A/N: Here's the last chapter. Thank you for the follows, favs, and reviews. They are all very much appreciated. Thank you to my awesome beta reader Phoebe.

Warning! This chapter is pure fluff. For all those readers who wanted 'Team Five-0' at the track and Danny in a race suit. No whump in sight. Bromance, Ohana, and a cargument with a difference. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any of the characters.

Chapter Eight

It was getting late when Steve returned to the hospital after dropping Grace back at Rachel's place. The drive had done nothing to alleviate his sad demeanor. Grace had slept almost the whole way back. His adopted niece was both mentally and physically drained.

Standing outside Danny's room, he took a few deep breaths to prepare himself. He knew his partner wouldn't sleep well with the events of the previous night replaying in his brain. Hell, he couldn't rest knowing he was partly responsible for what had unfolded at Danny's. He needed to see him, clear the air between them.

"Babe, why aren't you at home?" Danny asked the question before Steve had even made it fully into the room.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" Steve tried but failed to look serious. Secretly happy to find his friend awake.

"Really, you have to ask?" His expression held a hint of despondency.

Steve sat down by Danny's bedside. Rubbing his eye's with the palms of his hands. "We need to talk." He looked up at his best friend. "Let me rephrase that. I owe you an apology and an explanation."

The room fell silent. Neither partner speaking. Steve shifted uneasily in his chair. This couldn't be good. He thought.

"Well? Say something. Do what you do best. Rant at me." Steve was met with a wall of silence. "Danno."

"You are unbelievable. You know that? You come in here and tell me you want to explain, apologize. Then you have the audacity to ask me why I haven't spoken. Waiting Steven, that's what I'm doing. Waiting for you to explain to me, what gave you the right to teach my daughter to use a gun." Danny laid back, exhausted by the outburst. After taking a deep breath he continued. "Oh and thank you for adding the extra insult. Seriously? 'What I do best. Rant.' Maybe if you weren't such an 'act first, think later kind of partner', I wouldn't need to rant so often."

"Danny...I'm sorry. I didn't think - "

"You. Never. Think." Danny retorted angrily, enunciating each word.

"Buddy you know I didn't mean it like that." Steve reached out, placing his hand on Danny shoulder. "Let me explain...about the gun and Grace."

Danny seemed to deflate at the mention of his daughter's name. Steve couldn't work out if it was guilt or heartache that clouded his friend's features.

"Stop. This is not what I planned..." Danny's voice was low, his earlier anger gone, but he still refused to make eye contact with his friend. "I feel like such an idiot."

"Danno talk to me." Steve got up and sat on the edge of Danny's bed, trying to look him in the face.

Eventually Danny gave in, exasperated by the whole situation he gazed back at his partner, making an effort to smile, but failing. "I'm sorry. I trust you with my life and I know you didn't mean any harm teaching Grace about guns. Your intentions are well placed, even if I might not totally agree with your actions. This whole sorry situation wouldn't have come about if I had locked my gun away. My penchant for seeing the negative in everything, well and truly bit me in the ass."

"Hey, none of us are perfect. You did what you thought was right. Look at the positives, Grace is fine, so is Kono. We caught the bad guys and give it a few days and I'll be wheeling your sorry ass out of here." Steve gave Danny's shoulder a squeeze. "We good?"

"Yeah we're good." This time Danny managed a smile.

Steve moved back to the chair. Leaning forward, elbows on knees, he ran both hands through his hair. "You should get some sleep."

"I will, but I'm guessing neither of us are going to rest until you get something off your chest."

Steve stood up and walked over to the window. Looking out into the Hawaiian night, he sighed deeply. "Here goes."

He turned to face Danny. "I grew up around guns. Hard to get away from them when your dad's a cop. From a young age, I was always curious. What would it feel like to hold one, fire one, are they heavy? I'm sure you get the gist of what I'm saying." Danny nodded in understanding.

"Then one day when I was about ten, my dad let me hold his gun, showed me how to fire it. After that day my curiosity became a new-found respect. I never touched another gun until I joined up."

Steve sat back down next to Danny. "About a year ago, after I picked Grace up from school for you, she started asking me questions about mine. So I showed her, like my dad showed me."

"I'm speechless babe." Danny had an broad grin plastered on his face.

"I'm truly sorry Danno. I crossed a line."

"Nah you goof." Danny's said stifling a yawn. "I just wish you'd told me." He visibly relaxed, closing his eyes.

Steve silently observed his now slumbering partner. Letting the last remnants of stress full away.

Danny opened one eye. "I forgive you. Now can I get some rest?"

"We can both get some rest." Steve beamed happily.

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

Four months had passed since the incident with Aidan Cleary. He was now in Halawa Correctional Facility. Conflicting reports over his mental health had delayed his transfer to the mainland for trial. He had been placed on suicide watch, while they waited on the outcome of more psych evals.

Danny had been away from active duty for almost two months, the first month of which he spent at Steve's. He'd spent as much time as possible with Grace, the two of them growing even closer. Once he returned to active duty, things started to get back to normal.

After the team closed a few high profile cases, the governor granted them some vacation time in order to race Danny's Pro Mod car. Denning loved the publicity generated by the car and had decided to attend the event in person. The track owners were over the moon with the extra publicity, which resulted not only in a record number of entries, but also spectators. He had even arranged for Senator Monroe and his family to be there. The Senator was indebted to Danny for rescuing his daughter Elizabeth. It was also no secret that the teenage girl was smitten with the detective. So she jumped at the chance to meet him again and to watch him race.

The weekend was finally here, and the team were set up in the pits at Kauai Raceway Park. The Five-0 team, along with Maleko and Ritchie, had clubbed together to buy an old 32 foot Gulf Stream Conquest motor home. Grace was loving every minute of it. Being the only child, she was the center of attention. Lou's kids had stayed home. Samantha had made it quite clear she had no interest in cars, and her brother had chosen a friend's birthday party over spending time with his dad. There was room to sleep ten, so Grace and Kono had claimed the end double bedroom and left the men to fight over the remaining bunks.

Everyone was supposed to be preparing the car for its first run of the weekend, but the majority of the group had either disappeared to look around the venue or were standing around chatting.

"What's up with Steve?" Lou used his bottle of water to point at Steve who was sitting alone under the awning of their motor home, staring at his cell.

"Hey Danny, he's not still sulking over missing the test weekend, is he?" Chin asked.

Danny looked up from where he was crouched by the rear wheel, checking tire pressure. "I thought I could sulk, but Steve's made it into a whole new art form. He still thinks I set it up for that weekend deliberately, so he couldn't come along. Not my fault he had some Army manoeuvres thing going on."

"Navy Danno." Grace shouted from the other side of the car, where she was busy polishing it with Kono's help.

Danny stood up and shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever you say, Monkey."

"I'll go see what's eating him. Care to join me Chin? Leave these fine people to their work." Lou said.

"Yeah, Danny seems to have everything under control." Chin gave his friend a slap on the back before following Lou.

"Good thing you have us here to help." Maleko said, while helping Ritchie lift the hood of the car back on. He added with a laugh. "Maybe it should be Team HPD?"

"Not fair, brah. I've been working hard." Kono made a pouty face.

"It's not gone unnoticed." Danny walked over and gave her a hug.

"Ah Danny, anything for you." Kono hugged him back.

"Where did Adam disappear to?" Danny asked.

"He got dragged off by Max and Jerry to look at the opposition. It was that or spend the day with Kamekona and Flippa, checking to see if they can open a stall selling shrimp or t-shirts."

"Poor guy. I'm not sure either of those is a good choice."

"I got the guided tour of their motor home. All I'll say is it's cosy, with just a hint of garlic shrimp." Kono said wrinkling her nose.

"We have a bet on who bales first and comes begging for our last bunk. My money's on Jerry." Danny laughed.

"Danno, I'm finished. What do you think?" Grace stood back admiring her handy work.

Danny stood behind his daughter and draped his arms over her shoulders. "Wow, Monkey. It looks amazing."

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

"What's up?" Lou asked.

Steve looked up at his two friends as they both walked over and sat down. "I just got a call from Duke. Aidan Cleary was found dead this morning. Hung himself in his cell."

"Wasn't he supposed to be on suicide watch?" Lou shook his head in disgust.

"Something went wrong somewhere down the line. Not sure anyone will loose much sleep over it after what he did."

"You going to tell Danny?" Chin asked.

"I'll tell him on Monday. I don't want to dampen his big weekend."

"Good call." Lou agreed.

"Would you look at that. How the hell does he do it?" Steve glared open mouthed at his partner, who was now surrounded by women.

"Well Kono did inform me earlier, when Adam was out of earshot, that Danny looks hot in his race suit." Chin grinned at Steve's stunned expression.

Danny had his blue race suit pulled down and tied around his waist. He wore a tight-fitting white fire resistant layer under it. A group of girls, all in there late teens, was gathered around him. Danny was talking animatedly to them, and they were hanging on his every word. Standing off to the side was a doe-eyed Elizabeth Monroe. She waited patiently by her father's side to speak to Danny. Senator Monroe looked at the scene before him and then at his daughter, he couldn't help the broad grin that spread across his face.

"Kono does have a point. That top shows off his abs." Steve said.

"Oh boy. I'm going to pretend I did not hear you just say that." Lou shook his head in disbelief.

A track official holding a clipboard approached them. "Pro Mod to the starting line." He called out to them, before heading off to the next team.

"Saved by the bell." Chin laughed.

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

The team headed to the start line. Lou stayed in the tow vehicle, which just happened to be Steve's Silverado. Steve stood next to the race car, just behind the start line looking every bit the part. Kitted out in black cargo pants, a blue short-sleeved button down shirt with 'Five-0 Race Team' emblazoned across the back. He wore a radio headset and base ball cap that matched his shirt. The whole team wore the same kit. They looked the ultimate professionals. Although Steve was still struggling with the complexities of the sport.

Danny pulled the car around and lined up behind one of a pair of cars just about to make their run down the track.

"Remind me again, Danno. What's this bit here called?" Danny sighed at the sound of Steve's voice in his ear. Danny's crash helmet had a built in headset so he could talk to his crew chief, unfortunately for him that was Steve. He stood in front of the car pointing to the black top, a short distance from the start line.

"Bleach box. Steven."

"And why's it called that?"

"Did you read any of that drag racing manual?"

"Wouldn't have needed a manual if you had changed the test weekend date."

"Again with this...years ago, they used bleach before they started using water. Do not ask me why, Steven." Danny's voice held a note of amused irritation.

"Ha, but I know that. Water's used to reduce the friction to initiate the burnout. The burnout raises tire temperature and lays down rubber on the start line." Steve said, a smug look on his face.

"Okay. Enough. Lets do this."

Danny rolled the car into the bleach box and started his burn out. He ran the car past the start line tree, rolling it along the track a bit further than necessary. He watched Steve run past him to get ahead of the car, he then stood facing him, hands on hips.

"Did you have to drive this far down the track?" Steve huffed.

Danny laughed. "Oops...sorry."

"Not funny, Danno." Steve retorted.

Danny reversed the car with the help of his crew. Ritchie stood back behind the start line, signalling to Steve who in turn mirrored his hand signals. Danny stopped the car and then pulled forward slightly, following Steve's instructions. Once in position, Maleko and Chin adjusted the wheelie bars to stop the car's front end raising too high on launch.

Steve gave the crew chief in the other lane a nod, then gave Danny the thumbs up through the windshield. "Stay safe, Danno." Steve ran to join the others.

The tension was starting to build inside the car, Danny's heart rate increasing, as the adrenaline coursed through his body. He gripped the steering wheel tightly with his left hand, his right hand on the gearshift. He slowly moved the car into pre-stage, then stage. The engine roared loudly as he let out the clutch and depressed the accelerator. When both cars were staged, the lights dropped, Danny flooring the accelerator pedal a split second before the green light came on.

The rest of the team stood back and watched with bated breath. The car launched off the start line with a thunderous roar. The noise reverberated through their bodies. Within seconds, the cars crossed the finish line, Danny's car turning on the win light. The team all jumped for joy punching the air and high-fiving one another. They all clambered into the Silverado, eager to join Danny in the shut off road. The rest of their ohana cheered from the stands as they drove past. Grace's beaming smile was hard to miss in amongst the large crowd.

When they pulled up next to the race car, Danny was already out, looking very pleased with himself.

"Good job buddy, you won." Steve gave him a hug.

Danny returned the hug, then pulled away. "You do realize this is just qualifying? I didn't win."

"Yeah of course, I just got caught up in the moment."

"Really? Where's the timing slip?" Danny held his hand out, palm up in front of Steve.

"Here it is." Maleko put the piece of paper in Danny's open hand. "Great reaction off the start line Danny. 0.46, a 6.12 second pass, and 227.96 mph."

Danny studied the timing slip and then looked up at Steve. "Why the face?"

"I don't have a face."

"You, my friend, have a face."

Steve sighed. "It was fast."

"What did you expect?" Danny shot him a questioning look.

"I was a just a little surprised. That's all...but you did good."

"Babe were you worried about me? Is that it?"

"Shut up, Danno. No, I wasn't worried."

"If you two love birds have finished, can we hook this thing up and get back to the pits? Some of us wouldn't mind eating some lunch." Lou interrupted.

"Can I steer the car while Lou tows?" Steve blurted out quickly.

"Seriously, you can't let me have something just for myself?" Danny said.

"Come on, Danno. Just this once." Steve gave his best kicked puppy look.

"You are such a goof, Steven. Fine, you steer it back."

"Hey, you told us that face never worked on you." Ritchie said.

"You two have a lot to learn." Chin and Kono looked at each other in agreement, then fell about laughing.

"Great, laugh it up guys." Danny headed over to the truck. "Be careful. Damage her and you pay for any repairs."

"I'm being towed. What could possibly go wrong?"

"You, McGarrett, are a trouble magnet, and I've been a passenger in my own car for the last five years. So trust me, anything's possible when you're in the driver's seat." Danny climbed in the passenger side of the truck and Steve climbed in the car.

"I've worked it out." Lou said.

"Worked what out?" Chin looked puzzled.

"They shouldn't be allowed near cars."

Kono started laughing. "Lou's right. They argue more when in or around cars."

"Will have to start making them walk." Chin said.

"Come on guys." Steve and Danny shouted in unison.

"Great idea Chin, now's as good a time as any." Lou said. Chin and Kono nodded in agreement and all three approached the two vehicles.

"This we've gotta see." Ritchie said as he and Maleko looked on at the Five-0 team.

~ the end ~