CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO
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: April 1, 2013
(The next day is spent at the Smithsonian Institute's National Air and Space Museum and Sam, Caroline, and Joe Monroe are in their element. Between the three of them, not only Grace, but everyone else gets a thorough education about all things aviation-related. The three are so caught up in their discussions and explanations that they fail to see the indulgent smiles that appear on several faces numerous times during the day. The only time Sam, Caroline, and Joe aren't talking a mile a minute is when Libby calls for a lunch break. Even then, the three naval aviators have their heads together in a discussion about how far aircraft engine designs have come since the Wright brothers first flew at Kitty Hawk. Steve and Mike laugh outright at the expression on Danny's face as he tries to digest everything he's heard during the course of the morning and is now discussing with Emily who is sitting on Uncle Danny's lap.)
"Your Mommy's going to drive you nuts talking about airplanes, Emily. She and your Aunt Caroline and Joe Monroe have given Uncle Danny a headache!"
"Better not let Sam or Caroline hear you say that, Danny, else they'll feel obligated to 'clear up your confusion' by telling you the same things again only more slowly."
(And Danny looks at his father-in-law with an expression of sheer horror on his face; much to the amusement of everyone else.)
"You're kidding me, right?"
"No, Son, I'm not kidding. Sam and Caroline have been all over anything to do with aircraft since they first met. I'm fairly certain that there's nothing those two don't know about aviation, and they both devour every new paper, theory, design, and technical manual that comes out. I'm convinced that they could take a fighter apart and put it together again blindfolded. They both know their aircraft so well that they can pinpoint a problem just by listening to the engine."
"Yeah, Mike, but that's a good thing. I know I feel better knowing Sam has such intimate knowledge of her aircraft. At least she's not going to take it up if she detects something wrong before she takes off."
"Yeah, okay. I can live with that. At least Caroline doesn't bring it home. Yet."
(After lunch, the group is off, again, to explore and Grace is absolutely thrilled because her Mom, Aunt Sam, and that nice Lt. Cmdr. Monroe are answering all her questions about flying and the exhibits they're seeing. By the end of the day, Grace is one happy camper and is even more pleased when everyone agrees to have dinner at a casual barbecue restaurant not far from their hotel that happens to have a huge ice cream bar with all the trimmings. While they are waiting for their orders, Libby looks around and a smile spreads across her face as her gaze moves from Caroline and Danny, with Grace in between them, talking about the museum, to Lana and Chin, talking quietly, to Sam leaning over to kiss Emily's little cheek as she sits in her father's lap and then sharing a quick but sweet kiss with Steve, to Tony leaning over and talking to his son as Kono holds Eric in her lap and laughs at whatever it was Tony said to Eric, and a feeling of peace envelops Libby as all is right with her world again. After dinner, they all return to the hotel and pile in Libby's and Mike's suite to watch a movie. Again, Libby is touched by the things she sees; Grace has her head in Caroline's lap and her feet in Danny's and Caroline is absently stroking Grace's hair, Kono and Tony hold hands as they watch Eric crawling all over Chin while Lana just laughs softly, Emily is asleep on her father's chest and Sam is asleep with her head on Steve's shoulder and Steve kisses the top of Emily's little head and then Sam's. Joe Monroe has decided to head back to his own room so he can call and talk to his wife, and Libby drops down next to Mike on the opposite end of the sofa from Sam and Steve and sends him a loving smile. By the time the movie ends, everyone is asleep except Libby and Mike, and they just smile as they move around the room gently waking the adults and sending everyone to their own rooms. . .
While Sam, Steve, Emily, and Joe Monroe flew to Washington over a two-day period, everyone else flew straight to Washington, also courtesy of Steve's friend. However, the plane they flew in on went back to Hawaii so Sam and Joe will be flying everyone home. Their plan is to take off at 11:00 a.m. the next morning. At dinner, Steve told Mike that Sam wanted to go back out to Arlington again before they left and asked Mike if he and Libby would watch Emily. Of course, Mike readily agreed and at eight the next morning, Steve carries a still sleeping Emily into his in-law's suite.)
"Emily's sleeping in this morning, I see."
"Yeah, she is. She kept waking up last night until Sam finally put her in the bed with us, but it was pretty late so Baby Girl's still out."
"Well, don't worry; we'll make sure she has breakfast when she wakes up. How long are you and Sam going to be gone, Son?"
"Don't know, Mike. Sam said she wanted to go back out to Arlington so that's what we're going to do. We've already put our luggage in the car and checked out so we'll probably meet the rest of you at the airport."
"Take all the time you need, Steve. Just because we'd planned on leaving at eleven doesn't mean we actually have to do it."
(When they reach the gravesites of Anne and Jonathan Murdock, Steve starts to get out, but Sam lays a hand on his arm and asks him to give her a few minutes by herself. Picking up her hand and kissing it softly, Steve gives Sam and encouraging smile. Getting out of the car, Sam slowly walks to her parents' graves, sits down between their headstones, and rests her folded arms on her drawn-up knees. She sits there for several minutes thinking back on her childhood, both before and after meeting Caroline, and all of the wonderful time she spent with her parents. With a hand resting on each headstone, Sam closes her eyes, bows her head and offers a prayer of thanksgiving for the time her biological parents were in her life. As she finishes her prayer and lifts her head, a cloud which had been covering the sun drifts away and the warm sunshine touches her face. A sense of peace and calm envelopes Sam and a small smile touches her lips. She opens her eyes to find her husband standing a few feet away and reaches out a hand to him. Steve pulls Sam to her feet and pulls her into his warm, strong embrace; just holding her for a few moments in silence.)
"You okay, Beautiful?"
"I am now. I've made my peace with my parents' deaths, Steve, and I know now that what happened was not my fault. I'm so sorry for everything I've put you through. I know my parents are still with me, here, in my heart and that they always will be."
"Yeah, Sam, they will, and Emily and I will always be here for you, too. Always and forever."