CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

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: November 4, 2012

(Libby is well aware of the tension in the room and decides to do her best to diffuse it before Caroline catches on. The fact that Danny realizes something's up hasn't escaped her notice and the last thing she wants is to make either Sam or Caroline uncomfortable.)

"I've got an idea. Since it's Saturday and since Caroline hasn't been out in a while, why don't we ladies go out and do a little shopping? I'm sure your father and Steve and Danny can find a game on television they'd like to watch and we can have some Mother/Daughter/Granddaughter time. What do you think?"

"I think that's a splendid idea, Libby! The boys and I haven't had a chance to argue football or baseball or basketball in a while. You girls go right ahead and go shopping; we'll be just fine."

"Good! All right, then, shopping and lunch, it is. Just let me straighten up the kitchen and we'll head out."

"You girls go ahead. We'll take care of the kitchen, Libby. Between the three of us, we'll have it cleaned up in no time."

"Thank you, Mike. Well, what are you girls waiting for? Your father and the boys are going to clean up the kitchen, so we're good to go. I think we'll start at that store Grace likes so much. I believe they have a pair of those jeans you wanted, dear."

(And Libby and Grace are heading toward the front door with Sam and Caroline, who has taken Emily from Danny, looking at each other like deer caught in headlights and scrambling to find their purses and Emily's diaper bag and follow their mother out of the house. Seconds later, the three men hear Libby's SUV start up and pull out of the driveway, and Mike stands up and grabs two plates off the table.)

"All right, you two, we promised Libby we'd take care of this mess, so let's get to it."

"Hold up there, Mike. You promised Libby we'd take care of the kitchen. Steve and I didn't say a word. Besides, you two need to tell me what's going on, and don't say 'nothing' because I know better. Just where did you and Sam go this morning, Steve?"

(Steve and Mike exchange concerned looks, and Steve sighs heavily and straightens up from the counter to his full height and faces his brother-in-law after Mike gives him an almost imperceptible nod.)

"We went to the base, Danny; to the hospital. We went there to have a pregnancy test done. Sam had a rough night and we had reason to believe she might be pregnant. I called Libby and Mike at 0600 this morning and asked them to come over here because . . . Because Sam was sick and hurting, and I felt pretty damned helpless, and I needed their help."

(Danny's expression changes from suspicious to understanding and, as he's just spent two months in emotional and mental Hell because he couldn't help his wife, he well understands where Steve's coming from. Steve and Mike are both a little surprised that there is no sign of anger or resentment or grief in Danny's expression at the news that Sam might be pregnant, but they are both relieved.)

"You all were worried that Sam's pregnancy would upset Caroline; upset both of us."

"Yeah, Danny, we were. Libby said Caroline was tougher than we thought and she would be thrilled for us, but . . ."

"Libby's right, Steve. . . So, is Sam pregnant?"

"No, the pregnancy test was negative. Lt. Cmdr. Denning told us he thinks that Sam's nightmares and her throwing up half the night were the result of all the stress she's been under the past couple of months; especially after she talked Caroline through her parents' death yesterday. He said he's fairly certain everything's just caught up to her and she had to get it out of her system somehow."

"Is Sam okay? Are you okay, Son?"

"I'm not sure what either one of us is feeling right now, Mike, but we will be okay. Sam told me a little while ago that she wants to talk with Capt. Stewart about her nightmares, and I think it's a good idea. She's kept her feelings locked up since it happened."

"Libby and I should have insisted that she see a therapist when it all happened, but Sam was so determined to go back to school, to get back into her regular routine. . . That she's having nightmares now, that she can't move past this, . . . It's out fault."

"No, Mike, it isn't. Sam can be pretty hardheaded when she wants to be and nothing you or Libby could have said or done could have convinced her to talk about how she really felt if she was determined to keep it to herself."

"Anne and Jonathan Murdock were the best friends Libby and I had; Libby and Anne were particularly close, and their deaths shook both of us to the core. We were trying our best to take care of Sam and . . . I guess that we were blind to the fact that we should have insisted Sam talk with someone about what happened. At the time, I was furious with that damned NCIS Agent who insisted Sam identify her parents' bodies even though Libby had already done so, and I was also furious that the man who had caused the accident was walking around, scot-free, while Anne and Jonathan were gone forever. There were well-known, high-powered military and political figures in and out of our house before and during the funerals and, because of Jonathan's position with the Joint Chiefs and the fact that the Vice-President of the United States was a personal friend, the media was camped out on our front lawn. We were all a little overwhelmed by it all, and Libby and I wanted to protect Sam, to shield her from those damned reporters who tried to shove cameras and microphones in our faces every time the front door opened. The Vice-President even went so far as to assign a team of Secret Service agents to us the day of the funeral so that we could have some semblance of privacy in which to grieve. Because of all the publicity, Sam wanted to return to the Naval Academy right after the funeral, and, at the time, Libby and I agreed. We felt that the girls would be safe from the media once they were back on campus. We never once stopped to think about the fact that Sam was internalizing everything."

"You did what you thought was best for her, Mike."

"But it wasn't enough! Damn it, we should have known better!"

"It's going to be okay, Mike. Sam's going to talk to Capt. Stewart and work through this."

"Still. . ."

"Mike, you need to stop blaming yourself for something that was not your fault and focus on helping Sam now. This is going to be painful for her, and the best thing we can do for her now is be there for her when she's hurting."

"I am so thankful that Sam has you, Steve. You're a good man, Son, and your Sam's match in every way. Glad you didn't let her push you away,"

"There was absolutely no chance of that happening, Mike. I was totally and completely in love with her the moment I first laid eyes on her."