Disclaimer: Ideas are fictional; not making any money on this. Hawaii 5-0 belongs to CBS. That's okay because none of this would work on TV.
Family Life, Chapter 7
Fall, 2021
Steve entered his office at the base on Tuesday with a sense of purpose. His early meeting with the admiral was brief. Steve was given permission to give the team a brief description of the events of Monday evening with the understanding that the information was confidential. Steve was given command of the team. He had about half an hour before the 5-0 team would join them. When he saw that everyone was in, he joined them in the conference room.
"Good morning all. I have some new information for you. This information doesn't leave this room. Effective immediately, Commander Catherine Rollins has been relieved of duty and is currently on lockdown in the brig. Admiral Halloran transferred the commander yesterday afternoon to a billet overseas. At the same time, Detective Williams discovered that the commander was stalking our family. She broke into a vacant house next door to us to spy on my family."
"Commander Rollins was apprehended by base security a short time later. She was armed and had grenades in the car. The commander is facing court martial. Admiral Halloran has appointed me to head the team. We'll be using this area to run the operation. Since any impediment to progress has been removed, I believe that we can wrap this up soon. The 5-0 team will be here shortly. Are there any questions?"
Commander Thompson was the first to speak. "Commander McGarrett, do you know why Commander Rollins was after you and your family?"
"The commander and I had a previous relationship. We saw each other during leave or when we were at the same duty station. That ended when Danny and his daughter Grace moved in. I saw Commander Rollins a couple of times after that, and I thought that she had accepted that it was over. I hadn't seen or heard from her in years. I don't know why it became an issue all of a sudden. Maybe she just decided that the opportunity was there."
"Commander, I speak for the team when I say that we're relieved that you are in charge. Her behavior was somewhat erratic even before you came on board."
"Thank you. From what I have observed, the team is highly qualified for this task and I'm proud to serve with you. I see the others have arrived. Why don't we get back to business?" Steve was relieved to put the events of the previous day aside for now.
With the combined resources of the U. S. Navy and 5-0, the case was wrapped up by the weekend. Finn contributed substantially to the effort, and SWAT also assisted in the takedown. Steve and Danny celebrated by taking the boys to the cabin again. They wanted some time away where they all were safe from prying eyes. Steve had no way of knowing how long Catherine had been watching them or what she had seen.
The men sat on the front porch swing with a couple of beers after the boys were tucked in bed on Friday night. Steve had waited all day to talk to Danny about a report that had been waiting for him that morning. Admiral Halloran had it hand-delivered to Steve; he thought that Steve deserved to know the results of Catherine's interrogation.
"Danny, you've been very patient today. I know that you saw a petty officer deliver something to me this morning."
"Yeah, I figured that you would eventually tell me if you could. Please tell me that you aren't being re-activated again."
"No, it's nothing like that. Admiral Halloran wanted me to know what Catherine had to say for herself. I have to say that I'm a little shaken by what I read."
Danny took Steve's hand and waited for his husband to find the words. "Whatever it is babe, we're in it together."
Steve leaned into Danny and drew in a calming breath. "When Catherine came to visit me shortly after I moved back to the island, she was recovering from an ear infection. Apparently she didn't realize that the antibiotics screwed with her birth control pills. She discovered she was pregnant in the middle of a three month cruise. She had a surgical abortion when she reached stateside at a private clinic. Catherine never told me about the baby or the abortion. She was concerned about the impact on her career and didn't think that I would want a child."
Danny wasn't sure what to say, so he waited for Steve to continue.
"I've been trying to decide what I would have said if she had come to me, and I'm ashamed to say that I don't know how I would have reacted. I cared about Catherine, and I think that I would have supported her if she had continued the pregnancy."
Now Danny knew what to say. "Steven, I've known you for eleven years now. I remember how you were back then. You've changed a lot over the years, but there's one thing that's remained the same. You were and still are one of the most decent men I've ever known. You would never walk away from your child. It scares me to think that you might have stayed with Catherine and what we have would never be, but I'm sure what you would have done."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence Danno. It means a lot. But to get back to the story, about three years ago Catherine was with someone and thought that she was pregnant again. This time she wanted to have the baby. She took a couple of home tests and they were negative, but she was sure that she was pregnant. When she went to the doctor for confirmation, she was told that she was in early menopause. That meant that not only was she not pregnant, she would never be pregnant. Somehow, it became my fault and the resentment grew over time. Then she heard that we adopted Jesse and that pushed her over the edge. You and I had the family she wanted. She decided that if you were out of the picture, she would have me and our family."
"Did she expect me to give over our boys to you and fade into the mist?"
"I'm not sure what she expected but I know that you would never do that anymore than I would try to separate you from the boys. I watched what Rachel did to you before she decided to share custody. It was cruel to you and Grace. I can't imagine a life where I couldn't hold you every night or see your face every morning. God forbid that would ever happen, I certainly wouldn't use the boys as a tool to hurt you."
"I know that Steven. And I feel the same way about you. So what's going to happen to Catherine now?"
"That's up to the Navy. She'll be facing a court martial. We have evidence of breaking and entering, stalking, and attempted murder of you, the boys, and me. Her attorney will try to plead diminished capacity, but I don't think that will go very far. Her behavior has been going on for too long. Now that word has gotten out that Catherine is under lock and key, others who worked with her are adding to the complaints. I don't know how serious the claims are, but it will add to pattern. I've had enough about that for now. What do you want to do tomorrow?"
"I was hoping that you could be talked into your biscuits and gravy for breakfast. I can manage the eggs and sausage okay but the fine points of biscuits and gravy elude me." Steve now had his arm around Danny and was nibbling on the patch of skin under his jaw.
"Are you trying to seduce me in hopes of getting your choice of breakfast?"
"That depends. Is it working?"
"Can we play 'Masters of the Universe' and go fishing tomorrow?"
"Danno, you're a man after my own heart. It's a deal. Now can we go to bed?"
Steve locked up for the night and followed Danny into their bedroom. Danny stripped and was pulling the quilt back on their bed when Steve came into the bedroom and locked the door. Although Jack and Jesse seldom got up once they were tucked into bed, Steve didn't want to take any chances. He quickly pulled his clothes off and walked over to Danny.
"Danno, it was so hard working with you at the base. At least at the Palace, I could sneak in a quick kiss or a hug when no one was around."
"You mean you could grab my ass or back me against a wall, don't you?"
"I guess I'm busted. It would be conduct unbecoming while I was in uniform and on duty. I never thought that I would say this but I don't miss being in the Navy. I'll always be grateful for the opportunities I was given. For a long time, the Navy was my family. Having you, Grace, Jack, and Jesse for my family is a lot better."
"Yeah, we have a great family. It's a little unorthodox when you add in Rachel and Stan with their kids not to mention Chin and Kono with their families. I never thought that I would say this but I'm grateful that Hawaii is my home. I'll always love Jersey and my family there, but this is my home now with you and the kids."
"Hey, do you realize that we'll celebrate our 10th anniversary together on New Year's?"
"Yes I do. The traditional gift for the 10th anniversary is tin or aluminum. Did you have something special in mind?"
"I was thinking that we might join Grace in London for Christmas. Rachel and Stan are talking about going over with Charlie and Andy. We could celebrate Christmas day together and maybe go on a cruise around Ireland and Scotland. I'm part Irish, part Scottish, and Dad always talked about going back to see the McGarrett homeland. What do you think?"
Danny had to sit for a minute; Steve's idea took him by surprise. "Wow, I never considered being away from home for the holidays. Could we even get tickets? I thought that airlines are usually booked up by now for Christmas."
"Actually Thanksgiving is the big travel day. I did some checking a couple of days ago. We can get four tickets business class and a suite on the ship. Mom and Dad are spending Thanksgiving with us this year but they will be in Jersey with your sisters for Christmas. Please think about it. The ship has a lot of activities for kids and they will get to see how Christmas is celebrated in other countries."
"Should I ask if we can afford this travel extravaganza? I know we have plenty of cash in checking and a healthy savings account, but this will require a withdrawal from one of our other accounts."
"The money isn't an issue. The stock market is doing very well so we can draw some of the profit out of the diversified account. The boys love to travel and we have plenty of time to get passports for them. Please say 'yes'. I can promise you a good time." Steve gave Danny one of his best puppy looks.
"It does sound like fun. But admit it, you just want to get back on a ship."
"Well, that would be a bonus. We've never taken a cruise together. The food is great, and we only have to unpack once."
"If we can get reservations for the airlines and cruise, then I think that we should go for it. You can show your appreciation now if you want. The boys are sleeping." Danny backed Steve up to the bed and pushed him down. Steve cooperated by scooting up to the headboard and moving over to make space for Danny.
"Why don't you join me here? I think that I can help you out."
Danny eagerly joined Steve on the bed. "I've waiting for this all day. We've been together ten years and I still can't wait to get you in bed at night. We'll be at work and I'll watch you stalk out of your office and my heart clenches. I'll remember how you look when you're naked like you are now. I'll remember our first weekend together and the way you hugged Grace. I'll remember the first time you held Jack and how you carried Jesse out of his house past his dead parents."
Steve was stunned to hear Danny's declaration of love. He knew Danny's feeling because Danny showed him every day how much he loved him, and Danny has always been open about mostly everything to anyone within earshot. But to hear it like this now still touched Steve deeply. "Danno, it's the same for me. After all these years you're still wearing the dress shirts and trousers and your leather shoes. I see them in our closet, but it still gets me when I see you in them at work. And on the odd occasion when you wear a t-shirt to work, I just want to tear it off you."
Danny chuckled. "Hey, I could go put one on so that you could tear it off."
"Nope, let's just pretend that I did and get to the good stuff." Steve ran his hands over Danny's chest and then down his back and over his ass. He couldn't be this close to Danny and not touch him. Over the years, he had memorized every scar, every freckle, and every birthmark. He knew Danny's body as well as he knew his own.
Danny was the same way with Steve. There was a lot of Steve to touch and not much had changed over the years. That was one reason why Danny was surprised to feel such passion after all this time. He could never get enough not matter how long they were together.
The men used every inch of the big bed, each giving as good as he took. They made love twice that night. The first time was fast and rough with Danny in control. The second time, Danny woke a little after midnight to feel Steve's hands all over him. It was slow and so sweet that Danny wished that he could freeze time.
That wasn't possible, of course, but he thought that it was a pretty good deal that he would wake up in the morning spooned behind Steve with their boys sleeping down the hall. Yeah, he had a pretty sweet life.