Disclaimer in chapter 1
bPart 4
Just after staff call Monday morning/b
"Hey Harm, could I get the Larsen file from you?" Sturgis asked as he followed Harm into his office.
"Sure Sturgis, take it please!"
"Hey, who's this?" he asked, gesturing toward a new picture on the desk.
"Oh, that's Jess, my girlfriend," Harm said nonchalantly.
His attitude didn't deter Sturgis though. "Your what? When were you going to mention this?"
Harm shifted uncomfortably. "Well, I wanted to tell Mac first... she is my best friend Sturgis."
"Ok, so after you told her, why didn't you tell the rest of us? Come to think of it, why haven't you introduced her to us?"
"Uh, well I just told Mac on Friday."
"Man, are you crazy? Do you want an angry Marine after you? Why in blue blazes wouldn't you tell your best friend before that?" Sturgis asked in disbelief.
"How come everyone keep saying that?" Harm asked crossly. "I didn't, ok? Now if you have what you want, I need to get to work."
Still shaking his head, Sturgis began to walk toward his own office when something occurred to him. Changing direction, he walked in the open door of Mac's office and shut it behind him. "Are you ok?" he asked gently.
Surprised, Mac looked up. "I see by the look on your face that you've heard about Jess," she said wryly.
"Yeah, he just told me. Are you ok?" he repeated.
For several seconds she was silent, and then when she did speak it was as if she hadn't heard his question. "You know what he told me Sturgis? He said that he thought she might be the one. I had supper with them last night, I went prepared to hate her on sight, but she's a really nice person! I'd think she and Harm were perfect for each other, except..."
"Except that you still love him," Sturgis finished. "If you ever need to talk, I'm here."
"Thanks Sturgis, but I'm..."
"A Marine, I know!" He opened the door to leave and then turned back. "Mac... it'll be ok."
After Sturgis had left and closed the door, Mac allowed her Marine armor to crack a little. iWhy does this have to hurt so much?/i she asked herself. iHow come I can't just pick up and move on, like he obviously has?/i
Over the next few months, the questions continued to haunt her. Harm became more and more involved with Jess, spending every evening with her and bringing her to the office Christmas party. It wasn't until February that things really began to heat up...
bPart 5
February 12, 2003/b
Harm walked out of the jewelry store with a light step. Glancing down at the small bag he carried, he couldn't help but smile. iThis is going to be a great Valentine's Day,/i he told himself as he got into his car and drove away.
b2 days later/b
When they pulled up to the restaurant, Jess gasped. "Harm, this place costs a fortune! Are you sure you can afford this?"
"Relax Jess, this is our first Valentine's Day and I want it to be special. Now let's go in, it's cold out here." Reaching for her hand, he tucked it under her arm and escorted her in.
"Oh it's special all right! I just wonder how you plan to top this next year," she teased.
A look of mock horror crossed Harm's face. "You expect me to do something like this every year? On second thought..." He started to turn around before she tightened her hold on his arm and dragged him through the front door.
"Oh no you don't Hot shot! You promised me a night to remember, and I'm holding you to it."
After being led to their table, Jess tried to pull Harm into conversation but his nerves were getting to him. iAm I really going to do this? I can't believe it... but this is the right time, I know it... I've got to get through this night!/i Thoughts like this were racing through his head all evening, and as a result, the conversation was reduced to "Uh-huh," "Really?" and "I didn't know that."
Finally the meal was over. Jess sighed with relief, noticing painfully that Harm did the same. iWhy did he make such a big deal out of it if he didn't want to be with me?/i she asked herself. Out loud she simply said, "That was nice Harm, are you ready to go home?"
All his warning signals came on when he heard her emotionless voice. Really looking at her for the first time since they sat down, he noticed the hurt in her eyes. iI've been ignoring her,/i he realized. "Jess... I know I wasn't talkative just now, but believe me I want to spend this evening with you. Please let me make it up to you?" he begged.
Gauging him with her eyes, she shrugged and said, "Sure, but I have to tell you it'll take a lot."
"Oh don't worry Jess, I have a few tricks up my sleeve," he said mysteriously as they exited the building.
The drive back to his place was silent, but it was a comfortable silence. Pulling up in front of his building, Harm hurried around to her side of the car and let her out. As they stepped into his apartment, Jess gasped in awe. "Harm this is beautiful... how did you manage to find all these daisies in the middle of February?"
Harm grinned. Early in their relationship, Jess had mentioned that she didn't like roses and would much rather receive daisies or wildflowers. It was a fact he'd stored away for future reference, and he was pleased she appreciated it. "Oh, I called around here and there," he said, finally answering her question.
"You know Jess, we haven't exchanged gifts yet," he mentioned as they placed their coats on the coat rack.
"Well if you'd been paying attention, you would have heard me say that over an hour ago," Jess replied tartly.
"I'm sorry Jess, I really am... my mind was running so fast I couldn't hear anything," he apologized.
"Apology accepted. Now I want you to open my gift first." Digging around in her coat pocket, she unearthed a small beautifully wrapped present. "Here," she said as she handed it to him. Harm unwrapped odd shaped, heavy gift and stared it awe. It was a snowglobe of Grandma Sarah's farm. Wordlessly he looked at her, and she nervously began to explain. "I know this guy who makes these to spec... I gave him that picture we took when we were at the farm for Christmas, and well..."
"It's beautiful Jess, thank you," he said and kissed her softly.
"Now before I give you my gift, why don't we sit on the couch and talk a little?" he suggested, leading her over and helping her sit down. Sitting down next to her, he began his prepared speech. "Jess, I love you. These last five months have been some of the happiest in my life, just getting to know you, finding out what makes you tick. They've also been some of the scariest, because try as I might, I couldn't keep you out. You managed to get in, to find out who I really am. I've tried so hard for so long to keep from being vulnerable, but with you I am. As we've grown closer, I've realized that my heart is safe in your keeping, and I let you in. And now as we celebrate our love, I want to give you a solid symbol of it."
So saying, Harm slipped to the floor in front of her and pulled a small box out of his pocket. "Jessica MacGuire, will you marry me?" he asked simply.
"Yes Harm," she said through the tears running down her face. Holding out her hand for the ring, she smiled at the unfamiliar weight and coolness of it as he slipped it on her finger. She leaned forward to kiss him and as she did, she whispered, "You were right... this more than makes up for earlier."
AN: Ok, I know someone is going to want to kill me now, but trust me this will end well. And this is only 10 pages into my 60 page long story, so have patience.
bPart 4
Just after staff call Monday morning/b
"Hey Harm, could I get the Larsen file from you?" Sturgis asked as he followed Harm into his office.
"Sure Sturgis, take it please!"
"Hey, who's this?" he asked, gesturing toward a new picture on the desk.
"Oh, that's Jess, my girlfriend," Harm said nonchalantly.
His attitude didn't deter Sturgis though. "Your what? When were you going to mention this?"
Harm shifted uncomfortably. "Well, I wanted to tell Mac first... she is my best friend Sturgis."
"Ok, so after you told her, why didn't you tell the rest of us? Come to think of it, why haven't you introduced her to us?"
"Uh, well I just told Mac on Friday."
"Man, are you crazy? Do you want an angry Marine after you? Why in blue blazes wouldn't you tell your best friend before that?" Sturgis asked in disbelief.
"How come everyone keep saying that?" Harm asked crossly. "I didn't, ok? Now if you have what you want, I need to get to work."
Still shaking his head, Sturgis began to walk toward his own office when something occurred to him. Changing direction, he walked in the open door of Mac's office and shut it behind him. "Are you ok?" he asked gently.
Surprised, Mac looked up. "I see by the look on your face that you've heard about Jess," she said wryly.
"Yeah, he just told me. Are you ok?" he repeated.
For several seconds she was silent, and then when she did speak it was as if she hadn't heard his question. "You know what he told me Sturgis? He said that he thought she might be the one. I had supper with them last night, I went prepared to hate her on sight, but she's a really nice person! I'd think she and Harm were perfect for each other, except..."
"Except that you still love him," Sturgis finished. "If you ever need to talk, I'm here."
"Thanks Sturgis, but I'm..."
"A Marine, I know!" He opened the door to leave and then turned back. "Mac... it'll be ok."
After Sturgis had left and closed the door, Mac allowed her Marine armor to crack a little. iWhy does this have to hurt so much?/i she asked herself. iHow come I can't just pick up and move on, like he obviously has?/i
Over the next few months, the questions continued to haunt her. Harm became more and more involved with Jess, spending every evening with her and bringing her to the office Christmas party. It wasn't until February that things really began to heat up...
bPart 5
February 12, 2003/b
Harm walked out of the jewelry store with a light step. Glancing down at the small bag he carried, he couldn't help but smile. iThis is going to be a great Valentine's Day,/i he told himself as he got into his car and drove away.
b2 days later/b
When they pulled up to the restaurant, Jess gasped. "Harm, this place costs a fortune! Are you sure you can afford this?"
"Relax Jess, this is our first Valentine's Day and I want it to be special. Now let's go in, it's cold out here." Reaching for her hand, he tucked it under her arm and escorted her in.
"Oh it's special all right! I just wonder how you plan to top this next year," she teased.
A look of mock horror crossed Harm's face. "You expect me to do something like this every year? On second thought..." He started to turn around before she tightened her hold on his arm and dragged him through the front door.
"Oh no you don't Hot shot! You promised me a night to remember, and I'm holding you to it."
After being led to their table, Jess tried to pull Harm into conversation but his nerves were getting to him. iAm I really going to do this? I can't believe it... but this is the right time, I know it... I've got to get through this night!/i Thoughts like this were racing through his head all evening, and as a result, the conversation was reduced to "Uh-huh," "Really?" and "I didn't know that."
Finally the meal was over. Jess sighed with relief, noticing painfully that Harm did the same. iWhy did he make such a big deal out of it if he didn't want to be with me?/i she asked herself. Out loud she simply said, "That was nice Harm, are you ready to go home?"
All his warning signals came on when he heard her emotionless voice. Really looking at her for the first time since they sat down, he noticed the hurt in her eyes. iI've been ignoring her,/i he realized. "Jess... I know I wasn't talkative just now, but believe me I want to spend this evening with you. Please let me make it up to you?" he begged.
Gauging him with her eyes, she shrugged and said, "Sure, but I have to tell you it'll take a lot."
"Oh don't worry Jess, I have a few tricks up my sleeve," he said mysteriously as they exited the building.
The drive back to his place was silent, but it was a comfortable silence. Pulling up in front of his building, Harm hurried around to her side of the car and let her out. As they stepped into his apartment, Jess gasped in awe. "Harm this is beautiful... how did you manage to find all these daisies in the middle of February?"
Harm grinned. Early in their relationship, Jess had mentioned that she didn't like roses and would much rather receive daisies or wildflowers. It was a fact he'd stored away for future reference, and he was pleased she appreciated it. "Oh, I called around here and there," he said, finally answering her question.
"You know Jess, we haven't exchanged gifts yet," he mentioned as they placed their coats on the coat rack.
"Well if you'd been paying attention, you would have heard me say that over an hour ago," Jess replied tartly.
"I'm sorry Jess, I really am... my mind was running so fast I couldn't hear anything," he apologized.
"Apology accepted. Now I want you to open my gift first." Digging around in her coat pocket, she unearthed a small beautifully wrapped present. "Here," she said as she handed it to him. Harm unwrapped odd shaped, heavy gift and stared it awe. It was a snowglobe of Grandma Sarah's farm. Wordlessly he looked at her, and she nervously began to explain. "I know this guy who makes these to spec... I gave him that picture we took when we were at the farm for Christmas, and well..."
"It's beautiful Jess, thank you," he said and kissed her softly.
"Now before I give you my gift, why don't we sit on the couch and talk a little?" he suggested, leading her over and helping her sit down. Sitting down next to her, he began his prepared speech. "Jess, I love you. These last five months have been some of the happiest in my life, just getting to know you, finding out what makes you tick. They've also been some of the scariest, because try as I might, I couldn't keep you out. You managed to get in, to find out who I really am. I've tried so hard for so long to keep from being vulnerable, but with you I am. As we've grown closer, I've realized that my heart is safe in your keeping, and I let you in. And now as we celebrate our love, I want to give you a solid symbol of it."
So saying, Harm slipped to the floor in front of her and pulled a small box out of his pocket. "Jessica MacGuire, will you marry me?" he asked simply.
"Yes Harm," she said through the tears running down her face. Holding out her hand for the ring, she smiled at the unfamiliar weight and coolness of it as he slipped it on her finger. She leaned forward to kiss him and as she did, she whispered, "You were right... this more than makes up for earlier."
AN: Ok, I know someone is going to want to kill me now, but trust me this will end well. And this is only 10 pages into my 60 page long story, so have patience.