DISCLAIMER: For all intents purposes, no one has died on the show (except Diane). I claim author's privilege on this one and say that many of these characters just mysteriously disappeared from the lives of Harm and Mac, or if you like, I brought them back from the dead. I own very little…Webster's defines the words, Bellasario owns the characters, I create the plot.

AN: There is one chapter left and about 2 more backstories yet to post. But with the completion of this chapter, I have finished writing the whole thing. That was a sad thought for me! I was so excited to hear where you all are from. Thanks so much for those who continue to read and those who review! You've all been amazing.

(Sophie, read the AN for chapter one to answer your question)

CHAPTER 7: Tom Johnson, Mattie, little AJ

By the time Harm and Mac made it back inside the courtroom, the recess was over and everyone had been seated. They hurriedly took their seats and waited for it to begin.

JUDGE Q. PIDD: Glad to see everyone back. Prosecution may call it's next witness.

PROSECUTOR: I'd like to call Mr. Tom Johnson to the stand.

At the name, both Harm and Mac gave each other puzzled looks. What was Tom going to testify about? Obviously Mattie and her adoption, but that wasn't anything she herself couldn't say.

PROSECUTION: Mr. Johnson, your daughter is Mattie, the girl that Harm adopted, isn't she?

TOM: Yes, she is.

PROSECUTOR: Let's talk about the custody hearing, if you don't mind.

TOM: taking a deep breath as if to mentally prepare himself I was an alcoholic. I abandoned Mattie in search of the next source of alcohol. When her mother died…I…it became too much. I turned to a bottle and left my little girl. Rabb found out she was running Grace Aviation on her own and wanted to take her in. I came back, didn't want to let Mattie go.

PROSECUTOR: So where does Mac come in?

TOM: I let Mattie go to a Christmas Mass with Rabb, sort of a last good-bye. Legally, she had to come back with me. When I came to pick her up, Colonel MacKenzie came to talk to me for a few minutes.

PROSECUTOR: What'd she say to you?

TOM: Told me she was a recovering alcoholic. She told me I needed to get some help and straighten out my life before I tried to take Mattie back into it. The Colonel was right, I needed to get back on my feet. Mattie deserved better than me. Rabb could have been a better father to her than I was.

PROSECUTOR: So what'd you do?

TOM: Mattie went to stay with Commander Rabb. I went to AA.

PROSECUTOR: Do you hope to get Mattie back?

TOM: Despite what I've done, Mattie is still my daughter. I'd like the chance to get to know her, the way I should have years ago. But living with Commander Rabb has been really good for her. We still talk, she's told me she wants to attend the Naval Academy and become a fighter pilot. Commander Rabb can help her with that more than I can. Either way, I'd love to have her back in my life.

PROSECUTOR: Thank you. You may return to your seat. Would Mattie Grace please take the stand?

As she and her father traded places, Mattie couldn't help but look over at Harm and Mac and grin. This was going so well!

PROSECUTOR: You know Harm because he once worked for you?

MATTIE: And because he's my guardian.

PROSECUTOR: He's your guardian now?

MATTIE: Yup, he's a good dad.

PROSECUTOR: Really? What does he do? How does he treat you?

MATTIE: Harm's been really supportive of me. Made me start going to Alateen meetings, tries to get me to get along with Tom.

PROSECUTOR: What else does he do?

MATTIE: He's been really good. Disciplines me when I do something wrong. Comes to my volleyball games when he can, takes me to practice when he can.

PROSECUTOR: When he can? Is he busy often?

MATTIE: He's a lawyer in the military, he's gonna go away on cases. He's got a lot of work to do and I understand that. Harm's there when he can be.

PROSECUTOR: But you don't live with him?

MATTIE: I live in the apartment next to him, with Jen. Courts didn't like the idea of me living just with him. But Harm's been there in every way that matters. Once when I was sick at school, he came and picked me up. Brought his work home with him and we spent the rest of the day in his apartment. He made me chicken soup and made sure I was getting sleep and stayed there, working, until I was better.

PROSECUTOR: What else does he do?

MATTIE: He's promised to take me flying in his plane, Sarah. And-

PROSECUTOR: Wait, excuse me. His plane is named Sarah? Is that after Colonel MacKenzie?

MATTIE: Sadly enough, it's not. He told me once it was named after his grandma.

PROSECUTOR: Okay, then. Continue.

MATTIE: He says he's going to help me get into the Naval Academy so I can become a fighter pilot like he is. And there was one time when Jen wasn't home and I ran out of pa- I mean, feminine products, and he volunteered to go get me some and I know he was really embarrassed by it, but that's Harm. He's always there to help me with my homework and stuff.

PROSECUTOR: Do you think Harm is in love with Mac?

MATTIE: He's pretty much told me so. Things between him and Mac have always been weird and I never really understood what was going on between them. It was something had happened between them but hadn't worked out, I don't know. She hurt him, that much I could tell. So I asked him if he was in love with her. His answer basically said that he was.

PROSECUTOR: So if he was in love with her, why didn't he do anything?

MATTIE: I think it's because he thought she was with Webb. Harm's like that. If he thought she was happy with someone else, then he wouldn't interfere, no matter how he felt or what he wanted.

PROSECUTOR: When'd you first meet Mac?

MATTIE: I've only met her a couple times. Once was when she came and talked to my dad and convinced him to let me spend Christmas with Harm.

PROSECUTOR: And another time?

MATTIE: Was when she came to the custody hearing. She spoke in behalf of Harm.

PROSECUTOR: What'd she say?

MATTIE: Things weren't looking good for Harm getting custody of me. Then Mac walked in and asked if she could speak. She told the judge what a great guy Harm was. She said that if she had ever given any thought to the kind of man she would want to be the father of her children, that Harm was that man.

PROSECUTOR: What was Harm's reaction to what she said?

MATTIE: He just kind of stared at her, with a love-sick look on his face.

PROSECUTOR: Love-sick?

MATTIE: Okay, so maybe it was more of unbelief, but I still knew he was in love with her from that look.

PROSECUTOR: So Harm has been your guardian for the past several months?

MATTIE: Yup.

PROSECUTOR: And apparently he's doing a great job.

MATTIE: He couldn't do anything less. Just not his style.

PROSECUTOR: So hypothetically speaking, let's say that he and Mac got married.

A cheer was let up from the middle of the courtroom. Everyone turned to look at the blushing Chloe Madison.

"Oops, sorry," she said, obviously not at all sorry, just a bit embarrassed.

PROSECUTOR: So he and Mac got married, he still had custody over you. Do you think Mac would make a good mom?

MATTIE: I'd love to have her as my mom. She'd be awesome. Chloe and I have talked and Chloe said she was an awesome big sister.

Mac looked over at Harm.

"Wait, when has Mattie ever talked to Chloe?"

"I didn't know she had," Harm responded.

"Something's going on here."

PROSECUTOR: How do you think they'd be as parents?

MATTIE: I think they'd be great parents. Of course, having custody over a teen is a little different than raising one from birth, but if they can handle me and Chloe as teens, then together I'm sure they can be great parents.

PROSECUTOR: Thank you, Mattie. You may return to your seat.

JUDGE Q. PIDD: Next witness, please. This is the last one, isn't it?

PROSECUTOR: Yes, your Honor. I'm almost done. Would AJ Roberts please come take the stand?

Smiles were seen across the courtroom as the young blond-haired child pumped his fist in the air, yelled, "Finally!" and rushed up to the front. On his way to the stand, he stopped to give his aunt and uncle big hugs.

But there was one tiny problem. Or rather, he was the tiny problem. When little AJ took his seat, he could barely be seen because the chair was low and he was short. Frustration appeared on his face as he stood up on the chair, leaned over to the judge and pulled on the judge's robes.

"I gonna need a bigger chair or some books or something, sir."

Judge Q. Pidd smiled and gestured to the bailiff. The bailiff moved to a door, opened it and said something to someone. A minute or two later, Renee Peterson emerged, carrying several phone books. Her classy powder blue business suit had been replaced with a toga-like garment. Instead of wings on her back, there was a pack of arrows and a bow strung across her back. She also had no halo like the others had had. The stylish hair-do that she had once had was gone and now her blond hair hung down, frizzed and curled.

The sight was enough to make several people burst out in laughter. She turned and scowled at them. Little AJ moved off the chair as the newly transformed Renee threw down the phone books.

"There you go," she muttered, storming back out of the room.

"Why ain't she got no halo an' wings like the others, Judge?" little AJ asked.

"She's in training."

PROSECUTOR: Is that better, AJ?"

LITTLE AJ: Much. Thanks.

PROSECUTOR: pointing to the defense table towards Harm and Mac AJ, who are those two people over there?

LITTLE AJ: Uncle Harm and Auntie Mac

PROSECUTOR: Are they your real aunt and uncle?

LITTLE AJ: Nope, they're my godparents.

PROSECUTOR: Do you think they're in love?

LITTLE AJ: Mommy says they are a lot. Sometimes, when they come over to play with me, I see them staring at each other. Uncle Harm always calls Auntie Mac "pretty".

PROSECUTOR: Do you think they're just friends?

LITTLE AJ: You mean like me and Tommy?

PROSECUTOR: Sure.

LITTLE AJ: Naw, they're much closer than me an' Tommy. They're always teasing each other and Mommy says they love each other but are afraid to admit it.

PROSECUTOR: Do you think they love each other?

LITTLE AJ: Sometimes they act like Mommy and Daddy do and my mommy and daddy are married and they love each other and I think Uncle Harm and Auntie Mac should be married too! Then they could have babies and come play with me a lot!

PROSECUTOR: Thanks, AJ. You can go back to your parents now.

Little AJ climbed down off his seat and ran back to sit with his parents, giving his godparents a big grin as he passed them. Prosecutor turned to face the judge.

PROSECUTOR: From the mouths of babes, Your Honor. If a young child can recognize the love between Harm and Mac, then it must be there. We have heard from many people, friends and family members of these two and their statements all seem to have one basic theme. Harm and Mac are meant to be together, they are indeed in love with each other but just scared to admit it. Maybe the timing was never right and it may have never been. But quite honestly, Your Honor, it has been ten years. It was time that someone stepped in and told them to just take a chance. Maybe it won't work out, maybe they'll spend the rest of their years fighting with each other and hating each other or maybe they wont. But if it wasn't meant to be, then why are we here after so long? So much has happened, they've both come so far. Isn't it about time for this to be resolved?

Judge Q. Pidd looked down at the couple.

JUDGE Q. PIDD: Anything you two would like to say or do before I pass the sentence?

HARM: Your honor, if we might just have a moment…

JUDGE Q. PIDD: waving his hand as if to say go ahead Please, take your time.

AN: Hope it was good, despite its shortness. Please review! (And many thanks to those who have!)