I'm posting this because I'm struggling with what will be the last chapter of this. It's connected to episode 22 when Danny gets a bit violent. It is not an easy chapter to write. I'm ignoring the whole Kono-Adam leaving stuff so that I want just wallow in fluffy wedding writing instead. As soon as I work out how to do that last chapter. Anyway...enjoy

/ / / Repatriation \ \ \ s03e20 – Olelo Paʻa (The Promise)

Cath called him on the Tuesday.

"We've got the body."

Danny let out a tight breath, knowing he didn't have to worry anymore. He'd barely slept in three days, he had apparently grown accustomed to having his limbs rearranged without his consent while he slept, being used as a full body pillow most nights, and that hour of sleep he got after five am wasn't as good when he didn't come on the back of knowing Steve was out swimming in the ocean. Cath had promised to keep him safe. Danny trusted Cath. He had reminded himself about that at 3am that morning. He trusted Cath but Steve was a trouble magnet and he did not have a good track record with Korea. Now that she was calling him, that it was over, he could breathe. He might even get some sleep tonight.

"So, how'd the exchange go?"

"Came off without a hitch." Danny smiled – that from Steve was code for I'm bleeding and my arm's broken but from Cath he could believe it.

"Wow, Washington actually did something right, that's nice. How's my boy?"

Cath paused and Danny's chest tightened. "Hmm, well as well as can be expected. Those two were like brothers."

"All right, well tell him I've got a lasagne in the oven waiting for him, okay?"

"Roger that. We land in San Jose in about eighteen hours. We'll give you a call when we touch down."

"Wait, Cath."

"Yeah, Danny?"

"Thank you."

He could hear the smile in her voice when she responded. "Anything for Steve but you're welcome."

/

Steve called on the Wednesday.

"I hear music, where are you?" Danny asked, the moment Steve identified himself. That did not sound like San Jose.

"No, that's the radio. Listen, Danny."

"And Kono and Chin," Kono pipped up.

"I was just calling to say we're not coming home just yet. There's something we've got to do."

"Something you gotta do? What does that mean exactly?" Chin asked.

"I can't be any more specific than that right now." Steve said, using his SEAL secret voice.

"Okay," Kono said, looking at Danny, "hate to be the adult here but remember what happened the last time you were in Korea."

"I'll be fine. Danny, can I talk to you."

Danny lifted his phone off the table and turned for the office. "Steven?"

"I can't tell you anything, not over this phone."

"Steve."

"It's important, I'll be careful, Cath is with me, and I need to do this."

Danny let out a huff of breath. "Have to?"

"Yeah."

Danny swallowed. "Okay. How long?"

"Two days."

"In two days if I don't hear from you I'm coming after you."

Steve let out a huff of laughter. "I will talk to you before it comes to that, Danno."

Danny nodded, swallowing down most of what he wanted to say. "You had better come back. My mother will never forgive you if there isn't a wedding."

"I'm coming back."

"Okay, okay, two days."

"Bye, Danny."

"Goodbye, Steve."

Steve hung up and Danny thumped his head down onto the desk in front of him. He had known, known, that Steve going to Korea was a terrible idea. Steve was going to get shot and Danny was going to have to go back to Korea and risk his freedom to rescue him. In his next life he was only going to marry people who were serene.

"The two of you have issues," Kono said, coming in and dropping a hand between his shoulder blades.

"What?"

"No, I love yous?"

Danny shrugged. "He knows I love him. He forgets I need him to be alive sometimes."

Kono smiled at him.

"We need to finish the paperwork so you can take me out and get me drunk." Danny said, standing up.

"That's healthy."

"Never mind healthy, Steve's in goddamn Korea again."

"Wait, don't you have Grace tonight."

Danny nodded. "Okay, we'll drink tomorrow."

"Hey, Chin," Kono yelled out, "call Malia, it's team night at Danny's place."

/

Steve made it back on a Friday afternoon. Not a Grace weekend. Danny drove to the airport to meet the plane half convinced there would be an ambulance on the tarmac. He waited until the casket had been rolled away before he made his way over to Steve.

"Dammit, Steve." Danny said as soon as he'd seen the other man's head.

Steve smiled at him weakly.

"You got Freddie?"

Steve nodded.

Danny gave up all pretence and yanked Steve forward into a hug. "Are you okay?"

"Of course."

"No," Cath interrupted, stepping off the plane, "he's not."

Danny didn't respond but he did look over at Cath.

"Your mother called yesterday to ask when we were sending out save-the-date cards." Danny said instead of responding to her.

Steve frowned at him. "What are save-the-date cards?"

"Cards to tell people they need to save the date of your wedding," Cath said, jostling Steve with her shoulder.

"That's stupid."

"I know," Danny said with a shrug. "Everyone who's coming knows when the wedding is."

"We should have invites by now though," Cath threw in, smiling at Danny properly now.

"We should have them back by the end of next week." Steve explained quietly.

"They are cream with navy writing," Danny smiled, watching Steve carefully.

"Sounds good." Cath said.

"Let's head home," Danny said, grabbing Steve's hand. "Everyone's coming for dinner unless you want me to call them off."

"Dinner sounds good."

"Excellent. Cath do you want to go home first or are you coming with us?"

"I smell like a plane. Can you drop me at home?"

"Of course." Danny said, leading the way to the car. Steve never let go of his hand.

Once they'd dropped Cath off Danny turned to Steve.

"Babe?"

"They tortured him."

"Steven," Danny said, reaching over and placing a hand on Steve's shoulder; he should have known not to ask until they were home.

"At least Kelly and his family have some closure now and they never have to know what he went through."

"Want to go swimming when we get home." Danny asked stupidly. He had no idea what Steve needed and all he wanted to do was help. Distracting him would only work for so long.

"Are you coming?" Steve asked, grabbing Danny's hand.

"I can, but I'll just hold you back."

"I don't care."

"Okay," Danny said, driving them home.

/

The funeral was on Wednesday.

Steve never asked Danny to come with him. Danny made sure his best suit was clean and ready to wear.

Kono and Chin were wearing their funeral clothes when Danny walked into headquarters.

"We thought you'd have gone with Steve." Kono said, watching him walk in.

"He went to meet the family before the funeral."

"We can all go together then," Chin said, fiddling with the computer table.

/

They picked Grace up from school still wearing their funeral clothes.

"Steve!" Grace yelled, hurling herself at him. Steve crouched down as soon as he heard her, catching her in his arms. Grace held him tightly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm okay now," Steve said with a smile up at Danny.

Grace pulled away and looked at him very carefully. "I can see your head."

Steve smiled at her. "I had a concussion but I'm okay now."

Grace shook her head at him. "You need to be more careful, Steve, you hurt your head too much."

"I'll try." Steve promised.

"You know, Monkey," Danny said, stepping in. "Steve wanted to wear a white suit to the wedding."

Grace frowned.

"But I told him that would make him look too much like Frankie Avalon."

"He shouldn't wear white," Grace said decisively.

"I agree," Danny grinned broadly at Steve, just a little gloating around the edges. "But he didn't know who Frankie Avalon was because he's never seen Grease."

Grace turned to Steve with such an expression of shock that the ex-SEAL couldn't help but smile.

"Should we watch it tonight?" Steve asked.

"With burgers," Grace said, grabbing Steve's hand and pulling him around to their side of the car. "You should get dad to make apple pie too."

"We'll stop at the shop on the way home," Danny said, "pie sounds excellent."

/

Later that night when Steve crawled into bed next to Danny he pulled the other man close.

"Thank you."

"For what?" Danny asked, kissing Steve.

"Tonight…though how you can let your daughter watch that movie."

"Just wait until you see her perform 'Greased Lightning' in one of her musical moods."

"I don't understand."

"She has no idea of the subtext behind most of the songs and won't until she's older. I watched it when I was a kid too. Hannah, Matt, a few friends and I did a rendition of Summer Lovin' you wouldn't believe for a talent show one time."

"Did your parents videotape that?"

"I don't think so, they would have shown it to you if they did. They're sadistic like that."

"That's a shame," Steve said, curling deeper down into Danny's body.

"Why are you thanking me for tonight?"

"It was perfect – you and Grace, after last week and today was exactly what I needed."

Danny smiled. "Good."

"And I have a better idea than a white suit," Steve said with a smile.

"What?"

"It's bad luck to know what your husband is going to wear."

Danny huffed. "You're still ridiculous."

"Love you too."

Danny pulled away to kiss Steve properly. "I do love you."

"I know."

"It never hurts to remind you though."

"I like being reminded," Steve said, pulling Danny back into his arms.

/ / /

Also, I'm finally catching up with season four (I was up to episode 9). I quite like Chi McBride's character - I like that he's crotchety but...where is my McDanno love? Seriously, are they having a lover's spat. I have the crackiest story in my head where Danny gets very jealous over it and storms into Steve's house thinking he's going to find Grover. It ends in sex. I think this bloody chest infection is getting to me.