Just thought I'd add a little reminder to anyone picking the story up here that up until now, there have been some minor changes in the story. Here on out though, is all new and complete Updates will be every couple days. Thanks again, for anyone still here!
After two rounds and a plate lunch at Kamekona's, most of the Five 0 team were finally able to relax and let go of the heady case they'd been submersed in for the last few days.
"Clearly the big guy did not hear you say we were only three for lunch." Danny said, motioning to the numerous plates of barely half eaten food still on the table in front of he, Steve and Kono even though they were finished eating.
"Yeah," Kono smirked. "Either that or he bought a new stove and needs to make extra money to pay for it." She joked as Steve's phone rang.
He quickly wiped his fingers before picking the phone up and answering. "McGarrett." he spoke through his smile. "Kay. See you soon." He hung up and relayed the conversation to the rest of the team. "That was Chin. He's on the way, but Grover's staying behind. He wanted a couple minutes alone with Desjourna." No one needed to ask what that was about, given how they knew the case had hit home for Grover too, having a daughter of his own.
"Anybody for seconds?" Their large entrepreneurial friend asked approaching them a couple seconds later.
Everyone groaned and declined the offer in unison. "I don't think I'll even be hungry for dinner tonight." Kono put her hand over her abdomen as she spoke. They all nodded and mumbled in agreement.
"Oh, you sure?" Kamekona asked, disappointed. "I got half price dinners tonight alone for anyone at this table right now."
"Oh, that's generous." Danny teased. "Tell me though, does that deal come with the vomit bags we're going to need after eating ourselves sick?"
"Whoa whoa, keep your voice down, brah." Kamekona scolded as he quickly scanned the surrounding tables. "I got paying customers all around and it's not good for business for them to hear the fine gentlemen of Five 0 using the word 'vomit' in a sentence talking about my food."
Danny put his hand up signalling his surrender. "Hey," Kono spoke up as he did. "Representing the ladies here, thank you." She pointed to herself, feigning offence.
"Sorry, sistah," He quietly apologised. "You're outnumbered. Makes you easy to miss." He teased, earning another facetious grin from the surfer. "Speaking of the sistahs, where is your lady friend McGarrett? I thought you said she'd be here for a coupla' days?"
After Steve shot his best friend a look to kill his amusement, he replied. "She was. She's back on duty now, though."
"Ooh," Kamekona replied sympathetically and shaking his head. "That's a shame, brah."
Steve gave a simple nod to express his appreciation for the support.
The chef smiled. "That little lady can put back the spicy specials. A couple times she even ordered three plates, just for herself." His smile turned slightly down at the thought of missing out on that large tab.
"That's really touching, buddy." Danny teased, as they turned their heads hearing Chin's bike pull up.
"Hey, you hungry brah?" Kamekona asked. "I can whip up a plate of garlic shrimp in ten minutes if you want."
Chin approached the table with a puzzled glance. His eyes went from the food on the table, to his friends and then to Kamekona. "I think I can manage with what's here, thanks." He replied as he took his gloves off and Kamekona shrugged and headed back for his truck. Chin tucked into the table next to Danny. "So, Grover wanted to escort Richard Desjourna to be booked alone. He said he'd touch base when the guy was officially locked up."
An easily audible, sated breath came from Danny's lips at the knowledge that all the people who had caused Brooke Desjourna harm were safely tucked away for good. He made a mental note to call Elizabeth Desjourna and make sure she and the little girl at the centre of all this were okay, and to offer his services for anything they may need to get through the unimaginable last few months. It still burned him that there were people like Richard Desjourna and Brody Logan in the world, but that only spurred Danny on further. It was the fuel he lived on to catch as many of those worthless criminals as possible so that the list of Brooke Desjournas in the world would get shorter and shorter. He knew eliminating them altogether was more than impossible; it would be unrealistic to think otherwise. But it didn't take away from the good they'd done that day.
"I think we need another round." He spoke out loud and signalled their host.
"Oh, this one's on you then." Steve stated, trying to sound serious.
"Well that's a given." Danny rolled his eyes. "Honestly, I'm insulted that you would feel the need to vocalize that, Steven. I mean, give me a little credit, please. You know I know you well enough to know that if I suggested another round, it would be coming from my pocket." He shook his head, but there was just prodding. He truly didn't mind paying, as this was a celebratory round. He couldn't care less about the cost. It was symbolic for them and there simply wasn't a price limit to put on another job well done.
"So, what should we toast to?" Kono asked with a chuckle. It was her way of ending the predictable bickering going on at the end of the table when Kamekona's cousin and employee Flippa placed the bill down, along with fresh bottles for each of them.
"Oh, this'll be my last." Danny motioned to the one still in his hands with a few sips left in it. "I'm driving to the hospital after this, so." He explained. He'd been very careful to sip his first and only alcoholic beverage slowly throughout their celebration.
Flippa shrugged and set a fresh bottle in front of him anyway. "Bossman's footing the bill right?"
"Excellent point." Danny replied, giving him a pat on the back.
"Whoa, we're not wasting that perfectly good beer." Steve protested with a defensive smirk.
"I'd never dream of it, Steven." Danny explained, turning back to him. "You'll just have to drink more, that's all."
"Mm, yeah. Thanks." Steve rolled his eyes, knowing his partner wasn't being serious.
"How about we toast," Chin spoke up after sending a side glance and smirk to the men sitting beside and across from him. "To good work, and good food."
"Mm," Danny agreed. "And even better friends, because one of them is paying for said good food." The grin on his face made the intended message clear. "Right Steve?"
The SEAL rolled his eyes as they all raised their bottles in preparation of clanking them. "And, how about to the best family anyone could ask for, without actually having to be related to them?" he added before chuckles went around the table along with the clanking bottles.
Kono and Chin exchanged grins as their bottles made contact. "And some of us are lucky enough to actually like our families, right 'cuz?" She leaned herself into Chin as he nodded and chuckled his agreement.
"Uh, hey now. You all are not toasting without me, are you?" No one had noticed Captain Lou Grover coming up to the table in the middle of their bottle tapping ritual.
"Here," Danny looked up at him and motioned to the still capped bottle in front of him. "First one's on Steve, and so is all this food." His animated hands swept over the large selection still in front of them.
The Chicago vet sent a raised eyebrow between the pair he liked to call the Brains and the Braun. "For real?" he stopped at Steve skeptically. "Because I have not eaten more than a couple donuts all day and let me tell you that this," he paused to run his hands down his abdomen, as if showing off his figure. "This simply cannot be sustained on donuts alone."
The joke earned a huff from Grover's boss. But Steve quickly followed it with an open hand inviting the man to sit down and dig in. "You get Brown and Desjourna squared away?" he asked, partially to take the conversation away from himself.
"Yeah." Lou nodded. "I tell ya man, I'll never let a whole day go by again without telling my little girl how much I love her." He looked at his fellow non-islander.
"Oh, take it from me pal." Danny clasped Lou's back. "There's no such thing as telling them too much. No matter how much they say it's annoying, or embarrassing." He smiled, thinking about how Grace had come to reluctantly accept her father's constant reminders.
"I hear that," Lou beamed in agreement as he raised the beer that had just been placed in front of him. Danny followed suit. "To the best damn thing that ever happened to us, huh?" he spoke as they tapped bottles, recognizing the bond they had as fathers of daughters.
As the group continued to talk, it didn't take long for one more round to turn into two, and for the early afternoon to turn into early evening. "Whoo," Danny spoke after catching a glimpse of the time on Steve's watch. "Is it really that late? Have we really been sitting here for that long?" He asked in disbelief.
"Yes." Kamekona replied hastily, appearing from seemingly nowhere. "And hogging my best table for all that time too." He added, clearly annoyed.
"Huh, that's funny." Steve spoke sarcastically as he followed his partner in standing up. "Because I'm pretty sure of all the times we've come here, I don't think I've ever seen anyone else at this table."
"Aww," Kamekona replied with a big, broad smile. "That's because I keep it reserved for my best customers." He beamed proudly at each member of their group.
A few confused glances passed between the Five 0s.
"Um, on that note," Danny turned towards his car. "I have to get going to the hospital. See you guys later." He started slowly for the car.
They all bid their goodbyes to Danny before Chin finally acknowledge Kamekona's statement for everyone with a chuckle. "Uh.. okay. Well, we appreciate that, brah." He fist bumped Kamekona as Steve smiled and waved his goodbye too.
"Hey, where you going?" Danny asked after realizing he was being followed.
"With you." The SEAL replied, acting like it was the most obvious answer.
"Whoa, whoa. Why? Why would you be doing that?" Danny faced his partner with a hand on his hip.
"Well," Steve scoffed. "First of all, you stopped after one beer and I didn't, so I can't legally drive myself. Plus, we came here together so I have no vehicle."
"Yeah.." Danny nodded in confirmation while waiting for the rest.
"And besides," Steve flashed his partner a grin. "I am not missing you, your ex-wife and the woman you still won't admit you have a thing for being in the same room." He stood with his arms crossed feeling very much amused.
"Ha," Danny didn't miss a beat. "I'm dropping you off at home, smart ass." He turned on his heels and walked at a sped up pace towards the driver's side while feeling his pocket for the keys. It was only about five feet in front of the car that he stopped and realized he didn't have them. "Don't start," he put a warning finger up as he swung back around and held his hand out waiting for his keys. "Well?" He looked back impatiently.
Steve laughed as he placed the keys in his partner's hand and swung around to open the passenger's door. He paused and took a moment to watch his friends in front of them as they slowly went their separate ways too. "Hello!" Danny's harsh voice bellowed and took Steve from his thoughts. "Are we going to leave today, or?" He spat.
Steve huffed impassively and settled into the front seat. "Y'know, you're pretty impatient for a guy who's about to enter the lion's den."
Danny snorted. "And you're pretty high and mighty for a guy who's about to get slapped."
Steve laughed openly, taking the threat about as seriously as Danny meant it. "Aw, c'mon Danno! What's wrong with you man? Besides, if I go home now, that's literally a half hour out of the way. So you'll get to the hospital an hour from now. You want Rachel getting there and meeting Dr. Reynolds before you get there? Oh, but I'm sure Grace will happily fill her mom in on who Dr. Reynolds is, and how she's been going out of her way to check in for you right?" He smirked, knowing he had his friend caught.
Danny huffed. "Just give it a rest already will you?" He shook his head in annoyance and looked out the window as he pulled out of the parking lot and headed for Straub Medical Centre and yet another situation he couldn't properly prepare for.