Damaged Goods

Part 5

1 week later.

"Mac do you want some water?" Harm asked holding a cup of ice water.
"No thank you Harm" Mac whispered feebly. She had her back to him and was curled in a ball under her heavy blanket.
"Are you hungry?" he tried again this time she didn't even answer him. 'God Sarah what has happened to you' he thought as he watched her pull her knees tighter into her chest. He missed the Marine he used to know. Effervescent. Vivacious. Witty and strong-minded. The person in the hospital now was not the Sarah Mackenzie he knew. "C'mon Mac you have to eat or drink something or their gonna have to put an IV in your arm and siphon what you didn't have into you." He said calmly.
"I don't care" was her sullen reply.
He had to admit he was scared for her. It'd been weeks since she awoke and she hardly ate, was always cold, barely spoke and scarcely slept; and when she did it was brief and she refused to turn the lights out.
Mac pulled the heavy cotton blanket up under her chin, as there was a light knock on the door. "Come in." She heard Harm say and the heavy door swung open.
Two police officers stepped in. "Hello Colonel Mackenzie?" One asked. He was a tall well-built black man with amazing green eyes.
Mac turned over and sat up. "I'm the Colonel." Mac whispered.
The second officer smiled. "Hello I'm Officer Bradley and this is my partner officer Kindle." A Caucasian man with blond hair and blue eyes
"I'm Commander Harmon Rabb." Harm interjected and stood shaking both officers hands.
"We're here to get a statement from the Colonel." Kindle said pulling out a notebook and pen. Mac could feel painful memories start to overwhelm her as well as a vile taste rise in the back of her throat.
"Harm Leave" his head snapped back to look at Mac.
"What?!" Harm asked surprise registering across his face.
"I-I don't want you here now" She whispered not raising her eyes to his.
"Why? Wh-what I don't understand" Harm whispered kneeling beside Mac's bedside.
Harm I don't want you here now so JUST GO!" Mac cried loosing her calm decorum and replaced it with unknown rage.
"Ok Mac I'm going I'll be outside if you need anything ok." He said standing and leaving, ignoring her outburst.
"Commander how is she today?" Harriett asked coming up behind him.
"She's in with the police right now they're getting a statement." Harm sighed as he sat down in a chair in the hall. Harriett sat down beside him.
"Is Bud with baby AJ?" Harm asked and she nodded.
"How was the Colonel today?" Harriett asked softly worry evident in her voice. "Same. Withdrawn. Harriett does she talk to you?" Harriett shook her head slowly. "The nurses say that she cries every night. God every night." He whispered.
"Sir I cant even imagine what she must feel like so I'm not sure if her withdrawal is ok. I don't know if I would be the same, if it were me."
"Harriett how could this happen?" He asked in a soft sob. "This shouldn't have to happen to her. She's been through so much already and it just keeps piling up on her." Tears were now streaming down his face.
"I don't know.
This should never of happened not to Sarah."
After the police left Harriett visited with Mac a while before leaving.
Harm crept into her room, to find her again curled up under her blanket but he could see she was weeping. Not just crying but hard gut wrenching sobs that shook here whole entire body. Instantly he was again kneeling beside her.
"Mac... Sarah" Harm whispered gingerly, reaching up to stroke her tears away.
She pulled away abruptly. "NO don't. Don't call me that h-he called me that." She whimpered contracting herself in more.
"I'm not him." He whispered lovingly. She closed her eyes and flinched when he climbed into the bed beside her drawing her into his arms, her head tucked under his chin and his arms around her waist. They stayed just like that for what seemed like an eternity and the whole time she cried. Finally he felt her relax in his embrace as she drifted to sleep.
"You get to go home soon" He sighed and she mumbled something as exhaustion tugged at her.
"I love you." He whispered into her hair, not expecting an answer.
" No you don't. No one wants damaged goods." She retorted calmly before sleep conquered her.
Suddenly Harm couldn't hold in anymore, he wept. For her and what she was loosing