Here we go: next installment, just a little filler to complete the Columbus day story, I hope you like it.
I like that some of you are beginning to like Renee a bit in this story, I have to admit I didn't like her in the show, but I think that was more because she was standing in the way of Harm and Mac being together, I don't think she is necessarily a bad person so I have done my best to portray her positively.
Enjoy!
When they got back to Harriet and Bud's, they found that the Admiral, Meredith, Sturgis, and to their surprise, Bobbi Latham, had already arrived. After the initial pleasantries were exchanged, Harm managed to coerce Sturgis away from Bobbi, anxious to get the gossip.
"So you finally asked her out then buddy?!" he asked jokingly, placing strong emphasis on the word 'finally.'
"Oh you're one to talk mate!" Sturgis replied good-naturedly, "It took you how long to tell Mac how you felt?!"
"I had my reasons!" Harm replied in a similar jokey tone, "Is this your first date?" Sturgis rolled his eyes at him, Really, he thought, Harm is just like a gossipy schoolgirl at times!
"Not that it's really your business, but no it isn't, we've had a nice couple of dinners together." He replied with a grin, glancing over at his date and rolling his eyes at her once he caught her eye. At that moment, they were interrupted by the Admiral and Meredith who had come over to see what they were talking about.
"What are you two doing skulking in the corner?!" Meredith asked with a grin, "I thought it was the women who were supposed to gossip in the corner?!" Harm chuckled and gestured over to his fiancée, who was standing chatting excitedly to Harriet,
"It seems you are right." He said, smiling warmly; the group laughed at that, it was well known amongst the JAG family that Harriet was the office gossip.
"If you'll excuse me," Sturgis said, as Bobbi caught his eye once again, trying to get him to join her and he slipped away from the group to joined Bobbi, who had been standing talking to Bud.
"So Harm," Meredith said, smiling up at the tall Naval aviator in front of her, "I hear some congratulations are in order." Harm smiled and blushed, unconsciously glancing over at Mac as he did so. "It's a beautiful ring." She continued, noting his actions with amusement.
"Thanks," Harm replied, "It was my Grandmother's."
"Have you set a date yet?" AJ asked
"For the wedding?" Harm smiled, he knew that they were going to get that question a few more times before this evening was up. "We have decided that it will be either next fall or the following spring. We want to enjoy our new relationship for a while before we take the next step. But don't worry, you guys will be the first to know when we do decide a date."
"Make sure you do." AJ said sternly, his eyes twinkling, letting Harm know that he was only joking.
"Yes sir" Harm replied a little bit nervously. However much he knew his CO was joking, he also knew how much AJ cared for Mac, and was not keen to get on his bad side. "We are going up to visit my Grandmother this weekend, we're going to fly Sarah up instead of driving," he grinned mischievously at Mac who had just come up to join them, baby AJ in her arms, "Mac's made me promise not to do any barrel rolls, but I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to resist!"
"You better not flyboy, or you'll be returning the ring to your grandmother once we arrive!" Mac threatened, her eyes sparkling with laughter. Harm theatrically put his hands to his chest in mock alarm,
"You wound me ninja girl!" he said, much to the amusement of the assembled group, "I guess we're just going to have to have a nice boring flight then!" Their bickering was interrupted by AJ who said,
"I didn't realise that you had named your Stearman after the Colonel?" he sounded surprised. Harm grinned,
"It's after my Grandmother Sir," he admitted, "although I might have to change that story, it might earn me points as the cute fiancé!" he added with an impish grin, glancing at Mac who rolled her eyes at him.
"It'll take you more than that to give you points in Chloe's eyes you know! Even though she'll be thrilled, she'll still be mad at you y'know." Harm pouted,
"Nah, Chloe loves me!" he replied cockily, amused to see Mac roll her eyes at him once again,
"Uncle Harm's a little full of himself isn't he AJ?!" she said, addressing the gurgling baby in her arms and pointedly ignoring the sailor standing next to her. Little AJ let out a little baby laugh at the faces Mac was pulling at him.
"Hey!" Harm protested with a laugh, "stop trying to turn my godson against me!" he reached his hands out to his godson, who made to grab at them, "do you want to go flying AJ?" he asked, reaching down to lift the little boy easily out from Mac's arms. "Pilot ready for take off?" he asked, in a deep booming voice, bouncing AJ up and down slightly, much to the excitement to the baby. "And lift off, in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 go!" he carried on in a similar voice, lifting AJ gently above his head, pretending he was in an aeroplane. (an: I know AJ is only little, but my Uncle used do a similar thing with my little baby cousin who loved it!)
AJ, Meredith, and Mac watched in amusement, as the usually serious naval officer played with his godson like a little kid, eliciting little giggles of excitement from baby AJ.
"He's going to make a wonderful father!" Meredith sighed softly, glancing slyly at Mac who was watching him with a gentle expression on her face.
"Yeah" she agreed absently, her mind flashing back to when AJ was born and the deal they had made. How much their lives had changed since then!
"Mac," Meredith said, a little concerned at her lack of response, "are you still with us honey?" Mac started slightly,
"Sorry Meredith, I was miles away." She replied, blushing slightly,
"Need I ask where?!" Meredith asked cheekily, with a knowing nod in Harm's direction.
"I was thinking back to when little AJ was born." Mac admitted with a smile, "Have you heard this story?"
"Bits of it," Meredith replied, "I know that he was born in AJ's office." Mac smiled at the memory.
"That he was. It was quite possibly the most terrifying moment of my life, and Harriet's of course! After we got out, Harm and I made a deal; if neither of us were in a relationship in 5 years time then we would have a baby together." Meredith did a double take,
"I'm sorry, you agreed to what now?!" she asked, completely shocked. Mac shrugged, opening her mouth to repeat herself, "I heard what you said Mac!" Meredith continued quickly, "I'm just wondering how it took you this long to get to this point!"
"What do you mean?" Mac asked, not quite getting what was so shocking; she and Harm had been best friends for ages after all.
"You two planned to have a baby together!" Meredith exclaimed, "if that wasn't an admission of love than I don't know what is!"
"What's an admission of love?" Harriet asked as she and Bud joined the pair. Meredith hesitated slightly, unsure of how much that was public knowledge. Mac, seeing her hesitation nodded at her to continue which she did with a small smile.
"These two," she pointed at Mac and Harm, who was still playing with baby AJ and his namesake on the other side of the room. "agreeing to have a baby together once AJ is five if neither of them were in a relationship."
"You did what?!" Harriet exclaimed in excitement.
"Harriet," Mac said softly, "keep your voice down a little will you?!" she looked pleadingly at her friend, more than a little embarrassed.
"But, but, but…!" Harriet stuttered, obviously completely shocked by the news. She looked at her husband who carried on for her.
"If you could agree to that then how did it take you guys this long to get to this point?!" he asked, the tips of his ears turning pink at being so intrusive into their friend's lives, but he just had to know. Mac shrugged her shoulders again,
"We just weren't ready to admit anything yet I guess." She said softly, turning her attention back to watching her fiancé with their godson.
"I just can't believe it!" Harriet said, "That is just the sweetest thing I have ever heard." She smiled at Mac, "It's like it was meant to be!" Mac blushed again.
"How long until the 'look how oblivious Harm and Mac were' conversations stop?!" she asked good-naturedly, glancing accusingly at her friends.
"Oh, I think you'll have to put up with them for a good deal longer!" Harriet replied with a grin, "its reflective of just HOW oblivious the two of you were!" They all laughed at that,
"Fair enough." She admitted with a small smile.
The rest of the evening passed by quickly, once Tiner and Victor Galindez had made their appearance and they sat down to eat Harriet's delicious meal. Harm and Mac were one of the first to leave in the end, looking forward to getting back to Mac's flat so they could spend some quality time together, away from the scrutiny of their friends. They loved them all dearly, but they both found the continued study of their lives a little bit wearing.
"That was nice." Mac said, swallowing a yawn as Harm navigated his car back towards Georgetown. "It was great to spend some time with AJ, I can't believe how much he has grown recently." Harm nodded,
"I can't believe he is over a year old already!" he agreed. He glanced over at her, "You look tired honey, are you ok?"
"I'm fine Harm," Mac said, "It's just been a busy week, and I'm a little nervous about meeting your grandmother this weekend that's all." Harm smiled, and reached out to grab her hand in his own.
"You don't need to be nervous, Sarah, she's going to love you. In fact I think she has already heard so much about you that she already does!" Mac smiled gratefully at him,
"Sorry," she said, "I know I'm being a little irrational, but I never really had grandparents growing up so I don't know what to expect." Harm chuckled,
"Well I can tell you what to expect: to be fed lots of good food, she'll do her best to feed you up in the two days we are there, to be asked repeatedly when she will be a great grandma, and when, how we met and I proposed etc!" Mac had to laugh at that,
"Fairly similar to a conversation with Harriet then!" she said with a wry smile.
Thank you all for reading, I hope you found it to your liking! i know it ended quickly, but i wasn't sure where else to take this chapter so i figured leaving it there was a good place to stop. Next up is the trip to grandma sarah's.
All reviews welcomed :o)