Chapter 15

PG-13 for language

2300 EST

Outside Mac's Apartment

She grabbed his arm and spun him around. "Damn, right it was a green light!" She flung her his neck, and her lips found his. He was neither demand nor lustful, as the cocky aviators normally tend to be, but it was tender, and lingering. He gathered her into his arms, and she buried her face into his chest. They went into her apartment, barely every breaking contact.

All of the sudden, Mac got a panicked look in her eyes and withdrew from Harm. She started shaking uncontrollably when the sound car backfiring could be heard.

"Mac, honey, what's wrong?" He crouched down to be closer to her.

"Damn it, I thought I could work through this. Harm, I think we are going to have to take this slower. I'm a mess right now."

"Oh, honey, I am so sorry, and I will take this as slow as you need. Let me hold you right now."

She fell asleep in his arms, his presence helping her through the nightmares for the night. He put her comfortably in her bed and slipped out later on. He knew he had to be home when Mackenzie came home the next morning.

0900 EST
North of Union Station

Harm woke up the next morning in and empty bed, his mother and step-father were out in the living room entertaining a very much awake Mackenzie. She started reaching for him, he felt like his heart was overflowing, this child was a miraculous gift. It was a new day.

"Good morning Mom. Mackenzie wasn't too much for you last night was she?"

"Oh no, she was a perfect angel. How was your date?" Trish said with a huge smile on her face.

"Mom, I feel like it is going to be a brand new day, nothing can bring me down. Sarah was so beautiful in the moonlight, I can hardly describe it. It felt like a dream. But, I am so worried about her right now. We will be able to work things out, I know it, just perhaps not right now. I have a feeling that something really bad happened to her over in Iraq that she doesn't want to tell me, and until we work through that, then I will take it as slow as we need to. But I know that she is working through whatever it is." He always knew how much Sarah Mackenzie meant to him, but right now it was downright scary.

"Oh Harm, that's great about being able to work it out, not about the torture in Iraq. I'll call her, see if she is up, we will all go for breakfast to cheer her up. We want to look at the house, and see what they were able to do on yesterday. Go jump in the shower."

"Hand me Mackenzie, I'll give her a shower too."

He took his little girl and grabbed his robe and her robe with the ducks on it. He took her into the shower and reached for the Johnson and Johnson ® baby wash.

"Hey Baby, are you ready to be all clean for Mac?"

He cleaned himself first with his body wash and then took the washed her off making sure none of the soap got in her eyes. Then he put his shampoo in his hair using one hand. He got out of the shower and put on his dark grey boxers and black robe, and then put Mackenzie in her robe. As he was walking out Trish saw them through the glass wall in their robes and reached for the camera. She snapped a picture of them as they walked out of the bedroom.

"Great, just what I need, another blackmail picture."

"Mac said she would be here in about ten minutes and Mattie is getting ready also. So you better finish up. Give me Mackenzie, and I'll help you get ready."

"Thanks Frank, you are a lifesaver."

Harm dried his hair. He pulled on a pair of jeans and a button down white shirt. He was putting on a belt when Mattie walked in.

"Hey Dad."

"Hey there baby, you did a great job last night setting up the picnic."

"I take it Mac loved it?"

"She sure did."

"Did you kiss her?"

"Mathilda Grace, that is none of your business!" he exclaimed.

"Dad and Mac sittin in the tree, kissing," Mattie started to taunt. Harm walked up right behind Mattie and put her in a headlock and ruffled her hair. Trish was able to get a picture of that. Just then there was a knock on the door.

"Saved by the door kiddo." Harm went to answer the door, and Mattie ran to the bathroom to fix her hair. "Hey Mac!"

"Hi Harm. You look nice this morning."

"Well, my mom picked out my clothes," he joked. She went to swat him when he grabbed her arm and he began to tickle her.

"I knew it!" Mattie squealed.

"Mathilda, why don't we go down to the car with Frank to get Mackenzie's car seat put back in."

"Okay Grams."

"Harm, see you down there once you put your shoes on? I was thinking on going to Leigh and Lil's Café for breakfast." Trish said as she was heading out the door with Frank.

"Sounds good Mom."

Harm started searching his apartment for his shoes.

"Harm, this is a new side for you I haven't seen you ever have to search for your shoes before."

"Well, I got home last night, and kicked them off. My mom and Frank kept Mackenzie last night in the hotel with them, but I still got up at 0300 expecting to find her awake. So I started straightening up again, and I put them up underneath the kitchen sink," Harm said as he was retracing his steps.

"Come on Harm, lets go." They clamored down the stairs and met with Harm's parents. The kids were settled in to the car. Trish smiled when she realized life was finally right with everyone she loved.

"Marcus, take us to Leigh and Lil's Café," Frank said to the driver.

1030 EST

Leigh and Lil's Café

They had a nice leisurely breakfast. "Hand me Mackenzie." Harm told his mother.

He shifted the baby on to his lap, and she smiled at her daddy. He took a little of the fruit topping from the top of his crepes and put it on his finger. She tasted it and was completely delighted. "You liked that didn't you?" He blew a raspberry on her check and Mattie stole his whipped cream. Mac reached over and wiped Harm's chin.

"Can't take you anywhere, can I flyboy."

He reached over, "No more than you," he pointed to where Mackenzie had threw butter on Mac's shirt.

Frank came back from paying the bill. "Are you guys ready to go see what they have done on the house?"

"Yeah Grandpa. Let's go."

Mac smiled and looked at Harm, "Do you think she is excited?" Mac asked dryly.

"No," Harm said sarcastically.

1100 EST

1395 Kalmia Drive

King George, VA

They pulled up to the lawn to find the fireplace finisher out looking at some plans.

"How is it shaping up?" Frank asked the man.

"My men and I are getting ready to put the mantles on this Monday, that is actually the last thing that needed to be done. Most of the other things like wiring and plumbing were done yesterday," he replied.

Mac, Harm who was armed with Mackenzie, and Mattie walked into the house. The painters were in, and had put up the crown molding and painted the walls. Harm walked upstairs with Mackenzie. He brought her into the room he had picked out to be her nursery. He was having the room painted an off white. He put Mackenzie down on the hardwood floors that were just installed.

"Hey wiggle worm, what do you think about this room, I thought it would be perfect. Let me tell you what I am thinking about doing in her, and tell me if you like it." He grabbed her pacifier from the baby bag, "Right now its boring, but there is going to be lots of color in here. There are built in bookshelves and in the corner by your windows where I can put all your books and toys there, there will be a big chair for Daddy and Mackenzie to read night, night stories in."

Mac started laughing in the background. "Harm, come see what they painted your bedroom!"

He walked across the hallway and smiled. "What? It's a good color!" he exclaimed.

"It's Marine Green!"

"No, it's a sage green thank you very much. Besides, its an easy color to decorate with. Plus," he paused, and shifted Mackenzie into his other arm, "I gave liberty to the painters, and this is what they picked out. When they said green, I thought of a hunter green, not this," he chided. Mackenzie started squirming around. "Take her for me."

"Sure." He handed over his little girl over to Mac.

"DAD!" he heard Mattie's excited scream from the room at the end of the hall. He walked to meet her. Mac stood there in the room with Mackenzie. "You know what Mackenzie, your daddy is a real hard case to figure out. I have no clue what he wants from me right now." With that, she took the little girl and led her down the stairs.

"Yeah honey?"

"Can this be my room?"

"Mattie, you can have any room you want. Why this one?"

"Huge closet, a built in office area, a nook for my television, how great."

"I thought you would want the FROG to get away from your old man."

"Well Dad, around you I feel secure, not like with Tom who I wanted to be away from. You just being around makes me feel like I am worth something, and like I am important," she said quietly. "You have done so much for me."

"Mattie, you are my family. I love you, you're a smart, intelligent, and beautiful girl. I'm glad your picking a spot in the house closer to me. It just means I can keep a closer eye on you." He ruffled her hair and pulled her into a hug. "It is you who has done so much for me."

"Harm," he heard his mother yell from downstairs.

"I think when we move in here I am going to install a security system and an intercom." She started laughing, "Come on kiddo, lets run downstairs to meet up with your grandmother."

The flew down the stairs. It was amazing how much work was accomplished in the last couple of days. "What's going on Mom?"

"The realtor just called, and said that the house will be ready by next Wednesday. The owner knew the people, and had them drop everything that they were doing and put a rush job on the place. The building inspectors will give the word on that day. Also, the house is definitely yours. Not that we doubted it."

"How cool. Dad we have to start packing!" The rest of the day went by in a blur with plans to go furniture shopping next.

They walked into the closest furniture store. They went looking around. Mattie absolutely flipped when she found the perfect bedroom set and Harm said he would buy it for her. He went to look at nursery furniture, but his mom and Mac would not let him look. He ended up picking out furniture for his new room and decided that his old furniture would be used for one of the guest room. Since his room was suite style, he picked out some sitting furniture his room also. While looking at decorations, he picked out the perfect bedding set and accessories. This day wouldn't be shaping out so bad after all.