"When is Harm coming home?" Andy asked Mac as they were driving from Mattie's school after having picked her up. They were once again staying at Harm's house with Mattie because he'd been sent out on a case. That had happened several times a month these last three months. Mac's position as the chief of staff had turned more administrative under the general's leadership and he had said he'd try to keep her in the house as much as possible.
"I don't know. He called me at work, but the line was so bad that I couldn't hear what he was saying."
"I hope he comes home soon."
"Yeah, me too," Mattie agreed.
Mac could just nod in agreement with the two girls as she drove the car into Harm and Mattie's street.
"Look," she pointed at the familiar car that was parked in the driveway in front of the house.
"Harm's home, Harm's home," Andy sang. As soon as the car had stopped she rushed to help Mattie get out of the car and then rush into the house.
Mac walked behind them and grabbed their schoolbags and stuff from the car that they had forgotten in their rush to go and say hello to Harm. When she came into the house Harm was already engulfed in a conversation with the girls about the last two weeks that he'd been away.
"Hey Harm," Mac said a bit uncomfortably. They still hadn't told the girls about their relationship and she wasn't quite sure how they were supposed to greet each other.
"Hi Mac," he looked up at her and smiled. "Why don't you go and wash your hands, dinner's almost ready?" he turned back to the girls.
When the girls had left, Harm walked up to Mac and hugged her tightly.
"I missed you, Beautiful."
"Missed you to," Mac said. "You've cooked dinner?"
"I guessed you couldn't hear me on the phone so I decided to surprise you."
"That was nice," Mac said tiredly.
"Tough week, huh?"
"Yeah. "
"So what are we having?" Andy had come back from the bathroom.
The four of them sat down to eat dinner and afterwards Harm ushered the girls to start on their homework while Mac and him took care of the dishes.
"Harm, Andy and I need to get going before it gets too late. I need to get some breakfast for tomorrow and it always takes some time for Andy to settle down at home again after we've stayed here …"
"So why don't you stay?"
"Harm, we need to get home to our … home."
"No, I mean stay here as move in with us."
Mac raised her eyebrows and looked at him wondering what had brought this on. He had been the most unwilling to tell their girls about them.
"Harm you know I can't stay here as your friend."
"That's not what I meant either." Harm shook his head. "So do you want to?"
"Of course I do, but …"
"Yeah, we're moving in here," Andy started to scream behind the closed kitchen door though Mattie tried to hush her.
Harm and Mac jumped up from their seats at the kitchen table.
Mac composed her first of them "Mattie and Andy come here," she said rather strictly.
Mattie and Andy dared nothing else than to come out from their hiding place.
"You've been eavesdropping," Mac accused them.
"Well, we had to," Mattie tired to defend their actions "We knew something was going on, but you wouldn't tell us anything. We needed to find out some way."
"I guess we have been keeping some things a secret from you," Harm admitted.
"It's OK, Harm. Just don't do it again," Andy walked up to Harm and hugged him.
"So you wouldn't mind moving in here with Harm and Mattie?" Mac asked Andy.
"Not at all," Andy paused theatrically between every word.
"And how do you feel about that?" she turned to Mattie.
"I'd love for you to move in here."
"So Mac is there still a 'but' somewhere in there or … ?" Harm looked at Mac.
"No," Mac shook her head "There's no 'but'."
"Yeah," Andy started to clap her hands and everyone joined in her joyful dance.
"We have a wonderful family, don't we?" Harm embraced Mac.
"Yeah we do," Mac smiled back at him.
The end
AN: Great thanks to everyone who has written to me and supported me in writing this story. Thanks to Alex who betaread most of the story.I know some of you are going to be disappointed in the ending coming so soon. I simply don't have time to write anymore and I didn't want to leave you hanging on the story without an ending. Maybe I'll have more time to write sometime in the future and then I'll write a sequel to this story, but I'm not making any promises. However the good news is that I do have a story that I finished before I started writing this one and I plan to post it this weekend.