Chapter 2

AN1: Thank you all for the feedback to the first chapter, it is much appreciated! I hope you enjoy this next installment. The third and final chapter will be posted tomorrow.

AN2: Odakota, thanks for your offer to be my beta-reader! I tried emailing you but I got a mailing error. Do you have a different email address?

Disclaimer: I forgot to add this to chapter one so I'm adding it here. I do not own or have anything to do with JAG. I am just a fan!

Harm and Mac walked out of the bullpen silently and ended up at the car park, neither really remembering how they'd gotten there.

"I'll follow you," said Harm, finally breaking the silence as they stood awkwardly by their cars. Mac nodded mutely and before she knew it she was unlocking the door to her apartment, Harm following her in.

"Can I get you anything?" asked Mac.

"Water would be great," said Harm.

Mac headed to the kitchen and opened the fridge, getting two bottles of water out and handing one to Harm.

"Thanks," he said, taking a long drink.

"So, uh, interesting tactic of the Admiral's," said Harm as they both sat down on the couch.

"Yeah, I don't think either of us saw that one coming," said Mac with a nervous smile.

"Mac," said Harm.

"Harm," said Mac. They'd spoken at the same time and looked at each other, chuckling lightly.

"Ladies first," said Harm.

"You're in love with me?" asked Mac, jumping right in before she lost her courage.

"Yeah, I am," said Harm quietly, looking into her eyes. Mac smiled, the shock was starting to wear off and joy and relief had set in. They were no longer dancing around the topic but had tackled it head on, with the Admiral's assistance. He reciprocated her feelings and they were finally moving towards a relationship.

"When did it start? I mean, we haven't exactly been close lately," said Mac, she knew how long it had been for her and wanted to know exactly when it had started for him too.

"Eight years ago," replied Harm. He was a little nervous to be telling her just how long it had been, but the time had finally come for the talk they'd been evading for years. It was time for the truth and the happiness that immediately appeared on Mac's face made any remaining nervousness he had disappear. Mac found that she was speechless at this revelation and moved closer, giving him a quick hug.

"I'll take that as a sign that you don't want to kill me," said Harm with a smile.

"Good guess," teased Mac.

"So you're in love with me?" asked Harm, almost shyly.

"I'm in love with you. And here's the funny part…it started eight years ago for me too," said Mac, her eyes not leaving his. Harm couldn't have described how he felt at that moment, they'd clearly wasted a lot of time but he was glad that they'd finally gotten the chance to get things right.

"We're quite the pair aren't we," he remarked, quirking an eyebrow at her and shaking his head with a laugh.

"I'd say so," agreed Mac with a smile.

They looked at each other for a moment before shyly leaning in, their lips touching tentatively before their feelings took over and the kiss became anything but tentative.

"Will you have dinner with me tomorrow night?" asked Harm, breathlessly when they'd reluctantly pulled apart.

"Are you asking me out on a date?" asked Mac, smiling widely.

"Definitely," replied Harm, giving her his flyboy grin.

"I'd love to," said Mac.

"I'd like you to be my date for the Admiral's dining out tonight too," said Harm.

"I was going to be your unofficial date anyway, since we were both going solo remember?" said Mac teasingly.

"I'll take that as a yes," said Harm smiling.

"It is a yes," confirmed Mac, smiling back.

"We'll have to thank the Admiral for this. I don't know if I ever would have worked up the courage to tell you. I'm sorry it took me so long," said Harm.

"That's okay. I'm sorry too, I don't know if I would have told you either," said Mac. "The Admiral will be happy, he got exactly what he wanted. It was definitely unorthodox but it helped us."

"We got exactly what we wanted too," said Harm, caressing her cheek lovingly.

"Yes, we finally got it right," said Mac.

"About time too. I'm sure there will be more to discuss but we got through the important parts," said Harm.

"We did. It wasn't as hard as we'd imagined it to be either," said Mac.

"No, it wasn't. Getting the words out in the Admiral's office was a bit of a challenge but we made it," said Harm, smiling at her.

"I think I'll always remember that moment," laughed Mac.

"When the spotlight was on you or when it was on me?" asked Harm teasingly.

"Both," said Mac with a smile.

Harm merely kissed her in reply, and Mac smiled against his lips, pulling him closer.

"I need to go," managed Mac between kisses, her internal clock alerting her of the hour a short time later.

"Where?" asked Harm, kissing her again.

"Bethesda. I have an appointment for a procedure," said Mac, pulling away and avoiding his eyes. She felt guilty that this was the first he was hearing about it after he'd cared about her so much he'd made the initial appointment at Bethesda for her himself. She hadn't been planning on telling him at all, she'd thought it would be better to just do it alone, even though she knew that if she'd told him, Harm would have been there for her without her even having to ask.

"Is this about the back pain you've been having?" asked Harm, immediately concerned.

"Yeah," said Mac.

"I'll go with you," said Harm. Mac smiled, this was part of the reason why she loved him so much, she knew that no matter what, he'd always be there for her.

"You don't need to, but I would like you to be there," said Mac, taking his hand.

"You shouldn't have to do this alone Mac. I love you and I want to be there for you," said Harm.

"I love you too," said Mac. As nervous as she was about the appointment, Harm had managed to put her at ease with a simple 'I love you'.

Bethesda Naval Hospital

Harm paced the hallway, unable to sit down. He knew that the procedure was not a big operation, but he was still worried. He had realised that Mac had been planning to go through it alone, she hadn't told him about it before the Admiral's intervention had forced them to face their feelings. He was glad he could be there for her, not just as her best friend and the man who secretly loved her but now, his feelings were out in the open and he was her...boyfriend. The thought made him smile but he wanted to change that status, and hoped that Mac would say yes to the proposal he'd make to her that evening. It hadn't taken him long at all to decide that he wanted to marry her, it had always been the path that he saw for himself and Mac.

Doctor's office
After Mac's procedure

Mac swallowed, trying to keep her emotions under control, the doctor's words still echoing in her head. Harm's hand reached for hers and he gave her a reassuring squeeze. Somehow she found that she couldn't look at him, if she did, she didn't think she could keep the tears at bay. A follow-up appointment was made and then she and Harm were heading for the carpark. Mac was moving as if on auto-pilot, she had no idea how she was moving but Harm's hand still held hers and it was giving her the strength to keep walking. Harm stopped and turned to her when they reached his car.

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly as he opened the door for her.

"I really don't want to talk about it," said Mac, still not looking at him.

"It's going to be okay Mac. I'm here for whatever you need," said Harm, kissing her forehead.

"Thanks," said Mac softly, looking up and meeting his eyes.

What she saw there was her undoing, the tears she'd been holding back escaped and Harm immediately took her into his arms, letting her cry against his chest. In his eyes, she'd seen that nothing had changed, his love was evident as was his concern for her. The problem was that things had changed, and now she couldn't give him everything that he wanted and deserved. Her dream of having a baby with Harm had been shattered all at once and it scared her to think about what could be going through his mind. He loved her, of that she was certain, but would her inability to give him children eventually come between them? She wasn't sure, even though her heart told her that it didn't matter to Harm. She could feel his heart beating beneath her damp cheek and he was rubbing her back slowly, reassuring her silently.

"I'm so glad you're here," said Mac as she finally pulled away.

"We're in this together," said Harm, wiping her tears away with his thumb. Mac managed a small smile and leaned forward to kiss him softly.

Mac's apartment

"You should go home to get ready," said Mac, the moment he'd parked the car outside her building.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" asked Harm, taking her hand as he turned to face her.

"I'm fine. Sure, I'll need some time to deal with this, but so would anyone else in my position," said Mac. She needed to put on a brave face for the Admiral's dining out and there was no time like the present to start.

"I know, and I want you to know that I'm going to be there for you every step of the way," said Harm. He studied her face, hoping for a clue as to how she was feeling but apart from the sadness in her eyes, she seemed to have put a mask over the rest of her emotions.

"I know you will, and I appreciate that," said Mac with a smile.

"Good. Let's get you upstairs and then I'll go home to change," said Harm.

"Harm, I'm fine to walk up on my own. We're cutting it really close as it is," said Mac.

"You're sure?" asked Harm, clearly concerned.

"I'm sure. I'm just a little uncomfortable but that's normal. Now go get dressed," said Mac.

"Okay, I'll see you soon then," said Harm, leaning over to give her a quick kiss.

"See you later," said Mac. She got out of the car slowly, Harm watching her carefully. He waited until she'd disappeared inside her building before driving home to change.

Mac was putting the last pin into her hair when she heard the door to her apartment open. She was fully dressed except for her jacket which was laid out on the bed.

"Mac?" called Harm, closing the door behind him and putting the bouquet of red roses he'd brought for her down on the coffee table.

"In here," called Mac from inside her bedroom, checking her hair in the mirror.

"Hey Marine," said Harm, entering through the open door. He stopped at the sight of her and Mac blushed a little under his gaze.

"Hey Sailor," she said. "You'll catch flies," she continued teasingly.

Harm chuckled. "You look beautiful," he said.

"Thank you. I'm going with a handsome Sailor and wanted to look my best," said Mac with a smile as she smoothed down her dress uniform.

"Oh really? Do I know him?" teased Harm, as he wrapped his arms around her.

"I think so," smiled Mac. Harm smiled back and kissed her.

"I brought you something but I left it in the living room," he said.

"What did you bring?" asked Mac curiously, as she picked up her jacket. Harm took it from her and helped her put it on.

"You'll see," he said.

Mac checked herself one last time in the mirror before following him into the living room. Harm had picked up the roses and was holding them out to her.

"They're beautiful Harm, thank you!" said Mac, kissing him and taking the roses with a smile.

"I'm glad you like them," said Harm.

"Shall we go?" asked Harm, once Mac had put the roses in water.

"Yes, we don't want to be later than we already are," said Mac, taking the arm that he held out to her.