Chapter 2


Danny was pissed off beyond himself. He was pissed off at Steve, at himself, at the whole wide world. Why did he had to let his mouth run when he was drunk? And why the hell did he not remember anything, goddammit?

Danny wiped the traitorous tears off his cheeks angrily leaving red marks in their wake. He could not cry. He would not cry. Not now. He was stronger than this. He'd manage to get through this. With or without Steve. Danny never ran off from his problems.

Except he did. Today. He ran away. He couldn't take it anymore. Danny knew it was stupid from him, he knew that he left Steve with more questions than answers, but that night, that fucking night, he couldn't remember anything and why Steve was so riled up about it.

Danny was quietly sobbing now, body shaking despite the warm weather. He thought his favorite spot could heal the wounds he had inside, but it didn't. Especially the one in his heart. It seemed like it became larger as more time passed.

Danny sighed and rubbed at his eyes, smearing tears around them and down his cheeks. He didn't want to go home. He couldn't go to work like this, being a mess and all. He'd make more harm than good. What if he was needed on the field and he messed up, ended up getting some of his teammates shot, because of it? No, Danny couldn't risk that.

He continued staring at the distance, asking the ocean for answers he knew only his brain could supply him with.


Steve ended up scalding himself in an effort to forget what just happened. He never saw Danny that dejected in his life, and frankly Steve had to admit to himself, he was partially the reason why Danny was like that. On top of that Danny ran off like fire was burning under his feet.

The fact was, Steve loved Danny, for as long as he could remember, too. He just didn't want to acknowledge it before. He thought Danny would never return his feelings. It started innocently enough loving him as a friend, and somehow one day Steve came to the conclusion he loved Danny as something more.

Now that Catherine was gone from his life, again (and Steve hoped this was the last time and for good) Steve came to realize that he never loved Catherine as much as he loved Danny. He never loved anyone remotely as he loved Danny. Sure, he had his fair share of girlfriends over the years, he even suspected Lori had her eyes on him long time ago, the most serious relationship being with Catherine, but this thing he felt about Danny, ran deeper than any of his previous relationships.

Steve was thinking of how many times Danny was there for him, helped him for no reason except that he needed to be helped at that particular moment. Danny didn't need to do that. In fact, Danny could have easily claimed he was just a coworker and no strings attached. But when Danny wanted to help you, he'd move Heaven and Earth to do that.

He didn't have to stick around on barbeques, on gatherings, nor sit with Steve endless hours on the chairs and watch the ocean, sometimes not even saying a word. He didn't have to do that, yet he did. He was a constant in Steve's life. His anchor. Someone that Steve greatly missed when he wasn't around.

Danny was the sunshine in Steve's world, and if something Steve knew about Hawai'i was that it wasn't always sunny, even if the sun was up high in the sky. The warmth, the love, the care, just Danny being around were enough to keep Steve around. He'd be out of what was formerly his home, if it wasn't for Danny in his father's garage.

As Steve was flooded with realizations and thoughts, something hit him. And it hit him hard.

The way Danny behaved when Catherine was mentioned after the thing in the 'Stan. The way Danny tensed when Catherine suddenly appeared for Kono's wedding. He was all relaxed and smiles, and somehow when Catherine came to the picture, he changed altogether.

Steve remembered that it bothered him to see Danny so tense, and it was their best friends' wedding, he shouldn't feel too crappy just before that event. But, strangely Danny did.

Steve knew that Danny had trouble keeping up the power of positive thinking and that he tried hard. For the sake of himself, his family, and everyone that Danny loved. Steve was a little bit selfish and pushy on that matter, he knew firsthand it was not easy to change the way you were before. But, he could see Danny try. And he succeeded.

Steve also remembered the talk he had with Danny, where Danny said it was about time he proposed to Catherine, as opposed to what he was feeling. He was trying to be positive and supportive for his sake that Steve's heart ached with the thought. Because that smile, that faked smile and laugh, the words that Danny was happy for him, were nothing but just a way for Danny to put up that mask he had on, more and more as the days went by.

He was all smiles and laughs, when he was actually hurting on the inside. And maybe Steve wasn't too far off with suggesting to Danny to give it time until he was not that happy about his proposal to Catherine.

It somehow all added up. Danny being overeager for Steve getting married, his chirpy and joyous attitude. The fact that screamed in Steve's head the most was that Danny got drunk the exact night Steve showed him the ring he picked up for the engagement.

If Steve went back to that night and right before Danny left the office, he could clearly remember the hurt-filled blue eyes of his partner, the sullen mood, the slump of his shoulders. Steve cursed himself for not noticing the signs, for not seeing Danny's suffering for what it was. Love that he thought would never be returned his way.

Maybe he was planning to speak up, the way he was somehow loose when telling 'illusion' Steve what he felt. Maybe, just maybe Catherine's reappearance was just bad timing that sunk all of Danny's ships and that hope that was left inside him sliced him in half, and opened a wound he long thought was closed.

Steve didn't want to waste one more moment, because Danny's thoughts and worries mirrored his own, and he knew Danny must be desperate in this moment. He would not go at home, he'd probably drive around and end up somewhere. Maybe drinking again to forget.

Steve could not allow that. Because Danny and what they had was too important for him to throw away in the drain. He had to tell Danny he felt the same, and that he didn't care what he said being drunk, or what he confessed about talking with Catherine. Steve needed to let Danny know he loved him. As much as Danny loved Steve, and a little more (blame it on being a control freak with competitive issues).

Steve picked up his cell from the night stand and turned it on. He dialed Danny's number. He didn't turn his phone off, thank God, Steve thought. But the second time he dialed, the phone went straight to voice mail. So, maybe Danny saw he was calling and didn't want to talk to him.

Steve tried again and again, until he was tired of listening to the recorded voice of his partner. He needed the real deal.

As Steve picked up a pair of clean jeans and a white t-shirt he opened up his laptop and pulled up the detail on all of their vehicles. Clicking on the details about the Camaro, he opened the window that showed the features. Choosing 'low jack' he could see a red blinking dot that wasn't moving, which meant Danny was somewhere parked.

Pulling up the coordinates of the GPS, Steve nodded as realization hit him once again. Danny was at his favorite spot.

Of course.

That was Danny's escape always and forever when all things were not alright.

With his goal set, Steve dressed and picked up his keys and wallet, leaving the house and driving off in his Silverado. He needed to set things right.