I am thrilled to be partnered with Sammy & Ilna in this fabulous endeavor. Ladies, you make me smile every day. From THE SKYPE, to the emails, to the wonderful friendship we've formed. I'm eternally grateful.

#REALMcRollers, readers, guests, your support & love of the REAL World and respect for Steve and Catherine warm my heart. Thank you so very much!

Hugs, Mari

Powerless

McGarrett/Rollins Residence
9:00 p.m.

The storm started suddenly while they were out for an evening walk and she ran over the wet sand next to the agile form keeping pace beside her. As they reached home, she stopped and stood, panting lightly.

Crack! A sudden flash of lighting was followed by instant thunder that rumbled loud enough to rattle the doors of the house. She didn't like that funny feeling in the air before a storm, but she was used to it. It rained a lot where they lived. But that noise was really loud and the vibrations were all around them, so she pressed up against Catherine's legs, both to seek comfort and do her chosen job: make sure her humans were safe.

When Catherine cooed, "Hey, Pretty Girl, I've got you; let's get inside. You're all set 'til morning," and slid open the lanai door, Cammie quickly slipped through. She immediately felt safe and nuzzled into Catherine's neck when her human bent to hug her. The familiar touch and scent equaled safety and happiness, and Cammie snuffled contentedly.

/

Catherine knelt for a minute, running her hands over the soft, damp fur with a smile and whispering little phrases of comfort. When she stood in the dark room, she reached out to flick the wall switch and sighed.

"Steve!?" she called as she entered the kitchen where he stood with two flashlights. Catherine grabbed a handful of paper towels and began to dry off Cammie and herself. "Is it the whole block or just us?" She asked and looked at him over the dog while she cuddled and placed a kiss on her nose.

Steve shook his head. "It's the whole grid." He passed her a flashlight. "I just got a call from HPD. Emergency crews were dispatched, but they're saying it's gonna be out 'til morning; looks like we're powerless."

"Were we called in?" Catherine glanced down at Cammie, then up at Steve. "She doesn't have to go back out until morning, but I don't wanna leave her alone in this storm with no lights. We could bring her to work and keep her in my office, or maybe drop her at Esther's."

"No, we're good. HPD's got it covered; it's literally just this grid." Steve bent and waggled his fingers. "C'mere, Cammie. You okay?"

The dog moved from Catherine to Steve and snuggled into his arms, pushing her head up under his hand so he'd pet her. She made happy little yipping sounds when he obliged.

"We're staying with you. Nobody's going anywhere tonight, we'll all be powerless together." He was smiling at their very pleased looking dog when she stood to shake off the rest of the water that Catherine hadn't dried from her fur.

Catherine noticed with pure affection how Steve merely laughed and grabbed the paper towels from her to wipe the splashes from his arms and face.

"She's good now. We were on the lanai when that really loud one was right overhead. She was just fine once we got inside, though, right, Sweetie?" Catherine stood and grabbed a cookie from the treat jar, offering it to Cammie. She gladly took it, dropped it, and tap danced around the treat before eating it.

Steve moved to take what was going to be their dinner out of the oven. "I'll wrap this up. If we don't open the refrigerator a lot the food will keep."

"Good. Grab that pasta salad with feta and there's a half bottle of pinot in there; we can have that instead." Catherine turned the flashlight on its end, placing it on the counter and flipping the lever to make it a lantern. "I'll cut up some bread."

They moved into the living room with Cammie right at Steve's heels as they set up their dinner. As soon as they sat down, Steve's cell rang and he smiled at the image on the caller I.D.: himself and Grace on Nonna's back porch, holding up snowballs with huge grins.

"Hey, Gracie."

Catherine could hear Grace's side of the conversation from her place next to Steve. "Uncle Steve, are you guys okay? Cammie's not scared, is she?"

The look on Steve's face at their niece's concern made Catherine smile. "Auntie Catherine and I are fine, Sweetheart. Cammie's fine, too."

"I saw the power was out by your house and I wanted to make sure you were okay. I bet you have lots of flashlights, don't you?" She laughed.

He grinned at how well she knew him. "We've got plenty of flashlights and lanterns …"

"And the candles I got you, right?" Grace said encouragingly. She'd bought them a set of flameless candles because, as she'd explained, 'Fire is dangerous around dogs, Uncle Steve.'

"And the candles you got us," Steve echoed, his smile growing. "They're perfect for a night with no power."

"The news said to be careful of downed power lines," Grace reminded her favorite uncle.

"We'll be careful of power lines if we go out, but we're planning on staying home."

"That's good. Goodnight, love you."

"Love you, Gracie. Thanks for checking on us."

Steve held the phone toward Catherine and she said, "Thanks, Grace. Goodnight, Honey."

He pocketed the phone after Grace called, "Love you, Auntie Cath! Love you, too, Cammie!" and ended the call.

They ate their dinner in the quiet, darkened room, speaking about everything and nothing. The soft, easy conversation was punctuated by the occasional crash of thunder and flash of lightning.

When they were finished, Steve stood to gather the dishes. "Grab a lantern, I'll wash, you dry."

"Oh, K.P. with mood lighting, now there's a date offer I can't say no to. You're on." Catherine's smile was illuminated by lantern's gleam.

Steve laughed, "See, if I'd have known that, I'd have led with that offer years ago …"

"Your offers have always been pretty good." She chuckled with a wink. "Just like your aim."

Steve turned back from where he was preceding her into the kitchen and swooped in to kiss her quickly before he continued on his way, which made her chuckle turn into a laugh. "Yep. Excellent aim."

9:40 p.m.

Once the dishes were done and they returned to the living room, Steve reclined on the sofa and opened his arms for Catherine to settle into them.

She kicked off her shoes and tucked up her legs with a sigh. Snuggling against him, she ran her fingers lightly over Steve's arm that encircled her waist.

"What'cha wanna do?" she said. "Kinda early to go to sleep …" She swiveled in his embrace to place her hands on his chest and kissed him playfully.

"Well … we could watch a movie on the tablet …" Steve smiled against her lips and Catherine pulled back to regard him.

"Seriously?" She couldn't suppress a smirk.

"Only if you're … bored," he teased as his hand ran up her leg to trace circles on her hip under the hem of her shorts. "I think we still have that Adam Sandler movie we didn't finish watching …"

"Because it was worse than Beaches."

"Nothing is worse than Beaches, Catherine." He recalled the film they'd watched in a hotel a few years back when neither had had enough energy to retrieve the remote after a particularly passionate evening.

"How would you know? You didn't make it through the credits." She grinned and tapped his nose before gently tracing the outline of his ear.

"Because, if I recall correctly, I was …" he thought for a second, "regrouping after your strategic measures wore me out." His eyes scanned her body and his tongue darted over his bottom lip at the memory. "Besides, I woke up a couple times …" he defended with a wicked grin.

"And both times, including right before you launched a … counter-measure," her nose wrinkled in a smile, "you asked, 'How can she still be alive? Hasn't she been at death's door since the beginning?' "

Steve gave an exaggerated shrug, but his eyes held a look of mischief. "Still, if you wanna watch The Longest Yard …"

"We didn't finish it last time because, one," Catherine held up a finger to make her point, "it sucked," she snorted with laughter, "and two …"

Steve grabbed her finger and playfully kissed it, "… two, you were way more focused on removing my clothes than what was happening in that movie."

"So, I'm busted." Her eyes widened. "But …"

Steve chuckled and kissed her chastely on the cheek. "But what?" His kisses grew more and more salacious as they traveled to her neck and across her clavicle.

"You … smiled at me." Steve's suggestive smile could still make her stomach flutter, even after all their years together.

"Are you admitting you're powerless against my smile, Rollins?" He lifted his head and raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe." She winked and pulled him back down for a kiss. "Besides, you're so much hotter than any guy in that movie …"

"Yeah?" His grin was playful and Catherine couldn't hold back a brilliant smile of her own as she lifted the hem of his T-shirt.

"Definitely. Even though …"

"Hmmm, even though what?" Steve was losing his train of thought as her hands wandered across his abs.

"Doesn't take much to be hotter than Sandler …" Her yelp of laughter filled the room when Steve flipped her under him with a growl.

"Now, that's harsh, Lieutenant …" He pretended to look hurt as he shifted his weight.

"Awww," Catherine chuckled at his attempt to pout. "What I meant," she reached up to kiss him, "was … you …" she kissed him again, "are definitely…" another kiss "the hottest guy …" she removed his shirt and her hands ran up his back and down his arms, "on Oahu …"

"Hmpf," Steve's return kiss was playful until he very gently caught her bottom lip between his own and she moaned softly. "Not sure I'm convinced."

"What can I do to … mmm …convince you?" Her eyes sparkled as she unbuckled his belt and undid the buttons of his cargoes.

"I'm sure you'll think of something. Surprise me."

Catherine blinked awake. She was spooned against Steve on the sofa, their legs intertwined. He didn't stir when she woke, so she turned over to look at him. The corners of his mouth were curved up in a smile as he slept, and she ran a finger across his lips, thinking how beautiful that smile was.

When she stretched up to kiss him softly, he cracked open an eye and murmured, "Hmmm, time's it?"

"Early."

Steve brought her wrist up to his eyes; her watch was the only thing she was still wearing. "Ten forty five. Feel like moving?" He bent to kiss the top of her head.

"No. But if we don't, we're not going to, and as good a pillow as you make, I do need the bathroom. Besides, it's cooler upstairs if we keep the windows open." Catherine pushed up on Steve's shoulders and stood, offering him a hand. "C'mon McGarrett, the sheets are calling."

Steve stretched and groaned. "Where's Cammie?" He looked around the darkened room. "Cammie?"

Her furry face popped up from beside the recliner with a head tilt and he smiled. "She does that like you," he teased as he moved to gather his and Catherine's clothes into a bundle.

"Excuse me?" She tried to look indignant but failed when she laughed out loud. "Did you just compare me to our dog?"

"In an adorable, head-tilt kind of way, I did, yeah," he challenged, playful smile firmly in place. He caught her wrist and tugged her into a one armed embrace, "because I love you both?" His voice up-ended into a question and his eyes danced with mirth.

Catherine rolled her eyes and wrapped her arms around Steve's neck. "Oh, please. Nice save, Commander."

"Thank you." He dropped his hand to her hip. "And you're beautiful when you're trying to look pissed; especially when you're naked."

"Once again, please. Let's go to bed." She moved out of their clinch. "I'll get the lantern and flashlight."

11:15 p.m.

Even after checking the doors and going upstairs, Steve fell back to sleep almost immediately after hitting the pillow. Catherine lifted up on an elbow to watch him. Flat on his back, one arm across his eyes, his breathing was slow and steady when she moved a little closer, whispered, "Love you," and grinned to herself when a hint of smile appeared on his face even as he slept.

After so many years, Catherine had cataloged all of Steve McGarrett's expressions, but his smiles were always her favorite. Maybe because when they first met, other than for her, he didn't smile quite as easily as he did now.

She was sure it was due to the time in his life he felt no one cared whether he was happy or sad. He did smile more easily and so much more often these past few years. From the little amused grins they shared, to the easy, genuine smiles he gave Grace, to the post bust-a gut-laughter ones he'd have when laughing over something with her and Danny, Chin and Kono.

Catherine found every one of his smiles beautiful. Not simply because they made his handsome features even more so, but because they exposed a little of the Steve she'd always known to the rest of the world.

The Steve who she smiled and laughed with every day.

The regimented-to-the-second when on a mission Steve, whose smile rendered her powerless to resist his murmured 'ten more minutes' as he wrapped himself around her with a sigh when she' d attempt to rise early on a day off.

And the Steve who'd kept her going during long deployments when she could hear the tired smile in his voice.

Like earlier in the evening, she traced his lips with a gentle finger.

This time he murmured, "Cath'rn," and rolled to face her, never fully waking, but there was the smile nonetheless.

Steve reached out to wrap an arm around her and as she settled into a comfortable position he opened his eyes. "You alright?"

She nodded. "Sorry I woke you."

"S'alright." His smile grew to crease his eyes and Catherine sighed. "What?" he mumbled.

"Nothing, go back to sleep." She ran her left hand through the hair at his temple.

" 'kay, g'night." The familiar hazel eyes drifted shut, but the gentle smile remained, and something dawned on Catherine.

Of all his smiles that was her favorite.

The sleepy one he gave her when he knew they were safe; when he could relax into slumber.

She pressed her nose against his collarbone when he slid a leg between hers and inhaled deeply, his face buried in her hair. "'Night, Steve."

5:15 a.m.

She'd been fed, gone out in the rain for a short potty break with Steve and come back upstairs for a bit more rest a half hour earlier. Cammie had been fast asleep when she suddenly stood. Instantly alert, she checked the perimeter of the room, her nails tapping gentle clicks on the floor as she made sure all was well.

"Go back to sleep, Pretty Girl, that's just the power company." She heard Catherine's soft, sleepy voice; it was always so full of love when it addressed her.

Steve's deeper voice spoke quietly, "She alerted before we even woke up. See that? I always say she coulda been K-9."

Cammie didn't understand all the words, but their love and pride came through loud and clear and she gave a soft 'woof'. Assured all was okay, she stretched slowly before settling back on her bed. A noise from outside had woken her, but she knew it was no threat.

Both her humans said, "Good girl" at the same time and laughed softly before they spoke to each other.

"As long as we're awake …" Catherine murmured and shifted.

"Hmmmm, what 'cha suggesting?"

"Just that I'm not all that sleepy now …"

Steve rolled toward her and their voices dissolved into whispers and moans.

With the familiar sounds emanating from across the room, Cammie knew all was well in her world and drifted back to sleep with a contented sigh.

.

End Thanks for reading!

You can find all the REAL McRoll stories in order on our tumblr page: mcrollintherealword dot tumblr dot com