Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me.

Author's notes: Sorry for the delay in updating there is a lot going on in my real world. Please be patient with further updates I will try to get them up quickly. This is the last ff I will be posting here for a while.

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BENZINGER'S

1915

Mac pulled her car into a parking bay opposite Benzinger's entrance. Harm sat quietly making no effort to get out.

"You'll have a great time with Sturgis, Harvey and Ed," Mac enthused. She knew that if their positions were reversed she wouldn't feel like going out either.

"Yeah," Harm muttered.

"Think of all those old war stories you can tell," she said undoing her seatbelt.

"Yeah." Harm's eyes remain fixed on the dashboard.

"It'll do you good to be around friends."

"I guess."

Mac got out of the car and went around and opened his door, eventually he got out. They stood under the street light in silence for a moment or two.

"Call me if you need anything," said Mac.

"Yeah, thanks," muttered Harm.

She felt like a mother trying to get a reluctant child off to school. She wanted to kiss him and push him through the doors but she knew it had to be done in his own time.

"You'll have a great time – you'll see," she said, gently rubbing his arm.

Harm said nothing but just stood there staring at his shoes. Mac couldn't bear it anymore, she put her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly. "It will be okay."

"I know," said Harm breaking away. "Thanks."

Mac leant back on the car as she watched Harm enter Benzinger's.

"Hi Mac."

"Oh Sturgis," Mac jumped.

"Sorry Mac I didn't mean to startle you," he replied, looking from her to the entrance.

"It's okay, I was in another world," she admitted looking at him.

"And how are things in Harm's world at the moment?" he asked, his eyes back on her.

"Not great," Mac sighed.

"Did he go in?" asked Sturgis nodding towards the doorway.

"Yeah, I was just making sure he didn't come back out again." She pushed herself off the car.

"Have you seen the Petty Officer today?" Sturgis asked.

"I did but she wouldn't see Harm..." Mac began.

"Why not?" Sturgis interrupted.

"No idea," Mac replied truthfully. She had absolutely no idea what was going on with Jen and her reponse to Harm.

"You don't think…" he began.

"NEVER!!! You know him Sturgis, how could you even…" Mac all but yelled back.

"I'm sorry Mac but given the circumstances..." Sturgis tried to apologise.

"He did not do it. Jennifer said so herself," she said defiantly.

"Then he must be feeling relieved," he said.

"I think he is just numb. He thinks so much of Jen and the attack really shook him up and then to be all but accused has really thrown him," Mac explained.

"Sounds like a night out is just what he needs. A few drinks, a few laughs, old friends."

"That's what I told him. You should go in too," Mac said making her way back around to the driver's side.

"I will."

"Sturgis…"

"You don't need to ask Mac. I'll take care of him."

"And…"

"And if there is any problem I'll call you."

"Thanks Sturgis."

MAC'S APARTMENT

SATURDAY 0056

"MacKenzie," Mac yawned into the phone that had woken her.

"Sorry to wake you Mac," Sturgis apologised.

"It's okay Sturgis, what's wrong? Is Harm alright?" Mac was on her feet.

"Harm's a little…um…inebriated," he said quietly.

"A little?" she questioned.

"Maybe more than a little," he admitted.

"Where is he?" Mac asked, pacing around her bedroom.

"In a taxi."

"Okay, I'll meet him at his place."

"No need, I paid the driver and gave him your address. I thought it would be easier. I hope that's alright? He didn't want to come home with me," Sturgis explained.

"Yeah, it's fine, thanks. How long til he gets here?" she asked.

"Oh, about ten minutes."

"Right. Tell me, how was the evening?" Mac asked, realising she'd get no information from Harm.

"Pretty good, considering, it was good to catch up. The guys wanted to do dinner tomorrow and Harm agreed. Can you remind him in the morning?"

"Will do."

"Harm's very lucky he's got you, Mac."

"Night, Sturgis."

Macgrabbed her robe and put iton. It was the robe Harm had given her for Christmas two years earlier, it was her favourite. She quickly scanned her apartment and returned a few things to their rightful places, not that Harm would notice either way. She went into the kitchen and had just put the kettle on when she heard a knock on the door.

"Hello Flyboy," she said before she had opened the door fully.

"Sarah MacKenzie?" said a man standing there.

"Yes."

"I believe this is for you." He pointed along the hallway. Harm was leaning against the wall.

"Yes it is, thank you. He wasn't any trouble, was he?" she asked.

"No ma'am," replied the driver.

"Thanks again," Mac said handing him a $20 tip.

"Have a good night, ma'am," the driver said departing.

Mac went into the hallway and stood in front of Harm. "Well, Harm, are you coming in?"

He nodded slowly. She took his hands and pulled him off the wall causing him tostumble forward into her arms. She caught and steadied him before walking him inside.

"Can I get you anything?" she asked when they were inside the apartment.

He shook his head vigorously. "Whoa, I shouldn'tda done that," he said stumbling again.

Mac caught him and held him. She couldn't remember the last time she had seen him so drunk. "Okay Flyboy, time for bed."

She took him to the bedroom and sat him on the edge ofher bed. Mac knelt down and removed his shoes before placing them underher bed. She looked up at him and could see the tears in his eyes.

"Oh sweetheart, what is it?" she whispered caressing his face. He shook his head. "Talk to me, babe. It's okay."

He said nothing but the tears which had been threatening spilt over. He pulled Mac to him and rested his head on hers. There were no words.

After he had settled down Mac stood up. "Okay Harm, we'll talk tomorrow." She went to the bathroom to grab some Kleenex and when she returned Harm was asleep, still dressed, on top of the quilt. She covered him with her favourite purple blanket and got into bed beside him. For awhile she lay there and listened to his breathing, it was almost hypnotic. She began to contemplate her own actions over the last 24 hours. She had called Harm by different terms of endearment and it had all come so naturally. Harm hadn't commented on it and it felt so right Mac wasn't in a hurry to stop.

A few hours later Mac awoke and it was apparent Harm had been awake sometime earlier. He was clad only in hisbeater and boxers and under the blankets with Mac. He rolled into her space in the bed and while she didn't mind the closeness of him, the smell of stale alcohol wasn't as appealing. She turned her back to him and shortly afterwards felt his arm slip around her waist, he was obviously comfortable with the sleeping arrangement.

Sometime after dawn Mac heard Harm get up and make his way into the bathroom. She could hear him vomiting and went to see if he was alright. Quietly she knocked on the door.

"Don't come in," he said.

"How are you doing?" she asked.

"Okay," he managed but the ensuing sounds told the truth.

Mac went in and found him sitting on the floor by the toilet bowl.

"Oh Mac," he uttered embarrassed by everything.

"It's okay, it's okay," she soothed. She grabbed a face washer and ran it under the cold water before using it on him. She continued to do this, only stopping while he vomited. She went to the kitchen and grabbed a glass and the ice pack; he was going to need it. Mac filled the glass with water and gave it to him. He took a sip and handed it back. Twenty minutes later the worst seemed to be over and Mac tucked him back into bed with a bucket beside him and the ice pack on his forehead. She sat with him until he fell asleep and then had a shower.

It was nearly 1100 when Harm shuffled out of the bedroom to find Mac sitting at the dining room table doing paperwork.

"Morning," he said embarrassed.

"Hi Harm, how are you doing this morning?" she asked, putting down her pen and looking at him.

"Yeah, okay. Mac, I'm so sorry," he apologised, his eyes fixed on his bare feet.

"For what?" she asked moving to him.

"For last night - getting so drunk, I haven't done that in so long and for turning up here and…and… if I remember correctly I spent a lot of time in the bathroom and you helped me," he said trying to collect his thoughts.

"You don't have to apologise, Harm," Mac said rubbing his arm.

"I shouldn't have come here and made you deal with my mess. I'm sure I gave the taxi driver my address…" Harm started to explain.

"And Sturgis gave him mine," Mac interrupted.

"Why?" he finally dared to look at her.

"Because he was looking out for you, you were in no state to be home alone," she explained.

"Thanks." He smiled weakly.

"Now, what can I get you?" Mac said heading to the kitchen.

"Nothing, I honestly couldn't eat…" he began.

"How about coffee?" she offered. Harm cringed. Mac's coffee wasn't the greatest even when he was feeling well. "How about tea?."

"That would be great."

Mac returned with the tea and placed it on a coaster at the end of the table where Harm sat.

"What are you working on?" he asked, his head still fuzzy and his mouth feeling furry.

"Trying to figure out 'saladays'," Mac said.

"Any luck?" he asked, hoping Mac had solved the mystery.

"Nope." She shook her head. Mac sat down and looked at the paper before her. No matter how she tried to write it nothing made sense. She scanned the table and lifted up the papers.

"Lost something?" he asked, scanning the table.

"Yeah, the pen I was using," she replied.

Harm looked around. "There's one there, on the dresser. That it?"

"No, it was gold." Mac said.

"Gold?" he questioned.

"Gold," Mac confirmed.

"Saladays in gold?" he said, his voice with an unfamiliar tone.

"Harm, what is it?" Mac asked concerned about him.

Harm sat there for a few minutes trying to think through the alcohol induced haze. Mac knew the moment he had found clarity.

"That son of a bitch, I'll kill him," Harm exploded leaping up from the table knocking over his tea. "I swear to God I'll kill him."

Mac jumped in surprise at his sudden, violent movement. "Harm, what? Who?"

"I'll kill him, I swear to God." Harm took two strides towards the door. Mac ran to block his path.

"Harm, stop!" She put her hands up. "Where do you think you are going?"

"To find that bastard." He went to move past her. She grabbed him and they spun around.

"Harm, stop! You have no car and you are going nowhere dressed like that," she said firmly.

Harm looked down and realised he was still in his beater and boxers.

"Sweetheart, stop, take a breath and tell me what's going on."

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