Way 3
Do everything you can to understand her feelings.
"And you always say I'm the emotionally constipated one."
"You are."
"And yet, we wouldn't be in this mess if you'd just told her how you feel."
"How am I supposed to do that, Steven, when even I don't know how I feel?"
"You mean after finding out that she, like every other damn woman we seem to encounter these days, is working for Wo Fat, you still don't know how you feel?"
"No, I meant before…never mind. Just…no, no, don't grab there, Steve, dammit."
"Seriously, Danny, I want to know. I mean, I know how I felt when I found out Jenna betrayed me—"
"Us, Christ, not everything's all about you!"
"And yet it's Wo Fat that both Jenna and Gabby was and/or is working for. Wo Fat who has a fucking vendetta against me."
"Okay, first of all, who says 'and/or' in the course of conversation while trying to – ow, watch it! – untie their wrists from their partner's? Second, if I'd just come to the museum on my own tonight to profess my undying love, which I'm not saying I had, mind you, to one Dr. Asano, then she would've just tied me up alone, and thank you very much I do not need to be the butt-end of your next epic guilt trip. Third—"
"Are you done?"
"Does me saying 'third' imply I was done? You have no manners – dammit, would you stop pinching me?"
"Sorry. I can't exactly see what I'm doing here."
"And here I thought you SEALs had eyes in the back of your head."
"No, really, we don't, Danny. We're just as human as the rest of you."
"I beg to differ…oh, hey, hey, the one around my left wrist just loosened up."
"Can you slip it through—?"
"What do you think I'm—?"
"No, Danny, the other w—"
"I know which way, if you'd get your massive pre-homo sapien hands out of the way!"
"Pre-homo sapien?"
"Cro magnon."
"Gee, thanks, Danny."
"You're welcome."
…
…
"Look, I'm sorry Dr. Asano turned out to be yet another of Wo Fat's pawns, Danny. I truly am."
"Eh, look at the bright side, Partner. Now it's back to just me and your couch."
"Yeah, Danno, about that—"
"Ha, got it! Free!"
"Untie me, Danny, quick, before she gets back."
…
"Danny?"
…
"D?"
"You…what's that…is that a new tattoo?"
"Not now, Danny, just untie me so we can get out of here!"
"Steven."
"Danny, not—"
"McGarrett, shut up and explain that tattoo."
"I can't shut up and explain at the same time, make up your mind. Tell you what: you untie me. I'll explain while you untie me."
"Okay, but this better be good."
"Uh…"
"Not encouraging me to untie you."
"It's…a thing."
"A thing. Tattooed to the inside of your left forearm."
"Um…"
"Steve."
"What?"
"You're untied."
"Good, let's see if we can get anything from her desk before we go."
"Steven."
"What?"
"Why do you have five names tattooed to your arm, two of which belong to me and my perfect and gorgeous daughter?"
…
"Steve?"
"It's the names of my ohana, Danny. That's all. You talk a lot, I say it with tattoos, okay? Hey, what are you—?"
"Mary, Chin Ho, Kono, Danno, Grace."
"What's with that face?"
"A trait I picked up from you. Come on, let's get out of here, Partner."
"But we—"
"Your couch awaits."
"But we should—"
"Gabby and Wo Fat will still be there tomorrow. It's two in the morning, and I have Grace tomorrow. Please. Let's go. Ohana comes first."
"Sorry I, uh, you know, added you two without…you know."
"Don't worry about it. But you have to show it to Grace tomorrow."
"Tomorrow I have to go after—"
"What, your ohana was important enough to get permanently inked into your skin but not important enough to spend time with?"
"That's not it at all."
"Then tell me what is it?"
"I need my ohana to stay alive, Danny! I need to find Gabby and get rid of Wo Fat once and for all, or none of the names on my arm will ever be safe! Don't you get that?"
"Yeah, Steve. I get that. But do you get that keeping us all safe doesn't make you expendable?"
…
…
"You got it, knucklehead? Huh?"
"Yeah, Danny, okay. I got it."
"Good. Now get me home before I turn into a goddamn pineapple."
"A pineapple?"
"Hawaiian version of Cinderella as told by one Grace Williams."
"Now that, I can't wait to hear!"
"It's pretty interesting. She cast you as Cinderella."
…
"Indignant spluttering is a good look on you, McGarrett."
Way 4
Be interested in her friends.
"It doesn't strike you as just a little strange that McGarrett wants me to go on this weekend bullshit camping thing with him and his three SEAL buddies?"
"Not really, no. I think Steve's just trying to include you in his circle of friends, that's all."
"Oh. Oh, yes, because the last time I met one of his so-called 'friends,' it turned out spectacularly well, seeing how I wanted to wring the man's neck with my bare hands from the second I laid eyes on him, and Steve had to kill him to stay alive."
"Did you ever think maybe that's why he wants you along this weekend?"
"I don't get it. What do you mean, Chin?"
"Steve doesn't know who he can trust sometimes, and we've all seen what happens when he trusts the wrong people. With Nick Taylor, like you said. Governor Jameson. I mean, Steve's doubting his own father's honor these days, and then once again he almost bought it because he trusted Jenna."
"True."
"Maybe he wants you to go on this camping trip with his former teammates because then at least he knows he'll have someone at his side he can trust for the duration."
"Huh. I hadn't thought of that."
"Cut him a little slack, Danny. And for all our sakes, especially his, watch his back on this one, okay?"
"Yeah. Yeah, sure, I can do that. Thanks."
"I got your back, brah. And apparently, Steve's chosen you to have his."