Part 3

"Oh Harm…he's so tiny!" Mattie whispered in awe, when Harm wheeled her upstairs to look at her new baby brother.

"But he's a fighter," Harm assured her, "He's a Rabb, through and through. What he really needs is our support because when you have somebody there for you, you can get through anything…I don't think I can do this by myself, Matts; I don't think I'm strong enough, on my own…Do you think you can help me?"

"What could I possibly do? I'm a cripple in a wheelchair…"

"Don't say that…" Harm began to chide her.

"Well, it's true," Mattie shot back, "I can't even get down here under my own power. What could I possibly provide for him?"

"He needs our support and our love…You see that? That's his heart monitor and those levels show his oxygen saturation. They're always a little better when there's somebody here, beside him. We can't touch him, but he still knows that we're here. And he feels like he's got something to fight for. Before he was even an hour old, he'd not only lost his Father, Grandfather and two Grandmothers, but he'd also lost his Mother, the one person a little baby relies upon the most…As long as we keep visiting him, he's still going to feel loved and that makes all of the difference in the world."

Mattie nodded her head.

"I suppose that I can stop by, on my way back from PT…"

"Only if you feel up to it," Harm stipulated, "I understand how tired you get."

"And when I'm just sitting bored in my bed, not doing anything but waiting for the next meal to come around."

"Yeah, I'm sure a nurse would be happy to help you get here. But just remember not to overdo it. He needs the both us around; for his sake and ours, we will have to take care of ourselves, too."

"Okay," Mattie nodded, looking at the tiny figure inside the plexi-glass box.

For the first time in weeks, Harm felt a spark of hope.

OOOO

"He's missed you, you know…"

"Really?"

Mattie was seated at her baby brother's side, as her nurse stood behind her, marveling, discreetly.

"Oh sure…You see his little feet curling? My Brandon used to do that every time my husband or I walked into the room. He's our first and only child, but he still loves to be cuddled, even though he's twenty-four years old! Still makes time to come home, once a week for a home-cooked meal and a hug from his old Mom! You mark my words; that little boy is going to hang the moon on everything his big sister says or does…"

Mattie liked that thought. She'd always secretly wanted to be a big sister, but knew such a wish was a selfish one, considering the downward spiral her Dad would often fall into, time and time again. It wouldn't have been fair to bring a baby into that and Mattie was sure her Mom had known it, too.

"How are you doing today, Mattie?" The baby's doctor, a young woman in her early thirties approached.

"I'm fine…Just wanted to see how my baby brother was doing…"

"He's doing okay, today. We couldn't get him to take a new brand of formula, earlier today, but we're going to try again later, once your Dad gets here. We're going to see how he takes to being taken out of the incubator. He might really benefit from closer, increased contact with his family…"

"Can I stick around for that, or will it be too crowded?"

"Sure, you can stay, if you like. I'm sure he would love to have you here. He always does so much better when you're here. I think it makes him feel safe."

"See, I told you, didn't I?" Mattie's nurse spoke up again, "Nobody knows babies like Doctor Tess, here."

"That's my Dad's presence," Mattie told them, "Nobody makes you feel as safe as my Dad. He's a military hero, you know?"

Both women made noises to show that they were impressed. Indeed, Commander Rabb did make a fine sight whether in civilian clothes or still in his uniform, but they both knew that he only had eyes for that lady who came with him, most days. He often didn't focus on anybody other than his children, but you could tell by how comfortable he felt with her proximity and with her attentive actions towards him, how important she must be to him.

"And the officer who comes with him? I assume she and your Dad work together..."

"Yeah, that's Mac…I think this little guy likes her being here, too…He does better when she's around, too."

On her way back to her room, that afternoon, Mattie asked her nurse if she could use the phone. Betty let her use the one at the nurse's station.

OOOO

Harm was just finishing up some notes on a case he and Mac were to be prosecuting, at the end of the week, when his phone rang.

"Hey, Matts…There's not anything wrong, is there?"

"No," Mattie assured him, "I just got back from visiting my little brother and he's doing fine. I think he's missing you…"

"I'm missing you both, too. I'll be there by six-thirty tonight. The doctor said she's going to let me pick him up and try feeding him with a bottle. Maybe he'll keep it down, if it's coming from me…"

"Yeah, she told me…Harm could you possibly ask Mac a favor, for me? Will you ask her if she could come with you, tonight? I just…I have a couple of things I'd like to ask her…you know, girl stuff…"

"Uh, yeah, sure," Harm's eyes darted to Mac, where she was sitting in one of his visitor's seats, "I'll ask her just now…"

After checking with Mac, Harm told Mattie.

"Yeah, she says wild horses can't hold her away…"

"What, you can read minds, now?"

"Ha-ha…"

"I can hear her, Harm and I'm pretty sure I didn't hear her say that…"

"I know you can hear her and know that she didn't actually say that, but it was in her tone of voice, honest. She loves to come and visit you and the baby…"

"Of course I do," Mac confirmed loudly, with a smile.

"See? I told you…"

"Okay, smart-aleck…I'd better get back to my room, I think I'd be wise to get some sleep this afternoon…I'll see you both later…"

"Okay sweetie…Bye. I love you…"

After Harm put the phone down, he asked Mac, "Did Mattie mention any problems to you, last time?"

"No," Mac thought for a moment, "I don't think so…Why?"

"She said she wants to talk to you about 'girl-stuff.' I was just wondering."

"Well, if it's 'girl-stuff' you probably don't want to know, squid," Mac teased him, gathering her papers together, after putting her final thoughts down, "It'll probably give you nightmares! Now let's go and get some lunch…You can pick and it's my treat, today…"

OOOO