A/N: Well, at long last, here is the fourth installment of this thing. I had some ideas for this back in the day, but I have no memory of them, so this is a different story than it would have been months ago!

Miracles

Chapter 4: Quatre

Mac's been asleep for an hour or so now, but I can't seem to stop rubbing her back and stroking her hair. Since I helped her out of her apartment and took her to the ER, I've had the need to touch her, to reassure myself that she's okay…that she'll be okay. It's an effort to tramp down on my fury toward her former fiancé, and I think if he appeared before me right now, I'd rip his arm off his body and beat him to death with it. As I sit here and stew, I can feel every muscle in my body tensing; I think Mac must sense it, for she whimpers in her sleep, and I do my best to relax. I don't want to wake her up, not after what she's gone through today.

In the ER they checked out her eye, diagnosing her with a large corneal abrasion, basically a scratch on her eye. She got lucky; the ophthalmologist on call was able to fit her with a contact to protect her eye and help with the pain. Unfortunately, she'd developed a terrible migraine while she was there and it took them a while to get her pain and nausea under control. She'd actually vomited a few times which had utterly mortified her, though I did my best to convince her I wasn't disgusted. When they finally let her leave, I had to help her out to the car, and then before she could protest, I carried her into her apartment and tucked her into bed. It didn't take her long to fall asleep, though I sensed she was trying to fight it. The medication she'd been given in the ER were of the sedating variety, so there wasn't much she could do about it. I'm glad of that; something tells me this whole situation is really working on her now, more than it was before, and I know my ninja girl…she's going to place the blame for all of it on herself, from the bruise on my jaw to the scratch on her eye to the demise of both of our relationships. Speaking of…I'm sure I have a voicemail full of messages from Rene. I wonder fleetingly if Mic broke the news to her as well. I suppose I'd best find out. I'd like to call her and just get it over with, but she deserves to hear it from me in person.

It's then that I hear a pounding on Mac's door. I'm sure it's Brumby, and I wonder if it would be better to just let him knock until he gets tired or open the door and proceed with my original plan of tearing off a limb and beating him with it. I slide off Mac's bed, bending down to kiss her forehead before I make my way to the living room. I'm more than surprised when I look through the peephole and see Rene's blonde head bobbing there. With a sigh, I unlock the door and pull it open before she can knock again. Maybe I'll be able to keep Rene from waking up Mac.

"So, it is true, then!" she says loudly and all my hopes for keeping Mac at rest fly out the window.

"Rene…"

"She just couldn't pass up the opportunity to move in on you when Mic and I were otherwise occupied, huh? No wonder she was so happy about the arrangements last night!" she all but shouts and I feel myself getting pissed. I will myself to calm down; after all, I can't blame her for being upset…but Mac is only a small part of this.

"Rene, keep your voice down. Mac's asleep—"

"Oh, she's asleep? You think I give a damn about that mousy marine and her 'beauty' sleep? Did you wear her out last night? I would have thought a marine would have had more stamina!"

"Rene!" I hiss. "For god's sake, we just got back from the ER. Mic— "

"Accidentally hit her in the face with her key. He told me. But the ER? Isn't that a bit much?"

"A bit much? He hit her in the eye, Rene. He scratched it and she couldn't even open it until they numbed it up in the ER."

"I'm sure she's had worse."

I glare down at Rene, wondering how she can be so unsympathetic, but then again, I guess I can't blame her. I've hurt her, and I do regret that, even if it was inevitable. I could never feel for her the way I feel for Mac.

"Look, Rene," I finally say. "I know we need to talk, but I can't right now. Mac needs me. I'll call— "

"I'll be fine, Harm." I turn around to see a pale and somewhat shaky Mac standing at the edge of her living room.

"Mac, you shouldn't be up. Go back to bed; I'll be there in a minute." I start to turn back to Rene, but my as-yet-unofficial-ex-girlfriend brushes past me and stands before Mac.

"Well, Mac," she sneers sarcastically. "I should have known you'd eventually move in on him. You aren't happy unless you have every man in that office panting after you!"

Mac flinches at Rene's statement and I want to protest that it isn't Mac who needs all of us "panting" after her…we just do, and if you were to ask her if she appreciated that, she would answer with a resounding "no." She isn't oblivious to the admiring stares, nor the leers, nor the speculation that she's slept her way around the bullpen. Both Gunny and I have nearly come to blows with those degenerates that speak of her that way. To be honest, Bud almost has too.

"Rene…for what it's worth, I am sorry," Mac says softly. I can tell she doesn't feel well, and I watch as her hand moves down to rub her injured hip.

"Well, it isn't worth much, Mac."

"I know, Rene. I'm sorry."

Rene is obviously not keen on accepting Mac's apology. "No, you're not. But how long until you get tired of Harm? And who's next? Admiral Chegwidden? The SECNAV? From what I've heard, you wouldn't have a problem sleeping with a married man!"

"Rene!" I shout at her. It's time for her to leave. Mac looks stricken, and I don't need a vindictive ex-girlfriend making her feel worse than she already does.

"Stay out of it, Harm," she snaps back, then turns toward Mac again. "I've heard about your 'indiscretions' with senior officers…and if I'm not mistaken, you were married at the time." Rene looks over her shoulder at me, a nasty smirk on her face. "Sure you wanna get involved with her, Harm? Mic certainly regrets it."

"Rene, you need to leave. Now," I state firmly, but it's actually Mac that speaks up.

"I think you both should," she says, while her eyes stare coldly at me. I don't even know what I've done but she's obviously upset with me too.

"Mac, honey…" I implore, and then I have both women glaring at me.

"You need to go, Harm. You've been here long enough, and Rene…I really am sorry. I never intended for any of this to happen this way. I know there's nothing I can do or say to make this better, but please…I'm not feeling well, and you have to leave."

I can hear the tremor behind her words, though I suspect that I'm one of the few who could actually pick up on that.

"You don't deny it, then?"

"What, Rene?" Mac rubs a hand over her forehead, and I know her migraine is coming back.

"You don't deny sleeping with Harm!"

"No…yes…" Mac winces in pain, and despite her wanting me out as well, I won't leave until I remove Rene, bodily if need be. I take a step forward…

"You bitch!" Rene cries, and before I can stop her, she rushes forward and viciously slaps Mac across the face. Mac wasn't prepared for it, not in the state she's in, and she reels backwards, barely managing to stay upright. Her fingers came up to cover the red imprint of Rene's hand and there are scratches there too; Rene's fake nails must have clawed their way down her cheek during the slap.

I'm too stunned to react immediately, and before I can break myself out of my stupor, Rene whirls around and practically flies out the door. It's the slamming of it that finally gets me to move and I rush to Mac's side.

"Mac, Mac…let me take a look." I try to pry her fingers away from her face, but she pushes me away.

"Leave it, Harm. Just go." She tries to turn around, but she stumbles a bit, and I sweep her up into my arms.

"Put me down, Harm," she demands, but I merely shake my head and carry her back to her bedroom. I gently lay her on the bed and lower myself next to her, and this time I'm successful at moving her hand so I can see the damage Rene wrought.

"Oh, Mac…" I say as I take in the two red slashes across her left cheek. There's a bruise forming underneath them, and I'm shocked that Rene struck her so hard. There was already swelling underneath that eye from before and a single tear escapes from it. I attempt to brush it aside, but Mac flinches away from me. "Mac?"

"Why, Harm?"

"I guess she was angry…I'm sorry I didn't stop her."

"That's not what I'm talking about."

Her tone is angry, and I stare back at her in confusion. "I'm sorry, Mac. I don't know what you mean." More tears form in Mac's chocolate-amber eyes and they start their journey down her pained face.

"You told her about me. About John and Chris…"

Oh, god, did I? With shame, I realize I did once upon a time. Not every detail, mind you, but enough.

"Mac, I'm so sorry. One night…she was asking about Brumby and how he came on the scene…your trial came up…I didn't tell her everything."

"But you told her enough. Why, Harm? How could you?"

"Mac, I'm sorry. For all I know she asked Brumby himself about the whole thing and since that bastard actually called Rene to tell her about us…well, he probably embellished things."

Mac's expression darkens even more. "There is no us," she hisses, and I'm utterly taken aback.

"Mac, baby…"

"Stop it, Harm. We made a mistake. Just—just go, okay? I'll see you on Monday." She says her words with utter finality, and I'm terribly hurt…which makes me angry.

"So, what, you're going back to Brumby now? The guy's a bastard, Mac. You can do better, don't you think?" I regret the words as soon as they're out of my mouth, but unfortunately, I can't do anything about it.

"Well…maybe I can't, Harm." She looks meaningfully at me, and I know she's putting me in the category of all the Brumbys, Daltons, and Ragles that she's ever dated. That pisses me off. I am nothing like those men. I abruptly rise off the bed.

"Dammit, Mac—"

"Get out, Harm. Now. Contrary to popular belief, I don't have to have every man at JAG panting after me, and I'm perfectly capable of being on my own. Now more than ever," she adds scornfully.

I'm furious now, but I don't really want to leave her like this. If nothing else, she at least needs some care for her face.

"Just let me get some ice and some ibuprofen for you, Mac. At least let me do that."

"Goddammit, Harm! Just GET OUT!" Mac picks up the closest thing next to her that she can throw at me, which happens to be my watch. For the second time today, it strikes me hard in the chest.

I get out.

End Chapter 4