A/N: Here is Chapter 29! I'm not sure I like where it ended, but the alternative was a never-ending chapter and it's already a bit long. Hmmm…how 'bout Harriet in that last chapter? I'm still surprised by her and I'm not sure I can redeem her. And I liked Harriet!

A/N 2: This chapter is for acheon who, despite disappointment with chapter 28, still seems to want more. I shall endeavor to remained focused, and thank you for ALL your reviews.

Gone

Chapter 29: Witness

December 31st, 2005

2000 Local

Harm's Apartment

North of Union Station

Mac shivered the entire ride back to Harm's apartment, the cold settling deep in her bones despite the heat blasting from the vents of her rental. As soon as she pulled into Harm's parking spot, the tears she'd squelched before began to flow again and she swiped at them furiously with her shaking hand.

Harm, please, please, please come back. I need you! her mind screamed as she slid out of the car. She slammed the door behind her, the icy winter wind that rippled through her clothing increasing her shivering exponentially as she rushed to the door of Harm's building. At one point, her foot slid on a small patch of ice and she barely caught herself from falling down on the cold concrete. She slowed her pace then, her steps more deliberate and careful than they were before, and by the time she reached the door to the building, her fingers were so cold that she dropped the keys twice before she could let herself in. She bypassed the elevator in favor of the stairs, her tears flowing faster with each plant of her foot as she climbed.

It was warmer in the stairwell than it had been outside, but it still wasn't enough to stop the shaking of her body nor the chattering of her teeth and all she wanted to do was curl up in Harm's bed, letting the blankets that still smelled like him comfort her as she cried it out. Once that was accomplished, she planned to book the next flight back to Montana. AJ could tell Harm to find her there because there was no way she could stay in this town another minute.

With great relief, Mac emerged from the stairwell and was soon sliding her key into the lock on Harm's door. She pushed it open, immediately noting that the temperature was as frigid in the loft as it was in the hall. She remembered then that she turned the heat down before she left earlier, just as Harm used to do. Given she didn't have his express permission to be here, she at least wanted to keep things the way he liked it.

Of course, that laudable goal didn't seem so laudable now as she rushed over to the thermostat and adjusted it, turning it up just a little higher than she normally would. Wishing she'd retrieved her coat from the Roberts' entryway closet, she grabbed Harm's alpaca wool blanket off the back of his couch and wrapped it around herself, wondering when Harm's ancient furnace would get this place warm. Seconds later, she heard it kick on, and was about to retreat to the bedroom when her phone rang. She thought about ignoring it; her teeth were still chattering with the cold and the tears were still flowing freely down her face but, musing it may be Harm, she pulled it from her purse.

"H-Hello?" She didn't bother to check the caller ID; other than the normal doctor and veterinarian offices, only three people had this number.

"Mac?"

"A-A-Admiral?" Mac heard a long-suffering sigh, and knew it was because she'd referred to him by his rank. It really was a habit; even two years later, military protocol was still ingrained in her.

"Bud called me. Are you okay?" The admiral sounded sincerely concerned, which only sparked more tears and not a little surprise. "Mac?" her former CO called again when she didn't answer.

"Y-yes. I-I'm just c-cold." If anything, the shivering was getting worse, despite the continued airflow from the heater.

"I also have some news about Harm."

Please, please let him be on his way back.

"Mac…" Something in his tone made her stomach flip and her shaking increase.

"They can't find him…"

"No…" She felt faint and nauseated all at once. Her world seemed to tip sideways on her, and she feared she was going to pass out. No! Not Harm. Not now!

"Mac? Mac? Talk to me." AJ's tone had grown more insistent, but Mac found she couldn't get any more words out as she stumbled toward the couch. She had just lowered herself down on it when AJ called her name again, and she started with a yelp.

"Mac?!" The admiral was louder this time, and Mac jumped again.

"I-I just had to…I needed to sit down…" She mumbled, then dropped the phone and buried her head in her hands. The room was spinning faster around her, and she did her best to take deep, slow breaths. At this point, her shaking had nothing to do with being cold and she was afraid she'd manage to shake herself apart. Dimly, she could hear AJ still shouting, only making out his "I'm coming over!" before the call disconnected.

Mac curled up on the couch and cried.

AJ raced toward Harm's apartment. He cursed himself for saying anything to Mac about Harm over the phone; yes, Harm was out of communication, but at this point, there was no reason to think that he was in any kind of trouble.

"Dammit, dammit, dammit!" AJ shouted as he pounded on his steering wheel. He wove in and out of traffic, cursing every driver that dared to try and get ahead of him, and finally, he arrived at Harm's loft. Just as he was about to get out of his vehicle, his phone rang. He yanked it from his belt with a few choice expletives before answering it.

"Chegwidden!" he said in clipped tones, his shoulders slumping in relief when the caller told him the news he had been waiting for.

"Thank God—he's on the next flight out, then? Good. Keep me posted." He flipped his phone shut and then raced into the building and up the stairs. He was soon knocking on Harm's door, but to his ever-increasing concern, Mac didn't answer. With a looming sense of foreboding, he knocked again…and again. He finally pulled out his copy of Harm's key and had just slid it into the lock when the doorknob was abruptly pulled from his grasp. He looked up to see Mac standing in front of him, looking slightly frantic and he was relieved that despite how wretched he knew her evening had gone, he at least he had good news to tell her…

AJ started to smile, but then Mac suddenly bent forward and clutched at her stomach. "Mac?" He quickly stepped forward and put his arm around her. "Let's get you to a chair or something." He led her to the couch and helped her sit down, then sat on the coffee table in front of her. She was breathing somewhat quickly, and he could have cheerfully shot himself at this moment for putting her in this distress. If he'd just kept his mouth shut on the phone…

"Mac…" he reached out and took her delicate hand in his, shocked at how icy it felt.

"AJ," she panted. "H-Harm?" Her other hand covered her belly again, and he could see her grimace in what looked like pain.

"Mac? What's going on. Are you—" He was interrupted by Mac's whimper, and that was all it took for him to stand up and tell her he was taking her to a hospital. It unnerved him a bit when she didn't protest; he could still see the old marine in her after all. It made him suspect things were even more serious than they appeared at the moment. "Contractions?" he asked as he helped her on with her coat while she grimaced again.

"I-I think so. They started just after you hung up. AJ, I can't be in labor…it's too early."

AJ tried to be calming. "Mac, we don't know anything yet. Let's just get you to the hospital and let them check you out."

"I can't lose both of them, AJ!" She was crying again now, and AJ was furious with himself for not telling her the good news. He grabbed her purse for her and then shepherded her out of the apartment and down the hall toward the rickety old elevator.

"Mac…no…you aren't going to lose them. Harm—they found Harm," he explained as they waited for the elevator to arrive. "He's on his way back, hon. It'll be a few hours, but he's coming back to you."

Mac really broke down then, crying into her hands as AJ guided her into the old lift. He reached over to stroke her hair. "It's going to be okay, Mac. I'll take care of you until he gets here, okay?" Mac nodded, and as he wrapped his arm around her shaking shoulders, AJ could only hope his words would be proven true.

2334 Local

Capitol Hill Medical Center

Washington, DC

AJ watched Mac's sleeping form as he listened to the galloping of her baby's heartbeat. The volume was down low, and the nurse would have turned it down further, but Mac found it comforting. She had definitely been having contractions when they'd arrived here, but after some IV fluids and a shot of something to slow them down, they'd pretty much stopped. She'd then only had a couple since they'd gotten her settled in this room, much to everyone's relief.

It had been a bit awkward to sit with Mac while the doctor went over the plan for the time being. He hadn't enjoyed hearing about dilating cervixes, bladder infections, preterm labor and the like when it involved his ex-wife, much less someone he thought of as a second daughter, but because she'd asked him to stay, he stayed. The way she'd looked at him with her huge doe eyes wet with tears and utterly filled with fear made him sit his rear admiral's rear end down and hold her hand throughout the on-call obstetrician's discussion. It was the least he could do for her and for Harm as well. He'd of course not been present during the exam, thank god, but it sounded like she was 'slightly' dilated, had the start of an infection, and would be receiving a shot of steroids to help mature the baby's lungs should she end up delivering early. She'd receive another steroid dose in twenty-four hours and would likely be here at least a couple of nights. The medication she'd received for the contractions combined with the steroid had made her a little jittery, but the pills they'd given her to help her sleep seemed to be working. She'd fought taking them, but the doctor assured her that they were non-addictive and safe for baby, and she'd finally agreed.

Now that things were calmer, AJ had time to reflect on the events of the evening. As he'd sat down to his own meal, he'd wondered how Mac's dinner at the Roberts' was going. When Bud had called him later and told him what had happened, AJ was rather furious. He was surprised too; Harriet had seemed devastated when they'd started to believe Mac had killed herself and had seemed to regret her part in Mac's departure, so how could she have said such horrible things now? Bud had apologized profusely on his wife's behalf, despite AJ not being the one that needed to hear it, but he'd agreed to pass the information on to Mac. Bud had sounded rather perturbed by Harriet's behavior and, figuring AJ knew how to contact Mac, he'd asked his CO to check on her.

Thank goodness he had.

At that moment, Mac stirred in her sleep, mumbling something unintelligible. AJ laid a soothing hand on her shoulder as he brushed a strand of hair behind her ear with his other hand. She seemed to tense for a moment, but then she sighed, once again falling into a deep slumber. He drew his hand back and glanced at the monitors, noting with relief that Mac still didn't appear to be having any significant contractions. He watched Mac for a few more minutes before he got up to use the bathroom, planning on calling to get a better idea of Harm's ETA, and then he planned to resume his vigil over Mac.

AJ prayed that everything would stay calm here, for Harm would likely kill them all if anything happened to Mac or the baby…the baby he didn't even know he was expecting yet.

And frankly, AJ wouldn't blame him.

2359 Local

JAG Headquarters

Falls Church, VA

Commander Sturgis Turner should have been ringing in the new year with a lounge singer named Christina he'd met six months before, but just yesterday she'd called and told him she preferred to spend time with her pianist. Rather than wallow at home, Sturgis had elected to get a head start on his pending cases. The man was trying not to be bitter, but of late, he hadn't had any sustained luck with women or his friends. He and Bud were on the outs, Bud having dropped the ball while defending him on charges of incompetence, and it went without saying that he and Harm were estranged, given the situation with the no-longer-missing Mac. Sturgis still would have called Harm immediately and told him about Mac's return, but Harm's current mission wasn't allowing for that.

A few files later, Sturgis pulled out his cellphone, and on a whim, he dialed Harm's number. He listened to it ring a few times and was about to hang up, but Harm surprised him by answering.

"Rabb." His voice was a bit clipped, but Sturgis paid it no mind. Harm had apparently returned to civilization, and now he could give his former academy mate a heads up about Mac and her pregnancy.

"What did you need, Sturgis?" Harm continued impatiently. "I'm about to board a plane to Andrews."

"You're on your way back?" Excellent timing.

"Yeah, I am. Look, I'll call you when I'm back in town…after I've gotten some sleep, ok?"

"Yeah, that'll be—wait, when will you get to Andrews?" Sturgis heard Harm sigh over the line, but he answered, and Sturgis was quick to offer him a ride. Harm accepted after a brief hesitation, and Sturgis hung up, relieved that he'd be able to speak to Harm before anyone else did.

January 1st, 2006

0011 Eastern Standard Time

Harm's Flight to DC

Harm settled into his seat uneasily, convinced more than ever that Mac needed him. He hadn't been told much after he'd returned from a patrol, just that he was being recalled to Washington, but he didn't especially care; the sooner he returned to the States, the sooner he could get to Mac, whether she wanted him to or not.

Harm had a good five-hour flight ahead of him, most likely enough time for him to regret letting Sturgis pick him up. Sturgis rarely did things without a reason and he wasn't prone to random acts of minor kindnesses. Dammit. He should have told him he already had a ride. Catching a cab or hitchhiking would have been better. Expecting he'd need all the strength he could gather, Harm lay back in his seat and did his best to doze off.

0114 Local

Capitol Hill Medical Center

Washington, DC

"Harm?" Mac startled awake, confused for a moment about her whereabouts. Seconds later, it all came back to her, and she lay back with a sigh, blinking at the sudden sting in her eyes.

"You okay, Samantha?" An older nurse now stood by her bed, and Mac surmised that she was here to check her vitals, her presence likely being the cause of her wakening.

"Yeah…I'm fine, um…"

"Noreen. Well, it looks like you've got a little fever now. Any pain? Feeling any contractions?"

Mac shook her head. She was achy and didn't feel all that well, but she couldn't say she was in pain, nor had she noticed any contractions.

"That's good. I'll bring you some Tylenol® for the fever as soon as I get done taking your vitals, okay?"

Mac nodded silently and let Noreen do her duty, and then she was left alone with AJ. AJ has awakened with the arrival of the nurse as well, and now Mac could feel his eyes on her.

"What, AJ?" she asked tiredly, wanting nothing more than to drift back into slumber, but the edgy feeling was back, and she suspected she'd be up the rest of the night.

"Nothing…it's just…I'm not going to get used to calling you Samantha."

The corners of Mac's lips curved up into a slight smile. "Then don't. Mac is fine, AJ. It's just that all my insurance information is under Samantha O'Hara. I'll admit that the details on how I changed my identity are a little shady, I'm legally Samantha Rae O'Hara for all intents and purposes." She turned her head toward him a little, a mischievous smile playing across her lips. "Still the same birthday, though." She gave him a wink, and AJ chuckled.

"I'll remember that, Mac."

They were then both quiet for a moment, and then Mac thought she'd better let AJ off the hook. As much as she didn't want to be alone here, she couldn't expect an admiral who wasn't family to stay at her side all night.

"AJ, you really don't have to stay here. I'll be okay," she told him softly. She could already see him shaking his head, but before she could say anything more, he firmly told her he was staying, and that was that.

"Okay, AJ. Thanks."

There was another long stretch of silence, and then she heard the admiral shift in his seat. "So…" he said after a few beats. "Montana?"

"Yeah," she answered. "I needed something completely different.

"Well, Montana certainly is that. It's pretty there."

"It's beautiful," she corrected. It was definitely that, and she found she missed it terribly. She also missed her job, Mary, and especially Nicodemus. Mary assured her that her cat was doing fine, but her employer and friend couldn't lie and say Nic didn't miss her.

To Mac's dismay, her eyes filled with tears as she thought about her pet and her home, and she couldn't hide her sniffle.

"Mac? What's wrong?"

She sniffed again. "I miss it." More tears fell, and Mac was heartily embarrassed. "I'm sorry, sir."

"For what?" AJ asked, apparently choosing to ignore the 'sir.'

"Oh, this," she said, motioning to her tears. "I've been such a weepy mess…"

"Well, you are pregnant…if memory serves, pregnant women are often more emotional than they normally are, aren't they?

"Oh, it's been going on a lot longer than that," she answered. "Ever since I got back from…there." She trusted that AJ knew she was referring to Paraguay. "But that, I guess, would be understandable. Once I left here…well, I thought I'd get better. I didn't."

She sensed AJ didn't know what to say to that, so she decided to let him off the hook. "Anyway…did you know I have a cat now?"

If AJ was a little thrown by her abrupt change of subject, he didn't show it. "No, I didn't know that."

"His name is Nic…Nicodemus…"

AJ chuckled to himself. Mac was now sleeping, but before she'd drifted off again, she'd entertained him with stories of how Nic had tormented Harm, and AJ decided he'd like to meet this creature that had bested his chief of staff. Mac had also told him about her job there and he could tell she loved it. That surprised him; it was rather hard for him to believe that someone who was a former Lt. Colonel in the marines, a woman who was used to danger—indeed, sometimes he'd believed she'd deliberately sought it out, could be happy working in a little shop in a small mountain town near a ski resort. He supposed, however, the answer to that lay in what she'd told him just before she'd fallen back to sleep, when exhaustion loosened her lips.

"AJ…I had to go…being here with everyone angry at me…missing Harm…fighting with my own demons…my mind never shut up…it was so loud…it wouldn't let me sleep…I had to go, AJ. I had to be in a place where everything could just be silent…"

She'd surrendered to her fatigue then, leaving AJ to contemplate everything that had happened since he'd allowed her to go on that fool's mission to Paraguay.

End Chapter 29