Kono was the last thing that entered his mind before everything went black. How simply her beautiful dimply smile, that was the first thing he saw when he woke up in the mornings, could take his breath away. How every time he had a nightmare about his time in the SEALs, she would let him lay his head on her chest as she ran her fingers through his hair and listened as he would open up to her. She was the only person that had ever seen him cry, she was the only one he would let see him cry. She was the most important person in his life and he thanked his lucky stars every time he went to bed and the last thing he saw was her sleeping face.
They had met two years before he moved back home to Hawaii when he had been on leave in Australia. He was originally there to meet up with Catherine but she had cancelled at the last minute, leaving him alone in a foreign city. But then he ran into Kono, like literally ran into. He was walking along the beach and not looking where he was going when he smashed right into a tiny, warm and practically naked body. He caught himself at the last moment and grabbed her upper arms to prevent her from falling on her arse, then when he looked into her face he was awestruck. She was beautiful. Her dark hair hung in wet tresses framing her long and slightly round, innocent face. But her eyes were anything but innocent, there was this fire in them that told him there was so much more to her than what meets the eye. They stood there looking at each other in silence for several seconds before one of her friends cleared their throat awkwardly and they snapped out of it. As soon as he got her name he had turned on the charm and asked her out for a beer, not ready to let her go just yet, to which she had agreed with a slight blush.
He let her lead the way to the closest bar since he still knew next to nothing about this town. They got a table by a window overlooking the beach and a beer, from there it was smooth sailing. When he found out that she was also from Hawaii he wanted to throw his head back and laugh, what were the odds that he would run into a girl from back home on the other side of the world? The time slipped away from them and before they knew it, it was dark outside and the bar was closing up. But neither had want the night to end so they had taken a walk along the beach back to his hotel, where somewhere along the way he had taken her hand in his. A kiss before they were about to part ways lead to another and another and soon they found themselves in his room with clothes coming off. When he woke up the next morning she was still there and they ended up spending the rest of his leave together, getting to know each other.
For the first time in his life when his leave was up he didn't want to go back, he found something else that mattered to him, but he had no choice. She had followed him to the airport and waved him off and as soon as the gate closed he already longed for the next time he got to see her. After that he would call her at every chance he got and the boys would tease him when he got back afterwards with a goofy grin on his face. But he didn't care, because every time he got to hear her sweet voice telling him about her life he could imagine what it would be like if he was there with her. One word from her and a crap-ass day got so much better.
It took five months until he saw her again after their first run in, they had just finished an assignment and had gotten 48 hours to spend with their loved ones. He was on the first plane to California where he knew she had a surf-competition and twelve hours later he was standing on the beach waiting impatiently, rocking at the balls of his feet, for her to come out of the water. As soon as she was out of the water he took off for her without a moment's hesitation. He walked in a quick, determined stride and when she saw him coming she froze in her spot for a few seconds before she sprinted towards him. She threw herself into his arms and he gladly caught her, he held her so tight he was afraid he would break her but at the moment he did not care, he was finally home.
That night when they laid in bed looking out the window, her back pressed up against his chest, he told her that he loved her and she had the same thing back. It had been like music to his ear. They had stayed like that in their embrace for the reminder of the night just talking, kissing, touching and when the morning came they were both dead tired and it was time for him to leave again. But just a few weeks later her accident happened.
He was watching it on the internet with the guys, feeling immensely proud every time they awed. But then it happened. Something went wrong and she went under with the wave. He watched with his heart in his stomach as she didn't resurface and how the lifeguards a few minute later dragged up her tiny body to the beach. The feed ended there and started to prepare for the next heat but he was not watching, he was replaying the scene over and over again in his head. He tried calling and calling her but he got no answer, it took several hours before she finally picked up and she was wrecked. She was sobbing in his ear and sounded so broken he almost cried as well. All he wanted was to be there with her, to hold her and comfort her, but instead he was stuck across the globe.
He tried to be there for her as much as he could, but with her family and his job it became almost impossible. They had some silent agreement that they would keep their relationship a secret to prevent outside interference, what they had was something intimate and private, something beautiful between just the two of them. So seeing her even if would be able to get leave wasn't an option. Since he couldn't get leave his superior gave him special privilege when it came to the phone so that he could check up on her, and everyday he spoke with her she sounded a little bit better. It amazed him how strong she really was, despite how much pain she was in and how sad she was, she pulled herself together, got out of bed and went to rehab. She was determined to get better and walk again, and to see that fire come back again was incredible.
He didn't get to see her until a year later when he went back to Hawaii for his father's funeral. She met him at the airbase with her arms open and as soon as she had her arms around him he broke down in the secrecy of her neck. He let the tears come and let himself be comforted by her hands running over his back and through his hair. She kept whispering soothing words in his ear and when he stopped crying he pulled her into a passionate kiss, which was long overdue, and just held her as he breathed in the familiar Hawaiian air, he was convinced there was something about the air here that just smelled like home.
And that had been when their life together really took off. He accepted the governor's job offer to lead her task force and Kono had become a rookie that was thrown into his arms by her cousin Chin. It worked out just fine, they were still keeping their relationship a secret, this time not for privacy but for safety from the men that were coming after his family. At work they were teammates and friends but every night they would end up at either's house and fall sleep in each other's arms. Everything went south though when she lost her badge. She stopped coming over at night, she ignored his phone calls and every time he went over there she refused to open the door or speak to him. He could stand out there and knock on the door for half an hour and call out for her but was only met by silence. On the few occasions that he managed to catch her on her way out she would act cold and try to brush him off. Hearing from Chin that she was hanging out with dirty ex-cops and thinking that was all she was good for was like a punch to the gut. Every night when he went to bed alone he felt like screaming or hitting something, he was losing the girl he loved and the pain that came with that was excruciating. When he later on found out what it was all about, he did not know if he should be angry with her or kiss the life out of her, but he ends up taking care of her and smothering her after she was shot.
Things had just began getting back to normal when Jenna showed up again, she was getting back to the team and adapting to Lori, and now the last thing he had seen before going to sleep was Jenna Kay and the first thing he saw when he woke up was Wo Fat. He was hanging by his wrist from a chain fastened in the ceiling, the room he was in was dirty old bunker made out of concrete, about the size of Kono's house, something he always liked to tease her about. The sun was streaming in through a small window and the other side of the room, illuminating the dirty floor below him that his toes barely touched.
The pain was like nothing he had ever felt before. His arms felt like they were going to fall off at any second, his face was swollen and bleeding. But the pain in his ribs had to be the worst, he didn't know just how many blows he had taken to his chest but he was sure there would be bruises to last him a life time. He was five seconds away from passing out when the door to the room opened and in came Jenna, landing in a heap on the dirty floor. The only thing that came to mind when he saw her was one simple word.
"Why?"
"I didn't have a choice." She choked out but there was no part of him that was able to feel sympathetic for her right now. She had sided with Wo Fat and sold him out, taking him away from his family. "He said Josh was alive!"
"And you just took his word for it?!" Trading him for Josh? Her love against his.
"He had pictures and his ring."
"So you decided to trade me for him?"
She started talking about fighters and about the night he proposed to her and go into an accident on his bike. He could see the love she had for him and why she thought that justified her actions, but it didn't stop him from being angry with her for getting him involved. She then filled in the blanks of how she had gotten in contact with Wo Fat and that's when he realised she had been set up and used to get to him.
"The reporter, was it Bethany Morris?"
"How did you know?"
"Because they killed her. Snapped her neck." When she heard that she broke down and let out a sob.
The door opened yet again and in came Wo Fat and he looked nothing but determined. He got a punch right in the face as greeting, his fist crashing right into his jaw that was already swollen. Then one to the gut and then another one. There was only one reason why he was here. Shelburne. He kept asking him questions, which to most he really didn't have an answer, because let's be honest he didn't know much about Shelburne either, Joe seemed to sit on all the answers. He was beaten, electrocuted and he had bones and limbs being twisted around, all in front of Jenna who sat cowering in the corner to be as invisible as possible.
Wo Fat was just about to give him a good beating after being arrogant with his answers and talking back, he felt like a five year old being scolded but with fists, when one of his men came in and held up a familiar device in his hand. It was his and Jenna's sat-phone. He and Jenna looked at each other, talking without words, they both knew what was coming. Jenna slid something across the slippery floor before saying it wasn't for nothing. Looking down at his feet he found a nail, a nail that would be his escape. Wo Fat walked with determined steps over to Jenna, and even though he knew what was going to happen it was still a shock when he pulled out the gun and pulled the trigger three times. He just watched her body lying there on the floor in shock. That did not just happen. He lashed out at Wo Fat and tried to reach him despite his restrains, kicking and screaming.
Taking him to Shelburne? He could forget it, he wouldn't give the man the pleasure even if he could. As soon as he left the room he used his toes to curl around the nail before using the last bit of strength he had, to pull himself up so that he could grab the nail with his fingers. He ignored the stabbing pain in his chest as he played Spiderman on the chain something he would probably have to pay for later, but right now he was running on adrenaline and rage. Using the nail he quickly picked the lock and he was free from his restrains. Now all he had to do was get out of here. That should be easy right?
He snuck out to the hallway outside of his cell, aware of shadows and potential dangers. He reached the ladder before he was surprised by the first guy and took him down pretty easily. A few seconds later he saw another shadow an up behind him. Two men where now lying on the floor unconscious. He took on of the guns and started to climb the latter, pushing open the door at the top he almost cried at site of freedom. But he didn't get far. Two steps out the door he was surrounded by men and hit in the back of his head.
He was thrown into the back of a truck with a closed lid so he couldn't see a thing of what was happening outside. The ride was bumpy and he was thrown back and forth for a long time before they came to an abrupt halt. Then there was gunfire from every direction but he didn't bother trying to see what it was. He was starting to give up, the pain was getting to him and he was all out of adrenaline, whatever happens, happens. The fire ceased and it was quiet for a few minutes until he was blinded by the strong sunlight, he blinked a few times trying to adjust to the light and there was Danny screaming his name. Danny helped him out of his bindings and then Chin and Joe showed up, his team had come for him. That's when it hit him, Kono. Was she here too? Had Chin really been stupid enough to bring her along on this suicide mission? But then again if it had been her needing saving there would be no stopping him, so he figured she was around somewhere, almost hoping.
Danny and Chin where on either side of him as they threaded through the jungle with the other guys covering their front and hide. When they got to a clearing a helicopter neared them and he could almost cry out in relief, they were going home. Next thing he knew he was ambushed by a pair of tiny arms and for a second he thought it could be Kono but then he got hit by their scent and there was no way that could be Kono. Kono smelled like the ocean and some exotic flower that was everywhere on the island, but this scent was to sweet and heavy and nothing like Kono's. Breaking away he saw Lori with tears in her eyes as she stroked his cheek.
He knew she had developed some kind of crush on him, or he believed it first now. It had been a subject at home between him and Kono, or more of a joke that the new girl had got a crush on him, swooning over his badass tactics. He said she was imagining things and she had just laughed at him and said he was clueless when it came to reading women and that it was a miracle he had managed to catch her. But he didn't need to read women, he just needed to read her and it was a miracle that he had gotten her.
Trying his best not to cringe at her touch he shot a grateful thought to Wade for interrupting and let himself be carried on to the helicopter. He leaned back against Joe's legs and accepted the rifle that was handed to him, it made him feel a little bit safer and more in control of the situation. He laughed at the familiar nagging and bantering from Danny after Chin announced his engagement, he felt so relieved at being back with the guys. Lori was sitting in the front twisting in her seat to be a part of the interaction. He liked Lori, she turned out to be alright, but at the moment he wished more than anything that she was Kono instead.
With a little help from the guys he managed to get off the helicopter without too much pain, but as soon as his feet touched the ground he started to look around the green area they were in. She couldn't not have come right? No matter how much he wanted her safe and unharmed he needed her, he needed to hold her and really feel that everything was going to be alright. He was possessive and a needy man when you got to his core. And then he saw her, she was running down from a worn out lanai that looked like it was five seconds from falling apart and she was heading straight towards him. He met her halfway, ignoring everyone's surprised stares and open mouths, and caught her in his arms as she came barrelling into him. He held her closely to his chest and breathed in her lovely scent, he ran his hand all over her back, through her hair and she did the same to him, both of them reassuring themselves that they were really here.
"Don't you ever do that to me again, Koa!" She cried into his shoulder and he held her a little bit tighter before tipping up her chin and pressing his lips against hers. He could hear whistles and surprised protests from around them, but all that mattered were the sounds coming from Kono. She kissed him back just as fiercely, pouring everything into it. When they broke away for air he leaned his forehead against hers and looked into her chocolate brown pools.
"I promise!"
The lack of air to his lungs might not have been the best thing considering his body's state and he could feel himself sway a little, but before he could fall over Kono had steered him over to a box and helped him sit down. Joe came over with a bottle of water, which he happily downed in a gulp, but never once did he let go of Kono's hand, forcing her to sit next to him on the box. When her other hand came up and covered them he pressed a kiss to her forehead and threw an arm around her shoulders.
They sat like that as the others packed up all their things in their own little bubble, not even noticing the stares they got from their friends. Chin was just shaking his head and smiling, with himself in love and nauseously happy he couldn't help but want everyone else to be as well. Danny was looking at them like he couldn't believe them, if it was the fact that they were even together or if it was the fact that they had kept it a secret and not told him they didn't know, but knowing Danny it was probably a little bit of both. Lori watched them from a distance but never took her eyes off of them, she looked mostly shocked and maybe a little hurt even though she did her best to hide it from showing. Joe just looked at them in amusement. He had known for a long time, ever since he was Steve's commanding officer, it had not really been a secret between the boys that Steve had someone at home. But it had been fun watching them keeping it a secret and how their teammates were so blind that they didn't pick up on it, they must have slipped up at times when they got worried or hurt, at least Steve.
Eventually they were finally done and they were on their way back to the airport to catch a flight back home where he would get medical attention. They had barely gotten onto the plane before he fell asleep in his seat, all the excitement from the day finally catching up with him. He was resting his head against Kono's chest as she made him feel peaceful by stroking her hand through his hair. It felt so domestic and reminded him of the times they lay in bed and talked about everything from heaven to earth. He was indeed asleep within seconds.
sSsSsSsSsSs
As she watched him sleep in the hospital bed she couldn't feel anything but relief, relief that he was safe, that he was finally home. When they had asked her, or more like demanded, that she would be the one to stay behind and manage the computers she wanted to scream. How was it fair that the girl who had been on the team for all of five minutes, that had a crush on her boyfriend and their boss, got front row seats and she was benched? She had wisely enough kept her mouth shut and got to work, but not being out in the field gave her a lot of extra time to worry, which was the last thing she needed. Ever since they found out that Jenna Kay had never left the island like she said, she had gone into an internal panic.
She had followed everything that was being said over the radio and couldn't help but feel a little sad when she heard that Jenna was dead, though it wasn't too surprising considering they were dealing with Wo Fat. For a second there when she heard the bunker was empty she started thinking that maybe he was gone too, no matter how much she hated herself for it, the thought would not leave her mind. That maybe this time Wo Fat got one over on him and that that was all it took after their cat and mouse game. But then she got a hit on the computer and her hope returned.
As soon as she had heard the helicopter approach she let go of everything she was working on and rushed around to the back just in time to see it land. When she saw his face she could not hold back the tears and when his arms embraced her everything felt right in the world again.
She had been at the hospital for three straight days now, taking showers in Steve's adjoining bathroom and taking naps, she couldn't call it sleeping, in a somewhat comfortable chair by his bedside. He had been asleep for the most part, which the doctors said was good and would help his body heal, he needed rest and not move around so much. The injuries he sustained weren't too bad, a lot of bruises and three cracked ribs, but the torture he had been put through really took its toll on his body. Danny and Chin had tried several times to get her to go home and at least get some proper sleep, saying Steve would be furious if he knew she wasn't taking care of herself, but she had downright refused and proceeded to take another coffee to stay awake.
A familiar hand came to rest on her shoulder and she felt the presence of her cousin behind her, it was comforting and she felt herself relax a little, sitting up really wasn't doing her any good. Chin grabbed another chair and sat down next to her, watching Steve sleep.
"I think it's about time we had a talk, don't you?" There was no animosity or resentment, just friendly curiosity. She turned towards him and he was looking at her expectantly.
"Yeah, I suppose it is."
"How long?"
"4 years." She turned back to Steve and couldn't help but smile as she thought back on their time together. "We met in Melbourne when I was there for the Rip-Curl, he was there on leave and after he ran into me we had a beer and one thing lead to another. He's the best thing that's ever happened to me."
"That's really good cus!"
"I'm sorry we didn't say anything but he thought it was safer if we didn't, considering everything."
His hand squeezed hers reassuringly and she couldn't help but smile at him. Her sweet understanding cousin, always there when she needed him. But no matter how calm and understanding her cousin was, she never expected him to be okay with it. She had thought though, that despite everything, he would give her a lecture about family value. But when it didn't come she couldn't help but be a little surprised. Firstly, he was never accepting of her boyfriends and secondly, he despised secrets.
"He's a good guy Kono. I could think of a lot worse for you to end up with."
And that was the end of that conversation. They quickly moved on to other subjects, like his engagement. She wanted to know absolutely everything. Like the how, when and where, what her reaction was and the truth about why they broke up in the first place. She felt a little bit guilt for not being as involved in a cousin's life lately, even after she was reinstated. But her life had been so hectic lately with trying to get back to the team, recover from the gunshot wound and smooth everything over with Steve that her cousin's love life had been the last thing on her mind. After Chin's dismissal from the force Malia went from being a person she admired to a coward, she had never seen the entire picture and it had been easier to blame Malia then Chin. But seeing them together after so long it made her realise just how strong they were and she couldn't be happier for them.
He stuck around for a while before she convinced him to go home and spend some time with Malia. They caught up with each other and made up for the last few weeks and when he got up and left things were finally starting to feel normal between them again. She turned her back towards the bed and as soon as the door closed behind him, movement from the bed caught her attention.
"The best thing that's ever happened to you ay?" A smirk crossed his beat up but handsome face and she could only gape at him in surprise.
"You've been awake this whole time?! Why didn't you say anything?"
"It looked like you guys needed a little time to yourselves." He opened his eyes and looked at her softly with those clear blue eyes that sometimes reminded her of the ocean. Taking his hand she scooted closer to the bed and leaned in so their faces were just a few inches apart. This was the first time in three days that they had really been alone, every time he had awoken up Chin, Danny and Lori had been there as well, but now it was just the two of them.
"I've missed you!" She whispered while taking in every aspect of his face, every cut that was slowly healing and the slight stubble that was starting to grow. His stubble was a personal favourite of hers, it made him look even rougher than he already did but as the trained NAVY-seal he was he always remembered to shave, a real pity in her books.
"Come here!" He pulled her even closer and she was about to lean in as well, wanting nothing more than to kiss him, when he pulled back and frowned. His eyes scanned her face and his frown set even deeper. She didn't look that bad, did she? She had showered this morning and combed her hair afterwards. "You look terrible."
"Wow, thank you! A I-have-missed-you-too would have been enough."
"When was the last time you slept?" His voice was stern and commanding, which was not a good thing.
"Steve I'm fine!"
"You should go home!" Leave? Was he really crazy? Had he hit his head? She was not going anywhere without him, she had just gotten him back.
"I'm not leaving until you are discharged and I get to take you home!"
"Then get a doctor so that we can leave. You need to sleep!"
She just shook her head and did was she was told. As soon as the doctor walked into the room Steve was onto him about getting out of her, saying he felt much better but she doubted that was the truth. The doctor just smiled, familiar with Commander McGarrett's tendencies to go straight back to work after an accident. He did his tests and ten minutes later she was leading the most stubborn man to her car to drive him home. He was wearing a smug smile, while she was grumbling under her breath. They wouldn't even be through the door before he commanded her to go to bed, he probably would carry her if he could. But if she was honest she wouldn't have it any other way.