Pehea wau i ʻike ai i kou makuahine

Based on the characters and stories of Hawaii Five-0.

Hawaii Five-0 is owned by CBS and their respective creators.

"It's gonna rain."

Evelyn laughed as she bounced Shelby on her lap. "Your leg tell you that?"

Catherine rolled her eyes, "Hey, don't make fun - it's always right! That damn GSW starts hurting anytime there's a change in the weather.

"Language, dear!" Evelyn scolded her daughter as she pointed to Shelby, "She'll be repeating things before you know it!"

"She says 'mama' and 'dada' and that's it right now." As if on cue, Shelby wiggled out of Evelyn's arms and called out for her mom. Catherine scooped her up and held her as she snuggled up against her bump.

Evelyn beamed, "Motherhood suits you."

Catherine smiled, "Surprisingly, I agree."

"You ready for your little boy to be here?" Evelyn asked as she walked into the kitchen and brought Catherine back a glass of water. "Have you decided on a name yet?"

"Not yet." She shrugged. "I'm ready. I mean, I'll be kinda sad when it's over. It's been more uneventful than when I was pregnant with Shelby. I've actually gotten to enjoy this one."

Evelyn laughed, "I'll say. No more running off to Europe and getting yourself in trouble."

Catherine laughed, "Me and Europe never really got along." She glanced out the window and watched Steve and her father piddling around in the workshop.

"I see why you like it here." Evelyn sat in the window seat beside her and looked out at the mountains. "Think you all will ever leave the island and move out here?"

"Probably not." Catherine shook her head. "We're happy in Hawaii. It's home and Steve has a great job there. This is just our getaway."

Evelyn nodded and followed her daughter's line of sight to where the boys were. "Shame it took you two so long to finally settle down."

Catherine shrugged, "Life happens exactly when it's supposed to. Honestly, I don't think we were ready to settle down all those years ago."

"How's it going? Marriage, I mean."

A smile crossed her lips, "It's good. We're, um… we're really happy. Enjoying the change of pace."

"And he's treating you right?" Evelyn's eyebrow raised.

Catherine laughed, "Mom, it's Steve."

Evelyn smiled, "I know, dear." She laughed. "He practically worships the ground you walk on." She tickled Shelby, "And now that this one is here and that one's on the way, I'm sure he's been waiting on you hand and foot… which probably drives you crazy."

"Something like that… But I like it. It's a good change of pace. It feels like we've finally separated all the shit we went through and put each other through from where we are now and have a good handle on a fresh start."

"Knock, knock." The man in the doorway of Catherine's hospital room tentatively announced his presence.

Catherine looked up from her book. "Oh my God! What are you doing here?" She laughed in surprise. She dog-earred the page she was on and set the book aside. "I haven't seen you since lunch in Kabul!"

Billy Harrington chuckled as he sauntered in the room and took a seat beside her hospital bed. "Sorry I couldn't stick around to see how your call with McGarrett went. Duty called. But, uh, I was here visiting one of the boys on my team and heard you were here. Why exactly are you here?"

"It's a long story." She smiled nervously as she adjusted her sling.

"I've got time." He grinned as he sat back in the chair and propped his ankle up on his knee.

Catherine began to recount the ambush. She told him about waking up in the field, her injuries, and eventually how she made it back to base and ended up in Germany. "So, yeah. I've been here for a month. I'm supposed to get out in the next couple days but my apartment back in the states won't be ready for two more weeks so I'm trying to think of what to do until then."

Billy sat and listened intently, hanging on her every word. He was in complete awe of her strength and resilience. "You, uh, you ever spend any time in Europe?"

"Not a whole lot. I was thinking about getting a train ticket and doing some sightseeing before I head back home."

"You should." He pointed out the window. "Germany's pretty cool. France, Spain, the Mediterranean - great spots over there for a little R and R. You gonna meet up with McGarrett? I know he's been busy lately. Team five's been on the move a lot."

Catherine chewed on her lip. She knew that she should tell Billy what happened, but frankly, she was tired. Tired of crying. Tired of pining over a man who had told her verbatim that she was a liability. Tired of rehashing the same hurt and pain she had felt when Steve hung up the phone. The last few months of her tour had made her a better soldier, a better woman, and more independent than she had ever imagined. Although she was less than thrilled to be injured and stuck in a hospital bed in Germany, it had given her some much needed time to rest and reorient her priorities. "No. I'm traveling solo."

Billy glanced at his watch. "I gotta head out, but, uh, if you happen to find yourself in Amsterdam when you get out, I'm gonna be there for a couple days before I ship out again."

She smiled, "I'll keep that in mind." Catherine reached out and touched his arm. "Billy… thank you. For everything."

He pulled his arm back slightly so that her hand fell into his. "Like I said, I was just down the hall visiting someone else. No factor."

Catherine laughed quietly, "I uh, I actually meant for Kabul. I don't think I ever said thank you for what you did out in the field. And if you ever tell McGarrett I'll deny it - but you saved me that day."

Billy's thumb brushed across the top of her hand. His eyes lowered ever so slightly as he studied her face. His voice deepened into a low answer, "Like I said…. No factor."

"And for sticking around afterwards." She squeezed his hand. "You've always been a great friend."

The corner of his mouth twisted up into a smirk, "See you around, Rollins."

"Hey, mom." Catherine pinned her phone between her ear and her shoulder as she made her way through the train station.

"Catherine, dear, are you alright? We've barely heard from you since you got to Germany." Evelyn was slightly irritated that her daughter had been so obviously dodging her calls, but at least she wasn't in a battlefield. "You know, if it hadn't been for your father calling Steve and Steve telling us you got sent to Germany, I get the impression you'd've kept this all a secret."

Catherine froze in front of the waiting area for her train. "Steve did what?"

Evelyn sighed, "You were supposed to call… And you didn't and it had been days since we'd heard from you and that just wasn't like you. You never miss our calls. Your father and I were so worried that he went down to the base at Corpus Christi to see if he could find out anything, but no one would give him any information, so he called Steve…"

She nearly vomited. In the midst of her self-pity, personal renaissance, and nearly dying - again, she had forgotten to tell her mother that she and Steve had broken up. "What did Steve tell you?"

"He called around to a bunch of people until he tracked down your C.O. and called us back and just said you had been injured and treated in Kabul and you were being medevaced to the Army hospital in Germany. He's been talking to your father and me just about every other day to keep us updated on how you are since you barely answer your phone these days."

"Mom, Steve and I broke up. A while ago, actually… Like… before I got injured." Catherine thought that maybe if she blurted it out that it would hurt less. It didn't."

Evelyn nearly fell out of her chair, "What happened?!"

Catherine stared at the train ticket in her hand. She glanced over her shoulder at the other train that was about to board. She looked back at the ticket and decided then and there that she was going to get over Steve McGarrett for good. "It's kind of a long story, but, um… there's a problem with my train ticket so I gotta go. I love you! I'm gonna go sightseeing for a few days and then fly back for Amy's wedding, and then I'll come see you before I move into my new place."

"Be careful. Love you, darling."

Catherine quickly hung up her phone and made her way to the information desk, "Excuse me, is there any way I can change my ticket?"

The lady behind the counter took her train ticket and scanned it, "Where to?"

"Are there still seats available on the train to Amsterdam?"

"Yes, ma'am." The lady quickly issued her a new ticket and disposed of the one with a destination of Paris, France.

Without a second thought, Catherine took the ticket and hurried onto the train.

"I gotta say. I'm kinda surprised you called." Billy chuckled as he met up with Catherine outside the tattoo parlour. "And that you wanted to meet up at a tattoo shop?"

Catherine laughed, "I may have surprised myself a little with that one too. But I figured if I had you meet me here then maybe I wouldn't chicken out."

Billy's jaw dropped. "YOU'RE getting a tattoo?!" He laughed, "You're kidding, right?"

She grabbed his hand and pulled him inside, "Come with me before I change my mind!"

Billy sat beside her as she pulled her hair up into a high bun so that the tattoo artist could get to work. "You're sure about this? You've never been this rash, Rollins."

Catherine peered out of the corner of her eye at him as she felt the cold sensation of the alcohol swab on her skin. "I think it's about damn time I did something just for me." She took a deep breath when she heard the buzzing of the tattoo pen turned on. Catherine reached out for his hand.

"Does McGarrett know you're getting inked?" Billy chuckled as he hesitantly took her hand.

"No." She grimaced as the first pricks of pain hit her skin. "We broke up." She blurted out as her eyes welled up with tears. Even Catherine didn't know whether the tears were from her breakup or from the in-progress tattoo.

Billy's mouth gaped open, "I-I'm sorry, Catherine - I didn't know. I swear."

"I figured." She traced the tips of her fingers along her eyes to catch the tears. "God, I don't even know why I'm still crying. It was months ago."

He squeezed her hand, "Months?"

"The day you left Kabul and he finally texted me to schedule a call… He ended things." She winced as the tattoo artist began to fill in the design on the back of her neck.

"Hence the tattoo?"

She smiled, "Cliche, I know."

Billy chuckled, "So what is it? You uh, you never said what you were gonna get."

Catherine glanced out of the corner of her eyes, "The nautical star." She laughed, "I thought it was fitting. You know. It's kind of our symbol of membership to the Navy… and uh, it's always represented a sailor finding their way home when they were lost."

"And you felt lost?"

She grinned, "Metaphorically and physically, yes. You, uh, you have a lot of time to think when your boyfriend breaks up with you and then you find yourself in a field with a broken back."

Billy nodded as he put his other hand around hers, "Why on the back of your neck? You hair'll cover it up."

"It's my six." The faintest of smiles flickered at the corner of her mouth, "Because now I know I can trust myself to watch my own back."

"So you never actually told me what you were doing in Amsterdam or if I was intruding on you by showing up here." Catherine stole a fry off of his plate and popped it in her mouth.

Billy smirked, "If you're gonna steal my fries, Rollins, you shoulda ordered some for yourself."

Catherine laughed, "I stole ONE!"

"You've eaten at least half of them!" He swatted her hand away, "Hands off!"

She grinned and took a sip of her beer and glanced around the pub. "So why are you in Amsterdam?"

"Work." He took a swig of his drink and leaned back in his chair, "Doing a little P.R. at The Hague."

Catherine's eyes widened, "You're kidding."

He grinned and shook his head, "Nah, they, uh, they wanted someone to represent U.S. special forces at a ceremony yesterday so yours truly got asked and here I am."

"That's amazing, Billy! Look at you!" She exclaimed. Catherine was shocked at the opportunity he had been afforded, but not at all at the fact that it was Billy who had been chosen. Billy Harrington was a SEAL Team commander, extremely confident, charismatic, and well spoken. And damn, how had she forgotten that he looked like an underwear model all the freaking time? "Any hotel recommendations? It was kind of a, uh, last minute decision to come out here and I didn't really have any time to look."

Billy tilted his head to the left, "I'm staying a couple blocks over. You're welcome to crash if you want. Just in case you were wondering if this is me coming on to you - the room's got two beds."

She laughed bashfully, "Always the gentleman, Billy Harrington."

He grinned, "Just a friendly offer. I can, uh, I can help you find a place, though, if you want some solitude on your journey of self-discovery."

Catherine rolled her eyes, "You make it sound like I'm doing "Eat, Pray, Love" or some shit like that."

He chuckled and dug in his wallet for a few bills to cover their meal. "I'm just messing with you, Catherine." She began to protest his paying for her meal, "Save it. My treat." He stood up, "But you have my number, so if you want some company or somewhere to crash just give me a call." He offered a playful salute and a wink before disappearing through the door.

A few hours later, Catherine returned to the pub for dinner. She had spent most of the afternoon moseying through the streets of Amsterdam and decided that a dark bar was her preferred spot for the rest of the night. She ordered a drink from the bartender before turning and running smack in to Billy.

"Fancy meeting you here again." He smirked. "Have a good afternoon?"

Catherine laughed nervously as she picked up her glass from the bartender. "Pretty good. Yours?"

"Took a nap." He chuckled, "Lame, I know. Gotta rest up before I ship out again."

She took a long sip of her drink and leaned back against the bar, "God, I missed a good Old Fashioned." Billy smirked as he flagged down the bartender and ordered a shot. She wasn't anywhere close to being flirty, four-drink Catherine, but the new Catherine didn't need alcohol to cope with a deployment or to have the courage to strike up a conversation with an unattached bachelor. The new Catherine was far more uninhibited. "Want a hand with that?" A devilish smile curled up on her mouth.

Billy was surprised at her offer, but hid it well. "Like the night I met you?"

"Something like that."

He grinned as he held the tequila shot in his hand. "I, uh, I may not be as much of a gentleman as McGarrett was. You give me an inch, I might take a mile."

Catherine licked her thumb and swiped it across her collarbone. She poured some salt in her hand and sprinkled it across the moisture before taking the lime from him. "Then take the mile." She grinned as she bit down on the lime. Billy didn't need to be told twice. He pulled her up against his body, licked the salt off of her clavicle and downed the shot of tequila. Catherine grabbed onto his collar and yanked his lips down towards hers.

Billy barely had a second to swallow the tequila before she kissed him. Somehow the shot glass made its way back to the bar as Billy's hands slipped under the hem of her shirt and gripped her hips. Catherine was insatiable and he loved every minute of it. "God, woman!" He grinned as they caught their breath. Catherine's chest rose and fell heavily against his. They had broken away for air but his iron grip kept her securely against his body. "I forgot what kissing you felt like."

"What does it feel like?" The sparks in her eyes flickered with intrigue.

He grinned, "Like when the clock is down to three seconds and you get the ball into the endzone."

Catherine leaned back against the bar and wrapped her hand around the back of his neck, "Is that why your codename is 'Quarterback'?"

Billy leaned down and whispered against her lips, "I'd tell you... but it's classified."

"Kiss me, QB." She murmured before molding her lips around his.

Billy sat up against the headboard and pulled Catherine into his arms. She wiggled backwards until her back was resting against his chest. He gently brushed her hair aside and placed a kiss at the nape of her neck, "I'm glad you showed up in Amsterdam."

Catherine tugged the sheet up to cover her breasts as she closed her eyes and relaxed in his arms. "I'm glad you showed up in Germany… and Kabul."

He nuzzled his nose around the edge of her ear, "I like this new version of you." Billy tightened his arms around her, "Your confidence is sexy."

Catherine shifted on the hotel bed to ease the sharp pain in her back, "I don't think this is the kind of 'light physical activity' the doctor cleared me for." She laughed.

"It wasn't exactly 'light', was it?" He smirked and pressed a kiss into her mussed hair, "Are you okay?"

"I'm good." She waved her hand dismissively, "It was good. Better than sneaking around base and having to have sex in a cot all those years ago."

He chuckled, "Even sex in a cot with you in Kabul was good." His fingertips ghosted up and down her thigh, "I never thought I'd be back in bed with you again though." He mumbled into her hair. Even Catherine's post-sex hair made her look radiant, he thought.

Catherine smiled and cuddled in closer, "You're gonna make some girl really happy someday, you know that right?"

"Why can't that girl be you?" Billy saw her glance at the clock. "Don't tell me your carriage is about to turn back into a pumpkin."

Catherine laughed, "I should probably work on getting a room before it gets too late."

"Stay here."

She exhaled a nervous breath, "Billy… I don't wanna lead you on." Catherine chewed on her lip, "I just did the 'long distance with a SEAL' thing for a while and it kind of sucked. I just think… I dunno. I just need some time."

"Catherine." He began. "Have I ever pushed you into doing anything you didn't wholeheartedly want to do?" He waited for her to shake her head. "Then trust me when I say this. You can stay here. No strings attached. If you want to sleep in the other bed, that's okay. If you want to sleep in this bed, that's okay too."

"And if we happen to have sex again?"

Billy chuckled, "Then I'm a lucky man." He tilted her chin up and kissed her slowly.

Catherine pulled away and rested her temple on his chest, "Billy, I mean it. Things with Steve have been over for a while and I'm sure he's moved on, but I just can't even think about doing the whole feelings thing again right now."

Billy tucked his fingers into her hair and pulled her mouth a mere breath away from his. His thumb brushed across the pout of her lower lip as a wordless statement of intent. He looked in her intoxicatingly brown eyes and nearly got lost. "Then don't think and just feel."

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Oh, sweet Billy Harrington. The show did you dirty. Poor fella.

I know, I know: It was a Steve-free chapter, but don't you worry, he's coming back soon! But hey, we finally figured out what happened in Amsterdam! Let me know what you thought in the reviews! Team Billy or Team Steve?!

XO,

-Mags-