This Thursday, May 4th marks our 9th anniversary and Sammy and Ilna, I love you guys to the moon and back. There's no one I'd rather be on this journey with, in REAL and real life. I am, as always, in awe of your talent and your ability to make every day better.

Readers and REAL McRollers you make the joy I have in the REAL World even better, so thankful for you all, especially those who've become friends.

Thanks to everyone for your love of the REAL Steve and Catherine. Happy anniversary to our favorite couple!

Seven Plus

Steve grinned at Catherine when she opened her eyes. "Happy anniversary, Cath."

"Happy anniversary." She returned his smile. "Seven years."

"Seven years plus seventeen," he murmured.

"Plus the four before we got together officially …"

"Kids'll be up soon." He glanced at the time and his next words had her smiling softly at a memory. "We gonna do this?"

1999

"We really gonna do this?" he asked quietly.

She glanced down at their naked bodies only partially covered with the sheet and said, "Kinda looks like we already did."

"Looks like we already started…" Catherine reached a hand to his cheek - a scene from their first morning-after had played in her head. "We've got time." She drew him into a kiss. "Happy seven plus a whole lot more years."

"Happy anniversary, Mommy and Daddy!" The kids chorused as soon as their parents said, "Come in," to their knock.

"Thank you both," Catherine said as she and Steve accepted hugs and kisses and homemade cards signed from not only DJ and Angie, but Cammie and Pumpkin as well.

"We're gonna make breakfast for you," DJ announced as Angie added, "And we got you a present!"

"Well we better get ourselves downstairs," Steve said and laughed when Pumpkin's wandering in with a "Meow!" had Angie saying the cat said "Happy anniversary."

"We'll go get started and by the time you guys get downstairs to watch, we'll be ready to cook," DJ said with a nod.

Steve turned back to look at Catherine after the kids and Cammie had moved downstairs. She was at the dresser, where she'd pulled out a purple bra with matching underwear.

"My favorite."

Her hair swirled around her shoulders as she turned to face him, a smile lighting her eyes. "The underwear choice or the color?" She teased.

"Both." He strode up and kissed her, stopping to breathe after a few seconds. "On second thought, the color," he confirmed as a conversation about Bangkok that occurred an ocean away came to mind.

Paris

"I remember the band you put your ponytail up with was purple. And your shirt was purple. And so were your underwear the first night."

She pulled back and was blown away by his shy smile. "Did you … is that when you started liking me in purple?"

Steve nodded. In the memory and in the present. "Definitely purple."

"Hey, happy anniversary," Danny said when Steve and Catherine entered the bullpen together. Chin and Kono echoed his greetings.

She and Steve shared a smile as they thanked their friends.

"And you're starting it by briefing us on a case," Danny pointed to the folder in her hands.

"Yeah, nine of the arms dealers aren't taking the day off to celebrate our anniversary." She held up the paperwork. "Ready to go over the details?"

"Let's do this," Danny said. "Then you two can hopefully get out in time for an anniversary dinner tonight. You know, seven years since this guy forgot to breathe when you walked down the aisle equals copper and wool…"

"Neither of those are happening," Catherine laughed as Steve thought back to watching her walk towards him on their wedding day.

Ko Olina

Steve suddenly felt two hands clasp his arms from behind and heard a whispered, "Breathe, my friend, breathe," from Danny. "Can't have you passing out before she even gets up here."

He exhaled, hoping Danny took his gratitude as given because he wasn't going to turn around. He couldn't take his eyes off Catherine.

Danny and the team chuckled when Steve looked at his wife and agreed, "Yeah, what would we do with copper and we don't need wool when it's a hundred degrees out."

"What did I always say?" The detective gestured between them. "Perfectly matched set."

"Hey, anniversary people," Lou Grover greeted the couple as they left HQ after the briefing. "Happy… how many years is it?"

Steve turned to see the SWAT commander approaching from the parking lot. "Seven."

"Pfffft, you're still newlyweds," Lou teased. "Congratulations on not smacking him upside the head yet, Catherine."

"How many years for you?" She asked with a grin.

"Coming up on thirty." He shook his head. "When the hell that happened, I have no damn idea. You're walking down the aisle and…BAM!" He clapped. "Suddenly you have a kid. Then another one. Then you're dealing with middle schoolers and graduates and colleges and bam again… you're empty nesters. It's coming at you two in a minute."

"Slow down, Lou, the kids are five and ten." Steve grimaced slightly and Catherine slid a hand over his bicep.

"That's how it seems, but you're lucky because you've got this fantastic lady to keep you from losing your mind when Angie brings home a little teenager with a smirk you wanna slap off his face." He busted. "Like me, you punched above your weight, McGarrett, so thank your lucky stars and enjoy every minute with your bride - because someday, sooner than you think, it'll be just the two of you again and if you're lucky and I know you are, you'll still be having just as much fun as you did when you met." He nodded at their matching smiles. "Even though on some days you'll need a handful of Motrin to shut your shoulder ache up or she has to drag your carcass out of bed in the morning after chasing down a scumbag."

"Gee thanks for that image," Steve chuckled.

"Heh, you two lovebirds have a good day. Any plans?"

"Lunch right now," Catherine said, "then dinner with the kids. Carrie and John gave us a weekend at our favorite B and B so we'll do that soon."

Lou's phone chirped and he looked at the screen. "Speaking of my own bride…" he said and with a wave, said, "Hey, yeah, I just talked to Samantha, the landlord got the plumbing back so she's all good."

After a dinner out with Elizabeth, Joseph, Ang and the kids, the family returned home and watched the wedding video before story time.

The kids were asleep and Steve and Catherine were laying on the bed after making some interesting patterns on the color changing tiles.

Rolling onto his back and settling Catherine against his chest, he reached for the half glass of champagne that was on his bedside table and held it up.

"Oh a toast? And we can actually reach the champagne this time." She was immediately taken back to their wedding night…

"So a toast …" he said, bringing their hands to his chest.

She laughed tearily. "A toast."

"To you. To me. To us."

Back in the present she caught his eyes and smiled as he repeated what she'd said that night seven years before. "To love. Friendship set on fire."

Kissing him softly she whispered, "Always."

# End thanks for reading

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