Been a while, I know! This story has been forgotten, sadly. I'll try to work it out more. This used to be my muse. LOL!! Anyway, thanks everyone who reviewed Vampire Heart, I'll be replying to you soon! I'm working on a big story again, this one taking place during "The Stalker" episode. Harm and Mac have to hide when they can't find who's after Mac. Basically, any reason to have them alone and relying on eachother, ya know? ;)
So enjoy this one, don't forget to read the earlier chapters to catch up. :)
Jackie.
Chapter 10 – Tropical Trouble pt 2
"Ah, this is the life." I hear a content tone from my husband as he stretches out lazily on our matching lounge chairs. Mmmm. We're definitely going to need to do this more often. I find that I rather like seeing Harm shirtless in only his swim trunks. Not to mention my enjoyment at having to rub his body down with sun block, a messy job, but enjoyable nonetheless.
I lower down my sunglasses to take an unobstructed look and sigh contentedly as he settles in comfortably. There was a time when these moments were practically gone. The ease that we'd shared at the induction of our relationship disappeared through years of confusion and silly mistakes. Thankfully it was remedied and I've never been happier in my life. "Mmmm. . .these little umbrella drinks are good." I state, taking a sip of a virgin pina colada.
Harm grunts as an answer and I can't help but laugh. He can be such a baby sometimes. "Sometimes I think that you like torturing me."
It wasn't torture, I just decided that this morning would be better spent sunbathing. Harm assumed I would rather spend the day in bed. "It was not torture, just a difference of opinion." Not that spending the day in bed was a bad idea, per se, but I was really curious about the map thing which required an outdoor kinda day but my partner seems to be less than enthused. "Besides, I'm sure we'll spend many mornings in bed together."
"Yes, but. . ." I find that pitiful, puppy dog expression that sometimes gets him anything he wants. Sometimes - and this isn't one of those times. ". . .this was the first morning of our honeymoon."
Never mind that we didn't get out of bed since getting here. My back was already starting to hurt. "It is and, according to the concierge it may rain for the rest of the week so this may very well be the last time you see me in a bikini."
Ah, that has him instantly perking up with concern. "Ever?"
"Well, on this trip. . .Cold rain and bathing suits don't mix." I shiver at the thought and finish off my little umbrella drink. "So. . .When are we going treasure hunting?" I was going to let it go, really I was but, it was Harm who brought it up somewhere around four am when we were still awake.
Harm sits up in the lounger. "We really gonna do this? . . .because I was taking a look at the map again and, I think we need to start digging."
Digging? Now we're talking! "Where at?"
"The beach, just outside of the Villa. . .At least, that's what it looks like. . ." To my surprise, he produces the map and kneels next to me. "See. . .Assuming this spot here is the Villa, then we need to start digging out there." He points to a spot on the map and then motions towards our private little beach about fifty feet away from the Villa.
I take a look at the map just to make sure I was searching in the right direction. To my dismay, I find that we're staring at, "Water? We have to dig underwater?"
Harm looks at me and sighs. "Yeah, that's what I figure."
"Well, the main office does rent out SCUBA gear." I point out, trying to smile as sweetly as possible.
As luck would have it, the hotel set us up with two SCUBA sets. We were told that guests didn't usually rent those items without supervision and were nearly forced to take a tour guide along when Harm smiled. I don't think he realizes just what kind of an effect his pearly whites have on the opposite sex. The girl at reception quickly changed her mind and even had a bellboy bring the equipment to the Villa.
"Mac, you have that on backwards." Harm points out as we stand on the beach trying to get our equipment on. I know I have my gear on backwards, the damned tank was jabbing me in the ribs and I don't really think that's proper SCUBA technique. "You need to turn that over. . .Here, let me help." He adjusts the weight belt and turns the tank around, pulling the straps over my shoulder. "You got the map?"
"Yup." I nod and then fish out a large, sealable plastic bag which I used to store the map. "I taped the hell out of all sides so it should be pretty water proof."
He nods in approval and then turns to face the ocean. "This SCUBA thing, there is nothing to it really." And if he starts to explain the parts of the regulator one more time I will kill him. "You got it right?"
Rather than answer, I leave him there and start my duck waddle walk into the water. Honestly, how else are you supposed to walk with flippers on? The weights keep us from floating as we inch our way forward, counting each step that we take. Pristine, clear waters allow us to see the fish bellow, curiously swimming up to us. It's when the water hits my neck that Harm decides to take the plunge.
Entering a new world, we're assaulted by a roar of silence and the occasional sound of our regulators as we breathe. I follow behind Harm who is gracefully swimming as if he were part of God's sea creatures. He heads towards a dark spot on the ocean floor and motions for me to follow.
It can't be this easy, can it? I wonder as he lands above the dark spot and starts to brush sand away with his hand. It's not exactly an 'X' but it's not exactly well hidden either. As the sand gives way I see an old barrel, sliced in half with jagged edges that look too dull to cut anything. Harm moves around the barrel and digs his finger beneath it only to come up with a rope.
Surprised, I swim to his side and watch as he tugs on the rope, finding it tightly strung across the ocean floor and towards the reef nearby. He motions for me to follow as he takes hold of the rope and uses it to pull him towards its source. The line leads us to a huge chunk of coral, big enough to fit a small water craft. He heads inside and I follow only to stop where the rope ends, tied around the other half of the barrel. From within, Harm pulls out a wooden box, secured with a lock that seemed to have come from the late 1800s. He tries to pull it open but all efforts lead to nothing.
Like a football player holding the ball, he tucks it safely between his arm and torso then motions me to follow him back out. I'm giddy, excited and fascinated at what the contents of the box could possibly hold. I'm so caught in the moment that I don't notice when Harm stops abruptly, causing me to bang into him.
He turns to me and I barely register a look of panic on his face before he grabs my hand and pulls me fully out of the reef. Rather than take our roped route back to the initial starting point, he goes a different direction, kicking his fins as hard as possible. I do the same and try to help propel us quicker as my confusion grows by the second. We swim through the reef and vegetation that are enough to critically injure anyone diving off of a vessel. He finally stops and pulls me behind another large chunk of rock.
It's then that I notice his concern as he points towards our previous location only to see a concussion in the water as someone dove in from a boat above. That someone soon turned into four someone's, two of which carried along a rifle of sorts. While I am not a diving expert, it was clear that the weapons were not the typical type of spear guns.
I breath slowly, hoping that the bubbles from the regulators are not detected. I have a sneaking suspicion that we weren't the only ones looking for buried treasure. In our hiding spot we wait watching as the four men emerge. Only there was something different about the fourth one. Perhaps it was the plume of blood seeping from his body and the limp way he was being dragged out of the reef.
Harm turns to look at me, concern still in his eyes as the weight of the matter settles on us.
Jesus Christ, what have we gotten ourselves into now?