"Steve!" Sarah screamed out, "Steve!" She yelled again, reaching over Jacob from behind and grabbing his fishing pole as the reel began to spin out of control. "Hold it tight Jacob!" She instructed him as he squirmed in the seat, equally excited over the fish on the end of his line and terrified over the power of it.

Steve appeared from the galley of the boat and came around the other side of him, "Way to go Buddy!" He lifted him out of the chair as Sarah held the pole and then took his seat, setting him down on his lap. He took the belt from the chair and wrapped it around both of them as Sarah carefully handed the pole over to him.

"It feels like a Tuna!" she cheered as Danny came and stood next to her.

Steve set the pole between them. "Help me reel him in, Jacob."

He put his hands over top of Steve's and imitated him, not having a clue what else to do.

"That's a monster!" Danny said, grabbing the hook that was hanging on the side of the boat. Sarah picked up the net as they leaned over the back of the boat trying to get a visual.

Steve leaned forward as the pole bent and then turned the reel and leaned back at the same time. "It's strong, but we're going to win Buddy."

"Get in this boat fish!" Jacob ordered, pulling on the pole with both hands now at the same time as Steve did.

"Can you see it?" Steve grunted as he pulled back again and turned the reel.

"A little more," Sarah said, "he's a four footer at least!" She looked back over at Jacob as he sat on Steve's lap with the pole between them. His face strained against the task at hand and his baseball hat sat crooked on his head as he struggled to do his job. Steve's face was just as intense but also held a big smile. She knew he wanted nothing more than to get this fish for Jacob. The two of them together were about the cutest thing she had ever seen. She handed Danny the net and reached in her pocket, taking out her cell phone and snapped a couple of pictures of them.

"There he is!" Steve said, pulling back again as the fish came out of the water, struggling to get loose just as hard as the two of them struggled to hold on to him.

"He's huge!" Jacob yelled over his triumph.

"Get him Danny!" Steve yelled out laughing at the same time, thrilled for Jacob.

"Got him!" Danny cheered, pulling it over the side of the boat with the net as it flapped on the deck and then paused, its gills struggling for air.

Jacob stared at it, watching it slowly suffocate as the others cheered. Steve bent down and pulled out the hook.

"What are we going to do with it?" Jacob asked, suddenly feeling guilty for killing it.

Steve looked up at him, hearing that sadness in his voice. He saw the pained look on his face, knowing what he was feeling. "He's yours. You can do whatever you want. We can keep him or we can throw him back in."

They all stared at him as he stared at the fish. "I don't want him to die," he said, looking at each one of them seeing if they disagreed.

"Let's get a quick picture first," Sarah said. "Hurry!"

Steve picked up the Tuna by the tail and held it next to Jacob as she took some quick shots of them. He smiled happily at his catch and then leaned over the boat and watched as Steve set him in the water and let go. The fish bobbled for a second next to the boat and then quickly disappeared under the water.

Jacob looked up at him. "Do you think I should have kept him?"

"No," Steve reassured him. "You did the right thing." He held his fist up to him. "Good job Buddy."

Jacob bumped his fist smiling from ear to ear.

"If you're the only one that catches anything today Jacob," Danny joked, "then beers are on you. I hope you brought lots of cash."

"I have five dollars," he said reaching in his pocket. "My mom gave me five dollars." He held it up.

"Save your money Jacob," Sarah said, because I plan on catching one too.

"You?" Danny scoffed, "I can't remember the last time you caught anything. Please, refresh my memory?"

"Shut up!" Sarah playfully shoved him. "Today! Today will be the day."

"If not, then beers are on you," Steve said reaching in the ice chest and opening a pop for Jacob and tossing a beer to Danny. "and I have a feeling we are drinking for free tonight."

"You both suck," Sarah said, rolling her eyes at Jacob as she baited her hook. "I'm bringing in a shark."

"A shark?" Jacob said, squirming his way back on to the chair he and Steve had occupied earlier, "We should keep that one."

"I'm hot from bringing in that monster," Steve announced, pulling his shirt over his head. He stood up on the back of the boat and dove in the water.

Jacob came out of his seat and ran to the edge, looking over at him as he came up from the deep dive and shook the water from his head. "Can I jump in too?"

"Sure," Steve yelled back. "Put a life jacket on."

Sarah helped him get it on, zipping it up and tightening the straps in the back making sure he was secure. "Stay close to Steve, okay?" she said to him.

"I will," he agreed anxiously. He ran to the edge and looked over. "How do I get in?"

"Like this!" Danny said, picking him up and tossing him high in the air toward Steve. He landed feet first, barely going under because of the life jacket but came up laughing.

"That was fun!" he screamed out.

Sarah did a cannon ball next to them and swam up behind Steve, putting both hands on his shoulders as she came out of the water, dunking him. She quickly backed away as he came after her.

"Swim Sarah!" Jacob yelled out, trying to catch up with them.

Sarah treaded water, using her hand to splash him in his face as he got closer. "Stop! I'm sorry," she laughed.

"Too late," he grinned mercilessly, going down under the water. "Jacob help me!" she screamed, not sure when or where the retaliation was coming from.

"I'm coming Sarah," he kicked his legs and was almost to her when Steve came out of the water behind her. He motioned for Jacob to be quite at the same time that she turned her body.

"Hey!" he yelled as she screamed and then laughed, shoving off of him.

"You Navy Seals, you're all alike, sneaky and shifty."

He reached out and grabbed her arm pulling her back up against him as he lay in the water with his arm around her waist as they both floated. "But if we were stranded out here, I'd be your hero."

"Huh," she scoffed, "you'd probably drown me and find a way to use my body as a flotation device."

"Sarah," he said surprised and a little irritated by that statement. "I would not. I would find a way to save you before I would save myself."

She hated it when he said stuff like that, especially when he was holding her like he was because it made her feel special, but she knew that he would do it for anyone, not just her. "What do you think Jacob?" She pulled his arm away and swam the two feet over to him. "Should I believe him?"

"Yes," he said confidently.

"Oh you men," She held his life jacket from behind and tossed him to Steve, "you always stick together."

Steve held onto him. "What are you giving him to me for. I don't want him." He turned him around and tossed him back to Sarah, only with more height in the throw.

Jacob laughed out loud at the game. "I'm like a beach ball."

Sarah laughed and tossed him back. They played for a few more minutes before climbing up the ladder of the boat. Steve went first as Sarah lifted Jacob up and he grabbed the back of his life jacket, lifting him out and setting him on the deck. He then reached his hand out for Sarah as she climbed up, taking it. He pulled her up just as easily and faced her once she was on the deck.

"I really would save you first. I couldn't be in a situation and watch something bad happen to you without giving everything I had to protect you." He reached around her for the towels that were sitting on the chair, handing her one and wiping his face off with the other. "I can't believe you don't know that, you dope." He said it so matter-of-factly that she really had no reply. She watched him walk over and help Jacob with his jacket, amazed that he didn't take one second into consideration that he basically just told her he would give up his life to save her, as if it was really not a big deal at all.

God she really hated him sometimes, or maybe she just hated that she loved him so much.

Steve and Jacob sat on his couch eating bowls of ice cream and watching an old episode of Get Smart on cable. It had been almost two months since they had met. The bond formed quickly between them, and since then they had spent quite a few days together, including weekend ventures out with he and Danny to the beach with Gracie, or four wheeling with he and Chin. They had even attempted surfing with Kono but found out quickly that it was too exhausting of an effort for him with this disease so they settled for boogie boarding close to shore instead. He and Sarah had spent the most time with him, taking him several places together, including the movies and to the water park. They had become close, each one getting something from the relationship that was lacking in their lives. Jacob needed an adult male to look up to and Steve loved being able to teach him things that his father had taught him growing up, and the best part was that Jacob couldn't get enough of any of it.

Jacob sat up on his knees with his bowl on his lap and looked over into Steve's. He glanced up at him and then reached over sticking his spoon in his bowl.

"Hey," Steve scolded him, half laughing. "What do you think you're doing?"

"You have more than me," Jacob declared, reaching in again with his spoon.

"Back off!" he laughed moving to the other side of the couch. "Of course I have more. I'm bigger than you."

"That doesn't matter when it comes to ice cream. We should have the same," he argued.

Steve growled, looking at him and knowing he couldn't argue with that. "Fine," he caved, taking out a huge scoop and dumping it in Jacob's bowl. "If you puke, I'm making you eat it."

Jacob laughed almost spitting out the large portion in his mouth. "I'll make you eat it!" he retaliated.

"Oh yeah," Steve said in a tough guy voice. He opened his mouth and leaned over his own bowl, letting the melted ice cream in his mouth spill into it, all the while making vomiting noises. He pointed at it. "Make me eat it."

Jacob laughed so hard he almost did throw up. He wasn't used to this kind of play with his mom, but Steve was different. He did fun boy stuff and let him participate where his mom wouldn't have understood some of the things they did and talked about. He reached over with his spoon and scooped up from inside the bowl and waved it in Steve's face. "Eat it!" he shouted, laughing hysterically.

Steve laughed with him and pushed his hand away as the scoop slid off the spoon and on to the couch.

Jacob looked up at him a little worried that he'd gone to far and would be in trouble over that.

"Oh, nice move," Steve said sarcastically, but in the same breath he reached over and flipped the spoon in Jacob's bowl as a splatter of ice cream flew up and hit him in the face.

They both started laughing like it was the funniest thing either one had ever seen.

Steve jumped off the couch, going for his ringing cell phone and getting away from Jacob's retaliation. "Hello," he answered, still laughing. He tossed Jacob a towel from the kitchen.

"Hi Steve, it's Sally, Jacob's mom. I'm so sorry I'm not there yet. I'm heading back from the North Shore and I think there's been an accident because traffic is at a dead stop by the Dole Plantation."

"That's all right. We're just hanging out and eating some ice cream." He smiled over at him, pretending to lock his lips and not tell her what they were really doing.

Jacob giggled as he tried to mop up the mess on the leather couch, but was only spreading it around.

"I'll hopefully be there in an hour or so, again I'm so sorry."

"Why don't you just leave him for the night," he suggested. "You'd have to bring him back in the morning anyway for the Kayak trip."

"I wouldn't want to impose like that."

"You're not at all," he assured her. "It'll be fine. I mean as long as you're ok with it?"

She was more than okay with it; she was thrilled with the idea of Jacob spending time with him. Steve was the ultimate male role model for her son and she knew how much Jacob enjoyed being around him. "Thank you. I appreciate that. I'll bring his things over in the morning for the trip."

"Great!" Steve gave him a thumbs up as Jacob sat intently on the couch listening and hoping. "Do you want to talk to him?"

"Yes please."

He handed the phone to him, but covered the mouthpiece. "Mums the word about the ice cream."

Jacob nodded, completely understanding. "She would be so mad if I spilled on your couch because I was playing." He took the phone. "Hi Mom."

"Are you behaving?"

He tried to control his laughter over that question. "Yes. We're just having ice cream." He giggled as Steve took the towel and wiped off a remaining spatter from his bald head. "Can I stay? I promise I'll be good." He laughed again at Steve as he made a funny face as if saying 'yeah right he'll be good.'

"Yes you can stay. But I want you to clean up any messes you make, and say please and thank you."

"I will," he lied as he watched Steve clean up the ice cream off the couch with a wet rag. "I have to go now Mom."

"Ok, I love you."

"I love you too, bye." He hung up and jumped up and down on the couch, still on his knees. "She said I can stay!"

Steve smiled, just as happy. "I was thinking we could pull out some sleeping bags and sleep out back tonight."

Jacob's eyes got big over that idea. "I've never slept outside before."

"Well then we have to do it for sure."

Jacob stuck his hand in the bowl of popcorn as he sat on top of his sleeping bag in the back of Steve's house. "So what did you do then?" he asked, listening intently to the story that he was being told.

"I couldn't do anything," Steve explained. "I had to stay perfectly still or they would have known I was there."

"How did you get away?"

"I had to wait until it was dark and then I really slowly," he demonstrated crawling on his belly over the grass, "made my way out of the area. I almost got stepped on by this one soldier that was taking a pee."

Jacob got a look of horror on his face. "Did he pee on you?"

Steve laughed, "No, but it was close."

"You must have been so scared."

"I have to admit, I was a little nervous, but scared, not really. They train you not to be scared, so you don't think about it."

Jacob nodded his understanding, shoving another handful of popcorn in his mouth. "I want to be a Navy Seal when I grow up," he confessed.

"It's hard work," Steve said firmly, "but I think you'd be a great Navy Seal."

"I don't get scared very much," Jacob said. "One of my friends asked if I was scared of my cancer, but I'm not." He scooped up another handful, "My mom says that I'm strong and I'm stronger than the cancer."

"You are Buddy. You're mom told me that you were getting better."

"I am. I'm in revision," he said.

Steve smiled, "Remission?"

"Yes?" Jacob chuckled. "I forget that word."

"It's a good word."

"My mom gets really happy when they use that word. It doesn't make her cry." He looked up at him. "Sometimes she cries and tries to hide it, but I can tell."

"It's only because she loves you so much. No one likes to see their kid sick. I think you're mom's pretty strong too."

"She is!" Jacob said adamantly. "She can still pick me up and carry me. Sometimes after I get my medicine I fall asleep on the couch and I wake up in my bed. She carries me there."

"She's a tough mom. You're really lucky to have her."

He smiled, "She's nice, except when she yells at me for stuff I do wrong."

"Again, it's only because she loves you and wants to teach you right from wrong."

"I know." He laid down on the pillow.

"Why don't you climb inside and I'll zip you up."

Jacob moved the sleeping bag and got in as Steve did they same in his and then leaned over, zipping his up for him.

"What if I have to go to the bathroom?"

"You're a guy," Steve said, "just go over in the bushes somewhere." He laughed and pointed above his head. "But don't go anywhere over here. I don't want to wake up floating in it."

Jacob laughed, "I'm going to go right there." He pointed just above Steve's head.

He reached over and tickled him over his sleeping bag as Jacob squirmed inside it. "You better not, punk!"

"I won't!" he squealed, begging for him to stop. "I swear it!"

Steve laid back with his arm under his head. Jacob imitated it as they stared up at the stars.

"Do you have a Dad?" Jacob asked him.

"Yes. He died though, a couple of years ago."

"Oh." He was silent for a couple of seconds as if he were thinking about that. "Did he live with you when you were a little boy?"

"Yes. He was a police officer too."

"He was?" Jacob was amazed by that piece of information. "That would be so cool."

"He was a good guy. He was a good dad." He hadn't thought that in a long time, feeling slightly guilty that he had to be reminded.

"I don't know my Dad," Jacob said. "He lives someplace else far away."

"Does that make you mad?" Steve asked him.

Jacob shrugged, not really knowing how he felt about it. "I don't know." His next words floored Steve. "I wish you were my Dad."

Steve looked over at him but Jacob continued to stare up at the sky as if what he said was completely logical.

"We could pretend," Jacob suggested. "I don't have to call you Dad, but I could call you something else and then only you and I would know."

Steve smiled over that, "Like what?"

"I don't know. Gracie calls Danny, Danno. Maybe I could call you Stevo?" he looked over at him for clarification.

Steve sat up on his elbow looking at him. "Stevo huh?"

"Uh huh," Jacob said, "If you want too. We don't have to if you don't want too." He stared at him waiting for an answer.

Steve looked at the little boy who had become just as close a friend as any of the others in his life. What he was asking for Steve didn't consider a burden, but he knew it meant a commitment to him, which he also didn't consider a burden by any means. "You know what Jacob?"

"What?"

"If I had a son, I'd think I'd want him to be just like you. So yes, that's ok with me. You can call me Stevo."

Jacob's smile spread across his face. "Ok! And you already call me Buddy. So that can be your name for me."

Steve nodded his approval. "I like it. Buddy it is." He sat up and leaned over him, playfully pulling the sleeping bag over his head. "Now go to sleep Buddy. That's an order from Stevo. We've got a big day tomorrow on the water and I need you rested."

Jacob laughed, "Ok Stevo." He rolled over and closed his eyes, considering it one of the best nights he'd ever had.

Steve looked over at him and smiled, getting the feel for what it would be like to be Father. It felt pretty good, considering if all kids were like Jacob.