CHAPTER 5

Saturday morning, McGarrett residence:

Catherine Rollins turned over in the bed and snuggled up close next to Steve. His body heat seeped into her skin, warming her from the outside in. She had missed slow mornings like this. Being stuck on an aircraft carrier with around five thousand other sailors did not leave many opportunities for privacy or other things.

After last night, the two of them had collapsed and promptly fallen asleep. Catherine shuffled closer and wrapped her arms around Steve. She breathed in his scent as she turned her face upwards to look at his. She took in his features, noting how peaceful he was in sleep. The lines on his forehead smoothed out and he looked years younger. His body was relaxed, the tension disappearing as his mind turned off for the night.

She traced her fingers gently over his chest. The yellow and green bruising was fading and barely noticeable. She knew from what Danny had told her about his injuries that most of them were not visible to the naked eye. Dehydration, broken ribs, ligament strains, concussion. She was sure there was more that Danny hadn't told her for fear of scaring her. From what she could see, she could piece enough together to know something terrible had happened to her 'friend'.

She sighed. She wished she had been there. She sometimes hated that her job took her away from Steve for long periods of time. He always seemed to get into trouble when she wasn't around. She had spent countless hours sitting by his bedside, waiting for him to recover from one mishap or another. She had thought those days were behind him when he transferred to the Reserves.

She left her hand on his chest and settled down again, breathing at the same tempo as Steve until she fell into a doze.

She wasn't sure what woke her less than twenty minutes later but she felt like something was wrong. She opened her eyes and looked around the room. Everything was quiet and nothing was out of place. Then she felt it. Underneath her hand, Steve's chest hitched.

Catherine sat up in bed and watched as Steve tossed his head from side to side, mumbling in a language she couldn't understand. He was clearly stressed, trapped in the clutches of a terrifying nightmare. It wasn't the first time she had seen him in the throes of a nightmare and she was certain it wouldn't be the last.

"Steve?" she whispered.

Steve showed no sign that he had heard her. He was somewhere else, deep in the depths of his mind and desperately trying to escape. Seeing him in that much distress hurt her so much she could feel it in her heart.

Catherine called his name several more times, each time getting progressively louder, before he woke with an audible gasp. His eyes were wide with fear and he was breathing hard, like he had just completed a marathon. Except the outcome of that marathon meant the difference between life and death. She gave him a moment to ground himself, knowing not to touch him.

"Are you okay?" she asked when his breathing had settled slightly.

He started rubbing his forearms vigorously, as though there was something staining them.

"Get it out," he mumbled. "No more. No more."

"Steve, it was a nightmare. You're safe. You're here, with me. In bed. In Hawaii," Catherine spoke quietly.

Steve looked over at Catherine, his eyes portraying the fear that had yet to leave him after the torturous images his brain had conjured. "Nightmare?"

"Nightmare," Catherine nodded reassuringly. "You're fine. Everyone's fine."

"Okay, okay," he muttered.

Catherine could tell he was trying to force himself to believe it, to realise he was safe. That whatever horrible things he had just seen were not real and they were just a figment of his overactive imagination.

Suddenly, Steve threw the covers back and rushed out of the bed and towards the bathroom. The door slammed and she heard the distinct sound of Steve getting sick inside.

She sighed sadly before getting out of bed herself. She walked downstairs and grabbed a bottle of cold water from the fridge before returning to the room. Once she heard the gagging stop, she knocked gently on the bathroom door. Without waiting for an answer, she stepped inside and sat down next to Steve beside the toilet.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"Don't apologise Steve. It's okay," Catherine said with a small smile as she passed him the water bottle.

Steve took the water gratefully and took a few tentative sips. "I just—"

"You don't owe me an explanation, Steve. If you want to talk about it, that's fine with me. I'm here. If not, that's fine too."

Steve nodded gratefully. "Thanks Cath."

Catherine grinned. "What would you do without me?"

Steve smiled back. "I honestly don't know."

As Steve's eyes began to droop, Catherine decided it was time for them to get back to bed. Steve was surprisingly docile as she manoeuvred him from the bathroom to the bed. As soon as he hit the bed, Steve was out like a light. Catherine snuggled up beside him, her lips tugging upwards in a small smile.

She looked over at the clock, surprised to see how late it was (or early, depending on how you looked at it). With any luck, she would be able to convince Steve to sleep in and skip his morning workout.

Saturday morning, temporary Five-0 offices:

If there was one thing Danny hated besides the pineapple-infested hellhole he lived on, it was coming to work on a Saturday. Just once he wished he wouldn't have to work on weekends. Unfortunately, if criminals worked weekends then so did he. It was just the nature of the job, one he had signed up for.

At least he didn't have Grace this weekend, cutting into his already limited time with his adorable daughter. On the other hand, he didn't have Steve to keep him company either. The man was still on medical leave, not to mention the fact that Catherine was back in town. He hoped she was able to stay for a longer period of time than usual, if only for keeping Steve away from the office until his doctor cleared him for duty.

Danny trudged into the office that was set up as Five-0 headquarters for the time being. It was an old HPD storage locker for evidence that had been repurposed for Five-0's use after the Iolani Palace had been blown up. According to the arson inspector, the blast hadn't caused much structural damage. With any luck, they would be back up and running in the next few months.

For now though, they would have to make do with the cramped space in the bowels of the HPD precinct. Danny knew it was the best the Governor could do on such short notice, but it felt like a punishment. It was dark, even with the lights on, and it smelled a bit like a sewer.

Danny pushed open the door and was surprised to find Chin already in the office and typing away at the computer on his desk.

"Hey, Chin. I wasn't expecting anyone to be here," Danny said by way of greeting his colleague.

"Hey. Yeah, I thought I'd get a head start on the paperwork for the hostage situation yesterday," Chin answered.

"Great minds think alike," Danny said as he sat down behind his desk. It was devoid of all the usual items; a picture of Grace, a New Jersey postcard, drawings Grace had given him. They had been destroyed in the fire.

"How is Steve?" Chin asked.

"If you asked him, he'd say he was fine," Danny replied.

"What do you think?"

"I'd have to agree." At Chin's look of disbelief, Danny explained. "Don't get me wrong, he's still got a way to go with his recovery and he knows that but he's getting better every day. He was absolutely exhausted after going to the hospital to interrogate Grant Steadmann. So much so he actually listened to me and let me drive him home, although not without arguing about who was driving."

"Hm," Chin hummed concomitantly.

"Yeah. So, how did it go wrapping up the scene?" Danny enquired.

Chin smirked at Danny.

"That good, huh?" Danny asked with a smile of his own.

"Yeah. You missed a good show."

Danny was intrigued. "How so?"

"After you and Steve left, the Governor ripped into HPD," Chin answered.

"What? Why?" Danny asked as he sat down in front of Chin's desk, eager to get the scoop.

"It turns out that Steve called HPD before he was discovered," Chin explained.

"Yeah, Steve was a bit miffed that they were so slow to respond," Danny added.

"Well, he'd be livid if he knew the reason why they were slow on the uptake," Chin said with a cheeky smile.

"Go on," Danny prompted.

"The dispatch officer that took Steve's call thought it was a prank."

Danny sputtered. "A-a-a prank?"

"Yeah. Steve McGarrett himself calling HPD for backup. It's almost unheard of," Chin said, fighting to keep his face straight.

Danny leaned back in the chair and looked at Chin in disbelief. "Huh. So what did Denning do?"

"He told the HPD officers that he expected more of those that were supposed to protect Hawaii and its people. He asked them if McGarrett was an ordinary citizen if they would have responded in a timely manner."

"What did they say?"

"Yes," Chin said simply.

"Let me guess, Denning didn't like that answer?" Danny asked.

"Not one bit. Let's just say we are lucky half the HPD wasn't suspended on the spot. Denning was fuming, especially when one officer decided to tell the Governor that they thought McGarrett would have been able to handle it on his own. Denning explained to them that even if Steve wasn't on medical leave, they should respond to the call from a fellow officer."

"Damn straight. They were lucky Steve was able to defuse the situation. If not…well, it could have turned out disastrously. They risked the safety of everyone in that shop by not responding earlier," Danny commented.

"Which is what Denning said to them before storming off. Then Duke decided that wasn't enough and spent the next hour berating the officers. Remind me to never cross Lukela. My ears are still burning," Chin said seriously.

"Hopefully you will never have to," Danny said with a small grin.

There was a quiet beeping sound followed by Chin muttering, "finally."

"What's that?" Danny asked as he watched Chin fiddling with something next to the computer.

Chin held up a phone. "That…is Steve's new phone. We found his old one smashed to pieces in one of the aisles at the garden shop. Lucky for us, the sim card was still intact so I just configured the new phone from Steve's most recent backup and…voila!"

Danny blinked in surprise. Why hadn't he thought of that? "That's very thoughtful Chin."

"I was going to drop it off to him later…after I finished all the paperwork that is," Chin said.

"Hey, do you mind if I drop it off to him?" Danny asked.

Chin shrugged. "Sure."

"I'll tell him you did all the hard work, I promise," Danny said as he reached over for the device.

"It's fine, Danny. I know you just want to check up on him," Chin said with a knowing look.

The team still felt discombobulated even after knowing Steve would recover eventually. Despite that, Danny felt more protective of his partner than ever. Steve had started to push them away again and Danny wasn't willing to let that happen.

Danny smiled at Chin sheepishly. "Thanks."

Danny stood up from his chair and left Chin to the paperwork. He was glad to have something to do other than dwell on his thoughts in the dank room that was their current headquarters.

As he was walking through the precinct, he nearly knocked Duke Lukela over.

"Hey Danny," Duke said.

"Duke," Danny greeted with a nod.

"I'm glad we bumped into each other. I wanted to apologise for yesterday's debacle. I assure you it will never happen again."

Danny shook his head. "It's not your fault."

"Maybe. Maybe not. The point is that they should have responded to the call," Duke answered, his eyes flashing with rage.

"I'm sure Steve will find a way to make them remember that when he gets back to work," Danny said with a small smile.

"Speaking of, how is McGarrett?"

Danny sighed. "Tired, cranky, snide, sarcastic, depending on which hour of the day it is."

Duke lifted an eyebrow. "That bad?"

"No, not really. He just hates being on the sidelines. If I'm being completely honest, I would too if I were in his shoes."

"Well, I'm glad that's all over with. I still can't believe what happened. To think that Rogerson was involved the whole whole time…" Duke trailed off.

"Yeah," Danny said quietly, looking down at his feet.

"Hey," Duke said, putting a hand on the blond man's shoulder. "You guys need anything, anything at all, you call me."

Danny looked up at Duke and smiled. "Thanks, we will."

Danny hoped he didn't need to ask the man for a favour anytime soon.

Saturday morning, McGarrett residence:

Danny knocked on his partner's front door and waited, swapping Steve's new phone between each hand like a nervous tick. He raised his fist to knock again when the door swung open suddenly.

"Danny?"

Catherine Rollins stood in the doorway, dressed in what Danny assumed was a Navy regulation undershirt and shorts. Her hair was mussed up on one side and it looked like she had just gotten out of bed.

"Hi Catherine. Is…uh…is Steve home?" Danny asked, peering around her in hopes of spotting his partner.

"Yeah. He's upstairs. You guys got a case?"

Danny frowned. "No. Not exactly. I just came to give him his phone. He lost his during the hostage situation yesterday."

"Yeah, I saw it on the news. Come on in," she said, stepping aside to let Danny in. "I'll make some coffee."

Danny followed Steve's 'friend' into the kitchen where she went about making a cop's favourite beverage. He wondered what the true story was behind their relationship. Steve was always happier when Catherine was around and never strayed when she was away on manoeuvres, or whatever they called it.

"Have you had breakfast yet?" Catherine asked, drawing Danny away from his thoughts.

"Hmm? Oh, no. Not yet," Danny answered distractedly.

"Would you like some eggs?" Catherine offered.

"I don't want to trouble you."

Catherine waved him off. "Not a problem. Besides, Steve will want some when he wakes up."

"He's still asleep?" Danny asked, surprised.

Catherine nodded. "Yeah. He was exhausted when you dropped him off yesterday."

Danny watched as Catherine went about preparing the eggs. She seemed nervous, maybe a little skittish. It was so contradictory to the strong, no-nonsense woman he had met previously. He knew he shouldn't assume anything. After all, they barely knew each other except for when she came to help the team when Fuentes had taken Steve.

A moment later, Catherine placed a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon in front of him. A steaming cup of freshly brewed coffee followed. The two sat in companionable silence as they devoured their breakfast.

Catherine was the first to break the silence. "Danny. Can I ask you something?"

Danny swallowed his last bite of egg. "Sure."

"What really happened to Steve?"

The question was asked so quietly that Danny almost had to strain his ears to hear it.

"I already told you—"

"No," Catherine interjected. "You told me Steve was hurt on a case. You said to ask him what happened."

"And what did he say?" Danny asked, intrigued to know what his partner had told her.

"He said he would tell me, but he just wanted to spend time with me for now. He's never just shut me out before. Then, with the nightmare, I got more concerned. I didn't even have to convince him to skip his morning workout this morning because he barely woke up. I'm worried Danny. This is not like him."

Danny took in Catherine's pinched expression, the sadness in her eyes, the stern set of her mouth and the redness of her cheeks. It was evident she was worried and perhaps a little bit angry. The mention of the nightmare didn't surprise Danny one bit. He could probably guess exactly what it was about.

"The last time I saw him like this…well, let's just say it was after a mission gone wrong," Catherine added.

"Catherine, I can't—"

"Danny…please. I need to know so I can help him," Catherine pleaded earnestly.

Danny sighed tiredly. "Okay, but you didn't get this from me."

Catherine grinned. "Of course not."

Danny spent the next few minutes explaining everything that happened with Nazeef. He included how Walker had betrayed them, how Officer Rogerson had been involved, what happened to the Palace and how Steve blamed himself for putting them in danger. By the end of his explanation, both Danny and Catherine had tears in their eyes.

Catherine grabbed her mug to stop her hands from shaking. "Danny, why wouldn't he tell me that? He's told me stuff like that before. Does he not trust me anymore?"

The hurt in her voice made Danny's heart clench with sympathy. He reached forward and grabbed her hand. "Catherine, I'm pretty certain you know that Steve loves you. Even if he doesn't know how to say it, he does. Everyone can see it. It's not a question of if he trusts you. I know he does."

Danny paused to let that sink in for a moment before continuing. "Steve not telling you what was going on…I think that was his way of protecting you from Nazeef. He didn't want you anywhere near the frontlines. He would have never been able to forgive himself if you got hurt because of him. You mean too much to him." Danny squeezed Catherine's hand. "You only hurt this much because you love him. You hurt because he hurts. He'll talk when he's ready."

A single tear ran down Catherine's cheek. "How many more times can he do this? I mean, twice in a year? How much more of this can he take, Danny?"

"He's not giving up and neither are we. He'll be okay," Danny said confidently. "We'll all be there for him."

It was quiet for a moment before Catherine whispered, "You know, I never said I loved him."

Danny smiled. "You didn't have to."

Catherine blushed, which caused Danny's smile to grow.

Danny clapped his hands together and stood up. "Now, I should probably get back to the office. I left Chin with all the paperwork. Can you give Steve the phone? Oh, and make sure to tell him Chin reprogrammed it for him."

Catherine took the phone from Danny. "Of course. And thanks…for listening."

"No problem. Can you do me another favour?"

"I guess it depends on what it is," Catherine said with a cheeky smile.

"Do you think you could keep the animal occupied, at least until he's cleared to be back in the office?"

"I'll see what I can do."