Title: What They Say Isn't True
Author: rooster dawn
pairing: Harm and Mac
spoilers: Tangle Webb II and some other episodes of season nine.
Disclaimer: JAG is property of Belisarius productions, no copyright infringement intended.
Summary: Harm and Mac deal with the repercussions of Paraguay and a new woman in Harm's life.
Feed back is always appreciated, it's how we grow.
Author's note: When you can't decide between the Naval Academy Chapel and the Rose Garden, then bring the Rose Garden to the Chapel.
part 25
The band played 'Anchors Away' and the 'Marine Hymn'. Their groomsmen and bridesmaids all stood in front waiting to greet them. Harm and Mac shared hugs, kisses, and handshakes with them all.
Mac still didn't understand why they received a standing ovation. Yes, there were many friends and acquaintances here in the officer's club, but they hadn't done anything that note worthy. They only got married.
Though in her mind there was a time she didn't think this day would ever come. Maybe her friends felt the same way after waiting eight years for them to come to their senses, but they both had their issues to work through before they could be together.
Everyone went to their tables and sat down. There was a clinking of glasses as Tom stood up to get the festivities started.
"I want to welcome all you here today. Today is truly a very special day for Harm and Sarah. Many of us have been waiting for this day for a long time, though I doubt none of us has waited as long as Sarah.
I have known Harm all his life. I was his father's wing man and best man at his wedding to Trish. As much as I thought I knew and understood Harm, I will never understand why he took so long to ask Sarah to marry him.
Maybe if he had asked her sooner she wouldn't have taken out her anger and frustrations on us poor sailors." grinned Tom as everyone laughed.
"She's a marine Tom! That would scare the living daylights out of any normal squid!" yelled a marine general with a smile.
There was a round of laughter at that.
"It takes a very special sailor to handle a marine." someone yelled.
"I think we should give Harm's parents, Frank and Trish, special thanks for their wonderful generosity here today. They are the ones truly responsible for the outstanding decor in the wedding chapel and here in the officer's club.
I have never seen either one looking as nice as they do today in forty years. They are also the ones springing for this shin ding. So let's all stand and give them a round of applauds." ordered AJ.
Everyone stood up and clapped. They all knew Frank had spared no expense. The chapel and the officer's club had been decorated absolutely beautiful. The sight of all the roses combined with their aroma was very special.
They were all happy and honored to be here to share in Harm and Mac's happiness. Most of them had been friends of theirs for many years. They were all very happy for Harm and Mac.
Everyone settled down to polite conversation as they ate their dinner and then their desserts. They all marveled at the variety of choices they had. Everyone was extremely happy and content.
After Harm and Mac had finished their dinner, they decided to move to the dance floor to work off dinner and make room for the cake. Harm had one hand wrapped around Mac's waist and the other holding her hand.
They moved very gracefully to the dance floor as everyone offered their congratulations. The band began to play soft music as Harm took Mac into his arms to hold her very close. Mac rested her head on Harm's shoulder as they moved slowly to the music.
Mattie and Chloe marveled at the way they moved. It was so beautiful and graceful. It was like they were skating on ice.
"I hope I find someone as wonderful as Harm some day." sighed Chloe and Mattie together.
Deanne and Trish smiled in amusement. They both knew the girls were right. Harm was special, but when everything was considered he was very lucky to have Mac. He had let her go twice before getting his act together.
Mac could have very easily married Mic or Webb. They both had told her how much they loved her. They were both willing to give up their careers for her. They would do anything to show Mac that they loved her.
At another table Caitlin, Meg, Valerie, Cassandra, and Jen were busy talking about the wedding and the reception. They were all talking a mile a minute. AJ thought his head was going to fall off. His head was beginning to spin.
"Excuse me ladies, I see an old friend." moaned AJ as he got up from the table.
The ladies waited until he was away from the table before laughing. The Admiral was too old for their group. They were driving him nuts. Mattie and Chloe came over to join them in further discussions.
"That had to be the most beautiful wedding I have ever seen." declared Valerie. "I didn't know there were so many different color roses."
"I've been to a few weddings here at the chapel. It's beautiful and special in it's own right, but today ... Wow! It was truly an amazing experience." added Caitlin. "It's something I'm not going to forget anytime soon.
"You girls were lucky to be here and be a part of this wedding. Weddings like this one don't come along everyday." smiled Meg. "This is an once in a life time event."
"This one was so much better than the one Mic had planned for his and Sarah's wedding." chirped Chloe. "That one was in a grandiose church with only a few people attending. This one was perfect."
"I don't think Sarah could be any happier than she is now. Just look at her, she's glowing. Harm is definitely the right man for her. How long have they known each other?" asked Cassandra.
"They met eight years ago in the White House Rose Garden. Sarah told me Harm stood there looking deep into her eyes for almost three minutes before coming out of his stupor to return her handshake.
She said it felt like he was looking deep inside her searching for her soul. She had hidden it so well after years of pain." replied Chloe.
"I met Sarah a couple of years ago. I could tell that they were in love with each other. I asked her why was she marrying the Aussie when it was obvious that she was in love with Harm. I asked around the office. They all confirmed my assessment." added Caitlin.
"How did they finally get together?" asked Valerie. "I mean if they knew each other for eight years, what changed between them to get them here and get married?"
"I think we all have Mattie to thank for that. A year ago they came back from a mission in South America. They weren't even speaking to each other and Harm was out of the Navy." replied Jen.
"No way! Harm's a lifer, thirty years at least. He would never quit the Navy!" exclaimed Meg.
"For Sarah he would do anything. He somehow knew Sarah was in trouble, that she needed his help, but the Admiral wouldn't let him go after her. He forced Harm to resign his commission." explained Jen.
"I knew there was a reason I didn't like the old bald crab face. I didn't like when I first met him. He had an attitude that sucked the life out of everyone he met." sneered Mattie.
"Ain't that the truth. Morale around the office had been so pitiful with Harm gone. I somehow managed to convince the Admiral to take him back. He told me after he returned that he met a smart-alecky kid that made even me look like Mother Teresa." agreed Jen as everyone laughed.
"I heard from Harm that you drove the Admiral absolutely crazy. He felt like you were psycho-analyzing him." laughed Skates.
"And I'm sure your Radar imitation didn't help." laughed Caitlin.
"All I was trying to do was help him as much as I could. I don't think it was me driving him crazy, it was his fiancee Meredith. She was quite the nut case if you ask me. Thought she could do anything, but in reality she couldn't do anything right." replied Jen defending herself.
"So how was Mattie responsible for getting them together? I wouldn't think they needed any help." asked Cassandra. "One can see they're so much in love."
"Mattie was living by herself and trying to run a small crop dusting business. Harm discovered that she was living alone after her mother died. He wanted to become her guardian.
From what I understand from some people who have known him since they came to JAG, he used to go by the moniker Batman. Sarah was his Robin. They were the dynamic duo. I guess he was looking for a new ward." snickered Jen.
"Anyway Sarah spoke up at the hearing for Harm. Said something about wanting Harm to be the father of her babies." smiled Jen as that got their undivided attention.
"What!" exclaimed Meg.
"That's not true. She said Harm was the kind of man she wanted to have children with." corrected Mattie.
Chloe was soaking this all up. She had heard parts of this story, but not this part, not the whole story anyways.
"Anyway Mattie's father showed up at the hearing. He wanted Mattie. I guess he didn't want someone else raising his kid, but the court ruled against him. He had been out of Mattie's life for ten months.
He wasn't exactly the poster man for parenthood. But the court didn't think Harm was ready to accept a young teenage girl into his life. Also he lives in a one bedroom apartment with no woman in his life.
After the church service last Christmas eve, Sarah convinced Mattie's dad to let Harm take care of her until he completed a rehab program and get his life together. She told him that Harm would take real good care of her until he was able to take care of Mattie himself." smiled Jen.
She knew that Mac was right. Harm had done a great job with her when she had been in trouble. Mac was like a big sister to her, a person she loved dearly. Mac had helped her understand that no problem was too big to overcome.
"Sarah brought me to Harm at the Wall. He took me home to his place. We ate a late night snack before I went to bed. A couple of hours later I woke up to some noise coming from the living room.
It was Harm and Sarah making out on the couch." smiled Mattie.
"Jen told me later that Harm and Sarah hadn't been speaking to each other the last seven months except at work. I couldn't believe I saw a ring on her finger. Figure that." sighed Mattie shaking her head.
"Well Harm is unconventional at best. Leave it to him to be at war with someone one day and best friends the next." grinned Caitlin.
"Yeah, I can understand that, but how could they go from not speaking to asking her to marry him?" asked Cassandra.
"I think it was they finally talked about why he gave up his commission to come after her." replied Mattie.
"What was the reason?" asked Valerie.
"He had gone down to Paraguay to tell Sarah that he hadn't lost interest in her. That he was in love with her. He was going to ask her to marry him last spring. He had hoped to have a Christmas wedding." explained Jen.
"So, has anyone figured how many different colors of roses there are?" asked Skates changing the subject.
"How many colors or how many different shades?" asked Meg.
"I think she meant different colors. It's a good place to start." replied Caitlin.
"Well there's red, white, yellow ... " began Chloe.
"I saw pink, peach, and orange." added Mattie.
"Girls, there are eight different colors. That's why we all have a different color dress on." laughed Valerie shaking her head along with Cassandra.
"The other two are blue and purple." added Cassandra.
"I didn't see too many different shades or sizes of blue and purple roses." continued Cassandra.
"Yeah, but there must have been dozens of different shades and sizes of the other colors." contributed Jen.
"Don't forget the different textures and varieties of roses." added Meg.
"Some of them look like they're made of velvet. Some were very full like a snowball, while others look more standard looking." continued Meg.
The ladies spent the next hour talking about the roses in the chapel and officer's club. Every so often some young officer would come up to one of them and asked them to dance.