Looking Forward
Author's note: I recently came across an old social media post referencing a script that introduced Catherine in the pilot episode of Hawaii Five-0. Obviously, either the script was rewritten, or the scene was filmed and then cut but it got me thinking. Even though we didn't see Catherine in that episode that doesn't mean she wasn't involved behind the scenes, right?
Just to be clear – this story is NOT that original scene. This is my take on how Steve might have leaned on Catherine after losing his best friend and father within days of each other and incorporates what we now know about the events surrounding those days in his life.
This story contains situations and dialogue which were taken directly from the pilot episode and for which I cannot take credit – they belong to the writers, producers, directors, and cast who are responsible for one of the TV pilots ever made (IMHO).I can only take credit for everything else.
I have read this over and over, but undoubtedly missed something (or multiple somethings), so I apologize in advance for any mistakes you might find.
I hope you enjoy!
Steve McGarrett's head was spinning. He was on autopilot, had been functioning solely on muscle memory to deal with the aftermath of a mission gone horribly wrong. He'd lost his teammate and best friend, Freddie Hart, and his father, John McGarrett, within days of each other, and now needed to return to his childhood home of Oahu, Hawaii, to bury his father and track down the man who'd killed him.
The events of the previous day played over and over in his head, like a video on repeat.
You should get that. You don't talk to your father nearly enough.
I'm offering a trade. My brother for your father.
My brother's dead, isn't he? Then so is your father.
The elder McGarrett had been killed by a man named Victor Hesse. Victor and his brother, Anton, were terrorists and international arms dealers whom Steve had been tracking for half a decade. After years of being one step behind, solid intel regarding Anton's expected whereabouts had fallen into their laps and they'd acted immediately on the information. Unfortunately, it appeared now that it had been a setup. How else had Victor been able to retaliate so quickly after his brother's capture? How had they known which route the convoy carrying the prisoner was going to take?
Regardless, the mission had been a complete failure and left him reeling. He was frustrated that he'd been forced to debrief in South Korea before being transported back to Iraq where he'd have to sit through more meetings before catching a plane to Virginia Beach, where he was stationed when not on deployment. He would have preferred to travel directly to Hawaii, but protocol needed to be followed, which meant he needed his dress uniform and some other belongings he hadn't brought with him to Baghdad.
He was having difficulty with the losses he'd recently suffered. He'd lost teammates before, but besides being like a brother to him, Freddie had been recently married and was expecting a child. Steve knew Freddie's wife, as well as his parents, and his heart ached for their loss. Because the mission had been off the books, the Navy would not even formally acknowledge Commander Hart's service and because Steve had been forced to leave his friend behind, there would be no body to bury, at least not yet. Steve was resolved to do whatever was required to get his friend back and give him a proper burial, no matter how long it took or what it cost him.
That would not be an issue for his father, though. The elder McGarrett had served in Vietnam, and Steve wanted for him the full military honors to which he was entitled. Arrangements were already being made for a ceremony in two days' time and, like a dutiful son, he would be there although he wasn't sure how he felt about returning to the island of his birth. While he had spent most of the first half of his life on Oahu, he'd been back only twice in the last 18 years.
It was true what Anton Hesse had said - he hadn't spoken with his father nearly enough. They had not talked in months, and it had been much longer since they'd seen each other in person. Steve still carried some resentment toward his father for tearing apart their family almost two decades earlier. He and his younger sister, Mary Ann, had been shipped off to the mainland to live lives that were separate both from each other and their only surviving parent.
He'd spent the remainder of his adolescence at a military prep school in California and then moved on to the U.S. Naval Academy and an impressive military career with Naval Intelligence and as a highly decorated Navy SEAL.
His sister had been sent to live with their Aunt Deb, his father's older sister, who had never married or had children of her own. Although he hadn't seen Mary since they'd parted ways at the airport in Honolulu, he knew she had followed a much different path into adulthood than he had and wondered whether she'd actually bother to show up for their father's funeral, and, if she did, what state she'd be in.
But he couldn't worry about that now. He had a job to do and babysitting his 27-year-old sister didn't factor in. His mission to capture the surviving Hesse brother would continue, although it had become much more personal. He knew where in the world Victor was, he just needed to get there.
Upon arrival back on base in Iraq's Green Zone, he'd been hustled into yet another debrief and was finally finished with his report to the CIA and Navy brass. He was scheduled to depart for Virginia in just under an hour, and all he wanted to do was get on the plane.
"Commander."
He looked up and saw that Joe White, his commanding officer, honorary uncle, and the man who had trained him to become a SEAL, had followed him out. "Sir."
"How are you, Steve?" Joe said, signaling that he was speaking as a friend and the conversation was personal, not professional.
"Anxious to get back on Hesse's trail, sir."
"You know that's not what I'm asking, son," Joe said gruffly. "You've suffered an incredible loss, two losses. I'm struggling to make sense of this," he admitted, "and he was my friend, not my father." Joe White and John McGarrett had been honorary brothers for years and Joe had become something of a father figure to Steve after his dad had sent him away him all those years before.
Steve sighed and relaxed slightly. "It doesn't seem real. I keep running through it in my head, wondering what I should have done differently."
"From what I understand, you did everything you could, son. This is not on you," Joe assured him and studied him for a moment. "Have you talked to Catherine?"
"No, not in a few weeks, why?"
"Scuttlebutt says she's been trying to reach you."
"Yeah. I, uh, I turned off my phone," Steve acknowledged. "Wait, how'd you hear about it?"
"She has left no stone unturned in her quest. It's one of the things that makes her so damn good at her job."
McGarrett couldn't help but smile at the truth of his mentor's statement. "Yes, sir."
"You need to call her. Not just for her benefit, but for yours." Joe eyed the man in front of him. "Do I need to make that an order?"
Steve's lip quirked into a ghost of a smile, and he shook his head. "No. No, sir, you don't."
"Good. Get to it, then."
"Yes, sir," Steve saluted sharply and started to move away.
"And Commander? There's one more thing."
"Sir?"
"You're on 96-hour leave."
"Sir, I need to keep tracking Victor Hesse," Steve protested. "He's on Oahu, so that's where I'm going to start."
"Wrong," Joe stated. "You are going to bury your father. Then you're going to grieve. Take the time with your family, it's important."
"What family?" Steve asked bitterly then exhaled sharply and reined in his frustration. "Will you be there, sir?"
Joe sighed. "No, unfortunately I will not. But I'll visit the next time I get back to the island."
"Understood, sir."
Joe placed a comforting hand on Steve's shoulder. "Hang in there, son," he said before turning and heading back into the command tent.
McGarrett understood that Joe wanted him to take some down time. But the elder man hadn't actually ordered him to stand down, which left some wiggle room that Steve was fully prepared to utilize. But first, he needed to make a call. He powered on his phone and saw three unread messages. He accessed his voicemail, listening as he walked.
"Hey Sailor, it's Cath. I read about your dad in the Red Cross burst messages. God, I'm so sorry." Her distress was obvious in her voice and Steve knew it was more for him than his father. She'd met John McGarrett only twice but was very familiar with his complicated history with his son. "I want to see you, but I don't know where you are or where you're going to be and when." He smiled softly. Part of him longed to see her, to lose himself in her for even a short while, but there just wasn't time. "Will you call me, please, when you get this?"
His thumb hovered over the delete button, but he changed his mind and saved the message before accessing the second one. "Hey, it's me again. I just heard about Freddie." He could tell she'd been crying when she recorded the message, and he closed his eyes. She'd known and cared deeply for Freddie, as she did for all his friends and SEAL brothers and Hart, like the others, had been a huge fan of hers. "I can't believe he's gone. How are you holding up? Please call me, I… just call me, please." He couldn't help but recall Freddie's words just hours before his death, encouraging him not to mess things up with Catherine.
He passed a group of fellow SEALs and nodded to them. Elite units, like theirs, had special accommodations on base in Iraq – like their own small community, including recreation and common areas to be utilized during their downtimes.
One of the guys broke away from the group and called out, "Hey, Dog, wait up." Steve stopped walking and waited for his teammate. "How you doing, man?"
"I'm good, Gordo."
"You got time for a drink before you go?"
"Uh, maybe," he replied and gestured to his phone.
"All right. Well, we're toasting Freddie," the other man said and clapped him on the back.
Steve flashed a tight smile and took his leave. He saved the second message and accessed the third. "Steve, I'm starting to get worried now - I don't know why I can't reach you. I just need to know that you're okay. Please call me." He could hear her concern for him, carefully controlled, but still present, and regretted that he'd made her worry.
He made it back to his quarters, which were small but, given his rank and the fact that he was on special assignment, also private. He inhaled and exhaled a breath before tapping the screen and lifting the phone to his ear. The line connected and he felt some of the tension leave his body at the sound of her voice.
"Hello? Steve?"
"Hey, Cath."
"Hey, sailor," she said, her relief evident. "Are you okay? Where are you?"
"I'm fine. I'm back in the sandbox, heading back to Vah Beach in about forty minutes."
"Well, I'm headed back in thirty."
"Headed back?" His brow furrowed. "Where are you?" He heard a knock on the door and opened it to the sight of her standing there, still holding her phone to her ear.
"I'm here," she answered softly as she lowered her phone, and he did the same. "Hi."
"Hi," he echoed with a smile then moved aside to allow her access to the space before checking the surrounding area. He caught Gordo's eye and the other man grinned and winked before turning and heading the opposite direction. He shut the door and pushed her gently against it so they would not be visible through the small window before cupping her cheek for a moment then dipping his head to touch his lips to hers. It started softly but the familiar taste and feel of her acted as a balm to soothe his fractured soul and he found himself deepening the kiss, wanting nothing more than to take it further, to lose himself in her until he had to fly home, but with a moan she pulled back, breathing heavily.
"We can't, sailor," she said against his lips. "Not here."
He blew out a breath. "I know. I'm sorry," he said and tugged her against his chest. He hadn't seen her in six months, and it felt amazing to have her again in his embrace. "It's so good to see you," he said into her hair as he held her tightly. He hadn't realized how much he'd needed the comfort of her presence until she was standing in front of him. "I missed you," he said softly. "But how are you here?" he asked, knowing that she was stationed at NAVCENT in Bahrain.
"Intelligence briefing," she murmured. "Baker was supposed to do it, but she came down with a 24-hour bug. So, here I am."
He chuckled. "Twenty-four-hour bug, huh?"
"Yeah. She's the one who caught the flash traffic and let me know."
He sighed softly. "Thank her for me and tell her I owe her a beer next time I see her." He pulled back enough to look at her. "So, you came all this way to spend half an hour with me? Cath, I…" Unable to put words to his emotions, he settled for cradling her face and stroking her cheeks with his thumbs.
"Well, not exactly," she said lightly. "I was supposed to have an hour with you, but the briefing ran long."
"Ah, well, that makes all the difference," he responded in kind, then turned serious. "Thank you," he said earnestly. "If you'd have asked, I'd have told you not to come, but I'm glad you did."
"You're welcome. I couldn't be so close and not try to be here for you." She studied him for a moment. "I'm so sorry, Steve. How are you holding up?"
"I'm fine," he said and released her. "I just need to get Victor."
She shook her head. "Don't do that," she said softly. "Not with me. How can you be fine? You lost your best friend, a man who was like a brother to you, and your father within days of each other. I know things with your dad were strained for a long time, but I know he loved you and I know you loved him."
"Yeah, maybe," he acknowledged with a shrug. "But what choice do I have? Even if I wanted to fall apart, which I don't, I still have a job to do. It's more important than ever for me to get this guy, Cath, otherwise none of it's worth it." She just looked at him, her eyes challenging him to be honest with her and he finally relented. He took her hand and tugged her to sit on the bed next to him. "I just keep thinking about Freddie," he admitted. "The mission - they'll disavow… I mean we knew going in, but what about his family? He and Kelly got married like a week before he died. She's pregnant. It's a girl."
"Oh, God," she whispered. "That's…" she shook her head, her eyes wet.
"I know." He wrapped his arms around her in an effort to provide some comfort for both of them. "I left him behind, Cath," he murmured into her hair.
"Because you had to," she replied softly, but with absolute certainty before pulling back enough to see his face. "I know you. If there was any other option, you would have taken it." His only response was a halfhearted shrug. "And you know what?" We're going to get him back, all right? We'll do whatever we need to for however long it takes. But we will get him back to his family."
Her words touched him deeply. She always seemed to know what he needed, sometimes even before he did. And though it shouldn't have surprised him after all these years, oftentimes it still did. He nodded, immensely grateful for her support. "Yeah. Yeah, we will." He looked up at her. "Thanks, Cath. I…"
She smiled softly. "It's okay. I know." She squeezed his hand. "So, have you talked to your sister?"
He sighed. "You mean since the last time I bailed her out of trouble?" he asked and blew out a breath. "I left her a message and I hope she'll be at the funeral, but I just don't know. I talked to my Aunt Deb, and she'll be there, but she wasn't sure about Mary."
"Your Aunt Deb is your dad's sister, right?"
"Yeah. She's the one who took Mary in after my dad, uh…"
Knowing his family's history, she smiled reassuringly and squeezed his hand again. "How long has it been since you saw your aunt?"
He considered for a moment. "My mom's funeral. I never, uh, never saw her or Mary after I got to Carlsbad, then I went on to Annapolis and..."
Catherine nodded. "Yeah," she said softly. "Are you looking forward to seeing her?"
"Yeah, I think so. It's been a long time, though, you know? She and Mary, they're, uh, they're the only family I got left now, and I haven't seen either one of them in almost two decades. But I'm not gonna have a lot of time."
Catherine was surprised. "Don't you have leave?"
He nodded. "Ninety-six hours. But I'm only taking as much as I need to bury my father. Then I need to keep tracking Victor."
Catherine opened her mouth to protest, then closed it with a sigh. "I know you do. I wish I could go with you but call me, okay? Please? Let me know how you're doing?"
He flashed her a smile and nodded. He gazed at her, drinking in the sight of her. Part of him longed to just take her somewhere private where they could hunker down, lock the door, and forget the rest of the world, just for a little while. But he couldn't hide his head in the sand, he had places to be and terrorists to find. Although… "Come here," he said as he tugged her the two strides across the room, stopping in front of the door. He leaned toward the window and did a quick check of the surrounding area before wrapping his arms around her and claiming her mouth again. They were both breathless when she pulled back for air. "Are you on duty right now?" he asked, his voice deep.
"Technically… no," she said as he nuzzled her neck.
"We're in a blind spot right here," he murmured. "If we're quiet…"
"Hmm…" she breathed out. "Right here?"
"We'll have to be quick. But I'll make it up to you next time," he said, before he captured her lips again.
"Promise?" she murmured, even as she was fumbling with the closure on her pants.
He cupped his hands under her bottom and lifted her effortlessly as she wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his hips. "Absolutely," he breathed out before he dipped his head to kiss her and swallowed her soft, contended moan.
Hours later, Steve looked up from the file he was studying and leaned back against the plane's bulkhead. Unbidden, those stolen moments in his quarters with Catherine came rushing back to him and warmed his soul. He realized now how badly he'd needed that time with her and was grateful she'd gone above and beyond to make it happen. He smiled softly. Being with her had reenergized him and allowed him to center himself. He knew he would be able to get through what was to come over the next days, burying his father, seeing his aunt and hopefully his sister for the first time in 18 years. Eighteen years. More than half the time he'd been alive. He blew out a breath and scrubbed his hands over his face. He might be mostly estranged from the only biological family he had left, but as long as he had Catherine and his brothers on the teams, he knew he'd be all right.
He landed in Virginia, made his way to his apartment, and crashed hard, his exhaustion having caught up with him. His alarm woke him early and he went out for a quick breakfast then returned to his place to pack a bag before donning his dress blue uniform and making his way to the airfield to catch yet another plane. This time, instead of riding in the back, he was sitting with the pilots in the cockpit of the C-17. As they approached their destination, he found himself gazing out at the island of his birth. It had been many years since he'd been back to Oahu, and he wasn't sure what he was feeling as he took in the beauty of the once-familiar landscape. He'd intended to go directly to the funeral home and check on the final arrangements for his father's service but then received a call from the governor of Hawaii requesting a meeting near the Battleship Missouri memorial, in full view of the Arizona memorial, where his grandfather was still entombed.
He wasn't sure why the governor wanted to meet with him, but he was not expecting her to offer him a job – a task force with blanket authority to go after guys like Victor Hesse. But he wasn't interested in being part of her public relations stunt and not-so-politely declined the offer.
As he was leaving the area, though, he encountered a face from his past that brought up memories of what felt like another lifetime. Chin Ho Kelly had been several years ahead of him in school and a quarterback whose skill on the football field Steve had both respected and admired. He'd heard that Chin Ho had gone into law enforcement and worked with the elder McGarrett in the Honolulu police department, so was not expecting to find him working a low-level security job. He was surprised to learn Kelly had separated from the department under questionable circumstances but gratified to hear that his father had stood by his friend. He learned, during their conversation, that the chief of police had put a haole on his father's murder investigation, which didn't sit well with him and made him more determined than ever to take matters into his own hands. But he had a funeral to attend first.
He made it through the day and, after returning to his lodging for the night, called Catherine, longing to hear her voice. "Hey Cath," he greeted.
"Hey, Sailor," she said warmly, and he felt some of the day's tension seeping away. "How did it go today?"
He sighed as he settled against the headboard of the bed. "It was… interesting."
"Interesting good? Or interesting bad?"
"Honestly, I'm not sure."
"What do you mean?"
"Uh, let's see – we had just landed at Hickam when I got a call from the governor of Hawaii."
"The governor? What did she want?"
"She, uh, she offered me a job actually, running a new task force she's trying to put together."
"A task force? For what purpose?"
"Her exact words were to find guys like Hesse and get them the hell off her island."
"That is interesting. What did you, uh, what did you tell her?" she asked carefully.
"I told her no, obviously. It sounds like a PR stunt to me. I mean, the whole thing – she wanted to meet me near the Arizona memorial, tug on my heartstrings, I don't know. She's got an election year coming up and I think she's just looking for a boost in the polls."
"You weren't tempted at all?"
"No, not really. I did, uh, find something else out, though. While I was down there, I ran into a guy named Chin Ho Kelly. He was five years ahead of me in school, played quarterback at Kukui – he was a legend, set a lot of records," he grinned, "that I, uh, later broke, actually."
"Oh yeah?" she said, and he could hear her smile. "Any of those records still standing?"
He chuckled. "Honestly, I have no idea. Probably not. It was a long time ago, you know? But Chin Ho used to work with my dad at the HPD, it sounds like they were pretty close. He told me the chief of police put a haole on my dad's murder investigation," he told her. "Said he's some fresh meat from the mainland and he's not sure how effective the guy will be."
"Is there anything you can do about that?"
"I don't know, maybe. I mean, I already know who killed my father, but he couldn't have pulled it off himself, so I want to know who was helping him. He has to still be on the island, but I know he's gone underground so finding his accomplice might help me find him. I don't think I'll need the HPD to help me do that, but I might need some other resources…" he said leadingly.
"Of course, Steve. You know that."
"Thanks, Cath. I'm technically on leave, so everything has to stay out of the system, for now."
She sighed audibly. "I know. I'll figure something out, okay?"
He smiled, even though she couldn't see him. "Thank you. I mean it."
"I know you do," she replied, and he could hear her smile again.
"I haven't been back to the house yet, so I'll head over in the morning."
"Are you ready for that?" she asked quietly.
"Yeah," he dismissed. "I'll be fine."
"Well, I'm here if you want to talk, okay?"
He smiled. "Thanks, Cath."
"How was the service?"
"It was, uh, it was… fine. There was a-a big turnout from HPD, lots of guys I vaguely remember and haven't seen in a long time who wanted to express their condolences. Aunt Deb was there, although she knew fewer people than I did."
"Your sister didn't make it?"
"No. No, she, uh, she didn't. Aunt Deb tried to make excuses for her, but I just… I don't know."
"How do you feel about that?"
"I mean, she's my sister, so I'll always love her. But she was only really in my life for like nine years, and I haven't seen her in twice that long."
"Wow. When you put it that way…"
"Believe me, I know," he said sadly. "And I'm not proud of it, but it was my dad who tore our family apart, and I can't take responsibility for that."
"Of course not. You were 16 years old. Your little sister was what? Nine? You were too young to raise her, even if you'd had the option, which you didn't."
"No, I didn't." He sighed. "Aunt Deb, uh, she guilted me into having dinner with her and honestly, at first, I didn't want to take the time, but I'm glad I did. We did some catching up and I found out that my dad, he, uh, I guess he was keeping her in the loop about my life, my career. I didn't realize… she said he was always proud of me and I…" Unsure of his voice, he cleared his throat.
"That doesn't surprise me at all," Catherine soothed softly. "You were his son and he loved you. Even though he wasn't very good at showing it."
Steve closed his eyes briefly. "I wish I'd know that all those years, you know?"
"I know. I can't imagine what you're feeling right now, but you know that I'm here, anytime you want to talk, okay? About anything."
"I know. I know you are, Cath. And I…"
"It's okay. I know," she whispered, then cleared her throat. "Listen, I know I literally just said I would be here for you to talk anytime, but I actually have to be on duty in a few minutes. I'm sorry."
"It's fine. I have some stuff to look at anyway."
"Okay. Well, give me a call tomorrow if you want, all right?"
"I will if I can, okay?"
"Yeah. Good night, Sailor. Be safe out there," she ordered gently.
"Always," he replied. "Good night, Cath." He disconnected the call and stared at his phone for a moment. It had been years since he and Catherine had been able to have this much regular communication and he realized now that he had been missing it. She was one of his oldest and closest friends - he known only Freddie and some of the team guys longer - and the person who'd been continuously in his life the longest. Although they didn't have a traditional romantic relationship, they were both committed to what they did have and had been exclusive pretty much since they met. He didn't want to be with anyone else and part of him hoped that someday they would have the opportunity to grow the relationship into something more… permanent.
The following morning, Steve approached his father's house; the place he'd lived for the first 16 years of his life and now the place where his father had died. He ducked under the crime scene tape and made his way in through the back. He identified immediately that the living room was the primary crime scene and, once he got some work lights set up, saw the blood splatter on the wall where the murder had taken place.
He couldn't help but recall the moment it had happened – listening from thousands of miles away to the gunshot that had taken his father's life, and knowing he was powerless to stop it. The sound of the weapon discharging would forever be etched on his memory and, coupled with the visual reminder, it was suddenly very real. His father was gone. He would never have a chance to repair their relationship. He closed his eyes as regret rushed through him. His dad had said that he loved him, but he hadn't said it back. In fact, he couldn't remember the last time he'd said those words, to his father; to anyone. He allowed himself only a moment because wallowing wasn't going to get the job done. He realized he needed to compartmentalize what he was feeling if he was going to make any headway so, as he'd been trained, he shoved everything into a little box in his mind and got back to work.
He worked in a grid pattern, photographing and analyzing all the evidence he could find. There was a boot print, smaller than his, which meant it wasn't Victor's and confirmed his suspicion that the elder Hesse brother had not been working alone. A space had been cleared on his father's desk, likely for a laptop computer and he knew, based on the call, that Victor had been standing near his father and had no doubt that he was the one who had pulled the trigger. So, he deduced the accomplice had been in the study working to track the cell signal and coordinate the attack on the convoy. Using what he could find in the house, he dusted for prints and captured photos to send to Catherine along with the other evidence.
He made his way out to the garage and was mildly surprised to see that his father's Mercury Marquis was still there, covered with a tarp. His dad had loved tinkering with the car and Steve wondered if he'd ever gotten it running. He regretted now that he hadn't taken more of an interest in it during his youth and wondered, for just a moment, what he'd do with the vehicle once he returned to active duty. Then he turned to the workbench and felt his heart begin to pound. There was a beat-up red toolbox on the surface. Part of the label was obscured, having been covered by some dark substance at some point in its life, but the letters that were visible were CHAMP.
During their last conversation, his father had called him 'champ'. The man had never, at any point in his life, called him that, but under threat of imminent death, when he should have had anything else on his mind, he'd been trying to communicate something to his son. With trembling fingers, he released the latches and opened the lid. The tray on top included several items, including an antique key that had no business being there. He moved it aside to get to the compartment underneath and discovered even more surprising items including what looked like bound postcards along with some photographs and a handheld tape recorder. He pushed play and heard his father's voice float up to him.
"I can't continue this investigation into the police department from the inside. I don't trust the people I work with. So, I'm gonna have to do this on my own."
Steve realized his father had wanted him to find this evidence and wondered what the hell he'd been involved with. His attention was pulled away by the sound of a door closing, and he knew he'd soon be discovered. He quickly shut off the recorder, returned it to the Champ box and closed the lid as quietly as he could. He had just finished securing the latches when a man entered the garage, shouting at him to put his hands up. Steve drew his own weapon and they faced off over the Marquis. He assumed the other man, who identified himself as Detective Danny Williams, was the person who had been assigned to his father's case – the hairstyle and tie were a dead giveaway that he was new to the island. However, McGarrett wasn't taking any chances.
"Show me your I.D.!" he demanded.
"You show me your I.D.!" Williams countered. "Right now!"
Steve took a breath and stated, "I'm not putting my gun down."
"Neither am I."
"Use your free hand, take out your I.D." McGarrett suggested calmly.
"Please, after you."
"At the same time?" Steve proposed.
"At the same time?" the detective returned incredulously.
"Yeah, at the same time."
"What, like, on the count of three?" Williams snarked.
McGarrett couldn't help but appreciate the other man's attitude. "Sure. Okay, three's good."
The detective shrugged and started counting. "One…" Never taking his eyes off the compact man, Steve reached for his pocket as his companion did the same. "Two…" He removed the wallet with his Navy identification and held it up as Williams revealed his badge. "Three." They both took a moment to look at the other's I.D. and then holstered their weapons. "Listen, uh, I'm really sorry about your father, but you can't be here right now," Williams said sympathetically. "This is an active crime scene."
"Doesn't seem that active," Steve argued.
"I can't share any information with you—"
Share information? Steve didn't need this individual to share information, he already knew more than the HPD."Hesse wasn't here alone when my father was murdered," he told the blonde man. "Someone was sitting at the desk in the study, there was a space cleared for a 13-inch laptop and my father hated computers."
"I'm gonna ask you again – you got to leave."
Steve hefted the toolbox. "You got it."
"And you can leave the box – that is evidence," Williams said, his volume increasing. "You know that."
"I came with this," Steve said.
"No, you didn't come with it. I see the dust void it left right here on the counter - what's in the box? What are you—"
Steve grinned. "How long you been with the Honolulu PD?"
"None of your business. What are you, Barbara Walters?"
"No, it is my business if you're investigating my father's death."
"I am, and I'd like to get back to that, so the sooner you leave, the sooner I can."
"Anything you say," Steve said as he turned to leave.
"Leave the box or get arrested."
"You gonna call for backup?" Steve challenged.
"An ambulance," Williams countered confidently.
Steve's mind was running a mile a minute, reviewing his options. The only way he was getting out of there with the box was if he left Williams incapacitated or unconscious, which he had the skills to do. But not the desire. He wasn't willing to go that route – the guy was only doing his job. He couldn't leave the box behind, either. His father had clearly meant for him to find it, wanted him to pick up whatever investigation he'd been running off the books. It was a mystery to solve, and he found himself unable to walk away from it. He suddenly realized he didn't want to leave the island. Not yet. And with only a moment's consideration for the consequences, he made a split-second decision. He put the box down on the trunk of the car to free his hands so he could make a call.
Williams, assuming he'd won, said, "Thank you."
"Don't thank me yet," Steve corrected as he dialed a number from memory and put the phone to his ear.
"What are you doing?" the detective inquired.
Steve held up a hand and a moment later, the call was answered. "Governor Jameson's line."
"Uh, yeah, Governor Jameson, please? Tell her it's Steve McGarrett."
"Oh, please," Williams muttered, gesturing with his hand.
Steve put the phone on speaker so his companion could also hear. "Commander, Governor Jameson here. What can I do for you?"
"You gotta be kidding me," the blonde detective mumbled as Steve took the phone off speaker.
"Governor, I'll take the job."
"That's wonderful! Did you get a lead on Hesse?"
"Well, let's just say I found something that changed my mind."
"All right. We'll get things going. Is a month enough time?"
"No, no, no, immediately. I'll transfer to the reserves, and I'll run your task force."
"Well, we need to get you sworn in, then."
"What, right now?"
"Well, you did say immediately, Commander."
"Okay." He turned away from Williams and swapped the phone to his opposite hand so he could raise his right and repeat Jameson's words. "I, Steven J. McGarrett, do solemnly declare upon my honor and conscience that I will act at all times to the best of my ability and knowledge in a manner befitting an officer of the law."
"Wonderful, Commander. Welcome to the team."
"Thank you, Governor," he said and disconnected the call. Although part of him was questioning what he'd just done, another part of him took quite a bit of pleasure in telling the blonde detective, "Now it's my crime scene." He hefted the toolbox and walked out of his father's garage.
"Hey, Sailor," Catherine greeted, "I could get used to talking to you on a daily basis."
"Hey, Cath. You, uh, you might get your chance."
"Sorry?"
"Yeah, I, uh, I did something…"
"What, Steve? What happened? Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm okay, I, uh, I took the job."
"The job? The governor's job for the task force?"
"Yeah. Starting immediately."
"Immediately? Are you resigning your commission?"
"No, I'm gonna transfer to the reserves."
"Um, Steve, you know it's not that easy, right?"
He sighed. "Yeah, I do. But I've got some leave saved up and I'm hoping she can help smooth the process. She seems very motivated to make this happen."
"She probably can. But what made you change your mind?"
"Being back here, part of me feels like I'm home again. And I found something my dad left for me, something he was working on, and I realized I'm not ready to leave yet. I had to make a decision, so I did."
"I don't understand."
"I was at my dad's house and the detective who's working the case showed up and insisted I leave his crime scene. The thing is, he's not a big guy, I've got at least six inches on him, but he wasn't intimidated at all. And I don't know where he's from, but he's got this attitude that won't quit. We, uh, we kind of got in a standoff in the garage. I had to decide how far I wanted to push it, and, in my gut, I knew I couldn't let it go, so I called the governor and took the job on the spot – even got sworn in over the phone. So, now it's my crime scene."
"Wow, that's… that's quite a story, sailor. How long ago was this?"
"Couple hours, why?"
"So, you've had a couple hours to think about it and you're still comfortable with your decision?"
"Yeah, I am." He sighed. "I met with Jameson afterwards, which is, uh, probably something I should have done beforehand. The pay's not terrible, and the benefits are workable. She did, uh, set me up with an office space at Iolani Palace."
She whistled. "Nice real estate."
"Yeah," he agreed. "It's got potential, and I get to design it."
"Nice!" she exclaimed. "Well, then I'm happy for you. And…" she said drawing out the word, "I'll get to see you much more often. Maybe you can show me around your fancy new office."
He grinned at the thought of it. "I would love that. But, how?"
"New orders came through," she said, and he could hear her smile. "I'm being transferred back to the Enterprise starting next week. And since our home base is Pearl…"
"…I'll get you see you for at least a few days every month or two," he finished for her, a broad smile on his face. "I don't think I'll have any problem getting used to that."
"Me, neither," she agreed.
Several hours later, Steve had paid a visit to HPD to learn more about Danny Williams and discovered he was a good detective but didn't exactly fit in at his new precinct. Without regard to what Williams might want, he'd decided to make the man his partner and felt good about his first hire. Their relationship didn't have the best start, though, as their first foray into the field resulted in Danny being grazed by a bullet and subsequently killing their only lead, which was not the outcome Steve had been hoping for. But they found a new avenue to pursue - a young girl who'd recently been smuggled in from China. It was a good bet whoever had brought her in had smuggled Hesse onto the island using the same network.
The problem was, Steve had been off the island a long time and Danny was new to it, so neither of them had the resources they needed to find the people they sought. But he knew someone who did and convinced Chin Ho Kelly to join their merry band. Kelly had come through in a big way, with a former C.I. who got them the name they needed. He also brought on his younger cousin, Kono Kalakaua, a former pro surfer turned cop, to go undercover and infiltrate the organization.
Steve had returned to his father's house and cleaned up before settling in to do some work when his phone rang, and Catherine's name popped on the screen. He couldn't help but smile.
"Hey, Cath."
"Hey, sailor. I got the info you asked for and am sending it now."
He saw the message come through and clicked to open the file. "Jovan Etienne," he read off the screen. "Thanks, Cath. I owe you one."
"I will be happy to collect on that the next time I'm in Hawaii."
"It will be my pleasure. How does dinner sound?"
"It sounds good. Although your list of IOUs is rapidly growing and we've very rarely actually made it to dinner," she pointed out.
"That is true," he acknowledged. "Although most of the time that's because we were involved in… other activities."
She laughed. "I'm not complaining."
"Listen, Cath, I hate to cut this short, but it's been kind of a crazy day and Danny's on his way over. Can I call you later?"
"Yeah, of course. But who's Danny?"
"Detective Danny Williams, my new partner."
"You have a partner already? Wow, that was fast."
"Like I said, it's been a crazy day. Thanks for the intel. I'll call you later, I promise."
"You'd better, sailor. Be safe, okay?"
"Always," he told her.
He was reviewing Etienne's file when Danny came through the door with some surveillance equipment he had requested. They eventually migrated out to the beach behind the house with a couple of beers and Steve realized, despite recent events, he felt more content than he could remember feeling in a long time. Even though, in transferring to the reserves, he'd left his Navy family behind, he didn't feel alone. He had a good feeling about his new team and what was ahead for them. The more he learned about Danny Williams, the more he looked forward to working with him. They spent some time talking and he learned a bit more about his blonde companion before the other man headed home for the evening. Steve checked his watch and realized Catherine's duty shift should be just about over, so he picked up his phone and sent a quick text message. His phone rang several minutes later.
"Hey, Cath."
"Hey, Sailor. You make any headway on your case?"
"Uh, yeah. We got a meet set for tomorrow morning. Hopefully we can get a lead on Victor's location."
"That's good. I hope it pans out," she said.
"Me, too. Hey, listen - if I send you a name you mind running it for me?"
"Um… yeah. Yeah, I'll find a way to do it."
"Thanks, I'll owe you another one."
"I'll add it to your tab," she teased. "Hey, sailor? Can I, uh, can I ask you something?"
"Of course," he replied easily. "Anything."
"When you get Hesse, you still planning on staying there, running this task force?"
"Well, I mean, I committed to it, so yeah."
"What if you got him tomorrow? Do you think you might regret taking this job?"
He sighed. "No," he replied honestly. "I mean, I still have to figure out what my father was working on. But it's more than that. Being back here… I don't know, it feels… right."
"Okay," she said, and he could hear her smile. "Then that's good. I, for one, am looking forward to much more regular communication with you. I mean, we've talked three times today. I think that's a new record for when we're not in the same time zone."
He chuckled. "Yeah, I think you're right."
"Careful," she teased. "You might start to spoil me."
"And you'd be worth it, Cath," he replied, without a trace of humor.
"Wow. I, um…" The line was quiet for a several seconds. "Wow."
He chuckled, lightening the moment. "Don't tell me I've rendered you speechless, Lieutenant."
"No way, Commander." She cleared her throat and changed the subject. "So, I, uh, talked to McNamara about Freddie, planted an idea. I know it's not much, but we're going to need someone to help push it up the chain to the D.O.D. if there's any chance and…"
"I…" Steve was now the one rendered speechless. Freddie had died on an unsanctioned mission in a country that is one of the United States' greatest enemies. Retrieving his body would require negotiations at the highest level which would mean getting the top U.S. military leadership and eventually the state department involved if there was any chance of making it happen. She had taken the first step toward getting the process started. "Thank you, Catherine. That means a lot."
"You're welcome. I figured I'll have to take point on it since you'll be, uh, languishing away in the reserves."
"Languishing?" he chuckled. "I don't know about languishing. But you're right as usual."
"Don't you forget it," she said lightly.
"Never."
The following morning, they apprehended Sang Min and Steve used some the intel Catherine had provided to convince the smuggler to give them the information they needed to locate Hesse. He and Danny pursued their target and were able to locate and eventually take him down. The governor's 'immunity and means' definitely had its perks and he'd had no issue with taking full advantage of them. Later on, after a visit to the hospital, he'd returned to their new offices to check on the progress of cleaning out the space and to spend some time with Danny, Chin, and Kono. Working with them was quite different than what he was used to with the SEALs, but he was looking forward to shaping the task force into its own type of elite unit.
After he'd returned to his father's house, which he'd realized was again his home, he'd worked on putting the finishing touches on his design for the new headquarters space and also started planning some training for his new team. They all brought their own set of skills to the table, but there were aspects of his military training that he could impart to make them even better. And since they were a small unit, he wanted them all to have multiple skill sets available to be sure their bases would be covered. He wondered how Kono would take to the sniper rifle and made a mental note to ask her about that.
Finally, his shoulder began to ache in earnest, so he stopped working and headed upstairs. He brushed his teeth and donned a pair of shorts before climbing into bed. He was staying in what had been his old room before his father converted it to a guest space but planned to move into the larger room with the attached bath that had once belonged to his parents. But he needed to go through his dad's belongings and wasn't ready yet to complete that task. He knew he had some time – he wasn't anticipating any overnight guests, at least not until the Enterprise came into port…
He checked his watch - it was close to midnight in Hawaii, but early afternoon in Bahrain. He picked up his phone and dialed.
"Hey, sailor," she greeted.
He couldn't help a soft smile from forming on his face."Hey, Cath. How was your day?"
"Good. Nothing exciting to report – just wrapping some things up here before the transfer. How'd your op go this morning?"
"I got him, Cath. I got Victor."
"Nice! I never doubted you would. Did that info I sent you pan out?"
"Yeah, yeah, it came in handy."
"Good. So, did you put Hesse in a cell or in the ground?"
"The harbor, actually. We caught up to him at the port – he was aboard a Chinese freighter taking off. He and I traded gunfire then went at it hand-to-hand. I, uh, I emptied a mag into him - it was only two bullets, but I put them through his chest. The Coast Guard's looking for the body."
She laughed lightly. "Really? A Chinese freighter? Your second day on the job and you're already involved with an international incident? Why am I not surprised?"
"Yeah, I know. I already got an earful from Danny."
"Oh yeah? How's that going?"
"I mean, he questions everything – he wouldn't last a day in the service, you know? But it's, uh, it's good. I got to hand it to the guy. He bitched, a lot, but he was with me every step of the way. He's a good cop and, uh, I think he could be a good friend."
"That's really good. I look forward to meeting him, and the rest of the team, too."
"You will, for sure. Might not be next time I see you, because I'll probably be busy paying down that list of favors I owe you, but you'll definitely get to meet them at some point."
She laughed softly. "Okay. So… how banged up are you?"
"What makes you think I'm banged up?"
"Because I know you."
He cocked an eyebrow, even though she couldn't see him. "I've got some cuts and bruises. Took a round to the shoulder - nothing that won't heal."
"You wearing your sling?"
He grinned. "Actually, I am."
"Really?" she challenged lightly.
"Yes," he confirmed. "At the moment it's helping. Fighting Victor with a bullet in there didn't do it any favors."
"How long you supposed to rest it for?"
"At least a week," he replied, then admitted, "but probably until the sling starts getting in my way."
"Just… take care of yourself, okay?" she said fondly. "Remember that we should be coming into Pearl in the next couple months, and I fully expect you to be there to greet me."
He couldn't help but grin at the idea that he'd see her again so soon. "I will be there with bells on."
She laughed softly. "Well, I am looking forward to seeing that."
He chuckled. "Yeah, I bet you are." They were both quiet for a moment.
"Hey, sailor?"
"Yeah?"
"You've been through a lot recently. How are you? Really?"
"I'm good, Cath. I promise. Being back here, it's, uh, it's a change. But I think it's gonna be good. And I'm definitely looking forward to seeing you."
Given the lateness of the hour in Hawaii, they spoke only a few minutes longer. As he settled down to sleep, trying to get comfortable with one arm snugged against his body, he considered Catherine's question. He was good, he hadn't lied about that. By eliminating Victor and Anton Hesse, he had finally completed a mission he'd been on for five years, although the collateral damage had been far too high. He was still unsettled, though, and knew it had to do with the mystery his father had left for him. Coming home had been easier than he'd anticipated but he'd found so much more than he'd bargained for.
In an effort to quiet his mind, he turned his thoughts to his pretty lieutenant. Being in contact with her so often the last few days had been nice, and he hoped to continue it until he could see her again. He finally fell asleep with a soft smile on his face, thinking about having her in the bed beside him and knowing it would be happening sooner rather than later. And he was absolutely looking forward to it.
End
A/N: I am still actively working on my post-finale story, but once my muse got hold of this, I had to put fingers to keyboard to get it out of my system. Now that I've done that I'll head back to the other thing...