Disclaimer: I don't own them…I'm just borrowing them for my own entertainment!
A/N: Sorry about taking sooo long to get this out, but my big sister was moving out and the entire house was swept up in the craziness of the first born entering the real world, etc, etc. Anyway…Happy Reading!
0958 ZULU
MAC'S APARTMENT
GEORGETOWNHarm slowly opened the door to Mac's bedroom, allowing a small stream of light to filter into the room into the room. Through the dim light he could see Mac lying in the middle of her bed, facing him with her eyes closed. He took a moment to watch her sleep because she looked so peaceful…and beautiful.
"Did anyone ever tell you it's not nice to stare, Sailor?" her eyes blinked open.
"I thought you were sleeping," he stuttered slightly making her smile, "Why did you wake up?"
"Internal clock, remember?"
"That thing has an alarm?"
"Yeah, and no snooze," Mac grinned, "By the way, you're seven minutes late."
"Well then I better get right now to the questions," he sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Must we?" she propped herself on her elbows into a semi-sitting position.
"Answer me these questions three," he began in a bad British accent, "What is your name? What is your quest?" What is the airspeed velocity of an un-laden swallow?
"African or English?" she answered with a laugh, "I never would have pegged you for a Monty Python fan, Flyboy."
"Hey, I was just as surprised to see The Holy Grailon your shelf, Marine."
"Did you watch Flying Circus or just the movies?"
"The movies mostly, but Fran kand I would occasionally catch the TV show when my mother wasn't home."
"She wasn't a fan?"
"She thought it was crude," he said and they both laughed, "I take it you watched both?"
"Yeah, Eddie and I created quite the elaborate drinking game around the show," she lowered herself back onto the pillows partly because her arms were sore from when Luka threw her to the ground and partly because she wanted to avoid Harm's gaze. Both of their childhoods were less than ideal, but Mac knew that with his sights set on the Academy, a teenage Harm must have been a saint compared to her own teenage self.
"You going to go back to sleep?" he changed the subject, sensing from her body language that she was done with the subject. Harm knew perfectly well that she laid back down out of sense of shame over her past actions and he hated that she did that. He wished she could understand that he did not care about her past, only about her.
"No," she laced her fingers together and rested them on her stomach, "I'm hungry."
"That doesn't surprise me," he smirked, "All you ate was popcorn."
"So what are you going to make?"
"Me?" he dropped his jaw dramatically, "It's your apartment. I'm the guest."
"You invited yourself over," she challenged, "That means you cook."
"Fine."
"Thanks," she smiled as he walked out of her bedroom.
Dani stood in the doorway of Jason's bedroom wearing one of his t-shirts and sipping herbal tea. Jason was sleeping and Dani knew she should be doing the same. She was exhausted and knew she needed the rest. She did manage to fall asleep in Jason's arms, but that was short lived. Within an hour she was wide-awake and slipped from Jason's arms to pace around his kitchen. In his cabinet, she had found the herbal tea he had bought specifically for her and made a cup hoping it would bring on sleep.
The entire hellish night kept playing over and over again in her head. It wasn't just that night she was replaying, Dani kept going over ever moment she had spent with Luka in the past few weeks, months, and even years. She kept trying to pinpoint the exact moment Luka changed from her teenage sweetheart into – well – what he became last night. Worst of all, her mind kept getting stuck on the look in his eyes when…
"Dani?" Jason interrupted her stream of thoughts, "What are you doing out of bed?"
"I had a bit of a headache."
"You okay?" he sat up in concern.
"I'm fine," she sat down her much and limped her way back to the bed, "I just wanted some chamomile tea."
"Did you take what the doctor gave you?"
"No," she climbed under the sheets, "I don't like prescriptions."
"Whatever you say," he kissed her head as she settled into his arms, "You comfortable?"
"Perfect," Dani looked up at him, "Thank you for being her."
"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."
"Good."
"Now go to sleep."
"Okay," she closed her eyes and listened focused on his steady breathing. In a few minutes she felt his breathing even out and she knew Jason had fallen back asleep. It was then that she reopened her own eyes and sighed.
"What are you making?" Mac joined Harm in her kitchen where he was standing over the stove.
"Chicken soup," he looked over his shoulder to see her make a face, "What?"
"Nothing," she answered quickly.
"You made a face."
"It's just that chicken soup's boring."
"Were you expecting a gourmet meal?" he laughed, "Your cabinets are practically empty."
"So I need to go shopping," she leaned against the counter, "The fridge has food in it."
"Yogurt, milk, shredded cheese, salsa, and frozen pizza," he listed.
"You forgot the cookie dough."
"Oh, sorry," he rolled his eyes, "Either way that doesn't make for a meal."
"What do you call the pizza?" she handed him two bowls.
"Mac, it's not even 5:30 in the morning!"
"So?"
"No one eats pizza this early," he handed her a bowl of soup.
"Even fewer people eat chicken soup," she countered walking to the table.
"Will you just eat?" he sat down across from her with his own bowl of soup.
"Fine," they both ate in silence for a few minutes, "I'm not going to go back to sleep, so you can head back to your place if you want."
"Do you want me to leave?"
"I'm just saying that I don't need you anymore."
"Because you don't need anyone, do you?"
"Where is that coming from?" she dropped her spoon into the bowl with a clank.
"It's just an observation. You're pushing me away."
"I am not," she stood up and walked across the room.
"Yes you are," he followed her.
"I can't be."
"Why?"
"You're not mine to push!"
"What?"
"You have to be with someone to push them away," she sighed, "Annie's with you, not me."
"You're with Dalton," he argued.
"Only because you're with Annie," she shot back.
"What if I wasn't?"
"I don't want to play 'what if' Harm, I want all the cards on the table."
"Okay," he turned on her stereo and offered her his hand, "I believe I owe you a dance."
"I'm tired of dancing!" she crossed her arms, "I don't want to do some abbreviated version of France that ends with you going back to Annie."
"I'm not going back."
"What?"
"I want to stay with you."
"Are you serious?"
"Yes," he answered and she kissed him, "Will you dance with me now, Marine?"
"Of course, Flyboy."
THE END
A/N: So what'd y'all think? I'm debating between writing an epilogue or doing a sequel…I'll make my decision based on what you guys think so you have to tell me. Also thanks for sticking with this for so long…I know it took me a ridiculous amount of time to get all of this out and I really appreciate your loyalty!