DISCLAIMER: I do not own "Hawaii Five-0" or any of its characters. However, I do own Maddie! :o)

AUTHOR'S NOTE: So, I had a TON of people reading my story and adding alerts, but not very many reviews. Normally, because of that, I wouldn't have posted this chapter up so soon, but it was done and I was excited to share it. So, PLEASE, PLEASE review! Good or bad! I just want to know what you guys think.

Anyway, as always thoughts are in italics.

I'm excited for what's to come...things are going to get good! YAY! Can't wait for it!

Well, thank you to all of you that are reading this story and especially to those that have posted reviews! YOU GUYS ROCK!

XO,

Laura

CHAPTER 10

Not sure where to begin Maddie closed her mouth pursing her lips and squinting her eyes in thought. While he waited for whatever she had to say Steve stared at her. He could almost see her mind moving a million miles an hour. After a minute of silence he finally spoke up. "Maddie?"

She locked eyes with him at the sound of her name. She just didn't know where to begin. Start simple. Work your way to his dad, she encouraged herself. "Just wondering what time do you need to be at work?" Lame starting point! You couldn't have done better, Maddie? she asked herself.

Her question surprised him. That was not what he was expecting. "That's what's keeping you from going to sleep?" Steve asked her. Maddie said nothing, only waited for the answer. "No work today."

"But it's…" she had to think for a second because her head was pounding. "…Friday."

"So."

"Steve…are you not going to work because of me?" she asked immediately feeling more guilty than she already was. Here she had ignored him when he'd really needed her and then after treating him like that he'd taken such good care of her. She was a terrible friend. Thinking about it all made her head hurt worse.

"Does it matter?" he responded.

"Yes…I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself, ya know."

"I never said you couldn't." He sighed. "Look Mads, don't fight me on this because it's not going to change my mind. I'm staying here with you. Okay?" He paused before adding, "I'm really worried about you."

Maddie chewed the edge of her bottom lip trying to bite the skin off, a nervous tick that didn't go unnoticed by Steve. "I'm sorry about yesterday. It had been a long day. I don't know what happened…but I'm alright. Sure, my head hurts, but even Malia said I am going to be just fine. So, see…you don't need to worry about me. I'm okay," she tried to assure him.

"Maddie, I know all that, but that's not why I'm worried about you." He paused. He hadn't wanted to talk to her about this until she was feeling better, but it looked like they were going to talk now. "I know what happened yesterday…and so do you." At this she averted her gaze, embarrassed. "Hey….baby, look at me." There I go calling her 'baby' again! What is with that? It just keeps slipping out, he questioned himself.

There he goes again, she thought feeling the butterflies the pet name gave her. Maddie turned back to look at him. "Want to tell me what's going on?" he gently asked.

"I don't know what you mean Steve. Nothing's going on," she lied as she slowly began biting the nails of her bandaged left hand, another nervous tick he picked up on, especially since she'd never ever been a nail biter.

"Maddie…." he sighed.

"What?" she innocently responded.

"Okay, let's start with yesterday." She said nothing as she continued to bite her nails. "You passed out, Maddie. You fainted."

She looked away again, "I guess so."

"Look at me…" he told her. When she didn't look back to him Steve took his left hand and placed it under her chin guiding her face up so she'd look at him.

"There's those blue eyes," he smiled before continuing. "You've never fainted before. What happened?" She said nothing as she stared back at him biting her lip. "Maybe it's from not getting any sleep?"

"Who told you that?" Maddie asked.

"No one had to tell me. I could tell! Plus Pete mentioned it. What's going on? Why aren't you sleeping?"

"You surprised me. I had NO IDEA I'd be seeing you. That you were back in Hawaii," she told him. "It had NOTHING to do with how much sleep I get."

Steve rolled his eyes at her response. "I didn't make you pass out Maddie. Yeah, you were surprised. But you were exhausted. You could barely speak. Don't change the subject. What's going on? Why aren't you sleeping?"

Maddie knew she couldn't get away with saying she didn't know, but there was also no way she was going to tell him the truth. She still had to protect him. She felt bad lying to him, but it was for his own good. The last time she'd kept something huge from him was when they were teenagers and she was able to hide the fact her dad had been abusing her for years. But that was before he was a Navy Seal. She wasn't stupid, she knew she'd only be able to keep it from him for a short amount of time, but she had to try. "My schedule's been insane the last few months. It's draining. Haven't you ever been so tired that you're too tired to go to sleep?"

She's lying, he told himself. But I'll play along with it for now. I'll figure it out whether she tells me or not. "Sort of. But at some point you fall asleep. That's not happening to you."

It was obvious he'd been talking to Pete. Even though he hadn't come out and said it, he knew about the nightmares. She could just tell. Annoyed Pete couldn't keep his mouth shut, she snapped at him. "Why ask me the questions when you've gone to Pete first?"

"Hey! I called you first! I wanted to talk to YOU! You wouldn't call me back! FOR MONTHS! I was worried about you. You've never done that before!" Steve cried dying to hear what excuse she gave him. Seeing her wince in pain from the sudden loudness of his voice he immediately reached out and caressed her cheek. "Sorry baby…I wasn't thinking," his voice a bit softer than his normal volume.

Pushing the pain aside, Maddie's eyes widened a bit at his response. Dammit! I walked right into that one! She chastised herself. Stay calm. Tell him some sort of truth mixed with a lie. Shaking her head slightly she spoke, "I'm sorry. I should've called you back. I wanted to talk to you…" That was all true.

Steve could tell she wasn't lying here. "Why didn't you?"

She took a deep breath and sighed audibly. "Honestly?...I was annoyed with you."

Steve's eyes widened. She's telling the truth…what the hell? He was beyond confused. "Why?"

"Seriously?" Maddie scoffed. "I rearranged my schedule to go to that awards dinner in your honor and."

"I never asked you to rearrange your schedule!" he interrupted.

"I know that! I WANTED to go! I was so excited you asked me! I had such a great time that night and then I heard nothing from you Steve."

"That was the best night I've had in…probably forever! I'm sorry I didn't reach out after that. I was so wrapped up in catching the Hess brothers. It's no excuse and I know that. So that's why you wouldn't call me back?" Steve questioned her.

"Yeah. I was hurt…" Maddie somewhat lied. Sure she had been upset she hadn't heard from him, but that wasn't really why she hadn't called him back.

"You could've called me, ya know. I would've been so happy to hear from you," he smiled at her.

"I know, but I figured if you wanted to talk you would've called. That you were busy. I didn't want to pull your focus away from your job and then have something happen to you," she replied honestly. "I'm sorry I didn't call back…" Maddie paused, "You have no idea how much I wish things would have been different." She barely whispered the last part as if she was saying it to herself and not to him. Not to mention that although she was staring at him she seemed to be somewhere else when she said it.

Alright, I was right. Something's wrong. She's just not telling me. Greeaattt. I'm just gonna have to wait it out. Watch her like a hawk until then, Steve thought. "It's okay…I just needed to talk to you."

"I know. I was planning to call you back the last couple weeks, but…it's been hectic. Not great." He could tell she was lying about calling him back, but not about things being crazy.

"Why? What's going on?" Steve asked concerned.

"New head of the label," her eyebrows furrowed and she frowned before continuing, "He doesn't seem to like me very much. Working us like crazy. I feel bad for everyone else. It's like their paying for whatever his issue is with me."

"Well, have you met him before?" Steve asked.

"No…but it's fine. Who am I to complain, ya know?" Maddie flashed him a small smile. Perfect segue! she thought. Now I can ask about his dad. "But hey, enough about me.…talk to me…Steve what happened?" The concern for him evident on her face. "When did your dad pass away?"

"Maddie, I am so sorry you found out the way you did. I wanted you to hear it from me. I know how close you two were," he told her.

"Steve, I know. It was my own fault anyway. I'm sure that's something you were going to tell me one of the times you called. But don't worry about me. Tell me what happened? Was it a heart attack? A stroke?" Maddie asked.

The look on his face and the silence made her stomach churn. "He was murdered, Mads."

Shock filled her face as her jaw dropped and eyes welled up with tears, "What? By whom?"

How much should I tell her? Do I tell her about Hess? The toolbox I found? My dad's investigation? Do I even mention Wo Fat? That my mom was actually murdered? I mean how much should I divulge? Steve wondered. Deciding to tell her just about his father's murder and how he came to run the Five-0 task force he answered, "Victor Hess…"

Maddie knew about the Hess brothers. Steve always kept her updated on everything he did, well everything he could tell her. "What? Steve? Oh my God! Can you tell me more?"

He decided not to tell her about Wo Fat, ending up in jail, his father's investigation, and definitely not the tape he found of his father with the governor and Wo Fat. He knew she was in a fragile state. Consumed by something that was bothering and worrying her. It was keeping her from taking care of herself. He didn't want to add to her worry and he knew telling her all that would really upset her. So, Steve filled her in only on what had happened four months ago when his father was murdered and how he came to be at Five-0. When he finished she was speechless. "Steve I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you. You know I would have dropped everything and come."

"I know," he smiled.

"Did you get to see him before…? Did you see him in the last 2 years?" Maddie asked praying the answer would be yes knowing the last time they spoke Steve hadn't seen his dad since he left Hawaii as a teenager.

Steve paused and looked away, his eyes becoming glassy. He didn't need to say anything, she knew the answer. Maddie immediately scooted closer to him and he wrapped his arms around her pulling her flush against him as she wrapped her arms around his middle. Steve had never been a big crier, the occasional tear here and there. That's about it. Maddie felt a few tears hit her cheek as they hugged, but that's all. They laid like that in each other's arms for a few minutes. Suddenly Steve pulled back from her a bit to look her in the eyes although his arms were still around her. "Maddie?"

"Yeah?" she answered wondering what he was going to say.

"I can't lose you…"

"You won't. Don't worry about that," she assured him as she caressed his cheek with her right hand wiping a stray tear away.

"I need you to care of yourself. I can't lose you."

"I am taking care of myself. I'm fine. Don't worry Steve…"

"No Maddie, you're not. I know something's wrong. I know you're not telling me something…" he told her.

"Steve…that's…" she began, but was interrupted.

"You don't understand…I can't live without you," Steve choked out, his voice no more than a whisper as a tear slipped down his cheek.

"You won't have to," she whispered as she brushed the tear away. He pulled her back against him. About ten minutes later, once she thought Steve had fallen asleep, she whispered, "I do understand…because I can't live without you either. And don't worry, I'm making sure nothing happens to you."

Little did Maddie know he was not asleep and his heart sunk in his chest at her words. She is protecting me from something. Whatever she's hiding that has to be why she won't tell me, he thought. Well, I'm just going to have to figure it out. The exhaustion became too much and he fell asleep pretty quickly after that, finding it easy to do so with Maddie in his arms.

Snuggled into Steve Maddie's mind raced. There's no way I'm telling him about whoever's stalking me and threatening to hurt him. He's had way too much happen in a short time. The only thing is…to keep him safe I can't have anything to do with him…. I'm sure we're safe in the house, but outside…I'll have to stay away from him. I don't know what else to do. I mean at least while I'm here in Hawaii, I know he'll be around. There's no way he's not going to leave me alone, especially because he knows something is wrong…I guess I'll just have to play it by ear…kind of wing it, she thought to herself. Sighing her mind wandered back to what Steve had just told her. His father being murdered and it suddenly hit her like a ton of bricks. Thank God Steve is asleep right now, she thought as tears began to roll down her face.

John McGarrett had been like a father to her. When Steve finally found out that her dad had been abusing her he went straight to his father. Discovering how bad it was John knew they had to get Maddie away from her dad. So, both he and his wife helped her become emancipated. They helped her find an apartment near their home and a job. She ate dinner and did her homework at their place almost everyday. They saved her. Every time she found herself back in Honolulu she'd spend a lot of time with Steve's dad. Thinking back on all the memories and everything he'd done for her Maddie began to cry harder. She was doing her absolute best to hold the sobs in and keep them quiet, but the harder she tried the more she failed. Her breathing was becoming labored and her head had hit a new level of pain. Maddie, calm down. You don't want to wake Steve, she tried to soothe herself, but it wasn't working.

For some reason his arms were moving around a lot, which woke him up. Slightly opening his eyes the sight before him broke his heart. He knew she was crying over his dad. Steve pulled her closer to his body and began rubbing soothing circles on her back. "Shhh…it's okay."

"Sorry…..I….woke…..you….up….." she tried to catch her breath in between each word.

"Noo…I would have been upset if you hadn't. I know how close you guys were. It's okay….but this isn't good for your head. Just try and calm down. Take a deep breath."

Maddie did as he said. Eventually she calmed and stopped crying so hard, however tears still slid down her face. She nuzzled in Steve's white t-shirt clad chest breathing in his scent as he continued to rub her back.

After 15 minutes Steve felt her breathing even out and knew she had finally fallen asleep. "Thank God," he whispered. He was desperate to see her get some rest. He didn't want something even worse to happen to her because she was overly exhausted. Relaxing a bit Steve fell asleep quickly still tightly holding Maddie to him where he knew she was safe.

He'd been watching the screens since she'd arrived to her house. She had no idea he'd placed cameras all over her home and could see every part of the gigantic estate. Not just inside, but outside as well. And she had A LOT of land. Multiple acres of land. He'd watched her strip down and take a shower, something he enjoyed watching very much. He'd seen Steve put her in her pajamas and put her back to bed. Now seeing that Steve had heard her hint a bit at what she was hiding from him, the tall man threw his beer bottle against the wall in frustration, glass shattering to a million pieces. "BITCH!" he yelled. "I'll keep to my plan to make you think I'm not going to hurt him, but that doesn't mean I can't have a little fun with you," he laughed at the new plan forming in his mind.

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