"TAKE MY BREATH AWAY"
CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
Title: "Take My Breath Away"
Author: Michelle Heath
Rating: MA for adult situations and language
Summary: Continuation of the "Salvation" series by popular demand
Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!
Date Written: April 20, 2011
(Kono and Tony are sitting at a table in one of the more upscale restaurants in Waikiki enjoying a wonderful brunch when she notices that he seems to be a little distracted. Remembering that he seemed to have something on his mind before they left the house, she decides to question him about it and get whatever it is out of the way so as not to spoil the rest of a perfectly good Sunday afternoon.)
"What is it, Tony? Something was bothering you before we left the house this morning, and it's still on your mind?"
"Not sure I know, K. Can't quite put my finger on it. . . . When I stepped out onto the back deck this morning, I got a sense of . . Something. Kind of like I get when there's a tango close by when I'm on an op."
"Our backyard is not a war zone, Tony."
"I know, but I just can't quite shake the feeling."
"How about we go home and you let me take your mind off this 'something?"
"Now that sounds like a plan."
(And they head home with something definite instead of something vague on their minds. It's mid-afternoon before either of them is capable of moving and then they work on unpacking the remainder of the boxes from the day before. As they put dinner together, Tony, once again, experiences a vague sense of unease as darkness begins to fall. Standing in front of the window above the sink in the kitchen, he gazes out into the backyard; his SEAL training kicking in and his sharp eyes moving over the entire area. He sees absolutely nothing out of place; no strange shadows, no tell-tale movement of branches or bushes, nothing, but he's learned to trust his instincts over the years and, right now, they're screaming that something isn't quite right. . .
After spending the majority of the morning answering, or rather, side-stepping, Grace's never-ending questions, Sam is more than ready to make a dive with Steve. The two of them spend a good deal of time exploring a reef and losing themselves in the beautiful colors and images of the world beneath the ocean. Finally, Steve reluctantly signals Sam that it's time to head up to the surface. Apparently, Libby and Mike have been able to answer the majority of Grace's questions in their absence, although Sam can't possibly imagine Grace having any more questions as she grilled Sam and Steve quite thoroughly while Libby and Mike were diving. When they get home, Sam heads straight for the shower while Steve empties the cooler and puts it outside on the back deck to air dry. When he straightens up and turns to go back inside, the sensation of being watched overtakes him and he is instantly on alert. Slowly turning to look out toward the ocean, Steve stands perfectly still as his eyes scan the beach behind the house. Nothing appears to be out of place, but Steve trusts his instincts and he carefully backs into the house and shuts and locks the door. . . .
Lana is putting leftovers away in the kitchen of her apartment while Chin steps out onto the balcony to get some air. He has just reached the railing and placed both hands on it when there is a prickling sensation at the back of his neck. Instantly, he tenses and his eyes scan the wooded area behind Lana's building. It is almost completely dark, now, and he can't see that far, but nothing appears to be out of place and there is no movement in the bushes. . . .
Sam walks downstairs dressed in a pair of denim cut-off shorts and a tank top, barefoot, and drying her hair with a towel to see Steve standing in the kitchen looking out the window over the sink with his arms crossed over his chest.)
"Thought you were going to join me in the shower when you put the cooler outside, Sailor."
"Sorry, Sam, I got sidetracked."
"So I see. What's so interesting out there that you passed up the opportunity to take a shower with me."
"Nothing. . . Something."
"Come again?"
"I think someone's watching the house, Sam."
(And, just like that, Sam's training kicks in and she is on alert, too. Dropping the towel on the kitchen counter, she joins Steve at the window and does her on scan looking for anything, or anyone, out of place. For several tense minutes, they stand there silently looking over the back of their property, but see nothing out of the ordinary. Finally, Sam relaxes a bit. Steve, however, doesn't move a muscle.)
"I don't see anything out there, Steve."
"Neither do I, Sam, but I damned sure feel it."
"Okay, I believe you. Let's go get them."
"Yeah."
(In less than a minute, both Sam and Steve are armed with nine millimeter Glocks and are easing out of the house using the front door. Steve heads in one direction and Sam heads the opposite way so that they can approach the back of the house from two different directions and, hopefully trap whoever is hiding at the back of the house between them. Many tense minutes pass as they each slowly and carefully make their way around the house looking for any signs of an intruder along the way. There are no footprints in the sand and no broken or bent foliage along the way, and when they meet on the beach behind the house, Steve is extremely aggravated.)
"I swear someone was out here, Sam."
"I believe you, Steve. I trust your instincts. Question is, who was it and where did they go?"
