Redemption
"Have you always been this annoying?"
It was her grin, sly and sexy that had butterflies come alive inside and made him melt a little more over her. "Isn't that why you came here?"
Harm returned the grin and settled back down on her oversized armchair, sighing heavily. The levity of the moment broke like a dam and suddenly, a sort of tension grew between them. "I didn't have to drive here you know. I ah, I could have just called." He stated the obvious, glancing at her through veiled eyes.
"Yes, you could have." But, that wasn't how they operated. It wasn't uncommon for either of them to show up, unannounced, when it pertained to cases. It was almost like a foundation of their partnership that had been shaken when her ex-fiance had become a more permanent fixture. Harm wouldn't drop by as much ever since she moved the ring to her left hand. She missed these chats, the impromptu visits just because. "Why didn't you?"
He shrugged, "I wanted to see you. To know that you're okay...that you know... we're okay."
"Getting there. We'll be okay."
"Will we?" He wasn't sure especially by the way Mac avoided him of late. Taking off, knowing he'd arrive at her house close to midnight had been a ridiculous undertaking.
"Why did you really come here?"
Why? Because he had to see her and 'national security' seemed a good excuse as any. He needed to fix them, Harm missed her too much. "You left, without warning. You left and I thought...I believed you and me…That we'd uh...figure this thing out."
"Harm...look…"
"Renee and me, we're uh...not together anymore." He blurted out and had the decency to seem shy about the news. His shoulders slumped slightly as a blush creeped onto his cheeks. "It's over."
She studied his posture, the way his eyes wouldn't meet hers and the sudden interest in his coffee cup that was nearly empty. In a word, Harm seemed 'lost' and Mac wasn't sure how to fix it. "She broke up with you didn't she?"
"Yes. I ah...wanted to tell you..on the LHA but…"
"I walked away." Mac said with a frown when he nodded in agreement. He trapped her on the ship knowing there were limited areas she could run to - they bumped into one another several times a day. It was too much, too soon. "It wasn't the time or place."
"What about now?" His head came up, eyes keeping h slightly veiled as they locked and held her gaze. Harm noticed her breath quicken and her tongue dart out to moisten her lips which sent his mind racing onto ungentlemanly thoughts. God, he wanted to crush her to him again, kiss her like he did some months ago without restrictions. "You and Mic?"
"Over and done with."
"You and me?" His voice cracked knowing that cornering Mac never ended well. Yet, he had to know where they stood and that he didn't obliterate his chance of being with her. But, she didn't answer so Harm took a breath and aimed to clarify his intentions. "Just so we're clear...I uh...well… I uh, I love you, Mac…really, really love you. I want this...I want you."
Mac stared at him then, mouth agape as her brain tried to fashion some sort of response. He loved her? Really loved her? She always knew, Mac supposed but, Harm's inaction left her so confused. And now, he bore his heart out in the simplest of forms, expecting nothing but her love in return.
"Say something? Slap me. Punch me...anything."
She stood, rounding the coffee table and then lowering herself onto his lap. Mac's arms wrapped around his neck and with the most tender of touches, she kissed him.