Snapshots
A JAG collection
Born on the Fourth of July
"Oh my god, where the hell have you been?" Mac barked. "Baby, I'm so sorry. Traffic was awful," Still dressed in his khaki uniform, Harm bent down to place a kiss on Mac's sweaty forehead, "It is a holiday," Harriet added, trying to help Harm out a little. With the expectant father having now arrived, Harriet straightened up and shook her hand, grateful Mac now had someone else to dig her claws into.
"You had to do an investigation on the fucking Fourth of July," Mac spoke between huffs, already clutching one of Harm's hands with both of hers.
"To be fair, you weren't due for another two weeks," Harriet said.
"Harriet, shut up!" Mac yelled.
Harm smirked. "I still got back just in time though, right?"
"She's only five centimeters dilated, you still have plenty of time-"
"Harriet!"
"Sorry, sorry!" Harriet said hastily, raising her hands up in surrender. "I'll leave you two to it."
When Mac came out of the contraction and released Harm's hand from hers, it was almost numb from the pressure, but Harm tried his best to mask any discomfort he felt. He wasn't stupid; he knew now was not the time to make anything about him.
Mac turned to look at Harm, processing that he was finally there. "Hey," she said, still catching her breath. She gave him a tired smile.
"Hey, you," Harm returned her smile, reaching up to tuck a piece of hair behind Mac's ear.
"I bet I look like a disaster."
"No," he shook his head. "You look beautiful. I'm sorry I was late."
"It's okay," Mac shifted in the bed so she was sitting more upright. "I was yelling at you for working on the Fourth when I'm the one who had to go into labor today," she suddenly turned to him, eyes wide. "Do you think she'll hate us?"
Harm gave her an incredulous look. "Hate us for what, Mac?"
"Being born today," Mac answered. "How is she supposed to feel special if she shares a birthday with an entire country?"
"I think she'll know we didn't have that much control over it," Harm took Mac's hand in his, using the hand he wasn't still trying to gain feeling back in. "And she'll be special because she's our little girl."
"And what about her name? Do you think we should change it?"
"No…why?"
"Do you think Grace is a little…basic?"
Harm knew he was now approaching the sketchy territory where nothing he said would end up being the correct answer. "Ummm….I think it's definitely a common name," he answered slowly. "But none of the other Graces will be our Gracie."
"You think so?"
He nodded. "I'm positive."
"I want an epidural."
"Okay, we can do that."
"And you put the car seat in, right?"
"Of course I did."
"And do you think I should write Harriet a card? I feel bad for yelling."
"I'm sure she understands, babe."
"And you-"
"At ease, counselor. Do you want me to rub your back?"
While everyone else was out and about celebrating America's birthday, Harm and Mac were tucked away in a quiet room on the labor and delivery floor of INOVA Fairfax, privately reveling in the birth of their daughter. Grace Mackenzie Rabb (Mac's last name made for a very convenient middle name) made her grand entrance in the early evening, just in time for some evening fireworks.
"If you press your cheek right up against the glass and look this way, you can kind of see some of them," Harm said, looking over his shoulder at Mac. He quickly noticed that she wasn't watching him, but rather, was looking down at their new daughter swaddled in her arms.
"I have the best view right here, but thank you."
Harm smiled. "You definitely do," he walked back over to the bed, gently sitting down on the edge. Gracie Rabb was the spitting image of her mother, and Harm already couldn't be more in love with both of them.
"You know, maybe her being born today wasn't that bad," Mac spoke softly as to not wake up their sleeping daughter.
"You think?"
"Uh-huh," she nodded. "She gets a built-in fireworks show with every birthday. What kid wouldn't want that?"
Harm chuckled. "You're probably right."
"And we could always have her birthday party the weekend before or the weekend after. I think this is something we can work around."
"Definitely," Harm leaned over to get a better look at his daughter. "At least no one can accuse us of not being patriotic now."
"That's true."
"Do you think her favorite color will be red, white, or blue?"
"Very funny, Harm."
This is something new that I'm trying. I had all of these ideas for scenes between Harm and Mac that didn't have enough substance to be their own standalone piece, so I decided to create this as a place to put all of them. I know this concept has been done before, but I figured it was time that I put my own spin on it. All of these will be pretty short (my goal is to keep all of them under 1,000 words) and most of them will be independent from each other.
Most of my stories and updates err on the longer side, so I wanted to shake things up and try writing some shorter pieces.
Anywho, thanks for reading!
-Harper
