Mari & Ilna—you guys are the awesomest awesome that ever awesomed. I am so incredibly grateful for your love and support every day. The two of you have the uncanny ability to say exactly the right thing and offer exactly the right words at exactly the right time. You are the absolute best, you have made every minute of this journey a pleasure and I am sooooo excited about what's coming up. Like legitimately chair dancing excited.

Sandy—my fandom soul mate. It's scary sometimes how alike we view things—down to mistaking a person in a photo for the same person. There have been some incredibly high peaks and some incredibly low valleys and having you there to share them has been a gift.

REAL Worlders—I am running out of superlatives for how AMAZING you guys are. We LOVE hearing your comments and ideas. Thanks for joining us on this ride. Your support and enthusiasm makes it exponentially more enjoyable.

Perfect (1/1)

McGarrett/Rollins Residence

Friday 7:00 P.M.

"So, we decided to go a little bigger," Steve said as he walked to where the edge of the new deck would be, once it was completed, and turned back towards the house. "About here." He held the tablet in his hands up so his sister could, through the wonder of Skype, get an idea of the size.

"That looks great," Mary said with genuine enthusiasm. "We have a small deck here and it's plenty big for just Joan and me but not big enough for any kind of company. It'd be nice to have a big space like that to entertain. That size seems perfect."

Cammie wagged her tail happily as the tablet pointed her way and Mary came into view.

"Hi Cammie," she laughed. "You're such a pretty girl."

"That's what Catherine and I think. About Cammie of course," he smiled, "but also about the size of the deck. Kamekona has a friend who builds custom furniture out of native Hawaiian hardwoods. He's gonna build us something that goes together in sections so we can use it as one big banquet table or break it up into smaller ones."

"Sounds like it's going to be beautiful. Make sure you send me tons of pics from start to finish."

"Will do," Steve smiled.

"When are you gonna get started?"

"Tomorrow morning." Steve turned the tablet back towards himself and Mary could see the twinkle of excitement in his eyes. "The materials were delivered earlier today." He panned over to a large pile of lumber and several boxes of accessories and nails.

"Wow! That's a big pile of wood. I hope you got enough nails and stuff."

"Catherine made a spreadsheet of what we needed and took care of the ordering," Steve said, as though that explained it all.

"Oh, you're fine then," Mary smiled as Steve nodded his head in agreement. She remembered the last time she'd been at the house and suddenly a thought struck her. "Hey, you're not covering up the volleyball court, are you?"

"No, there's still plenty of room for volleyball." Steve's face came back into view in time for Mary to see his eyeroll.

"Just making sure," she teased. "Now that I know volleyball is my sport I'm gonna wanna play every time we visit."

"Well that's good because I'm itching for a rematch. I still have no idea how you won at Thanksgiving." Steve took a seat at the patio table and propped the tablet up against the umbrella pole as Cammie moved over and settled by his feet.

"Me either," Mary laughed, "But it sure felt good."

"Don't get used to it," Steve huffed.

"Have the spindles been delivered yet?" Mary asked excitedly. Ever since Steve called and told her about John helping Frank Kayama build his deck, and how he had actually designed a spindle for the railing of the one he hoped to add to the beach house someday, and how Oke Oleani had held on to it all those years, she had an unshakeable feeling that John's spirit was present in the deck building project. She knew Steve felt it too. She could tell by the look on his face and the tone in his voice as he recounted the moment he first saw the spindle. He'd sent her pictures but she couldn't wait to see the completed railing … just as her father had envisioned it.

"They're coming in a few days," Steve replied, his excitement matching hers. "The railing will be the last thing to get finished so we decided to wait and have them delivered at the last minute so they don't get damaged while we're moving all this other wood around."

"I can't wait to see them," Mary said softly.

"I stopped by the shop when Oke was making them. They're very special," Steve said around the lump in his throat.

Mary smiled and decided to lighten to the mood. Next time she was in Hawaii she planned on standing on the deck with her brother and drinking a toast to their father. There would be time to say everything that needed said then. For now she decided to lighten the mood a little.

"So where's Catherine," she asked.

"Carrie was having an issue finding the right dress to wear to some dinner thing she's going to tonight so Cath had to go over and lend a hand," Steve replied. "She's picking up take out for dinner on the way home."

"Are you sure she's not out working on some super-secret plan," Mary suggested. "After all someone does have a birthday coming up next week."

Steve shook his head. "I'm sure. They did the big surprise party last year, and that was great, but there's no such plan in the works for this year."

"So you're not celebrating at all?"

"We're going out to dinner with the team and Gracie next weekend, and Cath will probably do something low key on the actual day, but other than that no big plans."

"Well Joan and I put a package in the mail to you. She colored you a picture that I'm pretty sure is you, Catherine and Cammie under a parachute. At least that's what I think it is. Catherine's hair is sticking straight up and that's one of the things Joan always remembers from your parachute adventure at storytime."

Steve laughed. "I can't wait to see it."

"We also made you a card which I won't spoil for you but suffice it to say it involves lots of glue and Cheerios. And of course the obligatory macaroni necklace."

"Oh good," Steve smiled. "I've been wanting one of those. Hey … did Cath send you the dates that work for us for the trip to New York in May?"

"Yep," Mary said. "They work fine for me too."

"Good because Elizabeth and Grandma Ang are already making plans and once that ball gets rolling you don't want to stand in its way."

"I'm actually really excited," Mary confided. "Like really, really excited. I'm not saying anything to Joan until it gets closer though because she'll ask every few hours for the next two months if it's time to go yet."

"Good plan," Steve nodded.

"Speaking of your niece, I hear her stirring in the other room so I think naptime is over. We have a birthday party for one of her story time friends tonight so I wanted to make sure she had plenty of rest. Call us tomorrow and let us know how the deck is going and I'm sure she'll have lots to tell you about the party."

"Sounds good, Mary. Have fun tonight."

"We will. Talk to you tomorrow."

Steve disconnected the call and thought with a soft smile that he really was looking forward to hearing Joan recount her adventures in their next Skype session.

7:30 P.M.

"Hey," Catherine said as she exited the house carrying two beers in one hand and a pizza box with paper plates and napkins precariously balanced on top in the other.

"Hey." Steve jumped up and grabbed the pizza box. "Everything ok with Carrie?"

"Fine," Catherine smiled. "She was just having one of those 'nothing in my closet looks good on me' moments." She opened the beers and placed them on the table.

"You never have that problem," Steve said matter-of-factly as he put a slice of pizza for each of them on a paper plate. "Everything you put on looks great on you."

Catherine's smile was radiant because she knew he was being completely sincere. "Thank you," she said as she took a seat then scooted her chair closer and kissed him on the cheek.

"It's true," he shrugged. "Oh and I talked to Mary. She said she can't wait to see the deck and wants lots of pictures of the whole process."

"I'll make sure to send her a bunch. Did she say anything about the May dates I sent her?"

"She said they work fine for her." Steve surveyed the pizza and realized there was nothing to pick off because Catherine had ordered it exactly the way he liked it.

"Great. I'll tell Mom."

"She also thought the custom made table sounded like a good idea," Steve said as he took a bite of pizza followed by a swallow of beer. "I'm glad Kamekona hooked us up with his friend."

"Me too." Catherine put down her pizza and wiped her hands on a napkin then reached for Steve's tablet. "Speaking of that there's something I wanted to show you. I have an idea. But only if you want to do it."

"What?" Steve asked curiously.

Catherine showed him Kamekona's friend's website which had pictures of various pieces of furniture he'd made. "Look at this." She scrolled to a picture of an exquisite bedside table made with spindles for legs.

"That's beautiful." Steve studied the picture.

"I was thinking … maybe we can get a few extra spindles and have two of these made, one for Mary and one for Joan. That way they can have something with the spindles your dad designed as well." Catherine's voice softened. "What do you think?"

"I think … you are … that is …" Steve's voice trailed off as words to express what he was feeling failed him. He leaned in and kissed her passionately then wrapped her in a tight hug and buried his face in her hair.

Catherine returned the hug and rubbed her hand soothingly up and down his back waiting patiently till he was ready to speak.

Finally he raised his head and looked in her eyes. "That is such an incredibly thoughtful idea. Of course Mary and Joan should have something made with the spindles. You are amazing. I mean it. Amazing. That idea is … perfect."

"I'm glad you like it," she smiled as she leaned her forehead against his. "I can call tomorrow and order them so he can started as soon as possible. We'll just have to get him some spindles."

"I can pick them up from Oke on Monday and drop them off to him. This is … seriously, Cath, this is an awesome idea."

"Thanks."

"No, thank you. I know Mary and I didn't always behave like family but you never gave up on trying to help us get closer."

"It was my pleasure."

"Well I appreciate it. And I know Mary does too. She was saying earlier how excited she is about going to visit your folks and Grandma Ang. She isn't telling Joan yet because she's afraid she'll burst from toddler excitement."

"Trust me, my folks and Grandma Ang are just as excited."

"That's one of the great things about family." Steve smiled and squeezed her hand. "Knowing there are people out there looking forward to the same things you are, excited about spending time with you, happy when you're happy."

"It's a good feeling isn't it?"

"It is. I remember the first time I felt it. At least the first time I consciously remember feeling it. I was a third year at the Academy and I placed first in my class in the physical training tests. It never crossed my mind to call anyone and tell them because … who would I call? But when I got back to my room figuring all I was gonna do all night was study there was a card and a celebratory cupcake waiting on my desk."

"I begged Freddie to put them there for me." Catherine smiled at the memory.

"So he told me," Steve grinned. "And then later that night you called me and even though we could only talk for a few minutes I remember how genuinely happy for me you sounded. And how proud. Then as soon as we could arrange some free time we went to town and you bought me pizza."

The pride in Catherine's eyes was unmistakable even after all these years. "It was a big accomplishment. I was happy for you."

"I know you were. And it felt amazing." He kissed her softly. "Just like every day I've had you in my life."

"I feel exactly the same way," she smiled.

Steve kissed her again softly, pulled back, then dipped in for another kiss. And another. "What do you say we finish up this pizza and take a long walk on the beach with Cammie? Tomorrow is gonna be a busy day. Tonight let's just make it about us. Our own little nuclear family."

"I think that sounds … perfect."

THE END

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