Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize…

A/N: Hey there, thanks for all the reviews, alerts and favs, you guys rock!

Yesterday I was reading The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams to my niece and that's why I wrote the third scene, sorry for the little drama there. Also it got a little out of hand so it's longer than the rest. Hope you don't mind, I just don't want to post it as a separate story.

Tell me what you think!

It's his day off and Steve's sitting in his well-worn leather armchair in their basement armory, cleaning his gun when Kono appears at the door.

She's wearing the dress Mary Ann gave her for her birthday and wears it only when it's laundry day. It's strapless and ends just above her knee and she always says that it's not her style, but he thinks that even if it has big floral prints and it's kinda, uh, flowy, she still looks very good in it.

"Hey," He looks up at her, stopping his previous activity, resting his gun on his thigh.

"Hey," She wears a determined look, which makes him raise a brow in question. "JD is out with Chin, they went fishing or doing something equally zen and boring. Hana and Ian are finally napping."

"Um, okay." He blinks at her because he has no idea why this is news suddenly but then he notices the baby monitor in her hand and he can't help the silly grin that takes over his features.

Once she passes the doorway, she doesn't stop walking; she just comes over to the armchair and throws a leg over him, hops up so that she's straddling him, stilling his hands when he tries to bring them upwards.

"Need you for a second." She brushes her lips against his teasingly.

"Only a second?" He asks cockily.

"Maybe a couple of seconds," She shrugs nonchalantly, pushing his wrists into the leather and bending down to kiss him thoroughly.

She presses on his hands like she wants them to stay put, so Steve obliges her, even though she's now unzipping his fly and rummaging around in his boxers. Okay, so maybe it's not so much even though as it is especially because.

Kono sighs contentedly, having him all arranged to her liking and by this point, pretty much raring to go. She picks up the edge of her dress and kind of tosses it out, so there's nothing between them except, well, nothing, apparently, because when she brushes against him, she's all hot and wet and soft. Steve doesn't have a whole lot of time to consider the implications, because she doesn't waste her time in pushing down onto him, groaning in deep satisfaction as she starts to ride him. He's about to speak – he doesn't know what he's going to say exactly, preferably something hot - but she reaches up and brushes a finger against his lips to stop him.

He realizes that his gun is still gripped tight in his hand so he moves it slightly, pressing the rapidly heating metal against her skin a little more firmly and watches her eyes go almost black and the way her mouth falls open with a lustful moan.

It isn't very long before she's panting and shaking above him; he fists his free hand into her dress and comes, thrusting up hard, sweat dripping down over his forehead and threatening to run into his eyes, even though he feels like he's barely done anything.

Kono takes a long moment to stretch, Steve still inside of her, rolling the tension out of her neck. When she's turned this way and that and cracked a surprising number of her vertebrae, she just sort of hops off of him, sliding her feet back into her flip flops and heading for the door, picking up the baby monitor on her way out.

"Thanks for your cooperation," she says as she looks back over her shoulder, husky and rehearsed and super cool, but she's grinning her dimpled, happy grin and walking a little funny, which sort of ruins the effect at the same time that it's incredibly endearing.

"Any time," Steve replies, not missing a beat, and her smile gets even wider.

God, he loves laundry day.

.

.

"I still don't remember any torrid exchange between the two of you in the past year." Sid says, fidgeting in her green bridesmaid dress. "I mean, you always liked him more than any normal human should, but I don't recall any overt PDA's."

"Because of course we'd have held hands and carved our names into the picnic table, right?" Mary Ann rolls her eyes. "Oh, god. I think I'm going to puke."

"You're not going to puke," Kono says firmly, her long fingers grasping her chin. "Grace!"

About a minute later the fourteen-year old girl appears beside them holding a steaming thermos with an herbal tea bag in it.

"Ginger tea," Kono says. "Don't breathe through your nose, just take really big swallows. It helps. And don't even try arguing, because it just isn't worth it."

"Why do you have ginger tea with you?" Sid frowns at Kono disgustedly.

"Believe it or not, this isn't the first wedding I attend as a maid of honor." Kono drawls. "Drink. Now."

Mary Ann grimaces but downs half the mug in one big swallow.

"That's really terrible. However, since I'm not barfing in the garbage can, I guess it works." She mutters.

"D'you think Uncle Danny is puking too?" Lea asks from her seat on the couch, looking up from her comic book. "Does everyone puke at weddings? Because if puking is required, I'll stay single."

"It's not required, it's just an added bonus," Sid smirks at her daughter. "Why don't you go see how Danno's doing? He might just need some of that tea."

"How much longer?" Mary Ann asks, glancing around and wringing her hands nervously.

"Ten minutes. And really, it's not that big of a deal. It's just the closest family. It's not like you've got to stand up in front of two hundred people and then shove cake in one another's face, like Kono and Steve had to. But," Sid says, her voice softening. "It's still a big day. Are you sure about this?"

"I think he's the first person I ever fell in love with." Mary Ann admits.

Lea snorts beside them, making a vague gesture with her hand, something Kono has a sneaking suspicion she'd picked up from Danny.

"Relax, Mom. Have you seen the way she looks at Uncle Danno? I'm going to go and tell the others to get ready, okay?" She comes up, pinching Mary Ann's side. "And you relax, Auntie Mare. I've seen how he looks at you, too. It's all googly-eyed and really gross for people your age. If you two don't get over it soon I'll be drinking ginger tea willingly."

And with that she leaves the room, pulling Grace and Hana after her to leave the adults alone.

"Your daughter is scarily mature for her age." Mary Ann glances at Sid amusedly.

"Well, every family needs an adult." Sid shrugs, pulling at the hem of her dress. "Look, don't worry, Mary. Everything's gonna be fine. It's not like you're gonna arrive at the altar cuffed to a perp."

"No," Mary Ann finally laughs. "That was you."

"Okay then." Kono speaks up, pushing them towards the door. "Let's get you married. And, uh, if you do puke? Lean away from me, because I plan to wear this dress again."

.

.

Steve is fumbling with his belt, his fingers stiff and uncoordinated, slick with blood. He swears as he tries to get the belt off and his fingers slip again. It's only a fucking belt, he's done this hundreds of times, every night in fact. Usually he doesn't have to think about it. Usually it's Kono's fingers there doing it for him.

But not tonight.

Steve's pretty glad Kono's not here. Not now. She'd be yelling something fierce, a habit she started after JD was born. Then came Hana and Ian and her words got more and more angry. Not that he blames her, really.

"You just couldn't do it, could you?" He can almost hear her. "One case where you don't come back beaten and bruised. That's all I ask. Just look at you."

But then she would help with his belt and wrap it around the hole in his leg with gentle, caring fingers. She'd snug it tight and bandage his leg. Then she'd kiss him and they'd make it back home. But she's not here, and he has to do it on his own.

He takes a deep breath and tries to calm the shaking of his hands. That's part of the problem, the fact that his hands won't stop shaking. He lets his head fall back against the tree that's pretty much the only thing keeping him upright. If the tree weren't there, Steve would be on his ass, because his balance is for shit. Most of his weight is balanced precariously on his good leg and all of his weight is leaned against the trunk.

It's dark and quiet in the jungle and he needs to get his damn belt off and around his leg to try and get the bleeding under control.

"Steve," Danny calls uncharacteristically softly. He can barely see him, only his silhouette is visible in the dim moonlight but his voice is concerned. "Do you need help with that?"

"I'm good," Steve answers automatically.

"Steve?" He can't see Danny's frown, but he knows it's there just from the tone of his voice. "We really need to get the hell out of here."

Steve knows he's right. He fumbles again with the belt and this time he succeeds in getting it unfastened.

"How's Chin doing?" Steve asks him because he thinks Danny expects some sort of answer from him.

"He is leading them away from here. But I don't know how long he'll be able to fool them. You have to…"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it the first time, Danny. I need to hurry. You just keep watch and I'll take care of this. Just, fuck…give me a minute or two."

"Whoa, hey, no need to be hostile." He grumbles and Steve just knows he's flailing his hands around. "Like it's my fault you got shot in the middle of the jungle, Rambo."

"Thank you for your concern, now go away." Steve waves him off.

Danny stomps away, muttering to himself and Steve takes a deep breath and another. This isn't the worst wound he'd ever had, and it probably isn't the last. He doesn't know why he is shaking so damn much.

"Shock?" The voice in his head that speaks with Kono's voice says. "You idiot, you need to get the bleeding stopped and then you need to get back home. And don't die."

Steve lets a small smile tug at his lips. Back to home and Kono, it's definitely a good plan.

He finally gets the belt around his leg. As he pulls it tight, the pain spikes through him, sharp and bright and he almost loses it then, he feels the world narrow around him and grows grey at the edges. But then the belt is as snug as he can make it. He bits through his lip trying not to cry out and he frowns at the sharp metallic taste of copper as the blood slid down his throat. He moans, afraid that he's going to throw up and really, really not wanting to.

"McGarrett, can you hear me?" Sid's voice in his ear startles him, he almost face plants as he loses his balance. He has the tree to hold him up though and he breathes through the pain until he can speak. "Steve, please come in."

"Sid?" Steve taps his radio, trying his best to keep his tone even and calm, but he really doesn't think he's fooling her. "What are you doing on this frequency in the middle of the night?"

"I'm at the Naval base." She says, her voice tense. "You missed your check in, asshole. Twice. Took us a while to find your sorry asses. Are you guys done playing Apocalypse Now?

While Steve doesn't normally like being rescued, he'd make an exception just this once.

"Yeah, you might want to have Holden get a team together," He answers her. "We're going to need the back up to get out of here."

"They're already prepared. They're just standing by for your word." Steve is sure she's rolling her eyes.

"Okay, yeah." Steve lets his head fall back against the tree.

"They're on their way," Sid tells him. "Are you okay?"

Steve shakes his head and then realizes she can't see it.

"More or less. I took some fire…"

"What?" Kono's voice is suddenly in his ear. "How bad is it? Steve, how bad is it?"

"It's fine, Kono," He reassures her. "Nothing that a night in the hospital won't fix."

Maybe it's the blood loss that made him say that, but he knows the second the words are out of his mouth that it was the exact wrong thing to say.

"A night in the hospital? You're admitting you need a night in the hospital? Sid, I think his bleeding out." Kono's voice grows a little distant but no less worried.

Steve grins feeling better. Kono's voice does that for him.

"Relax, baby," he says. "It's really okay. Although, if you don't mind, Sid, tell Holden to hurry because I have a date for bedtime."

"You'd better not die," Kono hisses at him. "Because I'm not explaining to your kids why their daddy's not home in time to read them their bedtime story."

Steve thinks it's pretty funny that Kono stresses 'your kids,' like it would give him more incentive to make it home for them and not just if it were Kono waiting for him at home. He'd always make it home to Kono.

The jungle is whirling around him and Steve decides it's a pretty good thing that he doesn't have to go much further.

"I hate to break it to you but I think you're going to be doing the story duties tonight regardless for our kids."

"Don't our kids me," Kono spats at him, "I refuse to let you die and leave me alone with three children. Don't you even dare."

It still kind of astonishes Steve that he is married with three children.

There was a time in his life when he thought it would never happen. He'd tried with Catherine, he really did. But he could never make himself love her the way she needed to be loved.

Then he came back to Hawaii and met Kono Kalakaua. The rest is history.

"Steve? Steve? Come on say something. I'll read Hana and JD their bedtime story, just don't die on me please," it's the pleading tone in Kono's voice that brings Steve back to the present – back to the jungle and blood and the pain.

"What?" He croaks out, feeling decidedly worse.

"Steve, are you alright?" Danny is kneeling next to him, supporting him, checking the belt around his leg.

"Been better," He answers ruefully, not sure if he is talking to Kono or Danny.

And then Steve just leans his head back against the tree trunk behind him, thankful for its sturdy support and imagines his kids tucked in their bed as he reads them one of the books, probably Hana's current favorite – The Velveteen Rabbit. She always cries at the end when the bunny was made real.

Although he'd never admit it to anyone, not even Kono, there are times that he feels like that rabbit and he'd only become real once he came back to Hawaii. Sometimes he looks into the mirror and sees the scars and the glints of grey at his temple, but Kono tells him how hot he is and his children look at him with love and adoration and he knows that the scars and the grey hair doesn't matter to them.

"I would like to meet the nursery magic fairy," He mutters to no one in particular.

"What?" A soft voice says from beside him.

Steve opens his eyes to finds himself in a hospital bed with Kono beside him. He registers the IV in his hand and the bandage around his leg. The pain is there, but it is far distant. Oh, yeah, he is on the really good drugs. He looks over at Kono who's watching him with wide eyes.

"Hey," He croaks out.

"The doctor says you don't have a concussion, but I knew he was wrong," Kono turns and retrieves a cup of water from the bedside table even as she speaks. "Because I know if you're talking about nursery magic fairies you have to be concussed."

Steve takes a drink and then wilts back against the pillows, his strength gone.

"It's from Hana's book," he explains. "The Velveteen Rabbit."

"I knew that," Kono huffs. "I had to read it a couple of times already."

"What happened?" He asks.

"What do you think happened?" Kono's mouth is a solid line.

"Don't know," he answers honestly. "That's why I asked."

"Holden swooped in and rescued your sorry ass as you were bleeding out in the middle of the jungle where they tried to kill you. Again." Kono glares at him. "Seriously, Steve, you can't die, because I don't know what I'd do without you."

Kono goes from furious to sorrowfully earnest so fast that Steve feels dizzy.

"I'd be a terrible parent without you. I'd make our kids hate me. I'd let Chin make them study all the time and I'd let Danny not to let them do any fun stuff. They'd probably grow up and move to the mainland just to spite me, and I just can't…" Kono gulps and looks away, but Steve sees the moisture in her too bright eyes.

"Hey," Steve catches her hand, twining their fingers together. "I'm not going anywhere, you're stuck with me, remember."

"Damn right. Just don't… okay? Don't." Kono makes a quick swipe of her eyes and turns back to Steve. "I don't want to do this without you."

"Ditto," Steve reassures her softly.

He negotiates himself out of the hospital and Kono drives them home, getting him into their bed in no time. They lie side by side, just enjoying their time together. With three kids, it's hard to find time to be alone and at the moment, they are blissfully, completely alone. Not that Steve is in any shape to do anything about it. Still, it is nice just to lie next to each other, holding hands.

Crying from the other room causes them both to start. Steve moans as he jostles his leg.

"It's time for Ian's bottle. You go back to sleep, I'll take care of it," Kono smoothes a hand over Steve's forehead and kisses him softly.

Steve captures her hand, pulling her back for a proper kiss. Kono moans a little as the cries from the other room increase in volume.

"Don't start something you can't finish," She growls in frustration as she pulls away.

"It's just a promise for later. I've got to thank you somehow for nursing me back to health." Steve smirks up at her.

"You've got a lot of thanking to do, then," Kono informs him and jerks her thumb in the direction of their crying son. "I'm just going to…"

"Kono," Steve calls after her, "Bring him back here. Let me feed him."

"But you're injured," Kono begins to protest.

"It's my leg, come on, I want to feed our son."

Kono rolls her eyes, but she nods before she walks out of their room, leaving the door open behind her. From the bed Steve can just spy his daughter's brown curls as she peeks through the open door.

"Hey, Hana," he calls. She doesn't need any more encouragement. She is across the room and in the bed next to him before he could say anything else.

"Are you alright, Daddy?" She blinks up at him with big blue eyes.

"I'm fine, sweetheart," He reassures her then ruins it all by wincing when she tries to crawl into his lap. "Well, maybe I'm not fine, fine, but I will be. Why don't you just lay beside me for now and keep me company?"

She nods solemnly, tucking herself in next to him. Steve is almost asleep again when Kono returns with Ian in her arms and JD by her side. Steve rouses from his drowsing when he hears the fussing of their youngest.

"Are you sure?" Kono asks before handing over the baby and the bottle.

"You okay, Dad?" JD looks at him, his brown eyes suspicious, just like his mother's.

"I'm okay, buddy." Steve looks at him, feeling like shit for making them worry all night.

"Don't go to the jungle without Uncle Holden again." JD says pleadingly.

"Yeah, okay." Steve smiles. "I promise."

Steve has to hand the baby over to Kono for burping. She doesn't know who's asleep first, Steve or their children.

When he wakes again it is dark in the room. One of the windows is open and Steve can see the full moon high in the sky, filling the room with a magical kind of light. Next to him is his daughter. On the other side of the bed Kono sleeps with Ian cuddled in next to her. JD is fast asleep too, curled up on the remaining empty space.

Steve lets out a contented sigh.

He lives in a place that he loves, surrounded by the people who loves him. Just like the Velveteen Rabbit, he feels that he finally knows what it feels like to be really real.