Pointless, boring and unnecessary. That was Steve's conclusion when he returned from visiting the governor. His supervisor had once again requesting being told in full detail what Danny and his colleagues had already written in detail in their reports. Then she had expressed her sympathy just as long and broad. He was annoyed, he was worried. Even so, he had heroically resisted the temptation to call Sara or text her to not disturb her. In the hallway he emptied a water bottle in one go, then headed back to his office.
"Steve. I was just going to call you."
"Lou. Is there a new case?"
Grover cleared his throat. "Eh, no. You have a visitor. Your mother."
"What?" He took a quick look around the room where Danny was standing at the computer desk with his arms crossed and nodded in confirmation. Behind the glass of his office he saw a mop of blond hair. "You gotta be kidding me," he muttered, quickened his pace and stormed into his office.
"Mom. How do I get the honor? "He asked ironically and let himself fall into his chair.
"I wanted to check on you."
"Ah. It's hardly, let me think, four years since we got you out of Morocco, and since then you haven't called or maybe sent a birthday card. So what made you do it now?"
"I heard about the hurricane. I was on a mission for a very long time that I had to complete, so I could only come now."
"The hurricane was almost four weeks ago. But thanks for asking, Sara and I didn't get hurt from the hurricane. The house fell victim to the dredging skills of Lane Mitchell's brother-in-law."
"As I said, I couldn't leave earlier. I was at the house and saw the construction work. The men said I might reach you in the office. So I came here. Who is Sara?"
Instead of answering, Steve took a picture frame from his desk and held it out to his mother. It was one of the photos from the beach, under the arch where he and Sara had said yes. "You're married?! I didn't expect that."
"For a little over a year. I already knew Sara in Annapolis, we had lost sight of each other and met again two years ago. You couldn't be found, otherwise I would have invited you."
"That sounds exciting. Tell me, please," she added when he just growled. After a deep sigh, he gave her a brief summary of what had happened up to the hurricane, but left out details of Sara's activities, only mentioning that she was in the Navy. "We are currently staying at the Hilton until we can move back into the house. Lane Mitchell's insurance pays," he finished his report. He held up to her scrutinizing gaze.
"You love her, I can see that. But I also see that you have rings under your eyes and you look pretty worried. There's something else ... "
"Mom ..."
"Steve, I may not have been there for you for large parts of your life, but I am not blind. And I'm still your mother. What's happening?"
"Sara was kidnapped by a mentally disturbed woman while in search of alternative accommodation. She thought she could get hold of our baby. It was extremely close, but we were able to free Sara just in time. She is slowly recovering, but ... " He was interrupted by a knock on the door, Danny poked his head inside. "Sorry, I hate to disturb the family reunion, but there is another visitor here. He said he was a little pressed for time." His partner pushed Josh Cooper through the door. Steve got up. "Josh. I didn't know you were still on the island."
"My plane leaves tonight. I wanted to bring this to your wife before I leave, but I was told at the hospital that she had left." He was holding a bouquet of flowers and a small teddy bear.
Steve cleared his throat. "I can give her the flowers. But you'd better bring the teddy bear to one of your nieces or nephews."
"But..."
"The funeral is next Saturday. After the birth, they both were reasonably well, but then our son's arrhythmia came back. It got worse and worse, until he had a cardiac arrest on Thursday night and could not be resuscitated." He heard his mother inhale sharply behind him, Josh Cooper was clearly struggling for words in front of him.
"I'm so terribly sorry," he finally managed.
"I know. Don't blame yourself. You tried everything to help us. That we will not use the apartment under these circumstances ... "
"... goes without saying, Commander. If you want, I can make some calls ... "
Steve put a hand on his arm. "Thanks, you don't have to. Our room in the hotel is not particularly quiet, but it is best suited to Sara's current needs. The construction work is going well, I guess we will be back in our own four walls in about two weeks. Good luck with your contract."
"Thank you." Cooper gave him the flowers and took the teddy back with him when he left the office. His mother was up when he turned. "I'm sorry," she said softly. "Fate doesn't seem to like McGarrett's that much."
"Neither the Andersons," Steve exclaimed.
"Sorry?"
"Nothing."
"May I get to know Sara?"
He thought for a moment, then nodded. "OK. But let me prepare her for you first. That you drop in on me is one thing, but ... "
"Absolutely."
Danny was still at the computer desk with Tani, so he didn't have to look far to log out, then he drove to the Hilton. His mother followed him in her rental car into the underground car park, the valet parking only cost him nerves, so he took care of it himself. In the handicapped parking spaces next to the entrance to the stairwell and elevators, he spotted Sara's car, in the trunk he recognized her wheelchair. Not a word was uttered in the elevator, it was only when they stepped into the hallway that Steve cleared his throat.
"Sure, Sara is definitely not expecting a visit from her mother-in-law," Doris anticipated.
"Mhmm." He opened the door and looked around. Then he noticed a draft and saw the open parasol on the balcony. "Wait here," he said and headed for the balcony door. Eddie was lying in the shade by the sun lounger. The retriever wagged its tail when it saw him. Steve's stomach tightened. Sara was curled up on her side under a thin sheet, her head on one of his T-shirts, and slept. She was incredibly thin in the face, dark rings were buried under her eyes. On the tiled floor was the book on Hawaiian traditions that Kono had given her first, with several colored annotations. The book had been in one of the boxes they'd stored before the hurricane, and Sara had stubbornly insisted that he go find it instead of getting a second copy. Danny finally found it in one of the boxes in his garage. He picked it up, he didn't have to look, it was about burial customs. She hadn't put it down in days. She had put all the energy she had into the organization. He got the impression that she was doing everything she could to avoid having to think. Steve sat on the edge of the couch and took Sara's hand.
"Hello, honey," he said softly. She winced, then raised her head.
