A/N: This is my first story for FanFiction! I'm studying English in college, so I'm hoping to stretch my wings a little on here. I've been binge watching some 5-0 over the holidays, so it inspired me to see what I can do with some awesome characters! This is a tag to episode 3x15. Danny seemed legitimately angry with Steve, more than usual. I was kind of shocked that he said he didn't worry about losing Steve in combat. So I thought I'd write a follow up scene to explore how the rest of their conversation went.
Disclaimer: I own nothing of Hawaii Five-0 or its characters. All credits go to the wonderful staff, writers, and actors who have brought the show alive for us all.
Many thanks to Faye Dartmouth and Empress Akita for your wonderful betas!
Summary: Steve and Danny have a conversation shortly after the events of episode 3x15.
Long Day's Journey
The car ride away from the scene had been mostly silent. It had been a long few days, and with the amount of tragedy that had befallen the HPD (more specifically, personal friends of the McGarrett family), Danny couldn't understand why Steve was gleefully beaming as he drove. Clearly lost in memories past, he barely noticed Danny sitting in the passenger seat of the silver Camaro.
Danny had flung a few angry glares in the direction of his partner as he sat fuming over the events of the day. It was one thing for Steve to be reckless in the face of the unknown…but in front of a sniper consumed by revenge? With a bullet bearing Steve's name in the chamber? Absurd.
After nearly three years working next to each other on a number of dangerous cases, Danny had come to expect these types of events. Steve seemed to attract destruction, and had acquired a wealthy number of adversaries to boot. Despite this, Danny remained as loyal a partner, and friend, as ever. Somehow, against all odds, they always seemed to come through for each other.
Danny's expression relaxed as he thought of his own personal victory in court which had just happened a week prior. He had been beside himself, barely able to contain his own sanity. Grace was the one beautiful thing that he felt he had accomplished in his personal life. A failed marriage, a renegade brother, and a number of girlfriends meant very little when he thought of his daughter. When Rachel attempted to relocate…again…Danny had been understandably unnerved.
Where had Steve been? Right beside him, sporting his Navy "blues" and, surprisingly enough, a tie. His intervention in the courtroom had ultimately persuaded the judge to rule in Danny's favor, and for that, he would be forever grateful. It was those moments when Danny understood why he had so much care and concern for Steve.
Danny scowled, remembering Steve had promised to remind him of that favor at some point. Hopefully it wouldn't come up today. He again became frustrated by his friend's abject impulsiveness. The silence had gone on long enough. Seeing that Steve's mind was far away from the car, he decided to reel him back in.
"What's with the glow?" he asked.
Steve blinked, and looked over, confused. "Glow?"
"You, your expression, you have a glow," he attempted to clarify.
"I'm glowing," Steve said, matter-of-factly. "Think I might be pregnant?"
Danny rolled his eyes and threw his hand up in dismissal, saying nothing.
Seeing that he wasn't in the mood to joke, Steve explained. "I saw my dad today, out there on the road."
Danny stared at him incredulously. "What?"
"It was my dad, and Keoki and Ookala," he said easily.
"Great, great. My day starts out as a Rambo movie and is ending with M. Night. Maybe tomorrow I'll get lucky and it'll be something with 'chainsaw massacre' in it."
"Danny, I'm not seeing ghosts," Steve said. "It was more of a mental image. My dad told me he was proud of me. I really felt connected to him. This whole case had so much to do with him and with the past."
"Proud of you, huh? You just now realizing that? Because I'm pretty sure I've told you that at least twice just this year," Danny said. "As if it wasn't already obvious anyhow."
Steve's wistful expression dissolved into a frown. "Alright, you've had an attitude since the shootout, more than usual. What's the deal?"
"The deal?" Danny asked. "Well, Monty Hall, if you must know, your carefree disposition following what could have been a deadly shooting is extremely infuriating. It's one thing if we're busting some low-life drug dealers who don't know any better, but we were dealing with a professional, war-hardened sniper who had you in his crosshairs. Instead of acknowledging the extreme risk of our situation, you charge in guns a-blazing as usual, with my car. Obviously you have no self-regard for your own life, but maybe, just once, you could take into account the concerns of other people."
"We had to take him out then and there, Danny," Steve said. "If he would have escaped, more people would've suffered the same fate as the two cops. You know that."
"What I know," Danny continued, "is that we had more than enough backup to take care of him, and I don't mean your idea of backup either, I mean actual backup, with more than just one person. You had no business going all super-SEAL and using yourself as a diversion."
Steve's voice was tinged with exasperation. "Is this about the car? Because the car is fine. It's in no worse shape than it ever is after I drive it," Steve opened himself up to a jab, hoping Danny would take the bait.
"This isn't about the damn car," He spat, ignoring the joke.
There were a few seconds of silence. Danny noticed Steve glancing over in his direction, trying to gauge his expression. Typically, he was able to mask his feelings better than Steve, but he decided not to chance it and looked the other direction.
Too late, however.
"You were worried about me." Steve said. He couldn't help but grin again.
"Enough with that, alright? Enough. And wipe that smirk off your face."
By this time, they had arrived back 5-0 Headquarters. Danny unbuckled and got out of the car, closing the door a little harder than usual. Steve wasn't far behind him as they walked toward the building.
"Risk is part of the job, Danny," Steve called from behind him.
Danny kept walking as they entered. "Risk? I'm glad you're here to clarify that. I thought throwing myself near the line of fire was just for sport, something to kill time when I'm not with Grace."
They each grabbed a handle and opened the glass doors to HQ. Chin and Kono hadn't made it back yet. Why was it so hard for Steve to understand why he was upset? He absolutely hated getting up-in-arms every time Steve felt the need to do something outside the realm of police procedure, but damn it, playing fast and loose eventually catches up with people. Yet despite complaining nearly every time, it never stopped Danny from having his back in the next situation.
Steve grabbed Danny and turned him around to face him. "I'm not really sure what you're wanting me to say here. I don't regret what I did, because my planning, though a little impulsive, is what ended that shootout, with Stoner dead on the pavement." He crossed his arms resolutely.
"I know this, Steven. I was there," Danny said. "Clearly you aren't listening to me. The man would have been detained. Catching him a few minutes sooner wasn't worth risking your life for. Not after all the good we've done here. You said so yourself, your dad would be proud of you. Grace is staying here, so I'm not going anywhere."
"Which reminds me…" Steven tried to interrupt.
"Why are you talking? I'm in the middle of a rant." Danny kept going, his hands moving more than his lips. "Think of all the people we could help in all the years we might work together; hundreds if not thousands of innocent people whose safety might suddenly fall into question. If that isn't enough for you, what about your sister? Your mom? Hell, your vendetta with Wo Fat?"
"What about you, Danny?" Steve said, his tone short.
"What about me?" He asked.
"Don't try to pretend you aren't sensitive right now. That's crap, pal. I've known you long enough to know you cover your feelings with jokes and anger, and you really flew off the handle today."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Danny faked ignorance.
"And I quote, 'There are a lot of things on this planet that I am worried about. Losing you in a combat situation is not one of them'." Steve paused purposefully, mimicking the angry state Danny had been in. "'Okay?'"
"Are you done?" Danny asked impatiently.
Steve ignored the snide remark. "That really hurt, Danny. I don't care how pissed you were, I think that after all we've been though together I deserve a little better than that."
Danny ran his hand through his hair, turning away from Steve momentarily. He hoped that Steve had forgotten the finer points of that little outburst. Danny had regretted the words as soon as they'd left his mouth. Rather than apologize, he had walked away frustrated. Steve now had him cornered, and Danny knew it.
Danny sighed. "Look, maybe I was kinda harsh earlier," he said calmly, expression softening. "Obviously I didn't mean any of that. My adrenaline was pumping, and yes, I was worried about you." He paused, looking at the ground, and then back at Steve. "I'm sorry."
Steve nodded. "Thanks. I know you think I'm being selfish when I stick my neck out the way I do, but that's just who I am, and how I've been trained to operate. I've just spent so many years putting myself on the line for others, that I've almost forgotten what it's like not to be in harm's way."
"I get that, but things change. You have to adapt to a new situation, one where your life matters more than your death," Danny said.
Steve reflected on that for a moment. "I've always rationalized it by thinking that people would just move on if something ever happened. Mary's made it this far mostly alone, and clearly my mom has no issues taking care of herself. Seems like everyone I get close to dies or runs away. I guess martyrdom always seemed like an easier choice than facing the issues that come from letting people get close enough to care."
"Yeah, but it's too late for that. You're in too deep with this team," Danny explained. "My daughter affectionately refers to you Uncle Steve. You're one of her heroes, especially considering what a winner Matt turned out to be. You mean so much to her. Someone's going to have to keep me in check when she starts driving, and going off to college."
"And dating." Steve smirked.
"Hey, shut up. She's not dating anyone until she's thirty. Mark my words: I will get her to sign a contract at some point."
"And you, Danno?"
"I'm over thirty, I can date whoever I want."
Steve looked at him discerningly. "Come on, just say it."
Danny put his hands on his hips and looked up at the ceiling. They had never formally referred to one another as 'best friend', though Danny felt it. He hoped that Steve did, too, though Steve had only referred to him as 'a close friend' during the court hearing. Maybe at this point it would be too definitive, as though being partners with one's best friend in such a dangerous profession was somehow a conflict of interest, or a continuous source of jeopardy.
"Alright, you mean a lot to me, too, so I'd be an idiot not to be slightly concerned and protective through your demented shenanigans."
"See? Was that so hard?" Steve asked.
Danny pointed at him. "You hush."
Steve smiled and looked at his watch. "You hungry?"
"I've been dodging bullets all afternoon, so yeah, pretty hungry."
"Shrimp at Kamekona's?" He suggested.
Danny shook his head. "Steak and beer at Chateau McGarrett sounds a little more palatable."
Steve clapped him on the back as they began walking out of the office, and Danny reciprocated. "Sounds good, partner."