CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"

Author: Michelle Heath

Rating: MA for adult situations and language

Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.

Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!

Date Written: September 21, 2011

(Caroline awakens to discover that the movie she and Sam were watching is long over, an infomercial for skin care products is now on the flat screen television in the McGarrett's bedroom, and Sam is lying on her side fast asleep. Moving the nearly empty bowl of popcorn from the center of the bed and placing it on the bedside table closes to her, Caroline looks down at her sister and smiles fondly. One of Sam's hands is lying on her pillow beside her face, which is relaxed in sleep with a hint of a smile, and the other is lying protectively on her baby bump. Grabbing her cellular phone, Caroline snaps a quick picture of her sleeping sister because, well, Sam just looks so adorable and Caroline is thinking this will be a good picture to show her niece or nephew one day. Setting her phone back on the bedside table, Caroline looks over at Sam again and, seeing her wedding and engagement rings on the hand lying on top of her baby bump, fervently hopes that her brother-in-law will soon be home safe and sound. Thoughts of her conversation with Danny float back into her mind and she's worried that Steve and his men could be in serious trouble. Not wanting to disturb Sam, Caroline carefully eases off the bed, grabs a blanket from the linen closet and places it over Sam's sleeping form, picks up the bowl of popcorn, turns off the television, and heads back to the bedroom she's sleeping in while staying with her sister. It is a long time, however, before Caroline drifts off to sleep as she replays every word of her conversation with her husband and tries to figure out what it is she's missing. . .

Tony Montgomery has been sorting through service and personnel records for quite some time and his eyes are beginning to cross. Pushing his chair back from his desk, he stands up to stretch and get more coffee. Tony's been working in his office since before Admirals Harte and Henderson arrived, and the three Admirals have been in the conference room with the door closed for quite some time. So far, other than the five people who knew that Steve was being recalled, no one else has jumped out at him. Tony's cellular phone rings and he is somewhat surprised because, according to the clock on his desk, it's 0117 hours. Kono's name flashing up on the caller I.D. brings a smile to his face as he realizes she's probably up with their son.)

"Hey, babe, our little guy wake up?"

"Yep. He has an appetite like his father; ravenous. What are you doing, or can you tell me?"

"Getting up to get another cup of coffee and that's all I can tell you."

"Tony, is Steve okay?"

"Yeah, K, Steve's fine."

"Look, I know you can't give me any specifics, but is he in trouble?"

"Steve's fine, Kono, I promise. Adm. Thrasher got some new information pertinent to Steve's op and we need to make sure we verify it before we pass it on to Steve."

" 'Kay. Any idea when you'll be home?"

"Don't think I'm going to get home any time soon. It's going to take us a while to confirm everything."

"Okay. At least you're only twenty minutes away instead of halfway around the world."

"You can thank Steve and Adm. Thrasher for that, K. It was Steve's idea for Adm. Thrasher to ask for me on this op, and I'm pretty sure the Admiral didn't ask; he just told Adm. Taunton at the Pentagon I was going to be his aide."

"Uh oh, your son just pooped in his pants and I need to go change him."

"Give the little guy a kiss for me. I'll take care of your kiss when I get home. Love you, K."

"Love you, too, Tony. And, Tony? Please call me if . . . Just call me so I can get to Sam, okay?"

"Steve's fine and he's going to stay that way, K."

(The object of Kono's concern is, at that moment, sitting in his tent deep in a conversation with Senior Chief Tim Newton. Steve has relayed the information Mike gave him during their last teleconference call and the Senior Chief has a frown on his face.)

"This isn't good, Sir, not good at all. Does Adm. Thrasher have any idea where Dimitri Kasavich could have gotten his information?"

"No, but you can bet your six it had to have come from someone at Homeland Security; someone close to Adm. Harte."

"You don't think it could be the Admiral himself, do you, Sir?"

"The thought's crossed my mind, Senior. Adm. Harte has many years of loyal service to the United States Navy and his service record is excellent, but we both know that money talks and the Kasavich family has a lot of it to throw around."

"I agree, Commander, although I'd hate to think that someone of Adm. Harte's stature could be bought by the likes of the Kasavich brothers. Are you going to tell the rest of the men?"

"No, and I don't want you, too, either. Until we have confirmation on this, I want them to continue to think we're in a holding pattern; and we are in a holding pattern until my father-in-law and Lt. Montgomery can figure this out. Keep your eyes and ears open, Senior. We both know that waiting is sometimes a necessary thing, but we also know that the men tend to get 'antsy' if they have to wait around too long."

"Yes, Sir. I was just thinking, Commander, how about the kids and I run a little E and E with these Army boys? It'll keep all of them on their toes and they won't have time to think about waiting around."

"Good idea; just don't stray too far from home. We may get orders to execute our op at any time."

"Aye, aye, Sir."