Rewrite

AvalonReeseFanFics

A/N: An update on a Monday? What? What could this be about? Well, one of my readers had a birthday this weekend, and I missed it! So this Chapter update is for Shobu556. Have a Happy Birthday update on me! Please enjoy and I'll see you guys on Wednesday!

Chapter 431

Steve had been exonerated and he couldn't even begin to describe how that felt. It felt like every weight that had suddenly been thrown onto his chest had been lifted. He could look into his friends eyes and not feel shame. Nahele wouldn't have this cloud over him anymore either. And yes, Steve had been worried about how this would affect his family.

But now they had two of the robbers now, both were bodies but this was going to help in the long run. They hadn't gotten anything of use from Bobby, he said he didn't know names, that the burner phone he used to contact them had been destroyed purposely when he saw them coming after him.

He wasn't giving them much and he knew that was because he was afraid of the crew. Fear of Wo Fat had gotten them so far, and they were nearing a point where they might need to use Wo Fat, but now, now they didn't.

They had two bodies now, and they were going to use that to their advantage. Bobby clearly didn't know about at least one of the bodies. He could tell them that they pinched the one Steve had shot and tell him that they were going to let everyone know that he got pinched because Bobby talked. See what he said then.

Everyone liked that idea except Wo Fat but he was also obviously out voted. So he Grover and Wo went back down there to enact their plan, problem was they go there and Akamu had been shot. In the head actually, right between the eyes.

Obviously that was not how they left him.

Grover and Steve pulled their guns immediately and turned on Wo Fat.

"Did you shoot our suspect?" Steve asked and Wo Fats eyes narrowed, he leant in past Steve to see the damage that had been done.

"You think I did this?" he asked pointing at the body. "I've been with you or your people the entire time, when would I have managed this?"

Fair. That was true.

"Did you call Con?" Steve countered and Wo Fat frowned.

"He wouldn't let me," he said gesturing to Grover. "I mean, I called to check in on Ro and she said she had sent him off somewhere, but I doubt she sent him here…"

Steve had already decided that his in laws weren't in on it. He and Grover were starting back down the hallway trying to see if they could see the guy who had done this. They couldn't be that far behind him.

But hearing that Rowan had called Con for something had him pausing. "Wait what?"

"What?" Wo echoed having obviously not followed the conversation.

"Why did my wife send Con on mission?" Steve asked.

"I unno, but it can't be that big of a deal if she didn't call me for it," he said. "And you know… if we're being honest here, I'm actually very insulted that accused me of murder."

"Not impressed that he thought you managed this under our watchful eyes?" Grover asked and Wo Fat paused.

"Alright, maybe. But I've been very well behaved all day, thank you, so it was a little upsetting to hear that you think I'd kill him when you expressly asked me not to. Nor am I all that happy that you pulled your gun on me."

"Wo, we don't have time for this, our suspect is dead, and none of us did it. And I didn't pull a gun on you, I pulled my gun in general," Steve snapped and while Wo Fat frowned at him, he didn't argue further. "Come on, the shooter can't have gotten far. Help me find him."

Wo Fat nodded and then followed after Steve as they headed up the stairs towards the main entrance of the Palace, while Grover went up to the gang to warn them and to start his search that way.

While he was going he called for the Palace to be locked down, so when they got to the main floor the doors were closed and they were holding people in the one area. Steve looked around but clearly didn't see anyone that matched what he was looking for.

"We must have just missed him," Steve said. And then called: "Open the doors," to the guards, who did as they were asked.

Wo Fat followed Steve out of the door, just as Grover came to join them. "I didn't spot anyone the back way," he said.

"There!" Steve suddenly shouted having spotted something. But before Wo Fat could get a good look Steve took off which meant that he had to chase after him.

The rounded the corner and Wo could see that Steve was chasing down a cop that he clearly didn't recognize, or recognized as one of the robbers. Who knew what was really going on in McGarrett's head?

He was heading for a gold sedan, clearly the real getaway car, but someone in that car realized that Steve was chasing down their guy, cause someone got out and started shooting.

Wo Fat had just managed to catch up to Steve so when the shots started he grabbed the back of Steve's collar and slammed him back to the ground so he could open fire with the pistol he had, which was the only fire power he had managed to bring with him.

"Jesus! That's the second time that's happened to me!" Steve snapped from the ground. "Are you and Con conspiring to hurt my by helping me or something?"

"No! It's the McGarrett Maneuver," Wo Fat said, stepping back behind a tree to avoid a spray of bullets. "It's not a conspiracy, but it is something we both agreed to do… not hurt you I mean, just you know… get you out of harm's way. Keep you from getting shot as much. You know, to help with your stress and Ro's."

That was actually really nice, too bad Steve didn't like being tackled or shoved to the fucking floor. Give it to his brothers-in-law to find a way to hurt him even while helping him.

"Right, we're going to talk about that after this is done," he snapped.

Steve got to his feet, hid himself behind the same tree Wo Fat was behind, they took turns shooting back, but the guy had a bigger gun. Bigger and faster.

Steve tucked and rolled to get out behind the tree and behind a red car to shoot behind. That worked for a bit but in that time the other guy got into the car, same with the shooter and then they were trying to take off.

Both Steve and Wo Fat stepped into the street, as he car started driving. It was coming right at them, but both of them continued to shoot. Wo Fat was already planning on when to tackle Steve to the ground and out of the way the of the car cause he didn't trust him not to do it himself.

But then a shot rang out. Long and loud, a bigger caliber kinda gun that neither of them had. That shot hit the driver in the head, with him dead they lost control of the car and it crashed.

It hit another car and then flipped a bunch of times.

Wo Fat had to grab Steve and pull him out of the way of that car too. Well, not really, Steve was already moving, but Wo Fat grabbed him anyway, once again by the collar. Steve had to slap his hands off of him once they got clear.

"I'm not stupid," he hissed. "I wasn't just going to sit there as an out of control car came at me!"

The look Wo Fat gave him was all he needed to know that Wo Fat did not trust him in that regard.

By then the rest of the team had joined them outside and with their help they got the rest of the guys that were alive out of the car. They arrested them, handed them off and then as they were all standing around the car the trunk opened up and all the stolen cash came tumbling out.

"Well that was easy," Junior said.

"Then what's he looking at?" Tani asked.

Steve turned to find Wo Fat standing away from them, hands on his hips, his eyes darting from each of the rooftops of the tall buildings around them.

Steve knew right away what he was looking for, because it would explain the expert shot from the bigger gun that Steve couldn't place. "I thought you said Ro sent Con somewhere… but not here," Steve said.

"I did," he said. And then he perked up. "Ah, there you are."

Steve turned again and there was Con, bunny mask off and in one hand, a massive sniper rifle over his shoulder.

"What are you doing here? I thought Ro wanted you to pick up snacks," he said.

"She did, and I still have to do that, but uh… she wanted me to swing by here first. Apparently for this," Con said gesturing to the upside down car and the pile of money they were trying to gather before it blew away in the wind. "Said uh… the two of you were gonna get shot… or run over."

"How could she possibly know that any of this was going to go down before we did?" Tani asked.

"What is it with your friends?" Wo Fat asked Steve. "Why are they so fucking nosey?" He then turned to Tani. "Mind your fucking business before it gets you killed."

"Okay, dude, stop it," Con said. "Why are you so grumpy? Have you forgotten to eat again? Are you hangry again? I swear, for the eldest you're like a fucking toddler." He then turned to McGarrett. "And you should know better, why didn't you fucking feed him?"

"I didn't… I haven't been with him long and… I mean he's a full grown adult he should know when to eat and how to do it himself."

"I actually haven't managed to eat yet," Wo Fat said. "Huh… maybe I am hangry."

"So... I mean… I'm confused cause… neither of you are nice…" Junior said.

Con cocking an eyebrow at him. "Okay… we talked about this. I am not the nice one. He's not the nice one, none of us are the nice one, but for fuck sake I have been nice to you. So I don't know why you're complaining."

"You almost dislocated my shoulder," Junior cried.

"And I apologized!"

"Would I be correct in assuming he's referring to the many different files that exist on Rowan that state that out of her two brothers, you are the nice one?" Wo Fat asked.

"Yes that would be the one," Con said as he offered the last the Oatmeal Walnut Chocolate Chip cookies that he had in the bag.

Wo took it happily. "Oh! I love these, I don't have any left," he said before taking a big bite. After he finished swallowing he added: "I guess that makes sense, you are the nice one."

"Me?" Con cried.

"Yes, you're the one who can be reasoned with, ergo the nicer one," Wo said.

"Uh… no. I cannot be reasoned with," Con clarified. "And if anything all that note means is that I'm personable one. You are not."

"What… yes I am!"

"You're really not. You have no facial expressions, you exude a coldness that makes people uncomfortable, and the only time you look human is when you're with Rowan."

Wo Fat's dark glare slid onto Con. Everyone else that day had shrunk under the heat of that gaze, but not Con, he simply pointed at it. "Yes, see, like that."

"That's bullshit. I happen to be quite charming! This is about how if I decide to do something, I do it, regardless of what anyone says, even my sister. You, on the other hand, can be bought off, which I know cause I've bought you off, and you listen to people… like Ro for starters."

"Uh, no. If I want to do something, I do it, just like you. And I don't listen to Ro, I cave to her whining cause it's obnoxious. And you know what, you're wrong and I'm going to prove you wrong. We're gonna settle this right now by asking the person who put that note in the file in the first place."

They both turned to Steve who had been standing with his friends watching this whole argument go down. The second their eyes turned to him he straightened.

"Uh… What?"

"Why are you telling people I'm the nice one?" Con asked.

"And what exactly does the "Con's the nice brother" mean and what does it refer to?" Wo Fat added.

"Oh, uh, well it's cause Con was never really against me," Steve said. "From my understanding, Wo lied to you and you were just backing Rowan. There wasn't any past turmoil coloring your opinion of me…"

"This is because of your Dad, isn't it?" Wo Fat snapped. "I'm responsible for your dad and you're going to hold it against me until the day I die."

"He literally died because of you!" Steve snapped. "I don't know why you're acting like that's a forgivable offence!"

"Cause I didn't pull the damn trigger, Hesse did. And he could, at any point in time, have decided not to. I just put him in the same vicinity and figured the loose cannon would do the job for me. And he fucking did. So. Not really all my fault. Okay?!"

"You masterminded it!"

"I refuse to continue to have this argument with you, you ungrateful Neanderthal!" Wo snapped and began to move away and back towards the palace, with Con following him.

"What are you just stealing pages out of Danny's insult notebook now?" Steve cried following after them both.

"If the shoe fits, McGarrett, I will throw it at you."

"That is not the saying!" Steve cried but he was largely ignored.

Junior and Tani both watched the three men leave before turning eyes onto Grover and Adam.

"Well… looks like they're getting along better," Adam said to Grover, shocking the two newbies standing with them.

"That's them getting along better?" Junior asked.

"Oh yeah," Grover said. "Before, when those three got into fights, guns got pulled, people got shot, it was wild. There was a point in time where if the brothers were around, Ro had to be too to smooth over any fights."

"He seems to have really gotten comfortable with Wo, like leaps and bounds better than before but I feel like he and Con are still the same," Adam added.

"Why is his family so messed up?" Tani asked going to follow them.

"Ro just adopts people," Adam said. "She adopted a crime boss against his will and I'm guessing she did the same to the assassin…"

"And Steve fell in love with her," Grover finished. "He fell in love with her, so he puts up with her family."

Well, that sort of explained what was happening.

"But he had to know before he fell in love with her… you know… who she chose as brothers?"

"Con she added in like... two years ago. And she met Steve before she met Wo," Adam said with a shrug.

"Not that it matters, the two of them were pretending they didn't love each other for like three years," Grover cried.

See… see… everything was so damn confusing. They really needed to sit down with McGarrett and Rowan and have them draw out the timeline so they could explain.

"Did Wo Fat really kill his dad?" Junior asked.

"You know, that's a long story, and honestly I don't wanna go in to it," Grover said. "So why don't we go back up to the office and make sure that the two brothers haven't killed Steve… or vice versa."

And gratefully, after that, the two newbies stopped asking questions and just followed Grover and Adam back up to the offices. Where they then found that the three men were still arguing, this time about what to bring Rowan for dinner as they couldn't return to Steven's house empty handed.

Yeah. Tani and Junior both felt like they just weren't ever going to get used to this dynamic. Ever.

H5O-H5O-H5O-H5O

After a very long, very spirited, very petty argument, Wo and Steve agreed that Con could go home and nap as he was cranky. So now Steve knew two new things about his in-laws. Wo Fat was prone to getting hangry and if Con didn't nap he got cranky. They were both freaking toddlers.

Then, between him and Wo, they agreed that he would be stopping off at Rainbows to pick up pancakes for everyone, including him and Kono. But they also agreed to pick up the snacks that Con said he'd bring home for Rowan.

They then split ways. Con went home to go to sleep. And Wo and Steve got their pancakes and Ro's snacks and then headed back to the McGarrett homestead.

There Rowan was ready to greet them, excited about her pancakes and snacks. She sent Wo back to Boulder City, and then it was just Steve, Rowan and Nahele eating pancakes together.

And he fucking loved it.

For a moment there he completely forgot about the shooting, about the robbers, and about how his wife refused to cooperate for a group of armed robbers and could have easily been killed for it today.

It wasn't until after dinner, when Nahele was up in his room playing videogames and Rowan and Steve were in the kitchen making out, that it all came back up again.

He and Rowan had been doing the dishes together, or they had been before they shared a simply coy glance and Rowan jumped him. Not that he was going to argue. If his wife wanted to make out with him, he was always going to be down.

But they were kissing and she pulled away to say: "You know… I've been thinking, about that cop… it really is weird that he didn't identify himself."

Steve was slightly dazed for a moment, he usually was in a bit of a fog after he finished making out with Rowan. Especially since this one ended seemingly abruptly.

"What?"

"The cop…"

"Oh, the guy I shot. Yeah he wasn't a cop."

Steve wanted to go back to kissing her, so that's what he tried to do. He angled downward, expecting her to be ready to kiss him back.

Except she didn't.

"What?" she cried. "He wasn't a cop?"

"Nope, he was one of the Robbers. They changed into co outfits in the vault."

Rowan frowned at him. "When did you find that out?"

"Uh… not long before I came home, there was a shoot-out… do we need to talk about this right now, I kinda liked where this was going…"

"Steven, I've been sitting here worried about you because you were fucking despondent with the guilt and you're telling me that it's fine now?"

"Aww, baby, I mean… thank you for worrying…"

"Why didn't you tell me, Steven?" Rowan thundered and his eyes narrowed. Damn, why was she so mad at him right now?

"I unno, Rowan, I guess I didn't think it was that important!"

"Steven you were so upset your friends called me to calm you down," she growled. "How is that not important?"

"Why are you mad at me right now? Why? Like do you even know?" Steve cried, because honestly he was starting to think she was just looking for reasons to be mad at him. "Because if we're being honest, I should probably be the one that's mad at you. You had a gun in your face and instead of just cooperating you stood up to them. Why the hell would you do that? Over a suit? Rowan a suit is not more important than you."

He then stood there staring at her, waiting to see what she had to say to that. The problem was that her face fell into this look of completely and utter disbelief and he knew he had messed up.

"Okay…" he started but Rowan cut him off with a shake of her head.

"No, no, we're done. Done," she said. "I'm going up to our room to chill and decompress. You can join me when you've decided to not be a dick!"

And then she stormed away. Steve didn't even bother to chase her. There was no point. He'd have to wait for her to calm down a bit and then try to apologize.

He sighed heavily and went back to the dishes.

Well this wasn't where he thought the night was going to go.

H5O-H5O-H5O-H5O

Five days after helping Five-0 with another one of their cases, quite successfully if he said so himself, Wo Fat had yet another birthday.

Yes they came every year, but it somehow felt like this particular year had flown by.

Here he was again, another year older, with another party to ring him in.

Just like last year, the party was a dinner with his family. Rowan came from Hawaii with Steven and Nahele this time. Jian had specifically flown in herself and had been saying in his motel room. The other people Rowan had brought were Con, Doris and his dad.

Armando couldn't join him that year, but Kono did so that was nice.

This was a big deal because Rowan wasn't supposed to be using her powers but she had been adamant that she do this for him and she had held Steve's hand the whole time which apparently helped.

The dinner was at a restaurant across from the motel he and Kono were staying in and it was a wonderful night.

Wo Fat realized he was starting to expect this level of treatment for all his birthdays. The being surrounded by people he enjoyed the company of, most of which he had come to love in his own way part, not just the getting gifts part, though he did love that too.

This year Steve had even handed him a gift of his own, instead of piggy backing on whatever Rowan had got him that year, which was a teeshirt that said "Work's okayest brother" which he foud highly insulted, joke or not. Steve, however, had gotten him a pair of matching sunglasses for him and Jian, so he could have a matching set for him and Ro and one for him and his girlfriend. He was actually really impressed with it.

This year, however, he had reserved the actual day of his birth for Jian. He had planned a whole day of just sight-seeing all over Boulder City, not that there was much to do and was mostly going to be nature related, but that was not what happened.

He told her the plan that morning and she had surprised him by saying she didn't want to do that. She wanted to spend his birthday with him, and only him, in their bed. And who was he to deny his girlfriend that.

It wasn't all sex, though. There was no room service to order, so he ordered food to be delivered through one of those delivery apps, they watched TV and cuddled, and yes, yes they had a lot of sex.

She had even pulled a page out of Rowans playbook and bought him a set of lingerie that he could peel off of her. He stole a page from Steve's book and took the lower set off with his teeth. And yes, he was going to thank Steven for that little tip.

At that moment, though, they were taking a break. Jian had gone to go to the washroom and Wo Fat was in bed thinking about the glowy feeling he had in his chest.

He had a name for it now. It was exactly what he thought it was, but he felt okay with identifying it now. Normally when that feeling sat above his heart he faltered between being horrified that this had happened twice now, and amazed that he had even managed to get it right once let alone twice.

There was a complete difference between what he felt for his sister, though, and what he felt for Jian, but the fact that it happened once was a miracle, happening twice, in the romantic sense now, was nothing short of an impossible feat.

He wanted to tell her, of course, but the thing about feelings like that were that they were worryingly suffocating. Naturally he knew that she felt the same way, she had told him that herself, but that didn't stop him from worrying about what she'd say if he told her. Especially if he didn't do it right.

But then she came out of the washroom, one of his dress shirts draped across her body, this light smile on her face and a glass of water in her hands for him and it just slipped out.

It was supposed to be a: "Thank you," for the water she had clearly poured out of a bottle and into the glass for him, but it came out of him as: "I love you."

It was a breathy whisper, almost hitched with a bit of a chuckle. It wasn't the grand gesture he wanted, it wasn't in the romantic setting but it made Jian beam with utter excitement.

There was a pause where she just stared at him, that giant grin on her face as he waited for her to say something… anything to him.

Eventually she chuckled and said: "Took you long enough!"

She then got up into that bed again, cuddled up into his side and he sort of scoffed. "It did. Probably should have told you that Valentine's Day, but you went off about not seeing a future with me…"

"Dear god, as early as then?" she asked. "I'm so sorry I even brought that up. I shouldn't have doubted you."

"I understand why you did and you did bring up a very valid concern that night," he admitted. "I'm uh… I'm sorry it wasn't as romantic as you deserved… I was sort of saving it…"

"Well I'm glad you didn't," she said as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm glad you told me now. Because you now get to experience the best part."

"Oh?"

"Yes, but first, first you have to say it again."

Wo Fat winced at that request. "Do I have to?"

"Yes."

He sighed but indulged her. "Fine. I love you Jian. Happy?"

"Yes, because I love you too, Wo."

She was right. That was the best part. It was much better saying those words and having her say it back. No wonder Rowan was so upset all those years ago when Steve wouldn't tell her he loved her. God he hoped Steve was saying it more now.

He should probably get on him about that.

"Oh that's a Ro smile," she said a finger brushing against his lips.

He was regretting showing her the pictures, because she had memorized them.

"It's not like that," he said. "I'm thinking about annoying Steve into telling her he loves her more, that's all."

"Ah so that's your harass Steve smile then," she offered and he nodded.

She moved to kiss him again but he stopped her, only briefly, he planned to thoroughly kiss her once he got his question out. "It was okay… right… I don't have to do it again?"

Jian's eyes narrowed in surprised. "Wo, I want you to tell me you love me every time you feel like it, though if I get one a day that would be ideal." She took in his perplexed stared and then said: "You meant the first I love you and making it romantic didn't you."

He nodded and she sighed at him.

"Of course you don't. This was perfect."

She kissed him then, on long one. The clinging, panting kind. The kind where you stared deeply into one another's eyes when it was finished. It was a good thing they were in bed, because his knees were weak after that one.

In the silence after the kiss where Jian was cuddled into his side, pillowed against his shoulder, Wo Fat leant over and grabbed his phone.

"Who are you calling?"

"No call."

"Texting then?"

"No one."

Jian struggled to peer over him to his phone. "Then what are you doing?"

"Setting a reminder," he said absently as he did just that. "To tell you that I love you once a day."

At that Jian chuckled at him. "You are ridiculous," she whispered but he knew she didn't mean it in a malicious sense like other people had in his past.

It hit him again, full force, exactly what was happening to him. These feelings, while wonderful, were weaponizable.

He had more than one weakness now. He had a family of them. If anyone wanted to hurt him, and there was a great many that did, the easiest way to do that would be to go for any of them. Starting first, of course with Jian and Rowan.

And that was terrifying.

But at the same time, after all these years, he had gotten what he wanted. A family. People to love, that wanted to be near him, to take care of him and that he wanted to take care of and keep safe. This wasn't transactional, these were people who cared about him for no reason at all other then they wanted to. Except maybe McGarrett but he only half counted him.

The point was, this was his family and he wasn't going to lose it now. Not without a fight.