Chapter 13

"Mandy!" Cash yelled out as they ran towards each other on the tarmac of the Rarotonga airport helipad.

They threw their arms around one another so tightly it was actually slightly painful, but neither one cared.

He cried softly while Mandy sobbed uncontrollably. She was happy to be with him but also devastated over having to leave Steve behind.

It was the happiest moment of his life, always knowing he needed his sister, but he never knew just how much she meant to him until he'd almost lost her.

When they finally broke apart, she didn't even notice her father and Bryce standing there waiting for their acknowledgment. Danny stood further back, eager to get news of Steve but also not wanting to infringe on the family homecoming.

"Steve?" her voice shuddered, filled with panic as she gripped Cash's arms. "Did they pick up Steve yet?"

He shook his head, "No, not yet, but they're on their way now. It shouldn't be long." He put his hands on her head, smoothing down her hair that was still slightly damp, "Are you ok? Are you hurt at all?"

She shook her head as the tears erupted again and she fell into his arms. "I didn't want to leave him. He made me go."

"It's alright, sweetheart," he soothed her, hearing the pain in her voice. "He'll be ok." He looked past her, seeing his father standing behind her. "I bet he took good care of you,' Cash said to her, wanting to put his father's theory to rest.

She pulled away again, looking at him as she wiped the tears from her eyes, "He did. The boat would have sunk if it wasn't for Steve."

Cash made eye contact with his father, giving him an 'I told you so' glare.

Peter ignored the scowl and put a hand on his daughter's back. "Amanda," he said softly.

She turned and smiled at him as she hugged him, "Hi Dad." There were no tears of joy to see him and the hug, although genuine did not hold the same amount of enthusiasm as it did for her brother.

"I'm so thankful that you're safe and sound," Peter said to her, gripping her tightly once more before letting go.

"Mandy," Bryce said, his voice filled with emotion yet somehow his eyes didn't hold the same feeling. He put his arms around her, "I was so worried about you, I could barely think straight." She looked over his shoulder at her brother who rolled his eyes.

'Thank you, Bryce," she pulled away from him, "but I was safe the whole time. Thanks to Steve." She glanced down as a look of sorrow came over her face, thinking of the ones that were not so lucky. "Frederick and Captain Bordeaux? They…" she began as the thought of them weighed heavy on her heart.

Cash gripped her shoulders and smiled, "They found Frederick! He was picked up by a private boat sailing from Hawaii to the Cook Islands. He has a broken arm and was extremely dehydrated but he's doing well. He's alive Mandy."

Mandy felt tears of joy fill her eyes as she hugged him. "That's so wonderful! I'm so happy to hear that! Oh my god, Steve never gave up hope for him, but I was so scared he had drowned." She pulled away, "The Captain?"

"Bordeaux was found by a rescue boat out searching after the storm. He's alive too." His voice not as enthusiastic, especially after learning of the lies and the possible incrimination of Steve, which Danny had uncovered during an interrogation that Cash had attended.

Danny had worn him down, but not in a bullying fashion, he simply made him explain the details over and over and when they began to differ, that's when he attacked. Cash found it entertainingly brilliant.

Frederick had sealed the coffin on Peter's false accusations by explaining that he had broken his arm while trying to close Parker's window. After he had hurt himself, he had tried to make it to the bridge when he slipped overboard. He also mentioned it was he who had insisted that Steve go find Mandy and make sure she was safe, and it was Steve that he credited for saving his life. He had insisted on putting the lifejacket on him before leaving him. If he would have not had it on before breaking his arm, he would have gone overboard without it and drowned for sure.

"I'm so happy they are all alive," she said relieved. "Jessica and the others?" she questioned.

"She, Tawney and Vicki flew back to LA," he explained. "Parker, the deckhand that drove us to shore, he flew home the day after them. He wanted to stay and help, but there was really nothing for him to do. I had no time for anyone or anything else. My focus was on finding you."

Mandy hugged him again, "You must have been worried sick."

"I was," he said somberly, but leaned back and smiled at her, "but now I'm overjoyed."

She kissed his cheek and then looked at her father. "I want to be here when they bring Steve back. Do we know when that will be?"

Peter shook his head, "No, but I was hoping we could leave the island as soon as possible. The press is here and will be hounding you if we stay. It's a small place. I think you'd be more comfortable back in New York."

She looked at him appalled, "No! I'm not leaving until Steve arrives. I need to see him. I don't…" she paused and then smiled over at Cash. "So much happened while we were stranded. I may not go back to New York right away. I might go to Hawaii."

It was the very thing that Peter did not want to hear. He shot a glance over to Bryce as the two men shared the same thought. He wants her money to come to Hawaii too.

"Amanda," Peter said passively. "Why don't we go back to the hotel and you can get some sleep and food and we can discuss this further."

"There's nothing to discuss," she replied adamantly. "I'm staying here until Steve arrives."

"That could be hours. It took you over an hour by helicopter and they are sending a boat to him." He looked to Cash for help. "She needs some rest and some food. She looks pale and exhausted."

Cash couldn't help but agree with his father there. He stood in front of his sister and put his hands on her arms, gently stroking them. "He's right Sis, you do look like you could use some rest. The hotels not that far from here, and I promise you, I'll get you back here in time to see him land."

She looked out toward the water that was beyond the airport and sighed, believing Cash to keep his word. "Ok, but promise me I'll be here when he arrives."

"I promise you." He put an arm around her, "C'mon, let's go."

She walked with him but glanced over her shoulder one more time at the horizon as the morning sun rose over it, feeling her heart ache for Steve, hoping and praying he was already on a boat and headed toward her. This separation from him was torture.

As she turned back, they approached a man with blond hair dressed in wrinkled khaki shorts and a light blue, button-down dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows. He was staring right at her.

"Mandy," Cash said, taking her by the elbow as they neared the stranger. "This is Danny."

She stopped and knew without a doubt by the name exactly who he was. "You're Steve's partner, Danny, aren't you? Gracie's father."

Danny smiled, taken back by her, not because she knew who he was, but by the fact that even though she looked like she'd been up all night, her long hair was wind-blown and she wore a heavy navy jacket and a long, yellow night shirt that came to the middle of her thighs, she was still the most beautiful woman he had ever met.

"Yes, I am." He reached his hand out to her, "We're all so glad you are home safe."

Mandy forewent the hand and surprised everyone, except Danny, with a hug. "He talked about you a lot," she said, "you and Gracie. He saved my life, more than once."

"I'm not surprised," Danny chuckled as his smiled broadened and he glanced over at Peter who looked away.

"Is he all right?"

"Yes," she nodded. "During the storm he was hit on the head but he's fine."

"He's stubborn as hell, I can't imagine that knock on the head kept him down for long."

Mandy laughed, "No, no it didn't, and he is stubborn, but in a good way," she smiled and then it faded, thinking of their last argument and his refusal to come to New York.

"Come along, Amanda," Peter said, taking his daughter gently by the arm. "You look so exhausted."

"They said he will be here soon," she said to Danny. "They only had room for one. He made me go," she said, not wanting him to think she had abandoned Steve.

"I know," he replied with a kind smile. "He'll be fine. You go ahead and get some rest."

She nodded and smiled as she went past him, being guided by her father.

"We're going to head back to the hotel," Cash said, "so she can get some sleep and food. Are you going to hang out here for Steve?"

"Yes. I can't sit back at that hotel anymore. I feel like we are at the end of that long road and I'd like to be here when he lands."

"Sounds good. I promised Mandy I would bring her back when he gets here. Can you buzz me?"

"Sure, no problem." They shook hands and then Cash jogged off to catch up with his sister.

Danny looked back out toward the horizon, thinking of his partner.

'That sonofabitch,' he thought with a grin, 'he gets stranded in the ocean with a knock out for a companion and ends up becoming her hero. What the hell with that guy and his luck,' he chuckled.

…..

Peter put Mandy and Cash on the elevator in the hotel after making their way through a bombardment of photographers at the front gate. The resort had done their best to keep them at bay, having dealt with super star celebrities that had stayed with them in the past, but this news was far more attractive than the run of the mill movie star lounging on the beach. This was a 'human interest' story that they could sell to news stations and magazines, both reputable and non-reputable.

"I'm going to make a call and see what the status is on Mr. McGarrett's rescue," he smiled at Mandy.

She smiled back, feeling the weight of the past few hours begin to catch up with her both mentally and physically. "Thank you, Dad."

"I'll let you know what I find out."

His smile faded as the doors closed, having no intention of getting the status of the rescue, on the contrary, he had another agenda all together.

He pulled out his cell phone and reached out to the same government and Naval individuals who had agreed to help in the search.

An hour later he hung up, satisfied with his effort. He held more power than he gave himself credit for, feeling triumphant and a little arrogant over his achievement. Money did rule the world, and he intended to keep his in the family and not to some blue-collar cop who thought he was smarter than he was. He needed to put as much distance between Mr. McGarrett and his daughter that he could.

He walked over to the front desk next and asked for the manager.

….

Danny sipped on a beer in the airport bar waiting for Steve's arrival. The whole ordeal was over. He could relax, knowing he was probably on a boat or a helicopter heading back at that moment.

He'd already spoken to Chin and Kono back home and Gracie too of course. They had been kept up to date but the last phone call was the best one yet. The sound of relaxed and happy voices made him homesick, wishing they all could be here for the reunion. He too was actually excited to see his partner again.

The stress of almost losing Steve put things in prospective for him. They had their shares of up and downs the same as any other working partners, but this came too close to a finality. It made him very aware of just how much he relied on Steve's friendship in his life. It had gone beyond work and even weekend buddies, they had developed a bond that crossed over to brotherhood. He was a great friend and uncle figure to his daughter as well.

If Steve hadn't made it, the loss would have affected him a great deal more than he had first thought.

He let out a long, deep sigh and took another sip of his beer, glad once again it was over and determined to keep that last bit of information to himself. No sense in Steve knowing any of that, he chuckled. The repercussion could be humiliating to speak of such feelings between male companions. He knew Steve would feel the same, so it would remain an inner respect that he had for his friend.

He took another sip of his beer when Peter McKay appeared at his table.

"Mr. Williams," he said, "I have some news of Mr. McGarrett's rescue."

"Oh yea?" Danny huffed. "What are you going to accuse him of now, trying to hijack your boat?"

"I thought the miscommunication that developed between us about your partner and my employee was behind us."

"There was no miscommunication between us," Danny pointed out angrily. "I knew exactly what you were trying to accomplish and it backfired in your face."

Peter's lips tightened to form a thin line, refusing to apologize to this person who would never understand his position or stature. "Nonetheless, I'm here to tell you that Mr. McGarrett will not be landing in Rarotonga. He was picked up about an hour ago and since the Fair Maiden had drifted so far out to sea it looks as though it would be pointless to return him here. The Naval rescue ship is taking him directly to Pearl Harbor. I've arranged a flight for you back to Honolulu, first class of course and you should be arriving about the same time as he."

Danny sat back in his chair. "Do you expect me to say thank you?"

Peter narrowed his eyes at him, "No, I expect you to be on that flight so you can go back to your life and I can go back to mine."

"You're just lucky you never got the authorities involved," Danny added, "otherwise I'd find a way to throw your ass in jail for falsely accusing an officer of murder."

Peter said nothing, he set down the plane ticket on the table and walked away.

Danny glanced over his shoulder, watching him walk way. "Asshole."

…..

Mandy woke up and stretched her arms over her head. She yawned and then sat up, glancing over at the clock on the nightstand.

She came off the bed and grabbed the white hotel robe that was lying over the chair. She quickly put it on, covering herself since she was only wearing a T-shirt she had got from Cash after showering and laying down for a nap until Steve arrived.

She came out to the room and saw her father out on the deck that overlooked the ocean.

"Dad!" she said almost in a panic, standing at the open sliding glass door. "You were supposed to wake me! It's been hours! What have you heard about Steve?"

"You're awake," he replied calmly. "I told you that you looked exhausted. You needed that rest. Are you hungry, Amanda? I could order you something to eat."

She shook her head, dazed and confused that he was talking to her as if he had not heard a word she'd said. "Where is Steve? You told me you were going to make some calls and let me know of his situation? You should have woken me up? Is he here, now? I want to see him."

"Amanda," Peter said, motioning to the couch as he came and stood next to her by the door. "Why don't you sit down."

"No! I don't want to sit down. I want to know what the situation is with Steve and I want to know right now!" she yelled.

"He's on his way home," Peter replied, looking at her without a hint of emotion in his eyes, even though he knew it would upset her.

"What do you mean, home? Hawaii?" she asked bewildered.

"Yes. They picked him up several hours ago and since they were in the vicinity of Hawaii, they decided it was best just to head straight for Pearl Harbor. What would be the point of coming back all this way? There wasn't, so they journeyed home."

Her mouth came open and her face showed her confusion over that piece of information. "I don't understand."

"It just made sense," Peter went on, "he was in agreement when I spoke to him, and…"

"You spoke to him?" she blurted out. "When? When did you talk to him?"

"About an hour or so ago. He said to tell you that he was thankful that you were safe and with your family. I asked him if I should wake you but he said no, that you should rest."

"Wh…What?" she stammered. "What else did he say?" her voice barely above a whisper as her biggest fear began to surface.

"We discussed business and the final payment of his duty. He was concerned that since he hadn't worked the whole two weeks that he would somehow not get the full payment, but I assured him that he had done his job well and that he would get paid the full amount. He even asked if there was a bonus attached for saving your life and the boat." Peter huffed, "I thought that was rather arrogant of him since that was part of his duty to begin with, but I did feel it was due since he did go beyond what the job had entailed. So, we talked it over and he agreed to an extra $50.000 as a bonus. He was satisfied, and…and that was it. I wished him well and he hung up."

Mandy sat down on the sofa stunned, feeling her insides begin to stir with nausea. "He didn't ask… there was nothing else?"

"No," Peter lied. "He was very tired and like you, I think he just needed some rest. Why? What else were you expecting, Amanda?"

She felt her heart breaking in two as she tried to recall the last words he had said to her, but her mind was reeling over the idea of him not coming back to Rarotonga, he had chosen to go home instead.

Peter sat down next to her, tenderly putting an arm around her. "Amanda, I understand that you were with him for several days and I'm not going to ask what happened between you, if anything did, it's none of my business. You are a grown woman and you can make your own choices, but…I'm sorry Amanda that I have not been more forthcoming of teaching you the ways of the world. I kept you sheltered because I never wanted to see you hurt, but I see now by the look on your face that maybe my sheltering you from the real world was not such a smart idea. You hold a power that you are unaware of. You're a very beautiful woman, Amanda, but you are also very naïve' when it comes to men. They can be very small minded and greedy," he let out a sad sigh, "very small minded and greedy."

"If you are talking about Steve," she defended, "he's not like that."

"He's not?" Peter asked with a raised eyebrow, as if interrogating her knowledge of that.

"No. He's kind and gentle and said he would always be there for me, no matter what."

"He did?"

"Yes."

Peter stood up and opened his arms, as if showing the empty space. "Then where is he? Why did he choose to go home, rather than come here to see you? And why did he leave no message for you, or invitation. I'm sorry to be so brutally honest with you, it breaks my heart to say it, but whatever happened between you on the boat while you were stranded, was nothing more than a man's desire to be with a beautiful woman, and I think you let the situation and his larger-than-life stature get the better of you. I think you became enamored of him and maybe saw something happening between you that played out more in your mind that his."

She stared straight ahead as tears filled her eyes, not wanting to believe it. The things they said to each other were real. The times they spent making love wasn't fake, but it was his next words that made her heart sink.

"You come from different places, Amanda. What would you ever really have in common with him, or the people in his life?" He thought of Danny and couldn't imagine his daughter associating with such people of his class or manner. It was beneath her.

She felt the air leave her body as she slowly stood, barely able to feel the ground beneath her feet, knowing now why he had chosen not to come back to Rarotonga, or her. It was just as her father had said and what they had argued about the last few minutes they were together. In his time alone she felt he had seen her for who she was and that it was as she had feared.

She had nothing to offer him. He didn't want money; he wanted a woman who could stimulate him both sexually and mentally. She had even planted the thought in his head, asking him if he would still feel the same about her after the lust was gone?

"Amanda," Peter said as she stood there in a trance, staring at the floor, her heart feeling the brunt of the pain.

"I…" she whispered softly, her voice unsettling. "I just want to be alone for a while."

She walked past him and he went to reach out to touch her, but held back. The sadness on her face was difficult to see from a father's position, especially since he had been the one to put it there, but as she went in the bedroom and closed the door, he stood perfectly erect with his head held high, telling himself it was better for her in the long run. She would feel the pain for a while, but in the end, he had made the right choice for his only daughter's security. She deserved someone better than a head strong, blue collar, beach bum from Hawaii.

….

Steve sat on a metal box that housed lifejackets, onboard the USS Chafee, a guided missile destroyer that was headed back from Japan when instructed to search for the Fair Maiden.

Once he was rescued by helicopter, he was supposed to be flown on to Rarotonga when the orders came in for them to immediately return to the USS Chafee and proceed back to Pearl Harbor instead.

He looked out over the Pacific Ocean with a white styrofoam cup in his hand filled with three fingers of tequila from the Captain's personal bar.

He took a sip of it, feeling the heat from it slide down his throat and into his belly, hoping it would cure the ailment that was currently plaguing him.

He had tried to reach out to Mandy by phone the minute he was settled on the ship, but the manager of the resort on Rarotonga had informed him that the McKay family had checked out and left by private jet.

She had gone back to New York without even a word to him.

Her father had eventually called him but was vague on the phone about her, giving him the impression that she didn't want to talk to him and that it was she who had insisted on returning home as soon as possible.

He wondered if she knew of the $50,000 bonus that her father had tried to offer him for saving her life by watching over her during and after the storm. And if she did know of the money, did she also know that he turned it down. He didn't want to be rewarded for the time they had spent alone together in those few days. He fell in love with her, and taking that money would make their time together meaningless, and it wasn't.

He took another sip and thought about their argument only minutes before the rescue.

It was his fault. He had been too harsh in his words and now they had turned on him and pushed her away. He hadn't been honest with her either and she had seen right through him. Maybe she was right, he thought, maybe he is terrified of her to come to Hawaii. Had he shown it in ways that he hadn't even noticed, but she had? Did she see something in him that scared her? Did he become so blind to his own happiness that even in his want for it, his need for it, he somehow sabotaged himself?

He took another sip and cringed, not from the taste of the alcohol but because he hated how closed off he was to people, especially the ones who had broken through and could see him for who he truly was. He was afraid of his own shadow, the shadow in which contained even the slightest hint of a relationship with someone who could bring him all those things that she had accused him of purposely lacking; kids, a family, a wife.

He downed the rest of the tequila in one gulp, feeling his insides tighten up as he squeezed the cup in his hand, the bulk of it breaking in his fist. All this time he had been accusing her of not following her heart when in reality it had been him. He had left her no choice but to escape.

He was alone because he had chosen to be. He didn't need anyone to share his life with to feel fulfilled. He thought he was happy…until Mandy McKay entered the picture. She turned everything around.

He was in love. He was head over heels, ass backward up to his neck in love and what did he do, he chased her off.

He looked up to the sky and cleared his throat as it began to close up, glancing around him as he rose to his feet, beyond relieved that he was not noticed by the few men that were doing their duty.

He went to the edge and looked out over the water, desperately trying to fight off the emotions that were becoming overwhelmingly difficult to keep under wraps. He was in pain, a deep bedded agony that came from within when you were in love but the other person wasn't.

He bent his head as he gripped the thick metal cable that ran along the edge of the boat, wishing he could go back and do things differently. Who was he to tell her she wasn't living the life she deserved? Neither was he.