Disclaimer: Not mine
St Joseph's Church was the site of the midnight mass attended by the family. Frank stepped into the pew first, followed by Trish, Mac and Harm. As the carols sang out and the candles glowed on the altar, Mac slipped her hand into Harm's. They had been present at many Christmas services before, even sat side by side, but they had never been together and that was something Mac was making up for.
"It's a beautiful church," Mac whispered to Harm as they sat down.
"It is," he agreed. "It's where mom and Frank were married."
"Yes, she told me this afternoon," she said with a small smile.
That afternoon, Trish had needed to run an errand and Mac had volunteered to keep her company. After they had picked up what they needed from the department store, Trish had suggested they stop for coffee before heading home and all the hustle and bustle of Christmas Eve preparations. As they sat and sipped coffee, Trish had studied the younger woman and it dawned on her that she had been complicit in Harm's Christmas plans for Mac and, being so excited, hadn't given thought to the fact that Mac may have had other people to see and be with.
"Sarah, I know it's a bit late," she started slowly. "But if there is somewhere else you should have been or someone you need to call..."
"No, there's nowhere else," she interrupted. "I'm very happy right here in La Jolla." She wanted to add 'with Harm' but she thought that was a given.
"Anyone you need to call...for Christmas..." Trish continued, and Mac shook her head.
"We'll call the Roberts' tomorrow but that's it," she said, picking up her coffee once more.
"Sarah," Trish said slowly before pausing.
"What it is?" Mac asked, concerned by the other woman's concern.
"Harm's never told me much about you...about your family...and I'll understand if you don't want to talk to me about them," she said quietly. Smiling sadly, Mac put down her cup. "Sorry, sweetheart," Trish said, "You don't have to say anything...I was just interested."
With a deep breath, Mac did something which had been completely foreign to her before her more in depth counselling and relationship with Harm, she told Trish the truth. The truth about the her parents, her alcoholism, her short, failed marriage, the general pain and anguish which made up her life and all the while, Trish held her hand tightly and didn't interrupt, nor did she take the time to dry the tears falling sliding her own cheeks.
"I can see why my son loves you, Sarah," Trish said, squeezing her hand. "You are an amazing woman."
"No, I'm not," she replied shyly. "I'm just me."
"And that's why Harm loves you," she said with a smile. "You had every reason to give up on yourself and the world but look at what you have achieved."
Mac's smile widened; when she took the time to think about things, she was proud of her successes.
"And I think that's why you and my son are so much in tune, he suffered his own pain and anguish as a child," Trish said sadly. "And it impacted his whole life."
"I know," Mac agreed.
As the strains of 'O, Holy Night' filled the church, Mac rested her head on Harm's shoulder.
"Everything alright?" he asked, looking down to find Mac's tears before kissing her forehead.
"Perfect," she whispered and as Harm looked down he saw his mother's hand holding Mac's and smiled.
Christmas Day was delightful and the mild weather in California was a marked difference to the cold, snowy ones DC usually offered. As the turkey baked and vegetables cooked, the family sat in the living room ready to exchange presents.
"I'm sorry I have nothing to exchange," Mac said, as Trish handed her a shoebox size box elegantly wrapped.
"You being here is present enough, sweetheart," Trish replied as she kissed Mac's head.
"I told you so," Harm chimed in as he kissed her hand.
Mac's gift was bath products and she smiled gratefully, more than happy with the contents of the box. It was Harm's gift which reduced her to tears. Opening the flat pale blue box she found it contained a fine gold chain with a diamond encrusted love heart pendant.
"It's gorgeous," she whispered as she took it from the box.
"You're gorgeous," he corrected as he took it from her and looped it around her neck. "This is just a little symbol of how much I love you and the fact that you have my heart."
"Oh, Harm," she said holding him tightly as her tears fell. Christmas had never been so perfect.
The day after Christmas, Harm and Mac strolled along the beach hand in hand. Though the day had been mild, a cool breeze had picked up as they started their walk and hand in hand became wrapped in each other as they made their way along the otherwise deserted beach. Stopping at the closest point to the trail back to the Burnett house, Harm sat on a rock and waited for Mac to sit in front of him, before wrapping her in his arms and resting his chin on her shoulder.
There was a gentle calmness surrounding them as Mac leant back into him, one hand snaking up around his neck before she craned her neck for a kiss. This Christmas had been pure bliss and went a long way to making up for the past. Slowly, she shook her head now was time for the future, not the past.
"Something wrong?" Harm asked as Mac returned her attention to the waves lapping on the shore.
"Nope," she said with a sigh, "Everything's wonderful."
"You sure?" he checked. "I thought I lost you for a minute there."
"You did," she confirmed. "Was thinking about how much better this Christmas was to any in the past and then realised I shouldn't be thinking of the past, only the future."
"And what do you think that future will look like?" he asked, watching the water with her.
"I'm not really sure," she said, kissing his arm which surrounded her. "But it contains you and me and that's the only important thing."
Harm smiled; that was how he pictured the future and he hoped, that come New Year's Eve, she'd accept the ring which would be a sign of that future together.
Unfortunately, later that night when they had been asleep for little more than an hour, Mac pre-empted Harm's plans of a romantic proposal under the stars in front of the cottage on Hemingway Mountain when she sat up cross-legged in the bed and waited for Harm to wake. He did...eventually.
When his eyes opened and focused he could see his beloved watching him intently with glistening tear trails down her cheeks. Reaching out, he took her hand in his and waited for her to speak, it didn't happen. Sitting up, he faced Mac and took both hands in his.
"Nightmares?" he asked, squeezing her hands but Mac shook her head. "Too much turkey?"
"Nah," she said with a small laugh.
"Well, you're smiling so it can't be all that bad," he said, not too sure what to make of it all.
"I love you, Harmon Rabb," she said, her eyes locked onto his. "So damn much."
"I love you too, gorgeous," he replied before waiting for her to explain this middle of the night exchange. She didn't speak. "I want to ask 'what's wrong?' but, by the look on your face, I don't know if there is a 'wrong' problem."
"You're right, there's nothing wrong," she said quietly.
"I'm glad to hear that," he said just as quietly. "So, tell me, what's got you sitting up in the middle of the night not quite talking to me?"
"I need to know something..." she started, before tilting her head to the side.
"I love you very much," he interjected, thinking that was what she needed to hear.
"I know you do," she said, her smile widening. "That's not quite...well, maybe it's more something I need to ask..."
"Ask me," he said, shifting closer to her.
"Do you think that, around summer sometime, you would ... um..." she paused, not too sure how to go on.
"I'd do what, Mac?" he asked, prepared to do anything she wanted.
"Well, I was thinking that maybe you would ... ah...maybe you'd consider marrying me and making me your wife," she said as a tear trickled down her cheek.
"You're asking me to marry you?" he checked and Mac nodded.
"I know it wasn't a really romantic proposal but I want to spend the rest of my life with you and I want to know that you want to do the same," she said, her voice a little shaky.
"Yes, Sarah MacKenzie," he said, leaning in and kissing her briefly. "I will marry you."
Grinning widely, Mac got to her knees and leant into Harm, kissing him soundly as they became horizontal once more. It wasn't until they had finished celebrating their new status that Harm drew Mac's face up and kissed her nose.
"I hate to ask, Mac," he said in a whisper.
"Ask what?" she said, rolling back on top on him.
"My ring...do I get a ring?" he asked with a smirk.
Instantly, Mac was off the bed and Harm was concerned he'd done something wrong.
"I was joking," he said, following her off the bed and she went to the closet.
"Were you?" she questioned, spinning around with a small black box in her hand before offering it to him.
"I thought you said my present was in DC," he said, taking the box.
"Your Christmas present is at home," she said quietly. "I've had this for about a month now...waiting for the right moment and I was going to wait til New Year's but I woke up just now and wondered why I should wait any longer..."
Popping the box opened, Harm found an impressive 18ct white gold men's engagement ring with a immaculate rectangular baguette cut diamond in its centre.
"Mac, it's beautiful," he said, tears appearing on his cheeks.
"Not as beautiful as you," she whispered, taking the ring and slipping it onto his finger. "I love you so much."
"I love you too," he replied, taking one last look at the ring before kissing her soundly.
When they finally started moving back towards the bed, Harm stopped and gazed down at her.
"Hope you don't think I'm stealing your thunder..." he said as he quickly kissed her twice. "But ... ah...I had something similar in mind for when we were at the cottage..." He moved to his jacket hanging over the back of the chair. "So, ah..." He produced the Tiffany's & Co box and stood in front of her. "I'd understand if you don't want this...after all, it's usually only the one who is asked the question that gets the ring," he said with a smirk.
"Well, I like breaking with tradition," she said, holding out her hand, "If you still want me to have it."
Harm pulled the ring from its case and was sure Mac's eyes were sparkling more than the Tiffany Embrace engagement ring with the two carat weight diamond encrusted band with the brilliant round diamond in the middle.
"Harm, it's amazing...it must have cost a fortune," she said, mesmerised by its beauty.
It did cost a fortune...a rather large one but Sarah MacKenzie was worth every last cent of it and the look on her face made the dip into his savings well worth it.
"I know the question has already been asked and answered but I've been kind of practicing ...with this..." he said waving the ring in the air. "So may I..."
"Go ahead," she replied tearfully.
Harm dropped onto one knee before taking her left hand and kissing it.
"Sarah MacKenzie, I love you so much," he began his eyes locked with hers. "For so very long I have wanted to take this journey with you but it is only now I feel we are ready to put the past behind us and move into the future. You would make me the happiest man alive if you will let me be your husband. Mac, will you marry me?"
"I will," she said with a nod, her words not really audible as her tears fell.
With ease, Harm slipped the ring onto her finger and clasped her left hand with his, allowing their rings to come together before kissing them.
"This is the start of something amazing, Mac," he said, kissing a trail up to her lips.
"I think the amazing started a while ago," she replied, her lips finding his.
There was little left to discuss as the couple celebrated their love until dawn's first rays, each time more intense and more fulfilling and well worth sleeping through until 1300 to regain their much depleted energy levels.
Having lunch arrangements of their own which saw them leave the house by eleven, Trish and Frank weren't aware of the developments until they arrived home a little before dinner time and found the happy couple curled up on the sofa together asleep. Initially, they were happy enough to let the younger couple sleep until Trish saw the new acquisitions glittering on their hands and shrieked – both startled awake.
"Does this mean what I think it means?" she asked, grabbing both their hands and trying to inspect both rings at once.
"It does, mom," Harm said, moving towards his mother to prevent his arm becoming detached with the way she was pulling at it.
"Oh, congratulations!" she exclaimed, moving in and kissing them both several times. "I am so very happy for you both."
Frank's congratulations were just as heartfelt, even if a little less exuberant.
Later, as Mac and Trish organised dinner they chatted about the ring, and the proposal, and about the wedding plans. Mac was thinking of a June wedding and figured six months was ample time to put together a simple wedding. Trish wasn't so sure and tried to argue for a spring one, or even one in the subsequent year.
Taking her hand, Mac sat Trish down at the table with her.
"I know plans are one thing but I really want it to be June," Mac said quietly.
"Are you...?" Trish asked excitedly pointing at Mac's belly.
"No, not at all," she said, although she hoped she would be at sometime in the coming year.
"Then why they rush for June?" Trish asked, glancing at the door to make sure they were still alone.
"This is going to sound stupid," she said, prefacing what was to come next.
"I'm sure it won't, sweetheart," Trish soothed. "Tell me."
"The fire... that was July," she said, "And by the time the anniversary comes around I would like us to be married."
"Why?" she probed, not quite understanding the correlation.
"The day of the fires, I could have lost everything," she said tears pricking her eyes. "Both Harm and I have worked very hard in the last five months to try and get our lives sorted and, as you can see..." She waved her ring clad finger around, "...we've come so far."
"But why June?" Trish asked once more, tears filling her eyes.
"Because while January 1st is the New Year for everyone else, July 27th is the New Year for us...and before it arrives I want to us to be married and be able to go back to Hemingway Mountain for the anniversary services and I want to be able to walk away with my husband...the love of my life..." she said as quiet tears trickled down. "Does that make sense?"
"Yes, it does, sweetheart," Trish said, standing and kissing Mac's head.
The last time they had come down the mountain it had been with pain, guilt, regret and the future was unknown. On the anniversary, Mac wanted to be assured of where her life was headed and lay to rest the trauma of the fires, and her past life, once and for all.