By the time they arrived at Mac's apartment tension was at boiling point. Mac found opening her door nigh on impossible, knees weak and hands shaking made it difficult enough without Harm pressing his body against hers. Finally the door swung open and she pulled Harm into the apartment with her. She flung the door shut but it didn't catch, not that she realised, and it quietly opened again of its own accord. They were two steps away from the bedroom, the first items of clothing already shed, before Mac stopped kissing him. "AJ," she said looking over his shoulder.
"Good try, Mac, but it's not going to work this time." Harm kissed her neck repeatedly.
"No, Harm, really, it's AJ."
"Not falling for it, Mac." He pulled down her bra strap despite her protestations and kissed her shoulder.
"I wouldn't fall for it either," came a voice from behind that Harm recognised instantly.
"Admiral! AJ!" he said spinning around.
"Evening Harm, evening Mac," he grinned, glad to be finally interrupting something. "I seem to have come at a bad time."
"No, we're happy to see you anytime, it's been so long," said Mac moving to kiss him. She was happy to see him, she would have been happier if he'd of come yesterday or even tomorrow but he was here now, what could she do. "Can I get you something? Coffee?"
"That would be great Mac."
"Harm?"
"Coffee's fine." It wasn't his first choice but there wasn't a lot he could do about it now.
Several minutes later Mac returned, placed the tray of mugs and chocolate biscuits onto the coffee table and sat on the sofa next to Harm. AJ sat in the armchair and again smiled at them. "So how's retirement treating you these days, AJ?" Mac asked.
"Pretty good thanks, Mac."
"So what are you doing back in DC?" asked Harm.
"Personal business."
"Care to elaborate?" Mac asked, she had notice his face was drawn and he looked much older than she remembered.
"Not at this stage."
"How long are you here for?" Harm asked.
"A week or so, all depends."
"On?" Mac asked.
"So what's happening here? Anything I should know about?" AJ grinned.
"Mac and I are exploring our options at the moment," Harm explained, a smile spreading across his face.
"Ah, I'm glad you two have finally got your act together."
"We are too," Mac answered.
The conversation went on and on, never delving too far below the surface. Harm and Mac kept pushing the Admiral but whenever they came too close to the truth the topic was changed.
Mac invited AJ to join them for lunch at the Roberts the following day and despite his initial reservations, he was easily swayed.
"Oh, look at the time!" AJ exclaimed getting up from the chair slowly. It was 0034.
"Where are you staying?"asked Mac.
"Newmarket Hotel."
"How did you get here?" asked Harm.
"A friend dropped me off."
"Are they picking you up?" asked Mac.
"Nuh, I'll get a taxi."
Mac and Harm exchanged worried glances and Mac squeezed his hand "AJ, Harm will drive you home. He was heading that way anyway."
"No, that's not necessary, I'll be fine," AJ answered. "Mind if I use the head?"
"No, go ahead." As soon as he had gone Mac turned to Harm, "I'm sorry Sweetheart," she said quietly. "I just think…"
"I know," he kissed her quickly. "But tomorrow we pick up where we left off."
AJ came back in. "AJ, it's all set, Harm will take you to the hotel and pick you up at about 1100 tomorrow." Mac said in a tone she knew he wouldn't argue with.
"If you're sure."
"We are. Now go, get some sleep and I'll see you both at the Roberts tomorrow at noon." She kissed them both and they left.
When Mac arrived on the Roberts' doorstep laden with bags it was 1145.
"Aunty Mac," yelled AJ as he opened the door.
"Hello AJ, how are you?"
"Good thanks, can I help you?"
Mac smiled, AJ was definitely his father's son. "Sure can, kiddo." She handed him three of the lighter bags.
"Hello Mac," said Harriet wiping her hands on her apron. "I thought I heard voices. What on earth have you got there?"
"Just a few things to put towards lunch."
"But you have enough to feed an army."
"Well, I did invite a couple of friends to join us. I hope you don't mind but they turned up unexpectedly and…"
"That's okay, who?"
"It's a surprise." Mac followed Harriet to the kitchen and emptied the contents of the bags onto the table.
"What's this?" asked AJ holding up a wrapped box.
"That is for Jimmy." Mac fished in another bag. "This is for you, this is for Nikki and this is for Michael. Do you think you could help the babies open theirs?"
"Sure can, Aunty Mac," AJ said excitedly.
"Mac, you shouldn't have, you spoil them."
"I know but I can't help it." She put an arm around Harriet's waist as they walked back into the living room.
The twins loved their matching soft rattles, Jimmy was pleased with his spinning top but AJ was nearly speechless with excitement, Mac's gift of a Scalosaurus Raptor was exactly what he wanted. He had nagged his parents for weeks but they hadn't relented.
"Thank you, thank you, Aunty Mac," he shouted throwing his arms around her neck and hugging her tightly. "You're the best!"
Mac smiled, she loved this little boy so much.
"Hello Mac," Bud said coming down the stairs, "What's all the excitement?"
"Dad, dad, look what Aunty Mac gave me," he squealed holding up the Raptor.
"You're a very lucky boy, I hope you said thank you."
"He did," answered Mac.
"Hey dad, we're having surprise visitors for lunch."
"And who would that be?" Bud asked looking at the ladies.
"It wouldn't be a surprise if she told us," AJ laughed before returning his attention to his new acquisition.
------
It was 1223 when the doorbell rang again, AJ ran to the door desperate to see who the surprise would be.
"Hey sport," Harm said with a bright smile.
"Uncle Harm," AJ squealed launching himself at Harm's opened arms. "I'm glad it's you."
"Glad it's me, who were you expecting?"
"Aunty Mac just said it was a surprise."
"I didn't know you were home, Harm, otherwise I would have invited you too," said Harriet moving to kiss him.
"When did you get back?" Bud asked, shaking his hand.
"Ah, last night."
"Well, I'm glad it's you too, you are always more than welcome in our house, invitation or not," Harriet beamed.
"That's very good of you to say Harriet but I'm not really the surprise."
"You're not?" AJ was now very curious.
"I brought the surprise with me." Harm moved in from the doorway and the surprise guest emerged.
"Admiral!!!" Harriet and Bud exclaimed in unison.
"Hello Roberts Family," he said moving into the living room. Harriet hugged and kissed him, Bud shook his hand and little AJ just stood quietly. He knew that he was named after this man, he knew this man was a good guy and that he often sent him baseball cards and caps but there was something different about him, he just didn't know what.
Lunch was a noisy affair between the constant chatter of old friends catching up and the general hubbub associated with feeding and entertaining four children under seven. The time flew by with no one making comment as to why the Admiral was in town or his health. Mac and Harriet were in the kitchen after clearing the table when the Admiral told Harm he'd have to be going. "I'll get a cab, Harm, you don't need to be leaving just yet."
"No, I brought you, I'll take you home."
"Look really, I don't want to be…"
"I'm taking you back to the hotel or wherever you want to go and that's that."
"You never listened to me, did you Rabb?"
Harm just smiled. "I'll just tell Harriet and Mac we are going?"
"Going where?" Mac asked coming back through the door.
"AJ needs to be going, I'll be taking him home," Harm answered.
"So soon?" Harriet said following behind Mac.
"Afraid so Harriet, thank you so much for lunch, I've really enjoyed myself."
"I'm so glad, sir. Please don't leave it so long next time." She kissed his cheek.
"I won't."
"Mac, take care of yourself, hope everything works out for you."
"Thanks AJ," she hugged and kissed him.
-----
The kettle whistle blew and Mac went back into the kitchen to turn it off. As she turned around she knew Harm was there.
"What are your plans, Mac?"
"I was going to hang out here a while, why?"
"I'll drop the Admiral off and come back."
"See if you can find out what's going on, will you?"
"Yeah, I'll try."
Harm moved to kiss her cheek but Mac had other ideas. She kissed him on the lips, it wasn't long but it was loving and tender. "Now go – the sooner you go the sooner you'll be back." She kissed him again and pushed him through the swinging doors.
"Explain that!" said Harriet in shock standing at the other kitchen door.
"Explain what?" Mac asked innocently.
"You kissed him."
"I did? Huh!"
"Sarah MacKenzie, stop making that coffee and tell me the truth. What's going on? How long's it been going on?"
"What makes you think something's going on?" Mac tried to ask in all seriousness but the widening smile on her face could not be concealed.
"MAC!" Harriet was nearly beside herself.
-------
Mac sat down at the kitchen table and Harriet sat down beside her.
"Well..." Harriet prompted.
"It started the Saturday after we all had dinner at The Grosvenor and …" Mac began.
"Mac, that was three weeks ago!" Harriet exclaimed.
"I know, Harriet, I'm surprised Bud didn't tell you."
"Bud knew? How?"
"He walked in on us in Harm's apartment just as we were about to 'take the next step', so to speak."
"He never said anything, I'll kill him!" Harriet said.
"I think he was more than embarrassed."
"So, you were interrupted, then…" Harriet pressed for details.
"Then Bud and Harm had to go into the office…" Mac continued.
"Yeah, I knew that."
"Then Harm was sent to the Seahawk…"
"Yeah, I knew that."
"Then he came back last night and surprised me in the office."
"By surprised do you mean surprised?" Harriet's eyes opened wide.
"Well, it looked like it was going that way but then Sturgis came in."
"What did he want?" asked Harriet exasperated.
"To ask Harm to be his best man. He and Varese are getting married next month."
"I didn't know that – I must ring and congratulate them. Then?"
"Then Harm was acting a bit strange, might have been the talk of marriage, but he got a second wind in the elevator and let's just say things got rather passionate." Mac felt her cheeks redden.
"There in the elevator?"
"We didn't actually do anything but he wouldn't stop so I told him the General was there and that stopped him."
"That was cheeky!"
"Well, it got us out of the elevator and back to my apartment."
"Ooooh! Then…"
----------
"Mom, can I have some candy?" AJ asked hopefully.
"Anything you want, AJ," Harriet answered somewhat distracted. "Then?" she repeated when the child had left.
"We were two steps away from the bedroom and …"
"Oh no, the Admiral came."
"The Admiral came," Mac repeated.
"So you two haven't actually…"
"No."
"But you want to?"
"Yep."
"And he wants to?"
"Oh yeah."
"And you keep getting interrupted?"
"Aha."
"You know with that record you could be married."
---------------
Harriet checked her watch. "What time do you think Harm will get back?"
"Oh, sometime around 1700, I guess. Why?"
"It's just that Bud and I are going to take the kids to a friend's birthday party so you two could have the house to yourselves if you wanted."
"That's very generous of you Harriet but I'm not sure..."
"Look, no one will know you are here so it limits the chances of interruption, doesn't it?"
"I guess."
"And after Harm gets back here, it will be another few hours before you can get back home, won't it?"
"I guess."
"And the two of you driving two different cars all that way could result in all sorts of delays due to traffic conditions or mechanical breakdowns."
"I guess."
"And then you'd just have to wait some more."
"I guess."
"Is that all you can say?"
"What time are you going?"