AN-First off, I want to thank everyone who has reviewed, it makes my day to find out that people are actually reading this story and enjoying it. I am almost finished with the story, looks like it will be around 55-60 chapters, we will see when the ideas run out. Thank you for following the story thus far.

Chapter Thirty Eight

Mac woke up the next morning securely in Harm's arms, she was lying on one of his arms, and the other one was wrapped around her midsection.

"I wish we could stay like this forever," she heard him whisper.

"We could if we just didn't let them think that we were awake." She answered him back.

He caught her staring at the ring he gave her last night. "Do you like it?" he asked nervously.

"I love it. It came from you, and from your heart."

"It was the diamond that my dad gave my mom. I had it reset. The two diamonds on the side represent our two wonderful daughters."

"You are a romantic man deep down inside Harmon Rabb."

"Don't let it get out. Before you get all mad at me, I have to go for my quals in a couple of weeks. I have been trying to drop my active flight status but was told with the country at war, I was not allowed to."

"Harm, flying is a part of who you are. I won't ask you to give it up ever." She had flipped over on her side and he nipped at her ear.

Mackenzie started crying in the bassinet. He picked her up. "Good morning to you too baby. What, you want mommy to change you?"

"Harm!" She picked up her baby and walked into the nursery.

He walked down the stairs and found his family communing over a cup of coffee.

"You know Harm, we thought you and Mac would sleep all day!" his mother exclaimed.

"Sorry, we were taking care of Mackenzie." Mac said bounding down the stairs. "How would everyone feel about breakfast out today to celebrate a successful carnival and our engagement?"

Harriet started squealing and Trish was beaming. "Sarah, so how did he ask you?" Trish asked full of curiosity.

"I won it as a prize. It's a beautiful story. I'm sure Jen and Mattie were in on it."

"That we were ma'am." Jen replied. "But it was all Harm's idea."

"Well, I say in light of my son's engagement, we are all going out for breakfast," Frank said. "Son, you did good. Congratulations."

"Thanks Frank. Okay, let's all get ready."

Admiral Jonas had come by earlier in the morning to assist with the clean up of what was needed. The community had done a good job of helping clean after the equipment was taken down. The two admirals hung behind in the kitchen.

"Okay AJ you were right. I guess I owe you the next couple of games of golf."

"Jett, when you know these people as well as I do, it is easy to guess all of their moves."

They piled up into the cars and set out for a nice leisurely breakfast at IHOP – The International House of Pancakes. They walked into the restaurant and the waiter immediately saw who they were.

"You are the JAG crew and Burnett Industries that ran the carnival yesterday. My children thought it was wonderful."

"Thank you." Admiral Jonas said.

They sat down at the table, and they ran an impromptu meeting talking about the success of the carnival. Overall the carnival raised $37,000 for the campaign of Toys for Tots. They talked about the next fundraiser and how it would be more low key than the carnival. Just then, Mackenzie started coughing again. She reached for her daddy in misery. He excused himself from the table and held her close and rocked her on the rocking chair outside. Mac came out with the baby bag and handed him the thermometer.

"Harm, how is she doing?"

"It's just her allergies again I suspect." He gave Mackenzie a kiss on the forehead now that she was lulled into sleep. "She has no temperature."

"Good." They walked back together into the restaurant and told the story of their engagement. About an hour later, Mattie begged her dad to let her and Jen spend the day together, and he agreed. He packed up Mackenzie and strapped her in her car seat inside the escalade and went back to his house with his parents. Mac took the car because she needed to go into the office to finish up a case she was working on, she went in to her office in her civvies, and just figured she would sign in and grab a pass.

His parents walked on up to the guest room to straighten things up, and he headed up to the nursery to straighten it up. He put Mackenzie in her crib and started singing a soft lullaby to her as he picked up her newly acquire F-14. He caught her watching him.

"Do you like it when Daddy sings to his baby?" He picked her up and wiped her nose. She turned her head away and frowned. "Miss Priss is learning what she doesn't like." He finished straightening up the nursery and took her downstairs to his office so he could finish up a brief.

Same day

1400 EST
JAG Headquarters

Falls Church, VA

Mac was sitting at her desk working trying to work, but her eyes kept catching sight of the ring that was nestled on her fourth finger. She couldn't remember a time that she felt happier.

The marine sergeant who was also serving the duty with Mac came in to check on her. "Ma'am, just checking to see if you are alright."

"Everything is just fine Sergeant, dismissed."

He executed an about face and Mac went to check her email. She found an email from Harm and smiled. He had sent her a picture of Mackenzie playing on the mat in the home office. She smiled as she looked at her baby.

She stifled out a yawn. The late nights were beginning to catch up with her. She decided to take a small nap in the office. She decided to lay down on the couch and close her eyes.

2000 EST

JAG Headquarters

Harm was working himself into a frenzy when he realized that Mac wasn't home, so he had his parents watch Mackenzie as he ran into HQ to see if she was there. To his relief, he saw his car still sitting the parking lot, but knowing that she could still be hurt, he ran up the stairs to her office.

He looked around and found sleeping on her couch. He was relieved. He started to shake her to rouse her.

She was in the midst of a nightmare again. The nightmare that had plagued her most nights. She was back in Iraq in the interrogation room that had become her torture chamber. The cold metal against her cheek was so real to her again. The wayward Marines were shaking her trying to get her to cooperate. She looked up and saw that Harm was getting ready to be beheaded.

"Please don't hurt him, I'll do what you want." She whispered. She repeated it again and again. Mac woke up with a start and her eyes were moist. She looked at him in a daze.

"Sarah, its Harm." He pushed the strand of her hair out of her beautiful face. "Look in my eyes baby." He put her hand to his heart. "Feel this, and know that it is real." Mac fell into his arms, and he held her on the floor of her office.

"Harm, why can't I get past this, I'm a Marine. I should be able to handle this."

He held her close, "I don't know, but we will get through this together, Butch and Sundance, Robin and Batman, Husband and Wife. All of them pairs, inseparable. I will help you through your nightmare."

"Thank you for being Harm."

"Thank you for letting me be Harm." He smiled at her and helped her get up. "You are beautiful with runny mascara." He kissed both her cheeks and whipped away the black smudges for her. He placed a kiss on the palm of her hand. "We are meeting my parents and our daughters for dinner. I need to feed my Marine."

"Yes you do." She laughed as he led her by the hand out to his car.