Sammy & Ilna, every minute is a joy. Thank you for being on this wonderful ride with me.

EEEK I was remiss in not thanking Sammy for the fabulous input & suggestion on the outcome. xo

REALMcRollers, you make me smile every day. Your support and feedback is appreciated more than you know.

Physical

"... deep breaths … excellent. Any complaints, Lieutenant?" The doctor conducting the annual HPD required physical reviewed the on-line chart as he moved to stand in front of Catherine.

"No."

"I see you're recently married, congratulations."

"Thank you." She couldn't suppress a tiny grin.

"And no issues relationship-wise? We always ask, because added stress can be detrimental to someone in an already high stress job such as yours."

She nodded in understanding. "No, Steve and I - we've been together a long time. Being with him is … grounding. Of course I'm concerned for his safety in a volatile situation, but that's just part of the life. It's actually less stressful knowing where he is - or being with him in those situations - than it was when we were serving in two locations."

The doctor nodded, made a note and chatted - small talk designed to get to know his patient since he was new to working with HPD - while he continued the annual exam by taking her vitals and stats. "Five feet, six inches, one twenty two, very good." He tapped her knee with a reflex hammer. "Excellent reflexes, too." He smiled pleasantly. "Alright, that's the basics. All we have left is the draw for a CBC." He touched a spot on her back. "Any previous injuries give you problems? I see a note about a head injury a few years ago."

"No problems. I got tackled to the ground and had a little trouble focusing for a few seconds. I never lost consciousness or anything and Steve insisted on an MRI and a neurology consult in the ER."

"He was absolutely right to do that. Head injuries can be misdiagnosed."

She nodded. "He's diligent with the team getting treated for injuries."

"The sign of a good leader."

Catherine smiled proudly. "He's definitely that."

"I look forward to meeting him." He stood and offered his hand. "Well, Lieutenant, I'd say keep up the good work. You're in excellent shape, the department accepts PFT scores for reservists and those are perfect. I'm not anticipating any issues with your tests. Have a good evening."

"Thank you. You, too."

When Dr. Samson was gone, Catherine dressed quickly and exited the exam room with a little smile to sign the necessary paperwork for HPD.

Ten minutes later, she re-entered the waiting area and grinned at Steve, who was sitting amongst three bored looking HPD detectives and a lieutenant. "You're up."

"Everything good?"

"Yeah." She smiled at the look he gave her.

"Commander McGarrett?" The young woman at the reception window nodded as she read his name from the list of officers and detectives scheduled that day. "You're next."

"I'll meet you back at HQ." Catherine slung her purse over her shoulder and with a squeeze of his arm, moved to the doors.

In the exam room, a nurse greeted Steve and handed him a plastic-wrapped gown. "Everything off but your shorts. Use the gown if you're more comfortable, opening in the back. Doctor will be right in."

"Yeah. Thanks." He tossed the gown, unopened, on a chair, shucked his clothes and sat on the exam table in his boxers.

The doctor entered with a smile. "Commander McGarrett," he extended a hand, "Doctor Samson. Nice to meet you. I just met your wife; terrific lady. Congratulations on your marriage." Steve's smile morphed from one that said he was getting through a necessary task to bright, genuine one as he thanked the doctor. "I saw the rest of your team yesterday. Your partner was quite … amusing in explaining some of his old injuries."

Steve shook his head with a smirk. "I caused 'em all, right?"

"Even the ones before he met you," Doctor Samson chuckled. "I also understand there's some sort of cholesterol side bet?"

Steve nodded. "Mine's lower."

"You've had it taken recently?" He consulted the screen on his tablet. "I won't test it again if you can provide …"

"No. I just know it's lower." His confident expression earned him another chuckle.

Doctor Samson went through a complete exam while asking the usual questions. "You have quite a few old injuries, do any give you problems?"

Steve shook his head. "No, I'm good."

"Most recent surgery?"

"I had an impacted wisdom tooth over a year ago. Before that I had a stomach wound stitched up."

"No complications with either?" Doctor Samson indicated he should lie back and palpated his abdomen. "That's fine, you can sit up." He placed the stethoscope against Steve's back. "Deep breaths. Good, good. Just about done." After selecting a needle and prepping Steve's arm, he reached for the blood collection tube and inserted it into the holder. "Okay, let's see if you win that bet, Commander."

With the blood draw complete, Doctor Samson tapped a few notes into his tablet and said, "BP 115/75 and your resting pulse rate is 47. Can't ask for better." At Steve's small smile, he continued, "Now, one last thing, I'm sure you have coping techniques that work for you, because being in an elite military unit is more stressful than just about anything, but your position is often extremely intense stress-wise, and we want to be sure you're able to adequately deal with those high levels of tension."

"Yeah, I'm good."

"Ahhh, Commander, can you elaborate a little bit? What do you do when you're not on duty?"

"I spend time with my wife," again the unbidden smile curled the corners of his lips, "and our dog. We have a great dog. Really smart. And we see family. I'm go-" he hesitated for a second, "better than ever."

"Sounds like you're doing well, but if you ever feel otherwise, I'm here."

"We - Catherine and I - have similar backgrounds, if I need to talk, I talk to her. We talk to each other."

"Excellent, we just want all our officers to remember we're here if you need us. Either one of you." The doctor's smile was genuine.

Steve nodded. "Am I good to go?"

He nodded, "I'll have the reports forwarded. I'll see you for your next evaluation. Nice to meet you, Commander."

"Thanks," Steve shook his outstretched hand. "You, too."

HQ two days later

Danny poked his head in his partner's office waving a piece of paper. "Did you get the medical evals?"

Steve looked up from the keyboard. "I'm guessing you did?" He pointed. "Is that what you're waving at me?"

"Since I only get my own, you need to open your email." He pointed to Steve's laptop. "Let's see."

Steve opened his email and scrolled to the 'PT and Physical results' header, stopping to regard his best friend. "Wanna up the bet?"

"I want you to open the file, c'mon. I know I beat you. One forty three." He shook the printout.

Catherine tapped on the doorframe, holding a file folder filled with data. "I can come back …"

"No, no, come in," Danny said with a wave. "I'm waiting for him to share his cholesterol numbers so we can see who won."

"You had a cholesterol bet?" Catherine snorted. "Of course you did." She shook her head. "Neither of you ever had a problem," she glanced at Danny, "right?"

"No, I'm fine, we just bet on who'd have lower numbers."

Steve spun his screen towards Danny with a snort. "Read 'em and weep."

"No. No freaking way." Danny huffed as Steve grinned.

"Way. I win."

"You … I … I'm six points lower than last year."

"And two points higher than me." He crossed his arms smugly while Danny frowned at the screen.

Catherine laughed at their expressions. "What were the results?"

Steve grinned, "Total cholesterol 141 versus 143, keep eatin' the malasadas, Danno."

"Bite me, Steven. My numbers are excellent. You still exercise like a SEAL and swim a hundred miles a week and you only beat me by two points." His arm waved at the screen and his partner.

"Whatever, I still beat you."

"Wait 'til next year, I'll up my exercise and and eat less dairy before the test - we'll see." Danny shook his head as he turned to go back into his own office. "I'm gonna text Grace, she wanted to know when I got my results."

"That's so sweet, tell her hi," Catherine said, and as Danny retreated down the hall, he pulled out his phone, turning to gesture at his best friend who called out, "And tell her I beat you!"

Steve smiled at Catherine, "Wanna see yours?"

"Yeah, I haven't checked my email." She leaned over as Steve moved back so she could pull up her own email. Seconds later she indicated he should read along as scrolled to her results.

"Perfect," he smiled, "blood pressure 119/75, heart rate 50, cholesterol 151 and your lab tests are all normal. He glanced through the rest of the email before adding, "Chin and Kono are fine, too."

"Great," She grinned then said in a low voice, "You beat me, too."

"Women's heart rates can run slightly higher. You have the numbers of an athlete, Catherine."

She chuckled, "I know. And I'm happy we're all fine." Her voice dropped again and he raised his eyebrows at her tone. "But, I was still gonna give you a prize …"

Steve glanced out at the empty bullpen and leaned closer to whisper, "What kind of prize, Lieutenant?"

Catherine winked and handed him the data file she was still holding. "These are done, so if you can get outta here for … lunch … a very physical one." Her eyes danced. "See what I did there?"

"I like what you did there, and that's my favorite kind of prize." Steve's tongue peeked out with his smile. "You know, I -" His phone rang and he shook his head. "McGarrett." Holding his hand over the phone, he listened, mouthed, "Get Danny," and went to grab his weapon.

As Catherine nodded, she was already moving to call Danny into Steve's office as his, "We'll be there in ten," reached her ears.

Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant
Auahi Street

The team sat around a table at Buca di Beppo's, finishing off family-style platters of chicken parmesan and ravioli.

Danny pushed his plate away and said, "I'm having the spumoni, who's in?"

"I'm in," Chin said. "Cuz? It's family style - dessert's going to be huge."

"Really, Danny?" Steve raised his brows.

Danny snorted, "What do you mean, really?

My blood work and cholesterol are excellent - that's what normal people do, they get a good cholesterol number and they reward themselves with a little dessert."

Steve smirked, "Is that what people do? 'cause just because you don't gain weight doesn't mean you can eat whatever you want - if you wanna beat my numbers next year, that is …"

"Bite me, you just shoveled down half a chicken and what - eight ravioli?

"I haven't eaten all day." Steve grinned and reached for the last ravioli on Catherine's plate as she waved she couldn't finish it.

Danny snorted, "Well, I'm having dessert. Catherine, would you like some? 'Cause now I may not give your husband any."

"What would Nonna say if you didn't share with me?" Steve raised his brows, and Catherine grinned at their banter.

Kono nodded. "Ohh, now you have to share, Danny."

He shrugged but his grin gave him away. "Maybe … I'll think about it."

Catherine looked at the menu. "Three flavors of ice cream and chocolate sauce? I'm totally in. Have the dessert, Steve." She smiled at him and lowered her voice. Murmuring so only he could hear, she placed her hand over his and whispered, "I'll help you work it off."

Steve's eyes lit.

As the waiter appeared and asked, "Dessert for everyone?" Steve nodded. "Definitely. My wife is my workout partner, so I may have an extra helping." Sliding an arm around Catherine's shoulders, he chuckled at Danny's groan.

# End thanks for reading

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