Disclaimer: Same as before...

A/N: This is my attempt at being Mac... For some reason, I find it easier to talk for Harm... Mac is so damn complicated and downright annoying at times... But we love her anyway.. And so does Harm.. grin

"Through Thick and Thin"

Part 2

-thelonelyone

It's been six days since I told him. Six days, and yet I still remember the look on his face, the pain in his eyes... He just looked at me at first. Then, without saying a word, he hit his knees in front of me, wrapped his arms around my waist, and cried like a baby. I ran my fingers through his hair and wept. His body shook violently as he cried without shame. When his sobs subsided, he stood up, his white pants stained at the knees, and pulled me into a warm embrace. I clung to him for dear life, crying and whispering, "Promise me you'll be here... Promise me you won't leave..." He looked down at me, his eyes full of love, pain, and devotion, and I heard him say, "I'll be here for you, Mac. Always." I think he promised me forever...

Since then, I have had it made. He has waited on me, done everything I've asked him to do, and every night, I am getting massaged by the hands of God. What more could any woman want? He's by my side when I need him, and even when I don't. His personal belongings- his shoes, his clothes, his cologne, his aviation magazines- are scattered all over my apartment. His clothes are hanging in my closet, and I've even given him a drawer in my bedroom. He hovers over me at work, checks on me when I'm in court, brings me lunch, and tucks me in every night.

I steal a few glances at him and smile. He's such a beautiful creature. That smile, that body, those shoulders, that tortured heart, that wounded soul... God, he's beautiful. I can't help but stare at him. He's putting on a load of clothes, standing out in my laundry area in nothing but a pair of jeans, all of his t-shirts dirty and in the washing machine now. He studies his appearance for a minute and frowns. I know him well enough to know that if he was at his place, it wouldn't bother him to walk around without a shirt on. He's not sure if it's going to bother me or not... I can tell that's what he's thinking about. Why he thinks I'd be bothered by him walking around half naked I'll never know. He shrugs and struts into my living room with a smile on his face. It's Saturday, my apartment is clean, and it's mid-afternoon. How he manages to do so much in so little time, I'll never know. I appreciate everything he's doing for me. I appreciate him just being here.

He flops down on the couch close to me and takes the remote out of my hand. He turns the TV off and just looks at me. I have no idea what he's up to, but for some reason, the silence between us doesn't make me uncomfortable. I look into his eyes and it's there still: that flicker of concern that has been there for forever. I smile at him but my smile is not returned. He's staring at me, lost in thought. I'd give everything I own to know what he's thinking right now. God, Harm, take a picture... It will last longer.. Why are you staring at me like that? Please say something... I don't know what to say, so please, say something...

He's still staring at me as he says, "You're so beautiful." So I didn't misread the look in his eyes. He wasn't just "lost in thought"...

"You told me that yesterday, Harm." I tell him with a smile. He smiles back this time and laughs a little. God, just hearing this man's laugh does something to me that I still can't explain. He reaches for my hand and I intertwine his fingers with mine. "What is it, flyboy?" I ask, knowing that there's something on his mind. He needs to talk, but I think he'd rather die than to say something that he thinks would upset me.

The look in his eyes is killing me. He's worried. I can tell. When my flyboy is worried, the flicker of concern darkens and takes on a painful hue. He waits, probably trying to think of something to say, then finally abandons silence. "I know it hasn't been easy for you... having me here, I mean... But I was thinking, and it's just an idea, so if you object, I'll understand... But I was thinking that maybe I should move in with you." He has lost his confidence and so he befriends silence once more. I'm speechless.

Honest to God, this is not what I was expecting. He wants to move in with me? He wants to be around me twenty-four seven? I would have Harm around whenever I want him around? Have him here every night when I go to bed? He would be the first thing I see when I open my eyes every morning? God, does he honestly expect me to have objections? I laugh out loud. This gets his attention. I'm smiling entirely too hard, but I could care less. My flyboy wants to move in with me! This could get interesting...

"Harmon Rabb Junior, do you honestly expect me to go for that?" I ask sarcastically. I've got to tease him a little. The look on his face when I laughed at his idea was priceless... But that look is replaced instantly by one of hurt and defeat as he hangs his head, not able to make eye contact with me.

"I was just trying to... I mean, it was just a thought." His tone tells me that I can't keep picking on him. He's too vulnerable for me to take advantage of him like this...

"Harm..."I say, trying to get him to look up at me. I squeeze lightly at his hand and he takes the hint. "What will you do with Mattie?" I ask, wondering if he'll follow me, if he'll catch on to what I'm trying to tell him.

"Well, we could always... buy a house." He says, smiling. He must have caught on. Sometimes I just don't give this man enough credit. "I mean, we could get a four bedroom house with a decent size living room and kitchen. Mattie could have her room, we'd have ours, and then there would be an office. It could work..." His voice trails off and he's just sitting there with that goofy lop-sided grin on his face.

"Mattie gets her own room and we get "ours"... What are you implying, Navy? You want to bunk with a Marine?" I ask, enjoying watching the color rise in his cheeks. He has just suggested that we share a bedroom... not that I'd mind.

"I meant that we'd have our separate rooms... Wow, so that came out well, huh?" He asks, laughing again. I swear this man's laugh is musical... it has an undeniable effect on me... He winks at me and adds, "But if you wanted to share a room with me... I wouldn't object. In fact, it would be nice to have an office and a spare room..."

It's my turn to blush. Damn. I hate what he does to me... Who am I kidding? Not me... I love what this man does to me... But a house? This is a big step for... We're just friends, partners at work... We're not together..

He must be reading my mind because he sobers up quickly and continues whatever discourse he has been practicing in his head all week. "Mac, I know this seems like a big step to take, but we've made everything else work... We can do this. I've enjoyed being here the past few days, but... that's not the point. I'm ready to settle down... You're going to need me... And I'm going to want to be there for you... Look at it as a step in the right direction. We can make this work, Mac... We can make us work..."

This man has just promised me forever... I can't say anything... I'm still letting it all sink in. He's still holding my hand, still looking at me with those sad eyes and that expectant look on his face. He flashes me a small smile and I smile back at him. "You and me? You think that'll work?" I ask, leaning up against him. He pulls me into his arms and kisses me on top of the head.

"Hell yes, I think it'll work. I mean, if ever two people were destined to be together, it's us..." He tells me, then pulls me closer to him. I snuggle up next to him and breathe in the smell of what can only be described as uniquely Harm. I can't help it. The tears that filled my eyes as soon as he pulled me into his arms begin to fall and I look up at him. "Oh, Mac... don't cry. Please tell me that you know that I love you... Because if you didn't know... Now you do. Mac... I love you."

He just told me that he loves me... and so here I am, crying harder. He's just holding me, snuggling close to me and whispering, "I love you..." I look up into his eyes and I'm surprised to see that they are filled with tears. I lean up and press my lips to his. It's simple enough... But it's all I can think to do. He smiles down at me and says, "So, you want to make a go of it?"

I don't even hesitate. "Yes. And I love you too." I tell him, and he just smiles even harder. He kisses me and when we pull away from each other, he's breathless. I laugh and he just stares at me, his eyes full of love and longing. I stand up and tug at his hand, trying to get him up off of the couch. He stands up and I lead him into my bedroom. To hell with getting the laundry done...

I glance over my shoulder at him and he flashes me his best flyboy grin. I've got one thing in mind, and from the look in his eyes, his thoughts and mine are one and the same.

Once we're in my bedroom, I slowly run my hands up his chest. I can feel his heart beating faster beneath my fingertips as we kiss. Suddenly, he backs away a little and a look of fear is in his eyes...

"Mac... are you okay? I mean, can we... What about you're back?" he asks, concerned. God, I just want those jeans off of him, I want to be making love to him, and all he can think about is not hurting me... Somehow, if it's possible, the fact that he's concerned about me enough to stop what he wants to do and make sure that I'm okay makes me want him even more...

"I'm fine... Besides, if I start hurting, you'll have a good excuse to have your hands all over me, now won't you?" I ask, watching him nod and smile once more.

We spend the afternoon making love. It's better than I ever imagined it would be... I guess being in love makes a difference... We make love, then sleep, only to wake up and make love once more... Then there is more lazy afternoon sleep, and more love making during the night.

He's asleep now, snoring lightly. I am in his arms, content, loved. I close my eyes and smile. It's well after midnight when I finally drift off into a restful, deep sleep. I dream of the rest of my life with Harm... Our house, Mattie having her own room for when she visits... For some reason, Mattie isn't living with us, rather stopping by to visit every now and then... And then there is the beautiful backyard, and our two children, our son and our daughter, running around playing, chasing our dog... Our son looks exactly like his father, with cropped dark hair and piercing eyes. Our little girl is the spitting image of me, and is running barefoot through the yard, laughing as her brother soaks our black lab with a super-soaker...