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.

I'll Be Home For Christmas

1445 EST
Tuesday, December 24th
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, VA

Mac sighed as she leaned back in her chair. It was Christmas Eve and where was her Christmas spirit? It probably had left the day Harm was called out to Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska 3 weeks earlier to investigate a murder case. Their first Christmas as a family, only Harm, her and their little bundle of joy, Jonah. Harm had promised he'd make it back for the holidays, but as usual, something else had come up. 12 inches of snow up in Alaska, and he had been snowed in for the last 5 days with no way to possibly leave the state and make it back to DC in time.

Once Harriet had heard about the news that Harm wasn't coming back for Christmas, she had invited Mac to come over for dinner, but she had thankfully declined the offer. All she wanted to do was pick up her son who was peacefully sleeping in his carrier next to her, go home and snuggle with him in bed, thinking about how much she missed his father.

Looking down at her son, a smile lit up her face. He looked just so cut in that bright red Christmas jumper she had put him in. And that Santa hat the Admiral had put on his little head after she had brought him in after lunch break was just adorable. The white rim was pulled down to his eyebrows, and one tiny little fist held on close to it so he wouldn't lose it even in his sleep.

"Ma'am?"

Mac looked up from her son when she heard Tiner's voice.

"The Admiral will secure the building in about 20 minutes due to a possible snow storm hitting the area soon. He wants you to stop by his office though before you leave."

"Thank you, Tiner."

The Admiral's Yeoman nodded before he turned and left the office. Mac turned her attention back to her son, who had opened one eye and was curiously peeking at her.

"Hey Jonah, enough napping for this afternoon?" she cooed at him as she picked him up.

The boy didn't really like leaving the cozy, warm carrier and let out a loud scream which soon subsided when he found himself cradled in his mother's arms. She held him close to her chest for warmth and comfort when she made her way to the Admiral's office to see what he wanted. She shortly knocked at the open office door before she stepped inside.

"You wanted to see me, Sir?" she asked and stopped in front of his desk.

"Yes, I did," the Admiral said as he got up from his chair, "I wanted to apologize for this whole mess here."

"I don't know what you are talking about, Sir."

"Oh, you do, Mac. I want to apologize that this little boy here has to spend his first Christmas without his father," he said as he set the Santa hat straight on Jonah's head, "I have a little something I want to give to you though. Follow me, Colonel."

Mac raised her eyebrows surprised, and silently followed the Admiral out of his office, through the practically empty bullpen and into the meeting room where Tiner was setting up a video conference.

"Merry Christmas, Mac," the Admiral said before he motioned for Tiner to turn on the TV.

At first there was static on the TV screen, when suddenly a picture appeared. Mac gasped when she realized who was sending her a message. A broad smiled broke out on her face, and her eyes began to sparkle.

"Hey Mac," Harm said as his face became clearer on the TV.

"How?" Mac stammered, turning the baby she was holding in her arms so the boy could see his father as well, and Harm his son.

"It's a long story. I wished I could be with you and Jonah tonight. It's his first Christmas and I can't be there."

Mac bounced the baby in her arms who was busy trying to take of the Christmas hat which had slid over his eyes and he wasn't seeing anything anymore. Finally, his mother complied to his wishes and took the hat off. A pair of blue eyes searched through the room until they found the TV, and upon the sight of his father, the baby boy started to squeal with delight, reaching his arms out towards the TV.

"Hey little Santa there, Daddy misses you!"

"He misses his daddy, too. As do I," Mac replied, quickly glancing at her son who was squirming in her arms, then turning her gaze back to the TV.

"I promise I will catch the next available flight to get back home to you two."

"Just be safe, okay? And don't even think about hijacking a F-14 to get to us," Mac warned him.

"I promise," Harm replied, his eyes once again fixated on his son, "How much I missed seeing that little face. I love you, Jonah," he turned his gaze towards Mac, "I love you, too, Sarah. I really wish I could be there with Jonah and you right now like I promised. It's breaking my heart I can't."

"I understand, Harm. Just be safe and get back to us as soon as you can, okay?"

"I will. Give Jonah a big kiss and hug from me."

Mac nodded as the picture on the TV slowly started to fade.

"We love you, Harm," she said, her voice cracking, and hoping that Harm has heard it before the connection broke down.

In the background, the Admiral had witnessed the whole scene. Turning to his Yeoman, who stood next to him, he said, "Tiner, I need to talk to Admiral Covington ASAP," before he turned and left the conference room.

2353 EST
December 24th
Rabb Residence
Reston, VA

Mac had fallen asleep watching some old Christmas movies upstairs in the bedroom. Jonah was neatly tucked in beside her in bed, his head resting against his mother's shoulder. Mother and son had spent the evening in bed, Mac watching old movies while cuddling Jonah in her arms who had fallen asleep pretty early already. Though she wasn't completely alone, she still missed Harm. After all, that was not how she had expected their first Christmas to turn out.

A sound of 'ho ho ho' brought Mac out of her dreams. Half asleep, she searched for the remote in the bed to turn off the TV from where she gathered the noise had come. A moment later, she had found the remote, and with a sound of 'zapp' turned off the TV. She turned around and gathered Jonah in her arms before she went back to sleep.

A short time later, she was woken again by the sound of 'ho ho ho', and once again, she sleepy searched for the remote to turn off the TV when she realized the TV was already off.

"Merry Christmas, Sarah," a low voice suddenly whispered into her ear.

Her face whirled around, and in the darkness of the bedroom, she was staring into a pair of eyes, blue like the ocean.

"Harm!" she gasped, "What are you..."

He silenced her when his lips descended on hers in a tender kiss.

"About half an hour after our short video talk, I got a call from an Admiral Covington who told me he had a seat in a Snowplow for me, and if I wanted it. They brought me to Fairbanks where I could catch a plane out. I still made it in time, it's still Christmas Eve."

Mac just smiled at him, a single tear trickling down her face.

"I never had expected to find you in bed with another man though when I come back home," he snickered and earned a playful slap from Mac.

"Do you think you two can make some room for me in that bed?"

"Of course!"

Mac carefully picked up her sleeping son and scooted over to her side of the bed while Harm quickly stripped down and then slipped under the covers next to Mac. He took Jonah from her who had slowly opened his eyes over all the commotion and involuntarily being moved from his comfortable spot in bed.

"Hey Flyboy," Harm cooed at his son, but in response got only a big yawn from Jonah, who snuggled in his arms and drifted back to sleep.

"Now that's a welcome back," he chuckled as he laid back down, placing his son on his chest, a position he knew Jonah loved - and one he loved as well, having his son close to him, feeling his heartbeat, his steady breathing.

He reached out his arm for Mac who immediately scooted over to him. Snuggling close to him, she placed her head on his shoulder, and a hand on top of Harm's which was restingon Jonah's back, her fingers intertwining with his. Slowly, her eyes drifted close as well.

"Merry Christmas, Harm. I love you," she murmured before she drifted off to sleep.

He placed a tender kiss on her head before he whispered in response, "I love you, too."