Hi everyone. I've been struggling lately to write new stories, and this was the first thing I've been able to come up with. It's short, but something that we didn't get to see on the show, and something I realized was missing in the first episode. I hope you enjoy it!

"Unfortunately, she's family, which means the HPD would never take her seriously."

The words, spoken the previous day by Chin Ho Kelly, came back to Steve suddenly on the drive back from the docks after defeating Victor Hesse and avenging his father's murder. His original goal accomplished, his thoughts turned now the to future, his future, back on the island and with possibly a new career in front of him. He felt nothing short of exhilarated as he and Danny drove back, despite his utter exhaustion and the trail of blood leaking its way slowly down the side of his face.

"Hey," he said suddenly to Danny, interrupting his rant about how many times people could get injured in a day and marveling that he and Steve must have together broken some record.

"Hey what? Got any more ideas for the day? Want to drive this car off a cliff next?"

Steve merely smiled, serenely guiding the car down the winding highway, ocean to their left. After a few seconds of gratitude for the way this day had ended he said, "What do you think about Kono?"

"What do I think? Well, I mean, she handled that whole situation with Sang Min just fine. Kid's got guts, that's for sure. Seems pretty bright. Mildly attractive at most." He glanced at Steve and the two exchanged a first shared look at the joke. "Why? What do you think?"

Steve waited a moment while he collected his thoughts. It had, after all, been a long two days. "I don't know," he admitted. "I mean, she's not even out of the Academy yet and she's handling these situations like she's a pro." He sighed, driving along. "I don't know."

"Well, what do you mean? You brought it up."

"I was just thinking…" he trailed off. "What would you say if I asked her to come work with us? Me, you, and Chin."

Danny let out a low whistle. "Wow," he said. "You think she's ready for that?"

"Twenty-four hours ago I would have said no. But there's always one person in every group I've ever been in with the SEALs that's just ridiculously good at what they do. She reminds me of that. And besides," he added. "It's not like we won't watch out for her. I mean, Chin's her cousin. They can work together, he can keep an eye on her, we can all teach her stuff, and she'll get a chance to actually have a decent job."

"Why do you say that? Cause of the whole thing with Chin and that money?"

"Yeah. I mean, it might be okay for her, but what if she's stuck handing out parking tickets all her life because of a rumor about her cousin? I mean, she's good at this. That shouldn't go to waste."

"No, no it shouldn't," Danny agreed. "You run this by Chin yet?"

"No. But I have a feeling of what he'll say."

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After checking in with HPD, Steve and Danny met Chin and Kono at the beach near Kamekona's Shaved Ice, as they had agreed to when this was all over. Kono immediately walked up to them.

"Hey, how'd it go? You get him or what?"

She was all smiles and excitement. Steve couldn't help but smile back at her enthusiasm.

"Yeah. We got him." They exchanged a grin at the news.

"That's good news, brah," Chin congratulated him.

"Yeah, that's not the only good news," said Danny, raising his eyebrows at the cousins.

"What's going on?" Kono asked them, her eyes alight to catch whatever clue she could of the secret they held.

"Well," Steve began. "The governor gave me the power to run a state task force and to choose my partner, which I have."

"Hello," said Danny, giving a small wave.

"But she also said I could use whatever means necessary to keep the island safe," said Steve. "And for that, I need somebody like Chin who's an accomplished cop and knows this place better than me. I was serious about my offer before, Chin, and I still am now."

Chin said, in a quiet voice filled with some barely masked emotion, "Mahalo. You really have no idea, Steve."

Steve nodded. "You're welcome."

"So," he continued. "That's that. We've got our team. Kono, best of luck with HPD. When do you graduate again?"

"One week," she said proudly. "And you two are invited if you want to come."

"Oh definitely, we'll be there," said Steve. He looked past them to the ocean, as if that was all he had to say and had nothing more to do for the day than watch the sun set over the water. Then—

"Hey. Didn't we say something about some kind of extra credit yesterday?"

A small smile twitched at a corner of Kono's mouth and her eyes narrowed slightly. "I believe we did, yes," she said innocently, watching him intently.

"Huh," said Steve. "So we did. I'll be sure to speak to the Chief of Police on your behalf, Kono. I'll make sure you get a decent position with them, even if it may not be exactly what you want. Sound okay?"

"It does. Thanks." But there was wondering and a little confusion in her voice.

"Cool," said Steve. He looked back to the ocean, but then suddenly snapped his fingers and turned back to her. "Oh! That's right. I'm afraid I actually can't put in a good word for you. No, I'm sorry, but I don't see what the point would be in talking to the Chief when you're going to be working with the three of us anyway. That is, if you want the job and to be partners with your cousin."

Both Kono's and Chin's faces lit up at the exact same time, Chin's with an 'I knew it' expression and Kono's one of sheer shock. It was she who spoke first.

"You want me on your team?"

Steve grinned at her. "Kono, in all my life, I've never seen anyone adapt so quickly to a situation who hadn't even finished their training yet. I've seen grown men reduced to tears by what happened to you yesterday, and you handled it. I'd be an idiot to not ask you to work with us." Steve reached out and punched Danny on the shoulder without looking for his almost silent laughter at the word "idiot."

"Wait, for real? Like, for real-real?" Kono asked. Her eyes were bright and she was looking hopefully from one man to the next.

"For real-real," Steve echoed her, grinning.

Her hands flew up to her mouth. Then, "Steve. Thank you. Thank you so much. I promise, I—I won't let you down."

"No," he said. "I don't think you will."

End