/ / / Goodbye \ \ \

Steve watched his mother fly away and tried to work out what to do with the fact that she was alive but she was leaving him again. He wasn't surprised when Danny's car drove into the hanger as soon as the plane was taxiing. Steve knew his mother had been downright rude to Danny but he hadn't had a chance to find out exactly what was said and why and now he never would. He expected Danny to do what he always did, Steve was expecting a hug but Danny didn't even touch him, didn't offer any affection or comfort just came to stand next to Steve; something was wrong.

"You okay?"

Danny sighed and Steve felt his entire torso clench at the sound. "Your mother said that she exchanged gunfire with Wo Fat right?"

"Yeah, right before he escaped out the window, why?"

Danny explained what the crime lab had found and Steve refused to accept what Danny was saying.

"No, I'm asking why didn't she kill him when she had the chance?" Danny said finally.

Steve turned to look at the plane disappearing and realised he was in the same boat he had been in before Japan, he had no idea who had just flown away, she wore his mother's face and she called him Steve in the same tone he remembered but he knew nothing about her.

"Steve," Danny said and finally rested a hand on Steve's bicep. Steve jerked back from the contact. "Babe."

"Why would she let Wo Fat go?" Steve stepped back from Danny. "He was the reason she couldn't stay here with me."

Danny's eyes got wide and Steve hated his partner a little bit for telling him this.

"Why are you doing this to me?" Steve asked turning around and walking away.

"Steven," Danny said and Steve could hear him jogging over to catch up. "I couldn't lie to you about this."

"She said she didn't want to go again, you have to be wrong. She had no reason not to at least capture him. Mum killed Wo Fat's father, he was the reason she had to leave she would have had to defend herself."

Danny nodded. "Maybe it went down differently and she didn't want you to worry."

"Don't pretend like you aren't glad she's gone." Steve spat. "You didn't like her at all. I bet you're glad she left me."

Danny took a step away from Steve. "Let's go home and talk about this Steve."

Steve shook his head. "No." Steve turned and walked out of the hanger and towards his car.

"Goddammit Steve, you're right I don't like your mother." Steve paused but didn't turn to face Danny who continued to speak. "She left you, Wo Fat is a reason but she let you think she was killed and when you found her she didn't even fucking apologise for ruining your childhood. Your father sent you and Mary away when you were teenagers and both of you had to learn how to make do on your own. I hate her for doing that to you but I suppose I could forgive her except she keeps treating you like you're still sixteen and thinks I'm just playing with you. She acts like she's an amazing spy but she couldn't deal with Wo Fat? You managed to get him and he'd had another twenty years to build up his contacts and abilities. I want her to be more for you Steve."

"She's my mother," Steve said quietly after a few long minutes.

Suddenly there was a wall of warmth at Steve's back as Danny pressed himself into Steve and wrapped his arms around Steve's waist. Steve moved to break away but Danny tightened his hold.

"Steve, let's go home and talk."

Steve tensed and pulled away. "I'll meet you there."

Steve walked away without turning around.

/ / / / /

Danny swore under his breath and turned around to head back to his car. By the time he'd made it through to the other side of the hangar Steve's car was gone and he had no option but to go home and hope that Steve would meet him there. Danny had seen this coming; he knew that eventually Steve was going to break under the pressure of holding in everything he was feeling about his mother. Danny wished Wo Fat had have given them at least a day before he had to break out of prison to allow Danny a chance to lock Steve in a room and talk to him before it all fell apart. That wasn't their life though so Danny couldn't say he was surprised that everything would come to a head when there was no way to contain Steve. He drove home with his lights flashing not really caring that this didn't count as an actual emergency.

Danny pulled into his normal parking spot in their driveway and dropped his head down onto his steering wheel when he could see that Steve's car wasn't waiting for him. Danny pulled himself out of the car and was about to call Kono to put a trace on Steve's phone when his rang, he name flashing.

"Kono?" Danny asked. "Have you seen Steve?"

"No brah, he's seeing his mother off. But I have excellent news. Chin just called and Malia woke up."

Danny couldn't stop the smile. "That is excellent Kono, is she okay?"

"She'll be okay, the fact she woke up is amazing."

"Are you going to see her?"

"I can't yet, I'll have to wait until she's out of intensive care but Chin said he'd call me later."

"That's great." Danny knew he couldn't ask her to stay at work and trace Steve for him. "You should head home and get some rest. Do you want someone to be with you when you go?"

Danny heard Kono laugh. "I'm walking in with my gun drawn but no I have to go home alone."

"I'll be expecting a message."

"I'll deliver. Something's wrong with Steve isn't it?"

Danny sighed. "I told him about what the crime lab found."

"Want me to set up a trace?"

"No," Danny said quietly. "He'll come home when he's ready."

"Do you need someone to go home with you?"

Danny laughed but it was a hollow sound. "No, go home. Get some rest. Check in with me."

"Will do Danny, you should get some rest too."

"I will," Danny promised.

"Liar," Kono said and they both knew she was right. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow Kono."

They said their goodbyes and Danny climbed out of the car.

Danny went inside and had a shower and made himself something to eat. He made something for Steve too and put it in the fridge and then he vacuumed and did some light dusting. He changed their sheets and then moved onto Grace's room but Steve still hadn't shown up. Danny turned on the TV but he couldn't settle down to watching anything and sitting on the lanai just made him miss the warmth of Steve pressed into his side when they would come out here after a mission.

Danny was cleaning out the fridge when he finally heard Steve's car outside at the same time as his phone rang. He answered when he saw Rachel's name and realised the time. "Hey Monkey."

"Hey Danno, you're back."

"I am. I'm sorry I couldn't call you earlier."

"That's okay Daddy, did you bring me anything?"

Danny laughed just as Steve walked through the door and he froze the sound caught in his chest. "Steve."

Steve closed the door behind him and the look on his face broke Danny's heart. "Monkey, I have to go. I will call you later okay?"

"Okay Daddy, love you, say hello to Steve."

"I will Gracie, bye."

Danny put his phone down and took a step towards Steve who stood with his back to the door looking like someone had just broken his heart. Steve didn't move but when Danny reached him he did curl his arms around Danny's frame and pull him in tight. Danny made sure his hold was just as tight as Steve's as they stood just inside the door in complete silence. He could feel Steve's nose pressed into his neck while Steve's smell surrounded him.

Danny couldn't be sure how long they stood there but when Steve started to pull away and Danny moved his knee protested. "Come on Steve, let's sit down." Steve nodded and allowed himself to be lead to the couch and pushed down onto it. Danny went into the kitchen and pulled the food he'd made out even though he knew that Steve wouldn't eat it and got them both a beer. He sat down next to Steve who turned to look at him.

"I needed some time to think."

Danny nodded. "Okay."

"She never even said she was sorry," Steve said in a calm, detached voice. Danny knew men who'd be bawling like a baby if their mothers treated them like Doris had treated Steve but he looked calm now, the lost and broken look from before had disappeared somewhere within their embrace.

"I know."

"You'd never leave Grace like that."

Danny shook his head. "Never."

"I wanted time to talk to her and ask her why she did it, why she never came back, why she didn't manage to track him down in twenty fucking years when I managed to catch him in two. Why Shelburne was so much more fucking important than I am." Danny didn't say anything just sipped his beer and listened. "She let Wo Fat go. Why? I should have shot him. She never said sorry and she was mean to you too."

Danny nodded. "When we get Wo Fat, and we will, you can ask her all those questions Steve."

"I shouldn't have taken it out on you," Steve said grabbing Danny's arm.

"Nope." Danny said turning his arm so he could return the hold.

"I am sorry."

"I'm tough. I can take a little misplaced anger. I never wanted her to leave you again Steve. I just want you to have the mother you deserve. I didn't like the way she spoke to me and I really didn't like the way she treated you but she is your mother and I would have put up with more if she made you happy."

"You shouldn't have to put up with anything from her. What did she say to you in the car?"

"Now isn't the time for that," Danny said.

"Oh now is the time, I've got a lot of righteous annoyance built up."

Danny laughed and leaned forward to kiss Steve. "She asked my sexual preference and implied I wasn't committed to this, and to you."

"Steve-sexual!"

Danny dropped his head down into his hand. "Inappropriate Steven."

"I know you're committed Danny, if she doesn't that's her problem." Steve pulled Danny's face back up. "She said something about Grace though didn't she?"

Danny nodded. "She implied I was setting a bad example for Grace since I wasn't committed to you. It's crap Steve, Grace is so happy you're in our family."

Steve smiled weakly. "I feel…"

"Betrayed, used, angry, depressed, annoyed, stop me when you disagree-" Steve kissed Danny instead.

"I feel glad that I have you to come home to." Steve said when he finally pulled away.

Danny smiled at him. "The house has been cleaned too."

"I drove up to a lookout on the North Shore, my dad and I used to go up there. His wife left him and he had no idea and she ended up getting him killed. I have to tell Mary that her mother is alive and Doris is gone again."

Danny could think of nothing to say that would make Steve feel better so he said nothing at all but tightened his hold on Steve's wrist. They sat in silence for a long time while the clock ticked on the wall.

Steve flopped back into the chair eventually. "What's in that sandwich?"

Danny smirked. "Chicken and salad."

Steve twisted his head to look at Danny. "That roast chicken you made before we went away?"

"I got it out of the freezer when I came home to shower earlier."

Steve grinned at him and pulled the plate over. He ate quickly and when he was done he pushed the plate back onto the coffee table and slide over until he could throw an arm around Danny's shoulder. "Danny, can I let Mary think she's dead until I can get her back? Or do I tell her know even though Doris is gone again? What do I do Danny?"

"What will it do to Mary if she knows Doris is alive but she can't see her?" Danny asked.

"I'm not even sure if she'd believe me," Steve said. "I'm not entirely sure I believe she's alive."

Danny let out a breath and made a decision. "When did you last sleep?"

Steve frowned and thought about it. "I caught a couple hours yesterday on the couch in my office."

"Okay," Danny said. "I don't know what to do about Mary and I don't know what to do about your mother but we will keep looking for Wo Fat and we will get our answers. What we can do is this, you can have a shower and we can go to bed and tomorrow we can work out what you want to do and we'll do it."

Steve stood up slowly. "You coming?"

"I've had a shower," Danny said. "I'll lock up down here and meet you in bed."

Steve nodded but seemed reluctant to let go of Danny. Danny stood too and kissed Steve. "I don't like that you had a go at me because you were angry with your mother but, and this is a one time but babe, you're mother just came back from the dead so I'm going to pretend it didn't happen. I am on your side, I'm always on your side and that means even if I dislike your mother, and I hope to get to know her better and for her to make a better impression, I am still on your side."

"I know you are."

"But…" Danny prompted.

"I shouldn't have said what I did."

"You apologised already and I do understand Steve. Besides, you really weren't that bad. I'm not going anywhere Steven."

Steve nodded and stood up before walking up the stairs. Danny cleaned the bottles and plate away as quickly as he could before he did a quick check to make sure everything was locked. He went upstairs and changed into his sleep pants before collapsing onto the new sheets. He closed his eyes and listened to Steve in the shower, he could picture him under the warm cascade of water but Danny was so tired he couldn't even work up more than casual arousal at the thought. The shower turned off and eventually Steve made it back into the room. Danny opened his eyes to watch Steve get dressed. Danny had known Steve had abandonment issues since almost the moment they'd met and today would have brought it all up, he knew that was why Steve had pulled away, why he'd lashed out and while it wasn't good it was understandable. As Steve climbed into bed next to him and turned off the lamp next to their bed Danny slide a leg between Steve's and used the other man's shoulder for a pillow while he wrapped an arm around Steve's waist. Danny wasn't going to let what happened with Doris do any damage to what he had with Steve and he knew he'd need to be just a little more affectionate until Steve felt steady again.

"Goodnight Steve."

"'Night Danny."

Steve wrapped his arms around Danny's body tightly and pressed a kiss to his head before they settled and Danny pushed all thoughts of what had happened since they went to Japan out of his mind and let the intense exhaustion of the last few days take over.

"Do you really hate me calling you Danno?" Steve asked in a small voice pulling Danny back from the brink of sleep.

Danny shook his head slowly. "Gracie said was…okay." Danny fell asleep.

/

This was going to cover more canon ground but it got so long. I feel good about it though and it also means we are OFFICIALLY done with episode one...I know it took me WAY too long but there was so much fodder for my muse. I still have heaps of plans...hope you'll stick around. :)