Disclaimer: I do not own 'Hawaii Five-0' or any of the characters from 'Hawaii Five-0'. If I did own them, Steve and Danny would be shacked up in Steve's beachside home with custody of Grace and knocking boots every night.
"I can't take this. I'm leaving."
Two short, bitter sentences that would end everything between them, between he and Steve. Those six words would end the partnership, the friendship, the relationship that means more than he wants to admit to anyone. Those six words run on repeat through his mind, distracting and irritating, as he struggles to fully waken from the fourth night of terror-plagued sleep.
"I can't take this. I'm leaving."
He rubs his hands over his face as he sits up. The pain and fear of his nightmare a heavy weight on his heart. Breathing deep to help himself calm down, he doesn't notice the other presence in the room before a large hand lands on his shoulder and the bed dips as Steve sits down. It takes every bit of strength to bit back the words and pull away. He doesn't want to hurt Steve, even though he is being torn apart by memories and what-ifs from the raid.
"I can't take this. I'm leaving."
Reluctantly he pulls away from Steve, away from the warmth and love he knows is there for him. He needs to get his head on right, deal with the memories, before he completely destroys the best thing aside from his daughter that he has. The one thing, the one person he loves as much as his little Grace, and that is his Steve. With a deep breath he says the six words that he never thought he'd say to Steve outside his nightmares.
"I can't take this. I'm leaving…"