A/N: Here's kind of a sad update, but don't worry, all is well in the end. This is rather long for a vignette, so sorry about that!

Vignette Six

Ricochet: Loss

Sixteen steps…it was a mere sixteen steps across the room, then sixteen steps back to the door through which they'd taken his Mac. She tried to hold back her tears as he'd kissed her goodbye, but they still flowed down toward her ears faster than he could brush them aside, and he couldn't help crying with her. He'd wanted to be strong for her but when he saw the fear and pain in her eyes, he couldn't do it anymore. He could only choke out an 'I love you' and watch as they whisked her away, banishing him to this stark waiting room, where he'd been walking the same thirty-two steps for the last hour and a half.

It wasn't supposed to be this way.

He'd just proposed to her the night this all started, and he'd been so proud to slip his ring onto her finger. They'd snuggled into bed together, and he remembered how beautiful and content she'd looked as she slept in his arms. He'd fallen asleep and had just started to dream about their life together when she'd awakened him with a cry. She'd been in tears and told him that her right leg, that pesky leg that had been crushed by fiery debris at Sadik Fahd's compound, was hurting. It took him a moment to understand this was above and beyond the normal pain she'd been suffering with for the last several weeks, but when he'd flipped on the light above the bed, he could see her face was pinched and pale, her expression one of agony. Her foot brushed across his leg and it was cold, and his heart pounded in his chest as his stomach sank to his feet. Something was dreadfully wrong.

Harm immediately called the nurse, while Mac whimpered and groaned, tears continually slipping from her big, frightened eyes. He pulled her into his side and did his best to comfort her, but it wasn't until she was given something strong for the pain that she calmed. Her relief didn't last long, but by the time they gave her another dose of pain medications, they had their answer.

It was an arterial clot. Truthfully, all her physicians were amazed she hadn't developed some sort of clot long before this. It was a miracle she hadn't had any while she lay in the back bedroom of a little farmhouse in Paraguay, just as it was a miracle she hadn't developed a gangrenous, fast-spreading infection after her injury. Instead, she'd suffered from an infection in the bone that would have slowly killed her had Harm not found her when he had.

Thus, he'd thought they were in the clear. They'd all thought they were in the clear. Mac would surely be released from the rehab hospital in short order, she'd do some outpatient therapy, and then she'd be back at work.

And now…Mac's marine career was over. Well, maybe not…Bud had managed…

But this was different.

No, it wasn't.

Yes, it was. Bud hadn't been weakened so before he'd lost his leg.

But Mac had one thing Bud hadn't—one Harmon Rabb, Jr. Harm vowed he would do whatever he could to help Mac return to the marines.

Mac had been quickly moved to the main hospital where doctors there worked to restore circulation to her leg. It appeared for a moment they'd been successful, but then over the next weeks, more and more went wrong until the only option was to remove her leg below the knee.

Harm had held Mac after they'd been given that news. She didn't cry then; she just stared straight ahead, while Harm wrapped his arms around her too-thin frame. She'd lost so much weight since that first clot, weight she'd worked so hard to regain after she'd been found. They both knew she couldn't wait anymore. The leg had to go.

It was another hour of pacing before they brought Harm back to Mac's room, where she lay sleeping. The color of her face nearly matched the color of her sheets, and as he took her hand, he finally really let himself go. He sobbed for all she had lost, all the pain she'd have to endure to be 'whole' again, and he cried for the life they should have had together. He would never leave her, of course, and they would still marry, still have children, and still be happy, but it would be different.

To his chagrin, she awoke before he finished crying. She clutched his hand and told him it would be okay, while he blubbered out apology after apology. She fell asleep again shortly thereafter and then the nurses tried to get him to go home and rest. It wasn't until Admiral Chegwidden showed up and ordered him home that he left, only agreeing to if the admiral sat with her. Harm knew AJ would never leave Mac alone, but he still made the admiral promise him more than once to stay by her side.

That first night, Harm managed to stay away for a good five hours. Admiral Chegwidden gently admonished him for not getting more rest, but dutifully gave up his seat at Mac's bedside, telling Harm Mac had awakened twice but only very briefly. As he sat down, Harm wrapped his hand around Mac's, while the admiral quietly took his leave and Harm gazed down at the empty area under Mac's covers where her lower leg should have been.

"Show me."

"What?" Harm straightened in his chair, swiping his hand over his face.

"Show me my leg."

"Mac, the nurse will be in soon to change the dressing." It was the second day after her surgery.

"I know."

"Well then, can't you wait?"

"No, I can't. Let go of the blankets so I can see my leg, Harm."

Harm's mouth closed into a hard thin line. Mac didn't know what she was asking. He shook his head.

"Harm, stop trying to protect me."

"I'm not."

"Yes, you ar—"

"No, I'm trying to protect me."

"Oh, Harm."

"Well, it looks like all the tissue is healthy and you're healing quite well, Colonel." The young doctor smiled at his patient while Harm winced. After their discussion last night, the mention of Mac's rank made his heart clench. He dimly heard Mac thank the doctor as he stood gazing out her window, only turning when Mac softly called out to him.

"Harm?"

"Yeah, babe?"

"Aren't you going to have breakfast with me?"

"Ah, well…I'm not really hungry."

"Well, you can at least sit by me." There was an undercurrent of hurt in her tone.

"Sorry, Mac," Harm said as he sat down on the chair by her bed. Mac picked at her food in silence for a moment then dropped her fork.

"Are we going to talk about it?"

"Talk about what, Mac?"

"About last night."

"I didn't think there was anything more to say. You want to give up the marines. That's your decision."

"Harm, I didn't say I wanted to give up the marines. I said I needed to be realistic about things and look into a medical retirement."

"Well…"

"Harm, me being in the marines or not has nothing to do with us."

"I know, Mac. I know. I just…I just don't want you to have any regrets."

Mac snorted. "Regrets? I have a million of them, but we have to deal with the here and now. It's going to be extremely difficult for me to stay in the marines with this injury, Harm."

"Bud did it. He's excelling. Mac, I hate to see you giving up." Harm reached for Mac's hand, but she drew it away.

"I'm not 'giving up', Harm. I'm giving a hundred percent here. I just don't think—"

"Dammit, Mac. How can you say you're giving a hundred percent if you don't see yourself staying in the corps?"

"Harm, you're here nearly every day. You know I'm doing everything I can to get out of here and get back—" Mac stopped speaking and threw up her hands.

"What, Mac? Get back to what, for god's sake?"

"You, Harm! I want to get out of here and back to you!" Mac broke down in tears and Harm had to hold back some of his own. He wrapped his arm around her shaking shoulders and kissed her hair, feeling like a terrible heel.

"Harm?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"I'm going to try."

"Try?"

"I'm going to try to stay in the corps."

"Is that what you want, Mac?"

"Yeah…yeah, it is."

"You're doing great, Mac!" Harm grinned as his fiancée took a few more steps with her new artificial leg. She smiled back, though hers was a lot less enthusiastic. She pushed herself so hard, so determined to return to her previous life, never complaining about pain or exhaustion—and Harm knew she suffered from both. Today she seemed more tired than ever, and he was relieved when a glance at the clock told him therapy was done for the day.

"Good work today, Colonel," her physical therapist complimented, but Mac only shrugged.

"Thanks," she responded quietly, her eyes focused on the path she'd just completed.

Harm wrapped his arm around her narrow shoulders and began to turn her toward the exit. "Wait. I want to do it again."

"Mac?"

"Two more times." She turned toward the therapist, a Lt. James. "Okay, Matt?"

Matt started to shake his head, but a look at Mac's expression must have been enough to change his mind. "Okay, Colonel. Let's do it."

"Mac, you did good today, why don't we—"

"Two more, Harm." Her tone was steely, and he knew better than to protest further.

Mac's first walk was a triumph and Harm hoped she'd call it a night, but she turned around and started anew. Her steps had slowed considerably, however, and when she'd made it halfway, Harm watched in horror as she cried out and crumpled to the ground. He rushed forward as Matt helped her sit up, and then Harm assisted the younger man as they got Mac seated on a bench. Matt immediately worked to remove her prosthesis, carefully assessing Mac for injuries, while Harm stood by, feeling utterly helpless as he moved his hand in circles over her back.

It wasn't as if Mac hadn't fallen before, but this time she seemed so defeated. She was obviously in more pain, and he could see her furiously blinking back tears.

"Well, everything looks okay, Colonel," Matt said as he looked up into her eyes. "I think you should still see your doctor tomorrow."

"I'm fine, Matt. I think my body is just trying to tell me it really is time for me to go home." She offered the young man a small smile and then asked for Harm to retrieve her crutches. Once she was steady on those, she made her way to the exit without another word.

"Are you really okay, Mac?" Harm asked as they drove toward her apartment. He'd basically moved in there with her after she'd been discharged from the rehab hospital.

"What?"

"Are you okay?"

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, that fall…"

"I've fallen before, Harm. This wasn't anything new."

"But—"

"I'm fine, Harm." She turned her face toward the window. "Just fine," she whispered into the night.

"Hey, how did it go today?" Harm asked as he sat next to Mac on the couch. He'd had court today, so Harriet had taken her to her therapy sessions.

"It was okay…Harm? What if I don't want…I mean, what if I can't…"

"Mac, you're going to be fine. You'll be back at JAG before you know it."

"Harm—"

"Maybe you should talk to Bud. He's been through all of this."

"Harm, I have talked to Bud. Our situations…"

"They're different, I know. But you've come a long way, Mac. You get stronger and steadier every day. You can do this." He rested his hand over hers.

Mac was silent for long seconds as she absently rubbed her right thigh. He was sure it was aching again, and he was going to insist she take some ibuprofen tonight.

"Look, I'm going to start dinner—"

"Harm, why is it so important to you that I go back to active duty?"

"Because it's important to you."

"Yes, but you seem…you've never been open to other options."

"Well, there aren't any other options, are there? Not when it's what you want."

"Yeah, I suppose."

"Mac, sweetheart? Come on, wake up, honey. It's just a nightmare. Sarah, honey…"

"Harm, I am awake. It—it wasn't a nightmare." Harm sat up and leaned to turn on the bedside lamp. Even if Mac hadn't been having a nightmare, she still looked distressed.

"What's going on, Mac?"

"My leg—it hurts." Harm's mind immediately flashed back to the night she'd awoken with an arterial clot.

"Hang on, Mac. We'll get you to the hospital." Harm slipped out of bed.

"Harm, no. Wait. It's not that."

Harm continued to pull on his jeans. "We don't know that, Mac. We're going to the hospital."

"I know it. I have it every day."

"Well, why haven't you said anything?"

"I've talked to my doctor. It's phantom pain. It's just worse tonight."

"Why haven't you talked to me about it?"

"Because there's nothing you can do about it. You'd just worry."

"Well, of course, I'd worry!"

"Well, I don't want you to worry!" She turned away so her back was facing him, and the hurt and irritation flashing through him had him stalking into the bathroom and slamming the door.

For the next five minutes, Harm stood over the sink, seething. He hated that Mac obviously didn't trust him enough to confide in him about her pain, and he wondered what else she was keeping from him. After another minute, he splashed some water over his face, figuring he'd better stop pouting in here. He was still upset, but he had to acknowledge that he likely would have kept such things to himself if the situations were reversed. With plans to apologize for snapping at her, Harm stepped back into the bedroom to an unpleasant surprise.

Mac wasn't there, and yet her crutches and artificial limb still lay against the wall.

"Mac?" He poked his head out of the bedroom, looking back and forth down the hall. What was she thinking, leaving the room with nothing to assist her with her balance?

"Mac?" He called again, walking into the living room. He found her sitting in the dark on the couch, softly crying. He sat down next to her and tried to pull her into his arms, but she stiffened and leaned away.

"Mac, honey, I'm sorry." He watched her shake her head. "Sweetheart, please…"

"No…I mean, I know you're sorry, and I'm sorry I didn't tell you. It just hurts."

"Well, it hurts that you didn't trust me enough to tell me—"

Mac threw her hands up in the air. "No, Harm. It hurts! This leg—it's never-ending and it seems to be getting worse. And before you ask, I have talked about it with Dr. Solberg, and there's nothing wrong with my leg."

Harm felt his own eyes growing wet. "Is there—is there anything they can do for you? Medications?"

"I don't want to be dependent on any medications."

"So, there are medications."

"Yes, but I—"

"But if they can help, Mac…"

"No, Harm," she responded, but her tone was far less adamant.

"Sweetheart…"

With that, she broke into a new torrent of tears, and this time she let him pull her close. "I-I need something, Harm. I can't take this anymore." Harm nodded against her hair, letting his own tears fall while he held her tight. Eventually, she seemed to relax, and then he picked her up and carried her back to bed. The next day, she asked her doctor for help.

"I wish you'd let me come in with you." Harm was leaning against the doorframe of Mac's bathroom, watching as she readied herself for her first meeting with the medical review board. Things seemed to be progressing well for her, but he still hating seeing the exhaustion in her eyes.

"No, it's better if I go alone." She swiped some gloss over her lips, then carefully turned away from her mirror. He disagreed with her that it would be better without him, but he kept that to himself as he helped her with her jacket, making sure all her ribbons were perfect and her collar straight. Her uniform hung somewhat loosely on her, but it was still within the realm of acceptable. This was the first time she'd worn it since before Paraguay.

"You look great, Mac. Semper Fi, marine."

"You need to slow down, Colonel MacKenzie. You're risking damage to your stump, and that could lead to infection in the tissue, poor fit of your prosthesis—you need to stop pushing quite so hard."

"Doctor, I'm trying to get back to active duty. I can't slow down."

"Colonel, if you don't slow down, you'll never get back to active duty. Do you understand me?"

Harm watched as Mac sighed. "Yes, Doctor." Dr. Solberg gazed at her for another a moment, then shook her hand and took his leave.

"Well, I guess that's that," Mac said as Harm helped her from the exam table.

"Why? You'll still get there, Mac. It'll just take a little longer."

"Harm, I'm starting to think…well, maybe I…"

"You're not giving up, are you, Mac? Mac?"

"No, Harm. No, I'm not giving up, and Harm?"

"Yeah, babe?"

"Can we just go home instead of going to dinner? I'm tired."

"Sure, Mac. We can order in instead."

Mac shook her head. "No, honestly, I'd rather just lie down. I'm not very hungry."

"Mac, it's only 1700."

"I know, but I'm tired," she repeated, and Harm gazed down at her, worried once again.

"Okay, Mac. I'll take you home and tuck you in."

"Harm? You don't have to stay in tonight with me."

"I'm not going to leave you alone."

"You leave every day for work. I'll be fine."

"That's different."

"No, it isn't.

"Maaaac…please."

"Okay, Harm. I just…I hate that I'm disrupting your life so much."

"Mac, you aren't disrupting anything."

"Harm, you and I know that isn't true. Maybe—"

"Mac, stop talking like that. We're in this together."

"Okay, Harm."

"Harm?" Mac's voice pierced the quiet of the night as they lay side by side in bed.

"Yeah, honey?"

"Why haven't you…"

Harm waited a few heartbeats for her to speak again, but it didn't happen. "Why haven't I what, Mac?"

"Nothing, Harm. And don't turn on the light."

Harm pulled his hand back from the lamp on her nightstand. "Mac, clearly it is something. Please, you know you can talk to me about anything."

"I…"

"It's okay, sweetheart."

"Harm, why haven't we made love?"

Harm wasn't expecting that question. "I…"

"I know…you don't have to say anything. I know my leg…I know it isn't pretty."

"Mac, your leg has nothing to do with anything."

"Come on, Harm. You know that isn't true."

"Mac, I don't find your leg…well, okay, your leg…"

"I know, Harm." Mac was obviously close to tears.

"No, you don't, Mac. Yes, your leg has something to do with it, but not in that way. No, I suppose your leg isn't 'pretty' as you put it, but I'm not disturbed by it. I've seen it, you know."

"Seeing it and doing, well, you know…they're two different things."

"No, Mac. Please listen to me. I want to make love to you. I ache for you, don't you know that? But, and maybe this was stupid on my part not to ask, I didn't think you were ready. I haven't wanted to push you. I also don't want to hurt you—physically, I mean."

"Well, I'm better now."

"Yeah, you are. Are you saying you're ready?"

"Yes, Harm. I'm ready."

"Well, then…how should…what do you want me to…"

"Just come here and kiss me."

"You got it, babe."

Harm woke with a welcome weight against his side. He felt Mac's warm breath against his neck, and desire for her welled up in him once again. It had been so beautiful…their reconnection after so many months, and as he stroked his fingers up and down Mac's bare back, he finally felt things were really going to get better. Surely, Mac would be at his side once again at JAG, at least until they were married, and life would be back to normal.

Normal…Harm wasn't sure what that was anymore. No, that wasn't it. With a sigh that caused Mac to stir against him, he had to acknowledge that normal was different now. He still went to headquarters every morning, still worked cases, still went on investigations, but Mac was missing from all of that—and he was actually getting used to it. Sure, they hadn't worked together in nearly a year, but for a good part of that he'd thought she was dead and he was being haunted by her ghost. There was absolutely nothing the least bit normal about that time and he'd been such a wreck that he did his best to forget that time in their lives.

When she'd been getting better in rehab before she'd lost her leg, he could once again envision Mac by his side at JAG. That vision wavered when the problems with her leg surfaced, but watching her in rehab, seeing how she pushed herself in therapy, he could see her returning as his partner. Yes, she still had to be cleared by the medical review board, and yes, she'd faced a few setbacks of late, but he'd keep helping her, keep her motivated. He wouldn't let her give up the marines without a fight. He didn't want to be used to not working with her anymore.

Harm reached across the table and rested his hand on Mac's arm. "So, what did the review board say, Mac?"

"What, Harm?"

"What did they say today?"

"Oh, I…I didn't go today."

Harm stared at her in consternation. "What do you mean, you didn't go?"

"I, uh…I'll reschedule."

"I would have thought they'd already rescheduled you if they couldn't do it today."

"Well, they didn't, Harm."

"But why not, Mac?"

"Look, Harm. I didn't reschedule, okay? It didn't seem to make much sense to when Dr. Solberg is telling me I need to slow down again. I have no idea when I'll be ready to go back."

"Well, you should keep them up to date, don't you think?"

"Why?"

"Because they'll be the ones to decide if you can come back to JAG."

"Don't I get a say in it?"

"Of course, you do! But I assumed all the work you're doing in therapy was your 'say' in it!"

Mac looked down at her mostly untouched dinner. He called to her, but she refused to meet his eyes.

"Wait, Mac…are you saying…"

"What, Harm?" she asked, still staring downward. Her tone was guarded, and he found he didn't really want to hear an answer.

"Uh, nothing, Mac."

Harm eyes fluttered open. He'd been dreaming about Mac, heavy with his child, and he was rather irritated that some errant noise had awakened him. He rolled to his back, reaching across the bed to find that Mac had moved away from him in the night. He wondered if he'd been tossing and turning, that maybe it was his own fault that he was now awake. He listened carefully in the dark, and, not hearing any other cause for him to have been pulled from slumber, he mentally shrugged and closed his eyes.

He was nearly asleep again when he heard it—a soft sob and a hitch of breath, and he was suddenly wide awake.

"Mac, honey—what is it?"

Her crying intensified, and as it always had anytime Mac so much as twitched in the night, Harm's brain went to the night of their engagement, when they'd gone to bed together only to be awakened by a cold and dying limb.

Mac, Mac, honey, please…please tell me what's going on!"

"I—I can't, Harm!"

"Of course, you can! You can tell me any—"

"No, Harm! I can't. I can't do this anymore. I'm the one who cancelled on the board. I don't want to meet with them. There's no point! I'm done!"

"What do you mean, you're done? You want to be a marine, don't you?" He was so confused.

"No, you want me to be a marine! I've known since they took my leg I'd never go back to active duty."

Harm shrank back at the vehemence in her tone. "But Mac…how can you…Bud—"

"I am NOT BUD! Shut up about Bud, Harm! Listen to me for once! I don't want this! I just want to get better at my own pace! I've been pushing and pushing, but it's gotten me nowhere! Setback after setback! I can't do it anymore!"

Harm was aghast. He'd had no idea…she'd never told him…

But maybe she'd tried to show him…her exhaustion. Her pain. The fact that she'd never included him in any of the medical review process.

But she should have said something…

But would you have heard her?

"Mac, why didn't you—"

"Because you—"

"I what, Mac?"

"You wanted me to stay in the marines. It was like that was the only thing that mattered to you!"

"Mac, of course it mattered to me! But that wasn't the only thing!"

"But Harm, every day…it's always soon you'll be back at JAG…you'll be back to active duty…"

"Because that's what I thought you wanted! Maybe if you'd just told me!"

"Dammit, Harm!" Mac started to sob, and she sounded so broken hearted that his frustration with her slipped away. He scooted over and took her in his arms, turning her so she could cry into his chest. His hand drifted up and down her back in soothing strokes and he whispered calming words into her hair while she clung to him. She burrowed closer into him, and he allowed his leg to open and drape over her hip.

It was a long time before Mac calmed, but when her sobs slowed to hiccups, Harm drew back to look into her eyes. They glowed in the dim light cast by the streetlamps through the windows and the fear in them tore at his heart.

"Mac, baby, I think it's time we talked…really talked."

"Okay, Harm."

"You don't want to go back to the marines." He could see Mac swallow hard as her eyes drifted shut.

"No." She shifted slightly against him. "I mean, it's not that I don't want to, exactly…it's just that I no longer want to do what I need to to stay—and even if I do everything possible, it still isn't a guarantee they'll let me back. I know Bud has done so well, but I haven't. Shhh, Harm. I know I've come a long way, but there's been so many more complications. I didn't lose my leg as a relatively healthy person. I was so sick for so long, and after that clot, I just seemed to get sicker again. My body still hasn't recovered completely, and at some point, I decided that I wanted to work toward other goals. Goals far more obtainable."

"Such as?"

"Well, um…marrying you? Raising a family? Practice law on my own terms?"

"Oh. Well, I'd love to help you with all of that."

"Good. I'm going to need your help, but Harm? Why was it so important to you that I be a marine? I-I hate that I'm letting you down."

"Mac, you're not letting me down."

"Okay, but why were you so insistent? Why did it upset you so much when I expressed doubt about my military career?

"Well, I suppose I thought you would be so disappointed if you couldn't go back to active duty. Mac, when you lost your leg, I vowed I'd do everything I could to help you get back to the marines. I don't know, I guess I felt that if you didn't make it, it was because I didn't help you enough."

"But that's silly, Harm. You've done so much for me. You've been by my side this whole time. You came and found me in Paraguay. You've done enough. You've done more than I could ever hope for. Some things just aren't meant to be. Yes, I'm going to miss the marines. I would have preferred to leave on my own terms, just like you would have preferred to leave flying that first time. It'll still take some time to fully accept this, I mean, it's still a great loss, but in the last week especially…Harm, I'm ready. Ready to move on. Ready to try my hand at something new. I'm not going to stop working hard in therapy, but I don't want the pressure anymore. Do you understand?"

Harm gazed down at the woman next to him. She was so strong, his Mac. She'd fought to live, fought to regain her strength and mobility, and now fought through disappointment at the life she'd thought she'd have.

"Yeah, I do, Mac." He grinned at her, and she raised her eyebrow.

"What?"

Harm's grin widened. "I'm so proud of you, Mac." He watched as her cheeks pinkened into an endearing blush.

"You are?"

"I am." He bent and kissed her nose, and her blush deepened. Harm once again found himself staring at her, unable to drag his eyes away. She was so beautiful. "Mac?"

"Yeah?"

"Marry me."

Mac held up her hand, the diamond in her ring glittering merrily. "I think we already decided that."

"No, I mean, marry me now. Today."

Mac bit her lip, but then a smile spread across her face, and Harm was sure she was about to agree. Her mouth opened…and then she burst out laughing.

"No, Harm. Get serious."

"I am serious, so stop laughing at me!"

"I'm not laughing at you, Harm."

Harm snorted and rolled his eyes. "Right."

"Harm, I want to marry you…but I want to marry you when I can walk up the aisle without a limp, when I can fill out the wedding dress of my dreams, and when I can dance the night away with you, okay?"

"Okay, baby."

"Now, I am tired, and no doubt you are too, so why don't we go to bed, and then I'll talk to the admiral tomorrow about my medical retirement."

"All right, Mac. Let's do that."

"Goodnight, Harm."

"'Night, Mac. I love you."

"I love you too, Harm."

Mac filed for medical retirement the next day. It was swiftly granted, and Mac spent the next few months working with her therapists and getting stronger without pushing herself beyond safety. She found a job at a law firm that was the antithesis of Dalton Lowne's old firm and happily settled in. Then, five months after she told Harm she wasn't going to pursue returning to active duty anymore, she and Harm married. Mac's gait was steady as Admiral Chegwidden escorted her up the aisle, she was the picture of health in her beautiful wedding dress, and her smile illuminated the room. Neither of them had ever been happier.

End Vignette 6

A/N2: Somehow, I knew after Ricochet that Mac would never keep that leg. I feel bad that I didn't let her heal—but the muse demanded sacrifice!