Chapter 3-Could be the last meal.

Hey guys, i am sorry it's been so long. I meant to post this last week but real life got in the way. Anyhoo, here's another chapter, i hope you like and review. Know that i really appreciate your reviews though sometimes i may not get to reply. I really look forward to them. So, keep 'em coming. I'm so grateful to my beta, Jedi4129. Feel better soon my friend. Again, the mistakes are all mine.

Cheers!

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"If you're going to have faith, you can't just have it when miracles happen, you have to have it when they don't." (SPN, 1x12)

He was left with two days, or at least he thought. He had got the call only two days ago, and now only two days were left before he would have to say good bye. All the preparations had been made, what was left was just the last-minute details and those were most important. Usually they would mean the difference between life and death. The difference to their mission's succeeded or failure. He was just glad he had this time to say goodbye. Usually they wouldn't get this much time in preparation for a mission. But this mission was different.

He treated Lynn to a fancy dinner, a romantic night, saying goodbye without really saying anything. She was happy, she obviously thinking their relationship had taken a turn for the better. Maybe even hoping that he would now pop out a ring soon. Deciding whether he should give her the ring he had bought for Cath or just buy her another one. He wished that this was all the problems he had to deal with, not a goodbye, temporary or otherwise.

It was harder trying to make his friends believe that he was taking them for drinks and paying for them out of his own pocket the next night. He knew that was a bit of an overkill, but he wanted to do this for them. Spend this last night with them, having drinks, just being with them. So, what if he went out of his usual M.O a bit and paid for the drinks? It was rare, but it wasn't like he hadn't done it before. Danny would not be so easily fooled though, Steve knew that when Danny joked about the 'lost' wallet being 'found'.

When they had got over the shock of him paying for the drinks, maybe thinking that he would find a debt or two from them and have them pay for the drinks after all, they finally settled at the bar and relaxed.

There was Tani, who was now like a little sister to him. She could never replace Kono of course, she was never meant to. She was on her own important to him, as a colleague and as a friend. And Jerry big seemingly eccentric guy but quite the genius sometimes. He had grown on him over the years.

Then there was Junior, the kid who had knocked on his door one day wearing a Navy uniform and the proper salute to boot. He had never stopped calling him Sir, but he was trying. He and Danny had tired of correcting him but they had eventually given up. Now they just let it slide. Danny still made a face when that 'Sir' was directed at himself. But he would just shake his head hopelessly when that 'Sir' was directed at Steve, and make a joke about it. The kid was fast getting into the fold now and relaxing his shoulders a bit more. Ever since he started living with Steve, he had become a little brother he would look out for. And Steve had been dismayed to hear that he was soon to move out. Steve had not realized it but Junior's presence had made the house less lonely.

He looked now at Lou Grover, the big guy was busy cracking jokes and being the heart of the mini-party. The big man had become a good friend. A voice of reason sometimes. He had become part of the Ohana when he joined Five O a few years ago and had remained family. Steve wished Kono and Chin were here too, so he could look at them, in what could very well be the very last time. It had taken him a while to realize that he had made family here. Real family. And it was so hard to leave them but he knew it would be harder for hem when he's gone. Because they cared about him.

As much as it was hard for him to say goodbye to these people he cared about, it didn't come near to the pain he felt having to say goodbye to Danny. Blood was overrated sometimes, because some blood brothers were not so close. They didn't have the deep connection that they should have. Family love was what he had discovered to be constant. A constant, irremovable stain that can never come off. Usually it wasn't by choice, it was almost always never by choice, but inescapable too. He had loved his dad, his sister and his mother and no matter what bullshit they pulled or how they managed to make his life miserable by being absent or being fake dead, he could not help but still love them. Would do anything for them. At times he had wished he couldn't love his mother anymore, for all the heartache she had caused him, but it wasn't a choice. It was an irremovable stain from the moment he was born. Steve had never thought someone who was not blood could become just as constant. Just as permanent to him. But Danny had become that part of himself, and even more so because he was the one who always managed to stay. He was the one who would manage to go to any part of the world to save him every time, ever since they met. The one who would give him a vital organ without any thought to himself. Danny was the brother that blood had failed to give him, but destiny had. He was just as big a stain, as permanent in his heart. And since the guy had also given him his liver to save his life, again, Steve ruled that the blood technicality had finally been taken care of. Danny was his brother, in the deepest meaning of the word. He was the one he couldn't bear to leave behind. But it had to be done.

It was a beautiful night, sitting outside of the restaurant at the beach, having drinks with the people who mattered in his life, soaking up their companionship and mentally saying goodbye. And they were laughing, making jokes and he felt a little bit lighter. He will remember the jokes, easy friendship, their warmth, their faces ,and their voices. He had settled everything with the Governor. She didn't know what operation he was under of course, but she did know that he had been called to duty by the Navy and he would be gone in the near foreseeable future. This was the agreement that was made between the Governor' office and the Navy. Danny was to take up the reigns of the task force in his absence, as usual. Only this time it might be a little bit more permanent. There were no guarantees of him coming back. But the Governor didn't seem to doubt his return. He wished HE felt the optimistic.

He looked at Danny now, the jokes going around, the laughter. Danny seemed to be part of it, but he really wasn't . Steve knew him well and right now Danny was in his 'pretend to be happy and get it over with' mode. They had been partners and best friends for eight years. He knew him too well. Steve had sold Danny that load of bullshit about that phone call, and he had known right then that he had not believed him. But what could Steve do? It was Classified information. Would he believe Danny If he lied to him? Would he not see through his lies? They could always sense if something was wrong with the other and right now he knew Danny could sense it. Just as he would sense it if something were wrong with Danny. That's what made this the hardest thing he could ever do. This was so hard. And it hurt like hell.

Steve looked at him now and caught his eye. He smiled, and Danny smiled back. No, it didn't reach his eyes. It was just a sad smirk of the lips before his eyes dropped from his quickly. Then Danny abruptly stood up, grabbed his beer and excused himself to walk away and stand staring at the ocean. By that little action, Steve knew Danny knew something was up. Something not too good. He stood far too close to the ocean and the waves were almost touching his shiny expensive ltalian loafers. He stood there like that with one hand in his pocket, the other holding the beer he clearly no longer wanted or enjoyed.

The table grew awkwardly silent, the Team clearly saw that something was up between the brothers.

"Is he ok?" Lou asked, and Steve just shrugged taking a swig from his Long board. He was almost afraid to confront Danny about his disposition these days because he was pretty sure he knew. And didn't want to end up being the one to answer some very classified questions. He tried to carry on with the conversation, but everyone was just looking at him now.

"What?" He asked.

Tani rolled her eyes and looked at Junior, who stopped drinking long enough to throw a look of disbelief the Commander's way before looking at Tani. He shrugged.

"I don't know, he's been acting weirdly low these past two days where you've been oddly happy when we're around and just as sad when you think no one is watching. I don't know, a day or two? Did you guys fight again? The restaurant? I did tell you it was a bad idea for you two to go into partnership with the restaurant." Lou blabbered on. He was an astute man but he was totally off on what was going on here. And Steve thought it was for the better. He didn't need some kind of mourning ceremony here. Ignorance was bliss, at least for them. He couldn't say the same about Danny though. The guy looked like he was already in mourning. He knew.

"It's not about the Restaurant, I promise. I'll go find out what's up with him." Steve said, leaving the table.

Danny stood looking at the ocean. He knew something was wrong with Steve and it had something to do with that phone call. Now the feeling of foreboding was getting stronger in light of Steve's recent behavior .Number one on the list was this little get together, picking up the tab and all. It was a goodbye. Steve didn't say it out loud but it was as clear as day. What was it then? Why was he saying goodbye with such sadness? Steve really thought he could hide it from him with those fake smile and fake jovial mood? Danny snorted in derision. McGarrett had started doing these little out of character things. He would disappear at random and lie about it when asked. Despite all the Navy training, Danny knew that Steve couldn't lie to those close to him as well as he thought he could. Too bad Danny knew him too well. He noticed things that others didn't. Like the way he held Grace and Charlie for so long when he saw them yesterday. And had this dreamy, faraway and sometimes vacant look in his eyes even as he tried to joke and laugh with the others. That made Danny's stomach drop. This wasn't right, In a lot of ways. Things weren't adding up. And he found it so hard to continue pretending that all was well, because everything wasn't. And when Steve looked at him and smiled at that table, he knew. He was saying goodbye. And he didn't know if he would ever be able to deal with that. So, he had left the table, pissed with all of it.

Maybe he was wrong and it had something to do with his health? The radiation poisoning? Maybe that was a call from his doctor to say that he had finally developed the big C? If so, why wouldn't he tell him something like that? Why would he try to hide it and why say goodbye now? He only got the call four days ago. Was he going somewhere? Was his SEAL team activated again? Danny didn't know what was going on, but he knew one thing, the lies hurt. More than anything. He and Steve, they were like brothers. Closer even. What happened to Steve happened to him too, Steve should know that. But Steve didn't want to tell him what was going on with him , so instead he lied. Lied straight to his face. And Danny had stopped asking, because now with the way Steve had been acting, he was afraid to ask. He was afraid to know, and frankly terrified to ask because he knew Steve would lie to his face if he asked. And if Steve disrespected him like that, Danny knew he'd deck him and then they both would feel like crap.

Steve came to stand next to him, but Danny didn't turn his head to look at him.

Steve just stood there, hands buried in his pockets for a few seconds before saying anything.

"So, Lou says you've been acting weird these few days." Steve started.

Danny snorted, and tried to calm himself with a swig of beer but instead, it gave him liquid courage. He turned to Steve. "Me?!. I'm the one who's been acting weird? Nice, Steven, very nice.." He said bitterly and continued looking at the ocean, matching Steve's stance.

Steve sighed exasperatedly, "It's a beautiful night Danny. I would really appreciate it if we can go through it without sulking, ok?" He said, knowing he would get a rise from Danny. And he was surprised when it didn't come. Danny just turned and looked straight into his eyes for the longest time, maybe half a minute. Steve fought the urge to squirm. Danny unnerved him pretty well with that direct gaze.

'Are you seriously doing this? Pretending and lying? To me? What kind of trouble are you in that you can't tell me about? You don't trust me enough or what? Seven years. Seven years I've had your back and you still don't trust me. That hurts, buddy. A lot.' Danny paused from his inner monologue to take a swig of his beer and try to calm himself down. 'And why would you think I wouldn't see through this class act of yours. News Flash, I know you. And you're saying goodbye. To who, where? And most importantly, WHY?' His inner monologue was ranting again. But no words came forth, because he wasn't too sure he wanted to know after all. Plus, he had done this too many times, too many to take any more lies. If Steve didn't want to tell him then, he'll give him his space.

"I really need this Danno." Steve said with an urgency that broke Danny's melancholy mood. As if in answer to Danny's silent questions.

Danny just nodded and gave him that weird sad smile again. "Ok." Was all he said. He wasn't going to argue but that look in his eyes and that pleading statement had just confirmed everything he had feared. 'Dammit, Steven!' his inner monologue raged. 'WTF?!'

"Ok then." Steve said, taking a relieved breath, getting back to a normal mood. "Oh, and uh…do you wanna come over to my place after drinks? There's something I want to show you." Steve said.

Danny just nodded again and sighed exasperatedly. Something he wanted to show him. Jeez, it better not be his Will. Danny would absolutely LOSE IT! The way McGarrett was acting you'd think the guy was going to die tomorrow. But he decided to go with it. If this was going to be Steve's last time with them, then he would be part of it.

…..

Now he stood in Steve's library, being given a tour of his family history and it took a lot for Danny to keep quiet. Steve's grandfather's medals and how important each one was. There was a story behind each one. And then his mother's diary and it's hiding place in the floor, how much he wanted Mary to have it. Then his father's stuff. The guy was literary writing out his Will. Danny kept quiet though, he managed that. Danny could tell how important this was for Steve so he took note of everything, even taping some of Steve's words on his cell phone. But he was still pissed. And scared. But he made sure to remember all of Steve's wishes.

"You know, this house has been in the McGarrett family for generations and l hope it will remain that way. Hopefully Mary would move back to Hawaii with Joanie. But if she doesn't want to, l'd like you to move in. I know you're no longer in that crummy apartment and now have a nice house of your own, but maybe you could rent it out and live here instead. With your family, your kids love the beach."

"Why are you talking like this, Steven?" Danny asked suspiciously, with dread in his heart.

"No reason. It's just…well, I just got caught in the moment you know. Nothing to it." Steve replied with nonchalance.

Then Steve took out some dog tags, his Navy dog tags and gazed at them absent minded for a minute. Then he sighed and looked meaningfully at Danny.

"I want you to have these." He said, and that was the last straw for Danny. He lost it. He was not going to do this. He turned on his partner, no longer just staring at the SEAL's proffered dog tags.

"What's going on Steven?" Danny just looked at those tags and then at Steve. "What's really going on Steve?"

"What, can't I just…" Steve managed to get out.

"No. There is no 'just' anything here. You have got to be straight with me man. What the hell is going on? Are you dying or something? Are you…are you going away? ls there an Op or something? Dammit Steven! Say something!"

Steve avoided his partner's eyes. After swallowing hard, he managed to screw up some frustrated, outraged, 'NO!'

It wasn't convincing. No. no no no, Danny could not do this right now. He just shook his head at Steve in disappointment and left the house. Leaving Steve staring out at him holding his tags. He drove around for bit, not knowing where to go exactly. He could go to Rachel's. She did get him through Mattie leaving that time. She might be able to help with this one too. He was about to lose his best friend; his brother and he really didn't know how to deal with that a second time around. Didn't Steven realize how important he was in Danny's life? That one more loss would devastate him? He didn't know the depths of this whole thing, but Steve was leaving, of that he was sure. And he didn't think this time he was going to be able to come back. It never crossed his mind to go to Melissa with this, the girl he was currently seeing. That should have spoken volumes to him that the first person he thought of in this kind of crisis was his newly divorced ex-wife. The mother if his children. Maybe it was just familiar habit.

He didn't go there though, it was too complicated. Besides, Rachel would want information. Information he didn't have and if he had said information, he couldn't share it with her most likely. Instead he went to the bridge. His other favorite place in Hawaii. Hawaii, this pineapple infested hellhole had become his second home. And that was not because of the landscape and the ocean, but it was family he had found here. A family he wasn't ready to let go of yet, or ever, for that matter. This was hard because he knew he should go back and talk to Steve. He was sure this was one of the Classified Ops and he knew Steve would be evasive and lie through his teeth until the end, the Navy SEAL would have to. He now felt bad about just leaving his partner and his best friend like that. What if he was to walk into the office tomorrow and find out that he was gone? Danny sat brooding,about to get up and go back when he saw a pair of headlights belonging to one Chevy Silverado he knew well. The truck parked next to his Camaro and Steve got out and walked over to the Detective to sit next to him on the bridge. The partners sat like that in strained silence for a few minutes.

"How did you find me?" Danny asked quietly.

"Let's just say l know you almost as well as you know me.''

So, the silence ensure for a moment, but the mood went from strained back to their brotherly comaradery. Then Steve took a deep breath preparing himself for what he was about to say.

"Listen, I'm being shipped out. Its Classified and I can only tell you so much, but…" He shrugged in resignation.

"Ok." It wasn't supposed to be much of a shock but it was. "Ok, I get that. When?" Danny had surmised as much but it hit him hard. This was exactly what he had been afraid of. But now he just had to face it, what else could he do?

"I don't know. Whenever the Navy calls, you know - when it will be the most inconvenient" Steve said with a sigh of despair.

"You're coming back? Right" Danny asked hesitantly.

Steve sighed loudly, "Phew, to be honest, I don't know. So, I would like you to have these." He said, holding out his dog tags again. This time, Danny sadly took them. He stared at them, refusing what they might mean.

"Just so we understand each other here, I am just keeping these for you. Until you come back. You make sure you come back, Ok Steven?" Danny said, looking seriously at Steve, daring him to say otherwise.

Steve wasn't feeling too confident but seeing how badly Danny was trying to hold on to hope, he manged to nod weakly.

"Promise me you'll come back." Danny said quietly, almost like a heartbroken child.

Steve knew that he really couldn't promise that, but he sure would try. He found his voice, ''l will try my very best, you know that.''

"No, say it Steve. You'll come back." Danny demanded earnestly. He believed that the words one says with meaning would go a long way into shaping one's future, and Steve's hesitancy was not shaping out a very good future right now. And that scared him.

"Danny I can't promise..."

"No." Danny said with emphasis. "No Steven. You cannot go to war with a mentality like that..."

"It's not war..."

"Whatever. War, killing spree on a CIA or Seal black Ops mission, i don't care Steven. If you go there, wherever the hell it is with a mentality like that, you wont get out of there alive. You understand?'

Steve nodded somberly.

"Good. Now, go to your secret holy or unholy mission, defend your country, kill people, i really don't know Steven but you come back alive. Do you hear me?" Danny lectured.

"We'll try not to kill anyone..."

"Steven!"

"Ok, ok...I promise."

"Say it."

"I'll come back. I'll come back." Steve said it with more conviction this time. Wanting more than anything to come back. He will come back. The SEAL put his arm around the Detective's shoulder like he would a younger, upset sibling.

"I'll hold you to that." Danny said stubbornly.

"If I don't come back, and you feel like you need to come look for me, look inside." Steve said, a bit more meaningful, serious.

"Look inside where? My heart? Steve that's something you would tell Charlie if his daddy died. I'm a bit old for that kind of pep talk, don't you think?" Danny ranted dismissively.

"Just remember what I said. Look inside. That's where I'll be."

Danny shook his head at that and let it go. If Steve thought that would make him feel better about this, then he was way off the mark.

They hugged it out, brotherly pats on the back and all. No one cried. Because no one was dying. Steve was coming back. They had the beer Steve threw in his truck before going out into the night to find his buddy. They sat there in easy silence watching the stars float by under crashing waves. After midnight, they shook hands and headed for their respective homes, their last parting words being their usual gibe;

"Don't get dead."

"Don't get dead."

The next morning Steve didn't come to work. Yup, the Navy had caalleed. He tried Steve's cell, but the Detective already knew it would be unreachable. Steve was gone. Maybe for good. NO! He refused to think that way. Someone had to keep hope alive so he went to his office and waited for the Governor to call and make it official.

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Let me know what you think. See you in a bit.