A/N: This is the Sequel to No Ice In Paradise, as requested by many of my readers. I hope you enjoy this beginning and stay tuned for more to come in the next few days.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, except for Kat, and even then I probably shouldn't!

I love when a story just writes itself and somehow this one had decided to do that. I hadn't been thinking of this sequel, (I have two other H50 stories that I started and was getting ready to post, but they are now on the back burner for this story), I was stumped as to what I would write, and then all of a sudden Nine lives of Kat Smith called out to me. So yes, most of the story will focus on who the OC character was and how she became who she was before her murder. It will also have some twists and turns in it. Big desisions and a little suprise because help is coming from a very odd place. Plus, because I was asked for Steve and/or Danny whumpage, I am going to try and please all of the angsy gods that are out there. So this should prove to be a nice little adventure to send out Favorite Four on, I hope it lives up to expectations!

So I hope you like it. I hope to hear from you all and thanks for reading!

Chapter 1: The Sanctity of Life

The sun shone brightly, the sweet smell of the hibiscus flowers mixed with the sharp saltiness of the ocean spiced the tropical Hawaiian air as the solemn call of a bugle sang out over the early morning hour. It was a beautiful day, but it really felt like it shouldn't have been.

Steve McGarrett, clothed in his full dress uniform, stood silently, solemnly, as men, women and children of all ages mourned around him. To his right, his partner and best friend, Danny Williams stood just as regally in full dress uniform as well. Danny was silent, an odd occurrence for the New Jersey native, but appropriate for the setting.

It had been a tough week for the Five-O crew. The sudden death of Katherine (Kat) Smith through Danny into action and proved to Steve that even under extreme pressure there wasn't anyone else that he would want at his side. The initial ruling and investigation by police had ruled Kat's death a suicide, but Steve knew better and Danny proved it. The Detective walked into the crime scene with determination, found the discrepancies and over turned the initial assumptions. Katherine Smith would now have, at least, died with respect and dignity. She deserved more than the pauper's burial that came with the disgrace that could have been put upon her. Steve and Danny made sure she was given every right and every honor that any law enforcement agent would have gotten. She was after all a bounty hunter and much respected bondswoman. Kat had studied to be a police office, had worked with James McGarrett, but had decided to do things her own way. She was a tough, strict, woman, with a very wise spirit and she deserved to be remembered for it. She deserved respect even now, and so here they stood among men and women of all walks of life who had been touched by Kat and her goodness.

To McGarrett's left stood the beautiful child of Hawaii, Detective Kono Kalakaua, dressed in her full dress uniform as well, and adding to the stateliness of the trio that seemed to preside over the gathering. The Five-O taskforce had quickly begun to establish their reputation within the state of Hawaii, and became a symbol of the change that they had vowed to bring to the islands in the wake of so much crime and corruption. Danny, Kono and Steve were only three members of the crew that had become an icon, a symbol of good deeds and relentless passion in the face of crime and corruption. They were well known; recognized for their achievements and publicly praised by so many that it was almost shocking to see them among the gathered mourners. They had become true leaders held in high esteem and had worked to publicly and privately clear up what had happened to Kat. Steve had made a public announcement when the case had changed in their favor. He spoke passionately about all of the good that Kat had done and how Hawaii had lost an asset and a gem of their society to the violence that had taken her life. Again, at the press conference Danny, Chin and Kono stood behind him, supporting his decision to speak out and echoed his resolved to bring those responsible for Kat's death to justice. They now found themselves mourning and protecting the innocent that came out in droves to pay their respects to a woman well loved by many and hated by a select few.

Standing like statues on guard, the Five-O watched as the casket was processed into the cemetery where the final member of their crew could be found. Chin Ho Kelly walked at the back left side of the casket, it resting on his shoulder as the bugle called and the tropical birds led them onward to where Kat would be laid to rest. Chin had been a member of her team, before he had come to the Five-O task force, and as one of her 'boys' it was only fitting that he would be one of the pallbearers at her funeral. The week had been tough and trying for the quite Hawaii native. He had stepped back from the investigation, which was being run by the other members of his team, and spent his time in mourning for the family and friends of one of his most trusted and greatest allies. Kat had always believed in him, trusted him and he owed her his life. The least he could do, was publicly show his devotion to the woman and mourn with those whom he had helped with both Kat and his three other team members.

When the casket was settled and the priest had come forward to say his portion of the funeral burial pray, Chin joined his team and stood beside Danny, his eyes ever locked in the place where he would leave one of his best friends. Chairs were lined up among the rows of markers as people from all walks of life listened and waited. The American flag was draped over the casket, the flowers were all indigenous to the islands and leis of all kind adorned the final resting place for one Katherine Smith. Kat, in her life, had adopted the true spirit of Aloha and was now receiving her final blessings by those who loved her. It was quite in the wake of her passing, sadness was all around them and questions loomed, but most of all they mourned for a woman whom two of the four Five-O's had only just met and for whom they had all become very fond. Kat had touched their hearts, now they were determined to find her killer.

Steve and his team stood for hours, as the procession of people who had come to mourn, paid their respects and left the brilliance of the beautiful day to continue on in sadness in their own way. Steve could not bring himself to leave while there were still people that needed to know that he and his team were on the case. Something had struck a chord with him and although he hardly knew Kat, she had made the vital connection with him that had captured his devotion and respect. She had worked with his father, had been apart of his previous cases and had spoken so highly of the man whom Steve had not been able to know in his later life, that Steve McGarrett had been easily captured by her spell. She had only begun to tell him stories of his father. She had hinted at his personality that the two men shared, had given Steve a glimpse into the man he, himself, was becoming because of his connection with his father. There had been so much promise of truths in knowing Kat, but now she was gone, and Steve would have to put together the pieces without her.

On the morning of her death, a package had arrived at the Five-O office. Another of their friends had brought it, and he too had been touched by the goodness and justness of Katherine Smith. Kamekona had followed his orders, just as Kat had when she was given the package by Steve's father. There were case materials in the box that lead them not in the path that they had assumed but another case had come out of the wood work and now it was in Steve's hand. With the package came a letter, the letter was written by Kat and read thusly:

Steven,

Your father trusted me with this case, a case that has to be investigated in ways that are outside regular channels. Answers to this case have always been elusive and they have ways of doing much damage to those who look into them. If you are reading this, then you already know the damage that this case can do. I trust you now with the secrets your father had been keeping for many years, and hope that my involvement in this case does not corrupt your ideas of your father or of myself. I believe in justice, and I think you know that, but sometimes those who seek justice can be corrupted. Be careful, Steven. Trust that you know where to find the answers and that the people that you have surrounded yourself with can help you. I wish I could tell you more, but my time is drawing to an end. I wish I could have known you better, but we all must make sacrifices.

Kat

The case in question had gone neglected while the investigation loomed over Kat's death. All of their energy had gone into that investigation and had proved, to many people, just how determined and expertly trained the Five-Os were.

Some how, deep down, every one of the Five-O members knew that both cases were connected; that they were all involved now and that they would find the truths among the packs of lies that sat waiting for them. For now, as they waited in solemn silence for the mourners to pass on from the grave site, each of the Five-O pondered their own involvement in the case that was awaiting their attention, and what they were willing to do in the name of justice.