Author: PreppyPrincess5103

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Summary: Harm. & Mac begin their life together, while both deal with the reality of Harm's decision to resign his commission. Spoiler alert: Mac doesn't handle it very well. (Continuation of It Started in Russia, and Everything is Going to Be Okay)

Notes: Sorry for the delay in getting this part up. My husband is finally home from a six-month deployment, and we took some time to travel a bit.

Part Thirteen

"I know, I know. I'm late." Mac blew through the apartment, dropping her briefcase on the floor, and her keys and hat on the kitchen island.

Harm stuck his head out of the bedroom and smirked. He absolutely loved it when she was late for anything. He glanced at his watch as she hurried past him. "Cutting it a little close, Colonel MacKenzie." He grinned as she glared at him and grabbed her wrist to pull her close for a kiss. "Relax. We have plenty of time."

She returned the kiss, and then pushed away. "Not too much time. The Admiral wants us to meet him before the ball. Apparently, Dr. Walden wants the chance to talk to us a little." She stepped out of her skirt and began working the buttons on her blouse. She looked up at him as she shrugged out of it and paused. He was already dressed and wearing a classic black tuxedo. She ran her hands over his chest and smiled. "This is different."

He smiled and turned around slowly so she could see it from all angles. "I can't remember the last time I wore a tux instead of a dress uniform. Prom, maybe."

"Well, it's not dress whites and gold wings, but I think you could pull off crumpled sheets of newspaper." He grinned and placed a kiss on her collar bone.

"Thank you. Go get ready." He watched her hurry into the bathroom and heard the shower turn on. He turned back to the mirror and smoothed his hands over the lapels. They were going to the Surface Warfare Ball that evening, and he couldn't deny that not being in uniform for an event like this felt incredibly odd. Instead of being recognized as a Commander in the Navy, he would simply be Mac's date. Ben had gone with him to get the tux, since he had planned on buying one for his and Maddie's upcoming wedding anyway, and he had teasingly referred to him as Mac's arm candy. He didn't mind that – she was an incredible woman, and he was proud to be with her. He sat down on the bed to put on his shoes and then went to the living room to wait for her. He sat down at the computer and was going through his email when there was a knock at the door. He opened the door and offered the visitor a polite smile. It wasn't anyone he recognized – a short, heavy set woman with mousy brown hair that fell almost to her waist. "Hello. May I help you?"

The woman tilted her head back, to fully take him in. She didn't think she had ever seen a man as handsome as this one. "I'm looking for Sarah MacKenzie."

His face softened, and his smile became more genuine when he heard the name. "I'm afraid she's not available at the moment. Can I tell her who stopped by?"

She bit her lip, and she folded her hands together. "I'm sorry." She looked him over and sighed. "I can see that you're dressed to go out. But it's really important that I see her. I'm Deanne MacKenzie. I'm her mother."

Harm's eyes widened, and he froze. He thought back to what Mac had told him after her trip to her father's deathbed the previous year. "This really isn't a good time. She's a little frazzled right now, and we have to be at an event honoring her commanding officer. I don't want her upset."

"Hey, Harm, have you seen my-" He turned from the door to look at her, and he almost completely forgot about the woman on the other side of the door. She looked breathtaking in the low cut, form-fitting red dress. "Is someone at the door?"

He took a deep breath before nodding.

Her smile was teasing, and she crossed her arms over her chest. "Are you going to let them in?"

"Mac, it's… it's your mother." Her face lost all its color, and he stepped aside as she walked over to the door and yanked it open.

Deanne swallowed hard when they were face to face. "Sarah. You look beautiful, sweetheart."

Mac felt Harm's hand on her back, and she wanted to melt into him. "I don't know why you're here, but this really isn't a good time. We have someplace we need to be."

"I understand, but I won't take up much of your time. I only need a minute."

"I can't give you a minute right now." She walked away from them, both of their eyes following her into the kitchen, while they waited in an uncomfortable silence. She picked up a notepad and a pen, scribbled something, and then rejoined them. She tore off the sheet of paper she had written on, and extended it to her mother. "This is a coffee shop nearby. I can meet you tomorrow morning. That's the best I can do." Her mother swallowed, and then nodded.

"I'll see you tomorrow. Will ten be alright?"

"That's fine." She shut the door and turned to Harm. This time she did melt against him.

He stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head. "Are you okay?"

She shook her head, and then lifted It from his chest. "I'm honestly not sure."

Harm unlocked the apartment door a few hours later and stood back so Mac could enter first. She looked completely spent. She had done an impressive job that evening of pretending that everything was fine, and he imagined that it had taken his toll. Once they were in the car, her shoulders had drooped, and she had closed her eyes for long enough he had thought she had fallen asleep. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close, placing light kisses on her neck. "Do you want to talk?" He asked between kisses.

She moaned and leaned heavily against him. She could feel the beginning of his erection pressing into her backside, and she felt the familiar tug of desire in her belly. "Absolutely not."

He placed a kiss on her shoulder and moved his hand slowly down her arm. "Want me to draw you a bath? One of those fancy ones you like with green water?"

She reached behind her and ran her hand over his erection. "No."

He placed his fingers on the top of the zipper and fidgeted with the tiny pull. "What can I do to make you feel better?"

Mac rolled her neck, and then let her head fall to one side. "Well, for starters, you can get me out of this dress." She smiled as he gently tugged at the zipper and slid it completely down. He pushed the material off her shoulders and watched as the dress fell to the floor. She stood before him in a black push up bra, and black lace panties so tiny they were just a waste of money.

She moved her fingers to the buttons of his dress shirt, and he gently swatted them away. He expertly flicked the clasp on her bra, opening the garment and sending it to the floor. "God, you're beautiful."

"Let's go to bed." She stepped out of the red fabric on the floor, took his hand, and they made their way to their bedroom. She slid back against the pillows, and watched as he quickly removed his clothes, and came to bed in nothing but his royal blue boxer-briefs. The upgrade in his underwear had been her favorite part of his new civilian life. Instead of the stiff white boxers he had always worn, he now wore boxer-briefs in bright colors, with fabric that clung to him like a second skin. She found it incredibly sexy. He gently parted her legs and tugged down the tiny black panties. But before he could begin to lick her, she placed her hand in his hair. "Not yet. I want something else first."

He moved back up the bed and lay beside her. She ran her fingers over his cheek and brought his face to hers for a kiss. Her tongue entered his mouth, and she covered his hand with hers, before moving it to rest between her legs. He immediately slid a long finger into her, making her moan loudly. He broke the kiss and moved his mouth to a breast. He covered the dark nipple with his mouth and nipped lightly with his teeth. She arched off the bed, an even louder moan escaping her. He knew her orgasm was coming.

"Harm, I need you inside me. Please. Please."

He was so hard at this point it was nearly painful and hearing her plead almost made him finish on the spot. He pulled his finger out of her, and quickly stripped off his underwear before positioning him body over hers. He balanced his weight on one forearm and brushed her hair off of her face with his other hand. "I love you. You know that, right?" She nodded. He lowered his head to kiss her, swallowing the moan he knew would come as he slid inside her.

"Want to talk?"

She lifted her head up from his chest and studied his handsome face. She knew he wasn't just asking because he thought he was supposed to. He was asking because he genuinely wanted her to talk about it. She dropped her head back to his chest and began tracing the alphabet on his chest. "I don't know what she could possibly want from me. I've seen her exactly once in the past eighteen years." Harm was silent, and she finished the alphabet and started tracing random words. "She probably needs money."

"Maybe she's sick."

His voice was so gentle, and it calmed her rattled nerves. "In that case, she's probably coming to ask for a kidney." She lifted her head to see him roll his eyes and offered him a small smile. "I don't want her in my life, Harm. I got used to not having a mother a long time ago."

"If she's changed, it may not be a bad thing to have her in your life. It'll be nice for our kids to know both sides of the family."

She sat up and pulled the blanket with her to cover her breasts. "No. Absolutely not. She will not be a part of our family. She abandoned me, Harm. She abandoned me, took our dog, and then abandoned him too. She left me with a man that was so abusive towards her that she feared for her life. That woman will never know my children."

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry. Lay back down." He tugged at her arm, and she reclaimed her spot on his chest. "I'm sorry. I just… I just wish more than anything that my dad would be able to be a part of our family."

She sighed and placed a kiss on his chest. "I know. But it's so different, Harm. Your father died serving his country. My mother is a selfish woman who left me behind and went 17 years without trying to make contact."

"When is your next therapy appointment?"

Mac sighed again. "Not for a while. Commander Daniels is on leave until the beginning of June. I could see someone else; I suppose. But I like her. I trust her."

Harm was silent, weighing her words. "If you need to talk, promise me that you'll talk to someone. Me, Maddie, a different therapist. Just don't keep this bottled up."

She raised her head again and studied him. "Are you afraid she'll make me want to drink? Because that's not going to happen. If I made it through seeing her last year when my father died, and then your eye surgery without wanting a drink, I doubt whatever she needs to tell me will have me running for a bottle."

"I'm not worried you'll drink. I'm just worried about you. You don't have to go through this alone anymore." He laced his fingers with hers and brought their joined hands to his lips. "You have so many people in your life that love you and would gladly listen if you need to talk. Just promise me that you'll lean on all of us a little bit."

She smiled at him, and then nestled into his side a little more. "I promise."

Mac dressed carefully for her meeting with her mother. Part of her wished it was a workday, and she could just go in her uniform. But it was a beautiful Saturday morning, and she needed to dress in something more appropriate. Harm had asked at least ten times if she'd like him to come. Once she had finally managed to get him to take no for an answer, he changed and headed out to the airfield. They were set to open in two weeks, and he was spending nearly every free moment there to make sure everything met his approval. She put on white skinny jeans, an emerald green sleeveless top, and brown sandals. The coffee shop they were meeting at was only two blocks from their apartment, and she decided to walk instead of dealing with trying to find a parking space. The café was crowded when she arrived, but there was one empty table in the middle of the room, and it would have to do. She made eye contact with the young girl who was waiting on tables and gestured to the empty table.

A few minutes later she had ordered a latte, and a quiche with mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes, and she stared out the window while she waited. It wasn't long before her coffee arrived, and not long after that her mother did. Deanne offered a tentative smile as she sat, and when the waitress came back with Mac's quiche, she ordered a black coffee.

"So, what do you need?"

Deanne blushed. She hadn't expected her daughter to be quite so forward. "Can I ask how you are first? How you've been? Was that handsome man I met last night your husband?"

She ran her thumb over the band of her engagement ring and felt oddly protective of this piece of jewelry. She wished she hadn't worn it, not entirely sure she wanted to share this precious part of her life with a woman she shared DNA with and little else. "I'm fine. I've been fine. I'm a Lieutenant Colonel now, and I love my job. The man you met last night isn't my husband, but he is my fiancé."

"Oh, that's wonderful. Tell me about him. The two of you make a beautiful couple."

Mac shoved the quiche to the side and crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm not here to make small talk, or to tell you about my life. You said you needed a minute of my time. I'm here. Just tell me what you want."

Deanne looked up at the young woman holding the coffee she ordered and forced a smile. "Thank you." She watched the woman leave and turned her attention back to her daughter. "I'm so glad you're doing well for yourself. You deserve it, sweetheart."

Mac leaned forward and rested her forearms on the table. 'I'm not here to talk about my life or how I'm doing. You said you needed something, so I'm going to ask again. What do you need?"

Deanne's tongue darted out to moisten her lips. "I'm sick, Sarah. I have an aggressive form of pancreatic cancer."

End Part 13