Author: usmgrad, trying something different
Subject: HBX challenge July 2008 - Thoughts

Title - Thoughts
July 2008 challenge
Author - usmgrad

A/N - I wanted to try something different. This month's challenge lines (questions) seemed to provide me with the opportunity. Harm and Mac each "answer" a question, even if it's only in their thoughts.


Harm's thoughts on the way back to Washington after the conclusion of "We the People"

Have you ever had your life turned up side down?

Take it from me, it’s not fun. My life has been flipped so many times I no longer know which way is up. I guess you could say the first time was when I was five years old. No matter how many people tell you things will be alright, having your father declared MIA definitely turns your life upside down.

The second time would be when I was in my teens. Everything was fine until my mom started dating and met Frank. I had been working hard saving my money so I could go to Vietnam to find my father and she goes and decides to get remarried. A step father that wasn't in the plan definitley makes you question the direction of your life.

Flip number three would be my ramp strike. I almost lost my life that time, so I guess you could say I'm lucky it was only turned upside down. Funny, I didn’t feel lucky at the time after killing my RIO and being told I'd have to start a new career at age twenty eight. Flying was the only career I ever wanted. My life had not only been turned upside down but inside out, totally ripped to shreds.

And number four occurred a few days ago. I met my new partner, a jarhead and she could be a twin for my girlfriend, recently deceased. Talk about turning your life upside down. But I must admit, now after working with her and getting to know her a little something tells me maybe my life is finally right side up.



Mac's thoughts after everyone is told Harm has been found after his plane crash ("Adrift two")


Have you ever had your heart stop?

Mine has and I'm not sure it's started again. We've been told he's been found and on his way to sick bay, but I need to see him, make sure he's going to be okay and then maybe my heart will begin beating again.

It's funny but he has a way of doing this at the strangest times. He can be in the middle of a conversation, in a room full of people and out of the blue he gives me a certain look or a smile and my heart cease to work. Then there's the way he chews on the end of a stir stick and don’t even get me started on how he looks in uniform, especially dress whites, not that I'll ever admit it. How does he do it? But that's not all; there are times he takes my breath away too.

No one has ever affected me this way. You would have thought I would have taken this as a sign, but no I ignored it completely and now it might be too late. No, I can’t think like that, he's going to be fine, they found him alive and he's going to be fine. He'll be assessed in sick bay, stabilized, flown home to Bethesda and back at work before we know it. He'll probably be making jokes and tell stories about this for months.

But as soon as he's back on his feet, I'm going to knock him on his six for stopping my heart like this!