Title: The 2 Carat Solution
Author: Theresa (TR)

For Sunset who said, "What if Harm was the one that got hurt & called out for Mac in 4% Solution. Would that get H & M closer?"


************


It's times like these when I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that God is a woman. Sitting here at his bedside. Trying to regulate my breathing. Blinking the panic from my eyes. I notice the smallest things. The shape of his lips. The fan of his lashes. The color of his skin. This is beauty. And I know, that only a woman could create a man like him. He's everything a woman wants. Everything I want.


2 hours previous


"Two more left." I rub my eyes. Try to keep my focus. Debate with myself whether the last two files will keep until next week. Paperwork has never been my strong suit. Tonight is no exception. I take a deep breath. Read the paragraph one more time, before I give up. I recognize a lost cause when I see it. I gather my things. Roll my shoulders. Try to shake off the uneasy feeling I've had all day. Something's in the cards. Something menacing. Something in Harm's way.

He's been gone since this morning. I missed him before he walked out the door. I felt it even then. The urge to reach out. Protect him. Hold him safe in my arms until the danger was gone. Not a rare feeling. I did nothing. Let him go without comment. As I've done so many times before. Too many times. If I tried to stop him every time he did something dangerous, I'd have to spend the rest of my life wrapped around him. Shielding him from the world we live in. I feel a smile stretch my lips. Not an all together unattractive prospect.

I tie my belt around my overcoat. Reach for my cover, and after a moment of internal deliberation, reach for the two files. I guess they won't keep after all. I'm in the process of sliding them into my briefcase when I feel the bile rising. The Nausea. The Dread. It hits like a wave. Full force. His name sounds in my head. "Harm!" I struggle to keep my bearings.

"Mac." It's a whisper. Floating through my mind. Landing on my heart. "Mac." He's frightened. In pain. "Mac."

I close my eyes. Try to reach him. "I'm coming. Hang on. I'm coming."

My office swims into focus. I shake my head to complete the process. Rush out the door. I kick my shoes off. Tuck them under my arm. Fly down the stairs two by two. I can't afford to wait for the elevator.

Twenty minutes later I'm on the road. Racing against time. I'm scared. Scared of losing him. Scared of him dying never knowing that I love him. Have always loved him. Scared of the silence in my head. He's stopped calling for me. I make the turn toward the hospital, when my phone rings.

"Mackenzie."

"Miss Mackenzie, this is Dr. Robards. Harmon Rabb's been in an accident. We're enroute to Sleepy Hollow hospital..."

"I know. I'm on my way now."

"How did you..?"

"It's a long story doctor. How did you know to call me?"

"He's been repeating your name since we found him."

Tears sting my eyes. "Is he conscious?"

"In and out. He's disoriented."

"How bad is it?"

"We don't know yet. The airbag saved his life, but we may need to do surgery to determine the extent of his injuries. He's in a lot of pain. Having trouble breathing."

"I understand. I'll be there as soon as I can."

I accelerate. Pushing the safety envelope on the icy roads. Praying.


Present time


He wakes to find me sitting next to him.

"Hey." His voice is raspy.

"Hey. What happened?"

"I wasn't paying attention. Took a corner too fast."

"I'm sorry Harm."

"How did you know?"

My eyes meet his and I know I don't have to answer.

With effort, he nods. Warmth builds between us. The connection remains intact. After all this time.

I take his hand. "I got here as soon as I could. When they called me they said you might have to have surgery."

"They called?"

"Yeah. You were repeating my name, so they looked in your PDA and found my number. Do you have to have surgery?"

"I already did."

"Are you okay? Do you know the results?"

"Not yet."

I hear footsteps. The doctor has come in.

"Hello. Are you family?"

Harm lifts our joined hands to rest on his thigh. "I'm working on it." He tells the doctor. I gape.

The doctor smiles. "Mr. Rabb, we have your test results back. You're very fortunate. No broken bones or internal injuries. The airbag bruises should go away within a week."

Harm frowns in confusion. "I was in a lot of pain."

"Bruising can do that to you. You have a lot of soft tissue damage. Nothing irreparable."

"That's great," I say. Give his hand a squeeze.

"It's a miracle. My car was totalled."

The doctor shrugs. "Merry Christmas."

He walks away. We are once again alone.

I look down at our joined hands. For just a moment. Despite the differences in our skin tone. I can't tell what fingers are his. What fingers are mine. It's odd that such an insignificant moment should press so profoundly on my heart. Push me forward. "I've been pushing you away."

"Yeah, you have."

"I'm sorry," I say with as much sincerity as I can summon.

"It's alright. You had to work some things out. I understand."

"Do you?"

"I think I do. You had so much come down on you all at once, you needed time to catch your breath. I'm willing to wait until you're ready."

"I was ready two months ago. It's not about everything that's happened. I just...thought you'd moved on."

"Moved on?" I see realization in his eyes. "Mac I didn't move on. It was nothing but dinner." His hold tightens on my hand. "I didn't sleep with her."

"Okay." I can't keep the relief from my voice.

"Nothing's changed Mac. I'm still here."

"Yes you are. You're still here. You didn't die on me." Tears spill down my cheeks. I don't wipe them. "I don't know what I would have done...Harm, I love you."

He tries to smile. Winces as it pulls at his split lip. "I love you too."

My heart swells. "I'm sorry you can't go to the wall."

"I wasn't going to be able to make it anyway."

I frown. "You always go to the wall. I assumed that why you were trying to get back so fast."

He looks away. In embarrassment? "Actually I..." He points to his person effects, sitting on the table. "...bought a christmas present. I wanted to get back home and give it to you before I lost my nerve."

"To me?"

"Yeah."

I hand him the bag. He lifts out a small velvet box. The butterflies in my stomach turn into a flock of Pterosaurs.

"It came to me while I was driving home."

"What came to you?"

He lifts my hand. Brushes my fingers with the uninjured side of his lips. "Regardless of what we call each other, I'm going to spend the rest of my life with you. Why can't I call you my wife? I know you have trouble sleeping. I know you have nightmares. I know you have a lot of things you still need to work out. You've come to me with all of these things. Why should you have to go clear across town when you need me? Why should I have to when I need you? Why can't we just turn over in bed, and put our arms around each other?" He releases my hand. Flips open the box. "I saw these and I thought...Mac I have loved you for so long. I just don't want to wait one more day."

I lift his hand to my cheek. Kiss his skin. My voice is shaking. "I don't want to wait either."

He turns the box. For the first time I notice that there are two rings inside. He removes the smaller one. A beautiful white gold band with a line of square cut emeralds inbedded down the center. Sandwiched between two rows of sparkling diamonds. Smooth. Simple. Elegant. The larger ring is identicle. Sapphires in place of emeralds. "It's called an eternity band. I thought that was fitting."

"Very." I offer my hand. The ring slides home. The odd thought comes to me. Now I don't know what to want. What to dream of next. Everything I've ever wanted has now been given.

"I love you," he tells me. Likewise offers his hand. It takes a moment. I smile. Realize he expects to wear the other ring.

"I thought I was supposed to buy your ring. And I love you too."

"I can give you the receipt for that one if you'd like." A smirk appears on his bruised face.

I cock an eyebrow. "Aren't you supposed to wait for the wedding?"

"Since when have you been traditional Mackenzie? If you get to wear yours I get to wear mine."

"Fair enough." My heart flutters. Palms sweat. I slide the ring onto his finger. The universe grows still. And I know. Beyond a doubt. From this moment on. We are married. Legal papers or not. We've had our own private ceremony. Held in our hearts. In the quiet of this room. I am his. He is mine. Finally!

"Merry Christmas." He whispers.

"Merry Christmas.

The End.