5.01: "We've Got This"

By Cokie

This is a 'prequel' to Episode 5.01.

~~~H50~~~

Monday Morning

Five-0 Headquarters

"Danny, are you finished?" Steve asked after his partner finished marking off notes on his personal agenda.

"Eh…" Danny went over the notes once again. "Yeah, that's all."

"Good, let's move on—"

"Hey, what do you mean by 'good'. I had valid comments for this 'bull session' as you like to call it."

"Yes, you did," Steve agreed and glanced at his watch. "But it's after oh-eight-hundred-"

"Eight o'clock," Danny added.

"—and Lou and I still need the opportunity to speak. The goal is to keep the meetings to an hour, max."

"Then be my guest," Danny said, waving his arms in Grover's direction.

Lou smiled and shook his head. "I don't think I have anything. But I do like these Monday morning jam sessions to recap what we've got going on."

"Thank you, Lou," Steve replied then looked at Danny who was seated at the conference room table to Steve's right. "See, someone sees the value in them." He turned to his left where Lou was seated next to Kono. "Lou, as long as we don't have an active case we are pursuing on Mondays, we try to RV every week. So, anyone else have anything?" He glanced up again as Danny rolled his eyes. "Yes, Danny? Is there a problem?"

"We try to RV every week? What is that… other than a glorified traveling camper?"

"RV is 'rendezvous'," Steve explained.

"It's a damn meeting!" Danny groused, throwing his arms wide, narrowly missing Chin's head. "Why can't we call it a meeting?"

"Call it whatever you like but we need to finish it and get busy." Steve glanced at each of them around the table and then reached for his phone. "If there's nothing else, let's wrap this up. But first, I've got a bit of depressing news…"

"Here we go, what now?" Danny asked.

Steve shared his phone message. "Annual psych audits are this week. I got the email first thing this morning."

A collection of groans was heard around the table.

"I should be good for now," Grover told them with a smirk. "Had one when I came on board with SWAT."

"Maybe so," Steve agreed, scrolling his phone. "But you're scheduled for Thursday at 0900."

"What? Again?" the captain whined.

"'fraid so," Steve replied. "Governor's orders. Kono, you're down for 0900 Wednesday. Meetings are 45 minutes long—".

"Are you sure it isn't an 'RV' instead of a plain old meeting?" Danny asked.

Steve ignored him. "Chin, you follow Kono at 1000. Danny, you are…"

"I'm what?"

Steve made a face. "Not sure, I'll have to check with the governor's assistant. You are scheduled for 1000 on Thursday."

"Shouldn't be a problem, barring a case," Danny replied.

"I'll double check the times because that's when they scheduled my eval, too. It's just a mix-up so I'll let you know the correct time."

"I can hardly wait," Danny replied. "Are we done? I need a refill."

Steve checked his own empty coffee cup as the group began to file from the room. "Yeah, me, too. Grab that empty malasada box and toss it."

"What am I, your maid service?"

"No, but it was your turn to bring breakfast. You can at least clean up, don't you think?"

"The cook never cleans," Danny reminded him.

"OK, next time you bring in a home-cooked breakfast, I'll do the clean up," Steve promised. "But for now, grab the box."

"Here, you want this last one?" Danny asked.

"Thanks; I ate breakfast at home," Steve told him.

"What was it? Tree bark smoothie? Bet it wasn't as good as malasadas," Danny said, his mouth full with the last piece of the delicious treat.

"It was oatmeal if you must know. And in my opinion, it was better than malasadas."

"Not a chance, Babe. Not a chance."

~~~H50~~~

"Hi, Ellen. It's Steve McGarrett. No, for once I don't need the governor; I have a question for you."

He paused, then asked, "On these psych audits—" He smiled and replied, "No, Ellen, I'm not asking if we can get out of them. Promise. But whoever arranged these scheduled Detective Williams and me in the same time slot. Which one of us do you want to switch?"

Steve listened. Closely. Disbelieving what he was hearing.

"Ellen, no, really that can't be right—"

"But… why?" He heard himself almost whining now.

He listened again. And he sighed. Then he closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Yes, I understand. Thanks, Ellen. Thursday at 1000. We'll be there."

Steve hung up the phone and muttered, "Well, crap," beneath his breath.

~~~H50~~~

Danny glanced into Steve's office and saw his partner drop his head and pinch the bridge of his nose. Like a massive headache was right behind his eyes. Wonder what that's all about? Danny knew that whatever it was, the odds were in his favor that he would find out.

Steve exited his office minutes later, heading toward the coffee machine. He motioned for Danny to join him.

"What's up?"

Steve took a drink of the hot liquid and made a face. "About this psych audit…"

"Yeah?"

"For some reason, the governor scheduled us together."

"Together? You mean we have to be there at the same time?"

"I'm afraid so," Steve replied.

Danny thought for a moment. "No. That's not right. These things are supposed to be private. I can't talk with you there."

"I know. I don't like it either, but when I asked Ellen to talk to him, she was adamant that he had specifically requested this."

"It's crazy. No. I won't do it. I've been to couples therapy with Rachel. They are NOT fun."

"Who's going to couples therapy?" Chin asked, reaching around Danny to pick up the coffee pot.

"Apparently we are," Steve mumbled.

"Say what?" Chin asked with a grin. "You and Danny? Wow."

"What's so funny?" Grover asked, taking the nearly empty coffee pot from Chin.

"Steve and Danny have to do couples therapy on Thursday," Chin told him.

Grover grinned and saluted them with his coffee cup. "Congratulations to the happy couple. Can we sell tickets?"

"It's not funny," Steve groused.

"No, it isn't," Danny added. "They're gonna want me to spill my guts with this…" he pointed to Steve… "HIM in the room."

"What's up?" Kono asked, squeezing around the men to reach the coffee pot.

"Uh, sorry, Kono, I just took the last cup," Grover told her. "I'll make some—"

"No worries," she hastily told the newest member of the team. "I'll do it." When Lou had made coffee last week, she swore it was the last time he was allowed near the coffeemaker. His coffee could have stood up and saluted.

"As for 'what's up'," Grover told her. "Steve and Danny get to have couples counseling this week."

"Really?" she said, her smile immediate. "Should we celebrate?"

"Not. Funny." Steve glared at her. "Listen, I don't know why the governor decided this, but Danny, we need to go in there and present a united front. We'll just agree with everything the other says. Deal?"

"I am in total agreement," Danny told him. "Let's go in and answer the lame questions and get out of there." He walked back toward his office, a smile on his face.

"See," Steve looked at the rest of his team. "No biggie. We've got this covered." He smiled and turned to head back to his own office.

Chin, Kono and Lou waited until both doors were closed behind the men before erupting in laughter.

" 'They've got this covered'," Grover snickered. "Like hell, they do."

"I wish I could be a fly on the wall," Kono said.

"You and me, too," Chin replied. "Those two agreeing on what the other one said? Like that's gonna happen."

Lou nodded and finished his coffee. "If McGarrett says the sky is blue, Williams would find an argument against it. Those two mix like oil and water."

"That's true," Chin told him. "But regardless of their personality clashes, whatever they do, works. It may not be pretty, but it gets the job done. I just hope the therapist realizes that."

Grover nodded. "I just hope the therapist doesn't need professional help after all this is over." He turned to head back to his office but stopped just before running into Steve.

Steve and Danny both stood in the hallway, arms crossed.

Danny slowly shook his head and made a tsk, tsk sound in disappointment at his team members.

Steve gave the three his death glare. "Are you all finished? I'm telling you, Danny and I've got this. Right, Danno?"

"Right. I mean, really? What are they gonna bring up that we can't agree on?"

~~~H50~~~

Notes: Sam and I have decided to write a series of Season 5 exclusives. We (one or both of us – OR - the two of us together) have committed to write at least one coda or missing scene for each of the 25 episodes this season. So… please continue to check the blog for new fiction each week. And if there is a scene that you are absolutely dying to see, leave us a note on the blog. I won't make promises that we can write it, but we will see if we can come up with something.

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