Welcome to my first ff story. I really hope you enjoy it. I have reviewed it several times, but please excuse the grammar or spelling errors that may still exist. All constructive criticisms are welcome. It's a medium 14-16 chapters story. I will publish the new chapters every 1 or 2 days. Thank you very much for reading.
Disclaimer: All the characters and situations inherent in the Hawaii five-0 TV show are owned by its creators and CBS. They are taken back for entertainment purposes only. No money or goods have been exchanged in the publishing of this story.
"I will never quit. I persevere and thrive on adversity. My Nation expects me to be physically harder and mentally stronger than my enemies. If knocked down, I will get back up, every time. I will draw on every remaining ounce of strength to protect my teammates and to accomplish our mission. I am never out of the fight".
United States Navy Seal Code
Chapter 1: After all, he is a solitary man
Steve is sitting on the beach staring at the ocean. He loves the ocean, that has comforted him in his darkest moments, but that has also framed the best moments of his life.
But today, he feels alone... He wonders when his life began to scramble in that way. Remember all he has sacrificed and friends that are gone. Remember Freddie... his friend... his brother. Remember and honor the way that Freddie gave his life to save him, to accomplish the mission. After all, they had been trained to be the best. They were prepared to give everything, including their lives. Train for war and fight to win, right?
Memories invade his mind. Thinks of Catherine, he recalls how he knew her, so long ago, in that bar. Remember her smile and her special aroma, and recalls how she quickly became her anchor during those years. When they were together whenever they could, when they reunited in some military base and worked together, or gathered at the end of a mission, when both could find a break of one day or two. She was the closest thing to a home, a reason to return. But finally, when he thought it was time to settle with her and form a family, after a series of unfortunate events, she went and left him... just as the others. Why does no one want to stay?
Thinks of his father… eight years ago, he was killed, due to that same mission. Those five days that changed his life forever. Thinks of all he has lost since then. As he said to that stranger in the chapel of the hospital a couple of years ago, he had sworn to defend their country against any enemy, even at the expense of his own life, and to fulfill that oath he had lost everything. People he thinks that betrayed him and people that he thought that would never leave him and finally left.
He remembers Kono and her personal fight. That girl that he swore to protect and became the glue that held together his family. Rude, gentle, faithful until death, ah! And with a spinning kick that any MMA fighter would envy. He thinks that she is building her legacy, to combat the sex traffic network, he understands that. But to understand doesn't help, he misses her.
He thinks of Chin... Max had said once that no one understood the concept of Ohana better than Chin. But Steve feels him so far! A year ago, Chin formed his own task force in San Francisco. They have spoken by phone a couple of times since then, but Steve misses him. He needs his balance, his strength, his wisdom that contrasts so well with the impulsive and crazy way that Steve has to do things. Chin also went and left him.
Why the hell everyone is gone?
No... that is not quite true. He has new Ohana now: Lou, Jerry, Tani, Junior and... Danny.
It hurts to think of Danny. He never left, never relinquished. Danny had been the only constant in his life for the last eight years. He smiles sadly recalling the discussions, arguments and laughter. Thinks of Danny's precious children, Steve loves them as if they were his own, just as he loves that funny curmudgeon more than if he was his own brother. Because Danny is his brother. He has given his life and his family and he has shared with him his feelings... every feeling. He has saved his ass more times than he likes to remember and has traversed the world to bring him back.
He thinks about the unfinished conversation they had this morning, Danny knows that something happens and he is frustrated, because Steve may not tell him. The information is classified, right? Which again brings to Steve's mind the reason why he is sitting in that chair, with a warm beer in his hand and staring at the horizon. Meditating... trying to find the solution, thinking about the way of explain Danny, without revealing the secret, that he will do everything in its power to return alive (and preferably in one piece) of this new mission. He is thinking about how to explain Danny that he is trained for war and he'll fight to win.