd about 2
weeks ago. It took me about half that just to figure it out."
She nodded. "The cd over there?"
Hunh? "Yeah. It's in the stereo already."
She moved over to the stereo, and a moment later the same
lilting melody began playing as she walked back over to him. "I saw
the snow outside," she commented. "Any word from the Admiral?"
"Uh.... yeah. There's no power at the office, so it's closed
tomorrow, probably Tuesday as well." What the...?
She stopped in front of him, face to face. "Good," she said,
gently drawing the guitar out of his hands and laying it aside
carefully. "I've got other plans."
What little rational thought Harm had been managing promptly
fled as her lips sought his. The kiss was long, sweet, and
intoxicating as the most potent drug. Long moments later, they
finally broke apart. "Mac?" he asked, breathless.
"Come on, Harm... we've got the afternoon," she said, smiling
as she led him towards the bedroom.
END
a not to that effect would be much appreciated. :o
Song is by John Mayer, from the album "Room for Squares".
All copyrighted material used under fair use privilege of USC Title
17. No infringement intended.
Layla
******************************************************************
"winter/wonderland"
*******
Harm's apartment
North of Union Station
Early December, Saturday
late morning
Mac breathed a sigh of relief as she finally reached the top of
the stairs outside Harm's apartment. Normally, she'd have considered
the broken elevator a minor inconvenience, but when hauling a
briefcase, another bag loaded with her law books that rivaled a full
field pack in weight, yet another bag filled with law books that Harm
had forgotten the night before, and a bakery bag filed with fresh
pastries (the afternoon's survival rations), the minor inconvenience
became a major pain in the posterior. She took a few more steps, then
decided that discretion was indeed the better part of valor. She set
down the two bags of books to retrieve later, after she got rid of her
other burdens and her bulky winter coat.
Pausing as she straightened, she finally registered the soft
sounds drifting through the door. A slow, lilting, whimsical tune,
being played softly but with deliberate care, reached her ears. It
was clearly not a recording; still, it had literally been years since
she'd heard Harm playing his guitar. He must've found a new song he
had to learn.
She listened for a moment, eyes drifting slightly closed, head
titled to one side. The melody, even with the rare occasional
'hiccup', was hypnotic and sweetly, innocently seductive.
Interrupting it seemed like a crime... And Harm was expecting her to
show up at any moment...
Without a sound, she slowly tried the door handle, which opened
under the slight pressure. Like an uncertain child, she poked her
head around the door first, before slowly moving in, and was
unexpectedly entranced by the sight before her.
His dark head was bent over a few pages of handwritten music,
studying they with his usual intensity, even as his long, nimble
fingers picked out the melody. The toe of his right foot unconsciously
tapped out a slow tempo, and his focused concentration made itself
evident in the way he occasionally stopped his soft humming of the tune
to bite at his lower lip in contemplation.
Willingly entranced by the hypnotic music, Mac's thoughts
scattered until one made its way to the forefront.
"Damn, I wish we didn't have to work on these comments for the
revised evidence rules."
Instantly, the trance was broken as Harm's fingers drug
discordantly across the strings. His head snapped up in surprise, and
he lost his balance, the stool and him wobbling as he nearly fell off.
"Mac! What-- why didn't you say something?!" he gasped out, before
grinning. "You trying to give the old man here a heart attack or
something?"
She smiled back, sheepish. "Sorry... I didn't mean to-- er, I
didn't realize I'd said that out loud," she explained. " I just...
Well, I haven't heard you play in ages, and it's such a beautiful song,
that it seemed like a shame to disturb you right away..." her voice
drifted off, shyly uncertain.
"No problem... I understand," he said, smiling, even as he began
gathering up the sheets of music. "I kinda hate to stop playing-- it's
such a great song. Still, we need to get to work if we want to have
any hope of having this done in time for Monday." He moved across the
room to put the guitar back in its stand, before tucking the
sheet music in a desk drawer.
"I know, I know. It's jobs like this that make being a junior
clerk look appealing," Mac replied, having returned with the heavy bags
of books and hefted them on to the counter. "So what's the song?"
"Hunh?" Harm looked up from the legal pads, folders, and such
he was retrieving from his desk.
"What's the song you were playing?" Leave it to Harm to have
his head in clouds even when he wasn't flying, she thought as she
unpacked her own briefcase and began setting up to work at the kitchen
table.
"Oh, just something I heard on the radio," Harm said casually,
but he was grateful for her preoccupation. Otherwise she might have
noticed the faint but distinct blush creeping up his face.
As it was, he was thanking whatever higher power had kept her
from recognizing the music. A simple song making the mighty Harmon
Rabb blush? Damn straight.
He'd first heard it about a week and a half ago, the unusual
melody catching his ear while he worked at home. When the whispery,
tentative voice filled in with the lyrics, he couldn't help but close
his eyes, letting his mind and imagination drift off into their
favorite activity: dreaming of Mac.
*************
We got the afternoon
You got this room for two
One thing I've left to do
Discover me
Discovering you
One mile to every inch of
Your skin like porcelain
One pair of candy lips and
Your bubblegum tongue
And if want love
we'll make it
Swimming in a deep sea of blankets
take all your big plans
and break 'em
This is bound to be a while
Your body is a wonderland
Your body is a wonder
(I'll use my hands)
Your body is a wonderland...
***************
"Harm? ...Harm... Haaarrrrmmmmm..." Mac sighed. Harm had
always been fairly easily distracted, but this was getting ridiculous.
Oh well, every now and then it *was* useful to be the only Marine in an
office of squids... "CADET RABB, SNAP TO!!" she bellowed in her best
drill-instructor voice, and was immediately rewarded with Harm dropping
everything he held and snapping to attention, purely out of reflex.
The pens were still clattering across the floor when he realized
the trick. "That was rotten, Marine," he chided, grinning, before
moving to pick up the scattered office supplies. "If you wanted my
attention, all you had to do was ask, not resurrect my Academy
nightmares."
She gave him a dirty look. "I did, Harm. Three times."
"Oh." Whoops. Score another one for the Marines. "Sorry. I
guess my mind's been wandering a bit today," he said sheepishly.
"Must've been somewhere good. The look on your face was
absolutely blissful," she commented, taking a seat at the table.
Once again, he felt the blush creep up his cheeks, even worse
than before, but blessedly, she was busy looking at her notes, not his
face. Whew... close one.
As he joined her at the table, some imp of the perverse asked
him why he didn't just come out with it. Oh yeah, that'll go over
well. 'Actually, Mac, I was daydreaming about making slow, sweet love
to you in a heavenly soft and warm bed. So, let's see, where were we?
Section 24-3-6, subsection (c)?' This could only get two possible
reactions from her, and both of them ended with him in some sort of
pain. Thanks, but no thanks. The dreams will have to do for now; he
wasn't about to screw things up again by moving too fast.
Shoving the music and the dreams to the back of his mind, he
dismissed her comment. "It's nothing. So, where were we? Section 24-
3-6, subsection (c)?"
*************************************
Hours later... well after midnight, but before dawn
His first thought was an odd one: why on earth was his nose
hurting? He cracked open an eye, only to see a page of printing
*really* close. Oh... that's why. He'd fallen asleep face down in his
old evidence textbook, looking for an obscure case reference.
His second thought was simple. Mac's gonna kill me for nodding
off on her. Hell, she probably already had most of the comments done
for the current hearsay exception chapter. Crap.
With an inward groan, he slowly straightened up in the chair,
his back protesting the movement after hours of inactivity, and looked
up, trying to come up with a passable excuse/apology for Mac for
drifting off...
And found himself looking at a deeply asleep Sarah Mackenzie,
curled up in chair, her head resting on her arm.
Looking at her, he noted the empty coffee cup near her elbow,
and the pen that had fallen from her grasp. Damn, this stupid project
was really wearing them out...
The hell with it. He'd take full responsibility for this if
they didn't get done. Right now, they were both so exhausted it was
doubtful they were getting anything useful done anyway. Now, if he
could only pull this off without getting his clock cleaned for it at
some point...
He made a quick trip to the bedroom, trading his slacks and
shirt for black flannel pajama pants and an old t-shirt, worn soft with
age. It was too cold for either of them to take the couch; besides,
the thing was downright uncomfortable to sleep on anymore. Hopefully
she wouldn't be too mad at sharing... He turned back the blankets,
then returned to the kitchen.
He bent down next to her, speaking quietly. "Mac...?" a soft
murmur was his response. Good enough. "Hey Marine, it's late, and
we've getting nowhere. We need some sleep, okay?" Another soft murmur
and a drowsy nod, and Harm grinned. God, he loved her like this.
"Okay, ninja-girl, I'm just gonna move you somewhere more comfortable,
so don't kill me here, okay?" he said, carefully sliding an arm beneath
her thighs and another around her back and gently pulling her close.
Her head lolled against his chest, a sleepy smile gracing her
lips as Harm carried her to the bedroom. With infinite care, he set her
on the bed, letting her head gently fall on to the pillow. He removed
her shoes and socks, and after a discreet check, gently pulling off her
sweater, leaving her in her jeans and a plain white t-shirt.
He pulled the covers up over her lithe frame, then crawled in
himself on the other side of the bed. Pulling up the covers all the
way, he saw she'd rolled on to her side, facing him. He smiled, and
settled down into the bed. "Good night, Mac," he whispered, softly
brushing his lips against hers before drifting off, a smile on his
lips.
********************************************
The next day... afternoon
Something was making a very annoying shrill beeping noise. Damn,
the phone. Forcing himself awake, he grabbed the handset and rolled
out of bed, moving into the living room. "Rabb," he mumbled, still
tired.
"Late night, Commander?" Oh, crap... the Admiral. Or, to be
more precise, the Admiral, their boss, who knew damn well that they, or
at least he, wasn't working on the massive project due the next
morning.
"Sir... uh... actually, yes, sir, it was." The hell with it.
He'd just explain the situation to Chegwidden, and take the blame like
he'd planned. "Sir, I... I'm afraid me might be a little behind on the
project, sir. We tried sir, but... we were up until o-dark-hundred
last night working on this, sir. I guess our short naps ran a bit
long. It's entirely my fault, sir... I'm sorry."
"Relax, Commander." Wait... it sounded like Chegwidden was
still in a good mood...?
"Sir?"
"Even I hadn't convinced the printing office there was no way
those notes could be ready Monday, you got a reprieve. Look outside."
He glanced toward the window, and saw white... and nothing
else. "A storm?" he said, half to himself.
Chegwidden had heard. "That's putting it lightly," he snorted.
"Looks like D.C. was overdue for a blizzard, and now it's here. Best
information I've got is that it's going to take at least a full day to
get the roads cleared. Add to that the power is out at JAG, and...
Well, consider this your official notice. The office is closed
tomorrow, and likely the day after, due to the power outage."
Harm said the only thing that came to mind. "Thank you, sir."
"Don't thank me, Commander, thank the weatherman," AJ said
wryly. "By the way, I haven't been able to reach the Colonel..."
"She's here... asleep, sir. She was here working last night,
and was too tired to drive home."
"Imagine that. See you in a day or so, Commander."
Harm returned the farewell, then hung up the phone. Thankfully,
it looked like all the utilities were still working, although his alarm
clock provided blinking proof that the power had gone out at some
point.
Silently moving to the bed, he checked on Mac, only to find her
still sound asleep. He studied her a moment, reaching down to gently
brush away the stray lock of hair that had fallen across her face.
Like this-- her face relaxed in deep slumber, her body curled slightly
as she slept-- she was the most wonderful thing he'd ever seen. She
was so beautiful to him it was almost painful.
Finally awake, he left he to sleep. Despite his fatigue, he
felt restless. He was at loss for what to do, until he spotted the
guitar in the corner. Surely, if he was quiet, it wouldn't disturb
her...
She came awake slowly, the soft music gently teasing her from
sleep. Harm was playing the song again, very softly, but this time he
was singing as well.
Silently, she crept from the bed, too intrigued by the music and
person playing it to spare a thought for being embarrassed at waking up
in her partner/best friend's bed.
Moving slightly around the glass louvers that separated the
bedroom, she could only watch and listen, entranced, as Harm, eyes
half-closed, played and sang, the words now clearly reaching her...
***********************
Something 'bout the way
Your hair falls in your face
I love the shape you take when crawling
towards the pillowcase
You tell me where to go and
Though I might leave to find it
I'll never let your head hit the bed
without my hand behind it
You want love?
We'll make it
Swimming a deep sea
of blankets
Take all your big plans
And break 'em
This is bound to be a while
Your body is a wonderland
Your body is a wonder
(I'll use my hands)
Your body is a wonderland...
*****************************
His voice trailed off, the guitar carrying the tune. And that
was when he looked up and saw her. His hands froze on the strings,
knowing his face and voice had given him away.
Mac took a tentative step forward. She knew she shouldn't ask,
that there really was no way, but maybe, just maybe... "It's
beautiful... and you sing it so..." Just ask, dammit. "Who is she?"
"What?"
She smiled, a slight touch of sadness. "It's obvious you're
singing it with someone in mind. Who is she?"
Harm could only stare at her. She didn't really think... How
could she not realize...? "You don't know?"
"No, Harm. I don't."
He took a deep breath. "You, Mac."
Her eyes went wide, frozen in shock. Oh, hell, this was going
to go downhill fast unless he did something quick....
Almost without conscious thought, his fingers resumed playing,
picking up the melody. A moment later, his voice picked up the bridge
of the song, changing one critical word....
****************
Damn baby
You frustrate me
I wish you're mine all mine
But you look so good it hurts sometimes
***********************************
A deep breath, and he plunged forward into the chorus...
**********************************
Your body is a wonderland
Your body is a wonder
(I'll use my hands)
Your body is a wonderland
***************************
He played the chorus twice, before letting the melody drift off
and daring to look at her once more. Her expression was a mix of
amazement, hope, and joy. She took the few steps needed to stand next
to him. An uncertain hand touched his cheek with featherlight
fingertips. "Would you... play it again? For me? The whole song," she
asked, stumbling slightly over the words.
He could only nod, and she took a step back, leaning against the
couch as he began playing. This time, as he began to sing, he looked
into her eyes, trying to touch the soul inside, begging, pleading,
cajoling, calmly desperate for her to understand everything he was
putting into the words and music.
He finished, the music trailing off. It was several long moments
before either of them moved or spoke, with Mac being the one to break
the silence. "How long have you been working on this?"
He nodded towards the stereo. "I picked up the cd about 2
weeks ago. It took me about half that just to figure it out."
She nodded. "The cd over there?"
Hunh? "Yeah. It's in the stereo already."
She moved over to the stereo, and a moment later the same
lilting melody began playing as she walked back over to him. "I saw
the snow outside," she commented. "Any word from the Admiral?"
"Uh.... yeah. There's no power at the office, so it's closed
tomorrow, probably Tuesday as well." What the...?
She stopped in front of him, face to face. "Good," she said,
gently drawing the guitar out of his hands and laying it aside
carefully. "I've got other plans."
What little rational thought Harm had been managing promptly
fled as her lips sought his. The kiss was long, sweet, and
intoxicating as the most potent drug. Long moments later, they
finally broke apart. "Mac?" he asked, breathless.
"Come on, Harm... we've got the afternoon," she said, smiling
as she led him towards the bedroom.
END