Saturday morning
Commander Harmon Rabb Junior woke up with a bang. Feeling slightly disoriented he sat up and looked around. He noticed his clothes on the floor leading from the living room, mixed with her clothes and he focused on the sleeping woman by his side. He remembered the previous night when he'd knocked on her door.
He looked at his watch and got out of bed and slipped on his boxers. He went to the bathroom and relieved himself, then headed for the bedroom where he found his phone in his pants pocket. He stepped out of the bedroom and into the living room. The take-out leftovers from last night had been forgotten as they had been busy moving to the bedroom. He'd conked out after the act, the exhaustion of the last weeks finally getting to him. He was surprised he'd even managed to perform in the first place. It must have been the touch of her skin, the way she moved her body, the sounds she made.
He hurried to call the hospital and they confirmed that Mattie's condition hadn't changed. It was Saturday so he told them he'd come in and sit with Mattie. The nice nurse suggested that he'd get some extra sleep, and she'd call him if anything changed. He thanked her and hung up.
"Is Mattie okay?"
He turned towards the bedroom door where Colonel Sarah Mackenzie stood watching him. He nodded. "It's the same."
"I'm so sorry, Harm. I wish there was something I could do," she said softly.
He offered a sweet smile. "You're doing it."
She smiled. "You should come back to bed. You need to sleep."
He hesitated. "I guess I haven't made sleep a priority lately. Listen, Mac," he stepped closer to her. "Last night, I didn't come here for… What happened was… What I mean is, I didn't want to take advantage of the situation."
"It's fine, Harm. I'm as surprised as you are by what happened," she admitted. "There are no regrets here, or expectations," she reassured.
He put his phone on the table before he again focused on her. "I don't regret what happened either. There are things to say though."
"Yeah, but we don't need to get into anything right now," she reassured. "You have a lot on your mind, and I wouldn't know where to begin. Let's just see, okay?"
He nodded. "So…" he motioned for the bedroom. "Sleep sounds good."
She smiled and held out her hand for him. He took her hand in his and stepped close to her. It started as a tender kiss, but soon they danced the same dance as the previous night.
Later that day
Harm had left Mac's apartment around 10.00 and spent the rest of the day by Mattie's side. It was frustrating that she wouldn't wake up. He hadn't seen Tom, Mattie's father, around after the day he'd shown up drunk at the hospital. When Mattie woke up he'd have to tell her that her father had fallen off the wagon again. He knew it would hurt her.
After returning to his apartment around 18.00, he'd gone for a long run. His days at the hospital and bad food had left him feeling heavy and out of shape, so he had decided to get back to some sort of food and exercise regime. He also had to get back to work on Monday.
His phone rang as he stepped out of the shower and he hurried to wrap a towel around his waist and headed for his bedroom. He grabbed the phone by the bed. "Rabb."
"Hi, Rabb."
He smiled. "Hi, Mac."
"I just wanted to check up on you. Is everything okay at the hospital?" Mac wondered.
"It's no change. I'm actually not at the hospital. I've just been out for a run. I just stepped out of the shower."
"Good for you. You need to take care of yourself. Are you going back or do you want to join me for dinner?"
He thought about it. "You know, why don't you let me cook for us?" He suggested.
"Yeah, I'd like that," she replied.
"Good. You can come over and help me," he suggested.
"I can do that. I'll be there in thirty minutes," she said.
"Great, Mac. And Mac."
"Yeah?"
"Bring an overnight bag," he said bravely.
"Sure, I'll do that."
"I'll see you soon then."
They hung up and he put the phone away. He stood and looked around the room. He decided to do some quick cleaning and change the sheets.
That night
Harm held the spoon out for Mac to taste. She nodded with appreciation after tasting it. He smiled and put the spoon into the sink. He was making her a fish stew. One he'd tried just a few times before, but also one that Mattie had liked, so he'd taken the chance that Mac would too.
"How do you feel about coming back to work on Monday?" Mac wondered after they had sat down to eat.
"Ah, I guess it'll be okay. I won't get to sit with Mattie as much though.
"Please tell me that you won't sit up with her all night. You'll burn out, Harm," she warned.
He hesitated. "Yeah, I know. I'll have to find a balance. My biggest worry is that I might get sent away on assignment."
Mac nodded. "At some point, you probably will."
They ate in silence for a while. It was nice to be together. They hadn't been as close over the last years, and he had missed her. Falling into bed with her last night wasn't planned, but he didn't regret it. It didn't seem like she had any regrets either.
"You seem back to your old self," he said.
"I guess," she said with a shrug. "You gotta push on, right?"
"I've always admired that about you," he admitted.
She studied him with curiosity.
"Your ability to work through challenges and be stronger on the other side," he explained. "Not everyone can do that."
"I guess," she agreed. "It's just that I know that life has a lot to offer and I'd like to be able to enjoy that. Despite a few bumps in the road."
He smiled. "You're amazing. I don't tell you that often enough."
"We haven't exactly been communicating that well for a while now," she reasoned.
"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry that I pushed you away when you came to the hospital. It's not an excuse, but I was afraid I'd fall apart, and seeing you there made me more vulnerable. I wasn't ready," he explained.
"I get it," she reassured. "We're not that good at letting people in."
"I can't disagree with you," he said with a chuckle.
"Thanks for coming to me eventually though. I'd like to be here for you," she reached for his hand across the table. "Make sure you're not too sad most of the time."
He looked at her curiously.
"It was something I promised Mattie I would do," she explained. "Before she moved back to her father, she came to see me."
"To make you watch over me?" he was amused. "I didn't know that."
"She was afraid that you'd be all alone," Mac squeezed his hand. "But you're not."
"I appreciate that," he smiled softly. "Now, what's the verdict?" he motioned for the food.
"This was great," she reassured.
"Good," he smiled and entwined his fingers with hers. "There's a lot to say, Mac. I don't know if now is the time though."
"It's no rush," she reassured.
He nodded. "Do you want dessert?"
"You made dessert?" she was surprised.
"I bought ice cream," he admitted.
"I'd really like some of that," she said.
Later they lay entwined in bed. Mac could feel his chest rise and fall and she enjoyed the sound of his heart beating. He wasn't asleep because he softly moved his hand up and down her arm.
"This is nice."
"I wasn't trying to be nice, I was trying to be good," he pointed out with a chuckle.
"Oh, you were good," she reassured.
"That's good to know," he said and kissed the top of her head. "It would be terrible if after nine years of foreplay it was horrible."
"Well," she turned in his arms and her eyes met his. "You have nothing to worry about."
He smiled and leaned in and kissed her. "So what now?"
"Now?" she hesitated. "It's complicated."
"Why?" he wondered.
"Why it's complicated?" she raised her eyebrows and studied him. "We work together, Mattie, my endometriosis… and the past. So yeah, a lot of complications."
"All solvable," he reasoned.
"So we just forgive and forget and live happily ever after?" she wondered. "What about duty stations? Mattie?"
"I admit that I don't have all the answers, Mac," he said and moved her hair behind her ear. "Let's just see, okay?"
She nodded. "Okay."
"Good," he smiled and kissed her again. Deeper this time.
The End...