Author's note: I promised another chapter today and so here it is. We get to see how Steve is doing since so many asked. Again, you are all amazing.

Man on the television said somethings so I couldn't sleep...but I'll be alright I'm just missing you...and this is me kissing you...XX's and OO's...in a letter from home.~John Michael Montgomery, Letters From Home.

Steve had never gotten a care package before.

His mother had been gone by the time he enlisted and Mary was doing god knows what. His dad had sent letters but was by no means sentimental or emotional in them. Most were about cases he was working on and at the end he always added a 'how are you holding up son?' like it was an afterthought. It hadn't really bothered him. That was just how his father was. He knew he was loved even if he hadn't always been told. He had always thought that was how dads were. And then he met Danny Williams, the New Jersey detective who moved half way across the global just to spend a couple hours a week with his daughter and told her he loved her every chance he got. God he missed those two.

"What's wrong with you, McGarrett?" His second in command, Beck, had asked.

"Nothing." Steve shrugged. Beck gave him a look.

"Ya well then wipe that ugly look off your face." You've got your aneurysm face again. Steve could hear Danny saying in his head. "Be happy, you got a package." He sat up quickly on the bed.

"A package? From who?"

"From your 'ohana'. Who is that anyways? It that like your Grandma or something?" Beck asked as he set the large box down on the bed.

"Ohana is Hawaiian for family." Steve corrected as he tore into the box. Beck just shook his head and left to give his Commander some privacy. Which Steve greatly appreciated because he may or may not have let a few tears out when he looked at the contents. Danny had sent sand. He had fucking sent sand and a coconut and Steve thought that it was the best gift he'd ever received.

He dug through the box in awe of all the items but it wasn't until he found the manila envelope that he felt the sting of tears again.

"Gracie…" There were dozens of crayons drawings and letters telling him about things she'd done at school and what she and Danny were up to and how much she missed him. One picture in particular he set aside. It was of him, her and Danny with a caption reading, 'Grace and Danno love you'. Steve folded it and put it in his shirt pocket. He would carry that one around with him.

He was looking through the photographs that had been sent when one of his other team members, Hughes, walked in.

"That your family?"

"Ya." Steve said wistfully.

"Is that your wife?" He asked, pointing at Kono in the picture.

"No." Steve said adamantly.

"Oh, I see." Hughes said knowingly. "Must be tough with a kid." He gestured towards Grace's pictures. Steve looked at him oddly. "Not all girls can handle it, you know? They don't understand you being away all the time or they can't handle the constant threat of danger. At least she lets the kid send you stuff. Some woman are real bitches and don't want the kids exposed to the 'horrors of war'." Steve was legitimately confused for a moment until he realized what Hughes was saying. He thought that he was divorced and Grace was his daughter. He started to correct him and then stopped himself. Hughes didn't ask and Steve couldn't tell. He sent an apology to Danny in his mind and went along with what the other man was saying.

"You got a wife?" Steve asked. Hughes scoffed.

"Naw, I didn't leave anybody behind. The only thing missing me back home is my fantasy football team and my leather couch."

"I used to be like you, a loner with nobody to tie me down or hold me back. But I can tell you from experience you're doing it the hard way. I'll tell you right now that this-" Steve gestured to the box. "Means more to me than I ever thought possible."

"How can it be the hard way? If something happens to me, nobody gets hurt. If something happens to you—look at all the people you'll hurt." Hughes accused. Steve shook his head.

"I don't see it that way. I see it as more of look at how many people I have to live for." Hughes looked like he was about to say something else when the door opened again and another man entered.

"Hughes, get the fuck out of here. Let the Commander open his mail in peace." The other man, James, ordered. Hughes looked at him for a moment before leaving. James came over and took his place next to Steve.

"How's the ohana?" James asked. He and Steve had served together before during his first tour of duty and he was also from Hawaii.

"Missing me like crazy." Steve responded with a smile. James picked up the coconut and looked at him. "Danny was trying to send me a little bit of Hawaii." James laughed.

"Crazy haole." Steve and James had a long talk one night about the 5-0 and Steve's crazy partner who insisted that pineapple on a pizza was an abomination and that there was too much water around them. James had wondered how far their partnership really went but he had too much respect for the Commander to ask about it. He patted Steve on the back. "Hang in there, bruddah." He said as he got up, leaving Steve alone again. Steve nodded. He liked James. He kind of reminded him of Chin.

He continued going through everything when he found the letters that had been written by each member of the team. He read Chin's first.

Steve,

Aloha bruddah! It's good to hear that you're doing alright over there. Things just aren't the same around here without you. Neither are the people. Danny is behaving like you asked him to but I wonder about him sometimes. Kono tries to goad him into going off like he does with you but it never has the same kind of enthusiasm as when he's complaining about you. I don't know how well he's sleeping but he seemed to be getting along alright. Kono's really stepping things up with us being one man down. You'd be proud of her. Danny has too. I wish the Governor would have more faith in him but he seemed to take it all in stride. We're hanging in there, Steve but don't stay away too long.

Steve sighed. He knew Chin would tell it to him straight. It wouldn't have surprised him if Danny was having trouble sleeping. He had nightmares, Steve knew. They usually came about after a particularly close call and Steve would have to hold him tightly and whisper soothing things into his ear until he settled again. There was nobody there to settle him now when he was sure the nightmare were worse than ever and that tore at his heart a little. He came to Danny's letter last.

Steve,

I'm not very good at expressing myself in writing. I prefer action but since you won't let me fly over there and be with you, I guess this letter will have to do. I miss you, you stupid jerk. This house is way too big for me and so is this bed. I know that you need a giant sized bed for your giant sized self but I get lost in all the covers. At least I have your pillow to keep me company at night which by the way is starting to lose your scent which means it's time for you to come back so I can just have the real thing.

I don't know what kind of super SEAL magic you worked on the Governor but she's sure not as impressed with me. She's constantly there checking up on me making sure I'm not ruining her special taskforce. I know she means well but she is really starting to cramp my style. You need to send some of that magic over my way.

I figured you were homesick so I tried to send you some of this pineapple infested hellhole in a box. You said you hated the sand so I thought you might want some of the good stuff. I would have sent some of that abomination you call pizza but I've been told it doesn't ship well. Go figure.

Grace asks me every week when you're coming home and I just keep telling her that there are a lot of bad guys out there and you've got to catch them all before you can come back. Because you are coming back. I will not explain to my eight year old why you went away to chase bad guys and died because I wasn't there. Do you understand me, Steve? That goes the same for coming back in one piece.

I'm doing my best to carry on without you but it isn't easy. I had to stop watching the news or reading the front page of the paper because they messed with my mind too much. I stick with the sports section and MLB network. (The Mets are really tanking it right now) So far it's help ease my mind some but I fear I won't be right again until you return. So hurry the hell up.

And remember,

Danno loves you.

Steve re-read the letter a few times to commit the words to memory before folding the paper up and adding it to the picture in his shirt pocket. That way, he could keep Danny with him at all times.