After checking in with his team, Steve took Sophia back to his house. She had wanted to follow him in her own car, but considering the fact that she was visibly exhausted and may not be entirely sober, Steve insisted she would ride with him and they would pick up her car later. Realizing he wasn't going to change his mind, Steve could barely suppress his amusement when Sophia muttered something under her breath in Italian before relenting and getting her things together to leave.
They arrived at Steve's house by mid-morning.
"Want something to drink?" Steve asked her as they got settled.
"Got any wine?" Sophia asked hopefully.
Steve quirked an eyebrow at her because it was only 10 a.m. She had undoubtedly been using alcohol to numb the grief which was evidenced by the numerous bottles he had seen around the hotel room before they left. Knowing that wine was the last thing she needed right now, he offered her an alternative although there was only compassion in his voice as he asked, "Maybe we can take a break on the wine, okay? How about some coffee?"
Sophia didn't look especially pleased with that idea, but accepted the offer anyway. While Steve went into the kitchen to make coffee, she looked around and eventually made her way into the office/dining room where Steve kept many of his mementos from his days in the service. Among the pictures he had placed around, she found one of his entire SEAL team as well as one with him with Giovanni. It was a picture of Steve and Gio in their camouflage uniforms. Their faces were dirty but their smiles were bright as they laughed together. They both looked so young. So handsome. So full of life. She was still looking at the picture when Steve walked back with coffee in hand. He walked up behind her and reached around to offer her the cup. She accepted it and took a sip before turning towards him.
"You were both so handsome." She said, barely above a whisper.
"We were handsome?" Steve joked which earned him a small chuckle.
"Yes, well…you've always been gorgeous." Realizing she'd said it out loud, her eyes widened in embarrassment and her cheeks flushed. Steve thought it made her look adorable and sexy at the same time. She tried to clarify, "I mean, Momma always said she felt sorry for any woman who met either one of you because you had too much charm and good looks for anyone to resist."
Steve let out a big laugh. "Oh she did, did she? Well, I think Gio might have been more of a ladies man than I ever was."
Sophie's eyes lit up mischievously. "Oh I seriously doubt that."
There was a spark of heat that flew between them before Sophie turned back towards the picture and her face grew pensive again.
"Tell me what you're thinking." Steve asked her softly.
Sophia stood in silence as if trying to convey what was on her mind. Steve saw her posture tense as she battled against whatever thoughts or emotions were threatening to come to the surface. He was determined to help her get them out rather than bottling them up anymore.
"Gio was a good man, Sophie."
She shook her head in agreement as tears filled her eyes and she choked back a sob. Steve took the coffee cup out of her hand and put it down on the table along with his own before pulling her to him. As he put his arms around her, he whispered softly, "Let it out, Sophie." The grief inside her heart spilled over and she wept in Steve's embrace. He wished like hell he could take her pain away, but knew it was impossible. He had been in this place before and there was no way to make it to the other side of grief until you worked through the pain first.
Steve didn't let go of Sophia as he took out one of the dining room chairs to sit down and pull her onto his lap.
He kissed the top of her head, "It's okay, Soph….Get it out." He held her until the sobs started to subside and she eventually began to quiet down.
Her head was still on his shoulder when she whispered, "It's hard to believe that I will never see him again…..or talk to him again…..I'll even miss his corny jokes."
She felt Steve chuckle at that admission.
"Yeah, Gio did tell some pretty corny jokes."
She lifted her head up to look at him and Steve reached a finger up to wipe a stray tear from her cheek. "I just feel so lost without him. "
Steve offered her a sympathetic smile. "I know you do…but it will get better. I promise. You just have to give yourself some time to get through this. And I can't tell you that the pain ever goes away, but it does get easier."
Sophia looked at him with understanding in her eyes. "Your dad?" she asked.
"Yeah. I still miss him every day, but it's easier to deal with now."
Embarrassment crossed Sophia's beautiful features as she realized she was still sitting on Steve's lap. She made a move to get up, but Steve held her close. "You're okay, Soph. No need to get up yet."
She smiled shyly at him and relaxed again.
"Sometimes when I'm missing my dad a lot, I try to think of a good memory I have of him. It helps me to focus on the good times rather than thinking about him being gone. So, tell me one of your favorite memories of Gio."
The smile that lit up Sophia's face stirred something inside of him. He could look at her beautiful smile all day.
"Once when I was in 2nd grade and Giovanni was in the 6th grade, he found out about a boy who was picking on me. I complained about him several times, but the teachers would never do more than scold him. Well, one day after school, Gio found me crying about it and made me tell him what was wrong. He snuck out of his lunch break the next day while my class was having recess." Sophia let out a small laugh as she recalled what happened, "He came onto the playground, knocked the kid to the ground and told him to leave me alone or he would get more. The boy was scared to death and never so much as looked at me for the rest of the year." She giggled at the memory and Steve smiled too.
"What happened to Gio after that?" Steve asked.
"Well, he was sent to the principal's office, of course….and they called momma. She showed up at the school and basically read them the riot act. She told them Gio wouldn't have taken matters into his own hands if they were doing their job."
They both laughed out loud at that. "I can just imagine Momma Rosa doing that." Steve agreed.
Sophia's face softened. "He was the best big brother I could've ever asked for. Sometimes he was a little too protective, but he was still great."
"Big brothers are supposed to be protective." Steve remarked defensively. "I was very proud of the fact that I had most of the guys Mary went to school with afraid to even look at her the wrong way." Steve's eyes twinkled with humor.
"Yeah, I'll bet Mary and I could share our own kind of war stories together." Sophia quipped.
They sat in companionable silence for a couple more minutes before a yawn escaped her. She was clearly exhausted. Steve released an arm from around her to rub up and down her back. "How about if I show you to the guestroom and you can get some sleep. I'll be right here when you wake up."
"I hate to keep you from your work…..and I don't want to impose on you. If you can take me back to get my car, I'll just go home."
Steve wouldn't hear it. "First of all, you aren't imposing. I invited you here…..so you're staying. And I'm not leaving you alone either. My team will call if they need me. "
She tried to stifle another yawn before giving in. "I guess I do need to rest a little. I haven't slept much lately."
They made their way into the living room where Steve picked up her bag before motioning towards the stairs. "After you…"
"Always the gentleman", Sophia mused. Little did she know Steve couldn't keep his eyes off the luscious curves of her body as he followed her up the stairs. Otherwise, she may have changed her mind about him being a gentleman. He couldn't seem to help himself from watching the soft sway of her hips as she walked. Or the way her long brown hair fell down her back in soft waves. Or how the shorts she was wearing showed off her toned legs.
After showing her where she could rest, Steve made his way back downstairs to distract himself from the thoughts of Sophia sleeping so close by. He checked in with Danny and then Rosa before working on some things he needed to do around the house but never had time to get done. Having time to kill at home was a rare thing, so he took advantage of it and got busy.
He did make his way upstairs once to check on her and found her sleeping peacefully. No doubt about it, Sophia Manetti had grown into a beautiful woman. Steve watched the slow fall and rise of her breathing and was momentarily spellbound by how her long lashes rested softly on her cheeks. His eyes wandered down the soft lines of her face until reaching her full lips. What would it be like to kiss her, Steve wondered to himself? When Sophia was sitting on his lap earlier, it had taken all the strength he had not to lean over and take her lips into his. The only thing that had stopped him was not wanting to take advantage of her fragile emotional state. Plus, it was somewhat unnerving just how much he was drawn to her. He hadn't expected the strong attraction, but he needed to keep his wits about him right now. If and when the time ever came when he could kiss her, he wanted it to feel right. He was going to have to watch himself carefully or things could get complicated.
Sophia woke several hours later and made her way downstairs. Steve was in his office and looked up from his laptop as she walked into the room.
"Feel better?" he asked.
"Yes, thank you. But you shouldn't have let me sleep so long."
"You needed it." Steve said matter-of-factly. Thinking that a change of scenery might be good for her, Steve suggested going for a ride. The eventually ended up at Kamekona's for some shrimp on the beach.
Being out in the late afternoon sunshine did wonders for Sophia's mood. She felt better than she had in weeks. Of course, her change in mood could also have something to do with the fact that she was with Steve McGarrett. Though she had never admitted it to anyone, Sophia always had a crush on the handsome SEAL who had been one of her brother's best friends. When Steve and Gio were in the Navy together, though, she had been considered too young….and probably too immature for them. Steve had treated her much like her brother did; like a little sister. He was always polite, but never seemed to be interested in her in any other way.
However, being around him again after all these years was reawakening the attraction she felt for him. Steve was certainly aging well and as hard as it was to believe, he was even sexier now than he been several years ago. As she watched him talking casually with Kamekona, Sophia couldn't help but wonder what if?