ABOUT US 2: Surprise, Surprise 12/14
Author: LeE
e-mail: lee_81881@yahoo.com
Classification: Adventure, Romance H/M
Disclaimers: JAG doesn't belong to me. It belongs to DPB and CBS. I'm just having some fun while procrastinating on homework...
Author's Note: Well, here's part 12 everyone. A little on the emotional side. The last two parts will be posted the next couple days. Thanks again to all of you who've kept up with this story and also to those of you who've sent feedback. Greatly appreciated...:) Enjoy...LeE
*From Part 11*
Mac had never seen Clay really smile. This was a new side of Clay she'd never known even existed, but according to Annika he was charming, caring, and loyal. Well, she just needed to see it with her own eyes.
"Lt. Colonel Mackenzie?"
"Yes, that's me"
"Please follow me, ma'am. The helo's waiting for you to depart" Mac nodded and accepted a small hug from Clay, who managed to startle her when he told her he was sorry with such sincerity. Something big had happened over the past week that had changed Clayton Webb. There'd be time to figure that out later, for now she just wanted to see her Sailor.
*Part 12*
TWO DAYS LATER
BETHESDA MEDICAL CENTER
Mac sat quietly at Harm's bedside. He was still indulging in a fitful sleep after all the medication he'd been given for the pain in his leg and his gunshot wound. She hadn't seen him in a week, but it felt like months to her. His normally lively handsome features were now dark and stoic, as the result of the hardships, physical and mental, his body had endured. Running a soft hand across his forehead, she sighed, as tears welled up in her eyes for the millionth time since she'd first seen him the night before. He still hadn't spoken to her, she hadn't seen his eyes, hadn't felt his skin knowingly touching hers, but he was there, and he was alive, and for now, that's all that mattered.
Leaning forward, she pressed a soft kiss to his temple, smoothing his hair softly with her fingers, her eyes roaming over his face. A soft smile grew on his lips at her touch and she smiled back enthusiastically when she felt his hand squeeze hers lightly. A few more squeezes and his bright blue/greens opened to gaze at her.
"Hi" he murmured softly, blinking to adjust to the light and focus on her face. He felt like jumping up and swirling her around the room, but his body wasn't cooperating.
"Hi there, Sailor. How are you feeling?" she asked him gently as she pressed the button to let the nurse know he was finally awake.
"Like crap. But I'm glad you're here" He managed to croak out and she chuckled. Harm had a gift for the understatement. He sure looked like crap, but to her he was the most precious sight in the world.
"I love you" she whispered softly as she felt his hand squeeze hers once again, a ghost of his flyboy smile on his lips. Not enough energy to muster that full charming smile, yet, but she'd take whatever she got.
"Love you too..." he mumble quietly, still managing to give the words that tender touch only he could pull off lying on a hospital bed after days of involuntary drug abuse.
Mac smiled, and reached up to brush a tender kiss to his lips. As much as he could, he mimicked her action, and seconds later they parted as the doctor came waltzing into the room. Looking up at the older man they held their breaths for his words.
"Well, I see you've decided to join us Commander Rabb" Harm simply nodded, not wasting energy on a smile.
"And I assume you'd like to know when you can take your Sailor home, ma'am" Mac smiled and looked over at Harm who had a look of utter mirth on his face as he realized he was in for some major Marine pampering. Normally, he would object. However, once more his life had been threatened, and this time it had scared him more than usual. He had Mac to come home to now, and every chance he got to spend time with her he would welcome with open arms, circumstances notwithstanding.
"Yes, Doctor" Mac answered amused at the look on Harm's face. The doctor simply ignored them. He knew how the game was played.
"Well, the Commander here should be ready to go home within 12 hours" he held up his hand quickly before Mac could speak "Only under supervision and his word that he'll take his medicine and take it easy for at least two weeks. That arm will need some time to heal, as well as your leg, even though it wasn't broken."
"Understood, doctor" Mac answered and Harm nodded. It wasn't so bad to have Mac doing the talking after all. If he'd let her do that sooner maybe he'd have less scars and more happy memories to count.
"Very well" the doctor finished and left them alone once again.
"Hear that, Squid? I get to take care of you for a couple of weeks!" Mac said, excitement showing on her face. Harm smiled at her "Only for a couple of weeks?" he asked pleadingly. She chuckled.
"Your place or mine?"
MAC'S APARTMENT
NEXT DAY
Once again, she watched him sleep. He looked so peaceful, so unburdened, so...free. She'd give anything to see him look like that when he awoke. But she knew better. Just like her, Harmon Rabb, Jr. had lived enough to bear the scars, the memories. Maybe she couldn't take them away, or replace them, but she was willing to share them, if that would somehow make it less painful. Mac knew it would take some time for him to open up about the events in Afghanistan, but once again, having him alive and well was more important than anything else.
"Hmmm, Mac... I'm...coming back... I promise... wait..." The nightmare was back, the dream. The same one he'd had so many times while he'd been held at that awful place half a world away. This time he could see her face, he could hear her calling him, he could see her crying, accepting the flag... moving on with her life, just like his mother had done after his father didn't return.
Mac came running from the kitchen at his tortured screams. The image of the man she loved more than life-- twisting and turning, tears running down his handsome face- made the protective side of her come alive. Quickly leaning over him on the side of the bed, she attempted to wake him, holding him steady, whispering loving words to him as she watched him recognize her presence and physically calm down. His breath was still shallow, and drops of sweat trickled down the side of his face, merging with the tears he'd shed.
"Harm, wake up, please. I'm here, Harm. Honey, wake up... come on" she pleaded with him over and over until his eyes opened slowly. Immediately he reached for her, crushing her to him in a desperate embrace that startled her at first.
"I thought it was real" he whispered, anguish and pain noticeable on his tone.
"What, Harm? Tell me what you saw, please" Mac murmured as she placed dozens of soft kisses everywhere on his face she could reach.
Closing his eyes, Harm began relating his dream. "I... I was coming back. Just like I promised... but something wouldn't let me. I saw you, Sarah. You were... you were crying and I wanted to tell you I was okay, that I was alive, that I was coming back, but you couldn't hear me, you wouldn't... you wouldn't wait..." his voice broke and a sob escaped him as she held him tighter against her.
Thinking over his words, she understood. The revelation caught her off guard and she attempted unconsciously to pull away from him, but the grip he had on her was too strong. Finally leaning back into his embrace, she let the tears fall, mingling with his, as she finally realized why it'd taken them so long to get to where they were now. Why he'd said 'not yet', why he'd pushed her away, why he never tried to stop her engagement to Mic. And as these thoughts ran through her mind, the guilt she'd felt everyday since accepting Mic's ring surfaced once again. Things were too jumbled up for Harm to realize the implications of his dream at the moment. But Sarah Mackenzie knew she was responsible for some of it. And she knew some day they'd have to talk about it, but not now. Right now the man she loved needed comfort, reassurance, not a walk down memory lane.
Harmon Rabb, Jr. was not as emotionally independent as everyone made him out to be. He wasn't stupid, dumb, nor was he socially inept, as she'd labeled him so many times in her fits of anger and frustration. On the outside, he was just a typical male; but on the inside, lived a tormented soul who'd lost so much in his life he didn't believe happy endings were possible anymore.
"Harm, you were kidnapped, and held hostage for almost a week, but you did come back. You don't have to be afraid anymore, Harm. You're not your father. You came back to me and I waited for you. I would've waited forever. Open your eyes, Harm. Please, just look at me and let it go" she whispered softly and watched as his eyes opened and focused on her. She was real, even more real to him than she'd been in his dream, and for the first time since that fateful day he'd mourned his father as a little boy, Harmon Rabb, Jr. started to believe in happy endings.
"Sarah, I..."
"Harm, it will take time. But I promise you, I'll make you believe" and with a new round of tears sliding down her cheeks, she kissed him, letting the love emanate from her unrestrained, as she'd dreamed of doing so many times before.
"I love you" was all he could say. His arms tightened around her, as much as he could with his injured side, and he knew it would be okay. There was a new purpose now, life had a new meaning, and at that moment, he made a silent vow to fight for the happily ever after they both deserved.
TBC
Author: LeE
e-mail: lee_81881@yahoo.com
Classification: Adventure, Romance H/M
Disclaimers: JAG doesn't belong to me. It belongs to DPB and CBS. I'm just having some fun while procrastinating on homework...
Author's Note: Well, here's part 12 everyone. A little on the emotional side. The last two parts will be posted the next couple days. Thanks again to all of you who've kept up with this story and also to those of you who've sent feedback. Greatly appreciated...:) Enjoy...LeE
*From Part 11*
Mac had never seen Clay really smile. This was a new side of Clay she'd never known even existed, but according to Annika he was charming, caring, and loyal. Well, she just needed to see it with her own eyes.
"Lt. Colonel Mackenzie?"
"Yes, that's me"
"Please follow me, ma'am. The helo's waiting for you to depart" Mac nodded and accepted a small hug from Clay, who managed to startle her when he told her he was sorry with such sincerity. Something big had happened over the past week that had changed Clayton Webb. There'd be time to figure that out later, for now she just wanted to see her Sailor.
*Part 12*
TWO DAYS LATER
BETHESDA MEDICAL CENTER
Mac sat quietly at Harm's bedside. He was still indulging in a fitful sleep after all the medication he'd been given for the pain in his leg and his gunshot wound. She hadn't seen him in a week, but it felt like months to her. His normally lively handsome features were now dark and stoic, as the result of the hardships, physical and mental, his body had endured. Running a soft hand across his forehead, she sighed, as tears welled up in her eyes for the millionth time since she'd first seen him the night before. He still hadn't spoken to her, she hadn't seen his eyes, hadn't felt his skin knowingly touching hers, but he was there, and he was alive, and for now, that's all that mattered.
Leaning forward, she pressed a soft kiss to his temple, smoothing his hair softly with her fingers, her eyes roaming over his face. A soft smile grew on his lips at her touch and she smiled back enthusiastically when she felt his hand squeeze hers lightly. A few more squeezes and his bright blue/greens opened to gaze at her.
"Hi" he murmured softly, blinking to adjust to the light and focus on her face. He felt like jumping up and swirling her around the room, but his body wasn't cooperating.
"Hi there, Sailor. How are you feeling?" she asked him gently as she pressed the button to let the nurse know he was finally awake.
"Like crap. But I'm glad you're here" He managed to croak out and she chuckled. Harm had a gift for the understatement. He sure looked like crap, but to her he was the most precious sight in the world.
"I love you" she whispered softly as she felt his hand squeeze hers once again, a ghost of his flyboy smile on his lips. Not enough energy to muster that full charming smile, yet, but she'd take whatever she got.
"Love you too..." he mumble quietly, still managing to give the words that tender touch only he could pull off lying on a hospital bed after days of involuntary drug abuse.
Mac smiled, and reached up to brush a tender kiss to his lips. As much as he could, he mimicked her action, and seconds later they parted as the doctor came waltzing into the room. Looking up at the older man they held their breaths for his words.
"Well, I see you've decided to join us Commander Rabb" Harm simply nodded, not wasting energy on a smile.
"And I assume you'd like to know when you can take your Sailor home, ma'am" Mac smiled and looked over at Harm who had a look of utter mirth on his face as he realized he was in for some major Marine pampering. Normally, he would object. However, once more his life had been threatened, and this time it had scared him more than usual. He had Mac to come home to now, and every chance he got to spend time with her he would welcome with open arms, circumstances notwithstanding.
"Yes, Doctor" Mac answered amused at the look on Harm's face. The doctor simply ignored them. He knew how the game was played.
"Well, the Commander here should be ready to go home within 12 hours" he held up his hand quickly before Mac could speak "Only under supervision and his word that he'll take his medicine and take it easy for at least two weeks. That arm will need some time to heal, as well as your leg, even though it wasn't broken."
"Understood, doctor" Mac answered and Harm nodded. It wasn't so bad to have Mac doing the talking after all. If he'd let her do that sooner maybe he'd have less scars and more happy memories to count.
"Very well" the doctor finished and left them alone once again.
"Hear that, Squid? I get to take care of you for a couple of weeks!" Mac said, excitement showing on her face. Harm smiled at her "Only for a couple of weeks?" he asked pleadingly. She chuckled.
"Your place or mine?"
MAC'S APARTMENT
NEXT DAY
Once again, she watched him sleep. He looked so peaceful, so unburdened, so...free. She'd give anything to see him look like that when he awoke. But she knew better. Just like her, Harmon Rabb, Jr. had lived enough to bear the scars, the memories. Maybe she couldn't take them away, or replace them, but she was willing to share them, if that would somehow make it less painful. Mac knew it would take some time for him to open up about the events in Afghanistan, but once again, having him alive and well was more important than anything else.
"Hmmm, Mac... I'm...coming back... I promise... wait..." The nightmare was back, the dream. The same one he'd had so many times while he'd been held at that awful place half a world away. This time he could see her face, he could hear her calling him, he could see her crying, accepting the flag... moving on with her life, just like his mother had done after his father didn't return.
Mac came running from the kitchen at his tortured screams. The image of the man she loved more than life-- twisting and turning, tears running down his handsome face- made the protective side of her come alive. Quickly leaning over him on the side of the bed, she attempted to wake him, holding him steady, whispering loving words to him as she watched him recognize her presence and physically calm down. His breath was still shallow, and drops of sweat trickled down the side of his face, merging with the tears he'd shed.
"Harm, wake up, please. I'm here, Harm. Honey, wake up... come on" she pleaded with him over and over until his eyes opened slowly. Immediately he reached for her, crushing her to him in a desperate embrace that startled her at first.
"I thought it was real" he whispered, anguish and pain noticeable on his tone.
"What, Harm? Tell me what you saw, please" Mac murmured as she placed dozens of soft kisses everywhere on his face she could reach.
Closing his eyes, Harm began relating his dream. "I... I was coming back. Just like I promised... but something wouldn't let me. I saw you, Sarah. You were... you were crying and I wanted to tell you I was okay, that I was alive, that I was coming back, but you couldn't hear me, you wouldn't... you wouldn't wait..." his voice broke and a sob escaped him as she held him tighter against her.
Thinking over his words, she understood. The revelation caught her off guard and she attempted unconsciously to pull away from him, but the grip he had on her was too strong. Finally leaning back into his embrace, she let the tears fall, mingling with his, as she finally realized why it'd taken them so long to get to where they were now. Why he'd said 'not yet', why he'd pushed her away, why he never tried to stop her engagement to Mic. And as these thoughts ran through her mind, the guilt she'd felt everyday since accepting Mic's ring surfaced once again. Things were too jumbled up for Harm to realize the implications of his dream at the moment. But Sarah Mackenzie knew she was responsible for some of it. And she knew some day they'd have to talk about it, but not now. Right now the man she loved needed comfort, reassurance, not a walk down memory lane.
Harmon Rabb, Jr. was not as emotionally independent as everyone made him out to be. He wasn't stupid, dumb, nor was he socially inept, as she'd labeled him so many times in her fits of anger and frustration. On the outside, he was just a typical male; but on the inside, lived a tormented soul who'd lost so much in his life he didn't believe happy endings were possible anymore.
"Harm, you were kidnapped, and held hostage for almost a week, but you did come back. You don't have to be afraid anymore, Harm. You're not your father. You came back to me and I waited for you. I would've waited forever. Open your eyes, Harm. Please, just look at me and let it go" she whispered softly and watched as his eyes opened and focused on her. She was real, even more real to him than she'd been in his dream, and for the first time since that fateful day he'd mourned his father as a little boy, Harmon Rabb, Jr. started to believe in happy endings.
"Sarah, I..."
"Harm, it will take time. But I promise you, I'll make you believe" and with a new round of tears sliding down her cheeks, she kissed him, letting the love emanate from her unrestrained, as she'd dreamed of doing so many times before.
"I love you" was all he could say. His arms tightened around her, as much as he could with his injured side, and he knew it would be okay. There was a new purpose now, life had a new meaning, and at that moment, he made a silent vow to fight for the happily ever after they both deserved.
TBC