Chapter 26

Harm's apartment

Near Union Station

As soon as Harm had come home, Detective Russell called him with an update. Much to Harm's relief, the police had gone through all the videos and none were of Harm and Mac. Although there were still mounds of evidence to sort through, and it would be a while before they'd know all the charges that would be brought against Healy, they had already managed to choral and arrest several more people.

The man who had been following and photographing Mac and Harm outdoors had a talent for taking incriminating photos by fitting in anywhere on the spur of the moment. He wouldn't be seeing daylight for a long time.

It turned out the man who had assaulted Harm was a surveillance expert sent to install hidden video cameras. If he hadn't taken the time to rummage through Harm's desk for additional blackmail material first, he probably would have succeeded. When Harm startled him by showing up unexpectedly, he abandoned the plan and high tailed it out of there, unintentionally leaving Harm's apartment as Harm and Mac's only safe haven.

Now, he and the first guy were singing like canaries and pointing fingers at each other. The goon who had killed the coat clerk at the restaurant had also been apprehended along with a long list of people involved in the conspiracies, as well as the blackmail. Healy definitely fit the cliché: 'pride goeth before a fall.' Russell assured Harm and Mac there would be no problem putting all these people away for a lot of years, thanks to Healy's outstanding penchant for record keeping.

Harm had thrown together another one of his fast and easy pasta specialties. It had been a typical dinner. They chatted amicably about work, and what Detective Russell had reported, yet they avoided anything that fell even remotely into the category of 'us'. Both were afraid finally having the much needed talk might ruin what had become so perfect without words.

The hardest thing for Harm was keeping a safe distance from Mac. They were normally somewhat affectionate, an arm on her waist, her hand on his shoulder, a kiss here and there. Despite having been pretending for nearly two months to be an item, and having admitted a week ago in his kitchen to wanting an us, in reality they had gone in an instant from being working partners to lovers, completely skipping the usual stepping stones along the way. They hadn't really dated, or been allowed to behave as a normal couple. Today was the first time they were interacting alone together as a couple since crossing the line from friendship to lovers.

Even though the physical tenderness came naturally, and they both seemed to thrive on it, he didn't want to over do it and scare her away. A possibility he knew was all too real. He wanted her so badly, to carry her off to the other room and devour every soft, delicious inch of her. How would he ever get enough of being with Sarah MacKenzie?

What Harm hadn't realized was that Mac felt very much the same way. All she wanted from the moment she walked in the door, was to be wrapped in his arms, to feel his strong muscles ripple at her touch.

With the table cleared and the dishwasher loaded, Harm and Mac settled down on the sofa for the inevitable talk.

"How do you suggest we handle our relationship at the office?" Harm started. "In terms of telling people about us," he clarified quickly. The last thing he needed was for Mac to misunderstand and think there was anything about them that he would want to hide or deny.

"Well, if you don't mind. In light of all that's gone on, and all the scuttlebutt we're trying to overcome, I think it might be wise to keep the relationship strictly between us and our closest friends. No public announcements yet. Except maybe the Admiral. We owe him that much." Mac took hold of Harm's hand for a little reassurance.

"You may have a point, but we're going to have to let the office in on it eventually." Harm paused for a moment wondering how best to say what he was feeling.

"As far as I'm concerned, Mac, I don't ever want to be with anyone else in my lifetime." He knew he'd just laid his heart out on the table before her, but hiding how he felt all these years hadn't done him any good. Maybe the truth would.

Mac couldn't help the way the corners of her mouth began to curl up. No matter what they needed to work through, she knew now, everything would be just fine.

Encouraged by the bashful blush on Mac's face.

"I was wondering. Since we still have a deal and all, and AJ's birthday is this month. Do you think, maybe some day soon, we could try again? The baby I mean, for real." Harm tried to read her eyes.

Well, now was probably as good a time as any to bring up their situation, Mac thought.

"That's something else we probably want to talk about," Mac smiled. Trying to hide her nervousness, she shifted and reached for a glass of water.

Harm mistook Mac's hesitation to mean she'd reconsidered going through with the deal after all. Only this morning the reality of not using contraceptives had dawned on him while he was lost in thought on his way to work. A slight sense of loss settled in his stomach. Until now he'd clung briefly all day to the hope that just maybe she hadn't been on anything and he wouldn't have to give up on the idea of Mac having his baby.

Picking up his hot tea from the table, "I know this may sound a little silly." Harm focused on the brew in his cup. "I realized on my way to the office this morning that I forgot to use a condom. I was somewhat... overzealous," Harm smiled, more to himself than anyone since he was still looking down at his cup.

Mac stopped sipping her water, the lump rising in her chest settled heavily in her throat. Her eyes lifted to stare nervously at Harm, anxiously awaiting the rest of his sentence.

"I sort of thought, hoped actually, that maybe you weren't on anything." Harm finally looked up at Mac. "I know it's ridiculous, we haven't talked about it, we're just getting started on you and me as an us, we're probably not ready for a crowd yet. I just need to get used to the idea that there isn't really a baby, our baby."

Mac heaved a small sigh and leaned forward taking hold of Harm's hand.

"I'm not on anything. I was waiting for a good time to mention it." Mac pressed her lips together, almost nibbling on her lower lip. "I don't think it's anything critical, wrong time of the month and all. Besides, at my age, getting pregnant isn't really that easy." she half smiled before continuing. "None the less, it's sort of sweet knowing that after this trial run, you still want to go ahead with our deal." Mac squeezed Harm's hand.

"I told you on the Roberts' porch. I'm ready for a life with you Mac. I don't care if we've only been together a few days. I've loved you for so many years. I feel like we have so much lost time to make up for. We should already have the house with the 2.5 children and the dog. When I remind myself you're not really pregnant, we're not really having a baby, my heart physically hurts," Harm sighed. Maybe this was more honesty than the relationship could handle, but he was tired of playing games.

Mac couldn't help the pool of tears that flooded to her eyes. Deep down she'd given up hope a long time ago that Harm would ever want a life with her. Even with the baby deal looming over them, she hadn't dared hope he might take it seriously, despite what he'd said recently.

Concerned at the sudden rush of tears, Harm's eyes opened wide. "Hey, I wasn't supposed to make you cry." He wiped the tears away with his thumbs before pulling her tightly into his embrace.

"Why am I always the only one crying?" Mac sniffled, a hint of a smile curling her lips.

"I don't know, but I promise to do my best never to make you cry again." Harm kissed the top of her head.

"Only happy tears," she clarified.

"Okay, happy tears." Pulling away from her a little. "Does this mean what I think it does? Are we both talking big house, white picket fences, dog, cat, kids, carpool, soccer games?"

"Maybe sooner than you think," she grinned.

Harm sported a full blown flyboy smile. "I'd like that." Kissing her lightly on the lips, once, twice, then again. "Do you think maybe, just in case, we could, practice some more on that deal?" Harm kissed her lightly again on the lips, then on her jaw, down her chin, under her ear.

"We've established …I'm not taking anything, do you …have something… here?" Mac managed to ask, her voice barely a whisper, her breathing already labored.

"Nope." He worked a trail of kisses back up her neck, across her chin, "If we're going to make up for lost time," barely kissing and teasing her lower lip, "I figure we won't need any." Pulling her even more tightly against him, his hand cupped the back of her head as his lips continued taunting hers, finally deepening the kiss.

Scooping her up in his arms, he carried her up the stairs, briefly releasing the hold on her lips.

"Did you say 2.5 children?" Mac asked, nibbling lightly on his neck.

"Mmn, for starters." Harm tried not to close his eyes, thankful the bed was only a few steps away.

"Then we'll need LOTS of practice." Mac smiled as Harm placed her softly on the bed.

"OH YES. For as long as we live."

The End.