Steve returned to the hotel after John's burial. He was upset that no relative but him had gone to say goodbye to his father. "Not even Mary," he thought. He understood that there was a lot of hurt that John had sent them away, but he was saddened that Mary had not been there.

He sat up in bed and was thinking about what to do. He had to go to his father's house and look for some clue. John had meant something when he called him a champion because Steve didn't remember his father ever calling him that.

Catherine tried to talk to Steve a few times that day, but he didn't answer her call. "What is going on?" she got worried and called again when she got home.

"Hi, Cath," Steve replied after a few tries.

"Hi, I tried to talk to you several times throughout the day. I was worried," she replied with the kindness that was peculiar to her.

"I'm fine as far as I can, Cath. I'm just feeling a little lost."

"I think feeling a little lost is normal after losing a parent," she replied.

Steve was afraid to talk to her about a decision he had made that would affect their lives in some way. "Cath..."

"Hmm?" she heard the hesitation in his voice.

"The governor offered me a job here on the island. She offered me the leadership of a task force with full autonomy and with that I will be able to advance the investigations into my father's death. Do you believe that a guy who came from the mainland and who doesn't have any knowledge of the island will take over the investigations into my father's death?"

"And will you leave the Navy?"

"No, Cath. I'm going to take a leave of absence from the Navy. I know there's something more to my father's death and I need to find out what it is."

Catherine wanted to ask a question and was afraid of sounding selfish, but she decided to ask the question anyway. "Steve…what about the two of us?"

Steve heard the fear in her voice. She was afraid Steve would end their relationship. "Nothing changes between the two of us, Cath. I'll be here waiting for you on your next break. Okay?"

"Okay," she replied a little upset.

"We're just meeting in a different place now. You can try a transfer to work stationary at the Navy base here on the island."

"You know it's not that simple to get a transfer," she told him.

"I know, but we can try. Distance won't separate us, I promise."

"Alright, let's try to make it work."

"Thank you, Cath. Thank you for understanding my decision and know that I have pondered the two of us and if I thought it would not be feasible, I would not accept the governor's offer."

"I miss you, be sure to call me every day," Catherine asked him.

"I'll call, I promise."

"Now you're going to need to build a team. How are you going to get trustworthy people?"

"Actually I've already got someone, the guy who came from the mainland. He seems a little inexperienced, but I think he's trustworthy. And I also have a childhood friend I can trust. Now let's talk about you: o what are you doing now?"

"I got home half an hour ago and the house is terribly empty without you. You know that in every corner of this house there are memories of the two of us."

Steve smiled as he remembered the times they'd met after a long mission. Clothes were being scattered around the house before they reached the bedroom. "I know, I feel the same here. Everything is empty without you," they continued to talk affectionately. She had the ability to comfort him and bring peace to his heart with loving words.

The days passed and Steve told her as he built the team. "Chin is a loyal friend, my dad liked him. Danny wears a dress shirt and tie in the Hawaiian sun, can you believe that?" Steve smiled as he told her.

Catherine thought it was good for Steve to meet new friends, but she felt a little jealous when he talked about Kono. "Should I worry, sailor?"

"Of course not, Cath." Steve replied.

"She is beautiful?"

Steve smiled. "Yeah, she's pretty, she's nice and tough, but she's not my pretty lieutenant."

"You can repeat, I don't think I heard right."

"She's not my girl, she's not my lieutenant who has the most beautiful smile ever."

"I want to meet your team, and I have something new: I'm getting a break soon and I'm looking forward to visiting you."

"This is wonderful, Cath. I can't wait to have you here, to have you for me."

PS: Thank you for reading!