A/N – Thank you for all the great replies. It is hard enough to write, let alone in your second language! This chapter is much slower…I am sorry, but the next one will hopefully start to explain some things!
Disclaimer – Do not own JAG or their characters. I am just playing with them.
Harm busied himself, cleaning up the mess on Mac's coffee table. He read the pill labels with a deep sigh, his brain moving a lot faster than his body. Part of him knew he shouldn't be here, whatever she was fighting, it was up to her. She didn't want him, nor did she need him there. The rest of him knew that he had to be there, for him and for her. He opened a window to allow the hot muggy air move. His eyes stared outside in the empty parking lot, his thoughts taking him somewhere else. Slowly he dragged himself to the overstuffed chair and sat down. It took hours before sleep washed over him, but washed over him it did.
Mac opened her eyes, blinking wildly at the bright light that was infiltrating her eyelids from the opened window. Her gaze fell on Harm who was sleeping, rather uncomfortably it seemed, on her armchair. She pulled the long-sleeved shirt over her arms despite the heat and pulled her knees up to her chest. "Sometimes giving people keys to your apartment isn't a good idea." She mumbled. Harm opened his eyes and stared at her.
"Sorry. You didn't answer when I knocked on your door." He said softly, stretching his arms behind his head.
"I...was sleeping." She mumbled into her knees.
"I saw." He stood up and walked behind the couch, leaning forward, resting his chin on her head. "Having problems sleeping?"
She sighed and reached up and placed her hands on his arms. "I guess you could say that."
"Do you want to talk about it?" He offered softly.
Pulling her arms down and freeing herself from the makeshift hug, she shook her head. "Not really."
"Do you at least want to go out for breakfast?"
Mac looked at the clock to double check her instincts. 7:48 am. Saturday. And neither of them were working. She shrugged. "Okay…if that's what you want. I'll just go slip into the shower."
Harm nodded. "Take all the time you need." He ran his hands through his hair. "Though, we are going to have to stop by my place so I can change."
Mac looked over her shoulder with a lifeless smile. "I guess so, sailor."
He chuckled softly, not because what she said was funny, but because he didn't know what else to do. He watched Mac disappear into her bedroom and waited until he heard the water run before he buried his head in his arms. He knew that if he didn't get Mac to open up, it could potentially hurt her even more than it already was…and him in the process.
Mac let the hot water run down, her skin turning red from the heat. She closed her eyes and inhaled the scent of her new soap and shampoo. She scrubbed hard as if she was ridding herself of her Olive toned skin. Stopping, she glared at the angry red marks on her arms that were now just healing. She scrubbed harder, trying to wipe clean all the memories that they held.
She appeared a few minutes later, her brown hair damp and wearing a pair of khaki shorts and a red long sleeved top. "Okay Harm, we can swing by your place."
He looked up and gave her a small smile. "Good, because I don't think people would appreciate it if I walked around in my pyjamas all day."
Mac rolled her eyes, but gave him a smile in return. Harm got up and wrapped his arm around her waist. "Let's go Marine, I know how grumpy you get when you're hungry."
They drove in silence to Harm's apartment where he pulled his SUV into the parking spot. "Come on up Mac, it'll just be a few minutes."
Even though it was still morning, the air was still sticky and hot with rain. Mac followed behind Harm, tugging her sleeves over her arms. "Aren't you hot?"
Mac shook her head. "No…" she lied not meeting Harm's eyes.
He held the door open for Mac, frowning, but didn't say anything. "Just gonna go hop in the shower…"
"Sure." She sat down on the edge of the couch. Her head spun. She swallowed hard, trying to force the bile down that was rising. Then the phone rang.
"Hey Mac, can you get that?" Harm called from the shower.
She picked up the phone. "Hello?"
A female voice was on the other end of the line. "Oh..hi…could I speak to Commander Rabb please?"
"He's in the shower. Can I take a message?"
"Uh…can you tell him that Jade called?"
"Sure, and this is regarding?"
There was a silence on the end of the line. "He'll know. Thanks."
Mac's hands shook as she replaced the phone.
Harm walked out of his room wearing some grey khaki shorts and a blue polo shirt, drying his hair. "Hey, what's wrong Mac? Who was on the phone?"
Her eyes were dead again, like someone had sucked all the life out from them. "Someone named Jade?"