Disclaimer: I own a very big book with lots of details about human anatomy. That's about it. I'm doing this for my own fun, no infringement involved. Thanks for understanding.

A/N: sigh. Thank you all soooo much for the wonderful reviews. Sorry it took this long, sadly the next part will take time as well... I'm writing it through Biochemistry classes... but it will come eventually, have faith! Hope you like it.

A/N2: JamieAKAaclassyone, would love to answer any questions, my email's on my profile page, ok?

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He could actually physically breathe easier now. Something that was clogging his airway had been removed. He was driving back home with Mattie asleep in the back seat and Mac next to him, occasionally throwing glances in his direction. He was once again in control of himself and of what was happening with the important people in his life. No matter what happened now, he could deal with it. No problem.

-Flashback-

He was standing in front of Mattie's house, unsure of what to do next. He'd asked Mac to stay in the car and she easily complied. Now he wished he hadn't. Should he knock? Should he just walk in? He really didn't want to bump into Tom just now, he just didn't think he'd control himself well enough, and for Mattie's sake he knew he had to.

This internal debate seemed to him to last forever. In reality it was all of one minute and a half after he got out of his car when the front door opened.

He walked as fast as he could without braking into a run, something which Mattie obviously didn't care about since she ran straight to and into his arms.

She wasn't crying, just holding on to him for dear life, breathing in his smell. So different, so the polar opposite of the odor she dreaded. It was that smell that made her feel safe as did the arms holding her. When she brought her head up to rest on his shoulder, her eyes focused on a figure standing next to his car. It took her a full 2 seconds to realize it was Mac, but when she did a grin spread despite everything. She pulled back and directed the expression at the man she had claimed as her guardian in every sense of the word.

Harm was confused at her smile, thinking maybe it was her way of holding back the tears, but then she was looking over his shoulder and he followed her gaze and then her thought pattern.

He managed to say "It's not what you think..." but Mattie was walking fast towards Mac, and probably didn't even hear him. He had to smile as Mac enveloped Mattie in a warm hug, then cupped her face in her hands and whispered something he couldn't hear from where he was standing.

Finally moved from the spot when his eyes focused on two pairs of hand waiving him to come closer, he strode back to the car.

"Can we go, Harm? I just wanna get out of here. Please?"

"Yeah, yeah, let's go." He suddenly felt stupid for not getting into the car faster.

"I left... him a note saying I'm with you and that I'm never coming back.." she let the statement hang thick in the air as she got into the back seat and closed the door behind her.

Over the top of the car, Mac and Harm shared a worried look before easing down and inside the vehicle themselves.

Pulling together every strand of emotional strength he owned, Harm gave Mattie an encouraging smile and made a promise he knew he couldn't make, "Everything will be alright, kid."

He got half a smile, or what would better be described as a quick and shallow upturn of the lips. He knew, that she knew, that this was a promise he couldn't really keep, if only because it wasn't only up to him. But he also knew that sometimes you just need to hear the words.

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Mac's hand on his brought him out of his reverie. Had she said something?

"I'm sorry, Mac, what?"

"I called the General, told him we'd need the morning off because of family matters that came up. Wisely, he didn't ask what, just said to be in the office by noon. Thank god tomorrow's Friday."

She threw a glance to the back seat and found Mattie lying on it, fast asleep.

"She'll be alright, Harm. She has you."

He was still as talkative as a rock. Only a sigh told her he'd heard her words.

"And you have me..." she whispered mostly to herself, but he heard her loud and clear. He stole repeated glances her way, his eyes begging for confirmation.

Finding her eyes locked on him, she answered his wish, "Always."

She was sure her heart was in her eyes, she could feel it.

Tearing his eyes from her to watch the road, Harm took Mac's hand in his and brought it to his lips for a tender kiss to the palm, then breathed "Thank you." against it.

It was all she could do to repeat, "Always."

He released her hand and Mac suddenly felt open and raw as he closed up into his shell once again. She looked outside, trying desperately to get a hold of the emotions almost controlling her completely.

A few minutes passed in silence, then he spoke.

"I'll drop you off at home so you can get a few hours of sleep."

Shaken out of herself, it took Mac a moment to focus and answer him. "No, you won't, I'm coming with you."

He started to protest but she was adamant. "Let me help you through this, Harm, just this once let someone in to fight the good fight with you." She whispered fiercely, as so not to wake Mattie.

Mac expected a rebuttal, angered silence, anything but what she got, which was a short laugh followed by a sheepish grin.

"I guess we both need to learn that lesson, huh Mac?"

He got a smile in return. "Why do I get the feeling I have to worry about that being too easy?"

"I'll take the couch."

"Ah, yes, so you can complain for a week that because of me your back hurts like hell."

He shrugged, "Take it or leave it."

"You know damned well I'll take it. Tell you what, we'll discuss the terms of the deal when we get there, fair enough?"

He gave her a skeptical, brow raised look.

"I don't deal when I have a winning case."

Crossing her hands in front of herself, she leaned further back into the comfortable seat and huffed. "We'll see about that, flyboy."

She was extremely happy she got this bit of playful banter out of him, he was dealing with things much better than she expected, much better than she would have under similar circumstances.

The remainder of the drive went by in silence, each caught up in their own thoughts.

When they were practically at Harm's place, Mac turned back to wake Mattie.

"Hey... Mattie... we're home. Wake up..." She stroked the teenager's arm, coaxing her to fully awaken.

Mattie moaned something that sounded like, "not yet" and stretched her muscles.

Harm had parked the car and shared a smile with Mac at the sleepy girl.

"Come on, Matts.. you'll be much more comfortable in your own bed. Want me to carry you up?" It almost sounded as if he wanted her to say yes.

"No.. no.. I'm up, I'm up." One more stretch and she was out the door, followed closely by a hand-linked couple.

Reaching their floor, Harm finally found his voice. "Mattie, you want to sleep in my apartment tonight? I mean.. if you want.."

Thankfully he was cut off by Mattie's head shaking no. She hugged him tightly. "I think what I need right now is to sleep in my bed. I know you're right next door if I need anything."

"When did she become this smart?" he directed the question at Mac, who along with Mattie shook her head in amusement.

The girls shared a hug. "I'm always a phone call away, you know?"

Mattie smiled and nodded, then turned to her apartment.

Harm threw Mac the keys. "I'll just be a second, okay?"

"No problem, G'night Mattie."

"Night, Mac. Thanks for coming."

With a parting smile Mac entered Harm's apartment as the two entered Mattie's.

They found Jen sitting in the kitchen with a cup of coffee. At their entrance she jumped from her seat, spilling said coffee over the paper she was skimming.

"Mattie! God, you guys scared me!" Coming around the table, she gave Mattie a hug, and at Harm's facial expressions, decided not to ask why the teenager came back home this early.

"Hey Jen, boy is it good to be home. I'm gonna go crash."

Taking another look at Harm's face, Jen figured she couldn't ask for clarification of the light speed muttering just shot in her direction either.

"Okay..."

Harm mouthed, "I'll explain later" and followed Mattie into her room.

Mattie sat on the edge of her bed, not having found the power to get up and into pajamas before crawling under the covers.

Harm brought a chair from the kitchen and sat opposite her, straddling the chair.

"I'm sorry, Harm.." Had he not been listening, he might have missed it.

"What on earth for, Matts?"

She half threw her hands in the air, "For dragging you out in the middle of the night, and obviously in the middle of something important..." she chucked a finger in the general direction of his apartment.

For the life of him, he couldn't understand what she was talking about. "What do you mean? I was actually awake, and I'm glad I could come at a moment's notice. I'm sorry that you had to go through that..."

Mattie sighed. "I'm still sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry for!" he tried to reassure her.

"Tell Mac I'm sorry too... I didn't mean to interrupt anything..."

Understanding dawned. "Oh! You think – no, Mattie, we were just about to sit down and talk.."

"Right." She said in tired disbelief.

"Mattie, there's nothing going on between Mac and me, you know that."

She looked at him and was startled to realize that he seemed honest. "Well then, that's just sad, Harm. You both obviously care about each other," she raised a hand to stop him when he began to protest, "as more than friends. I mean, you sit down to talk at 4 am and there's nothing going on! I know first graders smarter than you two..."

Harm was shocked speechless.

Mattie gave him an indulgent smile and got up from the bed. She leaned down and placed a kiss on his cheek. "Go back to that Marine and do something smart so I can go to sleep in peace."

Still a bit dazed, Harm took the chair with him. "Night, Matts."

The girl waved him off and closed the door behind him. He offered Jen a short, detail-free explanation, leaving the full story to Mattie's editing, and was out the door, wandering, this time seriously, when the girl had gotten so damn smart.

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TBC