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

Note: thank you for the fantastic comments and feedback. I'm back from vacation and the muse is well rested and quite happy. THANK YOU for staying with me as this story developed and completed itself.

H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O*

Chapter Twenty-One: Defined. Game Over.

Danny was thrilled. Steve … well, he was equally thrilled and in more than an excellent mood. A full week and three days after "it" – the accident - had happened, Danny was slowly making his way up and down the hospital corridor with a walker. And Steve of course was hovering protectively at his side. Two full nights had also passed with no bad dreams. In short, the last few days had been stellar with no set-backs of any kind.

"A new way to watch my six, huh Steve?" Danny quirked an amused eyebrow at the outstretched hands near the ready should he stumble. With a surprised expression, Steve quickly but quite unsuccessfully stowed his hands behind his back and then burst out laughing.

Danny's eyes were similarly shining as he watched Steve chuckle uncontrollably and wipe his tears away. With muscle memory returning and strength improving, Danny was now allowed up to two fifteen minute strolls per day if he felt up to it. An additional physical therapy session ensured that he maintained balance and coordination without overdoing it. And so far, the progression was slow, steady and extremely positive. Doctor Adler's goal was for Danny to walk out of the hospital unassisted and he estimated four to five days additional time. But Danny's personal goal was to have that happen much sooner rather than later.

Doctor Adler was also aggressively monitoring Danny's subconscious mental state after the episode just three days prior where he'd bolted from his bed in the middle of the night. Insisting that he wasn't crazy and didn't need to speak to someone about buried issues related to the shooting, Danny had gotten Adler to provisionally agree to some unethical procedures.

Almost four days ago, Danny had heatedly argued with Doctor Adler about the need to speak to a psychologist.

"What are you saying?" Danny had ranted with one finger aimed at Adler's chest. Fuming and face slowly turning beet red, he'd angrily rocked off the side of the bed where he'd been sitting. Adler had then gently pushed his shoulders back down with an amused grin as his patient's voice and body both rose in unison.

"Do you think I'm crazy .. is that what you mean? I have one or two bad dreams .. and now I'm crazy? Is seeing a shrink the best idea you've got as a solution?"

"Danny .. please sit." Adler shook his head at the automatic reaction. Keeping Danny down now was going to be more than difficult. He definitely had his hands full with his unsteady but newly mobile patient.

"No, I didn't say that. I didn't even imply it." Doctor Adler was annoyed be the allegation and he had to force himself to lower his voice in order to avoid the pending argument.

"No. No. You are not crazy .. but if these dreams or night terrors are so buried and causing erratic sleep patterns, I'd like to get a firm handle on them." Doctor Adler sighed as he tried to make a point. Danny's shoulders were shaking in a fury under his hands while the doctor insisted that his recovering patient remain seated.

"I'm pleased that these night terrors don't appear to be related to your head injury. There's no evidence of bruising or a bleed. Nothing showed up in the latest MRI and your EEG is normal. In fact, the injury is healing beautifully." And Adler physically stayed the dramatic hand wave with his own when it flew up in the air clearly saying "then why are we having this conversation at all?"

The doctor stayed adamant as he explained his theory. "Now wait! What happened was a dreadful experience … you say that you don't remember that day … but the fears of the event and the helplessness you felt as you came out of the coma have had an effect and part of you distinctly remembers that … I'm only recommending that you have the opportunity to talk it out with an expert in the field."

But Danny had refused and insisted upon a compromise. "No." The one word was laced with disdain and Adler had frowned at the dark, moody face in front of him.

Danny looked down briefly as he worked to calm himself since he knew Adler only had the best of intentions. The rowdy discussion had taken place in Danny's hospital room; Adler had asked Steve to leave in order for him to privately review his theories and concerns.

Quieting, Danny's voice had become low and Adler heard the hesitation as he searched for the way to describe what he would be most comfortable doing.

"No. Absolutely not. Doc, I won't do that. I can't speak to someone I don't know …. Not about something like this." Danny scowled to himself and then stared down Adler as he made a demand.

"I'll hash it out with you or even Ramirez .. or with anyone else .. " The aggravated sigh was filled with meaning and the word 'anyone' was meaningfully stressed.

"You know who I mean …" Danny's darkly worried eyes searched his face and asked for approval. And finally, Adler nodded in understanding since Steve had already provided a great deal of insights based on his first eye opening conversation with Danny the morning after his second and worst night terror.

And Adler himself had a few brief exchanges with Danny, so he did empathize. Danny would only speak to those he trusted and could rely on .. those in his tight-knit family that would never be judgmental or wrongly critical.

"Yes, I do. But Danny … " And he shook his head in frustration as he sensed the annoyance returning in his patient. After a moment, he regretfully raised a hand in surrender and Danny relaxed as he watched Adler's face intently.

"Okay. Fine. Me, Ramirez, anyone on your team … you're way … for now. We talk it out and give you time or a chance to put it to bed on your terms. I'm also going to prescribe a light sedative should you need it in the evenings. But if you put yourself in danger or these episodes continue or worsen, I have a doctor's prerogative to intervene in order to protect my patient."

The two had agreed and Danny had carefully begun to confide his fearful memories to not only Steve and Adler, but also a few to Kono and Chin. He had talked until he couldn't think of anything left to say – the more he spoke, the more he had dredged up his terrible feelings of frightening loss and lack of control. At times it was a basic recitation of vague feelings that were eventually shrugged off and discounted. But on one or two occasions it was both painful and emotional for him. The worst being when Danny nearly drove himself into a panic attack with Kono when a feeling of unforgivable helplessness related to Grace descended upon him.

Kono had pulled him into a tight hug as he panted and struggled to work through some of his scattered but all too strong feelings from the first desperate night terror when Grace had called out for him. "I couldn't get to her. She fell away …she needed me." Danny was choking and breathing in hiccupped gasps. The frantic feelings of losing Grace were horrible and overwhelming.

"It's okay Danny." She soothed over and over again as she held him. "Both Steve and I were with you. It was a bad bad dream and I could see how bad it was … how very real. You just needed to wake up and you couldn't … you were so tired and so worn out. Your mind was working over-time and your body couldn't keep up."

Steve and Chin had been at lunch. When they returned, Kono had kept a tight hold of Danny with one hand as she quickly waved them out with the other. Eyes wide and very worried both men left understanding that another hurdle was being overcome. Kono had stayed with Danny to support and coach him through the episode for almost an hour. She had waited patiently until he voluntarily released her tight embrace and then lay back fully spent in the pillows.

"I'm good now." Danny whispered with a faint smile and glassy-eyed expression. Kono had gently shushed him and insisted that he close his eyes as color slowly returned to his face. It was the most exhausting purge of his hidden and pent up anxieties and Danny had fallen asleep soon after calming. Quietly, Kono left the room and went searching for Steve and Chin who had gone back to the cafeteria.

"It was rough, but he needed that." Kono explained to them. "He's worked it out and now he's sleeping." Her own eyes were dark and brimming with tears as she described what had occurred and then couldn't help voicing her own doubts. "Hopefully, he will just sleep."

Chin nodded but put her mind at ease with his honest conviction. "I wasn't there with you two, but I think this is good for him. I'm sure it's going to help. He'll sleep and he will heal."

And the upside was that Danny admittedly felt better and was undeniable happier as his friends helped him rationalize and push back what he had begun to call "the monster". He was sleeping better, eating well and had no need for Adler's prescribed medications.

Grace had visited twice and Danny had spoken once privately with Rachel. Understanding Grace's fears as well as his own, Danny was able to correctly rationalize and put "that part of the monster" to bed by clearing his mind and giving him peace.

Steve for his part was enduringly patient and pleased with being a sounding board of sorts. Having witnessed both episodes personally, he offered some observations that also seemed to help Danny understand how badly his subconscious had taken over.

"You can deny some of this all you want Danny … but this bad stuff is in there .. " And Steve had gently tapped Danny's head. ".. and you have to acknowledge and get it out. Get it gone."

Allowed to share his own side, Steve had his own therapy session of sorts as he explained to Danny how bad it was for Kono and himself to have witnessed the extremely scary and very uncontrollable events. Danny was almost shocked when he finally realized Steve's emotional rollercoaster for what it was and how unnerved and truly frightened his family had been for him.

So now, as they slowly paced the hospital corridor, Danny paused to turn around for the short return trip. "You were right, you know." Danny softly said as he now accepted Steve's help in turning back towards his room.

"About?" Steve happily asked as they started their way back. It was already the second stroll of the day and Danny's arms held a slight fatigued tremble. Steve saw it and couldn't help taking a step or two closer just in case he was needed.

Danny was puffing a bit from the exertion and he stopped in the hallway to catch his breath. Glancing around, he saw that they were alone and took the opportunity to get out what he needed to say. Looking intently at Steve, he smiled as he voiced his thanks.

"Just about everything. Like family, friends .. you know." Danny was happy as he reached for Steve's arm and tried to express his feelings. Sobering, he became serious about another memory.

"Especially when I was so … down .. so confused. When I thought .." Danny sighed sadly and didn't know how to continue. "When I didn't want to listen …"

Steve nodded in understanding and then interrupted him as his own memories of Mike Sweeney gave him pause. "Yeah, I got that. I know. And I understand it. But we got through that and Danny, it simply wasn't you."

Standing in the empty hospital hallway, the two friends considered each other and Danny smiled again as he slowly released Steve's arm and took a new grip on the walker.

"You're right. I needed you guys here." And Danny ruefully shook his head to emphasize what he meant. "No, let me rephrase that. I need you all here now. I couldn't have done this alone."

A huge grin spread across Steve's face as he took up Danny's elbow to support him back towards his room and then draped his arm warmly over Danny's shoulders.

"We couldn't … and wouldn't want to be anywhere else, D."

~ End ~