Author's note: I think this is the longest chapter that I've written. The last chapter didn't have a lot of Danny and Steve interaction so this one is chocked full of it. There's a bit of a hint for the next story in this chapter. Also, I was re-watching "Heihei" again and did anybody else notice Danny calling Steve "babe"? He did it a couple times. I also love when he calls him "Steven". It's kind of adorable so I used it.
I don't pretend to know what love is for everyone, but I can tell you what it is for me; love is knowing all about someone, and still wanting to be with them more than any other person, love is trusting them enough to tell them everything about yourself, including the things you might be ashamed of, love is feeling comfortable and safe with someone, but still getting weak knees when they walk into a room and smile at you. ~ Anonymous.
"Danny!"
"Did you miss me?" Danny stood there, rocking back and forth on his heels with his hands in his pockets and a great big smile on his face. Steve broke out in a big smile too.
"I could ask you the same question." He asked as he saw his nurse silently slipping out of the room. He then heard the familiar click of the door closing.
Steve gave his partner a through head to toe examination. His eyes were bright but tired. His face looked recently shaved and Steve thought back to the conversation they had on the video call before he had left on assignment. He had kind of like the stubbly look on the other man. He also took in Danny's attire. Jeans, tennis shoes and a nice charcoal gray tee under a light blue pinstriped cotton button up. This was the semi-casual Danny. The Danny that he would take out on Saturday night for dinner and a stroll around the shops in town before taking him home and spending the night in each other times. This was his favorite Danny-and Danny knew it.
"Seriously? You're wearing a button up shirt?" Steve said incredulously as Danny sat down next to his bed. He couldn't resist teasing him even if that was his favorite shirt because it made his eyes unbelievably blue.
"Okay so I admit I wasn't sure what I was supposed to wear to a Naval hospital." Danny confessed.
"What? No tie?" Danny just gave him a look and kicked his feet up onto his bed.
"Well considering you're wearing practically nothing, now I feel slightly overdressed. You couldn't have put on a shirt or something?" Danny rambled like they hadn't spent a minute apart. Steve looked down at his surgically repaired arm and then back at his partner.
"I'm having a few problems with sleeves right now." He pointed out.
"Oh ya," Danny said dumbly. "I forgot you're the Bionic Man right now."
"What?"
"The Bionic Man? 'We have the technology, we can rebuild him?'" Danny quoted. Steve rolled his eyes.
"It doesn't hurt that bad." Steve commented seeing Danny's thousand yard stare at his damaged arm. \
"Do not bullshit me Steven. I am not some weepy wife who can't handle it. You told me in your first letter that you weren't going to lie to me then so don't start lying now." Danny said adamantly.
Steve knew he was right. Danny didn't like people to pacify him. He wanted the honest truth no matter how much it might hurt. Normally Steve had no problem giving it to him straight but for whatever reason he had developed this sudden need to protect Danny from bad news. He blamed it on being back in the military. He had to hide who he really was which meant hiding who Danny really was. They just needed to get back to the island where everything could go back to normal.
"It's pretty sore." He admitted. "They had to put in a titanium rod in."
"All the better to punch suspects with." Danny replied distracted. Steve watched him check to make sure the door was really closed before speaking again. "Why did you change my last name?"
"What?"
"When the Navy guy showed up at the house he asked for Daniel McGarrett. Since we are not married, that is not my name, yet the Navy thinks it is. Why do they think that?" Steve sighed heavily.
"I had to fill out my next of kin information and I was afraid if I used your last name they wouldn't contact you right away because they wouldn't consider you family. I put McGarrett hoping they would think you were my brother or something."
"Your brother?" Danny looked at him with raised eyebrows. Steve gave him a look of his own trying to get across his point that he couldn't tell them the truth. It took a second but Danny finally got it.
"Can I tell you how much I hate this?" He complained
"Trust me, I'm not any happier about it." The two men sat in wordless silence. All Danny wanted to do was curl up in the bed next to Steve and lay there next to him, feel his solid presence against him again. But it was too risky-too many unannounced visitors who would not understand.
Steve was in the same boat. He wanted nothing more than to just hold Danny's hand. A simple touch just to let each other know that-yes this was real, they weren't dreaming. After almost a year spent apart they were finally together in the same room, breathing the same air. It was torturous to be this close and yet still seem so far apart.
"How's everyone else doing?" Steve asked, breaking the awful silence.
"Chin and Kono were a little rattled at first- thanks for the birthday present by the way-" Danny said sarcastically referring to the unwanted visitor. Steve had the good grace to look sorry.
"I didn't plan it that way."
"You better not have planned it at all." Danny pointed a finger at him. "But as I was saying. Chin and Kono were a little rattled but they are just happy to hear that you're going to live and return to the 5-0. Grace on the other hand..." His voice trailed off and Steve winced. "She is not happy with me because I would not let her come with me. I told her she had to stay because she was starting her new school this week."
"New school?"Steve sat up a little, concerned. "What happened to the one she was at?" Danny opened his mouth to telling him and then decided against it.
"It is a long story that I will tell you letter, but that does remind me that I have something for you." He pulled out his cell phone and messed around with it for a minute before he handed it over to his lover. "Grace made a little video for you."
Steve looked at Danny and then back at the phone and pressed play. Grace's angel face appeared on the screen and Steve had to quickly blink back tears. God he missed her. Her soft voice quickly filled the room as she started to sing. He looked over at Danny who had put his head down but Steve could hear him sniffle. He sniffled too.
"Bye Steve, I miss you. And remember Grace loves you!" Steve continued to stare at the screen long after it had gone dark and neither man said anything as they wiped away rebel tears.
"I want a kid." Steve admitted out of nowhere as he continued to look down at the phone.
"What do you mean you want a kid? We have a kid." Danny was taken aback. Where was this coming from?
"No, you and Rachel have a kid that you share with me." Steve reminded. Then he dropped his voice down. "I want you and me to have a kid." Danny just sat there, stunned.
"Well unless there's something you've failed to mention to me, that's not possible."
"Yes it is." Steve responded quickly. "There's adoption, surrogacy..."
"You've been thinking about this for awhile, haven't you?" Steve gave a non-committal shrug. "No, don't play coy with me. You've thought this out. Why bring it up now?"
"I don't know. I've always wanted kids I just never thought that I'd be living a lifestyle where I could have them and be the father I want to be." Danny looked around the room and then at his arm.
"This is the kind of dad you want to be?" Steve frowned.
"I'm not talking about right this very minute. But sometime in the near future, yes I would like us to have a family." He admitted. Danny looked at his lover and the hopeful expression on his face. He scrubbed a hand roughly over his head.
"I don't know Steve..."
"Will you at least think about it?"
"Yes, I will think about it." Danny agreed. The door opened again and the nurse from before reappeared.
"Time for you meds, Commander." She walked over to the other side of the bed and handed him a small plastic cup full of pills. Steve looked down at them and then back at his nurse.
"What's in here?" She sighed.
"Antibiotics, muscle relaxer, and pain killer. Same as it always is." Steve continued to stare at the pills but made no attempt to take them.
"Which one is the antibiotic?"
"Commander, you have to take them all."
"I'll take them, I swear. I just don't want to take the painkiller or muscle relaxer right now." He admitted. His nurse frowned and put her hands on her hips.
"Don't make me order you to take them."
"You're my equal." Steve quipped back with a smile.
"Doctor Neal isn't." She reminded.
"Uh, excuse me but maybe I could try?" Danny offered. The nurse looked at him and then back at the SEAL.
"Have at it."
"Thank you." Danny stood up and removed the cup from Steve's hands.
"I understand why you don't want to take these. We've been on enough meds to last a life time but there is a reason why this lovely nurse wants you to take them. It's for your own damn good and I swear if you don't take them I will shove them down your throat myself!" Danny shook the little cup for emphasis. Steve looked at his partner and saw that he was serious.
"They make me sleepy." He whined. Danny threw his head back and moaned.
"Oh Jesus Steve, is that what this is about?" Danny exclaimed. It made sense now. Steve didn't want to take the medication because he didn't want to fall asleep while Danny was here. "You can be really stupid sometimes. I'm going to be here as long as you're here so don't worry about getting to see my pretty face. Take your damn meds so you can get out of here sooner. Unless you want to stay in the hospital longer?" Danny shoved the cup back at him. Steve took it, looking sheepish, and downed the pills with a dry swallow. Danny smiled smugly at the nurse who didn't look quite as happy. She checked his vitals quickly before leaving them alone again.
"Will you stay till I fall asleep?" Steve asked hopefully.
"Of course." Danny said settling back into his chair. The couple sat there for awhile, talking about all the things that Steve had missed back home. It was so normal and comfortable that it didn't take long for Steve to slip off to sleep.
Danny watched him sleep for awhile. The even rise and fall of his chest gave him a peaceful feeling. This was what he had been waiting for. It would have been better if he had been able to touch him or feel him but he didn't want to be greedy. At least he still could. He had heard about the two other members of Steve's team that hadn't made it. He felt bad for them. It was unimaginable to think of what would happen to him if Steve was gone. For a long time Danny had thought that the only thing he had to live for was Grace. Then this Super SEAL barged his way into his life and heart and refused to leave. Now Danny didn't ever want to know what life would be like without him. They complimented each other in a way that seemed messed up and confusing to everyone else but it worked.
And now Steve was talking about becoming a family? Danny wasn't sure where that thought was coming from but he felt conflicted about it. He loved Steve. He loved Grace. He loved the two of them together. They were his family now. His ohana as Steve liked to call it. It was good for them. But he had never thought about him and Steve having a child of their own. Was it even possible? Steve had listed off options but it was one thing to talk about them and another thing to actually go through with them. All of the options had some definite negatives to them but the end result would be worth it.
There was also one other big obstacle that needed to be confronted. If Steve wanted to be a family, there was one big step that was going to need to be taken. One that involved two rings and a justice of the peace. Danny had sworn after Rachel that he would never marry again. But this wouldn't really be marriage right? It would be some twisted form of it but it carried the same implications. Danny sighed and rubbed a hand over his head. All this made his head hurt. He'd think about it later. Right now, his main focus was getting his lover back home where he belonged.
