I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.

Notes: Ah JazzieG! such a smarty pants! ;-) The muse is a bit de-railed because it doesn't quite want the story to end yet ... so more fluffy stuff. Who knew the muse could be so mushy?

H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O

Steve watched Danny through the kitchen window for as long as he could stand it before slapping the kitchen towel down on the counter and making up his mind to just confront whatever the hell it was bothering his partner. He thought he knew actually or at least he could imagine what it might be. Maybe. Something was different in the way Danny was retreating into some lonely, quiet place. Steve scowled as he corrected himself on the heels of that musing, because no, that was wrong. He didn't really know and that fact was what was eating at him.

Sure what had happened to each of them was a big deal. It was a huge deal, but Steve was fine and Danny was healing; he would continue to heal and eventually get back to work. They were both safe ... together ... happy. Steve could not, for the life of him, figure out what the hell was happening now because the moment he'd been released from the hospital, Danny had clammed up. His partner had begun a type of retreat and Steve was annoyed ... No, he was confused because things should have been fine. Better than fine! Barring the amnesia, they were damned good together and Steve still maintained that Danny would regain all his memories. All he needed was patience and time.

They'd also gotten their guy; a sick sick individual with a dangerous skills set and quite literally clipped his wings. They'd proved Ingraham had stolen Miles Abernathy's identify, pilot's credentials, and submitted falsified flight plans. Kono had confirmed and then located the small aircraft used ... forensics had done the rest to prove intent to murder their Five-0 detective. It hadn't been too difficult to find evidence of Danny's DNA because traces of his blood were dried on the seats, the floor and even smeared in an ugly abstract pattern across the inner compartment door. Never mind what he'd done to Steve. Kidnapping, drugs ... a myriad of things which alone were damning.

Even as Ingraham's lawyers ponied up to predictably position the man's insanity as their defense, the mountain of evidence was insurmountable and the court wouldn't lack much else to incarcerate the man for life. There was zero doubt that he was a danger to himself and to others. Topping everything off, Kono had found the guy's psychiatrist. A damned good doctor with a horrifying amount of handy information provided once the court order had been served to nullify a good portion of that doctor-patient confidentiality.

Kenny Ingraham - and his intimidating friend, RJ - would not only get some desperately needed help, but be locked away safe and sound until the end of time. Steve only felt a modicum of empathy towards the man. At least towards the insecure and panicked version of Kenny. He knew though that Danny felt none at all towards either persona and he certainly couldn't blame him for that.

"Hey," Steve called out as he walked briskly across the yard to where Danny was now standing. "Danno?" He frowned when he didn't get an answer. In fact, Danny didn't even acknowledge him. His posture, demeanor, and practically everything about him was a mirror image of what Steve had experienced back on the Big Island. With a start, Steve realized that Danny looked uneasy ... maybe even apprehensive.

"OK. Out with it. What's the matter?" Steve prodded right away when he reached Danny side on their narrow strip of beach. He bumped into his shoulder, arguing his temper and attempting a lightness he didn't feel at all when he caught sight of his partner's face. He'd seen that look before when Danny'd lost ... his brother. Startled, Steve felt all of the annoyance which had flared back in the kitchen bleed completely out of him. Something was significantly wrong.

"You've been standing out here and just staring at the ocean for twenty-two minutes and oh, about five seconds," Steve tried again, faking a look at his watch and striving for levity. Falling flat when Danny still didn't move a single muscle. Failing miserably when his own mood began to swing like pendulum to the far side of very concerned.

"Hey?" He leaned forward, trying to get Danny to look at him and only succeeded in winning a half-hearted glance before Danny refocused on the ripples in the shallows. Steve briefly hesitated before reaching out to pull Danny close. He wasn't entirely sure what to do, but he must have done the right thing when Danny came easily enough. Nonetheless, Steve tried not to focus on how tense Danny felt as he tucked him into his side and ran his hand soothing over his partner's arm.

"Did I do something wrong, Danno?" Steve found himself asking, unconvinced when Danny only shook his head to the contrary. "Then what is it? It's more than the amnesia, isn't it? I feel like I did something ... and maybe I did ... maybe it's because this guy wanted me and he got to you. He got to you and ... and I almost lost you."

He was at a loss when Danny didn't answer right away. He searched for something else to say as his partner stared blindly into the ocean only winding up sighing Danny's name, kissing the top of his head. Pushing gently as he tried to figure out just what the hell was happening now.

"Danno. What can I do?" Steve asked helplessly. "You have to help me out here, babe."

"Can we go away?" Danny abruptly asked. He turned to face Steve, shrugging out of the one-sided hug, still unsmiling and just as on edge as he'd been for days now. His eyes were dark, far away and his expression unexpectedly vulnerable. "Just ... anywhere. Today. I need ... I need to get out of here."

"Yeah, sure." Steve found himself nodding automatically even though it was the last thing he'd ever expected Danny to ask for. "Of course." He replied quickly, his own mood unexpectedly lifting at the suggestion.

"We don't have to," Danny suddenly recanted. He seemed to try to gather himself together but his woeful attempt at a smile, was just that. Sad. Lost. "You've got work ... "

"No no! C'mere," Steve said, relieved when Danny willingly tucked himself back into the circle of his arms wending his hands behind Steve's back. "It's okay ... and you know what? I should've suggested it first," Steve murmured softly as he pressed a kiss to the top of Danny's head. "Getting away is a great idea, babe."

He cupped the sides of Danny's face then, tenderly asking for more. Contented when Danny gave in, his eyes closing as Steve gently kissed his lids, his nose, cautiously nipping his way to Danny's lips. Asking, but never pushing. Never taking. Only trying to show his want of making things better ... somehow. Over-joyed when Danny parted his lips, rising on his toes to kiss him in return with the softest of sighs.

He might not yet really know what was wrong, but Steve knew what Danny needed and he knew that he could do this right. And now that Danny had asked, a trip made all the sense in the world. There was absolutely no reason to not go. "Yeah. Let's do it ... I know just the place," he whispered when Danny ever so subtly relaxed into his chest, his arms once more snug around Steve's waist.

Less than two hours later, Steve had managed to pull off a truly special find. He'd chartered a private plane to Lana'i, attentive to every detail of the last minute trip. The island was an oasis of calm which could afford them with the ultimate in terms of privacy. And by early evening just as the sun was beginning to set, they were investigating the pleasant nooks and crannies of a comfortable Bed and Breakfast suite in a large, renovated plantation home under the shade of Cook Island pines. Their suite was beautiful, large and airy. It was well-equipped and very, very private with its own elevated verandah. But more astoundingly, there wasn't a beach in sight. Not a wave to be heard. Nothing to see but verdant jungle greens and a bounty of richly colored flowering plants.

Danny was silent as he stood on their private verandah surrounded by the lush tropical garden. The view was serene. Peaceful. Unexpected even. With the sun beginning to set behind the distant mountains, Danny looked like he was glowing in the muted rich blend of reds, oranges and yellows.

"So? Is this what you had in mind?" Steve murmured softly as he stared at the glints of color reflecting off the bright blond of his partner's hair. "What do you think? Huh?" Danny looked younger in the light, his complexion less sallow. To Steve's eyes, already much less strained, and his heart swelled when Danny turned, reaching out to him. His smile was small, hardly quite reaching his eyes, but it was a smile nonetheless.

"I don't know what I had in mind," Danny said quietly. He rested his forehead against Steve's chest, his voice muffled, the tone fraught with exhaustion as his guard came tumbling down chink by chink. "But this ... this is good. Better than good. Thank you."

"I think I should be the one thanking you," Steve murmured under his breath as he traced a series of soothing circles across Danny's back and stared out across the expanse. There was nothing to see for miles but the deep greens and blacks of a thick, jurassic jungle. Nothing to hear but the final shouts of day-time birds giving way to a blanket of night-time insects. Maybe the occasional hum of a distant voice here and there if he listened hard enough. Drawing in that peace, Steve closed his own eyes while he breathed in a lungful of sweet smelling air, the floral scents already doing wonders for his own mental state. He was astonished when he realized just how tired he was, too. He should have thought of suggesting this very thing, days ago.

Unconsciously, Steve rocked Danny in his arms in the fading light, their silhouette now backlit by a deepening display of stunningly deep pinks and reds. Eyes closed, Steve smiled to himself as he rested his cheek against the top of Danny's head, the two of them entirely content in each other's company. This respite was precisely what they both needed and they'd want for nothing over the next week except for each other.

~ to be continued ~