A/N #1: Well, here we are- at the end (almost). Thanks to all of you who read and especially reviewed this story. I'm honored that you took the time to spend with me and I hope you enjoyed the story. (And for some of you, I hope you've forgiven me for making Steve go missing for 19 months!) ;)

A/N #2: Please check back on Thursday for a short, silly little piece I wrote about one of the things Danny was up to while Steve was gone. I'll post it as another chapter here (not as a new story).

A/N #3: And I can't close the story without thanking my wonderful betas, Cokie316 and Rogue Tomato. I joked back before Chapter 1 that my stories would suck without them. And that's true—they would. But the other truth is without them, I probably would have given up writing fan fiction a long time ago. So thank you, ladies, for your friendship. And for making me want to stick it out. Group hug.

Epilogue

Two weeks later

Danny looked impatiently at his watch again.

A watched pot never boils and apparently, a partner who's run off to Asia—again- never calls.

Which was an exaggeration, of course. Steve had called exactly twice—once to tell Danny he and Qīng Lài had arrived safely and once, two days ago, to tell him he was coming home.

Danny supposed he should take this as a sign of improvement. After all, after Steve ran off to North Korea with Jenna Kaye, all communication ceased. Then when he went looking for Shelbourne in Japan, all he left was a "Dear Danny" note. In comparison, two phone calls was fairly communicative, if not downright loquacious.

But it was funny—after 19 months of not having Steve around, it was amazing how quickly Danny got used to him being there again. It was almost like the past year-and-a-half had been a bad dream.

But it hadn't, and Danny had the title of Lieutenant and responsibility of leading Five-0 to prove it. Which would make for one potentially awkward conversation when Steve got off the plane; one that Danny had been avoiding from the moment he saw his partner standing in the middle of a pineapple farm.

Danny wasn't sure if his decision would have the Governor's backing or not. They had had plenty of discussions over the last two weeks regarding the trafficking bust and Steve's participation in it, but they hadn't discussed this particular scenario. And while Danny had gotten to know the Governor a bit better over the past few years, the man was still hard to decipher. He acted like a watchdog on occasion but then turned around and, at other times like with the Russian consulate, he had their backs. The best Danny could figure was the man didn't like bad press but liked results. So as long as they handled things internally and didn't make a big fuss, it should all be ok.

At least that's what Danny hoped; because the alternative simply wasn't acceptable.

A voice over the loud speaker announced the arrival of Hawaiian Airlines flights #126 from Los Angeles and #271 from Shanghai and Danny stood up. His back and legs were tired of sitting in the hard plastic chair anyway. A few minutes later, people began filtering into the baggage claim area.

Most were tourists, with their happy, shiny faces, wearing Hawaiian shirts or bright tropical print sundresses and straw hats. Those who had drivers waiting for them were greeted with leis; those who did not eyed the flowers in the vending machines, wondering if it was worth parting with ten bucks to buy one for themselves to complete their Hawaiian fantasies.

The locals were easier to pick out. They looked bored and were usually sporting well-worn tank tops, shorts, and flip flops, which Danny would refuse to call slippers until the day he died. Their dark tans this early in the year were also a dead give-away. As were their lack of humongous camera bags.

The baggage carousel beeped, then began turning before Danny saw Steve clearing customs and entering the baggage claim area. He looked a little tired, probably from a lack of sleep on the plane, but otherwise he looked relaxed. Even happy.

At least more relaxed and happy than Danny had seen him since Steve returned from the land of the presumed dead. Which was no surprise; Danny actually felt that way himself. Now that Steve was back, the dark cloud from the prior year-and-a-half was gone and things could get back to normal. Danny would even let Steve drive the Camaro without a fuss. Well, at least for a few weeks. And then only if he was still allowed to complain loudly about Steve's driving skills, or lack thereof. But still, Danny thought it was a generous offer on his part.

And a sign that although some things had changed, others things had not. Because sometimes, the best way to move forward was to get back to the way things used to be.

And Danny, for one, could hardly wait.

*H50*

Steve saw Danny the second he walked into the baggage claim area. Even after several years in Hawaii, Danny still managed to stand out, like he didn't quite belong. Which, of course, was the opposite of the truth.

Danny might not always mesh with Hawaii as a place to live, but there was no doubt that he had carved a nice life for himself with Five-0. It was truly where he belonged, now and in the future.

Steve had been thinking a lot about the future during his two weeks in China. If the past 19, now 20, months had taught him anything, it was not to take his loved ones for granted. And after seeing Qīng Lài reunited with her family, it made him long all the more for the family he had created for himself.

He was fairly certain he would be able to make things work with Cath when she came out in a few weeks. And after years of dancing around the subject, he was ready to actually admit she was his girlfriend, if not much, much more. And he would reach out to his mom and Mary, as well. Things with them were always a bit strained due to their broken past, but they had been getting better before he left and he was more determined than ever to make it work. And with Five-0…

That's where it got trickier.

Because he simply couldn't imagine going to a job every day and *not* seeing Chin working his magic at the smart table one minute and brandishing a shotgun the next. And Kono, who he met as a surfer with a mean "love tap", had become almost like a sister and a force to be reckoned with in her own right. And Danny… Steve couldn't imagine a day going by without hearing his partner go off on some random rant, his hands flying while his hair stood still, all the while wearing a tactical vest and watching his six.

Those things would not change; could not change, not if Steve was to remain happy and sane, his life full.

Which meant something else would have to give. Namely, his position on the job.

Danny had earned his spot as the head of Five-0 and his record was impressive — just as good as Steve's had been when he had led the task force. And Steve, if he wanted to still belong, would need to fall in line, even if that meant he was number two.

Or three. Or four.

And fall in line he would. After all, he was happy to still have a job. There had been no guarantee the Governor would even agree to have him back and his only meeting with the man, one day after the bust, hadn't exactly gone smoothly. Not because Steve had gone missing and reappeared, but because of all the crimes he'd committed since that fateful day when he chased Wang Lee onto Song's ship. And running around Hawaii, operating as a law enforcement officer when he didn't have the authority or medical clearance to do so, didn't really help matters either.

But still, the Governor seemed to know a good thing when he saw it. And if there was one thing that Five-0 was, it was a good thing. Good for Hawaii, good for the Governor, good for each other.

So as he approached Danny, Steve resolved to adjust and follow his partner's lead because the sum of the whole was more important than the part. Now more than ever.

Danny grinned and opened his arms for a man-hug, clapping his hand against Steve's back a few times. "You don't write, you don't call…" he teased, breaking their embrace. "I was worried you might have changed your mind and decided to stay in China for a while."

Steve grinned back. "Sorry about that. I decided to stop by and see some old friends."

"Anyone I know?"

Steve shook his head. "No. And nobody you'd want to know, either. They were some of my more recent acquaintances."

"Ah," Danny replied, shoving his hands in his pockets and rocking back on his feet. "And how did that go?"

Steve smiled smugly, thinking of the hard old woman and her indifferent nephew who ran the brothel turned trafficking house. "Fairly well. They seemed genuinely surprised when the local police busted their operation and hauled them off to jail. Apparently, they were given up by an anonymous tip."

Danny chuckled. "Anonymous, huh?"

Steve shrugged. "Well, I couldn't exactly waltz into the local police station and clue them in. I mean, I'd been made by at least one of their officers. For all I know, there's an artist's sketch of me hanging in the bulletin board in the break room. And I have no doubt they would have been happy to toss me in prison right along with them if they realized who I was."

"Realized who you were pretending to be," Danny corrected with a smile. "There's a difference."

Steve paused, then nodded. "Yeah."

There was a difference. A huge one and the point was not lost on Steve. After three solid days of seeing just pieces of his past and thinking the worst, it had been liberating to finally remember the whole story. The reproach he felt for himself during those days had somehow been made both better and worse by his team's refusal to believe he had turned bad as they relentlessly pushed for the truth. He would owe them for that forever.

"And how did it go with Qīng Lài?" Danny continued on, conversationally.

At the mention of her name, Steve broke into a wide smile. He thought about her bouncing all the way on the plane ride home, so excited at the idea of seeing her family again that she barely slept, instead watching the in-flight cartoon movie three times in a row. How she sat beside him nervously in the rental car as they drove to her tiny village. How she started crying the minute he pulled-up in front of her family's small farm house, and how for the first time since he'd known her, she was shedding tears of joy. And the way her face lit up when her mother answered the door… Steve would never forget it as long as he lived.

Just like he would never forget her.

And a new laptop, complete with a built-in camera and a pre-loaded Skype account, was currently on the way to her house to prove it.

"Great," Steve replied. "She was happy to be home."

Danny rolled his eyes. "I think you're leaving out a few pertinent details there, Mr. Master of the Understatement. You know I'll drag it out of you later."

Steve grinned. "That's fine."

And it was. He would be happy to share the story later, when they were all assembled together, and he could share his bittersweet joy with the three people whose belief in him made her return home possible.

Steve would be happy to tell them how beautiful it was to hear her voice when she finally talked two days later; how melodious and precious her giggle was to his ears. And how hard he laughed when Qīng Lài started speaking in perfect English one day, complete with a Hawaiian accent, much to the surprise of her parents and younger brother.

He would be happy to share it all.

But first, he needed to clear up something.

"Danny?"

"Hmm?"

Steve shifted uncomfortably. "Look, I need to talk to you about something. About my job. Or, actually, about my position on the job."

"Look, Steve, about that…" Danny started, then his voice trailed off.

Steve's stomach dropped. "What? Did the Governor decide to fire me?"

"No, no, nothing like that," Danny reassured. "It's just, well…" he seemed to struggle to find the words. "It's just that I don't want you to be my backup."

This time, Steve was fairly certain his heart stopped.

"What?"

"I've just been thinking and I really don't think that's the best place for you to be," Danny rushed on, trying to explain.

"So… you want Chin to be your partner instead? Or Kono?"

Because on a certain level, that made sense. A lot of sense, in fact. Steve wasn't naive enough to think that Danny had gone without backup for 19 months. One of them had most likely become his permanent partner and Steve would just need to fit in where he could, which was exactly the pep talk he'd given himself not 15 minutes ago. But understanding it in theory was a lot harder than accepting it in reality.

"What?" Danny replied, clearly confused. "No. Of course not. It's just that I'd rather be your back-up." He sighed as he looked at Steve's still confused face. "Look, what I'm saying is you can have your old job back. You can lead and I'll be your partner."

Steve scrunched up his face and cocked his head, surprised. "Really?"

Because it made no sense. No sense at all. Danny had earned the job and he did it well. Why was he giving it away now?

"Look, Danny," he said. "I appreciate it. Really, I do. But I'm not taking your job away from you."

Danny nodded. "You're right. You're not. I'm giving it back to you willingly."

Which still made no sense.

"Why?"

Danny sighed and ran his hand across the back of his neck, looking down. "Because," he started and then looked back up. "Because Five-0 is your baby. It has your fingerprints all over it—the way we operate, the methods, the tactics, the logic—it's 100% pure Steve McGarrett. And I can run it and get results but it just doesn't feel right. It's not the same." He paused and sighed again before continuing. "And the truth is, I hate it."

Steve's face fell.

Danny seemed to notice and hurried to make amends. "Maybe hate is too strong of a word but we all feel that way. Chin and Kono are too polite to say anything, of course, but I can tell they think so, too. Without you leading the charge, running around with all your crazy stunts and interrogating people with air horns, something is just off. And as much as it kills me to say it, we need that insanity back. Because without it, we're just a shell of what we could be; of what we're meant to be. So would you please just take your job back before I have to resort to begging?"

Steve looked at Danny thoughtfully. He had become adept at reading his partner over the years and even though he was still sometimes surprised at what set Danny off on a rant, he could always tell when his partner was sincere. And right now, he was. Danny really wanted him to take his old job back.

And the truth was, Steve wanted it back more than he had allowed himself to admit.

Danny didn't seem to know what to do with the silence as Steve kept thinking. "Please don't make me tell you about how it was six months after you disappeared before I could go into the blue room again," he pleaded.

The corner of Steve's mouth quirked up in a smile. "I think you just did, partner."

It took a few seconds to sink in, but then Danny grinned.

"So you'll take your job back?"

Steve nodded and smiled. "But only since you insist."

Danny's smile grew wider. "Oh, trust me, I insist." Then he nodded toward the baggage carousel. "Isn't that your duffel?"

Steve looked over, having totally forgotten he was standing in the middle of the airport. His bag was the only one still sitting on the carousel, which had evidently stopped turning a while ago. He reached down and picked it up, throwing the strap over his shoulder. Then, as they made their way toward the exit, he held out his hand.

Danny grinned, knowing what he was implicitly asking for, and dug into his pocket. Then he took out the Camaro's keys and dropped them into Steve's outstretched hand.

"Now that the change of power has been completed, maybe now would be a good time to tell you about a few of the items you have outstanding," Danny said slyly.

Steve looked over. "Like what?"

"Oh, you know. The Governor needs next year's operating budget in a week. The ammunition usage report and requisition was due two days ago. And all the paperwork from our last case is outstanding as well."

Steve cut his eyes over but couldn't quite bring himself to frown.

"What?" Danny asked innocently, a big grin plastered all over his face. "I've been busy. First, I had to help some grouchy amnesiac regain his marbles, then I had to engineer a massive raid on a mansion and seven ships. And then while you decided to take a two week vacation, I had to sit in meetings all day and brief the FBI while listening to the Governor take credit for the whole thing."

Steve shook his head and smiled. "I'll get started on the paperwork first thing tomorrow morning. But tonight, we're going out to celebrate."

"I like the sound of that," Danny replied. "You buying?"

Steve reached for his wallet, then stopped. "I exchanged all my cash for Yuan on the trip. And I kind of gave all my money from the past 20 months to Sang Min," he explained sheepishly.

Danny nodded. "Good to know some things never change. I guess now would be a good time to tell you that as my last official act as leader of Five-0, I got the Governor to agree to give you 20 months of back pay. It should have been direct-deposited into your account yesterday."

Steve stopped walking, stunned. "How'd you do that?"

Danny stopped as well and shrugged. "Well, you were technically working a case for Hawaii all along. And I thought he might be agreeable, considering how the FBI kept telling him that we had, and I quote, 'orchestrated the largest blow to human trafficking in decades'".

Steve smiled. "That does have a nice ring to it."

"Yes, it does," Danny agreed as they started walking again. "So, back to the pertinent point- you're buying, right?"

Steve threw back his head and laughed. "Yeah, man. I'm buying."

"Well, then," Danny looked over and smiled. "I'm glad you're back."

With that, Steve could agree.

"Yeah, partner. Me, too."

The end