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Just want to take this opportunity to add that the characters 'Kevin' and 'Perry' belong to Harry Enfield and Kathy Burke, not me.

Also, I'd like to thank everyone for the great reviews. You have no idea what it means to me that you guys are enjoying this! Thanks for all of your encouragement!

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Part 22

"Hey, Kiddo," Harm bid his daughter, as she put her head around the door, after knocking and receiving permission to enter, "How come you're still awake?"

"You two are," Mattie pointed out, as she took in the sight of them, both sitting up in bed, reading, "I saw your light on and I thought that maybe…if you couldn't sleep either…maybe we could suffer the insomnia together?"

Harm and Mac chuckled and he patted the bed in invitation. This was something really new to them, Mattie had rarely come to them in this way before. Usually it only extended to words of comfort and encouragement. Once, she had cuddled on the couch with them and it was a brief but powerful moment. And Harm and Mac knew they would deal with this easily, for they had often longed for Mattie to ask them for help more often.

They both slid over and Mattie settled herself between them.

"This is cozy," Harm pronounced, settling an arm around his daughter, "I think we should cuddle up like this more often."

At Mattie's questioning look, he quickly assured her, "No, I mean it…I like it when you feel you can trust us with stuff, Matt. Especially your feelings. We're a family and that's what families do; they take care of each other."

"I agree on the cuddling," Mac agreed, wrapping her arms around Mattie and beginning to tickle her, "I think there should be more cuddling in this household!"

"This isn't cuddling!" Mattie gasped as she wriggled about, "This is torture…I get enough...at rehab! Arghh, enough already!"

For a minute, Mattie was too busy laughing and trying to escape from her mother's tickling to say much more, but eventually, when Mac stopped, Mattie told them,

"You know I like cuddling with both of you too, but I am nearly seventeen, now. That's not what kids my age do. Dad, you've got your reputation as a Navy man to think about and Mom, you're a hard-as-nails Jarhead. And I don't want to give stroppy teenagers a bad image, do I?"

"Where did you get that from?" Harm asked, "I didn't know that teenagers were supposed to be 'stroppy.' What does that mean, anyway? And where did you hear it?"

"I got it from this Britcom called 'Kevin and Perry' that Becky has," Mattie explained, "This actor and actress dress up as teenage boys and throw tantrums aimed at their parents! It's really funny! It had Becky and I in tears, we were laughing so much and we couldn't breathe…"

"Sounds hysterical. We'll have to borrow that," Harm conceded, but maintained, "But neither the Navy, the Marine Corps nor the Rebellious Teenager's Legion need find out about what goes on under this roof. As the patriarch of this family, I say we share more cuddles…what do you think, Mac?"

"I agree," Mac nodded, but placated Mattie, "but I promise to keep it covert. No surprise ambushes when I pick you up after school!"

"Okay," Harm agreed to the terms, but added, " But this is still important to us. Parents like us live on moments like these, you know?"

Mac agreed, happy to swap tickling for hugging her daughter and twirling her curly hair around her index finger.

"Okay," Mattie conceded, sighing, "but just not too often, okay?"

Both parents nodded and Mac stipulated, "Okay, but just make sure to provide us with daily our quota!"

"You know you guys will have two little ones around soon, who'll need loads of hugs and kisses," Mattie mused, "I suppose you'll be spending most of your time getting them settled..."

"That doesn't mean that they'll take any heat off of you," Harm told her firmly, "We'll still have just as much need for hugs from you as from them."

"And you'll be providing hugs for them, too," Mac added, grinning and gathering Mattie back into her, "So I think it would be a good idea for you to get some practice, so you're prepared for the increased workload!"

Mattie began to laugh hysterically, as her Mom and Dad caught her in a bear hug between the two of them and both resumed the tickling.

"No, no!" she protested, "Please, not again!"

"Well, get huggin' then, missy!" Harm told her, in a gruff voice.

"Okay, okay," Mattie struggled to free her arms and wrap one around each of her parents, "Happy?"

"Very," Mac virtually purred, as the three of them snuggled together.

This was what family was all about.

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