OOOO
Part Ten
Harm and Mac were sitting on the floor beside the bathtub, watching Katya splash about in the water with a set of yellow plastic, floaty ducks.
"Are we having fun in here?" Trish popped her head around the door, "May Frank and I come in?"
"Of course you can. Come on in," Mac told them, "Grandparents are always welcome!"
"Hi sweetie-pie!" Trish greeted Katya, reaching over to stroke Katya's cheek, "Are you making big splashes in here?"
"Gamma!" Katya exclaimed, happily.
"All right," Trish nodded, "'Gamma' it is."
"What is Grandad Frank called, Katya?" Harm asked his daughter.
"Gampa!" Katya shouted, loudly, giggling.
"I think I can live with that!" Frank decreed, happily and everyone laughed.
"Right," Mac announced, "I think that it's time for you to get dried off and put to bed, young lady."
She lifted Katya out of the tub and into a towel. She allowed Katya to give everyone goodnight kisses, before she carried the girl into hers and Harm's bedroom, to get her dried off and into her pyjamas.
"Listen, Harm," Frank stopped Harm, as he was getting up, "I really appreciate you letting me be a part of the family…"
"Frank," Harm stopped him, "You always have been. I'm sorry I didn't appreciate you more while I was growing up. You've always been there for me and I can't think of anyone better to help guide my child as she grows up…"
"I'm sure that your Father would be an even better Grandfather for her, if he was still here," Frank assured Harm, "He was a great man and the last thing I've ever wanted to do is take his place."
"I know Frank," Harm replied, "I know. But there's no reason why Katya can't have three Granddads. Her other two just aren't around, anymore."
"I'll do my best for her," Frank promised Harm, "Trish and I will dote on this child…"
Trish smiled and went to hug her husband and her son.
"…plus any more that you might want to send our way," she added.
"Hold your horses, Mom," Harm joked, "Let Mac and I get used to the one, first!"
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That night, Harm and Mac climbed into bed beside Katya and the child stirred, cuddling into Mac.
"Mamma," she muttered, sleepily.
"Night-night, baby," Mac told her, kissing her forehead.
"Night angel," Harm told his daughter, "Momma and Daddy will see you in the morning."
"Ni'Daddy," Katya told him and drifted back off to sleep.
Harm and Mac stayed awake, staring at their beautiful daughter, curled up between them. They had watched her sleep nearly every night since they had brought her home from the hospital and neither could remember ever being so happy. Although they had both heard stories about what it was like to have your own children, neither Harm nor Mac could ever imagine feeling any more love for their child than they did right now. Katya without a doubt made their family and Harm and Mac would always look upon her as their own child.
They both stared at each other in mutual amazement then Harm spoke up.
"It's unbelievable, isn't?"
Mac nodded, "I can't imagine ever living any differently to how we are living, right now. It just feels so right."
Harm nodded in agreement.
"I love being a Dad," he told Mac, "And I love you, Sarah, more than anything in the world."
"I love you too, Harm," Mac replied, "Thank you for not listening to what I said, when we were leaving Paraguay."
"I never thought I'd hear you thanking me for not listening to what you told me," Harm laughed, "But I could never have ignored what I felt for you. Never."
"I think it was just a matter of time before I gave in, too," Mac told him, "It just took Katya to bring me to my senses."
She looked down at the little girl again and stroked her baby-fine hair and continued.
"Becoming a family has completed my life, Harm. Despite everything that I've worked for over the years, I never felt complete. The only time I felt near to it was when I spent time with you and your family and with Bud, Harriet and the babies. I hope life stays just like this."
She and Harm lay thinking for a while then Mac added, "At least for a while."
"So you still want to marry me, then?" Harm asked.
"Of course I do, more than anything," Mac assured him, "I just think we should wait until everything with the adoption is sorted and finalised. I want nothing to take my attention off being a Mother to our child and loving you both."
Harm gave Mac a soft kiss.
"Okay, Sarah. As soon as all of this is taken care of, we'll focus on getting you an engagement ring. The most beautiful one we can find. Just like you, just like our child."
They both snuggled up to their child I between them and drifted off to sleep.
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They woke up to the sound of movement in the hallway outside, the next morning.
AJ and Sasha were already up and went down to their parents and Uncle in a flash, AJ taking Sasha's hand and carefully guiding her down the stairs. Harm and Mac ran into Trish, Frank, AJ and Meredith, and Harriet's parents, who had woken baby James, in the hallway.
"Good morning, sweetheart!" Trish greeted her Granddaughter, as she took her from Harm, giving her a kiss, "Are you all excited about your presents under the Christmas tree?"
Katya understood the word 'presents,' but was unsure about the rest of them, so Mac explained what Trish had asked her, in Russian.
The little girl smiled, shyly, nodding her head.
"How's Gampa's little jewel, this morning?" Frank asked his Granddaughter, tickling her under the chin.
Katya giggled, then leaned over to him, holding her arms out. He gladly took her into his own arms, kissing her forehead, as the group began to make their way downstairs.
By the time that they got there, Bud and Harriet, both also in their housecoats, had lifted and put away the fold-out bed and Mikey was peering under the tree with little AJ and Sasha, all of them looking to see which presents in the avalanche of gifts were for who.
"Merry Christmas!" Bud greeted them all, "Looks like Santa Claus was generous!"
Katya ran to little AJ and Sasha when her Grandpa put her down on the ground.
"All right, kids," Mikey co-ordinated, "How shall we do this? Why don't each of you grab a present from underneath the tree, one that isn't for you and take it to that person. AJ you help Sasha and Katya pick a present, then show them who to take it to."
Little AJ did so dutifully, picking up a gift and giving it to Katya.
"That's for Uncle Mikey," he told her, pointing to his Uncle, "Give it to him."
Katya looked over to her Mom, to get confirmation as to what she was to do.
"Uncle Mikey," Mac told her, "Bring that present to Uncle Mikey and say, "Merry Christmas' to him."
Katya crossed to Mikey, who bent down to receive his present.
"Mayee kissmas," Katya told him, giggling.
"Thank you," Mikey took the present from her, giving her a hug.
Little AJ had by now picked out another present and given it to Sasha.
That's for Mommy," he told his sister, "Take it to Mommy."
After a little prompt from Mac, Sasha followed her instructions.
Harriet caught her daughter up, giving her a kiss.
"Mayee kissmas, Mommy," the little girl told her, cuddling her Mother back.
Little AJ picked out the next present and took it to his namesake, telling the man, "Merry Christmas Uncle AJ!"
The next few hours passed this way, with everyone taking a turn to give out a present. Thank yous were given across the living room, from recipient to giver.
The first presents that AJ received were opened in a whirlwind of ripping gift-wrap, though his sister and cousin just sat holding their presents on their knee.
"Hey baby-girls…" Mac asked them in Russian, "Do you not want to open your presents? Once you see what is inside, then you can move onto your next ones."
The little girls just hugged their presents to them, silently.
"Why don't you take another of your presents, AJ," Harm prompted the little boy, "take it over to the girls and show them how it's done."
Little AJ did so, taking a seat beside his sister and cousin.
"Come on," he encouraged them, "Do it like me."
He began to rip and pullback the paper from his gift, looking at them, indicating with a nod of his head in their direction that they were to copy him. Sasha did so, but Katya just watched them, in silence. Harm stood up and walked over to Katya, lifting her and her present up into his arms. He brought her over to where Mac was sitting in a chair and placed Katya on her Mother's knee. He perched himself on the chair's arm and watched as Mac explained to Katya in Russian, showing her what she needed to do.
"Pull off the paper, Katya."
"Pretty," Katya told her Mother, pointing to the silvery white snowflakes on the dark blue wrapping paper, "Pretty, Mommy."
Mac realised that this must be the first time that either of the girls had ever seen Christmas paper.
"Okay," she told her daughter, "Shall we take it off carefully? Then you can keep the paper and the present."
The little girl nodded and looked back to her present, wondering what to do first.
"How, Mommy?" she asked, "Show how."
Mac started her off, showing her how to carefully lift the tape, pulling back each fold of paper to reveal a hint of the packaging underneath.
Meanwhile, Sasha and little AJ were now onto their next presents. Jimmy was seated on his Mom's knee and although he looked intrigued by the process, it was Harriet who was doing the unwrapping for him.
By the time that all of the wrapping paper had been lifted away and folded up, Katya eyed the baby-doll looking out at her from inside the box.
"Dolly!" She exclaimed.
"That's right!" Mac told her, "That's from Grandma Trish and Grandpa Frank. What do you say to them?"
Katya smiled to herself for a second, thinking, then scanned the room for her Grandma and Grandpa.
"Thank you!" she told them, in Russian, then again in English, with just a small prompt from Mac.
"You're welcome, Darling," Trish and Frank told them.
OOOO
Sasha and AJ were already well into playing with their new toys on the floor, by the time that Katya set about opening her last present, this time sitting on Harm's knee.
"Daddy!" she admonished, as Harm accidentally tore a bit of the paper.
"Sorry, princess," he told her, grimacing at his little girl's displeasure, "Daddy's not as good at this as Mommy is. Why don't you try it? You might be better than me."
Mac repeated this again in Russian and Katya set to work on the package in front of her.
"Ooo!" she exclaimed, softly, as she tore a bit more of the paper.
"Never mind," Harm told her, "Keep going."
Katya did so and gasped as she pulled back the last piece of the paper, to reveal a pretty pink pony, looking out at her through the front of the box.
"Horsy!" she told Harm excitedly, "Horsy!"
"That's right," Harm encouraged her, "Mommy and Daddy took you to see some of those a few weeks ago, didn't we?"
"She adored the pony show we took her to," Mac explained to Frank and Trish, "We knew that she would love that."
"Your horsy came from Santa Claus," Harm told Katya.
"Thank you, Santa Claus!" Katya shouted loudly, as if Santa would be able to hear, wherever he was, now.
Mac just grinned, watching Harm help Katya take the toy pony out of the box.
Everyone was either seated in the living room, watching television or helping out with Christmas lunch in the kitchen, when the doorbell sounded. Mac simply looked confused after she opened the door, to be confronted by a shrouded figure. She had expected that maybe it was Webb, who had said that he'd be around later on in the day to drop off some presents. However, she didn't have the faintest idea who this heavily wrapped up person was, standing in the now blanketing snow outside the front door.
"I hear that a now have a new niece to meet," Harm's younger brother spoke up and Mac's mouth dropped open in amazement as Sergei began to pull away all of his winter clothes.
"Sergei!" she exclaimed, "We thought you were away on a mission! Come in from the cold! Harm! Your brother's here…"
Harm came bounding up the stairs, to see what the commotion was all about.
"Sergei?" he exclaimed, just as amazed as Mac, pulling his brother into a hug, "We had no idea that you were around…Your CO said…"
"Yes," Sergei confirmed, "I got everything finished early. I thought I'd come and meet your new little girl. That's okay, isn't it?"
"Of course it is!" Harm admonished his brother, "Mac and I have been so excited about you coming to meet Katya…We just didn't expect it to be this soon!"
"Your friend Clayton Webb has been in contact with me, helping out with some information that I needed. He told me all about what you all went through over the past weeks. Are you and the Roberts family all okay?"
"We're all fine, now," Mac assured him, "Now that both of the girls are here with us."
"The past couple of weeks have been so great!" Harm added, grinning, "I never thought becoming a Dad would be so amazing."
Sergei just smiled at the sight of Harm and Mac. He had always known that the two of them were made for each other, despite the fact that they had fought the inevitable with all of their strength. This must be an amazing child, to bring the two of them together as effortlessly as he had heard.
Mac took Sergei's arm as she and Harm showed him the way down the stairs and into the living room.
All of the adults got up off the chairs and couch as came over to greet Sergei, or in some cases introduced themselves to him for the first time. After introductions and greetings had been issued, Sergei peered past them to the small cluster of children sitting in front of the television. The children were watching Russian cartoons on the television, which had been one of little Sasha's Christmas presents. All of them burst into hysterical laughter as they watched a little cartoon duck get squashed by the large pig it shared the farm-yard with, only to come out flattened.
"Alright, you lot," Mac told the children, first in English, then in Russian, "You need to move back from the television screen. You're sitting far too close, you'll ruin your eyes."
All three children were still riveted by the cartoon, but slowly shuffled backwards, an inch. All of the adults laughed and went to forcibly move each child to a safe distance.
Sergei followed Harm as he went to move Katya.
"Katya, princess," Harm told her, "Back a bit more…here…stay there, now…Look who has come to see you, today…"
Katya diverted her attention from the cartoon, first to take in her towering Dad, then to take in the tall figure standing beside him.
"This is Daddy's little brother, your Uncle Sergei," Harm explained.
"Unca Sergei?" Katya repeated, unsurely.
"Yes," Harm nodded, "That's right. Uncle Sergei, this is your niece, Ekaterina."
"Ekaterina," Sergei repeated, continuing in Russian, "My, what a pretty name! A pretty name for a pretty little girl…you know Russian, don't you, sweetheart?"
Katya smiled as she nodded, excited by another person other than her Mother whom she could communicate with, with ease. She reached up her arms to Sergei in contentment and Sergei lifted her up into his arms.
"Oh, I think she likes her Uncle Sergei, Daddy," Mac noted to Harm, approaching to group.
Then Mac turned to Katya, telling her daughter, "Your Uncle Sergei flies helicopters, Katya."
"Like Daddy," Katya spoke up and Mac confirmed, "Yes, like Daddy flies airplanes.They fly in the air…"
She was too young really to make much of a distinction between the two, though she'd certainly grow up knowing the difference, if her Father was Harmon Rabb Junior!
Katya played happily in Sergei's arms for the next hour, pausing to babble away to him in Russian every now and then. Soon, Sasha joined them, attracted by the fact that Sergei spoke Russian.
"Unca Sergei," Katya told her and Sasha climbed up onto his knee happily, alongside Katya.
"Are you girls having a good time with Uncle Sergei?" Harriet asked them, as she came in from the kitchen to see the new arrival, "How are you, Sergei?"
"I'm very well, thank you, Harriet…It is not too much trouble, turning up out of the blue like this?"
"Of course not," Harriet dismissed, " We've got enough here to feed the masses."
"Which we have," Mikey joked, indicating to the people gathered around the living room, "The more the merrier, huh!"
Sergei laughed as he got into the mood of the occasion.
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