Chapter Two
Mac stood at the terminal waiting for the remains of her fiancé and her cousin to be brought back to her. Mattie's NJROTC group was there in formation to pay their respects to him, but Mattie had chosen to stand next to her mother.
"Mom, for some reason I don't feel like he is gone. It seems so surreal, just like when my real mom died."
"I know Mattie. I know the feeling. I didn't believe it until Commander Coulter called me with the DNA evidence, part of me still doesn't believe it." Mac said staying strong for her daughter.
The C-130 was coming in closer. Mac watched as the transport plane came to a dead stop and the cargo bay opened. She saluted her CO as he climbed of the plane. He had flown to Iraq to escort the remains home.
"At ease Colonel." She slackened up a bit, but it didn't last long. She stiffened up at the sight of Emily's parents coming up.
"If your fiancé was a better pilot, then our daughter would be here today." Her aunt screamed at her.
"Don't you talk about my dad that way!" Mattie screamed at her. Brennen ran up from behind.
"Mattie, Gramma says that Momma isn't coming home ever again." Brennen said in matter of fact tone.
"That's right buddy. Your Momma and my Dad are in heaven right now."
"I miss her."
"I know you do, but you will always remember your Mom in your heart. She loved you so much." Brennen hugged her.
Mac hugged her young cousin. "Your Mom will always be watching over you."
He got this worried look on his face, "Even when I'm in the bathroom?"
Mac smiled, the mind of a three year old. "What I mean is that she will always be there when you need her."
Mac stiffened when she saw the marines carrying out Harm's casket with the flag draped over it. "Ma'am, we just wanted to let you know that Commander Rabb and Commander Graves saved us all that day. I am so terribly sorry for your loss. He was a brave man."
"Thank you corporal. How did you know Harm and Emily?"
"Commander Rabb went with us in country a couple of times to help interrogate POWs. He even went on a mission with Agent McCleary one time. Shocked us all by saying he knew how to do a HALO insertion. He was tough as nails with a great heart. He was always talking about his beautiful fiancé and his two wonderful daughters."
Mattie placed a hand on his casket. "I know you tried to make it home Dad. I love you, say hi to my mom for me in heaven." She kissed her hand and then touched the casket. Mac was amazed at Mattie's strong façade as she walked over to her NJROTC group and rejoined the ranks. They snapped a salute to him and they boarded the school bus to go back to their classes. Mac told the driver where to go with Harm's body and she watched the car drive away she felt an overwhelming sense of grief and collapsed into her Admiral Jonas's waiting arms.
"Mac, can you hear me. Damn it Colonel." He tried to wake her, but after two minutes the base MPs called for an ambulance.
Mac woke up in the ambulance. "Colonel Mackenzie, can you hear me?" One of the EMTs asked.
"What happened?"
"You fainted. We are on our way to Bethesda. Is there anything we need to know?"
"Yes, I'm eight weeks pregnant." She told them.
Arriving at Bethesda, she found Sturgis, Jen, Trish, Frank, and Sergei pulling up five minutes later.
"Sarah darling, are you alright?" Trish asked her.
"Yeah Trish. I was watching the driver leave with Harm's body and, well, I woke up in the ambulance. I'm just over-worked and exhausted. That's all. No one should fuss over me."
"If you need us to move the memorial service, we can." Frank told her.
"No, I am sure that I will be out in time tonight. If not then I will walk out."
The doctor walked in. "Colonel Mackenzie it seems that you have a cheering section. Who needs to be here?"
"They can all stay."
"Well, you are dehydrated, which isn't good for you or the baby." The doctor started, Trish let out a small gasp. "We are rehydrating you now, and then you should be good to go. Have you had your first meeting with you ob yet?"
"No. Can you have one of the nurses set one up for me sometime next week?"
"How about tomorrow?"
"No, we are burying the baby's dad tomorrow." Mac said resigning herself to the tears.
Trish held Mac's hand and the rest of the crew left the room leaving them alone together to talk about the newest development that they had just found out about. "How long have you known Mac?"
"For about a week. I was going to tell everyone, I just didn't know how. I was waiting for Harm to come home, and well," the tears just started flowing.
"It will be okay darling. I don't know how, but it will be okay."
"Trish, how will it be okay? I don't even feel like this is my life, it is just a resemblance to what it used to be."
"It will never feel the same again, Sarah, there are days I still dream about Harm Sr. coming home to me. I know that it will never happen, but when I wake up that I believe its true because the dream was so real."
"I miss him so much Trish. I don't know if I can do this."
"Are you thinking about terminating your pregnancy?" Trish asked.
"No! How could I get rid of a child that Harm and I created together? He once told me that he dreamed about us having children together, of seeing me grow large with a living creation of our love. I just wanted him to come home and be there for me, for our children! How am I going to do this?"
"Mac you are one of the strongest women I know. Hell you could take out half of this woman's Navy if you needed to. That is why Harm loves you so much. You can make it through this. You have to make it through this."
"I have to for my girls, for the new baby. The morning sickness was getting so bad that I stopped eating to keep from getting sick."
Trish smiled. "With Harm I was sick all the time. He was worth it though. Did he ever tell you that when he was born he wasn't breathing?"
"No."
"Then when he took his first breath on his own, he started fighting for every single breath he took. He came into this world fighting, and he left the world fighting." Trish informed her. "He loved you and his family."
"I know Trish. We loved him too." She let the exhaustion overtake her and she slept for the first time in days.
AN – Gee, you guys are angsty towards me! I am evil, this I know. I have been called a lot worse. Remember first and foremost, I am a shipper, and I assure you there will be a happily ever after with this story! I don't know when, and I don't know how. I already have written a couple of parts – a couple of you guessed them really well. I don't know how often I will update this story, I am going for at least once a week for right now.
Minorcadence – Sad to say, this is not the first time I have been cursed for what I have written – hehe – hang in there.
Charmedali: There is always hope
Malcolm in the Middle: Talk about pressure being the first fanfiction you read for JAG – I feel honored, hopefully I can give this series an ending it deserves – slowly but surely though.
Princess Mai – Thank you for doing what you do overseas and I don't know if you will read this one, but if you do, I have him killed for a reason right now.
Bard2003 – I have already written the part you described weeks ago – I guess great minds think alike.
Shanabear – Sorry if you don't continue – this isn't a deathfic – hint hint!
Note to all – Wow – over 30 reviews for a first chapter – overwhelming – and sorry I couldn't really reply to them all, but I think I gave you guys enough clues responding to these reviewers of things to come. Oh – think about the name Ben Ladir-Famino (aka the traitor in Handling It) – big hint there.
