THROWING DARTS

Based on the Hawaii Five-0 Series Finale | Season 10 Episode 22: Aloha

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CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

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BARCELONA, SPAIN - JULY 12, 2020 - 0400 HOURS

Catherine quietly padded back to the bedroom and tucked herself under the covers after an unpleasantly early spell of morning sickness. As her eyes began to close, her phone flashed with a new message. Catherine rolled over and tapped on the screen to see who was texting her at that god-forsaken hour.

BLOCKED NUMBER: Your take-out order will be ready at 22:00. Pick up at La Sagrada Familia. Come alone.

A satisfied sigh escaped her lips as she set her phone aside and curled into the safety of her husband. Coen had finally come through with the intel package, and now she could sleep.

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BARCELONA, SPAIN - JULY 12, 2020 - 1300 HOURS

"C'mon, Rollins." Steve grinned as he pulled her into the crowded bar. "Loosen up, this is supposed to be fun!" He chuckled.

Catherine rolled her eyes as they made their way through the sea of people. "Fun for you, maybe. I can't drink anymore." She complained as Steve leaned over the wooden bar and ordered a drink for himself.

A minute later the bartender handed him two glasses. Steve passed one off to her and grinned at her confused look, "It's just ginger ale." He chuckled as he took a sip of his cerveza. "Besides, I'm the one who needs a little liquid courage to go dancing in the broad daylight."

Catherine smiled and sipped the ginger ale as she leaned into his side. "We could've waited until tonight."

"That's true… but then it'd give me more time to talk myself out of it." He winked as he downed the last drops and set his glass back on the bar. "Let's go, Lieutenant!" Catherine laughed as she set her glass beside his and was pulled into the mob of people.

Her hand was captured in his as Steve pulled her body against his and slid his hand to the small of her back. As they swayed to the music, Catherine had to admit, his footwork was pretty spot on! Steve gently pushed her away from his body as he spun her under his arm. Catherine turned so that her back was pressed against his chest as they moved to the rhythm of the band. Steve's hands settled on her hips as they tantalized the exposed skin between her top and long, flowing skirt.

The lightness of his attitude, the ease of his demeanor - Catherine wished as if they could stay like that forever. Even after twenty years, she got goosebumps every time he touched her. As the song ended, Steve dipped her in the middle of the crowd and planted a kiss on her lips, earning cat calls and cheers from their fellow bar-goers. When the music kicked up again, Steve spun her away from him before capturing her against his chest as they floated across the dance floor to the sounds of the salsa music.

After what felt like hours, Catherine followed Steve out of the bar and onto the beach. She kicked her shoes off and held them in her hand as they walked side by side. "You know, I was thinking…." Steve began as he scratched the back of his neck. "I, uh… I'd really like to have a girl…" He admitted with a sheepish grin.

"Well, you know I can't control that, right?" Catherine giggled as she bumped her hip into his. "But i'd like that too." She chewed on her lip for a minute before continuing, "Why do you say that, though?"

Steve shrugged, "I feel like if I had a son, I'd be too hard on him, you know? Wanting him to do everything I've done…Planning his life for him…"

Catherine smiled softly, "I think you'd do just fine with a boy, but I get it." Though her abs were still flawlessly toned, she mindlessly traced her fingertips over her stomach, "But you know, even if we have a girl, you don't have to be a softie…" She laughed quietly, "Girls don't break so easily."

Steve grinned as he stopped and pulled her in for a kiss, "Even if she only gets a fraction of your strength, she'll still be a badass."

"Hey, Steve?" Catherine blurted out.

"Yeah?" His brow furrowed as they began to walk down the beach again.

No more secrets. She whispered to herself. "Coen got the intel I asked for. He wants to do a hand-off tonight."

Steve nodded, "Okay. What time are we going?"

Catherine shook her head, "Just me. He said to come alone."

"Catherine…." Steve's tone warned her that he wasn't happy with that arrangement.

She sighed as she ran her fingers through her hair, "Look, I know you don't like the set up, but no backup is standard protocol for us."

"I'm not sending my pregnant wife to do a dead drop even if there is backup." Steve stated firmly.

Catherine cut her eyes over at him, "I'm not asking for your permission."

Steve raised his eyebrows. "You're not thinking clearly. You'd be going in alone AND unarmed, because in case you forgot, we're on our honeymoon, not some covert operation. I didn't exactly bring tac gear and body armor."

"Steve, I have to go." She reiterated.

He ran his hand back through his hair and gripped the soft ends at the back of his head, "When and where?"

A tentative smile formed at the corners of her mouth, "La Sagrada Familia. 2200 hours."

"Well." He sighed, "We better go check it out, then."

LA SAGRADA FAMILIA, BARCELONA, SPAIN - JULY 12, 2020 - 1600 HOURS

"I still don't like it." Steve repeated for the hundredth time. "We're unarmed, we don't have comms, and you're pregnant."

Steve and Catherine sat at the Quiosc Bar in the park across the street as they watched the foot traffic in front of the basilica. "You'll be here, I'll be a hundred yards away at most." She stated. "There's a clear line of sight and the bar will be busy enough that Coen won't notice you."

Steve gritted his teeth as he reviewed the possible outcomes in his mind. "Charge your phone. Call mine before the drop and keep it in your pocket that way I'll be able to hear what's going on."

BARCELONA, SPAIN - JULY 12, 2020 - 2100 HOURS

Catherine glanced at her watch as they sat on a bench in the park across the street from the basilica. From a distance, they looked like two love birds sharing a quiet moment, but the tension between them was heavy. That afternoon, Steve had made it very clear that he was unhappy with the plan. With their estimation of Catherine being almost eight weeks pregnant, he thought that they should catch the first plane back to Honolulu. But she insisted, and he eventually agreed, that people like this don't just go away. If they ever wanted to sleep soundly again, it was time to stop playing defense and go on the attack.

"I love you, you know." Steve murmured as he pressed a kiss against her temple.

Catherine smiled as she tugged her leather jacket closer to her body. "I love you too."

"You got everything?" Steve asked.

She nodded and laughed quietly, "Haven't lost anything since the last time you asked."

"Humor me." He pleaded.

Catherine sighed with a sweet smile and rambled off her list, "Phone, money, switchblade, watch…" She patted her backpack, "And somewhere to keep the file." She grinned, "You can relax. I'm walking across the street to get a dossier. Not going on the run."

Steve nodded, "You know I'll never stop worrying about you."

"I know." Catherine affirmed quietly. She glanced down at her watch as the minutes ticked closer and closer to the time of the drop.

Steve wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against his chest. His hand rested securely on her belly as he gently drew small circles with his thumb. "You two are gonna be the death of me." He chuckled.

Catherine smiled. "We love you too." She glanced down at her watch as the time changed to 21:58. "Showtime." She wiggled out of his arms and stood up.

Steve grabbed her hand and pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply, as if she was the last drop of water in a desert. "One for the road."

"I'm just gonna be across the street." She smiled before kissing him back. "I'll be back before you know it."

LA SAGRADA FAMILIA - BARCELONA, SPAIN - JULY 12, 2020 - 2200 HOURS

Catherine hurried across the street as Steve made his way to the rooftop of the crowded bar. He watched as she stood in a stream of moonlight and waited for Coen. His eyes darted across the field of play. The gothic architecture of the basilica was not ideal for a midnight hand off. The alcoves and gargoyles allowed for too many potential hiding spots. His watch beeped as the clock hit the new hour. It was go time.

Catherine sensed footsteps approaching as she heard the gong of the church bells marking the time. She turned as a man in a suit approached her. She stepped out of the shadow of the church and turned to face him. "Thanks for meeting me."

Agent Coen smiled and let out a dry chuckle, "Seems like I've got plenty of time to do your bidding these days, Rollins." He pulled a folder out of his jacket and handed it to her.

From across the street at the rooftop bar, Steve watched Coen hand her the file. He pressed his ear to his phone as he tried his best to listen to their conversation through the static-filled line caused by Catherine's jacket.

"Now tell me." Coen began. "Why are you so interested in Gustav Bastyr? What happened? Get bored with retirement?"

Catherine shook her head as she stuffed the file in her bag. "We have reason to believe he's interested in Steve and me."

"Ah, yes. The SEAL over at the bar who's pretending to be on a phone call." Coen rolled his eyes, "The covert gene his mother possessed certainly skipped a generation, didn't it?"

"Did you honestly think I would be stupid enough to come without backup?" Catherine scoffed.

A twisted smile formed on Coen's face, "No one ever accused you of being stupid, Rollins."

Across the street, Steve was growing impatient at Catherine's conversation with Coen. The point of a hand off was that there was no dilly dallying. Get in, get the information, and get out. His phone beeped with the notice of an incoming call. He glanced at the screen and huffed, but accepted the call, "Langford, now's not a good time."

Catherine turned her head as a shadow approached her from behind. She looked at the bar across the street and saw Steve at his perch on the rooftop. Her eyes went back to Coen, "So you brought backup too." She hissed.

Coen chuckled as he stepped closer to the building and dipped into a shadow. "Like I said, Rollins. No one ever accused you of being stupid."

"Steve, listen." Harry barked over the phone, "My contact at interpol just reached out and told me that a body was found in the Vltava River in Prague."

Steve looked back at the sidewalk in front of the church. Catherine was still standing there, but he didn't have eyes on Coen. "Get to the point, Harry." He grumbled.

Harry's voice rang through the phone. "Gustav Bastyr is dead."

Catherine turned to walk back to the bar, but a force shot out from behind her and pulled her into a dark alcove. She struggled against her assailant, punching and kicking against the body that held her, and then everything went black.

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Steve darted through the park and ran towards the church. Harry could hear his frantic breathing as he sprinted. "CATHERINE!" He shouted, not caring how much attention he drew to himself. The tail lights of a speeding van nearly hit him as it careened down the empty street. "CATHERINE!" He yelled again as he crossed the street to the sidewalk where she had been standing. A trail of blood leading away from the church made him freeze in fear.

"Steve, are you there?" Harry's voice carried through the phone.

"Harry, Get to Barcelona. Now."

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AUTHOR'S NOTE

Dun Dun Duuuhhhh! CLIFFHANGER!

I almost feel bad leaving CH.27 on a cliffhanger, so buckle your seat belts, ladies and gents, because things are about to get interesting!

I can't wait to see your reviews! Thank you for all the feedback you all left for the last chapter!

XO,

-Mags-

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