Title: Cardboard Boxes and Trusted Friends
Author: Aimee
Email: harmonrabb.sarahmackenzie@gmail.com
Website: http://darkbeauty.org
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Fair Winds and Following Seas
Disclaimer: Harm, Mac, Bud, Harriet and General Cresswell do not belong to me. I’m just playing with them for a while.
Summary: How are they going to survive separation?
Author’s Notes: This was written for Worth The Wait’s fic challenge. Thanks to Dev for the beta. You’re very much appreciated.

1824 Zulu
Georgetown
Mac’s Apartment

Mac couldn’t help but feel a little worried that she could pack her entire life into only a few cardboard boxes. What did that say about the state of her life? Glancing at the sparkling diamond on her left hand, she knew all that was about to change. She smiled at the thought of him.

“Speaking of which,” she thought as a knock sounded at her door. Opening it, there he stood. “Hey,” she said, letting him in.

“Hi,” he said, stepping into the apartment. “I have something I want to give you,” he told her.

“What?” she asked.

“This,” he told her, wrapping his strong arms around her and sweetly kissing her lips.

“Mmm,” she said, smiling against his lips. “My favorite kind of gift.”

“What a coincidence. It’s mine, too,” he said, looking into her eyes.

They laughed softly.

He looked at her completely packed apartment. “I don’t think I can do this, Mac,” he said.

“Do what?” she asked.

“Let you go.”

“I know. I can’t imagine not seeing you for a single day, let alone the few months it may take to get reassigned back here.” She paused. “You were supposed to hear about your transfer request today. Did you?”

“Yes,” he told her. “My request was approved. I am officially back at JAG headquarters.”

She smiled. “That’s a relief,” she said.

“Yeah, but I would feel a lot better if I didn’t have to say goodbye to you tomorrow morning.”

“Me too.”

“What time is your flight?” he asked.

“Nine.”

He nodded.

“Let’s do something fun tonight,” she said.

“What?” he asked.

Before she could make a suggestion, the telephone rang. She picked it up. “Hello.”

“Hi, Colonel. It’s Bud. I’m with Harriet. We were wondering if we could stop by,” he said.

“Of course.”

“Great. See you in twenty,” he said.

“Okay.”

“Goodbye, Colonel.”

“Goodbye.”

Hanging up the phone, she turned to Harm. “That was Bud. He and Harriet want to come over,” she said.

“Now that sounds like fun,” he said.

She nodded her head in agreement.

20 minutes later, there was a knock at her door. Opening the door, there stood Bud and Harriet. “Hi, guys,” she said. “Come on in.”

“Thank you,” Harriet said, as they stepped inside the apartment.

“Hi, Bud. Hi, Harriet,” Harm told them.

“Hello, Captain.”

“We brought you this,” Bud told them, handing Harm a bottle of wine. “It’s non-alcoholic, Colonel,” he told her.

She smiled. “You remember everything. Thank you.”

“Well, we brought this to celebrate and we wanted you to be able to take part,” Harriet told her.

“A celebration? Of what?” Harm asked.

“The general asked me to give you this,” Bud said, handing a sealed envelope over to Mac. “He only told me that we should be prepared to celebrate,” he told them.

She slid her finger under the flap, breaking the seal and drawing the printed page out. Unfolding the page, she began to read.

“Colonel MacKenzie:

Your request for transfer orders was originally denied on the grounds that you were needed in San Diego. However, I pulled some strings. Your orders have now been approved. I didn’t think that separation was the best way to start out a marriage–or an engagement. You are free to plan a wedding and celebrate. Consider this an early wedding gift.

General Cresswell”

When she looked up, tears were streaming down her face. “Mac? What is it?” Harm asked, concerned.

She smiled and rushed into his arms. “My orders came through. I’m staying.”

They kissed tenderly, looking into each other’s eyes.

Pulling apart, they turned to their friends. “How about a glass of that wine?” Harm asked.

“That sounds great,” Harriet replied.

Pulling out the box marked, ‘FRAGILE - KITCHEN’, Harm pulled out the wine glasses. Pouring them each a glass, he carried them into the living room where Bud, Harriet and Mac sat, quietly talking. “Here you go,” he said, handing them each a glass.

“Thank you,” they said.

“I’d like to make a toast,” he said. “To General Cresswell, for helping Mac to stay here. And to Mac, for being you. You are my best friend and the love of my life. I love you with everything I am. I hope that I will make you as happy as you make me.”

“Oh, Harm,” she said, kissing him. “I have never been as happy as I am right now–and have been since we became engaged.”

“Congratulations,” Bud told them.

“We’re so glad you’re both staying,” Harriet said.

Mac smiled. “We are too. We would have missed you guys. You’re our oldest friends.”

Harm put his arm around Mac and she snuggled into his arms.

And that was how they spent the remainder of the night. In the company of dear and trusted friends, enjoying each other’s presence.