I think this is a particularly complicated situation because it's a family that never should have been split up. It's pretty hard to stop seeing your spouse as...well...your spouse. Especially when you have a child and are parenting together. And he never stopped loving her. Wrong? Yeah. They were letting emotions sweep things away, not thinking things through. If she were going to make a break with Stan to return to Danny, then there needed to be a clean break and she owed it to all involved to make sure she wasn't having sex and taking the chance of bringing a little person into the world without a total and complete commitment. And Danny shouldn't have let himself get involved with her again unless, again, it was going to be a total and complete commitment. She broke up with Danny and married Stan for the wrong reasons. And because both of them were being stupid, that second chance never really got to be the chance it could have been. But it's easy to judge unrighteously and condemn and harder to live the standard we should be living.

I agree wholeheartedly.

Nice.

It was nice reading this from the right perspective. Being sinful by nature makes us weak, weakness makes us more sinful.

Praise God for forgiveness.

This is a very powerful piece, expressing a belief and moral boundary that has largely become ignored in today's society.

What a great look at how such actions can come about and how Danny is no less culpable because of his grief for going and laying with his ex-wife who is married. Like you said, its adultery and its wrong, no matter what.

Wonderful one shot. :)

Dear Ani-Maniac492,

I don't know what denomination of Christianity you are, but I do know in Catholicism a mariage is forever. This would lead one to believe that Danny isn't committing adultery and neither would Rachel be cheating. Because it is to believed they only got a legal divorce and went through a physical separation. Not an annulment of the marriage so religious techinality neither would be sinning. Of course, because Rachel moved on and got remmarried it is a sticky situatuion.

Just some words for thought.

Amen, Sweetie!

Nicely done. :)

Great story! Totally believable - and I believe it did start there.

Also, kudos to your courage in being so open about your faith by thanking the source of your inspiration. I too, am a Believer, but I've never thought to thank Him publicly in my stories.

Ironically, I was one of those fans who didn't have a problem with them getting back together. I always viewed Rachel as Danny's first and foremost, anyway. Like she was never Stan's to begin with. (I do not mean to speak of her as property, only that when two people give themselves to one another they belong to each other - that's how God intended it; but we got all funky with it, causing a ton of pain and heartache). Anyway, good stuff. :)

I agree I don't like the adultery. Perhaps the "problems" mentioned include a formal separation. I wonder if Danny is religious. His daughter goes to Catholic school, though I think if Danny had been raised catholic, we'd see him crossing himself, especially when Steve's driving. Anyway, if he comes from a tradition that denies divorce, he might consider Stan/Rachel adultery. Because she promised to be with Danny "as long as we both shall live."

Thank you for the lovely shout out in this story. I'm tickled that I've inspired not only fanfic, but have hooked you on the show. I'll happily take credit for that! Hee!

This is a wonderful story. I didn't like Danny and Rachel getting together either for the same reasons that everyone has been complaining about. I believe adultery is wrong as well and was sad that Danny succumbed, but understood why he did and you totally wrote that beautifully in this story. Danny is such a principled person and I, too, have given him reason for succumbing in my story, Pressure Makes Diamonds, because I know that he wouldn't want to be hurt himself that way and gave him the guilt that I believe he would feel for doing it.

I love how you have given him a sensitivity and a vulnerability that makes him human. He was hurting, needed comfort and sought it through someone he loved, I felt all of that.

Fave Parts:

Steve…Steve was his partner, and his friend, and he'd lied to the FBI just to buy Danny some extra time. That meant a lot. That meant everything.

- LOVED this mention. SO many complained that Danny should have gone to Steve for friendship comfort instead because he had lied for him, which I would have loved as well so this mention is simple yet it says it.

He stuck his hands in his pockets, and took them out just as fast, running his fingers through his hair, refusing to look Rachel in the eye. "I'm sorry, Rachel. I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have done that. Don't know what I was thinking…correction, I wasn't thinking."

But when he finally worked up the courage to meet Rachel's gaze, she wasn't angry.

-LOVED THIS! This hesitation on Danny's part was so achingly wonderful! Perfectly expressed.

SO enjoyed this!

Well, as divorce is also a sin (at least for Catholics) it's actually Rachel and Stan who are wrong, not Rachel and Danny. But I can see your point.

Good one.

I don't watch Hawaii Five-O. (It airs opposite "Castle," and Castle has my love). But, this was very good, even though I don't know the characters. It feels real.

Kat