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AvalonReeseFanFics
A/N: Happy Wednesday my wonderful readers! So here we are the last little bit of the Christmas chapters. For the first half of the chapter we've got all the Christmas gifts that every got, which I know is a lot of unnecessary detail but I promise you it has a point and you will see what it is when you read it and then the last part is them doing something super cute! This chapter made me cry a bit when I was writing it so I hope you guys enjoy it too! As always don't forget to leave a review, or drop a fav or a follow and I will see you guys next week!
Chapter 362
When dinner was over, coffees, teas and hot chocolates were brewed, everyone was sat down on by the Christmas tree for present openings.
They decided to go by person. And by they, Rowan had decided that they would be going by person.
For example, Rowan had gone first and handed out the gifts she had got for everyone.
She gave Yao a leather monogramed toiletry bag, you know since they were moving around a lot.
Wo got a monogramed Chill & Stogie set. It had whiskey stones with his initials on them, a cigar case with his initials on them. A bro torch and cigar cutters all in a special wooden box. She had even gone
Con got a box of booze infused jerky, and by box, it was literally ever kind of jerky the website offered. There had to be like 20 packs there.
Rowan had admitted she wasn't sure what to get Jian so she went with designer hand creams, since Jian's hands must get dry always wearing gloves and washing them.
Doris got a necklace, that, when you shone a light through it, projected a heart shaped mural on the wall. Pictures of her family. Of Joanie and Mary, of Steve and Nahele, of Wo, of Sin Nombre, and of course of Ro. She even found old family photos and added them in. Doris might have cried a bit when she tested it out.
After that it was Con's turn, handing out presents and asking questions.
While everyone unwrapped what he had gotten them Con had asked Doris how she had picked the name Nana, and she did not disappoint.
"We talked about it once, after Steve brought his first girl home. John… he wanted Pop-pop," she said. "He thought Meemaw would match, but I liked Nana and he couldn't talk me out of it."
Rowan had glanced to Steve who was smiling this big giant grin. She knew that from now on she'd make sure that Nahele always referred to John as his Pop-pop.
"Look, sunglasses," Nahele said putting them on his face. They were super wide and a tinted a green color. Rowan turned to Steve who had unwrapped a matching pair.
"They're shooting glasses, for when I take you to the range," Steve said. He then turned to Con. "Thanks, buddy."
"They're Ballistic M frames in the alpha style, I swear by them. Mine are blue," Con said. Great so they'd all match if they ever went to t he range together.
But was cut off by Rowan's squeal. Steve turned to her to find her holding a box that said Louboutin on it.
She pulled them out revealing a pair navy blue red bottom heels with silver fillagree down the edges.
"What are you screeching about, they're shoes," Wo snapped as he scowled at Con. "Shoes I told you not to buy."
"They're the shoes I had to leave behind in England. I swear MI6 probably still has them," Rowan cried.
However, the two brothers were ignoring her so they could glare at one another. "I told you, I told you what I was buying, I don't care if you bought yours first, I had to pay someone to steal those out of a goddamn warehouse…"
"You stole these?"
And now they were both looking at Rowan who looked horrified.
"No. I paid someone for… okay yeah they're stolen. But are you saying you don't want them? Really? Give them back you don't want them…"
Rowan hugged the box to her chest and glared at him. Right so that was her keeping stolen shoes.
"See, there. Stop complaining," he ordered and then turned to everyone else. "No complaints from anyone else?"
Yao had gotten beard oil from Con, a very popular indy brand called Pirate. He got Jian and Doris a box of candy from a very popular story called Dylan's Candy Bar. Wo got a fancy carafe for his whiskey that was a metal figure of Atlas holding up the globe. The globe the glass carafe.
And no one was complaining. Right onto someone else. Steve put down the mug that he had received for Christmas that year.
"Right so my turn," he said going for his own gifts.
"Is that one of your Christmas gifts, Steve?" Jian asked playful and Steve sat back down and showed off the gold rimmed mug that was decorated with a picture of Rowan, Nahele and him.
"Yes, it is," Steve said happily. "My soon-to-be-son gave it to me for Christmas, and it's the best thing I got today, so far anyway, and I love it."
"Oh? And what did he get his mother?" Wo asked.
"He got me a picture. And it has two hearts that contain the night sky of what the stars were in when both he and I were born and I cried when I opened it," Rowan answered. "Kinda like Steve almost did when he opened up the mug."
Steve nudged her playfully but she just had to smile at him to get him to smile right back at her.
"Oh, can we see it?" Jian asked and Rowan left the couch to go get the gift and Steve went back to getting the gifts for people.
He handed his mother's gift to her and said: "This is from me, Wo and Mary," he said and then he glanced to Yao and said: "Ro's was also from me."
Yao nodded and sat back and then they opened as Rowan finally joined them with the giant frame. She waited for everyone to open their gifts.
Wo and Con got the same gift which was a 50-caliber bullet turned into a bottle opener that made both of them grin. Jian got a stethoscope, a specialty one that Max had recommended.
"Oh my god it's the Porsche of stethoscopes," she cried looking it over. "This is wonderful. Wo got me a pen from Tiffany & Co that has a Caduceus clip. I'm going to look so professional!"
There was a soft little gasp and when they looked up Doris was looking at yet another necklace she had received.
"I know you're getting a lot of jewelry but uh… Mary thought it up. It's uh… it's Stirling silver and it's made of our finger prints. Me, Mary and Wo."
"I love it," she said trying her hardest not to cry. "I uh… I also want to see what Rowan brought down."
She was clearly looking for a way to make this a little less emotional, so Rowan immediately went about turning it over so they could see what it was. It was just what she said it was, two heart shaped night skies. One that said Mom the other said Nahele under.
Everyone let out different versions of aww that just made Nahele smile widely.
"Right, so I guess, since Steve gave his mom the gift we got her together, I'll go next," Wo said desperate to get away from this as it was way to emotional for him. He handed out the gifts he had brought and then everyone was opening up gifts again.
Rowan got hers open first and another excited squeal erupted from her as the Louboutin signature appeared on the box. And that would be why he was upset that Con had bought her shoes, because he had bought her shoes from the same designer.
She happily regarded the box and then she then pointed a frown at her eldest brother.
"If these are stolen…"
"They're not. I paid for them, I promise," he said. "As in I got them from the store. In case you were wondering."
Rowan happily opened the box to reveal another pair of red bottomed heels. This pair was black but had silver sparkles all over the velvet looking like the night sky. Red bottom heels to match her black dress, the one he had bought her all those years ago.
"I absolutely love them," she said and Wo smiled.
"I'm starting to see a pattern," Yao said as he opened up the box that Wo had given him. It was an old school saving kit set in jade. "I love it, but I'm guessing none of you like the beard."
Rowan giggled. "There's nothing wrong with a beard… we just want it to be manageable."
"Message received," he whispered.
"Uncle Wo, what are these?" Nahele asked holding up the little red dolls with white faces and no eyes.
"Those are Daruma dolls. They are a symbol of perseverance," he said. "You paint one eye when you make the goal and then paint the other when you've achieved it."
Steve's box ended up being a watch, as soon as Wo saw him looking at it and he cleared his throat.
"That's the Commander Elite in Phantom Black. It's a Rockwell. It's good underwater about 100 miles. It's got a lithium battery, swiss movement, so it'll run like a dream," he said and then he smiled at Steve. "I could have gotten you a better one, but this one is literally called the Commander and I couldn't resist."
Steve found himself smiling too. "Naw, I love it. Thanks."
"Uh… what the hell?" Con asked showing cookie cutters in his hands. All of them modeled after grenades or guns on bullets. Wo just smiled at him.
"I'm sorry I couldn't resist…"
"I hate you. I fucking hate you," Con said and then tossed them to Rowan. "The next time you make cookies use those please, and I swear you throw one of those at me, and I will literally drop you in a pit of non-venomous snakes."
Rowan scowled at the threat while Wo cackled. "They can't hurt you though, they're soft plastic, I made sure."
Con glared at his older brother while everyone just sat there. Steve knew the story but the others might now.
"What are the cookie cutters about?" Jian asked. "Why would anyone be upset about cookie cutters?"
Beside her Steve snorted and Con frowned. He turned to Wo who was sitting beside him and said: "If you tell that story again, I will tell everyone about the time you cried over Rowan leaving."
"Wait! He cried?!" Rowan thundered. "Was this after I voided half the ocean into the hotel room?"
"It was. We woke up the next morning and you had left and he cried. Like actual tears."
"Aw Wo!" Rowan cried as Wo glared at Con.
"I watched Rowan take Sin Nombre down by whipping a cookie cutter at his face, and that is why he's being a little bitch right now!"
"I swear to god!" Con cried lunging for him, only to have Jian put a hand out.
"Okay topic change, I'm going to give my gifts now."
Wonderful she was getting just as good at managing the two criminals as Rowan was.
She handed out the gifts to everyone and then sat back and smiled at Wo, who rested his hand on her knee in a reassuring manner. She then took it and put the arm around her shoulder so she could snuggle into him the way Rowan kept doing to Steve.
"Oh, for the love of god, is this everyone's present?" he asked as he showed them the beard shampoo and conditioner he had received.
"Well… at least there's only one more," Nahele said with a sheepish grin and Yao sighed. He opened up one bottle and took a sniff.
"It smells delicious at least."
Rowan got her gift open which turned out to be a small purse with a frog-mouth clasp. It was made of pastel purple silk and the chain and clasp were both a shiny gold.
Doris had opened something similar, except her bag had a silver clasp and chain while the purse itself was made of a silky fabric covered in pastel flowers.
"They're called Gamaguchi," Jian said.
"It's pretty. It matches my GTO," Rowan said. Jian had obviously gone with that purse because it went with her aesthetic. Both she and Doris said thank you.
Con received two very similar tins. One to buff his leather jacket, and hair wax to help him keep his hair in place.
"Make sure you don't mix them up," she had warned him and he shot her a smile before giving her a little hug.
Steve's gift was a shoulder and back massager would be great for those stressful days, whether they be stressful because of work or his wife.
And Nahele got an Omamori which was a lucky charm meant to keep him safe.
The next person to trade gifts was Doris who carefully pulled out all her gifts and then separated them into two piles. One pile was then put into Yao's hands, clearly meaning that that specific pile was gifts from him. She then handed her gifts out.
"Cool!" Nahele said as soon as he got his gift out and then turned to Steve. "Look LED strip lights. They're for my room, do you think we can set them up tomorrow?"
Steve the ultimate handy man smiled right away. "Course we can bud, it'll be our little project."
Nahele smiled and immediately pulled out the user manual to learn how they worked.
Steve and Wo got the same present. A single framed picture. Steve was one of him and his mom the day he was born. He knew it because it had been on his dad's desk all his life. Wo's was a picture of Doris holding him as a toddler, he must have been just shy of three at the time.
Rowan got a wooden cutting board with Doris' recipe for chocolate chip cookies wood burned into it. Jian too got something similar. It too was a wooden cutting board, but this one had a recipe for almond cookies.
"Those were Wo's favourite when he was little," she said. "He used to love it when the house smelled like them, probably more than the cookies."
Jian didn't really bake, but the thought was nice so she simply said thank you.
Con on the other hand was very happy with what he got. "A Vortex Optics Viper!" he shouted. "Which one is this?"
"The HS-T."
This was clearly good because Con freaked out. "This works in any weather. The eyepiece allows for fast focusing, fastest on the market. It's the most durable, the windage and elevator turrets are the best… it has a parallax turret!"
Rowan leant into Steve. "Is that good?"
"Yeah, it's the best scope out there right now."
"Great so he's going to be twice as lethal at long distances."
Everyone laughed and Con hugged that scope to himself like it was a teddy bear, then they were moving on to the next person.
"Okay my turn," Nahele said. "Keep in mind that I only had my allowance to buy these things, and neither mom nor dad gave me an advance on it…"
"And all the bills you slipped out of your dad's wallet, were for what exactly?" Rowan asked.
Nahele turned wide eyes to her while Steve straightened. "I'm sorry what?!"
"I told you. It was for your gift and dad's mug and… the bracelets…"
"He was taking money out of my wallet?!" Steve cried. "Why? Your mom makes more than me!"
"Because you never pay for anything, so you'd never notice," Nahele said and Steve glared at him.
"He's got a point Steven, you didn't notice."
"Okay you know what, you're going to pay me back for all you took, you hear me?" he growled but Nahele just nodded and went back to handing out the gifts to everyone.
"Oh look, a comb and brush kit… for my beard," Yao said as he looked it over. "It's made of bamboo and everything. I love it."
He sounded so sarcastic but Nahele just smiled at him so Yao reached over and ruffled his hair. "When I use it, I will think of you."
Con and Wo both got plastic key chains of food. Wo got a Siamin dish, Con got a shaved ice in pink, both of them said Hawaii on them.
Typical Hawaiian souvenirs.
"Flip them over."
Both men did just that and found that they were photo holders. And each had a picture of Nahele and his Uncle.
"See, so you can always take me with you."
"Perfect," Con said right away fishing out his keys right away to put them on it, Wo doing the same.
Jian too got a keychain, except hers a mermaid tail with a fluffy, feathery pompom on it. It too had a picture of him and her on the back.
She was putting it on her keys too when Doris got her gift.
It was a rose gold bangle with a wide band and engraved on it was the word: "I love you."
"It's in my handwriting, isn't that cool?" Nahele asked and Doris immediately reached out and ruffled his hair much like Yao had.
"It is very cool. I'll always wear it."
"I got one too," Rowan said showing her the matching rose gold band on her wrist. "The I love you is in Nahele's writing, and the to the moon and back is Steve's."
"Ah so we match," Doris said and Rowan nodded happily.
"Alright, so we've saved the best for last," Yao says handing out his own gifts.
Everyone got the same gift from him. Necklaces, with Jade pendants on them.
Con's was a rabbit. Nahele got a monkey. Steve got a Chinese dragon, Wo too got a dragon, but his was in a circle like a ring. Jian was given a crane.
"If you flip them over, you'll see a little golden symbol," he said and they all did that. "That is the symbol for luck."
Each jade pendant was an animal and with it came a little explanation of what that animal meant. All except for Rowan's.
Rowan looked at the intricate design that made up her pendant, the largest in the bunch. "What does mine mean?" she asked him.
Yao indicated for her to come sit before him, which she did without a second though. He took the necklace from her, going about taking it out of the box so he could put it on her.
"It's the symbol of Fenghuang, the phoenix. It is a symbol of high virtue and grace. It is traditional, in the Chinese marriage ceremony, that Fenghuang represented the grace and beauty of the bride, and the dragon would represent the strength of her husband. Together they would lead to a balanced and blissful relationship," he said as he helped Rowan put it on.
"And in a way it represents you. Who has picked herself up from her ashes to become a woman of grace and kindness in the face of adversity."
Rowan turned to him. "Thank you… that… that means a lot to me…"
"When they reported your existence in my son's life, I often wondered what you would be like," he continued. "I would picture this girl of formidable strength and cunning. And while I am very well aware that you are those things, that is not how you tamed the man you now call your brother. You gave him what Doris and I couldn't. You gave him love. You gave him a family. And I suppose, since you adopted him, that makes you mine. And I am honoured tell you that you are everything I imagined a daughter of mine would be like."
Rowan just stared at him, blinking her eyes. "I… really?"
Steve held his breath. He knew her own parents hadn't liked her the way she was and this was her chance to finally get that.
"Of course. I make it a habit to not say things that I don't mean…"
And then Rowan launched herself at him, hugging him tightly. Yao sat there at first, not sure what to do, his eyes met Wo's who mimed putting his arms around her. And Yao did, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her back.
It seemed that everyone not only got what they wanted for Christmas, they got all the things they needed.
H5O-H5O-H5O-H5O
Three days after Christmas. After everyone had returned to their homes. After a secondary Christmas with his Five-0 family. After putting up the LED lights in Nahele's room, and the pictures that Steve and Rowan had gotten on the walls.
After all of that it was Steve's turn.
Steve's turn to sit at a little table with Brenda Dean and her clip board on one side and Nahele on the other.
The judge was looking over their case work and paperwork which he only did for a couple of seconds before putting it down and looking down to them.
Steve was in his Dress Blues again, hoping that his formal navy suit would help him look more dependable and fatherly. Nahele was in the navy-blue suit that he had worn at the wedding. Steve had wanted to wear matching ties with him, but the Dress Blues required a simple black tie, so Nahele was wearing the too big Navy Seal tie he had gotten Steve for his birthday last year.
Rowan had taken a million pictures before they left saying how handsome she thought they were. At the time it had been a great distraction, but that was then and now was now.
Steve was nervous again.
Not because he didn't think he could handle being this kid's legal guardian, cause he was doing the job of a legal guardian without having the legal part. No, he was nervous because the last time his family was in a room and situation similar to this one, the judge didn't want to give Rowan the kid.
And it was the same judge.
"Before we get started do you have any grand speeches for us today Mr. Huikala-Pierce?"
Nahele shook his head. "Nope."
"Wonderful." He looked back down at the file and then back up. "I do have a few questions though."
Oh, here we go.
"He lost custody of Nahele a year ago, is that correct?"
Brenda nodded. "Yes, though there was never a question of how much he cared, he very much did. It was that his work life, him not being home all the time, wasn't conducive to being a single parent of a child like Nahele at that time."
"And what's changed?"
"I married her, sir," Steve said standing up. "I'm sure that doesn't mean much, considering my history, but Rowan is a permanent fixture in my life, and I'd like Nahele to be too. I still have my job and my work, but he's not going to be alone because Rowan's back."
The judge looked at him, "And if you lose Rowan again?"
Steve hadn't thought about that, not really, because he knew losing Rowan again would kill him. But if Rowan left him, he'd assume she'd be taking the kid. Which would be a double blow to his heart. And if she thought he wasn't going to fight her for at least partial custody she was crazy.
"It is the assumption that Rowan would be taking custody of Nahele," Brenda said.
"The assumption," he echoed. "That's all well in good, but it not written in stone is it? What if she isn't leaving Mr. McGarrett, what if she dies? Sorry to be so callous about it, but we should be prepared for the worse. There is no telling what life will bring."
"Then I'd cut my hours at work," Steve said right away, without a second thought. Beside him Nahele looked up, like he was shocked Steve even said those words. "I'd quit my job entirely if It meant keeping him. I could work private security, or any other job like that. If something happens to Rowan, I'll do whatever I have to, to make sure we don't get separated again."
Mainly because if it looked like CPS was going to take his kid, Wo Fat was gonna show up. Though, if Wo Fat had to intervene, he'd be taking Steve and Nahele together, cause Wo wasn't getting his kid full time. He just wasn't.
The judge turned to Nahele. "What about now, got a speech now?"
Nahele looked up to Steve and then back to the judge and then he too stood up to stand beside Steve.
"I just want a dad. One that loves me and is going to be there for me when I need him. Steve already ticks all of those boxes. He did 90 down a dirt road with his flashers on once cause I was vague in a text and he thought I was in trouble. He taught me how to throw a football straight and tie a tie. He lets me cry on his shoulder and never makes me feel stupid for crying and he's just… he's just my dad. I'd like that to be official too, sir."
Steve honestly felt like he was about to cry. Rowan was right, he thought of Steve as his dad. So that meant all the Steves that he had gotten had to be because he thought that Steve didn't want to be his dad and he wouldn't want the accolade.
And if this went through, he was going to make sure that Nahele never thought that he wasn't wanted ever again.
"Well alright," the judge said. "I think we can do that."
And that was his adoption approved.
They went up, signed the papers, took the family picture together. He, Rowan, Nahele, Brenda Dean and the judge and then they were heading out.
Steve couldn't stop smiling, the grin was so wide on his lips that it was starting to hurt but he didn't care. He was literally the happiest he had been since he had gotten married last month.
It was official.
He had his family. Legally. In every way.
When they got out of the little court room they were showered with confetti and poppers by his friends who he was unaware was waiting for them outside. With them was Wo Fat, Jian and Sin Nombre, each with their own hands of confetti and poppers.
But most importantly his mother was still there, wrapping him up in a hug as the congratulations came pouring in.
They went for a celebratory lunch, but Steve was already full. He was full of emotion, full of happiness, wondering how it was possible that he had gotten as lucky as he had.
He was about to start the new year with everything he had ever wanted in his life. Life literally could not get any better.
