Originally written for Pixie’s December Challenge 2005
Author: Gibson

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended. Much to my chagrin, JAG and all characters belong to The 500lb Gorilla. Don’t even think about suing. I own nothing but my beloved Gibson J-45, and that you would have to pry from my cold, dead hands…
Category: AU (I Surrender series), Vignette, Romance H/M
Rating: CF

Summary: I was at a party recently where a father-to-be kept doing this. It was so cute and it occurred to me later that this was something that Harm would probably do too.
This takes place in the “I Surrender” Universe, shortly before they fly to D.C. for Christmas and baby Evan is born.
Sorry, just more feel-good-fluff for the Holidays, but… you know you waaaaaant it!



Coffee, Candy Canes and Confirmations

Coffee Shop
Oxford Circus
London, NW1
19 December 2005
1845 ZULU

Stamping snow from their boots, Harm and Mac entered the old coffee shop which was quaintly decorated for Christmas and filled with Holiday shoppers taking a break from their pursuits. Following his now 8 month pregnant wife towards the counter, Harm suddenly lurched forward to steady her with both hands when her foot slid on the wet floor.

“Jesus Marine” he breathed into her hair with audible relief, “Are you trying to give me a stroke?”

“Oops?” she offered apologetically and rubbed her belly as the baby physically complained against the sudden jolt.

Harm sighed and guided her towards a small table just being vacated. “Please… just sit here and I’ll grab us a couple of coffees, OK?” He shook his head distractedly and grinned as he turned away from the table and his heart slowly returned to its regular cadence.

She was going to be the end of him, he decided – no doubt about it. He had somehow always known it would end up this way. He had once confided in Keeter some drunken night at the Academy, that there were very few things that scared him in this life, but one of those things was “the more you have, the more you have to lose”. Keeter had resolved this fear simply, with his own brand of ‘Keeter-logic’. With a quick raise of his glass, he had stated “So here’s to a life of drunken debauchery and never giving our hearts to anyone!”. Seemed simple at the time.Finally, after all of these years, he had broken their pact. He knew Keeter would understand… Hell… he knew Keeter had never really been serious to begin with, but a part of Harm had been, and that part of him was still scared to death as he cast a glance over his shoulder at all that he had to lose embodied in one person – well… two persons really – just one body. He choked down his fear for the 18,000th time since they’d been together and smiled, partly because he still couldn’t believe she was really his after all this time, and partly because… well, this feeling was way better than being scared.

“I sure hope you have a sweet tooth.” The server nodded to one of the drinks that Harm had ordered as he set it down.

Harm chuckled “It’s uh… for my wife.” He nodded blindly over his shoulder and shivered. It still gave him a thrill to say that.

The server looked over Harm’s shoulder and smiled. “The expecting one?”

Harm grinned unabashedly. “I did that” he stated with a kind of satisfied pride that only made the server laugh and shake his head.

“Well, good on ya, mate. And a hearty congratulations.”

As he returned to the table with drinks in hand, Mac eyed him suspiciously and smiled. “What the hell did you get me Harm? I was thinking just a decaf...” She toyed with fascination at the offending protrusion from her mug. “It’s got a candy cane in it” she exclaimed, one part amazement - two parts trepidation.

“Have I ever told you how beautiful are, Mackenzie?”

“Smooth, but don’t change the subject, Rabb – what the hell is this?”

“Hot chocolate and Egg Nog – you are you know…”

“Really?” She was responding to the description of her drink, but when he simply stated “Really” back to her, with an amazingly content look on his face, she immediately knew to what he was replying.

Mac looked down and blushed as she tried without success to gracefully move her stool a little closer to Harm and the cozy wood stove that was crackling behind him.

Harm just continued to grin at her as he extended his arm to help her balance.

Mac looked back up at him with a shy grin of her own. Even after all this time, she couldn’t get over how different Harm had become since they had been together. Forever gone seemed to be the tight-lipped, commitment shy jet-jock that had infuriated her for years. In his place was this radiant, happy man who loved to bring her flowers and make her feel like a princess – even when she didn’t even know she wanted to feel like one. So many years she had tried to be a Marine and fit into a man’s world – almost ignoring her feminine side in order to be accepted. Now Harm had brought that side back to her, and much to her surprise, she was loving it.

Harm reached out and rubbed her swollen belly, “Just stop scaring the crap out of me all the time, OK? All I need is for you to take a fall right now.”

“How about you stop being so protective of me and then maybe you wouldn’t worry so much?”

He narrowed his eyes at her and lowered his voice, “Mac, you know that’s impossible. Just be careful – every time you do something like that, I age another year.”

Mac leaned in with a seductive voice, “Well, I happen to find the mature Harmon Rabb irresistibly sexy…” she interrupted her own sentence by kissing her husband sweetly, lingering on his lips a little longer then necessary.

As he was pulling back from the kiss, Harm notice a little old lady in her mid eighties that was crowded next to him at the adjacent table. She smiled quickly at them, slightly self-conscious of the fact that she had been caught staring, and turned her attention back to the quietly flickering candle at her table.

Suddenly, Harm leaned towards the lady playfully as he nodded towards Mac. “I did that” he told her proudly.

The little old lady gave him a very grandmotherly and condescending pat on the arm, “Good for you, dear.”

Harm turned back to Mac with a large contented grin on his face. It reminded Mac of a toddler who had just been rewarded for drinking without spilling his juice. His eyes dropped to her belly and then back up to her face as he continued his confirmation process. “I did that” he told her with immense satisfaction.

Mac didn’t know whether she should be encouraging him, but she couldn’t help it when he did this. “Yes you did, Sailor.” She actually felt like a mother praising her toddler. Well, at least she was getting practice for the future.

Harm had fallen into this little game periodically throughout her pregnancy. She figured it was just his mind’s way of getting around the whole concept of their togetherness. In a way, she completely understood - she had trouble fathoming the whole thing sometimes too. A few months ago, he had spent an entire house-warming party reassuring the guests that he was the one responsible for her condition. She would have almost been insulted about his bringing their child’s parentage into question, if he hadn’t looked so damn cute while he was doing it.

Harm looked back at the little old lady again. “You know, we didn’t think we were going to be able to have children...” He then looked back at Mac with a satisfied grin. “…but look…” He suddenly paused and lost his smile. He admired his wife for a moment before leaning back towards his neighbour and telling her quietly with a shy smile “…now we’re going to have a son.” Suddenly the brightness returned to his face and he winked at her confidently, “I did that.”

Even the old lady couldn’t help but grin along with Harm. “It’s truly a blessing,” she assured him.

Harm’s eyes locked with Mac’s for a moment. “It’s fate” he whispered with a wink.