ShakespeareIsMyMuse

This is, by far, not the first fanfiction story I've ever written, though my writing has improved over the years. By some strange happenstance I managed to lock myself both out of my fanfiction account and my e-mail account, the one that gave me access to the password for this account. So I just decided to create a new one and from now on will post stories from here.

All right, it may have been a fortnight or two dozen, but I remember the drill.

DISCLAIMER: I, ShakespeareIsMyMuse, do so solemnly swear that I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any of its affiliates, which includes: any familiar story plots, creation of original characters belonging to the show, cast and crew –with the inclusion of Scott Caan and Alex O'Loughlin because it is illegal to either own or enslave human beings. Rights, property and ownership belong rightfully and wholly to CBS and its Original Creator: Leonard Freeman (1920-1974), also to reboot creators: Peter M. Lenkov, Alex Kurtzman, and Robert Orci.

I, ShakespeareIsMyMuse, do however claim ownership of any unrecognizable characters and the formation of plot that follows. Any invention or similarity of any character or plot line that is seen here after represented really or fictitiously, alive or dead, is purely coincidental and unintentional.

*Exhales* I hope that about covers everything. *Cracks Neck* Now, on with the story.

I.A.: Internal Affairs

Chin, Danny and Kono stood, leaning against the concrete wall that faced the exterior glass wall of Steve's office. Inside a woman sat calmly behind Steve's large maple tinted desk, while their boss paced the room. By the looks of his erratic behavior, Steve McGarrett was fuming.

The three occasionally glanced up at the unheard conversation. She was speaking now. She must have asked him to sit down, because the next thing they saw was Steve fiercely sliding one of his own guest chairs across the marble floor of his office.

She continued without missing a beat. As if his aggressive outburst hadn't even fazed her.

He was still pacing, shaking his head; seemingly in disbelief. Then he stopped cold, his head snapped in her direction. Whatever she had said to him had apparently pissed him off even more so than her arrival; for his eyes looked frighteningly angry.

His shoulders were square and tense as he said something back to her. Whatever he had said caused her to shrug her eyebrows, look down at her binder opened on Steve's desk and shake her head as she wrote something down. She appeared to be speaking again.

Steve flung an aggravated hand in her direction, turned on his heel and stalked to the door. Throwing it open, the conversation wafted out into the hall. Her renewed speech caused him to freeze.

"…the best there is Commander?" her steely voice reached trio's ears causing them to glance up, their attention full. "Your team consists of an officer formally under investigation by my office for theft and corruption within the HPD, a hot-headed detective transferred in from New Jersey, and a rookie officer fresh out of the Police Academy, with no formal street credit."

Steve looked at each member of his team as she listed them. They tried not to stare. It hadn't been the first time they had bent the rules… a bit. But, it was the first time I.A. had become involved. After all, when they first signed up for this, Steve had relayed the message straight from Governor Jameson herself:

His Rules, Her Backing, and absolutely NoRed Tape.

However, when their latest case had involved a local Senator's son in a home grown terrorist organization, a young mother forced to become a go between and her five year old little girl held hostage at gun point, Danny had become slightly … psychotic? The tape, shade by shade, began to color; especially after Danny had nearly beaten the man to death…with his fists.

Danny knew what he had done was wrong. He knew it the second the man was unconscious on the ground; unmoving and he kept hitting him anyway. He knew termination was imminent, in fact, he had expected to be fired.

The following morning Danny had walked into Steve's office and placed his gun and his badge on his boss' desk. Saying he knew what had to be done. That he wanted to make it easy. No trouble.

Nonetheless, Steve had responded in a way that Danny hadn't been expecting.

He gripped his partner's gun and badge in a fist. Stood up and walked around to the outside of his desk and held them out, palm down, waiting for Danny's hand.

The case had involved a terrorized child being held at gun point while her unfortunate mother was forced to do some horrible man's bidding. And for what? …Greed, that's what.

Danny was sensitive that way, Steve knew.

Palming the items back into Danny's hand, Steve had said, "Anger Management classes, twice a week; Mondays and Thursdays for the next three months. It goes in your file under 'Completed Disciplinary Action', in other words, taken care of. On paper your anger gets under control, you still get the weekends with your daughter and I get to keep my partner."

Danny blinked at the memory, jerking himself back to the present. He looked up at his boss, his partner— his friend—standing there in his office, taking a heavy rap for what he had done. All because Steve wouldn't fire him and down right refused to let him quit.

"You think it will make a difference if you quit?" Steve had asked. "The only difference that you'll make is: More bad guys will walk free longer; I'll be short a partner and good help is so hard to find."

When the short brunette, with the set jaw and stern gaze had strode into H.Q. that morning Chin and Kono had been shocked, Danny had been stunned, and Steve had become enraged; though it hadn't been apparent from his face at first glance—at least not to her anyway.

But Danny knew Steve was angry. By the way he politely ushered the woman into his office, the look in his eye when she had made herself comfortable behind his desk. The tone Steve had when he'd ordered Danny to not say a word, not answer any questions, anything, until this woman was out of the building. That, in fact, went for all of them.

Steve didn't like to be challenged by anyone outside his team. Together, it made them work. Bites and challenges; it made them who they were.

It angered him further that his ordinance of disciplinary action— upon his employee—was being question, by I.A.

Leaning into Danny's desk, Steve had said, "Stay quiet, Danny. Do you hear me? Do not say anything. Do not answer any questions she asks you. Nothing. That goes for everybody. Understood?"

Chin and Kono nodded from across the room.

Danny's eyes had flicked behind Steve's shoulder, but his boss' hard gaze had pulled him back. "Yeah," he'd said quietly as Steve walked into his office.

Apparently, the Senator hadn't found Steve's castigation penalty enough. He and his wife were demanding steeper action; not only Danny's immediate disbarment and his badge, but a deeper investigation in to the Five-0 Special Task Force itself.

And that's where Ileana Archaize, Head of Internal Affairs stepped in.

Steve became angry all over again. Who the hell did this woman think she was? What did she know about the crazy, psycho, nut jobs that ran rampant over this island? About his team? About where their morals lied? About their qualifications? About their abilities to handle themselves in the field? About whether or not they were good enough cops to do their job?

Where did Ileana Archaize get off?

She made them sound so worthless, so unprofessional, so...

"And you mean to tell me that out the possibly dozens of qualified applicants from various branches of the HPD, and," she readjusted her thin frames upon her nose, "from your own former background, these three are the absolute best this island has to offer?"

… unqualified.

To say that pissed Steve off would have been the understatement of the century.

A crack of his stiff, tense neck; his nostrils flaring; eyes burning with white hot intensity, Steve whipped himself back around. He'd left the door open; his team deserved to hear this. He covered the room in three long strides. Slamming his palms down on his desk, he made himself level with her seated petite frame. His hard, fierce, steel glare boring into her like an angry rhinoceros. All that was missing to complete the picture was the hot steamed breath vaporizing up into the atmosphere.

"Yes."

Though she tried hard not too, she did flinch, ever so slightly at his sudden outburst.

"Is this supposed to be some sort of scare tactic, Commander?"

Her voice was calm and even, but Steve had seen it. He had seen her flinch. He would have been pretty poor at his job if he had missed it.

"Is this what you do? You and your renegade soldiers here, you think this…Government sanctioned Task Force gives you license to go around bullying people? Is that why Detective Williams is as…irrational as he is?"

Steve laughed in her face. He hung his head in disbelief and pointed out the door behind him. "You think he's irrational? Danny Williams? Irrational?" Steve laughed again, this time harder.

"This is anything but funny, Commander. What would you call it?" She cocked her head and raised a perfectly arched eyebrow.

"Passionate," Steve said with a shrug.

"You call a man who beats a civilian into unconsciousness with his bare hands, passionate?"

"First of all, let's get a few things straight." Steve pointed at her, taking back control. That had been his first mistake with her. He'd been too polite, too open; too friendly. He should have been polite, but firm; on guard.

She folded her hands on his desk; giving him her full attention.

"That 'civilian'," he scrunched his fingers in air quotes, "is a terrorist, so don't even go there."

"He is an American citizen, Commander, he has rights. He deserves to be treated with respect and humanity."

"He lost those rights when he decided to commit treason against his country. Against mycountry!" Steve prodded himself hard in the chest; hard enough to hear the echo of bone on bone. "When he decided to kidnap and hold hostage a five year old child at gun point! A semi-automatic does not need to be used to hold a child at bay. Detective Williams is a father. If that had been his child or my child, I would not have expected anything less of his actions. A threatened and exploited mother received her daughter back in one piece, instead of a piece of Swiss cheese! Detective Williams deserves a commendation, though I know he'd be too damn proud to accept it. This is his job. This is what he does.

"Detective Kelly is a man that has been used as a scapegoat on one too many occasions. I don't give a damn what your previous reports or individuals say. Chin Ho Kelly is as honest a man as the day is long. He would steal from no one and would sooner lay down his life than turn that corner. That is his job. This is what he does.

"My rookie? She is just that in name only. She's smart, she's tough and the only way you'd ever know she's an unseasoned member of law enforcement is by glimpsing at her file. The shit on the street can't tell. She's a great lure. They attract to her like moths to a flame and run in the opposite direction when she flashes that badge. They're afraid of her and she can make them talk. That is her job. That is what she does. And she's damn good at it.

"This is what we all do. We clean the scum off the streets so people can not only walk them, but feel safer when they close their eyes at night. And what I don't appreciate, Ms. Ileana Archaize, Head of Internal Affairs, is you coming into my office, taking over my desk and trying to give mereprimand for how Irun myTask Force."

"Territorial, aren't we?" She cocked her head in the opposite direction now.

Steve blew out a hot breath through his flaring nostrils. He gripped the edges of his desk as to not strangle this woman with his bare hands. Maybe he should join Danny for the next couple of months. Might do them both some good.

"I believe your question was: 'Are these people the best this island has to offer'? My answer is yes. And I have more than elaborated on the subject, in great detail. Also, I have doled out, what I feel is proper disciplinary action for my employee. Now, if the Senator and his wife aren't happy with my course of action that is no longer my problem; because my problem now lies with them and their poor parenting. Had they been better parents, setting limits and boundaries, for their excessively privileged son none of us would be in this situation at this moment in time."

"That statement couldn't be closer to the truth."

Ileana looked past Steve's shoulder as Steve, turned as well, to find the source of the voice.

Governor Patrice Jameson stood, arms crossed, in the doorway to Steve's office.

"Governor." Steve stood up straight and erect; proper as always when in her presence.

"Governor Jameson." Ileana looked upon her with a cool stare.

"Steven." She regarded Steve with a nod. "Ms. Archaize." Her voice had more of an edge in it as she spoke Ileana's name. "I caught wind through the grape vine that the Senator was demanding an inquiry. I figured he'd request the most rabid dog." She glanced over at Steve, "What I don't understand is, why you didn't call me?"

"I didn't wish to bother you ma'am." Steve bowed his head politely.

"Well that's quiet alright, Steven. You should have. I do not take kindly to my people be chastised. When I said you had my full support that extended to this entire Task Force. This entire building and everyone employed under it. Now, as I understand it, the Senator and his wife hold issue with," she glanced back into the hall at Danny for a second, who had remained quiet, like Steve had asked, "Detective Williams?"

"He exercised extreme excessive force with a civilian perpetrator," Ileana said.

"Nay."

Ileana looked shocked. "Excuse me? Governor, the man is eating through a straw."

"According to many I've spoken to at the State Department and Homeland Security, as well as countless others, they all seem to agree that the man is lucky he is not dead. Holding captive and torturing a child at gun point? Tsk, tsk, tsk. There are many parents who do not seem to say they would hesitate to exercise similar actions. Nor would they hold it against an individual bringing safety to their child to carry out such actions. Also, it's quite the public embarrassment to have such a political figure in connection with such unwanted publicity. Their son working for a terrorist organization? Whew!" Governor Jameson pumped her eyebrows and shook her head. "A child's life was in danger. An officer of the law, who happens to be a parent, felt a strong connection and used force that he deemed necessary to save the life of said child. Had the child been harmed in anyway; for example, fatally, the Five-0 Task Force would still have egg on its face. Was excessive force used? Possibly. That is an issue debatable by many. Was it in line with the code of conduct? Excessive force may be used in situations that are considered life threatening. Which, I gather, Detective Williams used a judgment call. Detective Williams simply decided that the child's life was in greater risk than that of the perpetrator."

"To use force to subdue him, yes, but not to keep going when the man can no longer fight for himself."

"Yes. And sometimes our adrenaline continues rushing long after the threat of danger has passed. I'm not excusing his actions, but I will say that it is not always possible for a person to flip themselves on and off like a light switch. Detective Williams has had his reprimand assigned and," she glanced back at Danny once more, "is following through with the proper course?"

Danny nodded.

"Your racing down here makes it seem like the Senator thinks Detective Williams was let off scot free; which is clearly not the case. Detective Williams may have the occasional anger issue, but he doesn't beat down every suspect and perpetrator he comes in contact with. He can control himself. And when he cannot, i.e. this situation, he gets the help he needs. Commander McGarrett seems confident that his team is a wise grouping. And I have had no reason, past or present to disagree with his decisions."

"The Senator and his wife want Detective Williams stripped of his legal authority."

"And I'm telling you Ileana, it's not going to happen. There are channels higher up at work here. Had he killed the man, we'd all be singing a different tune. But I will not allow the removal of an upstanding officer of the law, because he became angry over the assault of a child. Nor because the parents of said perpetrator are embarrassed about the fact that their son has caused a great deal of discord among their social and political lives and now wish to draw the attention elsewhere.

"However, if it will make the Senator, and his wife, feel better," Governor Jameson added, "Detective Williams will write a letter of apology for the amount of force used on their son afterhe was subdued. And I want to stress and be clear that the apology would not be for the subduing, but the brief aftermath that occurred afterward, then he would be more than…willing to do so?" Her gazed fixed on Danny who stood rigid now.

Steve caught Danny's eye. He watched as Danny's fists clenched ever so slightly; his jaw muscle give a slight twitch. He knew Danny more than loathed the idea. But Steve gave him a soft look and a quick gentle nod.

Clenching his jaw, Danny forced a smile, gave a single nod to the Governor. He may have disliked it, but it was a small price to pay to keep his job. And no matter how much Steve drove him crazy; Danny really did like his job.

"There, see?"

"A public apology?"

"A letter of apology is more than generous." Governor Jameson's voice seemed to say 'don't push it'.

"Fine." Ileana snapped her binder shut. "I'll tell the Senator and his wife to be expecting Detective Williams' letter." Tucking her binder back into her bag she said, "I'll be going now. I believe the Commander would prefer if I were out of his office."

"I prefer if you were off of my island entirely." Steve's anger was still evident.

"Your island? I was right, Commander, you are territorial."

"Lieutenant Commander."

Ileana blinked in surprise. "Excuse me?"

"It's Lieutenant Commander Steven Jonathan McGarrett, Ms. Archaize." Steve's stance was spread, his back erect, his arms crossed, his jaw set, and his eyes hard as steel.

She forced a tight lipped smiled and gave him a curt nod, "Lieutenant Commander. I'll be out of your hair."

"I said I'd prefer if you were off my island entirely."

Ileana Archaize stared, brow furrowed at Steve.

"I'llsettle for you staying the hell away from my team and getting the hell out of my building."

"Mhm," she grunted. "It's a tone like that, that tells me we'll be seeing each other again, Lieutenant Commander McGarrett."

Several clicks of her high heels across the marble floor played witness to her exit.

Governor Jameson placed a gentle hand on Danny's arm. She could sense his discomfort over what she had requested of him. "They're just words on a piece of paper, Daniel. You do not have to mean them; you just have to write them."

"Yes ma'am." Danny bit his lip and bowed his head respectfully.

"Chin Ho, Kono?" They looked over at the Governor, "On the way in, my driver noticed that Ms. Archaize's car was missing a tail light. Now she appears to like to back into her parking spaces, so I have no doubt in my mind that she would have noticed it upon getting into her car this morning."

Chin and Kono glanced at each other before back at the Governor.

"Also her front bumper appeared to have several colors of paint transfer and dents coating it. I'm not entirely certain but that may be a sign of an excessive speeder or perhaps an erratic driver? And, refresh my memory if I'm incorrect, Officer Kalakaua, but isn't that, coupled with a broken tail light, against the law?"

The governor pulled a question mark over her face.

A knowing look on his face, Chin slid his desk drawer open, snapping his gun and his handcuffs into their respective holsters; Kono, always ready to go, popped a kernel of popcorn into her mouth before snatching her car keys—a smile tugging at her lips.

Watching them go, Governor Jameson turned back to the remaining two men.

She glanced at Danny's hands. "Mash cucumber, avocado and honey dew melon, mix together with a teaspoon of baking power and a tablespoon of honey."

The two partners looked at her quizzically.

"It makes a paste. Coat those knuckles, Daniel. It will prevent infection and they will heal faster." She tapped his hand like a disapproving mother.

The two men were left alone, Governor Jameson's own heels clicking their way towards the exit.

Danny looked down at his gauze wrapped knuckles. Brownish orange sticky ooze was seeping through to the top layer. It was time to change the coverings again.

"Thank you," Danny said. "For everything you said before. I—"

Steve put his hand up in a stopping motion. "We all do what we have to at times. I've launched my share of… erratic behavior. I don't need to tell you that," Steve cast a knowing look at his partner and sighed.

Steve had felt bad about the whole situation. He hadn't wanted to do it, but he knew that Danny had almost crossed a serious line when the guy nearly stopped breathing.

In Steve's opinion did Danny deserve this slap of disciplinary action? No.

By the opinion of the code of conduct they had all sworn to uphold? That was a deeply colored grey area leaning towards 'Very possibly to Yes'.

Or maybe just 'Yes'; after all none of them were above the law.

It didn't mean Steve had to like it though; but he was still Danny's boss and this was (an unfortunate) part of his job.

"It's just this time someone decided to question our methods." Steve continued, "It doesn't make you any less of a great cop. And as far as I'm concerned it's in the past. You can't change the past. We never have to mention it again."

"Thank you," Danny repeated.

Steve knew that expression of gratitude carried weight on many levels.

"You're my partner; my friend. Probably the best one I've ever had." Steve clapped him on the shoulder as he allowed his mind to drift back to Nick Taylor. He had trusted that man with his life at one point. He had followed blindly that Nick was on the up and up, because he was a SEAL, just like him. And that should have been enough. He should have been able to do that with him. But after what had happened… Steve began to really question what trust really was.

Nick Taylor; Danny had been so quick to pass judgment over him. He hadn't trusted him from the second the two laid eyes on one another. At the time, Steve had thought him to be jealous, but now, maybe it was because Danny was just more in tune to the malevolence that had the possibility to live in human form?

His former SEAL team—he'd made friends with some of them, entrusted them with his life as they did theirs to him, but for the most part it's in an entire unit's best interest for everyone to be united; against the common enemy.

The case they worked over Danny's deceased friend and former partner, Mecca. Steve had tried to bring the possibility to light that he might actually be guilty. Danny refused. Then asked him, "If someone came to you with a stack of evidence...against me… that said I was guilty of something, would you believe them?"

Steve didn't even think about it, he just said, "No." Almost appalled that Danny would throw such an accusation his way. Danny had given him a knowing look and together they went to find the truth.

Why? Most people would wonder; why had he said 'no'? Wouldn't any one normal individual wonder how he could answer so quickly, without the slightest hesitation?

They had just met, they barley knew each other. Yet, something was there, — that inexplicable something different —trust maybe?—, strong and implicit.

Obviously there had to be something more, some sort of deeper connection; something crazy and invisible—something that would cause one stranger to follow another…so blind into the warm beating heart of danger.

Steven McGarrett had absolutely no clue as to what that was. But he knew that he had felt it—that inexplicable something different—the second he had met Danny Williams.

And time and time again, Danny had proved that that feeling had been more than mutual.

Danny was his friend, his partner; a member of his team. Steve's team was like his family and Steven J. McGarrett took care of his family.

"Farmer's Market?" Steve asked looking down at Danny's bandaged knuckles.

The ooze crusted bandages were beginning to sting. "Sure. Let me just grab my gun…since I'm heading out with you." Danny gave him a look as he clipped his holster to his belt, "I have a strange feeling I just might need it."

Steve's grin was wide, a mischievous glint in his eye; much like… the Cheshire Cat.

Yep, there it was: That inexplicable something different.

-It is with a light and open heart, along with a great deal of anticipation that you, my reader, enjoy my work, just as with all my writing, it really means a great deal to me.

-Reviews and/or constructive criticism are not required here, but are always welcome.

-Flames are not required nor are they welcome; and while I cannot stop you from posting them, I will warn you, I usually don't take them to heart.

Sincerely yours,

Muse.