***** A couple people have suggested a story where Steve is forced to make a decision between Danny and another loved one. So here is a different take on Chin's dilemma from the S2 finale, this time with our favorite SuperSEAL forced to make an IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE. I hope you enjoy! *****
It was a warm night in Oahu as the blonde detective stepped into the box. A look of steely determination crossed his face as he blocked out the noises surrounding him, concentrating fully on the job at hand. He glanced at his partner who stood 60 feet away, leaning forward, his dirty hands on his knees. He saw Steve's lips moving but he blocked out the sound, turning his attention back to the opponent bearing down on him.
Then it happened. Danny swung with all his might and as the observers watched the ball traveled back, back, back…..and over the left field fence! Steve crossed the plate and turned to wait for his partner who his one swing of the bat had just won the HPD a hard fought victory over the Hawaii Fire Department in the intermural co-ed championship softball game. As Danny rounded third base he smiled broadly at the sight of his friends waiting to greet him. As he crossed home plate he was surrounded by his teammates, screaming and slapping him on the back. In moments Steve and Chin had lifted him off the ground, carrying him victoriously towards their bench as Gracie and Kamekona stood on the bleachers cheering wildly for the champion HPD Avengers.
As the team celebration continued, Gracie Williams came darting around the chain linked fence and raced up to her Daddy.
"DANNO!"
He turned just in time to catch his excited child as she flung herself into his arms. "Monkey! Did you see that?"
Shaking her head enthusiastically she said, "Yeah! You really creamed that ball Danno!"
Steve reached over and stroked the little girls' hair, "He sure did Gracie"
After a short trophy ceremony, both teams retreated to a local sports bar for pizza, chicken wings and refreshments.
Over beers Danny asked Steve, "So buddy you have to agree now, baseball is a great sport isn't it?"
"Yeah, it's been a lot of fun. I'm sorry it's over"
"It's only the off-season baby. We'll be back next year to defend our title"
Steve smiled, "If they let us play next year"
"What do you mean?"
"Duke says that the firefighters are bitching about us being ringers"
Danny laughed, "Sore losers" He glanced over at the arcade machine where Gracie was teaching Kono how to play 'Water Bugs' He grinned as he watched his pig-tailed daughter bounce up and down on her heels on the chair she stood on. She was wearing Kono's baseball cap and pointing at the screen giggling as she called out, "Shoot Kono…..shoot now! Get the big green one he's fifty points!"
The group was having a wonderful time, so much so that they didn't even notice the two young men sitting in the nearby booth watching them intently.
Danny asked Steve, "Hey I thought your Mom was coming today?"
"You mean Doris?"
"Oh, she's back to being called Doris again? Want to tell me what the problem is?"
"Other than the fact the she just shows up after twenty years and expects me to not ask any questions…"
"What's she saying?"
"Same old bullshit Danny. She disappeared and stayed away to protect us…blah, blah, blah….."
"Did you ever think that maybe that's all there is to it?"
Steve sighed deeply, "It's just a gut feeling…she's hiding something from me Danny"
"She's only been back for a few weeks. Give her some time"
"I just don't feel I can trust her"
"Just take it slow babe, take it one day at a time"
"Yeah…..…hey, are we still on for tomorrow?"
"Really? You're going to make me do this?"
"YES! Gracie is excited about it and you promised"
"So I'm going to go from being a hero on the softball field, to being a clumsy oaf on a surfboard!"
"You have to start somewhere babe. Remember, you're doing this for Gracie"
"That's a low blow you know that…"
Steve laughed, "You'll do great partner. Hey, I tried softball"
"Yeah well I don't think I believe you that you've never played before….and playing softball doesn't entail getting wet and evading sharks!"
"Trust me buddy, I'll protect you from the sharks. I promise"
"Well if you're going to make me do this, I better get her back home"
"Isn't she spending the night with you?"
"No, it's StepStan's birthday and they want to spend some time with her tonight. So, what time does the torture start tomorrow?"
"I'll pick you up about ten and then we can get Gracie"
"Okay"
Resigned to the situation, Danny stood from the table and after watching Gracie complete her game they prepared to leave.
Gracie came back to the table, jumping onto Steve's lap and wrapping her arms around his neck. "Bye Uncle Steve"
"Bye bye sweetheart. You go enjoy some birthday cake and we'll pick you up in the morning. Are you excited?"
"Uhh…huh, and Danno can't wait to learn how to surf"
He kissed her cheek and then glancing at Danny he smiled, adding "Yeah I know, he can't wait"
Giving Steve another hug she took her Daddy's hand and as they turned to leave, Steve called out "Hey Danno!, Great game partner"
Danny Williams was all smiles as he left the restaurant not noticing the two men following them into the parking lot.
505050505050505050505050505050
After dropping off Gracie, Danny pulled out onto the narrow, winding stretch of road that led to his apartment. He was only a few miles from his home when the van came up quickly behind him, rear-ending him before he even realized what has happening. He lost control of the Camaro and it careened off the road, the passenger side of the vehicle crashing into a telephone pole causing the airbags to deploy. Danny's head crashed into the side window and then it bounced back against the head rest as the airbag expanded onto his chest. He was startled and as he was trying to get his cellphone from his pocket he saw the two men approaching his car with guns drawn. As he finally grasped the phone and was beginning to pull it from his pocket, the car door was pulled open. As he was yanked from the car, the phone fell from his hand landing on the front seat. Danny's attempt to fight back against the men holding him earned him a blow to the back of the head with the butt of a gun, knocking him unconscious.
The men had just thrown Danny into the back of the van as a car approached. Rolling down his window the driver called out, "Do you need any help?"
One of the thugs called back, "No, no….everything's fine Sir, thank you"
"Do you need me to call the police?"
"No, we've already called them"
"Okay" As the Good Samaritan pulled away he dialed 911.
Back at the van one of the men had jumped into the back with Danny. He tied his feet together and then tied his hands behind his back. As the other man closed the doors to the back of the van, a hood was pulled over Danny's head.
505050505050505050505050505050
Steve had left about half an hour after Danny and he tried to reach his Mom. Getting her voicemail he decided not to leave a message, simply hanging up. He was about half way home when the call came in from Duke Lukela.
"Hey Duke"
"Steve….there's been an accident"
"An accident? Who?"
"Danny"
Steve's heart sunk as he noted Duke's hesitation, "Duke…is he alright?"
"We don't know Steve"
"What do you mean you don't know?"
"He's missing Steve. I'm at his car….and he's missing"
"Where are you?" Steve turned his car around and sped towards the accident scene calling Chin and Kono on the way.
Steve pulled up behind the Camaro minutes later. As he approached the car, the driver's door was open and Duke was standing next to it with a flashlight.
"Hey Duke, anything yet?"
"No sign of him. I've got men scouring the area"
Steve looked into the vehicle, cringing as he noticed the blood on the airbag and the driver's seat. The side window was cracked and bloodied and Steve's fears rose that Danny may have suffered a severe head injury.
"Steve?"
Still looking at the window he responded, "Yeah Duke?"
"His phone is here"
Steve looked back into the car seeing the cellphone on the front seat. Putting on rubber gloves, he picked it up. He was looking at it as Chin and Kono pulled up.
"Steve…what happened?"
"We're not sure Chin. It looks like someone hit him from behind and drove him into this pole. The driver's side window is cracked and bloodied and there's blood on the airbag and seat"
"Where is he?"
"I don't know Kono, but if he's got a head injury and he wandered off…."
Chin spoke softly, "Hey, don't think like that. We'll find him" He motioned to the phone in Steve's hand, "Is that Danny's?"
"Yeah, but it doesn't look like he called anyone"
Duke called out, "Steve!" as we approached the three detectives.
"Did you find something Duke?"
"No but there's someone you need to talk to. The man who made the 911 call came back. He saw the vehicle that hit Danny"
"Where is he?"
The detectives followed Duke over to his squad car where a middle-aged Hawaiian man stood.
Steve extended his hand, "Hello Sir, my name is Steve McGarrett. I'm the head the 5-0 task force. Sergeant Lukela tells me you witnessed what happened here?"
Shaking hands, the man identified himself as Kimo Hanini, "I didn't see the accident but when I drove up on the scene, something just didn't seem right. The car door was opened and I could see no one was in there. Two young men were standing at the back of a van with the doors open. I don't know what it was about them, but they seemed nervous"
"Can you identify them?"
"I got a really good look at one of them"
Pulling out his phone, Steve showed Kimo a picture of Danny, "Did you see this man?"
"No, no sir. Is that the driver of the car?"
"Yes, he's a member of our team. Would you mind going to our Headquarters downtown with Officer Kalakaua here to draft a sketch of the men you saw?"
"Certainly, and Commander I did get the license number of the van as well"
Steve smiled, "That's fantastic. Thank you Sir"
Steve handed Kono the cellphone, "Kono, run this for prints and call us with anything you find"
"Will do boss"
As the two walked away, Chin looked at Steve "I don't like this Steve"
"Neither do I Chin….."
********* Hope you like the start …I'd love to hear what you think ***********