Chapters 1-7      Chapters 8-14        Chapter 15-21         Chapter 22-28         Chapter 29-35   Chapters 36-41

Title:
Who Am I.

Background: Written in Nov 2005 – this story is AU starting at season four so there is no trip to Russia in Season 6 to meet Sergei and no CIA job to meet Mattie. Story begins a few years in the future.

Rating: PG13

Summary: A single event in Harm and Mac’s lives turns their past and future upside down.

Chapter 1

Rabb home
Falls Church Virginia
Late August, 2010


Mac could hear the phone ringing.  Slamming the washer lid shut, she ran upstairs to the nearest phone.  Harm was already almost an hour late.  It was about time he let her know what the hold up was.  Trisha would undoubtedly read him the riot act if they were late leaving for the campout.   She just loved doing Indian Princesses with her dad, especially since they’d gone renegade.

“Hello.”

“Mrs. Rabb?” the tentative voice asked on the other end.

“Speaking,” Mac let out a small sigh. She hated sales calls.

“This is Officer James Harris with the DC police.”

Mac’s heart instantly sank to the pit of her stomach.  Tommy was playing at Danny’s across the street. DC police wouldn’t be involved in Virginia, unless Sue had taken the kids into the city.  On the other hand, Harm was an hour late checking in. Oh God, no.

“Mrs. Rabb? Are you with me?”

“Yes, sorry. How may I help you?” Why was she asking? She knew why he was calling.

“There’s been an accident. Your husband was care-flighted to Bethesda.” Jim hated making these calls, especially ones like this. How do you tell a woman it was unlikely she’d ever see her husband awake again?

“Was...was anyone else hurt?” ‘Care flight’ echoed in Mac’s head.  This wasn’t good. The tears pooled in her eyes.

“Not seriously, ma’am. Your husband must be one hell of a driver.  Witnesses say he avoided plowing into at least three other cars before he slid off the embankment. Skid marks appear to confirm it.”  Not many women asked about other people first. This lady was either incredibly caring, incredibly brave, or didn’t really give a damn about her husband.

“I’m...I’m on my way.” Mac managed to hold it together, her voice obviously cracking.

“I’ll need to get some information from you when you arrive.” Nope, this woman cared, cared a lot, Jim decided.

“Okay.” Fighting the tears, Mac hung up the phone and dialed Sue.

“Hello?”

“Sue,” Mac cleared her throat. Maybe that would help her not sound as scared as she felt. “I need you to come get Trisha. I... I have to go to Bethesda.  Harm’s been in an accident.”

“Sure, hon, but I’m going with you. Walk Trisha over here, and I’ll drive.” Sue’s tone left no room for argument. The hair on the back of her neck had bristled at the sound of her friend’s voice. She had a bad feeling about this.

“Uh, yeah, that’s fine. I’ll be right there.” Mac’s first instincts were to say that wouldn’t be necessary, but logic quickly kicked in. The last thing her kids needed was to lose two parents in the same day to car accidents.

“Trisha, I need you to come here a minute.” Mac waited at the bottom of the stairs, her purse and keys already in her hand, though she didn’t remember stopping to pick them up.

“What’s up? Is dad here yet?”

“No, honey. Listen, I’m going to need you to go to Mrs. Gleeson’s for a while. Dad’s been in an accident, and they need me to go see him.”

“What kind of an accident? Will he be home in time for the camp out?” The little girl curled her upper lip, valiantly hiding her fear. She looked so damn much like her father when she did that.

“I don’t think so. I’ll call Uncle Bud and have him pick you up at Mrs. Gleeson’s. I’m sure Sara won’t mind sharing you with her dad this time.”

“Is dad going to die?”

Mac could see the watery shine in her daughter’s eyes. Pulling Trisha into a tight hug, Mac squeezed her eyes closed. “No, honey. Daddy wouldn’t do that to you, to us. I’ll call you as soon as I know more about what happened. Okay?”

The little girl nodded her head into her mom’s bosom, holding on for dear life.

“Let’s not tell Tommy yet. We’ll wait till I know a little more. Sound good to you?”

“Uh huh.” Pulling away, Trisha kept up the brave face. “I’ll take care of him. Don’t worry.”

Mac smiled at her nine-year old daughter. “Thanks baby.”

“MOMMM.”

“I know, I know. You’re not a baby.”

Less than fifteen minutes later Mac was sitting in the front seat of her neighbor’s car staring blankly out the window.

“Mac,” Sue ventured carefully. “Do we need to call anyone?”

Looking over at Sue, Mac merely nodded her head and flipped her cell phone open. Amazed she could remember anything at all, she punched the numbers for the Roberts’ house.

“Hello?”

“Harriet, it’s Mac.”

“How’s it going?”

“Not very well. I need a favor.” Mac was having a hard time finding words.

“Name it.”

“I need Bud to come pick Trisha up at Sue’s and take her with him on the campout.”

“Mac, what’s wrong?” Harriet straightened her shoulders. She should have picked up on Mac’s hollow tone as soon as Mac had said Harriet.

“It’s Harm. He’s been taken to Bethesda.”  None of this seemed real. This had to be a bad dream. Harm was a great driver. He had the reflexes of a fighter pilot. This couldn’t be happening.

“How bad is he?” Harriet closed her eyes wishing for the right answer.

“I don’t know. The officer said he was care-flighted to the hospital and no one else was hurt. That’s all I know so far.” Mac’s mouth was starting to feel thick and pasty. She wasn’t sure she could keep talking.

“Don’t you worry about a thing.  I’ll see to it that Bud takes care of Trisha and I’ll get with Sue later about Tommy.  I’ll make a few phone calls. Do you want me to call his mom?”

“I... I don’t know.” A dense fog was slowly filling Mac’s brain.

“Never mind. I’ll take care of everything. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”  Harriet waited for Mac to say something else but only heard the silence of the disconnected phone.  This had to be anyone’s worst nightmare.

The thirty minute drive to Bethesda, Maryland seemed to take forever.  When Sue pulled up at the emergency room entrance, Mac wasn’t sure the car had even come to a complete stop before she’d opened the door and bolted towards the large brick building.

Frantically scanning her surroundings, Mac made her way to the only person in scrubs.

“I was told my husband was brought in by care flight.  I need to know how he is.” Mac was struggling to maintain her composure.  What she really wanted to do was shout ‘Snap To!’ and order someone to give her answers.

“Take it easy. I’m not the receptionist but maybe I can help you.”

No sooner had the words come out of the nurse’s mouth than the double-wide doors flew open and a swarm of pastel colored people rushed past her pushing a gurney. Mac’s head snapped in the direction of the beehive of activity. Barely able to see the patient’s face, Mac knew it was Harm.  All sorts of portable machinery and tubes were hanging from the gurney. There didn’t seem to be any part of his face that wasn’t covered in gauze, tape, or tubes.

By the time she blinked to focus, the hurried crowd had passed into the elevators and out of sight.

“That’s him!” Mac almost screamed.

“Take it easy ma’am. Let me have your name.” Nurse Elizabeth Buckner was in no mood for a hysterical wife, especially not after a shift like today’s. Every time this happened she just reminded herself that if she ever found herself on the other end of that panicked look, God had better give her a patient and honest nurse.

“Sarah Rabb. My husband is Captain Harmon Rabb,” Mac managed to explain. 

“Yes, Mrs...” Before the nurse could finish her sentence, Sue came running down the hall.

“Have they told you anything?”

Mac shook her head no.

“I was just about...” the nurse started again.

“This is Colonel Sarah Rabb, her husband is Captain Harmon Rabb.  We need to know what’s going on, now.” Sue placed a casual arm around Mac’s shoulder.

“As I was trying to tell Colonel Rabb, that was her husband that was just taken upstairs. He’s on his way to surgery. I’m afraid I don’t have any more information than that. I suggest you take her to the third floor waiting room. There’s an officer waiting to get some information, and she’ll need to fill out a surgical consent form. If there’s any news, the doctor will be looking for her there.”

Chapter 2

Bethesda Naval Medical Center
Surgical Waiting Room


Mac and Sue had answered all the policeman’s questions, and Mac had signed every form the staff had given her. It wasn’t very long afterwards when Harriet came rushing through the doorway.

“Any news yet?” Harriet made her way over to where Mac and Sue were sitting.

“Not yet,” Sue answered for Mac.

Harriet looked at Mac’s vacant stare, then glanced over at Sue, who just shrugged.  “Would you like something to drink? Maybe some nice hot tea?” Harriet suggested.

Mac didn’t respond. She didn’t appear to have heard a thing Harriet said.

Finally, Sue whispered, “She hasn’t said a word since we left the ER.”

“I made a few phone calls,” Harriet directed at Mac. “AJ is going to wait until we hear something more specific before calling Mrs. Burnett.” Harriet looked over at Sue. She was really starting to worry about Mac.  She had no way of knowing Mac was in her own little world.

JAG Ops
May 1999


“You and me, have a baby together?”

“Yeah, if in ... five years neither of us is in a relationship, we’ll go halves on a kid.”

Mac stared curiously at her partner. She could almost see Harm starting to squirm.

“Five years?”

“Five years,” he repeated.

“Is there something about the number five you find especially appealing, or did you simply pull it out of a hat?” Mac grinned impishly.

“I...I thought that would give you enough time.”

“Time for what?” Mac frowned. What she thought was a humorous gesture to make her feel better had suddenly taken on a more serious tone.

Harm floundered for the courage he needed. “To learn to see me the way I see you.”

Could it be she’d been wrong? Could it be he cared for her as much as she did for him? She’d almost said too much that night in her apartment when he’d said he wanted to return to flying, but maybe she hadn’t said enough.

“What if I don’t like the number five?” Mac bit her lower lip. She couldn’t believe she was taking a chance like this.

“Not long enough?” What was she up to? What was she trying to tell him? God, he didn’t want to screw this up.

“What if I don’t want to wait that long?” Mac took one step closer. She was taking a terrible chance, but what did she have to lose? If Harm returned to flying, she’d lose him anyway.

“Mac?” Harm moved closer, suddenly forgetting they were standing in the front entrance of a military building.

“Yes?” Mac wasn’t sure she could breathe.

“Would you consider going halves on a kid in four years?” Harm could feel the beat of his heart pulsing through his body.

Mac shook her head no and prayed.

“Three?” It was Harm’s turn to hold his breath.

Each of them inching slightly closer with every word, Mac was now standing only a hair’s breadth away from Harm when she shook her head no again.

Harm had never felt so drawn to anyone in his life. It was as though there was a magnet pulling him closer and closer. His heart was pounding frantically. He was only moments away from having his wildest dreams come true or his entire world shattered. There was only one way to find out.

“Now, Mac? Will you have me now?”

Harm felt his world stop when Mac nodded her head yes.  He’d moved so close, she could feel his breath on her face when the sound of an approaching car snapped them back to reality like a cold shower.

Each taking a step backwards, neither broke the steady gaze, their eyes locked onto each other like heat-seeking missiles.

Finally, Harm managed to mumble, “We need to talk.”

Mac nodded yes.

Reaching out, his thumb barely caressed the side of her arm. “Come to my place? I’ll try and secure early.” A mischievous smile spread across his face. “I’ll cook.”

Mac simply couldn’t find her voice. Nodding her head again, she was horribly afraid if she uttered a single word, the spell would be broken and she’d awaken from this wonderful dream, cold and alone.

Not wanting to break the connection, the two officers barely moved. If Tiner hadn’t come back through the door with a, “Sir, ma’am. The admiral’s looking for you,” they might have very well stood on that porch until it was time to secure.

Bethesda Naval Hospital
Date 2010


“Mac.”

Blinking her eyes, Mac finally recognized Harriet’s voice.  Looking up, she remembered where she was. This wasn’t Ops in 1999. She and Harm hadn’t just discovered their feelings for each other. The man she loved more than life itself was somewhere down the hall, fighting for his.

One of the nurses stood beside Harriet. “Mrs. Rabb, the doctor sent me out to inform you they’ve stopped the internal bleeding and have begun repairing the remaining damage. It could be a while, but the important thing is he’s holding his own.”

“Thank you,” Mac’s voice cracked.

Sue and Harriet let out a visible sigh of relief. Mac had sat silently in her own world for almost an hour. 

“He’s going to make it. You know he’s going to be fine. Harm is tough,” Harriet pointed out, her hand resting gently on Mac’s.

“I know, Harriet. I just, I just don’t know what I’d do without him.” A single tear trickled down Mac’s cheek.

Harm’s apartment
May 1999
1745


“Hi.” Harm swung the door open wide.

“Hey,” Mac smiled nervously.

“Come on in. I hope you don’t mind pasta. It’s all I had.” Harm hurried back to the stove, lifting the pot lid to check on the nearly boiling water. “Can I get you something to drink?”

“Water will be fine.” Mac slid onto a stool in front of the island.

Grabbing a couple of bottled waters from the fridge, Harm took a deep breath. He felt like a schoolboy on his first date. He couldn’t remember ever being this nervous. Setting a bottle on the counter in front of Mac, he took a seat beside her.

“About today.” Harm was looking down at the bottle he held.

Mac watched him picking at the corners of the label. Please God, don’t let him back out now.

“I meant what I said.” Harm looked up to meet her gaze.

“So did I.”

He couldn’t help chuckling quietly. “I know I’m a skilled litigator, but I can’t seem to find the words I want. I’m so afraid of saying the wrong thing.”

“Then maybe you shouldn’t say anything at all.” Mac raised a single suggestive eyebrow.

Scooting to the edge of his seat, his voice was barely a whisper. “Mac...” Harm reached over and took her hand in his. It was so small, almost frail the way it folded willingly into his firm grip. 

“Harm?”  Mac shifted her weight, her body gravitating closer to the source of the heat that was rising from the tip of her fingers directly to her beating heart.  Her eyes searched his, hoping to find some sign of the same love she felt.

Irresistibly drawn towards her, Harm’s lips fell gently on hers. Sliding his arm around her, he pulled her into his embrace. As her soft lips pressed against his, he knew this was what he’d been waiting for. The feel of her fingers caressing the side of his face, of her soft lips parting in invitation of things to come, Harm couldn’t hold back a low groan.

Feeling him pull away as she was praying he’d finally give in, Mac softly asked, “What?”

Harm searched her eyes the same way she had just done only moments ago. Pulling her close again, the right words finally came. “Let’s get married.”

Chapter 3

Bethesda
2010


Mac had been pacing the floor for hours. Stopping and looking up at the clock, she realized for maybe the first time in her life she had no idea how long she’d been waiting.  By now, AJ had grown impatient waiting with Meredith at the Roberts’ home and had joined the growing group of concerned friends.  Sturgis and Varese had been about an hour outside of DC on their way to New York for a long weekend when they got the news and turned around.  Jennifer Coates and her husband Bobby were huddled in the corner. 

Over the years Harm had been an odd cross between brother and father to Jen, and she seemed to be taking this hardest of all their friends.  Harriet convinced Sue that with all of Mac’s friends here, it would be best if Sue went home and took care of the boys.  She readily agreed. Sue had left the younger children with her eldest daughter, but she was sure by now the chances were pretty good that Tommy would be asking questions her daughter Mary wouldn’t be able to answer. She was a pretty bright sixteen-year-old, but this was just a little bit over her head.

“Hasn’t it been long enough?” Mac snapped to no one in particular. “It’s been forever since they’ve sent us any word.”

“And no news is good news. It means he’s still stable and they have something fixable to work on.” AJ put his arm around Mac’s shoulder. “Why don’t we go downstairs and get some coffee? I’m sure Harriet will come get us if there’s any change.”

“You know I can’t, but a cup of coffee does sound good.”

“I’ll be right back,” AJ nodded.

“No, sir. You stay here. I’ll get it. I think I need the walk, anyhow.” Jennifer Coates hadn’t worked for the Admiral since he’d retired six years ago, but she still called him ‘sir’ on the few occasions their paths would cross.

Mac took in a long deep breath and let it out very slowly. This waiting was killing her. She didn't dare let herself think what her life would be like without Harm. He’d given up his flying status when she became pregnant with Tommy.  He knew he didn’t have to be in combat to lose his life in a tomcat. A simple routine qualification mishap could ruin his dream of watching his son grow old.

Mac had been troubled wondering why he would give up his wings for his son and not his daughter. She had been struggling with the reasons silently until one day Harm finally cornered her.

Rabb home
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
February 2004


“What ever it is, I want to know.” Harm cornered Mac in the bathroom brushing her hair.

“Know what?” Mac was stalling.

“Something’s troubling you and I want to help.” Harm had been trying to decide if it was something serious or just something he should chalk up to maternal hormones. After almost four days of watching Mac go through the motions of daily life, he couldn’t wait anymore.

Mac slowly set the brush down on the sink and turned to face Harm. “I’ve been thinking.”

Harm dropped his hands on her hips and nodded for her to go on.

“It’s... your wings.”

Harm curled his brow in confusion. “You don’t want me to stop flying?”

“No. I mean, yes,” she sighed heavily. “I mean, I want you to do what’s right for you.”

“And I explained that I can’t be my best if in the back of my mind I’m worrying about leaving you and the kids on your own. I’m perfectly happy flying Sarah whenever I get the chance.”

“I understand that.”

“Then why so glum?” Harm just couldn’t understand. He thought for sure Mac would be thrilled he’d finally put his wings away.

“Why didn’t you give it up for Trisha? Is it because you’re hoping this time it’s a boy?”

Harm’s mouth dropped open wide before he gathered his wits and spoke. “NO. My God, Mac.  Do you really think that I would consider either one of our children more important than the other?”

“Not really, but it looks that way.” Mac was already regretting she’d said anything. Harm was right, she should know better than to even consider such a thing.

Harm took a step back and turned, rubbing his hand through his hair and across the back of his neck before he turned back around to face Mac.  “I... I thought about it when you told me you were pregnant with Trisha.  The day she was born and her little hand grabbed the tip of my finger, I was ready to turn my wings in on the spot. There wasn’t anything that would be worth not seeing her grow up, graduate, get married, have children of her own.  A lifetime I might never get to share flashed through my mind with that first gentle touch.”

“Then why didn’t you?” Mac closed the lid of the toilet and sat down.

“I got sent out to the Seahawk that week.  The suicide that turned out to be an accident. I took one whiff of the jet fuel and thought, a little longer won’t be bad. Then 9/11 came along and I thought they might need me.  I almost turned them in again when Bud lost his leg."

“The dirty nuke?”

“Yeah.  I thought back to those few minutes in the air.  That lieutenant was a good pilot, but I don’t know if the outcome would have been the same if I hadn’t been there. I guess I just couldn’t bring myself to give them up.”

“I’ll agree they were damn lucky the admiral had requested you go instead of sending someone from HQ. And now?”

Harm closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Last month, when I did my quals...”

Mac nodded.

“I didn’t tell you everything.”

Mac swallowed hard.

“I got the chance to tag along on a sortie. It was no big deal except the bus to refill my tank had some mechanical failure and I couldn’t refuel. I had enough to make it back to the ship. What I hadn’t counted on was the bird before me fouling the deck. I had to circle on bingo fuel while they cleared the way.  The engine burned out just as I caught the wire.”

Mac hadn’t realized she’d been gripping the edge of the sink with all her strength.

“I made up my mind then, I just didn’t know how to tell you.”  Harm moved up close to Mac and squatted down in front of her. “ I don’t want to miss a single moment of our old age together.  I’m giving it up for the kids, but I’m really giving it up for us. I love you.”

Like a typical pregnant woman, Mac fell into Harm’s embrace and bawled her eyes out for the next ten minutes.

Bethesda
2010


“Mac, honey.” Harriet gingerly tapped Mac on the leg. The doctor was coming towards them, and Mac appeared lost in thought.

By the time the doctor had reached the eagerly waiting group, they were huddled closer than a football team in the last 30 seconds of a tied game.

“Mrs. Rabb?”

Mac could barely nod.

The doctor looked around at the large gathering of people. “If you’d like to come sit down someplace quiet?”

“No.” Mac reached over and grabbed Harriet’s hand. “Here is fine. How is he?”

“He’s stable.”

Mac squeezed Harriet’s hand a little harder. She wanted more than stable. She was waiting for ‘he’ll be just fine.’

“We had quite a bit of damage to repair. He’s lucky to be alive. As soon as he’s out of recovery we’ll move him to intensive care.  You’ll be able to see him then. This would be an excellent opportunity to go home and get some rest.”

“What kind of damage?” Mac was amazed she had the wherewithal to ask questions.

“First we had to repair a tear to his liver. That was the most serious bleeder. There was some minor damage to the diaphragm. The pressure from the other organs in his chest area was causing the stress on his breathing and heart rate. The impact from the injury twisted his bowel. We straightened that. He also has a separated shoulder. Both the AC and CC ligaments are torn. When he’s stronger, it will need to be surgically repaired.”

“Then he’s going to be alright?” Mac could barely find her voice.

“There is some intracranial bleeding. We’ll be keeping a close eye on that. We’ll know better when he wakes up.”

No sooner had the words left his lips than all sorts of codes began blaring over the intercom system.  One nurse took off running down the hall, the other came back towards the doctor and simply nodded her head before rapidly following the first nurse.

“I have to go.” Without another word the doctor disappeared down the long corridor he’d just come from.

“Oh, God, Harriet. It’s Harm.”

Chapter 4

The seconds seemed like minutes, the minutes like hours. Mac had lost all sense of time.  AJ had to practically drag her to a seat after the doctor left.

“We’ve been through this before Colonel. Harm’s a survivor.” AJ intentionally used Mac’s rank.  While he understood her pain and fear, he didn’t want her falling apart. She had two children she needed to stay strong for.

“The Admiral’s right, Mac.  Harm’s a fighter.  He’ll pull through this like he has every other accident in his life. I still remember the ramp strike. If a tomcat couldn’t kill him, there isn’t a car on earth that can.” Sturgis had to swallow hard to get that last sentence out without his voice cracking.

Mac’s mind wandered back to the time Harm had been trapped with a prisoner on the USS Suribachi. If it hadn’t been for Harm’s and the Admiral’s determination, Harm most likely would have drowned that day. He wasn’t the kind of man to give up easily on himself. Nor would he give up on someone else, like the time he’d been sent to the Henry as legal liaison to the Russian delegation and wound up in a tomcat trying the dangerous stunt of pushing a pilot home by his tail hook. She had to hang on to moments like that. Harm was indeed a survivor, a fighter. She had to stay strong. She simply had to believe.

Spotting the doctor coming back down the hall, Mac’s heart raced frantically.

“I’m sorry about that. Captain Rabb went into respiratory arrest. We’ve got him on a respirator and stabilized. He’s being moved to intensive care as we speak. We have a lovely family members’ room. If you’ll follow me, we can discuss your husband’s condition further.”

“Here is just fine. I’ll only tell them later.”

Looking around at the large support group surrounding her, the doctor discarded the thought of insisting they go somewhere more private to discuss her husband’s condition. “Very well, at least let’s sit down a minute.”

Mac braced herself.  What could be more serious than being on a respirator that he would require she sit down for him to tell her?

“Mrs. Rabb, your husband has a subarachnoid hemorrhage. Most likely his head impacted the window or windshield. The car may have stopped, but his brain was still bouncing back and forth between the frontal lobe and anterior skull at nearly 70 miles an hour.”

Mac waited silently for the other shoe to fall. 

“The Captain’s brain is swollen and bleeding. He’s slipped into a coma.”

A collective gasp could be heard through the room.  Mac swallowed hard, her mouth as dry as cotton. She simply couldn’t find words.

“What is the prognosis, doctor?” AJ asked for Mac.

“We’re monitoring the situation. Usually, once the swelling subsides and the body has had a chance to reabsorb the blood, the patient comes to.”

“Is there anything that can be done to decrease the swelling more quickly?”

“Actually, the pressure from the swelling is what’s slowing the bleeding, acting as a plug of sorts. The best we can do for now is to monitor the pressure and wait for his body to do what it does naturally.” The doctor looked around at all the pale faces in the room. He hated passing on news like this. He wished he could be more hopeful, but there were no guarantees when a brain injury was involved.

“May I see him now?” Mac asked quietly.

“Yes. Intensive care is on the fifth floor. You’ll only be allowed in two at a time.”

Mac nodded her head and stood up. Without waiting for anyone else, she turned, trying to remember where the elevator was.

“This way, Mac.” AJ took hold of her arm and led her down the hall. 

Once they reached the silver doors, AJ turned. “Harriet, why don’t you and the others accompany her upstairs. I’ve got a few calls to make.”

“Yes, sir.”

Stepping off the elevator on the fifth floor, everyone settled into the waiting area outside the large double doors.  Harriet kept a firm grip on Mac’s arm, continuing towards the nurses’ station.

“We’re looking for Captain Rabb,” Harriet offered.

“Room 3.” The soft-spoken nurse pointed across the hall, slightly to the right. Most of the rooms in the Intensive Care Unit were nothing more than curtained cubicles crammed with equipment and little room to move.  Directly in front of the nurses’ station there were three slightly larger rooms on the other side of a semi glass wall.  The last of these was unusually large for ICU. There was a small area with a table and some cabinets for supplies, then a second glass wall dividing the room. The room had plenty of space for equipment around the bed and a good six feet of space off to the right. There was even a large window with a glorious view of the physicians’ parking lot.

Mac’s stride grew shorter and shorter as she approached the open door. It was as if her subconscious thought maybe if she didn’t see him, then none of this would be true.

The minute her gaze fell on her husband, the tears welled in her eyes. “Oh, Harm.” Pressing her lips tightly together, she took the last few steps into the room, stopping at his bedside.  Reaching out to touch his hand, she was horrified at how cold he felt.

“It’s me, handsome. I’m here.” Mac looked around for a chair.

Harriet immediately dragged a small chair from the corner of the room and slipped it under Mac.

“You know, you scared at least ten years off my life.”  Mac tried to smile, to sound less worried, but it wasn’t easy.

Harriet stood quietly in the background, batting back her own tears as she watched Mac quietly carry on a one-sided conversation.  She almost smiled when she remembered the day they told her they’d be getting married.

Roberts’ apartment
Roslyn Virginia
May 1999

“He’s beautiful, Harriet,” Mac cooed over the baby, Harm standing beside her.

“Would you like to hold him?” Harriet directed at Harm.

“Maybe I should see if Bud needs some help getting those drinks.” Harm turned towards the kitchen.

“Chicken!” Harriet called after him. “Do you want to hold him?” Harriet looked at Mac

“May I?”

“Of course, you’re his godmother.  I just don’t know what we’ll have to do to get Chicken Little out there to try.” Harriet enjoyed teasing Harm. There wasn’t very much he wasn’t good at, and finding a weakness she could play with was currently very appealing.

“He looks good on you,” Harriet commented quietly as Mac settled baby AJ into the crook of her elbow.

“Yeah,” Mac answered wistfully.

A couple of drinks in hand, Harm was walking back into the room when he spotted Mac with the baby snuggled in her arms. “He looks good on you,” he repeated, not having heard Harriet.

“Now where have I heard that before?” Harriet giggled to herself. Surprised when Harm set the drinks down and walked up to Mac, dropped his hand on her shoulder, and leaned over to give her a kiss on the cheek.

“Oh, my God,” Harriet gasped loudly.

Realizing what he’d just done, Harm blushed several shades of red. It had seemed so natural after the last couple of days to show Mac what he was feeling that he’d completely forgotten there was someone else in the room. Never mind that this particular someone had no idea what was going on, and could act as an early warning system for any major city.

“Alright- spill it,” Harriet insisted, her hands on her hips

“Spill what?” Bud had come rushing back to the room at the sound of his wife’s cry, two more drinks in hand.

“They’re kissing.”

“What?” Bud looked at Harm and Mac then back at his wife.

“That’s not kissing.” Raising one eyebrow at Mac, Harm watched as she laid the baby down in the bassinet, then pulled her fully into his arms.  “This is.”

Remembering in the back of his mind that they had an audience and needed to keep this simple, Harm tried to keep a lid on the sensations quickly rushing through him.  The feel of Mac’s body gently pressing against his was enough to make him want to drag her off to the nearest bedroom, but at the moment that simply wasn’t an option.

The sound of glass crashing to the floor dragged Harm’s attention away from the woman in his arms.

“Told you,” Harriet laughed loudly, moving to help her husband pick up the broken pieces of glass.

Sliding his arm around Mac’s waist, Harm turned to Harriet and Bud. “Mac and I are getting married.”

This time it was Harriet who dropped the broken pieces of glass she’d been holding on the floor. “Married?” she slowly stood up, ignoring the new mess she’d made. “How long have you been dating?”

“We haven’t exactly been dating,” Mac provided.

“Haven’t been dating?” Bud finished picking up the last few remnants of shattered glass and dropped them in a nearby trashcan.

“We decided to skip over dating and go straight to engaged. That was eight days ago,” Harm explained.

Chapter 5

“Excuse me, ma’am?” Jennifer tapped Harriet on the shoulder.

“Oh, sorry. I guess I was lost in thought again.” Harriet glanced back at the counter behind her, looking for the nurse and wondering if they weren’t going to be very particular about the two at a time rule.  When she didn’t see anyone, she realized Jen must have just ‘slipped’ past the desk.

“The Admiral spoke with Mrs. Burnett. She’ll be taking the first flight out in the morning. He’s also on his way to your house.  Sue called him to say that Tom and Danny wanted to be with Mikey so, with Meredith’s okay, she took them to your house.  She’s on her way back here with some of the Colonel’s things, just in case she stays the night.”

“Is everyone still in the waiting room?” Harriet asked.

“I sent my husband home, no sense in all of us losing sleep. I also convinced Sturgis and Varese to go home and rest. We’re going to need to pace ourselves. Take turns.”

“That’s excellent advice.  My husband is out of town for the weekend. You should go keep yours company.”

“With all due respect, ma’am, I think you should be home with the boys.  I’ll stay here with the Colonel, at least until they throw me out,” Jen smiled impishly.  This wouldn’t be the first time she’d slid under the radar where she didn’t belong.

Harriet chuckled. “You may have a point, Chief Petty Officer.” Then she stepped over to Mac, explained that she was going to go home to be with the boys and Jen would be staying with her a little longer, kissed her on the cheek, patted Harm on the hand, and quickly turned back towards Jen.

Hugging Harriet goodbye, Jen stepped further into the room.

“Can I get you something, Colonel? More coffee?”

Mac stared blankly at the pretty young woman.  She was having a hard time taking everything in. “Did Harriet leave?”

“Yes, ma’am. She just said goodbye.”

Mac nodded her head and looked back at Harm.

Jen hesitated, wondering if she should ask the Colonel again about something to eat or drink.  Maybe it was best to just let her sit. When Sue got here with whatever she was bringing, Jen would try again.

Moving over to the opposite corner of the unusually large room, Jen sat down heavily.  Watching the Captain lay so still and pale was one of the saddest things she’d ever felt.  She could see that famous flyboy smile in her mind.  He could have charmed a snake with that smile.

London Headquarters
Harm’s Office
September 2005


“Yes, sir. Will there be anything else?”

“That will be all Petty Officer.”  Harm turned back to his guest from Scotland Yard. “I appreciate your bringing Seaman Hornsby personally.”

“It was the least I could do. These young blokes get in over their head sometimes. You know fun in the big city and all.” The tall, young man smiled nonchalantly at Harm.  American sailors getting in with the wrong companionship in the wrong part of town wasn't anything new.

“Petty Officer Coates will have the paperwork ready for you shortly.  Our MPs will take over from here.”  This was only the second time Harm had dealt with Inspector Robert Meyers.  He was a pleasant man and very keen on keeping up good relations with the Americans, something you didn’t see very much of in the current political climate.

“If it’s not too forward of me, I didn’t see a ring. Would that be Miss Petty Officer, or Mrs. Petty Officer?”  Meyers had waited to hear the final click of the closing door before asking Harm of the attractive woman’s marital status.

Harm couldn’t help the small grin that twisted on one side of his face. “That would be Miss.”

“Any reason it might be considered inappropriate for me to invite the lovely lady to lunch?”

Before Harm could answer, Jen was on the intercom announcing Mac’s arrival.

“Send her in, Jen.”

In three short strides, Harm was holding the door open for Mac.

“Well, who is this?” Bob Meyers rose from his seat, immediately captivated by the most adorable toothless grin.

“This is Thomas Harmon Rabb,” Mac answered proudly. Perched in his stroller, her young son had no hair, no teeth, and yet those green eyes and Rabb smile won over everyone who crossed his path. The same thing had happened with Trisha.  She had her mom’s dark hair and complexion, but she’d inherited her dad’s green eyes and captivating smile.

Tapping first at the still open door, Jen stepped into the room at Harm’s nod.

“I have the papers you needed.” She reached around baby Tom and gave her boss the miscellaneous release forms he had requested. “How is my big boy doing today?” Jen stuck her finger under Tommy’s adorable double chin, happily playing with the baby while she waited for Harm to sign the papers. 

“He’s enjoying all the attention,” Mac volunteered.

“May I, ma’am?” Jen barely waited for a response.  Whenever Mac brought the baby to the office, she always allowed Jen to hold him for at least a little while.

“Go right ahead.”

Jen unsnapped the buckle from the stroller, turned back to the Captain to receive the signed papers, and merrily made her way out the door with her latest bundle.

Waiting once again until she’d closed the door behind her, “As we were saying,” Bobby turned to Harm, “any reason I can’t extend an invitation to lunch?”

Harm looked at Mac. “Is there?”

Mac glanced back and forth between the two men, understanding suddenly dawning. “Well, legally speaking, there are no restrictions in the UCMJ that I know of that would prohibit an enlisted person from taking her meals with a foreign citizen, assuming of course, you’re not an enemy spy?”

“I’m sorry. Mac, this is Inspector Bob Meyers, Scotland Yard. Bob, this is my wife, Sarah.”

Extending her hand to the now blushing young man, Mac smiled. “But, that wasn’t what you wanted to know was it?”

“No, ma’am,” Bob smiled bashfully.

“I don’t believe there are any ‘obstacles’ that would prevent the Petty Officer from accepting an invitation.” Turning to Harm, Mac continued. “It is Jennifer we’re talking about here, right?”

Harm and the Inspector both nodded.

“In that case, it’s been a pleasure meeting you, Mrs. Rabb. Captain, thanks for everything, and feel free to put in a good word for me. I think I’d best take my leave.”

“You can get your copy of the release forms from Jennifer when you leave.” Harm walked over to his wife. “What do you think? Will she say yes?”

“She’d have to be an idiot not to. He’s tall, blond, blue eyed, and has an accent that could melt your knees.”

“Thinking of trading me in?”

“Nonsense, I have a soft spot for men in uniform.” Mac reached up and gently kissed Harm on the lips.  “Shall we peek?”

“That wouldn’t be very dignified.” Harm raised one eyebrow at her.

“No, it wouldn’t.” Mac turned around and propped herself behind the slightly open large oak door.

“Can you hear what they’re saying?” Harm asked from over her shoulder.

“Barely.”

“Thank you,” Bob accepted the papers he needed from the Petty Officer. “Mind if I hold him a minute?”

“Uh, no, I guess not.” Jen handed over the little boy.

“Ooh, he’s a solid little chap, isn’t he?” Bobby chuckled in amusement.

“He seems to like you.”

“Of course he does. All babies are excellent judges of character.” Bob glanced at Jen’s reaction out of the corner of his eye.

“That’s what they say.” Jen was trying very hard not to blush. Only the English could stand in a public office chatting about babies and make it sound like they were quoting love sonnets.

“Since baby Tom here is witness to my fine character, any chance you might be free to join me for lunch?”

“Uh....”

“Ooph,” Harm groaned at the feel of his wife’s elbow jabbing him none too delicately in the ribs.

“Hurry up and give her time off,” Mac encouraged.

Giving his wife, a quick peck on the temple, Harm opened the door.

“Jen, Mac and I will be joining some friends for lunch. If you’d like to take a little longer for lunch today, that will be fine.”  Trying not to look too conspicuous, Harm took Tommy from Bob Meyers and placed him back in the stroller, leaving the two new friends alone as quickly as he and Mac could.

“I’d say your boss thinks lunch is a good idea,” Bob chuckled.

“I guess the answer is yes.” She was going to have to remember to thank Harm for this some day, even if she suspected that Mac most likely had a hand in it as well.

Chapter 6

Bethesda Naval Hospital
0045


“Mac, honey,” Sue spoke softly.  “Mac?” she repeated.

“She hasn’t been very talkative,” Jen explained.  Mac had spent the last hour, since Jen had sent Harriet home, simply holding Harm’s hand. Her focus alternated from Harm’s face to the equipment surrounding him and back again.

“Mac, the nurses say you have to go home.  There’s no place up here for you to stay.” At least no place comfortable, Sue thought.

“I’m not leaving him.”

“Honey, it’s only for a few hours. He’s going to sleep through the night and you need your rest,” Sue tried again.

“She’s right, ma’am.  I can stay a little longer if you like.”

“I’m not leaving him.” Mac didn’t even bother to look up at either woman.

Silently, Sue nodded at the nurse behind the counter.  The older woman had been very understanding about letting Sue come in to convince Mac it was time to go home. Though visiting hours had technically ended hours ago, the nurses were pretty lenient about allowing family to stay in the room as long as they stayed out of the way. The nurse had been so kind in offering to enforce the rules to help her get Mac home, Sue decided there was no need to mention only Mac was immediate family.

Recognizing why she was being signaled, Kathy Spencer quickly made her way to where Sue was waiting. “I’m afraid it’s after midnight, Mrs. Rabb. You’re going to have to go home now.  It’s unlikely he’ll wake up before morning.” She waited for some response. She’d seen this all too often. “You don’t want him to wake up and see you looking like something the cat dragged in, do you?”

That got Mac’s attention, as the nurse had hoped it would.  “Can I stay a little longer?”

The nurse and Sue glanced at each other.

“Fifteen more minutes, but at 0100 you’ll need to go.” Kathy smiled as brightly as she could. She didn’t want to be an ogre, but this was for the best.  Mrs. Rabb was undoubtedly going to have a long haul ahead of her and she wouldn’t do anyone any good if she burned out before the battle had begun.

Roberts’ House
0130


Harriet had been waiting at the living room window for any sign of her friend. As soon as she’d gotten home from the hospital, she had called Sue and worked out a plan bringing Mac to her house. They had agreed that it would be better if Mac came to Harriet’s where Tommy was spending the night. When Mac woke up in the morning, she would hopefully find some comfort in her son’s presence.

As soon as she saw the car pull into the driveway, Harriet opened the front door just a crack, then hurried to the kitchen to turn on the kettle. It was something she and Bud had gotten used to after four years in England. Somehow, microwaved tea just didn’t seem the same anymore.

“Yoo hoo, Harriet? We’re here,” Sue called from the front hall, hanging her and Mac’s purses on the coat rack.

“In here. Thought I’d put on some nice herbal tea.” A good dose of sleepy time tea with half a tranquilizer should ensure Mac would get at least a little sleep.

“If you don’t mind, I think I’ll skip the tea. I’m just going to go sit with Tommy a little while.”

“Sure, the boys are in the den. Meredith set them up with a Harry Potter marathon,” Harriet explained.

“Maybe I’ll have the tea later,” Mac offered as consolation.

Harriet and Sue shrugged at each other as they watched their friend tiptoe into the den.

Mac sat down on the floor next to her six-year old son.  Smiling softly, she began running her fingers gently through his hair, brushing it away from his face.  He was such a sweet looking little boy. 

Beach at Pearl Harbor
September 10, 2004


“This is the best idea you’ve had yet.” Mac leaned her head back letting the strong Hawaiian sun warm her face.

“Well, if the Staff Judge Advocate hadn’t been so hell bent on working right up to the last minute of this pregnancy, we could have spent a lot more time relaxing on the beach.”  Harm kept his eyes on three-year old Trisha, who was making sand-pies at the foot of the blanket.

“Yeah, right. Like the Trial Services XO is really going to have time to take his pregnant wife to the beach on a regular basis?” Mac couldn’t help chuckling, even if it made breathing a little difficult with her rather whale-like physique.

“I’m here now, aren’t I?” Harm leaned over and kissed Mac lightly on the cheek. Unable to resist how beautiful his wife looked with her eyes closed and her hair blowing in the fresh breeze, Harm inched a little closer, laying feathery kisses across her face until he reached his destination, and began nibbling at the back of her earlobe.

“Cut that out!” Mac smacked Harm lightly across the arm, her eyes opening wide, her grin even wider. “That’s what got us in this predicament in the first place,” she chuckled heartily.

“Is that so bad?” Harm returned to his favorite spot and continued his oral exploration.

“You know it isn’t.” Mac turned as much as her girth allowed so she could kiss her husband fully on the lips.

“Daddy?” a small voice sounded at their sides.

“Yes, pumpkin?” Harm winked at Mac and reached out to pull his little girl into his lap.

“You want to make a castle?”

“Sure!” Springing up, Harm whirled his daughter over his head, making loud airplane engine noises while running to the water’s edge.

Mac laughed out loud, watching her daughter in a fit of giggles as her daddy did his own version of teaching her to fly.  She wasn’t sure which one of them was having more fun, but she couldn’t imagine life being any sweeter.

The castle had barely gotten past the foundation level when Mac felt an odd twinge in her lower side.  She’d been so relaxed in the warm sun that she’d practically forgotten the irritating backache that had plagued her since the middle of the night. It was one of the main reasons Harm had decided to take the day off and bring the family to the beach.

Taking a deep breath, Mac slowly turned around, awkwardly trying to get up off the blanket. By the time she’d made it to the shoreline where her family was merrily constructing the next major architectural achievement in Hawaiian history, a much stronger pain stopped her in her tracks.

“Harm,” Mac called nearly breathless.

“Hmm?” he asked without looking up from the sand.

“You know how junior here isn’t due for another week?”

“Yeah?” This time Harm looked up, not liking the sound of Mac’s voice. The minute he saw the look on her face, he knew. 

When Mac’s eyes locked with Harm’s, she nodded in silent assent, slowly letting out the breath she’d been holding through the most recent sharp pain.

“Trisha, we’re going to have to finish the castle later.” Harm backed away from the castle and walked over by his daughter.

“Why?” the little girl whined.

“Because I have to take you to Mrs. Baxter’s.”

“Is Tommy coming?” Trisha’s eyes lit up brilliantly. She had been looking forward to a baby brother of her own. Actually, she’d been looking forward to the new ballet slippers her mom and dad had said her brother would be bringing her as a present for his birthday.

“I think so,” Harm smiled, tossing all the sand utensils into a bucket and swooping his daughter onto his hip. Harm looked at Mac. “Do you need some help?”

“No, let’s just get a move on it.” By now she was biting her lower lip. She should have remembered the miserable backache she’d had for two days before Trisha was born.

Stopping halfway between the water and the parking lot, Mac had to double over taking a deep breath. This was going to be harder than she’d thought. Walking in the sand wasn’t very much fun when you were nine months pregnant. It was near impossible in labor.

Harm glanced a few feet behind him and spotted Mac hunched over in obvious discomfort. Rushing back a few steps, “Let me get her strapped into the car and I’ll be right back,” he suggested hurriedly.

Mac merely nodded, still biting her lower lip.

Harm ran as fast as he could without worrying his daughter.  When he finally had both his ladies in the car, he called Mrs. Baxter and asked if she’d mind picking Trisha up at the hospital. He was fairly sure he could either get Mac to the hospital on time or Trisha to the sitter’s house, but it was unlikely he could do both.

Hanging up the phone, Harm reached across and grabbed Mac’s hand, squeezing it tightly. “Are you with me, Marine?”

“Do I have a choice?” she almost laughed between breaths.  “I guess this means he’s going to be a Marine,” Mac panted.

“Why?” Harm glanced quickly at Mac, stepping a little harder on the gas pedal at her heavy breathing.

“If he were going to be a squid like you, he’d have been late.” Mac let out another heavy breath.  “I just hope he isn’t going to be rushing us the rest of our lives,” Mac teased, squeezing her husband’s hand.

Chapter 7 


Mac had showered and dressed long before anyone else in the house was up.  She had been dozing next to Tommy, but was unable to really sleep.  Nightmares of life without Harm kept dragging her back from a restless sleep.

She’d had to force herself not to rush through breakfast. For her son’s sake she needed to take her time, try to reassure him. He seemed to understand Daddy was in a special hospital room where little boys weren’t allowed to visit, but Mac could tell he was scared.

“As soon as they let Dad into a regular room, I promise I’ll come get you and take you to see him,” Mac had assured Tommy.  He didn’t seem totally convinced, but he could sense something wasn’t right and this wasn’t a time to push Mommy. He was such a good kid.  His penchant for not wanting to ever be late had indeed proven on occasion to be a thorn in their sides, especially for Harm, who had a penchant, despite his years of military service, to not always be very punctual.  Though he was never late for military business, Harm found it difficult to be early for much else.  If the only thing Mac ever had to complain about was that her son always rushed her, she would forever be thankful.

Somewhere in the back of her mind Mac had hoped when she walked into Harm’s room, she’d find him sitting up and smiling at the nurses.  She’d give almost anything to see one of his full-blown flyboy smiles.

“Good morning, Mrs. Rabb.”

“Morning. Any change?” Mac asked the unfamiliar nurse.

“I’m afraid not.”

“Has the doctor given any indication of how long it will be before he’ll wake up?”  Mac’s stomach lurched at the flash of pity she saw in the woman’s eyes.

“The doctor hasn’t been in for rounds yet this morning. He usually comes in as soon as he’s done with surgery.”

“Surely you’ve seen cases like this before.  How long does it usually take?” Mac could see the hesitation in the woman’s face. The nurse obviously knew the answer and didn’t want to say.

“What is it?” Mac repeated.

“I’m not a doctor, ma’am.  Every person is different. I suggest you ask Dr. Pena.” As quickly as she could, the nurse hurried back to her post, safely hidden behind the tall counter.

“They say it helps if you talk to them,” a soft voice came from behind.

Mac looked over her shoulder, surprised to see Chaplain Turner.

“My son phoned me last night and told me what happened. I thought I’d come visit, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course not.” Mac stood up to greet the man who had been such an inspiration to them through the years.

“We had a nice visit this morning before you got here. I was just coming back from the men’s room to say goodbye. I know he’ll be in good hands now.”

“Thank you, Chaplain. For everything.” Mac gave him a heartfelt hug.

“It will be alright, Colonel. Have faith.”  Patting her hand gently, it was with a heavy heart, Mathew Turner walked away.

“How about that? We haven’t seen Chaplain Turner since you got your promotion and orders to Pearl.  It was awfully nice of him to stop by, don’t you think?” Shifting her chair so she could sit closer to Harm, Mac rested both her arms on the bed, tightly gripping his hand in hers.

“Sue dropped me off. She’s on her way to the airport to pick up your mom. The boys are staying with Harriet. I think AJ and Meredith are coming by later. Sturgis and Varese cancelled their weekend in New York,” Mac rambled on trying not to cry.  Taking a deep breath, she swallowed the lump in her throat and forced herself to smile.

“Last night after I went to Bud and Harriet’s I laid down next to Tommy and was remembering the day he was born. You’d think you’d have thought you’d get better at labor and delivery with practice,” Mac chuckled at the memory.

Naval Regional Hospital
Oahu, Hawaii
Sept 10, 2004


Harm and Mac walked slowly into the emergency room of the large hospital. “My wife is having a baby,” Harm announced unnecessarily.

“I can see that,” the nurse snapped. “Let me get you a wheelchair, ma’am.  Is this your first?”

Harm’s eyes flew open wide. Without saying a word, he turned around and ran back out the door.

“No,” Mac smiled. “My husband just went to get our daughter from the car.”  He’d pulled the car up to the emergency room and insisted on helping Mac into the hospital. Though they’d barely been in the front door two seconds when he accosted the first nurse he saw with his obvious revelation, it was clear to Mac by his reaction that he’d already forgotten Trisha was still in the back seat.

“How long have you been in labor?” the nurse asked, pushing Mac over to the reception desk.

“I think my back labor started somewhere around three o’clock this morning, but the actual labor pains started about an hour ago.”

“How far apart are they?”

Mac took a deep breath. Squinting her eyes, through clenched teeth, she continued, “Three minutes and ten seconds.”

The nurse’s eyebrows rode up to her hairline before curling into a large question mark. She looked down at her watch, timing the duration of the contraction and wondering just how accurate this woman was.  “Oh, we’d better get you upstairs. We’ll have your husband give the desk here your information.”

Just then Mrs. Baxter came rushing through the sliding glass doors.  “Oh, I got here as fast as I could. I’ve never had a baby before.”

The nurse looked up at the older woman, curiously.

“I mean, I’ve never been in on someone else having a baby so soon. This is so exciting. Much more fun than when I had my kids.” Grinning broadly, she looked around. “Where’s Trisha?”

“She’s with Harm, he’s parking the car. Can you tell him he needs to check me in and then meet me upstairs in maternity?”

“Sure thing, Mac.” Evelyn Baxter patted Mac reassuringly on the back. “Don’t you worry about a thing. I’ll take care of everything.”  Deciding to get a head start on the paperwork, Evelyn stepped over to the counter and began giving the receptionist what little information she knew about the Rabbs.

The entire emergency waiting area snapped around at the sound of screeching tires.  Evelyn could see Harm running into the building, waving apologetically to a very pale man behind the wheel of the SUV that obviously had just come within inches of making Harm the hospital’s next patient.

“Oh, thank God, Evelyn. Where’s Mac?”

“They just took her upstairs. Here, give me Patricia, and you give this nice lady the rest of the information she needs.”

“She’s having a baby. What more do they want to know?” Harm had that ‘duh’ look on his face.

“I believe there’s some nasty business about social security numbers, allergies, doctor’s name. I’m sure it won’t take but a minute. Go on, Commander.”

Evelyn shook her head in amusement. What must he have been like when Trisha was born?  Debating whether or not she should stick around, Evelyn finally decided Harm was a big boy and headed home with their firstborn.

As soon as Harm finished admitting Mac, he didn’t bother waiting for the elevator, instead he took the stairs up to the third floor, two at a time.

Panting his way to the maternity ward’s nursing station, Harm leaned heavily on the counter, trying to catch his breath.

A nurse came rushing down the hall as soon as she spotted him. “Sir, if you’re having a heart attack you should be downstairs.” Not waiting for an answer, she grabbed his arm to check his pulse.

“No, it’s my wife. She’s having a baby.”

“That may be the case, but if we don’t get you calmed down, you’re going to spend the day in the ER.”

“Sarah Rabb,” Harm took a long deliberate breath, slowing his heart rate.

Satisfied the good-looking man was not having a heart attack, the nurse stepped around to type the name into the computer.

“Is that Commander Rabb?” A voice approached from down the hall.

“Yes,” Harm stood up straight.

“You’d better get a move on it, sir.  Colonel Rabb is already 10 centimeters dilated and ready to push.”  Turning around, the nurse in pink hurried back down the hall with Harm on her heels.

“You’re fully effaced, Mac. Let’s push this baby out,” Dr. Rovner encouraged.

“NO. Not till Harm gets here.”

“I’m here, I’m here.” Harm quickly donned the required blue robe and hurried to his wife’s side. “Didn’t think I’d let you do this without me, did you?”

“Don’t go there, sailor,” Mac huffed through gritted teeth.

Only a few pushes later, the doctor smiled up at them.  “This is it. One more push and the shoulders will be out.”

Harm wiped Mac’s brow and gently kissed her forehead as he propped her weight against him.

“Here he comes. Push. Push,” the doctor repeated.

Mac clenched her muscles, pushing with all her might. Harm softly encouraged her, “You can do it, babe.”

“And... here he is. Looks like you were right.  It’s a boy!”

Thomas Harmon Rabb let out a strong wail announcing his arrival.  His father broke into a broad grin. Squeezing his wife’s hand, Harm leaned over and whispered in Mac’s ear, “I love you, Mrs. Rabb. Thank you.”

                                                     
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