When Duty Calls chapter 1

A/N: Okay, my plan is to have this multi-chapter, if there's interest. If there is interest, I will (hopefully) post 2-3 times a week. BTW, if you're wondering what happened to WAH, I'm having writer's block, so I needed to write another story in the meantime.

I need you guys to tell me if you are interested in this. If no one is, there's no point of continuing it. So, please tell me how you felt about it.

"I swear, Steven, that was the last straw," Danny huffed as he stepped into the air-conditioned HQ. "I don't know how we are both alive right now, but I'd say that we're pretty damn lucky."

"Come on, Danny, it wasn't all that bad. It's over with now and we got the guy. Everyone's safe for the time being, you can't seriously be angry," Steve replied, half thinking that Danny was faking the anger and it was just one of his common rants.

"Yes, I am seriously angry. We can't just jump into situations like that, I'm not one of your freaking SEAL buddies. I have a daughter that I'd like to see as often as possible, and that's not very easy if I'm six feet under," he spat, hands swinging through the air and punctuating every word.

"Everyone is fine, Danny," Steve started but was quickly cut off by Danny.

"Sure, you're fine," Danny said, sarcasm dripping from his voice. "You just have a few new holes. It's all fine."

"Yeah, actually, it is. This isn't the first time that I've been shot and it isn't the last, either. It happens a lot, you've never been angry before," he retorted in the same tone that Danny had.

"That's because I trusted you back then!" His words lingered in the air, stinging Steve like a poisoned blade. Danny's face didn't soften, though, didn't show any sympathy. And Steve realized, for the first time, that his partner was completely and utterly pissed. He wasn't going to let Steve off easily this time.

Danny gave Steve one last glare, puffed out a dismissive breath, and turned on his heel to storm back to his office. Steve was paralyzed by the emotion that swirled deep within himself. Hatred, pulsing through his veins, hatred at himself. He did push it too far that day, and he was willing to admit it. He felt guilt like never before, yet he tried to hide it behind the wall that he had built to protect him from things of that sort. The truth was that it washed over him in waves, draining him and sapping the little bit of energy that was left inside of him. Suddenly, he felt exhausted and had to lean upon the hallway wall, letting his head loll limply against his chest.

"Hey, you okay?" Chin's voice penetrated Steve's dark train of thought. He peeled his eyes open to reveal a worried looking Chin.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Steve said, pushing himself off of the wall.

"You don't look great. Are you sure that you shouldn't get more thoroughly checked out? What did Danny just say to you?"

"I'm fine. He said that he didn't trust me anymore. Said that I got him into too much danger," he sighed.

"You know that he's just angry, right? He'll get over it, don't worry. This happens sometimes," Chin reassured his boss, hoping that the words of comfort helped a little. He was pretty much at a loss for words, though.

"Yeah," Steve dragged himself to his office and shut the door behind him, feeling Chin's worrisome eyes follow him the whole way. Steve dropped down on his leather chair, ignoring the pain that flared up in his side and shoulder. Yes, it had hurt, but it wasn't unbearable at all. It was more of a nuisance than it was painful. It reminded him of what happened over the course of the day, which made the sinking feeling in his gut make a surprise return.

"We really should wait, Steve. This guy is dangerous, we don't know what he's capable of," Danny whispered over the silence that engulfed the partners.

"That's exactly why we should go in. There are lives at stake, children's life at stake. We have to take him out before he gets a chance to get away or make a bomb or something. You can stay out here, I don't mind, but I have to go in," Steve replied quickly.

"At least put a vest on," Danny demanded. Steve simply shook his head.

"No time."

He stood and dashed toward the warehouse, flattening himself against the rusting wall. Danny was ready to stay behind the blue Silverado, just to prove a point and hope that Steve came running back because he was alone. It was a small chance that Steve come back, but Danny wasn't ready to jump into his suicide that quickly.

Steve silently crept along the shadows, precariously checking the windows that he came upon. By this time, Danny was sweating with anticipation. He couldn't just let his partner go in there by himself. Danny was the backup, he needed to be there. He picked himself off of the ground and hurried to the warehouse wall, right next to Steve.

"Ready?"

"No."

"That's too bad. Let's go."

The men took their positions next to the door, Steve checking the handle to see if it was unlocked. No such luck. So much for making a silent entrance. He kicked the door in and proceeded on his mission. As soon as they entered, automatic fire whizzed around them. Luckily, there were stacks of wooden crates next to the door that they both jumped behind, narrowly missing the menacing bullets. They both returned fire accurately and efficiently, bringing down all the goons quickly. Or so they thought. The only one left was Cunicelli, the main objective.

"He's behind those barrels," Steve whispered lowly to Danny. Danny nodded in response. As soon as Cunicelli peeked out to shoot at the cops, Steve shot him once, right in between the eyes.

"Let's get the hell outta here," Danny demanded. "We don't know what kind of stuff Cunicelli has in here. We really should wait for HPD." With that, Danny started walking to the warehouse door, but his plan was thwarted by one last goon that had entered the same way that he and Steve had. The goon grabbed Danny by the neck and pulled him close, Danny's neck being hugged by the crook of the man's elbow.

"Now, Commander, drop your gun or your partner here gets a bullet through the brain," he growled, a heavy Italian accent tracing his words.

Danny didn't even know what happened. One second, he was being held by a meaty goon, the next he was safely out the door and into the open sunlight. Then there were three gunshots. Danny rushed into the warehouse once again, thinking for a fleeting moment that Steve was dead. The scene that greeted him, though, was Steve standing above a dead body with a smoking gun in his hand.

"What was that, McGarrett?" Danny shouted at the man. "I can't believe you."

"Flying tackle, my specialty, remember," Steve smirked and grimaced not even a second later.

A light knock on the door brought Steve abruptly from his recollection of the day. Kono appeared in the doorway, a pained expression evident in her eyes. She stood still for a moment, not moving, just looking Steve over with a teary stare.

"Is everything okay, Kono?" Steve asked, becoming unnerved by the look that he was receiving from Kono.

"Someone's here to see you," she squeaked. "He's in camo but he didn't tell me his name. What's going on?" A silent tear streaked down her face. "Are you getting called back?"

"I'm not sure, Kono. What's wrong with you, though, are you okay?" Steve stood from his chair and walked to the doorway where he draped his uninjured arm over her shoulders.

"It's nothing, I just thought… Never mind. Forget it. I'll go get the guy," she told him with one last sniffle. She wriggled her way from Steve's arms and left the room. Steve was baffled. What just happened?

After a few moments, a man in fatigues entered Steve's office.

"Captain Lowell, sir," Steve grunted formally and raised a hand to his forehead in a salute.

"At ease, sailor. It's nice to see you, McGarrett," Lowell told Steve with a small smile. "It's been a while."

"Yes it has, sir. It's been a very long time."

"Now, I'm sorry to cut the talking a little short, but I really do have to get down to the point. I have to be back at base by 1600."

Steve took a glance at his watch, 1600 was in about an hour.

"Okay. Do you want to take a seat," Steve asked, heading to his own chair. Lowell followed Steve's lead and sat at the chair across from his desk.

"Now, we need your expertise," he started. He looked over Steve, meeting his eyes after a few moments. He didn't continue, though.

"You need my expertise on what," questioned Steve after a minute of sitting in silence.

"There's a… Problem that has occurred," Lowell stated after seemingly pondering the question carefully.

"What kind of problem, sir?"

"There are reasons for us to believe that there is a large terrorist attack being planned against the U.S." He paused for another moment, letting the information sink in.

"Okay, what do you want me to do? I'm sure that my team and I will do our best-" Steve's words were cut off by a crisp shake of the head from Lowell.

"No, not you and your team. Just you. We are calling you up for active duty once again. I can't tell you too much right now, so I need you to be at base by 0500 tomorrow. Don't repeat any information that I have told you. I have to go now. Goodbye, Commander," Lowell said as he nodded curtly and took long strides out of the room. Steve watched him leave, jaw dropped in shock. He was not expecting that.

"Hey, what was that all about," Chin's voice floated from the doorway.

"It was, uh, it was nothing. I have to go, Chin, for a while. Hold down the fort while I'm gone," ordered Steve.

"You're not going back, are you?"

"'Fraid so, but it's okay. I can't tell you the details about it, but I think it could be potentially dangerous. Hopefully I'll be back soon," Steve sighed.

"You consider that nothing?" Chin questioned, his voice raising a few decibles.

"I was hoping it wasn't. Now, I have to go get ready. I'll see you guys sometime soon. Tell Danny that I said bye." Steve stood from his chair and strolled out of the room. He approached Kono, who was hunched over the smart table, and tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around and smiled at the sight of him.

"Everything okay?"

"Not exactly. I'm going back for a mission. I don't know how long I'll be gone, but I want you to know that I'll miss you guys. I told Chin to say bye to Danny for me. I think he's still a little more than pissed at me, so I'm going to go without trying to make it any worse." His words made tears spring out of Kono's eyes once again. "I'm really sorry, Kono."

"No, no, I understand. Just, please be careful for us, okay? Please," she pleaded with him. "Don't try anything stupid. Nothing like what happened today." She pulled him into a tight embraced and they stayed that way for a good ten seconds.

When Steve was released from her grip, her whole face was puffy and red from crying.

"Bye Kono," Steve smiled wearily at her and turned out of the office.

"That did not just happen," Kono breathed as soon as McGarrett's truck was out of sight. "I thought he was done with all of that."

"Me too, Cous', me too," Chin replied in a calm manner.

"Hey, where's that son of a bitch going?" Danny's voice trailed from behind the cousins. They both slowly turned around and faced Danny. "What's wrong," he asked, noticing Kono's tear stained face.

"Steve got called up again."

"You have got to be kidding me! We're going to be stuck here doing all of his work now! He would leave us," Danny growled as he threw his arms in the air.

"Not this time, it seemed different. I think something really bad is going on. Something just wasn't right. Steve was scared."

A/N: How'd you guys like it? Should I continue?