Hello there my dear readers. I think Option 1 has already been decided based on both your comments and my feelings so, it's time for me to begin steering the wheel towards what I originally had planed. There's still a few safe chapters that would work for either of the options until we reach the point of no return.

Like this one for example. Aquababy58: I also felt it would have been too awkward for Annabeth to give her statement to one of the guys. I know I would prefer to talk to a woman about it.

Texas50Fan: I love writing dialogs between Steve and Annabeth. I think they have a unique way on communicating and I can play with them being maybe a little angry with the other but never ever stop caring. I'm glad that you like it! Also, thanks for your opinion on the decision I have to make!

Stephanie: I do want to trust my instincts but I'm a little bit nervous too! And don't worry, there are more stories roaming around in my head for when this is over!

And, with no further a due: here's chapter 11!

Enjoy!

- So, you know how this works. Why don't we start with how did you ended up at the bar? – asked Kono. She wasn't looking forward to this but she guessed, if the roles were reversed, she wouldn't want any of the guys to be taking a statement like this.

- I wanted to be alone for a while and I decided to go to a part of the Island I hadn't been before. I was just walking around and the bar caught my attention. It was a hot day and I wanted something to drink.

- What time was it when you came in?

- Around 8:00 p.m.

- Can you remember if you saw anyone walking in right after you did?

- A few people. But I wasn't paying attention to them. The place was actually crowded when I got there and there weren't too many tables available so I sat in a small one near the right corner. I… I had my back to the front door – she said as if realizing something for the first time – how stupid could I have been?

- It's okay – Kono intervened gently – you know this wasn't your fault.

- Yeah right – Annabeth snorted. Kono went on because right now it would be futile to get into an argument trying to convince her that what had happened hadn't been anyone else's fault but the attacker's.

- Did you drink any alcohol? Did you eat anything?

- No. I just asked for a diet coke. I remember thinking that it was taking too long to be delivered but I wasn't in any hurry and the place was crowded so I figured it was normal – Kono made sure to write that down - What happened afterwards?

- I was lost in thought; I wasn't paying any attention to my surroundings figuring that for a few hours I could let my guard down and pretend to be normal. It actually took me about an hour to drink just half my coke when suddenly I needed to pee so badly that I couldn't wait. I got up from the table and walked straight to the bathroom. It was empty and I went for the third cubicle. I was even the one to lower my pants and that's when the door opened and… - she stopped again, lost in the memory and remembering yet another detail – I didn't lock the door of the cubicle – she said, again mentally kicking herself for being so careless. What the hell had gotten into her? – that's when he came in.

- Do you remember what he looked like? Can you describe him?

- He was tall. At least a head taller than me. I think he was strong but I should have been able to fight him off; whatever drug he gave me made me too weak – she paused to take a breath. She hadn't really given much thought to the guy's appearance since waking up in the hospital and, between the drug and what had happened, she was having trouble remembering distinctive features – he was wearing a mask. It was transparent so I could see his face but not actually recognize it if I ever saw it again. It was all just blurry. He was Caucasian but I can't even tell if he was a haole or not. Then I just… I remember what happened but I… - she was having trouble keeping a composed face at the moment.

She remembered the sensation of lack of air, his hold on her neck, her weak attempts to get free, her desperation when he finally assaulted her.

Kono let her take a moment, telling her to take all the time she needed, being understanding, but she just wanted to get that over with so she could recover her composure and detach herself from the role of victim. So she told her everything. Well, right until the part where she had actually reached a climax point. She didn't need anyone thinking she had liked what had happened in the end. That wasn't relevant to the investigation.

She ended up the tale with what the man had said right before leaving. The specific way he said he'd be back. "Until next time doll" Somehow, that felt important. After that, she excused herself and went to the bathroom. She needed to splash cold water into her face.

Kono was left in her office, trying to digest everything she had heard and locking her anger away until the moment came to let it out into the pervert who had dared hurt her friend.

Knowing what had to be done, she started comparing the perp's MO to the database and contacting other agencies in the mainland to see if they could get any hits. When Annabeth walked out of the bathroom, she went straight to Steve's office and drained a bottle of water. She took about ten minutes to rest and put her head back in the game before walking to the smart table and start reviewing the footage Danny had already gone through in case she could recognize something. She didn't.

So far nothing indicated that she had been targeted and, somehow, that made her sense of failure and vulnerability even worst. To allow herself to be the victim of a random attack what so humiliating that she actually found herself wishing she had been targeted. Maybe that would give her an excuse as to why would someone gain the upper hand on her. She was a trained spy, not some random girl that any perverted man could pick up from the streets! What if she just wasn't fit to be doing this kind of job anymore? What would she do then?

Thinking about the lack of possibilities in her life was starting to give her a headache, so she decided to worry about it later. Right now, she needed to focus on the only thing that could help her recover her self confidence: catching the man that had decided to do this to her.

Next chapter: we get to see Steve and Danny again. I make no promises but maybe I'll have posted by the end of the day.

I'm looking forward to read your comments about this. I found it hard to write Kono, I don't know why I just couldn't tap into her character well enough. It was difficult to make Annabeth find comfort in her even though their friends because, as I said in the previous chapter, Steve is her pillar. I hope it was good enough though!

Until later today!