Mari's Notes:

Sammy & Ilna: another amazing day here in the REAL World. You both make every day better here and in my life. Thank you for that. Always.

REALMcRollers: Thank you for everything. Especially your love and support. Hugs!

Sammy's Notes:

No quotes today. Just my sincere and unending thanks to Mari & Ilna for their friendship and support. To Sandy for always being there. And to all the REAL Worlders whose enthusiasm and support is appreciated more than I can ever express.

Ilna's Notes:

I won't be long since I know you want to get to the story. Mari and Sammy, writing with the two of you is indescribably fantastic, even when I'm sick. Thank you for your amazing friendship and love. Readers and REAL McRollers … I'll echo what Sammy and Mari said above and add one thing: Enjoy :-)

Sixty Seconds (1/1)

Catherine blinked awake in the early morning hours, her gaze focusing on the man beside her who smiled, shifting up onto his elbow.

"Hey," she said and turned from her back to her side to face him.

"Hey," Steve said, eyes alight. He leaned down and kissed her softly. "It's morning."

She smiled in response. "It's morning," she confirmed. "How long have you been awake?"

"Not long," he said with a slight shake of his head.

Catherine squinted at him, doubtful.

He shrugged. " 'Bout a half an hour."

"Steve …" she chided in amusement.

"I'm ready for this," he said, unrepentant.

Her smile widened. "Me, too." She looked over to where Cammie lay dozing on her bed. "We should take–"

"Already did," he said.

She laughed. "You are ready." She leaned up and kissed him once again briefly before sitting up. He was around the bed by the time she was up, stepping into the bathroom behind her.

They stood in front of the counter where the two pregnancy test boxes sat waiting.

"Ok, so how do we do this?" Steve asked as he picked up the boxes.

Catherine took one of the boxes from his hand. "You go wait in the bedroom while I pee on these sticks."

"Can you pee on more than one at a time?"

Catherine had to smile at how genuinely interested Steve was in every step of the process.

"According to the directions, each stick needs to be held in the urine stream for 5 seconds, no longer," she explained. "I timed myself yesterday morning … you know what … never mind the specifics. Just rest assured I think it's possible."

Steve's eyes danced with excitement. "I'll stay here. I want to help."

"This is really more of a one person operation," she chuckled.

"But if you're doing two tests wouldn't that make it more of a two person operation? I can hold one of the sticks," he offered.

"That's very sweet," she said indulgently, "in a strange sort of way. But the first part of this is something I need to do alone."

Steve scoffed. "It's not like I haven't seen you pee before."

"This is different. This is going to take a little maneuvering," Catherine explained.

Steve waggled his eyebrows. "Maneuvering?"

She rolled her eyes as she opened the first box and laid the contents on the counter. "This one gives the fastest results. One minute."

Steve rubbed his hands together excitedly. "I like the sound of that."

"One line means not pregnant, two lines means pregnant."

Steve nodded. "Got it."

"This one," Catherine said as she grabbed the second box, "takes a little longer. Results in three minutes. And it reads either yes or no. That seems simple."

"Is there any difference in the accuracy rates?" he asked.

"No, both are 99% accurate."

The room grew quiet as Catherine read and re-read the instructions, Steve looking over her shoulder and reading along.

After a few minutes she took a deep breath. "Ready." She tugged him into a kiss. "For luck," she said with a smile.

"For luck." His eyes held hers for a long moment. He removed his watch and handed it to her. "Use this." At her nod, he smiled. "Go on, Lieutenant. Either way, we got this."

"Either way." She gave him a gentle shove towards the bathroom door and, while thinking just how sure she was about wanting this more than anything, uncapped the first stick.

:55

With a nervous exhale, she laid one plastic stick on the counter between the inset bowls that had held their wedding rings and the second just behind it. She washed her hands and called, "Steve? Come back in."

:45

He shot Cammie a smile then entered the bathroom and closed the door. This was a moment for just he and Catherine. He was behind her before she'd even looked up. He wrapped her in in arms, laced their fingers and glanced at his watch, which sat on the counter next to the innocuous looking sticks that would display their future.

"Which is the one minute one?" he asked.

Catherine indicated the one closest to them.

"Love you," he whispered, his eyes never leaving the test sticks.

"Love you. Nervous?" She clasped his hand tightly.

"Nope. Like I said, we got this." His excitement equaled his confidence and she felt it vibrating off his body in waves, matching her own.

"Me either."

:33

Her swirling emotions brought with them a prickle of tears. She blinked and in her mind's eye saw uniformed, nineteen-year-old Steve in a diner smiling a half smile while asking for a favor; Steve the night of her commissioning, so hopeful and slightly uncertain as he gave her his grandfather's book. She saw his face as he said, 'Cath, I love you,' for the first time on their beach, and the 'Marry me?' that she'd remember in exact detail until she drew her last breath. His smile as they stood before the altar promising that whatever came in their lives they'd face it together.

Leaning into him as he kissed her temple, she smiled, their eyes meeting briefly in the mirror before returning to the sticks.

:17

Steve inhaled and exhaled slowly to steady his vitals. It was more of a subconscious act borne of habit than anything, but the look in Catherine's eyes in the mirror was one that stole his breath. It had long ago stolen his heart.

He recalled those eyes - alight with humor and intelligence - questioning him over the rim of a chocolate milkshake; sliding over him with such love and relief as they met up in a warehouse staged to fake a hospital when they'd escaped captors to find each other; watching with as much excitement as he felt when Joanie said his whole name for the first time; and overflowing with joy as she said, 'I do.' Her eyes as they stood before the altar promising that whatever came in their lives they'd face it together.

:05

He smiled. "We've got this either way, but I repeat, I've got a good feeling."

:03

"You know what?" she said. "Me, too." She leaned a little closer, as if proximity to the stick might influence its outcome.

:02

He opened and closed his mouth but didn't speak as the window in the stick began to change. Catherine's fingers clutched his tightly as she reached for it with her free hand.

:01 Steve gathered her into an embrace, his arms draped over her shoulders, and as the minute finally ran its course her view of the test was obstructed by his shoulder.

She started to lift her head then realized there was no need.

She knew exactly what the test said.

She could tell by Steve's reactions.

Not his words.

There were no words.

None were needed.

She was intimately familiar with his non-verbal method of communication. She'd learned long ago how to read a tensing muscle, a tightening of the jaw, a tilt of the head and the lift of an eyebrow. How every touch told a story all its own. How an almost imperceptible change in his breathing spoke volumes.

They had always been able to have entire conversations without saying a word.

From the first day they met.

So as she felt his breathing quicken and his entire body coil with tension she knew.

Her eyes filled with unshed tears as she looked not at the test but at the face of her husband.

Their eyes locked.

The wattage of their combined smiles could have lit Oahu for a week.

"We're having a baby," he said, his voice a mixture of reverence and disbelief.

"A baby!" Catherine squealed as she threw her arms around his neck

"We're having a baby!" he practically screamed as he wrapped her in his arms and kissed her passionately.

Catherine pulled back after a few seconds and bit her lip. "Maybe we should wait for the second test before we start celebrating. Just to be sure."

"We can if you want," Steve grinned. "But this one is all I need. I know you, Rollins. You've always been a very accurate test taker."

She smiled as she pulled him in for a kiss that left them both feeling as though the earth was moving under their feet.

They'd shared more than a few emotionally charged kisses over the course of their relationship but this one was different.

They remained locked in a tight embrace, wrapped up in each other, happy tears on both their cheeks, as the screen of the second test slowly revealed one word.

Yes.

"So, how are we gonna handle this?" Steve asked as he entered the kitchen to find Catherine drinking a glass of orange juice.

"Handle what?" she asked as he grabbed a mug from the cupboard and poured himself a cup of coffee.

He noticed her looking wistfully at the cup and then it hit him.

Now that she was pregnant no more coffee until after the baby.

"Do you want me to drink this somewhere else?" he asked sympathetically. "Or better yet … I can give up coffee, too."

"Don't be silly," she said as he moved towards the sink. "You don't need to give up coffee."

"Are you sure? Because I'll do it," he said without a hint of hesitation.

"I know you will," she smiled. "And I love you for that. But you go ahead. I'll live vicariously through you."

"Ok," he smiled as he kissed her on the cheek. "But you let me know if you change your mind."

"I will," she promised. "Now back to my original question. How are we going to handle what?"

"Now that we know you're pregnant … " He couldn't keep the broad smile off his face as he said the words. "Are we telling people?"

"Remember when I told you Carrie and I ran into Jenna when we were buying the pregnancy tests so I had to tell her the truth?"

Steve leaned against the kitchen island. "I remember."

"She said that if the test was positive we shouldn't tell everyone right away. That we should enjoy it ourselves for a while. Plus, it's early yet. Most people wait until they're a little further along to spread the news."

"Jenna would certainly be the expert on things like that," Steve responded.

"So I was thinking maybe we wait until Thanksgiving. That way we can tell everyone at once, face to face," Catherine suggested.

"I like the idea of telling everyone face to face," Steve agreed enthusiastically. "But that creates a bit of a problem for me."

"How so?" Catherine asked as finished her juice.

"I know we talked about keeping the news about your new job a secret until we could tell the rest of the team. And I know we tossed around the idea of waiting to tell your parents in person. But that was before we knew there's a baby on the way."

A wide smile lit both their faces as Steve continued.

"But now … we have to tell your parents about either your new job or the baby."

"We do?"

"We do," Steve stated adamantly. "I can't keep two secrets that big from them for three weeks. I know my limits."

Catherine scoffed. "You've kept lots of big secrets for longer than that. Your head is full of secrets."

"This is different," Steve insisted stubbornly. "I'm not comfortable with the idea of keeping all these big changes from your folks. I know I'm gonna blurt something out."

Catherine touched his cheek softly. "Ok, let's tell them about the job."

"Perfect!" he said excitedly as he put his hands on her hips. "Then we can save the baby news for Thanksgiving. I'll admit I like the idea of seeing everyone's reactions, especially your parents' and Grandma Ang's, in person."

"We should probably tell the rest of the team as soon as possible too," Catherine suggested.

Steve nodded in agreement. "Good idea. It'll keep us from having to explain why you suddenly can't be out in the field."

"It's settled then," Catherine said as she kissed him lightly on the lips. "I promised Lea I'd stop by her office this morning to pick up the vetting files for potential lieutenant governor candidates so I better get going. I'll see you at work."

"See you there," Steve smiled.

Catherine was almost out of the kitchen when she turned back. "Oh and one other thing."

"What's that?" he asked.

"Maybe don't mention the blurting out thing when they interview you for clearance at the governor's office."

The sound of his happy laughter followed her all the way out the door.

Steve walked into headquarters and headed for the coffee machine, fixing himself a cup and whistling softly.

Danny approached, waiting to refill his own cup. "You're rather chipper this morning."

"Yeah?" Steve asked, not looking up as he poured.

"Yeah."

Steve set the pot down and stepped aside so Danny could pour his own cup.

"Huh," he said simply.

" 'Huh'?" Danny echoed. "That's all? 'Huh'?"

"What do you want?"

"A little more of an explanation would be nice."

Steve shrugged and took a sip from his mug. "Must be the coffee."

Danny rolled his eyes, setting the pot down. " 'Must be the coffee,' he says. You're not foolin' me for a second."

"Okay," Steve said, unconcerned.

"There's something going on with you."

"How do you figure?"

"For one, I have never in my life heard you whistle."

"Heard who whistle?" Kono asked as she joined them.

Danny pointed at Steve. "Him whistle."

Steve raised his eyebrows. "Me whistle?"

"You whistle."

"I wasn't whistling."

"You were whistling."

"Who was whistling?" Chin asked, joining the group.

"No one was whistling," Steve said with finality, heading toward the smart table.

Chin and Kono followed, sharing an amused chuckle, while Danny waved a finger, eyeing him suspiciously as he brought up the rear, repeating, "There is something going on with you …"

The main doors opened and Catherine walked in. She headed toward the group, sharing a smile with Steve.

"Hey, hey!" Chin said happily. "Cubs win! Cubs win!"

Catherine beamed. "Absolutely incredible. It finally happened."

"I'll bet Grandma Ang is on cloud nine."

"I don't think they've numbered the cloud she's on right now. I talked to them after the game, she and my mom were crying. Even Dad was a little choked up."

"He wasn't the only one," Steve said pointedly, setting his coffee cup down.

Catherine smiled. "I'm not ashamed to admit it. I teared up a little."

"It was an absolutely epic game," Kono said.

"No doubt," Danny agreed. "That game had everything. And my paesan had a great showing. Scored a run and had an RBI. Plus I noticed he pocketed the ball after the final out."

"I would have, too," Chin said with a huge grin. "First championship since 1908? Hang on to that piece of history."

"It was such a great team win," Catherine said. "Everyone contributed. Just like all year."

Chin nodded. "And Cleveland played great. They're an incredible team. The Cubs just had a little bit more this year."

"It was our year," Catherine said with a happy sigh. "Finally."

As Danny set his coffee mug down, Catherine looked at her teammates. "So I'm glad everyone's here. I've got something to announce."

Danny straightened noticeably, his eyes moving quickly between Catherine and Steve, and Chin and Kono exchanged a quick look.

"You all know I've been working more with Lieutenant Governor Kekoa over the past four months," Catherine began.

The other three looked momentarily confused at the topic, but nodded.

"And you know she is going to take over as governor in the new year after Governor Denning steps down," she continued. Taking a deep breath, she glanced at Steve and smiled as she turned back to her teammates. "My announcement is that I'll be joining her. I've accepted a job as chief-of-staff for her new administration."

There was a moment of stunned silent before Kono broke it with, "That is … huge! Wow, Cath!" She wrapped her in a hug. "Congratulations!"

"Thank you," Catherine said, smiling broadly.

Chin was next with a hug. "I'll echo that. Congratulations!"

"Thanks, Chin." She looked at them again. "I have loved every second working with all of you. You know you're so much more than teammates. You're family. That's not going to change. In fact, I'll still be liaising with the team. Lea envisions broadening the scope of Five-0, and I'll be uniquely situated to make that happen."

"We are gonna miss you, don't doubt that for a second," Kono said, "but I am really excited for you."

"When do you start?" Chin asked.

"I'm going to start transitioning over there now. There will be days I'm here finishing up some things, but most of my time will be getting the lay of the land in the governor's office, and working with Lea to set her agenda."

Kono looked surprised. "Wow, that soon?"

"January will be here before we know it. Truth be told, I accepted the job a couple weeks ago." She glanced at Steve. "But we were waiting for the right time to announce it, and I definitely wanted to tell you all in person."

Chin smiled. "You know, I wouldn't have thought of it, but now that it's happening, you are the ideal person to run the new governor's office. That says a lot about her judgment if she was smart enough to bring you on board."

Catherine smiled gratefully at him before looking at Danny who had been uncharacteristically quiet during the announcement. "Well, Danny?"

He grinned broadly. "Are you kidding? Of course I'm happy for you." He wrapped her in a tight hug. "Congratulations, Cath." Stepping back, he motioned with his thumb to Steve. "Of course, now this means I'm back to handling this animal on my own, but with you in the governor's office, I suppose it's for the greater good."

Steve smirked at that.

"This definitely calls for a celebration," Chin said.

"Absolutely," Danny agreed. "Dinner tonight? Side Street?"

Steve and Catherine exchanged a look.

"Unless you've got something else planned," Kono said, looking between them.

"No," Catherine said. "Nothing planned."

"Nope," Steve echoed, their eyes still locked.

Kono and Chin shared another look as Danny studied the pair, a small smile on his face.

Kono cleared her throat. "So … any other news?"

Catherine blinked, turning to her. "Um … no." Her eyes flicked quickly to Steve's. "Why?"

"Oh, I … I don't know," she said, glancing at the others. "I just thought … sometimes news comes in pairs. Or is it threes?"

"Threes, yeah," Chin put in.

Steve looked between them, then glanced at Danny who shook his head slightly in innocence.

"You haven't been talking to Max, have you?" Steve asked.

"Not recently," Chin said. "Why?"

"No reason."

Danny settled back against the smart table, picking up his coffee cup again and smiling to himself.

"So, dinner at Side Street?" Steve said.

Danny nodded. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

When Danny arrived at Side Street the rest of the team was already seated. He couldn't help but notice Catherine was drinking iced tea. When he headed to the bar to get himself a beer and asked if she wanted him to get her something, Catherine begged off, claiming the shrimp salad she ate for lunch hadn't agreed with her. Chin and Kono shared a quick glance which went unnoticed by Steve and Catherine who were too busy grinning at each other.

After several toasts to Catherine's new job and the rehashing of some of their favorite stories from her time at Five-0 the party broke up and Steve and Catherine headed home. After spending some time playing with Cammie on the beach they decided to turn in early.

When Steve emerged from the shower he couldn't help but smile at the sight of Catherine, sitting in the middle of the bed, her laptop open, surrounded by vetting files.

"What?" she asked when she looked up and saw him smiling.

"Nothing," he grinned. "You just … it's a good look on you."

As he took a seat on the end of the bed Catherine stood up, gathered up the files, closed her laptop, and crossed the room to place everything on the dresser until morning. She then turned and made her way back towards Steve.

He hesitated for a few seconds as his hands slid across her tummy almost reverently, and Catherine smiled against his skin. She was standing between his knees at the foot of their bed and the kisses she was peppering from his jaw down along his throat were fast becoming hotter and more fervent. Feeling his hesitation, she murmured, "You're not gonna hurt the baby, it's the size of a poppy seed."

His voice was serious, even as it took on a familiar timbre when she kneeled and the trail of steamy kisses moved down his chest. "I know, I …." his breath hitched as she reached his abs and her fingers danced up his thighs "... know it's safe for the baby, because a fetus is well cushioned by amniotic fluid." He was clearly quoting the Mayo Clinic book and Catherine grinned and pressed her lips just above his navel as he went on, "But I'm concerned about hurting you." He stilled her movements with his hands over hers and waited until she lifted her gaze. "The book didn't really cover that." He frowned slightly and her smile softened when she thought how much Steve hated not having enough intel. "It just says the basic rule is to go by your comfort level. So you've gotta tell me if you're uncomfortable - even the slightest bit, okay?" He ran a finger along her cheek. "Please?" When she didn't respond immediately - she couldn't around the lump forming in her throat - he said, "Cath?"

Soft brown eyes blinked at him gratefully. "You're amazing, McGarrett, do you know that?"

He shrugged. "I love you, Rollins, I know you know that." He pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "So, as long as you're going to be comfortable and you'll tell me if you're not ..." He leaned forward and kissed her softly.

She stood and placed her hands on his shoulders, indicating with a chin tilt he should move further onto the bed. As soon as he did, she joined him to straddle his thighs. "I love you. I'm totally sure. I feel fine, and you're…" she smiled with her next words as her tone turned playful at the word, "adorable," even as her eyes glinted with unconcealed hunger when Steve's tongue darted over his bottom lip. She kissed him deeply until he groaned into her mouth. Her whispered, "I love you for asking …" was accompanied by her hands on his shoulders as she steadied herself and continued, "and, oh God," she mewled, "Steve, I need you …" Her kiss was determined and she murmured, "Right now," against his lips.

Half a minute later an amused little grin played over her mouth. She knew exactly what was going through that handsome head of his, and exactly what he was doing - or at that particular moment, not doing and why.

She shook her head slightly before running her tongue around the shell of his ear and tugging the lobe gently between her lips until a sound between a low grunt and her name escaped his mouth. He pulled her in for a kiss that left her breathless. When she found her voice, the tone was cheeky. "You know …" she pressed down and couldn't hold back a soft moan, "this generally … works better when you move your lower half, Commander."

Steve clearly knew she knew what he was doing even as he ground out his reply. "You're - unhhh damn, Cath …" It took him a second to re-form his thought. "You're comfortable?" He nodded to indicate their orientation. "It feels okay for you like this?" He still wasn't moving - his hands rested on her hips while he carefully watched her face for signs of discomfort. "Maybe we should switch positions? The book did say some are more comfortable…" he panted, slightly breathless. "Just tell me, and …"

Catherine leaned in, moaning again at the sensation as she shifted. Placing a hand on his cheek, she smiled gently. "Listen to me, I always appreciate you wanting me to be comfortable, but I'm positive those suggestions are for when I'm too big to move freely, so please relax and I'll show you exactly how much better than okay this feels." She kissed him so hungrily, his shudder of anticipation ran through them both.

With a sharp intake of breath and a whisper of her name, he buried one hand in her hair and returned the fervent kiss while keeping the other on her hip. When he spoke, his voice was low and she could feel his tension dissipate as he said, "Hmm, just tell me what you want."

Catherine rotated her hips, eliciting another mutual groan. "I really, really want you to move."

"Like this?" he asked and obliged. Splaying his hands on her back he began moving in a way he knew she loved. He was still watching her expression carefully when she ran her hands over his shoulders, linked them behind his neck and sighed, "Mmmhmm just like … mmm… that."

Steve, convinced she was fine, smiled against the swell of her breast as he slowly lay back while keeping their bodies flush. Increasing the pace of their lovemaking at her urging, he hummed, "Whatever you say, Lieutenant."

Catherine's voice was soft and sensual, as was her smile, when she responded, "I say that's - ohh, perfect."

She blinked awake. They'd slept a while and she stretched like a cat. Steve always gave her that crooked, sensual grin when she said she was boneless, and that's exactly how she'd felt as she was dozing off draped half on, half off his prone body; too spent to move. She looked at his face, relaxed in sleep. They'd shifted as they slept and she was tucked against his left side.

She touched her tummy and thought of Steve's concern about hurting her. She knew lots of men feared hurting the baby at first, but he'd read and reread enough to know it was perfectly safe. What brought a swell of love to her heart was his concern for her comfort, his worry about her.

He huffed a sigh and moved slightly in his sleep and she smiled. He really was adorable, as much as he hated the term. She knew he was going to ask about her being comfortable in every position until the baby came. She placed a soft kiss on his shoulder and he didn't move, but an almost imperceptible smile flitted across his lips.

Catherine slid her hand down his torso and he murmured, "Hmmm, hi."

"You up?"

"Keep doing that and I will be." He grinned and pulled her in for a long kiss.

"Good. C'mere." She tugged at him until he'd rolled to face her and they were nose to nose. Hiking a leg over his hip she writhed against him.

"Insatiable today, aren't we, Lieutenant?" Steve teased in a whisper as he kissed her pulse point and she shivered in delight. "You know, I believe you've already crashed through the ceiling of the McGarrett ratio rule."

"That a problem, Commander?" She arched up as he lowered his lips to her breast.

When he pressed his hips against her to illustrate his point, saying, "Does it feel like I'm complaining?" she licked her lips. "As long as you're still comfortable ..." He pulled back to catch her eyes and gestured to their position even as she rolled to her back while tugging him over her. "You're good like this? I -" When she made her point with a strategically placed hand he closed his eyes and shuddered before grinding out, "I'll take that … as a yes," with a sensual smirk and lowered his head for a kiss.

Catherine hummed her approval, gasping as he nibbled on her neck. "I'm very. Very. Good." She punctuated each word with a kiss. "Let me prove it, again."

Still later, Steve woke and gently pushed a stray lock of hair from where it had fallen across her cheek. He watched her for a full five minutes before she opened her eyes and gazed at him. Raising a hand she traced his cheek, then his lips.

"So handsome."

"You're gorgeous." His lip curled with a hint of smile at her clumsy-with-sleep movements. He kissed her fingers before she withdrew her hand. "And it's early, go back to sleep." His eyes held hers and he ran a hand down her side to her hip.

She gazed at him sleepily and nodded before moving closer to snuggle against him. " 'Kay, you sleep, too." She sighed, "Steve?" At his low, 'hmmm?' she murmured, "Love you" and her breathing evened out almost immediately.

As she began to drift back off, a single thought was flitting through her mind: I wonder if the baby will have his eyes?

Steve held her gaze until her lashes fluttered and rested upon the curve of her cheeks. While picturing those warm brown eyes on their child, he kissed her forehead. "Love you." His fingers danced across her tummy and he couldn't keep the smile off his face as he thought, 'Both of you.'

THE END

Just as Steve and Cath promised in their vows they'd always be there for each other we promise they'll always be safe with us.

It's not what a person tells you that matters. It's how they treat you that reveals their true feelings. Their character is revealed not by the promises they make but the promises they keep.

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