Divine Intervention

Disclaimer: I don't own them. I promise to give them back when I am finished.

What I think it is going to take to get Mac and Harm together. What might happen after Christmas Eve.

Wow! Thanks for the feedback. I'm glad you like the story.

Chapter 9

Outside Mac's room – ICU ward

2230 ZULU (1730 EST)

Sturgis stepped up behind his friend and placed a hand on his back and firmly grasped his arm. He would be there for Harm in any way needed.

Doctor Booth began slowly, "She developed a fluid build up around her heart. The pressure became so great that her heart simply didn't have enough room to continue beating. We were able to insert another drainage tube to alleviate the pressure and we've altered some of her medication." Hesitating to make sure Harm had absorbed everything she had said the doctor continued, "I thought we had lost her there for a moment but she fought her way back." Looking deeply into Harm's eyes to emphasize her next words, the doctor says simply, "I think she must have someone very special to live for."

Harm closed his eyes in relief. One more chance, he had prayed for it and he had gotten it. Now he made up his mind to take full advantage of it. He would do anything in his power to make her happy. Finding his voice again, Harm asked, "Can I see her?"

Sympathy filled the doctor. She understood his need to reassure himself that she was still here. "We still need to finish up some procedures and we will be running more tests shortly, but you can go in now for a few moments. After that I want you to let your friend take you to the cafeteria and get something to eat. As strong as that marine in there is, I sure don't want her mad at me when she does wake up only to find out that you didn't take care of yourself."

Sturgis took a step forward and assured the doctor that he would make sure that Harm did just as he was told. Knowing Mac better than the doctor, he knew he didn't want that Marine angry with him. Leading Harm gently to the door, Sturgis gave him a reassuring smile before pushing him in. "I'll be right here for buddy."

Mac's Room – ICU Ward

The medical staff noticed Harm coming back into the room. They had watched his devotion to this woman over the last few hours and understood his need to reconnect with her. They backed away from the bed to give him some room.

Harm barely noticed their reverence. His concentration was focused on the face of the woman he loved. He crossed the distance to her bedside in two long strides and carefully took hold of her hand. "Thank you Sarah. Your coming back to me has made me the happiest man in the world. When you get through this I promise to do everything in my power to make you as happy as I am right now." Gently squeezing her hand and taking a deep breath, Harm continued, "You know I never make promises I can't keep, so you just keep on fighting Marine. I'm under orders to go get something to eat and the staff still needs to take care of you, but I'll be back soon, Mac. I'll be here as long as you'll have me." Harm slowly placed a gentle kiss on her forehead then rested his own forehead there, "I love you, Mac. I'll never doubt your love for me again and I'll never give you any reason to doubt mine. Just be here when I get back."

The medical staff was fighting back tears of their own when Harm slowly turned to leave. They resumed their work on the beautiful Marine Colonel with an increased sense of awe. These two shared something that most could only dream of, and they were going to do everything possible to make sure this woman was going to be here for this man.

Mac's Room – ICU Ward

0945 Zulu (0445 EST)

Harm was sitting in the recliner that the staff had placed in Mac's room. It was much more comfortable than the straight back chair he had been sitting in. He had eaten as much as he could. To be honest he didn't have much of an appetite, but he had tried. Bud had shown up just as he and Sturgis were leaving the cafeteria. He handed Harm a small sports bag and explained that he had talked to a nurse and she had arranged for Harm to take a shower and shave. Bud had carefully packed three complete changes of clothes and Harm's toiletries travel bag. Apparently everyone knew that Harm wasn't leaving this hospital without Mac.

The shower had refreshed him and he took up his bedside vigil with renewed vigor.

Apparently the new medication was doing its job. Mac's blood pressure was steadily getting higher. It was almost normal now. Her breathing had improved to the point that she had been removed from the respirator completely. Harm now sat, transfixed by her beauty. His eyes were growing increasingly heavy and he finally could resist no longer. Never letting go of her hand, Harm laid his head on his forearm and quickly dropped off to sleep.

Harm's dreams were full of memories of Mac. Many of their happiest times had come during some of their most dangerous adventures. Suddenly Harm was standing in a clearing surrounded by forests and mountains. Harm recognized this as the place he had found out about his dad. He felt rather than saw someone walk up behind him. He turned expecting to see Mac standing there, but it wasn't her. It was his father.

"Dad?" whispered Harm. "Is that you?"

"Yes son, it's me. I guess you're too big for me to call 'Little Harm' any more," the man said with a sad smile. "I wanted to come back to you and your mother, Harm, I tried everyway possible. It just wasn't meant to be."

"I know Dad. I understand it a lot better now, than I used to," replied Harm truthfully.

"You know, I've watched over you ever since my death. I guess you could call me your guardian angel. I'm not the only one though. You've got a lot of friends up here. I guess that's one of the hazards of life in the military, you lose so many people you care about."

"Yeah Dad, I've lost a lot of people I cared about over the years. It's good to know that they made it to heaven. Maybe there is hope for me."

"Son, I know that you carry around a lot of guilt for some of the things you've done, but forgiveness is given freely. All you have to do is ask for it and it will be granted."

"Thanks Dad, for everything. Thank you for helping Sarah to come back to me."

"Well your welcome, but you and she had more to do with that than I did. It was the total unselfishness that you both displayed that allowed her to come back. You both truly wanted nothing but the opportunity to make the other happy. That is 'true love'." His father looked at his son with a renewed pride, "that is what earned you another chance."

Harm simply stared at his father. Could that be all there was to it. Was that what had kept them safe through everything. The fact that there love was so strong and true.

His father smiled as he heard his son's thoughts. "Yes son that is why you two have been able to come through all of your close calls. Everything that has happened to either of you has happened to bring you to this point in your lives. There are difficult times awaiting you, but there are also wonderful beautiful times awaiting you. Just remember what your friend Harriet said about 'faith, hope, and love. They are all important but love is the greatest of these."

Mac's Room – ICU Ward

1111 ZULU (0611 EST)

Harm felt something tugging him away from this Russian forest where he had found out the truth about his dad. Harm fought it long enough to reach out and hug his father one last time, "Thank you, Dad and I love you."

His father gratefully returned the hug, "Your welcome son, and I love you, too. I am so proud of the man you've become."

Stepping out of each others embrace, they both came to attention and saluted on another.

Harm was snapped out of his dream by a gentle tugging on his right hand. Raising his head he quickly took in his surroundings and realized he was still in Mac's hospital room. The tugging was more of a weak squeeze. He looked back to the face of the woman he loved more than anything and saw her eyes flutter slightly.

He pressed the call button, just in case something happened like it did the last time she woke up.

Standing and leaning over until their lips were almost touching, Harm whispered, "Sarah, I'm here waiting for you when you're ready to wake up." Then he gently place a soft kiss on her lips before pulling back to await her reaction.

He wasn't disappointed. A slight smile came to her lips and her eyes slowly fluttered until he saw the beautiful pools of molten chocolate gazing up at him. He couldn't stop the smile that engulfed his own face.

"Hey," Harm whispered.

"Hey," Mac replied hoarsely.

"You really scared me this time, Marine," Harm stated with an exaggerated sternness.

"I'm sorry, Harm. I…really scared…myself too."

The nurse had responded to the call button immediately. She caught sight of the two just as she entered the room. Respecting the intimate moment she quietly retreated from the room and stood just outside the door.

"It's okay now, Mac. Everything is going to be okay from now on. I promise." Again Harm leaned down and planted a tender kiss on Mac's lips, "I love you. We have everything we need. We have faith, hope and love and love is the greatest of all."

Tears again fell down Mac's cheeks, but this time, Harm could tell by her eyes that they were not tears of sadness but tears of joy. "Oh Harm, I love you, too. More than you will ever know."

Deciding she had given them enough time alone the nurse quietly made her way into Mac's room to check on her patient. Harm reassured Mac that he would be back as soon as the nurse was finished and slipped out the door.