Justified – Story 1 in the Unbreakable series

Disclaimer: Characters belong to the writers & producers of Hawaii Five-0. My own characters belong to me :-)

Rating: T (for romance)

Pairing: Steve/OC, Steve/Danny (friendship - no slash)

Author's Note: Finale of Story 1 is coming - just a few chapters left. Thank you for your patience - this is an important scene for Steve, as he begins to realize the depth of his feelings for her. Please keep the reviews & comments coming!

Chapter 26

Steve looked over at Julia as the three of them rode up silently in the elevator to Mr. & Mrs. Warren's room at the Ala Moana. Her face was still pale, and though she looked beautiful, he could tell she was completely worn out. He had thought she would want to be a part of this, to wrap up the case, but now he wondered if he was pushing her too far. It was hard to imagine that they had just met yesterday. They had both been pulled into this whirlwind of a case, and now it was finally nearing an end. Tomorrow the Chases would be extradited back to Hawaii, and HPD had already taken Angela's father into custody.

He didn't know what would happen with Julia when she returned back to the University. Even though it seemed to him that he barely knew her, he felt a deep sense of peace and comfort when he was around her, a feeling he'd never had before. It was a powerful feeling that excited and frightened him at the same time. Even though he had a reputation for being fearless, the idea of giving in to his feelings, of opening up to someone, of being vulnerable was almost terrifying. Maybe Danny was right, maybe he did have some 'control issues.' But being tightly in control had saved his life and the lives of his teammates time and time again. It seemed counter-intuitive to let go, particularly when it came to his emotions. Yet all of his instincts drew him to Julia, and he knew that no matter what it took, he wanted to be with her.

Julia rested her head against the wall of the elevator as it climbed, sensing Steve watching her. She tried to keep her focus on the task ahead of her, but it was difficult with him so close. More than anything, she did not want to be here, she did not want to have to face Jennifer's parents. This was one of the reasons she was happy being a researcher and an analyst. Talking with the families of the victims and seeing their grief only brought her own sadness to the surface. She had worked hard to bury her feelings so that she could keep doing her job. It was part of her training, and to be honest, she preferred to focus on her work rather than her feelings. Julia was afraid that if she gave in to the grief she harbored over her lost loved ones, she would never be able to stop. Losing control would be like drowning in her own emotions, and she had far too much on the line to let that happen.

Danny watched Julia slightly slumped next to him, and Steve quietly looking over her. Even before he'd found out that she had been a Fed, he could see that they had a lot in common. It wasn't an obvious connection on the surface – an accounting professor and a former SEAL – but they both had this analytical, control-freak, anal-retentive, stubborn tendency. The big difference was that Julia polished hers off with a sexy smile and gorgeous looks, while Steve didn't bother with much polish at all. Danny wondered if something had happened between them earlier. Either way, if they both let their stubbornness get in the way of his happiness and safety, he'd have to find a way to shove the two of them together. Steve was definitely a little calmer and more reasonable when Julia was around, which made Danny's life far easier. Danny knew his aims weren't entirely selfish. Steve was his best friend and he deserved to be happy. But the fact that a happy Steve made for a safer Danny was not lost on him either.

The elevator dinged as it reached the eleventh floor. Julia took a deep breath, straightened up, and walked calmly out of the elevator toward the Warrens' room with Danny and Steve behind her. When she got to the door, she stepped back to let Steve take the lead. Her face tightened and her eyes narrowed, as she readied herself while Steve knocked on the door. A tall man with a sad, haunted look to his eyes answered, and led them inside. Jennifer's mother was waiting for them on the couch, a damp handkerchief clutched in her hand.

"Mr. and Mrs. Warren, you remember Detective Williams?" Danny shook their hands and remained standing. "This is Dr. Julia Abbott, from the University of Hawaii. She's an expert in forensic accounting, and helped us quite a bit with your daughter's case." Steve nodded to Julia.

"Mr. and Mrs. Warren, we are all deeply sorry for your loss. We have some updates on the case we wanted to share with you. Jennifer had uncovered a conspiracy at Metadyne to embezzle millions of dollars. We believe she was murdered because of the information she found. The people we tied to the theft and cover-up hired two individuals to kill her. We have three suspects in custody, and are arranging for the extradition of two more suspects to stand trial for these crimes," Julia said carefully, her face firm but kind as she updated Jennifer's parents.

She paused for a moment, "Jennifer was trying to do the right thing, and because of her actions, we've now been able to uncover a massive theft and fraud. While I know nothing I can say will take away the pain of losing her, her death was not in vain. As we speak, Hawaii Five-0, the Honolulu Police Department, the Department of the Attorney General, the Internal Revenue Service, the U. S. Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the U.S. Attorney's Office are all working hard to ensure that your daughter's killers are brought to justice. Please accept our deepest sympathies on the loss of your daughter."

Mrs. Warren began to sob, as her husband took her in his arms and quietly thanked them. Julia took a breath, willing the lump in her throat to let her finish, "I'm very sorry…" She paused, nodded to the Warrens, and turned to leave, forcing herself to walk slowly in spite of the need she felt to run out of that room as fast as she could.