A/N: Sorry that there is not real "middle" to this chapter. I really just wanted the two conversations between Harm and Mac. I have a huge chunk written, but needed to split it up into smaller pieces, so I hope you enjoy the bulk upload!
Mac looked up at her husband over the rim of her coffee mug. It was the first time she'd seen him in uniform since their wedding and while the sight was nothing new, it was the first time she could openly ogle him without consequence.
"What?" Harm chuckled, catching her stare.
"Nothing," she smirked. "I was just thinking how lucky it is that you happened to have a uniform with you."
"Everywhere I've gone for the last twenty five years, I've had a uniform with me. Just in case," he shrugged. "Didn't I see some Marine green in your suitcase?" he challenged with the arch of an eyebrow.
"Well, yeah…but…" she stammered. She was going to say that at the time she packed her bag she had every intention of reporting to San Diego when her leave was up, but honestly, she knew she threw the uniform in there more out of habit than anything else. In the military, you never knew if or when you could be called back from leave and it was always prudent to be prepared. She made a face at him before setting her mug on the table and unfolding herself from the chair. She gently straightened his gold wings and clasped the last button below his collar.
"Good luck today, Captain," she mentioned, rolling onto her toes to press a quick kiss to his lips.
"Thank you, ma'am," he grinned, putting his cover on and heading towards the door.
"Oh and Harm?" Mac called after him. He glanced back at her. "I was wrong about dress whites and gold wings." Harm breathed a laugh and shook his head, desperately trying to keep the sultry tone of her voice from going straight to his groin.
"Later Marine," he retorted, taking his leave.
Harm removed his cover and twisted his neck from side to side, trying to relieve some of the tension in his shoulders. He'd been in meetings most of the day, trying to lay the ground work for his new commission. Once Mac requested he pick up his post in London, he started getting things in order. Unfortunately, he was just informed that would take a little more effort than he had anticipated on both he and Mac's part. With a resigned sigh, he let himself into the hotel room they'd been calling home for the last three weeks.
He was surprised to see Mac's things on the table. They had been spending most of their days at the hospital patiently monitoring their son's progress. He assumed today would be no exception, despite the fact that he had other obligations. He continued into their suite, finding her asleep on the bed. For that he found himself grateful. Neither of them had been sleeping well. Between Morgan's health issues and his legal status, there was plenty of anxiety to keep them up at night. He was glad she was allowing herself some rest. He decided to let her sleep as he changed into civilian attire and carefully stowed his uniform.
"Harm?" her voice was thick with sleep. His heart warmed at the sight of her mussed hair and flushed cheeks.
"Hey beautiful," he greeted. She sent him a tired smile. "I thought you'd still be at the hospital." Mac shook her head, a hand coming up to rub her eyes.
"Morgan wasn't up for company," she mentioned vaguely. "Lay with me?" It was a request Harm could hardly refuse. He eased his body down next to hers and pulled her into his arms, burying his face in her hair. It was moments like this that most reminded him how unbelievably different his life had been a month ago. How he'd gone nine years and never known what it was like to hold her like this was beyond him. He wouldn't go back for the world.
"Is Morgan ok?" he asked, finally processing her comment.
"He was agitated. They changed his feeds and lowered his oxygen today. He alarmed every time someone touched him. He'll be fine as he adjusts, but I just couldn't sit there by myself any longer," she explained. Harm tightened his hold on her. Their son was making steady progress. They hoped to have him home by the time Harm went back to work. But the truth was he was still a premiee that required intensive care and with that came good days and bad.
"We can go back together, maybe he'll be in a better mood," he offered. He knew going back to work was going to take him away from his new family, but he needed Mac to know she was not alone.
"Yeah, but after dinner. I want to lay here with you awhile. Tell me how your meeting went," she requested.
"Well, the good news is that we have a place to live. They issued us a house on base and we can move in as early as tomorrow."
"And the bad news?" he felt her tense in his arms.
"We have to return to the states before I go back to work," he mentioned. Mac rolled over in his hold, looking up at him.
Mac rolled over in his hold, looking up at him. "What? For how long?"
"A couple days at most," he reached down and brushed her hair out of her face.
"Harm, I don't want…" her dark eyes were full of concern.
"To leave Morgan, I know," he finished for her. "And if there was anything I could do, I would. But you have to process out. If I can arrange it, I'll get you on the first flight in and the last flight out. You would only be gone a day."
"And what about you?" Mac wondered.
"I will probably need to be there a little longer. Beyond a couple necessary meet and greet meetings, I want to make sure our stuff gets shipped correctly and that Sarah gets stowed properly until I decide if I'm going to bring her over," Harm explained.
"It will be the first time we've been apart since we got married," she noted, rolling back over and slotting her body against his.
"You worried?" He teased, tightening his hold on her and kissing her neck.
"Not for any rational reason. I just feel afraid sometimes that our bubble is going to burst." Mac explained.
"That we're going to wake up from the dream." He concurred. "Lucky us, it's not a dream." He whispered in her ear. She shifted in his hold, rolling over to look up at him. The amount of affection in his eyes stilled her.
"Lucky us," she grinned.