Sammy & Ilna, I'd need a cache of superlatives to describe you two. Your talent, kindness, support and the copious amounts of fun we have make me grateful to call you my friends.
Ilna, thanks a million for the catch and great lines for this one!
REAL McRollers, readers and guests, you continuously brighten my day with the incredible amount of support and kindness. We are all honored and so grateful for you all. Your DMs, feedback and reviews make the joy we have in the REAL World even greater. We promise Steve & Catherine will ALWAYS be safe with us!
Itchy
McGarrett/Rollins Residence
Friday 3:30 p.m.
Steve climbed the stairs and heard the shower running as he entered the bedroom. Grinning, he stripped down to his boxers and went into the bathroom, where Catherine was just exiting the shower.
"Naked in the middle of the afternoon, Lieutenant? Looks like I stumbled upon an excellent opportu …"
Catherine held out a hand as he reached for her, stopping him in his tracks. "Wait, Steve. Don't touch me."
Steve startled, immediately concerned. Even after all their years together, they very rarely said no to the other's advances. A circumstance born of long separations, similar libidos, and most importantly, the ability to read each other's moods and level of desire.
Regardless of the situation, Steve had absolutely never, ever, heard the words "don't touch me," from Catherine.
"What? What's wrong?!" Instantly alert, he moved instinctively to fix whatever it was.
Seeing Steve's look of alarm, Catherine's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh, God! I'm sorry, that sounded horrible. I just ... look," she spun so her back was towards him. "I don't want you to catch whatever this is."
"What the hell? Catherine, I need to see that ..." He was already pulling gloves from their first aid kit as his eyes took in the ugly red rash dotting her normally porcelain skin. "Does it hurt?"
"No." She shook her head. "But damn, it itches like hell. It started this morning and it keeps getting worse. I thought the shower would help, but as soon as I got out it felt worse and looked like this." She could only see what was on her arms but turned to check her back in the mirror.
Steve gently touched the raised, red area which covered her shoulder blades and the back of her upper arms. "This is poison ivy, Cath." He let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding.
"Shit." She shook her head. "That greenhouse. The guy had all those non-indigenous plants ..."
"The stolen orchids he was protecting."
"Yeah. He was hiding them behind a ton of other stuff. When he broke and ran, he shoved me. I hit the wall with my back. I obviously hit poison ivy." She grabbed a towel and wrapped it loosely around her middle.
"We need to get you some meds."
"No, I'll be fine. Just put some calamine on it and …"
"Catherine…"
"Steve … I'm not going to a doctor for a rash."
He was out of the bathroom with her following close behind him. He pulled his clothes back on and retrieved his phone. "Then I'm calling Max. He can write a scrip for an anti itch cream and maybe a steroid."
Catherine sat on the edge of the bed, discarded the towel and pulled on the pair of panties she'd taken out before her shower; deciding against the bra with a sigh. No way was she fastening it over the itchy rash if she wasn't going back out to work.
Steve spoke into his cell, "Max? It's me. Catherine's got poison ivy, I … yes, I'm sure that's what it is. I know it doesn't grow on the island. Max, listen, can you write her a prescription, please?"
With a glance at Catherine, Steve continued, "No, she's not going to agree to the ER or immedi-center … the CVS near our house is fine. Thanks, Max." He looked at Catherine with a satisfied grin. "Done. I'll go pick it up. Unless you want to have Max …"
"Yes, please. I want to have Max leave work and come look at my poison ivy rash," she teased, but when she saw his face, her voice softened. "Thank you, I love you, but no. Now, do me a favor?"
He was beside her in two strides, his eyes searching hers. "Anything. What do you need?"
Her heart melted at his expression. He would absolutely do anything she asked to make her more comfortable. "Stop looking at me like you did something to cause this and please, please, don't spend the next few days …"
"Week," he interjected.
Her eyes widened a bit. "A week? Seriously?"
"At least. It's gonna take a week provided it doesn't get any worse and really blister." He looked pained at the thought. "I should have gone in with Danny …"
She sighed and patted the bed.
Steve sat and her hand went to rest on his thigh. "Alright, once again, this is not your fault. And please do not spend the next week fussing. I appreciate it more than you know, I love you so much for worrying about me, but I'm perfectly fine and I'll be fine to go to work on Monday."
He didn't look convinced but his expression softened at her words. "We'll see about Monday."
She leaned over and pecked his lips. "Thank you."
He blinked at her questioningly. "For what?"
"Worrying. Calling Max."
"Always." Steve ran his fingers over her cheek, then stood, crossed the room to his dresser and pulled out a long sleeved white T-shirt. "Here." He returned to her side with the shirt and held it out, teasing gently, "As much as I can't believe I'm saying this, you should get dressed." He bent to kiss her forehead. "You're shivering, and this is bigger than anything you have."
Knowing his kiss was also his way of checking for fever, Catherine smiled softly and allowed him to help slip the shirt over her head without it scraping against the rash. "I'm shivering because I had the water near boiling. It almost feels like the itch is being scratched when it's hot enough. And thanks again."
"Stop thanking me, Catherine." He kissed her lips as he stood. "I love you." He shrugged by way of explaining.
Her smile grew in spite of the discomfort. "Where ya going?" She pushed her wet hair back behind her ears.
"To get rid of your clothes; the urushiol oil won't wash out. They still in the hamper?"
"Yeah. They're the only things in there, actually. A black tank top from yesterday and the grey blouse from this morning." She frowned. "Crap."
"What?" He turned.
"The tank was new, and I love that blouse." She was reaching for her phone. "I was just going to stop home and shower, put on some calamine, I really can …"
"If you say 'go back to work', you are officially more stubborn than me." He appeared in the bathroom doorway, crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows.
She grinned. "I'm not even sure that's possible."
He smiled back and went to empty the hamper. "Seriously, there's nothing on the books for this afternoon. The case wrapped, that's why I came home. I sent the rest of the team home an hour ago. If nothing else breaks, we're good 'til Monday. Danny's even taking Gracie for burgers and an early movie tonight. He asked if we wanted to come, but …"
"I'll call him. He was there in the greenhouse, but his skin was covered. I'll tell him to maybe toss his shirt, anyway."
"Good idea. He won't want it in the laundry with Gracie's things, even if he's fine. Now," Steve came out of the bathroom, tying up the trash can liner, "I'll ditch these clothes and go get the meds. Stay put, I'll make dinner later." Catherine was fidgeting, her shoulders rising and falling against the itch as she read her phone and Steve pointed at her. "And don't scratch."
"Aye, aye, Sir." She held up the phone. "According to Mayo Clinic dot com, I'm not contagious to you, but I could go sleep in the spare …"
"Not happening." Steve shook his head. "Great it says that, but I'm not gonna to catch it. Even if I was, wouldn't I have gotten it already?"
She shrugged. "Technically, yeah. I had the oil on my skin yesterday."
"Exactly. And we had sex when we got home yesterday…"
"… and last night," Catherine added with a tiny smile.
The left corner of Steve's lip twitched ever so slightly, "and this morning … and we slept on the same sheets."
"You're sure you don't feel itchy or anything?" Her eyes ran over him with concern.
"Cath, I'm fine. Hell, if you wanna analyze exposures, we fell asleep with your back against my chest. I'm not gonna catch it, and I wouldn't care anyway; you're not sleeping anywhere other than our bed." Steve had a thought. "Maybe you want a half dose of Benadryl so you'll sleep 'til morning?"
"No. Not 'til I see how bad it gets." Catherine hated the loss of control being drowsy from the medicine caused.
"Okay, then I'm going to take Cammie out. When she's done, I'll run to CVS." Steve looked at their dog who'd been resting on her bed. At the words 'Cammie' and 'out' she'd started for the stairs.
Ten minutes later, Steve came upstairs to find Catherine on the phone with Danny.
"It's not that bad … Steve can go … well, if you're sure … here he is now." She held up the cell. "Danny offered to stop at CVS; he said they have to pass here on the way to dinner before the movies."
"He doesn't have to …"
"Grace wants to check on me." Catherine smiled.
"Ah. Okay." Steve spoke loud enough for his partner to hear. "Thanks, Danny. Max called it in."
Catherine returned the phone to her ear. "If you're sure you don't mind … okay … see you in a little while. Danny? Thanks." She ended the call.
"Gracie wants to help." He said, proudly.
Catherine nodded." She asked why Danny was ditching his clothes and when he told her why we couldn't meet them at the movies, she got concerned. Although if you want to …"
"I do not want to … anything while you're sitting here looking like that." Steve waved a hand.
"Gee, thanks." Catherine smiled and he rolled his eyes.
"You look beautiful. You know what I meant."
"I do know, and I look like an itchy mess, but other than being itchy as hell, I'm okay. I may go back in the shower, it stops the itch."
Forty minutes later
Steve went down to meet Danny and Grace at the door, leaving Cammie on their bed next to Catherine.
"Thanks, Danny. Hey, Gracie." He accepted her hug, and noting her concerned expression, added, "She's fine. She said you can go on up, she's hanging out with Cammie."
"Grace, don't …" Danny started.
"I know," she called over her shoulder. "Don't bother Auntie Cath and don't touch the rash."
Grace tore up the stairs, and Steve led Danny into the living room. "Here. There're pills and a cream." Danny handed a bag over to his partner. "And Grace picked out a couple of magazines, too. They're in there."
Steve grinned. "She really is the best."
Danny smiled and his eyes went to the stairs; Catherine and Grace were coming down together, followed by Cammie. "That she is." He looked back at his best friend.
"Hey, Danny. Thanks." Catherine had donned a pair of yoga pants and had thrown a light robe over Steve's t-shirt.
"We brought you sandwiches, so you don't have to cook!" Grace announced and held up a bag. "Can I put them in the kitchen?"
"That," Steve walked over to his niece and kissed the top of her head, "was amazingly thoughtful."
"Thanks." Grace smiled broadly. "I'll be right back."
"Danny, really …" Catherine started as Grace came back in.
"It was all Grace," Danny held up his hands in surrender.
"C'mon, Cammie. Can I give her a treat, Uncle Steve?"
Steve nodded and she dashed into the kitchen with Cammie close behind.
Danny called, "We need to go if we're going to eat and make the movie, Grace. Don't take too long," before he turned to eye Steve. "So, you didn't catch it?"
Steve shrugged. "I don't get …"
"… Sick, yeah, so you've said. Poison ivy isn't sick, Steven."
"I was gonna say poison ivy. I don't get it."
Catherine smiled as Danny snorted, "Of course you don't."
"I don't. I've been exposed before. One of the times, my whole team got it except for me and Al Cuzzi.
You don't always take time to look for 'leaves of three' when you're dodging bullets.
The medic said Cuzzi and I weren't sensitive to it. Everyone can be allergic to some degree, that's what the reaction is, but some people are worse than others."
"Medic? It was that bad?"
Steve nodded. "For a few of my guys, yeah. A couple of 'em had their eyes swell shut. Before we knew we'd hacked through a ton of it, they'd wiped their hands over their faces."
They looked at Catherine as she said, "And ..."
Steve smiled. She already knew the story.
"And what, Cath?" Danny sensed a twist in the tale.
"And a few guys stopped to pee in the woods before they'd gotten back to base camp," Catherine added.
Danny looked pained. "Damn."
Steve winced at the thought. "Exactly."
"That must have been … excruciating."
Steve nodded. "Made it a little hard to walk."
Grace ran back in from the kitchen with Cammie. "Who couldn't walk, Uncle Steve? From poison ivy?" She turned worried eyes on Catherine. "Auntie Cath, should you go back up and lie down?" Grace swiveled to look at Steve. "What if she can't walk later? Maybe we should go to the hospital? Danno, should …"
Catherine was touched by their niece's concern. "No. No, Grace, I'm fine, Sweetie. Come on upstairs with me, I'll explain." With a glance at Danny, who nodded that she should go ahead, Grace ascended the stairs in front of Catherine.
When she turned back to look at Steve and Danny, Catherine was grinning. "Nice. Like you left me to explain the necrophilia case to Nonna. Thanks, guys."
As they reached the top of the stairs, Steve smirked as he heard, "Danno threw out his clothes. You weren't wearing your purple shirt, right? Cause that's Uncle Steve's favorite …"
Ten minutes later
Grace reentered the foyer chuckling, so Catherine had clearly alleviated her worries.
"Are you good, Gracie? What's funny?"
She regarded him while twirling the end of her braid. "Your, um, friends ... I don't mean to laugh but, boys are so ... not careful sometimes."
Steve ran a hand behind his neck. "Yeah, well, guess so."
"Alright, Grace let's get going," Danny instructed. "Auntie Cath is going to need to sleep when she can, because that itch will keep waking her up."
"Okay." Grace turned to Steve. "Night, Uncle Steve."
"Good night, Sweetheart. Thanks for the magazines and the sandwiches. You're the best." He returned her hug.
Turning on the alarm, Steve went into the kitchen, grabbed the sandwiches Grace and Danny had brought along with some bottled water and fruit, and headed upstairs.
He found Catherine on their bed, reading a phone message while resting on her stomach. He bent to kiss her head. "Hey, what did you tell Gracie? You had her laughing."
"I told her the truth. I said your SEAL team was on maneuvers, not a mission, but the rest was true." Catherine shifted her weight and rolled her neck. "This definitely could be worse, huh?" She smiled at him over her shoulder. "Or it could be you, and keeping you home from work is always a … challenge."
"I'd rather it was me," he said truthfully. "But I have two words for you, Rollins: Operation Influenza." He handed her a blister pack of pills and a water bottle. "Max said these will take the inflammation down."
Catherine pushed up to sit cross legged. "Okay, I'll concede the flu." She smiled and her eyes went soft. "And thank you." She knew beyond a shadow of a doubt Steve would absolutely prefer it be him with the poison ivy. "But I'm gonna hold off on the pills. Would you put the cream on my back?"
"Catherine …"
"Read Max's text. I don't wanna take those." She handed him her phone. "I can tolerate this."
"Text? This is a diatribe …" He smiled. It was also very thorough and very Max. Steve's brows knitted as he read:
"Hello, Catherine. I am sorry to hear you have contracted Rhus Dermatitis from your collision with Toxicodendronradicans.
I must admit, I thought the commander was mistaken, as Toxicodendronradicans is not indigenous to the islands. I have written a prescription for prednisone and for clobetasol.
Please note that prednisone doses last 15 days, and the dose is decreased gradually in order to reduce withdrawal symptoms. Your symptoms may be gone in under a week, but you will need to complete the prednisone as prescribed to avoid potentially harmful side effects from coming off of the drug too quickly. Also, please contact me immediately or seek medical attention if you have any of the following symptoms:
Mental symptoms such as confusion, mood swings, a heightened sense of well-being, nervousness, and personality differences.
Abdominal symptoms including: indigestion, loss of appetite, and either weight loss or weight gain.
Other physical symptoms including: dizziness, muscle weakness, joint pain, low blood pressure, insomnia, and sore throat. Women can experience changes to their menses.
That said, clobetasol is the topical corticosteroid that I have prescribed. The cream does not have the side effect risks, so you may choose to employ that treatment first. It has no effect on blisters, but will help the itching and discomfort. Use the cream for the recommended amount of time, because the rash can reappear if it is stopped too soon…
Okay. I get it. No prednisone." Steve said. He knew Catherine wouldn't want to take it with all the potential side effects any more than he would.
"No way I'm taking anything that might cause side effects worse than the condition. And I'm going to work Monday."
"I agree about the meds, but we'll talk about you going to work Monday on Sunday night." Steve held up the tube of cream. "C'mon, let's get this on you."
Catherine pulled off the shirt she was wearing and turned her back to him.
Although he didn't flinch, Steve's jaw tightened at the sight of the tiny blisters across her back and arms. Seeing Catherine in any discomfort made his gut clench. He leaned forward, kissed the top of her head and began to smooth the medication on her skin.
Not long after Steve finished, the doorbell rang. When he answered, Kono was on the porch with a smile, holding a container.
"Hey, Boss, we're on our way to an anniversary dinner for our cousins." She gestured to Chin, Adam and Leilani who all waved from the car at the curb. "But I wanted to drop this off for Catherine." She handed Steve the container. "She texted me about the poison ivy. That sucks."
"Yeah," Steve agreed. "Is this your mother's sunburn stuff?" He smiled. When Catherine had been badly sunburned, Kono's mom sent her a homemade ointment that worked wonders.
She grinned. "Our grandmother swore by it for everything from sunburn to skinned knees. I asked my mom to make a batch."
"Thanks." He nodded. "Thank your mom, too."
"No problem." Kono turned to leave. "Tell Catherine to use as much as she needs, I'll bring her more on Monday."
"Thanks, Kono." Steve said and closed the door to take the ointment upstairs.
Midnight
Steve opened his eyes and looked over as Catherine shifted yet again. She was sleeping fitfully, an hour or so at a time, and he knew she was about to wake up again.
When she did, she opened her eyes to find two hazel orbs watching her. "Damn it, I'm keeping you awake. Let me go …" She moved to get up.
"Catherine." Steve's hand on her leg stopped her. "You're not going anywhere. I'm fine. I've slept in waist-high water, leaning against the bank of an Amazon tributary. You know that."
"But …"
"Hey." He kissed her temple. "But, nothing. Let's try some of Mrs. Kalakaua's ointment. And if it doesn't work, half a Benadryl."
Catherine sighed and pulled off her shirt. "Okay. Than…"
He smiled. "Stop thanking me." He held up the container that he'd grabbed from the night table. "Move your hair."
She pulled her hair over her shoulder and Steve spread a thick layer of ointment over the rash. "It's not blistering anymore," he noted and went to the bathroom to wash his hands.
Catherine reached for her discarded garment. "I'm gonna ruin your shirt. You want me to wear an old t-shirt of my own?"
He exited the bathroom saying, "Yes. Absolutely. Because I'm very concerned about the fashion statement my stained shirt will make." He got his desired reaction in Catherine's beautiful smile. "Please put that back on and try to sleep a little."
"Ya know what?" She regarded him as he wiped his hands on a washcloth and got back in bed.
"What?"
"I'll take the Benadryl. Half a pill, though."
"That's a quarter dose."
"Because last half-dose I took, I was out of it for eight hours and scared you."
"Because I didn't know you'd taken it. Here you go." He passed her a water.
Catherine took a Benadryl out of the bottle in her night table and snapped one in half.
"Sleep." He kissed her quickly after she swallowed the pill.
"You, too." She cupped his cheek to return the kiss and Steve instantly realized what she meant.
Catherine had acquiesced to the pill, not so she'd sleep, but so he would.
"You're something else, Rollins. Love you."
"Back at ya, McGarrett." She had settled on her tummy, her head facing him, and Steve placed a soft kiss on her lips.
Minutes later Catherine was dozing, and Steve watched her nose scrunch as she smiled in a dream. He pushed her hair away from her face and slid down to join her.
Saturday morning
7:15 a.m.
"Hey, hey, hey. What are you doing?" Steve turned in the shower stall to find Catherine in the bathroom. "Go back to sleep."
"Hey, yourself. I slept seven hours." She smiled as he stepped out and wrapped a towel around his waist. "Look!"
Catherine turned to show him what she'd been trying to survey in the mirror. The rash was still visible but was less angry and starting to recede. "It's itchy but I'd say twenty five percent better."
"Mrs. Kalakaua needs to market that salve." Steve gently touched the rash. "It's definitely better and there're no new blisters. But you're not doing anything today."
"Steve …"
"C'mon Cath, it's Saturday." His eyes held hers with a mix of concern and love.
She sighed. Although she'd never admit it to Steve, she couldn't resist that look. "Okay. I'll compromise, how about I take Cammie for a walk…"
"A walk. Not a run. You'll get all sweaty on a run and the movement will chafe the rash against your clothes." Steve folded his arms.
"A walk. On the beach." She patted his chest and he smiled.
"Wear a dark …"
"… shirt." She finished for him and kissed his cheek. "No sun on the poison ivy."
"I'll come with you." Steve moved to go get dressed.
"To supervise my walk?" Catherine couldn't hold in a laugh. "Not that I don't want your company, I absolutely do."
"Good." He nodded. "Because you got it. And if the itch gets too bad, take another half a Benadryl. You could use the nap."
"Steve?"
"Hmm?" He turned to face her from where he was taking a pair shorts out of the dresser.
"Kinda just woke up." She grinned and held up the container of ointment. "I'm going to shower real quick, get the ointment from last night off, then you can put some more on for me after our walk."
9:30 a.m.
Catherine entered the kitchen after changing her clothes. She was once again wearing one of Steve's T-shirts, since it afforded more room than her own and came down to mid thigh.
"Here she is now." Steve mouthed, "Grace and Danny," and put his phone on speaker.
"Hey, guys," Catherine said as she handed Steve the container of ointment and took a seat on a kitchen chair with her back to him.
"So I hear you're coming to work Monday," Danny said and Grace interjected, "are you better?"
"I'm definitely better. Kono's mom sent her amazing sunburn stuff and it worked great."
"She's still uncomfortable," Steve added as she lifted off the shirt and he began to apply the ointment to the rash.
"I'm coming to work Monday," she confirmed and grinned at Steve over her shoulder.
He snorted, "Of course you are ..." and said, "Can you believe it?" to Danny.
His partner's laugh echoed back at him. "Can I believe Catherine is coming to work? I'm sorry, Babe, whose girlfriend are we discussing again?"
"You're not helping, Danno," Steve grumbled as he helped Catherine lower the T shirt gently over her back. He placed a kiss on her temple and closed up the container.
"Wasn't trying to. Welcome to my world, Steven. And Cath? Rest today and tomorrow. Don't scratch. And drive him as crazy as possible, as a personal favor to me."
They heard Grace giggle and Steve grinned in spite of himself.
"Feel better, Auntie Cath."
"Thanks. Both of you. See you Monday, Danny," Catherine added as Steve ended the call.
Beach behind Steve and Catherine's home
1:00 p.m.
Cammie bounced excitedly at the tide line, eyes locked on Steve as he called her out into the water. Catherine sat on the lanai, alternately reading one of the magazines Grace had brought her and smiling at the picture Steve and Cammie made.
Their walk that morning was fun and their dog loved every outing with her humans, but it wasn't the kind of exercise she got on a run or swim so she was bounding with energy. As Cammie ran into the gentle surf to be with Steve, Catherine put her magazine aside to watch them swim.
The large dog easily kept pace with Steve, who'd been delighted to learn soon after they adopted her that she was an excellent swimmer and truly loved the water.
He'd been grinning ear to ear as Esther explained, with the exception of certain breeds, why dogs can easily out-swim people. She'd told Steve and Catherine how their dog's natural ability to swim with her head above water and low center of gravity, combined with having four legs for propulsion and lungs with a higher capacity than a human's made Cammie a perfect swim buddy for the former SEAL.
When Steve and Cammie joined Catherine on the lanai after their swim, she was chatting on her cell. At his questioning gesture, she tossed him a towel for the dog and mouthed the word, "Mom."
A few minutes into the conversation, Steve smirked as she said, "I'm fine, Mom. I'm not in the sun. Oh, please, he made me wear a giant black shirt to go for a walk … yeah, I do know he's right."
"Hi, Elizabeth, what am I right about?" He leaned close so Elizabeth could hear his question and he could deliberately drip water on Catherine, making her roll her eyes and grin as he whispered, "I like to be right," and kissed her ear.
"You don't say." Catherine chuckled as she put the phone on speaker.
Elizabeth said, "Hi, Steve. About the black shirt. And you should wear long sleeves when you go to work on Monday, Catherine. You may be standing outside in the sun if you get a case."
"Mom…" she chuckled.
"Shhh, Darling, I heard the flu story, remember?"
Steve chuckled at Catherine's look. "Elizabeth, I was gonna say maybe you should suggest she stay home."
Elizabeth's melodic laugh came over the line. "Steve, Honey, I gave that up when she was six. You saw how … innovative my daughter was when she had the flu? That's nothing new.
When she was six, Catherine was still covered with chicken pox scabs and insisting she was 'fine and didn't need to stay in sick bay' as she called her bedroom."
The love in Elizabeth Rollins' voice was palpable and Catherine's smile broadened as she shrugged, completely unembarrassed by her mother's tale.
Steve rolled his eyes at Elizabeth's statement, but Catherine read the pride in them. Like him, she had been just as resolute as a child as she was as an adult.
"Gave you a run for your money, even with the chicken pox, did she?" Steve kissed her cheek as he listened to her mom's anecdote.
"Our determined little sailor? Absolutely. Most kids would milk having the chicken pox until the scabs fell off. Not my Catherine. The pediatrician said she was okay for school as soon as I wanted to send her back. The base doctor was a friend who'd made a house call because he didn't want the chicken pox spreading to other patients.
It was mid-morning. I walked him to the door, came back to Catherine's room, and she was dressed. She said, 'If we leave now, Mommy, I can make it in time for recess.' " Elizabeth laughed again.
"Joseph came home that night and said, 'She's not only going to the Academy, she's graduating in the top ten percent.' We know how that turned out."
"Mom …"
Steve motioned for Catherine to scoot up on the lounge chair. He sat behind her so she could lean against him. "Top five," he said, the pride in his voice matching Elizabeth's as his arm wound around Catherine's waist. "But I still think Monday …"
"Steve," Catherine said. "I'm going to work."
"But …"
"Steve," Elizabeth's tone was similar to her daughter's, and each could picture the other's grin across the miles.
"Yes, Elizabeth?" Steve winked at Catherine.
"Don't make me tell you the mono story."
Steve dropped his head to Catherine's shoulder with a sigh. "Okay. But desk duty. Just for Monday. Deal?"
Catherine acquiesced. "Deal."
"Perfect compromise," Elizabeth said. "I love you, Sweetheart. Stay out of the sun, you don't want any scarring on that beautiful skin. Steve, you be safe, Honey. I'll talk to you both soon."
"Love you, Mom. Tell Dad I said hi." "Take care, Elizabeth," they said, and Catherine ended the call.
"Mono?" Steve's brows rose.
She turned in his arms. "Feel like some lunch?"
"I'm starving, but don't try to distract me from the mono story, Rollins. How is it I haven't heard that one?"
"Because until now it's been need to know."
Steve smirked. "Isn't that the kissing disease?"
"That's not how I …" Catherine grinned as she said, "thanks, Mom." She kneeled up on the chaise and kissed him. "Never mind. C'mon, let's eat and maybe I'll think of a better ...distraction." She stood and offered her hand.
Steve stood, too, happy she was clearly feeling better. "You up for it? 'cause that'd have to be quite a distraction," he teased.
"Yeah, well, I'm innovative and determined, remember? Especially when I have an … itch to scratch." She grabbed his hand and, smiling, moved toward the house.
End - Thanks for reading
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