Hey, guys!

Sorry for keep you waiting, I had a sleepover at my best friend's on the weekend and during the week I'm currently doing my internship for my studies.

But here is the next chapter! It's going to be a little focused on a Danny-John-Talk, I hope you like it :)

Danny got out of his Camaro he parked right in front of the high school entrance. Leaning against it, arms crossed, he waited for the appearance of his friend's son. Nudging on his lip, Danny tried to keep himself calm and telling himself, it wouldn't be any good to freak out in front of the kid.

Speaking of, a second later John was coming downstairs from school next to two friends. As they reached the parking lots they waved each other goodbye and Danny could see him looking around for his father. The second he met Danny's eyes, the Jersey Cop could see the immediate change in his face. It wasn't unusual for Danny to pick up John from school instead of Steve; even if the former SEAL had promised before to do it by himself. Most of the time it had been some unplanned meeting with the Governor which came across the plans. But John would always get a message from his Dad.

Hey champ, I'm sorry I can't make it today. Uncle D is gonna pick you up, alright? Be good. I will make it up to you, I promise. Love you and text me when you're at Danny's.

Dad

But there hadn't been a message like this today. So it didn't take anything for John to realise, that there was something wrong. And Danny knew that he knew the moment each others eyes met. For once, Danny cursed about the smartness of his partner's boy. Nevertheless, he put on a smile for the kid and uncrossed his arms as the 12-year-old approached him.

"Hey, bud. How was school?", Danny wrapped a arm around the kid's neck and patted his chest.

John looked at him. "Hey, Uncle Danno. It was okay.", he made a pause. "Where is Dad? Something happened, didn't it?"

Danny sighed and crouched down in front of the boy, letting his fake smile fade. "Unfortunately, yes. Something happened.", he took a hold of Johns shoulders and looked up to him. "Your Dad was hurt and is in hospital right now."

Johns eyes widened and his confused face turned into a anxious one. "Is he okay?"

Danny studied him, thinking of wether he should tell the truth or not. He decided to do it; Steve would like him to and honestly, he didn't see any chance to lie to the boy. He would see around it anyway. "I don't know, buddy. But it's still your Dad we are talking here about, okay? He will be alright."

John didn't say anything, kept looking at him with this desperate face, threatening to tear Danny apart. He could not imagine this face on one of his own children. Danny stood up from his crouching position and held forward his hand. "Come on, I'm gonna take you to see him, okay?"

John hesitated a moment but then he grabbed Danny's hand, following him into the car for a ride to the hospital.

On the ride over Danny had called Chin to get some information where they brought Steve and if there are any news so far. Apparently, he was taken from the ER right into surgery and so far nothing new. As they arrived at Queens, Danny took John's hand and together they entered the ER where Chin and Kono were already waiting. The female on the team took McGarrett's boy into a soft hug while Danny approached Chin.

"Hey, anything new?"

Chin school his head. "No, not yet. He didn't regain consciousness and they immediately rushed him into surgery. One of the medics suspected the bullet nicked the artery.", he spoke quietly, not wanting John to overhear everything.

Danny nodded. "That was my suspicion as well, he bled like an animal.", he made a pause and sighed. "Hey, you two should get back to HQ and inform HPD. I know, you want to stay here but the Governor won't be pleased if we don't inform him. I promise, I will call you as soon as I know something."

Kono and Chin agreed, even tho they would like to stay. Of the course they would. But it didn't do Steve any good waiting for him instead of closing the case. They gave Danny a hug and some reassuring words for the little boy before both left. Danny looked at John who hat sat down in one of those wooden chairs in the waiting room, his feet barley touching the ground, looking desperate and helpless. He thought for a moment and stepped forward, smiling at John.

"Hey, you wanna go for a hot chocolate? I think we will have to wait a little more and maybe times going by faster, if we look for something to snack." And the hot chocolate here is pretty good."

They boy looked at him and nodded slightly. Danny took his hand again and they walked down the corridor of the hospital. They entered the cafeteria at the end of the hall and Danny ordered two cups of hot chocolate for them. After getting them, they sat down on one of many tables placed around the room. John sat across the Jersey Cop, stirring the straw around the brown liquid, being very quiet and lethargic. Danny watched him a while before he took up the conversation.

"You and your Dad had a lot of fights in the last weeks and months. Do you want to tell me what this was really about?"

John's head snapped up and his face showed some confusion at Danny's word. But the fact he didn't react immediately told Danny, he was on the right path. As John didn't replied, he continued what he had started.

"You know that you can talk to me, right? I won't spill anything to your Dad or someone else, I promise."

John seemed to think about it, still not sure what to do or say. He stopped stirring in his cup and looked up. "Why do you think it was about something else?"

"Well, as you know I have kids by myself. And I know your Dad pretty well. He told me about some of the arguments you had, because he didn't know what to do and needed some advice. So I know you, it's not like you to say things like the ones you had used against your father."

John lowered his gaze again by the mention of things he said to his father during their arguments. It was obvious he felt bad for it. "I didn't mean those things.", he whispered barely audible.

Danny tried to look at him despite the fact the boys head couldn't go any lower. "I know you didn't and that's what I said to your Dad."

"Does he know that as well? That I didn't mean it like this?", John faced Danny again, his gaze seemed to show a bunch of regretting.

"I'm sure he does. He was… hurt, of course, but that doesn't mean he isn't aware of the fact you didn't mean it like you said it."

John nodded, grabbing his cup a little tighter. "I didn't want to make him sad, I feel terrible."

Danny leaned forward and grabbed his arm in order to give him some comfort. "Hey… it's alright, okay?", he made a pause. "What did really happen, huh? What is it that's bothering you?"

It took another minute before the boy pushed himself to talk. "Lately, Dad came home injured a lot. He thought I wouldn't notice it but I did. Sometimes, he would move really slowly and carefully… he didn't picked me up and threw me around like he used to. Sometimes, he was running around in long sweatpants. He didn't do the normally and I know that. He won't even go surfing with me after school and on the weekends. Probably, because I wasn't suppose to see his cuts and bruises under his shirt. But I saw him, late at night changing those bandages. I saw him but he didn't say a word to me."

Danny's frown grew as he listened to the boy who got really agitated telling what has been on his mind lately. It was true, Steve had been injured quite often the last 2 months. Nothing major but still… he got into more hand-in-hand-fights with suspects, ended pursuits with some brutal tackling or found himself in some heavy shootings only to receive a couple bullets to his vest. Since John had been born, Steve had taken his behaving a notch down. He had been more cautious and not as reckless as he used to be. But if Danny had to recall it, the whole change in his partner came at the same time he got into some discussions about John wanting to become a SEAL. And with that, the excessive arguments had started. Danny had a suspicion where this was going but he wanted to hear it from the kid.

"So, you were angry that your Dad didn't tell you about his injuries?"

John started to stir again his hot chocolate. "I guess so. He always said he needed to trust me but I wanted to be able to trust him as well. But he didn't say a word, he just tried to hide it from me."

Danny looked at him. "What happened back in your computer lesson in school?", he was sure this had something to do with the whole situation here.

"I… I know from TV and movies that you and Dad can get shot at what youre doing for work.", John said quietly, not wanting to look at Danny. "I thought… maybe when I do some research on guns and bullets, Daddy would trust me more and talk to me. If I know how a gunshot wound looks like and what to do, I could have helped him and he may would have thought I was smart enough."

Danny sighed and rubbed his forehead. Jeez, this kid is nothing ordinary. Sometimes, Danny thought, the boy was way to smart and mature for his still little age. It warmed his heart for Steve, his friend did a really good job so far with raising him right. And the proper genes were also existing.

"You think your Dad might not think you are smart enough? Johnny…", Danny softly sad, rubbing his arm. "That is so not true, your Dad thinks youre the smartest guy on earth.", he made another pause, looking at him. "Were you scared, because he got injured that often?"

John slightly nodded, tears forming in his eyes. "I… I thought he won't come home anymore one day.", his voice barely audible.

Danny's heart nearly shattered as he thought of his own kids. That's probably the worst side of being a cop, no doubt. Especially John who had to grow up without a Mum and is full Daddy-boy now. He waved at him, forcing him to stand up and come over to give him a hug.

John sobbed and cringed himself on his Uncles neck. "Will… Will he die, Uncle D?", he pressed out between his hitched breath.

Danny rubbed his back and sighed. "No, John. No, he won't die, okay? Your Dad has been through worse, he will bounce back as it was nothing."

"I don't want to loose him.", the boy still cried, anxious and scared about the thought of never seeing his father again.

"Hey, hey… come on, look at me.", Danny forced the little man to look at him and he wiped away his flowing tears. "You will not loose him, okay?"

John nodded, still sniffing. "I shouldn't have yelled at him the last time we talked… We were arguing again about me and becoming a SEAL and Dad… got so angry again and… I don't want to be this as the last time I spoke to him!"

Danny took the chair across their table and placed it directly next to him. He pushed John to have a seat and being able to look at him. "First of all, we don't do that. We don't feel guilty for something we can't change anymore, alright? Second… your Dad may seems angry about you and what you want to become when youre grown up but he's not. Hes just really worried about you. Remember the time he told you about his own Dad? As he died right before your Dad came back to Hawaii and started his job as a cop? Your grandfather and your Dad hadn't had the best relationship and after your grandmother died with your Dad at the age of 16, he was sent off the the mainland to join the Navy. He was a teenager, not much older than you are now. It's been hard for him, you know? And becoming a SEAL changed him, it made him who he is today."

John's tears had slowed down as he listened to Danny. "But then why is he against me becoming a SEAL?"

"Well, because it's different now. Your Dad hadn't really had someone who he had to leave behind when he was called for a mission. He didn't really talk to your grandfather, your grandmother was dead and that left only his sister Mary. But there wasn't much contact either. In the Navy, your Dad met your Mum and she was the only one he would have seen on occasion. He went through a lot of dangerous missions and he didn't know if he would made it back home safely.", Danny made a pause. "I think, your Dad is scared of the thought you running around the world to save our country on some dangerous mission while he doesn't have a clue where you are and if youre okay. That really would make him feel terrible. But if you decide to do it so, your Dad will still support you in any way. I know that for sure."

The 12-year-old nodded again, letting those words sink in. "I think, I need to talk again to Dad about this."

Danny smiled at him. "That's a really good idea. So, what do you say? Should we go back and ask, if there are some news?"

I hope you're not disappointed there are no news on Steve so far but he will reappear in the next chapter, i promise!

I will update on Friday afternoon (European time), I have some busy work days and have to finish an assignment for university. Just so you know! :)