Chapter 2 –
Catherine stopped at the doorway to the den and heard Steve finish a conversation. "Yes, thanks for your help. I'll pick them up at the ticket desk."
He hung up the phone and swiveled the chair around, sensing that Catherine was there. "Looks like we're going to Montana," he announced.
Startled, Catherine replied "We?"
Steve got up and walked toward her. "You don't think I'm leaving you behind for the holidays do you?" he said, pulling her toward him. "I talked to Mary, she's got enough room and would love to see you again. She said under better circumstances this time? What'd she mean by that?" Steve asked, having no idea about how they'd first met each other – Mary coming out of the bathroom while Catherine was walking in that morning, wearing nothing but Steve's shirt.
Catherine chuckled at that, but left him wondering about it. "I knew she'd talk you into it," she said leading him out by the front door, where he saw a suitcase.
"What's this?" he asked with a frown.
"This," Caherine answered, "is your clothes for a few days, including some warmer clothes and a jacket – it is winter in Montana after all," she finished, a satisfied smile on her face.
"You two had this all planned?" he said with surprise.
"Well, pretty much, but Chin's kidnapping almost put the kibosh on the whole thing," she said.
Steve thought for a moment back to how that all could have ended, closed his eyes for a moment and silently thanked God for letting there be a good end result.
Abruptly, he looked at his watch. "Well, we have about an hour to get your things packed and get to the airport. Our tickets are at the ticket desk," he said, grabbing his suitcase, keys and whisking her out the door.
"What? There's no way I can get stuff together and be ready that fast," she protested, allowing herself to be pushed out the door ahead of him.
"Are you kidding me? You're military or did you forget that? You've been trained to be ready to move out at a moment's notice. Let's put it to the test. Besides, if you forget something, I'm pretty sure they have stores in Montana!" he finished sitting her in the passenger seat of his truck and closing the door.
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"Yes, Sir," said the man, sitting in a car just up the road from the McGarrett home. "They are on their way to the airport now. I'll let you know as soon as their flight takes off," he finished, pushing the "End" button on the cell phone.
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Steve and Catherine had finished getting a bag together for her and made sure her superiors were aware of her whereabouts should something come up even though she was off-duty until next week. While Catherine was packing, Steve was on the phone to Chin to check in and see how he was doing and to let him know that he'd be going out of town for a few days. Chin sounded fine despite his ordeal of the previous day and happily replied – almost too happily Steve thought - that he would definitely let the others know.
He looked over and saw the look on Catherine's face. "What's that smirk about?"
She looked over and smiled, reaching over to put her hand on his arm while he was driving. "Nothing. I have to admit I'm kind of excited about getting away with you. Not that we'll be all alone, but still it will be nice. I can't wait," she finished.
"Well, almost all alone. Just Mary," he answered, not noticing the slight, silent chuckle she let out.
He looked over at her again, "Open up the glove box," he told her.
"Why?"
"Just open it," he smirked. She reached down and opened the glove box and there, amongst the papers he had stuffed in there, wrapped in beautiful paper with a bow was a small box.
She picked up the box and held it, looking back at him, "What's this?"
"Your Christmas present," he answered. "You didn't think I'd actually not get you anything did you?" he teased her.
"Oh SHOOT!" she yelled, startling him.
"What?" he asked, startled. He was looking in the rearview mirror and noticing a dark sedan that he'd noticed earlier.
"I left your present at your house! You pushed me out the door and I forgot!" she said with sadness.
He reached over and took one of her hands, "That's okay. I'll open it when we get back home – besides I thought I already had my gift this morning?" he teased with a smile.
She swatted at his hand, noticing him glance again at the rearview mirror. "Well, are you going to open it?" he said with anticipation.
She ripped open the paper to reveal a jewelry store box. She held her breath and slowly opened the box. She gasped and her eyes teared up as she picked up the heart-shaped necklace with her birthstone in it. "It's beautiful, Steve," she said, carefully removing it from the box and holding it as it dangled from her fingers, the sunlight reflecting off the stone and gold of the necklace.
They pulled into the airport long-term parking area, and after parking the truck, Steve reached over to fasten the clasp on the necklace around her neck. He kissed the back of her neck and gave her shoulders a squeeze with his hands. "C'mon, we're cutting it pretty close for our flight," he said, opening the door and going around the back of his truck to grab their bags. She looked at her necklace in the mirror, smiled, and followed him out.
Walking into the airport, she noticed him look around again as if checking for someone following them. "Do you see someone Steve?"
"What? No. Its nothing. My imagination probably after the last couple of days," he said walking quickly over to the ticket desk. He retrieved their tickets and they were told their flight was almost done boarding and they'd better hurry.
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To Be Continued….
