If you've missed any of the other parts, you can read them here:
Part 1--Just Because
Part 2--The Phone Calls
Part 3--Jet Lag
Part 4--Just Say It
Part 5--We've Got This
Part 6--A Second Chance
Catherine kept her eyes trained on the horizon, watching the last place she’d seen the helo. She wrapped her hand around her middle, trying to calm the adrenaline coursing through her. He can do this. She sucked in a breath and closed her eyes. They’ll be okay.
Kono reached out for Catherine’s hand and she squeezed her fingers, knowing Kono was probably thinking the same things she was. In that moment Catherine couldn’t feel the breeze or hear the waves. All her focus was on listening for the thrum of those helicopter blades bringing Steve and Danny safely home.
“I wish we had a radio so we knew what was going on,” Kono said softly.
Catherine wanted to agree, but knew a radio might make it that much worse. This was taking way too long. Something was wrong. She could feel it. But would it be worse to have that confirmed over the radio? Or better to just trust her instincts that they could all walk away from this? She didn’t know. “They’ll be okay,” she repeated. They had to be. She hadn’t even finished her sentence when the explosion rocked the ground beneath them. Shielding her eyes, she bit down on her lip and scanned the horizon. “Come on.”
Seconds ticked by, but it felt like hours. Then finally, she spotted them. Relief washed over her and her knees felt weak. They’re alive. They’re okay. She folded her arms against the feelings flooding over her, wishing she could sit, but wanting to be right where she was at the same time.
Within moments, she was watching Steve get out of the helicopter. Happiness replaced her fear and she wanted to run to him, wrap him in her arms and never let him go. Steve had always courted danger just by the nature of his job, but she’d been truly scared today, for him and for what was left unsaid between them. Now they’d have their chance.
She stood rooted to the spot, unable to take her eyes off Steve as he walked toward her. That crooked smile of his was the last straw, though, spurring her into action. She moved toward him, and when he stretched out his arms, she walked into his kiss and his embrace, like they’d been doing it for years. Like they hadn't missed a beat.
She was truly home.
Holding him close for a second longer than necessary, she breathed him in and all her worry she’d been holding in fell away. Steve pressed her close, as if he needed to feel her as much as she needed to feel him. She smiled and pulled back slightly, running a hand along his jaw. He was fine. Whole. Hers.
It wasn’t long before they were all in their cars trying to get Kono to her wedding as close to on time as possible. The ride from the beach to the Royal Hawaiian Golf Club was probably the shortest drive ever not recorded in Hawaiian history. They pulled up and Steve took Catherine’s hand as soon as they were out of the car.
“Kono, do you need anything?” she said as they ran inside.
“I’m good,” she said as she rushed off. “Meet you down there in five.”
As they approached the steps that led down to the ceremony, Steve offered Catherine his arm and she took it, feeling the warmth and strength of him beneath his jacket.
“We made it,” she said, leaning into him.
He tucked her closer to his side. “Yeah, we did.” They walked down the stairs with Grover, Chin, and Danny right behind them and headed to where the rest of the guests waited.
A little wind-blown, Steve and Catherine stopped just before the wedding aisle began. “How do I look?” he asked her.
She touched his lapel and straightened his tie. Looking up into his eyes, a zing of attraction went up her spine. Perfect, she wanted to say, but didn’t. Why couldn’t she just tell him? Her feelings had been on the tip of her tongue since she’d gotten back.
“Where’s the guest of honor?” Grover asked and Catherine followed Steve’s gaze.
“Guys,” Steve said and they all turned to look at the bride coming toward them. Standing there on Steve’s arm, Catherine could only feel grateful she was there to share in the moment with her friends. Nothing but happiness permeated the air.
They watched Danny go down the aisle with Grace and then it was their turn. Her steps matched Steve’s and in that moment she knew she couldn’t keep it in any longer. Staring at his chin she gathered her courage and said the words she’d wanted to say since the moment she’d landed in Hawaii. “I missed you.”
She glanced up at him to see his reaction and smiled to see the look he reserved only for her on his face. “I missed you, too.”
Her heart leapt. It was going to be okay. They were together. And they had a second chance.
Kono reached out for Catherine’s hand and she squeezed her fingers, knowing Kono was probably thinking the same things she was. In that moment Catherine couldn’t feel the breeze or hear the waves. All her focus was on listening for the thrum of those helicopter blades bringing Steve and Danny safely home.
“I wish we had a radio so we knew what was going on,” Kono said softly.
Catherine wanted to agree, but knew a radio might make it that much worse. This was taking way too long. Something was wrong. She could feel it. But would it be worse to have that confirmed over the radio? Or better to just trust her instincts that they could all walk away from this? She didn’t know. “They’ll be okay,” she repeated. They had to be. She hadn’t even finished her sentence when the explosion rocked the ground beneath them. Shielding her eyes, she bit down on her lip and scanned the horizon. “Come on.”
Seconds ticked by, but it felt like hours. Then finally, she spotted them. Relief washed over her and her knees felt weak. They’re alive. They’re okay. She folded her arms against the feelings flooding over her, wishing she could sit, but wanting to be right where she was at the same time.
Within moments, she was watching Steve get out of the helicopter. Happiness replaced her fear and she wanted to run to him, wrap him in her arms and never let him go. Steve had always courted danger just by the nature of his job, but she’d been truly scared today, for him and for what was left unsaid between them. Now they’d have their chance.
She stood rooted to the spot, unable to take her eyes off Steve as he walked toward her. That crooked smile of his was the last straw, though, spurring her into action. She moved toward him, and when he stretched out his arms, she walked into his kiss and his embrace, like they’d been doing it for years. Like they hadn't missed a beat.
She was truly home.
Holding him close for a second longer than necessary, she breathed him in and all her worry she’d been holding in fell away. Steve pressed her close, as if he needed to feel her as much as she needed to feel him. She smiled and pulled back slightly, running a hand along his jaw. He was fine. Whole. Hers.
It wasn’t long before they were all in their cars trying to get Kono to her wedding as close to on time as possible. The ride from the beach to the Royal Hawaiian Golf Club was probably the shortest drive ever not recorded in Hawaiian history. They pulled up and Steve took Catherine’s hand as soon as they were out of the car.
“Kono, do you need anything?” she said as they ran inside.
“I’m good,” she said as she rushed off. “Meet you down there in five.”
As they approached the steps that led down to the ceremony, Steve offered Catherine his arm and she took it, feeling the warmth and strength of him beneath his jacket.
“We made it,” she said, leaning into him.
He tucked her closer to his side. “Yeah, we did.” They walked down the stairs with Grover, Chin, and Danny right behind them and headed to where the rest of the guests waited.
A little wind-blown, Steve and Catherine stopped just before the wedding aisle began. “How do I look?” he asked her.
She touched his lapel and straightened his tie. Looking up into his eyes, a zing of attraction went up her spine. Perfect, she wanted to say, but didn’t. Why couldn’t she just tell him? Her feelings had been on the tip of her tongue since she’d gotten back.
“Where’s the guest of honor?” Grover asked and Catherine followed Steve’s gaze.
“Guys,” Steve said and they all turned to look at the bride coming toward them. Standing there on Steve’s arm, Catherine could only feel grateful she was there to share in the moment with her friends. Nothing but happiness permeated the air.
They watched Danny go down the aisle with Grace and then it was their turn. Her steps matched Steve’s and in that moment she knew she couldn’t keep it in any longer. Staring at his chin she gathered her courage and said the words she’d wanted to say since the moment she’d landed in Hawaii. “I missed you.”
She glanced up at him to see his reaction and smiled to see the look he reserved only for her on his face. “I missed you, too.”
Her heart leapt. It was going to be okay. They were together. And they had a second chance.
1 comment:
Love love love the gentle tone of this instalment. The first time I watched 525, I was amazed because it was better for McRoll than what I had expected. Though the second & third time I watched, I felt like everything was rushed. I'm glad at least in fiction world, things can be explained like this. That's why I prefer reading to watching. Thank you!!!!
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