Title: Old Friends, New Relationships

Chapter Thirteen

By: LizD

Written: Late Summer/Fall 2004

Disclaimers: No disrespect to JAG's cast, crew or creators. With love and thanks.

Old Friends, New Relationships Chapter Thirteen - Slamming Doors

1630 EST

Johnson/Coates Residence

Mattie stormed into the apartment and threw her book bag across the room knocking over the lamp, a vase and a couple of soda cans that were on the end table. She marched into her bedroom and slammed the door so hard the pictures quaked on their hooks. Something hit the wall; the sound of shattered glass and a very loud expletive was heard from behind the closed door. Then there was silence. This was not the first time Mattie had flown into a rage. It was hard to know what set her off each time, but it was best to stay out of her way. Luckily – for her – no one was home – not Jennifer, not Harm and not the newest freeloader knows as 'the fiancée' who had been squatting on her newly claimed territory like she had a right.

Harm had had the discussion with Mattie (a week prior to this book bag throwing scene) about his relationship with Mac. He told her that they had been talking about getting married. When he asked her how she felt about that, Mattie said she was happy for him. She said that it was about time. She smiled and almost congratulated him. Harm did everything he could to assure her that nothing would change immediately, but that the three of them should start looking for a house and that he was going to have to think about changing his duty station or retire from the Navy altogether. (One thing Mac and Harm did agree on was that it would be wisest for Mac to stay at JAG.) He explained to Mattie that he was ready to move on but was unsure in which direction he should go. Mattie didn't see it that way, she thought Mac should go, but didn't voice her opinion. Mattie took all that information in with a smile and used encouraging words. Harm thought the conversation went really well and reported back to Mac. Mac was somewhat less than heartened. Mattie didn't sleep that night. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the house in Blacksburg. It was the first time in months – six months or more – that she felt homesick – really homesick. Even when she and her dad had been talking about moving back there, she didn't want to leave Harm, she didn't want to be back there. Now she did.

Several days later Harm was given orders to go to Italy. Mattie asked if she could go with him, but sadly it did not work out. Mac tried to make arrangements for she and Mattie to get together for dinner or a movie she even included Jennifer and Gates, but Mattie's schedule was booked. Mattie tried to get out of it citing all kinds of obligations that she had, but in the end Harm backed her into a corner and convinced her to go.

Please keep in mind, dear reader, that neither Harm nor Mac had confronted Mattie about her 'attitude' (that was Mac's idea, she HATED when people accused her of having a bad attitude – something that happened often when she was Mattie's age) but also keep in mind Mattie hadn't technically said anything against Harm, Mac, the marriage or the three of them living together. If anyone were to take her words at face value she would have sounded supportive and pleased with the newest development (hence the reason this writer had not chosen to repeat them here).

In any event, a lunch date with shopping was planned. Mac focused all her attention on Mattie and what she was doing and how she was feeling about everything from school and boys to her father's death to the kind of house that would be good for all three of them. Mattie's responses were short and sweet, as deep as a paper cut and about as painful. Toward the end of lunch Mattie asked one pointed question that took Mac by surprise.

"Why do you want to marry him?"

Somehow Mac knew that the standard answers to that question were not going to be acceptable. Mattie was asking something else. She was probably asking more about timeliness. Why marry him now? Mac had been putting the relationship on hold for nine years, why now? Why now when Mattie needed him, did Mac have to intrude?

"Because for the first time in my life I understand what it means to love and be loved unconditionally." She replied. "I want to honor, respect and share that with the people in our lives."

Mattie didn't like that answer – actually she didn't understand the answer - but regardless she didn't ask or allow Mac to explain. Lunch was over; there would be no shopping. Mattie would be polite and civil to Mac and nothing more. She was resolved.

X-X X-X X-X X-X X-X X-X X-X X-X X-X X-X X-X X-X

1818 EST

Rabb Residence

North of Union Station

Harm was still TAD a week later. Jennifer had invited Jack over for dinner. Mattie was included but she begged off and was hiding out at Harm's apartment. She was waiting for his nightly 1630 call. He was always ten to fifteen minutes late. That night he was early.

"Harm?" She answered picking up the phone on the first ring.

Hey honey, what were you doing, sitting on the phone?

"Yeah, when are you coming home?"

In a few days.

"How is the case going?"

It is over; I won. She could hear the pride in his voice.

"I knew you would. So why aren't you coming back?"

Got my orders today to go to the Seahawk to do my quals. He explained.

"What?" Mattie's heart sank and she felt a burning sensation in her stomach.

Yeah, I am due. I had forgotten until Jennifer called me today.

"Jennifer knew?" She quickly looked toward the door. Why hadn't Jennifer said anything?

Well I assume that Admiral Schnarr told her to call me and remind me. It's was either do them now, when I am a few hours from the Seahawk or come back in a month to do them."

"Right … of course … it only makes sense to do them now." The pain in her stomach was burning.

I will be home before you know it.

"Yeah, sure … what's a couple of extra days?" She stood and paced the room.

That's my girl. So what are you doing?

"Homework. I should get back to it."

You can't take a couple of minutes to talk to me?

"Sure, sure … what do you want to talk about?" She sat back down and put her free hand on her abdomen.

Mac told me you two had lunch.

"Yeah."

Mattie?

"Yeah, we had lunch … it was good … we might go to a movie or something … I guess, since you aren't gonna be home for a while." She lied and the effort it took to keep her voice light and even was painful to say the least.

Harm was silent for a moment worried about broaching this subject from such a distance. He had to. Mattie … would you tell me if you were upset about something? Yep, that's our Harm, direct and to the point. NOT.

"I am not upset about anything."

OK … if you are sure? Dodged that bullet.

"I am sure."

Can I ask you to do me a favor?

"Sure, I guess."

Would you give Mac a call and tell her that the files she is looking for are in my top left drawer.

"Ok." Mattie pulled open his top left drawer. They were the two folders filled with listings for houses.

Maybe Mac will take you out for a dinner.

"I already ate."

Then dessert. She is waiting for the call, but I can't make it – only get one call and I wanted to hear your voice.

That should have made Mattie smile, but it didn't.

So you'll call her … do you have her cell number?

"I have it, I'll call her when we hang up."

How's school going?

"Fine."

Did you turn in that project that you and Susan were working on?

"No."

Why not?

"Susan didn't do what I told her to do … it wasn't finished. We failed."

I'm sorry. I know how hard you worked on it.

"Yeah, well it doesn't matter … next time I am going to do it all myself."

I don't think that is the point of working in a group.

"The point is to get a good grade."

They were silent for a moment.

"OK, I gotta go … I am getting another call." Mattie said.

Mattie … I love you.

"Love you too."

See you soon.

Mattie hung up. There was no other call. She felt the tears welling up in her throat and eyes and didn't want Harm to know. She looked at the phone in her hand for a long time, hoping he would call her back. There was so much more she wanted to say to him. She felt the hole in her gut getting heavier. She was just about to let herself go and breakdown into unchecked sobs when she heard someone's key hit the lock.

She wiped her eyes and took a deep breath and turned back to the laptop in front of her.

Mac entered. "Hey." She was surprised to see Mattie there. "I was just about to stop by … wanted to see if you up for dinner."

"I ate." Mattie said gruffly and forced her stomach not to growl. She couldn't remember the last time she ate – anything of substance anyway. "Oh, here." She shoved the files at Mac. "Harm just called, said that you wanted these."

"That's why I am here." Mac took them and leafed through one of them.

Mattie pretended to work on the computer … she was not actually doing anything at all.

"Have you looked at these?" Mac asked.

"Why would I?" Mattie retorted.

"Because they involve you."

"Harm was looking for a house for you two … not me."

Mac paused for a moment. "Is that really what you think?"

"I don't have to think it, I know it." She shot back at her. "He likes this place … I like living down the hall … we weren't going to move until you -. It doesn't matter."

Mac sat down at the island away from her. "I'll bet it feels like that to you, doesn't it? That I am ruining things?" Mac couldn't believe what she had just said … but for the moment she wasn't a thirty-six year-old woman she was a fifteen year-old kid trying to make sense of the world.

Between the burning in her stomach and the ache in her heart, Mattie spoke unchecked. "Look I know that you were both just waiting for me to go back with my dad … and I am sorry that is not gonna happen … sorrier than either of you are … must put a crimp in the plans … but it is not my fault … not my choice."

Mac chose not to respond right away. In truth she was thinking about how to respond and trying to figure out what Mattie was really trying to say.

"You kill me." Mattie said shutting her laptop down. "A year a go you had nothing nice to say to him and couldn't get far enough away from him … you threw that Webb guy in his face every chance you got … do you have any idea how much you hurt him? No, of course not, you were nowhere around. … And now … now you want everything … and he is willing to give it. … If that is being adult …" Mattie's venom trailed off.

Again Mac took a long moment. Finally she determined a tactic. "It's a real Catch-22, isn't it?"

Mattie shook her head. If she had ever heard that expression she had forgotten it.

"Do you want to know why Harm and I were finally able to get together after eight years of knowing each other and never being able to get past a certain point?"

Mattie shrugged. She didn't really care.

"It is because of you."

Mattie said nothing, but her expression said it all. She was not to BLAME for Harm and Mac.

"Yep, it is true." Mac continued. "It is all because of you." She smiled slightly. "I am actually a little jealous … well a lot jealous."

"I don't want to talk about this." Mattie stated.

"Fine, run away … it is what most people do … Harm and I could write a book on running away … but let me tell you, someday you will have to stop running … today or ten years from now … that part is up to you."

"I am not running away from anything … I never have." She moved toward the door.

"That's not how it looks from the cheap seats, Mattie."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that I care about you … as much as you will let me."

Mattie studied her for a moment. "I don't need a mother, Mac." She barked.

"I don't believe that, and neither do you." Mac said quickly. "But I don't want to be your mother … I want to be your friend."

Mattie looked away.

"Do you know why?"

Mattie was silent.

"Because I don't have many friends … and friendship is something you work at … Harm and I can tell you all about that too … and finally … I need all the friends that I can get."

"Yeah, whatever." She opened the door.

"There is one thing you will have to accept, Mattie … we are a fact in each other's lives."

Mattie's anger flashed in her eyes.

"It is the truth … at this point Harm would not let either of us go, nor would either of us let him go… those are the facts."

"So."

"So … the only control we have over the facts in our lives is how we respond to them."

Mattie looked confused or annoyed, regardless she didn't want to discuss anything with Mac.

Mac needed to reel her in a little. "I'll give you another fact … I am an alcoholic, like your father."

"Yeah, so …"

"Like your father, I have chosen not to let that disease control my life. Does it mean that I can do whatever I want to do? No. It means that ever day I need to remind myself that I have a disease that I need to maintain control over. Everyday."

"Yeah, so…" Mattie repeated.

"I could be depressed or angry or bark at the moon because I have this disease … I could be resentful, I could lock myself away and hide from the world where drinking is encouraged. … I could give in to temptation – on occasion – and with the year I have just had, being drunk through it would have smoothed out some of the rough edges – made it worse, but I probably would have forgotten most of it. But I didn't. …"

"What has that to do with anything?"

"It is about perception, Mattie. It is about perception and how we act and react to the facts in our lives. It is about accepting the facts of the world and making the most of them." She waited but Mattie said nothing. Mac took a chance. "You can choose to dislike me for any number of reasons --."

"I don't dislike you."

"I could be resentful that it took some fifteen-year-old kid to change Harm into a man that I could spend the rest of my life with and knowing that that kid will always be included in our lives, but I am not."

Mattie waited.

"Don't you think it hurts my feelings to know that he didn't loved me enough to … to ... to …"

"To say it?" Mattie offered.

"Exactly. It took you, it took nearly losing each other six different ways and you to get him to admit that he loved me."

"What did it take for you?"

Without missing a beat, Mac had her answer. "The freedom to say it when I knew he would not turn and walk away from me … and I only knew that because I knew he would never turn and walk away from you."

Mac knew that that explanation was way too simplistic. That the relationship between herself and Harm was much more complicated than she was making it sound. But it was true that Harm changed when Mattie came into his life. It was also true that Mac looked at him differently since he took on the responsibility of a fifteen year-old girl. It was also true that there was a part of Mac that was jealous and resentful that it took that kind of change before he could be real and honest with her. But she was also resentful and mad – at herself - that it took losing another man and a health issue for her to finally allow him in.

Mattie shook her head. She didn't really believe what Mac was saying.

"So you see Mattie … I could be resentful, but instead I am grateful. You did for me what I could not do for myself and you didn't even know you were doing it."

Still Mattie said nothing.

"Do you want to know something else? I love you for that … I mean I don't know you as well as I want to … but I love you for what you have brought to Harm's life and now mine. And I hope you will let me … get to know you, I mean."

Mattie shrugged. Her stomached growled loudly.

Mac heard it. "Well, I got what I came for." Meaning the files but probably also meant stating her peace. "Now I need to get something to eat. I am starving." She got up and passed Mattie who was still standing in the doorway. "If you would like to join me, I would appreciate the company. I have never really liked eating alone … I suppose I could go home and have cold cereal … I suppose … if I have to."

Mattie looked down.

Mac had tried. "OK, well maybe next time."

Mac took the elevator and walked to her car. As she was making the U-turn she noticed Mattie standing on the street. She pulled up next to her and rolled down the window on the passenger door.

Mattie leaned down. "Where would you go for dinner … if you had some company?"

"Anywhere but pizza." Mac said quickly.

"Thai?" Mattie offered.

"Perfect … could use some great –."

"Curry" the two of them said in unison.

Mattie climbed into the car. Mac did not take it as a victory as much as she took it as a good sign. The door was open.

X-X X-X X-X X-X X-X X-X X-X X-X X-X X-X X-X X-X

1301 EST

JAG Headquarters

Falls Church, VA

Court was done for the day. Bud had asked for and was granted a continuance. Mac needed the time to prepare a better defense, but luckily it was the other side that was feeling like their case was not going to hold up.

She had missed a call from Harm. She quickly checked her e-mail. He had sent a quick note.

"Hi, Quals going well. Have one more round to do, then I should be home. A couple of days tops. Don't worry. Love you, Harm."

She re-read the note several times. 'Don't worry', what did he mean? 'Don't worry.' Why would she worry? He was in a war zone; there were all kinds of increased activity from Israel, Pakistan, Chechnya, Iran, etc. etc. etc. He was being thrown off the deck of an aircraft carrier at ungodly rates of speed, flying around looking for God knows who, and then trying to land on a little strip of ship in the middle of an ocean, catch one of three wires so he doesn't fall into the ocean with an F-14 strapped to his back. Why would she worry? Mac? Worry about Harm's flying? Don't be ridiculous.

But why would he say 'don't worry'? Harm would never say that. It was assumed that he would be fine – hell HE assumed it. Why would he say 'don't worry' unless there was something to worry about? Mac wished she still had a friend at DOD, she needed to know where the Seahawk was and what was going on around there. How could she find out?

"Colonel." PO Coates called from the door.

She was pulled out of her thoughts. "Yes."

"May I speak with you, in private?"

"Sure, please … close the door."

Jennifer came in and sat down. "I just got a call from Mattie's school."

"Is she all right?"

"In a manner of speaking. I mean, she is fine, physically. Too good probably."

"Jennifer, please."

"Evidently during debate class, she threw a book at her adversary. It hit him in the chin and he had to have three stitches."

"Excuse me?"

"Yes, ma'am." Jennifer searched Mac's eyes for a moment trying to decide if she should break Mattie's confidence. "Mattie has had a little trouble controlling her temper lately. She flies off the handle – a lot and usually something is thrown … a brush, a pen … something small and it is usually directed at the wall."

"She threw a book at a student?"

Jennifer shrugged. "I know exactly how she feels, I did the same thing when I was her age."

Mac thought that she knew exactly how Mattie felt from just a few months back. She chose not to disclose that little fact to Jennifer. "So the kid needed stitches?"

"Yes ma'am. Anyway, she has been suspended for three days and there will need to be a parent teacher conference before she is allowed back into debate club." Now came the part as to why Jennifer was there. "Ma'am, this is out of my area and since you and …"

"Thank you Jennifer, I will take of this." Mac said quickly. Mac knew for a fact that Mattie wouldn't want her there, but Jennifer was right. This was out of her area. This was Harm's area and Mac would have to pinch hit for Harm until he got back and Mattie would just have to deal with that.

X-X X-X X-X X-X X-X X-X X-X X-X X-X X-X X-X X-X

1348 EST

Mattie's High School

Mac walked through the front doors to the principal's office. She passed Mattie who was sitting outside the office and only made a slight nod to acknowledge her.

"I am here for Mattie Johnson." She told the woman behind the desk.

"And you are?"

"I am Lt Colonel Sarah MacKenzie … I am –"

"You are not listed on here." The woman snapped. "Where is Commander Rabb?"

"The commander is TAD … he is out of the country."

"What about Jennifer Coates?"

"The petty office was unable to come. I am ---" Mac found it very difficult to say that she was Harm's fiancée particularly because Mattie and Jennifer were the only two people who knew about that development. She took a deep breath. "The commander and I … Commander Rabb and I are engaged to be married … I am here for Mattie."

"I can't release her to you … the commander needs to update his files."

"May I speak with the principal?"

"He will tell you the same thing. She has been suspended for three days, and I cannot release her to you."

Mac looked back over her shoulder at Mattie. Mattie was not happy that Mac was there, well honestly she would not have been happy if anyone were there, but it would have been much easier with Jennifer.

"The principal?" Mac forced.

The woman rolled her eyes, made a phone call and a few moments later Mac was escorted into the principal's office. Mattie was unable to hear what was being said, but fifteen minutes later Mac was standing in front of her instructing her to gather up her stuff.

"What happened?" Mattie asked.

"You will be back in school tomorrow, you will apologize to the student you threw the book at and the debate team and you owe the teacher a five page essay on Roberts' Rules of Order."

"I will not." Mattie stood up.

"Mattie, you and I can fight about this all night if you want … but don't for one minute believe that you are going to win."

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Mattie snapped. The principal and his assistant were watching.

Mac lowered her voice and got in Mattie's face. "I am the one who just got you out of a three day suspension. I am the one who made sure that you are not taken off the dean's list. Opinions are great, and spirited debates are fine, but if you can't play by the rules, if you can't remain in control then it doesn't matter how right you are – you are dead wrong."

"But --."

"But nothing."

"You wouldn't understand." Mattie understood that Sam Benson should not have made that remark about Navy pilots being wussies - bombing from thousands of feet in the air – as compared to marines down in the trenches. "I knew you would take his side." Since Mac was a marine and all.

"Let's try to remember what is important here, Mattie."

"Important? I know what is important."

"Apparently you have forgotten."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Your education is important, your record is important, your ability to discuss rationally is important." Mac's voice was quaking. "And Harm is important. He is finishing his quals today – does he need to have you and your inappropriate behavior on his mind? I think not."

Mattie hadn't forgotten and she had been thinking about him all day, which was part of the reason that she got so upset during the debate.

"With me." Mac stated forcing Mattie to follow her out.

It occurred to Mattie that Mac was not angry so much as she was scared.

Mattie caught up with her outside near the car.

"What is that supposed to mean?" She repeated. "So what … he is doing his quals? What is the big deal?" Mattie knew exactly what the big deal was. She was concerned about him too.

Mac turned on her heel and looked Mattie directly in the eye. "Have you forgotten that we are a country at war? Have you forgotten that Harm's is a naval aviator? Do you think that he is just out there playing some computer game? He is running missions – there is live ammo strapped to his plane. He is not up there playing a friendly game of capture the flag or running scrimmages with other pilots."

"What are you saying?"

"I am saying that he is out there in the real world doing real stuff." Mac turned away from her to get into the car. She forced herself not to say 'doing real stuff that could get him killed.'

"He is a good pilot, Mac."

Mac waved her off.

"He is the best." Mattie pushed she was saying it more for her own sake than for Mac's. "Nothing is going to happen to him."

Mac wanted to argue with her. Mac wanted to tell her about the number of times Harm cheated death. About the time that he dumped his plane into the ocean and if it weren't for some very good luck and something beyond her understanding, he would have died. She wanted to cite the statistics of the number of people dying every day in Iraq, Afghanistan and all over the world. She wanted to remind her that it was dangerous enough crossing the street, but to purposely put him self in harm's way was tempting fate. Mac was scared. She was terrified. She had good reason to be. Every other man she had loved had died (faked or otherwise), what makes Harm so different? But worse for Mac, she could not tell him that. She could not ask him not to fly. She had to suck it up and keep in bottled up inside. This thing with Mattie touched a nerve that was already frazzled. It made her realize that she was so dug in with him that she was not prepared to go back to being alone. And to think, they hadn't even bought a house yet, pledged their vows … nothing much had changed; yet everything had changed. That scared her even more.

She shouldn't have said anything to Mattie. She shouldn't put her fears on a kid who had more than enough fears of her own. "You're right Mattie. Harm is a good pilot … he is very good … but you will still need to apologize tomorrow and you have an essay to write on Roberts' Rules of Order. Let's go."

Mattie stood for a moment deciding what she wanted to do. She decided not to push Mac any harder. She slumped down into the seat next to her.

"Put your seat belt on." Mac ordered before she put the car in gear.

They drove in silence for half the distance to Mattie's house.

"I'm sorry." Mac said.

"What for?"

"I am sorry that Harm is not here to handle this."

Mattie looked out the window. She thought of several different responses. "I am sorry there was something to handle." She said softly.

"Yeah." Mac nodded.

"Still … you did good." Mattie smiled.

"Meaning?"

"Jennifer couldn't have gotten me out of suspension and I don't think Harm would even have tried. What did you say to Mr. Pandlum?"

"I pointed out the merits of your argument and suggested that you weren't actually throwing the book at that kid, you were just offering it as evidence to prove your point." Mac laughed.

"Well done counselor."

"I have my moments."

They drove in silence for a little longer. Mac broke it again. "Mattie, have you ever thought of taking up kick boxing?"

"Huh?" That comment felt like it came out of left field.

"Yeah, kick boxing. It is very aerobic and it feels really good when you hit something."

"Or someone." Mattie offered.

"Yeah." Mac had an evil grin. "Interested?"

"I might be."

"Well, I have the afternoon off … I could take you to the gym and show you a few moves."

"I have an essay to write." Mattie stated hoping that Mac would let her out of the essay.

"You do, but you could get it done after dinner."

Mattie studied Mac. There was something about this offer that didn't feel so 'out of the blue' so 'altruistic'. There was something behind it. But Mattie decided to run with it anyway. "OK."

"Good." Mac nodded. "Good."

X-X X-X X-X X-X X-X X-X X-X X-X X-X X-X X-X X-X 0236 EST

MacKenzie Residence

Georgetown

Harm quietly let himself in to her apartment. It surprised him to see how messy it was. He had never been to her apartment before when everything was not exactly in its place. She had apparently been working at home. He silently slipped out of his flight suit and eased open the door to her bedroom.

Mac was lying on her stomach facing away from him. The blankets were pulled down and she was wearing a tank top and shorts – normal attire – she wasn't expecting him. 'Stunning' and 'perfect' were the two adjectives that leapt to Harm's mind. Oh yeah, there was some ego stroke in there too about how she was his … but he didn't put words to it.

She appeared to be sound asleep. It all of a sudden occurred to Harm that maybe waking up a marine by crawling into bed with her might not be such a good idea. Did Mac keep her weapon under the pillow? Under the mattress? He chose to brave it.

Very carefully he climbed onto the bed. He brought his lips to the nape of her neck, which netted him a sleepy moan. He then kissed her shoulder, which netted him a sleepy stir and a moan. Finally he ran his fingertips down her arm and pulled her palm to his lips. Nothing until he softly called her name, "Sarah? Sarah?"

She moved slightly back into him, pulling his arm around and hugging it to her chest. "Hey sailor … Come here often." She said as a smile crossed her face.

He rolled her over onto her back and smiled down into her sleep face. "Not often enough."

"You can say that again."

He kissed her with one of those sailor-home-from-the-sea kisses.

Mac was all of a sudden overcome. Tears were streaming from the corners of her eyes. She couldn't stop them; she couldn't check them. She couldn't even articulate why. They were tears of joy and of relief and something else. He was home, safe, sound and in her bed.

"Hey, Hey … honey, what's all this?" He asked, surprised by her display of emotion.

She pulled him to her and held him very tightly. "Just hold me for a minute."

"Guess you missed me, huh?" He was still being a little to cavalier.

She pulled away from him and wiped at her eyes. "You weren't supposed to be home until tomorrow."

"Yeah, well … I needed to get home." He kissed her again. "I have been away too long."

"Yes, you have."

Mac was again over come with emotion, this time Harm held her as tightly as he dared. As gently and as tenderly as he could he convinced her, without words, that he would always come home to her – if he had any say in it at all.

Several hours later, Harm came in from the kitchen with two bottles of water and slid back into his place next to Mac.

"Have you seen Mattie?" Mac asked as she snuggled back into him.

"Came straight here … but I thought I would be there this morning when she goes to school."

"You are going to leave me … so soon?"

"We have a little more time."

"We do." She closed her eyes tightly.

"Did you and Mattie find any houses?" He asked casually.

"Honestly … we didn't look." She answered as directly as she could. "Think Mattie and I need a little more time."

"She told me about what happened at school the other day."

"Yeah, well." She was waiting for him to criticize her.

"Well, you did more than I would have. I would have let them suspend her."

"You would not." She turned to look at him. "For God sake Harm, you don't let the guilty go to jail, why would you let your daughter be suspended for sticking up for Navy pilots."

"She hurled a book at someone Mac."

"Not something that we can't appreciate."

"Hence the kickboxing?" He asked.

"Hence the kickboxing … she is pretty good."

"Great, now I have two woman in my life who can kick my ass."

Mac looked up at him with a sly smile. "I prefer more gentle forms of persuasion."

"Oh?" He smiled back. "Oh really."

She kissed his jaw and nuzzled into his neck.

He loved it, but knew that it would come with a price. "Just what do you want to persuade me to do?"

"Nothing too painful … nothing that you wouldn't want to do on your own."

"I doubt that." He tried to kiss her but she pulled away from him.

She leaned over the edge of the bed and pulled out a listing for a house from the pile that was next to her bed. "I want this one." She said with a little pout that was so un-Mac-like – but too cute for words. Harm was a goner.

He took the listing and tried to read it in the dark. He couldn't. He reached his long arm over to switch the light on. He took one look at the house and switched the light back off. "In your dreams, doll." He crumpled the listing up.

"Hey." She pulled the crumpled paper back from him and smoothed it out. "It is the one I want."

"It's good to want … it builds character … I can't afford it." He tried to take it from her, but she held it away.

"We can … the two of us can … I have more than enough for a down payment … enough to keep the mortgage within reason."

"What do you mean by that?" He was curious.

"Harm, I have been saving for a house for most of my adult life … I don't live pay check to pay check like you do … I have some money put away for a rainy day."

He wasn't surprised that she had put money away, he was just surprised that this was the first he was hearing about it. "How much RAIN are we talking?"

"We could get through a tropical storm or two." She evaded.

"Sarah MacKenzie … you have been holding out on me."

"Just wanted to make sure that you didn't just love me for my money."

"That is just one of the reasons." He pulled the listing back from her. It was actually his favorite house too, but it was totally out of reach so he never gave it another thought – well it WAS totally out of reach – but now? Maybe not so much.

"So?" She snuggled into him.

"Well, I suppose if it is the one you want … then we should look at it in the light of day."

"We have a few hours 'til daylight." She cooed.

Harm let paper fall off the bed and wrapped her up. "Coming home to you is …"

Words failed him.

She didn't let him try to find them.

They didn't need words like 'I love you', 'I need you', 'I missed you.' What they were experiencing was beyond words.

FADE TO BLACK