See headers in Part 1
*
Part 2
*
Mac had been right - six did come too early.
Harm was still trying to get some decent sleep when she came in the living room at exactly six a.m., and whacked him with a pillow.
"Rise and shine, Flyboy," she said with an overly bright smile.
Harm just rolled his eyes and groaned. Maybe Mac was used to getting little to no sleep, but he wasn't.
Mac just laughed at him. "Go take a shower, I'll make some breakfast, then I'll let you drive the 'Vette to work." If that didn't get him up, nothing would.
Slowly he stood up and stretched all the kinks out of his body. He'd have to sleep on the floor tonight. Anywhere but that disagreeable couch.
"You okay, Harm?" Mac asked, watching him massage his neck.
"I'm fine. I've slept in a bunk on a sub, remember?"
Mac just shook her head and went into the kitchen.
A minute later she heard the shower start, and she went back in the living room and turned on the news where she could hear it as she made breakfast.
As she beat eggs, the news resumed, and she stopped to listen.
"Convicted murderer and stalker Frank Coster is still on the loose after he broke out of Jessup maximum security prison in Maryland yesterday evening. Police have no further information on his whereabouts, though there are roadblocks and a manhunt going on in Maryland, D.C., and Virginia. Particular attention is being paid to Georgetown, where Coster's stalking victim lives. In other news..."
Mac went and shut off the TV and returned to her eggs. She was always a victim. When would she stop being a victim?
"Mac?" Harm said from the doorway, breaking into her thoughts.
"Harm?" she said, starting to beat the eggs again.
"Have you heard anything yet?"
"Yeah, I had the TV on a minute ago," she said, not turning to face him.
"And?"
Mac chose to neglect that question for the moment. "He broke out of Jessup." She turned around.
"Yeah?" he said, confirming what they already knew.
"Harm, how does someone break out of Jessup?"
"I don't know, Mac. I'm not a criminal."
She gave him a look.
"Hey, I was wrongly imprisoned," he pointed out. "And when I broke out of the brig, I had help. Coster doesn't have any friends that I know of, so I doubt he had any."
"Maybe," she said, turning back around. "Why doesn't anyone want me to have any peace?"
Harm was looking at her sadly. "I want you to," he said softly.
Mac sighed. "I know, but you're my..." she paused, "friend. It's the rest of the world that won't leave me alone."
Harm wanted so much to help her. He knew everything she'd ever been through, and that she wasn't as tough as most people thought she was.
But there were still things to work out. Things that had to be fixed from the last two years. So he could be there for her, but only as a friend. At least for now. They had both discovered there was more to it than that, but now was not the time to go there.
He decided to let that line of discussion drop.
"I called the Admiral. He said he doubted that Coster would try anything at JAG, but he'd up personnel security, for your sake. If he was stupid enough to come there, not everyone knows what he looks like."
"Okay," Mac said, resigned to the fact that this was really happening.
Harm pulled out a chair. "Sit down, Mac, you have to eat."
"Thanks for the info, *Dad*," she teased him, sitting down.
"There's a good girl," he teased back, putting eggs on two plates, followed by toast, and bacon for Mac.
He set their plates on the table, and poured coffee and retrieved orange juice from the refrigerator.
"Wow, maybe I should keep you around," Mac smiled.
"Well, you're stuck with me for now. Be careful what you wish for. Anything else?" he asked.
"No, I think that'll do it."
Harm sat down.
"Are you really okay?"
Mac shrugged. "I don't really have a choice, do I?"
"There's always a choice, Mac," Harm said seriously.
"I'm okay as I'm going to be, Harm. Try not to worry so much, all right?"
"I'll try."
They ate the rest of their meal in silence.
"You go get a shower, and I'll clean up," Harm said.
"Are you serious?" Mac laughed.
"How long do we have to get out of here?"
"Forty-eight minutes and twenty-three seconds."
Harm stood up. "Then get a move on, Marine," he mock-ordered.
"Yes, sir," she said as she padded off to the bathroom.
*
The day had passed without incident, and even though she'd actually been able to concentrate on her work, Mac felt this was just the calm before the storm. The longer nothing happened, the more tense she got.
She was massaging her neck when Harm rapped on the doorframe.
"Ready to go?" he asked.
"Just about," she said, standing up and gathering some files from various places on her desk. After all these years, she was still the only one who knew where anything was in her office.
She finished, and he grabbed her coat and cover and handed it to her.
"Come on, I'll make dinner," he said, as they walked out of her office.
"Pizza Hut?" she asked.
"You bet," he grinned.
The Admiral caught them as they were heading out.
"I won't keep you long. I just wanted to make sure you know that I want to be kept abreast of the situation," Chegwidden said.
"Of course, sir," Harm assured him.
"That'll be all."
"Aye, sir, " Harm said as he and Mac turned to leave.
"Commander," the Admiral called after him.
Harm turned around.
"Take good care of the colonel."
"You know I will, sir," he said, turning back around.
"Cause the colonel's such a little girl," Mac muttered good naturedly.
Harm just gave her a look.
As they walked out to Mac's car, every instinct was tuned into their surroundings, but they made it into the car and out of the parking lot without a problem.
As soon as they got home, Mac changed into sweats, while Harm ordered pizza. The apartment was fine, with no sign of entry.
It was like waiting for someone to push you off a precipice. Anything could happen at any time.
Dinner passed quickly, with friendly conversation. Harm left Mac to look over some case files while he washed up the few dishes they had used.
She couldn't let him pamper her forever, but for now it was nice.
Harm had only been in the kitchen a few moments when the phone rang.
"I got it!" Mac called, picking up the phone. "Hello?"
"Hello, Sarah," a gravelly voice said on the other end of the line.
Mac's heart began to pound. She knew it was Coster, his voice was barely disguised.
"Mac, who is it?" Harm yelled from the kitchen.
"Is someone there with you, Sarah?"
Mac didn't say anything. She got up off the couch and went to the kitchen door.
Harm turned around and saw the expression on her face.
"It's him," she mouthed, but he'd already suspected it.
Harm picked up the kitchen extension as quietly as he could, and nodded.
"What do you want?" Mac asked firmly.
"You, of course," Coster responded.
She swallowed hard. "Haven't we been through this before, Coster? Why would you want me?"
"I love you, Sarah. I've tried to stop myself, but I can't."
"You don't love me, Coster," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. "You don't stalk and harass someone you love."
He seemingly ignored that comment.
"I want to be with you, Sarah."
Harm saw the look of disgust on her face, and impulsively took over.
"If you want to live, you'll stay away from her, you sick bastard."
They both heard a click on the other end of the line.
"Thanks, that probably made things a *lot* better," Mac snapped.
Harm shrugged. "I'm sorry, but he might as well know you're not alone, Mac."
"I'm sure he would've found out anyway. But now we have to worry about you, too. You're not going to wind up like Dalton, Harm," she said, clearly shaken by what had just happened.
"No, I'm not, Mac. If Coster comes anywhere near you, or me, he won't live to be sent back to prison."
Mac said nothing; she didn't need to. The understanding in her eyes said everything.
Harm put an arm around her and led her into the living room.
"We better report that call to the police," he said.
"I'll do it," Mac insisted. She had to do something.
"Okay," Harm said, handing her the phone.
She went into the bedroom to call Lieutenant Cane, leaving a very worried looking Harm in the living room.
She emerged five minutes later, put the phone back on the base, and sat down on the couch.
"So?" Harm asked.
"He said since we couldn't trace it all we could do is report it. And now that they know he's after me for sure, they're putting four more guards outside the building.
"I'm a prisoner in my own home, Harm."
Harm sat down beside her. "It's all we can do, Mac. Take precautions. I know you don't like it, and neither do I."
"I just feel so... weak. Like I'm completely helpless and can't take care of myself. What's happened to me?" she asked, looking as lost as she sounded.
"You're not weak, Mac. You're one of the strongest people I've ever met. And you're not helpless either. Everybody needs some help sometimes, and that's not anything to be ashamed of. We've got each other's backs, remember?"
"I know," she smiled faintly.
"We have to use extreme caution. Coster's facing a life sentence if he goes back to prison, so he's got nothing to lose.
"But I do."
Mac just wanted to pretend she hadn't heard right. Things had been getting better for them since they'd both become single again, and he'd been saying things like that. Things that she knew went far beyond a friendly meaning. She hardly ever acknowledged it as such, to protect her heart a little longer.
After her near-wedding to Mic, she'd needed some time and space. When she'd gotten back from her time with the Marine detachment, she'd tried to start building their friendship again. Things had been going fine, but she knew now that all she would have to do is say the word and he'd be ready to go further.
Only now, she was the one that wasn't quite ready, and especially not under these circumstances.
She looked away abruptly. "So what do we do now?"
"Try to calm down," Harm replied.
"Well, that may be easier said than done," she said with a nervous laugh.
"I would think work is out, we'd never be able to concentrate on that...
"How about a movie? It'll pass the time, and maybe get our minds off all this."
At her look, he laughed.
"Well, it might, you never know."
"Okay," she sighed.
*
Three hours later, they were halfway into their second movie when Harm noticed Mac had fallen asleep.
Her head had lolled back to rest on the back of the couch, and despite her position, Harm could tell by her breathing that she was deeply asleep.
She must be mentally exhausted, he thought as he turned the TV off.
He stood up, trying to decided whether or not to leave her on the couch. He finally decided against it. Putting one arm behind her shoulders and the other underneath her knees, he managed to pick her up without waking her.
He knew Mac hardly ever slept for long, and when she did it was lightly. He hoped there wasn't anything wrong other than what she'd been through in the last twenty-four hours.
Harm carried her into the bedroom and laid her down. She immediately rolled over on her left side and curled up.
He was not looking forward to another night on the couch. He had an idea, but he knew if he was caught he'd be a dead man. But if she was sleeping as soundly as he thought...
He went back into the living room, checked the locks on the door again, and grabbed his gun off the coffee table.
Going back into the bedroom, he put his gun on the nightstand. Harm took a deep breath and slipped into bed beside Mac. She hardly stirred at all as he wrapped his arms around her and spooned up beside her.
It felt so right to be there with her.
He'd just have to wake up before her in the morning.
*
Part 2
*
Mac had been right - six did come too early.
Harm was still trying to get some decent sleep when she came in the living room at exactly six a.m., and whacked him with a pillow.
"Rise and shine, Flyboy," she said with an overly bright smile.
Harm just rolled his eyes and groaned. Maybe Mac was used to getting little to no sleep, but he wasn't.
Mac just laughed at him. "Go take a shower, I'll make some breakfast, then I'll let you drive the 'Vette to work." If that didn't get him up, nothing would.
Slowly he stood up and stretched all the kinks out of his body. He'd have to sleep on the floor tonight. Anywhere but that disagreeable couch.
"You okay, Harm?" Mac asked, watching him massage his neck.
"I'm fine. I've slept in a bunk on a sub, remember?"
Mac just shook her head and went into the kitchen.
A minute later she heard the shower start, and she went back in the living room and turned on the news where she could hear it as she made breakfast.
As she beat eggs, the news resumed, and she stopped to listen.
"Convicted murderer and stalker Frank Coster is still on the loose after he broke out of Jessup maximum security prison in Maryland yesterday evening. Police have no further information on his whereabouts, though there are roadblocks and a manhunt going on in Maryland, D.C., and Virginia. Particular attention is being paid to Georgetown, where Coster's stalking victim lives. In other news..."
Mac went and shut off the TV and returned to her eggs. She was always a victim. When would she stop being a victim?
"Mac?" Harm said from the doorway, breaking into her thoughts.
"Harm?" she said, starting to beat the eggs again.
"Have you heard anything yet?"
"Yeah, I had the TV on a minute ago," she said, not turning to face him.
"And?"
Mac chose to neglect that question for the moment. "He broke out of Jessup." She turned around.
"Yeah?" he said, confirming what they already knew.
"Harm, how does someone break out of Jessup?"
"I don't know, Mac. I'm not a criminal."
She gave him a look.
"Hey, I was wrongly imprisoned," he pointed out. "And when I broke out of the brig, I had help. Coster doesn't have any friends that I know of, so I doubt he had any."
"Maybe," she said, turning back around. "Why doesn't anyone want me to have any peace?"
Harm was looking at her sadly. "I want you to," he said softly.
Mac sighed. "I know, but you're my..." she paused, "friend. It's the rest of the world that won't leave me alone."
Harm wanted so much to help her. He knew everything she'd ever been through, and that she wasn't as tough as most people thought she was.
But there were still things to work out. Things that had to be fixed from the last two years. So he could be there for her, but only as a friend. At least for now. They had both discovered there was more to it than that, but now was not the time to go there.
He decided to let that line of discussion drop.
"I called the Admiral. He said he doubted that Coster would try anything at JAG, but he'd up personnel security, for your sake. If he was stupid enough to come there, not everyone knows what he looks like."
"Okay," Mac said, resigned to the fact that this was really happening.
Harm pulled out a chair. "Sit down, Mac, you have to eat."
"Thanks for the info, *Dad*," she teased him, sitting down.
"There's a good girl," he teased back, putting eggs on two plates, followed by toast, and bacon for Mac.
He set their plates on the table, and poured coffee and retrieved orange juice from the refrigerator.
"Wow, maybe I should keep you around," Mac smiled.
"Well, you're stuck with me for now. Be careful what you wish for. Anything else?" he asked.
"No, I think that'll do it."
Harm sat down.
"Are you really okay?"
Mac shrugged. "I don't really have a choice, do I?"
"There's always a choice, Mac," Harm said seriously.
"I'm okay as I'm going to be, Harm. Try not to worry so much, all right?"
"I'll try."
They ate the rest of their meal in silence.
"You go get a shower, and I'll clean up," Harm said.
"Are you serious?" Mac laughed.
"How long do we have to get out of here?"
"Forty-eight minutes and twenty-three seconds."
Harm stood up. "Then get a move on, Marine," he mock-ordered.
"Yes, sir," she said as she padded off to the bathroom.
*
The day had passed without incident, and even though she'd actually been able to concentrate on her work, Mac felt this was just the calm before the storm. The longer nothing happened, the more tense she got.
She was massaging her neck when Harm rapped on the doorframe.
"Ready to go?" he asked.
"Just about," she said, standing up and gathering some files from various places on her desk. After all these years, she was still the only one who knew where anything was in her office.
She finished, and he grabbed her coat and cover and handed it to her.
"Come on, I'll make dinner," he said, as they walked out of her office.
"Pizza Hut?" she asked.
"You bet," he grinned.
The Admiral caught them as they were heading out.
"I won't keep you long. I just wanted to make sure you know that I want to be kept abreast of the situation," Chegwidden said.
"Of course, sir," Harm assured him.
"That'll be all."
"Aye, sir, " Harm said as he and Mac turned to leave.
"Commander," the Admiral called after him.
Harm turned around.
"Take good care of the colonel."
"You know I will, sir," he said, turning back around.
"Cause the colonel's such a little girl," Mac muttered good naturedly.
Harm just gave her a look.
As they walked out to Mac's car, every instinct was tuned into their surroundings, but they made it into the car and out of the parking lot without a problem.
As soon as they got home, Mac changed into sweats, while Harm ordered pizza. The apartment was fine, with no sign of entry.
It was like waiting for someone to push you off a precipice. Anything could happen at any time.
Dinner passed quickly, with friendly conversation. Harm left Mac to look over some case files while he washed up the few dishes they had used.
She couldn't let him pamper her forever, but for now it was nice.
Harm had only been in the kitchen a few moments when the phone rang.
"I got it!" Mac called, picking up the phone. "Hello?"
"Hello, Sarah," a gravelly voice said on the other end of the line.
Mac's heart began to pound. She knew it was Coster, his voice was barely disguised.
"Mac, who is it?" Harm yelled from the kitchen.
"Is someone there with you, Sarah?"
Mac didn't say anything. She got up off the couch and went to the kitchen door.
Harm turned around and saw the expression on her face.
"It's him," she mouthed, but he'd already suspected it.
Harm picked up the kitchen extension as quietly as he could, and nodded.
"What do you want?" Mac asked firmly.
"You, of course," Coster responded.
She swallowed hard. "Haven't we been through this before, Coster? Why would you want me?"
"I love you, Sarah. I've tried to stop myself, but I can't."
"You don't love me, Coster," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. "You don't stalk and harass someone you love."
He seemingly ignored that comment.
"I want to be with you, Sarah."
Harm saw the look of disgust on her face, and impulsively took over.
"If you want to live, you'll stay away from her, you sick bastard."
They both heard a click on the other end of the line.
"Thanks, that probably made things a *lot* better," Mac snapped.
Harm shrugged. "I'm sorry, but he might as well know you're not alone, Mac."
"I'm sure he would've found out anyway. But now we have to worry about you, too. You're not going to wind up like Dalton, Harm," she said, clearly shaken by what had just happened.
"No, I'm not, Mac. If Coster comes anywhere near you, or me, he won't live to be sent back to prison."
Mac said nothing; she didn't need to. The understanding in her eyes said everything.
Harm put an arm around her and led her into the living room.
"We better report that call to the police," he said.
"I'll do it," Mac insisted. She had to do something.
"Okay," Harm said, handing her the phone.
She went into the bedroom to call Lieutenant Cane, leaving a very worried looking Harm in the living room.
She emerged five minutes later, put the phone back on the base, and sat down on the couch.
"So?" Harm asked.
"He said since we couldn't trace it all we could do is report it. And now that they know he's after me for sure, they're putting four more guards outside the building.
"I'm a prisoner in my own home, Harm."
Harm sat down beside her. "It's all we can do, Mac. Take precautions. I know you don't like it, and neither do I."
"I just feel so... weak. Like I'm completely helpless and can't take care of myself. What's happened to me?" she asked, looking as lost as she sounded.
"You're not weak, Mac. You're one of the strongest people I've ever met. And you're not helpless either. Everybody needs some help sometimes, and that's not anything to be ashamed of. We've got each other's backs, remember?"
"I know," she smiled faintly.
"We have to use extreme caution. Coster's facing a life sentence if he goes back to prison, so he's got nothing to lose.
"But I do."
Mac just wanted to pretend she hadn't heard right. Things had been getting better for them since they'd both become single again, and he'd been saying things like that. Things that she knew went far beyond a friendly meaning. She hardly ever acknowledged it as such, to protect her heart a little longer.
After her near-wedding to Mic, she'd needed some time and space. When she'd gotten back from her time with the Marine detachment, she'd tried to start building their friendship again. Things had been going fine, but she knew now that all she would have to do is say the word and he'd be ready to go further.
Only now, she was the one that wasn't quite ready, and especially not under these circumstances.
She looked away abruptly. "So what do we do now?"
"Try to calm down," Harm replied.
"Well, that may be easier said than done," she said with a nervous laugh.
"I would think work is out, we'd never be able to concentrate on that...
"How about a movie? It'll pass the time, and maybe get our minds off all this."
At her look, he laughed.
"Well, it might, you never know."
"Okay," she sighed.
*
Three hours later, they were halfway into their second movie when Harm noticed Mac had fallen asleep.
Her head had lolled back to rest on the back of the couch, and despite her position, Harm could tell by her breathing that she was deeply asleep.
She must be mentally exhausted, he thought as he turned the TV off.
He stood up, trying to decided whether or not to leave her on the couch. He finally decided against it. Putting one arm behind her shoulders and the other underneath her knees, he managed to pick her up without waking her.
He knew Mac hardly ever slept for long, and when she did it was lightly. He hoped there wasn't anything wrong other than what she'd been through in the last twenty-four hours.
Harm carried her into the bedroom and laid her down. She immediately rolled over on her left side and curled up.
He was not looking forward to another night on the couch. He had an idea, but he knew if he was caught he'd be a dead man. But if she was sleeping as soundly as he thought...
He went back into the living room, checked the locks on the door again, and grabbed his gun off the coffee table.
Going back into the bedroom, he put his gun on the nightstand. Harm took a deep breath and slipped into bed beside Mac. She hardly stirred at all as he wrapped his arms around her and spooned up beside her.
It felt so right to be there with her.
He'd just have to wake up before her in the morning.
