Disclaimer: Nope, still not mine…
A/N: Okay, this is a little shorter, but school is crazy so this is the best I can do. Happy Reading!
Chapter 14:
Mac sat in her hospital room the next morning utterly bored. The night before, Harriet had promised to return with Nat and Talia plus her two in the morning. Managing the four meant there was no way she would get there before 9:30 am. She did get an early morning visit from her doctor at 6:30 am, which made her curse the entire concept of morning rounds in the medical profession. He told that the earliest she would be released was that evening, if and only if the swelling around her brain want down to normal. Normally, she would argue with him, but she knew that the only reason she felt fine was because of the 'happy juice' flowing through her IV.
It's 7:16 and we've got your local weather and traffic filtered from the television news program she was using to try to distract her, "It's 7:17!"
"I see you're in good spirits," Harm teased walking into the room and hearing her yell at the television.
"Hardly," she muted the program.
"Did you sleep well?" he pulled a chair to her bedside.
"If you call getting woken up every 54-67 minutes to have nurses shine lights in your eyes and examine your pupils sleeping well, then yeah."
"How are your pupils?" he asked with a grin.
"Equal but sluggish," she rolled her eyes, "But if you hang around for another 47 minutes, you can get an update."
"That's tempting."
"How was your errand?"
"Fine."
"It was Mic wasn't it?"
"Why do you think that?"
"Because I know you," she paused a beat, "You shouldn't have gone. I can take care of myself."
"Someone had to do something."
"Not you!" she shouted stubbornly, "Sorry, it's just," Mac sighed, "I filed a report with the police after Harriet left last night. I was going to press charges, but now I don't know."
"You're going to let this go?" he looked shocked, "You have to press charges."
"I can't."
"Yes, you can," he said earnestly, "I'll help you through this. What's stopping you?"
"A number of things," she shrugged, "It depends."
"On what?"
"What you said to Mic," she took a breath and met his eyes, "Or more importantly, what you did," he didn't respond, "Does that mean you two had it out?"
"You could say that."
"You shouldn't have done anything."
"Somebody had to."
"Look, Harm," she sighed, "I appreciate you defending me, I really do, but how am I going to press charges when he's just as injured as I am?"
"No, he's not. You're the one in the hospital bed."
"Because I tripped over Talia's toy and hit my head on the corner of your table."
"Mac, do you have any idea how close you came to needed emergency brain surgery?"
"But I didn't," she argued, although her tone was significantly less confrontational.
"You could have died."
"I'm okay now," she looked down at her hands and continued, "But if I had, Mic could have argued crime of passion and get charged with first degree manslaughter."
"The man hit you and you're coming up with defense strategies for him?"
"I'm trying to look at this objectively," he wanted to tell her that she as far from objective, but he let her continue, "Mic came home from a conference expecting to find his wife and kids, but instead found divorce papers. He comes to D.C. and finds her staying in the apartment of the man with whom he thinks she's having an affair. He's overwhelmed and upset, and then things just get out of control."
"So you're saying he's justified?"
"I'm saying a court could see it that way."
"Mac, do you hear yourself?" he stared at her, "You're sitting in a hospital bed because of what he did and you're defending him!"
"That's not what I'm doing."
"Is it?"
"It's not. I'm being realistic," she tried to cross her arms but the IV got in the way and she angrily slammed her fists on the mattress, "If I press charges for assault, any decent attorney will get him probation on the condition that he seeks counseling. What good will that do?"
"You'll get your divorce and custody of your kids."
"That's only a temporary fix. Once he completes therapy, he'll be 'better' and can file for visitation."
"We'll fight it."
"We'll lose."
"Your lawyer won't let that happen."
"That's very sweet, Harm."
"But?" he prompted.
"Who I am to decide that my kids never see their father again?"
"You're their mother."
"But he's their father," she paused, "You can't honestly tell me that not having your father around didn't affect you."
"That was different."
"Yeah, the circumstances were different, but results are the same. I don't want them to grow up feeling abandoned."
"They won't. They'll have you."
"One parent can't replace the other," she looked at him grimly, "We both know that."
"Then you sit them down and explain it to them."
"And then what? They hate him?" she shook her head and squeezed back the tears in her eyes, "I don't want that."
"I know you don't," he handed her a tissue.
"Thank you," she dabbed her eyes, "God, I'm such a wreck. My life is such a wreck."
"Luckily, I specialize in fixing up wrecks," he joked.
"You're very good at this knight in shining armor thing," she cracked a smile.
"I try m'lady. What time is it?"
"0741."
"Shoot," he stood up quickly, "I've got to get to JAG or the admiral will have my six."
"Does he know?" she asked and he stopped in the doorway, "About me?"
"Yes, expect a visit at lunch."
"Okay."
"I'll come after work," he said closing the door as he left, "Bye."
"Bye," she watched the door close and sighed. Only one hour and forty nine minutes until Harriet arrived with the children. Until then, it was back to Good Morning America.
Nix707 – First of all, it's not sad that you find joy in Harm punching Mic, I found joy in writing this. As for the time it takes me to review reply, this one took 34 minutes, but it's probably not a normal situation. I have a ton of pointless Spanish to finish so I'm rushing but I'm watching NCIS at the same time, so who know show that effected this. And I'm frequently disturbed by the fact that Ducky resembles the chancellor of my university. Sorry, that was tangent…I blame studying…
JamieAKAaclassyone – Crazy college schedules and the craziness of fan fic instead of studying…because I'm not doing that now cough, cough. And Harm would show restraint because he wouldn't want to go too far…even if I kind of wanted him to.
KittyX – Thanks. I wanted to have the confrontation go on longer, but Harm wouldn't actually go so far as to kill him.
Jeanmary – Thanks for the compliments. I'm 19 and I'm lucky enough to come from a happy home. I'm involved in a lot of community service work, so I've picked up some insights. Anyway, Harm is working on the way to get Mic away from Mac for good.
Macandharmlover – Mic's just difficult, and Harm plays hero and sometimes doesn't think of the consequences, but he still going to try and fulfill his hero role. He HAS to save his damsel in distress.
Dansingwolf – Mac's definitely no softie, but as you said, Mic is a boxer which is why she can't really "beat" him. But when Mic's intoxicated Harm definitely can…yay!
Cbw – School is rough, and last weekend I meant to get more on this, but personal stuff got in the way too. Things are fine with me, but cousin had to evacuate her college in New Orleans, a friend's brother was killed in an accident, we found a girl passed out in a bathroom…basically I was too distracted to write. Anyway, sorry about that rambling. Now Harm's going to help Mac with the Mic problem and the focus will be on Mac regaining her life.
TV Angel 711 – So my brawl wasn't quite so sensational as the one you thought up, but it got the job done. I wanted it to be longer too, but Harm likes to get straight to the point.
Toplesslemon – I'm glad you liked the "flashbacks" and I think the no kids in the ICU rule is a general thing. The hospital in my hometown has a no kids under 13 years rule, and I think kids are kept out because they carry germs and it's a traumatic location.
xLovexNxPainx – Yup, Mac's kids are all a little freaky with the time thing.
MiDushiNoSushi – Mac's all about her kids. Nothing will keep her from them. Yup, it was short because of the legal entanglement issues…Harm wouldn't take things too far. I'm glad that you're getting the psych aspects of the abuse, because I agree that if it was strictly physical Mac would have taken Nat to the US Embassy and filed for divorce if it wasn't for those darn manipulative entanglements.
Jaggurl – Thanks; I'm sorry that this one took a little longer.
Mxfan214 – Thanks! I'm working on the speed thing…darn classes…bleh!
Kiki – Thanks for the support!
Starryeyes10 – Thanks!
JAGJenni – Thanks and I'm glad I got you hooked!
Ender2 – Thanks for reading this. I really appreciate your support. Even if you point out my self-insertion issues…hehehe!
Janlaw – Yeah, I've grappled with the same thing as I write this. Hopefully I've accurately conveyed that Mac's abuse is atypical in that it's a mix of psychological and not just straight up violence. At least that's my goal.
General Chaos – I can't decide if Harm's going to be brought up on charges or if all this will be kept off the record. And Harm being good with her kids will definitely be good for the relationship. Nat's already looking him as his protector and Mac's starting to think the same thing.
Manda – Thank you very much!
Pain – Woohoo! I'm free of the ever present munchkin threat!
LitoMzLani – Don't worry, Nat's going to bounce back because he's young and resilient.
Kristie – Welcome to the club and thanks!
Anita – I was going to have Harm tell Mic there was no affair, but Mic would not have listened or believed him. Don't worry, Mac will be adequately cleared of Mic's assumptions in time.
CJKS – Yup, Mic always had that potential for sketchiness and I'm glad to have you back!
Radiorox – That's me, Miss Sneaky. I actually think FFnet spasms whenever I update to quickly as I did last time, but now that school's in full force my updates will be slower so there won't be spasms. Also, expect Mic to be completely marginalized in the next chappie or so.
Prinnie – I'm glad you started reading and I'm glad you like the kids. Writing them is one of my favorite parts of this fic.
Shelly – Thanks, I'm glad you caught the changes in Mac. Even though she won't admit her, her time with Mic changed her. She's much more subdued in ways that she doesn't realize, but deep down she's still good old Mac.