Chapter 4 - The Only Step

1630 ZULU
MAC'S APARTMENT
WASHINGTON, D.C.

Kate knocked worriedly on the door and when she didn't hear a response, wondered where the beautiful Marine was this morning. Sarah had missed Sunday mass and while Kate wasn't too fussed about a missed service, the Marine's cellphone was also incommunicado. So she had worried and rushed over. Kate tried the door and was surprised to find it unlocked.

She entered the apartment and saw nothing out of place. Well, aside from a few loose shirt buttons scattered on the floor.

"Sarah?" she called out on her way to the bedroom. The door was wide open.

What Kate saw made her blush. There in bed were two very attractive and very naked adults. One was the beautiful woman who lived in this apartment. The other was the sailor they had just met yesterday.

"Sarah?" Kate called again, this time waking the Marine.

Mac had been floating on a dream. She was wrapped in Harmon Rabb Jr.'s strong arms after a wonderful night of love making. It was such a vivid dream as she could recall every little detail - how after their first time together, there had been a second, and in the early morning hours, a third.

Her eyes blinked open at the mention of her name and she turned bleary eyes to her door. And saw Kate standing there.

"Hi, Kate." Mac sighed happily.

It was another two seconds before Mac realized she was naked. Totally naked. And not alone in bed. She grabbed at the covers to hide her nudity and turned to first Kate and then the occupant in her bed.

Harmon Rabb Jr.

"Well, when you move forward, Sarah, you really move forward."

"Kate, I can explain." Mac said as she quickly looked for a shirt to cover up. It took her a few seconds to wrap the sheets around her and find clothes but soon she pulled on a t-shirt and shorts and followed Kate into the living room to talk.

Harm woke up when he felt the bed get cold. He ran his hand searching for his bed partner and found that he was alone. His eyes slowly opened and he realized that this wasn't his bedroom.

It was Mac's.

And he was naked.

When details of last night came crashing back. Every nuance, every sigh, every sensation of being joined with Sarah MacKenzie...

And everything today seemed all that much brighter. Every color, every detail... it was like reseeing the world for the first time - everything was a first. The pattern on her lampshade, the wood grain on her bedside table, the shadow patterns cast by the sun on the crumpled sheets. Everything was a new discovery and everything was better.

He dragged his body out of bed in search for her. He pulled on his boxers and pants before he turned his attention to his shirt. The buttons were ruined. No matter, as what he gained last night was worth all the ruined shirts in the world. He exited her bedroom bare chested.

And was surprised to find Kate in the living room. She glared at him and Harm blushed - again another effect of having Sarah MacKenzie - he was not the cocky aviator who had just bedded the most beautiful woman in the world. He was a shy kid who had just made love for the first time in his life.

Made love - that statement might be true. If what he and Mac had done last night was love, then he had never ever done it before yesterday.

"Good morning, Harm. Sleep well?"

Harm's face positively glowed bright red at her question. He found Mac come in from the kitchen with two cups of coffee. When they spotted each other, time seemed to stop. Even though it must not have because Kate cleared her throat noisily, breaking the trance.

"So, Sarah told me you two actually work together." Kate said, accepting the coffee mug from Mac.

"Um... yeah." Harm responded as Mac turned to him and handed him her cup. He took a sip and shared the cup with her. Mac's surprise at the act - so simple yet so symbolic - made her face break into a wide smile. She sipped from the cup as well.

"I'm sorry we didn't tell you Kate." Mac apologized to the older woman as she felt Harm's arm wrap around her waist, holding her close. She leaned back against his bare chest.

"No, no matter. Of course, I'm glad that you two actually know each other. I would have been horrified to learn that Sarah jumped into bed with the first sailor she saw."

Kate saw the loving look those two gave each other and sighed, "So I take it that lunch is off?"

Mac realized she was being a bad host. "Oh, no. Let me get dressed and I'll join you. But do you mind if Harm joins us?"

"Not at all."

Harm whispered to Mac. "Well, I do need a replacement shirt. The one I had on last night..." he reminded her of her overzealous efforts in stripping it off him.

"Ah. You can grab one of my sweatshirts." At his skeptical glance that he doubted it would fit him, she clarified. "I get oversized ones, they're much more comfortable. Second drawer on the left."

"Okay." he gave her a quick peck on the lips before leaving to get dressed.

oxoxoxo

Harm felt a little mortified sitting at lunch. Not that he didn't enjoy being here in the company of both women, especially the beautiful brunette that his heart now belonged to, but he was a little uncomfortable with the sweatshirt he had borrowed from her.

It fit a little snugly, but he was fine with that. The letters on it though left a lot to be desired.

"You belong to the Marines now, sailor." Mac teased as she read the USMC letters emblazoned across his chest.

"Hmm. Remind me to get you in one of my Navy shirts then, Marine."

"You keep dreaming, flyboy." she teased back as she passed him their order sheet. He eyed the list of demands.

"All this?"

"I'm hungry, Harm."

"This hungry?"

Mac leaned in and whispered in his ear. "Well, I had extensive night maneuvers last night..."

Harm blushed and excused himself to place their orders. Kate saw how easily Mac laughed, the change in the Marine was almost total. Gone was the stoic and sometimes downright dour demeanor. Gone was the sad tinge in her eyes, now they sparkled with life and love.

Once Harm was out of earshot, Kate spoke again. "I think all the men at church are going to be disappointed, Sarah."

"Huh, why?"

"Because they've lost any chance with you." Kate smiled as she noticed Mac blush. The beautiful Marine had no idea how she affected the men around her did she? Kate added, "Of course, not like they ever had a chance, did they, Sarah?"

Mac looked down shyly and shook her head. "It's weird. Ever since Harm and I met we had this... connection. We shared things so easily - whether it was long held secrets or hard facts to face. Even when we fought, it was always easier to run to each other than it was to keep away."

"You fought your emotions though."

"Yeah. I mean, we work together. We even face each other in court sometimes. Now one of us has to leave JAG..." Mac panicked for a moment, realizing the implications of this nascent relationship.

"Life is complicated, but emotions don't have to be. Simplify your emotions. What does your heart say, Sarah?"

Mac's eyes went to the tall aviator placing their orders at the counter. "I love him."

"And are you happy loving him?"

"Yes."

"And does leaving JAG seem so bad now?"

Mac realized it didn't anymore. "Is it really that simple? That all I have to do is love him?"

"If it makes you happy, yes. It's a lot of hard work to make things simple, Sarah. But if you're honest about your feelings, then life starts getting a lot easier."

Mac smiled brightly. Life was going to get complicated at JAG. But life for Sarah MacKenzie had never seem so simple before.

oxoxoxo

The love that her parents shared starting that weekend had resulted in her existence. It had happened so quickly but it was the start of a future that would last the rest of their lives.

At one month, her father had proposed to her mother. In the intervening period, she was convinced that her parents were busy trying to make her a sibling already.

At two months, her mom finally realized her existence. Which resulted in a lot of changes. Tears were shed as her mother transferred out of her job to another position in the Marines. It kept her close to her fiance, but they missed not working together.

At three months, she had attended her parents wedding. It was a small ceremony, shared only among close friends and family.

At four months, baby Rabb started to make her presence known, kicking out to get comfortable, only placated whenever she heard her mother's or father's singing.

At six months, her mom considered retiring to be a full time mom. While her father thought that her mom had skills that were vital to the Marine Corps, he supported her whatever she chose to do. Baby Rabb decided to be a calm little girl for her mom, and possibly helped her mom decide that being a Marine mom wasn't impossible after all. Her mom stayed in the Corps.

At nine months and eight days, baby Rabb finally came into the world, measuring 20 inches and weighing 7 1/2 lbs.

And life at that point was simply perfect.

THE END