A/N: This was supposed a one shot. It came out a little (a lot) longer than I have anticipated. So basically, it will be divided into 3 parts. Sorry...

Disclaimer: I own nothing. The characters and everything else you might recognize belong to CBS...

I have developed a cautious optimism lately about the show. You know, with Kono being more active, and after seeing her working with Steve more... Probably a mistake, though. They will probably ruin it at the end, and I'll have it all blown right in my face... well, can't blame me for trying...

Thank you quisinart4 for the last push to do this before I go on vacation. You actually make a perfect imitation of my boss...

Hope you'll like this one. Please tell me what you think.

"Of course you're not pathetic, sweetie" Malia tells her for the sixth time in the last hour "you're an awesome, strong and independent woman, with a remarkable career, who is extremely appreciated and respected by anyone who knows her."

"In other words, and especially judging by this highly exaggerated and unfounded list of qualities you'd recited" Kono looks at her with disdain "I'm totally pathetic."

"You're dedicated" Malia says again, her smile never fades. The woman is relentless. Kono wonders, what the hell did Chin ever find in this stubborn and quite obviously, poor judge of character, young wife of his.

"I have no life" she whines. She's been trying to make this point for an hour now, sitting with Malia on the beach, munching on shaved ice, in the middle of what miraculously turns out to be her first day off in over a month. The girl is hopeless. She can't get into her sweet little head that all Kono wants at this point, is someone to agree with her, when she's busy explaining just how ridiculous her life is.

"You have a wonderful life" Malia continues to contradict her. For crying out loud, she's not even listening.

"No I don't" she stands up in front of her "I work twelve hours a day with three guys, who are practically as needy and whiny as... well... as any three guys can be. I have no off times, I work weekends and holidays, I'm always on call. I have no friends, no social life to speak of, and the only people I see are the same needy and whiny guys I work with... for god's sakes, I haven't had a date in more than six months, and even then, it was cut in the middle, because of a god damn case."

"You have friends..." Malia says automatically, but to her credit, she doesn't sound that convinced anymore.

"I have you" Kono spits in irritation, sitting back next to Malia on the beach mat "and you work 60 hours a week, too. We hardly meet. Or talk. And anyway, you don't even count because we're practically related, so you have to be nice to me..." she crosses her arms on her chest, shaking her head in astonishment at her poor, pathetic life.

"Is this all about a date?" Malia asks carefully, watching Kono's bowed head in surprise. "Because I can probably hook you up with someone..." she muses "maybe someone from work or..."

"It's not about a date" she snorts "and believe me, you don't want to make someone you like date me. I mean, not with my schedule..."

"You're lonely" Malia offers gently, putting her hand on Kono's shoulder. "You want someone to love you, and hang out with you, and wait for you at home when you get back. You want someone to go to the beach with you, and to send you flowers, and say that you're pretty and sweet, and..."

"No I don't" Kono raises her head, and looks at Malia with an annoyed expression "I don't have time for something like that. Besides, you know what will happen if I'd have a boyfriend, Chin will threaten to kill him, because that what he did in the last decade with every guy I dated. Danny will drive me insane after making a fucking list with everything that is wrong with the guy, and Steve... well you know how Steve gonna react to this... I mean, if he'd only suspected someone else has my attention instead of his precious team... I don't think he'd like it one bit... "

"No" Malia says seriously, looking into Kono's eyes "I really don't think Steve will like it. Not at all."

"You see? so I really don't need a relationship or something like that" Kono shakes her head "I only need some... you know..."

"Sex?" Malia looks at her, trying not to laugh "this is all about sex?"

"Yes. Sex!" Kono raises her voice "what's wrong with that? after all, this is a basic human right!"

"Sex is?" Malia looks at her with amusement.

"Yes. Of course it is. I'm a good citizen, I work hard, I pay my taxes, I work for the governor for crying out loud. Is it too much to ask for my rights to be respected? I'm actually considering contacting my congressman about that..."

"The congressman...? why don't you start locally, first?" Malia offers kindly "you know, before you take it to the federal level. You're a bright, sweet, beautiful woman. We both know, you can get any guy you want."

"You think?" she looks at Malia with a doubtful look.

"I'm sure of it."

"You're right" Kono says decisively, after thinking carefully about Malia's words "I can get any guy I want! I'll tell you what, I'm gonna close my eyes now. The first guy who walks by, and sees me, I'm having sex with him. And you know what? I'm having sex with him within a week. Just to keep it interesting."

"Fine" Malia laughs "I'll count to five while you do that. Just... don't ever tell Chin I was on boards with this lunacy, because he'll divorce me on the spot."

"It will be our secret" Kono smiles, before she closes her eyes, sits in a lotus position, and inhales deeply.

"1, 2, 3, 4... 5" Malia counts.

"There you are" she hears Steve's voice from above her "we were looking for you everywhere, what's wrong with your phone? come on, we have to go. We have a new case."

()()()

The fact is, that she is not the one to step away from a challenge. Not the one to back out of a bet. Not the one to blame things on others, or make excuses, when things are not going her way. Most importantly, when she sets her mind on doing something, she is not the one to accepts defeat.

So when she finds herself on the beach with Malia, eyes very much open, and very much watching her impatient and quite annoyed boss, towering above her, she has no other choice but to throw all caution to the wind, and take reality heads on.

She stands up from the beach mat, and sends a warning glare towards Malia, who fails miserably when she tries not to laugh. She puts her hands on her hips, and runs her eyes all over his tall and muscular body. She have already seen him shirtless, she can definitely do much worse than him.

"Remember, you have a week" Malia calls after her when she and Steve are making their way to his truck. Little miss goody two shoes, sounds much more enthusiastic than she's supposed to, if you ask her.

"What does she mean, you have week?" Steve asks her curiously.

"It's nothing" she dismisses "just an inside joke. You should have probably been there."

"What's wrong with her, anyway?" he asks again, looking back at Malia who is jumping up and down, still laughing, and waving happily at them.

"Heat shock probably" Kono mumbles, pulling him by the arm "will you stop staring, and move on already? we're on a schedule here..."

()()()

She takes a look at her watch when she climbs to the truck with Steve, it's Sunday, 11 AM. She looks at him with concentration, knowing - by eleven o'clock next Sunday, she'll have him as a notch on her belt, or die trying. He looks at her with a questioning look, seeing the strange way she watches every move he makes.

"What?" he asks in obvious unease.

"Nothing, for now" she frowns "just... never mind, just tell me about the case."

()()()

She is so absorbed with the case, she hardly has a sense of the time running out. By the time they make enough progress, and even the way too intense and overly dedicated boss of hers decides it's time to call it a night and wrap it up for the day, it's already eight PM. When she looks at her watch, and sees him in his office, turning the computer off, and grabs a few of his things, she realizes she actually didn't made a single move in her chess game. She tells herself that her first obligation is for her work. That she can't let her competitive personality, and her desire to prove a point to Malia, interfere with hunting criminals and solving crimes, but when she hears Steve says he expects them all to be there, first thing tomorrow morning, after working through Sunday, She suddenly thinks about her empty kitchen, and deserted, lonely apartment, so she takes a deep breath, and goes to Danny's office, in order to start implement plan A.

Plan A - Sunday night - the lower boundaries assumption

It takes her almost ten solid minutes to get Danny on board. The guy give a fair fight, she'll give him that. He is tired, and still resentful about missing another weekend with Grace, and by the end of his long and detailed rant, she can even start, possibly, see his point. She has no time to waste on his pathetic arguments though, she's on a mission, so he'll have to agree. She has to promise to do his paperwork, to give him three extra free surfing lessons, and to take Grace on a swimsuit shopping expedition, in order to get him to say yes. He goes to Steve's office, sending her a curious look behind his back, she only smiles at him innocently, and tells him to keep going, when he does. He is a very persuasive guy, and he knows exactly where to push, because he gets Steve and Chin to agree to go have some drinks together, in two fucking minutes.

()()()

They sit in a bar having drinks, and she can't help but count every sip he takes. The guy is the most pathetic drinker she'd seen in a million years. It's practically unnerving, because he's drinking so slowly, she has no idea how she'll ever be able to make him drink enough, for him to shed his carefully placed boundaries, and his sense of control. She has to, you see, because if not, he'll start analyzing and assessing everything they do, and it's really not gonna serve her purpose in getting him to bed. Besides, she is doing enough analyzing about this herself, so it will have to cover the both of them... She's not carzy, after all, she has her reservations, and her doubts, and her fears about what she is about to do, too. Maybe this is why she is drinking a little too much than she should, as she's watching him like a hawk, laughing with Danny and Chin. Well, maybe a lot more than she should...

()()()

Chin leaves first. He throws some bills on the table and goes home to Malia. She smiles at him in appreciation, starting to feel a bit hazy, after all the beers and wine she consumed. Danny leaves soon after, saying something about going to see Grace, in the morning, before coming to work. When she looks at her boss beside her, and counts only two fucking beer bottles in front of him, she has a bad feeling, that things are not going to work... She probably makes the head movement a little too fast, because she has this awful wave of nausea, that comes at her like a train, she sends a quick terrified look towards him, and runs out of the bar.

()()()

He finds her crouching outside, near the parking lot, after throwing up her guts out. He hands her a bottle of water, and holds her arm when she tries to drink it, hopefully, without dropping on the ground. She tries to avoid his piercing blue eyes, she knows he's pissed, and possibly... disappointed? by her pathetic display of lack of control. He sends a tentative hand, and moves the hair away from her cold clammy forehead, and says "When you're ready, I'll take you home."

She looks up at him, and instead of the expected furious glare, she sees a softer, inquisitive look. She bites her lower lip in regret, and tries to ignore the little tag she has in her stomach, when he still holds her arm, and even smiles at her. His supportive and caring behavior, is actually much much worse...

()()()

They drive to her house in silence. She's still dizzy, and nauseated, and everything is still spinning around her. When they pull in front of the house, he goes around the car and helps her climb out.

"Where's the key?" he asks quietly, when they reach the front door, at this point she's practically leaning against his broad chest.

"Back pocket" she mumbles, feeling his hand going exactly there, and pushing against her jeans.

He helps her inside, but it looks like her wobbly walk is way too slow for his level of comfort, because he picks her up in an instant, and carries her effortlessly to her bedroom. How the hell does he know where it is? oh well, he was here once before, probably made his usual perimeter check when she wasn't looking. He can be very annoying like that, she tells herself, raising her head, and watching his muscular arm holding her legs. He can be very, very, very annoying... she thinks to herself again, and just can't help herself from moving her hand, and touch his beautiful neck.

He is obviously surprised by that unexpected touch. Well that makes the two of them, if she's being completely honest. Fortunately, the alcohol in her system, helps her not to care. He hardly drank anything, so he obviously does. He drops her, anything but gently, on her bed, and makes a quick step back, for crying out loud, he's a Navy SEAL, he's supposed to be braver than that... she should tell him exactly what she thinks about his cowardly move, but the bed is so soft, and so comfortable, she just has to lie down, and rest, first... She is already half asleep, while he still stands there, aimlessly, scratching his head in confusion. When he finally moves, she is still awake enough, to feel how he takes off her shoes, and gently removes her jeans.

She is curled up in bed, as he gently puts the covers on top of her, so she could bury her head into the soft pillow, and sleep. The last thing she remembers is his large callous hand, stroking the hair away from her face.

()()()

The next morning she wakes up with a headache from hell. She drinks two cups of coffee, and almost overdoses on Tylenol and Ibuprofen.

When she gets to HQ, wearing her sunglasses, trying to walk in the slower pace possible, that will still get her moving, she hopes no one can tell. She sits in her office, holding her head, hearing in the background the usual morning chatter of her three perfectly composed, and energetic, teammates. Steve is in his usual high alert, and pushy mode, sending them on different assignments. He sticks his head in her office door a minute later, asking "you OK?"

"Perfect" she smiles brightly, but something in the fact that she is still wearing her sunglasses inside, makes him laugh in response.

"When you're alive again" he smiles kindly "I need a full background check on the guy's family."

"Sure..." she is still smiling. So they're not gonna mention last night's fiasco. How lovely and sweet her boss can actually be.

"I said when you're alive..." he says after a few seconds when neither move "but I actually meant... do it now."

Well, maybe she was too generous, he's just a pain in the neck as always. She nods in obedience, but using the smallest head gesture she possibly can. He just smiles and goes to see Danny about something else. OK, so last night was a fucking disaster, there's no way to describe it in a more favorable way. But, she is still a girl with a mission. There's no choice. Moving on to Plan B.

Plan B - Monday night - the family coalition

When she tells Malia what happened, it take seven minutes straight until the girl stops laughing. She puts the phone on speaker, looking at it resentfully, while her laughter goes on and on and on. At last she makes her stop, by making a few whiney comments about her headache, and appealing to her professional side. It's only partially successful, because when she can finally talk to her, she swears, she can hear the damn woman smile...

Malia finally gets a grip, and is able to listen, and even to inquire about Kono's feelings about the whole dreadful thing. But when Kono mentions how mortified she was, when she realized Steve took her pants off, it causes another uncontrolled fit of laughter, and she's almost forced to hang up.

"You really are, and amazing friend" Kono sighs, shaking her head.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry" Malia mumbles quickly. For god sakes, she doesn't even sound like she means it!

"Will you please get a hold of yourself, and listen to the next plan?" Kono continues when there's a rare quiet on the other side of the line "I actually need your help, this time."

"Sure, I'm listening" she hears Malia coughs and tries to get a grip. Again "I'll do whatever you need."

"Good" Kono spits "then invite him to dinner, for me."

"Me?" Malia asks is surprise "I don't want to sleep with him. I have Chin..." for a really smart woman, Malia could be awfully stupid sometimes.

"Invite him, and me to dinner at your house with you and Chin" she explains patiently "it will be like a double date, in a friendly environment, with my family, some good food, in domestic surroundings. He'll be comfortable and relaxed, and while you'll be with Chin, he'll be with me. It will make him think about new possibilities, and I can take it from there..."

"That's actually..." Malia starts, thoughtfully "that's actually sounds pretty good."

"You don't have to sound so surprised" she mumbles.

"But I am" Malia says simply "especially after your last stupid plan..." Yes. Malia can be much too honest for her well being, sometimes.

()()()

Malia does her part meticulously. At eight o'clock, Steve is standing at the door of the Kelly household, wearing a pair of black jeans and button down light blue dress shirt. When Malia lets him in, and kisses him on both cheeks, and making him move with awkwardness at the proccess, she peeks from the kitchen, to watch him. He looks fucking gorgeous. She feels that same tag in the pit of her stomach again. Even so, she tries not to let it get her off track.

()()()

Chin and Steve are sitting at the dining room table, while the girls are in the kitchen finishing with the food. She can hear them talking quietly, and the smell of Malia's famous chicken is wonderful, the atmosphere is precisely what she was aiming for.

"I'm telling you, we shouldn't have waited" she hears Steve say when she and Malia step out of the kitchen "the warrant was redundant, we could have lost him, this way."

"It took us thirty minutes" Chin smiles "we took the time to make a proper arrest. I hate to sound like Danny, but this is the way you actually do police work."

"Here Steve" Malia says, cutting the discussion short "help Kono with the plates, but be careful, its hot." He takes the bowl of soup from her hand, and puts it in front of him without a word "doesn't Kono look nice?" Malia asks in the general direction of the room "she's so beautiful when she wears a dress. You should do it more often, dear."

She looks mortified and Malia. It's true, they talked about trying to present her to Steve in a new light, but there's a difference between a suggested new light, and shoving her forcefully into his face, like that.

"You're beautiful" Chin smiles lovingly at her. There's a high probability, Chin is the best man in the entire world.

Steve only runs his eyes slowly all over her body, makes her feel like she's naked or something, and it takes a few long stressful seconds until he says "I still think we should have just go for it. The guy was a real flight risk. We waited because Danny insisted, but we should have moved earlier, Kono also knows I'm right."

"OK, OK" Malia says while they are all sitting and starting to eat. "No more talking about work. Let's talk about something else."

They all look dumbstruck. Looking thoughtfully at one another. Honestly, nothing comes to mind.

"You gotta be joking" Malia looks at the three of them, stunned " You're all friends. I'm sure you have other things to discuss..."

"I guess the weather is out of the question...?" Kono mumbles sheepishly.

"For god sakes" Malia glares at the three of them, before turning to her guest "Steve, why don't you tell me about yourself. Anything new in your life?"

There's a real possibility it's the first time she ever sees him sacred out if his mind. The terror in his eyes when Malia smiles at him kindly, makes her feel sorry for him immediately. Chin is the best man in the entire world, did she mention that? it's a definite now, because when he sees where this is all going, he bails Steve out.

"If you'll count on Steve to make small talk, you won't get very far" he smiles towards his wife. "I don't think they allow this kind of things in the SEALs."

"They actually don't..." Steve nods in full seriousness.

Malia looks at her young friend pointedly, raising her eyebrow, like she's saying, are you sure you want to sleep with this guy?

()()()

They manage to finish eating in a relatively comfortable way, and with a limited amount of work related topics, to keep Malia happy. By the time they get to dessert, even Steve feel at ease, and volunteers to clear the table and make the coffee.

She goes to help him in the kitchen, and they stand there near the counter loading the dishwasher and chatting easily. He smiles openly, and laughs at her jokes, and she feels like her plan is taking the right course, especially when she finds him looking at her more frequently than before. When they go back to the dining room, and she follows him, and gets a nice view of his jeans clad backside, she can almost imagine herself peeling it off of his prefect body, on his bed...

()()()

It's when they are about to finish their coffee, and she looks at her watch, trying to calculate the time it'll take to make their departure, and get to his home, when Chin mentions his new crossbow gun.

"You have what?" Kono and Steve cries in astonishment. She can practically feel Steve's level of fascination coincides with her plan breaking apart...

"It's a special device" Chin continues obliviously "I bought it especially for my new version of spear fishing."

"You shoot it underwater?" Steve cries "that's fucking amazing. Can I see?"

The two of them go to Chin's garage, and spend forty five fucking minutes, there. She kid you not. When, at last, she goes with Malia, to see what the hell they are still doing there, they find them standing at the work bench and reassembling the equipment in high concentration, and talking about fishing in such an animated conviction, like it's a matter of life or death.

"So, you eliminate all concept of range" Steve says in amazement "it's a completely different level, I mean, with the dive and the movements..."

"True" Chin says in his nonchalant way "we're talking about other types of fish. Quicker and with other swimming patterns."

"We can make it even better" Steve says enthusiastically "we can use night vision goggles and try to get some eels or..."

"You mean like, actually doing night spear fishing?" Chin says thoughtfully "that sounds dangerous, but if we can do it in a deeper current using a..."

"He's out of his mind" Kono says, crossing her arms on her chest seeing her usually level headed cousin, carried away with Steve's crazy ideas.

"Who Steve?" Malia asks in surprise "according to your and Chin's stories, he acts like he always does."

"Not him" Kono huffs "I'm talking about that weak, pathetic husband of yours."

"Chin?" Malia drawls slowly "maybe he's just trying to be nice...?"

"He's totally in to this stupid fishing shit" Kono declares "I can't believe you're actually thinking about having children with him..."

"Weird" Malia mumbles, shaking her head in amazement "I was just thinking... probably no need to hurry with this..."

()()()

She almost falls asleep on Chin and Malia's couch, while she waits to the end of the evening. When the guys are finally done, and she and Steve can finally make their departure, Malia kisses her, and hugs her, and smiles at her sadly. She only shrugs. Nobody can say she didn't try.

When she gets to her car, and waves to him, saying "see you at work, tomorrow" he doesn't answer, and suddenly looks like he's lost for words. She pulls out of the driveway, and heads home. When she looks in the rearview mirror, she sees him still standing there, hands in his pockets, watching her retreating car.

()()()

She gets home, and gets ready for bed. When she lies there in the darkness, she really tries not to be discouraged. She thinks about her two failed attempts, and decides she probably made some basic mistakes. She should have kept him away from potential distractions. Get him in a secured and enclosed location. She falls asleep after having a new idea, tomorrow she'll start working on plan C.

A/N: next time: Plan C - Tuesday night - the home invasion