a/n: Wow. I really don't know where this came from. Woke up two-minutes before my alarm and I had the time, lol. Never thought I'd do a fic that wasn't McDanno, but here is some Danchel(?)—I don't know what it's called. Anyway... Enjoy.

Summary: Pre-series; Danny/Rachel | -"They were in the kitchen, that seemed the usual place that their rows (as she called them) happened."-

HAWAII . FIVE - 0

Passion and Conviction

They were in the kitchen, that seemed the usual place that their rows (as she called them) happened.

"It doesn't matter what I say, does it?" he tried to keep his voice low and even, to not shout like it wanted to; it came out tremulous instead. "I don't know why you're acting this way. It's not as if I've cheated on you!"

"Well," Rachel replied tartly, "Sometimes I wished you had."

Danny threw up his hands, "You can't be serious." He pressed his hand to his side in reflexive response to the literal stitches that pulled in recourse to his naturally fluid hand-gestures.

Rachel's eyes followed the gesture and he felt guilt at the flood of emotion he put into her eyes. Then felt anger at the tightening of her lips—accusing—like he'd done the motion to try and get height in their fight. As if the response had been premeditated to make her feel guilty for "attacking" him so soon after he'd gotten home from the E.R.. He dropped his hand.

"Sometimes—almost always—I think it would be better." She continued, her voice quiet and watery. "Then at least I know you would be safe and I could be properly angry with you instead of frustrated, scared, and helpless to do anything."

"You say that as if I asked for this," he nodded his chin down at his side. "Like I asked that scumbag to jump me with a knife while I was on patrol."

"But you did, didn't you, Daniel?" she sniffled quietly. "Every day, every time you put on your uniform. Every time you take a night-shift to help out 'one of the guys'—you walk those streets and there's a target on your back."

"And what about all the people I help, huh?" he demanded, his voice raising unintentionally. "It's only ever about the bad things that may happen with you. What about the good the uniform does? It's not all hold-ups, car-chases, stand-offs and stab-wounds. Heck, last week I helped Mrs. Henderson across the street and we chatted for ten-minutes about her cats!"

"That's not the uniform, Daniel!" She cried out in frustration. "That's just you. You don't need the uniform to be a good person. Why can't you have been a teacher?" she blurted.

Danny blinked at her in shock for a second, before his jaw squared. "Because it wasn't enough. That wasn't who I was supposed to be. I'm a cop, Rach. You know I had signed up and that was my intention when we started dating."

But she shook her head. "When I hit your car, you were still going to be a teacher. That-"

"Hit?" he interrupted her, the sentence striking at his cop-senses. His eyes narrowed in suspicion as he caught the flash contrition across her expression. "You crashed into my car because you were new to the city and still weren't used to driving on the right-side of the road. Those were your words."

"Oh, Danny." She sighed. "How can you be a police officer when you're this oblivious? I was in town for months. I knew which side of the road to drive on. I had seen you at the college and thought you were cute."

"Rachel." He stared at her for a moment. Maybe surprised at the deviousness of it; but he shouldn't have been.

"I was too scared to tell you how much I hated the idea of you going out there every day." She told him quietly. "But then it was too late before I realized that what I wanted didn't matter. This is what you were going to do and nothing—no one—not even me—could stop you."

"Then why-" Danny helplessly shook his head, running a hand over his slicked-back hair; because she was right. Once he had decided, it was all or all.

Tears brimmed Rachel's eyes. "Not even a baby would change your mind, would it?" her hands made and aborted move towards her stomach before they dropped uselessly back to her sides.

It took a moment for his heart and brain to catch up with her words' meaning and he took a single, lurching step towards her in shock. "You're pregnant?" but she shook her head. Whatever had welled up inside his chest at the amazing and shocking thought, stuttered painfully at the silent implication the head shake had directed him in. "W- were you pregnant?" he could hardly choke the terrible words out—the loss of something he hadn't even known he'd ached for.

"I thought I was." She choked on her sob, a hand clenching over her mouth. "I thought, but-" tears flooded down her cheeks.

Danny's own eyes burned and he instantly closed the distance to his fiancée. All the frustration from their argument vanished at this revelation and he enveloped the crying woman in his arms. He stroked her loose hair.

Rachel grasped fistfuls of his shirt, her face pressed into his broad chest as she sobbed, shaking in his arms. "I took the test but it was negative," she managed to get out. "And then my cycle came."

He rubbed soothing circles on her back, kissing her hair as he let her get it out. "Shh. It's okay, baby."

"I wanted- I hoped-" she couldn't even finish the heartbreaking wish. "I'm sorry!" she bawled.

"Don't be sorry, baby." He whispered into her hair. "There's nothing to be sorry for."

But she shook her head against his chest, smearing her makeup off onto the tear-damp material—not that he cared. "I should have told you sooner." She raised her face and he looked down at her. Her cheeks were a little blotchy and her eyes red as stray tears still slipped passed her clumped lashes—and even in sorrow she was beautiful. "I just didn't want to get your hopes up or-"

"I understand." He hushed. He cupped her jaw with both hands and brushed the stray tears away with his thumbs. "I not angry. I'm disappointed... just like you."

He pressed a kiss to her forehead and pulled her back to his chest. Her arms went around him proper this time, careful of the wound hidden beneath his shirt that had started this whole thing. Her cheek turned on his shoulder as she sniffled.

"I must look a right mess," she gave a watery chuckle.

"You do," he said and she cuffed him on the back of the shoulder. "You didn't let me finish. But you look beautiful anyway. You always look beautiful," he whispered into her hair, tightening his hug warmly. "Makeup, no makeup. Just waking up. Stepping out of the shower—especially then. Mmm." He sighed playfully against her ear and she shivered pleasantly. "Do you want to have a shower right now?"

"At a time like this, Daniel?" was the uppity British reply, but he could feel the tremble as she tried to suppress her mirth. "Maybe later," she admitted slyly a moment later and he chuckled.

Danny grinned. "You are an incredible woman, you know that?"

She smiled and pulled back slightly to look at him.

"Rachel," he said, his expression earnest. "I know how scary it can be," he addressed the elephant that had started this whole thing, "Stuck at home; waiting, wondering. Dreading I'm going to get hurt; if the phone is going to ring." He brushed a strained of hair from her cheek. "It was the same thing with my dad. When he'd get called out to a fire. But there was also pride. My dad was a hero—my hero. He helped people, saved them. And I want to do my part to keep my home safe—for anyone out there, you... and the future little Williams' that'll run around here someday."

She inhaled deeply with a lightly fluttering heart as she looked into his bright blue eyes, so earnest, full of passion and conviction, such kindness. She saw it all in everything he did. It was why she fell in love with and still loved him, even when he made her want to rip her hair out and scream.

Rachel nodded with a soft smile. "I understand, Danny, but it won't mean I will stop worrying." She looped her arms around his neck, her hands resting at the curve of his nape. "Just promise me one thing... Never leave without saying I love you then come back home to say it again?"

"When have I ever not?" he asked. "How could I ever not say it when I will never stop loving you?"

"Such a romantic," she whispered.

"Yeah." His hand brushed up her curved back and palmed the nape of her neck, fingers pushed into the silky strands. And he kissed her, open-mouthed.

She made a soft sound into his mouth, her eyes closed. Feeling the company of his devilish tongue as she opened to him. She didn't know a better kisser.

They broke apart for breath, her head back as Danny mouth along her jaw, kissing down her neck. "Shower!" she gasped, arms tightening around his neck.

Danny caressed his hand down her back, squeezing her sweet ass before he grasped the back of her thighs below her buttocks. "Up." He said against her skin, his intention obvious.

"No, Danny." She tried to stop him. "Your wound."

"It's OK. I got you." And he lifted her up whether she wanted it or not. She let out a little shriek and giggle and wrapped her thighs around his hips, mindful of the stitched wound at waist-level. She could feel the press of him through their clothing.

"You're impossible, Daniel." She told him fondly.

His hands were on her ass again as extra support and he gave them another squeeze and smiled. "You love it." He started for the bathroom as she started sucking on his neck.

"I do." She agreed—and undulated her pelvis, rubbing at him through his tightening trousers.

He groaned and stumbled, nearing going into the hall wall before he steadied them. "Bedroom." He said, instantly on the move again with a slight variation in his directional path. "The shower can wait!" And she laughed.

It wasn't perfect, they weren't perfect. But who's relationship was? You couldn't fight who you loved.

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HAWAII . FIVE - 0

Well? Any thoughts, comments? I would love to hear them. Thanks for reading!

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