This is pure McDanno bromance: a family-type story. No slash, no girlfriends unless you consider Rachel as such. This story is a testament to their enduring friendship.
Emotional and physical Steve whump with lots of Danny angst. A story based on an actual event that occurred in my family. Writing about it was good therapy and it may be the reason why it's taken me so long to write it. Hopefully this time there'll be a happy ending.
I'm in no way a doctor and therefore I haven't elaborated on the medical terminology. I'm writing from memory and did a bit of research to fill in the blanks.
Warning: The topic may be of a sensitive nature to some readers. Proceed at your own discretion.
Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0 or its characters nor am I affiliated with the show.
Set in season two.
H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50
Five-0 was working out the last details of a case involving a notorious jewel thief, one known for giving all the top intelligence agencies the slip. When a report of an outbreak of jewel heists on the island had reached his desk, Governor Denning assigned the case to his task force with the hopes that they could put an end to this endless hunt.
Danny was unusually early to work that morning. He had been a happy lark ever since he and Rachel had rekindled their romance shortly following her split with husband Stan Edwards over her pregnancy and the questionable paternity of the baby among other irreconcilable issues. Once the prenatal paternity test had conclusively determined that Danny was the father, Stan readily consented to a divorce. Danny had been her emotional pillar throughout the proceedings.
He sprightly took the steps two at the time up to the Five-0 offices where he found Steve at the smart table, massaging his left knee.
"Hey, you all right?" Danny asked with mild concern.
"Yeah," Steve hissed slightly. He gave his left knee a last rub before standing up straight. "An old injury that's acting up."
"Hum, must be the weather. All this sweltering heat is gnawing at your joints."
"That's a first for you. You usually don't start griping about Hawaii until at least ten in the morning."
"Yeah, that's when I'm fully alert and aware of what's ahead, which is another day under the scorching hot sun in this pineapple-infested island chasing after criminals that oftentimes give us the slip, like this jewel thief."
"Yeah, well, I think we'll catch a break this time. Duke is setting up a trap where we have on good authority that," he let out a yawn, "he'll strike next."
"Oh! Rough night?"
"Kinda. I didn't get much sleep. Kept tossing and turning," Steve said yawningly. He ran a hand across his face and stretched out his jaw to wipe off the increasing drowsiness.
"I on the other hand slept like a baby," Danny gloated.
"Yeah and we all know why," Steve scoffed. "So how are the divorce proceedings coming along?"
"Very well. Thankfully Stan isn't contesting the grounds of the divorce nor is he giving Rachel a hard time over their possessions. She keeps what's hers and he keeps what's his. He's agreed to sign the final decree and hopefully it'll all be over with soon."
"That's good. That's less tension to deal with."
"Yeah and since he knows that I'm the father of that baby, he can't fight for custody either."
A friendly smile crossed Steve's lips at Danny's win on all fronts. "Again congratulations, Danny. I'm happy for you. I always knew you two would eventually hook up again."
Danny gave a friendly tap on Steve's shoulder. "Thanks, babe."
Chin exited his office and walked toward the pair. "The trap is set, Steve. The merchandise will be delivered to the Black Pearls jewelry shop on Kalia Road tonight after closing time. Duke will have two officers posted around the premises."
"If Danny's hunch is right and there's a mole inside HPD, we'll nail him good this time."
"So how long is this stakeout going to last?" Danny asked.
"As long as it takes," Steve replied rather curtly.
Danny fashioned a sarcastic grin."Hum, ask a stupid question..."
"All right, let's go see Duke to lay out the plan of action."
"Let's stop on the way to stock up on bottles of water and powerbars in case it turns out to be a long night."
"Fine." No sooner had Steve taken the lead toward the exit that his knees buckled. Danny was quick to grab a hold of his arm to steady him.
"Hey! You okay?"
"Yeah," Steve hissed. He bent over to rub the aching joints before dismissing the incident with a wave of the hand. "Yeah, let's go."
The pallor of his partner's skin gave Danny reason for concern, and therefore decided to follow close on his heels. Steve had been plagued by increasing bouts of insomnia lately and Danny had come to wonder if the disorder was stress-related and solely due to the case at hand or that a deeper sinister ailment was lurking beneath.
H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50
Later that afternoon once the trap was set and the phoney gems had been delivered to the store, Steve and Danny geared up for their night stakeout at the jewelry shop.
Danny kept a watchful eye on his partner behind the wheel as signs of dozing off became apparent.
"Why don't I take the wheel for the rest of the way?" Danny offered. "You look like you're about to conk out."
Steve threw his head back, widened his eyes and stretched out his jaw. "No, I'm good. We're just minutes away now."
"You know if Samson knows it's a ploy and that the merchandise is counterfeit, he won't bother showing up."
"No one but us four, Duke and the two officers posing as the armored truck security guards are in on the scheme. If Samson doesn't bite that will narrow down our list of possible suspects, won't it?"
"Samson may already be on site sizing up the area. He's seen both our faces. If he spots us there he'll know it's an ambush and turn back."
"We won't show ourselves. I'll park the car somewhere inconspicuous and we'll walk the rest of the way to the shed out back and stay out of sight until he makes his move." He pointed to the jewelry store a few yards ahead. "There we are."
Steve made a turn right and parked the Camaro alongside the curb. They stepped out, checked their weapons and donned a Kevlar vest before heading down an untrodden path leading to a small shed in the back of the jewelry store, with Danny wielding a plastic bag containing the food and water provisions.
Once he and Danny were safely hidden, Steve peeked through a tiny crack in the wood through which he had a clear view of the back entrance. He then spoke in his earpiece. "Duke? Yeah, Danny and me are in the shed. Where are you and your men posted?"
"In a blue van parked across the street in the apartment building lot. It's inconspicuous among the other vehicles."
"That's good. Let it be clear that I give the signal. I want to catch him in the act."
"You got it."
"Kono and Chin are also both in position, Steve," Danny informed after checking with the cousins through his own Bluetooth.
"Good. He's got to show up. The last two stores he's hit followed a sizable delivery of valuable merchandise that only HPD knew about."
Steve was not known for his patience. Barely fifteen minutes into the stakeout that he started showing signs of edginess. He ran a hand across his face and huffed out in frustration. "Come on! Come on! Make your move you sonavubitch!"
Danny first gave his partner an amused sidelong glance, after which a deep crease appeared in his brow upon noting beads of perspiration on his forehead. However his concern dispelled some, as he attributed the sweat to the unusual sweltering hot night and Steve's anxiety ratcheting up a few notches.
"Steve? Are you there?" Duke asked through Steve's earpiece.
"Yeah? Any movement in front?"
"Negative."
"Danny thinks that Samson's mole might have tipped him off that the loot was counterfeit."
"If so then it'll have to be one of us three." Duke threw his two officers a suspicious glare. "No one else is in on that undercover operation. Let's give him a few more minutes. He probably wants to ensure the coast is clear."
Once the communication broke, Steve snarled to Danny "We've got to catch that bastard."
"It won't be the first time that he's eluded the authorities. He's a pro and very shrewd."
"I can smell him, taunting us." Steve said with his fists clenching and unclenching, nails digging into his palms. "I will not have him get away a third time. Not on my turf."
Danny reached a hand out to Steve and gave his shoulder an encouraging pat. "We'll get him one way or the other."
A tense forty minutes passed with Steve's patience reaching its boiling point. Suddenly, his Bluetooth crackled to life. "Steve, we have movement on the side of the store."
"What is it?"
"A dark van, can't make out the license plate from here. It's driving out back. It should be in your line of view right about now."
Steve spotted the van with one eye through the crack "Yeah, yeah I see it," he said with anticipation mounting.
Danny stepped up to Steve and found a tiny opening through the wood. He squinted to make out the man's features, though a bit murky in the dusky light. "That's him all right. He can't be alone."
They studied the burglar's demeanor. He was dressed in a maintenance man uniform, complete with cap and working gloves. He gave one quick sweep of the area before picking up his tool box and heading inside by easily picking the door lock."
"He's inside guys. Looks like a lone job. Danny and me are going in."
"Steve, wait. We'll cover you," Duke said.
"No Duke, keep your eyes out front. Chin? Kono?
"Right here, boss," Kono answered from inside the mobile electronic lab parked down the street.
"We'll stick a tracking device underneath his van, just in case we should lose him."
"I'm on it."
With gun at the ready, our two partners stealthily crept inside the store through the back door. Proceeding circumspectly, they scanned the place before making their way down to the basement.
"He disabled the security system and CCTVs," Steve observed. He pointed to one camera in particular with the green dot off.
With their backs plastered against the wall and gun pointing upwards they sidled up to the open vault.
"Must have had the combination of the safe to open that door so quickly," Danny wondered in a whispering voice.
Steve put his finger to his lips to shush him and poised himself ready to surprise the thief. "Ready?"
"Ready."
Inside the vault, Samson cursed his bad luck at the phony merchandise.
"What's the matter? They're not to your liking?" Danny quipped cynically with his weapon drawn.
"Five-0. It's over, Samson. Get your hands up and lace your fingers behind your head," Steve ordered with his gun thrust at the thief.
"This was a set-up," Samson gnarled.
"Gee, you think?" Danny smirked.
"Who was it that tipped you off about the shipping?" Steve asked.
"I know my rights. You don't have anything on me."
"For starters we caught you with your hand in the cookie jar. Counterfeit maybe but still incriminating. Then there's the charge of breaking and entering and I'm sure we can add a few more criminal offenses to the list."
Steve aired a satisfied smug and turned to Danny. "Book him, Danno."
"With pleasure." Danny stowed his weapon and grabbed his handcuffs. "Nice and easy, now." As he closed in to slap the cuffs on Samson's wrists, he caught sight of Steve swaying slightly. "Hey Steve, you al..." The distraction was enough for Samson to grab a wrench from the tool box and smash it against Danny's head, making him yelped in pain and drop the cuffs.
Samson took to his heels, thrusting both men aside on his way out the vault.
"I'll get him!" Steve bounced back from his bout with vertigo and sprinted after Samson. Halfway up the stairs, his left knee buckled. Samson seized the moment to kick his pursuer in the gut, momentarily debilitating him.
"Hey, you okay?" Danny asked worriedly.
"Yeah, go go go! Don't lose him!" Steve gasped out.
Steve staggered to his feet, still breathless. He tried climbing up the rest of the stairs but found that the little run-in had weakened him to the point where he had to take a small breather to recuperate. Why was it taking him so long to bounce back?