Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or anything associated with it.

Epilogue

It was over. This battle was done. Santiago was dead. Steve pulled Catherine up and wrapped her in a hug. She buried her face in his chest, and hugged him hard. They had both survived, and she felt calm, and she felt strong. She pulled back to look at him and whispered, "I love you."

He smiled at her, "I love you too. Now let's get your arm looked at."

Steve wouldn't let her go home until the paramedics, the same ones as the day before, checked her arm out. With a shake of their heads they confirmed it was just a graze. They bandaged her up and re-insisted that she get her knee checked out. Chin and a SWAT team had shown up only moments after the shooting had ended, and he and Kono and Danny were standing over the unidentified woman's body.

"Anybody recognize her?" Danny asked.

Kono and Chin both shook their heads, Kono saying, "Nope, never seen her before."

"Me either," Danny said. She was a dirty blonde, and wearing a business suit, he had figured she was just some poor clerk that Santiago had grabbed on the way in, but he had been wrong. He imagined that when they checked the cameras it would show she walked in with him. "She must have known she was walking into her death."

"Money is an amazing motivator." Chin said.

Steve walked up then, "I'm taking Catherine home."

Danny nodded, "We'll finish up here. Is it alright if I bring Grace by? She's been anxious to see Catherine, ever since I told her that we had rescued her."

Catherine heard him from where she was standing across the room and said, "I would love that."

Danny smiled, "Good, now go home, get some rest."

Steve walked back to her and scooped her up in his arms and carried her from the room.

Over the next few days Catherine and Steve continued to enjoy the touchy-feeliness that Santiago's capture of Catherine had caused. They spent the next three days together, just the two of them, splitting time between Steve's bed and the beach outside his house. She finally had her knee looked at, the MRI showing that it was a minor tear in her meniscus, she was scheduled for surgery in a couple weeks, and her knee was expected to make a full recovery.

On the Saturday morning after Catherine had been taken Leslie Burns held the funeral for her boyfriend, Scott Monroe. Steve wanted to go, "I promised her we'd get the guy who did this. I want her to know we did."

Catherine was sitting on the couch in Steve's living room, "I'll go with you."

He smiled, "I was hoping you would say that. It starts in an hour."

A little over an hour later they were standing at the back of the group that had come to pay their respects to Scott Monroe. Leslie Burns sat in a chair next to where the casket was being lowered into the ground. She was dressed in black and held a single white rose, she ignored the single tear that ran down her cheek. When it was her turn to speak, she stood up and said, "I loved Scott Monroe. I loved him against my better judgement, against his better judgement, and against the better judgment of all of my family and friends. Yet he loved me and he treated me better than any other man I knew." Leslie stopped to take a deep breath and Steve squeezed Catherine's hand. She gave him a small smile before they turned their attention back to Leslie. "I will never forget Scott Monroe, and part of my heart will always belong to him. I found this poem tucked away in a book, it was a book that Scott's mother had given him. I've asked my sister to read it."

Leslie handed a sheet of paper to her sister who was sitting next to her. The woman stood and began to read.

.

The Cab Driver

"The cab driver walks the stone paths

Passing graves marked and unmarked"

.

Leslie walked up to the railing around the open grave site and stared down at the now lowered coffin.

.

"The wind in the trees and the rustling grass

Chant a sound of passing angels"

.

For a moment she looked around at the crowd, seeing all of the faces of the people who loved her or loved Scott.

.

"And as he comes to the pedestal

Holding the stone angel"

.

She gave a slight smile when she saw Steve, lifting her rose in salute.

.

"The tears in his eyes

Alight a shimmering halo"

.

She looked back at the grave then, her heart breaking at the sight of Steve and Catherine holding hands.

.

"And he looks to the sky

Blinded by a vision of light"

.

She looked up trying to fight back the tears, knowing she'll never hold Scott's hand again.

.

"And then the mistletoe beckons

For a final act"

.

She glanced down at the rose in her hands, the same type of rose he had given her on their first date.

.

"And the cab driver

Touches his fingers to his lips

And then his fingers to the lips of the angel"

.

She brought the rose up to her lips, the scent a comfort on this sad day, and then lightly kissed it.

.

"And with this deed of love

He mourns no more"

.

She let the rose fall from her hand, sliding agains her fingertips, and landing on the coffin.

.

"As he steps through the gates

Leaving behind the place his soul waits to go"

.

She stepped away then, turning towards Steve, and walking towards him and Catherine.

.

"He waves a hand in a farewell salute

To the keeper of the gate, St. Peter

And he mourns no more"

.

As the poem finished the others there filed up to the coffin, throwing in their own memories, and talking amongst themselves, closing off the area and leaving Leslie, Steve and Catherine on the outside. Leslie stopped in front of Steve and smiled up at him, "Hello, Commander McGarrett."

"That was a beautiful service," Steve said. "Leslie, this is my girlfriend, Catherine."

Catherine held out her hand, "I'm so sorry for your loss."

Leslie shook it, "Thank you." She turned her attention back to Steve and looked at him expectantly.

"We got him, Leslie, actually Catherine did. We got the guy who was responsible for Scott's death."

Leslie closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "Was it Larry Malone?"

"Yes, he killed him, but it was someone else who ordered it. It was Catherine who took down that man."

Leslie turned her attention to Catherine and could see the fading bruises, the brace on her knee, "He got the justice he deserved?"

Catherine nodded, "He did. He can't hurt anyone else now, and no one will be at his funeral."

Leslie held out her hands to both of them, "That's all I need to know. Thank you. Thank you for finding the men who took his life, and thank you for coming."

They returned home after that, relieved that Leslie hadn't wanted to know more about why Scott was dead, Steve hadn't relished the idea of telling her that he had died to be a distraction. Though it was likely Larry Malone would have killed him either way. Still, he was relieved.

Catherine had insisted that the whole team, as well as Max, Kamekona, and Grace come over for dinner that night, not only so she could thank them, but to celebrate as a family. So she could celebrate that she was still alive and so was Steve.

She was standing on the beach, still using the crutches to balance herself, the long maxi dress she wore moving with the breeze and hiding the brace on her knee. She was watching Grace play in the water with her dog. Grace had asked Catherine if she could bring him, and Catherine had agreed, simply giving Steve a big smile when Grace showed up with the animal. He had shaken his head at all of them, kissed both Grace and Catherine on the cheek, and then grabbed a beer. Kono was standing next to her, and behind them Danny and Steve were arguing over how to best do the grilling.

"No, no, Steve. I mean really, how have you survived this long?" Danny exclaimed.

Kono and Catherine looked at each other and laughed when Steve exclaimed back, "Me! What about you?"

"An old married couple those two." Kono said, looking over her shoulder at them.

Catherine too looked over her shoulder, and then said, "Personally, I like to think of them more as brothers."

Kono laughed, "That's fair. I supposed when you and Steve get married you don't want a third person running around in your marriage."

Catherine laughed, "If we ever get married."

"Oh you will."

Catherine kept the smile on her face, but eyed Kono suspiciously, "Do you know something I don't know?"

"About what," Steve asked, coming up behind Catherine and wrapping his arms around her waist.

"About the two of you getting married." Kono said with a smirk and then walked away.

Steve laughed nervously, and Catherine smiled putting her head against his shoulder and looking up at him, "Relax, Steve. It took me getting kidnapped for us to actually say we love each other, I'm not ready for whatever it would take for us to get engaged."

This time he laughed out right. "I agree. Let's just enjoy this for a while." He put his cheek against Catherine's forehead, the both of them looking out over the water where Grace was still splashing around with her dog. "You were amazing the other day Cath. You took Santiago down. You ended it."

"The man wanted to die, and he deserved to die. If I'm being honest I didn't want you to arrest him. I don't thing I have that same qualm that you and Danny do being police officers."

He was surprised to hear her say that, "You were awake for that conversation?"

She gave a little shrug, "Enough to get the gist of it."

He wrapped his arms a little tighter around her. "You know what? You weren't helpless. When it came right down to it. You're the one who ended it."

She squeezed his arms where her hands were resting on them, but didn't say anything. He was right, and she felt calmer than she had in weeks. Steve had tried to be her shield and in the end she had saved not only herself but him as well. "I love you."

Steve smiled softly and kissed the side of her forehead, "I love you."

They stood that way until Danny called out that the steaks were done. As Steve helped her over to the table Catherine asked, "You gave in with the grilling?"

"Got to let him win sometimes."

Catherine's laugh filled Steve's ears, and as he sat down next to the woman he loved, at a table full of people that were more than friends, they were family, he didn't think he'd ever felt so content. They ate dinner, the mood light and happy, and when Steve's phone rang, Catherine laughed.

"McGarrett." Steve listened for a moment, smiling at Catherine, and then said, "We're on our way." He turned to Catherine, "Back to normal."

She smiled, "Back to normal."

He stood, giving her a quick kiss, "I'll be home as soon as I can."

She shook her head, "Take your time. I think I'll sleep like a rock tonight."

He grinned, gave her another kiss, and headed to the house with the rest of his team. Max had to go as well, and Kamekona volunteered to drive Grace home for Danny. Catherine left the cleanup for the next day, went upstairs to take a bath, her wrist was nearly healed, and she could get around well on her crutches now, and then made her way to bed.

Dressed in one of Steve's t-shirts she climbed into his bed, not in the mood to drive to her own, she pulled the covers up over her and turned the lamp off. As she closed her eyes her mind was free of any of the nightmares she had been experiencing. She wasn't helpless, and she slept peacefully through the night, comforted by their normal.

Where there you have it! The end! I hope everyone enjoyed and I just wanted to take the time to thank everyone who left such kind reviews! You were the sweetest and one of the reasons I love to write, to bring joy to others.

A couple people have made a request for a sequel. I hadn't planned one, instead intending to continue work on some original work, but after the second request for one I'll consider it. This story was so well received, I wouldn't mind doing a sequel, but it probably won't be for a while if I do do one. I've got to work on some other stuff, but you might see some one-shots.

If you guys did like this and want to continue following some of my work I keep a blog about the ranch I live on and the animals on it. Most of the entries are short and sweet, but it's where I'll post links to my original work once it's complete. It's called A Country Girl In Tall Boots. Unfortunately you'll have to google it as fanfiction won't let me post a link. If you google it, both the blog and the Facebook page come up. The poem "The Cab Driver" featured in this chapter is an original piece.

Again thank you everyone for seeing this through to the end and I hope you have a fabulous day!