Tranquility

By Nimue (October 2003)

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, they aren't my toys. 8(

Spoilers: Capital Crime (believe it or not, there are still lots of peeps who haven't seen it yet)

Pairing: Harm/Mac

Summary: A quiet get together

Dedication: To Dae, who brought me out of retirement, for just being herself. And belated congrats! ;)

~*~

"You told him WHAT?" Sarah MacKenzie exclaimed, as she slumped down on the couch, tugging her feet under her legs.

"I told him that he should try agreeing with you. It really throws you off stride, you know that," Harm grinned, as he rounded the couch and handed him one of the two mugs he was carrying. Sitting down next to her, he enjoyed her look of total astonishment.

"You can't be serious," she gasped, sipping a bit of the hot liquid he had brought her. "Hmm, just the way I like my cocoa," she added.

"I am. And it worked, didn't it?" Harm answered with a twinkle in his eyes.

She turned slightly to face him and crooked her head to the side. Silently regarding him, she waited for his reaction.

Mirrowing her actions, Harm regarded her for a moment, "What?" he said after a long moment of silence.

"The nerve of you," Mac chuckled.

"He really didn't know how to deal with you, Mac. I had to give him something. So I gave him the first two points of my Mac manual." He leaned back a little, awaiting her attack.

"Mac manual, hmm? You didn't tell him that we are fighting like cats and dogs all the time, did you?" Mac contered.

"Sturgis is a smart guy, I think he figured it out all by himself by now. It's not that we are subtle when fighting." Harm grinned, before taking another sip.

"No kidding," Mac grinned, cradling the mug tighter in her hands.

"You know, he's constantly bugging me about us. No matter how often I tell him that you're my best friend and that I'd go to hell and back for you, he won't let the topic drop. For a preacher's son he's very nosy, too nosy. Where did he get it from?"

"I don't know, but he started bugging me too. What is it with him, anyway? What gives him the right to overanalyse me and our relationship or lack thereof? He's known me how long? A few months? What makes him the expert in everything that goes on in my life?" Mac sighed, as she sat her now empty cup aside. "It's not that I don't like him, but he's just so very irritating."

"You really freaked him out with your visions," Harm said, trying his best to lead the conversation to safer grounds again.

"I know I did. I think he was ready to send me to an asylum a few times. He just didn't want to believe me, but you somehow managed to convince him to trust me with it, or at least to go with the flow. It was strange not having you there with me. You would have taken me seriously right from the start. You would have worried and made sure I was alright," Mac sighed.

"I was worried about you, Mac. I wished I could have been there with you," he sighed. "I am here now, if it's worth anything." He opened his arms for her. That and a pleading look was all it took for her to cuddle into his arms.

They were quiet for a few minutes, each revelling in the feel of the other pressed close. Finally, Harm broke the silence, "I could get used to this, Mac."

"I never thought you were the big teddy bear type," Mac chuckled. "But you're right, it feels good." With that she buried her head back into his chest. The comfortable silence continued and minutes stretched into hours.

Finally, she raised her head again to look up at him. His breathing had evened and he seemed to be in a light slumber. "Harm," she whispered. And when she got no reply she tried again, "Harm."

Grumbling, he let himself fall to the side, dragging her with him. When he was done repositioning himself, he lay on his back on the couch with her form draped across his body. "Sleep, Mac," was all he mumbled, before he pulled her even closer.

"Your back's gonna kill you tomorrow, Squid," Mac whispered, "You aren't the youngest anymore."

One of his eyes fluttered open upon hearing that. "Be careful, Marine. This squid can still teach you a trick or two."

"Can't wait to see what that is," Mac teased. "Do show."

Harm opened his other eye as well, smiling at her mischieviously. "Don't you wish," he whispered. "But that will have to wait until tomorrow. Now, sleep, Marine."

After a long while he added, "Mac?"

"Hmm?" was her sleepy reply.

"Maybe we really should move this to the bed after all," he suggested.

"Getting old, hmm?" Mac teased.

"Maybe it's you that's getting heavier, honey. Too much dead cow, I gather," Harm replied.

"Heavier? Honey? Okay, that's it, Squid. You're a dead man!" Mac growled, before tickling him senseless.

Their giggles rang through the apartment and into the corridor. Then, a loud bang could be heard, accompanied with a female grunting. "Now who's the heavy one of us two, old man?"

The End