A/N: This is something that struck me randomly; it might not mark the end of my hiatus, but maybe for once my writing inspiration is coming back. Hopefully. I didn't really look it over, so please excuse any mistakes. If you're not familiar with my OC, her name's Phoenix Williams and she's Danny's twin. Who happens to live with Steve. Whoop.

Comment your thoughts, ideas, vote/follow, and, of course, enjoy.

Dedicated to my best friend halfway across the country, about to celebrate her sixteenth birthday. Love you. Always. Never forget me.

"Grab me a landshark?" Danny Williams asked, eyeing the cooler next to his friend. It had been a long week, one filled with gunshots, black ops, and bombs. Both men were eager to relax on the beach with a beer, trying to wash away unwanted memories of dead bodies and charred remains. Grace Williams, Danny's daughter, didn't notice the men's weary eyes; at least, she didn't let on that she did. Instead the girl happily built sandcastles on the beach with her favorite aunt, Phoenix, who was only slightly better off than the guys.

Steve did as Danny requested, nursing his own drink in the dwindling sunlight. The former SEAL took the case the hardest, as their bomber had targeted (and set a bomb off at) a small military base containing many naval intelligence officers. He lost too many friends in that building, including one that was set to retire in a few weeks. As the case went on a whirlwind of emotions tore through him: guilt, anger, and regret. Not to mention the need for vengeance he craved.

Yet, through it all, as Steve watched the two girls and the ocean a calm fell over him. There was no other way he'd rather spend his Friday night. And damn, he deserved a break after this week.

"You alright?"

Shaking himself out of his thoughts, Steve nodded. "All things considered, yeah. You?"

He shrugged. "Happy to see my daughter another day, bonus points for her being happy too."

"Mm." He agreed, studying the creation of Grace closest to him. It was quite the sandcastle, complete with a moat and a sea shell drawbridge. Just like him and Mary's when they were little.

A delighted squeal made him look up to see Phoenix kicking water at Grace, a bright smile gracing her face. The younger was running away the best she could but she was still getting soaked. A warm smile slipped onto Steve's own face; he couldn't remember the last time his roommate had smiled and laughed this much. "Watch it, we have no back-up clothes!" He called out.

A chuckle followed as Phoenix only stuck her tongue out at him before resuming her entourage. Danny laughed too, eyes crinkling. "Don't worry, I have some in the trunk."

Steve took a swig of beer before turning to his partner. "So how's Gabby?"

"Really, Steven. Nosy much?"

Raising his hands in defense, he fired back, "I thought we were having one of those spill your guts over beer moments. Excuse me, Daniel."

There was a glare. "Well if you must know, we're doing good. Taking it slow."

"Nothing wrong with that."

"Nope." Danny seemed to ponder his next words before continuing, as if, for once, he was actually unsure of speaking his thoughts. "What about you and Catherine?"

In all honesty, Steve didn't know how to answer that question. Catherine had left on mission about a month ago. He hadn't talked to her since, not even a quick text to see if she was docked back in Oahu yet to hang out. If he was still being honest with himself...he really hadn't felt the need for one of their "favor repayments" at his house or at some sort of restaurant (or shrimp truck). "Fine. She's out." He finally replied after a moment.

Danny glanced at him in suspicion. "Out?"

"Mission. You know, Navy ship in the middle of the Pacific."

"That hasn't stopped you before. You have a lot of influence."

A shrug. "It is now."

There were footsteps rapidly approaching, the men's conversation cut short instantly when they saw two soaking wet Williams approaching. "So...We're gonna, you know, dry off." Phoenix murmured, wringing out the corner of her watery t-shirt guiltily.

Both detectives were laughing before they could stop themselves. "My keys are in the Camaro for Grace's clothes." Danny said, eyes rolling. "In the trunk, behind whatever McGarrett put in it." he added when Phoenix opened her mouth.

She grinned, waving Grace ahead of her. "You grab those, I'll meet you inside with the towels, huh?"

"Mkay." she agreed, running for her items after a don't-touch-anything speech from her father. ("Who knows what Steve has in there, Grace. No opening cases, or removing pins from any round objects at all. Just get the clothes and close it. That's it. Got it?")

"Are the towels above the dryer or did you put them away?" she asked Steve, a smile still on her face.

Danny bit out a, "Put away, I'm sure. Neat freak."

Steve gave him a scowl, but nodded. "Upstairs cupboard by the sink. Oh, you still want to watch something tonight? Law and Order is probably on. Again."

"Pencil me in." Phoenix smiled. "Don't stay out too late you too, you might end up killing each other without my calming presence." she mocked, turning away.

They smiled fondly before waving her off, watching as Grace met her at the back door with a plastic bag. Steve finally looked away when they disappeared into the house, only to see Danny study him with suspicion. Actually, it wasn't suspicion - it was a look he'd never seen before, one that the SEAL couldn't decipher. "What?"

"Let's have a conversation, alright Steve?"

The other man raised an eyebrow. "Maybe Phoenix was right. Killing you sounds pretty okay right now."

"Shush." Danny ordered sternly. "Now, I'm going to tell you a story. One of eventual woe, and, more of, love."

Steve made a face. "Danno, I dislike this idea greatly."

He went on as if his partner hadn't spoken a word, unsurprisingly. "Once upon a time, a woman driving on the wrong side of the road slammed into my police car and, because I was a nice person, I decided instead of giving her a ticket I'd give her driving lessons."

"Rachel. Yes Daniel, I know this story already."

"I thought she was funny," Danny spoke over Steve in a loud voice, essentially quieting him, "and she was a nice friend. Soon she was driving perfectly, and we hung out every once in a while at the bar or maybe a movie at the drive-in. It was one day when she showed up at my job that I realized something."

Steve rolled his eyes. "You realized you loved her, chased her through an airport, and got married. The end. Now can we go?"

Danny glared him quiet, finishing off his bottle before continuing. "No, now shush or I'll hide my keys for a week." Smirking at the other man's silence, he happily started where he left off. "I realized that this girl was not only my best friend, but I loved her. Now, I know what you're thinking," he said, seeing Steve's opening mouth and miffed expression, "that's exactly what you meant. But it's not like that."

"I loved her, but not like love-love. And that night, I thought it over and decided on something: there are two different kinds of love. One is the way I first felt about that woman driving on the wrong side of the street: like a family member's I love you before they go to bed, a non romantic I love you of those you are close two.

"Number two is, well, in love. After a while I found myself looking at her differently, wanting to be with her all of the time. Wanting her to be more to me. I told her, turned out she felt the same way, and the next thing I knew I was married and had a kid. The end."

Sighing in mock relief, Steve said, "And the point of that story is…"

"Moral of the story Steven: There are two kinds of loved. You need to decide which one describes how you feel about Phoenix."

Shock filled the other man; he choked on the gulp of beer he was on, sputtering and watching Danny with wide eyes. "Wh-what?"

To Steve's surprise, the man laughed at his reaction. "I think you like my sister."

"No. We're just friends. Nothing more." he finally managed.

"Oh come on," Danny needled, "you live together. You watch Law and Order together at night. Whenever there's some gunfire at work, Phoenix is always the first name you call. You can't tell me you don't like my sister more than you should."

For a moment, his words got to Steve. Maybe Danny was, dare he say it, right for once. Yes, whenever something happened, panic gripped his heart at the thought of Phoenix getting hurt. But he felt the same way about Danny, Kono, Chin...even Grace and Kamekona. Danny was just reading into things again, he reassured himself. It wasn't like that. And that's exactly what he told him.

His words sounded weak to his own ears and Danny clearly didn't believe him either. For once though, the man didn't speak or gesture wildly with his point; instead he replied a cryptic, "Okay."

"Okay? That's it? Just okay?" Steve's eyebrows knitted together. "No argument, no rant, nothing?"

"I can't know how you're feeling, babe. Only guess. Maybe I was wrong, right?"

"Yeah...right."

There was a somewhat tense silence before Danny got up, patting Steve's shoulder as he passed him. "It's almost past Grace's bedtime, I better go. Text you tomorrow if she wants to swim in this shark infested ocean."

"Uh, yeah, yeah. Night, Danno. Sweet dreams." Steve managed to mock. A few moments later, he was left in his own thoughts. Thoughts he rather wouldn't like to think. He mentally cursed his partner for making him stay out here and talk to - or at least, talk at - him. Feelings were not something he liked to deal with at any point in time, and definitely not ones that confused him. He didn't like Phoenix...did he?"

"Steve, come on, we'll miss the show!"

It was her of course, in a too big t-shirt and pajama shorts, just like she usually wore. Her blond hair had neatly been rebraided, and her blue eyes were wide in the night.

He didn't like her in that way. He did not. "Be right in, just give me a sec."

"You alright?"

"Yeah." Steve stood, dusting off his pants and giving the ocean one last glance. "Yeah. I'm alright. Let's go, Nix."

As they walked together towards the house, Steve found himself smiling. Friends, he thought. And whatever Danny said wasn't true.

A convincing lie, really. A convincing lie indeed. But every day later, he found himself thinking about what he didn't want to: two kinds of love.

A/N: Sorry it's a bit on the short side. Thanks for reading, hope you liked.