DISCLAIMER: I do not own the show "Hawaii Five-O" or any of its characters.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

As always, thoughts are in italics.

I just wanted to remind you all that Maddie has only been back in Hawaii with Steve since Thursday and it's only Saturday evening. I know how much you guys want them to get their heads out of their a$$es already and admit they're in love with one another. TRUST ME, I GET IT! Something will happen between them in a few chapters because time will skip forward a bit. I just don't think it's realistic for the tension to be over in 3 days. Anyway, keep reading...you won't be disappointed. Now that Maddie will be going into rehearsals, Steve and the team will investigate what's going on. So you'll get the action you are all craving.

Well, I hope you like it! Thanks so much for all the reviews! You guys rock! Please, please continue to let me know what you think!

Enjoy,

Divalola

CHAPTER 17

At 5:30pm Steve thought he better check on Maddie. While she hadn't wanted him to join her, he needed to make sure she was actually sleeping. His heart sunk as he walked into her room to see her whimpering as she tossed and turned. Wasting no time, he climbed on the bed and pulled her small body to his. "Shh… everything's fine. It's not real. I'm right here... I'm safe. Shhh… shhhh," Steve whispered to her as he rubbed her back and held her. As soon as he'd pulled her close, she burrowed into him. She tangled her legs with his while tucking her head beneath his chin and wrapping her hands in his shirt. He engulfed her with his strong arms and kissed her forehead. Although she hadn't woken she must've known he was there because she settled.

Although still tired himself, Steve didn't want to fall asleep. Now that Maddie was beginning to feel a bit better, she was starting to fight him, which he'd known she'd do. He wanted to enjoy every last minute of having her in his arms. He wanted to remember the way she snuggled into his body as if she needed him to survive. He'd always snuggled a bit with the women he'd dated, but only when they were awake. It was too uncomfortable to snuggle for an extended period of time or all night. Plus, he just hadn't wanted to. But with Maddie it was different. She just seemed to belong there, and she wasn't the only one who slept better when she was in his arms.

Thoughts swarmed his head as he looked down at her gorgeous, sleeping face. What is going on with us, he thought. Ever since they'd kissed all he wanted was to do it again. It was as if he'd gotten a taste of a drug and was now addicted. He worried that they'd ruin their friendship over an urge. But was it an urge? Did he have feelings for her or was it just that they hadn't seen one another in two years? Plus, she'd arrived in such rough shape that he'd been worrying about her constantly. That's gotta be it. I'm just worried about her. She scared the hell out of me, he decided, still fixated on her face as his right hand played with her long, soft hair. Maddie subconsciously nestled further into him, smiling slightly as she sighed happily in her sleep. Steve couldn't keep from grinning; her sleep noises had always cracked him up.

He hadn't realized how long he'd been watching her until her gorgeous blue eyes were suddenly staring back at him. "What time is it?" she croaked, her voice raspy.

He glanced at the clock behind her. "6:45pm," he smiled, tucking a runaway strand of hair behind her ear. His stomach clenched as he felt her tense slightly. Quickly she pulled away and sat up.

"I can't believe it's so late! Has anyone arrived?" she asked as she rubbed at her tired eyes.

"I'm assuming since we told my team 6ish."

"Crap! I must look so rude! I made such a bad first impression the other day and now this," Maddie said, her anxiety apparent as she popped up from bed.

Knowing exactly what would happen, Steve sat up, nearing the edge of the bed in preparation. "Woah, Mads," he whispered, grabbing her arm as she started to waver. He held on to her until the dizzy wave passed. Once she felt more stable on her feet she gently pulled her arm free.

"I'm gonna get ready quickly and then I'll be down," Maddie said as she limped to her bathroom. She turned to him, leaning against the side of the open door, "Maybe you wouldn't mind telling everyone I'll be down shortly?"

In other words, he thought, she doesn't want me in here with her anymore. Now that she was awake, she was back to pushing him away.

Not wanting to push her when she was already stressed out, he rose. Steve threw his arms above his head and stretched as he yawned. Maddie found herself staring at his lower abdomen where his t-shirt had risen. God, I can tell he has an amazing body. I wonder what it would be like to... Maddie shook her head at the thought. Don't go there, Mads! Wondering anything about Steve naked is too dangerous and hurts too much.

Steve caught the look in her eye as she stared at his stomach. He felt a tingling low in his abdomen at the hunger and lust he saw in her eyes. Deciding he better get the hell out of the there before he put her back to bed, this time with him on top of her, he said, "Alright, I'll see you in a few." He quickly exited, leaving Maddie staring after him.

She must have been leaning against her bathroom door for at least a minute after he'd left, lost in thought. Finally snapping out of it she walked into her bathroom and over to the sink. Brushing her teeth quickly she moved slightly to the right to her vanity. Sitting down on the cushioned stool she glanced at her reflection in the mirror. Is that me? she wondered, not recognizing the sad, exhausted woman staring back at her. Sighing, Maddie opened her makeup bag, deciding it wasn't the time to think about how much she'd changed the last few months. She understood why Steve was concerned. She wasn't the same person she'd been. It's not that she didn't want to be, it's just that she was terrified all the time. After months, it had taken its toll. You're just gonna have to pretend everything's fine, Maddie. For Steve's sake, she told herself.

Maddie had been so busy thinking, she hadn't realized she'd finished doing her makeup. She'd been on autopilot. Glancing in the mirror, she smiled at herself. Well, that's alot better! Slowly she stood as she held tight to the counter. She closed her eyes as she waited out the dizzy sensation. She was tired of being dizzy every time she changed positions. The faster she moved, the worse it would get. She'd have to be really careful downstairs if she was going to successfully convince everyone, especially Steve, that she was okay. Once she felt she could walk without fainting she limped to her massively large, two story, walk-in closet.

Maddie walked up and down the rows of clothes, but nothing was catching her eye. She wanted to look fantastic, but refused to think about why. She had a feeling it had something to do with Lori, but she refused to read into her motives. "Well, it's a causal barbeque, so I can't be dressy," she mumbled to herself.

Her huge closet was unbelievably organized, each item categorized by season and type of clothing: dressy, casual, semi-casual, etc. Walking to the area that housed her warm weather casual items, she glanced around. Looking through a rack of shirts, she sighed, frustrated nothing was appealing to her. Figuring she couldn't go wrong with a basic black t-shirt, she pulled a black burnout V-neck t-shirt off a hanger, and slipped it on over her black lace bra.

Clad only in her black lace, Hanky Panky, boy shorts panties and the t-shirt, she squatted down, opening a drawer. She winced from the pain in her right knee. It had been bothering her more and more on this tour. Rifling through a bunch of shorts, Maddie came across the pair she'd been looking for. Walking over to the soft, round, pale blue ottoman a few feet away, she sat slowly, pulling the slightly distressed, medium blue wash, denim shorts over her legs. She knew all the cuts on her arms and legs were going to show in this outfit, but she didn't really care.

Slowly standing Maddie buttoned and zipped her shorts. Walking to the floor to ceiling shelves she grabbed a pair of simple black leather sandals. On the piece of leather that laid on top of her feet were silver and gold triangular shaped studs, giving them a rock 'n' roll feel. After all, she was going for a casual vibe with a touch of rocker. Buckling the ankle straps Maddie stood and walked further down the row of casual clothes reaching the accessories. When she came to a shelf with various jewelry holders, she grabbed several black bracelets of different material and slipped them on.

She walked to a nearby mirror and eyed herself, nodding at her reflection, obviously pleased with her choices. Knowing she needed to hurry she returned to her bathroom and quickly curled her long, reddish brown hair. Once she was finished, she took her hands and shook them through the curls, giving herself relaxed beach waves. Reaching for one of her favorite headbands she slid it so the delicate, metal weave with clear, Swarovski crystals was on her forehead and along the sides of her head while the small elastic piece laid on the back of her head. She smiled as she took one last look at herself in the mirror before turning the lights off and walking out of her bedroom to join everyone.

As the gorgeous mansion came into view, Lori Weston couldn't help feeling insecure. She'd known who Maddie was when she'd met her, but seeing where she lived somehow made it more real. After parking and getting out of her car she walked to the door. She inhaled deeply before nervously reaching out and pushing the doorbell. It didn't take long for the exquisite door to open.

"Hi! Nice to see you again," Pete said as he politely hugged her.

"You, too!"

"Come on in," he instructed as he stepped back and motioned her inside.

Seeing the large foyer made Lori's stomach clench. She looked around quietly as she followed Pete down a hallway. "Everyone's through here," he informed her.

Exiting the hall, she looked around to see her coworkers in the kitchen area. "Hi, Lori," Danny greeted from the kitchen table where he sat with Grace on his lap. They were coloring in a coloring book.

"Hi!" Surveying the room, Lori didn't see Steve. Or Maddie for that matter. She felt a stab of jealousy at what they might be doing together. "Where's Steve?" she asked trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.

"He and Maddie are taking a nap. I'm sure they'll be down shortly," Pete commented as he opened a beer.

Taking a nap? Together? Or separately? Lori wondered.

"Feel free to help yourself to any appetizers or a drink," Pete told her pointing to the area she could find them.

"Thanks," she quietly responded. Although the only reason she had come was to see Steve, she knew this was a great opportunity to mingle and get to know her coworkers in a social setting. Walking into the living room she joined Kono, Malia, Tina, and Rachel.

No one had noticed Steve walk down the stairs except Grace. Seeing him she hopped off her father's lap and ran towards him with a huge smile. He couldn't help but smile at her excitement. Just as he stepped off the last stair Grace flung herself at him. "Uncle Steve!" Steve picked her up, hugging her tightly.

His strong arms wrapped around her as he kissed her temple. "Hey, Gracie! You look beautiful!"

Grace smiled at her uncle. "Thank you! Where's Maddie? I'm excited to meet her!"

At the mention of Maddie, he remembered the way she'd just been looking at him. It had taken a lot of self-control to keep from pushing her against the wall and devouring her. He could imagine the way her legs would wrap around his waist and...

"Uncle Steve?! You there?"

"Yeah, sorry Gracie," Steve said, a bit embarrassed he'd been caught letting his mind wander.

"Where's Maddie?" she asked again.

He smiled at Grace. "She's upstairs getting dressed. She'll be down in a minute." Pausing, Steve leaned into Gracie and whispered, "Wanna know a secret?"

Gracie nodded exaggeratingly, her brown eyes wide,.

"Maddie's so excited to meet you!"

"Really?" Gracie asked.

Steve wrinkled his nose at her. "Yeah! That's all she could talk about all day!"

Grace smiled. "Do you think she'll sing something for me?"

Steve pretended to think about it. "You'll have to ask her, but I don't see why not."

"I have to tell Danno!" she said wiggling down from Steve's arms. Running the few feet to her dad she cried, "Danno, guess what? Uncle Steve said Maddie can't wait to meet me! And he thinks she'll sing something for me! Isn't that cool?"

Danny smiled at her excitement. "That is very cool, Monkey! However, Maddie hurt herself the other day and hasn't been feeling well. So, just keep that in mind. Her head hurts a lot, so you need to use your inside voice around her. Okay?"

Gracie frowned. "Okay." Steve had walked up to the table and Grace looked up at him. "Uncle Steve, is Maddie okay? Danno said she hurt herself."

Steve smiled at Gracie's concern for a woman she didn't know. It always floored him to see how much Maddie impacted people she'd never met. "Maddie's okay. She fell and hit her head really hard. She also cut herself, but she's gonna be fine. She's just really tired and has a headache."

"Okay," Gracie nodded as she took her coloring book and sat at the other end of the table, leaving her father and his friends alone to talk.

"Did she get any sleep?" Pete asked.

"A little bit."

"I'm assuming she's awake," Pete stated.

"Yeah, she'll be down soon. She's just getting dressed," Steve mumbled.

"What's up McGarrett?" Chin asked, picking up on the fact something was bothering him.

Steve sighed. "She's pushing me away."

"When something's wrong she always tries to keep it from you at first," Pete reminded him.

"It's not just that. It's like... she's trying to protect herself from me. I would never hurt her. I just don't get it."

Danny knew his partner was going to get annoyed, but he had to say it anyway. "Maybe she's realized something you haven't. You're in denial because it scares you."

Steve clenched his jaw. "I'm not in denial over anything. She and I are just frie-" Before he could finish Danny interrupted.

"Pete?" Danny quickly asked noticing his expression.

Steve turned to his old friend, studying his face. "Did she say something to you?"

Knowing he had to be careful, he nodded slowly as he replied, "I talked to her earlier today. When she woke up from her nap."

Steve's heart rate increased. "Did she give you any idea of what she's hiding?"

Pete hesitated and sipped his beer, trying to choose his words wisely. "She didn't tell me what she's hiding, but she gave me a partial explanation to why she's pushing you away. I think you're right, someone's threatening her to stay away from you. I don't know why they'd do that. But, I think that's why she wasn't calling you back."

Steve's face twitched in anger. He'll pay, he thought. He forced himself to take a deep breath. "Why's she pushing me away?"

Pete shook his head. "I can't tell you. She specifically asked me not to. Maddie felt betrayed by everything I told you already. She doesn't trust me right now, and I can't keep her safe if she doesn't trust me."

As much as Steve wanted to argue, he couldn't fault his reasoning. "Damn," he whispered.

Pete took another pull from his beer. "I'll tell you this much... It's right in front of your face. Just open your eyes."

Trying to think of ways he could hint that Maddie was in love with him, he asked, "Did she have any nightmares when you were up there?"

Steve nodded. "Yeah, but when I laid down with her it stopped."

Pete smiled at his response. "They seem to be better when you're around."

"Yeah, I-" Steve began.

"Hey, Steve!" Lori interrupted, coming up behind him.

Steve turned around and smiled. "Hey, I'm glad you were able to make it!"

"I'm happy to be here!" Looking around the house she added, "What a beautiful home!"

"Yeah, it's pretty amazing!" Steve's smile grew. As they continued to talk, Danny, Chin, and Pete eyed one another, wondering how the night would go.

Maddie rubbed her head as she walked down the hallway to the stairs. God, when will this stupid headache go away, she wondered as she stopped at the part of the hall that looked down over the kitchen, informal dining room, and living room. Leaning on the balcony, she smiled down at everyone as they chatted and laughed. That used to be how she was. She loved hanging out and having fun with her friends, particularly out of the public eye like this. But now, she avoided it at all costs. When she did have to be social, she did her best to feign happiness.

She scanned the room for Steve. Her heart ached when she spotted him sitting on the couch talking to Lori. She was so close she was practically in his lap as they laughed. Although it was killing her to see him with Lori, Maddie couldn't pull her eyes away. What was I thinking? I can't do this and pretend to be happy, she wondered. Maybe I should just go back to bed? Or… She glanced down the hall to her right. She could slip down the front stairs and just leave. No one would notice. Her eyes darted back to the group downstairs as she weighed her options. Suddenly Pete caught her attention. He'd been watching her. He knew her well enough to know what she was thinking. He shook his head before reaching in his pocket and pulling out his cell. Suddenly her own phone vibrated in her back pocket. Her heart warmed at the text: Come on down, Shorty. You can do this.

One of the main reasons Maddie had had the barbeque was to convince Steve and his friends she was fine. She closed her eyes as she tried to find the courage to face an evening watching Steve and Lori flirt. Can I do this without falling apart, she wondered. She looked to her right once more, the urge to run strong. Her phone buzzed in her hand. Don't even think about it. She smirked. Pete knew her too well, something she'd, of course, never admit to him.

Taking a deep breath Maddie turned and walked towards the curved staircase before slowly descending them. Once she reached the middle, Kono spotted her. "Mads!"

She smiled brightly at the sound of her friend's voice. Hearing Kono's greeting everyone turned. Steve grinned at her dimply smile. He loved her dimples.

Lori felt a twinge of jealousy and concern as she noticed the look in Steve's eyes as he watched Maddie.

Steve continued to stare at Maddie as she walked further into the room. His brows furrowed when she didn't look towards him. Just as he was about to stand and make his way to her, Lori asked, "So, when do I get my rain check from the other night?"

When she reached the kitchen, Maddie received hugs from everyone. As Danny pulled out of their embrace he said, "Maddie, this is Rachel."

Rachel was incredibly star struck, something Danny found hilarious since she was always so poised. Used to this kind of reaction, Maddie pretended not to notice and reached forward, pulling her into a quick hug. "It's so wonderful to meet you!"

Surprised by the genuine gesture, Rachel said, "It's wonderful to meet you. Your home is beautiful!"

"Thank you so much!" Maddie responded, smiling. "I wish I was able to be here more often."

Catching movement from the corner of her eye she turned to her left and saw Steve walking towards her. Before she could look away their eyes met. His forehead crinkled in confusion when he saw the flash of pain that appeared in her eyes before she quickly looked away.

Returning her attention to Danny and Rachel, Maddie saw a small head of brown hair behind Danny's legs. She grinned as she bit her bottom lip and knelt down, peering behind Danny. "Hello" she greeted, effectively hiding the pain shooting through her knee at the movement.

"Hi," Grace whispered shyly.

"I'm Maddie. What's your name?"

"Grace."

"Grace? What a beautiful name!" Maddie exclaimed. "I like your dress! I wish I had one like it." Maddie squinted her eyes as she eyed the white summer dress with teal flowers. "Do you think it would fit me? Maybe I can borrow it."

Gracie giggled, coming out from behind her dad. "I don't think so. You're too big!" Everyone laughed at her response.

"Wanna know something?" Maddie asked.

"Yeah!"

"I was kind of sad when I came down here, but you made me feel so much better! Thank you!" Maddie reached forward and gave her a hug.

"You're welcome," Grace responded before letting Maddie go.

Was she actually sad or was she just trying to bond with Gracie? Steve wondered, watching the scene. Maddie had always been so good with kids.

The pain in Maddie's right knee was becoming too much so she quickly stood forgetting the reason she needed to move slowly. At the quick movement she immediately became dizzy. Having come up behind her, Steve put his arm around her. Knowing she'd get embarrassed if he made a big deal out of her feeling dizzy, he said, "Hey, Mads. You meet everyone? Rachel and Gracie?"

"Yeah, I did," Maddie responded enthusiastically. While she loved the feel of Steve's arm tightly around her, it also made her heart ache. As soon as the dizziness lessened, she pulled away. "I'm thirsty."

Confused by her reaction, he watched her walk to one side of the kitchen island and open a refrigerator drawer. Pulling out a Longboard Lager beer Maddie popped the top off and took several long pulls. Her drinking alcohol made him nervous. She not only had a concussion, but she had very little food in her stomach, and she'd been severely dehydrated. At that thought, he glanced to her arm where she should have had an IV. He sighed loudly, irritated that she'd pulled it out again. It had only been thirty minutes since he'd left her upstairs, and yet she was even more withdrawn, which only added to his concern.

Walking towards the door leading out to the patio Maddie looked back. "Wanna go outside? It's such a beautiful evening and my warden," she motioned towards Steve with her head, "has kept me inside the last couple days. I'm dying for fresh air."

"You don't have to ask me twice!" Kono exclaimed, jogging to her friend. When she reached Maddie she swung her arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. "I've missed you so much! You scared the hell out of us the other day. I'm glad to see you're okay!"

"Sorry!" Maddie replied. Noticing the concern in Kono's eyes, she joked, "I'm okay. I'm pretty durable. I'm so clumsy, I have to be."

Kono laughed. "Yeah, you are definitely a walking disaster at times. But it's just one of the many reasons I love you."

Hugging her back she laughed, "Thank you! You can always join me on the road for a week... or a month... or the whole tour."

"We would have a lot of fun! If you can get him to give me time off, I'm there!" Kono replied, gesturing to Steve as he walked by with a plate of hamburger meat. He tried to catch Maddie's eye as he passed her, but she was purposely evading his gaze.

"You know she can convince him of anything, Kono," a voice said from behind Maddie.

Maddie's eyes widened and a huge dimply smile broke out on her face as she raised her head up and met Steve's eyes. He was towards the other side of the patio deck standing behind the grill grinning at her.

Maddie spun around and jumped into the voice's arms. "Uncle Joe!" she cried.

"Hey there, princess!" he said holding her weight and spinning her around slowly. Steve had kept him up to speed, so he knew once he set her down he needed to hold on to her until she was no longer dizzy.

Putting her down in front of him Joe held her upper arms. He watched as she imperceptibly wavered, a distant look appearing in her eyes. Straight ahead and behind her he met Steve's concerned eyes. Joe nodded, giving him a small smile. When is that boy going to realize the love of his life has been in front of his face since he was four years old? he wondered.

Returning his attention to Maddie, Joe saw her eyes focus as the dizzy sensation passed. He gently rubbed his hands down her arms looking at the cuts. "My goodness girl! You got yourself good this time." He leaned back and looked at her legs while also noticing her wrapped right foot. Chuckling Joe added, "Well, you always were the clumsiest thing I'd ever seen."

"Hey!" Maddie cried in mock outrage. "This was not my fault! Talk to Steve! And Pete! ... And Chin!" Turning her face towards Chin she yelled, "Don't think I don't know about your involvement."

"Sorry, Mads," Chin replied sheepishly. "We did it out of love."

"I'll have a talk with the boys," Joe smiled. "Tell them to stop being so overprotective."

"Would you? Thank you!" Maddie replied shaking her head. "Especially Steven! I'm not made of glass."

"Well, you know that one isn't going to happen... The boy loves you too much," Joe replied wanting to see their reactions.

A sad look crossed her face and her eyes slightly shimmered with unshed tears. I wish, she thought. Trying to hide her reaction she scoffed. "Ha! It's just Steve trying to control everything."

Joe caught her initial reaction. She's realized she loves him, he thought."I'll talk to him."

Maddie nodded, hugging Joe one more time. "I'm so glad you came."

Turning around she took a seat in front of the outdoor fireplace with Kono, Rachel, Tina, Malia, and Gracie, who jumped on her lap the second she sat down.

Steve was glad he'd called Joe. Seeing the look of pure, genuine happiness on Maddie's face had been everything. Of course, he'd always wanted to see her happy, but something was different. He'd do anything to keep that smile on her face, but he wanted to be the one that put it there.

"Confused?" Joe whispered, pulling him from his thoughts.

Steve glanced up from the grill, surprised to see his role model standing there. He sighed in response, not really knowing exactly what to say.

"Wanna talk about it?"

Steve glanced around the patio, his eyes landing on Lori as she approached. "Not right now."

"Got it," Joe replied understanding. "Lunch tomorrow?"

Steve looked to his left at Joe. "That'd be great. Thanks, Joe."

Joe patted him on the back before walking away and joining Pete, Chin, and Danny at the table nearby.

As Steve placed more meat on the grill, he watched Maddie. Gracie was telling her something, gesturing with her arms. Maddie chatted and smiled, ensnared by the little girl's words. She'll be an amazing mom, he thought. The image of Maddie pregnant came to mind again, but this time he was there. While it still scared the hell out of him, it also made him happy. The idea that he felt joy and contentedness at her pregnant only freaked him out more. What the hell is going on? he wondered for what felt like the millionth time.

"Hey!" Lori beamed as she sidled up to him.

"Hi!" Steve smiled, his focus pulled from Maddie. Lori was a welcome distraction from the turn his thoughts had taken. "Having fun?"

"Yes! I mean, I'm still new to the team, so I don't feel like I'm completely part of the family yet, but I know that will happen with time. Getting together like this can only help the process."

"Of course!" Steve replied as he removed some burgers from the grill and placed them on the clean platter to his left. He added some chicken before turning back to Lori. "Don't worry, it'll all happen soon enough. You're a great addition to the team."

Lori smiled, moving closer to Steve. "So, does that mean you no longer think of me as a babysitter?" she flirted.

"Definitely not," Steve responded.

Maddie felt her eyes well up as they leaned closer to one another. Oh God, they're going to kiss, she thought. She couldn't watch it, and she definitely couldn't let anyone see her cry. "Hey, Gracie, I'll be right back, sweetie. Will you save my spot for me? Keep it warm?" she whispered as she stood up and set her in the chair.

"Okay," Gracie responded.

"Thank you," Maddie whispered. She knew she couldn't run or she'd draw attention to herself, but she knew the tears were going to fall any second. Walking across the covered patio to the door leading inside, she began to feel incredibly nauseous. As she stepped over the threshold to the house, she tripped, not catching herself in time as she went barreling forward, her knees colliding with the tumbled stone floor. As her right knee made impact she swore she saw stars. She'd partially torn her meniscus three years before while rehearsing for a music video. She had decided not to have surgery at the time, and instead took some time off to rest it. With their insane tour schedule the last few months and the fact she wasn't getting much rest, it had been bothering her more and more. The last thing she needed was to fall on it before a big, televised concert.

Out of the corner of his eye, Steve had seen Maddie get up. He turned away from Lori as he watched her slightly frantic movements. As she tripped over the threshold he set the tongs down and headed towards her, but was stopped by a strong hand on his arm. He looked up at Pete. "Let her go," Pete said.

Steve pushed his arm from his and took a couple steps before a voice stopped him.

"Steve, let her go. Just give her a minute," Joe said. Steve turned to him. "Following her will only make things worse."

Deep down, Steve knew he was right. Maddie would only push him further away if he followed. He turned back and watched Maddie pick herself up from the floor and rush inside. Sighing, he walked back to the grill, picked up the tongs and flipped the chicken. Although Lori was exuberantly telling him something, his mind was on one thing only: Maddie.