Disclaimer: Ideas are fictional; not making any money on this. Hawaii 5-0 belongs to CBS. That's okay because none of this would work on TV.

Family Life Continues, Chapter 2

July 2022

Cliff Russell is a fixer; he's been a fixer most of his life. He was born into a comfortable white collar family in Minnesota, the oldest of four children and the only son. His mother was a school teacher and his father was an accountant. Whenever something around the Russell home broke, Cliff usually managed to fix it. This was a good thing because neither parent exhibited any ability or inclination to repair or maintain their home at all.

Cliff took after his Grandpa George who worked as a custodian at a large apartment complex in St. Paul. Cliff loved to hang around with his grandpa on weekends or during summer break. It was a relief to get away from the mostly female household, and Cliff loved watching his grandpa fix things. His skills were endless: he could repair a leaky toilet; he could replace a faulty switch; he could install a new cabinet.

When Cliff was a little older, he worked summers on a construction crew. He worked on a few of the newer downtown buildings, but his real love was restoring derelict buildings. He could look at rotten floors, missing windows, and gutted rooms and see the grandeur that existed in decades past.

At his parents' insistence, he went to college and graduated magna cum laude with the finance degree. But Cliff's vision for his life was not to sit behind a desk 10-12 hours a day for the next forty years. Cliff wanted to fix and restore buildings. Using his business acumen, he wrote a business plan and obtained financing to restore his first house after his college graduation.

By the time he was thirty, Cliff was a millionaire several times over. He had a knack at picking the best structures for rehabilitation, the best men and women for his crews, and the best deals for purchase and resale. He was also the go-to man for any and all problems for his parents and sisters. He loved his family dearly but being the only fixer in a family of takers was exhausting.

It wasn't until his engagement with Liz Erlich self-destructed that Cliff saw the pattern in his relationships with his family and friends. He realized that he could restore old buildings a lot easier than he could fix others' lives.

Cliff's trip to Hawaii was enlightening; for the first time, he met other fixers. What else could he say about two men who were already raising a daughter and young son taking in a traumatized boy? His first impression of Steve and Danny McGarrett-Williams was that they would protect their family with their dying breath. He saw that family, or ohana as they called it on the island, consisted of an amazing group of friends that included an ex-wife and several coworkers. He saw that the ohana folded in newcomers the way other people breathed. It was natural and effortless.

Cliff was already thinking about relocating to Oahu. The luau celebration after Jesse's adoption hearing was the deciding factor. The joy he was a part of that day was too seductive to leave behind. When Finn made a soft sell pitch to work together on an old plantation house, Cliff was sold. He wasn't deserting his family on the mainland, but it would give them some much needed distance.

When Cliff and Ed Williams met during the Thanksgiving holidays the previous year, it was like two old souls uniting. Cliff was equally taken with Clara. He recognized two more fixers and a friendship grew. When Cliff sensed that Ed and Clara were unhappy with their daughters' inattention, a notion was born. When he saw how happy Ed and Clara were during their time with their son and his family and how devoted Steve and Danny were to Ed and Clara, the notion became a plan.

It didn't take much to interest Ed in a neighborhood project Cliff and Finn were developing jointly. He noticed the vacancy next to Steve and Danny's home during one of their backyard cookouts. He even arranged to walk through the house a few days later.

When Danny's surgery was scheduled, Cliff took every opportunity to mention to Ed how difficult it was going to be for Steve to manage Danny's recuperation and physical therapy schedule with his workload and taking care of the boys and the household. With every new snowfall in New Jersey, Ed called with a local weather report of warm and sunny. Then he made Ed a job opportunity he couldn't refuse. Renovating the new home for Ed and Clara was the icing on the cake.

Ed and Clara were also two very bright people. They were also fixers and recognized immediately that Cliff was part of their confraternity of fixers. They too were weary from family who took and seldom gave. Their visits to their son and his ohana were rejuvenating, and they had discussed how they could spend more time on the island. When Cliff's offer came, it wasn't even like they had to make a decision. Their acceptance was immediate.

When Lori rang the doorbell that afternoon, she had no idea that she would be in the presence of three epic fixers. She only knew that the events of her life had broken her, and that the last time she felt not truly broken was when she was a part of 5-0. It was the only time she was both professionally and personally content even considering her one-sided infatuation with Steve McGarrett.

When Clara greeted her with a hug, it was like a balm to her soul. Within minutes, Lori was sitting on the beach with Clara with a cold drink while Ed supervised Mike and the boys in the water. Mike must have felt something too. The normally withdrawn little boy was shrieking with laughter as Ed tried in vain to catch the boys.

Cliff was a regular visitor to the McGarrett-Williams compound (as he thought of the two homes occupied by the families). He often came to share a meal or to escort Ed and Clara out for a fun evening on the town. Cliff rented a house a couple of miles away but he hadn't made a home yet. He knew that eventually he would find a house that spoke to him, but it hadn't happened yet. So Cliff moved his belongings from the mainland but he wasn't really personally invested in his own home yet. Instead he focused on his new ohana and his work with Finn.

Cliff was a little surprised to meet Lori Weston. From anyone else, Cliff might have suspected that he was being fixed up with a date for the evening. Ed and Clara never suggested adding another female to their foursome. So Cliff accepted the situation at face value.

Clara Williams had other ideas. She sensed that Cliff was often lonely when he went home in the evening. He had a lot of friends but no one special who cared about him. Clara also remembered that Lori could at times be a little socially awkward. That awkwardness prevented most people from recognizing how loyal and generous Lori could be. She figured that if anyone could see beyond Lori's façade, it would be Cliff.

Cliff's easy going manner helped him slip in under the radar Lori used to keep men at a distance. In the time it took to get to the kitchen and fix a couple of trays with more drinks and some cheese and fruit, Lori learned that Cliff was once engaged to Jesse's biological aunt and that he only got involved because he was truly concerned about Jesse's well-being.

She heard about how he became acquainted with Ed and Clara, and she shared the story of Ed and Clara's first visit to the island. They swapped more stories about the Williams and the other ohana. By the time that they made it back to the beach and distributed refreshments to all, they were friends.

The evening at the McGarrett-Williams was a huge success. Everyone had an excellent meal of salad, lasagna, garlic bread, and a fruit flan. The lasagna was a wonderful as Lori remembered. Her attraction to Steve was well and truly gone except for feelings of friendship. She loved watching Steve and Danny with their boys, and the boys were equally amazing with her son. Ed and Clara doted over everyone, and Lori found that she was for some reason drawn to Cliff.

When Danny locked up that night, he was much more comfortable with the idea of adding Lori to the team. He was well-fed and pleasantly tired as he climbed the stairs. The boys had already showered and were reading to each other in bed. Steve was in their shower and would join the boys shortly. Danny was looking forward to his shower; he could feel sand in places where there shouldn't be sand. It was the price he paid for his time in the ocean, but he was so happy that he could do so without pain.

Although Danny didn't see Lori during her earlier visit to the palace, it wasn't awkward seeing her this afternoon. It took him a little while to decide that it was easier to be around her because she no longer looked at Steve like he was a dessert she was waiting to consume. He also sensed that there was something going on between Lori and Cliff and suspected that his mother had something to do with that. He thought that might be a good thing. He liked Cliff, and he liked Lori to a certain extent. He decided that it would be interesting to see what happened with them.

Danny brought the subject up when he was cuddled up with Steve later that night. "It was okay having Lori here. Her son is a great kid; Jack told me that he thought that Mike needed some brothers and they had an opening. Where does he get an idea like that?"

Steve could only laugh as he thought about their son earnestly telling Danny that Mike Weston should become part of their brotherhood with the Edwards' and Kelly's. "I had a chance to talk to Lori's supervisor. He gave her high marks on the job and also thought that getting out of Seattle would be best. He knows about the phone calls and pictures she received and is worried for her safety as well as for Mike's safety."

"So when are we going to interview her?"

"I'm thinking that we'll set up interviews ASAP and bring her in first. That way she can enjoy the remainder of her trip and maybe have an answer before she leaves. The other candidates are mostly younger with less experience but a lot of potential. It would be a good idea to have someone more experienced added to the team."

"I think that Cliff was taken with her, and maybe it was a little mutual. When he heard that she might be moving to the island, he offered her a condo in a complex that he's rehabbing. He promised her a good rate if she would provide some feedback on the unit and the rest of the complex."

"That sounds promising for her. Enough talk about work. It's been a long day, and I'm ready for some Danno time."

"Seriously, that's the best you can do after all these years. You make me sound like some light beer."

"Danno, there's nothing light about the way I feel about you. And you wouldn't be some cheesy beer. You'd be more like some fine wine: wonderfully matured, smooth to the palate, and to be enjoyed slowly."

"Smooth to the palate, huh? I think that Smooth Dog has entered the building."

"I think that Smooth Dog has retired, but Steve your devoted husband is alive and well. And I know your body as well as I know my own." And then Steve proceeded to demonstrate just that.

The next day Steve and Danny set up appointments to interview the prospective candidates for the 5-0 team. As planned, Lori was first. It took two more days to interview the other candidates. After the final interview, Steve, Danny, Chin, and Kono sat in Steve's office and discuss the merits of each person.

It was a unanimous decision to offer Lori one of the slots. The other slot was offered to Jay Akana, a former Navy MP. He had been stationed locally for two years and was familiar with some of the issues 5-0 faced. HPD gave him high marks for working well with local authorities, and 5-0 worked with him on a case earlier in the year. Jay had 20 years with the Navy and was retiring shortly.

By the end of the week, both job offers had been extended and accepted. Jay and Lori would start within the month and Lori was offered a fair relocation package. It was an easy decision to accept the position with 5-0.

Her week on the island had been idyllic. She got the job she was seeking. She renewed her old friendships with Steve, Danny, Chin, and Kono. She had new pseudo-parents with Ed and Clara Williams. And she met Cliff Russell. They became close friends in only days. Cliff made time every day to show Lori and Mike some local attraction. He really liked her son, and the affection was mutual. For the first time in a long time, Lori was hopeful for their future.