CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX

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: March 23, 2013

A/N: Hi, guys! Okay, things have been pretty serious up to this point so I've decided that I need to "lighten up" a little bit. (Actually, I started thinking about "Danny-rants"!) So, here goes. Enjoy! Michelle

(As soon as he gets the door to their suite open, Steve yanks Sam inside, slams the door, and jerks her up against him so he can kiss her senseless. When he finally lets her up for air, Sam is slightly breathless, but still has the giggles. However, she doesn't let that stop her from pulling his head back down to hers and kissing him again. Steve is truly caught between a rock and, well, a hard place, and reaches down deep to find the strength to grab Sam by the upper arms and pull away from her although it's just about killing him to do so.)

"Sam! Your dad just got through telling us that everyone wants to go to dinner and they're way ahead of us in getting dressed!"

"Yeah, Steve, I heard him."

(And she pushes his hands away, grabs his face with both hands, and pulls him in for another kiss. Beads of sweat begin to break out on Steve's face as he, once again, sets his extremely amorous wife away from him.)

"Sam! We need to change our clothes so we can go eat! The room will still be here when we get back from dinner!"

"Good point, and I'm sure Emily can spend the night with Mom and Dad or Caroline and Danny."

"Sam, Sweetheart, . . ."

"I want you, Steve!"

"Yeah, Sam, I got that. Believe me, I got that, . . What brought this on?"

"What you did for me this afternoon was so amazing. You helped free me from the awful guilt I was carrying around for all those years, and, although I'm going to continue my therapy sessions with Capt. Stewart for a while longer, you are far better for me than anyone or anything in this world. You're the man I'm spending the rest of my life with, you're the father of my child, and I'm in love with you. Any more questions?"

"No, Beautiful. I get it. I love you, Sam; forever and always."

(And this time, Steve is the one who pulls Sam into his arms and kisses her until her knees get weak. Finally, he reluctantly ends the oh so sweet kiss and sends a rueful glance at the door.)

"We really do need to change, Sam."

(And to punctuate Steve's words, someone pounds on the door to their suite and then Danny's voice comes through loud and clear followed by Caroline's.)

"Hey, some of us want to go have dinner! You two need to get a move on!"

"Leave them alone, Danny! They'll be ready to go in a few minutes!"

"You know, if it were just Danny waiting on us, I'd throw the deadbolt on that door and. . ."

(And that sets Sam off into another fit of giggles, but she decides that it would totally unfair to the rest of their family for her and Steve to indulge themselves at the moment, so she forces herself to behave; at least, as much as she possibly can at the moment.)

"Okay, then, let's change, go eat, and get back here. I have plans for you, Mister!"

"Damn, maybe we should just meet them there."

(But Sam is already kicking off her black heels and pulling the zipper down on her dress. As she drops it to the floor and steps out of it, leaving her only in a pair of lacy black bikinis and bra, Steve's pulse rate picks up and he actually takes a step in her direction before she throws a wicked little grin over her shoulder and heads into the suite's bedroom. Closing his eyes and expelling a deep breath, because now he's feeling pretty frisky, Steve starts unbuttoning his uniform jacket as he follows his wife into the bedroom. . .

Eight minutes later the McGarretts emerge from their suite looking extremely well put together. The restaurant they're going to is upscale and calls for dressier clothes. Sam is wearing a mint-green, halter top dress that hugs her curves enticingly and pairs it with white, strappy heels and a matching clutch. Steve is wearing a dark suite with a white dress shirt and black tie. Together, they make a very striking couple, indeed. Steve's hand rests possessively at Sam's waist as they join everyone else in the parking lot, and Danny has a look of utter and complete surprise on his face.)

"And here I thought the two of you would be meeting us at the restaurant."

"Why would you think that, Danny?"

"Because, Steven, I saw the two of you going into your room a few minutes ago."

"Yeah, and?"

"And? And? Sam was giggling and the look on your face was . ."

"Was what, Danny?"

(Danny realizes that, instead of catching Sam and Steve in a compromising position, he's the one dangling on the end of the hook. Naturally, being Danny, he forges ahead anyway.)

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, Steven!"

"No, Danny, I don't. Do you have any idea what Danny's talking about, Sam?"

"No, Steve, I can't possibly imagine."

(And several snickers are heard as both Sam and Steve have perfectly innocent expressions on their faces but Danny looks as if he's about to pop a blood vessel. Taking a deep breath and expelling it slowly, Danny sends an apologetic, little smile in the direction of everyone except Sam and Steve and then turns back to them.)

"I'm very glad that the two of you decided to delay your, um, discussion until later so that we'll all be on time for our dinner reservations. Thank you."

(Steve lifts an eyebrow and looks like he really wants to make a smart-assed retort to Danny's comment, but Mike quickly jumps in and starts herding everyone to their cars. He informs Sam and Steve that he's already switched Emily's car seat from their rental car to his and Libby's and they will be taking her with them and Grace, as well. That leaves Joe Monroe to ride with Kono, Tony, and little Eric Montgomery, and Lana and Chin with Caroline and Danny. Steve, being the highly intelligent Navy SEAL that he is, immediately steps forward and opens the passenger door for his wife and then quickly walks around to get in the car himself, exchanging a quick look with his father-in-law that expresses his thanks for Mike's neat handling of the situation. Mike smiles with satisfaction as everyone else scrambles to follow his directions without question; by now, they all know when Adm. Thrasher issues an order! Mike has taken all of two steps toward his rental car to open the door for Libby when he hears Grace's sweet voice ask her father a question.)

"What were Aunt Sam and Uncle Steve going to have a discussion about, Danno?"

"Get in the car, Grace. We don't want to be late for our reservations."

"But Danno . ."

"I'm so going to kill Pineapple Boy!"

"Why are you going to kill Uncle Steve?"

(And Mike simply cannot help himself and gives in to the unrestrained laughter that bubbles up; especially when snickers and snorts erupt from the rest of their ohana. Mike's laughter stops very quickly, however, when they are on the way to the restaurant and Grace's voice comes from the backseat.)

"Grandpa, why were Aunt Sam and Uncle Steve going to have a discussion and why is Danno going to kill Uncle Steve?"