Then she threw her arms around him, and held on for dear life. She didn't loosen her hold, but moved her lips close to his ear and began to speak. "I like to ride motorcycles. I like to body surf. I like to put Tabasco sauce on my scrambled eggs. I like the smell of fresh rain on the hot sidewalk. I like to race dune buggies. I like to stand by the ocean at midnight and listen to the waves. I like a fresh bouquet of Orchids and June Lilies." He felt her shift. "When I'm mad, I lash out. When I'm happy, I keep it in and save it up. I don't trust anything on first glance. When I get frustrated my common sense disappears. When I feel something deeply I hold onto it, even if it's pain." Her voice dropped. "When I fell in love with you, I fell hard, and I still have bruises from it." She pulled back and looked him in the eye. "That's what I've found out so far. I haven't nearly learned everything there is to know about myself, but I've made a good start."

He touched her face. "Mac," He whispered, his eyes filled with questions and longing. "Are you home for good?"

She grinned up at him. "I'm home for good."

He closed his eyes, and all the air bled from his lungs in one heavy whoosh. And then he was kissing her. Good, and full and deep. She responded in kind. They held on, and drowned in each other. Mac clung to him, and silently vowed never to let go. Her next coherent thought was of them falling into bed together. Harm's hand cupped the back of her head, as it hit the mattress, and then he kissed her again. They moved smoothly together, and with ease and without reserve, they made love.

Mac pressed his body down into the mattress, laced her fingers through his and held his hands captive. Then she opened her heart to him. Her voice was soft, and sincere. "I found out a lot of things about myself while I was gone. I hope some day to share them all with you. Most of all I found that the things that are most important about me as a woman are the things I already knew, but I just didn't see. The things I want most in my life, are the things I want with you." She paused. "Not as a JAG partner, or a friend, or a Marine, but as a woman. I want to know what it's like to sit with you in a hot bath and just talk about our day. I want to come home and kiss you hello when I've only gone down the hall to get the mail. I want to make love to you by the light of a Christmas tree. I want to feel strong just knowing that you'll always be there when I need you. I want you to feel strong because of me." She leaned down and softly kissed his swollen mouth. "I want a life with you. That's what the woman in me wants the most." She stopped and looked at him. Waiting for a response. She didn't have to wait long.

Harm grinned and rolled them onto their sides. "Do you want a long engagement, or a short engagement?"

Mac let out a laugh. "Is that supposed to be some sort of proposal?"

"I thought you just proposed."

Mac frowned. "I guess I did, didn't I."

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

"Do you want a long engagement or a short engagement?"

She pretended to think for a moment. "Well it's close to 1800 now. Would sunset tomorrow work for you?"

Harm laughed. "I think I can handle that, if it's what you really want."

"I just want you."

His smile softened. "You've got me," He told her, and then settled in and held her close. "Tell me about this wedding we're going to have tomorrow."

She grinned and began to tell him all the things she wanted for their wedding, right down to the dress and flowers she wanted. She knew it wasn't realistic, no one could plan and execute a wedding in the space of a day, but this was fantasy, so she pulled out all the stops.

Harm listened with amused interested, committed everything to memory, and made some calculations. It was doable.

When Mac's eyes closed, and she snuggled down into his chest to sleep, he kissed her, rolled her on her back, and went to make her dream come true.

TBC...