Thank you SO much for all the reviews and alerts I've had for this story. It's the most I've had for any of my stories, so I'm really happy!

Trouble is now I'm really under pressure with the second chapter! I hope it delivers.

Lots of lovely angst coming your way! There's a bit of Grace in here too.

As before, I don't own anyone you recognise – I just like to play with them now and again!

Loa Aloha – Chapter 2

Danny took a deep, shuddering breath as he glanced down…to be met with his worst nightmare, "No," he breathed as his little brothers' face appeared from under the cover. He looked asleep apart from the obvious change of complexion and dull, blue lips.

He leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on Matt's cold forehead, smoothing back his brothers' hair.

As he stood back up, Steve immediately covered Matt up, "I'm so sorry Danny."

Danny just nodded, not trusting himself to speak. Gently, he laid a hand on top of the body, "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you Matty…" he whispered as his head dropped as tears began to form.

Steve made his way round the table and placed what he hoped was a comforting hand on his partners shoulder, "I'll leave you alone for a while."

When Danny didn't answer, he patted his shoulder and quietly left the room.

Steve made his way to the office where the assistant they had met earlier was sat doing some paperwork, "Commander McGarratt?" he questioned.

Steve took a deep breath, "It was Matthew Williams…"

The assistant nodded slowly, "I'm very sorry," he replied.

"Detective Williams is still with him – I hope that's ok?" Steve explained.

"That's fine sir. Just let me know when you leave."

"I will, thanks," Steve assured as he turned to look at the door that he had just exited through.

He then took out his phone to update the rest of the team.

After what seemed like an age to a worried Steve, but was actually only ten minutes, Danny emerged from the room. He took one final look behind him as he slowly closed the door. He stared at the closed door, seemingly unaware of anything else.

Steve walked over to him, "Come on, I'll take you home."

Danny shook his head, "I don't want to go home…let's go to work!"

"Sure buddy, anything you want." Steve replied, looking unsure.

He nodded his thanks to the assistant as he led his friend away from his brother, one final time.

The drive back to the office was quiet and sombre. Neither man said anything. Again Steve just didn't know what to say, "God I suck at this!" He exclaimed, blowing out a breath at the same time.

Danny pulled himself from his thoughts and looked at his partner in confusion, "Huh?"

Steve glanced from his friend to the road, "All I want to do is ask you if you're alright – when I know damn well that you're not! I want to tell you that everything will be ok…but it won't! I don't know what to do and it's damn frustrating!" He finished - the frustration evident in his voice.

Danny smiled humourlessly, "You're doing enough…thanks," he mumbled quietly.

Suddenly he sat up straighter in his seat, "God Steve, I'm going to have to call my folks and tell them that their baby is…it's gonna kill them!" He rubbed his hand over his face and pinched the bridge of his nose, in true Danny fashion, "I'm going to have to tell Grace that he dad couldn't save her uncle!" He said, more forcefully this time.

"It wasn't like that Danny and you know it! You did your best – you offered him choices…"

"Yeah that worked well!" Danny replied, anger in his voice. At that he sunk back deeper into his seat, looking out of the window – conversation over!

They arrived back at the office to find Chin and Kono discussing something that was on the computer. They both looked up when they heard the two men walk in. Both of them looked incredibly sad, which immediately sent Danny into a tail spin, "Please don't look at me like that – I can't deal with it!"

"Sorry…we just can't imagine…"Kono started, but stopped when she saw Danny's expression change.

Steve saw it too, "You two got something?" he asked, hoping to diffuse any conflict.

"Well," said Chin, as he brought up some data on the computer screen, "You mentioned that Matt had been laundering money – to help pay off a debt?"

Danny nodded tiredly.

"It seems that he'd already paid off the debt, but he was still moving money around…back into some of the accounts…"

"You think he was trying to pay it back?" Danny interrupted.

Chin nodded, "It seems so brah."

"Why didn't the stupid kid tell me that?" Danny cried. He could feel angry tears starting to form – frustration building within him.

Steve sighed; he could see that his friend was teetering on the edge, "I don't know…perhaps he…" He couldn't finish because he didn't know what to say.

Danny took another look at the big screen – running a trembling hand through his hair, "I've gotta call my folks…" He kept his hand on his head as he walked to his office and gently closed the door.

Kono wiped a stray tear, "He looks so lonely," she observed. Chin put his arm around his cousin and gave her a small hug, "He'll be ok kid."

Steve kept glancing in the direction his partner had walked, "God, I'm glad I don't have to make that call."

The others nodded their agreement. Steve turned to face them, concern evident on his face, "He's been so strong – when Mary was kidnapped I was a wreck…and I got her back! He had to ID his brothers' dead body…" Steve shuddered.

"He's strong Steve – he'll make it," Chin insisted.

They all sat in silence for a while, lost in their own thoughts, until a loud crash jolted them from their musings. All three jumped up ready to offer assistance, if needed. Steve put out his hand in a 'leave it; I've got this' gesture. Chin and Kono understood, so they made their way to Chin's office, close by if needed.

Cautiously, Steve made his way towards his partners' office. As it was mostly glass, he could see the younger man before he actually got to the door. What he saw made his breath hitch and his heart crack. The normally outgoing, almost larger than life man was slumped on his desk, with his head in his hands, and by the way his shoulders were shaking, Steve was pretty sure that the young detective was breaking down. Now Steve really didn't know what to do – this was so far out of his comfort zone. He opened the door as slowly as he could, in order to give Danny time to get himself together if he wanted to, "Something wrong with your phone?" Steve asked, having noticed that the phone was in a heap on the floor.

Danny didn't look up, "They want me to bring him home…to New Jersey…said I would have to make some calls…" Danny muttered to himself. Steve started to wonder if he was going into shock. He walked round to Danny's side, "You don't have to worry about that – I'll talk to the governor…"

Danny did look up at him then; he eyes red with tears, "Thanks Steve. I can honestly say that I don't know what I would have done today – without you…and if you tell anyone I said that I will have to kill you…" He finished with a small, Danny like smile. Steve couldn't help but grin, "Whatever!"

"I just need to tell Grace now…" He commented as he stood up, leaning slightly on his desk to get his balance. Steve immediately put out a hand to help steady the smaller man, who smiled with appreciation, "I'll drive," Steve insisted.

"Again? Whose car is it?" Danny grumbled.

Steve smiled sadly at the attempt at humour.

It turned out that Danny had already called Rachel to tell her and she readily agreed that he should be the one to tell their daughter. She had phoned the school to inform them that Danny would be picking Grace up at lunchtime.

Danny glanced at his watch, "Geez, is that the time? I feel like I've been up for days!"

Steve didn't reply, but was intently listening to everything Danny said.

Approximately, thirty minutes later, Steve found himself playing the role of lookout as he watched his friend tell his 8 year old daughter that her she wouldn't see her uncle again. He felt his throat constrict as he watched the little girl put her arms around her father as she buried her small face into her neck, and cried her little heart out. He felt his breathing quicken as Danny glanced his way – his brow furrowed in grief, his eyes moist as his wall broke down.

When they finally made their way back to the car, Steve found that he wasn't really sure what to do – again, for what seemed like the hundredth time that day!

What he didn't expect was little Grace Williams launching herself at him, hugging him as hard as she could, "Don't you die, Uncle Steve…" she sobbed, which broke Steve's heart right there, "I don't plan to sweetheart…" he replied as he lifted her up and planted a kiss on her forehead. He carried her to the car and placed her in the back, making sure she was secure.

He stood back up, eyes searching for his partner. He found him a little way from the car just staring out to sea. He walked over to him and laid his hand gently onto Danny's shoulder, "How you doing?" he asked quietly.

He felt Danny shudder a little under his touch. He wasn't surprised when the younger man turned to him with tears still coursing down his cheeks, "I've had better days," he mumbled. Steve patted his shoulder and kept his hand there as he led him back to the car, where he proceeded to get in the back with Grace.

"Is it back to Rachel's?" Steve asked cautiously.

He knew Danny was nodding confirmation, without even looking – when did that happen?

As they made their way towards Grace's mothers' house, Steve glanced in the rear view mirror. Father and daughter had fallen asleep against each other. He smiled fondly at the scene, finding himself thinking about how lucky Grace was to have Danny as her father. Steve shivered as the realisation hit him that although he'd only known Danny for a few months, he felt a deep bond with the man as a partner and as a friend – more so than anyone he'd known before.

When the hell did that happen?

Ok, that's it! Hope it wasn't to awful. Hope the ending was ok. I just felt that Steve wouldn't have been there all day for Danny just because he's the 'boss' so to speak!

My other idea was to have Matt survive but Danny and Steve say that it was Matt on the table so that he could disappear – but I was still going to kill him off eventually so I went with this! Hope I didn't disappoint!