A/N: Here's a new chapter of…something. I'm kind of meh as my heart hasn't been into writing as much this past week (kids, work, worry…you know, the basics), but hopefully things pick up. Right now, I'm waiting for a baby to be born…one of those looooong inductions where I stay hyperaware but nothing really happens for long hours/days and then all hell breaks loose, so to speak. I feel like I'm sitting by a ticking time bomb!

Crash

Chapter 7: Second Hand News

0958 Local

JAG Headquarters

Falls Church, VA

Present Day…

"Wait a minute…I thought you said it worked the first time?"

Harm's lip quirked up into a half smile at his CO's confusion.

"Well, it did, we just didn't know it at the time."

"The test was wrong, then?"

Harm nodded and the admiral rolled his eyes. "Only you two."

"Yeah…only us two…"

Flashback…

"Mac, sweetheart…baby, it's okay…Mac, please…please don't cry. We can try again…" Harm held Mac tightly against him while she sobbed, disappointed with the negative pregnancy test but utterly heartbroken over Mac's reaction.

"I'm sorry, Harm…I'm sorry," she wept, and Harm tried his best to calm and reassure her, though he didn't understand why she was so devastated. They'd both known it could take a few months before she actually got pregnant. When she wouldn't stop crying after a few minutes, he picked her up and carried her into her bedroom to lay her down on her bed. He crawled in with her and tucked her into his embrace, stroking her hair, her back, until finally, finally, she quieted.

When Mac was able to speak coherently, she offered another shaky apology. "I'm so sorry, Harm. I don't know why I…I'm never late…I don't understand…"

"Shhh, Mac," he kissed her hair. "It's okay. I'm disappointed too, but we'll try again. It's not your fault." She sniffled against his chest, and he began to rub slow circles on her back.

"You know, Harm…I really thought it worked," she said after a while. "I was so sure…"

"Me too, Mac…but hey, didn't we read it can take up to a year sometimes?"

"Yeah…I'd just hoped…"

"I know, Mac. But look at it this way…we'll get to try again in a couple of weeks." Harm's voice turned seductive. "And I, for one, really, really enjoyed our last attempt."

Mac blushed and turned her head into Harm's shoulder. "Oh, me too," she whispered. He cuddled her close and before he knew it, she'd dozed off in his arms.

After a few more minutes of watching her, Harm dozed off as well.

Harm awoke slowly, aware that someone was watching him, but knowing it was friend rather than foe. When he finally opened his eyes, red-rimmed chocolate-brown eyes gazed back at him, and he was rewarded by a watery smile. Mac's nose was tipped with red, and he knew she'd been crying again.

"Hey," he said, reaching over to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Hey, yourself," she answered, while her eyes once again filled with tears.

"Oh, Mac…" He brushed a tear aside with his thumb. "Please don't cry."

"I'm sorry, Harm…I can't seem to stop. I suppose it's PMS or something."

Harm shrugged. "Well, I suppose this is better than you yelling or throwing things at me like you usually do." He watched as Mac's expression morphed into one of indignation.

"I've never thrown anything at you!"

"But you admit you do yell at me."

"Harm…"

"A lot."

Mac glared back at him until he finally burst out laughing.

She glared at him a little longer before smacking him lightly on the chest. "Ass."

"It's all part of my charm, sweetheart." He turned the full force of his flyboy grin on her and, though she obviously tried to fight it, soon she was grinning back at him.

"You're still an ass." This, she said lovingly, at least to his ears, and he couldn't resist leaning in and giving her a gentle kiss.

"Can't deny that, honey," he whispered against her mouth, before kissing her again, and the next thing he knew, their clothing had melted away and they were making love.

Present Day…

"So, when did you two finally figure out she was pregnant?"

"Not for weeks, sir. Shortly after we took that first test, you sent her TAD to the Seahawk."

The admiral nodded. "Well, obviously she didn't find out there, or I would have found out about it too."

"True…"

"She didn't even suspect anything?" Admiral Chegwidden was obviously skeptical, which Harm understood. He'd been skeptical too at the time.

"Uh, no, she didn't. Certain, ah, things, were still happening, at least to some extent." Harm felt a blush creeping up his cheeks. He never liked discussing the female reproductive system, and it was exceptionally awkward discussing his wife's with his CO. AJ clearly agreed; his face took on a decidedly uncomfortable expression and he quickly gestured for Harm to move past that topic.

"No morning sickness?"

Harm shook his head. "Not really. Looking back, she wasn't feeling the greatest, but she thought she was just missing me." Harm couldn't control the smugness that crept into his tone or expression. The admiral rolled his eyes.

"As I recall, you were missing her too."

Harm sobered. "Like you wouldn't believe, sir."

Of course, that was nothing compared to how much he was missing her now.

Flashback…

Harm awoke with a start to the ringing of a phone. By reflex, he reached over and grabbed the receiver and was just about to mumble a hello when it was plucked out of his hands.

"Colonel MacKenzie," Mac answered crisply as Harm glanced over at the caller ID display. His eyes widened when he saw Admiral Chegwidden's name on it, and he thanked the gods above that Mac had stopped him from answering it. He had a feeling the admiral would be able to tell what he and Mac had just done just by the sound of his voice. Mac, however, sounded just as awake and professional as always, despite being as naked as the day she was born. The sight of her made his penis twitch and swell, and some devilish part of him made him reach out and tweak her nipple. He expected her to swat his hand away, but instead, she grabbed it and placed it on her breast, working his hand to show him what she wanted. He kneaded and massaged her firm, round globe, and was just about to move on to the other when she tossed her leg over him to straddle his waist. She rocked back and forth over him, making him even harder and, with a "Yes, sir, understood, sir," she hung up the phone and tossed it aside.

Without saying another word, she reached behind her, stroking his member a few times before she rose up and guided him into her.

Harm was a little stunned to see her taking charge like this, but it turned him on, and he thrust up into her enthusiastically until she came with a gasp and a shudder. Once he had his own release, he sat up with her still on his lap, dismayed to see her tears were back.

"Mac? What is it? Did I hurt you?" She had buried her face in his neck and was now shaking her head, but still didn't speak.

"Mac, baby, talk to me. Please." He felt the wetness of her tears on his skin as he willed her to tell him what was wrong. When she finally did, he did not like her answer.

"I have to go," she sniffled.

"Chegwidden?"

She nodded dejectedly. "I'm to replace the JAG on the Seahawk."

"For how long?" He found himself holding her more firmly, something like dread settling over him.

"A few weeks; it's just temporary, but I—I don't want to go."

Harm was relieved even as he wondered at how emotional she was today. This must be some PMS…

Wisely, he didn't comment on that. Instead, he told her, "I don't want you to go either."

"I'll still be gone when it's time for us to try again. I'm sorry."

Harm was quick to reassure her. "Oh, Mac…that's okay. We've been in the military long enough to know how this all works."

"I know…"

"And Mac, just so you know, I don't want you to go because I'll miss you, not just because we'll miss our window to get pregnant."

Mac wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. "I'll miss you too, Harm."

"Colonel MacKenzie."

Mac's rather brusque voice came over the phone and Harm couldn't help the wide smile that split his face. She'd been gone for two weeks and he missed her terribly, more than he ever thought possible. Days at JAG dragged on, the nights were filled with erotic dreams that left him bereft when he woke up without her, and weekends were incomparably dull. She needed to come home.

Unfortunately, her original three-week assignment had been extended for at least another two weeks, and by the tone of her emails, she was less than amused.

"Hey, beautiful."

"Harm!" Suddenly there was sunshine in her tone. "How are you?"

"I'm okay. I miss you, though."

"Oh, I miss you too. A lot." Her words ended with a little hitch and a sniffle, and Harm was immediately concerned.

"Mac? What's wrong?"

"N-Nothing," she answered, unconvincingly.

"Maaac," he implored her. "I can tell you're crying." His heart had now nearly doubled in rate. This was so unlike his marine.

"I-I'm f-fine, Harm. Really. I guess I just miss yo—everybody more than I thought I would."

"Is that all, Mac?" He had caught her little slip and it warmed his heart, but he was still worried.

"Yeah, I've just been really tired the last couple of days. I'm not sleeping very well."

He could sympathize; he knew she often had bouts of insomnia and it was generally worse when she wasn't at home in her own bed.

Except when she was with you…

Harm smiled smugly to himself. She really had slept well in his arms.

"Sorry, hon. Hopefully tonight will be better." He wished he could teleport himself there so he could hold her. She did sound tired, though he was sure no one but him would pick up on that.

"I hope so." He heard her take a shuddering breath. "I'm sure you didn't just call to hear me complain. What can I do for you?"

"Actually, I did, uh, call just to hear you complain. I miss your voice." I miss you.

"Right, Harm…tell me, what can I do for you?" she repeated.

"Talk to me. I know you don't have much time to chat, but sweetheart, I really did just call to hear your voice."

"Really?" More sniffles were heard over the line.

"Really, Mac. Are you sure you're okay? You're not sick, are you?" It was then that something else teased at his mind. "Um, Mac? You don't think that test was wrong, do you?"

"Test?"

"You know…the egnancy-pray est-tay."

"I don't…" Mac suddenly burst out laughing. "Pig Latin Harm? Really? Little AJ could probably decode that."

"Well, that was the best I could come up with on short notice. The walls have ears, you know," he said, somewhat defensively, yet it made him happy to hear her laugh.

"What, are you talking about this in the middle of the bullpen?" She still sounded pleasantly amused.

"Of course not," he said with mock indignation.

"The men's bathroom on the third floor?" That particular bathroom was a dank, dark room, and yet it was an acoustical wonder.

"God, no. I'm in my office with the door closed and the blinds down. I wanted to tell you how much I missed you without a bunch of people listening in."

"I thought the walls had ears, Harm."

"Well, uh…"

Mac's musical laughter traveled through the phone line. "Oh, Harm…" He heard the warmth in her tone and he desperately wished she were here for him to kiss.

God, you're a sap, Rabb, he admonished himself.

"You're so…"

Harm grinned. "Sweet? Magnificent? Studly?" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, though of course she couldn't see him.

"Funny."

Funny?! "But all that other stuff too, right?"

"Well," she started, drawing the word out. "I guess you are sweet on occasion."

"Sweet, huh? On occasion? That's it? My ego's taking a hit here, marine."

"Okay, okay…yes, you are all of those things…but, um, to answer your earlier question…no, the test wasn't wrong." Her tone had turned serious and Harm rather wished he hadn't brought it up despite their earlier banter.

"You must have taken another test?"

Mac hesitated a few beats before answering. "Um, no…something…finally came."

"Ah." Say no more.

"Yeah. Um, Harm? I really do have to go, but thanks—thank you for calling. It was so good to hear your voice." Harm could hear her tears were back and his heart clenched.

"Mac, honey…are you—"

"I'm okay, Harm. Really. I'm just lonely and a little under the weather."

"Okay, but Mac? Please take it easy. Just go to your quarters when you're done there and go to bed."'

"I think I will do that, Harm." A sense of unease filled him when she so quickly agreed to his suggestion.

"And Mac, please…if you need anything, anything at all, please call me, okay? Anytime, day or night."

"I will, Harm."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

"Well, okay then. I'll try to call again soon, alright?"

"Okay. Goodbye, Harm."

"Bye, sweetheart." Reluctantly, Harm hung up the phone, a growing sense of unease filling him. All was not right with his Ninja Girl, he was sure of it.

Harm sat in his office, ostensibly to work on reports, but he couldn't focus. Instead he spun pencils on his hand, checked his email more times in the last two hours than in the entire previous month, and in general, did nothing productive.

Mac was still not home, and he still couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong…or at least not right. She had been less weepy when he'd talked to her last, but the exhaustion in her voice would have been noticeable to anyone. Even the admiral had commented on it. Mac claimed to be sleeping better, though Harm had his doubts, and he felt it was better for all concerned for her to just come home.

Harm sighed heavily and grabbed a file folder off the stack in front of him, convinced it had multiplied in the last fifteen minutes. He sighed again and picked up his pen, his mind still on Mac.

"Harm, if you would just do your paperwork right away instead of letting it pile up like that, you wouldn't be in this situation."

Great, now I'm hearing her voice too. Good god, man. Get together. She's a marine! She's—

She's right here…

Harm looked up and saw the subject of all his dreams and fantasies standing in his doorway. He was stunned into inaction, his mouth hanging open as Mac stepped into his office and closed the door.

"Aren't you going to say hello, Harm?"

"Uh—hello?" he said stupidly, still not quite believing she was really here.

"Well, I'll leave you to your work, then, Harm." It took Mac turning around and reaching for the door to bring Harm out of his stupor.

"Mac!" Harm was out of his chair like a shot. He sprinted around his desk, stopping Mac just short of opening the door. He swept her into his arms, flipping his blinds closed as he did so. Harm held her tightly against him for several moments reveling in the feel and scent of her.

Finally, he drew back a little so he could see her face. She looked tired and drawn, utterly exhausted in fact, and all he wanted to do was take her home and tuck her into bed. However, his elation at seeing her again didn't stop him from pulling her close again and spinning her around.

"Whoa, Harm," she said, stumbling a little when he set her down. He steadied her and led her to a chair.

"Sorry, Mac. You okay?" Truthfully, she looked a little green, and his overprotective streak went into overdrive. He knelt by her chair and took her hand. "Talk to me, marine."

"Just got a little dizzy. I kinda got a little airsick on the flight in this morning."

"What did you fly in on—a Tomcat?"

"No, commercial. There was a bit of turbulence."

But that's never bothered you before, Mac…

Harm took a moment to just study her. She looked a little thinner with dark circles under her eyes, and in general just looked worn out.

"Long TAD?" he asked, taking her hand. He was surprised and dismayed when her eyes filled with tears as she nodded. "What happened out there, Mac?"

"Nothing. It was actually pretty easy. I just wanted to be here."

"Really, Mac? That's all?" He was still skeptical.

"That's all, Harm. I don't know why it hit me so hard this time."

Harm flashed a softer flyboy grin at her. "Well, maybe you were just missing a certain sailor."

He expected her to make some quip, some sarcastic remark about his ego, but instead she just nodded, leaned forward, and put her arms around him. He held her tightly, wondering what had happened to his beautiful kick-ass jarhead.

Present Day…

"What the hell is wrong with you? With either of you?

"Sir?" Harm looked up at his CO in askance.

"How in hell did you not know she was pregnant?"

"What?"

Admiral Chegwidden rolled his eyes and started ticking things off on his fingers. "She's tired. She's emotional. She doesn't feel well. She was obviously pregnant!"

"Well, sir…none of us had ever been pregnant before…"

"Right." The admiral sighed. "So…when did you finally figure it out?"

"Well…there was an incident when you sent us to Key West for that investigation…"

Flashback...

"Hey, Mac, coffee?" Harm held up the carafe of the hot beverage in front of Mac and she flinched.

"Uh, no thanks, Harm." She looked positively disgusted.

"You okay, Mac?" Harm asked, narrowing his eyes at her.

She waved his concerns aside. "I'm fine. Just a little queasy after that flight." Mac continued to flip through her notes on their case, oblivious to the fact that Harm was still staring at her. He watched her take a sip of her water and grimace while she ran her hand over her belly.

"Hey, Mac?"

"Yeah, Harm?" She didn't look up from her work.

"Are you feeling okay?"

She turned to another page in notebook. "I'm fine, Harm," she answered almost irritably, and he wasn't convinced. She'd slept most of the flight here, and that was after she'd spent the night with him, sleeping soundly, snuggled in his arms. When they'd hit a spot of turbulence toward the end of the flight, she'd awakened, fairly quickly paling as she'd grabbed for the air sickness bag. Thankfully, she hadn't needed to use it.

Mac had actually been a bit off since she'd returned from the Seahawk, though she wasn't as quick to tears once she'd had a few good night's sleep in his arms. He'd taken her home the night she'd returned, and then hadn't really left. She didn't make love; she seemed to just want to cuddle, but that was okay with him. He was happy just to have her back.

As she'd remained fairly subdued over the next couple of weeks, Harm began to grow concerned again that something had happened to Mac during her TAD. She continued to deny that anything was wrong, so Harm had to let it go…but he still kept a close eye on her.

"You know, Harm…I'm having a little trouble believing the petty officer's story. The timeline just doesn't add up…" She looked up at him, but Harm was lost in thought.

"Harm?"

"What, honey?" he asked absentmindedly, then realized what he'd said. "Sorry." He gave her his sheepish half-smile. He was relieved when she smiled back at him.

"It's okay, just be careful who you say that around," she admonished gently, and he agreed with a nod. "So, what do you think about Petty Officer O'Brien's version of events?"

Harm sat down across from her and she slid her notes over to him. He glanced over them, then nodded again. "I think you're right. It doesn't seem like he could have been at the bar at 2300 and then at the gas station just fifteen minutes later. Someone is either lying, or they don't have your sense of time."

"Hmmm," replied Mac, nodding herself. The two went through a few more reports, then Mac announced that she was going to check on a fax from Bud. Harm waved her on, not noticing her hesitate after she stood up from her chair. She finally turned and exited their little "office" while Harm continued to take a few notes of his own. He felt he was on the brink of an epiphany about their case, but it stubbornly remained out of reach.

A couple of minutes later, Harm was still trying to connect the dots, and then it hit him…

Of course…

The door opened at just that moment, and Harm looked up. "Mac, hey, I think—"

"Sir?" Instead of Mac, a nervous appearing lieutenant stood in the doorway. Harm's heart started to pound. He just knew something was wrong…

"Yes, Lieutenant?" he asked, already standing up.

"It's Colonel MacKenzie, sir. She's fainted."

And then Harm was sprinting from the room, nearly knocking the lieutenant down in his haste to get to Mac.

"I'm fine, Harm," Mac insisted, even as she slumped back on the ER gurney. She was rather wiped out after fainting in the hallway of the building they'd been working in and Harm was a nervous wreck. He had been alternating between pacing around the tiny ER bay and holding her hand while he stroked her hair. He should have known she wasn't feeling well. He should have insisted she eat more, or let her rest in their hotel while he conducted the interviews. He should have—

"Shut up, Harm."

"What? I didn't say anything!" he defended himself and Mac rolled her eyes.

"You're thinking too loud. Look…it was pretty sudden. I was a little dizzy when I stood up, but it went away and it wasn't until I picked up my fax that everything got hazy. One minute I was heading down the hall, and the next you were picking me up and stuffing me into the car."

"Humph," he grunted. "I didn't stuff you anywhere."

"Well, at least not this time." Harm looked at her in just a little bit of shock.

"Mac!"

"Oh, you're still such a prude," she giggled.

"I am not!" he protested, secretly relieved and glad that she could smile and laugh again. "I just don't think—"

"Ms. MacKenzie?"

Both of them turned and saw the young doctor enter the room. "I'm Dr. Swallows—I took over for Dr. Terry. I have some lab results for you…" He glanced pointedly at Harm, who had stepped over to the gurney to take Mac's hand.

"It's okay, Doctor…he can stay," she said, glancing at Harm with a gentle smile. The doctor nodded and started flipping through the papers on his clipboard.

"Well, Ms. MacKenzie…looks like you're a little dehydrated so we'll give you another bag of fluids after that one is finished." He motioned to the bag of clear liquid that was now dripping into her veins. "You're also slightly anemic…but I think we've discovered the main reason you fainted this afternoon. I'm going to get an ultrasound tech in here to see how far along you are…"

"I'm sorry, what, Doctor?" Mac interrupted, clutching Harm's hand more tightly.

"We're going to get an ultrasound to see how many weeks—"

"Just what are you saying, Dr. Swallows?" This time it was Harm speaking, his heart fluttering in his chest as he covered his and Mac's joined hands with his free hand.

"Well…Ms. MacKenzie appears to be pregnant."

Mac was stunned for a moment, then turned to Harm with a growing smile on her face. "Oh my god, Harm…did you hear that? I'm—"

Suddenly, Harm dropped her hand as quickly as if it had been on fire. He turned to Mac, his face an angry mask, his next words equally furious.

"Just how the hell did that happen, Mac?"

End Chapter 7