Beneath the surface
By
Landon Richardson and TealRose
Official Disclaimer
The character of Steve McGarrett, Chin Ho Kelly, Kono Kalakaua, Adam 'Toast' Charles and anyone else who sound familiar and is from the show do not belong to me in any shape or form. I am merely using them for my own entertainment purposes.
The character of Danni Williams, although originally based on male Danny Williams, can now be considered her own character as she has developed her own personality and different background. This of course directly affects Grace who is different than in the show as she lives with Danni full time and is raised by her. Danni and her ex-husband Duncan also have a civil relationship with each other which helps makes Grace more settled. I should also add that Grace's surname in the saga is Taylor and not Williams. Williams is Danni's maiden name which she reverted back to once her divorce is official. Taylor was her married name.
The character of Special Agent Jack O'Connor, Commander Riley King and Doctor Rosie Lange belong to me. If you come across a character who you do not instantly recognise then the character belongs to me as well.
Author Note
Here is the second chapter of the story.
This story starts off slowly, establishing some romance before it kick off big style. Once it does it will be very much action orientated.
Anyway please enjoy.
Overall Summary
When Steve McGarrett's former second in Commander from his SEAL days arrives on the island, he thought that they would just have a few drinks and a catch up. He didn't expect to be dragged into a mission that puts everything he's been building in jeopardy. Now Steve is faced with a choice, stand by the man who always had his back or protect his Ohana and the woman he loves from the danger Riley brings. (McDanni, female Danni)
Chapter Summary
A meeting between brothers
Official Romance
Steven 'Steve' McGarrett / Danielle 'Danni' Williams (McDanni)
Riley King / Rosamund 'Rosie' Lange (Risie)
Chapter Romance
Steven 'Steve' McGarrett / Danielle 'Danni' Williams (McDanni)
Hints of Riley King / Rosamund 'Rosie' Lange (Risie)
Other note
Please keep in mind that I don't have a Beta for this story so the odd mistake may creep in without me meaning it to. I have also never been to Hawaii so all locations are either from the show, google or made up in my own mind.
Chapter Two
A blast from the past
Riley was right, the same way he had always been right when he had been out in the field on a mission, it was almost a sixth sense which had granted him the nickname of Archangel as he was all seeing according to the men on his unit.
Five minutes after Thompson had walked into the bar with his friends and taken his seat, chaos reigned. The bartender had a rifle in his hand which he was pointing at everyone, his dark eyes flickering over the people still standing with a look in them which told Riley that not only did the man know how to use the weapon he was holding in his hands but that he would have little trouble in using it against them either.
Five men lay prone on the floor, knocked out cold with little chance of waking up before they found themselves in a police cell.
Another two lay dead, eyes staring unseeingly into the world, both with identical looks of shock on their faces as if they couldn't believe that they had ended up like this.
Riley leaned back against the counter, grimacing slightly as the knife wound at his side pulled. It was bleeding and would need medical attention but there was little he could do about it now. The wound was the result of him protecting one of the older men and had resulted in the man wielding the knife's untimely demise. Riley, unlike the other men, was a warrior who had been trained to fight from a very young age and instilled with a desire to protect others. The men who he had fought against were simply street thugs with no sense of honour.
Thompson unfortunately was still breathing, standing near Riley, his eyes fixed on him as though he was scared to look away. Riley paid little heed to him, instead tilting his head towards the bar tender as the man finally rang 911 requesting immediate aid. A tone to his voice which was a mixture of resignation and annoyance as though this was a regular occurrence which he had to deal with.
For all Riley knew it was.
Within minutes there was the sounds of approaching sirens, followed by the sound of squealing tires as someone applied the brakes slightly too harshly outside. He looked towards the door, frowning when he view was suddenly obstructed by Thompson.
"Why did you help me?" He demanded, his hand held loosely at his side.
Riley's eyes narrowed, noticing with a sense of satisfaction that Thompson immediately took a step back from him with a flinch which he couldn't hide.
"Well it wasn't because I like you because I think you're the biggest jackass to walk into this bar for a long time." Riley remarked flatly. "I stepped in not for you or your friends but because those men would have had no problem in wiping out everyone in this bar. I wasn't going to sit by and let innocent blood be spilled because of you."
Before Thompson could say anything in reply, the door to the bar was flung open again and an unfamiliar voice yelled out over the murmuring.
"50! Everyone drop your weapons to the ground now and get your hands up where I can see them."
Riley silently cursed as he brought his hands up, palms face forward beside his head so they could be clearly seen. He knew his face would be locked in his default blank look as he took his time looking over the new arrivals who entered the room. New Arrivals who he could tell were highly trained individuals.
This had been the last thing which he had wanted.
Riley's eyes widened as his gaze landed on one of the men who had entered the room. A man who he would never forget, one who he counted as his only true friend in this world and one who he would gladly walk into hell for if the need arose for it.
What the hell was Steve McGarrett doing in Hawaii and why the hell was he responding to a call in regards to a shoot up in a bar?
Riley frowned, watching as McGarrett went up to two of the other people who had come in, giving them orders in a way which told him that the other man must have been in charge of 50. The two of them; one a tall blond man who looked as though he was roughly the same age as them and a younger native woman with brown hair nodded at whatever McGarrett had said and moved away, heading directly towards the perimeters of the room where the older men had gathered together.
Another woman, this one small in height with blonde hair which must have been long considering the hair style it was in, brushed past McGarrett with a wave of her hand at him, heading directly towards the two dead bodies. Riley watched as she knelt beside them and reached out for the first man, resting her slim fingers firstly against the pulse in his neck before she found his wrists and felt for a pulse there. She leaned down, her head tilted as she leaned down towards his face, clearly trying to see whether there was any sign of breathing before she looked at McGarrett and shook her head before repeating the same process with the other man. Clearly she was a woman who didn't like taking chances.
Riley turned from them, ignoring the next wave of people who entered the bar; a wave which would include CSU agents, paramedics for the injured and probably a medical examiner who would deal with the two dead bodies. He turned so he was facing the counter again, cursing in his mind when he saw that his glass of whiskey was shattered, the contents spilled across the bar. The bottle of whiskey was gone as well, smashed across someone's skull in the rush. He could order another one but somehow he doubted that the bar tender would keep the bar open after this.
"Are you hurt or injured?"
Riley frowned slightly at the voice, he didn't recognise it but he could pick up traces of a native accent which told him that man was either born and bred in Hawaii or had lived there long enough to adopt the tone. He was most likely dealing with the Asian looking man who had been one of the first into the bar holding a nasty looking shotgun in his hands.
Riley twisted round again, finding himself confronted with a pair of black eyes. A glance at the rest of the man told him that he had been right in his guess of who he had been dealing with. A look to the side of him showed McGarrett talking to Thompson, a look on his face which indicated that he was moment's away from grabbing Thompson and introducing him face first into a brick wall. It was little surprise considering how much McGarrett hated people like Thompson.
"Don't worry, I'm not about to drop dead on you and add to the paperwork you have to do." Riley told him calmly, watching as the man's lips twitched for a moment as though he was going to smile though he didn't. "I understand that you're doing your job by talking to me but trust me when I say that you don't want to mess with me right now. If you don't believe me than ask your Boss McGarrett and I'm sure he'll tell you as well. The two of us go way back." He remarked, his eyes never dropping from the man's eyes. He saw them widen slightly, probably at the mention of McGarrett but he remained silent, merely looking him up and down thoughtfully as though he was sizing him up.
He was well aware of what the other man would be seeing. A tall man in his early thirties with a built physique which came from the amount of training he placed himself through on a daily basis. His hair was short and jet black with a wave to it which made it difficult to control even when it was short. Dark eyes finished the look off. If the man was any good then he would see his tanned skin and realise that Riley had Hawaiian blood running though his veins from his father who had been half Hawaiian, half Chinese. Riley doubted he would though, not many people could guess his heritage correctly and those who tried and failed often ended up in hospital.
The man in front of him shifted, opening his mouth to speak when a secondary voice interrupted him. This time soft and feminine with a hint of a Californian accent to it,
"Hey Chin, I'm going to get the guys to transport the two bodies to the morgue now. I'll add them to the list of autopsies which we currently have but I can't promise that they'll be done quickly. The cause of death is pretty self-explanatory and we still have that triple homicide and a five pile car up from earlier on to make our way through. With Max and Sophia both away on leave we're pretty shorthanded at the moment" she stated with a sigh.
"Not a problem Rosie, I'll let Steve know when he's finished" the man she had addressed as Chin stated with a nod towards her.
"Great I'd stick around and tell him myself but… you're bleeding"
Riley blinked as the woman appeared from behind Chin, her eyes fixed on his side with an intent look. He blinked momentarily blinded by her red hair which she had gathered back into a ponytail before he spoke glancing down at his side, surprised to see that his t-shirt was now stained with blood.
"It's nothing, I've had worse than this" He told her, looking up and meeting her pale blue eyes. She was tall he noted, probably about five foot seven in height with a curvy figure which was highlighted by the medical examiner jumpsuit which she wore.
For a second she watched him, her face fixed into a serious expression which suddenly gave way to a small smile, producing dimples in her cheeks.
"You know we've heard people say that before. The last guy who did lasted three hours before he dropped dead of blood poisoning and ended up on our slab. The EMTS are busy with the other victims but I can take a quick look for you. It should take ten minutes tops and then I'll be out of your hair." She promised, tilting her head slightly to the side, a small frown coming to her face when she caught a glimpse of pain and fatigue in his dark eyes.
"Ten minutes tops" He repeated thoughtfully before a familiar voice cut across their conversation.
"Riley? What the hell are you doing here in Hawaii? Are you okay?" Steve McGarrett demanded, coming up to Riley's side and clapping a hand on his shoulder, a look of concern in his blue eyes as his eyes ran over him in a clinical look, clearly noting all the injuries which Riley had. "I don't care what this guy tells you Lange, you fix him up before he bleeds out all over the place." He stated as he looked towards Rosie who nodded at him, a determined look coming across her face.
"I had already offered my services McGarrett" She replied with a roll of her eyes before she focused back on Riley. "Have we a deal?" She queried.
Riley searched her eyes for a moment before he sighed and gave a single nod.
"Ten minutes tops and no needles" He told her, a tone to his voice making it clear that his conditions were not up for debate. She nodded at him, moving away from him for a moment, no doubt to collect her bag giving Riley time to focus on Steve again as he gave orders to Chin. Riley watched the man who was like a brother to him for a moment, pleased to see that he looked relaxed and happy, the tenseness which had always surrounded Steve gone.
He looked past him, his eyes landing on the small blonde woman again who was nodding at whatever it was the CSU agent was saying to her before she turned and headed over to where they were, pulling on a pair of adhesive gloves as she did. He tilted his head, watching her through slightly narrowed eyes as he took her in. She was wearing a black knee length skirt which flared out and a simple soft green vest top and matching cardigan with it. The outfit was finished off by a pair of black high heels which gave her a much needed boost of height. If it hadn't have been for the Detective badge which she wore round her neck on a chain then he would have thought that she was someone who had simply ended up at the wrong place. Someone like her looked as though she belonged at a fashion magazine.
She stopped beside Steve, her eyes focusing in on him with a thoughtful look. She was very pretty and delicate looking but there was no denying the look in her eyes. A look which Riley had seen in the mirror on countless of occasions which told him that the woman in front of him had been through hell and back and walked through the other side. He nodded once at her, his mouth curling into his rare smile when she nodded back at him though she remained quiet. He noticed that she kept her hand to herself as well, clearly recognising that he had no desire to be touched, his tilted his head to the side, his eyes landing on Rosie as the woman lifted his t-shirt up to access his wound.
Maybe some touch was okay.
Pushing the thought away he spoke, turning his attention back to his friend.
"I didn't expect to see you here McG, last time I had heard anything about you, you had been somewhere else doing something else." Riley stated, picking his words carefully. It was no secret that McGarrett's missions had been just as classified as his own had been.
"Things change King" Steve replied to him quietly, the comment making Riley frowned for a moment as he pondered what Steve meant. He glanced towards the blonde when she spoke, her voice quiet and well cultured matching the rest of her appearance.
"I'm assuming from the way you're speaking to each other and the use of nicknames that you both know each other?" She asked curiously, her eyes flickering between the two of them.
"Danni this is Lieutenant Commander Riley King, he was my second in Command when I was active in the SEALs" Steve introduced, waving his hand towards Riley before he continued speaking. "Riley this is my partner Detective Danielle Williams. She's my second in command on the taskforce I run now for the Governor." He stated.
"50?" Riley questioned, making a sound of acknowledgement at the back of his throat when Steve nodded at him.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Riley, please call me Danni rather than Danielle." Danni remarked with a warm smile at him. "It's always nice to meet one of the people who helped keep this goof alive" She stated, waving a small, slim hand towards Steve who looked offended at the comment.
"Likewise" he said with another nod at her. "We did wonder who was taking care of McGarrett now. He's always had a tendency of…" Riley's voice trailed off as he considered his words.
"Running full throttle into the danger without assessing the situation and waiting for back up?" Danni filled in in a questioning tone, laughing when Riley clicked his fingers at her.
"Exactly. It's nice to know that somethings never change." Riley responded.
"Hey, I am standing right here you know" Steve pointed out, rolling his eyes again when both Riley and Danni ignored him. Riley watched as Danni lifted her hand and rested in briefly on Steve's forearm, patting the skin before she spoke, a serious note coming to her voice, directing her question to Riley.
"Can you tell us what happened in here? The bar tender's version seems a bit miss matched, if you're anything like Steve then you'll be able to give us more than what the others have done so far." Danni remarked as she took her hand away from Steve and instead lightly cross them over her chest.
"That might be the understatement of the day so far Danno." Steve said with a wide grin which caused Riley to snort as he shot the other man an unimpressed look. Steve shrugged in response before he looked down at Danni, his grin softening into a warm smile which Riley had never seen the other man use before.
"And yet the day is still so young" Danni responded back dryly.
"And we have barely spent any time with Toast yet" Steve remarked, grinning when Danni unfolding her arms and hit him across the stomach with the back of her hand.
"Leave my boy alone" She warned him, an undercurrent of amusement to her voice as though it was a private joke between the two of them.
"I thought I was your boy considering I'm your partner" Steve pointed out, a look on his face which looked on the verge of pouting.
"You're my something alright" Danni responded with a shake of her head.
"Like her headache" Rosie spoke up, smiling up at Riley and winking at him when he glanced down at her before she continued her work of cleaning his wound up.
There was something familiar about the relationship they clearly shared, something he almost found himself wishing for.
"That's it Rosie, remind me to buy you a drink next time we're out" Danni said with a laugh. Riley glanced back, his eyes landing on Steve as the other man stared down at his partner. There was definitely something between the two of them which seemed to go beyond mere partnership. Either the two of them were dating or they were heading that way. Whatever they were, they were clearly connected in a way which Riley hadn't seen for quite a while.
"I'm holding you to that Danielle" Rosie stated before she stood straight, looking directly at Riley in a way which was rare. Most women and men he met tending to look past him or focus their attention on someone else. He couldn't remember the last time a woman had stared at him directly in the eyes. If he was being honest with himself then he was finding the red head beside him more and more fascinating. "Right I've dealt with the knife injury and the good news is you're going to survive though you'll probably have a scar. You'll need to get it stitched up properly but the temporary ones I've used should hold in the meantime. I want to deal with the cut on your arms as well and then you'll be fine."
He glanced down at the wound before he nodded at her and turned his attention back to Steve and Danni.
"What do you need to know Danni?" He asked her.
"Did you know the victim of the attack personally or did you get involved because you happened to be here?" She asked him, her soft voice sounding calm and professional now. It was a tone that Steve clearly recognised as the other man stood up straight, his whole posture changing becoming more like the Steve McGarrett who Riley remembered.
"I know him but he wasn't the reason I stepped in, they were" Riley said, nodding his head towards the old men who the blond man and younger woman were interviewing. "There was no doubt in my mind that once the gang had finished they would have eliminated all witnesses." He told them.
"Start from the beginning King and tell us what happened" Steve commanded.
"The victim Lieutenant Jackson Thompson entered the building at approximately 13.05 with five other men, none of them were military so they were likely friends who he knew from the local area. They sat at the table at the far end of the room. About three minutes later another group of men entered looking around as though they were looking for someone. They spotted Thompson and went over to him and exchanged loud words. It sounded to me as though they were discussing a drug deal. Thompson was telling them that he would get the money but his answer clearly didn't please them because they dragged him up by the scruff of his neck and proceeded to kick the shit out him and his friend. I got involved when the first of his friends had been stabbed through the gut. The fight had been over about ten minutes before you guys arrived and secured the scene." He stated.
"Thank you" Danni said with a nod at him.
"I'm done" Rosie said, stepping back from him. "You need to get some rest though"
"Yeah that was the plan. I had been getting round to it when all this went down. I still need to find a place to sleep." He remarked, his gaze flickering to the entrance.
Steve ran his hand through his hair, wondering where Riley could stay, where he could actually get the rest he clearly do desperately needed. The obvious answer would be for Riley to come back to his but it wasn't possible. His house was still a state after his encounter with Nick Taylor and his group of mercenaries. Steve wasn't living there at the moment and wouldn't be until his house was reconstructed and redecorated, until then he was living with Danni and her eight year old daughter Grace.
Steve trusted Riley with his life, god knows the other man had saved him countless of times during their missions but Steve knew that the younger man could be violate and unstable at times depending on his mental state. Steve had made a promise to himself within a week of being Danni's partner that he would do everything in his power to keep her and Grace safe which meant that her place was a no go area.
There was always a hotel but Riley would need company regardless of what he might say or believe. If what was wrong with the other man was what Steve suspected, then leaving him alone would be the worst thing they could do.
He blinked when Danni reached out and lightly tugged at the sleeve of his t-shirt, tilting her head to one side as she silently gave him permission to ask Riley to stay with them if he wanted him to. He smiled at her, ignoring the warm feeling which washed over him before he gave her a single shake of his head which she picked up on straight away. She looked briefly surprised at him rejecting her offer but remained silent, clearly trusting that he knew best in this situation.
"You can stay at mine for the time being" Chin remarked as he approached them again, clearly picking up what was happening. "I'm the only one who has a free house at the moment with two spare rooms, it makes sense, especially since you're not going to find a decent place to sleep if you haven't pre-booked it"
"That sounds like a good idea" Steve said with a thoughtful nod. Chin's calmness would help Riley immensely, giving him company which wouldn't be intrusive. He looked towards Riley who was watching him carefully, nodding at him to show that he could trust Chin and the people around them.
"Have you eaten anything yet Riley?"
Riley blinked at the question, looking back towards Danni as she took a step towards him. He met her gaze, surprised to see nothing but concern for him in the grey depths. It was a look he wasn't used to seeing. No one showed concern for him, they knew what he was capable of and just assume that he could deal with anything which came up. Concern was a novelty.
He glanced back towards Steve, watching the other man's expression and found himself wondering whether Steve had any idea that he was head over heels in love with his partner.
He dropped his eyes for a moment, aware that Danni was waiting for an answer, and thought for a moment. He owed Steve everything, if Danni was that important to his friend then Riley would make sure that he kept her safe while he was on the island. It was the least he could do for the other man.
His gaze flickered over to Rosie, watching as she packed up her medical kit.
She was another one who he would keep safe.
"Nothing since the plane" He told her.
Danni nodded at him, turning her attention to Chin who smiled fondly at her, telling Riley that the two of them were close to each other.
"Chin could you please make sure that the Commander eats something before he collapses" She requested turning back to Riley. "Sleep well Riley" She told him.
"Chin, lets head over to your place now with Riley and get him settled. Danno you're in charge until I get back" Steve stated, moving to Riley's side, offering him silent support in case he needed it.
"Okay Steve" She said with a nod at him, watching as the three men headed towards the exit and disappeared out into the sunshine. She turned back to Rosie, watching the other woman for a moment before she spoke. "You okay?" She asked her curiously.
"Yeah I'm fine, it's just going to be a busy one" Rosie answered, looking over her shoulder, thankful to see it was just her and Danni. The others member of 50 were working the scene. She looked back at Danni searched her face thoughtfully until she spoke, a small smile on her face.
"You know Riley is a surprisingly good looking man isn't he. He's pretty intense and a little scary but sometimes that's a good thing." She remarked casually.
"I didn't notice" Rosie muttered, rolling her eyes at the disbelieving snort which came from Danni in response. "Okay fine, I'll admit it Riley King is a good looking man, he's intense and he's hot and it doesn't matter because I can't get involved with a patient" She said, looking at Danni when the other woman laughed softly.
"I hate to break it to you Rosie but all your patients are dead and Riley King is very much alive which means that he isn't your patient. You're going to have to come up with a better reason for staying away from him than that." She remarked. Rosie groaned as she snapped her kit closed.
"You're enjoying this far too much Danielle" Rosie told her best friend.
"Maybe a little bit, call it revenge for all the comments you've made to me about Steve Rosamund" She comment with a wink before she turned serious. "I'm probably going to head over to Chin's house tomorrow to check on Riley. You should come with me, it will give you the chance to see him again." Danni suggested.
"You expect me to take advice from the woman who is head over heels in love with her partner but won't do anything about it?" Rosie asked, raising an eyebrow when Danni gave her a secretive smile.
"Who says that we haven't done anything about it?" Danni remarked before she moved away from her. "Now I've got a crime scene to go through and you've got several dead bodies to deal with so we'll continue this discussion tomorrow Rosie. I'll meet you at the usual place at eleven so make sure you're ready."
"Yeah, yeah I'll be ready" Rosie answered, watching as Danni headed over to her team before she sighed and headed towards the door.
Tomorrow couldn't come quick enough.
Author Note
Thanks for taking the time to read. An especially big thank you if you have left us a review, made the story a favourite or decided to follow it.
We really appreciate it
LR and TR xxx
