Here is the Final Chapter. Are you ready to find out who got shot?
Steve ran to them, gently rolling Lori's body off of Catherine and in one motion gently lifted Catherine in his arms and held her tightly.
Kono stood at the top of the staircase. Her eyes filled with tears. Chin ran up to her and embraced her.
"I didn't want to do it, but I had to. The gun was pointed at Catherine. I couldn't let her kill Catherine. She's my friend" Kono explained hysterically.
"It's ok Kono. You did the right thing. Lori was going to kill her. Catherine is family; we protect our family at all costs. Even if it means sacrificing one of our own" Chin was trying to sooth Kono as he held her.
Steve gently placed Catherine on the couch as he called 911 for paramedics. "You're going to be ok, it looks like the bullet went straight through. You're going to be ok" He repeated himself as he checked her wound.
With tears streaming down her face, and a tremble in her voice, Catherine asked "Steve, what is going on? Were you and …?" Steve interrupted "No, never. I would never do that to you. I don't know how she got the idea that I had feelings for her. I love you. You know that don't you?" He questioned whether he had made his feelings for her clear.
"I guess I do, it's just that, I don't know what is going on with you when I am not here. I feel like there is so much that you are not telling me. What did she mean North Korea, when were you in North Korea?" Catherine was in pain and was growing weaker as she spoke.
"You lost a lot of blood, try to relax. Once this is all cleared up, I promise, full disclosure. No more secrets. I can promise you that there is no other woman, never has been. It's always been just you. That I promise. I am so sorry that I put you in danger" He held her tightly, placing pressure on her wound with one hand and gently holding her with the other.
The paramedics entered. One proceeded to Catherine and the other to the body on the floor. The medic nodded as he checked Lori for a pulse "This one's dead, send in the coroner"
The medic gently shifted Steve to the side as they checked Catherine's wound. "You're very lucky, it looks pretty clean" They prepared her for transport and carefully placed her on a stretcher. Steve approached her. "I'll be there in a little while. Kono is going to go with you." He needed to get Kono away from the scene, she was very upset. "She'll be right by your side the whole time "He looked at Kono for confirmation "I have to wait for Max and the Governor to show up. As soon as they clear me, I will be right there. I promise." He leaned over and kisses her.
"I'll call Malia and have her meet you two there" Chin added.
"Uh, excuse me Super SEAL, hearts? Really? I didn't know SEALs wore hearts on their undies" Danny joked as he carefully picked up the boxers from the pile of laundry that was on the floor. Holding the corner of the waist band, he dangled them for everyone to see.
"I sort of pegged you as a briefs guy, myself" replied Kono
"Actually, he prefers going commando" Catherine interjected
"Ok, that's a little too much information for me" Chin replied with a disgusted look on his face.
They all laughed as Steve's face blushed in every shade of red. They were all stressed and the laughter simply hid the trauma of the day.
At that moment, Governor Denning and Max Bergman entered. Neither of them found the events of the day comical. With a stern look from each of them, the laughter stopped and the mood suddenly changed.
"McGarrett, what the hell is going on?" Governor Denning was extremely upset
"Sir, I can explain" Steve approached Governor Denning as he wiped the blood from his hands.
"McGarrett!" Noticing the blood, the Governor paused a moment taking note of his surroundings. He observed Lori's body on the floor, Catherine in a stretcher covered in blood, Kono holding Catherine's hand and her face covered in tears. Chin kneeling next to Lori's body. He realized that something beyond his understanding had occurred here today. It was obvious to him that the team was distraught. His mood of anger turned to concern.
Steve explained the events of the day and how the outcome was not the intention, but they had no other choice, given the circumstances.
"I am sorry you were put in this position in the first place. How did you not see this coming?" Denning paced back and forth.
"I don't know sir." Steve was overwhelmed with guilt. The Governor was right. How could he not see this coming? He had an idea that Lori liked him, but he thought he had made it clear that he wasn't interested. Afterall they were adults, professionals, not teenagers with crushes.
"Commander…. McGarrett, listen. You had no way of knowing that this would happen. If it were my wife, here today, I would have expected you to do the same thing. I put her in a position she was not ready for. She was in over her head. I suppose the pressure was too much and apparently she was unstable. The outcome could have been worse" his voice changed to a near whisper "it needed to be done" Denning shook Steve's hand and simply left the premises.
Steve walked over to Max and Chin. Max was preparing the body for transport as he paused to allow Steve one last look. Silently Max zipped the bag and gently placed the body on the stretcher. As he rolled the stretcher out of the house, Chin placed his hand on Steve's shoulder.
"It's over. I think there are two ladies at the hospital who need us right now. Let's go see Catherine and Kono" Chin guided Steve out and the two of them drove towards the hospital. As they silently drove, they knew that despite the tragic events of the day, their lives would eventually go back to normal. Lori might have been part of the team, but she was never family. Catherine was family and family always comes first.
The End
Thank you so much! Well? What do you think?
