0937 (9:37 a.m.)
Mac’s Apartment
Georgetown

Mac cocked one eye open, and she was greeted by the blinding light of the morning sun streaming through her bedroom window. She promptly rolled over onto her other side, yawned hugely, and stretched. Thank the Lord for Saturdays.

Swinging her feet onto the floor, she stood and meandered out into the hallway. She stopped at Chloe’s room and cracked the door open. There was a huge mound right in the middle of the bed, buried underneath three layers of blankets. Mac smiled to herself and closed the door quietly.

She padded her way to the living room and was only mildly surprised to see Harm stretched across the couch, snoring softly. He was probably just too tired to drive home, she figured as she tiptoed past him to the kitchen.

She flipped on the radio that sat on the ledge over the sink, and keeping it at a low volume so as not to wake Harm, she hummed along with it as she set about fixing herself a pot of coffee. Once the coffeemaker was gurgling, she pulled a bag of bagels out of the freezer and popped one into the toaster.

The phone rang, and she reached over to grab it off the hook. “Lieutenant Colonel MacKenzie. Oh, good morning, Bud.” She snatched a clean mug off the rack on the wall. “Witness list? I left it on your desk yesterday afternoon.” She cocked her head to cradle the phone against her shoulder as she spoke. “Mm-hmm, right next to your computer.” She poured herself a cup of coffee, then moved back over to the toaster as her freshly browned breakfast shot into the air. “You’re kidding. Did you look under your chair? Remember, that AC vent is positioned right over your desk. Wouldn’t be the first time it blew a paper onto the floor.” She tried to walk to the refrigerator for the cream cheese, but her phone cord wouldn’t stretch far enough. With a determined grunt, she leaned as far as she could and yanked the fridge door open. “Well, if you can’t find it, I’ve still got the list on my computer. I can always just print you off another copy.” She reached with the very tips of her fingers and managed to get ahold of the tub of cream cheese. However, as she pulled it off the shelf, the motion knocked two large containers of leftover pasta onto the floor with two synonymous and rather loud THUMP’s. “Dang it,” she muttered under her breath. So much for letting Harm sleep. “No, I’m sorry Bud, I wasn’t talking to you! What were you saying?”

~*~*~*~*

Harm scrunched his eyes further closed and, rolling onto his side, burrowed his face into his pillow. Hold on a minute. That’s not my pillow. Fabric’s all wrong. And this is most definitely NOT my bed. Where the heck am I? He reached one hand out to explore his surroundings, and his fingers came into contact with an afghan lying across the back of the couch. He knew that blanket. Mac’s apartment, he realized. Opening his eyes, he looked around him. No one else was in the room, but he could hear the soft sounds of a radio morning show coming from the kitchen doorway. Mac must be up.

He shoved himself into a sitting position, wiping the sleep from his eyes. He sat there for a moment, persuading himself that it was really time to wake up. The inviting aroma of freshly brewed coffee floating through the air was what finally convinced him. Rising, he made his way to the kitchen. He then paused and leaned against the jamb, silently watching his partner.

She had her back to him, looking out the window as she held the phone in one hand and half a bagel in the other. Harm thought she looked positively adorable in her pajama shorts and X-large T-shirt that boldly announced BEEF. IT’S WHAT’S FOR DINNER. Her hair was still slightly mussed with the unbrushed morning look, which was one of his personal favorites. Standing there gazing at her, he wondered if maybe one day he’d be able to see it on a daily basis.

His pondering was abruptly halted as Mac bid farewell to the person on the opposite end of the line and turned to hang up the phone. “Oh, good morning.”

“’Mornin’.” Harm pushed himself off the doorjamb and entered the kitchen.

Mac’s face wore a guilty expression. “Did I wake you up?”

Harm shook his head. “Nah. Two idiots decided to have a honking match right below your window.”

Mac offered him a sympathetic smile. “Sorry about that.”

“No big deal.”

“Want some coffee?”

“Sure.”

Mac turned to pour him a mug. “How was the concert?”

“Not as bad as I expected, actually. But if I ever think of buying boy band tickets as a gift again, kick me.”

“Will do,” Mac promised with a grin. She handed him a cup of steaming coffee, which he accepted gratefully. “Did Chloe have a good time?”

“Oh, yeah. She won’t be talking much today, though… all that screaming she did.”

Mac laughed. “I can imagine.” Grabbing her own mug and remaining half a bagel, she led the way out of the kitchen to the dining room table. “So, what time did you get back?” she asked, sitting down in one of the chairs and tucking a leg up underneath her.

“’Bout 12:30.”

“That’s not too bad.”

“Nope.”

Comfortable silence then settled over the room as they each settled back and enjoyed their coffee, listening to the morning news on the radio that was still playing in the kitchen. Harm’s gaze once again focused on Mac. And then, in a sudden burst of courage, he blurted out, “Mac, I want to help you raise Chloe.”

She raised her eyes to meet his, a warm smile covering her features. “I know,” she answered simply.

Harm’s expression quickly became one of confusion. “What do you mean?”

“You already told me.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Yes, you did. Maybe not in so many words, but through your actions.” Mac reached over to lay a hand, still warm from holding her mug, over his. “Harm, you’ve already become Chloe’s father figure, whether you’ve realized it or not. She trusts you. Remember the way she opened up to you in Vermont?”

Harm nodded mutely.

“She had shut everyone else out, but you got her to let you in. You’re the one who broke the ice, who helped her through her grief most of all.”

“All I did was let her know that I empathized.”

“And that’s exactly what she needed.” Mac tilted her head slightly, her brown eyes still locked onto his. “Do you get what I’m saying?”

“Yeah.” Harm sat quietly for a moment, then stood and made his way to the living room window, where he stopped and simply stared into the morning. Shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans, he gave a long sigh.

“What is it?”

“Nothin’, really.” Harm faced her again, a small smile spreading over his face. “It’s just that whenever I imagined myself becoming a parent, I never dreamed this is how it would happen.”

Mac rose from her chair to walk over and stand beside him. “Are… are you OK with it?” she inquired, concern and worry evident in her tone.

“Of course!” he replied quickly, and Mac’s countenance relaxed. “We’ve conquered challenges before, right?”

She nodded.

“Well, just think of this as our biggest one yet.” Harm gave her one of his 1,000-watt grins that always melted her heart anew. Then he sobered again. “However, I’ll agree to all of this… on one condition.”

Only slightly wary, Mac asked, “And what’s that?”

Harm took a step closer to her, his hazel blue eyes drowning themselves in hers. “That we work on us.”

Relief washed through Mac, and she couldn’t contain a smile. “Agreed.”

Harm immediately pulled her to him, enveloping her in his embrace. Mac wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head against him contentedly. She felt him place a kiss on the top of her head and bury his face in her hair. Each was so focused on the other that neither noticed the small figure standing at the hallway entrance until she spoke.

“You mean you’re going to be my new dad?”

Harm pulled away from Mac and turned to face Chloe, his expression open and honest. “If that’s what you want,” he replied simply.

Wordlessly, Chloe ran to him and threw her arms around his neck.

THE END