Disclaimers found in Chapter One.
A/N: Once again thanks to all those who have reviewed and to Snugglebug for working tirelessly with me on this and for being a friend I can count on.
I've noticed many reviewers are commenting that Mac is being selfish or is blaming Harm when she is just as much at fault, and other comments to that effect. I'd like to just state that this story is nearly two thirds of the way finished and each little comment and event carefully planned out to lead to the drops, twists and turns that need to taken to reach the ending of this journey. All of these behaviors and issues you are all seeing are necessary and will be addressed by the appropriate characters in due time. There is a method to this madness, just stick with me. You may be shocked, but not disappointed.
At noon the next day Harm had gotten Mac to Dr. Bradley's office. She'd slept most of the night awakening only once for her medication which was barely making a dent in her pain. Lucy slept securely between them, needing to be near her mother and cuddled close by her father. Now, Mac lay on the table, eyes closed while Harm sat next to her and awaited the doctor's entrance.
"Try to relax, sweetie," he said softly. "I know you're scared, but it'll be okay."
"I don't understand," she whispered, her normal tone of voice for now.
"I know," he said as he took her hand. "I'm not sure what he's worried about, either, but we trust him and his judgment, so let's just do our best to think positive."
"Don't let it hurt okay?" she said reminding him so much of Lucy asking things of him that were impossible.
"I'll do everything I can to keep it from hurting," he answered, knowing there was likely very little he'd be able to do aside from trying to keep her attention pointed elsewhere as the doctor worked.
"Good afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Rabb," a doctor they'd never seen before said as he entered the room. "I'm here to start your IV. I'm Dr. Urani."
"Is she getting painkillers through an IV for this?" asked Harm.
"Yes, Sir," the young student replied. "Dr. Bradley said she's a special case. She's getting a local to for the biopsy."
That got Mac's attention, "Biopsy? Why?"
Harm squeezed her hand and spoke reassuringly to her. "He said he just needs to take a little sample of the lining of your uterus to recheck one of the tests from the other day. Nothing to be afraid of, baby."
"What's he looking for? Why..." She fussed eyes opened wide now with fear.
"I'll let Dr. Bradley answer that," Dr. Urani replied. "Just rest easy and let that IV work. He'll be here shortly.
Harm continued to hold Mac's hand, placing soft kisses on her forehead every so often until the doctor and his nurse arrived a short time later.
"How are you doing this morning, Sarah?" Dr. Bradley asked.
"Scared," she replied, her voice weak and tired.
"There's nothing to be scared of," the doctor comforted. "Much pain since the D&C?"
"Lots," she answered.
"And not much energy either, huh?" he asked, concerned at the level of weakness she was experiencing. "Are you eating?"
"A little bit," she said. "Not hungry, though."
"You have to try though, I'm going to have my nurse weigh you before you leave today," Dr. Bradley said. "Can you put your feet in the stirrups for me, Sarah?"
"Yeah," she answered softly, moving her legs slowly up as the doctor had instructed.
Harm and the nurse had to help her with this trick, but finally she was settled. "You'll feel a little pinch while I administer the local. Harm, why don't you go down the hall with Eliza, you need to see how to give Sarah her medication once I give you the new script."
"How to give it to her?" questioned Harm. "Is it not a pill like the last one?"
"She's on the highest pill dosage I can give her," Dr. Bradley replied. "And I don't like to give morphine which is the next step. This is better."
Harm nodded before turning to his wife. "I'll be back as soon as he's done, okay?"
Mac shook her head, "No."
"Sarah, you won't even feel it and this way you can get home to your kids instead of laying her and waiting for Harm. Okay? I promise you, if it starts to hurt I'll have Celia go and get him," Dr. Bradley said gently.
"If you need me, baby" said Harm, "I'll come running, I promise."
Slowly Mac nodded and closed her eyes again, her breathing evening out. "Is she asleep?" Dr. Bradley asked.
"She might be," said Harm. "She hasn't been sleeping very well, plus whatever's in the IV might make her tired, right?"
"It could, that's a fast drip Demerol," Dr. Bradley replied. "How she's been really?"
"About as good as we could expect, given everything," answered Harm. "She's been a bit emotional, but then again I was talking about sending our kids away to be with my Mom."
"Nixed that one, huh?" the doctor smiled.
"Uh, huh," Harm replied. "I knew she would but I thought it could be better for the kids. Anyway, I digress. What are you expecting to find? I mean, what's the need in repeating this test?"
"The sample I sent from the D&C showed some abnormalities. I want to double check to make sure everything is okay," Dr. Bradley told him. "Don't worry, there's still not a reason to."
"If you say so," said Harm. "Though I find it a little hard not to worry when the word 'abnormality' comes up."
"It's probably just a cell cluster," the doctor said. "But I like to be extra careful."
Harm nodded. "Well, there's nothing wrong with being careful. How long will this take?"
"Not long, about half and hour," Dr. Bradley replied. "Go on to see Eliza. I'll take good care of her."
With another nod, Harm followed the second nurse out of the room, saying a silent prayer that his wife would stay asleep and not feel even a hint of pain during the procedure.
Forty-five minutes later, Mac was just starting to wake up from her nap, the test having been completed. She blinked her eyes twice and focused on her hand, and the large one around it. "Harm? Is it over?"
He smiled. "Yeah, it's over. You did just awesome, sweetie."
"My stomach hurts," she told him grimacing.
"Your actual stomach, or your abdomen?" he asked.
"Everything," she replied. "What did he do to me?"
"He didn't do much, baby" soothed Harm. "He just went in and got a little tissue sample, that's all. The whole thing didn't take more than maybe 20 minutes."
"Harm, I'm not kidding and I'm not whining," she told him. "I'm really in pain here."
She spoke those words with amazing strength given how weak and tired she'd been the last day or so.
Harm's expression immediately became one of concern. "Where does it hurt the most?"
"Down lower, but its radiating up and to the side," she explained closing her eyes against the pain. "Oh..." She moaned softly and tried to pull up her knees.
"No, no," he said gently. "Try to stay on your back. Do you feel like you're bleeding?"
"Yeah," she nodded. "Harm, I'm scared. It really hurts."
"Okay, baby," he said. "Can I look and see if you're bleeding, or do you want me to go find a nurse?"
"Go ahead," she whispered. "I'd rather it be you."
"Not too much," he said. "But some."
"Harm, I'm not feeling really well," she said as he rejoined her. "Its getting..." She gritted her teeth and closed her eyes again.
"I'm going to go find someone," he said. "I'll be back in just a second."
Breathing deeply Mac nodded her head and waited for Harm to come back when he did he had Dr. Bradley with him. "What's wrong Sarah?" he asked coming to her side and touching her forehead.
"It hurts," she said, the pain in her body evident in her voice.
"Okay, let me check you," Dr. Bradley said gently. "Can you pick up your legs for me?"
She shook her head, and looked at her husband silently asking him to help her move.
"Can I help her, doc?" he asked.
"Yeah, help her as much as you can," he replied. "I just need to take a look. I'll be gentle I promise."
After a few agonizing minutes the doctor slid back, "Harm, step outside with me please?" he asked. "Celia, can you give Mrs. Rabb .5 Demerol IM."
"I'll be right back," he whispered to his wife, kissing the back of her hand before following the doctor into the hallway.
"I have some more work to do in there," he replied. "The biopsy started her bleeding again and she's swelling rapidly. I'm going to need her another two or three hours. You have anywhere to be?"
"Not really," answered Harm. "My mom's keeping the kids, but she and my step-dad have an engagement with a client of his at 1600, so I may not be able to stay here the whole time."
"Can you make other arrangements for the kids? I may need her until five or six. She needs to recover after I finish," Dr. Bradley said.
Harm rubbed his brow with his hand. "I'll try. Let me make a call and see, but go ahead and do whatever she needs, don't let me hold you up."
"Okay, it's just another D&C," the doctor replied. "Don't rush you can't come in anyway."
"All right," said Harm, reaching for his cell phone. "I'll go figure something out, and I'll be in the waiting room when you're ready for me."
With a nod, the doctor went to attend to Mac.
Harm walked outside and dialed the first person who came to mind, AJ. Unfortunately, the retired Admiral had a conflict and wasn't available. The same was true with the Roberts, both of them. After grinding his brain for a few minutes, he decided he was down to only 2 people: Annie and Mic. He knew better than to willingly bring Annie into this situation; once Mac got to feeling even a little better, she'd shoot him for that. With great reluctance, he dialed information and asked for Mic's number. Five minutes later, he had a babysitter, not to mention a nagging feeling in his gut that this would come back to haunt him somehow.
It was just after six when Harm and Mac returned to the house. They entered the living room, Mac safe in Harm's arms holding a bag of medical supplies that they would need. The strains of Waltzing Matilda came strongly from the kitchen, Mic's strong voice accompanied by Lucy's soft one and DJ's occasional murmurs.
"Mic's here?" Mac asked lifting her head from Harm's shoulder.
"Mm-hmm," replied Harm as he carried Mac to the bedroom. "I was in a pinch, and he was the only one who was available to keep the kids."
"I don't want to go the bedroom. We have a guest," Mac told him. "Put me on the couch."
"You sure, baby?" he asked. "You need to rest."
"I'm in too much pain to rest, Honey," Mac whispered. "Am I'm a bit hungry."
"Well then," said Harm with a little smile. "Let's get you settled on the couch and I'll fix you whatever your little heart desires."
"Some left over sweet potatoes," Mac replied shifting so her feet were on the sofa.
"Coming right up, my love," he said, giving her lips a kiss before heading to the kitchen, where Mic and the kids were still having their little Australian sing-along.
"Daddy!" Lucy exclaimed when she saw him. "Uncle Mic's teaching us a new song!"
"I heard that!" said Harm with a big smile on his face. "Were you a good girl for Uncle Mic?"
"Yes," Lucy nodded.
"She was a gem, Harm," Mic smiled. "So was the little guy, even the dog behaved well," Mic smiled and took a plate of turkey, stuffing, and potatoes out of the microwave. "Hungry mate?"
"Yeah," replied Harm. "But first I need to get Mac some sweet potatoes."
"Oh, I'll get it," Mic replied. "How's she doing? Lucy, why don't you and DJ go say hi to Mommy?"
"She's better," said Harm. "She's not over this by any means, but she's better than she was 2 days ago."
"Why so long then?" he asked dishing up some sweet potatoes as he watched Lucy and DJ scamper off.
"She had to have a second procedure done," explained Harm, a little unsettled at the conversation, but knowing since he asked Mic to keep the kids, he had to tell him a little bit. "There was a little complication with the first one, so the doc had to take care of it."
"But she's okay?" he asked. "I'm so worried about her."
"So am I," said Harm. "She's well enough for the moment, but like I said she's not over this yet."
"Will she be back to work on Monday?" Mic asked, taking out the plate and stirring them to make sure they didn't get watery.
"No," replied Harm. "She won't be back until after she has and recovers from the next surgery, so we're looking at a minimum of another 6 weeks."
Mic nodded, and took the plate out the microwave, "All set for Sarah," he smiled. "Should I..."
"No, thanks," said Harm, reaching out for the plate. "I'll get it, you go ahead and eat, yours is getting cold."
Mic finally left an hour later, after helping clean up the dishes and putting DJ in his bed. Mac meanwhile fell asleep on the couch with Lucy in her arms.
Harm changed into his lounge clothes and poured himself a glass of orange juice before settling into his recliner to unwind. This weekend had taken a toll on him, and he knew this was only the beginning; that the most important operation was still several weeks away, not to mention everything else that was raging amidst his life: work, his family, Annie... Setting the juice glass on the table, he laid back the chair and slowly drifted off, hoping his dreams would be better than his life, at least for now.
Next in Can We Ever Get Back to Before: Mac begins her recovery from surgery by sharing so quality time with her husband. Harm's superhuman pace begins to catch up with him. Mac addresses concerns she has about the shifting balance in their marriage.