CHAPTER TWENTY-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: November 23, 2012
(Surprisingly, things are relatively calm when Sam arrives at the base, thanks to the long hours she and several others put in over the weekend, and Lt. Cmdr. Monroe, bless him, has everything well in hand. The two investigators from San Diego, after examining the wreckage of the downed aircraft, are fairly certain that the crash was the result of a catastrophic engine failure and Senior Chief Charlie Evans is working with them to determine the specific cause. The bodies of both the pilot and RIO have been autopsied at the base hospital and are on their way back to San Diego N.A.S., and the damaged runway is being thoroughly assessed for repairs. After receiving a sitrep from Lt. Cmdr. Monroe and dismissing him with her thanks, Sam looks at her desk phone and finally reaches for the receiver. Expelling a heavy sigh, she dials the number for Capt. Stewart's office. . .
Steve is working on some reports in his office when his cellular phone rings and Sam's name and number pop up.)
"Hey, Beautiful. How're things at the base this morning?"
"We're making progress. Senior Chief Evans and the two investigators from San Diego are in one of the maintenance hangars going over the wreckage with a microscope and there's a crew assessing the damaged runways for repairs. Lt. Cmdr. Monroe has done an amazing job, Steve; all I'm really doing is signing off on paperwork."
"Because you were right in the thick of things all night Saturday and again yesterday, Sam. Did you have a chance to call Capt. Stewart's office?"
"I did; that's why I'm calling you. I gave him the basics and he wants to see you, me, Mom, and Dad at 1400 hours in his office. That a good time for you?"
"Absolutely. Thank you, Sam."
"You're welcome, Steve. Now, I have to go check on a couple of things so I'll meet you at Capt. Stewart's office at 1350."
(At 1350 hours, Sam meets her husband and parents in the waiting room outside Capt. Stewart's office at the base hospital but she can't speak to them immediately because she is on the phone with Senior Chief Evans when they arrive. The call lasts several minutes and as soon as she ends the call, they are shown into the Captain's office. Since they've been unable to greet Sam, let alone have a conversation with her, neither Steve nor Libby nor Mike has been able to get a read on her attitude but they head into the psychiatrist's office and take their seats. There are a pair of comfortable –looking sofas which face each other on either side of a functional coffee table and a pair of matching chairs on either end. Sam and Steve sit on one of the sofas and Libby and Mike sit across from them with Capt. Stewart sitting in one of the chairs.)
"When Cmdr. McGarrett called me this morning, she indicated that you all had some concerns in relation to her. I've always found it helpful to get as much first-hand information as possible so that's why I asked all of you here this afternoon. I've spoken briefly the Commander and she has assured me that she will not be angry or upset with any of you for expressing your honest concerns. (He looks straight at Steve.) I'd like to start with you, Cmdr. McGarrett. Tell me what specific concerns you have regarding your wife."
(If either Sam or Capt. Stewart were expecting any hesitation from Steve, they are disappointed because he looks straight at his wife and starts speaking, his eyes never leaving hers.)
"While we've all been under a lot of stress for the past couple of months because of the situation with my sister-in-law, I believe its affected Sam more than she thinks it has; it's brought back nightmares of when her biological parents died, it's made her physically sick, and her emotions are all over the place. I think it's directly related to something that happened when Anne and Jonathan Murdock died; something that Sam either can't or won't tell us about. Sam has never gone into any detail about her parents' accident or her life with them while she was growing up. It's almost like she wants to put all thoughts of her biological parents completely out of her mind."
"Admiral? Mrs. Thrasher?"
"I agree with my son-in-law, Capt. Stewart. Sam really has not been herself lately. A couple of days ago, Sam, Caroline, their daughters and I all went shopping and . . Well, one minute Sam and I were in the middle of a fairly serious discussion and the next minute she changed right before my eyes. It was disconcerting to say the least. And, then, there's the fact that the only time Sam's been to Anne's and Jonathan's graves was the day of their funeral."
"Libby and I should have insisted that Sam talk with a therapist at the time but, because of all the publicity surrounding Anne's and Jonathan's deaths and the reporters who were constantly hounding us, we thought it was best to get the girls back to the Naval Academy as soon as possible; get Sam out of the spotlight. Now, . . Now, we realize that did Sam a grave disservice."
"Cmdr. McGarrett, how do you feel about what your husband and adoptive parents have had to say?"
"I don't think any of us have been acting normally. The accident and Caroline's subsequent medical condition created a lot of stress for everyone, and my OB/GYN even said that the nightmares and nausea and vomiting I experienced were my body's way of reacting to that stress. I don't often talk about my biological parents because doing so hurts deeply, and I'm sure that you can all understand that, as a fighter pilot, I've been stationed on one carrier or another for the majority of my naval career so I've never really been able to visit my parents' graves. I'm married with a child of my own, now, and I love my husband and daughter very much. I know where my biological parents are and I believe they'd want me to devote my time and attention to Steve and Emily instead of going all the way across the country to visit their graves at Arlington. I love my family very much, Capt. Stewart, but they're off-target this time."