McKono fans, you might like this chapter.

Nearly two weeks later, Danny was standing by Steve's bed listening intently to the doctor's instructions on how to use an incentive lung spirometer to exercise his partner's lungs. Doctor Canford demonstrated with a wary Steve who suspected that his first attempt at breathing into that tube would prove painful and he was right. On the first mouthful of air, his face contorted in agony and he clutched his chest.

"I know it hurts Commander, but you need to do those breathing exercises twice a day for now in order to prevent pneumonia." Steve nodded in understanding. The doctor brought the tube once more to Steve's lips. "Once more."

Danny cringed at seeing his partner in the throes of agony. Each intake was killing Steve but he knew that it was for his own good.

"We'll stop for now. Detective Williams, I trust you can handle it from here?"

"I think I do."

"You can use it again this afternoon. He needs to inhale three times, even if it hurts."

"I understand, Doctor Canford."

"I'll leave you alone now. Try not to tire him too much. He still needs his rest."

"I won't. Thank you."

Once the doctor was out of the room, Steve reached for Danny's arm and coughed out his request for water. Danny was all too willing to oblige and brought the glass of water to Steve's mouth.

"How's that?"

Steve closed his eyes and nodded. "Better". He sank his head into his pillow and sighed.

"What are you thinking, babe?"

"I still can't remember what happened, Danny," Steve admitted dejectedly in a whispering, croaking voice.

"Let it go for now, Steve. You need to get your strength back. We nearly lost you twice."

"I want to get back out there." Danny started to laugh. "What?"

"You just can't stay put now, can you? May I remind you that you have five holes in you made by big caliber bullets by the way."

"Danny, the holes have been patched up and besides you heard the doctor? I need to start exercising to get back into shape."

"He meant short walks up and down the hall, NOT chase after suspects and tackle them to the ground or hang them over a ledge. Look at you! You can barely talk, you need assistance to use the can..."

"Correction! I do not need anyone to help me go answer nature's call. It's just that whenever I need to go, there's always someone here," Steve bellyached, ending on a light cough that seared his healing lung. "Danny, the sooner I get back out there, the sooner I can spur my memory. I can't achieve that here while I'm plied with drugs. I can't think straight."

"The drugs are there to keep you compliant while your body heals."

Steve sank deeper into his pillow and sulked.

Danny leaned closer to the bed and offered this word of friendly advice. "I know it's frustrating but you must give yourself time. You don't seem to realize that you came to a hair's breadth of checking out on us, twice. Even your doctor wasn't sure you'd wake up with all of your marbles because of oxygen deprivation when you arrested. Thank you lucky star that you are still your old stubborn Neanderthal self." He paused to let the words sink in. "We miss you down at Five-0 but we can wait until you're a hundred per cent better before you come waltzing into the office."

Steve offered a tepid smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Danny?" Danny turned to Chin entering the room. "I heard you talking."

"He's awake."

"Hey Steve!" Chin cheered as he approached the bed. " You sure are looking better."

"Perhaps but I still feel like crap."

"Well that's to be expected after surviving five bullets. Don't forget about the one in your heart. The Doc says you'll need to take it easy for a while," Chin said.

Steve sighed in frustration. "Guess that means McGarrett will be stuck doing paper work."

"Music to my ears," Danny boasted.

"Yeah well don't get used to it, Blondie," Steve pouted.

Danny laughed. "It's good to have you back."

"Chin?" Duke called from the doorway. "Is it all right if we come in?"

Chin turned to Danny.

"I think I know what will cheer you up, babe. Ready for a visitor?" Danny asked Steve with a goofy grin.

Steve shot his partner a dubious stare.

Chin smiled approvingly and waved Duke in. "It's okay. Come on in."

"Go ahead, sweetheart," he said to Kono with a light shove inside. "I'm sure he'll be ecstatic to see you."

"Kono!" Steve exclaimed in shock. "What, what are you doing here?"

"It's over, Steve. I don't need to run and hide anymore." She glanced up at Chin and Danny. "Chin and Danny managed to gather the evidence to clear me of all murder charges. I'm free."

Steve was stunned at the news. "Danny, is that true?"

"Yup!"

"How did you do it?" Steve asked with a gnawing suspicion at the back of his mind.

"I found some pictures that showed Adam pulling the trigger." Steve elbowed himself to a sitting position and instantly cringed at the smart in his chest. Danny lunged at him in a split second to hold him steady. "Easy there!"

Steve breathed away the painful twinges and glared at Danny. "Where did you find them?"

"A source gave them to me."

"Danny!" Steve tried to chide his partner but his hoarse voice wouldn't reach the desired pitch.

"Babe, remember that ticker of yours. Mustn't get excited now. The good news is that Kono is a free girl, now. "

"What about Adam?"

"We don't know where he is," Kono answered. "When Doris heard that Internal Affairs had acquitted me, she helped me get back to Hawaii."

"Is my mom with you?"

"No. She just dropped me off at the airport and Chin picked me up in Honolulu."

Steve showed visible signs of distress at the whole turn of events. "What the hell happened while I was out?"

"Plenty. Chin and I wanted our Ohana back and we left no stones unturned to get there."

"Aren't you happy things worked out the way they did?" Chin asked, a bit puzzled by Steve's surliness.

"I think he's upset because he didn't get to solve the case himself," Danny teased.

"That's not it, Danny," Steve huffed out in anger, with a small cough escaping his throat. "Don't get me wrong, I'm happy Kono has been cleared. It just…"

"What?"

"I just wish I could remember what happened after I got shot. You still have no clues as to who broke Wo Fat out of jail and I'm the only one who could provide that missing piece of information." Steve was annoyed at his lack of memory.

"Don't fret about it, Steven. I'm sure it'll come back to you," Danny assured, though he wished McGarrett would never remember for everyone's sake.

"I'm even surprised they haven't accused me of aiding Wo Fat escape. You would think I'd be their primary suspect."

"Lack of evidence," Danny fibbed with his best poker face. He avoided Steve's direct stare for fear of him succeeding in breaking the mask of deceit.

"Plus which they now have a strong lead on who might have broken Wo Fat out of jail." All turn to Chin. "Duke called me a few minutes ago. Seems they found new evidence that places Ito Nishiru on the scene of the crime. He's the head of one of the Yakuza syndicates and a sworn enemy of Wo Fat."

"That is great news!" Danny's thoughts instantly went to Joe. He heaved an inward sigh of relief knowing the powerful Navy Commander had successfully managed to throw the Internal Affairs investigation off course. He silently thanked him for saving his partner from a serious jail sentence.

Relief was also written on Steve's face, though a tinge of skepticism at this odd turn of events subsided. He then turned to Kono with a smile. "Come here." He extended his arms to wrap her in a hug. "I'm glad you're back."

"So am I and I can say the same for you. I heard what happened."

"As you can see I'm still here," he said, again still with a whispering, croaking voice.

"I can't believe Adam framed me. I should have listened to you. You knew he was bad news from the start."

"Yeah, well, we all make mistakes."

"I really make bad choices when it comes to men, don't I?"

Danny nudged Chin on the shoulder and both slipped away quietly.

"Maybe you're trying too hard or perhaps it's just that you're looking in the wrong places. We often look too far when it's right under our noses," he hinted.

She paused to ponder his words. Suddenly it dawned on her when his gaze locked onto hers. She gaped. "Steve?"

"You couldn't tell?"

"No I mean, you were with Catherine."

"Yeah guess that would throw any girl off the track. Cath and I were never exclusive. We had a thing. A good one but it was just that. I never told you because, well I didn't think you were interested."

"I never told you because I thought YOU were not the least bit interested."

"Well, what do you say we try to do something about it now?"

She grinned from ear to ear and she leaned in and whispered close to his face. "I'm all for that." She gently pressed her lips to his. Steve moaned painfully into the kiss and she quickly pulled back. "I'm sorry, did I hurt you?"

"I'm still a bit tender but…don't stop. I've waited a long time for this."

As they both resumed the tender embrace, Chin and Danny discreetly peeked in and smiled contentedly.

"I think she's the one who will finally get him to commit to a relationship."

"I wouldn't mind having him as a cousin-in-law. Much better than Adam or all the other guys she's dated."

"Come on," Danny said with a tap on Chin's shoulder. "Let's leave them their privacy. It's long overdue."

H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50

Weeks later, Danny, Chin and Kono came to get Steve who was finally being discharged from the hospital. He was raring to jump back into action, mostly to tackle the case of the missing Wo Fat and the gang responsible for the prison break and his shooting.

Still to this day, his mind would draw a complete blank as to the identity of the man who called his name and that frustrated him to a point where he would actually get physically sick. Thankfully Danny kept a watchful eye on his partner's whereabouts and at every opportunity, he attempted to discourage him from racking his brains out.

Steve was gradually becoming suspicious of Danny's true intent with regard to the case that he kept casually brushing aside in favor or less strenuous assignments. So one morning, he decided to confront his partner.

"Danny, would you come to my office, please?" Steve asked on a rather gruff tone.

Danny shrugged at Chin and Kono before walking inside Steve's office. Steve closed the door behind him and crossed his arms against his chest. "Okay, out with it."

"Out with what?" Danny feigned innocence. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"What is it you're not telling me?"

"I already told you everything." Steve stared at him. "I did, babe." Steve stuck out a defiant chin. "Stop staring at me! Steven, for God sake!"

"Danny, you're squinting."

"Geez, I really need to work on that," Danny chided himself.

"We're partners. No secrets remember?"

"If you must know I finally got in touch with Catherine."

"And?"

"Sends her best but told me she didn't want to have anything to do with you."

"I can imagine. She and I broke up."

"I take it it wasn't on friendly terms?"

"It's complicated."

"Hey I don't want to pry. This is your business and yours alone."

"Among other things, she wanted something I couldn't give her: a long-term commitment."

"Perhaps because she was not the one." Danny hinted, jutting his head at Kono through the glass window.

Steve threw Danny a knowing look. "Could be. But this isn't about Catherine, is it?"

"It's classified, babe." Danny smirked.

"Danny!"

"Hey you have your missions, I have mine," Danny was quick to retort.

"I believe I know what it is."

"What?" Danny frowned in fear of what Steve had to say.

"You know who was at the jail when I got shot, don't you?" he challenged.

"Internal Affairs have the culprit in their crosshairs. You heard what Chin said?"

"It's not him and you know it," Steve said matter-of-factly.

"What are you talking about?" Danny gulped nervously but swiftly got a grip.

"Come on, Danny! If it were Nishiru he would have shot Wo Fat in the cell and left him there to die. He wouldn't have bothered carrying his dead weight around. He would have left me there as well. No, you're protecting the real instigator of this crime."

"He shot you, Steve! You would think I wanted him dead for what he did to you."

"Not necessarily so, not if it was an accident. He did save my life. Who would do that, you think?" Danny remained silent. Steve uncrossed his arms and went to stand in front of the window, his back to Danny. "It was Joe, wasn't it?" Danny's eyes dropped and his stance deflated. Steve turned to him. "Wasn't it?"

"You remember?"

"Yeah, I remember. It came to me last night. It's still foggy though."

"Perhaps you dreamt it?"

"Come on, Danny!" Steve was incensed.

There was a tense pause before Danny spoke solemnly. "Let it go, Steve."

"What?"

"You've got your health back; Kono has been acquitted and you and she are an item now; Wo Fat is out of our hair for good; Adam is gone; we're back together at Five-0. I say let it go. Don't make waves," Danny warned.

"Did he threaten you in any way?"

"It's not him I'm worried about but the people working in the shadows. If you play by their rules, they won't bother you." Steve glared at him. "I mean it. I don't want to go there. If you think the Shelburne mystery was a humdinger to crack…"

Steve ran a hand across his face and huffed. He stared his partner straight in the eyes and said with a light quiver in his voice. "I can't, Danny."

"Do you intent to go to the authorities? And perhaps risk getting enmeshed in a worse spin than you are now?"

Steve hung his head and sighed deeply. "I want to know why he did it. Was it because he didn't want Wo Fat to reveal a dark secret, one of which he was ready to disclose to me before the shooting occurred."

"Why Steven? Some secrets are better left buried."

"Maybe, but I hate having to grow a third eye in my back to watch the people I trusted the most."

"You've got me, Chin and Kono. We'll never betray you, babe."

Steve fashioned a small curl of the lip. "I thought the same for Joe and Catherine."

"They haven't betrayed you; just withheld the truth for your own good."

"That's not good enough."

Danny stepped up to his distraught partner and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Okay, whatever you decide, know that I won't be far. I might think you're a stupid Neanderthal for doing it but hey! You're our SuperSEAL and we love you, you big goof."

Steve's eyes brimmed over with tears at this token of affection. "Thanks Danno."

The End…for me

Well that's it! The rest is anybody's guess. I made quite a bit of a mess; now it's up to the show's writers to untangle it. I certainly hope they do a good job in September.

I should be back with another story, this one with no connection to seasons premiere or finale, that is if my new agent lets me. He's hired me to write for television next season.

A huge thank you for following my very first fanfic story and for your reviews.