CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE

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 31, 2013

(Caroline just smirks as she unzips her dress and slips out of her heels. Once she has hung the dress in the closet and slipped into an emerald green gown, she steps into the bathroom to brush her teeth and finds Danny's already there. They continue to trade glances in the bathroom mirror, Caroline's all-knowing and Danny's slightly suspicious and then they head into the bedroom and slip into bed. Caroline turns toward Danny and props her head in one hand while tracing tiny circles on her husband's muscular shoulder with the other.)

"Come on, Danny, you and Steve are closer than a lot of brothers. Why can't the two of you just admit it and be done with it?"

"What, and take all the mystery out of our relationship?"

"Danny!"

"Caroline, neither Steve nor I are 'touchy, feely' kind of guys."

"Oh, yes, you are; both of you. Neither you nor Steve have the least bit of trouble telling me and Sam exactly how much you love us no matter where we are or who's around, and I haven't noticed either of you keeping your hands to yourselves when we're out in public, either."

"That's different, Gorgeous."

"Okay. Neither of you have a problem expressing affection to our parents."

"Also different, Caroline."

"For goodness' sake, Danny, why can't the two of you just admit you love each other like brothers?"

"It's not that easy."

"Why the Hell not?"

"It just . . Isn't."

"Danny Williams you can be the most frustrating man on Earth sometimes!"

"Yeah, but you still love me."

"Yes, Danny, I still love you."

"Wanna show me how much?"

"How about you show me?"

(Kono Montgomery, her body thoroughly sated and humming with sweet afterglow, turns her head and offers her handsome husband a lazy smile. Tony's response is to lift his wife's hand to his mouth and drop a soft kiss on the back of her hand before placing it over his heart and covering it with his.)

"I think, K, that we should let Lana and Chin have Eric overnight more often."

"Do you now?"

"Yeah, I mean, Chin said they've talked about having a baby of their own, so having Eric is good practice for them."

"Tony, you silly man, Eric is going to be two in a few weeks! Taking care of a two year old is a lot different than taking care of a newborn!"

"I know that, but, you've go to admit that it's nice to be able to make love without having to keep an ear open for little man."

"There is that. . . Remember when we were looking for a house and you said you wanted one with four or five bedrooms?"

"Yeah."

"Well, maybe we should start thinking about redoing one of the guest rooms for Eric; get him a big boy bed and furniture so that he can have his own 'space'."

"He has his own 'space', K; it's called the nursery."

"And where is Eric going to sleep when we have another baby, Tony?"

"I see your point. Okay, we can start looking for 'big boy' furniture for Eric and move him into one of the guest rooms. . . . Um, K, does this mean you're ready to think about having another baby?"

" 'Think' is the operative word, Tony, and we need to talk about it, but, yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm ready. Question is, are you?"

"You know I want a houseful, Babe, but I don't want to rush you into another pregnancy if you're not ready for it. There's a good chance that I'll be deployed again, at least part of the time, and I know how hard it was on you when you were carrying Eric."

"It's going to be hard on me anytime you're deployed, Tony, whether I'm pregnant or not."

"Yeah, K, I know. . .

(Lana and Chin stand next to one another as they gaze down at little Eric Montgomery sleeping like a little angel in the portable playpen Kono and Tony brought with them from Hawaii. Eric fell asleep as soon as they left the restaurant and not once did he stir while Lana changed him into his pajamas except to emit a soft, sweet little sigh. Chin glances over at his wife and sees the somewhat wistful expression on her face as she watches the precious child sleep and slips an arm around her shoulders.)

"You want one of those don't you, Lana?"

"Of course, I do, Chin. Don't you?"

(Danny is just about asleep when Caroline lifts her head from his chest and gives him a kiss on the cheek, and he smiles.)

"What was that for?"

"To thank you for helping Steve and Dad pull this whole thing off."

"I didn't do anything."

"Yes, you did. Dad told me you were the one who contacted Arlington and set-up the memorial service."

"Only because Boy Wonder was trying to do four things at once and I knew he was going to mess something up if somebody didn't step up to the plate."

"Danny."

"What? It's the truth, and I knew how important this trip was to you, so, yeah, I volunteered to make a phone call. Big deal."

"It is a big deal so stop trying to brush it off!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever."

"You're not going to let me thank you for doing something nice, are you, Danny?"

"I can think of other ways you can thank me, Caroline."

"Hello? Thought I just did?"

"Thank me again. Please."

"Sometimes you make me want to scream or curse or rant and rave, Danny Williams."

"Yeah, but you still love me."

"I still love you."