Chapter 8 - What's wrong?
Sam sighed thinking about Mac, she hadn't called this week, she was sorry she'd told her about their baby
"What wrong honey?" Jack said walking into her lab
"Just thinking about Mac"
"What's wrong, is she ok?"
"Yeah, she's just been given the opposite news to us, they're having more trouble than expected"
"She has endometriosis, of course it's going to be harder for them, I'm sad for them too but don't get so down on it, would it help if we went and saw them next time we get leave?"
"You, leave?"
"Right well next time we need some JAG's I'll get them OK?"
"Deal" he hugged her and kissed her forehead
"Don't worry they'll get their miracle"
Virginia
Mac was coughing harshly again, Harm had done everything he could think of, at least she was asleep for now, and she may not be for long if she kept his up for long. He heard her moan and walked into their room and sure enough her found her gasping for breath, wide-awake
"That's it Marine, we're going to Bethesda now"
"Harm"
"No, come on, I know you hate the hospital and doctors and all that but for me? Please, I'm really worried about you" Mac knew that he would never say that unless it was true so she got up and allowed him to help her to the car.
Later in the Doctor's office
"Well Colonel I've heard you have a bit of a cough" Mac nodded, "well let's just get straight into it shall we?" the doctor was a kind young woman and she helped Mac pull up her shirt and listened intently to her chest "It sounds pretty bad unfortunately" Mac began to cough again and the poor doctor was shocked at what she saw and heard, and seeing the look on Harm's face he was very worried, she was having trouble breathing and her whole body shook with each cough
"My goodness Colonel, that is some cough" Mac stopped and nodded sheepishly "And it also sounds like it had been building up for quite some time"
"Mac?" Harm said
"Not really, it only started a few days ago"
"Wow, I think you need to stay for a couple of days for tests and recuperation, from this I think you have an advanced lung infection but we'll do more tests and find out. If you'll just follow me" she lead Harm and Mac into a room and asked Mac to change into a robe which she did unwillingly and lay on the bed waiting for her to come back
"Mac, I'll be here with you every step of the way" Mac nodded not wanting to speak and start herself coughing again. When the doctor came back in a few nurses followed her.
"Ok Colonel, we need to take you in to get a chest x-ray" Mac nodded and Harm stood when they began to wheel her bed away "I'm sorry sir, but you can't come too, if you don't mind waiting here. Harm sad down again to wait, Mac kept eye contact until they wheeled her completely out of sight, Harm wasn't worried about the x-ray they were taking, he was worried about what they were gonna find.
After half an hour they wheeled her back in and the doctor began to talk about what they were hoping to find from the x-rays they had done. A few minutes later a nurse walked in and handed the doctor an envelope.
"Would you like to come too sir?" she asked Harm
"No thanks, I think I'll stay with my wife" he sat holding her hand until the doctor returned a little while later with the x-rays back in the envelope.
"The Colonel seems to have a very advanced form of a chest infection, shown by the x-rays we took, we are going to have to keep her in for a few weeks and pump her with antibiotics to dry out her lungs and heal them up a bit" Mac lay back and sighed as the doctor finished and left
"Don't worry, I'll be here the whole time"
"No, you should go home and let Chegwidden know that I won't be in for two weeks or so"
"I know you don't like Hospitals, are you sure you don't want me to stay?"
"No"
"Does that men no stay, or no go?"
"No I'm not sure but you can go because I'm fine, come tomorrow"
"Ok" he left after placing a quick kiss on her forehead and going via the doctor to talk to him and be told he needed a shot of anti-biotic so he didn't get the infection too.
That night Harm called AJ and told him about Mac and that she had to stay in the hospital for 2 weeks and then have bed rest the following week or maybe two if it was needed. AJ said that he would re arrange the court dates and nothing would have to give because she was sick.
"Thank you Sir"
"No problem commander, just look after that wife of yours"
"I'll be in next week but when she is at home I'll have to stay with her"
"That's fine commander, just let me know when you need the time off"
"Will do sir, thank you very much"
"Good bye, son"
"Good bye" they hung up and Harm went to bed, changing into his sleeping boxers and curling up in bed, it felt empty without Mac and he missed the warmth that she often gave to him.
Mac was having the same problem that night but unlike Harm was unable to fall asleep, she had tubes pumping things into her and missed Harm deeply, she lay there looking at the roof and sighed, past midnight she fell asleep. The next morning Harm came in to visit before work and found her fast asleep, leaving a teddy bear dressed in female marine greens on her bedside table with a card that he had written over breakfast, he lay a kiss on her forehead and left.
Harm found it difficult to work that day, he wasn't too worried about her because she was in the best hands possible but his missed her smiling face and her looks from over the bullpen. As soon as he finished work he went straight to Bethesda and into her room
"Harm" she said smiling
"Hey baby" he came and kissed her gently "How are you feeling?"
"A lot better actually"
"That's good" he sat down on a seat and looked at her, she was looking better
"Thank you for the bear" she said pointing to the bear on her bed
"I couldn't resist"
"It's cute"
"I missed you today" he said
"Me too" she moved over and patted the space beside her "Please sit down" he moved onto the spot, taking his shoes off and sit down beside her and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. She laid her head on his shoulder and put an arm around his waist, "I missed you so much" he kissed her temple gently
"I can have some time off if you want me to stay tomorrow"
"No, stay at work, in a few weeks I will need you to care for me when I go home"
"Ok" he held her closer and she soon fell asleep on his shoulder, the nurse came in and put her dinner on the table,
"I'll get her to eat it when she wakes" Harm said softly, the nurse nodded and left