He woke hearing Steve moving around upstairs at about three in the morning.
He listened closely and thought he heard a door open. Steve had not entered John's room since before his death and Danny moved to the foot of the stairs.
The light was on in John's room and as he mounted the stairs he heard the unmistakable sound of the hammer cocking on a pistol. He ran to the room and not wanting to startle Steve he slowly pushed the door open.
His heart was pounding out of his chest as he saw his partner, on his knees next to his baby's crib, a gun raised to his temple.
He spoke very softly as he entered the room, "Steve...babe its Danno...I need you to put the gun down buddy"
"Danno...I can't...please...understand...I can't do this...anymore"
"Steve, you've got to listen to me man. You can't do this" Danny's voice was cracking with emotion.
"Danno...God why Danno?...My family...is dead because of me"
Danny moved closer towards his partner. "That's not true Steve. You're not thinking clearly babe...you're not sleeping or eating well...now you know I don't bullshit you partner and damn it you're going to listen to me"
As he got closer to Steve he noted that his body was shaking with emotion yet ever the Seal, his hand held the gun was steady as could be.
Danny was now crying, "So what do you need to hear Steve?...that I love you, that Chin and Kono and MaryAnn love you...damn it man Gracie loves you. Are you really going to do this to us...you, Superman?...you're gonna take the easy way out and make all of us live with that pain for the rest of our lives? I'll deal with it but don't think for one minute that I will ever forgive you for putting that pain on my daughter...My God Steve, I can't even imagine the pain you're feeling brother...but this isn't the way...what would Catherine be telling you right now, huh?...Now I'm going to take the gun from you...let me help you Steve...you're not alone...I'm here babe, I'm here"
Danny slowly reached out and placing both hands on top of Steve's he lowered the gun and removed it from Steve's grip. He tossed it to the side as Steve collapsed into his arms sobbing uncontrollably. The men sat on the floor as Danny held him tightly whispering to him, "I've got you Steve...let it all out...I've got you...you're going to be okay buddy" All the pain and built up anger spilled from Steve McGarrett.
Danny held his shaking partner in his arms for a long time, "It's okay Steve, you're not alone...let it all out babe"
"Why...whhyyy...Danny...wwhyy..."
"I don't know...I'm sorry...God I'm so sorry"
As they sat, Danny rocked back and forth trying to comfort his distraught friend as tears fell from his eyes as well. He felt so terribly helpless and afraid. He silently prayed for God to guide him on how to help his tortured friend.
Suddenly Steve pulled himself from Danny's grip and staggered from the room. Danny raced after him, following him into the bathroom where Steve knelt over the toilet bowl vomiting violently.
Danny stood next to him running his hand soothingly across his back and shoulders. Once his body began to relax Danny went to the sink and grabbed a washcloth. He guided Steve, leaning him back against the tiled wall and handed him the cool, wet cloth. He then poured a glass of water from the sink handing it to his friend. "Here buddy" Steve took the water and wiped his face and mouth, then setting them onto the ground next to him.
Danny extended his hand, "Let's go downstairs okay?"
Steve took his partners hand and the men made their way to the living room.
Steve sat on the couch while Danny went to put on a pot of coffee. Danny returned a short time later with the coffee and sat next to Steve on the couch.
"I'm so sorry Danno"
"I don't ever want to hear that...you have nothing to be sorry for. I'm just glad I was here and that I heard you. Steve, you're my brother man and I love you. Talk to me, talk to Chin or Kono...we're here for you and we want to help you"
"But you can't help Danno...you can't give me back my family"
"You're right, I can't. All I can do is tell you that you are a special person Steve McGarrett. You told me early on in our partnership that you called me Danno as a term of endearment. Well buddy, I can tell you when I call you Superman or Super Seal although they are terms of endearment they are also said with the greatest of respect and admiration. You are a born leader and it is an honor to work for you"
"Danno, you don't work 'for' me, you work 'with' me…you are my partner and my best friend. You're one hell of a cop and more importantly you're one hell of a man and father. You haven't left my side in eight days…."
Smiling softly Danny responded, "Well that's a good thing now, don't you think? I'm not going to spout any crap to you. You're going to hurt and that hurt may never go away. You are going to have to find a way to live with it. It sucks man and like I've said before I would do anything to take that pain from you but I can't. All I can do is be here for you, listen to you and cry with you. I'll do that...I'll do that every damn day if you need me to because I love you. And as someone who loves you I'm going to plead with you to please...please...promise me that you won't allow yourself to get to the point again where you're putting a gun to your head. If you kill yourself Steve it would devastate a lot of people. You are loved very much my friend and I can tell you it's the most helpless feeling in the world for us because we just don't know how to help you"
"It won't happen again partner…..I promise you. You asked me what Catherine would be telling me…she would be telling me to get my shit together"
Danny smiled softly "God I loved that girl"
"Thank you Danny"
"Any time buddy"
Over the next five days Danny saw a change in Steve and although he still had many moments of quiet reflection, Danny also occasionally saw a spark in his partner's eye, a spark that days' earlier he thought he may never see again.
Steve was standing in ankle deep water, drinking a beer and watching the sunset when the call came in from a number he didn't recognize.
"McGarrett"
There was a moment of silence before the familiar voice spoke, "Hello son"
"Joe?"
"Yes Steve, it's me" Are you alone?"
Steve glanced up at the patio where Danny was manning the grill, cooking their steaks.
"Joe, Wo-Fat knows you're the one who killed his father. I gave you up Joe, to try and save Catherine, I gave you up. I'm so sorry. Where are you?"
"Steve, listen to me. We can't talk long. I am so sorry about Catherine and the baby, this is all my fault, not yours, and I hope someday you can forgive me. I have found Wo-Fat Steve, I'm ready to take him out"
Steve's body tensed and he spoke with a steely conviction, "No Joe, he's mine. Where is he?"
"Fly into Tokyo. Contact me at this number when you get here. Steve, tell no one this. I just found out that Governor Denning is working with Wo-Fat. I don't know who we can trust but we have to end this"
"I'll see you tomorrow sir"
"Be careful son"