Title: Promises 



Author: Jaimi – canadian_cowgirl69@hotmail.com 



Rating: R 



Category: Romance, Angst Mac/Harm  



Spoilers: Several up to and including all season 7,
especially “Yeah, Baby”. 



Summary: Harm, Mac, and the baby deal...not quite
working out the way you might think.  



Disclaimer: Don’t own anyone. They all belong to CBS,
Paramount and Mr. Donald P. Bellisario. 

 

 



Author’s Note: Takes place in early October of 2003
and progresses from there. Ummm, again, this was
mostly written before Bud lost his 

leg, so everything in “Enemy Below” happened, except
the last scene. The events of my story, I Miss My
Friend, also did not occur. Oh yeah, and this goes on
the assumption that Bud was home on leave recently,
before returning to the Seahawk for six more months. 

 

 

 



Promises 



By: Jaimi 

 

 



1635 ZULU 



BETHESDA NAVAL HOSPITAL 



BETHESDA, MARYLAND 

 

 



Amidst wires, tubes and beeping machines, two figures
lay sleeping not entirely peacefully on their
designated hospital beds. They had 

been there for nearly a week. Commander Harmon Rabb
Junior, shifted slightly in his drug induced state, as
memories assaulted his 

tortured mind. 

 



Flashback... 

 



Harm pulled his partner close to him, as they huddled
in the corner of their dark, dank cell. They’d been
there for almost a week, since 

the undercover mission for Webb in Afghan had gone
terribly wrong. They hadn’t seen the light of day in
all that time, and were surviving 

on the water from the rusty tap by the tiny latrine,
and the stale bread thrown at them day after day. 

 



He felt Mac shiver from within the confines of the
tattered blanket they’d been given. Sighing, he rubbed
his now bearded chin against 

the top of her head, pulling her more tightly against
him. 

 



He sat with his back into the corner, Mac between his
legs, her own back against his chest. They both tried
desperately to sleep, but the 

damp and cold kept them at least partially aware. 

 



“What are we gonna do, Sailor?” Mac whispered into the
dark, leaning her head against her partner’s shoulder.
 

 



“I don’t know, Marine... But we’ll get out of this
alive, I promise.” 

 



Smiling, Mac whispered back, anticipating his familiar
reply. “Don’t make a promise you can’t keep.” 

 



“I haven’t yet...” 

 

 



End Flashback.... 

 

 



Lt. Colonel Sarah MacKenzie stirred in her sleep, the
drugs slowly leaving her system, as the doctors were
weaning her and her partner off 

the potent drug that had been administered to them
during the second week of their capture. 

 



Two weeks they had been missing...and the second
week...was a mystery. Her unconscious mind struggled
to remember. 

 

 



Flashback... 

 

 



One week, her internal clock told her. They’d
officially been there for one week. They were cold,
hungry, weak and tired. Marine and 

tough-six Sailor or not, they hadn’t been able to
escape. Any attempts at diversions were ignored. As a
whole, they had been ignored. 

Just the daily bread, dropped through a tiny slot at
the top of their solid cell door. There was no window,
no light. They moved around 

and found the food, the latrine and the water, by
touch.  

 



Her partner was stretched out on the floor, his head
in the corner, his back against the wall. Mac was
snuggled against him, her back 

pressed against his chest, his right leg draped over
her legs, one arm wrapped tightly around her waist.
His other arm was under his 

head, keeping it off the dirt floor. Mac had her own
arm under her head as well, while her other hand was
linked through his on her 

waist. Harm was asleep and Mac had finally warmed up
enough from his body heat to fall into a light
slumber, when they were both 

awakened by the cell door slamming open. 

 



They squinted at the sudden light, despite it not
being very bright. They’d been in the dark entirely
too long. 

 



Neither had time to struggle to their feet when
several men hauled them up. Three men held Harm, while
two others grabbed Mac and began 

to drag her out of the room. She fought panic as she
looked helplessly back at her best friend. He was
struggling in vain to get out of 

the guard’s grip, but in his weakened state, it was a
lost cause. 

 



“I’ll be okay,” she called out, her eyes meeting his,
comforting reassurance passing between them. They’d
make it out of this...alive and 

together. 

 



Mac stumbled along as they led her down a dark tunnel,
and into another dark cell, this one with a table. The
table had straps, that 

looked a little too much like restraints for her
comfort. Without a word, the two men lifted her onto
the table, one of them backhanding 

her when she struggled against their hold. Her face
stung, and she was momentarily disoriented, as they
swiftly strapped her down. Then, 

just as quickly, they were gone, and she was alone.
Too alone. She wanted her partner, her friend, her
constant comfort. Was he still 

in their cell? Was he okay, or had they taken him
somewhere as well, and strapped him to a cold, hard
table? 

 



Her thoughts were interrupted by the door re-opening
and a different man entered, alone. He was smiling, a
menacing smile, as he held up 

a syringe for her to see. He uttered something in a
language she wasn’t familiar with, and approached her.
She glared at him, defiant, 

even in her vulnerable position. He just chuckled
leaning close, touching her cheek, and running his
hand down her neck, over her 

shoulder and breast, pausing to caress her, before
continuing down. When he got to her lower abdomen,
she’d had enough and jerked at the 

restraints, spitting in his face. Enraged, he struck
her, causing her head to whip to the side. Before she
could react, she felt the 

prick of the needle and her world quickly turned fuzzy
before going black. Her last conscious thought was of
her beloved partner. 

 

 



End Flashback... 

 

 



Harm twitched in his sleep, remembering his fear and
helplessness at the end of their first week being held
captive...as his beautiful 

Marine friend had been ripped from his arms... 

 

 



Flashback... 

 

 



His eyes locked with hers, and an understanding passed
between them. Everything would be okay, they’d get out
of this some how, some way, 

together. However, he couldn’t fight the wave of
helplessness as the two men dragged her away from him.
The moment she disappeared from 

his sight, he felt a surge of panic. He couldn’t help
it. What if he never saw her again? What if they
didn’t make it out of this alive 

and he never got the chance to tell her just how much
she meant to him? As a partner, as a friend and as the
woman he loved. God, why 

hadn’t he told her he loved her when he had the
chance? He’d had so many chances, why didn’t he take
one? Now, she’d never know.... He 

mentally shook himself. He couldn’t think like this.
He had to believe they’d make it out of this. He had
to have hope....because now 

that she was no longer with him, that’s all he had. 

 



He flinched as the three men tossed him back against
the wall and left, closing the door and leaving him in
the dark. He curled up in 

“their” corner, wrapping his arms around his knees,
wishing it was Mac he was holding. God, it had not
been more than a minute and he 

desperately missed her. Her soft, warm body, her
gentle voice, her quiet words of comfort, her delicate
hands. They had barely been able 

to see each other the past week, so they had relied on
physical contact to keep their sanity. Holding each
other while they slept, 

hugging encouragingly, linking hands, even running
their hands over each others faces from time to time,
recalling each others features. 

He remembered Mac’s golden laughter as her fingers had
run through his beard. “I can just imagine how scruffy
you look, Flyboy,” she had 

said, tone light and teasing. It had eased the reality
of the situation for even just the barest of moments. 

 



He was startled from his thoughts as the door swung
open with a bang, and two of the three guards
returned. He struggled to his feet, 

only to stumble as they each grabbed an arm and began
hauling him out the door. He hoped desperately that
wherever he was going, Mac 

would be there waiting for him. 

 



Two minutes and several turns in the tunnel later, he
arrived at a room, disappointedly empty of his best
friend. It did however, contain 

a table, with straps, which he soon found himself
restrained by. He was liking this less and less as
another man approached, looking none 

to friendly and holding a syringe in his right hand.
Harm shouted a curse at him, and struggled, receiving
a blow to his stomach by a 

guard, just before he felt the needle slip into his
arm. Moments later he was pulled towards
unconsciousness, his only thoughts, of his 

beloved partner. 

 

 



End Flashback... 

 

 



That was it. That was all they could remember. So,
what had happened in that second week? Maybe it would
come back to them, eventually. 

For now, they unconsciously concentrated on waking up.
The drugs effects were fading... They could come to,
and then they could go home, 

and get on with their lives as usual. Just no more
Webb missions for a while...a long while. 

 

 



2 weeks later 

 

 



0145 ZULU 



MAC’S APARTMENT 



GEORGETOWN, VIRGINIA 

 

 



After being released from the hospital, they were
debriefed by the proper authorities and told by their
CO, Admiral AJ Chegwidden, to take 

the weekend off. In silent agreement Mac and Harm
decided to crash at Mac’s house for their first night
out of the hospital.  

 



Most would think being together non stop for the past
five weeks would have them desperate to get away from
each other, but the best 

friends sought comfort and understanding from each
other. They were still disturbed by their brief
imprisonment, and even more so at the 

fact that they couldn’t recall the happenings of their
second week in captivity. 

 



Mac knew one thing that had happened, though it wasn’t
a matter of remembering, but being told. The doctor
had pulled her aside during 

their second to last day there. The drug they had been
given was relatively unknown to the doctors, so every
test that could be conceived 

had been done on the partners. 

 



They’d come across something interesting during one of
Mac’s tests...she was pregnant.

She’d sat in shock after the kindly old doctor had
told her, his large hand clasping her smaller one.
“I’m guessing you weren’t expecting 

this, and judging from our test results, the fetus is
only around three weeks old...I’m assuming it was
concieved during the time of your 

imprisonment...” 

 



She nodded, face devoid of emotion as she replied.
“Must be, I haven’t...before...I didn’t...it must have
been during the second week, 

that I can’t remember.” She paused, and then
swallowed, disgust clouding her features as she
whispered out. “I was raped.” 

 



The doctor had nodded in sympathetic understanding,
patting her hand. He quietly and soothingly listed her
choices of what to do. He 

told her to think about it, and to contact him if she
needed anything. 

 



Before he left, she spoke up. “Um, you did other
tests, right? To see if I contracted anything...” 

 



He offered her a small reassuring smile. “Yes we did,
my dear. And everything else checks out. No sexually
transmitted diseases, or 

anything else to be concerned about. Considering the
circumstances, you and your partner are very lucky.” 

 



“I guess,” she replied. 

 



He just smiled sadly, and left. 

 

 

 



Now, as they sat on the living room floor of her
apartment, Mac was distracted as she chewed on the
celery stick that Harm had offered 

her. He’d made them a plate of vegetables to snack on,
as still neither of them had big appetites. He ate the
veggies plain, while he 

supplied his partner with the cheese whiz from her
fridge. 

 



He watched her for a while, as both lost interest in
the old TV shows they had begun watching. She had been
quiet, and distant since the 

day before their release.  

 



He remembered seeing their doctor pull her aside as
the two had been allowed to wander the hospital during
their last few days there. 

Catching up to her later, he had asked her what the
doctor had wanted. 

 



“Oh, just seeing how I was doing...if I wanted to talk
or whatever.” 

 



He’d believed her, saying, “so, did you? You really
should talk to someone.” 

 



She’d given him a ‘look’, before replying. “So should
you Sailor, and no I 

didn’t. I don’t want to talk to some stranger, I’d
rather 

talk to you. We got through that hell hole together,
we’ll get through the aftermath together, okay?” 

 



With a smile, he’d agreed, but as he sat here beside
her now, he knew it was more than that. There was
something more going on that she 

wasn’t telling him. 

 



“I thought we were gonna talk to each other when we
needed to,” he said quietly, breaking her from her
thoughts. 

 



“Huh?” she asked, turning her beautiful brown eyes to
meet his dazzling blue-green ones. 

 



“Talk to me, Mac. What’s bothering you?” 

 



“Oh...nothing,” she said, looking away. 

 



“Don’t lie to me, Marine. Something’s up. Now tell me,
that’s an order!” 

 



Raising her eyebrows, she replied, jokingly. “Did you
get a promotion while my back was turned in our
hospital room?”  

 



He wasn’t deterred. “Ma-ac...” he said, drawing her
name out like he always did when she was trying his
patience. 

 



“Harm-” she started, then paused to take a deep
breath. She had to say this the right way, so as not
to hurt his feelings. “Please, 

Harm. Honestly, there is something, but I need to
think about it for a bit before I’m ready to talk
about it, okay? So please, just be 

patient, and give me a little time.” 

 



With a sigh, he nodded, but asked as an afterthought.
“Is it about our captivity?” 

 



She gave him an exasperated look. /He just doesn’t
give up./ “Sort of. Look, if you wanna talk about
that, we can, but we already know 

what happened to each other up to the point of being
separated. After that is a mystery to us both.” 

 



“So, you still don’t remember anything beyond that?” 

 



She paused, and then replied, slowly. “I can honestly
say, I do *not* “remember” anything beyond that...and
I don’t think I want to...do 

you?” 

 



The question was a way to divert his attention from
her odd answer, and it worked.

“No, I don’t suppose I do. I guess there really isn’t
much to talk about, is there? I mean they want us to
talk, but what do we talk 

about...?” 

 



Mac shrugged, returning her gaze to the TV, as one of
her favourite TV shows, M*A*S*H, came on. She smiled
as a nervous Radar woke a 

sleepy, grouchy Hawkeye up, then turned her attention
back to her partner. "I don’t know. I guess how we
felt..." 

 



Harm nodded, looking thoughtful as he answered. “Wet,
cold, hungry, tired, angry, helpless, hopeless,
scared... Does that about cover 

it?” 

 



She grinned. “That about covers it, Flyboy. Glad we
had this talk,” she paused, holding up another stick
of celery. “More celery, 

partner?” 

 



He grinned back, taking the offered stem. “Don’t mind
if I do.” 

 

 

 



Monday 

 

 



1423 ZULU 



JAG HEADQUARTERS 



FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA 

 

 



Sunday evening, Harm had returned to his apartment,
after Captain, Mac’s Alaskan Malamute, had returned
from his stay with the Roberts’ in 

Mac’s absence. He called Mac before he went to bed
that night, to be sure she was alright. She was. He
hadn’t thought he’d be able to 

sleep, but the sound of her voice as she’d wished him
sweet dreams left him with pleasant thoughts of his
friend, and eased him into a deep 

slumber.  

 



Now, he was feeling decidedly refreshed, despite once
again having forgotten to shave. He’d easily gotten
out of the habit, and now had to 

remind himself. He rarely forgot two days in a row,
but he was thankful he had shaved Sunday morning, so
it wasn’t too bad, just a light 

shadowing. 

 



As he entered the break room, he found his partner,
naturally already there, coffee in hand. She was once
again distracted, staring off 

into the ceiling. He came to stand beside her, and
stared up at the same spot. She didn’t notice him,
until his joking tone broke her 

out of her daydream. “Wow, I had no idea how
interesting that portion of the ceiling was.” 

 



Her gaze snapped to him, and she rolled her eyes.
“Shut up, Squid.” 

 



“No, really, it’s fascinating.” 

 



“And you’re an idiot,” she returned, her tone light to
show she was teasing. 

 



“Yeah, well, what can I say?” 

 



“Well, just about anything spews out of your mouth.” 

 



“Grouch,” he teased. 

 



She smiled at him, then when back to her quiet
reflecting, this time staring down into the depths of
her now cold coffee. 

 



Harm was tempted to make another joke, but her
distracted mood had gone on all weekend. She’d asked
for his patience, but she knew him 

well enough, she should understand he just didn’t have
it. 

 



“Mac, come on. Please tell me what’s bothering
you...or tell someone, if you don’t want to tell
me...” he appeared a little hurt at that 

prospect, but he put her well being ahead of his
feelings. 

 



She attempted a smile for him, but reality was really
starting to hit her. She’d been sick that morning, and
had no desire for coffee at 

all. She had in fact, craved carrot juice. How gross
was that? She really was pregnant. For her, that was
one hell of a weird craving. 

 



Sighing, she nodded. It was time, and Harm would be
the first to know. 

 



“No, I’ll tell you first, Flyboy. You are my partner
and my best friend...” 

 



“Tell me first? Others have to know?” he asked, in
sincere curiosity. 

 



“Oh, they’ll figure it out soon enough, Harm. Might as
well tell them now, and save the scuttlebutt when they
see me in three months.” 

 



“Three months? What’s in three months? What’s going
on, Mac?” 

 



“In three months? ...In three months, I’m imagine I’ll
be showing.” 

 



“Showing what?” he asked, looking ridiculously
adorable in his confused state. 

 



Wordlessly, she patted her flat stomach. It took a few
long moments, but suddenly realization appeared on his
handsome face, and his blue 

eyes widened. “Oh my god, you’re pregnant?” he almost
shouted, earning him a punch on the arm. 

 



“Shhhhh. I don’t want the whole office knowing, just a
few people. And I don’t want them finding out by you
screaming it.” 

 



“Sorry, but what the hell? I mean how-” 

 



“I don’t know. Well, I do, I just...don’t remember,”
she finished, meaningfully. 

 



Understanding, he closed his eyes in anger,
frustration and sadness. “You were raped,” he said,
this time his voice barely audible. She 

heard him, and nodded, fighting the tears. He was so
quiet, not saying anything, not looking at her... Was
he as disgusted as she was? 

Would he ever want to be near her again? Ever want to
touch her hand, or hug her close? They were only
friends, but to lose his friendly 

affection would hurt her more than the fact that she
was violated by some terrorist pig. 

 



Opening his eyes, Harm caught the sad, tortured look
in her downcast eyes, noticed the silent tears
slipping down her soft cheeks. He 

also noticed that she was avoiding his gaze. Was she
ashamed? What did she have to be ashamed of? It wasn’t
her fault. Not his best 

friend, not his beautiful Sarah. 

 



“Hey,” he said, lifting her chin to catch her eyes.
They slanted away, looking anywhere but at him. “Hey,”
he said again, a little more 

forcefully. “Look at me, Mac.” 

 



Mac usually didn’t take kindly to being ordered
around, but she let her gaze lift to meet his anyway.
There she saw that same reassurance 

she’d seen before, as she was being torn away from him
in that cold, dark cell.  

 



They’d gotten through that, they’d get through
this...together. But why did Harm have to “get
through” this? It wasn’t his fault. It 

had nothing to do with him. But oh, how she wished it
did. How she wished it was his child she was carrying.
Little did she know, he 

was thinking the exact same thing. But her silent
tears, and pain filled eyes erased any other thought
of his than that of her need for 

comfort. Without another word, he gathered her into
his arms, and held her while she quietly sobbed into
his shoulder. 

 



“It’s gonna be okay, Mac. I promise,” he said quietly,
rubbing his cheek against her temple. 

 



Mac sighed at the comforting feeling. The rough
stubble of his chin did that for some reason...maybe
it was the memories. The memories 

of their first week, were actually
comforting...compared to the fact of no memories of
their second. Sniffling, she answered softly, not 

willing to break what had become a strange tradition.
“Don’t make a promise you can’t keep.” 

 



He smiled into her hair, as he rubbed her back,
mumbling, “I haven’t yet.” 

 



They were interrupted as a throat cleared and they
pulled apart, turning to find Admiral Chegwidden, and
Commander Sturgis Turner in the 

break room doorway. The Admiral’s slightly chastising
look vanished upon seeing Mac’s tear ridden face,
despite her attempt to brush away 

the evidence with the back of her hand. 

 



“Oh no, Captain didn’t die, did he?” AJ asked gently,
recalling the last time Mac had cried at the office
when her old dog, Jingo, had 

died. The tough Marine Colonel didn’t cry easily, it
usually took death, or another type of loss. /Such as
her partner and best friend 

leaving her to fly,/ he recalled, as an afterthought.
He knew that wasn’t the case. /...or at least it
better not be./ 

 



Mac chuckled humourlessly, taking the offered Kleenex
her partner handed her. “No Sir, Captain is just
fine.” 

 



“Well, what is it Colonel? Are you alright?” 

 



“What did you do, Harm?” Sturgis followed the
Admiral’s question with his own, looking at his buddy
with a stern glare. He knew Harm was 

in love with Mac. However, in love or not, partner and
best friend or not, the man had an unfortunate habit
of always ending up hurting 

their pretty Marine friend. 

 



“I didn’t *do* anything, thank you very much,” Harm
returned, glaring back at his friend. 

 



“Enough you two,” Mac spoke up, rolling her red
rimmed, though still beautiful, brown eyes. “Admiral,
if you could ask, Tiner and Harriet 

to meet the four of us in your office, there’s
something I feel I need to tell you all.” 

 



Nodding, the Admiral agreed. “All right, Colonel.
We’ll all meet in my office in five minutes.” 

 



“Aye, Sir.” 

 



“And Commander...” AJ called over his shoulder as he
turned to leave. 

 



“Sir?” Harm returned, straightening. 

 



“Try using a blade in your razor next time,” he said,
his tone lightly stern. 

Beards, or other facial hair were not allowed, but he 

understood his officer had had quite the month, so he
let it slide with the light reprimand. 

 



“Yes, Sir. Sorry, Sir.” 

 



With a nod, he left, Sturgis trailing behind. 

 

 

 



5 Minutes Later 

 

 

 



Admiral Chegwidden’s Office 

 

 

 



Tiner looked anxiously between his superiors,
wondering what they had all been called in here for.
As Colonel MacKenzie closed the door 

behind them, he couldn’t help but speak up. 

 



“Sir, what’s going on?” 

 



AJ admonished Tiner for the outburst with a stern
glance.  

 



The younger man looked sufficiently chagrined, but
relaxed some as he caught Mac smiling at him. 

 



“I asked him to call you in here, Tiner. You too
Harriet. I have something to tell you all...” 

 



Harriet’s brow furrowed in concern as her friend
trailed off, looking suddenly very unsure. 

 



“What is it, Ma’am? Is everything alright?” she asked
her friend, who had become more like an older sister
in the past few years. 

 



“Well, that really depends on how you look at it,” Mac
replied, looking up at her partner who came to stand
at her side in silent support. 

Sighing, she took a deep breath and continued. “You
all know that neither Harm, nor I, can recall what
happened during the second week of 

our captivity. Well, I still can’t, but I can tell you
something that must have happened...” She paused
briefly, and then finished. “I 

was raped.” 

 



All four friends immediately looked shocked and
alarmed. 

 



“Uh, how- Um, how do you know?” Sturgis asked
hesitantly. 

 



Mac sighed once again. /This is it.../ she thought.
/Just say it./ “Because...I’m pregnant. About 4 weeks
along now.” 

 



“Oh Ma’am,” Harriet exclaimed, unsure whether to be
happy or sad for her friend. She was pregnant, but she
had been raped. Tentatively 

she asked, “do you...do you know who, Ma’am?” 

 



Mac shook her head. “One of our captors I imagine, but
like I said, I can’t remember.” 

 



All were quiet, absorbing the information, when Tiner
spoke up, carefully. He considered the Colonel a
friend, but she was a superior 

officer, he had to be careful in what he asked.
“Ma’am...well, I don’t know how to feel about this,
because I don’t know how you feel...

I mean, if you’re happy...cause you know, you’re
having a baby...then I’m happy, but you were uh...well
you know and...and that...I mean-” 

 



“I get the picture, Tiner,” she interrupted, gently.
“And I’m not sure what I’m feeling... A little
overwhelmed I guess.” 

 



He nodded, and continued hesitantly. “...but why did
you wish to tell us? I mean, it’s not that we don’t
care, cause we do, I do, but 

it’s really not our business...” 

 



“Technically no, but you are my colleagues, and more
importantly, my friends... In a few months, you’d be
noticing anyway. I wanted to 

avoid scuttlebutt, and hurt feelings, by me not
telling the people I’m closest too. By the way,
Harriet, if you could inform Bud, and 

Tiner, if you could email Victor...” 

 



“Of course, Ma’am.” 

 



“Yes, Ma’am.” 

 



Mac smiled at Harm, and said, “I’d say let Clay know,
but I’d be surprised if the little sneak didn’t
already know.” 

 



That allowed the tension to ease, as the group
chuckled. 

 



Then, it was Harriet speaking up again. “So, Ma’am, do
you know what you’re doing yet? I mean...will you keep
the baby?” 

 



Mac sighed, remaining quiet for a moment, thinking
carefully. Just as Harriet 

was beginning to think maybe she shouldn’t have asked
such 

a thing, Mac spoke up. 

 



“I don’t think I could handle giving it up. Even if I
was raped, the baby is still mine. I guess I’m keeping
him...or her. It won’t be 

easy being a single mom, but...” 

 



“...but you’ve got the best friends in the world to
help you out!” Harriet finished, happily. Then she
seemed to consider something and 

decided her husband wouldn’t mind his second family
finding out first. “We can help each other.” 

 



Mac looked at her in confusion. “Each other?” 

 



Harriet nodded, beaming. “I’m pregnant too.” 

 



The Admiral practically groaned, while Harm and Tiner
grinned, understanding the Admiral’s “grief”. Sturgis
just raised an eyebrow. 

 



A smile immediately broke out on Mac’s face, and she
enveloped Harriet in a big hug. “Oh Harriet,
congratulations. I’m so happy for you 

and Bud.” 

 



“Thank you, Ma’am. Bud doesn’t even know yet, I just
found out this morning. I can’t wait to tell him.” 

 



Smiling in genuine happiness for his officer, AJ
finally spoke up. “Well go get on the phone and call
him. I’m sure his CO won’t mind 

the interruption for the special occasion,
Lieutenant.” 

 



“Yes, Sir.” Harriet practically squealed, giving Mac
one more warm hug, before hurrying out of the
Admiral’s office. 

 



“By the way, Commander, Colonel...I’ve been talking to
your dark knight recently about the ongoing
investigation...” 

 



“You mean our mighty rescuer that got us in trouble in
the first place, Sir?” Harm said, not too bitterly. He
knew Webb never meant to get them in trouble...it just
seemed to follow them. 

 



“The same...seems they’ve got most of the men involved
but two escaped...two crucial ones apparently. Your
main captors, the ones who know what went on in the
second week, what drug they gave you... Mr. Webb says
they’re continuing their search. It may take several
months, but they will find them.” 

 



“Good to know, Sir,” Mac answered, albeit
uncomfortably. She never wanted to see them again,
Marine nerves be damned. 

 



The Admiral understood and discussed it no further.
Eyes still on Mac, he added quietly, “Mac, what
Harriet said is true. We’re your friends, and will be
here for you in any way we can.” 

 



This got nods of agreement from Tiner and Sturgis. 

 



With a small smile, she nodded. “Thank you.” 

 

 

 



Saturday 

 

 



2346 ZULU 



ROBERT’S RESIDENCE 



ROSLYN, MARYLAND 

 

 



Harriet had decided to have dinner at her place on
Saturday, with Mac, Harm, Tiner, Sturgis and the
Admiral, as well as Bobbi and Meredith. 

They’d shared the delicious meal, keeping up lively,
entertaining chit chat, animated by an excited four
year old. AJ was loving all the 

attention, not to mention having his Aunt Mac and
Uncle Harm visiting. His mom had explained that he
would have a sibling in the next 

eight months, and he was over-joyed at the
prospect...as long as they didn’t take his toys.  

 



He was just as happy to learn that his Godmother would
have a child as well. He’d innocently asked, “Does dat
mean I’m gonna have a 

God-sister or God-brother?” 

 



The entire table had laughed. “Something like that,
Kiddo,” Harm had answered, ruffling his Godson’s soft
blonde hair. 

 



Now, as the others went to sit down in the living
room, since Harm and Mac had offered to clean up, he
turned to his partner. 

 



“Your appetite out of whack, Partner? You were picking
at the meat, and devouring the vegetables.” 

 



Mac groaned, as she rinsed the dinner plates. “I know.
How insane is that? Only five weeks and already I hate
being pregnant.” 

 



Harm frowned, not sure how serious that statement was.
“You don’t mean that, do you Mac?” 

 



She frowned. “Yes.” She shook her head. “No.” She
sighed, placing the rinsed dishes in the dish washer.
“I don’t know...” 

 



Forgetting himself, and the fact that the others could
hear from their place in the living room, Harm
attempted to reason with her. “Come 

on, Mac. You were gonna be pregnant anyway this time
next year, remember?” he asked, grinning that Flyboy
grin. 

 



Mac rolled her eyes, but smiled. “I know, but that’s
different Harm. That would have been a child with my
best friend, who would have 

been there for both of us. Not some...some complete
stranger, who is likely a raving lunatic, that would
sooner kill both me and my child 

than “be there” for us, if I didn’t kill him first.” 

 



Harm sighed and replied with sincere regret. “I’m
sorry it’s not me Mac, but I will be there for you and
the baby. I’m still your best 

friend. That’ll never change.”  

 



“I know, but what am I gonna tell this kid? ‘Oh, where
were you conceived honey? Well, you see I was captured
and raped by a terrorist...

Oh, which one? I don’t exactly know. Hopefully not one
of the ones that was part of the plot to attack our
country, and kill thousands 

of innocent people....but hey, *I* love you’.” 

 



Harm smiled softly at her. “You could tell him that.
Or you could just tell him, or her....that...I’m the
father....” 

 



Mac opened her mouth to respond, wide eyed with shock.


 



Harm continued before she could say a word. “Think
about it, Marine. I am your best friend. I’ll be with
you every step of the way. He 

needs a male role model...” 

 



“He won’t look like you,” she interjected reasonably. 

 



Harm nodded his agreement. “No, but hopefully he’ll
look like you...or she will...” 

 



Mac nodded. “Or she...” How tempting his offer was,
but she just couldn’t. “Oh Harm, I can’t ask you to do
that.” 

 



“You’re not. I’m offering, and why not? You’d do the
same for me.” 

 



Mac smiled at that. “Planning on getting pregnant,
Commander?” 

 



Harm smiled back, rolling his eyes. “Funny. ...I mean
if I accidentally got a woman pregnant and as soon as
the baby was born, she dumped 

it on me and left...you’d agree to play mom, wouldn’t
you?” 

 



“Well yeah, but that’s different,” she argued, weakly.


 



“How?” he asked, arms crossed. He leaned back against
the counter, dishes momentarily forgotten. 

 



Mac stood nervously, arms wrapped around her stomach,
her hip leaned against the counter, as she faced her
partner. 

 



“...be-because...you still have a chance to find a
wife, and have kids of your own. Besides the fact that
no man will be after a pregnant 

woman, I’m swearing off men...forever. I just can’t do
it anymore...I can’t,” she finished, sounding
defeated. Her eyes were sad...

forlorn. 

 



Harm once again wished a long painful death on any man
that ever hurt his precious partner and friend. /Even
yourself?/ he thought, with 

a trace of self disgust. /Not now. Concentrate on
her./ “Mac, come on. Don’t worry about that, okay? I
just don’t see that happening.” 

/Because you’re the only wife I want to find myself
with.../ 

 



Mac sighed, throwing her hands up. “But what if it
does, and you up and take off?” 

 



A flash of hurt crossed her friend’s features and she
felt guilty at his next words. “You think I’d do
that?” 

 



Would he? She didn’t *think* so, but...could she risk
it? She wasn’t sure. “Harm...” 

 



“You’d think I’d run off on you?” he continued,
frowning, his aqua blue eyes searching her dark gypsy
ones. 

 



Mac remained silent, looking very lost and unsure. 

 



Harm sighed, easing up on his demanding tone. He had
to understand what his partner had been through
growing up...and even within the 

past few years. “Mac, I’m not your mother. I won’t run
off on you. I’m not your father. I’ll support you, and
be there for you. I’m 

not Chris or Dalton, I won’t use you. And I’m sure as
hell not Brumby.” 

 



“He never did anything wrong, Harm,” she replied,
feebly. 

 



“He left you.”  

 



/So did you,/ both of their minds screamed. 

 



“I gave him no choice,” was all she said. 

 



Harm looked surprised and a little angry at that. “You
don’t honestly blame yourself, do you?” 

 



“Who else is there to blame?” she asked, tears
pricking her eyes. 

 



“Not you Mac!” He stated firmly. “You’re just falling
on instinct, because every man in your life has left
the blame with you.” 

 



“Not every man...” she replied softly. He may have
left her once before, but she knew he never blamed her
for anything. That was one 

thing he had *never* done. 

 



Harm sighed. No, he didn’t blame her for anything. He
never would. Not his sweet Sarah. But this discussion
was getting no where. He 

returned to the original topic he’d brought up. “Mac,
I promise to always be there for you and the baby. I
*promise*.” 

 



Mac melted inside. “Don’t make a promise you can’t
keep,” she returned gently. 

 



“I haven’t yet,” came his equally gentle reply. 

 



They both smiled, and the occupants of the living room
exchanged wondrous glances. Those two obviously had
more to their history than 

any of them, even the Admiral knew about. Had they
planned on having a child together? That’s sure as
hell what it sounded like. 

Nothing more was pondered as the partners in question
entered the living room, and the group, pretending to
have heard nothing, started up 

an easy conversation about the latest in baby trends. 

 

 



The End for now...sequel “Promises Kept” coming
soon...provided you like this so far...