Part 7: Preparations For...
July 11th 2003
There was a knock on the door and Mac got up to open up. It was still pretty early in afternoon and Elena was sleeping so Mac was using the time to catch up on some laundry. Since Harm had left they had only been in contact twice. CIA was holding on to their secrecy during training. The calls had been short, but precious to both of them.
The door opened in front of Harm and the two people just stood there looking at each other for a few seconds. Then at the absolute same time they reached out and they were in each other's arms.
"I missed you," Harm said when they had stood silent like that for a small eternity.
"Missed you too."
"I'm sorry it's been so long."
"I know. How are you? Are you doing well?" Mac took a step back and took a good look at him. He looked tired, but all in all he looked fine.
"I'm fine Mac. How's Elena?"
"She's doing wonderful. I'm going back to work on Monday, since the doctors have cleared her ready for daycare. I'll have a light schedule without travels at first."
"That's great. You know I'm glad you decided not to resign."
"So am I. It won't be the same without you though..."
They kept on talking about what had happened in DC, since he'd been gone, but didn't really touch any of the hard topics, the ones they needed to talk about undisturbed. Eventually Elena woke up and they went for a walk in the near by park. Shortly after they returned there was a key in the lock. Harm looked questioning at Mac.
"It's just Sturgis. He uses his key in case Elena is sleeping."
"I guess I'd better go now then."
"I was hoping Sturgis would stay here with Elena and we could go somewhere to talk. That chat has already been postponed so many times and..." Mac said, not sure if he was ready to do it now.
"Ask Sturgis and we'll see."
"Hello Mac. Hello Elena-Darling," he said when he saw Mac coming out of the kitchen holding Elena. Sturgis took over holding her and then discovered Harm. "Harm I didn't know you were back in town."
There had been an obvious change in Sturgis' behavior since he had talked to his father. Despite the snapping he hadn't really been angry with the people around him. Most of all he had been angry with himself for giving up on Elena when she was gone. Mac hadn't, she had gone after her, whereas he had just sat around feeling sorry for himself. He had taken the anger out on the people around him. His faith in God had also failed him during the time Elena was gone and that had made it hard for him to seek comfort there afterwards. At least with the help from his father he was on the right track now. Yesterday he had gone out to lunch with Harriet and Bud to apologize. They hadn't resented him for his previous behavior, they had just been happy to have their friend back.
"I just got back today," Harm answered and looked at Mac. He excused himself saying he needed to go to the bathroom.
"Would you mind staying here with Elena? Harm and I need to talk... undisturbed," Mac asked Sturgis once Harm was gone. "If you can't today I understand. It's kind of last minute."
"No it's OK. It's Friday so I was kind of planning on staying here anyway. Don't worry about it, Mac," he was actually glad he'd get to spend the evening alone with his daughter.
"Call my cell phone if there's a problem," Mac asked him. The only times she left Elena was when she went to her counseling sessions and those times she always knew exactly how long she was going to be away. She didn't worry because she thought that Sturgis couldn't look after her properly. It simply felt so much better when she could see for herself all the time that she was OK.
"I thought the idea was that you were going to be undisturbed," Sturgis said pointedly, but then added "I promise I'll call, but you don't have to worry. We will be just fine."
Harm emerged from the bathroom and Mac and he left together.
"I'm driving the Corvette today, in case you want to drive it. I mean I'm sure the Volvo is nice and all, but..."
"I'd love to, Harm, if it's OK with you," Mac answered. They were both getting more and more nervous about the Talk they were now really going to have.
"Are we going to my place or would you prefer somewhere more neutral?" Harm asked.
"I don't know. I don't think it matters so much to me where we have it."
"Well then let's go to my place."
They continued the drive in silence. It was like they were both preparing for what was going to come and all other discussions felt meaningless and superficial.
TBC
AN: So is anyone looking forward to the next part?
July 11th 2003
There was a knock on the door and Mac got up to open up. It was still pretty early in afternoon and Elena was sleeping so Mac was using the time to catch up on some laundry. Since Harm had left they had only been in contact twice. CIA was holding on to their secrecy during training. The calls had been short, but precious to both of them.
The door opened in front of Harm and the two people just stood there looking at each other for a few seconds. Then at the absolute same time they reached out and they were in each other's arms.
"I missed you," Harm said when they had stood silent like that for a small eternity.
"Missed you too."
"I'm sorry it's been so long."
"I know. How are you? Are you doing well?" Mac took a step back and took a good look at him. He looked tired, but all in all he looked fine.
"I'm fine Mac. How's Elena?"
"She's doing wonderful. I'm going back to work on Monday, since the doctors have cleared her ready for daycare. I'll have a light schedule without travels at first."
"That's great. You know I'm glad you decided not to resign."
"So am I. It won't be the same without you though..."
They kept on talking about what had happened in DC, since he'd been gone, but didn't really touch any of the hard topics, the ones they needed to talk about undisturbed. Eventually Elena woke up and they went for a walk in the near by park. Shortly after they returned there was a key in the lock. Harm looked questioning at Mac.
"It's just Sturgis. He uses his key in case Elena is sleeping."
"I guess I'd better go now then."
"I was hoping Sturgis would stay here with Elena and we could go somewhere to talk. That chat has already been postponed so many times and..." Mac said, not sure if he was ready to do it now.
"Ask Sturgis and we'll see."
"Hello Mac. Hello Elena-Darling," he said when he saw Mac coming out of the kitchen holding Elena. Sturgis took over holding her and then discovered Harm. "Harm I didn't know you were back in town."
There had been an obvious change in Sturgis' behavior since he had talked to his father. Despite the snapping he hadn't really been angry with the people around him. Most of all he had been angry with himself for giving up on Elena when she was gone. Mac hadn't, she had gone after her, whereas he had just sat around feeling sorry for himself. He had taken the anger out on the people around him. His faith in God had also failed him during the time Elena was gone and that had made it hard for him to seek comfort there afterwards. At least with the help from his father he was on the right track now. Yesterday he had gone out to lunch with Harriet and Bud to apologize. They hadn't resented him for his previous behavior, they had just been happy to have their friend back.
"I just got back today," Harm answered and looked at Mac. He excused himself saying he needed to go to the bathroom.
"Would you mind staying here with Elena? Harm and I need to talk... undisturbed," Mac asked Sturgis once Harm was gone. "If you can't today I understand. It's kind of last minute."
"No it's OK. It's Friday so I was kind of planning on staying here anyway. Don't worry about it, Mac," he was actually glad he'd get to spend the evening alone with his daughter.
"Call my cell phone if there's a problem," Mac asked him. The only times she left Elena was when she went to her counseling sessions and those times she always knew exactly how long she was going to be away. She didn't worry because she thought that Sturgis couldn't look after her properly. It simply felt so much better when she could see for herself all the time that she was OK.
"I thought the idea was that you were going to be undisturbed," Sturgis said pointedly, but then added "I promise I'll call, but you don't have to worry. We will be just fine."
Harm emerged from the bathroom and Mac and he left together.
"I'm driving the Corvette today, in case you want to drive it. I mean I'm sure the Volvo is nice and all, but..."
"I'd love to, Harm, if it's OK with you," Mac answered. They were both getting more and more nervous about the Talk they were now really going to have.
"Are we going to my place or would you prefer somewhere more neutral?" Harm asked.
"I don't know. I don't think it matters so much to me where we have it."
"Well then let's go to my place."
They continued the drive in silence. It was like they were both preparing for what was going to come and all other discussions felt meaningless and superficial.
TBC
AN: So is anyone looking forward to the next part?