A/N: Aww, heck, you readers have been so kind with your reviews lately, I'll post another story I dug out of my archives! This is a sequel to Yesterday Died and Tomorrow Won't Be Born. That is the episode where Steve gets shot 3 times and nearly dies by a man who felt he was unjustly prosecuted by Steve years back during his Navy days. The last very powerful scene of that episode (probably my very favorite all-time Hawaii Five-O scene) has Danno visiting his friend in the hospital.

Figuring It Out

Steve lay in his hospital bed, eyes blankly string at the ceiling. His new, young second in command had just left. He thought about the young man. He thought about himself. He replayed in his mind the visit they just had. It was really the first one where he was basically coherent after the shooting. He vaguely remembered snatches of previous visits from Danno, but everything was fuzzy, incomplete.

Danno was such a good man. He had performed admirably under great stress. Covered all the bases AND solved the case of who had shot him. That took some brainwork, intuition, solid thinking. But there was so much more there than just being a competent detective.

Steve remembered the look of joy in Danno's eyes just as he was leaving. He thought to himself,"All I said was, 'Well done, Danno…' That little bit of praise meant the world to him…"

"I really like him, and I could tell by the way he was that he really cares about me as well. Oh, all the team does, but with Danno, it's different. Something more, something … well… different… We need to talk more….."

In the midst of his thinking, Steve dozed off. A few hours later the smells of supper awakened him. He still really had little appetite, but forced himself to try to eat something- he was very weak and needed to gain his strength back. All they offered him at this point was jello and broth, which was enough.

Steve asked his nurse, "Annette, could you please do me a favor? Could you please call my office and ask Danny Williams to come back to visit me tonight? Tell him.. tell him… nothing's wrong, I just would like to see him tonight. Even if it's late. Whenever he's done working."

"Mr. McGarrett, you need your rest, you shouldn't have too many visitors, especially late…"

Steve smiled, "Annette, I'll take a nap after I'm finished eating. I really need to talk to him."

She sighed and indicated she'd call him. She had noticed that the young man had spent plenty of time here the last few days, waiting for his boss to recover, he obviously was dedicated to him.

Several hours later, after 9 pm, Danno popped in the door. The lights were dim, but Steve was not sleeping. Danny leaned against the bedrail. A bit concerned about the odd request, his face showed some apprehension. "Steve, you okay? The nurse said nothing was wrong, but that you wanted to talk to me?"

"I'm fine, Danno…"

Steve buzzed the nurse and asked her to please make sure they were not disturbed.

Steve looked closely at him. Danny felt as if he were being examined under a microscope, somewhat uncomfortable with the scrutiny, but not entirely. Steve said nothing, he was just thinking.

Finally Danno asked, cocking his head slightly to one side, "Steve?"

Steve quietly directed, "Put the rail down, Danno." Danno scrunched up his face, "Huh?"

Steve repeated, "Put the side rail down, Danno." Danno did as he requested.

Steve was silent yet more moments, minutes, studying his friend. Danno just stood there. The older man was thinking that perhaps his close brush with death made him more introspective, more open to sharing himself more intimately with someone like Danno.

Finally Steve smiled slightly, inched over a bit, wincing as he did, and gently patted the bed with his hand, indicating his friend should sit there.

Puzzled, but willing, Danno complied.

Steve took his friend's hand, held it, and again was silent a while. Danno was not uncomfortable with all this, he knew Steve was thinking, maybe building up to say something. Whatever, he could wait, this was not distressing, he wasn't afraid at all. But he was wondering what was on his boss's mind. All this was so unlike Steve.

Steve talked slowly and quietly, in a way Danno had never heard before. "Danno, you've been through a lot in life haven't you?"

Unsure where he was going, Danno replied, "I dunno, Steve, what do you mean?"

"Well, you lost your parents at a young age, and others important top you. You've had a lot of tragedy and losses in your life."

Danno simply nodded, "I guess so."

"Yet you retain energy, enthusiasm, you're vibrant, Danno. You're not defeated. That is amazing. And admirable." Danno shrugged and looked down, a bit embarrassed.

"I was thinking a lot this afternoon, Danno, after you left. About you, and about you and me." He looked him directly in the eye and waited for Danno to look back.

"Danno, you and I have something that goes beyond work partners, beyond boss and employee, beyond protégé. You are my protégé, you know!" he added, smiling. Danno grinned a lopsided grin.

"No, Danno, it's more than that. Almost like father and son, but that's not it. Plus, I'm WAY too young to fit that role for you!" he laughed.

"Maybe big brother, little brother?" he asked, looking questioningly at Danno. "Yes, I think that's it. I never had a little brother, I did have my little sister, but that's different."

Eyeing him carefully, he repeated, "Yeah, I think that's it… big brother, little brother… what's the word for that - kaikana?"

Danno affirmed he had the word right. And was taken aback a bit by this personal sharing, this disclosure. Stuttering a bit, he said, "Thanks, Steve. You DO mean a lot to me. And I never had a brother growing up. …"

Steve still held his hand, and looked at him even longer, even more piercingly, but again, not unnervingly. Voice steady, keeping a grip on the hand, he quietly intoned, "Danno, you were scared I was going to die, weren't you?"

Danno attempted –unsuccessfully- to not let his emotions get in the way, and replied huskily, "Steve, the doctors didn't give you very good odds…"

Steve pausing, then continued, "Really scared…" Gripping the hand tighter.

Danno looked at Steve, looked down, back at Steve, tears brimming in his eyes. And Steve's eyes were wet as well. He said softly, "You've lost so much, so many people who meant a lot to you… the possibility of losing me was terrifying to you. Even though we have never really talked about what we DO mean to each other."

Tears began to spill out of Danno's eyes.

Steve reached for his head and pulled it close to his chest, resting it there, hugging him. Surprising himself both with that action and with the words naturally and easily coming out of his mouth, he said gently, "Let it out, Danno, let it all out. The fear, the grief, the pain. All your feelings. It's okay."

Danno couldn't help but let himself lay against Steve's chest and cry. He cried for himself, his pain, his fears, what he had missed in life, for almost losing Steve, his best friend and big brother. All his pain was being purged, in a very healing way he had never released it before.

Steve gently stroked his head, soothingly, tenderly whispering words of comfort and encouragement. And as his own few tears fell as well, he just let them run down his cheeks, made no attempt to wipe them away. He was unsure why he was crying, but strangely it felt okay to him. He knew it was in part for his friend's pain, but also in part for himself. He too had lost things in life, had his own pains and hurts, had things he missed. And his tears were healing for him.

After a long, long time, he began to sense some peace in Danno, some relief. And himself. The quiet heaving sobs lessened, the breathing slowly steadied. Steve continued in his "comfort measures", gentle stroking. This was so unlike him, but felt so right.

Finally Danno lifted his head and looked at Steve in the dim fluorescent hospital room light. Two sets of red wet eyes communicated everything that needed to be said without words. The bond between two friends which had begun easily and simply, without effort on the part of either, had metamorphosed into something immense, a solid link to connect two people the Fates destined to be together. They smiled. Life was good.