The Long Journey Home (PG) Chap 2 - Challenge 140

[darkstarrising]

Dearest Readers,

This is the second chapter (of nine) in my answer to the challenge for a Moonlight Crossover story, challenge 140. Originally, this was supposed to be a relatively short story, but the muse cackled wickedly and off we went. For me the challenge (initially) was getting inside the head of a character I wasn't overly sympathetic (Mary Ann McGarrett) with and change that perception.

It should be noted that several of the characters in this story periodically fell victim to the muse's warped sense of humor, Danny Williams in particular.

I hope you enjoy.

The usual disclaimers apply. I mean no copyright infringement on any of the characters described herein. This is all for fun, nothing more.

The Long Journey Home

Chapter 2

The warmth of the afternoon sun had never felt so good.

As she sat on the beach behind her late father’s house, Mary Ann McGarrett felt her resentment begin to fade, her bitterness drift away on the warm Pacific breeze. Technically speaking, this house was hers now as well as her brother’s. Steve had made it clear that she was welcome to stay, but living under the same roof with all those familial reminders was something she just wasn’t ready to do. Since the man who was her brother was something of a stranger to her, just as she was to him, Mary opted to rent a place of her own until she found her bearings. Besides, having big brother under the same roof would definitely put a damper on her love life.

Kauhale

Home. The one she lost so many years ago could never be regained, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t make one of her own. Other than Steve, her family was gone, but it seemed her brother had gained a new one.

Ohana

With them on the beach were a handful of people Steve worked with, but it was clear they were close to him. From what she’d gleaned so far, each of them had suffered some significant hardship but had found their way back, in part, through each other. Perhaps she could do the same.

Of all the people sharing a few beers and burgers, Danny Williams reminded Mary a little of herself. He’d had his family taken away as well, but wouldn’t give up on keeping himself in the life of a daughter he adored. Maybe she shouldn’t give up on making Steve a part of hers either. Watching Danny with her brother made her smile; the man was built like a bulldog and just as tenacious, unafraid to throw the bullshit flag on Steve when he thought it called for. Sometimes Danny was right or sometimes he was just tweaking Steve, but it was clear the two men had a close friendship.

Maybe if Steve had had a brother, things would have turned out differently.

Danny had taken a picture of Steve and herself earlier, one she’d e-mailed it to Beth St. John. In part, Mary wanted Beth to know that brother and sister had finally reunited. True, that reunion hadn’t been the smoothest, but when had anything with Steve ever been easy? Of course being arrested and hauled off the plane for smoking in the lavatory wasn’t the best entrance she could have made. She was nervous, for heaven’s sake, and the flight from LA was long. Besides, she hadn’t told Steve about the attack yet, fearing his reaction. When she did finally tell him, it was worse than she’d expected. Everything went into slow motion as she watched Steve’s emotions shift from shock to anger, then eventually something she didn’t quite understand, shame. Then things really got interesting.

Mary had an ulterior motive for sending Beth the picture of the McGarrett siblings; she wanted to know if Beth saw what she did, or whether Mary had imagined the resemblance between Mick and Steve. After all, there were so many things she saw that night that had to have been imagined. Hopefully, Beth would respond, granting the favor Mary had requested.

**********************************************************************************

Since her encounter with Mary Ann McGarrett, Beth often wondered whether the young woman had reconnected with her brother or not. For one so damaged, the road to recovery was a difficult but necessary one if she was ever going to find peace again. Mary’s recent e-mail answered that question as well as one other. Shaking her head in disbelief, Beth wandered into the great room in search of her husband and Josef, who had recently returned from business abroad.

“Remember what Mary McGarrett called you?”

Mick grinned. “Yeah, I’ve been called a lot of things, but ‘sign from God’ is definitely a first.”

Beth showed the e-mail to the two men. “Maybe she had a reason….”

Josef snorted. “I can’t imagine one.”

Beth scrolled down to the attached image of Mary and her brother Steve, smiling, arms wrapped around each other, a brilliant blue Hawaiian sky behind them.

Mick stared at the image. “I’ll be damned….”

Josef whistled in surprise. “OK. I’d say that counts as a good reason. Except for the hair, ink and tan, you two could pass for each other.”

Beth ran her fingers through Mick’s locks. “I often wonder what you’d look like with short hair. While it’s kind of cute on Steve, I have to say I prefer it long.”

“Yeah, well once that guy hits 50, he’ll be wishing for any hair he can get.”

“Something you’ll never have to worry about.” Josef peered at the image before him. “So that’s the damsel in distress you rescued. Not much of a family resemblance. You’re sure she didn’t see too much?”

“I’m sure, Josef. That alley was pretty dark. Besides, she reeked of coke. I’m surprised she remembered her own name.”

“What do we know about her attacker, other than being pretty brazen? Picking someone off the street like that, even at that hour, wasn’t the brightest of moves.”

“Not a local guy. Asian. Been in LA less than a week. Hideki Katsuro, or so his fake passport said.” Mick paused, “Maybe he wasn’t too smart, but Mary was an easy target. She wasn’t exactly sober and Katsuro waited until she was far enough away from the club so that there wouldn’t be any witnesses. Sober ones, anyway.”

“Still, what makes you think he wasn’t, you know, getting ready to put fang to flesh and she didn’t see it?”

Beth shook her head. “No, Mick’s right. When I talked with Mary, she didn’t see anything like that or even indicate that her attacker was Asian. She was so scared that she kept her eyes closed most of the time. Honestly, I don’t think she’ll spend any time trying to remember something that terrifying.”

“You did.” Josef turned his attention back to the image. “Blow it up, will you? I want to get a closer look at the ink. Very intricate work.”

Mick eyed his friend suspiciously. “Since when are you into body art, Josef?”

“I’m not, personally. Needles never did much for me. Looked too much like little silver stakes. Still, I can admire an artisan’s efforts. What did you say this guy’s name was, Beth?”

“Steve McGarrett.”

“McGarrett. Hmmm.”

**********************************************************************************

After a moment’s hesitation, Steve McGarrett handed his baby sister another beer. He was happy she’d reached out to him and finally came home, but he didn’t want to add drinking to her short list of problems. He knew that she’d managed to get into trouble in recent years, mostly drug related, several times barely managing to keep out of jail. The strings he’d pulled and the favors he owed to keep her free were something she’d never know about. Mary was intelligent, but she was also proud, and right now very fragile.

He knew the home and family they’d once shared were irretrievably gone, and he swore he’d track down that son-of-a-bitch, Wo Fat, and make him pay for everything he’d taken away from them. That would take time, but right now, he had to focus on Mary. She’d obviously suffered more from their separation, the bitterness toward their father growing more with each passing year.

Dad had toughened me up by the time Mom was killed, but Mary was still a kid. She was devastated and couldn’t stop crying for days. Dad didn’t know what to do with her. From what Mary told me, the people he sent her to live with weren’t really equipped to deal with a traumatized 13 year old girl. Maybe that’s why she grew so bitter towards him.

Steve had had a couple of long talks with his sister since she came home, the first of many, he expected, but talking with her was like walking through a mine field. Some topics were fine, others, off limits. Real mine fields he could deal with. Mary’s emotional ones, not so much.

They’d had a real row a couple of nights ago when she finally told him about the attack. She’d waited for Steve to be relatively ‘mellow’ before she told him. Needless to say, he didn’t take it well. In fact, he went ballistic.

Why hadn’t she gotten the cops involved? What happened to the scumbag that laid hands on her? He wanted to take names and kick ass, and had he known about the attack before she left LA, that’s just what he would have done. Which is exactly why she waited until she was back in Hawaii to tell him.

So like Mom that way. Mom knew just how to get Dad to do what she wanted, without him even knowing it. Maybe he did know, but he loved her so much that he never let on.

The compromise they arrived at was that Mary told him the name of the PI and his wife that helped her that night. In return, Steve promised he’d leave the rest of it alone.

Sort of.

Before he went to bed that night, he promised himself he’d find out what he could about this Mick St. John. Then, he’d come up with some reason to visit him to find out exactly what he’d done with the bastard who attacked Mary. After that, he’d buy St. John the best prime rib dinner LA had to offer.

Seeing Mary smile now brought Steve back to the present and to friends and family surrounding him. “Watcha doing, Mare?”

“Reading an e-mail from a friend of mine, Beth, back in LA. She’s the one I told you about, the one who helped me, you know, that night.”

Danny’s radar must have been up, because as soon as he heard Mary utter those last words, he casually ambled over to where brother and sister were sitting. Steve had told him about Mary’s assault, their fight and Steve’s intent to contact St. John and find out what happened to her attacker. Danny didn’t know what his friend would have done if the last member of his immediate family had been brutally murdered so soon after his father’s death. Seeing Steve’s fingers tighten around the neck of the beer bottle, Danny was sure it was a poor substitute for the attacker’s. Whoever this Mick and Beth were, Steve owed them, not just for saving Mary’s life, but for getting her to reach out to him. Having his sister around brought out a whole new side of Super Seal – a human one.

“Anything interesting?”

Mary grinned and showed Steve and Danny the e-mail. “See for yourself.”

Both Steve’s and Danny’s attention was initially drawn to the beautiful blonde woman in a scarlet evening gown. Danny was impressed. “Whoa! Who’s the babe?”

“That’s Beth St. John. The man she’s dancing with is her husband, Mick.”

“I’ll be damned….”

“So, you see the resemblance, too? I thought I might be imagining it along with everything else that night.”

Everything else?

Danny cocked his head, but kept quiet, while Steve continued to stare at the image. “Well, yeah, except the guy needs to take a walk on the beach, you know, maybe get some sun. What’s with the hair? He looks like a throwback to the ‘80s.”

“Whoa, don’t dis the hair, babe. A little long for my taste, but you, my friend, could learn something from this guy. You clean up nice, but sartorially speaking, he puts you to shame. What’d you say his name was, Mary?”

“Mick St. John.”

“St. John. Hmmm.”

[jen]

DSR

Fabulous. fabulous chapter!

You show the tentative reconnection of brother and sister in Hawaii beautifully. Both want to restore the deep connections lost over time, but recognize that they are no longer the very young siblings suddenly set on separate roads. Those separate roads have made them very different people.

Putting Beth in this new role is very interesting.

Occasionally, many of us have wondered what would happen if Steve and Mick would meet in some way, and here you have given us a very possible scenario--and one that includes a bond of gratitude for rescuing Mary Ann (great).

From the way she reads Steve's coworkers, Mary Ann exhibits a talent for quickly and accurately sizing up people and situations. I'm thinking it's a family trait. Interesting that Steve promised her to 'let the rest drop' after she told him about the attack, but Danny and the rest of 5-0 never made that promise. I know I'm adding two and two together and coming up with sixteen, but I would expect that once this story is further along, Mary will know not to accept such a promise from her brother again without getting a similar one from the rest of the group. They have developed a bit of a 'group consciousness' while conveniently using individual promises when useful.

Somehow I feel the need to say that just because Mary Ann's attacker is Asian doesn't automatically mean he has ties to Wo Fat, but the probabilities are very high. We shall see.

At this point, I'm anxiously awaiting your decision whether Steve and Mick will meet face to face in Hawaii or L.A. Determining which one has the home court advantage will put one somewhat at ease. Why do I feel that will be one superficially relaxed but internally very tense meeting.

Looking forward to the next chapter!!!!

Thank you!

Jenna

[r1015bill]

Give your muse a hug for me! This is fun.

Seems like Mary saw more in the attack than she mentioned to Beth. This could be trouble.

And you're implying that the attack on Mary wasn't random. Very interesting since Mary hadn't seen her brother in so long. What could she know? Was she going to be kidnapped instead of drained? Is Wo Fat in league with Hideki Katsuro? Is Wo Fat a vampire? (This fact would certainly change a lot of comments over on the speculation thread.)

Since both Josef and Danny are interested in the situation, I'm now imagining the two of them working together in a future chapter. Let the snark fly!!!!

Great chapter!

[allegrita]

Ooooh, this is really getting interesting now. I can't wait to get Danny and Josef in the same room! But the line about the best prime rib dinner made me a little sad for Mick... he never did get to Musso's. I'd put that way above a Krispy Kreme on the "wish I'd had a chance that week" list...

I'm glad you are giving Mary Ann a brain. She acts stupid, but that could definitely be the drugs and the emotional trauma... and I agree with the others that she definitely saw a lot more than she let on to Mick and Beth. No wonder she didn't touch Mick. So now what?! We've got an Asian attacker who may or may not have been trying to kidnap or kill Mary Ann. We've got Steve determined to get the full story from Mick. We've got Josef looking into why Steve looks so much like Mick, and Danny thinking along those same lines.

I'm not gonna even try to speculate. I'm just going to hold on with both hands and wait for the next corkscrew turn in this roller coaster of a story.

[Moonlightsonata]

Thanks for this enjoyable journey. The mention of the Prime Rib brought a smile to my face. That Steve is really hot tempered. Thanks again.

[jen]

Speculation really is pretty pointless. The writer is driving this bus and is kind enough to let us go along for the ride, but speculating on the road ahead is just so much fun!

[darkstarrising]

DSR

Fabulous. fabulous chapter!

You show the tentative reconnection of brother and sister in Hawaii beautifully. Both want to restore the deep connections lost over time, but recognize that they are no longer the very young siblings suddenly set on separate roads. Those separate roads have made them very different people.

Putting Beth in this new role is very interesting.

Occasionally, many of us have wondered what would happen if Steve and Mick would meet in some way, and here you have given us a very possible scenario--and one that includes a bond of gratitude for rescuing Mary Ann (great).

From the way she reads Steve's coworkers, Mary Ann exhibits a talent for quickly and accurately sizing up people and situations. I'm thinking it's a family trait. Interesting that Steve promised her to 'let the rest drop' after she told him about the attack, but Danny and the rest of 5-0 never made that promise. I know I'm adding two and two together and coming up with sixteen, but I would expect that once this story is further along, Mary will know not to accept such a promise from her brother again without getting a similar one from the rest of the group. They have developed a bit of a 'group consciousness' while conveniently using individual promises when useful.

Somehow I feel the need to say that just because Mary Ann's attacker is Asian doesn't automatically mean he has ties to Wo Fat, but the probabilities are very high. We shall see.

At this point, I'm anxiously awaiting your decision whether Steve and Mick will meet face to face in Hawaii or L.A. Determining which one has the home court advantage will put one somewhat at ease. Why do I feel that will be one superficially relaxed but internally very tense meeting.

Looking forward to the next chapter!!!!

Thank you!

Jenna

thanks, Jenna You're absolutely right about the reconnection between brother and sister. Too much time has passed, different roads were taken and they really don't know much about each other any more.

As for the 'group consciousness', you're on the right track, but more will follow on that. Perhaps one of them is just nosy

As for the meeting you suggest, just the opposite occurs!!

Speculating is fun, but I have to tell you, the muse hijacked the bus, told me to take a seat and floored it, especially in Chapters 7 and 8.

Give your muse a hug for me! This is fun.

Seems like Mary saw more in the attack than she mentioned to Beth. This could be trouble.

And you're implying that the attack on Mary wasn't random. Very interesting since Mary hadn't seen her brother in so long. What could she know? Was she going to be kidnapped instead of drained? Is Wo Fat in league with Hideki Katsuro? Is Wo Fat a vampire? (This fact would certainly change a lot of comments over on the speculation thread.)

Since both Josef and Danny are interested in the situation, I'm now imagining the two of them working together in a future chapter. Let the snark fly!!!!

Great chapter!

Thanks, Rhonda and I'm glad you're enjoying the ride!! As I said, the muse has a wicked sense of humor, which will be more apparent later in the story.

Mary's attack wasn't random, and the reason will be forthcoming in a couple of chapters.

As for the snark, it pops up here and there, even Mick falls victim

Ooooh, this is really getting interesting now. I can't wait to get Danny and Josef in the same room! But the line about the best prime rib dinner made me a little sad for Mick... he never did get to Musso's. I'd put that way above a Krispy Kreme on the "wish I'd had a chance that week" list...

I'm glad you are giving Mary Ann a brain. She acts stupid, but that could definitely be the drugs and the emotional trauma... and I agree with the others that she definitely saw a lot more than she let on to Mick and Beth. No wonder she didn't touch Mick. So now what?! We've got an Asian attacker who may or may not have been trying to kidnap or kill Mary Ann. We've got Steve determined to get the full story from Mick. We've got Josef looking into why Steve looks so much like Mick, and Danny thinking along those same lines.

I'm not gonna even try to speculate. I'm just going to hold on with both hands and wait for the next corkscrew turn in this roller coaster of a story.

Thanks, alle Next chapter will have Josef and Danny in the same room, and yeah, even if Steve bought Mick a steak, it would only make Mick sigh in longing. Steak would definitely be higher on my list as well, but hey, why not have the donut for desert?

The reason I chose to have Mary Ann a central figure in this story is that her character (as shown in the series) is almost pathetic and I really struggled in warming up to her (yeah, I'm heartless). She gets arrested for lighting up in a plane's, lavatory, knowing the penalty. Was she stupid? Maybe, or maybe she was scared to death about meeting her brother who might berate her for not attending their father's funeral. Or maybe, he'd be disappointed in her for not making more of her life when he had achieved so much. In her shoes, I'd be a little stressed as well.

In subsequent episodes, Mary Ann goes from one extreme to the other. On the one hand, she fights her kidnappers, and took photos of the stuff in the toolbox, even providing some insight as to what some of the items might mean. She's progressing. Later on, she finally lands a job that she enjoys, but finds herself being used as a mule for diamonds struggling. Still progressing, but still finding a way to end up in trouble. So in the end, she has a brain, she has a heart, but she also finds a way to get into trouble.

Most of the players you mentioned will end up in the same room at the same time and the snark and the sparks will fly!!

Thanks for this enjoyable journey. The mention of the Prime Rib brought a smile to my face. That Steve is really hot tempered. Thanks again.

Thanks, Moonlightsonata Glad you're enjoying it. If you think Steve is hot tempered, wait until you see Danny.

[jen]

As for you saying that your muse hijacked the bus and told you to strap in and floor it--Yay!!!! I'm so in!!!

And thrilled when you mentioned 'especially Chapters 7 and 8' That means there is more than a Chapter 7 and 8!!!!

I'm happy!

Thank you!

Jenna

[moonlightlover60]

I just found your story here and read the first two chapters. A crossover story with Mick and Steve, count me in. You're off to a fabulous start here and I'm excited to see that there are several more chapters to go. Seems Mary's starting to remember a bit more from that night and having Steve looking into Mick St. John might not be a good thing either. Can't wait to see what happens. Thanks DSR.

[francis]

This is really great. So Josef and Danny both are curious. Fits them.

[Lucy]

[darkstarrising]

As for you saying that your muse hijacked the bus and told you to strap in and floor it--Yay!!!! I'm so in!!!

And thrilled when you mentioned 'especially Chapters 7 and 8' That means there is more than a Chapter 7 and 8!!!!

I'm happy!

Thank you!

Jenna

thanks, Jenna but beware the muse on a mission Actually, there are a total of nine chapters, but the muse really had fun with 7 and 8.

I just found your story here and read the first two chapters. A crossover story with Mick and Steve, count me in. You're off to a fabulous start here and I'm excited to see that there are several more chapters to go. Seems Mary's starting to remember a bit more from that night and having Steve looking into Mick St. John might not be a good thing either. Can't wait to see what happens. Thanks DSR.

Thanks, moonlightlover60 Glad you found the story and are enjoying it!! Mary may think she can't remember anything, but things start to come back and that's when the fun begins.

This is really great. So Josef and Danny both are curious. Fits them.

Thanks, francis Indeed, and we both know that once their curiosity is aroused, they're going to try and satisfy it.

Thanks, Lucy Glad you're enjoying it!!

[Marigold]

What is the "everything else" that Mary Ann thinks she has imagined???

I love the parallel between Josef (“McGarrett. Hmmm.”) and Danny (“St. John. Hmmm.”). And I have to agree with Danny: don't dis Mick's hair!

I'm curious as to why Josef is so interested in Steve's tattoos.

Thank you, DSR!

[darkstarrising]

What is the "everything else" that Mary Ann thinks she has imagined???

I love the parallel between Josef (“McGarrett. Hmmm.”) and Danny (“St. John. Hmmm.”). And I have to agree with Danny: don't dis Mick's hair!

I'm curious as to why Josef is so interested in Steve's tattoos.

Thank you, DSR!

Thanks, Marigold, and you're very welcome. There are a lot of parallels between Josef and Danny, although the latter is a bit more flamboyant.

Mary Ann may think she imagined some things, but time will tell. As for the tattoos, more on them in a couple more chapters.

[nutmegger911]

I'm really enjoying this story, DSR. You've got Danny down so well. And what exactly did Mary see that she hasn't spoken of yet? You've got me hooked.