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summary: Steve has made it through some serious stuff while on the job. At this point, he pretty much feels invincible.
But, what happens when life throws him an unexpected curve ball?
(idea by Martingale, thanks so much!)

The R Word

2035

Steve would argue that things were never better.

His son, Jack, recently got married. His wife Alyssa was living in Hawaii while Jack would be away on assignment with the SEALS, much like Alexia did with Steve; they were both twenty-five. Lucy was living in Seattle with husband Jessie. She was expecting her first child any day now, knowing it was a little boy and planning to name him after Alexia's father Mark; Lucy and Jessie were thirty now.

Julia, married to Ben now for almost ten years, was up to her ears in children. She had just recently given birth to a little girl named Chelsea, already having a five year old daughter named Jenna for Ben's mother and a two year old son named Steve for her father. Ben and Julia were now thirty-three, with Ben discharging from the SEALs soon to come home for good.

And, while Steve would argue that things were never better, both him and Alexia thrilled to have so many grandchildren, she would argue otherwise.

She wasn't super happy about being sixty soon, but she accepted it. She had given up on dying her hair a long time ago, just letting the gray streaks mix in with the brown now. She knew she wasn't young anymore, even if she and Steve both had always been in great shape and still were, she wasn't pushing it. She had even cut back on her hours at the hospital, moving from the ER into a clinic setting. Her husband though still thought that he was thirty, still working at Five-0 when many in his position would have retired close to ten years ago.

"I just wish the two of you would think about it," Alexia continued. Danny was being as stubborn as Steve was. They weren't taking on nearly the same case load as they used to, but there were still high profile murders they were sent to investigate by the newest governor.

"C'mon Lex," Steve complained. He knew what she was talking about, though they never said the actual word retirement; it was the R word, something never said around the house in the last five years. "We've talked about this," he continued, ready to head out the door now to meet up with Danny on their latest investigation. "I'm fine."

"You can't just keep running out the door like you used to," Alexia went on, setting a plate on the table. "Sit."

"I have a case," Steve reiterated.

"Sixty year old men in Hawaii don't have cases," she argued. She felt like she did back when Steve used to leave all the time for his assignments. She was sure right now was one of the days he wished he married a teacher or a lawyer, anything but a doctor. "They have breakfast with their wives, then they go spoil their grandchildren."

"You're still working," Steve reasoned.

"Two days a week," Alexia said back. "Wiping runny noses in the hospital's pediatric clin-" She stopped when her phone started ringing, lighting up with Lucy's name; she pounced on the phone, waiting any day now for news of the new baby.

"We're not done," Alexia told Steve and he just shook his head, waiting and obliging her. "Hi honey! Any-"

"Not yet mom," Lucy laughed, sitting at home with Jessie, looking like she was about to pop. Ever since she had entered her last month of pregnancy, her parents were both eager for her to have Mark already; Jessie was nearly in the same boat. "I just called because I have some news."

"Oh?" Alexia asked curiously. "What kind?" Lucy was already married and pregnant. What other news could she have, other than work related?

"I got this really amazing offer in Chicago," Lucy went on, becoming a journalist like she had always wanted. She had lived in Los Angeles for awhile, eventually moving around Europe for two years. After she married Jessie, they moved around different cities along the west coast. "So, after the baby's born, me and Jessie were going to..." She trailed off a little, wincing now.

"What is it?" Alexia heard Jessie asking her.

"Nothing," Lucy breathed, brushing it off. "So, what do you think mom?...ah..."

"I think you're in labor," Alexia told her.

"What?" Steve asked at the same time Lucy did.

"No," Lucy shook her head now. "I'm just...ah..."

"Ok, honey," Alexia said slowly. "Get Jessie to take you to the hospital right now. Have him call me when you get there."

"Ok mom," Lucy agreed. "Love you."

"Love you too," Alexia said, wishing she could be there like she had been for Julia. Steve was just looking at her, raising his eye brows. "Well, it wasn't why she called but Lucy's having the baby I think." She gave him a look. "Too bad someone's got a case or you could come to Seattle with me."

"Don't," Steve told her, not wanting her to go there. "Why did she call?"

"Um," Alexia hesitated. "She's...moving again."

"Back to California?" Steve asked.

"Farther," Alexia bit her lip.

Steve hated that Lucy was so far away, he felt like if his kids weren't close he couldn't keep them safe. He was only ok with Europe because it was what she always wanted, and it was going to be temporary. Each time she moved in the US, she stayed in those cities a little longer. Eventually, it was going to become permanent.

"Where is it Lex?" Steve asked, a little impatient as she drew it out. Danny was calling him now to ask where he was, but Steve ignored it.

"Chicago," Alexia answered.

"Chicago?" Steve snapped. "What's in Chicago?"

"A really good job offer apparently," Alexia told him.

"She can't move to Chicago with a baby," Steve reasoned and Alexia looked at him in confusion. "Do you know what the crime rate is there?"

"Probably comparable to Seattle," Alexia said back, though she really had no idea. Lucy was moving and she was in labor; all the while, Steve's phone kept ringing. Alexia noticed it before Steve ever did, the change in his coloring, his labored breathing. "Are you all right babe?" Alexia asked him now, looking him over; he looked like he was having trouble keeping balance.

"Just dizzy," he shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment. "Your daughter is making my head spin."

"Funny how she's my daughter now," Alexia commented sarcastically, still concerned as Steve was grabbing his phone and keys, involuntarily rubbing his chest. "What is it?"

"Heartburn," Steve answered. "Probably dinner last night."

"No,no,no,no,no," Alexia said, her words running together as she pulled out a chair from the table. "Sit," she ordered.

"The hell Lex," Steve muttered, sitting now, holding his head as she ran over to the kitchen cabinet.

"Chew four of these," she opened a bottle and handed him the low dose aspirin.

"For heartburn?" Steve asked.

"I think you're having a heart attack," Alexia told him quickly, dialing 911 now.

Thankfully, it hadn't been a heart attack. The sudden spike in Steve's blood pressure, from a combination of worry, stress, and not taking the medication Alexia had prescribed him, gave him similar symptoms. The hospital was going to keep him there though for a few days, just for observation since sudden spikes in blood pressure could cause a heart attack or stroke.

Steve was asleep now, Alexia sitting at his bedside. She had called Julia and Ben as well as Alyssa; Jack would be home the following week. Julia told Jessie when he called to say Lucy was still in labor, but no one told Lucy yet. By now, Danny had been by the hospital as well. When Steve woke up, he looked over at Alexia who was sitting there reading.

"Babe," Steve said to her, getting her to look up.

"Hm?" she asked, taking off her reading glasses.

"I think I wanna talk about the R word now," Steve said groggily, still half asleep.

"It's not a talk anymore," Alexia informed him. Little did he know that Danny was already on his way to the governor's office to tell him that they were both done.

"Mmm, fair enough," Steve rubbed his eyes, the door to his room opening now as Julia came running in, Ben behind her.

"Dad, are you ok?" Julia asked him worriedly.

"I'm fine Jules," Steve promised her. "Where are the kids?"

"With Grace and Alex," Julia told him, leaving her kids with Grace, her husband, and their two kids. Alyssa, a nurse at the hospital, had already been by to see her father in law before going to try and reach Jack. Danny had stopped by while Steve was still sleeping, agreeing that it was enough for the two of them, going to talk to the governor.

"Jessie just called," Ben told them. "Lucy's still in delivery." Steve nodded.

"This is the worst surprise visit home ever," Jack announced, coming into the hospital room now with Alyssa. He hadn't told anyone he was getting home a week early, wanting to surprise them. Not long after he landed did he get the call from his wife about his dad being in the hospital.

"Jack!" Alexia said in surprise, getting up to hug her son.

"Hey mom," Jack greeted her, hugging her back. "Are you all right dad? Alyssa said you had a heart attack."

"It wasn't a heart attack," Steve said, observing all the concerned eyes in the room. "Just...an almost heart attack."

"Enough to get him to say the R word," Alexia said, resuming her seat by his bed. She had been in that seat too many times, through gun shots and other work injuries. It never really occurred to either of them that this could happen.

"Whoa," Jack commented.

"Mhmm," Steve agreed. "But, it's all right. I'll be fine." He looked around the room. "Could I talk to Ben and Jack a minute?"

"Um, sure," Alexia said, not sure what was going on but she followed Alyssa and an equally confused Julia out into the hall.

"It's been coming up a lot," Steve started off saying. "Between the governor and us, who's going to run Five-0 when me and Danny step back." He laughed a little. "Didn't really think I would be, but I'm pretty sure your mother would kill me."

"I wouldn't be surprised," Jack agreed.

"So, that's why I wanted to talk to you two," Steve told him. "Ben's discharged, I know you're up to discharge soon too Jack."

"You want us to run Five-0?" Ben asked curiously.

"Oh man," Jack laughed. "Mom and Jules are going to freak."

"If you want," Steve nodded. "I know you both, trust you both. Wouldn't want to pass this on to just anyone."

"It would be a lot better than teaching at the base," Ben commented of the job he already had lined up.

"Yeah, it would," Jack agreed, already on board with taking this new job; he just needed his brother in law to get on board with him. This way, he'd get to be home with Alyssa, maybe even start a family soon. Ben had to know it was better to be around this way for Julia and his own three kids.

"All right," Ben agreed. "Yeah, let's do it."

"Awesome," Jack smiled, always wanting to end up here, working the same job as his dad.

"Great," Steve told them both. "Go call your Uncle Danny, he's got your first case."

"What, now?" Jack asked; he had just landed in Hawaii within the hour.

"Sir, you're in the-" Ben was worried about his father in law being in the hospital, wanting to stick around for the rest of the family.

"I'm fine," Steve argued. "Better get goin'."

thanks for reading! :) really hope that you liked it! :) i'm going to try to update with a ben/jack case now ASAP (ideas on that are so welcome! lol)
but i also have the two holiday ideas as well...so more soon! just not sure which will come first ;)