A/N: Thank you to tkidd for all the information. I've never been to PA so I much appreciate all the help! Sorry for the long delay, but this chapter was really difficult to write! Family dynamics is kind of boring to tell you the truth. I spiced it up as much as I could. Oh and there's some Steve/Lori spice as well. Hope you enjoy!

H5O

He stared at the pictures that covered the walls in the tiny, square room. There were so many girls. What a terrible mission he and his team had been given. He had to remind himself that his work, although done in confidence for a boss who only left him secret assignments, was noble... done for the greater good. Each girl had been responsible for great anguish, their individual crimes unforgivable. He trusted that was true, but he sometimes wished that he knew what exactly each girl had been guilty of. The agents had warned him that the files kept on the girls were classified. He was told, should he accept this mission, his orders were never to be questioned. He looked at the girls from Pennsylvania. He had been tasked with following them, photographing them, and gathering intel on their habits and routines. He then turned the information over to Agent Adam Milliken via a PO Box on the university campus, the same box where he received his assignments. Six months later, they moved their entire operation to Kentucky. He had again been tasked with gathering intel. He looked over that group of pictures next. He had struggled a little with Holly wondering how someone so lovely could be so bad. Agent Milliken had explained that that was her game. She used her beauty and her charm to deceive and destroy. The girls in San Antonio had been harder to track. The city was huge, everyone moving in different directions. It made his job difficult but not impossible. Here in Hawaii, people moved at a slower pace. He was enjoying himself here on the islands. His photographs were stunning if he did say so himself. Hawaii provided breath taking backdrops. Even though his job was not about the beauty in the photos, surely it didn't hurt to enjoy your work a little. "This fourth girl," he thought as he ran a hand over a close up of her tying her shoe outside of her apartment. She made him question his assignment for the first time since joining the team. She was different... smart, accomplished, self disciplined. He loved photographing her whether she was eating lunch in the park, heading for a run, or walking to work. He wondered what she could have done to land her in Agent Milliken's cross hairs. He hadn't seen her in a few days and he was starting to get a little antsy. He wondered if she was sick, or maybe she was just working too much. She worked a lot of hours. It made her easy to track, but photographing her at night was difficult. He would look for her again in the morning. Until then, the illusive Agent Milliken would just have to be patient.

H5O

Chpt. 10: Lock Haven

Lori watched as familiar childhood landscapes zoomed by her window. "I should probably tell you about my family," she said suddenly, the pitch in her voice a little higher than usual.

"Alright," Steve said curiously.

"They're a bit of a motley crew."

"They're an '80s band?" he joked trying to lighten the mood.

Lori chuckled, not used to hearing Steve make such impromptu quips. "You know my dad is a history professor. He teaches American Studies; obviously that's pretty big in this part of the country. Well, he's also a farmer... He grew up farming... crops and a small dairy herd. Outside of farming and teaching, though, he' a bit of a goof. Brilliant, but still a goof. He's full of military history so when he finds out your a SEAL, you're toast. If it gets out of hand at dinner, my mom will take care of it. She's really good at reeling him in. He even named my brothers after Revolutionary War heroes. My oldest bother, Harmon George, was named for one my great, great, however many greats grandfather who served with George Washington and obviously George... My middle brother, Thomas John, was named after Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. We call him TJ. The youngest brother is Benjamin Patrick after Ben Franklin and Patrick Henry. So, you can see that my dad is a little quirky to say the least, but he's an amazing man."

"Who are you named after, Lorali Elizabeth Weston?" he teased.

"My grandmothers, thank goodness. My mom swears that if my dad had had his way, you be setting here talking to Eunice Lee Weston."

"Ohhhh," Steve winced.

"Yeah... My mom put her foot down on that one."

"Good thing." Steve looked out the window at the fall foliage. "You know, I've been a lot of places, but, until now, I've never seen any place as beautiful as the Big Island. Completely different, but just as breathtaking."

"Ummm, the fall is my favorite time of year here. There's a pretty deep patch of woods next to my parents' farm. This time of year, it looks like its on fire with all the reds and oranges, and yellows. As you move deeper in, the elevation increases, significantly; that's why it was never cleared. Makes for great hiking, though. When I was a kid, I used to pretend that those trees were lava because of all the colors and that it was rolling down from a huge volcano. I would pretend that my tree house, which is amazing by the way, was my ship. It was lava proof, of course, and it carried me to all sorts of exotic places. I spent a lifetime in that tree house. I spent most of my teenage years exploring those woods."

Steve watched her slip back in time in her mind. She looked happy, her hands animated with excitement. "I wish we had more time," she said more to herself than to him.

Steve checked his watch. It was 4:30 in Lock Haven. They would have just enough time for dinner and a short visit. "Why don't we come back tomorrow and spend the day. We'll catch a flight out on Sunday."

Lori looked at him as if he had suddenly grown a second head. "We couldn't do that... Could we?"

"I don't see why not. It's the weekend. We won't meet up with your team or mine until Monday, right?"

A smile began to spread across her face. She chewed on her lower lip, obviously tempted. "I haven't actually booked a return flight, yet," she said eyes wide with mischief.

"So Sunday it is."

"Remind me to kiss you later," she cooed.

"Oh, I will," he promised. The look on his face sent a shudder down her spine. She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks and had to look away. She suddenly realized how close they were to her parent's road.

"You're gonna' turn right, just over this hill." Steve slowed the car to a respectable speed.

"Right here," Lori pointed.

Steve guided the car onto a narrow road, just wide enough for a car and a half. A three foot stone fence that appeared to be as old as time itself lined the landscape on each side. Well established ivy climbed the worn, slick stones tumbling over the ledge in a tangled heap only to reappear as thick and green as before. Delicate, lacy white wildflowers sprang up in bunches. They danced and swayed along side purple blooms and yellow blossoms in stark contrast to the grays and taupes of the ancient stones. They drove at a snails pace for the next mile so awe struck was Steve with the unexpected beauty that surrounded them. A break in the stone fence revealed a long, paved driveway that disappeared around a curve and into a thick line of trees. Two lean and muscular quarter horses romped in a pasture just off the road. Two more grazed lazily, content to watch the others play. "My oldest brother's house is down there. He runs the dairy operation. My dad likes the crops, always hated the dairy work, but Harm loves it. When he was in high school, my grandfather started grooming him to take it over. He's doubled the size of the herd to 300 or so and made all kinds of efficiency upgrades. He's responsible for 650 acres. My dad works the rest. Over there," she said pointing toward a modern, two story, plantation style home on Steve's side of the road, "is my middle bother's house. He's a physician in town, no interest in farming but he likes to fish and hike so he bought two acres from Dad and built that house with his wife about five years or so ago."

"How many acres does your dad farm?"

"He rotates crops, so it depends on the seasonal plan, but usually he has about 800 acres active."

"You have a third brother, right?"

"Yes, he's a full time writer, part time farmer or maybe vice versa; who knows. Either way, he still lives at home."

The road dead ended onto a cobblestone drive flanked by the same continuous stone fence. Steve stopped unsure if he should drive over the stone path or not. "This drive leads to my parent's house."

"Do we keep driving?"

"Uhuh," Lori nodded.

Steve took a moment to study his surroundings and to orient himself. "So all of this belongs to your family... What, like 1500 acres, or so?"

"Yeah, it's basically a big rectangle. You drive right up the middle of it from the highway. Its 1.2 miles from the turnoff to the beginning of my parent's drive." She shifted in her seat and pointed past Steve. "Our land butts up to a neighboring dairy farm on that side. The two farms run parallel to each other, both terminating at the Susquehanna River. Over hear," she said turning and pointing out of her window, "the farm butts up to a mile and a half of dense forest owned by the state. It's a natural easement, but fifteen years or so ago, a company that builds cell phone towers tried to by the land from the state. My dad found out about it and called a friend of his from the Audubon Society. They had it declared an indelible ecosystem which basically means it can't be disturbed or destroyed for any reason. The farm runs a little deeper on this side, but the river pretty much cuts straight across the back of the property."

"How old is this farm?"

"Well, Lock Haven was settled in the late 1700s. It was originally one of the frontier forts along the Susquehanna. My great, great, however many greats grandfather Harmon Bartholomew Weston, the one my brother is named after, was a general in the Continental Army. Grandpa Harmon and George Washington met at Valley Forge in, what, 1777 I think. He helped Washington chase the British out of Philadelphia and supposedly fought beside him, as in physically next to him, at Monmouth. At the close of the Revolutionary War, Washington arranged for all of his generals to purchase federal land for pennies on the dollar. This is the land my great Grandpa Harmon bought. It was basically one big dense forest, so he built a small house up from the river and started a timber business. Lumber was Lock Haven's bread and butter for generations. Grandpa Harmon started clearing the land from the center of the property out and used the river to transport his timber. He was pretty successful by all accounts. Once he had the homestead area cleared, he used limestone and river rock to build the house that my parents live in now."

"Wow," was all Steve could muster.

"Yeah, apparently I'm full of useless knowledge." She felt her cheeks flush, a little embarrassed by her monologue. She hadn't been this open with anyone in a very long time. Steve smiled at her approvingly, enjoying the history lesson immensely.

"I'm gonna' call my mom and let her know we're here," she said, quickly changing the subject.

Steve started slowly up the cobblestone drive and pulled the car to a stop in front of a two story Georgian style house quite obviously constructed around the time of America's birth. The stone exterior was safe and inviting. The symmetry, as was typical in Colonial America, gave the appearance of order and strength. The shudders were black, trimming five uniformed windows on the second floor and four on the first. The trellis porch was just wider than the front door, the roof of which was supported by two oversized white columns. Ivy climbed the columns and wove in and out of the slats over the porch. A tall, slender woman stepped through the front door. Lori shot out of the car and flew up the stairs into her open arms. Steve watched over the top of the car, as Lori hugged first her mom and then her dad. She turned toward him and motioned for him to join them. "Mom, Dad this is Commander Steve McGarrett. Steve meet Wilson and Rebecca Weston."

"Hello, Steve," said Lori's mom, flashing him a brilliant and familiar smile. She had the same cat like green eyes as her daughter. They, too, danced with excitement at Lori's homecoming.

Wilson Weston stepped past his wife and extended his hand to Steve. "Commander, huh," he asked shaking Steve's hand vigorously. "You're in the Navy?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Steve's a Navy SEAL, Daddy."

"Excellent, excellent. It's good to meet you, Steve."

"You two come on in," Mrs. Weston said. "Lori you can help me with dinner... Everyone's coming." She threw her arm around her daughter's shoulders, giving her a good squeeze on the way in. "Will," she called, "why don't you show Steve around a bit... but try not to prattle on too much, okay honey?"

Lori and her mother disappeared into the kitchen while Steve got the full tour of the house and it's near surroundings. "That's Lori's tree house," Mr. Weston pointed out as they neared two huge oak trees that likely rivaled the ancient limestone for original occupant status. "When she was five years old, she decided she wanted to build a tree house. It had to have three separate rooms each with its own window and she wanted a view of the sky in the center. So here I was, up in that big oak tree, trimming branches so that her view of the sky was completely unobstructed. It's a real skylight, too," he said proudly. He pointed between the trees. "We built a bridge connecting the two trees and put a ladder on the other side there. I think she climbed this knotted rope more than she used the ladder. She was my little monkey. I still find her in that tree when she comes home to visit." They walked on toward Mrs. Weston's little garden. "I don't grow vegetables, well except corn, but that's considered more of a grain in my line of work, so Rebecca keeps her own little patch of land here close to the house." Mr. Weston smiled as if he were reliving a private joke. He obviously adored his wife. Warmed by the notion, Steve's thoughts traveled to Lori. They walked on toward the river in easy conversation. While Mr. Weston couldn't help but share as much of his beloved history as circumstance allowed, his curious nature governed most of the conversation. Usually twenty questions annoyed Steve, but Mr. Weston seemed to have a sincere interest in Steve and his experiences. He found that he enjoyed Mr. Weston's company immensely. While he was obviously very proud of his home and his heritage, he was also humbled by its beauty and resilience. He seemed to understand that everything we are given in this world is a gift, not an entitlement. Hard work was just a way to say thank you...

"So, spill," Lori's mom demanded as soon as they were clear of the men.

"What?" Lori said coyly.

"Don't 'what' me, Lorali," her mom quipped. "Spill it."

"Well, you know we... reconnected not long ago, when this case started. We had to fly to Scranton to follow a few leads, so here we are."

"And?"

"And, we're taking things slow."

"Aha! I knew it. You're dating."

"Don't get excited. We just... discussed our feelings and such last night. This is all brand new. I just hope it doesn't fall apart when we get back home."

"You really like him, don't you?"

Lori looked at her mom through her lashes. "That obvious, huh?"

"Only to me, Sugar. He's a good man?"

"Yes, he is. He's honest and honorable. I feel safe and respected when I'm with him. He tries to protect me; he always has, but he doesn't treat me like I'm fragile."

"You're in love," her mom grinned.

Before Lori could respond, three little ones came charging into the kitchen followed closely by a petite woman in her mid thirties carrying a toddler on one hip. "Lori! I told Harmon that I would believe it when I saw it." She hugged her sister-in-law tightly and then passed the baby to her. "I'm so glad you're home."

Dinner was wild, to say the least... Three brothers and two wives plus seven kids all under the age of twelve all looking at Steve and Lori out of the corner of their collective eye. Aside from the sideways glances, the family treated Steve as if he had always been a member. When dinner was done, the kids played, the women cleaned, and the men retired to the family room. Steve had never experienced anything like it, but then again, he had never lived anywhere near a farm. The women soon joined the men. Lori sat in the floor in front of Steve's chair. He leaned forward and put a hand on each of her shoulders. The next time Lori looked at her watch, it was 9:30. A lull in the conversation, coupled with a few good yawns from the crowd signaled that it was time to make their exit. "I hate to break up the party, but we've got to get back to Scranton."

"You're not spending the night?" Lori's mom asked, a bit distressed.

"We didn't bring anything with us, but we'll be back in the morning. I want to show Steve around; spend a little more time. We have to fly back on Sunday."

"Then you should spend the night. I still have all your winter clothes upstairs and I'm sure that between your Dad and your brothers, we can certainly find something for Steve." Lori looked up at Steve, giving him the opportunity to bail if he'd rather. What she saw in his eyes warmed her from the inside out.

"Sounds good to me," he whispered.

Mrs. Weston clapped her hands in front of her. "It's settled then. I'll go find something for you to sleep in and some clothes for tomorrow," she said smiling at Steve. He and Lori said their goodbye's to Lori's two brothers and their families. Harmon invited Steve to visit the dairy in the morning and TJ dared him to join them in one of the family football games after lunch. Steve obliged them both and promised to see Harmon bright and early.

Lori led Steve up the stairs to one of the bedrooms on the back side of the house. "This was TJ's room. Ben is across the hall and I'm right next door in Harm's old room. This fireplace is double sided," she said as she lit the gas logs, "so it'll be keeping both of us warm."

Steve sauntered over to her, sending her pulse through the roof. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in close. "I could keep us both warm, you know." He was right she thought. Just being this close to him had her body heated almost to a boil. He kissed her temptingly, slow and easy at first. She wrapped her arms around his neck and ran her fingers hard through his hair. Her response drove his kiss deeper, yet it remained soft and tender.

"Oh!" they both heard at the same time. Lori looked around Steve to find her mother, a small stack of clothes in hand, standing awkwardly at the bedroom door. "I'm sorry," she mouthed, eyes wide.

Lori pulled away from Steve and took the pile from her mom. "Thanks, Mom," she said quickly and turned back to Steve. "I think these must be for you. Bathroom is straight down the hall. You'll run right into it." Steve grinned at Lori's embarrassment noting the same grin on her mother's face. "I'll, uh, see you in the morning," she said and followed her mom out of the room.

"Goodnight," Steve sang.

Lori escorted her mother back down the steps. "That was quite a kiss I walked in on," she teased.

"Don't start, Mom," she warned good naturedly.

"I like him Lori, and I think he likes you. Trust your heart on this one, okay Sugar?"

Lori hugged her mom and trotted back up the stairs. She could hear the shower running down the hall. Just the thought of him, naked behind that door had her insides trilling. A thought occurred to her that had her chewing on her thumb nail. She back tracked to Steve's room and opened the door. Grabbing what she needed, she hustled back down to her own room. She changed quickly and checked her reflection in the window. She played with her hair, experimenting with different up does, finally deciding to pull the sides up and into a loose twist at the back of her head. She heard the bathroom door creek and quickly applied a touch of lip gloss before tip toeing to her door. She listened, barely breathing, knees shaking with nerves. Certain she had missed the sound of him passing by her door, "damn his sneaky ninja skills," she drew in a steadying breath and opened her door. She yelped when she found Steve standing there, arm raised, ready to knock. He too was surprised and grabbed her on instinct. Her hands flew to his biceps steadying already frayed nerves. "You scared the snot out of me. What were you doing anyway?"

His smart ass answer left him as soon as he looked at her. Without letting go, he stepped back from her, an arms length, to fully appreciate the sight of her. She was standing in front of him looking good enough to eat in nothing more than his discarded white dress shirt. The top three buttons were undone and her hair was swept back from her face. The cold shower he had just suffered through was all for not. He took one determined step toward her and slid his hand behind her neck. Pulling her into a hungry kiss, he spun her and backed her against the door until it closed. She barely had time to register his maneuver before melting into his kiss. He ran his hand down her arms and grabbed her hands with his. Lifting them over her head, he held them there with one hand. He nuzzled her neck beginning just under her ear alternately nipping and kissing, leaving a trail of fire all the way down to her collar bone. His free hand traveled down the length of her arm, gently traversing her breast. Lori lifted her leg and pressed her inner thigh against his hip. He felt more than heard the soft groan in her throat and released her wrists, but she didn't drop her arms. He scraped the back of his knuckles along the outside of her exposed thigh and cupped her bottom. He pressed his body hard against hers. She grabbed the top of his shoulders and wrapped both legs around him, shifting all of her weight to him. He carried her effortlessly to the bed, as he continued to explore her mouth through devastatingly passionate kisses. He laid her on her back and hovered over her, muscles taut from holding his weight. He searched her eyes for permission to continue. Finding every bit of his own desire reflected there, he had his answer. She reached for him, gently cupping his face in her hands. He lowered himself to her and placed agonizingly slow and tender kisses on her lips, her ear, and her eyelids. He ran his hand up the length of her leg from her knee to her hip and up under her shirt... his shirt. He had never seen anything sexier than Lori standing in front of him in his own dress shirt. He laid his hand flat against her abdomen and felt her stomach muscles tighten under his touch. He spread his fingers across her side and traveled up her ribs. His thumb swept gently over her breast and her body responded to his touch. She reached for the hem of his t-shirt and inched it up exposing lean hard muscle. Steve grabbed his shirt at the tag and pulled it over his head. He rolled onto his back lifting Lori on top of him and tossed his shirt behind him onto the floor. He folded his hands behind his head and breathed her in. Lori straddled his hips and leaned forward, gently gliding her fingertips over his chest and down his center line to the waistband of his cotton sleep pants. She sat back on her heals shifting all of her weight to his growing need and freed her hair from the messy twist. Gathering her hair in one hand, she smoothed it over one shoulder and watched him watching her. She reached for the buttons on the dress shirt and slowly began to undo them, one by one. She fumbled with a button, suddenly overwhelmed by what was happening between them. Steve saw the realization as it crossed her face. It only made him want her more. He reached for her trembling hands and covered them with his own. He pulled them down to her side and sat up. Sliding a hand under her shirt, he grabbed her waist and scooted her with him to the headboard so that she continued to straddle his lap. She glowed in the soft light from the fire behind her. He brushed his fingertips up and down the bare skin of her back leaving a trail of fire that burned her to her core. He explored her neck with his mouth sending shockwaves of pleasure down her chest and into her gut. "I think I hear your phone ringing," she whispered, her voice husky and strained.

"I've got voice mail," he mumbled as he grabbed her sides and lifted her up off of her heals allowing his mouth access to her chest. She scraped her hands roughly through his hair and found herself guiding his mouth to sensitive areas that hadn't been handled in years. She had to pull back before she exploded. It wasn't like her to lose control, but never had she wanted a man this much. Steve followed her, flipping her onto her back beneath him. She pressed her hands flat against his bare chest. It was comforting to know that his heart was moving at the same dangerously quick pace as hers. He hovered over her supporting himself on one elbow. His free hand tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and traced an invisible line across her cheek and over her lips, continuing down her neck and between her breasts. He covered her hand where it rested over his heart. "Lori, I..."

They both just about jumped out of their skin when they heard the knock on the bedroom door. "Lori, honey, your phone was ringing. You left it downstairs."

"I'm coming," she said in a strained voice to the door as Steve rolled to the side.

"I'll just leave it by the door. Goodnight."

Lori picked up the phone and said, "Goodnight," to the top of her mom's head as it disappeared down the steps. She closed the door stealing an extra second to calm herself. She turned to find Steve crawling in under the covers. She padded back, still flushed from their encounter and climbed over him to her side of the bed. "It was Danny," she said looking at her phone.

"Of course it was," Steve grumbled. "Can I borrow that phone?" Lori handed it over and Steve held up his arm waiting for her to snuggle in to his side. She threw her arm over his chest and intertwined her legs with his.

"You're timing sucks... Yes, you did. What's up?... We'll be home Sunday... I will." He laid the phone on the table next to the bed. "Danny said to tell you 'hello'."

"Anything new at home?"

"No. They're still canvassing. Nothing suspicious with Amari either." He played with. Her fingers where they rested over his chest. "Listen, I let things go a little too far tonight, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to push..."

"Seems to me we were both pretty willing... but thank you." He squeezed her shoulder wordlessly. "Did you know I was almost married once?"

"What?"

"Yeah. I'm surprised Danny didn't tell you."

"How does Danny know?"

"We talked about it a little in the car one time. His name was Peter. We started dating our senior year of high school; went to Penn State together. Four years later, he was headed to medical school and I had no real plan. I wanted to go to Quantico, but I hadn't told anyone. Long story short, he proposed and I said yes, mostly because I thought I was supposed to. He was my best friend and the only man I had ever been with. We were engaged for a year and I guess I started having second thoughts about six months in. The night before the wedding, he found me in my tree house. I was looking out of the window, lost in thought. I don't think I heard him as much as I felt him behind me. When I turned around and saw him standing there, I knew that he knew I couldn't go through with it. He told me not to worry because he wasn't in love with me either... Turns out we were both in it for the wrong reasons. We told everyone the next day at the wedding. Afterwards, at the would be reception, I think we both had the most fun either of us had ever had. We were both free to fly away. It was exhilarating and terrifying all at the same time. Peter was my safety net and my compass and my copilot all wrapped into one. Without him I had to learn to fly on my own."

"Why are you telling me this," he asked gently.

"I just wanted you to know... There hasn't been anyone since Peter. I wondered for a long time if there was something wrong with me. Peter was... is a great guy. He and his family live in upstate New York. We still keep in touch. I wanted to love him, the way a woman loves a man, but I couldn't, no matter how hard I tried. I thought that if I couldn't love Peter then it was likely I couldn't love anyone. I decided to focus on my career instead. I finally realized that Peter and I just weren't meant to be, so I started dating some, nothing serious. I started to think that maybe, in my line of work, being alone was better. I was good with that until I met you. I knew when I left Five-O that things would never be the same. I knew I would never be the same."

"I still can't believe I let you walk away that day."

"I didn't give you a choice."

"Why didn't you let me know you were still on the island?"

"I couldn't very well get over you if I was still chasing you, now could I?"

"You were chasing me?" he teased.

"Not well, apparently," she chuckled.

"Well, no more chasing. You caught me." Lori rolled to her elbows to look at him. Still a little overwhelmed by their recent change in circumstance, she chewed on her lower lip and searched his eyes. He smiled at her lovingly. "You believe me don't you?"

"Yes," she said sincerely, "I believe you." She pulled herself forward and planted a quick playful kiss on his lips. "Morning comes early around here. I'm gonna' brush my teeth. I'll be right back."

He missed her immediately, a feeling he wasn't at all accustomed too. When she returned, she curled up next to him and he felt complete. He rolled his eyes at the cliché, but it was true. He felt complete and no other word could better describe how he felt sleeping next to Lori.

H5O

"What's so funny?" Steve asked. Lori was setting next to him at the gate waiting to board their plane home. It was 5:30A.M, Sunday, and he was still a little sleepy. Lori on the other hand had been giggling under her breath periodically for the last fifteen minutes. She shook her head and took another sip of coffee desperately trying to regain her composure. "What?" he asked again and she lost it.

"I was just picturing…" she started and was quickly overtaken by laughter. "I was just remembering your face when the suction broke on the milker…" Another round of giggling and snorting ensued while Steve pursed his lips and nodded, patiently waiting for Lori to find her composure. "I just… I've never seen that face before…"

"Yeah, yuk it up, Dairy Queen. Why don't we talk about that beautiful touch down pass I threw for the win? TJ's fit is something I won't soon forget."

"Yeah, he gets a little competitive. It was a good pass. I'll give you that, but a pass is only as good as the catch, and that my friend was all me."

"I had a good time. You're family is not at all what I expected."

"Oh no? What did you expect?"

"I don't know really, just not that."

"Well, they really liked you too… even TJ."

"We'll stay longer next time. I'd like to do some more hiking. Maybe camp in the woods by your tree house."

He watched as a glorious smile spread across her face. He new full well the implication of his last statement, and he very much enjoyed watching it sink in.

She laid her head comfortably on his shoulder. "Did you talk to Danny last night?"

"No. Must not be anything new."

"I've been sending Jenkins vague e-mails. I'm sure he's been sharing with Amari and I'm sure Amari suspects that I know more than I'm saying. I think I'll call Jenkins later and see if he'll meet me tonight. I want to go over everything with him before Monday."

"I'll go with you." Clearly, it wasn't a negotiable offer.

She sat up and gave him a little grin. "Can you play nice?"

He shot her a playful scowl. She cupped his face and smoothed the lines of his forehead with her thumbs. "Thank you," she said rather seriously.

"For what?"

"For coming with me. For giving me an extra day with my family."

He said your welcome with a quick, soft kiss.

H5O

"Welcome home, princess," Agent Jenkins said sarcastically as he slid into the booth across from Lori. "Miss me?"

"Like a toothache, Jenkins."

"Where's your partner in crime?"

Lori pointed over his shoulder toward Steve as he made his way back to the table. Jenkins rolled his eyes at the sight of him. "So what do you want to talk to me about?"

"We've got a problem," Lori said as Steve slid into the booth next to her.

"And that concerns me, how?"

"Michael, quit being an ass. Our perp, Markus Williams? He's Faruke's son."

"What?" he said not believing it for a second.

"Look," she said and handed him the ID badge from Professor Morgan. "We picked that up at the campus police station last night. William's professor found it for us."

Jenkins studied the photo and the obvious similarities between his partner and his perp. "So they look alike, so what?"

"He was there Michael. Amari was in Pennsylvania. He was there when this whole thing started."

"That doesn't mean he's his son."

"We have evidence."

He eyed the two of them not believing what he was hearing, but seeing they were dead serious. He knew Lori cared about Amari, so he let them continue. "Show me."

They went through the evidence linking Amari to Markus's mother.

"You think he's involved?" he asked accusingly, anger and hurt apparent in his tone.

"No, I don't think he's involved. There's no evidence that points to his involvement, but I do think he's protecting him. He's not part of his son's life, but he's kept up with him and he's supported him. The question is, what do we do about it?"

"I want to see all the evidence you've collected, first."

Lori went through everything they had found and documented. Steve stayed quiet, not wanting to inflame the already tense situation. After much debate and discussion, Jenkins was reluctantly convinced. "So what are you thinking?"

"I think we keep this between us for now. Five-O has been running a canvass in the industrial area where we found the last girl. They had a few hits on the black Taurus before it was torched. Now that we have a photo, we'll see if any body recognizes Williams. Maybe we'll find him."

Jenkins tapped the table with his finger, considering their options. "I'll go along with it for now. But you don't make a move without me, clear?"

H5O

Monday morning, the ID picture was enhanced and distributed to the team. Lori reported to Amari that she was more convinced than ever that Markus Williams was their guy. She explained that, oddly enough, there were no photos in his records, but there was evidence that he may have been involved with the theft of Ketamine both at the university and at a vet clinic in Scranton. He was familiar with Ketamine and its dosing. She also told him that, while he was never linked to the disappearance of Rachel Evans, she believed him to be involved. "I believe she was ground zero."

Agent Amari asked very few questions. He requested that she submit a written report along with her expense receipts. He seemed disappointed, somehow, and Lori wondered if maybe a part of him was ready to bear the truth.

A/N: This seemed like as good a place as any to stop. Action, action, action already written in the next chapter. Hope this one wasn't too long and drawn out. I actually cut out the blow by blow on Saturday with the family. It just got to be a little much. Hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading! Would love feedback, suggestions, etc. on this chapter especially, as I don't feel like it was one of my best. Thanks again for reading!