Danny was feeling extremely tired. He might have overestimated himself and he half-regretted taking the flight back home on his own. The journey felt longer than it normally did and he was beginning to feel uncomfortable but his pride stopped him from actually showing any discomfort each time the cabin crew came over to check on him. After several hours, the flight was finally landing and Danny's heartrate grew rapid as he began feeling nervous about meeting his family. They knew about his injury. And the fact that he was unable to move freely as he did before. Yet, he wasn't sure how they would react upon seeing him. And honestly, he wasn't ready to talk about his condition yet.

As Danny arrived at the arrival hall, he spotted his mom and dad standing together, awaiting his arrival. His mom seemed to not have noticed him until he waved at her before making his way towards them. As he approached them, he realised that his mom's eyes were glistening with tears.

"Hey.." Danny said, extending his arms out for a hug. His mom bent down to hug him and she began crying into his shoulders.

"Oh god.. Danny!" She said.

"Come on now. It's fine.. I'm alright." Danny comforted her.

"How did it come to this? I can't believe it.." She continued as she straightened herself up.

"Ma.. If I knew you would act this way, I wouldn't have let you come get me." Danny said.

"I'm sorry, it's just.. I didn't think..." Clara stopped mid sentence as emotions got the better of her. She knew that Danny was hurt and needed a wheelchair to get around, but seeing him firsthand overwhelmed her. "You've lost weight." She finally said, her cold hand touching his stubbly cheek.

"Yeah.. And I expect you to change that in the coming weeks. Huh?" Danny said, lightly grazing her hand. "Ma, I missed you. And you too." Danny said turning to his dad who was standing at the side, doing a better job at controlling his emotions.

"You alright?" Eddie asked, his voice slightly rough from holding his tears in.

"I'm fantastic. Just really tired.." Danny confessed.

"Alright, let's get you home. Your mom's cooked up a feast for you." Eddie said.

"That's great." Danny smiled at his mom.

...

As Danny sat at the table, the food spread out in front of him, he put on a show of eating when he didn't really have much of an appetite. All he wanted to do was sleep but he didn't want to hurt his parents' feelings. And he definitely didn't want to show them that he was weak and vulnerable.

"Umm.. So.. What are the doctors saying?" Eddie asked, finally bringing up the elephant in the room. On their regular phone calls, Danny had always underplayed his injuries and avoided the topic of his health condition altogether. But right now, he could no longer avoid the conversation.

Danny cleared his throat and looked up from his plate. "Well.. I told you.. They are optimistic considering I didn't completely severe my spinal cord. But there's still some swelling around it so.. I'm still on medication. Then there's physiotherapy, who knows? It might help.." Danny said.

"How bad is it? Do you not feel anything at all waist down?" Eddie asked.

"Well initially yeah. Nowadays, I do sense something every now and then.. It's not too bad, I guess.." Danny shrugged, honestly, he wasn't sure. His doctors back in Hawaii had definitely told him that his progress was pretty worrying, not that he had bothered mentioning it to anyone.

"When will you be able to walk again?" Clara blurted out before she thought better of it.

"I.. I don't know." Danny swallowed. This was getting too much for him. His exhaustion coupled with the questions he didn't really want to answer nor have the answers to made him want to dig a hole and hide in it. "You know what, I think I'm going to go to my room."

"Danny I'm sorry.."

"Ma.. It's okay. I'm just tired. And by the way dinner was really great. Thanks."

"Let me send you to your room." Eddie offered.

"I think I can manage that. Good night." Danny said, wheeling himself to his room. He closed the door and stayed behind the door for a while, listening to his parents' conversation. He couldn't hear much but he knew his mom was crying again while his dad tried to say it wasn't her fault. Danny was beginning to think it was a mistake coming home.

He wheeled himself to his bed and transferred himself onto the bed. He was glad that with physiotherapy and the strengthening exercises he's been doing, he was able to do that much on his own. He laid down on the bed and took his phone out. He reread Steve's message which he had left unanswered.

Steve: Hope you've arrived safe. Text me when you get this. And miss you already, partner.

Danny typed a quick reply and didn't bother correcting the typo he made. Steve was used to that by now.

Danny: Yeah.. I'm home. Am fine.. Just tired so in gonna go sleep. Talk to yoy later.

He put his phone on silent and placed it on the table next to his bed and he tried to go to sleep.

...

"Morning, brother!" Danny was greeted with his sister's warm greeting the moment he entered the kitchen.

"Hey, Stella!" Danny smiled.

"That's all I get? Huh? No hug? Come here!" She said. "Oh god I missed you so much."

"Yeah? That explains why I saw you at the airport." Danny said sarcastically.

"Uhuh.. Look I'm sorry.. Work came up. I wanted to drop by last night but mom said you were tired and off to bed early so... Here I am now." She explained

"Yeah I understand. I'm just messing with you. How are you?" Danny asked.

"I'm good. And how about you? You don't look like you got any sleep in last night.." Stella said, looking at Danny's tired features.

"Yeah.. Not really. Couldn't sleep well. I guess still getting used to being back home."

"Well that's too bad.. I was planning to take you out today but you don't look like you'd be up for it." Stella said.

"Sorry.. I just wanna stay home today."

"It's fine. We'll go some other day, alright?" Stella said. "Don't overdo yourself. We've got plenty of time, huh?"

"Yeah.. About that.. If you have time next week.. I need you to accompany me to the hospital. If you're free that is.."

"Of course but I thought Ma was going with you."

"I.. I don't think she should." Danny lowered his voice, hoping Stella understood what he meant. "She's.. You know how she can be."

"I see. Okay, I will come with you." Stella smiled.

...

A/N: Hey guys! Here's a short little chapter for you. Hope you enjoy it all the same. Less interaction between the boys but I will fix that soon. Again thanks for the reviews on the previous chapters! Honestly, this story is hard for me to write because i rarely write this kind of stories so I hope it's not too bad. Let me know what you think and how I can improve, yeah? See you in the next chapter :)