Sammy & Ilna: fist bump, ladies, in celebration of us having so much fun!

This one was inspired by Sammy's last Oblivious review. It popped into my head while reading. Thanks, Partner!

To the REAL McRollers and all our readers, we love you and have a lot in store for Steve and Catherine. Thanks for the unending love and support and thanks for the great feedback on my Puppy Love fic. So happy you love Cammie! We do too. She sends you puppy kisses.

Hugs, Mari

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Oblivious – Another Tie

McGarrett/Rollins Residence
8:00 p.m.

Danny had taken Steve up on his offer of a beer when he'd dropped him off. Catherine was due home shortly, and the two friends sat outside in companionable silence until a snicker escaped Danny's lips. "I can't believe the freaking prison matron hit on you." Danny busted his partner, thinking back to that afternoon when they'd gone to interview an inmate and the guard had tried to give Steve her number.

Steve rolled his eyes and was about to retort when Catherine appeared on the lanai. Kicking off her shoes, she came up behind Steve's chair and placed a kiss on his head. "Another one, huh?" She chuckled. "Should I be worried?" She'd heard Danny's comment as she walked outside.

"Maybe." Danny laughed. "This one might just be able to take you. Hell, she might be able to take Steve…"

"Danny?" Steve said calmly.

"Yes, Steven?" Danny winked at Catherine.

Steve raised his beer as if to toast his friend. "Bite me."

Danny laughed harder. "That guard definitely wanted to…" When he stopped chuckling at Steve's exasperated expression, Danny looked at Catherine. "So, Cath, when was the first time you noticed Steve was oblivious?" He asked as she took a seat on the arm of Steve's chair, picked up his beer, and took a swallow.

"Oh, just after we met." Catherine smirked at Steve's look and patted his chest when he made a grumbling noise.

"What? That's when I noticed. At Annapolis, when the other plebes would offer to do, um, errands for you and you'd just look … like that…" Cath pointed to his puzzled expression.

"Goin' on that long, huh?" Danny chuckled.

Catherine kissed Steve's cheek and took another sip of his Longboard before handing it back to him. "I can only confirm what I've witnessed, but the first time it happened after we …" She looked at Danny and motioned between herself and Steve.

"Had a thing?" Danny snorted and she started to laugh. "Seriously Cath, I've been mocking this big bachagaloop about that term for years." He shook his head and indicated Steve with a tilt of his beer bottle. "Doofus."

"I'm right here. I can hear you." Steve groused, but his eyes were soft when he looked at Catherine.

Danny made a dismissive wave in his best friend's direction, toasted Catherine, and said "Please, go on."

Catherine continued with her story. "We were doing laps in a hotel pool. There were only a few people there and Steve bet me I couldn't break my record from the day before."

Steve grinned at the memory and took a sip of beer. His competitive streak had always been well matched by Catherine's.

She returned his smile and said, "Of course I took the bet and we got out of the water. Me to dive in on 'go' and him so he could mark my time. And this ensign comes in and starts giggling with her friends and looking at Steve to get his attention."

"Let me guess, no reaction." Danny smiled, remembering all the women he and Steve had encountered during their partnership. In a club; driving in a convertible; at crime scenes; and his partner's reactions, or lack thereof. Danny rolled his eyes.

"You calling me clueless, Danny?"

"I'm calling you oblivious, Babe, and please shut up because you're interrupting again."

Catherine shook her head with a smile. "Where was I? Oh, yeah. When Steve paid absolutely no attention to the flirting display, she went over and started to chat him up while I was swimming. I got out of the pool, and she looked at me like 'disappear, bitch' when Steve introduced me." She shook her head. "When he put his arm around my waist and handed me a towel, she pretty much growled at me and left. After she was gone, I figured Steve was just being polite. We were together, and on a seven day leave; and he never flirted with other girls."

Steve slid his arm around Catherine's waist just like he'd done all those years ago and pulled her into his lap. She settled back against him on the chair. "But then he started to tell me how odd he thought it was that even though she'd just been assigned to Intel, and they'd never formally met, she knew every single one of his swimming accomplishments for his last year at the Academy and what his current duty assignment was. People look up coworkers, sure, but not to that extent.

Then Steve said that he'd, and I quote, 'set her straight' because she offered to help with anything he needed on the status reports for his current assignment, including doing the reports for him if he didn't … have time … because he was busy doing something else." A snicker erupted from Danny, but Catherine went on, looking over her shoulder at Steve.

"And then you asked me, in all seriousness, how, if she knew your swimming record didn't she know you'd graduated top of your class or that you'd never let anyone do an assigned duty for you." Catherine leaned in and kissed Steve's cheek again, patting his chest before turning to face Danny.

Danny couldn't hold back a bark of laughter at what Catherine said next.

"When I suggested, in the nicest possible way, that while I was sure there were a lot of things the ensign would like to do for and to him, Steve's duty assignment probably wasn't on the list, he looked at me with that expression he gets and said 'no way.' And I said, the other thing she was suggesting you do, was her."

"He was so disgusted that she'd say that when it was obvious we were together," Catherine's fingers tightened on Steve's arm. "That right there and then I realized he truly didn't get it." She gave him a look of admiration.

"Didn't get it because I didn't care." Steve's smile was on Catherine now. "I wasn't interested. Not then. Not now. Haven't been ever since …" He placed a kiss on her temple and her smile grew. "August of ninety six."

"Know what?" Danny said, looking between his friends, "I didn't believe it either, until one day in 2010."

"What day?" Catherine tilted her head and waited for Danny to explain.

"The day I met you in person. Steve had been so unaware of women literally throwing themselves at him. Since we hadn't talked about you two having a thing yet," Danny rolled his eyes at Steve. "I didn't understand. Then I met you. And understood. Perfectly. Instantly. The goofy smile, how he was happier for days after a call or text, how he had no interest in … propositions from … respectfully, some really hot women." Danny smiled at her. "I figured it out as soon as I saw you together. It was all you. The calls, the texts, when I'd say 'what?' about a text and he'd answer, 'it's nothing' but get that stupid look and smile like a fool for the rest of the day."

"Awww, Danny." Catherine leaned forward, caught Danny's hand and squeezed it. "That's sweet."

"That, my friend, is one hundred percent true." Danny's smile grew. "Ask the Neanderthal." He checked his watch and put the three-quarters-full bottle down and stood to leave. "I have to go. Grace will be home from her friend's at nine."

When Steve went to stand, Danny waved him off. "Sit. I know where the door is. Thanks for the beer. And the story, Cath." He pecked her cheek, said, "See you guys Monday." And let himself out.

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Twenty Minutes Later

Catherine attempted to stand and gather the empty bottles, but Steve pulled her back down into his lap. "What?"

Steve shook his head. "You know I remember winning the bet that day." His smirk was contagious. "And I definitely remember really enjoying my … prize, but I barely remember a girl at the pool."

"I know. That's why …" Catherine shook her head and kissed him.

"Why, what?" He said when she broke the kiss.

"Why I trust you. Always. Why I never get jealous. You've never given me reason to. Even when I was at sea after you'd settled here." Her hand slid through his hair and cupped his jaw. "I missed you. And I worried about you. I worried less, actually, once I knew Danny had your back. But I was never jealous."

Steve's fingers slid down her arm and circled her wrist. He seemed to contemplate how his hand could completely enclose the delicate bones that belied such strength. "Good." He said quietly. "You don't need to be. Ever."

"You either." She promised and could feel his smile when she kissed him again. Softly at first, then fervently, while turning to push him back on the chair. "I blew that bet, you know." She whispered.

"Hmmm?" Steve didn't register anything other than the way Catherine was pressing her body intimately against his. "What?"

"In the hotel pool." Catherine whispered, breathless. "I blew it."

"Uh, uh, you don't … Mmmm …" He ground out, losing his battle to remain focused as her hands roamed. "Throw bets on purpose."

"Not on purpose." Catherine pulled back slightly to look in his eyes. "I was … distracted. You suggested the … prize … just before I dove in." She giggled.

"I did do that, didn't I?" He grinned and kissed along her jaw to her lips.

"I couldn't focus." Catherine said between kisses "Was thinking … how much … I'd enjoy … your prize." She murmured, her lips never leaving his. Not even when Steve moved forward and stood in one swift motion, lifting her with him. "Where we goin'?"

"I win again."

She pulled back slightly as she was held aloft in his arms so she could look in his eyes. "How so?"

"Got you." He kissed her again and felt her lips tremble with emotion for just a second before she said, "Nope. It's a tie, Sailor. I win, too." and deepened the kiss.

Steve's face lit with a blissful smile that Catherine could feel against her lips.

"Repeat, where we goin'?" She panted as Steve carried her inside.

His smile quickly turned hungry. "Inside … more room …" He half moaned, half murmured. "To … reenact that prize."

"Mmhmmm, good, another tie. 'Cause we're both about to win again."

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End. Thanks for Reading!

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Oblivious will return.