Archive of Our Own

07:00am

It was going to be one of those days.

Danny felt it in his bones.

Standing in the doorway between the living and the dining room, watching Steve drink his morning coffee as he stared at the ocean outside, he was reminded of all the times he had felt like that since they’d been partners and how nine times out of ten, that feeling had resulted in injuries, kidnappings or... worse.

“You nervous?” he asked.

Steve turned around, a surprised expression on his face. “Why would I be nervous?”

“Because,” Danny waved his hand around. “It’s your first day back, and you’ve been away a while.”

“I’m okay, Danny. I know how to do my job.”

“That’s not what I meant and you know it.”

Steve might not have the jitters about going back to work but Danny did. So much so that he hadn’t slept a wink the night before. Not out of fear, of course. Sabbatical or not, Steve was still a killing machine and he knew he couldn’t be in safer hands. It was more a feeling of whether or not they had made the right choice.

After everything they’d been through, he had started questioning once again if it was time to turn the badge in. He had already stayed on —held on, mostly— a few years too many, first out of a sense of loyalty to Steve and then more recently, waiting for him to return. The man had put so much time and effort into the task force that it felt wrong to leave it in the hands of their younger recruits, especially once they realized Cole was a good soldier but definitely no lead.

Danny didn’t want to see their reputation tainted after a decade of honorable work, so he figured he would hold down the fort with Lou for a while and then give command back to Steve to do as he pleased.

With his twenty years of service safely in the sack, was it wrong to think about retiring? Charlie was still young enough to enjoy their time together, and he was positive he’d find a purpose that didn’t involve armed conflicts and car chases.

So why was he standing there, gun strapped to his side and badge clipped to his belt?

Because of the crazy, stubborn, unpredictable partner he loved almost as much as his children and couldn’t stay mad at even after an eight-month absence that had literally broken his heart. Steve was doing better and was eager to work, and Danny couldn’t stomach the thought of letting him do that alone.

He was his backup, after all.

“I know,” Steve said, bringing him back to the present. “Look, I know you’re worried, but I’ll be fine. We’re both going to be fine.” He took a sip of his coffee and moved closer. “I promise not to jump off of buildings, alright?” he added with a smile, looking at him with that fond expression that always melted away all of Danny’s doubts.

“That still leaves shark cages and gun fights so no, it doesn’t make me feel better.”

Steve put a hand on his best friend’s shoulder. “This is a good thing, Danno. We’re going to be partners again. Didn’t you miss me?”

“No,” Danny lied as expected. “No, I did not miss you. In fact, I am happy to report that I didn’t get a scratch in the eight months you’ve been away. Not even a paper cut, barely discharged my weapon.”

Steve grinned.

He had missed this so much.

“Sounds boring.”

It was, but Danny would never admit it.

“Coffee. I need coffee,” he muttered in an awkward attempt to change the subject, heading for the kitchen.

Steve followed suit.

“Are those malasadas?” he asked when his gaze landed on the bag sitting on his counter.

“Yeah, I brought some.”

As he had left the house to get to Steve’s place, a memory of his younger, tie-wearing self showing up with a bag of malasadas —or doughnut-looking things, as he’d called them— had come to mind, and Danny had stopped to get some.

It was kind of a new beginning, after all.

He was a grumpy haole back then, Steve an emotionally stunted soldier reeling from his father’s death. That morning, in between bites, he had proceeded to tell his new partner how it was important for him to look professional and how little he cared about fitting in.

Today, his looks probably still screamed ‘mainland’, but many other things had changed.

Starting with Steve eyeing the bag with excitement instead of disgust.

“That’s… that’s nice.”

“You know, I thought maybe you’d missed them and maybe you’re not as obsessed about exercising anymore.”

Steve rolled his eyes, trying to pretend the gesture hadn’t warmed his heart, and took one out of the bag.

“I still swim and run every morning, Danny. But thanks, I’ve missed them.”

Danny watched him polish the malasada off in three bites. “You’re still an animal,” he commented with a dramatic shake of the head.

Ten minutes later, they were heading down the walkway through Steve’s front garden towards his brand-new car.

He was partial to Camaros. Always had been. There was something about those sleek muscle cars that reminded him of his New Jersey days and made him feel empowered, so no one had been surprised when he’d bought a third after learning of the previous one’s demise. Not even Steve, who was checking out the new model with an excited glint in his eyes, already savoring the moment he’d get to test its speed.

“I have to tell you, buddy, this is a really nice car!”

The shadow gray 2020 edition sitting in the driveway was indeed a thing of beauty. With its iconic design and 20-inch wheels, it was born to turn heads and full of fire and spirit.

“Charlie thinks it looks like a shark.”

“Really?” Steve chuckled. “Hey, you know what? We could take him out this weekend, take a nice drive up to the North Shore.”

“Sure,” Danny agreed.

The way Steve always went out of his way to include his kids and plan activities with them was one of the traits he appreciated more about him. Especially now that his efforts had doubled as he tried to make up for all the time he’d been away.

He took the keys out of his pocket, looked at them with a mixture of amusement and regret, and tossed them at his partner.

“Not one scratch,” he warned.

The carefree laugh that followed was the most beautiful sound Danny had ever heard.

07:00pm

It had been one of those days.

Steve felt it in his bones.

Standing by the bathroom mirror, braced up against the sink, he looked at his reflection and surveyed the damage.

A black eye that had thankfully not swollen up, a split lip, and a trail of dried blood running from a gash to the left side of his head down to his cheek.

Bare feet on the tiles, he briefly inspected the cut, deeming it not worthy of more than a butterfly bandage, then splashed some water on his face. It stung, but barely shifted the blood stubbornly sticking to his skin.

His bruised hands curled around the hem of his shirt and he hissed, muscles protesting against the movement as he started to lift it off. His dirty cargos followed it to the ground a moment later. An involuntary shiver passed through him, reminding him of the cold storage where their suspect had elected to hide. Not a smart decision if you asked Steve, who had left him in there for an extra ten minutes as a thank you for fighting back.

First day back, and he had already engaged in hand-to-hand combat and almost gotten hit by a car, managing to avoid even more injuries by sliding off its hood with the practiced ease of a seasoned warrior.

Not that he had expected anything less.

In fact, the adrenaline still pumping in his veins had been a welcome reminder of just how much he loved the job.

The new Governor, who he’d met on his return, had been happy to hand him back the task force’s reigns and, advised by her predecessors, made it clear that she expected the same commitment and resourcefulness to make the island’s problems go away.

Steve had nodded a convincing ‘yes, ma’am’ while stifling a grin at the thought of just how many rules they would continue breaking.

Wincing as his fingers brushed a particularly sensitive spot, he glanced at his watch.

They had closed their case by five pm, which made the day memorable by itself. That left him enough time to confirm the appointment that had been a regular fixture in his Monday schedule since he’d returned and show up for it.

Maybe even add a little twist to it.

Ready to step into the shower, he met his eyes in the mirror once again and through the cuts, the scrapes, and the multicolored bruises… he smiled.

A content, playful smile that lit up his eyes and spread deep into his soul.

He was back.

And this time, he had chosen to stay.

When he came downstairs a short while later, dressed in jeans and a simple white t-shirt, he found Danny in the kitchen, knife in hand, cutting vegetables on the chopping board.

His movements were smooth and precise, born out of skill and years of experience. Food was one of his ways of showing love and concern, and Steve was one of the lucky recipients of that brilliant mix of talent and affection.

“You good?” he asked as soon as he saw him, giving him a once-over to make sure the answer was a match to what he perceived.

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Alright,” he shrugged, focusing back on the task at hand. The sight of his bruised partner would’ve sent him into a panic-induced spiral of fear just a few years before. Now he was just resigned and counting his blessings at the end of each day. “Dinner will be ready in twenty.”

Steve nodded but didn’t move, shuffling instead from one foot to the other as he debated whether or not to voice the question he’d been meaning to ask.

“Hey, Danny?”

“What?”

He rubbed the back of his neck, uncertain. “Can we put off dinner for a while? I, uh... I’d like to talk to you about something.”

Danny put down the knife and turned to face him.

Head cocked, he studied his friend, eyeing him closely for a moment before deciding that whatever he was about to hear wasn’t life-or-death serious and leaning against the counter, visibly relaxed.

“Sure.”

“Good evening, Commander.”

Doctor Han stepped into the room and nearly froze in her tracks. “Are you all right?” she asked, looking in concern at the bruises on Steve’s face.

“It’s all good, Doc,” he shrugged. “Looks worse than it is.”

She nodded, unconvinced, noticing the slight shake of the head from the man sitting beside him. “I’m glad you called.”

Fair-skinned, with dark lush hair and a refined, classically beautiful face, she was dressed in black pants and a creamy silk blouse. A floral-patterned scarf around her neck, sneakers and hoop earrings completed the look of a woman who exuded both professionalism and warmth.

“You must be Detective Williams,” she said, turning her attention to Danny who stood up and held out his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

Shaking it with a surprisingly strong grip, she smiled and sat down in front of them.

“Were you surprised that he asked you to come, Detective?”

“No. Yes. A bit, but I’m glad to be here.”

“Good. Commander McGarrett has made significant progress in his therapy, and since your name has come up quite often during our sessions, I suggested it would be a good idea for you to join us.”

Her smile was warm, her expression calm and reassuring. Danny instantly liked her, and he could sense Steve did too.

“I don’t know if you’re familiar with CBT but we focus on identifying and understanding trauma, and learning the skills to change behavior patterns.”

“I am. I’ve been in therapy before.”

Nodding again, she took out a notebook from her briefcase.

“Now, we don’t have to discuss anything either of you is uncomfortable with,” she continued, glancing between the two men. “Consider this a safe place where there’s no right or wrong answer to any question that might be asked. You just share whatever you feel comfortable sharing and we’ll go from there.”

“Okay,” they said in unison.

The doctor leaned back and crossed her legs.

“So, Commander, how was your first day back?”