A/N: I'm so sorry for the looooong time between postings. Same old excuse, real life has been wild... On a happy note, we're down to the last few chapters of this story, then after a short hiatus, we'll be on to the sequel:)
Thanks as always to She'sAShipper for her help on this and that, and for being an amazing little sister. Love you, girly...
Chapter 94:
It was past midnight on a Friday a few weeks later when Harm sat on the sofa, feet on his ottoman. He was watching the tail end of the movie he'd rented to watch with Mac that night, "Pirates of the Caribbean." He liked the action and she had a thing for Johnny Depp. Now though, she'd dropped off to sleep, and had been out for at least half an hour. He head was nestled in his lap, hair falling across her shoulders as his long fingers played with the spot a top her head that was guarenteed to help her sleep.
Ainsley was sound asleep in Harm's chair, having crawled herself out more than two hours ago. Mattie was due home at eleven, and that time had long since passed. Harm was getting worried.
He reasoned to himself that he'd wait to call Mattie's phone until the movie ended. There had to be a reason she was so late. At quarter of one she was still not home and the screen showed nothing but snow. Harm shifted, trying to slide out from under Mac when she stirred and opened her eyes. "What are we still doing up?" she asked groggily, not lifting her head from his warm lap.
"Waiting for Mattie" he answered softly. "You can go get in bed if you want, I'll wait for her."
Mac snuggled in closer. "Its 0048. She's still not home?"
"Nope" he replied. "And I'm not real happy about that fact. She knows better."
"You think she's alright though" Mac sighed. She said it. She knew that's what he thought.
"Yeah, I think she's probably just fine" he answered calmly. "I also think she'll have plenty of time to think about this over the coming week when she spends her evenings in her room instead of out with her friends."
Mac nodded and started to sit up. "I'll wait with you."
"Okay" he said, leaning down to kiss the top of her head. "I'm glad you were sleeping there for a bit; you need it."
"I'm catching up" she sighed and leaned into his lap. "It feels nice, you playing up there like that."
"Oh yeah?" He moved his hand to gently caress her cheek, slowly bringing her face up towards his. "How about this?" he asked, giving her lips a feather soft peck.
She made a soft moan in the back of her throat. "Mm. That's even better. I love doing this, snuggling on the sofa, watching TV, just the two of us. No talk about work or anything." She smiled and kissed him gently. "The American dream."
"'American dream', huh?" he asked her as he gave her another kiss. "Here I thought it was just my dream - beautiful wife, beautiful daughters... Have I told you today how much I love you?"
Mac shook her head. "Nope, in place of that this morning you told me you forgot to take the cans out again."
"Shame on me" he whispered with a drop-dead gorgeous smile. "I love you, Mac. God, do I love you."
"I love you too" she replied, giving him another kiss before cuddling back onto his lap. "I'm chilly."
"Here, this'll help" he said, pulling the throw blanket off the back of the couch and covering her with it.
"You gonna jog in the morning?" she asked sleepily.
"Plan to" he replied. "Why, you wanna go, too?"
"Nope" Mac replied. "Just wanted to know when I had to get you up."
"0630 should work" he said, "but I'll get myself up; I want you to sleep as much as you can."
"If I don't get you up you won't go" Mac replied. "And the running is really good for you."
"And the sleeping is good for you, my dear" he countered softly. "I'll get up, scouts honor" he said as he looked at his watch.
"I've been sleeping for almost two weeks now" Mac replied. "At least four hours."
"That's an improvement, no doubt" he said as he began playing with her hair again. "I wish you would've told me when you weren't sleeping, sweetie. I would've sat up with you, kept you company."
She shook her head. "You need your rest."
"So do you" he replied. "If that happens again, if you get to where you're not sleeping night after night, I'd like you to tell me. I wanna be there for you."
"I love you, Harm" she whispered and leaned back against him. "If you keep doing that you're going to put me to sleep."
He smiled. "And the problem there would be?"
"I want to help with Mattie" Mac replied yawning just as two headlights appeared in the window and a car door was heard slamming shut.
Harm reached over to kill the light.
Momentarily, the sound of a key in the front door lock could be heard over the silence in the living room. "I bet she thinks we're in the other room" he whispered to Mac.
"Gonna bust her?" Mac asked not moving from her snuggle position.
"Indeed I am" he answered with a semi-serious grin as they waited for the sound of the teenager's footsteps heading for the stairs.
Mattie was glad the house was dark. That meant her dad and Mac were asleep. She eased her key in the lock and tip toed for the steps, cringing as she hit the creaky floor board near the china cabinet.
Harm waited a few seconds, giving Mattie time to think she was in the clear before he snapped the lamp on. "Mathilda Grace Rabb" he said, calm as could be and quietly so as not to awaken Ainsley, "front and center."
Mattie sighed and walked over to Harm. Mac was snuggled against him, dropping off to sleep. His eyes held checked anger. "Hi, Dad."
"Do you know what time it is?" he asked.
"Late?" she offered, trying to be calm and joke her way out of this.
His expression left little room for humor. "It's nearly 0200, almost three full hours past your curfew. Start explaining."
"We lost track of time" Mattie began. "Honest."
Mac shifted and sat up. "Doing what?"
"We were watching TV and fell asleep" she replied. "I'm so sorry, Dad, Mac. Really."
Harm looked at his wife and then back at his daughter. "It happens sometimes, I understand that, but you can't be coming in three hours late, Mattie. It's just not acceptable."
"Well I'm not Mac" she said with a hint of annoyance.
"Excuse me?" asked Harm.
"I'm not Mac, I can't tell time without a watch, so uh, this might happen from time to time. I said I was sorry" Mattie sighed.
Harm shook his head. "Go up to bed, and rest assured we'll pick this up again in the morning."
"Why? I was late, I'm sorry, but I'm home now" Mattie replied as Mac pulled herself off the couch.
"You had your father scared, Mattie" Mac sighed. "Why didn't you call the minute you woke up?"
"I didn't think about it, I guess" she answered. "I figured you were asleep and I didn't wanna wake the baby up."
Mac walked over to Mattie and gave her a hug. "Get some sleep. We'll be talking about this tomorrow morning, tomorrow night, and for many many nights to come."
With a sigh and a roll of her eyes, Mattie headed upstairs.
"I say we handled that..." Mac began. "Harm, you okay?"
"Mm-hmm" he answered as he rubbed his forehead with his fingers.
"Go on to bed" she told him. "I'll go put the baby in her crib and be right in. You want a back rub?"
"I'd love one" he replied as he rose from the couch.
Mac smiled. "I love you. Go get ready I'll be right in."
Harm walked wearily down the hallway to the bedroom. He turned down the comforter before heading in to brush his teeth and take a couple of aspirin for his headache. He'd just crawled into bed when Mac came in.
"Tired, Baby?" she asked as she began to change clothes.
"Very" he replied through a yawn. "Too tense to fall asleep, though."
"Well I'll see if I can't fix it" Mac replied. "Are you sore?"
"Little bit" he answered; face half buried in his pillow.
Slipping into one of Harm's tee shirts Mac asked as she climbed into bed. "Where?"
"Middle of my back" he mumbled. "Middle all the way down."
"Okay" Mac replied and pulled the covers down. She touched the spot a few inches above his scar. "Here?" she asked as she began to rub his back, making soft smooth circles over his skin.
"Mmm" was his only reply.
Mac worked quietly for a few minutes, trying to make her ministration therapeutic as well as comforting. "You just going to lay there or are you going to talk to me?"
He turned his head a bit. "Sorry, baby; I'm just tired. That feels really nice, though."
"I know you're tired, but we should talk about Mattie" Mac ventured. "This whole thing is making you way too tense. It's not good for you physically or emotionally and I for one want it dealt with."
"Oh, we'll deal with it" he said. "I'm not sure why she didn't think to call, even as late as it was, you know? I really thought she understood that it's never too late or too early to call home."
"I think she was hoping to slip by us" Mac replied and pressed in on a knotted muscle in his back. "Right there?"
"Ooh, ow, yeah" he said, writhing just a little beneath her touch.
"I don't like it Harm" Mac sighed. "I don't. We are giving her a good home, a safe loving life and she repays it...If I had..." She paused and focused on his knot.
"Had what, babe?" he asked, his eyes closed as the pain from her attention got a little worse.
"Had someone like you to...to take me in...I'd like to think I'd be more grateful" Mac replied leaning over to kiss his back as she worked on the taunt spasm.
He smiled as best as he could. "I don't think she's ungrateful, sweetie. I think she's just 16."
"She should think about the effect her actions have on you," Mac sighed. "You doing okay?"
"Much better" he sighed. "We'll talk to her in the morning, make sure she knows to A: not let this happen again and B: call if she's gonna be more than 5 minutes late."
Mac nodded. "And I assume you're going to ground her?"
"At least all this week" he said. "I'm not messing around with a three hour curfew infraction."
"One week?" Mac asked. "Lenient, Sailor."
"We'll see how things go in the morning" he said. "If she smarts off, she's looking at three weeks minimum, but she did well tonight, so we'll see."
Mac nodded and kissed between his shoulder blades. "You good now? You sound exhausted."
He nodded. "Much better, thank you. What say we call it a night before Ainsley decides it's time to wake up and play?"
"Cuddle?" she asked. "I sleep better in your arms."
Rolling to face her, he opened his arms and invited her to crawl close.
Mac snuggled against Harm's chest. "You'll do fine" she assured him, the rapidly dropped off to sleep.
Harm didn't get up to go running and Mac didn't disturb his sleep. She got up and made coffee and poured juice for him, Mattie and herself before retrieving a fussy, wet Ainsley and getting her breakfast started. They were halfway through a bowl of baby oatmeal when Harm came in.
"Morning, ladies" he said with a sleepy smile, stopping to give both his wife and his baby girl a kiss.
"Morning Honey," Mac replied. "I let you sleep."
"Thanks" he said through a yawn. "I'll try to make it out tomorrow morning, I was just beat lastnight."
"I know and you were sore last night so I'll let you off the hook, on one condition" Mac smiled.
He laughed a bit. "Spill it, Marine."
"French toast and bacon?" Mac asked hopeful.
"You and your French toast" he answered, still smiling as he reached for the griddle.
"I know, I've been craving it" she laughed. "Make one for the baby too. No cinnamon."
"Sure" he said. "Is Mattie up yet?"
"I heard her water running" Mac replied. "She should be down in a minute."
Harm busied himself with preparing the family breakfast, and just before the second batch of French toast was coming off the griddle, Mattie padded into the dining room.
"Morning" she grumbled and dropped into a chair. "Boy, she's messy."
"She's a baby, she's supposed to be messy" said Harm. "You sleep okay?"
"Yeah, pretty good" Mattie replied. "You?"
"Not bad" he answered. "Let's talk about last night, kiddo. I know you know you messed up, right?"
"Yeah, but Dad your rules are so strict" Mattie whined. "I'm the only one at school that has to be home by eleven on a weekend."
He piled the freshest slices of toast onto the platter. "The way to earn the privilege of staying out later is not to come in three hours late."
"We fell asleep" Mattie insisted. "Kind of like you and Mac do." She wasn't being careful as she rushed to justify her actions and nearly leaked the identity of her companion.
"I understand that, Mats" said Harm, dipping another slice of bread into the batter. "What you need to understand is that it is not acceptable for you to come in that late on a weekend night or any night unless Mac or I know about it ahead of time. You should have called as soon as you woke up."
"I didn't want to wake the baby" she protested as Ainsley chose that moment to toss her bowl across the kitchen floor.
"Ainsley Rose" sighed Harm, moving to retrieve the bowl as the little girl laughed at her antics. "Can you grab some paper towels please, Mats?"
Mattie rolled her eyes, "I can't wait until she's old enough to clean up her own messes." This as Ainsley screeched and grabbed a handful of her Mommy's hair as Mac bent down to pick up a rag to help Harm clean the floor.
"It's not going to hurt you to help, Mattie" said Harm.
"Harm!" Mac sighed from her imprisoned position upside down. "Help."
"I'm sorry, sweetie" he said, immediately taking hold of Ainsley's hand and prying her fingers from around Mac's hair. "You're a little handful today, baby girl" he said as Ainsley fussed at him for his troubles.
"Thank you" Mac sighed. "Mattie, help Harm get the floor; he shouldn't be bending over like that. Then we have to have a family meeting."
"Okay" sighed the teen, clearly less-than-enamored with the situation.
Ten minutes later the mess was more or less cleaned up and Harm, Mattie, and Mac were sitting around the table. "So...Harm, I believe you had something you wanted to ask Mattie" Mac prompted.
He nodded and turned towards his daughter. "Mats, did we not make it clear to you when you began going out in the evenings that it was never too late for you to call home if you were going to be out past your curfew?"
"You did, but I told you we fell asleep" Mattie insisted.
"Which brings me to my next question" replied Harm. "Who's 'we'?"
"Just me and a friend" Mattie tried. Harm would flip if he knew it was a boy, just flip.
"Mathilda" said Harm, growing suspicious and concerned.
"Okay, okay" Mattie sighed. "We is me and David, from my class last semester."
"Didn't he ignore you when you didn't go out with him that time?" asked Mac remembering Mattie's upset at that treatment.
"Yeah" Mattie replied. "It turned out he thought I was blowing him off. We've been seeing each other since...since before Harm went back to work after his operation." It was time to come clean.
Harm was remarkably calm, much to everyone's amazement. "You've been seeing him regularly since then?"
Mattie nodded, "Twice a week. Usually in a group, but sometimes alone."
Harm nodded pensively. "How come we didn't know about this?"
"Cause I didn't want him to meet you guys" Mattie whispered softly studying her lap.
"Why on earth not?" asked Harm, his calm beginning to wane. "If he's dating you, we want to meet him."
"Because you guys...you guys are..." Mattie sighed. "First you were all laid up and groaning and stuff and then Mac was sort of crazy with the baby thing..."
"Well we're not laid up or crazy now" he said. "And it upsets me that you've been seeing this guy for months now and we're yet to lay eyes on him!"
"Harm..." Mac interjected. "Honey..."
He looked over at her, knowing what she was going to say.
"Calm down, Babe. Getting excited isn't going to help" she soothed. "There is a simple solution to this."
"Which is?" he queried.
"We meet David and in turn Mattie's Friday and Saturday curfew is extended by one hour if and only if we like him" Mac suggested.
He pondered this idea for a moment. "Sounds okay to me. Mats?"
"I don't want him to meet you guys" she protested.
"Then you're not going to see him anymore" said Harm plainly. "I won't let my 16-year-old daughter date a guy I don't know, period."
"Harm, why don't you take Ainsley for a walk," Mac suggested sighing. He was messing this up pretty badly.
He didn't want to, but he knew she was trying to give him some cool-off time. "Okay, sure."
When Harm had gathered up the baby and Mac and Mattie were alone Mac began to work her charm. "You hurt him, you know?"
Mattie nodded. "I didn't mean to; I just didn't want..."
"Do you have any idea how worried he was last night?" Mac asked.
"I guess so" said Mattie. "I just didn't think about calling; we fell asleep, woke up and it was way late, so we ran to the car and he brought me home."
"Mattie, he went to bed last night and...I'm not trying to guilt you but...Mats, he loves you so much, like you were his own baby girl..." Mac sighed.
Mattie began to cry. "I'm sorry..."
Mac reached out and patted her hand, "I know and its okay. No one understands better than I how it feels to have a hard family life, believe me. But, sweetie, he thinks you're embarrassed by him. Why don't you want David to meet us? Do we...embarrass you?"
"No" said Mattie, tears still falling. "Well...maybe...I dunno. Back then, you did, but now I guess not."
"Honey, why? Why did we embarrass you? Was it really just Harm's back and my instability or was there more?" she asked. "Does David know you're adopted?"
"Yeah" Mattie replied. "He knows that and he knows about Ainsley."
"So why?" Mac asked.
"I don't even know anymore" cried Mattie. "I guess maybe I'm afraid that if Dad doesn't like David, he won't want to be with me anymore."
"He'll only feel that way if he thinks David might hurt you. Even if he doesn't like him, I promise you he won't forbid you from seeing him. We'd both have to feel that he is a risk, Mats. Why don't you trust us and let us see?" Mac suggested.
Mattie nodded, smiled a little and wiped away her tears.
Mac smiled. "Now I bet there's a Dad out there who needs a hug from his daughter. And an 'I'm sorry.' What do you say?"
Again, Mattie nodded, this time heading for the front door.
Harm had been walking up and down the sidewalk in front of the house, holding onto both of Ainsley's little hands. She was getting closer and closer to walking every day. Mattie approached the pair, sniffling a little, knowing that she owed her dad an apology. She loved him so much, as much as she would if he'd been her birth father, and knowing that she'd hurt him in any way made her feel awful. She was finding herself torn between the feelings she had for David, and the ones she had for her dad - a tough place for a kid to be in.
Mattie approached Harm and Ainsley and smiled a tiny bit. "Dad?"
"Hi, Mats" he said, walking along with the baby's tiny fingers in his hands.
"Dad?" she began again, her voice catching as she tried to apologize for hurting him.
He picked the baby up and walked the few steps over to Mattie. "Come here, kiddo" he said, holding out his free arm to embrace her.
She let out a sob and she snuggled close to Harm. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings.
"I know, kiddo" he said. "I know. It's okay; let's just work on not letting this happen again. Sound good?"
Mattie nodded, "Mac said maybe David can come to dinner. Would that be okay?" she asked still staying snuggled in.
"That'd be more than okay" he said with a little smile. "I just wanna make sure he's good enough for you, you know?"
Mattie nodded. "Can I call him and ask him to come next Friday?"
"Go for it" answered Harm. "I'll cook up something special, whatever you want."
"That veggie lasagna?" Mattie suggested pulling back.
"Done" smiled Harm. "Now get in there and give him a call."
The following Friday night, as Harm was pulling the lasagna from the oven, the doorbell rang. Mac answered it, and the young man on the other side was a very refreshing sight. He was shorter than Harm by at least 6 inches, and his eyes were green instead of blue, but he was easily just as handsome and, Mac hoped, just as wonderful.
David looked around the room at the beauty that was Mattie's stepmom, to her tall stepdad, finally to the beautiful little bundle crawling on the floor. He bent to her first. "Hey, little one," he smiled. "How are you? You wanna say hi?" he asked and lifted Ainsley up with an expert hand.
Ainsley giggled at David and smiled. "Hello, Ma'am" he smiled to Mac. "David Spencer; nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you, David" smiled Mac. "I'm Sarah Rabb, Mattie's step-mom, and this little one is Ainsley, but you probably figured that out."
"I did Ma'am" David smiled.
"Hi" said Harm, tossing a dish towel over his shoulder as he entered from the kitchen and extended a hand to the young man. "I'm Commander Rabb, Mattie's dad."
"Nice to meet you, Sir" David smiled taking his hand in a firm shake. "Mats speaks highly of you both, you all," he smiled at Ainsley as he bounced her on his hip. "Can I help with anything?"
"I think we've got it covered" said Harm just as the timer for the bread went off. "Everything's almost ready if you'd like to have a seat in the living room."
David carried Ainsley to the living room and had a seat next to Mattie. "You have a lovely home, Ma'am."
"Thank you" replied Mac. "We like it. How far away do you live?"
"I'm about twenty minutes down the road" he replied. "I'm sorry about last week. I had a paper due Mats was helping with, and by the time we turned on the movie we were beat."
Mac nodded. "It happens sometimes."
They chatted idly until Harm called them to the table. Only then did David put Ainsley down, expertly setting her in her high chair and automatically tying on her bib.
"You must have been around babies before" said Harm, smiling at how caring David was towards Ainsley.
"I have a sister who's a year and two months" David replied. "She's just a beauty. So is Ainsley, just a beauty."
Harm smiled even wider. "She takes after her mother."
"I see a bit of you in her there as well, Sir" David smiled. "Really though. She's a gorgeous baby. Are you thinking of having another or is she it for you?"
Harm glanced at Mac and saw her face fall. "We'd love to have more" he said, feigning a smile and trying to hide both his pain as well as Mac's.
"I just love my kid sister and I know" he glanced over at Mattie and took her hand, "Mats just loves Ainsley."
Harm nodded, knowing for Mac's sake he needed to change the subject. "Does anyone need a drink before I sit down?"
"Oh you bet I do" Mac sighed and focused on her plate.
Three hours later Harm and Mac had said goodnight to David and Mattie, put Ainsley down and were now retiring to bed. Mac could tell something was eating at Harm, just as he could tell she was not feeling well at all that night. They both decided to use their bed time to confront the other.
"Penny for your thoughts?" he said, taking hold of her hand.
"I was about to say the same thing" Mac replied shifting in bed.
"You first" he said softly. "What's wrong?"
"I'm just not feeling well" she replied not sure how to bring up the subject of what was truly bothering her.
"I know you better than that, sweetie" he said tenderly. "Please?"
"I told you" Mac replied. "I'm not feeling well, that's all. My stomach is hurting."
He sighed. "I'm sorry, can I get you anything for it?"
She shook her head, "It'll pass. Now, what's wrong with you? Back hurting?"
"No" he answered with another sigh. "It's that kid."
"What about him?" Mac asked. "Don't you like him? I thought he was sweet."
"That's just it" he said. "I can't find a single reason not to like him, as badly as I want to because he's dating my daughter."
"You are so cute" she smiled. "He's sweet, Honey. Just admit it."
"I don't want to" he said with a half-hearted laugh.
To Harm's chagrin at that moment instead of teasing him, he heard Mac sob as she slid down in bed and turned away from him to hide her face.
"Hey, hey" he said softly, leaning over close to her. "What's wrong?"
Her sobs came harder and faster at his soft words; she curled up tighter but didn't answer. She wanted him to hold her and say nothing, but she didn't know how to convey it.
"Baby, I'm here" he whispered into her ear. "Please let me in; tell me what I can do."
She just shook her head. "There's nothing you can do."
He hated hearing those words; they made him feel completely helpless. Knowing they were true, however, he continued to do the one thing he knew she needed - he held her close.
Mac cried hard in her husband's strong arms until finally her harsh sobs turned into hiccups. Before she could speak to him though a knock was heard at their door and for the first time they heard Ainsley's cries.
"Come in, Mats" called Harm, arms still around his wife.
Mattie came in holding a fussy Ainsley. "She won't stop fussing and...hey, are you okay?" she asked Mac, now concerned.
"I'm fine" replied Mac with a sniffle. "Here, let me have her; she might wanna eat a little bit."
Mattie passed her little sister to her mother and sat down beside her dad, a look of concern still on her face.
Mac put the baby to her breast and she latched on to suckle. "What's wrong?" Mattie asked Harm. "Did you not like David? Did that comment about another little one make Mac cry?"
Harm shrugged a bit, not knowing exactly what was wrong with Mac quite yet. "We both liked David" he said. "He's a...he's a nice young man."
"But..." she looked at Mac who was still struggling to stop her tears.
"It's not David" Mac replied. "Its...I'm not feeling very well and...don't worry about me, Sweetie."
Mac nodded her thanks and watched Mattie take her leave.
Harm reached over and caressed Ainsley's little head as she nursed. "Hey, little girl" he whispered as he watched the baby's eyelids begin to droop.
"She's nearly a year old. In a month she'll be a whole year old" Mac sighed wistfully, tears still falling but her sobs had stilled.
"And it's been the most wonderful year of our lives" he said gently. "I know she's growing up and it's sad to see the tiny baby we once had disappear, but look at her, Mac. Look how..." He paused as a lump formed in his throat. "Look at how beautiful she is."
"She is" Mac nodded. "She looks like you so much now."
He smiled. "Her eyes and her smile, definitely, but the rest is all you."
"I want our son to look like you" Mac sighed. "Once we get around to trying for him."
Harm had known her long enough to catch the meaning of her last comment. "That's what's got you upset, isn't it, sweetie? What David said at dinner?"
"Yes, but more so it's...my period started before dinner" Mac told him. "My cycles are back."
"Wow" he said softly, realizing instantly what that meant. "You doing okay, I mean aside from not doing okay?"
"Yeah" she replied. "My stomach is cramping but it always did that. I never had easy periods."
He knew that the resumption of Mac's cycles meant that she would be ready to try for baby number two soon...and he was still some ways away from being ready for that. "So, where does this put us?" he asked tenderly, wanting to let her take the lead.
"At opposite sides of the issue" Mac replied. "I assume at any rate by your lack of happiness at that announcement."
She could read him as well as he could read her. "Yeah, I guess so. I don't want to get too deep into this tonight, though. You're already upset and I don't want to add to it if I can help it."
"You don't have to say anything" Mac replied. "I already know. I think she's out."
He looked down at Ainsley, who was in fact sound asleep in Mac's arms. "Lemme go get Mattie, since she wanted to put her back down, then I'll be back. Want anything while I'm up?"
Mac nodded.
"What?" he asked. "Tylenol, a drink...?"
"Chocolate milk" Mac replied with a laugh. "And peanut butter crackers."
He smiled. "Sure thing, sweetie."
A/N: Thanks for sticking with me, I hope you find the ending worth the ride...