Despite the difficulties that Olivia was having in her attempts to readjust to a somewhat civilian life, she was having some good moments that made her feel normal for the briefest of her times. A big part of that came from the kidnapping case that the team had worked on earlier in the week, the case had been resolved with a good outcome and it had given Olivia a sense of accomplishment. She had helped reunite a young boy back with his parents and it felt good. It made Olivia feel glad that she was back home in Hawaii instead of being back in the sandbox. However the feeling didn't last forever but Olivia would keep it as a reminder as to remind herself why it was a good thing that she wasn't overseas on another long deployment. Olivia found herself going back to Dr. Copeland and talking, she hadn't gone too far into the deep stuff but already she suspected that the good doctor that was toying around with PTSD which irritated Olivia as she was fine. But no matter how many times she told people that she was fine, no one seemed to believe her instead they thought she was the opposite of fine like thy expected her to come back all messed up and crazy from the war.

Taking a deep breath Olivia shook her head as if to shake all those thoughts out of her head as just thinking about all of that made her feel depressed and instead she chose to focus on what was going on right in front of her. Doing that tended to force Olivia to deal with the fact that she was at home and she had to try and live her life. Glancing at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, Olivia left the bathroom and headed back into the back yard of the McGarrett house where Steve was waiting for her. Earlier in the day Steve had called and asked if Olivia was interested in doing something fun with him and Olivia found herself agreeing. She ended up going hiking, climbing and running in the mountains with Steve and it had been rather rub. This weekend Olivia had been expecting to take it easy, go shopping and hang out with Nora but then Steve called and here she was now.

"You know I would apologize for looking like a mess but since it's your fault that I look that way I figured there was no need to apologize for my appearance McGarrett. I am just going to openly acknowledge the fact that I look like crap" Olivia idly said as she sat back down on the ground next to Steve, during the course of the day she had worked up quite a sweat and even after taking a shower she didn't fare much better. Olivia couldn't be asked to get herself all dressed up after such a long day so there was no make up and her wet hair was hanging loosely over her right shoulder. Whilst she looked a right mess, Steve still looked like his usual greek god self.

"You don't look like crap, you look like Liv." Steve stated as he handed Olivia a bottle of beer, which she gratefully took. It had been a long day and there was nothing better than a cold beer after a long day especially after working up quite a sweat.

"Let me guess? I still look like the twelve year old Liv with pigtails, dungarees, a goofy grin with matching braces to go with the smile, who you used to call braceface because you thought that you were so funny." Olivia questioned as she glanced at Steve before taking a sip of beer. Just thinking about herself when she was younger made her laugh as she had been such a weird kid, a tomboy pretty much as she practically grew up surrounded by men and basically wanted to be like one of the boys even though it was glaringly obvious that she was a girl. "Or are you saying that I always look like a complete mess."

"Urgh… Um."

"Your walking a fine line McGarrett, so I would think really carefully about the words that are about to come out of your mouth." Olivia quipped as she watched in amusement as Steve tried to figure out how not to offended her. This was going to be hilarious as whilst Steve was like the ultimate navy man, there were something's he couldn't figure out. Like how not to offend one of his oldest friends, in five syllables or less.

"The day of my dad's funeral I recognized you straight away and it wasn't because of your uniform. Your not twelve anymore Liv but yet you still have that same goofy smile you did as a kid. That smile has remained the same over the years, whether you were braceface or sitting right here next to me thinking that you look like a complete mess when your not. Your smile is one of the most beautiful things about you Olivia Phillips. I think your very beautiful person Liv." Steve said and Olivia could feel her cheeks go red, she hadn't been expecting Steve to come out with something like that. She wouldn't say this out loud but it had been a very nice compliment to receive from Steve of all people. It made Olivia feel all nice and warm inside, knowing that Steve thought she was beautiful even after he had seen her running up a sweat for most of the day.

"You think I'm beautiful, huh? God you are turning soft on me McGarrett, it's going to make kicking your ass so much easier." Olivia quipped in an amusement.

"Coming from the girl who used to have a crush on me." Steve retorted.

"I was twelve!"

"Keep telling yourself braceface." Steve tossed out and Olivia quietly laughed.

"You know tomorrow I am going to be in a room full of women, surrounded by baby items and having to play silly games whilst trying to avoid numerous questions about why am I not married and expecting a little bundle of joy of my own." Olivia wearily began before catching the confused look on Steve's face. "It's my sister in law Ava's baby shower tomorrow and naturally my attendance is required."

"Everett's wife, right?"

"Correct and tomorrow is my idea of hell, don't get me wrong I love my sister in law and I am looking forward to becoming an aunt but these baby showers are intense. The never ending questions are irritating, people want know when I'm going to settle down and why I am not pregnant then because I can't help myself I come out with a response like, I can't have a baby because I'm just a bit too busy fighting over in Iraq. That's always good for making a party awkward…" Olivia said with a small chuckle.

"You ever think about it Liv? You know settling down and having a family?" Steve questioned and Olivia couldn't help but frown. Her a parent? That was a possibility that she had never really given much thought to as Olivia wasn't one of those people who felt a strong desire to have children. There were no parents on her case for grandchildren, Olivia had thought about the future a long time ago but then life got in the way as did her job and she had better things to be doing over on her deployments than dreaming of scenarios and families that may not even come to exist.

"Do you not remember me telling you about the fiancé who left me because I love my job too much. I find it easier to be by myself as I don't feel like I have to chose between my job and a boyfriend because he doesn't understand what my life is about. I'm too complicated and men don't like that, no to mention I think too much like a man besides I'd be the worst wife ever and I don't need the ex fiancé to tell you that god's honest truth. But you'd make a good wife McGarrett, I can just imagine it, MRE packs for breakfast, grenades instead of tangerines in the kids Christmas stockings and the annual vacation would just be hell week or some navy training of some sort." Olivia quipped with a small chuckle as she took a swing of her beer.

"Just throw in a green camouflaged apron and you would too Liv."

"Is that an offer Steven?" Olivia questioned with an amused glint on her face

"Olivia Phillips are you flirting with me?" Steve questioned in an equally amused manner and Olivia just looked at him before lazily laughing to herself before taking a swing of her beer. That was a very interesting questioned Olivia realised that she could quite possibly be flirting with him and who could blame her? Given the way that Steve McGarrett looked. Olivia looked at Steve for a moment, looked him dead in the eye and leaned ever so forward with a wicked smile on her face.

"Steve McGarrett if I was flirting with you then you would know it." Olivia said after a moment before rising to her feet and walking away from Steve and further down the back yard so she could get a better view of the beach. The sun was on it's way to setting and this was pretty much the perfect place to watch it from. It didn't take long for Steve to come and join her, Olivia could practically feel the hairs on her neck stand up when Steve came to a stop behind her. Olivia could all but feel his breath on the back of his neck but Steve didn't say anything, he didn't do anything and eventually Olivia's curiosity got the better of her.

"Are you so sure of that soldier?" Steve asked, his voice very low and husky and his eyes was dark with something that Olivia hadn't see in a while. Something that she herself hadn't felt in a long time and wasn't sure whether she even remembered what it even felt like because it had been so long.

"Oh I'm sure, but then again it's not me who needs convincing is it sailor?"

"Would it be such a bad thing if you were?" Steve asked and Olivia wasn't sure what to think as she looked at Steve and all she could really think was how good looking he was. Steve was without a doubt the most handsome man she had seen in a very long time Olivia liked spending time with him regardless of whether it was because of work, helping him on his dad's case or just hanging out together like they had done today. He was a good man, who knew her or at least he thought he knew her. Steve understood her life as best as anyone could do, he knew what it was like to do the things that she done, he had fought in the wars that she had done. He was her friend, one of the few people had ever really had faith in her and she was going to disappoint him. Just like she did every other man that had been in her life. It was the only thing Olivia knew what to do except for drinking tequila and going to war.

"Maybe, possibly… I don't know." Olivia allowed herself to admit before sighing as Steve's hand brushed against her won. "It's complicated."

"It doesn't have to be complicated." Steve quietly said and Olivia wanted to believe him, she really wanted to believe him but she knew the truth. She had the scars to prove it and she couldn't let Steve see it, she couldn't let him see the damage as she cared about him too much to let him see the damage that she carried with and on her.

"But it is." Olivia said but what she really meant was I'm complicated. I'm messy.