Title: You Found Me

Author: Katarina Maru

Rating: G

Disclaimer: I am a broke college student who owes more money than she actually has….so JAG…the characters, the story, the name, the song "You Found Me" none of it is mine….Kelly Clarkson wrote the song…and a great song it is….

Summary/Explanation: Ok so this was a fic inspired by a song. Normally I hate song fics, but this is one that I had to do after seeing "Unknown Solider" and talking with a friend, Amber Hoishik, who convinced me that I could do this. Can be a stand alone story, but is more of a sequel to my other song fic "Don't" email me at donovan.katrina at gmail. com and I will send you the first story.

So please Read and Review!

You Found Me

Georgetown

Sarah Mackenzie's Apartment

Friday Night, 19h30

Mac's POV

What a week. Hell, what a day. The General sure knows how to drop a bombshell. I didn't see it coming. I don't think Harm saw it coming either. I pick up a rag and wipe off the area of my kitchen counter that I just used to cut the carrots for the salad. I shake my head a few times trying to clear my mind of all thoughts of today and this past week.

"Stop thinking about it Marine. You promised me a Stickboy-friendly dinner free of all thoughts and conversations concerning this past week." While he was talking I turned to look at him. He was sitting on my couch giving me that Flyboy smile I love so much. He is right. I promised him dinner and no talking about that thing I promised I wouldn't talk about. I let out a low sigh and hope Harm doesn't hear me.

I look at my dining room table and notice that Harm has set it. I look at the stove and take note that everything is simmering and cooking like it should be. Salad is made and chilling in the fridge. I also notice that Harm has turned on my stereo. I have no idea what is in the darn thing. I think it might be some mixed CD Mattie made for me the last time she and I went shopping. Oh Mattie, one more thing I am not supposed to think about even though I can't keep my thoughts from drifting to her and what her death would do to the gentle soul in my living room. I look up to see if Harm is still sitting on the couch. But he is not there. In fact, the only sound I hear is the music coming from my stereo.

"Stop it, Sarah, please." His voice is low, but very soft. Despite that fact, it startles me and I drop the cup that was in my hand. Wait, when did I pick up that cup? I instantly reach down to pick up the shards of glass, when his strong but gentle grip stops me.

"Leave it. Take a little break with me in the living room."

He takes my hand and guides me to my couch. He is the first to sit down. I look down at him. And remember the rules we set up for this evenings' nice and quite get together. Rule number one was no using nicknames or ranks at all. We were simply Sarah and Harmon tonight. His suggestion mind you and in all honesty it surprised me to no end. We tend to use our ranks and nicknames as a way to hide what we are feeling about the other. Rule number two was no talk about work, the events of this past week, and Mattie. He assured me he wasn't pushing me away and that he would let me know how he was feeling when he was sure of how he was feeling. He simply wanted to spend tonight catching up. Something we haven't done in a long while. Not since that night in the hospital waiting room just a few weeks ago. And Rule number three was to breathe. Ok, so that wasn't really a rule, well, it was but it's more of a personal one. Cause every time I look into his eyes I forget to breathe and something tells me breathing is something I am going to want to be doing tonight.

He pats the cushion next to him and I sit down and turn to face him. I take in all of his features and let my mind wonder to a deal that was made so long ago. One that may get fulfilled, well, it seemed that way until…

"Sarah, what's wrong?"

His question stops my mind from breaking rule number two.

"Nothing…Just thinking about…" I can't complete that sentence. He knows that I can't complete that sentence and he isn't going to push the issue either.

"Let's talk." He says with a simple smile.

"Sure." I say and take a quick glance at my hands. They have somehow managed to find themselves nestled between his two larger and stronger hands. Man, I must be losing it. First the cup and now my hands; good thing he has no effect on my internal clock. "What would you like to talk about Harm?" I am making sure that all of this is on his terms. I am not about to screw this up, no ma'am.

"You know." He gently squeezes my hands. This causes me to look up at him. When that happens, two things occur. First I take notice of the song now coming from my stereo. It's one that I love. Why do I love it so much? Because in my mind and in my heart it's mine and his song. It's the song that best describes the thing that is between us and I find comfort in it. The second thing that happens is that I slowly nod my head giving him a sign to continue. A simple nod that basically tells him that I am ready and here to listen to what ever he has to say, so I thought. Suddenly everything seems to get fuzzy, and the song seems to be drowning out Harm. I am looking him straight in the eye, trying hard to listen to what he is saying, but all I can hear are the words coming from the speakers across the room.

Is this a dream?
If it is
Please don't wake me from this high
I've become comfortably numb
Until you opened up my eyes
To what it's like
When everything's right
I can't believe…

Why the hell does everything seem to be so fuzzy and soft and, well, dreamy? And yet I have never felt more alive than what I do at this moment. I watch his lips move while catching a few words here and there. He is talking about the little talk we had a few weeks ago when I returned to the hospital after driving aimlessly around Blacksburg. That is one night I will never forget. That was the night Harm finally got me to open my eyes up enough to realize that my dreams of having a family weren't lost. It was that night that I realized I loved Mattie more than I thought I did, and it was that night that I promised Harm…I feel a slight pressure on the back of my right hand. I look down and notice he is drawing small circles on the back of my hand while he talks. I begin to listen to him, only to have his words be drowned out by the song. I look back into his eyes and try to follow along.

You found me
When no one else was lookin'
How did you know just where I would be?
Yeah, you broke through
All of my confusion
The ups and the downs
And you still didn't leave
I guess that you saw what nobody could see
You found me
You found me

He really did find me. Just when I thought I had lost myself, Sarah not Mac, Harm brought me back. I can't help by smile a little when I think back at all the times Harm has managed to find me both physically and emotionally. Just when I thought I was a goner, Harm comes in and saves me. For the longest time I resented it. I am a Marine, I can take care of myself. But recently I realized that Harm saw something in me that many of the men from my past failed to see. He saw the woman in me. He was able to get past the Marine Green and find Sarah. For some odd reason Harm's voice is louder. Wait no, I am actually starting to pay more attention to what he is saying. "You see Sarah…" I hear him say before my mind goes all fuzzy again. That happens when he calls me by my given name. I don't know why but it does. I begin to look at his lips again and the words of the song once again invade my thoughts.

So, here we are
That's pretty far
When you think of where we've been
No going back
I'm fading out
All that has faded me within
You're by my side
Now everything's fine
I can't believe …

We have been pretty far, haven't we? Man, I didn't realize what all it took for us to get to this very moment. Maybe the past ten years of dancing and pushing and running have all been leading up to this very moment. Maybe his need to hang onto control until the last possible moment was fate's way of making sure he stayed in my life no matter what. I hear the chorus of the song again. I start picking up on some of what Harm is saying and I can't help but nod my head in agreement. Everything he is saying is so true. I sniffle and he reaches to wipe the tears off of my face. What the hell! When did I start crying? Man, it is official; I have lost it. Harm wipes the tears from my face and starts talking again. I swear I am trying to listen, but that blasted song keeps drowning him out.

And I was hiding
'Til you came along
And showed me where I belong
You found me
You found me
When no one else was lookin'
How did you know?
How did you know?

I was hiding. Especially after the whole Mic debacle. But he didn't give up on me. When I had given up on myself, Harm still believed that I would come back…to him. And when I did return, things began to get back to normal. How did he know? The chorus starts up for the 3rd time. I know some of the lyrics are different so it is easy for me to practice on my selective listening. Harm is saying something about how he wouldn't have been able to deal with the truth about his father if it had not been for me and my faith in him. I gently touch his cheek. He then starts talking about what he was feeling during the "Mic Era" and how it was his entire fault. 'NO IT'S NOT!' I scream in my head. I can't listen to this. I just can't do it so I begin to focus on the song once again.

Yeah, you broke through
All of my confusion
The ups and the downs
And you still didn't leave

Boy, have we had our share of ups and downs. The content of tonight's discussion being the most recent. But no matter how many times we have hurt each other, we have always managed to come back to one another. I have to believe that it will always be like that.


I guess that you saw what nobody could see
The good and the bad
And the things in between

Damn this blasted song. Well it might not be entirely the song's fault that I just began to cry harder. It might have been the fact that Harm just told me that even during the bad times, the times when we weren't even being civil to one another, he still loved me. I won't ever get tired of hearing him say that word. He did it for the first time a few weeks ago, and he hasn't stopped since.

You found me

I hear the notes fading out, and that phrase being softly repeated by the singer. Harm squeezes my hand and looks at me with an intense gaze.

"So Sarah, what do you think?"

Oh God, I was listening, I promise, I really was. Ummm….what to say, what to say? The singer brings the song to a close with one more "You found me", but I don't hear it.

"You found me" I say.

And then I kiss him.