I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.

Notes: yay, it's done! I have to admit that I NEVER EVER thought this story would end. I was quite concerned - lesson learned: trust the muse. I must admit that I am quite pleased with the muse right now.

Chapter Twenty-one: EPILOGUE

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Danny heaved in a huge breath of the crisp night air, letting it slowly leave his body as a disgusted long sigh. He was sitting inside his parked Camaro in Steve's driveway just staring up at the silent behemoth of a house. There were no lights on at all at three-thirty in the morning and his friend was likely sound asleep. Danny however, was not. Instead, he was reluctantly wide awake and arguing his body's fickle needs that seemed to be changing on a daily basis.

But Danny had made a deal with Steve and at that very moment, he was fulfilling his part of it.

Their eventual deal had been very simple; in fact, it wasn't even really a deal at all, but more of an understanding. As time went on, Danny insisted that he needed more personal space and Steve grudgingly agreed that he should return to his own place. Danny felt that he needed to test his ability to make it through a night - or even a day - on his own and without having constant help. The discussions coincided with his limited return to work, which supported his theory, too. He was of course correct on all counts, but there were times when he would be wrong and therefore, the bargain was struck.

During that first week, Danny's return to work was strictly limited to mostly desk duty. Something he initially balked at until Steve invoked his rights under the structure of said deal. His nod towards Chin as witness was irksome at best, yet Danny had indeed agreed to each and every stipulation.

"You specifically agreed that you'd listen to my instructions," Steve stated, grinning as he used one of Danny's favorite words to drive his point home. "Ergo, desk duty and half days for this coming week. You're to leave earlier for any reason under which I see fit to send you packing."

The other part of their deal was much more private in function and only shared between the two of them. Danny had just stepped foot in his own home a few days earlier. His confidence had grown over those last many evenings, but there had been episodes and indications of a new problem. This problem was something which neither Steve nor Danny had considered and it brought with it a budding fear.

This new issue was something which the doctors hadn't brought up either until he had mentioned it during this last checkup: insomnia. Their medical course of action included sleep-aids which Danny kept near his bedside table, but generally he hesitated to use medication as an option towards healing. Therefore, the only subsequent suggestion was to continue periods of light exercise to encourage his body towards more normalcy.

But it was a terrible juxtaposition for him. No longer afraid to sleep, now Danny had a one or two bouts of absolute sleeplessness where he'd begun to feel an anxiety each evening that he might not. So this other part of the deal was duly established and noted. Steve was not enthusiastic about Danny driving if emotionally distressed, he also didn't approve of Danny driving if restless and disturbed by a period of insomnia.

"If you have another panic attack or nightmare, your judgement is going to be off, Danno," Steve said privately to his best friend. "I can't force you to stay with me. I can't take your keys and leave you completely housebound because it's counter-productive. And I agree that you need to be at your own place. But please, you have to promise me that you won't drive ... you'll call me no matter the time."

"But if I just can't sleep ...," Danny frowned at the disturbing thought. He had another crazy symptom to contend with and his shoulders had sagged in near defeat. "I need to get out ... clear my head ... driving helps. Maybe even popping into the office to get some work done. It helps .. the distraction's good and I'll be wide-awake. So what's the problem?"

"No way. It's a big problem," Steve gently argued, his eyes daring Danny to argue back. "If you can't sleep and have to get out to clear your head, then you have one and only one option. You're to drive straight here ... you come directly here to me and nowhere else, Danny. Promise me that."

"And so here I am you great, big not-so-benevolent putz of a SEAL," Danny growled out to himself on another short inhale as he mentally went over that conversation. He was feeling better already though, something he easily attributed to having a goal ... a place to go when he was feeling so unable to make a decision and so wholly unlike his usual self.

With a casual glance towards what would be the window of the second floor master bedroom, Danny shook his head with a fond smile. "Control freak," he murmured softly.

He was indeed smiling as he quietly exited his car and carefully snicked the door shut so as not to make a single sound. Steve was right. And when it came to how Danny might best recover, he had always been right and Danny smiled even more at the thought. He felt comfortable at Steve's and instantly less stressed. What he was feeling now as he stepped foot on familiar territory was much better than an aimless drive through barely lit deserted city streets. So with a soundless step, Danny then skirted the house itself, to wind up on the lanai where he quickly decided that a walk was in order.

Kicking his shoes off, Danny strolled lazily down to the water's edge. The moon was just bright enough as he picked a direction to travel and with a check of his watch on the time, he was already making plans upon his return to the house. After his walk it would still be early, but he'd disable the security system and cook breakfast for the two of them.

Steve would wake to the smell of coffee and eggs or maybe even pancakes. He would complain and put on a show. Yet, that was part of their deal, too, because they each needed to be there for the other. And with the simple act of heeding Steve's advice, Danny knew that his arrival would ease his friend's feelings of self-blame.

Pancakes only made things better and Danny almost laughed out loud at himself.

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Steve watched the Camaro pull into his driveway, the car's front headlights dimming as soon as they turned to face the front of his house out of courtesy. He took a careful step back away from his window, standing on tiptoes and bobbing his head to gain just the right angle to see Danny in the driver's seat through the partially opened blinds. He looked relatively okay, so Steve easily gathered that his friend had been unable to sleep.

"Thank you," Steve softly stated, pleased that Danny had actually done as he'd requested. But then again, why wouldn't he? Danny had been mouthy as his typical acerbic tendencies returned, but he'd still listened at the end of the day to Steve's persistent advice and demands.

He only moved when Danny vacated his car, guessing where his friend would wind up as he edged along the shrubs around the side of the long house where Steve lost sight of him. Steve crept down the staircase, poised just a few steps from the landing until he saw the dark silhouette appear on the lanai. He waited patiently to see if Danny might decide to come in or even just sit outside, yet he gave a knowing nod when the silhouette disappeared entirely.

Danny wasn't able to sleep and still wasn't feeling tired enough to try as his restlessness remained, so he'd gone for a walk down the beach.

Steve checked the early morning hour on his watch and calculated the time it might take for his partner to walk off his angst. But it didn't actually matter how long Danny might need because Steve was already making up his mind as he headed towards the kitchen. He kept the lights off on purpose, using the natural brightness which the moon offered through the kitchen window.

A few minutes later, hot coffee was perking in his favorite pot, a bottle of all natural maple syrup was sitting on the kitchen table, and he was gathering the rest of the ingredients for their breakfast.

~ END ~