Note: Hey, back with another one, didn't take me as long this time. It's only short though. Four chapters with alternate days posting. Not much plot just pure whump and no team I'm afraid.
As always a massive thanks to wenwalke. With out her you would all be subjected to my horrible punctuation and English terms.
Disclaimer: I do not own H50. No copy right infringement intended. Just having some whump fun.
'Til Death Do Us Part
Chapter One
"Grace, hurry up." Danny finished securing Charlie into his car seat while he waited for his daughter to finish loading her cheerleader kit into the trunk of the car. They were already running late for the school run, after Charlie had managed to spill his cereal all over the kitchen floor. Danny had forgotten how much mess young children could make, but he was sure getting used to it again now Charlie was sleeping over at his house, along with Grace.
"Ready Danno," Grace gave him a cheeky smile as she jumped into the passenger seat and clicked her seatbelt in place.
Danny started the car and pulled out of the drive, while Grace fiddled with the radio station. Her father wasn't the only one who disagreed with Steve's music choice. Three blocks away Grace suddenly spoke. "Danno, isn't that Mrs. Kepler?"
Danny looked over to the curb where an old lady was walking, she was still in her night dress, and was barefoot. It was in deed their elderly neighbour Mrs. Kepler. Danny knew that she had recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. "Yeah it is." He said pulling the car over.
"We're gonna be late, Danno." Grace worried.
"Don't worry, I'll call the schools and explain. We need to take her home, jump in the back with Charlie." Grace immediately complied and, much to Charlie's delight, joined her brother in the back of the car.
Danny carefully approached the elderly woman, not wanting to startle her. "Hey, Mrs. Kepler."
Relief flooded the woman's face as she recognized a friendly face. "Oh Daniel, how nice to see you."
"It's nice to see you too. What are you doing all the way out here?"
"I... I don't know. I'm a little turned around dear."
"Don't worry, how about we get you home? Mr. Kepler is probably worried." Gently guiding the woman to his car Danny looked down sadly at her dirty feet.
Securing the seatbelt, Danny then pulled out his phone and made several calls to both schools, and then to Steve to let him know he would be late, before getting back in the car and heading back home.
As they pulled up outside their home Danny saw a frantic Mr. Kepler. "Oh Detective Williams, I can't find Evie, she's gone."
"Don't worry, she's safe." Danny pointed to the car and his precious cargo in the front seat.
"Oh, thank you, thank you. She's having more and more bad episodes. I woke up and she was gone." Mr. Kepler helped his wife out of the car, and embraced her.
"Bye dears." She waved to the two children in the back seat and Charlie shouted goodbye rather enthusiastically.
"Her feet look a little sore, but other than that she looks ok." Danny informed the concerned husband.
"Thank you, I'll take care of them." They watched as Mrs. Kepler wandered over to the flower bed by her front door and started tending to the weeds.
"Mr. Kepler, I don't want to interfere, but if she is getting worse, and you're having trouble coping?"
"Yes, I know. Thank you. I have an appointment next week with some home care nurses. They will sit with her and give me a break."
"That sounds good." Danny was relieved that they would both be getting the help they needed.
"Our son wanted me to put her in a home, said he would pay for it. But I couldn't do that to her. We've been married for 58 years. Slept in the same bed every night. She's my life, Detective Williams. I meant it when I took the vow 'til death do us part."
Danny smiled, the love between the couple had always shone brightly. He bid Mr. Kepler farewell and headed back to his car to complete the school run.
5-0-5-0-5-0-5-0
Danny closed the door to Charlie's room. His son had fallen asleep in the middle of his second story, and was out for the count. Grace was sat at the dining table finishing an essay for her history class. Moving into the kitchen Danny started clearing away the dishes, and wiping down the work tops. Finally, he tied a knot in the trash bag and removed it from the bin.
Grace looked up from her essay and smiled as Danny walked to the front door and unlocked it, exiting to dispose of the bag.
Danny walked down the drive, stopped at the trash can, and deposited the trash bag. Turning he stopped in his tracks as the smell of smoke tickled his nostrils. He scanned the surrounding area for signs of a fire, expecting a neighbour to be burning off some rubbish. The smell wasn't that of a BBQ.
Realising the smell was stronger to his right, he took a few more steps towards his neighbour's, the Kepler's house.
"Shit!" He exclaimed as he saw the telltale signs of smoke rising into the air, and the flicker of flames through the window.
"Grace, Grace!" He screamed as he surveyed the scene.
"Danno?" Grace was at the door in seconds, eyes wide, picking up on the scared tone in her father's voice.
"Call the fire department, the Kepler's house is on fire. Go get your brother, and go to the Aku's house." Danny knew that fires could jump from house to house, and he wasn't taking any chances. The Aku's lived across the street, and Charlie had made friends with their son, Akoni. They would make sure his children were safe and out of harm's way.
"Danno?" Grace screamed after her father as he headed towards the burning house.
"I need to make sure no one is in the house Grace. I'll be ok, I promise, now go call for help. Keep your brother safe."
Grace knew better than to disobey her father, so retreated inside the house to call 911. After that she ran to her brother's room and dragged the sleepy boy from his bed. Taking her cell phone with them she struggled to carry Charlie, who was in his PJs, and had no shoes on, across the road and up to the front door of the Aku's house. Setting Charlie down she started to bang on the door while looking back at the burning house. Her Danno was nowhere to be seen, the front door was wide open, and Grace knew her father had gone into the house. Tears pricked at her eyes, she knew that her father was brave, and it was his job to help people, but this wasn't what he normally did. She had overheard stories about fires from her pop, and how people had died trying to save loved ones. Her heart raced in her chest as the door was finally opened and Mr. Aku appeared.
"Fire." She managed to blurt out and point in the direction of the Kepler's home. "I called 911. Danno's gone to help."
Mr. Aku ushered the children inside to safety. Charlie had begun to cry, unsure of the situation, but picking up on his sisters behaviour. Mrs. Aku bent down and scooped the young boy up, whispering reassuring words into his ear.
Mr. Aku ran to alert the neighbours on the other side of the fire, then saw Mr. Kepler stood at the end of his driveway, so he ushered him away to safety.
Hands trembling, Grace opened her phone and dialed. It only rang twice before her uncle's familiar voice sounded.
"Hey Grace, isn't it getting close to your bedtime?"
"Uncle Steve. The house next door is on fire. Danno when to help."
Her uncle's tone was suddenly serious. "Grace, are you safe?"
"Yes. Danno sent Charlie and I across the road to the neighbours. Uncle Steve, Danno went into the house."
"Grace, I'm sure your dad knows what he's doing. I'm on my way. Is that the fire department I can hear?" Sirens wailed in the distance signaling help was on its way. Steve, while anxious for his best friend's safety, wanted to reassure his adoptive niece that all would be ok.
"Yes, they are nearly here now." Grace could see the flames flickering as the curtains at the windows caught fire. Neighbours had started to file out into the street, when a large explosion made everyone jump and take cover. Glass from the windows shattered and blew out, littering the garden with debris.
Grace screamed, terrified for her dad.
"Grace, I'm on my way. I'll be there soon." Steve called down the phone, unsure if Grace had heard him. The explosion had sounded through the phone, and Steve knew that didn't bode well for his friend.
TBC