AN: Remember me? And the story? I thought I'd repeat the same AN as in part 15... never meant to keep you waiting and I definitely didn't think it would be this long though. The whole story is finished now so as long as I get some time with the computer... postings shouldn't be too far apart fingers crossed. Many thanks to everyone who encourages me and helps me to write this story. I think especially of Cria and TZ.

Part 17

"Hey, Mac, you don't have to look like we're going to someone's funeral. I'm coming back you know," Mattie said. They were in the car on their way to the airport. Harm had been forced to go to work since he had court, so it was just Mac who was driving Mattie to the airport for her stay in California.

"I know, I know. I'm just going to miss you so much and I will worry..." Mac paused.

"There's nothing for you to be worried about. I'm fine, I'm doing great," Mattie protested.

"Well, that's what scares me. I'm not so sure you'd tell me if you weren't."

Mattie sighed, she couldn't truthfully say that she was always honest about how she felt. She knew that she had been hiding herself from Harm and Mac.

"Would you feel better if I promised to tell you when I'm not fine?"

"You think you could do that?"

"Yes, well I could try..."

"How do you feel right now?" Mac tried asking.

"I'm... I'm nervous. More like petrified. But I look forward to this too. I've never been to the west coast and I really look forward to working. It's something special, you know, to earn your own money."

"I know, it is, but after this spring and all the work you put in for school I think you deserve some time off as well."

"But I'll get that too. School doesn't start right away when I get back so I'll have plenty of time to just sit around and do nothing."

Mac looked at her and smiled. She really couldn't imagine Mattie sitting around doing nothing.

"Mattie, you should know," she said after a short pause "I don't expect you to give up as soon is gets tough, but if you really want to go home there's nothing that can stop us from getting you home again."

"I know, but I won't give up so easily."

"I know that."

The rest of the drive they kept on chatting and Mac gave the last instructions. Mattie promised to use sun screen and eat properly. At the airport some tears were spilled and then Mattie was off to her adventure.

"So have you anything special planned for the weekend?" Mac suggested a few days after Mattie had left. They had spent the days busily working both at the office and in the evenings at home. In the days after their return from the vacation they hadn't spent so much time catching up, because they had been so busy spending the last couple of days with Mattie preparing for her stay with Harm's mother. Now they had had even more to catch up on.

"Is spending the weekend in bed with a beautiful brown-eyed Marine an option?" he asked suggestively.

"Yes... so the nights aren't enough for you?" After Mattie had left Mac had spent every night at Harm's apartment. Mac went over to him and kissed him slowly before backing away a little just to have him come after her. Before they had a chance to take it any further the phone started ringing.

"I have to get that, it might be Mattie," Harm said and backed unwillingly away from her. So far they had talked to Mattie everyday. She said she liked it over there. There were of course many new things to learn so she came home every day completely exhausted. Today was her day off and she had told them she was going to spend the day at the beach. She had already befriended the two teenage girls in the neighboring house, so she didn't have to spend the day alone.

"Hello," Harm said. He was quiet for a really long time when the person on the other side of the phone seemed to explain something. Meanwhile Mac started getting dinner ready. Harm had suggested that they'd go out to dinner. That was what they really needed to practice as a couple and they had a two weeks anniversary to celebrate, but at the end of the workday they had both been so tired that they had wanted to just spend the evening and the night together at home.

"I think I'd like to see it again first, but yes I think I might still be interested," Harm said and waited while the other person said something. "Tomorrow 10 o'clock... sure I think that could work, if not I'll call you back." He got the number and hung up the phone.

"That was the real estate agent. Remember that house I made an offer on in March and someone else offered more."

"Yeah," Mac nodded. He had really only made an offer on one house though they had all looked at several, but none had seemed so wonderful, so perfect that he'd wanted to buy them.

"Well, the people that bought it has to move back to Utah to take care of some mother who had fallen ill, I think. Anyway they're looking to sell as soon as possible. The house is almost emptied already. The agent wanted to give me a first chance if I still want it before they start advertising. Are you up to take a trip away from the bed tomorrow?"

"You're not sure you want the house anymore?"

"I am. I just don't want to seem to eager. They seemed really eager to sell fast."

"Sure we can look at it, but as far as I recall that house was pretty much what we wanted."

"So what do you say?" Mrs. Smith, the real estate agent, asked "Are you still interested?"

"I'd like to talk to Mac here about it first," Harm answered her. He had troubles hiding his excitement with the house. The new-old owners had repainted some of the rooms in nicer colors and also renovated the bathroom upstairs to a more practical one with a bathtub and two sinks. Upstairs were also three bedrooms, but they were both in their minds already planning on making one of them into an office. Downstairs was also a bathroom and a bedroom, in their minds Mattie's room, a kitchen and a large dining and living room. It was just the size that they wanted and it was in southeast of Washington so at least they weren't going to come further away from work, then they had been with the apartments.

"OK. You know what I need to go into the office now. Why don't you take the keys and you can take an extra look before you lock up and come in by the office with the keys? If your still interested in other houses you could look at what we've gotten in lately."

"I think it sounds like a good plan or what do you say, Mac?"

"Sure," Mac agreed.

"I'll see you in a while then."

"So how long do you think we should wait until we follow her?" Mac asked playfully when Mrs. Smith. She knew Harm had already made up his mind.

"Are you as sure as I am about this house?" Harm asked her. "Could you imagine yourself living in this house with me and Mattie?"

"Oh, I could definitely do that. There's just one thing," Mac said. They were walking through the house and had stopped in the kitchen. There was no furniture, so there was really no place to sit down on. From the kitchen there was a glass door leading out to the backyard. Harm opened the door and they sat down on the little steps that led down to the ground. "I don't want you to buy this house."

"What?" Harm said rather shocked. He thought he had seen the same excitement about the house in her eyes as he had felt himself.

"I want us to buy this house."

"Oh... Are you sure? I mean this is a pretty big step... commitment... buying a house. Together."

"Yeah, I'm sure, but if you aren't... then to be honest I don't think either one of us should buy it. If we still need more time to take this slowly, we should do it in our two apartments, not in one house."

Harm nodded "Yeah, you're right... and I'm sure too. I'd love us buying this house together."

"Good," Mac sighed in relief. Her hand was resting on Harm's leg. "You still didn't answer my question, how long should we wait here?"

"I don't know... for a while. So do you think we should make the bedroom on the right our bedroom?"

"Our bedroom. I can't wait for that to happen," Mac said. Harm had raised his left hand that wasn't covering Mac's and was slowly cherishing her hair.

"This is forever, right?" He whispered before his lips descended on hers.

"Forever."

Twenty minutes later Harm and Mac left the house and headed over to Mrs. Smith's office. They had decided to make an offer close to what Harm had wanted to pay for the house last time. They still needed to talk to the bank about the loan, but they were going to fix that first thing on Monday.

Mrs. Smith was pleased with the number and said that it was something that the owners would accept. As soon as they had gotten an OK with the bank they were going to sign the paper.

TBC