TITLE: Thanksgiving Blessings
AUTHORS:  Anne R. and Pat Steiner [SSbpMN@aol.com]
SUMMARY:  A trip at Thanksgiving time, and a time for Harm and Mac to 
learn 
who they are, and what they want.
DISCLAIMER:  JAG belongs to CBS et al.  No Copyright infringement is 
intended.
AUTHORS’ NOTES:  This is the first in a series of Blessings stories as 
Harm and 
Mac’s relationship evolves.  If you enjoyed what we did here, a note to 
that affect 
would be cherished.  If not, that’s OK but we don’t need to know about 
it.  Just hit 
delete and move on quietly please.
   

 “Thanksgiving Blessings”---


 "Do you really have to go?" Mic asked.
 "Mic, I'm not going to answer that" Mac sighed. "You know I have to 
go"
 "Why can't they send Bud or Singer?" Mic questioned. "Why do you 
always have 
 to go with Harm?"
 "Because it's my job" Mac replied growing tired of this line of 
questioning 
 from Mic again. It had been this way since she'd returned from Russia 
with 
 Harm. He hadn't come out and asked her what exactly had happened while 
she 
 and Harm where in Russia, but Mac knew he hadn't liked the idea that 
she'd 
 gone into Chechnya for Harm.
 "That's what you say" Mic retorted. "Somehow I'm beginning to think 
you 
 volunteer for these assignments with Harm."
 "Mic, if you don't trust me, then I think there's a problem with this 
 relationship" Mac said tersely.
 "It's not you I don't trust, it's him I don't trust" Mic replied.
 "Mic, now you're just being ridiculous" Mac said as she walked away. 
"Harm 
 has never done anything to make you believe that."
 "Come on Sarah, what kind of fool do you think I am?" Mic asked. "It's 
so 
 obvious to everyone except you two."
 "What are you talking about?" Mac asked.
 "I know how you two feel about each other" Mic replied quietly. "I 
came here 
 thinking that you had gotten past those feelings for Harm, but I can 
see I 
 was wrong. You're still in love with him."
 "Mic, what are you saying?" Mac asked softly.
 "I'm saying Sarah, that I know it's over between us" Mic replied. "I 
can't 
 play second fiddle to Harmon Rabb."
 "You're not second fiddle" Mac started but Mic put his finger to her 
lips.
 "Sarah, I'll always love you," he said softly. "I thought that my 
coming 
 here would help bring us together. Instead, it's just made me realize 
that 
 you never belonged to me. You may have been wearing my ring but your 
heart 
 was always with him."
 "Mic, I'm sorry," Mac said as the tears started to fall. "I never 
meant to 
 hurt you."
 "I know, Sarah" Mic replied. "And you can't help how you feel about 
him. And 
 there's no sense in me trying to make you love me when you don't."
 "Mic, it's not that I don't love you" Mac started.
 "You just don't love me the way you love him" Mic finished for her. "I 
guess 
 I've known for a while that this was the way it was going to end up."
 "I'm sorry" Mac whispered. Even though she knew this was for the best, 
it 
 still wasn't easy.
 "I'll drop you off at the airport and then I'll pack up my stuff" Mic 
said 
 quietly.
 What are you going to do?" Mac asked softly.
 "I'm thinking about going home" Mic replied. "The job at the law firm 
here 
 is great but I really don't have any reason to stay here."
 "I'm sorry," Mac said again. She felt so bad for hurting him like 
this. She 
 hadn't intended for this to happen, it just had. Being in Russia with 
Harm 
 again had stirred up all the feelings she thought she'd managed to 
block 
 out. And even though she didn't believe there was any chance her and 
Harm 
 would actually find that happiness she so desperately wanted with him, 
it 
 wasn't right to keep Mic hanging on.
 "I guess I should give you this back," Mac said as she slid the ring 
off her 
 hand. She handed it to Mic, who simply stared at it for a minute 
before 
 sliding it into his pocket.
 "You ready to go to the airport?" Mic asked and Mac nodded. He grabbed 
her 
 bags and started out the door.
 "Mic" Mac started.
 "Don’t Sarah" Mic said quietly. "Just let it go."
 The ride to the airport passed in an uncomfortable silence. Neither 
said 
 anything, and Mac couldn't help but feel guilty for having hurt him 
this 
 way. When they finally pulled up in front of the terminal, Mic finally 
 turned to Mac.
 "Be careful, Sarah" Mic said softly. "I don't want to see you get 
hurt."
 "Mic, we're just going to Minneapolis to handle a routine case" Mac 
replied.
 "I meant with Harm" Mic said softly before placing a gentle kiss on 
her 
 lips.  "Good-bye Sarah Mackenzie."
 "Goodbye Michael Brumby" Mac said as the tears began to fall again. 
She 
 quickly turned away and exited the car. She grabbed her things, giving 
Mic 
 one last look, before hurrying to the gate.
 
 Harm had waited at the gate for Mac, finding it odd that his partner 
was 
 late. There were only a few more minutes before final boarding and he 
hoped 
 she wasn't going to miss the flight. He finally spotted a figure 
hurrying 
 his way, and he soon realized it was Mac and ran to meet her.
 "Cutting it close there partner" Harm said as he took her bags from 
her. He 
 took one look at her tear stained face and stopped. "Mac, what's 
wrong?"
 "Can we get on the plane first?" Mac asked.
 "As long as you promise you'll tell me what's wrong when we get on" 
Harm 
 replied.
 "I will" Mac promised. "I don't want to miss our flight. The admiral 
will 
 have our sixes if we do."
 "Okay, Mac, what's wrong?" Harm asked once they were settled into 
their 
 seats. "Let me guess, it's Mic."
 Mac nodded, not sure she was ready to talk about all this with Harm.
 "Did he do something to hurt you?" Harm asked immediately suspecting 
the 
 worst.
 "No, actually I did something to hurt him" Mac replied.  "We broke 
up."
 Harm finally noticed the missing ring on Mac's hand. "Mac, I'm sorry," 
he 
 said softly. "You want to talk about it."
 "There's not much to talk about" Mac whispered as she fought the tears 
 again. Harm reached over and took her hand in his, and Mac gave him a 
small 
 smile of thanks.
 "What happened?" Harm asked.
 "Actually, we both knew it was coming" Mac replied. "My trip to Russia 
just 
 solidified it."
 "What's Russia got to do with it?" Harm asked though he had a good 
idea. He 
 was sure that Mic hadn't been too happy when Mac had run off to 
Chechnya for 
 him.
 "Mic said it just proved what he'd always believed" Mac whispered as 
the 
 tears started to fall.
 "Mac, I'm so sorry" Harm said softly. "This is because you came to 
Chechnya 
 for me."
 Mac nodded as the tears continued to fall. As best as he could in the 
seats, 
 Harm reached over and pulled Mac into his arms.
 "I'm sorry" Harm whispered as he stroked her hair.
 "It's not your fault" Mac said quietly. "Mic and I both knew this 
wasn't 
 going to last."
 "Mac, if I did anything to make Mic think" Harm started and Mac 
stopped him.
 "It wasn't you" Mac said softly. "It was what I did."
 "Yeah but you did it for me" Harm replied.
 "And I would do it all over again" Mac said softly. "Harm, this isn't 
your 
 fault. Yes what happened in Russia helped to accelerate the process a 
 little, but the process had already started."
 Harm was silent, not sure what to say. He hadn't been aware that Mac 
and Mic 
 had been having problems. He had selfishly hoped that would be the 
case, but 
 hated to see Mac hurt like this.
 Mac was silent the rest of the flight, and Harm didn't push her to 
talk. He 
 knew she was wrestling with a lot of feelings at the moment, and he 
didn't 
 want to upset her anymore. After the plane landed, they made their way 
to 
 the car rental area and a few minutes later were on their way. A short 
time 
 later they arrived at their hotel and Harm carried Mac's bags to her 
room.
 "You want to get something to eat?" Harm asked.
 "I think I'll pass" Mac said quietly. "I’m not real hungry and I'm 
 definitely not good company."
 "Come on, you can stare at me while I eat" Harm smiled.
 "Really, Harm, I'm not in the mood" Mac said sharper than she 
intended.
 "Okay, I get the picture. You don't have to bite my head off" Harm 
retorted.
 "Look, before we get into it, why don't we just call it a night" Mac 
sighed. 
 "We can go over the case file in the morning."
 "Whatever you say" Harm replied before turning and walking away.
 Mac shook her head as she entered her room. It had been a hellish day 
and 
 tomorrow wasn't going to get any better. Why did Mic have to pick now 
to 
 decide it was over? Now when she's stuck with Harm in Minneapolis on a 
case 
 she didn't even want. Not that being stuck with Harm was a bad thing. 
It was 
 just so darn confusing trying to figure out how she felt about 
everything. 
 She felt bad for snapping at him, especially when he had been so nice 
on the 
 plane. She sighed and dropped her bags and opened her briefcase and 
pulled 
 out the case file. Lt. Greg Michaels had been charged with several 
counts of 
 child abuse for the recent episode in which in six-year-old son Jeff 
had to 
 be hospitalized for various injuries he'd allegedly suffered at the 
hands of 
 his father. The boy's mother, Maureen Michaels told police the boy had 
 suffered the injuries in a fall down the stairs at the families' 
house. 
 Police weren't buying her story, and it wasn't the first incident of 
such 
 abuse in the Michaels house. The county prosecutor had enough evidence 
to 
 get a grand jury to indict Lt. Michaels on child abuse, and he'd used 
his 
 military privilege and requested JAG representation. A.J. had assigned 
her 
 and Harm the case, wanting to make sure that Lt. Michaels was properly 
 defended.
 
  The evening passed quietly.  Harm worked on the case in his room, and 
Mac in 
hers.  They had done that before, each drawing up their own findings 
for 
comparison and often they found things the other missed.  Finally 
shortly after 
10PM, Harm knocked at her half of the two connecting doors between 
their 
rooms.  "Mac you want to check over what I've done?"

The door swung back to reveal an empty room, with light coming under 
the 
bathroom door but no noise.

"Mac I'm going to leave my notes on your bed and I think I'll go down 
to the 
lounge and have a beer, maybe watch basketball or hockey, before I turn 
in."  He 
waited a moment for her reply and there was still no sound.  "Mac?"

An unease overcame him at that moment.  Her reticence of earlier had 
bothered 
him, and now this silence.  He knocked at the bathroom door lightly 
with one 
knuckle.  "Mac you in there?"  Still silence.  "Mac come on now, just 
like me know 
you're OK even if you don't want to talk."

He rattled the doorknob and found it unlocked.  "Mac are you in there?" 
he 
demanded sharply, opening it a crack.  The scent of bath oil assailed 
his nostrils, 
indicating she was in fact inside, and his alarm grew as he could not 
figure why 
she did not answer him.  "Mac you've gone exactly to my count of three 
to tell me 
you're OK or you're going to have company in there.  One--two---three."  
He took 
a deep breath and pushed back the door.  Her dark hair was visible at 
the edge 
of the tub which was covered by a layer of bubbles, and despite his 
repeat of her 
name she still did not move.  "Mac please" he begged, kneeling next to 
the tub 
and turning her face to him with a gentle palm to her cheek.  Only then 
did she 
stir from sleep and open her eyes.

"Thank God," he gasped.  "You scared me to death."

"Harm what the hell are you doing in here?" she screeched, her arms 
involuntarily crossing over her chest.  "Since when do you just walk 
into my 
bathroom?  Have you lost your mind?  Or just turned into some kind of 
pervert-
peeping Tom-degenerate?"

"Well I can see I worried for nothing," he sighed, a bemused expression 
over her 
outburst across his handsome features.  "Mac I've been trying to get 
your 
attention for five minutes here," he explained.  "I knew you were in 
here and you 
didn't answer.  What was I to think?  I....I was scared OK.  So kill 
me."

"I may later," she returned.  "Right now kindly get out of my bathroom 
and leave 
me to my brooding."

"OK just tell me you're OK."

"I'm OK now get out," she ordered in one breath of words.

"Yes ma'am.  Forgive me for worrying about you,"  he executed a 
dismissal turn 
and left the bathroom, stopping outside the door to give a long sigh of 
relief that 
she was all right and needing the bar more than ever, hurried 
downstairs.

"Way to go Mackenzie," she sighed.  "You've got someone who really 
cares 
about you and you alienate him along with everyone else in your life."

Disgusted with herself she pulled the plug on the tub and stepped out, 
not 
watching where she was putting her foot, and hitting the slick tile 
floor.  Her leg 
went out from under her and she fell heavily. "Perfect, just perfect," 
she groaned, 
rubbing her now sore ankle.  "Please God, let me get up--don't make me 
have to 
lay here and wait for Harm."

God was not listening however and when she tried to raise up, even 
grabbing 
onto the sink the pain was too great.  "OK Marine you're stuck here 
until your 
partner returns," she sighed and pulled down the two towels in reach to 
cover 
herself, both for modesty and warmth as the air conditioner was 
chilling the area, 
cool air pouring in through the door which Harm had left open a foot 
and which 
she could not reach from her place on the floor in the extra large 
bathroom.

It was a long hour later before she heard Harm in the next room.  
Exhausted and 
shivering from the cold and the pain in her ankle, she gave a long sigh 
of 
frustration and shouted his name.

"Good night Mac," he answered, making no move to come in.

"Harm please," she yelled.

"Please leave you alone?" he retorted, beginning to drop his clothes 
into a heap 
on the floor.  "I was invited to leave remember.  Now you're inviting 
me back?  
Good night Mac."

"Harm I'm hurt.  I need help. I'm sorry."

At her words he froze, midway through taking off his undershirt.  
"Mac?"  His 
coarse cry split the silence of the rooms and he sprinted to her, 
forgetting his 
irritation with her.

"Mac tell me," he demanded, flinging himself onto the floor where she 
crouched, 
trying with little success to get herself covered with two inadequate 
towels.  
"Mac," he prompted again, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"I hurt my ankle," she said, still pulling the towels over her, and at 
the same time 
taking a good look at him dressed only in his dark blue boxers.

"Enjoying the view Colonel?" he laughed and sobered immediately.  "How 
bad 
are you hurt?  Let's get you up and on the bed, and then call the front 
desk to see 
about a doctor."

"I don't need a doctor," she retorted, "as for the view, I could say 
the same about 
you.  Could you maybe stop looking long enough to fetch my robe from 
the end 
of the bed out there.  This would also help with the fact that I'm 
turning blue from 
the cold."

All amusement left him at those words and he had the robe in five 
seconds, 
sliding it on to her arms and pressing it around her as best he could.  
"OK up you 
come."  He slipped his hands under her arms and pulled her to her feet, 
holding 
her carefully.  

Experimentally she put weight on her injured foot and immediately 
pulled it up 
with a small gasp of pain.

"You are going to the ER," he declared, "though we're going to get 
dressed first."  
As he was speaking he all but carried her over to the bed, carefully 
laying her 
down on quickly propped pillows.

"No ER. Harm I'm not going anywhere, but you can put a pillow under my 
leg 
and....and before you do that, would you go get your robe please."

"Is the view distracting?" he teased.

"Yes it's making me want to laugh," she teased back despite her pain.  
No way 
was she going to tell him his bare broad chest and the thin fabric of 
the boxers 
were combining to be in fact very distracting.

"Now about that ER," he said firmly as he returned, tying the sash to 
the robe as 
he spoke.

"What part of no ER wasn't clear to you?" she demanded.  "Ice and 
propping 
please."

"And if you've broken something in that ankle or foot?"

"Not likely, but I think it can wait until morning," she sighed.  
"Honestly Harm I 
don't want to spend five hours in an ER waiting room to be told to use 
ice and 
take Tylenol.  I want to try that first."

"Stubborn jarheads," he muttered, but brought her the bag of ice from 
the ice 
bucket and one of his extra pillows, along with Tylenol and a can of 
soda.

"Whoa now this is service," she smiled.  "I figured you were good for 
something.  
It just took a while to find out what."

"Cute I don't need," he retorted, helping her to lift her leg onto the 
pillow, and 
sitting on the edge of the bed.  "You OK now?  You need anything else?"  
His 
voice was soft and low, and she was touched by the concern evident.

"No I'm just going to watch a little TV until I start to fall asleep, 
now that I've had 
my nap in the tub," she answered.

"Yeah what was that all about anyway?"

"I just fell asleep, no mystery there.  Tired and relaxed and fell 
asleep."  She 
turned her head from him then only to have him bring her back to look 
at him with 
a gentle finger to her chin.  

"I'm hearing that someone isn't sleeping well and guessing there's 
deeper issues 
here."

"Harm this is not a marriage," she parroted to him, reminding them both 
of a long 
ago scene aboard a submarine.

"Point taken," he smiled easily and rose, scraping his fingertips along 
her cheek 
and resting his hand there.  "I'm going to let you get some rest and 
I'll do the 
same. Two things though--if you want to talk, you know where I am; and 
if you 
get worse--you're on your honor to let me know.  Opps, three things--if 
you need 
anything more, you call me, don't be putting weight on it and risking 
falling.  You 
got all that?"

"I took notes.  Good night Harm."  He withdrew his hand and she caught 
it.  "Hey 
thanks for....for all this and for....."  She stopped, wanting to say 
something about 
how much she appreciated him.  "For putting up with me," she finished 
lamely.

"I think we're about even in that area," he smiled and gave her hand a 
squeeze.  
"I'm leaving the door between the rooms open half way so I'll hear you 
if you 
shout. Good night."  With a last look to be sure she was comfortable, 
he left her 
alone.





 Harm was up early the next morning, and tip toed into Mac's room to 
see if 
 she was awake.
 "Mac" he called softly.
 "I'm awake" she said sleepily. "I don't suppose you’re here just to 
say good 
 morning."
 "Very good" he smiled. "I want to make sure you don't need a visit to 
the ER 
 this morning to get that ankle checked."
 "It's fine" Mac protested. "But I don't suppose you're going to take 
my word 
 for it."
 "Of course not" he said as he handed her her robe.
 She pushed the covers back and slid her robe on. Slowly she swung her 
legs 
 over the bed, before carefully standing up. She cringed initially as 
she put 
 weight on the ankle but managed to stay upright.
 "See it's fine"
 "All right no ER" Harm replied. "But you will stay off of your feet 
today. 
 I'll need you standing next to me tomorrow when we go into the 
courtroom."
 "Harm, we're supposed to meet with our client today" Mac reminded him. 
"And 
 I'm going with you."
 He started to protest but she stopped him.
 "Harm, we're both representing Lt. Michaels. I can't very well get up 
in 
 front of the judge without having talked to him myself."
 "You're right" Harm agreed. "But except for our visit to see him, 
you're 
 staying off that ankle."
 "Yes sir" she said giving him a mock salute. "But that means you're 
going to 
 have to wait on me."
 "I can handle it" Harm grinned. "Just tell me what you need."
 "First off, more heat please" she said with a shiver. "I think it's 
gotten 
 colder out there."
 "Done" Harm said as he adjusted the heat. "You hungry?"
 "What do you think?" she smiled. "Of course I'm hungry."
 "We can order room service" Harm suggested.
 "I was thinking more along the lines of McDonalds. If you don't mind"
 "Consider it done" Harm smiled. "We'll go over the case after 
breakfast."
 
 He returned with breakfast a short time later and they went over their 
notes 
 from the case.
 "I guess we both agree that our client is guilty" Mac said quietly.
 "Yes, but we still have to defend him" Harm reminded her.
 "How can Mrs. Michaels go along with him?" Mac said irritably. "How 
can she 
 just sit there and let him do that to her child? What kind of mother 
is 
 she?"
 "This is really bothering you isn't it?" Harm asked softly as he 
reached for 
 her hand.
 Mac sighed as she looked away. "I'm trying to keep my personal 
feelings out 
 of this" she said softly. "But it's hard."
 "Well, you're going to have to keep those feelings in check when we go 
see 
 him" Harm said quietly.
 "I know" Mac snapped and immediately regretted it. "Sorry, it's not 
your 
 fault. I'm not angry with you."
 "Who are you angry with?" Harm asked. "You know I'm here if you want 
to 
 talk."
 "Harm, please don't push" Mac pleaded. "Between this case and Mic I 
swear 
 I'm going to lose it."
 "I'm not trying to push you" Harm replied. "I just want you to know 
that I'm 
 here if you need someone to talk to."
 "I guess I'd better get my shower if we're going to see Lt. Michaels 
at 
 noon."
 "You need any help?" Harm asked.
 "Red light Commander" Mac said crossly.
 "I meant because of your ankle"
 "Sorry, I'm just a little grouchy today" Mac said quietly "I think 
I'll be 
 fine."
 She stood up, gingerly placing her weight on her foot. She grimaced a 
little 
 but slowly made her way to the bathroom.
 "I'll be out here if you need me" Harm said quietly.
 "Thanks" Mac said as she closed the door behind her.
 
 An hour later they pulled up in front of the Michaels residence.
 "You ready?" Harm asked gently.
 "As ready as I'll ever be" Mac muttered.
 He helped her out of the car and up to the front door before knocking 
at the 
 door. A few seconds later the door opened.
 "Lt. Michaels, I'm Commander Rabb and this is Colonel Mackenzie from 
JAG."
 "Oh yeah, my new lawyers" Lt. Michaels smiled. "Come on in."
 There was something in his smile that made Mac cringe and she took a 
deep 
 breath as she walked into the house.
 "So you think you'll be able to get this all cleared up" Lt. Michaels 
asked 
 once they were seated at the kitchen table. "My first lawyer wanted me 
to 
 plead guilty and take a lesser sentence. That's why I fired him and 
decided 
 to go with you guys."
 Mac bit back a comment and Harm shot her a warning glance.
 "Lt., I'll be honest with you, we'll do our best but the prosecution 
has a 
 good case against you" Harm said quietly.
 "Look, I figured you guys would be willing to help out a fellow 
officer" Lt. 
 Michaels said irritably. "I'm not pleading guilty."
 "That's your choice" Mac replied. "We're just spelling things out to 
you so 
 you understand that there's a good possibility you'll be convicted."
 "They don't have any proof" Lt. Michaels yelled as he pounded his fist 
into 
 the table. "It's those lousy doctors words against mine. Maureen told 
them 
 what happened."
 "Lt. I suggest you calm down" Harm said quietly. "You have those kind 
of 
 outbursts in the courtroom and there's not going to be any question of 
your 
 guilt."
 Two hours later they returned to the hotel. They had gotten Lt. 
Michaels 
 side of the story as well as that of his wife Maureen. She stuck with 
her 
 story that Jeff had fallen down the stairs, but both Harm and Mac had 
not 
 doubt she was lying. She refused to look Mac in the eye when answering 
her 
 questions about Jeff, and her nervousness only furthered their believe 
that 
 she was covering up for her husbands abuse. Mac was quiet most of the 
ride 
 home and Harm looked at her worriedly. Her ankle was bothering her 
again, 
 and she leaned heavily on his arm as they made their way up to their 
rooms.
 "You okay" Harm asked gently as he helped her to the bed. She sank 
down on 
 the bed and he gently pushed her back against the pillows before 
propping 
 her foot up.
 "I don't know" Mac said softly.
 "You want to talk" Harm asked as he sat down on the bed next to her.
 The tears slid down her face as she looked at his concerned face. 
"It's 
 okay" Harm whispered as he gently pulled her into his arms. She 
started to 
 sob and Harm gently rubbed her back as he held her tightly.


"Mac you're holding something inside you--in fact a lot of somethings I 
think," he 
fretted, as he rubbed her back even more firmly as if that would help.  
"Mic, me, 
the case, your ankle?"
 
"All of the above," she sighed.  "Added to the fact that I'm a Marine 
officer and I'm 
crying in my partner's arms.  I disgust myself."

"Stop that," he scolded her.  "You're the best officer I've ever worked 
with.  But 
you're also a woman and you're entitled to feelings and emotions.  God 
knows I 
have them.  I've been trying to figure out ever since Renee left if 
there was 
anything I might have..."  He stopped himself too late.  He had not 
intended to tell 
her of his split with Renee.

"You and Renee aren't seeing each other any more?" she asked quietly, 
absently 
stroking arm.

He gave her a sheepish smile.  "Mutual decision.  She said she couldn't 
compete 
with other things in my life.  The demands of the job and..."  This 
time he 
managed to hold his tongue.

"And?" she persisted.

"Hey we were talking about you here," he objected.

"OK, if you'll answer my 'and' I'll share something with you," she 
countered.

"You."

"Excuse me?" she frowned, not understanding.  "Me?  How do I fit....oh 
Harm 
she felt like she was competing with me?  I'm sure it wasn't an 
impression you 
gave her."  She paused for a beat.  "Was it?"

"Not intentionally," he sighed.  "But I guess it could be an impression 
she got.  
Actually it probably goes back to last week and the fight we had."

"I'm listening," she sighed, trying to be sympathetic, but admittedly 
not sorry the 
blonde woman was gone from Harm's life, knowing instinctively he could 
not be 
in love with her.  "But you know, it's possible you'll make up.  It 
happens all the 
time."

"Not this time," he shook his head firmly.  "When you call a woman by 
another 
woman's name in bed, you're pretty much toast."

Her eyes opened wide at his admission, and she gasped when she realized 
what 
it cost him to do so.  "You called her Jordan?" she teased finally in 
an attempt to 
lighten the atmosphere.

"I think you know that's not right," he responded quietly.  "And if I 
didn't want you 
to share with me, I wouldn't be telling you this now."

"You called her Mac?" she whispered, almost afraid of the answer.

"Close....Sarah," he admitted.

"Oh my God no wonder."  Mac's hand flew to her mouth.  "Harm I...I 
guess I'm 
flattered."

"You should be Sarah," he smiled, reminiscent of their conversation in 
Sydney 
Harbor.

"Let me see if I have this straight.  You were in bed with, and making 
love to, 
Renee, and you called her Sarah.  Was it an accident, or were 
you.....you 
know...uh..."  She blushed and stopped.

"I was engaged in a little healthy fantasy," he grinned.  "And that's 
as far as I'm 
going with that.  Your turn."

She stared at him for a long minute, pondering what he had admitted to 
her.  "I 
think we should both stay away from there for the time being.  Neither 
of us is 
ready to go there."

"Amen," he nodded, "but now I've bared my soul.  Your turn.  Mic?"

"I hurt him badly Harm," she spoke up suddenly.  "I played with his 
emotions all 
the way back before he left for Sydney last winter.  I was flattered by 
his 
attentions and I guess....well OK honest admission here--he came along 
as I was 
needing someone badly.  You had been gone, and when you came back 
things 
were so different."

"I know," he nodded.  "From the time I came back it was like everything 
was 
spiraling out of control.  And the worst was Sydney.  I stood there 
like a total fool 
while you opened your heart to me."

"And when you pushed me away, I turned to Mic; and that was wrong," she 
went 
on.  "I had no right to play with his feelings and emotions like that.  
And then I just 
let it go on and on."

"If you were doing it to get my attention, it worked," he reminded her 
gently.

"At first maybe, partly maybe," she conceded.  "But then I got to 
thinking that 
having him in my life wasn't so bad.  I mean he loved me, and that's 
more than 
I've had--and more than I have now."

"Not necessarily," he smiled in a rare moment of candor and she drew 
her breath 
in sharply, which quickly turned into a yawn.  

"Sorry, didn't sleep much last night.  You were saying?"

He gave her a sheepish grin.  "Hey like we said before, I don't think 
either of us is 
ready to go there."

"No, not right now," she reluctantly admitted.  "But I reserve the 
right to remind 
the witness of his words."

"You won't have to--the witness promises he will come back to that 
subject," he 
said softly and stood up.  "You nap now.  Later we'll get some dinner 
and work 
on this case."

"No Harm we can do it....now," she attempted, only to have her words 
stifled by 
another yawn.

"Hey you are no good to me or yourself tired like this," he smiled.  
"You sleep and 
we'll have a good dinner and come back ready to pull an all nighter if 
we have 
to."

"OK then."  She knew he was right and when he stood to go she took firm 
hold of 
his hand.  "Thanks Harm.  You're a good friend."

 "Get some rest" he said softly as he walked out of her room.
 
 "Harm you still here?"
 
 The sound of her voice interrupted his thoughts. Dropping the papers 
on the 
 desk that he'd been reading, he hurried back to her room.
 
 "Of course I'm still here" he smiled as he walked into the room. "You 
didn't 
 think I'd leave did you."
 
 "It was so quiet I wasn't sure" Mac said as she rubbed her eyes.
 
 "Hungry now?" Harm asked.
 
 "Starving" Mac smiled. "What did you have in mind?"
 
 "I was going to recommend we go out somewhere but with the snowing 
coming 
 down outside, I think we'd better just stick to the hotel restaurant" 
Harm 
 replied. "With your ankle still bothering you I don't want to risk you 
 slipping out there and hurting it any worse."
 
 "You sure?" Mac asked. "If you want to go out, I'm sure I can handle 
it."
 
 "Not necessary" Harm smiled. "I'm sure the restaurant downstairs is 
okay."
 
 "Give me a few minutes to freshen up and then we can go" Mac said as 
she 
 slowly stood up.
 
 As promised she was ready a few minutes later and they started down to 
the 
 restaurant.
 
 "How's the ankle?" Harm asked.
 
 "Still sore but better" Mac replied. "I think being off it helped a 
lot."
 
 A few minutes later they were seated at one of the little tables in 
the 
 corner of the restaurant.
 
 "Feeling any better now?" Harm asked once the waitress had taken their 
 orders.
 
 "Physically yes, mentally no" Mac said honestly.  "But my mental state 
is 
 not the topic for tonight's dinner conversation. Right now our concern 
is 
 the case in front of us."
 
 "Lt. Michaels" Harm sighed.  "I don’t think we have any chance of 
getting 
 him off."
 
 Mac was silent as she twirled her straw around in her iced tea.
 
 "I take it you're not too concerned with whether or not Lt. Michaels 
is 
 found not guilty or not" Harm said quietly.
 
 "Come on Harm" Mac replied. "We both know he's guilty and that his 
wife is 
 covering up for him."
 
 "Yes, but it's still our duty to make sure he gets a fair trial and 
adequate 
 representation" Harm reminded her.
 
 "He doesn't deserve it"
 
 "Mac, this isn't the first time you've defended someone you knew was 
guilty. 
 Caleb Farmer. He killed several marines and you defended him with 
everything 
 you had in you. Doesn't Lt. Michaels deserve the same from you."
 
 "No" Mac said sharply. "Look, I'm really not in the mood to talk about 
how I 
 feel about this case."
 
 "Mac, I think it's time we did" Harm said quietly. "It's pretty 
obvious to 
 me that you have some problems defending Lt. Michaels. Am I right?"
 
 "You're right" Mac sighed.
 
 "Care to let your partner in on what's really bothering you?" Harm 
asked.
 
 "The whole situation" Mac said quietly. "It's like reliving a piece of 
my 
 own life all over again. Years of my mother hiding my fathers abuse. I 
look 
 at Maureen Michaels and all I see is my mother.  How can she just sit 
there 
 and let her him to that to her child? What kind of mother would allow 
that 
 to happen?" Despite her best efforts to keep the tears at bay, they 
started 
 to slide down her face and she quickly wiped them away. "And to top it 
off I 
 have to defend this man. Defend him when I know he's guilty of abusing 
his 
 child. How ironic is that?"
 
 Harm reached for her hand.
 
 "I can't pretend to know how this feels for you" he said gently. "And 
I'm 
 sorry this case is bringing up painful memories for you. I know how 
hard 
 you've worked to put all that behind you. But Mac, you have a duty 
here."
 
 "I know" Mac sighed. "But every time I look at him I just want to wipe 
that 
 smirk off his face. He's knows he's guilty and he expects us to get 
him 
 off."
 
 "And he also knows that one of his lawyers isn't behind him" Harm said 
 quietly. "Mac, you need to separate your personal feelings from the 
case. 
 Otherwise Michaels is going to claim he didn't get adequate 
representation 
 and go for an appeal. Do you really want to explain that one to the 
 Admiral?"
 
 "Harm, I'm trying" Mac said sharply. "But I hate this case, I hate Lt. 
 Michaels and I hate being here."
 
 "Mac" Harm said quietly. "We have a client to defend tomorrow morning. 
If 
 you're going to have this attitude, then I suggest you find yourself 
the 
 next flight back to DC."
 
 "Is that a threat Commander?" Mac asked tersely.
 
 "No it's a suggestion" Harm said calmly as he stood up. "You're 
letting your 
 emotions take over, Mac. You have a choice here. You can either 
provide Lt. 
 Michaels with a proper defense or you can remove yourself from the 
case.  
 I'm going out to get some air. Let me know whether I can expect your 
 assistance tomorrow or not."
 
 Mac sat there stunned as he walked out of the restaurant. Her life was 
 falling apart around her and she couldn't stop it. The last thing she 
had 
 wanted to do was argue with Harm.
 
 "Sirloin burger for you" the waitress said as she set the plate in 
front of 
 Mac. "And seafood special for your friend."
 
 "I'm sorry, can I just get the check?" Mac said as she fought back the 
 tears.
 
 She paid for their uneaten dinners and hurried up to her room, finally 
 giving into the sobs once she was alone.  She was losing control and 
for 
 some reason, seemed powerless to stop it. Deep down she knew Harm was 
right. 
 She'd defended worse people than Lt. Michaels and had always managed 
to 
push 
 aside her personal feelings. But Lt. Michaels had struck a chord in 
her. She 
 hated the fact that she had to defend him, but if she didn’t, he would 
win 
 in the end. There was enough evidence against him for the prosecution 
to get 
 a guilty verdict. Did she really want to run the risk of that being 
 overturned because of her inability to provide proper representation? 
Mac 
 knew the answer to that. No. She wanted him to go to jail for what he 
had 
 done to his son. And the only way that would happen would be if she 
did what 
 she had to do. She continued to cry, eventually falling asleep from 
the 
 mental exhaustion.
 
 She woke several hours later, cold and hungry. She turned up the heat 
and 
 looked outside, surprised to see the entire area now blanketed in 
snow. She 
 gently knocked on the door to Harm's room to see if he had come back.
 
 "Harm, you in there?" she asked softly. "Harm."
 
 Pushing the door open, she entered the room and found it empty. It was 
 nearly 11:00, and they had to be in court at 08:00. She headed back to 
her 
 room, surprised that he hadn't come back yet. She hadn't expected him 
to be 
 that upset with her. Sighing, she picked up the phone and ordered room 
 service before flipping on the TV, just catching the last of the news 
story. 
 ….Police and EMS are trying to clear the multi-car accident on Highway 
494 
near the airport." She 
 looked up just in time to see the film of the accident and took in a 
sharp 
 breath when she saw what looked like their rental car in the middle of 
the 
 pileup.  She reached for the remote, quickly turning it up hear the 
rest of 
 the story. …"No word on the condition of the victims but one man was 
 transported to the hospital via life flight."
 "Oh god, no" Mac cried. She hadn't been able to tell for sure if the 
car had 
 been their rental car but she couldn’t stop the sinking feeling that 
passed 
 over her. If anything had happened to Harm. She fought to remain calm, 
the 
 thought of him hurt making her shudder. She grabbed her purse and 
headed 
 down to the lobby.
 "I need to find a cab as soon as possible" she said to the desk clerk.
 "I'm sorry ma'am, but with the storm it's going to be a while before 
one 
 gets here" the clerk replied.
 "Please tell them to hurry it's important" Mac said anxiously.
 "I'll see what they can do ma'am but with the road conditions" the 
clerk 
 replied.
 Mac paced the lobby, waiting for the cab. She wasn't sure where she 
was 
 going, she just knew she had to find him.
 "Mac, what are you doing down here?"
 She whirled around to see Harm standing in front of her, all in one 
piece 
 and safe.
 "Harm" she cried as she threw her arms around him. "Thank god you're 
all 
 right."
 "Why wouldn't I be?" he asked.
 "I was watching the news and there was this huge pile up and one of 
the cars 
 looked like our rental car. And they said a man had been transported 
to the 
 hospital via helicopter and I was so afraid it was you and I couldn't 
find a 
 cab."
 "Wow, slow down and take a breath" Harm said as he gently pulled away 
to 
 look at her. "I'm fine. I wasn't in any accident."
 "I'm just so glad you're okay" Mac said as she hugged him again. "I 
freaked 
 when I thought you'd been hurt. I was so scared."
 "Come on, let's go up to the room" Harm said gently. "We can talk up 
there. 
 Besides, you're not supposed to be on that ankle."
 
 A few minutes later she was in bed, her foot once again propped up.
 "Thank you" Mac said softly as Harm sat down next to her on the bed. 
"I owe 
 you an apology for my behavior earlier."
 "I think I'm the one who should apologize" Harm started.
 "No, Harm, you were right" Mac said quietly. "I was letting my 
feelings for 
 Lt. Michaels take over. And I realized that if I don’t provide Lt. 
Michaels 
 with an adequate defense he may walk. And that's the last thing I want 
to 
 happen."
 "Does this mean you're with me on this tomorrow?" Harm asked.
 "Yes" Mac sighed. "I'm sorry I've been such a pain these past two 
days.  I 
 don’t know how you put up with me."
 "Mac, you're my friend" Harm said gently. "I know you've got a lot of 
things 
 on your mind, with Mic and this case. I'm not holding it against you."
 "I don't deserve to have a friend like you" Mac said softly. "I don't 
know 
 what I'd do without you."
 "Were you really worried about me?" Harm asked.
 Mac nodded. "I was so afraid you'd been hurt badly" she whispered. "I 
didn't 
 know what I'd do if anything happened to you."
 Harm pulled her into his arms and held her tightly before gently 
pushing her 
 back against the pillows.
 "Don't worry, you're going to be stuck with your pain in the butt 
partner 
 for a while" Harm smiled. "Now let's get some sleep. We've got a big 
day 
 ahead of tomorrow."

Her stomach growled loudly before she could speak again.

"You haven't eaten have you?" he asked sharply.

"I uh...I was too upset about our arguing, and then I ordered some room 
service, 
but then of course I panicked over the accident," she admitted.  "I'll 
be fine until 
breakfast.  Go on to bed."

"No way," he shook his head.  "In fact I haven't eaten either and 
that's what the 
pizza till midnight service advertised on that little card by the 
phone.  We'll just 
squeak in under the deadline.  Order us something and I'll get out of 
these 
clothes."

Forty minutes later they were both happily filling up on pizza and Harm 
was 
entertaining her with a Renee story until tears of laughter were 
rolling down her 
cheeks.

"You loved her Harm," Mac said softly when he was finished and she was 
under 
control again.  Not the kind of love that makes futures maybe, but in 
your own 
way you did love her."

"Oh Mac I..." he began and then looked sheepish.  "OK yeah I did.  I 
loved having 
her around, at least part of the time; but I was not in love with her.  
I'm old 
enough to know the difference."  His eyes met hers and held until she 
looked 
away uncomfortably.  "And I needed for us to part," he added gently.  
"It wasn't 
good for either of us."  Another beat and he brought her face back to 
look at him.  
"And I think you know all about that."

She nodded silently, biting into a pizza slice at the same time.  
Slowly the past 
was being put behind them; and yet the future was uncertain.

The trial began the next morning and the evidence against Lt. Michaels 
was 
overwhelming.  Harm and Mac fought back, countering as best they could.  
The 
case would wrap up sometime the next day and with any luck they would 
be on 
their way back to D.C. in the evening.  It was not until dark that they 
adjourned 
for the day.  

Mac had spoken few words that were not about the case all day and once 
they 
reached their rooms she turned to him, trying to smile.  "Would you 
mind if I just 
quietly excuse myself?  I really need some time alone to get a handle 
on things."

"Mac I don't like to think of you going into your room to brood," he 
objected, 
taking hold of her arms.  "Besides we still need to go over some 
things."  

"I know," she sighed in realization.  "OK can I have a couple hours 
then.  I 
promise to come out ready to eat and work."

"Of course.  Maybe a break will do us both good.  But if you change 
your mind..." 

"I know--I know where you are," she finished for him.  "Harm thanks."

"Excuse me?"

"For being a friend, for putting up with me, for sticking by me, for 
not giving up on 
me and on and on," she answered and impulsively reached up on her toes 
to 
touch her lips to his.

Before he could respond, she turned and fled to her room, closing the 
door all but 
an inch, and leaving him shaking his head in wonderment.  

No mention of the light kiss was made when they were together later, 
sharing a 
meal of deli sandwiches and conversation was limited to the case at 
hand.  

"We're going to lose tomorrow partner," Harm sighed when they finished, 
snapping his laptop closed.

"I know," she said quietly.  "And I can't say this is one case I'm 
sorry to see go 
into our loss column.  The man is a child abuser and probably a wife 
beater 
and..." She stopped and gulped hard.  

"And he reminds you of your life growing up," Harm smiled and patted 
her hand.  

"Oh yeah," she agreed readily.  "I know you grew up fatherless, but you 
had your 
memories.  My memories give me nightmares...."  

Anything further she might have said was cut off by the ringing of the 
phone.  
Harm reached behind him to grab the receiver.  "Commander Rabb...Yes 
Sir...Oh 
God....Yes Sir.....No Sir.  Thank you for calling."  He hung up the 
phone and 
turned to her, covering her hands before he spoke.  "Lieutenant 
Michaels is 
dead.  He hung himself with his bedsheet in his cell about twenty 
minutes ago."

Her hands trembled in his at the news and she stared straight ahead.  
"More 
death," she finally gasped out and slowly pushed her chair back.  
"Excuse me 
please."  She pulled her hands free of his and once again fled to her 
room.

It took maximum strength for him to quell the urge to run after her, 
realizing she 
needed time alone and praying she trusted him enough to let him know if 
his 
presence was wanted.  

An hour passed with only silence from her darkened room and with the 
stress of 
the past few days pulling him down, he opted for his own bed.  Despite 
his 
concern for her, he was asleep almost at once; only to be awakened 
nearly three 
hours later by a soft voice speaking his name.  He rolled up on his 
side and 
before he could react further, she was beside him, sliding in beneath 
the covers 
and pressing her back to his chest.  His arm automatically went around 
her and 
he tucked his chin onto her shoulder.  

"I think I can sleep now," she whispered. 

It was the sound of silence rather than noise that awoke him the next 
morning. 
Being on a low floor, with a major highway passing only a matter of 
yards away, 
plus with the airport but a few miles distant, the outside noise had 
made 
morning's arrival known every morning.  Now however there was an eerie 
silence, broken only by the occasional screech of wind.   A murmur from 
the 
figure sleeping beside him diverted his attention.

"Good morning," he whispered, his mouth to her ear.

"Harm what?"  Her eyes flew open at once and she twisted violently 
within his 
protective arm.  "How did I get in here?  What did you..."  She bit 
back the 
accusation, but continued to stare at him.

"Hey relax Colonel," he urged, puzzled by her reaction.  "I didn't do 
anything.  
You came to me remember."

"I most certainly do not because if I had..." she began and just as 
suddenly as it 
began, every bit of fight went out of her.  "OK yeah I do," she sighed.  
"I had 
hoped it was all part of just the long nightmare that has become my 
life.  And I do 
vaguely remember slinking into your bed.  You should have thrown me out 
on my 
six."

"Never," he smiled in bemusement.  "I slept well too thank you.  I 
think we're 
good for each other."

"Admiral Chegwidden wouldn't think so if he could see us now," she 
sighed but 
allowed herself to relax against him.  "Thank you.  You deserve the 
equivalent of 
another DFC for putting up with me this trip."

"Well you know what they say about payback," he grinned and playfully 
smacked 
her backside.  "And if you don't let me up so I can head for the head, 
part of that 
may come now."  Lightly he rolled over past her, stopping at the window 
to pull 
back the heavy drape.  The sight outside made him momentarily forget 
why he 
had gotten up.  "Mac turn on the news please."

She frowned and groped for the remote.  "What is it?"

What it was, was snow.  Snow as only the upper Midwest can 
experience--white 
out.  A city shut down on the day before Thanksgiving, the busiest day 
for travel 
in the entire year.  Not only would there be no final court appearance 
this 
morning for the formal end to the Michaels case but there would be no 
flight back 
to D.C.

"I don't believe this" Mac screeched as she looked out the window.  The 
TV 
 had confirmed it. They were stuck in Minneapolis for Thanksgiving. The 
storm 
 was predicted to continued to dump snow over the upper Midwest for the 
next 
 two days. If they were lucky, they might get out on Friday.  "We're 
stuck 
 here."
 
 "Well, look on the bright side" Harm smiled. "At least we’re not stuck 
in an 
 airport somewhere. At least we've got our hotel room. Guess I'd better 
call 
 the front desk and tell them we're staying for a few more days."
 
 "Thank you for the words of wisdom sailor" Mac said sarcastically. "If 
you 
 don't mind, I'll continue to mope."
 
 "Oh no" Harm replied. "If we're stuck here another two days, you are 
not 
 going to mope the entire time. Absolutely not."
 
 "And give me one good reason why I can't" Mac snapped. "We've been on 
the 
 case from hell, our client committed suicide and we're stuck in this 
icebox 
 up here for god knows how long."
 
 "Nice attitude Mac" Harm said seriously. "I know this case hasn't been 
easy 
 for you, and I'm sure you'd much rather be in DC right now trying to 
make up 
 with Mic, but we're stuck here. So you can either make the best of it 
or 
 it's going to be a miserable two days."
 
 "I'm sorry" Mac said quietly. "You've been putting up with me this 
whole 
 week. But you're wrong about one thing. It's over between Mic and me. 
I knew 
 that the day I left DC."
 
 Harm was silent as he pondered her words. "Really" he asked softly.
 
 "Really" Mac whispered.
 
 "So would this mean that you're available, for say, well you know to 
go out" 
 Harm stammered.
 
 "Harmon Rabb are you trying to ask me out on a date" Mac laughed 
softly.
 
 "I'm trying but I'm not doing a very good job" Harm smiled. "Let's try 
this 
 again. Sarah Mackenzie, when we get back to DC would you like to go 
out with 
 me?"
 
 "I'd love to" Mac said softly. "And thank you for everything this 
week. I 
 don't know how I would have handled everything on my own. In fact, I 
know I 
 couldn't have handled it."
 
 "That's what friends are for" Harm said quietly.
 
 "I hope you know you're more than just a friend" Mac whispered.
 
 "Really" Harm asked.
 
 "Really" Mac smiled.  "Now what you say we order some breakfast and 
figure 
 out what we're going to do for the next two days."
 
 They spend Wednesday watching TV from Harm's bed, Mac more than happy 
to 
 rest her head against Harm's shoulder, his arm wrapped comfortably 
around 
 her. The snow continued throughout the day, further blanketing the 
city with 
 white stuff. They awoke on Thanksgiving more to see that the snow was 
 starting to diminish, but the city streets were still snow covered.
 
 "Happy Thanksgiving" Mac said as she stuck her head into Harm's room.
 
 "Happy Thanksgiving" Harm replied. "It looks like it's finally 
starting to 
 let up out there. We might get out of here tomorrow."
 
 "I'm not complaining" Mac smiled. "If I were in DC I'd be sitting home 
along 
 feeling sorry for myself anyway."
 
 "No you wouldn't" Harm remarked. "You'd be at my place sharing 
Thanksgiving 
 dinner with me. Cause I'd never let you spend the holiday alone."
 
 "Didn't you have any plans?" Mac asked.
 
 "Not really" Harm said honestly. "Mom and Frank were going away for 
the 
 holiday and Renee obviously wasn’t going to spend the holiday with me. 
And I 
 hated to impose on Bud and Harriet with it being so close to her due 
date. "
 
 "So what shall we do today?" Mac asked.
 
 "Well, I don’t know about you but I'm getting a little stir crazy 
sitting 
 here" Harm replied. "It's not snowing quite as hard as it was, so what 
do 
 you say we take a walk? Maybe find a park and have a snowball fight."
 
 "You're on sailor" Mac smiled. "What do you say we grab breakfast 
first 
 though?"
 
 "Of course, she's always thinking of food" Harm grinned. "I'm not sure 
what 
 we'll find open. Besides the hotel restaurant of course."
 
 After filling up on pancakes, they headed out. Harm reached for Mac's 
hand 
 as they walked down the still covered sidewalks. A few random 
snowflakes 
 continued to fall, but for the most part, the snow had ended.
 
 "So where are we going?" Mac asked as they walked along.
 
 "I'll let you know when we get there" Harm replied. "Right now I'm 
just 
 enjoying being with you out here."
 
 "Me too" Mac said softly.
 
 They finally came upon a city park, and Harm quickly let go of her 
hand and 
 ran ahead of Mac, reaching down for a handful of snow that he quickly 
rolled 
 into a perfect ball, before throwing it at her.
 
 "This means war, sailor" Mac yelled as she scooped up a handful of 
snow, 
 launching her own snowball a few seconds later.
 
 The exchange continued for the next fifteen minutes, until they were 
both 
 laughing so hard, they couldn't see. Mac finally tackled Harm, a 
handful of 
 snow in her hand that she planned on sliding down his coat. Before she 
could 
 get her arm up, he rolled her over, grabbing her arm so that the snow 
was no 
 longer a threat.
 
 "Give up yet?" Harm asked breathlessly as he held her down in the 
snow.
 
 "Never"
 
 Ever so slowly his lips came towards hers, until they finally met. 
Harm let 
 go off her arms and she wrapped them around his neck, pulling him 
closer to 
 her. It was a soft gentle kiss, conveying all the feelings between 
them.
 
 "What about now" Harm whispered when he finally pulled away.
 
 "I surrender" Mac whispered before she pulled him closer to him again, 
her 
 lips eagerly finding his. They remained locked in the embrace until 
Mac 
 shivered from the cold snow and Harm finally pulled away.
 
 "Cold" he asked as he helped her to her feet.
 
 "A little" Mac replied.
 
 "Maybe this will help" Harm said as he wrapped his arms around her. 
"Better"
 
 "Much" she said as she savored being in his arms.
 
 "Come on, we'd better get you back before you catch cold" Harm 
replied.
 
 They started back to the hotel, Harm keeping his arm around Mac to 
keep her 
 warm. They had walked just a little ways when they heard a voice 
calling 
 them. They looked over and saw a car on one of the deserted city 
streets, 
 it's hood up.
 
 "Please, I need help" the man yelled.
 
 They hurried over to the man, not sure what the problem was.
 
 "Thank you for coming over" the man said quickly. "My car broke down 
and my 
 wife…"
 
 "James" the woman screamed from inside the car. "This baby isn't going 
to 
 wait much longer."
 
 "I'm right here honey" James said as he climbed back into the car. 
"It's 
 going to be all right. Just remember to breathe."
 
 "It is not all right" the woman screamed. "You’re not the one ready to 
give 
 birth in a car."
 
 "Please do either of you know anything about babies" James pleaded. 
"The 
 batteries dead and there's no way she can walk to the hospital from 
here. I 
 don't have a cell phone and….."
 
 "James" the woman screamed again.
 
   "Laura I'm right here," James called back to her.  "You try to calm 
down and 
breathe.  Not good for either of you to be this upset.  These nice 
people are 
going to help us."  He turned tortured eyes on Harm and Mac.  "Please."

"Of course we are," Harm assured him, feeling his pocket for his cell 
phone. 
"Mac your cell.  Mine is in the room charging."

"And mine is doing the same thing," Mac hissed from where she was 
bending 
over Laura.  

"Oh God," James moaned.

"Harm go find a phone and call an ambulance," Mac ordered, suddenly the 
epitome of Marine take-charge.  "James let's get her laying down across 
the 
backseat.  She'll be more comfortable and we can see how far along she 
is."

"Yeah OK."  James was just glad to have someone telling him what needed 
to be 
done.

"Rabb you're still here, move it," Mac growled, giving him a push.

"You'll be OK?"

"Move," she ordered again and smiled, suddenly touched by his concern.  
"Fine, 
go."

Harm began to sprint down the street, looking for anything open while 
Mac and 
James helped Laura to lay down in the back.  James took off his coat 
and 
pressed it over her, staying at her head while Mac crouched on the 
other side of 
the car.  They had to leave the doors open and the cold cut through. 

"Laura I'm going to slip your pants down and take a look here," Mac 
told her. "Is 
that OK?"

Laura could only nod as she concentrated on the pain.  

For Mac, memories of baby AJ overwhelmed her, including once special 
memory 
shortly after his birth, of how she and Harm and stood together and 
talked of 
departures and babies.  "In five years.." she heard the words over and 
over in her 
head in those few seconds.  "OK Laura, you're doing fine," she 
encouraged, 
shaking off her thoughts.  "Try not to push now.  I know Harm will find 
a phone 
and get an ambulance."

Another pain torn through her and James bent over her closely, trying 
to provide 
both warmth and comfort.  As the pain let up, the first sign of a 
thatch of red hair 
appeared, only to vanish as Laura relaxed.

"Boy or girl?" Mac asked softly, "or do you know?"

"Tyler James," Laura smiled.  "We have a Rachel Marie at home, safe 
with a 
neighbor."

"Well it looks like..." Mac began only to be cut off my Laura's scream 
as another 
pain hit.  "Breathe Laura, breathe through it," she encouraged quickly 
and was 
amazed to see most of a head emerge, this time not retreating.  "Please 
Harm, 
ambulance," she gasped, knowing even then the baby would not wait.

Sure enough three pains later, a squalling red headed baby boy was 
delivered 
into Mac's hands.  "Oh my god, he's beautiful. Congratulations you two.  
You 
have a beautiful son."  "And one who's going to be very cold very 
quickly," she 
gasped a second later, setting the flailing baby down to strip off her 
light jacket 
and the sweater beneath it and quickly cocooning the baby inside.  

"Thank you, oh thank you," Laura sobbed, reaching for the infant.  Mac 
quickly 
snuggled him into his mother's arms.  

James was too awed to do more than bend over his wife and son, trying 
to keep 
them comforted and warm.  

"Now we just need to get you to the hospital," Mac fretted, backing out 
of the car 
just as Harm's footsteps crunched in the snow behind her.  

"Ambulance ETA is ten," he panted.  "Can the baby...."  His words were 
interrupted by Tyler's wail.  "Well I guess not.  How is..he?  She?"

"He's doing good, and Laura's OK," Mac smiled, leaning back against the 
car and 
rubbing the stiffness from her back where she had been bending over.

Harm peeked in behind her and grinned broadly when he saw the bundle in 
Laura's arms.  "Congratulations."

"And you Marine, you did good," he went on, putting a quick arm around 
her 
shoulders.  It was then he realized she was shivering in just the pull 
over she had 
on under the sweater and jacket, which he saw was protecting the baby.

"What the hell," was all he could get out and a second later he was out 
of his 
jacket, zipping it around her shoulders, her arms imprisoned inside.  
"You are 
already like ice here," he accused.  "I know your stuff was needed 
elsewhere but 
we need to get you back to the hotel."  

"I can't just leave them," she objected.  "I'm OK really, but you're 
going to freeze 
yourself."  

"We'll both be ready for a hot shower and a blanket," he nodded.  

A minute later they could hear the scream of the ambulance siren and 
within five 
minutes after, the new family was being bundled aboard.

"I can't even begin to thank you," James gasped.  "Please later when 
we're 
settled in, come by and see us."

"We'd like that," Mac spoke up and Harm nodded.

The ambulance pulled away and she leaned against him, feeling 
overwhelmed 
with cold and relief.  "After so much death, it was great to see life," 
she sighed.

"You brought a new life into the world Ninja-girl," Harm grinned.  
"Quite a day.  
Now some coffee, a shower, and those warm blankets, in whatever order."  
His 
arm tightened around her and he pulled her along through the back 
streets to 
their hotel.

As they came through the lobby, her eyes fell on a placard set up near 
the door.  
"Harm look, they're having a noon Ecumenical Thanksgiving service in 
one of the 
ballrooms here.  I think I'm going to get cleaned up and come down for 
it."  She 
paused and looked up shyly.  "Remember I told you once God had given up 
on 
you?  Well here's your chance to get right."

"It's been a long time since I...." he began slowly and looked down at 
the woman 
still encased in his warming grasp.  "I'd love to escort you to the 
service, and then 
to the Thanksgiving dinner after in the dining room.  If you'll have me 
that is.  But 
right now I want to see to it that you get warmed up.  I plan to 
getting us back to 
DC tomorrow and I don't need a sick partner."

"I'm OK really," she smiled, "but for right now at least, I don't mind 
that you're 
fretting over me.  It feels rather nice actually."
******************************
"Mac you OK?" Harm knocked at the door between the rooms after taking 
his 
shower and dressing, still anxious about her.

"Yeah come in," she called from the bathroom.  "Coming out now.  Do you 
think....whoah dress whites no less.  Sailor you make quite a picture 
there.  You 
must have a date."

"Yes I do," he grinned and nodded.  "With the prettiest Marine Colonel 
I've ever 
met.  And I've met a lot."

"I'll bet."  She smoothed down her cranberry red knit dress with a last 
look in the 
mirror.  

"Did you know we were going to have a dress up occasion?"  He could not 
help 
but walk all around her, enjoying the view.

"A marine--and a woman--are always prepared," she laughed and linked 
her arm 
with his.  "Shall we go see if God remembers you."

They laughed and teased as they walked down to the big room, only to 
fall silent 
as they stepped inside.  The organ music and candles combined to make a 
solemn occasion and he led her to a pair of chairs near the back.  
"Wow," was all 
he could manage as they sat down, and it seemed perfectly natural for 
him to slip 
his arm across her shoulders.  

She stiffened momentarily, and then smiled and relaxed, leaning into 
his side. 
There were hymns and prayers, and as the minister rose to give the 
message, 
Harm rested his free hand on her lap, his palm up in invitation.  "Hi," 
she 
whispered, sliding her small hand into his large one.

They remained in that manner through the remainder of the service; and 
when 
the other worshippers got up to file out, neither moved.

"Guess we should go eat?"  He gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

"I'm afraid to move," she admitted.  "Afraid to break the spell that's 
been cast 
over us."

"And His spirit moved across the land," Harm laughed quietly, looking 
down to 
where their hands were joined.  "You feel it to don't you?"

"I do," she nodded, her voice very solemn, "but I'm afraid to talk 
about it.  Afraid 
that giving it voice and words will mess it up."

"That can only happen if we let it," he whispered.  "Only if we let it 
can something 
destroy what we've begun here."

She did not answer, instead leaned further against him, pressing her 
head into 
his shoulder. 

"Why don't we go eat," he whispered finally and before she could move, 
placed a 
small kiss on her forehead.


They were seated at a small table in the restaurant, one of the few two 
person tables left. Grabbing plates, they headed to the buffet line, 
complete with several large turkeys and warmers full of all the other 
side 
dishes to complete the meal.  With full plates, they returned to their 
little table a few minutes later. Harm was about to stick his fork in 
the 
turkey when Mac gave him a quick slap on the wrist.

"I think we should say something first" Mac said softly. "I mean, we 
never 
had a real Thanksgiving dinner when I was growing up but.."

"We should say grace first" Harm finished.  "And instead of the usual 
blessing, I think we both should say what were thankful for."

"Okay, but you go first" Mac smiled.

Harm took a deep breath and reached for Mac's hand. "I'm thankful to 
have 
the company of one of the most special people I know on this 
Thanksgiving 
Day. Thankful for your friendship and support the past five years. I 
don't 
know what I did to deserve someone as special as you in my life, but I 
thank 
God everyday for your presence in my life. You mean a lot to me, Sarah 
Mackenzie and I want so much for us to have a chance to find the 
happiness 
that we've both searched for. Together."

"Me too" Mac whispered when he finished. "I'm thankful to be here with 
you 
today. I honestly don't know how I would have gotten through this week 
without you. And I too am thankful for our friendship; the one thing in 
my 
life that I haven't mucked up too much is our friendship. I'm thankful 
to 
have such a caring and supportive partner, whom I know I can count on 
for 
anything. You're very special to me Harmon Rabb. I don't think I could 
ever 
put into words just how much you mean to me."

For a second they were both silent as they looked into each others 
eyes, 
reinforcing what they had just verbalized.

Following the meal, they headed to the hospital to check on Laura and 
little 
Tyler.

"Hi" Harm said softly as he and Mac stuck their heads into the room. 
"Hope 
we're not interrupting. We just wanted to make sure you and Tyler were 
okay."

"Come in" Laura smiled. "Tyler's just about to go back to the nursery 
so 
you're right on time."

"Everything's okay" Mac asked.

"We're both fine" Laura replied as tears formed in her eyes. "Thanks to 
you. 
I don't think I can ever thank you enough for what you did."

"I'm just glad I was there to help" Mac said softly.

"So am I" James smiled. "I couldn't believe it when I saw you two. We'd 
been 
there for ten minutes and not  a single car or person came by."

"Guess your walk was a good idea" Mac said as she looked up at Harm.

"So are you two up here visiting family?" Laura asked.

"No, we were here for a case" Harm replied. "We work for JAG."

"Were you the ones defending that awful man who abused his son?" Laura 
asked. "The one who committed suicide."

"Yes" Mac said quietly.

"It must be hard to do that" Laura said quietly. "I give you credit. I 
know 
I could never do that."

"It wasn't easy" Harm said as he slipped his arm around Mac.

"So you two are partners?" James asked and Harm nodded.  "See I told 
you 
they weren't married."

"I thought you were married" Laura smiled. "You two just look so 
comfortable 
together like you've been married for years."

"Well we have been partners for five years now" Mac smiled. "It's kind 
of 
like a marriage."

The nurse came in to take Tyler back to the nursery and Laura looked 
over at 
Mac. "Would you like to hold him before they take him back?" she asked.

"I'd love too" Mac said as she took the baby.  "He really is precious."

"Like I said before, you did good marine" Harm whispered in her ear.

They bid their farewells to James and Laura and walked hand in hand 
down the 
hall, stopping when they came to the nursery. Harm watched Mac's face 
as she 
stared wistfully at the babies.

"One day marine" Harm whispered. "I made a promise to you that I intend 
to 
keep."

"I was hoping you'd say that" Mac smiled.

"So do you feel better about having gotten stuck here for the holiday?" 
Harm 
asked.

"Yes" Mac nodded. "Despite what happened with Lt. Michaels, I can 
honestly 
say I'm glad I'm here. If we hadn't been, who knows what would have 
happened 
to that little guy."

"Very true" Harm replied.

"And if we hadn't gotten stuck here we never would have spent such a 
wonderful day together" Mac said as she turned to Harm. "I can't tell 
you 
how much today has meant to me. Although everything hasn't always 
worked out 
the way I wanted it to, I guess I'm learning to be thankful for what I 
have. 
Especially you."

"My thoughts exactly" Harm said as he pulled her into his arms. "Happy 
Thanksgiving Sarah."

"Happy Thanksgiving Harm."