Hi everyone this is an episode tag to Na Ki'i, the episode form season 3 with Catherine goes undercover. This is a little more angsty in tone then I normally write, but it's Steve thoughts from the moment he walks into Five-0 headquarters and see the pictures up on the screen to when he goes to Catherine at the end of the episode. I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or anything associated with it.

Already Forgiven

All Steve could think about was the fact that Catherine was not answering her phone. He had sent her into a lions dens, with a perverted creep and she was not answering her phone. He slipped his phone back into his pocket and was already heading toward the exit as he said, "We have to get down there."

He did not say much as he broke the sound barrier in Danny's Camaro, just drummed his fingers against the steering wheel as he took the corner too fast and pushed Danny into the passenger side door.

"Relax Steve, she's fine."

Steve shook his head. "It's not that." He paused, glancing out the window, before glancing back at Danny. "We had a fight."

"A fight? A fight about what?

Steve shrugged. "I don't even know if you can call it a fight. She lied to me, Danno."

Danny looked at him, surprise clearly written across his face. "Catherine, lie? About what?"

Danny had to grip the seat to keep from being tossed about as Steve took another very sharp curve. "About my mom. Someone went after her a while back, and Catherine found out about it, and Doris made her keep it from me. She should have told me."

Danny nodded. "Yes, she should have, but this is Catherine we're talking about. If she kept something from you it's because she thought it was important to, and have you met Doris? That woman could convince a fish to drown."

Steve frowned. "A fish to drown? Where do you come up with this shit?" Steve shook his head. "I kicked her out. She told me what she had down, and I told her to leave. I was so angry. How can I trust her? We had a good thing, and now, and now I've sent her undercover with some creep and she's not answering her phone."

"Really? Really? Okay firstly, it's your mother you can't trust, not Catherine. Secondly, Catherine can take care of herself, and third it was a fight. Couples, even 'we just have a thing' couples, fight, and besides you keep far more from her than she does from you."

Steve shot him a look that was laced with annoyance, but was mostly curiosity. "What are you talking about?"

Danny raised his eyebrows and repeated, "Really? Okay how about all the times you've gotten yourself in the hospital and din't tell her. Oh, or when you didn't tell her about hiring a private investigator to follow your mother, or when you didn't tell her we were going to the Pro Bowl. Or, or."

"Okay, I get the picture. I was just trying to protect her."

"And the Pro Bowl?"

Steve had the good grace to look a little sheepish. "It just slipped my mind."

Danny just shook his head. "Babe, if you leave her because she tried to protect you, the same reason you keep things from her, I will personally kick your ass."

Steve glanced at his friend, then pulled into the parking lot. "We're here."

Steve and Danny walked inside, and Steve immediately started scanning for Catherine. He didn't see her or the coach. His heart nearly stopped when he heard the gunshots, and a million things went through his head, but the loudest thought was that he could not lose her. He forced her into this, then pushed her away. She had to be okay.

He yelled for her, and when she did not immediately answer he called out again, this time more urgently. Finally she responded, and when she did he was nearly floored by the level of his relief. Yet, when he saw her, saw the pain on her face, not from physical pain, but from hurting him, he knew he had already forgiven her, but he had not let go of the anger yet.

Anger at his mother, not at Catherine, but it was still something he had to deal with before he made things right with Cath. Danny had been right. It was Doris he could not trust, not Catherine.

Once he knew she was okay, he let his anger consume him. Anger at his mother for lying to him, for keeping him in the dark, for making him doubt what the had with Catherine. After the funeral, Catherine quietly slipped away. He let her go, knowing where she would end up, and knowing he would fined her later.

Danny too had noticed how Steve was still giving Catherine the cold shoulder, and how she had slipped away without talking to anyone. As they walked away form the funeral Danny rounded on Steve. "Do I need to kick you're ass, or are you going to patch things up with Catherine?"

Steve stared him down. "I"m only going to say this once." Danny started to frown, but Steve continued, "But you we're right. My fight is with Doris, not Cath. You're reputation is safe, you don't have to try to kick my ass."

Danny raised an eyebrow and gave a sarcastic grin. "Try? Try? There would have been no trying, babe. I would have kicked your ass. Now, go find your girl."

"I got to have it out with Doris first."

"Give her hell."

Steve did not want to hear any of the excuses his mother came up with, and by the time they were done arguing, Steve was ready to go make things right with the one good thing in his life. The sight of her took his breath away, the silhouette of her sadness against the Hawaiian shore. His home in more ways than one. He felt bad that he was the reason she looked so heartbroken.

She turned her head to look at him as he approached, but she kept her arms protectively against her chest. She tried to apologize, but Steve did not even need to hear it. He reached out and cupped her cheek and then leaned into kiss her. Catherine put her own hand to his cheek and returned the kiss, and when Steve pulled away she let him. She was afraid of what she would see on his face, still not sure if that had been a kiss of forgiveness or goodbye, but when he wrapped his arms tight around her she knew she had been forgiven.

For just a moment Catherine hid her face in the crook of his neck, reveling in the sensation of being held so entirely. Steve to was reveling in the feel of holding her. Finally he pulled back, cupping her cheeks, and stared into her eyes. He gave her a quick, tender kiss and gently said, "Please, don't ever lie to me again. I've realized that I've kept things from you in the past, and it wasn't fair of me to be so harsh when you kept something from me. Doris makes me crazy. I shouldn't take that out on you. From now on, only the truth from both of us."

She nodded her head. "I promise, nothing but the truth."

He nodded too. "Okay, I promise too." She shivered a little then and Steve put his hands on her arms and rubbed them up and down. "You're cold, let's get you inside."

He put his arm around her, and felt her lean into him, as he led them back to her car she passed him the keys and he smiled at the silent peace offering. He took the keys and kissed her temple. Then he smiled, Danny had been right, couples fight, and he still trusted Catherine with his life. He kissed her temple again as he opened the car door for her. "Let's go home."

Like I said, a little more angsty then I normally right, but I always felt like Steve had already forgiven Catherine from the get go because there really hadn't been anything to forgive. Also, it's always driven me nuts that he tells her so little, and that he got so upset with her, when he keeps things from her all the time. (Will be part of my sequel to Our Normal!)

If you enjoyed this check out my original work, The Abbot Hall Sweepers, you can find it at all major e-book retailers and the first one is free, or my blog, erinrenn at wordpress, but mostly I just hoped you enjoyed this!