So I finally got around to watching the episode where Cath and Steve go to North Korea, and while I suppose it was a good episode I have to say I am quite annoyed with the producers. I get that they're Navy and PDA isn't as welcome, but those two barely touch and when they do it's almost always Cath touching Steve. I just want a little more on screen chemistry! So, anyway, this was my response, to the missing fluff from Olelo Pa'a! Enjoy!
(Oh, and I haven't forgotten about my full length story, it's just taking me a little longer to finish it then I thought. As soon as it's done I'll start posting!)
Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii Five-0 are any of its characters or plots.
Don't Mess It Up
It had been a long few days, mayhap some of the longest of Steve McGarrett's life. It had been stupid to cross into North Korea for Freddie's remains, but he would do it again in a heartbeat. It was even stupider to let Catherine come along, but there would have been no stopping her, that beautiful stubborn woman that he loved. He took a swig from the longneck beer in his hand and stared out at the ocean before him. He was sitting on the beach in his backyard, letting the sound of the waves calm his soul. He'd grown up on the water, lived on the water, he was a SEAL, and water was his comfort.
He couldn't believe his friend was finally home, was happy he was, but part of Steve still hated himself for asking Freddie to go on that mission in the first place. He shook his head, trying to shake away the thoughts. Freddie knew what he was getting into, and if Freddie could hear his friend's thoughts right now, he'd be throwing a punch Steve's way. That thought made Steve smile. He wasn't going to mourn his friend anymore. Freddie wouldn't want him too.
Steve didn't see Catherine, but he could sense her coming. He smiled up at her as she came to stand next to him, "Hey, sailor."
He put his hand on the back of her calf, and gave it a light squeeze. "How you feeling? How's your rib?"
She shrugged, "Hurts to breath." She put her hand on his head, let her fingers play in his hair. "How are you?"
He smiled up at her, "I'm good. Really good actually. Freddie's home and his family can find peace now."
She leaned down and kissed him on the head, "And so can you."
At her words he tilted his head back for a kiss, so she obliged. She laughed a little. "I'm glad your good, sailor." She kissed his hair again, "I'm going to go take a bath before I ice my ribs." She started to walk away before throwing a look over his shoulder at him, "Feel free to join."
Steve smiled at her words, but didn't say anything. For a moment he thought he saw disappointment in her eyes, but it was quickly masked and then she was in the house and gone from his sight. He looked back over the water and remembered Freddie's words to him on the plane. "I've seen you with Lt. Rollins. That's the real thing, don't mess it up."
They had a good relationship, they were good together, and he thought the world of her, but maybe sometimes he forgot to tell her. They didn't have that volatile relationship that Freddie had had with Kelly, where they hated each other one week and got married the next, but he needed her and loved her all the same. He smiled, he just couldn't help it. Just like he had told Danny all that time ago she was still the image in his head that got him home, and this last mission to get Freddie home was no exception.
He took the last swig of his beer and stood up. He had a bathtub to get to.
Catherine stood in front of the mirror and looked at the bruise on her side. It hurt like hell. She sighed and pulled her shirt off the rest of the way. She was exhausted. North Korea had taken a lot out of her. She grabbed a claw clip and piled her hair on top of her head, before stripping the rest of the way. With a contended sigh she sank in the bubble bath. She was going to forget about the last few days, and just relax, but she just couldn't help but think of Steve. She didn't want to be alone tonight. She wanted him.
She put her head back against the edge of the bathtub and closed her eyes. She was determined to enjoy this bath. She had just started to relax when the door opened. Catherine opened her eyes to see Steve standing there with a smile on his face, wine glasses in one hand, and a bottle in the other. "Hey there, beautiful. I brought you something."
He walked into the bathroom, and set the glasses on the edge of the bathtub, before sitting down next to it, so he was facing her. He popped the cork and poured the wine and handed her a glass. "I have a toast to make." She looked at him curiously, but didn't say anything, so Steve held his glass up to her and said, "To you."
Now she looked at him surprised, "To me?"
He smiled, "To you. I couldn't have gotten through North Korea without you."
Catherine felt her breath hitch, but she didn't say anything. Just smiled and tipped her glass to his, having a feeling that he wasn't done yet. She was right. He set his glass aside, and then reached into the bathtub and took her free hand in his, twining their fingers together. He kissed the back of her hand, causing Catherine to look at him with amused concern, "Steve, are you alright?"
Again he smiled, "The day Freddie died he had told me that he had gotten married over the weekend. He couldn't stop grinning. He told me it would be me some day, that he had seen me with you, that we had the real thing, and not to mess things up." He could tell she was getting nervous, "I wanted to thank you Cath, for coming with me. You saved my life. You saved my life on every mission I've ever been on since I met you."
Catherine felt her eyes start to tear up, and she had to blink them back when he cupped her cheek with his hand and kissed her softly. Then whispered against her lips, "You are the image in my head that keeps me focused."
Steve kissed her again, and she whispered against his lips, "Steve, I…"
He smiled and shook his head, "I just wanted you to know."
Catherine put her forehead against his and looked into her eyes, "Thank you for telling me. It means the world to me." She leaned in and kissed him quickly. "So you know this bathtub is big enough for two…"
"Oh is it?"
"Yeah, and I've got all this nice hot water."
"And the bubbles, don't forget you've got bubbles." Steve reminded her standing up and starting to take his clothes off.
She let her eyes widen, "Bubbles. I can't believe I forgot about the bubbles."
He only had his shirt off when she beckoned him over. Bracing himself on either side of the bathtub he leaned down and kissed her. She sat up wrapping her arms around his stomach, and kissed him back. Happy he was alive. Happy he was her's. Suddenly she smiled and used her arms around his waist to pull him down into the water.
Steve tried not to smile while he attempted a stern look, but it was difficult to do draped across her lap in wet jeans. She shrugged her shoulders and tried to look innocent, failing miserably, "I just didn't want to keep you from the bubbles."
He nodded, "The bubbles. Of course." Then he started laughing, scooping up a handful of bubbles and smearing them across her hair.
"No!" Catherine exclaimed. Scooping up her own bubbles and throwing them at him, needless to say they didn't fly far, but they started tossing water at each other. That is until Catherine forgot about her broken rib and shouted out in pain. Steve immediately stopped moving, all his attention on Catherine. "Are you okay?"
"Rib, I will be." She managed to gasp out.
Steve carefully stood, stripped off his pants and said, "Here, sit up." Catherine did as he asked, and he moved in to sit behind her. She leaned back against him, settling against his strong body. He gently wrapped his arms around her and kissed the side of her head. "Feel better?"
She smiled, her eyes closed in contentment, "Completely."
Steve ran his hands up and down Catherine's arms, and then slowly let his hands wander, but before they wandered too far he had one last thought of Freddie. Freddie would be proud. He wasn't messing this thing with Catherine up, and that was exactly what Freddie wanted.