A/N: Hello My Lovelies, I'm back! I've missed you all and your wonderful comments. If you're a new reader, hello and I love you already. If you are one of my 'followers', Hey, you know I adore you right?

Welcome to my newest endeavor, Mahele Hana Hui (Divide to Unite). This story has been in the works for quite sometime. I've been playing with the idea of a Steve deployment story and its been coming to me in the little vignette that, if you follow The Songs of Our Lives Part I and II, you'll know about the things that probably will happen in this story. But I believed that it needed to be a full chaptered story and many people have told me they want to read it, so here it is, well its start!

Who LOVED last night's premier? I DID! There are a couple of things that I am going to ignore for this story, or maybe I wont, I haven't decided yet, but this is going to be a very team centered story with Danny, Kono, Chin and Jenna working together. I haven't met Lori yet, and I really don't want to so she's not allowed in my world! But I really liked Joe White, so he's got a little part and well Steve's there but not really because he's being deployed! You'll just have to read and see how things pan out.

Note: there are no spoilers for the premier in this story as of right now.

As always I own nothing they all belong to CBS.

Enjoy and I'll catch you in Chapter 2.

Chapter 1: The Best of the Best

Detective Danny Williams walked into the Five-O office, his sides in pain from laughing so hard as he wiped tears from his eyes and caught the keys to his car as they flew in his direction. His partner, Steve McGarrett, had been regaling him with his exploits and jokingly developing further interrogation methods when they returned to HQ to round off their lazy Friday before a brilliantly book and anticipated moment of relaxation with their favorite minor, Grace. All was well and good in the world of Five-O. Everything was back to normal, their crew was whole, they were undivided and they were happy; it had been a long time since Danny could say he was happy. It to be a bad omen, something was bound to go wrong.

Earlier that afternoon, Danny, in his infinite wisdom, had invited Steve to take a late lunch at one of their favorite diners, after their morning court appearance, and that was when the hilarities ensued. They had stopped, had lunch, picked up something for the weekend and the social gathering that would consist of members of Five-O and Kamekona, and then headed back to the office. Light and lazy wasn't the norm for Five-O but it was a welcome change every now and again.

"What about sound torture?" Steve asked with a grin as they stepped into the lobby of the Imperial Palace and headed down the usual path to their very familiar office space.

"Wouldn't sound torture, torture us as well?" Danny asked skeptically.

"No, because we'd be prepared," Steve smiled, "we'd get the industrial strength head sets from the shooting range…"

"Skillfully acquired?"

"No, we're outright steel them," Steve laughed, "and we'd wear those while playing incredibly annoying children's songs to our suspects. You have access to that kind of stuff don't you?"

"Grace is eight, she doesn't watch those shows anymore," Danny stated.

"But at one time she did!" Steve countered.

"True, but what good would it be?" he asked.

"It would make them talk," Steve stated as he sauntered down the hallway.

"Or their ears would start to bleed," Danny joked.

"In which case their brains may explode," Steve added thoughtfully.

"And then you'd be on the hook for Murder, again!" Danny howled.

"Ok it's not a good idea!" Steve laughed, "Maybe we could just have you nag them to death."

"One, I don't nag and two, again we're be on the hook for murder!" Danny stated.

"Except it wouldn't be me this time, it would be you, Mr. What do you think your doing Steve? That's not protocol Steve! You can't hang a guy off the roof this isn't Guantanamo Steve!" Steve mocked.

"Whoa," Danny stated all of a sudden serious as he put out his hand to stop his partner in his tracks just outside the Five-O doors.

"What?"

"Who is the intruder in your office?" Danny asked one hand on his weapon, the other still holding Steve back.

Steve's face went white as he eyed the uniformed gentleman who paced just in side his office. "That's the admiral!" Steve whispered as pushed Danny through the doors and into his office, slamming the blinds shut before the Admiral could see them.

"What Admiral?" Danny asked frantically.

"THE Admiral, the one in charge of the SEALs," Steve stated almost as frantic as his partner.

"Oh my God Steve, are you in trouble? Tell me you're not in trouble! What did you do?"

"Nothing!" Steve stated angrily as Danny ranted. "I've been on my best behavior!" he added as he peered out the closed horizontal blinds.

"Then why would he be here?"

"I know why," Steve sighed as his panic faded and something like dread fell over him. "Just stay here ok," he added.

"Steve, seriously what is going on?" Danny asked still frantic.

"Just don't move," Steve stated putting his hands out this time to stop Danny, "stay here and don't do anything. I'll handle it." He added and left Danny alone.

"Those are you famous last words," Danny hissed as he punched at the air and then turned his attention back to his fleeing partner.

5-0

Danny watched as Steve straightened up, squared his shoulders and took a deep breath as the door to Danny's office closed behind him. Then he marched, literally marched, across the hall, took another deep breath and opened his office door. The Admiral smiled, Steve saluted and then there was a hug. For a moment the hug sent relief through Danny's body, but as Steve turned once more and glanced out the open blinds knowing Danny was watching, there was no ease in his face. Danny saw incredible panic in the calm eyes of his partner as he caught a glimpse across the office space. Danny motioned to ask the question, the 'do you need back up?' question that the partners could ask each other without a word. In reply Steve shook his head and lowered his eyes, and went back to talking to the Admiral as if it were business as usual. Danny sighed knowing that once again life for Five-O had just changed dramatically.

5-0

"So the rumors are true," The Four Star Admiral stated as he broke away from the embrace and looked Steve up and down; his eyes falling to the badge at Steve's hip. "Steven J. McGarrett is a civilian!" the Admiral laughed.

Steve smiled, "my team would beg to differ," he said and motioned to his commanding officer to take a seat in the plush chair before the desk.

"I've heard only good things from Lieutenant Commander White. He seems to think you've got a very good things going on right here," Admiral Winchester smiled as he looked around the naval themed office and his eyes fell on the photos of Steve's father, the American flag and a display of Steve's medals and commendation. "I've been told they are good loyal people but they aren't the SEALs."

"Oh no, they are far from the SEALs," Steve admitted, "but they are the very best of the best."

"Then they can handle themselves, I suppose?" Winchester asked.

There it was, Steve's heart sank into the pit of his stomach, the terrible truth had been laid out and his finely tuned Detective skills would have made Danny proud. He knew, in that moment, that his suspicions had been correct. The chit chat was a rouse to make things seem like less then they were.

"Yes, they can hand themselves," Steve sighed.

"You know why I've come."

Steve lowered his eyes, "I knew the moment I saw you sir. Why else would a Four Star come to the Cop Shop on a Friday afternoon?" Steve asked as his eyes fell instinctively on the photograph of his Ohana that had been placed in the place of honor on his desk by the grace of a little angel.

"Your country needs you Sailor. We need you, your crew and your expertise." The Admiral stated as he stood and began pacing. "We've already rounded up your men. Now all we need is a leader."

"Why me?" Steve asked.

"You don't want the adventure, the thrill of the chase, the knowledge that you are a hero of the United States of America?" Winchester asked.

"No, I don't, I'm already all those things here in Hawaii, with my team. We are protecting the people and doing what is right, here on American soil." Steve admitted, "I have work to do. I'm not finished this mission."

"You have the best of the best to work in your place," Winchester stated, quoting Steve.

"And you have every last SEAL at you beck and call." Steve argued, "why me?" he asked again.

"This mission is of a delicate nature. You've got experience in theses types of confrontations. Terrorists fear you, you have a reputation son. We are certain that you will succeed."

Steve sighed and lowered his eyes again, "where am I going?" he asked.

"You're accepting?"

"I don't have a choice do I?" Steve asked. "You have the official documents from the commander and chief in your uniform pocket. Even if I refused I would be forced to go by order of he who runs this country."

"Well done Detective," Winchester smiled maliciously.

"Where am I going and for how long?" Steve demanded.

"Kabul until the mission is complete."

"How long do I have before I leave?" Steve asked.

"We want you on the next ship out."

"When is that?"

"This time next Friday."

5-0

Danny watched again as Steve stood, meekly this time and saluted before the admiral turned on his heals and marched out; nodding to Danny as he walked past and out of the Five-O office.

Then Steve fell into his chair, his shoulders hunched, and his head rested in his hands, and Danny could swear he was shaking.

"What the hell happened, what kind of trouble are you in?" Danny asked as he rushed across the hall and threw open Steve's door. There was anger, a rant, in every move that Danny made.

Steve looked up and Danny saw something he'd never seen before in his partner's eyes. It was more then sorrow and fear, more like heart ache and regret, dread and anxiety, Steve McGarrett was unsure and being forced to do something he didn't want to do. It was an emotional stated that even Danny couldn't describe and his eyes spoke more in silence then Danny was certain Steve could ever express.

"What happened?" Danny asked fearfully as he fell into the chair that had previously been occupied by the Admiral.

"I'm being deployed," Steve stated without conviction as he covered his face again.

"You can't be," Danny gasped.

"It's an order, I have to go."