Here we go, next chapter is up, fingers crossed it'll meet you expectations!!
Thanks to all those who have left reviews for the last few chapters :o)
"Harm, Mac thank you for coming!" Harriet said with a smile, taking the bottle of wine and sparkling grape juice that Harm offered her and ushering them both into the house.
"How are you both?"
"Fine thanks Harriet," Mac replied with a smile. "Hi Bud!" she continued as Bud came up to join them, baby AJ in his arms. "Hi little one!" she said, reaching out to place her finger in the little boys hand.
"Do you want to go and say hi to Auntie Mac sweetheart?!" Bud asked, and Mac gently took him from Bud's arms, cradling him comfortably in her own.
"Hi handsome!" she said softly, rocking him gently as he started to fuss. Harm smiled at the picture; she looked so comfortable with a baby in her arms, and he couldn't wait until the time when it was their baby she was holding. He moved forward from his position next to Harriet and dropped a quick kiss on his godson's forehead.
"Hey sport!" he said, "I brought you a little present!" AJ just looked up at him with his big blue eyes and gurgled happily as Harm brought from his pocket a small cuddly toy of a plane.
"Thanks Harm, you shouldn't have!" Harriet said with a laugh, watching how naturally Harm and Mac interacted with her son. They really would make wonderful parents one day.
"Would you like a drink or anything?" Bud asked as they headed through the house into the kitchen. Shortly after, Harm followed Bud into the lounge, where they sat chatting easily while they watched a football match. Mac and little AJ stayed in the kitchen with Harriet.
"Are you sure I can't do anything to help Harriet?" Mac asked, feeling slightly guilty watching her friend rush around the kitchen.
"No, it's fine," Harriet replied with a smile, "I've got it mostly under control. Besides, you have your hands full with your godson!" Mac smiled and looked down at the little boy who had one hand wrapped securely around the necklace that she wore around her neck with one hand, the other gripped firmly around the wing of the little plane that Harm had given him a few minutes earlier.
"So how are you doing?" Harriet asked, "How is everything with Harm? I hear you met his mother at the weekend?" Mac smiled and blushed,
"Everything's wonderful," she admitted shyly, "he has been amazing, I'm so glad we have finally got to the same page."
"You know, I always wondered about you two," Harriet said with a grin, "Ever since I started working at JAG I could tell that there was something bubbling beneath the surface, but you were both always dating other people, or fighting like cats and dogs!" Mac laughed,
"You aren't the only one. Shortly after I met Harm, my Uncle Matt asked me the strangest question. He wanted to know if I believed in love at first sight. I said I didn't know, but I was lying. I knew he was referring to Harm, and I wasn't ready to face up to it just yet. We've been through so much together, and hurt each other so much at times, but now none of that seems to matter." She glanced down at her engagement ring, which baby AJ was now happily pulling at, "I still can't believe this is happening though!"
"Oh I can!" Harriet replied with a giggle, "you two are meant for one another, any fool can see that. Have you given any thought to a date yet?"
"We've talked about it, and we thought maybe next fall, maybe October. We've both agreed that we shouldn't rush this, we want to enjoy simply being a couple for a while."
"That's fair." Harriet admitted, "Although if you ask me, you have basically always been a couple, just without the physical bits of being in a relationship!"
"Harriet!" Mac exclaimed with a laugh, "That is so not true!" Harriet smiled slyly,
"You can't deny that there was always a connection between you though!"
"No," Mac admitted, "that's true. Anyway, let stop talking about me and Harm, we don't want the squid to overhear and a get a big head now do we!" she laughed, bouncing little AJ up and down on her knee as she did so. "Are you sure you don't need any help Harriet?" she asked, as her friend hurried around the kitchen.
"I'm fine, honestly!" Harriet assured her, "Although if you fancied doing something; Bud and I were planning on taking little AJ for a walk in the park, but we've run out of time. I don't really have time anymore, but maybe you, Harm and Bud could go?"
"Sure, that would be great, but are you sure you wouldn't prefer me to help you?" Mac replied,
"Nah its fine, you go and enjoy the sunshine with AJ before winter hits us properly!"
"Well, I'll go and ask the boys, see if we can drag them away from the TV for half an hour or so!"
As she went into the next room to speak to Bud and Harm, Mac paused, unseen, in the doorway watching the scene in front her in amusement. Harm and Bud were both leaning forward in their chairs, shouting at the referee who had obviously made a bad decision about something.
"Something wrong boys?" she asked with a grin as she moved into the room to stand next to Harm, who smiled up at her.
"Stupid referee." He replied, reaching out to take her hand in his.
"Harriet was wondering if we would like to take little AJ for a walk around the park, since its such nice weather." Mac said, looking at the two men in front of her with and expectant look on her face. Harm looked at Bud and shrugged,
"Sure, that would be great." Bud nodded his agreement, but said,
"I take it Harriet has too much to do to be able to go?" at Mac's nod he continued, "I better stay and help her, even though I'll probably get chased out of the kitchen! Will you two be ok on your own?"
"Sure Bud," Harm grinned, looking forward to spending some time with two of his favourite people. "We'll be fine."
"Yeah, don't worry Bud, I'll make sure Harm doesn't do anything too stupid. At least you know you have one responsible person looking after your son!" Mac added with a teasing grin at her fiancé.
"Hey!" Harm protested weakly, much to the amusement of the others, who both laughed loudly. Eyes sparkling wickedly, he gave a quick, sharp tug with the hand which was attached to Mac's, leading her to end up sprawling his lap. "So you think that's funny do you jarhead?!" he asked, tickling her mercilessly. Mac shrieked and squirmed in his grip trying escape, but Harm had his other hand wrapped firmly around her waist, holding her securely against him. "Well?!" he continued, eyes dancing merrily.
"Ye…..I mean….no!" Mac managed to choke out between giggles. The commotion they were making had caught Harriet's attention from the kitchen and she appeared in the doorway, baby AJ in her arms.
"What on earth is going on in here?!" she said in a mock stern voice, trading pleased glances with her husband, who had been watching the exchange, a slightly bemused expression on his face; after all however close Harm and Mac had been before, these types of public displays of affection had always been unheard of. Harm stopped his assault on Mac at the sound of their friend's voice, and looked up at her with his most innocent expression and then back down at the girl who was now settling herself quite comfortably on his lap.
"Mac was being mean to me!" he pouted like a little boy. She chuckled and poked him in the stomach,
"I was not!" she claimed, poking her tongue out at him, "I was just telling the truth!" Harm leaned down and gave her a quick kiss, seemingly forgetting that they weren't alone in the room.
"Don't worry honey!" Bud whispered to his wife, "they were just bickering over who is the most responsible! They are going to take AJ out for a walk, I couldn't leave you all on your own slaving away!" Harriet smiled gratefully at her husband,
"Thanks Bud!" she replied, "Shall we go and get AJ ready for his walk?!" she looked at the couple curled up in the armchair, "I think they may have forgotten we are here!" she gestured to the pair who were cuddled up together, talking softly with similarly adoring expressions on their faces.
Harm and Mac walked contentedly along the path, Mac pushing baby AJ's pram, with Harm's arm slung casually around her shoulders. It was a beautiful fall day, the sun was shining in the nearly clear blue sky, the trees had already started to turn; gold, red and orange leaves sparkled in the sunlight casting red-hued shadows over the path and park which were both dotted with people; adults and children alike, all enjoying the reprieve from everyday life allowed to them by a Public holiday.
AJ started to fuss slightly, and stopping walking, Harm reached into the pram, lifting the little boy out and cradling him in his arms.
"What's up big guy?" he asked rocking him gently as they carried on their way. "Come on, smile for uncle Harm!"
As they walked along, many of the other people in the park noticed them with a smile; they made a very handsome couple, and were obviously very much in love. In short, they were the picture of a perfect family. After a while, they stopped and sat on a bench for a while, chatting happily until they were interrupted by an elderly couple who were sat at the other end of the bench.
"You have a beautiful son," the lady said with a smile, "How old is he?"
"He's not our son," Harm admitted with a charming smile, "He's our godson. He's 13 months old next week, aren't you AJ?" he pulled a funny face at his godson, eliciting a little childlike giggle from him.
"AJ?" the elderly man asked curiously, "what does that stand for?"
"Albert Jethro." Mac replied with a friendly smile, "He's named after our CO, who delivered him."
"CO? So you're Navy?" Harm chuckled,
"I'm Navy, and so are AJ's parents, but Mac here is a Marine." He glanced at his fiancée, "and never lets anyone forget it!" he added with a teasing grin.
"Can it Flyboy!" Mac countered, rolling her eyes at the couple, who were both smiling fondly at them; the couple in front of them reminded them a lot of themselves when they were younger: they were clearly the best of friends who had become more, the easy banter between them giving them away. They chatted together for a few more moments, before Harm said,
"It's been lovely to speak to you, but I'm afraid Sarah and I have to get going; AJ's parents will be wondering where we've got to."
As they walked away Harm smiled down at Mac,
"Will you still love me when I look like that?!" he asked. Mac paused, and pretended to think,
"Hmmm, I don't know…!" she replied teasingly, glancing up at him demurely through her eyelashes. Harm pouted in response, and she couldn't resist leaning up on tiptoe to kiss the expression off his face. Harm was just about to deepen the kiss when they were interrupted by a gasp. They jumped apart a little guiltily, turning to face an unexpected person.
"Renee!" Harm exclaimed, shock evident on his face. "What are you doing here?" He noticed a short man standing at her side, "Cyrus, nice to see you again." He held out his hand. Cyrus took it, slightly nervously. Renee looked from Harm to Mac to baby AJ.
"I see you took my advice!" she said with a slightly bittersweet smile. As they were speaking, Harm could feel Mac getting steadily tenser by the second and he pulled her closer to him, trying to reassure her. She glanced up at him, and smiled briefly, reaching up to tuck her hair behind her ears.
"I see some congratulations are in order!" Renee continued, her eagle eyes spotting the ring on Mac's finger. She smiled genuinely at the pair, holding her own left hand up for them both to see the engagement ring sitting on her finger too.
"And to you it would seem!" Harm managed to stutter, moving forward to give his ex-girlfriend a kiss on the cheek. "Congratulations," he said, "and thank you" he added in a whisper as he pulled back. Renee nodded at him, and turned to Mac, surprising her by pulling her into a brief hug.
"Take good care of him" she murmured softly, feeling the Marine bristle slightly at her words and the insinuation behind them, "I've never seen him look this happy, you look good together." She added, drawing back quickly. At that moment Mac felt a sudden rush of kinship and friendship for Renee, and briefly regretted calling her 'Video Princess' behind her back. Mac managed a genuine smile,
"Congratulations." She said, "I hope you'll be very happy." The foursome stood looking at each other, all slightly uncomfortable, neither one wanting to be the first to move away. Baby AJ, as if sensing the tension started gurgling loudly, startling Harm into action.
"We better get going Sarah," he said, "I think this one is getting hungry, we better get him back to his Mum and Dad's!!" Mac nodded,
"It was nice to see you again Renee." She said politely.
"You too." Renee replied, surprisingly unfazed by the appearance of her ex and his new fiancée. She had realised over the last few weeks how much she had missed Cyrus, and they were close to regaining what they had lost over the last few years, and was glad to see that Harm was truly happy. Deep down inside, she had always known that Harm was never going to be her happy ending; that he had always been attached to someone else: the woman who was now wearing a beautiful engagement ring. "Maybe we could all go out for a drink sometime?" she added.
"That would be lovely." Harm replied automatically, "I'll give you a call sometime."
As they walked away, Harm looked down at his fiancée with a slightly concerned look.
"Are you ok?" he asked
"I'm fine!" Mac replied, hesitating slightly before admitting, "It did throw me off a bit, seeing her. I was surprised that she was so civil, almost friendly! I thought the claws would be out." Harm smiled at that.
"She dumped me remember." He reminded her, "I never told you what she said did I?" Mac shook her head and he carried on, "She told me that she wasn't the one I wanted, and that I owed it to myself and to you to see what was between us." Mac looked genuinely surprised.
"She said that?" she asked, "How is it everyone else seemed to know what was between us before we did ourselves?!"
"Denial could only get us so far ninja girl!" Harm replied with a grin. "Still, we figured it out in the end!" he added after a second, flyboy grin out in full force. He leaned down, pressing his lips against hers.
"And not a moment too soon!" Mac replied with a giggle, as they pulled back grinning at each other like school children. "Come on flyboy, lets get this little one back to Harriet and Bud. The others will be getting here soon."
Hope you enjoyed it. Let me know!!