After the briefing is over and Officer Morrison bids his goodbyes, leaving for another meeting, Catherine exits the workroom, motioning for Steve to follow her. They don't exchange another glance or word while they cross paths with several Agents that politely greet Catherine, as they go about their business, and Steve senses this is strategic on her part. When she reaches the lobby of the building, and instead of stopping, Catherine heads outside and into another building nearby, almost deserted at this hour. The road serves merely as a means of going from point A to point B, and no one dares linger for a moment longer than needed. The feeble sun is doing its best to melt their freezing bodies, but Steve can't control the occasional shiver that courses through him.

Steve follows Catherine without asking a single question and is happy at the sight greeting him: a warm, cozy, dimly lit rec room, empty at present. Catherine turns to Steve and smiles openly, as he looks at her, taking in her features. Beautiful as ever, he thinks. He hugs her tight, comforted by her warm body, resting his chin on her shoulder, a gesture so typical of him. Closing his eyes, her tell-tale scent brings out recent memories, prompting him to say, amused: "finally, a proper welcome", getting a hearty laugh from her. After a few seconds, they disentangle themselves from the hug and simply stare at each other, a complicit smile on their lips. Catherine's the first one to speak.

"Steve, why have you come?"

"Cath, you know I was incapable of letting this man escape and do nothing," Steve says, her old moniker flowing freely from his mouth, feeling just right.

"Come on, you know very well that you could've sent this info to the Navy here and they would've liaised with us! You didn't have to come…"

"So… this is what you do now, is it?" Steve says, genuinely curious but unable to hide the tinge of criticism wrapped up in concern, lacing his voice.

"Not really, no… but when the request came in from the DOD and Morrison knew I was going to be here for a fortnight, he asked me to lend assistance", Catherine tells Steve, letting his jab go.

"He's an idiot. Trying to get a reaction out of us like that…"

"He's not so bad, once you get to know him, really… he just thinks he's irresistible, that's all", Catherine says, laughing.

"Is that code for 'he doesn't understand why you haven't fallen at his feet yet?'" Steve says, half joking.

"Something like that, yes", Catherine concludes, amused. "Poor guy, he keeps trying to dump his irresistible charm on me…" she continues, smiling at Steve and, as he laughs at her, laughing with him. "I couldn't believe it when I heard that Lieutenant Commander Steven J. McGarrett was the SEAL who had requested assistance."

"Well, you did tell me 'till we meet again', didn't you?"

-"Yeah, well, between deaths and CIA missions, I'm not sure which is best…" Catherine says, sad, pensive look marring her features. "Where are you staying?"

"Barracks D, building 301. It's a five minute walk from here."

"I know, my quarters are there too. Same building. I guess they must've bundled you with CIA staff, since we're here to help each other. Navy personnel tends to be placed in Barracks C", she says, smiling at Steve, clearly happy to see him again.

"I'm glad you're here, Cath. Real glad."

"Me too, Steve. At least I can try to control that Captain America streak of yours," she says, openly laughing, dodging his playful stab at her ribs. "I'm sure Danny will thank me, in the end. How is he, by the way? Grace? How is everyone else?"

"The Ohana, you can say it, Cath," Steve says, looking at her, trying to get a sense of her emotions, but failing. "They're great, despite everything that's happened."

Ignoring him, she carries on. She's in no mood to go into the dead and injured, right this minute. She's far too happy for that.

"Listen, have you had lunch?"

"I have a confession to make…" Steve says, sheepishly. "I went to the mess hall and was standing in line, but then I saw you from a distance and I don't know, I guess it kind of threw me… I left and went back to my quarters."

Catherine smiles at him, ignoring the veiled hint. She gets up, holds his hand and says:

"Come on, I know a place. It's probably deserted right now and we can catch up. We have at least 4 hours to kill until it's safe to go to town."

Suddenly, Steve is a heck of a lot less annoyed at the wait.