"You walk out that door, don't expect Grace and I to be here when you get back!" Danny yelled as he followed Steve down the stairs. He came home early to find his partner packing a bag. When asked, Steve told him he was going with Jenna to Korea. Danny was putting his foot down this time.

Steve stopped at the bottom of the steps, turning quickly to look at the blond behind him. "Danno?"

"No, Steven. I refuse to stand aside this time as you walk into danger. I will not let Grace be subjected to this, not like I already am. You need to choose what is more important-me and Grace or Jenna and your vendetta against Wo Fat." Danny spoke calmly as he walked down the stairs to stand eye to eye with Steve.

"Danno, please understand." Steve begged. When he went to touch Danny, the other man dodged his hand.

"I do understand, Steve." He spoke softly. "But this time I'm making a choice, a choice to save Grace from a heartache and worry. To save myself from the same pain. If that makes me look like a selfish asshole then so be it." Danny finished then turned and went back upstairs. He refused to let the tears fall until he was alone.

"Fuck!"

Danny closed his eyes as the tears fell. That one word scared him because he didn't know if Steve said it out of anger or fear. He knew Steve will hate him for making him choose but Danny was scared and wanted to be selfish for once. The Jersey native was so deeply in love with the SEAL that it hurt to watch the man go into danger willingly. This time though Grace was involved so Danny was going to do everything possible to protect him daughter from that pain.

He tensed for a moment when familiar arms wrapped around him, holding him tightly and tenderly. Then he relaxed when a soft kiss was pressed to his neck. The silence descended upon them, neither one wanted to speak first. Both were content to just being close to one another.

"Danno," Steve broke the silence minutes later. His voice was soft and held no anger. "Danno, I love you. I love Grace and love what we have."

"I know you do. I'm scared, Steve. Scared that you'll leave and I'll get that phone call telling me that you're dead. I'm not strong enough for that." Danny confessed turning in Steve's arms to look into the other man's blue eyes.

Steve bent forward to kiss Danny. "Oh baby, I'm sorry. I should have remembered that I'm not alone anymore and that you and Grace come first now. You two are my family and I'll fight to keep that. I won't go, Danno. I promise."

"Thank you, Steve." Danny kissed the other man with all the love he was feeling at that moment. There was still a small part that was scared. Scared that Steve would later resent him for this and scared that Steve will go off the next time he gets another lead on Wo Fat. For now though he'll hold Steve close and love him, remind him of what they have together.

The kiss went from sensual to passionate. Tongues tasted and danced together in the ever familiar rhythm. Hands caressed and stroked as they removed all the barriers between them. Danny's fingers danced along every muscle and hard plane of Steve's body. He moaned and arched into Steve's touch, strong calloused hands felt good against his skin. Steve knew where and how to touch to send pleasurable jolts throughout his body. Danny could never get enough of Steve.

Together they fell onto the bed, Steve on top of Danny. Groans, grunts and gasps filled the room. Danny let Steve take charge, he just gripped the headboard and let the pleasure take over. Steve kissed his way down Danny's body making sure to add marks on his collarbones and tease his nipples into harden nubs. He licked his name that was tattooed on Danny's chest on his left pectoral. He licked his way down to Danny's treasure trail, sucking more marks from hipbone to hipbone. Danny moaned and spoke Steve's name like a prayer, using his body to beg for more. Steve broke away for a moment to grab the lube from the bedside drawer.

The SEAL then went back to marking his territory placing mark after mark on the inside of both thighs and biting into the softest part of the flesh. Danny cried out feeling Steve's teeth in his skin. His hands gripped Steve's head, pushing down to silently demand for more. Steve oblige by sinking his teeth deeper into the flesh, breaking the skin, then sucking as harshly as he could to bruise the flesh and making sure it lasts for days.

Danny thrust his hips in a silent plead for Steve to move on to the next part. Steve tenderly kissed and licked the bite mark before making his way to Danny's cock. The blond mewled in pleasure when his cock was engulfed in warm heat the same time two slick fingers slid into him. Steve found his prostate right away, pressing and rubbing the sensitive bundle until Danny started begging. The SEAL sucked and stretched Danny teasingly until Danny demanded for more. Two fingers became four because Steve was thicker than average, something Danny both loved and envied.

When Danny was stretched to Steve's satisfaction, Steve crawled up Danny's body after giving his cock one last deep suck. Steve propped himself up on one forearm while his other hand guided his slick cock to Danny's hole. The SEAL slowly thrust in, not stopping until his balls rested against the blond's ass. Steve used his free hand to hold Danny's leg up by the back of his knee.

"Steve, move." Danny demanded rolling his hips and clenching his inner walls around the cock inside him.

Steve captured Danny's lips into a bruising kiss. His hips slowly pulled away, stopping once the head of his cock remained in Danny, then he snapped his hips forward receiving a gasps from his lover. The taller man moaned when Danny raised his other leg, the heel of his foot resting on the base of Steve's back. The move caused Steve's cock to slide deeper into Danny.

The next thrust was slower and gentle. Danny can feel every inch of Steve as he moves in and out. The tender lovemaking doesn't happen often. Only when a case goes wrong and they want to reconnect or when Danny gets scared after one of Steve's death defying stunts. But those are usually follow after the quick and rough 'glad you survived' fucking. The lovemaking that Danny gets emtional during only happens when Steve feels guilty about putting Danny's life in danger or when Steve plans a night of romance.

This moment though, the slow drawn out pace and deep gentle thrusts is different. This is Steve's way of telling Danny, showing him, that he will always come first. Before a revenge mission, before the Navy, and definitely before their job.

Danny pulled Steve into a passionate kiss, telling him that he loves him. He caresses Steve's back, scratching lightly then gripping the firm ass tightly. He finds it arousing to hold Steve's ass as his lover thrusts into him. It also earns him an animal like growl every time.

Their release was simultaneous. It was the kind of orgasm that spread from head to toe leaving you feeling like the whole thing was an out of body experience. It took Danny several long minutes to come down from the high. Afterwards he simply held Steve close as the other man was still trying to calm his body. Danny loved these little moments, cherishes them.

There was no more doubt in his mind. Steve wouldn't leave him. Danny knew that he had to keep reminding the SEAL that he wasn't alone anymore, that there was too much at stake to be reckless.

(*v*)

"Thank you, Danny." Steve hugged his lover three days later.

Danny hugged him back while thinking about why he was getting thanked. He couldn't come up with anything right away. "What for?"

"It was a trap. The men I sent with Jenna just called. Wo Fat set up a trap for me. He confessed to it after telling Jenna that he killed her fiancé. If my men hadn't been there Jenna would have been killed. So thank you for saving my life." Steve explained into Danny's ear, not wanting to break the hug.

"You don't have to thank me, babe. Just doing my job as your partner." Danny replied as he carded his hand through Steve's hair.

"I love you, Danny."

"I love you too, you Neanderthal." Danny smirked before turning his head to capture Steve's lips into a kiss.

~Fin~