Sammy, the suggestion for the triple point of view was just inspired and inspiring. Thanks, partner!
Ilna, thank you for your input and masterful proofing skills and for getting me the editor extraordinaire on this one.
I love both of you, like family. I couldn't ask for better support from anyone.
Esther, I can't thank you enough for your tremendous help keeping this story consistent in all three POVs. I appreciate it so very much. Nonna hugs & Cammie kisses!
REALMcRollers, you are the best and the most generous readers ever. We love you all.
AussieJo, this one is for you. Cammie was very happy to share her POV again!
FAMILY PORTRAIT
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Catherine
"Hey, you awake?" Catherine crawled onto the bed and hovered over Steve, who had an arm across his face. She ran a palm across his chest, but he didn't open his eyes. Next to Steve's side, Cammie put her paws up on the bed, swished her tail and made a happy little 'yip'. Catherine smiled at her and said, "We're waiting for you, Steve."
"Hmmm yeah, what time is it?" His voice was gravelly from sleep.
"Seven thirty." She leaned over and kissed him, but she backed away when he moved to pull her into a deeper kiss. She had no intention of getting distracted - well maybe later, but for now she was on a mission. "It's photo day!" she announced. She had been so ridiculously excited about the idea, she couldn't fall back to sleep when she woke up to feed Cammie at five.
His eyes opened, and her smile grew at his amused one. "I didn't forget …" She knew he hadn't, she'd been talking about a photo of the three of them all week, she was that excited to have one to add to the photo wall.
"Good." She pointed a finger at him. "Up and shower, we'll eat outside. Wear the blue t-shirt, it brings out your eyes."
Steve pushed up, leaning back on his hands. "You're kidding, right?"
"Nope." She shook her head with a grin still playing on her lips.
"I'm surprised you didn't put it out for me. Are cargoes okay?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Cargoes are perfect. Cammie's all bathed and fluffed," She turned to the dog and kissed her nose. "You look so pretty, Cammie. Doesn't she? I brushed her out and used that doggie conditioner Esther gave us."
Steve laughed, threw his legs over the side of the bed, and ruffled Cammie's fur. "She looks beautiful." He grabbed Catherine and pulled her close. "Just like her stylist. Love the cammo bandana."
"Of course you do. We'll be downstairs on the beach." She patted his chest. "See you in ten." She gave him a fast kiss, and as he shook his head with a smile and headed for the shower, Catherine turned to run down the stairs with Cammie close behind.
Catherine lifted the camera and took several photos of the ocean. "There, perfect." She tested the light and shadows on the sand before calling Cammie over and telling her to "sit – stay." Catherine took a few more test shots before releasing her with an "okay!"
Steve stood just out of frame, holding a large blanket. "Where do you want this, Cath?"
"Right here." She took the edge of the blanket, and they spread it out a few feet from the water's edge. "I want the water behind her in the background." She straightened up after carefully arranging the blanket to see Steve grinning with an amused look in his eyes.
"Are you laughing at me, McGarrett?" She pointed with a barely concealed smirk of her own.
"Never." Steve started to gather her in his arms but stopped to lift the camera from around her neck before kissing her. "You're beautiful when you're in mission mode."
She kissed him back for a few seconds, but stopped to take a breath and a step back. "Later. And speaking of missions, let's get Cammie's solo photo done."
"Whatever you say, Lieutenant. You ready for your close up, Cammie?" Steve said with a grin.
Catherine said, "Let's get you in a good spot, okay, my pretty girl? Cammie, down." When she obliged, Catherine adjusted her paws and fluffed her fur. "You look beautiful. Who's my good girl?" She talked in soothing tones while she snapped photo after photo, stopping occasionally to adjust Cammie's bandana and then remove it and re-fluff her neck fur. John Stagler was an amateur photographer, and following his advice, Catherine had practiced with some photos before deciding early morning yielded the best light in their yard. Bright, direct sunlight wasn't ideal, and the overcast day was perfect. John had also given her several other tips, including that pet photos were most successful when taken from the animal's eye level.
"I don't know about these," Steve said. He was watching with crossed arms and a serious expression.
"What? Why?" Catherine glanced at him over her shoulder. "She looks adorable. Look." She offered the camera so he could see the last images. "You don't like them?"
"It's not that … I just don't know about the ones without the bandana." He addressed the dog, "Cammie, did you agree to nudes?" His face split into a grin, and he let out a loud guffaw of laughter.
"Smart ass." Catherine smacked him playfully on the arm. She turned to Cammie. "Okay!" She gave the release command. "You can get up, Baby. Go run a little with Steve, and I'll set up the tripod."
Steve smirked. "We have a tripod?"
"No, I borrowed it from John. Run her a little so she's not a ball of fire when we all sit together."
Steve saluted. "Aye, aye, ma'am."
His grin was so adorable, she leaned in to kiss his cheek, but he deliberately moved into the kiss so their lips met.
"Hmmm, later." She broke the kiss and went to brush the sand off the blanket and refill Cammie's water bowl. "Steve?" She called to where he was already tossing a ball to Cammie several yards away. "Don't get all hot and sweaty …"
"Until later?" His response made her laugh as she took a long swallow from the large bottle of water she'd brought out for her and Steve.
Fifteen minutes later, Catherine had them posing for a "family portrait". Steve wrapped his arms around her, and Cammie sat up at their feet for several photos. When Catherine looked at the results, there were quite a few wonderful images, the three of them haloed against the ocean and morning sky, her hair blowing gently in the breeze.
She reset the camera and said, "Pretty much done, wanna see?"
"In a minute. C'mere." Steve held out a hand.
She moved towards where he and Cammie were on the blanket and kneeled. When the camera began to click, Catherine said, "Oh! It's still going, let me …"
But Steve pulled her into his arms with a smile, and as the shutter released, he placed a trail of silly, smacking kisses on her cheek and neck. Catherine laughed, and Cammie wriggled closer. She felt such a surge of love for him, their dog, the situation, and her life that her eyes unexpectedly pricked with tears, even as she laughed at his playful gesture.
Finally, she kissed him and stood to put the camera and blanket away before returning minutes later to where Steve was sitting on the deck. Cammie was relaxing in the shade of Cammie's Casa, munching on her reward of a kong toy filled with boiled chicken.
Catherine ruffled her fur, said, "You did a great job, Pretty Girl," and moved back to Steve's side.
She said to him, "That wasn't so bad, now was it?"
"Actually, it was fun."
"Good." She ran a hand over his cheek and pulled him in for a kiss. "Guess what time it is?"
"Hmmm? What time?" He pulled her flush against him as she pushed on his shoulder to roll them over on the lounge.
Catherine deepened the kiss and straddled his lap, murmuring, "It's later."
Cammie
Cammie bounded up to the bed where Steve was sleeping and stood by while Catherine joined him. Picking up on Catherine's excitement, Cammie knew something different and fun was happening, and she put her paws up on the bed to get closer to Steve.
Catherine kept telling her how pretty she looked today, which she always did after a bath, but today she'd fastened something new around her neck. Catherine had backed up to look at Cammie with a big smile before kissing her nose. Cammie had returned the affection by nuzzling Catherine's face.
When Steve woke up, Catherine was giggling and he was making low, soft sounds so Cammie thought they'd be up there for a while, but Catherine suddenly stood, and Steve threw his legs over the bed and ruffled Cammie's head. She followed Catherine, who was smiling happily, toward the doorway to the sandy place. As Steve went toward the room with all the water, he was smiling at her, too. Cammie wagged her whole back end. She loved seeing her humans happy.
Not that they weren't usually happy. Especially when they were with her, but sometimes they were a little less so. Sometimes they came home smelling of tension or fear or death, and then she gave them extra kisses and stayed very close. Her job was to keep them safe and happy, and she took her job very seriously. But even during those times, Steve and Catherine gave her lots of love and attention, and she could feel them relax when they touched her.
Today was a fun day, though. While Cammie loved Esther, today was one of the times Steve and Catherine would be home with her and not going to the place with their friends where she sometimes went along to sit in the rooms with the desks.
Today, her humans were home.
She had played hard before her bath that morning and while she always had energy, she found it easy to sit still and follow commands. She stepped onto the soft blanket on the sand, circled to check it out, and sat in the center.
She delighted in the "good girl" and pieces of treats she was fed while she sat on the big, soft blanket while Catherine pointed the black box at her and adjusted her fur. Both humans called out, "Look, Cammie!" and waved and grinned when she did as she was told.
At Catherine's, "Okay!" Cammie followed Steve and they played catch while Catherine stayed behind near the blanket. She called, "Don't get all hot and sweaty …" and her laugh at his response reached Cammie's ears before it reached Steve's.
Their game of catch was fun, but when she picked up her ball and made to run for the water, Steve called her back. "C'mon, Cammie, if you get all wet, I'm court martialed." So she brought the ball back to him several more times before he gestured her in, and they both went back to Catherine's side and drank some water.
This time, when she was led to the blanket, her humans stood behind her and Steve held onto Catherine, like he often did. The black box, now standing on a stick, made a whirring, clicking noise, and Cammie tilted her head to hone in on the sound. Catherine seemed happier than usual and was laughing when she said "okay" to release not only Cammie but Steve, too. He laughed with Catherine, but didn't move, so neither did Cammie. She stayed by his side until Catherine came back.
When she moved close enough, Steve tugged her hand as the box made noises. Catherine moved to stand, but Steve pulled her back with a smile. When both humans began to laugh again and show affection, Cammie joined in the fun, wriggling closer and bouncing around the blanket until they collapsed onto the ground in a happy tangle of humans and dog.
When they'd picked up the blanket, Cammie followed Steve up to the deck. She took the kong toy filled with her favorite treat and trotted to her special place on the deck to enjoy it. When she looked up and saw her humans close together on the lounge, she recognized the murmurs and sounds of their mating ritual. Again. They did that a lot. Cammie knew they'd be a while. This was just like the first time Cammie had run to Steve on command near the water. They had engaged in their ritual a lot that day. And night.
So Cammie happily settled with her treat knowing they'd be up to play with her again eventually.
Steve
Steve woke to the mattress shifting under Catherine's lithe form as she crawled back onto their bed.
He had his arm across his face but didn't move it. He was still savoring the last moments of sleep. He'd been out to run at 4:30 while Catherine fed Cammie and took her out for a potty break at 5:00. When he felt her hand slide across his chest, he still didn't move or open his eyes. Her sing song "We're waiting for you, Steve," elicited a half grin.
"Hmmm yeah, what time is it?" He turned towards her but continued to keep his eyes closed.
"Seven thirty." When he felt her mouth against his, he pulled her against his chest and attempted to deepen the kiss, but at her excited, "It's photo day!" he finally opened his eyes to smile at her beautiful face.
"I didn't forget …" he defended teasingly. When Catherine said he should wear his blue t-shirt, he added, "You're kidding, right?"
When she shook her head, her hair glistened in the early morning light filtering through the curtains.
"Cargoes are perfect," she confirmed when he asked, only half joking if they were okay. He'd wear or do whatever she asked, whatever would keep that expression in her eyes.
"Doesn't she look beautiful? I brushed her out and used that doggie conditioner Esther gave us."
"She looks beautiful." Steve stretched and ran a hand through Cammie's fur as he got up. He grinned at the bandana around her neck. It was camouflage. "Just like her stylist. I love the cammo bandana."
Catherine grinned and patted his chest. She looked gorgeous in a teal and purple sleeveless blouse and black pants with her hair loose. Steve tasted a hint of mango in her kiss from the gloss she'd applied to accompany the light makeup she'd no doubt put on for the photo. She rarely wore any at home.
"See you in ten," she said.
He ran his tongue across his bottom lip as he smiled and shook his head while watching Catherine and Cammie head downstairs.
Steve stood a few feet away, holding the blanket while Catherine took photos to test the light. She tucked her hair behind her ears and kneeled in the sand taking shot after shot with such concentration, Steve thought she looked like she was scouting a location for an intel drop. Grinning at her focus, he said, "Where do you want this, Cath?"
They spread the blanket near the water's edge as she explained she wanted the water behind Cammie in the photos. Steve continued grinning at her. Catherine's nose wrinkled in a way he knew meant she was trying to hide her own smile when she asked, "Are you laughing at me, McGarrett?"
"Never. You're beautiful when you're in mission mode." He removed the camera so he could hold her properly for a kiss. Her face was glowing with excitement.
He really didn't want to let her go, holding her until she pulled back slowly and whispered, "Later. And speaking of missions, let's get Cammie's solo photo done."
"Whatever you say, Lieutenant," Steve said and grinned when Cammie walked right onto the blanket to check it out. "You ready for your close up, Cammie?"
Catherine moved Cammie's paws and fluffed her fur, complimenting her in soothing tones. Steve's breath hitched a little at how gorgeous she looked in the morning light, cooing to their dog, concentrating on taking the perfect photos. Her hair was tucked behind one ear, her skin was bathed in sunlight, and he shook his head at how lucky he felt at that moment. He focused on her words when he realized she'd said his name twice while saying Cammie was being especially cooperative.
"I don't know about these," Steve said. His arms were crossed, his expression serious.
Catherine showed him the camera so he could see the photos, with a concerned, "You don't like them?"
"It's not that …" he said and fought to keep his expression still serious. "I just don't know about the ones without the bandana." He turned to the dog and said, "Cammie, did you agree to nudes?" As he said this, he grinned and couldn't hold back a guffaw of laughter.
Her expression when she smacked him on the arm was something he treasured. Happy, relaxed and displaying what he was so grateful for: time. They had time to take photos of their dog on their beach. Time to be playful, because they had nowhere to go all day. No deadline hanging over them.
When she moved to kiss his cheek, he caught her in a real kiss, savoring it until she backed away gently with her hands still on his chest and a glint in her eyes, promising, "Later."
Steve saluted. "Aye, aye, ma'am." and went to run Cammie while Catherine set up the next photo.
He was already across the yard, tossing Cammie's ball when she called out, "Don't get all hot and sweaty…"
He couldn't help but respond, "Until later?"
The melody of her laughter made him feel a warmth that reached his soul.
Fifteen minutes later, Steve wrapped his arms around Catherine while Cammie sat up at their feet for several photos. Catherine checked the results and offered to show him, but when he noticed the camera's auto light still blinking, he beckoned for her to come back to where he sat next to Cammie on the blanket.
When the camera began to click, Catherine startled and moved to shut it, but Steve pulled her into an embrace and kissed her cheek and neck playfully until she burst into giggles. Next to them, Cammie excitedly wriggled as close as possible.
When the laughter stopped, Steve noticed her gazing at him with such love in her eyes, he kissed her for real until she stood to put away the camera and blanket. They returned to the deck where Catherine had a treat waiting for Cammie before she went inside to get the camera out of the sun.
He was on the lounge as she returned to his side, and he readily admitted the morning had been fun. She ran a hand over his cheek and pulled him in for a kiss, saying, "Guess what time it is?"
"Hmmm? What time?" He pulled her flush against him and moved to situate them on the lounge.
She whispered, "It's later," while smiling her beautiful smile into his kiss. Steve buried a hand in her beach-blown hair, responding with a searing kiss of his own as she straddled his lap.
McGarrett/Rollins Home
8:00 p.m.
That evening, Catherine stood with two framed photos. "Okay, here." She handed Steve the hammer as she hung Cammie's photo on the family wall with a huge smile. "Look, Cammie! There you are."
The dog gave a soft "woof" from where she was carefully watching from the living room.
Catherine moved a bit to the side and motioned for the hammer and nail. "Right here, I think." Steve steadied her on the stairs as she reached to hang the newly framed photo of the three of them. Once she was satisfied it was straight, they both stepped back and she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Perfect."
Steve looked into her eyes. "Definitely perfect." He placed a kiss on her forehead, then her lips before his eyes returned to the photo.
Catherine gave him a beaming smile and turned back to the photo to happily contemplate the image yet again.
In a wooden frame that matched the others on the wall, their likenesses smiled back at her. In the early morning sun, the three of them were sitting on the blanket. Catherine and Steve were wrapped in each other's arms with Cammie snuggled between them, all looking happily at the lens. This particular shot was after Steve had pulled her down and peppered her with silly kisses until she burst into laughter.
"I …" He stopped and looked at her with a light of realization in his eyes.
"I love you so much." She turned in his arms.
"That spot, that's why …" Steve's words were cut off by her nod and her kiss.
"That's why."
The photo was taken in the spot where they'd been training Cammie when Steve had said, "Cath, I love you," for the first time. Where she'd told him she knew. She'd always known, and she loved him just as much. Her heart still soared when she thought of it.
"Cath, I love you." Steve repeated his words from months ago, their arms still wrapped around each other. "Know that. Always."
He leaned his forehead against hers when she replied, "Always."
When her humans entered the living room, Cammie moved to sit at their feet by the sofa. She settled with a tail thump and a sigh.
Cammie knew happy humans when she saw them. Especially when they belonged to her.
.
End. Thanks for reading
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