Part 4 -- The "Reel It In" JAG Ficathon

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Date Posted: 17:51:07 04/22/09 Wed
Author: .
Subject: Part 4
In reply to: . 's message, "Part 3" on 17:49:44 04/22/09 Wed

Chapter 5

The flight home was tense and silent. Webb, true to his word, had them on a first class flight out of Paraguay just two days later. As far as Harm was concerned, the whole South American experience could best be summed up as a six day �no expense-paid� rollercoaster ride into hell. He had never experienced so many volcanic eruptions of emotional highs and lows compressed into such a short time period in his life: She was missing, no dead�no she�s alive, no crashed�no alive� dead, alive, unconscious, angry, aloof. Hell, he needed a scorecard just to keep track!

He shifted in his seat trying to shake away the pins-and-needles numbness, which had taken up permanent residence in his feet. His knee bumped against hers, and she shot him a warning glare.

�Sorry,� he tried to look appropriately chagrinned, but failed miserably when his elbow staked full claim to their shared armrest.

She released that heavy indignant sigh of hers, the one that hailed from somewhere deep within the depths of her soul. He was sure she saved them up just for him. Counted up each of his annoying ticks and habits, kept track of them on her fingers and toes, and when she had amassed enough of them, just couldn�t take it anymore, they�d erupt and spew forth. In the last 24 hours, he�d made a habit of annoying her just to see her react. It had become something of a challenge really, each attempt a little more exasperating and aggravating than the last. He�d learned his basic skills on the playground, honed them as a fighter jock out at sea, but the true perfecting of them�ah, that he had saved for battling her in the courtroom. She was a worthy opponent, and it had taken time and patience to find all the right buttons to push, the pigtails to pull, the knees to skin, and at that exact ideal moment�the cheek to kiss. But what he had been woefully and inadequately prepared for�was for her to clobber him right back!

He watched her from the corner of his eye all the while pretending that he wasn�t staring. She was stubbornly ignoring him just as she had for the last 48 hours. And what had he done that had been so horribly wrong, so depraved and immoral, as to deserve such unwavering disregard? His unforgivable and grievous sin had been to tell her that he had a deep and abiding affection for her. In fact, he�d gone so far as to admit that he loved her! Well, it wasn�t so much the admitting that was the problem, not completely anyway�it was his unending insistence against her objection that had been his mortal flaw.

It had started as soon as she had regained consciousness. He should have known something was amiss from her cool demeanor and rigid response, but it wasn�t until he had confronted her with the letter that the enormity of her misinterpretation became apparent. She assured him that while they would remain the closest of friends, a knee jerk emotional reaction, based on a misplaced sense of obligation and a fear of loss, was not an adequate foundation for building a long-term romantic partnership. When he attempted to counter her arguments and �make his case,� she deflected him point by point. It felt more akin to negotiating the terms of a plea bargain than begging for this single, solitary chance at an opportunity for happiness in their life. It was unnerving and all so damn frustrating! He wanted to yell at her, shake her�hell, just kiss her until she shut-up. How was it that they had suddenly switched places?

He chanced a glance her way and noticed her eyes drifting shut. Reaching for a magazine in the seatback before him, he flipped through the pages searching for a throwaway cardboard ad. Finding the object of his desire, he quickly scribbled a one-line message in large block letters across the card, then nonchalantly dropped it into her lap.

She retrieved the note card, scanned the words and tossed it back. Without so much as a gander, she mumbled into her upturned palm, �No, you don�t.�

�Yes, I do,� he just as casually countered her response. He stretched his legs, re-pocketed the magazine and looked up and down the aisle. The flight attendant noticed his interest and immediately walked his way.

�May I help you, sir,� the dark-haired beauty smiled enticingly.

�Yes, water please, if it�s not too much trouble,� Harm returned her smile.

�Anything for your wife, sir?�

�Sweetheart,� he leaned in close to Mac and stroked her arm, ��would you like anything?�

She scowled at him and addressed the attendant directly, �Water would be nice, thank you.�

Harm chuckled, �You�ll have to excuse my wife. She had an accident in Paraguay and has a wicked headache. I�ve been trying to get her to take a nap, but she can�t seem to get comfortable. I thought perhaps, if she took some of her pain meds.�

The flight attendant chuckled at the thoughtful attractive man, �Well, I�m sure if you put up the armrest, she could find a comfortable spot on your shoulder.�

�Now, why didn�t I think of that,� Harm rolled his eyes, feigning innocence, then proceeded to do just that. Placing his arm around Mac�s shoulder, he tucked her in close, �See honey, isn�t this so much better. Once you�ve taken your meds, I�m sure you�ll fall fast asleep.� He leaned down and placed a quick peck on her forehead.

The attendant smiled sweetly, �I�ll be right back with that water.�

When she walked away, Mac struggled against his chest, �Harm, let go of me.�

He kept his arm in place, �Look Mac, you�re exhausted. I know you have an awful headache, because I�ve experienced more than a few concussions myself over the years. You haven�t slept a wink, since we left the hospital six hours ago, and this flight isn�t due to land for several more hours. So what say you give it a rest for a while, both literally and figurative, and use me for a pillow. I promise not to make any untoward advances on you in your semi-conscious state.�

When she considered him with bleary, unsure eyes, he gave a soft sincere smile, �Please?�

�Okay�thanks,� her response was so quiet, he almost didn�t hear.

When the flight attendant returned, they managed to get Mac comfortably settled with pillows, blankets and meds. She was asleep with little protest and Harm relaxed himself for the first time in days. He watched over her while she slumbered, adjusted her blankets, stroked her hair.

His eye caught sight of the contested note tossed away earlier in the flight. The words �I Love You� were scribbled across the card. It was the key element in his battle plan. He intended to tell her as loud and as often as possible, every hour of every day, in every way he could imagine. He would say it, write it, show it�sing it if necessary. One way or another she would eventually listen�and believe him!

*

Letting his head fall back against the wall, he scrubbed a hand across his face trying to wipe away the exhausting memories, and with them the furrows of stress now deeply embedded across his brow. They�d been back stateside less than a week, and somehow it felt more like a month. The pace since stepping off the plane had yet to slacken.

Over the ensuing few days, Mac had been briefly admitted, evaluated and released from Bethesda, and was now participating in an outpatient rehab program for her shoulder. As a requisite to her discharge, the surgeon had insisted that she identify a responsible person available to assist her with at home day-to-day care and therapy. Harm had enthusiastically volunteered for the post, over her rather loud and contentious objections. She had finally relented, when the doctor threatened to withhold discharge without full compliance to his prescribed plan.

Between debriefings, hospital visits, therapy sessions and the Navy�funny how he thought that part of his life was over, only to find himself sucked back in. Oh well, that was a thought for another day, another time. Suffice it say, Chegwidden could still surprise the hell out of him. He lifted the grocery sacks from their position on the floor, struggled with her apartment key, and prepared for the next arctic encounter. Who knew wintry blizzards came in the middle of June? And along the Mid-Atlantic Seaboard no less!

Pushing the door open, he expected to meet Harriet�s smiling face, but was instead disappointed to find Clay�s. He practically dropped his armload at the sight of the spook, only barely managing a less than graceful save. Stumbling toward the kitchen, he failed to notice the small turquoise bag that had slipped away from the rest.

�Webb, what brings you by,� he mumbled over the tops of the celery leaves protruding from one of the sacks. �And please don�t tell me you�re here to recruit me. The Admiral says that all JAG personnel are off limits to the Company from here on out.�

Clay followed him into the kitchen, �Just thought I�d stop by to say �Hi�.� When Harm shot him a dubious glare, the spy relented, �I came to check in on Mac�drop off a small bouquet of flowers.�

Harm glanced at the �small� vase containing two dozen yellow long-stemmed roses, and quirked a brow, �That�s what you call a �small� bouquet? What gives, Webb?�

�Don�t worry, Harm,� Clay pulled a chair up to the bar and watched the taller man unload the groceries. �Say, you certainly know your way around Mac�s kitchen,� the spook smiled when Harm shot him a warning glare, ��and in case you didn�t notice, the roses are yellow�the color of friendship! I got the hint loud and clear back in Paraguay, no poaching on another man�s turf. I thought I apologized sufficiently for that already.�

�First of all,� Harm tossed Clay a bottle of water, ��Mac is her own woman�she�s no man�s �turf�.� He pointed a finger at the man, �You are one damned lucky fool that she isn�t in here right now making you pay for that remark. Second of all, what makes you think I have any say over who Mac sees or��

�I�d say the little turquoise box tied up with the cute white ribbon,� Clay dangled the gift bag from his finger by the silk cording, ��in the turquoise gift bag marked Tiffany & Co. might have something to do with it.�

�Give me that, Webb,� Harm lunged for the sack, ��how in the world did you find out?�

�Well,� Clay flashed his trademark arrogant grin and held the sack just out of reach, ��I could tell you, but then I�d have to kill you. Besides, you should know by now, Rabb�I know everything!� The spook cackled with laughter, as he fled the kitchen.

�I guess I best be on my way.� Harm followed him through the living room and to the front door. �Hey, tell Mac I said goodbye, and that I hope she�s back on the mend soon.�

�Where is Mac?� Harm craned his neck, glancing around the living room.

�Uh-huh,� Clay grinned, ��headed to her bedroom last I saw. She was muttering something under her breath about needing a bath and a shampoo. I didn�t figure you would appreciate me offering to help.�

�That�s why Harriet was supposed to be here.�

�Apparently, she had to cancel.�

�Great, just great�now, she�ll be in a bad mood all night long,� Harm�s chin dropped to his chest, as he exhaled loudly. �There go all my plans.� Webb just continued to grin like an irritating fool.

�What?!� Harm groused.

Clay extended the Tiffany & Co. gift bag, �What do you care? You got the girl.�

Harm snatched up the sack; his facial expression an odd mixture of excitement, anxiety and remorse all rolled up in one. Shaking his head warily, he muttered, �I certainly hope that�s true.�

�Rabb, she was always yours�you just needed to get over your fears and take the plunge.� Clay smacked him on the chest and walked out the door. Turning back, he said more sincerely, �Don�t worry so much, Harm. Just tell her how you really feel, and make sure she actually listens�it�s not all that hard. Enjoy your spoils, man!� He clapped him hard on the upper arm.

�Don�t worry, I will!� Harm yelled after the retreating spook, closing the apartment door behind him.

Clay wandered down the hall muttering under his breath, �Yeah, rub it in, why don�t you.�

Harm crept across the apartment and tentatively knocked on her bedroom door, �Mac? Mac, are you in there?�

�Go away!�

Sighing, he leaned his forehead against the door, �Sweetheart, you can�t stay in there all night. Now, Clay just left, and I brought home the ingredients for one of your favorite meals.�

�I�m not hungry,� there was a pause, then, ��and stop calling me that!�

�I�m allowed to call you that as a term of endearment, because I love you and��

�No, you don�t!�

�Yes, I do!�

�Go away!�

�Mac, I�m not leaving. Now, Clay said that Harriet wasn�t able to come over, so that means no one helped you with your bath�that is unless, Clay helped��

�He most certainly did not!�

�Good�well, I�m glad to hear it. That means he was kind enough to save it for me,� he grinned to himself just imagining the expression on her face.

Her bedroom door swung open, �It will be a cold day in hell, before I allow you to see me in a bathtub��

�Actually,� he struck a pose against the doorframe, arms crossed on his chest, and one foot casually hooked over the other, ��if I remember correctly, I�ve already seen you in the bathtub covered in a mountain of bubbles. I�d forgotten how beautiful you were at the time, but I promise I�ll never make that mistake again.�

�Arghhh,� she grunted and turned to slam the door, ��why can�t you just leave me alone.�

He caught the edge of the door and followed her inside, �Look Mac, I have a lovely dinner planned for tonight, and I have no intention of allowing your mood to ruin it. Now, I understand that you�ve been through a lot, and I know that it�s frustrating to need help. I also know that you�re in pain and don�t particularly like to take your meds. I�m sorry that Harriet didn�t make it over this afternoon to assist you with your more intimate and personal hygiene needs, but you cannot lift your left arm above your chest�therefore I�m offering to help.�

�And how exactly do you propose to do that?�

�I don�t care,� he shrugged, ��wear a towel, a bathing suit or your birthday suit. I really don�t care.� He turned to leave the room, �I�ll go run your bath!�

When he came back five minutes later, he found her submerged in the bath and up to her neck in bubbles. He smiled at the memory-inducing image and opened his mouth, �I�d forgotten how beau��

�Don�t start,� she glared.

Chuckling, he shook his head, and set a glass of sparkling water at her side. �Thought you might enjoy that, while you�re soaking in the tub.� He picked up her shower gel and the back scrubber, �Would you like me to wash your back?�

�Harm, I can bathe myself,� she barked, then relented and looked away. Glancing back, she chewed her lip, �I�m sorry�I know you�re just trying to help. It�s just so frustrating and embarrassing.� She stared down into the mounds of bubbles then mumbled, �I don�t like to ask for help.�

He knelt down beside her, �Mac, I don�t mind�and I�m here, because I love you.�

�Don�t,� she looked away, but not before he caught the tears sparkling in her eyes.

�Mac,� he ran a finger across her glistening shoulder, up her neck and under her chin, rotating her face back to his view. �Sweetheart, why won�t you believe me?�

�Because you couldn�t say it when�before�� she shook his hand off, ��I don�t want to be just another obligation�your latest obsession or fad.�

He stared at her incensed, �You think I didn�t feel this before?�

�No,� her gaze dropped to the water, ��I think you love me like a friend, and I thank you for that.�

He stood up and paced angrily to the door, �You think I would resign my commission, throw away my career, and risk my life for just anyone?�

�Not just anyone, but for family and friends,� her voice grew softer still, ��yes.�

He threw up his hands, �You�re wrong, Mac! You�re just wrong! I�m sorry that I didn�t admit it when you first asked me. You don�t think I go back and relive that moment every minute of every hour of every day in my mind? Do you think that I don�t wonder about the �what if�s�? What if I�d only answered you honestly at that moment�maybe we wouldn�t have fought�maybe you wouldn�t have left�maybe Sadik wouldn�t have abducted you�and maybe I wouldn�t be grasping at straws right now for some way to prove to you how much I have loved you for the last several years!�

She watched him turn and stalk out of the room. She sat there in the quiet of her bathroom listening for any sounds of him. There was nothing, no noise at all, save for the popping of bubbles. Tears burned hot in her eyes, streamed in torrents down her cheeks. She glanced around the room, realizing she was stuck in the bathtub and just as she was about to give up, he reappeared. He dropped on the floor beside her, never uttered a word, only offered up his hand in support. They sat there for several minutes, hands intertwined, heart rates finally slowed, breathing as one.

With a deep reluctant sigh, he finally whispered, �Will you give me one more chance to explain?�

She nodded her head uneasily, but didn�t speak.

�When I heard that you had gone missing, I went to the Admiral and requested to go after you. He denied both my requests for TAD and emergency leave. I knew I couldn�t live with myself, if I didn�t at least try to bring you back, so I resigned my commission. As I was leaving AJ�s office, he asked me, if I was successful and brought you home, what I would be willing to risk to keep you. At that moment in his office, I told him I didn�t know�that I hadn�t thought it through.�

She started to pull her hand away, but he held firm. Her voice cracked with tears as she spoke, �I don�t see how that changes things. In fact, it just proves my point.�

�It�s true, I hadn�t thought through all the consequences of my actions at that exact moment. I tend to act first, when the people I love are threatened, and worry about the consequences later. I think you were the first person to point that out.� He squeezed her hand and smiled, �Does the statement: �You�re being ruled by your emotions, and those emotions are going to get us killed,� ring any bells?�

She hopelessly shook her head, �The prior act goes toward pattern, thus proof of evidence. You were trying to save your father then.�

The fingers of his left hand began to nervously fidget, rubbing and crinkling the paper in his hand, �Yes, but I didn�t buy my father a ring before I left for Russia.�

�What?!� Stunned, she whipped her face around toward him.

He held up the receipt in his hand, �I told AJ I hadn�t thought it through in his office, but that didn�t mean I hadn�t thought it through long and hard before I left. All I knew was that we�d already wasted too much time, and I didn�t want to risk ever losing you again, so I made a purchase before I left for Paraguay. Because I wanted this �particular item� appropriately sized and engraved, I wasn�t actually able to take it with me. In fact, due to some personalized specialty requests, it wasn�t fully completed and available for pick-up until today.�

He carefully unfolded the receipt and rotated the paper toward her, allowing only the date to come into view. �Now, just so that we�re both perfectly clear, I want you to carefully note the original date of sale of this particular item.�

She glanced at the receipt and tears flooded her eyes.

�If you will, Counselor�could you please be so kind as to read the date aloud for the court,� his voice held a note of teasing.

�Let the record show,� she giggled with giddy tearful joy, ��that the purchase was made on May 20th, of the year 2003.�

�And Counselor, was this date before or after the defendant is purported to have left the country on a recovery mission to Paraguay to rescue the love of his life?�

�Let the record show that the date in question was before this brave man traveled 5,000 miles and damn near got himself killed just to find me,� she sniffed back tears. �But I have a question of my own to ask this brave man, sir.�

�And what would that be, Counselor?� He caressed away the tears on her cheek.

�Just what might this purchase be that proves beyond a shadow of a doooubt�� her words traveled off, as she kissed the upturned palm of the hand caressing her cheek.

He held up a small turquoise box adorned with a tiny white bow, and she reflexively gasped. He released the ribbon and pulled the top aside to reveal an exquisite diamond engagement ring, as unique and eternal as their love.

�Mac,� taking the ring from the box, he placed it onto the end of her finger, ��look, I guarantee there'll be tough times. I guarantee that at some point, one or both of us is gonna want to get out of this thing. But I also guarantee that if I don't ask you to be mine, I'll regret it for the rest of my life, because I know, in my heart, you're the only one for me. What do you say, will you marry me?�

�Yes,� she nodded, barely able to speak. He slid the ring on her finger.

�So tell me, am I now allowed to tell you that��I love you�?�

�Yes,� she hiccupped in reply.

�And will you tell me back?� He asked a bit tentative and unsure.

�Oh yes,� she tried to slide her injured arm around his neck. �Ouch! Damn it!�

He pulled back laughing, �That�s how you tell a guy who has just proposed to you, that you love him�Jeez Mackenzie, you�re kind of a hard sell!�

That had her laughing and crying and hiccupping all at the same time. He took advantage of the situation and stood up to shed his clothes.

Her eyes grew wide, �Wha-Wha-What are you doing?�

�Well, I made you a promise about the next time I found you in a bathtub covered in bubbles,� his shirt hit the floor.

�And just�when�was this,� she hiccupped between happy tears.

�In the hospital,� he toed off his shoes and socks, ��although in the interest of honesty, you were unconscious at the time.�

Her eyebrows disappeared into her hair, �And just what�� she trailed off mid-sentence when he dropped into the tub behind her, khaki shorts and all.

�The actual specifics of that fantasy will have to wait until you�re a little more up to the challenge,� he waggled his brow, then flashed an impish grin. �Now about that shampoo,� he pulled her back against his chest and cupping his hand, drizzled water over her hair.

She leaned her head back further, closing her eyes and enjoying his ministrations. The water trailed in tiny rivulets down her tanned perfect skin. He brushed the hair away from her face, tenderly wiping the droplets from her eyes, then stopped and just stared in awe.

�Harm?� Concerned with his silence, she opened her eyes to question, but was immediately swallowed up in the bottomless blue-grey depths of his.

�My gosh,� he reverently uttered on the softest breath of air, ��you are so beautiful.�

Tears flooded her eyes. �I love you, too,� she tenderly stroked his cheek, just before his lips finally caressed hers.

~ fin ~

A/N: Additional utilized prompts

Wyly King: �You know you were lucky to get her the first time.�
Eddie Bichon: �It was a damn miracle.�
From �Something to Talk About,� submitted by Anon

Riker: �You think it's possible for two people to go back in time, undo a mistake they've made?�
Troi: �On this ship? Anything's possible...�
(You don't have to use the "ship" part if it doesn't fit into the story.)
From �Star Trek: Insurrection,� submitted by Theresa

Birdie Pruitt: You know, I always thought I was gonna be, I don't know, special. But I'm not. I'm just... I'm just an ordinary person. And that's OK. Because... you make me special. Don't you know that? Don't you know that you're everything in this world to me? And we're gonna make it through this because we are a team. ... So don't you ever think about leaving me again... because I need you. I love you.
From �Hope Floats,� submitted by lisa

Riley Poole: What do you care? You got the girl.
Abigail Chase, Ben Gates: That's true.
Riley Poole: Yeah, rub it in.
Riley Poole: Enjoy your spoils.
From �National Treasure,� submitted by Mandy

Ike Graham: [on the perfect proposal] Look, I guarantee there'll be tough times. I guarantee that at some point, one or both of us is gonna want to get out of this thing. But I also guarantee that if I don't ask you to be mine, I'll regret it for the rest of my life, because I know, in my heart, you're the only one for me.
From �Runaway Bride,� submitted by Dea

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