Randomly

Chapter 17

Steve sat in the airplane and took out his phone.

"What are you doing?" Joe asked.

"I want to call someone before I turn off my phone."

"Steve, you already left a message for Danny."

"Joe, let me call whoever I want, okay?"

"Still fixated on this Charlie?"

"Joe," Steve growled, not liking the tone used.

There was a moment of silence during which the two former military men stared at each other, a silence that lasted until the older man stood up and went to the cockpit. Steve waited until the door was closed before dialing Charlie's number, hoping he would pick up.

He was relieved to hear his man's sleepy voice after two rings.

"Hello?"

"Hey, did I wake you up?"

"It's two in the morning, Steve."

"I'm sure you're happy to hear from me no matter the hour."

"You're back in Hawaii?"

"Yes, but I'm leaving again."

Steve sensed the sigh from his lover and knew he wasn't thrilled with the news, but he wouldn't try to stop him.

"You didn't find Shelburne?"

"I found Wo Fat, brought him back to Hawaii to put him in prison."

"And now you're leaving?"

"Joe's taking me to Shelburne."

"Do you trust him?"

"Yes."

Charlie didn't say anything for a few seconds, and the Hawaiian gave him the time to digest the information. He knew Charlie was even more wary of Joe than he was because he could sense that the older man was trying to distance Steve from him. McGarrett sensed it too, but he couldn't fathom why he would do that and refused to believe it.

"Okay, take care of yourself."

"Always. I'll call you when I get back, and please..."

"Don't worry," finished Charlie. "It's not because you remind me every time that I'm going to stop worrying about you."

"The feeling is mutual."

"I love you, Steve."

"Go back to sleep, sleep well."

Steve hung up. He would have liked to say more, but telling Charlie that he had been attacked by the Yakuza while bringing Wo Fat in, that a cop he used to work with had been killed, that Max had been injured, and he had almost died in the explosion at the central precinct, wasn't the best idea just before disappearing again for an indefinite period. He would have liked to tell Charlie he loved him too, but the proximity of Joe had held him back. He still found that his former mentor was too involved in his private life, asking too many questions about the redhead. Moreover, he couldn't shake off the feeling they both had.

"How's Charlie?" Joe asked upon his return.

"That was a private call, Joe."

"Sorry for showing interest in you."

"Joe, forget my private life."

The rest of the flight was tense. Steve was lost in thought, hoping he wasn't walking into the lion's den. He remained on guard until the door of a small Japanese house opened to reveal his mother. He was speechless for several minutes, he entered, sat down, but couldn't take his eyes off the woman he had thought dead for twenty years.