Thank you to everyone who has either read, reviewed, favorited, or subscribed to this story! I'm sad to see this story come to an end but "Coming Together" is at it's last chapter!

She couldn't believe it. She was graduating from high school. She had always thought the abuse she suffered from would get in the way and she wouldn't make it to high school.

But it was actually happening. She made it through twelve years with her abusive parents, her sister by her side, and finally someone had rescued them.

"I can't believe you're graduating," Steve said from the doorway of his oldest daughter's room.

Serenity looked up from where she was sitting on the window seat and smiled. "What? Did you think I wasn't smart enough?"

"Very funny," Steve replied as he walked into the room and sat beside her. "No, I mean I can't believe you're eighteen."

"Don't worry, Dad, you don't look old enough to have a daughter who's eighteen," Serenity said with a laugh.

Steve sighed as he put his arm around Serenity and pulled her close to him. "It's been six years. You were only twelve." He shook his head, thinking about how fast the years had gone by.

"Yeah, and a dorky little kid," Serenity said with a grin.

Steve gave a short laugh. "Nothing's really changed."

"Daddy!" Serenity exclaimed, grabbing a pillow from beside her and hitting him on the arm with it.

He laughed again as he pulled the pillow away from Serenity's hands and tossed it on the ground. "Violence is never the answer."

"Oh, yeah, I know you really believe in that," Serenity sarcastically fired back at him. Then she turned to look at the clock on the nightstand beside her bed. "It's almost time to go."

"To your graduation. You're all grown up now, kiddo."

Serenity knew what he was thinking about. In just a short period of time, she was going to the United States Naval Academy.

"Dad, I'm going to be okay. Trust me. With you and Mom as my examples? I'll be fine."

Steve didn't say anything for a minute. Then he stood up. "Alright, Serenity, time to go."

Serenity followed his example and rose to her feet. She couldn't help the lone tear that fell down her face and even though she was quick to wipe it away, she knew her father had seen.

"I know you don't want me to go, but it's what I want to do. Besides, Jeremy's going to the Air Force Academy. He'll be in Colorado and I'll be in Annapolis."

"Yeah, that's the one good thing about this."

"I don't even understand why you don't like him. He's really nice and really smart-"

"It's not him, Serenity," Steve quickly said because he knew his daughter could go on for a while.

"Right. Because Willow and I are your little girls and blah, blah, blah. I've heard it at least twenty times, Dad."

The whole family sat in the crowd, waiting for the graduation to begin. Steve and Catherine sat with their other two kids, Chin and Lauren beside them with their twins. Mary and Danny, along with their son and daughter, arrived shortly after. A pregnant Kono was right behind them with Ben at her side, their daughter and son with them.

Serenity was talking to Jeremy before the graduation started. They were going to be seperated soon, her at the Naval Academy, him at the Air Force Academy, and every moment they had together now counted more than ever.

Soon the students were lining up and Serenity and Jeremy stood in their respective places.

It wasn't long before names were called and students walked across to receive their diplomas. Serenity searched for her family in the crowd and grinned when she spotted her parents. As more names were called, it was getting closer to her turn.

"Serenity McGarrett."

Hearing her name called and receiving her diploma meant a lot more to Serenity than graduating from high school. It symbolized something else. As she took in the proud faces of her parents, she realized graduating was a milestone in many ways. She never thought she would have a family sitting among the sea of people before her.

Serenity caught her sister's glance and she could tell Willow was thinking the same thing. This would not be happening if it wasn't for Steve McGarrett walking into their old house that day and saving them, if it wasn't for he and Catherine taking them in and adopting them, if it wasn't for the loving home they had lived in for the past six years. So much would be different, but they had been lucky. Willow and Serenity had been rescued.

When the ceremony was over, Serenity found her parents. They immediately enveloped her in their arms.

"We're so proud of you, sweetheart," Steve said, resulting in a grin spreading across Serenity's face.

Catherine sighed as she cleaned the kitchen. The house had just been filled with family and Serenity's friends. The graduation party had ended a little over ten minutes ago.

Serenity entered the kitchen to see to her mom. It was late and she was tired, but it had been so crazy before and she didn't get the chance to talk to her earlier.

"Hey, Mom," she greeted, starting to help clean the room.

"Hey, Serenity."

"I didn't get a chance to tell you earlier, but thank you. For everything you've done for me."

And that was all it took to send Catherine into tears-happy tears, of course. She extended her arms toward her daughter, pulling Serenity into a hug. "I love you so much, sweetie."

"I love you, too, Mom," Serenity said as she thought back to the first few months when her father took she and her sister in. She didn't accept her mother very quickly. "I'm so sorry for all the trouble I gave you when you guys first took us in."

"You don't need to apologize, Serenity. That's history."

"I finally got John to go to bed," Steve told his wife, speaking loudly enough so she could hear in the kitchen as he descended the last few steps until he entered the living room with Willow right behind him. "He kept arguing that his sisters got to stay up later than him."

They walked into the kitchen to find Serenity wrapped in her mother's arms. The mother and daughter duo smiled at them. Soon the four all stood around the kitchen, Steve and Catherine close to each other as they leaned against the counter, the girls sitting at the table.

It wasn't long before John walked down the stairs and into the kitchen as well.

"Aren't you supposed to be sleeping, buddy?" his father asked him.

"I didn't want to be left out," he announced with a shrug.

Catherine smiled. "Come here, honey." She held her arm out, gesturing for him to head over.

The four-year-old walked over to his parents and stood between both of them. Steve lifted him off the ground, with Catherine placing a hand on their son's back. "Only a few more minutes, John, and then you're going to sleep."

He nodded in understanding before yawning, not even bothering to argue this time about his sisters being able to stay up later than him.

The McGarrett family reflected on the last six years, their memories sending them into laughter. John at four, Willow at thirteen, and Serenity at eighteen, it seemed like the years had gone by in a flash.

Steve and Catherine looked at each other lovingly, their son now asleep, their daughters laughing at memories of the past years. How did their lives turn out to be so great?