Summary: A short domestic scene to explain the origin of the double date idea in 4.04.
Note: Title is a bit of a misnomer as this actually takes place before the double date.
Disclaimer: You all know the characters aren't mine.
Double Date
"Hey, Danny said you and Gabby were going to see a movie tomorrow night," Steve said as he came out of the bathroom, a towel slung low on his hips.
"Yeah," Catherine glanced up at him from the side of the bed, applying lotion to her arms and legs. "I told you that last week."
"Huh." He struggled to remember the conversation. "Yeah, I remember you saying you were going with a friend, just didn't realize you meant Gabby." He turned to the chest of drawers, trading his towel for boxer briefs and shorts.
"Yeah, she and I have gotten together a few times recently."
"Oh. That's good," he said sincerely.
"I like her," Catherine said, standing and capping the lotion bottle before placing it on the bedside table. "Seems she and Danny are getting serious."
"Yeah," Steve agreed, thinking back to his conversation with Danny during the hostage situation at the Palace. They hadn't really discussed it again. He shook off the memories of that day. "Anyway, uh, this movie thing . . . what if Danny and I went, too?" Catherine stopped, turning fully to face him.
"You want to come to the movie?"
"Yeah, like a, like a double date." She raised her eyebrows.
"A double date?"
"Yeah," he shrugged. "Isn't that a, a thing people do? With their friends?" Catherine had to bite her lip to keep from smiling too broadly.
"Yes. That is a 'thing' people do with their friends." She couldn't hold back the smile as she shook her head. "I just didn't think it was something Steve McGarrett would do with his friends."
"Well, I mean, I don't want to intrude. If you and Gabby wanted it to be just the two of you . . ."
"No, no," she picked up her robe from the bed, folding it over her arm. "We actually, we talked about a double date, we just didn't think you and Danny would want to see this particular movie."
"Why? What's it about?" He bent to pick up his towel.
"It's a romantic comedy."
"Oh," he said, wincing a little. He shrugged finally. "Well, I mean, the point is being together, right? It's not as important what we're doing." She cocked her head, narrowing her eyebrows slightly.
"Are you feeling alright?"
"Huh?"
"Did you get knocked in the head and not tell me?"
"That's very funny." She smirked. "We talked about doing more 'normal' things, right? Now that we're both on the island, with fairly regular schedules." He walked back to the bathroom to deposit his towel. Catherine laughed.
"'Fairly regular schedules'? That's a bit of a stretch, don't you think?"
"That's a good point," he acknowledged, returning to the bedroom and standing near the doorway. "Well, we could still try." She nodded.
"Yes, yes, we could." She shrugged with a smile. "Alright, I'll call Gabby in the morning. Do you want to get dinner, too?"
"Yeah, sure."
"And anyway," she continued, heading past him into the bathroom, "if you and Danny get called away for a case, Gabby and I can always finish watching the movie together."
"Always good to have a contingency plan," he approved. She poked her head back in the room, pointing with her toothbrush.
"You're not just trying to butter me up so I'll watch Chucky with you on Halloween again, are you?"
"Would I do something like that?" She simply raised her eyebrows with a knowing smile and he grinned in response. She disappeared back into the bathroom and he moved to turn down the bed, chuckling to himself. "Double date. Alright. This should be interesting," he muttered, wondering what he had gotten himself into.
Note: Thanks to everyone who read Third Time's the Charm. Hope you enjoyed this one as well!