The Truth about Ohana

Chapter Five

Zebraboymom

Disclaimer: They do not belong to me. I would love to write for them though.

Author Notes: The time on the island drags out for months and Kono and Steve have to make a new life for themselves always wary that they will be discovered. Their relationship deepens, as they become the very best of friends, relying only on each other for protection and relationship. Kono's stitches come out and they get a day in town.

It had been a few days since the call from their teammates and the bullet wound was officially healed enough for Steve to remove the stitches. Normally they would have come out sooner, but the infection had slowed the process down.

Kono could barely contain her excitement as that meant no more bandages and she could start wearing a bikini and underwear again.

"Okay you. Lie down and be still. I don't want to prick you by accident."

Kono slid on the bed, put her arms behind her head and grinned at Steve. He chuckled at the excitement on her face.

"Eager much?"

Her face went instantly serious and she looked deeply into his eyes in a way that made his heart speed up.

"Thanks for all you did Steve. You saved my life. I know that now."

Sitting on the side of the bed, he gently pushed up her shirt. He had grown accustomed to touching her smooth skin and he was going to miss the connection. One thing he now knew about Kono. She was ticklish and she began to squirm under his touch as he pulled off the bandage and ran his palm over the spot.

"Remember. No moving when I cut the knots. Got it?"

"I'll try."

Steve took out the tweezers and a pair of sharp surgical scissors. He clipped the knots one by one and pulled them out with the tweezers.

Kono watched him bent over her. He looked so intense and focused. She smiled. He really did want to protect her all the time. She wanted to run her hand through his curly hair, but she held herself in check. He was fast becoming her best friend and maybe something more. It was hard though. She still felt her connection to Adam too.

Steve tugged the final stitch out and then ran his fingers over the thin line. He felt he had done his best work there and the scar was pretty small. He couldn't help himself. He bent down and pressed his lips to it tenderly and then looked up at Kono.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Kono."

"Because of you."

Steve smoothed her shirt back down and leaning across her, he left his hand on the bed next to her hip.

"How about a trip into town? We need to shop for groceries and maybe we can pick up a few other things. I don't know about you, but I'm going a little crazy stuck in this house."

Kono's eyes lit up and she struggled to sit up.

"Oh, could we Steve?"

"Why not? We'll keep a low profile. News from Oahu doesn't get around here much, but to be safe we'll wear ball caps and try to blend in, okay?'

"Sounds great!"

"When we're in public I think it's best we pretend to be a couple. If anyone is looking for us, they are looking for two cops, not a married couple."

"Okay, just let me change. I'm thinking it's bikini time finally."

Steve rolled the big touring bike that had been sitting in the garage out onto the small driveway and straddled it, waiting for Kono. He had been aching to get it out and take it for a spin. There was a basket on the back for food and sidesaddles for more stuff.

He heard the front door slam and then Kono emerged in the cutest cut off shorts, a bikini top and a big dimpled smile on her face. It was the first one he'd seen in quite a while. He forgot how beautiful she was in the sun with that gorgeous smile.

She gingerly lifted her leg and swung it over the bike.

"A little stiff there are we?"

"Shut up Steve. I'll be back in shape in no time. You just watch."

"I have no doubt about that. Now come on. Let's roll."

Kono slipped her arms around Steve's waist and leaned against his back. Steve started the motorcycle and patted her hands as he pulled out of the driveway and drove along the shoreline on Highway 450 to one of the more populated areas of the island and pulled into a shopping center and open market.

Steve reached for Kono's hand as she climbed off the bike and she smiled up at him as they blended into the crowd. It was definitely touristy so they felt pretty comfortable that they would go unnoticed. It felt good to just be out again among the living.

They started with some of the shops and both picked up some sunglasses. It was fun trying them on for each other's approval. It almost felt like a date, but they were both still too wary of their environment and the idea that they could be spotted to totally relax at first.

As the day wore on though they began to just enjoy their time together. Lunch out was amazing and neither one wanted to admit they needed to wrap the day up.

Grocery shopping was somewhat complicated. With only the small basket attached to the back seat of the motorcycle, they had to make careful decisions. They could always come back later, but it would take several trips to really stock up. When all was said and done, they realized they had more fruit and meat than anything else. They had both been craving it as the little they brought originally when they arrived was gone in four or five days. It was obvious they were both carnivores.

With every possible area of storage on the bike packed full and Kono holding another cloth bag full as well, they headed back. Kono leaned her head back and let the wind blow through her hair. She was enjoying this day so much.

As they turned off the road, Steve stopped at the row of three mailboxes that belonged to the three lone cottages on this part of the beach. There was a package inside…no doubt the money Danny talked about sending and a letter from the guys. Just as Steve started the bike to drive up to the house a woman waved at them and jogged towards them.

Steve squeezed her hand that was around his waist to calm her.

"Hi. You must be the couple that's been staying next door to us. I've seen lights on through the trees at night, but we haven't seen you out on the beach. I was starting to wonder if I was imagining it. The place rarely has anybody staying there. I'm Cassie Nolan and my husband Phil is a writer. It gets pretty lonely sometimes, but he says he works best in seclusion."

Steve had to work pretty fast to come up with a cover.

"I'm Alex and this is my new bride Grace. We haven't been out much because we're on our honeymoon and well…"

Kono couldn't help but blush at the implication, but nodded her head and shrugged her shoulders.

The woman blushed as well.

"Oh, well, congratulations and welcome to the island. I'd like to have you over for dinner some time soon."

"Okay, just let us know when. Nice to meet you. We'd stay and chat, but we have groceries and need to get some of them in the fridge."

Kono didn't like the way "Cassie" was looking Steve over, but she smiled and echoed his sentiments.

"Yeah, sorry. We bought ice cream."

Steve pushed off on the bike and they made their way back to the house and into the garage. Neither of them moved for a minute as they sat and thought about what just happened.

"Can you believe it? Their house has to be a football field away at the least and she noticed us? I don't like this at all."

"I don't either Steve, but if we aren't friendly she will get suspicious. By the way…newlyweds?"

"It was the only thing I could think of that could explain why we aren't in the ocean every day."

"We don't even have rings on."

"We could go out tomorrow and get a couple of simple ones."

"Let's hope she isn't as lonely as she seems to be. I didn't like the way she was looking at you."

"How was she looking at me?"

"Like she wanted to devour you."

Steve laughed out loud at that.

"Seriously?"

"I'm totally serious. Watch your back man. She wants you."

"Well, she can't have me. I'm already spoken for."

Kono looked up as he winked at her and she grinned at him before she started lifting out the bags of stuff.

"Damn straight you are."

One of their splurges was a couple of steaks and Steve grilled them later that evening.

Kono lit a couple of lanterns and the ambiance was amazing. It was kind of romantic. She cursed herself for letting her thoughts wander there again.

As they sat eating out on the lanai Kono couldn't help herself.

"Wow, all this." She gestured to his body. "And he cooks too."

"Ha. Ha. Very funny. You better treat me better "Grace" or you'll be fending for yourself.

"Oh "Alex", don't think of yourself as a sex object, just think of yourself as a…boy toy."

"That's it. You are so going to get it."

Steve lunged across the table as Kono screamed in a fit of giggles and ran down the stairs towards the beach. She didn't get far before she ran out of gas. It had only been three weeks since her gunshot and she wasn't back to full health. Just as she slowed down Steve swung her up in his arms and headed for the water with the intention of throwing her in.

"Steve…wait."

He looked down into her eyes and saw she wasn't doing well, so he immediately sunk down into the sand still holding her in his arms and brought his hand to the back of her head. Then he slipped it down to her cheek, before he pressed his forehead to hers.

"What's wrong Baby?"

"I think I over did it today with all the walking and riding the bike."

Steve stood up with her still in his arms and walked slowly back to the house.

"I am so sorry Kono. You always look so together that I forgot for a minute that you even got wounded. I'm an idiot."

"Steve McGarrett, that's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me, but I'm not so bad that you need to still be carrying me. I can walk you know."

"Yeah? Well I kind of like carrying you around, so just relax and enjoy it because tomorrow we start working on getting you back in shape. Some day we are going to be back at Five-0 and I for one want to be ready."

"Likewise."

"How about tomorrow we start with a walk on the beach and build up from there to running in a week or two? Think you're ready?"

"I do."

"Okay, "lover", time for bed."

Kono's eyes went wide and Steve couldn't help the smirk that formed on his face.

He walked her back to her bedroom and gently laid her on the bed. Even though they had been joking around, she knew the look on his face meant he was worried about her. She reached up and cupped his cheek.

"I'm fine…Really."

"I would never want to hurt you…"

"Steve, come on. Snap out of it. I'm fine and I will be better than fine before you know it, so stop worrying."

"I'll try."

Kono smiled at the reference to the stitches that morning as Steve reached up and took the hand cupping his cheek in his. He pressed his lips to it and then released it as he stood to go.

"Night Kono."

"Night Steve."