Disclaimer: Not mine, just borrowing.

A/N: Aw, you guys don't hate me for the sporadic posting…yay! It was nice to see some of my faithful reviewers and some new face. This one's a little longer than the last – happy reading!

Chapter 3:

"What are you doing here Dad?" Nat looked up at his father expectantly, "I thought you were supposed to be in Australia ."

"Yeah, Mic," Mac kept her expression blank, "What are you doing here?"

"I was in town and wanted to see my two favorite people," he smiled at his children.

"Nat!" Talia pulled on her brothers arm and whispered in his ear.

"Oh right," he nodded when she finished, "Dad, you have to meet our little brother."

"Of course," he let Nat lead him over to where Mac was holding him.

"Dad, this is Robbie," Nat introduced, "Robbie, this is my Dad."

"Hey little guy," Mic smiled at the boy.

"Hi!" he grinned back.

"He's really smart," Nat told him.

"I can see that," Mic agreed and then looked up at Mac, "He's adorable, Sarah."

"Thank you," she smiled, trying to calm herself. This was nothing to panic about, Mic was just visiting. He was in the States and wanted to see the kids. Sure, he did not call first, butmaybe it was spur of the moment - of course, a twenty hour flight was hardly an impulsive trip, but she tried not to think about that. The divorce and custody agreements had worked wonderfully over the last three years, and she needed to trust that it would continue to do so. Mic was there to see his kids while he was in town, nothing more.

"Dad," Nat got his attention again, "Come play Teenage Mutant Ninja Soldiers with us."

"Um," he glanced at Mac and she nodded her assent, "Sure thing."

"Me pway!" Robbie demanded and Mac lowered him to the floor, "Nat!"

"Right here," Nat smiled at his brother, taking his outstretched hand to help him toddle into the family room, "Come on, Dad."

"Are you coming Tal?" Mic asked his daughter, who lingered in the doorway.

"Yeah, but I want to ask Mommy something first."

"Okay," he followed the boys to the family room.

"What is it Tali-babe?" Mac sat at the bottom of the stairs.

"Is Daddy Harm still going to come home?"

"Of course he his, sweetie," Mac pulled her onto her lap. In Talia's eyes, her father hung the moon and she was every bit a daddy's girl. The only thing was that Harm filled that role, not Mic, Yes, Talia loved her biological father, but the person she followed around on weekends and her protected her from nightmares was Harm, "Why wouldn't he?"

"Because Dad's here and we can't have 2 dads," she explained her logic, "Dad is s'posed to be in Australia and Daddy Harm is s'posed to be here - that's how it works."

"You're right," she looked her daughter in the eye, "But you and Nat will always have 2 dads, no matter where you are. Your dad will always be your dad and Daddy Harm will always be your Daddy Harm no matter where they are or where you are, okay?"

"Okay."

"Do you know why?"

"Why?"

"Because they both love you and Nat-"

"Very, very much!" she finished with a grin, "Just like you."

"Yup, just like me!" Mac kissed her on her forehead.

"I have another question."

"Shoot."

"Why is Dad here?"

"Because," Mac began carefully, not sure exactly why Mic was there, "Your dad is on vacation in Washington and he wanted to surprise you and your brother with a visit."

"Like when we went to California and surprised Grandma Trish and Grandpa Frank?"

"Exactly."

"Okay," she was satisfied with the responses and gave her mom a hug, "Thank you."

"You're welcome," she smiled as Talia hopped off her lap.

"You coming?"

"Of course," Mac smiled, "But you have to help your old mother up."

"No."

"No?"

"No," she folded her arms and shook her head.

"Why not?"

"Because you're not old," Talia smiled, "Uncle A.J. is old."

"That's right," she laughed as she stood up, "But don't let him hear you say that, okay?"

"Okay," she reached her hand up and slipped it into her mother's, "Let's go."

Thirty minutes into the game of Teenage Mutant Ninja Soldiers, the initial awkwardness between Mic and Mac had dissipated, the joy of the children taking over instead. Nat's joy at the situation was the most evident. Like Talia, Nat saw Harm as his father, but unlike his sister, he remembered his first home in Australia and what life was like when both of his parents lived together. As with any small child he remembered only the good and none of the bad.

"I'll get it," Talia jumped up when the phone rang and Mac followed her into the kitchen leaving the boys on the floor, "Hi this is Talia, may I ask who's calling?"

--"Hi Princess."

"Daddy Harm!"

--"Have you and your brothers been behaving yourselves for Mommy?"

"Yup," she nodded emphatically, even though he could not see her.

--"May I talk to her."

"Yup," she held the phone out to Mac, "Here you go."

"Thanks babe," Mac smiled as Talia ran back into the other room, "Hello."

--"Hello yourself," Harm smiled on his end of the phone, "You sound tired."

"It's been a long day."

--"Have the kids been too crazy?"

"No, they've been fine."

--"What are they doing now?" he asked, hearing laughter from the other room.

"Watching a movie," Mac lied before she even realized she was doing it.

--"Finding Nemo?"

"Yes."

--"Is everything all right?" he asked again.

"Yes – I'm just tired," she brightened her tone, "What's up?"

--"Just wanted to talk – I miss you."

"I miss you too, but aren't you supposed to be on a COD?"

--"I can't get anything past you, can I?"

"No, you can't – what's going on?"

--"Just some bad weather – I'll get in tomorrow morning. Can you live with that?"

"I suppose I'll have to."

--"I love you."

"Love you too."

--"Get some rest."

"I'll try," she smiled, "Good night."

--"Goodnight.."

When Harm was home, he and Mac had a rhythm to putting the children to sleep. Together they put Robbie down in his room, and then Mac went to Nat's room and Harm went to Talia's. After each child got their respective stories, they switched places for the final tuck in. With Mic there, the entire process was thrown off. Yes, the kids got to sleep without any problem, but it was still wrong.

"You need any help?" Mic came into the kitchen where Mac was putting away the dishes she had left drying in the sink.

"I've got it, thanks."

"So Harm's not getting back tonight?"

"No," she took the stack of plates and turned away from him to put them into the cabinet.

"You didn't tell him I was here," he said as a statement, not a question.

"No," her hand froze on the cabinet door.

"Do you make a habit of lying to your husband?"

"No," she closed the cabinet and spun to face him, "Do you make a habit of eavesdropping on private conversations?"

"I was just trying to make conversation," he attempted to deflect the accusation.

"Conversation?" she shook her head in frustration, "Here's a topic idea for you: how about why the hell you think you can just show up on my front porch without any warning?"

"I wanted to see my kids."

"There's a thing called the telephone."

"I should have called – sorry."

"Yeah," she took a calming breath and a non-confrontational tone, "So, why are you in D.C.?"

"This girl I've been seeing – Dina – she had a conference in town, so I came with," he explained, "I figured I could make a surprise visit for Talia's birthday. I should have realized that to surprise them I shouldn't surprise you."

"Maybe," Mac smirked, "Look, it's getting late and I need to get up early tomorrow because Nat and Talia have day camp."

"All right," he began walking to the door.

"I'll call you in the afternoon to set up some time with the kids."

"Sounds good," he paused at the front door, "I'm sorry about tonight."

"It's okay," she smiled back.

"Goodnight Sarah."

"Night Mic."

A/N: Okay, no Harm yet, but I swear he will come home next chapter! Also, a small warning, my mom's coming to visit for a week, so my computer times will be few and far between.