Yet another update. I know I'm awesome; you are too. I'm getting excited for the "end."

Chapter Twenty-Five "Loneliness and Solitude"

"Loneliness and solitude are two things not to get confused 'cause I spend my solitude with you. I gather all the questions of the things I just can't get straight and I answer them the way I guess you'd do."~Relient K

"Commander McGarrett?"

Steve felt a hand on his shoulder and tore his eyes away from his sleeping daughter. He didn't know how much time had passed. He met Dr. Kahale's eyes and gave him a questioning look.

"Your wife is sleeping," Kahale said. "She's had a very hard time of it, but she did great. She should recover, but it will take time. Now, I understand that you've been away from her for a long time, so I've asked that a bed be made up for you in her room. You can stay with her until she's released."

Steve let out a long breath. "Thank you," he said.

Steve suddenly realized how tired he was. Feeling secure enough with his entire team in the waiting room, he left Lucy with Danny, who had been wanting to hold her the whole time. Steve was convinced his partner was a complete softie, but then so was he.

Steve made his way down the hall. McKenzie was sleeping soundly. Steve stood in the doorway for a long time, watching her. He wanted so badly to talk to her, but he knew rest would make her get better faster.

Steve didn't know what time it was. He didn't know how long it had been since he'd slept. So, he ignored the extra bed in the corner and climbed up next to McKenzie. The bed was too small for both of them, but his need to be close to her outweighed any minor discomfort that might have caused.

Steve laid his head next to McKenzie and buried his face in her hair. He let out a long sigh, there was so much that needed to be done. So much he still wanted, but he was content just to fall asleep next to his wife for the first time in six months.

H-5-O

Danny made a habit of talking to children as if they understood what he was saying. He didn't care that Kono, Chin, Mary, and anyone who happened to walk by were all laughing at him. He was sure Lucy was intelligent enough to know he was addressing her.

"It's really too bad," he told her. "You look just like your dad. Maybe you'll grow out of it. I bet you'll be smart and nice like your mom though."

She yawned, but didn't really wake up.

"I spoke too soon," Danny said. "You are exactly like your dad. Which is unfortunate, but I suppose the global crime rate will plummet by the time you're a teenager."

"If Steve could hear you..." Kono said.

"What?" Danny asked.

Chin laughed. "Not sure how happy he'd be at the thought of his daughter in the family business," he said.

"I didn't say she'd be a cop," Danny said. "She's probably a superhero."

Mary rolled her eyes. "Knowing my family, I wouldn't be surprised," she said.

"Speaking of family," Kono said. "When are we going to tell everyone... About Steve."

"Preferably at a decent hour," Danny said. "I guess I'll go over to Rachel's in the morning."

"And we can start spreading the word around," Chin said. "I have a feeling Jenna will want to be right back to work in the morning."

"Yes... Someone needs to rein her in. She's like Steve, only more likely to get herself killed."

"That's an accomplishment," Mary said. "Hey, you mind if I hold my niece?"

Danny begrudgingly handed Lucy over and Mary started making funny noises. Danny shook his head.

"Poor kid," he muttered.

"Oh, and listening to you is such a joy?" Mary said.

"At least I make sense."

"That is debatable."

"Please don't argue in front of the child," Kono said. "You'll condition her to be like you."

"She's gonna need good argumentation skills," Mary said. "I mean being surrounded by all these people who think they're always right."

Chin stood up. "My turn," he said.

"Wait a second," Kono said. "When do I get a turn?"

"Sorry, Cos', you didn't call it."

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

Mary wasn't exactly happy about giving up her niece, but she knew everyone wanted to hold Lucy. Surprisingly, Chin held her longer than anyone else, probably because he was quiet and people forgot he was there. Eventually, though, Kono had to accost him and demand her turn. And so they passed the night.

H-5-O

McKenzie couldn't remember being so uncomfortable. Well, there was that one time she woke up on the floor of a safe house with glass fragments in her face. No, this was worse. She ached all over and she was too warm. She was hungry and tired and for some reason, she couldn't move.

She remembered the previous night. She knew it was daytime because there was a window letting in light. She couldn't remember how long it had been since she'd seen light.

McKenzie recalled Dr. Kahale telling her the baby was going to be okay. And she remembered telling him her name. He had said it was a good name. After that, she couldn't remember anything. Until now.

When she tried to move, McKenzie found that she was somehow stuck and she didn't have the energy to try harder. And for some reason, the bed seemed awfully crowded.

Waking up a little more, McKenzie noticed that the most overwhelming discomfort was that she was thirsty and there was something holding her down. That didn't really make sense.

Except it did. Once she opened her eyes and looked around, McKenzie could see her problem. Steve was lying next to her with his arm across her chest. She saw two small holes in his shirt and decided trying to move his arm was not a good idea.

So she stared at him. She couldn't remember the last time she'd seen him asleep. He had always woken up before her when they were together. With a smile, she remembered all the times he'd watched her sleep, saying it was calming.

And right now, watching Steve sleep made McKenzie feel like things might just be okay. Part of her wanted him to wake up so she could talk to him, but she couldn't bring him back to their harsh reality yet. She had no idea how difficult the last few months must have been for him.

McKenzie couldn't help it though. She stretched out her neck as far as it would go and brushed her lips against the tip of Steve's nose. It must have tickled because his facial muscles twitched.

McKenzie laid her head back down and waited. It wouldn't be long before his mind caught up with his face. Steve was an incredibly light sleeper.

Sure enough, after a few seconds, his eyes fluttered open and he returned her stare. But he didn't get up, like she thought he would. He leaned in closer and she felt his scratchy stubble before his lips touched her jaw.

"Steve," McKenzie whispered.

"Mm?" was his reply.

But she hadn't meant to say anything else. She turned her head to the side so that they were facing each other on the pillow. She reached up and ran her fingers from his forehead to his jaw. She felt his arm tighten around her and the corner of his mouth quirked from the pain in his shoulder he refused to acknowledge.

McKenzie rested her hand on Steve's neck. She pulled him toward her and tilted her face upward a little. Her lips parted ever so slightly and his were a hair's breadth away. She felt the swelling in her heart again as they closed the distance.

Neither of them realized until that moment just how much this meant. The long time apart had forced them into some semblance of contentment, but the second their lips met again, everything they had missed came to the front of their minds.

When they finally separated, McKenzie was breathing hard and Steve thought he might have gone too far.

"Are you okay?" he asked, half sitting up.

"Yeah," McKenzie replied, but Steve wasn't convinced. "I'm thirsty," she said.

H-5-O

After Dr. Kahale checked up on her, McKenzie insisted Steve go home and clean up. He was quite opposed to the idea, but she wasn't accepting any excuses.

"I'm sure there's some relative out there to look after me," she said. "And tell them to give me back my baby."

"I'll see, okay?" Steve said. "As long as one of the team is still here, I'll go home and take a shower... Do you still have all my clothes."

McKenzie laughed. "Yes. When you 'died' Danny helped pack everything up. Then when I found out, he brought everything back. Except what I took to you, I guess."

"It'll be weird going home without you."

"Well, I'm not letting you sit in the hospital for days in your blood and sweat and God knows what else."

"All right, I'm leaving. Are you happy?"

"I'm very happy. Not that you're leaving so much."

"I'll be half an hour. Tops."

"It takes that long to get there."

"Not if I turn on the siren."

"Yeah, and that leaves you no time to wash behind your ears."

"You're really getting into this mom thing, aren't you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. Now get out of here." She tried her best to sound serious, but couldn't help the grin on her face.

Steve reluctantly headed down the hall to find that Kono was the only one there. He looked around curiously and she smiled.

"They took Lucy to feed her," she said. "Then they were going to bring her to McKenzie."

"Okay," Steve said. "I'm going home for a little while. Will you keep an eye on them?"

"Sure."

"I'm serious. There's still a chance..."

"I know. I'll keep them safe."

"Thank you."

"Danny said you should call him when you have the chance."

"I'll do it on the way."

Leaving the hospital felt completely wrong, but Steve knew McKenzie was right. He was a mess. He thought about what to tell Danny. He really wanted to wait until he had the whole team together to talk about what happened at the governor's mansion.

And then there was Hesse. Steve took the scrap of paper out of his pocket. It had the location of a dock and a phone number. He'd hold off calling him for now.

First things first. Steve hit one on speed dial. It only rang once before Danny answered.

"Hey, how's it feel to be alive?" he asked.

"Did you ever see that Star Trek movie?"

"Which one?"

"The one where Bones is asking Spock what being dead was like."

"Yeah."

"And Spock said he couldn't tell him because he had no frame of reference."

"Seriously? I had to tell everyone you were dead. Speaking of which, I have to go tell my daughter that you're alive now."

"You want me to come?"

"Actually, that might be good."

"Okay, I'm headed home now. I'll meet you at Rachel's in an hour."

"Good. I might want to go in first and break the news."

"You don't think a surprise would be better?"

"If we were talking about a puppy or a new Barbie doll, maybe, but this in her Uncle Steve come back to life."

"Okay. And being alive is great, since you asked."

"I thought so."