Title: My Hero
Author: Jaclyn Rabb
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Set during 7th season including First Casualty
Summary: Harm and Mac baby-sit for Harm's neighbor and learn something 
valuable 
Disclaimer: No, they are not mine. *Deep sigh* I wish they were cause 
this 
season would be picking up a little bit in the shipper department. :)
(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))))

))))))))))))))))))))

0415 Zulu (8:15AM EST)
Harm's Apartment
Alexandria, Virginia

    A loud ringing noise woke Harm from his light sleep. Picking up the 
phone, he heard his neighbor's voice float through.

    "Hey, Harm, it's Jenny. Listen, I'm sorry to bother you, but John's 
mom 
and my mom aren't available and my sister and her husband are out of 
town. 
You are the only other person that Jessica trusts. And I was 
wondering...?"

    "Huh?" Harm asked not fully comprehending what was going on.

    "I know its short notice, but can you watch Jessica for me and John 
this 
weekend? Please, Harm?" Jenny said pleading over the phone.

    "Uh, yeah, Jenny. Sure." he said and then understanding what she 
had just 
asked him he added "Why, anything wrong?"

    Harm was beginning to get concerned. Jenny Winslow and her husband 
John 
were the only other young tenants in the building. They had met and 
married 
when they were only 20 years old and then a year later had a baby girl. 
Their 
daughter, Jessica, was a charmer and he had become captivated with the 
tiny 
girl. Then one night a year or two back he was asked to sit for Jessica 
because John had needed to work late and Jenny had night school. Seeing 
as he 
had nothing to do that night, which meant Mac was busy and there was no 
new 
case to bother her with, he had agreed to watch her. He and the little 
girl 
had bonded immediately and by the time her parents had gotten home, 
neither 
of them were ready to part ways. She called him Uncle Harm, considering 
she 
had known him since she could first babble. He allowed her to call him 
that, 
which in itself stood as proof for how much he was attached to this 
child. 
Ever since then he was their main sitter, other than their mothers or 
mothers-in-law, when Jenny and John had unchangeable plans.

    "No, everything's perfect." Jenny said hurriedly, realizing that 
Harm 
thought something was wrong. "Very perfect. You see, John wants to take 
me up 
to Baltimore, Maryland tomorrow for a weekend getaway. Oh, Harm, I have 
been 
waiting so long for this. You have no idea."

    Harm smiled hearing the longing in the 26 year-old's voice. "Don't 
worry 
about a thing, Jenny. You can drop Jessica off here about 7:00 tonight 
and 
get a head start."

    "Oh Harm, you're the best." Jenny nearly shouted into the phone, 
her 
voice ringing with happiness. "Don't forget, seven o'clock!"

    With that, Harm heard the phone go silent then a dial tone in his 
ear. 
Placing the phone back into its cradle, Harm yawned and glanced around 
the 
room. He grinned when the saw his disheveled brother standing in the 
doorway.

    "Did the phone wake you, Sergei?" Harm asked and Sergei glared at 
him.

    "My brother is a genius." Sergei said sarcastically. "Do all the 
phones 
in America sound as loud as yours?"

    Harm laughed and told him brother what was going on.

    "Oh. Well, that's fine because I am going to stay at my friend 
Rob's 
place tonight. He said he wanted to introduce me to something called 
'The 
Sopranos'." Sergei said and Harm rolled his eyes.

    "Okay, Little Brother. Just be home before 2:00 in the afternoon. 
We are 
going apartment hunting again."

    "I remember. Um, you might want to get a move on, Big Brother." 
Sergei 
said and Harm glanced at his alarm clock. He realized that it was now 
blinking 8:30AM.

    "Oh, sh..." Harm yelled and ran into the bathroom. " I have been 
late a 
lot lately and I swore I'd be in by 9:00 AM today. If I am late, Mac 
will 
never let me hear the end of it!"

0456 Zulu (8:56AM EST)
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia

    Panting slightly, Harm stopped just outside of the JAG elevator 
door and 
caught his breath.

    "So, much for thinking I'm in good shape from jogging every 
morning." he 
muttered under his breath. Straightening quickly, he smoothed down his 
uniform and adjusted his cap then walked into the bullpen. After 
dropping his 
stuff off in his own office he headed for his beautiful partner's door.

    Colonel Sarah Mackenzie looked up from her desk at him with her 
right 
eyebrow raised slightly. As she looked at her watch, she fought back a 
grin.

    "Two minutes to spare, Harm. Why don't you put it to good use and 
get us 
some coffee?" Mac said allowing a tiny smile to grace her lips.

    "Sure." Harm said and started back out the door when he caught 
sight of 
another steaming cup on her desk next to a bran muffin. Again she tried 
to 
repress a smile, but Harm saw it anyway and decided he wanted to play.

    "Awww, Mac. You didn't have to buy me a muffin." Harm said in a 
sweet 
voice.

    "I didn't, huh?" Mac answered, waiting for the punch line.

    " No. You could have gotten me a cinnamon bun instead." Harm said 
his 
heart expanding when she gave a small laugh.

    "Okay, Harm. Lets get to work." Mac said shaking her head at his 
foolishness.

    "I know that's an odd concept to you, but lets just try to go with 
it, 
okay?" she said as an afterthought. Harm grinned and sat down in one of 
her 
chairs with a thud. Grabbing the coffee and muffin he proceeded to 
pretend to 
look over a case file.

    Mac studied her partner as she watched him finish off the warm bran 
muffin bought him and casually wipe the corners of his mouth with his 
fingers. As if he felt her gaze, he looked up and locked eyes with her. 
Then, 
after a brief moment, he smiled and waved. Mac felt a flutter of sheer 
joy 
spread through her and then, embarrassed to be caught looking, 
reprimanded 
herself for the indulgence. She watched Harm a lot more than she cared 
to 
admit, but had only been detected and caught a few times. And every 
time she 
had, she felt like a schoolgirl staring at her crush. Suddenly she felt 
an 
urgent need to break the silence.

    "So, Harm, any plans for the weekend? Remember, the admiral is 
letting us 
have off 'til Monday."

    Harm just shrugged, now totally engrossed in the case file.

    "How about tonight? Want to rent a couple of movies?" she asked 
looking 
up and catching his eye again. This time though, she was ready for his 
unnerving stare, but she was not quite ready for his answer.

    "I'd love to, Mac, but I'm afraid I've got plans with someone." he 
said 
sounding surprised and disappointed.

    "Oh." was all she could manage. Inside she felt a huge tugging of 
jealously and pain in her heart, but tried to ignore it. A tugging at 
her 
brain quickly followed it, only this one was of curiosity.

    "Who with? Anyone I know?" she said trying to sound aloof and 
indifferent. It apparently didn't work, because Harm's face lit up like 
a 
light bulb and he suddenly straightened in his chair.

    "Nope," he said. "Her name's Jessica Winslow. But you're welcome to 
join 
us." She started to protest, but he anticipated that and cut her off. 
"Come 
to my place about 1430 and we can all watch a movie together."
    
Mac was going to refuse, but her heart made her decision for her head. 
Before 
she could stop herself she heard her voice say "I'd be glad to."

    Seeing the shock on Harm's face she instantly felt better about her 
decision. Then a sinking feeling grew in her stomach as she watched the 
shock 
dissolve into a mischievous look. He nodded and repeated that he wanted 
her 
there at about 1430. As she nodded her agreement, one thing coursed 
through 
her mind.

    What had she gotten herself into?

1428 Zulu (6:28PM EST)
Harm's Apartment

    Mac took a deep breath and raised her hand to knock. After lowering 
it 
again, she self-consciously smoothed down her sweater and tucked an 
errant 
strand of hair behind her ear. Ever since Harm had left the office at 
five 
she had been a nervous wreck. Going straight home she had tried on 
every 
outfit she had in her closet.....twice. She had finally picked out a 
light 
pink sweater with silver flowers on it that, Harm had said once, set 
off her 
dark eyes. Then throwing on a pair of blue jeans and her sneakers she 
had 
bundled up and come over. Knocking again, she wondered if she had heard 
his 
invitation wrong. Then Harm flung the door open not two seconds later 
and she 
found herself staring into the face of the handsome man. He had changed 
out 
of uniform just like she had and was now wearing a dark blue V-neck 
sweater, 
just so that she could see a small bit of white T-shirt underneath. 
Like her 
he was wearing blue jeans, but as he led her into the living room she 
could 
see he was barefooted.

    "You want anything? I've got soda, water, or..." he started to ask.

    "Water is fine." Mac said grinning up at him. He winked at her and 
turned 
to go into the kitchen. When he returned he had two glasses of water 
and 
handed her one.

    They began to talk about the case they were on and soon Mac, too, 
had her 
shoes and socks off with her legs tucked under her on the couch. They 
were 
just starting to argue about whether or not Greg Smicht, should be 
given brig 
time because of his disobeying an order, but saving two lives in the 
process, 
when the doorbell rang. Mac suddenly remembered that he had someone 
else 
coming over tonight and grew quiet. Harm looked at her, almost 
amusingly, and 
got up to answer the door. From her position on the couch, Mac couldn't 
see 
the door, but she could hear everything that was going on. Suddenly her 
throat seemed very dry and she raised her glass of water to her lips. 
Gulping 
the cool liquid down she listened to the greetings.

    "Hi, Harm. Sorry if I'm early. I'm just really excited about 
tonight and 
then this weekend." A woman's voice floated into the living room. It 
was a 
young voice and sounded like it should be attached to a phone-sex 
operator.

    "Hey, don't worry about it." came Harm's reply. "Come on in. Just 
put the 
overnight bag in the bedroom."

    Mac nearly choked on her water. The woman was spending the night?! 
Why 
the hell had he invited her over? She watched the doorway for a glimpse 
of 
this woman and was not disappointed. A leggy blonde in a long blue 
skirt and 
white pheasant blouse walked through the doorway on her way to the 
bedroom. 
Seeing Mac she paused and looked uncertainly back towards where she had 
just 
left Harm. Mac took this opportunity to size the woman up. She couldn't 
have 
more than 27, looked exactly like a model and when she smiled at Mac, 
she 
could have sworn her teeth sparkled.

    Tossing her hair over her shoulder, the blonde came over, her hand 
extended. "Hi, I'm Jenny Winslow." she said when Mac politely took her 
hand. 
"You must be Col. Mackenzie. Harm talks about you all the time."

    Mac smiled thinly, racking her memory. Something wasn't right. 
Hadn't 
Harm said her name was Jessica? Before she had a chance to ask the 
stunning 
woman, Harm appeared behind Jenny with a small, pajama clad, girl in 
his 
arms. Seeing Mac's wide-eyed expression of confusion he smiled.

    "Mac, this is my date. Jessica." he said motioning his head towards 
the 
little girl. "She has just informed me that at 5 years old she is 
practically 
an adult. I see you met her mom, Jenny."

    Mac nodded, not able to find her voice. Jenny, seeing Mac's 
uncomfortable 
reaction , realized what was happening. After shooting a small glare in 
Harm's direction she turned and tried to explain.

    "I take it Harm forgot to tell you that he was sitting for Jessica 
this 
weekend, huh?" At Mac's nod she continued. "My husband, John, and I are 
Harm's neighbors. We are going on vacation and Harm, here, said he 
would be 
happy to take Jessica when I explained that there was no else. So here 
we 
are."

    Mac felt unnecessary relief course through her body and she smiled 
for 
real. Jenny, sure she had just let Harm off the hook from bloodshed, 
looked 
at her watch and gasped.

    "And here I go! John wants to be on the road by 8:30." Jenny turned 
towards her daughter, who was still clutching Harm around the neck.

    "Bye-bye, Baby. I love you. You be good for Harm." she said giving 
her 
daughter a squeeze and a kiss. Jessica nodded and smiled at Harm.

    "Its not Harm, Mommy." the girl spoke up for the first time. "Its 
Uncle 
Harm."

    Mac was surprised and looked at Harm for affirmation. He looked 
down and 
blushed slightly. Mac bit back a laugh and looked away. Jenny said 
good-bye 
again and was soon out the door, a chorus of good-byes following her 
out the 
apartment.

    Mac turned around, noticing Harm had placed Jessica down and the 
child 
was now happily skipping around him in a circle. Mac started forward 
towards 
Harm and Jessica stopped skipping. Mac stopped short, too, and the two 
females found themselves staring at each other with wariness. They were 
so 
intense on concentrating on each other, neither noticed when Harm moved 
to go 
into the bedroom. He had decided to let Mac handle this one on her own.


Mac took in the tiny child with her dark hair that was totally 
contrasted 
with her bright green eyes. Jessica wore hot pink Tweety Bird feet 
pajamas, 
carried a small worn yellow blanket and her 
slightly-longer-than-shoulder 
length hair was up in two ponytails. Mac was the first to move, 
crouching 
down to Jessica's eye level and sticking out her hand.

    "Hi, Jessica. I'm Mac. I'm a friend of Ha… your Uncle Harm's. 
It's very 
nice to meet you." Mac said and waited for the little girl to respond. 
Jessica tilted her head studying the woman as a dog would its owner 
when he 
or she says something they don't understand.

    "Mac?" Jessica repeated, confused.

    "That's my nickname. My real name is Sarah, but everyone calls me 
Mac." 
Mac told her and Jessica frowned, thinking.

    Jessica liked the lady. She was pretty, like her mommy. And her 
Uncle 
Harm seemed to like her a lot, so she couldn't be that bad. Maybe if 
she was 
really nice, the lady would stay and play with her and Uncle Harm 
tomorrow. 

    Apparently deciding she liked Mac, the girl smiled and put her hand 
in 
Mac's slender one. Mac's smile grew and Jessica grinned back at her, 
her 
green eyes sparkling with life.

    "I like the name Sarah. Are you Uncle Harm's girlfriend? Mommy says 
that 
he talks about you all the time and that he is probably in..." Jessica 
started to say to Mac, but Harm cut her off by yelling out her name. 
Mac felt 
a rush of emotions and smiled brilliantly. She could hear Harm 
muttering to 
himself in the bedroom and felt a strong urge to laugh. Jessica 
shrugged at 
the two crazy adults and decided to try become friends with the woman 
named 
Sarah again.

           "Do you wanna watch Sleeping Beauty with Uncle Harm and me?" 
the 
child said her voice sounding like a pixie's. "Next to Bambi, it's the 
one 
Uncle Harm and I like best. Uncle Harm says he just likes the part 
where the 
owl says 'twitterpated'. He likes that word a lot. He thinks it's 
really 
funny to say. So do you wanna watch it with us? Not Bambi, though, we 
only 
have Sleeping Beauty tonight."

    Mac grinned and let loose a laugh at the girl's exuberance. All she 
could 
do was nod and the second she did, Mac found herself being pulled into 
the 
living room and onto the couch.

    Harm came into the room and sat down onto the floor. "Okay, 
Jessica. We 
can watch it now if you want to, but I was thinking along the lines of 
an 
ooey gooey...."

    "Ice cream sundae! Yeah!" Jessica said bouncing up and down on the 
couch, 
making Mac rise and fall slightly with the cushions. Mac dutifully 
followed 
Harm and the excited little girl into the kitchen and watched as he 
dragged 
out two big cartons of ice cream, one chocolate and one chocolate chip 
cookie 
dough. As Mac watched wide-eyed, Jessica ran about the kitchen pulling 
out 
all types of candy and sauces. Finally they had the countertop set up 
as a 
regular sugar buffet. A bowl and spoon was placed in her hand and she 
found 
herself being pulled along the counter/ buffet and Jessica scooping 
things 
into her bowl as Harm directed her. After that they led her to the 
table and 
sat her down. Harm grinned and pointed his finger at Mac's bowl. She 
looked 
down at the mass of pure sugar and winced. Harm, not wanting to wait 
anymore, 
grabbed Mac's spoon and scooped up a glob of the mass.

    "Open up, Mac. It's really good." Harm said cogently swaying the 
spoon in 
front of her lips. Jessica giggled and dived into her ice cream, ending 
up 
covered in chocolate syrup and sprinkles. Mac watched her shovel it in, 
occasionally pausing because of an ice cream headache. Then she 
directed her 
attention back to Harm, who was still swinging the spoon in her face. 
Arching 
an eyebrow she looked warily at the spoon and then at Harm.

    "What is with you? Harm the Healthnut is eating a sundae." Mac said 
cautiously.

    "I read that it is good for a person to splurge once in a while on 
something sweet. Since Jess was staying over, I figured it would be my 
once a 
month sweet fest." Harm answered and Mac gave him a look.

    "Uh-huh." She murmured and Harm rolled his eyes at her.

    "Just close your eyes and trust me." Harm said pausing his motions 
with 
the spoon to look into her eyes. She felt her lids close and mouth open 
automatically and soon she tasted a cold, sweet, and gooey mass in her 
mouth. 
It was absolute heaven. She swallowed and let the cold mound slip down 
her 
throat. Opening her eyes she saw Harm looking at her a superior look on 
his 
face.

    "What did I tell you?" he said grinning his boyish smile. Mac 
smiled back 
and grabbed the spoon from Harm. She lifted her spoon in the air and 
tilted 
her head. He did the same and they clinked spoons and dug in. Jessica 
was 
finished before them and was now urging them to hurry. Mac finished 
first and 
Jessica shouted with glee.

    "You won! Ha, ha Uncle Harm! She beat you."

    Harm's eyes took on a wicked gleam and he reached for Jessica. She 
shrieked and ran behind Mac's chair. Mac and Harm laughed, then he 
suggested 
that she and Jessica go set up the video. Jessica grabbed Mac's hand 
and 
dragged her into the living room once again.    

    After being instructed to turn off the room lights and deciding to 
leave 
one small lamp on, Mac walked over to where Jessica sat on the couch. 
Impatiently, Jessica stood up and with her body leaning on Mac's arm 
she 
called into the kitchen.

    "Uncle Harm! We wanna watch the movie now! Hurry up!"

    Mac, her ears ringing, reached up and grabbed Jessica's waist, 
making the 
child laugh, and pulled her down to sit on the couch. Mac realized that 
Jessica was ticklish and began to poke the girl lightly on the side. 
Soon 
Jessica was rolling on the couch laughing hysterically and Mac was 
going all 
out. Harm chose that moment to come in and he too joined in the tickle 
fest. 
Soon the adults realized, as they watched Jessica begin to turn a 
slight 
shade of green, that they had to stop or face the consequences. Jessica 
soon 
calmed down and then, with total trust, the small girl laid her head 
down on 
Mac's lap. The rest of her body ended up in Harm's lap and he placed a 
sofa 
throw on top of her. He picked up the remote control to the VCR and 
pressed 
play. The movie started and the only sounds left in the room were 
laughter 
and the characters in the film.

    About halfway through the movie Mac realized that Jessica had 
fallen 
asleep. Gently she reached across the tiny body and tapped Harm's 
shoulder. 
He looked over at her, the light from the television playing across his 
handsome face, and then down at Jessica. He grinned at the slumbering 
child 
and hefted her into his arms. Jessica snuffled and shifted, trying to 
get 
comfortable in her new position. She stopped, ending up with her face 
pressed 
into Harm's neck. He could fell the little girl's breath on his neck 
and it 
felt like a hundred fairies dancing across his skin. Harm moved towards 
the 
bedroom with Mac following, silently, and placed Jessica in the middle 
of his 
bed. Then as Mac watched he walked over to a small night bag and pulled 
out a 
ragged teddy bear. She caught Harm's eye and arched her eyebrow in 
question.

    "Mr. Wiggles." was all he said as he placed the stuffed animal with 
Jessica. They were just about to leave the room when Jessica sat up in 
bed 
and called out to Harm.

    "Uncle Harm, you forgot!" Jessica's little voice said accusingly. 
Mac's 
eyes widened as she saw Jessica reach out her arms for Harm and him 
step over 
to her. He bent down and let Jessica wrap her arms around his neck. 
Pulling 
back she placed a kiss on his cheek and again laid down. Harm pulled 
the 
covers up to her chin and ran his hand over her tiny head.

    "Night, Jess." he said quietly again turning to leave, but was 
interrupted by Jessica, who sat up yet again.

    "Jessica, I already kissed you goodnight. Now go to bed." Harm said 
sternly.

    Lifting her arms, Jessica shook her head and looked over at Mac. "I 
wanna 
give Aunt Sarah a kiss, too." 

    Mac felt her heart flutter as she looked at the child's innocent 
face. 
Neither Jessica nor Harm apparently found anything wrong with calling 
her 
Aunt Sarah, so she let it slide. She felt her feet move of their own 
volition 
until she found herself directly in front of Jessica. Mac bent down to 
receive the child's hug and wrapped her own arms around Jessica. When 
Jessica 
pulled back, Mac felt a kiss being pressed against her cheek and again 
wrapped the girl up in a hug. Finally, she let go and let Jessica slide 
under 
the covers for the final time. Within minutes Jessica was asleep, Mr. 
Wiggles 
tucked faithfully under her arm, and the two JAG lawyers crept out of 
the 
bedroom.

    "I hope you don't mind that she called you that. She must really 
like 
you. She doesn't trust people easily." Harm said as they walked back 
into the 
living room to turn off the movie.

    "No, of course not. I think its sweet. Kinda reminds me of a older 
female 
version of AJ." she said tilting her head to study him. He nodded and 
then 
smiled.

    "Hungry?" he asked. "I've got a surprise." Harm led her into the 
kitchen 
and showed her half of an apple pie.

    "Harm, what's going on tonight? I thought you never have food in 
the 
house as a rule to come over and invade my refrigerator?" Mac said a 
smile on 
her lips and arms akimbo.

    "I don't, usually. But Jenny usually buys food and puts it away 
when she 
knows Jess is going to be here a while." Harm said somewhat sheepishly.

    "But this," he started holding up the pie in one hand and a knife 
and two 
plates in the other, "this Harriet made for me. Dropped it off the 
other 
night. Said she had made two the other night and with Bud deployed, 
wanted me 
to have it instead."

    "Poor Harriet. She misses him so much and is trying so hard to put 
up a 
brave front." Mac said quietly, accepted the plates and knife and cut 
two 
large pieces, while he poured two glasses of milk. They ate, discussing 
all 
types of things, especially the case, and soon the other half of the 
pie had 
disappeared. Harm stood up to clear the table and when he turned around 
again 
he found Mac asleep on her arm on top of the table. Glancing at the 
kitchen 
clock, he realized it was midnight, three and a half hours since they 
had put 
Jessica to bed and started eating the pie. He walked over to Mac and 
crouched 
down by her side. A lock of her growing brown hair was splayed over her 
face 
and her arm and she her red lips were slightly puckered.

    "Sleeping Beauty in the flesh. If only Walt Disney had envisioned 
her as 
a stubborn kickass Jarhead." he muttered shaking his head. He watched 
her 
sleep for a couple minutes, debating whether or not to wake her up. 
Finally 
he chose not to, and he lifted her into his arms much the same way he 
had 
Jessica. She awakened slightly and peered at him through sleepy eyes. 
Realizing who it was, she smiled.

    "Hi." she whispered in a low, sleep-filled voice. Harm felt his 
heart 
beat faster and smiled down at her.

    "Hi." he said back.

    Grinning at him, Mac snuggled into his chest and laid her head down 
on 
his shoulder. He smiled at the show of complete trust. An overwhelming 
feeling of possession took control of his body and he took her into the 
living room. Sitting down on the couch, he held her, not quite ready to 
give 
up that feeling just yet. He brushed her hair back from her face and 
tucked 
it behind her ears. Sighing he stood again and turned to place Mac down 
onto 
the sofa. But while lowering her, still asleep she protested at the 
loss of 
his body heat and wiggled to be held again. This time, with a deeper 
sigh, he 
tried again to lay her down. She cooperated this time and shifted so 
that she 
was on her side facing the back of the couch. Harm found himself face 
to face 
with her derrière. Groaning he stood and placed the sofa throw over 
her like 
he had Jessica. Then he pulled his spare blankets out of the closet and 
made 
himself a bed on the floor. Laying down on his back he stared up at the 
ceiling. Harm heard Mac sigh in her sleep and then shift again. He 
imagined 
her shifting under him on his bed and then grabbing the edge of the 
blankets 
he pressed the cloth to his mouth suppressing a moan.

    Yeah right Harm, he thought to himself, like your really gonna 
sleep 
tonight!

    That was his last conscious thought.


0213 Zulu (6:13AM EST)
Harm's Apartment

    Mac awoke with a start and found herself staring into the bright 
green 
eyes of a giggling monster. Mac sat straight up, swinging her arm in a 
defensive reflex and heard a thud. She looked down and saw a small girl 
sitting in shock on the floor. Mac suddenly remembered about Jessica 
and Harm 
and clasped a hand over her mouth.

    "Oh, Jessica. I'm so sorry." Mac said reaching out her hand to the 
tiny 
girl. Jessica smiled and placed her hand in Mac's.

    "Sokay." Jessica said standing, then reaching around her to rub the 
sore 
spot on her behind. Then as Mac began to speak, Jessica placed her hand 
over 
her mouth and shushed her. Taking her hand away from the marine's 
mouth, the 
child directed Mac's attention towards the floor. Mac again glanced 
down and 
saw Harm on his side, snoring like a freight train. Mac suppressed a 
smile, 
though it took a lot of will power. She turned to look at Jessica, only 
the 
girl had moved to stand next to Harm. As Mac watched Jessica placed one 
foot 
on either side of Harm and she saw the girl's lips move. Mac strained 
to hear 
the girls words and made out the numbers 5 and then 6. Finally, Jessica 
stopped counting and waited. Before Mac figure out what was happening 
or ask 
Jessica what she planned to do the little girl abruptly sat herself 
down onto 
Harm's chest.

Hard.

    "Ugh!" Harm said or rather gasped. His head came off the floor and 
his 
eyes bulged. "Jessica! What are you doing? You are in big trouble, 
little 
lady."

    His voice was rough and deep from having just woken up, but Mac 
detected 
no trace of anger. Jessica just giggled and rolled her eyes.

    "Oh," Harm said more awake now, "you find this funny, huh?"

    Jessica nodded and giggled again. Harm let out a deep growl and 
playfully 
flung Jessica to the side. He then proceeded to tickle the hell out of 
her 
and soon the child was laughing for mercy. Harm grinned over at Mac, a 
lock 
of hair falling over his forehead. Mac found herself smiling back and 
then 
laughing as Jessica jumped away from Harm as he advanced in her 
direction to 
tickle her again. Jessica ran over and jumped onto the couch next to 
Mac and 
wrapped her arms around her shoulders.

    "Help me, Aunt Sarah!" Jessica cried laughing and buried her face 
into 
Mac's shoulder. Mac laughed and surprising herself, placed a kiss atop 
Jessica's head.

    Harm was suddenly in front of her and lifted Jessica up into the 
air. He 
hung her upside down in the air and said "Oh, no. She can't help you 
now! You 
give up?"

    "Yes!" Jessica said her face turning red. "Uncle Harm, put me down. 
The 
blood's rushing to my head!"

    She giggled again and wiggled in the air. Harm righted her in the 
air and 
held her to his chest. She gave him a quick peck on the cheek and 
placed her 
down on the ground.

    "Go wash your hands and we'll see about breakfast, okay?" Harm said 
bending down to Jessica's level. She nodded, rose on her tiptoes, and 
kissed 
his nose. Harm looked dazed for a minute then smiled. He pointed to the 
bathroom and gave Jessica a swat on the bottom as she walked by. 
Jessica 
stopped in front of Mac on the way and looked at her shyly. Then she 
looked 
down at her pajama clad feet, then back at Mac as if debating 
something. 
Finally, she looked as though she had made up her mind.

    "Aunt Sarah, are you gonna eat with us?" The girl said it so softly 
and 
so uncertainly that Mac couldn't believe this was the same girl as a 
couple 
minutes ago.

Mac looked towards Harm for support, but he backed away lifting his 
hands in 
what is known as the I'm-Not-Getting-Involved look. She sighed and 
looked 
back at the waiting child. Jessica looked at her, eyes wide and her 
lower lip 
pouting. Mac knew that look, from her younger "sister" Chloe. It was 
called 
"the puppy dog" face and she was never able to deny anything she asked 
when 
she gave her that look. Now it looked as though Jessica had also 
perfected 
it. Mac sighed in defeat and nodded. Jessica whooped with joy and 
resumed her 
race for the bathroom. Mac then threw a glare over in Harm's direction, 
but 
the infuriating man was pretending not to notice her. Finally after a 
couple 
minutes of silence, he apparently couldn't take it anymore and had to 
make 
conversation.

    "So, Mac, you having pancakes with Jessica and me or should I make 
you an 
omelet?" he said moving around the coffee table to head for the 
kitchen. She 
jumped up from her sitting position on the couch and followed him, not 
letting him off so easily by a long shot.

    "Harm," she began fully intending to bash him out for putting her 
in this 
position, but trailed off seeing the look in his eyes. It was one of 
pure and 
simple joy. She had not seen that look in so long, that she had 
forgotten how 
beautiful he was when he was happy. She had to stay, for him and as 
much as 
she hated to admit it, for her sake as well. She sighed again and met 
Harm's 
gaze. Now it was one of growing apprehension, he so desperately wanted 
her to 
stay.

    "You can make pancakes well enough to actually eat?" was all she 
said. 
Seeing Harm's look of apprehension turn to delight and then grow to 
elation, 
Mac felt a whole lot better about staying.

    "Yeah, there are a lot of things I can do well." Harm said throwing 
his 
arm around Mac, waggling his eyebrows and yanking her in the direction 
of the 
stove. Mac shook her head and saw Jessica bounce in. The child plopped 
herself down into a kitchen chair.

    "He can also make pancakes in Mickey Mouse shape." Jessica spoke up 
having caught the end of the conversation. "He's really good at it 
too."

    "Harm," she said, the happiness catching, "is there anything you 
can't 
do?"

    "Nope." he replied laughing. Then planting a kiss on her hairline 
he 
whispered, "Especially when it comes to you."

    "And that's no lie, little lady." he added loudly in a western 
voice that 
made him sound like he belonged in a John Wayne film. Jessica's tiny 
laugh, 
Mac's quiet one, and Harm's belly one, filled the tiny kitchen. She 
wrapped 
her arms around his body and squeezed. Letting go, she watched him wink 
at 
Jessica and smiled when she rolled her eyes. 

    "My hero!" Jessica said rolling her eyes a second time and getting 
up to 
open up the fridge. 

    "My hero." Mac whispered and went to help Jessica get the orange 
juice 
before she pulled the whole refrigerator down on top of her.

THE END...Finally!