La Jolla, September 2006

A few kids were still running around on the beach, chased by their parents who wanted to take them home. A group of teenage boys was throwing a ball around, while what had to be their girlfriends were sitting watching them. A couple walked hand in hand by the water, laughing about something that only they knew. Colonel Sarah Mackenzie and Mattie Grace were sitting on the sand, their feet bare as they competed about who had the worst day. Mac's eyes were on a two-year-old boy playing in the sand a few feet in front of her.

"I hate school," Mattie let out a sigh. "I want to be homeschooled."

"Mattie, you had a bad day. It'll get better," Mac reassured.

"I just don't get why I can't be friends with a boy without everyone assuming that there's more," Mattie threw a seashell. "The worst part was that Sam didn't even talk to me for the rest of the day."

"He'll come around," Mac reassured.

Mattie didn't look convinced. "So, do I win on the worst day?"

Mac chuckled. "I don't know, I didn't tell you about the coffee on my lap and me having to go home to change into a new uniform."

Mattie raised her eyebrows. "Did you burn yourself?" she asked with worry.

"Nah, it was almost cold," Mac chuckled.

"Okay, then I win," Mattie reasoned.

"Fine," Mac agreed.

"So, will you and Harm make up again?" Mattie wondered.

Mac shrugged. "Probably," she hesitated. "He just infuriates me sometimes. I know I've been working late this week, but he knows how it is."

Mattie hesitated. "He had a special plan for tonight."

Mac whipped her head around. "He did?"

"Yeah, that's why Logan and I were staying with Trish and Frank tonight," Mattie smiled. "Until Harm decided to ditch his plan and go flying with Keeter instead."

"He didn't say anything," Mac let out a sigh. "I could have made it home, but I wanted to get things out of the way so that I could spend time with you guys this weekend instead of going in."

"Aren't married people supposed to be communicating?" Mattie joked.

Mac offered an amused look in her direction.

Mattie smiled. "Should we have dinner?"

"Yeah, we should. I just wish Harm would answer my text so that I know if he'll be joining us," Mac reached for her phone again. "Nope."

"I could answer you in person instead."

Both Mac and Mattie turned. "I'm thinking pizza," Mattie said and stood. "I'll go home and I'll make the order."

Logan, their beautiful adopted son that they loved as much as they would if he was their own, ran up to his father. "Dad!"

"Hi buddy," Harm lifted him up into his arms. "Did you have fun with your sister this afternoon?"

Logan nodded.

"I can take him with me, and we'll order pizza. "Mattie reached for Logan. "You can sit on my shoulders."

Logan squealed in delight.

"We'll be right there," Mac said.

Harm smiled and sat down beside his wife.

"You had plans," Mac looked at him.

"I did," he hesitated. "I didn't say anything."

Mac was amused. "I should have told you that I was working late so that I could take the weekend off."

Harm chuckled.

"Did you go flying?" Mac wondered.

"I did," he smiled widely.

"You clearly enjoyed your afternoon," she smiled. "How's Keeter?"

"Crazy," Harm chuckled. "You don't have to know about that."

She studied him cautiously. "Should I worry about you flying?"

Harm shrugged. "Nah, I have it under control."

"I'm sure you do District attorney Rabb," she smirked. "Is your day job really that boring?"

"I need to unwind a bit, spread my wings, have some fun," he smirked.

"Yeah?" she moved over him, sitting down with her legs spread around him. "I can help with that."

He moved his arms around her and kissed her deeply. "We should communicate better."

"We should," she agreed and rubbed her nose to his.

"Tomorrow," he kissed her again. "I'm making you a fancy dinner."

"That sounds like a plan," she hugged him close. He was her everything, and even though they had their moments of bickering and being stubborn and impossible, creating tension between them, she wouldn't trade her life with him for anything.

"Come on," he motioned for her to stand, and stood too. "I hope Mattie ordered something edible."

"I'm sure she did," Mac reassured as she took his hand.

He pulled her close and kissed her. "So you have the weekend off?"

"I do," she confirmed. "I'm all yours."

"That's good, I worry about you overdoing it," he admitted.

"I know you do, but I'm not," she smiled.

He didn't look convinced. "We can finally agree on the color of the guest room," he suggested as they started walking. They had bought an old house in La Jolla and spent most of the first year as a married couple restoring it. It was becoming their dream house.

"We've tried to agree for a month now," she pointed out with amusement.

He chuckled. "I know, but once you realize that a lighter color is what we should go for…"

"A lighter color can also be a warm color," she argued.

"Here we go again," he shook his head in amusement.

Later that night

Mac finished in the bathroom and took one last look in the mirror with her sleep tee lifted out of the way. She was four months pregnant and still, she showed no signs of pregnancy. Her belly was a little more rounded but other than that she was just as normal. She wasn't loving the idea of walking around in a maternity uniform, but she was looking forward to feeling pregnant.

"Don't worry, you'll be huge in no time."

She turned towards the door and smiled. "Huge?"

Harm chuckled as he reached for his toothbrush. " We have to feed you more."

She rolled her eyes and put her hands on her belly. "It's a little more rounded."

"O ook eautifu," he said as he brushed.

"Huh?" she wondered.

He finished brushing. "You look beautiful."

"Thanks," she put her sleep tee in place. It was a miracle that she found herself in this condition in the first place. According to her doctor Harm had to have super sperm. Harm's ego grew even bigger when he heard that.

Harm followed her into the bedroom. "We should get started in the baby's room," he suggested. He moved his t-shirt over his head.

Mac smiled as she turned to him. "We should find out if it's a boy or a girl first."

"Nah, my girl won't have a pink room anyway," he warned. "I'm thinking of some form of green that will fit either way."

"You've really thought this through," she watched as he removed his pants. He was incredibly sexy with his firm body. He kept to a strict diet and workout schedule and he was in great shape. She reached out and touched his chest. "That's a really good quality in a man."

"What?" he pulled her closer.

"That you think about things like that," she moved her arms around his neck. "I think green could work."

He raised his eyebrows. "So we agree on something?"

She smiled. "We agree on a lot of things."

He leaned in and kissed her. "I love you."

"I love you more," she moved him to the bed. "I think," she kissed his chest. "We should," she kissed him on the mouth. "Make up."

"I agree," he leaned in and kissed her deeply.

The next morning

"More oatmeal Logan?" Mac wondered. She loved the lazy weekend morning with her family. Less than two years ago she had been on her own, having no one and given up on the idea of becoming a mother. It was strange to think about how different her life had become.

Logan shook his head. "I wanna play."

Mac helped him down and watched him run into the living room. He was a sweet boy, with his big blue eyes and brown wavy hair. They had been waiting to foster a child for a while when the call came. It had been love at first sight for her.

"Good morning," Mattie walked into the kitchen.

"Morning," Mac smiled as she stood and took Logan's dishes to the sink. "There's oatmeal. Harm is out for a run."

Mattie arranged a bowl and sat down.

"What's your plan for today?" Mac wondered.

"I don't really have a plan," Mattie said with a shrug as she reached for the paper.

"Nothing from Sam," Mac assumed.

"Nope," Mattie confirmed.

Mac peaked into the living room and saw Logan with his Lego blocks. "He probably doesn't know what to say. Yet."

"Sure," Mattie let out a sigh. "When are we going over to grandma and grandpa's place?"

"Around noon," Mac closed the dishwasher.

"So what do you guys have planned for tonight?" Mattie wondered.

"Just a quiet night at home. I think," Mac smiled. "Harm wouldn't say." Her phone rang. "Work," she motioned for the living room. "Can you look after Logan?"

"Sure," Mattie said.

Mac crossed the living room and headed for their home office.

As she hung up the phone ten minutes later she noticed Harm in the doorway, his arms crossed and looking annoyed.

"I hope that was really important. Third world war is starting important," he said dryly.

"Not exactly that important," she flashed him a sweet smile. "I am the boss," she reminded him.

"The pregnant boss who's had more hours this week than what is healthy," he argued.

"Relax," she stood. "I have it under control. Besides, I'm the boss, I can't just sit back with my legs raised high for nine months."

"You are impossible," he shook his head with annoyance. "I'm taking a shower."

"Don't be mad at me," she pouted.

"I'm not mad, I'm worried," he pointed out as he crossed the living room and headed upstairs.

She let out a sigh. He was right to be worried. This was their dream come through and they'd both be devastated if anything happened with the pregnancy. But it was her command responsibility. It felt like she was between a rock and a hard place. And she had her doubts about what would happen once the baby arrived. Did she really want to go back to work again so soon, or at all? Trish and Frank were great with Logan but she couldn't expect them to take care of both Logan and the baby. Daycare was an option but she wanted time to be a mom. It was a difficult decision to make and she didn't have a lot of time to make it.