Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. Wish I did since I love the new season.

I was inspired to write this one shot because the fact that the writers on the show have not addressed the fact that Steve is just as guilty of stealing the money as Kono yet she is taking all the heat. I find it difficult to believe that Steve would just let that happen and not speak up. So this is a scene I think might have happened after it was announced that Kono had been kicked off the force. There is a bit of a spoiler in the fact that I hint there is more going on than we are aware of. I hope you enjoy this.

I'm Sorry

After clicking off the TV when the announcement of her dismissal from the force and 5-0 had been broadcast, Kono Kalakaua set down her coffee mug and stared absently at the wall. The whole of the island and all her family now knew she was disgraced and branded a thief. Fryer had left no doubt that he thought she had betrayed her badge and the people of Hawaii.

How did she end up in this position? The truth of the matter was she was guilty of this crime, she had helped take the money from the Asset Forfeiture locker and there was no way she could honestly deny that. But when the money had been accounted for after the fake tsunami Kono had really begun to believe that they would never get caught. Now she faced the embarrassment of being publicly branded a thief and a dirty cop as her cousin had been years ago. Knowing she had done it to safe Chin's life did not take the sting out of the end result.

A knock on the door shook her out of her musings.

"Go away Chin," she yelled, unable to face her cousin's attempts to make her feel better about this.

The knocking continued.

"Go away!" she shouted louder.

The knocking ceased but then she heard the door open and cursed herself for not having locked it. She looked over expecting to see cousin but instead saw Steve McGarrett standing in the doorway, a haunted look of regret on his face. Kono's stomach clenched in dread, she had not expected to be confronted by her former boss this soon.

"Sorry Kono, I 'm not going away," Steve said stepping further into the room and closing the door. "I saw Fryer's announcement…I had to come over. This cannot happen; I am not letting your career be ruined for something I did. I can't allow this to happen." He held out his hands in supplication, begging her to understand what he was offering. "I am going to tell Fryer that I was responsible for the theft of the money."

"No…." Kono said coming out of her chair quickly. "You can't say anything!" she exclaimed in panic.

"Kono, I am the one who took that money. It may have been for a good reason but the fact remains that I was the one who did it," Steve insisted. "I can't let them destroy your career when you were just following my orders." His eyes burned with determination.

Kono took a couple steps towards him and then halted, unsure of how to change his mind about this. She could not explain everything to him but he must not go public with his part in the robbery.

"Boss….Steve, you just got out of prison, you have been cleared of Governor Jamison's murder and the last thing you should do is put yourself back in jail," she protested. "You need to be out, running 5-0 so that you can catch Wo Fat. You can't do that if you are in prison again."

Steve closed the space between them and looked her levelly, studying her face intently. He took one of her hands in his before she could protest.

"I do not want you paying for what I did. I should have spoken up after the new Governor cleared me of the murders but with everything that was happening ….I just didn't follow through. I am so sorry," Steve said softly. "I wanted to believe this would all blow over and you would be reinstated, just like Chin thought but now that it hasn't, I can't let you pay for my actions."

Pulling her hand away, Kono walked away from him, chewing on her lower lip. Steve could not do this, it would not wash away her part in the theft and it would destroy 5-0 and Steve. This could not happen, he didn't know the whole story and she was unable to explain.

"No. I don't want you to do that," she declared, turning to face him. "There is no reason for both of our careers to be destroyed. We did what we had to do to save Chin's life and I am not sorry that we did. But you have to run 5-0; you have to make Wo Fat pay for what he did. I'll be okay."

"You don't look okay. It is not right to play the martyr Kono, this was not your fault," Steve continued to insist. "I am the one responsible."

"I made the decision to take part in the theft, no one made me do anything," Kono snapped heatedly. "You did not twist my arm." She was making no progress with this stubborn, honorable man. He could ruin everything if he went public with his part in what went down. 5-0 would be dismantled and she would still be caught in the net. "I am fine. I'm not even sure I want my badge back the way HPD was so quick to brand me a thief. No one will trust me again; I saw what they did to Chin. You have noble intentions Steve but just let it go. I would like to be alone, please leave," she said angrily.

Steve stood and stared at her in shock, this was not the Kono he had come to know and respect. He understood the anger but was surprised that she would give up without a fight. Something felt off to him about this whole thing but without her confiding in him, he couldn't put a finger on just what was wrong. The last two weeks had been such a roller coaster ride that his overloaded brain could not connect the dots. The guilt he felt for Kono's troubles weighed on him and he just wanted to make things right. But maybe he should hold off confessing for the moment until he could explore what was going on more deeply.

"Okay, if that's how you want it," he finally agreed. He kept his gaze on her face, trying to gage her response to what he said. Was that relief he saw in her eyes just before she reached up to brush her hair back from her face? In a blink it had vanished, quickly replaced by a closed, guarded expression.

"Good, just let it drop. I'm good. Go back to work Steve and do what you do best, nail the bad guys," Kono said stiffly but not without a small wistful smile. A deep sigh escaped her. "Maybe I was never cut out to be a cop."

"I'm sorry for everything Kono," Steve repeated. "And you are wrong; you were and are a good cop." He shook his head sadly. "Perhaps you just need some time to think. I'll go but please remember that if you need anything, call me. Okay?"

"Sure," Kono said softly. She desperately wished he would just go. "Thanks for the offer Steve but I just need to be alone."

"All right," McGarrett replied, wanting to say more but not sure what words he could find that would change her attitude. He turned to walk to the door and paused with his hand on the doorknob. He looked over his shoulder at the woman that he had to come to admire in the short time they had worked together. She looked so young and lost standing in the middle of the room, hugging herself. "Take care of yourself Kono."

"I will," she promised, biting her lip and trying not to cry. She wanted to talk to him, tell him everything that was going on inside her. What was really happening but she didn't dare. "Just promise me you won't say anything to Fryer and IA. They have their pound of flesh, don't give them anymore."

With a sharp nod, Steve opened the door and left. He might not go to Internal Affairs just yet but he was not going to pretend that everything was okay. He intended to dig around a bit and see just what else was going on in the department. There had to be a reason why they singled out Kono for punishment and yet did not come after him. He was not going to let things stand as they were and he would make things up to Kono for the price she was being forced to pay. With long strides he headed to his truck and got in. Kono was not going to lose her career because of him.

End story.

So, what do you think? Am I on to something or totally off base? Thank you for reading; I had to get this issue out of my head and onto paper.