Let's Go Home
Steve's words echoed in each team member's ears. The words were stated as a fact, as if Five-0 hadn't been fractured – what was thought – beyond repair. "Let's go home." Ever since the team had found out that Governor Jameson was in league with Wo Fat, the tables had turned and no one was the same. Their trust had been shaken, especially with the arrival of the new team member, Lori Weston.
Since Steve had been cleared of the Governor's murder, he remained focused on Wo Fat. He knew that his team and surrogate family was broken, and yet, Steve was adamant at catching the man responsible for severing Five-0 in the first place. His curiosity was heightened at the possibility of his father being in league with Wo Fat as well. It wasn't until now, with Kono rejoining the team that Steve realized that during those weeks he felt Kono's absence inside. The pain was internal, and he didn't realize it until Kono was in the interrogation room. As he had interrogated her, he tried to choke down the rage and terror for her and at himself for not doing enough. Steve had meant what he said to Fryer. No one would mess with his team. Including Lori, they were his surrogate family, and he would stay by them through all times. At last, a sense of contentment that had eluded Steve for the past couple of weeks was there once more. They were ohana. They were family. They always would be.
A sense of despair had washed over Danny since he saw Steve in handcuffs and Chin in a HPD uniform. He had thought that Chin had spoken the truth that night. "There is no Five-0 anymore." Thankfully for all of them, Joe White, the superior of Steve himself, had saved their team from extinction. Now Danny could breathe more easily. He did not tell Steve this, but he actually missed ranting with him about anything and everything. He missed Steve teasing him about his tie. That week was hell for Danny Williams. Then Five-0 had been back in business, but with a spy in the form of Lori Weston. He had not liked her, mainly because she reminded him of Steve. Kono's situation, although his partner had hidden that well, troubled Steve. Danny had been troubled too. The team had frozen the moment that Lori told them that Kono was in the driver's seat of the car of the would-be murderer. What had happened to her was the unspoken question. Now that the truth was out, that Kono had been bribed by Fryer and had been an undercover cop, Danny felt – the entire team felt – that they would do anything for each other. That was why Danny had abandoned his tie, and he was willing to do more.
"I just met you this morning. You expect me to trust you the way I these people out there? I've been in the field with these people. They've had my back. I trust them with my life." It was true that when she first joined the team, Lori Weston had not been pleased. She was not fond of babysitting Five-0 and the adult lieutenant commander. How wrong she was. Lori came to realize that the team that she unexpectedly joined was not just a team. They were family. It had seemed that they had always been, she thought as she observed Chin hugging Kono. She had witnessed of how Danny, Chin, and even the hard-to-get Steve, were devastated by Kono's betrayal. "You're a lot like Steve." Lori had to smile at Chin's words. If she had to admit, she was similar to her new boss. Perhaps that was why she had a hunch that she would care for the team as they did each other, and that she didn't mind that she would be staying for a while.
Chin had worried about Kono since he heard that she had been stripped of her badge. He would have never had guessed that she was an undercover cop. Or that she would sacrifice her own safety for the team. The realization almost brought tears to his eyes. "I know that feeling." Kono was the only person that stood by him, including their family, when Chin was kicked off the force. "The only one that stood by me was you." He had been devastated and smoldering in anger as well. Why was he then surprised that Kono was hanging out with a bunch of dirty cops? Because he hadn't? Chin had underestimated her. Now as he walked along beside her, he realized that the strong and proud woman didn't need to be protected any longer. As Steve, Danny, Lori, and he didn't need to be protected. They needed to protect each other.
Kono was prepared to sacrifice anything for her team. That was the only reason why she had agreed to go underground. When her knee had given out, the pain and despair of not surfing ever again had been raw and real. This time when she had "lost" her badge, it had to be different. She knew that their hearts would be broken, especially Chin's, once they realized that she had lied to them. However, that fact couldn't be helped. Kono couldn't tell them anything. Feeling the wound from the bullet that pulsed as she walked beside her cousin, Kono felt ready for any obstacle in her path. She couldn't ask for better back up.
Now as the five team members walked away from their latest case, Steve's words whispered in their ears again. "Let's go home."
Five-0 was an unbreakable team, and now at last, they were truly going home.