Season Five Finale---
After Afghanistan Part One
Steve pushed up out of the ocean with a spring in his step. He’d made good time today. Swimming always centered him, released his stress, and gave him a great start to whatever the day had in store for him. And for some reason, he knew he was going to need it today. Ever since he’d gotten up this morning he’d had a feeling that something big was going to happen, but the sun was shining and the sand was warm, making him think maybe he was mistaken. A beautiful day didn’t mean it couldn’t go sideways fast, though. He’d learned long ago to trust his gut, so he’d rather be ready than sorry.
He strode toward the chair where he’d left his towel, but didn’t see it there. I know I brought it down. He looked behind everything, just in case it had fallen, when he heard her voice. “Looking for this?”
From the moment she spoke, time seemed to stop. His toes dug into the sand. It had been so long. He looked up and took a step toward her, but hesitated. Was it really her? He’d imagined her so many times, safely back in Hawaii, within his arm’s reach.
“Hey, Sailor.” She walked toward him, uncertainty in her eyes as she watched him.
His tongue was tied with all the things he wanted to say to her. There was so much between them, so many feelings and things that needed to be said. But his throat felt tight and all he could get out was her name. “Catherine.”
She babbled on about wanting to call first, her hands giving away how nervous she was as she used them to emphasize her words. She clutched his towel like it was a lifeline and he held back a grin. She’d always been easy to read, but even nervous she was beautiful. He couldn’t take his eyes off her as she crossed toward him. She looked the same, but different. Her hair was longer, but her smile was how he remembered it. He tried to concentrate on what she was saying, but all he could think about was how much he wanted to hold her. It had been too long.
He reached for her and pulled her close, her familiar form feeling so right as he wrapped his arms around her. He rested his chin on her shoulder and she stopped talking while they both just held each other. She pressed against him like she always did when she needed to be held and he closed his eyes. How could he tell her how much he’d missed her? How much he wanted to stay in this moment with her and never let her go again? He couldn’t. Not yet. They needed to talk no matter how much he wanted to touch her.
His arms felt empty as he stepped back, and thankfully, she handed him his towel so he had something to do with his hands. It was too tempting to reach for her again or just pick her up and carry her into the house. He twisted his towel to keep his hands busy and make sure he kept them to himself. “When did you get in?”
She was still nervous, shoving her hands in her pockets as she spoke. “This morning. I just came straight from the airport. I wasn’t going to miss Kono’s wedding. Come on.”
She didn’t come home for me. It hit him harder than he thought it would. Did it matter why she’d come home? She was here, safe, and that was something he’d wanted for months. Quickly schooling his face not to show his feelings, he nodded his head, pulling back a little. “It’s good to see you, Cath.” And it was. No matter what was happening between them, he was glad they had a chance to talk this out.
“You, too, Steve.” Her brown eyes locked on his. How many times had he looked into those eyes? They’d seen him at his worst, his best, and his most uncertain. But here she was, looking like she had no idea how much she still meant to him.
He finally threw the towel over his shoulder, anxious to clear the air between them, to get rid of the awkwardness they’d never had before. “Listen, why don’t you let me dry off and throw some civvies on and take you out to breakfast? We’ve got a lot to catch up on.”
She looked relieved. “Yeah, I’d love that.”
He smiled and turned to grab his stuff. This was definitely going to be a quick change of clothes. They’d been apart for too long as it was and he wanted to spend time with her again. To see what was still there. “Okay, well, good, good, give me a second, all right?”
But the ringtone on his phone made his stomach sink. No, no, no, not right now. He didn’t want to put this conversation with Catherine aside for work. For anything. He glanced at her, knowing she’d understand if he had to go. She always did, but it didn’t mean he had to like it. What if she wasn’t here when he got back? She wouldn’t leave without talking to him, right? “Don’t go anywhere.” Now it was his turn to use his hands for emphasis.
“I won’t.”
He leaned forward, giving her “the look,” hoping she could see how important it was that she stay. With a smile, he walked away, but turned around. “You’ve got to be exhausted. Why don’t you go up to the house and grab some coffee or just get some sleep?”
“Thanks, I will.” She stood there, watching him. He gave her a little wave and strode away, hoping whatever was waiting for him at work wouldn’t take very long. He couldn’t think of anything more important than his conversation with Catherine.
She babbled on about wanting to call first, her hands giving away how nervous she was as she used them to emphasize her words. She clutched his towel like it was a lifeline and he held back a grin. She’d always been easy to read, but even nervous she was beautiful. He couldn’t take his eyes off her as she crossed toward him. She looked the same, but different. Her hair was longer, but her smile was how he remembered it. He tried to concentrate on what she was saying, but all he could think about was how much he wanted to hold her. It had been too long.
He reached for her and pulled her close, her familiar form feeling so right as he wrapped his arms around her. He rested his chin on her shoulder and she stopped talking while they both just held each other. She pressed against him like she always did when she needed to be held and he closed his eyes. How could he tell her how much he’d missed her? How much he wanted to stay in this moment with her and never let her go again? He couldn’t. Not yet. They needed to talk no matter how much he wanted to touch her.
His arms felt empty as he stepped back, and thankfully, she handed him his towel so he had something to do with his hands. It was too tempting to reach for her again or just pick her up and carry her into the house. He twisted his towel to keep his hands busy and make sure he kept them to himself. “When did you get in?”
She was still nervous, shoving her hands in her pockets as she spoke. “This morning. I just came straight from the airport. I wasn’t going to miss Kono’s wedding. Come on.”
She didn’t come home for me. It hit him harder than he thought it would. Did it matter why she’d come home? She was here, safe, and that was something he’d wanted for months. Quickly schooling his face not to show his feelings, he nodded his head, pulling back a little. “It’s good to see you, Cath.” And it was. No matter what was happening between them, he was glad they had a chance to talk this out.
“You, too, Steve.” Her brown eyes locked on his. How many times had he looked into those eyes? They’d seen him at his worst, his best, and his most uncertain. But here she was, looking like she had no idea how much she still meant to him.
He finally threw the towel over his shoulder, anxious to clear the air between them, to get rid of the awkwardness they’d never had before. “Listen, why don’t you let me dry off and throw some civvies on and take you out to breakfast? We’ve got a lot to catch up on.”
She looked relieved. “Yeah, I’d love that.”
He smiled and turned to grab his stuff. This was definitely going to be a quick change of clothes. They’d been apart for too long as it was and he wanted to spend time with her again. To see what was still there. “Okay, well, good, good, give me a second, all right?”
But the ringtone on his phone made his stomach sink. No, no, no, not right now. He didn’t want to put this conversation with Catherine aside for work. For anything. He glanced at her, knowing she’d understand if he had to go. She always did, but it didn’t mean he had to like it. What if she wasn’t here when he got back? She wouldn’t leave without talking to him, right? “Don’t go anywhere.” Now it was his turn to use his hands for emphasis.
“I won’t.”
He leaned forward, giving her “the look,” hoping she could see how important it was that she stay. With a smile, he walked away, but turned around. “You’ve got to be exhausted. Why don’t you go up to the house and grab some coffee or just get some sleep?”
“Thanks, I will.” She stood there, watching him. He gave her a little wave and strode away, hoping whatever was waiting for him at work wouldn’t take very long. He couldn’t think of anything more important than his conversation with Catherine.
2 comments:
Thank you for finally posting it!!! And thank you for not disappointing me!!! I love reading about this moment, and clearly there aren't enough stories abt it. Very detailed. It takes me right back to 525, every single detail is replayed in front of me. My heart skips a heartbeat every time I read the part "They’d seen him at his worst, his best, and his most uncertain. But here she was, looking like she had no idea how much she still meant to him." Thank you for that!!! Sooo excited and look forward to the next part!!!
Thank you so much, Lucky Star! I'm thrilled you liked it and could really see the scene playing in your head. That was my favorite line, too. :)
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