Chapter Seventy Two

Harm and Mac found themselves tangled up in the hotel sheets again. "You know, I think we could give Sergei and Coates a run for their money in the love department." Harm said, "And I have around 16 years on him."

"I agree with you there." Mac said smiling. "So do you want to walk around the city before dinner?"

"Sounds like a plan. Did you check in with the children?" Harm asked.

"Yeah, Trish and Frank are doing fine with the children. They are taking the troop to go see a matinee today."

"What about Mackenzie?"

"AJ took her to go see Francesca. Francesca was dying to meet her, and AJ can deal with Mackenzie's mood swings better than your mom and Frank right now."

"Speaking of Mackenzie, we need to pick out godparents for her and get her christened when I get done with deployment."

"Who were you thinking?"

"Well, I was thinking of Jen and Sergei." Harm answered.

"They are the cool young aunt and uncle, how about Bud and Harriet for a sensible set? Mackenzie can have two sets of godparents."

"Sounds good. Now, I am going to get dressed and run some errands down in the hotel mall. Meet me in 20?" Harm asked her.

"Sure."

Harm threw on a pair of light grey slacks and a light blue mock turtleneck and made his way to the hotel mall. Italy was the best place to get pieces of silver jewelry for a nice price. He headed over to one of the merchants and found exactly what he was looking for. 5 minutes later, Mac met him in the lobby and they started off on their tour of Italy.

"Mac you look stunning!" Harm exclaimed as he watched his fiancée walk over to him. She was wearing a pair of strappy silver sandal, khakis that looked tailored to fit her, a light blue turtle neck, and a metallic dove blue brocade topcoat.

"Thank you." She said blushing. She didn't know why, but his compliments to this day still made her blush.

They walked through the open air marked near one of the piazzas that were close to the hotel where Mac found a charm for Mattie's charm bracelet and a pair of shoes that were too cute for Mackenzie.

"Mac, I wanted to go see one of the famous churches in the area."

"A church?"

"I'm a closet architect freak. Why do you think I love the house?" Harm told her. She thought about it and never realized that the house did have some beautiful architectural structures ranging from the vaulted ceilings and the columns.

They walked into the San Fancesco di Paolo Church. Mac stood in awe of the beauty of the church, there were miraculous statues of the saints around the altar surrounded by the columns.

She watched Harm walk over to one of the small chapels. He kneeled down on one of the kneelers and lit a prayer candle for his father and said a silent Our Father to heaven. Mac took her place on the kneeler next to him and also lit a candle. 'Keep him safe,' she implored to God. She put a comforting hand on his back, and he knew right then that he was home, wherever Sarah Mackenzie was, was home. The mother of his children, the love of his life, the woman that made him whole, just being with her was all he ever needed.

"Could you imagine what it would be like to get married in this church? It just seems so majestic. You would feel like royalty."

Harm looked at her. "Why don't we?"

"What?"

"Why don't we get married in this church, we have already finished the whole premarital counseling phase."

"What about family and friends?"

"Okay, so we may be drawn and quartered, but I love you." Harm reasoned with her. "Why don't we just make up our vows right here to one another, speak from our hearts, kind of like a private ceremony, you, me, and the big man upstairs. Then we get home we will have the real one. Our souls are already joined. I know it sounds crazy Mac, but this could be just a little ceremony between the two of us. We will make it legal with a priest and our friends when I get home."

She smiled. "Let's do it."

They looked around the main church and found it completely empty. Harm stood at the altar and held Mac's hands in his.

He looked deeply into her eyes. "Sometimes the words I love you seem woefully inadequate when it comes to describing my love for you. You, Sarah Catherine Mackenzie, are the only person who can fill my soul. You start my sentences for me, you make me laugh when no one else can.

You are the most amazing thing that has happened in my life. You are a wonderful mother to our children. You are the most incredible woman I have ever known, and since there is no other phrase that can describe what I feel, I guess I will just have to say that I love you more than I ever thought was possible. You have saved my life, and I mean that literally." He pulled out a necklace and put it around her neck. It was just a plain silver chain with a heart pendant. "I know we don't have rings, but this will do for now. You are my heart Sarah."

Harm looked at Mac, whose eyes were watering. A tear escaped from her eye and he wiped away her tear.

She laughed, "You know, I don't think I can follow that, but I will try. Looking back on my life, I can think about all the bad things that have happened, and when those have happened, you were always there to rescue me, so if anyone has saved a life, it was you. I may have helped rescue you out of the ocean, but it was nothing in comparison for what you did for me.

"Years have flown by and we have tried to deny our love, to only end up in the same place. I would have to say it was because our souls, our paths, were always meant to intertwine. You have made me feel safe when I thought there was no safe harbor and you were my lighthouse guiding me home when I get lost. You are right, the words I love you are woefully inadequate, but will have to do." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small pin of an airplane. "Cheesy I know." The back of it said "You make my heart soar. All my love, SM."

He tacked it on to the lapels of his sports coat, "I'll wear it always close to my heart." A priest had wandered in right before the couple started their ceremony and he witnessed their vows to each other. He saw their camera bag and instructed one of the alter boys to videotape it for them. He picked up their digital camera and snapped a shot of them kissing.

Harm looked up and saw the priest there. "I'm sorry Father. I didn't realize anyone was here. We were just . . ." The alter boy quietly put the camera back.

"It is quite okay my children. I witnessed your beautiful vows, I hope you don't mind."

"Of course not." Mac told him.

"Sorry Father, I am on liberty, and my fiancée and I were looking for a place to escape the chaos."

"A Sailor? We don't get many of you here on liberty, if you know what I mean," the priest said with a twinkle in his eye. "I will send a prayer to St. Michael to keep you safe. Would you like me to take one more picture of you together on you "wedding" day?"

"Yes Father. Thank you." The priest snapped several more pictures of them just hugging or kissing each other's cheek. He would have to say his favorite, which they didn't know he caught was the look Harm gave Mac right before he tilted her chin to kiss her.

"We are sorry for interrupting your duties." Harm told him again.

"It was my pleasure. Thank you for stopping in, and come back, bring some of your sailors back and we will say a special mass to keep you safe."

"Thank you Father."

Mac gathered the packages and the cameras from the pew that she had set them on and Harm escorted her out of the church. Silently Harm was glad that they were able to say their vows to each other in private before they had to stand up before their friends. This little "ceremony" made Mac feel like their souls were joined in the eyes of God now, and she was happy that Harm came up with that idea.

"That was wonderful Flyboy." Mac said as he reached for her hand. "That was so special."

"Yeah, I know." He stopped, "I love you."

"You know I never get tired of hearing you say that. I love you too." She placed her arms around his neck and pulled him into a kiss. They made their way back to the hotel to show each other just how much they loved each other.