Chapter 3 - Tête–à–Tête
April 10, 1912
0645 Local
RMS Titanic
"D" Deck, First-Class Dining Saloon
Somewhere In The North Atlantic Ocean

Light classical music echoed through the walls of the RMS Titanic as its first class passengers meandered down the grand staircase to the reception room and past the dramatic glass and wrought iron doors which led to the first class Dining Saloon. Elegance was the first word that came to Joseph MacKenzie's mind as he walked in with his daughter and wife on each arm, the Maitre 'D leading them towards their assigned seats.

"Do you know why this dinning area is located here?" Ever amused with all things grand, Joseph turned to his daughter. He caught the rolling of her eyes and the tension through her body. "Relax, Sarah. . .it's just dinner."

"I am relaxed, father. . .And please, show off your vast knowledge." She couldn't bite back the sarcasm if she could help it. Some would say she was quite the brat, but that wasn't it. Sad to say, she despised her father, yet she loved him at the same time. A conundrum that drove her mad at times. "Please." Sarah added with a half smile, casting her eyes away from her father's ever annoyed gaze.

Joseph sighed deeply, taking a few deep breaths to stop himself from doing something stupid in front of so many people. Later, he would take care of the anger with a shot of bourbon or three at the First-Class Smoking Room. "My patience is wearing thin on you, girl. . .VERY thin." He moved them past the crowd and towards a table in the center of the Saloon, two tables away from White Star Line director, Bruce Ismay and shipbuilder, Thomas Andrews.

"MacKenzie." Frank Brunette's annoyance was evident as he glanced up from his seat only to spot General Joseph MacKenzie and his family. The battle between the two had begun even before their births when the Burnett's and MacKenzie's fought over the land which their homes resided on. An agreement had been made by their fathers, but that didn't mean that either man had learned to stop hating each other. In fact, they hated each other more than ever. "What the hell are you doing at our table?"

Joseph pulled out a seat for his wife as the Maitre 'D helped Sarah into a seat next to Trish Burnett. From across the table, she could feel a radiating heat combined with a cold hatred. Glancing up, she looked into the cool blue eyes of one Harmon Rabb Junior.

"Well, I don't know Burnett, but let's make the best of it." One thing that Joseph MacKenzie loved more than his booze was to antagonize Frank Burnett.

"Sarah, my dear, you've gotten even lovelier." Trish turned towards Mac, smiling genuinely.

"Thank you, ma'am." Mac replied shyly, suddenly not knowing what to do with her hands. "You look lovely yourself; that is a beautiful gown."

Neither Deanne nor Trish could understand their families' feud and had always opted to stay away from it. While the men had detested the fact that their children had gotten on so well, the women hoped that a union would bring an end to the insistent bickering. "Harmon, seems you finally made it into the Navy." Deanne glanced across the table at Harm who looked so dashing in his Naval uniform. "The uniform suits you well, doesn't it Sarah?"

Mac glanced up at Harm, his eyes meeting hers again. So she did see him earlier with a blond woman who was now seated next to him. Her eyes unconsciously wondered towards the woman's hand where she found a rather large diamond engagement ring. "Congratulations." She said softly, her eyes betraying any well wishing she was hoping to offer. Suddenly, all of the emotions that she had tucked away hit her like a freight train. Not only had he gone from her life for so long, he had now given his heart to someone else. Now, more than ever, did she realize that her place was, indeed, by Michael Brumby's side.

"Thank you." The woman next to Harm said, wrapping her arms around his in a way that was making Sarah sick. "I'm Renee Peterson, I didn't quite catch your name."

"Sarah. . .Sarah MacKenzie."

Deanne noticed the slight tension between her daughter and Harm and never could quite understand what had happened, where things had gone wrong. She could tell there was some sort of love between the two that spanned friendship. Somehow, it fizzled out when Harm went away to Annapolis. "Harmon and Sarah were thick as thieves when they were younger. . .one could say they were sweethearts." She grinned slightly at the shocked expression on Renee's face, definitely pleased she'd shaken something up. Sarah and Harm, however, both glared on with an equal look of anger.

"Deanne, stop putting silly notions in the girl's head. . ." Joseph glared up towards Harm, his eyes shooting daggers at the young man. "So you made Lieutenant JG?" If he hated Harm before, now that he wore a Naval uniform, he hated him even more. "You Navy are pathetic, Rabb. . .you sit and wait in your big old ships while the Marines do the real damage in battle."

Harm had been watching Mac the whole time, almost willing her to disappear with his eyes. He didn't need this. He had a future, a life with a woman that loved him. This wasn't the time to open up old wounds. "With all due respect, General, Sir. . .you do know what the word MARINE stands for, correct?"

Joseph took a long gulp of the water which had just been placed in front of him, then leaned back into his chair, almost as if he were just commanding a battalion. "Care to enlighten me, Rabb?"

"Gladly, sir." Harm grinned slightly, knowing this barb was going to be perfect. Sure, it would likely enrage the General, but he didn't care. At the moment, he wasn't in the position to tell him what to do and it was likely that the man would not want to cause a scene. "My Ass Rides In Navy Equipment. . .sir."

Mac couldn't help the laughter which bubbled at the back of her throat, for that matter neither could Frank Burnett. "Harmon, my boy, that was ingenious." He jovially smacked Harm on the back. "Funny, wasn't it MacKenzie?"

Joseph was breathing hard, trying to will more of his anger under control. The evening was just not ending soon enough. He couldn't wait to have a stiff drink. "Hysterical. . .a riot. The boy should be a comedian." His next words were meant to be whispered but at that given time it seemed like everyone in the dining room had decided to quiet down. "I never understood what you saw in the boy, Sarah. . .You tend to attract garbage." His voice, loud and clear, carried over the table and across to Frank.

"Now that was completely uncalled for, MacKenzie." Standing up, he projected his height over the table, anger bubbling to the surface. True, Harm was not his blood, but that didn't stop Frank Burnett from loving him as one. "If you have a problem with me, so be it, but keep the boy and Trish out of it."

Renee ignored the argument between the two men, choosing to turn her attention fully towards her fiancé. "You went out with her, Harm?"

In the back of his mind he knew he'd eventually have to talk about this. As much as he wanted to keep Renee in the dark over his past, circumstances had shown that it was nearly impossible. Which ever method he wanted to use to tell her about Sarah MacKenzie, this wasn't it. "I don't want to talk about this."

"Is she the one you were fantasizing about earlier today?"

Mac had heard the question loud and clear. She pinned her gaze on Harm, her eyes asking the same thing the blond had. He could feel the radiating heat of her eyes and yet, he was able to ignore it. "There's nothing to worry about Renee, I want to marry you." The words were emphasized, each syllable cutting a bit deeper into Sarah's heart. "What Ms. MacKenzie and I had was friendship, I never loved her." The words nearly cost him everything just like the last letter he'd received from Mac had. He knew that Sarah had heard him then but he didn't care if he hurt her. As far as Harm was concerned, their relationship was all in the past.

Trish and Deanne both exchanged a sad glance. They'd hoped that a union between their kids would end the MacKenzie-Burnett feud. Most of all, they just wanted for their kids to be happy and it was clear, even from the moment they met, that they wouldn't be happy apart.

Despite herself, Mac was deciding to play it cool. She was unwilling to believe that Harmon Rabb Junior didn't feel pain at losing her. With a smirk, she turned to Joseph, "Father, will Michael be waiting for me at the docks when we arrive?"

The question seemed to please him and though part of him knew her askance was a deliberate way to hurt Rabb and not a true want to be with Brumby, he seized the moment, "I am not entirely sure, but we will venture to his home. . .Your wedding is set for a week or so after we arrive."

Harm nearly choked on the champagne he was drinking. "You're getting married?" He couldn't contain the hurt and disbelief in his voice. True, she wasn't his anymore, but that didn't stop him from being jealous. "To whom?"

"Sarah is engaged to Michael Brumby, she's absolutely excited and he's entirely enamored with her." The General beamed brightly, knowing that only part of that statement was true. Still, it pleased him to find Rabb so upset.

Renee seemed to be the most excited person at that table. "Michael Brumby of Brumby, Lowne and Farrow? Brumby the lawyer?"

Sarah tried her very best smile which nearly made it look genuine. "The very one, yes."

"Michael is a friend of the family, he and my brother went to law school together. Great man." Though Renee was genuinely excited that Brumby had found a woman, more of her excitement laid in the fact that Sarah was now taken. It was a visual reminder to her husband-to-be that they were meant to be together. Later that evening she would show him just how.

"Yes, he is. . .He'll make a wonderful family man."

"You're so lucky. . ." Renee giggled. "Not that I am not. . .I snagged myself a sailor." One of her arms wrapped possessively around Harm's. Turning his face with her finger, she gave him a gentle kiss on the lips.

Sarah wanted to die, or better yet, to rip that blond away from him and teach her that even ladies knew a thing or two about brawls, but instead, she bit her inner cheek, took a deep breath and continued her masquerade. "Sailors are nice when you want to have a good time, but I need a man with stability, someone that won't leave a person and never ever write back." Her comment was made specifically for Harm.

"The only thing sailors are good for is a ride. . .nothing more." Joseph added with a chuckle as he noticed just how uncomfortable the sailor had become. "At least, I haven't found any other uses for them."

"Oh, I think they are good for much more intimate things." Renee's hand grazed Harm's upper thigh, the act making him jump slightly. "Are you alright, honey?"

Harm shook his head. Was he alright? No, he hadn't been since Sarah MacKenzie waltzed back into his life. Not that he felt alright with Renee Peterson, but at least he wasn't chasing a dream. "I'm sorry, I. . I'm not feeling too well. . . I believe I may be coming down with a cold. . .Shall we?" He stood and turned to Renee, offering her his hand.

"So early? We've yet to have dessert." She licked her lips in expectation and tried to use her charm to get him to stay. She was rather liking the conversation and was hoping to probe further into Harm's relationship with Sarah.

"Well you can stay if you like, I just. . .expected you to want me to take you to your quarters." Harm's voice had dropped a few notches and his ever sexy grin manifested itself. There was no doubt at what he was implying.

"That would be lovely, thank you. . .Night all, pleased to meet you Sarah."

Sarah smiled as well as she tried her hardest to control her swirling emotions. "You too, Renee. Goodnight, Harmon." Her body tensed slightly, trying to stop herself from fleeing. She wanted to run screaming across the decks of the ship and possibly hurl herself into the water, hoping to God that the propellers would chop her into a zillion pieces. She didn't want to feel this pain anymore, the type that threatened to choke her at night when she'd cried over and over for the love she lost.

Her hands shook as she reached over to take a sip of the water. 'Damn him.' Sarah thought as some of the water spilled due to her shaky hands. Right there she made a solemn vow – if he could be with someone else, she would too.

September 24, 2005
1645 Local
San Diego, California

Harm's hand was wrapped around Mac's as he sat in the back of the ambulance with an EMT at his side. "C'mon, Mac. . .Wake up."

"Her vitals are fine as far as I can tell." The EMT pressed a stethoscope to her chest and then hit the wall of the vehicle and told the driver to get going. "I've seen these injuries before. . .sometimes they'll wake up within the hour and other times. . ."

Other times they never woke up or it took them years. "Oh God." Having suffered through his own coma after the ramp strike, Harm didn't want Mac to wake up the same way he had, confused, disoriented and in a great deal of pain. He just wanted her to wake up soon. Things had been going so well between them.

"Ms. MacKenzie has a good reason to wake up, though. . .keep the faith."