Harm and Mac's apartment, February

Harm opened the bathroom door and stopped abruptly. Mac was in the bathtub, the only thing hiding her body was the foam.

"Shit, I forgot to lock. I didn't think anyone would be home yet," she said.

"Ah, we decided to skip the movie," he smiled sheepishly. "But this is perfect." He stepped into the bathroom.

"Harm!" she was surprised. By his actions.

"This way you can't run away," he reasoned.

"You don't think I'd rise?" she challenged.

He shook his head. "About this last case we've worked."

"Harm, I'm fine. I'm an alcoholic so is Petty Officer Cupiano You don't have to worry about me," she reached for her towel. "I'm getting up now."

"I just think that you should talk to me about this," he said calmly. "I am your best friend."

She hesitated, then rose. She laughed softly when Harm turned his head abruptly away from her and covered his eyes. "You're a gentleman or a prude."

He turned to her again and saw that she had covered herself with a towel. He watched as the water dripped down her neck. He had flashbacks to Paraguay.

"What?" she questioned.

He shook out of it. "You're beautiful, that's all." He turned to leave. "I'm here if you need to talk."

She watched him disappear out the door and close it behind him. She let out a sigh. He was right that the case had touched a nerve.

After finishing up in the bathroom and dressed comfortably she walked to the living room and found Harm on the couch.

"Where's Mattie?" she questioned as she joined him on the couch.

"She met with some friends and I let her stay out with them," he smiled sheepishly. "She'll be home around 21.30."

Mac nodded. "She seems to be doing okay. Finding friends and doing good in school."

"Yeah, she's amazing," he said proudly.

"You're good at this," she nudged his leg with her foot and smiled.

"Thanks," he said with a sheepish smile. "You're good at this too."

She nodded. "I like this arrangement. It's nice to have someone. And you're right, this last case did get to me."

"It's okay," he reached for her hand resting on the sofa. "I know it's not easy."

"I'll be fine," she reassured and squeezed his hand. "Thanks."

"Any time," he promised. "Sorry about bursting in on you in the bathtub. Well, maybe not sorry," he added with a cute smile.

She laughed softly. "You want to watch a movie?"

"Sure. You find something and I'll get the popcorn," he suggested as he stood. "Coke?"

"Sure," she said and reached for the remote.

The next day

Harm was the first to rise that morning. He made breakfast and waited to see if someone was joining him. He sipped his coffee and thought about how much had changed in his life in a short time. He liked his new life he decided. His relationship with Mac seemed back to normal too, and that was important to him.

"Morning."

He shook out of his thoughts and smiled. "Morning, Mac. Did you see Mattie?"

"Yeah, she's in the bathroom," Mac said as she sat down and reached for the coffee pot. "You made pancakes. What's the occasion?"

He shrugged. "Just felt like it. But we're out of a lot of stuff so we better do some grocery shopping."

"It's my turn," Mac said and sipped her coffee. "I have a lunch, so I'll do it after that."

"A lunch?" he questioned.

Mac nodded. "Yeah, I'm meeting Harriet."

"Morning," Mattie said and slumped down on a chair. "Pancakes? What's the occasion?"

Mac chuckled.

"What? A guy can't make pancakes without there having to be an occasion?" Harm questioned.

"It's usually oatmeal or eggs," Mattie reasoned as she reached for a pancake. "I noticed that we don't have a lot of stuff so we should do some shopping. I can help."

"I appreciate that, but I'm having lunch with Harriet and I'll go by the store afterward," Mac said with a smile.

"Do you have any plans?" Mattie asked Harm.

"No, nothing pressing. Why, did you want to do something?" Harm wondered.

"Andrè wanted to see the air and space museum and I told him I'd ask you if you could go with us," Mattie said.

"Sure, we can do that," Harm agreed.

"Yeah, Harm doesn't mind a whole day of aircraft history," Mac said teasingly.

"It's better than a whole day of dinosaurs," Harm said and pointed a finger at her.

"Hey, I never forced you on that exhibition," Mac argued.

"Dinosaurs?" Mattie questioned.

"Mac has a skeleton of a real dinosaur," Harm said.

"You do?" Mattie questioned with surprise.

"I do," Mac said. "And some other fossils."

"That's pretty cool," Mattie said.

"I think so too," Mac smiled in Harm's direction.

Harm chuckled. "So, about this air and space museum, it's a whole lot more than just aircraft."

"So you'll take us?" Mattie questioned.

"Absolutely," Harm agreed.

"Cool, I'm calling Andrè," Mattie stood. "I'll be right back."

Mac waited for Mattie to leave the kitchen. "So, this Andrè, is that the boy you met?"

Harm nodded. "Yes."

"Is he just a friend, or?" she questioned.

"Definitely. He's a total geek. I think they're friends based on a common interest of becoming Navy pilots."

"Or else Mattie wouldn't be friends with him?" Mac was amused. "Because he's a geek."

"He seems like a nice boy, but I don't think Mattie has boys on her mind at the moment," Harm reasoned. "Do you think so?"

"Well, she's fifteen. When I was fifteen…" Mac regretted saying anything. "Never mind."

Harm raised his eyebrows. "Never mind what?"

"Nothing," she said with a shrug.

"Hey, if you say A you have to say B," he pointed out.

"It's better that you don't know, or you'll freak out," she teased.

Mattie chose that moment to walk into the kitchen. "Who will freak out?"

"Nothing," Harm hurried to say. "So, did Andrè want to go?"

"He's looking forward to it," Mattie said. "I told him we'd pick him up. In the Corvette."

Harm chuckled. "I think we'll stick to the SUV."

Later

Harriet had brought the baby for lunch and Mac enjoyed holding him. Every time she saw a baby she felt her biological clock go off. Sometimes she wondered if she'd married Mic if they'd have kids and a house by now. She knew Mic hadn't been the one for her but he was a nice guy and he loved her and maybe that had to be enough for her to have a guy who wasn't the love of her life.

"So how is the living arrangement going?" Harriet wondered.

"It's going fine," Mac reassured.

"But won't it be awkward if you're bringing a guy home? Like Clayton Webb?" Harriet asked, trying to hide her curiosity.

Mac smiled. "There's nothing going on with Webb, Harriet. We're friends. And there's no one else in my life either."

"Except for Harm," Harriet pointed out.

"I have to admit that Harm and I have gotten better at communicating. I think it's because of Mattie. Harm has changed, I think. He's more upfront about his feelings. He's a good father," Mac said and smiled sheepishly. She had to admit to herself that this new side of Harm made him even more attractive. She knew that other women would find it attractive too and she was worried that he'd meet someone.

"Have the two of you considered more?" Harriet wondered. "I mean, you're already living together, raising Mattie together. There's this mutual attraction…"

Mac let out a sigh. "There was a time where I believed we could, but ever since Paraguay…"

"Okay, one of these days I have to get the whole story of what transpired over there," Harriet demanded.

Mac hesitated. "Well, there was a moment when I thought he'd admit that the reason he was there was to profess his love for me, but we ended up arguing instead. Because of my relationship with Webb, I think. Harm got jealous."

"And he didn't understand what you and Webb had been through," Harriet assumed.

"I don't know," Mac admitted. "But in the end, I told Harm that we would never work. He didn't fight me on it and ever since it's been… Well, you know."

Harriet nodded. "I do know."

"And to be honest I don't know how to pursue anything between the two of us. I mean, we have Mattie to think about. We can't complicate things right now," Mac reasoned.

Harriet nodded with understanding. "I understand, but wouldn't it be nice to have… Well, I know you want kids, and Harm would be the perfect father. And husband. As you said, he's grown."

Mac let out a sigh. "It would be nice," she admitted after a little while.

Harriet smiled. "So you haven't ruled it out?"

Mac smiled sheepishly. "No, I haven't ruled it out."

"That makes me so happy," Harriet said with a sweet smile.

Mac chuckled. "But please don't tell anyone about this conversation. There is enough talk about us as it is."

"My lips are sealed," Harriet promised."