A/N: Here is the next chapter in the 'Life' series. Picks up where 'Life Doesn't Always Go as Planned' leaves off. Not necessary to read it but it will explain how the relationship between Maggie and Steve began. Hope you enjoy this continuation.

A/N2: Whump as promised and starts right away. Again, I am not a medical, law enforcement or 'interrogation' expert.

Prologue

Watching him pull into her drive, she smiles at the memories and walks out to the truck. "Good morning." She says, opening the passenger door.

"Morning. You know where we're going, right? This truck is gonna be a rough ride getting there." He hints.

She stops before she gets the seatbelt fastened. "No problem. Park a little closer to the fence and ride shotgun." She opens her door.

"You know I don't do shotgun."

"YOU know my rules about my car." She sits back, staring at him.

"Fine, get in, shut the door, put on your seatbelt." He pouts as he puts the truck in gear and backs out.

She smiles, looking out the window and wanders back into her memories.

She had come to this island on an undercover op…and to visit her brother. He'd moved here when he was twenty and had built a great life. It had been over fifteen years since the last time she saw him and she was so happy to get that chance. Then he'd been killed. It had been her fault or so she believed. She'd come to broker diamonds in hopes of tracking them to prove they were being used to finance a turf war between two major crime families. She had almost lost it when he died. She'd shut down and Steve helped to ground her and bring her back from the brink. She sought out mental help and over time, she was able to function again but by that time, she was hooked. She couldn't admit it, but she never wanted to leave this island.

A couple of cases and come up that they needed her help, and she'd gladly given it and brought down a child sex network and kept two young children from being sold into slavery for a couple of hits. But she still hadn't been ready to admit how much she wanted to stay and build a life here. She'd all but made her mind up that she was going back to DC and never see them, or him, again. Then the most incredible thing had happened. Just when she'd decided to inform Steve of her decision, the offer to stay and become a permanent part of the task force came from the most unlikely of people.

Danny.

They'd been gathered at Kamekona's and she'd placed the badge on the table between her and Steve, waiting for him to take it back, when Danny had told her she'd already started building a new life and that the job was hers, if she wanted it. She'd been so overwhelmed she'd almost broken down right then and there. He was the last person she ever thought would be offering her a job on the task force. But he'd been genuine in his offer and she'd changed her mind. He was right. She had built a new life over the last three months and she couldn't walk away from this one. It was the one she wanted…the one she wants. He had placed the shield back in her hand and when she placed on the waist of her jeans, everyone had cheered and Kono had given her a huge bear hug, not wanting the let her go. She'd managed to keep her emotions in check for the rest of the afternoon but as soon as she walked in her door, she broke down and cried with relief. She had never felt she belonged anywhere as much as she did here.

The last few weeks had flown by. She'd had no time to herself and certainly no time to spend with Steve, other than work. They'd dropped her right into the fray and in the beginning, she'd almost panicked and took off, but pulled herself together, leaned on the team for help and support and found them amazing, especially Jerry. It didn't take long for her to learn to depend on them when needed and start working seamlessly within the team. Though she spent a great deal of her time at HQ working the table and gathering intel, she didn't mind anymore. She knew Steve was easing her into the true fieldwork and she was glad, after her first two cases, and she found herself appreciating how he was looking out for her.

Not that the time had been all work. Late one night, they all got talking about the injuries to Steve's face from that crazy scene on the beach and they couldn't deny it any longer. The truth came out that she'd gotten drunk and took him down, in a manner of speaking. There had been plenty of laughter and good-natured ribbing about the big, bad SEAL getting beat up by a girl. The next day, she walks in to find out that she and Steve had been signed up to do a sparring exercise for the academy cadets. She's never found out who signed them up but she suspects it was Danny. He found it absolutely hilarious that she'd left Steve bruised and beaten and when they'd found out about the head injury, he'd almost fallen out of his chair, rolling on the floor in laughter.

She'd been a little distracted during the exercise as she thought she heard Tyler's voice and laughter again, but had managed to hold her own and had Steve down on the mats. Just as they were about to call her the winner, though, the alarm had gone off and they found themselves in the middle of an attempted takeover of the Palace. She and Steve had found themselves trapped in the basement, in of all places, a broom closet. A delivery had just been made so it had been full of boxes and a tight squeeze. She found herself face to face with him and NOT thinking about the danger they're in. Neither had he been. She felt that. Before anything could happen, they'd been interrupted by the perpetrators and both of them had moved as one and taken them. She had been riding an adrenaline high after that, knowing how they'd worked together and it had felt so right.

That had been a week ago and she'd been going crazy thinking about that moment in the closet. She was sure he was gonna ask her out tonight. He'd told her he had something to ask her when he'd called about picking her up this morning to go to this crime scene. So here she was, sitting in his truck as they made their way up the highway, listening to truck struggle up the mountain.