Authors notes:
Sorry for delay.. still not entirely sure where I am going with this chapter, hoping it makes sense though. =/
This next chapter is set a few weeks later just before Korea and covering that. Hope it turns out ok, and you like it.
Thanks again for the support and reviews, your very kind!
x
River
Kono's Pov
Wherever your standing I will be right by your side,
Through the good, through the bad,
I'll never be hard to find.
It was hard to believe a few weeks had passed since the early dawn dicussions on my back porch, it seemed like a life time ago. So much was said and covered, feelings were once again admitted and accepted. Our relationship was back on track and it felt amazing, much better than it ever had before. I no longer worried how to phrase a concern or that I had to make sure I re-acted in a certain way. Steve was really trying to open up and share his thoughts and feelings. I knew it was hard for him to do so, and yet he could see how doing so brought us so much closer together, which in turn encouraged him to share more.
We've been spending almost every waking moment together, I guess we had a lot of time to make up after months of absence. Early morning surfs before work, grabbing breakfast for everyone as we headed in. Laughing together, sharing quiet moments on breaks, talking about little things, details never before mentioned. The air in the office was no longer thick with tense, emotion and judgement. Laughter & joking could be heard in corridors once more. Nothing Steve loved more was to see me laugh, and made it his soul purpose most days to seek me out and pounce!
I never thought that I could love him more, than I already did. Gifts would be left everywhere for me to find, infact for us both, it became a new 'thing' to hide them in obscure areas for the other to come across. Little momento's of past conversations, proof the other had been listening and had recalled the smallest of detail. Post it notes dotted around offices, cars, bike's, surf boards. Attention to small details, thrilled us both.
Evening's when not spent with the others or working late were spent together trying new things as well as loving the old stuff. It took a while for us both to feel comfortable in eachother's homes, a lot of the pain and hurt had occurred there afterall. We were both aware of eachothers anguish I guess. At Steve's it began with team BBQ's which in turn narrowed down to just the two of us out the back sharing a drink. Steve I think found it a little rougher to return to my home, he was more than happy to drop me off and pick me up for work, but it took a couple of weeks for him to actually come in, and that was only because I faked tripping on my carpet as I went through the front door! To see him race up the steps and enter to check if I was ok and see me burst into laughter for him to realize it was a set up. Thankfully I was already on the floor or I think he would of tackled me to it, as it was he set upon me and tickled me until I cried 'Mercy'!
Yep, things were propelling forwards, which is always a bad sign for us... The peace and drama free exsistence we had created came to an abrupt end sooner than expected!
...
If your looking for a big adventure...
"Kono, can I have a quick word?" Steve entered Kono's office with an apologetic look on his face.
"What have you done?" Motioning him to enter, with a wave of her hand and quizzical look.
"I can't make lunch today, I just got a call from Jenna, she's back on the Island and has asked me to meet up with her to dicuss something. I thought full disclosure would be the way to go... as well as sooorrrry?" Steve lean't over her table with bottom lip out for extra effect.
"She didn't wanna come and see the rest of us? Is she ok?" Kono smiled at her boyfriend, but also put on her own mock hurt face.
"She sounded like it was urgent, I may be able to sway her to come back with me after or perhaps meet us for drinks later to catch up." He smiled and pecked her on the cheek.
"Alright, I have to research Bethany Morris last few days, you would only of been a distraction anyway!" She winked.
"The best kind of distraction though right?" Reaching to place a kiss on her lips. "I'll bring you back something, K?" He headed towards the exit and waved, yelling to the others he was heading out and could be contacted on his phone.
Kono had lost sight of the time for a while, and barely heard her phone buzz... it was Steve.
"Hey, where are you, is Jenna ok, are you coming back soon, I've got to head to Maui with Chin in a while, was hoping to see you before I do."
"I need to talk to you, I'm downstairs in my car, can you pop down?" Steve's voice was low and not as upbeat as it had been on leaving.
Straight away Kono was on alert and heading for the doors "I'm on my way, are you ok? You sound serious."
He was leaning against his truck, deep in thought by the time she exited the building.
"Steve?" she walked up to him concern already written on her face. "What's wrong?"
He smiled at her, an attempt to put her mind at ease, and perhaps a little for himself. "Jenna's found her Fiance."
"That's great, she must be thrilled!"
"He's been taken hostage in North Korea."
"Korea?, North Korea? She's asked you to go hasn't she?" Kono's head went down as she put two and two together, the lunch was obviously a call for help.
"Yes, how do you know?" he asked as he raised her chin to look into her eyes.
"If my Fiance had been taken by some rebel faction, you would be the one I would call too." Her eyes looking sad a glassy, hoping not to show her concern and fears.
Steve looked deeply into her eyes "If your Fiance 'to be' had been taken hostage you'd be out of luck, although I hear Danny has moves!" he tried to smile, to lighten the mood.
"Fiance to be?" Her eyebrows shot up in surprise, in what he sugggested even, while still biting her lip, hoping she heard right.
"I know it's only been a few weeks since we got back on track, but I'm hoping you'll agree with me that we're heading in that direction, I know this is a rotton time, but perhaps we can discuss this when I get back?" With that he swept her up in his arms and kissed her with an intensity filled with hope of what could be. She didn't want it to end, her worries of what could possible happen, played heavily on her mind, but she knew he had to go. "Oh, how I love you Kono Kalakaua!" he sighed placing her back on her feet.
"Ditto, and you bet we're going to have that conversation on your return. So come back soon and ideally in pretty much the same condition you leave me in. I'm not going to pretend to love this idea, but I do understand, I know you would do it for any of us, which is one of the many reasons I love you so much Steve. How long do you think you will be?" Unwilling to release him just yet, she stayed tight in his embrace.
"Hopefully no more than 2-3 days, infact I said I would meet her in a couple of hours. We're flying under the radar as the government are not willing to admit there is a problem."
"Geez, It really is just the both of you. Crap, Maybe I should come..?" The seriousness of the situation magnifying by the second. In her mind thinking, she only just got him back.
"...NO! Please understand, this isn't because I'm protecting you or reverting back to 'Old Steve', just trust me, if I thought for just one minute I couldn't handle it, you would be the first person I would tell. It will be quick in and out, it's a negotiation, she has the money, there should be little to worry about." His forehead rested towards her own a sign of unity and support and hopefully and sense of calm.
"Other than it being in North Korea, where it's nigh on impossible to get in let alone get out." She was trying not to dampen his gung-ho-ness, but she was scared.
"Kono, lets not worry about that, I am good at what I do, I've trained and experienced it all before. Besides this time I have more of a reason to return!" Another kiss, slow and gentle. "I'm still looking forward to more PG12 moments to come!" he mumbled into her lips, which in turn made her smile and encourage the kiss all the more deeply. A trace of his tongure upon her lips, the taste of him to be kept stored in her memory until his return.
"Ok 'Fiance to be' you have a deal, I promise not to worry, you promise to come back in one piece and we get to have that talk! Deal?" her nose nudging his to conform to her agreement.
"Definately!, don't you have a flight to Maui to catch?" Neither of them wanting this particular moment to end, and yet knowing it was inevitable.
"Yeah... I guess I should let you go and pack. You be safe, you hear your 'Fiancee to be'?" Kono was certain the smile Steve sent her was one she had never seen before,
it radiated throughout his entire face, his eyes shone brighter than the noon day sun.
"Wow Kono!, you are so lucky we are in a public car park right now, and we are both needed elsewhere or I'd be dragging you to a nearby cave/bush to have my wicked way!" He whispered in a low groan of a voice, looking back into her eyes and winking. "Do you realize how cute you are when your concerned for my welfare, nevermind saying the last bit! Don't worry, I'll be thinking about you the whole time! I now need to give the good news to Danny, not sure he is going to take it well at all!" He smiles down at her while resting his hands on her cheeks. He feather kisses her on her forehead, cheeks, nose, chin and a smoldering one on her lips, they both head back into the office.
...
If all you want are answers to your questions
If your looking for the right direction
Then darling look for me
I'll never be hard to find
Kono's POV
It's official I'm panicking, our flight to Maui yelded worrying news of Jenna, which sent me into a nose dive of questions which none of us could answer. Chin as always tried to remain calm and positive, which helped somewhat. I knew her right? We trusted her, we all trusted her, that mean't something right? It had to, she wouldn't do anything to endanger us, I mean she saved Danny and helped us on numerous cases before she left, that couldn't of all been an elaborate cover. NO, I refuse to admit she has gone rogue.. but it was true to say things weren't adding up. I mean what was with the name change and telling us she was in Washington while hiding out in Maui? What made matters worse we hadn't heard anything from Steve, I knew he'd be out of contact once he hit North Korea, but we had hoped we could catch him before he crossed the border. I could only assume he had been dropped over the border directly.
It had been 10 hours since he left, and nothing, our research after Maui had left us with more questions. Danny had seeked Joe's help, even he seemed worried that Steve was in Korea, but couldn't really offer any insight. A few more hours had passed, no one had slept we just had spent the night sifting through what info we had when in the early dawn as we stood around the station table we finally got sign of life.
Jenna called very distressed, apologising over and over again, saying she had made a mistake and they were in trouble. Danny was amazing, remaining calm and trying to get as much info as possible, but the line went quiet. We managed to get a location. I allowed a small amount of relief to flood over me, before worry and concern reclaimed me. Jo had managed to get us a flight to Seoul, all of us knowing this was serious. I mean Steve did not, DID NOT want me there for this exact reason, if we get stuck, there is no way out. We were all agreed though, he wasn't coming back neither were we. It was quite moving to see us all on the tarmac.. we all had people we could lose, but all willing to take that risk for Him.
All I could think about on that flight was Him, and what he was going through, he had talked about some situations he had been through, but even I knew he never told me everything.. glossed over the worst parts. I hated to think what Wo Fat was doing... we had seen pictures of what he could do, which were currantly playing like a disturbing movie in my brain, terrifying me with there imagery. "Hold Steve, we're coming!", "Hold on for me, don't you leave me now!", "Be brave, stay strong!" all mantras whispering to whoever may be listen up there in the ether. "Please keep him safe, and protected as much as he can be." Tears silently falling down my face, Chin gripping my hand tighter on the flight as reassurance that things would pan out. Always my rock.
Time in the air went quick as plans were made, tactics and back ups were run through thoroughly. After much arguement on myside I surrendered and agreed that it was the best choice for me to be in South Korea monitoring the Sat as apparently I had the 'Magic Touch', I knew it was more Chin and Danny's fear of Steve finding out they let me come at all let alone all the way. Sure I was angry, but now wasn't the time to pick holes, and knew that I would probably wouldn't fully be in control of my emotions if I were to find him in anything but perfect condition.
We were ready, prepared for the worst - never, hoping for the best - always. "Just hold on Steve, were coming, I'm coming, look for me."
...
See I can make the load much lighter,
I just need you to confide in me.
But if your too proud to follow rivers,
How you ever going to find the seas.
Steve POV
It's fair to say that this is not how I expected my day to turn out, being hung by my wrists and being beatten, and tortured. I knew things had the possiblity to have gone sour, but seeing Jenna with a gun cocked at my head and then Wo Fat. Disappointment was an understatement. I tried to figure out how this could of happened, I had always rated myself as a good judge of character, admittedly recently that had been proven wrong a few times, ex-navy seals going rogue, the Govenor, even doubts of Kono... no, I never doubted her true worth, her alligence to 5.0, worried a little - sure, but always in the back of my mind I knew that she had a reason, and that she was still on my side.
Now Jenna, I look at her as she is dragged into the room, hysterical, whimpering, a shell of someone I thought I knew. They leave us alone, I need to know, I need her to tell me herself, what I assume can be the only reason. My fears are confirmed, he targetted her to get to me. Even hung up in agony, I feel compassion for her. Sorrow on her face, a hope that he was alive. Perhaps if the shoe was on the other foot, if it was Kono would I do the same, knowing the outcome, I'd sacrifice myself. I want to tell her, she should of just told me, I would of still taken the chance, I may of been more prepared and been able to save us all.
Hours pass, Wo Fat is insistant that I know about Shelbourne, and persists in torturing me with all methods at his hand. I hear Jenna whimper, her own torture, hearing me scream and cry in agony. I realise, the harder the punches, the more impatient Wo Fat becomes, it comes across as desperation, which makes me realise he knows nothing either, and a smile returns to my face. Soon to be wiped off, but none the less, he has shown his cards. Someone comes to the door, a satelite phone has been found. I look to Jenna, knowing that her last ditch attempt of redemption after seeing her dead Fiance was to call for help, she nods, knowing what is to happen next and throws me something by my feet. "It wasn't for nothing." Wo Fat goes to her point blank and she's gone, falls like a rag doll. Although I knew it was likely, seeing something like that still shocks, like a candle being blown out, like it was nothing, like she was nothing to him. He comes to me. I'm stunned, but managed to rage at him that he is dead. He leaves to get ready to move me to a safer place.
Giving me seconds to escape, my body aches as I bring the metal nail to my hands, a couple of ribs bruised if not broken constrict and cause me to gasp, but knowing that it is just a matter of time until that could be me, I have to leave my own pain out of the equation. I check on Jenna before I leave, close her eyes, take her necklace, show her forgiveness, and compassion one last time.
I managed minutes before being cornered and stuffed in a truck heading who knows where. I'm exhausted, semi - conscious, trying to hear what is said around me. I hear noises, gun fire I think. I may be delirious as at one point when silence returns I see Danny lifting the truck flap. Can it be? "Danny?" There here. Chin and Danny grab me and bundle me onto an old relic of helicoptor, if I wasn't so exhausted and in pain I would of joked it may be safer to walk! I look around a see a few familiar faces, part of me is relieved I don't see Kono, a need to ask where she is, but worried I may not like the answer. Was it too much for her? Did she just bolt, no longer being able to cope with my crazy antics? I mean who could blame her right? Then I hear Lori on the headset talking to someone. "Yeah, we have him. He's banged up, but he's good. We'll be with you shortly. Here I'll put him on. Steve, someone wants to talk to you."
...
Wherever your standing I will be right by your side,
Through the good, through the bad,
I'll never be hard to find.
"Hello?" I can't hear well with the sound of the rotor blades above, and I guess my voice isn't much help, very croaky.
"Steve? Steve it's me Kono, can you hear me?" Her voice keeps cutting out, the signal isn't strong but I hear enough to bring a smile to my face, to know that it's her.
"Kono, I'm soo glad to hear your voice." Relief washes over me, her voice alone calms me down, knowing that things are going to be ok.
"Your glad to hear my voice? I swear your never leaving my side again!" Her voice breaking at the relief of hearing him.
"Guys! We're coming into land." Lori breaks in.
I can see Kono at the landing point, anxiously waiting, Chin and Danny aide me to her. They mention to her she has a few minutes to patch me up till we have to get our connection in Seoul. Im placed on a make shift cot, I refuse to lie, only because I doubt I'd be able to get back up. Her eyes are glassy, trying to remain calm and not freak out at the sight infront of her.
"I know I look bad, but I'm ok, I'm going to be fine." Comforting words even though I feel passing out may be an option anytime now.
"That's for me to decide right now, ok, ok let me assess you. Ribs?"
"Bruised, definately, broken possibly" I try to say with a smile, until she touches them, and I let out a groan.
"Uhuh? I'm going for the latter, Geez Steve, you never thought your were in the wrong occupation?" Kono tries to smile, aware of how much worse this situation could of been?
"I would of missed out on meeting the women of my dreams in any other occuption!" I try to wince and smile at the same time, yep, that's a handsome look!
"Smooth, you must me delirious! You know this is one of the things we are going to have to talk about right, I want to know, I need to know." Kono's voice is broken, her calm faultering. His hand grazes her face and smile. "I know, we will, I promise, just lets get out of here first. I can't talk about it yet, but I will."
"I think it's my turn to take care of you for a while, no more action adventures, cliff walking, North Shore surfing, your luck needs time to replenish I think!" She replies as she gently wipes the blood from his face . Her eyes focused on his, knowing glances between them, no more words required to be spoken for now.
"We're ready! We need to ship out buddy! It's good to see you both looking a little better... I don't know who was looking rougher at one point!" Danny and Chin raise him up as Kono places a hand on his back to follow him out.
"Time to go home Cuz, it's been a long week." Chin grabs her other hand to leave.
...
So follow me, I'll be your river river
I'll do the running for ya.
Follow me I'll be your river river
I'll move the Mountains for ya,
I'm here to keep you floating,
I'll be your river river
I'll lead you to the sea
Author's Notes:
Sorry this took so long... didn't know how to do it, then i got confused by time oahu - maui approx 14 mins flight . oahu to seoul 8 hours then there is the 19 hours time difference urgh! I admit to not exactly keeping it to the ep, figured Lori's hug didnt need to be mention, I like, but it felt awkward.. did like the idea of Kono on the headset though =)
Hope it wasnt so bad!
Hopefully wont be so long with the next!