Thinking out loud

Pairing: McRoll

Chapter - 6

Part of the Wind of change, One for Sorrow series..

24 hours in the life of McRoll - Valentines Day edition.

15th February 2020 continued…

5:30pm

Most everyone had arrived at the beach house now and Steve couldn't help but feel a little nervous at telling all of his family about what he had done the evening before. It wasn't that he was having second thoughts, he just partly wanted to keep it to himself for a while, like if he said it was going to happen, somehow it wouldn't happen.. He wasn't sure why he thought that but he did..

A little bit of Danny was rubbing off onto him at times.. It was bound to happen after all, he had known the man now for around ten years. Catherine was standing next to him at the kitchen counter as they did some extra things for dinner, they had to make few different lasagnas to be able to feed everyone that was coming, but it was worth it to taste Danny's families recipe.

"You okay Sailor?", she asked softly looking over at him as they worked together.. Nodding his head, he smiled, leaning into kiss her softly.. "I am more then okay, I am amazing.. I just.. a bit nervous about telling the whole gang you know".

She had to agree there, it was a little nerve wracking.. They had been involved with each other on and off for so long, and had their ups and downs like other couples but they had come to realise they wanted to make it work this time.. "I know the feeling, and yet, I think they will all be happy for us.. they are your family Steve", at his pointed look, she corrected herself, "Okay our family.. I think our family will be happy for us".

Smiling softly, looking out at everyone out in the backyard, he nodded his head.. "I think you are right".. He was lucky to have such an amazing family that loved him and supported everything he did. "Shall we tell them now, or after dinner?", she heard him asking.. "I think after dinner".

Nodding her head, she smiled, leaning in for another kiss and then focused on continuing what she was doing. She never thought she would be one that enjoyed domesticated bliss, and yet here she was, chopping away some veggies for a salad and putting some herb and garlic bread in the oven, smiling over the fact she was newly engaged and about to share it with her family.

8:00pm.

Dinner was over, and everyone was stuffed.. The lasagne had been a huge hit, and as they made so much extra, there even was enough for lunch the next day which was unheard of when it came to big groups like this. There were all settled outside having a beer and having fun when Danny all of a sudden clinked his glass and made everyone stop around him. There was everyone there, Danny, Grace, Charlie, Mary, Joan, Quinn, Junior, Tani, Lou, Renee, Duke and his wife, Kammi, and Flippa, Jerry even made it back for the night. Adam, and Kono were there as well, it had been a week since the whole Kenzi incident, and Kono and Adam were back from their week at the Hawaiian Hilton, Chin, Abby and Sara were still on the mainland but were due to come home any day now.

"I think we all know why we are here this evening.. but before I ruin anything, I will let Steve and Catherine be the ones to give you guys the news".. Steve couldn't help but laugh at his best friend.. He was excited to know that they were engaged and getting married and wanted them to hurry along the announcement.

"Is it that obvious why you are all here? Really?", he began with cries of just get on with it from Lou, and Jerry and Kammi.. Standing with his back against the house, the rest of his ohana with their backs to the water, he smiled at them all.. "Well, it isn't just a regular dinner get together.. I think you all know that I have struggled a long time to find what I've been looking for, and the whole time, it's been right here next to me", he smiled feeling Catherine lean into him a little more.

"I think you all know I did something that was not typical Steve McGarrett and I took a personal day, all day in fact.. on the most romantic day of the year.. Valentines Day". He gazed over at Danny, knowing the man was still hurting from losing a potential love himself, but also knowing he just wanted Steve to be happy himself. "Catherine and I spent the whole day together, and honestly.. we never have had a Valentines where it wasn't interrupted or we weren't together for and so it was nice to have a day together alone".

He smiled as he looked out towards his family and breathed in deep.. "A lot of you might say about time, or even some may ask why now? But honestly, I feel it is the perfect time to start a new chapter.. So yesterday on Valentines day, I asked Catherine to marry me, and she accepted.. and before any of you say anything, I did not ask her while chasing after bad guys.. I asked her here on this beach as we ate breakfast".

The whole team cheered, wolf whistled, clapped, and were just generally upbeat and happy about the news. "Well damn, it is about time", Lou was the first to come over and congratulate them, hugging them both and smiling happily.. "I'm really happy for you two.. the day I met you Steve, you and I..", he shook his head.. "we didn't get off on the best track, however when I met Catherine, I knew why you risked everything for her.. I love you both so much".

They both hugged him back and smiled, Steve saying I love you right back to him, Renee coming over to congratulate them both.. Duke and his wife were next, "I'm proud of you Steve, and so would your father, I hope you have a wonderful and happy life together", they both hugged Steve and Catherine and then pulled away to let the others in.

Tani and Junior went next, he was still technically living with Steve but had been staying at Tani's a lot, they were still only friends and yet they were getting closer every day. "So I guess I need to move out now", Steve laughed as he took his hand and then they hugged while Tani hugged Catherine, "Congratulations", she whispered to Cath, "I've never seen him as happy". Cath smiled softly as she hugged the woman tighter, "Well, take your time Junior, but yeah, basically we will want our space". The four of the laughed softly, "You can come live with me Joons, my brother has moved out and is living with his girlfriend now, so I got room", Tani spoke up after the laughter died down.

Kamekona, Flippa and Jerry all came up at the same time to offer their congratulations, Kamekona wanting to make a business deal at the same time.. "When you are planning your wedding, please keep me in mind for all your culinary needs", Flippa had to add in, "me too brah, we aim to please". Both of them laughed, hugging them both happily. They were both already thinking of going a little more high class with the menu then that, unless it was restaurant that Kamekona brought Steve and Danny out off.. "Well, if it's Steves, then we might have a deal brah".

Jerry smiled as they two other men left, leaving him standing in front of Steve and Catherine.. He admitted he had a huge crush on Catherine when he met her, but now he could see that these two kids were meant for each other.. "I want to wish you both the best in life, you two have done nothing but been supportive of me, even with all my crazy theories, you never made me feel silly about it.. I feel that I've leant a lot from you both, and I'm forever grateful for that". They both hugged him tight, thanking him for being an important part of their lives.

Quinn came up to them both, smiling and hugged Steve, and then in turn Catherine. "I'm really happy for you both, and thank you for letting me be apart of this all". She had been alone when she got to the island, she didn't really get along with her co-workers and aside from her ex husband and her step-daughter, she didn't have a lot of family either.. "Of course, you are Ohana now Quinn, we are lucky to have you". Everyone compared Quinn to Catherine, seeing she had that same drive, the same passion and knew Steve would get along well with her, but they all did worry about if Cath and Quinn would too.. Cath never had anything to be worried about that, she liked Quinn from the start.

Kono and Adam came up to them next, and Kono smiled happily, wrapping her arms around Steve, "Congratulations boss, I'm so happy for you both". Catherine had really become close to Kono when she first came to the mainland and she liked their friendship a lot, and she respected her too.. It also had given her a lot to think about when she found out that Catherine had come back to the island and her and Steve were back together.. It made her realise how much she still loved Adam.. Kono pulled back to hug Catherine, "It's really good to see you again Sista, glad you are making an honest man out of him finally".

Adam held his hand out to Steve, both of them looking at the other, and then Steve took the first step in pulling him into a hug, "Thank you so much Steve for showing me the way back to Kono.. You and Cath, the respect I have for you both, it can't be measured at all.. so Congratulations and thank you for everything". Steve could understand why Adam did what he did, he was still a bit wary of him but he understood. Nodding his head, he smiled, "You are welcome.. I know we have work to do ourselves, but I do think you are still worth it".

Mary, Joan and Danny hung back seeing as how they all ready knew, but Danny gently pushed Charlie towards the couple, and Grace took the lead, picking her little brother up and walking over to them, "Congratulations Uncle Steve, Aunt Cath, you two are made for each other', Gracie smiled as she hugged them both, Charlie leaning in to get in on the hugs as well, both Catherine and Steve pulling them both in for a tight hug, "Does this mean you will have a baby?", Charlie asked in a soft voice, his legs swaying against Grace.

Steve had to chuckle at that one, and he straightened Charlie's shirt which had been riding up at the back, "Well one day, it very well could mean that little man.. You could have a little cousin one day". In his heart, he knew that he really wanted that to happy, to see Catherine pregnant with their first child, it was going to be amazing and he couldn't wait for that day.. It had been over twenty years in the making.. "Awesome, I can't wait". Catherine smiled softly, "We also wanna know if you two wanna be in the wedding, you Dad is gonna be the best man, and we want Gracie as one of my bridesmaids and Charlie you could be the ring bearer.. the one that holds our rings.. and Joanie and Sara will be flower girls".

They both accepted happily and Grace kissed their cheeks, and so did Charlie before they headed back over to their father.. "Well I guess the cat is out of the bag now, least I didn't have to wait too long before I had a chance to ruin it..or this little miss", Danny smirked, pointing playfully at Mary when they all thought he would put to Joan.. He came up and hugged his brother, and future sister in law.. "I love you guys, and you make me want to find love more then anything". Cath smiled softly and hugged back tighter, whispering softly. "You will Dan, I promise.. you deserve to be happy". Steve hugged him tight too, nodding "I love you 3,000 man and I promise, you will get the girl of your dreams".

Mary and Joanie were the last to hug them, and though they did know about it since yesterday, it was nice to celebrate with everyone, "You guys are so adorable, Joan and I love you both so much, and let me just say.. welcome to the family Mrs Rollins-McGarrett", she smirked with a chuckle. They both smiled as they hugged back tight, "I meant what I said Mare, I love having you as a sister, and Joanie as a niece.. so thank you for loving me the way I love you guys".

10:30pm.

It was getting late and the team had all gone home, and it was just Catherine and Steve sitting out near the beach having a night cap before they head off to bed that evening. It had been an amazing night.. Once the news was out, and everyone had congratulated them, they had put some music on and some of them had a dance off, some of them headed out near the water to take a walk, and then again there were some that just stayed near the porch and talked.

"It was a great night Commander", she turned to face him in her chair, taking a sip of her baileys on the rocks and watching him as he took a sip of his bourbon. "It's been a great couple of days Lieutenant actually.. and I am glad they all know now", she smiled softly as she sat down her glass and put out her phone to take a photo of Steve. She liked taking canid photos of him, and he often did the same with her as well.. "Well not all of them, we still need to tell Chin, Abby and Sara".

He smiled softly, taking a breath in and then out.. He still couldn't believe Kono was back and Chin, Abby and Sara were coming back as well. "They will know soon enough Cath, I still can't believe it.. I've got you back here, I've got Mary and Joan back on the island, Kono and now Chin, Abby and Sara.. It's like we are all back together, the whole family"

She took his hand and nodded.. "It's because like you say, we all end up home eventually.. My home has always been with you, wherever you are, and I would say that rings true for a lot of people as well.. You just have this way about you Steve, and I feel we are all lucky to know someone as amazing as you". He leant in and kissed her, pressing his lips against hers gently.

"I love you, and I can't wait till we get married.. I'm honestly so excited to be taking this next step with you.. You are amazing and you have a big amazing heart and that is why people love you too Catherine.. All our family love you just as much as they love me, and that is why I feel so lucky, that they support us and love us both".

Taking her glass, she finished off her baileys and stood up, "so what do you think Sailor.. time for bed?", she smiled as she held her and out for him and he took it, picking up his near empty glass and they walked back towards the house, everything had been cleaned, Kono, Adam, Tani and Junior all made sure the house was clean, all the dishes done and put away and so the only thing they needed to do was to put their glasses they were drinking from on the sink.

Once that was done, they locked up, and he picked up his bride to be in his arms and carried her up the stairs to their bedroom, his mother and father may be gone, and yet they would always live on in his heart and his memory and he knew that they would be proud of the man he had become and the fact that he was finally ready at last to settle down with the one he loved.

Author Notes:

This one is nearly just about finished I think.. I might do Chin, Abby and Sara's reaction once they have come back to five-o, maybe coinciding with the bbq that is taking place in Only you.. I was going to have them video them in when they were talking at the end but then checking time differences I realised it would have been way too late San Fran time, so it will be in that story, not this one. I was going to include Rachel in this but seeing as how at this point her and Danny are having issues, I thought leave her out of it for now but my To my new beginnings fiction, I am working on making those two endgame which includes what happens after the ending of Hawaii five-o.

I hope you all enjoyed this story, Just for background, I think Steve would choose Danny as best man, Junior, Lou, Chin and Adam as groomsmen, Kamekonoa and Jerry as MC's, Catherine would choose Mary as maid of honour, Kono, Tani, Quinn and Abby as bridesmaids, Grace as a Junior bridesmaid, Will as a junior Groomsman, Joan, Sara as flower girls and Charlie as ring bearer, Flippa as musical entertainment, Samantha as photographer and videographer and Duke to be ordained to do the wedding ceremony. That is just my personal thoughts, you guys might have different ideas.

SteveMcGarrettLover:

Thank you, I am so glad you loved, and I was perfectly fine with it being Danny centric as well. I hope you enjoyed the way I did this chapter, I wanted it to feel like the goodbyes at the end of the show, where they each come over and individually congratulate the couple in their own unique ways..