A/N: Here it is, folks. Sorry it took a few days to get this posted - I've had a couple of travel days and am visiting family in CA now. We have to wrap this one up, but I am really going to miss this part of my life for the last few months! We'll see where my muse, Ferdinand, will take me next!

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EPILOGUE

One month later, Steve's backyard, Oahu

The Ohana was all together for a birthday celebration. Grace was turning 13, and Danny was in need of his Ohana to help ease him into the teen years. Because everyone knew it was going to be harder on him than anything that had gone before in the raising of his daughter – boyfriends, cars, high school antics – yeah, he was going to need all the help he could get.

Today's barbecue was the first time everyone had been all together since before Mau'i. Grover was grilling hamburgers, but Kamekona had a separate grill set up for shrimp and Ono, Danny's favorite type of fish, since he had been a little shy of red meat lately.

A new addition to the Ohana had arrived from Mau'i to join the group. Dr. Pilipo Nagahara had been specially invited, by Commander McGarrett, to make the island hop in order to meet his previously unknown cousin, Dr. Max Bergman. Kono had researched Max's family tree on his deceased biological mother's side, and found that Max and Pilipo were indeed related – third cousins! At the moment, they were ensconced in Steve's study looking at family pictures that Pilipo had brought with him, and having a very fast conversation about their likes, dislikes, and Keanu Reeves movies.

Grover's family was also present, along with Kono and Adam, Chin and Leilani, Jerry and Charlie Fong, and of course, Amber. Needless to say, Grace was in her glory.

Steve, the necks of two Longboards deftly held in place between the fingers of one hand, and a travel magazine in the other, walked down to the water's edge where Danny was sitting in one of the two weathered Adirondack chairs, squishing his toes in the wet sand.

"Hey," Steve said as he handed one of the bottles of beer to his friend.

"Hey, back."

"How you doing?" Steve plopped down in the accompanying chair, looking out over the gentle lapping waves at his own personal corner of paradise.

Danny continued to look at his feet for a few seconds, seemingly pondering how, exactly, he felt. Finally he nodded, "I'm good."

Steve smiled happily, "That's good, real good. Um, so, does that mean you're ready to come back to work? I, uh, kind of miss having you around, you know."

Looking over at Steve to gauge what he was really saying, Danny softly asked, "You do? You, ah, don't think I'd be a hindrance?"

Steve scowled at that comment, not quite sure what Danny was saying, "Why would I think that?"

Quickly looking down at his beer, Danny sighed, deciding it was time to get it out in the open. "I've had my doubts about my ability to come back to Five-0. After killing Reyes like I did, and everything else that's gone down since then, I didn't know if … uh… you could still trust me to be your partner, or if I could trust myself to be the kind of cop I want to be."

"Well, that's just stupid. Of course I want you back, and I have never doubted you, Daniel. You're as good a cop and partner now as you have ever been."

Danny smiled, gave a little nod, and held out his bottle to clink against Steve's.

Steve raised his beer as well, but stopped before reaching Danny's.

"There's something I've got to say to you, too, Danny. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for the way I had closed you out after my final encounter with Wo Fat. I never told you everything that happened that day, everything that was said between us before I shot him. I've held a lot in, and it closed me off from the people I care about more than anything else in this world. Today's not the day to go into it, but soon, I promise, man, we'll talk."

Both men gazed off over the ocean, lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Steve spoke again, his voice filled with regret, "I know that my preoccupation with my demons kept me from being on top of my game on Mau'i. I didn't take all the precautions I have normally taken with each new case – but, I mean, who would have thought that a sick cow could end up being a drug smuggling mule! I'm sorry, Danny, about what happened, and I really don't know what I would have done if you hadn't made it."

Danny shook his head, looked at his hands, and turned water-filled eyes towards his best friend. Putting his arm on Steve's shoulder, Danny inhaled raggedly, "Well, I did make it, partner. Apology accepted, and I don't want to hear any more about it. This is at least the second time I've had to accept your apology. I'll be at the office Monday morning."

The friends sat in companionable silence for a heartbeat or two.

"When's Aikau's trial? I'd like to go and give him my support, maybe testify in his behalf."

"We'll go together, Danny."

Danny noticed the magazine lying in Steve's lap. Looking at the name of the magazine, "Not Your Average Vacation," Danny smirked, "And where might you be planning to go for an 'adventurous' vacation, Super SEAL?"

"Well, since you've had some experience at it, I thought we could go to Pamplona, Spain!"

Danny looked at Steve as if he was a stark raving lunatic, "You're kidding, right? You have GOT to be kidding me! I can't believe…Steven, come back here!"

Nimbly jumping up from his chair, Steve laughed as he ran into the water, easily dodging the beer bottle thrown at his head, "What? Too soon? Not ready to run with the bulls? Hey, now, quit littering on my beach!"

He was sitting on the sand at Steve's private ocean front. Grace was happily splashing in the water, using a boogie board to follow the small waves onto the beach. Amber was standing near her, laughing at the water crashing against her knees. A gentle breeze was lifting his hair, messing it up, but for once he didn't care one bit. The surf and turf were grilling, Kono was tossing a salad in the kitchen, and the rest of his friends were sitting around laughing and trying to out do each other in the joke department. The best part, though, was Steve. He had gotten out the new guitar Danny had given him and was shyly playing a tune.

Danny smiled contentedly – his dream had become reality.

H50H50H50H50

At the Harris cattle ranch on Maui, a new barrel of feed was being opened to feed the Harris' bull herd. The Longhorn bull sniffed the feed in the trough, snorted, and walked away, apparently recognizing the odor of rotten meat, and flesh….

FINIS

A few thank you's need to be sent out:

Thank you to the great Wenwalke for her encouragement and wonderful beta work.

Thanks to CentralMom for her undying friendship, to Irene Claire for her inspiration, to Phoebe Miller for her good natured ribbiing.

Special thanks to Avieryfriend for her awesome comments and ShakespeareIsMyMuse for her never-ending questions :) and especially to JazzieG for creating the DWOCD forum and giving the Danny whumpers a place to hone their skills and develop lasting friendships.

Finally, I want to take the opportunity to dedicate this story to The Dogo, my mentor and dear friend who pushed and prodded me into writing this behemoth. She's already asking for a new "paragraph!" What in the world am I going to do with her?

Finally, let me just offer a huge thank you to everyone who has visited, followed, or favorited this story or me - words cannot express how honored I feel to be a part of this fanfiction world.

Until next time - Aloha and Mahalo nui loa!