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AvalonReeseFanFics

A/N: It's happening my wonderful readers! After a year of basically being off, I have reached Season 8. Honestly, I should have hit this milestone last year and I'm so sorry it's taken me so long. However, can we just sit back and be amazed that I've brought this story to 400+ chapters? Can I'm amazed I got this far! As always don't forget to tell me what you think and I'll see you guys next week!

Chapter 407

Tani Rey was having a typical day at her shitty day job.

As the lifeguard at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, she was tasked with keeping the pool area safe. Which was hard when tourists just want to have a good time. Most of the time this meant breaking the rules, calling her manager over when she tried to enforce rules because she was no fun and needed to lighten up, and hitting on her.

Right now she was dealing with two kids who would not stop running from pool to pool, and then jumping in and splashing everyone. Also not looking where they were jumping.

She had chased after them, blowing her whistle and shouting the rules at them, but they didn't listen so they didn't stop. She tried to talk to them calmly, remind them that she knew that they wanted to have fun, but she was trying to keep them safe too.

They responded by splashing her and then swimming away.

Oh she was going to find their parents and give them one hell of a stern talking to. Just wait. But then someone called her name.

Not someone she recognized either.

She turned around and was surprised to find two middle-aged men standing behind her, clearly wanting to talk. She knew they were cops before they told her that, because their badges were proudly clipped to their belts and pointing out towards her.

The first man introduced himself as Commander Steve McGarrett. He was wearing a light grey short sleeved button up shirt and a pair of green cargo pants. His hair was dark brown, shorn short with a tuft poking out at the top of his head. There was grey running through his side burns and the stubble along his chin and what seemed to be a tattoo poking out from under the sleeve of one arm and a hickey half hidden by his collar, just below his jaw.

The man Commander Steve McGarrett introduce as his partner Danny Williams was dressed in a light blue button-down shirt and grey dress pants. His hair blonde hair was slicked back with car, like an Italian mobster, and he liked to make faces. mostly to himself, as Steve did all the talking.

Neither of them looked like they belonged at that resort, and it didn't make sense why they would want to talk to her about one of their cases.

They very kindly, though, let her put something else on over her uniform so she wasn't sitting in the hotel pool-side restaurant in just her red lifeguard bikini. As soon as she sat down, they just started going on about what they wanted.

Starting with showing her a picture of a dead guy. She wasn't sure if they wanted to know if she knew him, or if they thought she had murdered him, but she had never heard of the guy before, and she definitely didn't murder him.

So what the hell did they want?

So as soon as McGarrret shut his face, she asked: "Alright, well, it's all very interesting. What does this have to do with me?"

"We'd like you to help us find the guy," Danny said.

"Me?" Tani asked, the question directed at McGarrett, who she knew just by looking at him alone that he was the leader of this little duo. And she knew form her time in the academy he was also in charge of the Five-0 team, and therefore the hiring.

"You," Steve confirmed and she just sat there confused. "We believe this guy's been operating on campus, we'd want you to go undercover, identify MiZchief, as soon as you do, we'll, uh, we'll take it from there."

Tani found herself nodding. "Look, I'm… I'm digging the whole Jump Street thing, I really am. But, um, I'm not your girl."

"Why not?" Danny asked.

"Because I'm busy."

Normal people took that as an answer, Danny countered with a: "Busy doing what? You're getting, uh, harassed by eight-year-olds? Come on. What do you mean?"

Okay. Rude. Yeah, she was done talking to him.

"Okay, Look, I gotta get back to work, alright? It's been a slice."

"Actually, your, uh, your boss isn't expecting you back today. So why don't you take a seat and hang out a little bit?"

Oh wow! So they were just gonna fuck with her hours like that? Like she didn't have bills to pay? They just thought she'd agree, just like that?

She begrudgingly sat back down, and then just glared at them. She couldn't help but scoff at their insistence.

"You guys are Five-0, you can have your pick of anyone. Why me?"

"Well, we need a cop who doesn't think like a cop and, uh, you know, who isn't afraid to break the rules a little bit."

See, when this conversation started she figured that they didn't know what went down. But now it's pretty clear they knew. She just didn't know how much they knew.

"Or break somebody's nose," Danny said with a smirk.

Okay, so they knew it all.

"Or Break somebody's nose," McGarrett agreed.

"Well, so you heard about that?"

"We did," they said at the same time. Wow, they must work together, a lot.

"Yeah. We heard that your training officer deserved it, so…"

"Then you also heard that I cheated on my written exam?"

They had, she could tell, but McGarrett said: "That doesn't matter. We're not looking for somebody who can recite code violation, okay? And, uh, your father passed away earlier that week, I understand. Sorry to bring that up, but frankly, I'll take that as an excuse."

"Well there are other things."

"I don't care about other things," McGarrett said right away.

There was something about McGarrett's eyes. They were so intensely staring at her that should couldn't help but squirm. She was honestly going to have a hard time continuing to say no to these people if he kept staring at her like that.

"What I care about is that up until a month ago when you washed out, you were probably the best cadet the police academy has seen in many years, okay? So that, that's why we came to talk to you."

"No the academy was right to kick me out. I shouldn't be a cop. The last thing the HPD wants to see is me wearing a badge."

"Eight years ago, I sat across from an ex-cop who said exactly the same thing as your saying now, his name was Chin Ho Kelly. You know where he is today?" She shook her head. "He's in San Francisco running his own taskforce."

Wow, that was a lot, it was kinda giving her hope. She wasn't sure she could take much more of that severe intense blue stare.

"Steve, Steve, Steve," came this insistent calling and immediately his smoldering intensity was not on her anymore.

Instead he was staring at this lithe brunette coming towards them. Now she looked like she belonged at that resort. She was in high waisted jean shorts and a long sleeve, very loose sheer grey shirt that she had partly tucked in to the front of her jeans. It was so sheer Tani could see the black sports bra she had on underneath.

Her hair was almost touching her shoulders, pin straight and there was a pair of bejewelled cat eye sunglasses on her face. She looked like a movie star and for some reason she was coming at McGarrett with a plate.

The second she got to the table, the hardness on McGarrett's face melted, a hand reached out for her, like he had to have his hands on her at all times. Instead she put the plate in front of him.

"Here, can… could you…?"

He stared down to the burger that was missing a single bite out of it and turned a confused look up to her

"Babe, I ordered the Fish Tacos," he said.

Ah, so she was the one who gave him the hickey.

Upon further examination Tani could clearly see the wedding ring on his finger, and the one on hers. His was black metal with ivy etched into it, hers was a rose gold and looked to be made of ivy, not matching, but complimentary. Tani would be right in guessing that they were married.

Interesting, she would have thought someone as serious as him would be married to the job. But with the way that man was looking at her, the way that seriously intense gaze softened when pointed at her, she'd also guess that McGarrett was helplessly in love with her, so they probably hadn't been married very long. Still in the honeymoon phase.

"And I asked for a steak," Danny added.

"Yeah well you got your own money Williams," she said and then turned back to McGarrett. "Yes, I know I said I'd get you the fish tacos, and I did, but then I took a bite of the burger and it didn't taste good… and the fish tacos were there, and you were taking too long…" She then pushed the burger towards him again. "Could you finish that for me please?"

"You ate my fish tacos?" Steve asked.

"I thought you didn't like fish?" Danny said.

For a second the woman, Tani hadn't gotten her name yet, just stared at Danny and then tears suddenly welled up in her eyes.

Seriously? That was going to make her cry? What the hell?

"I was hungry Danny!" she cried. "Today's my last day here before I fly off and I wanted to spend time with my husband but he got a case and now I'm here. And I just want to eat my fish tacos without the judgement!"

She dropped her head into her hands, clearly sobbing and poor McGarrett looked lost. His head whipped between his wife on one side and Danny on the other before settling on Danny.

"Apologize. Apologize right now!"

"Apologize I didn't do anything!"

"DANNY APOLOGIZE!" he shouted.

The volume and aggressiveness of that demand startled Tani and Danny. Tani was shocked by the sudden flip in moods, in the way a dark edge had become apparent on McGarrett's features. Danny, however, just looked annoyed.

"Fine! I'm sorry!"

McGarrett's wife's face came out from behind her hands. She swiped away the last of her tears as they miraculously dried up.

"Thanks," she said with a sniff and then her eyes turned to Tani. They narrowed at her like she hadn't quite realized she was there before. "Huh… I thought you were later." Tani's eyebrow cocked at her but she was clearly done with her, instead she turned back to her husband and said: "Yeah… don't let her meet my brother."

"Which one?" McGarrett asked but she wasn't paying attention to him either. Her eyes were on something in the distance.

"Oohh, slushies! Be right back!"

She got up and left and McGarrett sighed while his partner turned an accusatory glare onto him. Danny didn't even have to say anything.

"I know, I know, alright… just… shut up Danny."

"Your wife is a piece of work. And there is clearly something wrong with her."

"I keep telling you it's the nerves. She's nervous about the red carpet…"

"She smokes when she's nervous…" "—You only know about that because I told you and that was recent, don't say that like it's a common fact." "… she doesn't turn into a space case when she's nervous. And since when does she like fish? Just the smell of fish makes her gag."

"I unno, it's a recent development…"

"Steven…" Danny said and McGarrett just sighed.

"It's fine, Danny. She's fine."

Yeah, Tani needed them to pay attention to her because she wanted this conversation to be done.

"Look, I'm sorry guys, you have the wrong girl. Aloha."

Tani got up to leave just as his wife was coming back. She put the slushie she had purchased on the table and then whispered something into McGarrett's ear. The second he did he straightened and said: "Be right back," to Danny before launching out of his seat.

"Aw come on! Didn't you two go at it this morning?!"

"I'll be back," McGarrett called over his shoulder as his wife dragged him off towards the lobby.

Tani didn't have to guess what she wanted but she also couldn't help but think that they were all just so frustratingly strange. It kind of killed the image she had of Five-0 that the academy was always talking about.

She made the right decision not working for them.

H5O-H5O-H5O-H5O

The following morning, Steve packed Rowan's suitcase into the trunk of her GTO, and then ushered her and his son into it. He got the garage door open and surprise, surprise, there was Con, just waiting for them.

Before Steve could even complain, Con was in the back with their son and there was nothing he could do about it because Rowan had to be at the airport.

When they got to her drop off zone, they all got out. It occurred to Steve that this was actually happening. His wife was going to get on a plane to California, without him or her brothers. She was going to be on her own, meeting celebrities on the red carpet, possibly meeting with the ex she almost picked over him. Just… generally being around a whole bunch of people that would be better for her than him.

He pulled her in for a hug before she could say anything and just held her close to him.

"You're not going to see MacGyver while you're out there… right?" he whispered.

"Mackie?" she echoed. "I hadn't thought about it. I should see if he's stateside. Hang out or something."

Steve's grip on her tightened reflexively. That was not why he was asking.

"Okay, off," Con said, pulling Steve off of his wife. "My turn."

Steve huffed. He wanted more than anything to say to that man that as his wife, Rowan should be giving him unlimited hugs before she left. He was the one who was going to miss her the most. But that was going to be an argument, and he didn't want his last few minutes with her to be an argument.

"What are you even doing here?"

"I'm allowed to say good-bye to my sister, McGarrett," Con snapped. "And besides, I'm on babysitting duty the second she leaves, so… I gotta be here, gotta make sure you get home in one piece."

"Get home… what… what do you think is going to happen on the way home that I would need your expertise for?"

"Well I don't know, McGarrett," he said. "But we both know I don't trust you and you have my nephew with you so…"

Steve shook his head while beside him Nahele snorted, well at least he found it funny.

Rowan let go of her brother and then pulled Nahele in for a hug. "You'll be good, right?"

"Yes mom."

"But you know if you need me… for like anything… you just call and I'll come."

"Yes, mom I know."

"That goes for you too," she said to Steve and then turned to Con. "And you too."

"Yes, we know," Con and Steve said together and then shot each other a bit of a glare.

Rowan's eyes darted between the two men and her son standing before her and then she bit her lip. "Maybe I shouldn't go," she said, already moving to put her suitcase back in the trunk. "Yeah, I shouldn't go. You guys are going to need me…"

"No," Con said stepping in between her and the car. "No, Ro, we talked about this, this is a big deal and you are going."

"But…"

"No buts. Everything it going to be fine," he said and when Rowan's eyes darted to Steve, Con said: "I know we joke about how Steve can't live without you, but I promise you he will be fine. We all mean he wouldn't survive if you left him. Because then he wouldn't have me or Wo to jump in and save him when he gets in shit."

"He has a point," Steve added. "You're coming back right?" When she nodded he smiled. "See, everything is going to be fine because you're going to be coming back. We're just gonna be long distance for two weeks and that's nothing."

"And I promise I will be on my best behaviour the entire time you're gone so you don't have to worry," Nahele added and her smile widened, but tears welled up in her eyes.

"Aww, my boys," she cried, pulling them all in for a group hug that both Con and Steve did not want to be a part of. "I'm going to miss you all so much."

"It's two weeks, you have portal powers, it won't be that bad," Con said with a sigh.

"Just shut up and let me have this," she said as she hugged them a little longer.

Eventually she let go, but then grabbed Con and kissed his cheek. "Please be safe."

She then hugged Nahele and kissed his cheek. "Don't forget to do your homework and your chores."

Then she grabbed Steve. "Don't cheat on me."

Really? She thought that he was going to cheat on her. Naw it's was going to be the other way around.

"Don't you cheat on me," he said before swooping in to kiss her.

He immediately got an ewww from both his brother-in-law and his son.

"God guys, seriously?" Nahele cried. "I'm getting in the car."

"Oh shot gun!"

"Aw not fair!" Nahele cried.

"Too bad. All's fair in love and shot gun," Con said, as the Rowan and Steve continued to kiss.

Eventually they had to stop and he had to let her go. He waved her off, watched her disappear into that airport and then just… deflated.

He was officially going to have to spend two weeks not seeing his wife.

He missed her already

Why had he agreed to this?

H5O-H5O-H5O-H5O

After dropping both his brother-in-law and his son back at their respective houses, Danny came to collect Steve. They were supposed to be going to the Palace to work on their strangle case, but Danny took them on a detour to Chinatown.

He parked the Camaro and dragged Steve into an empty restaurant that Danny, for some reason, knew how to get the key too. Why he knew the code to that drop box confused Steve, but he hadn't managed to ask him what was going on.

Danny led him inside where he saw that the place was basically half renovated. So it wasn't a restaurant that was open.

Steve was starting to realize why Danny had brought him here, he just hadn't thought any of this would start so soon.

"Look at this place. We got tables, everywhere. Look at the light, right here, look, boom, booths!"

When Danny got excited he talked fast. Steve thought he was used to it but he clearly wasn't cause he was having a hard time following him.

"Beautiful set of booths over here, we got a bar obviously, we get a liquor license. Look how big the kitchen is. Look at this kitchen, huh?"

Wow he was super excited about this. Steve didn't know if that was a good thing or not.

"We got a space for a brick oven. Right here, a big, big, chef's table."

He was talking like he already owned the place.

"Boom, and look it. Outside, metered parking everywhere, alright? This is a fantastic neighbourhood, look at the light, everything."

He kept bringing up the light for some reason. Steve just kept looking around, trying to understand why Danny had brought him here when he wasn't close to retiring yet. Neither of them were close to retiring yet.

"This place is perfect, no?"

"It's very nice," he conceded. "I'm just a little… I thought you said you're gonna wait until you retire?"

"I am, but this is not… we start now, we get it going, and if we need help running it, somebody helps us."

"You keep saying we. What are you talking about? Who's the we? Us?"

"We, us, we. I'm asking you to be my partner in this restaurant."

That was a really weird way of doing it. By just talking about the place like Steve had already agreed.

"You want me?" Steve asked, this was important because Danny liked to complain that he was infringing on his hobbies and life sometimes.

"Do I got to spell it out? Yes."

"In Steve's?"

"In Steve…" he started and then winced. "Whatever we decide to call it, yeah."

"Okay…" Steve said as he thought about it. "Does it got something to do with my radiation poisoning?"

Cause that would explain why he was being so nice and inclusive all of a sudden.

"Why would you say that?"

"Huh? Maybe you think I'm gonna catch the big C, we start doing this now, I retire for this, is that right?"

"Okay, firstly, it is confirmed you're getting the big C. Your wife and her all-knowing strings have confirmed that. Last I remember the two of you were arguing over your odds of survival, because you, the dumb ass, didn't want her lowering the odds…"

"It was poisoning her too, Danny, we talked about this. I'm not chancing her getting it too!"

"Whatever, you lunatic. She's just trying to make sure you live through it!" he snapped and then waved his hands back and forth to signify that the topic was now changing. "But no, it's not that. Actually, what it really is, is that I want you to join me, we'll do all the work together, then you die and I get the profits."

"That's stupid. And I didn't… that not what I meant."

Danny took that in with a roll of his eyes. "The only reason I'm doing this is because it'll be fun no guilt, no pity, I wanna have fun, we'll have fun. A restaurant together will be fun, no? Huh?" When Steve said nothing, he asked: "What are you thinking about?"

What was he thinking about? Mostly about why Danny was doing this now when they weren't retired. He was wondering why, when Danny had been fighting him on everything, he would choose to invite him to be his partner in this business. He kept saying his retirement was for him and Steve would not be apart of it, and yet here he was making him a part of it.

Question was, why?

"You need money don't you?" Steve asked. "You need money and you're too scared to ask my wife, so you're gonna make me do it."

"No, no I'm not too scared to ask Rowan. I know she's good for it and she's already offered to invest… in fact, she's the one who mentioned this place in the first place."

Yeah, that sounded like his wife. Would it have killed her to tell him that Danny had been looking at a place?

Steve scratched his head a for a moment and then said: "I'm very flattered."

"You look it," Danny said sarcastically.

"I'm very flattered, I'm trying to tell you something here. I'm very flattered, but this is… Steve's is your dream, it's not, uh, it's not Steve's…" then he thought about it. "Did Rowan say I agree or something?"

"No, she didn't mention that part," he said and then turned to him. "You don't think it'd be fun?"

"Did I say it wouldn't be fun?" "—You don't think it'd be fun? No, it wouldn't be fun. We'd have a terrible time doing a restaurant together? Should I call Rowan and ask her to look at the strings?"

Was it stupid that Steve wanted to call Rowan? Not to ask her to look at his strings, but just because he wanted to know what she thought about all of this. That was normal, couples talking to one another before they made big financial decisions like this. Also, he wanted to know if she had landed yet. He checked his phone and frowned, no text yet saying she had landed.

She promised she would do that.

Was it weird that he missed his wife this much and she hadn't even been gone more than two hours?

He figured it wouldn't be a good idea to bring that up to Danny.

Danny was still waiting on an answer, too, but Steve didn't have to answer him. His phone rang, and though he wished it was his wife, it wasn't. It was a case.

At least it ended the awkward conversation he was having with Danny… for now anyway.