((Sorry this took so long))
PART 10
After finishing her second drink, Mac could feel the buzz. She paid her tab and headed back to JAG, running right into Harm.
"Hey, watch where you're going, Jarhead." He teased.
"I.sorry." She mumbled and moved around him.
"Did you have a good lunch?"
"Hm? Oh yeah, it was nice." She rushed into her office before he could hear or smell the alcohol on her.
Harm sighed softly as he watched her shut her door. "Don't shut me out.please." He whispered and headed back into his office.
LATER THAT DAY
Mac packed up her stuff and headed to her apartment, not saying goodbye to anyone. She immediately went to the kitchen and poured herself an extremely generous portion of vodka before plopping down on the couch. She took a long sip, almost sighing in relief when she felt the liquor burn its way down her throat.
Silent tears drifted down her cheeks and she angrily wiped them away and took another large gulp. She'd missed the numb feeling that it gave her. After several more drinks on an empty stomach, she passed out on the couch, the alcohol keeping her safe from her nightmares.
HARM'S LOFT
Harm sat on the edge of the bed, holding the phone in his hand. She'd blown him off for lunch and dinner and then didn't bother to as much as wave goodbye when she went home. He took a deep breath and pushed the speed dial, the button almost worn out from the number of times he'd used it over the years. He impatiently fidgeted as he waited for her to pick up. "Come on. Please pick up." He pleaded.
"Hi, you've reached Mac. Leave me a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can."
"Damn." He grumbled and hung up disappointed, but not surprised. She was making it painfully obvious that she wanted to be alone. He lay back on the bed. "Don't do this, Mac. You're not alone."
TWO WEEKS LATER HARM'S LOFT
Harm once more held the phone in his hands. And once again, she didn't answer. He sighed and shook his head, thinking back over the past two weeks. He'd ask her if she wanted to do things several times a day, and every time, she'd come up with some flimsy excuse, say "I'll take a rain check, Harm" and rush off.
And he couldn't help but notice all the other changes in her. The sparkle in her eyes was completely gone. When she smiled, it was always forced and the very few times she laughed, it was hollow sounding. Her normally impeccable appearance was gone. The only makeup she wore was concealer and foundation to cover the dark circles under her eyes and her uniform was wrinkled and sloppy. She'd also seemed to have lost weight. Not only that, but she was constantly late and even in court, her arguments were half-hearted and she seemed to have trouble concentrating. She never answered her phone, yet it was obvious she was home. She didn't go out with the staff anymore. Hell, she didn't even talking to anyone and when she did, she snapped at them and it was only work related. Everyday, she seemed worse than the day before and it got to the point that she didn't keep her door or her blinds open.
Harm shook his head and sighed. "This is ridiculous." He put the phone back on the hook and grabbed his coat, keys and wallet. "You're not going to self-destruct, I won't let you." He said softly as he drove to the Chinese place near her apartment. He ordered all of her favorites before heading across the street to the florist. He then drove the short distance to her apartment, Chinese and a dozen red roses in the seat beside him.
Harm took a deep breathe and knocked on her door. "Mac, it's me." When she didn't come he knocked again. "I know you're home. I saw your car." He pressed his ear to the door to see if he could hear any movement inside.
TBC
PART 10
After finishing her second drink, Mac could feel the buzz. She paid her tab and headed back to JAG, running right into Harm.
"Hey, watch where you're going, Jarhead." He teased.
"I.sorry." She mumbled and moved around him.
"Did you have a good lunch?"
"Hm? Oh yeah, it was nice." She rushed into her office before he could hear or smell the alcohol on her.
Harm sighed softly as he watched her shut her door. "Don't shut me out.please." He whispered and headed back into his office.
LATER THAT DAY
Mac packed up her stuff and headed to her apartment, not saying goodbye to anyone. She immediately went to the kitchen and poured herself an extremely generous portion of vodka before plopping down on the couch. She took a long sip, almost sighing in relief when she felt the liquor burn its way down her throat.
Silent tears drifted down her cheeks and she angrily wiped them away and took another large gulp. She'd missed the numb feeling that it gave her. After several more drinks on an empty stomach, she passed out on the couch, the alcohol keeping her safe from her nightmares.
HARM'S LOFT
Harm sat on the edge of the bed, holding the phone in his hand. She'd blown him off for lunch and dinner and then didn't bother to as much as wave goodbye when she went home. He took a deep breath and pushed the speed dial, the button almost worn out from the number of times he'd used it over the years. He impatiently fidgeted as he waited for her to pick up. "Come on. Please pick up." He pleaded.
"Hi, you've reached Mac. Leave me a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can."
"Damn." He grumbled and hung up disappointed, but not surprised. She was making it painfully obvious that she wanted to be alone. He lay back on the bed. "Don't do this, Mac. You're not alone."
TWO WEEKS LATER HARM'S LOFT
Harm once more held the phone in his hands. And once again, she didn't answer. He sighed and shook his head, thinking back over the past two weeks. He'd ask her if she wanted to do things several times a day, and every time, she'd come up with some flimsy excuse, say "I'll take a rain check, Harm" and rush off.
And he couldn't help but notice all the other changes in her. The sparkle in her eyes was completely gone. When she smiled, it was always forced and the very few times she laughed, it was hollow sounding. Her normally impeccable appearance was gone. The only makeup she wore was concealer and foundation to cover the dark circles under her eyes and her uniform was wrinkled and sloppy. She'd also seemed to have lost weight. Not only that, but she was constantly late and even in court, her arguments were half-hearted and she seemed to have trouble concentrating. She never answered her phone, yet it was obvious she was home. She didn't go out with the staff anymore. Hell, she didn't even talking to anyone and when she did, she snapped at them and it was only work related. Everyday, she seemed worse than the day before and it got to the point that she didn't keep her door or her blinds open.
Harm shook his head and sighed. "This is ridiculous." He put the phone back on the hook and grabbed his coat, keys and wallet. "You're not going to self-destruct, I won't let you." He said softly as he drove to the Chinese place near her apartment. He ordered all of her favorites before heading across the street to the florist. He then drove the short distance to her apartment, Chinese and a dozen red roses in the seat beside him.
Harm took a deep breathe and knocked on her door. "Mac, it's me." When she didn't come he knocked again. "I know you're home. I saw your car." He pressed his ear to the door to see if he could hear any movement inside.
TBC