Sammy & Ilna thanks for being … well you. And making every day better.
Extra thanks Sammy for all the incredible input on this one! And Ilna for the Joan-speak! Love you both.
RealMcRollers - Your love and support are awesome. Thank you all.
Path to Recovery
Sunday, February 5, 2017
UC Irvine • Orange, CA
"Commander McGarrett, Lieutenant Rollins." The blond doctor they knew to be 38 and a graduate of Harvard who did her neurosurgery residency at Massachusetts General Hospital gave them a welcoming smile and offered her hand. "Siobhan Hunnicutt. Good to meet you, I've heard quite a bit about you from Deb."
"Steve and Catherine, please," he said as they took seats across from her mahogany-colored desk.
As he surveyed the room, his eyes fell on a shadowbox of military memorabilia and photos mounted behind the desk. It included a caduceus indicia, a bronze star and several photos taken during deployment and years later with the same, obviously very close, friend. "Your grandfather?" He indicated with a chin tilt.
The doctor nodded. "My best friend and inspiration. That's him on the left with my 'army uncle'. I'm a fifth generation surgeon." She turned a recent photo of herself, a blond woman in her sixties and an older version of the same smiling man that sat on her desk. "Pop's retired, of course. My mother's a trauma surgeon. Remarkable lady. Raised me as a single parent and graduated medical school at 30 with honors."
Catherine smiled and said, "Steve and I are both third generation Navy," acknowledging shared familial traditions.
"Speaking of families, congratulations." Doctor Hunnicutt gestured towards Catherine and grinned when they thanked her in unison. She gestured to a folder bearing Deb's name. "I'm sure you have a lot of questions." She sat back. "Please ask whatever you'd like. Your Aunt signed the HIPPA waivers when she started treatment."
"I've done some research …" Catherine extracted a notepad from her bag.
"Excellent. We love informed patients and family members. I'm sure you've learned this technique has redefined the notion of 'inoperable' when it comes to brain surgery."
"Yes." Steve nodded. "When she first told us about the tumor, Deb said it was inoperable and she'd decided not to seek treatment." A shadow briefly crossed his face.
"Well, I'm glad she changed her mind. She's an excellent candidate and the preoperative chemotherapy has been even more successful than we'd originally hoped."
Catherine slid her hand into Steve's and squeezed.
Doctor Hunnicutt pulled out an illustration of a brain and tapped it with her pen. "See here, this is where the mass is located. It's shrunk by nearly 70 percent. Our next step is the surgery. I'm going to be honest, Deb isn't 25 years old. We treat malignancies different depending on age." She shifted in her chair to give them a better view of the illustration. "For example, if we had a malignancy in someone your age, we'd throw a lot heavier artillery at it than we would at someone in their 70s or 80s. Basically, I'd be trying to keep you alive another forty years - to have you reach your natural life expectancy. In someone older, that reach may be twenty, or even ten years, and we adjust treatment plans accordingly. Particularly since we don't want to weaken the patient beyond repair with the chemo. Am I making sense?'
"Absolutely." Steve nodded again and Catherine agreed.
"So, where we are now is Deb is ready to undergo removal of the rest of the tumor using BrainPath technology and Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery. These technologies really do offer new hope to brain cancer patients with tumors that were traditionally considered inoperable. BrainPath gives us a new, much safer way to reach and remove the tumor while minimizing damage to surrounding brain matter.
A tube is inserted through a small opening in the skull," she said as she drew on the illustration, "which eliminates the need for more invasive techniques. Our patients often require fewer medications, go home sooner, and recover faster. Gamma Knife radiation therapy is used as a follow-up, to target any remaining cancer cells in the area where the tumor has been. We've had great success in many cases and improved quality of life in many more."
"And you think …" Steve shifted and Catherine placed a hand on his arm. "You think she'll respond well?"
"I'm cautiously optimistic that once we complete the surgery and she's out of recovery with no setbacks, that I can add enough years to her life to make sure that little one you're expecting knows his or her great aunt for quite a few years."
Steve smiled, clearly happy at the thought. "That's … outstanding, thank you."
"I know Deb was concerned about potential damage from the surgery," Catherine said.
The surgeon nodded. "While it is minimized by the technique, no surgery is risk free. But I'm comfortable with the odds being strongly in her favor."
"Sounds good," Steve said.
"Any more questions?"
They exchanged a look. "Not right now."
"Excellent." The doctor stood. "Then I know someone who's anxious to see you. Shall we head towards her room?"
Room 407
"Ann Caf! Unca Steve! You he'we!" Joan slid off the corner of Deb's bed and darted into Steve's arms.
"Hey, Joanie. Are you keeping Aunt Deb company?" He kissed her cheek and held her toward Catherine so she could do the same.
"We havin' je-wo." She pointed to the Jello on the lunch tray.
"Hey," Mary greeted them as she stepped into a hug with Catherine. "Ohhh you're popped," she said, patting her future niece or nephew, and then moved to hug Steve as he set Joan on her feet. "Your Aunt conned the nurses into extra Jello to share with Joan. Hi, Doctor, how are you?" She noticed the doctor's smile as the little girl ran back to the bedside and said, "Aawon, put me by Ann Deb."
"I'm fine, thanks. I see Miss Joan is keeping our patient smiling." She moved to check Deb's chart. "Most importantly, how's my star patient?"
"I'm ready to rumble." Deb grinned.
"Weady to wumble," Joan echoed as Deb held out her arms.
"Come here, you two. Give me a hug. Careful of squishing the little one," she teased. After their greetings, she held on to Catherine's hand as the doctor explained the scheduling.
"... and we'll see you bright and early so you'll have no food or liquids after ten p.m." She closed her book. "I'll let you all visit and I'll see everyone in the morning when I stop in pre-op with the anesthesiologist, then I should be out to talk to you about an hour and a half after we begin." She turned to Joan. "You're in charge, Joan. Make sure your Aunt goes to sleep early." She winked.
Joan nodded seriously and pointed. "You sweep earwy, Ann Deb."
They said their goodbyes to Doctor Hunnicutt and pulled up chairs to visit; each doing their part to entertain and relax their aunt with stories and chatter until the 'visiting hours are over' announcement wafted over the PA system.
Steve situated two chairs across from each other and sat back down after kissing Catherine and saying, "I love you, sleep well."
"What do you mean, Steve?" Deb raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean, what do I mean?" He shifted and put his feet on the opposite chair. "I'm staying."
"You are not." She waved a hand. "Get out of here and get some sleep."
"Aunt Deb…"
"Steve…"
"What?"
"Catherine, talk to your husband."
Catherine smiled. "He wants to stay." Her eyes were soft.
"It's against the rules," Deb pointed out.
"Rules?" Mary snorted. "Have you met your nephew?"
Aaron stifled a grin.
Steve nodded decisively. "It's already decided." He looked at the others. "We'll see you all at 5:45." He reached for Joan and kissed her when she stepped into his embrace. "Kiss Aunt Deb good night." He held her aloft.
"Night, night," Joan said and was transferred into Aaron's arms with a yawn.
Deb sighed. "I really can't convince you?"
"Not a chance."
"Obstinate like my father," she scolded, but her eyes shone with pride. "Must be the name."
"Taking that as a compliment." He opened a bottle of water and took a swallow.
Deb leaned over and placed a kiss on his cheek. "Meant it as one." She winked at Catherine. "Thank you. The rest of you go get some sleep. And when I'm out of surgery, somebody better have some red Jello ready with my name on it."
Catherine bent to kiss first Deb and then Steve a second time. She squeezed his hand. "See you soon. Love you."
"Love you both," he answered with a hand on her tummy. He watched as they filed out of the room, and with a last smile from Catherine, thought how the next time they were in a hospital they'd be holding their baby.
/
Pre Op 8:30 a.m., Monday
After the pre op briefing, Doctor Hunicutt left to scrub in and Deb smiled at her family. "I don't even have to shave my head. I'll have a pretty snazzy hairdo with a little patch missing for a while, but maybe I'll start a trend."
Mary's eyes were full as hugged her aunt tightly. "Good luck, we'll be waiting. I love you."
"I love you, sweetie." She reached for Steve and took his hand. "All of you." She looked at each of the four of them as her nurse, Melissa, who'd been with her all morning, raised the bars on the gurney to begin moving to the OR.
"Ready?" Melissa smiled at the family. "We'll take good care of her."
"I'm ready. I'm mentally prepared for it, and that's all you can do. Prepare with the most courage you can. And maybe I modeled a little courage from my nephew." Catherine and Mary exchanged a look as Deb's voice receded down the corridor. "He's my brother's boy. Head of the governor's task force in Hawaii, and his wife, Catherine just moved from the task force to be the governor's chief of staff. And you know all about Mary, Aaron and my beautiful Joan from the pre op testing last week …"
"Mary?" A young social worker named Ashanti who'd been assigned to assist Deb and her family at her medical orientation appeared holding Joan. "Potty break over."
Mary reached for her daughter and kissed her cheek. They'd had Joan see Deb in pre op but had decided it was better she take a short walk with Ashanti - who she'd loved from their first meeting - than to have her see her aunt having IVs inserted.
"Ann Deb all bettew?"
"The doctors are fixing her up now," Aaron explained.
Ashanti showed them into the ICU patient family lounge, which was stocked with snacks, drinks and toys for little ones. "Someone just explained to me how Aunt Deb may look a little funny when she's all done with the doctor but the doctor is fixing her owie."
Steve nodded. "Joanie's brilliant. She called me by name when she wasn't even two."
Catherine rubbed his bicep as Mary grinned and said, " 'Unc Teeve' is not exactly …"
"It was clear as day." He waved her off with a wink at Catherine and reached for their niece. "C'mon, Joanie, let's show your mom how we can use those blocks to spell out US Naval Academy …"
Catherine and Aaron shared a look. Each knew what their respective partners were doing - distracting their sibling while the time passed - and it warmed their hearts to see the protective way they'd flanked Joan on the play-mat covered floor.
ICU 11:45 a.m.
"You both look tired." Deb smiled at her niece and nephew.
"And you're a little bit loopy." Mary's eyes were smiling so much there was no need to see the rest of her face, which was obscured by the ICU-required scrub mask. "You did great, Aunt Deb." She gently kissed her cheek.
"The doctor said you did extremely well." Steve squeezed the hand he was holding. "McGarrett trait: fortitude," he said.
"McGarrett trait: stubborn," Deb replied, and Mary nodded with a chuckle.
The exchange had Catherine smiling broadly beneath her mask. "As soon as they move you from ICU you can see Joan. Aaron is right outside with her, he'll be in next."
Melissa entered through the glass doors with some ice chips in a pitcher. "She did beautifully, as I'm sure the doctor told you." She turned to Steve, having heard the murmurs about how the handsome commander had somehow gotten around the 'no visitors past 8:00 rule' and spent the night camped out in his aunt's room. "Now, the limit is two visitors, so …"
"I'll go and let Aaron come in," Catherine told Mary. "Then Steve and I can take Joan to the cafeteria."
"Eat some protein," Deb instructed and everyone smiled. "Steve, send Aaron in and go eat with your wife. Let's not break every rule in the hospital."
"You know …" Steve began but shook his head at Catherine's touch to his back. He sighed. "Okay, okay. Mare, you got this?"
"We have 20 minutes an hour to visit, you go ahead. We'll meet you downstairs."
With a kiss from Catherine and Steve, Deb was left with Mary spooning her an ice chip as Aaron gowned up to come in.
Hospital Cafe 1:00 p.m.
Looking up from cutting a hot dog into bite sized pieces for Joan, Catherine saw Deb's doctor before Steve did. She stiffened slightly and nodded in her direction.
He was immediately on his feet, but both relaxed at Doctor Hunnicutt's easy smile. "All good, everything's fine," she said by way of greeting. "I need to do office hours and I won't be back until about seven o'clock, so I'm grabbing a bite. I just peeked in and saw Deb, then I spotted you and I thought I'd give you an update."
Steve waved to chair. "Please, sit. How's she doing? We just came down."
The doctor waved the offer. "I'm going to grab a sandwich and run. Deb's doing very well. The first 24 hours are a series of milestones for surgical recovery in this instance. She woke up well from the anesthesia, she's sleepy but that's to be expected, she's on a bit of fentanyl for discomfort. As I told you post-op, there was very little bleeding and the tumor was well defined with clear margins, which is excellent. She's speaking normally and her vitals are excellent." She smiled broadly. "Now I'm going to let you all eat lunch. I heard a rumor you probably didn't have breakfast, Commander, since we don't do room service for non-patients."
Catherine grinned and Steve shrugged, not a bit of remorse in his gesture or his smirk.
The doctor finger-waved at Joan. "I'm thinking I want a hot dog, now. That looks very yummy."
"Is vewy nummy," Joan confirmed and popped a bite in her mouth from her place on Catherine's lap.
"Enjoy it, cutie." She looked at Steve and Catherine. "Deb will sleep a lot today. If all is this well in the morning, I'll discharge her tomorrow. I understand she'll be at your sister's for a week?"
"At least, yeah. Probably two. It's easier if she's there, Mary and Aaron won't have to juggle Joanie back and forth, and Mary works from home."
"Sounds excellent. Good family support is a wonderful asset." She checked her watch. "I'm sure I'll see you later."
"Thanks so much." "Thank you, Doctor," they said together, and all three adults grinned when Joan echoed, "Tank you."
Steve motioned for Joan and she slid off Catherine's lap and onto his. Pulling her plate closer, he reached for his meatball sub and took a huge bite. "Come sit with me, Joanie, I need help with these french fries."
"I hewp!" she announced and grabbed a steak-fry to put in her mouth with a huge smile.
"You thinking my lap is, ahem, dwindling, McGarrett?" Catherine laughed and patted her thighs. "Still plenty of room." She was teasing, she knew he wanted some time with Joan, having missed being at Mary's the previous night.
He raised a brow. "Never. I just needed to share my fries, since you have your own and all."
Joan popped another bite of fry in her mouth and held one up to Steve, who ate his and said, "Mmmmm," against her cheek, making her giggle.
Catherine watched the exchange with soft eyes and a tiny smile as she bit into her burger.
Tuesday 11:50 a.m.
"I came to say goodbye to one of my favorites!" Nurse Melissa popped her head into Deb's room just as she was settling in a transport wheelchair with a light blanket over her lap.
"Aren't you sweet. Thanks for everything."
Melissa gave her hands a squeeze before she backed out of the room. "You be well. Best of luck."
"Bye, bye!" Joan waved and the nurse blew her a kiss. Just as she exited the room, the Doctor entered.
"You are all discharged," she said with a wide, genuine smile.
"Can I hug you?" Mary said and wrapped Doctor Hunnicutt in her arms. "Thank you so much."
"Oh, my, that about makes my day." Siobhan Hunnicutt returned the brief hug before turning to her patient. "I'm giving all the follow up information to your niece to hold." She passed a folder to Mary. "All of our post op appointments are in there. If you need to reschedule any, just call the office the day before." She handed Mary several blue prescription sheets and told Deb, "I'm giving you Tylenol 3, with codeine. Up to three a day for pain, no aspirin or ibuprofen for two weeks. It will take time for you to regain your original level of energy, so rest up and next week we'll start you with a physical therapist. The Gamma Knife radiation therapy won't start until next month but compared to what you just braved, I'm sure you'll get through it like a trooper." She looked at Steve and Catherine. "It's one dose as opposed to more traditional radiation therapy." Her eyes went back to Deb. "You'll want to stay with your niece a day or so afterwards just as a precaution. Most important thing for now and after the Gamma Knife is rest."
"She can stay with us as long as necessary," Mary said and Aaron nodded.
"We'll make sure she rests."
Steve asked, "What other specific restrictions are there?"
The doctor smiled. "Deb, you're going to have to stay away from contact sports, so no football or boxing, ever. However, you can resume normal activities as we determine your PT progress." Her expression got a bit more serious as she explained, "That said, no unsupervised swimming for a year due to the risk of seizures while in the water. Even if the risk is minimal, we don't want any accidents, okay?"
"Got it," Deb said as Steve nodded. "No sports, no swimming alone. I guess I'll call my coach and tell him I'm off the Olympic bobsled team." She reached for her nephew's hand. "You, stop worrying already. I'll behave." Her eyes met the doctor's. "I'm ready to go to Mary and Aaron's and sleep the rest of the afternoon. You're an amazing young lady and an even better doctor. No wonder that grandpa of yours is so proud."
"And you always make me smile. I'll see you Friday." She turned to Steve and Catherine. "Pleasure meeting you both. Good luck with the baby. I'm sure Deb will show me lots of pictures."
"Count on it," Deb said and the doctor nodded.
"I had my second while I was a resident and my husband had just started a law practice. Talk about long days after sleepless nights."
"Wow, I'm tired with one." Mary grinned.
"It gets better. My sleepless nights are coming again soon, though, they're 14 and 16, they'll be driving before we know it." She looked up as the PA announced, Doctor Hunnicutt, call extension 803, Doctor Hunnicutt, call extension 803. "They're playing my song. I'll call tomorrow to check how you're doing. Take care, everyone." As they all bid her goodbye, she pulled her phone out and was already hitting speed dial by the time she entered the hall.
Tuesday evening
Mary and Aaron's Home
After a day of resting and being pampered, Deb was fast asleep. She'd eaten the pastina soup Catherine made and spoke to a few local friends via Skype and her cell. She'd also spoken to the team and Grace, and had a nice chat with Elizabeth, Joseph and Grandma Ang. She'd gotten a particular kick out of Jacob telling a joke when Jenna placed a brief call to send the family's well wishes. Danny, Grace and his whole family had sent a huge basket of goodies and fruit and Nonna had checked in twice.
"She seems totally comfortable, right, Catherine?" Mary asked as the women joined Steve and Aaron in the living room.
"Definitely. She drank her decaf tea and took her pill and drifted right off," Catherine said as she sat next to Steve on the couch and stifled a yawn.
"You should sleep," Aaron said.
"In a minute." She grinned and wrapping her hand around Steve's, took a bite of chocolate dipped fruit that was from the New Jersey Williams' family's enormous basket.
"There's plenty, you know." He grinned.
"Of course there is, they sent enough for twenty people." Mary shook her head with a smile, having gotten very familiar with Danny's family and their food is love credo.
"Maybe a few strawberries." Catherine made to stand, but Aaron jumped up.
"Sit, I'll get 'em."
He was back quickly with a dozen on a plate along with a few mango and pineapple slices and several napkins. "No cantaloupe, right?"
"Wow, okay." Catherine laughed. "I'm not that hungry, but …" She snatched one up and took a bite. "Thanks, Aaron." She looked at Steve and back at her soon to be brother-in-law. "You know about the cantelope?'
"And the eggs, yeah." He nodded.
"I didn't want you getting nauseous," Steve explained.
"He texted me not to have any eggs cooking while you were here, and that watermelon is okay but cantaloupe is a no no." Mary smirked.
"Steve!" Her eyes widened. "You told them not to eat eggs in their own house?"
"It was a suggestion. I offered to pick up breakfasts while we were here," Steve said with a shrug, not the least bit repentant. "I also said if Joanie wanted eggs you and I would go out and grab breakfast."
Catherine shook her head. "I'm sorry. He's a little …" She squeezed his leg gently.
"Overprotective? In SuperSeal mode? Daddy overdrive?" Mary laughed out loud.
"Perfectly legitimate request." Aaron looked at his fiancee. "I offered to toss all the cantelope."
"Oh my God, you did not." Catherine laughed, too.
While the men looked on, her and Mary's chuckles turned into full blown laughter. Eye-tearing, laugh until you cry laughter that lasted a full minute.
"Long two days," Catherine gasped as she wiped her eyes, knowing it was a release of tension at having Aunt Deb home and on the mend.
"We're getting stupid-silly," Mary agreed.
"Ohh." Catherine smiled, her hand dropping to her tummy. "Niblet did a somersault. Someone's saying, 'Mommy, go to sleep, you and Aunt Mary are keeping me awake.' "
"Awwwww, I'm beat, too. We should all get some sleep. There's no sleeping in with your niece and six o'clock comes fast. Which …" Mary grinned. "You two will learn really soon."
"Can't wait," they said together and Mary shook her head.
"What's Danny call you? Perfectly matched set? Go to bed. We'll see you in the morning."
Catherine and Steve stood and after she grabbed two more berries from the platter, he went to put the rest away as she headed to bed.
Wednesday morning
"Aaron, you don't have to drive us to the airport, we'll call a cab," Catherine was repeating as Steve entered the kitchen with Joan, who was wearing butterfly patterned pants, sparkly pink shoes and a tiny Navy SEALs T-shirt that proclaimed The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday.
Mary barked a laugh. "Oh my God, I almost snorted coffee through my nose."
"Mama! Unca Steve got me a pwesent," Joan announced and held out the hem of the shirt.
"I see that, peanut. Isn't that …" She giggled at seeing her bad-ass brother and her little girl with shirts sporting matching SEAL Tridents. The only difference was that Steve's included the line, Ready to Lead, Ready to Follow, Never Quit. "... the freaking cutest thing ever." She reached for her phone and instructed, "Turn this way," before snapping half a dozen photos. "Did you say thank you to Uncle Steve?"
When Joan kissed his cheek and said, "Tank you, Unca Steve," he positively beamed and Mary snapped another shot.
"I need …" Catherine began.
"One for your wall. I'll text it right now." She moved to hug her brother. "You're a great uncle. You may turn my daughter into G.I. Jane someday, but I have no doubt if you do, she'll be as kick-a…" she glanced at Joan, "I mean kick-butt as her Aunt Catherine, so I'm cool with it."
Steve kissed Joan's cheek and set her down, extending his hand, "C'mon, Joanie, let's go see what Aunt Deb feels like for breakfast."
Joan slipped her hand into his and as they left the kitchen, her voice could be heard saying, "Ann Deb sleep at my house more?" and Steve's answer of, "Aunt Deb is sleeping at your house for a while so Mama and Aaron can help her after she had her owie fixed…"
Catherine exchanged a look with Mary and the sisters-in-law smiled broadly.
Deb was ensconced on the sofa with plenty of pillows and the remote, but she was contentedly watching Joan play on the floor a few feet away.
"Make sure you don't over do it," Steve instructed as he wrapped her in a hug and stood so Catherine could do the same.
"Look who's talking." Deb smirked.
"Aunt Deb, please …"
She held up her hands. "Kidding, kidding. I'm teasing you. Steve, I'm not going to jeopardize my recovery by pushing too hard. I need to be one hundred percent to come see my newest great niece or nephew."
"Yes, you do." He gave her a huge smile. "We'll call tonight."
"You better." She winked. "Catherine, rest, sweetheart, okay? Thank you so much for being here, but it's been a long couple of days."
"I'm fine, Deb, but I'll rest when we get home. Promise."
"Good girl."
Aaron came in, dangling his keys. "Jeez, you two travel light." He looked at the two duffels. "That'll change soon, right, Mare?" He grinned.
"Hell yeah. You'll be coming with a steamer trunk." She hugged first Catherine, then Steve, then Catherine again. "I love you guys. Text when you land."
"Will do."
"Ready, Joan?" Aaron held out his hand and Joan dropped the puzzle piece she was holding and ran to him. "Let's take Uncle Steve and Aunt Catherine to the airport so they can go home and see Cammie because they miss her, okay?"
"You miss Cammie?" Her head tilted up to see Steve's face.
"We miss her a lot, like we miss you when we're not here. But…" he squatted to her level, "Next time you come to our house, you're gonna meet your new cousin."
"New cousin?"
"The baby in Aunt Catherine's tummy," Mary reminded her.
She wrapped Catherine's legs in a hug and spoke to her belly. "Baby, come out and play?"
Catherine ran a hand over the soft, blonde hair. "You'll meet the baby pretty soon. Your cousin is going to be too little to play at first, but you can help me and Uncle Steve with the baby and," she bent to kiss Joan's head, "you can even help give it a bottle like a big girl."
"'Yay! I'm big gir', I hewp." Joan smiled proudly. "Huwwy, baby," she said to Catherine's tummy and, reaching for Aaron's hand, happily chattered to her her aunt and uncle all the way out to the car.
McGarrett/Rollins Home
Wednesday night
When Catherine gave him a languid kiss and rolled off his body, Steve lifted his arm and she snuggled into his side.
"Tired?" He kissed her temple and stifled a yawn.
"Nope." She chuckled. "Sleeping on the plane must have given me a second wind."
"In spite of my vigorous attempts to relax you since we got home?"
She stretched up to kiss him again. "Mmmm. I am relaxed. Deliciously, bonelessly relaxed." She grinned at his immediate smirk. "I'm just not super tired. And your attempts were spectacular. All three of 'em."
"Right back at ya." He traced her shoulder with his fingers. "But seriously, you should sleep, Cath, it's been a long few days."
"Yeah." Her fingers absently played across his collarbone before coming to rest on his chest. "Soon." She sighed contentedly. "Deb sounded good on the phone."
"Definitely. And Mary said she ate a chicken breast and mashed potatoes." He linked his fingers with hers and rested both thier hands back on his chest. "I've got a really good feeling she'll be able to come out when Niblet's born."
Catherine smiled softly. "Me, too. Ohhh." She placed a hand against her tummy and smiled. "He or she agrees."
"Niblet moved?" His eyes glinted with excitement.
She nodded with a smile. "More like did a break dance."
His eyes were on her midriff. "Niblet totally agrees then. Hey …" he addressed her tummy. "You need to sleep like your mommy, okay?" His gaze met hers and he yawned again.
"I think your daddy's the one who should sleep." She patted her baby bump.
"I will, unless you want a snack first? I can run down to the kitchen. The book says changes in blood volume and vascular tone may cause headaches; stress or emotional tension could, too. A snack can help."
"Thank you, but any stress is pretty much gone. The surgery went well, Deb's on the road to recovery. And I really can get my own snack. If I wanted one." She kissed him lightly and rested her head on his shoulder. "Which I don't. I'm still full from the pancakes at dinner. Now, you, get some sleep, Commander." Her tone was light and teasing. "You wanna keep your … stamina up for tomorrow, we're still making up for being apart Sunday night, remember?" She grinned against his skin and felt him chuckle.
"My stamina is just fine, Lieutenant, you need to rest if you're gonna keep …" his eyes glinted with mischief, "rewriting our frequency statistics." He ran a hand down her side and gave her hip a gentle squeeze before he rested it on her butt.
"That what we're calling it now?" She laughed lightly.
"I'm calling it incredible …" he tilted her chin up with a gentle finger adding, "outstanding … mind-blowing …" while playfully kissing her between words.
She ran her fingers along the shell of his ear as his kisses grew softer. "One pregnancy symptom's working in your favor, huh?"
"Definitely in my favor."
His words were hushed and his mouth twitched up in a slow half smile when she nipped at his jaw. His breathing changed as he felt the tip of her tongue with her whispered, "Hmmm I owe you, you know."
The familiar sleepy quality that had seeped into her speech had Steve adjusting their positions to get more comfortable. "Owe me?"
"We've been kinda blowing the roof off the McGarrett Rule." He felt her smile against his neck, just under his left ear. "Ratio's off, Commander, can't have that."
He tilted his head in amusement, a tiny smirk returning to his face. "In that case, I look forward to collecting. Repeatedly. And there's another reason you need your sleep, to maintain your stamina," he teased as she settled her head on his chest.
"Mmmm." Her breath danced across his skin with her gentle sigh as his left hand began making slow, soothing circles on her back. "Keep doing that and Niblet and I will be asleep in no time." She placed a drowsy kiss on his shoulder. "I love you. We love you, so much."
He kissed the top of her head. "Love you," he breathed, thinking it wouldn't be long and they'd be meeting Niblet. He couldn't wait, and he couldn't suppress a smile as he said, "Both of you."
She shifted even closer and he could feel her growing tummy pressing against his hip. As she relaxed into him, Steve closed his eyes, knowing she'd fallen asleep. With Catherine's voice telling Joan, 'You'll meet the baby pretty soon' echoing in his head, he let sleep wash over him, smile still on his lips.
End - thanks for reading
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