"It's been four days Steven. Come on brother, it's time you woke up. The Doc keeps telling me not worry yet, but Jesus Christ partner you're really starting to frighten me. Please give me some kind of sign, huh? Gracie keeps asking to see you but I'll be honest with you buddy, you look a bit scary. You sure aren't your usual pretty self right now. Steve…please come back to us…..we need you, I need you…."
He squeezed the unconscious man's hand even tighter. Danny thought he had cried all the tears he could cry, but here he was again with tears streaming down his cheeks. Danny Williams was not a man of prayer but he not only prayed now, he begged God to please save Steve. The SEAL was lying here, near death because of him and if he died….oh God it would destroy him, but even worse it would destroy Gracie. Danny whispered under his breath, "Please God…..please don't take Steve from us"
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Four days ago, Monday...
Steve and Danny were just leaving Kamekono's after lunch when the call came in from Rachel.
"Danny, I need you to pick Gracie up from school for me today"
"Rachel, I can't do that. I have my physical scheduled and I've been told by my partner if I cancel it again I can't come back to work tomorrow"
"I'm certain Steve will understand"
"This is beyond Steve understanding my dear. I have cancelled this appointment THREE TIMES already!"
"Danny, I have an appointment…"
"SO DO I…and I've already cancelled three times because of your appointments. What in the hell is your urgent appointment for today?"
"Danny, what does that matter?"
"What a manicure Rach, a pedicure?"
"Stop it Daniel! I have a Doctor's appointment myself"
Danny demeanor quickly changed, "What? Why…what's the matter with you?"
"Nothing…nothing is the matter with me…I might….I might be pregnant"
"Oh really? Well…..uhh congratulations I guess?"
"Thank you, but I'm not certain that's why I'm going in. So can you pick up Gracie when school lets out?"
"Rachel…..I really can't miss this appointment again. Can't you re-schedule?"
They had reached the car and as they entered Steve was listening quietly. He held up a finger and spoke, "I can pick her up"
Danny looked at him, "Really? You sure you don't mind?"
"I don't mind at all. In fact I've been promising I would take her to the new Ice Cream Parlor that opened up downtown. How about if we hang out there and you can meet us after your appointment?"
Danny nodded and turned his attention back to Rachel, "Rachel, keep you appointment. Steve's going to pick her up for us. I'd like to take her out to dinner then and I'll have her home about seven, seven-thirty…...okay, bye"
"Geez…..hey, thanks buddy"
"Yeah sure, what's up?"
"She thinks she might be pregnant. I didn't think Step-Stan had it in him"
"Now Danno, that's not nice. You promised you'd try harder to accept that Stan is a part of Rachel's life"
"Hey, cut me a break will you! At least I didn't say it to Rachel"
Steve smirked, "You're something else, you know that"
"Yeah, yeah….."
As he pulled onto the road Steve watched his partner as he stared aimlessly out the passenger side window.
After a couple of minutes of silence Steve spoke, "Are you okay Danno?"
"Huh? Yeah I'm fine…..why?"
"You're quiet…you're only quiet when you're upset"
"Now that's not true. Am I not allowed a moment of quiet introspection?"
"Sure. I'm just worried about you, that's all"
"Worried about me? Why?"
"With Rachel being pregnant"
"MAYBE…maybe being pregnant Steven"
"Okay, with Rachel 'maybe' being pregnant. How do you feel about that?"
Danny gave Steve a puzzled look stating, "How do I feel? Are you my psychiatrist now?"
"If that's what's needed I can be, yes….Danny, I know you still love her and….."
Danny interrupted him, "WHOA WHOA stop right there! I AM divorced, you do know that right?"
"Yes, you have told me that. I'm just saying though that in the three months we've been partners I have noticed that…let's just say, it's apparent that you still have strong feelings for Rachel"
"You know what, how about if you don't worry about my personal life okay?"
"Hey Danno, I'm just concerned that's all"
"Well DON'T BE! There's nothing to be concerned about, I'm…" Suddenly Danny hollered as he turned his head to see a car barreling towards them, in their lane, at a high rate of speed. "STEVE LOOK OUT!"
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Steve turned his head and seeing the car he pulled the steering wheel of the Camero sharply to the left narrowly avoiding the vehicle. The passenger side of the Camero rose off the ground as Steve struggled to regain control and keep it from flipping. Inside the car things seemed to move in slow motion but in reality everything was over in moments. When the car came to a stop on the edge of the road it was less than two feet from an embankment which led to a fifty foot drop into the Ocean.
Both men were shaken and dust was swirling around in the car. Danny was coughing as Steve hollered out, "Are you okay Danno?"
"Yeah, what the fuck!"
Both men raced from the car and ran towards the other vehicle that had crashed into a pole a few feet away. The driver was slumped over the wheel and Steve reached inside the broken window placing his fingers on the man's neck feeling for a pulse.
Danny was standing beside him as Steve looked at him, "He's dead"
The man appeared to be about sixty years old. Danny asked, "What do you figure? Heart attack?"
"Yeah, probably. Go call for help partner"
Danny ran back to his Camero and called for HPD and an ambulance. As he exited the car he couldn't help but notice how close they had come to careening over the embankment. Danny was already tense from the conversation with Rachel and this sent him over the edge! He marched angrily across the road towards Steve. The SEAL had pulled the man from the car and he stood from the body as Danny approached, turning to face him. As he turned, he was met with a solid punch to the jaw from his belligerent partner. Steve was staggered by the punch and rubbing his jaw he looked to Danny, "What in the hell?"
"EXACTLY! WHAT IN THE HELL! What in the hell is wrong with you! You almost got us killed! We almost went over the embankment because you weren't paying attention to the road. THREE MONTHS! We've been partners for three months!Twelve weeks and you've almost had me killed what, a dozen times? NO MORE! I've got a daughter who needs me and working with you is a hazard to my health!" Without saying another word Danny stormed away going back to his car and leaning against it he looked out over the Ocean.
A short time later HPD and the ambulance arrived taking over the scene. Steve moved back to the Camero and as he opened the drivers side door he called out to Danny, "Hey, let's go"
The blonde detective turned, responding "If you think you're driving, you're truly crazy"
Steve stepped towards Danny holding his hand out, the keys dangling from his fingers. Danny moved past him, grabbing the keys as he did.
Once they were in the car and back on the road Steve turned saying, "So Dann…."
He was cut off in mid-sentence, "Don't talk….please don't talk"
They drove in silence back to headquarters. As they pulled into the parking lot Steve looked at his watch, "You better head out or you'll be late. Gracie and I will be waiting for you"
Danny didn't turn to look at Steve, continuing to stare straight ahead "I don't think so. I'll pick her up"
"What? Come on Danny"
Danny's next words cut through Steve like a knife, "Can I trust her with you?"
"You don't mean that?"
Danny's jaw was tense with anger as he kept looking straight ahead, "I should be there by four thirty. Please drive carefully"
Without saying another word Steve exited the car and moved to his truck as Danny drove from the parking lot. Steve called Chin and Kono telling them briefly about what happened with their near accident. He then explained that he needed to go pick up Gracie for Danny and that they could head out for the day. He then pulled from the parking lot driving towards Gracie's school.
As Danny drove on, a sudden wave of guilt overwhelmed him and he pulled out his cellphone. As his finger was about to hit the speed dial to call Steve he changed his mind. He would apologize to his partner, but not over the phone…..he knew he had over-reacted. He should never have hit Steve but even worse he should never have insinuated that the SEAL would ever place Gracie in any danger…..THAT was a low blow. Steve deserved a face to face apology. It was certainly not his partners' fault that he was having a hard time dealing with his divorce. Steve was right…..he did still love her, but if she was pregnant…damn it! His personal life was a mess.
Within the hour Danny was wishing that he had made that phone call to apologize to Steve…now four days later he was praying that Steve would live and he would get the chance to apologize…
******* Hope you like the start, please let me know *********