"Now come on, this isn't so bad, is it?" Lori smiles at the gang as she hands out beers. "We can play nice with others, right?"

Kono just shares a look with Chin and has to suppress a smile at his eye-roll. Yeah. Cop bars were still a soft spot for him, even if this beach shack was quite nice. And the few Navy men hanging around playing pool weren't so bad to look at, either.

"Okay, okay." Danny raises his beer into the middle. "Here's to playing nice. Maybe Steve here can actually learn."

The others laugh and clink bottles with him.

"Hey, Kono." Chin says and gestures over towards the door.

She turns around to see a group of about ten come in. When they spot her Kono throws them a smile, but they just turn their backs on her and go sit down at a table across the bar.

"You know these guys, Kono?" Danny immediately wants to know, his voice already on edge.

Kono shakes her head. "It's nothing. Forget it."

Steve looks at her intently. "You sure?" He asks. Well in what she assumes is a question, because it sure as hell doesn't feel like one.

She forces herself to smile. "Yeah, it's nothing. Just some guys I used to know from the Academy."

Chin snorts and she thrwos him a dark look, shaking her head. Not helping.

"They went to the Academy?" Danny asks. "Because someone sure as hell forgot to teach them some manners."

But Kono barely pays him any attention. Steve is still looking intently at her and she suddenly feels like she's sitting in interrogation again with her raging boss trying to stare her down. She takes a sip of her beer, trying to overplay her sudden anxiousness.

Lori looks at the team with raised eyebrows. Danny and Steve sure look like they didn't like someone messing with their girl. She gives Kono a soft smile. "I thought 5-O and HPD would be good? I mean we did help out with that charity football game!" She points out. "And they invited us to that picnic thing!"

Kono couldn't be sure but she suspects Lori might have said that one on purpose. Bless her. For once.

"See! See!" Danny points his finger at Steve heatedly. "Normal people call that a picnic!"

Steve just rolls his eyes. "That's because she a haole, Danno. We still call it a luau."

Lori winks at Kono, but can't help herself asking. "So what's going on there?"

Kono faces three expectant faces. Chin just raises his eyebrows. Ohana, right? She sighs. "It's not the HPD that's got a problem with us. It's just my former classmates who have a problem with me."

"Excuse me?" Danny says. "Why the hell's that? You're a nice girl. Weren't you friends with at least some of them? You couldn't have kicked all their asses during physicals, right? Right?"

Now it's Kono throwing him a look. Seriously? "I was friends with plenty of them, thank you very much." Good friends even. What made this sting just a tad more.

Thankfully they are interrupted when a young Navy officer steps up to their table and chats up Lori, saying how nice it was to see her again and here of all places. And suddenly Kono really has to suppress a smile because who would've thought that Lori would trick them all into going out for a beer just to meet a Navy Lieutenant they had questioned for a case a few days back. A very hot Navy Lieutenant. Kono thinks it's funny that he nervously glances over at Steve every few seconds because even though Steve isn't an active officer right now, he still has that air of authority around him. And she has to admit, when Lori takes pity on the guy's nervousness and goes to play some pool with him, she feels easier acknowledging these things about her friend. Boss. Friend. Dammit.

Kono takes the abandoned seat next to Danny so she has a better view of the crowd and only listens with half an ear as Chin and Steve talk about taking a hike at the weekend and try to get Danny to come as well.

She waits until Chin steps out to take a call and Steve volunteers to get up and get them another round before she nudges Danny in the side with her elbow.

"Ow! What do you want?"

Kono smiles at him conspirationally. "You should go talk to her."

Danny frowns at her. "Talk to whom?"

"That blonde Navy girl you've been trading smiles with for half an hour now."

"Her? No."

Kono swats his arm. "Why the hell not, brah? She obviously interested."

"Yeah, that's because he hasn't talked her to death yet." Steve butts in as he sets their beers down and takes a seat.

Danny just rolls his eyes while Kono sends him a death glare. Not helping.

"Shut up, brah. When was the last time you properly asked a girl out instead of just staring her into submission?" She doesn't want to know. She really doesn't.

And Steve actually keeps quiet, leveling her with one of those looks.

Kono turns back to Danny. "So? Just go and talk to her."

"No way, Kalakaua."

"Why not, brah?"

He raises his eyebrows. "Seriously? Would you please take a look at the guys she's hanging with? They are trunks. And I mean literal trunks. They could probably take me and toss me over to Big Island."

"But they won't." Kono tries to assure him. "What's up with you, brah?"

"Let me explain something to you, Kono." Danny turns to face her completely and Kono could swear she sees Steve's eye roll out of the corner of her eyes. "A guy like me would never have a chance with a kickass girl like her."

"Woah woah woah! You have the same chances as any other guy. And I don't remember you being this difficult when you made out with me."

She can hear Steve choke on his beer. Serves him right.

"Okay, come on." She gestures towards herself.

"What? What do you want me to do?" Danny shoots her a confused look, then looks over at Steve just to see if he missed something.

"You can practice with me if you're nervous." Kono smiles.

But Danny just huffs. "Practice with you? Thanks, but no thanks. I don't need practice. I can ask out any girl I want. If I wanted to ask her out."

"Just trying to help you out, brah." Kono sing-songs, before taking the rest of her beer in one gulp.

When Danny turns towards Steve he can see the laughter in his face. "Don't laugh at me, Steven. Just don't."

Steve holds up his hands in a defensive gesture. "I'm not! Where's Chin anyway? I need someone to back me up here."

Kono shrugs. "He better not have left already, he was my ride."

Danny nudges her shoulder. "I can give you a ride, no problem."

"Thanks." Kono smiles at him.

"You could thank me by having coffee with me."

Kono looks at him in surprise. Smooth. Really smooth.

"No thanks, I'm good."

"Seriously?" Danny frowns at her and leans forward a bit. "It's just coffee."

"Oh, I know."

"What, this isn't enough of an incentive?" He gestures at himself with a winning smile.

"No."

"You don't have to play hard to get."

Kono smiles mischievously and leans a bit closer. "I am hard to get."

Danny just raises his eyebrows in appreciation. "Is that a warning or a promise? And please say warning because that would be a real-"

He hasn't noticed how much they were in each other's spaces, smiling and seizing each other up until Steve's hand shoots out to push him back into his seat. "That's enough."

Danny can only watch as Steve stares at Kono with a dangerous glint in his eyes. And Kono gave as good as she got.

"You'll be fine, Danny. Go talk to her. I'll get us another round."

.

..

.

Kono leans over the bar, hoping to catch the bartender's eye when she feels someone standing next to her.

"Hey, Kono." Sarah. Her roommate slash best friend at the Academy.

Kono turns and gives her a tense nod.

"It's good to see you again." Sarah says.

"Yeah? Cause it sure didn't seem like it when you guys came in earlier."

"Come on, Kono. That was the guys. You know how it is."

She knows that Sarah had always been a pushover and that she'd always tried to protect her from the guys. But before she can say anything, an arm wounds around Sarah's shoulders.

"Are you kidding? Kalakaua here probably has no idea what it's like."

Kono turns around, shooting the guy a grim smile. "Sam."

"So, Kono..." Sam drawls. "Haven't seen you for some time."

"I've been busy with work."

She can see the false smile on his face widen. "Right. Work. How is that shiny task force of yours? From what I hear it must be like working with the A-Team every week."

"Hardly." Kono bites back any other response and turns towards the bar again. She needs that beer. Preferably now so she has something to smash over this idiots head.

"Leave her alone." Sarah says behind her back. "She works just as hard as we do."

"Yeah right." Sam snorts.

Kono whirls around. "What's your damn problem, brah? Can't handle the competition?"

"Competition? Like you actually know what it's like to work the streets." Sam mocks her, taking a threatening step in her direction. She can smell the alcohol on his breath. "You don't know what it takes to walk the beat every day, facing all these scumbags out there, Kalakaua."

She takes a step in Sam's direction. Sarah tries to hold her back, but Kono just shrugs her off. "Just say what you came to say, brah, so we can have it out here and now."

Sam just laughs and a few of his friends join in. They had gathered quite the audience by now. Lori briefly glances over from where she stands with a few Navy officers.

"Take it easy, Kalakaua. You couldn't take me in the Academy and you sure as hell can't take me now. Everyone knows why you got that job and trust me, nobody expects anything from you."

Kono's look hardens. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You really want me to say it? Come on. Your job's probably hard enough without everyone knowing that you're banging your boss."

.

..

.

"Do you want to tell me something, Steven?" Danny asks as soon as he's sure Kono is out of earshot.

Steve shakes his head. "Can't think of anything."

"Seriously? Then what was that?" He gestures in the vague direction of Kono at the bar.

Steve's look darkens. "Nothing."

Danny scrubs a hand over his face before facing Steve again. "You know if there's something going on with you and Kono, now would be the time to tell me."

"What?"

"I'm serious. The staring, the silent-treatment? What's with all that?"

Steve leans forward. "You know that tone we talked about that you have? You have it right now, Danny. So just forget it. It's nothing."

"Nothing? NOTHING? Oh great. I was just joking around with her and I was afraid you were going to rip my HEAD OFF! You, my friend, have serious issues. Like big, massive, honking issues!"

"What the hell yare you talking about? Can't you just shut up for a minute?" Steve almost growls.

"No, I can't. Because somehow I have to get this into that thick skull of yours. And you know what? I supported you in all your crazy choices, case and point. But THIS?"

Steve just ignores him and watches Kono instead. He told Danny the truth. Nothing was going on. Yet. And until it did he just had to ignore this constant notion to kiss her. Or smile at her. Or yell at her for going after 250 lbs guys. Or deck that lab guy who constantly drooled after her. Or deck that guy right over there at the bar who was making a scene.

Danny instantly notices when his partner's attention shifts. Turning around he sees Kono and another guy with a small audience gathered around them. He'd swear he feels Steve tense up next to him.

"Come on. Your job's probably hard enough without everyone knowing that you're banging your boss."

Danny is out of his seat instantly, although not as quickly as Steve. He moves to stand in front of his friend, both hands on his chest to keep him from going over there.

"Steve! Steve! STEVE!" Danny hisses. "She's got this, okay?"

Steve shoots him a hard look but backs down eventually.

"Relax, babe. This is Kono. She's got everything under control." At least Danny hopes so.

"Excuse me?" Danny shakes his head as he hears Kono's fierce tone. Please. Was he the only sane person left on this damn island?

.

..

.

Kono can feel Steve's gaze on her. True, half the bar was probably looking at her right now due to this idiot's big mouth. But she'd swear it was Steve's gaze. It's the same feeling she gets when she gets ready to take a shot during their sniper training. And then she would turn around and there he was, smiling slightly at her. It always raises goose bumps on her skin.

And sure enough, when she looks just slightly over Sam's shoulder she can see him. Watching her. He raises his eyebrows at her, searching her face for any kind of signal but Kono shakes her head imperceptibly. She's got this. If anyone was going to send Sam to the hospital today, it would be her.

"Come on, Kono." Sam says loud enough for everyone to hear. "Everyone knows you got the job because of your dear cousin and McGarrett just kept you around for the occasional tumble in the sheets."

Danny is between them before she has the chance to raise her fist.

"Seriously, dude? I realize you're drunk but do you actually have a death wish?" Danny raises his finger at him, "DON'T answer that."

Sam doesn't. Instead he punches Danny square across the jaw, which has him stumbling back a few feet. He catches himself easily though and takes a deep breath, gingerly touching his jaw. He shakes his head when people around them start calling for a fight.

"Let's just forget it and get back to our beers, alright?"

Kono sighs deeply. Forgetting about it is the last thing on her mind right now. But Danny is already by her side and takes her by her elbow.

"Knew you guys don't have it in you. Hey McGarrett!" Sam calls through the bar and people actually turn to look at Steve. "You should really train your bitches better."

That was the wrong thing to say. Kono is on him in an instant, feet wide and fists ready to strike. Danny is right behind her, whether to help her or drag her away she doesn't know, but he is busy with one of Sam's friends before she has the chance to find out.

And then all hell breaks lose. Kono has to sidestep a Navy guy who'd been punched by another Cop to get to her old classmate.

She has a fleeting thought about the Navy actually fighting on their side before she reaches Sam and punches him. The bastard never saw it coming. But he is ready for her next hit as he blocks it and catches one of her fists instead. She shouldn't have played so much on him being drunk, Kono muses. She turns instead, freeing her arm and beating into his ribs in one quick move. She lands another jab in his face again before Sam catches her by her wrists and turns her, pressing her back into his chest to immobilize her.

Kono grits her teeth as his hands dig into her skin. She can feel his breath hot in her ear and a shudder runs down her spine. Before he has the chance to say or do anything she thrusts her elbow into his gut and uses his suddenly lose grip to squad down and sweep out his feet from under him in a wide kick. He hits the ground and Kono is on him immediately, pinning his wrists under her knees as she kneels over him. But she doesn't have any time to gloat as she feels a sudden stabbing pain in her back and has to fight for air. Sam had used his knee to kick her in the back and from the feel of it he had hit her midriff perfectly. Kono does her best not to cry out in pain as Sam rolls them over and her back hits the floor hard. He hovers over her, his forearm across her neck and his other hand holding down hers above her head. If she wasn't in serious pain and fighting for air right now this position might have been interesting.

Instead she head-butts him as hard as she can, taking note of the cracking sound when she hits his nose and crawls away a few feet when Sam eases his hold on her and loses his balance.

She gets to her feet first but he isn't far behind, a dark look on his face. He lifts his hand as if to strike her but then Steve suddenly steps in between them, complete with a battered shirt and a split lip. She doesn't know whether to be pissed or grateful for that. He blocks Sam's blow easily, punching him in the gut and face instead. Sam tries to fight back but he stands no chance as Steve's fists keep hitting his face. Kono genuinely fears she has to step in and stop him from breaking in Sam's face when a last strike of Steve's elbow has Sam slumped against the wall. Steve grabs his arm and twists it around until he has Sam face first against the wall, crying out from pain. Kono can see Steve leaning in close and speak harshly into his ear but she can't hear anything over the riot of the ongoing fight.

Or maybe it's the blood rushing through her ears as she feels more and more dizzy. She holds on to a table to keep on her feet. Sam sags down to the floor in a heap when Steve lets go of him. When Kono tries to take a deep breath the pain from doing so almost has her on her knees again.

"Steve." Her voice is smaller than she'd intended but he hears her none the less. "Something's wrong."

.

..

.

Kono wriggles around on the gurney, trying to get comfortable. She winces when her movements pull at her broken ribs. She looks at her friends gathered around her in the middle of the hospitals hallway. Apparently they were short on rooms tonight.

"Can we leave yet?" She asks.

Lori laughs from where she sits at the foot of Kono's bed, icing her right hand.

Danny just groans. He's sitting on a stool and speaks from under the giant ice pack he's holding against his black eyes. "Please tell me you're not serious."

Chin rolls his eyes where he's leaning against the wall next to Steve, both of them trying to ice their hands as well as their jaws.

"You are CRAZY." Danny keeps going. "And in all seriousness, I shouldn't be surprised. I just shouldn't." He takes the ice pack away from his face. "And no, Kono, we can't go home yet. We'll wait for someone to come stitch up my arm and Lori getting her turn at the x-ray for her hand. Oh, and you're not going anywhere because you have a freaking TUBE sticking out of your chest because you had a fucking PNEUMOTHORAX! So let's just wait for the doc to confirm that you're not actually going to die which you seemed very close to be doing when you COLLAPSED in the middle of the bar!"

Chin puts his hand on Danny's shoulder. "Keep it down, brah, alright? It's not Kono's fault."

Danny just huffs. "Oh I know. I actually think it's Steve's fault."

"How the hell is this my fault?" Steve asks hotly.

Danny swivels his stool around to look at him. "I don't know yet. But I just know that you had something to do with this. And I'll gladly tell you as soon as this pounding headache gives me a break."

Chin snickers where he still leans against the wall. "Actually I think this might be Lori's fault." He teases. "Too bad your elaborate plan to casually walk into Lieutenant Roberts didn't work out."

Lori laughs. "Are you kidding?" She gingerly holds up a slip of paper. "He gave me his number as soon as I had the first HPD guy pinned down."

Kono looks at Danny and waits until he returns her gaze. "Told you, brah. I had it all under control."

Danny can't help himself and starts grinning. And before they know it they are all laughing so hard they have to clutch their battered ribs.

.

..

Sometimes your muse strikes with a left hook you didn't see coming.

Good? Bad? Anyway, now that I have this off my chest, next chapter for Raising the Stakes should be up soon.