74 years ago today on Tuesday, June 6, 1944, my dad and his battalion were landing on Omaha Beach in Normandy, France as part of Operation Overlord. This story is dedicated to the members of the 297th Combat Engineer Battalion and all those brave men who were a part of the Allied invasion of Normandy on D-Day. Thank you.

AN's at end

CADENCE

July 1, 1988

"... I don't know, but it's been said

Air force medals are made of lead.

I don't know, but I've been told

Navy medals are made of gold…"

At the sound of cadence drifting through the window, ten year old Catherine Rollins tossed off the covers and stretched before standing. A smile already in place, she was dressed and in the kitchen of their bungalow in less than ten minutes.

"There's my girl." Joseph placed his coffee mug on the counter, opened his arms for a hug and lifted her off the ground. "So, what's our first assignment, Recruit Rollins?" He said as he placed her sneaker-clad feet back on the linoleum floor.

"Breakfast," Elizabeth's voice preceded her and Smokey as they entered from his morning walk. "I believe someone requested special home fries ... oh, wait, that was me and your daughter." She placed a quick kiss on his lips and Catherine's forehead.

"Ah ha!" He made an elaborate gesture of rolling up his sleeves. "So day one of the next 363 days starts with my amazing…" He kissed Catherine's head and grabbed a pan, twirling it by the handle. "Never been beaten …" he opened the refrigerator and grabbed ingredients. "Delicious home fries for my two best girls."

Catherine nodded and was bouncing on the balls of her feet. "I'll help make them. I think you should sit and have some coffee, Mommy. Because you make breakfast all the time." Her eyes fell on Joseph and he nodded. "And we won't have lunch 'til after the ceremony and Mom always says breakfast is the most important meal of the day."

Elizabeth exchanged a look of pride with her husband over their daughter's head as the little girl with the dancing brown eyes pulled a chair up to the counter and got out a potato peeler.

"Ready for KP, Sir." She executed the salute she'd perfected at age four and beamed up at him thinking for the thousandth time that her father was the best, bravest Naval officer in the world. Later that day, he'd be awarded the Bronze Star. The notification said it was for Heroic or meritorious achievement or service not involving participation in aerial flight. She didn't need a notice to tell her her dad was a hero, but she was very, very excited that she and her mom would be there to see him honored with a medal. And not just any medal - a Bronze Star for bravery, just like his dad, her Grandpa Thomas, had gotten in World War Two.

When Joseph gently squeezed her shoulder and passed her a potato, Catherine smiled up and began to peel it carefully, just like Grandma Ang showed her when she was eight. Her dad was home for his next rotation and after the ceremony he had a whole three days off before reporting for duty. They were going to have fun day trips as a family. She couldn't be happier.

June 1996

" … Ain't no use in looking down,

ain't no discharge on the ground.

Ain't nobody cuttin' slack,

hope your roommate's got your back ..."

Midshipman Carrie Stagler tossed a look at the fellow plebe who was running a few spaces to her left. Three days in, and she was actually happy and honestly relieved thus far with her rooming assignment and fairly confident the other girl felt the same.

There were always horror stories about hellish roommates and if yours sucked, well, you were pretty much screwed. The United States Naval Academy wasn't a 'wussed-out dorm' as one of the second years that processed them through uniform detail the previous Friday had called it. You couldn't simply request a change or live off campus.

She nodded and the slender brunette with the ready smile returned her small grin. Rollins seemed like a genuinely nice person who was absolutely up for the academic and physical rigor of the academy. She'd tested into Group 3 for PE training like Carrie, which meant they'd done over fifty sit ups in minute.

The two girls had begun bonding by celebrating how the three jackasses who'd been giving them shit about women not belonging there had all landed in Group 2. Even if the celebration consisted of sharing a bag of Doritos and a couple of sodas before lights out their second night in Bancroft.

Unlike Carrie, who was the first in her family to serve, Catherine was a navy brat who's father - an academy graduate himself - had been happy to point out different landmarks and explain terminology to the Stagler family on I-day minus one. That was just after both sets of parents realized their daughters would be roommates and immediately after Carrie's younger brother developed a crush on the young woman who was as friendly as she was pretty.

Commander and Mrs. Rollins had even suggested dinner with Carrie's family on Induction Day after each bid their children good luck in a flurry of parental hugs and advice.

Carrie grinned as she remembered Commander Rollins including her in his advice for Catherine. He'd told them while they were there to become proud naval officers, they were still allowed to enjoy their experiences, so make a little time for fun … within reason.

She genuinely liked her roommate's parents and both girls had started Plebe Summer with excited enthusiasm. Yeah, Carrie thought as the cadence ended and they began a new one, she had a good feeling she and Midshipman Rollins had begun an actual friendship. She was looking forward to getting to know her roomate better over the next few weeks.

"... C-130 on a taxiway

Navy SEALS gonna jump today.

Stand up, hook up, shuffle to the door

Throw myself out at the count of four…"

As the cadence rang loud and clear over the parade ground in NAS Coronado, Catherine shifted in her seat with excitement.

Steve had achieved yet another milestone and passed BUDs. He was a SEAL. From the minute he told her he was going to take the the Physical Screening Test she knew he'd make the teams. There was never a doubt in her mind.

She knew exactly when he saw her from his spot in the seating area with the other graduates. His almost imperceptible nod was accompanied by a small smile. He'd told her she didn't have to be at the ceremony - it took several favors for her to arrange leave - but her not being there was out of the question. In her seat next to Kelly and the Harts, she sat up straighter and gave him a dazzling smile. She was incredibly proud of him and he absolutely deserved to have someone there to share this victory. Yes, the Harts were happy for him, as was Kelly, but Catherine was there just for Steve. Like always. They had a few nights leave before his team's first assignment and she would be with him celebrating every minute they could.

As soon as the teams had their photos taken under the Special Warfare Center sign, they broke to see their waiting loved ones. Catherine was in Steve's arms in minutes, pulling away only long enough to admire the certificate that read:

United States Navy

Naval Special Warfare Center

Certificate of Graduation

This certifies that

Lieutenant Steven J. McGarrett

Has successfully completed the prescribed course of instruction in

Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Training

"I'm so proud of you," her eyes shone with emotion.

"Thanks, I …" he kissed her again. "You didn't have to, I … thanks for being here, Cath." He rested his forehead against hers and she squeezed his biceps. He wasn't one for emotional speeches and she telegraphed her understanding with her touch before lightening the conversation with their normal repartee.

"You lost weight, sailor."

He grinned, glad she understood his thanks and the meaning behind it. "Gained muscle."

"Still, let's get you fed. You must be … starving." Her double entendre was clear.

"Among other things." His grin turned wolfish and she chuckled.

"I booked the Coronado Beach Resort."

"Wow, fancy." He wrapped an arm around her waist as they started to walk to her rental.

"Graduating into the one percent of special warfare naval personnel deserves a little fancy. Besides, I don't plan on us leaving the room much, so it might as well be a nice one." Her eyes ran over him and he barked a laugh when his stomach growled.

"They got room service?" His brows rose. "You know, for later."

"Definitely."

He pulled her closer for just a second as they walked. "Then lead the way, Rollins. Lead the way."

Present Day

"...Ask my Daddy, he'll tell ya true

his lil' girl wears cammies, too.

We don't care about the rest

Navy women are the best…"

"Look, Angie, who's that?" Catherine pointed at the two figures approaching from across the parade ground.

"Ahhhh eeee!" Angie kicked excitedly when she spotted her godmother approaching with her grandpa.

"Hello, beautiful!" Carrie announced and took the baby from her mother's arms for a kiss and quick snuggle. Laughing when Angie grabbed at her cover, she said, "look who I found!" She pointed exaggeratedly at Joseph and Angie squealed with delight. "Do you know this guy?"

"How's grandpa's big girl?" Joseph leaned over and kissed her hello before straightening to greet his daughter with a hug. Seeing the baby's eyes search the immediate area, he beamed. "She's looking for Elizabeth. Grandma's not with me today, sweetheart, she's taking Grandma Ang to pick up her new sunglasses." He clapped and Angie followed suit.

"Can you have lunch with us?" Catherine asked Carrie as her best friend handed the baby off to Joseph and smiled as Angie made an immediate grab for his Battleship Missouri Memorial Volunteer hat.

She shook her head. "Sorry, I have a meeting in fifteen with rotating in personnel. I just spotted Papa Rollins in my building and when he said you guys were here visiting Steve before lunch, I decided to cancel out Sunday afternoon duty ugliness by seeing my gorgeous goddaughter." She finger-waved at the baby who smiled in return from under Joseph's cap.

"That looks good on you." Carrie grinned. "But then your mommy always could rock a cover better than anyone." She checked her watch and straightened. "I gotta run. Love you all." She blew kisses and Catherine repeated the gesture with Angie's hand.

"So, O-Club?" Catherine asked once Carrie had headed for her meeting. "Or do you want to eat off base?"

"Mama! Ahhh ohhh" Angie declared, clearly wanting to draw Catherine's attention to the platoon marching under the watchful eye of her daddy in the blazing afternoon sun.

Catherine took her daughter, settling the baby on her hip. "They're marching, baby girl, see. And cadence helps daddy keep them in time."

"Your mommy was marching at two," Joseph explained with wink. "And you just may just beat her schedule."

Angie watched with fascination as the young sailors went by while her mother and grandfather exchanged a smile.

"... When they rattled my family tree,

Who fell out were all NAVY…"

# End. Thanks for reading.

Sammy & Ilna - thank you for brightening my life every day.

REAL McRollers - Thank you for your wonderful feedback, always!

Ilna is on vacation so you get another one from me today. She'll be back with a fabulous story next week :)

Find all our stories (in chronological order!) on our website: marirealmcroll dot wixsite dot com backslash real-mcroll

Or in the McRoll in the REAL World community here on fanfiction dot net Find us on Tumblr: mcrollintherealworld dot tumblr dot com

You can join our mailing list by emailing us realmcroll at yahoo dot com with: Add me, please! in the subject line. Or just drop us a line to say hi! We love hearing from our readers.

And find me on Twitter asking your opinions on all things McRoll in the REAL World! at Mari21763 and add #REALMcRoller