I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.

Notes: thank you so much again and AGAIN for the continued reviews. Though they certainly haven't complained, many thanks to CinderH, KQ and TheDogo for continuing to beta this story that was "theoretically done" about 7 chapters ago.

Chapter Twenty-Two

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"Do you like them?" Mark nodded to Kia's shy question as he tried to nibble on the large cookie. He was still as pale as the sheet he lay upon and not very hungry. But the bed was raised and for the first time since he could remember being in the hospital, his head didn't hurt. He didn't expect to get any visitors and Kia's arrival with her mother was nothing short of astonishing. He blushed at the small cellophane bag of chocolate chip cookies tied shut with a bright red bow and didn't know what to say about the handmade get well card. But Mrs. Montrose's doting kiss which left red lipstick on his forehead rendered him dumb.

"We made them yesterday." Kia added after a short silence. Her eyes rolled dramatically upwards. "My mom likes to bake. A lot. Does your mom?"

"What?" His eyes were liquid, dark and very brooding. Watching Kia's mother talk animatedly to his subdued father just inside the doorway to his room was a major distraction. Gina and Kia Montrose had extended their visit for quite a long period of time. While Kia was on the quiet side, Gina was ebullient and overly talkative, drawing his father out at a steadily persistent rate. So by that time, he wasn't listening entirely and her innocent question took him by surprise.

"Bake," worried by his curt response, Kia repeated her question. "Your mom ... does she bake, too?"

"No," Mark's cheeks flushed in an embarrassment. His mother might have been considered a housewife, but she was far from being pleasantly domestic. There was rarely cooking as most occasions opted for catered food or even delivered higher-end fast food. At most, his mother might have left a cereal box on the kitchen table or on a rare occasion made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. But there was definitely no baking done to make the house smell warm and cozy on cold days. In fact, the only thing the oven seemed good for was to store never before used bakery pans and casserole dishes.

"Oh," Kia mumbled. Now at a total loss of what to talk about, she stood idle by the side of the bed not knowing what to do or say. Besides being at an awkward age, neither were very good friends at school. They knew each other, didn't really know each other and worse yet, had nothing in common.

"You were really brave," Kia suddenly whispered while toying with her fingers. "On the rocks ... and after what happened after Mr. Williams got shot ... here, too. You're really brave. It's kind of scary being in the hospital."

Slack-jawed by her soft praises, Mark had to work at slamming his mouth closed. "He's a detective. Not a mister, so you should say Detective Williams. He's going to take me to the forensics lab to investigate where the weapon came from. It might have been used in a real crime." Choosing to correct his classmate and then to impress her, Mark didn't know what to say about Kia's actual compliment though. He certainly didn't feel brave and his memories of what had happened were terribly raw.

Self-consciously, Mark glanced up while finishing the first cookie to watch her studying her fingers in diligent solitude. Still unable to find something else to say, he reached for a second cookie, grinning when Kia heard the plastic wrap crinkling.

"It's not scary here. Doctor Webber is really nice." Mark returned Kia's shy smile and then shrugged when she looked at the bandage on his head. He answered her before she could ask. "I hurt my neck and back when I fell. Plus, I have a hairline skull fracture. I get dizzy sometimes, but it doesn't hurt anymore; and, I have twelve stitches under the bandage."

"Fracture?" Kia wrinkled her nose, not quite understanding what that meant. However, she understood the part about the stitches and was duly impressed. "Twelve? That's a lot," she hushed out in admiration. "Is your hair gone, too?"

"A little bit I guess," Mark admitted. He hadn't thought to ask about his hair. Now, his fingers strayed to touch the edges of the white wrap and he grinned, shrugging again to confess he wasn't entirely sure. He looked up in askance when his father and Mrs. Montrose finally came back into the room.

"Dad? Is my hair gone?" His unexpected question made his father rock to a halt by the foot of his bed. Rounding the side, Gina made space for herself on the edge of the bed. She gave out with a light laugh regarding Mark's question, daring to swipe a long swath of his hair off his forehead.

"Your hair?" Perplexed, Roger stared at his son. His jaw worked almost anxiously as he watched Gina's apparent natural ease, astonished by her sheer comfort in making herself fully at home. Her legs were tucked demurely under her, but those same legs ended in pointy-toed, designer stilettos. At once bordering risqué, but confusingly down to earth, Roger's head was spinning by the visit.

Gina Montrose had cried in the hallway.

More than his son's own mother, a veritable stranger had shed very real tears once she had coaxed Mark's injuries out of his very mouth. To his own horror, he had nearly shown the woman Beth's damning letter in his own flux of needing an emotional purge. So now, Roger forgot to think as he stared at his son, a little dark haired girl, and this outrageously complex woman. Mark hardly knew his classmate and Gina Montrose was a complete stranger to both, yet her eyes held nothing but concern as she simultaneously searched for another tissue to wipe the stubborn remnants of lipstick from his son's skin and ... laughed.

"Your hair?" Roger was tongue-tied; entirely stunned when Gina smoothed Mark's hair gently away from the bandages and his son blushed at the unexpected attention.

"Yeah. My hair ... is it cut off?" He asked his father again, but Mark was gazing at Mrs. Montrose in shameless confusion. His hand came up blindly as another chocolate chip cookie was presented to him without preamble. One had also found its way to Kia who was happy to curl up in the closest plastic visitor's chair with her reward.

"Uh ... yeah ... I think a little was shaved off." Roger shook himself back to the present as he watched his son eat a cookie. Mark had barely spoken since the prior day and eaten less than a bird. Webber was concerned and one nurse or another was always popping in to see how he was feeling. Roger certainly hadn't mentioned the abrasive note left by Beth, yet the boy seemed to innately know that his mother wasn't returning. While having her there was far from soothing, this new truth also caused a certain moroseness. It was something Roger feared Mark would once more blame himself for causing; another reason to claim he wasn't good enough. Now, in just a few short frightening hours, Roger had discovered another need to be closer still.

Yet at that very moment, Mark looked different and asking about his hair of all things was simply ... a good change. "They had to for the stitches, but it will grow back," Roger added as he worried about his son's reaction. His eyes found Gina's, she read the concern and ... smiled soothingly to him ... and there was a soft click as his teeth clacked together in his mouth.

However, nothing else happened. In fact, the unexpected visit had brought color to Mark's face which lifted a bit of the illness away and cookie crumbs littered the white sheets of his hospital bed. His fingers were smudged with chocolate and remnants of a poorly thumbed away lipstick stain could be seen on his forehead despite Gina's determined efforts. There might even have been the hint of an awkward smile on his son's face and Roger literally forgot to think as a new question was blurted.

"What?" Roger stammered just as Chin and Kono appeared in the doorway. They startled him and he missed what Mark repeated for their arrival, only sensing that Gina had gracefully gotten to her feet.

"We don't mean to interrupt," Kono began, her voice dwindling away as she paused. They were walking in on an odd tableau during what appeared to be a dramatically silent lull. Quizzically, she chose to continue when all eyes turned her way. "We were going to call, but we'd rather speak to you in person, Mr. Paquin."

"More detectives?" Once more impressed, Gina's interest grew as her eyes fell to their Five-0 badges. "Friends of Danny's? Is something wrong?"

"Yes, we work with Detective Williams," Kono answered in mild amusement for the woman's underlying intrigued tone. Evading the second question entirely in lieu of more information, she only smiled. It was easy enough to assume that the link to Danny was through school and Grace based on the little girl who sat so quietly in the corner. Other than that though, Kono held her tongue and absorbed what she read as a comfortable gathering of friends.

"The lab," Mark whispered urgently. "Dad."

"What?" Roger stammered, blinked and then refocused on Mark.

"When do you think Detective Williams will take me to the lab?" Switching subjects too quickly, Mark's overly loud whisper was wracked with excitement as the rest of the Five-0 team arrived. His head swiveled from his father to Gina, and then landed on the cousins. "He did mean it, right?"

The question had Kia's undivided attention as well, and Roger was clearly put on the spot. He also wasn't certain if that offer had been genuine based on the dire circumstances and so, he hemmed and hawed as Chin and Kono attempted to catch up on the discussion. In the end, it was Gina Montrose who provided the no-nonsense response.

"A tour of the police lab?" Gina was properly awed as she looked from father to son and then moved forward to take Kono's hand. She grinned meaningfully at the young woman as she tried to relay the importance of the issue; tugging her gently towards Mark who nervously deigned to smile in return. "If Detective Williams said that he'd take you ... then Mark ... he will take you when you're both back on your feet. Have no doubts about that, Pumpkin," she sweetly assured him with another expectant glance towards Kono. "He's a man of his word."

"It seems that Detective Williams mentioned a possible tour of the forensics lab once Mark felt better." Rotating his shoulders as a way to release his tension, Roger then rubbed at his face. He was tired and emotionally drained to his very core. He was barely keeping up with his son who suddenly held a welcome spark of excitement.

"The lab?" Kono asked, a smile breaking through as she pieced together what Roger was finally finding the words to voice. Now by Mark's side, she nodded. "Okay, I get it. This is about the gun you found?"

"When he's feeling better ... when they both are better ... Detective Williams told Mark he could have a tour. Do either of you know if that can still happen?" Roger quirked a half-smile, now seemingly embarrassed to ask. While Gina was beaming, it was more than obvious that he was concerned that the reply would be a resounding one of adamant denial.

"Oh," Chin raised his eyebrows now that he understood the entire issue. "If Danny said it ... then he meant it," he asserted firmly while smiling warmly at Mark. "I'd count on it, in fact."

"That's cool," murmured Kia. Now even more impressed, she was staring wide-eyed at Mark as if he'd gotten the biggest Christmas present that she'd ever seen.

"The weapon is still being evaluated. We don't have any results yet from ballistics to match the bullet or weapon to any past crimes." Chin added, captivating not only Mark with his very specific update. "The forensics team is still working and using the databases to find a match since the gun was so damaged by the elements. Regardless, you'll be included on whatever we find out."

"You're kidding," Roger harrumphed loudly in disbelief. Mark was glowing now, yet Roger grimaced in sympathy when he realized the bullet Chin referred to had been the one retrieved from the injured detective. Yet, a very real smile slowly lit his features as he listened to Chin's easy banter. "Ballistics? Matching it to a crime? You can really do all that?"

"It's not perfect," Chin slightly amended what he'd been saying. There was a real possibility that the gun might never be matched to its original offense; if even used in one. "It may not work. But there's serial numbers, fingerprints, ballistics reports and a mountain of scientific study that goes into this."

Kono grinned as Roger Paquin hung on every word and absorbed what her cousin was describing. Their original reason for visiting was forgotten as a healthier conversation took its place. "Do you think you would still be interested in seeing the lab, Mark?" She knew the answer, but had to ask anyway even as his mouth fell open in shock. "Suppose we don't have a match at the end of the day? Do you still want to go?"

"Are you kidding? Of course he wants to go!" Roger interrupted enthusiastically. Then he laughed with a childish tilt to his head before he asked his next loaded question. "Can I go, too?"

"I don't see why not," Chin said. "I'm sure Danny will reach out to you once things are settled."

"I told you," Gina's playful whisper to Mark was conspiratorial. Elated by the exciting news, he had forgotten all about his third cookie. Bits of chocolate warmed by his hand were melting to mar the white sheet. She sighed patiently while once more opening her large briefcase-sized pocketbook. "Kids ... and chocolate. And now white sheets."

Brow knit as confusion once more made Roger Paquin stare at her antics, he found his courage to ask Gina a question. One that was important to him as he glanced back towards Kono and Chin. "Gina, can you stay with Mark for a few minutes?"

"Of course!" Gina's reply was full of a genuine pleasure at being able to help. "I can stay as long as you need me. Go ahead ... Kia and I would be happy to keep Mark company." Boldly inspecting the bakery bag which sat on the boy's lap, Gina smiled happily as she counted what remained. "If you like the cookies, Kia and I will whip you up a bigger batch to celebrate?"

"Okay," Mark hesitated with a look which begged for guidance from his father. With an intrigued sniff and tentative smile, Roger nodded. The boy's words of thanks were then softly voiced. "Thank you ... they're really good."

"Chocolate fixes everything just right, Sugar," Gina remarked brightly as she started her studious attempts at cleaning dirty fingers.

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The three left Mark's hospital room to meet in a quiet corner of the cafeteria where Kono delivered her dour news. She groaned under her breath as Roger's earlier smile faded only to be replaced by a sardonic sneer of real rage.

"This isn't what either of us expected," Kono regretted every syllable of her message. "I'm sorry because it's not fair to you or the boys. It's not fair to Mark."

"It's alright," Roger ground out. He was angry, vehement in fact as strong emotions hardened his face. "She left last night and I thought I wanted to drag her through dirt along with Sloan. I was mad because I wanted to get her so badly and she had the absolute gall to leave. But going after her would only hurt Mark and I can't have that happen. What you've found out actually helps me ... as much as I hate it. But now, I just want her to stay gone and out of our lives forever. Especially out of Mark's because he deserves so much more than what he's been dealt."

Yanking the white envelope from his pocket, he slid it across the table to Chin and Kono. "Please read this and tell me how to officially sever her parental rights."

Roger's lips were twisted in a vile snarl as he followed the cousins' eyes while they read each short handwritten sentence. "With what you found out and this ... is it enough? Can I claim abandonment and be done with her?"

"I think so." Chin was the first to nod, stunned by Beth Paquin's letter to her husband which defied all sensibilities of motherhood and morals. "Yeah, this would do it for me."

"R. ~

With Allen gone, there's nothing for me here. I'm leaving and don't intend to return.

I've waited too long to move on already and I don't owe you any explanations.

Keep Mark. He's more your son than mine. I'm sure you will both be quite fine.

. ~ B

"We absolutely will be better than fine. We already are," Roger growled as he watched each person digest the note's import. "I should have ended this a long time ago."

He softened slightly by a sincere feeling of peace knowing that Gina Montrose and her Kia were sitting at that very moment with Mark. It was a special moment where his son seemed content and even possibly ... happy. For the first time in a very long time, he felt a bit less stressed and it prompted the conviction behind his next statement. "I waited too long and won't allow Mark to be hurt anymore."

"How can a mother not want her child?" Closing her eyes against what she'd read no less than three times, Kono's gasp was full of disbelief. She pined internally to have had the luxury of just cause to levy charges against the woman. Upon reading the hateful note, Kono wanted nothing more than to track Beth Paquin down for a very public arrest. "She just left? She walked out on both of you ... like this? Now? When Mark is so sick? It's totally unnatural."

"Beth never wanted to be a mother," Roger's face remained tight with anger. "She resented every change to her body; freaked about having twins. She hated every diaper, late night call for mommy, and childhood sniffle ... it got a little better as they got older. But really, it was only better for Allen. Maybe he wasn't as shallow, but he was a lot like her in other ways."

"So. Wow," Chin inhaled and then blew out his collected air as a deeply pensive sigh. "Roger, we are truly sorry that we can't help you more."

Because his anger was palpable, Roger at first chose not to answer. He had been out for blood, yet now he was coming to a new realization where severing her ties to his and Mark's new life together would be good enough. Instead, he got to his feet followed by both Chin and Kono who surged upwards as one but remained at a loss of what else to offer.

"Thank you because you are helping," Roger was trembling, but well under control. "You have helped. I'm getting a lawyer ... to file for abandonment and whatever else I can throw at her. She will never be able to come back."

~ to be continued ~