A/N: Just a short chapter to get us back into the swing of things. I had the best time on my vacation thanks to those who wished me fun, your wish was granted. Once again thanks to those who reviewed and special thanks to Snugglebug for guidance, assistance and friendship. Hugs to you, Lady!

Enjoy Chapter 41. Expect Chapter 42 by the weekend.

By some miracle Harm and Mac managed to make it through a week with Trish and Frank. A few days after they departed, Bud had asked Harm for beers at McMurphy's, to kick back and relax before the docket picked up. "So, we really haven't 'talked since...How are things?"

"Better," said Harm. "A lot better, actually."

"Really," Bud smiled.

"Yeah," smiled Harm. "I mean, we're not completely back to the way things were before...you know, but we're communicating better and getting along better. That's something, I guess."

"I...Harriet said it got pretty bad for awhile," Bud asked. "What changed it?"

"Therapy," answered Harm with a little laugh. "Nah, in all honesty, I think...I think Grams' death was a real turning point for us. Since then, things haven't been great all the time, but they've been a whole hell of a lot better than before."

"Good," Bud smiled. "There's...She still looks awfully sick Harm."

"She is," he said as he took a swig of his beer.

"But I thought the surgery fixed things," Bud sighed.

"Nope," said Harm plainly. "But, we're doing the best we can."

"Isn't...How bad is it? As bad as Thanksgiving or..."

"No, thankfully," he said. "She's in pain quite a bit of the time, but she can usually make it through the day without needing her meds. We consider that a victory."

Bud nodded, "Sure is. Can I ask how is the other situation? The one with Annie?"

Harm shook his head and took another drink. "No change. She's 4 and a half months along now, so I'm officially halfway to finding out if the baby is mine or not."

"Closer than that," Bud replied. "Get an amnio."

"I don't want her to have an amnio," stated Harm plainly.

"Why?" Bud asked. "Harriet had one every time."

"Mac had one with Lucy," he said. "The doctors suspected something was wrong, I forget even what it was, but the lab messed it up and long story short, we had to have it drawn a second time and it was an emotional nightmare. This thing with Annie is bad enough without adding the possibility of a lab screw up at this point in the game."

"So you'll just wait another five months?" Bud asked. "That doesn't make much sense."

Harm sighed. "No, I know it really doesn't. On one hand, I could find out once and for all right now if the kid is mine or not, and I could - hopefully - put the whole mess behind me. On the other hand, if it is mine...I'm not ready to deal with that yet, cowardly as that must sound. Logically, there's no good reason not to do it, but not much about the whole matter has been logical."

"True," Bud sighed. "I mean...If you thought...You think it is yours don't you?"

Harm fidgeted with the label on his beer bottle. "Maybe...I don't know...It's possible, I guess, but...I don't know what I think."

"Harm," Bud sighed. "Are you...are you starting to care for this baby?"

"What? No!" replied a defensive Harm. "I'm not caring for it like I did Lucy or DJ, if that's what you mean."

"But in spite of yourself you are worrying about it, aren't you?" Bud asked.

Harm nodded. "Hard not to, you know, just a little bit. Do you realize, if it is mine, that I'll be forever chained to that crazy woman for the rest of my life? I still don't know how I could've done something so stupid..."

"What's done is done," Bud sighed as Harm's cell phone rang.

He grabbed the phone from his belt, looked at the screen and answered the call. "Hello"

"Hi, Honey," Mac's voice came through the phone. "Can you come home soon?"

"I think so," he replied. "Everything okay?"

"Uh, not really," Mac replied. "It's Lucy."

"Oh boy," he sighed. "What this time?"

"Sick again," Mac sighed. "Vomiting, fever, chills. She wants you."

He shook his head. "I'll be there in 15. I love you."

"What's up?" Bud asked.

"Lucy's sick again," replied Harm as he slid off the bar stool and pulled his jacket on. "I got to get home; thanks for tonight, Bud. I need times like these."

"Again?" Bud sighed. "Harm you guys should take her to see the doctor. Get a blood test."

"We've taken her to the pediatrician 3 or 4 times for this," he said. "He said she's just prone to catching things right now and there's no need for any tests. Besides, she hates needles."

"Okay," Bud sighed. "Hey, can I come with you?"

"Uh, yeah, if you want," he said as he headed for the door.

The two men drove the distance between Falls Church and Manassas in half hour flat. When they walked in, they could hear Lucy being sick in the bathroom and Mac gently talking to her. Harm could tell that Mac was not well herself by the sound of her voice. "Lucy, Baby, its okay. Daddy's coming."

Harm hurried down the hall as fast as he could. "Lucy? I'm here, sweetie. It's okay."

The little girl gave a weak cough to try to get the her stomach to rid itself of its contents, but there was nothing left. "My stomach hurts," she whispered. "I don't feel good."

"I know you don't, Button," he said softly. "I'll get you some water to rinse your mouth with, then you can get back in bed."

"My back hurts," she whined. "So does Mommy's."

He looked over at his wife, his eyes asking her if she was in fact hurting.

"Take care of her, I'll be..." She took a deep breath. "Okay."

Harm looked to his friend for help. "Bud, would you please help Mac into bed and get her the big orange bottle of pills from our medicine chest? I'll be in as soon as I get this little one settled."

"Sure," Bud replied and stood back until Harm got Lucy out of the bathroom.

Bud knelt down next to Mac, "Need a hand up or how do you want to do this?" he asked, voice dripping with sympathy for the woman's obvious discomfort.

"No, I...I can make it," she said weakly as she attempted to stand, finding herself growing dizzy in the process.

She swayed as she rose and groped for the sink, "Are you sure, Mac? Why don't you put your arm around my waist? Harm, will kick my butt if I let you fall."

With a reluctant nod, she took his suggestion. "I'm okay, really. I just...I'm just tired."

"You're feeling really lousy aren't you?" he frowned. "Harm told me. You can admit it, its okay."

Mac sighed. "I really am. I hate it."

Bud helped Mac moved from the cramped "kid's bathroom" to the master bedroom. "What happened with the little one?" he asked trying to take her mind off the pain. She was shaking from the effort and he wanted to help as best he could without stepping into Harm's place.

"I don't know really," sighed Mac. "Probably another bug; poor kid has had way too many of those lately."

"I told Harm she should get a blood test," Bud said as they reached the bed. "Want to sit down or lie down?"

"Sit for a minute," she said, her voice showing the pain she was in. "Her doctor doesn't seem to think she needs any testing done."

Bud eased Mac down and sat beside her, "That's what Harm told me. I just don't remember her ever being sick."

"She never used to get sick," said Mac. "It happens, though, we know that."

Bud nodded, "Can I get you anything at all to make you feel better?" he asked.

Mac shook her head. "No, but thanks for asking. I think I'm ready to lie down."

"Do you need help?" he asked. "Just tell me what to do. I don't know what to do."

"No, I can do it" she said as she slowly laid back against her pillow. "I hope Lucy isn't giving Harm any trouble, poor girl feels terrible."

"Good thing you were able to reach him, huh?" observed Bud. "How would you have managed if he were gone?"

She took a deep breath. "I don't know. I would've done it, of course, but...it would've been tough."

"How you feeling now, Mac?" he asked seeing she was nearly settled. "Harm said to get your some medicine. Do you want it now?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I'm so tired of taking medicine for this garbage."

"Maybe your doctor can do another operation?" Bud suggested. "Did that last one help much?" He hurried to the cabinet and took down the large bottle of pills. He removed one and brought it and a cup of water over to Mac.

"Not as much as we hoped it would," replied Mac as she accepted the offered pill and drink. "I'm probably facing a repeat operation soon, but..."

"But?" he pressed as he took the empty cup. "Is there anything else I can do before Harm gets back?"

"No, Bud," said Mac. "You've been a huge help already. Go check on Harm if you would, please. He's probably singing to her, but I don't hear him."

"Okay, sure," Bud smiled softly. "You rest easy."

Harm had carried Lucy from the bathroom to her bedroom. The little girl was tired and whimpered against her father's chest. Her little body ached all over and once again he could tell she was feverish.

"You want Daddy to sing your sleepy song, Button?" he asked the ailing child.

Lucy shook her head, "No."

"Do you want me to sit with you in your bed?" he asked.

"Uh huh," she nodded. "I'm hurting."

"I know you are, baby love," he said as he laid her into her bed and sat down right beside her. "Do you want your Pooh Bear?"

Lucy nodded again, "I don't like not feeling good," she pouted. "I want you to make it better."

"I wish I could make it better, Lucy," he said, his heart breaking over his child's plea. "Here's Pooh; snuggle up with him."

Lucy took her beloved bear and snuggled with him. "Can you sleep in here?"

"Would that make you feel better?" he asked as he brushed her damp hair back from her forehead.

She started to shiver a little bit then, "No. But I still want it."

Harm swallowed hard. "Okay, I'll sleep in here, baby girl. Let me go check on Mommy, then I'll be in."

"Does Mommy need you too?" Lucy asked blue eyes glassy with fever.

"She needs me to check on her," he said. "But I think she can sleep by herself."

"Cause I could share," she offered and twisted a bit in her bed.

Harm couldn't help but smile. "That's very sweet of you, baby girl," he said. "But I think Mommy will be okay with me in here tonight. I'll go make sure, then I'll be right back."

Lucy nodded and twisted some more trying to get comfy when she ached all over.

Harm and Bud met up in the hall and simultaneously they asked each other, "How is she?"

"Not too good," answered Harm. "I'm on my way to check on Mac, then I'm going to go sleep on Lucy's floor."

"She's not so hot in there either," Bud replied. "I think she's putting on a brave face for me though."

Harm nodded. "She does that a lot anymore. Thanks for helping her get settled, I really appreciate it."

"You going to be okay tonight? I could call Harriet and ask to stay here," Bud offered.

"Oh Bud, you don't need to do that," said a very grateful Harm. "I can handle it from here, you should get home to your own family."

Bud nodded, "Well just call if you need us and one of us will be right over," Bud said. "I mean it."

"Will do," said Harm. "Thanks again, for everything."

Bud took his leave with a handshake and Harm went to see Mac. She was lying flat and straight, no pillows in sight, staring at the ceiling.

"You know better than that," he said softly.

"Yeah but I didn't want to put Bud out," Mac replied. "Anyway, I can hide the pain when its time to put my legs up."

"I know," he said as he got her pillows from the chair in the corner. "And I really wish you didn't hide it like that. Lift up."

Mac bore down and bit her lip hard. She refused to give into it anymore, not even in front of Harm. When he finished the agonizing procedure, she was visibly shaking, but made no sound and shed only one tear.

"I'm going to sleep in Lucy's room tonight," he said as he changed into his sleep clothes. "Is that okay?"

"Yeah, sure. I'm fine," Mac replied. "How is she doing?"

"Not good," he replied. "Much like her mother. You don't have to hide the pain from me, Mac. It's okay to let people know when you don't feel good."

"Not anymore," Mac replied. "I'm not giving in. I'm done being the victim. I wouldn't have even told you tonight if Lucy didn't squeal on me."

"Mac," he sighed. "I...I really wish you weren't trying to be so brave and covert about this. It's not necessary, and it really bothers me that you still feel like you have to shut me out sometimes. I thought we were past that."

"We are," Mac sighed. "I just don't need to occupy every minute of your time. Lucy needs you. I will be..." She paused.

"What's wrong?" he asked, hurrying to her side despite being a bit put out with her.

"Nothing," Mac lied for she was in the midst of a fierce cramp. "I'm good."

"Don't lie to me, Mac," he said sternly. "I know that look, you're in pain; don't deny it."

"It's only a cramp," she sighed. "It'll pass."

"I know it'll pass," he said. "That's not the point. I don't want to fall back into the hole we've worked so hard to get out of, and that means we need to not start keeping things from each other again."

Mac nodded, "Do you think you can spare ten minutes then?" she asked relenting.

"I sure can," he replied. "What do you need?"

"Can you please...I feel silly," Mac blushed.

"Don't feel silly," he encouraged. "What do you need?"

"My stomach is really badly cramped," Mac sighed. "Can you rub it out for me and then set me up with the hot pack."

He smiled warmly. "You know I will."

Harm reached out gently and began to rub Mac's stomach, he could feel the cramp there, tight and hard. "You must be miserable," he said.

"I really have had a lot worse," Mac replied. "Anyway Lucy is more important now."

"I want to be here for you, too" he insisted. "I don't want to slight one of you for the other. Just speak up when you need something from me, sweetie. That's all I need you to do."

"A quick kiss and that heating pad will do it. This isn't helping much," Mac sighed. "You're going to need to call the doctor again. The pain is different and higher up."

"Want me to call tonight?" he asked. "Is it just pain? Are you bleeding, too? Where exactly does it hurt?"

"No, it's not bad enough for that and I'm not bleeding," Mac replied. "The pain is here." She pointed to her left side higher up near her ovary or her fallopian tube.

"Hmm, okay," he said. "I'll call in the morning, if you're really sure you'll be okay tonight."

"I will be," Mac said. "Go to her. She needs you."

With a nod and a sweet kiss goodnight, Harm grabbed his pillow and an extra blanket and returned to Lucy's room for the night.