My take on the Chin's answer to Steve's question about where all the new intel on Sato and his money man came from

"We find Sato, we find Adam." Steve looked from the picture in his hand to Chin.

"Exactly."

"Where'd you get all this?"

Catherine had left HQ no more than an hour before, and Steve had still been out in the field, so Chin knew there was no way she'd had a chance to tell him anything about what she was doing yet. He had no idea what Steve's reaction would be and didn't relish being to one to break the news.

"I want to be very clear that I did not ask her to do this. She came to me with information about bank accounts and money transfers. But that having been said it's by far the best lead we've had so far, so I'm grateful she got involved."

The uncomfortable look on Chin's face, combined with the uneasy way he was shuffling his feet, apparently worrying about his bosses reaction, told Steve everything he needed to know.

"Catherine did this?"

"She showed up here this morning with the FBI forensic accounting files on the Yakuza and started laying out her case. I didn't even know she was looking into it. I swear I didn't put her up to it."

Steve smiled ruefully. "Yeah. I think that I might have actually done that."

"Really?" Considering Steve's overprotective nature that didn't seem like something he would do.

"I suggested she find someplace to focus her energy while she works her way through what happened to Billy. You know, something to occupy her time. I didn't realize she would decide to take on the Yakuza."

"In fairness, knowing Catherine, it was a more likely outcome than her taking up yoga."

"That's a good point," Steve conceded.

"She's a bit of a….force of nature," Chin smiled, unable to hide how impressed he was with the work Catherine had already done. And he knew she was just getting started.

"That she is," Steve agreed.

"After she brought me the first batch of info I made it very clear that I didn't think it was a good idea for her to get any more deeply involved."

Steve chuckled. "How'd that work for you? Trying to keep Catherine from doing something once her mind is made up?"

"Not well," Chin acknowledged.

"Welcome to my world."

"Seriously, Steve, it's felt like we were stuck in neutral for weeks but now we're making real progress. We might actually be close to finding Adam and bringing Kono home."

Steve flipped through all the information in the file on Chin's desk. "How long has she been working on this?"

"One day as far as I know."

Steve couldn't stop the proud smile from spreading across his face. Like he told Billy—she's an incredible asset for any team.

"Kind of makes me wonder why she was working for Billy to begin with," Chin said. "I always assumed if she ever left the Navy she'd work here." He knew this topic was a potential minefield, but it was something he'd been wondering about and tonight seemed like as good a time as any to ask.

"Yeah," Steve looked a little sheepish, "that was probably my fault too."

"How so?"

"It has been pointed out to me in the past that I may be a bit too competitive. Billy caught me off guard and I let him push my buttons."

Chin fought to hold in a laugh. "Caught you off guard?"

"He told me about the job offer and then told me he would never do anything to come between me and Catherine." Steve could barely keep himself from rolling his eyes.

"Ouch. That's one of the top five lines straight out of the guy speak code book."

"I think it's number 3. Right after 'It's not about the money' and 'With all due respect'."

Chin nodded understandingly. "'I would never do anything to come between' really means 'I could have her back any time I want'."

"Exactly," Steve agreed.

"And you took the bait."

"I did. I knew exactly what he was doing and I swallowed the worm anyway."

"That's because you're too competitive."

"So I've heard. But I wasn't gonna let him go around thinking I was afraid of him stealing Catherine away. Billy was a good guy and a good soldier and his death was a tragedy but he also had designs on getting Catherine back."

"But you know that wasn't gonna happen, right?"

"I do," Steve nodded. "There are many, many things I worry about in this life but Catherine's fidelity is not one of them."

"But there's still the compulsively competitive thing so you…"

"…decided to convince Catherine to take the job. Yes." Steve finished Chin's thought.

"That plan needed work."

"In hindsight, I understand that."

"The whole situation kind of got away from you, huh?" Chin tried to sound sympathetic but actually sounded amused.

"A little. Especially when Catherine told me the reason she didn't take the job was because even the perfect job wasn't worth risking our relationship."

"Wow." Chin wasn't at all surprised by the sentiment but he was shocked that one of the two of them had actually said it out loud.

"Yeah," Steve sighed.

"That's kind of a big step." He watched Steve closely trying to gauge his reaction.

"I'll say."

"What did you say?"

"Nothing. You interrupted us to tell me they'd found the limo before I could figure out what to say."

"Sorry, brah.

"It's fine. It all worked out. I just felt bad because I knew Catherine had gone out on a limb by saying that and I just kind of left her hanging there," Steve cringed slightly, then brightened. "But it's all good now. I told her I feel the same way."

"Excellent." Chin was genuinely happy for his friends. "And you were probably smart to find a more romantic setting than your office. A beach in the moonlight maybe?"

"I told her at the game," Steve said, as though that would be the most natural location in the world for such a declaration.

"What game?" Chin was afraid he knew the answer.

"Grace's baseball game," Steve said with a 'duh what other game would I be talking about' smirk. He looked at his friend as though he couldn't understand why Chin might not think that was the perfect location.

Chin laughed. "So I guess that explains the little sideline PDA."

Steve at least had the decency to look sheep-ish.

"Judging by her reaction it seems like you found the right words."

Steve smiled. "I told her that we're good and nothing's gonna change that."

"Ahhh. And?"

"And….nothing."

"So what you're saying is that you have your own dialect of guy speak?"

"Catherine understood exactly what I was saying."

Chin shook his head because, fact is, Steve was probably right. Catherine understood him completely.

"It wasn't even about the job at that point," Steve defended himself. "She certainly didn't need my permission to take the job. She just needed a little clarity on our relationship before she made her own decision."

"You lucked out there, buddy, big time. You know why?"

"Why?"

"Because apparently Catherine is fluent in guy speak."

Steve smirked. "Must be all those years in the Navy."

"She doesn't need the mush-y stuff?" Chin questioned.

"Only once in a while. Aside from her inexplicable love of girly movies Catherine is very much NOT a mushy stuff kind of girl."

"So she told you that she's committed to making this work long-term."

"Right."

"And you told her you are too."

"Yes."

"And neither one of you uttered the words 'love' or 'commitment'."

"Some things go without saying," Steve smiled brightly.

"You do realize the two of you are a bit unconventional. But I guess whatever works for you."

"Exactly. And now I think I need to go home and make sure she isn't planning a single handed assault on Sato's compound."

"I wouldn't put it past her," Chin chuckled.

"I better pick up some dinner because when she's focused like this she forgets to eat."

"Tell her I said thanks again."

"Will do," Steve called over his shoulder as he headed out the door.