|24| Birthday Bash

"What time are people coming again?" I ask Emily.

"In like twenty minutes."

"Oh, yeah. Cool cool. We can totally finish this up in twenty minutes. I mean moms not even back with the cake yet, but yeah."

"Brook, you stress way to much over this kind of stuff. It's a birthday party for a six year old, and there aren't even that many more people coming. Just some family we have on the island."

"I know. But you know how I like everything perfect- OH STEVE!" I say getting side tracked. "Will you please hang this banners from the deck? Make sure they're even." I see him look over at Emily and smile and back at me.

"Of course."

"What was that?"

"Nothing. Nothing."

"I am not going crazy over this, okay? I just want it to look good."

"If it looks half as good as you, I'm sure it will look great."

"Oh my god, I haven't even done my makeup yet."

"Oh boy. Okay, Brook. Go inside and get ready. We got this. I promise." Emily says to me.

"I don't believe you, but I'm gonna have to trust you." I go to walk past Steve and he grabs my arm. "Hmm?"

"This party is going to be great. His sixth birthday party will be unforgettable. Just breath." He says putting his hands on my shoulder.

"Right. Breath. Okay. Yes, I am going to go get dressed and I will be back out in a few."

"Okay, baby." I give him a quick peck on the lips and go up the stairs.

I go inside and fast walk into the bedroom to do my hair and makeup. I do it in record time and get ready in fifteen minutes and hurry and put on a pair of cut off blue jeans with a light blue tank top with palm trees on it. I look in the mirror, taking a deep breath, and then go back outside. I walk outside and see a few people I didn't know. Probably distant family my mom got in contact with. There was one person though that looked very familiar from the back, but I couldn't figure out who it was.

"There you are." She says turning around and looking at me. My face lights up with excitement.

"TEAGAN!" I yell as I run over to her and hug her.

"Hiiii." She says laughing.

"I didn't know you were coming!"

"Of course! Emily called me after you told her I was in Hawaii and told me you guys were throwing a birthday party for Alex at your dads old place and I couldn't pass up an opportunity to come back here again."

"This is amazing! Everyone is here...at dads old house. Where we all grew up. And now we have all of these new additions that we get to make new memories here with. I just, I'm just so happy." I say with tears forming in my eyes.

"Don't cry." She says with a little laugh. "This is happy. This is a good time."

"I know. That's why I'm crying. Look at this. Look how far we've come." I say looking out into the small crowd of people talking and laughing. All of the nemo party decorations and Alex running around the lawn chasing people he probably doesn't even know, with a water gun. The whole family, here once again. "I just wish my dad were here to see this. You know? His grand kids growing up, his kids growing up. All of the happiness that is in this family."

"He may not be here in person, but we both know he is here in spirit. And I'm sure he is up there smiling down at us, realizing the accomplishment he has with having such an amazing, happy family." Teagan looks back over at me. "Brooklyn, this is amazing. It really is."

"Thank you. I mean I can't take all the credit. I mean it's not even my own kids party. Everyone else helped a lot."

"Yeah but we all know you're the one who takes charge when it comes to planning a party and decorating for it."

"That's very true."

"Hey, Teagan. It's good to see you again." Steve says walking up next to me, handing me a cup. I look up at him and smile.

"You too, Steve. Watch her, she's being emotional and I need a drink." She says with a little laugh before walking away.

"Why are you being emotional? Because Alex is turning six?"

"That's a part of it. I'm just so happy that we could all do this. Come together and celebrate his birthday in the house that my dad built just for this purpose. Building family memories."

"He would be very proud of this moment."

"He really would." Steve puts his arm around my shoulders and I wrap my arm around his waist and take a drink of whatever he just handed me, "Woah." I say trying not to cough. "What is this? It tastes like fire."

"It's jungle juice."

"Is it 99 percent alcohol?"

"Mayyyybe."

"Are you trying to get me drunk, Commander?" He just smirks at me. "You're bad."

"Yes I am. Now drink up and lets go socialize." I take another drink and we walk over to a little group of my brothers and Jonathan.

"Brook, were you crying?" Peyton asks me.

"Shut up." I say wiping under my eye with the hand my cup is in.

"Aweeee. Big sister is getting emotional."

"I will also punch you."

"Shutting up now."

"Thank you."

"Are we late?" I hear a voice from behind me say.

"Danny!" I say with a smile on my face. Steve looks at him with a confused look on his face. Guess he didn't know he was coming. "I'm glad you could make it."

"Me too. I brought the kids, thought I'd try and even out the adult to kid ratio."

"Very smart. Alex, come here buddy." I say trying to wave Alex down.

"Hi auntie."

"Hi buddy. Hey there's someone I want you to meet. This is Danno," I look at him and wink and he just shakes his head. "and his two kids, Charlie and Grace."

"Hi." Alex says to them.

"Hi buddy. Happy birthday." Danny says to him.

"Thank you. Hey Charlie, I have water guns, you want to come play with me?" Charlie looks up and Danny, asking for permission.

"Go for it buddy."

"Yaaaay!" They both yell running away.

"Well now he's happier than he's ever been." Emily says walking up to us. "Hi, I'm Emily. Brooks sister, and the mother of the crazy birthday boy."

"Nice to meet you, Emily." Danny says shaking her hand. "I'm Danny. I work with Steve."

"Very nice. Well welcome to the party, and thank you for bringing children, because there are a lot of adults for a childrens party."

"Any time. Helps me keep them entertained."

"Hey, Grace. I think there's soda and stuff in the cooler under the deck if you want any. And I think Everest is about to grill up some hamburgers and stuff if you're hungry." I say to Grace while Danny and Emily are still talking.

"Okay. Thank you." She smiles at me and walks over to the cooler. Steve just pulls me in tighter and kisses the top of my head.

"I'll be right back." He quietly says into my ear. I just smile at him and he walks over to Danny. I just walk over to the chairs and sit down, looking around and just smiling.

Steve's POV

"What are you doing here?" I ask Danny.

"Celebrating a birthday, what else would I be doing here?" Just glare at him. "Fine. I mean Brooklyn did invite us, but right after you left, we found some more stuff on Dorris."

"Which would be?"

"Her connection with Yao Fat."

"Wo Fat's father?!"

"Yes."

"What kind of connection does she have with Yao Fat?"

"Shelburne."

"What do you mean 'Shelburne'?"

"Whatever this Shelburne thing is to Doris, it's also connected to Yao. The team is still working on it and will hopefully have some answers soon. So I came here to tell you, and also celebrate a birthday."

"Mmhmm." I just take a deep breath and walk back over to Brooklyn.

"Everything okay?" She looks up to ask me as I stand behind her.

"Of course." I just smile at her as I lean down to kiss her.

Brooklyn's POV

We continue talking with my family and I notice a few more people I have no idea who are, show up. And a couple of Everest's friends and their kids.

"Thank you for being here." I whisper into Steve's ear while everyone else was talking.

"Of course, baby."

"It means more to me than you'll ever know." He smiles at me and leans down and kisses me again.

"Foods ready!" Everest yells out.

"Thank god." Steve says. I just laugh at him.

"Come on. Let's go get you some food before you get hangry."

"Not only will he get hangry, he will turn into a caveman."

"Shut up Danno." Steve says to him. I shake my head at both of them and we walk over to get some food.

"So, Steve. We haven't really had a chance to talk yet." My mom says as she sits down at the table with us. Oh god. Here we go. Steve just rests his hand on my leg, noticing that I was tense about what my mother just said.

"That is very true. What's going on?"

"Just wanted to get to know you better. I mean if my daughter is going to spend so much time with you, you've gotta have a mothers approval."

"You make a very valid point."

"So what exactly is it that you do?"

"I'm the commander of the crime task force here on Hawaii."

"So all of the islands?"

"Exactly."

"Pretty big job. I'm sure that keeps you pretty busy."

"It does. It takes a lot."

"So has Brooklyn told you about her police background?"

"Mom." I say stepping in.

"What?" Steve just squeezes my leg. I try and take a breath and take another bite of my food.

"She has told me that she has a past in the police force yes."

"Has she told you why she is no longer a cop?"

"Enough mom. Please."

"I'm just asking." She says trying to play innocent.

"In her own time." A half smile forms on his face.

"I'm sorry. We will move on from that. So how exactly did you two meet?"

"Her and Everest were actually eating a lunch at a popular shrimp truck and my team and I so happened to be there at the same time, and we just ended up hitting it off."

"Well that sounds lovely." She says smiling at me. I just look at her and back over and the kids.

"Mom, come eat with the birthday boy!" Emily says yelling at my mom.

"Duty calls." She gets up and smiles as she walks away.

"Sorry." I say.

"Hey, you have nothing to be sorry about. Trust me, I know mom trouble."

"I know. I just really was hoping she wouldn't bring the cop thing up." Steve tucks a piece of hair behind my ear and kisses my cheek.

"You don't have to talk about what you don't want to talk about. Okay? And if you ever do, you know I'm here."

"I know. Thank you."

We all finish our food and then do cake and presents. The kids run around and tire themselves out for a while until everyone either started leaving or going inside.

"I'm pretty tired you guys. I'll see you all in the morning." I say as we're all sitting around the fire pit.

"I'll walk you in." Steve says.

"Night guys." I say as I stand up.

"Night." They all say back. Steve and I walk up the stairs to the front door.

"That went well, no?" Steve asks as we walk inside.

"Yeah. I think it did, other than my mother. But Alex seemed to have a good time. And it was great having everyone here again."

"Well I can say it was fun to be apart of."

"Yeah?" I ask as we walk into the bedroom.

"Of course. I loved hanging out with all of your family and friends. Got a better look into your life."

"Chaos?"

"A bunch of people who really love each other?"

"Chaotically?"

"Little bit, Yeah." He says with a little laugh. "I'm gonna be take a shower, I'll be out in a bit."

"Okay." I smile at him and he gives me kiss on the forehead. I take my clothes off and lay in bed. Of course my mom would bring up my past as a cop. She has absolutely no right to talk about my past. It's not that I don't want to tell Steve about it, it's that I don't want to talk about it at all. Being a cop is hard work, and for some, it can really take a toll on you...