A/N - Hey guys! We're BACK! Didja miss us? Oh common, don't lie, of
course you missed us. *evil grin* Okay, so we weren't planning on doing
this, but then you were all begging us, and we couldn't just leave you
hanging. This has actually been finished for over a month, but we couldn't
get out butts into gear and fix it up.. We were busy with.. Other things.
*g*
A/ N from Nat - OMG! We're totally back, how cool is this!! I mean seriously!! Guys, guys, calm down, one hug at a time.. Anyway, well what can I say, we jus had to write more!! The epilogue is pointless really, but it'll make you cry and laugh, so we gotta be doing something right! So yeah, that's it, sorry for the delay, as Kat said we have been busy doing... other things *g*
Feedback - You know how LONG it's been since I've had a review?! I'm going through withdrawal symptoms! And if you review nicely. we might let you in on our secret. *g* (btw, it's STILL a reading requirement anyways)
Disclaimer - JAG 'en Mac and all that lovely stuff belongs to. other people. Phantom and Ando and Fi are original characters belonging to us and you can't have them! :P The poem is 'Funeral Blues' By W. H. Auden, taken without permission, but it's just so purty I had to borrow it. We make no money outta this.. just get incredibly stoked by every review given. That's not a bad thing.. Right? Okay okay, I'll let you read. Geez..
*********
"Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone. Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone. Silence the pianos and muffle the drum. Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.
Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead. Scribbling on the sky the message 'He Is Dead'. Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves. Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.
He was my North, my South, my East and West. My working week and my Sunday rest. My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song. I thought that love would last forever; I was wrong.
The stars are not wanted now: put out every one. Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun. Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood. For nothing now can ever come to any good."
******
Sarah 'Mac' Mackenzie stood in the drizzling rain, the droplets soaking into her marine uniform and chilling her skin. Her hat threatened to fall off as it got waterlogged, and the rain got colder and harder as the moments passed, but Mac felt nothing of it. Nor did she notice the tears that slipped from her eyes and ran down her cheeks, their salty drops mixing with the rain on her face. Beside her, his hand gripped tightly in hers, Harmon 'Harm' Rabb stood in his navy whites, his eyes closed in remembrance. The rain seemed fitting, the black clouds adding to the sombre mood. In front of Mac and Harm, seated on a hard leather chair and dressed completely in black, was Fiona Wood, her face hard and emotionless. Her black clad hands were gripped tightly together in her lap, the only sign that she was not in control of her emotions. On either side of her stood her two best friends, Kathryn 'Phantom' Sanders and Natalie 'Ando' Anderson, who stood silently watching.
In front of them sat a coffin, the rain drops beating off it relentlessly. The Cemetery saw a few visitors, the funeral of Clayton Webb gaining little numbers. And everything, the people, the rain, the occasional crack of thunder that broke and sent shivers down the necks of all those present, the flash of lightening that served to light up the court yard and reflect the morbid look on peoples faces, the hard chairs that threatened to be swallowed by the mud, it all added to the atmosphere of the huddled gathering that came to pay their respects.
The funeral was short but sweet, Fi showing total control until she got up to say a few words on Webb's behalf. She was into her second sentence when her sobs became uncontrollable and Phantom had to stand up and pull Fi back down to her seat, the young woman an emotional mess.
The funeral had been over for 45 minutes, and the crowd that had gathered had faded away, leaving only Fi standing by Webb's grave, and a few indistinguishable figures in the background. She looked down at the freshly covered earth, shivering uncontrollably. The rain had stopped, but a biting wind blew, whipping her sopping clothes, as if fingers were pulling at them, trying their hardest to rip them from her body.
Fi had no more tears as she stood, gazing at the spot where her dead lover lay. Softly, her words just barely above a whisper, she started talking, "You know Clay, I remembering hearing this quote about when you die. It went, 'Love begins with a smile, grows with a kiss, ends with a tear. When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live life so that when you die.... you are the one smiling and everyone around you is crying." Fi choked back a sob, and took a deep breath, composing herself. "Well I'm holding up my part, but what about you?" She let the question be taken by the wind, to roll over the empty landscape and be answered by whoever caught it.
"Were you happy with the way things turned out, I mean with us?" Fi had so desperately wanted to know. They had never, ever discussed what feelings they had between them. Through tense situations they had always turned to each other, and their brief encounters were heated and too the point, but in the morning Clay always left with a soft kiss and a few mumbled words and nothing was mentioned. Fi knew that Clayton loved her, and she him, but she always wondered if it's what he wanted. If falling in love was such a shock to his well-balanced life that he couldn't accept it, even if he was willing to let it happen.
Fi continued talking, the tears suddenly falling, "I remember I tried so hard not to feel the things I did for you. For starters, I was always told not to get attached, because of the risks our job held. But you were just so good to me, to us." She trailed off again, and her eyes turned up to the black clouds in the sky, "And then I had to wonder why it was me you chose. you were never open, never expressed your feelings. but somehow you still let me know that I was special. And. I never said it, because I knew that you never wanted to hear it. But I love you Clay. And I'll never forget you."
She stayed routed on the spot as time slipped by, and only turned when she suddenly realized how dark it had become. She could only just make out the headlights of the car waiting for her in the distance, then gloomy blackness swallowing the shadows. Another flash of lightening lit up the sky, and Fi had to stop her self from screaming at the person in front of her. She froze, her hands clenching tight as the figure walked forwards. He flicked on a torch, his features being reflected ghoulishly in the light. "Webb." She breathed the name, her knee's going week. Suddenly she started to back up, shaking her head, "No... your dead."
He spoke, and his voice served to freak Fi out even more, sounding identical to the man they had just buried, "Woah, it's okay." He held up his hand, walking towards her, then winced as Fi tripped over the newly dug tombstone. She went head first into the mud and grunted in pain. The man who was the spitting image of Clayton Webb rushed to her side, kneeling down next to her to help her to sit up right, "You okay?"
Fi looked to the man, wiping her hair from her face, leaving a wet smear of mud on her forehead, "Who are you?"
Suddenly the man felt a hard hand grab his shoulder from behind, pulling him to his feet and around. His eyes opened wide at the woman before him, who looked as shocked as Fi when she realised who it was. Mac's reaction was completely subconscious, she didn't even realise she was doing it. She grabbed his other hand, spinning him around and pushing it behind him. Hard. The man cried out as Mac yanked him to his knee's, and Fi, still on the ground, winced as she heard the joint pop out.
"Alright, who are you and what kind of sick joke is this?" Mac bent down to whisper in his ear. She had been coming to collect Fi when she'd seen the man approach the younger woman. The man's presences had halted Mac's advancement until she'd seen Fi fall and the man rush after her. It was all she needed to jump to conclusions, and now she was venting.
"Owe! Shit, let me go! Ahhh." The man wanted to struggle, but Mac's grip was iron tight.
"You okay Fi?"
Fi nodded, getting to her knees and moving closer to the man, getting a good look at his face. Her eyes searched his and she shook her head slowly, "It isn't Clay."
"I could have told you that." The man said through gritted teeth, "I'm his brother."
Mac suddenly let him go, and he fell forwards. Unable to brace himself with his injured arm, he fell flat on his face, getting a mouth full of mud. Mac let out a quiet 'whoops' as Fi reached forwards to help him up. The man grimaced in pain, clutching his arm as he got back on his knee's, and Fi gave him an apologetic smile.
"Here." She said softly, grabbing his arm, "Let me."
His eyes went wide when he realised what he was going to do, and gritted his teeth and looked away. Fi, having spent a lifetime with Ando and Phantom, was used to cracking bones and dislocated joints, and was pretty much an expert on how to help the poor man. Another painful grunt told Mac that Fi had succeeded in putting it back into place, and then she helped the man up. Both of them were now covered from head to toe in mud, and Mac couldn't help but laugh. They both glared at her, until Fi's lips curled into a smile, and she glanced at the mystery man, "Do you have a name?"
He nodded, still clutching his shoulder, and a little awed, "Umm... yeah. Michael. Michael Webb."
Fi was still studying the man, and she shook her head slowly, "You look so much like your brother."
"Yeah." Michael grimaced, "I get that a lot."
"Common." Mac grabbed Fi by the arm, "Let's get out of this wind and uh.." she turned to Michael, "I'm sorry."
Michael shrugged, "It's okay. I probably shouldn't have snuck up on . Fi was it? Shouldn't have snuck up on you like that. I've been getting that reaction all day. although you're the first to inflict physical pain."
Mac smiled, "Would you like to come back to my place? As an apology? You can stay for a coffee and we'll get you cleaned up?"
Michael hesitated, wondering if he should go with these complete strangers, then glanced at Fi, who was still watching him, "Yeah... maybe I will."
They walked back to Mac's car, and went through the moment of shock with Harm, Phantom and Ando. It was only momentary, as Fi explained who he was, and by the time they reached Mac and Harm's place, it was obvious that the younger brother was a lot more easy going then his late sibling.
They reached Mac and Harms house, and after the little kids were put to bed the six of them sat around chatting about mundane things, no one knowing quite what to say, or if they should bring up Clayton. At midnight, Ando left, taking Phantom with her, but Fi, having no place of her own in the US, opted to stay. Mac and Harm went to bed not long after that, leaving Fi and Michael alone.
They sat on either end of the couch, facing each other, and Fi finally brought up the subject they had all been tiptoeing around, "Listen... Michael, I have to ask. Why did you approach me before? When I was at the grave?"
Michael suddenly looked contrite, and he scratched the top of his nose with his head down before responding, "I uh... heard you."
Fi frowned, "You what?"
Michael lowered his voice, and he looked up at her, "I heard you.. Talking to him."
Fi didn't know quite what to say, and a quiet 'oh' escaped her lips.
"I wasn't eavesdropping." He said suddenly, in case she thought he'd been stalking her or something, "I was just. waiting until everyone had gone. You know. To say goodbye. And I heard what you said. and suddenly I felt I had to talk to you. I'd never known anyone that Clay had ever had feelings for. I guess I just wanted to meet the woman that could actually prove to the world that Clay had a heart."
Fi smiled at this, then shook her head gently, "I'm not sure what sort of relationship it was I had with Clay. but I did love him." She looked up at Michael suddenly, and let out a small sigh, "You look so much like him. You even sound like him."
Michael licked the top of his lip, nodding softly, "I can tell you now. he did love you Fi. If he let you behind his walls at all, even just a fraction, he loved you." He seemed to be answering the questions she had had for Clay before, and suddenly Fi was getting lost in his familiar chocolate brown eyes. She was no longer hearing Michael, but Clay's soft voice telling her that he loved her, "I'd never seen him be close to anyone, never trusted, never loved. I never knew about you. but I had always looked out for my brother, always worried. I'm just. I'm glad. You seem a wonderful person Fi. you deserved each other."
Fi's eyes were still locked on his, and she reached out with her hand, seemingly not having heard Michael, "Your hair.." her fingers trailed over his hair, twisting it around her fingers, then hand travelled lower, "Your eyes." they ran over his eyelids, and Michael closed his eyes, wondering if he should stop her. He knew she was no longer seeing him, but she seemed so possessed, he didn't have the heart. "Your mouth." Her fingers trailed over his mouth, and suddenly, instead of her fingers gently brushing his lips, her mouth was against his, and she was kissing him passionately. Michael got lost in the feeling of her against him for a moment, his automatic reaction to pull away clouded by his empathy. He knew this was her goodbye to Clay, and he couldn't rob her of that. Slowly Fi pulled away, but her eyes were still locked on his, a look of horror on her face.
"I know." Michael spoke to her softly, "You were kissing him."
Fi's head dropped, she could of kicked herself, "I'm so sorry Michael, I shouldn't have done that."
Michael took a deep breath, desperate to let Fi know it was okay. Words weren't going to work, lost as she was in her anguish.
"You know." he started slowly, trying to form something in his mind, "I remember when we were young. and Clay was learning the piano..."
Suddenly Fi's head raised, and a small smile twitched at the side of her lips, "Clay played the piano?"
"Uh huh." Michael lent back against the chair, his own smile enticing a full one out of Fi, "He was playing.. Uh, what was it? This completely obnoxious piece by some guy. I hated it so much. so this one day. I remember it really well. he wouldn't get over this one bit. so I dropped the lid on his fingers."
Fi let out a giggle, then suddenly sucked it in. She glanced at Michael and he shrugged, "Broke both his fingers and he never touched the piano again."
Fi smiled again, relaxing back against the couch, "Tell me more." She spoke softly.
Michael settled down, and for the rest of the night tried his best to remember Clayton the way he had been. Sometime during their conversation, Fi's head found Michael's shoulder, and early the next morning, as Mac walked in, Michael's own head was resting gently against hers, the two grieving people sound asleep. Something that Mac knew Fi hadn't been having since Clay's death. Mac smiled to herself, and after making herself a coffee she padded back into the bedroom, where Harm was waiting for her.
"You think the girls are going to be okay?" he asked, his eyes still closed.
Mac thought back to Fi, who had smiled for the first time yesterday since Webb died, then at Ando and Phantom, who were pulling each other through the crisis, like the had promised they could. She smiled, hopping in next to him, "Yeah. I think they're going to be fine."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Harm was awake before he opened his eyes. It wasn't even light outside yet, but he could hear the soft voices of the first birds to wake, chirping excitedly to each other. It was the perfect way to wake up to a day that promised to be the best of his life. He turned on his side, a small smile on his face as he finally opened his eyes. Her back to him, her soft breath steady in sleep, Harm's smile widened at the blonde beauty by his side. She turned then, lying on her back, and as the sky started to lighten with pre dawn fuzziness, Harm took in her features. Her long locks covered half her face, slight curls framing her face. She was the very vision of beauty,
Harm figured, in retrospect as he sat up, that his lovely fiancée wouldn't appreciate finding him waking up in bed with another woman, but at the moment he was too content to care. He reached out, brushing a finger across the side of the blonde's face, before swinging his legs out of bed. Standing up, he listened for a moment, then walked gently across the room into the adjoining bedroom. He lent against the doorframe, his heart glowing at the site of his fiancée, Sarah Mackenzie, rocking gently back and forth in a rocking chair, and his new, young three-week-old son, Alec Rabb in her arms. His young babe was feeding hungrily, and Mac was half asleep.
He moved beside the chair, placing a delicate kiss first on Mac's forehead, then on his sons, before kneeling next to the chair. Mac, half drunk on happiness, turned her head to look at him, "It's finally gong to happen." She spoke in a whisper. Harm nodded, content though to trail his fingers along the smooth skin of his newborn. The child opened it's bright brown eyes to look at Harm, finding him more interesting then that of his mothers milk.
"Harm." Mac commanded his attention, and he pried his eyes away from his son to look at her.
"Yes my love?"
"I saw Sarah creep in this morning. She still asleep?"
Harm nodded, now drinking in the sight of the woman he loved, "Like a princess." He whispered, thinking how wonderful it had been to wake up next to her. The only other woman in the world he ever wanted to wake up too.
"Not long now." Mac started rocking her son again, but her eyes were locked on Harms.
"Not long." He echoed, as he reached over and kissed Mac passionately. He never knew he could know such happiness, but with the recent birth of his son. of their son together, and now the promises that today held, he thought he would be overwhelmed by the utter fulfilment he felt.
*~*~*~*~*~
She was getting married. Mac was practically floating later that day, so excited, and nervous about her wedding. She was in her room with Phantom and Fi, who had flown in from Australia the day before, and Ando, who had been cooperative the whole day. until now.
"No way. There is no bloody way." Ando backed away slowly.
Phantom rolled her eyes, "Come on Ando... it is not going to bite you!"
Ando glared at Phantom. "Phantom you know there are two things I don't do, and dresses is one of them. You can't make me!" she crossed her arms, to emphasize her point.
Mac raised an eyebrow from her perch on the edge of the bed. She turned to Fi, "Is she always this difficult?"
Fi had her eyes glued on Ando, ready to jump in should the woman decide to resort to being violent, "You have no idea." She whispered back, then raised her voice, "Ando. This is for Mac's wedding for crying out loud! You'd think you could make a sacrifice just this once!"
Ando swirled around to look at Fi, "No! No way in hell, I'm not doing it, you can't make me!"
Mac looked up at Ando sweetly, "Yeah but I can order you."
Ando's eyes went wide, "You wouldn't... you can't! We're out of uniform!"
"I still outrank you Major." Mac's face was still covered in mirth, but her tone had hardened
Ando repeated herself again, "But we are not in uniform, you can't do that!"
"I may not be able to, but you wouldn't disobey a direct order from a senior officer. Because you're a good little marine."
"And besides." Phantom piped up, leaning against the wall, "You think Mac is going to let you go to her wedding looking like that?"
"Like what!" Ando frowned "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"
"She's right." Mac responded, standing up, "I mean it Ando. Either you get changed or I'll see you at the reception." And with that she walked out, leaving Ando with her mouth open.
Phantom glanced at Fi and winked, "Ooooh, that woman is good."
"This is so wrong! If you think this how the whole guilt thing works, your wrong!" Ando yelled out after Mac
"Common Ando." Fi tried to reason, "What will it hurt you? Jeez, I'd hate to see you at your own wedding."
"It'll wreck my whole rep I have built for myself, who will take me seriously after they see me in that?" Ando pointed to problem, which was slung across the bed, "And besides, at my own wedding I'm wearing my cammies!"
Phantom burst out laughing, nearly hitting her head against the wall. Ando shot her friend a dark look, but Phantom couldn't curb her amusement.
Fi tried not to smile, "You're hardly going to know anyone there anyways.... and like they care! Wearing a dress is not a weakness."
"Or are you just afraid you might like it?" Phantom said between breaths.
Ando's jaw dropped. "As if!"
Phantom snickered again, "Listen Ando, I gotta go get ready myself. So unless you want me to hang around and do up your zip...?"
"But how come Harm gets to wear his dress uniform and I can't!!" It was Ando's last attempt to argue her point, but she knew she would eventually have to put on the dress. Mac would never forgive her if she didn't.
Phantom shook her head, "I'm not even going to dignify that comment with a response." She reached the doorway with Fi, and shrugged, "The price you pay for making friends with a woman more stubborn then you." She winked and Fi grinned. "Especially one that outranks you."
"Dammit!" Ando sighed in frustration. But it was true, there was only one person that Ando had come across that was more stubborn then herself, and that was Mac. Ando slumped her shoulders in defeat. "Fine. One of you will have to show me how to put it on, and if any of you laugh, I will kill you!"
Phantom pressed her lips together in a vain attempted to stop smiling as she stepped forwards to help her friend, and as Fi left the room, they both heard her burst into laughter down the hall
"I'm so gonna...."Ando went to chase after Fi but Phantom grabbed her arm and yanked her back.
"The wedding!" Phantom reminded her, her patients wearing thin.
Ando sighed, "That woman owes me big time for this. Why did she have to pick me to be her bridesmaid! Why didn't she get one of you guys to do this?"
Phantom shrugged, picking up Ando's elaborate dress and trying to find the opening, "Maybe because you were the one over her place every second weekend, while I'll was stuck back home." She handed Ando the dress the right way up, a triumphant grin on her face
Ando held the dress up, taking it all in, "I can't believe I'm doing this."
Phantom looked at her friend and grinned, "Hey it could be worse, she could have picked a pink frilly one."
****
Mac stood pacing in the small room deemed for her, in less then 5 minutes she was going to be walking down the isle, and marring the man of her dreams. Harriet, her maid of honor, sat in a chair watching the nervous woman. Chloe, Mac's surrogate little sister, sat on the other side of the room, thoroughly amused by the site in front of her, it wasn't everyday she witnessed Mac a nervous wreck.
"Where the hell is Ando?" She cried in frustration to anyone that was listening.
"She'll be here." Harriet tried to calm her.
"Unless Phantom couldn't get her into that dress." Chloe giggled, the young woman had become rather good friends of Ando during the time that Mac had known her, "She's probably done the bolt."
Mac spun on her heel to face Chloe, "Oh god, you don't think she has?"
Harriet was on her feet in a flash, placing a comforting arm around Mac's shoulders after sending Chloe a dark look, "Now now. You know Ando. She isn't going to run off."
"And if she has?" Mac's eyes were wide
"Well we can grab Phantom and pull her up the front with us!" Harriet humored Mac.
"2 minutes." A voice called through the door, and Mac's eyes went wide.
"Or we do it without her." Chloe reasoned, when the door flew opened
"I hate dresses. Did I say that already?" Ando stood there breathing heavily. "Its impossible to run in them, I have like zero leg room. And I feel like I'm naked!"
Mac stood there in shock, blinking her eyes, "Oh my Goodness... Ando... you look... nice."
Ando rolled her eyes. "I. I look like a GIRL!" She growled, "Don't get used to it."
Mac took the girls appearance in, the dress actually did look nice on her. Mac didn't know how Phantom had been able to get Ando to let her pull her hair up nicely, but she did, and Mac was thanking the stars for it. And then Mac looked down at her feet.
"Oh Ando, you didn't." Mac sighed in frustration.
"You didn't expect me to wear those strappy shoe things you gave me, did you?"
"Yes, she did." From behind Ando, also breathless, Phantom stood, Ando's shoes in her hand, "It's part of the outfit woman, now quit complaining and put them on!"
"No!" cried Ando, "I'll only be pushed so far!"
"Ando you can't wear your boots!" Chloe laughed.
"You guys ready in there?" Came a voice of the organizer, "We're ready for you."
"Ando, put your goddamn shoes on!" Mac yelled, "That's an order!"
"Argh!!" Ando cried and grabbed the shoes from a grinning Phantom.
Ando put the shoes on and stood up, as Phantom left to go take her seat, "There, are we all happy?"
Mac gave a small smile, letting out a big breath, "Thank you." She turned to Sarah and Harmon, who had been sitting in the corner watching Mac with wide eyes, "Common kids. Your up first." She signaled the organizer, who in turned signaled that they were ready, and the bridal waltz filled the room.
The two kids took a deep breath, then started out, Harmon with rings resting gently on a pillow he clutched tightly, and Sarah with her basket of flower petals.
"Chloe." Mac gestured to the door, and Chloe grinned and gave Mac a tight hug before proceeding out of the room. Ando left next, gracing Mac with a smile before clutching her own flowers to take out Harriet left next, then Mac was alone with the Admiral, who raised his arm for Mac to grab tightly. "You look beautiful." He whispered to her and Mac took a shuddering breath.
"Thank you." Then Mac looked him in the eye, "For everything."
AJ squeezed her arm tightly, understanding completely, "It was my pleasure Sarah."
Mac smiled up at her superior officer, and her friend.
"Well shall we?" AJ directed her towards the door.
Mac nodded with certainty, confident that this was what she wanted. Surrounded by friends and family, she was finally confidant that her troubles were behind her, and she planed to keep it that way.
She started off down the isle, and suddenly everything disappeared. The friends, the family, even the confidence. She didn't even remember where she was. Her eyes were glued on the man a few meters away, his own eyes locked on her's. Standing there in his dress whites, he looked unbelievably handsome, and her knees threatened to buckle because of it. It wasn't the first time he had done that to her, just by looking at her, and she prayed it wasn't going to be the last.
She was light on her feet, she felt she was floating, but it seemed to take forever to reach the man she loved. The isle grew longer and longer, but his penetrating gaze, and his loving smile stayed close to her. Finally she was by his side, looking up into the warmth within. Harm took Mac's hand from the Admiral, giving him a smile of gratitude. The Admiral nodded back, knowing the unspoken words. Harm then turned to Mac and kissed her hand softly, "You look beautiful." He whispered as they turned to face the celebrant.
"I love you Harm." Mac took a second to look him in the eye, and Harm, ignoring both the people gathered and the priest in front of him, reached out and cupped her cheek
"I love you too Sarah."
****
The wedding was brief, and it wasn't long before everyone had gathered back to Harm's house for the reception.
Before the food was served, the guests mingled with each other, awaiting the newly wed couple to make the first appearance in public as husband and wife. Ando had already changed into more comfortable clothing, although Phantom still considered her to be 'dressed up' - knowing the other woman as she did.
Mac and Harm were, naturally, the last to arrive, and the entire group of people burst into applause as they entered. You could see the grins plastered on their faces from where Phantom was standing, all the way down the other end of the lawn.
Everyone settled down quickly, and a barbeque ensured, something easy - and cheep - that had everyone happy. It wasn't until after the meals, while people were dancing and getting drunk that Mac and Harm managed to mingle. Everyone had congratulations and pats on the back for them. The afternoon turned into night, and the crowd thinned, and Mac ambled over to Ando, probably the only sober person left, "Hey."
Ando looked at Mac, a drunken smile on her face, "Howdy Colonel."
"Seen Phantom?"
Ando shook her head, waving her arm in the direction of the front of the house, "She disappeared over there a bit back with some Gunnery Sergeant."
Mac looked surprised, "Victor?"
Ando nodded, "That was him. Nice fellow... though Phantom wouldn't get with a Marine if you paid her." She grinned up at Mac, "Too many years with me."
Mac smiled, "I can imagine."
Ando sobered up a bit and looked up at Mac. "Thanks for the last couple of months Colonel. Things have been a little blurry since Webb died but, I think things are starting to look up."
Mac smiled, taking Ando's hand and squeezing it tightly, "You guys helped yourselves."
"But still." Ando tried to make Mac understand. then realized suddenly that she did, "Thank you."
Mac nodded her head, "If you ever want to talk..."
"Ha." Ando laughed, "Your the first one I'll call. Promise."
"Harm and I are going now." Mac stood back up, "Our plane leaves in two hours. We're taking Alec with us, and Chloe will take care of Harmon and Sarah for us, so your welcome to crash here the night. You and Phantom and Fi."
Ando nodded, "I let the girls know. Have a great honeymoon Colonel, I'll see you when ya get back. Take care."
"You too Nat."
With that she walked off, her eyes lingering on the small gathered crowd of friends. Harm walked over to her, kissing her cheek softly and entwining his fingers with hers, "Ready to go?"
Mac merely nodded, her eyes still glued on the people that had come into her life so suddenly, and made such an impact.
"You okay?" Harm's deep blue eyes looked down at her in concern.
Mac looked up at him, and smiled sweetly, squeezing his hand, "Perfect."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N - Now, all together go awwwwww. Now, don't forget to review. we got something to show you!!
~**~***~**~**~
"What do you mean, she's GONE?" Ando looked at Fi with eyes wide.
"As in, no longer there." Fi spoke each word slowly, so Ando might be able to actually grasp the meaning of the sentence this time.
"How the HELL does someone escape from a mental institution?!" Ando threw her hands up in disbelief, "What, did she just unlock the door and walk out?"
~~~~~~~~
"You are doing the same thing Ando," Phantom screamed at her friend, "You are keeping your conscience clear for killing his dad. If you can keep him safe, and help him out, you don't have to feel guilty. You just won't admit it."
Ando didn't think, swinging hard with her fist and making contact with Phantom's jaw. Phantom's head snapped back and she gripped her jaw, turning back to face her friend, "And if that didn't just prove it.."
~~~~~~~~
"Harm I can't help it, ever since.since Webb died, I promised myself I would look after then, protect them, in a motherly way when needed." Mac looked down at her hands and played with the ring harm had given to her in Australia fifteen years ago.
"Motherly!" Harm laughed. " That was motherly the first time you met Michael."
Mac blushed. "He looked creepy.."
.... Harm nodded, falling back against his pillows, "We all got quite a shock.... Let her be happy."
*~*~*~*~*~*~
Whoops Sequel - Coming to Fan Fiction SOON!!
A/ N from Nat - OMG! We're totally back, how cool is this!! I mean seriously!! Guys, guys, calm down, one hug at a time.. Anyway, well what can I say, we jus had to write more!! The epilogue is pointless really, but it'll make you cry and laugh, so we gotta be doing something right! So yeah, that's it, sorry for the delay, as Kat said we have been busy doing... other things *g*
Feedback - You know how LONG it's been since I've had a review?! I'm going through withdrawal symptoms! And if you review nicely. we might let you in on our secret. *g* (btw, it's STILL a reading requirement anyways)
Disclaimer - JAG 'en Mac and all that lovely stuff belongs to. other people. Phantom and Ando and Fi are original characters belonging to us and you can't have them! :P The poem is 'Funeral Blues' By W. H. Auden, taken without permission, but it's just so purty I had to borrow it. We make no money outta this.. just get incredibly stoked by every review given. That's not a bad thing.. Right? Okay okay, I'll let you read. Geez..
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"Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone. Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone. Silence the pianos and muffle the drum. Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.
Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead. Scribbling on the sky the message 'He Is Dead'. Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves. Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.
He was my North, my South, my East and West. My working week and my Sunday rest. My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song. I thought that love would last forever; I was wrong.
The stars are not wanted now: put out every one. Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun. Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood. For nothing now can ever come to any good."
******
Sarah 'Mac' Mackenzie stood in the drizzling rain, the droplets soaking into her marine uniform and chilling her skin. Her hat threatened to fall off as it got waterlogged, and the rain got colder and harder as the moments passed, but Mac felt nothing of it. Nor did she notice the tears that slipped from her eyes and ran down her cheeks, their salty drops mixing with the rain on her face. Beside her, his hand gripped tightly in hers, Harmon 'Harm' Rabb stood in his navy whites, his eyes closed in remembrance. The rain seemed fitting, the black clouds adding to the sombre mood. In front of Mac and Harm, seated on a hard leather chair and dressed completely in black, was Fiona Wood, her face hard and emotionless. Her black clad hands were gripped tightly together in her lap, the only sign that she was not in control of her emotions. On either side of her stood her two best friends, Kathryn 'Phantom' Sanders and Natalie 'Ando' Anderson, who stood silently watching.
In front of them sat a coffin, the rain drops beating off it relentlessly. The Cemetery saw a few visitors, the funeral of Clayton Webb gaining little numbers. And everything, the people, the rain, the occasional crack of thunder that broke and sent shivers down the necks of all those present, the flash of lightening that served to light up the court yard and reflect the morbid look on peoples faces, the hard chairs that threatened to be swallowed by the mud, it all added to the atmosphere of the huddled gathering that came to pay their respects.
The funeral was short but sweet, Fi showing total control until she got up to say a few words on Webb's behalf. She was into her second sentence when her sobs became uncontrollable and Phantom had to stand up and pull Fi back down to her seat, the young woman an emotional mess.
The funeral had been over for 45 minutes, and the crowd that had gathered had faded away, leaving only Fi standing by Webb's grave, and a few indistinguishable figures in the background. She looked down at the freshly covered earth, shivering uncontrollably. The rain had stopped, but a biting wind blew, whipping her sopping clothes, as if fingers were pulling at them, trying their hardest to rip them from her body.
Fi had no more tears as she stood, gazing at the spot where her dead lover lay. Softly, her words just barely above a whisper, she started talking, "You know Clay, I remembering hearing this quote about when you die. It went, 'Love begins with a smile, grows with a kiss, ends with a tear. When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live life so that when you die.... you are the one smiling and everyone around you is crying." Fi choked back a sob, and took a deep breath, composing herself. "Well I'm holding up my part, but what about you?" She let the question be taken by the wind, to roll over the empty landscape and be answered by whoever caught it.
"Were you happy with the way things turned out, I mean with us?" Fi had so desperately wanted to know. They had never, ever discussed what feelings they had between them. Through tense situations they had always turned to each other, and their brief encounters were heated and too the point, but in the morning Clay always left with a soft kiss and a few mumbled words and nothing was mentioned. Fi knew that Clayton loved her, and she him, but she always wondered if it's what he wanted. If falling in love was such a shock to his well-balanced life that he couldn't accept it, even if he was willing to let it happen.
Fi continued talking, the tears suddenly falling, "I remember I tried so hard not to feel the things I did for you. For starters, I was always told not to get attached, because of the risks our job held. But you were just so good to me, to us." She trailed off again, and her eyes turned up to the black clouds in the sky, "And then I had to wonder why it was me you chose. you were never open, never expressed your feelings. but somehow you still let me know that I was special. And. I never said it, because I knew that you never wanted to hear it. But I love you Clay. And I'll never forget you."
She stayed routed on the spot as time slipped by, and only turned when she suddenly realized how dark it had become. She could only just make out the headlights of the car waiting for her in the distance, then gloomy blackness swallowing the shadows. Another flash of lightening lit up the sky, and Fi had to stop her self from screaming at the person in front of her. She froze, her hands clenching tight as the figure walked forwards. He flicked on a torch, his features being reflected ghoulishly in the light. "Webb." She breathed the name, her knee's going week. Suddenly she started to back up, shaking her head, "No... your dead."
He spoke, and his voice served to freak Fi out even more, sounding identical to the man they had just buried, "Woah, it's okay." He held up his hand, walking towards her, then winced as Fi tripped over the newly dug tombstone. She went head first into the mud and grunted in pain. The man who was the spitting image of Clayton Webb rushed to her side, kneeling down next to her to help her to sit up right, "You okay?"
Fi looked to the man, wiping her hair from her face, leaving a wet smear of mud on her forehead, "Who are you?"
Suddenly the man felt a hard hand grab his shoulder from behind, pulling him to his feet and around. His eyes opened wide at the woman before him, who looked as shocked as Fi when she realised who it was. Mac's reaction was completely subconscious, she didn't even realise she was doing it. She grabbed his other hand, spinning him around and pushing it behind him. Hard. The man cried out as Mac yanked him to his knee's, and Fi, still on the ground, winced as she heard the joint pop out.
"Alright, who are you and what kind of sick joke is this?" Mac bent down to whisper in his ear. She had been coming to collect Fi when she'd seen the man approach the younger woman. The man's presences had halted Mac's advancement until she'd seen Fi fall and the man rush after her. It was all she needed to jump to conclusions, and now she was venting.
"Owe! Shit, let me go! Ahhh." The man wanted to struggle, but Mac's grip was iron tight.
"You okay Fi?"
Fi nodded, getting to her knees and moving closer to the man, getting a good look at his face. Her eyes searched his and she shook her head slowly, "It isn't Clay."
"I could have told you that." The man said through gritted teeth, "I'm his brother."
Mac suddenly let him go, and he fell forwards. Unable to brace himself with his injured arm, he fell flat on his face, getting a mouth full of mud. Mac let out a quiet 'whoops' as Fi reached forwards to help him up. The man grimaced in pain, clutching his arm as he got back on his knee's, and Fi gave him an apologetic smile.
"Here." She said softly, grabbing his arm, "Let me."
His eyes went wide when he realised what he was going to do, and gritted his teeth and looked away. Fi, having spent a lifetime with Ando and Phantom, was used to cracking bones and dislocated joints, and was pretty much an expert on how to help the poor man. Another painful grunt told Mac that Fi had succeeded in putting it back into place, and then she helped the man up. Both of them were now covered from head to toe in mud, and Mac couldn't help but laugh. They both glared at her, until Fi's lips curled into a smile, and she glanced at the mystery man, "Do you have a name?"
He nodded, still clutching his shoulder, and a little awed, "Umm... yeah. Michael. Michael Webb."
Fi was still studying the man, and she shook her head slowly, "You look so much like your brother."
"Yeah." Michael grimaced, "I get that a lot."
"Common." Mac grabbed Fi by the arm, "Let's get out of this wind and uh.." she turned to Michael, "I'm sorry."
Michael shrugged, "It's okay. I probably shouldn't have snuck up on . Fi was it? Shouldn't have snuck up on you like that. I've been getting that reaction all day. although you're the first to inflict physical pain."
Mac smiled, "Would you like to come back to my place? As an apology? You can stay for a coffee and we'll get you cleaned up?"
Michael hesitated, wondering if he should go with these complete strangers, then glanced at Fi, who was still watching him, "Yeah... maybe I will."
They walked back to Mac's car, and went through the moment of shock with Harm, Phantom and Ando. It was only momentary, as Fi explained who he was, and by the time they reached Mac and Harm's place, it was obvious that the younger brother was a lot more easy going then his late sibling.
They reached Mac and Harms house, and after the little kids were put to bed the six of them sat around chatting about mundane things, no one knowing quite what to say, or if they should bring up Clayton. At midnight, Ando left, taking Phantom with her, but Fi, having no place of her own in the US, opted to stay. Mac and Harm went to bed not long after that, leaving Fi and Michael alone.
They sat on either end of the couch, facing each other, and Fi finally brought up the subject they had all been tiptoeing around, "Listen... Michael, I have to ask. Why did you approach me before? When I was at the grave?"
Michael suddenly looked contrite, and he scratched the top of his nose with his head down before responding, "I uh... heard you."
Fi frowned, "You what?"
Michael lowered his voice, and he looked up at her, "I heard you.. Talking to him."
Fi didn't know quite what to say, and a quiet 'oh' escaped her lips.
"I wasn't eavesdropping." He said suddenly, in case she thought he'd been stalking her or something, "I was just. waiting until everyone had gone. You know. To say goodbye. And I heard what you said. and suddenly I felt I had to talk to you. I'd never known anyone that Clay had ever had feelings for. I guess I just wanted to meet the woman that could actually prove to the world that Clay had a heart."
Fi smiled at this, then shook her head gently, "I'm not sure what sort of relationship it was I had with Clay. but I did love him." She looked up at Michael suddenly, and let out a small sigh, "You look so much like him. You even sound like him."
Michael licked the top of his lip, nodding softly, "I can tell you now. he did love you Fi. If he let you behind his walls at all, even just a fraction, he loved you." He seemed to be answering the questions she had had for Clay before, and suddenly Fi was getting lost in his familiar chocolate brown eyes. She was no longer hearing Michael, but Clay's soft voice telling her that he loved her, "I'd never seen him be close to anyone, never trusted, never loved. I never knew about you. but I had always looked out for my brother, always worried. I'm just. I'm glad. You seem a wonderful person Fi. you deserved each other."
Fi's eyes were still locked on his, and she reached out with her hand, seemingly not having heard Michael, "Your hair.." her fingers trailed over his hair, twisting it around her fingers, then hand travelled lower, "Your eyes." they ran over his eyelids, and Michael closed his eyes, wondering if he should stop her. He knew she was no longer seeing him, but she seemed so possessed, he didn't have the heart. "Your mouth." Her fingers trailed over his mouth, and suddenly, instead of her fingers gently brushing his lips, her mouth was against his, and she was kissing him passionately. Michael got lost in the feeling of her against him for a moment, his automatic reaction to pull away clouded by his empathy. He knew this was her goodbye to Clay, and he couldn't rob her of that. Slowly Fi pulled away, but her eyes were still locked on his, a look of horror on her face.
"I know." Michael spoke to her softly, "You were kissing him."
Fi's head dropped, she could of kicked herself, "I'm so sorry Michael, I shouldn't have done that."
Michael took a deep breath, desperate to let Fi know it was okay. Words weren't going to work, lost as she was in her anguish.
"You know." he started slowly, trying to form something in his mind, "I remember when we were young. and Clay was learning the piano..."
Suddenly Fi's head raised, and a small smile twitched at the side of her lips, "Clay played the piano?"
"Uh huh." Michael lent back against the chair, his own smile enticing a full one out of Fi, "He was playing.. Uh, what was it? This completely obnoxious piece by some guy. I hated it so much. so this one day. I remember it really well. he wouldn't get over this one bit. so I dropped the lid on his fingers."
Fi let out a giggle, then suddenly sucked it in. She glanced at Michael and he shrugged, "Broke both his fingers and he never touched the piano again."
Fi smiled again, relaxing back against the couch, "Tell me more." She spoke softly.
Michael settled down, and for the rest of the night tried his best to remember Clayton the way he had been. Sometime during their conversation, Fi's head found Michael's shoulder, and early the next morning, as Mac walked in, Michael's own head was resting gently against hers, the two grieving people sound asleep. Something that Mac knew Fi hadn't been having since Clay's death. Mac smiled to herself, and after making herself a coffee she padded back into the bedroom, where Harm was waiting for her.
"You think the girls are going to be okay?" he asked, his eyes still closed.
Mac thought back to Fi, who had smiled for the first time yesterday since Webb died, then at Ando and Phantom, who were pulling each other through the crisis, like the had promised they could. She smiled, hopping in next to him, "Yeah. I think they're going to be fine."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Harm was awake before he opened his eyes. It wasn't even light outside yet, but he could hear the soft voices of the first birds to wake, chirping excitedly to each other. It was the perfect way to wake up to a day that promised to be the best of his life. He turned on his side, a small smile on his face as he finally opened his eyes. Her back to him, her soft breath steady in sleep, Harm's smile widened at the blonde beauty by his side. She turned then, lying on her back, and as the sky started to lighten with pre dawn fuzziness, Harm took in her features. Her long locks covered half her face, slight curls framing her face. She was the very vision of beauty,
Harm figured, in retrospect as he sat up, that his lovely fiancée wouldn't appreciate finding him waking up in bed with another woman, but at the moment he was too content to care. He reached out, brushing a finger across the side of the blonde's face, before swinging his legs out of bed. Standing up, he listened for a moment, then walked gently across the room into the adjoining bedroom. He lent against the doorframe, his heart glowing at the site of his fiancée, Sarah Mackenzie, rocking gently back and forth in a rocking chair, and his new, young three-week-old son, Alec Rabb in her arms. His young babe was feeding hungrily, and Mac was half asleep.
He moved beside the chair, placing a delicate kiss first on Mac's forehead, then on his sons, before kneeling next to the chair. Mac, half drunk on happiness, turned her head to look at him, "It's finally gong to happen." She spoke in a whisper. Harm nodded, content though to trail his fingers along the smooth skin of his newborn. The child opened it's bright brown eyes to look at Harm, finding him more interesting then that of his mothers milk.
"Harm." Mac commanded his attention, and he pried his eyes away from his son to look at her.
"Yes my love?"
"I saw Sarah creep in this morning. She still asleep?"
Harm nodded, now drinking in the sight of the woman he loved, "Like a princess." He whispered, thinking how wonderful it had been to wake up next to her. The only other woman in the world he ever wanted to wake up too.
"Not long now." Mac started rocking her son again, but her eyes were locked on Harms.
"Not long." He echoed, as he reached over and kissed Mac passionately. He never knew he could know such happiness, but with the recent birth of his son. of their son together, and now the promises that today held, he thought he would be overwhelmed by the utter fulfilment he felt.
*~*~*~*~*~
She was getting married. Mac was practically floating later that day, so excited, and nervous about her wedding. She was in her room with Phantom and Fi, who had flown in from Australia the day before, and Ando, who had been cooperative the whole day. until now.
"No way. There is no bloody way." Ando backed away slowly.
Phantom rolled her eyes, "Come on Ando... it is not going to bite you!"
Ando glared at Phantom. "Phantom you know there are two things I don't do, and dresses is one of them. You can't make me!" she crossed her arms, to emphasize her point.
Mac raised an eyebrow from her perch on the edge of the bed. She turned to Fi, "Is she always this difficult?"
Fi had her eyes glued on Ando, ready to jump in should the woman decide to resort to being violent, "You have no idea." She whispered back, then raised her voice, "Ando. This is for Mac's wedding for crying out loud! You'd think you could make a sacrifice just this once!"
Ando swirled around to look at Fi, "No! No way in hell, I'm not doing it, you can't make me!"
Mac looked up at Ando sweetly, "Yeah but I can order you."
Ando's eyes went wide, "You wouldn't... you can't! We're out of uniform!"
"I still outrank you Major." Mac's face was still covered in mirth, but her tone had hardened
Ando repeated herself again, "But we are not in uniform, you can't do that!"
"I may not be able to, but you wouldn't disobey a direct order from a senior officer. Because you're a good little marine."
"And besides." Phantom piped up, leaning against the wall, "You think Mac is going to let you go to her wedding looking like that?"
"Like what!" Ando frowned "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"
"She's right." Mac responded, standing up, "I mean it Ando. Either you get changed or I'll see you at the reception." And with that she walked out, leaving Ando with her mouth open.
Phantom glanced at Fi and winked, "Ooooh, that woman is good."
"This is so wrong! If you think this how the whole guilt thing works, your wrong!" Ando yelled out after Mac
"Common Ando." Fi tried to reason, "What will it hurt you? Jeez, I'd hate to see you at your own wedding."
"It'll wreck my whole rep I have built for myself, who will take me seriously after they see me in that?" Ando pointed to problem, which was slung across the bed, "And besides, at my own wedding I'm wearing my cammies!"
Phantom burst out laughing, nearly hitting her head against the wall. Ando shot her friend a dark look, but Phantom couldn't curb her amusement.
Fi tried not to smile, "You're hardly going to know anyone there anyways.... and like they care! Wearing a dress is not a weakness."
"Or are you just afraid you might like it?" Phantom said between breaths.
Ando's jaw dropped. "As if!"
Phantom snickered again, "Listen Ando, I gotta go get ready myself. So unless you want me to hang around and do up your zip...?"
"But how come Harm gets to wear his dress uniform and I can't!!" It was Ando's last attempt to argue her point, but she knew she would eventually have to put on the dress. Mac would never forgive her if she didn't.
Phantom shook her head, "I'm not even going to dignify that comment with a response." She reached the doorway with Fi, and shrugged, "The price you pay for making friends with a woman more stubborn then you." She winked and Fi grinned. "Especially one that outranks you."
"Dammit!" Ando sighed in frustration. But it was true, there was only one person that Ando had come across that was more stubborn then herself, and that was Mac. Ando slumped her shoulders in defeat. "Fine. One of you will have to show me how to put it on, and if any of you laugh, I will kill you!"
Phantom pressed her lips together in a vain attempted to stop smiling as she stepped forwards to help her friend, and as Fi left the room, they both heard her burst into laughter down the hall
"I'm so gonna...."Ando went to chase after Fi but Phantom grabbed her arm and yanked her back.
"The wedding!" Phantom reminded her, her patients wearing thin.
Ando sighed, "That woman owes me big time for this. Why did she have to pick me to be her bridesmaid! Why didn't she get one of you guys to do this?"
Phantom shrugged, picking up Ando's elaborate dress and trying to find the opening, "Maybe because you were the one over her place every second weekend, while I'll was stuck back home." She handed Ando the dress the right way up, a triumphant grin on her face
Ando held the dress up, taking it all in, "I can't believe I'm doing this."
Phantom looked at her friend and grinned, "Hey it could be worse, she could have picked a pink frilly one."
****
Mac stood pacing in the small room deemed for her, in less then 5 minutes she was going to be walking down the isle, and marring the man of her dreams. Harriet, her maid of honor, sat in a chair watching the nervous woman. Chloe, Mac's surrogate little sister, sat on the other side of the room, thoroughly amused by the site in front of her, it wasn't everyday she witnessed Mac a nervous wreck.
"Where the hell is Ando?" She cried in frustration to anyone that was listening.
"She'll be here." Harriet tried to calm her.
"Unless Phantom couldn't get her into that dress." Chloe giggled, the young woman had become rather good friends of Ando during the time that Mac had known her, "She's probably done the bolt."
Mac spun on her heel to face Chloe, "Oh god, you don't think she has?"
Harriet was on her feet in a flash, placing a comforting arm around Mac's shoulders after sending Chloe a dark look, "Now now. You know Ando. She isn't going to run off."
"And if she has?" Mac's eyes were wide
"Well we can grab Phantom and pull her up the front with us!" Harriet humored Mac.
"2 minutes." A voice called through the door, and Mac's eyes went wide.
"Or we do it without her." Chloe reasoned, when the door flew opened
"I hate dresses. Did I say that already?" Ando stood there breathing heavily. "Its impossible to run in them, I have like zero leg room. And I feel like I'm naked!"
Mac stood there in shock, blinking her eyes, "Oh my Goodness... Ando... you look... nice."
Ando rolled her eyes. "I. I look like a GIRL!" She growled, "Don't get used to it."
Mac took the girls appearance in, the dress actually did look nice on her. Mac didn't know how Phantom had been able to get Ando to let her pull her hair up nicely, but she did, and Mac was thanking the stars for it. And then Mac looked down at her feet.
"Oh Ando, you didn't." Mac sighed in frustration.
"You didn't expect me to wear those strappy shoe things you gave me, did you?"
"Yes, she did." From behind Ando, also breathless, Phantom stood, Ando's shoes in her hand, "It's part of the outfit woman, now quit complaining and put them on!"
"No!" cried Ando, "I'll only be pushed so far!"
"Ando you can't wear your boots!" Chloe laughed.
"You guys ready in there?" Came a voice of the organizer, "We're ready for you."
"Ando, put your goddamn shoes on!" Mac yelled, "That's an order!"
"Argh!!" Ando cried and grabbed the shoes from a grinning Phantom.
Ando put the shoes on and stood up, as Phantom left to go take her seat, "There, are we all happy?"
Mac gave a small smile, letting out a big breath, "Thank you." She turned to Sarah and Harmon, who had been sitting in the corner watching Mac with wide eyes, "Common kids. Your up first." She signaled the organizer, who in turned signaled that they were ready, and the bridal waltz filled the room.
The two kids took a deep breath, then started out, Harmon with rings resting gently on a pillow he clutched tightly, and Sarah with her basket of flower petals.
"Chloe." Mac gestured to the door, and Chloe grinned and gave Mac a tight hug before proceeding out of the room. Ando left next, gracing Mac with a smile before clutching her own flowers to take out Harriet left next, then Mac was alone with the Admiral, who raised his arm for Mac to grab tightly. "You look beautiful." He whispered to her and Mac took a shuddering breath.
"Thank you." Then Mac looked him in the eye, "For everything."
AJ squeezed her arm tightly, understanding completely, "It was my pleasure Sarah."
Mac smiled up at her superior officer, and her friend.
"Well shall we?" AJ directed her towards the door.
Mac nodded with certainty, confident that this was what she wanted. Surrounded by friends and family, she was finally confidant that her troubles were behind her, and she planed to keep it that way.
She started off down the isle, and suddenly everything disappeared. The friends, the family, even the confidence. She didn't even remember where she was. Her eyes were glued on the man a few meters away, his own eyes locked on her's. Standing there in his dress whites, he looked unbelievably handsome, and her knees threatened to buckle because of it. It wasn't the first time he had done that to her, just by looking at her, and she prayed it wasn't going to be the last.
She was light on her feet, she felt she was floating, but it seemed to take forever to reach the man she loved. The isle grew longer and longer, but his penetrating gaze, and his loving smile stayed close to her. Finally she was by his side, looking up into the warmth within. Harm took Mac's hand from the Admiral, giving him a smile of gratitude. The Admiral nodded back, knowing the unspoken words. Harm then turned to Mac and kissed her hand softly, "You look beautiful." He whispered as they turned to face the celebrant.
"I love you Harm." Mac took a second to look him in the eye, and Harm, ignoring both the people gathered and the priest in front of him, reached out and cupped her cheek
"I love you too Sarah."
****
The wedding was brief, and it wasn't long before everyone had gathered back to Harm's house for the reception.
Before the food was served, the guests mingled with each other, awaiting the newly wed couple to make the first appearance in public as husband and wife. Ando had already changed into more comfortable clothing, although Phantom still considered her to be 'dressed up' - knowing the other woman as she did.
Mac and Harm were, naturally, the last to arrive, and the entire group of people burst into applause as they entered. You could see the grins plastered on their faces from where Phantom was standing, all the way down the other end of the lawn.
Everyone settled down quickly, and a barbeque ensured, something easy - and cheep - that had everyone happy. It wasn't until after the meals, while people were dancing and getting drunk that Mac and Harm managed to mingle. Everyone had congratulations and pats on the back for them. The afternoon turned into night, and the crowd thinned, and Mac ambled over to Ando, probably the only sober person left, "Hey."
Ando looked at Mac, a drunken smile on her face, "Howdy Colonel."
"Seen Phantom?"
Ando shook her head, waving her arm in the direction of the front of the house, "She disappeared over there a bit back with some Gunnery Sergeant."
Mac looked surprised, "Victor?"
Ando nodded, "That was him. Nice fellow... though Phantom wouldn't get with a Marine if you paid her." She grinned up at Mac, "Too many years with me."
Mac smiled, "I can imagine."
Ando sobered up a bit and looked up at Mac. "Thanks for the last couple of months Colonel. Things have been a little blurry since Webb died but, I think things are starting to look up."
Mac smiled, taking Ando's hand and squeezing it tightly, "You guys helped yourselves."
"But still." Ando tried to make Mac understand. then realized suddenly that she did, "Thank you."
Mac nodded her head, "If you ever want to talk..."
"Ha." Ando laughed, "Your the first one I'll call. Promise."
"Harm and I are going now." Mac stood back up, "Our plane leaves in two hours. We're taking Alec with us, and Chloe will take care of Harmon and Sarah for us, so your welcome to crash here the night. You and Phantom and Fi."
Ando nodded, "I let the girls know. Have a great honeymoon Colonel, I'll see you when ya get back. Take care."
"You too Nat."
With that she walked off, her eyes lingering on the small gathered crowd of friends. Harm walked over to her, kissing her cheek softly and entwining his fingers with hers, "Ready to go?"
Mac merely nodded, her eyes still glued on the people that had come into her life so suddenly, and made such an impact.
"You okay?" Harm's deep blue eyes looked down at her in concern.
Mac looked up at him, and smiled sweetly, squeezing his hand, "Perfect."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N - Now, all together go awwwwww. Now, don't forget to review. we got something to show you!!
~**~***~**~**~
"What do you mean, she's GONE?" Ando looked at Fi with eyes wide.
"As in, no longer there." Fi spoke each word slowly, so Ando might be able to actually grasp the meaning of the sentence this time.
"How the HELL does someone escape from a mental institution?!" Ando threw her hands up in disbelief, "What, did she just unlock the door and walk out?"
~~~~~~~~
"You are doing the same thing Ando," Phantom screamed at her friend, "You are keeping your conscience clear for killing his dad. If you can keep him safe, and help him out, you don't have to feel guilty. You just won't admit it."
Ando didn't think, swinging hard with her fist and making contact with Phantom's jaw. Phantom's head snapped back and she gripped her jaw, turning back to face her friend, "And if that didn't just prove it.."
~~~~~~~~
"Harm I can't help it, ever since.since Webb died, I promised myself I would look after then, protect them, in a motherly way when needed." Mac looked down at her hands and played with the ring harm had given to her in Australia fifteen years ago.
"Motherly!" Harm laughed. " That was motherly the first time you met Michael."
Mac blushed. "He looked creepy.."
.... Harm nodded, falling back against his pillows, "We all got quite a shock.... Let her be happy."
*~*~*~*~*~*~
Whoops Sequel - Coming to Fan Fiction SOON!!