AU after season 4.e16 Silent Service What happened if Mac's eyes got burned and she went blind.

"Harm!" Her cries are scared as she reaches for him. She couldn't see and wanted him near her. She was afraid they would get separated, and she'd end up somewhere alone.

"Mac, I'm right here!" Harm replies, reaching out to grab her hand.

"I promise I won't leave. I'm right here. We just need to get airlifted out of here. So you'll go, and then me; I promise we won't get separated."

"You'll get the guy that did this?"

"Yes, I promise I'll get him. Now stay still so they can get you out." He sighs, giving her hand one more good squeeze.

"I must let go; I'll see you 10 minutes tops."

Her voice cracks as you can see the silent tears. She's scared; what if she's blind forever, what if… her head is full of what if's. She'd had a preliminary check, in sick bay on the Watertown and had her eyes cleaned out and wrapped. There was nothing more they could do, so she'd get picked up by hilo and taken to the Navel hospital in Rota, Spain, where she would get checked out to see if she was ok to fly home and spend the next while at the hospital in Bethesda. As they land in Spain, Harm is doing everything he can to stay with Mac. He knows she is having a hard time not being able to see, and he will do anything he can to calm her. They rush her into the ER, and they are quick to take off the bandages. They want to get a good look and assess the damage. The whole time, Harm is making sure Mac knows he's there. The damage is more than they wanted, and she needs to be rushed off to surgery to see if they can fix any of it.

"Sir, Lieutenant Commander Rabb, I need you to go to wait in the waiting room. She needs immediate surgery; we will let you know when you can see her."

"Harm!"

"Mac, I'll be waiting, don't you worry."

He kisses her hand and lets go, shifting and finding his way out of the room. As he's heading to the waiting room, his phone rings. It's the admiral. He stutters and fumbles before picking up his phone. He does not know what to say as he's still all shaken up.

"Admiral, Hello."

"Do you have an update? Tell me what's going on."

"Major's in surgery, they are seeing what they can do, but I'm not so sure, I don't think she will be returning to active duty. Once she's out of surgery and cleared to fly, we will come home to Bethesda. I'll be ok holding down the fort here."

"You bring her home, Commander."

"Will do, Sir!"

He hangs up and spends the next few hours pacing the waiting room. He had time to eat but wasn't feeling up to it. He just wanted a good word about Mac. He had this feeling she would be blind. She'd had the ammonia in her eyes longer than she should have, and Harm knew that wasn't good. As he paces, a nurse walks in to give him an update.

"She's stable, but that's all I can tell you. They are working to see if they can clean off the eyes, and it's taking longer than expected."

"She's going to be blind, isn't she."

"I can't tell you that. We won't know for sure till she fully heals, and even then, we won't know how bad it is. Give them another hour, and they should be done, and shortly after, you can see her."

"Thank you,"

"Oh, and go get something to eat; you have to be hungry; I promise we will let you see her the moment she wakes up."

Harm sighs and finally sits down. He knew he had to prepare himself for how she would look. She'd be bandaged up and unable to see until her eyes heal. If they heal at all.

About an hour and a half later, Mac is out of surgery and resting in her room. The nurse comes out and tells Harm he can go be with her. Her eyes are wrapped and have been covered in a cream. She is told to rest but is allowed a visitor if she keeps calm. Slowly walking into Mac's room Harm gives her a once over and smiles, seeing that she's ok. He pulls the chair up to the bed and sits in it. He takes her hand and smiled.

"Mac," he whispered, looking for a sign she heard him.

"Harm!" Her raspy voice replies.

"Told you I wouldn't leave you."

"I… I…" She mumbles.

"I know, it's ok, quiet, rest, we can talk later. I'll be right here."

Knowing she was ok allowed Harm to fall asleep. He had plans to call back home but was completely sacked. A few hours later, he was awoken by a nurse who had come to check on Mac. He had heard a faint ringing as he woke up and realized he had about five calls from the admiral and the Roberts family. Stepping out, he stands in the hall, waiting for the admiral to answer.

"Lieutenant, I was trying to reach you."

"I know, and I'm sorry, Sir, I ended up taking a nap." Harm chuckles.

"Is she out of surgery yet?"

"Yeah, a few hours ago, she's doing ok; they tried to clean her eyes but were unsuccessful. She got burned pretty badly. They have her wrapped up, and we should be able to go home in the next few days."

"How's her emotional state?"

"Surprisingly, alright. She's been resting, but this whole time she was scared. Afraid to lose me. I've been with her at all possible times. But I just know she had to be scared. One minute you're seeing all the colors of the world, and the next, you're not. I also told her I'd get the guy. I wasn't there when it immediately happened, but I know who did it."

"Thank you, see what you can do about sending all your notes home, and we will work on that."

"Will do, Sir."

The next morning Mac is told she can go home. Well, at least to Bethesda for a few weeks to be monitored and made sure she's ok to be on her own. She can't leave till she gets a new bandage. She's got a long flight home, and they want to ensure she's as clean as possible. Harm holds her hand as the doctor walks in to clean her up before her 11-hour trip on a c130. She starts to take off the bandage, and Mac is flinching. Even though she's on some pain meds, the sensation, and slight pain is too much. She's hurting.

"Mac, I know it hurts, but you need to calm down." Harm sighs, doing his best to help hold her.

"Let them finish, and they will be done, and then we should be able to go home."

There's still a slight struggle, but ten minutes later, she's all cleaned up and bandaged up. Bags are packed, paperwork is secured, and in just under an hour, they find themselves on a c130 aircraft headed from Rota, Spain, to Bethesda, Maryland. It's a long flight, but the two try and get some sleep on it. As they are about halfway and had a small meal, the two are talking. Harm is trying to keep her spirits up.

"Marry me," he jerks, waiting to see her response.

"Marry you?"

"Yeah, marry me. You know I love you."

"You've been thinking a lot, haven't you."

"Yeah, since your surgery."

"I don't know; the more you say it, I kinda like it."

"You know, we could get a place together, hunker down, maybe have some kids or something. I know you've always wanted a kid of your own, and I wouldn't mind a little Harmon Rabb the third."

"You would want him named that?" Mac chuckles, having to strain her voice over the sounds of the airplane.

"I mean, yeah, sure. I'd love a kid with my name. I think it's cool."

Her smile is big as she leans on him. The aircraft is bumping around, but Harm's comforting feel and warmth make her feel better. She never thought that one of her last trips in a c130 would be blind and unable to see. As she rested, her thoughts got to her. She knew she was blind. There was no way she wasn't. Even if they found a life-saving medicine, would she want to do it? Would it be worth it? Those were thoughts for another day that sat in her head today. As she leaned on Harm, she wanted to cry. She even tried to cry, but her eyes wouldn't let her. Moments later, Harm puts an arm around her and pulls her close. He knows she's hurting, and anything he can do to make her better, he'll do it. Even if that means squeezing the heck out of her in a c130. Hours later, they land their plane at Andrew's Air Force Base. When Mac is about to be wheeled off, Harm pokes her and whispers in her ear.

"Gangs all here." He says, smiling.

Everyone has their smiles on as Harm gets to the bottom of the ramp with the wheelchair Mac is sitting in. She's in her uniform and has her eyes all bandaged still. Her hair is a mess from the bandage, but she should be able to graduate from the full-wrapped bandage to one that's just covering the eyes in a few days, making it easier on her.

"Admiral," Harm speaks, almost as if to tell Mac that everyone was there.

"Major, Commander. Welcome home."

"Thank you, Sir." She sniffled. Was she crying? Well, she was trying to. No tears came out, probably from the surgery, but she sure felt the emotions of crying. This was the first time she'd heard the voices of her friends without actually seeing them. It was hard on her mentally. Moments later, she feels the grip of someone's hand. She was trying to figure out who it was.

"Ma'am, it's Harriet; if you need anything, Bud and I are here for you."

"Thank you, Harriet; I really appreciate that."

"I'll be staying with Harm once I get out of the hospital. And I'll know for sure what's going on. They say I've been burned pretty badly. They don't know if I'll ever be able to see again, but we will see."

"Well, you go get some rest; we will be thinking about you." The admiral playfully ordered.

"Will do, Sir."

Everyone gets in a hug before the two leave. Mac gets checked in and finds her room at Bethesda. She's thankfully by herself, which means she and Harm can have some private time. Not that they would be doing that in her room, but it gives them time to discuss the next little while without someone listening in. It will be a hard road, but Mac knows she can find her way out. As the evening rolls in, the two have dinner and then find themselves tired and ready for bed. It had been a long five days and knowing she was home made her feel more relaxed.

"Night, Mac." Harm smiles, leaving a small kiss on Mac's lips. Catching her off guard. She'd think of that kiss all night as she slept.