Two Weeks Away: Chapter Two
Kono was back at the bungalow promptly at six and she even brought Kate a bouquet of tropical flowers. Kate accepted the bouquet with a blush and gave her a kiss on the cheek in thanks, before finding a suitable container to put them in. Afterwards they hopped into Kono’s car, and within thirty minutes they had pulled up to an unassuming beachfront house. Kate couldn’t help being nervous but she took comfort from the way Kono had placed her hand on the small of her back, guiding her as they walked up to the front porch. Kate had chosen to forgo the hat that she usually wore in an effort to hide her scar. Instead she carefully braided a large section of hair on the right side, that was both decorative and managed to cover the scar nicely, and then she let the rest of her hair hang loose. She wasn’t sure if it would honestly fool anyone but it made her feel better.
A couple of delightful hours later Kate wondered why she had been so anxious. The food had been good and plentiful just like Kono had said, and the Five-O team had made her feel more than welcome. After dinner Kate had been shooed out of the kitchen when she attempted to help clear up, by the head of the Five-O Steve McGarrett and his partner Danny Williams. She could hear the two bickering behind her as she walked out the back doors onto the lanai. Kate leaned against one of the pillars and looked out towards the ocean. It was so beautiful here. She could definitely get used to the gorgeous scene before her.
What must it be like to see this kind of view every day?
She saw two people walking along the shoreline and she realized it must be Chin and Malia taking a moonlight stroll further down the beach. Earlier, Kono, seeing how nervous she was on the way over, had given her the rundown on everyone who would be there. Chin, who was her cousin, had been the one to recommend Kono for Five-O. Before joining he had been a cop with HPD and now he was third-in-command of the unit. He was not only a great detective but he was stellar with technology. He was very kind and polite as well, which made her think of him as the McGee of the team. He was married to-and completely smitten-with his wife Malia - who was an oncologist with the local hospital, and she seemed to be a sweet and caring person as well.
Turning back to face the house in search of her date instead Kate saw Steve and Danny through the kitchen window. It looked like the two of them were in the process of hand washing the dishes. Steve, who Kate learned was the head of Five-O was also a former Navy Seal, and had been given command of the task force when he had come back to the island after his father was killed. Steve was tough, but a fair boss, and treated them more like family than colleagues, according to Kono.
Kate watched as Steve reached over with one hand, which was covered in soap bubbles, and placed a perfect dollop on the end of Danny’s nose. That started what looked to be the beginnings of an epic water fight between Steve and his second-in-command Danny. Danny Williams was the father of one adorable little girl, and, as Kate learned, he was more than happy to show her pictures of Grace that were on his phone. He was also a recent transplant from her neck of the woods, and he was a very competent detective who kept the team on the straight and narrow. Kate was brought out of her contemplation when she felt someone bump her shoulder with their own.
Smiling over at Kono who had snuck up on her, Kate said, “Hey.”
Kono softly echoed the word, “Hey.”
Tearing her eyes away from the other woman so she would give in to the temptation to kiss her, Kate saw the two men were now both soaked and Steve, in an attempt to stop Danny from splashing him even more, had grabbed him from behind in a bear hug. Both men were almost red-faced from laughter as they play-fought.
Even though she had only shared one dinner with Danny and Steve, she couldn’t help noticing the two men were very close; there were a lot of little touches and looks that seemed to go beyond friendship and Kate couldn’t help wondering about their relationship. So when Kate caught Kono’s eye she asked, “Um are they…together,” hoping the other woman would understand what she was trying to say and not get offended.
Kono answered, “Oh yeah…,” before giving the pair a considering look and continuing, “well kind of. I don’t think the two of them have realized it yet, but everyone else has.”
Kate nodded in understanding; she knew a couple of guys like that as well, and she wasn’t thinking about Ducky and Gibbs this time.
“Do you want to take a walk?” Kono asked, as she reached up and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
“Of course,” Kate answered, slipping off her sandals and pushing them with her foot under one of the deck chairs.
The sand was cool against her bare feet but it still retained enough of the day’s warmth to be comfortable. They walked towards the ocean, taking a route that led them in the opposite direction of Chin and Malia. Kate had always loved the sound of the ocean, especially at night it was so soothing. Listening to Kono talk about one of her first surf lessons that her mother had given her, Kate decided that Kono’s voice, on the other hand was more like honey, and settled over her slow and sweet. She also learned more about the end of Kono’s career as a surfer, and how she had been devastated for a long time about that abrupt change to her future. The talk turned from surfing to what their day-to-day lives looked like at their particular agencies.
Kate found herself sharing things she normally wouldn’t talk about with someone she had just met, but Kono was easy to talk to, and being in law enforcement as well meant she understood all of the triumphs and frustrations that came with it. She talked about how she had been in the Secret Service but then had been recruited by Gibbs. Kate spoke about Tony and Tim, Ducky, Jimmy, and Abby, but the one thing she avoided was anything about how she had come by her scar, and that over a year and a half ago she had almost died. Instead she talked about anything and everything but that and if Kono noticed a huge gap in her life story she didn’t say anything.
As they walked and talked sometimes their shoulders and hands would brush against each other, making Kate hyperaware of the woman next to her. She wanted to slip her fingers in between Kono’s and hold her hand. Instead she reached up and tried to get her hair under control as it was whipped around by the wind.
“Here let me help.”
Kono turned her around to face the ocean and Kate felt her gather her hair into her hands before using a hair tie to put it up into a ponytail. Once it was secure Kono placed her warm hands on Kate’s shoulders turning her back around again.
Kate felt the thank you, she had been about to say die in her throat as she took in the warm look in Kono’s eyes as she reached over and tucked a few errant strands behind her ear. Then she curved her fingers around Kate’s neck. Her palm felt hot against the cool of Kate’s skin and she couldn’t help giving a slight gasp against Kono’s lips as they brushed tenderly against Kate’s own. Kate placed a hand on Kono’s waist, drawing the other woman closer as the kiss deepened.
Kate felt a surge of want sweep through her so quickly that her knees went weak. She opened her mouth against Kono’s who responded in kind. The kiss seemed to go on and on. Kate wrapped her arms around Kono’s neck as desire for more made itself known.
Kate wanted.
She wanted to take Kono back to the bungalow and love her for the rest of the night. She wanted to spend all the next day just the two of them learning more about each other. She wanted just more of this smart, amazing, lovely woman.
Only…she wouldn’t get more then maybe another week. Kate didn’t live in this island paradise and after next week she would probably never see Kono again. Even if this spark of desire, and the mutual interest they seemed to have for each other could lead to more, long distance relationships didn’t work, especially not cross-country ones. They had no future together, and Kate had enough on her plate right now with getting reinstated at NCIS and dealing with all that entailed. She wasn’t going to set herself up for heartbreak for a week’s worth of moonlit kisses. No matter how much she wanted to.
What was she doing?
Kate felt like a bucket of cold water had just been thrown over her. “Wait,” she said, pulling herself unwillingly out of Kono’s arms. “I’m sorry. I can’t.”
Kono looked at her in concern, “What’s wrong?”
Laying a hand reassuringly on Kono’s arm, Kate said, “It’s not you. I just can’t do this.”
Kono opened her mouth to say something but Kate interrupted her, needing to explain, “When I was younger I made the mistake of thinking a few weeks in some far off place with someone I was attracted to meant I was in love. All it turned out to be was infatuation that turned into hurt and regret.”
Kate didn’t want Kono to be mad at her, but at the same time it was better to be upfront with what she was feeling. Glancing over at Kono, Kate was surprised when, instead of anger, she saw nothing but understanding.
With a slight smile Kono asked, “Kate do you know how many tourists visit Hawaii every year?”
When Kate shook her head Kono took her hand comfortingly in hers and said, “Over seven million, and when I was young and naïve there was a time or two when I also had an ill-fated romance with someone who was only in my life temporarily. So I understand where you are coming from.”
They held each other’s gaze for a long time and then Kate broke eye contact, instead choosing to look out over the beach, watching the waves crash on the shore. She knew that Kono with her kind eyes, so full of understanding, could probably even now convince her to give them a chance.
“Hey,” Kono said softly, and then when she said nothing else, Kate looked up. Kono continued, the smile on her face tremulous, “I like you, Kate in a way that I haven’t liked someone in a long time.” Then she seemed to calm down and said, “But you are right about the fact we will only have at most another week together. So how about we play it smart for the next week? Instead of dates, how about I show you my Hawaii but only as friends?”
Kate felt both relief and disappointment at Kono’s offer. Relief that Kono was being so nice about the fact that Kate had completely done a one-eighty right in the middle of their date, but perversely she was also disappointed because Kono hadn’t even tried to talk her out of it.
Shaking her head at her own hypocrisy, Kate took a deep breath in thanks she had met this gracious and understanding woman, and said, “That sounds good. I could use a friend.”
“Okay then,” Kono said confidently, and they both, turned back in tandem towards Steve’s house. She then continued with a bit uncertainty, “How about tomorrow evening we go to the local art museum? They are having an exhibition of Tetsuo Ochikubo’s art. It’s the last day and I’ve been dying to go see it but with work and family I haven’t had a chance yet.”
“That sounds really good,” Kate said with enthusiasm. She then went on to explain that she had taken an art history class in college whose professor loved Ochikubo’s art, and so she was excited to see some of his work in person rather than on a slide projected onto a wall in a lecture hall.
Kono beamed at her and then started to lean over, but drew back with a look of apology on her face. They walked the rest of the way back to Steve’s house in companionable if awkward silence.
When the two of them returned, Kate saw that Chin and Malia had beaten them back and were comfortably ensconced on a bench swing. Kate was putting on her sandals when Danny and Steve walked outside, both with new shirts on, which Kate could only assume was because their others had been soaked through from their impromptu water fight. They had also brought with them what looked like a box full of fried pastries.
Danny was in the process of handing them out when Steve’s phone beeped alerting to an incoming text message. Just as Kate took a bite out of one of the most delicious fried foods she had ever eaten Steve let out an excited, “Yes!” and slapped Danny enthusiastically on the back.
“Henderson just agreed to flip on Morris,” Steve said triumphantly.
The other three Five-O members let out whoops of their own and then began to talk excitedly to each other about the hows and whys of the case. From what Kate could gather, her would-be mugger was none other than Henderson, a low-level drug dealer who the unit had been looking for the last two weeks. They had been hoping he would flip on his boss James Morris, who apparently was currently laying low letting his lieutenants run the business for him.
“Okay, tomorrow, bright and early we check out all his normal haunts,” Steve announced.
Chin held up his phone, “I’ve just sent you each all current and past mug shots.”
“Yeah, more than likely he’s changed his appearance already, but they should give us a good baseline to go from,” Danny interjected.
Their phones all beeped, and Kate couldn’t help looking over Kono’s shoulder at the photo of Morris. Morris was six feet tall and weighed over two hundred pounds; with the various face tattoos he looked rough. Kate could tell just from the photo that he was a bear of a man and would be very difficult to arrest without a fight. Watching and listening to the four of them divide up the various addresses they had connected with Morris, Kate couldn’t help but feel a longing to be in the thick of police work again. She missed helping people and getting bad guys off the street.
When Kono looked over, Kate found herself blushing at getting caught, essentially eavesdropping. Kono gave her a conspiratorial wink and nudged her knee with her own before returning back to her screen and the discussion about who was taking what address. Kate caught herself tracing Kono’s features with her eyes as the other woman argued her point about why one place was more likely than the other. She radiated passionate intensity, and Kate could see how much she loved her job, and she knew Kono was good at it just by some of the points she was making and the fact that she obviously cared so much. Kate tried not to blush as she thought of what that passion would look like directed at her, trying to remember they had agreed to just be friends.
After that the party broke up rather quickly, with the four team members needing to get up early in order to meet back at Five-O headquarters. Kono drove her back and promised to call her tomorrow with the time they could meet at the museum. The Morris case made it difficult for Kono to give her a definite time. Kate reassured her that, considering what she also did for a living, she totally understood. She also refused to allow Kono to walk her to her door. Not only were they no longer on a date, but Kate didn’t want the temptation that was Kono, backlit by the moonlight with the sound of crashing ocean waves and a divinely soft king sized bed only yards away to contend with. So she waved goodbye to her from her porch and let herself into the bungalow, and told herself it was stupid to feel disappointed and bummed because this was what she had wanted. Yawning deeply, Kate quickly got ready for bed and then slid in between the sheets determined not to think anymore.
~NCIS/H50~
Kate knew she was in a dream the moment she stepped out onto the roof. Even knowing that she couldn’t seem to stop what came next. She never could. The wind was almost blowing her across the roof towards her final destination. The day was bright and she was squinting against the sun looking for Ari but she already knew she would never find him in time. Tony and Gibbs’ voices were nonexistent although she could see their mouths moving. The only sound was the wind.
No…that wasn’t right-there was something else it. There was a low pitched whine that at first she could barely hear over the wind, but as she moved forward unwillingly and inexorably, it got steadily louder. Then events sped up, only to slow back down when Gibbs helped her up off the ground after she jumped in front of him. Kate saw both of them fade away and then disappear completely, and then it was just her. The wind abruptly stopped, leaving only the low hum that was getting louder and louder…or maybe she meant closer and closer. She spun wildly in a circle trying to see but it was already too late. The sound became a bullet and then Kate saw nothing.
Kate shot up in bed with a scream, arms and legs moving as she tried to escape from the memory. Her legs became entangled in the sheets, and in her desperation she fell off the side of the bed, hitting the floor with a painful thump. Lying on the bedroom floor, Kate sobbed uncontrollably despite trying to slow her ragged breathing. Squeezing her eyes tightly shut, Kate dug the heels of her hands into them and tried to recall the breathing techniques her therapist had taught her. Thankfully they eventually worked, and her breathing started to slow with only the occasional hitch in her chest. When she had calmed enough to finally think clearly she was able to push away the sheets still wrapped around her legs.
Choking back the tears that wanted to escape, Kate stood up and tried to get her bearings in the dark and unfamiliar bedroom. Wiping the unshed tears from her eyes, Kate staggered out to the living room and, spying her phone, she started to reach for it, her only thought to call Kono and talk to her, to seek comfort from a friendly voice. Then she stopped when she saw the time; it was three o’clock in the morning she couldn’t wake up the woman who she had only met a day ago because she had a nightmare. Instead she went over to the couch and turned on the TV, needing the background noise to distract her so she could get some distance from her nightmares. She stared at the TV without really seeing it until the room lightened with the coming dawn.
~NCIS/H50~
Four Days Later
Kate stepped out of the corner coffee shop and found herself squinting against the bright Hawaiian sun. Pulling her sunglasses out of her bag, she quickly put them on and started to walk leisurely back to the bungalow. Taking a sip of her iced coffee, Kate couldn’t help smiling a bit to herself. These last four days with Kono had been the happiest she had experienced since the coma. Their non-date to the Ochikubo exhibit had only been the start. They had met together every day as soon as Kono’s shift was over. One afternoon Kate had even met with Kono on her lunch break at a really good shrimp truck that was parked right on the beach.
Yesterday they had spent the day at the beach laying side by side on their towels, talking the day away. Kono spent most of their time trying to talk Kate into giving surfing a chance. Kate wanted to, but she pretended she didn’t because Kono’s reasons as to why she should became more and more ridiculous until the two of them were almost laughing too hard to continue speaking. And as the afternoon had bled into evening they had packed up their stuff, and after a quick change of clothes, they had walked down to a local pub where they had decided on a table near the stage. Over the next few hours they enjoyed cocktails while listening to a local jazz band.
When Kate saw couples pull each other onto the small dance floor she had wanted to do the same. She wanted to take Kono’s hand in hers and then gather her into her arms and dance the hours away together-but in the end she hadn’t. Instead she had taken a huge gulp of her mai tai and kept her hands to herself, mentally listing all of the reasons why doing exactly that was a very bad idea. She had to review the list again when Kono had dropped her off at the end of the night. Kate had wanted nothing more than to lean over and kiss her and invite her in, instead she had thanked Kono for an awesome day and went inside. Alone.
Kate heard a faint beep from her purse and moved to one side, out of the way of all the people on the busy sidewalk. Retrieving her phone from the bottom of her overstuffed bag, she couldn’t help the smile that broke out on her face. It was from Kono and she was confirming where they were meeting for dinner. She described it as a quaint little place near the overlook that had breathtaking views. It sounded like a great place to have a date… if that’s what the two of them were doing… which they weren’t because they were just friends. Kate wondered how long she would have to keep telling herself that before she believed it.
Putting her phone back in her purse, Kate looked up just in time to see James Morris stride right past her before the crowd swallowed him up. She stood there in shock before rushing after him. When she got close enough so that she could tail him without making it obvious that she was in fact following him, she slowed down and began to fish her phone back out of her bag. He looked vastly different from his booking photo. He had shaved his head and grown a beard but Kate was sure it was him. It was hard to hide that many face and neck tattoos, no matter what you do to your hair.
Finally getting a hand on her phone, Kate tried to keep an eye on Morris while maintaining a fair distance, and look for Kono in her contacts at the same time. It was no easy feat but finally she was able to find Kono’s name. Hearing it ring, Kate silently prayed that the other woman would pick up. When Kono’s voicemail began, Kate cursed under her breath and hit the end button. She didn’t know any of the other Five-O’s numbers, so she tried again. As the phone continued to ring, Morris started to pick up speed and Kate matched it, her unease growing as she once again got Kono’s voicemail.
Morris stopped suddenly and turned to look in a store window. Kate slowed down to a crawl wondering why Morris stopped; he didn’t seem like the window-shopping type. Glancing further down the street, Kate saw what had made the crime boss so antsy. Two patrol cars were sitting in a parking lot that was kitty-corner from where they were. It looked like the officers inside were just talking to each other, but as she watched Morris from the corner of her eye she could see the man start to unravel. He was biting his thumb and he looked like he was talking himself. He was definitely panicking, and a panicking criminal was an extra dangerous one.
Kate saw the two patrol cars drive off. Morris immediately started walking again and she followed. Grimacing, Kate knew she couldn’t wait any longer she needed to call 911 and tell them a wanted felon had been sighted. Just then her phone started to ring and seeing that it was Kono a wave of relief swept through her.
“Hi, Kate sorry I missed your calls…” Kono said.
Kate interrupted, “Kono, I am on Juniper Lane between Oak and Palm, and James Morris just walked past me.”
“What!” Kono shouted before she said, “Okay which direction is he headed?”
“South on Juniper, he seems very agitated,” Kate said, looking both ways as she jogged across an intersection. Morris was about a quarter of a block ahead of her and he seemed to be picking up speed so Kate broke out into a jog.
Kate heard Kono speaking to the others giving them all the pertinent information.
“Are you following him?”
“Yes,” Kate said a little breathlessly. “He’s moving quickly. Morris is wearing a black hoodie, blue jeans, white sneakers. He has shaved his head and grown a beard. Also I think he is in something of a hurry…wait…what’s he doing?” Kate dodged around a few people standing right in the middle of the sidewalk.
Finally getting past them, Kate saw Morris grabbing door handles of the cars parked along the street, checking to see if they were locked.
“He keeps trying door handles. I think he’s looking to steal a car,” Kate said quietly, trying to keep her voice down now that she was closer, not wanting to tip the crime boss off that she was onto him.
“Okay we are on our way,” Kono said, Kate could hear the slamming of car doors and the starting of engines. “We should be there in twenty. Stay on the phone…”
“Will do, so far he is still checking cars but he is getting more and more agitated,” Kate said, her voice a little breathy. “Damn it, he’s found one that is unlocked.”
Morris gave a triumphant shout when he was finally lucky and he managed to wrench open the door of an older model Chevy. Sliding into the front seat, he then started yanking the wires out from underneath. Kate, who had stopped a few car lengths away, was trying to look like she wasn’t blatantly staring as she racked her brain to figure out what to do. She didn’t want him to get away, but at the same she was on medical leave from NCIS. She had no authority, especially as he wasn’t putting anyone in physical danger, only then would she be justified in stepping. On the other hand, he was a very dangerous criminal so wouldn’t taking him off the streets be better than letting him get away, where he could cause more damage? Although, if she tried to confront him now more than likely she would just create a more dangerous situation. The street they were on was crowded with people who could become hostages, especially if Morris panicked.
“He’s got the wires out from underneath and he’s trying to start it now,” said Kate as she got even closer, taking note of the license plate should he actually take off.
“Hey! Get away from my car,” came a shrill voice from a store a couple of doors down.
“Oh no…” Kate breathed out, as a petite blond woman came charging across the sidewalk. Morris stood, reaching under his hoodie. In that moment, Kate knew he had a gun and knew what she had to do.
Kate shouted into her phone, “He’s got a gun.” Then dropping the phone and her bag, Kate ran forward yelling instinctually, “Freeze, NCIS!”
Morris whipped around, his eyes widening in shock, his arm swinging out from his behind his back, clutching what looked like a Glock in his hand. Just as he brought the gun up and pointed it at her chest she reached him. Kate felt the world around her slow to a crawl as she stared down the barrel of the gun. All she could think was: this isn’t going to happen again.
Grabbing the gun in his hand, she gave it a vicious twist putting all her weight into it until she thought she heard a pop. Morris screamed out, due to the fact that she had more than likely broken his trigger finger. He then brought round his left fist, hitting her ribcage. Thankfully she had just been stepping forward so it was more of a glancing blow, but considering Morris was six-two and two hundred pounds, it still hurt. Kate knew she wouldn’t win in an out-and-out brawl so she had to end this fast. So she gripped the back of his head with her other hand and pulled down viciously as she swiftly brought her knee up. There was a sickening crack as his face bounced off her knee. Morris dropped like a sack of potatoes, curling up into a fetal position holding his nose. Blood oozed through his fingers and wailed for all he was worth.
“You bitch! You broke my nose,” Morris screamed up at her.
“Shut up,” Kate shouted, her voice rough with adrenalin, as she secured the gun in her waistband. She quickly rolled Morris over, wrenching both hands behind his back, getting a sense of déjà vu from when she took down the mugger. The feeling was completed when a gray Camaro and a black truck came to a screeching halt right next to them. Kono and Danny jumped out with Chin and Steve right behind them. Danny and Steve quickly took over, pulling out a pair of handcuffs. Kono helped her up and Kate handed Chin the gun, more than happy to get rid of it.
“Are you okay?” Kono asked, her eyes wide with concern and just a bit of panic. Her hands were on Kate’s shoulders, her thumbs brushing gently and soothingly back and forth against her skin.
Kono’s voice almost sounded like it was underwater so Kate’s automatic response that was on the tip of her tongue that she was fine was probably not true; it was then she noticed she was also shaking. Kate wanted to step forward into Kono’s arms and have her hold her until the shaking stopped, but knew she couldn’t. Her ribs were starting to throb in earnest although she didn’t think they were painful enough to be broken. She had broken a couple of ribs before and this was nowhere near that level of pain.
“Um…” Kate started and then stopped because she could feel the adrenaline that was coursing through her system quickly turning into what felt like a precursor to a panic attack. Looking around, she noticed they were surrounded by a large crowd of people, she was scared that if she tried to answer she would completely break down. Instead she just shook her head.
Kono seemed to understand because she said, “Come on, I’ll take you down to Five-O and you can give your statement there.”
Kate nodded. She would use the time in the car to get herself together. She was to be reinstated to NCIS in less than a month. And if she fell apart now, what did that say about her preparedness to be an agent again?
As they made their way to the car they picked up her purse and phone, which thankfully had survived the fall without a crack.
~NCIS/H50~
Kate stared out of the inner office window into the hall as she waited for the Kono to return. It had taken them around twenty minutes to get back to Five-O headquarters, and by that time Kate had calmed herself down enough to give her statement. She had managed it by pulling her NCIS persona over herself like a shield, pushing aside all of the anxiety and fear to be looked over later. Kono had then shown her into her office and said she would return shortly. She had seemed to want to say more, but in the end had just shook her head and had given Kate’s hand a brief squeeze before she had left.
As she waited, Kate contemplated what had happened after her takedown of Morris. What had surprised her the most was how strong her fear had been at seeing that gun pointed at her. It wasn’t the first time by a long shot that she had been in that position, and you always felt fear. That was when the training took over, that’s why they train as hard and often as they do, so that when the time comes you instinctively know what to do.
So what was different? Maybe she was rusty? Or maybe because this was the first time she’d faced a gun since she had been shot? Was it because now she knew that only a twist of fate and a shift in the wind had saved her life that day? That nothing she or the others had done had been able to stop that bullet from coming for her. It had been a fluke. That no matter how good she, or Gibbs, or Tony, were it was never going to be a guarantee that some criminal or terrorist might not one day get the upper hand.
Maybe the whole incident had messed her up more than she had realized.
Kate snapped out of her thoughts at the sound of her foot tapping on the floor as her knee nervously bounced up and down. Standing abruptly, she started a slow walk around the office, paying particular attention to the photos on the walls. Along one wall was Kono’s diploma and certificate from the police academy, with accompanying photos with the various family members who were in attendance.
Then she took a peek at the photos Kono kept on her desk. One was an older one featuring a young smiling Kono, hair wet and slicked back, wearing a wetsuit and holding up a surfing medal. She was bracketed by two older people who were visibly proud, and were probably her mom and dad. The photo next to that one was a wedding party photo at what must have been a Chin and Malia’s wedding. Kono was stunning in her bridesmaid’s dress. Kate picked up the last one. It was a candid shot of the Five-O group standing together in a circle. Danny was obviously telling a funny story, his arms a bit blurry as they were in motion. Kono’s head was thrown back in laughter, and she was luminous. There was such a warmth and vitality to her in that moment.
Staring at Kono’s photo Kate felt a revelation slip over her. She could’ve died today. What would she have regretted more? Loving a smart, kind, and beautiful woman like Kono, even knowing it couldn’t lead anywhere or never taking that chance?
Just then Kono walked into the office, and Kate put the photo back on the desk feeling herself blush at getting caught being noisy. She murmured a soft, “Sorry.”
Kono gave her an amused smile as she waved away her apology. She stood next to Kate looking at the photo, and said, “That was a great day. Danny was telling the most ridiculous tall tale, about his run in with some mythological creature called the Jersey Devil.”
Kate could feel the warmth coming off Kono as she stood close to her. When there eyes met and held, Kate knew what she wanted and from the look in Kono’s eyes, Kate felt a tine spark of hope that they may be on the same page. She found herself almost unconsciously leaning towards the other woman and she couldn’t help notice as Kono glanced oh so briefly at her mouth.
Softly, Kate started to say, as she leaned ever closer, “Kono I was thinking…”
At that moment, Chin leaned in around the doorway and said, “Hey Kono, I need your help…”
Kate and Kono jumped apart like two teenagers who had been caught necking.
Chin looked back and forth between them both and then cleared his throat. “Um sorry… Kono can you help me with something? It will only take a few minutes.”
In an overly bright tone Kono answered, “Sure.” Then turning back to Kate said with a tinge of regret in her voice, “I’ll be right back and then we can go to dinner.”
Kate, feeling the moment slipping away, said, in a causal tone that belied the disappointment she felt, “No problem. I’ll be here.”
Chapter Three
This entry was originally posted at https://under-the-silk-tree.dreamwidth.org/72605.html
A couple of delightful hours later Kate wondered why she had been so anxious. The food had been good and plentiful just like Kono had said, and the Five-O team had made her feel more than welcome. After dinner Kate had been shooed out of the kitchen when she attempted to help clear up, by the head of the Five-O Steve McGarrett and his partner Danny Williams. She could hear the two bickering behind her as she walked out the back doors onto the lanai. Kate leaned against one of the pillars and looked out towards the ocean. It was so beautiful here. She could definitely get used to the gorgeous scene before her.
What must it be like to see this kind of view every day?
She saw two people walking along the shoreline and she realized it must be Chin and Malia taking a moonlight stroll further down the beach. Earlier, Kono, seeing how nervous she was on the way over, had given her the rundown on everyone who would be there. Chin, who was her cousin, had been the one to recommend Kono for Five-O. Before joining he had been a cop with HPD and now he was third-in-command of the unit. He was not only a great detective but he was stellar with technology. He was very kind and polite as well, which made her think of him as the McGee of the team. He was married to-and completely smitten-with his wife Malia - who was an oncologist with the local hospital, and she seemed to be a sweet and caring person as well.
Turning back to face the house in search of her date instead Kate saw Steve and Danny through the kitchen window. It looked like the two of them were in the process of hand washing the dishes. Steve, who Kate learned was the head of Five-O was also a former Navy Seal, and had been given command of the task force when he had come back to the island after his father was killed. Steve was tough, but a fair boss, and treated them more like family than colleagues, according to Kono.
Kate watched as Steve reached over with one hand, which was covered in soap bubbles, and placed a perfect dollop on the end of Danny’s nose. That started what looked to be the beginnings of an epic water fight between Steve and his second-in-command Danny. Danny Williams was the father of one adorable little girl, and, as Kate learned, he was more than happy to show her pictures of Grace that were on his phone. He was also a recent transplant from her neck of the woods, and he was a very competent detective who kept the team on the straight and narrow. Kate was brought out of her contemplation when she felt someone bump her shoulder with their own.
Smiling over at Kono who had snuck up on her, Kate said, “Hey.”
Kono softly echoed the word, “Hey.”
Tearing her eyes away from the other woman so she would give in to the temptation to kiss her, Kate saw the two men were now both soaked and Steve, in an attempt to stop Danny from splashing him even more, had grabbed him from behind in a bear hug. Both men were almost red-faced from laughter as they play-fought.
Even though she had only shared one dinner with Danny and Steve, she couldn’t help noticing the two men were very close; there were a lot of little touches and looks that seemed to go beyond friendship and Kate couldn’t help wondering about their relationship. So when Kate caught Kono’s eye she asked, “Um are they…together,” hoping the other woman would understand what she was trying to say and not get offended.
Kono answered, “Oh yeah…,” before giving the pair a considering look and continuing, “well kind of. I don’t think the two of them have realized it yet, but everyone else has.”
Kate nodded in understanding; she knew a couple of guys like that as well, and she wasn’t thinking about Ducky and Gibbs this time.
“Do you want to take a walk?” Kono asked, as she reached up and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
“Of course,” Kate answered, slipping off her sandals and pushing them with her foot under one of the deck chairs.
The sand was cool against her bare feet but it still retained enough of the day’s warmth to be comfortable. They walked towards the ocean, taking a route that led them in the opposite direction of Chin and Malia. Kate had always loved the sound of the ocean, especially at night it was so soothing. Listening to Kono talk about one of her first surf lessons that her mother had given her, Kate decided that Kono’s voice, on the other hand was more like honey, and settled over her slow and sweet. She also learned more about the end of Kono’s career as a surfer, and how she had been devastated for a long time about that abrupt change to her future. The talk turned from surfing to what their day-to-day lives looked like at their particular agencies.
Kate found herself sharing things she normally wouldn’t talk about with someone she had just met, but Kono was easy to talk to, and being in law enforcement as well meant she understood all of the triumphs and frustrations that came with it. She talked about how she had been in the Secret Service but then had been recruited by Gibbs. Kate spoke about Tony and Tim, Ducky, Jimmy, and Abby, but the one thing she avoided was anything about how she had come by her scar, and that over a year and a half ago she had almost died. Instead she talked about anything and everything but that and if Kono noticed a huge gap in her life story she didn’t say anything.
As they walked and talked sometimes their shoulders and hands would brush against each other, making Kate hyperaware of the woman next to her. She wanted to slip her fingers in between Kono’s and hold her hand. Instead she reached up and tried to get her hair under control as it was whipped around by the wind.
“Here let me help.”
Kono turned her around to face the ocean and Kate felt her gather her hair into her hands before using a hair tie to put it up into a ponytail. Once it was secure Kono placed her warm hands on Kate’s shoulders turning her back around again.
Kate felt the thank you, she had been about to say die in her throat as she took in the warm look in Kono’s eyes as she reached over and tucked a few errant strands behind her ear. Then she curved her fingers around Kate’s neck. Her palm felt hot against the cool of Kate’s skin and she couldn’t help giving a slight gasp against Kono’s lips as they brushed tenderly against Kate’s own. Kate placed a hand on Kono’s waist, drawing the other woman closer as the kiss deepened.
Kate felt a surge of want sweep through her so quickly that her knees went weak. She opened her mouth against Kono’s who responded in kind. The kiss seemed to go on and on. Kate wrapped her arms around Kono’s neck as desire for more made itself known.
Kate wanted.
She wanted to take Kono back to the bungalow and love her for the rest of the night. She wanted to spend all the next day just the two of them learning more about each other. She wanted just more of this smart, amazing, lovely woman.
Only…she wouldn’t get more then maybe another week. Kate didn’t live in this island paradise and after next week she would probably never see Kono again. Even if this spark of desire, and the mutual interest they seemed to have for each other could lead to more, long distance relationships didn’t work, especially not cross-country ones. They had no future together, and Kate had enough on her plate right now with getting reinstated at NCIS and dealing with all that entailed. She wasn’t going to set herself up for heartbreak for a week’s worth of moonlit kisses. No matter how much she wanted to.
What was she doing?
Kate felt like a bucket of cold water had just been thrown over her. “Wait,” she said, pulling herself unwillingly out of Kono’s arms. “I’m sorry. I can’t.”
Kono looked at her in concern, “What’s wrong?”
Laying a hand reassuringly on Kono’s arm, Kate said, “It’s not you. I just can’t do this.”
Kono opened her mouth to say something but Kate interrupted her, needing to explain, “When I was younger I made the mistake of thinking a few weeks in some far off place with someone I was attracted to meant I was in love. All it turned out to be was infatuation that turned into hurt and regret.”
Kate didn’t want Kono to be mad at her, but at the same time it was better to be upfront with what she was feeling. Glancing over at Kono, Kate was surprised when, instead of anger, she saw nothing but understanding.
With a slight smile Kono asked, “Kate do you know how many tourists visit Hawaii every year?”
When Kate shook her head Kono took her hand comfortingly in hers and said, “Over seven million, and when I was young and naïve there was a time or two when I also had an ill-fated romance with someone who was only in my life temporarily. So I understand where you are coming from.”
They held each other’s gaze for a long time and then Kate broke eye contact, instead choosing to look out over the beach, watching the waves crash on the shore. She knew that Kono with her kind eyes, so full of understanding, could probably even now convince her to give them a chance.
“Hey,” Kono said softly, and then when she said nothing else, Kate looked up. Kono continued, the smile on her face tremulous, “I like you, Kate in a way that I haven’t liked someone in a long time.” Then she seemed to calm down and said, “But you are right about the fact we will only have at most another week together. So how about we play it smart for the next week? Instead of dates, how about I show you my Hawaii but only as friends?”
Kate felt both relief and disappointment at Kono’s offer. Relief that Kono was being so nice about the fact that Kate had completely done a one-eighty right in the middle of their date, but perversely she was also disappointed because Kono hadn’t even tried to talk her out of it.
Shaking her head at her own hypocrisy, Kate took a deep breath in thanks she had met this gracious and understanding woman, and said, “That sounds good. I could use a friend.”
“Okay then,” Kono said confidently, and they both, turned back in tandem towards Steve’s house. She then continued with a bit uncertainty, “How about tomorrow evening we go to the local art museum? They are having an exhibition of Tetsuo Ochikubo’s art. It’s the last day and I’ve been dying to go see it but with work and family I haven’t had a chance yet.”
“That sounds really good,” Kate said with enthusiasm. She then went on to explain that she had taken an art history class in college whose professor loved Ochikubo’s art, and so she was excited to see some of his work in person rather than on a slide projected onto a wall in a lecture hall.
Kono beamed at her and then started to lean over, but drew back with a look of apology on her face. They walked the rest of the way back to Steve’s house in companionable if awkward silence.
When the two of them returned, Kate saw that Chin and Malia had beaten them back and were comfortably ensconced on a bench swing. Kate was putting on her sandals when Danny and Steve walked outside, both with new shirts on, which Kate could only assume was because their others had been soaked through from their impromptu water fight. They had also brought with them what looked like a box full of fried pastries.
Danny was in the process of handing them out when Steve’s phone beeped alerting to an incoming text message. Just as Kate took a bite out of one of the most delicious fried foods she had ever eaten Steve let out an excited, “Yes!” and slapped Danny enthusiastically on the back.
“Henderson just agreed to flip on Morris,” Steve said triumphantly.
The other three Five-O members let out whoops of their own and then began to talk excitedly to each other about the hows and whys of the case. From what Kate could gather, her would-be mugger was none other than Henderson, a low-level drug dealer who the unit had been looking for the last two weeks. They had been hoping he would flip on his boss James Morris, who apparently was currently laying low letting his lieutenants run the business for him.
“Okay, tomorrow, bright and early we check out all his normal haunts,” Steve announced.
Chin held up his phone, “I’ve just sent you each all current and past mug shots.”
“Yeah, more than likely he’s changed his appearance already, but they should give us a good baseline to go from,” Danny interjected.
Their phones all beeped, and Kate couldn’t help looking over Kono’s shoulder at the photo of Morris. Morris was six feet tall and weighed over two hundred pounds; with the various face tattoos he looked rough. Kate could tell just from the photo that he was a bear of a man and would be very difficult to arrest without a fight. Watching and listening to the four of them divide up the various addresses they had connected with Morris, Kate couldn’t help but feel a longing to be in the thick of police work again. She missed helping people and getting bad guys off the street.
When Kono looked over, Kate found herself blushing at getting caught, essentially eavesdropping. Kono gave her a conspiratorial wink and nudged her knee with her own before returning back to her screen and the discussion about who was taking what address. Kate caught herself tracing Kono’s features with her eyes as the other woman argued her point about why one place was more likely than the other. She radiated passionate intensity, and Kate could see how much she loved her job, and she knew Kono was good at it just by some of the points she was making and the fact that she obviously cared so much. Kate tried not to blush as she thought of what that passion would look like directed at her, trying to remember they had agreed to just be friends.
After that the party broke up rather quickly, with the four team members needing to get up early in order to meet back at Five-O headquarters. Kono drove her back and promised to call her tomorrow with the time they could meet at the museum. The Morris case made it difficult for Kono to give her a definite time. Kate reassured her that, considering what she also did for a living, she totally understood. She also refused to allow Kono to walk her to her door. Not only were they no longer on a date, but Kate didn’t want the temptation that was Kono, backlit by the moonlight with the sound of crashing ocean waves and a divinely soft king sized bed only yards away to contend with. So she waved goodbye to her from her porch and let herself into the bungalow, and told herself it was stupid to feel disappointed and bummed because this was what she had wanted. Yawning deeply, Kate quickly got ready for bed and then slid in between the sheets determined not to think anymore.
~NCIS/H50~
Kate knew she was in a dream the moment she stepped out onto the roof. Even knowing that she couldn’t seem to stop what came next. She never could. The wind was almost blowing her across the roof towards her final destination. The day was bright and she was squinting against the sun looking for Ari but she already knew she would never find him in time. Tony and Gibbs’ voices were nonexistent although she could see their mouths moving. The only sound was the wind.
No…that wasn’t right-there was something else it. There was a low pitched whine that at first she could barely hear over the wind, but as she moved forward unwillingly and inexorably, it got steadily louder. Then events sped up, only to slow back down when Gibbs helped her up off the ground after she jumped in front of him. Kate saw both of them fade away and then disappear completely, and then it was just her. The wind abruptly stopped, leaving only the low hum that was getting louder and louder…or maybe she meant closer and closer. She spun wildly in a circle trying to see but it was already too late. The sound became a bullet and then Kate saw nothing.
Kate shot up in bed with a scream, arms and legs moving as she tried to escape from the memory. Her legs became entangled in the sheets, and in her desperation she fell off the side of the bed, hitting the floor with a painful thump. Lying on the bedroom floor, Kate sobbed uncontrollably despite trying to slow her ragged breathing. Squeezing her eyes tightly shut, Kate dug the heels of her hands into them and tried to recall the breathing techniques her therapist had taught her. Thankfully they eventually worked, and her breathing started to slow with only the occasional hitch in her chest. When she had calmed enough to finally think clearly she was able to push away the sheets still wrapped around her legs.
Choking back the tears that wanted to escape, Kate stood up and tried to get her bearings in the dark and unfamiliar bedroom. Wiping the unshed tears from her eyes, Kate staggered out to the living room and, spying her phone, she started to reach for it, her only thought to call Kono and talk to her, to seek comfort from a friendly voice. Then she stopped when she saw the time; it was three o’clock in the morning she couldn’t wake up the woman who she had only met a day ago because she had a nightmare. Instead she went over to the couch and turned on the TV, needing the background noise to distract her so she could get some distance from her nightmares. She stared at the TV without really seeing it until the room lightened with the coming dawn.
~NCIS/H50~
Four Days Later
Kate stepped out of the corner coffee shop and found herself squinting against the bright Hawaiian sun. Pulling her sunglasses out of her bag, she quickly put them on and started to walk leisurely back to the bungalow. Taking a sip of her iced coffee, Kate couldn’t help smiling a bit to herself. These last four days with Kono had been the happiest she had experienced since the coma. Their non-date to the Ochikubo exhibit had only been the start. They had met together every day as soon as Kono’s shift was over. One afternoon Kate had even met with Kono on her lunch break at a really good shrimp truck that was parked right on the beach.
Yesterday they had spent the day at the beach laying side by side on their towels, talking the day away. Kono spent most of their time trying to talk Kate into giving surfing a chance. Kate wanted to, but she pretended she didn’t because Kono’s reasons as to why she should became more and more ridiculous until the two of them were almost laughing too hard to continue speaking. And as the afternoon had bled into evening they had packed up their stuff, and after a quick change of clothes, they had walked down to a local pub where they had decided on a table near the stage. Over the next few hours they enjoyed cocktails while listening to a local jazz band.
When Kate saw couples pull each other onto the small dance floor she had wanted to do the same. She wanted to take Kono’s hand in hers and then gather her into her arms and dance the hours away together-but in the end she hadn’t. Instead she had taken a huge gulp of her mai tai and kept her hands to herself, mentally listing all of the reasons why doing exactly that was a very bad idea. She had to review the list again when Kono had dropped her off at the end of the night. Kate had wanted nothing more than to lean over and kiss her and invite her in, instead she had thanked Kono for an awesome day and went inside. Alone.
Kate heard a faint beep from her purse and moved to one side, out of the way of all the people on the busy sidewalk. Retrieving her phone from the bottom of her overstuffed bag, she couldn’t help the smile that broke out on her face. It was from Kono and she was confirming where they were meeting for dinner. She described it as a quaint little place near the overlook that had breathtaking views. It sounded like a great place to have a date… if that’s what the two of them were doing… which they weren’t because they were just friends. Kate wondered how long she would have to keep telling herself that before she believed it.
Putting her phone back in her purse, Kate looked up just in time to see James Morris stride right past her before the crowd swallowed him up. She stood there in shock before rushing after him. When she got close enough so that she could tail him without making it obvious that she was in fact following him, she slowed down and began to fish her phone back out of her bag. He looked vastly different from his booking photo. He had shaved his head and grown a beard but Kate was sure it was him. It was hard to hide that many face and neck tattoos, no matter what you do to your hair.
Finally getting a hand on her phone, Kate tried to keep an eye on Morris while maintaining a fair distance, and look for Kono in her contacts at the same time. It was no easy feat but finally she was able to find Kono’s name. Hearing it ring, Kate silently prayed that the other woman would pick up. When Kono’s voicemail began, Kate cursed under her breath and hit the end button. She didn’t know any of the other Five-O’s numbers, so she tried again. As the phone continued to ring, Morris started to pick up speed and Kate matched it, her unease growing as she once again got Kono’s voicemail.
Morris stopped suddenly and turned to look in a store window. Kate slowed down to a crawl wondering why Morris stopped; he didn’t seem like the window-shopping type. Glancing further down the street, Kate saw what had made the crime boss so antsy. Two patrol cars were sitting in a parking lot that was kitty-corner from where they were. It looked like the officers inside were just talking to each other, but as she watched Morris from the corner of her eye she could see the man start to unravel. He was biting his thumb and he looked like he was talking himself. He was definitely panicking, and a panicking criminal was an extra dangerous one.
Kate saw the two patrol cars drive off. Morris immediately started walking again and she followed. Grimacing, Kate knew she couldn’t wait any longer she needed to call 911 and tell them a wanted felon had been sighted. Just then her phone started to ring and seeing that it was Kono a wave of relief swept through her.
“Hi, Kate sorry I missed your calls…” Kono said.
Kate interrupted, “Kono, I am on Juniper Lane between Oak and Palm, and James Morris just walked past me.”
“What!” Kono shouted before she said, “Okay which direction is he headed?”
“South on Juniper, he seems very agitated,” Kate said, looking both ways as she jogged across an intersection. Morris was about a quarter of a block ahead of her and he seemed to be picking up speed so Kate broke out into a jog.
Kate heard Kono speaking to the others giving them all the pertinent information.
“Are you following him?”
“Yes,” Kate said a little breathlessly. “He’s moving quickly. Morris is wearing a black hoodie, blue jeans, white sneakers. He has shaved his head and grown a beard. Also I think he is in something of a hurry…wait…what’s he doing?” Kate dodged around a few people standing right in the middle of the sidewalk.
Finally getting past them, Kate saw Morris grabbing door handles of the cars parked along the street, checking to see if they were locked.
“He keeps trying door handles. I think he’s looking to steal a car,” Kate said quietly, trying to keep her voice down now that she was closer, not wanting to tip the crime boss off that she was onto him.
“Okay we are on our way,” Kono said, Kate could hear the slamming of car doors and the starting of engines. “We should be there in twenty. Stay on the phone…”
“Will do, so far he is still checking cars but he is getting more and more agitated,” Kate said, her voice a little breathy. “Damn it, he’s found one that is unlocked.”
Morris gave a triumphant shout when he was finally lucky and he managed to wrench open the door of an older model Chevy. Sliding into the front seat, he then started yanking the wires out from underneath. Kate, who had stopped a few car lengths away, was trying to look like she wasn’t blatantly staring as she racked her brain to figure out what to do. She didn’t want him to get away, but at the same she was on medical leave from NCIS. She had no authority, especially as he wasn’t putting anyone in physical danger, only then would she be justified in stepping. On the other hand, he was a very dangerous criminal so wouldn’t taking him off the streets be better than letting him get away, where he could cause more damage? Although, if she tried to confront him now more than likely she would just create a more dangerous situation. The street they were on was crowded with people who could become hostages, especially if Morris panicked.
“He’s got the wires out from underneath and he’s trying to start it now,” said Kate as she got even closer, taking note of the license plate should he actually take off.
“Hey! Get away from my car,” came a shrill voice from a store a couple of doors down.
“Oh no…” Kate breathed out, as a petite blond woman came charging across the sidewalk. Morris stood, reaching under his hoodie. In that moment, Kate knew he had a gun and knew what she had to do.
Kate shouted into her phone, “He’s got a gun.” Then dropping the phone and her bag, Kate ran forward yelling instinctually, “Freeze, NCIS!”
Morris whipped around, his eyes widening in shock, his arm swinging out from his behind his back, clutching what looked like a Glock in his hand. Just as he brought the gun up and pointed it at her chest she reached him. Kate felt the world around her slow to a crawl as she stared down the barrel of the gun. All she could think was: this isn’t going to happen again.
Grabbing the gun in his hand, she gave it a vicious twist putting all her weight into it until she thought she heard a pop. Morris screamed out, due to the fact that she had more than likely broken his trigger finger. He then brought round his left fist, hitting her ribcage. Thankfully she had just been stepping forward so it was more of a glancing blow, but considering Morris was six-two and two hundred pounds, it still hurt. Kate knew she wouldn’t win in an out-and-out brawl so she had to end this fast. So she gripped the back of his head with her other hand and pulled down viciously as she swiftly brought her knee up. There was a sickening crack as his face bounced off her knee. Morris dropped like a sack of potatoes, curling up into a fetal position holding his nose. Blood oozed through his fingers and wailed for all he was worth.
“You bitch! You broke my nose,” Morris screamed up at her.
“Shut up,” Kate shouted, her voice rough with adrenalin, as she secured the gun in her waistband. She quickly rolled Morris over, wrenching both hands behind his back, getting a sense of déjà vu from when she took down the mugger. The feeling was completed when a gray Camaro and a black truck came to a screeching halt right next to them. Kono and Danny jumped out with Chin and Steve right behind them. Danny and Steve quickly took over, pulling out a pair of handcuffs. Kono helped her up and Kate handed Chin the gun, more than happy to get rid of it.
“Are you okay?” Kono asked, her eyes wide with concern and just a bit of panic. Her hands were on Kate’s shoulders, her thumbs brushing gently and soothingly back and forth against her skin.
Kono’s voice almost sounded like it was underwater so Kate’s automatic response that was on the tip of her tongue that she was fine was probably not true; it was then she noticed she was also shaking. Kate wanted to step forward into Kono’s arms and have her hold her until the shaking stopped, but knew she couldn’t. Her ribs were starting to throb in earnest although she didn’t think they were painful enough to be broken. She had broken a couple of ribs before and this was nowhere near that level of pain.
“Um…” Kate started and then stopped because she could feel the adrenaline that was coursing through her system quickly turning into what felt like a precursor to a panic attack. Looking around, she noticed they were surrounded by a large crowd of people, she was scared that if she tried to answer she would completely break down. Instead she just shook her head.
Kono seemed to understand because she said, “Come on, I’ll take you down to Five-O and you can give your statement there.”
Kate nodded. She would use the time in the car to get herself together. She was to be reinstated to NCIS in less than a month. And if she fell apart now, what did that say about her preparedness to be an agent again?
As they made their way to the car they picked up her purse and phone, which thankfully had survived the fall without a crack.
~NCIS/H50~
Kate stared out of the inner office window into the hall as she waited for the Kono to return. It had taken them around twenty minutes to get back to Five-O headquarters, and by that time Kate had calmed herself down enough to give her statement. She had managed it by pulling her NCIS persona over herself like a shield, pushing aside all of the anxiety and fear to be looked over later. Kono had then shown her into her office and said she would return shortly. She had seemed to want to say more, but in the end had just shook her head and had given Kate’s hand a brief squeeze before she had left.
As she waited, Kate contemplated what had happened after her takedown of Morris. What had surprised her the most was how strong her fear had been at seeing that gun pointed at her. It wasn’t the first time by a long shot that she had been in that position, and you always felt fear. That was when the training took over, that’s why they train as hard and often as they do, so that when the time comes you instinctively know what to do.
So what was different? Maybe she was rusty? Or maybe because this was the first time she’d faced a gun since she had been shot? Was it because now she knew that only a twist of fate and a shift in the wind had saved her life that day? That nothing she or the others had done had been able to stop that bullet from coming for her. It had been a fluke. That no matter how good she, or Gibbs, or Tony, were it was never going to be a guarantee that some criminal or terrorist might not one day get the upper hand.
Maybe the whole incident had messed her up more than she had realized.
Kate snapped out of her thoughts at the sound of her foot tapping on the floor as her knee nervously bounced up and down. Standing abruptly, she started a slow walk around the office, paying particular attention to the photos on the walls. Along one wall was Kono’s diploma and certificate from the police academy, with accompanying photos with the various family members who were in attendance.
Then she took a peek at the photos Kono kept on her desk. One was an older one featuring a young smiling Kono, hair wet and slicked back, wearing a wetsuit and holding up a surfing medal. She was bracketed by two older people who were visibly proud, and were probably her mom and dad. The photo next to that one was a wedding party photo at what must have been a Chin and Malia’s wedding. Kono was stunning in her bridesmaid’s dress. Kate picked up the last one. It was a candid shot of the Five-O group standing together in a circle. Danny was obviously telling a funny story, his arms a bit blurry as they were in motion. Kono’s head was thrown back in laughter, and she was luminous. There was such a warmth and vitality to her in that moment.
Staring at Kono’s photo Kate felt a revelation slip over her. She could’ve died today. What would she have regretted more? Loving a smart, kind, and beautiful woman like Kono, even knowing it couldn’t lead anywhere or never taking that chance?
Just then Kono walked into the office, and Kate put the photo back on the desk feeling herself blush at getting caught being noisy. She murmured a soft, “Sorry.”
Kono gave her an amused smile as she waved away her apology. She stood next to Kate looking at the photo, and said, “That was a great day. Danny was telling the most ridiculous tall tale, about his run in with some mythological creature called the Jersey Devil.”
Kate could feel the warmth coming off Kono as she stood close to her. When there eyes met and held, Kate knew what she wanted and from the look in Kono’s eyes, Kate felt a tine spark of hope that they may be on the same page. She found herself almost unconsciously leaning towards the other woman and she couldn’t help notice as Kono glanced oh so briefly at her mouth.
Softly, Kate started to say, as she leaned ever closer, “Kono I was thinking…”
At that moment, Chin leaned in around the doorway and said, “Hey Kono, I need your help…”
Kate and Kono jumped apart like two teenagers who had been caught necking.
Chin looked back and forth between them both and then cleared his throat. “Um sorry… Kono can you help me with something? It will only take a few minutes.”
In an overly bright tone Kono answered, “Sure.” Then turning back to Kate said with a tinge of regret in her voice, “I’ll be right back and then we can go to dinner.”
Kate, feeling the moment slipping away, said, in a causal tone that belied the disappointment she felt, “No problem. I’ll be here.”
Chapter Three
This entry was originally posted at https://under-the-silk-tree.dreamwidth.org/72605.html