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Chapter 3
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***The song "My Friend" belongs to the band Plus One.***
1859
Harm's Apartment

Hearing the knock on the door, Harm placed the meatloaf (with real meat) on the table, and walked towards the door, "Coming," he called, and opened the door, "Hey, Mac," he greeted, grinning.

Mac mustered up the courage to grin, "Hey, Harm, what's for dinner?" She asked.

"Meatloaf, with real meat this time. Come on in," he said, stepping back, and allowing her to enter. She stepped inside, and he led her to the table. Pulling out her chair for her, he waited until she sat down, and then sat down across from her. Mac was a little wary of anything that Harm had cooked with meat in it, so she took her first bite waringly, "Hey, this is really good, Harm," she said, surprised.

Harm laughed, "You sound surprised. You know, I can cook," he said.

"Huh-uh," she said, taking another bite. The rest of their dinner went by peacefully, and after they finished, the washed the dishes, and went to sit down on his couch. Harm looked at his best friend and wondered how he would manage to say goodbye to her. He had so much to tell her, he just didn't know how, "Mac," he began, and she looked up into his eyes, "I know this is hurting you. Please know that I never meant to hurt you." He saw the tears in her eyes, but she didn't say anything, so he continued, "I want you to know I love having you as a partner, and I will come back, this is just something I have to do. Sergei will be here, he's taking a job at JAG. I'm going to miss you so much, Mac. Please promise me that we will keep in touch. I will have e-mail," he said, looking into her eyes.

Mac could feel the tears filling her eyes, and she reached up to put her arms around his neck, "I'm going to miss you, too, Harm. Be careful and have fun, Flyboy," she said, hugging him tightly.

Harm hugged her back with equal intensity, then drew back from her. "Hold on a minute," he said, and walked over to his stereo. Putting in a CD from a band that she had never heard of, he walked back over to her. "I heard this song on the radio and it reminded me of you," he said, and held his hand out to her, "Dance with me?" He asked.

Mac placed her hand in his outstretched one, and he pulled her off the couch. Safe in his arms, Mac leaned her head against his shoulder as music filled the air. Letting him gently sway her around his living room, she let the words wash over her.

"We are standing at the crossroads
And now it's time
For you to go your way
And me to go mine
I will pray the lord
Will keep you safe
Until the day I see your face again"

Mac thought about the time she left JAG to work for Dalton. She remembered the hurt in his eyes. Now, with his returning to flying it was her turn to hurt.

"My friend
We have been through so much
And you have been my Godsend
With your sure and steady love"

Harm thought about how much they had been through together. The crazy poachers in the Appalachians, the hospital takeover, Palmer, the episode on the Watertowne, and both trips to Russia.

"My friend
You know I will be there
If you ever need
'Cause you've always
Been a friend to me"

Mac heard the words, and thought about how true they were. He was there for her through Dalton's murder, her father's death, her court-martial for the death of her husband, and many other times, so many that she couldn't count them all.

"I may travel the world over
But one thing I know for sure
One day this road will lead me
Back 'round to your door
I will pray the Lord
Will keep you safe
Some bonds are just too strong
To break in the end"

Mac thought of Harm's promise to return, she was going to hold him to it. No matter where either of them went in life, they always wound up back together. She returned to JAG and he would, too, someday, she knew.

"My friend
We have been through so much
And you have been my Godsend
With your sure and steady love
My friend
You know I will be there
If you ever need
'Cause you've always
Been a friend to me"

"Nothing will change the way
I feel about you
Not the miles or the years
Or the place this life takes me to"

Harm reflected on his life, and knew that he would never find anyone else like this woman in his arms. He would come back to JAG, he would come back to her.

"My friend
We have been through so much
And you have been my Godsend
With your sure and steady love
My friend
You know I will be there
If you ever need
'Cause you've always
Been a friend to me"

As the song ended, Mac gave up on trying to stop crying, and buried her face in his shoulder. Harm didn't know what to do, so he just stroked her back and led her back to the couch. "C'mon Mac, you know I can't stand to see you cry. Please Sarah, stop, or I'll start." He pleaded with her.

Mac looked up into his eyes, "You leave on Tuesday." She stated.

"I know. I'm going this weekend to tell my mom and to visit my Grandmother. I'll be back on Monday. I'll come and see you. Please don't make me leave without saying good-bye, okay?"

"Okay, I'll be at home all weekend anyways, Chole's supposed to be coming down. Don't think I'll be much company, though. It's getting late," she said, looking at the clock, "I should leave. I'll see you on Monday, Harm. Bye," she whispered, hugged him one last time and walked out the door.