AN: Okay JAG fans...Here's the latest installment. Unfortunately, I'm going to be out of the country this weekend, so don't look for any updates until Monday.
OOOO
Part 4
"I'm afraid you're just a fifty percent match for your sister, Colonel."
Mac was tired of hearing bad news from her sister's doctor.
"When considering a bone-marrow donor as a candidate for a transplant, we look for a match of six out of six genetic traits in order to have the best chances of success. Yours matched on only three…I'm terribly sorry…"
"Would you recommend that I begin searching for our mother?" Mac asked.
"The chances of a parent matching adequately are much lower than that of a full sibling. Siblings are more likely to contain a large amount of genetic similarity, you see, from both parents. But a parent will most likely have only passed on 50 percent of their genetic make up. 50 percent comes from the mother and 50 percent from the father…But I do recommend that you let your mother know about your sister's condition and if she volunteers to help, we can try testing her. In the meantime, I'm going to begin to search for an unrelated matching donor through the national registries. If we don't find one, we can always try the international registries, but I stress that the bone-marrow transplant will be our worst-case scenario. We want to hope for remission of the leukemia and the chemo-therapy is our best hope of inducing that, taking the specifics of your sister case into consideration."
Mac thanked the man, but for what, she didn't know. He was a kind man, but sometimes Mac really couldn't understand some of the medical jargon he was spouting. Mac knew this was partly to do with the fact that she was still in shock. Gina had had her worst day yet and was in a lot of pain. Mac herself was very tired, as she had spent the night at the hospital taking care of Gina. She decided that she would call doctor Rennick later, once she was back at home, so he could explain everything that she'd failed to understand.
Mac turned back to where Gina was fitfully sleeping, when she heard her little sister groan.
"Gi, are you going to be sick?" Mac grabbed the nearby kidney-shaped dish that the nurse had cleaned, not long before.
Gina shook her head and mumbled something, indicating to her mouth. Mac knew that the inside of her mouth was very sore from ulcers, a side effect of the chemo. She grabbed the numbing antiseptic gel off the counter-top, before she gently settled down next to Gina, moving the top of the electronic bed up using the remote control. Once she had Gina sitting upright, she persuaded her to open her mouth, so she could examine the lining of her cheeks and tongue. It took a minute to get Gina to describe just where was causing her the most pain, but Mac finally identified where she thought the main problem was.
She didn't see Harm at the open door behind her and Harm thought twice about knocking and disturbing her while she was taking care of her sister. He couldn't quite bring himself to turn back and go wait in the lounge.
"Open up a little wider," Mac gently instructed, flinching even as her sister did, knowing how painful it was for Gina to do so, "Okay, hold still. Let's get some gel in there, it'll take away most of the pain…"
Harm watched as Mac maternally tended to her sister, being both gentle and empathetic. He'd already known, having watching Mac with her younger sister, that there was little that Mac wouldn't do for the little sister she'd only just found, but this brought home how there was really nothing that Mac wouldn't do. She'd had the medical procedure to see if she would be able to donate bone-marrow to Gina, should it come to that and Harm knew that Mac would have, if she had been found to be a match and if Gina needed it. While she left Penny with one of two part-time nannies (a suitable full-time nanny hadn't been found yet,) Mac spent her days caring for Gina (and nights, while Gina was undergoing chemotherapy,) doing her best to comfort Gina and alleviate her pain and discomfort. She was even preparing to cut off most of her own hair, so that her sister wouldn't have to suffer the embarrassment of going without. If that wasn't love, then Harm didn't know what was.
As Mac eased the bed back down and began to rock Gina back to sleep, Harm thought that maybe he really should give them some privacy, now. He went back down the hall to the vending machine, where he got some coffee and then made himself comfortable in the oncology unit lounge.
OOOO
"Hey, I didn't know you were here," Mac found Harm, a short time later.
"I put my head around the door not long ago, but it looked like you two were sleeping."
"I took the chance to get a short nap, before I head home."
"Is Gina okay?"
"The inside of her cheeks are giving her real problems. The doctor called it mucusitis or something, said it was a side effect of the chemo, but the nurses gave us this really good numbing gel to apply. She's getting cold-sores and cracked lips really bad, but the only thing we can do is treat the pain and give it time to heal up by itself."
"Her healing will be delayed by the chemo, huh?"
"Yeah, how did you know that?"
"I did some reading, yesterday, while Penny was down for a nap. I hope you don't mind, but I was talking to my Mom about Gina and she said she'd get hold of some articles from medical journals and send them to me. I'll bring them over to you, if you want to read them…"
"Sure," Mac nodded, adding, "but just not today…I really need to get some sleep."
"Let me run you home," Harm insisted, "Don't worry about your car, I'll come back and get it later and park it by your building…"
"Thanks, Harm," Mac sighed, too tired to argue. She knew that Harm wouldn't offer if her didn't think she needed the help. And at this point, Mac knew that she really needed to allow herself to lean on somebody, too. She would be no use to Gina if she was completely burnt out.
OOOO
"So, what do you think?" Mac asked, as she walked into her sister's room in the oncology unit.
She turned around so that her sister could see her new short hairstyle from all angles.
"It's very short," Gina commented, looking unsure about whether she really liked this look on her sister.
Mac's hair was now very short, even shorter than it had been during her first few years at JAG.
"Yeah, but it's more in-line with what is expected of a military officer."
"I thought they just expected you to keep it above the collar. You always managed fine when you braided it and pinned it up."
"Yeah, but it always took so much time. And if I was away on investigation, it was a damn pain in the neck. This way I can wash, dry and go. No needing a whole towel just to dry it off, no hour every morning with the hairdryer, no twisting my fingers up in braids and no long hours spent styling it if I go out for the night."
"I suppose…" Gina nodded, but was not completely convinced.
"And do you know the best thing about getting rid of all of that hair?"
Gina was beginning to wonder whether her sister was being consciously unfeeling, talking about what a pain her hair was, when she had lost all her hair from her treatments.
"No, what?" Gina asked, anyway.
"It can go to somebody who really needs it, somebody who I know will treasure it more than I ever could, somebody who I love so much and would do anything for…In a few weeks, you'll be the proud new owner of a custom-designed hairpiece made from real hair; my hair, in close to the same shade as your own hair was. I know that your hair will come back in, once these treatments are finished, but I'm hoping that this will make it a bit more bearable in the meantime."
Gina had tears in her eyes as Mac told her all of this.
"Thank-you…You have no idea how much this means to me…how much everything you've done means to me…"
"That's what big sisters are for," Mac smiled, as she hugged her little sister.
OOOO
Mac had her arm around her little sister's waist and was leading her up to the large white house in Richmond. Harriet and Bud had been kind enough to host this little get-together, so that Mac could introduce Gina to the rest of their friends and co-workers. The two had put in a lot of time, earlier with their appearance and now, both felt better than they had in months. Gina had just finished her last session in the second round of treatment and was waiting to hear back from her doctor about her blood tests. She'd received her new wig the week before and tonight Mac had helped her style it into a style that was more evening-wear than everyday.
"You think they'll like me?" Gina had asked on the way over.
"I know they will," Mac had replied, whole-heartedly, "Sometimes in life you're lucky enough to have friends who come closer to being like family-members than many actual members of your family. These guys are like that and until you came along, I didn't think I'd ever come to love anyone like family the way that I did them, apart from our Uncle Matt. I just know they're going to love you as well as they've loved me."
And Mac was right; after being introduced to everyone at the small gathering, Gina felt so at ease with all of them, even her sister's boss, whom she'd at first considered something akin to stand-offish. Once he was with his family, she'd seen how he allowed himself to loosen up; something like how her adoptive father had been, once he came home from work and settled back into family life, each evening.
Harriet seemed very like a big-sister/best friend at the same time.
They had decided not to bring Penny along, this time, but only because she'd been rather unsettled over the past few days. They'd spent more time at home once Gina's treatment had ended, so reasoned that it must be the disruption to her schedule. Therefore, leaving her in the care of the new full-time nanny, she'd been allowed to resume her normal schedule, while the woman tried their best to adapt to Penny's schedule and not the other way around.
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"She looks like she's doing well," Harm commented, as he joined Mac at the tables where the dishes of food had been set out.
They were both focused on Gina, who was sitting beside Harriet, talking as if they were old friends.
"Yeah, she's been really good, these past couple of days…" Mac smiled, "It doesn't seem just last week that she was on her hands and knees, tossing her cookies into the toilet…"
"I think that gift you gave her probably had something to do with it," Harm pointed out, "You'd never guess that wasn't her real hair, even if you had met her before her chemo started."
"I don't think I will ever be able to pay the guy who made Gina's hairpiece what it's really worth…Seeing her like this, the way it's brought out her confidence. It's just surpassed all my expectations. She's like a different person…"
"It is nice...But I think it probably has more to do with the love that is infused in every single strand…I meant it, Mac. That really was a wonderful thing you did for your sister."
"This coming from the man who dropped everything to rescue those who are nearest and dearest to him…"
"I can't deny I'd have resigned my commission to go and find Sergei, but it never came to that…"
"It could have done, if Webb hadn't have stepped in. I know you, Harmon Rabb. You'd never willingly turn your back on somebody you care about."
"No, I couldn't."
Harm's admission was simple, but heartfelt and when Mac turned her attention back to Gina, Harm studied her closely, wondering if she had picked up on just what he'd admitted to her. She had said, 'never willingly turn your back on somebody you care about.' Those had been her exact words, yet when he'd told her 'No, I couldn't' she hadn't quite joined all of the dots. What did she think Paraguay was about? Did she think he'd resigned his commission and flew all of that way to rescue Webb and salvage his mission…maybe it had been a mistake tabling their discussion, because now, enough misunderstanding had occurred to carry her onto a totally different wavelength. But how to get her back to the fork in the road where they'd diverged?
Harm released a silent sigh. He'd long before come to terms with the fact that Mac obviously didn't understand just what he was trying to show her through his actions. He'd done as much when she'd tried to initiate a closer relationship in Australia. That all was in their past, there was nothing that could be done about it now, so he'd just have to move on and try and figure out a way to get them reconnected. If he did, there was one thing that was certain; he'd have to make sure that he or she or both of them did not screw things up. They wouldn't be able to survive another missed opportunity. Their whole future would most probably ride on this next chance, if they were lucky enough to get it. Now, Harm just had to figure out the best way he could express his feelings to Mac, to really get across how much he wanted more with her, how much he wanted to give her….
"So, what did you bring to the table, tonight?"
Mac snapped him out of his musings.
"Huh?" Harm asked, all the while wondering if she could read minds or faces.
"For the pot-luck…" Mac looked at him strangely.
"Oh! Uh, the vegetarian casserole."
"And very good it is, too, Sir," they were joined by Bud, who was sampling Harm's dish with enthusiasm, "You'd never guess that this wasn't meat in with the vegetables…What is it, Sir? Soy?"
"Quorn," Harm revealed, "It's a kind of…mushroom."
"It's very good, Sir," Bud wandered off in Harriet and Gina's direction, while Mac looked at Harm, curiously.
"Why do I get the feeling that you didn't tell Bud the whole truth?"
"Hey, he's eating the meal I cooked and he's enjoying it. I didn't want to put him off, that's all."
"Why would he be put off? Did you lie?"
"Not exactly, but if I tell you this, you have to promise me that 1. You'll tell no-one. And 2. That you'll still try my casserole."
Mac mused over this for a second, before deciding that she'd tried many strange things in the past, so nothing Harm said could really be that bad.
"Okay," she nodded, "So tell me; What are you hiding from Bud?"
"Quorn isn't derived from mushrooms, exactly…It's a type of fungus…"
"How is that different?" Mac asked.
"Well, mushroom are a type of fungus, but quorn isn't a mushroom, just another type of fungus. It's like saying that a Chihuahua is a dog, therefore a Great Dane must also be a Chihuahua ."
"And you don't want Bud to get grossed out?" Mac smiled.
"He's just enjoying it so much," Harm, shrugged, "I don't want to ruin it for him. And it's much healthier than meat…"
"Don't get into that 'animal flesh' v 'rabbit food' argument with me, stick-boy, because you will lose," Mac shot him a look that would make a boot camp drill sergeant wince, so Harm shut his mouth and grabbed a couple of plates, handing one to Mac, before they both began to help themselves to a selection of dishes that were on offer.
OOOO
Mac sighed as she sorted through the mail again. It had been nearly three weeks since she had sent a letter to the last address she had for her mother, yet nothing had come back. Not even the letter she had sent was returned, so Mac had the awful feeling that Deanne had received it, but had chosen not to write back. Mac couldn't bring herself to even consider why. In the letter, Mac had told her all about Gina and Penny and just what all three of them were going through, just now…All of them were deserving of an answer, especially Gina, but Mac knew from experience that getting any answers out of Deanne MacKenzie was a real long-shot.
Discarding the bills and junk mail for now, Mac headed into the bathroom to prepare for a shower, because she was going to head round to Gina's for dinner, that night. A short time later, she was all ready, in comfortable but casual clothes, when she was startled by a knock on her door.
"Hey…I take it you're heading out somewhere," Harm smile quickly faded, when he saw Mac's purse and car keys in her hand, "Sorry, I should have called, but on the off-chance that you might not have eaten yet, I was going to just stop by and…"
"No, I haven't eaten, actually and yeah, I was heading out, but I'd really like it if you came with me…"
"No, it's okay…." Harm went to assure her, but Mac insisted, grabbing him by the wrist and pulling him into the elevator.
"Gina and I just had some take-away planned and it's not like plans can't be expanded, a little. I'm sure Gina and Penny would love to have you there…"
"But…"
"Don't argue, just get in."
Harm got into Mac's car with her, leaving his parked outside her building.
Indeed, Gina and Penny were happy to see that Mac had brought Harm along and none so much as Penny. A wide grin spread across her face and her chubby little legs kicked excitedly and she took in the familiar six-foot-plus frame.
"Uncle Harm's in the house!" Gina laughed, passing her daughter to the honored guest, who gladly took the girl and settled her in his arms.
"So, do you guys have any idea of what you want?" Gina asked them both, as she went and grabbed the cordless phone.
"Why don't we get a selection?" Mac suggested, "That way we can just share them round."
Harm nodded in agreement.
"But not too many meat dishes," Mac added, "Harm's not to fond of them."
"No problem," Gina said, "Chinese cuisine is one of those kinds where the vegetarian dishes are just a nice as the meat dishes."
She looked over the menu, immediately picking out three out of the vegetarian section. She got one meat dish to keep her sister happy, but knew through experience that meat just didn't taste or sit as well with her stomach, anymore. Her doctor had advised her that the chemo might result in food aversions, but she hadn't thought it would apply to something so broad as meat. She'd actually tried eating foods that were her weakness and were high calorie count before her chemo sessions and so far it had actually worked will. She had no appetite for them whatsoever. But the meat thing was a little more troublesome, because she still had a desire for it, but it often made her sick, now.
OOOO
"We aren't getting the improvement we'd really be hoping for, at this stage," Gina's doctor shook his head.
Again, Mac had come along to lend moral support, but ended up feeling like she was the one not strong enough to hear this news. Gina really seemed to be taking it better than she was. Instead of floundering about in confused silence, like her big sister did, Gina quickly asked, "So what is our next step, doctor? Where do we go from here?"
"Well, of course we'll have to continue with the chemo therapy. If nothing else, it's keeping the leukemia under control and at this stage, we do not want it spreading to the spine and brain. In the meantime, I will begin to start searching the national registries…"
"To find a donor?" Gina asked.
"I'm hoping that we won't need to go down that avenue, but it doesn't hurt to have safe-guards in place, just in case they are needed in the future…Now, I'd also like to talk to you about some complimentary therapies, one of which is diet-based…"
OOOO
"What the hell is that you're eating?" Harm couldn't hold back the question. Sure, he was open-minded about the things he put into his body in order to keep it healthy, but that looked just nasty.
"CAAT," Gina joked, knowing how he'd interpret her reply.
With wide eyes, he gaped at her, but she simply chuckled and let him go on thinking what he did.
Harm finally turned to Mac, who was rolling her eyes (albeit with just a hint of a smile.)
"Controlled Amino Acid Therapy," she told Harm, "C-A-A-T."
"Spoil sport!" Gina grumbled, as she headed to the bedroom to wake Penny up from her nap.
"So, it's all go again, on Monday?" Harm asked, to which Mac nodded, regretfully.
The last couple of weeks had been like a vacation, but now both sisters were facing a return-to-work, as it were.
"If you need anyone to watch Penny, next week, just stop by," Harm offered, "I know Martha's off on Sunday."
Martha was the full-time nanny. The kindly woman was very sympathetic about Gina's condition, but there was no way either Mac or Gina would accept Martha's offer to work alternate Sundays, as well.
"Thanks!" Mac gave Harm a sincere smile, "I really think Martha deserves next Sunday off, seeing as she worked a lot more Sundays than she had to, over the last couple of rounds."
"It's no problem," Harm smiled, as Gina brought Penny back through, "you know I love having her over."
OOOO
"Mac?!" Harm asked, after opening his door and getting no reaction. The pale, shaking figure in his doorway bore no resemblance to the kick-ass jarhead who was once his partner.
"Mac," his tone was quieter this time, but more insistent and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and brought her indoors. He carelessly kicked the front door closed forcefully, which proved to be a mistake, because it woke Penny. As the little girl watched them through the bars of her crib, Mac gladly buried her face in Harm's shoulder, wrapping her arms tightly around his lower ribcage.
"Hey," harm soothed her, bringing a hand to the back of her head, "Are you okay?"
Mac answered him with a shake of her head, but Harm could already feel the dampness of her tears beginning to soak into his shirt.
"Was she bad, today?" he asked, his voice showing notable empathetic pain.
Mac nodded and Harm just rocked her, dropping a kiss to her forehead.
"You stayed with her until she got to sleep?"
"Yeah," Mac sighed, sniffling, "She was exhausted and the anti-nausea medications Dr. Rennick prescribed began to kick in. But before they did…It was just…just awful, Harm…She looked dreadful and I could tell that she was in so much pain and afterwards, she was so pale."
Mac pulled away at this and Harm reached out to take her hand. He knew how restless she must have been and helpless she had to be feeling, but he wanted to make sure she knew that she and Gina weren't alone in this.
"She's going to be okay, Mac…" he told her, even as she pulled away again, "I know this is so hard for you to watch, but…"
"I'm okay, Harm," she shook her head, "I just…I really have to…"
When she didn't seem like she could finish, Harm chanced taking her hand again and this time she didn't pull away.
"What's wrong Mac?" he asked, gently, intuitively knowing that something was not right and it was more than what she had been through, today.
"I just…I really should get home," she stammered.
"You don't have to," Harm really didn't want her to be alone just now, but suddenly realized that maybe she wanted some space.
"Unless you just want to be on your own…Sometimes you just need some time alone to think things through. I could keep Penny tonight, if you want and drop her off early tomorrow, on my way to JAG…"
"No," Mac's hands began to pull at the still slightly damp patch on the front of her sweater, which Harm hadn't really noticed until now, "I really need to get changed and showered…Gina was sick on me. I tried to sponge it off as best as I could at the hospital, but if it really didn't stink then, it's bound to, now…"
"You don't need to drive all the way home to do that," Harm gave her a hug and ran a comforting hand through her hair, "Just use my shower to get clean and pass your sweater out to me. I'll put it in the wash for you."
"Are you sure?" Mac asked, "It's getting late."
She really was tempted, but was mindful that Harm had to be at work, the next day.
"Of course, it's no problem," Harm gently pushed her towards the bedroom, "Go and find a sweater or a t-shirt or something to wear out of the drawer. You and Penny are always welcome to stay here, if you need to. You must be simply exhausted after the day you've had…"
The prospect was so inviting that Mac's brain could not register any protests. She really didn't think she'd be able to face the journey back to her apartment with the baby equipment, or even just back to Gina's with Penny (where there were extra supplies and equipment, so she wouldn't have to transport the stuff here, with her.) Mac just wanted to crawl into some fluffy pjs and a warm bed…well, a sweatshirt and a comfortable-enough couch. When she went to check on Penny, she found that the child had fallen back to sleep (she had done so while watching her aunt be comforted by her new favorite 'manny,' secure in the knowledge that all was alright.) So the decision was now made and Mac grabbed a large 'Fly Navy' t-shirt and towel, retreating to the bathroom. After stripping down, she dropped the offensive-smelling sweater on the other side of the wall, but kept the rest of her clothes with her, intending to wear them with the t-shirt once she was done in the shower. When Harm came to collect the sweater (He'd decided to put his own in with it; he'd noticed that since Mac had been in his arms, it was also a little pungent,) he fully intended to avert his eyes, but there was something so appealing about the shape of her figure, even through the frosted glass-blocks.
"I'm going to run down and put this in the washer, then I'm going to make us some hot chocolate," he let Mac know.
"Thanks, Harm," Mac shouted back, above the noise of the spray of the showerhead.
By the time Mac was done, there was indeed a steamy-hot beverage waiting for her. Harm just listened as she talked about the nightmare of a day that Gina had had.
"I think that the worst thing about it for me was that I couldn't do anything to help her. I tried just holding her, but we both know how that turned out…It's been years since I got puked on by anyone other than one of Bud and Harriet's kids."
They both couldn't help but share a little chuckle at this and Mac changed the subject to something a little more cheerful; Little AJ's recent school-play. Harm quickly ran down to put the washing in the tumble dryer and when he returned, Mac asked him about Penny.
"So, did she behave for you, tonight?"
"She was as good as gold," Harm nodded, "But you know Penny; she's almost always a happy little chappy."
After describing their evening, he and Mac decided that they had better turn in for the night, since they'd both have to be up early.
"Do you mind if I borrow a sweatshirt? Just in case I get cold out there, during the night…" Mac asked, opening up one of the wardrobe door, and beginning to gather sheets to make up the couch.
"Don't squash yourself onto that couch, tonight," Harm stopped her, "I promise, I won't bite unless you hog the covers."
Mac chuckled and put the sheets back on the shelf in the wardrobe. He retreated into the bathroom to brush his teeth, while Mac got ready for bed. By the time he came back, she was already tucked into one side of the bed.
"Well, we did share a bed in Paraguay and you didn't take up all the space, then," Mac mused.
"Yeah, but I suppose that I wasn't quite the proper gentleman," Harm's statement was notably apologetic.
"Well, for my part, I promise not to ask irritating, out-of-nowhere and inappropriate-considering-the-current-situation questions when you're least expecting them and are in no condition to be dealing with them," Mac apologized, adding, "and no quips about your wife, either."
"And I promise not to bristle at your innocent jokes and avoid your questions with non-answers," Harm promised back and they hugged goodnight.
Warm and comfortable in his bed, it wasn't long before exhaustion got the better of Mac. Harm stayed awake for a while, listening to the quiet rhythm of Mac's breathing, but sleep soon came to him, too.
OOOO
Mac was the first one to wake, the next morning, when the glow of the sun was beginning to lighten up the room. Predictably, they had both rolled inwards during the night and although Harm seemed to be keeping his hands to himself, as he had promised, Mac seemed to have made herself very much at home. With a single thought of the day that was ahead of her, Mac instantly wanted to burrow further under the covers and forget the world outside these walls. Snuggled up to Harm's chest, she was deliciously warm and toasty and the covers emitted a welcoming combination of scents that included detergent, fabric softener, men's cologne and something Mac had simply come to know as 'Harm-ness.' It would greet her everyday when he came into her office (he usually did,) or if he was away on investigation, when she stopped by to leave files for him, for his return. When he had left to fly for six months, she had craftily offered to come and water his plants just so that she could still get a not-so-occasional fix. His time with the CIA had been hard, as she had been in denial after she got no replies to her messages, refusing to allow herself the slightest remembrance of her former partner or even to acknowledge it when she accidentally did so.
Allowing herself to wallow in this heady mix still felt like a treat and to be this close to the real thing, too! Harm himself hardly complained when she cuddled in closer, but then again, he was completely unconscious…Upon a whim, Mac stretched up next to him and planted a kiss on the outside edge of his jawbone. When he didn't stir, she decided to place another, which led to a third and fourth…before she knew it, Harm was waking up and she was still softly kissing his face and neck. Then he was pressing his soft lips to hers. She didn't even realize her hands were seeking him until she felt his short, silky hair between her fingers and his were stroking repeatedly through her own short, wavy locks. His warm mouth felt and tasted so good against hers and as she felt her control slip away, she wondered at how she still didn't seem to be running out of air. Kissing Harm seemed so right; it was almost an inborn reflex.
It was with great regret that Harm spoke up.
"Mmmm…Mac…I'm going to…kick myself later…but we have to…we need to stop…"
Like Harm, Mac's reply was interrupted by kisses.
"Mmmm…why? Why do we….have to stop?"
"Because it's nearly 0710…what time did you say that Martha was coming to watch Penny at Gina's house?"
"0830," Mac's reply was half-sigh, "I'm going to be very lucky to get showered and dressed and get everything of Penny's to Gina's by then…"
"This probably isn't the best time to be pondering our relationship, either," Harm was cognizant of Mac's current emotional state.
"It's not a mistake," Mac's assertion was matter-of-fact but not accusatory.
"Not at all," Harm agreed, "But we are both dealing with a lot right now, especially you."
With Mac gone and a new senior attorney not yet at Jag HQ, Harm and almost every other staff member had a full caseload.
"Don't worry about anything of Penny's; didn't you say there are extras of everything Penny needs at Gina's?"
"Yeah, but it's going to clutter up your apartment," Mac protested.
"My empty apartment," Harm pointed out, "I'll be at work; it's not going to bother me. I'll bring it by your apartment, later tonight."
"Thanks, Harm…Now we'd better get ready, or you're going to be late for work."
Harm took the shower first, while Mac got Penny up and changed into a fresh diaper and clothes. Then, while Mac showered, Harm made them both some coffee and got Penny's bottle ready.
"You're good at that, squid," Mac commented, smiling, as she came through for her coffee as Harm was feeding Penny.
Mac had by now more or less come to terms with the fact that she would probably never have a child of her own. She still got twinges of longing and disappointment every now and then, but for the most part, she was okay. The same could not be said about the prospect of Harm moving on and having children of his own, although this was a possibility (at least in Mac's mind.) Mac felt her heart break every time she contemplated it.
OOOO