Sorry this chapter is so short, but it was written to fill a major time-gap and I didn't want this chapter to drag on. The next update will be up soon.

Miami, Arizona

County Hospital

Children's Ward

July 6, 1975

It had been a long few hours and Harm felt like crying, something he hadn't felt since Christmas Eve, 1969. He fought the tears, however, because he was still responsible for Sarah and she was clinging to him like he was her only lifeline. Harm was holding her as well, allowing the tiny girl to curl up on his lap with her face buried in his neck while they waited for the doctor to tell them what was going on with Katrina.

He, Sarah, and Katrina had been at the park that was a few blocks from the MacKenzie's house when Katrina had been stung by a very angry bee. Harm knew that she was deathly allergic to bee sting, though he had never seen her after a bite until after she was out of the hospital, and watching his beloved cousin go into anaphylactic shock had torn his heart out. He'd told Sarah to call an ambulance from the payphone by the basketball courts and, keeping one eye on his cousin and one eye on Sarah, he'd experienced the worst ten minutes of his life.

The paramedics had been kind, loading Katrina in and helping Sarah into the front seat while Harm stayed in the back with his cousin and one of the EMTs. Sarah had been enthralled by the siren, the speed of the vehicle and the way cars moved out of their way, parting like the Red Sea, keeping her from thinking about Katrina for a few minutes. When they got to the hospital a nurse watched Sarah for a few minutes while Harm gave another nurse the medical history he knew about. When he was done with that the nurse that was watching Sarah had led them to the family room and told them that they should call their parents. Harm had taken care of that, working on autopilot until finally collapsing into a semi-comfortable chair. Sarah had immediately crawled up there with him and they had sat like that for over an hour before anyone came to talk to them.

Because Harm was too young to make any decisions, he had had to call his aunt and uncle again so they could talk to the doctor. Only hearing half the conversation was worse than knowing everything, he had decided quickly, and had tuned out until the doctor knelt down in front of him and Sarah and told them what had happened.

"Your uncle wanted me to tell you what happened. He said that you'll be able to handle the truth. He also said that you and Katrina are close," the doctor said kindly.

"We are," Harm nodded quietly. Sarah burrowed closer to Harm, her comforting force in the confusion of the day.

The doctor nodded. "Your cousin had an allergic reaction to the bee sting. Because you caught it right away and called an ambulance you probably saved her life," the man with greying hair said. "I'm not going to lie to you, son. We almost lost her a couple of times. But we gave her some medication and so far she is reacting well to it."

"So she'll be okay?" Sarah asked, her voice thick with tears. Harm rubbed his hand over her back in small circles, the corduroy of her overalls making a whooshing sound against the skin of his hand. The doctor smiled at how well Harm was doing at holding everything together, including dealing with a terrified eight-year-old girl. He had seen adults that hadn't been as calm as Harm in the same situation.

"Right now we've got her sedated… asleep," the doctor said, forgetting for a moment that he was dealing with two scared kids. They way they were dealing with everything made them responsible and mature well beyond their years. He couldn't help but wonder what had happened to them that had made them grow up so quickly. "We won't know for sure if everything is alright until she wakes up."

"And when should that be?" Harm asked.

"Between eight to twelve hours from now," the doctor said. "Where are your parents right now? You have called them, haven't you?"

Harm nodded. "My mom and stepfather," he said, cringing at the term, "are on their honeymoon. Katrina's parents, my aunt and uncle, are trying to get a flight out of San Diego."

"What about you, little one?" the doctor asked Sarah.

"They're at work. My mom said she would come here on her lunch break," Sarah said. She hadn't bothered to call her father. That was just inviting trouble.

"Alright. I want you both to stay in here. If you need anything press this button," he said, indicating a red call button by the door, "and a nurse will come and help you, alright?"

"Yes, sir," Harm nodded. He had the urge to stand at attention and salute, but the girl in his arms was more important than the protocols he had been trained in since birth.

The doctor smiled at them and then left, heading off to do his rounds.

"Harm, do you think she's really okay?" Sarah asked softly. Harm could tell she felt guilty. It had been her idea to go to the park. Katrina hadn't wanted to go, but Harm had convinced her to, for Sarah's sake. Since they had arrived they had both seen how Sarah's father, Joe MacKenzie, treated his family. He was constantly drunk or hung over, or working his way to one of the above, and, though they had never seen him physically abuse Sarah or Deanna, his verbal assaults scared them. They couldn't imagine growing up with a father who treated everyone around him like something in the pit of an outhouse.

"I know she is, Mac," Harm said, using the affectionate nickname he had taken to calling her by when he wanted to make sure he really got through to her. Sarah smiled. "What?" he asked, a smile spreading over his face as well.

"I like that. When you call me 'Mac'. There are four other Sarah's in my class. I hate it when the teacher calls for 'the Sarahs'," she said.

"Then it's official. You're Mac from here on out," Harm smiled, tweaking her nose playfully.

Sarah grinned before curling up against Harm's chest again. He stroked her hair the way his mother did for him when he was younger and had nightmares about his father crashing in Vietnam, and she was asleep within minutes.