Catherine smiled as she hugged him. It was as if time had not passed and everything was normal between the two of them even though she knew that was not so.
"If there's one thing I know about you better than anyone else, it's that you like to hug, and no one hugs better than you," Steve told her.
"I like to kiss too," she teased him.
"Really?" He asked with a sly smile.
"Really," she said looking him in the eye.
"Come here," he pulled her closer and kissed her passionately. And one kiss led to another kiss, caresses, and ... "Steve, your phone is ringing."
Steve stretched out his arm without stopping kissing her and rejected the call, or at least he thought he did.
Danny was stunned to hear the sounds on the other side of the line and identified Catherine's voice. He canceled the call and sent a message to Steve, "So it was never about Joan's birthday, but about going to meet Catherine."
An hour later, Steve was sitting on the porch trying to fix the heater and Catherine brought him a cup of hot chocolate.
"Thanks, Cath. I think I've figured out the problem with the heater."
"I was sure you would. Handsome and smart as always," she said as she sat in her chair. "Isn't the view of the lake wonderful?"
Steve looked out over the frozen lake. "Yes, but I'll find it cooler when I can fish."
"There are huge fish there," Catherine replied.
Steve spent some time with the heater while Catherine prepared lunch and the neighbor across the lake looked at him with binoculars. Steve got up and went into the kitchen to ask Catherine who he was.
"He's harmless, Steve . Don't worry about it."
"That's not normal," Steve told her.
"He's not normal. Do you understand now?"
"Why didn't you say so before?" Steve went back to the porch and continued his work without caring about the neighbor.
Some time later Catherine called him in for lunch.
"I'm on my way, Cath. I just need to screw in that last screw."
Steve joined her at the lunch table and he confessed that many times he missed her food.
"Thanks, Sailor."
Steve held her hand affectionately. "I also missed hearing you call me sailor."
Catherine touched his face with both hands and kissed him, "My sailor."
The sound of the heavy rain that fell suddenly interrupted them.
"Oh, what a shame! I was going to ask if you wanted to go out this afternoon to see the city," Catherine told him.
"With this cold and rain, the sofa in front of the fireplace and you here with me, I don't want to go into town."
Catherine smiled at him. "I agree with you."
After they had eaten lunch, Steve lay down on the couch and called her over. "Come here."
"I'll do the dishes and join you in a minute," she replied.
"I can do that for you," Steve got up to help her, but she declined the help.
"It won't take me more than five minutes, Steve."
"Okay," he lay back down and picked up his phone to check his messages. He saw Danny's message and replied to him. "I didn't know I'd find her when I went to Joan's birthday, Danny. But I'm really glad I found her." Steve looked at Catherine who was still in the kitchen and continued typing. "There is no other place I would want to be right now. I'm feeling so good next to her, all my angst is gone."
"And what is the purpose of having me listen to you two over the phone?" Danny asked.
"I didn't do that, Danny!"
"Yes, you did! And if you didn't, she did," Danny replied.
"It wasn't me and it wasn't her either. Maybe I made a mistake when I turned down the call, or..."
"Enough, Steve. Don't count on me when she kicks your ass again."
Steve was upset and didn't answer Danny.
"Is there a problem?" Catherine asked when she saw him frown.
Steve deleted Danny's messages and told her that everything was fine. She joined him on the couch and laid her head on his chest as he stroked her hair very slowly.
"I'm feeling you very relaxed, Steve. When you got here yesterday you were a lot more tense."
"It's true, Cath. I'm feeling a peace that I can't explain."
Catherine thought long and hard before telling him it was time to slow down. "Have you ever thought about leaving the task force?"
"I've thought about it many times, Cath."
"I'm not trying to run your life or say you have to stay here with me." Catherine paused, but he remained silent. "I've seen the amount of medication you're taking..."
"It's because of the transplant. I'll have to take medication for the rest of my life," Steve replied.
"You're always on your guard, and it's not good for you. You need to relax, you need to change your life."
"I know you're right, Cath. This job took away my health, it took away my parents, it took away you. We could have had a family, we could have had children..."
Catherine's eyes filled with tears. "Yes, we could have had children. That's a regret I have too."
Steve dried her tears. "Forgive me."
"Forgive me too," she pleaded.
"I forgave you a long time ago," Steve wrapped her lovingly in his arms.
"Tani is pregnant and Grace and Will are planning to have a baby soon. Danny and Lou's family will grow, so will Junior's. Only I am always alone at the end of the day."
"It doesn't have to be like that anymore," Catherine replied and kissed his cheek. " No more running after bad guys, no more putting your life at risk."
"But what about you? You're a cop now too," Steve questioned her.
"Nothing happens in this town, not even the theft of a chicken."
Steve laughed. "Then I guess I must be a cop here too."
"That would be nice..."
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