A/N: Okay.. slightly nervous about posting this chapter but here goes. Hope you enjoy this last one from me.

…

"Steve! Get down!" He'd heard Danny's voice and reacted swiftly, staying low as he saw his partner break cover and fire in his direction. He heard a choked groan come from behind him followed by the sound of a body crashing onto the ground and he turned to see one of the human traffickers on the ground a few metres away from him. He turned to look at Danny who had saved his life or at the very least a trip to the hospital. The next thing that happened, he would never forget. Danny had turned to face their remaining targets, lifting his rifle up, knowing he was already exposed and his best bet was to get his shot in before the other guys did. But it wasn't meant to be.

Steve saw his partner's body jerk as his feet faltered backward unsteadiy, losing grip on his rifle as it crashed on the ground. It happened for a second time, he saw Danny's eyes widen as the impact of the bullet to his chest knocked the breath out of him. And then the third time it happened, his partner was harshly thrown back and onto the ground, head contacting the concrete with a hard thud. Then, Danny lay unmoving on the ground, too far from him. It had all happened in a split second but Steve saw it play out in slow motion. He was living his worst nightmare and he froze. It had never happened to him before. He had never frozen the way he did at that moment. He heard several more gunshots as his eyes fixed on his partner, hoping to see him get back up. Hoping to god, they had been vest hits. Hoping to hear his partner's words of assurance that he was fine. But none of that happened. Instead, all he saw was a growing pool of blood next to Danny.

Danny.. He wanted to, no needed to get to his partner. This cannot be happening. His eyes were beginning to sting maybe from the sweat entering them or maybe from the tears beginning to form, he didn't know.

"CLEAR!" Lou and Kono shouted, bringing him out of his trance. He finally got his muscles to work as he sprinted over to where his partner was lying motionless.

"Danny!" He called as he reached his partner's side. Crashing onto his knees, he knelt next to Danny, relieved to see those baby blue eyes that were glazed with tears looking up at him.

Danny's lips moved as though he was trying to say something but all that came out was a struggle to get more air into his lungs. His eyes began to shut and Steve felt fear running through every cell of his body.

"How's he doing?" Chin asked as he and the team rushed over to Danny's side. But he didn't need a verbal confirmation from Steve. He could see exactly how Danny was doing.

"Get the EMT here right now." Steve said but he didn't need to ask twice as he could hear Lou radioing them in. His attention returned to his fallen partner. "Hey.. hey Danny stay with me. Don't close your eyes.." Steve demanded. "Danny, come on, don't do this!"

"St..eve.." Danny wheezed painfully, eyes still closed.

"I'm right here." Steve said, hand clasping his partner's. "Open your eyes for me, buddy."

Danny groaned, his arm reaching to his chest in an attempt to soothe the tightness in it. His eyes peeked open.

"Good job buddy. You're alright..you're alright." Steve said.

"Y..ou go..od?" Danny asked as he coughed for air.

"I'm alright." Steve swallowed. "You're gonna be fine too, okay? Just hang in there."

Danny nodded before he lost his loose grasp on consciousness.

…

Waiting had never been Steve McGarrett's strong suit. He clasped his trembling and blood-stained hands together, hunched forward in the unfortunately all-too familiar pink seat of Queen's Medical waiting room where he sat alone. The rest of the team had gone back to the office to wrap up the case once they got news that Danny was going to be fine. Somehow, that news did little to calm his heart as he continued the arduous wait to see his partner. He took a long and deep breath in, his heart still racing. He could feel a slight tremor circulating throughout his body which was weird. He was never afraid. Never once had he felt this way, even in the face of almost imminent death. Yet, when he saw his partner's body being riddled with bullets, he had known fear.

He let out an audible sigh. A week. A week and a half, rather. It had only been a week and a half since Danny returned to work. And this happened. It shouldn't have happened. It should never have happened. He should have seen the guy coming. If he had, Danny wouldn't have been a target. He wouldn't have gotten hit three times. Steve unknowingly grimaced. Three shots. If it hadn't been for the vest, his partner would probably be dead already. No, he was sure Danny would be dead. No chance to even get to the hospital. Danny had taken two shots squarely to his chest and a third shot that narrowly missed the vest had lodged itself in his right arm. Thanks to the vest, that was the worst of his injuries along with two cracked ribs and a pulmonary contusion on his left lung. Steve shuddered to think about his partner's fate had those human traffickers used armour piercing rounds.

"Commander McGarrett?" Steve jumped to his feet at the nurse's call. "The doctor would like to see you."

"Yeah, uhh.. anything wrong?" Steve swallowed thickly. "Can I see my partner, is he alright?"

"Yes, he's alright. Why don't you come this way with me." She said, leading the way through the ER.

"I'm fine. Please.. I'm rea..lly fine. I don't need t..o stay here." Danny said. Okay.. maybe he was lying. He wasn't completely fine. For one, his head didn't feel one with his body. And his chest, oh god, it was so tight, he struggled just to get the words out. But he really did not want to spend another minute in the hospital. He was done with hospitals for this lifetime.

"Detective Williams, I am the one with the medical degree. And I would strongly advise you to stay here at least for the night. We need to monitor your condition to ensure that everything is fine. You're still at risk of developing pneumonia and there may be other complications that we cannot predict." The doctor said, exasperation in her voice as she had been going back and forth with Danny for the past 5 minutes.

"Is there anything alarmingly wrong.. right now?" Danny challenged, feeling slightly proud of himself for managing to keep his voice more or less level.

"Well..now no..But.."

"The..re. You said it." Danny breathed. "I'm okay."

"Danny?" Steve entered the space where Danny was being examined. "Hey, what's going on?"

"Commander! I was hoping you could help me out here." The doctor looked at him hopefully. "Detective Williams is insistent on going home but I would strongly suggest that he stayed here overnight just to be sure of his condition. We don't want any complications in the future."

Steve looked at his partner, face still too pale and fatigue colouring his features as he sat hunched on the bed. His shirt scrunched up next to him, Steve could see the angry bruise raging on the left side of his chest and the bandage around his right bicep. Eyebrows knitted together, he breathed out slowly. All around his partner looked terrible but at the very least, he was breathing. Alive.

"Steve?" Danny's voice sounded foreign, a little too rough and much too quiet. "You alr..ight?"

"Hey buddy.." Steve said. "I'm alright."

Danny nodded. "Good..every..one alright?"

"Yeah." Steve answered. "You?"

"I'm good.. Steve please.. get me out of here." Danny said, eyes begging him. Honestly, the dizziness was getting a bit much and he really just wanted to sleep. The ache in his chest wasn't helping either and he had to fight every instinct to not reach his arm out to rub it. He couldn't show just how much he was hurting if he wanted a chance at getting out of here.

"Danny, doc wants you to stay. I think we should listen to her." Steve said.

"Steve.. I'm fine. I want to go home.." Danny insisted. "If it gets worse, I'll come back here myself. Grace.."

Danny didn't need to elaborate. Steve knew his daughter was the reason he didn't want to stay. Grace was coming over to stay with him the following day. Steve turned to look at the doctor. "How are his vitals?"

"His O2 saturation is returning to normal but his heart rate is still slightly elevated and and his bp still on the low side."

"I'm fine." Danny repeated again though his words didn't seem to have any bearing on anyone's decision and they just outright ignored him anyway.

"Doc, if I keep an eye on him, make sure he gets his rest, you think you can let him out?"

"Commander..I thought you would be the sensible one. I don't think the both of you understand the seriousness of his injury."

"I do.. believe me, I do." Steve said, eyeing his partner. "But I will take responsibility, I'll make sure he's alright."

After more convincing and disapproving looks shot from the medical personnel, Danny was 'allowed' to leave the hospital. He put on his shirt, not bothering to tuck it in. Steve was not used to this unkempt version of his partner and he could only guess the amount of pain Danny was in if he was intentionally ignoring his appearance. He supported Danny as they walked out of the ER and to the parking lot where the Camaro was at. He held the door open for Danny and helped his partner in. Danny leaned on the seat of his Camaro, no longer able to hide the exertion that the short walk out to the car had caused him. He closed his eyes and gently massaged his chest. He tried to take a deep breath in but his breath hitched, a soft groan escaping his lips.

"Danny, you sure about this?" Steve asked, regret beginning to lurk in the back of his mind.

Danny nodded. "M'fine. Let's go." He said, voice soft and eyes shut tight. Steve watched his friend slowly drift off to sleep, tension leaving his features. Steve finally drove off when he saw Danny's breathing even out, driving with more care than he had ever before, not wanting to cause anymore hurt to his friend.

It took longer than usual to arrive at Danny's house and he was in deep sleep when they arrived. Steve gently roused his partner. Danny didn't seem to be very aware of his surroundings as Steve maneuvered him into the house.

"Danny? You alright?" Steve asked once he had Danny settled on the couch.

"Hmm.. wanna go home.. Grace.." Danny said, not fully awake yet.

"We're home, buddy." Steve said.

Danny blinked, taking stock of his surrounding. "Hmm.."

"Come on, let's get you changed out of your clothes. Then we'll get something for you to eat before you take your meds and rest." Steve said. Danny was still in his blood-stained shirt and that kind of unnerved Steve.

"Okay.." Danny said. He slowly got up, Steve was right beside him with an arm firmly holding him straight. "Thanks but I'm okay. I can do this myself." Danny assured him.

"Alright, I'll be right here, just call out if you need help." Steve said.

Danny nodded as he walked excruciatingly slowly towards his room. Thirty minutes later, he was out, looking both better and worse at the same time if that was possible. At the very least, there was no blood visible on him, he had showered and neatly combed his hair back, dressed in a clean black t-shirt and black shorts. Yet, his posture and expression could not hide the pain he was experiencing. Steve tried to get Danny to eat some but Danny didn't have the appetite for more than half a slice of bread and some hot chocolate. That was enough for Steve, he handed Danny his pain medication and helped his partner settle in for the night. He had stayed by Danny's side, dragging a chair to his bedside and watching his partner like a hawk.

When he was sure that his partner was asleep, he held his hand out, reaching for Danny's arm. One hand gently running down his partner's arm, the other clasping Danny's palm in his. His eyes fell on Danny's chest, knowing that the shirt was hiding a large bruise on his left side. Danny's breathing still seemed a little erratic to him, like it was taking a lot of effort, reminding Steve just how close a call it had been. Steve sighed. "You're gonna be okay. You scared me for a while there, Danno." Steve admitted to his partner's sleeping form. "But you're gonna be okay." He sat next to his partner for about an hour, making sure he was fine before he decided to try and catch some sleep himself. He left the door to Danny's room open and settled on the couch in Danny's living room so that he could hear if Danny woke up. And thankfully he did.

It was around 2am when Steve's light sleep was interrupted by the sound of hacking coughs coming from Danny's room. He hurriedly scrambled to his feet and rushed into Danny's room. The room was dimly-lit by the night lamp next to Danny's bed. He could see his partner sitting on the bed, bent over as he coughed painfully, hand on his chest.

"Hey..hey.. what's wrong?" Steve asked, sitting in front of his partner. "You okay?"

"Fi..ne." Danny said between coughs, breathing in deeply as agony seared through his lungs. He could lie but there was no way Steve was believing what he said. The coughing and wheezing was one thing but the continuous motion of his trembling hand rubbing his chest was another. He saw the way Steve's face crumpled. "Wa..ter?" Danny asked.

Steve adjusted the pillow behind Danny and leaned his back onto it. "Be right back."

He headed to the kitchen while he heard his partner coughing intermittently. Hurriedly he poured a cup of water and brought it to Danny's room, feeding it to his partner with a straw. Danny greedily took several sips, the water felt like heaven to his throat which was rough as sandpaper. He coughed again, choking on the water, probably having drank a little too quickly in his current condition. As his body was wrecked with another horrible coughing fit which sounded terrifying, his face turned red from the lack of air and the shots of pain in his ribcage.

Steve was having trouble shoving his worry aside. He steadfastly stood by Danny's side. He had one hand on Danny's shoulder and another gently rubbing Danny's sternum in a circular motion as he waited for the coughing to end. Slowly, he caught his breath, the coughing becoming less intense but it took an agonizing five minutes for it to completely die down and Danny was almost breathless by the time it did, wheezing again. Danny's eyes sealed shut as he tried to even his breathing and get used to the pain ripping through his chest. Steve took the cup he had set on the table and fed Danny some water again, slowly this time.

"How're you feeling?" Steve asked, brows knitted together. "Tell me the truth."

Danny nodded. "Okay." His voice hoarse.

"Danny.."

"Hu..rts but I'm fine." Voice a little less rough this time.

"Yo..you're not fine." Steve said. "You took two shots to your chest. Another to your arm. You're not fine."

Danny breathed in deeply. "I'm okay now." Danny said, eyes blinking wearily. That coughing fit coupled with the persistent ache in his chest was taking a lot out of him. He stared at his partner, Steve's eyes looked wearily back at him. "You..okay?" Danny asked.

Steve's jaw tightened. "No."

"What's wrong?" Danny asked, wincing as he shifted.

"We'll talk tomorrow. Just rest."

"Steve? Tell me.. Something wrong?" Danny asked. "Someone else hurt?"

Steve swallowed. "No.. You..You're hurt." He said.

"I'm okay, were just vest hits." Danny said.

"Just vest hits? You're out of breath from coughing because of those vest hits. Two bullets to the chest, Danny. What if they weren't caught by the vest." Steve said, finally blurting out what had been weighing down on his mind. "What were you thinking? Breaking cover like that.."

"Don't think I was thinking." Danny said. "I saw the guy, what else could I do. Couldn't let him hurt you."

"So you decided to put yourself in the line of fire just so.."

"Steve.. if there was another way, I would have done it. But at the time.." Danny coughed and Steve watched him with concern, afraid that it would set off another bout. "At the time, it was the only thing I could do."

"You could have died. If you weren't lucky.. if the bullet had.." Steve couldn't even complete his thought.

Then I would have served my purpose. If the last thing I did on this earth was saving your life, I would have no regrets. "I didn't. I'm fine. You told me not to dwell on the what-ifs, right?"

"Danny, I need to know you didn't do it on purpose. That you wouldn't do it again. You won't risk your life for me because of whatever guilt you still have."

"Steve. I told you, I reacted on instinct. I didn't have the time to think. And I can't assure you it wouldn't happen again.." He breathed. "but not because of any guilt.. because I'm your partner. And you would do the same for me."

Steve's eyes stung with unshed tears. "I would."

Danny nodded. "I know. Steve.. I love you, buddy."

Steve bent down, wrapping his partner in his arms, being careful not to press on his right arm. "I love you too. I love you."

…

Epilogue

He sat on the bench overlooking the ocean, the wind softly caressing his face as the sound of waves crashing and children squealing filled his ears. He was contented. Exactly a year ago, he had done the unthinkable. He had almost killed his best friend. The worst day of his life. He thought he had lost everything good in his life on that day. He thought he would be alone, undeserving of anyone's love. In fact, for a long time, that was what he believed. But not anymore. Because of just one person. Even when he had tried his hardest to shut everyone out, when he thought he was worthy of nothing, that one man had been insistent on breaking down the walls he'd put up. His partner. He'd done a lot of things wrong in his life, but this, right now where he was, it was the right thing. And it didn't matter anymore whatever happened, as long as he had what he had now, he was going to fight his hardest to keep it and he would never let it slip through his fingers. Not again.

Honestly, he had found it hard to get out of bed that day, he didn't want to remember what happened exactly a year ago. But his partner had appeared unannounced, in front of his door early in the morning. Goofy grin on his face as he begged for Danny's breakfast pancakes. Then he and Grace had joined forces and bullied him into going to the beach with them. He knew what Steve was trying to do, still he complied. This day had only bad memories attached to it but now, he wanted to replace them with good ones. So many good ones that those bad ones would cease to exist.

His chest blossomed as he watched the two people he loved, the two people he could never lose, laughing and having the time of their lives. Huge grins on their faces as though there wasn't a thing wrong with the world. He could hear the echoes of their laughter in his head even if they were too far for him to actually hear them. Sometimes he still feared that this was all a dream and that his world would be shaken when he finally woke up. That everything would end in an instant. That he would wake up alone, a hateful man. But their love was greater than his fear and everyday, he overcame that fear. He fought his demons and convinced himself that this was all real.

"Danno!" Grace shouted, surfboard in one hand, dripping seawater and sprinkling some on him as she ran over to him. "You should have joined us! The waves were awesome!" She yelled, unable to contain her excitement.

"She's right, buddy." Steve echoed as he trailed right behind her. "You should have joined us."

Danny stood up, handing the two of them their towels. "Yeah?" Maybe the waves were awesome. But watching the two of them enjoying themselves was even more priceless to him. He'd captured the moment both on camera and in his mind, tucking them deep in his memories where no one could get to them. "Next time." Danny said, as he helped Grace dry her hair.

"Promise?" Grace said, her eyes lit up. "No excuses!"

"Yes, monkey. I promise." Danny said, ruffling her already messy hair. The soft giggle it elicited from Grace left a tingle in Steve's chest.

"Uncle Steve, you heard that, right?" Grace said.

"Yeah, I'm your witness." Steve smiled mischievously, receiving the high-five from Grace.

"Alright, alright! Are you guys ganging up against me?" Danny said, lifting his hands up in mock defeat.

Steve smiled. "No, we're just making sure, you won't go back on your word."

Danny shook his head. "Okay, I won't. Next time, I'll join you. But for now.. is anyone else hungry because I'm starving.." Danny asked.

"Me!" Steve and Grace chorused.

"Okay, come on then. Let's go!" Danny took Grace's hand, swinging it playfully as they walked back to the car.

Realising that her Uncle Steve had not followed them, Grace stopped and turned to him. "Uncle Steve! Are you coming?"

Steve nodded, an odd expression on his face.

Brows furrowed, Danny's lips curled into a small frown. "Steve, you alright?"

"Perfect."

Steve smiled wistfully. "Everything's perfect." He said for himself more than anyone before he broke into a slow jog towards his partner and niece. Catching up to them, Steve wrapped his hand over Danny's shoulders. "Love you, buddy."

Danny looked surprised at his partner, not sure where the sudden declaration came from. He smiled. "Love you."

"And I love the both of you!" Grace chimed in, eliciting a chuckle from Steve and Danny. Danny planted a kiss on the crown of her head.

The three of them walked and laughed away, to whatever life decided to throw at them, for now it was burger and fries. But no matter what happened next, they were going to be fine. Because they still had each other. And they always will.

...

A/N: Hi everyone! So this is it, the end is finally here. Is it weird that I feel slightly sad to have reached the end? Idk, but anyway sorry for this long note cos I do have a lot of things to say. First of all thank you so so so much to every one who has read, reviewed, PMed, and faved this story. I can't possibly tell you how much I appreciate it all. To the guests whom I can't reply personally, do know that I appreciate your kind reviews. I hope that you guys enjoyed the ride as much as I loved writing this. Like I said, this is the longest fic I've written (I initially planned for 12 chapters, guys.. I blame all of you for encouraging me.. JK, I'm just long-winded, I could honestly have just gone on and on and on..) and it was challenging for a variety of reasons. But thank you for sticking with it till the very end. I hope, I really really hope that I managed to decently wrap this up and give you guys a satisfying ending . I will miss you wonderful readers and hope to see you in my next work (if and when the muse strikes, maybe a fluffy piece after all the angst I put the boys through on this one). If you have a minute, do drop a review and yeah, that's it from me. Thanks again everyone! :)