AN: Well I didn't intend to take so long between posts, but wow…time just got away from me. And this whole hand writing then typing thing is slooooow going.

THANK YOU for the reviews and favorites, it's good to know you guys missed me! I am…hopeful that I will have this whole story posted before the premier, but let's be real here…who knows.

Chapter Two: Found

Chin's first instinct was to argue with Steve and offer to go instead, he was frustrated, angry even, that Kono was even in this position because of Adam. If it wasn't for her boyfriend and his "family business" she would still be with them instead of alone, scared and probably hunted halfway across the world. Exacerbating the problem was Chin knew he wasn't the right person to help her, Steve was her best shot at getting out of there safely. And going with Steve would just be an added complication instead of help, he knew that. So instead Chin would be left in Hawaii with knots in his stomach wondering if she was alive or dead. He had been in this position with her before, and hated the fact that once again he wouldn't be there for her.

Steve would though and for him, that was going to have to be enough. Chin knew Steve would look after Kono, they were ohana.

So instead he nodded and got to work finding Steve a flight that left at 6 am - just over two hours. Once they had him set, Steve walked into his office, gathering things that he would need. Chin was leaning against the doorframe, his entire body radiating frustration and fear.

"Chin, it'll be fine. I promise."

"Bring her home, Steve. Just…bring her home."

The commander snapped his head up and looked at the other man, his heart sinking just a little bit. "I…I can't, Chin. I bring her back here and she'll be a big target on a very small island."

"It's been long enough-We can protect her," he insisted.

Steve closed his desk drawer and stepped around it. "We've gotten a good chunk of the Yakuza's low level guys, but we need the big fish. I can't bring her back here until the guys calling the shots are neutralized. The fact that they are still looking for them even after all this time is proof enough they aren't safe yet."

"Then what are you going to do once you get there?"

"Locate Adam and get them the hell out of there. I'll call Doris once I've landed and see if she's got a contact there…I'll bury them so far no one will find them."

"What if you can't find Adam? What if the Yakuza got a hold of him?"

Steve scrubbed a hand over his face. "I guess we'll have to improvise."

Chin smiled just briefly. "And that's what you're good at."

The second the phone rang she answered it, but before Kono could breathe out a greeting, Steve's voice came across the line. "I'll be there in about thirteen hours."

She couldn't have been more surprised, that wasn't what she intended when she called him. Not at all. And she said as much. "Steve…No, I can't ask you-"

"Kono…you need help, I'm coming." His tone was non-negotiable. "What time is it there?"

"Ummm…ten, ten pm."

"How much cash do you have?"

"Enough."

"Ok. Here's the plan, find an out of the way room to stay in for just the night. Leave in the morning and stay on the move as best you can until I get there around noon. As soon as I land I'll call you, keep your phone charged and on."

The independent take charge woman in her bristled momentarily at the step-by-step directions and the almost too calm tone, like he was speaking to a child; but the part of her that had been on the run for four months took great comfort in someone else finally taking charge. It had been a strain on her, always making the decisions about where to go and how to stay under the radar. Always being the only one worried, on edge. It had put a strain on their relationship. Adam said she worried too much, Kono said he didn't worry enough. Turned out she was right.

"Ok…is Chin there?"

"Yeah, hang on."

A moment later her cousin's voice came through the phone and Kono nearly cried with happiness from hearing his voice.

"Hey cuz."

"Chin…I…" She didn't know what to say, what could she?

"It's going to be ok, Kono. Just hang in there, Steve will be there soon."

"I'm sorry I didn't call you." If she meant that morning when she was in trouble or for any of the four previous months she didn't specify, because they knew it was both.

"You did what you thought was best. I get that." There was silence on her end of the phone, long enough that he became concerned. "Kono?"

"Thank you…" she sniffled.

"Kono, save your battery, ok? I'll talk to you again once Steve is there."

"Ok, bye Chin."

"Bye, Cuz."

As he was hanging up he heard her voice again. "Chin?"

"Yeah?"

"Love you."

Chin's eyes pricked with tears, she sounded so tired. "Love you too, cuz. Get some rest; I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Ok…ok, bye."

Chin heard the click of the disconnection and handed the phone back to Steve. "Danny and I are going to put every one of those bastards in jail so you can bring her home."

Steve clapped the older man on the shoulder. "Of that, I am sure."

A quick trip home to grab a bag with clothes, supplies (including his weapon and extra ammo, which thankfully his badge would let him get on board) and flashing said badge once he got to security had Steve on the plane just in time for takeoff.

Once they were in the air Steve settled in, staring out the window and watching the clouds go by. He was worried…terrified even, that something would happen to her in the eleven or so hours it would take to get there. When she had gotten on that ship with Adam and his mother, an unsettled, pained feeling had seeped into his chest. And the feeling lingered for several weeks after she left – Steve chalked it up to missing her, which he did - terribly.

Until he heard her voice for the first time in nearly five months, then the flood of emotion was far more than simply relief. It was born of going through what they did on a daily basis and coming out ohana on the other end.

Though Steve had to wonder, if this was Danny or Chin would he have so easily jumped on a plane going halfway across the world? Yes he would have, of that he was certain, but the motivation would not be the same. Not even close.

Sighing he adjusted his tall frame as best he could into the seat and closed his eyes, determined to get rest while he could.

True to his word, Steve texted her shortly before noon, instructing her to meet him in an hour at the Escolta River Ferry ticket booth.

Immense relief flowed through her, on a visceral level she knew that Steve would fix this. That he would help her find Adam and get out of Manila, hiding them once again.

But is that what she truly wanted?

Was hiding still their best (and only) option? Or now that time had passed was there an alternative that didn't separate them from loved ones?

Sighing, Kono left the small room she had stayed in – but hadn't really slept in; sleep was elusive these days – slowly working her way toward the ferry.

Halfway there, Kono realized she was being followed. Despite several completely random turns, the man - who was trying almost too hard to look like a tourist by wearing a garish Hawaiian print shirt with a camera hanging from his neck - stayed no more than thirty feet behind her.

Not now. Not. Now.

As she moved through the crowded sidewalk it became obvious she was going to have to do something soon than later, the man was inching ever closer with each block that passed. That and she was running out of time, she was supposed to meet Steve in fifteen minutes.

An opportunity presented itself moments later when a loud fight started across the street and people – while not coming to a complete stop – slowed down significantly to watch, her tail included. The second his attention was diverted she slipped into a narrow alleyway and watched as he passed. Counting to three she moved back out into the crowd and followed him.

It didn't take long before he stopped dead in his tracks, realizing she was no longer in front of him. She pressed up behind him and hissed in his ear, "Who are you?"

The man turned with a large grin on his face, which instantly slipped as soon as he got a good look at her. "Oh, I'm sorry; I thought you were someone else…"

Anger flared through her, this man had her in a near panic over…mistaken identity?

Kono gave him a hard, appraising stare and practically watched the nervous perspiration bead on his forehead. She sensed no malice from the man and at this point Kono was confident she could spot someone out to get her from a mile away.

So she narrowed her eyes and spoke lowly. "Next time, think twice about following someone in a foreign country, it could get you killed."

The expression on his face was enough that she knew her point had been made and Kono moved off, still a little rattled by the whole encounter.

Ten minutes later she was pacing relentlessly in front of the ferry dock, absently playing with the end of her backpack strap. Her frenetic pace meant she noticed him a split second before he saw her. For the first time in nearly five months a real, hopeful feeling washed over her and she moved toward him, her eyes never leaving his in fear that he would disappear if she did.

And then she was being wrapped in his embrace, strong arms pulling her into him and she responded by winding her arms around his neck and burying her face in his shoulder, only just barely keeping a sob at bay.

"Steve…" she whispered into the soft cotton of his shirt and held onto him tighter. "Oh God, Steve…"

"Hey," he said and rubbed a hand up and down her back in a soothing gesture. "I'm here…I'm here."

They stayed that way for several minutes, wrapped in each other, Kono gripping gripped onto him like he was a life preserver and she was drowning. Which honestly, probably wasn't too far from the truth.

It was her that broke the contact, pulling away from him reluctantly.

Letting his eyes roam up and down her body Steve sighed, she had lost some weight; her skin was sallow and stretched over bones, her hair was listless and lacked it's usual shine. All signs of a person under severe stress.

But what got him was her eyes, the usual sparkle in them gone, replaced by something dull and lifeless. And she looked exhausted; the bags under her eyes were dark, disturbingly so.

"Oh, Kono…Ok, first thing we find some food-"

She shook her head. "-Steve…we need to find Adam."

He sent her a sharp, commanding look. "Right now you are going to eat, we are going to talk about what's going on and what we found before I came out and then we are going to formulate a plan for finding him, ok?"

She nodded and allowed him to grasp her wrist gently as he led her back toward a long street filled with restaurants and food vendors. Quickly he picked one and ordered two plates of rice with meat and a couple bottles of water.

They sat in silence out on the patio and with their backpacks sitting on the ground next to them looking all the world like a couple out on an adventure.

Kono picked at her food, taking a few bites here and there, which did not go unnoticed by Steve. Eventually – after eating barely half – she pushed the plate away, pointy ignoring the reproachful look from Steve.

"So the Yakuza did find us," she said and took a long drink from the water before starting to pick at the label.

"More than likely," he said and reached out, stopping her spastic picking. "You said he saw someone he recognized, right?" She nodded. "Did you see them?"

She shook her head and switched her attention from him back to the bottle.

He ate the last two bites of his food with a sideways glance at her plate. "We'll start with the assumption the Yakuza have him. I assume they haven't contacted you since we talked last?"

"No, nothing."

"Ok, then we find a room somewhere away from the city center and you sleep-"

"Steve!" she protested. "I didn't call you here so I could take a nap. We need to find Adam."

He ignored her outburst. "While I start calling Doris' contacts and the hospitals and morgues for John Does, lets eliminate those first."

"I can help with that…"

Suddenly he scooted his chair around the small table to sit right next to her. Then he reached out a hand and cupped her cheek gently, his thumb stroking the skin. Instinctively she leaned into the touch; it had been so very long that she literally couldn't stop herself. This close to her, the under eye bags looked darker, exhaustion seeped from every pore. He tilted her head up slightly before dropping his hand.

"You look exhausted Kono, when was the last time you slept? I mean really slept, not a nap?"

"I don't…" She wanted to lie, say it was fine, she had gone longer without, but she just couldn't. Not to him, not now, he deserved more than that. "Since we separated. But I wasn't sleeping well before that."

The expression on his face told her he understood all too well. "After you left Hawaii…"

"It was…ok the first three or four weeks. After that I started to have trouble sleeping, constantly worried about…God, everything."

Again he nodded and for just a brief moment all she wanted to do was sink into his chest and rest for a little while.

"You aren't any good to me or Adam so exhausted you can't function." He eyed her discarded plate again. "And you need to eat."

Something about that had her snapping at him, "Who are you, my mother?"

That earned her a well-deserved glare. "No, I just care about you."

That's when he stood and silently took care of their plates, leaving her to stare at him a moment.

As he returned to the table she stood and they scooped up their packs before he grabbed her hand in his, twining their fingers and leading the way.

It didn't take long for Steve to find an out of the way flophouse he deemed acceptable and barter for a nights stay. As they trudged up the stairs, all Kono could think was she was really, really looking forward to some sleep, possibly of the uninterrupted kind.

Once they opened the door she all but sighed in relief; she could have cared less that the room was barely bigger than her office in Hawaii and contained only a sink, the showers and toilets were community down the hall, but it was fairly clean, faced away from the street to keep the noise level manageable and contained a double sized bed.

Steve quickly closed the blinds as best he could before nodding his head at the bed. "Sleep, now."

"Yes, sir," she grinned slightly and dropped her bag in the corner before dropping onto the bed, not even bothering to take off her shoes before lying down.

She heard the sigh he tried to restrain before he squatted next to the bed and removed the shoes for her, placing them strategically next to the bed. If they needed to leave quickly they would be accessible.

Then he moved up the bed slightly as she shifted onto her side facing him. Reaching out carefully, he tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Sleep, I'll keep watch and make sure nothing happens, ok?"

Somehow he knew that she had been the one with that burden while with Adam. And she nodded because Kono knew he did have her back and would do everything in his power to protect her. Quickly he placed a solid kiss on her forehead before getting up and sitting in a chair blocking the locked door. A visual reminder that anyone who came to hurt her would have to go through him first.

With one more look in his direction, Kono closed her eyes and slipped into sleep.

TBC…

BTW – everything I learned about Manila came from The Bourne Legacy (mmmmm…Jeremy Renner) and Google Earth.