Thank you to everyone who has left a review over the course of this story! Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know your thoughts and reactions. I've appreciated every single one. Getting the review alerts in my inbox always made my day!

Writing this story has taken over my life for the past three months, but it has been an incredible experience. I want to thank everyone who's been reading and everyone who alerted the story.

I must again thank my incredible beta JoaniexJony who gave so much of her time to reading, editing, and offering insightful critiques. You're just wonderful, my dear! Mahalo from the bottom of my heart!

Well, here it is, the last chapter. Thank you to everyone who's still reading and do let me know what you think.

Chapter Thirteen

He was isolated in a cocoon of incessant noise. Louder than any surf in the impact zone. Louder than the roar of machine gun fire. It filled his ears, reverberated through his body and drowned out, or simply absorbed, all other sound. He didn't know if his eyes were open or closed. If the vague outlines taking shape against a hazy darkness were real or imagined, objects or people. His senses had gone - senseless.

"Steven."

Finally a lone voice managed to pierce the chaos surrounding him. A voice he recognized.

"Steven."

He followed the voice to a pair of hazel eyes in a craggy face.

"Dad?" he gasped.

"Don't be sorry, Steven." His dad's voice was a whisper. "At the end, don't be sorry."

"Wha? Dad?" Steve tried to focus on a face that was quickly fading into darkness. He blinked, struggling to sit up.

"Steven, stay down!"

His partner's voice was like a razor, shearing through the din and cracking it wide open. He felt hands on his shoulders, pushing against him.

"Danny," he groaned. His head pounded, his chest felt oddly tight. He opened his eyes. Danny hovered above him, blue eyes panicked, his hair a wild mess.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Danny's grip on Steve's shoulders tightened as fear gave way to anger.

"Couldn't let her…get away," Steve choked out.

"You couldn't let her get away?" Danny's voice was filled with incredulity. His fingers tightened around Steve's shirt. "She was wearing a fucking bomb!"

"Danny," Steve gasped. "I can't breathe. Let up."

"Shit! Sorry," Danny startled, yanking both hands away from his partner's chest. "Better?"

Steve nodded, drawing in long breaths of air. "We only had one chance to stop her. I took it."

"You got yourself blown up – again! Only you, Steven, could manage to get blown up three times in just about as many weeks. These things do not happen to normal people!" Danny sat back on his haunches and sighed, running his fingers through his hair in as much of an attempt to hide the trembling in his hands as to tame his wild mane.

"I'm fine, Danny," Steve said, again attempting to sit up. He winced at a stab of pain in his ribcage.

"I told you to stay down," Danny glared fiercely at his best friend as he pressed the palm of his hand against Steve's chest. "You were thrown at least twenty feet backwards by that blast. You hit the ground so hard you kept rolling another five feet. The ambulance is on the way. Expect to be trussed up like a turkey and carted to the emergency room."

"You're okay, though?" Steve asked, running his eyes over his partner's body as he allowed himself to be pushed back to the ground.

"I'm fine you doofus. I ducked behind that mausoleum over there," Danny glowered. "Thanks for the warning by the way. It's nice to know from time to time you've actually listened to me." He pulled his vest off, folding it over and gently positioning it under Steve's head.

"I may discount ninety percent of what you have to say, but I always listen to you Danno," Steve smirked.

"Good to know," Danny scowled.

"She is dead, right?" Steve looked questioningly at his partner.

"Uh, yeah," Danny glanced behind him and grimaced. "Max is going to be picking up the pieces for a while."

Steve wearily nodded, resting his hands on his stomach. He tried to ignore the growing discomfort in his neck and back. His lips twitched in pain and by the way Danny's eyes suddenly narrowed in comprehension, he knew his partner had seen it.

"Hang on, Steve," Danny gently touched Steve's shoulder. He turned around and yelled at the HPD officers swarming the scene. "Where's that medic?"

"Danny," Steve reached over and tapped Danny's leg. "Stop worrying. I'm okay. I'm just a little banged up, that's all."

"I'm not worried," Danny blustered. "Why would I be worried? You're like Plastic Man. You get blown up and you bounce right back."

"I can tell when you're worried. You have a tone," Steve smiled knowingly.

"We've been through this before. I do not have a tone," Danny glared mildly at his partner. "You, on the other hand, have 'I just slammed my finger in the car door' face so stop claiming you're fine."

"Fine," Steve admitted grudgingly, "But you do too have a tone." He grumbled, sighing in resignation as he finally caught sight of two paramedics hustling towards them, gurney bouncing along beside them on the grass. All he wanted to do was go home and sleep for a week, not endure all the poking and prodding he knew was in his immediate future.

The entire time the paramedics assessed his condition, asking questions and taking vitals, strapping him into the uncomfortable C-collar and backboard, inserting an IV into the crook of his arm, Danny maintained a steady hand on his ankle, only finally letting go at the doors to the trauma room when they reached Hawaii Medical Center. As he was wheeled inside, he found he missed the reassurance Danny's hold on his ankle had provided.

He was transferred to a gurney situated under several bright lights, and then the nurses efficiently removed his shoes and cut off his vest and clothes. He mourned the loss of yet another good set of cargoes and t-shirt, but the vest hurt the most. It wasn't standard police issue, and it was harder to obtain. The nurses threw a hospital gown over him, not even attempting to secure it around the bulky C-collar and backboard.

A doctor he didn't recognize ordered a blood panel along with x-rays of his chest, neck, head and spine. As one of the nurses drew his blood, another rolled a portable x-ray machine to his gurney. Just as they'd finished taking all the x-rays, Kiki and Noah arrived.

"Lt. Commander," Kiki smiled down at him, taking a firm grip on both his hands. "Go ahead and squeeze my hands, please." As Steve complied, she asked, "Dare I ask what happened this time?"

"Oh you know," Steve attempted a half grin. "Mad bomber. The usual."

As Kiki moved to the foot of the bed and tested the motor responses of Steve's feet and legs, Noah proceeded to palpate Steve chest and stomach, stopping at a particularly sore spot on Steve's chest that left him gritting his teeth in pain.

Noah pulled out his stethoscope. "Danny said you were thrown about twenty feet, and lost consciousness for approximately ten minutes."

"So I've been told," Steve squirmed as Noah moved the cold bell of the stethoscope from place to place on his chest, every once in a while stopping to tap his fingers firmly against his ribcage. Evidently satisfied with what he heard, the doctor then moved up to Steve's head and peeled back his eyelids, flashing his penlight into them. Steve blinked rapidly when Noah finally finished his examination and put the penlight away.

"Are you experiencing any nausea? Blurry vision? Double vision?" Noah asked, crossing his arms over his chest and peering down at Steve.

"No, no, and no," Steve answered. "I don't feel like I'm concussed. You're Dr. Noah Beckham, I'm Steve McGarrett. I know what day it is, that my partner is Detective Danny Williams and he and I were staking out the cemetery waiting for a suspect."

"Very good," Noah smiled.

"Well, I think you got lucky," Kiki moved into Steve's line of sight. "Your x-rays are clear and I'm not seeing any signs of spinal injury. The pain you're experiencing is most likely from strained muscles in your neck and back. We can free you from that backboard, but I think we'll keep you in a soft collar to give your neck a little extra support. I have another patient to attend to, but you're in good hands with Noah. I'll check in on you later."

"Thanks Doc," Steve murmured.

"You've got some bruising on your chest, but I'm not seeing any sign of underlying injury," Noah added. "I want to keep you under observation for twenty four hours, so we're going to admit you to a room."

"Do you know if Danny's still here?" Steve asked, breathing a small sigh of relief as they removed the backboard and replaced the hard C-collar with a soft one. One of the nurses manipulated his arms through the sleeves of the hospital gown and secured it around his neck and back.

"He's in the waiting room," Noah said. He added reproachfully, "The nurse I have keeping an eye on him says he looks like he could use a bed himself. I thought we had an agreement."

"Sorry Doc," Steve murmured apologetically. "I tried to keep him away from the action, but things started moving pretty quickly. He refused to be left out. I can't blame him; I would have done the same thing. Will you make sure he's okay?"

"Kiki's already gone to check on him," Noah assured him. "You have another visitor waiting out there for you, too."

"Chin or Kono?" Steve asked.

"Neither," Noah shook his head as he set Steve's chart down at the bottom of the gurney. "I believe it's a woman named Catherine."

"Noah, do me a favor," Steve shifted slightly on the gurney. His back and neck muscles were screaming from the abuse they'd received, and he couldn't find a comfortable position. "Don't give me any pain meds or sedatives until I've had a chance to talk to her. After that, you can knock me out for the next week if you want to."

"I'll hold off on the meds as long as your visit doesn't go on for too long," Noah agreed.

"Thanks Doc," Steve winced again. He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

"You all right?" Noah gently set a hand on Steve's shoulder. At Steve's nod he said, "Once the orderlies get you upstairs, I'll bring her up. Then we'll get you settled in for the night."

"You'll let me know if Danny's okay?" Steve eyed the doctor worriedly.

"I sure will," Noah reassured him. "Either Kiki or I will check in on you as soon as we know anything."

"Thanks, Doc," Steve held his hand out to the doctor.

"My pleasure," Noah said, firmly shaking his patient's hand.

As Noah left, two orderlies came in. Steve closed his eyes as they moved him upstairs. It was a different room than the VIP room, but it had two empty beds. As he climbed into one of the beds he wondered what Catherine was doing here. Her next shore leave wasn't for two weeks. His stomach lurched as the thought struck him that she might have been reassigned, given just enough time to say goodbye before heading off to another post, thousands of miles away. It was then he realized how much he'd grown to count on her, and to be honest, he wasn't sure how he felt about that. He wasn't sure how he felt about that at all.

H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50

Danny slumped against the back of the uncomfortably hard chair in the emergency room waiting area. He'd downed four advils, but they hadn't touched the spiking agony in his head. He closed his eyes and massaged his forehead. He was actually envious of Steve's gurney. He thought he'd give anything just to lie down for a while. Even the floor seemed appealing at this point.

"Danny?"

His eyes flew open at the sound of his ex-wife's concerned voice. He stared at her in puzzlement. "What are you doing here Rachel?"

"Grace was worried about you," Rachel sat down in the chair next to Danny's. "I see she was right to be. You're pushing yourself too hard, Daniel. Should you even be out of the hospital yet?"

"She called because she had a nightmare," Danny sighed. "I told her what happened. I didn't want her to hear about it on the news and get scared."

"Daniel," Rachel touched Danny's arm. "Are you okay?"

"I'm not really your problem anymore, Rachel," Danny said softly.

"You're Grace's father. I'm always going to care about you," Rachel folded her hands in her lap. "I'm not going to apologize for that."

"Look, Rach, maybe one day we can be friends. I would like us to not be adversaries for the rest of our lives, for Grace's sake if nothing else," Danny struggled to work through his jumbled thoughts. "But right now, I need some space, Rachel. I finally get it - I get that we're over. I get that we may always love each other, but acknowledge that we're totally wrong for each other. I also get that you need order and security in your life, a consistency from day to day. It's what I was never able to give you, and most certainly couldn't give you working with Steve and 5-0. And I also get that I need to stop thinking of you as my safe place, my rock. You have to stop being the one I seek comfort from, and you have to stop being the one who gives it to me." Danny let out a long sigh, and looked at her sadly. "I will work on letting you go. But it's a process, and I need some space. Go home. Kiss our baby for me and tell her Danno loves her and I'll see her as soon as I can."

Rachel sat quietly for a moment and then she stood up, tears in her eyes. "Goodbye, Daniel."

"Goodbye Rachel." He watched her turn and walk away. She didn't look back.

"Detective Williams."

At the sound of Dr. Imani's voice, Danny stood up, turning to face her. "How's Steve?" he asked. A wave of pain stabbed him behind the eyes. The room swayed for a moment, and he reached a hand down to the arm of the chair at the same time that Kiki grabbed his elbow to steady him.

"Steve is going to be fine," Kiki answered, easing Danny back down into the chair and snagging his wrist. "I'm a little concerned about you though. Was I not clear when I specified complete bed rest as a condition of your early release?"

"Can we save the lecture, Dr. Imani?" Danny glanced up at her, his blue eyes pleading. The adrenaline he'd been riding since the moment Giselle Varnell had shown up at the cemetery was fast wearing off. He wasn't sure how much longer he could keep himself sitting up. His head was throbbing and he was struck by the incredible urge to simply curl up on the floor and close his eyes for a while. And maybe throw up. The headache was beginning to unsettle his stomach.

"Why don't we move to an exam room," Kiki suggested, snapping her fingers urgently at a nearby nurse. Between the two of them, they helped Danny walk to a nearby empty room.

Gratefully, Danny lay back on the gurney. He was completely spent. His head was pounding. His entire body ached with tiredness. The nurse wrapped a blood pressure cuff around his upper arm. He groaned as Kiki checked his eyes with her penlight, slamming his lids closed as soon as she was done.

"Is it my head again?" Danny asked apprehensively, staring worriedly up at his doctor through slitted lids.

"I'm going to order a CT scan to be on the safe side, but I believe you're suffering from a sudden onset migraine, probably brought on by stress and exhaustion." Kiki sat down on the rolling stool next to the gurney. "Your pupil responses are normal. Your blood pressure is a little low, so I'm ordering some IV fluids and we'll admit you for the night for observation. I'll give you a little something to take the edge off the pain right now, and after the CT scan comes back clear, I'm ordering a sedative to make sure you sleep for a while. Rest is the best medicine for you right now."

Danny winced at the slight pinch in his arm as Kiki injected the pain meds.

"Is there anyone I can call for you?" Kiki asked softly.

"Just Steve or my team," Danny answered tiredly.

"Steve is being admitted for observation as well. We'll put you both in the same room again."

"Thanks, Doc," Danny murmured.

Kiki lightly patted his arm. "Get some rest. You'll feel better tomorrow. I'll check in on you later."

Danny barely managed to stay awake as the nurses helped him out of his clothes and into a gown. By the time they started the IV, he'd already fallen asleep.

H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50

Catherine tentatively stepped inside Steve's hospital room. The doctors had assured her he was fine, but she hadn't really known what to expect. Other than a soft collar around his neck, he didn't bear many other signs that he'd nearly died several hours ago. Steve was always putting himself in harms way, and he'd gotten lucky - again. She just hoped his luck wouldn't run out.

"You've had a bad run with bombs lately, my friend," she smiled, taking his hand as she sat down on the edge of his bed.

"Unfortunate, but true," he smiled back. "I wasn't expecting you."

"My CO let me take a few personal days," she explained. "I was hoping you'd be free for dinner. I waited around at your house for a while and then I heard about the explosion."

"I didn't actually intend for the bomb to go off," Steve said ruefully. "I was hoping to put her down before she had a chance to arm it." He cocked his head at her on the pillow. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Catherine smiled, nodding. "I've just…the last couple weeks made me think about things. Made me think about us…" Her smile faltered and her eyes filled with tears. "When I thought you might be dead, Steve…"

"Catherine, I'm sorry," Steve squeezed her hand. He reached up and gently rubbed the tears from her cheeks with his thumb. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that."

"No," she shook her head forcefully. "It made me think about things, about us, in a new light. It forced me to admit to myself what I feel for you."

"Catherine," Steve felt his heart clutch in his chest. He shook his head and put a finger to her lips.

Gently Catherine took Steve's hand in hers and pulled it back down to her lap. "No," she said firmly. "You are not going to be a regret I have at the end of my life. So I'm going to say this, and if you don't feel the same way that's all right." She lifted her eyes and gazed straight into his pale blue ones. "I love you Steve McGarrett. I don't think I've ever been happier than when I'm with you, and I would gladly stay with you for the rest of my life." She set his hand back down on the bed. "There, I've said what I came to say."

"Catherine…I…" Steve felt his mouth go dry. His heart thudded in his chest. He stared at her in shock and realized he had no idea what he wanted to say.

"It's okay," Catherine gently shook her head. "It's okay if you can't say it, or won't say it, or don't feel the same way."

"It's not that," Steve tried to explain. His voice grew thick with emotion. "I care about you Catherine, more than I can say. But I have to finish what I started, and until I figure out what my dad wanted me to do with that champ box, you'll never be safe with me. And I can't…" he cleared his throat, biting his lip. "Nothing can happen to you, Catherine. Do you understand? I couldn't live with myself…I could never forgive myself…" A shiver passed through him. His father's voice echoed in his ears. A warning. Don't be sorry at the end. Like Dad was. He and his sister and their mother had made their Dad vulnerable. He wouldn't make the same mistake. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," Catherine shook her head, her eyes glistening. "Don't ever be sorry, Steve. That's the point."

"Are you okay?" Steve asked, settling his hand on her knee. "Are we?"

"Yes," Catherine nodded, carefully wiping away her tears. "And yes."

"I'll be getting out of here tomorrow, are you still up for dinner?" Steve asked quietly.

"I'm going to head back to the Enterprise, I think," Catherine said. "I have shore leave in a few weeks. We'll see each other then."

"Okay," Steve smiled sadly. He squeezed her hand. "Come here." He drew her down to him and gently he kissed her.

Catherine cupped his cheek with her palm, kissing him one last time before she stood up and moved towards the door.

"Good night, Catherine. I'll see you soon," Steve said.

"Take care, Steve," Catherine gave him a small wave.

As she walked away, a nagging doubt gripped at Steve. But he shoved it away. He was doing the right thing. The only thing. He would protect her. At all cost. Even if that cost was his heart.

H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50

Kiki followed Danny's gurney into the hospital room. He didn't stir as the orderlies transferred him to the hospital bed. He'd slept soundly through the CT scan and once it had come back clear, she'd put orders in his chart for pain meds and a sedative should he awaken.

"Doc?" Steve whispered. "How's Danny?"

Kiki glanced over at Steve. She'd expected to find him sound asleep as well, but he blinked blearily at his partner in concern.

"He's just fine, Steve," Kiki knelt down next to Steve's bed. "He experienced a sudden onset migraine in the waiting room, but his CT scan is clear. He'll sleep it off and be just fine tomorrow. You need your rest as well. Can I get you something to help you sleep?"

"Nah," Steve sighed, his eyes growing heavy. "I'm good now, just needed to know Danny's okay."

"Just so we're clear," Kiki looked sternly at her patient. "I've already talked to Governor Jameson. When you're both released, both of you are on medical leave for the next week. At that time Noah and I will reassess your conditions and will recommend either further leave or a return to light duty. No arguments. No exceptions."

"Yes, Ma'am," Steve smiled and then yawned. He closed his eyes, his breathing evening out as he finally dropped into sleep.

Kiki watched from the doorway until she was sure both her patients were sleeping peacefully. Then she slipped through the door, closing it softly behind her.

H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50

The smell of cooking fish wafted from the barbecue. Even Danny had to admit it smelled awesome. He was fairly certain everything tasted better barbecued. And the one good thing about Hawaii was that you could barbecue all year long. Of course, he'd never admit that to Steve. The man didn't need any more ammunition about what made Hawaii the best place in the world.

"Daddy, look at me!" Grace called excitedly. She was crouched in a perfect surfer's stance at the front of Kono's surfboard. Kono stood gracefully behind her, skillfully directing the board through the water.

"I see you Monkey!" Danny yelled back. "Looking great!" To himself he muttered, "Why? Why does she have to love surfing? She couldn't love basket weaving instead?"

"Basket weaving, brah?" Chin snorted, patting Danny on the back. "Really?"

"Or butter churning," Danny's shoulder slumped in defeat.

"Gracie's going to be a fine surfer one day, Danno," Steve grinned from the barbecue. "You'd better get used to it."

"If she gets eaten by a shark, Steven," Danny rounded on his friend, stabbing a hand in his direction, "I am holding you responsible."

"She'll be fine, Danny," Steve closed the barbecue lid and joined Danny and Chin on the beach. "How could she not? She's got all of us to protect her."

Kono and Grace splashed through the water, running up the beach to join them.

"I want to do it again," Grace grabbed Kono's hand and beamed excitedly up at the older woman.

"We will sweetie," Kono assured her. "After dinner, which smells great, Boss!"

"Thank you," Steve smiled. "It'll be ready in about five minutes." He reached down into the cooler and pulled out a beer for himself and a juice for Grace. "Everyone grab something to drink. I want to make a toast."

When everyone had drinks in hand, Steve looked at his team. He raised his bottle. "Things got pretty rough a few weeks back. Some of us nearly died," he paused to look over at Danny. Danny gazed back at him, his blue eyes solemn.

Grace drifted closer to her father, grabbing his hand and leaning against his leg.

"And some of us carried on while everything fell apart around them," he glanced at Chin and Kono. "I couldn't have asked for a better team. Better friends. Or better family." He glanced at each one of them, his gaze falling on Danny and Grace last. "Mahalo," he said quietly.

"To strength in family," Danny said, his arm tightening around Grace's shoulders. He caught Steve's eye and raised his beer.

"To solace in friendship," Chin added.

"And to hope against all odds," Kono said, leaning into her cousin.

Grace giggled as they all clanked their bottles against each other. As they drank, a comfortable silence fell over the five friends. Until someone's belly let out a loud rumble, sending Grace into another peal of laughter.

"Let's eat!" Danny boomed.

"Let's eat," Steve grinned back, turning towards the barbecue.

The small group of family and friends sat down to their meal, the sun just beginning to set, their laughter continuing to echo long into the night.

The End