Will You Always Be There?
Chapter 44
Disclaimers: As previously stated.
Spoilers: Anything up to and including 'One Big Boat' and any spoilers floating around out there
A/N: Many thanks to aerogirl for her input and beta reading
1645
Friday
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia
Petty Officer Jennifer Coates was clearing her desk, getting ready to secure for the day. She buzzed into the general's office. "Sir, I'm just finishing up for the day. Is there anything I can do for you before I leave?"
"No, Petty Officer, thank you."
"Yes sir." Jen shook her head slowly. She always had the feeling that she was annoying him. One thing was sure: she would never have the comfort level she'd had with the admiral. She sighed heavily and turned off her computer.
"Tough day, Petty Officer?" Harm stood just outside her office. Since General Creswell had taken office even the commander kept his distance.
"No sir, I'm fine." She smiled at him. He seemed to be doing fine with Mattie going back to live with her father. 'He's had more time to adjust to it,' she thought. She had been like a sister to Jen. She hadn't been this close to anyone since her mother. She had friends, if you wanted to call them 'friends'. She never had really trusted anyone; Pia was as close as she had gotten, but that was different somehow. "How about you, sir?"
Harm smiled. "I'm fine, Petty Officer." Just like Jen to turn the question back to him.
"Big plans this weekend, sir?" Jen was steering the questions away from her.
"Mac and I haven't really made any plans yet."
"I'm meeting an old friend of mine at McMurphy's tonight. You could say we used to get in a little bit of trouble together when we were younger. I'd like to help her, sir, the way you helped me." Jen looked at Harm sincerely.
She looked so young to Harm. She was nearly 28 years old but she looked about 18.
"If you and the colonel are out tonight, drop by. I'd love to introduce you to her."
"We may do that. Maybe that will help me keep Mac out of the mall." Harm smiled.
Jen thought the commander looked so happy, and she was happy for him. She needed to get a life too. Someday. Jen got her cover and her purse and began to walk toward the door. Just then the door to General Creswell's office opened and both Harm and Jen were startled.
"I thought you were securing for the day, Petty Officer." The general looked at her with an unreadable expression. Both Jen and Harm came to attention, to which the general ordered them to stand easy.
"Yes sir, I'm on my way out." Jen hurried out the door.
"Can I help you, Commander?"
"Oh no…sir, I am just on my way out as well." Harm turned to leave.
"Very well." The general turned back into his office and closed the door. He chuckled to himself. 'No, they aren't getting –too- comfortable with me yet,' he thought.
Harm and Jen walked out of the bullpen toward the elevators. Gunny walked into the bullpen from the stairwell. "A word with you, sir?"
"Yeah, Gunny – excuse us, Petty Officer."
"Sir." Jen continued toward the elevators. She opened the glass doors to the bullpen
and stepped out.
"The petty officer's friend has a rap sheet a mile long, sir." Gunny handed a file to Harm.
"Are you leaving for the day, Gunny?"
"Yes sir, I'm on my way out."
"Walk with me then. I don't want to take a chance on the general getting wind of this. He seems to pop up out of nowhere."
Gunny smiled. 'What do you know, the general has the commander looking over his shoulder,' he thought. "Yes, sir."
Gunny and Harm walked out into the parking lot. Harm opened the file. "Looks like her friend just got of jail."
"Yeah, mostly petty theft until she got involved with this guy." Gunny stood next to Harm and pulled back a couple of pages. It was a mug shot of a very dangerous looking man. His prison tattoos were clearly visible, even from the shoulders up. "Grand theft auto."
"Nice looking guy," Harm said sarcastically. "Looks like he's wearing a lot of 'prison art.'"
"Yeah, he did quite a stretch for drug trafficking. He's been out for 4 years. He's been brought in a few times on suspicion of returning to his old trade, but police haven't been able to make anything stick."
"This could be bad for Jennifer."
"Sir, no disrespect intended, but what is Petty Officer Coates to you?"
Harm looked up from the file sharply. He looked at Gunny directly in the eye. "What exactly are you asking me, Gunny?"
"I didn't mean to imply that you had an inappropriate relationship with her, sir. This just seems pretty personal, you know."
"Petty Officer Coates came to JAG after your time, Gunny. She had a rough beginning in the Navy, but with some intervention from Mac and myself, we were able to help her get back on the right track. She was assigned to the Seahawk; she was Bud's legalman, and if she had not been with Bud when he stepped on that mine I don't think he would be alive today. She was assigned here later that year."
Harm and Gunny turned and walked toward his SUV. "She helped a lot with Mattie, my ward. When I had to be out of town, she made sure she was well taken care of until I got back. I don't think I would have been able to maintain custody her if she had not helped me."
"May I ask what made you suspicious of her friend?"
Harm crossed his arms in front of his chest. "My ward Mattie overhead Pia talking on the phone about Jen. Mattie was worried about her. I thought I'd look into it, set her mind at ease and move on. She and Mattie share an apartment in my building."
Gunny raised his eyebrows. If it were anyone else but the commander, he would be very suspicious of this set up.
"I understand, sir, and again I didn't mean to imply anything."
"It was an honest question, Gunny, and you got an honest answer. Mac and I may go to McMurphy's tonight while we're out. Jen wants to introduce me to her –friend-."
He opened the car door and started to get in. "Thanks for your help with this, Gunny."
"You're welcome, sir." Gunny thought he might just drop by McMurphy's himself. What he had uncovered had his curiosity up.
1930
Friday
December 17
Harm's Apartment
North of Union Station
Mac was leaning against the bathroom sink, talking to Harm while he was in the shower.
"Hey, do you feel like going out tonight?" Harm was putting shampoo in his hair and lathering it up.
This was yet another time when he looked so young. His hair going in every direction, all that soap and water running down his back as he turned to rinse it out …Oh God, never mind. She smiled to herself and shook her head.
Harm turned off the shower, turned around and leaned out of the shower door. "What's on your mind, Mackenzie?"
"Oh, nothing." Mac started to walk out of the room when Harm decided he needed her towel.
"Harm!...give me my towel!" Mac made a grab for it while trying to stay out of his reach.
"It's cold in here."
"Well, it's warm in get it… if you think you can take it away from me."
Mac made a grab for the towel, and Harm got a good grip on her arm, pulling her into the shower and immediately turning it on over her head.
"Ohhh!" She blew water out of her mouth. "You jerk! I just dried my hair, I was already cleaned up!"
Harm tossed the towel out of the shower and pulled her from under the shower into his arms. "Well, let me see….maybe we should –" Harm kissed her deeply and broke the kiss. "–just make sure."
2035
Harm's Apartment
North of Union Station
Harm walked into the living room in jeans and a flannel shirt that he left unbuttoned.
Mac followed not long after. She had also put on a pair of jeans and a red pullover. Harm loved her in red; any shade she wore looked beautiful on her.
"Do you still want to go out, Harm?"
Harm looked at the clock. It was later than he thought. Mac in that towel had made him lose all track of time and what he wanted to do tonight.
"I kind of told Jen we might drop by McMurphy's tonight and meet a friend of hers,"
Harm told her as he was walking away from her; he glanced over his shoulder, looking very much like he was up to something.
"Harm, what aren't you telling me?" Being direct seemed to be the best approach with him these days.
'When did she get so perceptive?' he thought. He sat down on the couch, holding out his hand to her, and she sat beside him. "Mattie called me today before she left for Christmas break with her dad. She mentioned that she was worried about Jen, about how she was adjusting to her going back to Blacksburg. She was also worried about this old friend of Jen's being in some kind of trouble."
"And she wanted you to look into it?" Mac didn't think Mattie would ask that.
"She didn't ask me to do anything – she was just worried and I knew it. When she told me about it, I thought I'd do a little digging and see what I came up with."
"Did you come up with anything?" She was arching that eyebrow; there was a lecture coming…he knew it.
"Well yeah…Gunny found that this Pia Bonfilio has quite a rap sheet…"
"You asked Gunny to help you with this?" Mac couldn't believe this.
"It's not that big a deal, Mac…" 'What was going on here?' he thought. He believed that it was his responsibility to look out for Jen. He saw her the same way he saw Mattie: a person who needed his guidance and sometimes his protection….even if she didn't always do as he said.
The phone rang. Harm got up from the couch and answered the phone, turning to give Mac a stern look as he answered. "Rabb."
"Sir…its Gunny. Listen, I'm at McMurphy's and I think you may want to come down and have a look."
"What's going on, Gunny?"
"Nothing yet…maybe nothing now, but I have no doubt that these two are trouble for Coates. It maybe a good idea for these two to meet you. If they know she's not alone in the world, maybe they will be less likely to try and pull her in to whatever mess they're planning…If you don't mind my saying so, sir."
"I'll be right down, Gunny." Harm started for the door. "Look, Mac, I think I have to go down and meet these people."
"You're right. We should go down and meet them." Mac got up, and they both got their coats and walked toward the door.
They drove in silence for a few moments.
"You sure changed your mind quickly, Marine."
"I just thought that if Gunny was worried enough about this to call you, that something must be wrong."
"Oh…it's okay for Gunny to get into this but not me? He doesn't even know her, Mac."
"That's just it. It isn't about being overprotective, it -is- about the Gunny's ability to be objective..."
"Oh, great – I don't know how to be objective? Thanks for the vote of confidence, Mac."
Mac turned to look at him lovingly. "Harm, when it comes to people you care about, you still lead with your heart. It's one of the things I love most about you."
Harm smiled and shook his head. She blew him away with one sentence. How was he ever going to win any arguments at home? They stopped at a red light, and he reached for her hand as he leaned across and kissed her gently.
"I'll talk to Jen and tell her my concerns."
"Thank you."
Chapter 45
Disclaimers: I don't own any of these JAG characters. I don't own any product or label mentioned for the purposes of telling this story. Any similarities to situations or persons living or dead are purely coincidental.
Spoilers: Anything up to Camp Delta and any spoilers floating around out there are fair game
2110
McMurphy's Bar
Georgetown
Coates spotted Harm and Mac as they entered the bar. They saw her and made their way toward the table. Gunny sat at the bar across the room. Jen introduced Pia and her boyfriend Vince Young. His appearance had changed from the photo in the file. His head had been shaved in the picture and now his hair was nearly to his shoulders. The tattoos on his neck were covered by the combination of his hair and his collar. His features were almost handsome, but the dark, almost dead look of his eyes hardened his chiseled face.
He extended his hand to shake Harm's; Mac chose to nod and say hello. Vince looked a little too long at Mac and Harm caught his eye, warning him off with a look. The man smirked his smile and whispered to Pia.
She was Jen's age but looked about 10 years older. She and Jen were the same height and build. Their hair was nearly the same color and they had similar coloring, but Pia's face had hardness about it. She didn't look as menacing as her boyfriend, but there was not a lot of difference as far as Harm was concerned. They both were trouble and he knew it.
"We're going to have to go, Jen. Me and Vince have a few things we need to do." With that they stood, and Jen walked with them to the door. They exchanged pleasantries as they left, Harm looking hard at Vince. Maybe Gunny had been right. Maybe they just needed to know that Jennifer had friends close by.
Mac was now as concerned as Harm had been. Something didn't feel right about those two. They left too quickly, as though they didn't want to let them get a chance to have a conversation with them.
Jen walked back to the table. "I'm glad you got a chance to meet her, sir. I didn't know her boyfriend was in town."
"I'm glad we caught you before you left." Harm smiled at her as they sat down.
"Couldn't keep her out of the mall, sir?" Jen looked at him questioningly.
Harm smirked. "Yeah…something like that. …Can I get you two something to drink?"
"Sure," Mac answered him, and he got up to walk toward the bar. "Just my usual."
"Nothing for me, thanks." She turned to Mac as Harm walked away. "Congratulations, ma'am."
"Thanks, Jen." She felt a blush creeping up her neck
Harm walked up to the bar where Gunny sat. He ordered a drink for himself and Mac.
"Good eye, Gunny. He did a pretty good job of changing his appearance since that photo was taken."
"What do you think, sir?"
"I'm glad you called me. I think you may have been right about our making an appearance here tonight. I'm going to have to figure out a way to let Jen know our concerns. I need to let her know about Pia and her boyfriend without…."
"Pissing her off, sir?" Gunny didn't know Jen well but he had the impression she wouldn't like this.
"Yeah." That was it. The more he thought about Mac's reaction the more he realized he may have gone about this backwards.
"Tell you what, sir, why don't I just walk back over to your table with you and strike up a conversation with Coates. I have a law enforcement background. They both have records in more than one state. I can tell her I am familiar with their records and just go from there. What she does after that is up to her."
"I don't want to put you in this position, Gunny. I don't want you to lie." Harm looked away from him feeling more than a little guilty for pulling him into this now. Gunny was a good man. He had missed having him as part of the team at JAG.
"I don't intend to lie; sir. I –am- familiar with their records and I did work in law enforcement. I just won't fill in the blanks." He smiled a sly smile.
"You don't know Coates – she can be very perceptive." Harm grinned sheepishly. He hadn't been able to hide much from her since he met her.
"Well she doesn't know me yet either, so it could work."
"It's worth a try, I suppose. Come on, Gunny, and remember…I tried to talk you out of this."
"Leave it to me, sir."
Gunny followed Harm back to the table. "Hello, Gunny." Mac smiled but didn't act surprised to see him. She already felt deceitful not letting Jen in on what they already knew. They sat down and exchanged small talk for a few minutes. Jen had a nodding acquaintance with Gunny and had seen him in the office so they were able to talk shop.
Harm took Mac's hand. "Come on…dance with me."
"Harm, there's no music." Mac looked around the room, there was a small dance floor but no band in sight.
"Let's find something on the jukebox. They have a lot of good Motown…remember?"
"Oh yeah..."She stood and asked, "Do you think they have 'I Heard it Through the Grapevine'?"
Harm had begun walking toward the jukebox. He looked sharply over his shoulder and gave her hand a tug. "Come on, Mackenzie."
Gunny and Jen watched them walk toward the dance floor. Jen looked at Gunny. "About time, huh?"
Gunny nodded. "You don't know the half of it."
Mac stepped into Harm's embrace as the music began. They were both laughing at what appeared to be a private joke. Chaka Khan sang 'doncha hear me talkin' baby, love me now or I'll go crazy…oh oh you're my sweet thing…" That line seemed especially funny for some reason.
Gunny caught a wistful look on Jen's face. He was still looking at her when she turned to him. She looked at him directly. "It's not what you think."
"What do I think?" There was nothing going on, Gunny knew, but he also knew what he saw on Jen's face was a little more than an enlisted person's admiration for her superior officer.
She looked back at Harm. "I do look up to him. I admire him. I can't deny that. He's the only person who…" Her voice broke.
"Hey…look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry. I didn't mean..." Gunny suddenly felt like a heel.
"It's okay…you don't know me really. What I meant to say was, I owe him a lot, but it is more than a debt...you know?"
"I think so." Gunny really wasn't sure.
"He helped me when no one else would, so I wanted to help him too. I mean, I would never…and if I thought he were the kind of officer that would pull something like that, I wouldn't want anything to do with him...you know?" Jen looked at him, searching his face. Suddenly it was very important that she not be misunderstood.
Gunny smiled. "I understand, Coates."
"After this conversation I think you can call me Jen," she laughed.
Gunny shook her hand. "Victor."
"Well, Victor…let's dance."
Harm and Mac danced in a loose embrace. Mac leaned back and looked at Harm.
"What are you two up to?"
"Oh nothing, really." Harm looked down at her with a mischievous grin.
"Come on, Sailor, spill."
"Okay, okay…We are going to tell her….in a round about way…what we found out today."
"Good." She hugged him a little tighter.
"You were right; I should have talked to her first."
Mac snapped her head up and back and looked at Harm. "What?"
He pulled her back into his arms. "Don't rub it in, Marine."
They returned to their table and Jen and Gunny followed not long after. Harm and Mac left before much longer. Jen watched them walk toward the door. They both seemed to radiate happiness. They were so different now. Last year whenever they were in the same room you could have cut the air with a knife. They didn't even look at each other most of the time, and when they did communicate they each seemed determined to inflict pain on the other.
"Jen?"
"Oh, I'm sorry, lost in thought. I was just remembering how they were last year. It was pretty awful."
"They always had an adversarial relationship."
"No…be glad you missed last year. When they clashed last year, they didn't stop until they drew blood."
"People change…I suppose." 'This could be a good way to start the conversation about Vince and Pia,' he thought.
"Yeah…I did." She smiled with pride.
"That's what I heard." Gunny listened, becoming more intrigued with her story.
"Pia and I used to be a couple of hell raisers. I figure if I can get my life straight, she can too."
She was taking the conversation just where he wanted to go.
"How long has it been since you saw her? You just made first class, so it has to have been a while."
"It's been about eight years. She's been in some trouble, she told me, but she says she wants to get straight once and for all."
"Do you know her boyfriend?" Gunny hoped she wouldn't suspect his question.
"No, he came out of nowhere tonight. Pia has to move some things into my apartment; he's going to help her. She's going to move in after Mattie goes to Blacksburg permanently. She doesn't have a lot, but she's afraid that if she doesn't get it out of her car and her motel that it will be stolen. So…"
"Sounds like she's got a good friend." Gunny smiled and winked.
Jen blushed. "Yeah…and hey, I forgot to tell you…you dance pretty well for an old guy."
"Old guy?...I'm not that old. I don't have more than…oh maybe...eight years on you."
Jen laughed. "More like ten."
"Then you're not more than twenty-six." Gunny narrowed his eyes and grinned at her.
"Twenty-seven," Jen said smugly.
Gunny became serious all of a sudden. "You know, I used to work in law enforcement."
"No kidding…I used to be a –problem- to law enforcement." She was having fun.
"You know, that guy looked familiar…that's why I asked you if you knew him."
"No, I don't, really…you're not kidding, are you?"
"No, I'm not…look, you don't really know me, Jen, but if I'm not mistaken this guy has been in some major trouble."
"How do you know this?"
"Look, I got out for a few years. I was a deputy sheriff in New Mexico for a while. I've seen that face before. He has a little more hair and his prison tattoos are covered but I'm positive he is someone who has been in some major trouble."
Jen looked at him steadily. She wasn't sure what to make of this man. She had heard about him from Bud and Harriet. She had never heard a bad thing about him, but Pia was her friend and she said Vince was okay.
"Hey, I'm not telling you what to do. I just know that he's done some time and of course you already know about the time your friend did." He wasn't sure she knew, but it was one way to tell her without confronting her with it directly.
Jen nodded, but she did –not- know about Pia being in jail. She wasn't going to tell him that, though. She looked down at her hands, saying nothing.
"I'm sorry if I overstepped."
She looked at him then, not quite sure what to make of him. He had nothing to gain by telling her this. Did the commander know? "Did you talk to Commander Rabb about what you know and what you suspect about her boyfriend?"
"Yes, I did." He hoped he had not made an enemy of her, but now that he had seen them and met Jen, he felt he had made the right decision. This was a minefield of another kind. Oh well, the first step is always the hardest one.
"He was concerned, Jen. You have a lot of friends at JAG. Friends who don't want to see you get into any trouble."
She knew he was right. "I know." She looked away from him. Tears stung her eyes. She had been so lucky to find them all.
Gunny leaned forward across the table a bit and caught her eyes. "So, are we going to be friends?"
Jen looked up, blinking the tears away and smiled at him. "I think I'd like that."
2330
Harm's Apartment
North of Union Station
Harm and Mac stepped out of the elevator. Harm looked down the hallway toward Jen's apartment and saw a note taped to the door. It read "Jen…Gone for a few days. See you after Christmas. Pia"
It looked as though Gunny's suggestion had worked. They were probably out of the state by now, Harm thought.
"Looks like Jen's friend and her companion have moved on." Harm said smugly.
"I hope you're right, for Jen's sake." Mac raised eyebrows.
Harm took her hand and they went back to his apartment door. Mac yawned sleepily.
"Looks like it's about time I put you to bed, Mackenzie." Harm kissed her cheek after he unlocked the door.
"Sounds like a plan." She stepped in the doorway and slipped her coat off.
Harm had flipped on the light by the door and then he scooped Mac up in his arms. He carried her to his bed and pretended that he was going to dump her on the bed.
"Don't you do it, Sailor," Mac said in her best mean Marine voice, but with a smile on her face.
"Oh...I don't know, Mac….I think I owe you for that 'I Heard It Through The Grapevine' crack."
Mac laughed out loud. "If I go, you're going with me."
Their laughter carried out to the hall and Jen heard them when she passed their door. She saw the note and read it. She wondered if Pia would be back.
Jennifer needn't have wondered. Pia and Vince would return for what they had hidden in her closet.
Chapter 46
Disclaimers: I don't own any of these JAG characters. I don't own any product or label mentioned for the purposes of telling this story.
Spoilers: Anything up to Camp Delta and any spoiler floating around out there
A/N: Thanks to aerogirl for the beta reading and encouragement
1345
Saturday
December 18th
Roberts Residence
Harm and Mac stood on the front porch and rang the door bell. Harm stepped closer to Mac and placed his arm around her. "Are you going to be okay with this?"
"Of course...why wouldn't I be?" Mac looked at him questioningly.
"I just thought that..." He was getting ready to place his foot squarely in his mouth.
"Never mind." He kissed her temple.
"Harm...I…" She was fine...he needed to stop worrying about whether or not they would be able to have biological children. It was too far in the future as far as she was concerned.
Bud interrupted them by opening the door. "Hello sir…ma'am."
"Bud," they both said at once. They had both hoped he would relax a bit once he made lieutenant commander.
"I'm sorry…I just don't think I'll ever be able to do that." He invited them in and they made their way into the den. Harriet sat in a rocking chair with one of the girls and the other baby lay in a bassinette near the chair.
"Hello, Mommy," Mac teased as she approached her.
"Hi, come see my girls." Harriet beamed. She was so proud.
Mac had not been to see the babies since they were born. She had not avoided them; it had only been a little over a week and she wanted to give Harriet a chance to recover before visiting...
"They already look so different," Harm said.
Mac walked over to the bassinette to see a sleeping baby Jennifer.
Harriet knew she wanted to hold one of them. "Here, come and hold Justice while Jennifer is sleeping. She's wide awake, but I don't know how long that will last. They're both sleeping a lot…Thank God."
Mac lifted the baby carefully from Harriet's arms, and then sat down on the couch, cradling the baby in her arms. Justice looked at her as though she were studying her. "Hello, sweetheart." The baby's eyes opened wider.
Bud walked up beside the arm of the couch. "Say hello to your Aunt Mac, sweetie."
The baby turned toward her father's voice.
Harm had been looking at baby Jennifer, but when Mac spoke to Justice, he began to walk toward them. Seeing her hold the baby made his heart ache. He hadn't been prepared for this. All he knew was that he never wanted to lose Mac. He still didn't want to risk her life, but he realized now that he had wanted -their- children too. He sat down next to Mac and leaned in to say hello. The baby turned again toward the voice.
"Isn't it disgusting…babies seem to focus more on a male voice than a female voice….how fair is that?" Harriet chuckled, bracing her abdomen with a small pillow.
"How are you doing, Harriet?" Harm wanted to know; he needed the reality check.
Oh, I'm fine…I'm resting pretty well. Jen came by for a while the first two nights I was home. Bud helps and really little AJ and Jimmy seem to be entertaining each other these days. It's almost too perfect."
Just then baby Jennifer made herself known with a piercing wail. Harriet looked at the clock. "Right on time."
Bud leaned down and lifted the baby from Mac's arms. "Let's go into the kitchen and have coffee so Harriet can feed baby Jen." He smiled at Harm, noting the almost panicked look on his face as he quickly got up and left the room.
They sat in the kitchen and drank their coffee while Justice slept soundly in the crook of her father's arm. Harm noticed how much at ease Bud was with the baby. He seemed barely aware of her at times, but then she would squirm a bit and he would automatically comfort her, seemingly unaware he had done so. Mac and Bud were talking about the difference in the twins' sleeping and eating habits. Harm had quietly listened before becoming lost in his own thoughts. Harriet walked gingerly into the kitchen.
"Hey, honey, we could have come back in to you." Bud frowned slightly with concern.
"It's okay, Bud. I needed to get out of that chair for a while. I wanted to come in here and have an adult conversation with someone besides you, honey."
They all laughed, and Harriet braced herself with her pillow. "Come on, we need to catch up." Harriet nodded toward their sunroom which was beautifully decorated for the season. A beautiful Fraser fir sat in the middle of the room, decorated with silver and gold ribbons and ornaments.
They stood at the window, looking out at the snow-covered yard, filled with numerous snow angels, a snowman and what looked like an attempt or two at a snow fort.
"Looks like someone's been busy."
"Yeah, Bud has been trying to keep the boys occupied for me. It's helping too. The kids are worn out. They play out there till they're exhausted. That's why it's so quiet in here – they passed out after lunch. Jimmy especially loved the snow. He cried when we made him come in. He was nearly frozen but he wanted to stay out. He should have been our December baby." Harriet eased down into a chair near the window.
"You found out about him on Christmas Eve, though," Mac remembered.
'That's true, speaking of Christmas Eve...congratulations."
"Thank you, Harriet. I know this is sudden." Mac sat down in a chair across from her.
"We are both sorry you and Bud won't be there."
"We're sorry to miss it, ma'am. I am so happy for you, though. It really is about time; I'm so glad you two finally found your way to each other."
"Me too." Mac smiled at the thought.
"If you're half as happy as Bud and I have been, you'll have a wonderful life."
"I think we will be, Harriet. We've waited too long and have both been through too much to waste any more time apart." Mac remembered that Harriet and Bud had both suffered losses during their marriage but they had enough love to get them through. She knew she and Harm would too.
Harm sat across from Bud at the breakfast nook. "So, sir…are you ready?'
"Ready?"
"You know...in less than a week your days of being single are over." Bud waggled his eyebrows.
Harm chuckled. "You know, I can say with all honesty that I have had enough of being single."
Justice snuggled into her father's side a bit and drew Harm's gaze to her. His face softened. "I can't believe that just a couple of weeks ago she wasn't here and now…"
Bud nodded knowingly and finished Harm's sentence. "And now I can't imagine the world without her. You never know, sir, maybe someday you and Mac will start your family."
"I don't know, Bud – I really don't know if we can take the risk." He looked out the window.
"You never know, sir."
"I know, but think of it this way, Bud. You can't imagine your life without her." He nodded toward the baby sleeping in his arms. "But can you imagine your life without Harriet?"
Bud looked down and tightened his hold slightly on the baby. "I would hate to have to choose, sir."
Harriet and Mac were making their way back into the room. "Harm, we should probably let Harriet get some rest while the babies are sleeping."
Harm stood, "I'm ready whenever you are."
They got their coats and made their way to the door. Harriet carefully hugged Mac and then Harm. "I'm so happy for both of you….Take lots of pictures."
They all laughed, it was terrible that Harriet of all people wouldn't be at their wedding. They had the feeling she had been rooting for them all along. Harm and Mac made their way out to his SUV.
They drove back toward Harm's apartment in silence, both of them deep in thought. Mac broke the silence. "Harm, I want you to do something for me."
"What?" Harm took her hand and unconsciously brought it to his lips, his eyes never leaving the road.
"Please stop trying to protect me...where children are concerned. What I mean is…I really am okay; we have a year before we will really know whether or not we will have our own children. We are just beginning now, Harm, and the possibilities are endless as far as I'm concerned. I want you to relax and be happy, for what we have now and for what we will have no matter what happens."
"I know…and I'm sorry, Mac." He didn't really realize how much he had been thinking about this until today. He glanced at her. She wasn't angry; she just looked at him with love and concern. "I'll stop asking if you will promise to tell me if something does make you uncomfortable. We spent such a long time missing signals; I just don't want to go back to that." He looked at her lovingly.
"I promise." She kissed his cheek.
1730
Wednesday
December 22nd
Harm's Apartment
North of Union Station
Harm stood at the stove finishing up the stir fry they were going to have for dinner. One more day and they would be out of there and on their way to Belleville. He smiled at the thought of it. He could not believe everything they had been able to accomplish. On Sunday they had gotten everything squared away with her apartment. They would stay at his apartment for the time being. That had been Mac's idea, and Harm was relieved by it. He had worked so hard on the place; he wasn't ready to give it up just yet. They would put her furniture in storage after they returned and be completely out by the end of the month. Mac had shopped for her dress and done some Christmas shopping on her own. He had done some shopping as well. He hoped she liked what he had planned for her. He was counting on it. The paperwork for their marriage license had been completed. All they had to do now was get through tomorrow. The doorbell rang, startling him out of his reverie.
He walked to the door and looked through the security lens. "Keeter?" Harm opened the door, surprised. "What are you doing here?"
"Is that any way to greet a friend?"
"If he isn't glad to see you, then he really won't be glad to see me." His grandmother stepped into view, her blue eyes twinkling.
"What are you two doing?" Harm opened the door wider but didn't invite them in.
"Harm, I know you were raised right, aren't you going to invite us in?" His grandmother laughed.
"I'm sorry." He stepped aside, and Jack and his grandmother walked into the room.
Mac stepped into the room, carrying a suitcase and a small carrying case. She looked at Mrs. Rabb and greeted her "Hello, Sarah." She was dressed in a soft brown sweater and jeans in a darker shade of brown.
Harm thought she looked beautiful and she was apparently going somewhere without him.
Mrs. Rabb smiled. "Hello, Mac, are you ready?"
"After we have dinner and Harm has a chance to take all this in, we'll be off." She took the suitcases to the door and turned to Harm, who stood looking from her to his grandmother. She placed her hand on his arm.
"I've been keeping a little secret. I got an extra day of leave. I want an extra day to get ready, so we can make this day as special as it can be." She looked into his eyes and his look softened. "I'll be going to Belleville tonight with your grandmother and you'll come up tomorrow with Jack."
Harm narrowed his eyes. "You two pulled a fast one on me, didn't you?" He kissed her quickly on the lips.
"I didn't want to give you a chance to talk me out of it." She smiled at him, she would miss him, but it would only be a couple of nights.
Mrs. Rabb couldn't resist teasing Harm a bit. "She knows you pretty well, doesn't she, son?"
They all laughed and sat down to have dinner. It was a good thing that Harm had made extra for lunch tomorrow, so there was plenty for everyone.
"You should have seen your grandmother, Harm. I let her drive on the way down. I think I know where you got your love of speed." He looked at Mrs. Rabb.
"Oh, for heaven's sake. I've seen how you drive, young man." Mrs. Rabb huffed. "I'm a good driver."
"Yeah...for Daytona." Jack dodged as Mrs. Rabb swatted at his arm.
"That really is a high powered vehicle you have out there, Jack. I was going eighty-five miles an hour before I knew it." Mrs. Rabb grinned sheepishly.
"Oh, before you knew it, huh?" Harm teased
Mac spoke up. "By the way, Harm, I'll be taking the SUV, so we'll only have one vehicle once we're there."
Harm, who had been smiling broadly throughout the whole conversation, suddenly became serious. "You'll be driving the whole way…..right?"
Mrs. Rabb was floored. "Well… Harmon Rabb!"
They all broke up laughing but Harm was dead serious. He did not want his grandmother driving his vehicle. He considered himself a brave man, but his grandmother had the ability to make him hold on for dear life, especially in a turn.
"I wasn't going to drive anyway, Harmon. Mac is more familiar with Washington than I am." She frowned at Harm.
"Am I still your favorite grandson?" He raised his eyebrows. He really did hope he hadn't hurt her feelings.
She got up to take her plate to the sink. She tugged his earlobe and patted his cheek.
"I suppose so." She took her plate in the kitchen and walked back to the table.
"Have you spoken to Sergei, Harm?"
"I talked to him for a bit on Sunday. I told him about the wedding. He wasn't surprised, for some reason." He looked at Mac and reached over to take her hand. "He seems to be doing alright. I wish he would come back here, though."
Mrs. Rabb was worried about him. "The reports I have read in the paper make it sound as though things are getting more and more oppressive again in Russia. I would hate to lose contact with him completely."
"I know, Grandma – I asked him about that. He didn't seem worried about it. He promised he would call after the first of the year."
"It would be wonderful to have you both here." Mrs. Rabb had been thinking about Sergei a lot lately.
"You know, Harm, I've been wondering about something since you spoke to Sergei on Sunday." Mac thought she may have a solution to connecting Sergei to Harm senior.
"What about?"
"Mrs. Rabb, do you have a lock of Harm senior's hair: you know, a baby curl, or something like that?"
"Yes, I do." It was sealed in an envelope with his first year album and baby clothes.
Harm wondered why he hadn't thought of this before. "I've got the letters, too, the ones he wrote Grandma." If he could get Sergei back here, maybe he would be able to get him citizenship more quickly. They would definitely talk about this when they spoke again. "Good idea, Marine." Harm smiled at Mac.
They cleaned up quickly and Mac and Mrs. Rabb got things ready to go. Harm loaded Mac's things into the SUV. Then the realization dawned on him that he wasn't going to get to be with her tonight or tomorrow night, not with Chaplain Turner staying at his grandmother's.
Mac noticed that Harm had gotten quiet. "It's only a couple of nights, Harm."
He opened her car door and she got behind the wheel. "I know."
It was unreasonable, but he wanted her with him. He would miss her tonight. He leaned in and kissed her goodbye. Mac started to break the kiss but he deepened it.
Just then Mrs. Rabb opened the car door on her side and Jack hooted, "Break it up, you two."
Harm leaned back and looked into her eyes. "See you at the church, Mackenzie. I'll be the tall guy down front in the suit."
"Oh, I'll find you, flyboy." She turned the key in the ignition and they were off.
Harm watched them drive away.
"You really have it bad, don't you, Rabb?" Jack laughed and shook his head.
"I'm afraid so." Harm smiled as he continued to look in the direction Mac had driven..
TBC
A/N: Yes.. I know…you may recognize the play on the line from 'Steel Magnolias.'
Shelby's line to Jackson. 'I'll be the one down front, in the veil.' Couldn't resist it, it was too perfect.