Chapter Thirteen
0930 EST
December 23, 2004
Bethesda, MD
Mac walked into Harm's room with her children in hand. Mackenzie didn't realize that it was her father in the bed, but unfortunately for Mattie, she saw the state that Harm was in. Mac saw the conflicting emotions running across her teenagers face, and just as she was about to tell Mattie that it was still her dad, she saw her teenager muster a strength from deep down. She walked over to her father and took his hand.
"Hey Dad," She leaned down and kissed him on the cheek. "You have one ugly mug right now, but I promise it will get better." She walked over and got Mackenzie from Mac's arms.
Mackenzie got closer to Harm and she studied him intently. Looking down at him, she started squealing, "DADA!" Mattie held Mackenzie over her father.
"Mackenzie, how much do you love Daddy?"
Mac watched intently as her younger daughter stretched out her arms like she had down in the past, and then watched her blow him a kiss and giggle.
"When did she learn that?" Mac asked running over sweeping her up.
"Dad had started doing that on the videos to end it, and she started picking it up. Mackie blow!"
Mackenzie looked at her mom and blew her a kiss. Mac started laughing, and she walked over to Harm. "Hey there Dad. You have a lot of children waiting for you to come home." She squeezed his hand.
The doctor came in reading his personal patient directory. "We have noticed there has been increase in his brain activity."
Sergei walked in looking dead on his feet. "It is because he is surrounded by three beautiful women." Mattie ran up to him and gave her uncle a hug. Frank and Trish weren't too far behind.
"Uncle Sergei, how did your finals go?"
"I did alright, my beautiful niece."
"He is being modest, he got straight As. His transcripts finally came from Russia, and he will be able to start med school next fall if he does well on the MCATS." Jen said positively beaming.
Mac hugged him. "That is good news. Are you going to stay in Georgetown for med school?"
"Yeah. Jennifer is just playing down her grades, she made straight As in her classes too."
Mackenzie started squealing, and the doctor looked at the readouts. "Whenever he hears one of you, his brain shows more activity."
Mac and Mattie went to his bedside. Mattie began talking first, "Hi Daddy. I know you are there, give us a sign. Mom is right beside you."
"Harm, honey, can you open your eyes?"
Harm was coming out of his haze. He started struggling against the tube that was lodge in his throat. "He is fighting the tube. We can't take it out yet though."
Mac put a hand on his chest. "Baby, don't fight the tube, open your eyes!" His eyes started fluttering, and he heard Mattie gasp.
"Dad!" His blue eyes shown through, showing confusion, and he looked rapidly between Mattie and Mac (who was holding Mackenzie). He looked at his girls, and Mattie immediately felt relief.
"We are going to take him down for testing as soon as possible." The doctor said putting orders into the personal computer. "I will call for the respiratory therapist to come and take the tube out."
The doctor left and Mattie walked over to her Dad. "Hi Daddy. I missed you so much." Tears started streaming down her face, she just couldn't hold it in anymore. Mac pulled Mattie close and started wiping away her tears.
The respiratory therapist came in and took a quick pulse ox and pulled the tube from his throat. She smiled at him. "Don't try to talk. You have had a tube down your throat for the past eight hours helping you breathe. We will start breathing treatments soon. Is this your wife?"
Harm shook his head, "Partner." He whispered. Mac looked at him with confusion, but didn't say anything. Mattie stood next to Sergei, and he pulled his niece close.
"Mac, how long have I been out? I must have been too late to stop your wedding! When did you have child with Brumby?" He asked whispering the question.
"Harm, what is the last thing you remember?"
"Punching out over the Atlantic. What year is it?"
Mac ran out the hall, "Doctor!"
"Yes Colonel?"
"Harm thinks it is 2001. He doesn't remember any of his children."
Mattie walked out into the hall and took Mackenzie from Mac. "Mom, I am going to go with Jen and Uncle Sergei to the mall. I need to finish up some Christmas shopping."
"Mattie, are you okay?"
"Besides the fact that Dad has no clue who I am or how much he means to me, that he doesn't remember my existence, adopting me, or anything else for that matter, fine! And who is Brumby?"
Mac looked at Mattie and realized that there wasn't a lot that Mattie knew about their past life, "Brumby is my ex-fiancé, and Mattie, I am sure that your father just needs a little time to get through everything." Mac pulled out her wallet, and handed a couple of bills to Mattie. "Don't go crazy. You can leave Mackenzie here with me if you want."
"No. I want her to go get her picture taken with Santa. It can be one good memory that we have from this holiday season." Mattie said bitterly walking down to Jen and Sergei who were down at the elevator waiting for them. "Tell Dad I love him anyway."
Mac sighed. "I will Matts. Love you Kiddo." Mac walked into Harm's room where Trish and Frank were standing over Harm. Mac walked up and passed an ice chip over his lips. "Does that feel better Harm?"
"Yeah, thanks Mac." He said; his voice still in a whisper. "What is your baby's name?"
"The little one is Mackenzie Nicole, my teenager is Mathilda Grace. Mattie was adopted a couple of months ago."
"She's a good kid. She flies doesn't she?" Harm asked.
"What do you remember?"
"I've taken her up in Sarah. . ." He heard Mattie squeal with delight. 'Higher Dad!' "Oh God . . . she's my daughter."
Mac smiled. "She went to the mall."
"How could I forget my own children?"
"What do you remember?"
"Her calling me dad . . . Mackie . . . the baby . . . Mac, it is all disjointed memories, scrambled. Nothing makes sense. What year is it?"
"2004."
"Colonel, we need to take the commander down for some testing." A nurse said walking in.
"Okay."
"Mac come with."
"I wouldn't dream of leaving you now Flyboy." She leaned over and kissed him. He saw the glint of her diamond on her finger, the memory of him proposing to her flooded back.
"I proposed to you on the fourth of July." He said, making it sound more like a question than a statement.
"Yeah."
"Took me long enough," he mused out loud.
"Sure did Commander." AJ Chegwidden said walking up with Admiral Jonas.
Admiral Jonas pulled Mac aside. "Is it true about his memory?"
"Yes sir. It seems to be coming back though in pieces."
"It needs to come back sooner. It seems that we don't have enough evidence right now to charge Umawi, all circumstantial."
"Shit." Mac whispered, looking over at Harm who was beginning to slowly drift asleep again.
She heard him cry out her name and she walked over to him, holding his hand as they made their way down for the scans they needed to take.
AN: Sorry guys, it may be a while for another update, I am trying to finish Sarah's Letters and All in the Family too, there is a wedding this week, job interviews next week, and I start an internship Monday. I will update hopefully by Monday. Lets see, what do you need to know:
Moonlight: Harm will get better - - I do explain everything that happened to Harm, it is on the drawing board,but it is there, and I promise, it isn't pretty (then again, when is getting captured in war pretty?)
DD2: Of course alive and fighting! More fight to come, and perhaps a wedding.
Cherise: I was thinking maybe Balin (according to one of the baby name sites: Balin mean knight of the round table) I thought fitting for a military family. So you get a cookie for being right! I'll bake instead of write another chapter now!
Starryeyes: Always a faithful reviewer, thanks for reading.
HMMC4EVR: Fluff next chapter. (I guess now I have to write what the fluff!)
Snugglebug: Thanks for reading - - I will try hodepodging a little more the next chapter.
Everyone else: Thanks again! Keep reading if you want, I appreciate all the reviews.
