He Came Back

The Return

(summary)
After a long time and if you'll ask Danny he'd say it felt like a million years, Steve comes back to Hawaii.

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Five years had passed since Steve had left Hawaii. Five years in which a lot had happened for everyone...

Danny was living with Charlie and Eddie in Steve's old house, Junior had moved in with Tani, and wedding bells would soon be ringing for the two of them. Tamiko and Adam had as well decided to move in together, Grace and Will had also remained faithful to each other after initial difficulties.
Rachel visited Danny regularly so they could spend time together as a family.
Lou had retired after an injury. But he did not forget his colleagues and visited them from time to time. Quinn and Lincoln, who joined the team shortly before Steve's departure, remained.

The first year after Steve left, Kono, to everyone's surprise, had come back to Hawaii for a few months on a case. She had been back on the team for a short time. When Danny had told Steve this, he had sounded a little sad. He missed Kono a lot.
At first there had been tension between Adam and Kono, but after a dinner and a clarifying conversation, they were able to work together again as colleagues.

The big surprise, however, had happened two years ago.
Chin, Abby and Sara had returned. Something had gone terribly wrong with a case in San Francisco, and Chin and Abby, worried about the girl, had decided to leave town.
When they showed up at HQ that morning, excitement set in.

Even though Danny had Junior, Tani, Adam, Quinn, Lincoln, and now Chin and Abby again, on the team, and everyone was getting along as well as ever, some days he felt very alone.
No one on the current team could replace how he and Steve had always worked together. Sure, they were there for each other now and could rely on each other blindly, but he missed Steve's role on the team. His teasing, his grumbling, his nagging, his laughter, his satisfied expression when something was successful. In short, he missed Steve.

It wasn't that they didn't talk at all, but writing, talking on the phone, and occasionally using Face Time wasn't it. It's still different when you were sitting right in front of the person.
Danny missed Steve outside of work, too. He missed sitting on the beach with him in the evenings, watching TV with him, going out to dinner with him, having a beer (or sometimes more) with him, goofing around with him, talking with him.

His children were getting older and didn't need him like they used to. That was natural, but it made him a little sad. He was often very shy with strangers, which is why it was hard for him to make new friends. Also in the subject of relationships not much had changed.
He liked to go out and also met women regularly, but usually these encounters lasted only a few days. One woman had actually been at his side for a whole four months, but then she had also lost interest. His job and the fact that he had two children often got in the way.

Now Danny stood in the kitchen doorway with a glass of water in his hand, watching Eddie eat. Eddie had done well over the past few years and was still full of energy. In between he glanced at his mobile, but no message came in. Steve had last responded to one of Danny's messages almost two weeks ago, and he was beginning to worry.
On the table was a plate with leftovers from dinner still on it. Danny walked over, put the glass down and grabbed the plate to empty it and put it in the sink. Eddie, who had been acting odd all day, jumped up at him. Danny dropped the plate.

"Eddie," he cursed, but then laughed. Eddie barked and started running from the kitchen, to the living room and back. Danny ran after him.
A few times this continued, it seemed Eddie didn't want to be held at all. At some point, though, Danny cornered him and crouched down in front of him. The dog watched him. Danny put him in a headlock for fun. Eddie tried to wriggle out.
"Gotcha, old boy!"

"Book'em, Danno."

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(A/N)
I really wanted to mention Chin and Kono. I hated that they left (I know why), so I tried to bring them up once more. I hope I made it in a good way?!