Chapter Text
Part 1 - Steve
April 2017, Dillingham Airfield, O’ahu
“It’s only a reserve duty, honey! Everything will be alright, ok?”
Kissing Jeannine’s cheek, then her lips, Steve shouldered his bag and looked tenderly at his girlfriend.
“Nonetheless, I don’t want you to disappear to the end of the world,” she answered, showing a pout.
“We’ve already talked about that. I don’t want to be away from you either, but as a reservist I have to go.”
“As if you would get out of practice on your job…”
He smiled and comfortingly touched her cheek. She loved him and did not want to be separated from him. This conclusion made him so happy whenever it came to his mind, and it was exactly the same way he felt for her. Jeannine had absolutely no connection to police work or military services, and she kept getting nervous, whenever work made him come home late. The actual reserve duty was set to take place before Africa’s eastern coast, and he had no idea how to get over there without having to think about his lover all the time. Her dark blue eyes, her long, reddish-blonde hair, the freckles that showed all over her face down her neckline, her elegant hands that interlinked so faithfully with his big Navy SEAL hands. Jeannine sighed and kissed him in return.
“Please let me know how you are as often as you can. I love you, Steve, and I’ll pray for your soon and safe return.”
“I love you, too.”
“Me too, Mr Super SEAL. Could you eventually leave now so that you can return the soonest possible?”
“So endearing, Daniel, as you always are. Come on.”
Steve put his arms around his partner and patted his back mately.
“Now bugger off, Steven. This drama here is even bad enough.”
“Ok, ok, I’m already gone. Keep things running while I’m away, will you?”
“What else could I do?”
Steve entered the military machine and sat down in front of a window. He made himself comfortable and looked through the glass. Jeannine and Danny were still waiting on the edge of the parking position, a few yards behind them the black Camaro. Jeannine finally found Steve, waved at him and send him a kiss. He smiled and also raised his hand. Danny nodded at him and turned around to the car, Jeannine following him. The early sunlight made her hair shine like gold, and he already missed her. He had to serve his duty, but as soon as it was done, he would return to Hawaii and probably spend one or two days off with Jeannine before returning to work - given Danny’s consent. The Jersey cop kept on pleading that he would not care enough for himself and live a life besides the job. But Danny was not too keen on being second-in-command either and taking over Steve’s duty as the team leader of the task force. However, Steve had been able to calm him down by having Jeannine as his girlfriend, who had absolutely nothing to do with their work and made him a happy man.
During the flight, Steve though about how he got to know Jeannine. After Madison Grey had blown up his Silverado, he had to report this event to the insurance company, where Jeannine was on duty for his contract by then. She had sounded a bit mistrusting when hearing about the case - “a psychopathic serial killer has set my truck on fire” - but after a few more explanations about the backgrounds and his job she had quickly processed the case. He even was kind of happy when he called again to inform the insurance company about the new car and the phone call was answered by Jeannine.
“The same model, just another colour? Are you sure this is the right car for you, Commander?” she asked with a cheerful laugh, and he had to laugh himself.
They talked for a while and after that, he recognized he liked the way she was and the sound of her voice. He even liked it so much that he found himself telling Danny about her a few days later.
“Call her again and ask her out,” Danny had replied immediately.
“Danny, I can’t do - maybe she’s married, probably she just wanted to be nice.”
“But perhaps she is nice AND single. You won’t know if you’re not asking. Come on, when’s the last time you went out with somebody since the thing with Catherine?”
Danny would not let go on this topic, so finally Steve had plucked up the courage to ask Jeannine out - fortunately! Already during their second date he had noticed that he liked her a lot and she would feel the same for him. At their third date, she had kissed him; after their fourth she had spent the night at his house, and by now, she practically lived with him. In the first place, it had been hard for her to learn how it would be like to be in a relationship with the leader of the 5-0 task force: mostly irregular working times, dates cancelled at short notice, assignments during night and abroad. Injuries came up in a very wide variety up to radiation poisoning, but also a team holding on to each other like no one else and backing Steve up in all ways possible, Danny doing so the most. Danny’s way of talking and acting had been strange for her in the beginning, and Jeannine took her time to warm up with him. By now, she liked him for keeping Steve down to earth and making his mind up whenever he went too far into his military behaviour, which was not known to be the most empathetic or emotional.
Steve knew that he was not always able to show his emotions appropriately. Sometimes, a little nudge by his best friend was very helpful with keeping up with this docile girl that had absolutely no experience in being together with an investigating officer.
He recalled the memory of how the sun had made Jeannine’s hair glowing in the morning light. She was so different from Catherine, who he had thought would be the one for him. Maybe he had been wrong about that. Maybe Jeannine was the one for him.