TITLE:  "I Thee Wed-Chapter 2"
             AUTHORS:  Anne R. and Pat Steiner
             SUMMARY/SPOILERS:    In Chapter 1---after a near death experience in the Nevada desert, 
Harm and Mac marry, returning home to find that Sergei Zhukov and Loren Singer have done the 
same thing.  Sergei's petition to remain in the US is denied, and he and Loren are killed in a car 
crash that same day.   Now in this concluding chapter, Harm must work through the guilt he feels for 
the outcome of his brother's life; a guilt complicated by Mac's difficult pregnancy.
Any JAG episode may be referred to in our work.  
            CLASSIFCATION/RATING:  J/S/R/A       PG for mild violence and language
             DISCLAIMER:  JAG belongs to CBS, Paramount et al.  No copyright infringement is intended 
with this work of fiction.
           FEEDBACK:  Never expected let alone demanded.  Always appreciated.  We simply ask that 
the work and the effort be respected.  Feedback addy is SSbpMN@aol.com.
                NOTE:  All parts of this story and previous chapters, as well as much of our other works, 
are available at               
                           http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AnniePatJAGstories
              
                    The message archives are open to all registered Yahoo users-no subbing required.  
Please ignore any notice of adult content you may see-there is no R nor NC17 content there.
              
              Other archives containing our stories:              
                   http://thearchive.mine.nu:85/exlibris/ or http://www.netroenterprises.com/exlibrisjag                            
                            or the Harm-Mac shipper archive at    
http://hmarchive.topcities.com/index2.html  [sadly, not always up and running]
              
                        or BTL-
                        http://www.wtv-zone.com/trgarchive/btl/
                        http://destined.to/btlarchive - {BTL H/M Fanfiction archive.}

Another note—this story was written in Spring of 2002, when it was obvious there was something 
with Singer and Sergei on the show.  After the events of Family Business it seems especially apropos.
+++++++++++++++++
"I Thee Wed-Chapter 2"
 
 JAG HQ
 One Week After the Funeral of Sergei and Loren Singer Zhukov
 
 "Goddammit doesn't anyone do what they're supposed to around here," Harm raged, 
banging his fist on his desk.
 
 Harriet and Bud looked at each other from  the bullpen.  "OK one of us should go see if we 
can help," He said softly.
 
 "I went last time," she sighed.  "It's your turn buddy boy."
 
 "OK I'll. . .NO.  Dollars to donuts it's about the Hillard research and it's not done," he gasped.
 
 "And who was playing on the Xbox instead of working on that last night," she rebuked him 
mildly.  "I suggest you go take your medicine."
 
 At the same time Mac was returning from her morning at court and easily heard the repeat 
performance as Bud slipped into Harm's office, and AJ stepped from his.
 
 "Colonel successful morning?"
 
 "Yes sir.  I managed to make a scene only once with my running to the head," she sighed.  
"On the other hand, the people got the conviction."
 
 "Nice job," he smiled.  "Now you want to see if you can quiet your husband?"
 
 "Sir do I look like Wonder Woman," she sighed.  "You think he's bad here.  Home is worse."
 
 AJ's eyes widened.  "OK I didn't know that.  You two are having problems?  And of course 
you don't have to answer that."
 
 She shook her head and started to step away and then stopped.  "Sir we could talk maybe?"
 
 "By all means come in," AJ urged.  "Tiner no calls."
 
 He guided her to the sofa and after pouring her a glass of water sat down next to her.  "What 
can I do for you?"
 
 "I'm not sure what I can do to help Harm," she said softly, accepting the kleenex he handed 
her, knowing she would need it.
 
 "It's been a week sir, and if anything he's worse.  He doesn't sleep, hardly eats, we don't 
make love--pretend you didn't hear that, and when I try to talk to him he shuts me out.  I'm 
just at a loss to know how to help him.  And as I'm saying this I'm realizing I should not be 
talking to you about it.  The Judge Advocate General should not be burdened with my 
domestic problems."
   
  "Right now I'm not the Judge Advocate General. I'm your friend. And Harm's 
  too. And I want to help."
  
  "I don't know what anyone can do to help" she sighed. "I know he's still 
  blaming himself for what happened. But it's not his fault."
  
  "You know that and I know that. Getting Commander Stubborn to believe it 
  isn't going to be easy. But I can try talking to him if you'd like. In 
  official capacity of course."
  
  "That might be a good idea sir. I'm not sure how he'd feel about me telling 
  you about this."
  
  "Mac you need someone to talk to. You can't keep this all to yourself. And 
  you don't need this stress with the problems you've been having with the 
  baby already."
  
  "I know" she whispered. "I'm so scared something is going to happen to the 
  baby and then he'll really lose it. But at the same time he's not doing 
  anything to make it any easier for me." She sniffled as a few tears made 
  their way down her cheeks.
  
  "I'm sorry" AJ soothed, gently pulling her against him as she let out a long 
  sob.
  
  It was at that precise moment that Harm came barging into AJ's office. "Sir 
  I need to talk to you about Lt. Roberts" he started. His words came to an 
  abrupt end when he saw AJ with his arm around Mac, the tears still streaming 
  down her face.
  
  "Harm have a seat" AJ said quietly. "I wanted to talk to you anyway."
  
  "About what?" Harm demanded. "And why is my wife in your office crying on 
  your shoulder?"
  
  "Harm I'm sorry" Mac said as she stood up and wiped her eyes.
  
  "We were talking Harm. That was all" AJ said quietly.
  
  "About what?" Harm shouted. "About us? You're talking to our CO about us?"
  
  "Harm" she started.
  
  "I don't believe you" he shouted. "This is our life. How could you talk to 
  him about our private lives?"
  
  "I'm sorry" she sobbed. "I didn't know what else to do. I'm worried about 
  you and nothing I'm doing is helping."
  
  "Commander at ease" AJ ordered. "Take a deep breath and calm. The last thing 
  Mac needs is to be more upset than she already is. You of all people know 
  how delicate her pregnancy is."
  
  "And that's my fault I'm sure" Harm snapped. "Everything is my fault. Hell I 
  killed my brother and his wife why shouldn't I be the one who causes our 
  baby to die too."
  
  "Harm" Mac gasped at his words.
  
  "Commander that's enough" AJ said sharply.
  
  "Request for the rest of the day off sir" Harm said tersely.
  
  "Harm I want to help you" AJ said quietly. "This is tearing you apart and 
  it's tearing apart your marriage."
  
  "Sir, with all due respect, I don't want to talk about it. Permission for 
  the rest of the day off."
  
  "Fine go. Request approved."
  
  "Harm where are you going?" Mac asked tearfully as Harm started towards the 
  door.
  
  "I don't know" he said as he turned and looked back at her. "But don't wait 
  up for me. I won't be home."
  
  "Harm please don't go like this" she begged. "Please. I love you and right 
  now I'm so scared for you."
  
  "Why? Being away from me will probably be the best thing for you."
  
  "No it's not. Don't you understand? I hate seeing you like this. I want to 
  help you. You're my husband."
  
  "Well that was your first mistake" he whispered.
  
  "You're saying our marriage is a mistake?" she gasped. "Is that what you're 
  saying?"
  
  "Okay both of you stop there" AJ interrupted. "This isn't going to solve 
  anything."
  
  "No it's not sir" Harm agreed before walking out of AJ's office.
  
  "Sir I have to apologize," Mac said sadly.  "We are not handling this well.  It's too much.  Too 
many changes.  I nearly died, we married, I got pregnant, Sergei was killed.  Just all too 
much.  I know we can work through it, but it's going to be some rough road ahead."
 
 "You know my mother would have said about now--marry in haste repent in leisure," AJ 
smiled gently.  "In fact she did, several times to me when I was a young husband and whining 
to her.  I hope you and Harm are better than me and Marcella because we did try.  And 
having Francesca was not the solution.  It simply made things worse.  Uh. . .sorry to be a wet 
blanket there."
 
 "No sir, it's OK," she sighed.  "I'm sorry that we've brought this into JAG and I'm going to 
work now.  Thanks for not kicking our sixes around the block."
 
 "Mac if Harm doesn't come. . .well if you need me, you have my number and a standing 
order to call."
 
 "Yes sir thank you."
 ==============
 MAC's APARTMENT
 
 The evening dragged on slowly as she refrained from calling him, though badly did she want 
to and the later it got the more worried she grew.  Finally she fell asleep on the sofa at 1AM, 
only to be jolted awake two hours later by the phone ringing.  Despite her resolve to remain 
cool and casual, she practically shouted his name into the receiver.
 
 "Yeah it's me.  How'd you guess?"
 
 "Got lucky I guess.  Where are you?"
 
 "Let me give you a hint.  Bud's bachelor party."
 
 "Oh Harm no, you didn't get arrested?"
 
 "Wanna bet?"
 
 She took a long breath, about to blast him, then changed her mind.  She knew he had been 
drinking, and knew that a lecture right now was not what he needed.  There would be time for 
that when she got him home.  "Are they ready to release you?"
 
 "Yeah but only to someone who can look after me.  And of course you'll have to post bond."
 
 "I'll be right there."  With a heavy heart she hung up the phone, shaking her head.   That one 
of his senior staff had been arrested--again--was not going to sit well with the Admiral.
 ==========
 "Harmon Rabb, yes we've got him," the harried desk sergeant sighed, pushing her hair from 
her face and giving Mac a look of sympathy.  "It'll cost you an even $100 to get him back.  If I 
were you, I wouldn't want him."
 
 "Tell me about it," Mac muttered, paying the cash.
 
 Fifteen minutes later when he was brought to her, any outrage she may have felt was for that 
moment at least replaced by her shock at his appearance, especially the bandage across the 
corner of his forehead and the blood that was all over his shirt.
 
 "My god what happened to you?" she gasped in all out concern.
 
 "Bar fight," he replied.  "I won."
 
 "I think you'd better look in the mirror before you make that statement again," she told him, 
reaching up to touch the bandage.  "Are you OK?"
 
 "Ma'am he had a good size gash there according to the arresting officer," the desk sergeant 
spoke up.  "We ran him up to the ER and they took eleven stitches.  When he sobers up and 
the pain medication wears off, he's going to wish he was dead."
 
 "Well I may grant him that wish, but for the time being, I'm just glad he's OK," she murmured.  
 
 He took an unsteady step forward and Mac caught his arm.  "You think you're ready to go 
home Flyboy?  Or can I drop you at another bar so you can do act two of this stellar 
performance?"  
 
 "Sure why not?" he said sarcastically.
 
 "On second thought let's just get you home" she sighed.
 
 Somehow she managed to maneuver him to the car and he sank into the 
 passenger seat. They didn't speak on the way back to Mac's place and it 
 wasn't until they were in her apartment that she finally spoke.
 
 "You want to tell me what this was all about?" she asked.
 
 "No"
 
 "Harm drinking yourself to oblivion isn't going to help. Trust me I've been 
 there."
 
 "Yeah well it's better than dealing with everything else" he countered.
 
 "Well you're going to have to deal with the Admiral tomorrow. And a big time 
 hangover."
 
 "Maybe he'll send me away" Harm sighed.
 
 "Is that what you want? To be away from me?"
 
 "At least that way I won't hurt you like I hurt everyone else."
 
 "Never mind. This is not the time to have this conversation with you. You're 
 drunk and on pain medication. Let's get your six to bed."
 
 Minutes later he was asleep on the bed and with a long sigh she sat down 
 beside him. What had seemed so right just a few weeks ago suddenly didn't 
 seem so. Maybe they had rushed into marriage. Maybe it wasn't meant to be.
 
 He moaned in his sleep and she reached a soft hand to his forehead, gently 
 pushing the hair away from the bandage. "Sleep sailor" she whispered. 
 "Because in the morning you're going to be hurting."
 
 **********
 "Yes sir arrested" Mac said quietly the next morning as she talked to AJ on 
 the phone.  "He's still sleeping at the moment. I didn't get all the details 
 last night. He was a bit banged up and I just wanted to get him home."
 
 "All right. Let me know what's going on" AJ sighed. "And if you need 
 anything, don't hesitate to call."
 
 "Thank you sir" she said before hanging up the phone. She started the 
 coffeepot and headed to the bedroom to check on him again.
 
 "Mac" he moaned as he started to wake. "God what happened?"
 
 "You don't remember?" she asked.
 
 "No. All I know is" His words stopped as he tried to push himself from the 
 bed and to the bathroom. He never got that far, vomiting on the floor of the 
 bedroom instead.
 
 "Well at least this morning it's you and not me" she sighed. "Come on 
 sailor. You might as well take up residence in the bathroom. I'm sure that's 
 not going to be the last of it based on how far gone you were last night."
 
 "God I want to die" he groaned as she helped him to his feet and to the 
 bathroom.
 
 "I imagine so. Now you sit here while I go clean up the other mess."
 
 He leaned weakly against the wall of the bathroom and she felt a wave of 
 sympathy for him. His drinking had been a way to escape the pain and the 
 guilt of what had happened to Sergei. And what was happening to them.
 
 "I'm sorry" he whispered as she started out of the bathroom. "You shouldn't 
 have to clean that up."
 
 "You cleaned up plenty of times after me" she said quietly. "I can handle 
 it."
 
 But by the time she'd cleaned up the mess in the kitchen she was feeling 
 anything but okay. The sound of him being sick was doing nothing for her own 
 stomach and she took several deep breaths and sat down on the sofa to keep 
 the nausea at bay.
 
 "Mac you okay?" he called when he realized she hadn't come back.
 
 "Yeah I'm fine. How are you doing?"
 
 "Besides wanting to die I'm fine" he moaned. With a deep breath she forced 
 herself up and made her way back to the bathroom.
 
 "You're quite a sight," she said quietly.
 
 "And you don't look fine" he countered. "This is bothering you isn't it? 
 You're getting sick from listening to me and cleaning up after me aren't 
 you?"
 
 "I'm never real good in the morning," she admitted. "And no this doesn't 
 help. But I'm okay."
 
 "I'm sorry" he moaned. "You don't need this from me. You don't need me 
 period. You'd be a lot better without me."
 
She drew in a sharp breath.  Those words were so familiar.  Words that came from her father 
at various times when she was growing up.  "OK Joe Mackenzie knock that off right now," she 
ordered while she soaked a towel in cold water and wiped her face, doing the same for him 
with the other end.  "Let's get you back to bed, and quit the feeling sorry for yourself OK."

He said nothing as she helped him up as best she could and as soon as he was on his feet 
he pulled away from her.  "You've got enough to worry about with what you're carrying inside 
without nurse-maiding me," he ordered.  

At once she released him throwing up her hands in surrender.  "You need to go lie down, and 
I'm going to see if I can get any work done," she told him evenly.  "I suggest you spend the 
day getting yourself ready to go back to work in the morning.  When I told the Admiral what 
happened, he was at least part way sympathetic, but you know he's got no room on his staff 
for a man who drinks and gets into bar brawls.  You never did tell me what happened by the 
way."

"It's still pretty fuzzy," he admitted.  "There was a blonde and this guy who said he was in 
charge of the Pentagon or something.  Army I think he was and he said I was hitting on her 
and. . .and it just kind of fuzzes out from there."

"So were you?"  Mac pierced him with a pointed glare.

"Was I hitting on her?"

"Yes?" she answered, hating that there was a note of tears in her voice.  "Were you thinking 
her place, motel room, anything like that?"

He took a long breath before he answered, and when he did so, there was no anger in his 
voice, only sadness.  "I don't remember a lot of what happened, but Sarah you are the only 
woman in my life.  And it hurts that you could think otherwise."  With that he turned on his 
heel as best he could and made his way to the bed, collapsing cross-wise on it.  

After a moment Mac followed him, sitting next to him, and rested a soft hand on his forehead.  
"We'll get through this Sailor.  I'm not sure how but we will."
==============
A partial answer came two weeks later.  Two weeks of an uneasy truce between them.  They 
went to work, came home to dinner and more work or TV, and bed.  There was still affection 
between them, and concern, but the deep abiding love that had been there before, for the 
time being at least, seemed to have retreated into a neutral corner.

On this afternoon, AJ summoned Harm into his office.  "Commander sit.  Is it OK if I ask how 
things are between you and Mrs. Rabb?"  His tone was gentle and Harm gave him a half 
smile. 

"Sir you can ask me anything.  You're the boss."

"OK how are things between you and Mrs. Rabb?"

"We're co-existing sir.  Putting it behind us as much as we can, but it's not real easy."

"No I'm sure it's not.  How would you feel about a month away?"

"Sir?"

"The USS Corregidor in the Med lost its JAG officer a couple days ago.  Poor guy dropped 
over with a heart attack.  So at Staff Call this morning I told the Secnav I'd see that someone 
took up the slack."

"Sir I . . .I don't want a deployment now," he yelped.  "Mac is pregnant remember.  I mean 
things aren't great between us, but she needs me and I need her."

"Relax Commander.  We're talking TAD here.  Thirty days maybe.  You know some time 
apart might give you both a whole new perspective on things.  I'm giving you the right of first 
refusal, because I'm going to assign Roberts if you don't want it."      

  "Can I have a little time to think about it" Harm asked. "And to talk to 
  Mac?"
  
  "I need to know by morning" AJ nodded. "Take tonight and the two of you talk 
  about things. It might be the best thing for both of you."
  
  "I know sir. But she's had such a rough time with her pregnancy already" 
  Harm sighed. "I'd hate to leave her alone."
  
  "You know there's plenty of us around here to take care of her" AJ assured 
  him.
  
  "Let me talk to Mac. If she's okay with it, then I'll probably go. A little 
  time away might help sort this out."
  
  *************
  "TAD" Mac gasped that evening when Harm informed her of the assignment. "For 
  how long?"
  
  "Just thirty days. If it's even that" Harm said quickly.
  
  "Is this what you want?" she asked quietly. "To be away from me?"
  
  "Not like you think. The only reason I'm considering it is because it might 
  give me a chance to get my head together without me hurting you in the 
  process. I love you and I hate what I've done to you the past few weeks."
  
  "Well I love you and I hate seeing you go through this" she whispered. "And 
  now you want to deal with it alone?"
  
  "I think some time away will help me get some perspective on everything."
  
  "Does that include our marriage?"
  
  "I know I love you Sarah" he whispered as he held her hand tightly. "But 
  since Sergei's death nothing has felt right. I don't know how to get out of 
  this. And I don't want to keep hurting you along the way. You don't deserve 
  that."
  
  "So you think this would be a good thing for both of us?" she said quietly.
  
  "I hope so. But I won't do it if you don't want me to. If you tell me you 
  need me here with you I'll stay."
  
  "I do need you here with me. But I also know how much it helps to get away 
  from everything sometimes."
  
  "So it's okay if I go then?" he asked.
  
  "Yeah it's okay" she sniffled. "I'll miss you of course. And I hope when you 
  come back we can go on living our lives again. I know Sergei's death hit you 
  hard but we're missing out on this wonderful experience of our first baby."
  
  "I know. And I'm sorry. And that's why I want to go away. So that hopefully 
  I'll come back and be able to enjoy our marriage and having our baby again."
  
  "Is that what you want?"
  
  "I do. I love you Sarah. I never stopped loving you. I've just lost myself 
  these past few weeks. And maybe this is a way to get me back."
  
  "Well at least it's not a carrier," she said with a small smile. "I won't 
  have to worry about you flying. And it's only in the Med."
  
  "I'll be fine" he assured her. "I'm much more concerned about leaving you 
  here alone. I'm so afraid of something happening to you or the baby."
  
  "That won't happen. We're both going to be okay. We've had a rocky start 
  here but I've got the name of another person I'm going to go see. She's a 
  nurse midwife who specializes in doing things the natural way. She's 
  supposed to have some natural cures for this awful morning sickness that the 
  regular doctor can't seem to get rid of."
  
  "Well I hope she can help you" Harm said softly. "I know you've been 
  miserable and me being the way I am on top of it hasn't helped. So at least 
  you'll be rid of me for a while."
  
  "I don't want to be rid of you. I want my husband back. I want the Harmon 
  Rabb I married in Las Vegas who was so in love with me and so excited about 
  our baby."
  
  "I am still in love with you. And I hope when I come back everything will be 
  different. And I will be excited about our baby."
  
  "And about us?" she whispered.
  
  "And about us," he said softly. "So you're okay with this right? I can call the 
  Admiral and tell him I'll go?"
  
  "As long as you promise me you're coming back" she sniffled.
  
  "Long before you want me I'm sure," he said with a small smile.
  
  "Harm I love you.  I love you so much and I'll never stop loving you.  You have to know that.  
I want you back all the way.  Back in my life, in my arms and in my bed.  You are my 
husband, and when we made that vow that said until death us do part, I didn't have my 
fingers crossed.  I meant it.  I have loved you since day one, and I will love you forever."
 
 "Sarah," he breathed with a small sob and lifted her into his arms.  "Unless you tell me to 
stop, I'm going to take you back there to that bed and show you that I love you."
 
 "Why don't you talk a little less and do a little more there Flyboy," she responded, her mouth 
finding his for a long kiss.
 
 "If only that could solve our problems," he panted when they were done.  It had been a while, 
and this renewal of passion had been quick and heated, but very satisfying.  
 
 "Amen.  But sex rarely does," she sighed.  "It does however help to remind us what brought 
us together in the first place."
 
 "Love."
 
 "Amen again."
============= 
 FORTY EIGHT HOURS LATER
 
 "I thought I could do this, and now I'm not sure," Harm whispered as he zipped his duffel 
closed for the final time and looked to where she was sitting cross-legged on the bed.  "I 
mean we've been pretty good the last couple days."
 
 "Yeah but that's because we knew this was coming," she reminded him gently.  "Not to 
mention, you're committed and on TAD orders.  You're pretty stuck."
 
 "But I'm sure having second thoughts.  Mac, we've been fine."
 
 "On the surface yes.  And the love making has been wonderful; but Harm, it's still there.  The 
specter of Sergei's death is still haunting you.  I think it's something time will cure, but I also 
agreed that some time apart couldn't hurt.  So that we can stop hurting each other."
 
 "Yeah.  I know you're right, but I'm not liking it much right now."
 
 "Neither am I," she nodded, her gaze resting on the now messed up bed that bore the 
evidence of their goodbye.  "But I also know how quickly time passes and a month will seem 
like nothing."  Her hand went to her belly and she lay back, feeling its flatness. "Hey who 
knows, maybe by the time you see this again, I'll have something to show for this sickness."
 
 "I won't even get to go with you to see Beth," he objected.  "How do I know she's going to 
take good care of you?"  
 
 Mac smiled and rubbed her belly once more.  "Because she comes highly recommended by 
Dr. Walden, and when we talked the other day on the phone I got such a good feeling.  I can't 
wait to see her tomorrow."
 
 "Yeah well you let me know.  I love these babies and I don't want anything happening to 
them, or you."
 
 "We're fine, but you need to stop saying babies Harm.  You're setting yourself up for 
disappointment."
 
 "You keep telling yourself that," he grinned and pushed the duffel aside to join her on the 
bed.  For the next half hour they simply lie together, kissing and holding each other, until Bud 
rang the door bell at the appointed time.
 
 "I should be going with you to Andrews," she fretted.
 
 "You don't need that ride out there in the heat," he reminded her, "and besides we agreed it 
would be much easier to say goodbye right here, just like we've been doing."   Their kiss 
lasted as long as the next door chime.  "Before this gets any harder," he smiled and brushed 
away tears that were already forming on her cheek.  "I'll call you soon as I'm in.  And 
remember your promise--to let the Admiral, Sturgis and Bud and Harriet help you and take 
care of you."
   
  "Take care of yourself Flyboy" she whispered. "I love you."
  
  "Love you too" he managed before grabbing his bag and hurrying out the door.
  
  With the closing of the door he was gone and for a long time afterwards she 
  lay there. She missed him already but in her heart she knew this was for the 
  best. Her time away last year had helped her come to terms with everything. 
  She hoped it would do the same for him.
  
  ******************
  It was another twenty-four hours before they would connect again, an anxious 
  Harm finally getting to call her when he'd reached the ship.
  
  "Hi sailor" she smiled at the sound of his voice. "Did you finally make it?"
  
  "Here" he said wearily. "But more concerned about how you are. How did 
  things go today with Beth?"
  
  "She's wonderful. She gave me some herbal tea to take for the morning 
  sickness. I'll find out tomorrow how well it works. Anything has to be 
  better than those drugs the doctor was giving me."
  
  "And you trust her?" Harm asked.
  
  "Harm she's a Certified Nurse Midwife. And I talked to some women in the 
  waiting room and they were having their second and third children with her. 
  They raved about her as did Dr. Walden."
  
  "All right. I just want to make sure you're getting all the care you need," 
  he said softly. "Nervous husband and father to be half way around the world 
  here."
  
  "I know. But Beth is great. When you get back you'll get to meet her and I 
  know you'll like her."
  
  "If you trust her I'm okay with her. And if this tea she gives you makes you 
  feel better than that's great."
  
  "Enough about me. How are you?"
  
  "Tired. And as soon as I hang up with you I'm going to crash for a few hours 
  and then see what kind of mess they have around here."
  
  "Then I should let you go so you can get some rest," she said softly.
  
  "Mac I miss you" he whispered. "More than you know."
  
  "I miss you too. Get some sleep sailor. I'll talk to you soon."
  
  ***************
  Two Weeks Later
  JAG HQ's
  
  "Any word from your husband?" AJ asked as he walked into Mac's office.
  
  "Not much. He's been pretty busy" Mac replied. "But he sounded more positive 
  the last few times I talked to him. I think he's finally gotten a chance to 
  work through the Sergei stuff."
  
  "Good. And you're looking a lot better these past few weeks as well. Morning 
  sickness gone?"
  
  "No I just found a better cure for it" Mac smiled.  "And yes I'm feeling 
  much better than I was before."
  
  "Good. Things are finally starting to settle down for you two again."
  
  "Yes they are" Mac nodded. "And sir I appreciate you being so understanding 
  with us."
  
  "You're both fine officers" AJ smiled. "And I'd hate to lose either of you. 
  Though I get the feeling in a few months I may be losing one of you."
  
  "We haven't talked about that yet sir" Mac blushed. "But yes that is 
  possible."
  
  "And I'll understand if that's the decision you make. But in the meantime 
  I'm happy to have you here as long I can."
  
  "Thank you sir. You're a good friend to both of us. And I'm sure Harm 
  appreciates this time away."
  
  "Yeah but I'm sure he misses you" AJ smiled.
  
  "Not as much as I miss him," she said softly. "Sixteen days until my sailor 
  comes home."
  
  "Yeah," AJ frowned, looking away from her quickly.  
 
 Not quickly enough.  "Sir, what are you not telling me," she gasped, her hand going to her 
belly in instinctive concern.
 
 "Mac it's nothing for sure yet.  The Lieutenant Commander who's been earmarked for the job 
is making retirement noises instead.  Says he's got three teenagers now and he's too old for a 
six month deployment--that he needs to be home with his family."
 
 "Yeah well my husband needs to be home with his too," she snapped and shook her head 
immediately afterward.  "Sir I'm sorry.  That was incredibly out of line."
 
 "I'll put it down to stress," he smiled.  "And hormones.  Look just relax here.  He's being given 
the standard move out or retire choice and it's my guess he'll take two aspirin and continue to 
march.  If not, then yes, you'll have reason to be concerned."
 
 "Damn right," she muttered and looked longingly at the door.  "Sir permission to leave before 
you draw up insubordination charges."
 
 "You stay.  I've got things to do," he smiled.  "Remember relax.  Baby on board."
 =============
 It took another week for the decision to come down.   Mac heard the news in the nightly 
Instant Messages she and Harm exchanged, which more often than not dissolved into one or 
the other picking up the phone.  
 
 "Hi honey," he typed as soon as she came on.  "I've got bad news and good news on this 
end."
 
 "Harm I'm not in the mood for games.  Just lay both on me."
 
 "OK bad news first.  Lt. Cdr. Hollowell put in retirement papers today.  He won't be relieving 
me."
 
 For a long moment she stared at the IM block.  Her fear was coming to fruition.  Her husband 
was not coming home.
 
 "Mac you OK?"
 
 "Mac?"
 
 "I'm here."
 
 "Thank god.  When you vanish like that it scares me.  I'm sorry honey."
 
 "I know you are.  As sorry as I am," she typed, glad that he could not see the tears in her 
eyes.  "Now how can there be good news after this?"
 
 "Well how does a week on a beach on the Italian Riviera sound.  With a handsome Naval 
Aviator at your beck and call."
 
 She had to look twice at what he had typed before she could reply.  "Would this be with 
anyone I know?"
 
 "Yours truly thank you.  I'm being extended here until relieved, which Navpercen has 
promised they're on top of, but I'm also getting a week's leave.  In three weeks.  How's your 
Italian?"

   ****************
  Naples, Italy
  3 Weeks Later
  
  Harm waited anxiously at the security checkpoint for Mac. Her plane had 
  landed and in a few minutes she would be in his arms again. He finally 
  caught sight of her and was waiting with open arms after she passed through 
  security.
  
  "God I've missed you" he whispered as he hugged her tightly.
  
  "Almost as much as we've missed you" she whispered.
  
  "We?" he laughed as he pulled away.
  
  "Me and the baby" she smiled. "Who by the way is doing just fine."
  
  "Babies" he corrected as his hand went to her belly. "And they're growing. I 
  can't believe how quickly the time goes past."
  
  "I just hope they find your replacement long before its delivery time" she 
  teased. "I am not going through labor alone."
  
  "No way" he assured her. "You will not be alone."
  
  "You look a little more relaxed than when you left," she said softly as she 
  studied his face, her hand gently stroking his cheek.
  
  "Getting there" he smiled. "But lets not talk about that right now. We have 
  a week to enjoy ourselves and that's what I want us to do. But I'm sure 
  you're exhausted and I don't want you overdoing it so we're going to go back 
  to the hotel and you're going to rest for a bit."
  
  "Harm I'm fine. I don't need to rest."
  
  "Will you just let me fuss over you" he said softly. "And you can't tell me 
  that after that flight you're not tired."
  
  "Okay a little" she admitted. "But I don't want to sleep my entire week with 
  you away."
  
  "We'll have plenty of time together. You and the babies health comes first."
  
  ****************
  Two Days Later
  
  "God this is so wonderful" Mac murmured as she woke up, Harm smiling softly 
  at her. "I missed waking up with you beside me."
  
  "Me too" he smiled. "How you feeling?"
  
  "Fine. I'll probably need a cup of my tea though just in case."
  
  "One cup of tea coming right up" he said as he started to get up, only to 
  have her reach for his arm and pull him back.
  
  "Don't leave so quickly," she said softly. "I can wait a few minutes for the 
  tea. We haven't really had much of chance to really talk."
  
  "What did you want to talk about?" he asked quietly.
  
  "You. And how you're feeling about everything."
  
  "You mean Sergei," he said with a long sigh.
  
  "You want to share?" she prodded. "I'm a good listener remember?"
  
  "I know. I'm just didn't want to ruin our time together."
  
  "Harm part of being married is being there for each other" she said softly. 
  "Through good times and bad. I love you very much and I want to know if 
  you're okay with everything."
  
  "Do you mean am I okay with the fact that I pretty much killed my brother?" 
  he retorted.
  
  "I'll take that as a no, you aren't okay with everything" she sighed. "Harm 
  you didn't kill your brother. He was driving the car. Not you."
  
  "Part of me knows that" he said quietly. "But then the other part of me 
  knows that if I hadn't done what I did that day he would never have driven 
  his car in front of the truck like that."
  
  "I don't agree with you. And you're taking the blame for something that 
  isn't your fault."
  
  "Mac he's dead. He wouldn't be if I had helped him" Harm sighed. "It's as 
  simple as that."
  
  "Are you going to carry this around with you the rest of your life?" she 
  demanded. "Are you going to let Sergei's ghost haunt you?"
  
  "He's dead Mac. He had his whole life ahead of him. He and Loren were going 
  to have a life together. I took that away from them."
  
  "And now you're going to take it away from yourself?" she whispered.  "Because that's what 
you're doing."
  
 "I don't want to," he replied, desperation in his voice.  "God I don't want to.  I want to focus on 
us, on the baby, on our future.  And yet when I do I feel this overwhelming sense that all I had 
to do was go along with what he wanted.  Take two aspirin, make the goddam statement and 
I wouldn't have been questioned and what the hell difference would it have made.  He was a 
good  man and he would have made a good US citizen."
 
 "I'll tell you the difference," she said softly.  "It would have come at the price of your honor, at 
the cost of your word.  And don't tell me that doesn't matter to you.  You are one of the most 
principled men I know Mr. Rabb."
 
 He thought about that for a moment before speaking.  "Once when I was about fifteen Frank 
caught me lying.  About doing something I had promised Mom I wouldn't. I asked if he was 
going to tell on me and he said no, that my conscience knew the right thing to do.  Then he 
told me that a man whose word doesn't mean much isn't much of a man."  He drove his fist 
into the nearest pillow in frustration.  "But dammit I'm not sure I think my so called honor was 
worth my brother's life."
 
 "Harm you offered him options, and you sure as hell didn't tell him to drive like a bat out of 
hell from that parking lot," she reminded him, striving to keep impatience from her voice.  
"And let's not forget the influence of his wife."
 
Harm shook his head.  "You know what, I don't think I want us to spend our time together 
talking about it.  I uh. . .but maybe you should know I've talked informally with the ship's 
psychologist.  She's helping me work through it.  I actually have days where I don't give it 
more than an hour's worth of brood time."
 
 "She?"
 
 "Yeah," Harm smiled sheepishly.  "And I sit in a chair next to a table in her office that's got so 
many pictures of her husband and kids on it I can't set down a cup of coffee."
 
 "Sorry," she blushed.
 
 "Don't be.  You're cute when you're jealous."
 
 "I'm not. . .well not a lot maybe." 
 
 He laughed and kissed her nose, pushing her back down onto the bed.  "You feel up to a 
little pre-tea holding?"
 
 "I'm OK to do more than that," she replied, letting her eyes meet his as her hands left no 
doubt what she was thinking about.
   
  For the rest of the week they spoke little of Sergei, instead focusing on 
  each other. They spend lazy days on the beach and in the evening walked hand 
  and hand through the town.
  
  "I can't believe this week is over already" she sighed as she packed her 
  stuff on their final day. "It went way too quick."
  
  "Yes it did" he agreed. "I wish I was going home with you."
  
  "So do I" she whispered. "Do you really think they're going to get someone 
  soon?"
  
  "I hope so. I don't want to stay out there any longer than I have to. I want 
  to be home with you. Taking care of you and our babies."
  
  "You better be home long before they arrive," she said seriously. "I am not 
  doing labor alone."
  
  "Mac I plan to be" he sighed. "But nothing has worked out as I've planned 
  recently."
  
  "Including us?" she whispered.
  
  "Us is the only thing I have in this world that's right" he sighed as he 
  drew her into his arms. "I love you so much Sarah. Please don't ever forget 
  that. I know I've been the biggest pain in the six the past few weeks and 
  you're an absolute saint for putting up with me."
  
  "And I love you. And I just want us to be happy" she sniffled.
  
  "I am happy with you," he said softly. "And when our babies come I'm going 
  to be very happy."
  
  "Will you really?"
  
  "Yes really. I want our babies Mac. I have since that magical night in 
  Vegas."
  
  "Everything was so different then" she whispered. "I never thought we'd have 
  any of the problems we've had."
  
  "We'll get through them Sarah. I promise. I'm going to work this out. When I 
  come back it should be behind me. I want us to be happy Sarah. I really do."
  
  *****************
  One Month Later
  
  "Anything sir?" Mac asked as she sat down in front of AJ's desk.
  
  "I'm sorry Mac. It looks like Harm is going to be there for another ninety 
  days" AJ sighed.
  
  "Is he going to be back for when I have this baby or am I going to be 
  delivering alone?" she asked quietly.
  
  "Mac I don't know. I can't tell you that right now. I understand how you 
  feel and I wish there was something I could do."
  
  "I know it's not your fault sir" she sighed. "I just miss him. I was so 
  excited about us sharing this time together. And now he isn't even going to 
  be here for any of it. He's never going to feel the baby move or help put 
  the nursery together or any of that."
  
  With a sigh she rose to her feet and made her way to her office. She'd just 
  sat down when her phone rang.
  
  "Colonel Mackenzie" she said somberly.
  
  "I guess you found out," he said quietly.
  
  "Yeah the Admiral just told me."
  
  "I'm sorry honey. I want so much to come back. I miss you so much."
  
  "I miss you too" she sniffled. "And I feel like I'm having this baby alone. 
  I wanted you here Harm."
  
  "I'm sorry. You know this isn't my choice. Course if I'd never volunteered 
  in the first place I wouldn't be stuck here now."
  
  "Don't blame yourself. It's not your fault. And somehow we'll get through 
  this. I'll see if I can coerce Bud or the Admiral to do the Lamaze classes 
  with me."
  
  "I want to be there" he sighed. "God you don't know how much I want to be 
  there with you."
  
  "I know. And you will be. But in case you're not, I need someone."
  
  "Yes you do.  And that person is supposed to be me," he wailed plaintively.  "Mac this is so 
wrong.  And so fixable."
 
 "Excuse me?"
 
 "You know I could be home with you in forty-eight hours.  And in a week I could be working a 
nine-to-five at some civilian law firm."
 
 "Yeah and in two weeks you'd be bored out of your mind, and I'd hate myself for being the 
cause of that."
 
 "This is so wrong," he maintained once more.  "Just tell me you don't hate me for making you 
be alone when I should be there the most."
 
 "Harm I love you.  I could never at any time hate you.  You'll be here for the birth anyway."
 
 His breath drew in sharply.  For the first time he considered the possibility that he might not.  
"Oh yeah I will be," he almost shouted.  "No matter what it takes.  If I have to help myself to a 
plane."
 
 "I'm going to pretend like I didn't hear you just threaten to commit a federal crime," she 
sighed.  "Look I love you so much.  And the baby is growing healthy.  Baby Harm, not babies.  
I swear I get this mental picture of you looking around for the second one at the birth, sure it 
was kidnapped or something."
 
 He managed a giggle at that.  "Beth does say you're doing fine then, like you keep emailing?"
 
 "She does.  And I feel well.  Large and content--except for missing the one person who 
completes me."
 
 "I should be shot for taking this duty."
 
 "If you hadn't of, we might be seeing a divorce lawyer," she reminded him quietly.   "This time 
apart has been good.  We were destroying each other, destroying what took years to build.  
This way when you come home, we'll be preparing for the birth, and much in love, and very 
happy."
 
 "Mackenzie I swear whatever Beth is feeding you is making you like you're taking happy 
pills," he smiled.  "And I love it.  I can't wait to meet her."
 
 "You will.  At the birth.  And wait until you see the birthing center.  I told you about the tour, 
how comfortable it is.  And seeing that hours old baby made me ache to hold ours."
 ================
 Ninety days more.  Then eighty then seventy.  Seventy became fifty with only a supreme 
effort as both marked off their calendars.  Fifty crawled down to forty.  When forty became 
thirty and there was no news to the contrary, they began to breathe easier.  And in fact with 
twenty to go, news of Harm's replacement was announced with even more good news.  He 
would be released in fifteen days.
 
 The day that fact was made known to Mac she smiled all day.  It was almost over.  Her sailor 
was coming home.  Coming home to much more Sarah than he had left.  
 
 "Colonel you're not going to have that baby in my courtroom I trust," Adm. Morris commented 
just after announcing the lunch recess.
 
 "No sir, I'm fine.  Eight weeks to go sir," she assured him.  "In fact I'm not planning on taking 
any pregnancy leave for another four or five.  I feel better working.  At least until my husband 
returns."
 
 "How is Commander Rabb?" Morris smiled.  "I could lie and say I miss him I guess."
 
 "He's doing. . ." was as far as she managed before Tiner slipped into the courtroom through 
the double doors.  
 
 "Admiral sir excuse me I'm very sorry," he panted, his eyes on Mac, who gasped and turned 
pale.  She knew at once.
 
 "Harm?"
 
 "Ma'am I. . .ma'am the Admiral requests your presence with the court's indulgence."
 
 She swallowed hard and looked to Morris.  "Sir?"
 
 "Go by all means.  Tiner, come talk to me please."
 ===========
 Moving as fast as her mass would allow, Mac proceeded to AJ's office, feeling as if her feet 
were walking in clay.  Halfway down the long corridor, Sturgis intercepted her, his arm 
wrapping around her shoulders.  
 
 "It's bad isn't it?" she whispered, knowing somehow that he knew.  "Tiner didn't--or couldn't--
tell me."
   
  "Let's get inside the Admiral's office first," he said gently.
  
  "Oh god it's that bad" she whispered. "He's not dead. Please tell me he's 
  not dead."
  
  "No he's not dead," he said quickly. "It's just not good."
  
  By the time they reached AJ's office she was in major panic mode, afraid of 
  what she was going to be told.
  
  "Sit" AJ ordered and Sturgis helped her to the chair.
  
  "Sir please" she whispered. "Tell me what happened."
  
  "Apparently there's someone aboard the USS Corregidor who didn't like 
  something your husband did. Harm was attacked in his quarters."
  
  "Oh god, how bad?" she gasped.
  
  "Bad" AJ said quietly. "He was stabbed several times. By the time he was 
  found the next morning, he'd lost a considerable amount of blood."
  
  "But he's alive right?" she whispered.
  
  "Yes but the word from the Corregidor is they're not making any promises 
  that he's going to be okay" AJ continued.
  
  "No" she wailed. "No. He has to be okay. I need him. Our baby needs him. 
  He's going to be okay."
  
  "Mac I'm so sorry" AJ said softly.
  
  "No" she sobbed. "This isn't fair. He was supposed to come home in a few 
  days. This wasn't supposed to happen."
  
  Sturgis gently reached for her and for several minutes she sobbed quietly on 
  his shoulder before finally raising her head.
  
  "I want to go out there sir" she sniffled. "As soon as possible."
  
  "Mac in your condition" AJ started.
  
  "Sir this is my husband" she snapped. "I want to be with him. If he doesn't 
  make it, I want to say goodbye." Her words ended with another sob and 
  Sturgis once again drew her into arms.
  
  "I'll arrange it" AJ said quietly. "But only if Sturgis goes with you. You 
  are not traveling to the Med by yourself."
  
  She nodded her acceptance and Sturgis nodded as well. "Sir, I want to handle 
  this investigation and find the bastard who did this."
  
  "As I expected you would" AJ nodded. "I'll make the arrangements."
  
  Three hours later they were in the air, on their way to Spain to catch the 
  helo that would take them to the Corregidor.
  
  "How you holding up?" Sturgis asked as she shifted uncomfortably in her 
  seat.
  
  "I just want to get to him Sturgis" she whispered as her brown eyes filled 
  with tears again. "I keep telling myself if I get to him in time he won't 
  die. That if me and the baby are there he won't leave me."
  
  "He won't leave you" Sturgis assured her. "He's got way too much waiting for 
  him. You and that baby are his world."
  
  "And he's mine Sturgis" she sniffled.
  
  "I know," he said gently. "Why don't you try and rest? It's a long flight. 
  You can even use my shoulder for a pillow."
  
  "Thanks" she said softly as she leaned her head against him.
  
  They landed in Spain hours later, Sturgis helping Mac up and off the plane 
  and to the chopper waiting nearby.
  
  "Ma'am you sure you should be flying" the young pilot asked as Sturgis 
  helped her aboard the chopper.
  
  "Yes Lieutenant" she snapped. "My husband is fighting for his life aboard the 
  Corregidor.  Nothing is going to stop me from being with him."
  
  "Mac he's just being concerned for you and the baby" Sturgis said gently. 
  "He's not trying to stop you."
  
  "I'm sorry Lieutenant" Mac started.
  
  "Ma'am no reason to apologize. Let's get you aboard so we can get you to 
  your husband."
  
  "Lieutenant, can you get in touch with the Corregidor and find out the condition of 
  Harmon Rabb?" Sturgis asked.
  
  "Yes sir. Once we're airborne I'll do that."
 
 "Good man.  OK Mac we're almost there.  Just a short hop and you'll be holding him soon."
 
 "Or making arrangements to have his body shipped home," she snapped.  "Oh Sturgis I'm so 
sorry.  You don't deserve that from me."
 
 "You have to be exhausted and down to your last nerve," he said softly.  "It's OK really.  And 
I don't believe for a minute he's dead."  Gently he touched her cheek with the broad back of 
his hand.  "I think you'd know it if he was."
 
 Her mouth dropped open and she wrapped her arms around her belly.  "You're right," she 
whispered after a few minutes.  "He's still with me, and with our baby."
 
 Sturgis wrapped his hand over hers and smiled softly.  "You'll be fine, and so will he."
 
 Her eyes closed and a tear welled from each as the chopper swooped upward.  The steady 
whap-whap sound of the blades was almost soothing and she was falling into a sleep born of 
exhaustion when the young Lieutenant leaned back from the cockpit.
 
 "Sir--Ma'am, the Corregidor reports that Commander Rabb's condition is unchanged.  And 
they said to say that was good news considering."
 
 "Thank you Lieutenant," Sturgis nodded.
 
 The young man started to turn around when his gaze fell onto Mac.  "Ma'am I don't mean to 
be out of line, but my wife just had a baby--a full term baby--and I swear she was the same 
size as you are and. . ."
 
 "Lieutenant we understand your concern," Sturgis told him pointedly.  "The Colonel is not 
going into labor.  She has two months yet to go.  So let's do this--you worry about getting this 
bird to the ship, and I'll worry about delivering a baby if it happens.  And it won't."
 
 "Aye aye sir."  The young man turned back to his duties, knowing he had been put in his 
place.
 
 Mac's eyes closed once more, her head falling onto Sturgis's shoulder and he smiled softly at 
her.  She was a beautiful woman, and he could easily be attracted to her, except for the small 
factor of her being married to one of his closest friends.
 
 "God I'm taking care of her for Harm," he breathed.  "But I can't do it all alone.  I need You on 
this too."
 
 A long hour later the Corregidor loomed below them and the chopper began a gentle 
descent.  Sturgis gave her a hand a quick squeeze. "Mac we're there."
 
 She came awake with a sharp startle and he tightened his hold of her hand.  "It's OK.  
Everything's fine."
 
 The chopper set down with a gentle thump and a moment later the door was opened by a 
young Ensign.  "Sir, Ma'am, Ensign Charles Moody on behalf of Captain Keller who sends his 
compliments and has offered my assistance in anything you might need."  
 
 "Thank you Ensign, I'm sure we'll be calling on you."  Sturgis returned his salute as he 
jumped down and reached back for Mac, taking hold of both her hands to aide her in her exit.  
 
 "Ma'. . ." was all Moody could get out once he spotted her pregnancy.
 
 "Never mind Ensign," she ordered. 
 
 "Yes ma'am.  May I show you to your quarters?"
 
 "No.  You may show me to my husband.  Now."
 
 "Yes ma'am.  In that case my orders are to bring you to Commander Maris.  She's 
Commander Rabb's doctor and she wants to talk to you before you see him."
 
 "Let's do it," Mac nodded, gratefully allowing Sturgis to take her arm as they walked along.  
 
 "Ma'am unless we walk a good ways around, this hatchway is the best way to get down.  
Can you manage the ladder?"
 
 "I guess I didn't think how hard this was going to be in my determination to get to Harm," she 
sighed, "but yeah I'll be OK with Commander Turner's help."
 
 A few minutes later Moody showed them into Commander Maris's office and they had no 
sooner sat down when she appeared.  "Colonel Mackenzie, Commander Turner, I'm pleased 
to meet you both," she smiled pleasantly.  "Or should I address you as Mrs. Rabb?"
 
 "Mac is fine, thank you," she nodded.  "My husband, how is he?"
 
 "No change," she replied soberly.  "Which I guess depending on your outlook is a good thing.  
I had hoped to see some improvement by now in his level of consciousness but at least he's 
not losing ground."  She took a long breath and her gaze rested on Mac's belly.  "You're at 
term?"
 
 "Good lord no," she yelped.  "Seven months--well 32 weeks, and very healthy thank you."
 
 "Well OK, but I did a sub specialty in OB and. . .never mind, not my business.  Uh. . .basically 
your husband's condition is that he lost a good deal of blood.  Bless the fact that he's a 
common type so transfusing was not a problem."
 
 "So he's going to be OK?" Mac breathed.
 
 "That kind of blood loss constitutes a major assault on the body," Maris replied carefully.  "He 
was on the verge of both heart and kidney failure."
 
 "My god."  Mac's hand went to her mouth and for a moment Sturgis was afraid she was going 
to be ill.
 
 "My best guess is that we got to him in time to reverse that.  Now we're waiting for him to 
come around to assess if there was any. . ."
 
 "Commander just spit it out," Sturgis urged.  "Mac will be far better off knowing the whole 
story rather than getting a surprise later."
 
 "Sometimes a blood loss like that deprives the brain of oxygen in sufficient quantity to cause 
problems," she said quietly.  "We're praying that's not the case here."
 
 Mac paled visibly and leaned toward Sturgis, her eyes pleading with him to make it not so as 
if he had that power.
 
 "Is that all Commander?" he asked firmly.  "If so, we'd like to see Mr. Rabb now."
 
 She nodded.  "And that's as bad as it gets.  Plus as I say, we're encouraged that he's not 
losing ground."
  
  "That doesn't sound all that encouraging" Mac whispered.
  
  "Ma'am to us it is. I know you want to hear better but right now this isn't 
  that bad considering where he was. And of course having you here might just 
  be what he needs to help bring him out of this."
  
  "Whatever it takes," Mac said softly.
  
  "Let's go see your husband" Commander Maris said gently. "I'm sure it's 
  going to help both of you."
  
  With Sturgis's arm holding on to her, they followed Commander Maris down the 
  small sickbay corridor to the room at the end where a guard stood. She 
  stopped outside the door and turned to Mac.
  
  "Remember he's been through a lot" she said soberly. "And right now he's not 
  going to look anything like the man you know and love. But don't let that 
  scare you. We're doing everything possible for him and I'm still confident 
  he can pull through this."
  
  "Thank you Commander" Sturgis nodded.
  
  "If you want to talk afterwards, please come and find me," she said as she 
  gave Mac a sympathetic smile.
  
  Mac nodded and gently pushed open the door to the room. Despite Commander 
  Maris's warning she still gasped loudly at the sight of Harm on the bed.
  
  "Mac you okay?" Sturgis asked as he immediately reached for her hand.
  
  "No" she whispered, her eyes never leaving the bed.
  
  "Mac remember what she said" he counseled. "He's been through a lot. But 
  it's Harm and we both know that he isn't going to give up. Not when he's 
  just a few weeks away from being a father."
  
  Gently he guided her towards the bed and to the chair next to it. She sat 
  down and reached for his hand, carefully wrapping hers around it despite all 
  the wires and tubes that covered it.
  
  "Harm I'm here" she whispered as a few stray tears slid down her face. "So 
  you'd better think about getting better mister. Cause I'm not leaving this 
  ship until you're okay."
  
  "Will you be okay here alone?" Sturgis asked. "I want to see if they've 
  found out anything about who attacked Harm."
  
  "Yeah I'll be okay" she sighed. "I want to know who did this Sturgis. I want 
  to know why someone wanted to kill my husband."
  
  "I'll find out. You stay here. At least I know you're safe with the guard 
  there."
  
  She nodded and Sturgis gave her shoulder a quick squeeze before heading off 
  to talk to Captain Keller.
  
  "Nothing yet Commander" Captain Keller said soberly. "And trust me, I want 
  this person found and off my ship. That was a brutal attack on Commander 
  Rabb and for no apparent reason."
  
  "I want to get into his quarters and then check his office in legal. Can you 
  arrange that?"
  
  "Of course. Ensign Moody will be happy to assist with whatever you need."
  
  "Thank you Captain. Maybe I can find something that will point me in the 
  right direction until Harm wakes up and can tell us who his attacker was."
  
  "I hope that's the case" Keller sighed. "This whole thing has been a 
  nightmare. The Commander's a few days away from going home and then this 
  happens. And Ensign Moody says his wife looks like she's about to deliver 
  any moment."
  
  "Eight weeks to be exact" Sturgis sighed. "But nothing was going to keep her 
  from coming to her husband."
  
  "Well I hope that baby doesn't decide to make an early entrance" Keller 
  sighed. "I'm not sure anyone around here knows how to deliver a baby."
  
  *********
  Mac stayed at Harm's side, one hand wrapped around his, the other to her 
  large belly.
  
  "Your daddy's going to be okay," she said softly as she rubbed her belly. 
  "We're with him know and he's going to be okay. He has to be."
  
  She let out a long sigh and shifted uncomfortably in the chair. "Come on 
  Harm" she begged. "I need you sailor. This baby needs you. Open those green 
  eyes and look at me. Please."
  
  "How you doing Mrs. Rabb?" Commander Maris asked as she walked into the room 
  a few minutes later.
  
  "I'm okay" Mac sighed. "I just want him to be okay."
  
  "I know. And we're working on that. But these things take time."
  
  "Well I'm here until he is okay" Mac declared.
  
 Maris once more eyed her pregnancy and sighed.  "OK Colonel."
 
 "Mac please.  If you saved my husband's life at least we can do first names."
 
 She smiled softly, looking down at where Harm and Mac's hands were joined, as if she was 
willing her strength to him.  "I'm Debra then."
 
 "Debra can't you even hazard a guess when he's going to wake up?" she wailed softly.
 
 "I'm sorry.  I thought before now.  I'm going to have to recommend he be medivac'd off of 
here simply because we're out of ideas."
 
 "Like to where?"
 
 Debra shrugged.  "Like to the Navy Hospital at Naples, but frankly I don't know what they'd 
do for him that we haven't."
 
 Mac gave his hand a hard squeeze and a slight shake.  "That's not going to be necessary 
Debra.  This stubborn pigheaded arrogant sonofabitch that I'm married to is going to open 
those big green eyes and tell me he loves me.  And then I'm going to take him home and not 
let him out of my sight.  Not ever."
 
 "You do that," Debra smiled.  "Meanwhile I've got other duties.  Ensign Lang has the duty 
desk right outside if you need anything."
 
 "Thanks.  I'm fine."
 
 "Well you're not, but that's OK."
 
 Once again alone with Harm, Mac leaned as forward as she could with the beach ball that 
was now her front and wrapped an arm over Harm.  "I'm here honey.  Wake up for me 
please."
 ================
 "Commander Turner, this is Petty Officer Rahimi, Commander Rabb's legal man."  Moody 
make the introductions and the young woman stood at once.  

"Sir.  How is the Commander?"
 
 "No change there.  Alexis will help you with the Commander's cases file," Moody assured 
him.
 
 "Thanks."  When Moody had left, Sturgis gave the young woman an encouraging smile.  
"Petty Officer, I bet you have some clue who might have done this.  Who might have been 
that upset with Commander Rabb?"
 
 "No sir," she replied, her eyes darting around the room as if she was afraid she was being 
over heard.  "Well you know that anyone he prosecuted could have.  At least anyone who still 
had duty status and not been exported off the ship.  Or someone else.  Like maybe it wasn't 
about something professional."
 
 "As in?"
 
 "Sir I don't want to be telling tales out of school."
 
 "Would it help if I'm asking you a direct question, to which I expect a direct answer?"
 
 The young woman flushed under his intense gaze.  "There's a Commander Coakley from 
Finance sir.  She was hitting on him pretty bad.  Despite him being married.  And Commander 
Jones who was in love with her and she was ignoring him in favor of trying to seduce 
Commander Rabb."
 
 "What the hell is going on aboard this bucket anyway?  What is this--As the Corregidor 
Turns?"  Sturgis's eyes widened at her words and he sat at Harm's desk, helping himself to a 
legal tablet.  "Alexis, what you're about to tell me is a confidential conversation.  Let's have it."
   
  "Sir I just told you" she sighed. "Commander Coakley made it pretty clear 
  she wanted Commander Rabb. She didn't care that he was married."
  
  "And who is Commander Jones?"
  
  "Her on and off again lover" Alexis said quietly. "Everyone knows about it. 
  Only he's more in love than she is. She's in love with him until the next 
  hot looking guy comes aboard."
  
  "This Commander Coakley, did you ever see her in action?"
  
  "Commander Rabb and I were working late one night" Alexis replied. "He'd 
  just told me to wrap it up when she came by. I didn't catch all of it but I 
  know she was putting on the full court press if you know what I mean."
  
  "But he told her no right?"
  
  "Good god yes" Alexis yelped. "All that man ever talked about was his wife 
  and the baby she was carrying."
  
  "Just checking" Sturgis smiled. "I thought that would be the case but I had 
  to make sure."
  
  "Sir, all Commander Rabb wanted was for his time to be up so he could go 
  home," Alexis said quietly. "He wasn't interested in having any affairs with 
  anyone."
  
  "What can you tell me about Commander Jones?" Sturgis prodded.
  
  "Just that he's so hopelessly in love with her it's pathetic. And that he's 
  got a bit of a temper."
  
  "Explain"
  
  "Before Commander Rabb came aboard there was a similar incident. Commander 
  Coakley had set her sights on a new guy on board and Commander Jones found 
  out and rumor was he made it clear that Commander Coakley belonged to him."
  
  "Okay" Sturgis sighed. "Like I said, As the Corregidor turns."
  
  "Not everyone is that bad sir" Alexis sighed. "Most of us are here to do our 
  job and not cause any problems."
  
  "Sorry. I'm sure that's the case. Now where can I find these two?"
  
  "Like I said, Commander Coakley is in Finance. Commander Jones works in 
  Public Affairs."
  
  "Thank you Petty Officer. You've been very helpful. And I promise the source 
  of my information will remain confidential."
  
  "Thank you sir. I hope it helps you find the person who did this to 
  Commander Rabb."
  
  "You and the Commander got along well then I take it?"
  
  "The Commander was very patient with me," Alexis said with a small smile. 
  "I'm new to the legal department you see. And I wasn't sure how he'd be with 
  that. But he was always very kind to me."
  
  "That's Harm" Sturgis said quietly.
  
  "I hope he's going to be okay. I know how much he wanted to get home to his 
  wife before she had the baby."
  
  "She's here now" Sturgis replied.
  
  "Isn't she like ready to give birth?" Alexis gasped.
  
  "No she has a few more weeks to go" Sturgis smiled. "Plenty of time for the 
  Commander to get through this so he can witness the birth of his first 
  child."  
  *************
  "Rabb this is unacceptable" Mac sighed as she looked at her husband who 
  remained unconscious. "You need to come back to me sailor. I need you and 
  this baby needs you."
  
  "No change?" Sturgis asked softly as he walked into the room.
  
  "Nothing yet" Mac sighed. "How about you? Any luck in finding the monster 
  who did this to him?"
  
  "I've got a few suspects" he nodded. "But I wanted to check in with you 
  first and see how you were doing."
  
  "I'll be a lot better when he wakes up" she whispered "Sturgis I'm so scared 
  he's not going to be okay."
  
  "He will. You just need to have faith."
  
  "You really think you might have found who might be responsible for this?" 
  she asked.
  
  "Yeah. I need to talk to a few people first and then I'll let you know what 
  I find out."
  
  "You want me to come with you?"
  
  "No I want you to stay right there and take it easy. When Harm wakes, I want 
  your face to be the first thing he sees. And I don't want you running around 
  this boat anymore than you have to."
 
 "Sturgis I'm fine.  I may not be able to move quickly but I still can move."
 
 Sturgis's thoughts went to the information he had just received.  If Coakley and/or Jones had 
wanted to do bodily injury to Harm, they might just as easily come after his wife.  Marine or 
no, she was largely pregnant and therefore vulnerable.  "I'm serious Mac.  I haven't been here 
long but I can tell something is badly wrong here.  At least here in sickbay you're safe, and I 
did speak to the master at arms to be sure he had orders to keep a guard on Harm at all 
times."
 
 "You think the perp might try again don't you," she gasped.  In her overwhelming concern for 
Harm she had not considered that possibility.
 
 "Or just as bad, go through you to get to him."  
 
 Her arm tightened protectively across his body.  "No, I won't let that happen."
 
 "Nor will I.  I'm going to check Harm's quarters now.  Then I'll come back to you."
 
 "Actually Sturgis hold up," she called when he had gotten to the door.  "I'm going to come 
with you.  I need to take a break anyway, and maybe seeing something there might. . .well 
two heads and all that.  And who knows, I might get lucky and come back and find my 
husband here."
 
 He nodded his understanding and hurried to help her from the chair.  She made a bathroom 
stop and came out with a sigh of relief.  "Mother nature screwed up when she placed bladders 
and wombs in the same area.  OK, let's go."
 
 Her rolling gait matched the ship's movement and he kept his hand around her arm as they 
walked along.  "You holding up OK?  You know if something happens to you or the baby, I'm 
going to have hell to pay with your husband for allowing you to come.  Not that I had any say-
so."
 
 "I'm fine, no worries," she sighed, unconsciously using an expression she heard from Mic  
Brumby at least a dozen times a day.
 
 "You better be," he warned, guiding her through the corridor and down to the next lower 
level.  Harm's room was easy to find with the yellow tape making an X across the door.  With 
the pass key he had been given, Sturgis admitted them and Mac at once gave a small cry 
when she saw the scene, her hand going to her mouth as if she was going to be sick.
 
 "Whoa you sit down," Sturgis ordered her, guiding her to the chair.  "I should have my head 
examined for bringing you here.  What was I thinking."
 
 "I've seen crime scenes a hundred times," she defended herself.
 
 "Yeah but not when the blood is your husband's," he retorted.
 
 "I can still smell him here," she whispered.  "Even over the blood smell.  The other smell is 
Harm.  His cologne and. . .well just him."
 
 "Uh. . .I don't normally smell him.  People might get the wrong idea," he said with a quick 
smile before moving into the small bathroom. 
 
 The NCIS officer aboard had made his report, but had left the scene undisturbed.  Mac sat 
quietly in the chair, her hand to her mouth still, staring at the blood stain, trying not to imagine 
the life flowing from Harm, trying not to think about the pain he must have been in until he lost 
consciousness.
 
 "Nothing disturbed in there," Sturgis reported.  "Your Mr. Rabb is neater than I am."
 
 "Well he didn't come that way," she smiled despite her worry, shifting slightly in the chair as 
her back reminded her she was pregnant in case it had slipped her mind.  Her gaze fell on the 
bedside table and the glass sitting there.  "Sturgis what's with that glass?" she frowned.  "It 
looks like there's grape juice in the bottom, which Harm drinks, but there's something else--
just above the juice, see?  Kind of a white substance?"
 
 "Hey you're right," he frowned, tentatively sticking his finger down the side.  "This is strange 
stuff.  It's crystallized.  Like some of the juice has evaporated and left this behind.  The NCIS 
report says the room was negative for prints except Harm's too.  And I'm assuming at the time 
they checked, this glass didn't look like this.  I hope the lab aboard can give us a clue.  
Anything else?"
 
 Mac raised her hand, requesting Sturgis's help from the chair, but instead of letting him walk 
her to the door, she pulled away from him to sink down awkwardly onto Harm's bed, taking up 
his pillow and hugging it to her chest.  She buried her head in its softness, taking a long 
breath of its Harm smell, and then the tears came.
  
  "Mac don't" Sturgis said gently as she sobbed into the pillow. "He's going 
  to be okay. You have to believe that."
  
  "He shouldn't have even been here" she sobbed. "He should have been home 
  with me."
  
  "And he will be" he said softly. "You need to hold yourself together Mac. 
  For both you and the baby."
  
  "I'm trying" she wailed. "But Commander Maris can't even tell me he's going 
  to be okay."
  
  "Hey have a little faith in your husband. He's got a lot to live for. You 
  and that baby for starters."
  
  "What if he isn't okay Sturgis? What if he doesn't come out of this?"
  
  "Stop borrowing trouble" he scolded. "Mac he's going to be okay. You need to 
  start believing that. Negative thoughts aren't going to help."
  
  "I'm so scared Sturgis. I can't live without him. He's my world."
  
  "And you're his" he said as he sat down beside her. "And if anything happens 
  to you or this baby he's going to lose it. And I'm not going to be the one 
  to tell him something like that has happened. So I need you to relax and 
  take it easy. This kind of stress isn't good."
  
  "Why would someone do this to him?" she whispered as she looked back at the 
  bloodstain. "Who would hate him this much?"
  
  "I'm working on that," Sturgis said soberly. "And trust me when I find out, 
  they're going to be real sorry."
  
  "I want to go back to him" she announced suddenly.
  
  "Okay I'll take you back," Sturgis said as he helped her to her feet again. 
  "You okay?"
  
  "Yeah I just need to be with Harm."
  
  He nodded and led her out of Harm's room, nearly running into a woman who 
  stood just outside the door to his room.
  
  "Can I help you?" Sturgis asked.
  
  "I was just checking to see who was in here" the woman replied as she looked 
  at Mac and Sturgis. "I was going to call security."
  
  "Commander Turner and Colonel Mackenzie from JAG" Sturgis replied. "We're 
  looking into the attack on Commander Rabb."
  
  "I'm surprised they let you travel in your condition," she said as she 
  looked at Mac.
  
  "Commander Rabb is my husband" Mac said as she stared at the woman. "Who are 
  you?"
  
  "Commander Coakley. I work in Finance."
  
  "Did you know my husband?" Mac asked.
  
  "I just saw him around" Commander Coakley replied. "We never really talked 
  though. How is he doing?"
  
  Sturgis said nothing as he studied the woman. That wasn't the story Petty 
  Officer Rahimi had told him. But now wasn't the time to talk to Commander 
  Coakley about it.
  
  "The same" Mac said soberly. "In fact I'm on my way back to see him so if 
  you'll excuse me."
  
  "Of course" Commander Coakley nodded. "I hope he's okay."
  
  "Thanks" Mac said with a small smile. "Sturgis if you want to continue 
  investigating, I can find my way back to the sick bay myself."
  
  "No I'll take you," he said quickly. "Commander if you'll excuse us."
  
  She nodded and Sturgis led Mac down the passageway and back to sick bay. The 
  guard was still at the door and Mac once again made herself comfortable at 
  Harm's side while Sturgis checked in with the doctor.
  
  "No change" he said quietly as he came up behind her a few minutes later. 
  "I'm sorry."
  
  She nodded slowly, tears once again sliding down her face. She felt like she 
  was in a horrible nightmare and all she wanted to do was wake up and find 
  Harm beside her.
  
  "Mac I want to check on a few leads. You going to be okay if I leave?"
  
  "As okay as I'll be until he wakes up" she sniffled.
  
  "I know," he said softly. "I'll be back soon. You take it easy."
 
 "I'll be here.  Thanks Sturgis.  For putting up with me while you're trying to conduct an 
investigation."
 
 "Yeah well you and Harm and the baby owe me a steak dinner when this is all done," he 
grinned.  "Have some faith, get some rest, and you know if you need anything there's people 
right outside."
 
 The next three hours Sturgis spent walking and talking to anyone who would talk to him.  
One interview would lead to another, but the best information he gathered was from Petty 
Officer Rahimi regarding Commander Coakley.  He had been suspicious enough when 
Rahimi mentioned her, and their brief encounter had only left him more so.  There was 
something in her eyes, and an evasiveness in her tone, but no way did he want to confront 
her near Mac; furthermore it disturbed him that she was now aware that Harm's wife was 
aboard.
 
 He made his way to Finance, only to be told she was off duty for the remainder of the day.  
"Sir you might check with Commander Jones in PA," the young Ensign offered.  "I mean 
they're. . ."
 
 "Yes Ensign I know," Sturgis nodded with exaggerated patience.  "I've been brought up to 
speed on 'As The Corregidor Turns' thank you.  Would you have anything you'd like to share 
with me to solve this thing."
 
 Ensign Gill flushed and squirmed uncomfortably.  "Sir I don't know anything specific, except 
that. . .well I. . .OK a few days ago I was in the supply closet looking for an invoice and only 
Commander Coakley was in the office and Commander Jones came in.  They didn't know I 
was there I guess and they argued.  Argued about Commander Rabb sir, and he accused her 
of flirting and sleeping around and swore he wasn't going to let Mr. Rabb have her."
 
 Sturgis gave a long sigh.  "OK Ensign thank you.  I know that was difficult for you to come 
forward like that and I appreciate it.  You're not the first person to suggest Mr. Jones has a 
temper.  Do you know the man at all?"
 
 Gill shook his head.  "We don't exactly move in the same social circles sir.  But yes sir, 
temper.  He threatened Commander Coakley that night.  Well not with bodily harm, but just 
swore there was no way she was going to be with anyone else."
 
 "OK thanks.  Now strictly off the record here, could you picture Mr. Jones attacking Mr. 
Rabb?"
 
 "Oh yeah. . .uh yes sir.  Sir. . .OK I haven't spent any real time with him, but he just hits me 
as kind of unstable or volatile.  Off the record right?"
 
 "For now.  Thank you Ensign."
 ========
 INFIRMARY
 
 "Ma'am we're changing shifts out here.  Is there anything I can get for you before I go off 
duty?"  The young man gave Mac a sympathetic smile as he poked his head in the door.
 
 "Oh you know a big glass of juice would be great," Mac tried to smile.  "Even though it will 
just go right to the old bladder."
 
 "You got it."
 
 Mac lay her head on Harm's chest and a short time later heard the door open again.  "Can 
you set it down please.  I'm a little queasy here and I think I'll pass for the moment.  Sorry to 
be such a pain."  She did not look up as she spoke and a minute later she sensed presence 
in the room yet.  "Ensign it's fine.  Just set it over there and I'll get it in a bit."  
 
 The next sound she heard was the door locking and she turned around as fast as she could 
given her mass.  "What the hell are you doing in here?" 
   
  "Finishing what should have been done the other night" Commander Coakley 
  smiled.
  
  "You" Mac gasped as she realized she was looking at the woman who'd tried to 
  kill her husband. "Why?"
  
  "No man ever turned me down. Until your husband."
  
  "So you tried to kill him?" Mac whispered, at the same time realizing just 
  how unstable this woman actually was.
  
  "I wanted him. And if I wasn't going to have him, he wasn't going to go home 
  to his little wife."
  
  "You're sick" Mac gasped.
  
  "Well too bad no one else is going to find that out" Coakley grinned as she 
  started towards Mac, the knife now clearly visible in her hand.
  
  Mac scrambled to her feet, her only thought on protecting her husband. There 
  was no way she would let Coakley hurt him again. But she quickly found out 
  she was no match for the deranged woman who came at her with the knife. 
  Coakley knocked her to the ground; the knife waving wildly as they both 
  landed on the floor. Mac let out a cry of pain as she hit the floor, 
  immediately fearing for the baby inside of her.
  
  "You'll die first" Coakley sneered as she raised her knife. "Then your lousy 
  husband."
  
  Despite her pain, Mac managed to grab her arm and for several seconds they 
  wrestled for control of the knife. She was losing ground to Coakley when the 
  door of the room suddenly burst open; Sturgis rushing in followed by several 
  corpsmen. He grabbed Coakley from behind and pulled her away from Mac but 
  not before the knife scraped Mac's arm.
  
  "Take her" Sturgis yelled as he handed the struggling woman to the corpsmen. 
  "Get her out of here and call security to take her to the brig."
  
  "Yes sir" the corpsmen said as they pulled her from the room, the doctor 
  hurrying in after them.
  
  "What in the hell is going on in here?" Commander Maris demanded.
  
  "Mac you okay?" Sturgis asked as he knelt down beside her.
  
  "My baby" Mac whispered, tears sliding down her face. "I can't lose my 
  baby."
  
  "Mac what happened?" Debra Maris asked gently as she too knelt down beside 
  Mac.
  
  "She pushed me down" Mac sniffled. "And it hurts."
  
  "Okay try and relax" Debra urged. "I'm going to get a corpsman to get a 
  gurney and then we'll take a look and see what's going on."
  
  She stood up and hurried out of the room, returning seconds later with a 
  gurney and another corpsman. With Sturgis's assistance they were able to get 
  Mac onto the gurney and she was quickly wheeled down the hall to one of the 
  observation rooms.
  
  "She's going to be okay right?" Sturgis asked as he followed Commander 
  Maris. "And the baby?"
  
  "I don't know" she sighed. "But just in case I'm going to call for a 
  medivac."
  
  "No they can't lose this baby" Sturgis whispered. "You don't understand. 
  They've been through so much already."
  
  "Commander I won't know what the situation is until I look at her. But I'm 
  going to order the medivac just the same. Quite truthfully I was going to 
  have the Commander sent to Naples anyway since he hasn't been responding to 
  treatment here. I've done all I can do."
  
  "God this is a nightmare" he sighed.
  
  "I'm sorry. But right now I need to check on Mac and see about the baby. 
  That's my first concern."
  
  She hurried off to the room Mac had been wheeled into and for several 
  seconds Sturgis simply stood there, not sure where or what he should do. 
  Finally he headed towards Harm's room to check on his friend.
  
  "Is he okay?" he asked the corpsman who was attending to him.
  
  "Same as before sir. No change."
  
  "Come on Rabb" Sturgis sighed as he looked down at his friend. "Your wife 
  needs you right now. You need to come back to her."
 
 "Did I hear his wife is a patient here too sir?" the corpsman frowned.
 
 "Yes I'm afraid so."  Sturgis shook his head.  "This is a nightmare in triplicate."
 
 "Commander Maris mentioned earlier she was arranging medivac to Naples for the 
Commander," he went on.  "I'm sorry we couldn't do more."
 
 "Well you've kept him alive--kept him from getting any worse--for that I'm grateful.  I'm just 
sorry someone didn't see Commander Coakley's instability before and report it.  I'll be filing 
charges as soon as I can think clearly.  Meanwhile I'm going to see to Colonel Mackenzie.  
You know where I am if there's any change here."
 ==============
 Commander Maris was just coming out of the exam room when Sturgis approached.  
 
 "Commander I sure could use some good news right about now," he begged.
 
 "Except to say that the cut to her arm was superficial, I'm fresh out.  Her fall has caused 
some bleeding.  I suspect a small tear in the placenta but I don't have the kind of ultra sound 
to let me take a close look. "
 
 "That sounds dangerous."
 
 "It can be, for both mother and child.  On the other hand with bedrest it can heal and she can 
deliver normally.  In any case, this rust bucket is not the place for her.  She needs a hospital.   
And her baby may need neo-natal.  If it happens to be born here, early that it is, I wouldn't bet 
two cents on a good outcome."
 
 "And Commander Rabb?" Sturgis asked, trying to digest all that he was being told.
 
 "He's going too.  I fear if he stays here he'll just slip away," she sighed.  "I'm so sorry.  They 
seem like such good people.  I wish there was more that I could do."
 
 Sturgis nodded numbly.  "What does Colonel Mackenzie say about all this?"
 
 Debra shook her head.  "It will be better coming from a friend."
 
 "Good," he sighed, until he realized what she was saying. "Friend as in me?"
 
 "Please.  Tell her she needs to go, and that her husband will be coming with her."
 
 "She's going to ask me about the baby."
 
 Debra nodded.   "And you can tell her in all honesty the baby is fine for the moment. Now I've 
given her something very mild to calm her.  Right now getting upset is the last thing she or the 
baby need.  You could go sit with her and that will help."
 
 "When this is over I'm changing careers to the postal service," he muttered as he went 
through the doors. 
 
 He had to catch his breath before he could speak, seeing her lying pale and afraid, her dark 
hair in stark contrast to the white sheet.  "Hey," he called softly.
 
 At once she struggled to sit up and he hurriedly pushed her back in place.  "As you were 
Colonel.  I've just been talking to Commander Maris."
 
 "I'm OK right?  Harm?  He's OK?  Is he awake?  Sturgis if he's awake I need to be with him."  
Once again she tried to rise.
 
 "Whoa let's hold up on that car wash," he smiled.  "First that no account husband of yours 
hasn't moved.  Jerk.  I'm going to kick his six around the parking lot of the hospital in Naples 
when he's able, because that's where you both are going."
 
 "I. . .I don't understand.  Both? He's worse?  And my baby?  Oh God Sturgis is the baby in 
trouble?"
 
 "Ssshhh OK now," he soothed.  "Harm is unchanged, which of course is the problem.  He's 
not making progress and they think he'll do better in the hospital.  You on the other hand. . 
.well right now the baby is OK, but you've had some bleeding and they don't know if it will 
stop.  I guess if it doesn't the baby is going to have to be born, and I can guarantee you that 
you don't want that to happen on this ship.  Bottom line, you're both being medivac'd out of 
here and I'm coming with you.  I'll file charges against Coakley long distance and then I plan 
to prosecute her myself."
 
 Her lower lip trembled as she listened.  "I don't believe how messed up this has gotten," she 
whispered.  "Damn Sergei and Singer and that whole mess.  That's what caused this.  We 
would have been fine without. . ."  That was as far as she got before a giant sob racked her 
and he squeezed her hand.  
 
 "Better to think about what's going to happen next than what you can't change," he advised.  
"I'm going to be right with you the whole way.  You just relax and stay calm.  That's the best 
thing you can do for the baby."
    
  "I'm trying Sturgis" she sobbed. "But I'm so afraid right now. Afraid I'm 
  going to lose Harm and the baby."
  
  "You're not going to lose either of them," he said gently. "Mac come on. You 
  need to stay calm."
  
  He gently reached for her and gave her an awkward hug as she cried. She 
  finally pulled away and wiped away her tears.
  
  "I'm sorry. I just don't know how much more of this I can take."
  
  "I know," he said softly. "But it's going to be over soon. You'll both be 
  off this rust bucket and Harm will get better and it's all going to be 
  okay."
  
  She nodded and sniffled at the same time. "I hope you're right" she said 
  finally.
  
  "I am. We just have to have faith."
  
  Two hours later they were both loaded aboard the chopper, Sturgis climbing 
  in right behind them. Mac reached for Harm's hand, holding it tightly in 
  hers.
  
  "Hang in there sailor" she whispered as she pressed his hand to her cheek. 
  "You're going to be okay. You hear me. This baby is going to be born soon 
  and you're going to be around to see him or her grow up."
  
  "Amen" Sturgis said softly.
  
  They were almost to Naples when she felt the first contraction.
  
  "Sturgis" she gasped. "Oh god, I think I'm going into labor."
  
  "We're almost there Colonel" the medic informed her as he over heard her. 
  "Just a few more minutes."
  
  "Please lord let this baby be okay" she prayed.
  
  True to his word the chopper touched down in Naples a few minutes later and 
  at once Mac was whisked off the chopper to a nearby ambulance.
  
  "Sturgis I'm scared" Mac whispered. "I don't want to lose my baby."
  
  "You won't. They're going to get you there and everything is going to be 
  okay" he said as he walked beside her to the ambulance.
  
  He stayed with her as long as he could at the hospital, the nurse finally 
  stopping him as she whisked into the emergency room. With a sigh he headed 
  to one of the chairs, sinking into it as he tried to figure out how 
  everything had gotten so out of hand.
  
  "Commander" a nurse called a few minutes later.
  
  "How is Colonel Mackenzie?" he demanded. "Is the baby okay?"
  
  "She's being sent up for an emergency C section."
  
  "Oh god" he gulped. "But they're going to be okay right?"
  
  "I'll let you know as soon as I get word" the nurse replied.
  
  He nodded and watched her walk away before sinking back into the chair. 
  Nothing the nurse had said sounded good and he could only pray that Mac and 
  the baby would be okay.
  
  He was pacing the waiting room when the nurse finally reappeared again.
  
  "Please tell me their okay" he begged as he looked at the older woman.
  
  "Mother and babies are doing okay. But I think it would be good if you were 
  there when she wakes up."
  
  "Babies?" he repeated.
  
  "Colonel Mackenzie was pregnant with twins. And despite the fact they're a 
  few weeks early, they're doing remarkably well. We've of course got them in 
  the neonatal unit, which is why it might be a good idea for you to be with 
  her when she wakes up. She's likely to be panicked when she wakes and it 
  will help to have a familiar face there."
  
  "They're going to be okay?"
  
  "Well they're preemies and there's always a chance they'll develop problems 
  but at the moment we're optimistic they're going to be just fine."
  
  "Please Lord" he murmured under his breath. "Is there any word on Commander 
  Rabb?"
  
  "His condition is unchanged" she replied.
  
  "At least he's no worse" Sturgis sighed. "I can go sit with Mac then?"
  
  "Of course" she nodded. "If you'll follow me, I'll take you to her."
 
 "The nightmare continues," he sighed as he trotted after the nurse.  
 
 "Would you like to swing by the nursery and see the babies?"
 
 "I don't know if I should.  I mean their father hasn't even."
 
 "And if he never. . ." she began slowly.  "Well I just get the impression in the worst case 
scenario, you might play a large part in the lives of those babies."
 
 His mouth dropped open as the full impact of what she was hinting at hit him.  A few minutes 
later he was at the nursery window, staring intently, and at that moment he made that vow.  If 
Harm was not around to be the father these two tiny lives deserved, he--Sturgis Samuel 
Turner--would be.
 
 "They're so little," he gasped.  "How can they be OK?"
 
 "Just under four pounds each, but all of it fight they told me when I asked earlier.  Don't you 
dare write them off.  They're going to be fine."
 
 "No one even mentioned twins," he marveled as he followed her down the all.  "How could 
she not know?"
 
 "If she didn't have a sonogram, and it's possible one heartbeat was muffled by the other 
depending on their position in the womb," she shrugged.  "Hey I've been doing this ten years 
and I've seen more miracles than I ever thought possible."  She pushed the door to Mac's 
room open.  "Mrs. Rabb, you have a handsome man wanting to see you.  Are you awake 
enough?"
 
Mac stirred and opened her eyes, feeling a small ray of hope.  "Yes of course.  My husband?"
 
 "Not quite.  But hey this guy isn't bad."
 
 Sturgis almost blushed as he walked past her and over to the bed.  "Hi Mac.  You OK?"
 
 "Sore and tired, and wanting to be happy but I can't," she wailed softly, coming fully awake.  
"How are the babies?  Did you see them?"
 
 "Your babies are beautiful," he assured her.   "When were you going to share that you were 
having twins?"
 
 "I had no idea," she sighed.  "I told Beth I didn't want to know anything--I wanted Harm and I 
to be surprised see.  Well he's sure going to be.  When they told me just after they were born 
I couldn't believe it.  I thought they had mine mixed up or something.  Then I went to sleep 
and relived the whole thing in a dream.  They promised me I could see them later, once they 
got me up.  But they're OK right?  You saw them?"
 
 "I did.  And they're beautiful and perfect.  They look just like babies only smaller.  You got 
names?"
 
 "No we hadn't even begun to talk names.  I mean this is all wrong.  He was supposed to be 
there to hold them when they were born.  To be with me.  And they were supposed to be born 
in the birthing center with Beth and. . ."  Tears she did not want stopped her and he quickly 
grabbed up a kleenex for her, then took her free hand.
 
 "You need to try to rest now," he told her firmly.  "You've got two babies who are going to 
need you.  Not to mention a husband who's going to need some looking after once he's back 
with you."
 
 She opened her mouth to say 'if' and then stopped herself.  If only she could be as confident 
as everyone else.
 
 Sturgis remained at the hospital for the next several hours, dividing his time between her 
room and Harm's when she would be sleeping.  A call to JAG had brought the Admiral up to 
speed, but otherwise there was only waiting to do until the nurse came for him in the lounge.  
 
 "Commander we're going to get Mrs. Rabb up and have her come to the nursery to hold and 
maybe feed the babies.  Would you like to gown up and join her?"
 
 "Oh yeah," he nodded.
 
 Shortly he was standing nearby, holding one small Rabb while the other attempted to nurse.  
"Mac they are truly beautiful," he breathed.  "Harm is going to be thrilled beyond words.  And 
the doctor was so confident about them being OK too."
 
 She looked back at him, tears now on her cheeks.  "Yeah.  Now there's only one thing left 
that would make it all right."
   
  "Mac I'm sorry" Sturgis said gently. "But you have to believe Harm is going 
  to be okay."
  
  "But I don't" she sniffled, her tears now running freely again. "I want my 
  husband back. I need him. I have two babies here that need him."
  
  "Mac please don't cry" Sturgis begged. "You need to stay strong. For you and 
  these two beautiful babies."
  
  She nodded and once again concentrated on the task of nursing her baby. With 
  the nurses help the little baby girl was soon nursing and Mac sniffled again 
  as she looked at the baby.
  
  "She's so beautiful" she whispered. "She'd have Harm wrapped around her 
  finger in a matter of seconds."
  
  "Yeah she will" Sturgis smiled. "And this little guy is going to be just 
  like his Daddy."
  
  It didn't take long for the tiny baby to be fed and Sturgis changed babies, 
  Mac sniffling even more as she looked at her son again. His face was all 
  Harm's, blue green eyes looking up at her.
  
  "Just like Daddy" she sniffled.
  
  When both babies were fed they were quickly taken back to their incubators 
  and Sturgis helped Mac back to her room.
  
  "You okay?" he asked as he helped her into bed.
  
  "No" she whispered. "And I think I need to be alone for a while. Thank you 
  for everything you've done."
  
  "All right I'll leave you alone for a while" he said softly. "But I'm not 
  going far. If you need me, just ask the nurse to find me. I'll be around."
  
  "Thanks Sturgis. You're a good friend."
  
  "Mac you know you're not alone" he said quietly. "No matter what happens. 
  Not that I doubt for a minute that your husband isn't going to be fine but 
  just remember you have people who care about you."
  
  She nodded and closed her eyes, his signal that she wanted to be alone. With 
  a long sigh he headed out of the room and once alone Mac let the tears flow 
  unchecked. Her exhaustion final took over and she fell asleep, waking hours 
  later, her desire to see her babies and Harm overwhelming her. With a long 
  sigh she pushed herself up and was just about to walk to the nursery when 
  Sturgis came in.
  
  "Hey you need some help," he said as he quickly reached to help her. "Where 
  you going?"
  
  "I'm sure it's time to feed them again," she said softly. "And I want to 
  take them to Harm."
  
  "Mac" he started.
  
  "Sturgis I want him to see his children" she wailed softly. "Maybe if he 
  does he'll wake up"
  
  "I can't believe I'm saying this but all right. I'll help you do that."
  
  Together they made their way to the nursery, now almost empty of staff at 
  the late hour.
  
  "Can I see my babies?" she said to the nurse in the nursery. "The twins."
  
  "Of course. I was just about to have them wake you."
  
  Moments later Mac was holding her daughter while Sturgis held the tiny baby 
  boy.
  
  "Okay now what?" Sturgis whispered.
  
  Her answer came a second later as the phone rang and a few moments later the 
  nurse was involved in a conversation, allowing them to quietly slip from the 
  nursery unnoticed.
  
  "Fortunately he's not too far away" Sturgis sighed as he led Mac down the 
  hall. "You okay?"
  
  "Just take me to my husband" she whispered.
  
  He nodded and led her into Harm's room, gently helping her to sit down on 
  the bed beside him.
  
  "Do you want me to leave you alone?" he said softly.
  
  "Would you just keep an eye outside for anyone" she sniffled. "I just want a 
  few minutes alone with him."
  
  "Of course. Can you handle these two?"
  
  "Put him on Harm" she directed. "I want him to hold his son."
  
  Sturgis did as directed, somehow managing to place the baby so that it was 
  resting against Harm.
  
  "I'll be outside" he said before heading out of the room.
  
  "I'm here Harm" Mac whispered to her husband. "I'm here with our babies. 
  Your son and daughter. And they need you as much as I do." Her voice broke 
  as the tears streamed down her face. "I love you Harm and I can't raise 
  these two babies without you. You need to come back to me Harm. Please."
  
  She sobbed softly, her tears causing the little girl in her arms to wake and 
  cry as well.
  
  "I'm sorry sweetie" Mac wailed as she hugged her baby. "Mommy didn't mean to 
  wake you."
  
  Her head buried against the baby she didn't notice at first that Harm's 
  eyelids had begun to move, fluttering slowly before finally starting to 
  open. It wasn't until she looked over at him again that she finally noticed, 
  leaning closer to him.
  
  "Harm can you hear me?" she whispered. "I'm here Harm. Open those eyes and 
  look at me. And your son."
  
  It was several moments of coaxing but finally his eyes opened fully.
  
  "Mac" he murmured.
  
  "Yeah it's me" she sniffled as her hand reached for his. "And your children 
  Harm. Both of them."
  
  Her words didn't register at first but finally he realized that he was 
  holding something in his arms. That something being a baby.
  
  "Our baby?" he whispered.
  
  "Babies" she corrected. "That's your son. I have our daughter."
  
 "OK this is the best dream so far," he sighed.  "The others were good Lord, but this is the 
best."
 
 She smiled and sniffled back another small sob.  "Harm honey no.  It's no dream.  It's me.  
Sarah.  With your babies.  Your son is wanting you Harm.  And your daughter is right here 
with me.  Focus honey because they can't stay long."
 
 "I can't," he wailed softly.  "It's all so muddled.  Where is Joanne?"
 
 Now it was her turn to look confused.  "I'm sor. . .uh Joanne Coakley?"  Despite her 
overwhelming gladness to have him back with her, a small shiver of uncertainty passed 
through her.
 
 "Yeah.  We were supposed to. . .we did.  She came to talk.  And that's all I remember.  How 
did you get onboard and the babies?"  Tears were running down his cheeks at that point, 
signifying his misery and confusion.  "Babies?  Two babies?"
 
 "Harm calm down now," she whispered, praying softly that the tiny doubt she was giving in to 
would turn out to be nothing.  "You where stabbed, badly.  By Commander Coakley."  She 
took a long breath and let that sink in.
 
 "I don't remember any of it," he wailed softly.  "But that would account for the pain.  She said 
she would have me.  That no one had ever turned her down.  Krennick on steroids."
 
 "And did you?  Did you want. . ."  She looked away as she asked, unable to face him, 
ashamed she was even asking and yet feeling she had to.
 
 "I wanted her to leave me the hell alone," he replied with such vehemence that she knew she 
had an honest answer.  "That's why I wanted her to come to see me.  I had drawn up charges 
and I wanted to give her a chance to promise to leave me be or I was going to submit them to 
the captain."  
 
 The effort of conversation all at once become too much for him, having used all his strength 
just to say what he already had and his eyes closed with a soft whimper.
 
 "SSShhh everything is OK now," she whispered, nuzzling the side of his cheek with her own.  
"You're back with me Sailor and that's all that matters."
 
 "Babies.  You and the babies," he managed.
 
 "You're a father," she smiled tearfully, reaching for the baby boy only to have him lock his 
arm around the tiny body.   
 
 "No.  Don't take him."
 
 "He's only going back to the nursery," she assured him.  
 
 It was then that Sturgis opened the door.  "Well I'll be damned," he gasped when he saw 
Harm, only semi-awake but still a lot more than before.
 
 "Yeah he's OK," she laughed, almost giddy with relief.
 
 "Yeah well they've found out the babies are missing," he told her.  "It's panic city back there."
  
   "Time to face the music" Mac sighed. "But it was worth it. He's back with me 
  Sturgis. And that's all that matters."
  
  "You had any doubt" he smiled. "Shall I take your son?"
  
  "Please. And then I'm coming back to sit with Harm."
  
  "Mac you're supposed to be resting" Sturgis reminded her. "In case you 
  forgot you just had surgery."
  
  "I want to be with Harm. I don't want him to be alone when he wakes up" she 
  said stubbornly.
  
  Before he could reply a nurse ran into the room. "Ma'am what are you doing 
  down here?" she demanded. "Those babies aren't supposed to leave the 
  nursery."
  
  "I wanted my husband to see his children" Mac retorted. "And now that he has 
  and he's woken up I'll take them back to the nursery."
  
  "He woke up?"
  
  "Yes he did" Sturgis answered for her. "So I think what she did was right on 
  the money."
  
  "Fine. But the babies still need to go back to the nursery now."
  
  Mac nodded and turned her attention to her husband again. "I love you" she 
  whispered before gently kissing his lips. "And I'll be back soon."
  
  Reluctantly she rose and she and Sturgis returned to the nursery. Under the 
  nurses careful supervision Mac nursed both babies before they were quickly 
  taken from her.
  
  "Mac let me take you back to your room" Sturgis said quietly.
  
  "I want to be with Harm. If he wakes up again, I want to be there."
  
  "You need to rest too" he reminded her. "And you know you're hurting too 
  much to sit in a chair next to his bed."
  
  "Then arrange for me to be there with him" she countered.
  
  "And I thought Harm was stubborn" he sighed. "All right. Let me talk to them 
  and see what I can do. But you know you're not their most favorite patient 
  right now."
  
  A short time later her bed was next to his and she finally settled under 
  Sturgis's watchful eye. Despite her attempt to stay awake, she finally fell 
  asleep. She awoke with a start several hours later, forgetting for a moment 
  where she was. But with a turn of her head she remembered, her gaze falling 
  upon her husband. With a slight grimace she pushed herself from her bed and 
  made her way over to him. He stirred when she reached for her hand, opening 
  his eyes to look up at her.
  
  "Hi" he murmured.
  
  "Hi yourself" she said softly. "Welcome back. You had me pretty worried 
  sailor."
  
  "I had the most wonderful dream last night" he said softly. "You were here 
  with our two babies."
  
  "It wasn't a dream" she smiled.
  
  "It wasn't?" he whispered. "You had the baby?"
  
  "Babies" she laughed. "Your son and daughter."
  
 For a long minute he could but look at her, stunned and shocked as he attempted to digest 
what she was telling him.  "Mac it's too soon isn't it? Are they okay?"
  
  "They're small but they're Rabbs so they're fighters. The doctors are sure 
  they're going to be just fine."
  
  "I missed you giving birth to our babies" he murmured. "I wanted to be 
  there."
  
  "You didn't miss much. They had to do a C section."
  
  "Are you okay?" he demanded.
  
  "I'm fine. I'll just be sore for a few weeks. But that's not important. All 
  that matters is that you and the babies are okay. I was afraid for a while I 
  was going to lose you and them." Her voice broke and she brought his hand to 
  her lips, kissing it gently. "I love you so much. My world would have ended 
  if I'd lost you."
  
  "I'm sorry you had to go through that. It was Commander Coakley wasn't it?"
  
  "She tried to kill you" Mac whispered. "And she almost succeeded. They 
  weren't even sure you were going to make it at first."
  
  "She came to my room and then I got real tired." He paused as he searched 
  his mind for the memories of that night. "She had a knife," he said softly. 
  "I couldn't fight her off. It was like I'd been drugged."
  
  "You were. She put something in your juice. And then she attacked you."
  
  He nodded. "I was numb and I couldn't stop her. All I could think about was 
  you and the baby. And how you would have to raise our baby alone if I died."
  
  "You almost did" she sniffled. "When I first there they couldn't even tell 
  me you were going to be okay."  
   
 He had to swallow hard before he could reply.  "Sarah honey you must have been terrified, 
and then to give birth alone too.  I am so sorry.  I should have done something about Coakley 
before but I was trying at first to be a nice guy, to let her know I wasn't interested.  I really 
didn't want to ruin her career over me, but she wouldn't stop and I got afraid she was going to 
somehow turn it into my fault, ruining my career and possibly my marriage."
 
 She sniffled hard once again and rested her head on his shoulder.  "It's all over now.  She's 
in the brig and Sturgis is vowing he's going to do the prosecuting himself.  You know you'll 
have to be his star witness."
 
 "Yeah I want to.  I don't want her to hurt anyone again," he sighed.  "I remember it now.  I 
had the grape juice and then my body just went useless.  I saw the knife, and I couldn't. . ."
 
 "Ssshh OK enough," she admonished him.  "You're not on the stand now and I don't need 
the fodder for nightmares thank you.  Now why don't you slide over there some Commander 
New Dad and let the mom lie down with you."
 
 A slow smile spread across his face.  "I'd love to."  With her help, and much grimacing and 
groaning, she ended up lying beside him, resting her head on his chest.  "They're going to 
bring the babies to be fed in a little while," she murmured, feeling her eyes starting to close, 
drowsy from the post C-section pain medication.
 
 "Babies," he repeated.  "Two.  Mac why didn't you tell me?"
 
 "Because I didn't know Silly," she smiled, snuggling tightly against him.  "I told Beth I wasn't 
having any of those high tech tests and all unless there was reason to think there was a 
problem.  I couldn't believe it either.  I saw them being born and I just couldn't believe it."
 
 "I'll be around for the next time," he vowed and she groaned loudly.
 
 "Next time Flyboy?  I'm not letting you near me again," she teased.
 ===================
 "How can they do that?  I mean how can they know how to do that?" Harm gasped three 
hours later as he watched the babies nurse.  Already Mac was getting adept at feeding, and 
despite their prematurity the tiny beings seemed to know what to do.  "I could watch you do 
that for hours," he sighed.
 
 "Oh you will," she smiled.  "Plus I'll be expressing so you can help."
 
 His totally blank look told her he had no clue.  "Expressing milk Harm.  Filling bottles so that 
you can do some of the feeding."
 
 He nodded and watched some more before nearly shouting, "Names.  Mac we haven't 
named them."
 
 "Well bless you for realizing that before they get into first grade," she giggled.  "No, you were 
supposed to be home, and I was supposed to have only one I guess, and somehow in there 
we were going to think of a boy's and girl's."
 
 "Well it's something that needs to be done," he insisted.  "You've had more time to get used 
to the idea, what did you come up with?"
 
 "Elizabeth," she said softly, kissing her daughter's forehead.  "Elizabeth Elena Rabb."
 
 His eyes widened.  "You just pulled that out of thin air didn't you?"
 
 "Well sort of," she smiled.  "But that's where I stop.  Name your son Mr. Rabb."  

 For several moments he stared at his son, still amazed the little bundle was 
 his son.
 
 "Well?" she prodded. "Come on Flyboy."
 
 "Hey it's not everyday you name your child" he smiled. "How does this sound. 
 Daniel Sergei Rabb. "
 
 It had been months since Sergei's name had been mentioned and she reached 
 for his hand.
 
 "I think that sounds wonderful," she said softly.
 
 "Is that okay with you?" he asked. "I just thought it might be nice to 
 remember him some way."
 
 "More than okay" she assured him. "Are you okay with what happened?"
 
 "I think so" he nodded. "It took a while. But he's gone now and I can't 
 change that. And because I felt I needed to get away from you this happened. 
 I should have been home with you where I belonged."
 
 "Well you're going to be from now on" she sniffled. "Cause I'm not letting 
 you out of my sight again mister."
 
 "No more TAD's?" he teased.
 
 "Never" she said seriously. "These two babies are going to be a handful."
 
 "Yes they are" he smiled. "And I'm going to be right there with you the 
 entire time."
 
 "And for that I thank god" she whispered. "I never want to be separated from 
 you again like this."
 
 "You won't honey" he promised as he squeezed her hand. "Remember our vows. I 
 meant every word I said even if it hasn't seemed like it the past nine 
 months."
 
 "Do you remember those words?" she said with as small smile.
 
 "Not every word" he smiled as well. "But I do remember the important parts.  
 I think it was something like I will love you today, tomorrow and forever. 
 And the most important part that I forgot a few months ago."
 
 "Which was?"
 
 "What may come I will always be there" he whispered. "I got so caught up in 
 what happened with Sergei that I forget my vows to you. And I meant every 
 word I said to you that day Sarah. And I know I haven't been the best 
 husband but I plan on making up for that."
 
 "Just having you in my life is all that matters to me right now" she 
 sniffled.
 
 "And I will be from now on" he said softly as he squeezed her hand. "Nothing 
 will ever part us again Sarah. Nothing."
 
 "Is that a promise?"
 
 "Yes ma'am" he whispered.
 ==============
12 Months Later

It was a promise Harm kept, for in the time they had been back in DC and back at JAG they 
had managed to spend only a few nights apart.  Daniel and Elizabeth, despite the harrowing 
circumstance of their birth, grew into strong healthy babies, and then as their first birthday 
approached, into inquisitive walkers who were into everything all their waking hours.

On this day, Daniel Sergei Rabb would be introduced to the man whose name he carried.  
Harm had been to the cemetery but once, to place a Christmas wreath on the grave, and that 
he had accomplished alone, with not a few tears.  Today however he had vowed he would not 
cry.  Sergei was in Heaven with his father loved  and grandfather, well acquainted by now and 
happy, the woman he presumably  by his side, though Harm had never reconciled himself to 
that union.

With Sergei in his carrier on Harm's back and Elizabeth in hers on Mac's, they climbed the 
gentle slope to the grave.

"Harm the marker is perfect," she said softly, slipping her arm around his waist as he fell 
silent before the freshly growing grass.  "I'm glad you did that."

"Yeah me too."  He reached for Elizabeth, relieving Mac of her burden, and then shrugged 
from the shoulder straps, setting Daniel in the center of the plot.  "Your Uncle Sergei was a 
good man," he said softly.  "May you always be proud of your name."

Daniel giggled and Elizabeth joined in, chasing away any tendency Harm might have had 
toward sadness.  And if he had any inclination at all in that direction, Sarah Catherine Rabb 
banished all traces with a soft stroke of his cheek.  "Harm this is as good a time as any to tell 
you," she began.

Deep within her mother, Jenna Marie Rabb quietly went about the business of growing.   

THE END