Chapter Ten:
Mattie was sitting in the living room holding Mackenzie. Mattie walked over to the DVD player and switched on a movie that her and Mackenzie could watch.
Harm's face appeared on the screen and Mackenzie started squealing with delight, "Dada!" She said pointing to the screen.
"Yeah Mackie, that's Dada."
"Hi Mattie and Mackenzie. Well, I just thought that I sit and talk to my girls awhile. You know Matts, your mom sent me a tape of you practicing for drill team a couple of days ago. I think that if you flicked your wrists a little more, you could get more spin on the rifle. Also, your uncle Sergei tells me there is a boy that has been coming around the house and that he is keeping a close eye on you. I love you so much Mattie. I wish that I could have been there for your first date." Mattie had a tear running down her face. Trish and Frank had came down and they were watching their grandchildren watch their dad on TV. Harm smiled at them.
"Mattie, I want you to do great in school, be good for Mom, and mind Sergei. Keep an eye on Mackenzie okay?" Harm asked her. "Keep sending me tapes of your volleyball practices, and I will continue calling you with different tips for your spikes." Mattie had tears streaming down her face watching her father. Mackenzie looked at her sister and blew her a kiss; this simple gesture caused Mattie to laugh.
"I love you Mackenzie!" Mattie said picking up her sister, playing airplane with her, just as Harm did do many times.
"Matts!" Mackenzie screeched.
"I love you girls so much," Harm said softly to them. "Mackenzie, how much do you love Daddy?"
Mackenzie regarded her father for a moment on the screen and stretched her arms out wide and giggled. Harm opened up his arms, "This much!" Mackenzie then blew her dad a kiss. "Dada!"
Harm sang the girls a lullaby with his friends guitar, and Mattie and Mackenzie fell asleep on the couch.
Trish had tears streaming down her face. "First my husband, and now my son."
"Oh Trish." Frank comforted her. One of the maids came down and Frank stopped her, "Maria, bring a blanket for the girls. They are sleeping in the parlor tonight, and set the DVD to play Harm singing over and over."
"Yes sir."
Frank ushered his wife upstairs and held her. He looked over at the nightstand and saw the small bronze sculpture that Harm had given him before he left. "Son, your family misses you so much." He whispered.
Mattie heard the phone ring at 9:00 the next morning out in California. Mattie rolled over off the couch and landed on the floor in a thud. Mackenzie watched her sister in her playpen crawl across the room to the phone.
"Burnett residence."
"Mattie, it's Mom."
"Mom, are you okay? Why are you calling so early? Did something happen, do you need me to come back home?"
"Slow down Mathilda. I'm okay, the baby is okay. Mattie, there is something I need to tell you."
Mattie held her breath waiting for more bad news, "Did you get orders to be transferred? Are we going to have to move from our house?"
"Nothing like that sweetheart. I just don't know how to tell you this. Is your grandmother awake?"
"I hear her coming down the stairs."
Trish came padding down the stairs. "Mathilda, who is on the phone honey?"
"Mom. Gram, pick up the extension."
"Hi Trish. There is no easy way to say this, Harm has been found alive."
Mattie let out a gasp and started crying in her grandmother's arms. "Mom, I knew he was alive. How is he, can I talk to him? Mom, I want to come home."
"Matts, I found him barely alive on top of his grave at Arlington. He is in surgery now, and I am remaining cautiously optimistic."
"Sarah, we will be out there as soon as possible."
"Thank you Trish."
Mac hung up the phone and sat with AJ, Admiral Jonas, Sergei and Jen. She reached over for her caffeine-free Diet Coke and salad. "You know Mac, I think that this child is definitely taking after Harm." AJ pointed out to her.
Mac smiled at him. "I really wouldn't mind having another little child that will look like Harm, especially if . . ."
"Don't go there Colonel." Admiral Jonas said, "Harm is a fighter, literally."
"There are some demons though that can and will play in his mind."
"What do you mean?"
"Other than the sounds of the door opening the first couple of nights you are safe, there is something in your mind that ticks, thinking that you are going to have to go to the hell where they play with your mind. Not to mention, something happened to Emily over there – what if she is still alive? What if she died in front of Harm's eyes? I can't protect him from the evils."
"Mac, Harm might be able to make it through everything just yet." Sergei said. "My wife was killed, my mother was killed, while I was in a prison camp. A strong woman can help you survive anything."
Jennifer smiled bringing them coffee. "Harm has a lot to live for, and I am sure that he won't want to miss out on anything."
Mac unconsciously rubbed her stomach. The doctor who had operated on Harm came into the lounge and greeted them. "Colonel, the surgery took longer than expected."
"Six hours 22 minutes." Mac stated. "How is he?"
"I'm not going to sugarcoat this. His body has gone through an awful lot, and it seems that his brain has shut down. In other words, he is in a coma." The coke slipped from Mac's hand and hit the ground. AJ walked up behind her to steady her.
"What can you tell us doctor?"
"We had to remove his spleen, which was lacerated from what looks like a knife wound. The lacerations on his back were infected. We cleaned what we could. . . while on the table we lost him." Mac gasped.
"The biggest problem right now is the infection that is raging in his body. We don't know what it is, but we are treating it with a broad spectrum antibiotic meds. The neurologist is assessing brain function. The concussion seems to be pretty severe, and there is a lot of swelling. We were able to reset his leg, it should heal nicely. The short of it is that we are amazed he is still alive. We will know more within the next 48 to 72 hours."
"I want to see him."
"Colonel, he is in a coma."
"I''m his fiancée. The mother of his children, he is my heart. I have to see him and sit with him, and hold him."
"I'll see to it that he is moved to a private room with a guard," Admiral Jonas said. Mac just looked at him, "Whoever brought him here is still wandering around the US, and we don't know if they thought Harm was dead when they dumped him or not. I want him guarded." He explained.
Mac nodded, knowing that he would be safe at last in her arms.
AN - I wanted to get this out before I graduated. Hopefully after I get finished moving, I will be able to knock this out. What do you want? Let the author know, and I will write it. Thanks for all the reviews.
Abigaile - There will be reactions soon.
Alix33 - All will be explained slowly, as soon as I figure it out -I figured people wanted Harm back, and this is a way he haven't been brought back yet.
Brittany - Not planning on breaking them up just yet again, I mean I just got them back together, a little bit of shipperness will be thrown in if I feel nice.
- I am hoping that I am writing this Mac a little nicer. She loves her Harm, and understands coming back from torture. My Mac is in counseling, and this will be seen in the next couple of chapters.
cmdrchasenovack - Mattie worships Harm. Their hospital scene will hopefully be inspired. Working on it though, writing emotions are hard.
whalekc85 - We will find out why he was dumped on his grave. I am thinking maybe a CIA twist (an underground operative perhaps saves Harm) there is a huge storyline there, but I wanted to bring the family back together first - have you read some of the threats!
FroggyO3 and Manic Penguin - Harm will come back to his family, I think, I haven't written that far yet. True shipper though - umm - hint, the title Resemblance of Life doesn't just apply to Mac, but to Harm also, he may have a slight psychological problem, he may not bounce back real quick, trying to keep this as real as my little world can be. . . .
To everyone else I haven't responded to thanks for the support! More next week.
