A/N: Thanks for the reviews guys! Here's the update I promised. Hoope you'll enjoy!

Mansion 'Snowdrop'

Somewhere in Tennessee

2010 hours local

Harm was over at the refreshment table, getting him and Mac something to drink. Tonight he and Mac had to answer questions of the other contestants about their marriage. Every other couple had had a night, and tonight was theirs.

Ronnie sat down on the chair next to Mac. 'So, you got to tell me about that wedding ring of yours'.

Mac gave her an eye and swallowed her peanuts. 'What do you want to know?'

'That rose… does it mean something special to you?'

Mac frowned. 'The question round hasn't started yet Ms. Miller. Don't you think you should save the interrogation for later on?' She took another hand of peanuts.

'Maybe' Ronnie shrugged. 'But I would like to know… Does it? Mean something special to you?'

Mac didn't want to answer directly to Ronnie what that rose on her wedding band meant to her. What it meant to Harm. If one of the remaining couples would ask, sure, she would answer, but for some reason Mac felt suspicious by the way Ronnie asked her things about their marriage.

But the fact that Mac didn't answer the question didn't stop Ronnie from asking. 'I somewhere heard Harm has a thing for blondes…'

'Do you think that he would've married me if he had a thing for blondes Ronnie?' Mac narrowed her eyes.

Ronnie shrugged. 'I don't know. Maybe he settled for the next best thing'.

She was trying to get Mac upset, and she was succeeding, but Mac put on her Marine-face and looked her directly in the eye. 'Don't you think you should be asking Harm these questions Ronnie? And not me?'

'Oh, you want me to ask you a question? I'll ask you a question Mac. Did you? Did you settle for the next best thing?'

Mac's eyes were shooting fire. 'No, Ms. Miller, I settled for the best. I don't settle for the second best thing'.

Ronnie nodded. 'I see'.

Before Ronnie could say anything more, Harm was back at the table, putting Mac's drink in front of her and sitting in the chair next to her. He casually dropped his arm on the backrest of the chair and started to run his fingertips up and down Mac's neck.

'You two enjoying yourselves?' he asked.

Ronnie rested her forearms on the table and leaned forward. 'We were just discussing that it would be an interesting evening' she said.

Harm raised his eyebrow. 'Really? Interesting? There is nothing too interesting about our marriage is there honey?'

Mac shook her head and shot a faint smile in his direction. 'Nah, nothing all too special'.

Brent called over to Ronnie that it was time and Harm and Mac leaned back in their chairs to let her pass after she'd excused herself. 'You okay?' Harm whispered in her ear.

'Why wouldn't I be?' Mac asked him.

Harm softly smiled. 'After all the years I've known you, you have to ask me why I ask you that Ninja-girl?'

He was right, Mac thought. She shouldn't be surprised that he could read her like an open book. 'It's nothing. Ronnie has a thing for you, or so I suspect, and she wanted to know if the rose on my ring meant something special'.

'What did you tell her?'

'Nothing. I didn't answer. And then she went on that she heard that you had a thing for blondes and that you probably had settled for the second best thing when you married me'.

It had become habit over the past seven days to talk about their 'marriage' as if it was the real thing. They had slipped into this comfortable pattern as if talking about the real thing and the both of them felt at ease with the developments.

Harm turned her face to him and shook his head. 'Listen to me Sarah. When I married you I didn't settle for the second best woman on the planet. Dare to say it, but it sometimes still amazes me that you're in my life. Every single day I'm amazed when I see your smile, hear you laugh and sometimes I'm still not sure whether or not I deserve to even know you. So don't you think of yourself of the second best thing, because you are the best that happened to me in a very long time'. He softly brushed the tears of her cheeks. 'Don't let her get to you'.

Mac nodded and looked up to him again. 'Thanks Flyboy. I needed that'.

'I know'. He kissed her shortly on her lips and then turned his attention to Brent and Ronnie. He was angry with Ronnie for treating Mac the way she did. For winding Mac up the way she did. But he couldn't focus on that right now, as the questioning was about to begin.

'All right everybody' Brent called. 'Tonight is the last night of questioning about each others marriages. And the last couple on the stand is Harmon and Sarah Rabb'. Brent made space for Harm and Mac who moved to the middle of the garden, where a loveseat was set up.

'Well, who wants to start?'

'Where did you guys meet?'

Harm and Mac looked at each other and smiled. 'White House Rose Garden'.

That statement caused a lot of raised eyebrows. 'How did you get access to that place?'

Mac tried to remember what their excuse was when Harm said it. 'We knew someone who was getting rewarded with a DFC'.

'And what is a DFC?' Tess asked.

Harm grinned his famous smile at Mac. 'You want to explain to them what a DFC is honey?'

Mac nudged him in his ribs. 'A DFC stands for Distinguished Flying Cross, which is a medal someone, in this case a Naval Aviator, gets for heroism or doing something that goes above and beyond the call of duty. In other words, he got to play hero and save the day'. She smiled up. 'Am I right?'

'Totally'. Harm winked. 'Turned out to be the best day of my life. I'm glad I came'.

'I'm glad you came too' Mac softly said. A huge grin spread across her face.

The other couples knew that Harm and Mac were lost in their own little world again. Harm and Mac were much like Roman and Vanessa; in the couple of years they had been together, they had been trough a lot. Megan smiled.

'So, you started to date right after you met?' she asked.

Mac shook her head. 'He looks like he's used to ask women out, but it took us four meetings and a whole lot of flirting back and forth before he asked me out'.

'I made up for the lack of courage' Harm countered. 'Because I did take you to one of the nicest restaurants in the city of DC. And I bought you your favorite flowers…'

'You were just lucky that roses happen to be my favorite flowers Flyboy'. Mac playfully swatted his arm. 'But you're right; you took me to one of DC's finest restaurants. What happened to those days anyway?'

Harm raised his eyebrows. 'What days Ninja-girl?'

'The days where you would bring me flowers, take me out to dinner to La Tours… I'm kidding baby. You still do that'. She grinned at Harm's shocked expression. 'You still open up door for me, you still bring me flowers at least once a week, treat me to amazing home-made dinners and take me out… Draw me bubble baths… I couldn't have wished for a better man'.

'What is with the nicknames?' Zack wanted to know.

'Which ones?' Harm asked him in return.

The others started to laugh. 'Flyboy and Ninja-girl?'

Mac snickered. 'Those. Well, two reasons really. First, he's a pilot; Harm likes to fly. Secondly, because his ego tends to blow up. But maybe that's just a pilot thing'.

'Right'. Harm didn't totally buy the last part. 'Anyway, you're my Ninja-girl because… I don't know anyone else who likes to kick ass as much as you do. Whether that's mine, or Chloe's or AJ's -the big one- or one of your clients', just so justice needs to be done. I couldn't be any prouder or you than I already am'.

Mac smiled up to him. 'Thank you' she mouthed.

'So, I want to know about the proposal!' Audrey called. 'How did he propose?'

Harm and Mac looked at each other. When it was sure that they were going to participate in the show, Mac had told him that she wanted a proposal. She'd only wanted to tease, but three days before they boarded their plane, Harm had taken her out.

Flashback

'Harm? Where are we going?' Mac looked up to Harm as they came out of La Tours.

Harm smiled down at her. 'Don't you worry Sarah. We're going to take a little walk'. He offered her his arm and Mac took it, still confused.

Harm smiled. So far, his plan was working. He'd thrown her off guard when he'd taken her to La Tours, instead of La Bella Vita, like he usually did on Thursday nights. He'd picked her up at her place with three roses; there had been two waiting for her at the restaurant…

They were slowly trotting down the streets, talking about nothing in particular. Eventually, the limo Harm had rented pulled up next to them again. Mac really got confused now. They had been walking in the direction of the Wall, but now the limo pulled up again? What was going on?

Harm was enjoying seeing Mac this confused. It was exactly how he wanted her. With the windows of the limo being blinded, she had no idea where they were going. Twenty minutes later the limo stopped. He pulled a blindfold out of his pocket and looked her in the eyes. 'Do you trust me?'

That question threw Mac only more off guard. 'Of course do I trust you. What kind of question is that?'

'All right. Turn around'.

When she obeyed he blindfolded her and then led her out of the car. Taking her hand, he started to walk. 'Where are we Harm?'

'You'll see Sarah. It's just a little while'.

Several minutes later Harm finally stopped and pulled the blindfold over her head. 'Keep your eyes closed and wait here'.

Mac didn't hear him for what seemed a long time. Eventually she heard a violin playing in the distance. 'Harm…?' Where was Harm?

'You can open you eyes now'. When she opened her eyes he was standing in front of her; a single red rose in his hand. Now Mac saw where she was. The White House Rose Garden. The place they'd met.

Harm slowly sank down to one knee and Mac gasped. 'Sarah Mackenzie, you've been my best friend for the past eight years and you're the most important person in the world to me. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?'

Mac closed her eyes and felt a tear rolling down her cheek. 'Yes Harm. Yes!'

End flashback

They had both known Harm had only done that so that she had something to talk about in the show, when people asked about it. But that moment had been special to both of them. Mac knew that if Harm was ever going to propose to her, it would be in the White House Rose Garden. Or so she hoped. And the proposal had only confirmed her suspicion.

'He took you back to the place you first met? That's sweet!'

Mac looked up into Harm's eyes. 'Yeah' she softly agreed. 'That was sweet'. And their lips met in a soft kiss.

Mansion Garden

Somewhere in Tennessee

1726 hours local

The first two weeks had gone by without much effort. Harm and Mac found themselves more and more at ease with each other. Brent had made a move on Mac, but she politely turned him down. That didn't mean that he and Ronnie were just going to back off.

Kim had been right about one thing. Jessica and Diego Rodriguez had been the first ones out. Tess and Zack Harrison followed the week after. They'd left the previous day. Nobody really cared about it, or suffered from grieve over the loss. As far as Mac could tell, they were all happy to see them gone. The peace had been back in the house, instead of hearing the couple fight every single night.

Harm and Mac were now slowly trotting through the mansion garden, enjoying the nice weather. Mac couldn't get over the feeling how trusted and familiar it felt to have him beside her, simply holding her hand. She didn't ever want to lose him or what they had.

'Harm?' she asked.

'Mmm?' He took her over to a bench.

'You ever wondered what would've happened if we were just this?'

He frowned. 'If we were just what honey?' He'd started to call her names all the time. Not that Mac mind, not at all actually, it was nice.

'Just two normal people who fell in love. No regulations, no laws, just us and our feelings and desires and wishes. You think it would've made a difference?'

She sat down next to him and looked into his eyes. And saw the answer in them. But she needed to hear it. She needed to hear the words.

'I think it would've made a difference. In a good way. We would've been married for a while now, probably have a kid… Sure, if would've made a difference. But on the other hand, you can't change who you are'.

She slowly nodded. 'I know that. And I wouldn't want to change anything about the way you are if that's what you mean… It's just that I was wondering if it would've changed something about us, about our relationship'.

He played with the neckline of her shirt. 'It would've simplified things perhaps. But then again, we're not simple. Life isn't either. So I don't know if it would've changed things'. He looked down at her. 'You sometimes wish we hadn't been in the military?'

'Sometimes' she shrugged. 'Don't get me wrong, I love the Corps and everything, 'cause it set me back on my feet and showed me another way of life, but as far as it goes in the rest of my life… I don't know'.

Harm smiled. 'You have the exact same thoughts as I have Mac. But what's the point in looking back and always asking yourself ''What if?'' You don't win anything with it'.

She kissed his cheek. 'I'm just glad to say that we made it this far already'.

They stayed silent for a while. It hit Harm how used he'd gotten used to holding her like this. He got to hold her hand whenever he wanted to, touch her whenever and wherever he wanted to… It was going to be hard to get used to let go of it once they were going to be back at JAG. He wasn't authorized to touch her there. At least not the way he was touching her now.

'Sarah?'

'Yes Harm?'

'What would you wish for now? If you could wish for anything in the world?'

Mac thought about it for a while. 'I'd wish that you and I would come to terms about our feelings and stopped this stupid dance we've been dancing for a while now'. She looked up. 'What would you wish for?'

'The exact same thing' he whispered. 'With the addition that when we do, we do it right. That we say the vow that comes with a wedding ring. To have and to hold, till death does us part'.

'You're ready to let go?'

He smiled at her. A warm, sincere smile. 'I'm willing. Are you?'

The only response he got from her was a nod. She was too surprised to say anything. She took his head between her hands and kissed him with all she had. When she let go, she rested her forehead against his, smiling.

'More then willing'.

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