A/n: our poor boys, their man date got ruined. Let's see if we can fix that….

"What? Why are you staring at me like that?"

Danny questioned as he glanced at his partner. Steve was reclined across the couch and had been given him odds looks all night after they had returned from their second trip to the ER. The doc had not been amused that McGarrett had popped his shoulder back out again so soon (Danny had just smirked at the fact that it was a given that he would do it again) and so he had dosed him with a muscle relaxant to try to keep him down, at least for a little while.

"What are you talking about? I'm not staring at you." Steve scoffed. His attempt at indignation was stymied some by the stupid smile that he couldn't seem to wipe off his face.

"Yes you are. You've got this goofy look on your face, so spill—what's so amusing?" Danny insisted.

"Nothing. I was just thinking about you out on the field, catching that pass today." Steve replied, his 'goofy' smile widening. He blamed the meds for the warm feeling that spread through him at the memory of Danny looking so genuinely happy. It was a look he wished he could put on his face more often.

"Are you making fun of me?" Danny accused, mistaking the other man's amusement for mocking.

"What? No!" Steve exclaimed. "No. Why would I….I was impressed watching you make that catch that's all."

"You didn't think I could?" Danny asked. "I do have athletic abilities Steven. I played sports when I was younger too."

"Yeah but you played baseball." Steve said before he could stop himself. He winced slightly as he watched his partner's irritation grow.

"Just because I chose to play baseball does not mean that I did not also play football as well. Granted, I may not have been the star quarterback like someone I know but I was pretty good in a pickup game." Danny explained.

Talk of the blonde's sports career suddenly had Steve feeling bad about all the crap he had given him about not physically going out and playing football. He hadn't thought about his partner's reconstruction knee. The job put enough stress on the joint as it was, Danny didn't need to go adding to the abuse by playing pickup football anymore.

"That was really great of Cath to get you that ball and get us out on the field." He explained, trying to change the subject to something more positive.

"Yup." Danny replied shortly and if Steve supposedly had a face than Danny definitely had a tone. His mind may have been slightly fuzzy from the meds he'd been given but Steve was still able to connect the dots fairly quickly to know what had put that sour look on the other man's face.

"Do you have something against Catherine?" Steve wondered, watching his partner's face for a tell. Danny was a terrible poker player. His face always gave him away.

"No." Danny answered, drawing out the word. "Why would have something against her? She's been very helpful to Five-0 in the past—"

"I'm not talking about professionally. I'm talking personally." Steve interrupted.

"I do not have anything against her. She is a very …lovely person." Danny shrugged, purposely keeping his eyes turned towards the replay of the game that was going on the TV.

"You are the worst liar ever." Steve declared, trying to sit up slightly. "Why don't you like her?"

"I never said I didn't like her." Danny responded. His tone was measured which Steve knew meant he was trying to keep calm about something that he didn't want his partner to know bothered him.

"Oh my god." Steve huffed as the light finally went on in his head. "I get it now. I can't believe I didn't see it until now. You're jealous of her." He stated. It explained a lot, including the way that Danny always seemed to turn everything into a competition with her.

"I am not jealous of her." The blonde shook his head insistently. Steve wasn't buying it.

"Yes you are. It all makes sense now. I can't believe I didn't see this before." He said, laughing humorlessly,

"That's because there is nothing to see."

"Oh come on Danny. Don't play dumb with me. It's so obvious. Every time she's around you get all weird."

"Weird?" Danny raised an eyebrow.

"Yes weird. You get all defensive and possessive over me." Steve exclaimed, waving around his good arm.

"Will you just relax please, alright?" Danny hissed. "No, I am not jealous of Catherine. I am however suspicious."

"Suspicious?"

"Yes, I am suspicious of her motives." He confirmed.

"Motives?" Steve repeated. His partner shot him a look.

"Are you going to repeat everything I say?"

"Danny, What are you talking about? Catherine doesn't have any 'motives'. She knows we're together now." Steve declared. Things had been tense at first with him and Catherine when he and Danny had started dating but she had assured him that she had gotten over it and that they were okay again as friends. He had believed her but his partner had remained hesitant.

"Oh really? Then why did she get you tickets to the Pro-Bowl?" Danny inquired.

"Because she's knows I played in high school and that I'm a big fan? She was being a good friend." Steve said, shrugging it off.

"Really? And that's why she only got tickets for you and her?" The blonde pointed out. Steve frowned, not liking the implication that was being made.

"Danny, you know I would never—"

"It's not you I'm worried about, it's her." Danny corrected. "I just don't buy her act that she is cool with our relationship. She acts like I'm just some sort of distraction until you find something more, something better."

"Well, while I do admit that you can be very distracting, I'm not going to find anything better than you Danno." Steve smirked, hoping the compliment would bring back a shadow of the smile from before but it seemed to do the opposite.

"So you're settling with me." Danny frowned. Steve rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"I'm settling down with you. There's a difference."

"Steven…"

"Daniel." Steve said right back. This was when it was tough to be with Danny. When his previous relationships held him back from truly enjoying the one he was currently in. Steve understood where it came from. He had been burnt, not once but twice by Rachel and he was afraid of putting himself out there only to be hurt again. Steve had assured him repeatedly that he wasn't that kind of person but old fears still held his partner back. "Danny, I know that you got burnt badly in your last relationship but please believe me when I tell you that I'm not like Rachel. I'm not going to throw you away like she did."

"I know, I know." Danny sighed, knowing he was busted. "That's why I wanted it to be special."

"What?" Steve asked, confused.

"The Pro-Bowl. I wanted it to be special…for us. That's why I wanted those great seats. I am trying to put in the effort, to pay attention to the details that Rachel always accused me for forgetting. I am trying to be happy. But it's hard when you're in a relationship that's as crowded as this one." Danny explained.

"Crowded." Steve stated but it came out sounding more like a question.

"Yes. There are more than just two people in this relationship. It's you and me but then there is also Grace, Catherine, Five-0, Rachel, Stan, your mother, Kamekona and all the other miscellaneous players that are in our lives. And whenever we do try to do something with just the two of us it always seems to end up going wrong. I just, for once, wanted to do something with just you and I that was special-that wasn't ruined by criminals or the other crazy people in our lives. And once again, I failed."

Steve's heart sank as he thought back to the conversation they had had after the disastrous Aloha Girls camping trip where Danny had claimed that any time they tried to do something together as just a couple it always ended badly. Steve had informed him that he needed to be more positive, have more faith that things could and would go right. Danny had tried and once again fate had intervened to ruin things.

"Aw Danny. Babe, I'm sorry." Steve started to console his partner but Danny waved off his concern and settled deeper into his chair.

"No, no it's fine. Now come on, let's watch the game." He gestured towards the screen but Steve's mind was no longer able to concentrate on football. He had to find a way to make thing better. He had to find a way to keep the faith in them alive.