Title: Partners
Author: RD
Disclaimer: They aren’t mine - sigh.

This is my response to the HBX challenge. It is set after Paraguay. No rating.



The mission had not gone according to plan. But then, she could not remember the last time a plan of Webb’s went off without a hitch. Why he was still allowed to set up, go on, or in any way conduct field missions was beyond her. After the fiasco in Paraguay, she was sure they’d pull his card for good and retire him in some hole or another. But no, mother dear had some powerful connections, so she and Harm were on the receiving end of yet another screwed up mission.

She just thanked God that Harm had such good instincts. If not for his skills and reflexes, they would have been killed this time for sure. As it was, she was sitting here in a chair next to his bed, watching him in a fitful sleep. The cast on his arm, the bandage on his head and the wrapping around his chest made her shudder. They had come too close this time.

Harm had been wary of the source of the intel from the start, so his senses were already on overdrive. Webb had told them they would be meeting one of his contacts who be giving them some good info on where to locate Sadik.

When Harm had questioned Webb about this “source”, he’d been reluctant to divulge anything about the man, save to say “he has very good inside information”. Turned out the reason the source had “very good inside information” was because he was working for Sadik. Webb had been played again. But he wasn’t the one who had barely gotten out of the building before it exploded. Now they knew, Sadik was still after Harm - and they had almost succeeded this time.

Harm groaned and tried to sit up. She moved quickly to his side and laid a gentle hand on his chest. “Not so fast there cowboy. Remember your ribs.”

“And my head, and my arm, ohhhhh, and my back” he sighed.

“Your back? I didn’t know you hurt your back too.”

“With as many times as I’ve punched out, throwing myself out of an exploding building is bound to have an effect on my back - wouldn’t you think?”

She just smiled at him. “I guess I forget that you actually had an exciting life before settling down with the agency.”

“You’re funny.”

“I’ve been told.”“So what time is it anyway?” he asked. He couldn’t hide the grimace of pain as he tried to sit up and get comfortable.

She looked at her watch. “It’s 2:00AM - time for another pain pill.” She went to the bathroom and got him a glass of water and his pills.

“Thanks.” He took the pill and relaxed back into his pillow. He studied her for a minute. “So what are you still doing here at 2:00AM anyway?”

“I’m protecting you silly. Or have you forgotten that Sadik still has designs on your life?”

“Beth, I appreciate your concern for my safety, but don't you think you'd be better off going home and getting a good night's sleep?”

“I wouldn't be able to sleep if I was home. I seldom do.“

“You have trouble sleeping?”

“Uh, no. I have a frisky partner” she said knowing it would embarrass him.

“Oh, Beth, I did not need to know that” he reddened and then grimaced again as his ribs started to ache.

“Hey - you know the rules better than I - don’t ask the question if you don’t want to know the answer.”

“Isn’t she going to miss you tonight?” he asked quietly.

“No. She knows I’m here watching over you and she approves. She knows how much you watch over me - like today. Speaking of which, I um, I never got to thank you for saving my life today Harm. If it hadn’t been for your instincts, I would have walked well into that building and.....” she couldn’t finish the sentence.

“Hey, it’s ok. We’re still here.” He was starting to feel the effects of the pain pill and having a hard time keeping his eyes open. She noticed this and moved over to the side of the bed. She pulled the covers up around him and placed a small kiss on his forehead.

“You need to sleep now.”

“So do you.”

“I’ll sleep tomorrow.”

“Kay. Night Beth.”
“Goodnight Harm. And thanks again.”

“Welcome. S’what partners do.”

As she sat there and watched him sleep, she made up her mind. She would call Colonel Mackenzie tomorrow. Harm may not be ready to talk to her, but she should at least know he’d been hurt. They belonged together - everyone knew it except them. Maybe the Colonel could talk him out of this job. The world would definitely be a darker place without Harmon Rabb, Jr. in it. She would do what she could to see to it that that would not happen