*5 days later*
Both Emily and Steve were both working and hadn't seen each other since JJ walked in on them. Emily was overseeing three different cases. Today was the day that Will and Henry were flying in. Emily was more excited than JJ. "Emily you practically have a sugar high." "Are you kidding me? I haven't seen either one of them in person since the wedding, how do you expect me to act?" "Sober." JJ was rewarded with the signature Emily Prentiss glare. At that moment, the LaMontagne duo came into the terminal and Henry took off like a rocket in the direction of his Aunt Emmy. "Oh my gosh, Henry you've gotten so big. How old are you now 20?" Henry laughed hysterically and said "No silly I'm only 6" Emily looked in the direction of Will and couldn't stifle her laughter at his disheveled state. "Hey Will is this a fashion statement", she said nodding towards the cheerios and applesauce stuck to his shirt.
At the palace, Five-0 were wrapping up their latest case pleased with the fact that they finished by noon. "Hey guys anybody up for surfing?", Kono asked while packing up her things for the day. Danny pondered for a second before Kono cut him off saying "Is it okay if Grace came? She texted me but I wanted to check with you first" Danny cocked his head back before saying "Oh my daughter texted you instead of her father that's nice. Does she really not want to spend time with me that badly?" Chin shook his head "Brah chill, she just wants to be around another woman. What's wrong with that?" "Danny it would be me, her, Samantha, and Renee. It's a girl thing now so never mind guys", Kono said after finally looking up from her phone. Danny waited until Kono left peeking around the corner before he said "Absolutely not! I will find out where they are going and watch out for them from a safe distance?" "You mean spy?" Steve's response made Danny jump out of his skin. "Now you want to be a ninja? I'd like to live a little while longer. Anyways, Grover your wife and daughter will be there too so are you in?" Grover thought for a moment before mumbling "My wife and daughter in bathing suits in broad daylight. You damn right I'm coming. Let's go." Chin and Steve laughed before just going along with the duo of spies. Emily, JJ, Will, and Henry were having shave ice thanks to Kamekona. Will looked across the table at Emily and Henry interacting. Sometimes he thought they had their own language especially when they Skyped. "So Emily you now live in paradise, anything interesting that makes paradise that much better?", Will said with a sly smirk and Emily knew that JJ told Will. Will ignored her nonresponse and continued by saying, "You know if this guy hurts you, I'll kill him and dump his body in the swamps. Emily you're family and like a sister to me and JJ so this is a warning." Emily smiled and replied, "I'm afraid. I'm scared that I'll fall in love and get hurt. At the same time, I'm afraid that he might actually be the one. Something this right is meant to be my happy ending right?" The uncertainty in Emily's voice broke JJ's heart. Emily deserved to have a real family more than anybody she knew. Henry cut the heavy air by suddenly asking, "Are we actually gonna surf?". The whole table laughed and Emily said, "Yeah let me call the girls."
"Girls, this is JJ's husband and son Will and Henry. Guys this is Kono, Renee, Grace, Samantha, and Renee but we call her Tran." Emily made the introductions before grabbing the small surfboard she bought for Henry. "Emily I didn't know you surfed?" JJ inquired out loud. Emily waxed her board along with LaMontagne family's before responding, "Yeah I had a thing for surfers once upon a time and that's when I learned how to surf." "Wait a minute you've had a thing for rockers, Brits, soccer players, golfers, bad boys, tattoo artists, gym rats, car dudes, musicians, models, AND surfers. How many sides are there to you woman?" The rest of the group laughed good-naturedly and Kono said, "So I guess that means that a man in uniform is next right?" While Emily's face reddened, Renee Grover was completely oblivious and said "Men in uniform are the best. They're the long-term package you know." "Ew mom gross, come on", Samantha said while Grace silently agreed. Will interrupted saying "Can we please get in the water before we all embarrass Emily to death?"
"Will you two stop arguing?" Chin said from riding shotgun while Danny and Grover went back and forth in the backseat. "Leave it alone Chin. If we didn't get food, they'd bitch about it later on so it's a problem either way" Chin's phone rings "Hey Jerry, it's parked where? Okay thanks yeah I'll tell them. There's really not a reason for you and Max to tag along. Yeah but—okay fine see you guys then." Danny and Grover stopped arguing long enough to ask in unison "where are they?" Chin looked out the window before saying "Kono's car is parked on your street."
After 5 hours on the water, the amateur surfers all made their way back to the shore on the edge of Emily's property. "Who are all those people?" Jerry said startling the somewhat huddled group of guys with their eyes trained on the water. "How did we not hear you?" Danny asked. "I've learned some ninja moves from my bro Steve?" "Bro?", which was all Steve paid attention to. Steve kept his attention on all the figures coming out of the water. He saw JJ, in a black bikini, with who he assumed was her husband in matching black swim trunks. Then he saw Samantha with a purple one-piece with Kono who was in a zebra striped bikini. Next he saw Renee Grover and Renee Trancosa both rising out of the water in gold one-pieces and he internally admitted that they were both beautiful women, just not his woman. He felt his breath hitch when the last three figures came out of the water. He saw Emily and felt as if it were the first time all over again. Emily had a killer body, that much he knew, that was donned in a floral bikini. In terms of bathing suits, it was pretty modest but being as curvy as she was, Emily made it look as if it was barely there. She was holding Grace's hand, who was in a pink and white stripe bikini, and holding a little blonde boy on her hip. Steve could imagine Emily pregnant with his child and diverted his attention before it got too dangerous.
"Hold up. Emily Prentiss as in the Emily Prentiss that runs Interpol is your neighbor? Don't try to deny it. Tran said that she lives in Pearl City. Obviously the Grover's don't live there nor do I and Grace. I've never seen the little blonde family and Emily just moved here. Why didn't you tell me? I mean she, she—oh—she's the leggy brunette that you fell for. I gotta admit buddy, she's smoking hot and obviously already BFFs with Kono, very sneaky by the way, and you're not listening to anything I'm saying are you? Steve? Steve? Steve?" Danny waved his hands in Steve's face only to realize he was caught in a daze. "Hey there waterboy? You guys plan on being creeps all night or are you gonna come over? We're gonna have a grill night. You might as well come over." Emily said smiling at Steve the entire time. Emily kneeled down next to Steve to whisper, "You don't have to watch from afar you know?" "Do you guys know my Aunt Emmy?" Steve finally shook out of his daze to smile down at the little blonde boy, "Yeah we do I'm Steve what's your name?" Henry looked to his aunt from his spot on her hip for permission before extending his hand saying "I'm Henry LaMontagne." "Well everything's almost ready. Guys all of you are welcome. I have plenty of food and alcohol for everyone. Just come through the patio door." Steve watched Emily long after she walked off before Danny butted in saying "You love her." Steve spun around shocked only to be greeted with the same looks from everybody. "Look I think I speak for the group in saying that she's gorgeous but please don't jump too fast or use her as a rebound from Catherine. She does carry a gun man." The boys went next door to Emily's grill night.
Inside, Emily had her little helper Henry in the kitchen with her preparing food. Everyone else was by the pool table mingling while Samantha and Grace got into a pretty intense game of pool. "She's really great with kids. Does she have any?" Kono asked. "No she doesn't but honestly Em is just great with people. You guys take care of her when we leave. That's all I ask." JJ responded. "I mean I personally haven't seen Grace take a liking to someone that fast and correct me if I'm wrong Renee, neither has Samantha." Kono elaborated while Renee nodded in agreement.
"Danno!" "Hey monkey, you winning?" "No, Sammi is really good but it's okay I don't have to win all the time right Emily?" Emily looked up from the kitchen at the sound of her name before nodding and smiling. Steve branched off from the group to saddle up next to Emily. "Where's the food?" Emily rolled her eyes "Men. The meat is in the refrigerator ready for the grill as soon as it heats up. Everything else is in the oven or on the counter. Drinks are in the fridge and in the pantry. Any other questions vulture?" she said teasing him. Henry finally looked up from what Steve could only guess was counting skewers and asked very boldly, "Do you love Aunt Emmy?" Emily looked like a deer in headlights while Steve smoothly asked "What would make you think that Henry?" Henry gave him his best 'are you serious look' before saying, "Wellllll you look at Emmy like Daddy looks at Mommy and he says it's because he loves her. So do you love Aunt Emmy?" Steve looked down sheepishly and said quietly, "I think I'm getting there but I don't know if she's there yet"; Steve and Emily locked eyes and that contact let them both know that they realllly needed to talk about some things. "Hey the grill's ready. Guys? Emily?" Emily physically jumped slightly and responded to Tran, "uh yeah the meat's in the fridge." Emily broke away from Steve abruptly and Steve knew that he screwed up and made her uncomfortable. "Guys you mind helping me get the food outside?" Emily announced and the whole house grabbed a dish and proceeded outside.
"COOLLLL! AUNT EMMY THIS IS SO AWESOME!", Henry boasted excitedly. The adults were all in awe as well at how truly spectacular Emily's house was. There was a salt water ground pool with tables in it right off the patio. From that pool there were three walkways that branched off. One went in the direction of the rest of the property leading to the shoreline, one went to a lounge area, and the last was in the direction of the grill. The entire area had a barrier that was a colorful fireplace inside of glass. She even had a fire pit. Although no one would say it out loud they all thought her place was paradise. "I could so live here" "Ditto" came responses out of Grace and Samantha. "I'm offended monkey." "Sorry Danno." "Miss Emily?" Grace started "You can call me Em, Emily, or as Henry says Emmy" Grace looked down shyly and said "Emmy could me and Sami have sleepovers here? You know like an all-girls thing?" Emily smiled at Grace's shyness, "That's completely fine with me but I don't make the final decisions, your parents do." "Danno?" "Daddy?" Both girls pulled out their best puppy dog eyes before both their dad nodded their heads yes. "So who's gonna grill?" JJ asked suddenly making everybody laugh.
Steve could feel the tension between him and Emily although neither displayed it. He made a bonehead move of professing his love and scaring the hell out of her. He knew that they needed some distance, so he volunteered himself. "You know what there's a lot to cook and that's a big grill so we'll all go.", Chin announced as he volunteered all the men. Meanwhile, Emily and Henry were finishing the kabobs while JJ and Kono tried to pry info out of her. The Renees were setting the tables up for serving. The girls found themselves in another heated game which was Mancala this time. Everyone busied themselves with a task and were actually working as one big family.
"Look I don't really know you but I know that there is something between you and Emily. Her and JJ are as close as two women could be. They're like sisters which makes Emily like a sister to me. She is the aunt of my son and the most amazing one at that. She's a damn good person with a big heart. She's stubborn and she'll hand you your ass. She not flashy or into too much romance—"
"Why are you telling me this?" Steve bit out harsher than he meant. "I'm telling you this because I've known Emily long enough to know that she's scared as hell. She didn't have the best childhood or love life. She's falling in love with you and it scares the hell out of her. Put it this way, you hurt and I'll kill you. I'm from New Orleans and I'll dump your body in the swamp. Let me ask you a question. Are you good at long distance running?" Steve looked baffled. 'I don't follow" "If you allow her to, she'll run and she won't stop running. So either you prepare to chase her for a long time or you don't let her run to begin with. I'll help you out. Come here Henry." The guys looked as the blonde boy jumped out of his aunt's lap and disappeared with his father. Kono walked over with the finished kabobs and said, "Boss take the leap. You won't know unless you try. If it's any consolation she's more afraid of hurting you than the other way around. Besides you two are kinda cute together." She finished with a smile and walked off.
Will and Henry returned and gave Steve a folded up piece of paper. "What's this?" "How do you think I'm able to shop for Emily's old team on holidays? They always say stuff in front of Henry which is sometimes helpful. Just don't break her heart and keep her happy." Steve felt a small hand on the small of his back and turned around to face Emily. "Hey you mind helping me with drinks and music. The girls want 'inspiration' for their game" she finished chuckling. The couple walked off hand in hand and disappeared into the house. "Steve I –" he cut her off with a sweet, chaste kiss. They shared a passionate kiss before breaking apart with their foreheads together. "Emily I love you. I can't say that I wish I didn't because I don't. I was really hurt by Catherine leaving but it was my fault. We strung each other along for years. You are not my rebound. You're my breath of fresh air. You told me about some of the worst things that happened to you. You gave me your trust and I'll never betray it. I see you with the girls and Henry and I want to see your belly swollen with my child. I want to see you in our beach wedding. I want to come home to you and only you. I want you Emily and I'm prepared to chase you until you believe me." Emily felt tears fall and Steve reached up to wipe them away with the pads of his thumbs. Emily gave him a warm smile before saying, "Don't let me run because I will." Steve grabbed both sides of Emily's face while looking deep in her eyes saying "I'll never hurt you" before give her a gentle kiss that turned breathless before she leaned into his embrace. The kitchen erupted into clapping and cheering which made Emily blush deeply and bury her head into his chest. "Is it dinner time?" Henry asked loudly from his place on Grace's back.
*8 months later*
"Why don't the two of you just move in together? It's been nearly a whole pregnancy. Just pick a house and be there?" "Danny we moved in together 2 months ago. We stay at Emily's place and mine is for Mary when her and Joan come to visit." Danny looked over at his best friend, "You want to marry her don't you?" "We are not there yet. Right now I'm thinking about Emily's 35th birthday okay?"
Steve got out the Camaro and snuck up behind his girlfriend of nearly a year making her jump slightly. "Hey beautiful. Miss me already?" "I think it's you that misses me besides we have another case together." "You might as well join Five-0." Emily's smile widen "Sweetie I screw you very regularly, there is no way in hell you're gonna be my boss. You in charge doesn't extend to our work relationship. Besides you'd let me have my way as usual so…." "So can the two of you stop being all emo and cutesy please. It's making me nauseous" Danny said dramatically.
"Just apologize Danny. Trust me you were wrong and your reaction was horrible." Emily scolded Danny. "Emily what was I supposed to say? Tran came home and said Danny did you look in the fridge. So I go in the fridge and it's full of baby bottles and she says 'we're preggo'. What should I have said, she caught me off guard?" Emily rolled her eyes walking up to Kono saying "I don't know Danny, yay for starters. You know it takes two to tango right? You have a baby on the way, focus on that?"
*5 months later*
"Before you ask Maui was amazing. She'd never been to a carnival and we had a blast. I asked her to marry me when we were on jet skis and she said yes. She said yes." Danny was grinning like a fool. "I'm happy for you man. You went to Maui for Emily's birthday and your first anniversary and you came back engaged and happy. Good for you buddy. On to more important things we have a slight issue with one of your buddies. This buddy is in the center of this case we have."
Kono was swooning over Emily's gorgeous amber engagement ring while Tran was bouncing on a pregnancy ball in Danny's office. Both teams were in gathered going over leads when the doors of Five-0 opened. Emily turned around and her face paled. "What are you doing here?"
"Hey songbird how—". "That girl died a long time ago," Emily said before storming off nearly in tears with Tran going after her.
"How do you know Emily, answer me Joe?" Steve bit out darkly. Joe gave a half smirk and said smoothly, "She's my daughter. By the looks of your aggressiveness and the ring on her finger, I'm assuming that you're engaged to my daughter."
