Only You A coming home story -
The Kelly's Main
Pairing: Chin Ho Kelly & Abby Dunn
Main characters: Chin Ho Kelly, Abby Dunn, and Sara Diaz-Waincroft.
Chapter eight
Coming home that night, the four of them were tired but really happy. Chin carried a sleeping Sara inside and took her right into bed, getting her into her pj's before he tucked her into bed, Abby helping Kalani inside and locking the front door once they were all inside. "Would you like me to make you some tea before you head to bed Kalani?", Abby asked her softly, smiling as she helped her to sit down on the rocking chair.
"A cup of tea would be wonderful Abby", she nodded, smiling as she took her hand and squeezed softly in a way of silent thank you. "I'll be back, you just sit and relax". She patted her arm before she headed into the kitchen to put the kettle on.. "Well Sara is out", Chin smiled as he came out of Sara's bedroom after having tucked her into bed, "She didn't even stir when I got her out of her party clothes and into her pyjamas".
His mother smiled softly and chuckled, "You and Kono were the same after a busy day of playing and being out in the sun and the surf. I'd put you both into bed and neither of you stirred at all". Kalani had fond memories of having Kono spend time with the family. She was related to Chin through his father's side of the family, but Kono was one of her favourite nieces, and it made her proud that she followed in her Uncle and cousin's footsteps.
As Abby began making tea for them all, Chin sat down next to his mother and sighed softly.. "You are thinking about Malia aren't you?", she asked her son in a soft low voice. Abby was always amazing with him on this subject, she never was jealous and she knew that he still had a love for her that would last a lifetime, but he did sometimes feel guilt to both Malia and also Abby though he knew he shouldn't be.
When Chin didn't answer, she continued, "Malia was an amazing woman and I love you loved her with all of yourself, she would want you to be happy and not to be alone all the time". She reached out and took his hand and squeezed it, "and she would be so proud of you for taking care of Sara like she was your own as well.. I know if she was alive, she wouldn't have hesitated in taking Sara in just as you had no hesitations as well".
Nodding his head, he knew his mother was right.. He had a great time this evening and thinking back to earlier when his friends and his five-ohana congratulated him and Abby on their engagement, it felt right.. He wasn't doubting his love for Abby, he just still had moments of sadness when he missed her and when he wondered what it would have been like had it been him and Malia raising Sara or even one of their own children.
"I know.. and I'm happy I found Abby.. She is the first woman I have dated since Malia that I felt like I could make a life with and have a family with.. It would be different if she had broken up or divorced me, moving on would have a totally different meaning, but moving on from someone that has died, it's harder than I thought mama".
She smiled and nodded in understanding, "I never was able to move on after your father died, and once we knew it was Malia's brother who had been the one responsible, I wanted to be angry with his whole family.. but then I realised I couldn't hold the whole Waincroft family accountable simply because of one member of the family's mistake".
Chin nodded his head, it was why he ended things with Malia once his father had been killed and they realised it was Gabriel that had pulled the trigger.. He didn't think any differently of the rest of the family, and yet he knew for others, it was strange to see him dating the sister of the man that killed his father.. "I left Malia to protect her from the looks and from the opinions of people.. I was never bothered by it, but I didn't want Malia to feel like she had to constantly hear talk of it all the time and feel uncomfortable.. I never stopped loving her though and I think that's why neither of us moved on back then".
His mother smiled softly, "I was sad when you broke up with her.. I was more disappointed though that you let people think it was her that left you because of the issues you had with the money going missing and you being accused of it.. I know you did what you felt was right at the time, but I know the poor girl suffered for a long time because of it". He sighed, he had kept that to himself for a long time, but he had eventually told his mother everything. "It wasn't fair of me to do that, I know.. I was young and wasn't thinking clearly back then, and I am just glad she forgave me for it and took me back.. I got to marry her and have more time with her".
He would never forget his first love, but his mother was right.. Though she had never been able to move on from his father, Chin didn't want to be alone the rest of his life, he wanted to find someone to share it with and help him grow as a man and as a father, and Abby seemed to be perfect for that role. "Would Abby mind if we looked through your wedding album? I know sometimes you still look at it, and that you decided to leave it here when you moved to San Francisco because you didn't want Abby to be upset by it".
At that, Abby walked in with a tray with the tea and tea cups on it, along with all the things needed to make the tea, and smiled hearing that last part.. "Honestly Kalani, If Chin is okay with sharing the photos with me of his and Malia's wedding day, I'd love to see them.. I know that Sara would love to see them one day as well, and hear more about her wonderful Aunt".
She made the tea for the three of them and then handed the tea cup with the saucer and then waited till Chin came back with the photo album before handing him his own cup and saucer, then taking a seat in between Kalani and Chin, she smiled as he opened up the album.. She had seen photos before, Chin still had photos of her around his home before he moved away and she never mentioned it and neither did he, but she knew who it was.. "She was beautiful Chin", she rested the side of her head against Chin's and smiled softly as she looked at the images of Malia walking down the isle.
This is the reason why Chin knew that Abby was the one for him.. He had dated a few women before Abby and all of them seemed a little put off by the fact he still had her photos around the house and still wore his wedding band, though he hadn't done that for a long time now, it still made some of the women he dated put off and while he knew he needed to move on, he also knew he couldn't and wouldn't just completely remove all his memories of her, and he needed someone that could understand that.
Thankfully Abby did and he loved her for that.. Even her parents in San Francisco had encouraged him to have a few photos of Malia up in the home he, Abby and Sara shared when they lived on the mainland and it meant so much to him that they encouraged him to keep Malia's memory alive not just for Sara's sake but for his as well. It showed him that Abby was not going to be one of those women who were jealous of her fiancé's deceased wife.
"She was.. and I can tell you now.. She would have adored you as well, I know if she were alive, and you still came to five-o, you and her would have gotten on so well". She smiled softly and leaned in to kiss him softly, "I am sure I would have loved her.. If she is anything like her niece, then I would have adored her just like I adore Sara". He chuckled, Sara reminded him so much of Malia, their personalities were very similar and it was why he wanted to be her legal guardian because it was a reminder of Malia and he was honoured that Gabriel had asked him to be the one to take care of her.. They had their ups and downs but after all was said and done, he was still his brother in law, and he always did hope he would turn a leaf.
"Thank you", he smiled, leaning in and kissing her softly. "For what Chin?", she was curious and tilted her head to the side curious as to why he would thank her randomly. "For knowing that even though Malia is gone and has been for some time now, you still recognise she is an important part of my life". She took his hand and squeezed softly, looking into his eyes.. "She was your wife and had she not been killed, she would still be your wife and I need to respect that.. Losing her wasn't your choice, It wasn't like it was a divorce where one or both of you decided to end the marriage".
Leaning in, she kissed him again softly, resting her forehead against his, "I know you love me Chin, and you want me to be in your life, and I know loving me doesn't mean that you are going to stop loving Malia nor that loving Malia means you are going to love me or treat me any less then what you would have treated her." He sighed happily, and relaxed a little. He knew deep down that Abby felt this way but at the same time, he knew it was difficult for her to come into a home where there were pictures and memories of his life with Malia and as the time goes on, he will remove some of those memories or put them in a room where it's not as visibly obvious but it meant a lot.. A lot of women wouldn't be as understanding as Abby has been about all of this and he was always going to be grateful he made the right decision choosing Abby to spend his life with.
Kalani watched as they spoke and as much as she loved Malia as well, she could see that her son had chosen well.. She might not be a native Hawaiian but it was always Kalani's hope that her son would find a woman that would compliment him and make him feel safe, and comfortable and it was the way she saw her look at her son and also the way she treated Sara that made her realise she was the one.. Sara was the blood niece of Chin's deceased wife and for Abby to readily accept Sara into her life when she got serious with Chin, it showed that she had no malice or ill thoughts towards Chin's first wife or that she wanted him to forget her.
It made her happy as a mother, to know her son was happy, that was it had ever been about and made her think that if she couldn't fight the cancer, she could go knowing that her son was going to be happy and not alone. They continued looking at the albums, and ended up with Kalani finding some of Chin and Kono as kids and that was a riot and when she went to bed that night, she prayed that if Malia was up there In heaven, she was watching down and seeing how happy her husband was with his new love and her niece.
Author's Notes..
I know that it should have been the next chapter where they tell the team about their engagement and I did hint in this chapter that they congratulated them.. I think the next chapter I do will be once they have retired to bed and are reminiscing about how well the whole team took the news and how happy they were for them. I just wanted to do this one as I feel it's a really important topic to cover. I know a lot of women wouldn't be happy to accept a child into their life when the child in question is the niece of your first wife who died. I also know a lot wouldn't be happy with how Chin still talks about Malia and has her photographs up etc but I wanted Abby to be the one woman who completely understands it and even supports him through it.. I mean it's one thing if you divorce your partner or they leave you and you can't get over them, but death is a different kettle of fish and Abby knows had she not died, Chin would be still married to her, so she respects that Chin will always love Malia.
SteveMcGarrettLover
Thanks for all your continued support, I really appreciate it so much.. and thank you so much for your patience while I have navigated this strange and weird year with all the issues I have had to deal with myself including my Grandfather's passing. This is one reason I wanted to do this chapter, I began writing it a while a go, but then got into writing a few other little McRoll things so this was put on the back burner but for me it was all about respecting the fact your partner, the man you are going to marry never got closure on his wife and those feelings are still there even if they are buried down now, and he has been able to move on. I do love Sara, Joanie and Catherine's relationship and I do hope to spend more time doing more of that, perhaps even including Charlie Williams as well. I think maybe even Charlie can have a little crush on one of the girls, that would be cute.
