Last chapter before epilogue! Now I get to put all the peices together again.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Hawaii Five 0 (boy do I wish)

Anyways, enjoy!

Steve and Danny had avoided each other for the rest of the evening. Steve had stayed keeping busy in the guest room while Danny was busy in the kitchen getting ready for his kids. Rachel had decided to cut their trip to Florida short to make sure that the house and all their neighbors were okay. Danny had ofered to watch the kids while she and Stan helped.

Rachel had been happy to have him watch them, and Danny did not feel guilty at all using the storm as an excuse to see more of his children. Danny knew that his kids would be happy to see Uncle Steve, so he was hoping that they would distract him and Danny from whatever awkward tension had formed between the two since their argument.

Danny had the food ready by 5:50, and was now just waiting for Rachel to drop Grace and Charlie off. Danny busied himself in the kitchen while Steve read his 'Guns and Ammo' magazine in Danny's living room.

As soon as the doorbell rang, Danny came running at the door to greet his kids. He flung the door open and got down on one knee as Charlie ran to him.

"DANNO!" He shouted. He ran to Danny's arm and Danny picked him up and spun and groaned as he held him tighter.

"Hey kiddo!" He said happily. He extended an arm to Grace who leaned into the hug.

"Hey Danno." She said smiling, one hand wrapped around Danny, the other holding her phone and her bag.

"You guys hungry?" Danny asked looking between the two of them.

"I'm starving." Grace said.

"Me too! I haven't eaten in five years!" Charlie said.

"Five years?" Danny exclaimed, putting a fake frown on his face. "Why don't you go wash your hands and set the table while I talk to your mother about starving you okay?"

Charlie giggled and Grace just smiled. "Okay, Danno." Charlie said as he ran inside.

Danny shut the door as he stepped outside to greet Rachel just as he heard a happy Charlie and Grace exclaim, "Uncle Steve!"

"Is Steve there?" Rachel asked. "Danny if you don't have enough space I can-"

"No, no Rachel Steve is staying in Eric's room while he's out with a friend. He's practically got everything packed for his new house anyway. But thank you." He said as he squeezed her shoulder in an appreciative gesture.

Ever since he found out about Charlie, things between the two of them had been... complicated. But recently, he found that it was easier just to forgive. He would never forget, but he could forgive if that was what was best for his children. If both of their parents could not be together, then at least they would not be fighting.

"I'm good here, just go make sure that everything is okay." Danny said smiling.

Rachel gave him a quick hug. "Thank you, Daniel."

"Of course." He responded. As she got in the car he waved and he watched her pull out of the driveway and down the street.

He put on a smile and walked back inside his house.

He was not prepared to see Charlie on Steve's shoulders chasing a screaming Grace who was trying to get away from the two of them.

Danny was surprised. Number one, he had told Steve time and time again that Charlie was not to go on his shoulders ever since he bruised his forehead on the doorway the last time Steve had done it.

Charlie had almost gotten a concussion, and Danny decided it would be best not to tempt fate again.

Plus, he was pretty sure he told his kids to wash up and put out the silverware. So that, and the fact that Steve was breaking one of his only rules, plus his exhaustion from today and still underlying anger fromt their argument caused Danny to lash out a little harder than intended.

"What the hell are you doing?" He yelled without thinking. His hand quickly went to his mouth as Charlie put his hands over his ears and shouted:

"Danno said a bad word!"

Danny looked at Steve who was suddenly really interested at staring at Danny's wall while Grace stared at her phone that Danny could tell wasn't even on.

"Yes Charlie, Danno said a bad word because Danno was surprised." Danny put on his best fake grin, folded his hands in front of him, and leaned forward.

"Would you like to tell Danno why you are on top of Uncle Steve when you know you are not allowed to and are supposed to be getting ready?"

Charlie pondered his answer for a moment. "Uncle Steve said you were being grumpy and ir-rr-rati-ationable," Charlie said fumbling on the word,"and that we should play until you got back."

Grace snorted in surprise while she continued to stare at her phone and Steve visibly cringed.

"He did now?" Danny asked. "Well, why don't you and Gracie go get your stuff unpacked and ready and then we will all gather together for a nice meal. How does that sound?"

Charlie frowned. "Danno I'm hungry." He whined.

Danny was about to say something, but Grace spoke before he could. "The faster we unpack the faster we can eat okay?"

Charlie grinned. "Okay. Uncle Steve can you put me down now?"

Steve, now paying attention, looked up at Charlie. "Sure, bud." He gently set Charlie down and Grace took his hand and led him back to his room. When they both had gone, Steve and Danny stood looking at each other.

Well, Steve was looking at the ground while Danny silently fumed at him. "I'm being grumpy and irrational?" He asked.

"I didn't-"

Danny interrupted. "Hang on, Steven." He said. "Let's get one thing clear. You can say whatever thing you want about me either to my face or behind my back, but don't you ever, ever say it in front of my kids. Second, I am their parent. Yes you are Uncle Steve, but what I say comes first and if that means no shoulder rides, no shoulder rides. Do you understand?"

Danny stepped closer to Steve during his heated words pointing a finger at him. Steve looked shamefully at the ground and then looked at Danny.

"Danny, I'm sorry I was just kidding around with them."

Danny visibly deflated. "I get that Steve, it is just..." Danny stopped and rubbed his hands over his face and sat down on the couch. He put his head in his hands and looked up at the worried look Steve was giving him. "I know."

Steve sat down next to him. "Look, there is something I need to tell you."

"It's okay, Steve I'm just-"

"Shut up for once in your life and listen to me." Steve snapped.

Danny did shut up, but not because Steve asked him to, but because he was shocked that Steve had just said that to him.

"During this storm, I learned a lot about you. I learned about your history and why you are the way you are. The last thing I learned," he said pulling out the notebook from underneath his 'Guns and Ammo' magazine,"is that you don't think I trust you."

Danny looked down at the ground as Steve continued. "You said it earlier. You think that because I drive your car and go in first and sometimes don't tell you things is because I don't trust you." Steve made sure that Danny was listening to the next part.

"Danno, I trust you more than anyone else in my life. More than Chin, Kono, more than Catherine and even my own mom."

"Well your mom is a very shady person." Danny joked.

Steve shook his head. "My point is Danny, is that I do trust you. I have always trusted you to have my back. If I didn't trust you, I wouldn't have you as my partner. You are my best friend, my brother, and I need you to know that. Because that is important to me, Danny. That you know that I trust you, no matter what your background is or your annoying habits. Do you understand me right now?"

Danny looked up from the ground and nodded. "I think so."

Steve frowned. "I need you to do better than that."

"Well then why..."

"I don't let you drive because I got into a car accident when I was younger after my dad left. Because of that I don't like it when other people have control of vehicles. I need to know that I can control what happens."

Danny was shocked. "Steve... I never knew..."

Steve held up a hand. "I don't let you go through doors first because... well Danny, honestly I'm scared of losing you. I know it sounds cliche, but if I can go through the door first, then I can always make sure that you are clear. My worst nightmare," Steve said pointing towards the hallway where Grace and Charlie's rooms were,"is that I will have to tell those kids that their dad isn't coming home. Call me selfish, but that is why I won't let you go through doors first."

Steve sighed and continued. "I don't keep you informed all the time because... well Danny, I know how hard you work for those kids. I know that you work overtime to get money to do things with them, even if you try to hide it."

Danny looked down at the ground and blushed.

"That's why if you don't need to be involved, I don't want to involve you. So you see, it never was about not trusting you. I will always trust you, Danny. I'll always have your back and you'll always have mine."

Steve watched as Danny hung his head in silence for a moment. Danny sniffed and looked up at Steve. "I uh... I don't know what to say."

Steve smiled. "Just say that we're good."

"Yeah," Danny said patting Steve's knee, "yeah we're good."

Perfect timing as always, Charlie chose that moment to come running into the room. "I'm ready."

"You're ready?" Steve asked animated.

Charlie nodded his head.

"What do you say, Danno, you want to feed this starving kid?"

Danny smiled, got up, and went to the kitchen and began serving food. Dinner was great as always, and the four of them had a blast while eating. Danny was happy to see that Grace even left her phone in her room and engaged in conversation for once.

When all of them were done, Grace and Charlie were in bed, and Steve and Danny were cleaning dishes, Danny stopped Steve.

"Just so you know, I trust you too partner." He said.

And just like that, Steve knew that they were going to be okay.

Maybe even better than okay. Because if there was anything he learned from his partner over the past couple days, is that no matter what annoying habit or quirk Danny had, he would always be his brother.

And as a brother, they would always have each other's backs.

~The End~