Dealing Chapter 4
Author's Notes: I'm not exactly sure where Harriet was when she gave birth, so for the time being, I'm writing it as Bethesda. If anyone knows what hospital she was in, please feel free to tell me. This chapter is probably going to again be short (sorry).
The car ride to Bethesda was quiet, Harm and Mac both trying to figure out what to say to their friends. Neither had ever experienced this kind of pain before, and weren't sure how to act around poor Bud and Harriet. All to soon the drive was over, and they found themselves in the parking lot of Bethesda Naval Hospital. They entered the hospital hand in hand.
"We're here to see Lt. Harriet Sims. We were wondering what room she's in?" The nurse smiled and turned to her computer.
"Lt. Sims is in room 402, it's on the fourth floor. The elevators are to your left, and when you get there ask the desk up there and they should be able to tell you more."
"Thank you." Harm and Mac went towards the elevator. They pressed the button for the fourth floor, and were silent as the shaft began its ascent. As they reached the fourth floor, Mac instinctively grabbed Harm's hand. Harm realized that they were still in uniform, in a military facility, but couldn't bring himself to let go.
"Could you please direct us to room 402?" Harm asked the nurse at the front desk. The nurse smiled and nodded.
"Go down the hall over there, take a left and then an immediate right, the room's on the left side." Harm nodded his thanks, and he and Mac made their way to Harriet's room. They both took steadying breaths, and pushed open the door. Harriet sat in bed looking at the wall. She didn't physically look different, but the light that normally occupied her eyes was gone.
"Hello sir, ma'am. You didn't have to come." Harriet said, in a tone that was supposed to sound normal, but failed miserably.
"Of course we had to come Harriet, you and Bud are some of our closest friends." Mac said, as she sat down. "How are you feeling?" Harm came to stand behind Mac, and put his hands on her shoulders. Harriet held back a smile, at seeing the intimate touch between her two best friends.
"Well, physically I'm fine, but emotionally, I just don't know. I never even got to hold her ma'am. And now she's just gone." Harriet blinked to keep her tears from falling.
"It's okay Harriet." Mac said, taking her hand.
"Where's Bud?" Harm asked quietly.
"I ordered him to go home." Harriet said. The three friends laughed.
"You know he outranks you Harriet." Mac said.
"Maybe at JAG, but not around the house." They had another good laugh at poor Bud's expense. "I really want to thank you, sir, ma'am, for coming, it means a lot to me."
"Anytime Harriet. Call me if you need anything." Mac said, getting out of the chair. It was then that Harriet noticed that the ring wasn't on her right hand. She tried to indiscreetly get a look at her other hand, but Mac caught on to what she was doing.
"I took it off last night, Harriet. I couldn't pretend that I could marry him anymore."
"As long as you're happy, ma'am." Mac looked at Harm.
"I am Harriet." She smiled, and turned back to Harriet. "I'll come by tomorrow, if that's all right?" Harriet nodded. Harm bent down and kissed Harriet's forehead.
"We'll see you soon Harriet." They walked out of the hospital room, and only then did Harriet allow herself to smile. It was the first real smile since this whole thing had started.
'It's about time!' She thought as she drifted off to sleep.
Author's Notes: I'm not exactly sure where Harriet was when she gave birth, so for the time being, I'm writing it as Bethesda. If anyone knows what hospital she was in, please feel free to tell me. This chapter is probably going to again be short (sorry).
The car ride to Bethesda was quiet, Harm and Mac both trying to figure out what to say to their friends. Neither had ever experienced this kind of pain before, and weren't sure how to act around poor Bud and Harriet. All to soon the drive was over, and they found themselves in the parking lot of Bethesda Naval Hospital. They entered the hospital hand in hand.
"We're here to see Lt. Harriet Sims. We were wondering what room she's in?" The nurse smiled and turned to her computer.
"Lt. Sims is in room 402, it's on the fourth floor. The elevators are to your left, and when you get there ask the desk up there and they should be able to tell you more."
"Thank you." Harm and Mac went towards the elevator. They pressed the button for the fourth floor, and were silent as the shaft began its ascent. As they reached the fourth floor, Mac instinctively grabbed Harm's hand. Harm realized that they were still in uniform, in a military facility, but couldn't bring himself to let go.
"Could you please direct us to room 402?" Harm asked the nurse at the front desk. The nurse smiled and nodded.
"Go down the hall over there, take a left and then an immediate right, the room's on the left side." Harm nodded his thanks, and he and Mac made their way to Harriet's room. They both took steadying breaths, and pushed open the door. Harriet sat in bed looking at the wall. She didn't physically look different, but the light that normally occupied her eyes was gone.
"Hello sir, ma'am. You didn't have to come." Harriet said, in a tone that was supposed to sound normal, but failed miserably.
"Of course we had to come Harriet, you and Bud are some of our closest friends." Mac said, as she sat down. "How are you feeling?" Harm came to stand behind Mac, and put his hands on her shoulders. Harriet held back a smile, at seeing the intimate touch between her two best friends.
"Well, physically I'm fine, but emotionally, I just don't know. I never even got to hold her ma'am. And now she's just gone." Harriet blinked to keep her tears from falling.
"It's okay Harriet." Mac said, taking her hand.
"Where's Bud?" Harm asked quietly.
"I ordered him to go home." Harriet said. The three friends laughed.
"You know he outranks you Harriet." Mac said.
"Maybe at JAG, but not around the house." They had another good laugh at poor Bud's expense. "I really want to thank you, sir, ma'am, for coming, it means a lot to me."
"Anytime Harriet. Call me if you need anything." Mac said, getting out of the chair. It was then that Harriet noticed that the ring wasn't on her right hand. She tried to indiscreetly get a look at her other hand, but Mac caught on to what she was doing.
"I took it off last night, Harriet. I couldn't pretend that I could marry him anymore."
"As long as you're happy, ma'am." Mac looked at Harm.
"I am Harriet." She smiled, and turned back to Harriet. "I'll come by tomorrow, if that's all right?" Harriet nodded. Harm bent down and kissed Harriet's forehead.
"We'll see you soon Harriet." They walked out of the hospital room, and only then did Harriet allow herself to smile. It was the first real smile since this whole thing had started.
'It's about time!' She thought as she drifted off to sleep.