Rewrite

AvalonReeseFanFics

A/N: This is it. The last of the Season 4 filler chapters. Guys! Guys… the season 4 document is 750 pages long and around 390,000 words. Though to be fair, season 4 ran from chapter 59 to chapter 132. That is a lot. But that was JUST season 4. I'm already somewhere in the 160s for season 5 and I've rewritten up to episode 15. So you know, it's moving a long quite nicely. I've got a lot of really cute things coming up… but uh… as preparation for season 5… we have a good set of chapters that are nothing but angst. There's about 15 chapters of angst with cute stuff mixed up in between and then after that it's essentially just fluff and funny antics. Don't get too upset! I hope you like this chapter though, it's supposed to be ALL cuteness. See you guys tomorrow.

Chapter 132

It had been a long time since Doris had returned, a long time since she had been on this island. It had taken a lot of planning to get her here. A lot of work, a lot of evasive maneuvers and a few fly-by-night operations. She was afraid that coming back to Hawaii would get her caught. She was afraid that coming back to Hawaii might get Steve back on her case. She loved her boy, her son meant everything to her, but it was hard to be enthusiastic to see him when he was asking her hard questions.

She was sure Rowan had told him everything by now anyway, which would have led to even harder questions he'd want answers to.

Besides, there was a more important reason why Doris was coming to Hawaii at this time. She had gotten word that someone was sniffing around the Fat debacle. She had heard what they had done to Steve to try and get him off of the scent and she was glad that Steve had killed her handler, because after nearly blowing her baby up and trapping him under a building, Steve was the least of that man's worries. Momma McGarrett had been up and ready to come at them all for that move. But she didn't have to because Steve took care of it nicely.

No, the sniffing around she was dealing with now was the location of Wo Fat's father. Not only had she heard that Steve was asking questions, but she knew Wo Fat was asking questions too. Hell she was asking questions about it and she had no answers. They weren't going to get any, all this probing was going to get the poor man moved again, or worse… put down.

Why hadn't little Miss Psychic told them where he was? Did she not know? Did the amazing Rowan Pierce finally not know something?

Doris had a plan. The first was to stop Wo Fat from doing something stupid. The second was to peak into Steve's place to see how he was doing, she wasn't going to actually see him… she couldn't quite face him and his questions but she figured she could look in some windows just to confirm her boy was alive. She had also heard that Steve and Rowan were finally an item. Which meant she could kill two birds with one stone and get her third plan done which was checking on Rowan to make sure she was alive too. Especially since the FBI and the CIA and many different terrorist organizations were all very interested in her, but keeping a wide berth after Wo Fat did some damage to someone who went after her… apparently everyone who went after her.

Doris rolled up to the Ikaliani Resort and snuck in towards the villa she knew Wo Fat was holed up in. She had chosen day time because Wo Fat had always been a night owl and the men he had patrolling the site were all around and not isolated to the cabin.

She could slip in easily and she did. And then she was bearing down on Wo Fat who was pouring himself two glasses one of whisky and one of Gin.

Wait… two? And who did he know who drank gin.

Wo Fat turned, his gun in his hand poised in her direction. Quick as a rabbit she pulled her own gun and the two of them were in the middle of a standoff.

"What are you doing here Doris?" he asked, his eyes narrowed at her. "Come to apologize again?"

She shook her head. "I'm here to try and talk you out of a terrible mistake."

"And what's that?"

"You're looking for your father, you need to stop."

"I just found out the man is alive of course I'm looking for him," he growled. "He's my father. I thought he was dead."

She got that, she did, but he had to see that she was also trying to keep him safe too. She just wanted to keep both of her boys safe. Safe from the world, safe from each other, safe from a crazy psychic girl who could spill the beans unintentionally and ruin everything. Though, after how things were left with her Doris was surprised that Rowan hadn't just sold her out the second she didn't come back.

The fact that it took almost a year for Steve to find out about Lei Kuan Fat, that Wo Fat only found out after Steve had was shocking to her. Rowan had held onto that secret that whole time regardless of her being furious with her.

"You need to tell me what you know."

"I don't know anything."

"Lies."

Okay, fair. She had lied a lot. Her job was lying. It was all she knew how to do. But she wasn't lying now. Behind them a door slammed shut and suddenly Wo Fat was alert. So was Doris, because she didn't know who was coming in. But she had a feeling Wo Fat did because he looked worried.

"Okay, so I ditched him for the day. I left my phone in the car before I hitched a ride over here. We are set for at least two hours before he starts to panic. So I hope you got popcorn popped, my slushie spiked and movie picked out cause we are on a…."

Rowan rounded that corner and everyone froze. Rowan was stock still staring at them, blinking her eyes at Doris, blinded like a deer in the headlights. The purse fell straight out of her hands and hit the floor as she just looked between the two people frozen in the kitchen.

Oh they were in so much trouble. Doris for being there, and Wo Fat for not getting any of that done.

Rowan was frozen for all of two seconds before she shook herself free of the shock and suddenly shouted: "Doris… is that… like… WHAT?!"

She took a few hesitant steps forward. "Why do you have guns out? What the hell are you two doing? You're not going to shoot each other, stop being ridiculous."

Doris turned and Wo Fat's gun was no longer in his hands. "You were supposed to call me before you dropped in," he growled.

"And I did," Rowan said her focus no longer on Doris and solely on Wo Fat. She looked different. More vibrant. Well… having a relationship with her son definitely made Rowan happier, with any luck it made Steve happier too. "You didn't answer."

Wo Fat opened his mouth to say something but Rowan wasn't interested, she let out a sudden war cry that startled everyone and then tackled Doris.

She did literally no damage, Doris absorbed the hit and Rowan slid down her, her arms grappling around her and refusing to let go. God one of her boys really needed to teach her self defense techniques.

"Rowan what are you doing?" Wo Fat asked with a sigh. "I mean… I wasn't in any danger…"

"Of course you weren't!" she shouted at him. "For godsake we can't let her leave. She's finally back on the island and I need her to go visit Steve."

Fear lanced through Doris almost immediately. This had been cute originally it was no longer adorable. She struggled to pry Rowan's hands loose but failed miserably.

"No… Rowan… I can't…"

"Well you can't just show up in Hawaii to see your favourite son and not go see your real one!" she shouted.

Wow. That was a lot of guilt trips in one sentence, and Doris wasn't completely heartless, or she wouldn't have tried to raise him in place of his mother. And Wo Fat wasn't her favourite, he was just the one that needed the most help. Steve was fine on his own… he had… other people… he had other mother figures, and father figures and Rowan to take care of him. Wo Fat had… well he had Rowan now but Doris still wasn't sure how that was going for him.

"Rowan!"

"No! You have to go see Steve. You have to! He misses you…"

"He wants to ask me hard questions, now get off."

But Rowan refused to move, and Wo Fat was content to just sit there and watch the show until Doris moved to hit her and then he moved too. He caught her hand mid strike and then glared at her and for a minute Doris saw the monster he could become in the name of protecting Rowan Pierce. He stooped down and forced Rowan up and onto her feet.

She said no words, but moaned her distress at him and he turned to Doris with an unimpressed glare and said: "She's right. You're here. You should see your son."

"Your real son!" Rowan clarified again as if Doris had no idea that he meant Steve.

She looked between them as if she wasn't quite sure how it happened, or what she was witnessing, but it was enough. She knew that, in the long run, it would be easier. Seeing as she couldn't get rid of Rowan without retribution from Wo Fat, or really upsetting Steve, and she knew Rowan was going to tell Steve right away that she was on the island.

The united front between Wo Fat and Rowan was enough to help her make up her mind… and agree.

H5O-H5O-H5O-H5O

Rowan and Steve had had an argument. It was a standard argument over something stupid and she said she'd go over to Wo Fat's. But the problem was that she went radio silent four hours ago. Her phone was off. Her car was missing. And Chin couldn't get a hold of Wo Fat on the app.

Steve was past panicking. Steve had straight up lost his mind.

Something was wrong. Something had to have happened because there was no reason for her to be silent. And it had to be something big because Wo Fat had gone silent too.

Or… Wo Fat had finally done it. He had taken Rowan and vanished.

He had personally put the BOLO out for her and Wo Fat, and a hit came back literally in ten minutes on her car. Sitting in his driveway.

Duke had not been impressed with that but Steve had checked the house first before going to the station to freak out over the situation until Duke put out that BOLO and she had not been there. She must have returned after he left.

But he didn't wait for the lecture he merely left and went straight home. And they were right her car was in the driveway. He hopped out of his truck and sprinted up to the front. He was used to her throwing herself at him the second the door opened, and Steve had never needed it more than right at that moment. But Rowan didn't throw herself at him, she came to him, he practically bowled into her and that was good enough.

He wrapped up in his arms and his heart finally began to calm down.

"God," he whispered to her. "Babe where have you been?"

"I… uh…" she whispered and then Steve pulled her out of his chest and took a good long look at her. She didn't look injured but she didn't have a strange look on her face. A look that surprised him, a guilty look that made him worried. "Okay before you freak out…"

And then he saw it, the shadow behind her, moving slowly towards them. Steve reached for his gun and the shadow did the same.

Wo Fat.

She had brought Wo Fat into his house.

Rowan got in between them, panic swept across Wo Fat's face, just like he was sure panic had swept across his. "Stop! Put them down!" she cried. God he couldn't shoot Wo Fat now, he wasn't even going to chance it. He needed help, but he couldn't help but stare at his Rowan and wonder how she could do this to him when she knew, she more than knew how he felt about Wo Fat.

"What have you done?" Steve hissed. She opened up her mouth to answer but he cut her off. "How dare you!"

"I can explain!"

"No! I'm done. Just get out. Just get out, take your stupid psycho with you and don't bother fucking coming back."

Rowan actually jerked like he had hit her. She looked him up and down like she didn't recognize him. And for a second Steve froze, because what the hell had he just said? Had he… had he just…?

"Really? After everything I did for you… you're going to end things just like that?"

"Just like that," he echoed. It was a good thing he was so fucking angry because his heart was ripping itself up into shreds right now.

"Wow," Wo Fat said holstering his weapon. "I mean… alright, that works for me. Uh, you pack things up and I guess uh… hey wanna go to Paris? I hear Euro Disney is like the same as regular Disney."

Rowan turned to him an incredulous look on his face while Steve glared at him. What a fucking vulture. They weren't even… was he really going to… the anger in him said yes but everything else in his body said no.

"You're not taking her!"

Wo Fat glared at him. "Well she's not staying here, you just broke up with her. Might as well take her somewhere fun! Right?" he said and then turned to Rowan: "Not Paris, how about California, we'll go to real Disney or whatever."

"Oh god will you two stop it."

"Break up or not you're not allowed to take her from me!"

"Are you serious? Listen to yourself! Do you know how crazy you sound? This is why I'm scared of you being around her!" Wo Fat shouted.

"I'm not the problem! You are!"

"I'm the only thing keeping her alive!" he shouted.

"That is not true!"

"Give it up McGarrett! I'm better for her than you… I love her more than…"

Wo Fat hadn't even managed to finish the sentence. Just like that Steve and tackled him to the ground.

"Oh God! Steve, Steve stop! Stop it, get off of him!" Rowan cried rushing towards him. He and Wo Fat were grappling with each other. Both in defensive holds that they were trying to break out of. Rowan gripped Steve's shoulders and struggled to tug him off of Wo.

"Stop it! Stop it!"

And then suddenly someone reached down and grabbed his ear, twisting it while he yelped, forcing him to stand up. It wasn't just Steve though, the same person had grabbed Wo Fat by the ear and was pulling him up too.

"You two are absolutely ridiculous. I swear to god, nothing but a bunch of heathens!"

Steve's whole body froze. It was his mother. His mother. Doris McGarrett was in his living room scowling at the two of them.

"Both of you, couch. Now," she ordered and both he and Wo Fat slumped into the leather seats. Steve founds himself just staring at her, his eyes flying between his mother and Rowan.

Rowan had found his mother and brought her to him? And he was going to break up with her?

"What do you two have to say for yourself?" she asked, hands on her hips as she scowled down to them.

"He started it," Wo Fat snapped, which earned him a quick cuff from Doris and a glare of indignation from Steve.

"That is a pitiful excuse," she lectured but Steve was done with the lecture, he was done with all of it. Quick as could be he was on his feet and wrapping his mother up in a tight hug. He was just so happy to see her. So surprised that she was there.

"But… how?"

"She came to visit you," Rowan said but the way she said it sounded off. Which could have been because he had been about to break up with her but also because she might have been lying to him.

"Then why is he here?" Steve growled indicating to Wo Fat who glared right back at him.

"He's her ride," Rowan answered sullenly. "He was going to wait outside but you came home early."

"Look, we… we have a lot to talk about… and a lot that I can't answer for… but I'd like to spend some time with you if possible, if you're okay with that? Can you do that, spend time with me but not ask me any hard questions?"

Steve looked torn. He had so many questions he wanted answers to, questions only his mom could answer. But how could he say not to that?

"Sure. I can… I can do that."

He turned back to Rowan who was tugging Wo Fat to the door, a blind panic hit Steve so hard he thought his heart had stopped. "Wait… No… I… don't leave with him."

"Well I don't think it's a good idea to leave him here with you."

"Oh… okay… but… you'll come back, right? You'll… you'll come back?"

Rowan blinked her eyes at him. "You sure you want me to?"

"Of course I do," he said and though Rowan smiled Wo Fat groaned and rolled his eyes. "I didn't… I didn't mean to…"

"We'll talk about it when you're done with your mother, okay?" she said. Steve didn't fail to notice the way Wo Fat held onto her arm to tug her out of the doorway. "You won't have long… make it count… and I don't mean in the information way. Just… you know… spend time with your mother. Do magic tricks or something. I pulled them out of the storage space for you."

God this girl. That perfect, wonderful, sweet little girl. He really did not deserve that girl, and this had proven to him that Rowan and Wo Fat weren't the most dangerous thing to their relationship, it was him. If given the opportunity he would tank them so fast… but at that moment he couldn't worry about it, because for the first time in more than a year he had his mother back and there were so many things he wanted to tell her, advice he wanted to get and questions he wanted to ask. But, for the first time in his life, he was going to leave the questions for last.

H5O-H5O-H5O-H5O

"And then I had to carry her back down the mountain…"

Doris smiled at her son. At the big goofy grin he had on his face. For a moment he looked like that sweet little boy she knew, that sweet little boy he was before she had derailed his life. That goofy grin no longer belonged to her though, that goofy grin on his face was Rowan's now. She made him happier, she made him lighter. But there was a darkness there too. She could see it. How quickly he was willing to throw that happiness away simply because Wo Fat had encroached on the edges of it.

She needed to help him past that if she could but she didn't know if she had the time.

"I'm so glad that you and her are… dating?" she said. "Is that what you're doing?"

"Yeah…" "But she's wearing your dogtags?" "Never takes them off." "I hate to break it to you, Steven, but I think maybe she might be your girlfriend."

"We're not ready for that," Steve said with a shake of his head.

"We're not or you're not?"

"Okay… maybe I'm not," Steve whispered. He caught Doris' look and winced. "You saw her with him. Right? You saw them… I can't… the man tortured me… he's the reason dad is dead… he's why you left us… and he keeps taking her from me… I just can't… I can't…"

"You're right I did see them together, and I can tell you it surprises me," Doris said. "And I can tell you that I have never seen him like that. He hasn't been a real human in a very long time and she just sort of… enlightens him, you know? And I know you don't like that but she does the same thing for you."

"Mom… what are you…"

"Okay, Rowan is like this light and you and Wo Fat are like the moths. You're drawn to her, she makes your lives better and brighter. Isn't that right? Aren't you happier with her? Because you look miles happier than before I left."

"Yes, of course I'm happy, mom, but that's not my point, is it? My point is how do I get past what he did?" Steve asked.

"You don't, Steven. What he did was terrible, it was unforgivable. Has she asked you to forgive him?" "No…" "Does she ask you and him to hang out?" "Well no…" "Has she asked you not to arrest him?" "Okay… no she said if I catch him again then I catch him again… but…" "Then but what, Steve? What is she doing?"

Steve scowled at her. "She's with him. She goes to him. About everything. About our love lives. About our personal lives. When we have an argument she hides in his safe house but won't tell me where that safe house is. And he's always… ALWAYS acting like our personal relationship counsellor."

"Oh… that's strange, why doesn't Rowan confide in her friends?"

Steve stared at her. His eyes blinking a million times over. "Was that a hard question Steven? Is that because her only friends are yours?"

Steve scowled. "They are not that… like have you been listening in or something?"

"Steve why was Rowan at Wo Fat's today?" Doris asked. "Because, if I'm going to be honest, that's where she found me."

"She said you came to see me."

"I did. Steven, I did… but I also need to stop him from making a terrible mistake," she said. "And honestly, I was afraid to face you. Don't avoid the question, why was she at his place?"

"She… we… uh… we had an argument." "About what?" "Kono and Rowan went shopping for possible gifts for a half-anniversary that I don't think we should be celebrating because we're not really together…"

"And which of your team told you about it?"

"…Chin did…"

"How often does that happen?"

Steve sighed, okay well that answered her question. "She doesn't talk to me mom. She doesn't talk to me and this is all I have left…"

"All relationships should have some secrets…"

"What… like you and dad?"

"Really. That's where you're going to go with this. You're comparing Rowan wanting to surprise you with a gift and with me being a spy for the CIA and faking my death?" "Mom!" "Well that's what you're saying."

Steve groaned and ran his hand over his face. "No she's obviously not a spy, but I mean… she lies to me… Like you do. For godsake why the hell are you so interested in Wo Fat? I mean, really?!"

"We said no hard questions…" "But you can ask me for them? Mom, I just want answers. Or advice. I don't know what to do…"

Doris sighed and took a hold of Steve's hand. "Steven… your heart has always been so very big and you love with all of it. And it kills me so much to see how guarded and afraid you now are, because that is 100 percent my fault," she whispered. "Maybe you don't see it yet, but Steven you love her. I can see it and I can see you're not ready to admit it and that is okay. But that girl has made you so happy Steven. I have been keep tabs, I have seen it on the reports. She does things because she wants to make you smile, but you smother her and you don't trust her and she doesn't feel emotionally safe with you."

"So you think you I should just let the Wo Fat thing go?"

"I think, unless she puts you and your team in danger, you should just let her and Wo Fat do their thing. Cause otherwise it's not really hurting you." Steve made a face and snorted in disbelief. Doris just sighed. "Both you and him have the same goal in mind. He wants her to be happy and you want her to be happy. I think you should be grateful that Rowan has such a strong person backing her when you can't."

It was in reference to the Afghanistan situation Doris had been briefed on and Steve sighed again. "You heard about Afghanistan." "Yes, yes I did." "You're right… I was very lucky that he had someone… anyone… to be honest… he had no idea the guy was even there… it was a lucky coincidence. If there hadn't been… I would have lost her…"

"Yes, you are lucky," Doris said. "And you need to appreciate that a bit more. Both that Rowan risked a jail sentence to get to you in your time of need, and that when you were unable to help her Wo Fat had a man in place and enough money to pay him to defect on his current contract to save her."

They lapsed into silence and then Doris cleared her throat. "I know you want an answer… about him and I… And I want to be honest, I do, but it's hard… so I'm going to give you one thing… okay?"

"Okay?"

"And you can't ask for clarification, I can't explain what really happened, but I can try…"

"Just tell me what's going on with you and Wo Fat."

"Whatever Rowan told you… she's right."

Steven stared at her hard because it was a cop out and she knew it. "No… mom… she can't be because then Wo Fat is…"

"Technically your step brother…"

"No… but mom… how…"

"He's not related by blood, but I was… I did… technically… raise him."

"So you fucked up two sons. Wow great."

Okay that was hurtful. Yes she had technically abandoned both her sons but she had had no choice. The CIA had swooped in and arrested Wo Fat's father and made her leave him. Just like the Yakuza came to kill her for her knowledge and she had been forced to fake her death to save her new family. But she hadn't done it intentionally.

"It's a long story Steve, and I wish I could tell you but…"

Steve just dropped his head into his hands. "I don't know what to say to you mom, I'm at a fucking loss… does he…"

"Oh he's always known. I mean… he didn't know I killed his mother… he didn't know his father was still alive, but he's always known you were my son… that you were like a brother essentially…"

"Wow… this is really… really… fucked up…"

"To be honest that's probably why Rowan's so comfortable around him, you and he have a lot in common and are surprisingly quite alike…"

"Don't you ever fucking say that to me again," Steve said pointing a finger at her. "I'm serious mom, don't you fucking dare!"

She raised her hands in mock surrender and smiled at the barest hint of a smile hitting Steve's face. She opened her mouth, not sure what she was going to say next maybe it was an explanation or another apology but there came a knock on the door and then Rowan's head was poking in.

"Sorry about this… but uh… they're moving quicker than expected…"

The door suddenly slammed open, wrenched out of Rowan's grasp and Wo Fat was standing there. "None of this Canadian politeness, I have to get her off the island now!"

Rowan had yelped, shaking her hand, probably getting hurt when the door was forced out of her grip. Wo Fat turned to her. "Oh damn, you okay?" he asked but she just glared at him.

Doris stood immediately ready to go. Steve stood too. "Shouldn't I help you? She's my mother… and all…"

Wo Fat glared at him, opened his mouth to say something and had Rowan clear her throat. He turned to her staring at her hard before he rolled his eyes. He turned back to Steve, plastered a fake toothy grin onto his face and said through grit teeth: "While I thank you for the offer, it'd probably be better if you weren't involved because what I'm doing is highly illegal, and you have morals… also you'll probably need an alibi so you know… call your boyfriend or something."

Steve turned to Rowan who was sighing, her eyes turned heavenward as if asking for guidance from above.

"Wo!"

"Okay, I'm sorry, but it was only one jab. One! It slipped."

She turned a dry glare to him and he just pulled her in for a hug as Doris neared them. "Be safe," she whispered to him and then let him go to hug Doris. "Come back when you can, he needs you."

Wow, Rowan really was good with those guilt trip.

"Try my advice see if it works," Wo Fat said to her and the pointed a finger at Steve. "Stop making me your damn relationship counsellor!"

Doris took one last look at her son. The pain in Steve's eyes ever so apparent. She wished she could stay with him longer, that she could be a better mother to him. She wanted to tell him she was proud of him, that she was and always had been proud of him, and that she missed him every day, but instead she turned away before she could say something stupidly sentimental and followed Wo Fat out into the night.

H5O-H5O-H5O-H5O

Rowan shut the door behind them and thought about Wo Fat's advice. About being more honest with Steve so he could trust her more. To not get so angry about the little things. She took a deep breath, ready to tackle what would be another argument and then suddenly Steve was on her, holding her to his chest. She turned in his grasp to hug him back and the two melded into one another.

Steve held her tightly almost shaking. "I'm so sorry I freaked out… I'm so sorry… I should have listened to you… I'm… I'm sorry."

But Rowan wasn't ready to let it go. She was still shaken by what he had done. That ending things between them had been so easy for him simply because Wo Fat had been involved.

"You were going to just end things then and there… cause Wo Fat was in the house? I mean… I know you don't like him but you didn't think that if he was over here there was a reason?" she asked. Steve stiffened in arms and she pushed him away from her. He looked down to her surprised. "I'm obviously not going to bring him over for dinner or just to hang out… I know better then that, but Steven… come on… you didn't think that maybe something might have happened? Or that I might have been in danger?"

It was clear on his face. He had not thought about any of that. "No… I… I mean… I'm thinking about it now and yeah… I probably should have assumed that he was there because something was wrong… but I just… I don't know… I guess I still think…"

"I am not your mother."

Steve's eyes whipped to hers and she realized she had said that out loud. Well… the argument was going to happen now so she might as well commit. "Okay. I get it. Your mother picked Wo Fat over you. She protects him the way she should protect you and I'm sorry. And maybe it looks like I do too, but I am on your side Steven. I am always on your side. I try my very best to keep you guys apart, but he's my safety net. Because if things go belly up with you, I'll have nothing. Do you understand? I'll be alone and that scares me. I am not good on my own, Steve, I do bad things and make bad decisions when I'm on my own."

Steve just stared at her and Rowan wondered if he was understanding what she was trying to say.

"I… I have never been on my own okay? I have always, always had my family, or my brother, or my best friend. And here… I don't… I don't have that. I'm cut off and isolated and I was spiralling until I met him. Okay," she said. Steve opened his mouth to argue and she shook her head at him. "Steve you told me to leave, remember? That's how I found him, you couldn't handle what was happening with me and you kicked me out."

He let out a sound that sounded like a strangled sob. "I said I was sorry… I didn't mean it… I told you I didn't… I was just scared… I was trying to protect myself…"

"But you still can't handle it. You keep trying to change me, to silence me. But I can't stop it. Whatever this is this is a part of me now and you can't seem to accept that."

"Is that what you think?"

"What else am I supposed to think Steve? Don't tell me what you see. You keep saying that to me. And then you get mad when you're out of the loop."

"Rowan… I just…"

"Look. I get it, it's hard to stomach, but I am trying to help you. That's all. I really don't think I'm asking for much. But if we're on things I'm asking for… I'd really like it if your team would stop repeating everything I say to you. I honestly have no one to talk to, because if I have something I'm not ready to tell you and I take it to one of them… well… they tell you. You want me to stop taking everything to Wo Fat first, then stop getting them to farm information about me for you," she ordered. Steve nodded and she was ready to hit him with the big one. "I asked Wo Fat to keep me out of the feud you two have and he agreed. Why can't you do the same?"

"You talk to him about me all the time."

"I talk about my love life…"

"You think that I want my arch nemesis knowing about my love life Rowan? You don't think that's embarrassing for me? That every time something's wrong between me and you, he intervenes."

"Steve half of our arguments have been settled by him…" "Because he threatens me Rowan. Don't you know that? Don't you know what he says to me? That he'll take you away? That I won't ever see you again. Do you think I like that? Do you think that makes things better?"

"I have asked him to stop doing it, but he sticks with what works," she told him and Steve frowned at her. "And to be honest… when he does that and it works… it's the only time I really feel special."

She lowered her eyes so she missed the surprise that hit Steve's face. "What… what the hell are you talking about?"

"I don't know… it's hard… to compete with Danny and your cases…" "Oh God, Rowan… not this again."

Rowan fell silent and looked away from him. Steve stared at her hard. "Rowan?"

"Never mind," she said quickly. "You're right. We're both forgiven right? I'm tired. Let's just go to bed…"

Steve put a hand out to stop her from walking away. "Babe… just… I'm sorry. You're right okay… I get it… I drop you for my cases all the time and I guess that bugs you, but you knew what I did for work before we started this, you know what I'm like and my job is…" "Important, yes I know."

Steve sighed. "But you are very important to me too… and you are very, very special. And I definitely need to work on making sure you know that. But maybe… maybe you could make me feel like you like me more than Wo Fat?"

"I can do that, so long as that doesn't include giving you info about him."

"Okay… yes… but can I make one request… if it's something big… that could get me or the others hurt… could you tell me that?"

"He's not going to do anything to you or the team, he promised me," she whispered. Steve couldn't find out about the possible torture that Wo Fat might have been planning. She had to believe that Wo Fat would keep his promise. Because if he didn't… if he did something to Steve, she wouldn't forgive him and she wouldn't forgive herself.

Steve nodded and she smiled at him. "Okay, and I'm sorry about the whole anniversary thing. To be honest I just wanted to get you something special and I was using the anniversary as an excuse."

"Yeah?"

"Mhmm…"

"What were you leaning towards, Chin never did tell me."

"Well it was a toss up between a tasteful nude or a gun with your name engraved in the hilt."

"Ohh… tasteful nudes any day, but wallet sized so I can take it with me and look at it when I need a pick me up."

Rowan laughed at him and let him swoop down to kiss her before he got serious again. "I know you like to keep things from me, mostly because you think I can't handle them… or because you can't handle them… and it bugs me when I don't know… but I'm going to make sure that the guys don't report to me about you okay?"

"That would be very nice Steve and seriously… the next time I bring Wo Fat into the house assume something is wrong. Like one of us has been shot, or I have the law or a bad guy chasing me and we're hiding at your place cause it's safer…"

"Or you brought my mother to visit?"

"Yes that too."

"Okay. I can do that," he said solemnly. "Now… should we go to Danny's or a very public restaurant for an alibi? My treat and your choice."

"That would actually sound super nice, can I get freshened up first?"

Steve nodded, saying he had to do the same thing and then they headed up the stairs together. Rowan knew they'd probably end up fooling around before leaving the house again just like Rowan knew this wasn't the end of the argument. Yeah both of them said they'd change but they'd slide back into old habits and this would happen all over again. But for right now the argument was over and they were okay, hopefully this time their grace period would last longer.