A/N: Huge thanks to everyone who's been reading and reviewing. This instalment is where the story goes AU and the experiences of our protagonists start to converge.

December 2002

Thirty-nine year old Harm dragged his fork lazily through the cold pasta on his plate. I'm not the least bit hungry, he finally admitted to himself, rising to toss out the rest of the food. He thought back to the events of the night before – Bud and Harriet's Christmas dinner.

Bud was doing great – getting his life and career back on track after the loss of his leg. Harm couldn't be prouder of his friend. He and Harriet had been through so much. They say the loss of a child changes you forever, and Harm, despite having no children of his own, knew it to be true. The children he'd 'lost' over the years – children of friends, like Bud and Harriet's little one, gone before she even arrived; children he didn't even know, like Annie Lewis – would always stay with him. He couldn't even imagine the pain of losing one's own child.

Turning from those sad thoughts, his mind settled on a much more pleasing subject – Sarah MacKenzie. His friend, partner, confidante... He'd told Mac things no-one else knew, shared moments with her that no-one else could even imagine. They'd been through so much. They'd fought death and evil together, many times, and had always come out on the other side… older and battle-worn, but also wiser and stronger. No matter how much they fought, they were drawn back to each other – they always had been. Mac had enriched his life – no doubt about it. She made him better, and he couldn't imagine a life without her.

She'd looked beautiful last night, her skin glowing, eyes lit from within. Her smile had seemed like it was made just for him – from the moment he'd entered the room, he'd been unable to look away. But then she always looked beautiful. And her truest beauty lay deep within her. He asked himself for the thousandth time why they couldn't seem to find a way to just be together, why they'd never been able to break down the barriers between them, why it always seemed so complicated... and then he gave himself all the usual answers: they were too alike yet too different; they were too competitive; it was too late – they'd wasted all their chances; their careers came first with them and neither one would ever sacrifice career progression for a relationship; the timing was always wrong; they were both too stubborn; too much had happened – too many old hurts...

But when he'd looked into her eyes last night, he'd seen something – an openness, a warmth; and he'd felt that same warmth and openness in himself too, reaching back to her. Maybe it wasn't too late. Perhaps, just perhaps, the time was finally right. Maybe it was time to take a leap of faith. Maybe he hadn't squandered his last chance with her. Suddenly, Harm couldn't wait another minute... not another second. He picked up the phone – if Mac was home, he would go straight to her... and finally lay it all on the line – for better or for worse.