Once again I do not own any of these characters. I'd like to thank everyone who stuck with this story to see what happens in the end and for bearing with me as I finally began writing it again. It meant a lot to me and now for your reading pleasure here is the final chapter of Harm's Leading Ladies.
Chapter 19: Meeting at the Altar
It's been two years since that scary day at the hospital when Mac flat lined. Harm and Mac decided to wait for the wedding because they wanted Alex to be in the wedding. Bella is now seven and little AJ is 9 (I know he's a lot older than that, but I need them to both be that age for the story to work.) Harriet and Bud had a little girl whom they named Olivia Sarah, in honor of their first daughter and Mac.
Mac sat in the back of the church trying to put on her makeup, but her hands were so shaky she kept dropping the tube. "Ugh! You need to get it together marine, your acting like your nervous." Mac said to herself. "And now I'm going crazy because I'm talking to myself."
"Ma'am, who are you talking to?" Harriet asked coming in.
"No one Harriet. Just slowly losing my mind I guess. Oh Harriet you look beautiful." Mac said taking in the sight of her maid of honor. Harriet's dress was a light blue, spaghetti strap gown.
"I know you didn't want to see them until later, but Bella really wanted you to see her in her dress." Harriet said ushering the growing girl in. Mac's breath was taken away at the sight of her baby girl. She looked all grown up in a white flower girl's dress with little flowers on the top in blue and pink, and a puffed out skirt that twirled around her.
"You look so beautiful Bella. My little girl is growing up." Mac said hugging and Bella and wiping the tears from her eyes which was smearing her makeup.
"Thanks Mom. Look at Livvy too. It's too cute." Bella said as Olivia wobbled into the room. Harriet almost started crying herself, at the image of Olivia in a dress that mirrored Bella's only a little smaller.
"You look very cute Livvy." Mac said picking up her niece and kissing her cheek.
"Okay Mom. We're outta here to go play with Alex and AJ. You'd better hurry up, only two hours and 20 minutes to go." Bella called out in a sing song voice. Over time she had picked up Mac's secret of knowing how to tell the time without looking at a clock.
"Ma'am, Mac, I think you need a little help." Harriet said coming over with the tissues and helping Mac wipe her eyes and clean up the running mascara.
"Harriet, I don't know why I'm so nervous. I love Harm so much and yet my heart is doing jumping jacks just thinking about walking down that aisle and becoming his wife." Mac said.
"Mac, when I saw Bud waiting for me at the altar, that's when all my fears melted away. Now I can't order you to get dressed, but I can tell you that there's a very good looking Flyboy in dress whites and gold wings waiting for you at the altar, a man who is the father of your children and a man who loves you with his whole heart. You two were meant to be together and love like that does not come around very often." Harriet said a smile on her face.
"Thank you Harriet. Just then that sounded like something Diane might have said. I've never got the chance to know her as a sister, but you, you are the sister I've always known." Mac said giving Harriet a big hug.
That was the end of the tears as Harriet helped redo Mac's make up and slip into her gorgeous dress.
Harm stood nervously at the altar, Bud right beside him as his best man. As more and more people filled the church, he could feel his stomach jumping. Bud just patted his arm and smiled, knowing just the feeling that he had. Finally, Sturgis, Sergei, and Keeter walked in with grandma Sarah, Trish, and Mrs. Schonke, sitting them in the front row with Frank and Mr. Schonke. Then they rushed back to get into the precession.
The wedding march started and the doors to the church opened. Awes were heard from around the church as little Aj and Bella came down the aisle together pulling Alex and Olivia in a yellow steerman that Sergei had built. Then came Keeter and Chloe, Sturgis and Bobbi Latham, and then Sergei and Lt. Theresa Coulter who was flown in for the ceremony. Then Harriet began her march toward the alter smiling at Bud and Harm as she stopped and then turned to glance back at the Admiral and Mac. Everyone in church stood and Mac began her journey down to Harm. He couldn't believe how beautiful she was. Her gown was perfectly white, with a flower designed on the front in glittery material and the same design went down the back of the train. Their eyes met through her veil and he saw all the love and memories of the past years in them, he knew that this was where he belonged.
The Admiral brought Mac up to Harm and joined their hands together. With a small smile he lifted Mac's veil placed a kiss on her cheek, returned the veil to its down position and took his seat as did the others.
Chaplain Turner began the ceremony, "Love is a very powerful emotion. It is at the beginning and the end of life. Marriage takes that love to another level. It is the bonding of not only two physical bodies, but two hearts and souls. I know that Sarah and Harmon have not arrived at this place easily, some would say it took them longer than they would have liked, but they did get here. Through every type of situation God threw at them, they handled it all together in the work place as partners and as lovers. The Colonel and Commander have asked me to read the following passage to remind those of you who have found or not found love yet what it really means. Love is always patient and kind. It is never jealous. Love is never boastful or conceited. It is never rude or selfish. It does not take offense and is not resentful. It is always there to protect, to trust, to hope, and to preserve whatever comes. Now the Sarah and Harm have decided to say their own wedding vows, so Mac why don't you start." Chaplain Turner said.
Mac turned to Harm, taking his hands in hers. "I can't believe we're finally here. We've been through so many obstacles and visited so many countries together, but here we are pledging our love in front of our family, our friends, and our children. I'll always remember that first time I saw you in the Rose Garden, you looked so handsome, I knew then that I already had some feelings for you. Even the Admiral knew when he told us not to get too close we had to work together." The Admiral and the others smiled. "I knew I really loved you when you came to check on me after the case with Chief Holst. I told you about my dad and you just listened. Every other man would have run in the other direction, but not you. You've never broken a promise to me, actually we even acted a little early on one, and I promise to never break a promise to you. Harm, I promise to love you and honor you all the days of this life and the one here after." Mac said finally tears coming to her eyes.
Harm reached out and wiped the tears. "You let people seeing a marine cry, you'll give the core a bad name." He said causing the audience to laugh.
"Sarah, I know that I've been pig headed at times during our relationship, but unlike all the other girlfriends at the time you were patient with me. You never pushed for a commitment, you let me take my time, and you've certainly understood all my crazy ideas. It was in Russia that I finally realized you weren't like every other woman I'd ever known. Most partners would have stayed back in the U.S. where it was safe, but not my Ninja Girl. You followed me there, helped me get information about my father, you even dressed up as a gypsy to help me get to the truth. But when I finally said you could go back, you told me that it was up to you to come up with a plan. Then there was that night in Sydney. I wanted to tell you so much that I loved you, but I was still so afraid that if I told you I loved you, I'd lose you. Even after that, you still didn't push for anything I wasn't willing to give. Then the night of your engagement party, out on the Admiral's porch, when I kissed you and you kissed me back, I knew that you loved me too. I would have gone in that church and I would have said that you two shouldn't have been married, but then I put an airplane into the ocean so, that was a much better way to break up a wedding. But through it all Sarah, you have been so patient and always there for me, I can't wait for the next fifty or sixty years to keep showing you how much I love and honor you." He said wiping his own tears now.
"Okay can I have the rings please?" Chaplain Turner requested. Little AJ took Alex's hand and walked him up to the altar. The Chaplain took the rings and handed the first one to Harm.
"Harm please repeat after me." The Chaplain stated.
"I Harm take you Sarah to be my wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, this is my solemn vow to you." Harm said sliding the ring onto her finger his eyes never leaving hers.
"Sarah?" The Chaplain said handing her, her ring for Harm.
"I Sarah, take you Harm to be my husband. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, this is my solemn vow to you." Mac said sliding the ring onto his finger.
"Harm and Sarah have stated their vows for one another, there is only one thing left to do. I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride Commander." The Chaplain said.
Harm smiled down at Mac, lifting her veil and kissed her. Their were cheers and claps heard round the church as they made their way down the aisle as husband and wife.
The Reception
"Now please welcome for the first time, Mr. And Mrs. Harmon Rabb Jr." The DJ and announced as Harm carried Mac into the room receiving an even louder round of applause.
"Always have to make a show don't you Flyboy, Mac said as he set her down in the middle of the dance floor.
"Their first dance as husband and wife ladies and gentlemen." The DJ announced starting the music.
"What would you say if I told you I've always wanted to hold you? I don't know what we're afraid of Nothing would change if we made love"
Harm smiled down at Mac as they danced knowing that everything was only better after the night they first made love.
"'cause I'll be your friend And I'll be your lover Well, I know in our hearts we agree We don't have to be one or the other
Yes, it's a chance that we're taking And somebody's heart may be breaking But we can't stop what's inside us Our love for each other will guide us
I've been through you And you've been through me Sometimes a friend is the hardest to see We always know when it's laid on the line Nobody else is as easy to find
So I'll be your friend And I'll be your lover Well, I know in our heart we agree We don't have to be one or the other"
As the song ended Harm pulled Mac in hugging her close as the crowd applauded again. When it was time to toss the garter, the DJ started up "In the Navy" and Harm danced over to Mac. Shaking his hips as he walked over to her, he kneeled before her and lifted the dress over her knee. Then he pulled the garter down to her knee, then he grabbed it in his teeth and pulled it down the rest of the way causing Mac to blush and crowd to erupt in applause.
Towards the end of the night as everyone shared their final dances Mac looked up at Harm.
"Excited for the wedding night Colonel?" Harm asked a teasing grin in his eyes.
Mac smiled her own mischievous smile. "I am Commander, but there's a little something I need to tell you first." She said standing on tip toes and whispering in his ear. His smile dropped and he stared at her, mouth open wide.
"Really?" He asked still staring. She shook her head yes. Harm grabbed her up in a hug and spun her around. Then he grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the DJ who stopped the music.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but Mac just told me something very exciting and I wanted to let all of you know. Mac's pregnant with twins." Harm said hugging Mac to him and kissing her cheek.
Bella was the first to rush up to them, jumping into their waiting arms. "Now when I get married, if they're girls, they can be my bridesmaids." Bella said excitedly kissing Harm and Mac both. Bella was on the money about the babies and about Harm and Mac's love for each other.
Epilogue:
Fifteen years have passed since Harm and Mac were married. The JAG team have gathered in a church again, this time for Bella's wedding. Bella is now in the Marine Core and she's getting married to a Navy man, just like her mom did to her dad. Harm walked Bella down the aisle and joined her hand to the man she loves. He went back and sat next to Mac as they took in the sight before them. Their first daughter at the altar, hands joined with her soon to be husband, Olivia as her maid of honor, and her two twin sisters Kiyana and Madison, as her bridesmaids. On the groom's side were Alex as the best man, a Navy flyboy like Harm, and some of his other friends from the naval academy.
As they began their vows Harm took Mac's hand as they remembered their own wedding day, "I Isabella Rabb, take you AJ Roberts to be my husband. I promise to love you and honor you all the days of my life." She said sliding the ring onto his finger.
Harriet glanced at Mac as they wiped the tears from their eyes, watching their first children marry each other, another generation of Navy and Marines joining together and celebrating that love until the end of time.
This story is finally complete. I'd like to thank everyone for your feedback, I really do appreciate it and I'm eternally grateful to you all. If anyone would like to take this story and put it on their website, your free to do so, just drop me an email to let me know and give me credit for it. Thanks again.
Chapter 19: Meeting at the Altar
It's been two years since that scary day at the hospital when Mac flat lined. Harm and Mac decided to wait for the wedding because they wanted Alex to be in the wedding. Bella is now seven and little AJ is 9 (I know he's a lot older than that, but I need them to both be that age for the story to work.) Harriet and Bud had a little girl whom they named Olivia Sarah, in honor of their first daughter and Mac.
Mac sat in the back of the church trying to put on her makeup, but her hands were so shaky she kept dropping the tube. "Ugh! You need to get it together marine, your acting like your nervous." Mac said to herself. "And now I'm going crazy because I'm talking to myself."
"Ma'am, who are you talking to?" Harriet asked coming in.
"No one Harriet. Just slowly losing my mind I guess. Oh Harriet you look beautiful." Mac said taking in the sight of her maid of honor. Harriet's dress was a light blue, spaghetti strap gown.
"I know you didn't want to see them until later, but Bella really wanted you to see her in her dress." Harriet said ushering the growing girl in. Mac's breath was taken away at the sight of her baby girl. She looked all grown up in a white flower girl's dress with little flowers on the top in blue and pink, and a puffed out skirt that twirled around her.
"You look so beautiful Bella. My little girl is growing up." Mac said hugging and Bella and wiping the tears from her eyes which was smearing her makeup.
"Thanks Mom. Look at Livvy too. It's too cute." Bella said as Olivia wobbled into the room. Harriet almost started crying herself, at the image of Olivia in a dress that mirrored Bella's only a little smaller.
"You look very cute Livvy." Mac said picking up her niece and kissing her cheek.
"Okay Mom. We're outta here to go play with Alex and AJ. You'd better hurry up, only two hours and 20 minutes to go." Bella called out in a sing song voice. Over time she had picked up Mac's secret of knowing how to tell the time without looking at a clock.
"Ma'am, Mac, I think you need a little help." Harriet said coming over with the tissues and helping Mac wipe her eyes and clean up the running mascara.
"Harriet, I don't know why I'm so nervous. I love Harm so much and yet my heart is doing jumping jacks just thinking about walking down that aisle and becoming his wife." Mac said.
"Mac, when I saw Bud waiting for me at the altar, that's when all my fears melted away. Now I can't order you to get dressed, but I can tell you that there's a very good looking Flyboy in dress whites and gold wings waiting for you at the altar, a man who is the father of your children and a man who loves you with his whole heart. You two were meant to be together and love like that does not come around very often." Harriet said a smile on her face.
"Thank you Harriet. Just then that sounded like something Diane might have said. I've never got the chance to know her as a sister, but you, you are the sister I've always known." Mac said giving Harriet a big hug.
That was the end of the tears as Harriet helped redo Mac's make up and slip into her gorgeous dress.
Harm stood nervously at the altar, Bud right beside him as his best man. As more and more people filled the church, he could feel his stomach jumping. Bud just patted his arm and smiled, knowing just the feeling that he had. Finally, Sturgis, Sergei, and Keeter walked in with grandma Sarah, Trish, and Mrs. Schonke, sitting them in the front row with Frank and Mr. Schonke. Then they rushed back to get into the precession.
The wedding march started and the doors to the church opened. Awes were heard from around the church as little Aj and Bella came down the aisle together pulling Alex and Olivia in a yellow steerman that Sergei had built. Then came Keeter and Chloe, Sturgis and Bobbi Latham, and then Sergei and Lt. Theresa Coulter who was flown in for the ceremony. Then Harriet began her march toward the alter smiling at Bud and Harm as she stopped and then turned to glance back at the Admiral and Mac. Everyone in church stood and Mac began her journey down to Harm. He couldn't believe how beautiful she was. Her gown was perfectly white, with a flower designed on the front in glittery material and the same design went down the back of the train. Their eyes met through her veil and he saw all the love and memories of the past years in them, he knew that this was where he belonged.
The Admiral brought Mac up to Harm and joined their hands together. With a small smile he lifted Mac's veil placed a kiss on her cheek, returned the veil to its down position and took his seat as did the others.
Chaplain Turner began the ceremony, "Love is a very powerful emotion. It is at the beginning and the end of life. Marriage takes that love to another level. It is the bonding of not only two physical bodies, but two hearts and souls. I know that Sarah and Harmon have not arrived at this place easily, some would say it took them longer than they would have liked, but they did get here. Through every type of situation God threw at them, they handled it all together in the work place as partners and as lovers. The Colonel and Commander have asked me to read the following passage to remind those of you who have found or not found love yet what it really means. Love is always patient and kind. It is never jealous. Love is never boastful or conceited. It is never rude or selfish. It does not take offense and is not resentful. It is always there to protect, to trust, to hope, and to preserve whatever comes. Now the Sarah and Harm have decided to say their own wedding vows, so Mac why don't you start." Chaplain Turner said.
Mac turned to Harm, taking his hands in hers. "I can't believe we're finally here. We've been through so many obstacles and visited so many countries together, but here we are pledging our love in front of our family, our friends, and our children. I'll always remember that first time I saw you in the Rose Garden, you looked so handsome, I knew then that I already had some feelings for you. Even the Admiral knew when he told us not to get too close we had to work together." The Admiral and the others smiled. "I knew I really loved you when you came to check on me after the case with Chief Holst. I told you about my dad and you just listened. Every other man would have run in the other direction, but not you. You've never broken a promise to me, actually we even acted a little early on one, and I promise to never break a promise to you. Harm, I promise to love you and honor you all the days of this life and the one here after." Mac said finally tears coming to her eyes.
Harm reached out and wiped the tears. "You let people seeing a marine cry, you'll give the core a bad name." He said causing the audience to laugh.
"Sarah, I know that I've been pig headed at times during our relationship, but unlike all the other girlfriends at the time you were patient with me. You never pushed for a commitment, you let me take my time, and you've certainly understood all my crazy ideas. It was in Russia that I finally realized you weren't like every other woman I'd ever known. Most partners would have stayed back in the U.S. where it was safe, but not my Ninja Girl. You followed me there, helped me get information about my father, you even dressed up as a gypsy to help me get to the truth. But when I finally said you could go back, you told me that it was up to you to come up with a plan. Then there was that night in Sydney. I wanted to tell you so much that I loved you, but I was still so afraid that if I told you I loved you, I'd lose you. Even after that, you still didn't push for anything I wasn't willing to give. Then the night of your engagement party, out on the Admiral's porch, when I kissed you and you kissed me back, I knew that you loved me too. I would have gone in that church and I would have said that you two shouldn't have been married, but then I put an airplane into the ocean so, that was a much better way to break up a wedding. But through it all Sarah, you have been so patient and always there for me, I can't wait for the next fifty or sixty years to keep showing you how much I love and honor you." He said wiping his own tears now.
"Okay can I have the rings please?" Chaplain Turner requested. Little AJ took Alex's hand and walked him up to the altar. The Chaplain took the rings and handed the first one to Harm.
"Harm please repeat after me." The Chaplain stated.
"I Harm take you Sarah to be my wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, this is my solemn vow to you." Harm said sliding the ring onto her finger his eyes never leaving hers.
"Sarah?" The Chaplain said handing her, her ring for Harm.
"I Sarah, take you Harm to be my husband. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, this is my solemn vow to you." Mac said sliding the ring onto his finger.
"Harm and Sarah have stated their vows for one another, there is only one thing left to do. I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride Commander." The Chaplain said.
Harm smiled down at Mac, lifting her veil and kissed her. Their were cheers and claps heard round the church as they made their way down the aisle as husband and wife.
The Reception
"Now please welcome for the first time, Mr. And Mrs. Harmon Rabb Jr." The DJ and announced as Harm carried Mac into the room receiving an even louder round of applause.
"Always have to make a show don't you Flyboy, Mac said as he set her down in the middle of the dance floor.
"Their first dance as husband and wife ladies and gentlemen." The DJ announced starting the music.
"What would you say if I told you I've always wanted to hold you? I don't know what we're afraid of Nothing would change if we made love"
Harm smiled down at Mac as they danced knowing that everything was only better after the night they first made love.
"'cause I'll be your friend And I'll be your lover Well, I know in our hearts we agree We don't have to be one or the other
Yes, it's a chance that we're taking And somebody's heart may be breaking But we can't stop what's inside us Our love for each other will guide us
I've been through you And you've been through me Sometimes a friend is the hardest to see We always know when it's laid on the line Nobody else is as easy to find
So I'll be your friend And I'll be your lover Well, I know in our heart we agree We don't have to be one or the other"
As the song ended Harm pulled Mac in hugging her close as the crowd applauded again. When it was time to toss the garter, the DJ started up "In the Navy" and Harm danced over to Mac. Shaking his hips as he walked over to her, he kneeled before her and lifted the dress over her knee. Then he pulled the garter down to her knee, then he grabbed it in his teeth and pulled it down the rest of the way causing Mac to blush and crowd to erupt in applause.
Towards the end of the night as everyone shared their final dances Mac looked up at Harm.
"Excited for the wedding night Colonel?" Harm asked a teasing grin in his eyes.
Mac smiled her own mischievous smile. "I am Commander, but there's a little something I need to tell you first." She said standing on tip toes and whispering in his ear. His smile dropped and he stared at her, mouth open wide.
"Really?" He asked still staring. She shook her head yes. Harm grabbed her up in a hug and spun her around. Then he grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the DJ who stopped the music.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but Mac just told me something very exciting and I wanted to let all of you know. Mac's pregnant with twins." Harm said hugging Mac to him and kissing her cheek.
Bella was the first to rush up to them, jumping into their waiting arms. "Now when I get married, if they're girls, they can be my bridesmaids." Bella said excitedly kissing Harm and Mac both. Bella was on the money about the babies and about Harm and Mac's love for each other.
Epilogue:
Fifteen years have passed since Harm and Mac were married. The JAG team have gathered in a church again, this time for Bella's wedding. Bella is now in the Marine Core and she's getting married to a Navy man, just like her mom did to her dad. Harm walked Bella down the aisle and joined her hand to the man she loves. He went back and sat next to Mac as they took in the sight before them. Their first daughter at the altar, hands joined with her soon to be husband, Olivia as her maid of honor, and her two twin sisters Kiyana and Madison, as her bridesmaids. On the groom's side were Alex as the best man, a Navy flyboy like Harm, and some of his other friends from the naval academy.
As they began their vows Harm took Mac's hand as they remembered their own wedding day, "I Isabella Rabb, take you AJ Roberts to be my husband. I promise to love you and honor you all the days of my life." She said sliding the ring onto his finger.
Harriet glanced at Mac as they wiped the tears from their eyes, watching their first children marry each other, another generation of Navy and Marines joining together and celebrating that love until the end of time.
This story is finally complete. I'd like to thank everyone for your feedback, I really do appreciate it and I'm eternally grateful to you all. If anyone would like to take this story and put it on their website, your free to do so, just drop me an email to let me know and give me credit for it. Thanks again.