A/N: Ah, I can't believe how many people got on me about the cliffie in the last chap! LOL, so I thought I'd better update. Keep your hair on . . .
Thanks go out to: Bite Beccy, Bail's Other Daughter, Steelo, Starryeyes10, Kitty X, martini1988, QueenOfAces, froggy0319, alix33, mjag, moonlight, nursejay80, AnMaDeRoNi, snugglebug, jaggurl, Anne, ficchic, dansingwolf, Radiorox, cbw, wishwaters, Rocket Rain, sgcgirl52, tlk29, JJScottishGirl, Blueangel, aj, French-navy girl, Marge, Jane, Tina Frank, highplainswoman, mac AND harm fan, Ali Baba, super ducky, tumblebuttons, AB, Abigiale, macandharmlover, jazzy, vhosek malacath, Britainy, MartiniMac, HighHeel Shoe Lover, Sirus 745, Fan, Pissed off Poet 1, southernqt, BrittanyLS, sugar230, K, Ilovemyselftoday, eggy weg, xobabygurlxo, Reni-Maniac, Cille, ForensicsFreak1988, HMtogether4ever, MaritzaCarmichael, Lara783, janessab, tizy, June, vrbinkaCZ, Cherise, DD2, Bekka, Lani-LoveNPain, Dessler, mommie, daisymh, Laura, confused, basketball babe8, Strawberry Kittens, rainydays502, S, Broesel, ady, Kristie, writingismything, TV Angel 711, TaTe.ArI.Obsessed.Writers, MiDushiNoSushi, Basketball Babe8, Alex, Angie, Toplesslemon, Jules, prinnie, CJKS and ninjagirl987 for your wonderful reviews!
Note: Keep in mind that I know next to nothing about pregnancy/giving birth so . . . I'm just winging it here. If I miss any crucial part of the whole process please know that I did my very best!
Flashback to 'The Meeting'
"And back on topic," Vera says over the noise of everyone else. "As Turner pointed out just a few minutes ago, there IS a reason why you were called here." She looks almost weary as she tucks a strand of wavy auburn hair behind her ear. "And that is –"
And then a pained cry cut sharply through the air stopping Vera in mid-sentence.
One to Ten
2042
28 Belleville Drive
Harm's POV
"You're freaking kidding me!" The Admiral exclaims, leaning Mac back against the arm chair. All I can do is stand in the corner, body stiff and my heart hammering within my chest. Mac's hands clutch at her stomach as her breathing suddenly becomes heavy and ragged, her cheeks glowing a very dark shade of pink. He turns to me, "do I just attract abrupt pregnancies?"
"I dunno, sir," I replied/screamed, going into a fit of pacing. "Hurry, we've got to call a doctor!"
"And tell them what?" Webb snaps from the corner.
"That we've got a woman going into labor!" I holler back, startling those who remained unruffled in the room.
"Newsflash, Rabb!" Webb screams back hoarsely, his light grey eyes conveying the alarm and panic that I was feeling, "We are having this meeting AGAINST REGS. Inside this room there are THREE CIA agents, two NAVY men, one pregnant marine, one man who's supposedly missing," Clay waved to an abashed Anthony Shapiro that stood in the corner, "a boy I'm hiring illegally," he motions to Teddy White, who though not a boy – can't be more than nineteen, "And a DEAD MAN! You cannot GET any more ILLEGAL than THIS!'"
"Then what are we supposed to do?" I hollered back. "She's going to give BIRTH here, Webb!"
"I know!" Webb screamed back.
A dead silence follows and then, "you're not seriously proposing that she give birth here, are you?" Vera's voice is astonished.
"Well, where else is she going to give birth?" Webb challenged wildly.
"In a hospital like NORMAL PEOPLE!" Jake's joined in the shouting match.
"But we can't!" Clay hollered. "Who's going to check her in?"
"YOU!" Vera, Jake, and I all scream at the same time.
"I can't!" Clay screamed back. "I'm supposed to be off the case!"
"Off what case?" Vera asked, the volume of her voice dampening slightly.
"This case!" Clay shouts hoarsely, a defeated look suddenly overpowering his features. "This . . . this case," his voice has calmed down. "Kovac took me off it this morning." His eyes meet Jake's and Vera's. "You guys, too."
A long hollow silence follows. "What do you mean?" Jake asked.
"I mean," Clay heaved a sigh. "You guys are off the case. Rabb," he turns to me, "Welcome back to the world of the living."
"Wait, no," Vera said, shaking her head. "Kovac can't do this. He just . . . can't! Abbas will kill Harm!"
"I'm not going anywhere!" I cut in ferociously. "Abbas won't get me."
"But, dammit, Rabb, we can't protect you any more!" Webb hollered at me. "You're on your own this time! You're . . . we can't . . ." He trailed off. "Jake, Vera, get out of here."
"What?" Jake asked, verbalizing all our thoughts.
"I said go, get out. Go to Kovac," Webb said passionately, gesturing at the door. "I'm not bringing you down with me. I'll stay and protect Harm. We'll carry out the plan. Just go."
Mac shrieks in pain but she's temporarily forgotten.
"We're not leaving you, Clay," Vera said strongly, walking up to Webb. Clay looked away, but Vera turned his head towards hers, forcing their eyes to meet. "Believe it or not, we're a team. Just like I couldn't do it without you, you can't do it without us." She looks around wildly, "Dammit Clay, you NEED us."
"And YOU need to have YOUR job," Clay retaliated. "Face it, the only reasons why we're of any use is because of our connections." The sentence strikes a nerve. "We all have a past with Abbas and that's why we're all so eager to catch him. But we can't let this ruin our lives," Clay speaks passionately and intently, his voice strong. "At least, I can't let it ruin yours," he lifts his eyes to meet Jake's, "either of yours. Now get out of here while you can."
"I'm not leaving you," Vera snapped back, her dark eyes shining. "We're all going to make it through this. I don't care if I have no job to get back to. Dammit, you yourself said Abbas has got to be caught. Well I agree," Vera stares at Clay, a foreign emotion flashing in her eyes, "stop playing the hero, Webb. It doesn't work for you."
"Can you talk about this at some other time!" Mac hollers from the arm chair, immediately followed by a shriek of pain. Instantly I'm kneeling by her side, trying very hard to breathe. I am, that is.
"I stand by what I said before!" I hollered through gritted teeth as I let Mac take my hand and squeeze with bone-breaking strength. "CALL A DAMN DOCTOR!"
"And like I told you before!" Webb hollered back, also kneeling beside Mac. "WE CAN'T DO THAT!"
"Then what are we supposed to do, Webb?" I challenged incredulously. "Have my kid here?"
"Well, that's the current plan," Webb reeled off wildly. He turned around, "Admiral, I believe you've delivered a baby before."
"Well I didn't damn well plan on making a career out of it!" the Admiral hollered back, but nonetheless stooping in front of Mac. "Has anyone timed how far apart the contractions are?"
"Five minutes, forty-seven seconds," Mac wheezed out, her cheeks reddening furiously. "With all due respect, Admiral, I damn well hope you know what you're doing."
"That makes two of us," the Admiral retorted slightly under his breath so only I could hear. I flashed him an alarmed look which was instantly dampened by the stern glare I received in return. Out loud he said, "You have nothing to worry about, Colonel." He sighed, "If anyone's worrying it should be me. Lord help me, I'm about to bring another Rabb into this world."
"Hear that, honey?" I said to Mac, leaning over to kiss her sweat-glistening forehead. "Another Rabb."
"God help me!" Mac shrieked as another powerful contraction hit. Her left hand shot out and grabbed the collar of my shirt, snapping back so quickly that I flew into her, her knuckles going white as she squeezed my shirt with all her might, closing off any air that had been traveling through my neck.
"Mac, you're choking Harm," the Admiral said surprisingly calmly. "Now, Jacob, could you go fetch me the largest bath towel you have and some smaller damp cloths?"
Jake stood up from his sitting spot on the floor. "Sure thing, Admiral." He then turned around, "But just so you know. You can call me Jake."
"HE CAN CALL YOU JUDIS FOR ALL I CARE!" Mac hollered from the arm chair, her chocolate eyes flashing dangerously. "DAMMIT, GET THIS KID OUT OF ME!"
"Hold on, Mac," I said in what I hoped was a soothing voice. "Everything's going to be okay."
Nineteen year old Teddy White looked up interestingly from his seat on the sofa. "Are these meetings always this fun?"
"Only when the military's involved," Vera grumbled from the corner where she and Webb were talking very seriously. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Jake standing in the doorway, a far away look in his eyes as he watched Vera's hand brush Clay's lower arm, but my thoughts were interrupted by another earth-shattering shriek from Mac.
"Got the towel and the cloths," Jake puffed, putting them all in one large heap by the Admiral. Very quickly, Chegwidden covered Mac's legs with the large towel and handed me one of the small damp cloths to dab Mac's forehead with. Her cheeks were slowly turning purple.
"Uh, Admiral," I said nervously, my hand shaking. "I'll be the first to admit I know absolutely nothing about pregnancy or giving birth but there's blood coming out here, Admiral."
I'm shaken to the core.
"I've seen it," the Admiral replied shortly, not giving me a glance. "That's alright, there's always a little blood with every birth."
"Wait, I'm bleeding!" Mac screamed in alarm from the arm chair.
The Admiral glared at me as he said, "It's not much, Mac. This is normal."
"But Admiral –" I begin but I'm cut off with one glowering look from him.
"Alright, Mac, we've got a few painful hours ahead of us . . ."
Same Time
The Next Room
Clay's POV
"Vera, I just can't let you do this," I said slowly, my eyes falling upon possibly the most beautiful woman I've ever met. "Your job is your life, and I can't take that away from you. We've got a plan, and despite the slimness, we still have a shot at catching Abbas." I stared at her strongly. "Let me take this shot."
"You can, Clay," Vera whispered back, leaning against the counter in the kitchen. "I just want to take it to." Her eyes glisten with emotion. "You were wrong when you said my life is my job. My life isn't my job. Yes, it's a big part of it but not bigger than my past, or the people around me, or my future. If I can't catch Abbas, if I can't save the man that's come to be one of my greatest friends, then where does that leave my future? Sure, I'm with the CIA, but who am I really?" Vera's voice fights its way into my mind, echoing the truth of her words in a haunting manner. "I don't want to be that person, Clay. Let me do this."
"You could be hurt," I fought futilely.
"That's a risk I'm willing to take."
"Well, I'm not!" I bit back. "Believe it or not, Azhad, I care about you."
"Dammit, I know that, Clay," Vera retaliated softly. "I do know that, and I believe it. But, Clay, caring about me is one thing and trying to protect me is something different." Her eyes overpower me. "You think by keeping me out of this mission you're going to be preventing me from seeing something I haven't seen before? That you're protecting me from Abbas? Clay, I know they're out there. I know what IS out there. And I'm never going to get past this, YOU'RE never going to get past this if we don't face it." Her words hit me hard as rock. "And what's better than facing the music together?"
"I just don't want to see you hurt," I said slowly, wincing slightly as the power of my own words echoes back to my ears.
"Ditto," Vera replied softly.
A moment of silence and then, "So where does that leave us . . .?" I trailed.
"On equal footing," Vera smiled, leaning in towards me, her lips inches from mine. I bent a little forward, smiling as I drew myself to her and then –
"Ahem."
Both of us turned around to see Jake standing there, his hands stuffed in his jean pockets and a rather haunted look overpowering his eyes. He stood there almost rigidly. "So you two are . . ." he trailed, gesturing between Vera and me. "You guys are . . ." he tried again but failed almost instantly.
"Jake," Vera whispered softly, moving to touch his arm but Jake jumped back as though burned.
"No, don't – " Jake muttered, his eyes flashing. "Just . . ." he shook his head, "Just don't, okay?"
"Jake," I began but Jake was already retreating, the expression on his face one of a stabbed back. His eyes were hollow and his expression sort of sunken.
"You know what, never mind, Clay," he retorted, shaking his head almost drunkenly. "Just . . . just leave me the hell alone."
And he took off through the door, disappearing immediately down the hallway. Vera moved forward but I caught her arm, twisting her towards me. "You heard Jake . . . let's give him a little time."
"But he's hurting, Clay," Vera retaliated, casting another long look down the hallway. "I've got to talk to him."
"Talking's probably the worst thing we could do right now," I replied slowly, my fingers easing on Vera's arm, letting it go with a brush. "You could try but neither of us will probably get anywhere. Not tonight, anyway."
Vera sighed wearily, her dark eyes shining. "Oh god, Clay, why the hell does this have to be so complicated?"
I pulled her slightly towards me, letting her rest her head on my shoulder. "You and I have had one hell of a week, eh?"
Vera nodded against my shoulder, her voice muffled. "We should go in there."
"To Jake?"
"No," she replied wearily, lifting her head up and resting her forehead on mine. "You're right, we should just give him a little time. But we should go see Mac – see how she's doing."
"Yeah," I whispered, nodding my head. "And maybe remove Shapiro and the kid. They probably think these meeting of ours are better than reality TV."
Vera giggled as I wrapped one arm around her waist. "I can't believe you didn't know he was nineteen."
"His file said twenty eight," I rebutted uselessly. "Besides, the kid's mature for his age."
"Well, I'm certainly thankful for that," Vera replied, rolling her eyes. "What ARE you going to do with him?"
"He's our tech," Clay said shrugging. "He's a real bright kid. Designed lots of programs."
"I thought you said he'd been with Interpol for four years?" Vera asked me as I opened up the door the living room for her.
"That's the irony of it," I grinned, as she entered. "Interpol's been using him illegally for the last four years too."
Same Time
Living Room
Mac's POV
I scream shrilly as another powerful contraction hits. Somewhere up there, God and Satan are sitting down and having a great humongous laugh at my expense. I grab hold of the nearest thing (Harm) and squeeze as hard as I can (luckily it was only his arm I got . . . lucky for him, I mean) and I absolutely crush all nerves in his hand that he had left from my prior squeezes.
"Well, I already know one thing you and your kid have in common, Rabb!" I scream at the top of my lungs as I double over in unfathomable pain. "You're both a pain in the – Ahhh!"
"You alright there, Mac?" Harm asked rather innocently considering for the past half hour I've been uttering curse words that would make a sailor who hasn't seen a port in six months blush, and the fact that I've been assaulting Harm with every insult known to human kind. I mean, after all, this IS his fault.
"YEAH, I'M PERFECT FINE!" I holler back, sweat dripping down my face. "Oh, no, wait . . . I forgot. I'VE GOT YOUR KID UP MY SIX!"
"So . . ." Clay trailed, suddenly coming into the room with Vera in tone. "Look's like she's doing good."
"Bite me, Webb."
"Please, Webb," the Admiral replied wearily, waving Clay off, "don't antagonize her any more than you need to."
"And she doesn't need antagonizing," Harm quickly added in, shaking his head furiously.
"Is there anything I can get you, Mac?" Vera asked sympathetically, approaching me almost cautiously.
"Can I have a drink?" I pant painfully, as Harm dabs my forehead once more with the damp cloth.
"Fraid not, Mac," the Admiral said, shaking his head. "But I've got good news, you're officially at ten centimeters."
"Oh, no, I'm not!" I cried, furiously trying to rewind these past nine months. "Nuh uh, check again, no – nope, not today. No baby here."
"Mac . . ."
"Go home everyone," I waved my arm at Tony Shapiro and Teddy White who had been watching me and my contractions as though television was non-existent. "Nothing to see!"
"Mac, I'm going to need to maneuver you into position now, okay?" the Admiral said soothingly as I promptly threw up in the container that Harm had very nicely pushed near me. Finally, I could see the end to the contractions, the little white light that shone o so brightly in the dark tunnel ahead. Finally, perhaps a chance to rest and –
"Push!" the Admiral hollered.
". . . push?"
"Push!"
"What? Already? Now? Can't I just rest for a few minutes!"
"NO!" the Admiral screamed back. "Now PUSH!"
I pushed.
1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . . 4 . . . 5 . . . 6 . . . 7 . . . 8 . . . 9 . . . 10
And here we go again, people!
1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . . 4 . . . 5 . . . 6 . . . 7 . . . 8 . . . 9 . . . 10
I held my breath deep inside of me as I pulled my knees up slightly and PUSHED.
1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . . 4 . . . 5 . . . 6 . . . 7 . . . 8 . . . 9 . . . 10
The contraction relaxed a little. I eased slowly back into my chair, suddenly my legs giving into frequent and painful cramps. Slowly, I tried to suck in my breath but for some reason, oxygen just did not want to give into me.
1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . . 4 . . . 5 . . . 6 . . . 7 . . . 8 . . . 9 . . . 10
"PUSH!"
"That was barely ninety seconds!" I screamed bitterly and then pushed.
1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . . 4 . . . 5 . . . 6 . . . 7 . . . 8 . . . 9 . . . 10
"I WANT DRUGS!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, as I pushed with all my strength. By now every time the contraction finished, it led to the most terrible cramping of my life. I usually whimpered through my supposed moments of peace, with Harm running his hand through my hair, though I also succumbed into frequent yelling and bitching like most birthing mothers do.
1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . . 4 . . . 5 . . . 6 . . . 7 . . . 8 . . . 9 . . . 10
It was minutes, hours maybe. Will this kid never come out? Now I was starting to feel hungry. Pictures of Beltway burgers kept floating in front of my mind, always out of reach, but not so much that I didn't drool at the thought.
1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . . 4 . . . 5 . . . 6 . . . 7 . . . 8 . . . 9 . . . 10
An hour passes. I'm convinced I will die. Another half hour . . . I'm now beginning to lose faith in the fact that there's a kid in there at all. Yeah, I can just imagine the Admiral and my future conversation.
"I'm sorry, Mac – there's no baby in there."
"There's no baby?"
"No, I'm sorry."
"THEN WHAT HAVE I BEEN PUSHING?"
"A rock."
"A rock?"
"Yes, apparently it has Harm's head."
1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . . 4 . . . 5 . . . 6 . . . 7 . . . 8 . . . 9 . . . 10
"How much longer?" I whimpered pitifully, using my voice unbearably draining.
"Let's see . . . right now it's eleven . . . thirty," the Admiral said, checking his watch. "Good news, you shall have you baby at midnight."
Another half an hour? Okay, why wait till I'm old and wrinkled, send me up to Heaven right now, me and God have got to have a little talk . . . and besides, it's better this way. I won't have nearly as good a punch when I'm ninety.
1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . . 4 . . . 5 . . . 6 . . . 7 . . . 8 . . . 9 . . . 10
"Admiral . . ." Harm's voice is suddenly panicked. "There's more blood."
"Of course there's more blood!" the Admiral spat. "She's giving birth. I told you blood was normal."
"But not like this!" Harm's voice is seriously one hundred percent terrified. "Admiral, I told you I don't know much about this stuff but I know enough to know that she's seriously losing blood."
"I'm what?" I called dimly, sitting up a little more in the arm chair but I'm too weak to do much moving. "There's . . . there's a lot of blood?"
"Nothing to worry about, Mac!" the Admiral called back but I strain my ears as I hear him whisper to Harm, "I don't want you scaring her when she's this far in labor. She needs all the moral support she can get."
"But this isn't normal!" Harm screamed in a whispered voice. "Just admit it! This shouldn't be happening!"
"It's not that abnormal," the Admiral's voice is strong and overpowering. "I've checked and there's no signs that Mac's suffering any internal bleeding, or that there's anything physically wrong with her. There's just a little more blood than usual."
"Well make it stop!" Harm hollered.
"Shut up!" I screamed as I contracted again.
1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . . 4 . . . 5 . . . 6 . . . 7 . . . 8 . . . 9 . . . 10
Suddenly, I hear the greatest message that could ever have been uttered in the entire HISTORY of the universe. "Here comes the head!"
I nearly die in relief. Not a rock . . . a head.
"Here, I'll give you a little room," the Admiral said quietly, but strong enough that I could hear. "Alright, I need you to push . . . come on, Marine, one last push!"
One last push . . . one last push. I can do that! ONE LAST PUSH!
"You can do this, Mac!" Harm's hollering voice resounds within my ears.
I can do this . . . I can do this. I CAN DO THIS.
I hear an almost victorious cheer from the Admiral. "Here he comes!"
HE!
And I pushed – I pushed with all my might while unleashing an absolutely unearthly scream. And in that moment, that beautiful second, my son slid into this world. Out of the fogginess that was now my vision I could very dimly see the Admiral lifting up what appeared to be a very gory, very gooey little person and it was at that moment that I began to cry uncontrollably, shaking all the while. I sobbed. I laughed. I was limitlessly amazed.
Beside me Harm was shaking too. He had one arm around me, repeatedly kissing my forehead as the Admiral wrapped a towel around my son . . . our son . . . and handed him to Harm, wiping some of the sweat off his fore head.
"Here," Harm whispered, placing him delicately into my arms where I began to cry even more. "This is our little boy."
Our little boy . . . our little boy . . . where was our little boy? My fingers began to remove the thick layers of cloths/blankets that were covering him until I saw his little face poking out and my heart just melted. Somewhere in the back of my mind Harm's words echoed 'With your looks and my brains, he'll be perfect.'
And he was. He really was. His face was small and angelic with only a few strands of dark brown hair shooting up from the top of his head, and almost sadly he had all of my features. Well . . . nearly. He blinked, revealing a beautiful set of sky blue eyes that were without a doubt, a hundred percent Harm's.
"Well, Commander, Colonel," the Admiral's voice is weary and thin, his age looking even more pronounced in his sleep deprived eyes. "You did one pretty good job," he said, nodding at our son.
"Not too shabby, Rabb," Keeter grinned, slapping Harm playfully on the arm, suddenly catching sight of me. "Oh yeah, and you too, Colonel."
"Thanks, Jack," I replied, rolling my eyes.
"He looks so much like you, Mac," Vera's voice is soft and almost maternal as she draws close to us, her eyes falling upon our baby gently.
"Fortunately for us," Harm grins and then –
"Admiral! Mac!" Sturgis's voice cuts clearly through the air. "The ambulance is here! Go, Harm!"
Harm opened his mouth to reply but there was the sudden ringing at the doorbell.
"You've got to go, Harm," the Admiral's voice was strong and persistent. "They're going to come and take Mac, you've got to go."
"But – " Harm futilely tried to protest.
"GO!" Vera, Clay, the Admiral, and Sturgis all yelled at one time.
Harm resisted for one moment before leaping up to his feat from his kneeling position beside me, taking one long look at the two of us before turning around. But just as he was at the doorway he turned around, his bright blue eyes catching my brown ones in a stare that could have lasted forever. "I love you, Mac."
And the deep impact of his words crash upon me in that one rushed perfect moment. "I love you too," I whispered as he turned around to run up the stairs, Sturgis opening the door to let the Paramedics in.
I love you too.
A/N: and that's where I conclude the chapter, folks! LOL – see, I did tell you the gender! Finally! Oh yes, and kudos to Jamie who was absolutely one hundred percent CERTAIN that it was a boy!
Oh, yes, and I do already have a name picked out, so you need not worry on any last minute suggestions. But I will say one thing – both the first name and the middle name were suggested by reviewers. So you never know . . . it could be yours.
Jules: thanks very much. Always glad to hear someone's appreciating the story. So . . . how did you like this chapter?
ForensicsFreak1988: Ah, twelve forty's still Monday. I mean, right now it's 1:22 in the morning for me, but I'm still counting it as Tuesday (and I don't know where you live, but for me when I post it always says Tuesday anyway cuz their timing is hours behind mine so – lol) And I know what you mean on the HBP level. I mean, I was talking with my friends and they were all saying what a superbly wonderful book it was and I thought 'well, it's JKR – she's a superbly wonderful writer' but then it was like . . . but there were so many things in the story I would have changed – or well, that I didn't agree with, I guess. Hmm, I think I've been reading fanfic too long . . .
DD2: thanks, hope you liked this chapter.
Alix33: ah, I always get those gigantic boxes of Smarties when I'm at the movies. I'm a really movie buff, by the way. I'm like that about books too. I'm a real eccentric type of person. Like, for me – on weekdays JAG comes on at seven o'clock. So I'll eat dinner in front of the TV at exactly seven o'clock because then I can enjoy my dinner while enjoying JAG. Just like I enjoy Smarties while I'm enjoying a movie. Aren't I the weirdest? LOL, you're reading all the books AGAIN? I always do that with a series before the new book comes out but . . . I mean, right after it came out?
MaritzaCarmichael: sorry it took me so long! Forgive me?
Broesel: You got it right, alright. So . . . how'd you like the chapter? I updated!
Prinnie: Yup, you guessed it right! LOL
Radiorox: well, see, my latest one – Alex – I just pretty much told to shove off. He/She insisted that Mac was going to "do" Jake and then went on about how Harm is so much better than Mac. God, I hate people like that. Freaking rabid. In their eyes, Harm's golden and Mac will always do wrong. They annoy the hell out of me. Ah well, it's been pretty quiet . . . but then again, only two chapters have passed. And if they come back, I give you permission to go at them with any "fun stuff" you have lying around.
Snugglebug: yeah, I think you were right . . . then again, I have no clue what you thought the 'pained cry' was. Three cheers for cliffies!
MiDushiNoSushi: oh, wouldn't it have just dampened the moment if Abbas had shown up? Actually, considering Mac would have been in labor that had potential humor, but anyways – nope, it's better that he didn't show up.
Abigaile: well, here – I rushed this chapter just for you. LOL, actually, I took a pretty long time . . . well, a day. I had to keep rewriting it cuz it wasn't good enough!
TV Angel 711: ah well, now no one needs to ask me – they all know! And I'm pretty sure I shocked the pants off some people. Nearly everyone had their money on a girl.
Froggy0319: well, here ya go! An update to keep you healthy . . . and there's nothing wrong with being impatient! Hell, if there was, I think I'd have to rethink my entire lifestyle. LOL
CJKS: thanks, aren't cliffhangers the greatest?
Sugar230: LOL, I know you kinda already knew what was going to happen this chapter because of my brief preview but still – hope you liked it!
KittyX: thanks, hope you liked this one too.
Laura: Two weeks in Czech Republic . . . huh, well if it's any consolation to you – I just spent a week at summer camp living in log cabins with mosquitoes hanging in clouds over your head . . . ah, no, I can't insult the place. I love that camp. But, hey, the food was pretty bad. There's something I can't deny. LOL, yeah – we should have seen more of Keeter in JAG. He was too funny in The Black Jet.
Pissed Off Poet 1: oh yeah, and Jake would have LOVED pretending to be the fake father too . . . lol, Jake's just that kind of guy. Anyways, hope you liked this chapter!
Tizy: Well, still – not including the bad hair days – Savannah sounds pretty cool. You're lucky! Everyone in my family is traveling this summer except for me – unless you include summer camp which I do not because it only really included four hours in a bus then a week in cabins. I mean, for god's sake, my Dad's in HONG KONG at the moment, and then as soon as he comes back, he'll have two days' rest then he's off to India (and I went there for spring vacation – not the greatest hair days either). And I'm going to try my very best to get this story done before school starts! Yes, that's my official goal.
Daisymh: thanks, and I hope you like this chapter
xLovexNxPainx: is it really her 37th birthday? Seriously . . .? Wow, I would have never guessed. I thought . . . okay, well, yeah – maybe 37 is a realistic guess. I would have thought mid-thirties. Yeah. As for your fear for Vera's life . . . I . . . ugh, okay – I can't tell you cuz that would ruin the plot – but just don't lose it, okay?
Angie C: thanks, and as for Harm and Co. . . . well, you'll just see in the coming chapters. I swear there'll be more action. Hope you liked this chapter!
Ninjagirl987: okay, well I have no clue who you thought it was – but wasn't I cruel for stopping there? LOL, and there's nothing wrong with being addicted! I myself am totally vulnerable to any good story that happens to cross my path. Anyways, hope you liked this chapter!
Toplesslemon: omg, I do that all the time! I mean, I don't say I'm doing my psychology homework . . . but I always say I'm working on an English paper, because my English teacher likes to assign us brutal amounts of essays at any given time, so it's usually a pretty good excuse, except for when someone walks in. I've got a little sister too, and she's always doing that. Peeking over my shoulder and stuff to see what I'm reading. LOL, yeah – some people would say it's great that I've known what I wanted to do since I was six and then other people (aka, my mother) would only point out that it just shows how stubborn I was and still am. But I happen to like my stubborn ways.
Bite Beccy: Well here's the next chapter! Now seriously, I told you the gender of the baby! I am sooooo not mean.
Sgcgirl52: LOL, I haven't seen that movie – but maybe I should watch it. I dunno, I spend most of my days writing now (I'm really very obsessed) or watching JAG (just as obsessed). Is it very good? I'm a movie buff, really. Or maybe I just like the cinemas . . . hmm, either way, you get to see a good movie and popcorn (or in my case, movie theatre sized box of smarties)