Notes: Once again thank you to the readers and reviewers. We hope to have the entire story posted by Christmas, but it is getting a bit long, so it might take until New Years, but we wil get it all up before the holiday are over. Thanks again.

Home of Captain and Mrs. Harmon Rabb
Dahlgren, VA
November 23, 2029
1308 ZULU

Harm awakened before Mac the next morning and, true to his word, went downstairs to begin making waffles and fruit. He stopped and stared at her as she slept, and he smiled at the sight. The night had been painful for her, but to look upon her now, you'd never know it.

Mac stirred at the smell of the waffles, "Hey, you're up early."

"Yeah, a little," he said with a yawn. "It's okay though; gives us an earlier start on the day. You sleep well?"

"Once I got to sleep I did," she replied. "You?"

"Not too bad," he said as the light went off on the waffle iron. "I missed you, though."

"I'm sorry," Mac replied. "I'd never have made it up there last night."

"It's not your fault, sweetheart," he said as he poured batter into the iron. "If we weren't so attached to this house, I'd say we should sell it and move to a one story, just so we don't have to sleep apart, you know?"

"I was actually thinking of that myself. When your leg was bad you couldn't leave the upstairs, and now with my legs going...it's worth discussing," Mac sighed and went to move off the sofa bed.

Harm looked around the kitchen. "It'd be hard to part with this place. Lot of memories were made here."

Mac bit her lip a minute, "Do you still need or want some of that stuff in the office?"

"What stuff?" he asked, opening the fridge in search of juice.

"The desk, the file cabinets, all those boxes," she told him. "If you can get rid of even half of it, we can fit a double bed in there."

He thought for a moment. "I like that idea, yeah."

"That way I could go in there and you could still be with me and not hurt in the morning if my knees are acting up," she replied. "Can I have a hand?"

"Sure, sweetie," he said, setting the juice carafe on the counter and offering his good hand to her.

Mac took his hand and gingerly put her weight on her legs. "Okay," she smiled. "I'm good. No more pain than usual."

"Good, good," he said. "Do you need anything, your pills or anything?"

"Yeah, um, I think if I take a pill before we leave I'll be good for the day," she replied. "How are you? Not too tired, or anything?"

He shook his head. "I feel good, I do. Hand is still throwing a fit, but nothing any worse than before."

Mac smiled and was about to reply when their phone rang, "Can you get that? I have to use the bathroom."

"Sure," he said, walking to the other side of the room and picking up the receiver. "Hello?"

"Hi, Dad," Nikki said into the phone. "How are you?"

"Hey Nik," he said with a smile. "I'm good. How're you this fine morning?"

"Not too bad," she replied. "You sound happy."

"I am," he said. "Making your mom and I a nice breakfast, then we're going shopping."

"Sounds good," Nikki smiled. "How is Mom?"

"Sore," said Harm. "Her knees are bothering her some today, but she's tough."

"That's been going on a lot lately," Nikki sighed. "Is she around? I want to talk to her."

"She'll be back out in just a sec," he said as he realized the waffle was burning.

Nikki and Harm chatted until Mac came out of the bathroom and then he handed her the phone. She and Nikki chatted idly for a few minutes, then Mac said, "Okay, Monday then. I love you." Before hanging up the phone.

"Monday what?" he asked, trying in vain to clear the smell of burned waffles from the kitchen after he set the table.

"She wants to have lunch," Mac replied.

"Oh, that's great," he said, setting a plate of fruit on the table. "You two don't get to do that as often as you used to."

"I know, and she wants to," Mac smiled. "That smells good."

"Dig in," he said with a smile. "Coffee's almost ready."

They sat together and enjoyed breakfast, even though the smell of the burned waffle remained for the duration. After they ate, showered and dressed, it was off to the mall for a few hours of shopping.

Tysons Corner Center
McLean, VA
November 23, 2029
1740 ZULU

Harm took the backroads toward McLean to visit Mac's favorite holiday shopping center. Mac knew exactly what she was after, and she was glad Harm as with her, if for no other reason, to carry the packages. Occasionally as they shopped, he step near her, pull her close, and place tiny kisses on her cheeks or the back of her neck.

Mac was hungry about half way through and though she didn't mention it to Harm, her knees were starting to ache, so they moved to a bench and he bought her a stuffed pretzel. As he sat and she sat and ate, they heard a delighted; "Gampa!" from a few yards away.

Harm turned around to see his twin grandsons running towards him, Jimmy a few steps ahead of Johnny and typically far more vocal, "Hey, there are my boys!" he exclaimed.

Mark ran after his sons, his wife bringing up the rear with the carriage, "Hi, Dad, Mom," he greeted and gave Mac a kiss on the cheek as Harm dropped to give Johnny and Jimmy hugs.

"How're my guys feeling?" Harm asked the youngsters as he held them close.

Jimmy immediately buried his face against Harm's arm, signifying he still didn't feel too great. Johnny followed suit, and soon both were nuzzling on their Grandpa's arms.

Harm laughed a little and looked up at his son. "Guess that answers that question, huh?"

"Their temps are down so we thought we'd try to do some shopping, but they still have ear aches," he sighed. "Jenna?"

"What, sweetie?" she replied.

"Can you take them back to the truck?" Mark asked. "I want to visit a bit with my folks."

Jenna nodded. "Okay, come on boys, let's go sit in the truck and listen to your stories, okay?" The boys had some storybooks on CD that their parents learned to never leave the house without.

They hugged their grandparents, and got went off with their Mom. Mark sat down next to his Mom and put his arm around her pulling her close, "How was your Thanksgiving?"

"Quiet" she answered. "But it was still nice; we had a good day. How was yours?"

"Non existent. They were so fussy," he sighed. "You look tired. Is Dad...?" His voice dropped as he spoke around Harm, who was standing ten feet away.

"He's doing well" she said. "No worse than before anyway. Do you know what he thinks, or at least thought?"

"No, what?" Mark asked, keeping his voice low so Harm would not hear.

Mac glanced up at Harm, knowing he was likely hearing their every word. "He thought" she whispered. "That maybe everyone stayed away because of his illness. I told him no, but the fear was there anyway."

"Chris does," Mark confessed. "And it upsets the boys when its noticeable." His voice was so low he hope that Harm wouldn't hear in all the noise.

But he did. He heard every word.

"Don't tell him that," whispered Mac, fearing he already knew. "Are you sure? Did Chris tell you this?"

"Yeah, he said when Dad's leg was...it got to him. He's worked with MS patients and he said Dad is gonna just get worse and we're all kidding ourselves he's gonna stay as he is," Mark replied. "And I've thought about that too. He's had three flare ups in the last year, only eight total in six years. He's getting worse."

"Harm?" Mac spoke up just then.

"Can you get me some of that bone Tylenol from the CVS?" she asked. "My knees are hurting again."

"Okay, sure," he said, slowly heading for the drugstore, his heart saddened by the conversation he'd overheard.

"He's getting worse, yes," agreed Mac. "He's not, however, so bad that he can't do things with his family when he wants to."

"I know Mom," he replied. "I do, but it upsets all of us to see him like this. He can't even really help you out this time can he?"

She sighed. "Not like he once could, no."

"You see," Mark sighed. "I want him to be better, I do. I really do. But it's just not going to be that way. And it scares the boys," he sighed. "My sons get scared when Dad can't pick them up like he's supposed to in their head or when he can't keep an even gait and I'm sensitive to that. I have to be."

"I know, son, I know," she said softly. "You have to protect them, but the flip side of that is you need to take into account what your father thinks and feels."

"I know, Mom," Mark sighed. "And I didn't stay home yesterday because of that, I didn't, and I'm not saying I would but I worry about you. Your arthritis is bad, I know it is and Dad can't help you like he used to. Jenna and I think...we think maybe its time for you two to move up near us."

"Oh," said Mac, looking down at her hands. "Maybe...I guess, it might be an idea. I'll talk with your Dad."

Mark nodded, "Okay. I love you both Mom, you know that. You two protected and nurtured us our whole lives. It's my turn. Please, talk to him. Think about it." This as he drew his mother into a warm strong hug.

"I will," she said, holding her son close. "I love you, son."

Mark kissed his mother's hair and went to join his wife before his father returned.

Harm walked to and from the drugstore slowly, his mind on the talk his wife and son were having when he left. He hated hearing that his illness was upsetting anyone to the point of avoidance, especially his own family. He returned to the bench where Mac was sitting, and handed her the sack.

"Here, sweetheart," he said.

"Thanks," she smiled. "I think we should hit the toy store and then head home."

He nodded, a sad look on his face.

"What's wrong?" Mac asked. "Are you tired?"

"No," he answered, his voice soft and low. "We can go to the toy store, that's fine.

"Harm we've been married for 29 years, I know when you are tired or sick or sad, and you are something," she said rising and wincing at the pressure on her legs.

He sighed. "I was right, Mac. They're avoiding me."

She slipped her arm around his waist, "No. They aren't."

"Mark just said they were," he countered. "Chris is."

Mac sighed, "Chris has worked with primary progressive MS patients, he's scared. Talk to him, you can help each other understand."

"Yeah, maybe," said Harm. "It just hurts, you know?"

"I know," Mac sighed. "Harm, Mark suggested..."

He looked at her. "What?"

"He suggested we move up closer to him so he can help," she sighed.

"What did you tell him?" asked Harm.

"That we'd talk about it," she replied. "And I think that it might be a good idea."

Harm was quiet for a moment. "Yeah, it is a good idea. We were just talking about moving anyway, makes sense to move closer to someone."

"You're not okay with this," she sighed.

"It's not that I'm not 'okay' with it," he said. "It's just hard to think about giving up the house we've had for so long, and it is hard to think about becoming reliant on the kids more than we are right now. There are lots of things to consider, but I won't say it's out of the question."

Mac nodded, "Okay. Hey, toy store."

They didn't spend too long in the toy store because they spied the perfect gift for the grandsons within the first three minutes. Tricycles, matching blue ones. Browsing for a little longer they found some matchbox cars and some small toy airplanes to use as stocking stuffers, and after checking out, they were on their way. Harm was exceptionally quiet the entire outing, his heart aching with every thought of how badly he missed having his children around for the holidays.

Home of Captain and Mrs. Harmon Rabb
Dahlgren, VA
November 23, 2029
2214 ZULU

When they reached the house, Harm headed inside without taking even the smallest package with him. Mac sighed. She'd seen this before, when his grandmother passed away, when his mom died, when Nikki announced she was getting married, and when Chris joined the peace corp. Any time something hurt him, deeply scarred him, he'd retreat until he wanted to deal with things again.

She slowly made her way in and out of the house, legs aching from their use until the packages were inside then she called out for Harm. "Harm! Sweetheart, where are you?"

He heard her from his seat in the study, but he didn't answer.

"Harm?" Mac called again. "Are you upstairs?"

"Yeah," he called in reply, his tone telling his mood.

"Will you come down?" she asked, she really didn't want to climb those stairs.

He sighed. "Five minutes."

Mac sighed herself and turned to start putting the packages away and began assembling sandwiches for dinner. When her internal clock said that not only five but ten minutes passed she called out again, "Harm, supper is ready!"

Her call snapped him out of the daze he'd fallen into, and he rose from his chair and went to join her for dinner, his heart still heavy.

She'd set their sandwiches up in the living room, seating herself in the recliner he usually sat in and propping up her legs. She flicked on the TV and started to watch reruns when he came down, "Why were you hiding up there? I could have used your help down here."

"Just felt like being alone for awhile," he answered as he sat on the sofa and picked up his plate.

"I hope you don't mind," she referred to her residence in his chair.

He looked up from his plate and shook his head a little. "No, it's okay."

"What's wrong?" she asked him softly. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah, I'm alright," he said, picking at his sandwich.

"You don't seem it. Twenty-nine years of marriage, I know when you are not all right," Mac sighed. "What gives?"

He set his plate back on the coffee table and slouched back on the sofa. "Yesterday just didn't feel right, and then to hear today that I'm right, that my kids are staying away because I'm sick... Hurts, you know?"

"They aren't staying away because you are sick," Mac sighed. "That is not true."

"Mark said Chris is," he countered.

"Chris doesn't understand that you aren't going to be like the hospice patients," Mac replied. "He's never been very literate when it comes to research."

"I know," said Harm. "But Mark also said it upsets the little ones to see me like this. I can't blame them, I guess. It upsets me, too."

"Jimmy and Johnny are babies," Mac sighed. "Mark understands. They don't like seeing me limping either."

"You've limped their entire lives," he said. "It just didn't seem like anyone stayed away until now. It hurts."

"I'm sorry," she sighed. "But Harm...do you believe that you are sick?"

"I know I am," he said plainly. "And I know it can be hard to look at me when I'm not at my best, but... I just miss the way things used to be."

"Your illness isn't noticeable unless you try to do too much," Mac replied. "And you always try to do too much."

He shrugged. "Hard to change, I guess."

"Well, the more you push the longer the flare ups last and the more severe they are," Mac pointed out gesturing with her hands toward his mostly dead hand.

Mac sighed and slid off the recliner to move closer to him, "You need to rest more, you need to let me do more," Mac encouraged. "You need to learn to listen to your body."

He took a deep breath. "You're right. I do."

"What's it telling you to do now?" Mac asked hoping he'd say eat, but not so sure.

He was quiet for a moment. "I think I need to take a little nap. Wake me in an hour?"

She rubbed his thigh, "Two hours," she told him. "You haven't slept well in a few nights."

With a small nod and a weak smile, he rose from the sofa and headed upstairs.

November 24, 2029
0028 ZULU

Mac cleaned up the dinner and did the dishes, then though about what she could do to help Harm. Thinking he'd been happy is one of the kids visited she called Nikki.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Nikki," Mac spoke, her voice a bit shaky with bottled up emotion. "It's Mom."

"Hi, Mom," replied Nikki. "Is everything okay? Is something wrong with Dad?"

At that soft query, it all came out and Mac tried to stifle a sob.

"Mom? What is it?" pressed a very worried Nikki.

Mac swallowed the lump and tried. "Daddy..." she began.

Nikki's heart began to pound. "What happened? Is it the MS? Is he okay?"

Mac remained silent a few minutes and softly cried into the phone, thinking of her conversation with Mark and with Harm that day.

"Mom, please?" begged Nikki. "I'm really worried here, please tell me something."

It took Mac a few minutes to get her composure, and then she said, "He's okay. He is, he's just...He...Do you think maybe you could come by sometime early next week?"

"Of course, sure," said Nikki. "Can I do anything until then?"

"No," Mac replied. "He...yeah, talk to Chris and see if he'll be home for Christmas. You'll be here won't you?"

"Oh, definitely," Nikki answered.

"He thinks that you are all avoiding him," Mac told her daughter. "Because he's sick."

"But we're not!" she exclaimed. "Phil's sister was here and-"

"He thinks you are," Mac said. "You know Daddy."

"I do," said Nikki softly. "I'll stop by next week, okay. If you need anything before then, you just call, okay?"

"Why doesn't he come with us on Monday?" Mac asked.

"No, no," said Nikki. "This is a mother/daughter thing. I love Daddy, you know I do, but this is for you and me this time."

"Okay," Mac agreed. "I better get back to your father. He's voluntarily napping right now."

"Daddy never does that," said Nikki, amazed and concerned.

"I know," Mac replied. "But he needs it. You know?"

"Yeah," she answered. "Give him a kiss for me. I love you both."

"I will, I'll see you on Monday," Mac told her. "I love you." Then, as her intuition kicked in, "Nikki?"

"Yeah, mom?"

"Are you feeling okay?" she asked.

"Fine, yeah" answered Nikki. "I'll see you Monday."

Mac ended the call and went about the rest of the tidying up before making the long slow trek upstairs to wake Harm.

0129 ZULU

Harm had fallen asleep on top of the covers, in his clothes. She sat beside him and softly stroked his cheek, "Harm?"

"Mmm..." he moaned. "Still sleepy."

She continued to rub his cheek, "You want to get up and put your pajamas on and get under the covers?"

"Later," he mumbled. "Still sleepy."

Mac nodded and continued to rub his cheek softly as he drifted back off to sleep. Not happy that he seemed cold, she removed his shoes and worked to get his blankets out from under him.

0254 ZULU

Mac took advantage of Harm's extended nap time to soak in a hot tub and relax her aching knees and back. Then she did her facial and got ready for bed. She was reading in the rocking chair they'd used to rock all their babies to sleep when he stirred.

"Mmm... What time is it?" he asked her.

"Its just before ten," she replied. "How do you feel?"

"Better," he answered with a yawn. "I woke up just in time to go to bed, huh?"

"Yeah," Mac replied. "You want me to get you something to eat?"

"Nah, I'm good," he replied.

"You hardly ate any supper," Mac sighed.

"I'll eat a big breakfast," he said, crawling from the bed.

"Do you need help?" she asked raising from the chair to assist him in anything he might need. She hoped he'd surrender a bit more to her.

"You can dig out my green pajamas if you would," he said. "I'm gonna go use the bathroom."

Mac nodded and went to find the old worn pair of pajamas he just loved. She put them on his side of the bed and gave his pillow a fluff as she waited for him to come out.

Once he finished in the bathroom and donned his pajamas, he realized something was wrong. With a tiny smile, he said to Mac "come here."

Mac came over to him, "What? Do you need help?"

He shook his head and opened his arms to her. "I need a hug. A nice, long hug."

Mac wrapped her arms around his waist and held him long and tight rubbing her cheek against his chest. "I'm glad you took a nap."

"Me, too," he said, gently swaying back and forth as he held his wife. "Sorry I was so grumpy. Not sure what got into me."

"You are tired, you don't feel well, and you are sad," Mac replied. "It's okay. I just want you be all right, that's all."

"I will be," he promised her. "I will be."

Mac pulled back and leaned up to kiss his lips, "Will you?" she asked a trace of some of her emotions from earlier returning.

"Hey, hey," he said calmly. "I will, I really will. What's this all about, sweetie?"

She moved out of his arms and went around to her side of the bed, "Its nothing. Forget it."

"You're upset about something, Mac," he said. "Is it me?"

She shook her head and tried to deny it, "Uh uh."

"Are you sure?" he pressed gently.

She didn't reply again for several seconds, "I'm just tired."

Realizing he wasn't going to get anywhere, he let it go. "Okay, let's call it a night."

"Harm?" Mac said then fearing she alienated him.

"Yeah?" he replied, looking up.

"Promise me things will be different from now on?" she asked. "Promise you'll do all the things the doctors told you. Promise you'll let me help you."

"Okay, okay," he said softly. "I need to do better at letting myself be helped. I know that. I'm sorry I upset you, sweetie."

Mac nodded, "Its okay. Now, do you want or need anything before I get in bed. Once I'm in, I need you."

He thought for a moment. "Yeah, I think so."

"Okay," Mac sighed and sunk into bed. "Your turn."

Without even needing to ask, he slid closer to her and began to give her a massage. He knew all the places which pained her, like her knees, shoulders and her left ankle. He'd been able to tell just by her tone of voice that her knees were giving her the most grief that night, so that's where he focused his initial attentions.

"How did you know?" she asked relaxing into his soft touch.

"The same way you know when I'm in pain," he answered. "I've learned to read you over the years, I think."

"I'm glad," Mac replied. "I'm sorry about last night."

"Its okay," he said sweetly.

"It's just I'd run into Terri Coulter the other day..."Mac sighed.

"Oh?" he asked.

"Tom died," she told him.

"Oh, that's sad," said Harm, moving from the left knee to the right.

"And he was about your age," she sighed. "And he was in perfect health."

"So that's what brought this on," he said. "Mac, sweetie, I'm not going to die from anything I've got right now. Please don't fret like that."

"I'm not," Mac sighed. "But he just died, just like that. Heart attack and gone, just like that. She's lost."

"I'd imagine so," sighed Harm, feeling sad for the friend he'd made so many years before.

"Oh...right there," Mac moaned as Harm hit a particularly tender spot on her knee. "Oh..."

"That hurt?" he asked, stopping for a moment.

"Yes, but its okay," she replied. "Oh..."

"Sorry," he said. "You were up a lot today."

"Can you promise me something?" Mac asked.

"Anything," he replied.

"Promise me that I can go first," she sighed. "That I'll never have to look like Terri did."

"Oh, sweetheart," he said, ceasing his massage and pulling her close.

"Promise me," she whispered burying her cheek against his neck.

"I...I can't promise," he began to say, but sensing the fear she was feeling, he changed his mind. "I promise."

"Thank you," Mac replied. "I'm sorry about this mood I've been in. But its...we're older and I've been feeling so crappy lately..."

He gave her a gentle squeeze. "No excuse needed, sweetheart. I love you no matter what."

"Can you come see Dr. McKeever on Tuesday?" she asked rolling over so be could do her shoulders.

"Sure I can," he said with a yawn. "Shall we sleep, my love?"

Mac nodded and snuggled next to him, holding his hand in hers. "I love you," she whispered to him as his breathing began to even out.

"Love...you," he whispered in a hushed reply as sleep claimed him.