No One is Going to Believe This

by my-place12

Grief stricken by his breakup with Catherine, Steve turns to the only person he trusts for a shoulder to cry on. Does he realize too late that the person he loves has been by his side the entire time?

Hello guys! This is my first story on ! I am a fellow McDanno shipper! Let me know what you think! I want to thank xwhiteheartx for being an amazing beta through this and a great motivator as well! :) Mahalo, keep smiling!

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"I love you, Danno!" echoed Gracie's sweet voice down the phone causing his heart to do a little jump of joy every time he heard those beautiful words.

"I love you, too." Danny smiled. "I call you tomorrow."

"Okay. Night night Danno."

"Night, monkey."

Danny reluctantly pressed the end call icon on his phone and tossed it uncaringly onto the clean pressed sheets.

Not in his wildest dreams would he ever have imagined that he'd actually miss being away from Hawaii, and yet, here he was feeling . . . homesick.

But he was home; New Jersey was always his home. He hated Hawaii.

Or at least he used to.

Danny stood in the middle of his gloomy and unwelcoming hotel room, leaving the offending bright lights switched off, rolling his eyes and taking a deep breath he opened the sliding glass door that led to the balcony, with his arm leaning against the door frame. He looked out to the moon that had risen from its perch behind the mountain. It was full tonight and gazed at the world with an orange glow. Danny looked up at the moon and thought about home, his new home in Hawaii. He had made some wonderful friends, Kamekona; the kickass cousins, Kono and Chin; The awesome if yet slightly creepy Medical Examiner, Max; and Charlie. Not mention boss . . . and now boyfriend, Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett.

Danny's face broke into a grin as he thought about his love.

'God I miss him,' he thought to himself. He looked at his phone. It read 8:45 p.m. It was Hawaiian time obviously. It must've been 1 or 2 in the morning in Jersey.

'He probably won't call tonight.'

The past couple of weeks had been pretty busy at 5-0 headquarters. What with the new string of murders flowing through nearly every week without fail along with string of paperwork and not to mention the case that Governor Denning wanted them to look over, things had become a little out of hand before Danny left but things had straightened out and with a firm talking to by Steve, Danny was on the next plane back to Jersey.

Danny thought about their relationship.

To put it simply, he loved it; he loved everything about being with Steve, the comfort the shared, the affection, the love, the familiarity of it.

It hadn't always been like that.

The first time they met was 4 years ago, in Steve's father's garage. Danny was assigned to investigate the murder of Steve's father but Steve had taken the matter into his own hands and decided to investigate it himself. After a couple of shouts and the approval from the governor, he and Steve began a career together.

Danny remembered as clear as day the first time he knew he was falling in love with his partner.

For a change it had been a slow week at the HQ. Danny was sitting in his office looking through some old case files when he looked up and saw Steve through his glass wall, standing over his desk looking thoroughly bored probably going over all the paperwork from last week's bust, to relive the adrenaline… it didn't seem to be working.

'Why doesn't he just act like a normal human being and follow procedure? Then we wouldn't all be stuck here trying to make it out that his actions were actually necessary? Would it actually kill him?!'

Danny gritted his teeth in annoyance looking back down the askew papers across his desk.

A couple seconds later, he looked back up just in time to see Steve run his tongue along his lower lip, his signature tell that he was concentrating hard or even when he was just listening.

'Why does he have to do that? Every single time.'

Danny felt his blood pressure rise as he closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, trying and failing to regain some self-control. Why did Steve annoy him so much? Why did he have to get under Danny's skin all the time?

Danny opened one eye to see his papers on his desk. He picked up his pen and signed his name on a few police statement papers when the sound of muffled voices caught his attention. Catherine, Steve's "thing" at the time, had walked into his office. Steve's face now played host to an overjoyed smile, his posture straightened and his tired eyes lit up at the sight of her. He walked around to her and pulled her in for a passionate kiss. Her hands wrapped around his neck as he snaked his arms around her waist pulling her body flush against his.

Danny tried not to let the sound of his heart breaking and his insides burning in fury distract him any longer from his neglected files.

'This is a professional environment and it should be kept as such.'

Unable to resist he looked back up. Steve was still in his own little world with his significant other, kissing her like he was never going to see her again and this was the last chance he was ever going to get.

'God, can they be any more annoying?!'

Danny chuckled as he remembered the next part.

Finally managing to physically drag themselves away from one another, Catherine rested her hand on Steve's bicep circling his tattoo with her finger and looking up into his hazel eyes, saying something that made Steve rock his head back in laughter, wearing a smile of utter happiness, one that Danny had once thought was only for him, clearly not. When Steve smiled like that it made Danny feel like he meant something to him, that man took his breath away but this time he was beaming at Catherine.

Then his stomach dropped as he pulled himself back into reality.

'What the hell?'

Danny dropped his pen on his desk not even noticing it rolling off the side of his desk and clattering to the floor as he picked a spot on his wall and stared, trying to make sense of this.

"No, this cannot be happening?'

He couldn't. He wouldn't. Ever!

Could he?

His mouth was dry, saliva non-existent apparently; his heart rate pulsated following the quickness of breath, his palms, neck, and forehead suddenly felt damp and his hands and legs began to shake of their own accord..

He thought back to previous encounters that he had with Steve and started to question them, had he either been annoyed with Steve's antics? Or charmed?

But was it really annoyance? Or was it his jealously showing? Or perhaps it was his coping mechanism to throw Steve and everyone else off the scent?

This isn't happening.

This won't happen.

Danny will not fall for Steve.

He will not fall for his partner.

For his boss.

His friend.

But could he deny it? Danny measured the emotions that he was feeling. They had seemed to have grown strong for Steve as strong as he had once felt for Rachael.

A soft knocking shook Danny from his thoughts as Kono did not wait for an invitation and opened his office door.

"Hey Danny, we were just about to grab a bite to eat, want to join?" It took Danny a second longer to register what she said.

"Uh, yeah. Just gimme a sec." He turned to his papers scattered on his desk and scooped them up and shuffled them into a neat pile. But his hands couldn't stop shaking but he dared to hope that Kono wouldn't notice but even he knew that was a farfetched thought.

"Danny, is everything okay?" Kono asked him.

"Uh, yeah. Why wouldn't be?" Danny asked as he continued to shake but was starting to get it under control much to his relief. 'Get a grip, Daniel, you just left your tracks for the bloodhound to sniff you out.'

"What's going on, Danny?" Kono asked furrowing her brows as she watched his shaking hands.

"Uh, nothing. Just thinking about. . .nothing. It's nothing. Just thinking."

"Come on, Danny. You're telling me that the sweat on your forehead and neck and the shakiness of your hands is nothing!? Fess up."

"Kono, I can't deal with this now. Please, drop it." She must have caught the fright in his eyes because it stared him back in the face as he looked into her eyes.

"Please, Kono. Let it go." He whispered. He could feel the rims of his eyes filling with water and threatening to overflow if Kono didn't stop. He knew Kono saw them, the tears. And being the merciful coworker, and friend, she was, she did.

"Okay. If you need to talk, call me anytime. I'm serious, Danny." Danny nodded his thanks. He appreciated it, he really did, but he needed to figure this out on his own this time and not burden his team mates with his boy troubles.

"Are you hungry?" She asked with a shrug leaning against the door frame with her arms folded across her chest and her leg bent back against the door frame, you would think she was in high school.

"Not really."

"You can ride with me. I brought my bike." Danny looked up at her with a blank stare. She had just bought a new motorbike. It was black, sporty and pretty awesome, a Ducati? Or was it a Suzuki? Anyway Danny had been dying to try it out, but he just didn't feel like it right now.

"Fine, you can drive." Kono said with a natural smile on her face as she threw him her keys. He caught them with ease. "Just don't wreck her!"

Danny's face broke into a wide grin and pulled himself out of his chair, but as he walked out of the building with his co-workers, he couldn't shake the feeling he had tried to leave back in his office. He grasped the modular helmet Kono gave him as she pulled her full face helmet on and fastened it. The feeling that clouded his mind made him physically sick. Not the thought of being with Steve, but just, things changing. He didn't want to ruin the best friendship he had ever had by scaring Steve away because the thought of Steve never talking to him again made that twisting and wrenching feeling in his gut amplify. He placed the helmet on his head and mounted the bike. He looked up and waited for Kono to clamber on behind him but he caught sight of something in the corner of his eye, about 30 feet away, he watched as Steve walked Catherine to his truck and opened the door for her. Steve's fit body flounced around to the driver's side, the side nearest to Danny; he opened his door to get in and turned to look in his direction but Danny shook himself and flipped the dark glass section down over his eyes. He placed the keys in the ignition which caused the engine to bellow to life.

"Ready?!" He shouted to Kono as she wrapped her arms around his waist.

"You bet!"

"You'll have to bear with me. It's been a while!"

"Just get moving, Grandma!" she laughed tightening her grip on his waist, and with that, they pulled away from the building and headed to dinner.

But Danny didn't leave all his worries and feelings in the office. At least there he could hide behind mounds of paperwork, at dinner he had no shield, no protection, he was completely vulnerable and he knew it.

He had to sit through dinner with Catherine and Steve being nauseatingly affectionate with kisses, struggling to share food as they held hands and somehow still managing to get their hands all over each other. Danny was full of sighs, eye rolls, and silence which he hoped no one would notice, whilst all the time checking his watch. He had 3 minutes until he considered it was an appropriate time to leave. He looked up and thought he'd lose it when he saw Catherine snake her hand on Steve's inner thigh. It was too much for him, he had snapped, standing up and digging out his wallet,

"I, uh, I have to go." He said abruptly, setting down enough money for his plate of food, which was mostly uneaten, and a small portion for tip.

"Danny, come on, we just got here." Steve said with a mouthful of fries and some ketchup leaking out the side of his lips which causing Catherine to giggle and use her lips to wipe it away, because obviously a napkin was too normal.

"I'll take it you saying 'just got here' to mean 'arrived 37 minutes ago'. I, uh, I have things to do.I, believe it or not, am a very busy man, so I will see you all later." And with no further conversation about it, he walked out of the restaurant. He groaned when he remembered that he had arrived with Kono. He quite obviously couldn't go back into the restaurant and interrupt them by asking Kono to take him back to the office. He couldn't stand to be near Steve and Catherine for another second, at least not that night.

'A walk will do me good; give me time to clear my head.'

His apartment was closer than the office anyway. He could just forget work, go back to his apartment and order a cab in the morning. It was a cool night, even for Hawaii, but Danny didn't mind. He placed his hands in his pockets as the cool wind danced with his hair and pulled it out of its style. He continued to walk down the suburban streets as the sound of late night traffic kept his mind occupied. Still lost in thought, he didn't register the motorbike pulling up in front of him and blocking his path, when he finally did he gazed up and saw Kono pulling off her helmet and cutting the engine.

"Danny," She began as she hopped off her bike, balancing the helmet on the seat and walking towards his. "Please tell me what's going on."

"There is nothing going on Kono, I just have a lot on my mind."

"I can see that. What the hell was that with dinner? I've never seen you so disconnected from the team. Not to mention, so hostile toward Steve and Cath." She stopped and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear with her gloved hand. "Danny, I am worried about you bruddah, just please tell me so I can help you?"

Danny looked to the dirt ground and shuffled his feet as he licked his lower lip,

"Look its nothing I can't handle on my own" He mumbled as he brought his hands to his face and ran his hands down it.

"Damn it Danny! You are obviously not very good at figuring it out on your own! Come on, I am your family, your Ohana and I hate seeing you like this, it hurts me as well."

"FINE, YOU WANT TO KNOW?!" He brought his hands down forcefully and was now flailing them about. He stomped on the ground with a foot and placed a hand on his hip. The other he ran through his hair. He huffed out a breath and his heart pounded, looking Kono straight in the eye, he felt the tears form.

"I think I have feelings for Steve." He brought his hand down from his hair to his side and turned from her as a tear fell down his face. It felt like minutes, but in reality, Danny knew it was merely a few seconds.

"And..." Kono said.

Danny turned back to her. "And what, isn't that enough?"

"Sorry I was expecting to hear a problem, cause let me tell you, that, is not a problem, in fact, it's was kind of obvious."

"What?!"

"Well, not so obvious for Steve. I think he may be reading too little into your signals, by the way you need to be a bit stronger with those."

Danny smiled up at the moon as he recalled his baffled response to Kono that night so long ago.

"I-I've been that obvious?" He felt sick. No, really. He started to feel the low jerking and tugging at his insides.

"Yes, you have been obvious. But more with a man like Chin or Charlie perhaps? They caught on pretty quickly; I was impressed seeing as guys tend to be a little slow on that front."

The feeling of his esophagus shortening made him turn from Kono and stumble to a nearby bush. He heaved twice before he purged his dinner into a bush.

He did this twice more before spitting and breathing heavily, bent over, catching his breathe. Kono walked up to him with a bottle of water she kept in the panniers of her bike, Danny took it gratefully and sipped a little. "Chin and Charlie know?" He questioned.

"Well, yeah, they've known for months."

"Son of a bitch." He mumbled.

Kono chuckled as she placed a hand on Danny's back and rubbed it. "Danny, it's not that bad. Steve doesn't know yet and neither does Catherine, I think. It takes time for people like them to notice that you're interested. To be honest, I'm not surprised they're together."

Danny felt exhausted from the ordeal. He stood up fully. Kono asserted her stance to him.

"Thingswill work out." She said lightly. Danny gave a little smile through his tear stained face. She offered him a hug and he took it. "Just be there for him when he needs you and take the right opportunities."

Danny pulled from her. "How will I know which ones are right?"

Kono grinned. "Oh, you'll know. And I will help." She patted his shoulders and turned from him. That grin made Danny nervous, but he felt relief that he wouldn't have to go through this alone. "Let me give you a ride back to the office." She said reaching in to the compartment and tossing the helmet to him; Danny caught it and walked back to the bike.

"Alright and thanks Kono."

She smiled at him genuinely pleased to hear it but then a sheepish look replaced her smile as she yet again tucked a strand of hair behind her ear "No worries, Oh, and, by the way, I may have chewed out the boss and Catherine for behaving the way they did at the restaurant. You know all lovey-dovey." Alarm bells started ringing.

"What did you tell him?"

"Something about being too blind to see that something was obviously upsetting you and that maybe they should tone down the affection at work. Don't worry; I didn't reveal anything, just asked him to think about his partner." Danny sighed a little in relief as he mounted the bike behind her. "But you might want to come up with a cover up to tell him. You know a good one that even a SEAL can't crack."

Danny smiled. "Alright, thanks again, Kono."

They drove off and for the first time that night, Danny felt a sense of peace wash over him as he knew that somehow everything would be alright.

Danny smiled in the moonlight and thought about the week that followed after that.

Danny had been looking at natural salts and pain pills in a particular section of the local drug store for his familiar knee pain, which had been bothering him since work earlier that day, but he decided to wait on pain pills because he was trying to wean himself away from them, but when he gave in and decided that he needed them, there were none in his apartment.

He stood in front of the herbal medicines when he caught sight of Steve out of the corner of his eye at the other end of the store. He was on a mission looking up and down the displays, but Danny knew the store layout well enough that Steve stood was where the condoms were located. Danny wanted to turn and forget that he had seen him but Steve looked up and called to him.

"Hey Danny, what are you doing here?" He asked as he saw the pain pills in his hand.

"Not a lot just some late night shopping, yourself?" He asked casually, putting the drugs back on the shelf and heading over to Steve with a very obvious limp, not that Steve noticed, he was still staring at all the items on the shelves.

"Uh, Catherine's home for the weekend, so . . ." Danny nodded in understanding. "Do you have any suggestions?"

"What you've never used a condom before?" Danny asked to keep the mood light.

"She forgot to take her pill, okay? And not really, all my partners have used the pill."

Danny scanned the selection available. He could feel his pulse race and heat fluster into his cheeks. Thank God Steve hadn't notice. God, why was this so hard? Kono would hear of this.

"Personally, any trojan brand is good for me. But if you use any condom, be sure to use water based lubricant, if you use that." Steve gave him a look that Danny took as confusion. "You know. If you don't do a lot of foreplay-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I get it." Steve cut him off before he could say anything further.

"The oil eats through the elastic." Danny added looking down the other end of the isle before Steve hurriedly picked a pack and turned to Danny with a smile on his face. Steve slapped Danny's upper arm in a friendly manner.

"Thanks man, you're a life saver!" And with that he turned away to check out, he wasn't even good enough to say goodbye to know, not when he had Lieutenant sex on legs waiting for him back at his place.

Danny's already empty smile faded even more as he watched Steve go, trying not to focus on what he was going home to. He couldn't measure what hurt more, watching the man he had feelings for walk out with intentions of sleeping with someone else, or his knee, that ached even now as he stood alone in the aisle. He limped back down the aisle, feeling slightly hurt Steve hadn't even noticed his limping or his pain. Danny pushed his feelings away and turned back to the pills. All of the sudden he didn't seem to mind the pain as he stared through the bottles, not really reading anything. Maybe he ought to head home and sleep it off. Sleep was good, Danny decided. He grabbed a pre made salad from the deli along with a coffee drink for the morning and paid for his things and left for sleep.

Danny shook himself from the depressing memory as he noticed the clouds gather in the sky above, looking angry and desperate of release, meaning rain wasn't far away, Hawaiian life had obviously made him soft as he walked away from the sliding glass door and drew it to a close behind him He walked back into his room and flicked on the light in the bathroom. He noticed the ice bucket was filled with water. He poured it down the drain, grabbed his room key and turned to get more ice.

Danny had been going through yet another old case file when he looked up to see Steve rush into the bullpen, clearly agitated as he walked around the office, unclear what to do with himself. There was a moment of silence and complete calm before Steve lost it.

Danny gazed through the glass door as he watched in horror as Steve pushed everything off his desk in an angry rage. Papers, desk ornaments, pens, and other items flew across the room as Steve brought his arms to his face. Danny's lungs caught on fire as he watched his friend slowly fall apart, walking to the nearest wall, Steve bent over forward and slid to the ground, his arms still covering his face. Danny slowly stood up from his desk. He glanced at his office clock. It was 7:30 p.m. He took a deep breath building up his guts and walked to Steve's office door, pausing momentarily he pulled Steve's office door open and stepped in quietly. Steve either didn't hear or he just didn't care, more likely the latter due to the fact that this was Steve, major SEAL man. Nothing got past him.

Danny stepped in further.

"Steve?"

Steve looked shocked as he stared up at Danny; he hadn't heard him come in which worried him, but the sight of Steve's face made Danny eyebrows raise and jaw drop slightly.

Steve's face was marked from the tears that had previously occupied his cheeks, but along with the tears, his left eye was swollen, puffed up with heat and looked bruised, with his bottom lip was split as well obviously for good measure.

"Danny! I thought everyone had left." Steve said quickly wiping the tears from his face. The excessive wiping and pressure on his new bruise made him wince.

"Steve, oh, my God, what happened?" Danny rushed to Steve's office closet and pulled out the first aid kit he had hidden in there a few weeks back. Steve huffed out a laugh through tears as he brought his hands together with his elbows on his knees.

"I, uh, made the mistake of making fun of a biker's mother." Steve replied letting out a weak laugh as he avoided Danny's eye contact. Danny chuckled at his ability to joke as he opened the first aid kit and pulled out an alcohol pad and an instant ice pack.

"Come on, Steve. What happened?" Danny asked as he slowly knelt next to Steve, careful not to lean too much on his still aching knee.

"Danny, come on I don't want you to see me like this." Steve whispered through tears, hanging his head in shame making Danny feel like shredding a few tears of his own, what had happened that could possibly make Steve, Steve of all people, feel this self-conscious?

"Steve, come on, it's me. I don't care if you shed tears once in a while, plus I have seen worse babe and trust me you still look great." Danny pulled on Steve's arms to reveal his face.

Steve's eyes seemed darkened, lost, deeply saddened.

Steve licked his lower lip and looked at the ceiling, keeping his eyes from Danny. Danny saw this and dabbed the alcohol pad on the open wound on his cheek, careful not to get it too close to his eye.

"Come on, Steve, fess up."

Danny watched as Steve swallowed and a fresh hot tear trickled down Steve's face.

"Cath and I broke up." He blinked which caused more tears to fall from his eyes.

Danny pressed Steve. "What happened?"

Steve took in a ragged breath. "I went to stop by her house after work. Someone else's car was already there but I went to the door anyway. I had glanced through the front door window and saw. . ." Steve choked a bit. "Catherine kissing this guy. . .David or Dylan. Someone." He let the tears flow down his face. He chuckled a bit as he held still while Danny dabbed the pad on the cut on his lip.

"God, I never thought it would hurt this much." He said with another shuttered breath.

"It's just an alcohol pad, Steve. The pain will subside." Danny said in a light matter.

Steve chuckled through his tears. Danny smiled as his fingers lingered a little too long on Steve's lip. This caused Steve look at him at the same moment when Danny looked into his eyes. Danny dropped his hand.

"I knocked on the door and Catherine answered it liked she had nothing to hide. I asked who the guy was and she said it was her boyfriend. And that's when she told me she wasn't happy with me. We weren't moving anywhere, just stagnate in the relationship. She wanted something different and I wasn't going to be able to give it to her. I tried to talk to her further about it, but as I moved to her that's when the guy came at me with two punches, one to the lip and the other to the eye." Steve sniffed as Danny grabbed the ice pack and broke the inner bag, causing the ice pack to become cool. He looked into Steve's sad eyes that were finally looking at his dark blue ones.

"Did you deck him back?"

Steve nodded.

"That's my guy." Danny said with a smile and placed a hand on Steve's chin to take a look at his face, turning it to make sure there were no more bruises, marks, or scratches.

His response seemed to lighten Steve's face into a smile. But then it fell.

"I thought she loved me, Danny."

Danny then applied the ice pack to Steve's eye.

"I think she did, but like she said, she wanted something new. This isn't your fault, Steve." Danny loved the feeling of Steve's chin in his hand. The man's little facial stubbles made Danny want to caress his cheek, to set down the ice pack and hold Steve's face in his hands and place a gentle kiss to the SEAL's rugged lips.

"Danny?"

Danny was pulled from his thoughts. "Yeah, babe?"

"Maybe this is a sign. I need to change. I need to stop being . . .vanilla, so plain." Danny grinned at this.

"I've known you for, what? 4 years now. You are anything but 'vanilla' and 'plain'. If Catherine is too blind to see that you are interesting, and smart, and caring, then to hell with her. I know a lot of people that would date you." Danny's words seemed to help. Until a new tear fell again after a few seconds of silence.

"Danny, I think the problem . . . is that I still love her." He whispered out as he broke down again.

It made Danny internally break a little to see the man, whom he had deep feelings for, crushed and broken over a woman who ended up breaking his delicate heart for someone who was in no way better than Steve.

"Steve," Danny whispered. Steve looked up at him. "Things will work out." He whispered to him. Before Danny knew what happened, Steve wrapped his burly arms around Danny tightly, ensuring that they would never disconnect.

"Thank you, Danny." He whispered through more tears. Danny smiled into the hug.

"Anytime, Neanderthal."

Danny was pulled out of the moment when he ran into a young man. The young man was dressed flamboyantly and his hair was styled. He had a bucket of ice in one hand and 2 bags of chips in the other.

"Sorry, I wasn't paying attention." Danny said to him.

The young man smiled at him. "No problem, sir." Danny nodded with a smile and turned to walk around him, continuing into the small room.

"If I may say so sir," Danny turned back to young man. "You look like you have something or someone on your mind." Danny felt himself smile.

"You're very intuitive. I do."

"It's someone . . . A loved one, perhaps." Danny grinned again.

"My boyfriend, yeah."

"He's not here with you, is he?"

Danny chuckled again. "No, he's not. I'm visiting a few friends. Not to be rude, but why are you so interested?"

The young man smiled. "Sorry, you just give off a vibe of extreme happiness. I take it he's very important to you?"

Danny looked the young man in the eye. "He is. He's very special to me."

"Forgive me, again. I hope you see him soon." And with that the young man turned back to the hall. Danny smiled after the friendly stranger.

"Hey, are you here with someone?" Danny called after him.

"Yes, my boyfriend." The young man turned to him.

Danny smiled. "Hope it goes well." The young man nodded his thanks and turned back down the hall.

It reminded Danny of another memory. A couple of short months after Steve's break up with Catherine.

Danny was able to be there for Steve. He listened while Steve spent some nights pacing and ranting about Catherine as they sipped beers on Steve's porch. Other nights, he comforted Steve when he was on the edge of breaking down again. Those times tugged at Danny's heartstrings, when Steve would be feeling so insecure and so devastated that Danny wanted to send Kono to Catherine's and show her a thing or two about hurting their friend. There were a couple of late nights where Danny called Steve to check in and Steve would need him. Sometimes Steve would ask, other times Danny just knew. This entailed Danny getting off from his cozy futon in his apartment, driving to Steve's, talking to him, and ending up crashing on his couch with Steve crashing out on the floor next to him.

One night in particular came to mind where Danny had stopped by Steve's house. He had called Steve after dropping Grace off at Rachael's house and Steve hadn't answered. Since his place was on the way home, Danny stopped by. He noticed the door was ajar. Danny pulled out his gun from is holster and walked in cautiously, closing the door behind him and locking it. His stomach tightened into a bunch of knots at the thought of Steve being in danger or hurt. He sneaked through the house using extreme caution. He finally made his way upstairs when he couldn't find Steve, or any traces of a struggle, downstairs. Danny stopped when he started to hear hums. 'What tha?'Danny moved to Steve's door and opened the door slowly.

"Steve?" he whispered as he heard humming continue. Then, he saw a sight that made him smile in confusion. Steve was lying on the ground staring up at the ceiling with nothing on but his boxers with a shirt wrapped around his head, humming a song to himself.

Steve stopped humming and looked up to see who had entered his room.

"Danny!" Steve said gleefully. Danny holstered his gun and watched as Steve rolled over on his stomach clumsily and tried to stand as he laughed. "You came to join the party?!" Steve giggled as he stumbled into his dresser causing it to jiggle and wobble as they collided.

Danny chuckled slightly at his boss and decided to just go with it. "Um, yeah. I came to . . . party." He said. Clearly, Steve was drunk. Danny had never seen this side of the Lieutenant Commander. It slightly terrified him, but he couldn't leave the man alone, drunk.

Steve grabbed an empty liquor bottle and went to drink, but was disappointed to find it empty, shaking it expecting liquid to fall out of it.

"Oh, no." He said like a disappointed little child.

"Hey Steve, how about we get some sleep? I bet you're tired." Danny said to him as he made his way to Steve, placed a hand on one of Steve's arms and grabbed the bottle from the man's hand. He set the bottle down on the dresser and pulled the shirt that was stuck on Steve's head and threw it to the hamper in the corner of the room.

"No, Danny! We need to party!" Steve slurred as he tried to shake Danny into a dance by moving his arms. All Danny could do was chuckle at this silly side of his boss. He went with the movements before he continued.

"Steve, it's time for bed. Come on." He led Steve to his bed and sat him down.

"Okay, okay. But next time . . . we-we-we are going to party!" Steve managed to get out as he giggled and slipped underneath the sheets. "You know what, Danny? You can sleep right here, next to me." He said drunkenly, patting a place on his bed. "And we don't even have to have sex. That's how much I care for you, Danny. Hey Danny-Danny-Danny-guess, guess what?" Steve said urgently.

"What?" Danny asked him, pulling the sheets up to Steve's chin.

"I want to sleep next to you and wake up next to you in the morning, and not just tomorrow, but every day after that." Danny knew it was the alcohol talking. He tried to crush that hopeful feeling of any of what Steve had just said being true.

"I'm sure you do, Steve." Steve wiggled in his cocoon of blankets.

"You want to know something else, Danny? Danny, Danny, Danny, I-I think you have a really . . . cute . . . butt." He said as his head hit his pillow.

Danny chuckled. "Haha, I know you think it's cute. Now, go to sleep." Steve settled into his bed and before Danny knew it, he was asleep. Danny let out a vexed sigh as he figured he should stay the night. He made his way downstairs and shut the place up, locking doors and setting the alarm system. He pulled out a blanket and a pillow from the hall closet. He sat down on the couch and breathed in deeply. He texted Kono back, for he had told her earlier when Steve wouldn't answer his phone.

'Found him in his boxers with a shirt stuck on his head in his room drunk.' Danny lay down on the couch, covered himself with a blanket, and waited. The vibration of his phone made him look at the screen.

"OMG! I'M CALLING YOU RN!" Danny smiled as he slumped into the couch. Sure enough 5 seconds later, his phone buzzed, clicking answer and bringing the phone to his ear.

"Hey."

"You found him in his boxers, with a shirt stuck on his head, in his room?" Kono's voice trumpeted over the phone.

"And very drunk, yes. Told me he thinks I have a cute butt." Danny laughed.

"WHAT?! You're messing with me." Kono said. Danny could hear her smile over the phone.

"Nope, I'm serious. He also told me that he wants to sleep next to me and wake up next to me in the morning, and not just tomorrow, but every day after that." There was silence over the phone as Danny laughed. "Kono?"

"Did you take that to mean anything?" She asked him in a serious tone.

"Kono, he's drunk. I can't hold him to those words, even when he wakes up in the morning."

"Well, there is a little truth to things that intoxicated individuals say, especially when they never say it to you sober."

"Kono, don't" Danny said over the phone.

"What? I'm just saying Danny, don't dismiss it."

"Kono, I have to dismiss it."

"Why?" Danny clenched his jaw.

"Because I know Steve would never feel that way about me, drunk or sober. He didn't mean it a couple minutes ago, and he won't mean it when he wakes up in the morning with a killer headache."

Kono sighed over the phone. "If you say so." What an odd choice of words, even for Kono. But Danny let it go.

"Listen, I am really tired and I need to get some shut eye to have enough energy to deal with the little monster in the morning."

"Alright, Danny. Sleep well."

"I will. You, too."

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Danny pressed end on his phone screen and snuggled down into the blanket for warmth.

Danny tried to settle, but his mind was racing.

Did Steve mean it? Did Steve want to wake up to him in his bed every morning?

No.

No.

Just NO.

Danny knew he needed to stop thinking like this. Steve was his boss, task force partner, and friend. That was all. Steve didn't mean anything he had said.

Forget it.

Danny slept terribly through the night. Every slight indication that sleep was upon him, thoughts of Steve would stir his brain into consciousness. And when he finally did fall asleep, he would wake every few hours from the ache in his knee and hip from sleeping on the couch.

After an hour of just lying on the couch and looking at the ceiling, Danny looked at his phone. It read 6:45. He might as well get up. Slowly sitting up, he got off the couch and hobbled to the kitchen. When he opened the fridge he was baffled when he saw nothing. There was a case of beer and a couple of carrots. No eggs, no meat of any kind, no fruit, and no vegetables . . .except those carrots that upon examination looked rotten.

Great. No breakfast. Or at least any healthy breakfast.

Danny closed the fridge and looked through the cupboards. All he found was coffee, which was made instantly.

Danny was helping himself to a cup of the fresh brew when he heard a scream from upstairs.

A scream of complete terror and dread. It made Danny's stomach drop and fear crawl through his body. He set the mug down and rushed upstairs. He burst through Steve's bedroom door and found Steve on the ground. Steve was clutching his leg and writhing in pain. Steve let out a screech of pain again.

"What is it?!" Danny asked rushing to him.

"MY LEG!" Steve gasped out.

Danny suspected Charlie's horse, from lack of hydration.

He rushed to Steve's bathroom and filled the cup that was next to the sink, with water. He rushed back to Steve.

"Drink this." He shoved it into Steve's hand.

"Danny?" He seemed to register for the first time that Danny was there. He let out a little cry. "What are you doing here?" Steve huffed through the pain.

"Drink it!" Danny gestured to the cup.

Steve quickly downed the cup. Danny sat near Steve's leg and started to knead the leg Steve was clutching onto.

"Tense the muscle." Danny said calmly.

Steve stiffly pulled his toes back towards him. Danny kneaded Steve's calf hard as Steve sat awkwardly in his boxers in front of him, in pain.

"Damn it, Danny!" Steve hissed through his teeth. Danny paid no mind to the comment and continued to massage the tensed, contracted muscle.

"Okay, slowly relax it." Steve slowly rotated his foot towards the ground. 5 long, painful minutes passed by for both Danny and Steve. Danny loved the feel of Steve's muscular leg, his tensed muscles. But he pushed these thoughts out of his head. Danny kept doing what he was doing, massaging while he asked Steve to flex and relax his calf muscle.

"Okay. Try it out now." Danny said standing up and offering a hand. Steve momentarily hesitated, but took the offered hand. Steve eased up slowly and grasped his head as he stood in front of Danny. Steve then hobbled a bit around his room.

"It may still be a little sore, but I figured you knew that, Mr. SEAL." Danny said lightly.

Steve turned to Danny and smiled weakly.

"Thanks, Danny."

Steve turned to look for clothes so he didn't see Danny glance over longingly at his fit body, internally shuddering at the toned abs, bronzed by the sun shining through the window.

'Oh, God.' Danny thought desperately as Steve bent down to scoop up a pair of socks and tosses them to the hamper. Steve stepped to his dresser and paused to quickly look at Danny before continuing his search.

"So, what are you doing here?" Danny swallowed and moistened his lips before answering.

"I, uh, I had called you last night and you hadn't picked up. I had just dropped Grace off and thought I would stop by to check in on you." Steve furrowed his eyebrows as he pulled out some jeans.

"You called?" He asked as he pulled them on. Danny noticed him wince as he bent down to put his legs in the jean legs.

"Yeah, like 3 or maybe 4 times." Steve turned to find his phone on the ground peeking out from underneath his bed. He turned away from Danny to look at it. Was that a smile Danny had seen on Steve's face?

"You worried about me or something, Danny?" Steve turned back to him with a straight face. Steve took the deodorant that sat on top of the dresser and applied it.

Danny could feel his cheeks burn. He was lucky enough that his blushes didn't show on his face. Or so he's been told.

"Well, when you didn't answer and I stop by with the front door wide open, I can only presume the worst has happened." Danny said a little too crossly as he watched Steve place the deodorant back and grab a t-shirt out of the dresser.

"My front door was open?" Steve asked in a confused tone. He placed his shirt over his head and straightened it over his stomach.

"Yes." Steve placed both hands on the dresser and took in a couple deep breaths.

"I thought. . .maybe. . .um. . .You were abducted again." Danny watched as Steve's stomach muscle's flexed underneath the shirt and he lurched forward clutching his stomach.

'Oh, no.' Danny thought to himself as Steve rushed to his bathroom.

'The horrible after effects of a night of drinking' He thought as he heard Steve hurl up the contents of his stomach into the toilet.

Steve must have done so another 4 times before Danny heard the flush and walked to the bathroom door. He leaned against the frame and watched Steve defeated place the lid down and place his head on his hand that rested on top of the lid.

"You okay?" Danny asked.

"Yeah." Steve replied. "Just a killer headache."

"That's kinda what happens when you drink yourself drunk."

"You spent the night?"

"Yeah, slept on the couch." Danny watched Steve swallow hard and close his eyes. After a few seconds of silence, Danny spoke quietly. "Steve, if I may say so, you're taking this break up pretty hard-"

"Danny, don't." Steve said with an authoritative voice.

"Steve, I'm serious. This isn't the first time, is it?"

Steve stayed silent.

"Is it?!"

"No! It's not, alright?!" Steve looked up at Danny. Danny saw the pleading in his eyes, the doubt, the anguish, the shame. All of it flooded in his eyes. "I miss her, Danny." Steve said simply before turning away. "This is the only thing that helps me feel better. That helps me forget her, forget what we were. Just . . . forget." Danny watched Steve as tremors of pre tears came over him.

"It was real, Danny. She was it." He whispered out to him. Danny pushed himself away from the frame and walked to Steve. He gently placed a hand on Steve's back.

"Let's go get something to eat. Come on." He helped Steve up. Steve paused before they walked out of the bathroom.

"You know, Danny. Going through, this, um. . .this thing." He said quietly. Danny watched his backside as Steve kept turned away from Danny. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Hey, what are friends for, right?" Danny said forcing a smile and patting Steve's back lightly. Steve grabbed his phone and gun from the bedside table and they headed downstairs.

"So, you don't remember anything from last night?" Danny asked casually.

Steve rubbed his head. "Honestly, no." Danny felt everything that he was trying to avoid, hope crushed and heart shattered, but by now he was a pro at hiding it. They walked to Danny's car.

'Maybe it's for the best.' Danny thought as he sat in his car and pulled his seatbelt on.

'What are the chances Steve would actually have any sort of feelings for me?'

After these sorted events, there came a day where Steve didn't mention anything about her. And eventually, Danny knew Catherine left Steve's thoughts.

And with that, little by little Danny recalled seeing a difference in their relationship. Brotherly hugs hello and goodbye turned into longer embraces, friendly smiles became gazes of deeper feelings, pats on the back became lingering squeezes or touches on the shoulder.

Danny couldn't help but find comfort in these strange new actions. Whatever it was, Danny had felt content, and he knew Steve did as well.

Danny pressed the button for ice on the ice machine. He watched tiredly as the ice bucket filled up. He glanced at the vending machines and thought about buying a soda. He pulled out his wallet and saw Chin and Kono's business cards in it. He fed the vending machine as he thought about the weeks when a string of cases came in that would change the course of his and Steve's relationship.

2 main cases in particular were put in a secret place in Danny's heart, due to the fact that they helped him get closer to Steve.

Chin came in with new reports popping up with sex trafficking and homicides caused by lust.

The first case was about 2 young men no more than 25 years came up dead in an alley way behind a trashy motel. They both lived in the high end of town, so the reason as to why they were dumped in an alley way behind a shabby motel was yet to be found. Eventually, it all linked back to a suspect that visited gay bars in the area and preyed on couples. Being the cruel devil she was Kono convinced Steve and Danny that they would be the perfect couple.

"Okay, so we have established that you guys will be the couple." Kono said smiling at them at headquarters. They all stood in Steve's office with the door closed and the blinds closed as well. They were dressed in nice clothes. They both wore some combination of dress pants and buttoned up shirts. To Danny, it was normal, but to Steve, it was agitating. He kept fidgeting with his collar and messing with his sleeves. Putting them down and then up and then down again. And now he was struggling to get them back up.

Danny saw this and chuckled.

"Babe, you need to relax. Everything will be fine." He said as he helped still find a comfortable placing of the sleeve on his arm. Danny saw Kono hold back a grin.

"Danny, I've never done this before. I have never been in an undercover mission like this, not even with women." Danny smiled at his nerves.

"Just relax, okay? We'll be fine." Steve took a deep breath and turned his focus back to Kono. Kono grinned as she continued.

"So, you two have been in relationships before. It's the same thing as straight relationships, just with someone from your own gender."

"Well, duh, Kono, but what do you want us to do?" Steve asked.

"Well, what do normal couples do?" Steve glanced at Danny as Danny glanced at him.

"They hold hands, they hug, the cling onto each other, right?" Kono said after several moments of silence. Steve and Danny just nodded.

"Well on with it. Let's try it out. Hold hands."

Danny saw Steve take a noticeable deep breath before offering his hand. Danny's chest fluttered as he took it and they interlaced their fingers. Danny didn't dare to do it outwardly, but inwardly, he smiled. It felt . . . right. To be holding Steve's hand. It felt . . . fitting.

"Great! Okay, let's see. How about interlocking your arms? Like you're escorting your date somewhere." Kono encouraged.

Steve offered his arm to Danny and Danny took it. Kono grinned at stiffness between them. She knew Danny had feelings for Steve. And Steve had confessed to Kono that he had feelings for Danny. Without letting on that she knew that they both had mutual feelings for each other, she devised this plan. She wanted them to get together so badly but everything takes time.

"You guys look a little stiff. Danny, take your other hand and hold onto Steve's arm."

Danny did so. "There you go! That's better, now how about a kiss?" Danny's jaw dropped and Steve immediately dropped Danny's arm and put his hands up.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, let's just slow down for a second."

"Boss, come on. It'll be like kissing your gay friend."

Steve looked defensively at her. "I don't have a gay friend."

"Well, pretend you do." Kono said with a little smile. Danny looked at the clock. 'Saved by the bell' he thought as he saw that they were running a little behind.

"Um, maybe we should get going. We need to get there to scope the place." Steve turned to the clock and Danny caught Kono's eye. He glared hard at her shaking his head. She smiled a devil's smile and turned to grab 2 ear pieces that were sitting on the desk.

"These bad boys are the smallest wireless earpieces in the world. We were able to get them for situations like these. Don't break them and don't lose them because they cost more than your monthly salaries put together."

She held out two ear pieces each the size of a tic-tac. She took one and grabbed Danny's ear.

"Ouch, damn it Kono!" Danny exclaimed as she placed it carefully in his ear canal.

"This allows you guys to hear us." She said as she carefully placed the other one in Steve's ear. "Okay, well, good luck and be careful please."

"Thanks, Kono."

Danny and Steve headed out to Steve's truck, clambering in and slamming the door any reached to do up his seat belt but was stopped when Steve turns to him.

"If I have offended you with the whole . . . kiss thing, I am sorry." Danny watched him use his hands to emphasize what he was saying.

"It's okay Steve. I didn't take it to mean anything." He said without any meaning, no effort, he was so used to hiding his feels it just rolled off the tongue, Steve looked like he was going to say something else but then decided against it as he turned the truck on and they drove off. The car ride was silent. Nervousness and anxiety hung between them. They were on their way to pretend to be a couple at a gay bar to catch a perp. Danny didn't know if he could do this and started to clench and unclench his hands on his knees.

Danny closed his eyes and breathed in deeply when he felt Steve's hand close around his.

His eyes flashed open and looked over to Steve. He hadn't noticed they had stopped at the bar they were supposed to be at.

"We'll be okay. Just play the part." Steve said with a slight smile at him. Danny nodded. Steve let go and hopped out of his truck. With one last breath, Danny did the same. They walked side by side to the door and then Steve glanced at Danny.

"Ready?" He asked with a smile. Danny loved his smile. It filled his world.

"Yes, as much as I can be." He said returning the smile. Simultaneously, they grasped each other's hand and walked in.

The place was big, flooded with colorful lights, and pumping music. Danny felt like he was back in college. Steve led the way to the bar.

"Steve! What are you doing here tonight?" The man shouted above the music

"Nothing much, brah, just hanging." Danny looked at the man at the bar. He was older and looked extremely happy to see Steve.

Steve turned to Danny. "This is Jeff. He was one of my first friends on the island when I got back from the service. Jeff, this is-"

"Danny, the lighting in a jar from Jersey, it's a true pleasure." He offered his hand with a kind smile.

Danny took it. "Jeff, nice to meet you."

"So, what'll be your poison?"

"Just a pair of ginger ales, thanks Jeff."

"Of course."

Steve leaned on the bar and looked at Danny with a smile on his face. Danny smiled back at him. Steve touched his arm and leaned into him.

"How are you doing?" He whispered into his ear.

"I'm okay. Thanks." Danny said with a smile and a grasp of Steve's hand. Jeff came back around to them and handed them their drinks.

"I'm glad you guys finally got together. They way Steve's been talking about you, you'd think you guys had been dating for the past 4 years not just as friends!" Danny was taken aback. But he didn't let it show. They were an undercover couple looking for their perp, nothing more. Steve didn't look phased by the comment and continued to smile and hold Danny's hand.

"What can we say? We're lucky, right, babe?" Steve asked. Danny kept an even smile, although he wanted to laugh at Steve calling him 'babe'. But he did enjoy it.

"You are absolutely right." He agreed.

"So, when did it happen? How long has it been?" Jeff asked curiously.

Steve stood up quickly. "We will tell you all about it, later. Come on, Danny, I love this song."

Danny wasn't sure of the song. But it did have a nice beat. Steve pulled him to the dance floor and took him by the hands. They bobbed in and out of couples that dance crazily around them.

"I didn't know you danced." Danny chuckled.

"My mom made me take lessons with my sister when we would fight." Danny smiled at the image of a young Steven McGarrett dancing with his sister. Steve then pulled Danny in close, a little too close. Steve touched his forehead to Danny's. Danny could smell his after shave. It was a strong, tea tree oil scent with a hint of spice splashed in. Danny let out a sharp breath. "Danny, I have to tell you something. And if I don't tell you now, I don't know if I ever will," he heard Steve say to him. Danny waited for the words as Steve grasped him closer by pulling his hips flush against his own. Danny could feel his heart race and his chest tremor as he gripped Steve's arms.

"Tell me," he said breathily roaming Steve's eyes with his own.

But the words never came. Only Kono's voice made them jolt out of their own world into reality. "Danny, Steve. Suspicious activity is happening in the kitchen. Go check it out."

Reluctantly, Danny pulled himself from Steve but still held his hand as Steve led them to the kitchen. They were able to get a hold of things and arrest the man that had been leading a couple out back at the time when Steve jumped him, after Danny had been thrown through a window, of course.

After the perp was placed in a cop car, and some of the paper work had been filled out, Steve had made his way to the ambulance Danny resided in. Danny grimaced in pain as the paramedic removed glass shards from his upper bicep.

"Hey Danny. How're you feeling?" Steve asked sitting next to Danny.

"Alright, it's just a scratch" Danny breathed out winking at Steve before wincing as the paramedic removed another shard from his muscle.

"Looks pretty bad."

"What? This? This is nothing. AUGH! Damn it, come on, man!" Danny snapped through gritted teeth to the paramedic. Steve smiled at his seemingly tough exterior Danny put on in front of him.

"Sorry you had to take the window."

"Hey, anything to get that creep locked up for good, right?" Danny said through gritted teeth as he winced at the removal of the last shard. "Mmmm." He sighed out.

"Um, listen. About the stuff on the dance floor. . ." Steve started to say rubbing the back of his neck. The paramedic cleaned the wound quickly but thoroughly and was now wrapping it with gauze. "I just wanted to tell you that . . . that it wasn't just part of the . . . um. . ." He stopped and looked at him locating the knowing in his tortured eyes; Danny felt the pain throb in his bicep. He really couldn't take anymore hurt that day.

"I get it, Steve. It was just part of the cover. I didn't take it to mean anything else, okay? I'll see you tomorrow." He said curtly.

Danny stood and slowly put his shirt on. He left it open; not bothering to button it up. Nodding a thanks to the Paramedic he limped away from Steve who was stunned at his abruptness. Danny welcomed the pain that resided in his bicep and his hip that would surely be bruised tomorrow morning. For the physical pain took his emotional grief away temporarily. He needed to break from these feelings he had for Steve. And he knew exactly how he was going to do it.

Danny walked back to his room with his now full ice bucket and a coke in his hand. He thought about the weeks that had followed, another case appeared that meant a lot to him. It was so vivid, almost unreal what had happened, but it did happen, and that's what Danny loved about their story.

A body turned up in the middle of a reserve. Around 5:30 in the evening, Danny was with Steve, walking through an old maze field trying to locate further evidence for the case. It was going to be dark in couple of hours and they really didn't want to be up there when the darkness took over.

"Anything in particular we should look for?" Danny asked Steve.

"I don't know. Anything I guess." Steve said without effort. Steve had been acting extremely cold to Danny lately. Originally, Danny thought he just had a bad day, but that bad day turned into a bad week. Steve had seemed to be distancing himself from Danny.

"Well, what did the case report say?"

"I can't remember Daniel; ok I don't have a photographic memory, maybe something about someone seeing a figure in a blue sweatshirt running from the scene." Steve retorted looking along the grass for clues and evidence. Danny finally turned to Steve and snapped after all his patience wasn't his strong point.

"What the hell is your problem?! Did something crawl up your cargo pants and bite you in the ass this morning, why are you being so hostile?!" Steve flicked his lip across his lower lip and did nothing as he looked to the west at the sun that was sinking in the sky.

"God, I hate it when you do that." Danny mumbled.

"When I do what?"

Danny gritted his teeth. "You frequently flick your tongue over your lower lip. Sometimes, I find it quite annoying, especially when you are being bitter and stubborn."

"Sorry that my lips are chapped." Steve snapped back.

"Then buy some Chap Stick!" Danny retorted back glaring at him.

Steve clenched his teeth together at Danny's words and shook his head. He reached into his bullet vest and pulled an envelope out from an internal pocket. He handed it to Danny, a glare set sharply on his face and rage burned in his eyes.

"That's my problem, Danny."

Danny opened the envelope and took out the slightly wrinkled paper. His heart sank as he unfolded it and knew what it was. It was the Governor responding to Danny's request for a transfer. But it was addressed to Steve. "Damn it, Governor.' Danny cursed in his thoughts. He had never intended Steve to find out. Well, until after the transfer had been made. He looked up at Steve who was staring at him with betrayal in his eyes.

"Danny, what is going on?" He asked in a pleading tone. His eyes begged for an explanation, full of hurt and pain, and that is what killed Danny inside.

"Steve."

Danny took a step forward. Big mistake.

The ground collapsed underneath them. Danny got a sickening feeling of falling in his stomach before he landed on hard ground next to the falling pieces of wood, grass, and dirt that landed beside him.

Covered in dirt, Danny coughed and moved around a bit.

"Steve!"

"Danny!" He heard movement, but he could only see darkness. "Danny, are you okay?"

Danny felt panic as he observed the small space surrounding him. He hated small spaces.

"Yeah." He managed to get out. "Are you?"

"Yeah, where are you?"

"North-East."

A light appeared in the darkness. It was Steve's flashlight. Steve made his way to Danny.

Steve touched Danny's arm. Danny grasped Steve's hand as he felt the terror crushing down on him.

"You okay?" Steve asked again. By the light, Danny could see a gash along Steve's arm and a couple shallow abrasions on his cheek, neck and hands.

"Yeah. Are you?" Danny puffed out.

"Yeah, I'm good. I think we're in a well." Steve said looking around.

"Yeah, it looks like it." Danny wheezed out.

Steve looked at him startled. "You don't sound so good."

Fear took hold of Danny as the space around them seemed to close in on them as the light faded above them. Danny could feel his chest tighten as anxiety overwhelmed them. They weren't going to be able to get out. There was no cell service here in the mountains. By the time Chin and Kono realize that they were stuck here, he and Steve would be dead. What about Grace? He could feel himself hyperventilating. Danny reached out and grasped Steve's shirt.

"Steve, I can't breathe!"

"Danny, you're having a panic attack. You need to relax." Steve said in a calming voice.

The tightening in his chest became more apparent. It felt like a Boa constricting around its prey, suffocating it.

"I can't!" Danny gasped out. "The walls-Grace-we won't get out of here." He quickly choked out the thoughts that ran through his head at lightning speed.

"Danny, try holding your breath." Steve suggested sitting closer to him, he placed his hands on Danny's extended arms. Danny, still gripping Steve's shirt tightly, tried with his might, but couldn't.

"I can't!" He panicked as he started to see white stars.

"Danny, you are going to pass out. Please, just try again." Danny couldn't bring himself to do it.

"I can't!" Danny's vision started to blur.

"Danny! Ugh!" All in a split second, Danny felt Steve desperately place his hands on his cheeks and then Steve's lips against his own. It caught Danny off guard as everything stilled. Shock ran through his body. Danny felt his breath stop and his pulse race as well as Steve's by his lips against his own. Danny relaxed his grip on Steve's shirt and he felt his worries disappear as he felt himself dissolve slightly into the kiss. Steve pulled away after what felt like an eternity of kissing but stayed in close proximity to Danny's face.

Danny breathing had steadied into a stable rhythm but he was still breathing hard.

"Why-why did you do that?" Danny asked quietly, looking fearfully into Steve's eyes.

"Um," Steve swallowed and dropped his hands from Danny's cheeks. "In SEAL training . . . they, uh, taught us to stop and hold our breath if we were having panic attacks because studies seem to show that holding your breath is the most effective way to stop them. When I, uh, when I kissed you . . . you held your breath."

Danny could feel embarrassment creep into his cheeks. "Do they tell you to kiss your fellow SEAL's, too?" Danny asked with a clench of his jaw. He stood up and walked away from Steve, feeling the light headedness from the excessive oxygen in his blood stream.

"Danny, I'm sorry. I didn't know how to help you!"

"So, you kiss me?!" Danny asked incredulously.

"Yes, Danny, I'm sorry! Why is that such an issue? It means nothing!"

Danny interlaced his fingers and placed them behind his head as he turned away from Steve. He could feel his own tears start to form. He can't do this now, not in front of Steve. But this needed to get out. The emotions were overwhelming.

He turned to Steve and looked him in the eye. Steve's face was full of concern with the furrowing of his brows and tenderness in his eyes.

"Steve," Danny began. "It does mean something." A tear escaped from his eye. He took a deep breath. "It means something because. . . I have strong, strong feelings for you. I care immensely for you, Steve." Danny swallowed. Steve hadn't said anything, just kept his gaze on Danny making it all that more difficult. "That's why I filed for a transfer, to forget about it, and you, and to move on because I know you would never be able to return those feelings. I've tried suppressing them, but it hasn't worked. All I know that could possibly work is distancing me from you because every time I look at you I . . . I just . . . I just feel content, like I'm home, like I could find love again."

Steve had stood up. He knew the truth behind those words that came from Danny. Danny never considered Hawaii home and he never believed he would ever find love again after Rachael. "I know this would ruin our friendship and that's why I never said anything. But, after that kiss, Steve . . . I don't think I-" He turned away from Steve as another tear slid down his cheek. He pulled his hands to face to cover it as he leaned his head against the cool concrete wall of the well. He heard the shuffling of feet behind him and hands on his shoulders. He was slowly turned and his hands were lowered from his face as he felt Steve's hands around his wrists.

Through tears, he looked into Steve's hazel eyes. A soft smile was displayed on Steve's face.

"Danny . . . I can fully return those feelings." Danny shuddered out a breath and leaned his back against the wall. Steve stepped in closer to him. Danny placed a hand on Steve's stomach to stop him. The feel of Steve's abs made his heart soar.

"Steven," Danny huffed out "If you are messing with me right now, I don't think I will be able to handle it-"

Steve laughed and shook his head. "Nah, Danny, I'm being serious." Steve paused to search Danny's eyes. "I'm serious, Danny. Those deep feelings you have . . . I have them for you, too."

Danny stared into Steve's caring eyes as he closed the gap between them by leaning into Danny's face, touching a hand to his jaw, and placing his lips lightly to Danny's.

Danny closed his eyes and felt more tears stream down his face as relief flooded his body. And as he felt the relief, he shook and quivered with Steve's body next to his.

Steve stopped and placed his forehead against Danny's.

"Danny, Danny, you're trembling. And why are you crying?" Steve asked smiling and wiping the tears away from his face.

Danny chuckled through more tears. "Out of relief," He said as he drew a breath in.

"How long have we had these feelings for each other?"

"I don't know. When did you first . . . figure it out?" Steve whispered huskily, his head still resting against Danny's.

Danny smiled. "The day Catherine came to the office. She had said something and made you laugh. The feeling I felt then when you smiled and laughed made me stop and think about what my true thoughts for you were. But . . . it must've started for me at the beginning. In your dad's garage. . ."

"Pointing guns and shouting at each other." Steve finished laughing.

Danny laughed through his tears. "What about you?" Steve shrugged as placed his hands around Danny's waist.

"I don't know. I think I had feelings before, but I think I first really discovered them after I broke up with Cath."

"Before you drank yourself into oblivion, right?"

"Yeah, before that."

Danny smiled. "You still don't remember anything from that night, do you?"

Steve's face fell slightly. "No, I don't. Why? Did I do something wrong?" the look of sheer panic that now occupied Steve's face caused Danny's stomach to churn.

"No, you just told me I had a really cute butt."

Steve laughed. "What?"

Danny laughed with him. "You did!" He swallowed before continuing. "You also said that you wanted to wake up to me in the morning and every morning after that." Danny paused. "I won't hold you to it-" Steve silenced him with a small kiss before pulling away to continue.

"Even though I was extremely drunk that night, I still meant it." Steve said. "I was going to tell everything that night after we went undercover." Danny chuckled remembering.

"I got scared after the course of events that went down, though. That's why I sounded so lame when they removed the shards of glass from your arm."

Danny grinned. "I lost it that night. I was tired of getting my hopes up."

Steve chuckled. "God, I must have gone over that night more than 1000 times in my head, thinking about how stupid I had been to let you go on without telling you."

Danny smiled. "That night was perfect . . . except for the fact that we were undercover."

Steve laughed. "Oh, and if we are going to start this out right I have to confess something. I didn't grow up having dancing lessons with my sister. I knew how to dance, but I had asked Kono to teach me more modern dance."

Danny smiled at him.

"Kono knew all along, the little devil." Danny whispered.

"You told her?!" Steve laughed out.

"You did, too!" Danny laughed back.

"Well, we need to remember to thank her." Steve whispered, leaning into Danny once more.

His lips were so soft and tender against Danny's. Danny lifted his hands to Steve's neck and held him tightly, kissing the SEAL back like they would never live again. They broke apart and Danny held him in a hug like he would never let go.

"God, Danny. I . . . I-" Steve's words hung on his lips as Danny pulled from the hug and slid his hands from Steve's neck down his chest.

"Love me?" Danny finished for him looking into his eyes, his chest swelling with emotion. Steve's tongue flicked over his lower lip making Danny smile.

"Yes, very much so." Steve added.

"I love you, too." Danny said.

All of a sudden Danny felt a drop of moisture on his head. He looked up as more drops fell from a suddenly cloudy sky. Warm rain drops pelted their faces as the clouds opened up.

"Damn Hawaiian weather." Danny said to Steve as the rain really started to pour down.

"Hey, it's kind of romantic, don't you think?" Steve said with a smile as rain poured down his face.

"No one is going to believe this when we tell them that it rained . . . a little too perfect, isn't it?" Even as the clouds opened up greater to the rain that continued to down to soak them, Steve laughed. "Come here," he said as he pulled Danny in for more kisses, wet kisses, kisses in the rain, desperate kisses that seemed to dry their needs and set their worries free in the pouring rain.

And that's how it began.

Kono and Chin found them an hour later and they were taken care of. Danny hadn't realized that he had a gash the size of his hand along his neck. He guessed that he hadn't noticed the pain because of his panic attack.

Danny smiled as he opened the door to his hotel room. He set the ice bucket in the bathroom. He grabbed one of the plastic cups and poured his soda in the cup along with a couple of the ice cubes. Then he went back in to his room, he sat on his bed and thought about his relationship with Steve and how it had progressed.

The first time he told Grace about them. She was thrilled. When they finally made it "official" with Chin and Kono, they weren't surprised and were happy for them as they had expected.

Danny sighed as he interlaced his fingers and brought them behind his head.

He loved Steve and he loved their relationship, everything about it.

Not to mention the sex.

Danny grinned and chuckled to himself as he thought about their sex life.

Their first encounter was so awkward. It was kind of hilarious. Steve had never . . . had sex with a man before. He was completely honest about it with Danny. He was nervous, but it was something he had wanted to do . . . and he wanted to do it with Danny.

Danny's pulse quickened as he thought back to that night. He would never forget the memory of Steve struggling to keep himself from unraveling in front of Danny, but it just didn't work.

He unraveled . . . and he unraveled hard. It was a beautiful sight to see.

They had gotten off work and had driven to Steve's place on a Friday night. They had sat on the couch on the back porch looking at the night sky, drinking Longboards, and laughing about the idiots they had caught that day and how they seemed to think that they could out swim a SEAL.

Steve took Danny's hand and held it.

Danny felt his chest flutter at this.

Steve never initiated any signs of affection in public, and only rarely when they were alone. Steve had been a bit stand offish the following weeks after they had confessed feelings for each other. Danny knew it was Steve trying to sort things out in his head, compartmentalizing as Steve had explained it. But it had always been Danny that started with the affection.

Danny kissing him, Danny hugging him, Danny holding his hand. . . This was Steve's first time grasping Danny's hand with his own ever. Danny could feel the anxiety in Steve's grip as he tried to keep calm. Steve looked out at the ocean and took another sip of his beer before continuing on.

"I mean how stupid must they be to try to get away from us? Why do they always run instead of just accepting the consequences?"

Danny grinned as he stared at their hands. Steve looked over at him when he hadn't said anything.

"What?" Steve's mouth skewed into a sideways smile. Danny looked up at him with the grin still apparent.

"You're nervous, babe."

"What? No, I'm not."

"Babe, it's okay. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn't, that's okay, too."

Steve's face fell and a serious tone hung between them. Danny observed Steve. His jaw muscles flexed to show that he was gritting his teeth. His Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed. Danny felt the clamminess of his hand.

"Babe, what's wrong?"

"It's just . . .I've never done this before with a man and I want to, with you. I do care greatly for you, Danny. I don't want to do anything wrong. I hate making mistakes. And I certainly don't want any mistakes between us."

Danny smiled lightly at his frankness."Babe, it's okay that you've never done this before. It's part of the fun. You can't do anything unintentionally wrong with me, Steve. I know you hate making mistakes, but that's part of life, its part of relationships. The question is, are you mature enough to correct them. And lastly, Steve-"

He lifted his hand to Steve's cheek. Steve's eyes drew up to Danny's and they locked.

"I care a great deal for you, too. I'm in love with you, Steve."

Danny's heart melted like shaved ice on a hot summer's day when he saw Steve's face light up into a smile.

"I'm in love with you, too, Danny." Danny placed his forehead against Steve's. Danny chuckled as he landed a soft kiss to Steve's lips.

They broke apart momentarily just looking into each-other's eyes.

"So, do you really want to do this?" Danny asked quietly. Steve flicked his tongue across his lower lip to moisten it, something that Danny could finally admit that he absolutely loved to watch him do.

"Yes. I do." Steve spoke in a whisper. They smiled at each other and joined their lips together. After a couple seconds of innocent kisses, Danny placed a hand on Steve's thigh and caressed it. Danny felt Steve's hand on his own thigh and his stomach jumped at the sensation. Steve's facial muscles tightened into concentration, which Danny felt and pulled away, chuckling.

"What?" Steve asked laughing with Danny a little.

"I just love it when you get your serious face on." Steve smiled at him and leaned into Danny's face. Danny scooted towards him and pulled Steve to lie down on the couch. Steve placed his hands on the couch and laid himself down as Danny lay flat on the couch snaking an arm around Steve's neck and the other around his waist as Steve continued to kiss Danny deeply.

Danny ran his hand up Steve's side and pulled from his lips.

He grinned as he kissed Steve's chin, his jawline, and just before his ear. Then, he settled on that spot on Steve's neck he knew Steve loved, kissing and sucking away.

Steve closed his eyes and breathed in a smile as he tugged Danny's shirt free from being tucked into his slacks. One of his hands found its way to Danny's head as he grasped Danny's blond hair.

Danny could feel his desires heightening, as well as Steve's.

Steve gently pulled Danny from his neck and looked up into Danny's eyes, holding his breath.

"Danny, let's go upstairs." he finally exhaled out. Danny nodded as he heaved himself off Steve and helped him up. They raced up Steve's stairs after pausing only to ensure everything was locked up. They entered Steve's room, giggling like school girls as Steve closed the door and backed Danny into the wall next. He grinned savagely before placing his lips to Danny's. Sensations ran wild through Danny's veins as Steve ran his hands all over his body. Danny grasped onto the bottom of Steve's shirt and pulled it up. Steve allowed him to lift the shirt above his head, temporarily breaking the kiss. Danny tossed the shirt aside as his other hand brushed against Steve's abdominal muscles, which tensed under his touch.

"Do I detect a ticklish spot, super SEAL?" Danny smiled raising his eyebrow.

"NO, Danny! Don't!" Steve tried to laugh out as Danny started to tickle him.

"Danny! Stop!" Steve managed to get out before he kissed Danny, who eventually did stop the tickling. Danny gripped his biceps as Steve led Danny to the bed, still kissing him with hands latched onto Danny's waist. They paused at the end of the bed.

Danny's hands found his ways to Steve's cargo pants. He broke from kissing Steve and looked into Steve's eyes as he slowly unzipped his pants. He could feel Steve shiver and saw the desire and anticipation in his eyes.

It made him want more, much more.

The pants fell to the floor and Steve connected his and Danny's lips as he fumbled with the buttons down Danny's shirt.

Danny moved his hands away from Steve's body so that Steve could push the shirt off his shoulders.

Steve ran his hands along Danny's freshly bare chest making Danny pause from Steve's lips and look down to see Steve's steady hands unbuckle his belt. Danny's slacks fell to the floor like Steve's had.

They both stepped out of their boxers, and there they stood before each other, looking at the each other's bare bodies. Danny shuddered in a breath as he looked at Steve's body.

"Not what you expected?" Steve asked nervously.

Danny huffed out a breath at his words. "No, definitely not what I expected … Better. You?"

Steve smiled. "The same."

Danny placed his hands on Steve's biceps and pulled him in for a kiss. Steve settled his hands onto Danny's slick hips once more. Danny led Steve to sit on the edge of the bed. Steve did so and they broke as Steve scooted up his bed to lie down.

Danny climbed onto the bed and crept up Steve's body, which made Steve's abs tense in suspense. Danny laid his naked self against Steve. He placed a gentle kiss to Steve's lips.

"You okay?" Danny pulled from Steve.

"Yeah, you?" Steve whispered out. Danny nodded as he leant into to Steve's neck and began to kiss, nibble and suck at Steve's favored spot. Steve wiggled underneath him and Danny felt him smile as he felt Steve's fingers through his hair and across his back.

Danny broke and kissed his way down Steve's body to his dick.

Danny smiled at it as he observed, it was long, slender and quite interested in its surroundings as it lay erect on Steve's stomach. He placed a kiss on his stomach next to Steve's dick and looked at Steve.

"May I?" Danny softly spoke to Steve.

"Of course," Steve gently said, his voice hitching in suspense on the future activities.

Danny grinned as he took Steve in his hand and stroked once.

Danny kept his eyes on Steve as his eyes rolled back when he closed them. Danny breathed on the head causing Steve's stomach muscle to tighten.

Danny licked the tip and watched Steve react further, biting his lower lip, grasping at the bed sheets, throwing his head back into the pillow, and arching his back slightly.

Danny placed his mouth around Steve and gave a couple of slow bobs at the head, observing Steve's movements become rigid and tense as he gasped out.

"Oh, God, Danny." He whispered. After a couple of more bobs, Danny went down him further and paused at the base, letting his tongue twitch around it, causing Steve to sit up slightly and cry out in pleasure.

"Danny! Oh, God!" He exhaled. Danny kept a straight face, even though he enjoyed watching Steve react to him. Danny continued his movements as Steve's hips began to react on their own accord and thrust slowly into Danny's mouth. Danny pulled out.

"Easy there, babe. Not done with you yet. We're just getting started."

Steve sighed as he slowly thrust into the air. "I know, I know. It just feels so good."

Danny smiled as he came up to his face and kissed him before he asked him.

"Do you want to start the next part?" Steve nodded, his eyes lust blown. "Okay, you have lube?"

"Yeah, left bedside table." Steve said through fast and unsteady breaths as Danny reached over him and pulled open the drawer. He giggled when Steve's nose brush against his stomach and Steve placed a kiss on it as Danny reached for the lube and closed the drawer.

"Easy there, tiger." Danny said as he settled back at his spot in between Steve's legs. "Okay, I'm going to need you to relax." Danny rubbed Steve's inner thighs as Steve took a couple deep breaths trying to completely relax. As Steve did this, Danny had squirted lube onto his hand and brushed it against Steve's opening, tossing the lube off to his side.

"Good. Now, you ready?" Steve nodded. Danny then placed the finger to Steve's opening.

"Relax, babe, relax." Steve closed his eyes and relaxed when Danny placed his other hand on Steve's inner thigh. Danny's finger entered him and began to work on steadily loosening Steve up.

"How does that feel?" Danny asked glancing up at Steve.

Steve furrowed his brows with his eyes still closed. "It feels weird."

"Do you want me to stop?" Danny asked stopping.

"No. It feels weird but a good weird." Danny grinned as he continued, working in and out of Steve.

"Ready to add another?" Steve nodded; keeping his eyes firmly shut and his hands fisted in the sheets. Danny slicked up another and repeated the process. Danny felt relaxation spread through Steve's body. Danny continued, spreading his fingers to stretch Steve's muscles. "One more?" Danny asked.

"Yes." Steve gasped out with his eye still closed. Steve became a little fidgety and started breathing hard. Then, Danny hooked his fingers to brush along that spot that caused Steve to jump and his eyes flashed open.

"Fuck, Danny!" Steve puffed out.

Danny did it again, pulling a moan from Steve. "What the fuck are you doing to me?" Steve breathed out with a smile. A shudder erupted deep from within him.

"That, Steven, is your prostate." Danny smiled

"Don't say prostate, Danny." Steve whispered as his eyes closed again.

"Why?" Danny chuckled.

"Reminds me of the doctors, and I really don't want to be thinking about my doctor right now." Steve said with a small smile. Danny laughed as he continued his movements in and out of Steve.

"Ready for something new?" Danny asked after a few minutes of this. Steve's eyes opened to connect to Danny's. They were filled with a want and need that had Danny's desires churning.

"Yes, Danny. I need you now." Danny smiled as he sat up towards Steve's body and looked down. He lined up and brushed against Steve's opening. Steve trembled underneath Danny. But he continued to look into Danny's eyes as they rose to meet his once more. Danny pushed in with the smallest movements he could make. He knew what Steve would be feeling.

Danny bent over Steve's body and placed his arms underneath Steve's arms. Steve grabbed his biceps as his mouth opened in bewilderment. Danny proceeded to gaze into the man's eyes, pushing further into him, causing Steve to draw in his breath. Danny slowly bottomed out and stilled his movements. He kissed the bridge of Steve nose lightly.

"Babe, you okay?" Steve nodded. "Don't forget to breathe." Danny whispered causing Steve to moan out to that alone.

Steve let his breath out slowly. "Danny-move." Was his only request.

Danny obliged by slowly rocking his hips back and then slowly forward.

Steve gasped out at the sensations, still looking at the blue orbs that stared into his soul.

The sensations sent Danny into a whirl of emotions. He loved the man that lay before him, whose eyes seem to pierce his heart with love, passion, and affection. Danny collided his lips with Steve's; needing to display his emotions he was feeling to the man he loved.

"Faster, Danny." Steve called to him, breaking from his lips.

Danny responded by driving swiftly into him.

"God, Steve, I love you so much." Danny whispered into his ear before he latched onto Steve's neck, having full intent of leaving a very noticeable mark.

"I love you, Danny." Steve whispered back, wrapping his arms around Danny's broad shoulders. Their bodies hummed with thrill as pleasure ran through their veins, creating goose bumps along their arms and abdomens. Nothing was quiet. One of them was always making noises, whether it was panting, moaning, or whispering to the other.

"Oh, fuck, Steve." Danny muttered.

"Danny, this feels so good." Steve breathed out making eye contact with him. "I'm so fucking close."

'Already? I took him for granted.' Danny thought to himself as he focused on pushing in deeper and slightly faster and as he grabbed Steve's dick in hand and began to stroke it. He felt the flow of pleasure flood through his body. He wasn't ready, but he wasn't about to deny Steve pleasure.

"Let it go, babe." Danny murmured to him.

"I want to with you." Steve panted out.

"Don't deny yourself pleasure on my part, babe. Just do it. Just let go."

Steve threw back his head and closed his eyes tightly. "No, I want to do it with you."

"Look at me, babe." Danny called to him. Steve's eyes flew open and looked to Danny's eyes.

"Let go." Danny whispered.

Steve's eyes, lust blown, filled with want and desire, lit up and glazed over as the orgasm erupted from within him. Danny could feel Steve jerk and go rigid as pleasure surged through him like electricity.

"Fuck, Danny. Fuck!" Steve cried out as his body vibrated with satisfaction. Danny continued to thrust as he stroked Steve's dick even when the pearly white fluid emptied from it on to his abdomen.

Danny's movements slowed as Steve's body quivered through the aftershocks.

Danny was breathing as hard as was Steve. They gazed into each other's eyes as the hum faded. He planted a kiss on Steve's swollen and reddened lips, he could feel drowsiness in his partner.

Danny usually felt regret and ashamed at about this moment with the few partners he had after Rachael, but now, with Steve. . . Everything felt right and . . . . Peaceful. No contempt, no guilt, no regret.

Danny broke from Steve to pull out and roll off him, but Steve stopped him by placing his hands on Danny's ass.

"What are you doing?" Steve asked. His abruptness shocked Danny a little.

"You're done. I can feel you're tired. I thought we could catch some sleep."

"But, you haven't had the pleasure of cumming yet." Steve said with a smile.

Danny smiled back at him. "You can get me next time, babe." He said rolling off him to lie next to him. Steve moved to prop himself up on his elbow.

"Nuh-uh. If you are in my bed, you don't leave it unsatisfied." Danny smiled as Steve moved to his stomach and kissed it.

"Babe, I'm serious. I know you're tired. And probably sore, just get me in the-" Danny broke off as Steve placed his mouth on his swollen, hard number and swallowed.

"Oh-fuck, Steve." Danny muttered. Steve, for being as unexperienced as he was with men, certainly knew the art of giving head. Steve hungrily bobbed up and down on Danny. Being so close already and having Steve be the one sucking him off, it didn't take long before he arrived at the peak, ready to jump. Danny found Steve's hand on the bed next to his hip and grasped it.

"Oh, fuck." Danny spoke softly as he felt the pleasure gather quickly. "I'm cumming, I'm cumming."

He thought Steve would pull off, but he didn't. Danny groaned in pleasure as Steve just sucked Danny's sensitive dick and swallowed the cum that pooled out. It surprised Danny. He let out a contented sigh as Steve pulled up off his dick with a final suck and made his way up to Danny's lips.

"Ah, babe. That was. . ." Danny couldn't find the words to describe it.

"Was I okay?" Steve rolled off him and snuggled in close.

"Fuck yeah, you were amazing." Steve smiled as moved in closer and nuzzled Danny's neck.

"You were, too. My first. . ." Steve whispered as he placed a kiss to his neck.

"Where did you learn to do that?" Danny asked breathlessly staring up at the ceiling, mind blown by what had just happened.

"I guess I know what feels good to me, and I just did what I thought would feel good."

Danny grinned. He knew Steve better than that.

"Or you learned from the internet."

Steve sat up and looked at him with his sideways smile. "Are you implying I watch porn?"

"Nah, of course not, and even if you did, there's nothing wrong with it." Danny said laughing.

"Are you saying that because you do it, too?" Steve asked laughing back at him. "'Not that there's anything wrong with it'" Steve parroted back to Danny laughing.

"Oh, come here, you Neanderthal." Danny murmured, smiling, pulling Steve in for a kiss.

Back at the hotel, Danny smiled as he remembered the rest of the night, them falling asleep and waking up to kisses and ending up doing each other in the shower and on Steve's bed again and again.

They were late for work, but they didn't care. They were madly in love with each other.

Danny sipped his again coke and sighed as he looked at his phone. It was 9:20 p.m. in Hawaii. He would call him in the morning. Danny stood at the side of the bed and walked to brush his teeth. He walked back to his bed and took off his shirt. He lay down on the bed beneath the covers and thought about his reason for coming to New Jersey.

He looked to his night stand and opened the drawer. A small black velvet case sat in it. Danny opened it. There was a simple silver ring with a single brass band around the middle. On the inside was engraved 'Eternally yours, DW'.

Danny smiled at it.

It was for Steve. That was the sole purpose for coming out to Jersey. Danny had a friend that made custom rings. This ring was one of a kind. And not in the "oh, it's only meant for Steve" kind of way, even though it was.

Danny had saved the very bullet that was pointed at Steve the day they met. Danny didn't know why he had saved it, but as he was checking over his gun that same night, the bullet that was there was lodged abnormally in the magazine. When he took it out, it was oddly shaped, which he was sure he would've noticed when he had loaded the magazine the night before.

If he had attempted to shoot Steve, nothing would've happened, except the possibility of himself getting hurt.

But he kept it. And now he knew why he had. He loved Steve, and planned to ask him soon. Danny squirmed in his bed, untucking the sheets, hoping Steve would like it.

*Buzz* Buzz* Buzz*

His phone drew his attention from the ring. He placed the ring on the side table. He looked at his phone and smiled.

"Hey, babe. Thought I would have to catch you in the morning." Danny answered into the phone.

"Nah, just finished a couple of cases that had to get done tonight." Steve's voice came over the phone. Danny grinned. It was so good to hear Steve's voice.

"How was your day?" Steve asked. Danny raised his eyebrows. He had spent the day picking up the ring and talking with his friend, who had designed the ring with Danny's breathing fire down his back during their planning session.

"Um, hung out with an old friend. Caught up and talked about old times, ya know."

It wasn't a lie, it just wasn't the whole truth.

"You have fun?"

Danny smiled. "Of, course."

"Hey, you were planning on getting a flight home tomorrow night, right?" Steve questioned him.

"Yeah, I got a flight for 9 o'clock. I should land in Hawaii in 10 hours."

"Oh, okay. And I am picking you up right?" Steve asked. He sounded strange to Danny. It was like they were a having a last discussion before Danny would board the flight.

"Yeah. Steve, what's going on?"

There was a small knock at Danny's door.

"Who the hell is at my door at 2 in the morning?" Danny asked quietly into the phone.

"I bet it's a neighbor coming to tell you to shut that loud mouth of yours."

"I extremely doubt that, Steven. I'm not even being loud." Danny chuckled into the phone and strode to the door.

"Will you hold on a sec?"

"Yeah, I'll wait." Danny looked through the peephole.

"You son of a bitch." Danny smiled. It was Steve looking into the peephole, waving his phone at him, with his handsome smile. Danny opened the door and rushed into Steve's arms, which had just dumped his bag onto the ground.

Danny hugged him.

"God, it's so good to see you." Danny whispered into him.

Steve smiled into Danny's ear. "It's only been 3 days."

"The longest 3 days of my life." Danny muttered pulling from him and placing his hands to Steve's cheeks.

"How did you even get here? I thought the office was stacked high with files. Why didn't you tell me?" Danny asked spouting out questions. Steve placed his forehead to Danny's.

"I flew; Kono, Chin, and I worked hard after you left; and I didn't tell you because I love surprising you. Now, can I just kiss my boyfriend right now?" Danny smiled as Steve leaned in for a pleasant kiss. They broke and Steve grasped him into a hug.

"I thought I could stay with you and catch the flight with you tomorrow."

"Sounds good to me. We can walk around tomorrow."

"Don't you have plans with your old cop buddies?" Steve pulled from Danny looking confused.

Crap. Danny forgot that he had told Steve that he came here for a reunion with some of his cop buddies and that the 4 days would be just them hanging out and visiting places around town.

"Um, I've seen them plenty already. It's okay, honest." Danny explained grabbing Steve's bag. Danny stood out of the way to let him into the room.

"Speaking of honesty, Danny." Steve started, walking into the room. "That is one thing I love about you." He turned to Danny as he had closed the door and placed Steve's bag on the bed. "How honest you are." Steve looked to his eyes. Danny knew he was caught. It was useless to try to cover things up.

"You know, don't you?" Steve gave a small nod. Steve pointed past him to the bedside table.

"What's that?"

Danny looked at the bedside table and his stomach dropped as he realized he forgot to put the small black velvet case away.

Danny sighed as he turned to Steve, whose arms were crossed with slight smile playing at his lips and his eyebrows rose.

Danny walked to it and picked it up from the table. He turned back to Steve who was waiting for an answer. "I, uh. I was going to save it for a better time. Tomorrow, even. Or perhaps when I got back to Hawaii like I had originally planned, but I guess you had different plans." Danny said with a playful glare at Steve as he grinned at Danny. "But I guess you deserve an explanation for all the secrets." He stepped to Steve and handed him the case.

Steve took it and looked at Danny with a serious look on his face. "You, uh, you can open, now." Danny said after 15 seconds of waiting for Steve to do it.

Steve did so and the smile that appeared on his face had Danny melting, like always.

"I, uh, personally know a guy that does custom rings and was able to do the design I asked for. That's why I came. I needed to be sure he did it correctly." Steve smile widened.

"To put you into further disbelief, that brass ring around the outside needed to be specially placed. It's the casing of a .40 S&W bullet from when I had my SIG Pro SP2009."

Steve looked at him with a hint of passion lingering in his eyes. "God, you're so hot when you talk guns."

Danny smiled. "Oh, you know that I know that I'm always hot. Anyway, I, uh." Danny stopped for a second, bringing a hand to his neck.

"God, this is going to sound stupid, but that day we first met. You know, we had our guns pointing at each other. Later that day, when I was cleaning my gun, I noticed that the next bullet I would've fired was dislodged in my gun. It was the bullet that was aimed at you. It was also deformed, and I know that I would've discarded it the night before when I was cleaning it if I seen it. But . . .I guess I wasn't paying attention or something happened. But I know that if I had pulled the trigger then and there in your father's garage. . ." Danny shrugged. "Nothing would've happened."

They silently looked at each other for what seemed like forever.

"Babe, I-I love you. So much. You make me feel weak to the core and yet give me the largest amount of strength every day." Steve's soft gaze made Danny feel like he would dissolve before him. "I feel the best when I am around you and I know I want to feel this way forever. I want to always feel. . .in love and just. . .love. From you, and only you. I'm eternally yours, Steve." Danny looked at him with a solemn look on his face and tears in his eyes. "So, Steven Jack McGarrett." Danny paused with a smile and a swallow as he knelt down on his knee. "Will you marry me?"

"Danny, I-" Steve seemed speechless.

Danny cringed slightly at his hesitation. This was a bad idea. Of course they couldn't get married. There was too much riding on it. They wouldn't be treated the same, Steve would probably get his title as 'Lieutenant Commander' revoked and he would certainly be dismissed from his job for marrying his partner and coworker.

But Steve instead reached into his pocket and pulled out a black velvet box. He knelt down in front of Danny with a smile on his face.

"Danny, how do I even begin to explain this?" Steve said laughing. He opened the box and handed it to Danny. Confused, and slightly worried, Danny took it.

Danny couldn't figure out why Steve was laughing, so he looked in the box.

"Oh my, God." Danny said laughing. "Are you serious?"

It was the exact same ring but instead of the brass strip going vertically around the ring like Danny's, it wrapped around horizontally. There was also an inscription, it read 'Eternally yours' but after that was Steve's initials. 'SJM'

"Danny, this is . . . this is insane." Steve said through another chuckle. "Once you shot Duran I kept the first bullet you used to save my life and if you hadn't of shot it then I wouldn't be here and I wouldn't be with you so I am so glad you did."

Danny chuckled as Steve put a hand to his cheek, stroking his ear with his fingers.

"Danny, I love you too. You seem to be the only one who gets me. The only one that understands me and my crazy thoughts, you were there from the start. When my father died, when I found out my mother wasn't dead, when I have been kidnapped, tortured, in pain. You've always been there. Even when I thought I loved someone else." Danny smiled at him. "I never have felt what I feel when I am around you. You make me feel like a new man, like no matter how badly I screw up, it'll be okay, because you make it okay." He placed his forehead to Danny's as they continued to kneel in front of each other. "Daniel Williams, will you marry me?"

"I asked first." Danny whispered.

"I think we both know the answers to our questions." Steve whispered back.

"Yes." they said together, chuckling.

Danny put the ring on Steve's finger and Steve did the same to Danny.

Steve grasped Danny into a desperate kiss and kept their lips connected for the longest time.

They broke finally, still smiling at each other. "You know, no one is going to believe this." Steve said.

"Did they believe us when we fell in the well?"

"Or the one with us undercover in that gay bar?" Steve added as they laughed at the memories.

"I love you, Steve McGarrett." Danny muttered to him.

"I love you, too, Danny Williams." Steve whispered back.

They joined their lips together, prolonging the moment from when they would stop, wrapping their arms around each other.

And as they continued their kiss, they both knew that they would never let each other go. They would continue to hold on and cling to each other.

Forever and Ever.

Always.