"Chin was engaged and he never said anything!" exclaimed Steve.

"Imagine how surprised I was the other night when we met his fiancée at Governor Jameson's party. It's like…he's my friend…we work together and I didn't even know he was once engaged," continued Steve.

"Correction. Ex-Finacee," said Danny, laughing at his imitation of Malia's friend, making Steve smile in amusement and forgetting his huff that Chin didn't tell him about Malia.

"I didn't know about it either so don't feel so bad," continued Danny.

"What? Malia was there? Does this mean they're back together?" exclaimed Kono.

"I don't think so… she ran out when she saw him, and he ran after her…something like you see in the movies," said Danny casually.

"She really knows how to play her cards," said Kono in a hostile tone.

"I take it, you don't like her so much, do you?" put in Steve.

Kono made a face and sighed. "She was the best… I love her…until she left Chin during the IA investigation."

Suddenly, the group scrambled to their feet and feigned working on their respective business when Chin's somewhat haggard appearance stepped inside the Five-O headquarters.

Chin greeted them a good morning and the trio flashed Chin their over zealous smile and over cheerful 'hello' like the highschool mean girls gossiping about a fellow student who suddenly came out of nowhere and sat beside them in the cafeteria.

Chin would have noticed that something was odd, except that he fell asleep on the swinging bench at Malia's porch waiting for her to come home. His back and legs hurt fitting his long frame on the swinging bench.

He only managed a quick shower before dashing off to the Five-O office. He eyed Danny and Steve's desks, hoping they had something to munch on. He found some cocoa puffs on Danny's desk and gestured that he'll get some.

Danny gave him a head's up and smiled.

"You look tired Chin, my boy. Somebody kept you up all night," teased Danny.

"I wish…" Chin laughed before opening the filing cabinet to take out some files.

When Steve and Kono were out of earshot Danny patted his back and asked about Malia in a secretive manner.

"After we rescued Dr. Russell and restored order yesterday, I waited for Malia in front of her house but she never came home last night," said Chin in disappointment.

"Why didn't you go to the hospital instead? You know very well she will be busy helping the patients settle back at Honolulu Hospital."

"I know…but I didn't want to talk to her there…I could strangle her infuriating and meddlesome best friend."

Danny laughed. "All best friends are. They wouldn't be called best friend if they were not constantly poking their noses into their friend's business."

Chin sighed in dismay. For a moment he looked older and absolutely devastated.

"Malia's been avoiding me. I think she doesn't want anything to do with me..." Chin confided in Danny.

Danny flashed him his pretty boy smile, his bonny blue eyes twinkling in mischief and optimism.

"I'll tell you just how you can get Malia to talk to you. You said she's avoiding you. Now, with this, she can't avoid you and she has no choice but to attend to you. And if you play your cards right, you'll have her back in your arms in no time."

Danny whispered the plan on Chin's ear and Chin smiled in amusement at Danny's silly and somewhat dramatic suggestion.

"Don't laugh. Have you got something better in mind?" asked Danny.

"No," said Chin honestly.

"Then this is your best shot. Women go gaga over their guy's crazy antics," smiled Danny.

Chin hesitated for a brief moment before pushing the entrance of the emergency room at the hospital. He felt somewhat guilty that he may take away the nurses' time from attending to those who were really sick but then again Danny convinced him that this was an emergency too. He was bound to lose Malia for good if he kept buying his sweet time.

Relief surged through him when he discovered the emergency room was deserted except for three people who didn't look like they were in a dire life and death situation.

"May I help you?" asked a rotund no-nonsense nurse.

"Uhmm…I would like to confine myself in a private room, please," said Chin matter-of-factly.

"Sir! This is neither a hotel nor a resort. Our rooms are for people who are sick," said the nurse in indignation.

"But I am sick. I my head is throbbing… I think I have aneurism…" Chin started coughing and gasping for breath.

"I've got a heart problem too...a grave heart problem and I can't breathe…"

The nurse looked at him skeptically. "You want us to run some tests?"

Chin started writhing in pain. "Yes, please. And I need a room badly so I can rest."

"Alright. Wait here while I get Dr. Crawford…"

"No. Get Dr. Waincroft…" said Chin, still trying to look as pitiful as possible.

"Dr. Waincorft is at the pediatric unit. You need a general practitioner to look at you and Dr. Crawford will do just fine…"

"No! I need my own doctor. Dr. Waincroft…" insisted Chin before collapsing on the floor.

The nurse panicked and called for a stretcher to bring Chin to his private room.

"Alright. Alright! I'll call for her," said the nurse.

Chin was toying with his thin hospital gown and smiling in amusement as he lay alone on his soft hospital bed. He felt silly wearing something so flimsy and he couldn't believe how loose and open it was at the back. He pushed the button to put his bed upright before reaching out for a glass of water.

He heard the door open and he looked up in anticipation.

"Malia?" he called.

To his disappointment it was not her but a male doctor holding a clipboard.

"I'm Dr. Crawford. How are you feeling, Mr. Kelly?" he asked, consulting his chart.

"I'm feeling much better now. Thank you. I just need to see my own doctor, Dr. Malia Waincroft."

The doctor smiled in amusement. "Do you have cancer?"

"What?" Chin asked in confusion. "No," he answered without thinking.

The amusement in the doctor's eyes deepened.

"I thought so. Your heart rate is normal, your lungs are clear. Your blood test doesn't show anything alarming… you seem to be in perfect health Mr. Kelly. Malia's patients are only either stricken with cancer or children 12 years and under, and unless there is something wrong with my eyesight, you don't look 12 years old to me, Mr. Kelly…"

To Chin's chagrin, Goldilocks came into the room.

"Dr. Crawford, the nurse told me someone's asking for Malia. She's on her way here. She just needed to check on some…"

Stacy's voice trailed off as she saw Chin, her eyebrows lifted as she eyed Chin, a sneer forming in her lips like a teacher catching a student in a lie.

"Well, well, don't you look smashing in your hospital gown, Mr. Kelly," she said sarcastically.

She must admit she had never seen a man looking so hot in a hospital gown. There aught to be rules about giving gowns that display a man's beautiful physique.

"You know him, Stacy? I'll leave Mr. Kelly in your hands then. I still need to attend to other patients. So long Mr. Kelly. Malia is on her way," he said casually.

As soon as Dr. Crawford left, Stacy and Chin stared at each other like roosters in a cockfight.

"Twisting Malia around your finger again I see…"

"Stay out of this, Stacy. You don't know anything! I love Malia and I'm going to get her back whether you like it or not," yelled Chin in open hostility.

"Okay so you want to play rough… just a minute…"

Stacy left the room for a couple of minutes and when she came back she had a nurse with an IV and a bottle of dextrose.

"Everyone who's sick needs an IV, Mr. Kelly. It will help you gain your strength back," said Stacy in a kind and reassuring tone Chin knew she used when talking to kids. Chin pitied the kids if they only knew their doctor was Cruella Deville incarnate.

Stacy wouldn't kill him…would she? Chin crossed his fingers but didn't flinch as the nurse inserted the IV on his left hand.

Chin thought the worse was over but as soon as the nurse left, Stacy produced an enormous injection from her coat pocket.

"You're not going to scare me away. Not in a million years…"

"Who's says I'm trying to scare you. I just want your cards on the table so Malia knows what she's getting into…"

Before Chin could ask what she meant, Stacy poked the needle in his arm.

In a few minutes Chin was starting to feel groggy but he was doing his best to fight the overwhelming feeling to let go. He didn't want to lose control of his faculties.

"Let's see you get out of that one…" she smiled.

"You're not getting away with this. What was that…"

The last thing Chin saw before things started becoming hazy was Stacy's impish grin, looking every bit like Cruella Deville. He wanted to yell at her that she won't be invited to their wedding even if Malia begged him.

"Stacy…who was that…"

The room suddenly burst open as Malia stepped inside. The sight of Chin looking so helpless and vulnerable on the bed welled her up into a panic she almost dropped her things on the floor.

"Chin!" she cried, rushing over to his side, touching his face just to make sure he was conscious.

Despite his intoxication, Chin knew it was Malia beside him, touching him lovingly... soothing him with gentle words. Her all too familiar scent pervading his senses. It was paradise.

He smiled and said, "I love you, Malia, baby."

"What's wrong? What happened to him? Was he drunk driving?" she asked Stacy.

Stacy just shrugged nonchalantly, looking innocent.

"How can you be so calm? This is my fiancée…"

"Ex" uttered Stacy, rolling her eyes.

"Relax. He's fine!" said Stacy when Malia gave her a displeased expression.

Malia examined the chart at the foot of Chin's bed.

"Stacy, he's in perfect health. No dextrose is necessary and there's no notation here that he was given one then why in heaven's name does he have an IV attached to him?" Malia yelled.

"Relax. It's only for rehydration. Nothing harmful…"

Malia purposefully took out Chin's IV and carefully swabbed the puncture with cotton and alcohol before putting a Bugs Bunny designed medicated plaster she took from her coat pocket.

"You love him very much, don't you?" asked Stacy gently.

With tears clouding her eyes, she nodded her head. "I tried to stop loving him, Stace, but I just can't…"

Stacy gave Malia a tight understanding hug.

"Everything will be fine, you'll see," reassured Stacy.

Malia repeatedly ran her manicured hands through Chin's hair as though her touch would miraculously make him well.

"I love you, Malia. Please don't leave me…" muttered Chin.

"Why is Chin looking so groggy if you only gave him glucose and salt?" wondered Malia.

Guilt displayed all over Stacy's face.

"I…I… want him to be honest…I gave him a little 'truth serum'" explained Stacy, biting her lips, waiting for Malia's outburst.

Malia was outraged.

"Stacy! How could you? You hypodermically gave Chin a dose of hyoscine hydrobromide!"

"I did it for you," explained Stacy.

"Stace, do you want your medical license revoked? Why are you giving a patient so many unnecessary drugs!" scolded Malia.

"It's not a harmful dosage, I promise. I just don't want to see you get hurt. Go talk to him. It's going to wear out in a few minutes," said Stacy.

Malia just couldn't stay mad at Stacy. She had always been there for her. She hugged her tightly. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to interrogate Chin. His total honesty and vulnerability will never happen again.

"Promise me, you'll never drug Chin again...ever!"

Stacy gave Malia a scout's honor.

"Come on, try it. Ask him something. I know you're dying to," giggled Stacy.

"Chin, honey, are you alright?" asked Malia.

Chin flashed a smile of total abandon. "I am now. I was devastated. I thought you would never talk to me again but now that you're here…so beautiful and lovingly caring for me, I'm more than alright."

Stacy couldn't suppress a giggle at Chin's mushy words. "It's working alright. I don't think macho man here ever uttered anything maudlin."

Malia laughed with her too but gave her friend a look that says she should leave the room before she hears anything more incriminatingly personal.

"Alright, alright. I'll leave you two to your privacy."

"Lock the door, Goldilocks. I don't want any intrusion," called out Chin.

After Stacy left, Malia moved closer to Chin's bedside, taking his left hand with the Bugs Bunny band aid into hers.

She looked intently into his eyes, those almond-shaped eyes, the color of the night-smoldering and intimidating but how lovely they lit up when he smiled, changing him from a no-nonsense cop to a cheerful little boy you want to hug.

"Have you ever thought of me after you …left…?"

Chin's expression became solemn.

"Everyday…every waking moment I think of you. Convincing myself, that leaving you was for the best, but deep down…I knew it was the biggest mistake I've ever done."

"Why didn't you ever call? I never stopped waiting," said Malia, trying to control the tears forming in her eyes.

"I don't know…every time I tried, I end up putting the phone down…but god knows how many times I've tried but I was so ashamed to face you… I don't have anything to offer you but my bad name."

"Is that why you didn't call me after we met at the hospital, you still don't think you're good enough… or was it because of LauraHills? Do you love her, Chin?" Malia asked, dreading the answer she might hear.

She knew it could hurt but she had to know, she must know.

Chin stared at her in confusion. "Why are you bringing up Laura's name? She's only an acquaintance. No woman ever came close to how I feel about you, Malia."

Chin's voice was gradually getting steadier. The drug was starting to wear off.

"There's been no one after you…and I'm not and will never be interested in any woman but you."

"Oh Chin, I love you…"

She laid her cheek on his hand that had a Bugs Bunny plaster, her hands tightly clasping his, letting her tears flow at Chin's tender words.

After a few moments, Chin's free hand started running through her locks ever so gently. She knew the drug had finally worn off. She remained quiet, letting Chin touch her, letting herself enjoy the warmth of his presence. She never wanted to live another moment without him.

His fingers running through her hair suddenly stopped and touched her cheek, his fingers tracing the dampness left by her tears.

"Don't cry, Malia," he whispered tenderly.

Malia stood up and dried her tears haphazardly with the back of her hand.

"I'm not crying. I just got a little worried…I thought you were sick," she gave a little laugh.

Chin sat up straight and gave her a flirtatious smile.

"I was…but not anymore. Having you near me is all the medicine I need."

Chin was back to his old self-assured self again.

"You sure are a smooth talker, Chin Ho Kelly, with or without the hyoscine hydrobromide," she laughed.

"What's that?" asked Chin.

"You wouldn't want to know," she laughed.

"Hey… where's my IV. I know your blasted friend stuck an IV in my vein…"

"I took it out…"

"Oh…I thought I was hallucinating. I thought I was imagining you beside me…holding my hand…taking care of me. I'm so glad that when things stopped being hazy you didn't vanish…"

"I'm not going to vanish, Chin…"

"Of course, you're not because I'm not going to let you."

Effortlessly, Chin dragged her onto the bed beside him, taking her into his arms and nibbling little kisses on her jaw before planting little kisses down her neck.

"Chin! What are you doing? I'm going to lose my job," she protested mildly, laughing as she pushed Chin's naughty hands that were fumbling on the buttons of her dress beneath the coat.

"I've missed you so much, Mal…" he whispered before crushing her lips with his own with fierce hunger.

A low moan of pleasure escaped her throat. It's been a long time since Chin kissed her. She knew she should protest, it was an inappropriate place but his kiss tasted like iced cold lemonade in a hot summer's day that she terribly needed. She remembered how she loved the feel of his lips and his hands all over her…

Malia gasped as Chin's warm and insistent fingers started sliding up beneath her dress, jolting her to remember their compromising position. Her hand stopped his before they can get any further but his kiss was so deep she couldn't utter a protest even if she wanted to…and she needed to… but she was helpless beneath his touch.

It was futile gently pushing his chest to remind him to stop because Chin wouldn't budge. It's been so long… he wanted her…and no one is going to stop her from indulging into her sweetness, not even her sense of propriety. He caught both her hands to prevent her from pushing him away.

Chin gracefully shifted and pinned her beneath him on the bed, her hands pinioned above her head before she knew what was happening.

"Chin!" she cried, unsure what she was begging for.

"Let me love you, Malia…" he whispered fervently.

Malia knew she couldn't deny him anything. She buried her hands in his thick dark hair as she returned his kiss with equal fervor. Her fingers running down his muscular back told Chin she was not going to stop him.

Together they reached the heights of eternal bliss in total abandon, oblivious to anything and everything except the overwhelming love they have for each other.

As the rapture of their love subsided, they were jerked back into reality by the loud pounding on the door, interrupted by Stacy's angry voice.

Loud arguing voices emerged from outside the door as Chin immediately helped Malia back into her dress and white coat, careful not to cause any creases that would give away what transpired.

He brushed her hair with his fingers in haste, making sure she was all set before righting his gown and snuggling back inside his blanket.

In no time, Malia rushed to pull the door wide open.

"What is all this commotion about?" she asked authoritatively.

She was surprised to find Stacy, several nurses, and two doctors assigned to the floor debating quite heatedly.

"Dr. Waincroft, is everything alright? The emergency button of this room was blaring continuously at the nurses' station but when they rushed to attend to the patient they found the door locked. They've been knocking for twenty minutes…" said the older male doctor who was a consultant.

"That was very alarming. The patient could have been dying…grasping for breath," put in the younger male doctor.

"I told you everything was fine," scolded Stacy, glaring at the younger doctor.

"We were arguing if we should call the police or break the door down but Stacy insisted we were over reacting…"

Malia gave her friend a look of gratitude which Stacy silently acknowledged.

"Didn't you hear us knocking?" glared the younger doctor.

"I'm sorry. The patient was having a cardiac arrest…. I was reviving him and couldn't rush to open the door. I didn't know the door was locked to begin with," she explained, crossing her fingers none of them would dispute her claim.

Malia gave a deep sigh of relief when the two doctors and the nurses left.

"Oh god, this is insane" she sighed, burying her face in her hands before massaging her temples to assuage her headache before returning back to the room.

They found Chin grinning form ear to ear. He heard every word from the open door. He didn't want to embarrass Malia, in fact he felt awful that she should be subjected to an awkward position right after such a beautiful, wonderful moment they shared.

He should at least try to look worried…and sorry… but he couldn't. He was still in a state of ultimate bliss that he cannot feign any other emotion. He had never felt so great in years.

Chin's cheery and euphoric disposition was a give-away.

"That better be worth the trouble, Malia," teased Stacy.

"Please, not now Stace…" she managed, still dazed in confused.

Chin got up from bed and drew her in his arms, kissing her hair and rubbing her back to comfort her from the scary confrontation with the other doctors.

"Malia, baby, it's okay. Don't fret..."

But he was in such bliss that he couldn't help bursting into a big smile.

"It's not going down on your record," he joked.

Chin's cheerfulness was infectious that Malia's lips curled into a smile.

"Stop joking, Chin. I felt like a kid sent to the principal's office," she said, trying to act upset.

"I can't believe we both didn't notice we were weighing down on the emergency button. I don't know with you but I don't think I would have noticed even if the entire hospital came crushing down on my back," he kidded.

Malia slapped his shoulder playfully when she noticed Stacy blushed at Chin's remark.

"Too much info," she scolded before turning to thank her friend.

"Thank you, Stace..."

"Of course…I wouldn't let them burst into the room, not when you and prince charming had just reconciled," she smiled.

"You, Goldilocks, are back in the guest list," said Chin matter-of-factly, giving her a playful punch, hostility totally gone.

"Guest List?" asked Stacy in confusion.

"Yes, the guest list for our wedding next month," said Chin, taking Malia into his arms once again.