Chapter Fifty-Five:
Love Is Here To Stay
WEEK 36
FEBRUARY 10TH, 2002
1430 EST
HARM'S RENTAL HANGAR
BLACKSBURG, VIRGINIA
Harm may not have flown in Sarah for a while, but he did make the occasional trip out to Blacksburg to check on her. On this particular occasion however, he had an ulterior motive for making the trip.
"So, you really think you're going to do it?"
"Uh-huh. I think now's as good a time as any."
He was on the phone with Frank, who was the only person who was in on the plan. They'd had this secret between the two of them since Thanksgiving, and now it was all going to come to light.
The idea to propose to Mac had been in the back of Harm's mind since the night they'd first slept together, but he hadn't gotten the urge to act on it until their trip to Belleville. Almost losing her after the fiasco with Brumby had put things into perspective for him, and Harm realized that he wasn't about to risk losing her again.
So, one afternoon at the farm while Mac was taking a nap and Trish and Frank were taking a walk, Harm snuck into his grandmother's old bedroom. Harm didn't have any cousins and Sergei wasn't very interested in staking his claim to the Rabb estate, so that technically left any and all family heirlooms in Harm's possession.
This included his grandmother's ring, an emerald set on a simple gold band. When Sarah Rabb had passed in the summer of 1995-coincidentally the summer Harm started working at JAG-she'd insisted on not being buried with it, instead opting to have Harm give it to his future wife. Harm's Sarah, Sarah Mackenzie, was that woman.
"Are you sure this is a good idea, Harm?"
Harm paused, one foot poised to start the climb to the cockpit. "Sure, I mean-it's not like she's going anywhere," he chuckled, despite his stepfather's apprehension throwing him off a little. "We really can't take things much faster than we're already taking them."
"Right."
As Harm entered the cockpit, cell phone cradled precariously between his shoulder and ear, his first thought wasn't to check and make sure everything was in working order, like he usually did. Instead he reached under the seat, into a space just big enough to hold a small lock box. Pulling it out, Harm put in the combination-Mac's birthday-and the lock popped open.
"So, are you and Mom still planning on coming out here at the end of the month?"
"Yeah, your Mom booked the tickets today. We should be getting there on the second. I hope the baby has a good sense of time."
Harm smirked as he pulled out the ring box. "Let's hope."
Since Mac knew all the hiding places in their apartment, and Harm was positive the ring would get lost at his office or at his loft, Sarah seemed like the most viable option. Harm was good friends with the hangar's owner, so he was able to keep a watchful eye and make sure no one snuck away with the lockbox when Harm wasn't around.
"How does it look?"
He held up the ring, the emerald catching a beam of light from the outside. Harm turned the ring around in his hand, examining it from all angles. He'd been thinking of this moment for months, and now it was finally here.
"It looks perfect," he said. It was a perfect ring for a perfect woman.
THAT SAME TIME
MACKENZIE-RABB RESIDENCE
GEORGETOWN
After straightening up around the living room and nursery, Mac decided she deserved the rest of the afternoon off. She sat down on the sofa with a magazine and box of crackers, with the full intention of not moving until Harm got home. Thankfully, she wouldn't have to.
Her landline was on the end table next to the sofa, so when it rang all Mac had to do was reach over her shoulder. "Hello?" she said, pausing mid-chew. "This is Colonel Mackenzie."
"Hi Colonel. This is Lieutenant Hawkes."
"Skates?" Mac propped herself up on her elbows. "I thought you were still on the Seahawk?"
"I'm on leave, ma'am. I was actually hoping Commander Rabb was there-no offense, of course."
Mac sat up, wincing a little as the box of crackers slid off her lap and onto the floor. "He's not here right now, but I could take a message."
"Oh…" Skates paused. "Well, I was just wondering if he was sure about not retaking his quals."
"His what?" Mac's eyebrows shot up. She scrambled to try and think of something Harm could've said that she missed, but came up with nothing. The last time she'd heard Harm say anything about his quals was back in May, the night before he crashed.
"His quals, ma'am. He told me the other day he wasn't retaking them."
"Well, he didn't tell me," Mac replied, her tone surprisingly calm. She was too confused to be angry, wondering why Harm wouldn't want to mention something as monumental as him not retaking his quals.
Why would he essentially quit flying without telling me? she wondered with concern.
A FEW DAYS LATER
FEBRUARY 14TH, 2002
1945 EST
MACKENZIE-RABB RESIDENCE
GEORGETOWN
Mac had never made it down the aisle, but she did have some experience with marriage proposals. She'd been proposed to twice, and neither time had been a traditional proposal. Chris had proposed to her in the parking lot of a bar in Phoenix, with no ring and one hand stuffed under her shirt. Mic had a little more class, slipping a very nice ring on her finger during a ferry ride-he didn't get around to stuffing his hand under Mac's blouse until later that night.
In all of her experiences with romance, Mac had yet to experience a traditional guy-gets-dow-on-one-knee, type of proposal.
"This is nice," Mac said, looking down at her left hand. She'd gone to go get manicures with Harriet the day before, and the polish had already started to chip on the pointer finger. Granted, she'd been typing the entire day, so she really couldn't blame the manicurist.
"Glad you like it," Harm replied. As a Valentines' Day gift, he'd been the one to pay for the manicure.
Harm and Mac opted to spend Valentines' Day at home, lighting some candles around the dining room and draping a white table cloth over the table. The lights were turned down low and Harm had one of his father's Sinatra vinyls playing softly in the corner. They'd prepared dinner together, too. Harm had shown Mac how to properly make spaghetti and have it be edible.
"Hey, I have a question for you."
Mac looked up from her hand. "What?"
"Will you be my Valentine?"
She smiled. "Of course. I thought I already was."
Harm shrugged. "You were," he said. "I was just double-checking."
In addition to the dinner, Harm had also gotten Mac two bouquets of roses-one for her and one for the baby-and Mac had gotten him a box of chocolates and a stuffed bear. It was their first Valentines' Day together, but they still wanted to keep things low key.
While twirling some noodles around her fork, Mac suddenly paused. Looking up at Harm, who was busy buttering some garlic bread, she cleared her throat. "I have a question for you, too."
"Yeah?"
"When were you going to tell me you weren't retaking your quals?"
Harm paused. Mac watched him intently as he slowly sat down the butter knife. He sighed. "Mac, I was meaning to tell you…" his brow furrowed. "Wait, how did you find out?"
"Skates called while you were at the hangar."
"Oh…."
"Yeah…" Forgetting about her new manicure, Mac began to pick at her cuticles. "So, when were you going to tell me?"
Harm took a deep breath. He reached up to run his fingers through his hair. "I wanted to wait and tell you after the baby came. I didn't want to worry you."
Mac gave him a dry look. "You know I would worry regardless. Especially since you're still keeping secrets from me."
"I wasn't actively trying to keep it a secret from you," Harm countered as he reached for the salt. "You never asked about it until now."
Mac didn't say anything. She looked at him ruefully. "Still," she insisted. "Why, Harm?"
He sighed. "Mac, I didn't mean to keep you out of the loop-"
"That's not what I meant," she said. "Why are you not retaking your quals?"
Harm paused, that question not being the one he was prepared to answer. "Uhhh…" he didn't know what to say. There were many different avenues to go down as means to get to an explanation. Mac was watching him, and Harm scrambled to try and think of something to say. He kept coming back to the simplest answer, so that was the one he decided to go to.
"I didn't want to leave you," he said.
"What?" Mac asked. She knew he would have to go away to fly, but that was only for a few days at a time-maybe a week or two at most, if his TAD assignment took longer than expected.
"Mac, the last time I was in a cockpit, I almost died…"
Oh, it suddenly dawned on her that Harm was talking about that kind of leaving.
"I had to grow up without my dad because of flying, and my grandfather died because of it," he reached across the table and took Mac's hand in his. "I didn't want to keep up that pattern. Flying isn't worth leaving my family."
Mac stared at Harm for a few moments, wondering for a few moments if someone had taken her boyfriend and replaced him with a clone. The Harmon Rabb Jr. she'd always known had been one to play the odds, take every single risk possible. There was no way he'd do something as cautious as quit flying.
"Are you serious?" she asked, and he nodded. "But-but you love flying, Harm-"
"I love you more."
Feeling the ring box in his pocket, Harm slipped out of the chair and got down on one knee before Mac even realized what was happening. When she did realize what was happening, an almost comical look of shock crossed her face.
"Harmon Rabb Jr-"
"Hold on, you haven't even seen the ring yet," Harm said. He pulled the ring box from his pocket and flipped it open with his thumb. Mac gasped as soon as her eyes landed on the emerald ring inside.
"Where did you-"
"It was my grandmother's."
Mac instantly drew her hands back. "Oh God, I can't take her ring."
"Yes you can," Harm gently took Mac's left hand by the wrist and brought it down to his level. He looked up at her. "If you're going to be my wife, you should have it."
"Harm-"
"Sarah," he said, continuing while Mac tried her best to keep from freaking out. "I've been in love with you since I met you, it just took me way too long to realize it. I don't feel about another human being on earth the same way I feel about you. You...you're the only person I've ever been able to find my way back to. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life being with you and our child. Will you marry me?"
Mac looked down at Harm. It felt like she'd suddenly developed a sixth sense, like every inch of her was buzzing. She'd been wondering about how this moment would go for a while-years, practically-and now that the moment was upon her, she was clamming up.
"Is this-"
"Yes."
"Are you-"
"Yes."
"Are we-"
"Yes."
"Well then, Yes," Mac began to nod furiously, finally able to form a coherent sentence. "Yes-I'll marry you."
Harm smiled. He slipped the ring onto Mac's finger, taking a minute to admire how nice it looked on her hand. "Green really is your color, you know."
She rolled her eyes, looking down at the ring on her hand. She actually had a ring, unlike her proposal to Chris, and she didn't have some delicate diamond like she got with Mic's proposal. What she had right in that moment was perfect.
Harm rolled over, bending down to place a kiss on the back of Mac's shoulder. She hummed softly at the feeling of his lips, turning over to face him. Harm placed another kiss on her lips.
"I never told you thank you," he murmured.
Mac raised an eyebrow. "Thank you? For what?"
"For deciding to marry me."
She laughed, draping one arm across Harm's chest. "It would be a little problematic if I said no, don't you think?" she asked. "If I was going to raise a child with you and live with you, why wouldn't I also be willing to marry you?"
"True."
Mac held her left hand up, the emerald catching the dim glow of the bedside lamp. Harm reached up as well, intertwining his fingers with hers. They decided to not announce the engagement until they got settled with the baby, but Mac liked the ring too much to take it off for the time being.
For the wedding as a whole, Harm and Mac decided to take things slow, fully aware that those were famous last words for the two of them. They had the rest of their lives to get married, but they would have a baby in a month or less. Like any good parents, Harm and Mac were making their child their first priority.
"What do you think about June for the wedding?" Mac asked, nuzzling Harm's neck.
"Sounds good to me," he replied. "What year?"
"Let's see…" Mac bit her lip in thought. "I was thinking 2004, maybe 2005."
Harm's eyebrows shot up. "That long, huh?"
"I figured if we waited until the baby was potty trained it would just be easier all around," Mac explained. "Diapers and weddings don't really sound like a good mix."
"Good point," Harm reached down to tuck a lock of Mac's hair behind her ear. "You know, I don't really care how long it takes for us to get married."
"You don't."
Harm shook his head. "Nope. Just being with you is enough."
Mac smiled. She placed a soft kiss on his cheek. "It's enough for me, too."
That night, everything Harm and Mac could ever want were things they already had.
Ahhh! It's finally happening, just in time for the new year! Our favorite couple is getting married! I decided I had been holding out for long enough, I needed to have Harm propose.
It's hard to believe that we're nearing the end of this saga, The Case. It's a little sad - bittersweet rather, if I'm being honest. Thanks for reading, everyone! Happy New Year!
-Harper