~~~ I think if Catherine ever came back to the show, it would take a while for them to reconcile. What do you think? I didn't want to make it easy for Steve and Catherine in this story because I think it's super unrealistic that they'd take one look at each other and boom everything is back on track.~~~

Catherine arrived at the Hilton, looking good, but feeling sad. Steve wasn't answering her calls. She was concerned she hadn't made the right call; maybe she should have told Steve beforehand or prefaced it better. She made it through the dinner and drinks, but she wasn't in the mood to have a good time. Scott had been respectful of her space, but he was concerned about her. She appreciated he still looked out for her, and she knew it was good Steve hadn't come. By the time she made it back to her empty, lonely apartment she was spent. After she scrubbed her makeup off and got into her pajamas, she texted him.

CR: Come back. Talk to me, don't just leave.

SM: What's there to talk about? You made it pretty clear where we stand.

CR: I'm not doing this with you tonight.

It had been ten minutes, and he hadn't responded. She rolled a blunt, smoked, and put on a movie. She was out like a light. She barely heard him come back, well after two in the morning, but she felt him come into her bed and nuzzle her. In the morning she'd ask, but right now this felt right, and any further talk threatened to disrupt this feeling. Soon enough she was lightly snoring once more.

Steve was envious that Catherine fell back asleep instantly. He was angry, upset, and offended that she wasn't being so open with him; but at the same time, he wanted nothing more than for her to sleep in his arms. It took him a while to succumb to sleep, but once he did, the rest was blissful.

He was a little irritated with himself that he'd gone home, had a night swim, beers, but he couldn't sleep. He wanted to show Catherine he didn't need her, he planned to sleep at his place and wait for her to apologize before he talked to her. But by two thirty he was tired of pretending like he was okay, tossing and turning, his mind replaying the day. Before his pride could stop him, he was in the car, driving to her place, with an overnight bag and Eddie. He left Eddie in the living room and went into her room; it smelled like weed, and she was apparently asleep. He wasn't sure of what to make of it, but when he stripped to his boxers and got into her bed – his stress melted. He crawled up to her, and she grabbed his hand to pull across her body.

At five am, he stirred, careful not to wake her. He went into the kitchen and poured food for the pets. He watched the news on mute until she awoke. "Good morning, Commander." She said in her softest voice. He kissed her and stroked her hair. When she got up to use the bathroom, he was sad to see her go. He loved – loves watching Catherine wake up; it was one of his favorite activities, it was like watching the sun rise.

She's surprised to see Steve's set up a toothbrush, his toiletry bag, and deodorant in her bathroom. Steve confused her; one minute he's leaving in a puff, the next he's moving his stuff into her place. She didn't know what to make of him returning in the night.

"Steve, do you wanna talk about last night?"

"Not really."

"Steven. Be serious. You were really upset and I know I could have handled it better, but you can't just leave every time you're upset. And I'm still really upset about some of the things you said." Wait, she was upset by some of the things he'd said? What about her not telling him anything until she was out of the door?

"Are you being serious? First, you give me the best orgasm of my life, then you drop off the face of the earth, then you tell me you're going out, and I can't come because your ex will be there. And the cherry on top – we aren't dating. I'm sorry, but I'm failing to see what you could be upset about."

"I'm being completely serious – your insinuation about Scott and me was out of line. Lashing out at me because you're upset isn't gonna fly. If you want to talk about what we are then just say that! If you want to tell me that I hurt your feelings by not inviting you, then say it. I can handle it, I'm a big girl."

"Fine. What are we?" He sits down on the bed with his head in his hands. Why was everything so hard now, it was so easy for sixteen years.

"What do you want to be?"

"What do you want to be? Don't answer a question with a question, Catherine."

She pauses and takes a deep breath. "I want us to take things slow. I think we need to get to know each other again. A lot of change happens in the two and a half years we've been apart. I want us to fight for what we have, I don't want you to get upset, but I don't think we should jump into things."

"So, you don't want to be with me?"

"I want to be with you, but I don't think we should be in a full-fledged relationship yet. I think we need time and the tools to be together and really make it in the long run."

"We made it work for sixteen years Cath. That's almost half our lives. We were happy."

"You were happy, Steve." Steve can't believe what he's hearing; what the hell was she talking about?

"Why'd you stay so long if you weren't happy?"

"I don't know. I wasn't unhappy the entire time, but the last year or two, after the Navy – I guess I just lost myself. I was suffering in silence and alienating myself." She comes and sits on his lap. "Steve, let's start by being friends. I miss our friendship. We've never lacked passion, but the friendship and partnership I need, you need, isn't there right now. I know you're not liking what I am saying, but I want you to consider it." She's right, he doesn't want this. He wants her to move in with him today, be his girlfriend today, start a family soon. She kisses him out of his funk.

"Do friends kiss like this? Do friends love this? Cath, I hate this; I want us back. But if you think this is best, I'll try it, but I need you to tell me if you want out or space. I can't lose you again. It'll kill me, Cath."

"I feel the same way. And yes, isn't this what you do with Danny after all your hard cases? Kiss and make up?"

"Not funny." He hadn't told Cath about his fight with Danny. He wasn't sure he wanted to talk about it; she can tell he's apprehensive about something, so she drops it and goes to make breakfast. They eat breakfast, walk Eddie, and lay in bed until noon. She doesn't want them to have sex yet, which is going to kill Steve, but he's got no choice to comply. So, they kiss and talk, she tells him about the places she's visited in The Agency, he tells her about the new dynamic of the team. He's shocked when out of the blue she leans over and traces his jaw, it's full of tension and emotion – she's crying, he's not sure if it's happy tears. He wipes her tears and pulls her into a bear hug, they cry together. It's so pure and raw. He cries because he loves her so much, he's missed her so much, Danny is pissed at him, his father is dead, his potential to develop cancer is high, he could die any day on the job and so could she. All of his buried emotions come to the surface.

"Sailor, I don't want you to leave." She says into his chest. He's confused. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Yes, Steve, you are. You're going to Danny's, and you're working whatever this is out with him." Damn. How did she know him so well? He's amazed. He doesn't want to go, but he needs to talk to his best friend. He needs to make things right with Danny.