TITLE: "Love is not a Victory March" AUTHORS: Anne R. and Pat Steiner SUMMARY: Labor Day 2003. Harm returns from his sea duty smack into a tragedy in the making with Allison and the baby. This is the eighth chapter in the Dale March series. Previous chapters were: To Ask the Lord's Blessing Let Every Heart A Cup O'kindness Yet Rings and Promises Of Forever and Goodbye By Dawn's Early Light Rocket's Red Glare In this series, the events of Afghanistan have occurred but we will not deal with the Singer/Sergei/Lindsey/NCIS/Paraguay story lines. CLASSIFICATION/RATING: J/S/R/A PG for language. SPOILERS: In any of our work, any JAG episode may be referred to. FEEDBACK: If you're so moved but never expected nor begged for. Addy is ssbpmn@aol.com. Please however, we request you respect the work, and the effort that goes into writing it. 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 BTL- http://www.wtv-zone.com/trgarchive/btl/ http://destined.to/btlarchive - {BTL H/M Fanfiction archive.} ==================== Previously in the series: Thanksgiving, 2002, Harm and Mac are introduced to Seaman Dale March as part of a USO Home for the Holidays project. They soon learn he has a son, and a woman he loves, in his home state. After a harrowing Christmas experience to get them reunited, Harm and Mac realize their own love and Harm asks Mac to marry him on New Years Eve. On Valentines Day Dale and Allison are married, and Harm gives Mac his ring. Easter brings the Mackenzie-Rabb wedding and Mac's announcement of a baby on board. Dale and Allison ride out a marital storm and Dale ships out for the Eisenhower carrier in the Persian Gulf. Memorial Day weekend Harm leaves Mac and JAG for his 90 days TAD aboard the Ike after helping AJ and Kendra through a near-tragedy. Independence Day sent Mac and Sturgis to the Ike for a mishap investigation where they were met with disturbing news from Dale and a reunion ensued for Harm and Mac. **************************** "Love is not a Victory March" "Tracy. Commander Manetti, get in here," Mac called, spotting her quarry walk by her office. Nowadays the less often she had to lift her seven months pregnant self from that old rickety chair the better she liked it. "Yes ma'am. Can I help you?" Tracy stopped short and backed up to her door. "I'm ready to talk about Lt. Mathers." "Yes ma'am. But he's not listening to me. I told him to plead out. I told him your offer was a gift and that you might be willing to back down a bit more even. Like talking to that coffee cup. Or Sturgis." "OK sit down. There's a story there," Mac smiled. "What's he done?" "Oh nothing and it's not even him. It's me," she sighed. "And my mother. She wants to invite the immediate world. He wants to elope. I'm caught in the middle." "What do you want?" Mac asked gently. "To be Mrs. Sturgis Turner. No matter what it takes." "Lofty goal." "Yes ma'am." "He doesn't really want to elope does he?" "Yes ma'am, in a heartbeat; but he would agree to having something small like you and Commander Rabb did. He just doesn't want the Princess Di ceremony my mother envisions for her friends." "Well how about you?" Mac repeated her question. "I can live with anything that ends up with 'I now pronounce you'. I'm afraid he can't. I honestly don't see what the difference is. What does it matter if I walk down to aisle to him in front of twenty people or two hundred. Which by the way in my mother's social circle that is a small wedding. It's just simply that she and her friends all attend the weddings of their offspring. And with people she knows from her clubs and civic activities. . .well it's a large group. She thought she was compromising by cutting to two hundred. Added to the JAG staff and Chaplain Turner's friends makes about two-fifty all together. I just don't see it as a problem. And I don't know why he does." She took a long breath and shook her head. "Ma'am the fact I'm dumping this on you shows how much it's bothering me. I'm sorry. I'm way out of line." "Not at all. I did ask. Maybe Harm can get him to come around." "Oh that's right, Sturgis is picking the Commander up. You must be thrilled." "And upset I'm not supposed to come with him. I'm on orders to not subject myself to that quote long drive unquote." "Commander Rabb loves you very much." "Yes he does, which brings me to my point Commander. Don't let something like this with Sturgis hurt the love you have with him." "Yes ma'am tell me about it. I hate that we're already having problems over something like this. And again, I'm sorry for dumping on you. Now you wanted me for something work related? Oh Mathers. Yes ma'am. I'll work on him again." "You do that" Mac smiled. "And meanwhile I'll sit here waiting for my husband. Whom I should be picking up at Norfolk and not Sturgis." "Ma'am he's just worried about you." "I know. But I wanted to check on Allison too. Now we'll just have to make another trip down there." "Is she having problems?" Tracy asked. "I'm not sure" Mac frowned. "She's been real quiet recently when I asked how she was feeling. Which is why we're going to have to go down there and check on her." "You and the Commander are going to make great parents one day" Tracy smiled. "So will you and Sturgis." "Ma'am we can't even get through the wedding, let alone worrying about kids." "Do what your heart tells you Commander" Mac smiled. "It will know what the right answer is." "Yes ma'am. And I'll go talk to Lt. Mathers again." ****************** Norfolk Naval Air Station Same Time "Okay admit it, you're disappointed she's not here" Sturgis smiled as he met Harm upon his arrival. "No. I didn't want her making the drive" Harm sighed. "But at the same time, you are not the first person I wanted to see when I got off that plane." "Understood" Sturgis laughed. "And from the looks of you, you'll be sleeping most of the way back. Long flight?" "Very. And of course I was too wired to sleep. Do you realize how long it's been since I've seen Mac." "No but I'm sure Mac can tell you down to the exact second. You know she wasn't happy that she couldn't come." "I know. But the drive can be murder and she doesn't need that stress." "Well now that you're back she's going to be a lot less stressed" Sturgis replied. "Speaking of stressed, how's the wedding plans going?" Harm asked as they made their way to the car. "Don't ask." "Trouble in paradise?" Harm smiled. "No. I love her. I just don't love the idea of the wedding of the century. What you and Mac had was so perfect. That's all I want." "So what's the problem?" "Her mother." "Ah. Say no more. Fortunately we didn't have that problem." "You were lucky. You did what you and Mac wanted." "And that's what you and Tracy should do" Harm countered. "It's your wedding. What does she want?" "I don't know. Sometimes I think she wants all that too. And I don't want to disappoint her." "Sturgis you need to sit down with her and find out exactly what it is you both want. And then do it. If it means a wedding in Vegas, then do it." "I don't think that's her idea of a wedding" Sturgis smiled. "But I'm willing to be flexible." "Good. Now get me home to my wife Commander." "Yes sir" Sturgis laughed. Harm drew a long breath of contentment as Sturgis reached Richmond and turned north. He could almost taste home. At the same time, he noticed Sturgis had grown quieter and a deepening scowl was forming. "Hey, what's that about," Harm demanded. "The traffic isn't even that bad." "What?" he replied without looking over. "Your face Moron," Harm laughed. "You look like you're going to your execution." "We're doing a weekend summit at Tracy's folks to talk wedding," he sighed. "I guess my mood is getting worse in anticipation of that." "I'm sorry I can't commiserate too much," Harm smiled. "I'm anticipating a much different weekend." "Oh I'm sure you are. Forty-eight hours in bed." "Something like that." "Harm you may need to rethink that," his friend advised him gently. "Excuse me? What? Why? What's wrong with her? What are you not telling me? Oh God is she sick or something with the baby she wouldn't tell me before. I swear if I get there and find out there's problems you people were keeping from me I'm going to have someone's six." He paused for breath and Sturgis broke into laughter at the mini-explosion despite his own mood. "Man you should hear yourself," he chortled. "Seriously you know you would have heard if she was having a problem." "Not from her I wouldn't have," Harm muttered. "And from the rest of you, well she would have threatened you with death or something." "OK well you can relax. She's still maintaining her post." "Oh yeah that's not going to last much longer either if I can help it. But what were you saying about rethinking the weekend then?" Harm managed to ask this time in a more calm voice. "She's. . .well grown. . .," he stammered. "So if you're planning a bedroom romp, well you'll have to take that into consideration." "This from the man who can't even get his woman down the aisle." "Tell me about it. Harm honestly I'm scared here. I mean we can probably find a middle ground, but as far as her mother goes, this woman feels like she's already done all the compromising she's going to. Now it's up to me and Tracy. And Tracy wants to please her. I can see that. It scares me too that pleasing Mom could be a bad precedent. What if that spreads to other things like where we live, what we name our kids, where they go to school." "Well I think you're just a tad over the edge there," he laughed. "And having done a lot of mediation and negotiation in the past--as have you--I know there's plenty of wiggle room yet. How much are you willing to give." "Some OK. And I don't even know why it's such a big deal to me. I guess it's just that I envisioned something kind of intimate and I don't see 250 people intimate." "Well I do but let's not go there," Harm teased. "You're no help," Sturgis groaned. "Anyway, the last thing I want to do is spend this weekend at her mother's and I don't know how to get out of it." "Hmm. . .you need an excuse. West Nile perhaps." "Oh would you be serious here. Never mind. I'll figure something out. Your mind is elsewhere anyway, as it should be." "Well when is this wedding of the century supposed to happen?" "Saturday of Thanksgiving week," he replied mournfully. "It was going to be something small that she and I planned. And of course her mom and dad were to be invited." "Big of you. Look Buddy, I'm in sympathy here really I am, but you're right. Right now I'm too eager to see Mac to give it a lot of my concern. If you and Tracy get out of her mom's, come over for dinner tomorrow night and we can all talk maybe." "OK thanks. Maybe yeah. And thanks for putting up with my griping. I guess if you and Mac can get through all that you did to be together, I can manage not to let wedding details stop me." "Except for Brianna, you've never really had a serious thing before now have you?" Harm smiled with slow realization. "No," Sturgis smiled as well. Brianna Chamberlin. Lieutenant Commander. Five years earlier in New London. . . Harm looked over at his friend and smiled as well, glad to see that the name could bring a smile to his lips. Five years before it had been a different story. "Have you heard from Brianna?" Harm asked. "God Lord no. You really think she'd ever call me again. She made it quite clear how she felt back then." "Women change their minds. Mac did." "Mac loved you from the moment you two met" Sturgis laughed. "Trust me. Never once did that woman have any feelings but love for you." "Neither did I" Harm sighed. Home was getting closer. Soon Mac would be in his arms. And this time for good. ****************** JAG HQ's Same Time "Colonel what are you doing here still?" AJ frowned as he walked into her office. "Shouldn't you be at home with your husband?" "Getting there sir" she smiled. "I've got a little time yet. Besides it's not like I can slip into something seductive and be waiting for him on the bed." "Too much information Colonel" AJ groaned. "Just get out of here. This place will manage without you. And I don't expect to see you in here tomorrow." "No sir you won't. I can promise you that." Mac cleared the piles as best she could before heading out. She'd stayed at work as long as possible because she knew she'd go crazy at home waiting for Harm. Now she only had a short wait until he got home. That short wait came to an end an hour later when she heard the key in the apartment door. A moment later Harm was inside and she was in his arms. "God I have missed you so much" he whispered as he hugged her as best he could given her large belly. "Almost as much as I've missed you" she sniffled. "It seemed like forever." "But its over now honey. And hopefully I never have to leave you again like that." They stayed in each other's arms for several minutes, relishing the moment. Finally he backed away and looked at his wife. "You're getting big Mommy" he smiled as he ran his hand over her belly. "But you look incredible." "I feel like a whale" she laughed. "Course I'm not nearly as big as Harriet. But she's due any day now." "Everything been okay with her?" he asked. "Good. It's actually Allison I'm concerned about." "Something wrong?" "I don't know. I think we're going to have to go check on her." "Okay you can tell me about that later" Harm sighed as he pulled her into his arms again. "Right now all I want to think about is us." "What about dinner?" "I was going to skip but obviously you're hungry" he smiled. "I'm eating for two" she giggled. "And yes I am starving. But we can order in. I'm sure you're exhausted and not in the mood to go out." "I'm just in the mood to hold you so ordering in would be great." It was over dinner that the topic of Sturgis and Tracy came up. "He doesn't want a big wedding Mac. And I think it should be his and Tracy's decision. Not her mother's." "I agree. In fact I wouldn't blame them if they eloped." "Can you see Sturgis running off to Vegas to get married?" Harm smiled. "I just can't picture it." "You never know. He might get mad enough and do it. All he wants is to marry Tracy. He doesn't care about anything else." "I'm glad he's found someone. I just hope they can get to the wedding without killing each other." "They'll work out something I'm sure." "So tell me more about Allison" Harm said between bites of rice. "Why are you worried?" "She's been real quiet. And one time she mentioned having some other tests run. Like there was something wrong with her or the baby." "She'd tell us wouldn't she?" he frowned. "I don't know. She's been under so much stress. I just hope it's nothing serious and that I'm just thinking the worst." "Well for one thing, you fretting over her is not going to be good for you or our baby," Harm cautioned, running his hand over her swollen basketball belly and delighting in feeling a jab from a tiny foot. "I try not to. Stress I mean. The doctor said I was having too much. . ." As soon as she saw his face darken she knew she had said too much. "Mac? What did the doctor say?" he demanded, making a super-human effort to keep his voice calm. "Are you OK? The baby? And why didn't any of your emails or all the times we talked on the phone or IM mention the doctor had concerns?" "Harm I'm not on the stand here," she told him firmly, covering his roaming hand with hers. "I've had a little high blood pressure this month. Not a big deal. Harriet had the same thing with AJ. I'm supposed to relax, stay away from salt--which of course that is everything I eat, and relax more. How anyone could relax with their husband on a carrier in a combat zone is beyond me. I told the doctor as much in fact." "OK but I'm home now. Not to mention, who was going to resign instead of going in the first place?" "I wouldn't have let you even if the Navy had," she smiled softly. "This baby has a daddy to be proud of, and that didn't need to change." "But promise me you're OK," he persisted. "I was concerned about Allison. Now I'm suddenly scared for you." "Harm, seriously now, if the doctor thought me or the baby was in danger, you would have been notified. I'm just supposed to be taking it easy a little bit, watching what I eat, sitting with my feet up." "And the admiral is OK with this right?" Her mouth opened and to Harm's utter frustration, nothing came out. "He doesn't know does he?" "No. And again, I'm not on the stand. You're using that voice you use with witnesses you've caught in a lie." "May I ask why?" This time his tone was with saccharine sweetness. "Because I don't want special treatment unless I need it. Harm understand, this baby along with you are the two most important things in my life. But I love my career too. Now I'm not going to do anything to jeopardize those two things, but if I can help it, I'm not going to ask for special treatment in my career. Remember too, the admiral has been awfully good to us. He's let us stay together, work together, and not hardly made a whimper. I want that to continue." "Yeah so do I," he said softly. "Just the thought of anything happening to you or this baby. . .OK, calming down. I wanted to be there for your sonogram too." "Hey I have film," she giggled. "Oh wow," he gasped, suddenly brighter. "Film of your belly--I mean of our baby." "Yep, and it's actually pretty clear. Let me finish eating this stuff I shouldn't be--and before you say anything, I'm celebrating your homecoming and back on the no salt, low fat wagon soon as I down the last bite." ============== "OK Flyboy you ready?" she asked, putting the tape in the VCR and coming to join him on the sofa. "More than," he gasped, almost shivering with excitement. Nothing could have prepared him for the image that came up on the screen. As Mac had said, it was reasonably clear. The head, two arms and two legs all in perpetual motion, the heart beating along with a steady rhythm. Harm stared in fascination, his mouth partly open as he watched. "Pretty neat huh," she giggled. "I've only watched it fifty or sixty times." "Oh it's great," he breathed, hitting the rewind for the second time. This time, just a few seconds from the end, he hit the freeze frame. "Mac. . .is that. . .is that what I. . what it looks like?" "Spit it out Flyboy," she giggled, knowing exactly to what he was referring. "I was wondering how long it was going to take you to get around to noticing that." "It's a. . ." "Your son Harm," she replied softly, suddenly feeling herself nearly in tears. As for Harm, he was beyond 'nearly'. His cheeks were wet by the time he turned off the TV and took her into his arms. "My son. You're carrying another Rabb." "I am, and may it please God that this one never has to leave behind the woman he loves to fight over a line in the sand." ================== It was several hours later when the phone rang. They were locked in each other's arms on the sofa, Mac savoring the feel of her husband's arms around her again. "I'm not answering it" Harm moaned. "No way." "Harm we have to" Mac giggled. "It could be the Admiral. Or Allison. Or Sturgis." "Whatever it is it can wait." "Harm give me the phone" she ordered and reluctantly he handed her the cordless next to the sofa "Hello." "Ma'am it's Harriet." "Funny Bud but you don't sound like Harriet" Mac smiled. "Let me guess, it's time." "Yes ma'am. The baby which was taking forever to get here is now deciding to be in a hurry. I just got her to the hospital and I swear she's going to deliver any second." "Okay chill Bud. Is she okay?" "She's fine. Would you and the Commander mind coming down? We left AJ with the neighbors but he's not going to want to stay long." "You want us to get him and bring him down?" "Do you mind?" Bud asked. "Course not. We're on our way." "On our way where?" Harm sighed when Mac hung up. "The hospital. Harriet's in labor. The quick way again. Bud asked us to pick up AJ at the neighbors and bring him down." "You know I hope when you go into labor it's not like that" Harm smiled as they got dressed. "I'm going to be freaking as it is and if this baby starts popping out before we get to the hospital, I'm going to lose it." "Oh I'll probably be blessed with twenty-four hours of hard labor now" she laughed. "I'd be more than happy to share Harriet's quick method of delivering." They stopped at the neighbors to pick up a sleepy AJ before heading to the hospital. "Mommy have baby?" AJ asked as Mac strapped him into the seat belt. "She sure is" Mac smiled. "You're going to be a big brother real soon." "If he isn't already" Harm smiled as he hovered over her. "You sure you got him in real tight?" "Yes sir" she said as she turned to him. "You want to double check my work Commander?" "No. Just want to make sure the precious cargo is safe." "I can't wait until this baby comes" she smiled. "You are going to be such a wonderful father." "More like worried father. Every time you and the baby go out I'm going to be worried about you. Do you know how many accidents there are around here?" "I'm sure you've read the statistics" she laughed as he helped her into the car. "Seriously Mac. We really should think about somewhere safer to raise our children." "You sound like you've given this some thought." "Well yeah I have," he admitted after he came around and climbed into the driver's seat. "I mean do you really think this the place to raise our kids? Wouldn't you rather be somewhere that they could roam? Somewhere cleaner that feels like home." "This doesn't feel like home?" "Not really. I mean there's neighborhoods like where Bud and Harriet live but it's not the same." "Sailor what are you trying to tell me?" Mac asked. "I don't know" he sighed. "Just that once we have this baby, I want to give some thought to how and where we're going to raise him." "OK we can do that," she nodded, frowning slightly at this new direction of his thoughts. He had never before expressed any hesitation about living in DC. "Good. I'm not saying we have to do something. Just let's weigh options," he urged. "Well right now we need to get this young man to the hospital. He's going to be a big brother," Mac smiled and AJ laughed with delight. ======== FAIRFAX HOSP 35 Mins. Later "Ma'am how far apart are they?" the clerk at the admitting desk asked Mac as soon as she spotted the largely pregnant Marine. "It's not me. Not yet," Mac smiled. "Harriet Sims Roberts please. This is her son." "Fourth floor, L and D," the woman nodded after checking her computer screen. "Are we in time?" Harm asked. "According to this, there's still just one of them." By the time they reached the elevators Mac was panting and Harm turned to her anxiously. "Hey you're not OK. You need to sit or what?" "I'm just excited and anxious and carrying twenty pounds of baby and assorted fluids and stuff," she giggled. "I'm fine. And besides if I'm not, look around you. I'd be well taken care of." "Don't even joke about that," he groused, putting a strong arm around her waist to support her. "Suite C, " the nurse pointed when they reached the floor and inquired. "This would be the big brother?" "You got it," Harm grinned and again AJ laughed. He suddenly grabbed Mac's arm. "Hey boy or girl?" "If Harriet knows, she's not sharing that fact," Mac smiled. "Might have something to do with last time." Harm pushed open the door, in time to be greeted by a distinctive scream and he quickly shut it. "Mac something is bad wrong." "Harm for pity sakes don't you remember last time. She's in hard labor. She's going to yell; and she told me was not doing medication because she wasn't taking any chances." "You and I have to talk about what you've gotten yourself into," he hissed. "What I. . ." she giggled. "I wasn't alone that night mister." Still shaking her head she eased herself past Harm just as Harriet was taking a long breath. "Oh sir, ma'am thank you," she whimpered, holding her arms out for AJ. "Sir welcome home. And that's about all I can get in before it hits again." She gave AJ a quick hug. "Harm tell him I'm OK," she gasped. "I really want him here, but I don't want him to be scared either." "I. . ." Harm managed, looking from person to person in the room. "Harm take AJ outside and explain that having a baby sometimes hurts a little," Mac soothed. It took but an hour more. A baby boy, red faced and screaming, make his presence in the world known to all within earshot. "Harriet wow," Mac whispered. Harm simply stared, AJ on one arm, his other around Mac. "I didn't remember how it was," he gasped finally. "The night this one was born seemed like such a blur I guess. It was all mixed up with my designator change and leaving and. . ." "Well soon sir you'll be having the experience again, only this time the baby's name will be Rabb," Harriet smiled. "Speaking of names," Mac prompted. "His name is Erik," Bud said proudly. "Erik Daniel Roberts." "And he's beautiful" Mac smiled. "Congratulations Mom and Dad." "Thank you" Harriet beamed. "He's perfect isn't he." "Yes he is" Harm nodded. "I can't wait until we have our own." They stayed a little longer before Harm finally managed to convince Mac that she needed to get some rest. "He's so precious" Mac sighed as they took one final look at Erik before heading to the elevators. "Almost as precious as our son will be" Harm smiled. "Course all that matters is he's healthy." "Exactly" Mac nodded. "Which reminds again that I want to check on Allison. Harm do you think we can manage to go down there next weekend and check on her? "You sure you're up to the car ride?" "It's only a couple of hours and yeah we may have to stop every half hour but I want to go. I'm worried about her." "Well I worry about you and all that added stress. You know I could go down there and see what's going on." "She might not open up to you" Mac sighed. "If I'm there in person, I'll get whatever's bothering her out of her." "All right we'll go next weekend. But right now the only mission is getting you home and into bed. It's been a long day for all of us." **************** JAG HQ's Monday Afternoon "Harm you got a minute?" Sturgis sighed as he walked into Harm's office and closed the door. "I guess I do" Harm smiled. "What is it?" "I can't take this wedding bickering anymore. I just want to marry Tracy and I don't care if anyone is there to see it." "Okay. So what do you want me to do?" "I want you and Mac to be our witnesses." "Witnesses as in you're going to the justice of the peace?" Harm grinned. "Have you talked to your wife to be about this?" "No. But after the big fight we had this weekend, I'm taking desperate measures. I'm not going to lose Tracy because of the wedding." "Back up. What big fight?" "She told me to do whatever I wanted because she was sick of being in the middle of me and her mother. So that's what I'm going to do. We want to be married and that's all that matters." "You have some idea where?" "Vegas." "In case you forgot Sturgis, Mac is just slightly pregnant. I'm not sure they'd let her on a plane and quite frankly I'm not sure I'd want her to get on a plane." "Damn" Sturgis muttered. "I forgot. Okay so we just find a justice of the peace and do it." "You really think that's what Tracy wants?" Harm asked. "Well I know she doesn't want the royal wedding her mom is planning." "But she probably wants more than just a stale office with just me and Mac there" Harm countered. "So you're saying I should give this more thought" Sturgis sighed. "I'm saying your wife to be deserves more than that. Mac and I did simple and still had our friends and family there. I'm guessing Tracy wants the same." "But her mom is going to ruin what we're planning." "Sturgis sit down rationally and talk to your mother in law to be and your wife. There has to be some common ground. You negotiate for your clients all the time. I'm sure you can come up with something here instead of running off to Vegas." "If I can't, will you guys come with us if we run off somewhere closer?" Sturgis asked. "Of course" Harm smiled. "Whatever you need buddy." "I need Tracy. Wearing my name," he groused. "And there are Vegas weddings that are beautiful, not the drive through wedding chapel with the Elvis music blaring." "You could so the same thing right here," Harm pointed out with maddening reason. "Buddy, Mac can't travel. Even if the airlines would allow it, I wouldn't. It would be risky and uncomfortable for her, so if you're doing Vegas it will have to be without us." "No. That's out." "Then do something simple here," Harm continued. "Tell Tracy's mom that the only people you want there are people you and Tracy know personally. Get your dad to do a simple ceremony and write your own vows if you want." "When you say it, it sounds so simple," he sighed. "Just like it would have been simple five or six years ago for me to tell Mac I loved her. Good grief we could be mom and dad to two kids and working on a third by now." "I get the point," Sturgis sighed. "Now I just have to convince Tracy." "Of course to play devil's advocate here, would it be so bad to give her what she wants?" "See that's the problem. Tracy if she's being honest doesn't. She's just afraid of making her mom upset, and OK, that's valid, but this is not a small issue. This is not tea or coffee. This is a huge deal, and I'm concerned if we give in here, there's going to be other life issues coming up, like careers and places we live and kids. . ." Harm held up his hand. "Yeah OK. I get it. And I don't disagree. When it comes down to it, the bottom line is you and Tracy love each other and you owe each other not to let that get screwed up." "Thanks buddy," Sturgis nodded and when he opened the door, Tracy was standing at Tiner's desk. "Hey why don't you and me get some coffee," he called softly. "And not here." At the same time Tiner hung up his phone and got Harm's attention. "Sir, court adjourned." "Thanks Tiner." With that he sprinted down the hall toward the courtroom, giving Sturgis and Tracy a quick wave. "Where's the fire?" Tracy frowned. "He wants to walk Mac back from the courtroom," Sturgis smiled. Tracy laughed softly and reached for her fiance's hand. "You going to be that solicitous of me when I'm pregnant?" "Scared to death thank you." ============= Harm opened the courtroom door and stood back, watching Mac lean over the defense table, one hand massaging her back as she talked to the civilian attorney. For a long minute he managed to hold himself in check, but when she stood up, grimacing as she straightened, and rubbed even more firmly, he was by her side. "Sarah, you OK?" Mac and the attorney both looked up, startled at the new arrival. "Mr. Leonard Dobbs, meet the father of this watermelon," Mac smiled. Harm stuck out his hand, not taking his eyes from Mac. "Sir. Harm Rabb. My wife obviously should be sitting down." Leonard laughed softly and pulled out a chair for her, bowing and taking her arm. "Thanks Mr. Dobbs, but this isn't going to soften my stance," Mac smiled, letting him, with assistance from Harm, guide her to the chair. "Harm, sit. Over there. You're hovering." "I know and I'm allowed" he said as he took a chair. "How long have you two been married?" Leonard asked with a smile. "A little less than five months" Mac smiled. "Can you tell?" "Oh yeah. Newlyweds and new parents to be to boot." "Yes sir. And very proud of both. Now can we get back to our negotiations." An hour later Harm helped Mac from the chair after she and Mr. Dobbs had reached an agreement. "I'll present it to the Admiral in the morning" Mac told him. "I don't think he'll have a problem with it. And after that I hope I don't see your client in here again." "No ma'am you won't. And congratulations to both of you." "Thank you sir" Harm nodded. "I am so glad that is over" Mac sighed once they were alone. "Right now all I want is a long soak. Course I might not get out of the tub." "I really wish you'd consider taking it easier" he frowned. "Harm I'm okay. It's normal for a woman to be tired and have back pains when she's pregnant. I'm carrying a lot of extra weight here." "Yeah I see. You sure that's not twins in there?" "No. Don't even think it mister." "Yeah it would be kind of hard to get two babies out naturally wouldn't it?" he said with a small smile. "Naturally? As in no drugs?" "Yeah. Like Harriet did." "I don't recall ever saying I was having the baby naturally. And seeing as how I'm the one who has to push this seven or eight pound baby through the opening, I think I should be the one deciding that." "Good point. And I think I'll just stop talking now before you kill me" he grinned. "Good idea. Now come on Flyboy. There's a tub waiting at home with my name on it." It was after her soak when they were laying together in the living room that he mentioned his conversation with Sturgis. "Vegas" she laughed. "No way." "I told him there was no way we would be there. I am not letting you fly anywhere now. If they want to do something close by, we'd be happy to be there." "Harm I can still fly." "I'm not letting you." "You're such a worrier aren't you?" she smiled. "I'm not due until November you know. We could still do it." "No. They can find somewhere closer. Or wait until after the baby is born if they really want us there." "I hope they decide something. I know it's starting to get to both of them" she sighed. "I'm sure they will. Hopefully they just to do something small nearby here." "Speaking of nearby, we need to go down to Newport News and see Allison this weekend." "You sure you're going to be up to it?" he asked. "That's a long three hours in the car." "Harm I'm just pregnant" she laughed. "I'll be fine. I think we'll surprise her too. That way she can't come up with some reason for us not to come." "You really think something is wrong don't you?" Harm frowned. "I do. And I want to find out what it is." "OK but it's not just a three hour drive." "Excuse me?" "It's going to be more like four--Mrs. Pit Stop." ================== It was actually closer to five with the traffic when Harm pulled into Dale and Allison's Newport News apartment parking lot and reached over to give Mac a gentle shake. "Honey we're here." "I just got to sleep," she groaned. "Well I'm sure of that," he laughed. "Between drinking and peeing, you had an active trip down." "Is Allison's car here?" "That would be it so unless she's out with a friend, I'm guessing she's home. And I just remembered the steps. You going to be able to handle them?" "Yes I'm going to be able to handle them," she mimicked. "Or you could lower a hoist from the balcony." "That's Plan B." "You know, when I have this baby and I get my shape back--and make no mistake, that's what's going to happen, you are going to pay for those little comments." She accepted his hand to help her from the seat and when he pulled her into his arms for a long hug, melted against him. "It's impossible to be mad at your for more than four seconds anyway." "It's my Flyboy charm." "And your ego." Mac climbed the stairs without too much difficulty and Harm had his hand on the door knocker when it opened from the inside. "Good lord you scared me," the older woman who was coming out gasped. "I'm sorry, I don't believe I know you. I'm Kate Boxleight from church." Mac's hand was to her mouth at once. "What's wrong with Allison?" "Ma'am we're Harm and Mac from DC," Harm interrupted, his hand on Mac's arm. "Of course you are," Kate smiled broadly. "Good grief Allison talks about you two almost as much as Dale. She's asleep in the bedroom, and so is Chris. I was just letting myself out. Came over with a few frozen dishes from church." Harm and Mac exchanged glances and stepped aside, nodding to Kate to come out. "Ma'am, is Allison OK?" he asked. "Oh my god she lost the baby didn't she," Mac wailed. "Oh honey no she didn't. No such thing. She's hanging on just fine." Mac leaned weakly against Harm in her relief. "But something is wrong." "And she needs to tell you that for herself," Kate smiled. "I'm sure she'll be thrilled to see you. She didn't say you were coming." "She didn't know," Harm told her. "You've been helping out?" "Myself and a few of the ladies from church. We do this sort of thing for anyone who's not able to be up and around all the time--organize food that's all cooked and just needs to be heated up. Allison and Chris are such sweet things. I haven't met her husband yet, but then so many of the men have been gone we're all just getting reacquainted." "Yes ma'am. Thank you. We're staying for the weekend so we'll see to her until we go home." Kate nodded and headed for the steps while Harm drew Mac inside. "Harm I'm scared." "Well I'm concerned too, but let's wait and see what the problem is. Maybe she's just having a rough time with her pregnancy. And you go and sit. Hearing about pregnancy problems is getting to me." Mac nodded as she rubbed her own belly. Having a baby didn't always come without a hitch as they both knew from Bud and Harriet's experience. "I just wonder why she didn't say anything when I talked to her" she sighed. "We would have come down here. Or had her and Chris come up and stay with us." "I know. And when she wakes up we'll ask her." It was another hour before that happened and it was Chris who woke first, Harm hurrying to pick up the screaming boy. Allison stumbled out of the bedroom a moment later, surprised to see them. "Harm, Mac what are you doing here?" "Checking up on you," Mac said as she stood up. "And apparently it was a good idea. We talked to Kate earlier." "I didn't want to trouble you" Allison sighed. "Honey what is going on" Mac asked. "Right now I'm really scared about you." "I've been having problems," she said as she sat down on the sofa. "Lots of problems. More so than I had with Chris." "Like?" "I've got a small tear in the placenta" Allison said softly. "That's why I'm on bed rest." "How small?" Mac gasped. "Right now my doctor is sure I'll be okay if I stay off my feet as much as I can. But since I had problems with Chris, she's not totally sure that will be the case." "Allison why didn't you tell me?" "I didn't want you to worry" Allison sniffled. "You've got your own baby to worry about. You didn't need to be stressing about me." "That is no excuse" Mac chided her gently. "No it's not" Harm agreed as he came out with Christopher. "Allison you and the baby are very important to us. We promised Dale we were going to look after you." "Well at least he doesn't know about the baby" she whispered. "So if anything happens, he won't be disappointed." "Don't say that" Mac gasped. "Allison you can still have a normal delivery and this baby will be fine." "I want to believe that. But I'm scared too." "And that's exactly why you should have called us. You could be back up in DC with us instead of all alone down here." "At least I've had help from Kate and the other's" she sniffled. "Honestly I'm not sure what I'd done without them." "Okay it's settled. You're coming back up with us" Harm announced. "I can't. You and Mac don't need me around." "Allison this is crazy" Mac sighed. "You shouldn't be alone down here. Even if you do have friends. I know both of us would feel a lot better if you were close by where we could get to you if you need us. It's a three hour drive on a good day without a pregnant lady in the car." "I don't know" she sighed. "How am I going to explain it to Dale?" "Well you could tell him the truth," Harm said quietly. "Or you can simply tell him you're lonely and you're coming up to spend some time with us." "No. I have to stay here. He'll be suspicious otherwise." "We'll talk more about this later" Mac relented. "Right now you get back into bed and let us take care of things around here." "I don't want you over doing it either" Allison sighed. "Mac you're probably exhausted from the drive down here." "Yes she is" Harm agreed. "And I want her resting. I'm going to take Chris for a walk and when I come back both of you better be sleeping." "He likes to give orders doesn't he?" Allison said with a small smile. "Yes he does" Mac sighed. "Okay Commander we'll do as you say. But then I'm helping you clean up around here." By the time Harm had Christopher in a clean diaper and dressed, the baby was grinning and chortling. Harm was a special friend and it simply took the little one a while to remember him. "OK you ladies are on rest orders," Harm grunted as he slipped out the door. "I miss Dale," Allison whispered, sniffling quietly from her spot in the recliner, her feet up on the footrest. "Whenever I see Harm with you, even more so." "I'm sure. But it won't be much longer. So Allison, tell me again about your condition, now that Nervous Harmon is gone." "Well it's just a little tear. I had been having some blood pressure problems and then some bleeding on top of that. Not a lot, and some women do that from hormones anyway the doctor said. So I'm on medication for the BP, and a mild relaxant so I sleep at night. The doctor ordered me off work too, which of course I had just a month to go anyway but that's a lot of pay to lose. But I've sure found out I've got some good friends, like Tara who picks up Chris and takes him to daycare so I can rest during the day." "How's the money?" Mac asked softly. "And because you're like a little sister to me, I can ask and expect a straight answer." "I'm getting some help from the emergency fund at church and from Sailor's relief," she admitted with a catch in her voice. "Don't be mad. You guys have done way more for us than anyone ever should have to. That's why I was avoiding telling you." "If we didn't have it extra--if we couldn't afford it--we wouldn't offer it," Mac told her sternly. "Now listen, I want you and Chris to come stay with us. Just until Dale gets back. We're not talking about all that long here." "Oh Mac that's sweet but I can't. Dale would know something was wrong like I said. And don't scold me about not telling him please." "No. That ship has sailed," Mac sighed, thinking to herself had he known about the baby it might have kept him from his little adventure when they were in port. "OK look, we'll talk more about helping you while we're here. You know Harm is going to insist on going to the Commissary for diapers and that kind of thing." "I hate this," Allison whispered, a tear escaping despite her determination. "This pregnancy has been doomed from the start. It should never have happened, then Dale should never have had to leave and then this shouldn't have happened." "Honey it's OK. The only thing you did wrong was like before when you first got pregnant---not coming to your friends right away. And before this weekend is out, I hope we can talk you into coming home with us." "Even if I thought that was the best thing, just to haul Chris's stuff would take Mayflower," she muttered. "We can arrange it" Mac smiled. "I'm sure you would. You two have been so wonderful to us. I don't know Dale got so lucky to be matched up with you two." "And we love helping. You know that." "I know. But we can only take so much from you. Honestly we're going to owe you the rest of our lives." "You don't owe us anything," Mac said seriously. "We're helping you through a rough time. When Dale gets back, things are going to be easier." "Except that we'll have two mouths to feed instead of one" Allison sighed. "You want this baby don't you?" Mac frowned. "I do. But we really can't afford it. We can barely afford Chris. And now with me not working, well this is just turning into such a mess." "We'll get through it. You're not alone. Just don't forget that. Now get some rest. Colonel's orders this time." "Do you outrank Harm?" Allison said with a small smile. "Technically yes" Mac laughed. "But I try not to remind him of that." Both women were sleeping when Harm returned with Christopher, who was sleeping as well. He put the baby in his crib before heading to the kitchen to clean up. "Harm?" Mac murmured a short time later. "Harm what are you doing?" "Cleaning" he smiled as he walked out from the kitchen. "How was your nap?" "Good. Where's Chris?" "Asleep like you two" he answered. "Everything is under control so you just stay right there and rest. I'm going to run to the store and get some groceries and supplies if that's okay with you." "Harm you didn't come down here to do all the work" she sighed. "I don't mind. Now tell me, how is she really?" "She'll be okay if she stays off her feet. But with Chris that's going to be hard. I'm really going to try and persuade her to come back with us." "Keep working on her. This is silly for her to be here all alone. What if something happened to her?" "I know" Mac said quietly. "That's what I'm afraid of. " "Well hopefully she'll get through the next month okay" Harm sighed. "And then Dale will be home and this will start looking a lot better." "He's going to be so shocked when he sees her. Especially if she's holding another baby." "I have to talk to him again," Harm said quietly. "And make sure he isn't still going through with that crazy idea of telling her what happened." "Please. That's the last thing she needs. She's under so much stress as it is." "I will. Can you keep an eye on Chris while I got to the store or would you rather I took him with me?" "I can handle him" she smiled. "It's good practice." "Just take it easy. I don't want anything happening to you either." "Harm I'm fine. You go with me to the doctor." "Yeah I know. But I still worry. I love you very much and I couldn't stand to have anything happen to you or our baby." "Honey there's nothing more important in this life than you and this baby," she whispered, tearful from his tender words. "So you know I'm going to be careful. And I know you worry--you wouldn't be you if you didn't." "Well you did hit me with that blood pressure thing," he groused. "Yes and I'm being careful. It wasn't even enough for the doctor to start me on medication, like they did for Allison." He wrapped his arms around her from behind, resting his hands on her belly. "I love you." "And I love you and you're still here. How can you make us a wonderful dinner with no groceries." ============= "Harm thank you," Allison sighed, wiping her mouth at the end of the baked salmon dinner. "The church brings me frozen meals and it's great but this is so special." "He's good isn't he," Mac smiled and squeezed his hand. "And there's cake and coffee for later," Harm grinned. "Of course I'm sure I just fed my wife here all the wrong things even though I tried to do low sodium." "Fretting again," she groaned. "Allison he was so cute the other day when I was in court and he came in to find me. I was rubbing my back--you know that one spot that always seems sore no matter what, and he was trying to get me to sit down and all. I swear he scared the opposing attorney." "The man was a major idiot," Harm growled. "He could have seen you were in pain and should have left you alone." "Well I'm sure he didn't plan his day to revolve around nurse-maiding a pregnant opposing counsel," Mac giggled. "Still he took advantage." "Like Commander Ruthless wouldn't have. Remember Ms. Lumarski from the DA's office just before you left for the Ike. You made her cry." Harm stuck out his tongue. "She deserved it." "Stop" Allison moaned. "You're making me miss Dale even more." "Sorry" Mac said sympathetically. "We forget sometimes how hard this is for you." "No I should just be better at handling this. I'm sorry." "No it's okay" Harm assured her as he got up to clear the dishes. "You're under a lot of stress and we completely understand. And now you two need to go chill while I take care of this mess." "Let me help" Mac offered. "I've got it," he said as he took the plates from her. "Go chill." "He's going to need a vacation after the weekend" Mac sighed as she and Allison made their way to the living room. "The man just doesn't know how to relax." "That's because he loves you so much" Allison sighed. "You are so lucky. You and Harm are so perfect together." "Hey you and Dale are pretty good together." "Were" Allison said as she gently eased her frame onto the recliner and leaned back. "I swear since he's been gone everything has changed." "It just seems that way because he's been gone. Once he's back, everything is going to be fine. Well except for the fact that he's going to be a father again and I shouldn't be bringing that up." "Please don't. Honestly I think I made the right choice. But I just think sometimes that he's decided that this isn't what he wanted." "Why do you say that?" Mac frowned. "Honey he's just under stress. Just like you are. But that doesn't mean he doesn't want this life anymore." "You said when you were there that everything was okay but it's like there's some kind of tension between us." "You sure you're not thinking that? Because you haven't told him about the baby?" "Maybe" Allison sighed. "I'll just be happy if when he comes back we can get things straight again. It was so perfect at first and now it seems like everything is wrong." "You're just worried and stressed about everything. It'll work out. You'll see." **************** Sunday Afternoon "Allison I really wish you'd changed your mind" Mac sighed. "It's crazy for you to be here alone." "I'll be fine. Besides I don't want to have to explain it to Dale. And if he calls, he's going to want explanations." "Mac she's not going to budge. She has our number and if she needs anything she can call." "And I promise I will" Allison said before Mac could answer. "And you know the church people are always stopping by." "I know. I just worry. It's very easily for something to go quickly wrong when you're pregnant and having problems like you are." "I don't want you stressing over me" Allison sighed. "Mac honestly I'll be fine. Please don't worry." "We both worry" Harm told her. "Just make sure you stay in touch." "I'll be checking in daily," Mac said as she gave Allison a hug. "And if you don't answer we'll be on our way down." "You will not" Allison groaned. "Mac you're pregnant too. You don't need these long trips either." "No she doesn't. But I can be down here real quick if you need me." "Both of you stop worrying please. I swear you're going to make great parents. You've got the worrying part down pat." "Well we do love you," Mac reminded her, giving her cheek a quick kiss as she did the final hug. "Dale and I are very lucky," she whispered. "Chris and this baby too. Thanks for everything." ======= "Are you ever going to speak again?" Harm finally asked her as he turned onto I-95 to head north toward D.C. "What? Oh sorry, I'm in total zone out aren't I. Just sitting here and enjoying the music, and loving the fact that you're home of course." "Me too. I still sometimes wake up and reach for you just to be sure I'm not still on the Ike," he smiled and let go of the wheel with one hand long enough to give her hand a long squeeze. "Well I was worrying about Allison too of course," she admitted. "Harm she may have had ambivalent feelings about this baby, but you can be sure she'd be devastated if something happened. Dale too, and he doesn't even know about it." "I know honey I know. We'll do anything we can for her. Anything she'll let us." ============== That chance came three nights later. It was nearly 1AM. Harm had not fallen completely asleep, just dozing slightly as CNN droned, a Time Magazine on his lap and Mac asleep, curled into his side. The phone's sharp ring startled him upright, the magazine flying and Mac nearly so. "Sorry, just the phone," he sighed, nevertheless looking anxiously at the clock and the caller ID, which he did not recognize. Another ring while he made up his mind, the 757 area code registering as Allison's, though the exchange he knew was not hers. "Commander Rabb," he said formally. "Harm??" Allison's voice came back to him as a tearful wail. "Yeah Allison it's me," he gasped, now with Mac's full attention as well. "Honey what's wrong? Are you OK?" "I am now but it was close," she wailed again. "The doctor said. . ." A long sob stole her words and he could hear her breathing in an attempt to control herself. "Honey what did the doctor say?" he asked gently, forcing himself to be calm as Mac sank both hands into his arm in her anxiety. "That I've got to stop all activity," she sniffled. "I can get up to use the bathroom but that's all. I can't take care of Chris or cook or clean or anything like that. God Harm I'm going to lose this baby." "Okay just calm down" he ordered. "Everything is going to be okay. We can work this out." "Harm what happened?" Mac demanded. "Is she okay?" "She's okay," he said as he covered the phone. "But something obviously happened and now the doctor wants her on complete bed rest. No getting up at all. Allison honey it's going to be okay I promise." "What am I going to do?" she wailed. "What we should have done a few days ago," he said patiently. "I'm going to come and get you and you're going to stay with us until the baby is born." "Harm I'm scared" she sniffled. "I know honey. But it's going to be okay." "Let me talk to her" Mac said as she took the phone from Harm. "Allison it's Mac. What happened?" "I had some bleeding" Allison said softly. "And so I went to the doctor. And he kept me at the hospital all day and said that if I don't stay off my feet completely, I could lose the baby." "That's not going to happen. Like Harm said you can stay with us until the baby is born. We've got plenty of friends to help take care of Chris." "I can't just drop this all on you" she sniffled. "You can and we'll handle it. All that matters is taking care of you and the baby." "What am I going to tell Dale?" "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it" Mac sighed. "If we have to, we'll tell him the truth. But he doesn't call every day so we'll have a few days to figure that out. Right now we're more worried about you." "I'm still at the hospital" Allison sniffled. "They won't let me go unless someone takes me home. They're watching Chris for me and I didn't know who else to call at this time of the night." "It's okay. You did the right thing by calling us. Just hang on while Harm and I figure this out." She covered the phone and let out a long sigh. "Harm she needs some to stay with her now. I want to go but I'm in the middle of the Alvarez case." "So I'll go" Harm shrugged. "I think she needs a woman," Mac said softly. "Mac I'm just going to go get her and bring her back up. She can talk to you once she's back here." "She's still at the hospital. They won't let her go alone. And they may not want her to travel right away." "So I stay with her till the weekend and then we drive back up. I'm sure the Admiral won't mind if I take a few days off. I know he's not going to let you off the case though." "No he won't" she sighed. "Okay why don't you tell her what you're planning." "Allison it's Harm. Honey I'm going to drive down there and stay with you until you can come up here. We'll leave it up to the doctor to tell you when it's okay." "Is that okay with Mac?" "She'll manage a few days without me" he assured her. "Give me a few hours and I'll be there. Which hospital are you at?" "Mary Immaculate" she sniffled. "Just down from the apartment." "Okay I'll find it. You just sit tight. Everything is going to be okay." "Thanks Harm" she whispered. He hung up and let out a long sigh. "Okay I'm out of here. Should be an easy drive at this time of the night anyway." "Please be careful," Mac said softly. "You know all the crazies are out on the roads now. I don't need anything happening to you either." "I'll be fine. You just try not to get all stressed. You don't need that." "I know. But I'm so scared for Allison." "So am I" he admitted. "Do you think maybe we should call Dale?" "No. We'll see how this goes first. And he doesn't call every day so we can wait a few days before we tell him something that will freak him out. And even then we may just be able to come up with something so he doesn't find out about the baby." "I love you Sarah Rabb," Harm whispered, pulling her against him for a long hug. "You know I wouldn't be leaving you if there was another way." "I wouldn't be urging you to go either," she returned. "Please call me soon as you get there. If nothing else leave a message so I know everything's OK." "I will but I don't want you fretting," he replied. "We're going to see Allison through this. She's going to have a healthy baby." "When you say it like that it sounds almost like a promise," she murmured. "I wish I could make it one." "No, you just promise to take care of yourself," she admonished him, urging him to the door. Call me soon." "I will, but you try to get back to sleep Little Mother." With another long kiss, he was gone. ================ It took just about three hours even for him to reach the hospital, and some explanation as to who he was, but Harm was finally admitted to Allison's room. He touched her hand and Allison opened her eyes, struggling against the sedative she had been given. "Harm?" She got the word out before bursting into tears and he leaned down and gave her a quick hug. "Everything OK?" "As good as it can be," she sniffled. "The crisis is over this time. But I can't be up at all, and when I'm lying down I have to have my upper body lower so there's no pressure on the tear and I know that's too much information." "That's OK. But here's what's going to happen," he told her firmly. "I'm going to take you back to your place and as soon as the doctor says it's OK to travel, I'm hauling you and Christopher up to the apartment. Georgetown has one of the finest NICU's in the country and we'll have your CHAMPUS and medical records sent there." Another burst of tears and Harm awkwardly wiped her face with a wad of tissue. "You go on back to sleep. No more arguing. You're fooling around with the most precious thing in the world--your baby's life." Warming to his topic, he touched his fingertips to her belly. "This baby is alive and well in here right now. Right this second. What's wrong hasn't anything at all to do with him or her except. . ." "Her. It's a girl," she interrupted with another sob. "I actually wasn't trying to find out but I've had so many sonograms that they finally were saying 'she' and I just went with it." "And that's great," he smiled. "Wow, a little girl. Chris is going to be so big brother with her. Anyway, the point is, you owe her nothing less than your best. And that's to keep her inside you growing as long as that's possible." "I know. I just hope Dale wants her as much." "Yeah well like I told you before about him, he's a little light on rank--not to mention size--to be tangling with me." Harm smiled and kissed her cheek. "Sleep. And no more worrying. It's out of your hands." The sun was rising above the Chesapeake when Allison was finally released into Harm's care with strict orders from the doctor to keep off her feet. "Harm I am so sorry to put you through this" Allison sighed as he helped her up the stairs to her apartment. "You are not doing anything. Now let's get you settled like you're supposed to be and then I'll take care of Chris." Once Allison was settled, Harm took care of feeding and bathing Chris before returning him to his crib. He'd just set him down when the phone rang and he quickly reached for the phone, not surprised to see the JAG number on the caller ID. "Hi it's me" Mac said when he answered. "I'm about to go into court but I wanted to make sure everything was okay. How's Allison?" "So far so good. She's resting and I just got Chris fed and bathed. How are you?" "Better now that you've told me that. How long before you think you can come up here?" "Few days. Probably we'll make the trip up Friday." "Good. I guess we can keep her on the sofa in the living room." "Sounds good. But I don't want you doing anything until I get home. I'll take care of all of that." "Harm I can make a bed" Mac smiled. "Chill will you." "I'm trying. But I do worry about you. Tell Sturgis he better be keeping an eye on you for me." "He is. In fact he's making faces at me from the door so I guess it's that time. Call me if anything changes. Otherwise I'll call you tonight." "Good luck honey. I love you." "Love you too" she said softly. ******************* "Harm thank you dinner was wonderful," Allison said as she handed him the tray. "Thank you. For everything. I was about to lose it earlier today." "See I told you everything would be okay" he smiled. "You relax. I'm going to go entertain Chris for a bit." "You are going to be so good with your kid," she said softly. "Mac is lucky." "Hey Dale is a good father too. Soon as he gets back you'll see." The phone rang before she could answer and Harm reached for it, expecting to hear Mac's voice. "Harm is that you?" "Dale" Harm said slowly and Allison's eyes widened. "Hey how are you?" "What are you doing there?" "I uh. . . .uh I'm in town for a case" Harm stammered. "And instead of eating alone I called up your lovely wife and offered to cook her dinner." "That's great. And as much as I'd love to talk to you, I've got five minutes and I'd like to talk to my wife." "No problem. Here she is." Harm left the room to give them privacy and it wasn't until he heard Allison's quiet sobs that he returned to the bedroom. "You okay?" he asked. "I hate talking to him. It makes it even harder. Especially now." "I know. But he'll be back soon and you'll have the baby and everything will be okay." "I hope so" she sighed. "And I'm sorry to bother you but I need to use the bathroom again. I swear the next four weeks are going to be endless." "No problem. Let's get you up." The rest of the evening passed with some playtime with Chris and then a long phone call to Mac. Finally he fell into bed, exhausted from the long day. It was just after dawn the next morning when Chris's cries woke him and with a long groan he pushed himself out of bed. "Hey little guy its okay" he murmured as he picked him up. "You're okay. Let's go check on your Momma and then we'll get you some food." He knocked lightly on Allison's door before entering, gasping at once when he did so. "Harm" she murmured as she forced her eyes open. "I don't feel good. Something's wrong." "Yes it is," he said, seeing the source at once, as he did his best to maintain his calm. "Honey you're bleeding. Badly. I'm going to call 911 and they're going to come and you're going to be okay." "I can't lose this baby girl. Harm don't let them take her to save me." "I don't know where that's coming from," he gasped in sudden horror at the thought of even being asked his opinion on something like that, let alone being told the decision was his. "But you knock that off right now. You're going to be fine and so is this baby. Have you thought of her name?" "No. No this is so wrong. Dale is supposed to be here. He's supposed to be here for the last month and then we would name her together. This is so unfair. He wasn't there for Chris either and now he won't be for this." Her wailing increased until she was sobbing, with Christopher joining her. "God. God I need You on this," Harm gasped, setting Chris down beside Allison while he called 911; then turned back to her. "Honey listen to me now. Who can I call to mind Chris? Someone from church?" "Bailey. Bailey Cheswick. Her number's in my address book by the phone," she replied. "Harm please. I don't feel the baby moving." "God please," he begged again as he dialed. The next hour was a blur of motion as the ambulance arrived, followed fifteen minutes later by Bailey, scooping Chris into her grandmotherly arms and admonishing Harm to call her the second he knew. Meanwhile she would start a prayer chain. His panic by the time he reached the hospital was only slightly less than if it had been Mac and their child and the harried clerk simply said 'five' in response to his desperate demand for information. The elevator dumped him out on the fifth floor and he stopped for a moment when he heard babies crying. "Please God, let one of those be named March." For a moment he looked around, unsure of where to go, and then as if God Himself was guiding him he turned down one corridor until he was standing in front of the NICU. Sure enough, there she was. A little scrap of humanity in a clear plastic box. MARCH was clearly written on the name plate. A nurse stood on either side, both of them fussing over her, and he knocked gently on the window. The younger one smiled and when he pointed to Baby Girl March, she held up her finger for him to wait a moment and then came out the side door. "Ma'am thank you," Harm gasped. "How's that little one?" "You family?" "Yes ma'am. Harm Rabb and well. . .I'm the closest thing the mom's got right now," he replied. "I was with Allison when she started to bleed. And I need to know how she is too." Dana Caldwell pursed her lips, wondering how much to tell this anxious man before her. She had been in the delivery room. It was not the joyous scene normally associated with childbirth. At that moment there was no guarantee either mom or baby would be alive twelve hours from then. "Short version Mr. Rabb. The baby is very premature." "She could die." "Easily I'm afraid. Sorry. On the other hand, I sent home a baby yesterday that I wouldn't have given a wet nickel for his chances three months ago. And then this morning we lost one that made it all the way and then we lost him at the last minute." "I appreciate your candor," Harm sighed, already trying to think of how he would break the news to Mac. "Allison?" "You're going to need to talk to the people in OB for that," Dana hedged. "Well can I see her?" he asked. "Like I said, you'll need to speak to the people in OB." "What is going on?" Harm demanded. "Where is Allison? I want to see her." "Mr. Rabb please calm. I know you do. And if you go down to the desk they can help you find out how she is." He turned and ran down to the desk, the little voice in his head telling him something was very wrong. "Allison March. I need to see her please" he said to the nurse behind the desk. "Mr. March?" "No. Harmon Rabb. Her husband is on the Ike. I'm looking after her. Please is she okay?" "Does she have other family?" the nurse asked. "Not anywhere nearby" Harm sighed. "Please ma'am, I really need to see Allison." "Let me get Doctor Hartwell. In the meantime, why don't you have a seat?" "I'm not going to have a seat until someone tells me what is going on" he retorted. "I want to know where Allison is and I want to see her now." "Jenny is there a problem." The petite woman in the doctor's coat had overheard Harm and had come to see what the commotion was about. "Doctor Elizabeth Hartwell is Mr. Rabb. He's a friend of Allison March's. Apparently Mrs. March's husband is on the Ike right now." "I see" Doctor Hartwell nodded. "Mr. Rabb why don't we take a walk." "Only if you're going to take me to see Allison." "I will. Please come with me." With a long sigh, Harm followed the woman, waiting for her to speak. "You seem like the type that likes to hear the truth so I'm going to be straight up with you" Doctor Hartwell said quietly. "There were some complications with the delivery." "I know the baby is premature" Harm sighed. "What else?" "Allison started hemorrhaging" Elizabeth said slowly. "Badly. We had to rush her to the OR for an emergency hysterectomy." Harm stopped walking, the color draining from his face at her words. "But you got the bleeding stopped right? She's going to be okay right?" She didn't answer right away and Harm's alarm grew. "Doctor" he gasped. "Please God don't tell me she's dead. No." "She's critical. Right now the next twelve hours will determine if she pulls through or not." "No. This is not happening." "I'm sorry Mr. Rabb. I wish I could tell you something more positive. And I know her husband is on the Ike, but if there's anyway to get him here" Her voice trailed off and he knew what she was implying. "I'll call the Admiral." She nodded. "Would you like to see her first?" "I want to get the wheels going to get Dale back here first" he whispered. "Of course. Whenever you're ready, I'll take you in. Normally we don't allow anyone but family in the ICU." Harm nodded and pulled out his cell phone, his hands shaking slightly as he dialed the number for JAG. "Tiner I need the Admiral" he said quietly. "It's an emergency." A moment later he was connected and he took a deep breath when AJ came on the line. "What is it Commander?" "Sir it's Allison. She's not good. We need to get Dale back from the Ike." "What happened?" "I don't know sir. I woke up and she was lying in a pool of blood. They delivered the baby and she's so small they're not even giving her much of a chance. And there were complications after delivery and now they're telling me they don't even know if Allison is going to be okay." "Have you talked to Mac?" "No sir" Harm sighed. "I don't want her upset. Please can we just get in touch with the skipper on the Ike so we can get Dale back here." "Tiner get in here," AJ bellowed, and Harm gave a small sigh of relief. With the backing of the JAG, the Red Cross would have Dale off the Ike in no time. "OK Harm, now what. You're going to have to tell Mac something." "Yes sir. Is she there now?" "I'll have her come in with Manetti and Turner. Harm you know she's going to want to come there." "Sir she should not be traveling," he protested. "And you think she's going to be any the better off staying back here semi-hysterical?" "Point taken. Sir I was worried about her before, but seeing this--seeing what could happen, I'm moving past frightened into panicked myself." "Son you know things like that happen only once in what, maybe one thousand, pregnancies. And right now it sounds like everyone is going to need you to hold it together. And I'm going to help you to do that, so here's what's going to happen. Tiner is on the phone now. I'm going to get Mac and the other two in here. The question is do you want to tell her or should I?" Harm bit his lip in thought. "I think sir if you talk to her it might be better. I'm going to see Allison and then Mac can call me. Think so?" "I do. You tell Allison I asked after her." His mind went back a few months to a seriously wounded Kendra and he shuddered slightly. "Yes sir." Harm broke the connection and went to seek the nurse who would take him to see Allison. ========== At JAG a few minutes later, AJ acknowledged Mac with Sturgis and Tracy arriving in his office, and to their surprise he came around his desk to be with them. "Sir, you're scaring me." Mac could not help voicing her natural apprehension. "Yeah I know and I'm sorry," he said softly, adding quickly, "It's not Harm. He's OK." A small sigh of relief escaped her before she realized. "Allison." "Yeah 'fraid so. She had a baby girl last night. Harm just called," he said slowly, choosing his words. "But neither she nor the baby are doing well right now." Mac's hand went to her mouth at once. "Harm is with her?" "Yes he is." "Sir with your permission I'll be driving down." "I don't think so," Sturgis yelped and AJ held up his hand. "Commander Turner, Commander Manetti, permission to take the Colonel to her husband." "Yes sir, thank you," Sturgis smiled and looked over at Tracy. "You know, it's times like this that make you think about what's really important." "Yes," she whispered back and slipped her hand into his. AJ cleared this throat. "OK out of here. I uh. . .I need to call Kendra." "Sturgis we have to hurry" Mac whispered. "If anything happens to her or the baby. . ." "We will but we need to get there in one piece too. And once we're on the road you can call Harm." *********************** "Mr. Rabb." Harm turned at Elizabeth Hartwell's voice and made his way over to her. "Hi. Is there any change?" "No. She's holding her own right now and that's the best we can hope for. Would you like to see her now?" "Please" he nodded. He mentally tried to prepare himself as they walked to the room but nothing would have prepared him for the sight of the young woman, so pale and still on the bed and hooked up to every imaginable machine. "This isn't happening" he whispered. A sudden wave of guilt hit him hard and he swallowed hard. He should have watched her more. He should have known. "There's no way of predicting these things," Elizabeth said quietly. "So whatever you're thinking, there's nothing you could have done." "I was supposed to be taking care of her." "Mr. Rabb you couldn't have prevented this. None of us could." "She has to get through this," he said as he sat down beside the bed. "Dale, he couldn't live without her. And Chris. He needs his mommy. And the baby" His voice trailed off and he took a deep breath to keep back tears that suddenly threatened. "I'm sorry," she said softly. "I wish I could tell you something more positive. Right now the fact that she isn't any worse is good news." He nodded and let out a long sigh. "I can stay can't I?" "For a little bit yes." A half-hour later he walked out of the room, his cell phone ringing just as he did so. He saw it was Mac's number and after a deep breath answered it. "Sarah." "Harm how is she?" Mac whispered. "Please tell me something good." "I wish I could" he whispered. "Sarah I don't know if she's going to be okay. They won't give me any promises. It's so horrible. This isn't supposed to be happening." "I know" she sniffled. "But we're on our way." "Please be careful" he begged. "I don't want anything happening to you either." "I'm in good hands. You just try and stay calm." "The only thing that will keep me calm is having you in my arms." "Soon" she promised. "And promise me you'll call if anything changes. Anything." "I will. Just be safe please." She disconnected the call and let out a long sigh. "They're not giving him much hope," she said softly. "I'm sorry," Tracy said quietly. "I know how close you and Harm had gotten to Allison." "She's like a little sister to us" Mac sighed. "And this should not be happening to her. And Dale is going to freak when he gets word on what's going on. He doesn't even know she's pregnant." "It'll be okay. You just stay calm. How did Harm sound?" "Like he's having a real hard time keeping it together," Mac said softly. "I'm sure this has been horrible for him." "Especially since his own wife is pregnant," Sturgis added. "He's probably freaking himself out with everything that could go wrong with you now." "I just hope she's okay. And the baby. She must be so tiny." "That doesn't mean she won't make it" Tracy countered. "Lots of preemies do just fine now." "I know. And I just keep thinking it's all going to work out. Some how it will work out." "They're hardly more than kids themselves," Mac sighed. "A boy in a war zone and a girl that's a wife and mother left behind. And right now I'm praying as hard as I can that if God takes them, He allows Dale to get here first." "Mac promise me you're going to stay calm please," Sturgis urged. "At least until I turn you over to Harm. You know if something happens to you, it's going to be my head." "I'm OK, honest," Mac assured him, rubbing her belly. "No one wants this baby more than me. . .well except for Harm of course. "You realize I'll never survive a pregnancy with you," Sturgis sighed, giving Tracy's hand a squeeze. "i'll have to be sedated and you can wake me when it's over." ================ Harm was sitting in a chair outside Allison's room, a cup of coffee slack in his hand, his eyes closed in semi-rest when his wife and two friends reached his side. "Harm," Mac said softly and it was not even a full second later that he was on his feet and had her wrapped in his arms. "Are you OK?" he demanded at once. "I didn't want you to come but I didn't want you home worrying either." "And that's exactly what I would have done, about you and of course about Allison and the baby," she whispered, swallowing hard to hold back tears. "News?" "No change on either, but that's actually positive," he sighed, nodding to Sturgis and Tracy. "That they're both still the same is a victory they tell me. Come on, you can see the baby through the glass." His arm went around Mac and he stumbled slightly as he took a few steps. Despite her bulk, she managed to catch him. "You mister are less OK than I am at the moment," she scolded. "No I'm just stiff from sitting. Old bones." "Well I'm going to make you go back to Allison's and get some rest." "Later maybe. Right now I need to be here. Oh, Dale's on the way right?" "He should be on the COD by now yes," Mac nodded. "Here tonight." "Good." Harm led the way to the NICU. "Oh my god no," Mac gasped as soon as she saw the tiny baby girl. Her arms hugged her belly and tears welled in her eyes. "How can God let this happen?" "If my father was here, he would tell you," Sturgis said softly, unable to take his eyes from the incubator. "Me, I can only wonder the same thing myself." He felt Tracy shudder at his side and he hugged her close. "Is there a name for her?" "Allison was waiting for her father." "This would be the same father who doesn't know he's got a daughter?" Tracy smiled. "That's the one," Harm sighed. "Mac what did they tell him do you have any idea?" "Tiner only told the Red Cross Allison was critical after surgery," Mac replied. "When something comes from the office of the JAG they don't question it anyway." Harm nodded and Mac stepped forward as far as she could, pressing her fingertips and her belly to the glass. "Baby Girl, you hang on," she said softly. "Please hang on. You've got a mama and a daddy who are going to love you. . ." Her words caught in her throat and she shuddered hard with the suppressed sob. "Harm if Allison doesn't make it. . .especially if the baby does. . .Dale--there's no one to. . .I mean how would he manage? There's no family." "Except us," Harm told her. "And us," Sturgis added quickly with Tracey nodding. ============= The hours crawled slowly by at the hospital. It was in the late afternoon that one of the floor nurses sought out Harm. "Sir, Mrs. March is partly awake, and asking for you, and about the baby. Would you see her?." "Harm let me," Mac told him. "I can handle it," he objected. "Mac it's pretty grim in there." "I've seen grim before," Mac told her. "I think she'd like to have a woman with her right now since she can't have Dale." "She's going to want to know about the baby," Harm reminded her quietly. "Can you tell her without being too upset yourself." "I want to." "No" he shook his head. "I don't want you being upset. I'll talk to her. You don't need any more stress than you've already had." "Harm I want to do this. She's going to need someone besides you." "We both do it then. I'm not letting you go in alone. Besides this way we can put up a brave front together." Mac nodded and they made their way into Allison's room. Mac's hand gripped Harm's hand tightly when she saw Allison on the bed. "Harm" she whispered. "It was worse before" he murmured. "She looks a little better than before." They walked forward and Mac took Allison's hand in hers. "Allison it's Harm and Mac" she said softly. "We're here honey and you're going to be just fine." "Baby" Allison murmured as she forced her eyes open. "My baby." "She's okay honey" Mac whispered. "She's a preemie but they're taking really good care of her. Right now you just need to worry about you." "Dale." "He's on his way" Harm spoke up. "He'll be here real soon. So you need to hang in there." "He's going to be upset" she moaned, tears sliding down her cheeks. "And the baby" "Honey don't" Mac said softly. "It's all going to be okay. You just need to worry about getting better. You've given all of us a big scare and we just want you to be okay." Allison nodded slightly before her eyes dropped shut again. Mac sniffled slightly and Harm gently pulled her against him. "It's okay" he sighed. "It's going to be okay." "She's so weak. She's going to need help for a long time." "And she and Dale will have it. We'll be here for them. Well at least I will. You are going to need to take it easy." "You can't expect me to go home and leave them alone to deal with this." "Yes I do. And we'll figure it out later. Right now all that matters is making sure Allison and the baby get through this." "I want to see the baby again" Mac sniffled. "Please." "Okay but then I want you to rest" Harm said firmly. "You've been through a lot today." "So have you. Harm you have to be completely exhausted. You haven't left her side since this happened." "And I'm not leaving until I know she's going to be okay. I promised Dale I would look after her and I will." "Stubborn sailor" she sighed. "Okay let's go check on the baby and then we'll both find somewhere to chill until Dale gets here." It was several hours before Dale finally arrived and Harm heard him before he saw him. "Allison March" Dale gasped as he reached the nurses station. "Where is she?" "And you are?" the nurse asked. "Her husband. Please where is she? Is she okay?" "Dale" Harm said quietly as he and Mac made their way over to him. "Harm thank God" Dale sighed. "What the hell happened? One minute I'm sleeping in my quarters the next I'm on a COD back here and all they would tell me was Allison was critical after surgery and they don't know if she's going to be okay." "I'll explain" Harm sighed. "Why don't you sit down before you fall down." "I want to see Allison" he wailed. "Please." "You will. But first we need to tell you something" Mac spoke up. "Before you see her." "What? Guys you are scaring me really bad. What's wrong with Allison?" "She had emergency surgery because she was bleeding," Harm tried and then shook his head, knowing he had had started in the middle and was scaring Dale even more. "Harm," Mac said quietly, putting her hand on Dale's arm. "Dale she had to have an emergency hysterectomy. Do you know what that is?" "Yeah I do. My mom had one, but I don't understand. A healthy woman doesn't just need an operation, and even if she does, it's not a critical thing. And to get me back here--when they came for me--I thought she was dying. Hysterectomy--god no. That means she can't have more babies doesn't it." "Oh God," Mac gasped and Harm immediately took hold of her. "OK look, Dale, you need to see something. Uh. . .someone." "I'm so confused." "Just hang with us," Harm soothed. "Come this way." Dale's eyes got wider as he saw the directional sign as soon as the turned the corridor. Harm kept an arm across Mac's back and a guiding hand on Dale's arm as they reached the end of the hall. It was Mac who stopped them just before the viewing window. "Dale, congratulations. You have a baby daughter." Those word froze Dale where he stood. Despite Harm's tugging at his harm, he could not move. "How is that possible?" he gasped. "Oh come on boy, you know what causes that," Harm chided him, this time pushing him toward the window where the infant known only right then as 'baby girl March' lie on her back, her head to one side, a tiny mask over her eyes to protect them from the light that shone down on her. "My daughter?" he gasped. "Allison? She had a. . .my baby? I mean she is mine isn't she?" "Dale don't be a jackass," Mac hissed and smacked the back of his head lightly. "Allison wouldn't. . ." She stopped short, not wanting to bring up his indiscretion. "Of course she's yours," Harm added. "That weekend you guys had the big fight, this was part of the problem. Do yourself and Allison and your daughter a favor and put that out of your mind." The young man nodded numbly and took a step forward, his eyes now transfixed on the baby before him. "She's. . .what's wrong with her?" Mac took a long breath and pulled from Harm's grasp, wrapping her arms around Dale's slender middle. "Sweetie she's just born too soon and too small. She's going to need some growing time. Allison had a problem with her womb--her uterus--and they kept this little one inside as long as they could but finally it had to happen." "They can't promise she's going to live though can they?" he whispered raggedly. "No son they can't," Harm sighed from behind them. "I'm sorry. But she's going to have the best care possible. If she can't get it here then we'll see to it she's sent or a specialist brought in. Whatever she needs." Dale swallowed hard and put his fingertips onto the glass. "Thank you for that. And now I want to hold her." "Well they weren't letting anyone in, but since you're the dad you probably can use the glove things to stroke her," Mac told him. He closed his eyes, willing back tears of fear and exhaustion. "Allison? I need to see her." "Of course you do" Harm nodded. "But remember she's been through surgery and she's had a very rough time. So she's going to look a little scary." "I just want to see her" he whispered. They led him back to Allison's room and Harm stopped outside the room. "Remember she needs you" he said quietly. "That's all that matters right now. The rest you two will figure out when she's better." "You mean why she never told me she pregnant." "She had her reasons" Mac told him. "Right or wrong doesn't matter. Like Harm said, you'll sort it out later. Not now. Right now you just be there for her." Dale let out a long sigh and Harm led him inside to Allison. Dale's gasp told them he wasn't expecting what he saw and Harm quickly turned to him. "You okay?" Dale nodded slowly; his eyes never leaving his wife who lay pale and still on the bed. "Dale" Mac said softly. "You might want to let her know you're here. Go on." He moved forward, reaching down to take her hand in his. "Allison" he said softly. "Honey I'm here. It's going to be okay." He swayed slightly on his feet and at once Harm pushed him into the chair next to Allison's bed. "I'm okay" Dale sighed. "I'm just a little tired." "Exhausted and about to collapse is more like it" Mac fretted. "When was the last time you ate or slept?" "I don't know and I don't care. I just want Allison and the baby to be okay." His voice broke and he buried his head in his hands as he fought back tears. "Dale she's going to need you" Mac said gently. "So you're going to have to take care of yourself too." Allison stirred slightly and at once Dale leaned closer to her. "Allison honey" he sniffled. "Allison I'm here. It's Dale." Her eyes finally opened and she looked up at him. "Dale" she said tearfully. "It's okay honey. We'll get through this. You just need to get better." "Our baby" she whispered. "I saw her. She's beautiful just like you." "I'm sorry. You must hate me for not telling you." "I love you Allison" Dale said softly. "And nothing will ever change that. And right now I just want you to be okay. That's all that matters to me honey. Nothing but you and our little girl." "How is she?" "I don't know. Harm and Mac just showed her to me and I'm going to go back but first I needed to see you. You have had me so scared." "I'm sorry" she sniffled, more tears streaking down her face. "I'm so sorry about everything." "Shh it's okay" he soothed as he brought her hand to his lips and kissed it gently. "Honey its going to be okay. Please dont cry." "Okay who's upset my patient" Doctor Hartwell asked as she walked into the room. "Ahh you must be Mr. March. I'm glad you're here." "She's going to be okay isn't she?" Dale whispered. "Please don't tell me she's not." "Well I'm liking a lot better some of the test results I'm seeing now. Her liver, kidneys, heart and all are a lot more happy with her now than they were a few hours ago." "She's going to be OK," Dale gasped with a small measure of hope. The doctor leaned over the bed doing a quick check of the monitors. "Mrs. March you hang in there now," she said kindly. "Looks like you've got a lot of people who love you. More people than should be here in fact." "Please no. They're family. Well all the family I've got,' Allison gasped. "OK. Thirty minutes and then this barn dance is over," she decreed. "After that one visitor, and no excitement." "Yes ma'am. Doctor, my baby. My daughter. I need to see her." "Tomorrow maybe. You keep posting these good numbers and I'll let Daddy roll you there for a few minutes. She is beautiful you know. Tiny yes, but she's going to be a heart breaker." The doctor walked to the door and looked back at Allison. "Honey is there anything else I can do before I get off duty?" "Uh. . .could you say a prayer for our baby?" Allison whispered. "You mean another one?" she smiled and slipped through the door. Two giant tears slid down Allison's face and Dale reached to wipe them away, though his own cheeks were damp. "Chris?" he gasped suddenly. "Where's the baby? I mean the other baby. . .you know what I mean." "With a very nice lady from church," Allison told him, reaching for his hand. "You won't believe how big he's gotten. You missed his birthday." "Yeah but I got pictures by the ton," Dale remembered. "I can't wait to see him but if he's in good hands my place is with you." "How long can you stay? I mean they'll want you back won't they?" Dale turned to Harm. "I can't go back sir. Please. I can't." "I'll help you apply for a hardship curtailment. The cruise is about over anyway. If I get the Admiral to indorse it, it should be a piece of cake." "We owe you all so much," Dale sighed, not bothering to wipe the two tears that mimicked Allison's. "Pay it forward," Mac smiled. "Harm let's go see a man about a baby. Oh hey guys what's her name?" "Hannah Ruth," Allison spoke up. "It's from the bible of course. Dale is that OK? You can name the next one." Dale had to swallow hard before he could answer. Allison did not yet know of the hysterectomy. "We'll talk honey. Two is a family." "But you're happy right?" "Oh yeah." With that he put his head down onto her shoulder. Her arms went around him the best she could and the young mother and father clung together. Harm and Mac walked slowly to the nursery. Harm motioned for Mac to wait while he talked to the supervisor and then a moment later they were allowed in to the room. "They only gave me a minute to do this," Harm said urgently, reaching with the glove that was fastened to the side of the incubator. "See I don't know what the tenants of the faith are that this baby is going to be raised in, but I have enough belief in the old ways to feel a real need to do this." His hand rested on the tiny forehead, no bigger than his thumb, and he spoke very quietly. "Hannah Ruth March I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. May you go with God all the days of your life." THE END The final entry [as far as we know now] in his series will appear Thanksgiving weekend.