I'M SO SORRY! I meant to update sooner, but school started, and I sports started, and work got a little hectic. It just went off the rails, but I really hope that this story hasn't. :) Thanks to everyone for sticking with me and being patient, you have no idea how much I appreciate it.

Anyways, here is the next chapter, unfortunately, there will most likely only be one chapter after this one, but I will definitely keep putting stories up every chance I get. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Hawaii Five-O or any of it's character (dang).

ENJOY!

When Danny next woke up, Steve wasn't by his bed. Curiosity struck him and he looked around for the wandering SEAL, his detective nature soon coming to a rest though when he spotted his friend at the window, sipping a cup of coffee. He smelled the bitter fragrance and wished that whoever had brought it for Steve had brought him one too. But, sadly, he knew that the answer would be no.

"Morning, Steve." Danny said, smiling when his partner jerked around, a broad grin spreading across his face at the sight of Danny.

Steve immediately noticed the difference in Danny. His skin was no longer a chalky white, but was returning to its healthy tan and his blue eyes sparkled with energy that had been gone for awhile. "Danny! Hey, babe. How're you felling?"

Danny put his uninjured arm behind him and tried to leverage himself up, glad when Steve put his coffee down and rushed over, assisting with the task. Comfortably situated against the pillows, his smile rivaled Steve's. "I feel good, actually. I want to get out of here, though."

Steve smiled, sitting back in his chair, coffee in hand, warming his fingers. "I know, buddy. But hey. If it makes it any easier to stay, just know that Rachel and Grace are on their way."

If Danny's smile got any wider after that news, he was sure that his face was remain like that forever. "Really? When? How close are they?"

Steve smiled wider too, glad to see Danny so happy again. "They called about 15 minutes ago and said that they were leaving the house, which means that they should be here soon."

Danny let his head fall back against the wall behind him, his smile still there even as Steve saw his eyes grow moist at a memory. Looking at his brother, Danny poured all his sincerity into his voice and eyes, making sure that Steve got the idea. "Thank you, Steve. When I gave her to you, I didn't know if I was ever going to see her again, and . . . Thank you."

Steve place his hand on Danny's arm, feeling the same type of raw emotion as Danny. "You don't have to thank me, if I had to do it again, I would and I wouldn't expect anything in return." Steve took at deep breath and looked at the ground, his mind replaying those awful moments in his head.

A hand came out of nowhere, engulfing Steve's own and causing him to look up. Danny's eyes had once more turned playful, trying to alleviate some of the overwhelming emotions coming to the forefront. "You know. This is as bad as the notebook."

Steve smiled and turned in his chair, both of the officers attention being drawn to the door as it slowly opened. A small head peeked through, soon followed by an entire girl. Steve back away as Grace came rushing into the room, all energy as she practically flew into the room. "Danno!" She said, running to the bed and climbing up, snuggling into Danny's chest as he surrounded her with his functioning arm.

Steve slowly backed out of the room, closing the door softly behind him. He turned around and saw Rachel, sitting in one of the chairs outside Danny's door. Her face was emotionless but there was something in her eyes that made Steve uneasy . . . no. Angry. It made him angry.

"How come you aren't in there with Danny?" Steve asked, not meaning for his voice to sound so rough and accusing, but there was that thing in her eyes.

"Hello, Steven." Hard. Her voice was hard, possibly harder than Steve's, and, like her eyes, it held something else. "Grace wanted to see Daniel."

Daniel? When he was injured, she usually calls him Danny. Why was she being this way? Steve's mind tumbled over her attitude. And that's when it struck him. The look in her eyes, her voice. Malice. Hatred. And possibly a little bit of fear. And it all clicked together. "Do you blame Danny for what happened?"

Rachel straightened up, standing to semi-meet Steve's stature. "Yes. I blame his job for what happened. Because of his job, Grace and I were taken captive by a madman with a gun! Grace could've been injured, or worse! So what else am I supposed to do? He did the same thing back in Jersey, but I never thought that it would get this bad." Rachel's head hung for a moment as her shoulders slumped. "I was so frightened, for Grace, for Danny, and for myself." But then her voice turned hard again as her back went straight and her head snapped up. "And all because of his lousy job!"

A noise beside them made them both turn and look, surprised when what they saw was Danny, dressed in sweat pants and a t-shirt, something much more comfortable than a hospital gown, with a sling securing his injured shoulder. He was leaning against the wall, Grace at his side, her eyes wide and confused as to why mommy was yelling at Uncle Steve.

"Rachel," Danny said, his voice soft and comforting, a voice that hinted to their married days. "I'm so sorry. I never knew that this was going to happen, and I'm sorry that you and Grace got pulled into it."

Rachel took a deep breath, looking at her injured ex-husband and feeling all of her anger and hatred melt away. Looking down at her daughter, she extended her hand as tears threatened her eyes. "Come on, Grace. Let's go home and let Danno get some rest."

Danny knelt down, ignoring the slight pain, and pulled Grace into a hug, wishing that he had two arms to hug her with. "Danno loves you."

Grace hugged back, her tiny arms managing to wrap around his back. "I love you too, Danno."

Steve helped Danny stand back up, gently wrapping an arm around his back and using his other hand to hold Danny's arm. Together, they watched Rachel and Grace walk out of the hospital, before Steve carefully guided Danny back into his room. A nurse came and reinserted his IV, but quickly left, feeling the tension in the room that needed to be unwound.

They sat for several minutes in silence, both contemplating what had just happened. It was Steve who eventually broke the silence. "Danny-."

"Steve, I had to do it. She had to know that I was sorry and she wasn't going to truly get it if I told her later. She had to hear it now." Danny said, his voice quiet as he sat cross legged on top of the sheets. He was feeling tired and drained, but he felt no urge to fall asleep.

Steve looked at his kaikua'ana. Danny was hunched over, his free hand absentmindedly rubbing his arm in the sling, as he sat cross legged on top of his hospital bed. His head was drooping, looking down as if he was staring right through the bed and the ground into the core of the planet, and, honestly speaking, he looked pitiful.

Slowly standing, Steve walked to Danny's bed and sat on the edge, folding his hands in his lap before slowly looking over at Danny, who was less than a foot away. He heard Danny take a deep breath, building up the courage to say something. "God, Steve. What if she's right?"

Steve's eyes went hard as he leaned down, looking into Danny's eyes and making sure that he saw the resolve in Steve's. "She's not, Danno. Remember all the shit that Stan has pulled that almost got Gracie and Rachel hurt? She's just scared, Danny. And she's trying to blame someone, and you're the only person she's got. But, never, for one instant, believe that it's your fault, Danno."

Danny finally looked up, his expression a little lighter than it had been before. "Thanks, Steve. She just get's to me."

Steve smiled, placing a hand on Danny's uninjured shoulder. "Yeah, I know, Danno. I know."

Steve knew that they weren't done, but this would hold for now. Danny just needed to get better and then the situation would improve on its own, but, at this point, things were still too fresh, too raw and it was hurting them all, especially Danny. But Steve would be there for him the entire way, an unyielding rock for Danny to lean on. And, for now, that's all he needed.

How was it? PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! I LOVE REVIEWS!

Again, thank you sssssssooooooooo much for reading!