Steve grinned as he picked up the worn gold
plated frame, his hand running across the detailed edges as he eyed the picture. It must have been taken 13 years prior when Steve was was 15 years old and it was a picture taken on his Homecoming night and was a picture of himself and Quinn - who had been his date for the dance - neither had known it was being taken. In the picture, Steve held his - then - girlfriend close and the smiles on their faces were only natural.
Somehow the bad managed to outweigh the good in that particular year, it had been the year he had earned the lead scorer record and the year that he finally asked Quinn Anderson to be his girlfriend. But it had also been the year that his younger sister Mary had been sent away after Doris McGarrett was tragically killed in a car accident, Steve had never got to say goodbye to his mother and that was a pain the Commander held close to this day.
The SEAL couldn't help but sigh as he placed the frame back on the mantelpiece making sure it was exactly where he found it, forgetting for a second that his dad was no longer there to tell him off for touching everything. With one last look at the photo, he couldn't help but feel a little put back about that time in his life. To everyone around them Quinn and Steve were just life long friends but there had been so much more behind that. He and Quinn may have been at their happiest in that time but things had changed and Steve knew they would never get back to that point again. Not where they were both happy. Steve had changed and Quinn was a different person now, she had a tough time and it had really shaped her.
Almost two years ago Quinn was caught up in an accident and ever since then she had become a different person, it had really shaped her. Steve had no doubt that she was masking some pain from him, after all, the coma she had found herself in had resulted in her suffering.
"Poor kid." Steve muttered as he remembered the time in the woman's life.
There were a collection of other photos around the house but all were suddenly forgotten when Steve stumbled upon discarded police tape, it was where his dad had been killed. Steve wasn't ashamed as he bit back a gasp, a hand covering his mouth slightly. His last conversation coming back to him.
Hey, Champ.
No matter how much training anyone went through, the loss of a loved one was a pain that remained unbearable. Losing one parent had proven difficult to live with but losing a second was downright impossible.
As the McGarrett stood from his crouched position, looking around Steve noticed a post it note left on a lamp. 'Ask Quinn to bring the old photo albums. Lunch on Thursday 1PM' Steve felt his blood run cold. Quinn was supposed to be at the house. Why hadn't she told him? He knew she had caught the Crime Scene Investigators at work when she appeared at the family home but he hadn't known she was supposed to be with his father. Had she simply been running late? Had she cancelled last minute? He didn't know.
Who are these people Steve?
He moved towards the garage, his hand clenching in and out of a fist. When would he have come back if his Dad was alive? Why did Hesse have to be the thing that brought him home? He should've been here.
Dark and dated, the garage was covered in a thick layer of dust, it had been somewhere the senior McGarrett would wander to when he needed to think or just to occupy himself with something or other. As a kid, Steve would often find his dad down here, working or fixing something that probably didn't need fixing. A small smile formed as he remembered what his mom used to say. 'You know your dad, if it's broke, fix it and if it's not broken, he'll still find a way to fix it.'
He wondered when his father had been down here last. Maybe he had been down here when Hesse arrived. Maybe that's why he was caught off guard. Steve wondered as he made his way around the small space, it wasn't that the room had occupied his fathers 1974 Mercury Marquis it was a load of junk in Steve's eyes but for some reason his father never gave up on the old beast.
Listen to me champ.
His father's words played in his mind as something caught his eye. A toolbox, the lettering 'CHAMP' printed in black. 'Champ'. His Dad may have loved his children but he had never considered or used terms of endearment like that. 'Champ'.
I love you, Son. I didn't say it enough.
After opening the box, Steve began his search, pulling out different objects, ranging from dictaphone to maps. At first glance it seemed to be a map focused on Japan, unfolding it, his suspicion had been proved correct. His eyes scanning for anything that seemed peculiar.
"Shelburne?" His eyebrow furrowed in confusion. He had never come across that name before and he was certain it wasn't a place, not anywhere he had heard of, for sure. "What were you up to dad?" He muttered, staring intently at the lettering.
"Steven? Steve?" Quinn's voice carried through the McGarrett family home.
Soon snapped from his thoughts, Steve folded the map and returned it to the toolbox.
She must've come through the garage. Steve thought with a slight chuckle as he turned his head slightly to the door. "You never could sit still." He muttered, wistfully ready to yell at Quinn for her impatient traits.
But there was another set of footsteps too. This time, it was from the front of the house. With his hand beside his waistband, Steve became alert, he could hear the footsteps coming closer and then a door.
"You! Stay where you are!" The man warned, quickly, his gun now held firmly in front of him. "Who are you?"
Steve shook his head, swiftly moving to face the shorter man that had been wearing a tie. "Who are you?"
"Steve!" Quinn called again making the man pray that she stayed out of the garage but this was Quinn and turning her back wasn't in her nature. "Come on, ass hat, I don't have all day. I do have a life McGarrett."
He hadn't really managed to speak to Quinn that much about her feelings regarding the death of a man she cared so much for so he couldn't be too sure how much being here would affect her.
"Quinn. Stay back." Steve warned, his gazed fixed on Detective Danny Williams.
"You said five minutes." The woman whined. She stepped further into the garage, her heartbeat quickened as she spotted the two men with their weapons drawn. "Steve?" Quinn's voice shook. Her gun now cocked towards the blonde haired man.
"Stay back." He reminded. He could almost feel her stiffen from behind him although a scoff assured him of the front she was putting on.
It had been a long time since she saw a gun being pulled on Steve McGarrett and that just reminded her how much things had changed. "Detective?" She asked, curiously.
Ignoring the woman in the background Detective Danny Williams focused on the 'so called' Commander. "I'm Detective Danny Williams. Use your free hand, take out your ID."
"Lieutenant Commander McGarrett. This is my father's house." He stated, matter of fact. "Put down your weapon." He ordered.
"ID."
"Please, after you." Steve asked, his hand waving in emphasis but another remained firm on the trigger of his hand gun.
On the count of three the two men pulled out their ID's both. Happy that they were both who they said they were they lowered their weapons.
"Detective Williams." Quinn spoke up after letting out a breath she didn't realise she had been holding.
"Lieutenant Andersson." Danny nodded. He had met Quinn the day John McGarrett had been killed, she had been on her way to see him when she had been pushed back by the swarms of officers. It was then that Quinn caught sight of the bloodied body. Everything inside of her wanted to crumble. John was like a father to her and her first thought had been Steve, she needed to see Steve, to see if he's okay.
"This is an active crime scene." Danny said regretfully.
"Doesn't seem that active." Steve quickly retorted a he motioned around him to the evidently empty crime scene.
"Steven." Quinn warned through gritted teeth. "Let's just go."
Steve was about to protest but as soon as he caught sight of the pain in the woman's eyes. Instead of arguing, the Commander lifted his cell from his pocket and punched the touch screen.
"Thank you." Danny breathed out, he was already having a difficult time with his transition and becoming a 'hoale'.
"Don't thank me yet." Steve shrugged. Lifting up the phone to his ear, he grinned. "Governer Jameson, please."
"Oh dear God." Quinn muttered, her head falling to her hands. She had yet to move from her position.
"Governor, I'll take the job. No, let's just say I found something that changed my mind. No, immediately. I already have someone in line, rest assured." He said, sincerely.
"You've got to be kidding me." Danny groaned.
Quinn Anderson had to hold back a chuckle, all sense of nervousness gone."
"Thank you, Governor." Steve said, dropping his cell back to his pocket, he picked up the tool box and smirked as he left his childhood home, leaving a bewildered Danny. "Now it's my crime scene."
"You can be such an ass sometimes." Quinn huffed as she jumped up to the drivers side, Steve piling in beside her, the tool box now placed at his feet.
Steve feigned confusion but when Quinn rolled her eyes he expelled a breath. "Come on, Andy. I just want to find out what my dad was talking about. You knew him better than I did, especially since I left."
Rolling her neck, she sighed. "So who did you have in mind?" She asked, at the sight of the McGarrett's grin, Quinn groaned. "Oh you have to be kidding me."
What do you think?
