A/N: Thank you for reading!

Chpt 2: New Beginnings

Ten days later, Steve found himself at the Federal Building having decided lunch might be a good place to start. "Can I help you?" a well dressed woman in her late fifties called from behind the horse shoe shaped desk.

"Yes, M'am," he replied. "Steve McGarrett with Five-0. I was hoping to catch Agent Weston, if she's available."

She peered at him over her light blue frames then glanced at his left hand where it rested on her desk. "She's available," Helen sang, seeing no ring on his third finger. "Just let me call upstairs and let her know you're here. Is this official or personal?" she teased.

Steve flashed her a crooked flirtatious grin. "I was hoping to take her to lunch."

"She'll be right down," Helen declared.

"Thank you," Steve said with a wink.

"Lori, it's Helen... There is a very handsome man down here who would like to take you to lunch... Steve McGarrett... I'll tell him." Helen hung up the receiver and smiled at Steve. "Give her just a minute?"

Steve walked over to the big windows to wait. Lost in the day's promise, he didn't here her stop behind him.

"Steve?"

When he turned, his breath caught at the sight of her. She was wearing a sleeveless peach dress, and she stood hands clasped on a small clutch in front of her. Her hair was pulled back from her face in a high ponytail. Steve couldn't keep from staring.

"Helen said you were waiting for me?"

"Yes," he said, quickly gathering his wits. "I was hoping to take you to lunch. Have you eaten?"

"No, not yet."

"Good," he said and shoved his hands in his pockets. "How does LuLu's sound?"

"I like it."

Steve nodded toward the door. "My truck's out front."

"Your sling is gone," she said as he pushed the glass door open for her.

"Yeah. Got the stitches out today. Good as new."

"Everyone else okay?"

"As far as I know, we're all good at Five-0."

Lori smiled sweetly.

"Helen seems nice," he commented as they walked across the parking lot.

"She is... You showing up to take me to lunch will give her something to talk about for the next few weeks. She's probably googling you as we speak."

Steve stopped in front of a big Ford F150, black with lots of chrome.

"You got a new truck," she said as he opened the passenger door for her.

"Yeah, I've had it about a year now I guess. My chevy blew up."

Lori narrowed her eyes and tried to read his expression. "You mean it blew up, literally, don't you? As in kaboom?"

"As in kaboom," he gestured.

Lori chuckled and shook her head before hopping deftly into the big truck.

The conversation on the way to LuLu's was friendly and light, but Lori was guarded. Steve wondered if she even cared to be there at all. She wasn't cold, just distant. Yet that day in the governor's office something had flashed in her eyes when she saw him. Of that he was certain. Their history was complicated, however, and he didn't blame her for not trusting him. They had spent one night together, right after Grace had been taken and returned by Danny's ex-partner. He had found himself at Lori's door, spent, emotions raw. He couldn't forget the way she had looked at him when she opened the door. He knew she somehow understood what he was feeling, and without a word she had reached for him, pulling him into her embrace. She was wearing a light blue, cotton sleep tank and matching shorts. She was make-up free and her hair was pulled back into a messy knot. He remembered thinking that he had never seen anything more invitingly beautiful. He buried his face in her bare shoulder and breathed her in. He would never forget the way she smelled. Soaking wet from walking in the rain, he must have been a sight standing there in the threshold of her apartment. She had taken his hand in hers and led him to her bathroom. Silently, she helped him out of his wet clothes. "I'll put these in the dryer," she said and turned to start the shower. He caught her arm as she turned and spun her back around to him. His wet clothes fell to the floor when he pulled her body flush with his. They stood frozen, eyes locked until his breathing slowed. Lori cupped his cheek and caressed his jawline. Spent from the hunt for Grace and running hot with emotion, he could no longer suppress the feelings that had been growing for her over the past year. He dipped his head and hovered millimeters from her lips. When she tipped her head back, it was her breaths that came short and quick. He pressed his lips to hers in a long hard kiss and released his grip on her wrists, snaking his arms around her waist and wrapping her securely in his hold. She flattened her hands on his chest surrendering to the onslaught of rough and hungry kisses. He pulled back suddenly, afraid he might be hurting her. In her eyes, however, he found his own need reflected in two pools of emerald green. He took her face in his hands and kissed her slowly, thoroughly, feeling her yield, hearing her sigh. He knew he should stop, but his fingers found the hem of her shirt and lifted it, skimming his hands over soft, bare skin. He scooped her up into his arms and carried her down the hall. He lowered her gently onto the bed and hovered over her, losing himself in those impossible eyes. The way she looked at him stirred feelings that he didn't even know existed. Sex had always been fun... sometimes it was rough and intense, other times it was slow and sweet, but never had it been so personal. He wanted more from Lori and it scared the hell out of him. He knew he hadn't treated her well in the days that followed. Their night together meant more to him than he cared to admit, even to himself, but Catherine had returned not three days later, aggressive and demanding. He had used Catherine to step away from Lori knowing that, whatever it was he felt for her, it was dangerous. They worked together, and he was in a position of authority. When she handed him her resignation letter, he was speechless. He had pushed her away. It was his fault she was leaving. He wanted to beg her not to go, to tell her they would find a way, but regrettably, he had remained silent holding her close in one last embrace allowing her to walk out of his life for what he believed to be forever. He had felt the loss acutely and it had hurt, more than he could have ever imagined. Although he still spent time with Catherine, he didn't love her and he knew he never would. She filled a physical need, always willing, but it was Lori that dominated his thoughts. He had contemplated calling her, going so far as to pull up her number just to see her picture on his phone, but he never hit the call button. What could he say? Sorry? That didn't even begin to cut it. Come back to Hawaii? Not when he was sure that he was the reason she had left. Weeks became months. Months became years, and he was certain a woman like Lori would have moved on. He resigned himself to the fact that his life was meant to be lived alone as it always had been. Lori was the only woman to ever challenge that resolve and here she was again, sitting across from him at LuLu's. This was his second chance, and he would be damned if he would blow it this time around.

They ordered their drinks and settled into their booth. "Thanks for coming with me."

"You're welcome," she smiled.

"So tell me. How long have you been back in Hawaii?"

She pursed her lips, hesitating. "Three years."

"Three years?" he scowled. "How... Why didn't you..."

"Why didn't I what? Call?..." She sighed deeply. "What would I have said?"

He shook his head and regret bathed his face. "I treated you badly... and I'm sorry for that. I've regretted it every day since you left."

She looked away from him, careful not to let him see how he still affected her. "It was a long time ago," she breathed.

"I thought you were going back East."

"I did. I went home for a bit, called in a few favors, got my old position back at the Bureau. Coming back to Hawaii was never my intent, but the opening was here so I really didn't have a choice."

"You like your job?"

"I do. I have a great team. We work really well together. I get to do a lot of profiling and some field work too." She began to relax and open up a bit when talking about her team. Her hands were animated and her face conveyed a real sense of pride and accomplishment. Steve was glad to see her so happy with her job.

Their food came and Steve took the opportunity to study Lori. She really hadn't changed much physically. Her face still lit up each time she smiled and those eyes, an emerald green that he had never seen before or since, were still devastating. She took a big bite of her oversized burger and caught him staring. She smiled shyly, cheeks immediately a soft pink. Lori asked about Shelbourne admitting that she still ran the name through various data bases almost weekly. Steve explained who Shelbourne was and why the code name existed. She was floored to say the least. A few hours later, Steve's phone rang interrupting a particularly funny story about Danny and a rather attractive transvestite. Lori peered at the clock and realized the afternoon was almost gone. "I'll meet you there," she heard him say and watched as his expression became deadly serious.

"That was Kono. We've got a body."

"You should go," she said, understanding that he must.

"I'll drop you off on the way," he said as he stood and extended a hand to pull her from the booth.

She accepted the hand, but not the invitation. "That's okay. It's just four blocks. I think I'll walk."

Steve took her other hand in his. "I... Can I call you later?"

"The number's the same. Do you still have it?"

Steve swiped at his phone and pushed a button. He turned it so that she could see the screen. It was a picture of her looking out into the ocean. Her arms were crossed over her chest and her hair was caught in the wind. She looked as if she were a thousand miles away. "I took it at one of the cookouts we had at my house. You and I danced that night, remember?." She did remember. Every time she replayed that night in her head, she felt that same pang of desire that she had felt then as they had swayed back and forth on the beach. "I'll call you," he said and kissed her cheek before she could pull away.