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AvalonReeseFanFics

A/N: Still no winner guys! But we're almost there so keep reviewing, keep telling me what you liked in this chapter and which special chapter you want. Also please, if you're a guest reviewer give me a nickname so I can announce you as the winner. So this is it. This is the reveal. AND we have a very cute bunch of moments coming up. This chapter is gonna be slightly shorter than usual but it has a lot of action in it to make up for that. I've managed to get us to the SECOND big relationship change, which means I should have Rowan and Steve on route to redemption by chapter 90 :D Guys! I'm so excited. We're also only a few pages away from our next major milestone so I will keep you posted on that one. As always, thank you for reading, don't forget to review and I will see you on Tuesday!

One. Brunch with Mary, Doris, Rowan and Steve (after Mary and Doris are reunited that one time)

Two. Steve's real time reaction to last chapter's heist scene

Three. One of the bake days with Kono

Four. How Rowan accidentally shot at Juan Carolos

Chapter 57

Fong had been stabbed. By Michael. Like Rowan had said Salgado was shot in front of his son. Also like Rowan had said Steve had snapped at his mother and said some pretty hurtful words to her. And now, the pièce de résistance … Adam had shot Michael.

Just like Rowan had said.

With Michael dead, and Kono proven innocent, there would be retribution from Michael's men but at least Kono wouldn't be going to jail. But they would take it out on Adam if they could get their hands on him. So now Adam was going to go on the run. And his mother was going to help him get to where he would be safe.

Everything Rowan had said had come to be. She hadn't said anything about Fong, but after finding out she was immediately wracked with guilt. She had was so upset that she didn't get that vision that she didn't get to save Fong from Michael. But since all her other predictions came true, including Steve's very loud interrogation of his mother, Steve had reason to believe that Rowan was also right about his mother's and her intentions to run.

She was going to take Adam away and then she wasn't going to come back because she didn't want answer her son's questions.

Everyone was there to see off Adam off, which included Catherine who was glaring at Rowan even though she had every right to be there, she was Kono's friend too. Rowan was obviously uncomfortable as well, she kept shooting worried glances at Catherine and Steve felt bad. She shouldn't have to feel like she wasn't supposed to be there or intruding, these were her friends too.

Doris finished talking to the Captain of the boat and then turned to the small group that had gathered for Adam's covert send off.

"Alright. Once we get to Shanghai, I'll take you inland," she said to him. "And don't worry, nobody's ever gonna find you."

His eyes went to Kono again and Steve found himself glancing at Rowan who looked to be in physical pain. Kono had mentioned that Rowan had thrown up in the sink at the house where Michael's body lay. That Kono had poured drain cleaner and then bleach down the sink to cover up Rowan's DNA but her finger prints were probably everywhere. But Steve knew, without a shadow of a doubt that he'd save her from that when the time came.

Adam turned to Doris. "How long?" he asked. He too was distraught. He had been unable to string together a full sentence since he had killed his brother. Steve didn't know firsthand how he felt, but he could imagine it.

"As long as it takes to put all your enemies behind bars," Steve said. Because that was his job. And as god as his witness he would be doing everything possible to get that done as quickly as he could.

Kono stared at Adam carefully before saying: "I'm going with you."

Steve winced but it was Danny who said: "Kono, you can't go with him, okay? We just cleared your name. Guy's about to go on the lam. It's not good."

"Yes, she can," Rowan said. "And she does."

Fucking hell. Couldn't that girl shut the fuck up?

She took in all of their faces, saw the anger on each one and then she said: "Can I borrow Adam while you guys try to talk her out of going and inevitably fail?"

Steve caught Kono's smile. He wasn't sure how it happened, maybe it was all the baking the two girls did together, but for a while now Kono and Rowan seemed to have this quiet understanding where they had one another's back.

She pulled Adam away and Steve watched her go. He watched her talk to Adam. She put her hand on his arm and he saw Adam get the jolt, saw her body twitch and his arm come up to catch her. Oh she wasn't going to have a vision for him but she would for Adam? Yeah that was fair. But considering what just happened, considering what Adam was about to do and that Kono was going to join him, he'd forgive her for giving Adam a vision at this time.

"Danny, don't try to stop her," Chin said. Shocking Steve out of the place in his mind that belonged to only him and his thoughts about Rowan and back to the argument he was supposed to be helping Danny with. "The almighty Rowan has spoken and we all know how that goes when we try to ignore it."

Steve then watched Chin pull Kono in for a hug. He heard him whisper follow your heart to her and he wished he could add to do it no matter what pain she was afraid of. She tearfully went up to Steve next.

"It won't be forever," she said.

"Okay, I'll take that as a promise?" he said.

She nodded and tried to smile. "I promise." And then pulled him in for a hug.

She hugged Catherine next who said: "I'm seriously gonna miss you, sister" even though her eyes were on Rowan who was still talking to Adam.

"Can I go with you guys?" Danny asked, clearly going for the laugh factor that everyone needed. Smiling as the somber moment turned into something a little less sad now that everyone was laughing with him.

"Now that I support, I support that," Steve said putting his hands on his hips and chuckling with the rest of the group. His eyes found Rowan who was now being talked to by Adam, a strange sort of look on her face. Her worried look. Worried and concerned. What could Adam be saying that had her looking at him like that?

Steve glanced to his mother who was approaching them. Rowan was always right, what had Chin just said… the almighty Rowan had spoken. If she was right, Steve would have only this moment to fix it. He pulled her aside and away from the group to have a private discussion

As Rowan had predicted, he actually had argued with his mother that afternoon. He had pulled the video from the prison. What he got, wasn't all his mother. He got 95% of Wo Fat and Rowan being adorable. Dance routines, snuggling on a bed, watching something on a laptop, but worst of all, she had gone to him for information about the heist. Wo Fat had gotten her the job at the cleaning company, he had told her where to find the safe, he kept trying to talk her out of it but ultimately he let her do it and made sure she was safe along the way. He had done everything she should have got to Steve for, and he did it without screaming at her or making her feel like she was a burden or that she should have stayed out of his way. When Wo Fat realized Rowan couldn't be reasoned with, he made sure she'd be safe. A sociopath was kinder and more supportive of Rowan than Steve had ever been.

He had been furious. He had been ashamed, so when he finally got to the footage of Doris in the prison and found that everything was scrambled so he couldn't hear what she was saying he kind of lost it. So, if he had to apologize he would, if he thought anything he said would convince her to come home once she got Adam and Kono settled.

"Why are you doing this?" Steve asked her once she was away from the group.

"I get to help people you care about," she answered. "It's the least I could do."

"That's not what I'm talking about," Steve said. "Listen to me. You don't have to go with them. You make a phone call, get them squared away. You don't have to get on the boat."

"A phone call isn't gonna make people disappear. And besides my sources will only deal with me. Soon as they're situated, I'll be back" she said. Probably another pretty excuse, and an even prettier lie. She was running away from him. Rowan was never wrong. But he was too much of a chicken shit to say that to her. And he so desperately wanted her to be telling the truth. Out of all the lies she had to tell him, please God why couldn't this be the truth?

"Actually, that's a lie," Rowan said appearing beside him. Steve usually could feel her get close to him but this time he was so distracted that he hadn't noticed her show up. "You're going to go to China, go missing like you usually do, and then go back into active duty for the CIA."

Doris just stared at her and Steve sighed. "Rowan, please," she groaned.

"Fine, don't listen to me," she said. "How long do you think it would take to go to Shanghai and then come back? I need a ballpark Steve."

Steve blinked his eyes at her, he remembered how Wo Fat was with her and decided it would just be easier to go with it. So, he sighed and said: "I think about a week or two."

"Okay, two weeks it is then. So, if you're not back in two weeks, I'm going to tell Steve exactly who Wo Fat is to you and who you killed in Cambodia," she said with a taunting grin on her face.

The problem was, as soon as the word Cambodia dropped out of Rowan's mouth, his mother had pulled a gun and shoved it into her face. Rowan yelped, the happy chatter behind them faltered to a stop and Steve immediately put up his hands and got in between his mother and Rowan.

"Jesus Christ, mom!" he cried. From behind him he heard Rowan's horrified whisper of: She pulled a gun on me. He almost laughed. She didn't sound scared… sounded offended.

"She knows too much… you're not ready… you won't understand," she said.

"He finds out anyway!" Rowan cried stepped out from behind him. "I can't believe you were going to try and shoot me!"

Doris's gun pivoted to where Rowan had now appeared and Steve side stepped again to keep Rowan safely behind him but Rowan shoved him away.

"You really wanna test me Doris, with everything I have in my head. With everything I know. And everything you did?" she thundered. "Why don't we tell Steve why my injury was your fault? Shall we do that?"

Doris took a step forward, that gun getting closer to Rowan. Doris said: "Don't you dare," just as Steve stepped in between them again and Rowan shouted: "She left me with Wo Fat!"

Steve froze. He turned back to Rowan who was now staring at him with wide eyes of surprise. She hadn't meant to tell him that. No, no she had not. He turned back to Doris whose gun was drooping in her hand. Oh, she had not expected Rowan to say that either.

"What?" Steve said and both women looked away from him, completely opposite directions from each other but both away from him. "What do you mean she left with you Wo Fat? Mom… you left her with Wo Fat?"

"Steve you have to understand…" Doris started as Steve just stared at her. "I can… I can… explain…"

"Okay?" Steve said but when his mother could only stare at him with watering eyes and quivering chin Rowan stepped up.

"She found me two days before he shot me. She and him had a chat and it ended with her deciding to leave me there with him," Rowan said.

"You found her?" Steve asked his mother in a small voice. "You… you found her and you didn't bring her back? When you knew how… you knew I… How could you do that?"

"You should have seen them together. He was so… happy and… I… I…"

"And why does that matter?" Steve cried. "Your son was at home an emotional wreck worrying about her and you left her with a sociopath because he looked happy? He shot her, mom, she nearly died. And I… I…"

He glanced at Catherine who was watching him with wide eyes and he forced himself to swallow all his disappointment and that burning confession. He glared at his mother. "Who the hell is Wo Fat to you?"

Doris said nothing. And even though Rowan boasted knowing the truth she said nothing as well. Steve shook his head. None of this should have happened. None of it would have happened if his mother had just brought Rowan home, or told Steve where she was. Rowan wouldn't have gotten shot, he would have gotten her back, told her the truth and he'd be happy. Happy with the girl he wanted. Behind him Rowan rested her hand against his back giving him the strength and the courage he needed.

"Okay mom, its fine, I'm… I'm done," he said. "You want to run off to China and not come back, go ahead. I won't stop you. Rowan won't tell me your secrets. I won't stop you, I won't bug you so just… just go. Go do whatever you want."

His mother looked tearful, Rowan's fingers were gripping him through his light cammo green jacket. It shouldn't have mattered but feeling her, having her fingers on him again made all of this a little better. His mother would leave, it was what she did best after all, but he'd have Danny, and Chin, and Rowan. No, and Catherine. But he knew, if actually needed her, if he actually needed to go to someone, Rowan would be there for him too.

"Okay," she whispered lowering the gun. She looked at him, those tears in her green eyes and her chin wobbling and then she pulled him in for a hug. "I'm going to miss you."

Of course she would. She wasn't coming back. But he didn't tell her that she shouldn't miss him if she was planning on coming back. Basically she just proved Rowan right. Fuck Rowan and her visions.

When his mother turned to lead Adam and Kono away Steve found that Rowan and Kono were in a tight embrace. "Be safe," Rowan whispered.

"Take care of these boys for me," Kono whispered back.

"I'll try," Rowan said and then let her go. Catherine's tsk of disapproval was barely masked as she snuggled into Steve side. He knew what she was doing. Staking her claim on him but he didn't appreciate it in the least. Rowan already knew. Everyone knew. No one needed the reminder.

They all waved goodbye and then went their separate ways. Danny went home, where he found Gabby waiting for him. Chin went back to the office and called Leilani. Steve went home with Catherine glued to his side. Rowan went home to Alex who was waiting for her with a disapproving glare on his face. No one was ready for what tomorrow would bring.

H5O-H5O-H5O-H5O

Steve stormed through the hallway that would take him to Wo Fat's cell. Absolutely completely furious that the man had dared to do what he had just done.

"Thank you for coming, Commander," Wo Fat said to him.

"Don't flatter yourself," Steve snapped. "I was coming even if you hadn't asked."

"Yes, you want to know why your mother paid me a visit," Wo Fat told him. He then glanced to the side. "But we have a bigger problem right now."

"Oh and what is that?" Steve snapped.

"I told you to keep her from coming to visit me today," Wo Fat nearly growled and when Steve followed his eyes he finally noticed the person sitting on the small cot against the wall.

Rowan scowled at him but sat up. "I come and visit every Friday. And Commander McControl-Freak doesn't get a say on that anymore."

Her words stabbed him. He still felt the echo of her fingers digging into his side but that all went away with her scowl and her attitude. They had been fine yesterday, but clearly that had been a temporary truce that was no longer standing.

"She has a point, if Rowan wants to waste her time on you it's none of my damn business," he growled as he forced himself to look away from her.

"Yes, except now you've put her in danger," Wo Fat snapped.

"What are you talking about?" Steve cried. Even Rowan huffed, arms folded over her chest and glaring up to Wo Fat. "Yes what do you mean?" she asked him and it was when he turned to her, that look of pure distress on his face, that Steve realized that something was really wrong.

In the distance came an explosion. All three of them turned towards it. "Oh my god," Rowan breathed out. She then turned to Wo Fat with wide eyes. "That's today?!"

"You knew about it?" Wo Fat shot back. "You knew and came anyway?"

"I didn't know it was today!" Rowan argued smacking his arm causing him to yelp. "Why didn't you tell me it was today!"

"Because I didn't think you'd listen. You never listen. And then you were already here and we were out of time!" Wo Fat argued after smacking her right back. He turned back to Steve. "You have to get me out of here. Or at the very least her."

Steve turned back to him, his eyes were on Rowan though. "What is he talking about, what is happening?"

"People are coming to kill him," Rowan said. "I don't know which people…" "—the NLM." "—Yes, them. Wait, what? Really? And you trusted them with me?"

Wo Fat just stared, clearly not in the mood to argue. So while Rowan narrowed her eyes at him and put her hands on her hips again he just shrugged his shoulders as if that answered her questions. After a bit of a staring match Rowan turned back to Steve and said: "They're here to kill him you gotta help."

Steve glared at them both. No. No he did not need to help. He needed to get himself out of there, which would be hard because he had to leave his guns behind to get in here. He was perfectly fine to leave Wo Fat to be killed, it was Rowan he didn't want to leave. Except… you know… she had picked Wo Fat, this would be poetic justice for picking the wrong man.

"You two set me up," he accused.

"HEY!" Rowan cried. "I didn't know about this until right now!"

"Yes, but not in the way you think," Wo Fat admitted and Rowan smacked him. He turned to her and frowned. They shared some covert look as if they were communicating with their eyes alone and then he turned back to Steve and added: "She didn't try to set you up. She honestly had no idea I asked you here. Or at least, I didn't tell her. I don't know what dreams she's been having lately."

Oh, so he knew about the dreams too? Was there anything this asshole didn't know about Rowan? He was almost afraid to ask if Wo Fat also knew about Rowan and her family. Because if that was the case he'd fucking leave them both here to die. It wasn't fair that Wo Fat got everything of Rowan when he was desperate for a simple taste.

The door suddenly sparked. Someone was trying to cut through it. Well Fuck. He really was out of time.

He glared at Rowan, his glare darkened as it turned onto Wo Fat. He didn't want to help either of them. Especially not Wo Fat. Yes, Rowan claimed to not be a part of this but he didn't believe it. With every second he spent with the two of them the more certain he was that they were in love with each other and it killed him to think that.

"Steve," she suddenly whispered. Her fingers had enclosed on Wo Fat's good arm, but her big blue eyes were staring right at him. He knew immediately that if she was on his side of the glass, she'd be clinging to him instead. "I'm scared.

And that did it. No more dithering. No more anger. Just simple calm and decisiveness.

"Get her somewhere safe," he hissed. "Stay back and out of sight."

Wo Fat urged Rowan to the side where he hid her under his small cot. Good choice considering there was literally nowhere else. But Wo Fat, thankfully did not climb under with her. Steve forced himself to fall back, his eyes on the door that was practically glowing now. His eyes caught one last look at Rowan who had her hands over her ears as if trying to block out the noise. He could almost feel her fear and it emboldened him, made him angrier.

He was ready. He was alert. No one was going to get to his Rowan on his watch. No one.

And then the door fell.