A/N: Many special thanks for those who take the time to leave a review. I appreciate them a lot!

Chapter 29: Don't cancel

Steve drove the Camaro slower than usual, trying to pass every speed bump with the less movement possible. Averting his eyes from the road for a few seconds while a red light stopped him on an intersection a few blocks away from the hospital, he took the chance to look at his partner. Danny was snuggled up on the passenger seat, with both legs up, elbows on his knees and holding his head, which was resting on the window, the best he could, keeping it from shaking and moving along with the car motion; his back and side pressed between the corner of the seat and the door. His small and thin body was lost under the too big cotton hooded sweatshirt Steve had bought him a few days back when he had alleged being cold. Hood on, Steve wasn´t able to see his face as his friend was turned sideways towards the window.

"Danny, are you ok?" Steve knew Danny had a strong headache, almost reaching the level of a migraine. The fall of last night and the bump hiding below his hair; the anxiety and the consequent stress; the inability to sleep; everything contributed of his current painful state. His release has been reconsidered but immediately confirmed again when Danny´s spirits fell below earth at the mere mention of not going home that day. His expectations were so high that they were actually the reason for his current pathetic state. The clinical and the physiatrist doctors both agreed that the best option would be let their patient go as anticipated, and under practically an oath to take Danny straight to bed and make him rest, Steve had signed the medical discharge forms.

"Mm-hm" Danny didn´t move on his seat and barely gave a sign of life through his mumbled response. After a moment of evaluating the situation, Steve returned his sight to the road, realizing the light was already green. Before he could react, a loud honk made them both shake and jump on their seats.

"Son of a…" The car passed them fast and by the right, honking repeatedly. Steve changed the gear and his first natural reaction would have been to follow and chase it if Danny had not been with him, but not being the case, he instead immediately forgot about that idiot and slowly made his way towards a near parking lot to evaluate his friend´s wellbeing after hearing a grunt at his side.

Once the car completely stopped moving and the engine was turned down, Steve reached and pulled the hood away from Danny´s face. Squeezed eyes, tight lips and a greenish pallor indicated only one thing.

"Hey" Steve tried to move apart Danny´s hands to take a better look. "Are you going to be sick?" An affirmative groan and a blind hand trying to find the door handle had the ex-seal exiting the car and going round the other side. Steve opened the door his friend has managed to barely unlock at its full and reached inside to help Danny lower his legs to the floor. Then, grabbing him by the elbows he assisted him forward just in time for his partner to empty the little and few contents of his stomach on the sidewalk. Although the effort, they were not fast enough to avoid being a little splashed by the acid and liquid vomit. Danny´s temples beat at a steady and rapid rhythm, making his head feel like exploding from the inside and his sight to falter a little, making the sides of his vision to be clouded and spotted with yellow and grey lights. When he finished puking and dry heaving, he rested sideways on the seat for a moment, seeking for quietness and lack of movement to regain his composure. He was oblivious to what his partner was doing other than hearing the trunk opening and closing and other movement around the car. He opened his eyes when sensed that movement stopping in front of him and the warm light was shaded away from his face. His vision has cleared and he could see clearly the mess he had left in the sidewalk, and on his and Steve´s pants. He couldn´t help his hand from trembling miserably when he reached for the damp handkerchief his partner handed him.

"Thanks. Sorry ´bout that". He motioned to their pants and didn´t bother to pay attention to Steve´s dismissal of his apology, before cleaning his mouth and handing the wet cold cloth back to Steve and grabbing the bottle of water he was next offered. Rinsing his mouth, he tried to splash the less possible when spitting the water, and then he took three more sips alongside two pills his friend gave him, to alleviate the killing ache inside his skull.

"Thanks"

"Now you´ll feel better. You feel like sitting back? Maybe recline the seat so you could lay down a bit more?"

"Yeah" Danny considered it a good idea, and the mere thought of lying back was very tempting. He managed to bring his legs up and turn on the seat to be siting facing straight forward, and that was where the pounding on his head allowed him to do before threatening him with more pain and nausea. So he just seated there, closed his eyes and felt Steve moving in front of him and adjusting his seatbelt and then reaching down to lower the back of the seat. The change of position and the comfort it brought were very welcomed by the just hospital-released patient and he sighed with content, letting some tension fall off his shoulders. Danny felt a hand affectionately squeezing his knee before the door was carefully closed, with the intention of not doing so much noise to add discomfort to his headache.

The driver´s door was next opened, but Steve didn´t immediately get in. Instead, he bent and leaned forward to say something. "I´ll make a phone call ok? Will be just a second and we´ll…"

"Don´t cancel" Danny´s tired but firm tone cut his explanation.

"What?"

"Whatever´s going on in my house, don't cancel, I´ll be fine, I´ll manage"

Steve smiled and closed his eyes, lowering his head. Sometimes he forgot that besides being his friend, Danny was a damn good detective, one of the best he knew. He has been discovered and somehow during the intended secret preparations of Danny´s welcome party on his own house, his partner has not been so oblivious and innocent as he seemed to be. Lifting his head again, Steve took a moment to assess Danny, and make a decision of his own. His friend was lying as still as possible, an arm covering his eyes, blocking the light out. He concluded that contradict him and deprive Danny of receiving a warm welcome from his loved ones and ohana would be worse than risking another vomit.

"Ok" Still smiling at his friend and at not having to cancel Grace and Charlie´s diligently planned and eagerly awaited welcome party, he jumped in and started the engine, joining the street and retaking the same smooth driving towards Danny´s house.