A/N: My apologies for lack of updates. I'm been working my tushy off, and been too tired to do much of anything! Hope this next installment was worth the wait.

Chapter 24: Double Vision or Just Two Heads?

Mac blushes, ready to continue their banter, just as a doctor enters Mac's room. She is followed by Gary, who happens to be carrying a dessert tray. Mac's eyes go wide at the selection. Gary chuckles, "I know that you were ordering pizza for dinner, but I thought you might like some sweets to go with it. Now, this isn't anything the hospital usually offers, but we had a birthday in the house and we ordered in from The Cheesecake Factory."

Mac's mouth waters just at the mere mention of the place. Every once in a while, when she lived in Georgetown, she would indulge in a piece at the Tyson's Galleria Mall. She had been there several times, and had never had the same type of slice more than once. Unfortunately, she hasn't been able to find one anywhere near where she currently lives. One of the many hazards of living in the middle of the Mojave Desert, there isn't much out there. She replies, tongue-in-cheek, "Why thank you Gary, at least someone around here is nice to me."

Harm just stares at her with his mouth agape. He makes sure she gets something for dinner other than hospital food, and she claims he isn't nice just because he wouldn't order her a Beltway Burger. Their pizza was very actually very good, and it felt nice to order a half and half like they used to do all the time. He mutters under his breath, "See if I buy you dinner again."

Before Mac has a chance to respond, the other person in the room voices her introduction, "Good evening, Miss MacKenzie. I'm Dr. Ironmonger. How are you feeling?"

Mac smiles, "Physically, I'm doing fine. Mentally, I would be doing loads better if you would let me blow this joint!" The doctor chuckles while examining Mac's wrist, "Not going to happen. You are spending the night with us. I don't take people being knocked to the ground lightly. Even if your injuries appear minor, I prefer to be cautious just as well. However, if you are feeling up to par in the morning, and haven't developed any issues or additional symptoms overnight, I will sign forms for your release in the morning. How is your pain level?"

Mac chuckles, "I've hurt myself worse doing PT, it's minimal."

The doctor inquires further, "Are you hurting anyone other than the wrist? Any noticeable bruising? How is the head? Are you experiencing any nausea, dizziness, double vision?"

Mac says, "I don't feel anything more than I would if I had pulled a muscle. None of those symptoms. And thank god!" She points her thumb in Harm's direction as she continues, "I had to put up with two of him once, and that was more than enough!"

Harm, ready to pay Mac back for teasing him, asks the doctor with a glint in his eye, "Did you run a cat scan?"

The doctor looks at her patient, and at Mac's nod of approval, the doctor responds, "Yes we did, and everything looked normal."

Harm teases, "Are you sure? She seems to have grown an extra head. I realize she is just trying to keep up with my ego, but you still might want to check it out again anyway."

Mac's eyes go wide, and her jaw drops down to her chest. She smacks Harm on the forearm, leaving a nice red mark in the shape of her palm. She tells him, "You make another comment like that one, and the doctor might need an open slot in the morgue."

Dr. Ironmonger and Gary both stare at her with their jaws dropped.

Harm lets the tip of his tongue sneak out between his lips, smiling widely as he states to the nurse and doctor, "It isn't the first time she's threatened to inflict bodily injury on me, or actually carried it out on some occasions, and I'm sure it won't be the last. She'd never cause me any real pain though. In fact, sometimes my behavior even warrants it."

Mac laughs, "Sometimes?"

Harm shrugs his shoulders, "Meh. You should have realized by now that I am a six-year-old trapped inside a grown man's body."

Mac rolls her eyes, stating a rhetorical question to no one in particular, "Do you see what I have to put up with?"

Gary laughs, "You didn't seem to mind his behavior too much earlier."

Dr. Ironmonger seriously wonders what she missed, as she sees Harm just smirking, and her patient shooting daggers out of her eyes at both Harm and Gary.

She tells Mac, "I also want you to get some rest tonight, and if that means I have to boot this handsome gentleman out of here for that to happen, I will."

Harm gives the doctor his best pout, and shines his gorgeous eyes in her direction.

The doctor smiles, "Sorry, Admiral. I'm sure that pout works on my patient, but no charming smiles or cute little pouts are going to phase me." She looks to Mac for her thoughts on the matter.

Mac gives an exasperated sigh, "I promise I will get some rest. If you kick him out of here, he will probably just go charm some nurse into letting him back in the room anyway. And even if he doesn't succeed, he'll likely sleep on the pavement just outside the hospital. We haven't seen each other in ten years. I think I can handle him for one night."

The thoughts that her simple comment evokes in Harm sends a sense of warmth through his entire body. He would definitely like for her to handle him for one night alright, especially after her provocative description of making love in the rain.

The doctor replies, "Ok, I will leave a prescription for a mild sedative should you need it to rest, otherwise I will see you in the morning." She turns to Gary, "Please leave a note that when shift changes, if my patient isn't resting as she should be, then her guest can't stay overnight."

Harm replies, "I'll make sure she rests. Even if I have to tie her to the bed."

Dr. Ironmonger shakes her head as she leaves the room, motioning for Gary to follow her.

Gary answers, "Be right there, doc. Ma'am, did you want a piece of cheesecake before I head out? Sir, you are welcome to one too if you would like."

Mac looks over the tray and selects a piece that looks like a creamy raspberry lemon. Much to his surprise that she didn't pick something chocolate, Harm opts for a small slice containing it, knowing how much Mac likes her chocolate fix.

After Gary has left the room, Harm teases, "No chocolate, Mac? Trying to keep your girlish figure?"

Mac raises her eyebrow to her hairline, "I will have you know that I wear the same size now as I did when I left the Corps, thank you very much!"

Harm chuckles, "I was just teasing you, and it wouldn't matter to me if you weighed a hundred pounds more than you used to. You look more beautiful now than you did the last time I saw you, but it has always been your inner beauty that shines through that has attracted me."

Mac blushes at his compliment.

Harm offers, "Now let me feed you some cheesecake so that you can get the rest that the doctor ordered."

Mac smiles, "Ok, but don't think I'm letting you tie me to this bed."

Harm sticks his tongue out at her, "Well, as long as you follow orders like a good little Marine, I won't have to."

Mac grins widely, "You are welcome to tie me to your king size bed though, any time you want. But, I do expect you to buy me dinner first!"

Harm drops his plate on her bed, and the fork that was headed toward her mouth falls with a clink to the floor.