I'm basically filling in chapters with weddingish things. . . Both shops that the gang go to do not exist, they were an invention. ;) As for the hotel, it DOES exist, I saw it on Great Hotels on the Travel channel. Here you also get a description of Mac's dress, I hope I did it justice.
Thank you for all of the kind words and support. I really can't wait to wrap this puppy up and put it to bed. I have a lot of good ideas for the next story, I am putting a lot of parts down and then will tie them up with the story. It's, seriously a story I am personally excited over since I have a lot of liberties with Harm and Mac. I hope you guys will like it too. :)
Jackie
Part 4 – Pre-Wedding Jitters
October 7, 2005
1320 Local
San Diego, California
"Get ready for more screaming." Mac jovially told Harm as they stood in the airport waiting area, both anticipating the arrival of Bud and Harriet.
Chloe, who had arrived a day earlier, chuckled. "Do you think she'd be louder than me?"
Snorting, Harm turned to Chloe and wrapped an arm around the teenager, "Nope, you're yelping scared some people out of the airport. Harriet and Bud are Navy, they'll behave with all of the decorum of. . ."
"CONGRATULATIONS!" Well, they weren't quite making a spectacle, but they weren't quiet either. Bud and Harriet stood behind Harm and Mac, each of them with this equally expressive grin on their faces. It seemed more like they were about to get married instead of Harm and Mac.
Harriet launched herself at Mac first, giving her a tight, sisterly hug, which had the Marine gasping for breath. "Woah, Harriet!"
"This is so wonderful, sir. . .The whole office has been buzzing." Bud hugged Harm in that 'manly' way, then turned to Mac. "Ma'am, you look so happy."
Grinning, she looked up at Harm. "We are. . ." She slid her arm around his waist then rested her head on his chest. "I think we deserve a little happiness."
"Commander Turner and Varese will be here later, he had a case today which wraps up in the late afternoon. They promise to arrive in time for the rehearsal dinner and, of course, the bachelor and bachlorette parties. Mike won't be coming, the boating club is having some sort of regatta that he can't miss but he sends his best wishes."
Harm nodded. "Understandable, I know it was last minute . . . What about the General and Coates?"
"They'll come over with Commander Turner, sir. . .Coates is bringing a date." Harriet grinned slightly. She'd met Coates' date; in fact, they all knew him rather well. But, that was another surprise altogether.
Thinking for a moment, it occurred to Bud that someone from their little family was missing. "Did someone contact Admiral Chegwidden?"
"For Godsake's Commander, when will you learn to call me AJ?" With a chuckle, AJ Chegwidden patted the young Commander's back and greeted the others. "Mac, it will be an honor to give you away." 'again.' He added under his breath, greatly relieved that her marriage to Mic never happened.
The group headed out of the airport and to a stretch limo that was waiting. "Cool! We get to ride in a limo!" Chloe yelled out with enthusiasm, jumping in first and heading directly to the TV set. "I've never been in one of these!"
The adults all exchanged looks of amusement. "Frank thought it would be best since it could fit all of us." Harm said with a shrug, he didn't make much of it. In fact, it was all kind of silly, but the older man had insisted. "Let's get going we have a long day ahead of us. . .and an even longer night."
Everyone else piled in save for Harm who was stopped by Mac. "Better make sure that long night doesn't wind up with you in jail, flyboy."
Grinning, he pulled her close. "You mean you won't come bail us out again?"
"Nah, I'll leave you there and go to St. Lucia by myself . . .Maybe I can pick up some cute guy or two." Chuckling, she ducked into the limousine leaving Harm outside shaking his head.
1530 Local
Jean and Veronique's Bridal Shop
San Diego, California
Nervously, Mac stepped into the fitting room and began to disrobe. She didn't want a 'wedding dress,' at least, not the typical kind that were usually over-done. So, she'd settled for something that was off-white, modestly-sexy and simple. The weekend before, she and Trish had scoured around San Diego for the perfect dress. She'd tried on many, settled on few and it was only, out of a whim, that she stumbled into this small, new shop that had only opened a few weeks prior. There, in a stroke of magic, displayed in the window was THE DRESS.
Planning the wedding was, surprisingly, not difficult. Trish had suggested a wedding on the beach and Harm and Mac both loved the idea. It would be simple and the hotel that they found in San Diego, had a small, but elegant, cottage with a garden to have the reception at. They would stay there that night, then, in the morning, head over for a weeklong, honeymoon stay at the Sandals resort in St. Lucia. "Mac, dear? Are you alright in there?"
Snapping out of her thoughts, Mac stared at the curtain and shook her head. "Yea. . .sorry." Sighing, she unzipped the bag with the dress and carefully took it out. "Hang in there, Marine. . .Not long now." Before putting the dress on, she ran her hand over the material and sighed happily. No, it wasn't long at all.
It took her a few moments to slip on the dress. She walked out slowly, biting her lower lip in wait for an approval from Chloe, Harriet and Trish. "Well?"
The dress was actually a gown and for all of its simplicity, it was very elegant. It was made out of satin, a material that felt heavenly against her skin. Sleeveless with half inch wide straps that came down to a 'v' neckline, all embroidered in beads, sequins, pearls and lace. The back of the gown also was shaped in a 'v' that came down to her mid-back, tied off with a ruffled organza treatment that swept downwards into a small train. The smile that she offered her friends illuminated the small shop.
Both Harriet and Trish were speechless, only offering their approval by the matching tears of joy. "Mac. . .Harm's gonna faint when he sees you in that." Chloe said with wide eyes, grinning when a wicked thought presented itself in her mind. "Or he'll want to rip it off of you in wild passion. .. either or. . .probably both."
"Chloe!" Mac said, blushing slightly. She turned and looked at herself in the full-length mirror. God, did she feel beautiful. The last time when she'd been in a similar situation, she did feel good, womanly, but to actually feel the way she was at the moment, it was indescribable. "I feel like . . .I've died and gone to heaven." She whispered, and then closed her eyes in a prayer of thanks for that moment in time.
1535 Local
Penguin's Tuxedos
San Diego, California
Harm slipped on his tan dress pants, then reached over for the white dress shirt. "So, yea, mom actually decided the beach theme . . . I like it, it's nice, different . . .Neither of us really wanted that big, formal thing." He nervously did up the buttons, missing a few so that he had to start over again.
"I am not sure that the Colonel wanted that when she was marrying. . ooof!" Bud turned to AJ, nodding his thanks for interrupting that train of thought with a well-placed elbow to his abdomen. They were both wearing suits similar to Harm, but with a little darker material on the pants and sports jackets.
Harm stepped out, grinning at his friends. "So?" He held his sports jacket with two fingers, draping it over his shoulder as he turned around, waiting for approval.
"Very sharp, Harm . . .Very sharp." AJ said, giving his protégée the thumbs up before slapping him on the shoulder. "I always thought you'd get married at Annapolis."
"I can't say I've ever envisioned myself getting married." He lied, bringing to mind this daydream he had where Mac and him were walking under the arch of swords. It would have been nice, yes, but they really weren't the traditional kind save for the military aspects of their life. After careful thought of the location of the wedding, both he and Mac agreed that a neutral place would be better and simpler. Waiting for an open date to do something at Annapolis could sometimes take forever and a day. The other option was to snatch St. Damian's Church in DC, but that was the same place she was to wed Mic. Just the thought of choosing the same spot gave Harm the willies.
Turning to the mirror he studied himself, grinning as Frank stepped up behind him and patted him on the shoulder. "You're saving me from your mother, you know that son?"
He pulled on the jacket, straightening the lapels so that they remained underneath. "How's that?"
"Your mother has been driving me INSANE about you and when you would get married and 'Oh Frank, when is that boy going to come to his senses!'" Frank said in a voice that was high pitched as he made fun of his wife. "Or something like that."
The men all shared a good-natured laugh, all except Harm, which turned back to the mirror to study himself. He had considered, once or twice, what it would be like to get married, especially when he'd been present at one of his friends nuptials. But, to actually dream about it was not something that men admitted to, especially not men's men like Harmon Rabb Junior. He was admitting it now, albeit to himself, that he dreamed of marrying Mac. He dreamed of the moment they became man and wife. He dreamed of their honeymoon and all of the changes they would make to accommodate each other into one another's lives. What he most dreamed about was being with Mac. Sometimes dreams DID come true.
2020 Local
Hotel Del Coronado
San Diego, California
Harm and Mac sat amongst their friends as the wedding's rehearsal dinner was in full swing. "I hope it's not too windy tomorrow, else I am going to get carried away in the dress." She said with a grin. The weather that evening was definitely NOT cooperating, so the rehearsal was done on the Windsor Lawn of the Hotel Del Coronado, affectionately known as The Del. The whole idea was to have a, simple, beachfront wedding, but if the weather was still not in favor, the hotel staff was prepared to move the event to the garden and keep their patrons happy.
Though it was still a small wedding by most people's standards, the small group of friends had multiplied considerately. Some of it was Harm and Mac's doing; some of it was Trish and Frank's. That week, which was spent almost entirely on preparation, they had contacted old friends, former roommates and even a boot camp buddy or two. The handful of friends had evolved into a wedding party of, around sixty guests.
Still, even with the rather small group, Harm was actually apprehensive about the whole thing. His mind was constantly tormented about any interruptions when Chaplain Turner would pause in askance of objections. He knew there were so many people who would object beginning with one Clayton Webb who he was sure still harbored feelings for his bride-to-be. The thought of Mic Brumby coming to Mac's rescue dawned on him as well, though he doubted the Australian knew a thing about the nuptials, with their luck, anything was possible. That is when he started to wonder about Mac's botched wedding and if he would have done something to stop it? God knows he wanted to, in fact, that as a grand reason why he ran away to a carrier, because he wanted her to be happy even if it cost him his heart. But, would he actually have come to his senses, stood up and stopped her from an impending disaster? That was debatable and, thankfully, something he wouldn't have to think about again. All their past grievances were just that – in the past.
The group around them, which consisted of Trish, Frank, Grandma Sarah, Sturgis, Varese, Bud, Harriet, Chloe, General Creswell, Mrs. Creswell, Jen and Jason, laughed heartily to a joke Varese had said. A joke that everyone laughed at, save for Harm who was lost in his own world. He felt Mac's hand on his, her fingers entwining with his own. "Harm? What's wrong?" Her voice asked in a whisper as she leaned into him.
He turned, kissed her softly and smiled. "Nothing, Sarah. . .I was just thinking."
"Ah, planning your escape already?" She said with a wink, and then laid her head on his shoulder.
Harm chuickled. "You know, even if I did plan one, I'd eventually come back to you. . .Not to mention Bud and Sturgis would skin me alive."
"Don't forget the General and Admiral, they might make sure you wind up in the most freezing spot on Earth. . . Worst yet, the most freezing spot on Earth WITHOUT a plane to fly." She made this shocked look on her face then chuckled along with him. It was good to be this way, loving and carefree in front of the people that meant the most to them. Turning over to Jen, she smiled sincerely as she and Jason too were in their own little world. "Who would have thought that Coates and Tiner would get together."
That over-protective father side of him was already grilling Tiner with a look that would kill. No one, except the two men knew of the little speech Harm and given Jason prior to the start of the dinner. "I guess Coates should be happy that he's working for Sheffield."
Mac nodded. "Speaking of work, have you had a chance to speak with the General yet?" Though everything was running smoothly there was still something up in the air over what would happen when they returned to work. Since they'd be married, they couldn't work under the same chain of command. It was the only thing neither of them wanted to get into, they just let the system (i.e. Creswell) work for them.
"All he said was that we wouldn't be too far away from each other. What that means, I have NO idea." He shrugged, took a sip of his water and turned to Creswell who had this wide grin on his face as if it was his own daughters wedding. Harm suspected, in a way, Mac was very much like a daughter to both the Admiral and the General.
AJ turned to his date, one Marcella Paretti, the woman who stole his heart once and was doing it all over again. In between dealing with Harm and Mac's problems with Palmer, he'd somehow, wound up speaking to Marcella who was in Washington with Francesca while their daughter finished up a spread for a popular magazine. Though Italy was her home and the place where she preferred to live, Marcella couldn't deny her feelings for AJ any longer and soon, the two became inseparable again. "AJ, what will happen to their work?" She asked, loud enough so Gordon and his wife could hear. "I know very little about the American military but am aware that they can not serve together, correct?"
Both the Admiral and General nodded. "The SECNAV is probably not too happy about this, is he Biff?"
Gordon shook his head. "No, but he did come to an agreement . . ." Conspiringly he leaned in so that only the four of them could hear the conversation. "Neither the Colonel or the Commander know this, but Harm will be a liaison between JAG and NCIS. . ." With a grin, he settled back into his chair. "I pulled the hero card with Sheffield. Rabb's going to still have his office at JAG and only handle cases pertaining to NCIS." Chuckling, he glanced towards Harm and Mac. "SECNAV wants pictures and some cake."
"Glad to know his sense of humor hasn't changed any." AJ raised a glass, clinked it with Creswell and laughed at the circumstances and how something that he feared so much could, suddenly work out well. He knew that Harm and Mac had something between them. Unconsummated, but always there. He also knew that it was nothing but timing that kept them apart. With a smile, he glanced over at the couple thinking wistfully to the past and how it wove in with his own. "They are good together . . .despite their differences."
Marcella nodded, "We too had our differences, AJ, but I think it just made me love you more." She held his eyes with a gaze as they spoke from their souls. She'd always loved AJ and knew he'd always loved her.
Harm brought Mac's hand up to his lips and kissed her fingers. "I'm having a bit of pre-wedding jitters." He confessed and a slight tint of red rose in his cheeks.
"Me too." In fact, her stomach was doing flip flops all over the place. "It's going to be perfect, Harm. . .I believe it will be." She leaned into him, breathing in the scent of him mixed with this cologne and aftershave. "I love you." She said softly so that only he would hear. Mac heard him respond, just as softly, in kind. Pre-wedding jitters or not, everything was going to be just fine.
