Steve softly knocked on the door of Danny's office wearing what he hoped was a pleased expression. Danny had from day one an uncanny habit of figuring out what Steve was thinking by reading the expressions on Steve's face and he didn't need the Jersey native finding out about the surprise that he had planned for that evening.

Danny was on the phone talking to Grace, so he waved Steve to come in and take a seat while he concluded the call with, "Yes, Monkey, I'll be there tomorrow. I wouldn't miss you being the best angel ever."

Steve bit back a chuckle and Danny gave him an annoyed look. "What?"

"You're so cute when you talk with Grace."

"Is that so?"

"Yes," Steve replied. "No need to get touchy about it."

"As you can see, I've got work to do, so what do you need, Steven?" Danny began to shuffle through the paperwork that had backlogged in the past few weeks. Paperwork that Steve should have been filing in an orderly fashion instead of running around with Joe White chasing worthless clues in his search for Wo Fat, and this annoyed Danny more than Steve's recent bout of moodiness.

"Think you can hold down the fort while I go run a few errands?"

"I'm quite capable of keeping this place running while you're off gallivanting God knows where doing God knows what," Danny grumbled his annoyance at his partner turning into sudden anger.

"You're still mad about North Korea?" Steve hazard knowing that if he was in Danny's shoes he would still be mad as well.

"Why, no, Steven," Danny retorted pinning Steve with a freezing, blue glare. "I love visiting dangerous foreign countries in order to save your sorry hide and keep you from causing international incidents!"

Steve sighed. "I don't know how many times I can say I'm sorry, Danny, before you believe me."

Danny shook his head. His sudden anger washed away by the remorse he heard in Steve's voice. "Go do what you need to do and I'll see you at home at some point."

"Thanks," Steve said. He stood up and left, but quickly returned. "Danny?"

"Yes?"

"I promise to stay out of trouble."

"Like I believe that, now get out of here!" Danny hollered and threw a wad of paper at his retreating back.

* * * *

Steve leaned in the doorway of his bedroom with his lips curled into a smirk of satisfaction. He surveyed the room taking in the subtle changes he had left work early to create so that Danny would feel more at home.

His relationship with Danny had been rocky from the very beginning, but once they had found an even keel it had blossomed into something wonderful. They had become best friends, which was something Steve cherished more than he could adequately express.

When they had become lovers, it had been the best night of his life despite the fact that he had been afraid that he would ruin their friendship.

He let out a weary sigh.

Steve knew since returning from North Korea that he had been keeping Danny at arm's length while he sorted out the emotional baggage that came from that ill-fated trip.

He still felt guilty for leaving Jenna behind despite her betrayal, because it had been ingrained in him to never leave a man behind, but it hadn't been feasible for them to return to the bunker to collect her body.

He was snapped out of his morbid, circular thoughts by the growl of the Camaro as Danny turned it into the driveway and parked it next to Steve's truck.

He hurried downstairs and slid in behind the front door ready to spring his surprise on his partner.

* * * *

Danny slid his key into the front door only to have the door opened for him. "What the hell, Steve?" he managed to gasp before he was pulled inside and used to close the door.

Steve leaned down and took Danny's mouth in an invasive yet soft kiss.

Danny moaned into the kiss.

Hearing Danny's moan and feeling the growing evidence of his arousal, Steve swept his tongue inside Danny's mouth and tangled it with Danny's. He pressed into the smaller man grounding his own arousal into Danny's hip.

* * * *

It was the untimely ringing of the oven timer that broke into their passion causing them to jump apart.

Danny leaned against the door trying to catch his breath and figure out what had gotten into Steve.

For his part, Steve hurried into the kitchen not breathing heavy due to his SEAL training. He ignored his aching cock and turned off the timer. He grabbed a couple of potholders and pulled dinner from the oven.

Danny slowly followed Steve willing his body to calm down while finally catching a whiff of what Steve had been cooking for dinner. "That smells good," he remarked watching Steve put the casserole dish on the counter to cool. "But what has suddenly gotten into you?"

"I wanted to make amends for my recent behavior," Steve began to explain as turned to face Danny.

"It's alright. I understand. You needed time to sort things out in that rock hard head of yours, and I assumed by the greeting I just received you have done just that."

"Yeah, I guess," Steve said with a sheepish grin. "And you shouldn't be so calm about my moodiness."

"Why not?"

"It's not alright, Danny, how I treated you," Steve retorted. "One doesn't do that to someone they care about."

Danny pulled out a chair and settled into it. "No, they don't," he agreed. "One also doesn't go charging off into the unknown without any back up either, but you being you, it's expected."

"I'm sorry."

"I know, and I forgive you," Danny replied. He rested his chin on his clasped hands and studied Steve. "So I ask you again, what's got into you?"

"I wanted to surprise you with a home cooked meal and some fantastic sex for dessert, so that you would stop sleeping over at Chin's."

"I was only sleeping over at Chin's because he wanted me to look out for his place while he and Malia went on their honeymoon."

"I guess I missed that conversation."

"It's okay, babe," Danny said with a sly grin. "You'll make up for it later."

"I will," Steve promised returning Danny's sly grin.

"I know you will. Now, feed me."

"Pushy, aren't you?"

"Me?"

"Yeah, you."

"I'm not pushy."

"You're not?"

"No," Danny said as he leaned back in his seat. "Dinner smells good and I want to sample it before we move onto dessert."

Steve chuckled and then served up their dinner.

* * * *

Steve led Danny upstairs and pushed him onto the bed. He crawled on top of him and asked, "Shall we pick up where we left off?"

"Yes," Danny replied. He grabbed a fistful of Steve's shirt and pulled him into a passionate kiss.

Fin