When Danny was released from the hospital, Steve drove him to see Grace. On the way, Steve grilled him again about his reasons for agreeing to the extradition. He was dismayed to hear Danny say again that he felt he deserved it. Steve thought he'd gotten through to Danny in the hospital, but apparently not. Steve tried again, but gave up when they got to Rachel's.

After Danny's visit with Grace, Steve drove him home. He followed Danny into the house and slammed the door angrily behind him.

"I don't ever want to hear you say again that you deserved that."

Danny turned to him, dejected. "It's true."

"No, it's not. I thought I told you that."

"I guess I'm just having a hard time believing it."

"What's so hard to believe?" Steve asked, incredulous. He couldn't believe Danny was still beating himself up. "You're a good man, a brave man, a man who was trying to protect his family. Why would you deserve to get beaten to death in a Colombian prison? What did you do to deserve that?"

Danny rounded on him, now angry as well. "I killed a man, Steve!"

"So did I!"

"That's different. Wo Fat was torturing you."

"I'm not talking about Wo Fat."

That stopped Danny. "Then who?"

"Hesse."

Danny was puzzled. "But you didn't kill Hesse."

"I thought I did."

"But that was different."

"How?" Steve asked. This was important. He really wanted Danny to see.

"Because Hesse was a psychopath who killed your father and was going to do everything in his power to destroy you and everyone you loved."

"And Reyes wasn't?" Steve asked softly.

Danny opened his mouth to retort, then closed it, clearly processing what Steve said.

Steve put his hands on Danny's shoulders and looked him in the eye. "Reyes murdered your brother. He threatened Grace. He had his men try to kill you and me. You did the right thing."

"Then why do I feel I got what was coming to me?"

Steve unbuttoned Danny's shirt, exposing his still-bruised torso. "Listen to me, Danny. This was not what was coming to you. You didn't deserve this." He kissed one of the bruises. "Or this." Another one. "Or this." He continued working his way down Danny's torso, kissing each bruise in turn. "You didn't deserve any of these, and I would give anything to have been able to take them for you." He worked his way back up, finishing with a tender kiss to Danny's lips. "I love you, Danny Williams, and I don't ever want to hear you put yourself down."

Danny was stunned. He'd heard Steve's confession in the hospital, but he couldn't quite believe it. Now, hearing Steve declare he'd do anything for Danny, and treat him so tenderly, like he was something to be worshipped and cherished, instead of the broken, pathetic man Danny still felt like, Danny finally began to understand what Steve was saying.

"I'm sorry, babe. I'll try. I can't make any promises, because it's still hard to believe, but I'll try."

"That's all I ask." Steve kissed him again, pouring all his love into it, trying to make sure Danny understood the depth of his feelings. Danny kissed him back, doing his best to let Steve know he felt the same, and that maybe Steve was right. Maybe he didn't deserve to die in a Colombian prison. Maybe this was what he deserved.