Author's note: Happy Sunday to the best readers and reviewers ever. Thank you for all the comments, suggestions and wishes. I love going on this journey of H50 love with you. Hope an update brightens your day.

Chapter 7

"I'll see you next week babe!" Mary McGarrett grabbed Myah in a quick hug. Her aunt was surprisingly strong for her petite frame, Myah thought. Waving once more she entered their house, hoping to smell dinner cooking. The house was still and void of any activity, cooking or otherwise. The living room and kitchen seemed to be lit only by the fading sun doing its best to fill the space. Hearing a noise in the backyard, Myah pushed the door open and stepped onto the patio, to find Steve and Nahele squaring off. Nahele had padded grappling gloves on and Steve was holding focus mitts and their respective gazes were locked onto each with an equal intensity. Both had shed their shirts and Steve's rib cage was still markedly purple from the beating he had taken a few days prior.

Knowing better than to interrupt, Myah settled patiently into a patio chair to watch them drill. In her opinion boxing was one of the more fun ways to get a cardio workout in. Both guys were pouring sweat with exertion. Steve finally stepped back and held up a mit to pause their work. "Hey kid."

Nahele gave her a chin up in greeting and picked up his water bottle. Wearing grappling gloves made picking things up only slightly easier than full on boxing gloves and as he tilted the bottle towards his face, only about half actually made it into his mouth. He didn't seem to care.

Myah frowned at Steve. "Dad, I don't think you should be boxing with cracked ribs."

He shot her an offended look. "Mary and Joanie leave already?"

"Yeah. Joanie fell asleep in the car so Mary said to tell you guys hi."

"How was babysitting?"

"So good." Myah smiled happily. "Joanie was an angel of course."

Steve laughed, but motioned for her to go on.

"I took her to the little park just down the street and we mostly played there. Then back at their house we read books and I gave her a snack. Then Mary got back. She really doesn't want me to call her Aunt Mary. Says it makes her feel old."

"It's up to her." Steve shrugged.

"But here's the thing. She wants me to help with a room makeover for Joan! If it's okay, I'm going to go with her to get paint and new decorations next week. We're thinking of a mermaid theme! Won't that be super cute?"

"Yeah. How are you going to paint with a two year old running around?" Steve had picked up a small towel and was gingerly drying his bruised abdomen off. He ignored the pointed look Myah shot him. The three of them made their way into the kitchen so Steve and Nahele could refill their water bottles.

"I told her I'd come over while she's at work and Joanie's at daycare and paint then. If I can get a ride?"

"That definitely sounds like a Mary plan to me."

"I think it'll be fun."

"Whatever you want to do, kid." Steve eyed Nahele. "You might have another painting job here."

"I do?" Myah followed his gaze, looking over at Nahele who shrugged.

"Maybe."

"Are you serious?!" she squealed. "I get to paint your room?!" She threw her arms around Nahele and then immediately let go. "Eew, you're gross. But you're serious though? We get to paint?"

"I'm… thinking about it. I don't know why it makes you so happy." Nahele rolled his eyes, but was smiling.

"Let's go get paint tonight!"

"I thought you were going to be busy with Joan's room." Steve said. He picked up a box of brightly colored tape from the counter. "KT tape? Is this athletic tape? What's this for?"

"I got it when we ran by the store on the way home today. My mom used to go to physical therapy and one thing they helped her with was rib pain. The PT showed me how to tape her ribs and I thought maybe…" She motioned at Steve. "If… if you want."

Steve looked touched. "Thanks kid. I'm happy to try it. Not that I need it."

"Right, of course not. I'm sure boxing will heal those right up. Ow!" Myah don't quite manage to dodge the snap of the towel that Steve sent across her backside. "And I can handle two projects. We can do Nahele's room this weekend and then Joanie's during the day next week. Plus his room doesn't have any wallpaper so it should be easier than mine was, right?"

It was about an hour later that Myah impatiently knocked on Nahele's door. He pulled the door open and gave her an incredulous look. "Can I help you?" His dark hair was still wet from the shower and he had changed into a loose pair of blue plaid pajama pants and a blue t-shirt. She pushed past him and into his room.

"Nope, it's about what I can do for you. Dad says it's too late to go to the store tonight, but we can go in the morning and get started before you have to go into work. As long as you haven't changed your mind?" Myah looked at him hopefully. She sank down onto his bed and fingered the faded blue plaid blanket.

Nahele shook his head. "No, no, I haven't changed my mind." He folded his arms across his chest and settled on the piney wood desk. "You wanting to give me another bedroom decor personality quiz?"

"No. I think we can figure it out ourselves." She glanced around. The walls had once been a warm tan but had faded to the point of being almost a sickly yellow, especially with the light on. "Your favorite color is red?"

"Yeah, but I don't really want the walls painted red."

"Good. Red is supposed to increase your appetite and you already practically eat us out of house and home."

"Hey these guns don't make themselves."

"Right…" Myah rolled her eyes.

"I like the blue on the bed." Nahele offered. "I remember the first time I crashed here. We'd worked on the car way later than we'd thought and Steve called Reilly to make sure it was cool. I thought I'd just sleep on the couch. But he told me to use his old room. I laid on that bed and it was so quiet and clean and… safe. I like the blue."

"Well…" Myah was starting to feel inspired. "What if we do a couple of the walls this same shade of blue? Maybe not all four because apparently dark colors can make a room look small. Maybe a tan accent wall?"

"I like that."

"What made you change your mind anyway? I pretty much gave up on you, I'm not going to lie."

Nahele snorted and folded and unfolded his arms, looking restless. Finally he sighed and sank down onto the floor, leaning his back against the bed. Myah slid down to sit next to him, and looked at him expectantly.

5 hours earlier…

Nahele tossed the trash in the bag and slammed the lid. He took a few minutes to sort the items in the recycling bin, knowing it would end up being a pain if he waited until he was actually at the recycling center. The faded basketball tucked behind the trash can begged to be thrown and Nahele was happy to give in and shoot a few hoops. Joel had texted earlier, trying to get a group together to play basketball the next morning. Joel had a bit of a hero complex where Steve was concerned, and had tried to discreetly suggest that Steve come along. Nahele supposed he couldn't really blame him. He still pinched himself sometimes to make sure that he wasn't dreaming… that someone like Steve McGarrett had not only taken him under his wing but had actually chosen to make him part of his family. Hearing the back door slam, Nahele tossed the ball against the side of the house and decided to go ask Steve if he wanted to come with him the next morning. Steve generally said basketball wasn't really his game, but he could certainly hold his own on the court.

Steve's tall form came into view on the other side of the patio. He had his arms folded across his chest and seemed to be studying the side of the house.

"Hey." Nahele joined him and realized in retrospect that Steve was studying the trellis that led up to the second floor.

"Hey." Steve reached out and tugged at a piece of wood. "This is surprisingly sturdy considering how long it's been here."

"Yeah…" Nahele didn't attempt to encourage conversation regarding the trellis, hoping they could move along to more comfortable subjects. Steve seemed intent on examining the entire the garden fixture, as well as the vine that was creeping through. He grunted at finding a looser piece of wood towards the bottom.

"Myah told me she climbed this to get into her bedroom." Steve pulled out his phone and took a picture of the vine. "I don't know if this is a weed or what."

"Yeah…" Nahele stretched a kink out of his neck, again wishing they could move on. "Watching her go up about gave me a heart attack."

Steve froze in place and then slowly turned to look at Nahele, who felt all the blood drain from his face, as he realized what he'd just said.. His skin felt clammy and his heart started pounding into his throat.

"Watching her?" Steve's voice was low and dangerous. Nahele had heard that tone before… and had always been thankful it had never been directed at him.

"I… you said she told you…"

"She told me what she did. She did not mention you."

Shit. Of course, she hadn't. Myah liked to tease him and irritate him when she could, but Nahele knew she'd throw herself under a bus before she'd ever incriminate him. The stress of the moment had turned to roaring in his ears and Nahele had to shake himself to realize Steve was talking to him. Feeling sick, he tried to focus on his adoptive father's words.

"You just let her climb up the side of this house? A wet, slippery trellis that could have been rotting for all we knew?"

Nahele couldn't even look at Steve. "I tried to talk her out of it."

"You have a few pounds on her, last time I checked."

The roaring in his ears grew louder. Nahele had been completely caught off guard when Myah had decided that her best solution to the situation was to climb the trellis to get to her bedroom and had regretted his lack of action in response to hers several times since. He'd promised himself and her that he was going to be a good big brother, that he'd take care of her and protect her, and at the time it seemed like the only option she was giving him was to spot her during her climb and then to unlock the door for her from the inside.

Steve's mind seemed to be moving rapidly along the same lines as far as the sequencing of the events. "I keep that balcony door locked. How'd she get inside?"

Nahele didn't answer, but was sure his guilt was entirely evident as he stared at the ground.

"You remember when she went out with some people at that party with the intention of trespassing on the cemetary?"

He nodded.

"You know what she got in the most trouble for in regards to that whole incident?"

Nahele shrugged. He supposed it was the plan to trespass on and subsequently disrespect a military resting place.

"It was the fact that she got into a car with a stranger in the middle of the night. There were a lot of things that pissed me off, but that was what concerned me the most, out of everything that happened that night. The fact that she put herself in danger, completely unnecessarily. Immature stunts might piss me off, but I know you'll both grow out of that kind of thing. Putting yourself in danger means you might not have the chance to. So that night what I told her was that sometimes protecting her means punishing her. So for you, that might mean dragging her ass inside the house. Would you let her get in the car with a drunk driver?"

"No!"

"You sure?"

Nahele nodded emphatically.

"You know she got a spanking for this." Steve motioned to the trellis. "Since come to find out, you went along with it, I don't think she's the only one who should get in trouble, do you?"

Nahele shook his head miserably.

"Alright. Your room now, son."

Nahele prided himself on being tough. He imagined himself able to deal with just about anything that got thrown his way. He had learned so much from Steve in the past year and felt like he'd excelled at pretty much everything the man had taught him, from fixing cars, to lifting weights, to camping. The driver's test had been a breeze, including parallel parking, thanks to Steve having put him through his paces. Now, as he climbed the stairs, he felt like his feet were made of concrete, and instead of feeling like a competent teenager, he felt like a scared child. A guilty scared child. It didn't help that he could hardly see the stairs in front of him thanks to the blur of tears that had clouded his vision when Steve called him son. People threw the term around all the time but it meant the world to him whenever Steve said it. Unfortunately it also meant that a disappointed look from his dad could cause his world to feel like it was caving in.

They'd reached his bedroom and Nahele stood still, unsure of what to do or how this was going to happen. He'd been out of the house or at least not in close proximity the few times Myah had gotten punished and so didn't know how Steve did things. Of course, being a guy, being older and in his mind, tougher, Steve might handle things differently with him. Nahele's thoughts bounced around with nerves. He was glad he'd never been present when his sister had gotten spanked. He was pretty sure it would rip him apart to see her crying and in pain and not be able to help her. Steve's words flashed through his mind, that sometimes protecting her meant punishing her. Myah certainly never seemed worse for the wear, in fact, as time passed by, she seemed more and more comfortable with Steve. She was certainly never scared of him.

"Nahele." Steve's voice brought him back to the present. "I know… this is the first time I've had to lay the law down on you. But I'm going to do it because I love you. It's not just about keeping Myah safe. Your safety is just as important to me."

Nahele knew he was just two years shy of being legal, but after that speech wanted nothing more than to get bear hugged by the badass navy seal standing next to him. He clenched his fists together and swallowed hard.

"Alright. Lay on your belly. Let's get this over with."

If anyone ever thought that Steve found satisfaction or got off on an ego trip from causing discomfort, his tone during those instructions told a very different story.

Nahele pushed himself forward over his bed, and watched with growing trepidation, as Steve unbuckled his belt. The first stroke caught him off guard, and the third had him hissing through his teeth. Nahele had been determined not to cry but by number five, wasn't sure if that was a realistic goal. This was different from the general discomfort from playing sports or even the few fights he'd been in. All the pain was focused on one area of his body, and Steve was taking his time in between swats, which was really upping the burn. By number eight he was unable to hold back tears.

It took him a minute to realize Steve was finished and was rethreading his belt. Nahele slowly sat up, wincing from the pressure on his backside. He pulled the neckline of his shirt up over his nose in an attempt to regain his composure. He felt thoroughly ashamed of himself.

The bed shifted as Steve slowly sat down next to him and out of the corner of his eye Nahele caught a glimpse of Steve's face. It could almost be described as… uncertainty. He seemed to come to a conclusion regarding whatever he was mulling over because he reached over and placed a firm yet gentle hand on Nahele's shoulder. The gentle pressure helped his heart rate to slow and his headspace to grow calmer. It was just enough of an invitation that Nahele felt comfortable enough to slowly lean towards Steve who pulled him into a tight side hug. They stayed there for a few minutes and Nahele was actually thankful for the silence and for the reprieve from any talking.

"Alright." Steve said finally. "Take five if you need it, then meet me downstairs. We've got a workout to smash."

"We do?" Nahele was surprised.

"Yeah. Wasn't that the plan?"

"Well, yeah, I just didn't know if you still… or if I was supposed to stay in here…"

"No." Steve shook his head. "You paid your dues, so now we move forward. Learn from your mistakes, Nahele, don't dwell on them."

"Yes sir."

"Besides… I need a spotter. That'll do you more good than sitting in here staring at these walls. You know, I won't force you to change anything… but Myah's right. You could really use a paint update in here."

Nahele hesitated. "It was your room though…"

"It was actually blue for most of my life. Painted it tan when I was fifteen right before dad sent us away. I don't have any great memories of it like this. So don't keep it the same for my sake. It's your room now, anyway."

"Ok." Nahele shot Steve a brief smile. "I guess that'll make Myah happy."

"No doubt." Steve rolled his eyes.

"She's not going to be in trouble for not telling on me, is she?"

Steve snorted. "Oh I plan to give her plenty of trouble, but no, she's not in trouble."

5 hours later…

"So anyway, I guess I should finish by saying I'm sorry and next time you decide to do something crazy like climb a wet, possibly rotting trellis… I'm going to pick you up and dump you in the ocean."

Myah pressed her lips together and squinted at him. "You know, you could have just said, hey sis, I realized that, as usual, you're right and thank you for offering to paint my room."

"Right, like you'd be satisfied with that. So far, I have never known you not to get all up in my business… and everyone else's."

Myah huffed but couldn't quite disagree. "It's not my best quality."

Nahele's face immediately softened and he nudged her with his elbow.

"I can't believe he used his belt though…" Myah's voice rang with sympathy, as she returned to the former typic. "I feel that should be reserved for… I mean I've only gotten that when I've really screwed up… like when I took off in the woods."

"Well, I'm a man." Nahele said simply, immediately pressing his lips together and very obviously suppressing a laugh.

It was such an obvious bait, but Myah couldn't stop herself from answering in mock outrage, "Excuse me?!"

"I'm braver and tougher than you." he shrugged, his dark eyes still mischievous.

"Oh, whatever!" Myah shoved him as hard as she could to the side and was annoyed when he shifted to take the blow and then easily sat up.

"You're like a bobblehead!"

"A what?!"

"You fall over and pop back up!"

"That's not a bobble head, that's a bozo clown."

"That's an even better name for you." Both teens had come to their feet.

Nahele shook his head. "You know, what… get out of my room. You've got the annoying little sister thing down pat right now." He grabbed Myah's shoulders and started guiding her towards the door.

Myah knew without a shadow of a doubt that her big brother could overpower her without breaking a sweat, and she had only scratched the surface in her martial arts training with Steve, but he had just started teaching her basic movement in response to an opponent. Seeing the smallest of opportunities she did what Steve had taught her and placed one feet just behind Nahele's as he stepped, causing him to stumble briefly before catching his balance.

"Did you just try to trip me?!"

"No, all that muscle just makes you clumsy." Seizing the better part of valor, Myah bolted for the door.

"Yeah, you better run."

Myah carefully closed Nahele's door behind her and then made her way downstairs. It was nine forty-five according to the wall clock and she crinkled her nose at the sight. Steve was sitting on the couch, his arms folded across his chest, his eyes narrowed at the television. The couch had been pulled away from the wall earlier that day for some baseboard repair and so Myah approached her dad and leaned over the back side of the couch to kiss his cheek. "Night, daddy."

"Good night."

Myah yelped, when Steve hugged her and with one hand protectively supporting her neck, flipped her forward over the couch and next to him.

"Rude!"

"You broke your posture, kid."

"I was saying good night!"

"That is no excuse." Steve's eyes were smiling, even as he playfully scolded her. He squeezed her in against his side and then winced, from what was clearly rib pain.

"Watch your posture." Myah couldn't help but say sassily, and wasn't surprised to be caught in a headlock. When he finally let her sit up, she asked, "Do all navy seals put their daughters in headlocks instead of just hugging them or just you?"

"Probably depends on how bratty their daughters are."

Myah made a face at him, and then finally relaxed against the back of the couch. "You going to trade me in for a better model?"

"Never. You're an essential piece of this puzzle."

THE END

Author's note: I'm ending this story here as a natural conclusion to the family's first experience with figuring how to mesh their lives together. I'm definitely going to be continuing their story, I figure with this family, that the sky is the limit lol. I just find that as a writer I need natural conclusions lol. So keep an eye out for their next adventure. Thank you so much for going on this H5O journey with me. I love getting feedback and suggestions and hope this chapter was a satisfying read, if that makes sense. I've certainly never written from a teenage boy's perspective, especially with the trauma Nehele has experienced. This story was all a bit different for me, having planned it around a specific episode. Let me know what you think, and have a safe, peaceful weekend.