Part Eight

"Congratulations Bud." Harm handed his friend a cup of hospital coffee. Bud sat down wearily accepting the luke-warm liquid.

"Thank you, Sir." Bud looked around. "Where's Mattie?"

"Cafeteria." Harm supplied tiredly. Mac had disappeared in the direction of Harriet's room awhile ago. And he sent Mattie and Jen of when Mattie nearly paced a hole in the waiting room floor. Harm smiled at that. He didn't know what had gotten into Mattie recently, but he wouldn't complain. It sure beat the moping teen routine she'd been stuck in since December.

"You sound tired, Sir."

"So do you Bud." Harm replied.

"How have things been lately?" Bud tried to sound casual but he was too tired to pull it off.

"Great." He replied too quickly. He didn't want to get into how things were going in the three weeks since Mac joined them. But out of everyone, maybe Bud and Harriet would be the ones to understand.

"I don't know… Mac doesn't sleep a lot."

"And then you don't sleep." Bud supplied for him.

"Mac never slept a lot before the accident. And she's still taking the power naps during the afternoon. But at night…" Harm trailed off with a shake of his head. "She can't sleep at night." He left out that he'd sneak into the bedroom during her power naps. She'd sleep so soundly during those times that he'd sit there watching the rise and fall of her chest just to make sure she was breathing.

"When I first came home, I couldn't sleep either. I think that's normal Sir."

"Call me Harm please." Harm begged. Here he was pouring out his worries, being more open with his Chief of Staff than he was with his wife and Bud couldn't get past formalities.

"I caught her looking into these wheelchairs that have this hand crank thing… handcycles I think they were called. They're for racing. I told her when she was ready we'd see about getting one."

"That's great, Sir." Bud sounded enthused but the look on Harm's face was anything but great. "That is great Harm that she's looking into the future like that. It helps to set goals like that." Bud reminded him.

"I know Bud I just don't want her to be disappointed."

"Permission to speak freely, Sir?"

"Of course Bud." Harm nodded not exactly sure he wanted to hear whatever Bud was about to say.

"Harm, disappointments come with the territory. I mean for every accomplishment there's a disappointment. Everything you once could do with ease might be so hard now that you want to scream at the tops of your lungs. But you're afraid if you start screaming you'll never stop. And then some day… maybe six months from now, maybe ten years from now, you realize there are more accomplishments than disappointments. And those once seemingly impossible tasks don't seem so impossible now. Maybe they are just as hard as they've always been and you've just dealt with everything… or maybe they really are easier. But Sir, the biggest disappointment and the hardest obstacle to deal with will always be dealing with the loved ones that, while they mean the greatest of good in not wanting to see you get hurt, can cause the greatest set backs when all you want to do is move forward."

Harm just looked at his hands his head knowing the truth in Bud's words. If only his heart could follow.

"I should get back," Bud motioned towards the door. "Just think about that Sir."

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"Mac?" Harm called into the quiet house. With Bud out of the office, he'd didn't have any choice to go back full-time. He'd used all the time he could afford to. Leaving her for the day had been torture, despite his mother's promises to check in on her.

"Mac?" He called again suddenly panicky. "Wait here." He instructed his guest before taking off through the house.

He found her in the bedroom sound asleep, her book lying open beside her, "their bear", as she called it, tucked under her arm. He pulled the blanket over her before quietly exciting the room.

Back in the living room he motioned for his guest to follow him into the kitchen.
"Can I get you something to drink? Tea? Water?"

"No thank you, Sir." She replied.

"You don't have to call me Sir."

"Yes Sir." She responded.

"Hey Mac. Look who I found wandering the base." Harm called out a half hour later. Mac rolled in rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"Chloe?" Mac asked astonished at her little sister sitting in front of her. Gone was the troubled kid Mac took under her wing. In her place sat a Marine, her back straight, her head held high.

"Yes, Ma'am." Chloe responded.

Mac laughed at that. "I'm not a Marine anymore Chloe." She vaguely remembered Chloe visiting her in the hospital, shortly after leaving the ICU. She'd stopped by to say she'd join the Marines and was headed to boot camp. Mac had been so exhausted and in a haze she'd completely forgot.

"You're always a Marine, Ma'am… Mac."

"On the inside Chloe, yes but right now I'm just Mac."

Harm snorted from the other side of the kitchen. "You can take the Marine out of service, but you can't take the Jarhead out of the Marine."

"Hey!" He laughed, ducking just in time. A pot holder hit the cabinet above his head.

Mac ignored him. She'd get her payback later. "Are you stationed here?"

Chloe nodded. "Just reported in last week."

"Do you like it here?"

"I miss the horses but I hear there are stables. First chance I get I'm going for a ride."

Leave it to Chloe to gush about horses, Harm thought as he answered his cell phone.

He returned moments later, they were giggling about something. It was music to his ears.

"Earth to Harm." The annoyance in Mac's voice broke through.

"Uh?"

"Was that the office?"

"Oh!" He was still clutching the phone. "Yes. I'm sorry." He leaned down and kissed her. "I have to go in for a bit." Looking at Chloe, "Do you have to report back soon?"

"No, Sir."

"Okay," he nodded. "Why don't you stay here and catch up. I'll bring something for dinner with me."

Mac just nodded at him with an arched eyebrow. He kissed her again, said goodbye to Chloe and left.

"That was Mr. Not-So-Subtle's way of having someone here with me." Mac informed her. "But I'm glad it's you."

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Harm returned later than he intended. He opened the door to more giggling. Following the sound he found Mac stretched out on the couch with Chloe on the floor leaning against the couch. They were both giggling.

"Weren't you two giggling when I left?" He asked with a smile.

"Oh Chloe was just telling me boot camp stories."

Harm shook his head, "Only Marines." He muttered, heading to the kitchen with the food.

They ate in relative silence. Mac somewhat concentrating on the task of eating, Harm was starved from skipping breakfast and lunch. And Chloe was just glad Mac was doing better than when she saw her in the hospital.

After dinner Mac excused herself with a look to Harm.

"I need to help her with something." Harm stated with an apology, and then he was gone too.

Chloe looked around the living room. It was nice. Hardwood floors, spacious, the furniture was kept along the walls. She guessed that was a necessity but it was still cozy. The place felt like Harm and Mac. She smiled at that remembering a time when she never thought 'Harm and Mac' would be Harm and Mac.

"Who are you?" A suspicious voice asked from behind her.

Chloe turned around. "I'm Chloe."

"Chloe?" The girl tapped her chin. "That sounds familiar."

"We met at the hospital. Back in January." Chloe supplied.

"I don't remember you." The girl shook her head just as Harm came back into the room. Mattie was shooting daggers at Chloe. 'Just great!' Harm thought.

"Chloe, this Mattie."

Harm sent a warning look at Mattie. "This is Chloe. She's Mac's little sister."

Mattie's eyes widened and her scowl deepened. "I didn't know Mac had family." She ground out.

"Mattie." Harm warned. "Little sister…as in the mentoring program. And Chloe is family."

He turned his attention to Chloe. "I'm sorry Chloe but Mac's pretty tired. I can take you back to the base now. You're welcome here any time."

"I can catch a cab, Sir."

"Harm." Harm reminded her. "Nonsense, I'll take you." Glancing at Mattie, "There are leftovers in the fridge. Try not to wake Mac with your music."

"I'm not hungry!" Mattie called out before the front door shut.

Chloe looked at Harm and then back at the house. "Teenagers!"

Harm laughed; remember a time when Chloe was just as bad. "You're still a teenager Chloe."

She blushed. "That's true, Sir."

"Harm." He reminded her again.

"Yes, Sir." Harm laughed, some things would really never change.

TBC

Note: I think Mattie and Chloe would be closer in age. Actually I missed most of the last two season of Jag so I'm not really sure about the ages of any of the characters, specifically... Mattie, Chloe, little AJ, Jimmy etc. So I'm making them up to the needs of this story. So Mattie's barely 16 and Chloe's 18 in this world.