Author's Note: Edited and reuploaded on 12/19/15 to fix dates to make the timeline make sense.

She was lying in her bathtub, surrounded by candles. Tabatha Hills wasn't taking a bath - she was fully clothed in a pair of jeans, a faded blue t-shirt, and her sneakers. The bathroom door was locked tight, with a chair holding the door shut as well. The registered gun she owned was in its locked box on the tiled floor next to the tub. She had only used it a few times at the range. Tabatha hoped she wouldn't have to use it anytime soon. There was a plain red comforter and a white pillow at her feet.

Licking her dry lips, Tabatha stared at the laptop screen in front of her, dimmed down to the lowest setting. No need to tempt fate. She wrote the email quickly, hoping her internet skills would keep it as private as possible.

From: Tabatha Hills

To: Steve McGarrett

March 24, 2015; 12:45am (pacific)

Steve,

It's been a long time, hasn't it? I'm sorry to bother you after all this time, but I think someone wants to kill me. I'm almost positive it has to be about what happened twenty years ago. I didn't know who else to contact - like you told me years ago, I've kept it to myself.

The only person who knows is Ren Yoshido - who should be in prison for life. He is still there, right? I don't know who to speak with about it. I don't want to tip my hand, so to speak.

I'm scared.

Tabatha

Steve McGarrett had been her rock as a young teenage girl. She was a few years younger than him. He had taken her under his wing, protecting her from bullies, when her and her mother had moved to Hawaii when she was thirteen. Steve had been fifteen and Tabatha had fallen for him immediately. Obviously, she was seen as a little sister. Unfortunately, after his mother had died, he had been sent away and that had been the last time Tabatha had seen Steve in person.

Throughout the years, they had kept in touch through email. For some reason, the conversations had stopped about ten years ago. Tabatha chalked it up to the fact they were older and hadn't seen each other in so long. She was sure it was entirely normal for friendships to fade.

She closed the laptop after it was sent and gulped. Reaching towards her feet, she pulled her comforter over her body and put the pillow behind her head. Tabatha knew she should get some sleep, so she would try.

A shot rang out a few feet in front of the car he was crouched behind. Steve felt the rush of a bullet sail past his shoulder. He glared over the hood at the assailant and lifted his own piece to shoot back three times. The second one hit the male in the shin, the third hit him in the arm. He went down as he shot once more, leaving Steve to glance to his left to make sure one of his partners, Kono Kalakaua, was in one piece. Of course she was - Kono was already moving with a handful of HPD behind her to deal with the shooter. Steve's focus dimmed as he came back into reality, noticing the rushing of the medics in the area checking different victims - thankfully the worst had been skimmed by a bullet. He wiped his brow as she stood and surveyed the scene quickly. The CSI team would be here in seconds.

"I'm surprised you didn't jump over the hood and tackle him," Danny Williams muttered, rolling his neck as he stood to start the process of moving forward with the scene. He holstered his own gun and put his hands on his hips. Steve ignored Danny as he made his way through the officers taking statements and processing the scene to where Kono was standing. She was watching with narrowed eyes as the shooter was taken into an ambulance with security around him.

"About time we caught the bastard, I'm tired of looking into the eyes of scared families." Kono turned her gaze to a large family huddled on their porch. The adults of the family - a mother, father, grandmother, and grandfather - holding the five young children close to them as they gave their statement to an officer.

"Three innocent people shoot dead because they were in his way. Disgusting." Another partner, an intimidating dark-skinned man named Grover, shook his head as he came to the group. "All for a necklace worth a lousy five grand."

Steve listened to his partners converse about what had happened, but didn't say anything. His body was still stiff from the intensity of his concentration during the chase. He brought up a hand and massaged the back of his neck as he backed away from the group. He wasn't in the mood to bantar playfully with the other teammates of Five-0, so instead he pulled Sergeant Lukela to the side.

"Everything alright, Steve? It was a pretty easy chase, considering," the sergeant said with a worried smile. Steve sniffed, an unknown habit when he's stressed, and nodded.

"Yeah, yeah, fine. Listen, can we get my statement tomorrow morning? I.. have a few things I really need to do right now." Steve kept his head close to the man and said it quietly.

"Sure…" he replied, eyeing Steve. He knew something was going on, but also knew better than to push Steve about it. McGarrett was grateful.

"Thanks, man. I'll go to the station tomorrow."

Without waiting any longer, he jogged to his large truck and took off. The others watched the truck leave with confusion on their faces.

The sun was still bright and shining when he arrive at his home. Steve made his way into his office and opened his laptop, which left the email staring him in the face. What the hell could he do thousands of miles away? The last he had heard, she was working as a web designer in Los Angeles. With a large sigh, he pulled out his phone to get some information before he emailed his old friend back.

"McGarrett here, can you get me information on Ren Yoshido's prison record?" After a long conversation with that person, McGarrett moved onto the police department that would have handled any complaints Tabatha would have made. He used his titles and intimidating voice to get more information. He ended the call and let out a curse.

Yoshido was out and living it up in Las Vegas on a technicality. Something to do with the handling of evidence.

Steve cursed again, then turned back to his laptop.

From: Steve McGarrett

To: Tabitha Hills

March 24, 2015; 3:02pm (hawaiian)

Tabatha,

Yoshido is out on a technicality. He is in Las Vegas but he has ties in LA. You need to come here so I can protect you. They know you saw what they did twenty years ago. I'll make some calls and send you the information for your travel.

McGarrett

It was a simple and cold email. He hadn't seen her in twenty years, hadn't spoken to her in ten. The friendship they had long ago was now unknown and in the past. Still, Tabatha had been a large part of his teenage years, and he would use everything he could to make sure she was safe.

Steve went to work setting up a security team for Tabatha and getting her to Hawaii. He would go himself, but he had three other major cases he was working on. He would get someone he trust - Joe White.

Yoshido was a name he hadn't thought about since he was shipped to the mainland. A few months before that happened, Tabatha had came to him, scared as hell. She had just turned fourteen the day before. He remember it because she had been clearly upset by him forgetting to wish her a happy birthday. When he tried to apologize, she admitted to what she had seen. There had been men with guns and a body and someone with a badge.

Steve had told her never to speak to anyone, for her own safety. Apparently, it had worked if the past twenty years had anything to say. Yoshido had been arrested and charged with another murder. He was out, now, and somehow he knew exactly where Tabatha was.

The night had been long, but she had gotten some sleep and the apartment was quiet. It wasn't until the evening - afternoon for Steve - Tabatha got an email back. She hadn't expected even that much - he was going to help her! A half an hour later, another email came through with her travel information.

From: Steve McGarrett

To: Tabatha Hills

March 24, 2015; 5:35pm (pacific)

Attachment: Photo

Tabatha,

Joe White, a man I trust with my own life, will personally escort you from your place, to the airport, onto a private plane, and make sure you land safely in Hawaii. Pack for at least a week. Be ready by 0500 on May 25th.

McGarrett

Fantastic - she had less than twelve hours to be waiting at the door for this Joe White. Tabatha trusted who Steve trusted. He had never truly let her down on purpose. There was an attachment with a photo of Joe White with the email. Thankful, Tabatha took a moment to memorize the face down to the smallest detail. After she was satisfied with her memorization, Tabatha pulled out her suitcase she hadn't used in at least ten years. A generic rolling case, the usual when it came to travel.

Wait, had he said a private plane? Tabatha knew he had very nice connections when it came to VIPs, but a private plane? Who did he have to convince to let him use that? It was intimidating if Steve could get a private plane just to get her from LA to Honolulu. Tabatha decided to pack simply - enough shorts and t-shirts for a week, along with a few pairs of lingerie, one pair of sandals, one pair of sneakers, and her important toiletry items. After a while of searching, she realized she didn't have any kind of swimwear. She'd worry about that later - she wasn't sure she would be comfortable relaxing on the beach with a hitman after her. Or whoever is after her. Most likely a hitman.

Tabitha shuddered and made sure her door was locked, her curtains were closed, and set up her bed in the tub again.

He wasn't stupid. Of course she was in there! There was no way to quietly make his move, though, so he held back and watched her. He didn't mind - she was all there was between him and being completely free. Ren pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and puffed slowly, enjoying the rush of nicotine. The small studio apartment directly across the street from Tabatha Hills apartment was trashy, but it was the perfect place. Once she was out of the picture, Ren would be living it up in Las Vegas like before. High above the peasants.

A low chuckle came out of his throat as he took another drag. The poor woman - she had seen a very bad thing twenty years. Thankfully, his connections had been diligent keeping tabs on her while he'd been inside. He wasn't stupid enough to hire someone while inside. Well, maybe he was, but he wanted to savor ending Tabatha Hills's life. It amused him - it was a game. One last hurrah, so to speak. It had been a long while since he had done the work himself.

He flexed his hand in front of him, imagining it wrapped around her throat. He'd take time with her, but the end would be bloody. Ren hummed happily at the thought.

He felt his phone vibrate and looked at it.

from: Eyes & Ears

- Seems our girl isn't the only one who knows. He plans to take her to Hawaii tomorrow morning.

from: The Big Guy

- Exciting. I need a vacation.