Still no beta but enjoy my mess anyway 3

Danny had just been kidding himself when he thought of retirement. He knew deep down that it was a pipe dream or maybe wishful thinking. Standing on Steve's lanai and watched as a storm rolled in. Chuckling darkly to himself Danny lifted another board over the windows; he was still looking after the place after his partner went on his soul quest several months earlier. He came and went, made sure no one broke in, protected it during storms such as these, and sometimes he even showed up when he just wanted some peace.

Hammering several nails into place Danny cocked his head when he heard Junior quickly thump down the stairs. That was something everyone had been doing lately that he was secretly thankful for. Making sure that he wasn't startled or snuck up on, something Junior learned the hard way. Danny grimaced at the memory; he had broken the poor kid's nose and he was beside himself with regret and worry, apologizing long after the incident had occurred. He knew no one blamed him but he also couldn't help but notice they treated him differently. Like broken glass to step around. Danny huffed, he wasn't broken, thank you very much. He was just a little…cracked.

He was mad at first, at Steve for leaving the way he did. After a while, he had become depressed and even closed off - though the team fixed that right away by always being around. Then understanding hit him like a punch to the gut after getting a package in the mail one day. Steve had sent him a postcard and pictures and little knick-knacks that represented his travels. Steve looked happy and carefree and it made a tension – that Danny didn't even know that he had — release.

As they said, time heals all wounds. More or less. Sure those wounds leave scars and during bad weather, you can feel them with a deep ache that would eventually be dull enough to get through.

Shaking the board making sure it wouldn't move Danny stepped back. Junior eased out onto the lanai and looked at the boarded up home with a sad smile. "She's all ready for the storm," he said, packing up the tools. Danny hummed and turned to look as lightning lit up the sky and thunder cracked overhead.

Lou had asked him if was going to retire after Steve left and Danny kept silent for a long time before answering. Told him honestly without the dramatics that he usually added to a typical conversation. It was like he told Steve years before, all he had was Grace and his job. Though that changed somewhat when Charlie came into his life. Now he had Grace - who was in California for school - Charlie - who was growing up so damn fast - and his job. It's all he had.

If he retired Danny didn't have the first clue about what to do. The restaurant was a bust from the start and Charlie was still in school and mostly with Rachel so he wouldn't have anything to do until his days with him. Danny was certain he would go insane.

He ended up ranting anyway.

Lou just smiled at him and nodded, he lifted his beer in cheers. "You're a lifer. I'm honestly not surprised," he murmured and Danny smiled in agreement. Lifting his own Longboard he tapped it against Lou's.

"Lifer," he muttered with a nod.

"Danny?" The sound of his name brought him back to the present. It wasn't Junior but Tani, she stood a few feet away from him wearing a sad smile. She held up his phone in her hand, waving it a little as it rang shrilly. Blinking Danny gave her a grin and took it; he must have left it inside.

"Detective Williams,"

Danny was silent as dispatch informed him of a body. Junior and Tani watched him from the doorway of the house poised and ready to go. Nodding Danny sighed, "Alright we'll be there as soon as possible. Make sure CSU gets everything they can before the storm hits."

Pocketing the device he turned to the two youngest Five-0 members, "We got a case boss?" Tani asked moving to lock up.

"Body up on the North Shore. We need to get going before we get hammered."

Both Tani and Junior moved quickly in locking up the McGarrett home and out to Tani's car which Junior decided he wanted to drive much to her annoyance and to Danny's utter amusement. Sliding into his new deep Navy blue Camaro Danny gave the empty home one last look before pulling away.

His grandmother had said during tough times, "There's always a day after a storm."

Smiling Danny raced down the highway with dark clouds at his back. Steve would return when he was ready and his Ohana would be there waiting. So all Danny could do for now was wait for tomorrow. Wait for his best friend to come home.

But nobody said he had to be a lump as he waited; he had a team to run after all.