Chapter 33

2 ½ months later..

0148 ZULU

Harm & Mac's Welcome-Home Party

Admiral Chegwidden's house

Mclean, Virginia

"Welcome Mac." Says the Admiral as I walk in. Meredith appears out of nowhere.

"May I take you coat Mac?" she asks.

"Uhh.. yes." I say trying to wriggle out of my heavy coat. With their assistance I manage to get it off which isn't as easy as it looks with a bandaged hand.

"I thought you said that all your wounds had healed." Asked Meredith confused.

I defensively whip the hand behind my back, "It's the last thing to come off. I'm actually amazed that I was still alive considering all the casts and bandages that were on me." I see the Admiral give Meredith a look and she nods. "Have you heard anything about when Harm will be getting here?" I ask anxiously. I had not seen him awake yet, because they found a serious problem with one of his chest wounds. He was whisked off to Bethesda and then off to a different hospital on the West Coast it got so bad, by then only family could visit.

"His parents are bringing him here in about fifteen minutes to a half hour." The Admiral responds.

"Am I really early?" I ask worried I misunderstood the time since so few people were here.

"No." said Meredith warmly, "You're just in time to help us decide the seating arrangement…You know I would have done all the cooking too, but AJ said it was too much work for one person, and I think he was right." She says with a laugh. The three of us walk into the kitchen where the caterers are busily at work, but all I could think about was Harm coming soon. After all these long weeks I would finally be seeing him again. Maybe we could have our conversation we'd been discussing that fateful night at the base…Thirty minutes marine surely you can wait that long…

Twenty-five minutes later…

I was listening to Sturgis go on about submarines with my uncle, and I was about to scream. Normally I wouldn't miss the opportunity to tease Sturgis about his obsession with "his little tin cans," but right now I was just about desperate to see Harm, and I wasn't sure I could endure another minute of listening about the various tracking systems a submarine has. Luckily I had had the foresight to sit so I had an unimpaired view of the door, on which my gaze steadily fell. Suddenly, the doorknob turned and I leapt out of my seat only to find it was Webb on his cell phone no less. I sank back into my chair with a discontented sigh. My nerves were raw with anticipation. Even, Chloe who had arrived with my uncle a few minutes ago gave up trying to talk to me I was so spaced out. Only three minutes and fifteen seconds left…

I looked up to see Bud standing over me offering me a drink with a quizzical expression on his face, "Ma'am?" he asks puzzled.

"I'm sorry Bud what did you say?"

"Would you like something to drink?" he repeated.

I shake my head with a sad smile, "No thanks Bud. I'll be fine." I vaguely remember him walking off to a concerned looking Harriet. Meanwhile I resumed my intense stare at the door. Harm, where ARE you?

"You know if looks could burn Mac, that door would be on fire by now." Laughed Sturgis. I looked in his direction about to give a nasty retort when the door opened and my head whipped around so fast I'm surprised I didn't give myself whiplash. It was Harm and his parents! I was out of my chair so swiftly it surprised even me as I launched myself into his open arms.

"HARM!" I scream like a little girl. I cling to him like glue, so afraid I'm going to lose him again.

"Wow. Is this really you Mac?" he asks pulling me of him enough to look into my face. I can see his overjoyed, yet puzzled expression, "You've changed so much." He says and I notice he's staring particularly at my hair.

"I-I decided to grow it out." I stammer, "But you've changed so much too. You just…look different."

He laughs, "I suppose I have changed." There's a pause, "You know Mac there'll be a lot of time for us to talk later, you do need to share me with everyone else." I turn crimson.

"Of course," I say extremely embarrassed about what everyone must be thinking right now. I back off a little. They must all think you are a lovesick girl MacKenzie.

I stand a numbly by Harm's side as everyone wishes us well like we're married or something… You wish.

Finally the pandemonium calms down and everyone moves on. I walk onto the Admiral's porch again to take a breather and calm my hormones down. Being so near to him after all these difficult months is taking a toll on my self-control…

A/N: So sorry for lack of updates...there is no excuse I hang my head in shame.