Author: usmgrad
Subject: HBX Challenge October 2008 - Hugs and Making Up

Title - Hugs and Making Up HBX Challenge October 2008
Author- usmgrad
Disclaimer: Written for my own personal pleasure and posted for the enjoyment of others. Characters were borrowed and returned with only a little wear and tear and hopefully a little bit wiser.

A/N - Rachel is Emily's best friend

Someone from the past disrupts Emily's happy family.

Emily knew something wasn't right when her mom picked her up from daycare instead of her dad. When asked where he was, the curt reply was 'I don’t know'. This wasn't right, her dad always picked her up from daycare and her mom always knew where he was. There was silence the rest of the way home, no 'how was your day' or 'what did you learn today'. Something was definitely not right in Emily's family.

As they pulled into the garage Emily saw the space for her dad's car empty. Going in the house she looked for signs that maybe he had been there and left, there were none. Emily asked when her dad would be home but she received the same answer as before, 'I don’t know', only this time Emily thought she heard her mom crying as she headed toward the bedroom. Emily was left alone in the den not knowing what was going on, only that something was definitely wrong.

When Mac returned to the den, her clothes were changed but Emily noticed her eyes were puffy and red. Mac kissed her daughter on the head and headed to the kitchen to start dinner. Moments later Emily heard her daddy's car pull into the garage. After what seemed like a very long time he finally walked in the backdoor. He gave his daughter a hug and kiss, but Emily saw the sad expression on his face. It was the same expression her mom had when she picked Emily up from daycare. Harm looked toward the kitchen; Mac stopped what she was doing and looked up. Neither spoke. Harm turned and headed toward the bedroom. Moments later he returned and left for his evening run. Neither parent had spoken a word. Emily was confused; her parents never ignored each other. They were always hugging and kissing each other.

After his run and a shower, Harm spent some time with Emily. He asked about her day and looked over the papers she had brought home from "school". Emily tried to get her mom and dad to sit down together and help her with the puzzle she was working on but if one sat the other would get up. Before long Harm excused himself and went to the office to do some work. Mac returned to the kitchen to check on dinner. Leaving Emily alone again to figure out what had happened to her happy family.

The more Emily thought about it the more she realized her parents were acting just like Rachel and she did when they had had a fight. This wasn't right, parents weren't supposed to fight; she wanted her mom and dad back. It didn’t take Emily long to come up with a plan to get her happy family back.

Emily marched into her dad's office with a determined look on her face. Standing in front of her father she took the papers he was reading from his hand, set them on the desk and proceeded to pull him out of his chair. Harm really wasn't paying attention to what Emily was doing; he mind had wandered back to Mac's office and was remembering what had happened. When he finally realized his mini marine wanted him to go with her he cooperated.

"Emily, where are we going?"

She didn’t answer him; instead she tugged a little harder on his hand. They went down the hall into the kitchen. Harm came to an abrupt stop, unwilling to go any further. So Emily got behind him and started pushing.

"Emily, that's enough" Harm chastised his daughter, but there was no real force behind his words.

She continued to push.

Harm started to turn, "Emily, what are you doing?"

She pushed even harder.

Exasperated when Emily didn’t stop Harm finally asked, "Are you trying to throw me into her arms, Emily?"

Emily thought 'well duh'. Of course she was, didn’t he know anything? After a fight you have to hug and make up.

Emily had carefully considering all the facts, as she knew them and had come to the conclusion that her dad had upset her mom, so he was the one that needed to apologize. Just like Emily had to apologize after she made Rachel mad. At the time, Emily didn’t understand why until her dad explained it, after a fight you have to say you're sorry, hug and make up.

Turning around Harm bent down to his daughter's level "Emily I appreciate what you're trying to do but you need to let mommy and me work this out in on our own."

"You can't if you're in the office and she's in the kitchen."

Emily was right. They had to talk and to do that they had to be in the same room.

Mac looked at her husband, "Harm, is that really what you want?"

Harm didn’t need an explanation; he knew exactly what she was talking about. As he stood he remembered his final comments made in her office earlier. His anguish showed on his face when he replied, "No . . . god no."

"They why did you say it?"

Harm was very careful with how he replied; their daughter was still in the room. "Frustration . . . doubts . . . anger . . . past experience . . ."

He wasn't sure Mac understood, he didn’t know if he understood, he was just thankful she was talking to him. Maybe Emily was right after all.

"Emily, why don’t you go play in your room. We'll call you when dinner is ready." Mac spoke to her daughter but her eyes never left her husband. She dried her tear stained face in an attempt to show Emily things were going to be alright. Mac was relieved Harm was willing to talk to her about what happened.

Emily wasn't too sure, "But . . ."

Harm reassured his daughter, "its okay Em, mommy and I are going to work this out but we need to do it with just the two of us okay?"

Emily complied but not before giving her father final instructions, "No more fighting and no leaving the room until you say you're sorry, hug and make up."

With that Emily left the two adults alone in the kitchen.
Mac watched her daughter leave the room before she asked, "Why Harm?"

"It took me by surprise . . . seeing the two of you together like that. You were smiling at him . . . like you use to . . . when he made you happy. I just reacted."

"Harm, I was smiling because I was telling him about Emily and our life together. You two make me happy in a way no one ever has or ever will. He knows I love you, I love our daughter, I love my life, and nothing or no one can change that."

She waited a moment letting that sink in then challenged him, "If you love me, as much as I love you, it doesn’t really matter what he might want."

"Mac, I do love you, please never, never doubt that. I love you, our daughter and our life together. It's just . . . I saw him and . . . "

Harm was having a difficult time explaining his actions because he was still having a hard time understanding them himself.

Mac seemed to understand even if Harm didn't. He had come home, after everything that had been said. He loved her and she loved him. They could work this out. She took a step toward Harm, "You shouldn’t have said what you said."

"I know."

She took another step closer. "He's in the past."

"I know."

"His visit had nothing to do with work, his or mine. There was no hidden agenda, no Trojan horse. No wolf in sheep's clothing. He simply wanted to say hello."

"I know that now."

"I love you and our daughter. I am very happy with my life; I don’t need or want anything else."

Harm reached to take her hand, she responded by offering it to him. "I know. I am truly sorry."

Harm dropped his head, "I'll even call and apologize to him."

"I don't think that will be necessary, he mumbled something about Rabb still being oblivious. Then told me if you didn’t come to your senses to give him a call and he would be glad to come back and knock you upside the head."

Harm weakly argued back, "I'm not oblivious and there's no need for him to come back for anything." The last thing he wanted was to see him again.

"Please forgive me." Harm looked at his wife, asking for forgiveness with not only his words but also his eyes. But he couldn’t tell if it was to be granted, he was having a difficult time reading her expression. The longer she took to reply the more concerned he was she wouldn't accept his apology.

Mac gave no reply, showed no emotions, letting him stew in his remorse for a bit. Slowly a smile turned up slightly on Mac's lips but a stern warning is what passed over them, "On one condition, you promise never, and I mean never to do it again."

Relieved Harm let out a sigh and with his free hand he caressed her cheek, "I promise."

He took the final step, bringing her into his arms for the "Emily" ordered hug and threw a kiss in for good measure, hoping that the make-up part would come later, after Emily was in bed.

"Ooh-rah" was heard from just outside the kitchen, mission accomplished.