Michi – Hey all.

Carol – You think they're still reading?

Michi – Oh yes, they're upset again.

Carol – They love evil and they know it.

Michi – Well, then maybe we shouldn't do what we decided to do. You know since they love evil.

Carol – If we don't do what we decided then what will we do in place.

Michi – Okay, let's let them read this part. Then we'll decide on what to do.

Carol – Okay, enjoy part 9.

...Till Death Does Us Part Chapter III – Part 9/24

Disclaimer - See part one for all important information

It took Mac another second to find her voice. "Clay. Ummm... How are you?"

"I'm good. You?" Clay asked as Ty gave another wail.

Mac kissed Ty's cheek. "I'm a little busy right now."

"Oh, I can wait," Clay informed Mac with his usual tone.

Mac exhaled the breath she was holding. "Okay. Please come in." She turned around and Clay followed her. "I'm working on dinner, so I hope you don't mind if I take care of it while you explain to me why you're here."

"I don't mind, Sarah." Clay looked about the house and took in its welcoming atmosphere. It seemed friendlier than Mac was towards him right now. "You have a beautiful home."

"Thanks," Mac said as she placed Ty in his tabletop baby chair on the kitchen table in the nook. She turned around and looked at Clay and saw he was holding a dozen red roses and a teddy bear.

Clay handed her the flowers. "These are for you and Ty. My way of saying congratulations." Clay walked over to Ty and showed him the bear. "He looks like you, except for the eyes."

"Yeah, he gets those from Harm." Mac looked for a vase. She found one and placed the flowers in it. Then she went back to cutting the vegetables. "So what brings you by, Clayton?"

"I was in the area." Clay responded turning around to look at her.

Mac glanced up from the island kitchen. "I don't believe you."

"Well, you should. You do live down the street from Langley." Clay walked over to the island and carefully watched Mac.

Mac turned around and picked up the carrots. "So how have you been?"

"We've already covered that," Clay kindly told her.

Mac set the knife down feeling her nerves starting to get to her. She knew Clay was up to something, but didn't know what. "We haven't spoken since Italy. You are not here for a friendly visit, I know you too well, Mr. Webb."

Clay decided to give up. "You're right. I need your help with an assignment."

"No," Mac quickly said.

"You don't even know what it is, yet."

"I don't need to, my answer is no."

"Sarah," Clay softly said. "Will you at least let me tell you about it?"

"No, because in the CIA handbook the moment you tell someone about an assignment is the second they are signed up, whether they want to be signed up or not," Mac told him as she picked up the knife and started to cut the carrots again.

Clay ignored her. "We think we have a lead on Sadik."

Mac lifted up the knife and used it to point at Clay. "Get out of my house."

"I need your help in getting him."

"I am not a member of the CIA and I'm not helping you again."

"It would only be for a week or two."

"Clay, I speak several languages. How many of them do I have to use before you understand that my answer is NO?" Mac asked as her temper grew.

Clay ignored her. "We have evidence he is coming to the United States and he wants revenge on you and Harm. He is going to come after you, Harm, and Ty."

Mac slammed the knife down and stepped away from the island. She stood directly in front of Clay and stared him down. "You do not come into my house and tell me a deranged terrorist is going to hunt my family down. You work for the God damn CIA. I am not some lackey of yours. Get the hell out of my house, before I throw you out," Mac told him in a steady voice as cold as steel.

Clay looked into her eyes and only saw the look of a mother protecting her family. He went to open his mouth, but Ty gave a solid scream and the side door from the garage opened and Harm's voice filled the room. "Mac, I'm home."

Harm walked into the kitchen to see Mac staring Clay down and his son starting to cry. He picked Ty up and quickly walked to Mac and Clay. "Mac, is everything okay?"

"Clay was just leaving," Mac responded with no emotion in her voice.

Harm looked at Clay. Clay took a deep breath and turned to Harm. "You have a beautiful son, Harm. And a very nice house."

"Thank you, Clay," Harm said in a confused voice as Ty started to calm down.

"Sarah's right, I was just leaving. I'll just show myself out." Clay started to walk out of the kitchen. "Think about what we talked about, Sarah." A few seconds later the sound of the front door opening and closing could be heard.

Harm watched as Mac closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. "Mac," he calmly said.

"Don't ask me about it, Harm," Mac stopped him. "Not yet."

With that Mac left the room. Harm went to call after her, but he heard the sound of her feet going upstairs then her bedroom door slamming. He looked down at Ty who had finally quieted and then glanced around at the kitchen. He had no idea what had happened and wanted to know.

CIA Headquarters

Langley, VA

8:12 PM

'My family' those words of Mac's kept running though Clay's head since he left Mac's house. He opened a file in front of him and started to look down it. The top of it read. 'Case 4587 Kraussman. CIA Operative Harmon Rabb with the assistances of Lt. Colonel Sarah MacKenzie. JAG'

"Your family, huh Sarah? How close are you and Harm?" Clay muttered as he started to read the file in front of him.

Harm and Mac's House

McLean, Virginia

8:25 PM

Harm knocked on the outside of Mac's bedroom door. "Mac."

Mac stood up from her big comfy chair in the sitting area and opened the door. Harm gave her a half smile and stepped into the room as she walked back to the chair.

"I brought you some dinner." Harm showed her the plate with a piece of rosemary chicken, glazed carrots, salad, and a dinner roll. "I waited and figured you wouldn't be coming down. So I thought I would bring it up."

"You didn't need to. I'm not hungry," Mac said in a very small voice.

Harm set the plate on the reading table next to the chair and sat down on the matching overstuffed ottoman. "You need to eat something. The chicken was perfect." Harm gave her a soft look.

Mac gave him a half smile. "I'm sorry I left you with the mess in the kitchen."

"It wasn't too bad. Ty and I had a very good dinner." Harm shrugged and gave her a smile. "He liked the glaze on the carrots."

"You gave him a carrot to eat?"

"No, just to suck on. He didn't even spit it up on me later."

Mac chuckled softly. "It's still early."

"Yeah, it is," Harm agreed, and then he decided to ask the serious question. "Do you want to talk about why Clay was here?"

Mac exhaled deeply. "He wanted my help on some assignment and I told him no. He wasn't taking no for an answer."

Harm suddenly felt the need to protect Mac. "Do you want me to talk to him?"

Mac grabbed his hands and looked into his eyes. "No, I told him no and if he asks again I'm going to tell Kershaw about it."

"You sure?"

"Positive."

Harm accepted her answer and decided to change the topic. "Will you eat something?"

Mac looked at the plate. "Maybe the roll."

"Good, when you're done we can give Ty his bath and read him a story before bedtime." Harm smiled.

"I'd like that." Mac took a bite of her roll.

Harm then looked right into her eyes. "Mac, you know if something is bothering you, you can come to me. Right?"

"I know, Harm. And the same thing goes for you, too," Mac informed Harm as she picked up a carrot and ate it. "These are good."

"Hey, Ty likes them. They couldn't be that bad," Harm said as Mac laughed.

1:45 AM

Mac rolled over in bed for the tenth time in six minutes. After she ate her dinner with Harm's company they gave Ty a bath and read a story to him. Of course, Ty wouldn't go to sleep until they turned on the airplane mobile and Harm sang him a song. After Ty was asleep, the two crept out of his room and said goodnight in the hallway. Harm gave Mac a goodnight's kiss on her cheek and a hug which lasted a few seconds more then the usual. Harm went into the den and started to review for his case, while Mac took a bath. After her bath she curled up in her bed with a book.

Sleep had yet to find her. Clay's words kept circling through her head. Then the things she went through while in Paraguay came back to her. It had been over a year and a half and it was starting to haunt her. She wasn't going to let it get to her. She needed to let go of it, before it hurt her and before she hurt the people she loved.

She got out of bed and walked down to Ty's room. She checked on him; he was asleep and looked like he might actually make it through the night. She walked out of his room and looked down at the halfway closed door to Harm's room. Mac walked down to it, she leaned into the doorway and saw Harm asleep. The blanket had slipped down to his waist and the moon was reflecting off his chest and the burgundy sheets.

Mac didn't know what she was doing till she walked up to his bed and lifted his blanket to cover him. Harm felt the motion of the blanket and woke up. He looked up to see Mac pulling the blanket.

"Mac."

"Go back to sleep, you kicked off your blanket," Mac told him in a quiet voice.

Harm looked at her face and could see she hadn't slept. He scooted over in his bed and lifted the blanket. "Come on."

Mac looked at him and moved into the bed. She rested her head on his shoulder and Harm wrapped his arms around her. "If you want to tell me anything, Mac, I'll listen."

Mac rested her hand on his chest above his heart. "You're my best friend and I love our son."

Harm left one arm around her waist and moved his other hand to lift hers off his chest. He lifted her palm to his lips and gave it a kiss, then returned it back to his heart with his hand holding it there. "You're my best friend and I love our son."

Harm fell silent and was about to ask Mac something. He looked down at her and noticed she had already fallen asleep. Harm kissed the top of her head. "I love you, too, Sarah."

End Part 9

Carol – Hey, Michi. I just thought of something.

Michi – What?

Carol – They already know what we decided to do.

Michi – How do you figure?

Carol – Check the new calendar.

Michi – Oh....it's Monday. Got ya.

Carol – Yeah. So we should tell them the good news.

Michi – Can I do it?

Carol – Okay, but the next good news I get to share.

Michi – Yeah! I get to give the good news. (pauses) The good news is we got a lot back from our beta reader and we're hoping for the rest soon. So we are going to be posting on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday now. Once we get everything we'll go to daily post.

Carol – I think they are happy now.

Michi – I think so, too.