He laid there, listening to the sound of her breathing, the familiar sounds of the old house, listening to the sounds of the night. There was shuffling from outside in the hall, obviously others having not yet found the solace of sleep. The moon shone through the open window, its silver glow lighting the room. He shifted, not enough to wake Mac, but just enough to free himself from her embrace. She sighed softly, turning towards the open window. Quietly he slid out of bed and grabbed a pair of sweatpants before shutting the door behind him.
There was a light on downstairs, surely from the only other person in the house that was awake. He followed the light, only to find the house empty, but the front door left slightly ajar. His grandmother sat on the swing, wrapped tightly in a blanket a mug of steaming tea in hand. She looked up at the sound of his footsteps.
"Don't just stand there Harmon, grab a blanket and sit down. You're going to freeze to death being out here with no shirt on." Sarah chastised. "Join the line of company I've already had."
"Already had?" He questioned, wrapping himself in a thick afghan.
Sarah chuckled softly. "First it was sweet Alex, asking my advice on how to handle a little boy. Then it was her darling husband...and then that china doll of a boy, young Mister Christopher. I was wondering when you or Sarah were coming down."
Harm raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.
"So, what's your problem?"
"What makes you think I have a problem?"
She gave him a sideways glance. "Trust me boy, I know you have a problem. And I know it's not upstairs in your room...it's up here."
He sighed. "I love her, you know?"
"Harm...a blind man can see that you love her. So, what's your problem?"
"Her. Me. Us." He shrugged. "Everything. Grams, we're complicated. She was ready...I wasn't. Then I was ready and she wasn't. Then she was engaged...then I was involved."
"And now?"
"Honestly? I'm scared."
"Harmon Rabb Jr. I can't believe you're SCARED and you're running away!" Sarah said with incredulity. She gave him a sharp slap on his shoulder. "I thought you were a fearless Tomcat pilot."
He shrugged. "What if she says no?"
"She won't."
"How do you know?" Harm asked quietly.
To Sarah he looked like the Harmon Rabb of younger years. He wasn't the self confident, often brash naval aviator she knew. He was the ten year old boy asking forgiveness after breaking a window. He was the 14 year old boy asking a girl out to the school dance. He was the 16 year old boy, his head hanging returning from his ill advised trip to Laos. Now here he was, pushing 40 looking for acceptance and reassurance. "You can't fake the look she has. It's love."
"You think?"
"I know." Sarah leaned over and gave her grandson a kiss on the cheek. "What about you?"
"Grams, I've known since we first met. At first I thought it was just because she looked like Diane...but it's not that. It's more. I learned quickly that expect for looks, she's nothing like Diane. She's feisty, she's strong, she's smart..."
"You have your mind made up then Harmon." Sarah gave him a soft smile and went into the house.
--
The other side of the bed was empty. Cold and empty. Mac sighed and pulled herself out of the bed and slipped into an oversized pair of flannel pants and a long sleeved shirt. The lights were on downstairs, she followed the light to the front porch.
"Hey."
Harm looked up and moved over on the swing. "Hey yourself."
"What are you doing out here?" She whispered cuddling into the blanket he offered.
"Just talking with Grams. She just went in now."
"What were you talking about?"
"Nothing that you need to concern yourself with." He said softly, placing a kiss on her nose. "Would you like to go in? You're freezing?"
"Nah...I like it out here..."
"Cup of tea?"
With shining eyes she glanced up at him. "Sure. That would be great." She pulled the blanket tighter around herself.
He rushed inside, and set the kettle on the stove element. Instead of waiting for the water to boil, he padded upstairs, grabbed a hooded sweater and dug the small box out of the pocket of his jeans. Quickly he made his way downstairs and set a couple of teabags in the pot. He poured the hot water into the pot and leaned against the counter. He could feel the ring box in the front pocket of his hooded sweatshirt. The tea water darkened, and he poured it into two cups. He carried them outside and passed one to Mac.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome." He sat back on the swing taking a sip of the hot liquid.
"Gorgeous night."
He nodded. "Mac...I have a question to ask."
She glanced up at him, a small smile on her face. "When have you ever had to ask my permission."
Taking a deep breath he rested his cup of the edge of the railing and got down on one knee. "Mac...Sarah...I've been waiting for the perfect moment to do this...but I realised that if I kept waiting we'd both be dead. So here it goes." Fishing the ring box out of the front of his sweater he held it out in front of him. "Mac, I can't imagine living without you. I can't close my eyes without seeing you. I can't see my life without you in it. You're the reason I live, you're the reason I breathe. You're my reason for being who I am. You've helped shape me, I'd be nothing without you. Without us. What I'm trying to ask is...Sarah Mackenzie...will you marry me?"
The silence hung heavy over them.
"Mac?" He asked, a nervous laughter slipping from his lips.
"Of course I will Harm." She whispered, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes.
"So that's a yes?"
"A million times yes."
He slipped the cool metal band, adorned with diamonds onto her finger. "I'm just sorry it took so long."
She didn't reply, wrapping her arms around his neck placing a soul searing kiss on his lips...
--
Alex twisted her still damp hair in a tight bun, pinning a few stray curls off her face and leapt out of the washroom. Cody groaned as he felt the mattress shift under her weight.
"Alex, its only 8am..."
"It is." She grinned and leaned on his chest. "I've already gone for a run...showered...gotten dressed. You're still not out of bed."
Trying to move her off, he rolled his eyes. "Neither is your son...or your brother...or Chloe...or Harm and Mac for that matter. YOU'RE the only one insane enough to be up."
She frowned and straddled her husband's hips. "I don't care. Entertain me."
"No. Sleepy time." Cody attempted to wriggle further underneath the covers. "Go bother someone else."
Alex stared at him until he opened his eyes.
"You're really creepy when you do that." He sighed in defeat. "Okay, okay, I'm up." He pushed his wife off of him and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. "And annoying."
"Go shower." Alex said with a smile. "It's a gorgeous morning, I've moved your darling son downstairs with his Uncle, and we have a whole entire farm to check out."
"Our son is downstairs, out of the way..." Cody repeated, running his hands through his now dishevelled curls. "And all you can think about is checking out a farm?" He wrapped his strong arms around pulled her down onto the bed. "I can think of a lot of other things to check out."
--
Chloe padded downstairs, a thick blanket in her arms. She sat down on the couch and draped the blanket over herself and Brendon.
"Morning."
He smiled and pressed a finger to her lips. "Dante is back asleep." He explained in a whisper. "My sister dropped him off."
"He's cute." Chloe smiled shyly as he draped am arm around her shoulder. "If Harm or Mac come down..."
"We'll have plenty of warning. They have to make it down two flights of stairs. And they creak." He grinned. "And I have super stealth hearing."
"Right." She played with the edge of the blanket. "You know, you're pretty humble for a..."
"Hockey player?"
She pulled a magazine from behind the couch. "For being the next big star."
He blushed a deep shade of red. "Oh god. You saw that?"
"I googled your name." She admitted with a shy smile. "Wasn't too hard, you're on all of the prospects websites."
Lowering his eyes, he looked up shyly. "Yeah. Most girls at my school just know me as "the hockey player" or "the next one" since that's all they hear. You know, marry a rich hockey player...live the good life. You're the first girl...who hasn't made every conversation about hockey...how much money I'm going to make."
Chloe shrugged. "It's not important to me." She stared at the slightly older teen, his blue eyes hiding behind a fringe of blonde bangs.
"Impoooooooootant!"
Brendon looked over at Dante who was sitting up, a finger in his nose.
"Way to impress the ladies little man." He grimaced and pulled the boy's hand way from his face.
"BOOGIE!"
Rolling his eyes, Brendon picked the boy up. "You're so gross. Let's go see your mommy and daddy." He turned to Chloe. "Sorry about him."
"I think he's cute." Chloe stood up next to Brendon, his height dwarfing her. "I think I'm going to head up and shower..."
"I'll take this gross little guy upstairs." He gave her a sweet smile and bounded up the stairs, almost running into Sarah. "Sorry Grams, I didn't see you there."
"It's okay Brendon. Just making breakfast for the crew." She said, ruffling the toddler's hair. "What's this little guy doing downstairs?"
"Being gross." Brendon wrinkled his nose. "Alex dropped him off saying she wanted a couple hours of Dante free time. And now he's all drooly and has been shoving his fingers up his nose."
Dante grinned and pointed two fingers at Sarah. "Boogies!" He exclaimed.
Sarah laughed. "Boys will be boys. I'm sure your parents would tell you that you were a gross little boy too."
"Actually...HE should have been the girl." Alex said, standing in the doorway. "He didn't like to get dirty at all...in fact he hated it. My other brother was the kid that ate dirt."
Brendon thankfully passed the toddler to Alex and frowned at the number of plates set on the kitchen table. "Uh...Mrs. Rabb...there are only eight of us here...why are there 10 plates?"
"Because dear...we have company." Sarah said with a smile.
"Oh." Brendon crossed his arms across his bare chest and shifted uncomfortably under the gaze of his sister and the older woman. "Well...I think...I'm gonna go shower now."
Alex smiled. "Good idea." She shifted Dante to her other hip. "Do you need any help making breakfast?"
"No dear, it's just a matter of waiting now." Sarah smiled and took the toddler from her. "There's coffee made already." She began to wash the little boy's hands and smiled. "And yes, I made it marine grade."
With a grin, Alex poured herself a cup and watched Sarah play with Dante. The toddler squealed as Sarah blew raspberries on his chubby belly. "It's been too long to hear that sound in this house. Your parents are lucky to have such a great little guy to spoil."
Alex leaned against the doorframe and sipped her coffee. "We're lucky to have him."
"Sometimes." Cody wrapped his arms around Alex from behind and smiled.
"A child can bring so much joy..." Sarah said with a smile.
"So can love."
Alex turned around and smiled at Mac who was standing in the hallway. "Nice addition Colonel." She raised her eyebrow and gave Mac a cockeyed smile.
"It was." Harm added coming in behind her. He wrapped his arms around her tight. "Actually, Mac and I...we have an announcement to make."
"An announcement? I guess we got here just in time!" Trish Burnett exclaimed rushing into the kitchen.
Harm swallowed hard and gave Mac a shy smile. "Sarah Mackenzie...meet my mother, Trish Burnett."
--
A/N Gah, what a bad chapter. But at least it's a chapter, right? RIGHT?! Anyway, I'm hoping to be updating a WHOLE lot more. I got over my massive case of writer's block and my classes are almost done! Yay!
Thanks for sticking with me everyone.