I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.

Notes: Thank you ALL for staying with me through this! It as usual, got a tad out of control, but I hope it stayed true to itself. Also, many thanks for the ongoing healthy prayers. It seems as if things are really GREAT. The last MRI was conclusive that I don't need surgery. I will have monthly or bi-monthly tests for awhile, but the docs are pleased. Which is such a huge relief. :-) Thank you so very much for your kind words and so many wonderful prayers.

Fifilla, CinderH - thank you so much for the awesome beta help and expertise! Synbou and JazzieG were also equally stupendous for the endless "what if" questions that seemed to take this story off down a longer than intended path.

H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O

Chapter Twenty-Four

They were released within days of each other but forbidden to work actively, which translated to "not at all" per doctor's orders. And then weeks later, the best Ramirez would allow for days on end was desk duty for each until the dangers associated to inhaled smoke, concussion and whiplash were well overcome. Without complaint, both resumed desk duty at an excruciatingly slow pace. Danny's focus remained on the Jameson case but more in regard to Michael's well-being, his very personal quest, and what they eventually learned about the mother's death.

The focus gave them something to do together while desk bound in the offices. It also gave the crazy nature of the Eric Jameson case a healthier objective; an outcome other than the terrible trail of threatened, injured and dead people. Leaving HPD, Kono and Chin the task of indicting Al Harris and the identified smugglers that had so terrorized the docks for many months on end, Steve backed Danny up by re-investigating the old fire in L.A. that had taken Melissa Jameson's life and left a small ten-year old boy with a not so diligent father.

Long archived reports were obtained from both Los Angeles Police Department and the fire investigator. Eric Jameson had done such a fine job hiding his handiwork, the incident was never examined as a potential crime scene. Old documents were riddled with words such as 'accidental', unforeseen 'faulty wiring', and 'tragic' in regard to the young mother's lost life. An incendiary was never identified though the fire had burned fast and hot; much like what had occurred at Vernon Fields. The first firemen on site had complained about an odd chemical odor that dissipated.

With Michael unable to share his own findings, Natalie McGrath visited Five-0 headquarters often with his own original investigative work. They key of which was that the fire inspector was a close personal friend of Eric Jameson. One that had been paid off substantially to lie and hide the truth about the murder. Michael had visited this inspector at the assisted living home he was still currently residing in just outside of Los Angeles. With nothing to lose and much guilt which he wished to purge before he passed, the now elderly man had confessed everything to Michael which he had taped during their meeting.

"I think he's one of the most evil men we've looked into." Danny said to Steve as they finished listening to the inspector's old confession on the tape about how he had been paid off by Eric Jameson. Michael had even gotten the old man to sign the confession to paper. Natalie had found the document in the files and handed it to them as more substantive proof.

There had also been a very suspect note from the child protective services employee which had referred to young Michael Jameson's apparent fear of his father. All of these things had gone to the wayside by design or by accident. But they were fast being corrected now. With Natalie McGrath's help and the steadfast intervention of both Danny and Steve with L.A.P.D., the truth about his mother's death so many years ago, and the deadly arson had been resolved.

"You're giving this guy a new beginning, Danny." Steve declared as he hung up the phone for the last time with L.A.P.D.

"He did most of the work himself. He needed a voice and he needed help." Distracted for a moment, Danny was finalizing his report before he looked up from his desk. "You and I just finished what he started. But I definitely can't wait to tell him."

Steve didn't entirely agree about how the bulk of the work had been accomplished. But he did agree that telling both Natalie McGrath and Michael Jameson of the final success was one of the best days he had in quite some time.

After weeks in intensive care, Michael Jameson had finally been moved to a private room and was on his way to a full recovery. He'd been exonerated of any wrong-doing down at the docks or at Vernon Fields, and was anxious for release from the hospital. Regardless of the fact that his father was deceased, he wanted to finish what he had started. But he didn't know what Five-0 and his fiancée had been doing during the long length of his recovery.

It was almost divine providence that Steve and Danny closed out everything just prior to his official release. With their utmost glee, Michael learned of the changes in his mother's death the day he was scheduled to go home. Weak and overwhelmed by their support, he sat with a teary-eyed but beaming Natalie and openly cried in their presence when Steve and Danny presented him with the final documentation.

H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O

The office was quiet in the late afternoon as sunshine spread through the partially opened blinds to Steve's office. Danny was lounging with one hip on Steve's desk with a quizzical expression. Almost alarmed, Steve ducked when Danny leaned over to feel his forehead.

"You're sick. You must be." The statement was delivered dead pan even though Danny's eyes were bright with barely hidden laughter. "You're obviously very, very sick. Maybe I should give Ponch a call to check you out one more time."

"No. No, I'm perfectly fine, Danny." Chin resting arrogantly on tented fingers, Steve was equally amused even though the apparent joke was on him. "I'm having a moment so I hope you enjoy it while you can. It may or may not happen ever again."

"A moment?" Danny repeated and now he was openly smiling. "I should savor it then. Is that what you're trying to say?'

He cocked his head as if considering it and then smirked. "I always said you had great instincts, Danno."

That made Danny laugh outright, the sound of which allowed Steve to lean back happily in his desk chair. He had once missed the back and forth banter and absolute sarcasm that fairly dripped off his partner at both the best and worst of times. He knew that Danny understood that he couldn't make an outright promise not to fall back on his ingrained instincts, training or even his habits. But he would try where and when he could; Danny's laughter was proof of his own understanding, too because Steve had just made a decision. A decision that Danny approved of even though Steve was making it quite clear that it may or may not possibly occur ever again down the road.

Regardless of that moment's decision and uncertainty of the future, both of them were in a very good mood.

As of that day, the two were technically still on desk duty, though Steve was at the cusp of being in the field and easily could be out there now. It was no lie that he wanted to be based on the call that had just come in from HPD. Instead, he sat nearly idle in his office with his exuberant partner. Residual neck and back pain was keeping Danny down just a bit longer than he thought both would. The urgent call had just come in and yet Steve remained in the offices with Danny, while Chin and Kono joined the HPD forces at the bank where a dire hostage situation was in full swing.

That fact was directly responsible for Danny's ongoing good humor and it was rubbing off on Steve as he pushed back from his desk. "It's time. Let's see what we can do."

Leaving the office, the two stood across from each other at the smart table. Steve was soon focused on tracking positions while Danny relayed building schematics.

He looked up when he felt Danny staring at him during a lull in the operation. He had a full Cheshire cat smile as he casually drummed his knuckles on the table. Steve grinned back and then very seriously voiced once more what he had said earlier. "I can't promise you know."

Warmly, Danny extended his hand across the length of the smart desk and Steve had to laugh as they shook to seal the deal.

"Understood. But this, babe? I honestly like this moment." Danny's smile only widened. "It's enough." He stretched his hands wide over the desk and then folded his arms happily over his chest. "Things like this .. this is enough. It will do just fine, Steve."

When the call had come in from HPD, three of the four had begun to immediately gear up. Danny had suddenly stilled and become overly quiet. He had lingered by the lockers to ensure Steve had what he needed. He had double and then triple-checked his partner's weapons, spare gear and pack. Understanding that he couldn't yet go, Danny had even handed the full gear to Steve who had slowly accepted the help. Then things had changed so rapidly, the team had been left momentarily frozen in place.

"I'm staying here." Watching Danny's moody expression, Steve had spontaneously tossed the full pack into the corner. The decision made entirely for his partner was startlingly easy.

"Danny and I will run things from here; you two are in the field under Chin's direction. Stay in contact and go."

Steve's reward was Danny's stunned expression and subsequent easy sarcasm. Steve grinned to himself at the recent memory and looked up again to catch Danny's eye. The unspoken truth was that they always had each other's backs. Steve vowed to try to make his own just a little easier for his partner to manage.

~ End ~