Notes:
A/N: I can’t apologize enough for the delay In Big Blue Sky. If you’ve never built a house I can’t possibly explain, and if you have, I don’t have to. There is some hope that after I get a bathtub picked and straighten out the septic tank stuff I may find some time of my own.
This is a rather sweet sentimental story I wrote in December of season eight before we had a clue about all the angst of the next two and a half years. It was how I wanted Christmas to happen for them.
If you can remember back to that ‘innocent’ time, I hope this will give you some pleasure until I get my act together.
Christmas Presence
21:30 December 23
Harm and Mac’s favorite restaurant
We just finished a wonderful romantic dinner. We are talking so much better now. Neither of us has said ‘the words’, however I feel the time is getting close.
Maybe it will happen at the New Years Embassy ball. We get invited every year since Harm saved the life of the princess. He will be back in town for that, he promised me and he never breaks an actual promise. She is the Queen now, Her Royal Majesty, and rarely ever comes to Washington, but they exchange Christmas cards every year and we always get the invitation. It was awkward for a while as the invitation is always addressed to both of us and is not open to Harm bringing another date. One year he just had to decline because Renee would have had a fit and Mic was here in D.C., but every other year, no matter what, we have attended.
Harm has suggested a walk to look at the Christmas lights. I really don’t want the evening to be over so I agree just to keep him with me a few more minutes. His flight leaves at 10:00 tomorrow and he says he still hasn’t packed. He is spending the holidays with his Mom in California. It’s been years since he was home for Christmas and I guess losing Sergei earlier this year has made the family thing more important to him. I just hope soon we will be to the point…..well never mind that for now. I’m just going to be happy for where we are in relation to where we have been. I am happy in his presence.
16:45 December 24
Sarah MacKenzie’s apartment
Georgetown
Well it seems everyone but me had plans for this evening. I received some last minute invitations when people discovered Harm was leaving for the holiday. They were for late parties with a lot of people I don’t really know. I didn’t want to spend the entire evening hanging on the folks I came with, so I declined. I just made a big pot of hot chocolate, climbed into my cowboy jammies that Harm finds so charming, and I’m going to watch Christmas movies.
Now who could be at my door, I wonder, just as the opening credits of White Christmas are rolling.
My goodness, it’s the Admiral, I throw open the door in surprise. “Sir, what are you doing here? I mean, um..” I’m stuttering like the village idiot. But he just walks past me with a large box of bottles, cups, plates, napkins and other party type goodies.
“I came to your party, Mac”. He sets the box down, then turns and looks at me with a funny smile.
“But, I’m not having a party.” I protest.
“Of course you are, I have the invitation right here.” He pulls a hand-lettered piece of paper from his pocket.
I look at it dumbfounded. “Sir, there must be some mistake, I don’t understand.”
“Well there is going to be a big mistake, if Meredith and the rest of those people come in here and find us with you in your cowboy jammies.” he looks mock stern.
“Oh my God, Sir, I forgot.” just then I hear more voices at my front door, I can do nothing but beat a hasty retreat into my bedroom. I figured that out because of my Marine training. As I close the door, I hear Bud and Harriet’s voice greeting the Admiral, asking where I am.
I haven’t a clue what is going on, but I figure if this is going to happen I might as well give it my best, so I take 15 minutes to freshen up and dress. I decide on my new black silk slacks and my favorite red cashmere sweater. Adding my tiny crystal poinsettia earrings, and a pair of medium heeled strappy sandals, I am ready for anything.
I am astonished by the activity when I step back into the living room. My desk and dining room table have been moved to the side to create a small dance floor, two women I don’t know are loading my CD player with Christmas music. They must be Gunny and Tiners’s dates because I see those two arguing about the best way to set up a warming pot for the hot apple cider. AJ and Meredith are arranging a buffet on the table with the goodies that have arrived and Bud and Harriet are hanging mistletoe from everything. There is already a huge bundle over the front door. I just shake my head in amusement at this pair and wonder if they planned this whole thing.
I really don’t have time to think as the doorbell rings again and Sturgis and Bobbie are standing there. Then right behind them is Chloe and her dad. I start to close the door hugging Chloe, but I feel a pressure and open it again. Of all people it is Webb, but the biggest surprise is Uncle Matt right behind him. It will be hours before I find out that Harm and AJ have been working tirelessly for months in every spare moment to get him paroled, but for now Webb got him a furlough. Now, if only….. but there are so many good friends here I am just going to enjoy this nice surprise, however it happened. Over the next ten minutes, several more friends from work show up, all with food and I wonder where we will fit everything and everyone but it all seems to be working just fine. Some people are dancing now and others eating and talking.
Just as I turn to have some time with Chloe and Uncle Matt the bell rings again. To my utter astonishment, there is Trish and Frank, Harm’s parents. I have never met them but I have seen many pictures. Trish introduces herself and Frank as if this were an everyday occurrence, and I am too stunned by her composure to get out the question I want to ask. I am overwhelmed by the presence of my friends, my family.
Then I feel another presence, the hair on the back of my neck tingles and I turn. He is standing there framed in the doorway. Before I can make a sound, I am in his arms and his kiss makes everyone else’s presence disappear. It takes several moments before I am aware of anything but the first thing that registers is our friends and family cheering and applauding.
He looks up and tips his cover to them. I can’t believe I am blushing, after all, I am a Marine, but there it is.
“I thought your plane was at 10:00”. I whisper.
He shrugs “Tomorrow. You didn’t really believe I would go without you, did you?”
I have no answer I just stare at him lost in his green eyes.
Strangely enough, it is Trish who breaks the spell when she tugs gently on my arm.
“I think I need to spend some time with the young lady who has captivated my son, and stolen his heart. You don’t mind do you Harm?” She smiles a winning smile at him and I can see his charm wasn’t entirely inherited from his father.
23:30 December 24
The steps of Reverend Turner’s church
Snow has started to fall gently. Washington D.C. will have a white Christmas.
The service was sweet and moving. Full of hope and promise. There was another presence we all felt; and we were turning our faces to a better future than we have expected for a while.
“I’ll get a ride back with the Admiral, Harm. See you tomorrow.” I know this is his time to spend with his father at the Wall.
He doesn’t release my hand. “You’re coming with me,” he says simply. “Admiral may I ask you to see my mom and dad to their hotel?” Now I know why he asked me to change into my uniform.
The Admiral nods beaming at us in a very odd way. We all exchange hugs and kisses and Harm promises that we will meet Trish and Frank at their hotel in the morning for breakfast. I am beginning to see that there was a major operation pulled here tonight and I am the only one who didn’t know about it. I have never liked surprises before, but I think I am going to like this one just fine.
23:50
The Wall
We walk to the spot hand in hand. Harm lifts my fingers to trace his name.
“Hi Dad.” he says. “I have someone I want you to meet.”
Somehow I feel another presence, one very like Harm, but very different as well.
“Dad this is Sarah and I’m going to marry her. I love her more than I thought it was ever possible to love someone. She is my world.” I’m startled, but he holds on to me. He has his arms wrapped around me from behind, holding me close to his chest. I can feel his breath on my ear.
“She’s really incredible, Dad, and I have been such a fool to wait so long. You know why, I’m sure, I was afraid something would happen to me like you and Granddad and we would lose each other. But then, I guess I discovered that even a few moments on this earth would be better than never having any moments at all. You see Dad, my Sarah is not only a brilliant lawyer, she is a real kick-ass Marine. I know she wants me dad because I would be on my face in snow by now if she didn’t.” Something between a sob and a giggle escapes my throat.
“Also I have just about as much luck keeping her out of combat as she has keeping me out of Tomcats so I figured I better get my six in gear. Anyway, I wanted you to meet her before I ask her ‘cause I think if she knows you she couldn’t possibly refuse. Love you Dad, maybe next year or the year after we will have someone else for you to meet.”
I feel the other presence fade slowly away and he turns me in his arms. Even though we are both in uniform, he kisses me slowly and tenderly. Then looks deep into my eyes.
“What do you say Marine, join forces with the Navy?” he asks the question in his eyes is dead serious but he still flashes me his beautiful, cocky flyboy smile.
I know I’m both crying and grinning like a total fool when I say “Sounds like a match made in heaven.”
Neither of us wants to move, but the cold is creeping up our legs so we walk quickly back to his SUV. We sit for a few moments thawing out then he pulls out and heads for his place.
“Harm, my place is back that way”
“Yeah, I know, but I don’t want to be away from you any more. Not if I don’t have to.” “Besides,” that grin again, “You place is a mess after the party.”
I can’t argue with that, in fact I find I don’t want to argue with anything. I’m really looking forward to the rest of my Christmas surprise.
6:00 Christmas Day
Harm’s apartment
My first feeling as I slowly wake is of his presence. He is propped on one elbow looking down at me. His fingers are lazily stroking my stomach and I stretch like a cat in a sunbeam.
“You know we didn’t get much sleep last night and if you don’t stop that we are never going to get to breakfast with Trish and Frank.” I giggle without really making any attempt to push him away.
He sighs and moves to get up “I know. They might understand but I doubt they will hold our flight so we better get it in gear, Marine”
“Wait a minute, what do you mean our flight?” I ask in exasperation. Surveying the apartment. There are clothes everywhere. We were very thorough last night, but not very neat.
“Oh, did I forget to mention?” he grins innocently. “We are spending the holiday at home in California.”
“You mean at your parents house?”
“Well yeah. But they aren’t going to be there. They are going to Paris. So, we have the house and the beach all to ourselves. Do you think you can stand being alone with me for five days?” he asks with his familiar grin.
“You mean all alone” I ask in mock fear. “I don’t know, you will have to promise to be very good”
“I already promised that, didn’t I?” he reminds me of the conversation we had just before going to the Seahawk for the tribunal last year.
“Anyway,” I change the subject before I blush again. “I don’t have anything packed I can’t go to California. I’ll have to borrow your shampoo.”
He turns from the closet holding a brand new carry-on. Inside is a new container of all my toiletries as well as the makeup bag from my vanity.
“How?” I ask in astonishment
“I have a really good network of elves” he smiles and looks at me from the corner of his eyes.
“Just how long have you been planning this?”
“Um, let’s see, about two months” he admits.
“And all those people knew and no body let anything slip?” I can’t believe in that office that something could be kept secret for two months.
“They’re military, secret operation, you know” he shrugs charmingly. “Now get a move on, Marine we really don’t have time to take a shower together this morning.”
When I step out of the shower a comfortable outfit is hanging on the closet above a beautiful travel bag that I am sure is packed with everything I will need for the week. I am no longer surprised about anything. At this point, I am sure I will get home and find not a clue there had ever been a party in my apartment. Speaking of messes, I look around and find that the entire place has been picked up and our uniforms are neatly hanging side by side in his closet. But I think the best part is our under things bundled together in his laundry basket. This is going to be a very warm Christmas regardless of the weather.
Late afternoon
December 25
Guest suite balcony
Frank and Trish’s home
The sun is hanging low over the ocean preparing for its final decent below the waves. His presence is part of me now and I feel that mine is part of him as well. I never realized I could lose myself in someone and still retain all of me. There is only the feeling of complete freedom in this love. I feel his presence behind me and his arms go around me. We stand there saying nothing, needing to say nothing. His hand takes mine and he slips a ring on my finger. A chill runs through me because I know what it is, what it means for our future, a future as unlimited as the view before us.
“Merry Christmas.” he barely speaks into my ear.
“Merry Christmas, my love.” I answer.
End