Three months later...
Steve was sitting on a park bench while the children were playing. The past three months had been hard for him, for the children, and for Catherine's father. Even Catherine's stepmother felt extremely guilty for telling Sam where Catherine was.
Sam was hospitalized and after he left the hospital he went straight to jail. The children were the only witnesses to what had happened and the police needed their testimony, in a very subtle way, of course, so as not to traumatize them further.
The judge did not like to know everything that happened to the children and took them away from Steve. It was the worst day of his life. The children returned to the orphanage, refused to eat because they missed Steve and Catherine, and were on the verge of getting sick. Because of that, Steve left his job on the task force for a while and went to work as a volunteer in the kitchen of the orphanage to be there for the children's lunch and dinner time.
"I'm proud of you, Steve. Not all fathers, even biological ones, would do what you're doing for them," Danny had told him, acknowledging Steve's love for his children.
The children stayed at the orphanage for a month, until an excellent lawyer hired by Jack, Catherine's father, managed to turn the situation around. Jack was even ready to adopt the children if the judge refused to return them to Steve.
The judge ordered Steve to maintain psychological treatment for the children and to receive a visit from the social worker every two weeks.
Philip was playing with a little girl while her mother was flirting with Steve. She wondered if he was a widower or divorced, because she always saw him alone with the children.
"Where is your mom?" she asked Philip.
Philip stopped to think before answering. For him, the word "mom" only referred to someone. "She's in the hospital because she fell off the stairs. Her name is Cath," Philip replied.
Steve called the kids, he wanted to go home because they were going to have an appointment with the psychologist in the afternoon.
"Bye," Philip said to the little friend and ran to Steve.
Steve was thinking about Catherine while driving on the way home. The day he found out that it was Sam who was threatening the children, he tried to call Catherine and failed, because by that time Catherine and Sam had already rolled down the stairs. Jack and Catherine's brother arrived at the scene and found Sam groaning in pain and Catherine unconscious. She was much more hurt than Sam. When Steve arrived in Maui, Catherine was already in the hospital.
"Admiral, how is she? I came as fast as I could," Steve said.
"Let's stop the formality, Steve. Call me Jack. She's the same way. I'm sorry for calling and telling you over the phone what happened."
"I thank you for calling me, I was desperate. I mean, I'm still desperate. I shouldn't have involved Catherine in my problems. If she hadn't approached me and the kids, it wouldn't have happened."
"Don't say that, Steve. My daughter had every right to fall in love again. She couldn't live unhappy just because Sam wanted this."
Disconnecting from his thoughts, Steve came home with the children and after lunch took them to the psychologist.
While he waited for the children's consultation to end, he received a call from Catherine's father. Her heart was racing between the hope that the news was good and the fear that the news was bad.
"Jack?" Steve took the call.
"Hey, Steve. I finally have some good news. Catherine is waking up."
"Really? This is wonderful, Jack! Did she ask for me?" Steve asked anxiously.
"Yes, she asked about you and the children, but I don't think she remembered what happened yet. She's still a little confused," Jack replied.
"I really want to go see her, but I'll have the social worker visit tomorrow," Steve told Jack.
"Don't come, Steve. I'm going to talk to the doctors and ask about the possibility of transferring her to Oahu. Don't risk losing custody of children again. Catherine would hate that. "
"Okay, but I won't be able to wait until she is transferred here, I'll go see her the day after tomorrow. Do you think the kids will be able to see her?" Steve asked.
"I don't think so , Steve. But I'm going to ask the doctors anyway," Jack replied.
"Thanks, Jack. I don't know what I would do without your help. Please tell her why I'm not in the hospital with her. I'm afraid she'll think that I don't care about her."
"I will tell her, Steve. She will understand. I will give you news."
"I thank you again, Jack," Steve said and ended the call.
A few minutes later the children left the office with a lollipop in their hands. The psychologist always gave something to please children.
"I wait for them next week, Mr. McGarrett," said the psychologist.
"Okay, doctor," Steve replied and then looked at the children. "Let's go?"
Steve took them to the parking lot and they stopped next the car. Steve crouched down to talk to them more closely.
"I have some very good news. Aunt Cath is waking up and that means she is getting better!" Steve told the children. He was happy and excited.
The children smiled and were happy too. "Daddy, can Aunt Cath be our mom?" Philip asked and Steve thought how he would answer that question.
Alice and Paul also looked at him expectantly, waiting for an answer.
"We'll have to ask her that, son, but we have to wait for her to get better and come home," Steve replied and then helped them into the car.
Steve took the children home and the night was visited by Danny.
"Hi, I brought us some beers," Danny said when Steve opened the door.
"Hi, Danny. Come in, but I'm not going to drink today. I'm cleaning the house, tomorrow we'll have a visit from the social worker."
Danny came in and sat in Steve's armchair while the kids were sitting on the couch watching cartoons.
"Say hi to Uncle Danny," Steve told the children.
"Hi, Uncle Danny."
"Hi," Danny replied.
"I'm going to the laundry and I'll be right back," Steve said to Danny, but Danny got up and followed him.
"You look different today. You look good, happier," Danny said as Steve put clothes in the washing machine.
"Catherine woke up today. It was only for a few minutes, but the doctors told her father that she is getting better."
"Good," Danny replied and put his hands in his pants pockets. "And what are you going to do when she leaves the hospital?"
Steve smiled. "I'm going to ask her to marry me."