Title: Roses
Author: Nicole Riley
Rating: K+
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters or the storyline, I never have and I never will.
Summary: Mac receives some roses at work
Spoilers: Set in Season 9 while Harm is with the CIA.
0730 Friday
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia
Walking into the bullpen Mac wasn't at all surprised to find it empty. The only person she could see was Jen sitting behind her desk talking on the phone. Continuing on to her office, she opened the door and almost dropped her briefcase in reaction to what she saw before her. Sitting in the middle of her desk was a vase full of crimson roses, twelve in all. Placing her briefcase and cover down on a chair she slowly walked around her desk and sat down. For five minutes she just sat there and took in the lovely scent that the flowers were emitting. IT was only when Jen knocked on her doorframe that she snapped out of her daydream.
"Good morning ma'am!" She said with enthusiasm stepping into the office.
"Good morning Jen." Mac replied she was still a little distracted by the flowers sitting before her Jen seemed to notice.
"They were downstairs when I came in this morning and I thought I should bring them up for you, I hope you don't mind."
No…no I don't mind, I am just trying to work out who would send me flowers."
"There is a card ma'am."
"I didn't even think of that." Mac stood and retrieved the small envelope from the arrangement before sitting down again.
Sensing the privateness of the moment Jen said what she came to say before exiting, "I just came to tell you that Lieutenant Roberts will not be in today, Harriet isn't feeling to well."
"Thankyou Jen, it looks like I am prosecuting the Henry case by myself today."
As Mac turned the envelope over, Jen walked out of Mac's office and returned to her desk. Surprised by the use of her given name on the front, Mac slowly opened it and pulled out the card.
Who would be sending her flowers, there were only two real possibilities Clay & Harm. She had made it perfectly clear to Clay that there could be nothing between them, so he shouldn't be sending her flowers. And Harm, she hadn't seen him in about two months, he was working for the CIA, the last time she had seen him had been the day he had left JAG for the last time, and they hadn't really been on speaking terms, they couldn't be from him. Or could they?
Opening the card Mac saw a short poem, it read:
S is for 'so' many mistakes
O is for 'opportunities' that passed us by
R is for all those stupid 'reasons' why
R is for 'righting' wrongs
Y is for forgetting all those 'yesterdays'
Please forgive me, Harm
Mac sat for several minutes staring at the card. It had been so long since she had seen or heard from Harm. She had left him answers on his machine, about ten in actual fact, but he had not returned a single one of them. Truthfully she had begun to give up hope of ever having a life with him. A life that she had always longed for, a life of love and happiness with a man that loved her in return. That man was to be Harm, however those dreams walked out the door when he did. What was he trying to say? What was he sorry for; leaving, not calling, the past? Is that what all this was for, he wanted to apologise for, the past, for everything that they had put each other through? If it was he shouldn't be the only one apologising.
Maybe Harm is right, Mac thought; maybe they should just forget the past and try to think about the future.
For the rest of the day, Mac went through case files, but the whole time her thoughts drifted elsewhere.
0748 Monday
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia
Mac stepped into her office with an armful of case files that she had picked up on her way through the bullpen. When she saw what was waiting for her on her desk however, they all fell to the floor. As sitting in the exact same place as they had been on Friday morning was another bouquet of crimson roses. Closing the door behind her so as not to alert anyone by the mess, she moved around the desk and lowered herself into the chair. Pulling the flowers closer to her, she reached for the small envelope that bore her first name. Opening it and pulling out the card she was faced with two words.
I hope
Hope what? Mac looked up at the flowers and then down at the card. This time there were only eleven roses, although that meant nothing to her, it could have just been a mistake at the florist.
A knock at her door brought her out of her reverie.
"Enter!" she called, and Harriet Sims walked through the door, first avoiding the files on the floor.
"Ma'am, I have something that needs your…signature." Her words trailed off as she stood open mouthed staring at the flowers.
"And what would that be Harriet…Harriet?"
"Ah…just this ma'am." Harriet handed her the piece of paper. "Are these the flowers you received yesterday? They're absolutely beautiful."
"No, they aren't." Mac replied
"Then they are new ones."
"Yes."
"If you don't mind me asking, who are they from?"
"No I don't mind, they're from Harm."
"Really…so you have kept in contact with him then?"
"No…no I haven't, the first time I heard from him was when I received the flowers yesterday."
"Oh!"
"Don't you have work to do Lieutenant?"
"Yes ma'am, sorry ma'am"
"Its quite alright Lieutenant, dismissed."
"Yes, ma'am."
The word quickly spread through the bullpen that Mac had received flowers from Harm. Jen, Bud, Sturgis and even he Admiral had come to visit her through out the course of the day to see if it was true. As annoyed as she was she didn't take it out on anyone, she knew that they were only concerned for a friend.
Over the next two weeks, every morning that Mac walked into her office she was met with another bouquet of crimson roses. Ten, then nine, then eight, until on this ninth day, she found two. With each arrangement there was a card, and on each card she found a few words, first three, then four and finally eleven to complete a sentence.
Pulling the other nine cards out of her draw, Mac began to read his words out loud.
I hope…that you can…find it in your…heart to forgive me for…all of the pain that I…have put you through in the years…that we have known each other. I am…eternally sorry and I ask if you are willing…forget the past and start again with me by your…side. We can live a life of love and happiness, forever.
Mac's eyes were filled with tears as she read the words over and over again. He said all of the right things, all the things that she had longed to here from him, well almost all anyway.
There were three words that she longed to hear from him and maybe one day soon she would, but at the moment she would have to be with those that she had.
Every half an hour for the rest of the day she found herself pulling out the cards to read them, just to make sure she wasn't dreaming. It was about the fifth time that fireworks started going off in her head. Just over two weeks ago Harm had sent her twelve roses, after that eleven, decreasing in number until she had received two today. Mac knew the significance of one rose. One rose was a declaration of love, would she get one rose tomorrow or would she be disappointed. Tomorrow was Saturday, would she have to wait until Monday for the life that she had always hoped for with the man she loved. From the moment that she realised this she knew she wouldn't be getting any more work done. As it was 1630 she decided it was time to head home.
0600 Saturday
Mac's Apartment
Georgetown
Mac lay awake wiling herself to go back to sleep, but no matter how much she wanted to her body wouldn't agree with her.
So instead of just laying there she decided to get up and do something. Not being in the mood to do any work yet, she made herself two bacon and egg sandwiches and sat down in front of the TV to watch a movie. Her choice was Kate and Leopold, Chloe had given it to her for her last birthday, she had always been a Meg Ryan fan, and Hugh Jackman, in uniform was a bonus, a bonus that she could watch forever. And it did take her mind off Harm.
Curled up on the sofa in her pyjamas wrapped in the quilt from her bed, she was surprised to hear a knock at her door. Referring to her internal clock she determined that it was 0730, way to early for anyone to be visiting.
Opening the door she was shocked to see Harm standing there with a smug grin on his face. He had in his hands a long box. "Harm…what are you…doing here?"
"I have something for you, I know its early but I couldn't wait any longer." Her replied as her stepped through the door.
"What have you got for me?" Mac asked as she closed the door, staring at the package to whole time.
Taking her hand, Harm led her to the couch and made her sit down before sitting next to her and placing the box in her lap.
"Open it." Pulling off the ribbon and lifting the lid, Mac found a single red rose and a small card, again bearing the name 'Sarah'. Looking up at Harm she picked up the envelope and puled out the card. She held it in her hands not wanting to open it, scared of what she may fin. Harm took her hand.
"It's okay Mac open it." He squeezed her hand and then placed it back on top of the card.
Biting her bottom lip Mac opened the card.
Sarah MacKenzie, I love you with all my heart and soul. Harm.
After about five minutes of silence, Harm spoke. "Ah…Mac…are you okay?"
"What…ah…yeah."
"Then say something." Tears started to fall down Mac's cheeks. "Please don't cry, did i…did I do something wrong."
"No Harm you did everything right, in the past two weeks you said everything I have ever wanted to hear from you."
"Then why are you crying."
"I don't know, my eyes are defying me." Harm lifted his hands to her face and wiped the tears from her cheeks.
"I love you, Sarah, more than anything."
"I love you too Harm, and thankyou for the roses."
THE END