Disclaimer: They just need to dance naked! Dance naked, damnit! Oh, and they are not mine, because if they were, they would DANCE NAKED!! I'm so random at 3AM.. Need sleep... Post later... post later...

A/N: Man, I wonder why I've been breaking this thing down into parts when this website has ALWAYS done things as CHAPTERS?! Has anyone other than me noticed that I'm an idiot? (rhetorical question, rhetorical question...) Well, I guess that since I started it in PARTS, I'll finish it in PARTS... God, I'm stupid.

A/N2: I apologize in advance to the men who will read this.. Mattie's "little problem" that is discussed is part of life and if you can't read about it, never get married and never have a daughter! Mattie is a big part of Harm's life, so is Mac, so I figured I'd include a little Mac and Mattie scene, you know?

A/N3: I'll get around to the wedding stuff after a little more fluff and a little more R.H.M., Romantic Harm Moments...

Enjoy, and please review!

"Through Thick and Thin"

Part Twelve

After our episode in the kitchen, we changed channels and there was another episode in the shower...

We are now in bed, curled up together... He's sleeping, and I am staring at the best thing that has ever happened to me..

I close my eyes..

God, my back hurts... The SUV sex was great, but I think my back is protesting any future SUV escapades that might take place in the future...

At that thought, I smile. When questions are asked as to when, where, and how he proposed, and when Harriett is your best friend, questions will be asked, there will be certain details that will get left out. No one needs to know about the events that took place in the back of his Lexus, no one needs to know I was still naked and covered by only a blanket when I accepted his proposal, and no one needs to know that the first thing we did once we got home was each other...

My thoughts are interrupted by the phone. I pick it up after only one ring. Damn, I'm good...

"Hello?" I say into the phone, my voice just above a whisper. After the events of last night and this morning, Harm needs his rest...

"Mac?" It's Mattie.

"Yeah, Mattie, what is it? Is something wrong?" I ask, concerned.

"Ah, well, yeah... kind of. I mean, nothing major... I'm not dead or anything, but I, ah..." She pauses then continues, "I'm glad you answered and not Harm."

"What is it, Mattie? Are you feeling okay?" I ask again. Something in her voice tells me that she's not feeling well.

"It's just that I... I, ah.. Well, I.. "started", you know..." She says, falling silent. It's all I can do not to laugh. Poor kid. No wonder she was glad I answered..

"I understand. Do you just feel bad? Do you need me to come get you, or do you want me to bring you what you'll need?" I ask, childishly dancing around such words as "cramps" and "tampons".

"Well, you see.. I don't feel fine... and I don't.. I don't look fine." She's silent except for the unmistakable sounds of what can only be a teenage girl trying to hide the fact that she is crying. I have just gone from wanting to laugh at her to wanting to cry with her.

"Aw, Mattie, don't worry, sweetheart... I'll be right there. Does a friend have something you can put on?" I ask, cradling the phone between my neck and shoulder, getting dressed as quick as possible.

"Audrey let me barrow her track shorts. When the tardy bell rang for second period, no one was in the halls, so I made a run for the office. My guidance counselor let me use the phone in the conference room and said she would explain to my teachers that I wasn't feeling well so the absence won't count against me..." She has stopped crying and has calmed down a little.

"I'm walking out the door now, Mattie. Just hang in there, okay? I'm bringing you some caffeine and some Tylenol." I tell her, grabbing my keys and cell phone.

"Thanks, Mac, you're the greatest." She says, then ends the call.

I take time to grab a Pepsi, the bottle of Tylenol, and to leave Harm a note. "Went to pick up Mattie from school. She wasn't feeling well. I love you. Mac." I scribble the words onto the piece of paper and use my USMC magnet to stick it on the refrigerator. He will probably sleep the whole time I'm gone, but just in case...

Speed limit be damned, Mattie needs me...

What should have taken me half an hour only takes me fifteen minutes driving like I'm driving...

I pull up outside of Mattie's High School and kill the engine. No seatbelt, 90 in a 45... Smooth, Mackenzie...

I laugh and jog up to the building. Once inside the office, I spot Mattie immediately. She is wearing a brown bomber jacket, a faded black Grace Aviation t-shirt, green and yellow track shorts, and a pair of black boots. She grabs her book bag and offers me a weak smile.

"Ready to go?" I ask, returning her smile.

"Looking like this? Yeah, I'm ready... ready to die! Please, get me out of here." She says, frowning.

"I think I can do that.." I tell her, putting my arm around her shoulder.

On the way back to my place I hear Mattie laugh.

"They are going to think dressing funny runs in the family." She says, looking me over and laughing still.

I look down to discover that my shoes don't match, I'm wearing pajama bottoms, and my shirt is inside out and backwards.

"I was in a hurry to get to you." I say, laughing.

"I can tell... Your clothes are a dead giveaway, so was your arrival time... LFO, huh?" She says, laughing.

"Low Flying Object.. yeah, I guess you could say that." I say, and we both laugh.

"Those for me?" She asks, pointing at the Pepsi and the bottle of Tylenol.

"You know it." I say, smiling.

She smiles at me and takes two Tylenol.

Once we're at my apartment, I set her up with everything she will need and give her a pair of my flannel pajamas. When she emerges from the bathroom, she is clad in my pajamas, her hair is pulled back into a loose ponytail, and she is looking at me with a strange look on her face.

"Holy shit... I mean, holy wow, what happened here?" She asks, surveying the kitchen.

"Harm happened here. And I heard that..." I say, laughing.

"Oh yeah, sorry about that.. So what did do, come in for a crash landing or something?" She asks, helping me pick up the items that had once rested on the counter.

Holy, shit...

A crash landing? God, is this kid psychic?

"Or something... I've got this, Mattie. Go stretch out on the couch and rest." I say, knowing that she doesn't feel well and should be taking it easy.

"When I get up from the million hour nap I'm destined to take, promise me you'll tell me just what that ring means.." She says, smiling happily and pointing at my hand.

"I promise Harm and I both will tell you." I say, looking at my ring once again.

She smiles, then does something that warms my heart... She walks over to me and gives me a hug...

"You know, he loves you, like, a lot... and, well, yeah... I love you a lot too, Mac." She says, her voice a whisper.

"Thanks, Mattie. I love both of you guys too." I say, smiling.

I busy myself cleaning up the mess Harm and I made earlier as she heads towards the living room. She turns on some cartoons and stretches out on the couch. Within twenty minutes, she is asleep and snoring lightly.

I am in my bedroom changing into a pair of jeans and a USMC t-shirt when I hear Harm.

"Did I hear Mattie just then?" He asks, sitting up, a fatherly look of concern on his face.

"Yeah. I had to pick her up from school. She wasn't feeling well." I tell him, walking over to him and sitting on the side of the bed.

"Flu? A cold, or what? She sometimes just doesn't want to put up with school, Mac.." He tells me. In his voice I detect concern laced with suspicion.

"Not a cold, not the flu... It's a.. 'woman thing'." I say, hoping he'll follow along.

"Oh, God.. Okay, forget I asked and I promise to forget that you answered." He says, cringing.

I laugh and kiss him.

"I promised her we would talk about us." I tell him, looking down at the ring.

"She noticed the ring, huh?" He asks, laughing.

"It's kind of hard not to notice, Harm... When she wakes up from her nap, we'll go some place for lunch and talk. Until then..." I say, crawling under the covers and snuggling up next to him. He puts his arms around me and kisses me lightly on the lips.

"I'm thinking we could both use some sleep." He says, closing his eyes.

"Yeah, good idea, flyboy.. I love you." I tell him, letting out a yawn.

"I love you too, Marine." He says, pulling me closer to him.

Exhaustion has set in and I can no longer keep my eyes open...

I give in and drift off to sleep...