Mac kept herself busy by organizing and reorganizing the books in the living room. She and Harm were both avid readers and it thrilled her to see their growing library filling the built-ins of their new house. The intermingling of law books, military protocol guides, and various forms of fiction. He had a surprisingly large collection of philosophy and meditation works, along with every possible book on aviation that sidled up next to her extensive paleontology texts, marksmanship manuals and cultural tomes. It was a true representation of their differences as well as their similarities. She stood back to study her latest arrangement. She liked it just as much as she had the previous two, but nervous energy kept drawing her back in.

She fisted her hands at her sides to keep from touching the books again. Harm would be home any minute and if she started rearranging one more time he would be greeted by nothing more than a messy living room. In the five days since she left him in Virginia, she managed to make their base housing look like something that resembled a home. She used some of Harm's furniture from his loft, but supplemented the masculine pieces with accents that were softer, not so much giving it a feminine touch as taking the edge off the bachelor pad feel. The living room was the exception to that rule. It was everything she'd love about his loft: worn wood floors, exposed brick, rich leather furniture and most notably no television. Her eyes ran over the room one more time, wanting his first impression to be perfect. She reached to adjust one book when she heard the front door ease open.

"Mac?" Harm called.

"Harm!" She yelped, jogging towards the door. Her socks caught on the wood floors and sent her sliding in his direction.

"Oh, hey," Harm chuckled as he suddenly found his arms full of a beautiful retired Marine.

"Hi," She chirped, righting herself and hooking her arms around his neck. "Welcome home." She rolled on to her toes and kissed him soundly.

"Mm, please tell me that's how you intend to greet me every time I come in this house," he murmured against her lips before kissing her again.

"Only when you've been gone for days on end. Don't want you getting spoiled," she smiled up at him. "You want to see our house?"

"In a minute," he declined, gently crowding her against the door, pinning her there with his large body. He fisted the beautiful long dark hair he'd been missing and pressed his tongue into Mac's mouth. She let out a low moan and arched her body against his.

"Harm," she gasped finally. Harm pulled back just enough to see her face. Her cheeks were flushed and eyes blown wide with arousal. She reached out and grabbed a fist full of his shirt to bring him back. "There will be plenty of time for this after I show you the house," she breathed, licking the shell of Harm's ear and tugging on the lobe with her teeth. Harm let out a low growl as he scooped Mac against him, showing her how urgent his need was.

"Don't think I can wait that long," he argues.

"I'll make it worth your while," she assured him, patting his chest and untangling herself from his hold. "Come on," she urged him to follow. His eyes drifted from the shapely curves of her breasts, to her swaying hips and finally to her long bare legs as she strutted back towards the living room in her tank top and gym shorts. She was killing him and that was exactly her intention. He groaned but decided to play her game, knowing the results would be worth it.

Harm followed her through the first floor of the house in a sort of auto piloted haze. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate all of the work she had done, but with the exception of their library in the living room it was most of his old stuff arranged in a tasteful way. Not to mention, he was dying to get to the bedroom for more than one reason.

However, all other thoughts fell away as she opened the door to the nursery. Mac had done an incredible job. Three of the walls were the color of warm sand with a dark green accent wall. She had gone to the effort of stenciling the tracks of various dinosaurs across the three light colored walls. Her fossil collection decorated the high shelves, interspersed with rubber or plush models of the beasts they came from. The furniture was four pieces of rich dark wood: a crib, dresser, changing table and rocking chair that sat stoically against the playful walls. He couldn't stop himself from tracing the nearest set of tracks with his fingers. His mind echoes back to their very first case together. The tracks tell the story. His lips quirked into a smile. He would love to see the tracks of he and Mac's story, the starts, stops, forks in the road and wrong directions, everything it took to get them here.

"Harm?" her voice brought him back to the room. Both of her hands were curled around his arm and her dark eyes blinked up at him, hesitant. "What do you think?" she asked. His throat worked as he struggled to find the right words to adequately describe how he felt about the beautiful job she had done. For a moment, he considered just kissing her hoping that would effectively communicate his feelings.

Instead, he dumbly blurted, "I was expecting airplanes."

Mac's cheeks went scarlet. She'd worked so hard making sure the nursery was perfect. She even had Harm's mom express ship a few of the hard to find items to really finish out the room. "Well, I just thought…"she cleared her throat. "Most of the gifts we've received for him are airplane themed. He is going to dressed in aviation gear or shirts that say things like 'I'm Daddy's co-pilot' and 'Talk to Me, Goose' until he goes to school. I just thought with his room we could do something different. If you don't like it…" she was surprised at how emotional she felt about the idea of changing the nursery. With Harm being an aviator as well as Morgan's biological father, she knew she would lose a lot of battles to airplanes in the future, so here at the beginning she wanted one foothold that represented her.

"Mac, no. That's not what I meant at all. In fact, there were so many things I wanted to say and 'I was expecting airplanes' wasn't even close to any of them," he sighed, shifting so he could slide his arms around her waist, pulling her back against his chest. "This is incredible, Mac. You did an amazing job. I hadn't even considered ichnites and dinosaurs, but I love it. You told me on our first case together that the tracks tell the story and this is where our story starts with Morgan, so it's only fitting," he finished, putting his chin on her shoulder.

"I was hoping you'd pick up on that," she mused.

"Now we just need Morgan to come home," Harm added.

"Shouldn't be much longer. He's gained some more weight and on a little less oxygen," Mac informed.

"Bottle feeds?" Harm recalled the list of goals the care team created for Morgan.

"Not yet, but he has swallow studies next week."

"Excellent," he hummed, pressing a kiss to her neck. "Now are you going to show me our bedroom?"

"If you insist," she said with a sigh of mock exasperation.

She'd spent nearly as much time on their own bedroom as she did on Morgan's. She bought all new furniture, wanting it to be theirs, not his. She splurged on high thread count sheets, a down comforter and sensual lighting. She decorated the walls with pictures of them together through the years, along with the few shots from their wedding and numerous pictures of friends and family. Moving across the world was not a small decision and this was a way to stay tethered to those they left behind. On the opposite wall, she honored their military careers. She's hung their various awards along with whatever Harm had from his father and grandfather's service and the few pieces she'd had from her Uncle Matt.

Harm liked it instantly. The cool blue grey walls gave him a sense of calm and the personalized decorations made it feel like they actually lived there rather than a place to sleep between work days. Even in DC, despite the fact that he'd built his loft from scratch, it was really more of a stopover. What Mac had built them here was a home.

"Mac…"he breathed, taking a slow lap around the room.

"You weren't expecting airplanes in here as well, were you?" she teased. He scowled at her. She playfully stuck her tongue out.

"It's perfect, Mac. Seriously, you did a wonderful job with the whole house. I can't believe you did it all in five days."

"I needed something to keep my busy. What they don't warn you about when you get married is how quickly you get used to having your husband around. Especially at night," she admitted, sidling up next to him and wrapping her arms around his waist. He laughed warmly. He was inclined to agree with her. After nearly a month in almost exclusively her company, five days apart felt like an eternity. He woke up more than once reaching for her and finding nothing but air.

"So I take it you haven't slept here yet?" he assumed.

"I've been staying at the hospital with Morgan," she nodded. She shifted so she was in front of him, sliding her hands up his chest, coming to cup his face. "It didn't feel right sleeping in our bed without christening it first," she breathed, the words going straight to his groin.

"I guess we should fix that," he returned, his voice sounding like gravel. He surged forward, capturing her lips in another searing kiss. The kind that was all teeth and tongue and silent promises. His hands were everywhere, trying to make up for lost time.

The burning need for air forced them apart. For a moment, they just stared at each other. Cheeks flushed, chests heaving, eyes alight with love and arousal. He drew her back in, lifting her off the ground. She locked her legs around his waist, hips pressing against his quickly growing erection. He nearly bucked into the friction. Moving towards the bed, he dropped her on the crisp duvet and climbing on top of her.

He growled deep in his throat as Mac tugged his bottom lip between her teeth. Mac licked into Harm's mouth, tasting every piece of him. She could feel the man's desperation in every movement and it was only fueling her own. Her hand fumbled with the buttons of Harm's shirt, relentlessly searching for skin. When he shifted away from her to remove the garment, she took advantage pushed him on to his back. As Mac straddled his hips she crossed her arms in front of her and pulled her tank top over her head. Harm groaned as her breasts bounced in response to the action. He brought a large hand up to palm one of them. He rolled her nipple between his thumb and his forefinger, and brought his other hand up to give her other breast similar attention.

Mac whined in protest as his hands left her chest. She took a deep breath and blinked at the beautiful man trapped between her legs. She couldn't believe this was her life now. That he was finally hers and would be forever.

She bent towards him, pebbled nipples dragging across his chest as she captured his ear lobe between her teeth and gently tugged.

"I love you," she said simply, her fingers gently stroking down his chest. She smiled as his muscles twitched in response. She scooted down his legs and placed a feather light kiss just below his belly button. Her eyes caught on the fly of his pants. The bulge of his erection was evident. Her eyes flicked up to meet Harm's. His pupils were blown wide, nearly consuming his blue irises. She worked his belt, sliding the leather from the loops and tossing it over her shoulder. She nimbly unsnapped the fly and slowly pulled down the zipper. He began to fidget as she slid her fingers under the edge of his boxers. A slow hiss bled out of him as she graze the head of his erection.

"Mac..." It fell somewhere between a plea and a gasp. Mac fisted each hand in the material at his hips and tugged. He lifted his six off the mattress to help her out. She slid the pants down his legs and tossed them in the same direction as his belt. Her eyes raked up and down the full length of his body. "Come here," he urged softly. Mac met his eyes for a moment and shook her head no. She stuck one finger in her mouth and licked it slowly. Harm watched her intently. His breath caught in his throat as she took that same finger and ran it along the ridge of his erection. "Mac," he sighed. She wrapped her fingers around the shaft and gently stroked him, he was hot and heavy in her hand. His hips bucked slightly. "Please…"he rasped. She smirked and kissed the tender skin of his inner thigh.

Harm couldn't stand it anymore. He reached down and gently wrapped his hands around her arms and dragged her back towards his head. She struggled against him for a minute, until he captured her lips in a strong kiss. As expected, she melted against him. He smiled against her lips and rolled them over. He pushed up onto his knees. He gently nibbled on her ear lobe as he hands wandered down her naked upper body. She moaned and arched into his touch. He moved down her body, nibbling, caressing, kissing. He took one nipple into his hot mouth. Mac released a ragged breath and whimpered slightly. Harm continued his quest downward, finally pulling her pants off. He pressed a kiss to the tattoo that had been nothing more than a rumor to him for years, tucked away in hollow of her left hip bone. His hand ghosted up her inner thigh, finally finding purchase as he dipped a finger inside of her.

The look on her face as she came undone under his touch cued up everything her felt for her. Everything he loved, cherished and could hardly believe he was lucky enough to have. She was trying to read him and he wanted to let her. He wanted to open himself to her and let her in, love her. He smiled softly and leaned forward, bracing himself on his hand, hovering just above her.

For a moment Mac was completely stilled by the look in his eyes. Everything he'd promised her when they started their life together was reflected on his face. Everything he was feeling. Feelings she'd never expected from him, but always hoped for. She arched up to kiss him. He responded hungrily.

Mac gasped as his fingers hit the right spot. Her body was instantly flushed with heat. She broke their kiss and met his eyes as his slow strokes were quickly causing her undoing. His gaze was still smoldering and only pushed her even further. Everything felt heavy, everything. Her legs, her arms, her eye lids. Her hands gripped at his biceps as she felt her control slipping.

As much as he wanted to kiss her, he couldn't tear his eyes away from hers. Her hips began to rock against his hand and her eyes were barely open. She was close.

"Let go," he whispered, gently biting the shell of her ear. With a ragged sigh and something that sounded vaguely like "oh my God", she hit her orgasm. He eased his fingers out of her and held on loosely as her body spasmed and shuttered.

"Hey," he smiled down at her.

"Hey yourself," she returned, her smile lazy. She reached an arm up and hooked it around his neck, pulling him on top of her. She rolled her hips underneath him, as she sought his lips out for a kiss.

A feral growl escaped him as her wet heat rubbed against him. He shoved a hand underneath her, lifting her hips so he could easily slide into her.

She let out a throaty moan as he filled her inch by inch. He pressed his face against her neck. That sound was going to finish him before he ever got started. He needed to regain some control. She tried to roll her hips again, being as he stopped moving once he was fully seated inside her. He was denying her release.

"Harm, for the love of all things holy, if you don't move," she threatened. He laughed warmly. He slowly did as she requested. His hips began to piston, eliciting a gasp from her with every stroke. She hooked her legs around him, heels pressing into his lower back. His rhythm faltered as she began to spasm around him, mumbling in and language he didn't recognize. He continued his thrusts, her body milking his orgasm out of him.

He collapsed on top of her, resting there for only a minute before he flipped onto his back. Mac lay beside him, sated and panting.

"I think our bed has been officially christened," Harm announced eventually as the haze of his orgasm began to ebb.

"And with great skill, if I do say so," Mac agreed. Harm looked down at her, eyebrows at his hair line. "What? I didn't just miss you for your witty conversation skills," she chuckled.

"I knew you married me for my body," he quipped.

"Yeah, that's why I waited nine years for you to fill out, stick boy," Mac teased. He lightheartedly rolled his eyes.

After a quick shower the couple was curled up together in their new bed.

"We haven't really talked since your retirement. How are you feeling? Any second thoughts?" Harm asked.

"I don't know if It's really sunk in yet, but I know I don't regret it. Being Morgan's mom and your wife is really what I want right now. And I have options if I want more than that in the future, whether that be with the Marines or as a civilian," she shrugged. "But I did get my Navy Wife packet while you were gone..." she started.

"Why do I feel like there's a story there?" He smirked.

"A whole gaggle of them showed up on our door step. I guess they get some kind of notification when a sailor gets married so they send in the welcome committee. There were pamphlets and schedules for financial information session as well as a rundown on how communication works for sea deployments. A bunch of nonsense from women wearing "proud Navy wife" sweatshirts. I guess none of them bothered to check I served myself and I am quite familiar with how it works." she scoffed.

"Mac, they were trying to be nice. Being a Navy wife is not exactly easy." He grinned at her discomfort.

"I was nice back, it was just unnecessary. I'm not a Navy wife."

"I think the ring on your left hand says otherwise," he pointed out.

"I guess," she replied quietly.

"Is that not a term you like?" he wouldn't continue to tease her about it if it truly bothered her.

"No, no. It was just something I was thinking about when I showed you Morgan's room and I guess more specifically why I didn't go with an airplane theme," Mac started. "Like I said I have no regrets about leaving the Corps, but I do feel a little unmoored. Now that I don't have what was a large piece of my identity, I'm afraid I'm going to get lost," she admitted. He understood what she was saying. Being considered a Navy wife folded her identity into his and she needed to stand on her own two feet.

"You won't get lost. I'll come find you, always," he promised, kissing the crown of her head and tucking her tighter again his side.

"I know you will," she replied.