...Till Death Does Us Part Chapter III – Part 20/24
Disclaimer - See part one for all important information
Wednesday July 14
JAG
4:13 PM
"What are you thinking?" Harm asked as he set the file on Mac's desk.
Mac stared at the ceiling. "I'm wondering if you'll defend me after I kill our client."
"Yeah, but he's not worth the jail time." Harm grinned.
"Sturgis and Bud have no evidence that Miller killed Major Tunny."
"Correct, but they do have two eye-witnesses that Miller hit Tunny during the fight, and there is that threatening e-mail."
Mac closed her file and looked at Harm. "I'm going to get a cup of coffee. You want one?"
"Sure," Harm said as Mac stood up and walked out of her office.
Harm chuckled, knowing this case was getting to her. What made this case worse was that their client was guilty; he made the mistake and told them. Harm picked his file back up when Mac's phone rang. Not even thinking Harm picked it up. "Colonel MacKenzie's office. Commander Rabb."
"Is Colonel MacKenzie in?" A female voice asked.
"She just stepped out. Can I take a message?"
"No. I need to speak with her," the voice sounded worried and even bit back a whimper. "It's about Clayton Webb!"
"What about Webb? Who is this?" Harm asked, getting worried about his friend.
"I'm Laurie June, Mr. Webb's assistance. He's been involved in an accident and is asking for Colonel MacKenzie."
"Where is he?"
"Being transmitted to GW. The agent on site called me to get a hold of the Colonel."
Harm looked out Mac's window and saw her holding two coffee cups and talking to Harriet. "I'll tell her and we'll be at GW as soon as we can."
Laurie took a breath. "Okay, Commander."
Harm hung up the phone, while Mac walked into the office. "Here ya' go." Mac handed him the coffee of cup, but Harm didn't take it. "Harm?"
Harm looked up at her instantly worried face. "Have a seat, Mac."
Mac set the coffees on her desk. "What's wrong, Harm?"
He looked into her eyes after she sat down next to him. "Laurie June just called. Clay's been in an accident and he's asking for you."
"What happened?" Mac asked as fear ran through her veins.
"She didn't say. I told her we would get to GW." Harm took one of Mac's hands into his. "Clay's going to be okay."
Mac stared at Harm and shook her head. "I'll ask Harriet to pick up Ty from daycare."
"I'll tell the Admiral we're securing early."
"Okay." Mac and Harm left her office. Mac went to Harriet while Harm made his way to the Admiral. Soon enough they were on their way to GW.
George Washington Hospital
4:43 PM
Harm and Mac quickly walked through the door of the hospital and went straight to the emergency room. The nurse looked at the two officers. "Can I help you?"
"Yes, we're looking for Clayton Webb. He was involved in an accident," Harm told the nurse as Mac looked around the emergency room.
The nurse checked the charts in front of her. "I'm sorry but I..."
"Colonel MacKenzie?" Mac heard her name being called. She turned around to see, whom she assumed to be, a CIA agent walking towards her.
Mac and Harm stepped away from the nurse at the station. "Yes," Mac said to the agent.
"Brandon Hansen. I was with Mr. Webb," Brandon stated.
"Where is he?" Mac asked, cutting Brandon off.
Brandon looked at the door next to him, which was an emergency preparation room. "The doctors are working on him, Ma'am."
"What happened?" Harm asked.
Brandon was about to say something, when the door flung open. "He's stable, but he needs to get up to surgery now," a doctor said forcefully to the nurse next to him.
"OR is waiting for him," the nurse said back as they wheeled a bloody Clay out of the room.
"Clay!" Mac moved towards the gurney.
The doctor turned around and grabbed Mac's arm. "Ma'am, I'm sorry but he needs to go to surgery now."
"Sarah," Clay gasped.
The nurse looked at the worried face on Mac. "Are you Sarah?"
"Yes." Mac looked pleading into the nurse's face.
"Doctor, he's been asking for her," the nurse told him and the doctor released his hold on Mac's arm.
Mac ran over to Clay. She looked down at him. His face was bruised and there were small cuts. She looked down and the white dressing, that was covering him, had some blood on it, while his leg was set and had a large cut on it. "Clay."
Clay tried to focus on Mac, but there were three of her. He blinked and looked again, now there was only one Mac. "Safe...Sarah." Clay took a ragged breath. "You and Ty are safe...forever."
"Clay, you're going to be fine," Mac said.
"We need to get him up to the OR," the nurse told Mac.
Mac leaned down and kissed Clay's forehead. "We'll talk later."
Clay tried to smile. "Safe...Sarah."
"Let's go people," the doctor ordered and Clay was wheeled down the hall.
The nurse stood there next to Mac. "OR is on the fifth floor. I'll call up and let them know to expect you."
"Thank you," Mac said as Brandon and Harm joined her.
Harm reached down and took Mac's hand into his. "What did Clay say?"
"That Ty and I are safe forever." She turned and looked at Brandon. "What did he mean by that, Agent Henson?"
Brandon took a breath. "It's classified."
Mac opened her mouth to say something, but Harm beat her. "Like hell! Our friend is in the OR, what the hell happened, Henson?!"
Brandon took a step back. "I'm not allowed to say."
"Then find me someone who can!" Harm demanded.
"There is only one person, besides Webb, who can tell you everything." Brandon nearly stuttered over his words.
"Who's that?" Mac asked.
"Me," a voice from behind them said.
5:03 PM
The voice behind them in the ER ended up being Director Kershaw. He, Mac, and Harm now sat in a small unused family waiting room on the surgical floor. It was the first time in his career that Kershaw was completely honest with someone outside the agency. He told Harm and Mac about the case Clay was working on. He had been tracking Sadik, who had made it into the US. He was under surveillance and very close to setting up something big. What the something big was, the CIA had no idea, until today.
Clay and a small team had advanced on Sadik's hideout. When they broke in, they found the place without Sadik, but they found enough evidence to send Sadik to prison for many years. He had plans for an attack on several prominent places in DC and contacts with others to help him get out of the country. He also had plans to get revenge on Mac.
In the midst of plans for DC were the blueprints to Harm and Mac's house. Found among them were pictures of them in the yard with Ty, at the grocery store, Ty's daycare, and JAG. Kershaw told Harm and Mac about this and a notebook. Inside the notebook were notes and schedules of Harm's and Mac's; it turned out that Sadik had been following them and keeping tabs on the small family.
Mac and Harm just stared at Kershaw. Harm gave Mac's hand a squeeze and she gripped back. "We sent agents to your home. We found no traces of anything. We also checked your cars and we've got agents at JAG now. It seems that we found Sadik before he could do anything."
"Where is Sadik?" Mac asked.
"Morgue," Kershaw replied.
"How?" Harm asked.
Kershaw took a drink of his coffee. "Webb and his team were finishing their initial cataloguing of the place, taking pictures and collecting the data when an agent on lookout reported a sedan entering the area. The agents left the building, just as the man driving the car was identified as Sadik. The agents were going to advance on him as soon as he got out of the car. Sadik pulled the car into the front of the building when the team advanced."
"He saw the movement and pulled a gun from his passenger seat. He rolled down the window and shot and wounded two separate agents. He then turned the car around and tried to leave the area. Webb fired and hit Sadik in the arm, but couldn't stop him. Sadik located Webb and aimed the car towards him. Webb emptied his clip into Sadik's car. He dropped his gun and tried to move away from the oncoming car, but he wasn't quick enough."
Kershaw paused and looked at the scared faces in front of him. "Sadik fired a shot and hit Clay in the shoulder. One of our snipers finally got a clear shot and hit Sadik in the head. Then the car clipped Webb as it veered out of control. The car ran into a tree and burst into flames."
"Who was running this op?" Harm asked.
"I was. I let Webb on board after he proved himself to me," Kershaw told Harm. "He convinced me by getting help for his problems. He said, he owed you two and this was one way he thought he could help."
Harm glanced at Mac; she was still in shock over the events. Kershaw caught Harm's glance. "I need to go check on the other two agents. If you two will excuse me."
Kershaw stood up and started to leave. He stopped, when Mac said his name; he turned around and looked at her. "Thank you, for telling us everything."
"No problem, Colonel. Webb told me to tell you everything before he was loaded into the ambulance." Kershaw gave Mac a soft smile and left the room.
As the door closed, Harm carefully looked at Mac. "You okay?"
"No," Mac softly and honestly said.
"Clay's in surgery and I'm sure he's going to be fine," Harm told her.
Mac looked up at Harm with unshed tears in her eyes. "I know. I'm just scared."
Harm pulled Mac into his arms and held on to her. "Everything is going to be okay. I promise."
7:39 PM
Harm and Mac sat on the small couch, drinking yet another cup of coffee when the door to the small waiting room opened. They both stood up as a petite nurse walked in. She smiled sweetly at the couple. "Mr. Webb has been moved to a private room."
They both followed the nurse as she led them to Clay's room. Mac quickly went to Clay's side and looked down at the sleeping man. "The doctor will be in a few minutes to speak with the two of you."
"Thank you," Harm said as the nurse left the room. He then moved a chair next to the bed for Mac to sit in.
Mac gave him a half smile. "He looks better."
"He does," Harm agreed as the doctor walked into the room.
"Colonel, Commander," the doctor said. Both Harm and Mac turned to face him. "Dr. Edwards, I operated on Mr. Webb."
"How is he?" Mac asked.
"He's going to be fine." The doctor looked down at the chart in his hands. "We repaired the damage in his shoulder and had to pin his leg in four separate places. He'll need to go through physical therapy even after it heals."
"What about the rest of the bruises and cuts?" Harm asked glancing at a nasty cut on Clay's chin.
"Superficial, but they will heal. He also has three broken ribs. We were concerned one of them might have nicked his lungs, and there was some internal bleeding. We did notice a cut on his lung and repaired it before it got worse. His worst injury in all was his leg, but in time he should be fine." Dr. Edwards gave Harm and Mac a relived look. "Do you have any questions?"
"When will he wake up?" Mac asked.
Dr. Edwards glanced at the chart again. "He should come around pretty soon, but don't expect much, since he's on several pain medications." A nurse walked into the room and gave the doctor something. "If you two will excuse me."
"Thank you, Doctor," Harm and Mac said as the doctor left.
Harm moved a chair next to Mac. "He's going to be okay."
"I want to stay till he wakes up," Mac told Harm. Harm shook his head.
8:15 PM
Several times Clay moved his head and muttered something that Harm and Mac could not understand. But now he was finally coming to.
Mac stood up and leaned over Clay's bed. "Hi," she softly said as he sleepily looked up at her.
"You're here," Clay whispered.
"Yeah." Mac ran her hand over Clay's cheek.
"Harm?"
"On the phone with Harriet."
"Ty?"
Mac smiled. "With Harriet."
Clay closed his eyes and felt a little bit of pain. He moaned slightly. "Do you want the doctor?" Mac asked.
Clay opened his eyes and looked at her concerned face. "No. Just you."
"What about me?" Harm asked as he now stood at the foot of the bed.
Clay tried to chuckle, but it hurt too much. "Sarah, she's prettier."
Mac let out a small chuckle, but a few tears fell too. Harm walked over to her and ran his hand over her back. Clay once again saw the love between the two. He swore right then and there, he would do anything and everything in his power to help both of them.
"He's gone," Clay said breaking the mood.
"We know," Harm said. "You did your job."
"I still owe you two," Clay told them and a feeling of shame passed though him.
Mac reached down and clasped Clay's hand into hers. "You don't owe us anything. Friends don't keep score."
Clay looked up at Harm. "She's right," Harm told him.
Clay gave Harm a grin and looked back at Mac. "You and Ty are safe."
"Because of you," Mac added on to Clay's sentence. Clay closed his eyes and suddenly felt tired. Mac leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Close your eyes, Clay. We'll stay a bit longer. But we'll be back tomorrow."
Clay shook his head slowly. "Okay, Sarah. Bring Ty."
"We will," Harm said before Clay fell asleep. Harm and Mac returned back to their chairs, quietly sitting near each other and watching over their friend.
Harm and Mac's House
McLean, Virginia
10:34 PM
After they left the hospital, they went to Bud and Harriet's to pick up Ty. Harriet was relieved to hear that Clay would be okay, but she was concerned about Mac. Mac walked into the house and had a ghost-like look on her face. They didn't stay long, but thanked Bud and Harriet for getting Ty before they went home.
Once they reached home, Harm got Ty ready for bed while Mac took a bubble bath. She had taken her bath and now stood in front of the big window in her room. She'd been standing there for the past ten minutes and just stared out on to the street. Her big robe wrapped around her, keeping her warm from the cold and confusing thoughts, which ran through her head.
Harm walked up the stairs to say good night to Mac. It had been one hell of a day and he was looking forward to climbing into bed and forgetting about everything. When he reached the top of the stairs, he looked at her door. It was half way open and there were no lights on. He walked to her room and gently knocked on the door. "Mac."
There was no answer so he walked in and saw Mac standing in front of her window. "Mac," he tried again, still no response.
Harm moved behind her and touched her arm. "Mac." Mac jumped at his touch, as if it burned her, and Harm quickly pulled his hand back. "I didn't mean to scare you."
Mac chuckled. "Guess I was lost in thought."
"Anything important?" Harm asked as he looked out the window, trying to figure out, what she was looking at.
"Nothing," Mac lied.
Harm had a feeling he knew what she was thinking about. "Clay's going to be fine."
"I know," she softly said. "I just wonder."
"Wonder what?"
"I wonder how close he was."
Harm sighed. "I don't know, but I know Clay would have never let him hurt you."
"How do you know that?"
"Clay told me."
Mac inhaled a long breath. "He was hunting us."
Harm stood directly behind Mac and brought her towards him. His arms wrapped around her and he held her to him. "He's not going to bother us at all, Mac."
"I know," Mac told Harm, letting his warmth seep through her. "But..."
"But nothing," Harm interrupted. "You can stay up all night playing the 'what if' game, but there is no reason to."
Mac rested the back of her head against Harm's chest. "You can't tell me you don't wonder."
Harm chuckled and kissed her temple. "I wonder a lot of stuff. But I'm not going to think about this."
Mac turned in his arms and faced him. "How can you not think about it? The bastard had plans to our house, JAG, owner's manuals to our cars. He was going to get us." The tears of rage started to build up in her eyes.
Harm looked at her frightened, but yet strong face. He pulled her to him and held her tightly against him. Mac's arms reached around Harm and she sunk into him. "The keyword is 'was', Mac. He's caught. Clay and his team did their jobs and because of that, I can sleep at night, knowing that you and Ty are safe."
Mac didn't say anything. She just held on to him and let some of the tears fall from her eyes. Harm soothed a hand over her back and the other ran through the silky hair. After a few minutes, Mac lifted her head and Harm looked down at her face. For the first time in ages, he saw Sarah, the woman who had a tendency to hide from him. She was breathtaking and part of him started fighting with himself. He wanted to kiss her, but he knew now wasn't the time.
Mac gazed into his eyes. She leaned up on her tiptoes, wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a fierce hug. It caught Harm off guard, but he was more than happy to hold her to him. "I'm so glad you're here," Mac said into his ear.
The smile on Harm's face grew. "So am I." He held her tightly, but slowly relented on his hold. However, Mac didn't. Harm liked the attention, but part of him couldn't help but laugh. "Now I know where Ty gets it from."
Mac loosened her hold and stood back on her feet. "Where Ty gets what from?"
Harm grinned. "His 'grab and hold'."
Mac joined Harm in laughter and removed her arms from around his neck. "I like being held. Okay?"
"There is nothing wrong with that," Harm gently told her.
"Good," Mac said before she shyly looked into Harm's eyes. "Could you do me a favor?"
"Anything."
Mac took a deep breath. "Could you stay with me tonight? I don't want to be alone."
Harm knew she was scared. The fact that Sadik was very close to coming to get them hit her hard. He reached down and squeezed her hand. "Sure. I just came in to tell you goodnight anyways."
"Thanks." Mac gave him a soft grin.
Harm returned the grin. "Just let me get ready for bed and I'll be right back."
"Okay." Mac shook her head.
About ten minutes later, Harm walked back into the room, wearing his pajama bottoms and t-shirt. Mac was already in bed. For a second Harm felt a wave of regret. He wanted Mac in his bed all the time and he wanted to be wrapped around her. He was also nervous that he might do something he would regret. Mac smiled at him and his nervousness vanished.
"You like to sleep on the right side. Right?" Mac asked as she scooted over to the left side of the bed.
"Yeah." Harm moved to the bed and crawled under the covers. Mac turned off the light that was still on and the room fell into the soft glow of the moonlight. They both turned onto their sides and looked at each other. Harm's eyes adjusted to the darkness and very slowly he looked at Mac's shoulder. She was wearing a dark colored shirt, but a small rip on the sleeve caught his attention. He gently pushed Mac's shoulder towards the bed, glanced at her back and saw the Tomcat. "You thief."
"What?" Mac innocently asked.
Harm returned to his place on the bed. "You stole my shirt."
"Possession is nine-tenths of the law," Mac returned to Harm with a grin.
Harm looked at her face and grinned. "You do look better in it, than I do."
"Good, I happen to like it, too."
Harm chuckled and rolled onto his back. Mac scooted closer to Harm and he pulled her to him. She rested her head on his chest and wrapped an arm around his stomach. Harm in turn wrapped his arms around her body. They remained quiet for a while, until Mac snuggled even closer to him.
"Can't get comfortable?"
"No, I'm fine now," Mac said as she set her head directly above his heart.
Harm smiled. "Ty lies like that on my chest."
"That's because he and I have the same favorite sound."
"What's that?"
"Your heartbeat," Mac softly said before she kissed the spot gently.
Harm didn't know what to say, so he just squeezed her till the words came. "I have two favorite sounds."
"What are they?" Mac asked.
"Ty's laugh and my name on your lips," Harm said in a soft and gentle voice.
Mac felt her heart beat increase and heard Harm's do the same thing. She lifted her head and gazed into his eyes. Even in the moonlight, she could see the truthfulness in his eyes. She moved up and captured his lips with a gentle kiss. Harm returned the kiss. Mac broke the kiss and returned to her position on his chest.
"Night, Harm."
"Night, Mac."
End Part 20