Story continues! Thanks for reading :)

Kono recognized her from the photo that Danny and Steve had provided after their initial investigation. They had ruled her out as a suspect so she hadn't thought anything of it. The woman had approached with a smile at first, telling Sam to head over to hang out with the bartender as she talked with his new friend, but that was when things started to get a little weird.

"Kono is it?" Linda's eyes pinched as she took in the young woman's face and expression. "I want you to come with me." She stood up then, and beckoned for Kono to follow as she took a side entrance into the back storeroom. The walls were lined with various glasses and liquor bottles as well as a host of lighting equipment and fog machines.

"Sorry, could I help you with something?" Kono asked carefully as she watched the older woman turn her back on her coldly.

"How is it that people like you keep torturing him?"

"What?" Kono shifted uneasily and felt for the gun that was strapped to the inside of her leg beneath her skirt.

"You and those two other brats, couldn't even consider his feelings," Linda was hissing now as she stood there. "Torturing poor Sam as if you were his friend. He doesn't deserve to be mocked or pitied. He's only a boy." There were tears in her voice and her whole body had begun to shake as Kono took a step back. "People like you make me sick. What exactly did you want from him? Money? Some idiotic little—"

"It's nothing like that. Sam's a good kid," Kono's voice was hard as she began reaching for her weapon.

"I don't believe you and your little lies. I'm supposed to take care of him. Me. And you're not going to hurt him like that."

Before Kono knew what was happening Linda had leapt at her with a knife brandished in her hand. Kono rolled to the ground with the surprisingly strong older woman on top of her, and the gun that was halfway out of its strap clattered to the floor. A rough kick to Linda's gut stopped her for a moment, but she was quicker than expected and in an instant the knife was tearing brutally through Kono's left arm.

A ragged scream cut through the darkness, and Chin instantly shot toward the sound, colliding with boxes and counters along the way.

"Did you hear that?" He barked into his microphone, barely listening to the response he got.

Fear stung at Steve's heart as he threw open the van door, "We got it. We're coming in." He and Danny sprinted into the back parking lot before throwing open the side door. He shone both his flashlight and gun into the inky darkness, "Clear. Move!"

Danny barreled forward and proceeded to throw open the doors in the short hallway, "I got nothing! Can you hear anything?"

The club's music was a gentle throb in the distance, but the only sound in Steve's head was the pounding of blood in his ears, and he shook his head in frustration. "We got to get to her. Chin!"

"Still no visual. I hear a struggle, but I can't find a door," the man's voice was agitated as he pushed into the darkness, "It's completely black in here."

"Keep looking, this place can't be that—"

A gunshot rang out, and Danny and Steve exchanged a look before sprinting toward the sound.

"Here, here, here," Danny's voice murmured as he thundered down a side corridor that looked likely. His words were the only thing that was keeping Steve from shouting in frustration. There was no knowing what they'd find when they came to the room, and the thought of Kono…He couldn't even try to comprehend that. "This one, it's this one," Danny brandished his gun as he motioned to a door at the very end of the complex, and Steve kicked it in without a moment's hesitation.

They entered the room quickly, weapons drawn, and Steve's heart crammed into his throat. It was a supply room, and it stank of blood. A soft groan alerted them to a presence, and as they moved farther in they caught sight of a hunched figure curled against a rack of paper goods.

"Kono!" Steve scrambled to her side as he motioned for Danny to check on the other collapsed figure that would no doubt be Linda. "Where does it hurt?" He touched her hair first, and nearly wilted with relief when he felt her breath steady against his skin.

"She got my arm, and some of my side," Kono winced as she struggled to sit up.

"Hey, take it slow," Steve shone his light on her injuries and grimaced. The knife had tore almost to the bone along her arm, and the gash in her side wasn't much better. "You're losing a lot of blood." He looked up as Chin raced into the room, his brow matted with sweat.

Chin's eyes immediately went to Kono's, and as she nodded slightly he sagged a little with relief. "I've got an ambulance on its way, and HPD is clearing the scene. It took me forever to find you guys, this place is more twisted than a labyrinth." He crouched down beside his cousin before inspecting her injuries. "I wouldn't move cuz, let's wait till the paramedics can take a look."

"Dead," Danny proclaimed as he appeared at Kono's feet and looked down at her with a small smile. "You nailed her pretty good. I guess you didn't tie McGarrett in that shoot-off for nothing."

Kono smiled at that before hissing a little in pain.

"Shh…" Steve murmured softly as he covered her hand with his, "it'll be okay soon."

"The cut to her side should heal nicely, and the arm wound won't take but a cast after we get her out of surgery," the doctor's voice was reassuring as he clapped Chin on the shoulder. "She's strong, and will be back to 100% with just a couple scars and a sling in no time." He smiled once before heading back behind the double doors to get Kono out of surgery, and into a hospital room.

Chin let out a sigh, "That's a relief, I can't even explain that feeling when I was searching for her…" He shook his head quickly before glancing over at Steve. "Come on brah, don't look like that."

"I should've been paying better attention, I might have been able to trail her leaving and get to her before anything happened." His voice was defeated.

"We all made little mistakes tonight, it was no one's fault. Besides we couldn't have expected Linda was the one who did it."

"At her own club too. Talk about the worst business decision in history," Danny mumbled from his perch on a plastic chair. "We owe this one to Kono in the end, she held her own."

"True. She did us proud. Linda on the other hand turns out to have a history of psychiatric problems. Not to mention an obsessive protective streak when it comes to Sam," Chin added before bumping Steve with his shoulder, "What matters in the end is that Kono's going to be fine."

Steve blew out a breath, "I know, I know. I just feel responsible, she's part of my team after all, and it shouldn't have happened like that."

"You know she won't blame you," Chin's voice was soft as he looked over at his friend. Steve's eyes met his own, and they mirrored the emotions that were flooding his face.

He hesitated, and then, "I know."

"Injured twice in one week, this is getting embarrassing," Kono joked as she lifted her bandaged arm with a frown. Steve watched her from his place in the doorway. Chin and Danny had just left to get coffee for everyone from the cafeteria, and that left him to watch over Kono.

"Someone once told me that getting injured in the line of duty is one of the best things that can happen to you. It's some kind of symbol of your dedication to the force," Steve's voice was dry, and Kono wrinkled her nose.

"I can't say that I agree."

"I wouldn't either," he crossed the room to be by her bedside, and she instantly flushed as his eyes met hers in a heated stare. "You sure you're fine?"

"I'm a little sore, but you heard the doctor, I'm on the fast track to recovery," she managed a small smile as he scrutinized her face.

"You look uncomfortable," he mused, and she didn't dare tell him it was because he was standing so close. She remembered that he was the first person she had seen after watching Linda collapse from the gunshot wound, and that sickening feeling of death on her hands (as often as it had come up in the past months) clung to her memory. It had been comfort to see his face after that moment, and the intensity of that feeling was still fresh.

"It's nothing," she said before closing her eyes momentarily, and sucking in a breath. Steve examined her face. The color had returned to her cheeks, and her skin was no longer marked with streaks of dried blood. It was true; she was going to be fine. He was quiet a little longer, and finally Kono cracked open an eye to stare at him. "I hate people seeing me in a hospital gown," she finally mumbled as he let out a short chuckle.

"You look great in it," she raised her eyebrows, but he only shrugged.

"I can't say I believe you, but since I'm drowsy from meds I'll take it," she laughed before looking at him, "I've been thinking that we need to reschedule our dinner-making session."

He looked at her incredulously before letting out a laugh, "You're kidding right?"

"About switching the date?" She frowned, "no?"

"That's a given," he conceded before crossing his arms and shaking his head slowly, "I just can't believe that five hours after an altercation, and an hour after surgery you can even be thinking about that kind of thing."

"What? I consider it important," Kono defended with a light-hearted giggle. "You don't think it's possible that I was thinking about whether or not we were going to need beef or pork when I was lying there waiting for you guys to find me?"

Steve's expression was priceless, "I really hope not. And if so, you're insane."

"Sometimes it's a good method for refocusing your pain," she saw Steve's face, "I mean concentrating on something good."

"I'm finding this hard to believe."

"It honestly works, trust me. Yeah, that cut hurt, but then I got to thinking about cooking all-day and feasting with my boys and it didn't seem to be as tear-inducing." She shrugged as Steve watched her with a furrowed brow.

"It's an interesting tactic, I'll give you that," he finally said before grabbing a chair and dropping into it. She yawned lazily and nodded at him.

"I knew you'd understand," her voice slurred then and he smiled softly as her eyes squinted up at the bright lighting.

"You should sleep, I think our whole conversation has been the medication talking," he grinned as Kono rolled her eyes.

"I don't think so boss. I'm perfectly coherent," she closed her eyes and exhaled slowly. There was only the beep of her heart monitor for a moment before she turned toward Steve with her eyes still shut. "What happened to Sam? Is he okay?"

"The police found him hiding out by the bar. He was pretty shaken up by the commotion, but they got him with a government agency for the night. He's in good hands, and they'll look out for him." Kono nodded silently before pushing together her lips slightly.

"He really is a good kid you know. Linda was protective of him sure, but as psychotic as she was, he rightfully won her devotion. He's a big sweetheart…" She trailed off lazily, and when her breathing had evened out Steve smiled down at her with a shake of his head.

"So are you," he murmured quietly before taking her hand in his and running a thumb over the smooth skin in gentle circles.

THOUGHTS? ;)