A/N: Ok. Just a warning to the women out there; I've never had the privledge to be involved in the events depicted in this chapter. Therefore I apologize if everything I've got written here about the event is wrong, the mistakes are merely the result of never having said privledge.

A/N 2: Never dedicated anything to anyone...but I guess I'm going to dedicate this to M and C. It is because of them that I came up with the idea for the first Autonomic Functions story, so this one is for them.

Autonomic Functions – Hearing

Harm couldn't help alternating between pure joy and stark terror. Not that long ago Mac had begun to suffer from nausea a great deal and had even begun to shy away from red meat. Nausea and change in diet had soon been confirmed to be the beginnings of pregnancy, and Harm had had to come to grips with the fact that he was going to be a father. And that's where the joy and terror came in. One minute he was on cloud nine, the next he was terrified that he wouldn't know how to be a good father. All his friends and coworkers had noticed his behavior, but it was his new wife that had to live with it.

She'd tried to explain to him all the many reasons why he would make an excellent father, and his rational mind had to agree with her. Unfortunately his terror was not based on rational thought.

Today however was a pure joy day. Today he and Mac were going in for an ultrasound. According to the doctor their child should be developed enough that they would be able to make out some features. He wasn't completely sure what to expect, but Bud had told him that he should be able to make out an arm or a leg, definitely the head. He couldn't wait.

"Ready?" Mac asked from just inside his office.

Looking up with a full blown smile he nodded quickly and stood up to grab his cover. "You bet."

Riding down in the elevator Harm couldn't help but stare at her. His wife. Mac was finally his wife, and even though they'd been married for a couple months he just couldn't get over that fact. It seemed like everything was possible as long as he'd finally been able to convince Mac to marry him.

"What are you looking at?" Mac asked when she noticed his not so subtle staring.

Harm decided to answer her with a quick passionate kiss. "You. You are the most beautiful woman in the world, did you know that?"

"Harmon!" Mac slapped him lightly on the arm with a musical laugh. She loved it when he was in this mood. She was so glad he wasn't in one of his 'I'm not going to be a good dad' moods.

Forty minutes later they were waiting in a small examination room at Bethesda. Harm had made a few good natured comments about her hospital gown as she'd changed, and she'd taken them in the spirit in which they'd been meant. Neither one of them could believe how different the teasing was now that they were married. It didn't mean they didn't have their fights, but deep down they now knew that no matter the fight there was love there as well.

"Commander Rabb, Colonel Rabb. Good to see you both again." Mac's OBGYN Lieutenant Commander Mary Tallmadge came into the room with a smile. "Are we ready to take a look at that little sailor of yours?"

"There's Marine Green in this little ones future." Mac said stubbornly with a smile.

"We'll see." Harm was equally stubborn about their little sailor.

Mary just smiled and held out the jelly she would apply before the ultrasound. "This will be a little cool to start with Colonel, so be prepared." She said as she covered Mac with a sheet and then raised her hospital gown to expose her stomach. Applying a small amount of the jelly she took up the ultrasound device and started to move it slowly over Mac's abdomen.

All three people intently watched the monitor the device was attached to. At first Harm couldn't make out much, just a white blob on a black background, but eventually he began to see what he thought were arms and legs. Looking closer he squinted a bit, sure he wasn't interpreting things right. Looking over at Mac he saw an equally puzzled look in her eyes. Reaching out he grabbed her hand and squeezed tight. Please Lord, don't let there be anything wrong with their child. Their perfect little child.

"Well this is strange." Mary said softly. Quickly she hooked up a fetal heart monitor to Mac and turned on the speaker. Mac's strong heartbeat could be heard clearly, as well as a very rapid little heartbeat.

"Doctor? Is there a problem?" Harm asked quietly.

"Not a problem per say..." Mary started and then fiddled with a few knobs on the machine. "Oh my."

Carefully Mary looked at the monitor and then compared what she saw to some readings on the heart rate monitor. "Oh my."

"What is it Doctor?" Mac asked insistently with a touch of fear in her voice.

"I can't be one hundred percent sure, but if I may ask...do either of your families have a history of multiple births?"

"You mean like twins?" Harm asked puzzled.

"More like triplets." Mary answered with a bright smile.

Harm knew his mouth was moving. He knew he was trying to say something. He knew the doctor was saying something, he knew Mac was saying something, but for the life of him he didn't know what it was. Their mouths were moving, but for the life of him he couldn't hear what they were saying. After a few moments both were looking at him with slightly apprehensive expressions.

"Harm?" he finally heard Mac say. Shaking his head a little he looked from one woman to the other.

"I'm sorry. It seems I've forgotten how to hear. Did you say triplets?" he answered the unspoken questions both women had.