FROM CHAPTER 6
"Why did you get so dizzy that you had to grab the desk for stability? I mean, you grabbed it with such force, your knuckles turned white."
"OOH, THAT." She took a deep breath.
CHAPTER 7
"I was startled by something I'd forgotten." She stood up and walked towards the kitchen. "I think I'm going to make some tea, want a cup?"
"Sure." He got up and followed her. "Must have been something pretty awful to unsettle you that much."
"Actually," she smiled, "it's something I've looked forward to."
"Oh." He wasn't really paying attention to what she had said, he was following his own train of thoughts." He reached up into the cabinet and pulled out two mugs.
"What you said before, about Chloe." He turned to look at Mac a moment before reaching into the refrigerator for some milk.
"What?" Mac asked placing a tea bag in each cup.
"For the record, she's not the only one who loves you for you, no strings." He placed the milk on the counter, watching her dip the tea bag in the mug.
She poured the milk and sugar into their mugs, momentarily stirring each cup. Turning to look up at Harm, she handed him his mug. "I guess you were right, I'll always have someone who loves me."
"Always, Mac, always." He said, accepting the proffered mug.
She headed back to the sofa. Only a few steps behind her, Harm settled in the seat next to her.
Setting the mug on the coffee table, Mac turned slightly to face Harm.
"You really meant what you said about babysitting and Lamaze classes didn't you?"
Harm just nodded his head in assent.
"Probably, labor and delivery too?"
"If you wanted me there, yes." He set his tea down beside hers.
"Even if you weren't the father?" She searched his eyes for an indication of what he might be feeling. She thought she saw a small flicker of pain.
"You're all that matters, Mac." Harm noticed her fidgeting with her fingers. He reached over to softly stroke her leg, much the way he might sooth an upset child.
"You know next month is AJ's birthday." She commented timidly.
Still trying to read his eyes, she saw when recognition hit him.
"He'll be five." Harm answered with a smile.
"Mmn," Mac bit back the grin that wanted to spread the width of her face.
"We had a deal." He said softly.
She placed her right hand on the hand that was still gently caressing her leg.
"It's okay if you don't want to go through with it, I'll understand."
Before he could say anything she put her left hand up to his lips to stop him and continued.
"But if you still think it's a good idea, I would very much like my best friend to be the father of my children." She said dropping her left hand to her lap, her other hand still holding his.
Harm watched his thumb now softly caressing her hand, amazed at how small and delicate it looked buried under his much stronger hand. Thoughts briefly passed through his mind of how much he wanted to cover and protect her, to stroke and caress away all her cares.
"So there really is no Clay?" He had to make sure.
"No Clay." She needed him to believe her.
"It could get complicated." He still wanted to make sure.
"If we can survive the last eight years, how complicated can a little baby be?" She replied, encouraged he was considering going through with his promise.
"I was thinking more about the admiral." Harm held back a chuckle.
"Okay, there might be a few wrinkles." She shrugged a shoulder, no longer holding back her grin.
Harm pulled Mac a little closer and draped his arm around her.
"You really want to do this?" Harm asked his flyboy grin brighter then ever.
"Yeah, I think we can do it. I think we can make it work Harm." She was amazed to discover, now that they were discussing this openly, she really and truly, almost desperately, wanted to do this.
She was so beautiful, grinning like a Cheshire cat. How he wanted to make her smile like that for the rest of her life. His thoughts returned to wanting to care for her, to protect her. His eyes focused on her soft lips still grinning sweetly. How he craved to taste the sweetness of those lips. Those soft, sweet, delicate...
His mouth, slowly, almost timidly, descended on hers. When she placed her arm around his neck, his emotions burst through like Old Faithful. He pulled her closer to him, pressing his lips against hers, paying each lip slow, delicate attention. The tip of his tongue lightly grazing, caressing each lip, longing for more.
His tongue teasing her lips was almost too much for her, instinctively her lips parted slightly, giving him the access he was so skillfully requesting.
She tasted so good. Her hands were drawing circles in the hairs at the base of his neck shooting rockets of desire through his system. He'd wanted Sarah MacKenzie for so long, he desperately wanted her now. He slipped his hand under her shirt. Mac gasped releasing her hold on Harm's lips when the warmth of his hands glided across the bare skin of her back.
That small sound was enough to snap Harm to his senses. As much as he wanted Mac, Sarah, he needed to slow things down. They had a lot to work out and it was better to do this before they started working on that baby.
Pulling back slightly, Harm kissed the tip of Mac's nose.
Trying desperately to control his breathing, he managed to squeak out, "you're one hell of a kisser, marine."
Laying her head down, Mac stifled a laugh in his shoulder.
"What, may I ask, is so funny now?" Harm asked, wondering what he was missing.
"Nothing." She kept her face buried in his shoulder.
Pulling back to arm's length Harm lifted Mac's chin with his finger.
"What- spill it."
Hesitating, Mac blushed several shades of red before opening her mouth. "I just realized this baby deal is going to be more fun than I, uhh , well expected."
Processing the information Mac had just shared, Harm turned a bright shade of crimson himself. "Oh."
Reaching forward for his now cold cup of tea, Harm put a little more distance between himself and Mac.
"As much as I'd like to finish what we started," he cleared the lump in his throat, "there are a few things we probably need to talk about."
Looking carefully at her eyes to make sure she didn't think he was rejecting her again. Not that he ever got that right before. He was pretty sure the way the corners of her mouth were still tilting north, at least she didn't doubt he wanted her.
"There's a lot more to going halves on a kid than just having a baby? At least, I'd like there to be." Harm started.
Hesitating a moment he searched for the right words. Unconsciously, his hand returned to caressing her thigh while he thought. Mac waited patiently, crossing her toes.
"What I'm saying is, I'd like to be more than just a Lamaze coach and babysitter. I'm not sure I could do the weekend Dad thing."
He could feel her stiffening at his words. He took another deep breath.
"I would like to try and have this baby the old fashioned way." Harm immediately felt the tension melt away, as Mac's body returned to it's previously relaxed state.
"I thought the last few minutes made it pretty clear you're not going to get any arguments from me about that." Mac said reaching over to affectionately stroke Harm's leg.
"No, that's not what I meant." Harm tried not to blush. "I mean the really old fashioned way. A mom, a dad, a house, a dog, and," He looked her straight in the eye, "a marriage license."
Mac sat there frozen. She didn't know whether she should scream God YES, or run like hell for fear that one day he'd hate her for trapping him.
Not sure what to make of her silence. Harm tried to persuade the jury of one.
"You may not love me as much as I love you, but I promise I will never force you to..."
"What do you mean as much as you love me?" A flicker of hope had sparked deep in the pit of Mac's stomach.
"I love you, I always have. I don't mean just as a friend. I will always love you as friend if that's all you want from me. I've never been able to make it work with any other woman, because you're the only woman I've ever wanted. When I told you any man in his right mind would give up all he owned to have your love and respect. I was talking from experience."
Mac's eyes were as wide as saucers, her mouth was practically dragging on the floor, and for the life of him, Harm had no idea if that was a good or bad thing.
"I think if you give me a chance, I can get it right this time and make you happy. I'd like to try." Harm reached over to squeeze her hand.
Before he had the chance, Mac flung herself at him, knocking him over so he was flat on his back. She squeezed him so tight, had he been a fruit, he'd be juice.
"Does this mean yes?" He hoped.
"It means I love you, you big oaf!" Her lips came crashing down on his with an intensity that knocked all common sense out the window. Instantly all the desires he had so efficiently suppressed, reared their powerful head. Her full weight sprawled across his body made hiding his reaction almost impossible.
Somewhere in the fog of his passionate frenzy, comprehension of what Mac had just said flashed through his brain like a neon sign.
Flipping her over, he held his weight slightly above her. "Then you'll marry me?" he grinned.
"Uh huh." She nodded.
"Soon?" His eyes twinkled at her.
"Very soon." She licked her lips.
"Maybe by AJ's birthday?" He knew he was pushing his luck.
"So we can start on that baby, or is your heart really set on a dog?" She almost giggled, except marines don't giggle.
"I want it all. You, the dog, the baby, lots of babies." He gave her a quick peck on the lips.
"Okay." Returning his quick kiss. "Lots and lots of babies." She wrapped her arms around him.
Settling a little more of his weight on her, he raised his eyebrows. "Maybe we better start practicing."
"Lots." Mac pulled him in for a real kiss, and another, and another and......
So they lived happily ever after. Harmon and Sarah Rabb, their children Beth, Matt, the twins David and Spencer, an additional little surprise, Cathy, a German Shepherd named Contesa, a parakeet named Pierre, a cat named Peaches, and one surrogate grandfather: Retired Rear Admiral Albert Jethro Chegwidden.
"Why did you get so dizzy that you had to grab the desk for stability? I mean, you grabbed it with such force, your knuckles turned white."
"OOH, THAT." She took a deep breath.
CHAPTER 7
"I was startled by something I'd forgotten." She stood up and walked towards the kitchen. "I think I'm going to make some tea, want a cup?"
"Sure." He got up and followed her. "Must have been something pretty awful to unsettle you that much."
"Actually," she smiled, "it's something I've looked forward to."
"Oh." He wasn't really paying attention to what she had said, he was following his own train of thoughts." He reached up into the cabinet and pulled out two mugs.
"What you said before, about Chloe." He turned to look at Mac a moment before reaching into the refrigerator for some milk.
"What?" Mac asked placing a tea bag in each cup.
"For the record, she's not the only one who loves you for you, no strings." He placed the milk on the counter, watching her dip the tea bag in the mug.
She poured the milk and sugar into their mugs, momentarily stirring each cup. Turning to look up at Harm, she handed him his mug. "I guess you were right, I'll always have someone who loves me."
"Always, Mac, always." He said, accepting the proffered mug.
She headed back to the sofa. Only a few steps behind her, Harm settled in the seat next to her.
Setting the mug on the coffee table, Mac turned slightly to face Harm.
"You really meant what you said about babysitting and Lamaze classes didn't you?"
Harm just nodded his head in assent.
"Probably, labor and delivery too?"
"If you wanted me there, yes." He set his tea down beside hers.
"Even if you weren't the father?" She searched his eyes for an indication of what he might be feeling. She thought she saw a small flicker of pain.
"You're all that matters, Mac." Harm noticed her fidgeting with her fingers. He reached over to softly stroke her leg, much the way he might sooth an upset child.
"You know next month is AJ's birthday." She commented timidly.
Still trying to read his eyes, she saw when recognition hit him.
"He'll be five." Harm answered with a smile.
"Mmn," Mac bit back the grin that wanted to spread the width of her face.
"We had a deal." He said softly.
She placed her right hand on the hand that was still gently caressing her leg.
"It's okay if you don't want to go through with it, I'll understand."
Before he could say anything she put her left hand up to his lips to stop him and continued.
"But if you still think it's a good idea, I would very much like my best friend to be the father of my children." She said dropping her left hand to her lap, her other hand still holding his.
Harm watched his thumb now softly caressing her hand, amazed at how small and delicate it looked buried under his much stronger hand. Thoughts briefly passed through his mind of how much he wanted to cover and protect her, to stroke and caress away all her cares.
"So there really is no Clay?" He had to make sure.
"No Clay." She needed him to believe her.
"It could get complicated." He still wanted to make sure.
"If we can survive the last eight years, how complicated can a little baby be?" She replied, encouraged he was considering going through with his promise.
"I was thinking more about the admiral." Harm held back a chuckle.
"Okay, there might be a few wrinkles." She shrugged a shoulder, no longer holding back her grin.
Harm pulled Mac a little closer and draped his arm around her.
"You really want to do this?" Harm asked his flyboy grin brighter then ever.
"Yeah, I think we can do it. I think we can make it work Harm." She was amazed to discover, now that they were discussing this openly, she really and truly, almost desperately, wanted to do this.
She was so beautiful, grinning like a Cheshire cat. How he wanted to make her smile like that for the rest of her life. His thoughts returned to wanting to care for her, to protect her. His eyes focused on her soft lips still grinning sweetly. How he craved to taste the sweetness of those lips. Those soft, sweet, delicate...
His mouth, slowly, almost timidly, descended on hers. When she placed her arm around his neck, his emotions burst through like Old Faithful. He pulled her closer to him, pressing his lips against hers, paying each lip slow, delicate attention. The tip of his tongue lightly grazing, caressing each lip, longing for more.
His tongue teasing her lips was almost too much for her, instinctively her lips parted slightly, giving him the access he was so skillfully requesting.
She tasted so good. Her hands were drawing circles in the hairs at the base of his neck shooting rockets of desire through his system. He'd wanted Sarah MacKenzie for so long, he desperately wanted her now. He slipped his hand under her shirt. Mac gasped releasing her hold on Harm's lips when the warmth of his hands glided across the bare skin of her back.
That small sound was enough to snap Harm to his senses. As much as he wanted Mac, Sarah, he needed to slow things down. They had a lot to work out and it was better to do this before they started working on that baby.
Pulling back slightly, Harm kissed the tip of Mac's nose.
Trying desperately to control his breathing, he managed to squeak out, "you're one hell of a kisser, marine."
Laying her head down, Mac stifled a laugh in his shoulder.
"What, may I ask, is so funny now?" Harm asked, wondering what he was missing.
"Nothing." She kept her face buried in his shoulder.
Pulling back to arm's length Harm lifted Mac's chin with his finger.
"What- spill it."
Hesitating, Mac blushed several shades of red before opening her mouth. "I just realized this baby deal is going to be more fun than I, uhh , well expected."
Processing the information Mac had just shared, Harm turned a bright shade of crimson himself. "Oh."
Reaching forward for his now cold cup of tea, Harm put a little more distance between himself and Mac.
"As much as I'd like to finish what we started," he cleared the lump in his throat, "there are a few things we probably need to talk about."
Looking carefully at her eyes to make sure she didn't think he was rejecting her again. Not that he ever got that right before. He was pretty sure the way the corners of her mouth were still tilting north, at least she didn't doubt he wanted her.
"There's a lot more to going halves on a kid than just having a baby? At least, I'd like there to be." Harm started.
Hesitating a moment he searched for the right words. Unconsciously, his hand returned to caressing her thigh while he thought. Mac waited patiently, crossing her toes.
"What I'm saying is, I'd like to be more than just a Lamaze coach and babysitter. I'm not sure I could do the weekend Dad thing."
He could feel her stiffening at his words. He took another deep breath.
"I would like to try and have this baby the old fashioned way." Harm immediately felt the tension melt away, as Mac's body returned to it's previously relaxed state.
"I thought the last few minutes made it pretty clear you're not going to get any arguments from me about that." Mac said reaching over to affectionately stroke Harm's leg.
"No, that's not what I meant." Harm tried not to blush. "I mean the really old fashioned way. A mom, a dad, a house, a dog, and," He looked her straight in the eye, "a marriage license."
Mac sat there frozen. She didn't know whether she should scream God YES, or run like hell for fear that one day he'd hate her for trapping him.
Not sure what to make of her silence. Harm tried to persuade the jury of one.
"You may not love me as much as I love you, but I promise I will never force you to..."
"What do you mean as much as you love me?" A flicker of hope had sparked deep in the pit of Mac's stomach.
"I love you, I always have. I don't mean just as a friend. I will always love you as friend if that's all you want from me. I've never been able to make it work with any other woman, because you're the only woman I've ever wanted. When I told you any man in his right mind would give up all he owned to have your love and respect. I was talking from experience."
Mac's eyes were as wide as saucers, her mouth was practically dragging on the floor, and for the life of him, Harm had no idea if that was a good or bad thing.
"I think if you give me a chance, I can get it right this time and make you happy. I'd like to try." Harm reached over to squeeze her hand.
Before he had the chance, Mac flung herself at him, knocking him over so he was flat on his back. She squeezed him so tight, had he been a fruit, he'd be juice.
"Does this mean yes?" He hoped.
"It means I love you, you big oaf!" Her lips came crashing down on his with an intensity that knocked all common sense out the window. Instantly all the desires he had so efficiently suppressed, reared their powerful head. Her full weight sprawled across his body made hiding his reaction almost impossible.
Somewhere in the fog of his passionate frenzy, comprehension of what Mac had just said flashed through his brain like a neon sign.
Flipping her over, he held his weight slightly above her. "Then you'll marry me?" he grinned.
"Uh huh." She nodded.
"Soon?" His eyes twinkled at her.
"Very soon." She licked her lips.
"Maybe by AJ's birthday?" He knew he was pushing his luck.
"So we can start on that baby, or is your heart really set on a dog?" She almost giggled, except marines don't giggle.
"I want it all. You, the dog, the baby, lots of babies." He gave her a quick peck on the lips.
"Okay." Returning his quick kiss. "Lots and lots of babies." She wrapped her arms around him.
Settling a little more of his weight on her, he raised his eyebrows. "Maybe we better start practicing."
"Lots." Mac pulled him in for a real kiss, and another, and another and......
So they lived happily ever after. Harmon and Sarah Rabb, their children Beth, Matt, the twins David and Spencer, an additional little surprise, Cathy, a German Shepherd named Contesa, a parakeet named Pierre, a cat named Peaches, and one surrogate grandfather: Retired Rear Admiral Albert Jethro Chegwidden.