Title: From Darkness into Light

Summary: On assignment in Colombia, Kono and Steve are apprehended and held captive by members of a drug cartel. Will the trauma they experience bring them closer together or push them further apart?

Rating: Rated T (Mentions of sex, torture and rape)

Disclaimer: I wish that I do, but unfortunately I don't own these characters.

Authors Note: Even thought I have nothing against Catherine or Adam, I've always liked the dynamic between Kono and Steve. Since we don't get to see them work cases together very often I'd thought I write a story about it. Also I realize this is a procedural drama but my story is more or less about the pairing. Be aware that there are mentions of torture and rape in this story.

Last chapter everyone (This chapter might be verging on M rating…but not really, just be warned). I really appreciate all the reviews on this story. I'm really glad you liked it so far. Let me know what you thought of the complete product. And thanks again for reading.


Chapter 11

Thirty-one weeks since the attack

"Hey, I need to get out of here. Wanna grab lunch?" Kono asked Chin when she entered his office. It was only half passed eleven but she just couldn't sit in her office any longer.

He chuckled to himself looking through the glass towards the main room where Steve, Danny and Catherine stood over the smart table. "Sure." He mumbled grabbing his badge and gun off the desk.

Just as they were about to exit they heard Danny calling them from across the room. "Hey guys. Where are you going?"

Hoping to sneak out of the office she wanted to slap Danny for noticing their stealthy escape. She had been sitting in her office for the last two hours without anyone noticing she was even there. She watched them through the glass working, talking and joking around. Getting more and more agitated she decided that getting out for a while was the smartest thing she could do.

"Uhmm…"

"We're real hungry brah. We're gonna go grab some food." Chin said saving Kono from having to answer.

Waving their goodbyes, she noticed the curious look Steve gave her. By now she knew he could read her well enough and she was sure he could see through their fake explanation for having to leave the office. Breaking eye contact she followed Chin out the door and into the elevator.

They sat quietly in the car for a long time before Chin finally broke the silence. "She's not gonna be here forever, you know."

"I don't care that she's here." She said nonchalantly, pretending that Catherine's appearance a week ago didn't bother her.

"Oh come on." He said taking his eyes off the road to look over at her.

"Fine. I hate that she's here." She said rubbing the bridge of her nose. "How much longer is this case gonna take?"

"It doesn't matter how long it takes. Her coming here, won't change anything between you and Steve." He said trying to reassure her.

"Yeah right." She said under her breath, turning her head to look out the side window. She knew she was just feeling insecure and jealous. She trusted Steve but in the pit of her stomach she had this fear that he would realize, that it was Catherine he wanted and not her.

Pulling into a parking spot by Kamakona's shrimp truck they exited the car and made their way over to the window. Once they gathered their meals, they took seats at a near by table. Kono really wasn't hungry. She picked at her food while her mind raced with different scenarios of how she might lose Steve.

"You know I was never like this before." She said referring to her rape. "I was never afraid of losing someone."

"Maybe it has nothing to do with what happened to you Kono. Maybe its because you never loved anyone like you do Steve." He said looking into her eyes. "And honestly, you really have nothing to worry about."

"I hope you're right Chin because my mind has other ideas." She said sighing. "I mean they were together for four years. That's a long time. I can't compete with that." She said with worry etched in her face. She trusted Steve and she knew he loved her but the history between him and Catherine was what concerned her.

"You're not supposed to compete. The way he feels for you is different then the way he felt for her." Chin said giving her a small smile. "You probably didn't pay much attention to them when they were together but their relationship wasn't anywhere close to what you two have. He is so in love with you Kono."

"I know what we have is strong. I do. I just can't seem to reel in my emotions and my worries. What is wrong with me?" she asked hoping her cousin can answer why her jealousy was getting the best of her.

Laughing softly, Chin patted her hand from across the table. "We all sometimes feel like you do right now. It's not weird or wrong. Besides have you told Steve any of this?"

"No way. I don't want him thinking I'm some needy chick who needs his reassurance every time he talks to a woman. We're not in high school." She said, irritated with her own feelings.

"You don't have to be in high school to feel jealous. I wasn't in high school when I was jealous."

"When was that?" she asked with suspicion not actually believing her cousin.

"Melia worked with this good looking doctor, she went to med school with. It drove me crazy. I didn't want to tell her but she figured it out, when I showed up at her job every other day to take her to lunch." Chin said smiling widely. "She finally confronted me. After we talked, I kind of felt like an ass."

"So what you're trying to say, in your subtle way is that I should talk to Steve." She said rolling her eyes. Chin was like Budha sometimes. He would tell stories that related to your own problems, until you realized what it is you had to do. "I'll see how things go tonight." She said finally.

"What's tonight?"

"Tonight will probably be Steve confronting me. He gave me a strange look when we left the office. I'm pretty sure he figured it out." She said finally giving up on her food and placing the fork down.

"That's should be fun." He said chuckling softly. "Like I said before, I wouldn't worry."

"Thanks. So should we go back or…"

"I kinda feel like taking a long lunch." Chin said, winking at her. "I mean it's been a long week and we need some R & R."

"You're right we do." She said laughing. Chin always knew how to cheer her up. Even now when she was acting like an insecure teenager.


It was almost midnight when he exited Danny's car and made his way up the walk towards his front door. They finally wrapped up the case they'd been working on with Catherine. He couldn't say he wasn't glad about it. It was strange seeing her after all this time. They had broken up over a year ago and haven't seen each other since.

When she walked into the office last week asking for help on a case, no one was more surprised then he was. She looked the same as always. Worried momentarily on how he would feel, he was pleasantly surprised when he felt absolutely nothing. There was a time when she was an important part of his life. He did love her. But that love could not be compared with the love he feels for Kono.

Walking into the almost dark living room he smiled to himself when he saw Kono asleep on the sofa. He knew that Catherine's sudden appearance made her uncomfortable. She said nothing to him about it but he wasn't blind. He noticed the worried expression that would sometimes cross her face, when she didn't think he was looking.

Walking over to the sofa he placed a kiss on her forehead before he lifted her into his arms and carried her up the stairs.

Stirring awake she looked up at him and gave him as soft smile. "What time is it?"

"Its late." He said placing her on the bed. Removing his clothing, he climbed into bed next to her and wrapped his arms around her.

"How much more work do you guys have to do?" she asked, yawning loudly. She moved over to him and placed her head on his chest.

"We're done." He said running his fingers through her soft hair. "So you don't have to worry any more."

Tensing momentarily she lifted her head and looked at him. Spotting his small crooked smile, she chuckled quietly. "You noticed that, huh?"

"I did, but there was really no need for you to." He said pulling her closer so he could give her a kiss. As the kiss deepened he rolled them over and leveled himself over her. "I love you. Only you." He said bending down and kissing her again.

"I love you and only you." She said when they finally broke the kiss.


They awoke late the next morning deciding to have a lazy Saturday together. After breakfast they went for a swim and now sat in the shallows of the water behind the house.

"You know if someone told me a year ago I'd be here with you I wouldn't have believed them." She said looking down at him from her sitting position, as he lay in the shallow water, his hands intertwined behind his head.

"Me either." He said smiling up at her. "I know it terrible to say but if it wasn't for what happened to us, I don't think that I would have had the guts to admit to myself how I felt for you. For that I'm thankful." He said reaching up and pulling her down to him.

"I know what you mean. I've often thought about that." She said propping herself up on her elbow so she could look at him. "Something really good came out of something really horrible."

"Yeah it did." He said tangling his hand in her hair and pulling her in for a kiss.

As the kiss intensified Kono scooted closer to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. Moaning into his mouth she felt her excitement increasing. Placing kisses across his cheek she felt his hand start to move down the length of her body. "Steve, take me inside the house." She whispered softly into his ear.

Lifting her head she looked down into his questioning eyes and smiled, telling him with one look what it was she meant by that.

Steve didn't question her. The look in her eyes told him what she wanted. He stood up and took her hand into his as they walked into the house. When they entered the bedroom he let her initiate the first move.

Standing by the bed, still in their wet bathing suits, Kono placed her hands on his chest and stepped into his embrace. He wrapped his arms around her back and pulled on the string of her bikini top. Pulling it off, she leaned into him, feeling his naked chest against her own. This wasn't the first time he had seen her breasts. In the last few weeks they made love their own way, with touches and kisses, this time however she knew that they would finally be joined in a way a man and a woman should.

When he reached down to remove his shorts Kono placed her hand over his. "Let me" she said pushing her hands into the waistband and moving them down his legs. His arousal was evident. It excited her to know that he wanted her as much as she wanted him.

Standing naked in front of her Steve sat down on the bed and pulled Kono between his legs. Instead of pushing her bikini bottoms down her legs he untied the strings on either side, letting the material fall to the ground. He saw a blush spread over her cheeks when he ran his eyes up and down her body. "You are so beautiful." He whispered as he pulled her to him and placed open mouth kisses over her abdomen.

Lying next to each other in bed they touched and kissed trying to prolong this experience. He was so tender with her, not wanting to make her uncomfortable in any way. When they finally came together, Kono felt like she was flying. The beauty of their lovemaking was indescribable. Her love for him was so strong she couldn't keep it to herself. "I love you so much." She whispered as they moved together toward their release.

"I love you Kono." He said just as she went over the edge pulling him over with her.

Afterwards they lay naked on top of the covers unable to let go of one another. It was at that moment Kono realized that if it wasn't for the harrowing experience she went through she would never had found love with Steve. Something good did come out of something bad and for that she was grateful.


Epilogue

Two years since the attack

Seeing him pacing the living room floor when she walked into the house Kono chuckled to herself softly before she approached him.

"So?" he asked whirling around toward her.

"So?" She said with a smirk on her face.

"Come on Kono, what did the doctor say?" He said grabbing her hand and dragging her over to the sofa to sit down next to him.

"Why should I tell you? You were too busy to come with me." She said turning her head away from him. She tried to hold up the pretense of being upset but she was too happy inside to keep it going for too long. When she heard him sigh beside her, obviously believing she was angry with him she turned towards him again and smiled widely. "Yes." She whispered softly.

His head snapping up he looked into her eyes and smiled. "Really?"

"Yeah really." She said launching herself into his waiting arms. "We're going to have a baby."

They had just started trying for a baby and she refused to believe that her getting pregnant so quickly was possible. After taking the at home pregnancy test and still being skeptical Steve encouraged her to go see a doctor. The only appointment she could get on such short notice was at the same time Steve was do in court to testify on a case. He beat himself up enough for not being able to come with her and she didn't want to add to it. "I'm not mad you couldn't come Steve. I know you wanted to be there."

Wrapping his arms tighter around her he placed soft kisses in the crook of her neck. "I'm so happy." He mumbled, his voice breaking with emotion.

"I'm happy too." She said pulling back and looking into his eyes. "I do have one request though."

"Anything."

"Can you please try and control yourself this time around, not like when we got engaged, and spread the news to everyone before we had a chance to tell our families?" She asked placing her hand on his cheek. Rubbing her thumb back and forth she leaned in and kissed him tenderly. "I know you're excited. I'm exited too, but I really don't like explaining to my mother why the police department knows before she does."

Pulling her to him he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his lap. "I promise that I'm not going to act like a twelve year old girl and tell everyone until we both decide." He said with a smile.

"Good. Now how about we go celebrate?" She said. With a lift of her eyebrow she stood and pulled him up with her.

"I love to celebrate with you." He said coming up behind her and lifting her into his arms, taking her up the stairs and into their bedroom.

Fin