Author: Dazzling
Email: glitter_and_glam@hotmail.com
Disclaimers: Nope, the JAG team are not mine, unfortunately. If I did, the whole boat scene in 'Boomerang' would have been *completely* different. The song also isn't, it's 'Angel of Your Heart' by Human Nature (great band, even greater song, everyone should hear it).
Notes: This is my first attempt at a JAG fic, please be nice. Oh, and I'm not a doctor, so I couldn't make everything medically correct, so ignore the mistakes please.
Rating: PG-13, for injuries.
Summary: Mac has been in a road accident, and is in a coma. Is Harm too late?
Distribution: If my name's on it and you ask me nicely first and tell me where you're going to put it, go for it.
Reviews and Feedback: C'mon...you know you want to....

ANGEL OF YOUR HEART

1930 Tuesday 12th December
Beckett Road, near JAG Headquarters

The red Corvette swerved as it tried to avoid the blue car coming towards it. The 'vette spun on the ice, fishtailed across the road and slammed into a tree on the side, wrapping itself around the trunk. The driver of the blue car, a young man, stopped immediately, stunned. He jumped out of his car, cell phone in hand. Dialling 911, he said 'Yeah, I'm on Beckett Road, about halfway up. Hurry, please. I think I've just killed a Marine!"

2000 Same Night
Harm's Office, JAG Headquarters

Commander Harmon Rabb sat at his desk, surrounded by stacks of paper work. He and his partner, Colonel Sarah Mackenzie, had a big case to try tomorrow. He was about to make himself a cup of coffee in the hopes of staying awake when something on the radio made him stop.

'...and in news just in, a young woman has been very seriously injured when her car crashed into a tree off Beckett Road. She has been taken to the Mercy hospital in a coma. And in sports news...'

Harm felt a wave of sorrow go through him. "Poor girl," he thought, before getting up and heading to the kitchen. He was just about there when the phone rang. "Damn," he thought. "What's a guy got to do to get a cup of coffee?" He raced back and picked up the phone. It was the Admiral.

"Commander, sorry to disturb you. I was wondering if you'd heard the radio announcement about the woman in the car crash."

"Yeah, I did," Harm said, switching the phone to the other ear. "Poor thing. Why?"

The Admiral hesitated. "Well. Commander... Harm, the thing is....that woman...that woman was Mac."

Harm couldn't breathe. "Ma.. Mac?"

"I'm sorry, Commander...."

"Admiral, sir, I gotta go."

Harm slammed the phone down, picked up his coat and his car keys, and raced out of the offices down to his car. He sped to the hospital, not slowing down except to park. He jumped out and ran into the building.

2030 Same Night
Mercy Hospital

Harm found the desk. "Hi, I'm looking for Mac... ah, that is, Sarah Mackenzie. She was admitted earlier."

The woman looked at him sorrowfully. "Are you family?"

Harm bit back a sigh of frustration and forced himself to stay calm. "I'm about the closest thing she's got to it right now. Can I see her?"

The woman looked around then nodded. "Alright. Emergency Room. Fifth floor. The doctor in charge is Mark Ne..."

Harm didn't hear the rest as he ignored the elevator and headed for the stairs. Reaching the fifth floor, he found the ER, and standing outside it, the Admiral. "Where is she?" Harm demanded.

The Admiral sighed. "In there," he said, pointing to a bed. 'But you might want to prepare yourself, Commander. She's...well, she's in a pretty bad state."

Harm pushed open the door wand walked quietly in, making his way to Mac's bed. He gasped when he saw her. She was, as the Admiral had told him, in a bad state. Her brown hair was matted with blood, and tubes hooked her up to a million different machines. Scratches and bruises covered her face and neck.

Harm turned away. He hadn't been ready for this. She just looked so lifeless. He quickly turned and walked back outside to the Admiral.

"What's... what's the prognosis?"

The Admiral hesitated, as he had on the phone. 'She has major internal bleeding, and probably some head trauma. What with the coma, well, they, they don't really expect her to wake up."

Harm shook his head. "No, she'll wake up. She has to." A tear came to his eye, and he brushed away, furious with himself.

The Admiral put a hand on Harm's shoulder. "Commander, I won't pretend I know what you're feeling. You were closer to the Colonel than anyone in the office, myself included. The way I'm feeling, seeing one of my two best lawyers lying there like that, probably doesn't even compare to what you are. But you have my, and the whole office's, support. Now I'm going to ring Bud and Harriet, to tell them, and I'll tell the rest of the office tomorrow." The Admiral turned and headed down the hall, but looked back.

"And Commander?"

Harm looked up at him.

"It's ok to cry." With that, the Admiral walked down the corridor, out of sight. And with no one to see him, Harmon Rabb sunk into a chair, and cried.

2130 Same Night
Mercy Hospital

Harm walked back into the Emergency Room, and over to Mac's bed. After composing himself, he had finally had his cup of coffee. He dragged a chair over to her bedside, and sat down beside her. Taking hold of her hand, he vowed to himself to stay with her every day, until she woke up, or until she didn't.

"C'mon, Marine," he whispered to her, holding her hand tightly. "You gotta wake up. Who I am going to tease, now that you're not in the office, huh? And who am I going to have long talks to when we're meant to be working? And who..."

Feeling tears come back, Harm rested his head back and slept, staying like that the entire night.

0815 Wednesday 13th December
Mercy Hospital

"Sir? Sir?"

Harm felt a hand shaking his shoulder. He rubbed his bleary eyes, and looked up into Bud's worried face. He smiled wearily and stood, shaking the pins and needles out of his legs.

"Were you here all night, sir?"

"Yeah, Bud, I was, and quit with the sir. We're hardly in the office."

"Sorry sir," Bud said, with a slight grin. His smile faded as he glanced down at Mac. "How is she?"

Harm looked down at his best friend, at the scratches still marring her face. "Not good," he said. "The doctors told me that she's still bleeding a bit internally, though not as bad as they originally thought, so I guess that's good."

Bud nodded. "Everyone in the office...well, they're in shock to say the least. Harriet especially."

Harm nodded, not knowing exactly what to say. "Well, if you're going in today, tell everyone about her. And give my support to Harriet."

Bud looked at Mac again, then smiled slightly. "I will. I'll see you later, sir."

1345 Thursday 21st December
Mercy Hospital

After lunch, Harm returned to Mac's new private room, as he had been doing ever since the day he received news of her condition. He had been talking to her daily, telling her everything that had been going on. She hadn't gotten any better, but she hadn't gotten any worse either. Sitting down next to her, he started.

"Hey there, Marine. Bet you're getting sick of me now, right? Too bad. The only way you're gonna get rid of my six is if you wake up and tell me yourself. Well, everyone at the office is looking forward to Christmas, of course. Even the Admiral, believe it or not. I think he's going soft from the holiday season. And Bud just..."

"Commander Rabb?" a doctor called from the doorway.

"Be right back," he whispered to Mac, before getting up and walking over to the young man. "Yes?"

"Sir, we just got a report back from Miss Mackenzie's doctor, and I'm sorry to say, but its not good news. Her condition is deteriorating. Signs show that her heart speed is slowing down significantly. What with the coma, the possibility of head trauma, and the internal bleeding, well... I'm really sorry to say, sir, but I'd be looking at the worst possible scenario."

Harm simply nodded. "Thankyou," he told the young man, before shutting the door and returning to Mac.

'C'mon, Mac. I know what the doctor said, but you've got to wake up. It's almost Christmas. Please? I can't lose you." Harm laid his head down on the side of the bed and wept. He cried for her, whom he loved, as more than a friend. He cried for the fact that he might never have the chance to tell her so. He cried for all the things she would never get to experience. And he cried for the irony of it all. He didn't believe that doctors, but in his heart, he knew there was some truth in what they were saying. If love could keep her alive, he would see to it.

1000 Christmas Day
Mercy Hospital

Walking to Mac's room, Harm felt none of the Christmas cheer that today was supposed to bring. As he entered, he took a long look at her. The bruises had healed slightly, but other than that, there had been no change. Externally. Harm knew that internally, things were going from bad to worse. Her heart was still slowing down, but Harm refused to let himself believe that one day, it might stop. As he had many times before, her sat down next to her. This time, for a serious talk.

Oh as far, as far as I remember
You've been here walking next to me
Just a friend, I thought was all I needed
Now I realize what a fool I've been
Here I am, the greatest of pretenders
Always looking, but too afraid to see
That this feeling going on inside me
Is a love that was always meant to be
God I wish I was your lover
Why did I have to wait?
Guess I'll always be the lover too late

"Am I too late, Mac? Please, don't let it be too late to tell you how I feel... how I've felt for four years now. I just didn't realize it. God, please don't die on me, Marine. I couldn't handle it if you did. Please don't leave me. I love you...I'm in love with you. God, please...please don't go." Harm kissed her forehead, and lowered his face, sobbing.

Every time I see you, I'm aching, I'm breaking
If only I could tell you you're more than a friend
If only I could show you I love you, forever
We'd never be apart
I could be the angel of your heart

There you go, leaving with another
Days without you, so hard to contemplate
If I count every lonely, waking hour
Will I always be the lover too late?

Mac's hand twitched. Harm bolted upright, hardly daring to believe it. "Mac? Mac?"

Her eyelids fluttered for a second, closed, and then opened fully. She took a scratchy, short breath. And another. She looked up at Harm. "H...Ha...Harm?" she asked weakly.

He brushed her hair off her forehead. 'Yeah, it's me."

"Hi," she managed, before falling back on the pillow.

"I'll just go get a doctor,' he told her, before running out of the room.

1225 Christmas Day
Mercy Hospital

Two hours later, Mac was sitting up talking to a doctor when Harm came back in, after ringing everyone to tell them, and after taking some time on his own to realize what he had almost just lost. The doctor walked over to him.

"It's amazing,' he stated. "Her heart rate is back to normal, and she hasn't suffered any major head trauma or brain damage from the coma. It's simply amazing." With that, he walked out the door.

Harm went over to Mac. "How're you feeling?"

"Like I just got hit by a car and rammed into a tree," she joked weakly.

"That's my Marine," he grinned. "You know Mac, you almost missed Christmas."

"And, if I'm not mistaken, so did you. Why on earth would you want to sit here with a comatose case instead of seeing your family?"

"Well, you know, you weren't in a position to tease me nearly as much as my family would've. Now, you better get some rest." He tried to gently push her back onto the pillows, but she resisted.

"I've been resting for almost two weeks. I'm serious Harm. The doctor told me that you've been sitting with me all day, every day."

"Yeah, I guess I have."

"Why?"

Harm hesitated, and took a deep breath. It was now or never. "Because...because I'm in love with you."

Mac's eyes widened. "You're what?"

"And I couldn't stand seeing you like that, but even more, I couldn't stand the thought of leaving you, even for a moment."

"You...you love me?"

"Yes, for Christ Sake, I do. I have for four years now." Harm was getting anxious. What if she didn't feel the same?

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"And risk losing my best friend if she didn't feel it too?"

Now it was Mac's turn to take a breath.

"And...what if it turned out that she did? And she had, ever since she met you?"

Harm looked down at her, stunned, and she pulled his head down and kissed him. It was everything they had both imagined and much, much more. Harm pulled away after a long minute and grinned at her.

"You know what, Marine? I should get you comatose more often." He smiled, trying to make a joke out of the pain he felt, after almost losing her. She punched him, then pulled him down for another kiss.

And in the doorway, the Admiral saw them and smiled. 'Finally,' he thought, before turning away, and leaving them to the happiness they both deserved.

Every time I see you, I'm aching, I'm breaking
If only I could tell you, you're more than a friend
If only I could show you I love you, forever
We'd never be apart
I could be the angel of your heart.

FIN

AN: Excuse the ending. Smut city, I know, but they had to get together. See that little box there? That's where you tell me how fabulous I am! LoL! No, really, feedback would be greatly appreciated.