Disclaimers, etc in chapter one.
FROM CHAPTER SIX
The Admiral could see Harm about to start protesting, so he sternly added, "Do I have to make it an order, Commander?"
Harm looked up the Admiral, distress written all over his face. "No, sir. You don't have to make it an order. But I don't want to leave her alone. What if she wakes up and nobody's here?"
"I'll sit with her until you get back. I don't want to see you until 1400 hours. Go home and relax. I'll contact you immediately if there is any change."
Harm stood up, leaned over Mac; kissed her cheek, whispered, "I'll be back soon, Marine." Then slowly walked to the door, turning slightly to look back over his shoulder.
"Goodbye, Commander," the Admiral sternly said, without looking up from his seat next to Mac's bedside, where he held her hand.
Harm looked one more time at Mac, pausing slightly, then pushed open the door and walked out.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Harm distractedly drove to his apartment, acting as though on auto-pilot, his subconscious guiding him safely home. He showered, shaved and then dressed in clean clothes, but didn't put much thought into what he was doing. He just wanted to get back to Mac as quickly as possible.
He quickly ate some food, then sat on his couch, waiting for 1320 to come around, which was when he could leave to get back to Mac's side.
He didn't have much of a wait, and soon was on his way back to Bethesda.
He pulled into the first available park that he spotted, and quickly walked into the hospital entrance.
By the time he arrived outside Mac's room, it was 1359 hours. Pausing slightly, he took a deep breath, pushed open the door, and announced his presence to the Admiral.
"Sir, it's 1400 hours. Any change?" he asked somewhat expectantly.
The Admiral looked up suddenly from his seat at Mac's side.
"Good afternoon, Commander. Did you do as requested?"
"Yes, sir. I did. I showered, shaved and ate. Just as stipulated," Harm replied truthfully.
"Good. There's been no dramatic change, although the doctor has just checked her chart, and said that there has been small improvements, and he is more convinced that she will soon be improving in leaps and bounds. Just like a true Marine," the Admiral said confidently.
For the first time in days Harm genuinely smiled. "Really, sir?"
"Yes, Harm. Really. In no time she will be back to her old self. Telling you off, no doubt," the Admiral chuckled, then rose the chair beside Mac's bedside, walking towards the door.
Harm grinned his 'flyboy' grin, and took the seat the Admiral had just vacated, picking up Mac's hand, squeezing gently, as he did so.
The Admiral left one last order for Harm before he left. "Take care of her, Commander. And notify me if there is any change."
"Yes, sir. I will. Take care of her, and notify you, that is," he smiled sheepishly.
That said and done, the Admiral strode out the door; while Harm resumed his quiet vigil of talking to Mac, smoothing her hair away from her face, and holding her hand. Willing her to wake up.
TWO DAYS LATER
1816 EST
BETHESDA HOSPITAL
Around 1800 Harm had left to get some cafeteria food for tea, while the doctor checked Mac.
Just as he was coming back, the doctor was walking out of Mac's room.
"How is she, Dr.?" Harm asked nervously.
"She's improved a lot, and I predict that she should be waking up soon, maybe even in the next couple of days. But I cannot be one hundred percent sure. Her vitals are improving, and the overall lookout for her is positive. I've got rounds to do now, so if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to tell a nurse, and they'll get a hold of me. See you," he finished.
"Thank you, Dr. Bye," he replied feeling a little more assured.
Harm resumed his usual position by Mac, whispering to her, knowing that she could feel his presence as well as hear him speaking to her.
Around 1900 he felt himself start drifting off to sleep, when suddenly fingers started moving, then the pressure of the hand folded in his increased.
"Mac, Mac? Can you hear me?" he asked urgently.
To his delight he got a moan in response.
"Mac?" he tried again. Just another moan in response, but to him it was like music. He decided to try again. "Sarah? Sarah can you hear me?"
This time he got more of a response. The deathly pale face smiled slightly, then her eyelids fluttered, just a little, then more and more, until Harm could see those heavenly brown eyes that he, at one stage, thought he would never see again.
"Hey, beautiful. You finally decide to wake up, huh?" he teased her gently.
"Harm," she croaked, then motioned to the water weakly with her free hand, not wanting to pull away from his comforting touch.
Harm filled up a glass with water, then helped Mac sit up a little bit more, so she wouldn't choke on it.
He held the straw up to her lips, as she brought her hands up to hold onto the glass, but her hands were so shaky that Harm knew that if he let go she would spill it all over herself.
"Easy, Ninga-girl. Don't drink too much. There's plenty where that came from," Harm scolded ever so gently.
Mac pushed the glass away from her, taking Harm's hand with her, not yet ready to let go. Harm's presence gave her a sense of comfort and ease that no one else ever had and very probably never would.
"I've had enough for now, Harm," she said softly, looking up at him. "How long have I been asleep?" she continued.
"For six days, Sleeping Beauty. I thought that you'd never wake up. Maybe I underestimated the Jarhead?" Harm smiled wryly.
"Six days? Where am I anyway? What happened? How did I get here?" Mac asked, confused.
The smile vanished from Harm's face, concern taking its place. 'But concern for what?' Mac wondered.
"What is the last thing that you remember, Mac?" Harm asked cautiously.
"I remember going to McMurphy's. I had a terrible headache and was a bit dizzy. I think I had a few drinks, non-alcoholic that is, and the rest is a blur." Mac screwed up her face in concentration, trying to remember what had happened. "How did I get here? Did the headache have something to do with it?" Mac asked curiously.
"You passed out in McMurphy's while we were, uh, talking," Harm replied, thinking to himself 'Well, we were talking… Kind of… I'm quite not lying, just not telling her everything. I'm sure it's better for her to remember on her own.' He continued aloud, "Then we called an ambulance, and you were brought here. The doctor said you had a blunt trauma injury. Do you have any idea how that happened?"
"Um, it would have had to have happened in my apartment, wouldn't it?"
"Yeah, probably," Harm answered.
Mac thought for a couple of minutes, then it was like a light was switched on.
"Oh! I remember! I was getting out of the tub, when my foot slipped on a wet patch on the tiles. I lost my balance, and fell backwards. I must have hit my head on the floor, or maybe on the tub. I don't really remember much after that. It's all hazy," she explained, frowning as she tried to recall.
"Oh, Mac. Why didn't you tell me when I picked you up? I would've taken you to the hospital right away," Harm sighed.
"Wait! There's more. It's still a little hazy but the more I think about it, the clearer it gets. We were at McMurphy's," she paused. "I remember looking for you, and when I found you there was the strangest look on your face."
"Do you remember what you said, Mac?" he asked uneasily.
"Yeah, I think so. I said something about me wanting you to do something. I remember kissing you… Harm why did I kiss you?" Mac asked completely confused.
"It must have been the concussion talking, Mac. Don't worry about it," Harm said dejectedly, looking around at the floor, the bed, anywhere but at her.
"No, Harm. You have to tell me!" Mac demanded.
"Do you really want to know, Mac?" When she nodded Harm continued, "You were standing on the edge of the crowd, but I didn't see you at first. Suddenly I had the feeling that someone was watching me. I scanned the crowd, and I realized that it was you. You caught my gaze, and then motioned me to come to you, but not the way you normally would have. This was almost seductive. I went up to you and then you whispered in my ear: 'Take me home. I want you.' You surprised the heck out of me. I didn't know what to do. Then you started pouting and you looked so damn gorgeous and cute, I couldn't resist you. You told me to kiss you, so I did," Harm paused. "Do you remember any of this?" Harm questioned her, slightly out of breath from talking so much.
"Wow, that's a pretty impressive story there, flyboy. And no, I wouldn't believe it if I didn't remember it for myself. Which I do, Harm. I remember every word, every emotion, every movement -- everything. And I don't regret any of it. If I could do it over again I would, a thousand times. Do you still want this banged up Jarhead?" she asked softly, almost afraid of the answer.
"Oh, Sarah. I want you more than ever. Just hearing that you remember started my heart beating again. Of course I still want you, who wouldn't?" he stated, repeating his words from that fateful night.
"I… I don't know how to tell you this," he stuttered, glancing up at her features.
"Just say what's in your heart, Harm," she softly replied.
"I…I love you, Sarah. For all eternity," he vowed, taking her hand and pressing kisses onto the back of it.
"Harm, I love you, too," Mac honestly replied. "With all my heart, for ever and ever."
Harm reached for her, and she willingly went into his embrace. When they pulled back, they looked into each others eyes, and knew that they had finally found what they had always wanted -- each other.
"So show me, Harm," she smiled wickedly, knowing that she said those words that night. Her brown eyes sparkled with amusement. "Show me how much you love me."
Harm smiled then raised his large, soft hands to frame her face, then ever so gently he kissed her. She saw the tender and loving side that she rarely had been able to enjoy, but would see much more often from now on. Their kiss was tender and full of promises yet to be fulfilled.
From outside a smug Harriet was grinning to herself, whispering "Yes! Yes!" repeatedly, just quiet enough not to interrupt the new couple.
Behind her stood an equally pleased, but more subdued Admiral.
"Lieutenant?" he questioned.
Harriet stopped her rejoicing, and looked expectantly at her CO. "Yes, sir?"
The Admiral was hard pressed not to laugh. "Leave the wedding plans until the Colonel is out of hospital, okay?" He ordered with a hint of a smile.
Harriet smiled happily. "Yes, sir!" Harriet grinned.
"Carry on, Lieutenant." Harriet went back to muttering to herself and watching the events unfold before her.
The Admiral turned on his heel and started to walk down the corridor. A hearty laugh could be heard echoing around the corridor near Mac's room. They already had his blessing, even if they didn't know it themselves.
THE END
A/N: This is a quote from the X-Files that I thought applied here, to this situation. Please tell me what you think the story was like! Good, Bad or the Ugly I can take it!
Also I have a big 'thank you' to go out to my beta readers! You guys are awesome, and were such a great help! Special thanks to April for all her hard work! Thanks to all the people that reviewed this story. Your inspiration kept me going! Cheers, Nessie
"Well it seems to me that the best relationships, the ones that last, are frequently rooted in friendship. You know, one day you look at a person and see something more than the night before, like a switch has been flipped on somewhere and the person that was just a friend is suddenly the only person that you can ever imagine yourself with." Dana Scully, The X-Files.
