A/N This story has been sitting on my computer for longer than I care to admit. I managed to get about three chapters written, then hit a brick wall. So it sat on my hard drive, lonely and dejected and ultimately totally forgotten.

Then one day, while having a discussion with one of my favorite writers on these pages, I happened to mention my long ago, barely written story. She insisted that I needed to go back and read through it again and try my best to finish it. So after many fits, starts, stops, rewrites and frayed nerves, here it is at last, finally complete.

I want to thank all those who encouraged me to finish this and/or were an inspiration simply because of the awesomeness of their own stories, but I especially want to thank the one and only Jlopie1. My Ohana sistah from another mistah was instrumental in helping me get this down on paper (on screen?). She was also kind enough (or brave enough) to serve as my Beta to make sure I didn't make any dumb mistakes. I love you Lynnette!

I also want to thank good 'ole Google for helping me with Oahu streets, landmarks and any medical information contained in my story, among other things. I am no expert in any of these areas so please excuse anything that's not totally accurate. It is "make believe" after all.

DISCLAIMER: Just like everyone always says I own nothing of H50 or its characters. If you've never heard of a character before, then he or she is mine. If anything you read sounds even vaguely familiar... it belongs to CBS.

FYI: This story is also posted on AO3. Please note my name on that site is BusterMom.

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Pride, Admiration and Respect

Chapter One

Danny rolled over. "What the hell?" was the first thought that formed in his groggy brain as the noise invaded his quiet slumber. "What the hell time is it?" was the second. He rolled over again in an attempt to look at the clock and there it was again, that sharp, obnoxious noise. When he forced his eyes open he realized the sun was just beginning to barely creep over the horizon. He squinted at the clock. 5:00 am. "Too early," he mumbled to himself. "And what the hell is that noise?" Danny dragged himself out of his bed and shuffled to the front door. Peering through the small window set in the door, he couldn't see where the noise was coming from. Getting more annoyed by the minute, he opened the door so he could look up and down his street to try to determine what was going on.

It was only after he'd opened the door that he noticed his neighbor, Mrs. Kapiaoni, outside, in her bathrobe. She was struggling to keep a very small, very wiggly, puppy under control as it sniffed and shuffled all around her front yard, trying to find the most perfect spot to pee. Full of energy and youthful exuberance, the puppy was yelping and barking and having a grand old time with absolutely no regard to the fact that it was before the ass crack of dawn. After a few moments, Mrs. Kapiaoni turned, and seeing Danny looking out his door, gave him a little wave and an apologetic smile as she bent over, picked up the puppy and retreated into her house. Danny just shook his head and hoped the puppy learned the morning routine quickly so this didn't happen every damn day.

Now that he was up Danny figured he might as well get ready for work. Forty-five minutes later, after a shower, his usual multi-layered hair routine and some breakfast, Danny was in the Camaro on the way to the office. The last couple of weeks had been pretty quiet. It was actually nice to catch up on some paperwork and enjoy the company of Kono and Chin in the office. Steve, however, was like a caged lion when it was quiet. He wasn't a person who handled down time well so when Steve's phone rang just as Danny was walking in the door and he saw Steve's face light up, he knew their quiet spell was at an end.

"What's up?" Danny asked as Steve hurried into his office.

"Something's going down at a warehouse down by the docks. HPD's had it under surveillance for a while in a suspected drug case but now there is evidence of possible international involvement and the Governor wants us to check it out." "Chin," Steve called out. "Grab the OP gear. You and Kono meet us there. HPD is already on their way."

Danny just rolled his eyes. "A warehouse! Why does it always have to be a damn warehouse?" Danny muttered. As they headed toward the door, Steve looked over his shoulder at Danny and smiled like they were about to head out to some kind of fun party. Danny groaned as Steve chuckled at him.

But, once they arrived on scene, all of Steve senses were on high alert. Something didn't seem right. HPD was already there, surrounding the building, but something was off. There were no other cars outside the warehouse other than HPD. Was the tip reliable? Was there really something going down in there? Steve and Danny carefully approached the building as Chin and Kono did the same from the opposite direction. Now that Five-0 was there, HPD fell back and let Five-0 take lead.

Steve and Danny went in by a side door. Slowly and methodically they picked their way around the many crates, pallets and general junk that filled the warehouse. With weapons drawn, on full alert, they listened for any evidence of others in the cavernous space.

"I don't like this. It's too quiet. Is HPD sure about this Steve? Steve? Steven?!" Danny whispered as loud as he dared but Steve wasn't answering him. He was too busy doing that doggie head tilt thing he did whenever he heard or thought he heard something no one else could hear. Damned friggin' annoying if you asked him but also incredibly useful at times like these. Of course, Danny would never give Steve the satisfaction of hearing him say that out loud. After several long nerve wracking moments, Danny began to hear what Steve must have already picked up on. Voices, muffled at first, became clearer as they moved further inside. Crouching behind even more large crates they could see several thugs with guns standing around another man who was tied to a chair.

"I am disappointed, my friend. You led me to believe that you could handle the amount of merchandise we were sending to Hawaii. You have overestimated my patience," said the man standing in front of the chair, obviously in charge of the situation. He was tall, rather big in build and spoke with a clear South American accent.

"I'm sorry. I never meant to mislead you. My contacts, they… they …" said the frightened man in the chair before he was cut off mid-sentence.

"I do not need your apologies. They mean nothing to me when I have to call Cordoba and tell him you have failed. What do you think he will tell me to do, eh?" asked the first man. "Yes, I see by the look in your eyes you know exactly what he will tell me to do."

The large man slowly moved his gun hand closer to the head of his quivering captive who looked on the verge of either throwing up or passing out. Watching from their position behind the crates, Danny thought if it were physically possible, the man just might simultaneously do both. The gunman, however, was in no great hurry. As a matter of fact, he seemed to be enjoying himself immensely; the power he had over his captive, the way he was able to reduce him to a cowering mess.

Steve knew time was rapidly running out for the man in the chair. He quickly calculated his position, distance and trajectory of any shots fired, and set his sights on the would be killer.

Danny watched as Steve ran through his mental checklist, impatiently tapping his fingers on his knee as he waited for Steve to puzzle through every possible scenario and outcome. "This would be a good time babe!" he whispered.

"I know Danny," Steve replied. "The guy keeps moving. I don't want to hit the hostage." But just then, the gunman moved into a better position and Steve took the shot.

Except that he didn't. Just as Steve was about to squeeze the trigger a shot rang out from a totally different direction. Both Steve and Danny jumped in surprise and ducked their heads low behind their crate shelter, worried about being hit by the shot which came from God only knew where.

"What the hell?" Danny yelped. "Where did that come from? Was that Chin or Kono?"

"I don't know," Steve replied. "Do you have eyes on them?"

"No. But that shot was precise, classic Kono. But I don't see her anywhere."

That first shot had been precise, hitting the gunman's hand and knocking the gun away. But it also succeeded in causing every single person within the confined space to reach for their guns and start shooting. It was coming from everywhere.

"Do I have to remind you that I hate this… I hate this so much!" Danny bellowed as shots were ricocheting off the floor and the crates all around them. "What the hell is this? Huh? Where the hell is HPD? I'd like to get home to see Grace again, ya know! Not all of us thrive on armed conflict, Steven!"

"Yes... yes…. I know…. I know! You can regale me with all the reasons why this is your least favorite scenario in the entire universe and how... somehow… it will end up being all my fault, later, ok? Steve countered. "Right now, we need to get eyes on our people and stop this before the wrong people get hurt!"

"That's a wonderful idea, babe ... by all means… after you." Danny waved his hand in the direction of all the commotion to indicate that Steve could go right ahead and try to control this chaos!