Lou glanced over at Steve's empty office, then at his watch. "Steve is not in yet?" Lou asked the cousins whose faces were taut with worry.
"No, said he'd be late." Chin answered. "He went to see the Governor."
"Oh." Lou said in understanding. It wasn't Monday which meant this wasn't his usual weekly meeting with the Governor. Lou could guess what this was obviously about. "Damn me and my big mouth." Lou said, regretting having brought up the topic which cut shot their get-together the night before.
"Well, we would have found out sooner or later." Kono said. "Better sooner, I guess."
"Yeah." Chin said.
"I can't believe.. Danny had to go through that. He should have told us.. Or Steve at the very least." Kono said.
"It was a huge blow. I'm sure it wasn't easy for him to come to terms with it himself, let alone to tell anyone about it." Lou said. "Anyway.. do we know what happened with the Governor?" Lou asked.
"Nope, Steve hasn't answered his phone." Chin said.
"But I can guess it didn't go too well." Kono said as she gestured to the glass door.
Steve was walking with that typical angry gait that he had when he was about to do something insane, eyes intense and nose flaring. The kind that would make anyone flinch a little.
"Boss." Kono said as he walked in.
"Hey, Steve. How'd it go with the Governor?" Chin dared to asked.
"Not now." Steve answered, headed straight to his office without sparing a glance at his team mates.
The three of them looked at one another. "That does not look good." Kono said what was on everyone's mind. "Do you think the Governor is going to change his mind about Danny?" She looked at her cousin.
"I don't know Kono. I hope so, I hope so." Chin said. "There's no point worrying like this now, let's get to work."
As the hours ticked by, the team was getting more impatient. Steve's mood had not improved one bit and he hadn't mentioned anything about his meeting with the Governor which unnerved them all. It could only mean that the meeting did not go the way he wanted it to. When they were thrown a case at midday, Steve dived right into it, glad for some form of distraction from the gigantic elephant hanging in the room. When they found the suspect, it was even more of a blessing to Steve. He'd hoped the guy would run and retaliate and that he did. Lucky for Steve because he finally got to vent out his pent up anger on his suspect but unluckily for the guy who had unwittingly become Steve's punching bag. He would have continued his barrage of punches on the guy who definitely deserved them after having orphaned two young kids for the sake of financing his addiction, if not for Kono who had stopped him.
"Okay, Steve. What the hell happened with the Governor? Are you gonna tell us?" Lou asked when they were all back at the HQ.
Steve looked at his team, the worry and concern on their faces not lost on him. "He wanted me to consider a new partner and second-in-command." Steve finally said.
"What?" Kono protested. "Steve? You didn't agree did you? We can't let Danny lose this." Kono said. In the background, he could hear Lou muttering some profanities which could get him himself fired if the Governor heard it.
"I'm not sure there is anything I can do." Steve said, voice reflecting the same defeat shown on his face.
"Steve.." Chin said, not willing to accept that Steve was giving up.
"Which is why.." Steve said. "Which is why I am giving up my job."
"Wait.. Hold up one second." Lou voiced. "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying that I told the Governor I will quit if he decides not to let Danny back on the team."
"You gave him an ultimatum." Chin stated.
Steve nodded. "I'm sorry if my decision disappoints anyone of you. But I'm not doing this without Danny. If.. If I continue, it's the same as me agreeing with the Governor. Agreeing that Danny was wrong and that he deserved to be punished for it. But he doesn't and you guys know that. So I can't continue leading this team if Danny can't come back."
"Then that goes for us too." Chin said. The other two members chimed their agreement.
"No, no. I can't let you guys do that. Chin, you got to carry a badge again after years of being shunned, don't give it up. Kono, you're still young and you've got so much potential, this is where you belong. And Lou? You've got kids to send to college, right? Listen, I've got nothing to lose. But if I stay, I might lose my best friend. Danny needs me and I won't let him down." Steve said.
…
Even if Steve had been so ready to give his job up, it didn't mean he hadn't hoped that the Governor would have changed his mind about Danny. He'd given the Governor two weeks. Two weeks to look for his and Danny's replacement before he handed his resignation to the Governor. It was almost the end of the two weeks, his resignation letter typed out, his gun and badge ready to be returned. In just a few hours, he would be back to being a civilian. He hadn't dared tell Danny the truth about his decision because he knew Danny would force him into tearing up the resignation letter. But he was determined. Determined to keep his promise. He could feel his team's radiating gaze on him throughout the day. They knew he was submitting the resignation letter that day. He re-read the letter once more before he folded it and slipped it into the envelope before sealing it. He got up with a sigh and headed for the Governor's mansion, barely looking at his team on his way out of HQ.
"Commander McGarrett, I was expecting you." The Governor said. "Take a seat."
"I'm not staying long." Steve said.
"Take a seat, please." The Governor said.
Steve decided against pissing the Governor off on his last day as his employee so he sat.
"Before you hand me that, let me just say this." The Governor said. "You've done a great job of picking your team. Not only are each and everyone of you capable in getting the job done, you guys are also loyal to a fault."
Steve looked at him, not entirely getting where he was coming from. "Yeah, we're more than just a team. After going through near death experiences more often than we can remember, we've got each other's back."
The Governor nodded. "That makes sense. But to be so willing to give your jobs up for one another… that's something else."
"Hang on..what are you talking about?"
"Of course you wouldn't have known. Your team members came to me. With the same request." His hands gesturing inverted commas. "They must have learned from you, though I must say they were a lot more polite."
Steve was conflicted, he had no idea if he should laugh or be furious with the three of them. "And? Have you made your decision?" Steve asked.
"It would be very easy for me to shut down the whole task force." The Governor said.
"Well then." Steve reached out for the envelope sitting on his lap.
"But I think, it would be a wiser choice for me not to. Your team has kept the island safe more times than I'm comfortable to admit. For the sake of this island.." He said. "I suggest you rip that letter up."
"Does that mean.. Detective Williams?"
"Yes."
…
Danny deleted yet another rejection email from his inbox. He had started looking for prospective jobs in the last two weeks but so far had been met with nothing but disappointment. He was beginning to feel frustrated and demoralised. But he had no choice, he had to keep going. He was about to close his laptop and head out to the lanai to clear his mind when his phone lighted up with a notification.
Steve: Danny.. need you at HQ.
Steve: Urgent, now.
Danny couldn't help the panic that began to clutch him. Everything okay? He typed quickly.
Steve: Everything's fine. Can you come?
The reply was immediate which meant Steve was fine but that did little to soothe his mind that was already on overdrive. Be right there.
He considered heading out without changing but he was wearing shorts and a black shirt that was dull from being in the wash too many times. He quickly changed into something more appropriate and drove to HQ. He substituted his identity card for a visitor pass and headed up to the office, escorted by one of the security guards.
"Steve?" He called out as he walked towards the team who was standing in the middle of the office and had turned to look at him when he came in which was slightly uncomfortable. "Is everything okay?"
"Hey, Danno." Steve stepped forward, standing in front of him.
"Hey.. you said you needed me here. Urgent? What is it?"
"Something I needed to give you." Steve said, revealing what he had in his hand.
Danny could almost hear his heart pounding in his chest and he could only hope that it wasn't obvious to the rest how fast it was beating. He blinked, trying to understand what was happening in front of him as his partner held his hand out to him. A Five-0 badge looking small in Steve's large palm. In fact, it wasn't just a Five-0 badge. It was his badge. The exact same badge he'd proudly worn for the past five years, riddled with scratches and dents. Evidence of the hits, the bullets and the falls he'd taken over the years. The badge that had borne witness to the unyielding friendship and unwavering loyalty from a certain Steve McGarrett. His eyes couldn't decided where to look, at his partner whose face was graced with a soft smile, no teeth showing. Or at the badge he'd been forced to give up several months ago.
"Detective Danny Williams, five years ago, I.. uh you could say I almost manhandled you onto this team but today I'm asking. This team needs you. And..I need you. So what do you say, partner?" Steve asked. "For the record, I think we'll get along great."
He was pretty sure if he tried to say anything right now, he might just end up in tears which was something he definitely did not want to do. Not here in front of the rest of the team. He pursed his lips, his tongue running nervously along them. He hung his head low, feeling more than slightly overwhelmed. The truth was, the team didn't need him nor did Steve need him. Not nearly as much as he needed the team. As he needed Steve.
Steve stretched his right hand which was still holding the badge closer to Danny, feeling slightly nervous as his friend remained silent. He hoped he hadn't been wrong in assuming that Danny would come back. He reached his other hand and clasped Danny's shoulder, gently squeezing it.
"Danny?" He called uncertainly, every single second that his partner remained silent adding to the heaviness in the room. He turned to meet the worried gaze from his team. "Buddy.."
Danny unclenched his fist, breathing in through his mouth as his hand went to the badge. He tried to conceal the slight tremor in his fingers as he brushed them against the cool metal of the badge. His finger slid below the badge and he took it from Steve's hand, holding it gently initially before grasping it tightly in his hand. He couldn't hear the chorus of relieved sighs behind him over the rush of blood in his ears. He looked up at his partner, tears clouding his vision but they didn't hinder him from seeing that his partner's eyes were slightly watery as well. He still couldn't trust himself to say a word without his voice breaking, which was why he couldn't be more grateful when his partner bent down and wrapped an arm over his shoulder and another around his waist, locking him in tight embrace. His fingers were still tightly wrapped around the badge as he relaxed in the hug.
"Tha..thank you." He whispered, voice quivering but thankfully it was only audible to his partner.
Steve released a relieved sigh, his hand patting Danny's back.
Danny felt another hand on his shoulder. As he released himself from Steve's hug, he found that the rest of them had surrounded him, Chin and Kono to his left and Lou standing on his right.
Chin, hand on Danny's shoulder, stepped forward to pull him in a hug. He let out a breath. "Danny, remember this, once you're ohana, it's forever. You don't have to go through anything alone, you understand? We've got your back always. I'm glad to have you back with us and I mean it."
"Yeah. Thanks, Chin." He said.
"Danny, let's put everything behind us and do this together again." Kono said, next in line to hug him. "It's been different without you around and we need you more than you think. I love you, brah."
Danny nodded. "Lo..love you, Kono." He eked out, to think he had almost lost her too.
Lou looked at him with a slight smile before he too engulfed Danny in his arms. "Welcome back, brother. To where you rightfully belong."
…
Danny sat in his office, still not quite believing that this was all real. He'd lost everything just several months ago, yet now he seemed to have gained it all back. It still felt surreal and slightly uncomfortable. Uncomfortable because he wasn't sure he deserved all of this. The badge was still in his hand, he didn't quite want to let it go. His thumb brushed it gently, to assure him that this was indeed real. He looked up to see his partner and Chin talking outside and he almost had to hit himself on the head to believe that he wasn't actually dreaming all this up. He was here. His partner was here. And everything was going to be okay, just like Steve had promised.
"I won't lose this again. Steve.. I promise I'll make it up to you. I will have your back the way you've had mine, I promise." Danny said to himself. He squeezed the badge in his hand, closing his eyes as he leaned back on his chair.
"Buddy?" Steve stood at the entrance to Danny's office, holding the door open.
"Steve?" Danny straightened in his chair.
"You alright?" Steve asked. He pulled the chair opposite Danny's table and dragged it to his friend's side.
Danny nodded. "Yeah." He revealed the badge he was still holding. "I just.. this doesn't feel real to me."
"Believe me, it is." Steve smiled.
"H.. How did you manage this?" Danny asked.
"Well.. I had a conversation with the Governor." Steve said.
Danny looked at him questioningly. "And how exactly did this conversation go?"
"Doesn't matter."
"Please don't tell me you threatened him with quitting or something along those lines." Danny said.
"That's actually funny. You think I would threaten the Governor?" Steve asked but his lie was quickly falling apart as Danny fixed his eyes on him.
"Steve.."
"Umm.. well.. I might have suggested he started looking for someone else to run the team." Steve said. "To be fair, it wasn't a threat, it was a suggestion. And it worked out."
Danny breathed and shook his head. "And if it didn't? You would have lost your job for nothing."
"Not for nothing." Steve said. "Now, before you go off making this about yourself, listen to me. As much as I did it for you, I did it for myself, alright?"
"I.. I don't know what to say. Thank you just doesn't cut it." Danny said.
"You don't have to say anything. You agreeing to be my partner again, that's all I needed." Steve said, grasping Danny's arm.
Danny smiled tight-lipped. "I'll still say it. Thank you."
…
It took another three weeks before Danny was finally cleared for work. Between his psychological evaluation and physical tests, he had excelled in all of them and proven that he was fit and ready to come back. He was definitely visibly doing better as well, the colour on his face had returned and he had gained back a few pounds, though not all of the weight he'd lost. He grabbed the badge he'd placed on his side table and clipped it on his trousers. He grabbed his gun which still caused his heart to twitch whenever he thought about.. well about shooting his own friend. He tucked the thought in the back of his mind and the gun in its holster. He took the keys to his Camaro and headed out to his new beginning, or his second chance rather. He rolled down the windows of the car, letting the humid air in and allowing the breeze to ruffle his neatly combed hair as he drove the all-too familiar route to his partner's house. He had moved out of Steve's and back to his own house just two weeks ago much to his partner's dismay.
Almost on autopilot once he arrived at Steve's, he sounded the horn once, got out of the driver's seat while leaving the engine still running and moved to the passenger seat. This had been something he had begrudged for the five years he'd known Steve, who knew that at this moment, he was contented to be able to do this again. Steve walked out of the house, a huge grin on his face as he jogged over to the car.
"Hey." He said as he slid into the driver's seat. "You ready?"
"More than." Danny said.
They'd stopped by to grab some coffee and malasadas for the team on the way to the HQ. It felt like nothing had changed, as though life had temporarily clicked he pause button for him and now it had gone back to play. His first day back at work was great, and so was the whole week. Cases had been wrapped up particularly smoothly. Working alongside the team again felt as natural as breathing. And he finally felt like he could breathe easy. Everything was just fine, he told himself. And indeed, it was… Until it wasn't.
…
A/N: Hi guys! Thanks for all your reviews on the previous chapter, glad that you liked it. Okay so this might be the second to last chapter (finally, right?). I'm not sure, it really depends on how long the 'last' chapter is going to be (might or might not split it into 2). Anyway I hope you guys liked this chapter. Please drop a review if you did! Thanks for reading!:)