Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.
A/N.:. Thank you so much for all the reviews. To all the guest and followers. A big thank you to JazzieG for the mistakes you will find are my own! Again I felt like adding a few small things…. And my love to my sister, she was a great help
Chapter 8
The next morning saw Danny prepare some breakfast. Steve had to eat and he liked fruits, okay not everyone's taste, but … fruit it was!
"Danny! This looks real good." Nurse Ellen, who came out of Steve's room said and smiled at the Detective.
"Yeah, you think so?" Danny laid the last slice of pineapple carefully on the plate.
"Yeah! Perfect!" Ellen smiled, this looked really delicious.
"And how is he, Ellen?"
"His happy self! Depressed, sulking and not eating. He didn't touch his regular breakfast! I just came out after threatening him to fetch Dr. Kamea. But now, "she looked at the plate. "My hopes are up again, but I will inform Dr. Kamea anyway."
Danny smiled and nodded understanding.
Yeah, Steve was slowly getting to the end of their sympathy rope.
But as always, he smiled to himself, I'm the back up!
Danny pushed the door open without knocking and went with his tray straight to the bed table and put it down.
"Breakfast is here." He said cheerfully.
"Already had breakfast!" Steve said without looking at Danny.
"Yeah! And you ate a whole lot of it!" He sat down. "And now I'm here to make sure that you eat at least a bit of this!"
Steve still stared out the window. "Go… please Danny!"
"You know my friend!" his tone still cheerful. "I don't give a shit!"
This made Steve look at him. "Please Danno!"
"Danno, "he spurted. "You call me Danno? You know what?.. Steven. Only my daughter and my best friend call me Danno and you don't behave like my best friend!"
Danny leaned forward to get closer.
"Because my best friend would talk to me, especially if he had a problem with me," Danny pointed at himself. "his best friend - and he certainly wouldn't banish me," pointing again at himself, "his best friend! -from his room! Tell me, what kind of best friend would do something like that?!"
"I'm sorry!"
Danny leaned even closer.
"What?" He put his pinky in his ear and wiggled it. "Sorry, couldn't understand you."
"Why…. Why do you bother?"
"Why? Because you might not behave like my best friend at the moment, but I'm certainly your best friend! And if you want me in here or not," he shrugged his shoulders "I don't give not only a shit but a few on top! Get it in that big thick skull of yours – you don't get rid of me! Because that's what best friends are for! Being here for each other." He leaned back.
"Now talk!"
Steve stared with wide eyes at Danny.
"I'm so sorry, Danny! I… I… feel so…. " He rubbed his face. "so ashamed."
"Ashamed? What for, for heavens sake?"
"Grace!" Steve almost yelled and his eyes filled up.
"Yeah Grace… and what?" Danny wouldn't make it easy for Steve, because easy didn't work for Steve!
Danny knew from Malia exactly what the problem was, but Steve had to phrase it to get the weight lifted and the problem solved once and for all.
"Danny, I almost killed your daughter – killed Grace." Steve yelled.
"NO, you did NOT!"
"I had her thin neck in a lock! And I…I… could have killed her …. "Steve brought his good arm up to hide his eyes.
"Yes you could have, but you didn't! And you know why you didn't because your love for Grace made you come out of your fever hallucination and made you see what was real. Steve, you are the most honorable and caring man I know."
Suddenly Steve's arm was removed from his wet eyes and face.
"Steve I want my best friend back!"
"Me too! But… Danny.." Steve looked afraid but with hope at Danny.
"There are no buts, Steven! Don't you understand? Do I have to tell you again? You did not kill Grace – you saved her – saved us!" Danny locked eyes needing to make his hardheaded friend understand. "And… I miss by friend and I want him back!"
When Danny saw Steve finally starting to accept he stood and bent down. "Come here Brother. " He hugged his friend as well as he could and was hugged right back.
"Love you, man.!" Danny said glad to finally getting his best friend, his brother back.
"Hmm Hmm." Came a cough from the door. "Sorry to interrupt that cuddly moment!"
Danny jumped back like stung from a bee.
"Doc Kamea? …..It.. It's not like it looks!" Steve looked confused from his Doctor to his friend.
"What does it look like?" he smirked, enjoying immensely making the blond Detective squirm.
Danny grasped.
"I'm as straight as the Aloha-Tower and my friend here is even straighter if possible!"
Now Steve caught on and with a content smile on his face he closed his eyes. YES! Danny was still here and his best friend!
***HF0***
Danny was at Rachel's late in the afternoon.
He wanted - no needed to talk to Grace. After convincing Rachel of it she called her daughter downstairs.
When Grace saw her Daddy she ran to him and embraced him tightly. After a moment she pushed herself from her Danno's arms and looked curious at him.
"What is it Danno?" She inclined her head "Is something wrong? Is it Uncle Steve?"
"No, No sweetie. Uncle Steve feels better and I guess it's time to visit him. What do you think?"
"I can see him? Really?" Grace voice haltered a bit. "I miss him but… " She looked with teary eyes at her Dad.
"But what? Monkey…"
"He was so strange…. And he scared me!" she confessed with a low voice.
"Grace." Danny sat down with her in his lap. "Monkey, I've told you that Uncle Steve was hurt badly and he was hallucinating, that means he saw things that … you know… that were not real. He did not recognize you but when he did.. he was really confused and let go of you immediately. He now feels real bad about it and he is even .. scared." Danny paused. "Most of all to see you."
"He is scared? But Danno… Uncle Steve is never scared!" Grace said not believing.
"But he is Monkey, scared because he thinks that you don't want to see him anymore."
"But Danno… I want to see Uncle Steve. You said it yourself Uncle Steve would never ever hurt me – only, because he was so sick and was hallu.. hallu.. cinating.."
"You sure Monkey? But are you scared?" Danny had to know.
"Maybe a little, but I miss my Uncle Steve and I want to see him!" Danny embrace is daughter and kissed her head. "I love you Monkey and I promise he misses you, too!"
"Danno, I like to make a drawing for him - can I?"
Danny smiled and nodded. Everything would be fine!
***HF0***
"Danny, do you think that this is a good idea?" Steve asked uncomfortable.
"Yeah, why not. She is asking about you all the time." Danny did not mention the talk he had with Grace.
"Really?" came the unsure question. "She might be afraid when she sees me and I would rather not be confronted with that."
"Hey, this is Grace! She loves her Uncle Steve very much!"
"But I hurt her and I tried …"
"Don't say it!" Danny interrupted quickly. "You know what? Although, being the big bad SEAL here, I think you are afraid!"
"Me? Of what Danny? Come on."
"Exactly!" Danny smirked, having won this one.
Suddenly a knock interrupted them and the door was pushed open. Grace looked around the door and when she saw her Dad she came running in and stopped by hugging him.
"Hey Monkey!" Danny hugged her back and nodded hello to Rachel at the door.
Then she looked up at her Uncle Steve in bed.
"Uncle Steve!" She said. "Are you better?" Steve stared almost afraid at Danny who smiled slightly and nodded his head and then back at Grace.
"Yes Grace, I'm much better!" Grace hesitated only for the slightest moment, smiled and came to stop in front of the bed.
"Lift me up, Danno." and to Steve. "Can I Uncle Steve." Steve nodded and looked uncomfortable at his friend who smiled knowingly. He stepped forward and lifted his little girl onto the bed.
She sat at his good right side and looked at him shortly and then hugged him with her good arm.
"I love you Uncle Steve! I missed you so much! And I'm so glad you are fine. You know Danno told me you were so sick, otherwise I would have been here a lot sooner." She babbled happily. "Look I have the same color cast as you have and the same arm! I'm so glad you are fine again!" and with a last final hug she leaned back.
"Look I did a drawing for you!" She carried on and held the picture up." Can we hang it up over there on the wall?"
"Gracie." Steve smiled. Relieved that Grace seemed to be okay. "Can I have a look at it first?"
"Sure!" She said and held it in front of him. Danny also stepped closer to get a look at the drawing his daughter made.
"It's the Makani!" Steve looked at the most expressive drawing Grace did. The sailboat was on blue still water and the typical childish clouds and sun above, but what made his eyes become misty were the three people standing on the railing; a small girl with a blonde man at her right and a tall dark haired man at her left.
Above, written in the sky was; 'My best day ever with my Danno and my Uncle Steve.'
Steve hugged her again and looked with misty but happy eyes at his friend, who nodded knowingly with a very proud and happy smile of his own.
***HF0***
Dr. Kamea halted in the door and looked into the room.
Steve was talking animatedly to his friend.
"Ahh, sorry to interrupt the happy couple."
"Doc!..." Danny warned good naturedly and Dr. Kamea grinned and nodded.
He made a step into the room. "So, how are you feeling, Steve?"
"I'm fine and I'm feeling like going home!" Steve looked almost pleading at Dr. Kamea.
"Home?" He shook his head in false desperation. "Steve, I think that's too early. " He held up his hand as Steve wanted to protest. "Not that there is a medical reason. Your leg is healing nicely with the cast in place now and the stomach wound is no problem either and since your support is back in place you are doing better by the hour, but since someone refused to eat for a few days, this someone is very weak and has not yet enough strength to even go to the bathroom by himself even…. Even if this someone could use crutches with his broken arm. Which he can't!"
"But Doc, assuming this someone had someone who helped him around? Could he go home?"
Doc Kamea looked skeptical at Steve then at Danny. Knowing what those two were up to.
"It would be me!" Danny confirmed. "I would stay at Steve's till he can use crutches and manage."
Doc Kamea raised his eyebrows and smirked conspiratorially. "Oh, I see!"
"What?" Danny asked exasperated and then. "Doc, I told you…."
"Yeah, yeah; straight as the Aloha Tower!" He had the nerve to say and left for the door.
***HF0***
A few weeks later, the friends were relaxing on Steve's lanai.
Danny came out of the house with Longboards for the healthy adults and soft drinks for Steve and Grace who was currently playing in the surf.
"Oh please Danny!" He looked skeptically at his coke and whined. "I'm okay for desk duty coming next week! Therefore I think I'm allowed a Longboard."
"No my friend! The Doc's orders state clearly; as from next week and not from today."
"Ohh, seriously Danno?"
"NO!" He laughed and put a Longboard down in front of his best friend.
A juicy steak later Chin stood suddenly.
"Em… I want to make an announcement."
"Wow, that sounds scary." Steve said and Kono smiled knowingly, wondering why Danny stayed untypically quiet but smiled.
"Yeah, it's about time!" The blonde Detective said and Steve wondered what Chin had to say that made his partner grin so contently.
"Why do I have the feeling that I'm the only one who doesn't know a thing?"
"Because you are!" Malia laughed and elbowed her husband, who looked questioningly at his wife.
Malia shrugged. "I'm sure you've told Kono and I had to tell Danny, why I didn't fly…"
Steve looked even more confused at Chin.
"Oh…Why then am I standing here and making an announcement?"
"Because you love it, cuz!"
"And I want to know, what's so important, everyone on this island knows except me!"
"Not everyone!" Danny grinned and called Grace over.
Chin straightened. "Okay, I want to tell the last two people on Hawaii, who don't know, that Malia and I going to be parents!"
"But Danno, you've already told me that!" Grace said confused and Danny made a grimace and shook his head wildly, then looked apologetically at Malia and Chin.
"That's… that's great news, Chin. Malia come here!" Malia bent down so Steve could hug her tightly. "I'm so damn happy for you, Malia!"
"Thanks Steve and our Keiki will be very lucky to be part of such a tight knit Ohana!" She smiled happily.
Steve held up his beer bottle. "Yeah, all the best for both of you" He saluted "and especially to the woman who managed to actually make Danny listen once and follow orders!"
Danny spewed out the swig of beer he just took.
"Hey!" He protested. "I'm always following orders! I'm an outstanding and honorable police Detective! And might I add... "
"a damn good one!" They said as one and laughed contentedly.
***HF0***
It was dark on the lanai and Grace was already in bed in Steve's guestroom when Danny suddenly sat up. Something suddenly coming to mind.
"What I wanted to ask for a long time now, but never came around to is- does this island you maneuvered us to, actually have a name?" Danny looked at his friends. "If not I think I want to name it" Expectant silence greeted him, and he said; "Hellhole Island!
"Sorry Danny! Too late," Kono said while laughing at the others. "The ancient Hawaiians have named it a long time ago!" Danny nodded understanding.
"Thought so and I'm sure the Ancient Ones came up with a fitting name, right?"
"Yeah, very fitting!" Chin said chuckling and then said more earnestly.
"The Ancients called the island; 'Iki Koa Kãne' !" Chin looked at Kono and Steve who smiled and nodded.
"Yes, very fitting!" Kono said in agreement and Steve smiled at his best friend.
"Yeah couldn't be truer!"
"What?" Danny exclaimed loudly. "You know there are people who don't understand that Hawaiian gibberish…"
Finally Chin took pity on him. "Danny it means; Island of the 'Little Brave Man'!"
The End