So here it is! *trumpets and fanfare* At last this story comes to an end. I thank everyone one who has read it thus far and hope I've satisfied your all with this colossal "BROMENT" ending. Ha ha

Enjoy and thanks again!

Steve sat next to his partner's hospital bed idly flipping through a magazine. What the magazine was about, Steve had no idea, why he was trying to read it, he had even less of an idea. The truth was, he was desperate to occupy his mind with anything and everything that would help distract him from the reality he knew he was going to have to face soon enough.

It had been three days since Danny had started waking up. The first time Steve saw his partner's eyes it was only for a few moments, the detective let out a moan, gave his partner's hand a squeeze and then was out again. Soon enough there was at least short conversations before the detective would drift off.

Finally, the last time Danny had woken up he'd coherently asked Steve what had happened with the case. What followed was Steve saying they should wait until the detective was a bit stronger. Danny had started to argue but the Commander just stubbornly waited him out and soon the man was back to sleep again.

But that question had put a knot in Steve's gut because he knew the second Danny was awake again the questions would start. Questions that Steve knew the man would not let go unanswered even if he had to force himself to stay awake.

And Steve wanted to give him answers, he did but with those answers would also come the moment they discussed what he'd done to the detective. Maybe there were a lot of factors to consider and things that could be forgiven but the one thing Steve would never be able to forgive himself for was pulling the trigger that nearly robbed Danny of his life and Grace of her father.

Giving up on the magazine in his hands, Steve tossed it onto a nearby table and stood running his hands through his hair. The anticipation was killing him. He wanted to have the conversation, no, he wanted to apologize but he didn't even know where to start. There was also the concern that he had no idea how Danny was going to react to what had transpired to end things once and for all.

Pacing over to the hospital room window, Steve looked out to the people walking by on the streets below. Families and couples and people from all walks of life going about their business with no idea their lives almost ended a short while ago. Steve closed his eyes and leaned against the window; that HE had nearly ended their lives a short while ago.

"Hey." Starting a bit, Steve spun around to find his partner's eyes open and looking at him. Getting back to the man's bed side, Steve retook his seat and forced a smile onto his face.

"Hey back, how you feeling?" he asked. Danny blinked and grunted adjusting his bad arm before replying.

"Like there's something big you're not telling me," the detective replied. "Your face looks like someone just fed you lemon's and hot sauce."

"You've been through a hell of a lot Danno," Steve said trying to shrug it off. "I want to get you back on your feet, we can deal with the rest-"

"Now," Danny interrupted. "We can deal with it now and don't think I didn't know you were waiting out the drugs last time we started this conversation." With a heavy sigh, Steve ran his hands through his hair and sat back. He met eyes with the Jersey detective and saw the moment of truth was finally upon them. "Give it up McGarrett," Danny added.

"Fine," Steve sighed. "Ask your questions."

"What happened to Cahill and the others?" the detective asked.

"You wont have to worry about them every again," Steve replied. However when his partner frowned at him indicating that answer clearly wasn't sufficient, the Commander went on. "Falcon had a sanctioned kill order on Stonebridge, he's dead. Cahill… we let them think you were dead to try and get them to give us enough rope to hang themselves with and…" Steve trailed off still not quite sure he was doing the right thing by telling his partner the truth.

Amazingly though, his worry wasn't necessary as Danny sighed and gave his tired head a shake.

"Cahill killed himself didn't he?" he asked.

"Yeah," Steve nodded. Then added, "It's over." The detective closed his eyes and for a second, Steve wondered if the man had gone back to sleep. However a pause later and Danny's eyes popped open again.

"Don't know if I should be upset, relieved or angry," he said honestly. Steve snorted.

"Yeah, welcome to the club."

"Anders?"

"Had a breakdown," Steve explained. "Falcon says he'll be put in a facility to help take care of him or deprogram him, whatever he needs."

"Again, not so much a surprise," Danny said shaking his head. "Too bad, honestly but not a surprise."

"Yeah," Steve nodded absent-mindedly.

"So it's all really over and done with, eh?" This time, Steve just nodded not quite knowing what to say. The crime was over and done with, the bad guys were gone or where they needed to be and the country was safe again but somehow Steve just couldn't feel like everything was okay.

He wasn't sure he ever wood.

"Hey," Danny parroted again. Steve, who'd absent-mindedly let his eyes wander to Danny's arm that was still in a sling and secured tightly to the man's body, looked up to meet eyes with his partner again.

"Whadya need partner?" he asked.

"This is not on you," Danny said with much certainty. At that Steve closed his eyes as every emotion in the book clawed and scraped to the forefront of his mind and heart. As a SEAL he was used to emotional control but even the strongest of men could succumb to an extreme emotional struggle.

"Danny…"

"No, Steve look at me." Unable to deny any request of his friend, Steve opened his eyes and worked his jaw. Despite his still weakened state and the bags around his eyes, Danny's gaze was sharp as it had ever been. "You were forced into everything you did and you were drugged. You were toyed with worse than I was and you had no choice, okay? This is not on you."

"I have nightmares," Steve suddenly found himself blurting out. He leaned in as his partner raised an eyebrow. "I only remember bits and pieces but I have these dreams of you lying there on the office floor bleeding and asking me "why" over and over again. I'm not okay with that Danny, I'll never be okay with that because I CAN'T be okay with that."

"Steve, I told you this…"

"Isn't on me, yeah I've heard that before from you and everyone else," Steve interrupted in frustration. He grabbed a chunk of his hair before waving his hand through the air. "Danny I shot you. I shot you TWICE. We're partners, you're supposed to be able to trust me; to know that no matter what happens, I will always have your back and I didn't do that. More than failing as your partner and friend, I nearly killed Grace's father and you're going to lie there, looking like crap and tell me "it's all good?" Seriously?"

"S'about the size of it," Danny replied. Steve practically leapt to his feet and stalked to the far corner of the room sticking his head in the corner and leaning against the wall. For several moments he just stood there, trying to control his breathing and the myriad of emotions running shotgun through his body.

Finally Steve managed to swallow the lump in his throat enough so he could once again speak. Without turning away from his self-imposed time out, Steve curled his fist and gently put it against the wall.

"I can't be your partner anymore Danno," he said. "I'm not even sure I can stick with Five-0." Steve waited for a response and after a second he got one that he really wasn't expecting.

Danny's snickering turned into a chuckle, turned into a laugh which finally turned Steve around in confusion. Though it clearly hurt, Danny was laughing and shaking his head.

"How is this funny?" Steve asked in frustration.

"Oh…" Danny chuckled waving his good hand. "Oh sorry, don't mind me, ha ha, phew!"

"The hell Danny!? I tell you I'm thinking of quitting Five-0 and you're laughing at me?" Steve barked. It took a moment longer but Danny finally calmed down enough to speak though the smile never left his face.

"You're not quitting Five-0 and as soon as I'm back on my feet you and I are going back to do exactly what we've always done," the detective said. Steve's eyes widened and for a moment, he was speechless, then he shook his head.

"Is that so?"

"Yes, that's so," Danny replied. He used the controls at his bedside to raised the back of the bed slightly so he could look at Steve better. "You know why?"

"Enlighten me detective," Steve snarled.

"Because you DID shoot me twice," Danny said without any hesitation or sympathy. "And you are now in my debt. When I'm healthy, I'm going back to Five-0 and as you are thusly indebted to me you have no choice but to follow me and make sure I see my grandkids." Steve couldn't help it, an unauthorized smile forced its way onto his face at the absurdity.

"That's how I make this right, eh?" he asked. Danny huffed and nodded.

"S'the only way babe," he replied. "Besides, what the heck else would you do? Knit sweaters? You'd miss it too much." Steve allowed himself a chuckle and finally returned to his seat next to his partner. For the first time in weeks, the Navy SEAL found a small amount of tension flow out of his body. There was sill a fair bit there and he knew it would be a while before it was entirely gone but he felt like the first step had been taken.

"I guess as I am forever in your debt I should start by offering up my home once you get released from this place so I can make sure to wait on you hand and foot," Steve smiled. Danny pursed his lips and nodded as if it had been his idea.

"I also expect three solid meals a day, man meals not your weird bunny food and a barbeque on the first weekend we can with Grace and everyone else," he explained. Steve folded his arms across his chest, his smile grew a little more.

"So waiting on you hand and foot, a luau and returning to Five-0 whether or not I feel like it's a good idea… anything else?" he asked. Danny settled back into his bed and grinned.

"Gimme a minute, I'm sure I'll think of somethin'," he replied. The two men shared another quiet laugh before Danny's face grew serious; "Steve?" The Navy SEAL looked at his partner curious as to the sudden change in demeanour.

"Yeah buddy?"

"The last time we danced with these clowns Grace got kidnapped and you got shot several times. I nearly quit Five-0 too until I show up in the hospital and you remember what you said?" Steve tried to think about the time that seemed like a lifetime ago.

"It's a bit fuzzy," he said. "What did I say?"

"S'been a hell of a ride," Danny grinned. The memory suddenly surfaced in Steve's head and he remembered how that one line had set Danny off on a rant to end all rants.

"It really did seem like an apt turn of phrase," Steve laughed shaking his head.

"That it did," Danny replied. He held out his good hand and Steve took it without hesitation. "We're good babe, it may not seem like it now, but we're good." A little more tension ebbed from Steve's shoulders.

What the Navy SEAL said next he well and truly meant that with every inch of his body and soul;

"Thanks partner."

"No problem."

FOUR MONTHS LATER…

Danny may have been short but there was no denying the man could run. In fact, as he and Steve chased after a suspect, the Navy SEAL actually found himself falling behind slightly. Of course it could have had something to do with the fact that their perp had pushed Steve down a short flight of stairs as he made a run for it.

"Circle round!" Danny called over his shoulder. "We'll box him in!" Steve didn't hesitate, he knew exactly what his partner expected him to do. Darting into an alley Steve pumped hard with his arms and legs to make it around the building.

He popped out just in time to tap into his football skills, aim low and tackle their perp into a bunch of garbage bags out back of a diner.

"I think next time I'll say "Five-0 make a run for it"," Danny said as he jogged to a stop while Steve handcuffed their struggling criminal. "Do you think that'll make them NOT run?"

Laughing Steve hauled the man to his feet and looked at his partner.

"Worth a try," he asked. Danny flicked their perp in the forehead;

"Eh Richie Porter? What's your opinion?" If I told you to run would you do the exact opposite?"

"Bite me little man," the perp hissed.

"Original," Danny smiled. "A short joke, well done."

"You cops don't have anything to pin on me," Richie spat.

"On the contrary, Steven? What do we have on this comedian?" The two started walking back to the their car where Kono and Chin would be waiting with HPD.

"Numerically or alphabetically?" Steve asked.

"Alphabetically please," Danny replied..

"Arms trafficking. Assaulting an officer of the state. Attempted murder. Drug possession. Failure to yield to police officers. Manufacturing of fake passports and last but not least, grand theft auto," Steve explained.

"Impressive," Danny nodded then he turned back to Richie, "See, your man Tico gave you up faster than the ink drying on the deal he signed off on."

"That punk ass bitch," Richie snarled.

"Gotta be careful about who you trust Rich," Danny smiled as they approached the Hawaiian cousins and their vehicles. Chin opened up the back door to one of the H.P.D cruisers so Danny could stuff the man inside.

"Raid went as planned," Chin said. "His apartment has more than enough to put him away from a very long time, barely even need Tico's confession." Steve felt good for the first time in a while. This had been the first case where the team had finally gotten back into a groove and executed it flawlessly and air tight.

"Good to be back, eh guys?" Kono asked.

"That it is officer Kalakaua," Danny beamed.

Shortly after wrapping up at the scene, Danny and Steve climbed into the Camaro and started back to the office.

"Don Ho's?" Danny asked as Steve pulled into traffic if was late in the day and they were both understandably hungry.

"I could eat," the Navy SEAL nodded.

"So, after a perfect case like this, you still questioning your place on this team?" Danny asked out of the blue. Steve grinned, more than that, he beamed as the adrenaline of a job well done pumped through his veins and went straight to his head. They'd been through a lot but once again, Five-0 had made the islands safe.

If felt great to be a part of that.

"Not a for a second," Steve replied.

"Good," Danny nodded. "G*d help you if you made me break in a new partner." Steve just laughed. After a few more minutes of driving, Steve's grin turned wicked.

"Eh Danno, babe?"

"What is that? What is with that look? Why are you looking at me like that?" Danny demanded. No doubt the trained detective already knew what was coming considering their decision to go get dinner.

Steve gave his friend an innocent shrug and a wink;

"I may have forgotten my wallet at home."

"DAMN IT STEVEN!" Danny wailed.

FIN!

Hope you liked this story, I'd love to hear final thoughts. This story took a LONG time to finish but alas I made it through!

I'm hoping to start another chapter story soon but we'll see... anything you reviewers would like me to write about?

Cheers and thanks for everything.

WofOz