A/N: Well everyone this is it! Thank you so much for reading and commenting on this story. I hope you enjoyed it! I had a lot of really different emotions as I wrote this story. I am glad to see it finished, but I'm sad to see it go – as I always am – but this one was really hard to write at time and I'm just glad I was able to finish it! Again, Thank you so much for reading and stay tuned for much more to come!

Thank You!

Chapter 21: Call Off Your Dogs

All right. You win. I give up. I give in. I've walked the walk, danced the dance, I'm a victim of circumstance, and I've come to the conclusion that the damage has been done, and I'm under no illusions - time to face the music - it's time to let the white flag fly and...run run...hide hide. Call off your dogs... - The Stone Coyotes

Danny sat at his desk, his feet resting on its top, as he flipped through emails on his tablet. It was just after noon on Tuesday. He'd come back from lunch to find the office completely deserted - much like it had been all day - and he liked it like that. It meant Steve and Kono were still at the academy either writing or waiting for results.

Monday had been a write off for everyone - expect Danny and Chin. They had made it into the office after having Sunday all to themselves and even through Steve and Kono had both finished their physical examinations in record time, they weren't sharing any of the details. Danny was fine with this turn of event because he had a lazy beach day planned for Sunday and he was happy to have his daughter all to himself.

On Monday, however, Chin and Danny dove into the wrap up of their case - filing the paperwork, speaking to lawyers, overseeing transfers of prisoners and relaying messages and evidence from their labs all the way around the Pacific Rim. As the two eldest law enforcement officers - and no rookie to the volumes of paper work that would have to get finished - Danny and Chin worked calmly and efficiently together until, by the end of the day on Monday, most of the case was tied up in a bow and the last of the phone calls to be made would be for the Governor to handle – it was time for Five-O to sign off.

Steve and Kono, though their rivalry had hit a fevered pitch on the obstacle course on Sunday afternoon, called a truce and called in to take personal days to study for their exams. Little did Danny know, they spent all of Monday sprawled out in Steve's living room with text books, flash cards and Doris making up for years of towering over her son and forcing him to get to his studies - she was making up for lost time, and provided lemonade and cookies when snacks were needed.

Another call Tuesday morning - from both Kono and Steve - prepped Danny for a quiet day in the office alone, while Chin had decided to put in some time at the HPD precinct trolling for possible cases that Five-O could pick up on as soon as Kono and Steve made it back into the office. Danny was left to man the office.

The phone calls were rooted directly to his office phone - or went to voicemail if Danny just wasn't the guy they wanted to talk to. Case files - which were finished and had had their days in court - were stamped, signed off and filed amongst the others that were building up in filing cabinets around the office. It was this kind of busy work of filing and inventory that occasionally Danny liked to get done. He'd take his time. He'd file everything in perfect order and then the mess that metaphorically was waiting for him all over the place wouldn't bother him when the next disaster struck - and Danny knew it wouldn't be long before they were thrown into the next crazy adventure. A down day was always a welcome day just to get all the miscellaneous work done and out of the way.

Danny had finished all that he had set out to do on Tuesday morning before lunch. He'd called Chin, met him at Rainbow Diner and had an enjoyable meal – just the two of them. Then the two men split up again with the plan to meet up once more in the office in the afternoon to wait for Steve and Kono to waltz in - well they were expecting one to waltz and the other to slump through the doors dejected because someone had to be the winner and someone else had to be the loser.

The silence of the lazy Tuesday afternoon was interrupted when Chin walked through the double glass doors and right into Danny's office.

"Word from the street is that they are on their way in as we speak," Chin stated as he sat down in front of Danny's desk and Danny placed his tablet to one side.

"Who did you talk to? Was it Kono? Did she give anything away?" Danny asked in rapid fire.

"Yes, I spoke with Kono. No she gave me no information, but she did tell me all about how annoyed she was to have to sit around for so long to wait for her results."

"But she didn't tell you anything?"

"Nothing," Chin said with a shake of his head.

"She's taunting me now," Danny stated as he pulled his phone from his pocket and checked it just to see if Steve had texted or called – it would have rang but Danny check it anyway and was disappointed.

"They are taunting you. They know you want the information more then anyone else."

"Not true, all I want to know is if they passed or not. I mean, I know they did, how do you not give a guy like McGarrett his detective's qualifications? He's over qualified as it is. I'm just happy that he finally - after years of nagging - had to read the manual and learn the protocol. Do I expect him to abide by them? No, but at least I have that leverage now!"

"Ah, I see what you did there," Chin said with a laugh and shook a finger at Danny as they both heard the office door open and within moment both Kono and Steve were standing in Danny's office.

"How are my little scholars?" Danny asked teasingly.

Kono and Steve both rolled their eyes this time.

"So, who's the better detective?" Danny asked. "You did pass, right? You are a detective now, right?" He asked an emphatically directed his questions at Steve.

"Of course I did!" Steve snapped. "I passed with flying colours!"

"Good, that's all I wanted to hear."

"You don't care about me?" Kono asked and mocked her dejection – but her eyes sparkled with playfulness.

"I didn't have any doubts, Kono. I knew you would pass and make me proud!" Danny stated.

"And you were sure I would fail?" Steve asked.

Chin laughed.

"Well, I had my doubts. Speaking from experience I know you don't pay much attention to police procedures and protocols so I didn't think you'd pick them up for this exam. You're all navy, all the time," Danny stated with an emphatic flail of one hand, "but I am happy to hear that you passed. I guess you did study, which is good, because no you have no excuse and when you break protocol I will make sure you know it! You can no longer claim ignorance because you know the protocols!"

"I knew them before. I just chose a more creative approach to my investigations styles then those listed in that book of guidelines."

Danny shook his head disapprovingly.

"So are you going to tell us who won?" Chin asked. "Who is the better Rookie?"

"I'm not a rookie!" Steve stated.

"Not anymore," Danny said with a smile. "Now we are all on the same page."

"Well, as you know, Steve and I shot in the same percentile on our weapons test – which I am pretty proud of considering the weapons training he has." Kono began to explain the results of their three days of examinations and training exercises. "On Sunday our physical tests were surprisingly even as well."

"It's because you're crazy awesome!" Chin stated proudly. "She's a little Ninja!"

"I know!" Steve said with a laugh. "She was awesome to watch run that course. If women could be SEALs, Kono would be at the top of the list. She'd kill it."

"Aw thanks," Kono smiled, "but we live in the twenty first century, why hasn't that rule changed. Women should be SEALs!"

"I... it's not my…I would make you one…that information is way above my pay grade. I'm sorry Miss. Kalakaua I just don't have that kind of information." Steve panicked as he tried to back peddle.

"All right," Danny said and threw his hands up – coming to his partners rescue once again. "Can we here the final verdict? We already knew Kono could play with the big boys and give them the run around. So who won?"

"Overall, Kono beat me – by half a percentage point."

"I WIN!" Kono shouted as she practically danced around the office.

"I told you my Rookie would beat your rookie ass!" Danny stated as he jumped up from his seat.

"I'm not a rookie!"

"And I suppose you are going to try and convince me that you're not the loser as well?" Danny asked mockingly.

"No, I lost fair and square, and I'm really proud of Kono for all her hard work on the case and the exams. She can handle just about anything you throw at her and I'm really glad she's on our side." Steve said and valiantly admitted defeat.

"Awe, thanks boss," Kono said as she blushed.

"This calls for celebration!" Steve stated.

"I agree," Danny said with a nod. "I think we should all head over to the Hilton for drinks."

"And dinner?" Steve asked slyly.

"Drinks could turn into dinner, and because you guys did such a great job, and really it should be a big deal for both of you, dinner is on me." Danny stated proudly. "Welcome to the club, Detectives."

Steve shot Chin a knowing glance, "all right dinner! I just have to make a quick phone call and we can head out!"

"What was that look?" Danny asked suspiciously.

"There was no look," Steve answered.

"There was a look. Chin what was that look about? What is he playing at?"

"You offered to buy dinner!" Steve stated and stepped out of Danny's office.

"Governor Denning bet Steve two hundred dollars that you would see through his plotting and could catch on before Steve got a free dinner out of you whether he won or lost the bet." Chin explained.

"Whoa, you come back here! I offered you dinner. You did not trick me into it!" Danny yelled as he rushed out of his office and followed Steve.

"And everything is as it should be," Kono said as she sighed and fell into the chair beside her cousin.

"Children – we work with two fully grown bundles of joy." Chin said with a shake of his head. "Come on Cuz, I'll buy you the first beer. I'm really proud of you."

"Thank you Chin. It means a lot coming from you." Kono said with a smile.

"My baby cousin, all grown up and kicking a navy SEALs ass, now there is something to brag about," Chin stated as he and Kono snuck out of the office leaving Danny and Steve oblivious to their departure.

The End