The warm breeze enveloped the group as Mother Nature put on one of the most breathtaking displays, the sun setting over the turquoise water, vibrant colors shifted in the sky marking its decent over the horizon. The smell of paradise was in the air with the scent of Frangipani's being swept softly in the gentle wind.

It was the 4th of July. Red, white and blue decorations seemed to cover every inch of the back yard of McGarrett house, tables and chairs took up a segment of the lawn and the grill was heating, in preparation for the feast they had planned.

Steve stood on the Lanai, a beer bottle secured in his hand, as he looked over the group of people he considered O'hana. He took a moment to reflect on how this family had been built, people who came from all walks of life, coming together time and time again to share each other's company.

He'd come to this island five years ago, to bury his father. Everything, aside from the man he'd just lost, that he loved about this island had vanished long ago. Now it was just a place, filled with heartache and tragedy. Not for one second, on that military plane into O'ahu, did he believe he would stay. Not for one second did he believe that he would find peace back in the place that had taken so much from him or that he would ever discover that, even in the Navy, he didn't have the happiness and meaning he'd longed for until he took his oath and created Five-0.

His eyes skimmed over the faces. Kono and Danny were in the kitchen as they plated up some snacks. Chin, Adam, Lou, Renee and Ellie sat at a table outside, laughing as they chatted. Jerry and Max had challenged each other to a game of chess with Duke standing close to referee.

Samantha, Grace and Charlie ran in and out of the ankle slappers, splashing and yelling with glee in their voices. Mary and Deb sat on the sand watching them as Joan scoured for sea shells. He was proud, he was content and he knew there was no other place on earth that felt more like home than this island. He had all the family he needed right here.

He smiled softly as he leant against a wooden beam as he watched Lyn interact with his team, it was like she had always been there, like she'd known them for years. God he loved everything about her. A match so perfect it had shocked him. She wasn't military but she was adventurous and bubbly and for the 9 months they had been together, she had been there for him without question and knew instinctively when to step back if he needed to be alone.

"You look happy." Danny said suspiciously as he walked up next to Steve. "Should I be worried?"

"I got a lot to be happy about." Steve nodded.

"Okay buddy, you should lay off the adult drinks and stick to the soda's." Danny answered dryly before he looked towards Lyn. "She's a keeper." He nodded.

Steve glanced at Danny and smiled softly. "Yep." He exhaled with contentment. "I think you're right."

"Just do me a favor." Danny continued. "Don't make her wait too long. You got this. You deserve this."

Steve's smile broadened, he appreciated Danny's words.

"Yo, McGarrett." Kamekona called out as he and Flipper appeared from the house with their arms cradling bottles of longboards and bags of shrimp hanging from their fingers. "I got the merch you asked me to get."

"You, my friend, are a legend." Steve replied with excitement.

"A legend?" Danny frowned softly. "What could he possibly have done to be granted that kind of title?"

"I got fireworks." Kamekona answered proudly.

"Please tell me that's not code for anything else but the things that light up the sky in a festive manner." Danny answered with his hands waving up in front of him.

"Nah, bro. All legit." Kamekona replied.

"Ah." Danny nodded. "And I take it you have a permit for those fireworks?" he asked Steve.

Steve hesitated. "I mean; I have a badge."

"A badge?" Danny nodded with curiosity. "Like a boy scout, pyromaniac badge?"

"No. A badge that says immunity and means." Steve replied.

Danny thinned his eyes with uncertainty to Steve's thinking.

"And you have experience with handling explosives." Flipper added.

"Yeah, a handful of tours in the Middle East that gave me that." Steve nodded. "How hard can it be?"

"Hold my beer." Danny said as he handed the bottle over to Steve.

"What are you doing?" Steve asked.

"I'm going to get cash out at the ATM for the bail you are going to need by the time the night is through." He answered.

"Relax." Kamekona answered. "My cousin works at the Hilton, he's in charge of the weekly fireworks. He's coming down to set them off."

Steve grinned at Danny.

"Funny." He growled as he grabbed his beer back.

"Boss…" Kono said as she stood at the external door to the house, her face filled with uncertainty.

Steve looked at her. "Kono, you okay?"

"Joe's here." She answered.

Steve was surprised but unsure why that would be a concern to Kono. "Tell him to come out here, the beers on ice."

She hesitated for a moment. "He's with an officer from the Navy. They want to speak to you."

Steve's smile faded, for the life of him he couldn't think what it was about, but he knew it was something important. "Okay." He nodded as he passed his beer to Danny and disappeared inside.

"You know what it's about?" Danny asked.

"No." she shook her head and swallowed. "But Joe looked pretty upset."

"One day. Just for one day it would be nice if that woman could just stay out of his life." Danny growled as he passed the two beers to Flipper and started for the door.

"Wait, you think this is about Doris?" Kono frowned.

"I'd lay money on it." Danny nodded as he followed Steve.

Steve walked into the living room to find Joe and Commander Aaron O'Neil, someone who Steve had worked with many times before, standing by the door. "Sir…" he nodded. "Joe."

Danny stepped into the room and hovered behind him.

"Steve, I was hoping we could speak to you privately." O'Neil nodded.

He turned to notice Danny. "It's okay, sir. This is my partner, Detective Danny Williams."

O'Neil looked to Joe for some kind of sign. Joe nodded with approval.

"Please, come in. Take a seat." Steve offered them, extending his arm toward the chairs.

They both obliged, Danny remained where he stood.

Steve waited until the pair were seated before sitting down himself. "I'm sorry, sir. I'm a little confused."

"You're aware of the current situation in the middle east. The latest threat being Islamic State and their conduct, notably in Syria?" O'Neil answered.

"Of course." Steve nodded.

"What you may not know is that the beheadings of foreign nationals, though not as frequently reported by the media, is still a weekly event. Hostages from all parts of the world, reporters, voluntary health care workers, refugee camp staff, soldiers and agents have been grabbed and taken to many undisclosed locations where they are kept for weeks and used as bargaining chips in an effort to sway how the west should proceed in the current conflict."

Steve nodded gently.

"In the past three months, the victims have mostly been European and Japanese nationals, but when word came through three weeks ago that the CIA had lost contact with three agents within Syria, they knew our turn was coming."

Steve's heart skipped a beat as he connected the dots. Doris was one of those agents.

"Five days ago, a video was sent to the CIA, with all three agents. Their execution time is on track to be in six hours from now." O'Neil continued.

Danny inhaled a deep breath, in one way he was sad for Steve that this is how it was going to end and that Steve had to be a part of it. In another way he had very little sympathy for Doris.

"So you're telling me, that in 6 hours, my mother is going to be executed?" Steve asked.

O'Neil frowned.

Joe sighed. "This is not about your mother, Steve." He whispered.

"It's about Lieutenant Rollins." O'Neil replied. "Catherine is one of those agents."

Danny straightened, he was in complete shock but more unsure of what to do next other than study Steve's reaction to the news.

Steve frowned and shook his head. He let out a stifled but nervous laugh. "No, you must have ID'd the wrong person. First of all, Catherine retired from the Navy. Second, she went to Peru to help out with the earthquake recovery."

O'Neil lowered his head.

"Catherine was reinstated to the Navy fourteen months ago, soon after she was recruited by the CIA." Joe answered. "The story about Peru…" he paused "it was a cover, Steve. She was on her way back to Afghanistan to be briefed in an operation which would take her into Iraq and over the boarder to Syria."

Steve felt betrayed again, but as quickly as those emotions flooded him they left. Her actions, her words, her lies were the last thing he should be worried about right now. She was in trouble and his feelings for her, no matter how much he'd moved on, still meant something. His eyes widened as he looked around.

"Steve, I know what you're thinking." Joe started. "You're thinking that you have to help her."

He glared at his old superior.

"But the truth is, you can't do anything in 6 hours." Joe continued. "Your instincts are to try and get over there, but there is not enough time even if there was a direct flight into that part of the world."

"So why are you telling me now?" He growled. "Why didn't you tell me five days ago, when there was a chance for me to get over there?"

"Because at that point we were still sifting through intel on a possible location. We couldn't have given you anything solid on where they were being held." O'Neil replied.

"Okay." Danny said as he stepped forward. "Then why are you telling him now. If there is nothing he could do then why not wait until whatever is done so that he doesn't have to go through this."

"Because it's just about to go public. The media caught the story, and we felt it was better that he heard it from us than from the news." O'Neil answered before looking at Steve. "But there is a reason why I am here, and it's because we have a strong lead on a location now."

Steve looked up to him.

"SEAL team 4 are standing by to go in. The mission time is scheduled in three hours." O'Neil continued.

"If Catherine and the two other agents are in this location, which we strongly believe they are, then they will get them out." Joe added.

"I want to be there, watching the live feed, when this op goes down." Steve whispered.

Joe looked at O'Neil.

O'Neil sighed as he gave Steve's request some thought. "You can be there, but you are not to get involved in any way."

"I understand." Steve nodded.

"Be there 15 minutes before go time. I'll leave Joe here to bring you in." O'Neil answered.

Steve stood up as O'Neil headed for the door and walked out. He looked to Joe. "Two things are going to happen right now, Joe. First, you're going to tell me the full story as to how the hell Catherine got recruited. Then you're going to call Doris, and you're going to tell her that if Cath dies, I'm holding her personally responsible; and I'm coming for her."

Joe glared at him with concern.