Beautiful Days Part 4/10
Disclaimer - See part one for all important information
Day sixty-seven she said "I love you" to me
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Harm's Apartment
Sunday February 23, 2003
7:13 PM
"So how was the Watertown?" Harm asked as he sat down next to Mac on the couch.
"The same as always. Captain Flagler was happy to have me back aboard, he says hello. He was surprised to see me with Sturgis and not you," Mac reported to Harm as he pulled her into his arms.
Harm thought about her words and knew why he wasn't there. Since they decided to be a couple Admiral Chegwidden was very supportive of them. He allowed them to stay at JAG however they wouldn't be partnered together and wouldn't face off in court unless necessary. "Sturgis must have been in heaven to be back under the water."
"He was and he can have it," Mac said as she kissed Harms cheek. "I missed you."
Harm smiled. "You missed my lips, too, on that one, Marine."
"Let me try again," Mac said playfully as she moved herself onto his lap to kiss him better.
As they kissed, Harm moved his hands under the back of Mac's shirt while Mac unbuttoned the top few buttons of Harm's shirt. She placed her hand on the side of his neck and moved it to the back of his neck. After a few minutes she pulled away from his lips and rested her head on his shoulder facing his neck. Harm rested his head lightly on hers. Their arms wrapped around each other.
"Promise me you won't be gone that long again," Harm said, pleading.
Mac exhaled loudly. "I'll try not to be. But you know the military."
"Yeah, I do." Harm ran a hand up and down her back. "Just why did the call have to come during our Valentines dinner."
"I know." Mac remembered the evening Harm planned for them. He cooked dinner and had roses on the table. The dinner was perfect and the evening was going to be outstanding because Mac was going to tell Harm those three little words after they exchanged the gifts that sat on the coffee table. She glanced at the coffee table and saw their gifts still there.
Harm knew what she was looking at. "I didn't even try to peek at your gift all week."
"Well, since you were a good boy maybe I should let you open it now," Mac said to him like she was talking to a small child.
Harm laughed. "If I can open mine I'll let you open yours."
"Deal." Mac smiled as they both reached to the table and picked up the gifts.
Harm watched as Mac unwrapped the small box. She lifted the lid of the box to reveal a small velvet box. She glanced at Harm and opened the box with a creak to unveil a gold necklace with a heart shaped ruby pendant. "Harm, it's beautiful." She pulled the necklace out of the box.
Harm delicately took it from her and clasped it around her neck. "Now it is beautiful. Before it was nice."
Mac giggled and kissed him softly. "Open yours."
Harm did so. He lifted the tissue paper out of the gift bag to see a photo album. He glanced quickly at Mac but she only smiled. Harm opened the photo album and looked in awe as he saw pictures of his grandmother, mother, and father. He flipped through some more pages and saw his childhood, teenage years, Academy days, and his life in the military. As he got to the end of the album he noticed pictures of himself and Mac, people from JAG, and a few of Sergei.
"How?" Harm asked with emotion in his voice.
"The earlier pictures are from your mom and grandmother. Sturgis and Jack provided the Academy pictures and..."
"No," Harm interrupted. "How did you come up with the idea of this?"
"It just hit me one night."
Harm looked back in some of the pages of the album. "It must have taken you hours to put together."
"It did, but it was worth it."
"Why did you do it?" Harm looked into her eyes.
Mac took a deep breath and honestly answered him with the only reason she knew. "Because I love you."
Harm's eyes softened with her words and he felt the emotion building in his throat again. This time not because of the thoughtful gift but because of the woman in his arms and her words. He took a few seconds to just look at her and wonder what he did right in the past 39 years to deserve her in his life.
Mac tried to smile but couldn't, she was too nervous because Harm hadn't said anything in 68 seconds. She shifted in his lap and the movement brought Harm back to reality. "I love you, too."
Mac let out a breath of relief and chuckled. "Took you long enough to answer."
"Sorry, I was thanking God for giving you to me," Harm said as he moved the photo album to the coffee table. After it was moved he placed a hand on Mac's cheek and felt the tears that were falling from her eyes. "Didn't mean to make you cry."
"Don't worry. It's a woman thing, we cry when we get very emotional," Mac explained as Harm gently wiped away her tears.
"Happy tears."
"Yeah, they are usually followed by happy kisses."
"Let's get onto the happy kissing part then." Harm moved to his lips and kissed her.
End of Part 4