Chapter 5

"He has a right to know!"

"Right now without a proper lead this will do nothing but put him in a rage!"

"Maybe-"

"No maybe, definitely!"

"He still has a right to know that Danny's pregnant!"

"Guys!" Junior called out to let them know that they'd arrived. Steve has been on edge the whole damn week but now he was frozen. Junior called out to get them to stop talking but also because he doesn't know what to do.

Kono and Tani came out running, their expressions different but they shared concern for Steve's wellness.

"Boss...you okay?" Kono asked. She was the one who wanted to tell him, but maybe Tani had a point.

Steve's eyes latched on to the evidence bag in Tani's hold and his heart stopped. "Is that..."

"Boss..."

Steve ignored her and snatched the pregnancy test to read it himself. He didn't know too much about it but he's seen enough TV to know what two little pink lines were.

"It could be a false positive," Tani mumbled helplessly.

"Would Danny be away if it were?" Steve demanded, his tone that kind he usually reserves to interrogations.

"Danny's had other kids and knows how this thing goes, so yes," Kono said, trying to help in some way. But there was no helping. Steve already felt horrible before, but now? Knowing that Danny wasn't just out there hurt and thinking Steve thought of her as a slut, but she was also pregnant? He felt like the worst person ever.

"Please tell me you are not completely hammered."

"Whatta ya want Kamekona? And don't say emer-geh-cy cos with you, it never really is." Steve replied with a small hiccup.

Kamekona shook his head in dismay. "They said you were in a state. Didn't think it was this bad."

"I'm upset! It's normal for people to be upset when your partner's missin' and and..." He was buzzed and upset, but not enough to go telling secrets. Was it even a secret? It was his kid too, he could tell people if he wanted to right? It's not like Danny's here to tell him no. But...he's the reason Danny's not here. Great, now he's sad again.

Kamekona's sigh brought him out of his thoughts. "I believe I can be of service with that."

"Whatta ya mean?" Steve asked with a furrowed brow. Kamekona gave him a look that took Steve too long to figure out but he eventually did. "You know where Danny is?"

"She came to me." Kamekona shrugged but looked down in shame. "Sista was upset. She was very hurt and when she explained her circumstances, I felt for her, brudda. It wasn't anything against you. I love you two, especially together! But her tale still reached my heart."

"Where is she Kamekona?" Steve demanded.

Kamekona gave Steve a once over. "I know you, and you're in no condition to drive. So hop in, I'll give you a ride."

Normally Steve would argue about not being the one driving, but Kamekona had a point about his condition. Not only should he not drive buzzed, but thinking about Danny being mad at him but also being away with their child has really fucked up his mind. He wouldn't be good to drive even if he was sober.

On the ride over, Steve sobered up a bit more. Even more so when he focused all of his SEAL training into the task at hand. He couldn't decide what to say to her, but he was willing to get on his hands and knees and beg Danny to forgive him.

Once Kamekona stopped in front of a hotel, Steve bolted to the counter and flashed his badge. Danny wasn't in her room, so Steve searched from the lobby to the pool and found her at the restaurant's bar. She had a drink in front of her, but thankfully it seemed untouched.

He approached her with caution, and once he was next to her, for once he couldn't think of a thing to say. So he sat down.

"I didn't order it," Danny said, without looking at him. She could tell it was him, she knew Steve very well. She'd know him from a side glance with no problem.

"But it's still yours?" Steve asked lightly.

Danny only looked over because it wasn't accusatory. It was tentative and a bit shy. Two things that weren't Steve. She motioned to some guy with her thumb. "Gift. There weren't any open tables for just one person, so I had to eat at the bar. But I guess I give off that lonely skank vibe, and he thought he'd try his luck."

Steve tensed, "Danny I'm sorry. I shouldn't have called you that...I was...mad. It's no excuse, but..."

Danny sighed. "I get it." She turned her whole body towards him and he did the same. "And you weren't wrong. Not in what you heard. Simmons did make a rather...open ended date invitation. It wasn't exactly an invitation but it was very heavily implied. I realized then that I was a virgin in this body and I panicked. I trust you more than anyone and I went to you with this...and then you made me dinner and made me feel special and the sex was amazing...and I realized...I didn't want to date anyone else. I...I might have wanted to try things out with you..."

"You do?" Seve asked, voice full of hope.

"Yeah, you big lug," Danny said giving him a shy smile. And then she frowned, "I didn't mean for you to think I used you. I guess that's what I did...or originally planned without thinking. But I didn't go through with it. I'm not mad at you."

"Then why have you been gone for a week without telling me where you are? Danny, do you have any idea how worried I've been?"

"We needed a break! We still sort of do. You said some things, I slapped you...we need time to cool off and really think about what it means to be in a relationship! Our bantering before would from time to time get in the way of the team's dynamics. What do you think will happen now if we're a real couple?"

"Damn it, Danny, we're not Ross and Rachel! We don't need a break and a week is already long enough! I love you and I can't stand being away from you, especially now that I know you're pregnant!"

There was a chorus of "What?"

Steve looked around because it wasn't only just Danny who exclaimed that. It was the guy who sent Danny the drink, the bartender, the waitress, Kamekona and the closest table to them. All of them had been listening to their not so private conversation.

"Do you guys mind?" Steve demanded with irritation.

"Sorry bruh, but we're invested in this tale. So please don't mind us, and continue." Kamekona said idly. The others nodded.

Steve glared but decided they weren't important. He grabbed Danny's hand and ignored the 'awes' in the background. "We know."

"We?" Danny asked, doing her best to ignore their audience as well.

"The team. We've been trying to find you and got a lead at your hotel. Either Kono or Tani found the pregnancy test in the trash. That's why you've been away, right?"

"To be honest, I only just found out yesterday. I was more upset about not being able to return to Five-Oh or be friends with anyone or...not see you anymore. I had a horrible headache from the last job where I got hit on the head only hours after I got punched in the face. So I went to a local clinic and they did a urine sample as a general thing I don't fully understand and when it came back it was positive. I was in shock and thought they might be wrong, so I took a homemade one and...and it was also positive and...well here we are."

"Doesn't explain why you kept moving hotels," Steve said with a pout.

"You guys are good. I had to keep moving if I didn't want to be found." Danny commented with a sheepish shrug. She pulled her hands away from Steve to wrap them around her stomach protectively in her insecurity.

Steve grabbed them back, "Danny...I am so sorry. For everything. For jumping the gun. For automatically thinking that just because you asked me to have sex you asked me to also be with you. For not taking it well and not giving you a chance to explain. For making you feel like you couldn't stay at your place or go to any one of our friends...we love you. I love you...please come home." Steve pleaded as he pulled Danny's hands to his lips to kiss them. "I can get on my hands and knees and beg."

"I'm glad you could put your ego away like that, babe. But yes...if you want me, I'll come back." Danny said. Steve beamed before leaning in to capture Danny's lips in a kiss. Their audience cheered. Danny rolled her eyes fondly, "When did my life become a soap opera?"

"I don't know but you love it," Steve said with a smile as he pulled Danny closer.

"Yeah, I do. I love you too by the way."

Steve beamed again, like a kid on Christmas morning as their audience cheered again.

Because even the people in the McDanno fic love the McDanno~ 3