AN: I've never written for H50, but the S5:19 Kahania begged for a tag. The end drove me a little crazy, because you can't end a scene like that! This is also a way to explain Danny's absence (because S5:18 was kinda intense and a little strange); Steve totally needed him! Please forgive any OOCness. And yes, Skeleton Key will have a new chapter soon! I promise!
If I owned H50, Steve McGarrett would be an emotional mess, and would lay waste to the beautiful islands of Hawai'i if anything happened to his ohana.
oOoOoOo
Lewa – to suspend (from the air, etc.), with slight movement.
Detective Danny Williams smoothed his tie, running a hand down his cloth-covered chest. Halfway down, he winced as his fingers passed over bruised ribs. Taking a deep breath, he turned away from the mirror, hoping the bruises on his face didn't look as bad as they felt.
Leaving his apartment, Danny checked his watch. He hoped to stop by the Palace to catch Steve and the others. It had been over a week since he returned from Columbia; he was there for barely 24 hours, and it was enough to try to block it out of his mind. If he were honest with himself, Danny knew he never wanted to see that look in his partner's eyes again – the fiercely protective berserker that will level a city to rescue any of his ohana.
As he drove toward Five-0 headquarters, Danny glanced at the empty passenger seat. Idly, he wondered what his partner was doing. For the past few days, Steve had called at least three times throughout the day. But today, Danny hadn't received so much as a text.
Checking the clock on the dash, he confirmed it was after 3 in the afternoon. Perhaps he could catch his team before they close out the day, or, even better, help out with a case. Technically, he should be at home in bed. Resting. Smiling to himself, Danny could hear Steve scolding his choice to come into the office. Squinting behind sunglasses, the detective felt it was a good day to venture out; Danny Williams did not sit around wasting time on 'rest'.
Pulling into his usual spot, he noticed a certain blue truck missing from the next space. Curious, Danny left his car, quickening his pace to enter the Palace.
oOoOoOo
Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett sat behind the wheel of his vehicle, staring out at nothing. The incriminating box of photos sat heavily on the next seat.
What am I doing here? He asked himself. Again. I am not a cop! Are they trained for this? Of everything he's seen over the years, it still caught him off guard: the things people do to each other was bad enough. The things people do to children…
Steve sat in his truck, listening to his own shaky breaths over the hum of the air conditioner. So much had happened over the last few days, weeks, months – the weight of today may have broken his stoic bravado. He had believed everything Eran Dobrian had said, risking his life to protect the young man, only to shoot him down later.
Reviewing the day over and over was getting him nowhere, one thought chasing another. A knock on the window would have startled him badly if the noise in his head wasn't so loud. Clumsily, Steve pressed the button, hearing the window descend.
"Sorry to bother you, Commander," Officer Lukela said, frowning at the other man. "We're wrapping up here. Would you like me to handle the evidence?"
Taking a deep breath, Steve reached over to collect the small box. Silently, he pushed the box through the window; he didn't trust his voice at all.
"We'll take good care of this, Steve. Don't worry."
Nodding, Steve watched as the officer placed the box inside the bag. With the collected evidence and testimony from Garig Dobrian, the cold case would be closed. The officer killed today, Odell's destroyed shop, the rain of bullets that completely decimated the block… Steve closed his eyes thinking about the paperwork.
"You need a ride, Steve?" Duke's concerned voice cut through the other man's thoughts.
"No, Duke. But thanks." Steve knew he probably didn't look well. Hell, if he looked as bad as he felt, it was no wonder Duke looked upset. Smiling – he hoped it was a smile – Steve snapped his seatbelt and put the truck in gear. With a shaky wave, he drove slowly away.
The officer watched as the big vehicle maneuvered around squad cars towards the main street. Duke immediately reached for his phone, punching number three on the keypad.
oOoOoOo
"Yeah, thanks, Duke. I'll keep an eye out for him," Chin Ho Kelly replied, glancing over the smart table. He watched the small blue dot make its way closer to the Iolani Palace. The boss had sent over pictures of a dark basement room that held the serial killer's souvenirs. Shaking his head with a sigh, Chin catalogued the images, compiling them for HPD's forensic labs.
A bruised but cheerful Detective Williams limped toward the large table as Chin's hands flew over its surface. "Hey, Chin! What's up? Another case?"
"Danny," the lieutenant grinned. "Didn't expect to see you here until Monday." Waving a hand, he cleared the various windows littering the large screen.
The other man shrugged with a wince. "Eh, I got bored. Had to sign some paperwork at HPD, collect my badge and whatnot. Where's Steve?"
"Believe it or not, the boss closed two cases today."
"Two? That's impressive. How many grenades did it take to get that done?"
Chin's smile turned sad. "Amazingly enough, none. He was actually outgunned this time. I'm sure –"His head bobbed in a double-take as he glanced around Danny.
Chin had seen a lot of expressions on Steve McGarrett's face; Danny had even given them names. But this one… this was anguish.
"Steve?" Danny was certain the other man was near the point of collapse, judging by his grey complexion and red-rimmed eyes. "Hey, Steve?"
McGarrett placed his phone on the table. "There're a few more photos. Make sure they get to Fong for analysis, and release –"As his knees buckled, Steve felt a moment of relief. Being unconscious for awhile sounded fantastic.
Danny wrapped an arm around his partner's waist, while Chin calmly placed a hand under Steve's arm.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! What the hell happened to you?!" Williams exclaimed, dragging the taller man toward the nearest office.
Depositing Steve on the couch, Chin's deft hands skimmed from the commander's neck to his wrist. Frowning at his watch, Chin tried to ignore the cool clammy skin under his fingertips.
Danny trotted over to the small fridge, pulling out a bottle of water. "Gone for a few days, and look what happens…"
Suddenly, Steve snatched his arm away, waving off his teammates. "Just gimme a minute," he said gruffly.
Kneeling, Chin waited for signs of a possible panic attack, keeping his distance. He pulled his gaze away to check on Danny, who had gone quiet and still. The two partners seemed to be locked in a silent war; Steve looked away first. Leaning forward, the commander put his head in his hands, taking deep breaths.
Tension easing, Chin patted his boss on the knee. "Well, the good news is you're not going into shock," he said quietly. "But you are a little dehydrated."
Danny took that as his cue to move, perching on the edge of the couch. Shoving the chilled water into the other man's hand, Danny frowned. "And my guess is you probably didn't stop to eat either," he said finally, placing a hand on Steve's shoulder.
With a watchful eye, Chin rose slowly, careful not to make sudden moves. The commander was unpredictable sometimes when stressed; Chin didn't want to exacerbate the situation. Only Danny could get close enough to calm with a touch.
Danny watched Steve try to gulp down half the water. "Hey, hey, hey! Knock it off. Slow down! You're gonna choke if you keep that up."
Glancing back and forth between the two men, Chin stepped away, satisfied there wouldn't be any further issues. He watched Steve screw the cap on the bottle with somewhat shaky fingers, placing the cool bottle against his cheek.
"So, is anybody gonna tell me what's going on? Or will I have to decipher the grunts and squinty eyes on my own?" The now-vocal man stared at his partner, then back at Chin.
"Talk to him, Steve. I'll make sure all the evidence for this case gets moved to the front of the list." Reaching out, he gave a reassuring squeeze to his boss' shoulder. With a smile and a nod, the older man quietly left the office.
Danny watched closely as Steve leaned back with a sigh. Convulsively, the distressed man had been squeezing the nearly empty bottle; the irritating crunch of recycled plastic echoed in the room. With shuttered eyes, Steve watched the protesting plastic pop to reform its shape.
Following his partner's lead, Danny slid back against the cushions. Crossing his legs, he tapped a finger on his knee, striving for patience. Something had set him off, and for once, he wouldn't nag his partner.
Maybe. Nope.
"What did that poor bottle do to you? Do I need CSU in here when you murder it?"
Suddenly, Steve swung his arm, launching the bottle across the room. Deep down, he hoped it would break… something.
"Okay! I get it! You're upset, but –"
"Why am I doing this?" Steve said quietly. So quiet, Danny almost missed it. "Why, Danny? I don't need to be here, playing cop. I'm not a cop!"
"This again," Danny said, rolling his eyes. Gingerly propping his head on his left hand, he found a spot that hurt less than others on his face. He took a deep breath. "No, this is true. You aren't a cop in the strictest sense. You are a SuperSEAL. But what does that have to do with anything?"
McGarrett ran a hand roughly over his face, absently noting the still-smooth surface. "After all I've seen, Danno, after all Five-0 has done, it's not enough."
"And it never will be," the detective replied calmly. "But we are making a difference."
Rising quickly, McGarrett began to pace the length of his office. Hands on hips, he prowled the floor like a caged cat. Danny batted away the image of a twitching tail and raised hackles.
Placing both feet on the floor, the detective waited somewhat patiently until his partner was ready to speak.
And failed. Again.
"Steven. Are you going to tell me what the hell happened today?"
"You want to know what happened today?" McGarrett quickened his pacing, marching to a beat only he could hear. After spinning on his heel several times, he rubbed his smooth chin. "What happened was –" He stopped suddenly, staring off into the middle distance, then returned to pacing. "Odell Martin opened his shop early this morning for me."
"Which explains the beard-free face. That was very nice of him," Danny commented, waiting. "Then what happened?"
The pacing slowed fractionally a Steve pushed a hand through short hair. "I – We - The shop came under siege around 0730. This kid runs in, scared out of his mind, bleeding from a wound above the knee, possibly from a small caliber weapon. He said – He said people were trying to kill him, because he witnessed an execution. And I…" Steve paused to breathe. "I believed him. We were holed up in Odell's shop for almost two hours, and I believed every word he said. I didn't bring my cell; I just wanted to relax–"
Letting his clasped hands fall between his knees, Danny nodded. "Okay. He's the victim, so naturally you would hear his side of the story." Tilting his head to ease the tension between his shoulders, Danny sighed. He watched his partner stop pacing, pressing the palms of his hands into tired eyes. As much as he wanted to prod the information out of his partner, Danny chose not to push. In the five years he'd known Steve McGarrett, he had never seen the SEAL so affected by… anything.
"Odell's shop, his new one mind you, has more bullets in the walls than we have in armory, not to mention the hole in the wall. This guy used a chainsaw–"
Planting hands on knees, Danny rose stiffly. Standing in front of the taller man, he waited for Steve to lower his hands from his face. "I take it they wanted the kid pretty bad if they resorted to such extensive property damage."
With a long sigh, Steve let his hands fall limply to his sides. He stared down at his partner; Danny squirmed under the intensity in the stormy blue eyes. "We finally escaped, but not without another HPD officer getting killed, and another friend put in danger!"
Turning away, the commander resumed his pacing. "The kid. He took Odell hostage using a gun I gave for protection!"
Piecing everything together, Danny began to finally figure out what set the man off. He knew the SEAL viewed all those around him under his protection. Someone violated Steve's trust, turning his protectiveness against him. "Okay. So this kid–"
"Eran Dobrian."
"What?"
"His name is – was – Eran Dobrian."
"As in Armenian mob Dobrian? Was… you mean he's dead?"
"Yes," Steve said finally, voice harsh and rough. "Garig Dobrian's Second and a group of thugs were sent to kill Eran. His own father ordered a hit on his only son, Danny!"
The shorter man's brain stuttered at the information. "What? Why?"
"Because he–" McGarrett stopped pacing. Bending at the waist, he braced his hands on his knees, just breathing.
"All right. Okay. You," Danny wrapped a hand around the commander's arm, guiding him back to the couch. "Sit here." The chalky paleness had returned, almost as bad as before. Opening the fridge again, he pulled out two beers. This is a terrible idea, Danny Williams, he thought. Steve took it gratefully, picking at the label. Danny patted him on the back twice before settling down next to him. "You throw this one, I am not cleaning it up."
Steve allowed a snort, frowning at the dark bottle. "The Palolo Valley case," the SEAL began. "You know, it's been unsolved for almost a year."
"Yeah, yeah. Missing kids. The bodies haven't been recovered. Wait–"
Mumbling an affirmative, Steve took a long swallow. "Garig Dobrian told me where to find–" He paused for several breaths. "I brought Dobrian in for questioning. He told me everything. I took a team down to the marina, hoping Odell was still alive. We cornered Eran; I made the killshot."
"I see," Danny said cautiously, thoughts forming faster than words. "This is what's got you bent around the axle."
"What?"
"You, my friend." Danny twisted to face his partner, despite protesting ribs. "Somewhere deep in that thick military-trained skull, you think you carried out that hit."
"Wha- No! I would never–"
"Whether you like it or not, you do. This monster deserved to be put down, but because you found out about the kid before you shot him, your skewed sense of protection and justice got a little scrambled."
Steve opened his mouth to protest, then shut it with a click of teeth. "Protection and justice… You make me sound like, like a–"
"Like an officer of the law?" Chuckling, Danny leaned back, taking the pressure off his torso. "We all have to decide these things. Protect the law, protect the innocent, deliver justice. Balance. The lady doesn't hold scales for nothin', ya know."
Shoulders slumping, Steve took another swig. "Dobrian gave me the keys to the house. My first thought was, why is it always the basement?" Peeling off the rest of the label, McGarrett tossed the crumpled, sticky pieces in the direction of the trashcan. "I didn't know what I would find."
"And you, in your infinite wisdom, went in alone."
Turning toward his friend, McGarrett shook his head. "I had to make sure no one else would get hurt, Danny. I asked the officers to wait for my signal."
"And that's your problem." The detective placed a hand on Steve's arm, noting the skin was warmer than before; the commander regained most of his normal color. "We've talked about this before."
"It's my job, Danno," McGarrett said, nearly smiling at the grimace on his partner's face.
"Did you find what you needed?" Danny asked, pulling his hand away.
Frowning at the lack of contact, the commander nodded. "Dobrian will show me the rest tomorrow."
"He'll show us the rest. You're not going back there alone." Passing a hand over his face, Danny sighed. "This is very exhausting."
"You have no idea," Steve said, tilting his head back on the couch.
"I have no idea? Despite your smooth shave, you look terrible by the way."
"Mahalo a nui, Danno."
oOoOoOo
The end. Indulgences… They get away from me sometimes. Thanks for stopping by!