Chapter 17

Hey guys, here's the last chapter. Thank you all so much for the support, i really appreciate it. And here's a theme song to go with it, i hope it helps to make the story enjoyable and to inspire. Mahalo guys!

...

When life has cut too deep and left you hurting
The future you had hoped for is now burning
And the dreams you held so tight lost their meaning
And you don't know if you'll ever find the healing

You're gonna make it
You're gonna make it
And the night can only last for so long
Whatever you're facing
If your heart is breaking
There's a promise for the ones who just hold on
Lift up your eyes and see
The sun is rising- Britt Nicole
...

Three years later

Danny opened the front door to the McGarrett's house without knocking, as usual. A little brunette head was bent on a Lego house on the floor, disabling the whole thing. He looked up sharply, sprung off the floor and ran into Danny's arms.

"Danno!" He yelled.

Danny caught him up in his arms with a smile. "I told you to call me Uncle Danno, not just Danno you little imp." Danny censured; he tickled the little guy who squirmed in his arms with laughter.

"But Charlie and Grace call you Danno." He protested.

That was the trouble with McGarrett kids, they were bound to have ninja brains, too smart for anyone's good.

"Yeah, but they call your Dad, Uncle Steve, see? I don't have anyone calling me Uncle Danny. You're my Godson, remember that."

Erick came in from the McGarrett backyard at that very moment, "Hey uncle D! You made it after all."

Little McGarrett just raised an eyebrow at him, Danny rolled his eyes. "He calls you Uncle, there you go." Little McGarrett said with that all knowing, too smart, patronizing tone.

"Crazy little ninja brain. Where are your parents?"

"Upstairs. They said to tell you to go straight to the backyard and start the party."

Danny rolled his eyes, those two. It's not like he was the life of the party or anything. As If!

"How's that Lego house coming up?" He asked the little guy in his arms.

"Too easy, I want another one."

"Kid, if you're not careful, you're to be a freak." Danny said and tickled the guy affectionately. "But you know what? Your dear Uncle, me, knows just how freaky smart your little brain is, sooooo…" He said, bringing out something from his Jeans pocket, a Rubik's cube.

The little guy looked at it with interest. "What's that?"

Danny sat him back down on the floor and sat down with him among scattered Lego house pieces and showed him how to do just one side of the cube. He watched the little genius brain follow, he could see the light of interest and challenge catching on. Danny shook his head at him with amusement. Everything was a competition with the little guy, he was so his father's son.

The little McGarrett took the box from him, eyes sharp with the unique intelligence of his mother, forgetting Danny's presence as all his concentration latched on twisting that cube with a determined frown. Danny laughed; he would qualify that for an aneurysm face. Well, that ought to keep that genius mind of his busy for a while. He left the little guy alone and joined the others in the backyard.

It looked like the party had already started, everyone was there, except for the hosts. Danny took in the scene, the Kamekona's where busy with food, but Lou had his barbecue under control. Adam, Junior and Jerry were keeping him company, long-boards in hand. Grace must be somewhere with William, he could not see them, neither could he see Charlie. They must be playing down the beach. He spotted Rachel standing with Rene, Kame's Aunt and Tani engaged in some conversation. He stood there and just watched Rachel, her tummy was showing all of her six months pregnancy. He smiled as he contemplated how far they had come to get here, they were in a very good place now, their future surer. And he knew it was a thanks to Steve's encouragement, and inspiration in just seeing him taking all this in stride without the usual commitment fear. He was the one who had talked him into having a double wedding almost three years ago and he had not regretted it since. Danny and Rachel had held off having another baby until six months ago, and he was looking forward to it.

Rachel spotted him and smiled, then waved to him, he waved back. She started moving towards him and he met her halfway.

"Hey," He whispered in her ear as she came naturally into his arms. "How's the little one?" He said, touching her stomach.

"He's resting right now; he was kicking just an hour ago."

"Really? Can't believe I missed that."

"For good reason. Did you get the little surprise for the McGarretts?"

"All done."

"They haven't shown their faces yet."

"Bad manners, you know Steve." Danny complained.

"Hey, stop badmouthing me." Steve voice intruded from behind, who had his arm around his wife who looked beautiful, by the way, in spite of the almost popping eight months pregnant stomach. She looked stunning in a long flowery maternity dress and sandals, perfect for the outdoor special occasions such as this. Steve took his arm off her only long enough to give Rachel a hug.

Danny turned to give Laura a hug.

"Congratulations for yet another accolade…Professor."

She smiled up at him, "Thank you." And eased into his brotherly hug.

They joined the party, congratulatory hugs going around. Laura had gained her Professorship that same year at the State of Hawaii, Department of Health. She had been offered a job by the Governor of Hawaii in the Disease Outbreak Control Division the moment she had stepped on the Island. Steve had a lot to do with it, but she really was an assert that even the Governor felt honored to lay claim to. This was where she thrived, vaccines, immunizations, her genius brain had found a worthy cause. And she had made a lot of difference to the State of Hawaii and the whole world at large. The whole Ohana had been there when the Governor had handed her the Award at the ceremony two days ago for finding the vaccine for a disease that had recently broken out on the Island. Disaster had been quickly averted because she had found it so quickly. And today it was her birthday, they were celebrating all of it today, it was a special occasion.

"Where's John McGarrett Junior?" Lou asked, looking around for the little kid.

"He's inside, Danny gave him a Rubik's cube." Steve said resignedly.

"Aahh." Lou said in understanding and took a sip from his long-board.

Little John came bouncing out of the house, "Daddy! Daddy!" He went straight into his father's arms.

"Hey buddy, what is it?" Steve asked, as he caught his son in his arms.

"Look! I've done one side all blue!"

"Wowwww that is soooo good buddy." Steve ruffled his kid's hair and kissed him on the forehead. "Now, that's enough for one day. Look, there's Charlie, go play." Steve said, taking the cube, setting his son down. He ran off.

"Freaky ninja brain kid." Danny said.

"Stop calling my child a freak." Steve chided.

"But he is. How long does it take someone much older to do that side of a cube like that?"

"I don't know. How long did I take you, inferior mind?"

"We're not talking about me."

Steve smirked, "It's alright Danno, my kid is a certified genius. I quite understand."

"Oh, as far as his genius is concerned, you had nothing to do with it, Steven."

Steve looked aghast, "Well, it wasn't an immaculate conception Danny, I was involved. Trust me." Steve said with a self-satisfied smirk. "And now I've got two more on the way."

"Stop bragging Steven, you're not the only one with a pregnant wife. Rachel is carrying my third right now."

"So, we square off, right Danno? I mean, Laura and I are expecting twins, plus JJ, that makes it three. You will also have three. We square off, we leave it at that."

"Oh, I don't know." Danny stretched, "I might still want another one, or twins. Who knows? I'm still in my prime."

"Or, don't make this into some kind of wager Danny, you know I won't back down easy. In fact, I think I quite like this child rearing activity. You're on Danno."

As the two were arguing to the amusement of everyone on the circle, even encouragement, Lou snuck out and went out to seek the ladies, particularly the pregnant ladies. He drew Laura and Rachel out of their gossip circle, taking each one of their wrists and walked with them a while.

"Now, ladies, I'm sure you know how insanely competitive your dear husbands can get." Lou started.

They looked at him questioningly, "What have they done this time?" Laura asked in dismay.

"Oh, just their usual wagers. But guess who's on the stake this time?" He looked at them and didn't wait for an answer. "You two. That's right. They are wagering who's gonna get more babies out of you. Now, being a good fatherly figure that I'm, I thought you might want to know. Unless of course you want to be pregnant the rest of your childbearing ages, then…" Lou shrugged. He didn't have to finish before the two pregnant ladies took off pushing their pregnant bellies in search of their husbands. "Put on the water works." Lou yelled after them, then smiled mischievously. That ought to put that argument to rest.

"Steven John McGarrett!"

Steve froze with his long-board on his lips and an 'oh oh' look on his face. He turned to look at Laura who had that belligerent stance like she was ready to do battle, which looked so funny in her very pregnant condition. But he dared not laugh, she had that stubborn chin turned up and those puppy dog eyes he could never resist were brimming with unshed tears. That was supposed to be her angry face.

"Sweetheart?" He asked tentatively. He barely noticed Rachel's presence beside her, but Danny had, and he had that same caught look on his face too, both ladies were seriously miffed, about something.

"Whatever it is, it's Steve's fault." Danny said, in his own defense.

Steve spared him a betrayed, outraged look before getting his attention back to his angry wife.

"Sweetheart, it wasn't me. I promise…"

"I'm not doing this again." She pointed angrily at her stomach. "You should know better. You spent more than an hour upstairs trying to get me into shoes that can't fit anymore, no clothes fit me for more than a week! And now you're here busy wagering to keep me like this forever?" She gave him what she thought was her most fierce glare, the type she would give to John Junior when he was at his most naughty. But this was Steve, so she let the tears fall. To think there was a time in her life when she couldn't cry, now she just let out he waterworks at will. Of course, it didn't help that she had been pregnant half the time she's been on this Island.

"Honey…i…" Steve stuttered, putting his long-board down on the lawn, he took tentative steps towards his beautifully angry wife. Who the hell had been tale telling on them? Lou! He knew that before even glancing at him to see that satisfied smirk on his face. The nasty old man. He will get him.

Steve cautiously took to caressing his wife's arms, soothing that temper down, "Baby, I didn't say forever…I just…think you…look incredibly beautiful right now and I wouldn't mind…"

"Don't you even dare!"

"Alright, alright…i…"

"I'm not getting pregnant again!"

"Ok, maybe we can always talk about it, you know? Two years from now you might feel like you… you know…"

"No way! I can't believe this. I feel like a two-ton truck, can't even fit through the door anymore and… and I can't even drive anymore…I can't sleep right…"

"Ok ok ok," Steve cooed, taking his wife into his arms. "Shhh it's alright, I never said that I was going to keep you pregnant for the rest of your life. Who's been telling tales on me?"

"I don't even want to hear the word pregnant again." She muffled against his shoulder.

"Ok, I hear you." He held her off a little so he could look into her eyes. "I love you, pregnant or not you're always the most beautiful woman in the world to me. I know you don't believe that right now, but you should see yourself through my eyes." He kissed her. "I've never felt more complete or happier my entire life, and it's all because of you."

She smiled back at him; she was easy to disarm. "I love you too. But I'm not getting pregnant again. I'm carrying twins, Steve, a boy and a girl, that should even you out with Danny. Deal?" She turned her puppy dog eyes at him.

"Sure." Steve said, placating. "We can always change our minds, of course. How about we consider it, say, ten years from now?"

She seemed to consider it, then she grinned up at him, "Ten years, sounds like a fair deal."

Steve smiled triumphantly and drew her back into his arms, her head on his heart. A place that seemed created just for her.

A few hours later, as the party died down and they just chilled by the beach with their long-boards, they observed their families going about, children playing, their wives serving food and drinks.

"You have a beautiful family man." Danny said. "Who knew you had it in you Neanderthal?"

"You have a beautiful family too. If I hadn't dragged you to the alter who knew where you'd be right now, chicken heart?" Steve quipped back. They clicked their long-boards and drank.

"Three years ago, I never could have imagined all this coming together like this, it's perfect." Danny said.

"Three years ago, I didn't even have a hope. But now it's like I'm living in some kind of dream. I fear I might wake up any minute. But I've just made a ten-year plan with Laura. Ten years to a lifetime."

"Amen to that." Danny said, if he were being honest with himself, he hadn't thought they would make it to three years knowing the CIA loose ends they had left. But it was clear to see God was watching over them and they might have a lifetime after all.

...

Every high and every low you're gonna go through
You don't have to be afraid I am with you
In the moments you're so weak you feel like stopping
Let the hope you have light the road you're walking

Even when you can't imagine how
How you're ever gonna find your way out
Even when you're drowning in your doubt
Just look beyond the clouds

The sun is rising!