Chapter Fourteen
It's All Greek To Mac

WEEK 10
AUGUST 10TH, 2001

1000 EST
JAG HEADQUARTERS
FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA

The end was in sight for Mac's first trimester. Her morning sickness finally seemed to be on its way out, much to her relief. It wasn't gone entirely, but it had gone down in severity and had become a lot more manageable. However, Mac was now faced with the opposite problem. She went from having no appetite at all, to eating everything in sight, and it was reaching the point of embarrassment..

Mac always had a healthy appetite, but now she was eating herself-and Harm-out of house and home. It wasn't stuff she normally ate either. On that particular Friday, Mac wanted Greek food more than she had ever wanted something in her entire life. She didn't even really like Greek food, but she was willing to resign her commission that morning if it meant she could get her hands on a gyro.

"Harriet!" Mac called so hastily that she forgot to refer to her by her rank. Harriet stopped in her tracks outside Mac's office.

"Ma'am?" Harriet stepped into her office, and Mac noticed she was carrying a big stack of files. Mac suddenly felt guilty for stopping her, she clearly had a bunch of stuff to do.

"I'm sorry to bother you I-"

"No, it's fine, ma'am. What is it?" Harriet asked.

Mac paused, realizing how strange her question was going to be sound. "Do you...do you know where I could get any Greek food?"

"Greek food?" Harriet asked. Mac nodded..

"Yeah, uh, I've been having a-a-" Mac paused. Should she say 'craving'? Would that give her away? She cleared her throat. "I've been having a taste for it lately and I was wondering if you knew of any places?"

Harriet thought for a moment and eventually shook her head. "No, I don't. I didn't even know you liked Greek food, ma'am."

"Usually, I don't," Mac said, trying to sound nonchalant. "I've just been wanting to try not new things, I guess."

Harriet looked over her shoulder to check and make sure the coast was clear. "Ma'am, can I ask you about something?"

"Sure, Harriet, what is it?"

Harriet checked over her shoulder again. "Can I shut the door?"

Once the door was shut, Harriet sat down across from Mac, her heavy stack of files perched in her lap. She was looking at Mac expectantly.

"Let me guess," Mac said. "You want to ask me about Harm?"

Harriet nodded, unable to hide her eagerness any longer. "I just think it's so great that you two are finally together. You know, after all this time."

Mac couldn't help but smile at Harriet's enthusiasm. It was as though Harriet was as interested in their relationship as she and Harm were. It was endearing, and it made Mac realize what a good friend Harriet had been to her all these years. Mac wanted to tell Harriet and Bud so badly, but she and Harm had made a deal to wait until they told the Admiral. They felt that he should be the first to know, seeing that he was their boss, and technically Mac getting pregnant was a prime example of conduct unbecoming. Blindsiding the Admiral with this news wouldn't help her case. Harriet could wait two more weeks.

"Yeah, it feels….strange," Mac said. "But it's a good strange." It also feels strange because I'm pregnant, but that's not pertinent information right now.

"That's good," Harriet nodded. "Ma'am...have you told the Admiral?"

Mac sighed. "No...we haven't. That's something we've kind of been dreading."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry ma'am. I'm sure that since the Admiral let Bud and I work together, he'll make the same allowance for you and the Commander."

"I hope so, Harriet."

Harriet looked down at the stack of files in her lap and sighed. "I wish we could talk longer ma'am, but these files aren't going to file themselves."

Mac smiled. "It's alright Harriet." she said as Harriet got up, "If you want any more details, just call me sometime."

"I might have to take you up on that, ma'am."

Not long after Harriet left, Mac decided to head to the breakroom to see if there was anything close to Greek food so she could satisfy her craving. She was digging through one of the cabinets when Commander Turner strolled in.

"Oh, Colonel, I'm glad you're in here. I stopped by your office but I couldn't find you," he poured himself a cup of coffee. "I was hoping to talk to you about a case."

Mac froze. A case? He couldn't possibly mean the case, right? Her and Harm's case. The case no one but her and Harm were supposed to know about. I'm going to murder Harm, she thought. This is probably payback for me telling Renee.

"What case?" Mac demanded, whirling around. "What did Harm tell you?"

Sturgis's eyes widened and he looked at her in shock, slowly stirring some sugar into his coffee. "Harm didn't tell me anything, and I'm referring to the case I got assigned to this morning," he answered. "Colonel-Mac, are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Never been better." Mac said quickly. She smiled, but she could tell that Sturgis saw right through her.

"I see…" he said. "Well, if you ever need to talk to anyone, let me know."

Sturgis started to leave. "Sturgis, actually I could use your help with something," Mac called. He turned around.

"What is it?"

"Do you, um, know anywhere I could get some Greek food? Like, some place in the immediate area?"

"Colonel, I just moved here a month ago."

2200 EST
APARTMENT OF HARMON RABB
WASHINGTON D.C

Harm worked late that night, and he called Mac to tell her he wouldn't be able to come over. He wanted nothing more than to see her, especially after a long day, but he knew she was tired. Mac would never admit it, especially considering what an active person she usually was, but Harm could see her energy was getting zapped rather quickly as of late. He didn't want to interrupt her getting the rest she needed.

That's why, when he climbed into bed, he was surprised when she called him.

"Mac?" he said with mild disbelief.

"Harm, can you get me some Greek food?"

Harm rubbed his eyes. "Greek food?" he asked. "Mac, I didn't even know you liked Greek food."

"I don't," Mac replied in exasperation, "but I think our baby does."

"Ah, pregnancy cravings?"

Mac's groan from the other end of the line gave him his answer. "Yes," she answered. "Monday, it was cheese, specifically mozzarella. Tuesday it was pickles. Wednesday it was chocolate-but I always want chocolate now so technically that doesn't count. And then yesterday it was peanut butter. And today it's Greek food."

Harm ran his fingers through his hair, leaning back against his headboard. "That's-"

"Horrible, I know. I'm bloated, I'm starting to break out-which hasn't since high school. I'm sending my uniforms to the tailor tomorrow to get them all taken out at the waist, because at this rate I'm going to be fifty pounds heavier by next week. I'm probably consuming 5000 calories a day, on average-"

Harm knew she was rambling, but he decided to not interfere. She needed to get out all her feelings thought she was cute when she rambled, anyway.

"Are there even any Greek places nearby?"

Mac sighed. "That's the million dollar question."

Harm looked at his clock. It was 2230. "Are there any Greek places open this late?"

"I don't know," Mac sighed. "but if I don't get some Greek food now, I honestly think I might die."

"Mac-"

"Look, Harm. I'm sorry for handcuffing you and leaving you in the dark, but it was a joke and it was only for thirty minutes-"

Harm sighed "It's not that Mac, I'm...I'll find a place, okay?"

"Really?"

"I'd do anything for you, Mac," Harm said, smiling. God, he'd spent years waiting to tell her that. It felt weird throwing that phrase around so casually now.

"Thank you so, so much Harm. I love you."

"I love you too, Ninja girl," he said. "Just wait a little bit. I'll be there as soon as I can, bearing the finest of Greek delicacies just for you."

"I can't wait."

2330 EST
APARTMENT OF SARAH MACKENZIE
GEORGETOWN, VIRGINIA

It took forty five minutes for Harm to find a Greek place that was open, and when he finally arrived at Mac's place, she nearly ripped the bag out of his hand.

"Do you want some?" Mac asked through a mouthful, offering him a forkful of...something. Something that looked like a whole lot of dead animal. Harm shook his head.

"No, I'm fine. You're eating for two, though, so eat up," he said, to which Mac groaned.

"I wish I wasn't," she said. "I swear I've eaten more things in the past month than I have in my entire life."

Harm smirked. "C'mon Mac, don't you think you're being a little dramatic?"

Mac rolled her eyes and Harm chuckled. "How'd you even get this ,anyway?" she asked, stabbing a piece of gyro with her fork. "I figured you wouldn't be able to find anything."

"I had to drive almost out to Annapolis, and when I found this place, they told me they didn't do take out."

"So...did you steal it?" Mac asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No," Harm said. "I told them that my wife was pregnant and she was dying to have some Greek food and uh, they took some sympathy."

"So I'm your 'wife' now?" Mac raised an eyebrow. Harm shrugged.

"A little white lie now and then never hurt anyone," he said. "Plus, it got you the food you wanted, didn't it?"

Mac smiled, taking another bite and sighing in contentment. "Oh my god, this is so good!"

Harm watched Mac in amusement as she tore through the food with gusto. As much as he loved all the wild adventures they went on, he adored the casual, domestic moments like this even more. They had even more of those moments now that they were officially together, and Harm was loving it. He was so lost in thought that he didn't notice Mac had stopped eating and was watching him.

"What are you looking at? Am I glowing?" she asked teasingly.

"No," he said. "I mean, you are, but that's not why I'm staring."

"Well then, why are you staring?"

Harm shook his head. "No, I'm not gonna tell you. You'll laugh at me."

"No I won't!"

"Yes, you will." Harm insisted. "You don't like sappy stuff."

Mac rolled her eyes. "Well, tell me anyway, I might like it," she said. "Pregnancy might've changed me."

"Alright. Mac, you're my best friend."

Mac paused, her fork halfway to her mouth. She was expecting the usual 'you're beautiful' or 'I love you', but this was new. She couldn't put her finger on it, but there was something about the simple 'you're my best friend' that meant more to Mac than any other compliment she'd heard, even from Harm.

She smiled. "You're my best friend, too."