Chapter 3
"Cat, please, please… call me." Steve said as he held his cell tight against his ear before ending the call and dropping the cell on the desk.
"Still no answer?" Danny asked as he walked into the office with Lori behind him.
"No…" Steve whispered.
"Alright, look… Joe called in, he's on the ground there."
"Did he go to her hotel?" Steve asked.
"It was the first place we sent him." Lori nodded. "The room hasn't been touched since she left on Sunday morning."
"What the hell was she doing at the base in the first place, Lori?" he snapped as he looked around to her. "This kind of thing is usually done remotely, no?"
"Usually, yes." Lori answered softly, avoiding eye contact with him.
"Then why was she onsite?" he growled.
Lori sighed and shrugged gently. "Our intel showed us that there was a security breach in their server… we believed information about the base was being traded to a group, or an individual, who was planning this attack but through an onsite computer. Catherine explained that, for security reasons, it would be better for her to be onsite because the extent of the breach wasn't known. I agreed. Neither of us wanted any more information compromised. If we had gone in remotely it could have tipped whoever off that we were looking around."
"Well that worked out perfectly didn't it." He snarled.
Lori closed her eyes. "Steve, you can't make me feel any worse than I already do."
"Really?" He nodded as he locked yes menacingly with her.
"I'm clearly not helping matters by being here… I'm going to head back to my hotel… I want me to call me on my cell if you need anything." She whispered as she battled to keep the emotions at bay.
Danny watched her hurry out of the office and over to the main doors. "What the hell was that about?" he turned and looked at Steve.
He raised his hands up to his head and turned. "She should have stayed there, not boarded the first plane out… what use is she here?"
"If she'd been able to get hold of you she wouldn't have come here. She did it out of respect for you." He snapped. "And she's been giving us all kinds of access to the investigation that we wouldn't normally have."
"How much of it has helped us get any closer to knowing where Catherine is?"
Danny frowned. "Lori said she thought you blamed her… I told her she was crazy. It's not her fault, Steve."
He paused as the anger inside of him seemed to dissipate. "I know…" he whispered.
"We're going to find her…" he nodded with certainty.
Steve's eyes glistened with tears.
Danny knew he should have been relieved and even rejoicing in finally seeing a whole new range of emotions come out in Steve, but if he was honest he found it somewhat disconcerting. He didn't have the first idea how to handle Steve like this, he would just have to go with his instincts. "Come on…" Danny whispered as he walked around and grabbed Steve's arm gently. "Come on… let's get out of here."
"Danny…" Steve said softly as he shook his head.
"It's late, there isn't anything you can do right now… besides you look like hell. Come on… I'll take you home… I'll stay with you. It'll be great… just like a sleep over. Let's go."
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The sun was only starting to rise over the water when Danny heard a car pull up outside the house. He opened his eyes as he sat in the armchair, relieved to see Steve still sleeping on the couch where he'd left him.
He stood up and headed for the door, quietly opening it and heading out onto the porch where he was met by Chin and Kono.
"Howzit?" Chin nodded as he stepped up onto the porch.
"Never let it be said that I don't go above and beyond to take care of a friend in need." Danny nodded as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"The boss here?" Kono asked.
"Ah, he is… but he's pretty out of it right now." Danny nodded.
Chin frowned and glanced at Kono before looking back at Danny. "Out of it?"
"After watching him spend most of the night walking around like a caged lion, I decided I needed sleep, he defiantly needed sleep… so I may have improvised."
"Improvised how?" Kono frowned. "You didn't drug him?"
"I may have slipped him something in a coffee, around stupid o'clock this morning, that would have calmed him down."
"Oh. My. God." Kono rolled her eyes.
"Yeah well, pistol whipping him into unconsciousness was a step too far I thought." Danny replied.
"And this is your idea of going above and beyond?" Kono shook her head.
"Because of my incredibly brave and incredibly resourceful actions he is still on that couch and didn't go all black ops during the night."
"He needs to be at Hickham Airforce Base in less than two hours." Chin nodded.
"You got him a flight?" Danny frowned.
"Lori did… and as luck would have it there is a break in the weather the other end." Chin continued.
"I guess I should go put some coffee on…" Kono pushed past. "That's if he'll ever drink it again."
"Hey yo, Kono…" Danny said nervously. "Not a word to Steve about the coffee thing… ok?"
She smirked. "It will cost you… big time."
"I'm sure it will." Danny nodded. "So, is there any chance you could get me on that flight too?" he asked Chin.
"I wouldn't have thought it would be a problem. Steve want you to go?"
"No. I'm pretty certain Steve would hate for me to go… I just got a feeling someone should go with him."
Chin frowned with suspicion. "What's going on?"
Danny thinned his lips as he looked around. "I'm just… I'm just a little worried…"
"About Steve?"
"He's acting out."
"You always think he acts out." Chin smirked.
"No, normal acting out is something I am strangely comfortable with… but this… this is something else." He sighed. "I can't explain it. I just think I should stick with him for now."
"I'll call Lori…" Chin nodded as he stepped back down off the porch.
As Danny walked back into the house he looked over to Steve who was now sitting up with his hand over his eyes wincing.
"What's the matter buddy? You got a headache?" Danny asked innocently.
"More than one… Danny, more than one." Steve replied.
"Here… have some coffee…" Kono said as she rested a cup down on the table in front of him. "You got a flight out in ninety minutes, direct to Toledo."
"What?" Steve frowned.
"Lori managed to clear a flight. There's currently a break in the weather, but it's a military flight so even if the storm does start up again they're more likely to land than a commercial airliner." Kono continued.
"Ok…" Steve answered urgently. "I'll get my things together."
"You can pick me up on the way through." Danny nodded.
"You're coming with?" Steve frowned as he turned before he headed up the stairs.
"Yeah, I mean you've always said you'd show me the world…"
Steve thinned his lips into a smile of appreciation. "Thanks Danny."
"Welcome." He nodded as he watched Steve run up the stairs.
Chin stepped back inside and nodded. "Lori's having you cleared as we speak."
"Thanks man." Danny nodded.
"One condition." Kono said as she stepped over to him and held out her hand. "Cough it up."
"Are you kidding me?"
"Danny… you can't go drugging people… here in Hawaii we consider it illegal."
"And yet in New Jersey we often call it self preservation… especially when traveling with an irate Navy Seal." He replied.
"Danny."
"I'd do it brother." Chin smirked.
Danny reached a small plastic bag from his pocket with a couple of pills inside. "You know I was saving the rest for me… I'm sure there will be a time when I'll feel the need to knock myself out."
"Let me know… I'll let Steve know your dirty secret and you can find out how effective the pistol whip is." Kono smirked.
"Oh that's… that's nice." He nodded. "You have no mercy."
Chin's cell phone sounded. "Joe…" he answered.
Kono and Danny looked over.
Chin looked up at the pair with wide eyes. "I got it. I'll let him know."
"What? Let him know what?" Danny asked.
"They pulled Catherine out of the rubble forty minutes ago. She's hurt but she's alive."
"STEVE!" Danny yelled.
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Steve pushed through the interior doors at the military medical facility with Danny following, he raced over to a nurses desk and rested his hands on top. "Sargent, I'm looking for Catherine Rollins. She was dug out of the Mason base rubble earlier today."
"And your name?"
"Commander Steve McGarrett." He replied softly.
The nurse straightened as she looked at him. "Certainly, I'll look her up for you, sir."
"Steve…" he heard a familiar voice call out from the other end of the corridor.
He looked over to see Joe standing there. "You know what, it's ok. I've got her." Steve sprinted towards him. "Where is she?"
"In here… just so you know, she looks worse than she is. Doctor says she's doing well, all things considered." Joe nodded. "She's been asking for you."
He pushed past his friend and in to the room, confronted with Catherine sitting up in the bed with her face badly cut. He swooped down, embracing her tightly as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "God, I'm so glad to see you." He sighed as his eyes welled with tears.
"I'm so sorry…" she whispered as she tightened her grip.
"You have nothing to be sorry about." He replied. "I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner…"
"Joe explained." She answered as the pair separated.
"How are you feeling?"
"Numb at the moment… it's probably a good thing, right?" She smiled as she held his hand tightly. "Lori…"
"She's ok…" he nodded as he looked softly into her eyes. "Cat, I was so scared I'd lost you."
She grinned. "Not that easy."
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"Other than the moderate hypothermia and some lacerations she's fine. The doctors believe her training has a lot to do with her survival in those kinds of temperatures." Danny nodded as he looked at Chin and Kono on his cell phone.
"That's great news Danny." Chin said as he and Kono stood in front of the screens in the Five-0 office.
"They hope to release her in the morning… if that's the case I'm pretty certain Steve will want to get her back home." He nodded. "I've been trying to reach Lori, to see if she can organize another transport out of here, but I can't reach her."
"That's because she's on a flight back to the mainland." Kono nodded.
"She left already?" Danny frowned.
"Without a word…" Chin said softly. "We only knew because we also tried to call her cell, when she didn't answer we contacted the hotel, they said she'd got a cab to the airport earlier today… she's on a flight back to DC."
"She was pretty upset about how things were left between her and Steve." Kono said softly.
"Yeah…" Danny sighed. "I know he wants to square things up with her."
"I still have the contact at the Airbase… I can see what I can do." Kono started. "The guy knows Steve and Catherine and was very willing to do anything he could do to help them out."
"Can you contact him? Please?"
"Sure thing." Kono nodded before leaving the room.
Chin waited a moment before looking back to Danny. "How's Steve holding up?"
"Back to normal… maybe not as homicidal as usual… but a marked improvement to yesterday."
Chin smiled. "You figure out what it was about him that was worrying you?"
Danny nodded. "Steve spends his life in control… even when its chaos, he causes his own chaos to gain back the upper hand… with this he just didn't have anything, and there was nothing he could do. It was the first time I've ever seen him grapple with that."
"Despite medicating your best friend by spiking his drink, you're a good man Danny." Chin smiled broadly.
"Yeah, well. You gotta do what you gotta do." Danny smirked. "I'll speak to you later."
"Later brah."
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Steve lay on the bed beside Catherine, eager not to disturb her but his arm felt numb positioned behind her head as she nestled her face into his chest.
"Hey…" Danny walked in quietly.
"Hey…" Steve whispered as he carefully maneuvered Catherine off his arm and slid it out from under her, he stood up and walked over to the doorway, glancing back at her before walking out into the corridor with Danny.
"Kono and Chin have secured a military flight back to Honolulu, leaving at 1300hrs."
He sighed with relief. "That's awesome." He nodded.
"You should also know that Lori left without telling anyone. Kono said she was pretty upset with how things ended with you."
Steve closed his eyes with disappointment. "I'll call her."
"So I take it you haven't asked Cath yet?" Danny enquired.
Steve grinned. "Asked her what?"
"You know what. Don't get all stupid with me." He snapped lightly.
"I didn't think you approved." Steve smirked.
"Well, I didn't… but then I saw what you were like when you thought you'd lost her… and if asking her to marry you is a way of making sure she stays then
I'm all for it."
Steve lowered his head.
"You guys, you have something going on between you that's a lot stronger than Rachel and I had. I get that now."
Steve smiled softly. "The ring is back in Honolulu."
"I assumed that was the case…" Danny nodded as he pulled a faux diamond ring out of his pocket. "Grace must have left it in my bag the last time she came to visit. Improvise, right? That's what you Navy Seals are trained to do."
He smiled softly as he took the ring from Danny's grip. "You really think this is the time and the place? Last week you insisted I did this properly."
"Again… the last couple of days has taught me that none of that matters." Danny shrugged. "Anyway, unless there is drama surrounding everything you do then it really doesn't feel right. Gotta have a story for the kids one day, right?"
"Right." Steve nodded.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Go ahead…" he pushed Steve on the arm, shoving him gently into the room. "What does Beyoncé say? If you like it then you should put a ring on it. Not exactly the line but you get my drift."
"Beyoncé? Really?" Steve frowned.
"Sure. Inside of me there is a whole 'child of destiny' waiting to bust out. If you're nice I might even sing a little number at your wedding, as my gift to you." He pushed him again. "Now go… go get her tiger."
Steve stumbled back through the door, pushing the ring in his pocket.
"Where did you go?" Catherine said sleepily.
He sat down and held her hand. "Play date with Danny."
"Danny's here?" she asked.
"Naturally." Steve nodded. "Listen…" he smiled and edged closer to her. "I wanted to do this when we were away, and then things happened… and I know this isn't ideal, but I just don't feel like I can wait anymore."
She frowned with a smirk. "What?"
He pulled the ring from out of his pocket and pinched it in his fingertips as he presented it. "Marry me?"
She started to laugh softly as tears welled in her eyes. "Seriously?"
"Never been more serious in my life." He shook his head. "I have a ring at home that screams how serious I really am, but for now you are going to have to make do with one of Gracie's dress rings."
She held her hand out as he slipped it on her finger before wrapping her arms around him.
"Is that a yes?" he asked cautiously.
"Yes, Steve. That's a definite 'yes'." She gushed.
Danny stood in the doorway and smiled as Joe stepped up.
"What's going on?" Joe frowned.
"Steve just officially signed his life away." Danny smirked.
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The cool air nipped at the skin on their exposed hands and faces as Catherine was helped up the steps to the Gulfstream aircraft by the crew, closely watched by Steve.
Joe snapped his cell phone closed and walked over to Steve. "That was Agent Simms from the investigation team. When Catherine was brought in she was concerned about her cell phone. Said she had some information on it that identified a person of interest. You can tell her the cell was recovered, it was damaged but the memory card inside was intact. They pulled the data and it looks like she's hit one for the team."
"That's great news." Danny nodded.
"Mahalo, Joe." Steve said as he extended his hand out. "For everything."
"You're welcome son. I'm glad I could help." Joe replied as he returned the gesture.
"When are you coming back to the Aloha State?" Danny asked.
"I might have some down time in a couple of weeks." Joe nodded.
"Well, beers are on Steve." Danny nodded.
"Sounds good." Joe smirked.
"Come on… get in the plane." Steve instructed. "I'll see you soon." He turned to Joe.
Joe smiled and nodded.
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"You want some water?" Steve asked Catherine.
"Yeah, that would be good." She nodded as she shifted to try to get comfortable in the seat.
"Nice ring." Danny nodded as he stepped over to Catherine.
"You like it?" she held her hand out.
"I do… I liked it more on Steve but that's a whole other story."
Catherine laughed softly as Danny sat down next to her.
Her smile faded. "Tell me he's not doing this out of pity."
"Who Steve?" Danny frowned. "Are you kidding me? No. He's doing it because he's crazy about you."
"Really?"
"Don't say that like you don't know." He mocked. "You know it." He said before he leant over to her. "Let me tell you something. In the almost five years I've been Steve's partner he's never stopped being fearless, never once showed weakness." He paused. "Until the minute he found out you were missing." He shrugged and shook his head. "You have a hold on him Catherine… and to be honest I could use you to my advantage so I'm all for this crazy idea that you two should stick around."
Catherine laughed softly.
"Here…" Steve said as he walked back down the aisle with a bottle of water. "We'll be landing in thirty minutes."
"Thanks…" she whispered as she grabbed the bottle. "I think I might go freshen up…"
"Sure." Steve nodded. "You alright."
"I'm fine." She smiled. "I love you." She kissed him softly on the lips.
"Agh…" Danny winced. "Get a room."
Steve sat down opposite him and grinned.
"There's that grin again." Danny shuddered.
"I have everything to smile about." He nodded. "Danny… I know this is hard for you… but it's not going to affect us… what we have, it's special." He continued sarcastically.
"Shut up."
"Just because I have Cat, you'll always be the other man in my life." He nodded.
"Ok, you know what? Stop."
"You love me… just admit it." Steve grinned.
"No… I love to hate you… big difference." He replied. "Massive difference."
Steve chuckled.
"You want a coffee?" Danny asked.
"No Danny, I do not want a coffee." He answered sternly.
"What's with the tone?"
"You know exactly what's with the tone." Steve nodded with a menacing smirk. "Sleep with one eye open, Danny. One eye open."
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Steve looked at his watch before turning back to look down the aisle. "What is she doing?"
"Look, when a woman says she is freshening up its code for hours of fanning her eyelashes and putting on lipstick."
"Fanning her eyelashes?" Steve replied with disgust that he would even use those words in the same sentence.
"The point I'm making, Steven, is that you just let them do what they have to do and never put an ETA on them." Danny said with authority.
"Yeah well, we're going to land in fifteen minutes." He stood up and walked toward the restroom. He knocked against the door. "Cat, come on… we're landing." He paused as there was no reply. "Cat…"
Danny looked up.
"Catherine… c'mon… open up." He knocked on the door again before trying to open it. "Hey…" he said to one of the crew calmly. "Do me a favor, open this door."
"Sir." The woman nodded as she lifted up a concealed latch and opened the door.
Steve's eyes widened when he saw Catherine slumped on the floor. "Cath!" he yelled as he scooped down and put his hand behind her back. "Catherine!"
"Steve?" Danny said cautiously as he stood up, he could hear the stress in his friend's voice.
Steve pressed his fingers against her neck. "No… no Cat… no…" he shook his head as he pulled her out and leant her against his chest. "Someone help."
"Sir, we got her…" another crew member hurried over and laid her flat against the ground.
"What happened?" Danny shouted as he raced up.
Steve pushed himself back, leaning up against the side of the plane and raising his hands to his head.
"She's not breathing…" the crew member announced to another.
"I couldn't find a pulse." Steve shook his head.
Danny's eyes shifted from Catherine's vacant face to Steve's expression filled with pure agony as the pair watched the crew frantically start working on her
lifeless body.