Chapter Fourteen:
1130 EST
A Mall in MD
Mattie walked around the mall looking really preoccupied. She had run into AJ Chegwidden and he had explained that she shouldn't broadcast her father's return from the dead, that he could still be a target. That didn't make her feel any better.
Sergei and Jen stood behind her. "I am worried about her Jen."
"Who wouldn't be, the poor girl has gone through so much. I don't even know how I would handle everything."
"She looks like she is limping."
"Sergei, you are imagining things, besides, she hasn't relinquished her hold on Mackenzie yet. Having a baby on your hip is going to make you walk a little funny."
"If you say so." He said linking his hand in hers.
They had tried to tell Mattie that she didn't have to carry Mackenzie around the mall on her own, but Mattie insisted on pulling big sister duty, carrying her little sister close to her. They had put all their packages into Mackenzie's stroller anyway.
Without looking Mattie walked right into Max, literally. "I am so sorry," she said not realizing who he was.
"Mattie!"
"Max!" Mattie exclaimed right back. "I am so sorry, I am so preoccupied right now."
Jen had taken control of a babbling Mackenzie and smiled at the two teenagers. "How about you too catch up, and we will meet you by Santa?"
"Thanks Jen. Don't spoil her too much Uncle Sergei."
"Me never!" He said giving the perfect Rabb smile. "We will meet in one hour." He said taking Mackenzie from Jen.
Mattie kissed Mackenzie and watched her family walk away. Max turned to her. "You were supposed to be in California with your Grams."
"I decided that I wanted to spend Christmas in my own house with my mom for the holidays. It makes me feel closer to my dad." She said with a hint of sadness.
"What did you get him for Christmas?"
"I had made him a scrapbook for Christmas. That way if he couldn't make it home, he could open up memories of us for Christmas on the Pat."
"What are you going to do with it now?" Max asked reaching for her hand.
"I am keeping it around for Mackenzie. She deserves to see a point in life where Dad adored the ground she crawled on." Mattie got an idea, and put it on the backburner.
"I didn't mean to bring up your dad."
"It's okay Max. I like talking about Dad, it brings me hope that Dad will eventually come back."
"Mattie, he was declared dead."
"I know Max, but it seems unfair. I got less than a year with him. God is cruel."
Max hugged Mattie, and she sighed. She wished that she could tell me the truth about Harm, but knew with all the people around her that it wouldn't be safe for him to hear it. She walked into a plaque making store.
"What are you looking for?"
"I guess I will know it when I see it." Mattie scanned the displays, and then she saw it, silver plated dog tags. She picked them up and scribbled the inscription she wanted engraved on it, My Father, My Hero. Max just looked at her curiously. "Something to put on Dad's grave. I got my real mother a glass bird. She said that when she died, she wanted to come back as a bird, one that could fly over me and keep an eye on me."
"Are you still flying? I know Commander Rabb was teaching you how to fly."
"Not right now." She looked at Max and smiled. "Don't tell anyone, but when Grams and Gramps took Mackenzie on a day trip, I went and got a tattoo of a Tomcat and a bird on my ankle. One for Dad and one for Mom."
"Can I see it?"
"Sure."
Mattie looked around and didn't see Jen and Sergei coming up behind her. She pulled up her pants leg and hiked down her sock, and their on her left ankle was a three inch by three inch tattoo of a small Tomcat and bird. Hammer was written right below the picture.
"Mathilda Grace Rabb!" Jen exclaimed.
"Don't tell anyone."
"Honey, I have too, it looks infected. Where did you get it done anyway?"
"Out in California. I made a fake ID, and went walking up one of the little strip malls."
Sergei leaned down and got a closer look at the tattoo. "Well, Mattie, it looks like we are taking you back to Bethesda to get an infection looked at. But first, lets get your picture taken with Santa with your little sister."
Mattie sighed. She knew she was going to get in trouble for that one. "Don't worry Mattie, I will come and visit you as soon as the Colonel lets you out of your room." Max told her. He hugged her and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "I have to find my mom and dad now." He walked away, and Mattie and Mackenzie got their picture taken with Santa.
1200 EST
Bethesda Naval Hospital
Coming back from testing
Mac listened as the doctor began to explain what Harm could expect with the retrograde amnesia.
"We feel that as the swelling goes down, more of your memories will resurface. Your brain is puzzling though, you are remembering your children, which I understand is a recent development, but can't remember much in between 2001 and 2003?"
Harm looked at Mac, "I remember bits and pieces, not whole memories."
Harm looked over into the emergency room as they were coming back from the CAT scan, and saw Mattie sitting on a gurney. "Doctor, can you find out what is wrong with my daughter for me, and then have her meet me in the room?" Harm requested.
"Sure. I will examine her in your room." The doctor walked over and talked to Mattie who looked pretty fearful. She hopped off the gurney and walked behind the gurney.
"How are you doing Commander?" Mattie asked, not realizing that her father had remembered at least her.
"Commander? I know you are my daughter," He said, his voice still low.
"Hi Dad."
They made their way back to his room where Jen, Sergei, and Mackenzie where waiting for him. "Sir, Sergei and I are heading back to the house."
"I got rid of my loft?"
Mattie mumbled something, and then reached into a bag she had grabbed from the house. She hobbled over to him. "Here, open up your Christmas gift from me." Harm took the gift and put it on the nightstand.
"Later Matts."
"Matts, what's wrong with your leg?" Mac asked.
The doctor came in and had her sit on a chair. He lifted her leg and pulled down the sock. "Looks like an infected tattoo." He took her temperature and found she was running a low grade fever. "I'll get you started on some antibiotics." He smiled at Mac, "You must have your hands full."
Mac rolled her eyes, and eyed Mattie. "What made you think it was okay to get a tattoo? How did you manage to get one, you are sixteen!"
"I made a fake ID and then when Grams and Gramps took Mackenzie on a day trip, I went and had it done. I'm sorry."
"What is it of?" Mac asked.
"It is three small tattoos. A Tomcat, a bird, and Hammer." Mattie explained softly. "The bird for my real mom, and the Tomcat and Hammer for Dad."
"Mattie, you didn't have to mark your body up for me." Harm explained. Mattie came closer to him.
"I just missed you so much!" Mattie sighed, "Will you please open the gift?"
"Sure thing baby. Come sit with me." Harm scooted over on his bed and Mattie got in with him. She helped him open his gift since one hand had IVs hooked up to IVs to combat the infection that was still raging inside of him.
"I made you a scrapbook. I figured if you couldn't make it home for Christmas, we would make it to you somehow. And now, it can help you with your amnesia."
"Thanks Baby." Harm's voice was becoming stronger, but the pneumonia he was battling was taking a toll on his body. "We will figure out what to do about the tattoo later. I need to take a nap."
Mattie kissed her dad on the cheek. "I love you so much Dad."
"I love you too honey. I will see you around dinner time okay? Make sure you and Mac get some sleep too."
"Okay Dad."
Mac leaned down and gave him a kiss. She promised him that she would be back in time to eat dinner with him.
AN - More to come, hopefully soon. You guys know the drill, read and review please! Let me know what you want our favorite couple's Christmas to be like.
