AN There's some "language" in this one that some may find objectionable. Thanks for the feed back. - Dix

Chapter 13 - Shock and Awe

The phone rang three short weeks later at Brumby and Brumby. The windowless office was piled high with boxes. It turned out that Mac's patience with his sick mother had extended less than a week. Once Rabb returned to work, she helped Mic pack and even hired a van to deliver his possessions to his office. For all this, he wasn't discouraged. He knew Rabb would relinquish his hold just as soon as Mac found out she was pregnant and there was still time for that.

--

She opened the box and shook the stick out onto the bathroom vanity. It wasn't the first time she'd used a home pregnancy test, but she read the directions anyway. "No time like the present" she said to the woman in the mirror.

She set the stick on the bathroom counter, double checked the wait time and then went and made her bed. She tried not to look at the alarm clock beside the bed, but it was difficult not to notice how slowly the minutes moved ahead. Finally happy with the bed, she stripped off her pyjamas and got dressed. She straightened the top of the dresser, moving items around randomly. She brushed her hair then, with brisk hard strokes. She looked in the mirror over the dresser, seeing only the puffiness around her eyes and the yellow tint of her skin around her lips. She looked at the little calendar on the wall, double checking the date of her last period. She checked the clock again and set the brush down. Stealing herself for the worst she stepped into the bathroom and looked at the stick. She had to read the instructions again, because she couldn't believe the stick. "No" she whispered. "Oh no." Her stomach turned and she threw up in the toilet.

--

Mic was typing with two fingers when the phone rang on his desk. He was sweating over a brief that had to be filed in court by close of business and the word processing program had randomly scrambled the document.

"Brumby and Brumby" He said without thinking.

"You bastard." Her voice was thick with rage. He stopped typing.

"Who's calling please?" He recognized the voice, but kept calm.

"It's Renee, you slimy little prick. I want to see you right now."

"Sorry Renee, I can't make it." He replied. "Why don't you tell me what's going on?"

"I'm pregnant."

Mic grinned in spite of himself. It was wonderful news. "Congratulations. Does Harm know?"

"Of course not. It's not his."

"Are you sure?" he said evenly.

There was a long silence while she processed what he'd said. "You're suggesting that I fob your bastard off on him?"

"You get what you want, I get what I want. We all live happily ever after. Isn't that what you said?" He replied without admitting anything.

"You are a son of a bitch Mic Brumby. You planned this."

He said. "This was your plan Renee. I just doubled the chance that it would be successful. Wouldn't it be great if Sarah's pregnant too? You could go to Baby and Me classes together."

She threw the phone so hard it shattered the window over the dresser.

Mic hung up the phone and exited the word processing program. If she wouldn't tell Rabb, he'd have to do the job. He grabbed his jacket from the hook behind the door and then as an after thought shifted a couple of boxes until he found one filled with books. It took a couple of minutes, but he found two that belonged to Sarah. They'd be his ticket into Jag Ops.

An hour later he sauntered into the bull pen. A few people looked up from their work. Tiner, across the room, nodded in recognition. Mac's door was ajar, but when he walked into her office, she wasn't there. He set the books on the corner of the desk. He paused in her doorway, wondering where she was and how he might arrange to speak to Rabb. He saw them together across the bull pen coming out of the coffee room. Harm said something he couldn't hear and Mac put a steadying hand on his arm. Together they met Mic by the door.

"Looking for me?" Mac asked.

"I found a couple of your books in one of my boxes. Thought you'd like them back. I put them on your desk." He gestured with his thumb. Mic eyed Rabb and then stuck out his hand.

"How are you Harm?"

"Fine thanks," Harm responded shaking the proffered hand.

"How's Renee feeling?"

Harm's eyes narrowed. His eyes darted toward Mac and back at Mic. "What do you mean?"

"Oh well just that I heard that congratulations are in order. I'm sure you're both delighted to have a little one on the way."

The look of shock on Harm's face made Mic's day.

When he found the words again Harm managed "She's pregnant?"

"That's what I heard. Looks like I've said too much. I'll be off. Good to see you Sarah." Mic nodded and strode toward the elevator.

Mac followed Harm into his office. He stood behind his desk staring at nothing in particular. She closed the door quietly and sat in the chair.

"Harm" She said after 2 quiet minutes.

He turned and looked at her without seeing her.

"Harm?" Mac's mind raced ahead to all the possibilities. Harm would leave her for Renee and the baby, she'd never have. Harm would stay with her, but Renee and the baby would be part of their future. Their adopted baby would never mean as much as his own flesh and blood. Suddenly the room was too small and the air too thin. She had to get out. She had to escape.

Harm watched her go. He could have stopped her with a word. Reassured her of his feelings, but it was futile. For all the love he felt for her, for the moment she had to go and he had to let her.

AN - Relax! Would I let you down?