Disclaimer: The characters of JAG don't belong to me. I just borrowed them from Bellisarius Productions, Paramount and CBS for this story. No infringement intended.

Expect the Unexpected

2310 ZULU
USS Patrick Henry
Bridge
Pier 9
Norfolk, VA

Harm was nervously glancing at his watch. This was his last day on the Patrick Henry, and it was just a couple more minutes until he would see Mac again after 5 months only talking on the phone and writing letters and emails.

The last time he had seen her she had been on the Patrick Henry for an investigation. How proud he had been of her to be promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. It just bothered him a bit that she had gotten her promotion ahead of him, but he was happy for her.

5 months he couldn't hold her, feel her, see her smile. 5 months that felt like eternity to him. But he was coming home for good now, home to the woman he loved, and back to JAG.

Again, he glanced nervously on his watch. What was taking the CAG so long with his papers? Mac sure was already waiting outside at the pier for him.

"I see you are already very impatient to get back to your woman, Commander." the CAG teased and handed him his papers.

"Yessir, I am, sir. It's been over 5 months since I last saw her."

"Your Marine Colonel is one gorgeous woman. Don't let her wait too long, son. You are dismissed, Cmdr. Rabb."

Harm snapped to attention and saluted the CAG. Then he reached for the hand the CAG was holding out and shook it.

"We will be missing you on board."

"I certainly will miss all this as well, but my place is somewhere else."

"I know. And now go, Commander, this is an order!"

"Thank you, sir."

Again, Harm snapped of a salute before he left the bridge. He hurried down to his quarters and got his belongings before he practically ran off board. He was saluting the US flag one last time while he ran down the gangway and almost tripped over his feet. He couldn't wait to see Mac again!

When he finally reached the place he had told Mac to pick him up, he was surprised to see Bud instead of her.

"Bud?"

"Welcome back, sir!" Bud greeted him with a smile.

"Bud, where is Mac?"

"Oh, Harriet and her are at Bethesda. She went into early labor."

Bud opened the trunk of the car and Harm stuffed his belongings inside.

"Harriet went into early labor? Why didn't you tell me you were going to be a father again? You should be with your wife instead of picking me up."

"No, sir, not Harriet. The Colonel went into early labor."

"Mac?" Harm gasped.

"Yessir, I thought you knew. She is 8 months pregnant."

"No, I didn't know. Mac didn't tell me."

They both got into the car and Bud drove off.

"Bud, you have to take me to Bethesda."

"To Bethesda? Sir, the Colonel told me not to take you there. She also told me..." Bud abruptly stopped midsentence.

"What did she tell you?"

"She said not to tell you she went into early labor."

"Lieutenant, take me to Bethesda, this is an order."

"Aye aye, sir!"

Harm nervously tapped the dashboard. Mac was pregnant, why didn't she tell him? She had to had known back when she came to the Patrick Henry to investigate, why the hell hadn't she told him? 8 months... the first night they had spent together lay 8 months back...

"Bud, who's the father?"

"She wouldn't tell, sir. Nobody."

This answer was enough for Harm to know that Mac was carrying his child. Though he was not at JAG anymore, their love was a secret. Mac had asked him for this favor because she always had had hope that one day, he would be returning to JAG. As much as Harm wanted to tell everyone that he was in love with the most beautiful woman on this planet, there was only one person on the ship he had confided in: his CAG.

He had had his suspicions about Harm being lovesick the moment he stepped on the carrier, and after he had met Lt. Col. Sarah Mackenzie, he knew why. He couldn't blame Harm for his transfer back to JAG. If he had one fine lady on his hand like Harm did, he sure wouldn't be serving on this ship anymore.

Harm nervously looked at the speedometer. Bud was doing exactly the 55 miles allowed. If they kept on going this slow, they would never make it back to DC.

"Bud, go faster!"

"But, sir, the speed limit is 55."

"This is an order, Bud. If we get pulled over, you can blame me."

Bud pulled the gas, and a moment later they were doing 75 miles on the highway and made their way back to DC in an incredible 2 hours and 25 minutes.

The car hadn't even come to a complete stop in front of Bethesda when Harm already swung the door open and jumped out. He practically raced into the building and up to the maternity ward where he expected Mac to be. The elevator doors swung open, and he rushed outside, bumping into Harriet.

"Commander, what are you doing here?" she asked irritated.

"Where is Mac, Harriet? How is she doing?"

Despite the fact that Mac had told her not to tell Harm, she did just that.

"She went into labor 3 and a half weeks too early. A good sign was her water did not break, so they gave her something to stop the contractions. She was doing well the last couple of hours, but just a short time ago her water broke and her contractions started again. Her doctor said it won't be long until they have to deliver the baby. I was just on my way to call Bud and tell him to take you here. She needs someone with her, but I don't think I am the right person."

"Where is she?"

"Room 314, on the right at the end of the hallway."

"Thank you."

Harm rushed down the hallway and pushed passed a nurse into Mac's room.

"I am sorry, sir, but you can't go in there."

"Yes, I can." he snapped. "I am the father!"

His face lit up when he saw Mac.

"Harm!" she cried and reached her hand out towards him when her eyes caught sight of him.

"I came as fast as I could. How are you holding up, ninja girl?"

"It's too early, Harm. The doctor said they will take me to delivery in a couple of minutes. I am sorry, Harm, I am so sorry!"

Mac broke out in tears the moment a contraction hit her. Her body convulsed, but Harm caught her. She was laying in his arms for the rest of the contraction, squeezing his hand as hard as she could.

"There is nothing you have to be sorry about, Mac." he tried to appease her and gently placed her back down in her bed.

"There is. I knew I was pregnant when I came to see you on the Patrick Henry. I knew all the time and I didn't tell you. I couldn't tell you. I knew you'd be coming back to me and our baby if I told you. I didn't want to be the reason for you to end your flying career so abruptly again. God, you are probably mad as hell at me now for not telling you."

"Shhh..." Harm placed his fingers on her lips. "I am not mad at you. I am here now, and in time to see our baby be born. And I am never going to leave you again. There is something I didn't tell you either. I am not on leave, I transfered back to JAG. I told the Admiral not to tell anyone I was coming back, I wanted to do it myself."

Mac's eyes wided as she listened.

"I couldn't spend any more time out there without you, Sarah. I was going nuts. I wanted to go home to the woman I love. The CAG called me one lovesick puppy."

Mac chuckled and gently caressed his cheek when another contraction hit her. Harm twitched his face painfully when he felt her fingernails dig into his cheek. He tried to pry her hand off, but she was squeezing his cheek so tight that he couldn't. It was obvious that not only Mac was relieved when the contraction was over.

"Harm, I have another confession to make."

"Enough confession time. We have enough time to talk once we have brought this baby into the world."

"That's what I want to talk to you about. It's not one, Harm, there are two."

"Two???"

As much as Harm could take, but that was too much. He sank down on the chair which was standing next to Mac's bed. If Mac was doing something, she sure was doing it right. Harm didn't really have the time to let all this sink in when two orderlies came in and wheeled her to delivery.

0355 ZULU
Bethesda Naval Hospital
Bethesda, MD

Proud as a peacock, Harm walked into the hospital waiting room to report the birth of his children to Bud and Harriet. To his surprise, he also found the Admiral waiting for any news.

"And?" Harriet inquired and sprung up from her chair.

"At 2228, Mac had a healthy little baby boy. 5 pounds, 2 ounces, and 19 inches. And exactly 2 minutes later she gave birth to a little girl. 4 pounds, 5 ounces and 16 inches. Both mother and children are doing absolutely fine."

"Awwww! Twins!" Harriet exclaimed.

"Give our congratulations to the Colonel, will you?" the Admiral said and shook hands with Harm.

"I will, Admiral. I have to get back to Mac now. You can stop by tomorrow morning and visit her and the kids." Harm turned and walked away a couple of feet, before he turned back to the trio. "Oh, Harriet, would you please call my mother and let her know she just became a proud grandmother of healthy twins?"

Harm walked down the hallway and started to chuckle when he heard the Admiral scream his name. He gently pushed the door to Mac's room open, and found her sitting up in her bed with a tiny bundle wrapped in a blue blanket in her arms.

His face lit up when he sat down on the bed next to Mac.

"Can we talk now?" Mac asked and looked up from her son.

"What about? I told you I am not mad at you - though maybe I would have liked it to be there for you to help you through morning sickness, see the first sonogram picture, go to lamaze class with you... But that doesn't matter anymore, Sarah. I could see our babies be born, and that was the most incredible thing I have ever seen. Thank you, Sarah."

"For what? For betraying you? For lying to you?"

"No, for loving me, for waiting for me, and for giving me two precious angels."

As if on cue, a nurse entered the room and brought their tiny daughter wrapped in a pink blanket. Baby Rabb - as was written on her nametag - was laid in his father's arms and sunggled close to his chest immediately, making herself comfortable. With a smile on her face, the nurse left the new parents alone.

"Harm, I still feel bad about all this. I didn't give you a chance to decide if you wanted them or not."

"Shh, no more about this, okay? I've never been happier in my life, and I don't want to hear you talking about not having them at any time. If you had come to me earlier, if you had told me, never would I have told you not to have them. I love you, Sarah, and I thought you got the hint when we made the baby deal that one day, I wanted you to have my child. We didn't quite make the five years though."

"No, that we didn't, and I am glad about it. However, every time I went to a checkup, every time I went felt those two kick me, every time I was at lamaze class, I longed for you to be there."

"You went to lamaze class? Who went with you?"

"Harriet did. I didn't want to go alone, so she offered to go with me. She was so supportive all this time, though she really annoyed me every time she asked me who their father is. I was hearing that question up to a dozen times per day lately."

"I guess you won't be hearing that question anymore."

"Why? Oh c'mon, you told them? Who else was out there besides Bud and Harriet?"

"The Admiral."

"Freaking great, Harm. Now the 'who is the father' will turn to 'when are you two going to get married'."

"Sorry, Sarah. I was just so proud about those two that I had to tell them. Can't you understand that?"

"I can. I just thought we'd tell them together."

The baby boy lying in Mac's arms let out a low cry. Mac glanced down at her son who didn't seem to be very content in her arms. Gently, she started to rock the fussy baby in her arms, and amazingly enough, her son settled down.

"I always had the impression babies' eyes were blue when they are born." Harm said more to himself when he found his daughter staring up at him wide-eyed.

"To my knowledge they are. Why?"

"This little girl here has dark brown eyes. Like you, Sarah."

"Well, this little boy here has eyes blue like the ocean."

Harm smiled as he shifted his daughter on his arm so Mac could see her daughter's fascinating brown eyes.

"Have you thought about names for them yet?"

Mac shook her head, "I thought this was something we needed to do together. Besides, I still had almost four more weeks to go till my due date. They just seemed to be very eager to give their daddy a special welcome back present."

"That they sure did. Now, we need names for them. We can't call them baby girl and baby boy forever."

"I know. Why don't you pick a name for our daughter, and I pick one for our son?"

"Deal. How about..."

Harm thoroughly studied the little girl lying in his arms. She was Mac all over. The fairly brown skin, the deep brown eyes, and the dark fuss of hair.

"... Mackenzie Rose Rabb. How do you like that?"

"It's a beautiful name for a beautiful little girl. Just don't think about nicknaming her Mac."

"No, no, she will be our little Kenzie. How do you name our son?"

Mac smilingly tipped her son's little nose. The boy made a gurgling sound and snapped his eyes open to stare at his mother wide eyed.

"How about Harmon Matthew Rabb?" she finally suggested.

"How about Matthew Harmon Rabb?"

"Would you be okay with that?"

Harm nodded silently.

"Matthew Harmon and Mackenzie Rose, welcome to the world, little ones."

1325 ZULU
The next morning
Mac's room
Bethesda Naval Hospital
Bethesda, MD

Baby cries filled the room when Harriet stepped in.

"If this is a bad time, I can come back later."

"No, no, Harriet." Harm uttered and indicated for Harriet to come in.

"Sir, ma'am, my congratulations."

"Thank you, Harriet." Mac smiled and turned her gaze away from the tiny baby lying in her arms. "And thank you for being there for me yesterday. I know I said a couple of nasty things to you while I was in labor that I need to apologize for."

"No, Ma'am, it is okay. I've been in labor myself, I can totally relate to the pain you were in."

"Oh, Harriet, let us introduce you to this two little bundles here. I guess that is why you came here after all."

Harm carefully unwrapped the blanket the baby in his arms was wrapped in so Harriet could see the tiny little face better.

"This is Matthew Harmon Rabb. Would you like to hold him?"

"If I can?"

Harm nodded as he placed the baby in Harriet's arms. The little boy looked up at her curiously with a pair of baby blue eyes.

"And this is Mackenzie Rose Rabb. As much as I would love to hand her over to you, she's a bit fussy right now."

"They are both so precious, ma'am, sir."

"Harm and Mac, Harriet. How often do we have to tell you?"

"Yes, si... Harm. When did you decide on those names? I know you hadn't picked any before."

"We decided last night. Mac was to name our little boy, and I had the honor to name our daughter."

"If I may ask, where does Rose come from?"

Harm turned to Mac and smiled. His hand reached for hers, and he gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Mac and I met in a rose garden for the first time. I knew right away that she was the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. Therefore our daughter is Mackenzie Rose. Mackenzie for her beautiful mother, and Rose because without that meeting in the rose garden she wouldn't be here now."

Harm turned back to Harriet and saw her smile as well. He took his son out of her arms.

"I need to get back at work. Everyone at the bullpen is anxiously waiting for a full coverage."

"Why don't you just tell them they can all stop by and visit? We don't mind."

Harriet smiled, "That I will. Oh, and I called your mother last night as you told me to. You better call her back as soon as possible. I guess I left her in some stage of shock."

"That I will. Thank you, Harriet. Most of all for what you did for Mac. She told me how supportive you were."

"That is what friends are for."

Finally alone again, Harm settled on the bed next to Mac. He gently placed their son in her free arm before he took their daughter from her, cradeling her in his arms.

"Mackenzie and Matthew Rabb, I still can't believe I have two precious little kids now. Yesterday, all I was looking forward to was coming home to the most beautiful woman in the world, and today, I am here with her, holding our kids in my arms. There is one thing though I was planning to do last night, but didn't get a chance to."

"And what was that?"

"I wanted to take you to the White House rose garden and ask you if you would consider becoming my wife, Sarah Mackenzie."

"Yes, I would love to." Mac sniffed and tried to hold back the tears that had started forming in her eyes the moment Harm had said the word 'wife'. "God, my hormones are still on an emotional high."

"Sarah, you, me, Matt and Kenzie together for the rest of our lives. I love you so much words can't tell."

"And I love you more than I can say."

Their lips joined in a passionate kiss over two little bundles of joy, created by their love.