A/N: I'm finally back to this story! The best part—I'm on a cruise in the Caribbean. Such a lovely day in the sun, a cool breeze…magical.

You'll have to forgive me any errors—I always make errors, but they're harder to catch on the mobile app.

Miracles

Chapter 10: Dix

Harm's POV

I'd like to be drunk right now. Drunk to the point of passing out, but I won't do that to Mac. Of course, it's not like she'd ever know…

Right now I'm about as close to despair as I've ever been. The likelihood of her waking up decreases by the minute and with Brumby's antics, I'm terrified I won't even get to say goodbye. If she dies, most of me will die with her; I know that, but if it is to be, I want to be there to hold her hand and tell her I love her before she goes. And then, after that, I just may go and off myself…

No, I won't. I couldn't do that to my mom, my grandmother. And Mac…if I died by my own hand, would I ever get to be with her in the afterlife? Is there an afterlife?

I bury my face in my hands and I feel my tears on them. I'm at home on my couch; the admiral's just left, and I want to beg him to come back. I'm not sure I want to be alone. On the other hand, I don't want him to see me like this and if he showed back up here, I'd probably kick him out.

It's all so fucked up.

Currently, AJ is working on fixing the whole medical power of attorney issue. He's heading to the hospital himself to see those forgeries and then he'll do everything in his power to get them thrown out. There's no doubt in my mind that he'll see them for what they are—utter fakes—he knows Mac's signature as well as I do.

I know he'll also stop to visit her and tell her she's loved and that I want to be there more than anything. I suppose Brumby has banned him from the room too, but surely the JAG will have some power there. Mac is military after all and he's her CO, so that has to count for something. Maybe…I hope so…I hope he can fix this before she…

Don't think like that.

She has to make it.

She has to.

Unfortunately, there's a nagging thought that keeps creeping in anytime I almost have hope that she'll awaken…

If she wakes up…will she be Mac? Will the injury to her brain be such that she'll never practice law, that she'll never be a marine, that she'll even be able to speak and dress herself…and love me? So many unknowns and it's killing me. I do know one thing though…if a miracle happens and she wakes up but isn't her…I'll still never leave her side. I will care for her, be with her. I won't let her face that nightmare alone, even if she has no idea I'm there.

Mac's Dream

Little Sarah rested in the lap of the nice man. She could still hear the gentle lilting voice of the nice man's friend as his black and white plane flew overhead. The sea was quiet though still murky, but she'd take it given how rough and scary it had been before. After a few more moments of just relaxing, she drew back from her friend and looked up at him. "What's your name?" she asked, surprised she hadn't asked him that before. The man smiled down at her.

"It's Walter, although I don't like it very much."

"Why not?"

The man shrugged, his smile widening. "I don't know…I just never have. I've been called other things that I prefer…Father, Reverend by some, Chaplain, but I think my favorite is 'Padre.'"

"Padre? That's a funny word. Why do you like that one so much?"

"Well, I guess I like that one because the best men I ever knew called me that. Padre…it means 'Father' but I like the way 'Padre' sounds better.

"Oh, I see. I wonder if that's why my friend calls me Mac when he talks to me. I like it…but I like it when he calls me Sarah, too."

"Sarah is a very pretty name. Did you know that it means 'Princess'?"

"It does? Wow! I Iike that…but I think I still like Mac better unless my friend calls me Sarah."

Little Sarah sat quietly for a moment, still tired but calmed by the sound of her friend's friend. Finally, she looked up at the nice man again. "Walter?"

"Yes, Sarah?"

"Can I call you 'Padre' too?"

"Of course, Sarah. Do you want me to call you Mac?"

The little girl thought for a moment. "No…I don't think I'm really Mac yet."

"Well, then, I'm Padre and you're still a princess." The padre tickled her a little and she giggled. He was so nice. Maybe she'd be happier staying with him then going back to her friend or going to the green beautiful place in her mind.

"I wish you could stay here too, Sarah…it gets a bit lonely here, but what I really want is you to be happy—and that will either be where it's all peaceful and green, or with your friend, where things will be harder, very hard at first, but no less wonderful in the end."

Little Sarah frowned. "But how will I choose?"

The man didn't answer, but Sarah forgot her question when the big white jet flew overhead.

"Oh, the big one's back…he's not my friend, not like him, but I love him too. Is he my dad?"

"No, sweetheart…but he loves you too and if he could be your dad, he would be."

"Maybe if I ask him, he'll bring my friend back."

The little girl frowned again. "But I can't ask him, can I…"

"No, you can't, little one."

"Maybe if I go back?"

"If you go back, you won't need to ask…he will be there…but it'll be hard, Sarah. I know you can do it, but it will take more work than you've ever done before."

I steady, determined look settled on Sarah's face. "I'm ready."

Harm's POV

"Rabb," I mumble as I answer my phone. It's an automatic thing; I managed to fall asleep on my couch and I'm still not completely awake.

"Harm, it's AJ."

My heart skips a beat and my stomach plummets to the floor. He's using first names…that can't be good. "What is it, sir?"

"I don't know how he did it, but it's proving to be more difficult to challenge this POA than I ever thought it would be."

"Admiral…" I use his rank; if I fall into first names too I'll be too emotional because Admiral Chegwidden rarely slips out of military protocol.

"We're going to get this changed, son. I promise—but it's taking more time…"

More time than we have…

I hear his unspoken words as loudly as if he were standing right next to me, yelling in my ear. I swallow hard and I can only mumble out a 'yes, sir,' before the tears start to fall.

"Son…"

"I-I'm okay s-sir," I lie. "Did y-y-you at least g-get to see her?"

He hesitates at first and I'm afraid I'll throw up. Did Brumby ban him too? Oh, what am I thinking. Of course he did. He—"

"I did."

"How is she?"

"Oh, Harm…"

"No…"

"Harm…she's still here, but she's weakening. She's not…how did they put it…she's not initiating as many breaths with the ventilator."

"What does that mean?"

"I'm the wrong person to ask, Harm…but I think it means that they are breathing for her at a certain rate, but if she initiates a breath on her own, the ventilator will help her with that breath regardless of the set rate."

"Ah." I don't know what else to say. I almost want to continue discussing the scientific parts of Mac's situation to avoid actually talking about Mac, but I know we have to discuss it.

"H-How long do they think…"

"They don't know son. They said, sometimes she seems to rally and then she starts slipping away."

"I gotta be with her, sir. Sneak me in…disguise me…anything, sir." I know I'm being a bit irrational here, but I can't help it.

"Son, I promise you…I'll find a way…even if I have to kill Brumby." He hangs up then, but it takes me a while to realize that. His last words were said with such dark finality that I think he could actually do it…and I would let him. Hell, I'd help him hide the body.

Mac…please wake up, honey. We need you.

Mac's Dream

"Your friend is back," Sarah told Padre. "He's nice, isn't he? I like his voice."

"Yes, he is very nice."

"I think my friend likes him too."

"I think he does."

"Who's that other man they talk about?"

"Other man?"

"The one that went to jail."

"Oh, he's just someone I helped out once. Remember when I told you about the best men I ever met?

"Uh huh."

"He's one of them. He's brave, a believer."

"But he's in jail!"

"Not for long, my dear."

"Are you gonna help him?"

"Yes."

"Are you gonna help my friend?"

"If he asks. I can't do it otherwise."

Sarah nodded as if in understanding. "I don't know if he listens to m…but I'll try to tell him to ask, okay?"

"Okay, my dear child."

"Padre?"

"Yes, child?"

"I'm ready to try to go back to my friend. Will you help me?"

"Now you have to help yourself there."

"Why?"

"I don't know, sweetheart. That's just the way it works."

Harm's POV

I can't stop pacing. I'd go to the hospital and camp outside it, but I know it won't do me any good. I'd probably be kicked off the property for loitering anyway.

The admiral's still working on things—he's called more than one judge, even Webb and I can't believe this is that hard. How did Brumby pull this off? And why? She'd already given him back the ring. She'd already moved on. Why is he still pushing this? Is it because of me? If he can't have her no one can?"

Another night falls, and this time I almost do drink…or at least I have the alcohol poured into a glass, but something stops me. It's the whisper of a voice I know and one I don't, and I slowly set the glass down. It's at that moment that the phone rings, startling me so bad that I jump. My hand hits the shot of whiskey and it tips out onto the table, but I can't be bothered with that now. I grab the phone before I can see the caller ID, but the voice on the other end tells me all I need to know.

"Mac?" I gulp.

"Yes."

And with that, I'm running out my door, keys in hand, vowing to get into that hospital any way I can. Mac needs me…like she'll never need me again.

End Chapter 10