Alright, since the end is in sight for Cat and Mouse (though I still have at least a couple more chapters planned), I have decided that I can finally let myself start my next multi chapter fic. This is one of the two major ideas bouncing around my head. Hope it works! My stories always start one way, but end so different. Those who have read Cat and Mouse know this. Anyway…Enjoy!
Humming softly to himself, Steve climbed the stairs to his office. It had been a good morning. The waters were calm, making his swim easy, and he had awoken that morning feeling very refreshed and well rested. The wonders of a good night sleep, he thought to himself. He paused before the immense glass door and peered inside. He smiled at the sight of his technologically challenged friend leaning over the Smart Table and tapping away at it. Then he took in the rigid posture Danny's body and the hard line with which his jaw was set. Damn, we got a case already? Must be a bad one too…Steve mused as he saw Danny scrub a hand over his face. Taking a breath, Steve pushed open the door and walked in.
"Mornin' Danno. What do we got?" He asked, offering a friendly wave and holding up the bag of coco puffs he had picked up. Danny's head shot up and he stared at Steve, eyes wide and disbelieving. Steve was taken aback by his partner's appearance. Danny was pale, save for the bruise-like rings beneath his eyes, which were bloodshot. He was thinner to be sure, and it looked as though he hadn't shaved in a couple days. "Danny, what the hell? You alright man?" Steve asked, his voice thick with concern. Danny had not looked like this yesterday. He stepped closer, reaching out a hand. Danny stepped toward him without a sound, looked at the hand Steve held out. He placed two finger on Steve's wrist, as if to check his pulse.
"Steve." He said at last, throwing his arms around his friend and pulling him close as if to assure himself that Steve was indeed real.
"Come on, partner. Talk to me. What's wrong?" Steve was starting to worry now. They broke apart after a time.
"What's wrong?" Danny said at last, his voice rough. "You have been missing for months. Months, Steven! Two of 'em! We looked for you day and night, ran down every lead, have gone over every past case and mission file, and we found nothing. Denning made us give up active searching two weeks ago and take on new cases, but we've been trying to find anything that could lead us to you in whatever spare time we have. And now you just walk in here like nothing happened? You're not hurt that I can see. What happened, Steve?" Steve stared at him, his shock evident.
"Danny, what are you talking about? I saw you just yesterday, remember? We took Gracie to that movie for her birthday."
"That wasn't yesterday." Danny said quietly. "That was the day before you went missing. You hadn't shown up for work yet that Monday, so I drove over to your place. The front door had been forced open, but the alarm was silent. When I got inside, the place was a mess and there was an awful lot of blood, but you weren't there. We found drag marks leading to the beach, where we assume they put you on a boat. We had Charlie test the blood. It was all yours, Steve. That was September third. Now exactly two months later on November third, you walk in here like nothing even happened?" Now that Danny was partially over the initial shock of seeing Steve, his voice had lost its angry bite and was now soft and gentle. Steve knew all of Danny's tones and recognized it as the one Danny used when he was dealing with a victim.
"But…Danny that's not possible. I woke up, in my own bed this morning. My house was clean, no blood anywhere. All of the same food was in the fridge, and none of it spoiled." Danny stiffened, then motioned Steve to come over to the table. Without a word, he pulled up the crime scene photos from the day Steve went missing.
"We'll stop by there later, see if we can find anything. Someone had to have cleaned that up. But right now, I'm taking you to the hospital."
"What? I feel fine."
"Steve, did you not see all the blood? That's yours. Obviously you weren't fine then, so let's just get you checked over to make sure you're okay." Steve was about to argue, but the pain in his partner's eyes stopped him. For a moment, he imagined how he would feel if the roles had been reversed.
"Okay. I'll go get checked out." Danny smiled. It wasn't the usual toothy grin, but a cracked line of pain. As they found their way to the parking lot, Steve instinctively went over to the driver's side.
"Nuh uh, Steven. You have God knows where for two months and don't remember any of it. There is no way in hell I am letting you drive until a doctor personally gives you a clean bill of health."
H
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As Danny sat in the waiting room, he pulled out his phone and dialed Chin.
"Kelly."
"Chin, listen. Don't ask me how, 'cause I have no idea, but Steve showed up at HQ this morning."
"What?! Is he okay?"
"He seems fine, but we're at the hospital getting him checked out just in case. He also has no memory of the past two months."
"So he just thought it was a normal day of work?"
"Yeah. He said his place was just like he remembered too. Thought that was kinda weird."
"Kono and I will swing by and check it out."
"Awesome. Alright, I gotta go. The doctors here. I call you once I know something."
Worth continuing? Let me know!
