CHAPTER NINE

Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Elusive Dreams – PART III"

Author: Michelle Heath

Rating: MA for adult situations and language

Summary: Story #9 in the Salvation series. The bonds of family bring the Five-0 ohana even closer.

Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!

Date Written: October 29, 2012

(Libby and Mike are sitting in the waiting room of the Psychiatric Unit while Danny and Caroline talk in her room, and Libby watches the expressions that cross Mike's face while he talks to Steve. When he ends the call and takes her hand in his as he sits back down beside her, she sees the concern on his face.)

"Is Sam all right?"

" 'Course she's not all right, Libby; she just went back through Anne's and Jonathan's deaths in excruciating detail. Steve said she had a meltdown so he took her home. She's asleep right now, but I told him to keep a close eye on her. . . The nightmares are going to come back."

"I never knew until today that she continued to have them after she and
Caroline went back to the Academy. . Why didn't she say anything, Mike? Why didn't she tell us?"

"Because she didn't want to worry us, Libby. She knew how close we were to Anne and Jonathan; especially you and Anne, and she didn't want to worry or upset us any more than we already were."

"We should have known; I should have known! I cannot believe that sweet girl suffered nightmares night after night and neither she nor Caroline said anything."

"They were in their first year at the Naval Academy, Libby. Plebes don't go running to their Mommies; not if they want to graduate."

"Damn the Naval Academy! That child was going through ten different kinds of Hell and never told a soul!"

"Yes, she did, Libby. She told her sister."

(Caroline and Danny are wrapped in each other's arms and they are both crying because they're talking about their son. After Sam moved away and Danny took her place, they just held each other for a while, each of them so very grateful for having the chance to simply be in the other's arms. When they finally pulled apart, Caroline hugged her parents who then graciously said they would go to the waiting room while Caroline and Danny talked. Now, Danny has just finished describing little Gabe to his mother and told her all about the funeral. Caroline, tears falling the entire time, reaches down deep and finds within herself the strength to tell Danny that it's going to be all right, and they'll get through this together. She seems, surprisingly, to be the strong one of the two at the moment, and Danny is close to being more than a little overwhelmed. He's being hit with so many different emotions at the moment that he's having a hard time keeping up, but he wants to know the answer to one question.)

"Caroline, Baby, what was it Sam said that finally got through to you?"

"All of it, Danny. I think . . . I think I heard her when she started talking about the day we met, but . . I think what finally sunk in was when Sam said you needed me."

"I do need you, Caroline; always. I can't make it without you."

"I'm so sorry, Danny. I'm so, so sorry."

"You couldn't help it, Caroline. I'm just thankful that you're back with me now. Don't ever leave me again, Caroline, please."

"I won't, Danny. You're my life, too, and I don't ever want to lose you. Danny?"

"Yeah?"

"I want to see Grace."

(Mike watches Libby as she moves from the window to a chair and flips through a magazine for about three minutes and then jumps up and walks back to the window again only to repeat the cycle after a few minutes. Finally, unable to stand it any longer, Mike stands up and catches Libby's arm as she walks past him.)

"Libby."

"What?"

"You're going to wear a hole in the carpet if you keep pacing back and forth like that."

"I can't help it, Mike. I'm worried about Sam."

"Yeah, I thought that's what was bothering you."

"She opened up a lot of old wounds today, Mike, and I know she did it for Caroline, but I'm worried about her."

"You're always going to worry about our girls, aren't you, Libby?"

"I can't help it, Mike. When are you going to call Steve back and check on Sam?"

"I just talked to him an hour ago, Libby. He'll call us if Sam needs us but we both know that Steve is really the only person Sam needs right now."

"Well, you may be assured that we will be stopping by their house on the way home. I want to check on Sam myself and Steve, as well. He hasn't escaped unscathed by all this, you know."

(At that moment, Steve is standing at the bedroom window looking out at the sun dropping into the ocean and praying that Sam will be able to get some uninterrupted rest for a change. The last two months have been hard on all of them and Sam is mentally and physically exhausted. Taking the few steps necessary to reach their bed, Steve lifts the covers and slips in behind Sam and pulls her into his arms. As much as he wants Sam to get some rest, he also needs to be close to her. Feeling a little selfish but not caring, Steve tightens his arm around Sam's waist and brushes a gentle kiss across her temple. Sam whimpers softly and turns toward Steve's warmth, and he has a moment when his eyes burn as he thinks about how much he loves this woman. In sleep, her expression is more vulnerable and there are shadows beneath her eyes, but she's just as beautiful to him as she's ever been; more so because of the person she is on the inside. The bedroom is gradually darkening because of the setting sun, but Steve doesn't move a muscle. Caroline is on her way to a full recovery, Emily is with Kono and Tony, Sam is sleeping in his arms, and he's right where he wants to be.)