A Nickel Trumps a Dime of Fate
Disclaimer: I don't own JAG or any of the characters. I just take them out and play with them on occasion before replacing them safe and sound back on the shelf.
Part 10
13:05
Sunday
11 February 2007
Mac's House
San Diego, California
Mac stared at her visitor with mouth agape. Benjamin tucked his face into her neck playing shy at the visitor's greeting, "Hey, little man."
When Mac still failed to utter a word, Harm maneuvered her away from the entrance and closed the door. Reaching in to tickle the baby's chubby cheek, he asked, "Mac, aren't you gonna introduce me to my son?" Still no response, "Hey Marine, you better close your mouth before you catch flies."
She blinked, "Harm, what are you doing here?"
He smiled, "You sounded like you could use some help. Besides, I could have sworn you said you missed me?"
Tears glazed her eyes, "But you didn't call…and the place is a mess…and I'm a mess." She tugged on her filthy shirt.
He raised a brow, "Well, I don't know about the house, but the vision of the woman I love carrying our baby on her hip looks pretty inviting to me." He cocked his head, "Any chance I can get a proper hello?"
As the tears spilled down her cheeks, she threw herself into his arms. He pulled the beleaguered pair into a warm embrace and whispered, "It's good to be home, sweetheart. I missed you."
She buried her face in his neck and inhaled his scent. She'd never been happier to see anyone in her life. She pulled back just enough to look at his face, "Thanks for coming."
He kissed her cheek, "Hey, we were supposed to spend the week together. You didn't think I was going to pass up that opportunity did you? If you couldn't come to me then I needed to come to you. I wasn't going to last another minute without you in my arms."
She leaned up for a kiss, "I know the feeling. I love you."
He met her halfway, "I love you, too."
Benjamin broke their tender reunion with a squeal. Mac laughed at his antics, "Harm, I'd like you to meet Benjamin Michael Carter."
Harm reached out and took the baby from her arms, swinging him up in the air. Benjamin squealed in delight as a line of drool dropped straight onto Harm's clean shirt.
Mac retrieved the burp cloth from her shoulder and wiped the spot, "I'd be careful Harm…I'm wearing most of last night's dinner and this morning's breakfast. He picked up a cold, compliments of the hospital. I think that's part of the reason he's been so crabby."
Harm tucked the baby into the crook of his elbow and studied Mac a little closer, "That would mean you're still wearing yesterday's clothes?"
Mac deflated, "I told you I was a mess…he hasn't given me a second to myself."
Harm pulled her to his side with his other arm, "Why don't you go take a long hot shower, while Mr. Carter and I get better acquainted."
She shrugged, "Actually, it's time for his lunch."
He pushed her toward the kitchen, "You show me where his food is and I'll take care of feeding him. By the time you get out of the shower, I'll have lunch prepared for the two of us."
She raised her brow in question, "Are you sure you want to tackle a fussy, ill 7-month old? I think he's due for a diaper change?"
He winked back, "Mac, I've got it under control. Just show me where everything is and go enjoy your shower."
Forty minutes later, she reappeared still fatigued, but feeling wonderfully human and clean once again. She wandered into the kitchen wearing a comfortable pair of sweats. Harm was scrubbing at a stain on his shirt. Looking around, she asked, "Where's the baby?"
He pointed to the portable crib, "He went down for a nap already."
"You got him to eat lunch that fast?"
Harm dumped the remains of the bottle down the sink, "He wasn't all that hungry. He would only eat a few spoonfuls of the applesauce and took about half the formula."
She sidled up to him, squeezing between him and the counter. She smiled and pointed to his shirt, "Looks like he initiated you, too."
He shook his head, "Who knew applesauce could fly that far when a baby sneezes."
She laughed, "You have to learn to duck." She wiggled in closer.
He put his arms around her and grinned, "Did you want something in particular?"
She pulled his head down to hers, "Yeah, my proper hello."
He smiled against her lips, "I guess I gotta give the lady what she wants." Deepening the kiss, he pulled her flush against his body. They both sighed at the contact.
Releasing his lips, she tucked her head under his chin and wrapped her arms around his waist. When he pulled her tighter, she closed her eyes and smiled, "I could stay in this one spot forever."
Harm rubbed his cheek against her damp hair, inhaling the scent of her shampoo. He loved that smell; how Mac could make a simple shampoo smell erotic was beyond him. Of course, she made an oversized t-shirt decorated with baby spit-up look good too. He smiled to himself; he had it bad.
When her stomach protested in hunger, he pulled away with a laugh. She blushed, "Hey, I haven't had a chance to eat all day."
He pushed her toward the dining area table, "Good thing, I made lunch then."
She studied the feast laid out before her, "I had all this in my cupboards?"
He pulled out her chair, "You'd be surprised what I can do with a few odds and ends. A can of chicken breast, a little celery and pineapple, a few bags of cashews from the plane, some mayo and a hint of strawberry yogurt…voila, Rabb's chicken salad. I warmed up the croissants from the pantry and made some fresh raspberry iced tea. Anything else the lady would like?"
She turned back around and hugged him again, "I don't know where I found you?"
He kissed her cheek and whispered, "In a rose garden, Miss MacKenzie…and like it or not, you're stuck with me. There's no turning back." He turned her around to the chair, "Now sit down and eat, then you're gonna take a nap."
As she enjoyed her first peaceful meal in a week, she studied him a bit closer, "Harm, you look exhausted yourself. How did you manage to get here?"
He tried to stifle a yawn, "After I talked to you on the phone, I made a reservation for the 20:30 flight out of London and ran back home to pack. I made it back to Heathrow at 18:00, and arrived San Diego just before noon."
Her eyes grew, "Did you get any sleep on the plane?"
He shrugged, "A little, they didn't have any seats in first class, and coach is a little snug for a guy my size to catch much sleep on 23 hours worth of flights and layovers."
She stood up to collect the dishes, "I have an idea…why don't you go take a hot shower to loosen up your back and then we'll both take a nap. Hopefully, Benjamin will give us a few hours of peace."
He picked up the glasses, "I should help you with these, first."
She shooed him away, "Go on, the quicker you get cleaned-up, the quicker we can both get some rest."
He reappeared 20 minutes later in sweat pants and a soft white t-shirt with the words, 'Property of the U.S. Marine Corp.' blazoned across the front. She laughed, "I like the shirt."
He grinned back, "Mattie sent it to me after Christmas."
She tugged on his hand, heading back toward the bedroom, "Well, it's not quite accurate…you better be the property of just one marine, not the entire corp."
He pulled her down to his side on the bed. Rubbing a hand over his eyes, he groaned, "Man, I'm tired."
She wiggled closer, placing her head on his shoulder and throwing an arm across his chest. Her leg slid between his, as she released a contented sigh, "I haven't felt this comfortable since Christmas Eve. Harm, we need to figure out the logistics of our life. I don't like being separated from you."
He slipped his fingers under her shirt until he found skin and mumbled, "I have some ideas, but let's," he released a yawn, "…talk about them later." They were both sound asleep before he finished the thought.
Over the next couple of days, they stuck close to the house just enjoying being a family. Trish and Frank ventured over, with dinner on Tuesday evening, to meet the newest addition. Trish could hardly contain her excitement; she finally had a grandbaby to spoil.
Harm and Mac breathed a sigh of relief, Benjamin was finally returning to his cheerier self. The initial phase of his cold passing, they only had to contend with a drippy nose and an occasional cough. The trio settled down to bed by 21:00 on Tuesday evening with hopes for a full night's sleep.
Mac blinked awake in the still dark hours of Wednesday morning. She swiped her hand across the bed and came up empty. Sitting upright, she consulted her internal clock and came up with an early 05:00. Peering around in the dark, she failed to detect any movement or noise from the general vicinity of the crib. Donning her slippers, she shivered in the chilly morning air and crept quietly toward the living room. The view from the bedroom door stopped her in her tracks.
From across the room, the lamp on her desk provided a faint glow of illumination. Early morning shadows danced across the wall in the rosy light. The house was quiet save for a soft rhythmic musical sound. And in the middle of the floor rested an image that she thought could only occur in her most private dreams.
Harm lay flat on the rug with Benjamin sprawled prone against his chest, both of her guys quietly snoring away. She closed her eyes and committed the picture to memory in that special place in her heart reserved for those wishes she thought would never come true.
She couldn't suppress the smile of happiness that tugged at the corners of her mouth. Creeping on tiptoes, she crossed to the picturesque pair and quietly dropped to the floor at their side. She extended a hand hovering just above the baby's soft head. Just as she warred with herself whether to risk waking him, Harm batted open his eyes. She grinned at being caught, so much for marine reconnaissance training. Although what did she expect, trying to sneak past the eyes and ears of a fighter jock…a fighter jock, who also happened to be the parent of a teenager. Maybe parenthood really did endow you with magical powers, like eyes in the back of your head and supersonic hearing. She clamped a hand over her mouth trying to stifle the giggle that fought to erupt. She wanted to throw her arms around her chest and hold in all the happiness that she felt at that moment. Somehow inexplicably, a MacKenzie was being granted their dream.
Harm watched the emotions flutter across her face and couldn't help being drawn into her joy. He extended a finger and caressed her cheek, "Hey, what's that smile all about?"
She reached out to run her fingers through his hair, "Just realizing that all those dreams that I'd given up on are finally coming true." She leaned in to kiss him before settling in at his side, her head finding that perfect place on his shoulder that seemed to be made only for her.
He placed his hand around her side and hugged her close, "That makes two of us." He sighed heavily, "It might have taken us ten and a half years, but I think we've finally gotten it right, Marine."
She ran the back of her finger over the Benjamin's rosy cheek, "He's so perfect." Resting her hand on the baby's small back, she scrunched her brow, "What are the two of you doing out here, anyways."
"He woke up around 2 a.m. and wouldn't go back to sleep. I didn't want him to wake you, so we came out here." Harm ran a hand over his face and yawned widely, "We walked the floor for a couple of hours. I think he might be running a fever, and he's been tugging on his ears."
She felt the baby's head, before placing her lips against his forehead, "He is warm…did you give him any Tylenol?"
"Yeah, about an hour ago. I think that's why he finally conked out again. He's only been asleep for the last 30 minutes or so."
Stroking the baby's back, she whispered, "You should have woke me up…you didn't need to be up by yourself all night. I could have taken him for a while, so you could sleep."
He patted the baby's bottom, as he whimpered in his sleep, "You need your sleep, too." He continued on in silent recrimination, I'll be leaving in a few days and you'll have to deal with this all alone. His heart already ached at the thought of leaving his small family behind. Reaching up to her neck, he tugged on the chain, freeing the ring from her pajamas. "Any idea on when you'll move this to a more visible location?"
She fingered the ring, "In all the commotion, I kind of forgot about it." At his crestfallen expression, she continued, "Not the idea of getting married…just about moving the ring. It's kind of comforting having it close to my heart."
At that moment, Benjamin lifted his head and looked around the room with a frown. Mac stroked his head, "Hey baby, how are you feeling? You want to come see me?"
Benjamin laid head back down and jabbered, "Dada."
Mac's eye widened as she looked at Harm. He shook his head, "Don't look at me, I didn't put him up to that." He sighed, "Although I wouldn't put it past my mother…besides, isn't that one of the first words babies usually say?"
She stared at him unsure and extended her arms again. "Hey Benjamin, you want to come see Mac?"
The baby wiggled further into Harm's grasp, "Dada."
Harm beamed, "OK, so maybe he did mean it."
Mac leaned toward the baby and tickled his side, "You rascal, don't tell me the two of you are going to start ganging-up on me."
Benjamin lifted his head and reached out to grab the ring dangling from her neck. Giving it a good hank, he pulled Mac closer to his face.
She tried to pry the baby's fingers off the ring, "No, no baby…you're gonna break the chain. Harm, could you help me here. I can't really see to pull his hand away."
Harm lifted her hair away but still couldn't see past her head, "Mac, I can't see either. You need to move a little out of the way."
"I can't move; he's got the chain pulled taut."
Benjamin giggled at the harried adults and tugged harder. "Mama," he grinned and dropped the ring.
Mac sat back up in shock, "Harm, did he just say?"
Harm nodded to the affirmative, huge flyboy smile in place, "Mac, I think we've been claimed." Benjamin reached for the ring again as Mac moved away. "Marine, I think he's trying to tell us something. That ring doesn't belong around your neck anymore." He pulled Benjamin closer, "We think you should move it to your finger, where it really belongs…isn't that right, little man?"
She reached behind her neck to undo the clasp. Pulling the ring off the chain, she slid it onto her left hand, "Who am I to argue…2 out of 3…majority rules."
Harm kissed the ring on her finger and then pulled her down to place a kiss on her lips. Benjamin squealed in delight, then laid his head back down on Harm's chest and closed his eyes. His thumb went into his mouth as he drifted off to sleep, task complete. Harm and Mac both swore they could see the words, 'Sometimes kids just have to take control,' written all over his face.
"So," her brow raised in question, "How exactly are we going to make this family thing work? We're five thousand miles apart."
He squeezed her hand, "I told you; I already have a plan."
"Oh yeah…what plan?"
Benjamin squirmed in his sleep. Harm lowered his voice, "Maybe we should put him down in the other room, so he can sleep and we can talk."
She nodded and leaned forward, "Here, let me take him." He placed a kiss on the baby's head before releasing his hold. She lifted Benjamin off Harm's chest and carried him into the bedroom.
Reappearing a few minutes later, Harm handed her a mug of coffee, "Here, I thought we could both use the caffeine."
Taking a sip, she closed her eyes and allowed the hot liquid to swish around her mouth, before swallowing with a satisfied groan. She followed him to the couch, settling in at his side. "So, what's this plan of yours?"
He took another sip of coffee, steeling himself for the fireworks ahead, "I um…I retired my…um, commission." He grimaced waiting for the response.
She didn't disappoint, "You what? Harm, we're supposed to make decisions like that together. You didn't even discuss it with me."
"I know…I just…I had other reasons."
"What other reasons," her voice raised in decibel level. He pressed a finger to his lips, to shush the volume, and pointed toward the bedroom. She shrunk back into the sofa, "Harm, you resigned last time…this time it was my turn. You didn't have to give up the Navy again."
He set his mug aside and took her hand, "In the first place, sweetheart…I don't intend to keep score in this marriage. There is no my turn, your turn…we do what's best for our family as a whole. In the second place, I don't feel like I'm giving up anything that I really want."
"But Harm…"
He stroked her hand, "Let me explain my reasoning, before we get pulled too far off track. First of all, my primary reason for resigning is so I can be with you and the baby. Sweetheart, we've put our wants and wishes on hold for over 10 years, I don't wanna wait anymore. As for me sacrificing my career, you can't sacrifice what you don't want in the first place. I hate the job that I have now. I loved the courtroom, the investigations, everything we used to do back at JAG. This promotion has been nothing but a headache. I spend my day trying to keep cocky young guys, like I used to be, in line; while playing politics with the SecNav, international dignitaries or various Flag officers who don't really care what the law says, if it interferes with their agenda. I've already made my 20, and by the first of July, I'll have two years in the rank of Captain. I can retire as an 0-6 with my pension intact."
She couldn't meet his eyes, "But what about flying, you'd be willing to just give it up?"
He cupped her cheek with his hand and pulled her face up to his, "I already did, Mac. The SecNav took my wings away over a year ago. He didn't think the Navy needed to be responsible for keeping a lawyer and the future JAG qualified to fly. He was right…it was a waste of the Navy's dime. I was never gonna fly with a squadron again. And given the future of our relationship, I wouldn't want to."
"So when did you decide all this?"
He shrugged, "About 24 hours after I got back to London and had to face the prospects of being alone. I turned in the paperwork the next day. Mac, I was thinking about getting out, long before we got together at Christmas. I'm just not enjoying having my own command. And after dealing with the SecNav for the last two years, I know I didn't want the position of the JAG." When she remained quiet, he became worried, "Sweetheart, aren't you gonna say something?"
Her voice trembled, "But what if I wanted to give it up for you?"
"But you don't have to, you have a promising career in the Marines. You were promoted to full colonel last year…Mac, you have a great chance at becoming the JAG in your own right. Why would you want to give all that up?"
She shrugged, "For all the same reasons you just said. I hate my job…I miss the courtroom, the investigations…working with you."
"But you only have 2 more years to get your 20. Why would you want to retire now?"
She stood and turned away, "You're right…I need to stop whining and suck it up…be the strong marine that I'm trained to be."
He reached for her hand and tugged on her arm, pulling her into his lap, "Wait a minute…we're not gonna do this again. Hiding behind what we think the other wants has never served us well in the past. We wasted ten and a half years trying to be strong, ducking our own wishes and desires, afraid to lose control, afraid to appear weak. You can be the strong marine colonel for the rest of the world; but with me, I want you to be as weak or as strong as you need to be." He pulled her around to face him, "Now, I want you to tell me what Sarah MacKenzie, the woman I love, wants to do with her life…not what, Mac the Marine colonel, thinks I want to hear."
"But it's crazy to throw away my pension…."
"Mac, that's not what I asked. Forget the pension for a minute, what do you want?"
"I wanna get out. I know I should tough it out another two years, but I don't want to run the risk of getting transferred away from you. I don't want to spend days and weeks on end flying across the country for meetings and conferences. I don't want to be away from you or the baby…and I want to work on that 4 miracle."
He stroked her face, "Then that's what you should do."
She chewed on her lip, "But what about the money?"
He released a indulgent laugh, "Sweetheart, last I looked, we were both attorneys…I think we can find a way to make a living. Besides, we'll have my pension…and," he rubbed a hand over his face, "…we're not exactly broke, I have a fairly sizeable trust fund that I've never touched."
She looked up shocked, "Wha…what are you talking about?"
"I always swore, I'd never touch the money, but Mattie's taught me a thing or two in the last few years."
She shook her head, "I still don't understand?"
He played with the diamond ring on her finger. That symbol alone was enough to force him to work out the roadblocks to their future. "When my dad was shot down, I qualified for survivor benefits. At the time, my mom and I lived with my maternal grandparents. They were well off, so my mom didn't need the money to take care of me. My grandfather started a trust fund with the monthly payments. I guess he thought Mom could save it for my education. When my grandparents died, I received an inheritance that likewise went into the trust fund. When Mom married Frank, they continued to add to the fund and Frank's financial advisor took over investment control of the money. He was really quite astute at knowing when to stay put and when to get out…to make a long story short, the fund has grown quite substantially. I had decided that I didn't want the money for several reasons. First, as you know, I didn't believe that my father was dead…if I took the money from the government; it was like acknowledging that his death was real. I just couldn't make myself accept that fact. Even after we proved it was true…I still didn't want that money." He ran a hand over his face again, "I think you can guess why I didn't want the money from Frank."
She pulled his hand away from his face, "Because that would mean admitting that your dad was gone…and that it was OK for your mom to move on." She ran her fingers through the hair at his temple; he closed his eyes, savoring the touch. "But Harm, they only did all of that to ensure your education…your future, because they loved you."
He opened his eyes, "I know that now, but it took Mattie to make me really understand."
She frowned, "How so?"
"Well, she forced me to see that a parent…any parent, natural or otherwise, only wants what's best for their child. When Mattie first came to live with me, I thought I might need those funds for her education…then she went back to live with her father and I didn't pursue the matter any further. When she was injured, I was forced to deal with the medical bills not covered by my insurance. I refused to allow anyone to put limits on her care or recovery options, just because insurance said they wouldn't pay. As such, I depleted my savings to a large extent. When she improved and we started talking about college again; I knew I didn't have the money to pay for her full tuition at the university much less graduate school. At that point, I looked into the principal balance of the trust fund."
She nodded, "So you've got the money to pay for Mattie's education? We won't have to worry about our income covering that expense?"
He chuckled, "Ah, yes…and no. The money to pay for Mattie's education is there…we just don't have to worry about covering it."
"What?"
"Well," he sighed, "…turns out, Frank set up an account for Mattie's education as well. Between those funds and her father's input, she doesn't need my help from a financial standpoint."
"Tom is helping with Mattie's school bill?" she questioned.
"Yeah, surprised me too. He insisted, as her father, that he help out with expenses. He's covering her room, board and spending money…and Mom and Frank are covering her tuition. That's kinda what got me thinking. I mean…I expected Mattie to accept my help without question, even though I'm not her real father. I wanted to help because I loved her." He shrugged, "So, if I expect Mattie to accept my help given out of love…how can I deny that same right…those same emotions to Frank. He's always been there for me. Even when I made his life miserable and refused to accept him, he never gave up on loving me."
She stroked the back of her hand over his cheek, "No he didn't. It's funny, when he looks at you or talks about 'his' son…you can see the pride he has in all your accomplishments. No one would ever think that you weren't his real…no, 'natural'…son. It's obvious to anyone who watches the two of you together, that Frank views you as his real son."
He took her hand, "And now, I get to experience that with Benjamin. I may not be his genetic father, but I intended to be his Dad in everyway that counts. And just like Frank always did with me, I want to make sure that Benjamin never forgets his first father. When we get to officially adopt him, what do you think about changing his name to Benjamin Carter Rabb? By keeping the name Carter, he'll always have a link to the parents that gave him life and loved him first?"
She leaned forward and kissed him, "I think that's a wonderful idea, and I know Dan and Bernice would have loved the sentiment." She settled back against his chest and laid her head on his shoulder. "Now, back to our career and financial choices…what are we gonna do?"
"Mac, I told you we have my pension plus my trust fund."
She shrugged, "Your pension is a start for day-to-day expenses, and the trust fund can help assist with our other kids' educational expenses."
"Mac," he sighed indulgently, "…the trust fund, well let's just say we're set for life. Of course, that's not to say I don't want to have a career…I want our kids to grow-up thinking, you have to earn your own way in life. But the money will certainly come in handy for say…buying a home…setting up a law practice…etc., etc."
She sat back up, "I have a little something put away, as well. I'm sure it's nowhere near the sum you have, but it's no small potatoes either."
"Really? I didn't think your family…."
"A small portion came from my grandmother and from Uncle Matt. Most of it, I saved and invested over time. Harm, when you grow-up living hand-to-mouth," she shook her head, "…half the time, my father would drink away his paycheck before it could make it home for groceries and bills. Once I got away from all that, I wanted to make sure I never had to live that way again. Between military benefits and working, I covered my way through school. Once I started to earn a decent living, I began investing a percentage of my income every month. I never really had any expensive hobbies…I pay cash for most everything…and I don't really travel outside of work. My expenses have been kept to a minimum. Plus, I have this buddy from law school who's a whiz with investments…my little nest egg has done very well."
He pulled her back into his arms, "So, we don't have to worry about losing your pension...we're well taken care of. If you want to resign then I say go for it. In six months, we can both start our lives as civilians." He grinned, "Besides, I have a plan for that too."
She was intrigued, "Oh yeah…do tell?"
"Well, it turns out I have a buddy of my own from law school. I caught up with Howie when I was home last fall. He's been working for this big firm that specializes in family law. Problem is…the firm is more about the adult side of family law than protecting the little ones. He wants to start his own practice involving child advocacy cases. He says there's a huge void, here in San Diego, of attorneys willing to get involved in that area of the law. He and I want to open our own legal practice, specializing in children's rights." At her smile of approval, he continued, "So, what do you think, Marine? Want to go into practice with a couple of guys looking out for the munchkins of society?"
She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly. As they pulled away, he grinned, "I'll take that as a yes?"
Her eyes twinkled, "I can't think of anything I'd enjoy more, except for marrying you."
He pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, "So, how about later today, when we take Ben to the pediatrician…we stop by your office and submit your letter of resignation. That way you can be out by middle to end of August. My last day should be the beginning of July; but if I save up for terminal leave, I can be out in June. I figure if I don't take leave; I can be home to the both of you all that much sooner."
Her expression fell, "But I don't wanna wait another 4 months to see you again."
"You won't have to. If you use some of your leave time to come to London for long weekends, we can still see each other. Plus, I figure you'll need a week off for our honeymoon the end of June."
She frowned, "Who said we're getting married in June?"
"I just figured you would want to get married as soon as possible. I mean…we don't have to, if you don't want to," came his tentative reply.
She grinned, "Oh, I want to. I'd marry you today if we could, but it takes time to plan a big wedding…and I'm sure your mother wants…"
He shook his head, "It doesn't matter what Mom wants. It only matters what you want. We can wait and have the big church wedding, but I didn't think you wanted anything that extravagant. I thought I remembered something about a hillside and goats," he teased.
She rested her forehead against his, "I'm all for the private hillside affair, but what about your family?"
He brushed his cheek against hers and whispered, "Already taken care of…I told Mom last December that we wanted a small ceremony. What do you think about a hillside overlooking the ocean?"
She closed her eyes, "Sounds like heaven to me."
He ran his hands up her back, "Good, because I already have a backyard all picked out. I have it on good authority that the owner would love to see her son and future daughter-in-law married there." He pulled her in for a gentle kiss, "I love you, Sarah MacKenzie."
"I love you, too. Happy Valentine's Day, Sailor," was whispered as she deepened the kiss.
To Be Continued…
AN: I know some of you might question Mac leaving the military before her 20 years, but this time I decided Harm and Mac had waited long enough…this time, family comes first. Private practice here they come…I think the small and disadvantaged of society will benefit nicely from the 'never quit' spirit of our dynamic duo.