Chapter 35 "The Cure For Stiff McGritt"

A/N: (27 December 2016) You precious people, I hope you had a happy Christmas and that the rest of this year will be kind to you, and all of 2017!

As the title suggests, Hannah appears in this chapter, and it may seem very rushed, but this is based on some relatives of mine who pretty much went this way and are happy to this very day, over 60 years now.

I didn't expect this to quite go this way in this chapter, but it feels right to me. I hope it does to you too.

CBS owns Hawaii Five-0, and we play with it.

Chapter 35 "The Cure For Stiff McGritt"

(Saturday, 24 December 2016, 4:45 p.m.)

It was nearing sundown on Christmas Eve, and Steve McGarrett had just called his task force ohana to tell them the news that Danny was out of the relatively minor surgery to clean up his thumb and his knee, and was in a private room, sleeping comfortably. They had arranged to meet later that evening at Tripler, and if Danny was up to it, they were going to bring him Christmas. In the meantime, each had some time to spend with their loved ones. Chin and Abby were at their shared home, and Kono was with her husband, Adam.

Steve called Becca and told her the news, and asked how Danny's children were doing, and how the adventure had gone at the vet. Everyone was fine, happy, and anxious to see Danny again. Becca had coaxed Charlie into taking a nap, since he would be up late that evening, because the Cornett family did their big gift opening at midnight, and they had added presents for Gracie and Charlie. Grace was working on a special card and surprises for Danno, and Angel had decided her little kitten body had definitely been awake too long without a proper nap. She was sleeping on Becca's lap.

"She's okay? No trouble at the vet?"

"Well, if you consider the two rather uhm … well, they didn't require even steri-strips … scratches she gave the person who forgot to warm the water when they bathed her, and was suddenly holding a claw-equipped whirling dervish with sound effects, it all went very well! Angel forgave her after the water was warmed up, and now she smells like vanilla. I'm pretty sure she isn't fond of vanilla since she wore herself out trying to lick it off after the rinse, until she gave up and fell asleep, rather forlornly I am afraid. She misses her Danny."

Steve had to smile, while his mood was mixed. Now that they had rescued Danny, and he was safe and sound, there were a lot of emotional matters to be addressed. "Well, I'm glad she didn't do too much damage with the bath. Cold water would have turned me into a bunch of claws and … vanilla, huh? I hope Danny likes vanilla. Hey, who picked up your brother and his family at the airport?"

"Oh, you remember things, don't you? Dad couldn't, but everyone understands," answered Becca, and in his mind Steve could see the smile on her face. "Mom went, while I watch the kids and what's cooking in the oven."

"Listen, uh, do you think you could give me a ride to Tripler? I guess you are busy, though. I don't want to disturb the kids or Angel until the gathering later. I don't want to leave Danny alone too long."

Becca's voice had a special smile in it. "Why don't I ask Hannah? She can swing by and give you a lift, since I am rather needed here. I'll ask her, she just walked in."

While Steve suddenly felt his mouth go dry and therefore failed utterly to stall Becca, while also feeling butterfly flocks all take wings at once in his stomach, he decided it was not the worst idea he had heard. He simply had never considered it. Hannah was someone he had kept off his mind while searching for Danny, but now that he was found and safe, Becca's fraternal twin sister was no longer off limits for his thoughts.

Becca came back on the phone. "She says sure! What's your address?"

Once that was given, Becca relayed that Hannah would be there in twenty minutes, and while he waited, she had some questions for Steve. Steve said, "Sure!" while doing a great job of changing clothes one-handed. For Danny, he had thrown on his usual shirt and cargo pants. For Hannah, he managed to talk on the phone while hurrying to add a button shirt over the black T-shirt, which required the sling to come off and buttons to be done, and the sling to go back on. He also managed to comb his hair and shave his stubble. In twenty minutes, while also talking to Becca.

"You sure sound out of breath, are you okay, Steve?"

"Ow! Aftershave in my eye," he complained, and wished immediately he hadn't mentioned it. Becca, the sweetheart that she was, did not comment on it.

"I did call Dad, and he wants to talk to you personally about Danny's test results. I do know most of the tests he would have run, but, yeah. Talk to Dad. Ummmmm … Steve? Is, you know, uh, there anything I should know about that, uh, I mean, it was the mother of his children, and her current husband who hurt him. I want to be able to help him with that, to get through that. I'm sure he wouldn't have been told about the house, so, but, well, if there is anything you are allowed to tell me, I would appreciate it, anything that I can help with?"

"I saw the way you looked at each other," Steve began as a preamble to his answer. He already knew there were a couple of things he could not tell Becca. Only Danny could, once he knew about them. And Steve had his own questions. "You really care about him. Are you, I don't mean to be intrusive or, uh, I mean, you don't have to answer me, but are you in love with Danny?"

Becca was quiet for several seconds. Steve was about to apologize for asking when she answered, "I have been for months."

Steve stifled his surprise, not at the 'yes', but at the length of time Becca had hidden her feelings for Danny. "Months? I thought you met at Thanksgiving, when Grace broke her arm."

"We finally officially met then, yes. But I think I fell … when he donated his liver to you, after landing that crippled plane on Waikiki. I work at the hospital, so I've been around other times when he was there, but after that, I used to sit with him when he was asleep, because he had so few visitors on his visitor log, and, uhm, I thought he looked so sad and lonely, even in his sleep. I don't know how, but I know he's been hurt before, and then when I saw how much he loves his kids, and his friends, and doesn't ask anything back, I just fell for him."

"But he doesn't know it, does he?" asked Steve, having forgotten about Becca's original question.

"Well, no, of course not," Becca admitted. "I mean, till a few months ago, he was with someone else, so I didn't say anything. Besides, the lady doesn't. I mean, I was raised to let the man make the first move, because they get the thrill of the chase. If he never chases you, his feelings don't go as deep."

Steve, by now watching for headlights on his driveway, chuckled. "You may have something there. Men do love the chase. But I saw the way Danny looked at you. I've never seen that look on his face before. I think you should put on your track shoes."

"Dad always said, 'Keep chasing him until he catches you,' and it always made sense in a very strange way. I'm taking my track shoes off, because I think Danny just caught me. Weird, huh? But I'll keep them handy in case that wasn't what I thought – hoped – it was."

"I hope you don't have to put them on again," Steve said softly. "Because I have not known you long at all, but of all the not-that-many women he has dated, you are the best one for him. He deserves you."

"Thanks, Steve. I can tell you are like a brother – almost a twin! – to him, so that means a lot."

"Speaking of twins, your sis just arrived. Say a prayer that I remain able to speak." Headlights were now coming up his driveway, and he was gulping.

There was laughter from the earpiece of the phone. "I sure will! Give my … tell Danny I'll be by with Gracie, Charlie, and Angel later."

"Everyone is gathering at around 7:30. I do hope you'll be there."

"In a dress! Dad says men like women to wear dresses at least sometimes, and mom says it sure worked on dad! I talk tooooo much!"

They both laughed as they ended the call. Steve steeled himself against the onslaught of butterflies.

.

H50 H50 H50

.

Steve thought seeing Hannah on Christmas Eve was a gift unto itself, especially since she was wearing a floaty yellow dress that skimmed just below her knees, meaning he stole a peek at the one he saw as she climbed out of her blue … she was driving a huge black Mercury Marquis, like a finished version of the one he was working on in the garage! What were the odds! Yellow floaty dress, perfect knees, and a Mercury Marquis! He was in trouble. Especially when he saw Hannah's face and the soft way she was wearing her hair, and that soft shade of lip gloss rather than lipstick. She looked so natural, so wholesome, so beautiful, so hard not to look at, so stomach butterfly inducing. He kicked himself in the shin as she walked onto the porch and he opened the door for her.

"Hello, Hannah. Please come in." Wow, five words without a Stiff McGritt anywhere! "You look very beautiful." Ooops. He had meant to only think that.

Hannah entered, and blushed, followed by a soft, "Thank you, Steve. Merry Christmas Eve … oh." She covered her mouth momentarily and said, "Hold still," and approached Steve with solid purpose. He froze, started to worry, and then she was undoing the buttons on his shirt, and rebuttoning them correctly. He felt his speech impediments zeroing in on him like missiles. Not to mention she was touching him lightly. "Let me guess," said Hannah, with her voice like music. "You are trying to dress up for me? I like your aftershave." She was smiling.

Steve cleared his throat. "Well, Beccccccca sssssaid dammarrnit, uh, you were drrrrrriii -ARGH-iving over hrere to prick mre yup it's happerning igin! Smorrrry!"

Hannah looked shyly down at the toes peeking out from her yellow sandals. "I don't bite," she said. "I promise."

Steve swallowed and nodded. He was about to reach out with his left hand and brush away the golden curling silk that had fallen across her face, when she reached up and took his hand and put it on her face her warm face her flushed warm beautiful face. "Kiss me, Steve?"

He stood there, utterly uncertain of the clarity of his hearing, wondering a thousand different things, such as exactly which place on her face she wanted him to kiss her, since he felt very willing and obliged to do this simple request, but the where was a definite problem, since had had really never touched her before, and one kiss was not going to be enough to touch all the places he had suddenly realized he hadn't kissed, especially the five hundred or so places on her lips alone. He finally lost it and gurgled, sounding strangled, "Where?"

Hannah showed herself to be a resourceful, understanding woman then. She smiled her gentle smile, and leaned in to him and kissed him on the lips, but to one side, and she nibbled so quickly and softly that Steve was not sure it had happened or was a Christmas dream. "There, for starters," she said, stepping back, with Steve's hand still cupping her blushed cheek. "If you want to."

"Yes," Steve said, and he sounded like Steve. He stepped forward and kissed her lightly, and when she returned it, and moaned that perfect little moan, they kissed harder, and longer, and Steve felt the missing piece in his life fall into place, because he was home. He was complete, and he discovered just how tightly he could hug Hannah while they kissed, and how tightly she could hug him with tanned, bare arms, and how warm her hands felt wherever they touched him, until her arms were around his neck and she leaned against him.

Steve whispered, "Do you believe in love at first sight?"

"I never did until I saw you."

"The same with me. Hannah," Steve said, holding her both gently and very protectively. "If that is the only kiss we ever share, I will die happy. But if that is the only kiss you want from me, tell me now so I can put a little armor on my heart, because my life just changed. I can no longer imagine life without you."

Hannah's blue eyes glistened, and she said, "I will die unhappy if that is the only kiss we share, Stiff, because my heart knows you are the man for me."

"Then we're both in trouble."

"Yes we are. I don't know you well, but my heart knows you."

"We have time to get to know each other. I need to kiss you again, and then I have to go to Tripler, and may I call you Sweetheart and ask your father if I can get to know you honorably because otherwise I might, uh, have difficulties being entirely honorable, because you definitely seem like the woman I want to be honorable with, which is a good thing, Hannah, and I have to know everything about you, like what you love and hate and cry about and what makes you laugh, and your school pictures and ring size and if June works for you?"

"You haven't asked me yet."

"I have to clear this with your father first, and then I will ask you, Hannah."

"Okay!" She giggled, and Steve's heart soared. "Now kiss me! Is it possible to drive impaired from kisses?"

"Let's find out."

Five minutes later, oxygen starved and smiling gently to one another, they finally made it out to the car, and Steve was glad he was sitting in the passenger seat because at every red light, he and Hannah held hands.