Wednesday, October 16th

by

Warrior's Bride

and

Riter's Fury

Danny adjusted the driver's seat of the Camaro to alleviate the kink in his neck. He had been watching the building across the street for the past half hour while he waited for Chin and Kono to arrive. He had been dreading this operation since Monday's escapade at the abandoned boathouse.

Monday's fiasco had left him feeling edgy and irritated, and that was putting it mildly. Drumming his fingers on the steering wheel he resisted the urge to recount Monday's events, but to no avail. A chill crept over him as the images of that day sailed through his mind. Danny wanted to escape the memory. He wanted to jump out of the car and run as fast, and far away as possible, but instead, he grabbed his bag of malasadas.

A few minutes later, Danny stuffed the last malasada into his mouth and brushed the crumbs off his shirt. He had eaten an entire bag, even after he had promised Grace, and himself, that he would try to eat healthier. But the week he was having, and it was only Wednesday, malasadas made him feel better. Or at least a little better.

He glanced down at his watch. Chin and Kono should be arriving at any moment. He hoped they were ready to go in. His gaze shifted across the street again. There were a lot of people going in and out of the building. Danny wondered if he, Chin and Kono would run into problems when they went inside.

As Danny swallowed the last of his lukewarm coffee, he noticed the familiar blue car pull up behind him. The cousins exited their vehicle, and walked toward him.

The blond haired detective stepped out of the Camaro, squinting in the late morning sun. "I've been thinking, you two go in and I'll wait here."

"Really?" Kono asked.

Danny glanced across the street then back at the cousins. "No." He exhaled. "Let's just get it over with."

They crossed the street and reached the building. Danny stared at the door, wiping his palm on his thigh.

"You okay, brah," Chin asked.

Danny didn't answer.

Kono bit her top lip. "Danny, if you don't think you can handle this Chin and I can go in."

"The last couple days have been pretty rough," Danny replied.

Chin raised an eyebrow and nodded. "You know we need to do this."

"I know." Danny took a deep breath. "I just don't want to."

After a moment more, Danny pulled the door open and the three slipped in unnoticed, making their way toward their target.

Kono looked around. "There's a lot of people in here."

"Let's try to do this as quickly as possible," Danny said. "I don't want any complications."

The Five-0 members were near their target and yet, as Danny reached out, he quickly pulled his hand back.

"What's wrong?" Chin whispered.

"I'm just not sure," Danny replied.

"When you called you said you were sure," Kono said.

"I was, but now I'm not, okay?" Chin and Kono could hear the strain in Danny's voice.

"There can't be any doubt because you'll regret it later," Chin said.

Danny chopped at the air with his hands. "Don't you think I know that. That's why I called in backup."

The three stood side by side looking at their target, uncertainty building as each second passed. It was vital that everything go according to plan.

Kono checked her watch. "We're running out of time."

"I know," Danny hissed.

Chin rested a hand on the detective's shoulder. "Let's do this, Danny."

"Fine." Danny grabbed their target. "You, my friend, are coming with us."

The subject came without resistance, and after grabbing a smiling accomplice, the three Five-0 members were out the door in less than five minutes.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Steve pushed aside the half eaten roasted turkey sandwich as he continued to mull over the details of the abandoned boathouse case. It was clear to him why he had proceeded as he had, and he was confident Danny would see it too. Eventually. But for now, Danny wasn't acknowledging his existence. Steve tried to remember when things between them had ever been this tense. He couldn't think of another time.

Steve shifted his weight, grimacing as pain shot through his shoulder. Another reminder of how his tactical decision hadn't worked out quite the way he had planned. He told himself these things happened, but it didn't silence the nagging voice in the back of his mind. He knew that in his line of work a mistake could mean someone's life. It almost had.

Steve glanced at the sandwich in front of him, wishing it would disappear. The sight of it caused his stomach to contemplate giving up the half he had already eaten. He closed his eyes and rested his head back as the light in the room seemed to intensify. Beads of sweat gathered on his forehead, and the thickening of his saliva made him reach for the basin on the table next to him. A moment later, Steve heard a knock on the door, and Chin and Kono entered his room, along with a yellow balloon with a smiley face.

"Hey, boss, you're looking...better," Kono said, setting the balloon by the bedside table.

Steve swallowed hard, forcing the acid in his throat downward. "Mhmm," he grunted, still cradling the dark pink basin against his chest.

"The doc said you'll be out of here and back to work in a week or so," Chin said. "Light duty, of course."

"Yeah, can't wait," Steve replied, reluctantly setting the basin aside. "Did Danny come with you?"

Chin glanced out the door. "Yeah, he's out in the hall."

"So he didn't quit?"

"No, he'll get through this, and you guys will be fighting over who's going to drive before you know it."

Steve wiped a hand over his face. "I had to do it. Danny could've-"

"We know," Kono replied.

Before any more could be said, Danny stormed into the room and tossed an envelope on the bed. "Here."

Steve laid his hand over the white rectangular paper. "What's this?"

"It's a card, Steven. Open it. That's what you do with a card."

Steve pulled the card out of the envelope and glanced at the front.

"We all picked it out," Kono blurted.

Opening the card, Steve's eyes ran over the words inside. He rubbed the side of his face as he continued to stare at the card. A minute dragged by before he responded. "That's nice."

Danny looked at Chin and Kono. "He said 'that's nice'." Danny turned to Steve and ripped the card out of his hand. "That's nice? That's all you can say to this?" Danny read the card with a sarcastic tone.

"To the boss who makes coming to work a BLAST!

We admire, respect and acknowledge everything you bring to the job.

Thank you for the unwavering leadership you display, but most of all thank you for your friendship.

Happy Boss's Day."

When Danny finished he held the card in front of him as if it were diseased. "Why did we even pick this card?" He threw it back at Steve. "No one likes their boss that much."

"Danny." Steve tried to get his partner's attention.

"Why don't they have cards that say 'To the worst boss ever, I don't know why I wasted money on this card' or 'Boss, we voted you off the island, so start swimming!' After the past couple days, I would buy both of them."

"You're not going to let this go are you." Steve said.

"Let this go?" Danny's hands flew through the air as if conducting an orchestra. "What kind of boss agrees on a plan and at the last moment throws the plan out the window, and then rushes into a hostage situation - in which, may I remind you, I was the hostage-"

"Danny, I had an opening. I had to take it."

"Oh, an opening, that's what you call almost getting both of us killed. Or was the part where you got shot, hit your head as you fell into the water, and nearly drowned a diversion? Because it wasn't a rescue. I had to rescue myself, and then jump into the water to rescue you!"

Danny seemed to be out of words, and no one seemed interested in filling the silence.

Steve fingered the card. "But you still gave me this."

Danny crossed his arms as he cleared his throat. "Yeah, well, I almost didn't have a boss to give it to."

"Is that what this is about? You're upset with me because I almost died?"

Danny's eyes misted over. "You were just lying on the dock. I've never seen you so still." His voice cracked. "You were bleeding all over the place, and all I could do was yell at you. But no matter how loud I yelled you didn't answer. Then I sat in this hospital for hours waiting to hear if you were going to make it or not." He closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. "So, yes, Steven, I'm upset. No, upset doesn't cover this. I'm angry that you almost got yourself killed. I would never forgive myself if you got killed trying to save me."

Steve turned away for a moment, blinking several times. "I'm sorry, Danny," he responded. "I just wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I let any of you die." He looked at the three people standing by him in his hospital room then at the balloon with the smiley face, and the card that said "Happy Boss's Day". Steve didn't think he was the best boss in the world, but he knew he was the luckiest.

Kono pulled a small container from her bag and opened it. "I brought brownies."

"Oh, good I'm starving," Danny said.

"Hey, Boss, you want the biggest one?" Chin asked.

Steve took one look at the chocolate caramel drizzled squares, grabbed his basin, and vomited.

Danny smiled. "Well, I guess that means I get to eat your brownie. Happy boss's day, Steve."

A/N: Warrior's Bride and I were in the store looking at cards when we came across some for Boss's Day. We immediately thought there might be a funny Hawaii Five-0 story to be written, and this was the result. We hope you liked it.

A big thanks to Shakespeare's Lemonade for being our beta.