The usual disclaimer applies…….I don't own them in any way shape or form. This is purely for entertainment purposes.
A/N Thank you for the wonderful reviews J They made me so happy I started writing Ch. 2 first thing this morning! Unfortanetly, my computer choose to eat it and not give it backL so this is actually my second chapter 2. I think the first was better. After yelling a few chosen words at my computer(ones I might add that would make a marine blush!) it complied and saved this version ok.
A friend in need.
Chapter 2
Harm cleared the dishes from dinner away and put the remainder of the soup in the fridge. Mac's bowl was still nearly full. She had said she was hungry but, Harm had noticed that other than a few bites she hadn't eaten. He walked back into the living room and found Mac huddled up on the couch beneath a blanket. A memory flashed before him from another time, a time when she had fallen off the wagon and he had found her in the same position. Unpleasant thoughts of Detective Coster assaulted him, but this time it was worse than what Coster had done to her. " Are you cold Mac? I could build a fire." Mac looked up at him from the couch lost in thought she hadn't heard his question. " I'm sorry, what?" " I asked if you were cold……I could build a fire, I don't mind." Mac nodded. " yeah, a fire would be nice…..it's a little chilly in here." Harm went to work on getting the fire going, trying to think up a safe topic of discussion. As much as he wanted to, he respected her whishes about not being ready to talk about it yet.
Mac was flipping channels when he sat down on the other side of the couch. "Anything good on tonight?" Mac smiled at him, " not by your standards flyboy." Harm couldn't help the chuckle that escaped, stretching his feet out to the coffee table " exactly what is that supposed to mean?" Mac slid down on the couch a little more, getting comfortable. " I've just never known you to be a regular t.v. viewer Harm, I mean come on, when we first met you didn't even own one." " Let's just say there are a few interesting things on t.v. these days. What is that one show called…." Harm thought for a moment trying to remember. " It's some initials, there forensic cops trying to figure out all these different cases." Mac gave a little chuckle. " You mean C.S.I Harm." "Yeah, that's it…..it's pretty good……so are you saying…." Harm was cut off by the ringing of the phone. It didn't slip by him how much she jumped at the unexpected noise. Mac sat up quickly, wincing, and then trying to cover it. Harm jumped up. "I'll get it."
"Hello Mackenzie residence, hey Chloe……how are you? Yeah, I bet." Harm walked back into the living room with the phone. " So how's school going kiddo? Yeah….good I'm glad. Me? Oh, you know the same old stuff. Huh?……uh, no I'm just here, to…." Mac held her hand up quickly, afraid Harm might say something to the young girl. " Um, to…..go over a case that were working on. Yeah well, it was good talking to you Chloe. Let me get Mac for you. You take care……bye" Harm handed the phone over to Mac and sat back down on the couch. Grabbing the remote he started flipping channels. " Hi Chloe….yeah, I know, I'm sorry. I meant to and Harm and I got wrapped up in this case, I'm sorry Chloe." Harm watched out of the corner of his eye as Mac quickly wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.
Mac talked to Chloe for a little longer, careful not to mention anything of what was really going on. Telling Chloe she loved her and would talk to her soon she hung up. Mac looked over at Harm, shrugging her shoulders slightly, " I was supposed to have called her last night. I forgot." Harm gave Mac's foot a squeeze. " I'm sure she would understand, Mac." Mac nodded, offering a small smile." Yeah, I know she would. She's growing up so fast Harm. She was so excited because the boy that she likes asked her to the school dance tomorrow night." Harm grinned back at her. " Wow….now there's a milestone. I'm surprised this is her first dance though, isn't she in High School now?"
Mac moved her foot a little, enjoying the comforting contact of Harm's hand resting on her foot.
" Yeah, there were dances last year in Jr. high, but her Grandma wouldn't let her go or start dating until she turned 15…….She spent the majority of last year trying to talk me into talking her Grandma out of the rule. Every time I saw her…." Mac jumped slightly at the knock on the door. Harm gave her a gentle look and stood up " I'll get it." Mac stood up at the same time. " No Harm, I've got it." Mac made her way to the door. Looking through the peephole, she unlocked and opened the door. " Hello Detective Reynolds, Come in….please." Mac closed the door behind the women and made short introductions.
The detective made her way to the couch and took the seat Mac offered her. "How are you doing Sarah? You're looking a little better." Mac simply nodded. " Uh….I'm fine Detective, What can I do for you.?" Harm stood up, " Can I get you two anything, something to drink?" Detective Reynolds shook her head no, " Please call me Maggie." Thanks Harm, I'll take some water." Harm went into the kitchen, not wanting to make Mac uncomfortable.
The detective settled herself a little, looking back into the kitchen "Sarah, If you'd like me to come back another time, it's not a problem. I just wanted to see if you had remembered anything else." Harm walked back in with the water and sat down. Mac looked over at him tensely. "Uh,…..no that's ok. We can over it again now." Mac stood up from the couch and walked to the window. " You were right in the hospital…..little things have been coming back, bit by bit." Maggie got out her notebook and pencil to take notes. " Time does have a tendency to bring things into perspective for some people…..I want you to take your time Sarah." Mac nodded.
Wrapping her arms around her waist she started. She knew she would be repeating herself to the detective, but it was easier to tell Harm these things while the detective was here. " I was working pretty late that night. I had some evaluations to catch up on…….Before I even got to the car I had my keys placed in between each finger, I always do that no matter what…..like a weapon you know, just in case. I first saw him when I rounded the corner of the parking garage….. he stayed right where he was, in front of my car. He put his hands out in front of him, kind of holding them up to show he wasn't a threat I guess. He was really big……muscular looking. Looked like the weight lifter type. His hair was dark, not real long……but long for military standards.
He didn't make any kind of move in my direction. I relaxed a little. He explained that he had been drinking and woke up in the parking lot in his car. I thought it was odd but…..I don't know, didn't really question it. I guess because I've been there myself before." Mac turned to face Maggie and Harm. The detective just nodded, not wanting to interrupt.
"Anyway, ……..he said he just wanted to ask if I could use my cell phone to call him a cab,….said he knew he shouldn't be driving." Mac turned back to the window, she took a drink of her water. Her voice was soft, but full of contempt. " I was so stupid, I knew the minute the words were out of my mouth!" Mac turned back to the room when the detective interrupted her.
" Sarah, he hadn't threatened you in any way……you were still in your safety zone. The last thing you were was stupid." Harm could see the look in her eyes. It was one he'd seen before……she blamed herself for this happening, and no matter what the detective said she wasn't changing her mind.
Mac turned herself back to the window. She wrapped her arms around herself again. Leaning her head forward she rested her forehead against the cool glass of the window. On a shaky breath she started again. " I told him I didn't have my cell with me, I was tired…..I don't know. I just said it,……… and I knew." Her voice was detached, almost faraway sounding. " Immediately, I put my key in and unlocked the door. I looked up and was shocked to see him starting to walk back in the direction of his car. He said 'no big deal, maybe you could just let the M.P.s know when you go by the security gate.' I actually smiled at him. I looked down to reach for the door handle…….the next thing I knew he had me pinned against the car." Harm stood up instantly, his hands clenched at his sides. He started across the room to comfort Mac but she stopped him with a look.
In a trembling voice she went on. " He had this weird smell to him, I can't quite pin down what it was. It was a really strong cologne, but it was like he was using that to cover up this other smell……it was so strong. I,…..I don't know what it was. I can still smell it though…..when I wake up, I can smell it….like he's still around me." Mac silently wiped a tear from her cheek. Mac took a moment, trying to shake off the memories. She didn't realize that she said it out loud, but in a whispered voice they both heard " I don't want to remember."
Mac straightened and walked back to the couch. " I remember his car now too. It was a ways off in the distance. It was a light colored four door sedan. It didn't look new, but it wasn't beaten up or rusted out or anything." Mac sat back down, feeling drained. Maggie reached over and put her hand on Mac's arm. " You did really good Sarah……this will help. And I promise…..were doing everything we can to catch him." The detective faltered for a moment. Looking down she shuffled a few of her papers around.
" Sarah, I want you to look at this composite sketch for me……I had our sketch artist down town draw it up from what you told me the other night." Harm turned slightly, so he would be able to see the picture. Mac nodded her head and reached her hand out. When she looked at the picture a slight gasp escaped her. " That's really close…….his neck was thicker, more muscular. And his eyes were farther apart, a little bit larger……a little softer." Mac turned the drawing over and pushed it across the table to Maggie, her eyes stung with tears.
Mac drew a breath in and brushed the tears away, " I know I gave you a description the other night,……but how did you get so close." Mac looked her in the eye. " There was another incident about a month ago Sarah,……..it was across town but there were some similarities. I took you're description and the other women's and together that's what we came up with." Mac looked away, she wasn't sure she really wanted to know but she had to ask. " How……how is the other women? What happened to her?"
Maggie looked up at Harm…….she could see the concern and worry written across his face. " She's doing fine now, Sarah. Let's just leave it at that." Mac turned sharply to the detective. Her voice was low " Just tell me what happened." Maggie took a deep breath, "She was beaten as well…… severely. She spent two weeks in the hospital recovering. She wasn't able to fight him off as effectively as you Sarah,……he raped her." Harm staggered backward a little. He didn't want to hear this, how he wished he could just make it all go away. " We don't know that it's the same guy Sarah……it's just a theory I'm going with right now." Mac nodded her head. She stood up with the detective to walk her out. " Thanks for coming by Maggie, and…..I, if I remember anything else I'll get hold of you." Maggie gently squeezed Sarah's shoulder. " Thank you Sarah……take care."
Mac shut the door behind her and locked it. She leaned her head against the door……forgetting for a moment that Harm was still there. She heard him move behind her and raised up, not knowing quite what to say to him. Trying to make light of the situation she gave a half hearted chuckle. " Well, that was fun….. huh?" Harm looked at her solemly, his features showing his worry.
" Sarah,…..don't make this in to something little. You," Mac faced him…..trying her best to put up the brave marine front. " Come on, Harm…….I'm a marine, It's not like I've never been roughed up. I've been in battl" Harm cut her off, " I'm not going to let you do this." Gently he placed a finger under her chin and lifted. Meeting her gaze he whispered, " You were a women long before you were a marine Sarah……and it's the women, Sarah Mackenzie that I'm worried about…… Not the marine, Colonel Mackenzie." Mac closed her eyes. The tears she had fought so hard to keep at bay, began to fall silently. Stepping forward, she let herself be held. Bracing herself against him, she cried for the fightened women inside her. Thankful that she was going to let him in……even if it was just for this moment. He wrapped her in his embrace, vowing to himself to keep her safe, always. He didn't know how, but he was going to make sure that no one ever hurt her again……..himself included.