Chapter twenty-three

For those of you who wanted a Kono/Lori fight, here you go! More drama! Thank you for the reviews, favourites and follows!

Steve walked into his house to see his mother and Charlie sat comfortably on his sofa.

"Oh my God dad, guess what?" Charlie pounced on him as soon as he got in.

"Do I want to know?" Steve asked as he went quickly into the kitchen to grab a beer.

"I'm going to New York!" She squealed excitedly. "It's a school trip and basically-"

"I'm sorry did you say New York?"

"Yeah!" She nodded excitedly.

"No babe...look I don't think it's a good idea." He said sitting down.

"Steve-" Doris tried but Steve ignored her.

"But dad it is a school trip! It's like- Urgh. Look at this!" Charlie pulled out a letter from her bag and handed it to Steve.

He read it quickly and looked at his daughter with a raised eyebrow. "So you are asking me to pay $2000 for you to go shopping and do a bit of history on the mainland?"

"Yes."

"No Charlie. Look it's crazy." He said as someone knocked on the door. He opened it to let Kono in.

"Kono dad won't let me go to New York on a school trip!" Charlie whined.

"Hi Kono." Doris said briefly with a nod.

"Hey mrs McGarrett."

"Please call me Doris. What can I get you to drink?"

"Oh anything is fine." Kono said with a smile. Doris wandered into the kitchen. "Now you madam, what's this whole New York thing?" Kono asked taking a seat next to Charlie. He didn't know what, but something had happened with Kono. She was avoiding eye contact with him and sounded...different.

Charlie handed the letter to Kono who read it. "Well $2000 is a lot of money Charlie. It's half my salary."

"Money isn't the issue Charlotte."

"Then what is? Why can't I go?"

"I don't know. I just don't think it would be that beneficial."

"Yeah but imagine how good it would be."

"I know honey. It's sounds amazing but maybe Steve needs you to show him how responsible you are. Right now he struggles to trust you to be home alone, let alone on the mainland." Kono explained.

Charlie groaned. "Why are you taking his side Kono?"

"I'm not taking his side. I'm just telling you what I think."

"But you are agreeing with him. And he isn't right." Charlie began to go red and stood up.

"Yes Charlie he is right. You have been way to irresponsible lately and I completely understand if he doesn't want to let you go." Kono said strictly.

"Yeah but-"

"Charlotte I've told you what I think and that's that." Kono said simply causing an angry Charlie to run up to her room. Steve watched the whole argument in silence. He had never seen the two disagree, let alone fight.

"Kono-" he said reaching out to her. She pushed his hand away and jumped up. "Come on Kono, what's honestly going on?" She walked out of the door and over to her car. "Kono!"

"I just need some time alone for a bit Steve, OK?"

"No that's not OK. If something is up, I think I deserve to know."

"It's nothing, alright? I just need need to be away from you for a while."

"Me?"

"Yes you." She got into her car and drove off.

Kono had nearly finished up work. Steve had already left to go home and she said she would head over in about an hour. Danny and Chin had gone out for a drink. She heard a knock on her office door and looked up to see Lori standing there.

"What do you want?" Kono asked as she put her paperwork away.

"Steve." Lori said bluntly.

"What?"

"I want Steve. He's as good as it gets."

Kono avoided the woman's eye. She knew Lori knew what was going on between her and Steve and she was trying to push her buttons.

"Yes Lori, he is as good as it gets." She said turning to face her. "In fact, I don't think anyone has ever done me better." She smiled slightly.

"You bitch." Lori yelled. "You stole him from me."

"He was never yours. Did you really think he would go for someone who constantly throws herself at him?" Kono knew that did it.

"Well he took it happily didn't he. Did me hard against a wall. Downstairs actually. All of you guys were up here." Lori stood incredibly close to Kono and knew she had hit the other woman right where it hurt.

Kono swallowed. "Stay away from Steve and stay away from me. God if you are ever in the same room as him again, I will punch your lights out." Kono grabbed her bag and stormed out. Was Lori telling the truth? Urgh.

Ten minutes later she knocked on Steve's door, ready to ask him but Charlie's New York issue got in the way and the argument and she just couldn't bring herself to ask him.

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