THROWING DARTS

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

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CHAPTER THIRTY

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MCGARRETT HOUSE - JULY 20, 2020 - 1400 HOURS

"Welcome home, Mrs. McGarrett." Steve grinned as he carried her over the threshold. Cheesy traditions aside, it was either he carried her in or she would wheel herself into the house in a wheelchair.

Catherine smiled and kissed his lips. "It's good to be home." She laughed lightheartedly. Steve made his way to the staircase, but she shook her head and pointed to the back door, "Nuh uh. Beach chair, please." She grinned.

"Cath…" Steve scolded, "You should be in bed."

Catherine rolled her eyes, "I've been in bed for days. I just want to sit up in a chair." She looked up in his eyes and batted her eyelashes playfully.

Steve groaned as he turned and walked towards the back doors. "Using the puppy dog eyes is playing dirty, Rollins." He chuckled as he walked down towards the shore and lowered her into the weathered chair. "I'll be right back. Catherine nodded and closed her eyes as she relaxed to the calming sounds of the crashing waves. A few minutes later, Steve returned and greeted her with a kiss on top of her head. "Sit up." He placed a pillow behind her back and handed her a glass of water.

"Thanks." She smiled as he drug the other beach chair in front of her and sat down. He bent over and gently lifted her feet to rest across his legs. Catherine winced as her injured leg extended over his lap.

"Sorry... sorry." He murmured as he adjusted so that her legs were properly elevated.

Catherine closed her eyes and melted into the chair. Injuries aside, this was bliss. "You're staring." She mumbled after a few minutes.

"Of course I'm staring." Steve chuckled.

Catherine raised her eyebrow as she peered at him through a hooded gaze, "It's unnerving." She smiled.

Steve studied the beautiful woman in front of him. Her long, dark hair fell across her shoulders. Her face, despite the dark bruise on her jaw that was hidden under layers of makeup, was at peace. Her left arm was completely covered in a cast and suspended in a sling. Catherine's right arm was bruised, but luckily usable with the exception of the brace that supported her broken wrist. Her thigh was heavily bandaged. The stab wound was deep and would take a long time to heal, but the surgeons at the Naval hospital in Cádiz were incredibly skilled and promised that with time she would be back to normal. He smiled as her cast and sling laid on top of her stomach protectively. Although it had been just shy of a week since they had found out how far along she actually was, it seemed like overnight her flawless abs began to show the slightest of baby bumps.

Steve cleared his throat, "So, uh… The debrief… How'd it go?"

Catherine's eyes opened as she carefully sat up. "Complicated."

"Complicated?" His brow furrowed.

She shrugged, "They wanted to know why Coen kidnapped me and what he wanted from me.

I had to lie."

Steve nodded. "Weren't you hooked up to a polygraph machine?"

"Yep." Catherine smiled, popping the 'p'. "Good thing I learned how to fool 'em."

Steve chuckled, "Oh yeah? And how's that?"

Catherine grinned, "Everyone thinks it's about controlling your breathing and your heart rate, but really it's about being erratic when they're asking you baseline questions to get a feel for what's normal. If they think that erratic is normal, the machine doesn't pick up on changes when you're lying and your heart rate picks up naturally."

"And someone being erratic after a kidnapping is normal." Steve chuckled.

"Exactly." She grinned. "The, uh, the company wouldn't look on it too kindly if they knew that I had unredacted action reports in my possession… The reason so many agents keep them as insurance isn't to protect you from your enemies. It protects you from your employer."

"So that's why you had to lie… But what lie did you tell them?" Steve asked.

Catherine sighed, "I said that Basayev paid off Coen to get me as part of a revenge play for our op in Chechnya." She shrugged. "Considering how high risk the op was, it was a plausible enough theory that they bought it."

Steve nodded. "What happened with Basayev in the house… Did Coen take him out when we breached the house?"

She stared out at the water as her face turned to stone, "I did." Her eyes darted over to see Steve's awe-struck reaction. "I learned a couple years ago to always keep my switchblade in my boots. Bad guys never check your feet." She shrugged. "When they would bring me meals, they would unlock one of the handcuffs so I could eat. I took a chance and got it out of my boot and hid it in my sleeve." She looked back down at her hands. "After a couple hours of going at it, Basayev knew he had hit a wall trying to get me to tell him where the documents were so he stabbed me in the leg…" Catherine winced at the memory. "He waited for me to regain consciousness before continuing and when he got close enough I flipped the knife open and stabbed him in the chest."

"Shit." Steve whispered.

"He called me 'Miss Rollins'... He was asking for it." She smirked, trying to lighten the mood.

Steve chuckled, "You know somethin'? You're lethal when you're hormonal." He grinned as he lowered her feet to the ground and stood to help her up, "C'mon, Lieutenant. Let's get you inside."

Catherine playfully saluted and smirked, "Ay, ay, Commander."

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"Good morning, Commander." Catherine's smile did nothing to hide the sultry tone in her voice.

Steve chuckled as his hands delved under the covers and pulled her bare skin closer to his body, "Morning, Lieutenant." He mumbled as he placed a kiss on her neck.

Catherine smiled and rested her forehead underneath his chin, "That was some night last night."

She felt Steve's body vibrate as he chuckled quietly, "You could say that." He grinned as he pressed another kiss into her hair. "You talking about the gala or what we did after?"

"God, I can't believe we had sex." She giggled as she hid her face in his well-defined chest, while her hands trailed along his back.

"Do you regret it?" He murmured.

Catherine smiled, "Hell no."

Steve grinned as his finger tips trailed along the curve of her breast. "Me either."

"You… um…" She blushed, "You're pretty impressive between the sheets, sir."

Steve shook his head, "You know I'm not your C.O. anymore…." His hooded gaze was full of lust as he stared at her lips. "Haven't been for a long time."

The tip of Catherine's nose bumped against his as her lips lingered just a breath away. "Maybe I'm just respectable." She stated innocently as she smirked against his lips.

A grin akin to the Cheshire Cat's crossed Steve's face as he flipped her on to her back and straddled her hips, "Fuck no." He laughed as he kissed down her cleavage. He grabbed her hands and pinned them above her head. "After what we did last night, you don't get to pretend to be all sweet and doe-eyed."

Catherine laughed as she rocked her hips against his, causing him to throw his head back and groan in ecstasy. "Glad we're on the same page… Commander."

"Fuckkkkk." He moaned, "Call me by my rank like that again and I won't be able to resist you."

She whimpered as her nails gripped into his shoulder. "Noted..." She choked out breathlessly before adding on, "Commander."

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MCGARRETT HOUSE - JULY 20, 2020 - 1800 HOURS

Steve jogged down the stairs as Danny walked in the front door of his house. "'Ay." Danny nodded a hello and made his way to the kitchen with armfuls of food. "What's all this?"

"Figured you had enough to deal with. Didn't want you to have to worry about dinner, so, uh, Grace and I threw something together." He shrugged.

Steve peered under the aluminum foil. "Smells good."

"Of course it smells good, what are you talkin' about? I made it. What do you know?" Danny rambled on as he popped the metal pan into the oven.

Grace pushed the door open with her foot, "A little help here!" She laughed as she balanced plates of food in her arms. Steve jogged over and unloaded her arms before helping her into the kitchen.

"Hey, uh, Gracie, why don't you go upstairs and say hi to Catherine." Steve grinned. "She's been dying to see you." Grace nodded and bolted up the stairs. Steve helped Danny put away the food before leaning back against the refrigerator. "Look, man, I uh, I really appreciate all this."

"How's she doing?" Danny asked as he leaned back against the kitchen counter.

"Good." Steve nodded. "She's, uh, she's got a long recovery, but I think she's doing okay…"

Danny crossed his arms, "How's she doing mentally though? I mean, I know you still get nightmares and stuff from shit that's happened in the past… I can't imagine this was a walk in the park for her, especially, uh, you know… being, uh, tortured…and... thinking she was gonna lose the baby because of it... "

Steve sighed as he stroked the stubble that was growing in on his jaw. "I dunno, man." He scratched the back of his neck and shuffled his feet, "I don't know if it's really hit her yet…. I mean… When you're in the middle of an ordeal like that, you just… block it all out… you know? You can't let yourself think about anything else. Nothing matters except surviving."

Danny chewed on the inside of his cheek, "I, uh, I know you and her, you went through training for stuff like that…."

"SERE training." Steve corrected.

"I'm just saying. I know the military beat it into your skulls how to make it out of situations like that alive. But it's different when you're a parent." Danny waved his hand dismissively. "I just know that the day I found out Rachel was pregnant with Grace, it didn't matter that I was a good cop and that I was trained. It hits differently, you know? It's not just you who's gotta survive. You gotta protect a life that you created too."

Steve nodded and looked at his feet.

"Just make sure you talk to someone. Or she talks to someone… That's all I'm saying." Danny shrugged, "Rachel was askin' about you guys.. Wanted to know if there was anything she could do. She's uh, she's got a ton of stuff from when Charlie was a baby that she's happy to pass on."

A satisfied smirk crossed Steve's face, "So you've talked to Rachel… recently?"

Danny rolled his eyes, "Okay. Just stop. I had Charlie when Haspel called me about going to Spain and I had to take him back to Rachel's and she, uh, she wanted to know what was going on. That's it."

"That's it?" Steve wrinkled his nose. "C'mon, man. What's really going on with her. You two've been, uh. You've been doing this dance around each other for months."

"I dunno." Danny shook his head, "One minute we're great, and, and we're flirting and everything's good, and then the next it's like the day we decided to file for divorce all over again… She's just so hot and cold."

Steve stretched his arms and pushed off of the front of the refrigerator, "Do you wanna get back together?"

Danny shrugged as he peered into the oven, "Maybe. I don't, uh, I don't wanna be the one who says it though."

"That's your problem, man." Steve shook his head and chuckled, "You're treating it like a divorce, like… I dunno. Like you don't want to show her your cards or she'll get the house and the dog, but instead of the house and the dog, you just don't want her to have the satisfaction of knowing you still care." He shrugged his shoulders, "You gotta put yourself out there or you'll never know and you'll both keep doin' this dance until you die alone."

"You've been married for a month." Danny muttered. "Stop giving good advice already."

Steve chuckled. "I'm gonna go check on Gracie and Cath." He motioned as he headed out of the kitchen.

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"Okay, what about Olivia?" Grace asked as she scrolled through another list on her phone.

"Nah." Catherine stared at the list on her phone, "Ava?"

Grace shook her head, "I know so many people who had babies this year and named them Ava. It's way overused."

Steve knocked on the open door. The sighed of Catherine sitting up against the headboard and Grace laying on her stomach with her feet in the air made him smile. "Am I interrupting?"

"Uncle Steve!" Grace patted the open space on the bed. "We're looking at baby names."

Steve plopped down on the bed and peered over Catherine's shoulder at the list of names she was reading through. "What about Michelle? I like that one."

Grace and Catherine cringed at him simultaneously. "No." They both said.

Steve raised his hands defensively and chuckled. "Alright, alright." He settled in to sit beside Catherine and gingerly held her brace-covered hand as it rested on top of her belly.

"Ugh, you guys are so cute." Grace exclaimed as she flopped her head on the bed. "I'm never going to get married. Dad scares the shit out of anyone I try to bring around. Even Will is still scared of him."

"Grace Williams! Language!" Steve exclaimed.

Grace laughed and rolled her eyes, "I'm eighteen, Uncle Steve. Weren't you like, already in the military when you were eighteen?"

"Boot camp, but yes, I had enlisted." Steve clarified.

Grace grinned, "And you're telling me that you never swore once when you were in boot camp?" She raised an eyebrow victoriously. Catherine stifled a laugh, knowing Grace had him cornered.

"Yeah, okay, I did, but you are a young lady. And not in the military." Steve scolded. Grace looked at Catherine, but he put his hand up to stop her train of thought, "Don't even ask her." He pointed at his wife. "The first time she met my SEAL team, she made them all blush. Don't be fooled by the pretty face. She swears like a savage." He grinned.

Catherine laughed and nudged him playfully, "Not true! I'm a lady too! I just happen to enjoy having a colorful vocabulary!" She giggled, "You know full well the boys were just mad that I whooped all their asses in darts that night." She grinned.

"Dinner!" Danny yelled from the kitchen. Grace hopped off the bed and darted down the stairs.

Steve walked over to Catherine's side of the bed and slid his arms under her body to carry her downstairs. "Steve…." Catherine protested. "It's embarrassing." She mumbled against his chest.

"It's just Danno and Grace." He reasoned as he carried her down the stairs.

Catherine perked up when she smelled the wafting aroma of Italian food. Her stomach began to growl as Steve lowered her into a chair and eased it towards the table. The rest of the crew crowded around the table as Danny set plates piled high with pasta in front of them. Catherine didn't waste a second in digging in. "Oh my God, Danny." She mumbled. "This is amazing."

Danny grinned as he ate. Grace giggled, "You missed out when Danno and Uncle Steve thought they were gonna open a restaurant. Danno made me try EVERYTHING on the menu."

"Not fair! If it's half as good as this, that would've been my dream." Catherine laughed.

"Baby SEAL has good taste." Danny grinned.

Catherine's eyebrows furrowed, "Baby SEAL?"

Danny chuckled, "We, uh, we sort of nicknamed your kid 'Baby SEAL'... You know, after…" He motioned to Steve. "We were all convinced it was gonna be a boy since that neanderthal has enough testosterone to fuel an army." He grinned, "We even had a little bet going on at the office." He cut his eyes over at Steve and Catherine, "No thanks to you two, I'm out twenty bucks and Tani won the pot."

Steve rolled his eyes, "I'm a very gentle person, okay? I can handle having a daughter."

Grace and Danny shared a doubtful look before snickering and stuffing their faces with more food.

"You two…" Steve grumbled. "Besides, if she's anything like Cath, we'll have our hands full." He grinned.

They finished the rest of their meal as Steve and Catherine listened to Grace tell stories about her first year in college after Danny updated them on all things Five-0. Danny and Steve packed up the leftovers and cleaned the kitchen while Grace and Catherine chatted on the lanai. A short while later, Danny and Grace said their goodbyes and left the newlyweds to relax for the night.

MCGARRETT HOUSE - JULY 20, 2020 - 2030 HOURS

"Can I get you anything?" Steve murmured as he leaned over her chair and rested his chin on top of her head.

"I'm good." She mumbled as a warm breeze danced across the yard. She smiled contentedly and closed her eyes.

Steve nodded, "Will you, uh, will you be okay if I go to Junior and Tani's for a minute to pick up Eddie and Pickles?"

"Yeah." Catherine smiled softly as she nodded. "Help me inside?"

Steve scooped her up into his arms and carried her inside. Catherine closed her eyes and melted into the safety of his arms. "You wanna know something?" His husky voice sent shivers down her spine. "I like carrying you around." He smiled.

Catherine laughed softly, "I like it too… but I'm ready to walk on my own two feet."

"It'll be a while." He reminded her.

Catherine stared at her sling as he helped her get comfortable in their bed. "I know." She whispered.

Steve kissed her and pulled the covers over her legs, "I shouldn't be more than an hour." He rested his hand over her belly protectively and pecked her lips once more, "I love you, you know." The corner of his mouth turned up in a slight smile.

Catherine rested her forehead on his and smiled, "I love you too."

MCGARRETT HOUSE - JULY 20, 2020 - 2200 HOURS

Catherine carefully pushed off of her wheelchair and rose to stand in front of the bathroom sink. She twisted the faucet and dropped the washcloth into the stream of warm water. Slowly, she used her teeth to pull the velcro of her wrist brace apart. The skin on her forearm and hand was painted with unsightly purple, black, and green bruises. The white gauze and tape covered the sutures from the pins that had to be put in her wrist. She gingerly reached into the sink and pulled out the cloth, wincing in pain as she squeezed the water out before beginning to wipe the makeup off of her face.

She had never been vain, but there were just some bruises, she had learned, that caused bystanders in airports to gawk. Steve had graciously helped her try to hide them with a little concealer and foundation before they left Cádiz. His technique wasn't flawless, but she was grateful for his willingness to help.

Catherine grimaced as she rubbed the washcloth over her bruised cheek and jaw. Harder and harder, she scrubbed her face, trying to rid herself of the mask that she had painted on. Tears mingled with the water that fell into the sink and ran down the drain.

The more she washed her face, the harder she cried. Pain. Fear. Anxiety. Torment. Agony. Terror. Everything she had felt in that dungeon came flooding over her in waves. Catherine gritted her teeth to keep from making a sound. It was all too much. She had used every ounce of strength to fight. To survive. She didn't have anything left to fight her demons with. She slumped against the sink and wailed.

Steve closed the front door behind him as Eddie and Mr. Pickles ran into the house. He heard a loud thud echo from their bedroom and bolted up the stairs. "Catherine?" He called out as he darted into the room. "Cath?" He pushed the wheelchair out of the way and slid onto his knees when he found Catherine sobbing on the bathroom floor. He didn't bother pulling her into his arms. He simply covered her body with his and held her as she cried.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE

Happy Friday, loves! I hope you enjoyed chapter THIRTY! Holy cow! How'd we get here!? I'm going to answer a few questions, but before I do that, I just wanted to say THANK YOU for all your reviews! Seriously, I adore getting your thoughts and feedback and it really does drive where the story goes.

Q And A

1. Will the story ever reflect the current state of the world/Will the story ever deal with COVID-19? Answer: NO. There are a few great fics out there that are McRoll Coronavirus centric. For me, writing is an escape and I do not wish to bring the heaviness of our current global situation into it. Apart from that, if I were Steve and Catherine in the pandemic, I'd head to Montana and live on the ranch in the middle of no where... and bearded Steve, of course!

2. Have you picked out a name for the baby? Answer: YES! I actually just finalized it today! Not quite sure when it'll be revealed, but yes, the name has been chosen.

3. How do you write in their "voice" so well? Answer: This is literally the most flattering thing that anyone has said. Truth: it's kind of a talent of mine. (Not to toot my own horn) Also, I binge the show like crazy trying to get a good feel for their speech patterns and I watch the DVD commentaries to get a feel for the motivations the writers have for each of the characters.

Got more questions? Leave them in the reviews!

Other Notes for Chapter 30:

-THANK YOU to LuckyStarPham who started reading and went back and left great feedback on previous chapters!

-Cath's pregnancy will be based on what I experienced during mine. (Yes, I am a mother to a sweet baby girl!) No two pregnancies are the same, so I can only write from my experience, and that may not necessarily be the pregnancy experience that you, the reader, went through.

-LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE HAPPEN! I'm debating between wrapping this one up around 100k words and starting a sequel, or continuing this one however far it goes. SO. Tell me which you would rather and I'll take it into consideration when making my decision. ALSO tell me what you'd like to read about in Steve and Catherine's lives!

That's all for today, folks!

XO,

-Mags-

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