Thank you, as always, Sammy and Ilna for the wonderful friendship, support and love. You make every day better.

Ilna, the reveal idea was nothing short of fabulous. Thank you for that!

REALMcRollers, readers & guests, we appreciate every review, DM, note and tweet. The support and responses amaze and delight us every day.

Every Day

5:45 p.m. Camaro, en route to H.Q.

As he drove back to H.Q., Steve McGarrett listened to his partner's conversation with Grace.

"No, you cannot go in a car with Amy's sister." Danny's hand waved as he listened. "Because I haven't seen how she drives, Grace. I'll drive you girls myself, I'll be home in half an hour. We're just stopping at work so Uncle Steve can get his truck.

I'm sure she's a very responsible person, but before I know her, I'm not trusting her with the most important thing in my life which happens to be ..." Danny led.

He flexed his hands and shook his head at his best friend and waited for Grace to say, 'Me,' before continuing. "Thank you. And you always will be. Every day. Every minute of my life. Now, go finish your homework. And Monkey? Danno loves you."

Steve could hear Grace's side of the conversation and a grin crossed his face as she sighed in resignation and answered, "Love you, Danno. Tell Uncle Steve hi and I love him, too."

Steve's smile lit up at her words as he called, "Love you, Gracie," in the direction of Danny's phone and gestured with a chin-tilt as his best friend ended the call. "She good?"

"She's fine. Her new friend's sister offered to drive them to the movies tonight. She knew I was gonna say no, but at least she asked. When I was her age, I'd probably have gone and then told my mom." Danny smirked. "If I got caught, that is. Or if Angela ratted me out."

"Gracie's the best, Danny." Steve said sincerely as they exited the car. He tossed Danny his keys. "Tell her I said be careful." He fished his own keys from his pocket and unlocked the truck to drive home.

McGarrett/Rollins Residence

6:05 p.m.

Steve entered the kitchen, took a water bottle out of the refrigerator and spotted the note in Catherine's familiar hand taped to a shelf.

If I'm still on the stakeout and you're reading this, dinner's gonna be takeout since it's my turn. I'm sure you'll be starving. I left you the rest of my fruit salad. It's in the blue container. xo - Cath

He made to toss the note as he reached for the container, but stopped and stuffed it in a pocket with a smile. "Looks like it's you and me for tonight's walk." He grabbed her leash off a peg and said, "What do you say to a trip to the farmer's market?" to Cammie, who was standing at his side.

The dog yipped happily and did a little twirling dance as Steve quickly devoured the fruit from that morning's breakfast. "I'll take that as a yes." He clipped the leash to her collar and popped the last slice of pineapple into his mouth as he led her to the door.

.

Farmer's Market

6:20 p.m.

As Steve stood in line with his purchases, Cammie obediently sat at his side, never taking her eyes off him for a second.

"She's got perfect focus."

He turned to face the voice beside him. "Excuse me?"

The woman wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the food stand logo was smiling broadly. "The way she never breaks from looking at you when you speak to her. Her focus is perfect. May I say hello? Cammie and I are friends, right, Girl?"

The compliment of Cammie brought an instant grin to his face as he said, "Say hi, Cammie." At Steve's command, she moved forward to gently nose-bump the woman's hand.

A minute later, Cammie returned to Steve's side when the woman stood after petting her. "Oh. I didn't even introduce myself." She offered her hand "I'm Olivia Eito. I help my husband here a few times a week. You're Steve and you like our granola energy bars, right?"

Steve's surprised look had her continuing with, "Sometimes I'm here when Catherine comes in super early to get the mango ones. They're our most popular flavor; they sell out fast, so she stops by as soon as we open. She's brought Cammie a few times and I complimented how well behaved your dog was. That's how we started talking. When I'm not here helping, I'm a dog trainer."

Steve grinned. "Thanks. Cammie's very smart. We're starting level three classes soon." An unmistakable note of pride was in his voice.

"Wonderful. You tell that lovely girlfriend of yours I said we'll have a fresh batch of the mango bars on Tuesday," Olivia noted, and Steve felt something inexplicably warm tug at his heart as he paid for his purchase and said goodbye.

McGarrett/Rollins residence
7:20 p.m.

Seeing her car in the driveway, Steve entered the house, calling, "Catherine?" as Cammie took off to find her the second he unclipped her leash.

"Hey." She came out of the kitchen wiping her hands on a dishtowel; a smile lighting her eyes.

"Hi." Steve grabbed her hand and pulled her closer. "I got a sit rep ten minutes ago, they bolted not half an hour after Kono relieved you."

"I know, she just texted me. They ran right into her and Chin. They're processing them now?"

"Yeah, they'll be done and out of there soon." Steve kissed her and slid an arm over her shoulders as they walked back into the kitchen. "What'd ya get for dinner?" He smelled the air dramatically. "I'm starving."

"Garlic Shrimp. I got you a double order. Did you find the fruit?" Catherine moved to unpack the takeout bag that was on the kitchen table.

"I did. Thanks." He smiled and held up a bag, "Paradise cake. I picked up dessert."

"You bought a whole one?" Catherine cocked an eyebrow as he put it on the counter, and Steve knew she was thinking he really was starving if he bought a cake.

"Half." He smirked. "We'll work it off later."

"Sweet." She closed the distance between them and leaned up to kiss him, cradling his face in her hands. The kiss took on a life of it's own until they broke apart laughing when Steve's stomach growled. She slid a hand under his shirt to rub circles on his grumbling stomach. "Okay, let's handle one appetite at a time. Dinner first."

"Then you need to stop doing that." He took hold of her hand to still it and brought it to his lips with a playful grin. "Because in a battle of body parts, my stomach's gonna lose every time."

She winked and backed up to grab two glasses from the cabinet.

Steve grinned at her. "Cammie and I met a friend of yours. We went to the farmer's market."

Catherine smiled. "Really, who?"

"Olivia. She said you met over … mango bars." He said while holding her gaze.

Catherine looked almost sheepish. "Oh, yeah." She shrugged. "She loves Cammie."

"Everyone loves Cammie." The dog gave a soft "woof" and Steve noticed Catherine's nose crinkle in a smile. He eyed her jeans, boots and grey top. "Wanna hop in the shower first? I'll set this up."

"No." She shook her head. "You're starving. Let's eat."

"So are you. I can wait, Cath. Go. I'll set up." She tilted her head. She had been on a stakeout for hours. Steve knew she'd love to change into more relaxed clothes "Go. By the time I've got the food set out, you'll be back."

"Great, thanks, I'll be down in ten." She brushed his lips with hers as she breezed past with Cammie following close behind. Steve watched her leave the room before he began to remove the contents of the bag.

A half hour later, they were seated in the kitchen, sharing a dessert and discussing their latest dog training class.

"Gracie wants to come to Cammie's graduation again," Steve said as he held out his fork, offering her the last bite. When she shook her head, he finished it.

"We'll invite her and Danny. She loved it last time. Especially when they played Pomp and Circumstance at the end." Catherine nodded. "Oh, speaking of which ..." She placed her napkin on her plate and stood. "We have something to show you."

Steve grinned. "We?" he said around the last mouthful of cake. He really had been starving. It'd been nearly fourteen hours since he'd eaten and the fruit was only enough to get him through an hour or so.

"We." She nodded. "C'mon, Cammie, let's show Steve what we learned, okay?"

"Taught her something new, did you?" He couldn't suppress his proud grin.

Catherine took two cookies out of the treat jar and said, "Come and see," as she wrapped her fingers around Steve's to lead him outside.

"It's too big for the house?" He raised an eyebrow. Catherine was smiling so excitedly, he couldn't resist pulling her in for a kiss.

"Hold that thought. I'll claim my reward later," she laughed and put Cammie in a 'sit'.

Walking about three yards away and kneeling in the grass, Catherine got on all fours. "Cammie, hurdle!" she commanded.

The dog happily galloped up and over Catherine's body.

"Cammie, take cover!" she said.

Cammie dropped low and crawled until she was peeking out at Steve from next to Catherine, who had assumed a cover position of her own on the lawn.

When Catherine released her with a bright, "okay!" Cammie covered her face with kisses as she was fawned over and given a treat.

"That's my good girl!" She looked up at Steve with a beaming smile. "Isn't she amazing? She learned it in three sessions. Last night while you were working on the car, she did it perfectly, four times in a row." Catherine stood and held up a hand to stop Steve from coming closer. "Wait, there's more."

"Is she gonna do the dishes tonight?" He was enjoying just watching Catherine look so happy.

"That's next week." She chuckled. "Cammie, you did a great job. Take a bow."

Cammie backed up a step and lowered her front half into a play-bow and held it, warm brown eyes locked on Catherine.

"Yes!" Catherine clapped and spun in a circle. "Okay! Good job!" She said to release Cammie and gave her the second treat. "Go give Steve a kiss."

Steve knelt in the damp grass and playfully wrestled the hundred and ten pounds of wriggling, excited fur. "That was great!" He kissed the top of her head when Cammie snuggled into his embrace, thrilled to have made her people happy.

"Isn't she brilliant?!" Catherine announced and threw her arms around Steve.

"Almost as brilliant as you." Steve pulled her down beside him on the lawn. "What made you teach her those specific behaviors?"

"The other night, when we saw that therapy dog on TV. You said it was cool how he did the weave poles and all. I figured Cammie and I could do with a new lesson or two. I googled dog training and thought you'd get a kick out of hurdle and cover. She loves to learn new stuff, and Francine always says they're happiest when they have a job."

"You're something else, you know that?" Steve looked at her seriously for a moment and and pushed her still damp hair out of her face to kiss her. A second later, his eyes lit with mirth. "You both are."

"Thank you. You're not so bad yourself." She kissed him back, softly at first, then harder; before standing and offering her hand. "Let's take this inside, before we ruin two more pairs of pants with grass stains."

Later that evening
Bedroom

Steve exited the shower to see Catherine had fallen asleep, tablet on her chest, dark hair contrasting against the pale blue pillowcase. He stood for just a minute to take in the sight of her before gently sliding the device from her hand and placing it on her night table.

She stirred when he clicked off the lamp before crawling in beside her. When he did, she nestled closer and murmured, "Hmm, G'night" against his collarbone without opening her eyes, which caused his mouth to curve in a half smile. No matter how late, or how quiet he tried to be, Catherine always acknowledged his coming to bed.

"Shh, sleep. Sorry I woke you." He kissed her hair and inhaled deeply.

"N't sleep'n yet. You 'kay?"

"I'm so much better than okay." Steve pulled her closer still.

Catherine's eyes drifted open. "Steve?" He understood the question in her curious look.

He adjusted the light sheet over them both and shifted to look at her. "It's nothing. I was just ... thanks, Cath."

She lifted up on a elbow and stared down at him. "For what?"

He almost said, 'everything' and left it at that, but the way her beautiful eyes were holding his with a combination of unequivocal love and genuine concern made him want to voice it.

He took several seconds; old habits are hard to break, but he started with "I love you," and moved to kiss her palm as her hand came up to his cheek.

"Today, in the car, Danny said something to Gracie I'd heard him say a hundred times before. That she's the most important thing in his life and would always come first. That's ... vital for a kid, to feel they come before anyone and anything else. To have that level of security and trust. Like you have with your folks."

Catherine nodded and he continued, "And I just ... before you, I didn't …" He stopped and took a breath, "I never felt that after … I never felt I came first for anyone, that I mattered all that much to anybody. And for awhile, I didn't think I ever would."

Her eyes immediately filled and he leaned down and kissed her.

"Then I met you.

And you made me feel that way.

Right from the start.

Like I mattered."

"Steve, I ..." Catherine gasped.

He saw the tears threatening to fall and shook his head. "No, Cath, don't. I'm good. Really good.

Because of you.

So just, thank you. Because you show me how important I am to you. Every day."

"I love you." Catherine's voice was shaky and she hiccuped a sob, which made them both smile. "Every day. Forever."

"I love you every day. But today, I ... the fruit salad and the mango bars." Steve grinned, knowing she was trying to figure out the connection by the way her nose wrinkled.

"What?"

"You saved me the rest of your breakfast, because I left first this morning and you knew dinner would be late. Then, when that woman at the farmers' market told me you go there early sometimes, just for mango bars … your favorite is pineapple coconut."

She smiled. Steve wasn't normally big on words, so she didn't say anything, just let him keep going.

"I like the mango bars." It was practically a whisper.

He'd always been so grateful for her simple, loving gestures, but seeing them play out that day, after Danny's comment to Grace made him so aware … and had filled him with something akin to awe.

Had warmed him to his soul.

"You go early to get them for me." Steve tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and leaned his forehead against hers.

"And the tricks for Cammie. Teaching her hurdle and take cover, because you knew I'd love it. You do stuff like that every day, Catherine. You put me first, which ... I never ... "

Steve took a breath and kissed her again. He wanted to acknowledge it once more. Say again how he appreciated it. All of it. From the unscented products all those years ago, to the intelligence help before she joined the team, to getting up early to buy mango flavored energy bars. Instead, he kissed her with all the love he could muster and simply said, "Thank you."

"Hey." Catherine smiled softly and her fingers gently combed through the hair at his temple. "You do the same. Every day. You put everyone first, but me most of all. You always have."

Her eyes were shining and Steve knew she understood.

Catherine always understood exactly what he meant.

Even back when he never voiced it.

"And like you told me when I had the poison ivy, stop thanking me, Steve McGarrett. It's not anything I do with a conscious effort. It just comes naturally, because I love you."

He nodded and his eyes never left hers. "I know Danny busts me about being lucky to have you. He's absolutely right."

Catherine settled against him and smiled. "I'm just as lucky. Every day."

End - Thanks for reading

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