AN – We (Carol, Michi, Shoe & Gum) would like to thank you all for the very nice 'welcome back'.
Today is THE day and we would like to wish you all a great time with the season opener of JAG! Moreover, don't forget the chocolate, pizza and the Pepsi or Coke, whichever you desire. – Carol & Michi
…Till Death Does Us Part Chapter III – Part 2/24
Disclaimer - See part one for all important information
Wednesday July 21
JAG
11:45 AM
Harm knocked on the doorframe of Mac's office and stepped inside. "Ready for lunch?"
"Give me ten minutes. I just need to track down a petty officer." Mac told him, her eyes glued to her computer monitor.
Harm walked to her desk. "The UA petty officer from the Henry?"
"I'm going to find him." Mac clicked her mouse a few times and glanced over the information on the screen. "Got him." She looked at Harm with a self-satisfied smile on her face. "So what are we having?"
"What are you in the mood for?" Harm asked.
Mac leaned back in her chair and rubbed her belly. "I'm thinking… Chinese."
Harm tried not to grimace at her. "Didn't we have that yesterday?"
"Yes, and I had it last night for dinner. The kid wants Mu Shu Pork and noodles."
"No more Beef and Broccoli?"
"Nah, Mu Shu Pork and noodles," Mac reiterated as she scribbled some information in the open file.
"Can you be ready in ten minutes?"
"Sure."
"Great." Harm stepped towards the door and stopped. "Mac."
Mac looked up from her file. "Yeah?"
"I want to talk about something at lunch, about the baby."
Mac gave him a weird look. "Okay, should I be worried?"
"No, I just thought I should tell you before we leave."
"Got it." Mac gave her head a shake and Harm smiled as he left her office.
Lucky Dream Palace
Fall Church, VA
12:06 PM
Harm and Mac walked into the restaurant and quickly were given a table in the back. Once they were seated the waitress took their drink order, and since they both knew what they wanted, she took their lunch orders as well. A few minutes later she retuned with their drinks.
"So what did you want to talk about?" Mac asked.
Harm took a deep breath. "Have you found a house yet?"
"A few I like, but they have said the odds of me getting a loan are slim." Mac took a drink of her tea. "It seems a single mom, in the military, who travels, is considered a slight risk. There are several homes I've seen and liked, but most of them are out of my price range. I would never qualify for that much money."
"What if you had help?"
Mac gave him a confused look. "Financially?"
"Kind of." Harm told her. "What if we went in and got a house together?"
"What?"
Harm took a sip of his water. "Well, if we were to go in together you might have a better chance of getting a house. Besides I really don't want to have the baby over at my place for several reasons."
"What reasons?" Mac asked.
"Location, it's not the best place to have a baby in the apartment, and it's not too kid friendly. Little AJ is fine, because Harriet and Bud have taught him to be that way."
"And we wouldn't teach our kid to be that way?"
"No, I'm not saying that. Knowing us this kid will stand at attention before it learns how to walk."
Mac laughed at the visual picture. "So what? You would come to the house and help with the baby?"
"No, I was thinking we could go in financially with each other and buy a house and…live together." Harm slid the ending of his sentence in there so quickly it caused Mac to stare at him.
"Live together?"
The waitress brought their meals out to them before Harm could reply. Once she left them, he gave Mac a slight smile. "It would be the best thing for the both of us, and the baby."
"Plead your case, Counselor," Mac instructed as she started eating her lunch.
"Well, first off you wouldn't have to worry about getting the house. With both of our incomes I think we're a sure thing."
"Okay, you have one point."
Harm smiled slightly. "Two, we both would be taking care of the baby together so he, or she, would have both of us around. Now that also helps us out, because when one of us is tired the other can take care of the baby. This will also help with daycare once you go back to work."
"I think that was three points." Mac commented.
"It doesn't matter how many points I have, I think it's a good idea." Harm told her.
"Okay, let's consider the other side of the coin."
"Okay."
Mac gave him an honest look. "We're finally talking to each other after a year, how do we know living together will work?"
"We don't know. But with the baby we have to make it work. I don't want the baby to grow up thinking its parents don't get along or that we don't like each other."
"So you think the baby can get us not to argue? Harm, if that was possible I think Admiral Chegwidden would have ordered us to have a kid years ago." Mac chuckled.
Harm laughed at the last comment. "Okay, so our kid is not going to be a miracle worker. But I still think it's a good idea."
"What about your social life? Are you going to put it on hold till the baby is an adult?"
Harm looked down at his half eaten lunch. "I don't have a social life now, and I haven't had one for a very long time. I don't think that is a concern. Besides haven't you put your social life on hold?"
"Not a lot of men find a woman eight months pregnant attractive."
Harm gave her a soft meaningful look. "I don't know, I think you look pretty attractive."
Mac blushed at his comment. "Thanks, we'll see if you're saying that when I'm in labor."
Harm laughed and they finished their lunch with little conversation about the idea of living together.
"I've a doctor's appointment on Friday at 4:15. Would you like to come?" Mac asked as they drove back to JAG.
"Yeah, if you want me to." Harm said, slightly surprised.
Mac gave him a soft smile. "I think it's time you meet the baby in person, kind of. It's my weekly appointment and I'm going to have another sonogram."
"Let me just ask the admiral if it's okay. I have court in the morning, but I think my afternoon is clear."
"I don't think he'll have a problem with it."
"Really?"
"Yeah, he wants you to be as involved as possible." Mac told Harm.
Harm gave her a soft smile. "Maybe I should talk to him about the house idea."
"How about you let me think about it first, Harm?"
"You'll really think about it?"
"Yeah, you do have a few good points." Mac grinned back at Harm and he returned the smile.
Friday July 23
Bethesda Naval Hospital
4:35 PM
Mac sat on the exam table as Harm looked at a picture of fetus development on the wall. Mac laughed when he tilted his head as he looked at a picture.
He turned around and looked at her. "What's so funny?"
"You." Mac chuckled. "Surprised by what's going on in here?" She placed her hands on her belly.
"A little," Harm admitted. "It's amazing what's going on inside here." Harm sat down next to her and placed his hand on her belly where the baby then gave him two kicks.
They both chuckled at the feel of the baby. "It agrees." Mac smiled.
"Can we find out the sex of the baby?" Harm questioned.
"I don't want to know," Mac told him.
Harm thought about Mac's personality. "You're curious as hell aren't you?"
"Oh God, yes." Mac laughed as the doctor came in with the nurse.
"Hello, Colonel, and how are we today?" Major Klause asked with a smile.
"We're doing fine," she told him. "Major Klause, this is Commander Harmon Rabb."
Harm and Klause exchanged handshakes. "Nice to meet you, Commander," Klause politely said before he looked at Mac. "I told you to bring a friend along on the next few visits."
"Actually, he's the father," Mac admitted with some pride in her voice.
"Oh well, in that case congratulations, Commander. You have a very active child here." Major Klause joked.
"I don't find that funny," Mac joked as the baby gave her two kicks.
The group laughed then turned to the matter at hand. Major Klause asked Mac some general questions about her eating habits, baby movement, and if she was experiencing anything unusual. Harm sat there listening carefully, taking mental notes about what was happening with Mac.
Once it was time for the internal exam Harm excused himself from the room, so Mac wouldn't feel uncomfortable. Since they were rebuilding their relationship, Harm didn't want to push Mac into anything that would upset her. Ten minutes later he walked back into the room. Mac was still lying on the table and the nurse was spreading some goop on Mac's belly.
"Is it TV time?" Harm joked as he sat down in a chair next to Mac.
"Sorry, we don't have any popcorn." Major Klause moved the sonogram monitor closer to the couple. He picked up the wand and pressed it to Mac's stomach.
Mac looked over at Harm as his attention was focused on the screen. Very slowly a picture arrived on the screen. Harm looked at it and his brain made out the shapes. "Is that the baby?"
"It is," Mac softly said, still finding herself in awe of the little life inside her.
Harm turned and faced her. "Wow." Then he reached to her side and took her hand into his.
Major Klause and the nurse looked at the picture and started talking to each other about some basic measurements and watched the baby's movement. The baby remained on the screen with its thumb near its mouth.
"Like most babies they do like sucking their thumb," the nurse commented.
"My child is not going to suck its thumb," Mac adamantly stated.
The baby immediately moved its hand away from its mouth causing the group to chuckle. "My kid already is scared of its mom."
"No, I think the baby is scared of her oak leaves." The nurse joked.
"Now, Colonel, everything looks fine. The baby is developing perfectly and I think if we were to look around we could tell you the sex," Major Klause told her.
Harm looked at Mac's face and he answered for her. "No, we'll get to meet the baby soon enough."
5:06 PM
Harm and Mac left the doctors office with a new picture of their baby and a smile on their faces. He held the door open to the SUV as Mac got into it. He then rushed around to the other side and got in the car himself.
As he drove back to her apartment, he asked the nightly question. "So what's for dinner tonight?"
"Anything you want. The baby's okay with just about anything."
Harm gave her an odd look, but didn't say anything. They drove in relative silence for a few minutes.
"Harm?"
"Yeah?"
"You still want to get a house together?" Mac asked.
Harm glanced at her. "I think it's a good idea. What have you decided?"
"I think I'm going to agree with you. The baby does need both of us around."
Harm smiled. "So when do we start looking?"
Mac faced him. "What are you doing tomorrow?"
End Part 2