Author's Note: Thank you, all my loyal readers, for seeing this story through to its end with me! I am very happy to present this epilogue, which I hope satisfactorily ties up the remaining storylines for you. When I started, I had no intentions of including a romance or even of bringing so many people back to the US with Steve! But the characters had their own ideas and I've found it's almost always wise to go along with them.

I'd like to give katbybee a special shout-out, not just as my beta reader, but as my co-author for this epilogue. She had the idea for the scene in the Pak family's new home, and so I asked her to write it out for me. I did some minor editing to blend it with what I had already written, but the bulk of it is as she wrote it. She did an excellent job and helped me bring the story to a great ending! Thank you, kat! You are awesome!

My attention turns now to my stories Invasion (H50) and Through the Flames (Emergency), as well as to getting back into my long-neglected Hart to Hart story, Lonely Hart. I'd love to have you join me on those journeys as well!

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On a sunny Saturday in mid-May, Steve looked in the mirror and tugged his jacket downward. He appraised himself from the dress cover on his head to the Corfams on his feet, then gave an approving nod to what he saw. A few months ago, his uniform would have hung off his skinny frame like rags on an old scarecrow, but with a carefully regimented diet, he no longer appeared like the sallow skeleton that had stared out at him from the mirror in the weeks after he left the hospital. His vision was clear now, almost back to the 20/20 it had been before his injuries. Occasionally, when he was very tired, his left eye tended to wander a little, but that was nothing, and his doctor thought continued vision therapy would clear it up over time. He flexed his right arm, then fisted his hand around the hilt of his saber and squeezed it tight. Just over six months after his surgery, the arm was back to full strength. All in all, Steve felt good.

"You done admiring your ugly mug yet?" Danny asked.

Steve pivoted on his heel to see his best friend struggling with his tie. "Need some help there, Book 'Em Danno?" Danny sported a dark-blue dress uniform with a 5-0 patch on the shoulder.

"Knock it off," Danny growled. "And I've been tying my own tie for decades now. I just need you to stop hogging the mirror."

Determined to hold his ground, Steve pulled off his cap and combed his hair, even though every strand was already in place. "How many rooms are in my house? And you could've gotten ready in any one of them... but instead you're in here griping at me. Your favorite pastime, right?"

"Everybody needs a hobby." Danny shouldered past Steve to take his place in front of the mirror. "Better watch out... those eyes are gonna roll right outta your head and Charlie'll use 'em as marbles."

Steve shoved Danny to the side, then set his cap back in place and moved back a couple steps. "Be my guest," he said with a grand gesture toward the spot he'd just vacated. While Danny grumbled his way through properly knotting his tie, Steve stepped to the window to take in the view of his stretch of beach, where several rows of chairs had been set up facing a white gazebo. Lavender and white tulle was entwined around the gazebo arch and down the supports, and arrangements of hibiscus flowers in a profusion of colors festooned the platform. It was the perfect day for a wedding — not too hot and hardly a cloud in the sky. Steve looked forward to serving as Joe's best man.

A knock at the door drew Steve's attention away from the view out the window. "Come in!" he called. The door creaked open to admit an old friend. "Chin! You made it!"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world, Brah!" Chin had moved to San Francisco with Abby and Sarah a couple months ago, but he had returned with Kono and Adam for the wedding. Chin hugged both Danny and Steve, then stepped back to look Steve over. "You look good. How's the arm?"

"Good as new." Steve flexed his arm and flashed a smile. "I'm ready to get back to work."

"When will that happen?"

"Bright and early Monday morning." He nodded to Danny. "Sure hope you're not too used to being in charge, Danno."

Danny, his tie finally adjusted to his satisfaction, threw up his hands. "I'm more than ready to hand it all back to you, Pal! Too much paperwork!" His cell phone chirped with an incoming text, and he glanced at it. "Time for me to get downstairs — Arkady's already there. We start seating guests in five minutes. Uh... maybe you'd better go check on the groom." He opened the door, only to find Joe White about to knock. "Well, speak of the devil! Looking good, Joe." He brushed past Joe and headed for the stairs, followed by Chin.

Steve eyed Joe as he crossed the threshold. He looked snappy in his dress blues. He also looked terrified. No, not terrified — shell-shocked, Steve thought. Like he's a green recruit, not sure whether to charge or flee. Fear was not something Steve was accustomed to seeing on his stoic mentor's face. He clapped Joe on the back. "You all right?"

Joe's steely eyes blinked. "Three times I've done this and three times I've failed." His gaze pointedly avoided Steve's. "This time... I want things to be different. Am I kidding myself, Steve? Hell, the one thing my three ex-wives agreed on was that I ruined their lives. I... don't want to do that to Mila."

"You won't." Steve rested his hand on Joe's shoulder. "Listen to me, Joe. You know as well as I do that Mila is different. Your exes wanted to change you. Mila... well... she's willing to take you as you are." He grinned. "And she's probably the only woman alive badass enough for you." He glanced back out the window. A crowd of guests, many in uniform, were buzzing around on the lawn. Danny was escorting a young woman to her seat; behind him, Arkady, all decked out in his HPD cadet uniform, was bowing slightly to an elderly woman and offering her his arm.

"Mila is something else, isn't she?" Joe said. Steve turned back to look at him, noting with satisfaction that the light in his friend's eyes as he spoke of his bride seemed to chase away the shadows of anxiety.

"She sure is." Steve chuckled. Joe had changed over the months since Mila had come into his life. Oh, he was still a man of steel, a Navy SEAL from head to toe. And yet Lyudmila had softened him somehow. Not weakened... no, Joe seemed stronger than ever. Just... less grim. Love definitely suited him — not that Steve would actually say so in Joe's hearing. "Sergei going to join us before we go down?" he asked instead. Joe's soon-to-be brother-in-law would be standing up with him alongside Steve.

Joe shook his head. "He's out on the lanai. I think he knew I needed some space to talk with you before the ceremony. Steve..." He paused for a moment, and Steve almost thought he'd changed his mind about whatever he was going to say when he finally continued. "You know you're the closest thing I have to a son."

Steve gave a brisk nod. Joe had been a father figure for him ever since his own dad had sent him away from Hawaii when he was a teenager, and the bond between them had only grown stronger over the years, though on occasion it had been strained. "I know, Joe."

"Well... I..." He stopped, and his adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. "I just want you to know I'm awfully proud to have you standing up with me today. Thank you." He pulled Steve into a quick hug, then let him go when someone knocked.

Steve opened the door to find the wedding coordinator. "It's time for you to come take your places," she instructed as she cast a nervous glance at her watch. "Hurry please. We are running a few minutes behind."

"Doesn't she know about island time?" Steve whispered in an aside to Joe as the two men headed downstairs to meet Sergei on the lanai and then take their places in front of the small gathering.

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"Psst! Danno!"

Danny smiled down at Charlie, who was about to head down the aisle. The little boy grinned at his dad and puffed out his chest, evidently pleased with himself. He carried a carved koa-wood ring box, handling it as carefully as if it were fine china. Charlie was all decked out in a tuxedo with a lavender cummerbund. He had wanted to wear a uniform like his dad's but had been placated when Mila told him how handsome he looked in his tux. Now Danny wondered if he would ever get the kid to take the penguin suit off!

"Hey, buddy," Danny whispered, then held a finger to his lips and waggled an eyebrow. "Remember… no talking up there."

"I know that, Danno!" the boy said with a soft giggle. He was antsy, eager to make his procession down the aisle, following Alex and Kono, but the wedding coordinator had a hand on his shoulder to hold him back until the proper time.

Finally, she patted his back and said, "It's your turn, Charlie."

The boy followed Alex, holding himself as straight as he could, just as he had practiced during the rehearsal. Danny watched him, his own chest puffing out with pride for his son. The little boy took his role as ring bearer very seriously. He and Mila had become good friends from their first meeting, and he'd been thrilled when she and Joe asked him to take part in their wedding.

Steve's niece Joanie went next, scattering pink rose petals along the bamboo aisle runner that had been laid out between the chairs. The pianist began playing Pachelbel's Canon, and all the guests stood and turned to watch Lyudmila follow Joanie down the aisle.

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Steve stood ramrod straight in his place beside the groom and watched the procession of the bridal party. First came Kono, who was beautiful in her simple purple mumu. Like Chin, she had found her calling stateside, and Steve had missed her. It was good to see her again, even if only briefly. Adam sat in the front row of chairs, a longing gaze focused on his wife. He'd told Steve that Kono wouldn't be staying long. She would leave for the airport immediately after the ceremony. Steve understood the impulse that drove her — the desire to rescue young women from trafficking and to see justice done to those who profited from their harm. But her departure, along with Chin's, had left a gaping hole. 5-0 would never be the same without them.

Behind Kono came Alex, the maid of honor, her warm gaze fastened on Lyudmila's brother. Steve knew that Alex had fought the idea of a relationship for the first few months after they'd returned. She'd even returned to Europe a few months ago, intent on covering the war in Ukraine from the front lines. But she hadn't been able to stay away long. After only a few weeks, she had emailed Steve, asking him to meet her at the airport. When she emerged from the secure area, he'd noticed the haunted look in her eyes right away. She hadn't wanted to talk about it, but had just asked him to take her straight to Sergei.

She brought hard news. Sergei's best friend, Taras, the gentle giant who had saved his life and watched over him in the hospital for weeks, had been killed in a mortar attack. His final act had been to save the lives of three others in his unit. Apparently, one of the last things he'd said to Alex had been, "Your heart is not here. I can see that you have left it with Fox."

And so she'd come back, to bring Sergei the sad news, along with a letter that Taras had written to him in the days before his death; but even more, she'd come to find her heart again. Stricken as he was by the loss, Sergei had managed to bring life and joy back to Alex's eyes. She had taken a job with the Honolulu Gazette and had settled happily into life with Sergei. They planned to marry in September.

Charlie came next, trotting down the aisle with the ring-box in his hands, Joanie right behind him. Steve grinned at the sight. He couldn't love those kids more if they were his own. His grin faded as quickly as it had come. His own kids... he'd pretty much given up on that dream at this point.

He forced his thoughts back to the wedding, focusing all his attention on Mila as she practically floated down the aisle, her hand tucked into the crook of Lou Grover's elbow. Lou had proudly agreed to take the place of the bride's father, even though she was fairly close to him in age. To Steve, it seemed only fitting that 5-0 — represented by Lou — should give Mila away at her wedding. After all, they were her ohana now.

Mila had never struck Steve as particularly beautiful. Not that she was unattractive, but she tended to cultivate a rather severe appearance. Now, dressed in an ivory mumu-style dress with a hibiscus brocade, flowers in her long dark hair, she was stunning. As she drew closer to where her groom stood waiting, Steve realized that it wasn't the dress or the flowers that made her look beautiful right now — it was the joyful spark in her eyes, the soft smile on her lips, the way she moved toward Joe and slipped her hand into his. The sight infused Steve with a deep sense of longing. Not for Mila, whom he had come to think of as an older sister, but for what she and Joe had found together.

Once upon a time, Steve had hoped to have that with Catherine... marriage, kids, the whole package. But she'd walked away. On occasion she would waltz back into his life, but before long she would disappear again. He hadn't even seen her since he'd come home. Apparently, she'd gone back in the field. They'd talked briefly on the phone after she saw a news story about his return and called him, but she hadn't told him where she was. He hadn't asked. He still cared about her — he figured he always would — but he had accepted the fact that they weren't meant to be together. Maybe someday he would find a woman who made him forget Catherine's pull on his heart, but he wasn't going to hold his breath.

The wedding ceremony was brief but beautiful. Before Steve knew it, the chaplain was telling Joe, "You may kiss your bride." As Joe pulled Mila into his arms and lowered his lips to hers, the guests erupted into cheers. Amidst scattered "Oorahs" and "Hooahs," the prevailing shout was a resounding "Hooyah!" from a crowd of Joe's former trainees, Steve's voice among the loudest of them.

The kiss had been the cue for the men who would form the saber arch to take their places behind the back row of seats. After the chaplain presented "Lieutenant Commander and Mrs. Joe White," the happy couple began their walk down the aisle together. In a smooth (and pre-approved) move, Steve switched places with Sergei, allowing him to walk out arm in arm with his fiancée while Steve escorted Kono. He bent over to speak quietly in her ear. "We've missed you around here."

Kono looked up at Steve with a fleeting smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Her haunted gaze burned with an intensity that unnerved him. "I can't stay, Steve," she whispered. "I'm sorry, but I can't."

"I know." He kissed her cheek, then passed her to Adam as they reached the last row of chairs. "Stay safe, Kono." He stood back and watched as she and Adam walked away.

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The reception flew by, and before Steve knew it, the time had come to see Joe and Mila off. Danny had been trying to get Joe to tell him where he would be taking his bride, but Joe had steadfastly refused. Steve knew, of course — hell, he'd helped Joe make his plans! — but all he would tell Danny was, "It's classified." He loved the way those words never failed to rile his best friend.

Joe's silence over the planned destination had only served to heighten his friends' curiosity, and eventually they'd organized a betting pool. Steve had declined to participate, seeing as he had inside information, and so he had been made the keeper of the pool, which all had agreed would be given to the charity of the winner's choice. Steve knew, but no one else did, that the HPD's widows' and orphans' fund would be grateful to Lou Grover for the winning bet.

"Mila's always saying how much she wants to see the mainland," Lou had said when he handed over his $20. "I'll bet Joe's takin' her on an American tour."

Danny had scoffed. He was sure that the honeymoon would involve dangerous adventure in some remote corner of the world. But Lou was right on the money. He hadn't guessed the specific locations, but no one else had come close. Joe and Mila would fly from Honolulu to Los Angeles tonight and would spend the next three months on a trip across the US. They only had a couple of activities mapped out — river rafting in the Grand Canyon and hiking in the Colorado Rockies. Beyond that, Joe figured they would let Mila's interests guide them. Come September, they would settle in at Joe's ranch in Wyoming, with plans to return to Hawaii for Christmas.

Before climbing into the chauffeured Humvee, its camouflage paint job obscured by dozens of bright island blossoms, "Just Married" scrawled in large shaving-cream letters across the back, Mila tossed her bouquet. Grace caught it. Steve watched the girl glance at Will Grover with a bashful smile as she drew the flowers close to her chest. He elbowed Danny and nodded to Grace, then to Will, who seemed frozen in place, looking a little bit shell-shocked. "You ready for that, Pal?"

Danny raised his hands and shook his head. "No way! Not goin' there!" But even as he protested, his eyes twinkled, and Steve knew that he approved of his daughter's beau. Will was a courteous, intelligent young man who shared his father's instinct to protect the people he loved. Grace couldn't have chosen better.

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Late that night, after the last guests and the clean-up crew had gone home, Steve and Danny sat side by side on the lounge chairs Steve kept near the water, gazing up at the stars while the waves lapped at the sand. Something they'd done numerous times over the years. Neither one had much to say. Unusual for the two of them, Steve knew, and yet for the moment the quiet just felt right. He had a lot on his mind, and he appreciated that Danny was letting him mull it all over.

It had been nearly a year since he'd left the island to lead the mission that had almost resulted in his death, or at least so he'd been told. On occasion, Steve wished that those weeks he'd worked so hard to recover from were something more than a blank page in his mind, but never for long. The counselor he'd been required to see had suggested hypnosis to recover the memories, but Steve had refused. The last year had been incredibly hard, but that really wasn't what he wanted to remember. There was too much good to let the bad weigh him down.

He had made new friends because of his ordeal, and he had watched their lives change for the better. Arkady Antonov had enrolled in HPD's police academy, with the promise of a place in 5-0 as soon as he completed the program. Sergei's rehabilitation was going well, and he wasn't just walking on his state-of-the-art prosthetic leg — he was preparing to run in a marathon. His goal was to compete in the Invictus Games, maybe not this year in Sydney, but at the next games for sure.*

Then there were the Parks — Pak Hun Ji and his family. They had chosen English names before they ever arrived in the US. Ji had become John Park, his wife went by Hannah, and their son had chosen the name David. With Steve's help, John had found work as a ranch hand at the Keoni Makana Ranch, where he had proven to have a good way with horses. Hannah was working for a florist — in fact, she had arranged the flowers for today's wedding — and she had become fast friends with Keoni's daughter, who had a son about David's age. Two weeks from now, Steve would watch as they were sworn in as United States citizens.

Next to Steve, Danny yawned. He leaned over and picked up his empty Longboards. "Mind if I crash here tonight? Probably shouldn't drive just now."

Steve nodded absently. It took him a moment to register what Danny had said. Before his friend could head up to the house, Steve reached over and grabbed his arm. "I'd do the same thing all over again, Pal," he said, in a quiet but fierce tone. "No doubt about it."

He knew Danny would understand what he was talking about. Months ago, his friend had asked him, "Was it worth it, Steve? If you had known what was going to happen, would you still have gone?" Steve hadn't answered him then. He couldn't. But then the Parks had arrived and Steve had watched them settle in.

He was amazed at how quickly his Korean friends adapted to life in the islands. Along with their new names, they had taken on some of the traditions of their adopted home as well. This showed in the way they decorated their home, and in their dress and language.

Steve was pleased that David was making friends in school. He and Keoni's grandson, Akoni, were thick as thieves, and David now chattered away in fluent English (and reasonably good Hawaiian) about their escapades. He was becoming quite comfortable not only around the horses but also out in the water. Akoni had taught him to surf, and he had already entered a couple of junior surfing competitions. The boy showed real promise. Steve had started building him a trophy case for his next birthday.

Danny stood and squeezed Steve's shoulder. "I know you would. Never doubted it for a minute. Don't stay out here too long, yeah? You need your sleep."

"Yes, Mom." Steve scoffed, but he lifted his Longboard in a salute to his friend. As Danny headed for the house, Steve settled back into his memories, thinking back to the scene that had pretty well tied everything together for him. It had been the day 5-0 helped the Parks move into their house on the ranch.

They had gotten everything cleaned and moved in. Hannah had organized all the furniture and boxes into their proper places, and they had polished off a take-out dinner of pizza and soda. The conversation was light, and everyone was tired from the long day.

Steve was surprised when Hannah abruptly stood and hurried from the room. She came back after a few minutes, carrying a small, rather ragged burlap sack. She asked that John clear and wipe off the coffee table, which he did. The others looked on curiously, but none more so than her husband.

Shyly, in heavily accented English, Hannah explained as she removed a wooden box from the sack. "I dug this box out of the ground not far from our home before we left North Korea. It belonged to my husband's father. We buried it there long ago to protect our family from persecution… from the death that discovery of its contents would surely mean."

John paled at her words, but offered his wife a soft smile, urging her to go on. He reached for her hand and together they lifted out the precious contents from the box.

Steve found himself holding his breath as the Parks gently placed a book in the very center of the table. As he leaned in to read the title on the scuffed and worn cover, tears sprang unbidden to his eyes. He was surprised to see that the words were in English. "Holy Bible," he said softly.

Everyone stared at Hannah as she spoke again, her voice barely above a whisper. "When I knew we had to escape, that the soldiers were coming for us, I ran into the woods and dug up this box. My husband and I knew this to be God's book. We had promised each other, if we ever got away, we would bring it with us, learn to read it. Discover the God his father knew."

She lapsed into Korean and Steve began translating for her. "I did not know this God, but I asked Him to blind the eyes of those who should not see it, and to hide me and my son from their searchlights and guard dogs. In this way, I brought it here, to our new home. No one ever saw the sack or questioned me about it."

Hannah fell silent and everyone gazed in wonder at the old book. Steve looked up from the cracked leather binding to meet the slight woman's eyes in time to see her blink back tears.

Finally, John Park spoke. "This is what freedom is. My father cherished this book, and so we will read it." He grasped his wife's hand. "Our new government will not tell us we cannot do this. No soldiers with guns will harm us for what we believe or what we say. This is the freedom my father wanted for his family." He turned to his friends. "Thank you all." Hannah nodded shyly as the couple took their places on the couch and slowly the tension eased and the quiet conversation began again.

His mind gradually returning to the starry night and the cool breeze off the water, Steve leaned back in his lounge chair and breathed out a contented sigh. That. That book lying right in the open on the Park's coffee table. Freedom — to read, to believe, to speak, to make a good life for themselves. That's why he did what he did… took the risks, stood in harm's way. He always would. Even to the point of being forsaken.

The End

Notes

*The Invictus Games, founded by Prince Harry, is an international sporting event for injured servicemen and women. The word Invictus is Latin and means unconquered or undefeated. The last games took place in Sydney, Australia in 2018; this epilogue is set in May 2018. The next Invictus Games will take place in The Hague in 2020, and Sergei will almost certainly be there!