Hi Everyone,
Still alive...sorry this has taken so long I just couldn't get something I was happy with. This is short but I think it's how I wanted it to end up.
As voted by people over on , my ext story is once again H50, check out my profile for the prologue. The summary is in the footnotes. There's also a surprise one-shot coming to the "Low" timestamps, it will be out tomorrow with the second chapter of my new multi chapter. Please read, review and enjoy!
Rose
Steve was shocked to see the man in front of him. Senator Bailey had once been a man with a commanding presence, immaculately dressed, with grey eyes that demanded to be met.
"Mr McGarrett, it's good to see you on your feet." His voice was hoarse, tone matching drawn features.
Steve eased himself up; though he'd been running and swimming and generally getting back to his own life, the move back to work was exhausting him, a reminder of just how close to the brink he'd come. "Thank you, sir. How have you been going?"
The senator sighed, the sound of a man who'd lived years far past what he had. "It's going."
Steve leant against his desk; "I wanted to apologise to you, Senator. I'd been meaning to come and see you. I'm sorry we took so long and that our incompetence cost your daughter's life." He forced himself to meet the steely eyes. For a second, the senator said nothing, Steve waited for the inevitable anger, braced for a fist. The unexpected happened. The senator smiled, a small smile that carried the weight of his daughter's coffin.
"Mr McGarrett, I came here to thank you."
"Wait, what?" Steve reached up to flick at his aids; he'd so far had no problems but there was no way he'd heard that right.
"Mr McGarrett, you put your life on the line and saved two lives. Your team did incredible work. Just because my daughter was the one that-", a breath, a pause. "-that died, that doesn't take away from the children that are still here because of what you and your team did."
"Senator I-"
"Thank you, Mr McGarrett."
Steve stepped forward, extending a hand in response to the offered one, shaking it firmly. The senator left, all Steve could do was stare.
Steve slumped back into his chair, still staring at the spot the senator had just stood. The door once more opened but this time familiar face poked around the frame.
"You coming for lunch, Brah?"
Steve stood once more, taking a second for the head rush to past. "Yeah Chin, where're we heading?"
They began walking into the office, Kono and Danny joining up as they got the doors.
"New sandwich and salad place opened up a street away, thought we'd hit it up."
"Sounds good."
They arrived and ordered, sitting and tucking in.
"What did Bailey want before?" Danny sked through a mouthful of the meatball sub he'd ordered, sauce dripping down his chin unnoticed. "I couldn't hear yelling. S'he a silent anger man?"
Steve shook his head, still slightly shocked himself at the conversation that had taken place.
"He wanted to say thank you."
"Thank you?" Kono's voice held Steve's earlier tone.
"Yeah. Said we'd saved lives, put ours on the line and just because he was the unlucky one didn't mean we hadn't done a good thing for a lot of people." He took a bite of the salad he'd ordered, some new-fangled concoction of pear, radish, carrots, peas and a lettuce he couldn't identify. He was pleasantly surprised at the taste.
"That's… that's pretty good of him." Steve nodded, continued chewing. "Are you okay Steve?"
Steve looked up at Danny. "Fine, why?"
Kono laughed. "You've got your stoic bullshit 'it's all my fault face', and you have been since he left your office."
"No I'm not!" The indignation came through his voice despite his attempt to quell it.
Danny and Chin joined in the laughter. "Like it or not McGarrett, you do."
"That little girl died because I wasn't on top pf my game. If I'd been on top of everything, we might have found the cure in time to save her." His voice was quieter than normal, Lieutenant Commander Steven McGarrett hidden deep beneath the scared little boy who'd lost his mother so many years ago.
"Steve." Danny came close, held a hand on the taller man' shoulder and waited until he lowered his head and their eyes met. "For once, a politician told the truth. You helped save lives. There are families together because of the risks you took and take every day." He pulled his phone out, and opened a photo that had been taken in the hospital between the many specialist visits.
Hani Hirono and Declan Jenkins, smiling and sitting next to Steve on his bed. The latter was looking exhausted, slumped against the risen bed-head. The two children held up a sign each.
Our Hero.
Sunday came. Grace was with Danny for the weekend, and therefore with Steve. He'd swum and showered while the two William's slumbered, slipped in his aids and prepared pancake batter for when their steps padded downstairs. For the time between, Steve settled himself in the sun, opening up the morning paper. The front page's headline made a smile come to his face.
"Senator Donates Late Daughter's College and Trust Fund to Batten Hope Organisation."
Steve could hear the sound of movement upstairs, could hear the waves gently lapping at the shore. Steve could hear. The healing had begun.
Thank you for reading!
Fire and Ice: Steve's hurt but none of that matters because there is a storm coming to the snow covered mountain and a little girl who is relying on him.