AN: sorry for the late update, but my day was quite busy and couldn't update sooner.
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RABB RESIDENCE
0346 AM local
15th November 2006
Jen smiled at the memory of her talk to the General. He basically gave her and Harm his blessing for them to have a relationship.
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When Harm finally awoke, she was sitting by his side, as she had been since they had arrived at the hospital.
At first he thought he'd died and gone to heaven and it was an angel gazing at him with such a tender expression.
But after concluding that if he were dead, then why would he need to be in a hospital bed? Surely, if you die, you are completely healthy (sort of, except for the fact that you are dead) and don't need monitoring equipment attached to you.
Plus, angels probably don't look as exhausted as this one did. It took him only a second to re-orient himself and realize it was Jen that was looking so lovingly at him. Then what had happened to them flashed through his mind, along with their final unspoken messages to each other just before they struck the barn.
Jen has decided even before her talk to Cresswell that she wouldn't be wasting time. Time was a precious commodity. Too precious to waste. The events of the last few days proved that to her.
Therefore she would just take the bull by it's horns and plow forth.
She took a deep breath and cupped his cheek with her hand, which startled Harm, since he didn't expect such bold behaviour from her while anyone could walk in on them.
What she did next stunned him even more.
Slowly she leaned in towards him and softly touched her lips to his in a brief, loving kiss that said everything.
Soon, too soon in Harm's opinion, she drew back and looked him straight in the eyes. With an intense, determined look in her own she spoke slowly, making sure that he wouldn't misunderstand her.
"I love you, Harm. More than that, I'm in love with you. I know I'm breaking our silent agreement of not speaking about it, but I've had it. I almost lost you and my biggest regret would've been not acting on our feelings. I don't want to waste any more time."
Harm opened his mouth to say something, but Jen cut him off by placing a finger on his lips, signaling him to be quiet.
"Shh. Don't say anything, let me speak first."
When Harm nodded Jen removed her finger and moved her chair closer to his bed. Then she cupped his cheek with one hand and with the other she took his hand. She needed this contact right now.
"I spoke to the General. About our feelings for each other."
Harm's eyes bugged out in shock, but she didn't let it deter her.
"He knows. He knew even before. The General told me he won't pursue any action against us, but we need to be discrete. He gave us his blessing."
Which was the truth, but not the whole truth. She didn't want to tell him about her not re-enlisting nor about the General's comment about waiting for a wedding invitation just yet, because she had already dumped too much on him. Considering the way he looked at that moment, he might just pass out if he knew everything.
"I just need to know one thing. Do you want to give 'us' a chance? I'm not looking for any declarations of love from you, because I know you love me. You'fe proved it so many times and I don't doubt it. I just need to know if you are willing to risk your heart for me. I promise I won't hurt it and will take very good care of it."
She waited for him to speak, but nothing came out for several seconds. Finally realizing what the problem was she said: "You can speak now."
Harm let out a half-smile and started slowly.
"I love you... too, Jen. I had... to.. tell you. I want 'us'."
That was all it was needed. A multi-million megawatt smile lit up Jen's face for the first time in quite a while. Her smile ignited his own and soon they were grinning at each other like fools.
Then she leaned in again and their lips had better things to do than to support goofy grins.
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Harm was released from the hospital a few weeks later with appointments for his physio therapy.
Jen moved into his apartment to keep a better eye on him. She spent the first two nights on the couch despite Harm's protests that they can share the bed. After all, he was in no condition for any shenanigans. During those nights she'd endured on the couch, she realized one truth Mac had found out years earlier: Harm's apartment was just too cold at night to spend it on the couch. She finally gave up at around 3 AM on the second night, grabbed her pillow and headed for his bedroom.
Trying to avoid hurting him or upseting his healing injuries she was literally clinging to the side of the bed. Soon after she fell asleep.
When she woke up, her position was somewhat different. Okay, alot different.
During the night she moved. She went from avoiding any contact in the fear of hurting him to waking up in his arms. She was pressed into him, her head on his chest, on the other side of his wounded leg. His right arm anchored her to him. She sighed happily and went back to sleep.
Both were acting shy when they woke up some time later, but a good morning kiss was nonetheless exchanged.
The day later became a flurry of events, from conducting usual chores, for which Harm needed Jen's help, to having visits from friends and family, who also visited him in the hospital.
All of his closest friends, along with General Cresswell to Harm's surprise and discomfort, and his parents visited with him all through the day. Harm had the sneaky suspicion that they had agreed on some kind of 'visiting hours'. But he was still very grateful to them. Mac was the first to arrive and stayed the longest. After observing how Jen tended to Harm in the hospital and the General's cryptic smile, Mac soon figured out what was going on. She was truly happy that her friend had finally found happiness in his life and made sure she'd told him so. She'd also realized that this was nothing like his previous relationships and treated Jen very kindly and friendly, unlike Harm's previous girlfriends. It warmed Harm's heart to see the woman he loves and his old friend (currently rebuilding friendship after the debacle of Paraguay and her relationship with Webb) get along so well.
Bud and Harriett visited, but had to return home soon. Sturgis showed up, there was another friendship in the rebuilding phase. Even Mattie and her father stopped by.
Frank and Trish were saddened to tell him they had to leave the same day for home again. They had arrived only 4 days after his crash and spent most of their time with him and Jen, getting to know Jen better since it was obvious to them that she would be part of their lives for decades to come. Frank was needed back and Harm had finally managed to persuade Trish that Jen was able to take care of him and he didn't need anyone else. With a heavy heart Trish realized that her little boy was little boy no longer. He was a fully grown man who didn't need her help anymore and who had a woman of his own to take care of him. After making him promise to stay in contact and after she made sure Jen would keep her updated, they departed for the airport.
Harm was exhausted again after so much activity over the day so Jen made sure he took a nap.
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AN: UP NEXT: this fic is wrapping up in the next part also. I'm thinking of writing two different endings. Because of that I need your help: what post could Harm take as a JAG Captain that would keep him in the area? Tnx.