One more chapter to the wedding ceremony! :-) Hope everyone's enjoying this - the next two chapters are strictly fluff and as I've said before, it's not really my thing. Thanks to all who took the time to review. It makes my day.

Chapter 7

Friday,

Ethan M's

Washington, DC

1830 Local

Harm and Mac led the wedding party into the banquet room and grinned at the smattering of clapping and friendly catcalls from the guests that had already arrived. Harm glanced down at her and murmured, "Here we go." They moved through the growing crowd, greeting friends and making introductions. The restaurant, Ethan M's, was only a block from the Franklin Hotel where most of the out-of-town guests were staying. Frank and Trish had decided that with the reception being held in the Bacovian Embassy, the rehearsal dinner needed to be more relaxed and informal. Emma had recommended the place. The food was good overall and the pizza was supposedly some of the best in town.

"Tired of all that California sunshine?"

Don Eppes turned around and grinned, "Nah, just wanted to see how the other half lives." He shook hands with Harm and gave Mac a hug.

Mac glanced around, frowning slightly, "No one else came?"

Don rolled his eyes, "They're here somewhere. Some Goth chick recognized Charlie and Amita and dragged them off to meet 'McGee', whoever that is; Colby's hoping to get lucky with a dark-haired woman with an accent; Dad's talking to the Burnetts; and Megan and Larry went off with two little old ladies, Annabel and Sarah, I think." He put his hand on his chest, "I, on the other hand, have been waiting anxiously to tell you that you're marrying the wrong person. I'm the guy you really want." As both JAG officers' eyes widened, he turned to Harm and opened his arms, "Come here, you big lug."

"Oh, I see. I don't hear from you for ages and now I find you playing patty-fingers with some civilian cutie? That's rich," Jack Keeter stood with one hand on his hip, doing his best to look pouty.

Harm's head swiveled between the two men while Mac dissolved into quiet laughter. Finally, he turned to her and smugly raised an eyebrow, "See? I told you I was a catch." Don and Keeter both groaned, shaking their heads. Harm turned back to them, draping an arm across Mac's shoulders, "Sorry guys, the Marines have landed."

"Story of my life," Don sighed philosophically. He turned to Keeter, "Don Eppes."

"Jack Keeter," Keeter shook hands with the agent and then jerked a thumb at Harm, "When were you unlucky enough to meet this guy?"

"A case in California about six months ago. You?" Don glanced over and grinned at the mock-offended look on Harm's face.

Keeter airily waved a hand, "Oh, I've had the misfortune for years now. I still don't know what Mac sees in him." He stepped forward and kissed Mac on the cheek before turning and clapping Don on the shoulder, "Buy me a beer and I'll tell you all sorts of embarrassing Rabb stories."

Don laughed, "That might be worth two." With a nod to Harm and Mac, he and Keeter walked off towards the bar.

Harm scrubbed a hand through his hair as he watched them disappear into the crowd, "Why does that worry me?"

"Because it's Keeter. Face it, Harm, you're toast," Mac grinned as she looked around. She threaded a hand through his elbow, "Come on, I see Alan and your parents."

Harm leaned back, stretching a bit as he glanced around the room. Everyone had eaten and were now clumped in various groups, chatting. He and Mac had made the rounds a couple of times, sitting in on conversations and catching up with the people they'd hadn't seen in a while. They were currently with his parents, Gheorghe and Carol, Gus and Harley Montgomery, Alan and Emma. Chloe and Mattie were sitting with the Dzurick kids. The largest group, surprisingly, contained his grandmother, Annabel Simpson, Charlie and Amita, Larry and Megan, Bud, Tink, Pick, Dr. Mallard, Tim McGee, Abby and Gunny Walters. He couldn't even begin to imagine the discussion that was going on over there. Keeter, Gunny Galindez, Don Eppes, Gibbs, Colby and Ziva were sitting together while Harriet, Jen, Tiner, Maggie, Varese, Sturgis and Robyn rounded out another group.

He touched Mac lightly on the shoulder, "We ought to think about calling it a night. Big day tomorrow."

"That's probably a good idea," Trish commented with a warm smile at the two of them. "It's going to be a long day, too." She watched as Harm gave Mac a hand up and the couple began making the rounds one more time to say good night.

"They're a lovely couple," Alan offered as he watched them stop by Don and the group he was sitting with.

"Yes, they are," Frank agreed amicably. He glanced at Trish and grinned, "And occasionally very dense - it certainly took them long enough to figure it out."

"Well, here's hoping for an uneventful wedding and a very, very long marriage," Emma raised her wineglass and took a sip.

"Hear, hear," the rest of the group raised their glasses as well.

Friday,

Harm's Apartment

North of Union Station

2305 Local

Mac and Harm hugged Mattie and Chloe good night and watched as the girls let themselves into Mattie and Jen's apartment. Jen would be home a bit later. There was a blues bar not far from Ethan M's where Varese liked to stop in when she was in town. Sturgis was going, obviously, along with a sizable group from the reception. Jen was among them. After watching the door close, Mac grinned up at Harm, "You know those two will probably be up all night, right?"

Smiling back as he opened the door to his apartment, Harm nodded, "Well, we warned them. So long as they don't fall asleep during the ceremony, I guess they'll survive." He gave a slight bow and waved a hand, "After you, Future Wife."

Mac batted her eyelashes demurely as she entered the apartment, "Thank you, Soon-to-be Husband." She jumped a little when his hand lightly swatted her six. Spinning around, she eyed him narrowly, a slow grin spreading across her face, "You'll pay for that, Squid."

"I was hoping," Harm grinned in return. He straightened up to his full height and pointed a finger at the bedroom, "To bed, wench."

"Wench?" Mac raised an eyebrow and folded her arms.

"Sweetcheeks? Honeybuns? Snookums?" Harm smiled devilishly as he advanced upon her. "Sugarpie? Pumpkin? Babycakes?" Mac stood her ground, her expression of disbelief warring with amusement at the barrage of silly pet-names. Before she could think of something suitably retaliatory, Harm had swept her up in his arms and was heading for the bedroom.

He deposited her on the bed but as he started to straighten up, Mac grabbed hold of his shirt front and pulled him back down. "Payback, Navy," she murmured with a feral grin and kissed him soundly.

Saturday,

Harm's Apartment

North of Union Station

0730 Local

Harm yawned and stretched, his eyes opening when he encountered the empty space on Mac's side of the bed. Raising his head, he sniffed a bit and smiled at the smell of coffee percolating. Letting his head drop back down again, Harm's smile broadened. Today was the day. He laid there for a few more minutes before sighing and sitting up. Raking his fingers through his hair, he yawned again. Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, Harm stood up and carefully stretched, wincing at the myriad little aches and pains that seemed to accompany turning forty. Slowly, he made his way out of the bedroom and towards the kitchen. His eyebrows rose when he realized that Mac was already dressed in warm-ups, "What time did you get up?"

Mac turned quickly, looking surprised, "Hey, morning. What're you doing up?"

"Smelled the coffee." Harm pointed to the coffeemaker, repeating his question, "When did you get up?"

Mac shrugged, "About 43 minutes ago." She poured herself a cup of coffee and pointed at the other coffeemaker, "You ready for a cup?

"Yes, please," Harm sat down at the counter, propping his head on his hand, "Why so early?"

Mac grinned at him as she placed his mug in front of him, "Because it's our wedding day and I've got a ton of things to do."

Harm raised his eyebrows, "A ton? I thought everything was ready to go."

"Harm," Mac rolled her eyes, "I'm meeting with my bridesmaids, your Mom and Emma for breakfast. After that, we get our hair and makeup done, then I'll confirm the transportation schedule with the livery service, go to the church, make sure it's decorated and that Varese's music is there and then get dressed and I've only got eight hours and seventeen minutes to do it." She leaned over the counter and gave him a quick kiss, "See you at the church. Don't be late." She was out the door before he'd managed to say more than 'uh - '.

Harm stared at the closed door for a few moments before rubbing a hand through his hair and turning back to his coffee. All these months where it seemed as if every spare moment was spent thinking about or working on some aspect of the wedding and he still apparently had no grasp of everything that had to be done. Harm snorted, at some point the military hierarchy was going to finally acknowledge the fact that women seemed to have multi-tasking built into their DNA and put them in charge. They'd get a hell of a lot more done.

Taking a sip of his coffee, Harm stared absently off into space, trying not to worry. He'd managed to keep a fairly close eye on Mac for most of the week. Today would be the longest period since her collapse that he'd be out of touch. On the other hand, it didn't sound like she'd be alone either. He could trust his mother and Emma to keep watch until he got to the church. Harm grinned suddenly. This was it. This was the day he married Sarah MacKenzie. He glanced at kitchen clock. Damn, he still had to wait for another eight hours. What to do? He drained the rest of his coffee. First off, he could go for a run. That would eat up some time and work off some of the nervous energy. After that, maybe he'd give Bud a call. Harriet was going to be with Mac for most of the day and Harm knew that the babysitter wouldn't be there until the early afternoon. Perhaps he could head over there and lend a hand with the kids. Satisfied with his plan, Harm got up and rinsed out his coffee mug before putting it in the sink and heading back to the bedroom to get dressed.

Two hours later, Harm let himself back into the apartment. Pulling off the sweat-drenched t-shirt, he headed for the bathroom and a shower. Dropping the soggy shirt into the clothes hamper, he was about to strip out of his shorts when the phone rang. Picking it up, he frowned thoughtfully at the Caller ID, "Ellie? What's up?"

"Oh Harm, I'm glad I caught you. I've found it!" Ellie's rich contralto came over the line. She rattled on, "I know it's your wedding day and I'm sure Sarah's too busy, but do you think you could spare an hour to see it? I think it's perfect and the price is right, too."

Harm glanced at his watch, he still had a good four hours of leeway, "Okay, I can manage it. Can you give me an hour? I just got back from a run and I need to get cleaned up."

"Sure, not a problem," Ellie replied happily. "I think you're going to love it. It's on the north side of Falls Church. Meet me at my office and I'll drive you up there."

"Sounds good, thanks Ellie," Harm hung up and headed for the shower, smiling a little. If this turned out to be the one, Mac was going to be thrilled. Fifty minutes later, he walked into the realty office and headed for Ellie's desk.

She stood up as he approached, picking up a set of keys, "Okay, the owners are out for the day so we can get a good look around. If you're interested, we can meet with them later." Ellie led the way to her SUV. Once they were on the road, she smiled over at him, "Nervous about today?"

He smiled back, "Nah, we've been waiting a long time. Four o'clock can't come soon enough." Harm shifted the subject, "What can you tell me about the house?"

"Well, it's a two-story farmhouse that was originally built about eighty years ago by the owners' great-grandfather. He was a carpenter and apparently, a very good one. It's lovely and very well-built. Four bedrooms and two and a half baths. The floors are the original heart pine and the current owners have been doing some renovating over the last ten years or so. They've replaced the furnace and water heater and upgraded the bathrooms. It still needs some work but the infrastructure is sound. The pipes and wiring are copper, there's no termites or mold. The original land plat shows it sat on about a hundred and forty acres. That's been sold off over the years as the family moved away from farming. Today, there's a little less than an acre around the house along with the original barn and a smaller outbuilding."

Harm's eyebrows rose, "And it's in our price range? The amount of land alone would probably blow our budget. What's the catch?"

Ellie glanced at him, "Well, the owners are getting older and they can't keep up anymore. Despite that, they're anxious that the right family buys the place. They're willing to deal."

Harm looked at her and scowled a little, "The right family?" He didn't like the sound of that but wasn't sure if he was on the right track.

"Not 'right family' in that sense," Ellie reassured him, raising an eyebrow slightly. She hesitated a moment, "The owners are a brother and sister, the last of their family. They've had a few deals fall through already and they're getting a little desperate. They don't want to sell to developers because the place would get torn down. They - uh, they believe their great-grandparents are still there and have been harassing would-be buyers. Now the sister thinks it's because the right family hasn't shown up yet." She hurried on, "It's crazy, I know, but I didn't think you or Sarah would be fazed by the stories. I mean, you two aren't exactly the average couple - and it is a lovely place."

Harm was silent for a few minutes while Ellie shot him several anxious glances. Finally he looked over at her, "Does the house have a reputation for being haunted?" When Ellie nodded slowly, he nodded back, "And that's also one of the reasons the price is right?" She nodded again. Harm rubbed his chin, "Are they friendly ghosts?" At Ellie's surprised look, he shrugged and smiled, "It never hurts to have extra grandparents around."

Ellie stared at him for a moment before returning her eyes to the road and chuckling, "I'm sure we can find out." Twenty-five minutes later, she turned into a small subdivision. Several blocks down, the road ended at a gravel driveway, overshadowed by two large oak trees. There was a white wooden fence that appeared to surround the property. The fence line had been recently mowed but Harm could tell by the size of cuttings that that wasn't a regular occurrence. It did serve to highlight that the fence itself was in need of repair and painting. Well, Ellie had mentioned that the owners were having difficulties keeping up with the property. This would be a lot of work. He was surprised to find himself relishing the idea.

Harm turned his attention back to the driveway, noting that it, too, needed some work. There weren't any serious potholes but it definitely needed another layer of gravel and a bit of leveling. He glanced over at Ellie, "Do they have a tractor?"

Ellie frowned, "I'm not sure. If they do, I suppose it would be in the barn. We could look." She drove around a gentle curve and smiled, "There it is." She pulled to a stop in front of the house and turned off the SUV. Getting out, she walked around to stand next to Harm, "Beautiful, isn't it?"

Harm nodded wordlessly. Whatever problems these people had with keeping up, it was evident they took pains to keep everything neat and clean. The house had a wide, covered, wrap-around porch that reminded Harm of the Montgomerys' place in Kentucky. He looked at Ellie and grinned, "Shall we?" Ellie nodded and led the way up the steps to the front door. Producing a key, she unlocked it and pushed it open, gesturing for Harm to go in first. Nodding, he walked into the foyer and stood for a moment looking around. The interior had a warm, homey feel to it. There was also something else and Harm rubbed the back of his neck while he thought about it. Finally, he stepped forward, "Good morning. My name is Harmon Rabb, Jr. I'm getting married today and my bride and I are looking for a home. Would it be alright if I looked around?" He waited for a moment and then looked at Ellie who was staring at him. Harm grinned a trifle sheepishly, "I thought it'd be better to ask. I wouldn't want someone just barging in if I was haunting a place."

Ellie shook her head and chuckled, "Sarah's going to have her hands full with you, isn't she?"

Harm laughed out loud, "Ellie, she already does. Let's look at the house."

An hour later, they were back in the SUV and heading back to DC. Ellie was still chuckling. Harm had stopped on the porch at the end and gravely thanked the unseen occupants for allowing the tour. If the 'ghosts' had any say in the matter, the Rabb family would probably be a shoo-in. She glanced over at Harm, "What do you think? Are you interested?"

He nodded seriously, "I am but I'd like Mac and Mattie to see it, too. And, I think I'd like to have the owners there so we can talk to them while Mac looks the place over. What's the school system like?" He didn't think Mattie would have a problem with moving. She'd already had a ton of upheaval in her life. This would be relatively minor. She knew about the house-hunting and had been all for it, even if it meant changing school districts. For the rest of the trip back to DC, he and Ellie discussed the merits and drawbacks of living in Falls Church. Obviously, the big plus was the fact that Mac was working in Falls Church.

Saturday,

Rock of Ages Baptist Church

Washington DC

1430 Local

Bud pulled into a parking space and looked over at his friend and mentor. Grinning, he asked, "Ready for this?"

Harm took a deep breath, "Oh yeah." The two men got out of the van. Harm grabbed his dress mess, slinging the bag over his shoulder, "Come on, I need to find Mac."

Bud shook his head, smiling as he held up a hand, "I don't think so. It's bad luck to see the bride before the ceremony. You'll never make it past Harriet. She's a stickler for that sort of thing."

Harm stared at the younger man, his frustration evident, "But this isn't about the wedding. It's about finding our house. Does that count?"

"'Fraid so," Bud chuckled at the obstinate look on Harm's face, "No exceptions. You'll have to tell the Colonel after the ceremony. Want to tell me about it?" he added sympathetically.

Harm rolled his eyes as he walked towards the church and then reconsidered. He looked over at Bud, "It's an eighty year-old farmhouse in the northern part of Falls Church. It's in fairly good shape and sits on almost an acre of land."

Bud's eyebrows rose, "Good grief, can you afford that?" His eyes widened a little, "I didn't mean to imply - I mean, I'm not - "

"Bud," Harm interrupted, "When I first heard about it, I was thinking the same thing but it's actually in our price range."

"So what's the catch?" Bud frowned. He suddenly looked alarmed, "It's not on some sort of hazardous waste site, is it?"

"Not that I know of, although it probably wouldn't hurt to check that out," Harm mused thoughtfully before continuing. "According to the owners and neighborhood lore, the place is haunted." He grinned at the look on Bud's face, "Honest - the story is its the guy who originally built the place - and his wife. Apparently they've managed to frighten off several prospective buyers. Like Cinderella and the glass slipper, they're looking for the right family to show up and buy the place."

"You're kidding," Bud stared at Harm before grinning widely. "That's so cool… uh, I mean, if you believe in that sort of thing," he added hurriedly. He eyed Harm cautiously, "You don't believe in that sort of thing, do you, sir?"

Harm chuckled. When Bud got flustered, he fell back on old habits. It hadn't happened in a long time. "Well, you know," he drawled, still smiling, "Sometimes it's better to err on the side of caution." He jogged up the steps to the church, leaving Bud gaping after him. Maybe he could get Harriet to pass a note to Mac.

Trish stepped back, lips pursed, before smiling widely, "You are an absolute vision." She looked over at Emma and the others, "Don't you think so?"

Emma smiled, "Stunning. Harm's going to take one look and forget how to breathe." Harm's grandmother, Sarah Rabb, and Annabel Simpson happily nodded in agreement from their spot on a nearby couch. At the reception, Sarah Rabb had been amazed when Annabel introduced herself and confided that they were first cousins, twice removed. The two had been thick as thieves ever since as they compared memories of various generations of family.

Mac couldn't help blushing a little. Carol's seamstresses had done an outstanding job. The satin bodice with beaded lace fit her like a glove. The scoop neck was edged with a delicate silvery filigree as were the ends of the short sleeves. The skirt flared out at her hips with seven layers of tulle cascading to the floor. It had also been painstakingly hand-decorated with beading. The matching veil reached to the floor in the back. Full length satin gloves would complete the look. It was a beautiful dress. It must have cost a pretty penny back when Trish's mother first wore it, Mac couldn't imagine what something like this would have cost now.

"Take a few steps, dear," Trish asked. "That full skirt is almost like wearing hoops. You have to be careful or it will bounce and you'll look like you're on a trampoline." Mac stifled a grin. Trish had sounded almost like Corinna. Remembering the advice and practice she'd received years ago, Mac glided forward, pivoted neatly and swept back to where she'd started.

Trish stared at her a trifle open-mouthed while Emma chuckled, "I'd say you've got the hang of it."

Trish shook her head, "Have you been practicing behind my back? It looks like you've been doing this all your life."

Mac shrugged a little helplessly, not quite sure what to say. She'd caught a knowing grin on both Annabel's and Sarah Rabb's faces and was feeling somewhat disconcerted. How much had Annabel told Harm's grandmother? She turned back towards the full-length mirror, absently smoothing the fabric on the bodice. Glancing up, Mac inhaled sharply and froze. In the reflection, behind Trish and Emma and standing near Annabel and Sarah was a smiling Avis, arm in arm with Avril. Beside them, was Kate Todd who gave her a grin along with a jaunty thumbs-up. They were gone in the next instant. Mac exhaled slowly, giving herself a moment and then smiled softly. It seemed there would be a few extra guests at the ceremony.

"Sarah? Are you all right?" Trish stepped up beside the brunette, speaking quietly. If she hadn't been keeping an eye on Mac, she might have missed the momentary stiffening of posture.

Startled, Mac turned her head slightly and pasted on a smile, "I'm fine."

Trish eyed her skeptically, "This wasn't - " She stopped, not wanting to say anything out loud.

Mac gave a quick little shake of her head, "No, no, nothing like that. There was a odd glare on the mirror and it surprised me, that's all." She gave a small, depreciating grin, "I guess I'm little jumpy."

"Perfectly understandable," Trish smiled warmly. "Come on, let's show Harriet and the girls your dress."

Mac paced slowly back and forth. She was too anxious to sit but didn't want to incur Harriet's wrath by working herself into a sweat. With the ceremony less than thirty minutes away, she found herself wondering just what was going to go wrong. God knew she and Harm were like lightning rods for the unexpected. She directed quick prayer skyward - just this once could there not be some sort of dire catastrophe? Mac gave her head a small shake as she pivoted at the end of the room. There was also the note from Harm that Harriet had given her. She thought about it again, frowning a little. Ellie believed she'd found their house and Harm had already seen it. He'd written that it was almost perfect. What did that mean? A little too big? A little too small? A bad neighborhood? Too far away? Damn - why hadn't he been more specific?

Harriet sat with Chloe, Mattie and Jen. Trish, Emma, Annabel and Grandma Sarah had already left to take their seats in the church. "I've never seen Mac this nervous," Chloe whispered, watching the Marine Colonel continue to pace.

"Bet she sprints to the altar," Mattie giggled just as quietly.

Jen leaned unobtrusively towards Harriet, "What do you think, earthquake or freak hurricane just before the 'I do's'?"

Harriet rolled her eyes, "All things considered - probably a giant ninja squid from outer space and forty rabid hamsters." She directed a glare at the Petty Officer, "Please tell me there's not an office pool on this." Before Jen could answer, there was a knock at the door. Harriet bounded to her feet, pointing a finger at Mac, "Stay. I'll get it."

Mac stood impatiently while Harriet answered the door. So help her, if it was anything less than a Presidential order interrupting this wedding, someone was going to die. Her stomach clenched as she watched Harriet straighten in surprise. Dammit! Eyebrows lowering, she took one determined step forward and then stopped in shock. Harriet had pulled the door all the way open and there stood her Uncle Matt. Dumfounded, she stood frozen as Matthew O'Hara stepped into the room. He grinned at the look on her face and opened his arms, "Sarah."

"Uncle Matt!" Mac flew into his arms and hugged him fiercely. After a few seconds, she leaned back to stare at him, bewildered, "How? When? No one told me… "

Matt smiled at her, "That's because no one knew if this was going to happen or not. I didn't want you disappointed if everything fell through. Admiral Chegwidden got the ball rolling nearly a year ago. From what I understand, General Cresswell, the Director of NCIS, Congresswoman Latham and Clayton Webb stepped up as well. I'm a free man, Sarah. I've been pardoned by the President." He shook his head, chuckling, "It was almost too late. I only got the word yesterday. I've had a hell of a time getting here." Matt raised an eyebrow, "So, may I walk you down the aisle?"

"You'd better!" Mac hugged him again before turning to introduce him to the rest of the wedding party.