I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.
Notes: There were 2 main things in my mind as I wrote this: the priority of this AU as McDanno which continues to introduce C.J. The other thing was the episode related conversation which Danny had with Catherine about how happy Steve was when she'd returned. That conversation ...and then how Catherine made a different choice. How she told Steve that she needed "more than what a relationship can give her". And how she "wants to build something of her own." In this AU, her decision stands. That's all it is really but there will be a related heart to heart.
Thanks to Phoebe who once again encouraged this little snippet to continue. :-)
H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O
"Hi. Who are you? Are you Charlie's friend?"
Confused when the child literally rolled his eyes towards the sky as if exasperated with her questions, yet didn't offer more explanation, Catherine continued to smile down at him. He was a handsome little guy with a thick shock of dark hair that needed a good taming. Wearing only green boardies, he'd obviously been playing outside for the dried sand that still peppered his bare legs. Large, expressive brown eyes and darkly tanned skin completed the picture making him look like all Island children, she supposed.
"Is it okay if I come in?" Cath expected him to say yes. In fact, she attempted a step forward, but the boy shook his head this time, denying her access. His hand stayed firm on the door. It was obvious that he was refusing to move. He was refusing though because he was uncertain of who she was; a smart little guy then. Catherine approved. But she didn't feel well after her long trip and desperately needed to sit down.
Biting back a pained groan, she forced herself to crouch down to his level, wanting to gauge his age. On the way down, she couldn't help wincing for the hot pull across her hip. The injury was fresh and only recently stitched. A series of accompanying bruises were just under her hairline, making her head throb with every step. She was uncomfortable but it wasn't anything she couldn't handle. Or so she'd said. After a multi-stepped trip back to the States from Kuwait, she was exhausted and not feeling entirely well. Her bandages needed to be changed and she'd put off her pain meds to keep her head clear for the duration of the journey.
She was officially done in now with the immense feeling of relief you have when you finally get to your final destination. Aches and pains were given approval to leech in and she'd begun to relax her guard. She desperately wanted to see Steve and get off her feet. Beg for some mollycoddling along the way. This encounter with a determined little sentry wasn't what she'd anticipated. However, part of her was admittedly intrigued.
"So? Can you tell me if Charlie is home?" She asked in her friendliest voice. She and kids typically got along famously well. This should be an easy enough introduction even if the little boy had yet to utter a word. "How about Steve … or Danny?"
The little boy chewed on his lip, shifting his weight from one bare foot to another. The longer they stood there staring at other, the more he now began to look a little bit nervous. She guessed him at easily seven or eight and maybe a bit small for his age. It made perfect sense that he could be one of Charlie's friends and that he could be a little uncertain about meeting a stranger at the door. Still, Catherine wasn't too concerned. She was sure that the little guy was one of Charlie's friends. Danny often swung by Steve's. Sometimes his kids were more at her sometimes-boyfriend's house than at their own. So maybe this was one of those times when Danny needed an 'out'. Ex-wife issues, work commitments, or just the need to dump the kids on a safe beach. Charlie had brought along a friend to keep him company. Any combination of scenarios made sense.
"My name is Catherine. You can call me Cath if you want. What's your name?" She tried again, offering her hand in welcome and starting over a bit. "I'm a really good friend of Steve's ...and Danny's, too. Can you tell me your name?"
He looked at her and then slowly took her hand, allowing the warm introduction, but still didn't say a word. Not his name or a simple hi. Nothing.
"Okaaay", Catherine said as she climbed herself back up to her feet. She braced herself against the doorframe. Feeling a little sickish on the upswing. Her go-bag was behind her on the landing where she'd literally dragged it after the cab had dropped her from the airport.
"Is anyone home? Steve or Danny ... or even Charlie? How about Grace? If I promise to stay right here ... will you get one of them for me?"
He seemed to perk up at Grace's name. Yet, the boy continued to stare at her, now sucking his lower lip between his teeth. Unsure of what to do, Catherine was considering just barging past him as nicely as she could when she sensed movement behind him. The outline of a familiar, tall shadow lurked, and Catherine smiled in relief.
"Steve!" She called out.
"Catherine? What are you doing here?" Finally, Steve's voice sounded from inside the house. The door swung all the way open. "Cath? What are you doing here?"
She barely heard the question. What she sensed that she might have heard in the bewilderment of his tone, she discounted as mere surprise as he suddenly appeared right in front of her. She smiled up at him. He was a relief for her tired eyes and literally sore body. She expected a hug - she wanted a hug. Instead, both his hands laid claim to the boy, a gentle embrace that rocked the kid backwards into his body.
She blinked and recovered as she followed his hands up to his face. He was looking at her, no less surprised than he had been a few seconds earlier.
"Hey there Sailor. I know it's been a long time. But I wanted to surprise you. I'll be in town for a while", she said. Beating back her fatigue suddenly wasn't so hard. Steve looked good and her relief to see him had to be obvious. Playful and pert, her smile was luminous at first, faltering when Steve's seemed only lukewarm. She moved to the side, squeezing a bit over the child's body, her arm out to pull Steve in for a sideways kiss. Which she did, feeling suddenly awkward as nothing much was returned. Only the brush of a dry kiss; a simply gesture that hardly touched her cheek. In fact, she was still standing on the threshold and beginning to feel slightly sick all over again.
"So?" Smiling so much that her cheeks were beginning to hurt along with the throb of her dull headache, Cath charged on. "Who's this little guy? I asked him, but he's like silent Sam. One of Charlie's friends? Danny here then too?"
Steve raised an eyebrow as he looked at the boy who was now looking up at him, practically upside down and grinning. Steve's smile was sweetly lopsided as he paused to glance back, his expression fond. An odd silent message seemed to be shared between him and the boy before he looked up again. Now Steve's smile was proud and indulgent as he offered an almost alarming explanation.
"Nope, this is C.J. My son."
~ to be continued ~