Title: Purple Heart

Rating: T

Disclaimer: Unfortunately they are still not mine. I hope CBS and whoever owns the rights to Five-0 doesn't mind too much that I'm borrowing them for a short while. I promise to put them back when I'm done. They might even be in better condition afterwards. ;-)

Summary: "Being wounded or killed in any action against an enemy of the United States or as a result of an act of any such enemy or opposing armed forces" – Awarding criteria for a Purple Heart.

A/N: I have a confession to make, well, okay, to most of you it won't come as a surprise. I love SEAL Steve. Duh!

I think he is the character with the most interesting background on the show. His knowledge and what he had to learn, endure, and what he experienced is far beyond what the other three can even imagine. (NO, I'm not dissing any of the others. But Steve's level of education is far superior to attendance at the police academy.)

Anyway, I'm simply saying that I would love to learn more about what Steve did in Naval Intelligence and as a SEAL. Peter Lenkov had answered one of my tweets and said that Steve was a SEAL first and later joined NI as a cover for covert SEAL OPs. This story is about his time long before he came back to Hawaii and became the leader of the Task Force.

But, since I really like Five-0, they are all in this story. I love writing flashbacks, so this story is really a continuation of Treason. Steve and Danny have some recovery to do, and Steve might be willing to answer some questions about his past.

I'm aware that this is not for everyone since it is mostly about Steve, pre-Five-0. If it's not for you, I don't have a problem with that, and you might like to skip this one.

For all the others, you will get action, drama, hurt, comfort, humor, teamwork, friendship and romance.

At the end of this chapter you will find a list of the 'medals' Steve has been awarded according to the show.

As always the facts told in this story are heavily researched and accurate to the best of my knowledge. But as always some facts are boring, and therefore needed some tweaking. ;-) Always remember this is for enjoyment, not to get a doctorate.

Thank you: When I came to Cokie with yet another idea for a story, although there were a few already in the works, she didn't groan and blew me off, nope, she encouraged me to write it.

So you have to thank her for this epilogue turning into a multi chapter story. Thank you, my friend, for always encouraging me to go the extra mile. ;-)

And thanks to Sherry57 for taking the time to take a look at this baby. It is always a great pleasure to discuss grammar with you. My teachers from all those years ago would not believe that I would love a grammar lesson. But you always make it fun. Thank you.

Purple Heart – Chapter 01

Prologue

Steve was getting a little irritated. For almost two hours now Gracie had been glancing his way, and every time he caught her, she hastily looked away. Like he had seen her doing something she wasn't supposed to do. It was getting unnerving.

There was a lot of tension going around without Grace adding to it. He had thought it would be a good idea to have his friends over for a Bar-B-Q, and so far it was going better than he had feared. His mother was behaving herself and trying to get along with Chin and Max. They were both happy to come over, but Kono was spending the day with Adam. Doris and Danny seemed to be a lost cause though. Catherine was doing her best to help Steve relax and just enjoy the evening, but the tension was rolling off him in waves. He was just waiting for the explosion, for the evening to end in disaster.

"Steve, relax. Everything is fine. They are all getting along," Cath whispered to him when she leaned in to steal a kiss.

"Mom and Danny are a disaster waiting to happen. Just look at them," Steve motioned to his best friend and his mom, both currently busy putting plates on the table out on the lanai. "They haven't said more than three words to each other since Danny and Grace arrived."

"Well, they have both found their match. They are both very vocal with what they think… so…"

"That's what I'm worried about," Steve told Catherine.

"Don't worry, I don't think there will be any blood shed today," Cath answered with a laugh.

"Very funny." Steve looked past the two trouble makers, and watched Chin, Max and Grace for a moment. They had started digging holes in the sand, and Steve wondered what Grace planned to build. Last time she was here she made a replica of the Aloha Canal. This part of the beach was not really good for sand castles, but one could dig really great holes in it. Steve had to smile at the enthusiasm with which she was tackling her latest project.

"Come on, let's get the drinks out and start on the steaks." Cath gently pushed Steve out the door onto the lanai, careful not to disturb his balance while he used one crutch to hobble around.

Half an hour later they were all sitting around the table, laughing and eating. And Gracie was still throwing covert glances Steve's way.

"Gracie, is there something you would like to ask me?" Steve couldn't keep quiet any longer; his curiosity was killing him.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Steve, I didn't mean to stare at you," Grace told him while blushing.

"What's going on?" Danny wanted to know.

Grace looked around the table and was aware that they were now all looking at her for an explanation. "I was just trying to see what was wrong with Uncle Steve," Grace almost whispered.

Danny snorted and grinned at his friend. Steve glared at him, daring him to say anything. "Grace, what do you mean?"

"I can't see anything missing, but you got one, so I thought there has to be something else wrong."

It was clear that none of his friends had any idea what Grace was talking about. And one look at Danny showed Steve that even her dad had no idea what was going on. "Uh, Gracie, I don't think I understand what you mean. What do I have wrong?"

"Last week, in our last history lesson before the holidays, we watched a film about Pearl Harbor and the Navy. We saw black-and-white pictures from long ago, and then how it looks today. Uncle Steve, will you take me to the Arizona Memorial one day?" Grace asked without missing a beat, and kept talking about the film.

"Then in the film they were on a carrier, like Catherine worked on, and they said that they were often…" she paused for a moment, obviously in search for the right word, "docked in our harbor."

"Okay, so you saw a film about Pearl Harbor?" Steve still didn't understand where she was going with this.

"Yes. And in the film, there was a ceremony where some of the soldiers received medals. It was really sad, two men were missing an arm, others a leg, and a few others were sitting in wheelchairs." Grace looked at Steve before she continued with her story, "A man with lots of ribbons on his chest gave the medals to the injured soldiers; he had a lot more than you have on your uniform."

"Grace, when did you see me in uniform?" Steve couldn't remember ever having been in uniform around Grace.

"I saw a picture when I found the boxes," Grace answered quietly.

"What boxes?"

"Uncle Steve, I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to snoop around in your desk drawer. I was looking for my pencils, and the drawer was kind of open, and I saw the picture…"

"It's okay, Gracie. Don't worry," Steve assured her that he wasn't mad at her. Of course now he knew what boxes she was talking about.

"I opened them and you have two of the medals the injured soldiers got. And… but… you are perfect. You are not missing anything… so I thought maybe there was something wrong that I couldn't see. I'm sorry, Uncle Steve." Grace hung her head, like she was waiting to be punished.

"Gracie, it's okay. I'm not mad." Steve smiled at his honorary niece and hoped she would understand that even though it's not okay to look into other people's drawers without asking, he was still not mad at her for doing so.

"Uncle Steve, did you get them because you were hurt fighting the bad guys?"

"Something like that, Grace." How do you explain the concept of fighting in a war to a ten-year old? Steve thought.

"But you are okay now, aren't you?"

"Yes, Gracie, I'm fine," Steve assured her.

"Good." Grace looked at her dad and asked, "Can I get back to building my canal?"

"Yeah, sure, but don't go too close to the water," her father told her.

They all watched her skip down to the beach, back to her innocent playing. The mood at the table was a bit somber; all of them were suddenly reminded that Steve had seen a lot of combat.

"Will you tell us what you received the two Purple Hearts for?" Danny asked his friend. He had never read Steve's file, most of it was classified anyway. He only knew very little about what Steve had been doing during his time with the Navy.

Steve looked around the table and could see that his friends were curious about the stories behind the medals. He was not one to talk about his time before Five-0. About most of it he couldn't talk, but even if he could he wouldn't. He didn't join the Navy or the SEALs to find recognition. And he knew they would be okay if he declined to talk about it. But for some reason, he felt like sharing this experience with them today.

"The first injury was pretty straight forward and really no big deal. It happened in 2002 in Afghanistan. I was shot by a sniper high up on my right leg. It was a through and through, with no bone damage. It bled a lot and they flew me out to Kandahar. I spent three weeks there before I could go back to my unit."

"You only needed three weeks to recover from a gunshot wound?" Max asked almost in awe, probably remembering his own experience.

"I was really lucky. A bullet from a sniper rifle normally fragments on impact. You want to make sure that your target stays down after a hit," Steve informed them. "But the bullet went right through my leg with minimal damage. Well, it nicked an artery, and I lost a bit of blood, but a medic was right next to me when it happened. He prevented me from bleeding out."

Steve remembered vividly how Tom packed the wound on both sides with anticoagulant gauze. That stuff had saved his life.

"I'm sure there is a lot more to that story than 'I was shot by a sniper'," Danny said what all of them were probably thinking.

Steve grinned at him, "I can neither confirm nor deny that."

"Let me guess; it's classified."

"Wow, you got it in one." Steve couldn't tell them where he was in Afghanistan or what his unit had been doing there, so that is all what they were going to get about his first injury.

"Were you as lucky the second time?" Chin asked.

"For the record, I don't think getting injured during war is considered 'being lucky'," Cath threw into the round. Which got her an appreciative nod from Doris, who was listening to her son with great interest, but the worry showed on her face.

"Yes, it should be. I could have easily died from that bullet. I was lucky," Steve said with conviction and leaned over to give his girlfriend a gentle kiss. He knew that hearing about him getting injured, even so many years back, was not easy for her.

"So, about the second time…" Danny reminded his friend.

Steve looked around to make sure that Grace was still out of earshot. "That time I was not lucky at all. I almost died."

H50 – H50 – H50

Pentagon – Washington D.C. – Spring 2006

Steve had tried to get comfortable for the umpteenth time in the last hour. But no matter what position he took, his legs and back hurt. When he'd woken up this morning, he already knew it would be a bad day. Half an hour ago he even had to give in and take one of the prescription pills. They helped a little, but Steve knew that he wouldn't last much longer. He already had trouble concentrating on the text in front of him. His usual headache had started half an hour ago, and he should have called it quits then.

But he was stubborn, and was more than willing to beat this thing. His therapists told him repeatedly that he was trying too hard. But it was the only way he knew how to operate. Giving up was not an option. Never. Besides four hours of work a day could hardly be called 'trying too hard'. Four hours… that was the maximum Steve could concentrate before the headache and dizziness forced him to lie down.

Steve took his glasses off and squinted at the file, but the lines still blurred before his eyes. Guess it's time to go home. Steve put the files on his desk in one folder and locked it in the top desk drawer. He was a bit frustrated with his lack of progress in analyzing the data, even though his CO had assured him that his work on the case was invaluable. But Steve felt like this was only occupational therapy. He didn't feel very productive at the moment.

Steve pushed away from his desk and maneuvered his wheelchair around to tell his CO that he would be leaving. In the last two months, he had become an expert in handling the lightweight wheelchair. At first, he'd hated that thing with a passion and was not willing to even sit in it. But he had realized quickly that it gave him a great deal of independence and freedom. And Steve was determined to get out of it as soon as possible anyway. So he learned to use it to the best of his ability.

It was actually a pretty amazing, high tech thing. It was lightweight and there was no unnecessary material on it. It was not quite a sports-wheelchair, but for sure not an ordinary one.

"Steve, are you leaving for PT?" His colleague of six weeks, Lieutenant Peter Thomson asked.

"No, they gave me the day off. They told me to relax today," Steve told him. Those were actually not the words his therapist used; she had some choice words for him. She had told him in very clear terms that he was exhausted, and she didn't want to see him until next week. And that he shouldn't dare work for more than four hours a day, and to sleep at least for ten. As if that would happen without a knockout pill. Which he didn't like to take, they gave him nightmares.

"That's probably good advice; you look tired."

"Jeez, thanks Pete."

Peter only grinned at him and turned back to his files. Steve liked him. He was a quiet person and didn't ask any stupid questions about what had happened to Steve. He even had offered his help when Steve encountered a problem in the men's room on his first day. And there had been no pity in his eyes, and no hesitancy in offering his help. Steve learned shortly after the incident that Peter's brother had had an accident a year ago and had been bound to a wheelchair ever since.

Steve always hated it when people acted weird around him. He was just sitting in a wheelchair; he was still just Steve. But most people had no idea how to act around someone not standing next to them, but sitting down. He had never been aware of that problem until he ended up being the one sitting down, while everyone else was towering over him.

He shook his head and wheeled over to his CO's office door, after a short knock he was called in.

"Lieutenant McGarrett, I was just coming to see you." Steve was greeted by his temporary CO, Commander Brennan.

"Sir?"

"Your doctor called and informed me that you are on sick leave for the rest of the week."

"What? Sir, I'm fine. I don't need any leave." Steve couldn't believe that his therapist really went to his doctor to rat him out.

"Lieutenant… Steve… you are not feeling well. Everyone can see that. Go home, get some rest. And come back on Monday, well rested. It's only four days."

"Yes, Sir." Steve knew that he had no choice anyway, but that didn't mean he had to like it. What the heck was he supposed to do for four days? He was not even allowed to use the pool at the Rehab Center. This would be some really long four days.

H50 – H50 – H50

Steve normally took the Metro to get from the Pentagon to Bethesda and vice versa. The Navy had provided him with a small apartment that met his special needs. It was practically on the grounds of the Medical Center, so he could easily reach his different therapy sessions. He had lived there for 6 weeks now; the first two in D.C. he had spent in the Medical Center until he was fit enough to get around on his own.

The first week he had been allowed to go to work for a few hours every day, he used a cab to get to the Pentagon. But after that, he felt confident enough to manage with the Metro. He only used a cab now when he wasn't feeling well. And today was one of those days. He had called his usual cabby, Tyrese, and asked him to pick him up at the entrance of the North Parking Lot. It was easy to reach for Ty and for Steve, whose office was in the wing closest to that entrance.

When Steve took the Metro, he always had a long way to go to reach the station. Well, not really to 'go', more to roll, or wheel there. It always took a bit of time. Taking the cab spared him that. Steve thankfully only had to wait five minutes for Ty to arrive.

"Hey, Steve, sorry I'm late," Ty called to him as he came around the car.

"No, it's fine; I just got here."

"You need a hand today?" Tyrese looked at Steve before he opened the back door.

"Afraid so."

"Okay."

Ty maneuvered the wheelchair into the right position, stepped between Steve's legs, and bent down to 'hug' Steve. Without any hassle, he hauled Steve out of the chair, which elicited a loud groan from Steve. "Did I hurt you?"

"No. I'm just really stiff today. Didn't do any exercises this morning," Steve said as Ty carefully positioned him sideways onto the back seat.

"Can you manage the rest alone?"

"Yeah, thanks." Steve pushed himself deeper into the cab and helped his legs into the cab. It was not like he couldn't move his legs, they just wouldn't really obey. And they for certain weren't able to carry his weight.

His brain still stubbornly refused to send the right signals out. But he was getting there. He hoped. When he was finally sitting more or less comfortably in his seat, he leaned his head back and waited while Ty finished stowing his wheelchair into the trunk. He was really grateful to have crossed paths with Tyrese; he had been a real life saver.

"Hey, are you meeting your hot therapist today?" Ty asked as he sat back behind the wheel.

Steve had to laugh at that, "No; she doesn't want to see me until Monday. She said I should rest," Steve said it with a bit of disdain.

"Maybe she wants you to rest up for a 'special' session," Ty told him with a wink.

"Yeah, right." There had been nothing 'special' happening in the last 12 weeks, ever since he had been injured. No sex on his own and certainly not with anyone else. Okay, granted the first five weeks he had no desire for anything anyway. But lately… he was just a guy after all. But nothing was working as it should be.

His neurologist said not to worry, there was nothing wrong. Yeah, well, but there was nothing right either. Steve thought frustrated. It was maybe a good thing that there was no girl waiting for him at the moment. He wouldn't want to burden a girlfriend with 'this'.

"So, you want to go straight home then?" Ty pulled him out of his dark thoughts with his question.

"Yeah," Steve answered.

"Should I pick you up in the morning?"

"No, I'm not allowed to work until Monday."

"Oh, they ganged up on you, huh?" his friend asked with laughter in his voice.

"It's a conspiracy, I'm telling you," Steve told him with a grin.

"Listen, if you feel up to it, would you like to come over on Friday? My wife's cooking is legendary. You will love her Chicken Teriyaki."

"Uh, I don't know, Ty."

"Hey, if you are worried about…" Ty was waving around with his hand, "you know… it's no problem. You can get around in a wheelchair in my house. I'll pick you up at six, okay? My wife would really like to meet you. Please say yes. That would get me extra points tonight, if you know what I mean?"

Steve couldn't help but laugh at that, and besides if he couldn't get anything to work, maybe he could at least help his friend enjoy some nice hours. "Okay, fine. Friday at six," Steve finally agreed. That would be his first social outing since he had arrived in Washington.

"Great. You will not regret this." Tyrese beamed at him.

"I already do," Steve told him, but they both knew he was not serious.

A few minutes later they arrived in front of Steve's apartment building, and Ty got out to get the wheelchair out of the trunk. Steve scooted to the edge of the seat and waited for Ty to come around with it.

This time he didn't even ask; everyone could see that Steve was hurting and not able to get out of the car on his own. Ty had Steve seated and ready to go in no time. "Can I leave you alone, or should I get you upstairs?"

"No, it's fine, Ty. Thank you. I can manage."

"You sure? It's no problem…"

"I know, and thank you, but really the apartment is no problem," Steve assured Ty. And he really didn't need any help in his temporary home; it was perfectly fitted for him.

"Okay. Call me if you need anything."

"I will," Steve told him and paid for the fare. He watched Ty get back into his cab and drive off.

Steve had never met anyone like Tyrese. He was not between jobs driving the cab; he was not someone who couldn't get another job; he simply drove the cab because he loved it. He had never wanted to do anything else. He had been a cabby for over thirty years now. Had his own small fleet, well, three cars, and he was happy with his life. He said it was his calling. Well, whatever makes one happy.

Steve pressed the button for the elevator, and the door opened almost instantly. It took him only a minute to reach his apartment on the third floor. He opened the door and was glad to be finally home, even though he had left just six hours ago. But he was exhausted. His head hurt, his back hurt, and his legs were trembling. His vision was blurry again, and it was time to lie down before he passed out. Which was a possibility, and it wouldn't be the first time.

He wheeled over to the bathroom to take care of some urgent needs. It took him a lot longer to be done with everything. He should probably be more thankful that he at least had control over those body functions. He came out of the bathroom and looked over to his walker, which he should use in his home. But not today. He was sure that he wouldn't even be able to stand, much less walk.

He wheeled to his bedroom and looked at his assortment of pill bottles. He was down to one he had to take on a schedule; it helped with the vertigo he was still experiencing. Then, there was his bottle with sleeping pills, which he called his knock out pills. They knocked him out in a matter of minutes for at least nine hours. But he always woke up drenched in sweat, and he remembered having terrible dreams. So, he hated taking them. But some nights he just had to. And then there was the bottle with his prescription painkillers.

They were the only ones that helped with the pain from the irritated nerves. On some days, the pain got so bad that he wanted to scream. Today was such a day. He had already taken one pill not even three hours ago. He knew if he took another one now, he would not get out of bed again until morning. And more than one had the same effect as the sleeping pills. They would knock him out, but they would also give him nightmares.

So his choice was really simple, suffer through the pain or suffer the nightmares. Steve thought today he was more in the mood for the nightmares.

He brought his wheelchair next to his bed, and with some effort managed to sit on the edge of it. He took another pill and lay back down and waited for sleep to claim him. Steve didn't need to wait long; his exhausted body had nothing left to fight the drug. His last thought was about his hope not to dream in such vivid colors again like two nights before.

H50 – H50 – H50

List of Badges and Ribbons received by Steve.

Badges:

Top:

o Special Warfare Insignia (SEAL Trident) - The Special Warfare insignia (aka the "SEAL Trident" or the "Budweiser Badge"), is awarded to personnel who completed BUD/S training and qualification, and have been designated as Navy SEALs and assigned to Navy SEAL Teams or Special Delivery Vehicle (SDV) Teams

Bottom:

o Naval Parachutist - The Parachutists insignia, also known as "jump wings", is awarded to personnel for training in airborne school. The basic insignia is issued for completion of basic parachutist training. The Naval Parachutist insignia is issued after 10 qualifying jumps.

Ribbons (in order of precedence):

o Silver Star - "Gallantry in action against an enemy of the United States"

o Bronze Star - "Heroic or meritorious achievement or service"

o Purple Heart (1 Star) - "Being wounded or killed in any action against an enemy of the United States or as a result of an act of any such enemy or opposing armed forces"

o Joint Service Commendation - "distinguishing oneself by heroism, meritorious achievement or meritorious service."

o Navy/Marine Corps Commendation (2 Stars) - "distinguishing oneself by heroism, meritorious achievement or meritorious service."

o Joint Service Achievement (1 oak leaf) - "Meritorious service or achievement in either combat or noncombat based on sustained performance or specific achievement of a superlative nature but which does not warrant a Commendation Medal or higher."

o Navy/Marine Corps Achievement - Meritorious service or achievement in either combat or noncombat based on sustained performance or specific achievement of a superlative nature but which does not warrant a Commendation Medal or higher."

o Combat Action Ribbon (1 Star) - Actively engaged in ground combat with the enemy

o Navy Presidential Unit Citation - "Gallantry, determination, and esprit de corps in accomplishing its mission under extremely difficult and hazardous conditions"

o Joint Meritorious Unit Award - Awarded to joint units or units tasked to perform a joint mission

o Navy Unit Commendation - Unit heroism lesser than that required of a Presidential Unit Citation or non-combat service which was outstanding when compared to other units or organizations performing similar service.

o Fleet Marine Force Ribbon - The award signified the acquisition of specific professional skills, knowledge and military experience that resulted in qualifications above those normally required of Navy personnel serving with the Marine Corps operating forces.

o National Defense Service Medal - Military service during periods of national emergency

o Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (3 Stars) - Awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces who, after July 1, 1958, have participated in a United States military operation and encountered foreign armed opposition, or were in danger of hostile action by foreign Armed Forces

o Afghanistan Campaign Medal - It is awarded to any member of the U.S. military who has performed duty within the borders of Afghanistan (or its airspace) for a period of thirty consecutive days or sixty non-consecutive days

o Iraq Campaign Medal - It is awarded to any member of the U.S. military who has performed duty within the borders of Iraq (or its territorial waters) for a period of thirty consecutive days or sixty non-consecutive days

o Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary - overseas direct service to the Global War on Terrorism

o Global War on Terrorism Service - Direct support in service to the Global War on Terrorism

o Humanitarian Service - Established to honor personnel of the Armed Forces of the United States who distinguished themselves by meritorious direct participation (hands on) in a significant military act or operation of a humanitarian nature, or have rendered a service to mankind.

o Navy Sea Service Deployment (4 Stars) - recognizes those service members who have performed military duty while stationed on a vessel at sea.

o Navy Expert Rifleman Medal – Awarded for qualifying as an expert marksman on M16 rifle

o Navy Expert Pistol Medal – Awarded for qualifying as an expert marksman on 9mm M9 pistol.

*Stars/Oak Leafs Awards are for subsequent awards of the same medal.

All this information was given during season 1. I'm sorry, but I don't know who to credit for this. The information floated around on official sites and fan sites. No idea where it first came from. If anyone knows, I will gladly give credit.