Just Came To Say Hello

"What do you need?" Lt. Catherine Rollins had been doing favors for Five-0 leader for many years, before Five-0 was even created. The last time they had talked, Steve McGarrett was rushing into a tsunami. Catherine had sighed with relief when he had called her back, signifying that he was safe.

There was a hesitant reply. "Actually…I just came to say hello."

Catherine stopped. What had he said? In the years she had known him, he had never "just came to say hello." What was going on?

"Cat?" Steve's voice on the other end was etched with concern. "Are you all right?"

"Yes." Catherine replied, hoping that her voice didn't shake. "Are you all right?" she countered.

"Why wouldn't I be all right?" The normal Steve McGarrett resurfaced.

"Well, the last time we talked, you were heading straight into a tsunami. Why would you not be all right?" The words came sharper than Catherine had intended them to be.

Silence was met on the other end.

"Steve?" Catherine called. "Steve?"

"About that…" Catherine could see that Steve was choosing his words carefully. "I never should have worried you like that. I'm sorry."

Catherine couldn't help but laugh.

"What's funny?" Steve asked.

"That's the first time that you ever apologized to me for doing something stupid. I was worried that time." Catherine said, her laughter dying suddenly. "I was afraid that that was the last time I ever heard from you."

"You worry about me?" Steve sounded surprised.

"All the time." Catherine confessed. "What about you? Do you worry about me?"

There was a slight pause. "I do worry about you. Most of the time." Catherine imagined Steve smirking as he said the last words. She knew, however, that Steve worried about her all the time, just like she to him.

"Listen, Cat. I…"

"Gotta go?" Catherine intervened.

"Yeah."

"Hey, you owe me."

"Dinner?" Steve guessed.

"Dinner." Catherine confirmed.

There was a click, and then he was gone.

"What do you need?"
"Why can't I just be calling to say hello?"
"Theoretically it's possible, sure. But you never have before and it's an odd time to start."

Catherine replayed the conversation in her head again. Steve had never called "just to say hello," and yet he had.

Catherine smiled.

"So who was that?" Danny asked.

"Who was who?" Steve was failing miserably at changing the topic of the conversation.

"The Enterprise girl. The one you're always getting right with."

"The Enterprise girl in named Catherine Rollins, Danny. She has a name." Steve retorted.

"But you call her Cat."

"Right." Steve replied curtly.

"So when are you going to ask for her hand?" Danny asked.

"What?" Steve could not believe what he was hearing.

"You know the song, To Little Too Late, Steven? You can't be too careful."

Steve's only reply was a glare.

"So that your first conversation with her, wasn't it?" Danny prompted.

"No. We've actually have had many conversations."

"But…this is the first time you've actually talked." Steve's only reply – again – was a glare.

Danny sighed. "Fine. I'm just trying to say, "Congratulations, Romeo." Is that really too much to ask?"

Steve rolled his eyes, but inside he was smiling.