AN: Thanks for the positive feedback, it is much appreciated. Hopefully I'll be back with another story soon.
Having some formatting issues - sorry!
Who'd Have Thought Part 2 of 2
When the sound of Mirabella opening the front door woke Mac, her eyes sprung open and she tried to sit up.
"'Tis only Mirabella," Harm mumbled wrapping Mac closer.
"Who's Mirabella?" Mac asked, allowing herself to be pulled back to the warm, solid body behind her.
"Sort of housekeeper, chef extraordinaire," he muttered, "Don't have to get up," he added with a yawn before opening his eyes and registering their sleeping positions. Noting that Mac didn't seemed perturbed by the arrangement, he closed his eyes once more and inhaled the scent of her vanilla and jasmine shampoo.
A few minutes later there was a quiet knock on the bedroom door.
"Good morning, Mirabella," Harm called. "Come in."
The door opened slowly and Mirabella smiled shyly. "Ah, it's good afternoon, Mr Harm."
"Really?" he asked, glancing at the clock for confirmation.
"Ah, yes," she replied. "Ah, Mr Harm, Mr Gordon said there would be another guest but I haven't seen anyone else about…"
Slowly Harm pulled down the quilt further revealing Mac's face to the visitor.
"Mirabella, this is Sarah MacKenzie," he said waving his hand. "Mac, this is Mirabella."
"Nice to meet you," Mac said, sitting up and pulling the covers with her.
"Hello, Miss Sarah," she said with a nod. "I have brought you some lunch and dinner that I think you might like. Mr Harm can tell you how to organise the rest of your meals."
"Thank you, Mirabella. I'm sure it will be as delicious as it smells," Mac replied, her stomach suddenly reminding her that it was a long time since dinner.
Mirabella nodded and said her goodbyes.
Harm grinned as Mac seemed to drift out of bed following the trail of the aromas emanating from the kitchen. Quickly, he followed.
"I wonder…" Mac began as she investigated the various containers on the bench. "This must be mine…" She added scooping up a large bowl with a clear lid. "Thai Pad See Ew…and of course, the vegetarian one is yours." She pushed the second bowl along the counter.
"Afternoon tea…" Harm read the label from a small rectangular container. "Fruity cheesecake tarts," he added as he removed the lid and showed Mac the contents.
"Ooh, maybe I'll start with one of them. They look delicious," she said before deciding to eat her hot meal first.
"So far, everything Mirabella has brought has been amazing," Harm enthused, taking off the lid to his bowl and inhaling deeply. The smell of garlic was strong and he could only be grateful that they were both eating it.
After a lunch which tasted better than it smelt, Harm opted for a shower while Mac picked up a random book from the General's bookcase and curled up in the armchair. It only seemed minutes later Harm reappeared, freshly showered, shaved and dressed in pale blue jeans with a long sleeved white tee.
"Bathroom's free," he said, from the doorway.
"Ah, no thanks," she replied, her eyes still on the page. "I'll grab one tonight."
"What are you reading?" he asked and Mac turned to the cover.
"And Then There Were None," she replied. "Agatha Christie." She looked up and took in his appearance. God, how did he always seem to dress so perfectly?
"That's an oldie," he said, pointing to the book.
"Yep, lots of classics on that shelf," she replied, gesturing towards the bookcase. "Just perfect reading material in a place like this."
"Well, I'm heading out for a walk," he said, pulling on his navy blue sweater. "You read away and enjoy the silence."
"Better rug up, it's cold out there," she said, watching his every move.
"I'll be right," he said with a smile. "I've racked up a few miles in the past few days out there. Once you get going it's fine. Besides, with Mirabella's cooking, if I don't I won't fit into any of my jeans."
Bending down to pull on his boots, Mac could tell those jeans already looked quite snug…and as sexy as hell.
"Maybe a walk is a good idea," she said, jumping from the chair. "Give me five!"
"Thought you wanted to read," he called as she disappeared into the bedroom.
"Well, the book's been around since 1939, I doubt it's going anywhere soon," she yelled back.
Just after two, Harm pulled the door shut behind him and pocketed the key.
"Any particular way you want to go?" he asked, pulling the zip on his jacket way up and putting on his gloves.
"Nope," Mac replied doing the same. "Just lead the way."
The way Harm went was a little longer than his previous walks and much longer than it would have been if Mac had followed her original plans and remained behind.
"There's something about the air out here," he said as they walked along a stony path into the adjacent woods. "In DC it felt heavy and suffocating but out here it feels refreshing," he stated before taking a few deep breaths.
"It does," Mac concurred, with a smile. "It all looks rather pretty," she added, gesturing to the snow dusting about.
"It does," Harm agreed. "Makes winter a bit more bearable when the scenery looks like this."
And while he gestured widely with his hand, the scenery his eyes fell on was standing right alongside him.
For a while they walked along, chatting amiably, noting the nature all around them. Nothing in the conversation was personal. No mention was made of the previous night's sleeping arrangement. No comment on what the ensuing days would bring. Nothing but the here and now. And for now, that's all that mattered.
After a long and lovely walk and a quick inspection of Harm's 'play room', Mac declared herself done with the outdoors for the day and headed back into the house, Harm not far behind her. After stripping off her outerwear, stoking the fire and adding another large log, Mac decided on a shower and a change from her cold jeans to some fluffy pjs.
While disappointed there was no bath to luxuriate in, Mac still enjoyed a long and relaxing shower. Dried and dressed sometime later, Mac walked out to find Harm setting the table for dinner. Standing in the shadows, Mac watched him for a few moments and marvelled at just how perfect the scene, in fact the day, was. Usually there was a degree of tension between the two. Sometimes, it was work related, other times it was unresolved sexual tension. More than just tension, however, sometimes it was just plain fear. Fear of what may happen. Fear of what may not happen. Fear of such a powerful intimacy. Fear of everything.
"Mac?" Harm called across the room. "You okay? You just seem a little distracted?"
"Oh, yeah, fine, thanks," she rallied with a shake of the head. "Just …" but she couldn't think of a way to end the sentence, so she didn't.
Concerned but letting it go, Harm moved to the bench and beckoned Mac over.
"You will be dining on Italian Lamb Stew tonight, with a side salad, and crusty bread," he said, handing her the salad and bread. "I am having the Bean Stew with polenta, unless you'd like to swap."
"Not on your life," she said with a grin.
Harm placed two steaming bowls of food onto the table and pulled out Mac's chair as she set down the salad and bread.
"What's for dessert?" she asked, glancing back at the bench. "We didn't actually get to eat those tarts so…"
"Well, you could have them," Harm said, "But there's also a tray of fruit kebabs in the fridge…don't turn your nose up, they look great."
"I'm sure they do," Mac said, "but so did the tarts."
"Did I mention the kebabs come with a chocolate sauce for dipping?" he said slyly.
Mac grinned. "Well, that may change things."
After a lovely dinner, with even lovelier company, and with the menu selections sent through to Mirabella for the next few days the duo settled in the armchairs in front of the fire with books. Mac had picked up her previously discarded Agatha Christie whilst Harm, after a seventeen minute deliberation, chose 'The Postman Always Rings Twice' by James M. Cain.
"Another oldie," Mac said, glancing at Harm's choice.
"Always hear it referenced but never read it," he said as he settled in the chair across from her.
"It's a quick read," she said. "But it's good one, maybe not by today's standards but you can imagine how it would have been received in the 30's when it was written."
As she turned the concluding page for the second chapter, Mac glanced up and realised that rather being deeply engrossed in his book, her companion was asleep.
"Getting old there, Harmon," she chuckled aloud. Soon, however, she had put down her own book and returned to her new favourite hobby of Harm-watching. Well, she conceded, if only to herself, she couldn't call it new, exactly.
"You're watching me again," Harm said later as he opened his eyes.
"Well, it's been 27 minutes since you turned a page," she sassed. "I was wondering which word you were stuck on."
"Oh, very funny," he replied, standing up from the chair before stretching. "I guess you're almost finished being the bookworm you are."
"Not quite," she said, "but must admit I'm finding it hard to get into. The food and warmth have me very comfortable and I keep drifting off."
"Know the feeling," he replied. "I've slept more here in the past few days than probably any other time in my life. The other day I awoke at 1510. 1510, can you believe it?"
"You need it," Mac said quietly as she settled back into the chair. "So do I; if I'm being honest."
"How are you sleeping these days?" he asked, linking his hands together.
"Okay," she said with a shrug. "No better, no worse …well, except for last night. That was better….much, much better."
"It's a pretty comfortable set up Cresswell's got in there," Harm said. "Think he'd notice if we took it home?"
"Only on his next visit," she said with a smile. "Then there'd be hell to pay."
There was a slight awkward pause as Mac decided which way to go.
"We both slept well in there last night," she said quietly.
"We did," he agreed. "It was more than comfortable."
"Much warmer in there than in that other bedroom," Mac continued. "Seemed pointless to be cold when there was an empty bed."
"Mac," he said, locking his eyes with hers. "I have absolutely no problem sharing that bed with you. Not last night, not tonight …not any night."
"Good," she replied with a nod, not trying to think of the implications of that statement. "And for the record," she said after a pause, "I have no problem sharing with you either."
It was an hour later that Harm gave up the pretence of reading and headed for bed.
"Early, isn't it?" Mac asked looking up at him.
Yep," he said. "But the beauty of this little vacation is I can sleep anytime I like. Perhaps this way, I can get up in time for breakfast and go out into the shed."
"You like using your hands, don't you?" she asked as she stood up.
"Yeah, makes a change from litigation and investigation," he stated. "Feels good to do some physical work…create something with your own hands."
"Well, make sure you build that fire for tonight," Mac said, "I had it warmed to perfection overnight."
"Yes, ma'am," he said with a quick salute. "And what will you be doing?"
"Getting ready for bed," she said, disappearing through the doorway.
"You don't have to go to bed just because I am," he called after her.
"If I don't go first…" she said, poking her head back out. "How will I get my side of the bed?"
"You can have any side you like," he replied and busied himself tidying up so he didn't have see her reaction.
After stretching out his night routine to 17 minutes, Harm stood at the bathroom door and looked at Mac on the left side of the bed. He had always slept to the left side, ever since he was a teen and his mother had moved him from a single bed to a double to try and accommodate his lanky frame. Every dalliance, every long term partner had slept on the right, regardless of their preference. It was one of the things he was particular about. He had to sleep on the left.
And yet, at this time, he didn't care. All those other nights, other companions, sleeping on the left had never bought him the warmth and contentment that sleeping on the right with Mac had last night. Sure, he had shared a sleeping space with her before, and yes, he had slept on the left in those times too, but, despite his fantasies, none had been as comfortable as last night.
"You just gonna stand there or are you coming to bed?" Mac asked, rolling over to look at him.
"I'm coming," he replied and smiled at the ease of her question. No innuendo, no pressure, just an invitation to bed. Oh, how he wished he knew how to make this permanent.
Easing himself into the bed, Harm glanced at the clock. "Mac, are you aware it's not eight yet?"
"Yeah," she mumbled from beneath the covers. "And it's not even a school night."
"Yeah," he echoed as his face came to rest inches from hers. "Early to bed…early to rise…"
"Maybe we can go for a run in the morning," Mac said with a yawn. "Get some of that fresh air into our lungs."
"Sounds like a plan," Harm replied yawning along. "Then some woodworking."
"Maybe I'll come out and join you," she said quietly. "I could always do with another bookshelf."
Amongst quiet chatter Mac fell asleep by nine and Harm followed soon after.
An empty bed and 1043 were the two realisations which struck Mac when she finally woke up. Reaching across and feeling the sheets, she was sure she'd been in bed alone for a while. Getting up, she put on her robe and slippers and set about finding either Harm or breakfast, whichever she cam across first.
Mirabella was her first encounter.
"Good morning, Miss Sarah, did you sleep well?" she asked as she unpacked a box.
"Very well, thank you, Mirabella," Mac said as she ran her fingers through her unbrushed hair. "The bed seems to have an amazing ability to induce and maintain sleep."
"Maybe that's not just the bed, Miss Sarah," she said with slight smile. "Maybe Mr Harm has a bit to do with it too." She winked at Mac and continued unpacking.
"Ah, well, maybe that too," she admitted quietly. "Have you seen Harm today?"
"No, not yet," she said pushing a scrap of paper across the bench. "But he left this note, maybe for you."
Sleeping Beauty, Run completed. Breakfast eaten. Now in shed.
Mac smiled.
"He is very handsome, Mr Harm," Mirabella said. "You are a very lucky lady."
Mac was about to correct her but decided against it. "Yes, I am," she confirmed.
While maybe she didn't have Harm in the way Mirabella implied, she was still very fortunate to have him in her life and, besides, by the end of this little sojourn she hoped she'd have him in every way.
After going through the food items with Mirabella and thanking her profusely, Mac made two large mugs of coffee, shoved a small box of cookies in one pocket and swapped her slippers for boots before trekking across the yard to the shed.
Listening to the radio, Harm was singing along loudly to the Rolling Stones 'Satisfaction' as he sanded a leg from his latest creation.
I can't get no uh no no no
Hey hey hey that's what I say
I can't get no satisfaction
I can't get me no girly action…
Mac couldn't help but grin, she was sure he would be satisfied with her girly action, if ever they gave each other the chance.
"Morning tea time," she called and he jumped at the sound of her voice. "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you."
"No problem," he said, flashing a grin. "Just thought you'd still be asleep."
"Nope, been up for ages," she exaggerated. "Just talking to Mirabella. She delivered the next three days as we requested. Said it wasn't any trouble for her to come daily if we wanted the food fresh but she knew why we'd want our privacy and didn't want to interrupt." Mac raised a suggestive eyebrow.
"Did she just," Harm replied. "And what exactly did she think she'd be interrupting?" he asked, taking the mug from Mac.
"Some girly action," she replied, tilting her head towards the radio.
"Oh, that would be a bad thing to interrupt," he answered, ignoring the fact that there was currently absolutely nothing happening in that department.
The ensuing days followed the same pattern, wonderful sleep, amazing food, restorative rest and great company. Flirting continued with each taking the lead on different occasions to toy with the other. Nothing too suggestive was ever stated, just playful comments and 'accidental' touches and hand holding on their last walk.
"What's got you so concerned?" Mac asked, as she returned from the bathroom dressed for bed to find Harm staring seriously at his phone.
'Huh?" he asked, looking up at her.
"Who sent the message?" she asked, indicating the cell in his hand.
"No one," he said, leaving the device on the table beside him. "I was just checking the date."
"Why?" she asked. "It's Thursday the 25th."
"Yeah, I thought that but just wanted to confirm it. Lost track of days and dates out here. Thoroughly enjoyed being disconnected to everything ….everything but you," he added quietly and Mac suddenly realised the problem.
Harm's time in the cabin was nearly over. While she was nearing the half way mark, Harm had been there a few days before her. This meant that he'd be heading back to DC soon.
"When are you heading back?" she asked, just asked quietly. Not really wanting to put the words out there.
"Well, originally, I was heading back Friday," he said. Mac frowned, that was the following day. "But I might be persuaded to stay until Sunday."
"And what would it take to persuade you?" she asked, her heartbeat picking up pace.
"Talk to me," he said with a shrug.
"Talk to you?" she echoed. "Isn't that what we've been doing?"
"Yes, but I actually want to talk. I have had a great time with you these last few days. It's the longest we've been together and been happy and, well, civil, but it strikes me that as carefree and easy and wonderful that these days have been, we've not discussed anything that may cause conflict."
"I didn't want to spoil the contented buzz we have," Mac admitted. "Sure, I've steered clear of certain topics but I figured you didn't raise them either so…well, let sleeping dogs lie."
"That was my thought too," he said moving from the armchair to sit alongside her on the sofa. "But I have spent the last few nights sleeping alongside you, dreaming about you, thinking about you …you and me …us. I have been wondering about what I need to do to make this a permanent arrangement. How we can have this …" he gestured between them both, "in another location?"
"I've thought about those things too," she said, reaching out and taking his hand in hers. "Thinking that I haven't felt as contented and happy and safe in so long… thought I'd never feel that…this way again… and trying to figure out how not to screw things up."
"Come up with an answer?" he asked, as he covered their joined hands with his other one.
"Nope," she said, shaking her head. "I think the reality is we are very different at home than we are here. Here it's been about decompressing, relaxing, shutting off, freedom… back there, we are controlling, driven, regimented, busy …"
"None of which is conducive to this," he said forlornly.
"No, it's not," she replied, squeezing his hand. "But you know what?"
"What?" he asked, his eyes searching hers.
"I prefer this life to that one," she admitted. "I am very proud of Mac the Marine and the career I've had but I think it's time for something different. A new direction, some new challenges…"
"Anything specific in mind?" he asked, pulling her closer.
"A law school friend emailed me a month ago about a new venture he's contemplating," she said, resting her head on the back of the sofa. "It's a private practice primarily as a children's lawyer. Lots of pro bono work. Lots of advocacy. Work with kids charities. Sounded like a worthwhile pursuit."
"It does sound good," Harm agreed. "Where's this new venture being established?"
"Steve is located in Boston, so I figure there somewhere," she said, but caught the look on Harm's face. "I didn't meant to suggest I'd be going to work with him," she said, raising her hand caressing his face. "Just that the venture sounded like something I would like to do."
The relief was immediately visible on Harm's face. "I think it would be a great venture for you…for us…" he chanced.
"Us?" Mac echoed.
"Well, it's a venture that could be established anywhere…" he started.
"Which means I could go wherever you are stationed?" Mac interjected.
"No, which means we could pick the ideal location, you know demand, distance, and weather…"he continued. "Find the ideal office, co-workers etc."
"MacKenzie and Associates," she said with a grin. "Has a nice ring to it."
"What about MacKenzie, Rabb and Associates?" he questioned and smiled as her eyes widened.
"You would want to do it with me?" she asked with uncertainty.
"There are so many things I want to do with you," he replied suggestively. "But yes, this is one of them. The elephant in the room has always been about careers. This way, we both retire, we start this venture together. It will be something that is ours. We find our office, our house, our future."
"What about everything in the past? All our arguments? All our…history?" she asked quietly.
"I would like to leave the past in the past. We've always done our best work alongside each other, this would be no exception, he declared in hushed tones. "I'm not so blind that I think we won't have some issues…we both have a lot of baggage, but new location, new start, new life, I think you and I can make that work, don't you?"
"I do think we can, at least I hope we can," she said, resting her head on his shoulder. "This week has shown me a side of me and of you that I really like…something that I really want on a daily basis… So, are we really doing this?" she asked, "Or is it something of a pipedream and you go back to DC on Sunday and we go back to the way things were?"
Leaning forward, Harm gently kissed her forehead before peppering soft kisses down to her mouth.
"Never going back," he said punctuating the words with kisses. "Only forward from here."
"Promise?" she asked as she pulled him down to her.
"Promise," he replied as he tried to keep his weight off her.
"Wanna move this to the bedroom?" she asked still holding onto him.
"Oh definitely," he replied. "It's what I've wanted all week…a lifetime."
"Then you've shown amazing restraint," she sassed, walking backwards and leading him by the hands.
"I can't see me being all that restrained once we're there," he said slowly, trying to keep his overwhelming urges at bay.
"I'm glad to hear it," Mac said with a grin. "I'm not planning on being restrained myself."
"Oh dear god," Harm muttered as Mac shed her clothing with grace and confidence.
"Need a hand?" she asked when she realised Harm hadn't moved.
"Uh, no, I'm right," he said, kicking of his shoes as he rounded the bed.
Mac, in all her naked glory, was already in bed, under the pile of covers which would soon be discarded and thinking of her, Harm was finding it hard to coordinate his hands to get his clothes off.
"You're nervous," she stated, leaning up on one elbow. "That's very cute."
"It's not cute, and I'm not nervous," he replied in what was obviously a lie as he climbed into bed.
"You do realise you have one sock on and one off?" she said, as he pulled up the covers.
"Damn," he muttered. "Well," he decided to go with honesty. "I'm always nervous when I know my life is about to be irrevocably changed."
"Me too," she said seriously. "Me too."
"Can I just say something?" he asked as he drew Mac against him.
"Sure," she replied running her hand over his bare chest.
"Since we've pretty much just planned out the rest of our lives, I think now would be a pretty good time to tell you that I am very much in love with you, Sarah MacKenzie," he said before kissing her deeply.
"Love you too," Mac managed between kisses. "So very much."
"Don't look at me that way, you knew what you were doing," Dora Cresswell gently admonished her husband as he tossed his cell onto the dining room table.
"Huh?" he replied, turning his attention to his wife.
"You knowingly sent them to the cabin to sort this thing once and for all," Dora reminded him. "Seems like your plan worked."
"How am I supposed to replace two very senior and experienced officers?" he questioned, sitting down at the table.
"Just the same way you intended to all the other times you huffed and puffed about splitting them up and sending them to opposite sides of the world," she reminded him with a smirk.
"That was different," he sulked. "That would have been on my terms…this is on theirs..."
"So are we talking wedding bells and romantic bliss?" Dora asked eagerly.
"I don't know and didn't ask," he replied. "Rabb just asked for another week's leave and said he and MacKenzie wanted to meet with me at the earliest time to discuss their retirements."
"Oooh, an extra week's leave," she said smiling. "Definitely sounds like there's some sexy times happening at the cabin."
"Dora, please," Cresswell said, shaking his head.
"Oh, don't be like that, Biff," she said, walking around and stroking his head. "I'm just very happy for them. They were both just shadows of themselves when I saw them last month. Mac was so lonely at the Christmas function and Harm, well he looked so dejected on New Year's Eve. They were both missing each other, not that I could get them to admit it."
"That didn't stop you badgering me until I got them to the cabin," he said, pulling her onto his lap.
"Well, I just wanted to give them every chance to get what we have," she said as she kissed his head.
"Well, it worked," he said. "Worked real well."
"Knew it," Dora said. "After all, it was that cabin and that bed that set us on our way too."
"I know," he agreed. "I remember that week well."
"Who'd have thought that two of the great romances of the 21st Century would start in a little cabin in Barboursville, VA," she said, smiling widely.
Gordon Cresswell drew his wife to him. "Who'd have thought."