Winds of Change
Fandom: Hawaii Five-O

Pairing: McRoll

Chapter 18:

It had been nearly been a week and every day was the same.. Steve spent the whole day touring Thomsen and then laid in bed at night with Catherine by his side. It was exhausting at times and while it was nothing new she had seen, she was worried about Steve.. She had never really seen him like this, even when his father was killed by Victor Hesse.. This seemed to be far more personal then anything else Steve had experienced in his life, and she had to admit, she was concerned.. It's why she called Danny to come to Montana..

It wasn't something she would express to Steve, he was far too proud to for Catherine to suggest that perhaps he contact Danny and get him here. As much as she could relieve the tension he was feeling through sex and just being able to hold him and show him she was there, it was another for him to really talk about his feelings. While he was able to talk to Catherine and express his feelings, this was an area where she wasn't sure how to tread, and perhaps Danny might know a way to get through to him.

Sitting at the breakfast bar in the kitchen, she was on the phone to her mother and as her mother spoke, Catherine took in a big deep breath as she thought of how long he had to be strong for.. He had been through so much, seen so much tragedy, dealt with so much personal heartbreak, and she wondered when he would ever get a break.. Her heart broke for him, and as much as he said just her being there was helping him, she wished she could erase all the heartache he had been through, it's why she wanted to put this CIA stuff behind her and move back to Hawaii permanently so she could give him the life he truly deserved to live, being a husband and a father.

"I know Mom..", she paused and sighed softly.. "You know Steve.. He carries his pain with him as best he can, but I know deep down, he is hurting a lot.. Joe was like a second father to him and to watch him die.. It was like watching his own father die". She felt tired, every bone in her body aching.. Before she came here to be with Steve, she had been in the middle of another assignment and since she had heard about Joe from Steve, she had come straight to him and they had not really stopped since. Yawning as her mother answered, she nodded her head, "I think right now, he is just set on getting justice for Joe and his SEAL team".

Smiling softly, her heart jumped at her mother's next question, and while she still wasn't quite sure yet where her and Steve were at in their rekindled romance, she knew that he was the one she wanted to marry and have a family with.. "We're just taking it day by day at the moment Ma.. I mean I still have a year on my contract with the CIA and as much as I want to get out and go be with Steve in Hawaii, I have to see this out.. He did tell me that he would wait for me now so that is something".

Jane Rollins knew these two belonged together, and anyone who had ever seen them together could see it as well, and knowing that Steve had a lot of heartbreak in his life, Jane also wanted to do whatever she could for Steve as well. Though they weren't married and had been apart for a few years by now, she always considered Steve to be her son in law so it made her happy to hear that he had told her he would wait for her considering he had told her the opposite of that when they broke up a few years before.

"I'll give him your love Mom.. I should get going, I can hear Steve in the shower and I want him to have something to eat.. I love you too Mom". She hung up the phone and smiled a little.. No matter where she was, or what she was doing in her life, she always made time to call and speak to her mother, she was the one person she knew she could always go for advice and t o just give her some reassurance and support.

As she hung up the phone, she got a text from Danny saying he was just about to board a flight and would be here in the afternoon sometime. Texting back, she wished him a safe flight and let her know when he had touched down. She still hadn't told Steve that he was on his way and she would rather keep it that way, at least till Danny arrived. He would be fine with Danny being there once got there, but Catherine knew how Steve was, not wanting to ask for anyones help except for Catherine.

Having made him some oatmeal for breakfast and a cup of coffee, she smiled softly when she heard him pad down the hall into the kitchen. "Good Morning Lieutenant", he breathed in her as he leant in for a soft kiss and smiled warmly at her. As much as he hated being here doing what he was doing, he always felt grounded when he was with her and he loathed to say goodbye to her when this was all over and they had found Omar Hassan and brought him to justice. "Good Morning to you Sailor", she whispered as she kissed him back slowly and with one quick motion of her hand, had pushed the bowl of oatmeal towards him on the counter, and handed him his cup of coffee. "Mom gives her love and said if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask her and Dad".

Nodding his head at her words, he took a sip of his coffee before he sat down at the breakfast bar in the kitchen, "I'll have to go visit them, I haven't seen them in a while". Sometimes he wished he had parents like Catherine's parents, reliable and someone you could turn to, Someone who would always be there for you when you needed. He liked her parents and they always made him feel welcomed in their home. He spent a lot of his shore leave there if he was on US soil instead of going to Hawaii even if Catherine wasn't on leave. They always told him he could stay as long as he wanted and to make himself at home. "I'll never forget home welcomed they made me feel, how at home I felt with your parents even if you weren't there". He continued on as he slowly ate his breakfast, already knowing that Catherine would have fed their prisoner, her compassion was something he always took with him, and what made him love her even more.

She smiled softy and rested her elbow on the table, her hand on her cheek as she took him all in, "They would love that, I know they have missed seeing you Steve", and that was the truth. He did still call them every year on their birthdays, their wedding anniversary, Christmas and thanksgiving each year and they appreciated that. Even after he and Catherine broke up, he still called them every year. He was hesitant the first year after Catherine left, but he did anyway and was happily surprised at the fact that Catherine had made them well aware it was her decision and that Steve was not to blame in this, though he did shoulder blame. He knew he should have said something and been there more for her emotionally.

While he knew that Danny would want to go home back to Hawaii right away after all this was done, he knew he had to go stop over in Savannah, Georgia where the Rollins lived and visit, maybe even take Danny with him and introduce Danny to his girls parents. "I have missed seeing them as well". When he thought his mother was dead, he always felt like he could go to Jane Rollins with his problems, even when he found out his mother was alive, he still preferred talking to Jane Rollins when he had something important to talk about and he couldn't get Catherine on the line. In a way, he felt like Jane and Jackson Rollins were like second parents to him, they had always been there for him and he knew that no matter what, they always would be there for him.

"You fed him I take it?", he asked as he finished off his own breakfast and stood up to place his bowl and mug in the kitchen sink, it wasn't an accusation, more of a confirmation.. He knew she would have feed Thomsen, and while Steve was on a mission to get justice for Joe While and his SEAL Team, there was a reason why he asked Catherine to be here with him, and this was one of those reasons.. Where he might be the one torturing a man to get answers, and only thinking of getting his justice, Catherine was also using her compassion and making sure he was fed, had liquids and to keep Steve in check, making sure Steve didn't go too far. He had never killed a man when he used torture and while he knew it would be easy to just let his emotions take hold of him, he knew that he didn't want to kill like that..

She nodded her head and moved behind him, her arms wrapping around him in a hug, her head resting on his shoulder as she kissed his cheek softly, "I did.. You go ahead, I'll get these dishes done and try to get some more of this clean up done". Joe's ranch was still a mess from when it took open fire and grenades and she knew that Joe wouldn't want it looking like that, so she was doing a little each day, trying her best to get it cleaned up as best she could so that Steve could get some carpenters and builders in once this was all done to get it re-built properly.

Smiling back at her, he turned around to face her, and leaned in, his hand on her cheek as he kissed her slowly, "One day I promise you, when we are married and have kids, we'll spend a summer here or even a winter here.. I know Joe would have loved too see our children running around throwing snowballs at each other", he whispered kissing her again before adding, "You keep me grounded". Composing himself, he headed outside planning on yet another day of trying to get intel from Thomsen knowing he was close to breaking.

As much as he wanted to be home, he knew this had to be done.. He started it by being able to see Greer for the threat she actually was and it was he who needed to finish it, and he knew Catherine would be there by his side through it all. As much as he didn't like seeing or hearing about her getting hurt, he knew she could handle herself, she was well trained and had as much experience as he did and he knew one day they would be together, married with a family, he just needed to be patient and wait for that day to come. He had lost too many in his life, and he wasn't going to let Catherine go now he had her back in his life.

Author's Notes.

Thank you so much for everyone for continuing to read and be supportive of me. This is one I have really enjoyed doing and I am coming up to the part where Danny comes from Hawaii to Montana, so the second part of the episodes where Joe was killed. I am unsure how much longer it will go for, but I might keep going till he says goodbye to Catherine at the airstrip and maybe have the part where Steve and Danny visit Catherine's parents and he introduces Danny to her parents. I can see maybe a conversation with Danny and her mother as well as Steve and her father having talks as well. I am hesitant to let this one go now as I have been writing this for the better part of three years. I began this story in Jan 2019 and I'm really loving how this has come in terms of development.

Alex Lover

Hi there,

Thank you so much for your support and I am so glad you love this story and I am so sorry I haven't updated this in a long time, but I kind of took some time off writing and was focusing on myself but now I feel like I want to be back writing again and I hope you still continue to read these stories and loved this chapter. My biggest issue is actually sitting down and writing but usually once I start writing, I find it easier and easier to continue so I am looking at getting more of my stories done and maybe looking at doing some more new ones as well.