Broken Pieces

Chapter Seven

Zebraboymom

Disclaimer: Not mine. Love them anyway.

Author Notes: Kono gets back on steady ground and she and Steve have a little hiccup in their relationship. Last chapter folks. All is well that ends well. In a word fluff is my middle name.

Kono woke up in Steve's arms still dressed in the clothes she had been wearing. She dropped a kiss on his lips as he grabbed for her in his slumber.

"Keep sleeping you. I'm going to take a shower."

"Want some company came the sly reply?"

"Eventually, but not today. We have paperwork to complete on that case and we want the ADA to have plenty to work with. I don't want that guy to ever see the light of day again."

Steve grabbed her hand and pulled her back down on the bed with him.

"Okay, tough girl. I hear you, but let's go in a little later than usual."

"Steeeeeve. I'm really excited about this case and I just want it to end well. Get up please?"

"If I join you in the shower, we could get there in half the time. "

"Down Rover. We have plenty of time for romance after we close this case."

Kono pulled out of Steve's arms and he fell back on the bed throwing his arm over his eyes.

"Shot down again."

Three weeks after they closed that case the nightmares stopped. Steve smiled as he watched Kono dancing around her office. The last few weeks he had seen increasing changes in her. She was sleeping well, her energy was back, she could concentrate and the headaches were gone. She had been having panic attacks and they were gone too.

The hard part for him was she moved back to her house two weeks ago. He hated being apart from her at night, but she hadn't made any moves towards him romantically. Had he been wrong about everything? Was she just needy all that time? How could he have misread her so badly? He knew she needed to do it to prove she could stay alone and be independent. He loved that about her, but he missed her in his bed at night. They had said they loved each other. That had to mean something. He was totally lost as to what to do. The frown on his face was all it took.

Danny had been watching him from the doorway. His friend's eyes were locked on one cute Island Girl.

"She loves you. She's just trying to get back to normal. Give her a couple of weeks and then wine and dine her. She'll be back at your house the same night."

"You think so?"

"You are hopeless. You know that?"

"Danny I've never felt this way before. She's all I think about. I just need her in my life every minute. It's agony without her."

"You are really in love with her aren't you partner?"

"Hopelessly I'm afraid."

Danny chuckled.

"I always wondered what it would take to get you to fall in love. She's a great girl Steve. Give her time and I know things will work out. It's Kono."

"Yeah."

Steve shuffled his papers and glanced over at Kono's office one last time. He buried himself in forms for the rest of the day. As he started to pack up his things she appeared at his door.

"So…I was thinking maybe you might like to go surfing after work and maybe get some dinner together."

"Just us?"

"Yes, just us. Are you planning on the rest of our relationship being a foursome?"

"Relationship?"

"Steve, what is going on with you? You're acting funny."

"It's just…I wasn't sure."

"Hey, Super SEAL, I have never seen you act so weird. Talk to me."

"Not here. Let's go surf and we'll talk about it tonight. How about I grill some chicken and we talk over dinner?"

"Okay, but I am getting to the bottom of this tonight or else."

They surfed for a couple of hours and then together they put together an amazing meal. As they sat at his patio table out on the back deck finishing the dinner Kono kept watching him. He wasn't talking and instead focused on his food. He was definitely uncomfortable and she was worried.

"Are we okay Steve?"

"I don't know. Are we?"

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know Kono. I don't know where I stand with you right now and I'm scared."

"How so?"

"Was everything before with us about what you went through? I mean, don't get me wrong. I would have been there for you no matter what, but the things we said and the way you said you felt about me. Has that changed now that you're better?"

Now she got it. He was feeling insecure. Men were so funny sometimes.

"You think I only wanted to be with you when I was needy and now that I'm back to my own self, so to speak, I want things to go back to the way they were."

"Well, yeah."

Kono stood up and went around to where he was sitting she pushed his chair back and straddled his legs, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Never. I love you Steve McGarrett and I want to be with you. I just needed to settle back into my life. In the center of that life I want one gorgeous, hunky, strong Navy SEAL with the most amazing hazel eyes. I get lost in them and his long lashes. Now kiss me because all I have been thinking about all day are those lips."

Steve's eyes went wide as Kono's lips descended on his. As he melted into her kiss and the soft scratching of her nails in his hair he sighed in relief. He would never figure women out in a million years, but he was happy, really happy about the current turn of events.

The kiss became passionate and Kono slid her tongue up to his ear as her hot breath lingered there. The next words out of her mouth sent him over the edge.

"Take me to bed Steve."

She didn't have to tell him twice. He picked her up and as she locked her ankles around his waist he kissed her and walked them towards the house. Once they reached his bedroom, he let her slip down onto the end of the bed on her knees and they continued to kiss.

Kono slowly slid his t-shirt up and over his head and then unzipped his board shorts and let them hit the floor.

Steve slid the bathing suit cover up slowly up her body, letting his hands slide up her sides all the way up her arms until it was off. Kono pushed him back just a little bit and as he watched she reached behind to undo the clasp on her bikini top.

Steve just stood and worshipped her for a few moments before his need to touch her overwhelmed him. They scooted up onto the bed and he settled over her. As he rested his forearms on either side of her he softly spoke to her.

"I don't want you to leave tonight Kono."

"I would never do that."

"I don't think you understand what I'm saying. I don't want you to leave ever again. I can't take being without you. I don't want to be without you."

"Are you asking me to move in with you?"

"Yeah, I kind of am."

"Kind of?"

"I want to live with you Kono Kalakaua and I want to marry you and I want to have kids with you and I don't want to wait any longer for you to know that."

"Wow! Now look who's opening up. I had no idea you were that serious about us."

"Are you kidding me? I don't know if you know this or not, but I have never, until you, ever told a woman I was in love with her because I never have been before."

Kono's expression suddenly softened and she locked on his eyes. They were both just staring and Kono hadn't said anything.

"I'm dying here Kono. Say something."

"Never?"

"Never."

"That's…that's…wow. I didn't know."

"Yeah. I kind of shocked myself that morning. I knew the minute I saw that guy with his hands all over you on the dance floor that I would never love anyone as much as I did you. I love your strength. I love your vulnerability. I love your spunk. I love you so much Kono. Marry me?"

Kono looked into his eyes and knew he was serious and that what they had was that once in a lifetime kind of thing. She knew that Steve was committed to her in a way that no other man ever would be. She felt so incredibly special she was at a loss for words.

"Again Kono, I'm dying here."

"First I am almost beyond words so give me a second here. What you just said was the most beautiful things I've ever heard before in my life and I can't believe that I'm the one you chose to say it to. I honestly don't know what I did to deserve you, but know this. You are the love of my life too. I just…before it was never serious. I got crushes and I'm sure I said I love you, but I have never had this kind of all consuming love for someone the way I do you. I never meant it the way I mean it when I say I love you. And I'm saying it now. I love you Steve McGarrett…only you and I'm never going to feel differently about that. Now ask me again."

Steve could feel his heart beating wildly in his chest.

Kono's matched his beat for beat.

"Kono Kalakaua will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

"Yes. Yes I will. Now make love to me Steve."

Steve's lips pressed softly to hers and he did what he said he was going to do. He mapped every part of her body that night and they never fell asleep until the sun was starting to come up.

Kono sighed as Steve rolled her into his arms and held her possessively to his body. As they drifted off she thought about how broken she had been and how Steve had come along and picked up all the pieces, helping her put them back together again.

She knew in her heart he would always be there for her…broken or not.

A/N: That's all for now. I am rolling some things around in my head, but I really need me some new episodes to get my creative juices going. Thanks for all the reviews you guys. I love you all so much. This is the best hobby I ever had.