Notes: Thanks to Mari and Sammy for the awesome feedback as always.

Readers and REAL McRollers - Thank you for your amazing support!

Hope you enjoy!

Better (A McRoll in the REAL World Story)

Steve woke when he felt Catherine shift in bed behind him. Long years of familiarity and his highly tuned senses told him she wasn't just moving in her sleep but had woken as well. His guess was confirmed when she pressed up against his back, her breath tickling the base of his neck. It was beyond early, so his eyes remained closed as he said, "Mornin,' " his voice roughened with the remnants of sleep.

"G' morning," came her response, her voice low as her hand slid around his hip.

His eyes came open and he let out a hiss as her fingers, sure and determined, found their target. He moaned. "Mm … hello … what's this?" he murmured as she very deliberately shifted him to his back, sliding a leg over his to straddle his thighs.

She ran her hands up his bare chest as she leaned down, her lips pressing hotly to the skin of his neck. "Mm … want you."

His lip quirked. "Picked up on that." He ran his hands up her thighs and toyed with the edges of her sleep shorts. "Any …" he swallowed, choking off a moan as he felt her teeth on his earlobe, "special reason?"

She raised her head enough to look into his eyes, her hair a dark curtain around them.

"Had a dream," she said simply.

He reached up one hand to brush back her hair. "A dream?" he repeated.

She kissed him hungrily.

"Oh, a dream," he repeated when she released him long enough to breathe. He grinned at her admission, reaching for the hem of her tank top and inching it up her midsection. "Care to share a few … details from this dream?"

Swiftly, she caught his hands and pressed them to the pillow on either side of his head, lacing their fingers together and squeezing. "I'd rather show you."

His grin widened. "Even better." He took a deep breath, licking his lips in anticipation. "I'm all yours, Lieutenant."

"So … a dream, huh?" Steve asked once he'd regained his breath. He was still stretched out on his back and now turned his head to the side to look at Catherine lying on her stomach where she'd slid, completely sated, off his body several minutes ago. He smiled. "Guess I don't have to ask if it was a good one."

She chuckled against the pillow, eyes closed and arms circling her head. "Mmhmm." She opened her eyes slowly to look at him, smiling. "I know it's early, but … I didn't think you'd mind."

"Hey, no, feel free to wake me up anytime after that kind of dream," he said with a grin.

"It's nice having you on hand after that kind of dream," she said, purposely echoing the phrase. She shifted closer and he moved his arm to wrap around her as she laid her head on his shoulder and stretched her arm across his chest. "Wasn't always the case."

"Yeah," he said quietly, understanding. He smiled, finding her fingers with his own and folding them together. "But had I been … my reaction would have been exactly the same every time."

"Mm," she said, a small grin on her face as a memory popped into her head. "Maybe not every time …"

"Come on, Cath, up and at 'em," Carrie called out, already half dressed.

Catherine woke suddenly, blinking to get her bearings. Her roommate stared at her.

"You okay? Usually you're up before me."

Catherine didn't answer right away, closing her eyes and then shaking her head as if to clear it. "I'm fine," she said, finally sitting up.

"What, you have a weird dream?" Carrie asked, buttoning her shirt.

Catherine swallowed. "Um … not weird."

Carrie looked up at the hesitation in her roommate's voice. She grinned suddenly. "Oh my god, you had a sex dream, didn't you?"

"I–"

"Was it McGarrett? Had to be McGarrett."

Catherine groaned, flopping back onto her bed. She grabbed her pillow and put it over her face.

Carrie laughed. "I think that's all the answer I need."

Catherine tossed the pillow aside and gave her roommate a look.

Carrie held up both hands, still grinning. "I don't want any details." She grabbed her coat from its hanger. "But you might want to start thinking about something else fast otherwise there's no chance that blush will be gone before breakfast."

On their way to class after breakfast, Catherine heard a voice calling her name behind her.

"Hey, Cath!"

She turned, though she knew who it was without looking, and saw Steve jogging toward her.

Carrie elbowed her in the ribs and grinned, dodging Catherine's attempt to push her back. She hurried ahead to join some of their fellow plebes leaving Catherine to wait for Steve on her own.

She swallowed as he approached, tucking back the hair that was already behind her ear. "Hey …"

"Hey, we still on for bowling Saturday?" he asked. "Freddie and John are both in." His brow knit as he looked at her in sudden concern. "Hey, are you okay? You look a little flushed." His hand hovered near her elbow. "You're not getting sick, are you?"

"No, no, I'm fine," she said quickly, trying to smile nonchalantly. "Bowling, yeah, we're still on. Carrie and Laura said they'd come."

He eyed her for another second before responding. "Okay, good." He smiled, quirking an eyebrow. "Guys against girls?"

She grinned. "You're on, McGarrett."

His smile widened and he turned, taking a few steps backwards towards class. "You're going down, Rollins."

Her cheeks reddened again but she quickly collected herself. "We'll see about that."

"See you later?" he asked, grin still firmly in place.

"Yeah, later."

When he finally turned away, she took a deep breath, exhaling slowly and shaking her head even as she chuckled at herself. With a final smile, she hurried to catch up to her friends.

"So I think that was one time you wouldn't have responded in exactly the same way," she said after recounting the memory.

"Not because I wouldn't have wanted to," he replied honestly. He smiled slowly. "I remember that. You were blushing. I thought maybe you were getting sick at first, then I realized you were blushing but I didn't know why." He grinned down at her. "That was the first time I ever saw you blush. Hell, one of the only times I've ever seen you blush."

Her smile was saucy as she leaned up to press a lingering kiss to his jaw. "Not blushing now," she murmured against his skin.

His eyes drifted closed, enjoying the sensation. "Still wouldn't mind hearin' a few of those details from your dream …"

She settled back against him, smiling. "They've all faded in the face of a much better reality," she said, running her fingers through the hair on his chest.

His eyebrow quirked and he smiled, unable to keep the satisfaction from his voice. "Better, huh?"

"Mmhmm." She pushed herself up on one arm to look at him more directly. "Because you know something?"

"What's that?" he asked, holding her gaze.

"Reality is always better than the dream."

His smile softened. "Always?"

She leaned down, pausing a hair's breadth from his lips before kissing him.

"Always."

Hope you enjoyed!

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