„Alright, Sailor. It's 6 am, what's your plan now?" she said as they exited the airport, the sun already rising with nowhere to go, no job to get done and no place to be, other than with each other. He chuckled as he looked her in the eyes for longer than he anticipated, before looking up seconds after he realized what she was still able to do him with just a look. "I don't know Rollins, you tell me" "Ohhhh, no. What? You don't have a master plan? I followed you, remember?" she teased "You must've had at least a small idea where you would go from, didn't you?" she asked, this time seriously wanting to know the answer. "Well… if you must know, I was gonna rent a car and go to Coronado"
"Coronado?" surprise clearly in her tone. This was the last place she expected to hear "That's a two hour drive" "I know" he answered, clearly aware of the fact that it is a 130 mile drive.
"Why Coronado?" Catherine could think of a million places he'd go but couldn't make out a single reason he would go back to where his SEAL career once started. They had met in and around Coronado more times than she could remember, but they had always only travelled there for the Navy, never just for leisure.
"Well, wouldn't you like to know" he teased with a smirk "I very much would" she smiled back at him. "Well…" he continued "all you have to know for now, is that I don't have to go to Coronado anymore." She shot him a questioning look, his words only bringing up more questions in her mind that she couldn't think the answer of. Steve smiled at her confusion and decided to brave up a bit and tell her the truth "I don't have to go anymore because… because I already found what I was going to go looking for" he smiled nervously, unsure of this was the right thing to confess right now.
Catherine couldn't help but smile at his honesty. There was a rush of love and happiness overcoming her at his words and the realization that he was going to come find her. She hugged him immediately, trying hard not to cry. "I'm glad you did" she said, her words barely audible as he hugged her back, her face buried in his shirt, taking in all of his embrace. "Me too" he replied, glad for the way she reacted and having her in his arm, lowering his head and kissing the top of hers.
They stood like that for a while before Steve let go slightly as he felt her lean in to him even more, barely standing on her own two feet any more. "Don't tell me you're still tired Cath" he laughed as she let out a loud yawn "well excuse me if I'm tired after staying up two nights in a row to save your ass once again, cracking the most difficult cypher you could find" she teased. "Oh?" He asked, leaving his mouth in the shape of an O, putting his right hand on top of where his heart is, pretending to be hurt at her words "I'm sorry Lieutenant Rollins, I didn't realize saving my life and that of Detective Danny Williams kept you from your beauty sleep. If I would've known, I would've told the bad guys to hold on a little and give us a little head start so we can make sure you're well rested next time"
"You're funny" she said plainly, sarcasm all over her voice, adoring him for being so playful "and you're the one with the grey hair there commander, so clearly, I'm not the one who needs any beauty sleep here" she teased back at him "no you don't" he replied honestly and with a low voice "no you don't, Cath" he said again, this time locking his eyes with her. "Let's go find a hotel then, get some rest, screw up our internal clock some more and then figure out where we go from here" he said, as he slung his arm around her shoulders, moving both of them forward.
They walked like that for a while, rooting for the very first hotel they would come across, as Steve now felt the tiredness his body was still feeling after everything that has happened in the past couple of days.
"Hey there" the lady at the front desk smiled at them "you two look like you could use a good night sleep" she said politely "long travel day?" "Yeah" Catherine smiled back at her before the lady continued "How long are you planning on staying?" "um.. just the one night. I guess…" Catherine replied before Steve could say anything "maybe longer" she shot him a warm smile "we'll see, we don't know yet"
"Alright, you just let me know" she smiled, "I can get you a Queen or a King, whichever you prefer.. the King rooms are a bit further up but I gotta warn you, there's a bunch of military guys staying up there, it could get loud"
They both looked at each other, unsure if either of them was ready to share a bed yet, neither wanting to agree with the lady, scared to make things awkward "You know what?" The girl said, not waiting for their reply "I'm gonna get you guys the Junior Suite! We have that one available at the very top, with a jacuzzi in the bathroom" she continued as she gave them an I-know-what-your-are-gonna-do-look.
"Here's your keys, elevator is to the right and you're on the fifteenth floor – enjoy!"
Steve and Catherine made their way to the elevator, standing in silence as they waited for it to go all the way up to the top. "Alright" Steve finally announced to break the silence, after putting the key card in the lock, opening the door for her. "Always the gentlemen" she pointed out, silently thankful for this part of his personality and the simple fact that it had never changed, for as long as she has known him.
Catherine entered the room first, spotting the Jacuzzi to her right and a big king bed in the middle of the room. Steve followed her in the middle of the room, laying his bag on the chair in front of the bed, smiling shyly at the fact that there was only one bed and that this situation was very new to them. They surely never shared a hotel room without having sex in it, and Catherine quietly wished that this room and this night would not be an exception.