Don't own anything.

And I'll be begging you, baby

Beg you not to leave

But I'll be left here waiting

My heart on my sleeve

Stay – Sugarland

Rachel

The phone rings in the middle of the night and a mixture of grief, anger, and betrayal flows through me. I know it's him, just like I know that Danny will answer it. That he'll leave me. It's happened so many times, I'm starting to lose count.

Every night: he calls, Danny answers, and he leaves me waiting on the next time he'll come back to me. It's the same every night, except for the nights when it's my turn to call. Part of me wishes I didn't call on those nights, wishes that I was strong enough to admit defeat and let Danny stay with him, but a bigger part of me wants Danny and I refuse to give him up without a fight.

Sometimes I think that if I just leave Hawaii and take Grace, Danny will always be mine. Then I hate myself for thinking I could force that choice on Danny. I know he needs to choose who he wants on his own terms and forcing him will only make him hate me.

I've always been proud of myself for knowing what I want, when I want it. Tears fill my eyes as, for the first time; I start to wonder if I'm enough to get it, if I can win.

You keep telling me, baby

There will come a time

When you will leave her arms

And forever be in mine

But I don't think that's the truth

And I don't like being used, and I'm tired of waiting

Stay – Sugarland

Steve

I hate myself for calling Danny while he's with her. I hate myself for not having the strength to leave in the first place. I hate knowing that nothing I do is enough to make him stay here. I hate that I can't bring myself to hurt him, even if it's to protect myself from Danny leaving me for her.

I drop my phone on my bed and go downstairs to wait. I walk to the kitchen to get a beer. When I come back to the living room I hear the low purr of the Camaro's engine and see the bright headlights through the window.

I sit down on the couch and wait for Danny to come inside. A few minutes later, the front door opens and he walks in the house. All of my hate, all of the reasons I try to use to convince myself to leave, disappears the second I see him. Only Danny Williams has this kind of power over me. Only he can make me forget all logic after so many long days of his ranting about it.

He steps forward and I meet him halfway. His arms slide around my neck while my arms snake around his waist. I look in his eyes for a few minutes, just long enough to search for something I never realized I was looking for. He tilts his face up and I lean down to kiss him.

The kiss is just like everything else about us, fierce, filled with determination and passion. I've never wanted this before Danny as much as I do now.

Just as I start to get lost in the kiss, I take a second to breathe and I smell perfume, her perfume, on him. I break the kiss. He gives me a questioning look and I start to explain. "I can't. I can't keep waiting for you to decide. You have to choose. You can go somewhere to be alone. You can stay here or go to her but I can't do this knowing tomorrow morning she'll call and you'll leave again. I can't be us until there is no her."

Anger flashes in his eyes and without saying a word, he turns around and leaves. I go upstairs and lay on my bed. Tears burn my eyes and I bring my hands to my face and let the tears fall until sleep claims me.

Why don't you stay?

I'm up off my knees

I'm so tired of being lonely

You can't give me what I need

Stay – Sugarland

Rachel

I haven't heard from Danny in two days and all of my phone calls go unanswered. At first I wonder if he's chosen him but I soon realize Danny would tell me to my face.

A knock on the door interrupts the next call to Danny. It's not Danny. He has a key and always lets himself in. I answer the door and see Steve standing on my porch.

"Steve. Can I help you with something?"

"Is he here?"

I start playing dumb. "I'm afraid I don't understand what you're talking about."

"Don't do that, Rachel. Please just tell me if Danny's here."

"He hasn't been here in two days. I assumed he was with you since my calls went to voicemail. Can I ask you a question?" At his nod I continue. "Why? Why are we both fighting for Daniel when neither of us can have his whole heart? Are you okay with knowing if he stays with you he'll never really be yours? His priority is always Grace."

"I understand. It's one of the many reasons I love him. Are you sure you really want him? He's still a cop. He won't change for you and I work with him. I can be there to protect him. I don't worry because if something goes wrong, I'm right there to fix it."

"I'm a different person now. I can handle it."

I always swore to
you I'd never fall apart

You always thought that I was stronger

I may have failed

But I have loved you from the start

Fall For You – Secondhand Serenade

Steve

Suddenly the pointlessness of our fight reaches me. "What are we doing, Rachel? Danny hasn't talked to either of us in two days. I should be out there looking for him, not arguing with you." I pull my phone out of my pocket to call Chin just as a phone rings in her house.

She goes to answer it and her next word stops me from dialing Chin. "Danny."

I start thinking she's faking it but I can hear the relief in her tone. She's not lying. Danny called her and not me. He has obviously made his choice. I don't know what I was thinking, letting myself believe I might have a chance. I walk to my truck, get in, and drive back home.

All the time, all the time

You were the one that got me through

Like a sign, like a sign

You were the voice that knew the truth

Let me fall, let me fall for you

Let Me Fall For You – David Cook

Danny

I pull into the familiar driveway. I don't know why I didn't make this decision earlier. We could've had more time. Instead I let myself think I could have them both. Normally I wouldn't knock. I would just let myself in but after today I think I should. No answer.

I walk through the house but there is no sign of the person I'm looking for. Until I get to the beach. I should've known he would be here. I see him holding something and as I get closer it comes into focus. Scotch.

"Hey." He turns around and answers me. "Hey. You don't have to worry about your job. I'll go back to the SEALs and you can stay at Five-0." His slurred words are enough to tell me how much he's been drinking without looking at the bottle.

"I don't know why you would want to do that."

"I want you to be happy but I can't stay and watch you be happy without me."

"What are you talking about, Steven?"

"You picked Rachel. I get it. It's okay. I'm happy for you."

"Okay, first, you need to stop drinking. You're going to have a massive hangover tomorrow." I pull the bottle from him and he reaches out for it again. "No. I'm not giving it back. Second, I'm here. Do you think I would be here if I stayed with Rachel? Don't answer that. It's rhetorical. Third, you're not going back to active duty." At the face Steve makes I say, "No. No faces. I'm talking. You're listening. You're not leaving because it's hard to date someone that isn't here."

His 'confused face' makes an appearance. "Yeah, Steven, I picked you. Stop making that face. I called Rachel to tell her I was on my way over there. I thought telling her in person was the least I could do after all those months. She told me about that fight you two had. Really, SuperSeal? Fighting with Rachel? I thought you were better than that."

A small laugh escaped him. "Well, Danno, I felt the need to try and get her to back off. It didn't really work though."

"Yeah, I noticed. You look tired. Time to get you to bed." I pulled him from the beach to his bedroom and pushed him on the bed. "Go to sleep. I promise I'll be here when you wake up." He was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

Then this thing turned out so evil

I don't know why I'm still surprised

Even angels have their wicked schemes

And you take that to new extremes

But you'll always be my hero

Love The Way You Lie – Rihanna feat. Eminem

Hope you liked it. Thanks for reading.

~Five-0Forever