December 6, 2003
Blacksburg, VA

0945

The pacing that began with the phone call from Mac came to a sudden stop with a knock at the door. Torn between wanting to know what was happening with Harm, and fearing the answers she was seeking, Mattie stood frozen in her living room. She was just as unsure as Mac had been. Why would a woman she had never met, come this far simply to inform them of Harm's condition? The only reason her worried mind could conceive was that Harm was dead and the Colonel didn't want to deliver the sad news over the phone. The gesture was nice, she thought, but if her world was changing again, she'd prefer to deal with it alone, not with strangers.

The jester seemed at odds with the reaction she got from Harm after finding a picture of little AJ's christening. Harm had confirmed they were godparents and former colleagues, but the wistful tone in his voice and sadness in his eyes as he spoke of her told the perceptive teen there was more to the story, and whatever, it was, hurt him deeply. If this woman had hurt Harm so deeply, why had she come? And could she be trusted? Harm had told her little of his time at JAG and his reaction to the Admiral's visit confirmed her thoughts. Whatever happened cost him more than a job, and the Marine at her door had played a big part in hurting her friend. However, her concern for Harm outweighed her distrust.

Before Mac could enter the living room, and introductions could be made, the question that haunted her fell from her mouth with fear and sadness. "Is he dead?" The bluntness of the question did not surprise Mac. It confirmed what Harm's letter had told her. The girl whose blue eyes valiantly tried to hide her fear and pain had like herself been forced to grow up far faster than she should. "No!"

The answer had lifted the greatest worry from Mattie. Harm was alive and the relaxing of her once ridged posture confirmed for Mac and Donna La Monies how deep her fear had been. The answer to one question did not answer them all. With no small amount of nervousness, Mattie asked about Harm's condition and Mac sensed Mattie would not accept a sugar-coated version of the truth. When will he wake up? Will he be, OK? Can I see him? The first two answers frustrated Mattie as much as they had Mac. Most of the injuries would heal in time, but recovery from the head injury could only be determined fully when he woke. When that would be, was anyone's guess, and the longer the coma continued the odds of full recovery would grow smaller. The fact that Mattie wasn't officially family could make seeing Harm difficult, but Mac promised to make it happen. Hard as the previous questions had been, the next was simple and yet more complicated than Mattie could have known.

"Colonel, why are you here and not with Harm? Harm won't talk much about why he left the Navy or why the picture of his godson's christening makes him sad. All he said was that he went AWOL to help an old friend." Realization dawns on Mattie's face and it lights with anger. "You're the friend he saved."

Donna La Monies tried to calm the girl's anger by placing a calming hand on her back, but the rant continued. "You're the one who put that sadness in his eyes! Why are you here?"

Mac wanted to be angry. She wanted to scream about a bridge in Sydney; callus remarks about past relationships. She wanted to vent at his willingness to risk his life and everything he held dear for her, except what she wanted most. There was enough blame shared by both. She wanted to cry for the time wasted, but the young women in front of her needed reassurance and honesty, not the anger that has led them here. So that's what she would give her, no matter how difficult. Taking a deep breath, she answered. "He made you a promise."

Ignoring the confused expressions in front of her, Mac continued speaking. Emotion was evident in her voice as memories of a Paraguayan taxi stand; their last fight ran through her mind. "You're right, he saved my life and gave up the life he loved for me. I'll never be able to repay the debt I owe him or forgive myself for not remembering that with Harmon Rabb Jr, actions speak louder than words." The emotions of the last two days, hell, the last year began to surface. "Duty, honor, mean everything to Harm. He doesn't make a promise he doesn't keep and I'll do whatever I can to help him keep that promise."

"How can you possibly help me, you don't even know me, and I doubt they'll let me stay with Harm now?"

"Mattie's right," Donna La Monies says. "The state wants to give custody to Mr. Rabb even if he recovers, they're..."

"Not if!" Mattie and Mac yelled.

Donna holds her hands out palms forward defensively to halt the dual anger aimed her way. The reaction confirmed one thing. These women had one thing in common; their love for Harmon Rabb Jr.

"I hope you're both right, but under current circumstances and the likely need for recovery time, the judge will not grant his petition."

The lawyer in Mac knew she was probably right, but the Marine and the woman who loved Harm were ready for the fight.

"We may have just met, but I know Mattie better than you or she may think."

"You think you do ha! Did your alcoholic father drive off the road, kill your mother, and abandon you? You don't know a damn thing!"

Mac raised her hand to stall Donna's attempt to chastise the angry teen, and prepared herself to tell a story she would rather not tell but, seeing Mattie's pain and the similarities to her own past confirmed Harm's words. "This isn't about us; this is about a girl who needs help."

"No, he abused her physically, both of us verbally until my fifteenth birthday when she left us. I ran away two years later and became drunk like my father. I married a man who ended up in prison. My uncle Matt took me in, dried me out, and helped me join the Marines."

The room was silent for a moment till Mattie's determined voice broke in. "I won't be like my father and I'm not you."

"I hope you're right, but your history makes it more likely, and who knows better than some who lived it. What are you proposing, Colonel?" Donna asks.

"The way I see it," Mac said, turning to Donna. "Harm would likely lose under the circumstances, and if she is as stubborn and independent as Harm suggests she is, she'll bolt from foster care first chance she gets, and her age and family history would make it difficult to place her quickly." Thank God for Bud's fast research, Mac thought. "Mattie could stay with me while I petition for guardianship in Harms's place."

"I don't want to be a charity case because you feel guilty," Mattie said.

Mac bit back the angry retort on the tip of her tongue. God, she wished Harm was here. Mac replied with a calm she did not feel. "Yes, I feel guilty for the pain I caused Harm, and I would give anything for him to be here to make good on that promise." Tears began falling as she remembered another that may now never happen. Mac reached in her purse for Harm's letter which she printed before leaving the office. "Call it guilt or charity if you like, but one of the last things Harm asked of me, was to make sure you are OK. Read for yourself."

After quietly reading, Mattie looked to Mac with tears-filled eyes and said in a pleading tone that tore at Mac's heart: "He can't give up. I love him. He loves you; you can't let him quit." As if this Marine alone had the power to will him back to health.

"Are you willing to help?" Mac asked, looking down at the girl whose desperate plea ended muffled against her chest. "He's a stubborn squid, I need all the help I can get."

Looking Mac in the eyes, Mattie asked: "You love him, don't you?"

"More than anything," came the simple but honest reply.

Sounding much like Harm Mattie responded. "Let's go, Marine."

For the first time in two days, Mac had a reason to smile.

AN/ For those who are still following and those who have joined, thank you.

This is the revised copy of chapter 10

Rae, you've been a great help. Thank you.