"Forever And Always"

CHAPTER FORTY

Title: "Forever and Always"

Author: Michelle Heath

Rating: MA for adult situations and language

Summary: Story #5 in the Salvation Series. Sam/Steve, Caroline/Danny, Kono/Tony, Chin/Lana and the rest of the gang!

Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!

Date Written: May 26, 2011

(Three weeks later, Libby Thrasher is standing in the kitchen of Caroline's and Danny's new house humming merrily to herself as she stirs a huge pot of spaghetti sauce and then checks on an equally huge pot of pasta. Glancing across the bar separating the kitchen from the great room, she smiles indulgently at the group of exhausted people who have flopped down on the floor or are literally draped across sofas and chairs. Sam, Steve, Caroline, Danny, Lana, Chin, Tony, and Tony's SEALS have just this minute finished moving Caroline and Danny into their new house and they are all worn out, but have satisfied smiles on their faces. The sound of Mike's deep, booming laughter and Kono's tinkling giggles draws Libby's attention to the back door where her tall, muscular husband and petite, slender Kono look like Mutt and Jeff as they carry in grocery bags filled with materials for making a salad and ice cream for dessert. Kissing his beautiful wife on the cheek as he sets one of the bags down on the counter, Mike surveys the group in the great room and grins broadly.)

"Good God, Libby, are we going to have to feed all of them like they were toddlers?"

"Mike Thrasher, don't you dare tease those sweet children! They've all worked very hard today!"

(And from the direction of the great room comes the combined voices of Sam, Steve, Caroline, Tony, and all the other SEALS.)

"'Sweet'?"

"Yes, 'sweet'! I've been in the United States Navy for thirty-five years. I'm the wife of an Admiral and the mother of a Commander and a Lieutenant, I will call SEALS 'sweet' if I want to; is that clear?"

(And the same group of voices quickly replies.)

"Aye, aye, Ma'am!"

"All right, then, haul your sixes up off the floor and furniture and get in the Mess line. ASAP!"

(And although they're all exhausted, not a one of them wastes any time following Libby's order. After they've eaten and helped with KP duty, Tony's SEALs head out; every, single one of them making sure they give Libby a hug and kiss on the cheek before leaving. Lana and Chin are the next to leave after Libby extracts a promise from Lana that they'll have lunch in a few days, and Kono and Tony aren't far behind them. Her pregnancy is making Kono very tired much more frequently, and, although it's only eight-thirty in the evening, she's already fallen asleep twice. Finally, it's just Libby, Mike and their children, and Libby settles down on one of the sofas with Mike's arm around her shoulders and sighs contentedly. Caroline and Danny are lying on the floor talking softly about their new house and giggling, and Steve is half-sitting, half-lying on one of the sofas with Sam lying in his arms almost asleep.)

"Should we tell them now, Mike?"

"I don't know, Libby, they look awfully tired. I'm not sure they'd want to hear we've bought a house right now."

(Sam jerks upright so fast she nearly smacks Steve in the face.)

"You've bought a house? Oh my God, we're going to have to move an entire house yet again?

(Serious moans and groans from the four younger people.)

"Really, Mike? You guys couldn't have waited, oh, I don't know, a year or so?"

"Come on, Danny, we're getting good at this. If we ever get tired of law enforcement, we can open our own moving company."

"Speak for yourself, Steve! I intend to fly just as long as God and the U.S. Navy will let me!"

"Well, duh, Caroline."

"Okay, stop! We need to figure out when we can get everybody together to do this! Let me think . . . God, I'm so tired I can barely remember my own name! When did I decide to schedule the CQs, Caroline?"

"I don't know, Sam, you're the CAG. Geez!"

"Well, you got a copy of my memo, dingbat. What'd it say?"

"You don't remember what a memo you wrote said, Sam?"

"Shut up, Danny!"

"Thought you said you had to go to Washington for a week in the next couple of months, Beautiful."

"Damn it, I forgot all about that!"

"Now you can't even remember you're supposed to fly all the way across the country for a week?"

"Shut up, Danny!"

"When did Lana say she and Chin were getting married?"

"What, Caroline? Now you can't remember anything?"

"Shut up, Steve!"

"Just sayin' . . ."

"Would you all please stop? Okay, we have to move Mom and Dad, help Lana with the wedding, . .Damn, damn, damn!"

"What, Sam?"

"Kono's baby shower! When the Hell did we decide to have Kono's baby shower?"

"We decided on a date?"

"Yes, Caroline, we decided on a date! I just can't remember what date!"

"Don't panic, Sam, we'll figure it out. Okay, now I definitely remember somebody saying something about not wanting to have it too close to Lana's and Chin's wedding because we didn't want to detract from their day and we wanted to wait until they got back from their honeymoon so Lana could be there."

"Good, Caroline, that's good. Except I can't remember what date they set for their wedding!"

"Which brings us right back to where we started."

"Shut up, Danny!"

(Libby and Mike are nearly rolling on the floor laughing listening to their daughter's and sons-in-law's rapid-fire, back and forth conversation, but they decide to put them all out of their misery. Wiping her eyes, Libby calls a halt to things.)

"As much as I'm enjoying this, I just don't have the heart to let you children stress yourselves out any longer."

"What are you talking about, Mom?"

"Well, Caroline, your father and I did buy a house, but none of you have to lift a finger to move us."

"We don't?"

"No, Sam, you don't. Turns out the people who owned the house we're renting have decided they want to move to Germany so they sold the house to us."

"Thank God!"

"Shut up, Danny!"

A/N: And there it is. I sincerely hope you all enjoyed this first "min-story" in the "Salvation: Forever and Always" series. I hope to have chapter one of the second one, which will deal primarily with Lana's and Chin's wedding, posted later tonight. I am ever so appreciative for all of you reading and reviewing my work, and I am also very thankful for all the private messages I have received. I am so blessed by all of you! Michelle