A/N: Well… here we are gang. The final chapter of this long story. I can't tell you how much I appreciate all of you who have taken the time to read my story and those who were also kind enough to leave reviews. This was my very first multi-chapter story and, thanks to all of you, a most enjoyable experience.

I again want to thank my wonderful Beta, Jlopie1, for her tireless efforts in helping me get this story ready to publish. I couldn't have done it without her. We make a great team Lynnette! Luv ya sistah!

.

Pride, Admiration and Respect

Chapter Eighteen

.

It took five days before the doctors deemed Steve well enough to leave the hospital. They had been able to effectively battle back the infection in his arms but the severity of the concussion had him reeling and nauseous every time he attempted to even fully sit up in bed let alone walk the measly five feet to the toilet. When he was finally able to cross that small distance without face planting into the linoleum they let him go home with strict instructions to rest and be extremely careful, since the headaches and dizziness could last for weeks. That meant no driving, no swimming and no work until fully cleared.

The extent of Danny's injuries needed an extra week before the doctors would even discuss letting him go home. And, his home was out of the question anyway. He was in no condition to take care of himself. His head was also off kilter from a concussion and the after effects from the cracked and broken ribs, the stab wound and the resulting peritonitis, left Danny exhausted and weak. He still had a lot of healing to do so he was also going to be out of commission until fully cleared.

Steve was cranky and miserable, holed up in the house. Danny was cranky and miserable because in his condition he couldn't take care of himself and worse, he couldn't take care of Grace, which meant she'd be spending a lot more time at Rachel's. So it was mutually decided by the rest of the gang that in order to keep them both from doing something stupid out of desperation or sheer boredom that would risk both their recoveries and also to preserve everyone else's sanity, Danny should move into Steve's house for the duration of their convalescence.

It really wasn't a surprise when neither man had a problem with that. Since Annie was still staying at Steve's place, Danny and Steve would have someone always there to look out for them and make them both toe the line. This made Annie happy. Steve had Danny to keep him company, which made Steve happy and, since Annie was there to be the adult, Grace could be there more as well, which of course, made Danny extremely happy. Chin and Kono promised Annie all the backup she needed but were extremely relieved to let her take command so they didn't need to be in the line of fire.

The first week they were all together in the house went relatively smoothly since both men were too sore and weak to be too much of a pain in the ass. Annie had parked Steve in the recliner and Danny on the sofa with the TV tuned to the NFL channel and the remote control within easy reach and told them both, in no uncertain terms, to stay put or risk more physical damage…. from her. They both scowled and grumbled but since neither one had more strength than a kitten, there wasn't much they could do. Pain killers every four hours had them hovering between pleasantly buzzed and totally asleep most of the time.

Week two proved a bit more problematic when Steve decided he was bored with being injured and just wasn't going to be injured anymore. Since he still couldn't go swimming because of the bandages on his arms as well as his ongoing concussion symptoms, which also kept him out of his truck, he decided he could at least run. Well, more like a brisk walk along the beach, but he was getting out of the house and that was all there was to it. So it was that Annie and Danny found themselves sitting comfortably in the chairs on the beach outside Steve's house enjoying the sun and the ocean breezes, and waiting for Steve to finally decide it was time to come home.

"So…" Annie began, "is he always like this when he's hurt?"

"You mean, a stubborn pain in the ass who refuses to accept he's hurt and thinks he can just rub dirt on it and it will go away? Basically, yeah!"

Annie chuckled and shook her head. "I don't envy you trying to deal with him if he's like this all the time."

"Yes…" he heaved dramatically with his hand over his heart, "...it's a cross I must bear, I'm afraid," but then added, "Well…he's really not so bad." he conceded with a smile.

When Annie laughed at that Danny continued more seriously. "He's the best friend I've ever had Annie. When I first came here I was lost. I came for Grace and she was all I had. HPD wasn't too fond of the outsider haole trying to be part of their inner circle. I hated it here more than I can ever say. Then I walked into that garage over there and found a hard ass Navy SEAL trampling all over my crime scene and my life changed forever. By hijacking my entire life, he gave me purpose and a reason to be here in the days between when I could be with Grace.

We do the kind of police work that I never thought I'd be a part of and its good work. But more important than that; Chin and Kono are more than colleagues, they are family. What they like to call here, "Ohana". And Steve isn't just my partner, not just my best friend. I do see him as another brother. This place has become home and I can't imagine ever leaving here and if you even think of telling Steve that, I swear on Grandma Molly's grave I'll never speak to you again!"

Annie just smiled. "I can see it Danny. The way your team worked and fought to find you, to find all of us, it was remarkable. You're very lucky to have such a wonderful team…. family here. I really envy you. I don't know what it's going to be like when I get home. I felt the exact same way about Tony and now he's gone. I can't imagine walking into that squad room and not finding him there."

"I know. I understand more than you realize. You watched Tony die… the same way I watched my partner Grace die. I was able to take down those responsible and so were you. It doesn't make it easier to walk into that room without them there but at least we both know those who took them away from us paid for what they did. It's nowhere near enough, but it helps."

Annie irritably wiped at her damp eyes. "Damn…." she muttered as she got up from her chair and made her way back to the house. It was at that moment Steve returned from his walk and made his way up to where Danny was sitting. Watching Annie walk away with her head bowed and rubbing at her eyes, Steve asked, "She ok?"

"Yeah… she will be. It's just hitting her that it's finally over and she's wondering what comes next."

"She was remarkable Danny. You should be very proud of her."

"I am Steven…. I am. So… are you done jeopardizing your recovery for the day or are you gonna drop and do fifty just for the hell of it?"

Steve huffed as he heavily sat in the chair Annie had just recently vacated. "No… I'm done. That was a lot harder than I thought it would be. This chair is feeling damn good right about now. I may not move again until dinner."

"Here," came Annie's voice from behind his left shoulder as she handed him a tall cold glass of lemonade, "You look like you could use this."

"Hey!" Danny began to protest.

"Don't get your knickers in a twist… there's one here for you too."

"Well, that's more like it." Danny said while Steve grinned at him over his frosty glass.

"Kono just called. She said not to start on any food for dinner. She and Chin have it covered. They'll be over as soon as they close up shop for the night. Something about a "family barbeque" being in order."

"Sounds like a plan." Steve said as he heaved himself stiffly out of the chair. "I need a long hot shower."

"And just what defines "long" in your book of Navy regulations, Steven? Going to throw caution to the wind for the second time today and stay in the shower for an entire three and a half minutes?!" Danny teased.

"Very funny. The way I feel right now, I may just have to push it to four!" He said with a wink in Annie's direction.

"Lunatic." Danny good naturedly grumbled as Steve made his way into the house.

.

~~H50~~~~H50~~~~H50~~~~H50~~~~H50~~~~H50~~~~H50~~~~H50~~~~H50~~

.

They were all sprawled around Steve's living room with the TV on, after enjoying a fantastic dinner courtesy of Chin's skills at the grill and copious amounts of alcohol (mostly for the others as Danny and Steve were still on "as needed" pain meds) when the news broke. They were all instantly alert and on the edges of their seats.

.

Good evening. This is Anderson Cooper. Tonight we begin our broadcast with breaking news out of Washington. We have just received word that moments ago, agents of the Justice Department arrested New York Congressman Sheldon Lankford, removing him from his Congressional office on Capitol Hill in handcuffs as his stunned staffers looked on. We have no definitive word on the reason for his arrest, but sources close to the investigation say Congressman Lankford has been directly linked with Colombian kingpin Emilio Cordoba, who was killed during a suspected kidnapping raid in Hawaii 3 weeks ago. These sources claim the Congressman is being accused of multiple crimes, including, but not limited to, extortion, money laundering, influence peddling and racketeering in connection with Cordoba's drug cartel. It is also being reported that disgraced New York City Assistant District Attorney Alexander Sanchez, who was arrested during the same raid which resulted in the death of Cordoba, is cooperating with authorities. It is believed the cooperation of Mr. Sanchez was instrumental in the Justice Department's case against Congressman Lankford. Stay tuned to CNN for further developments.

.

"Well, how about that!" Kono exclaimed as Chin and Steve happily shook hands. "Sanchez won't be long for this world once he hits prison, whatever deal he's made with the Feds. An ex-cop and an ex-prosecutor not to mention Cordoba has a lot of allies on the inside who won't look kindly on his "cooperation". We done good!"

"Damn straight!" Danny countered as he put his hand on Annie's shoulder and gave it a hard squeeze. "You did it Annie! You did exactly what you came out here to do. Tony would be proud."

It was really over? Annie just sat there staring at the TV, not really ready to believe it was actually over. Her eyes teared up, thinking again about Tony, as she watched Lankford being led down the Capitol steps in handcuffs, surrounded by Feds and press, looking pale and gaunt and positively terrified. Finally, after several moments, she drew in a calming breath, gave herself a small nod of acceptance and turned to the others.

"I don't know what to say to you…. to all of you… except thank you. I can't tell you what it means to me that you were all there for me in this. What you went through for me…." she looked at Steve and Danny. "I will never be able to repay you for what you've done." She finished, tears threatening to escape once again.

Pulling herself together, she forcibly straightened her shoulders and wiping at her eyes, she grumbled, "I don't know what's gotten into me these days. Must be all the damn flowers around here making my eyes water all the time. Seriously... must there be flowers everywhere on this damned island?!"

The tension in the room effectively broken, they all burst into laughter. Steve turned to Danny, wiping his own tears of laughter from his eyes and said, "Oh God, Danny! She is so definitely your sister!"

Putting his arm around his sister and pulling her close Danny responded, "She sure as hell is!"

.

~~H50~~~~H50~~~~H50~~~~H50~~~~H50~~~~H50~~~~H50~~~~H50~~~~H50~~

.

Surfing on the North Shore - check

Pearl Harbor - check

Kualoa Valley (minus the dead body) - check

Weekend retreat on Maui - check

Helicopter tour of the volcanos on the Big Island - check

Horseback riding on Lanai - check

Pretty much all of everyone's favorite restaurants on Oahu - check

In recognition of her work in bringing down not only Cordoba but Sanchez and Lankford as well, Annie's Captain gave her an extended, paid leave of absence as a reward. So with the case wrapped and Steve and Danny well on the road to recovery, Annie had been determined she was going to do and see as much as she possibly could of Hawaii before she had to go home to New York.

Sitting in the departure lounge at Honolulu International Airport waiting for her flight home, she mentally went through everything she'd seen and done and made herself a promise that she would come back as often as she possibly could. In the month and a half since the case ended she had come to love the islands and couldn't bring herself to think about never coming back. Besides, Danny and Grace and all her new friends at Five-0 were here. If that wasn't incentive enough to come back, nothing was. Thinking about them all put a huge smile on Annie's face.

"What's with the stupid smile?" Danny teased as he and Steve walked up to her carrying coffees for them all. "You so thrilled to be getting off this rock you sit alone in the airport grinning like a loon?"

"What? You think everyone has to be a grumpy grouch like you?" she teased right back.

Steve actually giggled, "She thinks you're a grouch!"

"That's enough out of you," Danny good naturedly grumbled.

They sat and talked and laughed for the three quarters of an hour before Annie's flight was to board. When the time came, it was with a heavy heart she stood to take her leave of them.

She reached out and enveloped Steve in a warm hug. "Thank you for everything," she said as she hugged him tight. She whispered in his ear, "Take care of him."

"Always." He responded as he wholeheartedly returned the hug. Then stepping back, he said, "We all make a good team. If you ever want to consider a career in Island law enforcement, let me know." He smiled as he let her go.

She then turned to her brother. "I'm going to miss you." She said as she took him into a bone crunching embrace. "You make sure to give Gracie a big hug from me when she gets out of school and tell her to call me with all her news, all right?"

Danny held her just as tightly. "You take care of yourself out there, you hear me? No unnecessary risks. Keep your head down. Watch your back…."

"Danny…" she interrupted with a raised eyebrow.

"Ok... ok…." he conceded. "Give mom and pop and the family my love. Tell them I'll call in a few days." Then he paused, looking her deep in the eyes. "I love you … you know!"

Swallowing the large lump in her throat Annie nodded. "I know. I love you too." Then throwing sentimentality aside as they always did she stood back from him and said, "Try not to be a complete pain in the ass to everyone, will ya?"

Danny just laughed and giving her one last loving hug, watched as she walked down the jet way to the plane that would take her home.

Danny heaved a heavy sigh as Annie took the last turn and disappeared from sight.

Placing a strong hand on Danny's shoulder Steve said, "She's a great girl Danny and a great cop. You don't have to worry. She's gonna be fine."

"Yup… she sure is."

"So…. just what do I pack for this trip to New Jersey?" Steve asked knocking their shoulders together.

"Trip to New Jersey? What trip to New Jersey?" Danny asked, puzzled.

"Oh... that's right. You were kind of unconscious for that part, weren't you?" Steve laughed.

"I think we need to head home so you can fill me in on this supposed trip we're taking. I just know my sister is behind this, bane of my existence that she is. Is it any wonder the two of you get along so well?" Danny ranted.

Steve just laughed. "She said your folks would love it."

"You know what?" he said with a warm smile. "They probably would. So, what do you say, big guy? Ready to get outta here?"

"Whatever you say Danno… whatever you say."

THE END