A/N: You guys brighten up my e-mails! Please continue!

This chapter is mostly Mattie/boyfriend, but it does have some Harm/Mac interaction.

Time table to the wedding: two weeks.

Hope you'll enjoy.

Macs apartment

Georgetown, VA
1945 hours local

Mac found Harm and Mattie at her apartment every night. Harm would still make dinner and they would help Mattie out with her homework, have coffee and go over cases. But now Mattie was on summer break, there was no homework to make. They would just come nonetheless.

Mattie was playing with her pencil, head leaning on her hand, looking at the two who were sitting on the couch. They were softly talking to each other, Macs feet in Harms lap. She guessed they were going over no case in particular.

She, Jen and Harriet had had their last fitting today. The dresses were perfect, all in a soft pastel pink, the color of the roses in Macs bouquet. Madame Nana had been the perfect help for them, picking out the dresses. All perfect for the person who had to wear them.

They had set the rehearsing at the day before the wedding, the 15th. Mattie couldn't believe it was only two more weeks. She'd had a blast arranging all kinds of things for the wedding, helping Jen and Harriet out as good as she could.

Harm and Mac had grown closer in the past five and half months. They were obviously back at the "best friends" road. And in two weeks they would be husband and wife. Mattie would have a complete family again, with a mom and dad, even a big sister.

She'd met with a couple of guests, Josh Pendry, in particular, since he was the one walking her down the aisle. Harriet had put a lot of effort in finding him and his mother since Annie had remarried years earlier. She and Josh had been a perfect match for each other right from the beginning, and they'd started dating soon after they'd met. Mattie hadn't really told Harm, only Jen knew about it, and they would sneak out together occasionally to see Josh in Baltimore or somewhere between Baltimore and DC.

The phone woke her out of her thoughts.

'Mackenzie Residence' she said, picking up the phone. 'Hey! What's up?'

'I didn't know you became a Mackenzie' came Josh's grinning voice over the phone.

'Didn't. But I did say that if you couldn't reach me at Jen's, try here. It did work didn't it?'

Harm and Mac looked at each other and turned back to Mattie, trying to get her attention. Mattie was obviously talking to someone she hadn't talked to in a while. She was totally oblivious to their efforts to get her attention.

'I need to know something for the wedding' Josh said. 'I mean, I'm totally fine walking you down the aisle and stuff, but my mom is a bit of a problem'.

'What is it?' Mattie asked, moving into the guest room, where she had half her closet and stuff. She and Harm would crash at Mac's place more and more.

It had started around the beginning of summer break. She and Harm had stayed late at Mac's place, and Harm and Mac hadn't trusted Harm to drive home again. So Mac had made the guest bedroom clear for Mattie and Harm would sleep in the same bed as Mac. Worked perfectly fine. Especially since they hadn't really done anything else ever since.

'She's not so sure she wants to go and she won't let me have the car just yet. I don't know if I can make it Mats'.

Mattie plumped down on her bed. 'You have to! Seriously Josh, if you don't make it…'

'Whoa, slow down, Nemo, relax. I'm sure I can talk her into it, just wanted to let you know. I might as well take a train ride down to you'.

The teenager relaxed when he used her nickname. Nemo. When he came up with it, she didn't remember, and neither did he, but they'd been Nemo and Squishy from the beginning.

'Scaring me to death with the comment that you might not make it and then tell me that you're sure you can talk her into it? Are you sure you'll make it until there Squishy?'

Josh laughed. 'As long as I don't get to near you, I have the feeling that I'll be pretty fine'.

'You really believe that huh? Maybe I'll ship myself to Baltimore to kick your six there. How would you feel about that? Scary thought?' Mattie threatened.

'You've been spending too much time with a certain Marine Colonel squid' Josh said.

'Yeah and you have been spending too much time with people who are against you going to the Academy' Mattie threw back. 'You know I'm capable of kicking your six right?'

It stayed quiet at the other end of the line. Mattie bit her lip. 'Josh? Did I say something wrong?'

She heard him take a deep breath. 'No, just realized that you're right. She still doesn't want me to go after what happened to Dad and that is something I can't talk her into. She's just gonna have to accept the fact that that is what I want. What I've always wanted Mats. Harm would understand that'.

Mattie shrugged. 'That's only because he was in the position you are in now sailor'. She didn't say anything for a while. 'She's still against it huh?'

'Yeah'. He shrugged. 'Nothing I can do about it really. Too scared of losing me I think. Like the same is going to happen to me'.

'You know,' Mattie started to explain, 'this is going to sound like I'm with her on this, while I'm not, but I know what I would feel when Dad would go down in a crash. The thought of losing him is something Mac and I can't handle. It's terrifying. Only the thought of never seeing him, or hugging him or all the other things, scares me to death. I think that's what your Mom is thinking. Flying is in your blood, just like it is in his, but I know what she would go through and you have to give her that losing her son to the same thing she's lost your dad to, isn't really an excited thought'.

'I can understand that babe, but it's not like it's easy for me either. I know I want to be an aviator since I was three. And since she's lost Dad in a crash she's totally against me going to the Academy'.

Mattie let her breath out. 'You know, maybe she should talk to Grams or to Mac. They both know what it's like to lose someone, or nearly lose someone to flying. It might help her' she suggested.

'You think Mac would do that? That your Grandmother would do that?' His voice was hopeful.

'Of course they would. They both know what it is to deal with that and maybe they can convince her that it isn't the worst thing that can happen to you'.

Josh nodded. 'And what is the worst thing that could happen to me?'

Mattie grinned, knowing what it was he was looking for. 'Ending up with me. Two aviators in one household is not easy you know'.

'Kids of two aviators could be even worse you know' he answered.

She was quiet for a while, smiling. 'I'd love to see what that looks like one day Squishy' she softly whispered.

'Same here Nemo. Same here' Josh said. 'But let's see what kids of a Navy Commander and a Marine Colonel look like first okay?'

'They'll be breathtaking, either way, but they'll be headstrong, pig-headed and way too nosy than is good for them'.

He laughed. 'You think they'll be in denial about their feelings for the love of their life?'

'Lets say that I don't hope they have to get ordered to get hitched. It would be a waste of time'. She heard Harm call. 'I think we're going out for ice-cream Squish. Talk to you soon?'

'Better count on it. See ya Mats'.

'Bye Squishy'.

'Bye Nemo'.

Mattie pushed a button on the phone and walked back to the living room. 'What's up?' she asked, trying to look as innocent as possible. Talking to Josh always brought a smile to her face, one much like Harm's Flyboy-smile.

Mac frowned. 'You okay?'

'Fine'. She put the phone back in its holder. 'What are we going to do?'

The two adults traded glances. 'Are you sure you okay?' Harm asked.

Mattie shrugged. 'Why wouldn't I be okay?'

'You got that goofy grin on your face… and I don't trust that goofy grin' he said.

She started to clean the table from her papers and pencils. 'What? Afraid that I might've inherited your grin? It's nothing compared to your smile Dad'.

'I still don't trust it' Harm insisted.

Knowing that Harm wasn't going to let the issue go Mattie turned around and threw her hands in the air in mock defense. 'What do I have to do to make you drop the issue?'

Harm looked at Mac. 'Talk to her Marine'.

'You're not going to like what I'm going to say sailor'.

Mattie rolled her eyes as Harm and Mac started an argument about… her, really. They were just teasing; testing waters, as Mac delicately put it. She put her stuff away and started to wave with her hands.

'Hey, I thought Dad called me for something else than to hear you guys discussing me while I'm right in front of you. You mind?'

They grinned at each other. 'Right. You wanna go get ice cream?'

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