Read note at end.

Also...ENJOY!

Sam knew something was wrong with his brother. Normally, Dean would be chattering away about all the types of fish he saw or caught, and Sam would only believe a select few of his brother's tall tales. Dean is a fantastic story teller, the Orion tale from his childhood is still one of his favorite bedtime stories of all time, and Sam would not doubt if Dean told him he punched a shark while catching the biggest tuna fish this island has ever seen.

If something was bothering his brother this much, Sam knew it had to do with Steve, though he's not sure whether or not he is the cause. For all Sam knows, they could have fought over something completely different then how he reacted that night of their hunt.

Okay, he's hoping beyond hope that he is not the reason his brother is so unhappy.

Dean's wearing his 'everything is so fucked up, I don't know what to do, and I'm drowning' face, but every now and then he sees glimpses of his 'I asked a question and the answer I got tore my heart out' expression. The last time Sam saw that look, Dean found out he was going to college and his blowout with their dad that resulted after. Dean had asked him if he would stay in touch, his silence broke his brother, and it haunted Sam every night since he left.

If Steve fucking McGarrett put that expression on his brother's face, Sam is going to kick that Frogman's ass at his earliest opportunity.

Sam pushed all that aside and focused on making his brother smile as much as he could during their fishing trip. Dean let him steer the small boat, almost yacht really, Sam's happiness wasn't pretend or a front for his brother. He had a lot of fun out there in the ocean with his brother, who cheered up after a couple of hours.

Dean took a picture of Sam when he caught his first fish, a tiny Nemo fish, or so Dean calls it, but Sam knows it's actually called a clown-fish. They let it back into the ocean unharmed.

His brother, the dork, waved bye to "Nemo" and even looked sad at the parting.

It was the most normal Dean's been the past couple of hours. Sam encouraged it and summoned every dorky habit he had to make his brother laugh. He suffered through the teasing because Dean no longer had that lost and broken expression on his face.

Dean soon caught on what Sam was doing, instead of calling him on it, Dean pulled Sam into a bone-crushing hug.

They ended up staying the night on the boat, Sam ooh'd and ahh'd over how bright the stars were. Sam wanted to sleep under them, on the deck of the boat, Dean balked because it gets freezing out there at night, and told Sam as much. Sam argued for a bit but bowed to Dean's experience and knowledge, something he doesn't do too often and without one hell of a fight before he capitulates sullenly.

He kept himself from fighting so he wouldn't make Dean sad again.

They slept inside the tiny boat rooms that Sam could barely fit in. The beds were hobbit size, much to Dean's eternal amusement.

Dean so owes him for this.

They woke up bright and early to fish some more before returning the boat inland and in time for Dean to go to work. Sam had wondered why his brother had a go-bag in the trunk of the Impala, that was usually to change their clothes if they blood and gore on their other clothes, and now since he found out about Dean and Steve's rocky relationship, Sam thinks Dean's preparing for the possibility of him and Steve breaking up.

Sam's unsure how he feels about that.

Yes, he acted like a spoiled child when he first met Steve, and can anyone really blame him? Sam's been the center of Dean's world for as long as he could remember. Asking him to step aside and let this interloper steal his spot, is not something Sam will come to terms with easily. Possibly not ever.

He could hate Steve McGarrett for a long, long time. Maybe even after him and Dean have long since broken up.

Dean let him take the Impala after he changed into some tight clothing, if it had been any other time, Sam would have teased the crap out Dean for dressing like a street walker. Sam promised to pick him up after he got off work at 6. Dean waved goodbye in better spirits than yesterday, but when Sam picked him up after work, his brother was pissed off and looked like he was fighting back tears.

The sight kicked up his rather negligent protective instincts.

He plied his brother with beer to loosen him and to relax. His friends were unhappy when he kicked them out of the room until he managed to get his brother so spill why he's so worked up. He told them they'd be out of the room before midnight.

It took half a case of beer before Dean told him what transpired at work.

Apparently, McGarrett, the tiny blond loudmouth, a hot brunette and the cousins showed at Dean's work to have his brother and McGarrett work out their relationship problems. Sam thought that was none of their business but he kept quiet and let his brother vent.

"They asked Kamekona if they could talk to me, the big man was unhappy but he owed them and allowed them to borrow me for a little bit. They marched me over to a secluded area away from nosy people, and basically ordered me to patch things up with Steve because Steve had been miserable at work today, and they were annoyed enough to butt into our business.

"Me and Steve were shoved together and they backed off a distance to give us a semblance of privacy. I was game. I wanted to patch things up between us, but Steve. He, uh, he just stood there looking down at the ground, not saying a word or even looking at me," Dean said sadly.

"I waited for him to say something but he never did. I took that as him saying he doesn't want to fix things between us. I think - I think we're broken up," Dean choked out and lost his battle to keep the sobs inside.

Sam shot forward and pulled his brother into a hug and held him until Dean managed to get control of himself. Dean pulled away and refused to look at him, Sam let him be. He got up and gathered all his things, he won't be staying here anymore, at least not until he goes home; either alone or with his brother. Maybe he and Dean could get a place in Stanford together. That'd be like truly going home, instead of pretending he has a home a Stanford.

Dean's home. He figured that our during psychology, after fighting it for most of the semester.

Now his home, his brother, is hurting big time. Sam didn't know how to fix it. No, that's a lie. He knows how to fix it, he's just not sure if he could do what needs doing.

One look at his brother's forlorn expression decided for him: he's going to talk Steven "Asshole" McGarrett and give him a quick kick up his uptight ass to either man up and work things out with his brother or to give Dean a definitive answer about the state of their relationship.

Sam's not going to leave the SEAL alone until he gets what he wants. He can be a stubborn bastard when he puts his mind to it. Ask his dad. Ask Dean. Hell, ask anyone who knows him. He'll be McGarrett's worst nightmare.

GKSS

Steve is swimming, drowning actually, in guilt. He knows he should go see Dean. He's ruining Dean and Sam's reunion, and breaking Dean's heart as well. He's a multitasker of bad news.

Dean is, hopefully, at work. Danny and the others are currently giving him the cold shoulder, well, they're acting very professional around him because they won't allow their personal feelings interfere with their work. But every now and then he'd catch a pointed glance or glare pointed his way. He deserved it of course. They all loved Dean, and here he was ruining quite possibly the best relationship he's ever had.

All he had to do yesterday, and the day before, was talk to Dean. To explain why he, if he's being honest, overreacted to Dean getting hurt during his and Sam's hunt the other night, was because that he was jealous and insecure of Sam, and of his place in Dean's life.

Steve's not stupid. He knows Dean's been getting restless lately. Of course he's noticed. He is a cop. He's learned a lot from his coworkers to notice these things.

He had been fine working up the courage to speak to Dean about his restless behavior and even offering to have Dean train him so Dean could go on a hunt without worrying about Steve getting himself killed. That took a lot to admit. He's a trained SEAL and yet his boyfriend easily kicks his ass when they spar without breaking a sweat, and that shapeshifter last year got the jump on him before he even registered its presence. He's laughably outclassed.

It took a while for him to swallow his pride and admit, at least to himself, that he cannot defend himself to the supernatural. He can take down drug lords, mafia men, Yakuza, and other special forces soldiers with ease but his home trained civilian boyfriend can take them all without back up or help.

Dean hunted and killed monsters for a living. They are all amateurs compared to him.

Steve scrubbed his face with both hands before grabbing his phone to text or call Dean. His finger hovered over Dean's smirking face, unsure if he should contact Dean while he's at work or meet him after work so they could talk in person.

Would Dean even want to talk to him? He did turn mute at the worst possible moment last night and the night before.

At Dean's words - his ultimatum really - rattled Steve to the core. His mind went into overdrive as he panicked at the thought of Dean leaving him because of his insecurity. He didn't even notice Dean leave until his beloved Impala started and pulled out with a screech of tires. He had berated himself for hours for his cowardice.

He doesn't do feelings or talks of feelings. Sure, he had some emotional talks with Danny, but it's Danny, the man is like a dog with a bone when he wants Steve to talk about something he's uncomfortable with but is killing him on the inside. Dean's not. He doesn't push Steve unless he truly is distracted by it, therefore putting himself in danger from it. When that happens, he's worse than Danny.

Steve put the phone back down and vowed to pick Dean up after work.

Unfortunately, they got slammed with a case involving a prostitution ring, and by the time Steve called it quits and sent everyone home, Dean was god knows where with Sam.

It looks likes his plan of catching Dean alone without his guard dog, AKA Sam, by his side when he has a very important conversation with his boyfriend. With Sam there, he might influence Dean into not hearing him out. Not that he blames the younger Winchester...this time. Steve would totally deserve it.

Steve drove took his time driving home, thinking how he's going to approach Dean when he saw the Impala parked in the driveway.

Hope surged through him and he quickly pulled along side Dean's baby. He even gave the car a hello pat when he walked passed it on his way into the house. He stopped just outside the door, took a deep breath, another, and opened the door with his head held high. The sight that greeted him filled him with such dread he wished he had went to Danny's instead.

"Hey, Sam," Steve greeted warily. "Where's Dean?"

Sam glared at him from Steve's recliner, expression telegraphing just how unimpressed he is as Steve's supposed concern over Dean. Steve bristled at the unspoken slight.

"McGarrett," Sam sneered back. "My brother's safe. He's currently crying at our hotel room because he thinks you don't care about him and that you guys are broken up because you are an emotionally constipated asshole who refuses to talk to my brother."

Steve flinched at the venom in Sam's voice.

"Now, I'm not leaving this place until you tell me why you're acting like such an asshole to my brother. My brother who loves you and chose you over me and my dad, do you get how big that is?" Sam spat at him. "I'm giving you this one chance, McGarrett. You fuck this up and I'm going to make sure Dean leaves with me back to California," Sam told him.

Steve curled his lips back into a snarl at him in defiance. It only served to make Sam smirk at him unpleasantly.

"I'll only talk to Dean," Steve replied back.

Sam sneered at him. "Nope. What you're going to say to him, you run through me. That way if you fuck up, you can redo it without breaking my brother's heart again in the process. You're not going anywhere until what you have to say is perfect."

Steve stared at him nonplussed.

"I'm not going to practice on you," Steve stuttered out. "That's weird."

"Then write it down." Sam rolled his eyes at the so-called Super SEAL. Really? This is the person who his brother chose over him and their dad? "Keep writing until you get it right. Then you practice it so it comes naturally when you recite it to Dean. Now get to work," Sam ordered.

Steve considered defying him out of sheer spite but it's Dean. He'd do anything for him...except for opening his mouth to tell Dean how he feels apparently.

He took off his gun and shield and locked them away in his study, while he was there he grabbed a pen and notebook for his speech Sam is making him give to Dean. A part of him is balking majorly at expressing his feelings this way but the alternative is a fate far worse than he's willing to contemplate at the moment. A fate he's tempting by going mute at the most inopportune times.

"For Dean," Steve whispered to himself.

He came back into the living room to see Sam drinking a beer. Steve felt his blood pressure rise when Sam smirked at him and saluted the bottle at him.

"Good beer," Sam complimented with a shit-eating grin on his face. Steve felt the very real urge to smack him but considering how Dean reacted when Steve manhandled his little brother, he may not take too kindly to Steve actually hitting his (spoiled) baby brother.

"Put. The beer. Back," Steve gritted out.

Sam's grin grew as he took another swig of his drink. "Why? There's more in the fridge. Do you want me to get you one?" he asked innocently.

Steve felt his right eye twitch. He decided to keep his trap shut. Unlike Danny, he knows when to shut up because saying something just spurs the person on, and he knows by instinct - and his bad luck - that Sam is that kind of person.

Steve jotted down everything he wanted to say to Dean then rearranged it until he deemed it perfect. There is no way in hell is Sam fucking Winchester reading the words he pulled from his heart.

Those words are for Dean only.

He reread what he wrote to make sure everything he meant to say was there on the paper then started to memorize it. He may not like Sam but he's right about rehearsing his words before saying them to Dean. He can't screw up again, not when the very reality of Dean leaving him is on the line if he goes mute again.

Sam watched him the entire time with an unreadable expression on his face but every now and then he'd see a flash of contempt before the younger Winchester smoothed it away.

They are never going to be friends. They are never going to like each other beyond being civil.

"Where's Dean?" he asked once he finished memorizing his speech.

Sam sneered at him. "You'll talk to him tomorrow."

"What?" Steve shouted. "What do you mean I'll talk to him tomorrow? I thought this whole thing was so I could fix things between us so he won't leave me?"

Sam rolled his eyes and shook his head like Steve disappointed him for asking such a dumbass question.

"Dean's still hurting and won't hear you out. Give him until tomorrow so he could chill. We're going zip lining tomorrow at 10. Meet us after," Sam ordered him before getting up and leaving without a backwards glance.

Steve waited until he heard the Impala roar to life and leave before he punched a wall in frustration.

"Damn him," Steve hissed to himself as he tried to calm down.

Sam's right. Dean won't hear him out, not now.

Why does Sam have to be right?

It's official. Steve hates Sam fucking Winchester.

GKSS

Dean didn't know where Sam took off to yesterday evening but when he came back, his brother seemed conflicted about something but when he saw Dean, he lit up and gave him a patented puppy smile that always made Dean feel good.

"Hey," Sam greeted happily. "You hungry? Wanna order in or go out and eat?"

Dean should be the one asking and taking care of Sam but he feels drained right now. He's so tired. And he misses Steve so much.

"Order in," Dean replied tiredly. "Order whatever you want. I'm paying." He held a finger up when Sam went to argue. "Shut it, Sammy. I promised you a fun Spring Break, and though I haven't kept my part of the bargain, I'll be damned if I let you pay for anything. Including food."

Sam gave an unhappy huff but didn't argue. Dean called that a win and curled back under the blankets. He misses his home. His bed with Steve. Nothing feels right or smells right. It's all wrong and it's putting him on edge. If Sam wasn't here, he'd be crashing at Danny's or Catherine's, those places feel familiar and normal, and he'd be able to sleep without waking up every hour thinking he's missing something.

Forty minutes later, there's knock on the door that had Dean reaching for his wallet and throwing at Sam to pay for the food.

Sam took the wallet without a word and paid for their dinner. They ate in silence and watched shitty sci fi movies until they crashed.

Dean had been tempted to question Sam why's he's so distracted. He barely even smiled when they sailed through the tree tops on the zip line or even cracked a smile when Dean tripped over a branch and fell on his ass. He kept glancing towards the road, as if looking for someone. Dean wondered who the hell Sam is looking for.

"Wanna go again?" Dean asked breathlessly. He loved zip lining. He felt free flying through the tree tops, almost like he's driving at top speed on an empty highway in the Impala. It almost felt like being back home.

"Hmm?" Sam hummed distractedly. "What? Oh yeah."

Dean stared at him intently, trying to figure what's bothering his brother. Sam finally noticed Dean's staring and slapped on an innocent look and shrugged at him.

He opened his mouth to question Sam when he heard a familiar rumble making it's way towards them. Dean and Sam's head whipped in the direction of the sound to see Steve's Silverado pull into the parking lot.

His traitorous heart picked up when he saw Steve exit the truck. The older man looked beautiful in Dean's eyes. He was wearing his usual cargo pants with a white tee and a light blue flannel that even from here, brings out the ocean blue in Steve's eyes, and as usual, his libido takes over. Dean shoved the rising lust down. Not now. The SEAL has a lot to answer for.

"I'm going again," Sam said suddenly. He grabbed the other men and dragged them along behind him, leaving Dean to get out of the harness on his own.

Subtlety is not Sam's strong suit.

He's a little surprised Sam isn't running down the hill to deck Steve, but then again, he's even more surprised Sam knew Steve was coming, and most likely told Steve where they'd be. Huh. Who would have thunk that Sam would have acted like a grown up for him?

Dean shimmied out of the harness and made his way down to the parking lot. Blood rushed through his ears, drowning out everything else that could potentially distract him.

They're going to have The Talk now.

Well, shit.

Dean can do this.

He can.

Taking a deep breath, Dean squared his shoulders and marched right up to Steve, stopping almost two feet away. He locked eyes with Steve and waited for the older man to start speaking.

Steve's eyes took in Dean's form, and Dean fought the urge to blush and fidget under the scrutiny. He's not giving ground on this. He glared right back into Steve's baby blues when they moved back to stare into Dean's eyes, not speaking until Steve spoke first, though judging by the way Steve is looking back at him, Dean's going to waiting a long time before he speaks.

His boyfriend (ex?) is staring at Dean like he's memorizing the way he looks like it's the last time he'll see Dean. That is not helping Dean's nerves at all.

"Talk to him, you jackass!" Sam yells from the top of the hill.

Dean flips him off and gestures for him to shut the fuck up. Sam cackles but does as Dean silently orders him.

Here's the thing, Dean has no idea who Sam is yelling at to talk, him or Steve. His money's on Steve but Sam could just as well be shouting at him to speak since clearly Mister SuperSEAL has gone mute yet a-freaking-gain.

"What do you want, Steve?" Dean asked tiredly.

Dean speaking first worked. Steve found his voice (finally).

"I don't want to lose you," SEAL boy blurted out then blushed when Dean quirked an eyebrow at him. "I mean, uh, I know that - Sam coming here is ruining everything!" His carefully memorized speech flying out the window.

"Say what?" Dean asked with a completely baffled expression. Out of all the things he expected Steve to say, that was most certainly not it.

Steve ran his hands through his hair in frustration. "That is not what I meant to say. Well, not in that way at least," he rambled. He took a deep breath to calm himself down before he screwed the whole thing up. He desperately tried to remember his speech but came up blank. Not good.

"What I mean is - is that I know you've been unhappy lately," Steve started and prayed he wouldn't screw this up. "And I had planned on doing something to make you happy again when Sam shows up and starts talking about going on a hunt, and you just lit up, Dean, at the thought of hunting with your brother again. I panicked because I knew you'd leave if he asked you to.

"That, and the fact that before Sam came here, Danny was the one to bring you out of your funk when you wouldn't even talk to me about your unhappiness. The only time you even gave a genuine smile, Danny was the cause, and I just... I felt like I was the reason you were unhappy," Steve admitted softly.

Steve ducked his head and shuffled a bit before moving closer to Dean, close enough to feel the other's body heat. He didn't notice Dean's stricken look at his admission.

"Dean, you have no idea how it felt when I realized you preferred hanging out with Danny because he's the only one to make you smile, making me feel like a failure and think that you're only staying with me because you're trying to prove a point to your father, and that is not a good feeling to have.

"I had this whole plan to help you truly accept Hawaii as your home instead of you continuing pretending that it is," Steve said with a self-deprecating grin and he hunched in on himself. "But I did overreact that night when you got hurt, and I do apologize for that, I really do. It just seemed like you were getting ready to leave me and Sam was your way out.

"All that emotion came bubbling out, and I acted like a child. I'm sorry for making you feel like I was making you choose between us. Sam is - Sam embodies all my insecurities concerning our relationship, and I just... I know I haven't been acting like the best boyfriend, but if you give me a chance, I'll be more supportive and welcoming to Sam. Just don't go," Steve pleaded, his heart in his hands.

Dean felt like he'd been sucker punched. Oh, god. Is that what Steve's been thinking and feeling? Why he's been acting like such an asshole? Jesus, fuck, he's a horrible fucking boyfriend.

And now Dean's the one rendered mute. Everything he wants to say is caught in his throat and he can't get it out.

He saw Steve all but collapse in on himself when Dean didn't speak. It spurred Dean to blurt out, "I never planned on leaving you until you started acting like an asshole to me and my brother, but god, Steve, you need to tell me this shit. I had no idea you were feeling like this, you taciturn son of a bitch."

Dean reached forward and shoved Steve hard in the chest, startling the other man to look up at him.

"You have it wrong about Danny," he had to clarify. "I mean, yeah, there were days when he was the only one to pull me out of my funk, but, Steve, I am always happier when I am with you. I don't like being around you when I'm feeling down."

Steve opened his mouth to interrupt but Dean reached over and slapped a hand over it, and shot him a look to keep his trap shut.

"And it's not because I don't feel comfortable around you to show it but I hate being around you when I'm down. You work so hard and I don't want you coming home to an unhappy boyfriend, and make you worry," Dean explained as clearly as he could. "I didn't want to be another worry you would have, and I was scared you would have enough and end our relationship."

Steve felt his jaw drop at that. Oh, boy. They are a piece of work.

"I've seen enough to know that people in your profession get fed up with their partner's attitude after a while, and I can admit I had been down lately but I swear, Steve, I never had any intention of leaving you. Danny made me smile because he was that touch of the mainland, my home," Dean assured him. "I have only ever felt friendship for Danny, nothing else.

"Hell, I've ignored his crush on me because I am so in love with you," Dean grinned. "There has been no one else for me but you, you dumbass."

Steve shook his head and focused on the wrong damn thing.

Danny has a crush on Dean?

How did he miss that?

He cast his mind back to Danny's behavior the past year, and yeah, he can see it now. It's blindingly obvious. Thank god he was oblivious to that, otherwise he would have yet another thing to worry about losing Dean to.

Steve let out a bark of laughter. He just realized Danny and Grace have crushes on Dean. That's a unique bonding element between a father and a daughter.

Dean frowned at Steve, hurt that he's laughing at Dean being open and vulnerable with him.

He felt tears sting his eyes and he walked abruptly away from Steve. He didn't make fun of Steve for admitting his reasons their relationship is falling apart, and that fucking asshole has the audacity to make fun of Dean's. He thought they were making progress.

Guess not.

Maybe that's why his dad is refusing to speak to him. Maybe his dad knew what kind of man Steve is and that's why he won't help Dean try and repair his relationship.

Tears fell down his face and he angrily brushed them away. His breath hitched as he fought back sobs. He's so fucking tired of fighting for something Steve has no desire to fix. This is exactly the reason why Dean stuck to one-night stands. No emotional blow outs that have potential to completely break a person.

Steve immediately stopped laughing when Dean turned from him and walked towards the Impala, knowing Dean misunderstood why he was laughing. He ran to Dean and tried to stop him by grabbing onto his shoulder to explain.

Bad move.

Dean whirled around to grab Steve's hand, fast enough to stun Steve at the speed, before crying out when Dean gave his wrist a vicious twist, hard enough to break. He recovered quickly and swung his free hand but Dean caught it with embarrassing ease, giving Steve a cruel smirk before letting go of Steve's broken wrist and stepping in to pull with all his might to dislocate Steve's shoulder as he flipped him over. He then dropped down to a knee and punched Steve in the face a few times before getting up.

He stared at Steve with a dispassionate gaze as Steve writhed in agony.

"Stay the fuck away from me, McGarrett. We're done," said Dean in a monotonous voice that's at odds with his harsh words.

Dean turned from Steve and continued making his way to the Impala. He ignored Sam's cries to wait and his demands to know what happened.

In the corner of his eye, he saw Sam's form sprinting towards him from the hilltop, Dean gunned the Impala and tore out of there, leaving everyone in the dust. He has a lot of work to do in a short amount of time.

He's leaving Hawaii but he's not running back to dad and Uncle Bobby. Oh no. He doesn't want to hear their "I told you so's" at the moment.

He's also not saying goodbye to the others. Fuck them. Fuck this entire island chain.

Fuck Sam too.

Dean is going to make his own path. He doesn't need anyone else. Everyone he's ever counted on betrayed him in some form or other, and he's not going to put himself through the that pain ever again. Now he understands why other hunters hunt alone. Less chance of being hurt or killed because they are distracted by other people. He gets it.

He's Dean Winchester: Lone Hunter. He'll make the supernatural world quake at his feet. He doesn't need anybody.

Okay, so originally I was going to wrap this up nice and tidy in the next chapter or so but I was struck by an idea and I'm running with it. I'm ending Grey Knights here and I'm going to start the next story and post the first chapter hopefully before July.

June, July, and August are really busy months for me, ironically enough, considering how not busy I am the rest of the year. The next story will be the last of this universe I've crafted.

In the next story, there will be a tonal shift, and that's why I'm starting a new one instead of finishing it out with Grey Knights. Expect more Supernatural characters to show up, and I'll be skipping ahead and having other characters show up years before they are supposed to. I'm not going to tell you who but they'll be minor and more of a guiding hand than anything - without revealing who or what they are to Dean because of timey wimey reasons that always end badly (especially if they're a Winchester) should a character know too much of the future. Also because let's face it, Dean'll need they're help. Steve too.

Until next time, Ciao!

P.S. Oh yeah, what'd y'all think of this chapter?