Thank you for all the kind reviews. First multi chapter one and I don't want to disappoint anybody.

A little fluff here and there among the demons.

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As I suck the sweet air into my lungs, the thing is beside me again. But this time it's not alone. Looking around there are more of them...more than I can count. "Danny...Danny..." they chant over and over. As one of them grabs my arm I start screaming...

"Danny! Danny...hey man, wake up! It's alright, your having a nightmare." Steve said as he shook Danny gently by the arm. But Danny, even though his eyes were wide open was still asleep and caught in the horror of the dream. Jerking away he stumbled to his feet and moved toward the corner of the room. Heart pounding and breathing hard, he slid down the wall until he was sitting on the floor holding his arms protectively out in front of him.

Steve followed cautiously still calling Danny's name. Reaching the terrified man, Steve didn't touch him again but quietly started to talk. "Danny...hey partner, calm down. Everything is alright. You're at home and safe."

Slowly Danny became aware of his surroundings and to a familiar voice calling his name. Shaking his head slightly, he mumbled "Steve?"

"Yeah, it's me. Hey, you with me now?" Steve asked while gently clasping Danny's shoulder.

"Wha...what time is it?" Danny asked trying to regain some control of his emotions. "What happened?"

"It's eight thirty. I stopped to see if you wanted to grab a pizza and heard you yelling. And let me tell you, I think I had heart failure between the time I arrived at your door and when I finally got it opened."

"And just how did you open my door?" Danny asked, his eyes sliding across the room to view the door hanging by one hinge. "Oh wait, you don't need to answer that."

"God Danny, the way you were screaming, I didn't know what was going on. And you know you would have done the same thing." Steve replied. "Come on, let's get you over to the couch so you can relax."

"I'm alright." Danny said accepting the hand Steve held out to help him up. "Just had a little bit of a bad dream." he said trying to downplay what happened.

"Bad dream? You call that a bad dream?" Steve said rolling his eyes. "More like an all out nightmare if you ask me. Want to tell me about it?"

"No. What are you now? My shrink?" Danny answered.

"No," Steve replied sharply. "I'm your friend and it's rather disturbing to find your partner laying on the couch screaming at them, whoever they are, to get away."

Crossing the room, Danny sat hard on the pull out couch and ran his hand through his mussed up hair while Steve detoured to the kitchen, bringing back a glass of cool water and a dampened cloth. Handing both to Danny, who nodded gratefully, Steve perched on the arm of the couch.

As Danny took a drink there was a hesitant knock at the door. Steve crossed the room and swung it open awkwardly on its one hinge to find an elderly woman on the other side.

"Oh hello. I'm Mrs. Kelly from next door. I wanted to check on Daniel. I heard noises and thought perhaps he was having another one of those awful nightmares."

"Good evening Mrs. Kelly. Please come in, Danny's right here." Steve replied holding the door open.

Spotting Danny still sitting down, Mrs. Kelly moved towards him. "Daniel, are you alright? I heard you shouting. Was it another one of those nightmares you've been having?" she asked sympathetically.

Danny looked embarrassed. "Um, yeah, I'm good. Mrs. Kelly, this is my partner, Steve McGarrett. Thank you for checking on me and I'm really sorry if I disturbed you...again."

"Now Daniel, it's no bother. You just need to get a good night's sleep and relax a bit with some friends. Maybe those dreams will go away." Turning to Steve she said, "He's always had nightmares, but the last few weeks they seem to be getting worse." Shaking her head she added "I don't think the entire month after his little girl was kidnapped either of us us got much sleep."

"Oh really?" Steve answered looking pointedly at Danny who ducked his head. "Well I think that maybe I'll have him come back home with me. He can stay in the spare bedroom and hopefully both of you will be able to get some rest."

As Danny opened his mouth and started to protest, Mrs. Kelly agreed with Steve. "Now Daniel, it's not that I want you to leave, heavens who will I have to bake cookies for, but you really do need to get a few good night's sleep and at my age it wouldn't hurt me either."

"Yeah Daniel." Steve smirked. "Get some stuff together and we'll go to my place so both you and Mrs. Kelly can get a good night's sleep."

Danny opened and shut his mouth several times with nothing coming out for a moment. "Fine. But only for a few nights and then I'm coming back here." Softening his tone he looked at his neighbor. "Thank you again for checking on me Mrs. Kelly. Now if you need anything, you've got my cell number."

"Good night Daniel. Try to get some rest and when you get back I'll have a batch of those peanut butter cookies ready for you." Mrs. Kelly said smiling at Danny.

As Steve escorted the woman back to her apartment door she added, "Such a nice young man. Always helping out if I need anything. I told him he needs to find himself a good wife. He always seems so lonely. He doesn't seem to go anyplace unless Grace is here or he's coming home from work. Just sits in that apartment. Well, good night Mister McGarrett and take good care of Daniel for me."

Steve slowly moved back towards Danny's apartment thinking about what Mrs. Kelly had said. Sadly he hadn't realized just how much time Danny spent alone. Stopping inside the doorway, he observed Danny slamming items into a duffel bag.

"Only tonight and tomorrow night McGarrett and then I'm coming back on Sunday. And this is only because she asked and needs her sleep, otherwise I wouldn't be leaving." Mumbling to himself, Danny zipped the bag close and turned off the light. "Wait a second. What are we going to do about my door?"

"Give me a screwdriver. It just pulled loose on the bottom hinge." Danny found the requested tool and watched as Steve fixed the door. Throwing the screwdriver back into the room he pulled the door shut and locked it.

I'll follow you." Danny told Steve firmly as they approached their vehicles. "And yes, pizza sounds good. But I'll stop and pick one up on the way to your house. That way I can make sure it isn't covered with pineapple."

Grinning, Steve agreed and said he'd see Danny at the house.

Before Danny arrived, Steve already had the sheets changed. Grabbing a few paper plates and several beers, he sat down in the living room. As he found a game on television he thought Danny might like, he heard the purr of the Camaro's motor as it pulled into the driveway.

As the two friends sat munching pizza, Steve figured he'd try once more. "So Danny, what was the nightmare about? Mrs. Kelly said you'd been having them quite often for the last few weeks."

Danny put his slice down. "I really don't want to talk about it, but I suppose you'll be in ninja attack mode until I tell you." As Steve nodded, he sighed. "Remember what I told you when we were in the dingy about my friend Billy? Well it's...I've just been having dreams about him."

"Come on Danny. If you talk about it, maybe it'll help to get it out. You wouldn't believe some of the nightmares I've had and sometimes talking to a friend about it helps."

Staring at the television, at first Steve didn't think Danny was going to answer him. Suddenly he took a deep breath and began to talk in a low voice, "I've always felt guilty that Billy died while swimming out trying to help me. I know that his folks probably didn't mean anything they said after it happened, but they were hurting pretty badly."

"And they blamed you." Steve stated already knowing the answer.

"Yeah. I mean I understand now being a parent how much pain they were in. The thing is they never have forgiven me. Billy and I spent almost all of our time together and that included staying at each others houses and going on trips together. But after it happened his folks wouldn't even look at me if we passed on the street. I mean it was hard for me too...but I guess it really was my fault he died."

"Now hold on just a minute Danny." Steve quickly said. "It was an unfortunate accident. Nobody was to blame. It sounds like you could have just as easily died being caught in a riptide. They aren't easy to get out of."

"Yeah, it was just luck that I managed to get out. And by the time I swam to where I last saw him, he was just gone. They didn't find him for two days and when they pulled him out..." Danny's voice dropped to a tortured whisper. "And when they pulled him out, my dad and I were right there helping with that search group." Looking over at Steve he added softly "Since then I just really don't like the water."

"Aww Danny. I'm really sorry. And you started having the nightmares again after that?" Steve suddenly remembered what Danny had said several weeks earlier when he commented that not everyone was a SEAL. At the time he was amused when Danny said it, but now he realized just how terrified Danny really had been sitting in that leaking rubber raft.

"Yes. Eventually it got to where I'd only have it once in awhile but since the day we were in that dingy..."

"Man, I wish I hadn't suggested it. I had no idea. I just wanted to be there when you caught your first tuna. If I could take the entire thing back I would." Steve said sadly.

"No, Steve, you couldn't have known. I mean, I could have just told you that was the reason why I 'm uncomfortable around water, but I kept it to myself. Hey, I admit, catching that huge tuna was exciting. And I wouldn't have wanted anyone but my best friend with me when I did." Danny told him sincerely.

"So... what are the dreams?" Steve questioned.

"You know, now that I've told you about it, I really feel better. Do you mind if we don't talk about it anymore? I'm really kind of tired. Haven't been sleeping too well lately you know." Danny said with a slight smile.

"Danny..." Steve tried before being cut off.

"No really, I'm wiped out and I believe I could sleep about twelve hours straight. If you don't mind, I'll just head on up to bed." Danny prayed that Steve would just drop it.

"Alright. For tonight. But I really think you need to talk about it some more." Steve answered. "Maybe we can go out for pancakes in the morning and talk?"

"Sounds good babe. And thanks for being here for me." Danny said as he rose and started towards the stairs. "Night."

Sighing, Steve picked up the empty pizza box and carried that and the empty beer bottles out to the kitchen. Turning off the lights, he climbed the stairs and also went to bed.