Title-A Cold Day in Hell

Author...Winnie

Rating-T

Disclaimer-Not mine...but I do enjoy playing in this playground

Comments-I am really enjoying the new Hawaii five-O and love Alex's portrayal of Steve McGarrett. That being said there be whump ahead since you only hurt the ones you love.

Steve McGarrett felt at home in the water and swam away from the shore. His arms sliced through the waves and he turned his head with each motion until his body was in rhythm with his mind. He'd always enjoyed swimming and his father had told him he was a natural from the first time he'd walked into the water with Steve on his hip.

Steve turned on his back and looked toward the shore where the others were either playing beach volleyball or building sandcastles. It had been a perfect day so far and he knew it was time to go back before the others got worried. Danny, Chin, and Kono had been a bit protective of him since he'd returned to work, and he appreciated it, but it was time they realized he was healed.

McGarrett began cutting through the waves with strong even strokes until he was close enough to hear their voices and laughter. It felt good, it felt right, it felt like his family was whole, except that Mary had flown back to California the day before. She promised she would return in a few weeks if work allowed it, but for now her home was there. Someday, Steve hoped she would move back to Hawaii for good.

"Hey, Steve, how do you want your steak?" Williams called.

"Rare," McGarrett answered and stood up. He spotted Keanna Wahine tossing a ball to Rachel and couldn't help thinking he was the luckiest man in Hawaii. She was as smart as she was beautiful and he admired the way she moved.

"Uncle Steve, Keanna is going to take my class on a tour of the hospital," Grace told him once he reached the shore.

"That's great, Grace," McGarrett said and lifted the child into his arms before kissing Keanna on the cheek and smiling when she returned the gesture.

"Will you help us with our castle? We need to get the water into the mote?" Grace asked.

"Sure," the head of Five-O answered.

"Steve, why don't you guys come play volleyball?" Chin called.

"Sorry, I've got an engineering problem that needs work," McGarrett said and placed Grace back in the sand as he looked at the castle. "I'm impressed."

"Thank you, Grace is wonderful at designing the structure," Keanna told him.

"Dinner in 15 minutes," Rachel called to the group. She was setting up the picnic while Danny checked the steaks and smiled at the group who seemed to be enjoying the festivities. She'd jumped at the chance when her ex had asked her to join them on the beach for Fourth of July celebrations. So far it was a perfect day and as the afternoon wore on she'd gotten to know the others.

Rachel watched as Steve, Keanna, and Grace built the mote around the castle and laughed when Keanna dumped a bucket of sand on Steve. He chased her and carried her into the water with race cheering Keanna on. Chin had brought a fellow officer named Maria Chow while Kono's date was a body builder named Ruiz Martinez.

"Rachel, would you pass me a plate," Williams asked and turned to find his wife watching his friends. She'd changed since he'd first met her, and his love for her had grown stronger since she'd officially separated from Stan. He could spend the rest of his life loving this woman and spending all that time making her and their daughter happy. "Rachel..."

"Sorry, did you need something, Danny?" Rachel asked

"Hand me a plate or Steve will read me the riot act. He likes his meat to talk to him," Williams said with a grin.

"A man after my own heart," Rachel said.

"Better not be or I'll have to shoot him," Williams told her and kissed her when she handed him the plate.

"Shoot who?" McGarrett asked from behind them.

"You..."

"Me? What did I do?" the SEAL asked .

"Never mind...take your steak before it bites me," the Jersey native said and turned back to get the rest of the steaks.

"Are we going to have fireworks?"

"Of course we are, Grace," Williams said.

"What's the Fourth without fireworks to help celebrate?" Chin asked and helped himself to potato salad to go with the steak.

"And the flag," Ruiz added and sat next to Kono.

"Amen to that, the group said.

Steve smiled and moved to sit with Keanna once she'd helped herself to the food. There was plenty including fresh fruit and vegetables, wine for the adults, and soda for Grace and anyone else who didn't want a drink.

"This is great, Steve, thanks for letting us have this here," Rachel said. When Danny had told her Steve had offered to host a Fourth of July celebration at his house she'd jumped at the chance to get to know his friends better.

"Anytime, Rachel," McGarrett said and watched as they all sat down and began to eat once Grace had said the grace her mother taught her. He ate slowly, listening to the conversations, answering when someone asked him a question, and changing the music when the CD ended. As the afternoon waned and evening settled in they could hear others celebrating along the beach.

Keanna grabbed Steve by the hand as the music changed from something upbeat to a slow dance and let the rhythm move her against his body. A soft breeze rustled the leaves in the nearby trees and brought with it the smell of the flowers in the nearby gardens. She smiled at him as they swayed in time to the music and shrieked when he lifted her off her feet and ran toward the ocean.

Steve carried her down the beach to the water and held her in his arms so she could wrap her arms around his neck as he waded deeper into the water. The waves hit them, but his strong legs held them afloat and she pulled him to her, kissing him even as another wave nearly knocked them over. He held her for a few minutes and finally put her down with a smile before ducking her under the water and racing back to the beach.

"I'll get you!" Keanna called as she scrambled to her feet and chased after the retreating man.

"Get him, Keanna!" Kono called.

"Don't tell me the SEAL is afraid of a girl!" Williams shouted as McGarrett raced past him.

"He is if she has a supply of dull needles," McGarrett answered turning and back peddling away from his date. He stumbled and nearly went down, but managed to stay on his feet as she chased him away from the group who seemed to be enjoying their antics as much as he was. His foot caught at the edge of a sand hill and he fell backward as she Keanna leaped toward him. She landed on his chest and smiled when he wrapped his arms around her. The sand was hot beneath them, but the soft breeze off the ocean cooled her skin as he turned them both on their side.

"I owe you, Steve," Keanna whispered.

"As long as I choose the method of payment I'm all for owing you," McGarrett told her.

"Depends on what you choose," the woman said with a grin.

"Get a room!" Williams shouted and laughed when Rachel elbowed him sharply. "Hey, I'm just thinking of our daughter!"

"Sure you are," Rachel said and leaned back against his chest as the others cleared up the remnants of the picnic. She felt Danny's strong arms around her and sighed contentedly at the thought of spending the rest of her life with him. She'd already filed for divorce from Stan and had moved into an apartment, but eventually she hoped her and Danny could find a house of their own.

"Maybe we could get a room," Williams whispered and felt her hands on his arms as they watched Grace play catch with Maria while Kono and Ruiz walked along the edge of the water. This was what life was about, friends, family, fun, and celebrating the Country's 235th birthday. It would be a cold day in hell before he let anyone take that away from him.

Little did he know that those words would come back to haunt him.

TBC