A/N: Just a short story. I’ll work on a longer one in a bit. Thanks again for all those who have encouraged me to continue what I thought was gonna be one small tale.

All the usual disclaimers apply, blah, blah, blah. Bellasrio Productions and Paramount own these characters. No money is being made off this effort, it’s just for fun.


A Long Weekend

Harm’s Apartment
North of Union Station
Sunday, Oct. 26, 2003
1200

If all showers were that much fun, cleanliness would become a national obsession. The only reason we finally got out was the hot water was running low.

“Gee Mac, I thought a 50 gallon water heater was more than enough. I guess I’ll have to get a bigger one.” Harm looks so adorable in towels. One around his waist, one over his shoulders, another drying his hair. I wish I was a towel.

Wait! I have to stop this. I can’t spend the rest of my life just having sex with Harm. ‘Why not?’ a little voice asks. It would be irresponsible, it would be unadult, it would be so very much fun. Uhoh, that just slipped in there.

I’m trying to find my clothes. I’m not sure I even remember what I was wearing. Harm graciously helps, “Mac, are these your, umhmm...”

“Yes,” I grab my panties from his outstretched hand. Well, at least he had the grace to blush a bit. Not that he really should blush, but it somehow seems right. We’ve only been together for 20 hours. He shouldn’t be that comfortable with my panties yet. Give it another day or two.

OK, so now I’m dressed. He’s gonna hate this part, I think.

“Hey Harm, this was really great but I’ve gotta go.”

Maybe I could have phrased that better. The poor guy looks like his dog just died, his best friend stabbed him in the back and he found out he has a terminal disease.

“Why?” Never has a word sounded so pathetic, so pleading, so don’t-leave-me-mommy.

“Oh Harm, I’m sorry, I didn’t tell you before. I have two days leave and reservations at a bed and breakfast on the shore. I’m already a day late. I had planned to leave right after your party. I even have my bag in the car. It’s not that I’m leaving you. I’m just leaving you.” Somehow that didn’t come out right.
Let me try again. “Harm, I have this leave scheduled, I have these reservations, they’re nonrefundable. I’d rather stay here with you, but fiscal sanity is saying I need to use these reservations.” ‘Fiscal sanity!?!’ What kind of sanity is it that takes me away from this man to an otherwise empty B&B room?

“On the shore? In a B&B. Just you alone?” Harm is going into investigator mode here, I can tell.

“Yes, just me.”

“No one else?”

“That’s what just me means Harm.”

“OK, fine. Wait just a minute.” He picks up the telephone. Speed dial number 5. I know who that is. The Admiral. “Admiral, sorry to call you at home.” How is it that Harm now sounds deathly ill? “Yes, woke up with it this morning. I’ve got a call into the doctor. Yes, I feel even worse than I sound. Oh, yes, I’d hate to bring this into the office. *cough, cough* Well, I’ll see what the doctor says but I’d guess it’d be at least two days. Yes sir. Thank you sir. I will sir.”

He sets the phone down and turns to me with a look that can only be described as devilish. “Give me 5 minutes to pack and we’re out of here!”

He does know that he’s broken about fifteen regulations, right?

“Harm, do you realize what you just did?”

“Yeah, I kept my fiancé from going to the shore without me, cavorting in a bikini for everyone to see without me there to protect her, and I just got us a 3 day weekend.”

“Harm, you do know that it’s October, right? Like fall, chilly weather, not bikini time?” Oh, this has bad news written all over it. I just know somehow we’re gonna get busted. Someone’s gonna find out. The words ‘court marshall’ are running through my mind like the sign in Times Square.

He comes back into the living room, carrying his duffel. “Ready?”

“You seem blithely unaware that you just committed several major infractions that could land you in Leavenworth!” What is with this man?

“Only if I get caught.” He actually winks. “Let’s go, your car or mine?”

We take mine, I figure it’d be best not to have incriminating evidence sitting outside of his apartment for longer than it already has.

Two hours later, when we get to the B&B I’m wondering how I’m going to register us. “Mr. and Mrs. Harmon Rabb,” Harm says as if he says it every day.

You know, I’m beginning to think he’s serious about this fiancé, getting married, staying together forever thing. Maybe I should check that out.

“Harm?” We’ve just walked into a most lovely room. A trifle frilly for my tastes, but still, very nice. He’s checking out the bathroom. “Hey Mac, we’ve got a really big tub in here. Might fit us both. You like bubble baths, don’t you?”

Harmon Rabb, Jr. is asking to take a bubble bath with me?

“Yeah Harm. I do like bubble baths. Could you come in here for a moment?” Oh, I am so nervous. How do I ask this without sounding stupid, pathetic, weak, needy? How do I not ask this since he keeps making these ... pronouncements.

“Did you bring any bubble bath? If not, maybe we can go out and buy some this afternoon.”

I’m simply not believing this is Harm. Where is the cocky flyboy? The hard-nosed lawyer? The fearless pilot? Was this guy hiding in there all the time and I just didn’t see it? Damn!

“Harm, I need to ask you something very serious. Really important. Perhaps the most important thing I’ll ever ask you.” I’m wringing my hands. Can’t help it.

“Mac, whatever it is, we can face it together. From now on we take on everything together. Well, we’ve been a team for a long time, but now we’re a different team. A life team. Nothing gets between us. Nothing.”

“Oh,” my most eloquent response. “Does that mean (I’m so afraid to ask this I’m trembling) you love me?”

“Oh Sarah,” how can he make my name sound like a benediction? “Yes, with all my heart.”

That 6-year-old who took over my psyche yesterday is back. “Oh boy, that’s great ‘cause I love you too! A whole bunch!” Maybe I could have left out that last sentence. Certainly heartfelt but most definitely adolescent. Well, we all get to regress occasionally, don’t we?

He smiles. He smiles a smile I’ve never seen before. And I’ve seen a lot of them. This one is pure contentment. He holds my hands and just smiles. I’ve never been happier.

If he gets busted for lying to the Admiral, I’ll defend him to the Supreme Court. No, that’s out of our chain of command. Whatever, if he goes to Leavenworth I’m going with him. Like he said, from now on we’re in this life thing together. Hoo-rah!

fini