AUTHOR NOTE: I might be putting 'Ticking Clock' and 'Harm-Ful Encounter'
into the two fanfic awards going on right now. And yep, that means I'm
going to have Harm-Ful done and posted soon Yay! At which point, I'll
work on a sequel for both stories. Anyway, the point of this note, I need
beta people to read all the parts of both stories and give me feedback so
that I can get them ready for submission. Thanks so much for the help
Part 13
NEXT MORNING 0600
When Mac woke up, she realized she was moving. She looked around and soon recognized the inside of Harm's SUV. She rubbed her eyes and sat up, stretching slightly.
"Morning, sleeping beauty." Harm smiled as he drove.
He was awarded with a groan. "Where are we going?" Her head was pounding.
"My Grams is out of town, so I'm taking you up to the far for a few days."
"We can't do that, Harm. We've got work."
"I talked to the Admiral this morning. We're both on leave."
"What?!" She cringed as her head began to pound even more.
"Mac, you need to dry out and I already told you that I'm not going anywhere. Besides, I've wanted to take you up to the farm fro awhile now." He smiled slightly.
"That's nice, Harm, but I really wish you wouldn't have called him. You knowing is one thing, but him knowing is something else entirely.
"I didn't mention the drinking, Mac. You were hurt and its been obvious that you're not as okay as you claim to be. He noticed that and he knows me. He knows that until I know you're okay, I'm pretty much useless around the office. So, he gladly gave us the time off."
"Oh." She said softly.
"Try to sleep, Mac. It'll make the trip go by easier."
She nodded and laid back down. Soon her breathing deepened and evened out.
Harm smiled faintly and turned the radio on just loud enough for him to hear it and stay alert. He hoped that he'd be able to get to the farm before she started to get bad. "We'll get through this, Sarah." He whispered.
THREE HOURS LATER Bellville, Pennsylvania
Harm couldn't help but smile as they neared the farm. There was just something so peaceful about this place..the curvy dirt roads that took you through mountains and trees.the fact you had to be careful or you'd hit a deer.the soft blanket of undisturbed snow. He sighed happily and pulled up at the old farm house. He got out and stretched a bit. He wouldn't be surprised if they saw quite a bit of snow in the next couple of days.
He shrugged off his bomber jacket and opened the back door. He wrapped his jacket around Mac's sleeping form and carefully scooped her up into his arms as she shivered and snuggled into him tightly to keep warm. He kicked the door shut with his foot and carried her inside, careful not to slip on the thin layer of ice that had collected on the stairs. He set her down in a chair and pulled out the bed from the couch. He made it up and then knelt my her, gently removing her shoes. He got a towel and brought it over. He took a moment to commit her image to his mind. There were snowflakes on her hair and eyelashes, making her look like an angel. He smile and carefully dried her off before picking her up again and laying her gently on the mattress. He tucked her in before turning to the fire. After a few minutes, it roared to life and he headed out to the car. He retrieved the bag he packed her and his seabag and went back inside. He kicked off his shoes and took off his now wet shirt and slipped under the covers beside her. It would be awhile before the rest of the house heated up any so he pulled her gently into his arms so they could share body heat. He couldn't help but notice how perfectly her body fit against his. He softly kissed her forehead and drifted to sleep.
Part 13
NEXT MORNING 0600
When Mac woke up, she realized she was moving. She looked around and soon recognized the inside of Harm's SUV. She rubbed her eyes and sat up, stretching slightly.
"Morning, sleeping beauty." Harm smiled as he drove.
He was awarded with a groan. "Where are we going?" Her head was pounding.
"My Grams is out of town, so I'm taking you up to the far for a few days."
"We can't do that, Harm. We've got work."
"I talked to the Admiral this morning. We're both on leave."
"What?!" She cringed as her head began to pound even more.
"Mac, you need to dry out and I already told you that I'm not going anywhere. Besides, I've wanted to take you up to the farm fro awhile now." He smiled slightly.
"That's nice, Harm, but I really wish you wouldn't have called him. You knowing is one thing, but him knowing is something else entirely.
"I didn't mention the drinking, Mac. You were hurt and its been obvious that you're not as okay as you claim to be. He noticed that and he knows me. He knows that until I know you're okay, I'm pretty much useless around the office. So, he gladly gave us the time off."
"Oh." She said softly.
"Try to sleep, Mac. It'll make the trip go by easier."
She nodded and laid back down. Soon her breathing deepened and evened out.
Harm smiled faintly and turned the radio on just loud enough for him to hear it and stay alert. He hoped that he'd be able to get to the farm before she started to get bad. "We'll get through this, Sarah." He whispered.
THREE HOURS LATER Bellville, Pennsylvania
Harm couldn't help but smile as they neared the farm. There was just something so peaceful about this place..the curvy dirt roads that took you through mountains and trees.the fact you had to be careful or you'd hit a deer.the soft blanket of undisturbed snow. He sighed happily and pulled up at the old farm house. He got out and stretched a bit. He wouldn't be surprised if they saw quite a bit of snow in the next couple of days.
He shrugged off his bomber jacket and opened the back door. He wrapped his jacket around Mac's sleeping form and carefully scooped her up into his arms as she shivered and snuggled into him tightly to keep warm. He kicked the door shut with his foot and carried her inside, careful not to slip on the thin layer of ice that had collected on the stairs. He set her down in a chair and pulled out the bed from the couch. He made it up and then knelt my her, gently removing her shoes. He got a towel and brought it over. He took a moment to commit her image to his mind. There were snowflakes on her hair and eyelashes, making her look like an angel. He smile and carefully dried her off before picking her up again and laying her gently on the mattress. He tucked her in before turning to the fire. After a few minutes, it roared to life and he headed out to the car. He retrieved the bag he packed her and his seabag and went back inside. He kicked off his shoes and took off his now wet shirt and slipped under the covers beside her. It would be awhile before the rest of the house heated up any so he pulled her gently into his arms so they could share body heat. He couldn't help but notice how perfectly her body fit against his. He softly kissed her forehead and drifted to sleep.