After filling themselves up with homemade pizza and the brownies Maddie insisted on making, Nahale and Stephanie went into the living room to watch a movie. Steve was rather impressed that they hadn't had to bribe or threaten Stephanie to eat. She ate with the rest of them as they laughed and enjoyed time together.

After dinner, Stephanie and Nahale volunteered to clean up….much to Maddie's surprise. Steve and Nahale shared a look with each other which peaked Maddie's curiosity. Something was going on. Before she could ask them any questions, though, Steve said he wanted to go outside for some fresh air. He hoped for a chance to talk to Maddie about what had been on his mind the last few days which was why he had asked the teenagers earlier to give him and Maddie some time after dinner to talk.

Steve followed the kids into the kitchen to grab two wine glasses and a bottle of wine he'd put into the freezer to chill. When he walked back out and held out his hand for Maddie's, she looked at him curiously but didn't say anything. Maddie knew there was something on Steve's mind because she saw a familiar "twinkle" in his eye. However, she wisely decided to wait and see how it played out as he led her through the dining room to the lanai. Once they were outside, he looked over his shoulder to where the teenagers were working together to do the dishes before turning towards Maddie.

"Let's go down to the water." He gave her hand a gentle tug as he led her in that direction. They settled on the sand and Maddie held on to the glasses as Steve opened up the bottle of wine and poured them each a glass.

She handed him his glass, "So what are we toasting to?"

Steve held his glass up to hers. "To us," he answered and Maddie felt her stomach do a somersault.

They 'clinked' glasses together and each took a sip before curiosity got the best of Maddie. She couldn't wait anymore, "So what's on your mind?"

Steve took another sip of his wine. He knew better than to try telling Maddie there was 'nothing' on his mind. She knew him too well. And honestly, he'd been thinking about it so much the past week, he didn't want to keep it to himself anymore. He needed to tell her what was on his heart.

Steve sighed before reaching out his free hand to take Maddie's again. "We need to talk, babe."

Fear and uncertainty welled up inside of Maddie as the words came out of his mouth. Was this going to be a good thing or a bad thing? And why was she suddenly frightened of what he might say?

"Okay," she tried to sound confident but damned if her voice didn't come out shaky. "About what?"

Steve sensed her apprehension and gave her a reassuring smile. He reached up to stroke her cheek, "Don't look so worried, Maddie-girl."

The endearment was meant to ease her nerves, but it didn't work. Maddie tried to release the breath she was holding in, but found that her voice was still shaking.

"Sorry. I just…I mean…..You look so serious," she stammered. "Is this good or bad?"

Steve continued to look at her intensely though his expression was softened. He shrugged, "I guess it depends on how you interpret it."

Okay, so that did nothing to calm her nerves and Steve realized he needed to move this along before he screwed it up entirely. He kept hold of her hand and let out a big sigh, "Maddie…..You've been out of my life long enough. Do you have any idea how many times I've thought about you over the years? I've wondered where you were….What you were doing…..If you were happy. Even though it wasn't my choice to leave, I always felt guilty for not saying 'goodbye' to you. You were…."

Steve stopped as if searching for the words he wanted to say.

"I was what?" Shauni whispered.

Steve fixed his gaze on Maddie and she held her breath.

"You were my 'everything'. " Maddie's eyes widened at the admission. "Having to leave you was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. I lost my mom, had to move away from my dad and Mary, and you….When I had to leave you without any explanation…..You have to know that killed me."

Maddie felt a lump of emotion in her throat. She knew the pain he'd felt because she'd experienced it too. They were only high school seniors when it happened, but she had loved Steve McGarrett with every part of her heart. Keeping this secret…..the secret of the daughter they'd made together…..was the hardest thing she had ever done. It was also her biggest regret.

"I can't go through that again," Steve continued. "Especially now that I know we have a daughter together." Steve reached up to stroke her cheek again, but this time he also ran his thumb gently over her bottom lip causing goosebumps to pop up all over her body. "I need you back in my life, Maddie. Both of you."

At his admission, Maddie sat up a little straighter. Should she allow herself to hope that Steve might be thinking like her? Since seeing him again and spending so much time together over the last few days, she couldn't bear the thought of leaving him. Not to mention the fact that she had seen how he was with their daughter which left no doubt in her mind about how much Stephanie needed her father in her life.

Still, she was afraid to hope.

At least at this point.

So she pressed him further.

"What are you saying?" she whispered before holding her breath yet again and waiting on his answer.

Steve looked out at the ocean before them. "I know it's a lot to ask…..and I know you'll need to think about it…" He turned back towards her, his eyes so vulnerable it caught her off guard. "But I want you to think about moving back."

"Back to Hawaii?" Maddie squeaked in surprise. "Ummmm…." She didn't know what to say. Her mind was reeling even though her heart was swelling in happiness.

Steve wanted her back? But how could that be true after what she had hidden from him all these years?

Steve sat up straighter himself. "Before you say anything, listen to me." He took a deep breath. "I know you're thinking about Stephanie….and so am I. I mean, I know she's still in school and has grown up with her friends there, but she has even talked to me about this."

Maddie was shocked, "Stephanie talked to you about moving here?"

Her mind was running wild again: Why would Stephanie talk to Steve and not her? She tried not to feel hurt by that revelation.

Steve saw the frown creasing her brow. "You're overthinking this, babe. Listen to me: Steph didn't exactly mention moving here permanently, but she has talked about visiting in the Summer and stuff." Steve paused for a moment as if gathering his thoughts and trying to figure out what to say. "But I want more than that…..from both of you."

Maddie's eyes were still wide in surprise. She blinked. "You want us to move back to Hawaii?"

Yes, she knew she was repeating herself, but no other coherent thoughts were coming to her at the moment. To be perfectly honest, she had been thinking about the possibility of moving back herself. She'd been thinking about it a lot, actually. Seeing Steve again after 16 years had proven one thing to her: She still loved him and she knew Stephanie needed a father in her life. Maddie had hoped to discuss things with him eventually, but she hadn't wanted to "push". She never dared hope it would happen this fast OR that Steve would be the one to bring up the subject for discussion.

"Breathe, Maddie." She heard Steve say, and as she turned towards him, she saw the irresistible smile and twinkle in his eyes she'd missed so much. It was at that moment, she realized everything she had ever wanted might be possible again. Steve could be hers again. Maddie looked at him and into the sea blue eyes that had made her fall in love with him when they were teenagers. His smile had turned hesitant as if he was concerned she was going to say 'No'.

Steve felt the need to explain further even though it was making him nervous as hell that he didn't know what Maddie was thinking. "Seeing the two of you once every few months isn't going to work for me. I want us to be a family."

He let that truth sink in before he continued, "Like I said, just think about it. You don't have to give me an answer right away…but I need for you to know that I don't want to lose you again….I won't lose you again."

Maddie reached a hand up to place it on his cheek. "You aren't going to lose us, Steve. I've actually been thinking about this myself, but I was afraid to say anything."

Steve's brows furrowed in confusion, "Why?"

"I was afraid of it being 'too soon'." She replied.

Steve's smile widened, "Really?"

"Yes, really," she replied as she scooted closer to him. "Look…I inherited my parent's house when my Mom passed away last year. I've been thinking about what to do with the place and have put off dealing with it because….."

She looked down at the sand and felt Steve's finger forcing her chin back up. "Because why?" he asked her quietly.

Maddie swallowed the lump in her throat, "Because I hoped…." Her eyes grew misty, "I hoped that someday I would be able to come back here again. Where you are. I wanted Stephanie to know her Daddy…..and I always hoped you wouldn't hate me when you found out what I've kept from you all these years."

"I could never hate you, Maddie. You don't know how much I've missed you."

Steve felt a huge surge of hope inside, but like Maddie, he didn't want to push too fast. She might be willing to move back, but they had Stephanie to consider as well. She was going to be a junior in high school, so leaving the friends she'd known all her life at the end of her high school career would be difficult.

Maddie saw the look on Steve's face and reached out to take his glass of wine so he could reach both of his hands up to cup her face. He leaned down to kiss her; Softly at first, but then more urgently. When they finally came up for air, both wine glasses spilled onto the sand, Steve rested his forehead against hers.

"We'll figure it out. Don't worry, okay?"

When she didn't respond right away, he leaned back to look at her and found her eyes closed.

"Don't hide from me," Steve demanded softly.

When she didn't open her eyes right away, he tried again. "Look at me, Maddie." His voice was insistent.

When she opened her eyes, he saw something in her eyes he hadn't expected:

Love.

He knew with certainty in that moment that the love they'd shared for each other as teenagers had never really gone away. If anything, it had grown exponentially now that they were back together. Steve felt a sense of peace wash over him as he realized Maddie and Stephanie would become a permanent part of his life. They still had to work out the details, but he knew it was going to happen.

And that made him happier than he'd been in a very long time.

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