AN: Thanks to everyone who's sent feedback. It's very appreciated. Thank you Alex for betaing.

Part 6

A little more than a month later the judge appointed Mac as Andy's guardian. There was still no word on where Andy's mother was and after the first weeks Andy had stopped asking about her. Despite her earlier doubts, Mac was now starting to feel very comfortable in her role as Andy's parent. She knew she made mistakes at times and the social worker had warned her that Andy might start being obnoxious just to test her, but so far so good. A big reason that things had gone so well was all of the help from her friends. As soon as she'd told Harriet that Andy might come to live with her more permanently, Harriet had offered to have Andy at her house during the days when Mac worked or if Mac had to go away because of a case. It had taken some discussion. The last thing Mac wanted was for Harriet to feel like she was being taken advantage of. However the agreement they had made seemed to be working out very well so far. Little AJ and Andy had become friends very fast and Harriet had confided in Mac how much she liked the positive effect that Andy had had on AJ. This fall they were going to start the same class in school.

In the meantime Mattie's rehabilitation had gone very well and a few days ago she had been allowed to go home and live with Harm in his new house. She still had to go in to the hospital every day, but it was still a big step forward for her to sleep in her own bed. Harm had been lucky to get the house just in time for her release.

So excited with these two positive things that had happened, Harm had suggested that they'd throw a party together celebrating both Mattie's homecoming and Andy's permanent home with Mac. They had thrown it together in just a couple of days, but luckily most of their friends had been able to accept their invitation.

"Andy, you have to get dressed now or we'll be late," Mac tried to talk as calm as she could. Andy had been running around the apartment for close to twenty minutes now full of excitement. "We can't leave until you've gotten dressed."

"Mac, are we having cake at the party?" she asked for the sixty-eleventh time.

"Yes, but if we don't get going soon we'll miss the whole thing," Mac motioned towards the dress that lay on the chair beside the bed again. She was starting to feel rather stressed. She really wanted to get over to Harm's house and help him with the last of the preparations.

Eventually Andy started helping and then it took just five minutes to get her dressed and soon they were walking down towards the car with all of the food that Mac had prepared the previous evening.

As soon as they walked into Harm's house they got busy to work. Andy helped Mattie blow up balloons and Harm and Mac got everything ready at the back of the house where the barbeque was. It had barely been done one minute before the first guests started to arrive and soon the back porch was full of friends that were laughing and talking to each other. Harm had encouraged Mattie to invite some of her friends as well, and after some discussions she had called her two closest friends. He knew that she had been pushing them away while she was in the hospital, but he hoped that this could help Mattie to come over her shame and fear of being in a wheelchair.

"You know I think I must take some of that back that I told you in my office a month ago," General Cresswell had walked up to Mac who was currently in charge of the barbeque.

"I'm sorry, sir," Mac didn't understand what he was talking about.

"I mean I think you're doing well with your little girl."

"Thank you, sir," Mac said "It's not an easy job."

"No, it's not," the general agreed. "But it has it's rewards," he smiled as Andy and AJ with proud faces came running up to Mac to show her a worm they had found under the rose bushes. Mac admired the worm for a while before encouraging them both to go and wash up since the food was almost ready.

Everyone was thrilled about the grilled chicken and different kinds of potato salad that was being offered and Harm and Mac exchanged several looks of pride over the success the party was turning out to be. Later Harm was standing in the kitchen preparing the cake and softly humming along on a song as Mac walked in with a big stash of plates.

"Have I told you what a great idea this was?" Mac asked him walking up to stand next to him.

"I can take hearing it again," Harm turned towards her and smiled. She was surprised by the flirting look in his eyes.

"Thank you so much for coming with me to court on Tuesday. I don't think I could have done it without you."

"Don't be silly, Mac. I didn't do anything, not like you did for Mattie and me. I just sat there."

"Exactly. You were there," Mac looked up into his eyes and Harm brushed a few strains of hair away from her face and couldn't stop himself from leaning forward and softly brush his lips over hers.

"I always will be," he whispered.

Before Mac had a chance to respond he had already stepped back and was working on the cake again.

"The cake is as good as done, so if you'd just take out the small plates over there..."

"Sure, Harm." She was going to let it pass for now, but this was definitely something they'd talk about later.

It didn't matter how much fun the party had been, once the last guests had left the house Harm and Mac sighed in relief. It was nice to have some calm and quiet again. Mattie was entertaining Andy in her room while Mac and Harm went out to the kitchen to start bringing some order to the chaos there. Luckily there was a washing machine here so they didn't have to wash everything by hand, but it still took a little while. Harm was wiping the last counter when Mac softly grabbed a hold of his arm and turned him towards her.

"What was that about earlier?" she asked him.

"The kiss?"

"Yeah," Mac said though she knew he knew what she was talking about.

"I ... just felt like it. I didn't think you'd ... mind."

"I didn't," Mac smiled at him. "I'm just not so sure ..."

"... we should complicate our lives further ..." Harm broke in not just because he knew what she was going to say, but because he felt the same way.

"... the way things are right now."

"I know," Harm nodded in agreement.

"So maybe we shouldn't do that again," Mac said and it pained her more than she had expected.

"No, I guess not."

"Friends?" Mac stretched out her arms just like Andy did when she wanted a hug.

"Best friends," Harm confirmed and engulfed her in his arms. They remained standing together holding on to each other, both unwilling to let the other go.

"I think I need to get home and get my little monster to bed," Mac explained as she later reluctantly let go of her hold on him.

"Yeah, I need to help Mattie to get into bed soon too," Harm said.

"It was a nice day."

"Yeah, it was. We should do it again."

"Yeah." They walked through the living room towards Mattie's room. Both broke into smiles as they saw Mattie sitting with a book in her hand with Andy perched on the floor with her head leaning on Mattie's legs.

"I think she'll fall asleep any moment now," Mattie said looking down on her.

"You're probably right," Mac agreed. She wanted to protest when Harm went over to scope Andy up and carry her out to the car. Though Andy hadn't taken to Harm right away, now she was totally comfortable around him.

"I'll see you at work on Monday," Mac said as Andy had been placed in the car and Harm was standing leaning on her still opened car door.

"See you then."

TBC