Thanks for the reviews. I'm really glad people like this story. Oh, and I forgot to say thanks to my beta, SugarMuffin08. It's her fault chapter two exists.

Chapter Three "Finding Out"

Mia paced the sand, telling herself to breathe, to calm down. It wasn't working. She worked her sore jaw and felt the indignation rise a little over the fear. Only a little.

The sound of an approaching car scared her at first and then calmed her when she saw Steve getting out of the driver's seat. Somehow, Mia knew she could trust him. And she knew his position would be more than enough to make her safe.

In her wildest dreams, Mia had never imagined she would drag all this with her when she left LA two years before. But she had. It was too late to undo anything now.

Steve walked across the beach, stopping a few feet away. Mia shouldn't have been surprised that he had noticed her bubble.

"Are you okay?" he asked in a shockingly concerned voice. Mia had assumed he would be demanding answers. She wasn't prepared for this.

"I..." she began, but then realize she didn't know what she was going to say.

"You are hurt," Steve said, stepping closer.

Mia unconsciously stepped back. Of course he could see the bruises and maybe the blood on her face, even though it was dark.

"It's not serious," she said. "I just... I don't know where to start."

"Well, maybe we should sit down?"

Once again surprised at the total lack of irritation in his voice, Mia allowed Steve to take her hand and pull her gently to the sand. Then he let go again, somehow knowing she would want him to.

"I really never thought this would happen," she finally said. "I mean, I thought it was all behind me..." Mia sighed loudly. "Two years ago, I was dating this guy, Ricky Durante. I found out that he was involved in a bunch of gang stuff. You know, drugs and illegal guns and... so on. I went to tell him I didn't want anything to do with it, and I honestly thought that would be the end of it."

Mia let out a humorless laugh. "I spent two weeks in the hospital with severe bruises, broken ribs, my eyes were almost swollen shut... He went to jail for it, but not long enough, I guess. I didn't think I had anything to worry about, but after he was sentenced, I started getting threatening phone calls from his gang mates. I decided to move before he got out. I didn't think he'd come after me, honestly, I... I thought it was over."

"He's here?" Steve asked. "He did this?"

Mia nodded. "I managed to get away. I mean, after the first time, don't think I didn't take self defense classes... And then I ran, and then I called you."

"Okay." Steve nodded. "I'm going to take you to the hospital."

"No."

"Hey, you wanted my help. You have to have your injuries looked at, if only to prove that he hurt you. I'll call HPD on the way over and they can send an officer over to take your statement."

"I guess I knew that."

"Do you have somewhere you can stay?"

Mia's eyes widened. "Uh, not really. I'd ask Rachel, but..."

"I know. You can stay at my house."

"I couldn't."

"It's the safest place right now. This guy doesn't know me, and even if he did come after you there, I can assure you, he wouldn't get in."

"Why do I get the feeling I'm about to be locked up in a military fortress or something."

"Well... It looks like a house."

Mia smiled weakly and stood up. "I guess I'd better get this over with."

H-5-O

Of course, Danny was not satisfied with wondering what was going on, but Mia didn't seem interested in telling him anything, and Steve wasn't about to. So, Danny settled for crossing his arms and ignoring them. When they got to the hospital entrance, Danny was even more confused. Steve had made him sit in the back, so he hadn't seen Mia's injuries.

They all got out of the car and then Danny realized what was going on. Even in the dark outside, he could see the dark bruises across Mia's face, and once they were inside, the view only got worse. Danny bit his tongue to keep from asking what happened. Then he saw the officer waiting for them. Danny could imagine what was going on.

When Mia was taken to be examined, Steve sat down as if to wait. Danny stood across from him, arms still crossed, eyebrows raised.

"So?" he asked.

Steve looked up at him, but didn't say anything.

"Come on. There's a story here."

"Not mine," Steve said.

"So, who hurt her?"

Steve looked like he wasn't going to answer. Then he sighed. "An ex-boyfriend from LA." Steve told Danny the rest of the story that Mia had told him. It didn't make a whole lot of sense, but that's all Steve knew.

"Why come after her now?" Danny wondered.

"I don't know," Steve replied. "Maybe the guy's just obsessive, or maybe he thought she knew something."

"Either way, she's in trouble."

"I told her she could stay with me. I knew you wouldn't want Rachel and the kids in danger."

"That's... yeah. Probably best. But I'm thinking there's more to this story."

"Definitely. And we can try to figure that out. Mia said before she left LA, some of the other gang members threatened her. That's why I think this might have something to do with silencing her rather than just revenge."

"Yeah... listen, you can tell me how wrong I was later."

"Wrong? Oh... Well, this has absolutely nothing to do with that."

"Not exactly what you wanted to be doing with your weekend, though. I'm surprised she called you instead of me. I guess you really hit it off."

"Or something."

Danny wanted to ask what that meant, but he didn't. Mia was just coming back to the waiting room. She had a couple of bandages on her face, but other than that, she looked much the same. The doctor and the officer were finished talking to her, but the latter came over to Steve and Danny.

"What do you guys know about this?"

Steve shook his head. "Only what she told me," he said. "We weren't there. But we can start looking into Durante's past while you look for him here."

"Is Five-0 taking this case?" the officer seemed surprised.

"No," Steve said. "Just assisting."

The other man nodded and turned to leave. "We'll have someone come by your HQ in the morning," he said.

As they watched him go, Danny looked thoughtful. "Interesting," he said.

"What?" Steve asked.

"Well, just that HPD doesn't hate us so much anymore."

"We've been good."

"I credit my influence on you."

"Of course you do. I credit the governor's instructions to tone it down."

"Right. You only listen to him."

"Usually."

Danny only shook his head as Mia finished signing the hospital paperwork and came over to them.

"Hey," she said. "You think I could go by my place and get a few things?"

Steve nodded. "If we hurry, we won't have to deal with CSIs," he said.

"With your driving," Danny said, "that won't be a problem."

H-5-O

After stopping by Mia's apartment and dropping Danny off at home, Steve drove Mia back to his house. Once there, he showed her to one of the spare rooms and found her some clean sheets.

"I don't usually have company," he said as they made the bed. "So, I don't really keep things ready."

"I really appreciate it," Mia said. "I mean, you didn't have to do this."

"I wanted to."

"That's why I appreciate it."

Steve smiled, unsure of what, if anything to say to that. They finished making the bed and Mia went over to the window.

"You live on the beach," she said, as if she might have suspected as much.

Steve nodded, even though she wasn't looking at him. "This was my dad's house."

"Danny said your parents both died?" Mia turned back to Steve.

"Yeah. My mom when I was fifteen. My dad a couple of years ago."

Mia shook her head. "I don't know what I'd do without my parents."

"Pray you never have to find out."

Mia nodded. "You know it's ironic. They loved Ricky. My brothers too."

"You have brothers?"

"Three. Two older one younger. You'd think a girl like me would be more than protected."

"I guess they had no reason to suspect anything."

"Yeah. It... it didn't make sense. Still doesn't."

Steve thought now was probably a good time to bring up his theory. "Maybe they think you know something," he said.

"What? Like something incriminating? I don't."

"But you said the other gang members threatened you. Why would they do that?"

"I don't know. You could be right, I suppose."

"We'll find out."

H-5-O

Danny got home late, but Rachel was up waiting for him. She looked tired and worried, and for once, Danny was halfway glad it wasn't because of him. But he couldn't really be happy about the situation.

"What happened?" Rachel asked softly.

Danny sighed. "Mia's in some trouble with an old boyfriend," he said. "She's staying with Steve until we can find him."

"He hurt her?"

"Yeah... He followed her from LA. I'll let her tell you the whole story, but he's involved in gang activity and that's why she broke up with him. Guess he didn't like that."

Rachel seemed to be thinking for a moment. "Why is she staying with Steve and not us?" she asked.

"She doesn't want you or the kids to be in danger."

Rachel nodded, but didn't seem to like the thought.

"And anyway," Danny went on, "she's safer with Steve than she would be anywhere else."