Seven years later.
Steve, Danny and Adam are about 26ish.
Chin-27
Kono-22
Chapter one
Steve approached Governor Jameson, dressed to the nines in his uniform. He hadn't been back to Hawaii in since he left seven years ago. He couldn't believe it had been so long it was crazy to think what life had been like then and what he had done since. The only reason he returned was to find his father's killer Victor Hesse. His skin crawled and a shiver ran up his spine as he played the moment in his head. The moment that shot ran through, hearing it as though he had been right there. He had been granted leave to do what he had to do, and this news had reached the Governor.
"Steve!" She exclaimed with an odd chirpiness.
"Governor Jameson" Steve stated shaking her hand.
"I'm sorry for your loss"
"Thank you"
"I gather that's why you're here on the island"
"Yes ma'am."
"I have an offer for you"
"What sort of offer?"
"Run my task force, you get full immunity and mean everything you need to find your father's killer. He was a good man Steven."
"Look Governor…"
"Think about it"
"I'm still in the Navy ma'am, I feel I'd be better at doing this alone"
"Steve the force will be yours, that means your rules, what you say goes with no consequences."
"Thank you Governor but I'll decline" Steve sighed.
"Very well Steve, but if you change your mind the offer still stands"
"Yes Governor"
Danny pulled up outside the luxury house, the big iron gates preventing him from going any further. He sighed in disbelief at the life Rachel now lived, it was ridiculous. He feared Grace would grow up to prefer her mother because he couldn't match the expensive life style she lived. His frown turned into a smile as he saw his little girl trotting out towards him. He couldn't believe she was seven already, he will always remember holding her in his arms with everyone around them.
"Hey Monkey"
"Hey Danno" She greeted, grinning with a gaped smile.
"Did that tooth fall out?" Danny asked tilting Grace's head to see the gap.
"Yeah and the tooth fairy gave me twenty dollars!"
Danny resisted the urge to storm into Rachel's home and punch Step-Stan in the jaw and make him lose all his teeth.
"It must have been an extra special tooth Grace" Danny tried, knowing twenty dollars was no match for the two dollars he left under her pillow.
"I wander if any more special teeth will fall out?"
"Will have to see monkey….did you have fun visiting mummy?"
"Yeah Danno but I missed you"
Danny picked Grace up in a tight bear hug. It was the little moments like that when Grace said something about him that made being a father so rewarding. The custody battle he had fought against Rachel had nearly torn his life apart but Grace always made it better with her words.
"You ready for school?"
"Yes!"
Grace and Danny both jumped into the car before Grace turned to Danny.
"Have you got to work all day today?"
"Maybe sweetheart but will have an extra special daddy and daughter night at the end of the week." Danny suggested.
"Okay, can I stay up late?"
"Of course monkey"
Danny smiled at his little girl as he drove. It hurt so much to work such long hours and leave her at school, or after school clubs, neighbours. He knew this particular case would be extra tough as well. He couldn't believe he was even investigating John's murder…he hoped to get in contact with Steve.
Chin left the gift shop for his hour break. As he headed for a café he noticed a familiar figure. He walked closer his face breaking out into a smile when he caught his face.
"Steve?"
"Chin!"
"Oh man I thought it was you"
"Brah you've changed career paths"
"Yeah thing's went down"
"Bad?"
"Yeah man"
"I'm sorry I know the force meant a lot to you"
"Thanks brah"
"Hey, I heard about your dad, mate I wish I could have been here"
"Thanks man, it was a shock but I had to keep going"
"I heard you never found the killer"
"No we were searching but nothing ever emerged"
"I know my dad really liked your dad, the few times I was able to contact him he always said how great both of you were"
"He was a good man"
"He really was"
"I'm really sorry Steve"
"Yeah"
"We should really catch up properly at some point, I'm sure Kono would love to see you"
"That would be really good how is she?"
"Enjoying married life"
"Adam?"
"Of course"
"Who'd have thought it?"
"I know"
"So are you here to find your father's killer?"
"Yeah man"
"I heard they've put some haole on his case"
"Yeah?"
Steve moved about the garage his mind filling with memories as he looked at the car he was going to fix up with his dad. He removed the dust sheet and smiled at the car. I'll fix it one day dad. His eyes quickly moved to the tool box, the word 'Champ' written across the front of it. Champ? His Father had called him that when he called home, as he said goodbye. He never called him champ, ever. Steve moved to the box and lifted it from its place, ready to leave the scene with it.
"Hey hand's in the air!" Danny yelled as he entered the garage to a figure moving evidence.
Steve smirked from where he stood, he knew that voice anywhere. Haole. He turned with a chuckled.
"Good to see you man!" Steve grinned.
Danny smirked in shock and pleasant surprise, placing his gun back in its holster and hugging Steve.
"You realise this is my crime scene"
"I haven't seen you for seven years and you're worried about keeping the crime scene untouched."
"It's my job"
"Yeah well I could make it our job?"
"Look man I know it's your dad and mate trust me I am so sorry but I can't just let you run around here with me, I'd have to talk to people and I haven't been here long…"
"No I got an offer from the governor to run my own task force so I could investigate my dad's murder"
"And what you didn't say yes right away, what's wrong with you, you love control"
"Yeah but If I do it I'll need to inform the navy and transfer to the reserves"
"Don't you want to do that?"
"No I actually could, it would be nice to be back here for longer than a few months but I didn't have a team, but now you're here I reckon I could sort something out"
"Well you will need more than just us and I wouldn't recommend HPD, I've been here five minutes and the guys I've met have been utter idiots"
"I know a guy"
Steve and Danny walked into the café, Danny's face lighting up as he saw Chin sat at a table.
"Oh man!"
"Hey Danny howzit?"
"Not bad, what's with the attire?"
"I was disgraced and removed from the force"
"You didn't tell me that part" Steve chipped in.
"Not worth dwelling"
"Well I have a proposition"
"Yeah?"
"How would you like to join us in my task force?"
"For real?"
"Yeah brah, the governor asked me personally. Need to investigate my father' murder and keep Hawaii safe. We also get full immunity"
"Look Steve I appreciate it but it could cause all sorts of problems, I was accused of taking money from the asset forfeiture locker I'm a disgrace to the police department"
"Chin you wouldn't be working for HPD"
"No but they would be back up, we'd have to work with them"
"Did you do it?"
"What?"
"I said did you do it?"
"No"
"Then join us"
"What makes you know I'm telling the truth?"
"I may have been away for seven years but I know you brah"
"Fine"
"Great, so I've got a lead on someone called sang Ming; apparently he's a behind human trafficking and could be smuggling Victor Hesse of the island"
"How do we get to him?"
"That's the thing we need to send someone undercover but apparently he knows most of the more experienced cops."
I might have someone" Chin grinned.
The boys stood on the beach looking out to the ocean as they watched Kono ride the waves. Steve and Danny stood in shock at how much she had changed.
"That's Kono?"
"Yeah brah watch what you say"
"She's so talented, after what happened you would never know"
"She worked hard to build herself back up"
"She working for HPD?"
"Yeah but it's not easy not with everything that happened with me and her relationship to Adam."
"Has she done much undercover?"
"A few small things but she can handle herself"
"You sure man she's still that young girl to me" Steve laughed as Kono exited the water and punched some tourist for getting in on her wave.
"Yeah she is not a young girl anymore" Danny laughed.
"Cousin!" Kono exclaimed as she saw Chin.
She ran to him happily hugging him tight before screaming excitedly when she saw Danny and Steve.
"Guys!"
"Hey Kono!"
"What you doing here?"
"Will have to sit and have a proper catch up but for now were here with a proposition."
"I'm listening"
"How do you fancy transferring from HPD to my task force?"
"Are you for real?"
"Yeah, will get full immunity and no consequences but we need you to go undercover"
"That's easy brah"
"Hey don't get cocky"
"Cuz I know what I'm doing"
"This would be a bigger undercover op than catching someone out selling drugs" Chin said seriously.
Kono believed she was a good cop and she wasn't wrong but she was still very young and with Chin's disgrace she didn't get many decent opportunities she had a hell of a lot to learn.
"Chin I'll be fine"
"I know I'm just saying"
"So you're in?"
"I'm in"
The group sat around the table catching up after the case. Kono has successfully gone under cover, kicking some serious ass. They had arrested Sang Ming and Steve had shot Hesse square in the chest. Divers were out searching for the body but they had nothing so far.
"I'm not happy about the fact your old enough to drink" Danny chuckled.
"Get used to it brah" Kono replied taking a swig of her beer.
"So you married Noshimuri?" Steve enquired.
"Yep I did, I wish you could have both been there but we kept it quite small" Kono said with a hint of sadness.
Steve looked to Chin as though hoping he would shed some more light. Kono noticed the look and decided to offer more.
"Adam doesn't exactly have any family and most of my family didn't come" Kono mumbled giving Chin an 'I don't blame you' smile.
"That sucks"
"My parents and Chin were there which the most important thing is; of course you guys would have been the cherry on top of the cake." Kono added.
"Well I'm really pleased for you Kono"
"Thank you"
"So what about you Chin are you and Malia still happy?" Steve asked.
"Erm we broke up"
"She left him after what happened…I knew I didn't like her"
"Hey don't Kono" Chin bit but said no more.
"Man I'm sorry"
"It's been a while it's fine"
"I'm just saying it was a really selfish thing to do"
"Kono" Chin warned.
Danny smirked slightly at their relationship, the way Chin still spoke to Kono like she was a little girl, or looked after her in a big brother manner.
"We heard about you and Cath" Chin smiled sympathetically.
"Yeah well we were never official"
"That's what you both told yourselves"
"It was never going to work, how did you know?"
"I spoke to Cath" Kono informed. "Only briefly" She added not wanting Steve to think Cath didn't care about him.
"Oh, we spoke occasionally after she moved on she seemed happy"
"Hmmm" Kono mumbled knowing Cath had not exactly always been happy.
"So Danny what brought you back here?" Steve asked. "You never said"
"Grace"
"Oh?"
"How is she?"
"She's perfect, she's seven now"
"How did she bring you back?"
"When I was in Jersey I came home one day and found Rachel with my mum, she came to see Grace and wanting custody"
"What!"
"She argued that my long hours didn't provide a stable environment for Grace and she had more money to care for her as I was still living at home."
"But she gave Grace to you"
"Yes but she argued that she did that at the time because she was confused and in a bad way. She claimed that she believed I would raise Grace and not join the force but when she found out she wanted to make Grace's life more stable"
"What happened?"
"She got a ridiculously expensive lawyer and I got what I could afford. We battled for custody fighting are sides. Her lawyer twisted everything to put me in the worse light and spun the story that we were young parents and I forced Rachel to keep the baby when she wasn't yet ready but that she now was. In the end my lawyer said I would look better and gain more rights if I went with a compromise to allow Rachel some access. Apparently it made me look like a loving father with Grace's best interests at heart. Fortunately the judge understood my situation and the fact I brought up a child and took responsibility at a young age and stuff. My decision to find a compromise came off as mature so the judge granted me primary custody and allowed Rachel visitation rights when either myself or my mum was around. They would be no set day due to my job but we had to allow Rachel at least two hours with Grace a week. There was the possibility for this to be changed to more time with her if it worked and was in Grace's best interests. We did it for a while and then she was allowed to spend the day with her when agreed by me but then a few months ago Rachel's dad got sick and she had to move back to Hawaii. She argued that thing's worked with Grace and as her mother she should get more rights especially since she needed to be in Hawaii. She wanted custody through the week since I worked then expected me to come here every weekend. Of course the judge denied this and suggested Grace Stay with me but I would have to send her over for weekends and every holiday Rachel would get her. I fought it but Rachel's expensive big shot lawyer thought it was fair and Rachel's had proved she was a good mum. I then heard about your father's case and I decided to move back here, take on the case and bring Grace back to where I had grown up basically. I then argued that if I did this that we would stick to the visitation rights we already had in place with me having primary custody."
"Wow man that must have been tough"
"Yeah but it was worth it to keep Grace with me"
"I guess a lot has changed the past seven years."
"I guess so"