Hi Everyone
I have been blown away by the response for this story. I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have enjoyed writing it. The subject matter has made the writing itself difficult but I hope I have manage to do it some justice. The summary for my latest story, Mau Hala, is at the bottom, and the prologue is out, if you've likes this or any of my other stories, or even if you haven't please heck it out. Please read and review and send requests! My first Avengers oneshot will be out tomorrow so please check it out. Additionally, if you haven't already, have a look at "The Dangers of Fishing', my recent HF0 stand-alone. Anyway, for the last time, enjoy Truth and Lies.

Rose xx

11 months later.

"Yeah thanks. I'll talk to you later." Danny hangs up the phone, exhaling as he checks the clock. It's five o'four, officially knock-off time and the day has been long enough it feels like he should have been done hours ago. He doesn't tidy his desk like normal, but it's Friday and their last weekend had been stolen with a drug ring that just didn't respect Danny's right to a normal, five-day week like everyone else on the pineapple infested island he would grudgingly admit he called home. He knocks loudly on the door to Steve's office, waiting a second before opening it. He calls out to his partner who is still wrapped in his own work, the flinch at his voice much less pronounced than months ago.
"Ready to go babe?"
"Yeah, give me a second." Steve signs the last document on what Danny assumes was once a large stack, straightening it and flicking his pen into it's tub. The desk needs no tiding like Danny's own, the military man keeps it inspection-ready at all times.

Steve rises, his posture straight as always and Danny slowly approaches. He reaches a hand and gently places it on Steve's cheek, in what has become his request for permission. Steve cover's Danny's hand with his own, his non-verbal yes. They lean together, and though the kiss is brief, to Danny, it is a marker of how far they have come.

"Yo, we're going out for drinks, wanna come?" Kono is sitting on a desk when they come out of Steve's office not a minute later, legs swinging lazily.
Danny looks at Steve, who shrugs, expression easy and happy in a way it has only started resting in again recently.
"Sounds good. Tony's?" He asks, referring to the new bar they've been frequenting. It has a nice outside area, a terrace facing the beach, painted in washed out white.
"Yep." He heads out to the car with Steve, tossing him the keys as the throw casual conversation back and forwards. He settles into the passenger set as Steve turns the keys in the ignition, looking forwards to the night off.
"You sure you're happy going babe? Cause I don't mind, we can head home and have a night off."
Steve laughed, the sound one Danny was hearing more and more often as the days went on. "I'm all good Danno, it's going to be a good night."

They pull up at the bar and walk out to the back, following the bell-like sound of Kono's laughter until they've joined her and Chin.
"Glad you two could join us." Chin's smile is bright. Danny owed the native cousins a lot. They'd helped him through the hardest time of his life; because although Steve was hurt and scared and angry, Danny had to come to terms with the fact he'd ignored it all. Kono helped Grace understand what had happened to her Uncle, using gentle words and comforting embraces Danny had not been privy to. Chin had kept Danny sane. He'd been there for Danny's breakdowns when Steve wasn't ready. He'd been there to play peacemaker when they'd argued, to talk Steve around when Danny's guilt had rounded itself to anger. Danny sips at the beer that had been placed in his hand, and breathes in the night.

The first hour they're at the bar, everything goes well. But, as seems to be the trend with their lives, everything manages to fall to shit incredibly quickly. He's talking with Kono when Chin's voice interrupts them. He turns to face him, a witty remark bubbling up and falling away quickly when his gaze passes Chin and lands on Steve. The healthy tan that had been present when they arrived seemed suddenly pasty and Steve is looking not at Danny but past him. He follows the line of sight, and quickly realises where the impending panic attack is coming from. The man behind Danny is a dead ringer for Matthews. From piggy eyes to beer gut, and though he's harmlessly chatting with a middle-aged woman who, from the rings they both wear, is his wife, Danny can more than understand Steve's sudden angst. He walks over, careful to keep a small amount of distance between the two of them. The panic attacks have been less frequent recently, this is the first in over two months.
"Steven McGarrett, look at me." He's found the sharp words, lacking personalisation or the love he would instinctually put forward is the best way to immediately snap his partner off the path he's heading down. The stars must be aligned, because despite the noise and hustle of the bar, Steve's eyes meet his, the glaze fading slightly.
"Danny, it's him, I know it's him."
"Steven, Carl Matthews is in jail. He will be for a minimum of forty-five years for multiple counts of rape and drug trafficking. You will never see him again."
Steve lets out a breath, and his gaze appears completely lucid once more. Danny knows it's now safe to move closer. He rests his hand gently on Steve's back. He's shaking despite the warm night.
"Time to go home, yeah?"
Steve nods stiffly. Danny makes eye contact with both Chin and Kono, the latter giving a sad smile. They walk out of the bar, Danny keeping in tight behind Steve and keeping people away from him. When they get to the car, Steve goes to the passenger side without protest. They're halfway home when Danny speaks up.
"I'm so proud of you Steve."
He scoffs. "What, for freaking out because there was some fat guy?"
"No Steve. Because you were able to stay in control. You made a big step tonight. I'm very proud of you." Steve doesn't speak for the rest for the ride home.

They strip out of their work clothes; Steve folding his and placing them by the door to go the laundry hamper, Danny dumping his next to them. He is quick to use the bathroom and get into bed; he's found if he is there and he lets Steve come in after, rather than invading his space, the other man is more comfortable. The toilet flushes and the lights flicks off, then Danny feels the bed dip as Steve slides in. He is surprised when he feels warm arms around his midsection, and a head tucked into his chest. He stays still until he begins to feel Steve's shoulders shake gently and he moves his own arms to wrap around Steve.
"I was so scared when I saw him Danny." The fear, it's been ever-present over the last eleven months, and it has been one of the hardest things for Steve to come to terms with. He'd always been he strong one; Danny hadn't seen him cry but-once before Matthews, and he didn't think he'd ever seen him genuinely scared for himself.
"I know babe. But that's okay. It's alright to be scared. Just remember you have people who care for you and that will look after you. Being scared isn't a bad thing Steve." He feels the nod against his chest. He waits for Steve to keep talking, but after several minutes of silence, he looks down to find the brunette breathing easily, tears dry and face slack. He's holding Danny just as tightly as when he first got in.

When Danny wakes up in the morning, he is unsurprised to see the bed next to him is empty. What surprises him is that after several minutes of lying still, he is jolted when Steve slides in besides him. He rolls over, eye to eye with his partner.
"Morning Danno." Before Danny can answer, there is a pair of slightly chapped lips on his own. He lets out a noise of surprise at the forward movement that is reminiscent of a Steve of old. Danny is suddenly under over six feet of man, pinned and loving it. He allows Steve to plunder him for several minutes without thought, before sense comes back and he gently breaks the kiss, holding Steve's head just away from his.
"Steve," he pauses for a breath. "Babe what's going on?" Because in eleven months the only release Danny has had is courtesy of his high school best friend, Mr Right Hand.
"M' ready babe. Need you and I'm sick of letting that bastard stop me."
Danny looks for any trace of hesitation on Steve's face, and sign that this is about anything other than love and connection, anything other than what it should be. He finds none, and nods. Steve is quick to return to his previous activities. When he grinds down and Danny feels a stiff member that can be only one thing, he realises this is for real.

There had been a time, maybe two months after Steve had come home, when he'd jumped Danny, much like this, and suddenly Danny had been hard and being absolutely serviced by Steve's beautiful mouth. It had only been when he was right on the edge, that he'd looked into Steve's eyes and pulled back. Because there's been nothing there. The eyes were dead and when he'd looked further south he'd realised that none of Steve was enjoying this. Any desire had faded and it was the fastest he'd ever come back from the brink (faster even than the time he was 12 and his mother had walked in).
"Steve," he'd said, "What they hell was that?"
"You needed it Danny, and I'm good at it. He said so." Those words had broken Danny's heart and several long conversations and many tears later, the idea of broaching anything sexual was pushed aside for a long time.

Steve is working Danny's pants open, his own pupils blown wide and hips rabbiting along Danny's leg. Danny kicks his pants off, but when Steve leans down, he stops him. Blue eyes look up, hurt, but Danny leans up, catches his lips between his own.
"It's my turn to take care of you babe."

The two lay in bed, a cloud of bliss settling low. Steve's watch beeps, it's nine o'clock, but neither man makes a move. The Steve in bed next to Danny is not the same man he was when the met, nor the man he fell in love with. But Danny's beginning to realise that not matter what they've been through, people change and he won't get the Steve from before back, but he too isn't the person he was a year ago. He loves this Steve, and will love the Steve of tomorrow. Because love is about adapting. And love doesn't have to change even when a person does.

Thank you so very much for reading.

Mau Hala
Someone is attacking the children of influential member in Hawaii with a biological weapon. No one knows how, or why, and the clock is ticking. What makes it worse? A man named Steve who just can't stay away from trouble.