A/N: Thank you everyone for showing such amazing interest and support for this story. I'm really hoping it doesn't give me nightmares like the first one. Oh and for those of you asking for the whump, there is a little in this chapter.

Enjoy!

Chapter 2: One Year Ago On This Day

The days and weeks after Gladys escaped were spent in high anxiety for everyone on the Five-O team, but also those who had been put in charge of her transportation. They were checked, mourned and charged with facilitating the escape of a dangerous criminal, but Gladys was in the wind.

Two men on the Colorado side of the transport were found to have been connected with Gladys previously. When they were investigated the police found that they had arranged for Gladys to have weapons at her disposal - to commit the murders and mutilations of her handlers - and these two men were the one that helped her disappear.

The weapons were found in one of the men's apartments while blood, hair and clothing matching the murders and Gladys were found in a vehicle that the second man was caught trying to torch. They both were both taken into custody at approximately the same time.

Two days after the two men were apprehended and as they were being held by the Nevada police, they were both found dead in their holding cells - having ingested a lethal dosage of Oxycodone and alcohol.

Upon reviewing surveillance tapes which made it all the way back to Five-O, and were analyzed by specialists on both sides, it was found that Gladys - dressed in a police uniform and mimicking the confidence and nearly identical movements of her brother - waltzed right into the police station and up to both men in their cells. She handed them the lethal combinations, spoke to them for some time - individually - and watched as they freely and willingly ingested the poisons. After this she walked right out of the precinct - making sure to wave at the cameras as she left - and she disappeared without a trace.

Danny had seen the previous videos of Daniel McMahon using this method as well, and it made his skin crawl to see just how alike Gladys and her brother were.

5-0

As the months rolled on and the trail grew cold, it began to seem like Gladys would never be found. Her face was plastered all over web sites and most wanted lists. Rewards were issued for information into her whereabouts, there was even a television special broadcast nationally that explained how dangerous the woman was and what she had done. Bits and pieces of the previous Five-O case were even revisited for the sake of the general population to scare people out of helping her and into turning her in. But nothing worked, and as the year began to fade out from under them, Five-O had to move on and focus on other things. Crime on the island didn't stop just because Gladys McMahon wasn't in custody.

Gladys could be the least of their worries with Steve's mother now in the picture, and Kono's boyfriend a target. Chin was depressed and trying valiantly to rally from the death of his wife, but there was still heartache and pain surrounding that situations. All in all, life was moving on - happening when they wanted time to stand still so that they could regroup - but life never happened that way.

5-0

One evening, to celebrate another case closed and a job well done, Steve had taken the time to cook for his friends – knowing full well that his mother was having people over as well. The crew all came to the house. He barbecued in the back yard, they sat by the water, and they called it an early night all the while, Doris entertained her guests and Steve's as politely as she could muster.

Doris hung around to snoop, with the pretext that she, and her guest, would be going out later in the evening. Catherine had been on leave from the boat and had spent every last possible moment with the gang, but she too had to get back to her quarters and head back out to sea. Kono returned to Adam, Chin said he was tired but really wanted some time to sit alone in his house - in the place were Malia had died - and mourn.

They had all come together, enjoyed each other company outside of the office where they worked, but as with all things, each individual had their own life and needed time to themselves. Danny remained at Steve's side longer than the rest. Grace and her mother and step father had taken a trip to the mainland, so Danny was very much alone on the island, and in a way, so was Steve.

It was also a day Danny had been dreading. For months he'd been trying to push his anxiety aside, but there was no use. He knew that Gladys was free. He knew that she was out there and he knew, deep down in his heart, that there would be a time when they would have to deal with her.

As the anniversary of the day that he shot her bother and killed him dawned, Danny got the same uneasy feeling of a brewing storm. He rose from his bed earlier than usual with a sick twisted feeling in his stomach, and did all in his power to get himself to where there would be other people, because on this day, Danny just didn't want to be alone. His hands shook, his heart raced, but he got to the office and right away - and thankfully - Steve was already ready to dive right back into the case they had been working for the whole week. He snatched the keys out of Danny's hands and immediately they were off and running - and Danny was happy to not be alone.

By evening, as the sun set and the case was over, Danny and Steve made their way out to the beach behind Steve's place to just sit around and relax. The house had emptied out early. Doris was getting ready to head out with friends, and Steve had bought a case of beer that he planned to drink with Danny to calm his partners nerves, because even Steve had noticed the anxious behaviour of his partner on this day, but he hadn't had time to get around to asking him what it was about, because truth be told, Gladys was the farthest thing from Steve's mind at the time.

5-0

Like the calm before the storm, the three heavily armed men moved into place, silent as the shadows, and from there they waited - waited for the duo to split up, waited for the darkness to fall and the shadows to descend. They waited patiently for every other person to leave their targets wide open, because they had been given orders, and the orders were to take them both – alive.

They had been watching and waiting for the right moment all day. They had seen Danny leave his house. They had followed him to the office. It wasn't the right time. Their orders were clear, both or nothing, so they waited and followed. They watched how these two men worked together. On several occasions they believed that something had gone astray because the curiosity, or the instincts, of the Jersey detective had caused him to look up, look around and even catch sight of the strangers who kept to their vehicles.

Maybe they looked like they were reporters. Maybe the detective didn't recognize the equipment they carried from the distance, but he had seen them at least twice over the course of the day. Something was up with that man. He was on edge and so, after the second spotting, they had to regroup and become more like ghosts. Danny didn't see them again that day, but they had always been watching him.

5-0

Danny and Steve sat out behind the house, their feet in the cool sand, as the dinner party thinned out inside. Doris McGarrett came out of the house, just as the last car pulled away - bringing with her two more beers for her son and his friend.

"Steven, thank you for being civil tonight," Doris stated as she handed her son the beers.

"I'm glad you're making friends," Steve said ignoring his mothers tone, but Danny had caught the disinterest in his partner's voice. "I'm glad that you didn't mind that mine were here."

"We always hang out with the same people anyway," Danny stated absentmindedly.

"Exactly," Steve said as he turned slightly and looked at his mother.

"I'm going to go down to Waikiki for the rest of the evening to join my friends. Do you mind cleaning up the rest of the dishes?" She asked.

"I'll do the dishes, don't worry about it," Steve stated with a slight wave of his hand - as if he wanted to be left alone. "You have fun, but don't get into any trouble, mother," he warned.

"If I were to get into trouble, you'd never know about it," Doris said in a sing song voice as she walked back to the house.

"She underestimates us," Danny said when he knew she was gone.

"She does, it's her CIA elitism," Steve said with a shrug, "and it's a small island. It's very hard to keep secrets here, no matter what you are trying to hide."

"That makes policing all the more easy."

"True." Steve chuckled.

Shortly there after a car door slammed shut and the engine revved, and Steve knew his mother had left for the evening. They were alone now, just Danny and Steve.

"It really wasn't that bad," Danny said when the coast was clear.

"Shh, she may still hear you. You don't know what kinds of CIA tricks she's got up her sleeve."

"Oh come on, it was a dinner party with locals who are most certainly not CIA agents or criminals. One of the guys was the principal at Grace's school. I'm pretty sure you're mom is trying really hard to start over and you're not going to let her."

"Sure, certain aspects of her life are normal, but I know she's still keeping secrets."

"I don't doubt that for a second," Danny stated with a sigh as he sipped his beer, "but this tit-for-tat thing you've got going on can't be healthy."

"I have a tit-for-tat thing going on with you and it works just fine."

Danny rolled his eyes. "All I'm saying is it was nice of her to make room for all of us. At least you didn't have to spend the evening alone with all those people and your mother."

"True, I'll give you that," Steve said with a nod, "but now I'm stuck cleaning up."

"It is your house," Danny mocked.

"Exactly, and I had planned dinner first, or at least I thought I had. Imagine my surprised when I got home and here she was taking over my house. She got the drift pretty quickly - as I had been to the butcher shop before coming home - that my friends were coming over as well. I guess it worked out for the better. You had multiple choices for side dishes, where as I had a bag salad in the fridge to go with the steaks and that was it," Steve said with a laugh, "nothing fancy."

"Your mom makes a killer potato salad," Danny said, held out his beer to his friend and silently toasted Doris McGarrett.

"I'm glad you liked it." Steve said after a sip of his beer and he heard his partner sigh and stretch. "What's wrong with you today?" Steve asked as he looked in Danny's directions. "You've been more fidgety than usual, and jumpy, very jumpy today."

"A year ago today, running on adrenaline and pharmaceutical drugs, I shot and killed Daniel McMahon when I probably should have stayed in the hospital a little longer, but I couldn't. I had to act. I had to take my life back. I had to change the balance and I couldn't be the victim anymore. I woke up this morning feeling as if he was staring at me and I couldn't shake it all day. I'd known this day was coming, but I hadn't anticipated being this affected by it." Danny answered honestly.

"It's been a year?" was all Steve could say.

Danny nodded and downed the rest of his beer and picked up the new one that Doris had brought out for him, but didn't drink. He put the bottle down again and looked at his partner finally. "I still feel like he's watching me. All day it's been with me. I caught glimpses of people in the crowds at our crime scenes today and I half expected him to be standing right there with that twisted grin on his face. I was paranoid all day. I scanned every crowd for Gladys almost certain she was watching my every move."

"Danny, he's dead. You shot him," Steve said reassuringly, "and she's not on the island. We'd know."

"You don't know that for sure." Danny said with a sigh and drummed his fingers on the arm of the chair. "Those people are crazy, Steve, they'll always get the better of us."

"McMahan didn't, you're plan fooled him," Steve said optimistically. "Remember, you had me play bait. I was shot – in the body armor."

"Fool me once, shame on you fool me twice, shame on me," Danny said with a sigh as he stared out at the darkening horizon.

"Danny, you can't live like this. You have to believe that something better is come. Gladys McMahon will be caught, she'll be caught or found dead, or you'll get to her like you got to her bother. She's probably too afraid of you to come anywhere near us. We're moving on from this. It's over. It's been a year and now it's time to put it all to rest." Steve stated as he stood. "You gonna come and help me, or are you just going to sit there and wallow?"

"I'm coming. I'll be in, in just a second." Danny answered as Steve loomed over him for a moment and then headed back toward the house.

5-0

Behind his back, Steve heard movement, but too much to be only one person. Then, as he turned around, he caught a glimpse of a dark shadow and a quick movement his right.

Danny hit the ground before he could even cry out to warn Steve. Then it was three on one, as Steve dropped the bottles he was carrying. They crashed onto the patio stones and shattered as Steve punched and kicked at the three men that were closing in on him.

"Danny!" Steve called out, but his partner didn't move, and the reaction cost him as the blunt end of a gun impacted with Steve's side - knocking the wind out of him and sending him to his knees.

"You should have listened to your partner," One masked man stated as he watched Steve try to regain his balance.

"She's not afraid of you," a second man stated and there was laughter on his tone.

"I swear if you hurt Danny, I'll kill all of you!" Steve threatened and was struck in the face.

Blood flowed fast and free from Steve's split lip as the three men towered over him.

"She wants you both, lover boy, so don't you worry about your precious little Danno." The first stated with a chuckle and swiftly booted Steve in the side with his steal toed boot.

The next thing Steve knew was that someone had both his hands pinned behind his back as a second assailant caught him in the side of the head with the butt end of the weapon he carried, and then everything faded to black.