Quick shot add-on for each episode.
Season 1, Episode 8.
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"Just a heads up, they found an HPD officer in a pit at a luau...badge in the mouth and everything." Steve said when Danny answered his phone Saturday morning.
"They know who?"
"Max is running DNA."
"Our case?"
"Governor just said to keep our ears open."
"Getting ready to take Gracie to the park. You want to meet us there?"
"Going to work on the car...keep your location open?"
"Always is Steven." He said before hanging up the phone. The last couple weeks the two had spent most of their time together...at night spending hours talking. Not about anything in particular just whatever happened to pop into their heads.
A sinking feeling fell in Danny's gut during that call. Unlike Steve, the rest of Five-O was HPD. More than likely they knew who the dead officer was. "Danno?" Danny heard from behind him.
"Yeah Monkey." He answered his daughter.
"Is Uncle Steve okay?" She asked. "What he said made you sad."
"He's fine Baby, why do you think I'm sad?"
"Your voice changed and your shoulders moved." She said demonstrating the slump he didn't realize he even did.
"Uncle Steve is working on his Daddy's car today. We will call him for dinner later and make him come out if you want."
"At Kamekona's?" She asked with a big grin, "Bubblegum is my favorite."
"Shaved ice isn't dinner Monkey." Danny laughed.
"Park?" She asked picking up her pink football and throwing it at her Dad.
After a long couple hours of playing Danny pulled out his phone and saw that Steve was sitting in the palace instead of his house and he called Grace over, "Hey Monkey, I need you to do something for me."
"Time to call and get dinner?" She said running over. "Gimme your phone." Danny handed her the phone and she quickly hit all the right buttons to call his Partner.
"Hey Danny." Danny heard him answer and knew something had happened to trigger his anxiety.
"Danno says I can't have shaved ice for dinner so you have to meet us so I can." Grace quickly said into the phone. He heard his partner answer her and she responded, "Only if I can share yours Danno doesn't like pineapples."
"Food trucks at Sharks Cove." Danny yelled into the phone.
"See you in a little bit." Grace said giggling as she hung up. "He said he would be there in fifteen minutes. Will Uncle Steve need a hug like he did the other day?"
"When the other day Monkey?"
"When we had dinner...then we met Mommy but he took me out of the car and held me while you guys waited."
"You were awake?" Danny asked surprised.
"Yeah...he woke me up when he unbuckled me in your car. His eyes were sad so I gave him a hug and he held tight like you do before you have to say bye."
"When did you get so smart?" Danny smiled as he tickled her neck.
"Im always smart Danno." She said as they walked towards the food carts. Grace talking about the dolphin trainer Annie doll she had brought for the weekend.
The two were sitting in front of a shrimp truck when they saw Steve's truck pull by. By the time he parked and walked over to them they had their food sitting on the table ready to eat. Steve sat down and immediately "cheers-ed" his pineapple shrimp with Grace. It had taken about two seconds for Danny to see the change in demeanor in Steve. The connection between Grace and his partner amazed him, their energy fed off each other sometimes even more so than it did for Danny.
When they had finished their food Danny followed his daughter and partner to the truck for shaved ice. As soon as the ice was gone Grace pulled out her squishy pink football and the three of them tossed the ball back and forth as the sun started to set.
"We should watch the sun go to sleep." Grace said keeping the ball when it had been tossed back to her. Then she walked down towards the ocean sitting on a rock large enough for the three of them.
When Danny sat down Grace crawled over to him and whispered in his ear, "Watch me Danno." Before kissing him on the cheek and crawling over and curling herself into a ball on Steves lap.
Steve was surprised at first but smiled over at Danny as he squeezed his arms around the young girl. She was asleep before the sun even set on the horizon. "Jamison said the case is going to be handled internally." He said quietly.
"They know who?"
"She didn't say if she did know."
"That what you were doing at the palace when she called?"
"Found something in the car...wanted to check it out...just some cold case Dad had been working."
"Why didn't you call?"
"Your Kid read my mind...I had my phone out when she called." Steve said readjusting how he was holding her and rest his head on top of hers. Danny saw Grace open her eyes and smile at him before she closed her eyes again, wrapping her arms around Steve.
"You good?" Danny asked quietly.
"Better now." He smiled at his Partner, "Want to get her home?"
"We walked here." Danny told him, he wasn't in a hurry.
"I've got a seat in my truck."
"Of course you do." Danny said standing up followed by Steve who was still holding his daughter. "She can walk."
"I know." Steve answered, not loosening his hold on Grace. Danny saw her turn her head and whisper something into his ear, "I know." He said again, this time to Grace.
After Steve dropped them back at Danny's apartment he set back for home, texting when he arrived even though he knew Danny would be watching the GPS to make sure he was doing what he had said. 'Tell Gracie she was right.' The next text read.
"Hey Monkey, what did you say to Steve?" Danny asked after she changed into her pajamas.
"Told him it's okay to be sad." She answered as she tucked her doll in next to her. "Are you going to bed with me Danno?"
"Yeah...just got to make a quick phone call."
"He just told you he is home Danno." She said with an exaggerated eye roll. He knew she was right, but the creeping feeling in his gut hadn't gone away that he knew the man who had been killed. "Come cuddle me."
Danny went and laid down next to her and she scooted over and put her head on his chest. "We should take a silly picture and send it to him." And that is what they did, back and forth they sent silly photos ending with photos of them fake sleeping.
They got up late the next morning and hardly had enough time to have a short stack of pancakes and get dressed for the day before it was time for Grace to go back to her Mothers. As Danny was running out to catch the car before it pulled out Danny saw his old partners wife, Amy with tear stains down both cheeks, "Hey. Amy." Danny managed as she practically fell into his arms.
"Danny, I had to see you." She cried.
Whats the matter?" Danny said, even though he had a feeling what the next few words would be coming from her mouth.
"Its Meka. He's dead Danny."
He led her over to a picnic table and they sat down. "So, uh yesterday I, uh, heard it was a cop, but... ah, geez, I had no idea."
"You couldn't have known...they needed dental records to identify his body."
"Where's Billy?"
"With his grandparents. He's so confused Danny. He knows his father is gone but beyond that I don't know what to tell him."
"You know, Amy, anything you need. I'm here for you. You know that."
"Meka always said you were the best partner he ever had."
"Yeah, for a haole anyway."
"It wasn't like that. He liked working with you because you had fresh eyes. Good instincts. And he said you were always direct with him. He trusted you with his life."
"What about the investigation? HPD have any suspects?"
"No...I uh wouldn't know...HPDs kept their distance. Even the people I thought were Meka's friends."
"What do you mean?"
"That's why I'm here...they're not telling me anything."
"Wait...Amy that doesn't make sense."
"None of this does." Amy told him, "When I called to ask about the funeral arrangements, they told me they were still pending."
"They're pending? They're pending what?"
"I don't know. Every time I call to follow up they give me the runaround. It's like somethings going on...something they're not telling me. My husband sacrificed his life for the job, and...the way he died, I...I just need to know that there's someone out there looking for the people who did this to him."
Danny wiped the tears from his eyes and with a sniffle he got up and wrapped her in a hug, "Okay listen...there is now." He said before telling her goodbye.
As soon as he got back into his apartment he slid down the now closed door and cried. As he choked back tears he pulled out his phone and saw Steve was calling him, "Danno?" He heard Steve say as he clicked to answer. "It's Meka." The two partners said at the same time, this time Danny was unable to contain the sob that escaped him. "I'm two blocks out Buddy. Stay on the line for me Okay?" Danny heard Steve ask and he nodded his head and scooted out from the door to lean against the hidabed. "I'm here." Steve said into the phone as he slammed the door to his truck before running towards his friends apartment.
When he opened the door he saw Danny's hand still held the phone to his ear and took it from him and set it on the bed before sitting down next to his Partner who fell against him. Steve moved so Danny's head lay on his lap and he ran his fingers through the blond mans hair as he cried.
"Meka was the one who kept me from losing my shit when I moved to this pineapple infested hell hole." Danny near whispered as he tried to focus on the even breaths of the man who was holding him. "I've only known him a few months but..."
"I get it." Steve said putting his hand on Danny's chest, over his heart. "Already told Jamison we were taking the case. Max called me...I called her as I was driving...then I called you."
After a few more minutes Danny had relaxed and moved to sit up, "I need to see him."
"Why?" Steve asked, he didn't think it was a good idea but he wasn't going to tell him no.
"If it were me...would you want to?"
"Okay." Steve said, "I am going with you."
An hour later they were sitting in Steve's truck the two of them having just seen Meka. Steve was driving them around giving Danny time to process. He eventually pulled over at one of the viewpoints on Diamond Head and turned to face his Partner who had his eyes closed with his head leaned back on the seat. "You are staying with me until we solve this." Steve told him.
Opening his eyes and turning to look at his Partner, Danny just nodded. "I want to make you take the week off but I know you better than that. When it gets to be too much...which it will, I need you to step back. Can you do that for me?"
As they worked the case there were a few times where Danny got heated and Steve needed to remind him to step back, but when he did...when Steve just said his name...every time Danny walked away. Leaving his ranting to the car, between Partners. Two men who put their own lives in the others hands each and every day.
Steve gave Danny a long rope, even to the extent of tying a man to the hood of the car and driving through town. He knew his Partner and trusted he would never go too far. He did however point out that if it were him doing it Danny would be reading him the riot act on police procedure.
The one time they got into a fight Danny stormed off and Steve sent Chin to talk him down. Chin knew that Steve would do anything for Danny and that he just was hyper focused on the case. Chin had a feeling that Steve would be waiting for Danny when he got home...and he was. "You son of a bitch...what are you doing in my home?" Danny asked, slamming his front door and plopping himself down on his bed next to his Partner who had his shoes kicked off and was watching a football game on tv. Chin giving a quick wave before making his escape.
"I had to ask."
"I'm going to see Sang Min in the morning." Danny mumbled as he drunkenly kicked off his shoes. "Chin brought me home...will need a ride."
"Feel better?" Steve asked putting his hand on Danny's back.
Danny tried half heartedly to shrug the hand away, "You are an ass."
"I've got your back either way." Steve said squeezing his shoulder, "You can yell or punch me again I don't care...I've got your..."
"Meka is a good man." Danny said as his back shook as he started to cry, "Was."
Steve tugged on Danny's shoulder and this time he turned and laid down with his head on Steve's chest, wrapping one arm around himself and the other around his partners waist. Steve draped one arm around Danny's back holding the man against him while he put his other on the arm that encircled him. Danny fell asleep with his head on Steves chest and Steve fell asleep with his head resting against Danny's.
The next morning Danny told him he wanted to go to Halawa alone. Steve nodded and drove him to the palace where Chin had parked Danny's car. "Either way...I'm on your side." Steve told him as Danny got out of his truck. As soon as Danny's car was out of sight Steve had Chin drive him to Halawa and drop him off. He sat on the hood of the Camero for over an hour before he caught sight of his Partner.
"What are you doing here?" Danny asked him. Somehow they managed to get into another argument when Danny spit out, "Let's say I.A. accused me of skimming off a drug lord, and they showed you a stack of evidence that suggested I did it...would you believe them?"
That answer came too quickly to Steve, "No, I wouldn't."
"Why not?" Danny asked him. When Steve just looked at him Danny stared him down, "Exactly."
"Okay." Steve said. That was how their arguments usually worked, they trusted each other. The end. Danny used that to get his point across and it made sense. Steve knew he didn't trust easily so to know that to his partner Meka was essentially equal to him.
It was easy after that, quickly finding the man who killed Meka and taking out the HPD mole with the help of Sang Min. That man was a seriously flawed character but Danny had found loyalty with him. It killed Steve to watch his friend hold himself together to be strong for Amy and Billy but he didn't expect any less. If Danny was one thing it was loyal, to a fault. Steve had Kono follow him when Danny said he was taking Sang Min to see his son.
Steve completed all of his and Danny's paperwork quickly to clear Meka's name and to ensure that Kalao would spend the rest of his days behind bars. When Kono called to say that Danny had dropped Sang Min back at Halawa and was making his way towards Meka's family home Steve thanked her and told her to call it a day. "Danno?" Steve questioned when he called his Partner.
"I'm going to help Amy finish the planning for tomorrow." Danny answered sounding defeated.
"Just got word that Cage signed off on our case. What are you doing for dinner?"
"I will go to your place when I finish with Amy." He said shakily.
"You've got this. I've got your six." Steve told him.
After a couple minutes of silence other than shaky breathing Danny whispered into the phone, "Don't know how I'm gonna do this."
"Daniel listen to me okay?" Steve started, "I can be there in fifteen minutes. You need me there just say the word. But you know what? Amy is strong. She is a fighter...and so are you. Help her with whatever needs help. The funeral stuff is taken care of now. Meka is getting full honors. Doesn't leave much to get done tonight."
"Does she know?"
"Someone from HPD should have talked to her...but it would probably be good for her to hear it from you."
"Sang Min didn't even want to get out of the car...said he had already put them through too much."
"I know...you guys just watched them at the park."
"You spying on me now?"
"Told you I've got your back, Danno."
"I need to let you know when I'm on my way?"
"Call if you want."
"Your watching on the tracker."
"I will see you in a while."
"Thanks." Danny said hanging up the phone. He knew his Partner had his back but that didn't make this any easier. Meka had been his first friend in Oahu, the only person he confided in before he met Steve. By the time he walked in the front door he was fighting back tears. He would never see his friend again, never hear his laugh, never be called a Haole by him again. Danny walked right over to Amy and wrapped her in a tight hug. "We got him."
Amy held onto him as she sobbed, "They called and said the funeral was all taken care of...I didn't...I couldn't believe it." She cried into his shoulder. Danny saw Billy and his four grandparents in the other room and nodded to them. He had met them all before and the many different barbecues he had been to there. "You are a good man Danny Williams." She finally said when she pulled back.
"Do you need anything for tomorrow?" He asked her gently.
"Billy asked if he could have his badge...I know it is evidence but..."
"I will see what I can do." Danny promised. He looked at some of the photos scattered on the dining room table. "Amy if there is ever anything you or Billy need..."
Danny visited with them all for a couple hours, listening to stories Meka had told them about him, him telling stories about Meka. As the sun was setting he bid the family farewell promising he would be back in the morning to escort them to the funeral. He made it to the driver seat before the tears started to fall and he dialed his Partners number.
"Want me to come get you?" Steve asked when he picked up the phone. Danny didn't answer but started to drive, "Deep breaths." Steve reminded him as he heard the hiccuping sob escape his Partner. Steve talked about nothing, just rambled to let Danny hear his voice as he watched the small dot inch it's way closer to his house on the map. Steve was standing in the driveway as the Camero pulled in and walked over opening the door, putting the car in park and pulling the key from the ignition. He unbuckled his Partner and took his hand pulling him from the car.
Steve led Danny into the house and up the stairs to his bedroom where he sat the smaller man down on the bed. Steve pulled off Danny's shoes and socks before pulling off his the mans tie and unbuttoning the top couple buttons on his shirt. Steve kicked off his sandles and moved so he was leaning against the pillows behind Danny. He tugged on his friends shoulder and Danny rolled around and fell into him as he cried. By the time Danny cried himself to sleep it was dark in the bedroom and Steve silently got up from the bed and went across the hall where he finished ironing his Partners dress blues. Then he started on his own. As he was finishing he heard Danny rustling around. "Hey Buddy." Steve said as he walked into the bedroom, turning on the bedside lamp.
"I can't sleep yet...I need to get my..."
"Uniform is ready."
"Need to get Meka's badge for..."
"Had them make a new one to give to Billy."
"Oh." Danny said with tears in his eyes, his partner had taken care of everything without him even asking.
"Anything else?"
"Make it stop hurting." Danny said, blinking as a couple tears slid down his cheek.
"I'm going with you tomorrow." Steve told him.
"You didn't even know him...and I'm going with his family." Danny said looking down at his hands, "Just need to find a way to suck it up."
"Get it all out then." Steve said shrugging and laying back down on the bed next to him, shoulders touching.
"Really?" Danny said rolling onto his side to face him, "Your best advice is to get it out?"
"You have a better idea?" Steve said reaching his arm out, "Come here."
Danny picked up his head and allowed Steve to slip his arm under his neck as he pulled him close. "A pig...the way he...his badge was in his damn mouth." He yelled into Steve, slamming his fist into his chest. Steve only held tighter. Each time Danny would lash out in anger and grief Steve moved so he was holding his partner better until they had moved and Steve was sitting at the head of the bed literally cradling his Partner in his arms, similar to how he had held Grace on the beach at sharks cove.
Steve rocked him back and forth until he felt the weight of his partners head start to slip down his arm. Steve pulled his knee up to hold the weight of the mans head as he slept. He pulled out his phone and sent a text to his team telling them to meet him at the funeral in the morning. Both asked how Danny was doing, practically at the same time and Steve smiled. Their team was a family.
After firing off a few emails he set his phone down on the bed and leaned his head back closing his eyes, "I can move so you can lay down." Danny mumbled.
"How long have you been awake." Steve asked with a yawn as he moved his arm so Danny's head slid against his shoulder.
"A while." Danny said, near whisper. "I can move so you can lay down." Danny said again
"Know you are safe this way." Steve said tightening his hold around Danny's shoulders. He knew it wasn't normal, but to feel his Partners every breath...he knew he was okay.
Danny moved anyway, pulling Steve down and throwing his arm over his Partners chest. "You're safe too." Danny mumbled knowing Steve's irrational fear was stemming from the ptsd he had seen glimpses of in the few months they had worked together.
When the two woke up in the morning Steve made breakfast as Danny showered. When he came down in his dress blues he plopped down at the dining room table. Steve put a hot cup of coffee in front of him along with a short stack of pancakes, "I can go with you."
"Need to do this on my own."
"Danny."
"I will call you."
"I am going."
"You are ridiculous." Danny smiled. He had no doubt Steve would have his eyes on him. If he needed to break he was safe. Just knowing that made him feel better.
"I can go with you." Steve said again as Danny was walking out the door ten minutes later. He could do it though, funeral—burial—reception at his house...that was going to be the hard part.
Danny felt eyes on him at the funeral but didn't turn around to look, the same at the burial. Steve hung back to give Danny a chance to take care of his friends widow. He had done that job and knew how hard it was. Steve saw when Danny's face scrunched up Amy would squeeze his hand or Meka's father would put his arm around the Haoles back. Chin and Kono had their eyes on Steve more than Danny, both wondering when he was going to step forward from the shadows and take his place at Danny's side.
He didn't though, it wasn't until Amy pointed out the team back at the house that Danny went over to them. Quickly thanking them before they went to express their condolences to Amy. Chin and Kono quickly faded into the crowd but Danny pulled Steve in, introducing him to members of Meka's family.
Once the crowd had dwindled and the last HPD officer had left Danny left Steve to go speak privately with Amy. While they were gone Meka's mother came up and hugged Steve, "E malama ia'oe ina'o ka'u keiki kane." She whispered in his ear, protect my haole son.
"E ha'awi aku au i ku'u ola nona." Steve promised her, earning smiles all around as Danny and Amy walked back into the room.
"Who taught you to speak Bird?" One of Meka's cousins asked him.
"Steven grew up on Oahu." Danny said walking back over and putting his shaky hand on his Partners shoulder to ground him, "What did he say?"
"Ke kanaka maika'i" Meka's mother said, good man.
"I told them I would die for you." Steve said putting his arm around his Partner.
"What did you really say?" Danny asked him.
"That you have been a pain since the day I met you." Steve smirked at Danny before turning back to Meka's mother, "Ina makemake'oe I kekahi mea ia'u."
Danny quickly shook Meka's fathers hand and hugged his mother, "If you guys need anything..."
"Hoa." His cousins all smiled and laughed. Partners, they had both said the same thing.
"Come on Haole lets head out." Steve said with a big grin. Hooking his arm around Danny neck he led him out and straight to the Camero. Steve climbed in the driver seat and watched as Danny sat down and closed his eyes, head resting on the seat. He knew his partner was completely emotionally and physically spent.
"What did you say to them?" Danny asked reclining the seat without opening his eyes.
Steve smiled, "Told them I'd give my life for yours and to call if they need anything." When he saw a small smile from his partner he turned on Danny's best of Jersey cd at a low level. "Told you I've got you."
The next time Steve looked over ha saw Danny's head cocked to the side, his mouth parted as he slept. He drove them back to his house where he knew Chin and Kono would be waiting with dinner. He took his time, taking back roads instead of the freeway to give the man more time to sleep. When he pulled into his driveway he saw the cars already there, "Danno dinners ready." He said shutting off the engine and pocketing the keys. He chuckled and shook his head when his partner let out a small snore. Steve got our of the car and walked around, opening the passenger door as his Partner slept on. He reached over and unbuckled the smaller mans buckle which finally got Danny to open an eye, seeing that it was Steve that eye quickly shut again. "You gonna make me carry you inside?" Steve laughed, "Come on big guy, Cousins have dinner ready for us."
Danny opened his eyes and looked at Steve, what Steve saw broke his heart, "I've got you, let's get you in there and eat a few bites."
"I can't lose another Partner." Danny said looking up at Steve as a tear slipped from his eye.
He reached his hand down and pulled Danny up and wrapped him in a tight hug. Leaning against the car he felt Danny's whole body shake, "I'm not going anywhere." Steve whispered into the top of his head, "I'm right here with you Buddy." He said seeing Kono start to walk towards them, Chin on her heals. Steve put a hand up and signaled they were coming and the two went back inside. "I'll stay right with you, okay?"
"Now I'm the one drowning." Danny said pulling back slightly.
"Good thing I can swim then, right Danno?" He smiled hooking his arm around Danny's neck, "Let's go have something to eat."
"Can I have a minute?" Danny asked.
"Yeah. Come in when you are ready." Steve said letting go and stepping away.
"No!" Danny squeaked.
Seeing the panic on his Partners features he pulled him back in and felt Danny grab hold of his shirt. "hey...I'm right here." Steve soothed, "Danno, I'm right here." He said not quite understanding the panic. He felt Danny nod into his chest. When Danny pulled back again Steve kept his hand on his shoulder. "Right here." Steve promised him.
After a few more seconds Danny took a deep breathe and wiped his face with his hands before nodding to Steve. Together they walked in the house, Steve maintaining physical contact the whole way. "Thanks for getting us dinner." Steve said as they walked into the kitchen. He nudged Danny into a chair at the table, "Gonna grab a beer from the fridge, you want one Buddy?" He said. When he god a small nod he squeezed Danny's shoulder before letting go, "Think we should take the morning tomorrow...meet in after lunch." Steve said making sure he was talking the whole time he was out of Danny's sight, "Surfs suppose to be good Kono. Catch a wave at the pipeline." He said walking back handing Danny a longboard.
Danny was near silent as he picked at his food and the other three made conversation around him. Steve made sure he said what he was doing and talked his way through clearing the table and while Chin didn't notice what he was doing Kono sure did. Not two seconds after the cousins said goodnight Steve got a text from her asking if there was anything she could do. "You need to sleep Danno." He said after quickly dismissing Kono that he had it under control.
"Meka shouldn't have gone out like that...he needed a partner." Danny said once they were both upstairs.
"Hanger for your uniform." Steve said as he pulled his own shirt off before trading his blues for a pair of gym shorts and Navy tee.
"What happened is not your fault." Steve said walking over and unbuttoning Danny's shirt for him.
When Steve went to pull it off Danny took over, "I can change my own clothes." Danny rambled as he pulled his uniform off and sat back down in his boxers as Steve hung it up in the closet.
He walked over next to him, "You want your shorts?"
"Badge in his mouth Steve...he was roasted like a damn pig after being shot by someone he trusted." He anxiously ran his fingers through his hair, "How can we trust anyone?"
When Danny started to hyperventilate Steve sat down next to him on the bed, shorts forgotten. He knew what Danny was feeling, the pain of being lied to, tortured...of feeling alone in this world. When Danny started to rock himself back and forth Steve moved so he was surrounding the man and rocked with him. Steve didn't utter a word as he tightened his hold on Danny who curled himself into Steve and clung to him.
Steve scooted them back and pulled the throw blanket around his Partner as he held a death grip on him. Steve moved Danny around so his head was on his shoulder. When he was still hyperventilating and fingers digging in after ten minutes Steve finally broke his silence, "What made you trust me when I had my gun aimed your direction the first day we met?"
Danny choked on his breath and let out a small laugh, "Your eyes." He answered with a shakey breath.
"You still trust me?" Steve asked, brushing the blond mans hair from his face.
"With my life." Danny answered relaxing his grip slightly.
"I am sorry about Meka." Steve said hugging his partner into him as a fresh round of tears soaked into his shirt. When the tears subsided and Danny's breathing returned to normal he relaxed his hold on his partner, "I'm not going anywhere Danno."
"I'm tired." Danny said unmoving from how he laid in his partners lap. Steve leaned his head against Danny's and nodded. "Can I stay...uh...like this until I..."
"Said I've got you." Steve told him tucking the blanket over Danny's shoulder. It took about thirty seconds before Steve felt Danny's breath on his neck and heard the soft snores coming from his Partner. The longer he sat there holding his partner asleep in his arms the more he realized how intertwined their lives had become. Danny didn't know just how bad Steve needed a partner...a friend...when they met, guns pointed at each other.
"You are thinking too loud." Danny mumbled a while later, "You need to sleep too."
"I do not think too loud." Steve mumbled as Danny stretched out on the bed.
"You do. Your muscled twitch." He said as Steve scooted down on the bed. "It's cold." Danny mumbled.
"You are in your underwear." Steve said flipping the blanket over his still half asleep, totally exhausted Partner.
"Please tell me you have clothes on." Danny said sitting up and looking around for clothes.
"Your stuff is right there." Steve rolled his eyes as he pointed to the edge of the bed. "And I told you...I've got you, Danno."
"Don't know what I'd do without you." Danny said after he threw his clothes on as he sat back down on the bed.
"Right now you can shut up, lay down and go back to sleep." Steve smirked.
"I'm serious."
"Danny I told you.."
"You've got my back...I know...I'm just not used to..."
"Look...When you are deployed...out in the field...you sleep back to back or against your Partner...one of you has watch...you sleep touching so if something happens you feel it instead of needing to hear that there is danger...you learn how it feels to fall asleep safe...my last mission..."
"Didn't end well...you don't have to talk about it if you don't want."
"My buddy...we went through everything together...he didn't make it home...he is the closest thing I ever had to a Partner I guess and...I just want you to know I've got your back."
"One hellova way to break in a new Partnership."
"You had my back not two days after we met...I've never had that before."
"You don't trust easily."
"Do you?" Steve asked.
"You are the only person I trust My Gracie with." Danny said yawning and closing his eyes.
"Gracie." Steve yawned back and closed his eyes. "Night Danno."