Author's Note:

Thanks so much for all of the really kind reviews! I hope you like the second, final chapter of this twoshot.

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, just play with 'em for fun.

"So?" asked Danny loudly, taking the seat in front of Steve's desk.

"So, what?" asked Steve, not looking up from his paperwork.

"How did the test go?" asked Danny, leaning forward.

"What test?" asked Steve, still not looking up.

"What test?" asked Danny, eyebrows raised. "The hearing test, Steven."

"Oh, that," said Steve. "It was fine."

"And…" said Danny.

"And what, Danny?" said Steve, looking up and rubbing his temples.

"How did you go?"

"How did you go?"

"My test?" asked Danny. "Passed with flying colours. Completely normal for my age. And you?"

"Some loss in my left ear," mumbled Steve, looking back down.

Danny made a point to put his hand next to his ear and leant over Steve's desk. "What was that? Sorry, I didn't hear you."

"I have some loss in my left ear," snapped Steve, looking at him. "There, that make you happy?"

"Happy no, but right, yes," said Danny. "How much loss are we talking here?"

"85 per cent," said Steve.

"85 per cent?" asked Danny. "That's not some loss, that's almost half your hearing! What about your right ear?"

"20 per cent," said Steve quietly.

Danny sighed. "That is more than half your hearing."

"Yep," said Steve, leaning back in his chair.

"How?" asked Danny. "Explosions, gunfire?"

"Pretty much," said Steve.

"Aw, man," said Danny. "I'm sorry, I mean… I knew I was right but I didn't want to be that right."

Steve nodded, and ran his hand down his face.

"Can anything be done?" asked Danny.

"They, uh, recommended hearing aids," said Steve, looking away. "But that's not something I really want to do."

"But," asked Danny. "If you need them, and it means you hear better, isn't that a good thing?"

"Danny," said Steve. "Can't we just forget about this, please? So I drive more, and I walk on your left side, and I turn the TV up loud. Is that so bad?"

Danny leant back in his chair. "What if one day, and let me just throw this out there because you know it's so unlikely in our line of work, but what if one day we are in a life and death situation and you don't hear me calling your name? Or Chin? Or Kono? What then?"

"Well, if that ever happens, I'll look at it then," said Steve.

"But you could be dead. Or one of us could be dead," said Danny. "Just because of what, pride?"

"It's not pride," said Steve.

"What is it then?" asked Danny. "Because I'm struggling to see how this is anything but pride."

Steve stood up and walked to the window, looking out.

"I'm in the navy, Danny. I'm the head of this task force," said Steve. "I can't be…"

"What?" said Danny, very loudly because Steve's back was turned to him. Danny stood up from his chair and went over to stand next to Steve.

Steve took a moment. "Hearing impaired."

"Yes, but you are," said Danny softly, placing a hand on Steve's shoulder and turning him around slightly. "You have to deal with that."

"It'll mean a medical discharge from the reserves, and I don't know what it'll mean for five-0."

"Well, we'll talk to the Governor," said Danny. "We'll work it out."

Steve nodded and sighed. He rubbed his eyes with one hand. Before he could object, Danny pulled Steve in for an awkward hug.

Chin and Kono sat in the conference room, eating Chinese takeout, waiting for their colleagues to come back from the meeting with the Governor.

Kono laid her head on her hands and looked at Chin.

"What do you think the Governor will say?" asked Kono softly.

Chin shook his head. "I really don't know, cuz…"

"I mean, he'll have to keep Steve as the head of five-0 right? He has to," said Kono.

"Kono," said Chin, sitting up and putting his chopsticks down. "We'll know when Steve and Danny get back. Until then, eat, okay?"

"Yep," said Kono, picking up the nearest box.

They ate in silence for the next few minutes. Then Kono spotted Steve and Danny walk into the main office and jumped up. Chin followed her out to meet them with bated breath.

"Boss?" said Kono tentatively. "How did it go?"

Steve and Danny both smiled at her. She squealed and threw herself at Steve, hugging him tightly. Chin grinned and hugged him as soon as Kono let him go.

"What happened, brah?" asked Chin, stepping back.

"He, uh, thanked me for letting him know," said Steve. "He appreciated my candor, and said as long as I 'handled' it, it wouldn't be a problem."

"He did say that we need to keep this between us," said Danny, indicating the group. "Because he doesn't want the press."

"Oh, uh, how is that going to work?" asked Kono, frowning. "Don't you have to wear hearing aids?"

"I am," said Steve, grinning.

Kono looked at his ears.

"I don't see anything," said Kono.

"They're in-ear aids," said Steve.

"But," said Danny, waiving his hands. "But, he has to be careful with loud noise so we have to keep gunfire and explosions to a minimum, which is great news to me."

"Oh, but Danny," said Steve. "I have this, remember?" He pulled a small remote out of a pocket on his cargoes and pressed a button.

"That is not what that's supposed to be used for," said Danny.

"What? I can't hear you," said Steve loudly. He walked over to his office, Danny following closely behind.

"Steve? Steven," said Danny loudly. "That is not what that's supposed to be used for." Steve shut the door in his face.

"Charming," muttered Danny.

Kono giggled and Chin grinned.

"I have a feeling he is going to be using that quite often," said Chin, winking at Danny.

Having just received a call from the Governor about another case, Steve and Danny headed out to the Camaro. Steve automatically went to the driver's side and waited for Danny to throw him the keys.

"Wait, what?" said Danny. "I thought I would get to drive my car again."

"Why would you think that?" said Steve, shrugging. "I still have control issues after all, Danno."

Danny rolled his eyes and threw him the keys. "Don't call me Danno."

"What?"

"You heard me."

A/N: Thanks for reading! Please review if you can, it would make my day! Constructive criticism welcome :)

Please note I realize hearing loss isn't measured in percentages, but it was easier to write in percentages. And I don't know if Steve would need just one hearing aid or two - I'm a lazy writer, sorry! Any medical mistakes / omissions are all mine.

I'm also working on a H50 cancer fic and also a major whump fic... but I won't start posting until finished so they don't become forgotten WIPs.

Until next time!