Disclaimer: I don't own Hawaii Five-0, or its characters; they belong to CBS. Only ones I own are the ones I've stated I do (I created Jeff Taylor and his son Dominic), so all the bad guys except for the ringleader Georg Rutherford. All unrecognized OC's not created by other authors are of my own creation.

Warnings: Use of the F-word once and Mother F-" once as well though it's a character's thoughts. Just thought I'd warn you.

Read. Review. Enjoy the last chapter.

Epilogue

It's been five weeks since the NCIS team closed the Rutherford underground fight club case. While simultaneously shutting down Georg Rutherford's international criminal syndicate. With the help of new colleagues from the Chicago field office and the help of Five-0. If Five-0 hadn't been there if Chin Ho and Kono had been there, the ending could've been very different. The survivors of the fight club were treated at Tripler for their various injuries and interviewed by an agent each to catalogue their experience who they were what branch they serve with, and who can NCIS contact to get them in touch with family.

For some the whole experience of the fight club was a little more traumatic then others because of their resulting injuries. One man, Colonel Darius Jordan a now former Pararescue man is now has partial paralysis on his left side, or left sided weakness. He can still walk it's just he walks with a brace now on that leg. He'd flown 156 combat ops, and then on one vacation to an island paradise, it all went to hell.

Another service member, a former Army Captain an Army Ranger is a left below the knee amputee now, because of a crush injury that went septic due to improper care. Aside from those two traumatic injuries most of the physical injuries sustained by the fighters were treated in the ER or OR, for broken bones and internal damages to organs. The service members were all involuntary involved in the fight club what with being drugged and then forced to fight til the death or submission. The mental scars though left on the men, those were other issues they'd have to deal with entirely.

The service members who were found deceased at the compound were all able to be properly identified by their fingerprints. Or their dental records, for those with…further decomposition. With the help of Army CID, specifically one special agent a Sergeant Quinn Liu was very helpful in identifying the bodies of the soldiers that were taken captive.

Air Force Office of Special Investigations was also called in and with the help of the ME's all service members were able to be returned to their families and lain to rest after the ME's had catalogued their bodies. Some men were from as far as Maine or Boston, Massachusetts.

NCIS paid for the families of all the service members who were rescued or recovered to fly out here to be with their loved during their recovery or to be with their loved ones one last time before being flown home first class, for those that were deceased. To provide the families with closure.

Most of the families surprisingly wanted to thank the NCIS agents involved in the rescue operation. For bringing their loved ones back to them. Some even wanted to meet Scott when they heard Lane talking about his partner and being on the rehab ward after he suffered on life altering injury during the case.

"I didn't do much." Scott says honestly. "I've been stuck here rehabbing."

"You risked your life to stop a dangerous man from to hurting others. That's reason enough to thank you in my opinion." A mother of one of the rescued soldiers says. "My son is alive because of your determination and willingness not to give up. You and your team saved him. You may not have been there physically but I have a feeling you were there in spirit Agent McGarrett."

Scott is flustered and doesn't know what to say to the woman who is about as old as his own mother and thanking him.

"Umm, yes well, it's as my partner Agent Sullivan says 'we work as a team or not at all it was a team effort. We all contributed in our own ways I guess."

After that awkward but kind encounter Scott politely told his doctor and physical therapists to tell any visitors who weren't his team or family that he wasn't seeing visitors at the moment. It was just too much it was like being thanked for his service as if he'd lost his leg in Afghanistan or Iraq, but he hadn't. He'd lost in a traumatic accident, on the job.

This was the biggest case this NCIS team has solved in their entire careers. The director of NCIS Leon Vance was very impressed and fortunate to have agents like the ones in Hawaii and Chicago working for his agency. This case could be career boosting for the younger agents in fact all of the agents got a significant pay raise because of their involvement in the case, as well as some much-deserved vacation time.

Kali decided to go visit her twelve-year-old daughter Anela for a few weeks. Even though it's October and she's in school she can at least pick her up from school and spend the afternoons with her. That's what she did. Jackson on the other hand his friends were his work colleagues. All of them had significant others or families to go back to after the case for their downtime. They had lives to get back to kids to take care of. The only other two people in the unit who didn't have kids that he knew of at least were Brianna and Evan. Evan had his girlfriend to hang out with, so that's how he was spending his time.

Brianna well, everyone now knows she has a father on the island who's serving time in prison at Halawa. So he was out of the picture, and they know she had a twin brother Brett, but he committed suicide last year. Nobody knew if she had any other blood family left, she didn't talk about her mom at all. Jackson thinks she heard Brianna talking about going to visit a friend on the mainland in Oregon.

After a long case like this the team needed downtime. Jackson just hung out at beach, participated in a few pick-up basketball games. Or beach volleyball games. He also went with Lane to see Scott at rehab sometimes. The three of them just hung out in Scott's room at the end of the day played cards, talked or just watched crappy rerun shows on Lane's laptop on Netflix or Hulu. Or just find some random movie to watch and then laugh at how stupid or absurdly bad the acting was. It was fun, and passed the time.

Jackson in one of those rare quiet moments where Lane was out of the room that Jackson brings it up. Lane having gone down to the cafeteria to get Scott yellow island pineapple jello. Jackson laughs out loud with Scott whose smiling at his partner's retreating back. "There is no yellow island pineapple jello flavor is there?"

"Nope. He'll be asking around and walking every single floor for a least thirty minutes." Scott joked.

"Seriously?! Oh man that's just devious."

"Hey I've got to come up with my entertainment somehow."

"Lane says your PT is going really well. You're literally walking circles around that track now."

"Yeah I am. Wade even says when I'm up for it and out of here for good. He'll train me to run for a half marathon."

"That's cool. You know Scott my oldest brother Javier is actually an amputee he lost his left leg above the knee in combat several years ago. He works for my dad as his Chief of Staff. My dad's a senator for Austin, Texas." Jackson reveals.

"Oh I uh didn't know that." Scott says slowly. He may seem pretty well adjusted to everyone else after only being an amputee for wow has it been five months already. He still doesn't know how he feels about it, being an amputee losing his leg. It's a whole helluva lot adjust too. That's just his leg his talking about. Don't even get him started on his TBI issues.

"Nobody does." Jackson answers. "Umm nobody on the team that is."

"I get it you're a private guy Jackson it's okay. I used to know a pretty private guy too for about thirty-three years and then he met a loud mouth Jersey detective who started pushing all his squishy human buttons."

"I can't imagine your brother like that."

"Steve like what?" Lane's voice comes from the doorway.

"Like being a private guy. Who doesn't show his emotions or share about his personal life. He seems like such an open book now." Jackson says. "Or at least from the few interactions I have with him.

Lane turns towards Scott now. "I got your jello. Took me forever to find it. I had to go up to the pediatric ICU. Apparently, they stockpile it there. The kids love the stuff. I had to the play sick card just to get in there man. You know I dislike doing that."

Scott stares at Lane mouth agape. "Wha- they actually have pineapple jello. Dude I love you, I was just pulling your leg, ha I made a leg joke funny. Gimme Gimme jello."

Now it's Lane's turned to look shocked and affronted. "You ass, you tried to trick me. Maybe I should take this jello back." Or eat it myself it does look good. Lane thinks.

"No, come on I'm sorry you got to admit that was pretty funny." Scott apologizes. "It's Hawaii of course they had to have pineapple flavored jello they have pineapple flavored almost anything."

Lane tosses his friend the jello cup on his bed, and he catches it with his right hand and doesn't fall over. Oh yeah serious balance game there. Scott praises himself inwardly.

"So have you given anymore thought to your Halloween costume?" Lane plops himself in the armchair on the right side of Scott's bed and props his feet up on the edge.

"Oh yeah it's in fourteen days, isn't it?" Jackson asks.

Scott pulls his laptop up closer to him and puts it in front of him. "Oh I have, have a look at these…"

0930 Hours. 23 October 2019. TAMC - MTR Ward - Scott's Room. Moanalua, Oahu.

It's Wednesday thirty minutes past nine and Wade's still not here. Wade's never late for Scott's PT sessions he's always right on time. Which is to say he's ten minutes early every day has been since that first full day PT session. So he's well and truly late now.

Scott's showered hair done and dressed in a pair of red Nike basketball shorts with the black stripe down the sides and a plain black Nike dri-fit t-shirt. He's got his shoes and leg on everything. He's all dressed and ready to go start his day and nowhere to go. Well he knows where he's supposed to be but the therapists don't like it when patients wander off.

So he's sitting the armchair with his new I SPY Spooky Night book, Steve bought him a few days when he was at the bookstore with Danny and Charlie. It is eight day until Halloween, Steve thought it was appropriate. Scott's collected a lot of I SPY books since moving to the MTR ward four and half months ago.

For one they hold his attention a longer because there's stuff to look at all over pages and different stuff too. By finding a specific item on the page it helps him with his focus and memory. For two, they're just fun to look at, he never would have admitted that before, but now, a lots changed. A lot's still changing he's still rolling with the punches.

One thing he doesn't like is change in his routine, and Wade being late is going to throw off his whole schedule. He'll be in PT longer which means it'll probably run into his speech therapy which then that'll run into lunch and it'll just be all messed up.

Okay breathe McGarrett breathe in through your nose out through your mouth. Calm down. Everything's fine.

As Scott's having his little mini anxiety panic attack Wade knocks on door. "Come in!" Scott calls.

"Hey Scott sorry I'm late I had to take care of a little business. You ready to get working today."

"Yes finally! Where were you anyway? You're forty-seven minutes late now."

"Relax Scott everything's going to be fine. You trust me, right?"

"Well you've let me fall about a billion times, and didn't help me get back up so yeah I trust you." Scott smirks and laughs getting up from the chair and putting his book down.

Wade is a very special person in the McGarrett family now. He's Scott's physical therapist, but he's also his confidant about all things amputee. Wade just listens, and doesn't say anything just let's Scott talk out his struggles never judging him or belittling him.

0957 Hours. Major Trauma Rehab Ward - Physical Therapy Gymnasium, Moanalua, Oahu.

What greets Scott when he and Wade enter the PT gym is not something Scott expected. In one spot of the gym is Scott's rehab team. His doctors, nurses, his therapists, his dietitian, the chaplain he saw every once in and while when things got a little too much, and his prosthetist Mark Dowling were all standing in a clustered circle. Steve, Danny, Lane, Brooke, and all the kids are there also.

There's a banner behind them that says 'Congratulations Scott.' It's signed by everyone there even other patients that he's gotten to know.

"Wade? What is all this?" Scott asks.

"Isn't it obvious." Wade says it in that way he does. That way he doesn't treat him like someone with a brain injury. As Wade told him his injuries don't have to define him, don't have to be all consuming. He's so much more than just an amputee with a severe TBI now.

"I'm done with physical therapy." Scott states working it out in his head.

Wade shakes his head a little in good way. "Yes and no. Scott you're done with all your therapies. You've graduated in a sense as we like to call it here on the ward. You're being discharged and going home for good this time."

"Seriously?! I'm outta here for real?"

"Yes Scott you are." Scott's prosthetist Mark says. "You've come a long way in almost five months Scott. I remember when you first came into my office practically dragged kicking and screaming in there. You didn't want anything to do with me or what I do for a living and now look at you."

Scott's cheeks go a bit red at the memory. It's embarrassing. "Uh yeah I guess I have."

"You really have Scott. You're…I don't want to sound cliché and you probably don't want to hear it but you're inspirational. To all the men and women who have rolled or walked through those doors in the last five months. Every challenge every obstacle Wade gave you conquered it, and then asked for more. When you got knocked down, you just got right back up. You learned how to do some of the simplest things again with Wade's guidance. He told me one day he's never seen another guy like you except in himself. I guess that's why you got on so well."

"Huh I never thought about it like that before. I guess he pushed me and I pushed back."

"Oh you sure did McGarrett. You're dealing with a lot more than most amputees here. I've got something that'll make this graduation celebration discharge even better. How about we get you that new leg you designed. Mark?"

"Right here." Mark pulls out Scott's new sleek customized prosthetic. The design on the socket part of the prosthetic is amazing, awesome, rad, cool, any other number of those adjectives. The design is black with a skull and cross bones pirate style on it with blue flames surrounding skull and crossbones pirate. The design goes about half way down the socket before the pylon (metal shin) starts and his fake foot is attached to the end of the base. It's just what Scott imagined and more for his first prosthetic.

"So what do think Scott?" Wade asks arms loosely on his hips.

"I think…I think that's the coolest looking leg I've ever seen. You guys do amazing work. Mahalo. Can I try it on?"

"Sure you can I bet you're just itching to ditch the old temp one, aren't you?"

"Oh yeah." Scott's far from awkward now even only five months post amputation. Everyone surrounding him is family in his eyes. They've seen him at some of his lowest lows. He sits down right there on the floor and makes quick work of taking off the old leg. Mark hands him the new one, and Scott puts it on correctly with his liners and everything and then he gets to his knees and stands up from there. "Well how does it look?" Scott asks the group.

"Pretty darn cool little bro. Do you think they make braces like that?" Steve asks.

"Unfortunately no, only prosthetics and orthotic leg braces." Mark tells Steve humorously.

"No Steven you are not doing anything stupid or dangerous." Danny warns his husband. "No, not in front of the kids."

"Fine." Steve huffs. "It really does look awesome and just in time for Halloween too. What do you kids think?" He asks the assembled, Sullivan, McGarrett and McGarrett-Williams kids.

"Awesome Dad." Wyatt and David exclaim together.

"You totally rock it. You're gonna be even more cool now." Tristan says. "It's another form of expression for you."

"Way cool Uncle Scott." Paige exclaims.

"Yeah really cool, can you get a pink one next time." Joanie asks. And all the adults aww at the cuteness. "With stars and stripes."

"No, blue and red with stars and stripes like Superman." Charlie chimes in. "Or the Superman symbol."

"No with camo and a flag." Caleb pipes up each kid giving their own next design suggestion for the socket.

"All good ideas kids. Well I think it's safe to say they all like it."

"How about you do you like it?" Mark asks.

"Like it I love it Mark. You've given me my independence back and raised my cool uncle cred by like 100."

"100, million ba-gillion." Joanie agrees. Charlie and Caleb nodding in agreement as well.

"Well there you have it. I'm cool times a million ba-gillion. Now who wants to try out that obstacle course with me." All three six year olds agree with enthusiastic confirmation.

The next hour is spent walking around the gymnasium and playing with his niece and nephews. He hasn't been able to do that in five months. He's missed that, he's missed a whole lot of things, but he'll get to doing all the things he used to before and more. Nothing's stopping him now.

1157 Hours. Major Trauma Rehab Ward - Scott's Room, Moanalua, Oahu.

Scott with the help of his Ohana and Wade clear out his rehab room. He takes down all the paintings Grace did six of them, the colored drawings from Joanie, Charlie and Caleb of the bulletin board across from his bed. They pack up all his books and clothes back into his duffel bags and rucksack. His three stuffed animals he got from Grace, Joanie and Charlie, are safely tucked away in one of his duffel bags. He had placed them there himself to ensure they wouldn't be forgotten.

It's kind of bittersweet to be leaving, but then, again he's super happy to be leaving inpatient rehab. He gets to go help and sleep in his new bed in his new bedroom at Steve and Danny's place. His bedroom upstairs having been moved downstairs now. He can't wait to be home, he's practically vibrating with excitement.

Scott's main rehab doctor comes in his with discharge papers and its official. He's being discharged from Tripler now. "I believe these are your walking papers sailor." His comments handing Scott over his discharge papers. "The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday."

"Hooyah." Scott replies back to his doctor as he sits down in his wheelchair and Steve puts one duffel bag on his lap. If he was allowed to walk out of here he would. He finally feels like he can put the past five months behind him, and move forward. That is the only way to go now after all.

Everyone who had helped Scott pack up his rehab room, had left to go down to their cars just leaving the two brothers alone. "You ready to get out of here Scott?" Steve asks holding the handles of the wheelchair. The rest of Scott's stuff has already been taken down to Steve's truck.

"So ready, I'm starving you know what I could go for right. A large…"

"Hawaiian pizza with extra pineapple." Steve finishes.

"Like you read my mind. That's just where we were all going to head for lunch."

"We?" Scott asks he's being wheeled down the hall to the elevator.

"Yeah you, me, Danny and Lane. Just the four of us. The kids have to go back to school unfortunately."

"Oh okay. I'm okay with that. More pizza for us then."

"My thoughts exactly." Steve's stopped at the elevator and is texting Mary.

Steve: He doesn't suspect a thing. Takin' him to lunch with me, Danno and Lane.

Mary: Good. We'll be done and ready when you get back txt me.

Steve: Will do Mare

Mary: Calling your guy when your 20 mins away

Steve: Ok perfect. See you l8r

Steve puts his phone away just as the elevator dings and he pushes Scott into the elevator. "So what are you most excited to do when you get home? you know by the way you'll be staying with me and Danno and the kids at least for the first few months."

"No Steve, I couldn't do that to you and Danny. And the kids."

"Well its already done bro. what did you think we had our house renovated completely so you could just have an easy time of it when you visit for an hour or two or come over for dinner."

"I can take care of myself." Scott huffs, crossing his arms. "I learned how you know that's. That's what all that therapy was for."

"I know you did Scott. But your doctors think it'll be best for your continued recovery if you recover somewhere where someone will actually be able to take you to your appointments and actually pay attention to all your needs."

Scott is quiet for the rest of the short elevator ride and until the two actually exit the double doors of Tripler. He didn't want to be a burden on Steve and Danny and he most certainly didn't want Charlie to see the ugly or not so pretty side of his seizures or his emotional outbursts. It wasn't just Charlie he had to think about it either. It was Rachel what if he had an episode and Charlie was there Rachel decided she didn't want him around Scott. He couldn't do that to his Steve and Danny couldn't indirectly take their son away from or make them have less time with him.

Steve's the one who speaks first just as they pull up to Steve's blue Silverado truck. Lane already in the backseat. Danny having gotten out of the front passenger seat to help.

"If you're worried about Rachel Danny and I already talked to her. She understands your…difficulties." Steve phrased. "Your family Scott, you're just as much a part of Charlie and Grace's life as I am as their Dad just like Danno. You're their coolest Uncle."

"Steve's right Scott. You're family and I wouldn't I couldn't dream of you not being in Charlie or Grace's life just because you have a little trouble in the brain department right now. The doctors said it won't always be as bad as it is right now. You're still healing. And…"

Scott's standing up now out of his wheelchair left arm braced on the door frame of the truck. "TBI recovery progress is measured in years, not months, weeks, or days. I know Jersey. Rachel's' really okay with me living in the same house as Charlie?"

"She is we…umm we even sat him and Grace down separately and talked about you coming home. How you'd be different in some ways, but still the same Uncle Scott they know and love. We told them both about your seizures and what to do if you're alone with them, and that it may be scary, but everything will be okay after a few minutes. They've seen you in the hospital these past five months, they're honestly just glad you'll be coming home to family. Charlie can't wait to show you your new room. It is after all the only room in the house you haven't seen yet."

"Okay I believe you Danny. Now can we go eat puhlease I'm bordering on hangry here."

"You heard the man Steve let's go." Danny smiles at his husband climbing in the front passenger seat. Steve blinks away surprise and then grabs the wheelchair and stows it in the bed of the truck as Scott pulls himself up into the backseat cab of the truck next to Lane.

"Who took the kids back to school?" Scott asks as he belts himself in and Steve starts the truck heading to one of their favorite even Danno approved pizza places. Big Kahuna's Pizza.

Lane looks over at his partner absolutely thrilled on the inside to have him out of the hospital. "Oh Isaac took them back." Lane replies easily.

"Isn't it Wednesday? It's a minimum day that get out in like forty-five minutes at 12:45."

Crap crap he's thinking quick Sullivan think? Lane's yelling at himself in his head.

"Yeah, the kids do, and school's important. Charlie and Joanie don't have minimum days right Danny?" Danny shakes his head no that they don't. "They get out at 1445."

"They could have come with us."

"I can be selfish if I want. So sue me if I want you to myself for a few hours before you're bombarded by kids."

Steve clears his throat as they're stopped at a red light. "Okay not all to myself. How about guy time, just us four it's been a while since we all hung out. What with cases, and kids and you know life getting in the way in general."

"Yeah I guess it has." Scott goes back to looking out the window at the passing scenery.

Scott spends the afternoon with his brother, Danny and Lane. After lunch with the leftovers boxed up and in the truck. Steve tells Scott he can do with a new wardrobe, so he takes him to Waikiki shopping center. Steve's not a shopper, especially clothes shopping. He doesn't like it all that much. plus when you tend to buy your clothes in bulk and in varying shades of black or gray or tan easily avoid the big shopping centers. Like Waikiki or Ala Moana. Scott's the fashionable brother, even if they do tend to wear the same kind of work attire.

Their off-duty clothes are generally the same style too. Except when they both have to dress up for going out. Retail therapy he thinks he's heard Grace call it. Whenever she's had a bad day she usually drags Danny or him out to the mall to shop. Or she goes with her mom.

Steve and Lane practically drag Scott to almost all the stores they know he likes to get new clothes and few new pairs of shoes. Before they know it they're all laden down with two bags each, returning back to the truck. "Think you went a little overboard there Steven." Danny reprimands. "Scott can still wear all his regular pants and jeans you know."

"I can Danny's right."

"Not like how they are now. You're going to need access to your leg throughout the day, zip-off cargo pants are the way to go. And cargo shorts of course."

"Okay someone's clearly done their reading homework." Lane chuckles.

"A little too much I think." Scott remarks. "Did you have to get a pair of pants and shorts in every color they had. You got me pink camo cargo pants bro. Pink. I don't wear pink."

"I'm just surprised they had a pair in every color in your size." Danny comments.

By the time the quartet get back on the road back home three hours have passed. It's now 1600hrs by the time they pull up the driveway of the McGarrett-Williams residence. Steve had had Danny text Mary since he was driving and texted Mary to text Steve's guy about the secret present.

1600 Hours. McGarrett-Williams Residence - Living Room. 2727 Piikoi Street. Honolulu.

Scott is the first one to door and he's just about to open it when he realizes he doesn't have his keys. They're in one of his duffel bags. Danny's right behind him with his own keys out, "Don't worry I got it." Danny unlocks the door to the house and throws the door open.

"Surprise!" The living room erupts into welcoming cheers. Suddenly Scott's bombarded by three pairs of small arms and three happy faces looking up at him.

"Hey kiddos."

"Don't go away again, Uncle Scott I don't like it." Little Caleb Sullivan who is the little mini me of his dad, same hair color style everything exclaims.

"I'll try." He really does mean it this time. Okay not that he didn't mean it when he would tell Steve and Lane whenever he was in the hospital previously. He did mean it then too, it was just the nature of the job that he had that inherently came with such dangers. They knew it, Steve being Five-0 and Lane being his partner at NCIS. They're jobs carried risks far higher than regular nine to five jobs. "I don't like being in the hospital either buddy. The only good thing is the jello." That gets a smile out of all three of the kids.

"Really Uncle Scott?" Joanie asks looking up at her uncle.

"Really Joanie I'm not leaving any of you kids anytime soon." Scott looks up and over at his sons who are standing by Lane giving them a silent look. He knows how much more his sons and Grace knew about his health now, then the three youngest kids in the room. "Now, someone's Daddy told me I had a cool new bedroom I just had to see."

"Yeah." Charlie exclaims.

"Uh huh." Caleb agrees.

"It's really cool. Mommy even let me help." Joanie says too.

"Well then I'm sure it'll be extra cool."

Steve just smiles at the interaction between his brother and the three youngest members of their Ohana. Scott's doctors suggested a small immediate family only welcome home gathering as to not overwhelm Scott. This just seemed to be just the right amount of people. It was only Mary, Grace, Charlie, Caleb, and Scott's own sons at the house for the welcome home gathering. Lane's four other children were back at Lane's house being watched over by their older brother Logan. Lane promised them all, that they'd get to see their Uncle too just not right now. The only reason Caleb was at the McGarrett-Williams house was because he threw a fit, that Joanie and Charlie got see Scott and he'd have to wait. He didn't want to wait to his favorite Uncle. Yes Lane's younger brother Ryder was no longer his favorite.

He had tried to explain to his son that Charlie lives there, most of the time as does Grace, and Joanie is Mary's daughter and therefore Scott's niece. Caleb wasn't having it, so Lane finally relented and allowed his son to come to the little gathering. Caleb really had taken to Scott just as Logan had when he was younger. It was cute to watch his youngest son with his best friend.

Scott was led out of the living room and turned right down the hall do where his new bedroom now was. Joanie opens the door for her uncle and leads him inside by the hand both boys following behind Scott.

Scott stares open mouthed at his new bedroom it, it looks almost like it did when he and Steve were kids and they had to share a room. Although it was much more adult then it was when he and Steve were kids. It had that grown man look and feel with the dark wood of the dresser and his bunk bed. Also his sheets on the bunk bed were that dark green loved. On the walls were pictures his work friends, of Lane. Lane, himself and their kids. There was a dark blue accent wall behind the bed and the other walls, plain white. Above his bed, the bottom bunk on the wall were four square black and white pictures of planes.

"Isn't it cool Uncle Scott. You've got a bunk bed I don't even have a bunk bed and I have to share with Elliott." Caleb sulks a bit.

"Me either I want a bunkbed." Charlie states adamantly to Caleb.

"If you get a bunkbed I want one too." Joanie says.

"Danno!"

"Mommy"

"Daddy!"

Three very shrill voices of excitement yell throughout the house. The three adults called instantly come running.

"What? What is Charlie, are you hurt? Are you okay?" Danny asks looking his son all over.

"Joanie, you know we use our inside voice, inside." Mary tells her daughter.

"Caleb what's all the yelling about? Scott what'd you do?"

"Me?" Scott asks innocently. "Absolutely nothing."

"We want bunk beds too." The three kids chorus.

"I'm gonna kill him." Danny mutters quietly. "He's sleeping on the couch tonight."

Lane puts his hands on his hips looking at his son, giving him a trademark 'but I'm cute pout'. "No Caleb we're not getting you a bunkbed Elliott doesn't want a bunkbed."

"But Daddy!..." Caleb starts.

"No Caleb, no bunk beds we don't need them."

"But…but Uncle Scott gets one and he's a grown up." Caleb says. Lane turns his gaze to his friend now whose looking at the pictures all around the room. Of their friends, of his sister and brother, completely not paying attention. Some of the pictures are even ones Lane hasn't seen before or knew they were even taken.

"Scott help me out here will yah."

"Uh….I don't umm I'm surprised as you are Lane. I really do love my new room. It's cool, even the…are those removable pictures label on my dresser." Scott can feel his face heating up in embarrassment.

Danny's the one who answers, "Steve thought they'd help with your memory and what goes where and what's in what drawer. You've seen Charlie's room he's got the same deal."

"Nuh uh I don't have a bunk bed Danno." Charlie says.

"Okay where is this sass coming from? Danny wonders. Charlie's always such a sweet, polite kid. Testing boundaries maybe especially with Scott in the room.

'Mommy can I have a bunk bed please…" Joanie tries again.

"I don't know Joanie do you think it's fair that you'd get one and your friends here don't."

"Yeah huh, cause I'm a girl. I'm a princess." Joanie beams sweetly.

Oh Steve is so gonna get it. Mary thinks to herself.

"Danny? Everything okay in here?" Steve asks as he stops by the threshold of his brother's door.

The three other adults in the room turn glaring daggers at Steve.

"You…." The three adults point fingers at Steve menacingly. Danny's finger almost touching Steve's chest.

"What? What'd I do?"

Not three seconds later Steve's being chased through his own house by his husband, sister, and brother's best friend.

"What was that all about?" Joanie asks.

"What'd Daddy do Uncle Scott?" Charlie asks he's watching his Uncle get one of the toy bins out of his closet marked Legos.

"You know Charlie I'm not too sure." Scott answers honestly.

"Grown-ups are confusing." Caleb asserts.

"Uh huh." Both Charlie and Joanie agree.

"Who wants to build Legos with me?" Right stupid question of course they do. Scott thinks to himself as he sits on the floor with the kids on the big floor rug in his room and opens the Jurassic World Lego set and promptly dumps all the plastic packages on the floor.

He saw a few other cooler more adult Lego sets in the bin, like this model replica of a Bugatti he's always dreamed of having. That'll be his first project. Or maybe the model replica of a Lamborghini he saw in the bin. He's content right now to play with his niece, nephew and Caleb. Scott really didn't see the big deal about him having a bunk bed.

An hour goes by and the adults outside don't hear anything from the kids or Scott. Grace, Jake, Tristan, Cooper, David and Wyatt are all down by the beach playing some sort of 3 on 3 game with the football.

"I'm sorry Danny babe really I had no idea getting Scott a bunk bed would cause all this." Steve says. "I was thinking for when Lane wants to stay over at night he doesn't have to sleep upstairs in the guest room.

"They're three six years old Steve of course they'd get jealous over someone having something they don't. Even if it is their forty-one-year-old Uncle." Lane explains as calmly as he can. He just hopes Caleb doesn't go asking his Mom for a bunkbed at her house.

"Just because Joanie the youngest girl in this house Steve doesn't mean she can get whatever she wants. I know she's your little princess, but she's my daughter Steve. I'm trying to teach her things, here bro." Mary complains frustrated with her brother.

Danny pokes a finger in his husband's chest. "You're going to be the one to explain again to Charlie when he asks why he can't have a bunk bed Steven. And you know what else you and I we redecorated your old room when Charlie moved in here. You know how long it took us to remodel his room at my old house, and put that damn race car bed together."

"I know."

"And…he's going to want to have his room redecorated again because if he gets a bunkbed a bunkbed does not go with a racecar bedroom theme Steven."

"I know."

"He's only six he shouldn't be changing his mind about what he wants his room to look like already we've already decorated and redecorated twice, I'm not putting a bunk bed together. Nope, no way not gonna happen."

"I know."

"What?"

"I said I know. And I'm sorry really I am to you guys too." He adds to Mary and Lane. "You know D you get extra hand wavy and ranting up a storm when you're hungry."

"I…you…ugh…."

Steve turns away from Danny briefly to yell down to the beach. "Who wants burgers?!"

At the mention of food the six teenagers all come running back up to the lanai. "Can I have veggie burger Dad?" Grace asks Steve.

"Of course Gracie veggie burgers for my girl. Anyone else want a veggie burger?" Silence. "Alright then, Danno you okay with burgers or you want steaks?"

"I'm okay with burgers you okay with burgers Lane?" Danny asks.

"Yeah, I'm good, Scott'll be good to probably, you gonna do hotdogs too?"

"What would a McGarrett-Williams cookout be without hot dogs. Isn't that right Eddie?" Steve turns pets Eddie's head, Eddie looking up at his human, happily.

"Speaking of kids I think one of us should go check on the kids and Scott they've been awfully quiet for a while." Mary says.

"I'll go." Lane volunteers and heads back inside the house. He makes his way back to Scott's room, the door still open, and not looking where he's stepping, steps on a bright red Lego piece. Lane lets out a string of definitely not six-year old approved swear words. That gets the kids and Scott to look up from the I SPY books on Scott's bed.

"Ohhhh Daddy you said bad words." Caleb exclaims.

"Danno's gonna be mad at you." Charlie chimes in.

"What are all these stinkin' Legos doing all the over the floor?" Lane asks.

"Sorry Laney that was my fault." Scott says rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

"It's okay Scott, just remember to pick them up after you're doing building with them next."

"But we're not done we're in the middle of building Jurassic World." Scott says as if it's the simplest thing ever.

I don't care if you're in the middle of building the Great Wall of China that fucking Lego piece hurt like a motherfucker. Lane thinks.

"Kids why don't you go outside and play with Eddie with while Danno and Uncle Steve are making burgers for dinner."

"Yeah!" The kids all get up from the floor by the bed or the bed itself and carefully step around their Lego masterpieces and disappear into the hallway.

Scott looks down at his lap and then at the three books the kids left and back to this lap. Not looking Lane in the eye. "Scott look at me please?" Lane asks. Scott looks up at his friend, the beginnings of tears welling up in his eyes. "No, Scott please don't, I know you were just having fun, and forgot I'm not blaming you I'm not mad at you. Though that Lego piece did hurt like a mother you know what…I know you know how those feel."

Scott looks down again not at his lap but at his fake tan colored foot shell. Like he wants to wiggle his toes on his right foot. He can't because he doesn't have a right foot anymore. The kids didn't think it was odd or scary at all they thought his new foot was cool. He could totally drop things on his right foot and not worry. He'd seen YouTube videos of pros of being an amputee. They're six McGarrett of course they think everything new and shiny is cool. Scott thinks to himself.

"Yeah they freaking hurt I used to step on them all the time. And think I had twin six year olds at one time. I swear they'd cover their entire floor with them. Made it a real maze."

"Tell you what I'll help you clean up the Legos and find somewhere to put them that they won't get broken or hurt anyone else's feet. Then we should probably head outside to join everyone else."

"Sounds good to me." Scott gets up off his bed, and starts putting books away back on his book shelf.

"Where's your socks?" Lane asks as he carefully putting put together Lego pieces on Scott's new drawing table by the window. Scott was really excited about the drawing table that Steve hand made for him when he gifted it to him on his birthday two months ago. The table will have to do for now for the Legos. Maybe he can see about getting a Lego specific table to put build creations on.

"My socks?"

"Yeah you know the things that go on your feet, before your shoes."

"Didn't wear any today."

"Well put these on." Lane throws Scott a pair of black crew socks out his drawer. "And put your shoes back on."

"Yes mother you gonna tell me to eat my veggies next too or I get no dessert." Scott quipped as he walked back over to his bed and took off his leg to put on his sock and shoe, then put his leg back on.

Don't point out he's cranky don't point out he's cranky he won't like that." Lane repeats to himself. Don't likes when flaws are pointed out least of all when their ones he can't control anymore.

"So, you a burger man or a hot dog man tonight?"

"Steve grilling?"

"Yep."

"Burger totally, let's go." The two friends walk out of the now cleaned up bedroom and back out to the lanai with everyone else to enjoy the fruits of Steve's labor. That's for sure one thing Scott's missed since he was in the hospital.

1735 Hours. McGarrett-Williams Residence - Lanai. 2727 Piikoi Street. Honolulu.

Thirty-five minutes later, everyone's bellies are full even Eddie's, and not just with dog food. Steve knows he saw Scott and Caleb sneaking Eddie bites of hot dogs of their plates. Well everyone's bellies are full except one person. The little kids and the teens have long since gone inside to watch a movie. A Halloween movie, it's a tradition they all watch a kid friendly Halloween movie one day at a time from October 1st to October 31st.

"Lane come help me with the dishes?" Danny asks looking over at Steve and nodding to him slightly.

"I'll come too, help with the leftovers." Mary offers leaving just Steve and Scott outside at the table on the bench.

Steve turns to his brother whose looking out at the ocean across the grass from the lanai. He's been distracted all night, after he took his many pills in a small paper cup. Looking everywhere and talking to everyone, but not really eating. Only taking a few bites of his burger, and eating half of his hot dog giving the rest discreetly to Eddie. He'd seen Scott rubbing his eyes and blinking a lot as well. The strings lights lit up around outside weren't too bright so Steve knew it wasn't the lights affecting Scott.

He remembers Scott really dragging his feet earlier at the mall, and after the only the third shop he'd even said he wanted to go home. Then it clicked in Steve's head like a lightbulb went on. He felt like crap for not remembering himself. Scott always took a nap after lunch at the hospital, because he was easily fatigued after the morning activities. Today this morning was not like his normal schedule. All the excitement, and the eating out, plus going shopping afterwards, must have really tired him out. All Steve was concerned about at the time was not going home too soon as to ruin the surprise.

"It's just us now Scott you've barely eaten I know, but can you eat a little bit more for me please. I know you're tired."

"Tired Stevie." Scott repeats quietly.

"I know Scott, I'm sorry for not remembering your nap time. You've had a pretty full day today haven't you?" It's technically not even over yet. Scot'll really flip out when he's sees his last surprise.

Scott turns to his brother fully looking at him and yawns openly. "Sorry, Steve."

"No, no need to be sorry I should be saying sorry to you. I should have listened to you when you said you were tired, earlier and wanted to go home."

"I'm going to go lay down in my room."

Steve gets up from the bench with Scott. "Okay you want me to tell Mary and Lane to take Joanie and Caleb home. So it's quiet or quieter." Still one six year old and six teenagers can get pretty noisy, but they're all watching a movie so they're all pretty quiet right now.

"No s'okay." Scott yawns again.

"I'll come set an alarm for you, for an hour okay. If you sleep too long you won't sleep at all tonight." Scott just nods. "I'll wrap up your food and put in the fridge so you can eat it later if you want."

Steve and Scott walk back inside to the kitchen and the three other occupants of the kitchen just stare as Scott makes a beeline for his bedroom and shuts the door quietly behind him.

"He okay babe?" Danny asks with a dish towel over his shoulder.

"Yeah just tired. Didn't get his nap today my fault. I pushed him around the mall this afternoon when he wanted to come home."

"Steve it's not your fault." Mary says softly.

"It is though Mare. I'm supposed to be looking out for him not pushing him to do stuff when he clearly doesn't have the energy to do so."

"It's his first day home. It'll take a little time to adjust babe. And we've got his schedule down in his room. Everything will work out. Especially with that little helper he's going to have."

Steve realizes what Danny's talking about after a minute or two. "Don't worry bro I called your guy and updated him and he'll be over in an hour. Scott's gonna flip in a good way when he wakes up."

"I'm going to go check on him. Make sure he actually made it to bed."

Steve walks out of the kitchen and down the hall to Scott's room, and opens the door slowly. Sure enough Scott's lying on top of his covers facing away from the door, his leg off surprisingly and lay at the foot of the bed. Clearly, he knows he's tired, but he knows how important it is to take off his leg before he goes to sleep even just for a little short power nap.

"Sleep well little brother." Steve whispers and then backs out of the room closing the door softly behind him.

Steve went back out into the kitchen to help, but Danny and Mary had done most the cleaning up already. Danny had banished Lane to the living room to watch a movies with the kids and teens. Guests didn't help clean up. That's the rule in the house. Casper the Friendly Ghost the movie of choice for tonight.

So Steve went out to the lanai and went down to the beach and down his chair, to just sit and watch the waves. Danny was right it was only Scott first day home and not really even his full first day home since he didn't wake up at home. It'll take some getting used to managing Scott's schedule with their regular daily schedules. Steve has no doubt that he'll be able to fit Scott seamlessly into their normal routine. Especially when Scott starts going to his outpatient rehab day center, starting next week Monday. It's a program to help recently released patients with moderate to severe TBI's keep up with the skills they learned while inpatients. As the saying goes 'if you don't use you'll loose it.'

Steve didn't want Scott to loose all the progress he made both in speech therapy, and occupational therapy. He'd looked around the island and this day center was the best one that fit Scott, it was for active duty service members and veterans who suffered TBI's in one way or another. So the center where Scott would be going from 9 in the morning to 3 in the afternoon was well equipped to deal with what came with being in the military and it's after affects.

"Hey babe you okay out here?" Danny levers himself into his own chair looking out at the ocean as the waves come in and go out again.

"Just thinking Danno."

"About?"

Steve gives Danny a look, "You're not a mind reader yet?"

"Contrary to what you may believe I'm not. So what's up?"

"I'm just thinking how good it is to have Scott home. Our home with the kids. I know he's not going to stay here permanently. Just while he's in outpatient rehab. He can go home to his house on the weekends if he wants. Or the boys can home here and sleep over whatever they want to do."

"I know Charlie'd like that he loves Scott's boys and sees them as his older brothers. I don't know how worried or not I should be about that. They're as accident prone as their father and their Uncle."

About an hour later, Scott's up from his nap, leg back on, and he gets the best surprise ever. Even better than his drawing table or his new I SPY books, or even getting discharged early from inpatient rehab.

The smile on Scott's when Cody the trainer brings into the house a two-year old, German shepherd dog is priceless. He's smiling ear to ear like he already knows the dog is his. He can't believe his brother got him a dog and not just any dog his favorite breed and he's a service dog, as is evident by his black vest with various different patches on the vest.

Eddie sure if happy to his new dog friend too. Steve had let Eddie play with his new friend to socialize him with the new younger before he came to stay. Eddie knows somehow that his new doggo friend is special and for his human's other special person besides the blond one that talks a lot. For the one with the not fleshy leg.

"What's his name?" Scott asks looking up at Cody from scratching behind the dog's ears. The dog looks back over at his human his partner as if he to ask 'why'd you stop.' Scott resumes his scratching.

"His name is Jax it's simple easy short and won't be confused with something else when calling his name out in public." Cody informs Scott.

"Jax huh boy that your name." Scott tests it out on his tongue and Jax turns his head at his name being called. "Jax up." Jax stands up and moves to be beside Scott's right side. Scott does a little test walk with Jax out across the lanai, and down to the beach, acting like he's going to get in the water. Jax stops him by standing in front of him horizontally, blocking him. "Good boy Jax, I think you and I are going to make a fine team together."

Later that night, after Charlie's tucked into bed and Grace is given the hour warning before her own bedtime Steve sees an adorable sight. Steve peeks into Scott's room downstairs as he finishes locking up, and Scott's tucked up under the covers stuffed animals brought in the from truck tucked around him. What's even more heartwarming is to see Jax curled up laying lengthwise practically parallel to Scott his face mere inches from Scott's. It's almost like he's sleeping like a human, its' too cute not to take a picture. Steve puts his phone back in his pocket and heads back upstairs to show Danny the first cute picture of Jax and Scott sleeping side by side.

End That's a wrap folks. Hope you all enjoyed. Leave a comment down below. PM me if have an AO3 account or not. As I said in the last chapter I'll be cross posting this story now that it's officially complete. Thank you to everyone who reviewed favorited, and followed me through this journey and hope that you'll follow me on AO3 and the McGarrett brothers continued journey in Season 10 and beyond.

Mahalo A hui hou everyone.