Notes: Mari and Sammy – It's an honor to be in the REAL World with you every day. Thanks for the laughs and the tears. Love being part of our matched set. Can't imagine doing this with anyone else!
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This story was inspired by another song. Bonus points if you spot the lyrics :-)
Hope you enjoy!
It Had to Be You (A McRoll in the REAL World Story)
Steve and Catherine were gathered with Carrie and John for dinner at Roy's Waikiki. Catherine reached for a spring roll and said, "I don't think we've all been together on your actual anniversary since . . . since you two got married."
"I don't think we have," Carrie agreed after swallowing a bite of her crab cake.
"Fifteen years," Catherine said, smiling. "Congratulations."
"Fifteen years," Carrie echoed, shaking her head. "I can't believe I got married at 22."
"That's not regret, I hear, is it?" John teased from beside her.
"Absolutely not," Carrie said and leaned over for a quick kiss. "When it's right, it's right."
"It was a beautiful ceremony," Catherine said.
"I still say Harrison whacked me on the ass harder than necessary with his sword," Carrie groused, referencing the end of the Arch of Swords tradition.
"And I still say Foster should've whacked John, too," Catherine put in. "Only fair."
Steve chuckled. "Go Navy," he said, holding up his wine glass in an informal toast.
"Go Navy," the others said and clinked glasses.
"So much of that day is a blur," Carrie admitted after taking a drink.
John nodded his agreement. "Especially the reception."
"I'm just glad you didn't do the bouquet toss," Catherine said, cringing in distaste. "I hate those. That's one competition I want no part of."
"Mom wanted to, but I put my foot down," Carrie said and set her glass back on the table. "Then she suggested I just hand it to you instead."
"Well, I'm glad you didn't do that either."
"Yeah, you're welcome," Carrie said, looking at both Catherine and Steve. "I know you got enough questions that day without adding a bouquet and garter into the mix."
Catherine and Steve chuckled simultaneously in acknowledgement of her point.
"And I never did wear that dress again," Catherine continued. "Despite your absolute conviction I could."
"What about the shoes?"
"Oh, I tossed the shoes. They dyed my feet blue."
Carrie laughed, unrepentant. "Yeah, they did. That was hysterical."
Steve motioned at the two women. "I remember you two dashing off at one point during the reception. Always figured it was the bride and groom who were supposed do that," he teased.
"Yeah, what was that about?" John asked curiously.
Catherine and Carrie exchanged a look.
"Do you think it's been long enough?" Catherine asked.
Carried nodded. "Yeah, I think we can declassify this file."
Norfolk, VA
August 26th, 2000
"Here you are."
Catherine felt the tug on her arm from behind and the twinge of desperation in Carrie's voice, and she immediately turned to face her best friend. "Here I am." She looked around in slight confusion. "Where's John? Have you lost your groom already?"
Carrie waved a hand across the room to where John stood with a group of well-wishers. "Where's Steve?" she asked. "Figured you two would be inseparable once the main duties of the day were done."
Catherine scanned the reception hall. "Steve is . . . uh . . . he's . . . oh, there he is." She winced. "Uh oh."
"What?" Carrie asked, still trying to locate him.
"Your Aunt Nancy has him cornered. I should . . . probably go run interference."
Carrie grabbed her arm again. "McGarrett can handle my aunt for a few minutes. I need you."
She dragged Catherine across the room while Catherine called back a hurried apology to the woman she'd been talking to who waved in amused understanding.
Steve looked relieved that they seemed to be headed his way, and his brow furrowed when Carrie tugged Catherine toward the doors instead. Catherine motioned that she'd be back shortly and allowed herself to be pulled into the lobby.
Carrie didn't let go of her arm until they were in the handicapped restroom stall.
"Get me out of this thing," Carrie demanded, hiking up the skirts of her voluminous white dress.
"What? The dress?"
"No, this . . . torture device underneath," she said, vaguely motioning toward the shapewear around her waist. "I can hardly breathe."
Catherine kicked off her heels and squatted at Carrie's feet.
"I still say you didn't need it," she said. "Can you turn around?"
Carrie turned, and Catherine started releasing the hook and eye closures at the back of the waistnipper.
"Can't wait to tell John he wasn't the first under my dress today," Carrie said with a smirk.
Catherine snorted. "Maybe wait till after the wedding night to tell him that."
Once the shaper was off, Carrie exhaled a deep, grateful breath. "Oh, sweet freedom."
Catherine chuckled as she stood with the offending item. "What do you want to do with this thing?"
"I'd say flush it, but it wouldn't fit."
"I'll stow it in your parents' car. Now . . . do you need to pee? Since we're already in here?"
Carrie looked thoughtful. "You know . . . now that you mention it . . ."
After a minute of arranging and re-arranging, Catherine was leaning over Carrie and holding her dress up as Carrie sat on the toilet.
"You're the best," Carrie said off-handedly. "Have I mentioned today?"
Catherine smiled, thoroughly amused by the whole situation.
"Once or twice."
"You were helping her pee?" Steve asked, incredulous, a shrimp stick halfway to his mouth.
Carrie clucked her tongue. "It's hard to pee in a wedding gown, McGarrett."
"I suppose it would be," he said noncommittally.
"Maid-of-honor duties," Catherine said with a shrug. "Whatever the bride needs."
"And I needed to pee." Carrie looked back at Steve. "I always meant to ask . . . though I have a pretty good idea . . . what was Aunt Nancy talking to you about?"
"Exactly what you think," Steve said.
Carrie nodded knowingly. "Catherine."
Steve tapped the side of his nose twice and pointed at her in affirmation.
"And how many times did the words 'propose' and 'marry' come up?" John asked with a grin.
Steve shook his head as he lifted his glass to his lips. "I lost count," he said and took a drink.
Carrie smirked, looking between Catherine and Steve. "Oh, another thing you two have in common, huh?"
Catherine rolled her eyes, smiling, and Steve waggled his eyebrows over the rim of his glass.
After returning Mr. Stagler's car keys, Catherine found Steve standing alone near one of the walls in the reception hall.
"So how's Aunt Nancy?" she asked with a grin.
He shook his head in mock disappointment. "That was cold, Rollins. What happened to leave no man behind?"
Catherine shrugged unapologetically. "Sorry, sailor, maid-of-honor duties trump everything aside from official business."
"Ah," he said with a nod, finishing his cocktail and setting the empty glass on a table. "Where'd you two run off to?"
She laughed. "Oh no, that is most definitely classified."
"Right," he said, grinning at her.
The opening notes to Tony Bennett singing "For Once In My Life" began to play, and Catherine looked at the nearly empty dance floor.
"Oh, hardly anybody's dancing," she said, her brow furrowing. "That's what Carrie was afraid of." She glanced at Steve. "Come on."
"You could probably dance with Carrie's brother," Steve teased. "He was making eyes at your earlier."
Catherine rolled her own eyes. "Kevin's been doing that since he was fourteen."
"What about John's brother?" Steve suggested, fighting a smile. "He's the best man, after all."
She smiled. "Not my best man."
He swallowed at that, but kept up the pretense and covered with a dubious smile. "I dunno . . . you did abandon me earlier for some mysterious need-to-know mission . . ."
Catherine laughed, shaking her head.
"Shut up and dance with me."
"Well, when you put it like that . . ." He smiled, holding out a hand, and she slipped hers into it.
As they walked to the dance floor, Catherine spotted Carrie mouthing a grateful 'Thank you' from where she and John were talking with relatives.
Steve led Catherine to the middle of the floor before turning her toward him and sliding his right hand around her waist to her lower back. Her fingers brushed across the right shoulder board on his dress whites on their way to rest behind his neck.
They swayed to the music, and other couples began to follow their lead, including Carrie's parents, Bill and Kathie Stagler, who made their way toward Steve and Catherine as they danced.
"You two should dance more often," Kathie said.
"Not if I have to twist his arm every time," Catherine teased with a little smirk at Steve, her hand moving to his upper arm and squeezing lightly as she looked back at the Staglers.
"I don't believe that for a second," Bill said.
"You look so natural together," Kathie added.
Catherine gave her a smile in return that was mirrored by Steve, though his eyes had drifted back to Catherine.
Kathie motioned them toward the edge of the dance floor as they continued to talk.
"It was too bad your parents couldn't make it, Catherine."
"I know," Catherine said sadly. "They were really disappointed. Dad's stationed overseas right now, and you know how tough it can be to get back stateside. Mom still planned to come, but the weather just wasn't cooperating."
Bill nodded. "Well, we're so grateful both of you were able to arrange leave for the wedding."
"Us, too," Catherine said with a glance at Steve who nodded. "The whole experience has been wonderful."
"But you two have hardly had any time together since you arrived, what with all the preparations," Kathie said. She looked at Catherine. "The shower yesterday, and all the running around with final arrangements. Steve, I know you were helping with the set-up here. You probably didn't see each other until the rehearsal."
Catherine waved a hand before placing it back on Steve's upper arm. "This trip was for Carrie and John. We were happy to help, right?" she asked, looking at Steve.
"Absolutely," he agreed sincerely.
"Well, I know Carrie appreciated you staying with her, Catherine," Kathie said. She smiled. "She said it was just like your days at Bancroft."
Catherine grinned. "I think we stayed up later the past two nights talking than we ever did at the Academy." She sighed wistfully. "Sometimes it's hard to believe we're not going back there at the end of the week, but back out to sea."
Kathie smiled. "I'll bet."
"Where are you two staying the rest of your leave?" Bill asked.
"Oh . . . uh, the Days Inn, here in Norfolk," Steve said.
"No, you're not," Kathie said with a smile. "We've booked you the next four nights at a lovely little B&B in Newport News."
"What?" Catherine said in shock, turning more fully toward the Staglers. "Oh, you didn't have to do that. Really. We're fine at the Days Inn."
"It's already done," Bill said firmly. "We won't take no for an answer."
"Consider it our gift for being such good friends to Carrie and John," Kathie said. "Not just this weekend, but the past four years."
"That is so generous of you," Catherine said, hugging first Kathie, then Bill. "Thank you so much."
"Yes, thank you," Steve echoed, truly touched, shaking Bill's hand. When he held his hand out to Kathie, she pulled him in for a hug.
"You'll love the Boxwood Inn," she said as she pulled away, and Steve stepped back beside Catherine. She winked at them. "And I've heard it's a lovely place for weddings."
When both Catherine and Steve opened their mouths to protest, Kathie smiled and added, with a tone and gesture very reminiscent of her daughter, "I'm just saying . . ."
"Sounds like they're playing another slow song," Bill said, his smile matching his wife's. "We'll let you get back to your dance."
"Thank you again," Catherine said.
As the Staglers walked away, Steve turned back to Catherine.
"Well?" he said.
She raised her eyebrows as if in question.
He nodded with a smile. "You're gonna make me ask this time?"
"Mmhmm," she said, nodding and fighting a grin.
He licked his lips in amusement and held his hand out. "Would you like to dance with me?"
"I would," she said and placed her hand in his.
He took her back into his arms, and they resumed dancing, now closer than before, his breath blowing the strands of hair framing the side of her face as he exhaled.
After a moment, he bent his head even closer and said quietly, "You know you didn't really have to twist my arm, right?"
"I know," she said, matching his tone.
He stopped moving and pulled his head back just enough to look into her eyes. His breath caught at the sincere expression he saw there.
She smiled softly, and he swallowed, starting to dance once again.
"So . . ." he began, pulling her imperceptibly closer. "What are we gonna do with four days at a B&B?"
"Mmmm . . . I don't know," she said, her tone now lighter. "Well . . . there is something I've always wanted to try with you . . ." Her voice was quiet but with a suggestive edge.
He glanced around, judging how close the other couples were to them. Deciding no one would overhear them, he looked back at her, the corner of his mouth rising in an interested half smile. "Oh yeah?" he asked, his voice low.
"Yeah . . ." She leaned up to whisper in his ear. "The New York Times Crossword Puzzle."
He snorted, and she grinned at him.
"Bet you do it pen," he said.
"I'm completely serious," she said, raising her eyebrows in challenge.
"Are you?"
"Yeah," she continued, her voice dropping again suggestively. "I'm sure we could find a suitable prize for whoever gets it done first, sailor . . ."
"Mmmm . . . now you're talkin', Ensign."
He pulled her close, and they continued dancing, quietly excited at the prospect of four days alone together, as the final notes of "It Had To Be You" drifted over them.
"I don't think we ever got around to that crossword puzzle," Steve said, his lip quirked in an amused half-smile.
"Ha!" Carrie laughed. "I'll bet you didn't."
"I'm sure you two weren't doing crossword puzzles the rest of that week, either," Catherine countered.
"You got that right," John said.
They all laughed at that.
"Well, I'm going to get serious for a second here," Carrie said.
"Really?" Steve teased. "I don't think I've ever seen you serious."
"Shut it, McGarrett," she said, trying and failing to look annoyed. "You have, too."
Steve smiled his surrender, his arm moving to the back of Catherine's chair and his fingers gently stroking the bare skin of her arm.
Carrie took John's hand and looked across the table at her friends. "I just wanted to thank you . . . again, fifteen years later, for standing up with us that day. We were honored that you both agreed because it just . . ." She sighed, searching for the right words. "It just had to be you guys, you know? It wouldn't have been right without you beside us."
John nodded, tightening his fingers around hers. "She's right. It wouldn't have been."
Catherine sniffed, reaching across the table for Carrie's other hand, both of their eyes bright with unshed tears.
"I was honored to stand beside you then," Catherine said, looking between the two of them, "and I'm honored to be here with you now."
Carrie squeezed her hand gratefully.
Steve swallowed, looking at John. "You know, I, uh . . . I didn't say anything back then, but . . . that was the first time anyone ever . . . asked me to do that. Stand up with them at their wedding. And I, uh . . ." He licked his lips, glancing at Catherine. He sighed and looked back at Carrie and John. "Like Cath said, I was honored to stand beside you then, and I'm honored to still call you both my friends."
Catherine smiled at him, placing her hand on his leg. He covered her hand with his, intertwining their fingers, and flashed her a quick, grateful smile.
"Okay," Carrie said, laughing suddenly. She released both Catherine and John and shook her hands in the air. "Enough tears, enough tears." She wiped gingerly below her eyes. "God, I never cry." She licked her lips and shook her head as if shaking off the lingering tears. "Okay, Kumbaya moment over. I just . . . needed to say that. Because you guys are the best. I said it fifteen years ago, and I'm saying it again now."
"Okay," Catherine said, laughing as well and wiping at her own tears. "So let's not wait another fifteen years to all get together again and celebrate that wonderful day, right?"
"Deal," Carrie agreed. "And let's not wait another fifteen years to have another wedding, huh?" When Catherine and Steve both opened their mouths to respond, Carrie laughed and added, "I'm just sayin'."
Steve and Catherine chuckled fondly and exchanged a smile at their shared reaction.
"What is it Danny says?" Carrie asked. "Ah, here, to matched sets." She raised her glass. "In love and in friendship."
The other three raised their wine glasses and echoed her toast.
"To matched sets."
Hope you enjoyed!
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