A/N: I don't know about this one, guys. But it started out, as usual, with a bit I needed to write because it keeps swirling around in my head. And I'm not sure if I should have posted it, but I'm an addict, so here you go. Hopefully it will turn out okay. Not sure how quickly I'll be able to update it. My guess is this will be three chapters. Who knows after that.

Steve parked his truck at the curb and got out to walk the short path up to the modest house. He checked his badge and gun at his hip, out of habit more than anything else. He wasn't expecting any trouble. He was just doing a routine follow up on a lead, interviewing a possible witness. It could have waited until the morning, and he'd hear about that from Danny tomorrow, but Steve had no interest in going home yet.

The house had felt too quiet this morning and his ghosts too loud. Lynn was busy with the start of school and even if she weren't she wasn't going to be much help, even if he knew she would have tried her best. Danny had a date with Melissa. He shook the thoughts off as he stepped onto the porch and knocked on the front door.

It was a long moment before he heard someone approach the door. It opened to the face he recognized from the security footage. Tall, lean, native Hawaiian, mid-thirties. His hair was mussed, his lips swollen, and a flush noticeable even with the dark skin. Steve winced. He hadn't meant to interrupt a date, but then what did he expect on a Friday night?

"Yes?"

"Kai Kamaka?"

"Yeah, can I help you?"

"Sorry to interrupt your evening, I won't take long. Steve McGarrett, 5-0, do you—"

"Steve?" Steve raised an eyebrow. "You must be looking for Danny. Come on in," and he turned away from the door. Steve's jaw dropped, mostly speechless.

"Huh? No. What?" But the guy was already heading back into the house. "The hell?" Steve muttered to himself, but followed.

"Hey, babe," Kai called. "Your Steve's here."

An unmistakable Jersey accent shot through from deeper in the house. "Oh, no no no. I do not take responsibility for that Neander- wait, what?"

Steven's thoughts, exactly. He entered the living room three steps behind his witness. Danny was on his feet looking at his phone, as if trying to find the message he'd missed that Steven never sent.

"Steve? What's going on?" Panic flashed through his eyes and made his voice waver, which just – no. No matter the confusion Steve was feeling, he couldn't let whatever horrible thoughts were going through his friend's head stay there. Because of course something terrible had happened for Steve to track him down and crash his Friday night. Melissa, who Steve only just now noticed sitting on the couch, must have heard that in his voice as well because she abandoned the task of doing up a button of her shirt to reach out and give Danny a reassuring touch.

"Nothing. I'm just following up on a lead." The panic left and he frowned and looked back at his phone.

"I didn't get your message."

"Yeah, because I didn't send you one."

Danny looked back up at him, now all fire in his eyes and gearing up for a rant. Despite the situation, the corner of Steve's mouth twitched up. Danny could change direction as fast as he could talk.

"So, not only did you decide to hijack my evening – when I very specifically told you I was busy – but you don't call first? Which means," he narrowed his eyes before saying, "you tracked me here, you Neanderthal!"

Melissa laughed and Steve was distracted for a moment by Kai standing behind her, rubbing her shoulders – his best friend's girlfriend's shoulders. He scowled at them, but they were both looking fondly at Danny and didn't seem to notice.

"I'm waiting, Steven."

"Aw, do you have to go into work, Danny," Melissa asked. Danny started to respond, but Steve beat him to it.

"No. No. I didn't call you Danny and I didn't know you were here. I'm just following up on the way home."

"And following up a lead on your own, without backup, is better?"

"Yes?"

"No, Steven." Then: "Wait, you're only getting home now? You sent the rest of us home hours ago ."

Steve just shrugged and Danny must have recognized something in his face because he softened and took a step toward him and put a hand on his arm, and that was the first thing that felt right to Steve all day. He relaxed.

"Oh, babe." Then confusion again. "So if you weren't looking for me and didn't know I was here... why are you here?"

Steve looked back up to Kai, still entirely too comfortable with Melissa. His scowl returned and she noticed this time, because her smile disappeared and she left his embrace to sit back on the couch. He knew it was quickly morphing into what Danny called his "SEAL death glare" as he turned it fully on Kai.

"Am I a suspect in something?" Kai turned wide eyes to Danny. No, Steve thought to himself, you weren't, but I'm quickly starting to change my opinion.

But Steve shook head, dropped his glare and turned back to Danny. "I got a lead on that heist case." Danny nodded, stepped closer to Kai, put a hand on his shoulder and suggested he sit down as he waited for Steve to continue. "After you guys left the Palace, we got the surveillance footage from The Laundromat."

The Laundromat was a gay bar with a good reputation. It was also the last place their suspect had used their credit card and matched the location of the last ping to his cell before he'd disappeared.

"I went through it and found our guy easy. No sign of where he went when he left; he gets lost in the crowd. He stays mostly to himself at the bar when he is on camera, though. The only person he talks to besides the bartender was you."

He fished his phone of his pocket and found the guy's photo. He showed it to Kai, Danny looking at it over his shoulder. "The bartender could ID you but not our suspect. You recognize this guy?"

Kai's brow furrowed as he studied the photo. Melissa ran her hand along his thigh.

"Yeah, I remember talking to him. I haven't been in a lot lately, but I went after work one day to catch up with a friend. I went to the bar to grab a drink while I waited for him and this guy was there nursing his drink. He seemed jittery and kind of upset. I don't know why I talked to him actually. I think I was still on that 'I feel great and everyone around me should also feel great' kind of high." Melissa grinned and squeezed his leg. Danny seemed focused on the case now and Steve just saw him trying to match the story to the facts of the case. "I guess I wanted to try and cheer him up."

"And how did that go?"

Kai shrugged. "I think he was a few drinks in already or something. Like he wanted to talk but had been holding himself back. He said he'd fucked up at work. Thought he might have to relocate and didn't want to."

"Did he say where? Give any indication what he might do next?"

"Nah. He closed up pretty quick after that, when I started asking about his family. Sorry, man."

Steve nodded. It was about what he expected, but it had been worth a shot. And it kept him out of the house.

Of course, now he had a lot more questions, and a lot more to think about. And none of it was about work.

And now the awkward was back. He scratched the back of his head. "All right. Thanks for your help anyway. If you think of anything else let, uh, maybe let Danny know." His eyes flicked between each of them, all very close to each other, and he needed to get out. "Sorry, again, for interrupting. I'll see ya later, Danny. I'll let myself out."

He could barely look at Danny as he turned to leave. He tried to keep his mind on the case, but it was no use. All he could think about was the three people still in the living room. Danny was either letting his girlfriend cheat on him right in front of him – because Danny wasn't blind – or the three of them were together and... Steven could not think about that right now.

The ghosts would be changing their scripts tonight.

He'd almost escaped, was just crossing the threshold, when he heard Danny behind him, and felt his hand grab his wrist.

"Steve, wait." He turned around, but Danny didn't let go. "y'all right?"

He shrugged. "Nothing I haven't gone through before."

"Yeah, but... I'll come home with you."

"No, Danny, of course not." Yes, Danny. "Stay here and enjoy your evening. I really didn't mean to interrupt your night." His eyes drifted back into the house, as if he could see what Melissa and Kai were doing through the walls. Danny finally let go of him.

"You have questions."

Yes! Another shrug. "None of my business."

Danny laughed. "Since when has that ever mattered?"

Steve finally grinned. Danny's smile never failed to cheer him up. "Night Danno."