With This Ring

Author: Mary Ann Carlquist

Clasification S,R, Harm/Mac

Spoilers: What I wish would happen at the end of this

season or the next.

Summary: Harm proposes to Mac in a very special place will

she accept and break things off with Mic.

Discalimer: Jag and it's characters do not belong to me they are

the sole property of CBS and Donald Belliasrio.

Author's Note: This is the first Jag Fan Fiction I ever wrote

so don't be too hard on me.And sorry about the puntcuation for a

screenwriter mine sinks.

MAC'S APARTMENT

GEORGETOWN

March 7, 2000

3:30 AM EST

Mac tossed and turned in her sleep for the fifth time that night who

was she kidding she thought as she she reached over and grabbed her alarm

clock off the nightstand.3:30 AM sleep was not going to be forth coming tonight

she had way too much on her mind or should she say way too much of someone.

Harm and Mic that's all that had been consuming her thoughts ever since she got

back from Australia.

Mac looked down at the engagement ring on her right hand and sighed.She knew

she had to reach a decision soon but how?How did you choose between a man who

was offering you the world and another who clearly wanted you but for whatever

reason couldn't bring himself to let go who may never be able to let go.Well

certainly not by spending the night staring up at the ceiling Mac concluded.

She returned the alarm clock to the nightstand and, threw off the bedcovers

bounding out of bed.

Mac: "maybe a walk will help clear my head."

As she crossed over to the closet pulling out faded pair of blue jeans

and a USMC sweatshirt she dressed quickly, grabbed her keys from the

nightstand, and headed to the door determined to put this thing with

Harm and Mic into some kind of perspective.

Mac emereged from her apartment buliding and into the chilly DC nightstrolling

through the quiet neighborhood and thinking back to that night on the ferry with

Mic.

How he presented her with the engagement ring underneath

the southern cross.He was indredibly charming,funny,and romantic as hell and

he loved her.But he's not Harm yes, he's her partner,her best friend and God

knows they had a bond probably stronger than most married couples and she loved

him more than she could ever imagine possible.

But he still wouldn't let himself explore the possibilty of the two them having

a relationship beyond freindship at least not yet that's what he said that night

on the ferry to Luna Park.And yet here was Mic ready and able to give her everything

she ever wanted marriage,children a home, love. but could she live without at least

trying to give a it a go with Harm.

She just kept hoping more than anything that he would let his guard down open

up his heart plead with her not to marry Mic.IF He would give her a reason any

reason she'd take this ring pull it off her finger and never look back.

HARM'S APARTMENT

NORTH OF UNION STATION

March 7,2000

3:30 AM EST

Harm had been up most of the night staring at the enagement ring he's bought

for Mac more than a week ago.He loved her he was sure of it.He knew he had

to tell he rhow he felt he just wished more than anything he hadn't wasted so

much time before Brumby came into the picture.Wished he had stopped being so

afraid to take a chance with Mac and for what fear of what of losing their

friendship, fear of what it might do to their careers or fear that in spite of

it all they just might be able to make this relationship work.He knew deep in

his soul he couldn't live without her.thats why this proposal was so important

it had to be just perfect.Perfect for Sarah.

Harm had to get out of his apartment oraganize his thought he was going

stir crazy being cooped up in here.Still in the clothes he had changed into

earlier in the evening Harm grabbed his coat from the bedroom along with

his keys and headed to his front door.Stuffing the engagement ring into his

pocket as he left.

He locke dthe door behind him and got on the elevator once outside

he unlocked his car door and got in putting the key in the ingition

Harm sped off descending into traffic.He reached over and clicked on

the car radio flipping through the stations until he came across a country

radio station.Granted it wasn't the kind of music he usually gravitated to

but something about this song struck him.He listened as the singers sweet

honeyed voice washed over him.It was song called from what he could make out

anyway " Down On My Knees" the lyrics remineded so much of his own situation

with Sarah.

Sometimed you wonder how much I care

I get so distracted runnin' no where

And I'll take for granted our love is secure

But if I started losin you, one thing is sure

I'd be down on my knees ready to pray,

darlin, down on my knees making you stay

I'd be beggin you please don't take your love

from me

I'd be down on my knees

I learned to be strong a long time ago

And I can face any wind no matter how hard

it blows but I'd have to be stronger than I

want to be

IF I had to live without you lovin'me

No one matters more in my life or makes me feel like

you make me feel inside

And I've come far enough too know loves worth never letting

go of and love is not a matter of pride

Harm reached over and clicked off the radio "Wow "he thought talk

about laying it all on the line for the person you love.Harm understood

now that's what he had too do for Sarah make her understand that no matter

what he would do anything to keep her to have her be a part of his life.

Now all he had to do was find the perfect spot to delacare his feelings.

Mac had been walking a long time almost 45 minutes by her estimates Harm

had always been amazed that she could tell time without a clock or a watch

around.Even when they'd flown to Russia trying to track down information on

his missing father and eneded up spending the night in that flea bag hotel.

He'd been so surprised that even being in a different time zone hadn't thrown

off her internal clock one bit.

So many times durning the course of that evening she remembered looking over

at harm asleep in the chair across from her amd wondering.

what if she had gotten out of that bed, curled up in his big strong arms

and just listened to the sound of his breathing daring herself to fall asleep

in his arms.

That's when she knew she loved him not as a partner ,not AS friend

she'd been to hell and back with but as a woman.

Mac walked another half-step before she looked up and realized where it

was she was standing.

Mac: "Oh my god the rose garden."

Where they first met almost 5 years earlier even in the chilly winter air

you could still smell the exquisite scents of these beautiful flowers.

Harm had no idea how long he had been driving around before he realized

where he was the rose garden.He quickly pulled over and got out tof the car.

"Perfect" he thought that gorgeous flyboy grin lighting up his handsome face.

Now all he had to do was get her here.He walked another few yards and stopped

taking in the intoxicating scents.Mac turned the corner and immediately knew

he was there she didn't have to see his face or hear his voice she just knew.

That's when he saw her.Couldn't believe they had come to the same place at the

same time.For a few long seconds they just stood there each of them drinking in

the sight of the other.Mac couldn't stand the awkward silence any longer so she

spoke first. "Hey stranger, fancy meeting you here."

Harm couldn't help but smile.

Harm: "I couldn't sleep needed to get some air."

Mac: "Any particualr reason" she asked taking a few tentative steps

towards him.Harm stood looking into her beautiful eyes and found himself blurting

out Harm: "The perfect way to ask you to do me the long,long awaited honor of

becoming my wife."Mac couldn't believe her ears the words she'd waited so long to

hear him say where finally here.

She watched as Harm came closer, he removed a small velvet box from his

pocket and opened it.Nestled inside was the most beautiful diamond ring Mac

had ever seen.Harm reached out and gently took her left hand in his getting

down on both knees not one like the song said.

Harm: "Sarah Mackenzie I love you I think I always have from the moment

I first laid eyes on you.Will you marry me?"Mac stood looking into the eyes of

the man she loved more than her own life. and choked back the tears welling up

in her eyes. Mac: "Try and stop me flyboy."

Harm gathered Mac in his arms and kissed her long and deep greedily Mac returned

the kiss in short order not wanting the moment this moment to end.They broke apart

and Harm removed the ring from the velvet box and placed it on Mac's left hand.Mac

looked down at it and knew she would never take it off.Harm quickly grabbed Mac's

right hand and started to remove Brumby's ring from her finger.When Mac put her hand

over his mtioning for him to stop.Harm's breath caught in his throat "Oh God "he

thought don't tell me she's changed her mind."But to his relief she looked up at him

and simply said "No let me."and took the ring off her finger aND stuffed it into the

pocket of her jeans.

Mac "I'll send it back to him in the morning."and with that Mac flung

herself into Harm's arms and kissed him passionately all the doubts she'd

had about Harm's feelings for her where slowly becoming a distant memory

all that remained was the love she felt for him and he for her.

The End

The lyrics to "Down On My Knees" are not mine they belong to Beth Neilson Chapman

the woman that wrote and to Trisha Yearwood the singer that recorded it.