Title: Getting Through the Hard Times Author: Nicole Category: S, R [Harm/Mac] Rating: PG Spoilers: Lifeline, (can’t remember the name right now, but the one where Mac defends the woman whose husband broke their daughter’s arm) Disclaimer: I don’t own them, but, Donald, can I buy Harm off of you? Summary: what should have happened Feedback: desired Author’s Note: believe it or not, I really do like Mic. I know that doesn’t show in this story, so if you like Mic, don’t read this. MAJOR Brumby bashing! I also know that it is very unlikely for Mic to act this way, but this is just how the story came out. Sorry if I offend anyone with it, that was not my intention. Mac pulled back and stared into Harm’s eyes for a long moment. “We’re getting too good at saying goodbye,” she said softly as she handed his coat back and moved toward the door. She paused, her back to Harm’s, before sighing inaudibly and reaching for the door handle. Before Mac could open the door, she was grabbed by the arm and turned, her back now to the door, she was shoved slightly against it. “Harm!” Harm’s eyes blazed as he looked into Mac’s. “I don’t know what that kiss was to you, Sarah, but it sure as hell was no goodbye to me!” he exclaimed, his voice low. “Harm…” “I haven’t been able to say the words, and I haven’t been able to show you, but I am now. I love you, Sarah MacKenzie!” Upon saying those words, Harm pressed his lips tightly to Mac’s. Mac immediately gave in to Harm’s kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck, opening her mouth under his to deepen the kiss. Their tongues dueled in a passionate game of desire before they had to break apart for air. Mac looked Harm in the eyes and said, “I have loved you forever, Harmon Rabb, Jr. I just didn’t know it until I met you.” Harm smiled and leaned down to kiss Mac again, pressing her into the door and running his hands over her body. “Tiner, where are Rabb and MacKenzie?” AJ asked, his patience wearing thin. “They said they’d be in in a minute, sir.” “Well obviously they changed their minds, so go remind them again!” “Yes, sir!” Tiner walked over to the door, placing his hand on the knob. Mac moaned into Harm’s mouth as his hand glided over her breast. Harm smiled at the sound and moved his hand back to tease Mac’s breast through the dress. Their kiss broke as suddenly they were falling backwards. They landed on the floor in front of the stunned crowd; Harm’s hand resting on Mac’s breast, both of them flushed with slightly swollen lips. Silence pervaded the room as Harm got up off Mac and helped her to her feet. When they were both standing up, looking back at everyone sheepishly, all hell broke loose. “Bloody hell!” Mic exclaimed, walking up to Harm and punching him square in the jaw. Harm’s head snapped back and Mac screamed, “Mic, stop it!” Harm staggered away from the angry Aussie for a moment before getting his wits back about him and charging the ex-boxer. The two men went down in a tangle of arms and legs and no one noticed Renee until she walked up to Mac and slapped her across the cheek. Mac instinctively hit back, knocking the annoying blonde to the floor, unconscious. Mac looked around to room, hoping to see someone who was going to break up the two men, but no one made a move. Mac shook her head, sighed, and walked over to them. “Mic! Harm! Stop it right now!” she yelled. They ignored her, so she grabbed to nearest male, Mic, by the arm and hauled with all her might. Mic pulled himself off Harm, with help from Mac and glared at the other man. “You never touch my fiancee like that again, Rabb.” Mic paused for a moment to wipe the blood from his mouth. “I’ll kill you if you do.” Mac cringed and turned Mic to face her. “Mic, I was not unresponsive to Harm. I wanted him to kiss me.” Mac watched as Mic’s eyes darkened with rage. “You… what?” “I wanted him.” The gathered crowd watched with morbid curiosity, wondering what Mic would say to this new turn of events. But Mic didn’t say anything. He turned away from Mac for a moment, seemingly collecting his thoughts. But if Mac could have seen his face, she recognized his statement for what it really was. “Mic…?” Suddenly Mic whirled around and viciously backhanded Mac across the face. Mac cried out and fell to the floor. She didn’t make a move after she fell, remaining perfectly still, save for the slight shaking of her shoulders from her tears. As soon as Mic struck Mac, the room exploded into action, AJ, Gunny, Mattoni and Tiner jumping up to restrain Mic. Harriet hurried over to Mac and Harm dragged himself over to her as well. And nobody noticed Renee, who had finally woken up, slink out of the house. The men dragged Mic into another room and called the police and Loren walked out of the kitchen, an ice pack, bowl of cold water, cloth and first aid kit in her arms. She hiked her dress up and knelt beside Mac and Harm, giving Harm the ice pack for his head and dipping the cloth into the water and placing it tenderly on Mac’s cheek. Mac looked up at Loren, surprised and suspicious. “Loren, what do you want?” Mac asked tiredly. Loren's jaw tightened and she looked Mac straight in the eye. “I know you think I always have to have an angle to help somebody, but I don’t. I know what it’s like to be beaten by somebody you trust. I just want to help.” Mac looked down, slightly ashamed, before meeting Loren's gaze again. “I… I’m sorry.” Loren shrugged and went about bandaging Harm in silence. When she finished, she started to get up, stopping when she felt Mac’s hand on her arm. “Thank you, Loren.” Loren smiled slightly. “You’re welcome, ma’am,” before getting up and walking away. Next day… “How often did he hit you?” Harm asked quietly. Mac sighed and curled into a tighter ball on her end of the couch. “Not very. Sometimes, he’d come to the apartment drunk. That was always the worst.” Mac shook her head. “God, he was just like my father, Harm! Get drunk on payday, come home, and hit his significant other. Only this time it was me. I thought… I thought that if I ever ended up with a guy like that I’d have the guts to end it. But I didn’t. But then, as the wedding plans started coming together, it stopped.” Mac shrugged. “Until yesterday.” “When was the first time?” “Harm, you don’t need to know this.” Mac protested. “Yes, I do, Sarah. I need to know.” “About a month after he came back to Washington. The worst was after we got back from Chechnya. He was sure that I was sleeping with you. And he was drunk when I saw him, so that made it all worse…” A year or so earlier… Mac sighed as she opened the door, kicked off her shoes and threw her keys onto the table. “Sometimes,” she muttered to herself, “I really hate my life.” Mac groaned and walked into the bedroom, flopping down on the bed and falling immediately into a dreamless sleep. Mac was awoken an hour later by the incessant pounding on her door. “Just a minute!” she yelled as she hauled herself out of bed. Mac opened to door to a very angry and drunk Mic Brumby. Mic shoved his way inside and Mac closed the door behind him. She had a good idea of what was to come. As soon as the door was locked, Mic turned and backhanded Mac, pushing her against the door. “What do you think you’re going,” Mic growled, “going to Russia with Rabb? Huh? Did you go just so you could screw him and not have to worry about me finding out? Well, here’s a news flash! I know what you’re doing, Sarah. I know how women like you work. And I will not let Rabb have you. You won’t part your legs to anyone but me, you understand?” Mic demanded. Mac nodded, trembling slightly against the door and hating herself for putting up with Mic like this. Mic grabbed Mac by the arm and hauled her up from against the door and dragged her to the bedroom. “I don’t think you quite understand what I mean,” Mic said, his voice low and dangerous. Present… “… He spent the next three hours beating and raping me. I was so scared that it would become a habit, but then he stopped for a while and after that it wasn’t so bad.” Harm looked at Mac with tears in his eyes. “Why didn’t you come to me?” he asked softly. Mac gave a short laugh and a watery half smile. “Harm, you were with Renee. You had rejected me. I didn’t think I could go to you.” “I’m sorry. I wish we were close enough that you could know you could come to me.” Mac sighed. “I’m sorry, too. Sorry for a lot of things. Not trusting your friendship, staying with Mic. A lot of things.” Harm scooted over on the couch and took Mac’s hand. “We can get through this, Sarah. I love you and you love me. That is so strong that it can get us through anything.” Mac smiled and wrapped her arms around Harm. “I love you so much,” she whispered before pressing her lips to his. Harm kissed back for a moment before pulling away to look at Mac. “I meant what I said, Mac. We can get through anything.” Mac sighed happily. “Getting through the hard times,” she mused, “with love as our guide.” Harm smiled. “Yeah,” and kissed Mac again, picking her up and carrying her toward the bedroom where they would spend the night wrapped in passion and each other’s arms. The End