CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT

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 28, 2013

A/N: Hello, all. Got the idea for this chapter from a friend who thought that, as long as I was making things a little "lighter" at this point, I should take the opportunity to allow the ladies to get the upper hand. Just couldn't resist! Don't worry, although this story is coming to a close, I'm not through with our ohana just yet, and Caroline and Danny have some unresolved issues to be dealt with, as well. Thank you all for reading and reviewing, and, please, keep those suggestions coming! Michelle

(Somehow, the large group manages to order their dinner without confusing their servers too much and it isn't long before their food arrives. All throughout dinner, Sam and Steve and Kono and Tony take every opportunity to "accidentally" touch one another and the looks the ladies are sending their husbands are coming through loud and clear. Lana whispers something in her husband's ear and, a few minutes later, Tony and Chin step outside so they can move Eric's car seat from Kono's and Tony's rental car to Lana's and Chin's. When they return to the table, Tony stops next to Steve's chair and, after a brief conversation, drops the keys to his rental car next to Joe Monroe's plate explaining that he and Kono are going back to the hotel with Sam and Steve. Five minutes later, the two couples make their escape while everyone else orders dessert. Since they are all going to the Smithsonian tomorrow, Grace is too caught up in a discussion of what they're going to be seeing at the museum with her Uncle Chin to even notice the two couples have left. Although both her parents stopped and kissed her before they left, Emily Anne McGarrett is not at all happy. She's learned that, when her parents kiss her and then disappear, they are usually gone for a very long time. Emily loves her grandparents, but they're not her Mommy and Daddy, and now she's grumpy. Mike recognizes the mutinous expression on his granddaughter's face because it's exactly like one of her father's with a good dash of her mother thrown in for good measure. Deciding to head things off before Emily goes into full whining and crying mode, Mike takes Emily out of the high chair and sits her in his lap.)

"Now, Miss McGarrett, your Mommy and Daddy went back to the hotel so you're just going to have to be satisfied with Grandma and me and that's that. How would you like some of Grandpa's ice cream, hmmm?"

(The McGarretts and the Montgomerys are on their way back to the hotel and Sam and Kono are talking and giggling like teenage girls while Steve and Tony are quietly laughing at their wives' exuberance for their impromptu escape. Quietly being the operative word because neither young man wants to say or do anything to distract Sam or Kono from their objective. They are about halfway back to the hotel when the women's conversation touches on the only topic that could possibly put a halt to things; their children.)

"Eric didn't look too happy when we left. I hope he doesn't give Lana and Chin too much trouble."

"Yeah, Emily wasn't looking too pleased, either, and she can be a real handful when she wants to be."

"Libby and Mike will take care of Emily, Sam; she'll be just fine."

"And so will Eric, K."

"It has been a while since Emily spent the night with Mom and Dad, but . . . Things have been really. . Weird for her lately, Steve. Maybe we shouldn't have left her."

"She's with your folks, Sam, and she loves Libby and Mike."

"I know, but . . . Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all."

(And just that quick, Steve begins to panic! Not more than two hours ago, Sam was all over him and he put the brakes on things so they could go out to eat. Now, she's the one who's re-thinking things and Steve knows he has to think fast. There is only one thing, one person, who can successfully come between him and Sam at times like this and that person is their daughter. If Sam starts feeling guilty for leaving Emily with her parents while they go back to the hotel to . . . Okay, McGarrett, think! But Kono is also starting to feel the first stirrings of guilt for leaving Eric with Lana and Chin and she and Sam are trading concerned glances. Tony sends a desperate look in Steve's direction as they are stopped at a traffic light and both young men can almost see their plans for the evening going straight down the drain. Tony's expression is just as pained as is Steve's and he, too, is scrambling to come up with an op plan that will ensure a happy outcome for all concerned. Finally, just as Steve parks the car in the hotel lot, he turns to face Sam and Kono, who are sitting in the back, with what he hopes is a convincing smile on his handsome face, and Tony quickly follows his lead.)

"Come on, ladies, you know that Emily and Eric are in excellent hands and they'll be just fine."

"Absolutely. Besides, they'll only be a couple of rooms away from us, so if there's any problem we can be there in no time."

"Tony's right, and I think you'll both agree that we deserve some time for ourselves. After all, it's not often that our kids spend the night away from home so we should take advantage of this opportunity while we can."

"Wow. Who would've ever thought we'd have not one, but two big, bad Navy SEALs practically on their knees begging."

"Yeah, Kono, no one's going to believe this."

"No one's going to . . . You two aren't actually thinking about telling anyone about this, are you, Sam?"

"Are you kidding me, Steve? This is entirely too good not to share!"

"Whoa, if this gets out, Steve and I are pretty much done."

"Let me get this straight, you two think you're 'done' if Sam and I tell Caroline and Lana. . . "

"And the wives of the guys on your SEAL team . . ."

"And maybe Libby and Rosa that the two of you were begging?"

(And it's then that both Steve and Tony realize that their wives have been playing them and they actually fell for it. Exchanging a look that says they're thoroughly disgusted with each other, Steve and Tony get out of the car, help their very amused wives out, and say goodnight as they head to their own rooms with Sam's and Kono's laughter fading as the doors to their rooms firmly close.)