Nalowale Take Two

Chapter 6

Zebraboymom

Disclaimer: Yes, they are! Who am I kidding? No they aren't! I just had to say it one time.

Author Notes: Steve better do something before he loses Kono forever. This is the final chapter. Boy I hope it ends well. I went ahead and posted this last chapter early since so many of you expressed distress over what happened in Chapter Five. This chapter is for all Steve/Kono shippers, so consider yourself warned.

Kono walked into headquarters and right up to Steve, Chin, and Danny who were standing at the Reconnaissance Table. Steve had not seen her for three weeks as she had been on leave while her shoulder healed. He had not contacted her at all. Chin and Danny had filled him in on how she was doing. He ached to see her, but after his stupid blow up at the hospital he figured she wouldn't want to see him. He had gone over and over it in his head a dozen times. He didn't know why he did what he did. He had just been overwhelmed emotionally when he saw that she was okay. He had to let the feelings out somehow. Unfortunately it had been at Kono's expense and he didn't have a clue about how to set things right with her. He missed her so much.

She laid her badge and gun on the table. Steve's eyes shot up to meet hers. His heart fell when he saw the anger in them. Her eyes never left his as she began to talk.

"I've really enjoyed being part of the team. Thanks for giving me a shot. It meant a lot being a part of all this. I'm just sorry it didn't work out. I'll do my best to keep in touch."

With that she turned on her heels and started walking downstairs and out of the building. Steve stood there dumbfounded. Danny looked at him as Kono disappeared out the door. Chin was in shock too.

"Steve, wake up man. She's getting away. Go after her you idiot. You know you love her. Tell her. She thinks it's because she's not a good cop. If you let her go, she'll walk out of your life forever."

"Chin found his voice. "You're in love with my cousin?"

Danny snickered. "Keep up will ya man?"

Steve shook his head and looked at Danny.

"Go man! Go after her! She's getting away."

Reality finally hit Steve and he hurtled himself down the steps and out to the parking lot. Kono had put her jeep in gear and was pulling away. He walked alongside the vehicle as it started to move.

"Kono! Wait! Will you just talk to me?"

Tears were pouring down her face now that she had let go of the anger.

"What's to talk about?"

She started moving faster and Steve had to run to keep up. He held onto the jeep as he ran. He was panicking. This could be it. He had to stop her.

"Come on Kono, pull over so we can talk."

"There's nothing to talk about Steve. You don't trust me to do my job. You see me as a victim now. That's why you've been treating me like you have. I can't work with you if that's all you see me as. I am a capable person. After the hell I went through, I thought I'd earned you're respect. Apparently not."

Steve was starting to get winded. "That's not it at all Kono. Will you please just stop the jeep and talk to me. Let me explain."

"You've had plenty of time to "explain" and I'm over it. Good-bye Steve."

"Dammit, Kono, stop the jeep! Let me just talk to you!"

He had to let go as he couldn't keep up anymore. Steve decided to go for broke as the jeep was leaving him behind. He yelled after her.

"I'm in love with you!"

He stopped running and leaned over hands on his knees. When he finally looked up, he saw that the jeep had stopped several feet in front of him. Suddenly Kono put it in reverse and backed up alongside him."

"What did you say?"

Steve looked up at her and grinned. "I said I'm in love with you. That's why I've been so protective of you. You're an excellent cop and an asset to the team. I just had to adjust to the idea that something could happen to you on a case. The idea of losing you was just too much for me. I should have told you sooner. I just didn't know how after that stupid outburst at the hospital. I didn't mean any of it. I'm sorry Kono. I…"

The next thing Steve knew, Kono had launched herself from the jeep and into his arms. Her lips crashed into his and he quickly responded by kissing her back with all he had.

Danny smiled as he and Chin watched from the upstairs window. "And there it is."

"What just happened?"

"That my dear Chin is the mystery of life. Love. Ain't it grand?"

"When did all this happen?"

"Come on. I'll buy you a coke and tell you all about it. I feel like a voyeur up here. Let's give them some time alone, okay?"

He put his hand up on Chin's shoulder and they walked down the hall.

Steve lifted Kono off her feet and spun her around in a circle. He never let his lips leave hers. When he set her down, she looked up into his eyes, hers shiny with tears.

"I love you too Steve. I'm not sure exactly when it happened, but at some point I fell hard. I just didn't think you felt the same way."

"You have had my heart since the first day we shook hands on the beach. It just took me almost losing you to realize how much I loved you. Kono, I'm sorry I made you feel like a victim. Honestly, in my mind you were like a tiger protecting Robin. I was so proud of you. But if we're going to …love each other, then you have to allow me to be worried sometimes even if you have things totally under control. Okay?"

"Okay, but you have to learn to trust me and let go of some of the fear you have when it comes to my safety. You always trusted me before. Just do that now and I think we will be okay. I mean, come on. I'm freakin' awesome, right?"

A rough low reply came back. "Yes. Yes you are."

Steve backed her up until she was pressed against the side of her jeep. He wrapped his arms around her again and pressed his lips firmly to hers. He took her mouth with such ferocity Kono thought she might faint. When he finally broke for air Kono looked up at the building. Several faces were pressed to the glass watching them from the offices above them.

"Uh, Steve, unless you want to continue to put on a show, maybe we should take this someplace else."

Steve chuckled. He lifted her into his arms and sat her in the jeep.

"Scoot over. I'll drive. I know just the place."

Fifteen minutes later they pulled up to his house on the beach. He switched off the engine and dropped the hand he had been holding all the way there. He jumped over the back seat and landed on the ground before she could jump out. He swung her up into his arms again and carried her up the steps.

Kono giggled. "Are you going all caveman on me McGarrett?"

"If it means making you giggle again like that, then yes, yes I am."

He unlocked the front door with one hand and kicked it open sweeping through the house to his bedroom. He tossed her unceremoniously on the bed just as he got a text message. He grinned when he read it.

Kono raised herself up on her elbows and looked up at him under dark lashes.

"What?"

"Chin says we can't go "nalowale" or "missing" any more. We have five hours and then they are sending out a search party. Do you realize what we can do with five hours?"

She grinned back at him. "My cousin always has had my back."

Steve jumped on the bed straddling her as he raised himself up on his forearms. Kono giggled uncontrollably.

"See, the caveman thing works, right?"

"More like you Tarzan, me Jane."

"Okay. That'll work too. Danny is kinda like Cheeta."

Kono laughed out loud. Steve loved that laugh. She reached her hand up around his neck and pulled his lips down to hers. Just before they touched her heard her whisper.

"How about right now we're just Kono and Steve? Love me Steve."

"Yes ma'am, with pleasure."

Note; Hope you liked it. I plan to do more stories where Wo Fat shows up. Thanks for all the reviews. You guys are very encouraging. I look forward to opening my email every day.