HBX Challenge September 2006
Title: Good bye and Good luck
Disclaimer: JAG and its characters are the property of Donald P. Bellisario and Paramount Studios.
Author: usmgrad


The room was quite and dark. It had been a long day and an even longer night. Mac had finally fallen asleep and Harm was by her side gently caressing her hand, just to let her know he was still there.

When they first arrived it was all very exciting. Today was the day, just like Mac said it would be. After they were settled they passed the time playing cards. Mac beat him at every game they played. Harm decided they needed do something else, so they walked. Up and down the hall they walked, occasionally stopping and talking to others. Each time they stopped there were wishes of good luck. They walked until Mac could tell Harm exactly how many floor tiles there were from end to end and how many steps it took to go from the room to the end of the hall and back.

They went back to the room.

There were visitors while they waited. Bud and Harriett came by at lunch. Mac had to convince Harm to go eat with them. He didn’t want to leave her but he also didn’t want to upset her so he left to eat lunch. When they returned she was asleep. Bud and Harriett wish Harm good luck and said goodbye. Harm was assured by those that had checked in on Mac while he was gone she was doing just fine; napping was good for her right now.

Mattie and Jennifer came to visit mid afternoon. Mac had been restless since she woke from her nap and welcomed the visit. It wasn’t long before Mac began to get uncomfortable, Harm suggested that Mattie and Jennifer go home; he would call if he needed them. They both wished Harm and Mac good luck and said good bye.

The afternoon wore on into night. Games were no longer a diversion. It was getting harder to concentrate so they talked. They talked about the law and investigations, cases they had defended and prosecuted. They talked about their friends and co-workers, but soon Mac became tired of talking so Harm talked and Mac listened. He talked about flying Sarah, how it felt like to fly into a cloud, how the sun felt on his face. He talked about flying off a carrier, the freedom he experienced when he flew. After a while even listening become too much for her so he stopped talking and sat by her side holding her hand.

“Harm” she sounded so weak and far away. Standing up and leaning close he kissed her forehead and stayed close so she won’t have to talk loudly “I’m right here”

“Why did you leave?” Mac seemed different; she was tired and half asleep.

Confused Harm looked at Mac, “I’m right here. I didn’t go anywhere.”

“No before, when you left to fly, why did you leave me?” Mac asked as if it happened yesterday.

Harm lifted Mac’s hand, bringing it to his lips, kissed it then held it to his cheek “Mac, I wasn’t leaving you, I never left you.”

This seemed to be the answer Mac needed and she closed her eyes again as if rest and conserve her energy. Harm stayed close, wiping her face with a cool washcloth in hopes of providing some sort of relief. A few minutes later Mac opened her eyes again and asked, “Didn't I say that to you once? When I was stupid enough to leave?”

“Say what Mac?” He was really confused now; it was like he had walked into the middle of a conversation.

“Goodbye? Everyone said goodbye, Bud, Harriett, Mattie, Jennifer, but I didn’t want to say good bye. Why not good luck. They said good luck to, even when they didn’t mean it. I should have wished you luck. I didn’t wish you good luck that time and you almost didn’t come back.” Mac was confusing conversations from earlier today with something that happened a long time ago. She was making herself upset. Her eyes were open but she didn’t seem to see Harm. Needing to calm her down and bring her back to the present Harm gently caressed her face and spoke softly to her “Mac, sweetheart, that was a long time ago. I did come back.” Mac looked and recongized Harm, she smiled at him. Seeing that this was working Harm continued to caress her face and talk to her in a calm, soothing voice. “You bring me luck every day whether you say it or not. Every time I wake up in your arms I’m the luckiest man in the world. I love you.” It was what she needed to hear. She closed her eyes and rested. But Harm was concerned for his wife, he needed help.

“How are we doing?” Help entered the room just as Harm was about to go out and look for it.

“She’s tired and confused, how much longer?” Harm was worried, frustrated and felt helpless.

“Maybe another hour.”

“I don’t think she can make it another hour. She’s talking but not making any sense and she’s exhausted.”

As if rested from a long nap Mac opened her eyes. Gone was the confused and disorientated Mac, she was now alert, wide awake and very aware of her surroundings; “She’s in the room and can hear everything you’re saying. I can do whatever it is I have to do. I‘m fine.”

“I’ll see you two in a little while.” Turing to Harm and patting him on the arm to give him reassurance, “She’s doing just fine.”

They were alone again.

For the next hour Harm waited and worried. Mac was doing all the work, and all he could do was sit. He tried rubbing her back; she bit his head off because he was doing it all wrong. He tried holding her hand and telling her he loved her, she told him to stick it and don't every touch her again. He had been warned this would happen but he hadn't believed it.

Finally it was time. They were no longer alone. The calm, quite, dark room was suddenly bright with lights and activity. Mac had to close her eyes; it was too much to adjust to at once. She slowly opened them to see a room full of people and an overwhelmed Harm backing away toward the door.

“Where do you think you are going? Did you think you'd sneak away without saying goodbye?”

Coming to her side, Harm kissed her and taking her hand, looked at her as if to give her all his strength, “I’m not going anywhere, I’m not saying goodbye, I’m right here by your side, always.”

It was finally completed; they had reached an end only to start a new beginning.

Their four percent miracle came into the world at 12:25 am, baby boy Rabb, weighing 8 lbs 14 oz and measuring 23 inches long, with his mother’s looks and his father’s timing – he was late, by 25 minutes.