Author: Lace
Subject: HBX Challenge July 2008 Marines and Jet Jocks

Just something I wrote in a hurry. It's past Adrift and JAGathon.
The character's does not belong to me, but I will borrow them for my story.


HBX Challenge July 2008


Marines and jet jocks

The sun was setting, the ocean lay still and except from a few sea goals there was not a sound to be heard. The peacefulness was addictive and Mac couldn't make herself turn and walk back to the house. She had been away for almost three hours and knew Harm would be worried by now. He always worried when she left without letting him know where she was going. She had meant to tell him about her little late night walk, but he had been to preoccupied with his friends to notice her existence. If she was going to be honest she had felt left out the whole weekend. It wasn't very strange since she was a lonely Marine surrounded by sailors and except for Harm and Keeter she didn't really know any of the others.
She had talked some with Tina, the wife of one of Harm's friends, for a while, but they didn't really have anything in common, making it hard to keep up a conversation.

Mac didn't know why she had this uneasy feeling; it was something she couldn't explain, it was just there and had been all weekend. Maybe it was because of her growing belly and all the hormones that came with it or maybe it was because of Lori; the cute, boyish good looking female who had hugged harm and flirtingly reminded him of the weekend they spent together in Malibu. Harm had a past, Mac knew that, but she couldn't help but to be jealous. The way Harm had acted this weekend only made the feeling of unease stronger. It was a side of him she had never experienced before, it was like he was a changed man; a man Mac would never have fallen in love with. Who was that man and why had he come barging into her life at a point where she needed stability and support?

Mac rose from her seat on the beach, made sure she didn't have sand on her pants before walking back through the forest towards the house. She slowly walked up the stairs to the porch before entering the house, half expecting that Harm hadn't even noticed her disappearance.

From the look on his face, she could see that he knew she had been gone. “Where the hell have you been? I've been worried sick.” Harm came to meet her in the hallway with worry in his eyes. So much for slipping in unnoticed.

“I was at the beach, watching the sunset.” Mac smiled. “It was so beautiful and quiet I couldn't get myself to walk away.”

Harm didn't find her sunset walk very beautiful. “You could have told me! I was sure something had happened to you.” He more or less yelled to her.

Mac didn't know how to react at first, but something inside her snapped. She had become better at talking around a fight with him, but this time she knew she didn't have it in her. “I'm a Marine, I can take care of myself.” She barked before she turned on her heels and walked right outside again.

She couldn't believe his reaction. First he spent most of the weekend ignoring her, then when she'd finally found something fun to do he was acting like a kid who didn't get the right ice cream from his parents. Mac felt the baby kick her from the inside, she touched her belly and smiled. No matter how bad her mood was, one move from her son or daughter made her smile like a little girl. Finally she had all she could ever want; the family she had always wanted.

She heard footsteps behind her and turned around expecting to see Harm, but found Keeter instead.

“When you two fight, you really don't hold anything back do you?” He smiled and touched her belly. “What will you do when this guy comes along and have both yours and Harm's temper?”

Mac rolled her eyes. “First of all; it might be a girl! Secondly; we are not fighting.” She paused. “Yet.” She ran a hand trough her hair in a defeated motion. “It's just that I have never seen this side of him. It's like he's someone I've never met before.”

Keeter sat down on a chair and stretched his legs out and put them on the porch railing. “What do you mean?”

“He's drinking and being all full of himself.” Mac noticed Keeter's amused look. “More full of himself than usual I mean.” She gave him a half smile before she turned serious again. “And then there's Lori...” Mac looked away when she mentioned the woman.

Keeter laughed hard. “Ah, her. Believe me when I say that you have nothing to worry about when it comes to her. And about Harm; this part of him is just the jet jock...you know; the fighter pilot.” Keeter gave her a reassuring smile. “He really love you and he really love the thought of becoming a dad.”

Mac leaned against the porch railing and crossed her arms across her chest. “I know he does, but it scares me that the serious, responsible guy I love and adore can turn around completely and behave like...you.”

Keeter laughed. “I always get the best out of people don't I?” He put his feet on the ground and stood. He leaned to the railing and put his arms around Mac's shoulders.

Mac smiled up at him. “Yes you do.”

Keeter laughed some more before sobering up. “Don't worry, when you leave here tomorrow Harm will be back to normal.”

“Promise?” Mac gave him a suspicious look.

Keeter smiled. “I promise. Now let's go inside so that you and Harm can make up.”

“Sure.” Mac said reluctantly, but she followed him inside where she was met by the sight of her husband sitting beside Lori, she leaning a bit to close to Harm for Mac's liking. When Lori noticed Mac she pulled away from Harm. “It looks like the Marine has cooled off.” She flirtingly said to Harm.

Mac knew she should be the bigger person and walk away, but she had been the bigger person all weekend and she had maxed out. “No, the Marine has not cooled off. In fact the Marine was just getting warm and are now ready for combat.” Mac stepped closer to Lori and her husband.

Everything quiet down around them and everyone focused on what was about to happen. Harm noticed what his wife was about to do and got up from the couch. “Mac...”

Mac dragged her focus away from Lori and her eyes landed on Harm. “No Harm, you listen to me. You are a NAVY Commander, a respected JAG officer. You are not a 'I'm gonna get drunk and get laid jet jock' on leave. I have never seen you act like this before and I've known you for years; I don't even like this version of you and I would never have fallen in love with you if I knew this side of you. Just because you are suddenly in an environment with other jet jocks doesn't allow you to sink to their level. I expect you to stop acting like a jerk and start acting like my husband and the father of my child!” She took a deep breath before turning to Lori. “And for you Lori; stay the hell away from my husband or I'll show you what real Marines can do.”

She turned on her heels and felt herself wobble a little. Everyone around her got to their feet, afraid she would tumble over. Harm grabbed her arm. “Mac are you okay?” He was terrified.
Mac took a deep breath and felt her sudden dizziness disappear. “No, I'm not okay. I'm pissed and I'm hungry.”

Harm took her hand and turned to the kitchen. “Why didn't you say anything? I'll make you something to eat. You really have to take care of yourself Mac! You have three months left of this pregnancy and you have to start acting like you are pregnant and not like you can take on the next big combat alone! Seriously, I don't know what I'm going to do with you.”

“Maybe it would help if you stopped making me angry?” Mac suggested while she sat down to watch Harm make her a sandwich.

“Believe it or not, but I'm not doing it on purpose. You should have told me that you thought I acted like a jerk.” Suddenly his movement stopped and he looked panicked. “Did you say that you didn't love me any more?”

Mac was confused. “What?”

“In there, when you were yelling?” He pointed to the living room where his friends had gotten over the shock of his wife's yelling and started having fun again. Their laughter and voices reached them in the kitchen.

“I said I didn't love this side of you, there's a difference.” Mac argued.

“I'm sorry.” Harm took her hand. “I guess I got carried away.”

“Apology accepted.” Mac smiled. “Want to make me some food now?”

Harm bent down, put his hand on her belly and kissed her on the mouth. “I'll get right on it. After all we can't have this baby go hungry can we?” He said towards her belly.

He was about to walk back to the bench and continue his task of making her food when he felt her hold him back. “I'm sorry I yelled at you in front of your friends.”

“That's okay. You are a Marine, they understand.” Harm bent down to kiss her again. “Marines do have a bad temper...I mean the way you kick boxed that Russian Officer aboard the Cayuga, when Bud and I were aboard that Russian vessel Vasiliev.”

Mac was surprised. “How did you know about that? You weren't there.”

Harm chuckled. “Are you kidding? There's still rumours about Marine Corps hickey going around...” He teased.

Mac rolled her eyes. “That was years ago Harm, you can't use that now. Why don't you concentrate on my food there honey, it's safer than what you're doing right now.” She warned.

Harm smiled and got back to his task. He was quiet while working, but when he had presented her with the largest sandwich she had ever seen he sat down beside her and took her hand. “About Lori...”

“You don't have to explain.”

Harm had a look of shame on his face when he continued. “We had a weekend while I was still a full time pilot; it was never serious, just alcohol and sex.”

Mac was confused. “I thought you were with Diane back then?”

Harm looked away. “I was. Diane and I wasn't dating exclusively, there were other's along the way.” He looked back at Mac. “You have to understand that I'm not like that any more. I love you and I only want to be with you.”

“I know and I trust you.” Mac reassured him.

Harm looked relieved. “That's all I care about. Sometimes I love you so much it's...Have you ever had your life turned upside down?”

“I guess...” Mac wasn't sure where he was going.

“That's what happened when I met you. I started thinking things through; in a way I settled down.”

Mac was amused. “You were still pretty much a bachelor with commitment issues until the Mic/Renee fiasco?”

“I almost lost you then Mac. If my plane hadn't crashed and the wedding hadn't been postponed... “ Harm swallowed hard. “I would have lost you.” He ran his thumb over her lips. “ Have you ever had your heart stop?”

Mac felt tears in her eyes and thought, not for the first time during her pregnancy; damn hormones. “When they told me that your plane went down, I think my heart at least skipped a few beats.”

“My only thought out there in the ocean was you. I had to make it alive so that I could make you reconsider marrying Mic and marry me instead. When I was drifting in that ocean, I saw only you.” He cupped her cheek in his hand and looked into her eyes. “Now, I have you and a baby and it's all I could ever want.”

Mac leaned into him and kissed his lip softly. “I love you so much Harm.”

“I love you too.” He deepened the kiss.

Just something I wrote in a hurry. It's past Adrift and JAGathon.
The character's does not belong to me, but I will borrow them for my story.