Whew. Finally the last chapter. This has been a fun story to write, and I hoped you all enjoyed it.

I own none of the characters.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to review this story. Your comments were great, and I loved reading them. Thanks!

A huge thank you to my wonderful beta reader, Shakespeare's Lemonade. You put up with all my questions and constant badgering...and you took time to tell me what to make better. You certainly made this story 10x better!

Thanks to everyone!

Junebug

Chapter 17

Reunion

Steve stretched out on his bed. After the day at the beach, he was thoroughly exhausted. Grace and Chris were full of energy, and he had spent the day trying to connect with everyone, meeting Danny's family, and reuniting with his team.

Danny and him had finally slid back in to their old routine of banter. Kono and Steve had swum out together when the rest of group had been preparing lunch, and Kono had confessed her fears and talked seriously to Steve.

"We needed you." She said, brown eyes holding his. Steve quirked an eyebrow.

"Look, things fell apart," Kono told him. "Danny ignored us all the first day, and then he tried to pretend that everything was fine. Steve, I don't think we really appreciated you much." She looked down at where she was balancing on her surfboard.

"I think we don't truly appreciate people and their skills until they aren't there." Steve replied. "I was expecting you guys when I was on active duty. I missed your back up." He gave a sheepish smile.

Kono felt a warmth spread through her. She looked at Steve's healthy, relaxed face.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too."

"Steve, I wanted to tell you that you're very important. To the team, to us, to me. You're one of my best friends. It was crazy without you." She confessed, eyes staring determinedly at the water.

"Tell me," Steve prompted, quietly. Kono turned to him, his calm eyes proving to be the final straw. Tears leaked out of her eyes.

"Just, Chin was moody all the time, and I didn't know why. I couldn't talk to him, and that hurt, because he's my cousin. He was always off doing something on his own. It was so frustrating! Danny was irritable and short tempered, and would practically covet the time he could spend in his office. Then we got this new rookie, AP, and Chin spent so much time giving him the help he needed, and I just wanted someone to listen to me. So I wanted to talk to you, because you always have time to see me. And then I remembered you weren't here. And I knew it was because we were all scared you weren't coming back, but still. I woke up each day praying that it would be the day they told us you were coming home. Danny would come into the office, complain about that stupid coffee machine every day! It was the most annoying thing, I don't know how you put up with it. Surfing was awful because my knee was acting up again, and..."

As Kono continued to spill her feelings, Steve watched, eyes kind, and not at all condescending. He listened to her rant, and he pretended to not see the tears that escaped her eyes. He let her vent, and he nodded and made noises of acknowledgment in the right places. Steve listened quietly, and he never interrupted. Kono eventually slid forward into his waiting arms, her words exhausted. Steve hugged her to him, gave her a tight squeeze and let her go. He understood her need to be strong, especially where others could see them. Kono gave a small smile. Steve thought that during her emotional unloading she seemed a lot younger than she had been looking lately.

"I missed you Kono." Steve said eventually, after a long silence. "Your laugh, the way you get excited over mundane things, your outlook on life. You smile even if you're upset, because you want to be strong for your family, and I missed your strength." His sincere blue eyes reflecting the water looked into hers. "You are strong Kono," he repeated. "One of the strongest people I know." He looked back out over the water.

"Well, you're one of the strongest I know," she shot back. "I don't see you crying like a baby."

Steve smiled at her. "My whole life I've been trained to repress emotions, and the fact that I missed you, Chin and Danny, is something I've never felt before, especially while on a mission. That says a lot. Danny tells me I'm emotionally stunted all the time, but the fact is I've been conditioned to be the person that you can't read." He sighed. "I wish I could be more like you," he confessed. "Feeling emotion is one of the greatest gifts, and being able to express that emotion makes you stronger. Holding it back never helps." He quirked an eyebrow. "At least, that's what I think." Kono was a little shocked.

Steve had always been the one to hold back on expressing his emotions. She always felt comfortable sharing with him, because she completely trusted him, and knew he would respect her no matter what. But she always felt a little awkward when she cried around him. After he told her this, a warm feeling grew in her chest, and she gave a half sob/half laugh. She threw her arms around him again, and buried her head in his shoulder, her surfboard slipping out into the waves, attached to her ankle.

Steve held her, and Kono gripped onto his shoulders like they were a life line.

"I missed you," Steve said again, hugging her tightly. Kono smiled up at him.

"I missed you too."

After their talk, Steve and Kono surfed back into land, the salt water washing away any evidence of her tears. They had enjoyed lunch, cooked by Danny's mother primarily. Ella and Paul had been clear that they were glad Danny knew Steve, and they told him that they thought he was a lovely person. Steve had smiled at them, and asked Ella to teach him how to cook her delicious cookies. He was officially a part of the family.

Chin had been acting fairly normally, but Steve made sure to help him clean up afterwards, while everyone else headed down the beach. Danny left to get more drinks and ice for their cooler.

"Thanks," Steve started the conversation simply. Chin raised his eyebrow questioningly.

"For taking care of the team while I was gone," Steve clarified. Chin briefly raised his head in acknowledgment. "Did you have any trouble?" Steve asked.

Chin shrugged one shoulder.

"That's good. I mean, some is expected I guess," Steve's lips quirked.

Chin gave a small smile.

"Danny and Kono told me you trained the rookie."

A nod.

"I also heard you did a good job with it."

A shrug.

"Did you want AP back on the team."

A headshake.

"He doesn't want back?"

Headshake.

"Oh. I heard about Emily. That's rough, especially for a rookie."

Silence.

"It's not your fault,"

Eyes turned downward, and Chin bit the side of his mouth.

"Stop feeling guilty."

Chin averted his eyes from Steve's probing stare.

"Nothing you could have done would have changed what happened."

A shrug.

"You were where you needed to be." Guilt cropped up in Steve's voice. "I'm sorry that it all happened the way it did, but Danny and Kono needed you with them, not helping some rookie and a detective."

Tilted head.

"Emily was capable of dealing with anything on her own, and AP seemed to be bright and intuitive. You chose well, and trained him into a cop that you can be proud of."

Small smile.

"Even if he decides not to come back, you were important to AP, and it was not your fault,"

Raised eyebrows.

"Chin, listen. If anything, Emily should have know to wear a bulletproof vest. It was not your fault she died, and AP shouldn't have gotten attached to one person. It was a rookie mistake made by someone who should know better, and an emotional child."

Shrug.

"I'm glad that you were there for Kono and Danny."

Smile.

"Thank you."

Eyes connecting with his.

They worked in silence. When they were finally finished, Chin seemed more relaxed and open. He turned to Steve before they joined the group.

"Thanks."

Steve smiled at the memories. It hadn't been easy repairing the fractured and loose fragments of his team, but they had all pulled together. Later in the day, Kono, Chin and Danny were seen talking to each other apart from everyone else.

The case had been wrapped up, and the killer buried. Emily also had a funeral, as did the SEAL who died in Steve's mission. The rest of the SEALs had been transported home, after Steve had met with each one and thanked them. The hostages were now protected and safe, and AP decided to return to work. He thought that Emily would be proud if he continued to serve and defend his state and country.

Following the day at the beach, Danny, Kono and Chin spent time together reconnecting, and regaling Steve with stories from his absence.

Danny also took a week off to remain with his family before they had to leave. Steve tagged along on many rides, and grew closer to Danny's family. Once Ella found out his parents were dead, and his sister was on the mainland for protected, she took to Steve like another son.

Everything is going right, Danny mused. Until Steve finds those grenades I hid from his office.

One week later

Steve rolled out of bed. He showered and dressed quickly, and was ready by the time there was a knock on his door. He opened it, and Danny stood their expectantly.

"Ready?" Steve nodded, and followed him out.

They drove to the airport, and parked. Walking inside, Steve and Danny were engulfed by Ella, hugging them fiercely.

"I'm going to miss you so much!" She cried. Steve hugged her back.

"It was nice getting to know you," he said. She nodded tearfully.

"You have to come to New Jersey sometime, Steve," she said enthusiastically. "Bring Danny and Grace with you." Danny laughed.

"Maybe mom." Steve stood back at the family finished their goodbyes, and then he stepped forward.

"I'm happy to have finally met you," Steve said. Paul laughed.

Chris gave him a hug, and seeming all too quickly, the whole family was gone. Danny stared after them, then turned to Steve.

"I'm glad Melissa's made a full recovery." Danny mused. Steve nodded.

"It sucks that she had to make a recovery in the first place," he pointed out. Danny agreed.

"Beers?" Steve asked.

"You paying?"

"Sure."

"Fine. Show me your wallet...Right. You don't have it. Some things never change."

FINIS