...Till Death Does Us Part Chapter III – Part 17/24
Disclaimer - See part one for all important information
Tuesday March 22
Harm and Mac's House
McLean, Virginia
"Thanks for the ride, Skates," Harm said to his RIO, as he grabbed his sea bag from the trunk of her car.
"No problem, Hammer." Skates smiled before she drove out of the driveway of Harm's house.
Harm threw the bag over his shoulder, walked up the porch steps and into the house. He opened the door and smiled, glad to be home. He heard a voice and walked into the kitchen. He stood in the doorway of his kitchen and smiled as he saw Mac standing there cooking dinner. She was wearing blue jeans and a white shirt. It rather looked like one of his white shirts. Harm set his bag on the ground and slowly walked up to her. He put his hands on her hips. "Hey, you."
Mac turned around and threw her arms around his neck. "Hey." She pulled him into a hug. They held each other tightly; glad to be in each other's arms. "I missed you," Mac whispered in his ear.
"I missed you, too," Harm said as he pulled back. He didn't let go of her, but he did look down at her soft face. He couldn't resist it; he leaned down and captured her lips in a hard kiss.
Mac responded in full need for him. Her hands grasped onto his shoulders and held herself to him. Their lips attacked each other with a force, which was unexplainable.
"Hammer." Harm heard, as his lips pressed against Mac's neck. "Hammer." The voice sounded again. "Hey, Commander."
Harm snapped open his eyes and found himself not in his kitchen, but still on the aircraft. He turned to the voice that was talking to him. Skates sat there with a smile on her face. "We're landing in five minutes. I thought I should wake you."
"Thanks," Harm said, still half asleep and the feel of Mac's fantasy kiss on his lips.
"Good dream?" Skates asked.
Harm shook his head. "Yeah."
Skates gave him a knowing look. "Anything you care to share?"
"Yeah, I was King of the Greenie Board." He chuckled and Skates joined him.
Tuesday March 22
Harm and Mac's House
McLean, Virginia
8:10 PM
Harm waved to Skates as she pulled out of the driveway and he made his way to the front door of his home. He pulled on the door handle and found it locked. He unlocked the door and made his way inside.
"Mac?" He called, but there was no answer. He set his bags down in the family room and walked into the kitchen. It looked like no one was home. He opened the door in the kitchen, which lead to the garage, and noticed Mac's car was missing. He was about to pick up the phone to call her when the phone rang. "Rabb."
"Hey," Mac sighed into the phone.
"Where are you?" Harm asked.
"Still at JAG. I had to track down some people and it took longer than I thought it would," Mac explained. "How was your flight?"
"Good. Where's Ty?"
"Here with me. I asked Harriet to pick him up, but they had a thing tonight and couldn't watch him." Mac ran her hand through her hair as she looked at her sleeping son. "Sorry we're not home."
Harm walked over to the refrigerator. "No problem. Do you need me to pick him up, so you can get some work done?"
"No, I should be done in thirty minutes. I just didn't want you to worry, when we weren't there."
"Have you eaten dinner yet?"
"Yeah, Harriet picked us up some Chinese."
"Us?" Harm asked, feeling a tad jealous.
"Sturgis is here, too." Mac heard a knock at her door and Sturgis stood there with a file in his hands. "Actually he's in front of me now, holding something I hope I'll like."
"So you'll be home by nine or 9:30?" Harm asked.
"Should be. Harm, I'm sorry," Mac said as Sturgis handed her the file.
Harm sighed, but tried to make it sound supportive. "It's okay, Mac. You do what you need to do. I can play with Ty tomorrow. The Admiral gave me tomorrow off."
"Okay." Mac glanced at the file. "I need to get going. We'll talk when I get home."
"Okay." Harm smiled. "Bye, Mac."
"Bye," Mac said, before she hung up the phone.
Harm set the phone back in its cradle and looked at the kitchen. "It's good to be home."
Tuesday March 22
Harm and Mac's House
McLean, Virginia
9:32 PM
Mac carried a sleeping Ty into the house from the garage. She walked into the kitchen and observed that Harm had dinner. She moved into the living room to find Harm asleep on the sofa. She chuckled and moved towards the couch. "Harm," she gently called.
Harm's eyes fluttered opened. He blinked and looked at her tired smiling face. He quickly sat up. "Hey."
"Hey." Mac smiled at his disheveled appearance. "You were as asleep as your son here."
Harm looked at the snoozing bundle in her arms. "Wow. I have missed him."
"Do you want to get him ready for bed?" Mac asked.
Harm shook his head and carefully took Ty out of her arms. "I'll do it. I've missed being Daddy."
Mac chuckled at him. "And he has missed his Daddy."
Harm looked up and met Mac's eyes. He had the overwhelming urge to kiss her or tell her how he felt, but he couldn't. "I missed you, too."
Mac gave him a soft smile. "Me too, Sailor."
They shared a quite moment, just staring at each other as Ty slept in Harm's arms.
"You should put him to bed," Mac said, breaking their hold on each other's eyes.
Harm blinked. "Yeah, I should." He and Mac stood up and walked upstairs. Harm went into Ty's room as Mac went into her bedroom. Harm started to get Ty ready for bed by first getting him out of his day clothes and into a fresh diaper and his pajamas. Once Ty was ready for bed, Harm just held him in his arms as he rocked in the rocking chair in the corner. His son gently puffed his sleepy breath against his father's neck.
While Harm was taking care of Ty, Mac took a shower. She now stood in the doorway and watched Harm rocking Ty. Harm looked up and thought she looked like an angel. Her hair was still wet and it glistened in the hallway light. She wore her pink robe and was wearing her favorite blue cotton pajama bottoms. Harm guessed that the top of her pajamas was a white tank top; she always wore it with the pajama bottoms.
"Hey," he softly said to her.
Mac smiled as she walked into the room. "Are you going to hold him all night?"
Harm chuckled. "Didn't you ask me that, when he was born?"
Mac kneeled next to him and ran her hand over Ty's back. "If I recall your answer was 'I might.'"
"It was and it still is." Harm looked into her eyes. "I'm glad to be home."
"We're both glad you are home, too," Mac gently told him. She took a deep breath. "Harm, we need to have that talk."
"Tomorrow night, Mac. I want to enjoy this right now."
Mac shook her head and smiled. "I know." She stood up and kissed Harm's forehead. "I have to do some more work. Stop by the office and say good night before you go to bed."
"I will," Harm told her, after finding himself a little surprised from her kiss.
Mac smiled and walked out of the nursery and into the office next door. Harm turned his attention to his son. "You are so lucky. You have a wonderful mommy, who loves you as much as I do."
Ty just snuggled closer to his father and let his dreams take him away to the happiest place he knew, his blanket in the living room with his parents next to him.
Wednesday March 23
Harm and Mac's House
McLean, Virginia
7:12 PM
Harm and Mac had just finished eating dinner and were now cleaning the kitchen up. "So you think you and Sturgis will get this one?"
"I hope so." Mac handed him the leftovers and Harm put them into the fridge. "He's guilty as sin, and Bud and Mattoni are putting up one hell of a defense."
Harm chuckled. "Every now and then I think we trained Bud too well."
"I agree," Mac said as she poured a cup of coffee for herself. "Coffee?"
"Sure," Harm said as he sat down at the kitchen table. He looked over at Ty, who was sitting in his high chair batting a toy around.
Mac walked over to the table and gave Harm his cup of coffee. "So."
Harm took a deep breath as she sat down. "So."
They stared at each other, wishing they could forget what they were about to discuss. Mac broke the silence. "We're lawyers; we shouldn't be scared of this."
"We're best friends, we are scared."
"We're not going to lose each other, Harm," Mac gently said.
"I know, but this is something that I want."
"What? The world's oddest marriage?" Mac offered.
Harm smiled at her attempt in humor. "No, the three of us enjoying an evening at home."
"Are you going to move out?" Mac asked, wondering if Harm was thinking about leaving.
Harm quickly looked at her. "No, unless, do you want me to?"
"No, this is your home. If anything," Mac started but Harm cut her off.
"This is our home," Harm corrected her. "Neither one of us is leaving."
Mac looked down at her hands. "What are we going to do?"
"The responsible thing." Harm told her and gently touched her hand. Mac opened her hand and Harm took it into his. "This isn't a marriage. I've tried to fool myself into believing that I could make it into one, but it's not. You were right, when you explained it to me that night before I left. We are two friends, who are in a very unusual mess," Harm paused and looked into her eyes. "I love our family, but we need to do what is best for us and Ty."
"And what's best for us and Ty?"
Harm took a deep breath. "We need to file for divorce."
End Part 17