Disclaimer: I do not own 'Hawaii Five-0' or any of the characters from 'Hawaii Five-0'. If I did own them, Steve and Danny would be shacked up in Steve's beachside home with custody of Grace and knocking boots every night.
"Chin…Chin…this…this can't be happening. It's got to be a mistake. He…he waited for back up. Chin, he waited for back up."
For the last three years Danny's been telling Steve to be careful, that just because he's a Navy SEAL doesn't make him indestructible. Finally Steve listens. Calling and waiting for back up from HPD. Going in with a plan. Not running in with all Rambo like. Steve listens for the first time in three years and he gets blown up because HPD didn't clear a room properly.
"Danny. Danny. Danny! You have to calm down. Steve needs you to be calm. Come on Danny, pull it together."
The scene is straight out of one of Danny's nightmares. There are flames licking up through the windows of the house. Debris is scattered all across the yard and street. HPD is clearing the neighbors and keeping the gawkers at bay. HFD is battling to fire. The worst of it is that Steve is being taken away from him on a gurney.
"Where are you taking him? I'm going with him. I'm his partner and I'm going with him. No. No! You taking him with me!"
The paramedics try to leave without him, but Danny is having none of that. It takes Chin telling them that Danny was with Steve when the explosion happened for them to allow Danny into the ambulance. Danny just scrambles in next to Steve. Chin says something about meeting them at the hospital before the door is closed and the ambulance is speeding away; lights flashing and siren blaring.
"Detective? Detective, can you tell us what happened? Where were you and the Commander when the explosion happened? Detective, we need to know what happened. Shit! He's in shock…"
Danny watches Steve as the paramedics check him over again, inserting an IV and letting the hospital know their ETA. Danny watches, but he doesn't touch or speak now. He just sits silently watching his partner with a look of devastation and guilt the entire trip to the hospital, even when the paramedics start poking and prodding at him instead of Steve.
"…they were both caught in the explosion. According to Lieutenant Kelly, they were together when the explosion occurred and thrown out of the building together and from the second story. Commander McGarrett was found to just below Detective Williams, appearing to have tried to protect Detective Williams from the blast…"
Danny lets the ER staff settle him on a gurney, but his eyes never leave Steve's form as they are both rushed into trauma. Danny remains quiet and meek until his view of Steve is blocked and the staff tries to separate him and Steve into different trauma treatment rooms. As soon as he loses sight of Steve, Danny starts fighting the staff, whispering over and over that he needs to see Steve.
"…what are you doing? He's fighting because you separated him from his partner. These boys get treated together. They keep each other going. Commander McGarrett needs to be stabilized and Detective Williams needs to calm down, so get him back over to the other room. NOW!"
Finally Danny can see Steve again. Steve still looks like death warmed over, but he's here with Danny and Danny, well, Danny is quiet and meek again. Letting the doctor and nurses poke and prod at him as he keeps watch over his injured partner.
"You're okay and I'm sorry. You're okay, Steve. You are. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, but you're okay. You're going to be out of here and swimming like the freaky ninja SEAL that you are in no time. Okay? Okay. Come on Steve. Open your eyes. You can even say 'I told you so' cause you're right. I'm the only back up you need…"
Danny is quiet all the time now, his voice never louder than a whisper, as he sits next to Steve's hospital bed. They have both been in the hospital for a week now, Danny awake and Steve still unconscious. The doctor, an elderly one who is also the same one that stopped the ER staff from sedating Danny, stops in every chance he gets to reassure Danny that Steve is recovering and that it will just take time.
"Daniel, you need to snap out of this. It's not good for Grace or you. You need to move on. Commander McGarrett might not come back from this-"
"Who the hell are you to be saying that? Commander McGarrett is recovering. His brain activities is strong, his body just needs to catch up. As for Detective Williams, he is also recovering. You saying what you are saying is detrimental to his recovery…"
Danny smiles a little as the doctor escorts Rachel away from the room and Grace climbs into his lap to watch over Steve with him. He kisses her head as he whispers over and over that Steve is okay and that they're just waiting for him to wake up. Grace just snuggles in closer to Danny and hugs him tight as she agrees with everything he says.
"Steve is going to be okay, Danno. He's Super SEAL and he loves us. So he is going to get better so he can take us swimming and surfing and hiking. He promised and Steve doesn't break his promises."
The nurses come and go, administering medicine and changing bandages as needed. They bring food, friendly smiles and caring words. They explain everything they're checking and doing along with why they are doing it as it's being done. They offer shoulders to cry on and honest hope to rally with.
"Your Commander is doing well today, Detective. He is showing signs of waking up. Remember what we've told you about letting us know when he does wake up, okay? We're all real excited to see him get up and move around."
The waiting is driving Danny crazy, but he smiles and deals. He won't leave Steve, no matter what. He's his partner, his best friend and his love; as Danny has been realizing over the last…well, however long it has been since the explosion.
"Steve…Steve…Steve…"
"Sh't up, D'nno."
The room is buzzing with activity and noise as the doctor checks over his patient with a warm, gentle smile. Questions are asked and answered with fantastic results. Plans are made and orders given and then…then all is quiet again.
"I'm okay, Danno. I'm okay."
"Steve…"
"I really am okay. A little battered and bruised, but Danno…you're here, so why wouldn't I be okay?"
"Goof…"
Ten days after being caught in an unexpected explosion; all is finally right in Detective Danny Williams's life…again. He has his beautiful, amazing daughter. He has his job that he is fantastic at, as told by his teammates. Last, but certainly not least, the man he loves is alive, awake and HIS.
