Are you a family now?

He stood in the doorway between the living room and the kitchen, watching her greet and smile at everyone. It had been awhile since they'd been home and he knew that she missed everyone more than she usually let on. It was nice to see her talking so animatedly. She was so much more comfortable these days, not hesitating to touch or be touched by those close to them. Before that night she might have lifted a hand to touch his shoulder or tensed when he put his hand on her lower back to escort her somewhere, but lately she'd been almost overdoing it, although he knew he would never get tired of it. So often now she ran a hand absently through his hair while they cuddled together at the end of the day, or held onto his hand just to keep the connection between them, even if they were having dinner or reading case files. He grinned down into his drink as remembered one particular visit to his office where she'd brought him lunch, and managed to make his day just by feeding it to him and nibbling on his fingers as he fed her.

But it wasn't simply times like that which were making him feel more happy and contented than he had in a long time, if ever. He loved waking up in the morning and feeling her there beside him, coming home and having her there. Seeing her things in the bathroom beside his or scattered throughout the small house they'd found on the outskirts of London. Even though Mattie was still in San Diego with his parents waiting for the Doctor's to give her the okay to travel, he was starting to feel like part of a family. And hopefully soon they would be adding a small being to that family as he and Mac had been trying for a baby. He looked over at her and caught her eye as she was talking to Sturgis. He crooked a finger at her as he smiled his Sarah smile that he reserved just for her. The people in his office already knew that smile and simply grinned and shook their heads when she visited or when she phoned and his mood brightened like a little child.

Mac held up a finger indicating that she wanted to finish her current conversation, softening it with a smile before turning back to the man in front of her. Harm guessed they were discussing the JAG conference this year that was to be held in London, incidentally. General Creswell (and, they suspected, Retired Rear Admiral Chegwidden) had pulled some major strings and while they were waiting to find Mac an official position that suited her qualifications she had been put in charge of planning the event. With such an admirable history as a top JAG lawyer and her experience at the conference the year before in San Diego, as well as her current location she was the prime candidate and she was extremely proud to be given such an opportunity. Harm had always thought she'd make a wonderful teacher (although he'd never told her) and knew that she would never put herself on the schedule as a speaker for the event, but he planned to speak to General Creswell about that.

He watched as Jimmy came barreling into the room ahead of his older brother and zeroed in on Mac as she stood on the other side. The little boy grabbed her leg and hid behind her, peeking his head around as he stuck out his tongue at AJ, knowing that his brother wouldn't dare come after him while his Auntie Mac was protecting him. He watched as she absently ran a hand through his hair, not at all bothered by the child as she continued talking to Sturgis. AJ turned away with a frown on his face and a look in his eyes that promised payback later, until he spotted his favorite uncle and started towards him.

"Uncle Harm! Uncle Harm!" Harm put a finger to his lips, reminding him that he didn't have to shout inside the house. He bent to the boy's level as AJ put a companionate arm around his shoulder.

"Did you see the plane I made? I painted it just like your plane!" Harm smiled, remembering the model of the yellow biplane that Harriet had shown him as soon as they'd arrived.

"I sure did Buddy. I'm so proud of you. I know that must have taken a lot of time and hard work." AJ glanced at the floor as a smile threatened to crack his face, slightly embarrassed at the attention but bursting inside at the knowledge that Uncle Harm was proud of him.

"Dad helped me, and I used the picture that came with it to make sure that I got it just right." He looked up at his uncle again. "When are you going to take me flying again? You've been gone for a long time, you know."

Harm chuckled as he lifted the boy easily with one arm, placing his drink on a nearby table. The earnest look in the blue eyes reminded him of the look in Bud's eyes when the younger man was asking him a question.

"I know I've been gone a while but I had to take a long plane ride to a place on the other side of the ocean. I'm working in a new place now and I have to live over there too."

AJ nodded, considering. He knew that Uncle Harm didn't work everyday with his daddy anymore and his mommy had told him that he'd had to go far away for his new job. But it was a good thing because Uncle Harm was happy and they could talk to him on the phone and they could send him things in the mail and sometimes Uncle Harm could even come visit.

"Does Auntie Mac live with you too?"

Harm nodded, serious.

"Yes, your Auntie Mac and I have a house in a city called London, and pretty soon your cousin Mattie is going to come and live with us too. She can't right now though because she's still hurt from her accident and the doctors want to make sure that she'll be okay before they let her go far away."

"So are you a family now? You and Auntie Mac and Mattie? Like me and Daddy and Mommy and Jimmy and the twins?"

Harm nodded, breaking into a smile that AJ unconsciously copied, his arm still slung around his uncle's shoulder.

"Yeah, we're a family now." It had been a long time coming but now that he had it, Harm had no plans to let any of them go anytime soon.