Daniel walked into his new bathroom and was happy to actual call it a bathroom, something his missed about Jersey.
Turning on the hot tap happy memories flashed into his mind, Graces first bath, the emergency fish tank after Grace had used an actual hammer to help Daddy to repair the cabinet underneath.
Chuckling Daniel headed towards to the kitchen popping an ice cold beer he rummaged through the freezer and cupboard another bonus to having his own kitchen he could keep a healthy selection of food. Although Steve would never believe it because of the grab and go lunches, Rummaging up a simple wrap he popped it into the microwave and headed back to his bath.
Stripping down to his boxers he grabbed the razor of the side, usually he shaved in the morning but he had company tonight, dropping the razor into the pot he slipped off his boxers and sank into the bubble bath, showers were convenient, especially with a crazy seal for a partner, and yes they were great after a day of running around in the sticky Hawaiian sun, but tonight after a bitch of a day sitting behind the desk filling out reports and expenses, he was grateful to relax and become a prune, taking another drink he slid deeper into the bath and draped a cloth across his eyes.
A sudden force pushed down on his mouth and head, his instincts kicked in making him struggle against the hands, he felt his arm being held in a vice, sharp slicing pain scratched away at the flesh, he tried to scream but the hand remained firm, one arm was realised, he was starting to become weak with the lack of oxygen, the other arm then suffered the same fate, the pain burned, his lungs burned, suddenly the hand was removed from his mouth but he was still held tight, a tube was forced hard down his throat making him gag and choke, he started to panic as liquid was poured into the tube, the acid taste of some kind of strong alcohol took over his senses.
The attack felt never ending, the darkness started to sway, the hand felt like heavy feathers. He had lost the ability to fight, think or care, the fear was gone replaced by unconsciousness.
Steve had picked up a fine rump steak, salad, coal and other beverages to really make Daniels first barbecue in his own place sporting a large garden one to remember, he smiled as he remember how Danny had managed to secure such a large and airy house that had Steve a little jealous, but every now an again Steve reminded Danny that he had a beach to relax on, to which Danny replied
"Well we all need a change of environment"
Knocking several times on the door, he pulled his spare key and let himself in, sometimes Danny reminded him of an old man taking power naps. But it's what made him different.
Pottering into the kitchen he placed everything on the unit, sliding the back door a smile shone across his face, there on the patio was a BQ 900, Steven had let slip how wonderful the machine was and all the fantastic gadgets, a massive bow was what had Steve smiling like a Cheshire cat more then the machine it's self. Heading back to the kitchen he started to prepare the dinner.
A little time later as the rump steaks were slowly tenderising, Steve headed towards Danny's bedroom, knocking lightly at the door, No reply had Steve adding a little more force causing the door to swing open, sticking his head in he found the bed empty and made with Danny's relaxation clothes set out.
Steve looked across to the bathroom and noticed the door slightly ajar, surprised that he hadn't heard Danny move or the running of water, entering the room he headed towards the bathroom.
The knocking at the front door; pulled his attention away and he padded back through the bedroom he guessed that once Danny was finished he would join them on the patio. Pulling the door open he was greeted by an over excited Grace, his other two partners in crime and Catherine.
A good half an hour later, Steve was starting to get a little annoyed at his partner for being so rude, the noise in the garden would have woken the dead by now and he couldn't blame it on the shower because Steve certainly hadn't heard the water running.
"Hey Kono, fancy giving our absent host a wake up call"
Winking with an evil grin Kono knew that Danny was in the bathroom but she too was becoming restless and hungry and the two combined together was not a good combination. Heading through the kitchen she easily located the bedroom, pushing open the door with a knock just in case Danny was getting ready, she headed towards the bathroom.
"Hey, fancy joining the party"
Knocking again Kono became a little concerned, the mirror that she could see was recently steamed, a fresh towel laid across the sink, pushing the door open a little more she caught sight of red, a lot of red.
Forgetting about dignity she pushed the door open revealing Danny bloody and unconscious, a whiskey bottle lay completely empty, in the pool of sticky congealed blood.
"STEVE HELP!"
Kono stepped quickly but carefully towards the bath, grabbing towels as she went, she was torn between checking for a pulse and steaming the leaking blood. She wasn't alone for long as Steve burst into the bathroom.
He couldn't believe what was happening he fell beside Kono taking over the pressure on his wrists as Kono checked for a pulse, the look in her eyes revealed that there was nothing.
"Kono get me a blanket or duvet"
Kono shot out the room grabbing the bedding, disappearing back to Steve, helping him to lift Danny out of the bath and laid him gently on the bedding, checking again for the pulse. Chin stuck his head in the room, instantly pulling his mobile ringing for an ambulance. Kono continued to check his pulse
"Chin ask Catherine to take Grace home"
Chin disappeared, leaving Steve performing CPR and Kono putting pressure on the open wounds, they continued to swap duties until the ambulance arrived pushing them both to one side, working hard to stabilize Danny they loaded him onto the gurney with little care to the handling. Steve didn't recognise the paramedic's but he was certainly taking note of their numbers.
The ride to the hospital seemed to take forever, the traffic was heavy and although the sirens blared they seemed in no hurry, Danny's heart had started beating again with the aid of a breathing tube and the wounds to his arm were bandaged but soaked with blood. Steve was starting to loose his temper, he knew that suicide victims were treated differently, but he wasn't willing to except this was what Danny was.
Steve was forced into the waiting area; forms were thrust into his hands. He turned and sat down in the hard plastic chairs making sure that the title detective was printed in capitals. The hospital was not treating his partner as another suicide gone wrong.
Two hours later he was sat talking with Kono, the criminal investigation team had been over Danny's place with a fine tooth comb and found nothing, no signs of forced entry anywhere, no finger and foot prints. The situation was not looking good for Danny leaving only one question "why?"
The doctors had talked to Steve and lead him to Danny's room. The tube was still protruding from his lips pushing oxygen into his lungs, his arms were heavily bandaged covering the sins and stitches, the IV line was pushing sedation and pain medication, but the thing that was making Steve see red was the restraints hospital policy so the doctor informed him. Steve had waited until the doctor had left and removed them.
Reading through the abounded magazine, Steve was going no where until Daniel woke up and explained himself because all evidence pointed towards suicide and no matter what Steve believed this was not going in Danny's favour. He was also not leaving Danny alone in the hospital retrained to a bed on suicide watch.
Three days later Steve came back from grabbing a couple of hours R&R, Kono was wrapped up in her book reading out loud to Danny, the smell of coconut oil filled his nostril's indicating that Danny's appearance had been tended too.
Walking across to Danny he smiled at the thought of the rant that would happen if he realised that someone had not only touched his hair but had washed it too. Turning to Kono he noticed something showing just under the tape securing the tube, leaning he carefully he peeled back the tape revealing bruising, finger shaped bruising to be precise.
Hitting the call button he started to pull the bandages away from the wounds, he was alarmed at the deep stitched cuts that scarred his skin, the purple vain like bruises that joined them together, but there as clear as day were some more older hand bruises around the wrists and no matter how the cuts were made they looked less self inflicted
The nurse walked into the room, with a displeasing look on her face at the man who was now busy un-wrapping her patients other arm.
"Get me Detective Williams doctor now"
The nurse didn't move instead she went to intervene in the process, it wasn't until Steve snapped the order and Kono flashed her id that the nurse scurried off like a scolded puppy, moments later the same nurse reappeared behind the very annoyed doctor.
"What is the meaning of this?"
He stepped forward pulling more tape from his pocket and was about to re-tape the tube until Steve pushed him out of the way.
"Why the hell wasn't this seen, it's like you couldn't give a shit just another failed suicide, his a cop for crying out loud"
The doctor stepped back mouth opening and closing like a gold fish, Steve pulled his phone from his pocket and took pictures of the bruising and of Danny's sore red scarred arms. He got Kono to phone Chin before sending the pictures to him, the finger bruises where clear around his mouth.
"I want him transferred to a more secured room and a different doctor NOW"
The doctor said nothing simply turning away and leaving to arrange the care and room, Steve knew in his heart that Danny would never trying committing suicide, no matter how shitty things appeared he had Grace to live for and someone who had moved to be closer, then helped his ex give birth to another mans child was not a quitter.
An hour later, Steve, Chin and Kono stood outside Danny's new room going to through the information that they had collected on the criminal that had committed the crime against his partner, a small time drug addict with a small but impressive wrap sheet ranging from thief, assault and attempted kidnapping. It was beyond Steve why people like this were allowed to roam free. Now they had a match they simply needed to find him.
He watched as Chin and Kono left to investigate the criminal's location he stepped back into the room with Danny, it was scarring him that he was showing no signs of waking up, further tests were now being done to confirm any other abuse that he may have suffered but one thing had been discovered was the alcohol in his stomach had been laced with a chemical which had caused damage to his liver, stomach and kidney's. Even if he woke he would have to live on a plain simple diet and a possible place on the transplant list.
Steve kicked the door in, he heard the back door go and the search was on, each room cleared until they meet on the landing and on the silent 3 count they entered the bedroom finding Alex Freedman sound asleep on the bed, a strap tied around his arm and the needle emptied on the floor.
Steve was too pissed to care about protocol, Danny could have a full blown out rant at him when he woke up. He stormed across to the room dragging the Alex off the bed and into the bathroom dropping him ungracefully on the floor grateful that neither cousin had interfered, they were equally pissed, he leaned forward twisting on the cold tap allowing the bath to fill then grabbed the unconscious man and slid him into the bath making his eyes shoot open with a hollowed cursed filled scream.
Steve shoved Danny's photo in his face whilst using his other hand to pin the Alex in the bath, he wanted answers and he wanted them now.
"Answer my fucking question you piece of scum, Why did you try to kill this man?"
Alex refused to answer and continued to fight against Steve as he dunked him under the icy water that was now spilling onto the bathroom floor, Steve eventually felt hands on his shoulders pulling away, telling him that killing the young man would achieve nothing.
Steve let go and stormed out of the room allowing the cousins to drag Alex out of the bath and arrest him, Steve slummed into the driver seat wiping his hand over his face, he felt torn he wanted answers but he wanted to be at his partners side he hated the fact that he was alone at the hospital.
He had informed Rachel of the change of circumstances, but she still refused to allow Grace a visit. He was demand to change her mind 1st thing in the morning, He knew that Grace would be home once she saw him Rachel wouldn't have a leg to stand on.
He watched Chin and Kono bring Alex out of the house and load him into the back of her car, nodding they headed back to HQ, Steve couldn't trust himself to question Alex the minute he refused to talk Steve would likely to beat the answers out of him. Walking up to the smart table he busied himself looking through Danny's older cases trying to work out who Alex did the favour for because neither Alex or relatives of Alex had ever had dealings with Danny.
He turned to head into his office when a young nervous looking courier entered the office, heading straight to Steve.
"Commander Steven McGarrett?"
Steve studied the young boy nodding he was handed a brown official looking envelope, the young man held out a clip board getting Steve to sign he then quickly scurried away tail between his legs. Steve looked at the envelope and started to scan the seal and examine the insides for signs off anything unusual; it was times like this when he wished he had an X-ray machine.
Taking the envelope he headed for his office pulling the army knife shaped letter opener that Danny had got for his last birthday, a lone tear was quickly scrubbed away there was a time and place and the head office was not the place. Sliding the opener along the edge he slowly extracted the letter.
The couldn't believe what he was reading Rachel had placed a restraining order on him and the rest of Hawaii 5 0 from coming within 5 miles of Graces home or School, and no communication was excepted with Rachel or Stan.
Chin walked into the office, surprise spread across his face at the very blue language coming from Steve's office, making him dread telling Steve that Alex was point blankly refusing to talk until he had a lawyer. And seeing as he couldn't afford one they had to wait for one to be assigned making Chin thank the gods that Steve's little stunt hadn't left any marks.
"Chin can you believe that bitch is refusing through the courts to allow us to visit Grace or allow her to visit Danny, Why?"
There was nothing Steve could do if he pushed he could completely ruining everything that Danny had in place in regards to his visits, and the news of Alex had him slamming his fists into the desk.
"I'm going to see Danny, call me if anything changes"
He scrubbed his hands over his face; this was not how he had envisioned his week, parking the Camaro in the hospital parking bay he sat watching for a while trying to calm himself before even visiting his best friend. Finally composing himself he started walking towards the hospital. The only thought running through his head was why Danny?
Stepping out of the lift he noticed that the room that Danny occupied was a flurry of activity, swiftly moving down the corridor he watched from the open door as the doctors battled the save Danny the attached machines wailed for attention long after time had stopped a soft innocent bleeping soothed the hands of time, letting them tick again.
The doctors rolled Danny on his side, sucking the vomit from his mouth, supporting his head and neck as a seizer rampage through his body, the machines started screaming again, Steve felt sick to this stomach he wanted to turn and run and keep on running but his feet won't move from the scene unfolding in front of him, the battle seemed to rage for what felt like hours but lasted no more then 5 minutes.
"What happened?"
The doctor looked towards the door not realising that they had a witness to the performance, he took one last check of Danny and ushered Steve to the waiting area, asking one of the nurses for water.
"I am not going to lie to you, Danny is critical, what ever concoction he was fed has hurt him inside badly, we are lucky that he is still with us, however the latest episode will be one of many and he is not strong enough to fight"
Steve felt numb, he dropped his head into his hands covering his eyes stopping the tears from flowing he didn't feel that he had the right, Danny was still with them and that was worth fighting the emotions that tore his insides apart. He stood walking towards Danny's now quite room soothed by the humming and beeping of the life support machines, he walked towards the window looking out at the setting sun he had grown to love his new family and the precious bundle that was Danny's daughter. And now a small time drug addict had taken everything, he smashed his hand into the wall, the pain helped him to realise that it wasn't a horrible dream.
He reached into his pocket and received the vibrating phone, looking down at the number, he pressed reject he wanted so much to hear some good noise that Alex had spilt the beans and confessed everything. He walked across to the bed wincing at the sight of his valuable friend; his skin had a grey pallor, his lips although covered by tape were tinged blue, his prefect hair was a flat mess.
Steve could feel his phone vibrating again but he was scared to leave and scared to stay, he didn't want to be there when things turned bad it was tearing him apart, Rachel was right, Danny's baby shouldn't see this; he reached down and kissed Danny on the forehead remaining there for a minute.
"Thank you"
He turned from the room, it wasn't what he wanted to say, but he needed to say it, Danny may not be with them when he returned and he most likely wouldn't be able to express his true feelings. But tonight thank you covered a great many.
He stepped into the cool evening, finally excepting the call, clicking the Camaro open he slipped behind wheel near on dropping the phone as he digested the information that flowed from Chin. Pulling out of the car park he needed to be there when the arrest happened and he wanted to there through the interview.
Parking around the corner from the well known location he watched numbly as the woman was escorted toward a waiting police car and man holding a baby followed stating words of concern.
Steve was confused by her stone expression, there was nothing there not even a single tear; he watched the police pull away she appeared nil and void of expression. She turned to him and an ice cold smile spread across her face, Steve was shocked to the core.
He stepped into the integration room, the woman was sat at the table a glass of water sat untouched, she had been there for a good couple of hours as they processed her and waited for her lawyer to arrive, but Steve wasn't worried about a two piece grey with a big pay packet.
"Mrs Edwards; do you know why you have been arrested?" He didn't wait he had no patience for the bitch. "Detective Williams is fighting a battle for his life, do you know what the sentence is for death of federal officer?" nothing she simply starred, he had never wanted to kill a woman but he could allow an exception. "Why did you arrange for a two bit drug addict to try and murder Detective Williams?" Rachel turned to her lawyer asking for him to allow her time to compose herself and for a replacement office to conduct the interview.
Steven wanted to strangle her, after everything that Danny had done for her she had arranged for him to be killed and to slant him name as a coward by making it look like a suicide, he had never really understood her but had always been weary, he had been in Afghanistan and seen woman like her, innocent, quite and then bang you were clean on your back with a knife at your throat.
Steve left the interrogation room if this is how she wanted to play, then he could play too, he pulled Duke to one side and asked that Paulmann conduct the interview, he wasn't Steve's idea as a detective but he was cold and callas stood for no bullshit and always broke the criminal for a conviction. Rachel Edwards wanted bitch play then she was going to get bitch play.
He walked from the office, he phoned Kono and Chin arranging to meet them at the hospital, Danny may be in a coma but he needed to know. Once he had informed Danny he was going to inform Child protective services and have Grace and the baby taken away and then he was going to have Stan investigated. Danny may not have said much about what had gone down on the day Rachel and Grace had been carjacked but Steve was going to damn well find out and if it's dirty then two birds with one stone.
Steve stepped out of the elevator and walked quietly down the corridor which Kono and Chin following, the nurses watched them enter the detective's wards she had only just transferred to ICU but the story about the five o bound was strong and ingrained. She lifted the phone paging the doctor.
Steve stood there starring at the empty bed; the room had been sterilized and the few cards that had been allowed where gone, he pulled his phone from his pocket noticing the missed calls. He wanted to be sick, his heart started to beat faster the phone had been on silent in the interrogation, he had missed being there.
He knew what the doctor was going to say the minute he walked into the room, he wanted it to be a mistake on his behalf and that Danny had simply been taken for another test, but he knew and he didn't want to hear the words, he was angry.
"I want to see him"
The doctor nodded and went to talk to the nurse, Steve smashed his fist into the wall again the pain was want he needed to understand that the whole stupid situation was real; he now had to work on what Danny would have wanted because the bitch was not going to win this easily.
They followed the nurse in numbed silence feeling the icy cold of the morgue, it wasn't where Steve ever wanted to be again before he reached a rip old age, first his mother, father and now his best friend, someone who shouldn't be under a white sheet, he needed to be there when Grace graduated and married, but now he wouldn't even see her first boyfriend.
The mortician stood beside the only occupied table, he turned away from the three of them allowing them time to prepare themselves, Steve lifted the sheet off Danny's face he wished they hadn't covered him, he hated enclosed spaces. He looked asleep nothing was out of place except his hair, Steve smiled at the rant Danny would have had at the fact that they had messed his hair up. He leaned down and kissed Danny on the head, whispering a promise to look after Grace. He turned and walked away allowing Chin and Kono their time.
Stepping out the hospital he found that it had started to rain like the angels were weeping for the loss of a loving and caring man. He slipped into the drivers seat and pulled out of the parking bay and headed towards the courts making a few calls on the way, he was going to win and when he knew for sure, he was going to be the one to break the news and witness the greatest moment since Danny and Grace had come into his life.
Rachel sat in silence she had made a basic statement and felt nothing at the news of Danny's death she had wished the idiot Stan had hired had done the job probably she would have got away with everything and Grace would never have known any different, but now her perfect dream was crumbling and soon they would work out the Stan was in on it as well.
HPD and child protection services stood outside the Edwards residents waiting for an answer to their knocking, Stan knew who was there but he couldn't go to prison the whole idea had been Rachel's he knew it was wrong but he wanted Grace to himself without having to battle with another man, who had slept with his wife and tried to take them away from him. It was just a shame that the boy had been sloppy but he was cheap, Stan's only regret was not doing the job himself, he could have watched the life drain from his eyes he would have made it slow and painful. He poured the last on the whiskey down his throat, kissed his son on the head and pulled the trigger at the same time as the door was kicked in.
An hour later, Steve had printed and signed his name more times then had during his time in the five-O offices probably because Danny had sorted the paperwork and warrants, but this time Steve wasn't going to grumble or moan this was important to him, it was want Danny had asked of him and he wasn't going to break the promise and it was what was going to help him to face the future, he sat down in the seat glancing at his watch he realised that he had a little over an hour before school was realised just enough time to trigger the building firework display.
By the time Steve had arrived at the HPD he not only had the paper work that would snatch the life that Rachel was hoping for but he had the news that Stan had taken the cowards way out, Charlie had been taken into protective child care, Steve was now determined that Grace was going to grow up with her brother because she had already had her life turned up side down by the one person who was meant to be there for her and protect her against people that she had used to get what she wanted.
Walking into HPD was difficult as the word had flowed freely and quickly among the officers, and they patted him on the back and stated words of comfort as he walked towards the interrogation room, Duke opened the door not bothering to following as much as Rachel was a monster he knew that Steve wouldn't lower himself to her level.
Rachel watched Steve pull out the chair and sat starring at her he always had respect for her, because no matter how many times she had gone to court over the custody of Grace she would always allow her to visit the hospital when one of the team where injured, allow the surfing lessons and the barbecue's which was what had puzzled him. She knew about the barbecue at Danny's house so why had she planned the suicide for that day?
"Hope your enjoying the white wash walls Rachel because now Danny is dead they are all you be seeing for a long time"
Rachel smiled her eyes icy cold, she showed no emotions it was what she had wanted but it now held resentment because even in death Danny still screwed everything up she wished she had been there to watch him fight for his pathetic life. She wasn't about to bow down to Steve she knew that he liked to play games.
"Amateur criminals always make mistakes and you Rachel made the biggest"
Steve stood from the chair and rounded the table and crouched down in front of her finally starting to see the cracking emotions he was about to nail the coffin shut and he wanted to see her reaction up close.
"I just thought that you might like to know that Stanley Edwards took his life this afternoon and that Charlie is now in protective services and I would like to also remind that the paper work that you signed with Danny making me the legal guardian to Grace if anything should happen to either yourself or Danny has been officially signed off and I will be collecting Grace from school today"
Rachel broke everything had collapsed, tears fell down her cheeks, her anger was boiling inside at the realisation that she had lost everything.
"YOU BASTARD, WHO DO YOU, THINK YOU ARE?"
It was now Steve turn to smile he might have just lost his best friend but he had gained a daughter and now he was going to fight for Charlie too, he walked out of interrogation leaving Rachel screaming and crying as reality had finally come knocking.