Chereads / Hawaii Five-0: Michael Williams / Chapter 13 - Chapter 13

Chapter 13 - Chapter 13

Flashback

The sunset painted the skies in fiery hues as Michael and Juliet Higgins sat in silence, perched atop a rocky outcrop overlooking the ocean. They were halfway through their joint operation, tasked with infiltrating a high-profile arms syndicate with deep ties in Southeast Asia. For now, though, they were simply two agents enjoying a rare moment of peace.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Juliet said, breaking the silence.

Michael glanced at her. "It is." He wasn't looking at the view.

Juliet noticed and rolled her eyes, but there was a hint of a smile on her lips. "Careful, Michael. Staring like that might get you killed one day."

Michael chuckled. "I'll take my chances."

The operation had brought them to Bangkok, where their cover required them to pose as a newlywed couple working for a private security firm. Their target was Raymond Zhang, a black-market broker specializing in stolen military-grade weaponry. Zhang was meticulous, paranoid, and notoriously difficult to track. He trusted no one but harbored a weakness for lavish parties, exotic locales, and unsuspecting tourists who could be manipulated into smuggling items for him.

Michael and Juliet's mission was to gain his trust, infiltrate his operation, and dismantle his supply chain before his next shipment reached its buyers.

Their first contact with Zhang came at an exclusive charity gala held in a sprawling estate just outside the city. Dressed to the nines, Juliet walked into the event with Michael on her arm. Her stunning red gown and his tailored tuxedo turned heads, but their real challenge was staying unnoticed by Zhang's security detail, who scrutinized every guest.

"Smile," Michael whispered as they approached the main ballroom. "We're supposed to be madly in love, remember?"

Juliet shot him a glare, but her lips curved into a practiced smile. "Try not to make it look so forced, then."

Once inside, they blended seamlessly into the crowd. Juliet charmed Zhang during a conversation about art, while Michael casually dropped hints about their fabricated security business. By the end of the night, Zhang had invited them to his private island for a 'business opportunity.'

The invitation set the stage for their most dangerous move yet. The island was a fortress, complete with armed guards, hidden cameras, and high-tech surveillance. They had to navigate the compound without arousing suspicion, all while maintaining their cover as a married couple.

One night, while searching Zhang's office, Michael tripped a silent alarm. Juliet, monitoring from a nearby room, immediately patched into the system and looped the feed. Her calm instructions over the comms kept him from being discovered.

"Next time, watch where you step," she muttered when he returned.

Michael smirked. "Admit it, you'd miss me if I got caught."

Juliet rolled her eyes, but her expression softened. "Just be careful."

The mission climaxed during a tense standoff on Zhang's yacht, where the couple had to expose him without blowing their cover. Juliet disarmed a hidden explosive while Michael negotiated with a double agent aboard the ship. They succeeded, but not without scars both physical and emotional.

Their roles as a couple demanded more than just professional chemistry. To maintain their cover, they had to live together, share meals, and often pretend to be madly in love. At first, it was all an act casual touches, whispered endearments but over time, the lines blurred.

One evening, after a grueling day of surveillance, they found themselves sitting on the balcony of their safe house, sharing a bottle of whiskey.

"You're quiet tonight," Michael said, breaking the silence.

Juliet swirled her glass, watching the amber liquid catch the moonlight. "Just thinking about how isolating this life can be. You give everything to the mission, and there's nothing left for yourself."

Michael studied her, his usual teasing demeanor replaced by something softer. "You're not alone, you know. Not anymore."

She glanced at him, her walls momentarily crumbling. "Don't make promises you can't keep, Michael."

He reached out, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. "I don't make promises lightly."

Their first kiss wasn't planned. It happened late one night after an argument about Michael's reckless behavior during a mission. Juliet had stormed out of the room, furious at his cavalier attitude, only for Michael to follow her, apologizing in his usual roundabout way.

"You're impossible," she had said, her voice trembling.

"And you're stubborn," he replied, stepping closer.

Before she could respond, he kissed her a desperate, impulsive act that caught them both off guard. To Michael's surprise, she didn't pull away. Instead, she kissed him back, her hands fisting in his shirt as though grounding herself.

The kiss changed everything. From that moment on, their dynamic shifted. The touches became real, the whispers more genuine. But with those emotions came an undercurrent of fear. They both knew how dangerous their lives were and how fleeting happiness could be.

The wedding wasn't planned it was a necessity. Their cover was at risk when Zhang demanded proof of their 'marriage' to finalize their invitation to the auction.

"We'll need a certificate," Juliet said, exasperated, as she paced their safe house. "Something official."

Michael grinned. "Or we could just get married for real."

Juliet stopped mid-step, staring at him. "You can't be serious."

"Why not?" Michael said, shrugging. "We need it for the mission, and… maybe it's not the worst idea."

Her initial response was a flat "no," but as the hours ticked by and the pressure mounted, she began to reconsider.

The ceremony was hastily arranged. They found a small registry office tucked away in a quiet part of the city, its dim lighting and peeling paint a far cry from the grandeur Juliet had once imagined for her wedding day. Yet, as they stood before the officiant, the world seemed to fall away.

Juliet wore a simple white dress borrowed from the safe house's wardrobe stash, and Michael donned his usual suit, slightly wrinkled from the rushed preparations. The officiant barely spoke English, but the vows transcended language.

"I, Michael, take you, Juliet, as my wife," Michael said, his voice steady. His eyes locked onto hers, holding an intensity that made her heart skip a beat.

Juliet hesitated, her emotions swirling. "I, Juliet, take you, Michael, as my husband," she finally said, her voice soft but resolute.

When the officiant pronounced them husband and wife, Michael leaned in, brushing a gentle kiss against her lips. For a brief moment, everything felt real.

Afterward, they shared a quiet dinner at a small café, toasting with cheap wine. It wasn't glamorous, but it was theirs.

"I guess this makes us official," Michael said, holding up his glass.

Juliet smiled faintly. "Don't get used to it."

Their success on the mission was overshadowed by the toll it took on their relationship. Once the adrenaline faded, the reality of their hasty decision set in.

"You don't trust me," Michael said one night, his voice strained.

"It's not that," Juliet replied, her tone colder than she intended. "It's just… this life we lead. It doesn't leave room for what we tried to build. We were naive to think it could."

"So that's it?" Michael asked, his frustration evident. "You're walking away?"

Juliet looked at him, her eyes filled with a mix of pain and regret. "I'm walking away because I care about you. Because I know we'll destroy each other if we stay."

They parted ways shortly after, their marriage left in legal limbo. Michael signed the papers she left behind, but he never filed them, holding onto a sliver of hope that their story wasn't truly over.

Present

As Michael stood on her doorstep years later, asking her to join his new task force, Juliet couldn't help but recall those moments.

"Michael," she said softly. "What are we really doing here?"

Michael met her gaze, his expression resolute. "Finishing what we started. Together."

For a long moment, neither of them spoke. Then, with a sigh, Juliet stepped aside, letting him in.

"Alright," she said. "But if this goes sideways, I'm blaming you."

Michael smiled faintly. "Wouldn't have it any other way."