Sammy & Ilna, today, a quote that is absolutely true. You've walked in the dark with me plenty and in the light as well. Love you both.

"I would rather walk with a friend in the dark, than alone in the light." - Helen Keller

And Sammy, thanks for lines that made the end come together and Ilna, thank you for never letting me post with inconsistencies or a plethora of typos.

REALMcRollers and Readers: Thanks, as always. And an extra hug for all the personal tidbits you share with us. It means a lot that we remind you of personal experiences and you always warm our hearts.

Stepping Up

The partners were finishing the quick lunch they'd stopped for after an entire morning interviewing a very non cooperative pair of witnesses.

Steve held his phone out and Danny looked at the screen with a grin.

"Yeah, that's definitely the best one. Look at those smiles." He pointed. "Do that airdrop thing, send me all of 'em." A grin that lit his whole face accompanied the words, "ya know, not that I'm biased at all, but we happen to have the smartest, most beautiful kids in the world. And see the way Angie's smiling at Grace? Total trust and love." He gestured again and Steve nodded as his own grin widened. "That right there? la famiglia."

The photos Steve sent his best friend were of Grace holding Angie at the edge of the ocean the previous day. The tide was out and after a Sunday morning of shopping with Catherine, they'd taken advantage of a late afternoon breeze to take the baby for a dip. The water play turned into Grace entertaining Angie in the shade of an umbrella, where the baby would knock down the bucket-shaped mounds of sand with such glee, she'd had the fifteen year old giggling along with her joyful baby-laughter.

When it was time to take her inside for a bath before her dinner, Angie clearly wanted to stay and play in the sand. To distract her and avoid any tears, Grace had lifted her cousin and twirled around saying, "wheeee! Bath time!" which earned her more peals of laughter. Catherine, never one to miss a photo opportunity pulled out her camera to take a multitude of pictures.

Steve knew the day-old photo was already printed and waiting to join the family wall in New Jersey when he told Danny, "Nonna called to say she's framing one as soon as Cath sent them."

They'd finished eating, walked back to the parking lot and were headed for the car when Steve's phone buzzed with an incoming call.

A subconscious smile quirked the corner of his lip at the caller ID image of his wife holding their daughter. Thinking her meeting to check out possible locations for the new after school program for at risk youth must have been rescheduled, he swiped the screen and said, "Hey, I thought you'd be on your way to …"

"Steve."

He was cut short by her tone. Catherine's voice held the sense of controlled urgency borne of years in the field.

Her next words had his heart beating double-time in his chest. "I need backup. Wooded area just off the bend in Ala Akau in Waipahu. 999 I'm in pursuit of the shooter."

"Cath! Are you …"

"I'm good. Officer down's got a GSW left shoulder. I've got his weapon. Perp's caucasian. Black pants, light shirt." He heard her breathing pattern change as she picked up speed and knew the ground had gone from an incline to flat. "I've gotta go."

"Be carefu…"was all he managed before the call ended. He was already in a full run.

Danny heard enough of call that he, too, broke into a run. As the men jumped into the car and tore out of the lot, Steve had already connected with HPD.

"... affirmative. We're en route, ETA seven minutes."

Upon arrival, Steve and Danny found Detective Nathan Gerard, an undercover cop with the human trafficking division, being tended by EMTs. They knew him as did Catherine, from a few joint operations.

"McGarrett!" He gestured Steve over to the ambulance with his good arm.

"Who …" Before Steve finished, the sandy haired cop whose grey shirt was soaked through with blood at the shoulder, grimaced and said, "Catherine came out of nowhere. The bastard I was tracking made me. He came out of the warehouse there and opened up. Next thing I know she's half dragging my ass outta the road into the shade. I told her I was fine, and she asked for my weapon and went after him."

"We gotta go, Sir," The EMT said as he opened an IV to release more fluids.

"One sec," Gerard blinked, clearly woozy. "Steve, the guy's Paul Jeffries. He's got glock and usually carries a sig as backup. Crazy fucker. They're headed northwest."

Steve nodded his thanks and bolted off in the direction Gerard pointed. Danny thanked him as well and followed his partner at a run as the wounded man was driven away.

Seven minutes later, the partners broke through the brush into an empty parking lot adjacent to a defunct car dealership.

Steve's heart was hammering in his chest. Not from exertion, with concern for Catherine. At the sight ten yards away it slowed considerably.

Paul Jefferies, the human trafficker and shooter was face down in the gravel, arms behind his neck, while Catherine stood two feet back, weapon pointed at his head.

Coming in on a wide circle, so she could see it was them, they approached, weapons drawn. Danny, zip ties at the ready, trussed the man tightly and glanced at her. "You good?"

She nodded and handed him Gerard's gun. "I'm good. Thanks, Danny. Gerard okay?

"Yeah, they took him to Queens," he answered and she smiled as Danny dragged the man to his feet and off in the direction of the approaching HPD officers that were breaking through the overgrowth at the edge of the lot.

Catherine leaned back enough to look up at Steve, who'd wrapped her in his arms. "Hey."

He glanced over to see Danny hand Jefferies off and follow the cops back through the brush.

"Hey, yourself. You sure you're okay?" His eyes traveled over her for the second time before he pulled her back into an embrace.

"Yeah," she said into his shoulder. "I …" she took a breath. "I'm fine." A smile graced her lips. "I told Gerard to call for backup but ..." she shrugged. "Old habits. I called you myself."

"Good habit. I'd have gotten the call relayed anyway and this way I heard…"

"My voice." She finished for him, knowing first hand how much that meant in a hot situation.

She leaned up and kissed him lightly, smiling against his lips when he held her cheek and kissed her again before she could lean back. "I'm fine." She placed both hands on his chest. "I couldn't let him get away."

"I know," he confirmed. That wasn't Catherine. Jefferies had shot at Gerard on a public street.

"He was going northwest." She said as way of an explanation, and waved towards the far side of the abandoned car dealership building.

Steve nodded in complete understanding. They were three blocks from Paulani Academy, a charter school whose students would be included in the after school program the governor's office was working to establish.

"The only place he's going now is federal lock up." He smiled at her and ran a hand behind his neck. "Need a lift, Lieutenant?" His eyes fell to her feet and he gestured a fireman's carry.

Her gaze followed his. She wiggled her toes. "Gonna need some new shoes, but nah, I'm good." She'd snapped the heels off her pumps before taking after Jefferies. "I need to call Lea…" she said as her phone rang.

He kept his arm around her shoulders as she said, "Lea, I'm fine. I was just calling you."

He read a text from Danny and showed her the screen. I'm circling to the street entrance of the lot to pick you up.

Seconds later she ended the call. "Seems I have rest of the day off."

He grinned at her teasing. It was already after four o'clock. "What a coincidence. So do I." He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze before reaching for her hand and entwining their fingers.

She squeezed his hand lightly in return. "Good. Let's go home."

That evening after they'd picked up both vehicles and gotten back to the house, they'd called out for food.

With Angie tucked in by both parents and Cammie settled for the night, they'd gone to bed, melting away the day's stress in each other's arms.

Asleep not long after a final lingering caress, Catherine was curled comfortably on her side, one hand under her cheek, dark hair shining from the moonlight filtering through the curtains.

Steve watched his wife's face as she slept. She looked content and peaceful and his heart swelled with love and pride thinking of a conversation that had taken place a few hours earlier.

When they'd stopped to get the Corvette, a young HPD officer asked if she was alright, smiling brightly when she confirmed, 'I'm okay, Miller, thanks for asking.'

As she entered the car and Steve stepped over to sign the incident reports, the officer, Tao Miller, had cleared his throat and addressed Steve.

"Commander?"

He handed the clipboard back to the sergeant and turned. "Yeah, Miller?"

"I just wanna say … the Lieutenant … when I was at the academy she did a demo on cyber crime and a couple of us had questions after. She stayed for like an hour. Anyway, every time she saw me after I joined the force she'd greet me by name."

He couldn't suppress the proud grin. "That's Catherine."

The officer nodded his agreement. "When we got on scene earlier and they said the person in pursuit was her... I'm really glad she's okay. I mean she was in street clothes and heels and she took down an armed shooter." The admiration was clear on the young man's face. "I knew she could, but … I'm just happy she's fine."

"Thanks, Miller, me too."

The young man nodded again and walked away with a smile as Steve rounded the Corvette and got in.

Catherine turning and snuggling in on herself as thought she was chilly brought him back to the present and Steve propped on his elbow to pull the light cover over them both, his eyes following the curve of her hip and smooth skin of her naked back.

He'd marveled from their Academy days how her delicate frame could harbor such strength. The vision of her standing over the downed suspect, heel-less shoes, dust and debris on her suit, as she smiled to assure him she was fine and everything was under control shot into his mind.

Back at the scene of the shooting a few officers in addition to Miller had congratulated her on the take-down, and some had mentioned to Steve how she'd taken action instinctively.

He rolled closer, spooning behind her, kissing her head softly as he settled on the pillow.

He'd been scared today. Not in her ability — his absolute confidence in that would never waiver. His concern had been for something going awry. She'd pursued a man who'd shot a cop unprovoked. Wearing no kevlar, clothed in dress pants and heels, and carrying a weapon that wasn't her own.

Knowing he was heading towards an open area with a public beach and school, Catherine had done what she always did.

Stepped right up to the battle.

Because that's who she was.

From the midshipman whose eyes challenged him over a chocolate milkshake to the woman who worked tirelessly for the people of the state to have better lives.

He slid a hand over her torso and smiled when even in sleep, her fingers sought his. Seeing her safe in that parking lot, his heart had unclenched and filled with pride.

Navy lieutenant, reservist, task force member or chief of staff, she was, and always would be, the same beautiful, caring, heroic Catherine he'd always known.

#End. Thanks for Reading

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