"FOREVER AND ALWAYS"

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Title: "Forever and Always"

Author: Michelle Heath

Rating: MA for adult situations and language

Summary: Story #5 in the Salvation Series. Sam/Steve, Caroline/Danny, Kono/Tony, Chin/Lana and the rest of the gang!

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

Date Written: May 24, 2011

(Libby is thoroughly enjoying having everyone visit with her and Grace is having a fine time herself. Finally, however, a nurse comes in and shoos everyone out except Mike. Danny and Caroline volunteer to take Grace back to Rachel's so that Mike can spend more time with Libby and, after hugs all around, they are finally alone. Angel the bear has been moved to one of the chairs near the window for the night and Mike helps his wife get settled comfortably back in her bed. He starts to move to a chair beside her, but Libby asks him to sit on the side of her bed instead.)

"I'm so glad all of the children came to visit tonight, and Grace, well, she truly is an angel."

"Yes, she is. You're a remarkable woman, Libby Thrasher. You had major surgery this morning, and tonight you entertained a room full of people."

"My surgery wasn't as major as it could have been, and I spent time with my family, Mike. There's a big difference. I wouldn't trade one second of this evening for anything in the world. We're very blessed, you know."

"Yes, Libby, I do know, but I think I'm the most blessed because I have you."

"We have each other, Mike, forever and always."

"Forever and always."

(Caroline and Danny are driving home from the hospital when Caroline has a fit of giggles as they are stopped at a traffic light. Danny, thankful that his wife isn't quite as tense as she was earlier, glances over at her with a grin on his face.)

"What?"

"I'm just thinking about the expression on poor Tony's face when Grace mentioned the possibility of twins. Bless his heart, I thought he was going to toss his cookies right then and there."

"Yeah, and the man calls himself a SEAL."

"And I suppose you weren't the least bit nervous when Rachel was pregnant with Grace."

"I was scared to death."

(And now it's Caroline's turn to be surprised at Danny's quiet admission.)

"You were?"

"Yeah. I kept thinking about all the things that could go wrong. I nearly drove Rachel nuts fussing over her constantly."

"Well, obviously, she didn't kill you."

"No, but she probably wanted to."

"When did you figure it out?"

"The first time I felt Grace move. I was in the bedroom we were turning into a nursery standing up on a ladder painting, and Rachel was in the kitchen cooking dinner. I heard her scream and nearly broke my leg getting off that ladder and into the kitchen. When I got there, Rachel was standing in the middle of the room holding her stomach and there was this incredulous look on her face. She grabbed my hand and put it on her stomach, Grace kicked, and I fell in love right then and there."

(Danny's expression has softened as he's been talking and Caroline feels a twinge of jealousy for just a moment. Reminding herself that her husband is talking about his daughter and not his ex-wife, she takes a deep breath and tries to shake the negative feelings. Danny, smart man that he is, sees the slight narrowing of Caroline's eyes and knows exactly what's running through his wife's head at the moment. Leaning over to drop a quick kiss on her forehead, he gives her a sweet smile.)

"Just like I'm going to fall in love with our children."

(By the time they get home, Tony's color is almost back to normal. Kono has had a hard time keeping a straight face because, after Grace mentioned twins, Tony had a slightly dazed look for the remainder of their visit with Libby. Kono has just slipped a pale blue, lacy nightgown over her head when she feels her husband's strong arms slide around her waist and pull her back against his muscular chest. Tony's hand slowly and ever so gently splays across her lower abdomen and his voice is full of amazement.)

"Hey, little guy, I'm your Daddy."

"Tony, what are you doing?"

"Talking to the baby, K. Shhh. You know, your mother gets to spend a lot of time with you because, well, you're inside of her, but I want you to know that Daddy loves you, too."

"Tony . . ."

"Shh! I won't really get to spend much time with you until you're born, but, once you get here, you and I are going to do everything together. Promise."

"Tony, I'm not positive, but I don't think the baby can hear, let alone understand you, Sweetie."

"Hey, he's our baby, K. He knows exactly who I am and what I'm saying."

"He?"

"Or she."

"Does it matter?"

"Not in the least. Boy or girl; I'm good either way."

(And Kono turns her head to look up and back at her husband with a perfectly straight face.)

"And if it's twins?"

"Then they know their Daddy loves them."

(Lana and Chin decide to have a late dinner after visiting Libby and are soon sitting at a back table in their favorite Italian restaurant.)

"I'm so glad Libby's doing well, and her prognosis is excellent."

"Yeah, but they're still going to have to keep a close eye on her, Chin. It's going to be a while before she's completely in the clear."

"I know, but . . .It could have been a lot worse."

"True. . . You know, Libby is such a strong woman and Mike obviously adores her. I mean, they've been married thirty-five years and they still look at each other like they're newlyweds."

"Is there a time limit on being newlyweds?"

"What?"

"I said, is there a time limit on being newlyweds? When two people love each other the way Libby and Mike do, well, it's pretty amazing. . . What are you grinning about, Lana?"

"Oh, I was just thinking . . . We'll still be newlyweds in thirty-five years, too."