Thanks so much for the reviews it means so much and like most of you I would love this to happen on the show. I posted the second chapter within 24hrs so I don't think it sent an alert so make sure you read that before this one!

They spent three days making love, cooking together, and closing up the house. Steve realised he should really be getting back to Hawaii. They had spoken so much over the last few days but had managed to avoid talking about the future. Steve had woken up early and was watching Catherine sleep, he felt at peace having her in his arms and right there in the moment didn't want to change anything. "You're thinking too loud Sailor" laughing at how perceptive she really was he tucked a stray hair behind her ears and gave her a peck on the lips. Finally he shared with her "I think I have to fly home tomorrow but was trying to work out a way we could just stay right in this moment now."

Home. One word but it made Catherine feel sick to her stomach. Steve was going home. Back to the beach house. Back to Danny, Grace, Charlie, Lou, Junior, Tani, Kamikona and the rest of his 'ohana'.

She had an empty apartment in Washington and needed to take on a new assignment. She realised the idea filled her with dread. Going back out to go knows where, chasing god knows who for the next couple of years. She realised she was bone tired of that life. She had finished up her last assignment three months ago and had been working a desk in Langley whilst she waited for the right assignment to come up. What if that was why she hadn't felt like anything was the right fit. Could she really just say she had done her bit, she was burnt out and go and live in the sunshine with Steve for forever? In that moment she realised that she had been running, scared to give up everything and make Steve her whole life but he was, he always had been, she could still be her but the best version of herself around him. As long as they were together they could figure the rest out.

Steve could see her thinking, that his talk of going home had got her thinking. He was tempted to just kiss her and make love to her until the forgot all about real life but he also wanted to know what she thought, could she just walk away again after the last few days of being back together. Waiting for her to say what was on her mind Steve held back, waiting for her to talk.

"I'm working a desk at Langley at the moment, been there for the last few months figuring out my next move. I could probably take some more leave in a few weeks, come over to Oahu for a few days to catch up?"

Steve listened to what she was saying, she was proposing they start their 'thing' again. Could he do that, just see her when she was stateside, could they really go back to what it was like when she was in the navy? The best of their relationship was when she was based at Pearl so maybe? Could he say no and go back to not being them? If she was stateside she would be in one place, she really could start to date, he was a hypocrite he knew but he couldn't stand the thought of her being with anyone else. He needed to fight for her, for them, if she was going to be in Washington maybe he could be too. He would miss the team, the beach but maybe in a few years they could retire back there. He realised he saw them with a family moving back to the beach house. God he couldn't let her go this time. He owed it to her, to Joe but most of all to himself to fight for her.

She didn't know how to take his silence, could see him thinking, she knew she couldn't let him go again this time, what if he found another Lynn but this time it worked out. She knew leaving the CIA would be complicated so she had to find a way to make him wait for her whilst she sorted things out, that's could take months but working a desk she knew it would be easier for them to let her go than when she was out in the field. Panicked she said "I know you said you couldn't wait for me but I could try and get to you as much as possible long weekends, or if you don't have a case we could meet half way".

Realising she was fighting for them too he shared with her his thoughts "I could move to Virginia, with my background I'm sure someone would hire me"

Confused Catherine said "why, it should be six months max till I can finish up and be on Oahu and we would be together any way".

Realising she was saying she would leave the CIA his heart warmed "You would really leave the CIA to move to Hawaii?" She nodded, seeing the fear in his eyes that he would really be enough she followed it up with "to be with you, it might take me about six months but if you can wait and we can see each other as much as possible at the weekends then we could make it work?"

Steve wanted to believe, more than anything, wanted to kiss her for saying exactly what he wanted, no needed to hear, but also had a question he needed to know before he could believe it. "Why now, what's changed? I wasn't enough last time?"

Catherine sat up, pulled the sheet around her realising that they were really getting the chance to have this conversation. She knew she had things to explain, but also she wanted to get some things off her chest too, she didn't feel it was all her fault.

"I think things were really good with us until I left the navy, then things started to go wrong from there. Billy died and I struggled to find my way, I enjoyed working at 5-0 but it was never meant to be a long term thing, I didn't want to leave but I didn't know what to do, then Afghanistan happened, I lied about finding my place, I was never teaching, I'd gotten into trouble over there, captured by a fringe group, and the CIA helped me out but signed me up for an op which I completed. I'd just finished up in time for Konos wedding, but when I got home things seemed different with us, I guess I'd been out there fighting all that time had seen stuff I needed to figure out, I wanted to tell you about it but we never really had any time just us and I just wasn't sure how much you had missed me. You didn't make any time for us, your damn phone kept ringing every time we started to talk and you never really came and found me after. I was helping out at 5-0 a bit but Lou had my office and you'd never really asked me to come back to 5-0 or move in so I just felt a bit lost. Like I loved you and had fought to come back to you but I wasn't sure I quite fit into your life any more. I'd told you to move on so I know that was on me. The CIA came up with another op and I said no at first, but they sold it to me as I was the only one that could help them and I guess I fell for their manipulation as I just wanted to feel needed at that point. I never wanted out of us though, I never banked on you saying it was over, at that point I knew it was too late to get out of the op so I left, breaking both our hearts, I think it was only in that last few minutes at the house that I realised just how much you did love me. I think that's why I was so surprised to hear you were going to propose. I'm sorry Sailor, I never meant things to turn out like this."

"I'm sorry too. I should of made time for us, I think I thought we would have time, I took you for granted. I thought I would propose and we would be happy. I was going to do it that day you left. I should of done it that day instead of telling you I wouldn't wait. I'm proud of the work you've been doing in the CIA though Catherine. I've missed you like crazy and wanted you to come home but I've been proud of you. Honestly I've been waiting for you even though I said I wouldn't. I never allowed things to get serious with Lynn, I chose someone the opposite of you that I knew couldn't hurt me. Then you came back and we went to the big island, it was after you left I was thinking about what you said, that you didn't believe I was really going to propose, I just couldn't believe you didn't realise how serious things were for me, I guess I've wanted to have this conversation since then. To tell you your it for me."

At that point they couldn't help but kids, a slow but meaningful kiss. "I love you Cath" Steve said pulling back so he could look into her eyes so he knew that she had truly heard him. "I love you too Steve, always".

They made love reconfirming their commitment to each other. Lying in each other's arms afterwards not ready to get up and face the day yet Catherine asked "would you really of moved to Virginia?" Steve nodded and said simply "I want us Cath" with a quick peck that said thank you and me too Cath laughed and said "you do know Danny would of killed you, or more likely me before he let that happen?"

Kissing her neck slowly making his way down her body he murmured "if this is our last day for a while let's not spend it talking about Danno"

After spending the day together sorting out things on the ranch and stopping frequently for kisses and to make love they settled back into bed. Knowing they both had to be out early in the morning for their flights Catherine just wanted to reconfirm their situation, "so we're on the same page? I'll work to get out of the CIA and come home? And your wait for me?" Steve realised it wasn't only him that needed reassurance, understanding that she was as hurt by their past as he was and that finding Lynn in his house must of been tough. Giving her a reassuring kiss he said "I'll wait, but also I'll visit and talk to you every chance I get. I want us to work this time, I know that means I put in effort too, to prioritise our time together and to share my feelings. Also when you come home I want you to move into the beach house, I want us to make it a home, or we can get somewhere new together if you want?"

"I want to come home, to the beach house, and be with you. I love you."