Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii Five-0. No copyright infringement intended.

Authors Note: Because Cargumentluv begged and um...well...I think now your going to hate me! So yeah, still a rookie ;-)

Chapter 9

"DANNY! Danny…crap…come on Danny…stop…" Steve frantically implored the man, trying to wield his way through the desperate moans and mutterings of his friend. The Detective had suddenly melted into the floor, his memories ripping him away from the safety of the office. Smoothly scooping up his besieged friend into a seated position between his outstretched legs, the SEAL soothingly settled his partner's back against his chest. Arms circling the man to keep him upright, the Detective's head rolled back onto his shoulder. Steve whispered reassurances into his partner's ear until the frightful moaning and the repetitive, beseeching 'sorry' ceased. "You with me now? Danno, you with me?" Danny had dreadfully managed to communicate what the SEAL needed to finally understand. The second piece of the puzzle ruthlessly crashed into place. His teammate's reactions and internal struggles within the past 12 weeks made the puzzle complete. What his friend couldn't communicate could wait. He'd give his friend that, he'd earned it. He lost track of time, allowing his partner to dictate what he needed as the SEAL in him internally raged at the cruelty and brutality his partner had suffered.

Steve physically startled when Danny's ragged whisper broke through the stilled silence. "I woke up in an abandoned septic tank that was tucked under a portion of the shipping yard. After they dumped us in, they covered the septic grate with a full shipping container. The Officers that initially responded to the call couldn't locate us, so they called in other K9 teams from our precinct's Search and Rescue Unit. I didn't have the chance to tell anyone what part of the shipping yard 'Sig' and I had been searching. I went in alone Steven, it was a stupid rookie move. I knew better, especially after… Grace." Danny stuttered to a halt, painfully clearing his throat.

"Danno, you don't have to do this. You gave me enough, I get it," Steve quietly implored. His partner had begun trembling again, his cold body throwing off additional indicators of shock. The SEAL was torn about the sudden dump of emotional pain, and whether it would set his partner back physically. He knew Danny needed to get this out, but he wasn't sure how far to let him go before cutting him off.

"No, I need to finish. Just…just give me a second." Danny was quicker to recover this time, his voice less tortured with the memories. Steve knew what was to come and braced himself in case his partner flew apart again. "The precinct got a package around six hours into the search, a warning to back off. The bastards had torn off a portion of 'Sig's' ear, sent it to the precinct along with my gun and our badges. We weren't found until 48 hours later. I don't remember much after finding 'Sig'. The Doctor's told me that it took the rescue team several hours to get me out of the septic tank and away from 'Sigs' body. I spent two days in the hospital before checking out AMA. I kind of lost it after that for a while. Took a bit for everyone in the precinct to stop walking on eggshells around me. Gracie was the only thing that kept my world from shattering into a million pieces." Danny blew out a tortured breath, "'Sig' died because he was trained to protect me…I let him down as his handler…his partner..."

Steve whispered response made Danny hesitate… "Man's best friend, Danno. And you didn't let him down. You're just not capable of that brah." Silence descended upon the partner's, each man able to forfeit their guilt for a silence that was comforting, understanding, and complete.

"You really do suck at this stuff, you know," Danny quietly offered, attempting to regain some normalcy following the backlash of his emotional dump. The intensity of the past few months had both men reeling and on unsure footing. Breathing deeply, he pulled away from his partner's chest to sit slightly forward, allowing the SEAL to gracefully unravel himself up off the floor. "And for the record…I hate you. I hate you…you know, for making me do that." Danny's voice tapered off as the last was reluctantly offered to his friend.

"Yeah, Danno. You've told me that…repeatedly I might add. I get that too," the SEAL softly chuffed. Steve confidently extended his hand out to his partner, pulling him up off the floor then slinging his arm comfortingly over his friend's shoulder. "And you love me. You know you do," Steve waspishly grinned. The familiar retort providing a much needed balm after having scrapped along the emotional scars of the past twelve weeks.

"Yeah, I do…thanks" Danny whispered.

"You're welcome, Danno"

H50

"You know! He told you didn't he? Friday night…in the office after we left," Kono demanded, finger jabbing into her Boss's chest. She had pounced on Steve after about an hour in the office Monday morning, carefully watching Danny rant and rave at the man for something that neither cousin had been privy to. Chin had doggedly tried to divert her attention from the observable transformation in the blond Detective's persona to no avail. He essentially ended up chucking in the proverbial towel as his own warring curiosity versus concern got the better of him.

Steve smirked at the irritation and curiosity the woman radiated at him. Kono hated being left out of the know. Especially, understandably really, when it had to do with her 'ohana. The smirk quickly vanished though, as her glare demanded that the SEAL give it up. This was Danny's story to tell, and after what his partner had just gone through over the last twelve weeks, he wasn't about to cross that line of trust. So he responded with all the sincerity and honesty he could muster, "Yeah, he told me. It's his story to tell though Kono. When he's ready, he'll tell you. Don't push him on this one….please."

Kono blinked, cocking her head to the side as she pondered Steve's request. He had said "please". Her Boss rarely said "please". After what seemed like forever, she flashed another one of her brilliant smiles, spun on her heels, and threw over her shoulder in typical que sera sera fashion, "Yeah, okay Boss. You got it."

Steve stole a look at Chin, locking onto his questioning gaze. The SEAL encouraged his insightful friend to take his time, silently compelling him to believe that Danny would be okay and that their team would remain wholly intact. Satisfied with what he found, Chin nodded in perceptive understanding.

H50

Steve glanced over to his, once again, silent partner. The past six months had been a hellish roller coaster ride for his friend. The only genuine smiles to make their way into the depths of the intense blue eyes happened when he was in the presence of his beloved daughter Grace. Danny had regained most of his footing after his little tête-à-tête with the SEAL, but the man was still off, still uncharacteristically subdued. His 'ohana noticed, hell even the HPD officers that Five-0 commonly worked with questioned the Commander at some point if his partner was okay. The revered velvet box had disappeared back into the depths of the man's office desk, taking with it the fire and passion for the job and life Danny was renowned for. Steve found that unequivocally unacceptable.

As the Commander slowed his partner's Camaro down to make a turn into their destination, Danny went rigid in his seat, "What the hell, Steven! What the fuck are you up to?" It was the most demonstrative reaction Steve had gotten from the man in days and he couldn't suppress the slight smirk inching its way onto his face. He knew the facial expression was incredibly inappropriate, but he missed this Danny. It was good to see that the burning fuel of his partner's intense personality was still buried underneath somewhere, it just needed the right impetuous to come out again.

Pulling into the parking lot in front of the expansive building and fields, Steve launched himself out of the Camaro before his partner could continue his rant. The SEAL couldn't fail to notice that Danny didn't budge, not one inch out of the safety that the car now provided. "Christ, you can be such a stubborn SOB sometimes, Daniel," he grumbled as he stomped over to the passenger side door. Wrenching the door open while giving his partner his best Navy SEAL death stare, "Get out of the car Daniel or I'll embarrass you right here where everyone can see. You know I'll do it…just...get out of the car."

It took the Detective exactly 5.2 seconds to decide that his partner would willingly mete out his latest threat and that it would be better to concede defeat at this point. But getting out of the car was as far as he would go. His partner would have to sling him over his shoulder in a fireman's carry to get his friend any closer to the building. Grudgingly sliding out of the passenger door, Danny didn't anticipate the paralyzing fear that flooded his body almost forcing him to his knees.

Steve's quick reactions in grabbing his partner's elbow saved the man from face planting onto the graveled surface of the lot, avoiding further embarrassing himself in a spectacular fashion. "Deep breaths…take your time. No rush, partner," he quietly encouraged. The SEAL had known that he was taking an extreme risk with his plan, it being inevitable that his friend would catch on as soon as they made the turn off the main road. But the Commander was beyond certain that his plan was a solid one. The fact that his partner was still standing next to him, albeit not entirely under his own power, reinforced his belief that he had done the right thing. "Trust me on this one Danno…you need to trust me buddy," he patiently entreated.

As the Detective was trying not to disassemble any further in front of his partner, Steve gestured towards the imposing figure that was approaching from the nearly empty field. The man was bound to demand anyone's attention as his stature alone exuded self-assurance. But it was the companion that accompanied the man that had Danny keenly gathering his senses into some semblance of order. The team approaching the men oozed expertise and authority. Lethal combinations that even the inexpert untrained eye would appreciate. Danny's decidedly perfected skills and eye construed so much more.

Danny was one of, if not the best dog handlers New Jersey's K9 Unit had ever had. That was an undeniable fact within his old department and across the State. Steve did his homework and had checked with his partner's old precinct to verify his information. It hadn't taken much convincing to get Hawaii's Governor and the K9 Unit's Training Commander to allow his partner to train with another dog. The key always hinged around convincing Danny. The risk had always been in his partner's refusal, so the SEAL eliminated his choice from the equation. He knew his plan had the potential to spectacularly blow up in his face, but he was willing to take the risk. He just hoped Danny was.

In front of the two Hawaii Five -0 teammates now stood HPD's Canine Unit SSD Training Commander. With a brisk nod of acknowledgement to the SEAL, the Training Commander locked his attention on the Detective. But every fiber of Danny's being was locked on the HPD Commander's companion, nothing else existed.

Steve hesitantly cleared his throat, "Danno, I'd like to introduce you to the newest member of Five-0…'Kahu'. You're the new handler."

~the end~

~ Sequel...um...yeah, maybe ~

And no, it's not written! Rookie, remember?