I've never been too good at rating my stories, but just to be on the safe side, I've moved the rating of this story up to 'M' from 'T.' If you are under the age of 16, please do not continue any further. Those of you who are, enjoy! If you are not, don't despair. I'm currently editing a clean version. I don't know how long it will take. If you're interested, just drop me a line at my email address, including your email address and age and I'll send it to you once it's completed. (This may take some time, as I'm not only still writing this one, but also two others for other lists.)

Thanks for your understanding!

Part 8

"So you managed to keep them all entertained, get them bathed, into pajamas and into bed?" Harm looked at his wife, incredulously, "Mac, that's six kids!"

"I know," Mac replied dryly, "Funnily enough, I did notice six little behinds when I was getting them into the bath! And because the twins are so small, that was actually four separate trips to the bath tub; two sets of two and the twins, each on their own. I've got dish-pan hands, they've been in the water so much!"

She held up her hands for Harm to see, a huge grin of achievement on her face.

"You're going to be a great Mom, Mac," Mattie smiled at her, "Look at how great you are now…I think you should bring those kids home with you. I'm sure Bud and Harriet wouldn't mind. And they sound fantastic!"

Mac just hugged her, the tears pricking her eyes at the sincerity she had heard in the girl's voice.

"I hate to rain on your parade," Harm regretfully stirred them both, "But you and I have to get going, Matt. We don't want to be late."

"Okay, okay," Mattie gave Mac one final hug, "See you later, Mom…And I'm really proud of you…"

As they disappeared out of the door, Mac just stood looking at the kitchen door, contemplating Mattie's words.

Mac was still awake at 2.45am, when Harm awoke to use the toilet. He noticed her as he made his way back to bed.

"Sorry," he apologized, "I didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't," Mac replied, "I was already awake…can't sleep."

"I would have thought you'd be long asleep by now," Harm commented, as he slid back under the covers, "You had six kids on your hands, all evening."

"Hmm," Mac noted.

"What're you thinking about?" Harm asked, as he slid closer to Mac and draped an arm around her waist.

"Nothing in particular," Mac shook her head, "Just about the kids. AJ and Jimmy seem to be growing up so fast these days."

Harm gave a chuckle, exclaiming, "Tell me about it! Doesn't it just seem like five minutes since we were holding them at each of their christenings?"

Mac nodded, adding, "Or watching AJ come into this world, on the floor of the Admiral's office? Or how about when he, Bud and Harriet went away to the hospital in the ambulance…"

Mac tailed off as her mind flashed back to that day, when she and Harm had watched just that scene from the steps leading up to the JAG building. That had been the day when they had made their baby-deal.

Harm had obviously had the same thoughts, because an awkward silence stretched between them. He attempted to comfort his wife, but she cut him off by changing the subject.

"You know, I think I'll contact my CO tomorrow morning and see if I can up my hours to an extra day a week."

"What for?" Harm asked.

"Just for something to do," Mac told him, "I mean, if I'm not tired at night, it must mean that I'm not being challenged during the day. I don't think it'd be a problem, Mattie's needing me less and less these days…"

"You've always suffered from some degree of insomnia, Mac," Harm pointed out, "It hasn't been this bad for a while, but I don't think heaping more onto your plate is the answer to the problem."

"Hmm," Mac murmured, but Harm could tell that she wasn't really listening.

He quickly set about remedying that.

"Say, Marine," he suggested, "I think I could think up of an activity or two that would get us both tired out some…You want to try 'em out?"

On the pillow next to his, Harm saw the sly smile light up his wife's face.

"You always did know just what to say!" She pulled him in for a kiss, now that they were most definitely on the same page.

"Yeah?" Harm asked.

"Yeah!" Mac told him, in between kisses, "Must be the lawyer in you….of course, that flyboy smile of yours doesn't do any harm either. But I want to hear more about this plan to wear us both out… So, what do you have in mind?"

"Well," Harm proposed, "I thought we could start with a slow, relaxing rub-down. We've still got that oil left over that you bought for Valentines Day…"

"Has it really lasted that long?" Mac asked, as she turned onto her tummy, at Harm's gentle guidance.

The oil had been out many times since it had been opened on that day in February.

"Uh-huh," Harm nodded, "You just need to relax and let me rub away all of your aches and your worries. In no time at all, work will be the last thing on your mind."

"Mmmm," Mac exhaled in contentment, wriggling slightly to help Harm get her nightgown off.

She then gave a slight gasp as he dripped some cold oil onto her back, letting it sit for a few seconds, cool against her skin.

"Captain," Mac warned lazily, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you did that on purpose!"

"Just relax," Harm instructed, bending down low to whisper in her ear as he got to work smoothing the liquid across the skin of her back, "Let me take care of you."

Mac sighed as she felt Harm's knuckles gently push her hair away from her shoulders and neck, so it didn't get oily. That was one thing about Harm. He never stuck to one routine, he was always constantly exploring new ways of doing things so elementary as touching her. The glide of a fingernail felt much different to the brush of a fingertip and so did the graze of a knuckle. You had to give him points for effort, not only did he keep things interesting, but he also made her feel great inside, worthy of all of the time and effort he was investing in their physical relationship. He loved to think up new way to make her feel cherished, feel loved.

His hands focused on all of the bunched muscles around her neck and shoulders and Mac knew from experience that this was where she carried a lot of her tension. Being gentle but firm, Harm laid all of her stresses from the past week to rest and Mac found herself almost effortlessly focusing only on his closeness and the feelings he was evoking within her. Her lips curved up into a soft smile as she felt the warmth from his hands seep into her skin, warming what had previously cooled in the cold room. Now she was having no problems staying warm and it was not only the warmth being transferred through Harm's hands. This warmth rose up from within her, making it's way up her neck, into her face and out into each of her limbs, right to the tips of her fingers and toes. Her smile widened further as Harm pulled away briefly to get some more oil from the bottle and she realized that her thumping heart was actually making the bed move, slightly. It was a funny thing, she could see the slight movement of the mattress cover, yet it felt like the most soothing feeling in the world, this beating in her chest. It made her feel so alive and it was all because of Harm.

"That's it, baby," Harm encouraged, as he dropped a kiss to her lips and moved to continue working down her back.

This time, he had warmed the oil up between his palms, first and Mac let out a half-growl, half-groan as he worked over the back of her pelvis and gently upon where it fused with her spine. Using the flat of his hand, he then rubbed slowly over the small of her back and the touch reminded Mac of every time he hand rested his hand there in the time since they had been partnered together.

Mac was not able to say anything as he methodically worked down over her butt, down her legs and, skipping the backs of her knees, started to gently knead her calves. Mac thought this odd for just a second, until she felt him stop. She quickly felt his breath against the soft skin there and really did groan aloud when he dropped butterfly kisses along the seam there. She barely felt the brush of the tip of his tongue, before he pulled away again and got back to massaging the oil into her ankles and feet. This time her groan was in slight annoyance.

"I know," he placated her, softly, "Soon, I promise."

But Mac wasn't about to tolerate this teasing any longer. She needed to feel more of him, against her.

"No," she told him and he raised to his knees to let her shift beneath him, "This side, now."

Harm took a second to take her beautiful form in beneath him, before he set to work on her front. However, he was not about to let her win this easily, so he skirted around the areas where she wanted him the most.

"Harm," Mac warned him.

"Sh!" he insisted, gently and resumed with his plan, "Got to get you slicked up properly, or this won't work."

"This?" Mac asked, but Harm wouldn't take the bait that easily.

"Nuh-uh," he shook his head, smiling, "You'll see."

Mac just settled her head back and closed her eyes, content to let him continue for a little while, as she focused upon the feel of his touch.

Luckily, he didn't try her patience for too much longer. And because of the time he had spent working her up, Mac had no doubt that it felt even better than it might have.

Harm started by running his hands up the sides of her ribcage, up the insides of her arms and then entwining his fingers with hers. By this time, he was laying his chest flat against hers, while still keeping the majority of his weight on his legs.

"Mmm," Mac approved.

Harm took her mouth with his in a way that Mac had been wishing for since they had started this.

Then, when Mac thought it couldn't get any better, he began to gently slide his body against hers. Her breath sucked in, in a gasp and Harm let go of one of her hands, placing his fingers against her cheek, the touch and caress warm and slightly sticky.

Mac couldn't help the giggle that erupted from her throat.

"Hey you!" she exclaimed, "That's sticky…"

Harm grinned along, commenting, "You didn't complain last time."

"You weren't pawing over me, then," Mac told him.

"'Pawing!" Harm protested, "I'm not 'pawing' over you…I'm loving you, touching you. You know you love it when I touch you…even if there is oil involved."

"Yeah," Mac had now forgot about the stickiness of the oil, as it helped Harm move his body against hers with ease, evoking a whole range of sensations within her, "I do…carry on, Sailor."

"Yes, Ma'am," Harm smiled, glad to see that he had brought her around to his way of thinking."

Between his hands and the rest of his body, he managed to work them both into a frenzy.

"Oh, Haaaarrrrmmm," Mac ground out a slow moan, "Please…"

Harm granted her wish, even though she had not said the words.

He could tell that she wanted more and he was powerless to tell her no, his absolute favorite thing in life was to make her happy.

"Okay," he told her, softly.

Harm quickly divested them both of the last of their clothing and went to settle his weight back down again.

"Open up a little for me, baby," he requested and Mac did so, as Harm settled back against her.

"You ready for me?" Harm asked, dropping a hand to test her wetness and noted, "Oh yeah! You been waiting for me, baby? You been wanting me?"

"You know I have," Mac told him, "You get me so excited, just with a touch, you know that? Nobody can do to me the things that you do. You complete me."

Harm dropped his lips to the back of her neck, whispering to her between kisses, "You're so amazing, Sarah. You make me feel so alive. I'm nothing without you…"

When they had both been satisfied, they lay still for a few minutes, getting their ragged breathing under control and returning from the clouds above.

Harm wrapped an arm around her, while carefully bracing his weight against the other and slid his hand to her tummy, rubbing in circles.

"Mmm," Mac murmured, "That was absolutely amazing, Harm."

"I'm glad you approve," Harm chuckled as he silently agreed with her assessment.

He carefully settled back beside her, wrapping her in his arms. She snuggled in as they both fell to sleep, completely exhausted. It seemed that Harm's plan had worked a treat, while also providing a delightful distraction, too!