Disclaimer: Not mine…but we all know that…
A/N: First of all, I'm so SORRY for taking so long to update, school has been chaotic. Technically it's still extremely chaotic, so unfortunately, this is kind of short, but I felt like I owed you guys something. On a lighter note, if anyone has read Joseph Ellis' American Sphinx, I would be happy to share a 6 page paper critiquing the book with you…j/k…well, I do have that paper but if I hear anything about Thomas Jefferson in the next couple months it will be too soon. On that note…happy reading!
Chapter 17:
That night, Mac fell asleep in her bed and slept peacefully, or as peacefully as one could when being awoken every 2 hours to be monitored by 'Dr. Harm'. Although she complained through every mental alertness exam, she liked that he was there. Harm provided the sense of security she desperately craved. Knowing that he was downstairs on the couch while she and her children slept upstairs, Mac was able to sleep better than she had in the last six months.
The following morning, Mac awoke to find Nat snuggled up against her and the smell of breakfast wafting up the stairs. Harm had cooked for them again, and they ate breakfast together like a family would. When Mac watched Nat run to give Harm a goodbye hug, she almost dissolved into tears. She thought back to a time when Nat would happily run to tell his daddy goodbye, a time when her marriage was actually a good and she was happy.
But she would be happy again, right? That was what this whole move back to the states was about; it was about happiness for herself and her children, but when she watched Nat play with his sister she had her doubts. Mac knew that she would never go back to Mic, but he would always be their father, and because of that he would always be a part of her life, like it or not.
"Mummy?" Nat walked over to her, leaving Talia to play with by herself on the floor.
"Yeah, sweetie?"
"Are you okay?" he stared at her with his big brown eyes, "You look sad."
"Come here," she pulled him onto her lap, "I am a little sad."
"Why?"
"I'm just thinking about memories."
"Mem'ries," he repeated, "Like of our old house?"
"Yeah."
"You miss it?" he looked down, "I miss it."
"Oh baby," she kissed his head and held back her own tears, "I'm sorry."
"But I like it here too," he said the minute he noticed his mother's tears, "I like Unca Harm, Unca Bud, Auntie Harriet, A.J., Talia, and you."
"Good," she smiled, "Because we all like you," she poked his nose playfully, "A lot."
"Good," he paused thoughtfully, "Is Daddy going to go home?"
"Yes, Mr. Nat, he is," Mac said softly, hoping that Harm and the admiral would keep their promise and ensure that Mic signed the papers.
"Oh," his features showed serious thought. He couldn't fully understand what was going on and everything confused him. Nat loved his father but he also knew that his daddy hurt his mom and made her cry.
"Look, Mr. Man," she began, "Just because your daddy and I aren't living together, it doesn't mean he doesn't care about you. Your daddy will love you forever and so will I, because that's how it works and you're our favorite little boy."
"I'm your only little boy," he gave her a sly grin.
"And I couldn't have asked for a better one," she smiled back at him.
"Is that why Talia's a girl?" he asked innocently.
"Yeah, honey, it is," she laughed to herself, deciding to save the genetics lecture for later. There had been enough serious discussion for the morning, and she just wanted to spend the rest of that time playing with her kids, "Come on, let's go play with your sister."
"Okay," he slid down from the couch, and Mac joined him on the floor, thankful for the resilience of little kids.
"Honey, I'm home," Harm teasingly called out when he entered Mac's house that afternoon.
"Shh!" she scolded from the kitchen.
"What?" he asked softly as he joined her in the kitchen.
"They're napping," she pointed at the baby monitor.
"Sorry," he sat down her kitchen table, "How are you feeling?"
"Better," she sat down across from him "How was work?"
"Fine," he answered vaguely. He wanted to tell her about his visit to Mic, but he didn't want to force the issue. It was her decision.
"Did you?" she asked hesitantly.
"Yes."
"Did he?" she looked almost terrified.
"Yes," he watched the relief wash over her face.
"Thank god," she whispered, "When is he leaving?"
"He has a flight to Sydney tonight."
"I need to see him," she stood up abruptly.
"What?" he stood up as well.
"Volume," she looked at him and then the baby monitor.
"Sorry," he lowered his voice, "But why do you need to see him?"
"I just do."
"Mac?"
"Nat needs to," she whispered fiercely, "He needs to say goodbye to her father."
"Oh, I'm sorry," he apologized for jumping to the wrong conclusions, "I didn't think of that. I just assumed that--"
"That what?" she scoffed, "That I'd want to tear up the papers and go back to him? Do you think I'm stupid?"
"No," he pulled the divorce papers and custody agreement from his briefcase, "But you didn't sign them this morning."
"I was distracted by my kids this morning," she lied to him. She wasn't that distracted, but she just couldn't bring herself to pick up a pen, "Give them to me now."
"You sure?" he handed them over to her as she grabbed a pen from the jar on the counter.
"Yes," she snatched them away and quickly signed Sarah Brumby on the dotted line. Looking down at her signature, she realized that this was probably the last time she'd ever sign that name again. Sighing, she handed the papers back to Harm, "Well, my second marriage has now officially failed."
"You shouldn't look at it like that, Mac."
"How should I look at it?" she threw her arms in the air, "This strike number two."
"You have three strikes before you're out," he took a step towards her.
"When did my life become a baseball game?" she asked lightly, but not taking a step back.
"This isn't a game," he told her sincerely.
"I…" she was interrupted by Talia's cries over the baby monitor, "Need to get my daughter. Excuse me."
A/N: I told you it was short…sorry…but please review…they brighten the hectic days of this college student.
TV Angel 711 – Yeah, I would have liked some violent retribution, but there would be too many consequences and Harm knew that. As for the romance…I'm getting to it…I just need to get Brumby out of the picture so Mac can move on.
Cool Cat – Thanks and sorry about the delay!
KJFlygirl – Hehehe…thanks for reading!
Cbw – I've actually been playing with idea of Mac returning to the Marines. I don't have enough knowledge to know if she'd actually be able to go back, but perhaps in RunRun's version of the UCMJ she can. Also, I have to find a way to make sure there wouldn't be any relationship issues with the chain of command…because that would definitely screw things up.
MiDushiNoSushi – Thanks for the review…I really appreciate you telling me that my writing of Mac as a battered woman works. That has been the hardest part of writing this. Also, thanks for the good luck on school…hopefully I'll be less stressed this week.
Mxfan214 – Thanks…sorry about taking so long!
Nix707 – Ooo! I never thought about getting a baby name book, although did become my close personal friend…I don't have any idea what I would do if I had to name Harm and Mac's kid…I feel like that has more pressure…with Mic I could totally ignore any need to carry on a family name and all that jazz…anyhoo…I need to stop rambling, finish this, and get to bed.
DD2 – Thanks!
Prinnie – I actually stopped eating Mac 'n' Cheese for a while because from the ages of 4 to 10 my little brother was obsessed with it and I got extremely burned out…thanks for the review!
JamieAKAaclassyone – Thanks! And you're a fellow soap fan…hehehe…I totally understand how they keep drawing you back. I officially watch just GH, but I watch the other ABC shows in the summer with my mom, and they still draw me back in.
KittyDoggyLover – Thanks for the review!
Pain – I'm biased too, but Mac's trying to think about her kids needs…or something…
Tina Frank – Thanks…we're working on closure…because when Mac gets closure she can start moving on…with other people…hehehe!
Lu – I'm hiding behind my desk because I'm afraid some of the other readers are going to send their minions at me for not updating. Actually, I'm just stressed out from school, but thanks for the review!