Chapter 3: In The Shadow Of The Forest

Waihee Valley National Park, Oahu

Getting a unicorn, even if it might be Danny, into the back end of his truck turned out to be harder than Steve had thought. First off the truck was not designed to hold a live horse-like creature. Secondly, he quickly realized that unicorns do not like man made machines. Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, you could not force a unicorn to do anything it didn't want to. Not if you want to remain unharmed. So Steve had been forced to try and bribe Unicorn Danny into the back of the truck with some of the granola he had brought with him.

Danny had not looked impressed.

With plan B failing, Steve had been forced to defer to plan C. Calling Chin and Kono. He wasn't stupid enough to say that he had found a unicorn over the phone. The cousin would have laughed at him and asked him how drunk he was before hanging up. No, he had tried to go the smart rout and told them he located Danny and the horse that the witnesses had spotted the night of attack on the woman and her child. Kono had agreed to go find a horse trailer while Chin grabbed his first aid kit and came up to Waihee Valley to meet him.

They had both thought about calling the SPCA to take the horse but Steve had nearly panicked when they mentioned it. So both had backed off and decided between them that they would just see what they could do about the animal in the morning. For now, it was obvious to both of them that Steve was too high strung about finding Danny to risk going against his orders.

Steve had not been idle while he was waiting on the two cousins to get to where he was waiting. He had been busy trying to fend off Danny, who seemed to have become bored hanging about by the truck and had started to eagerly sniff at Steve. In places Steve would really not have an animal that large shoving its face. Don't get him wrong, Steve was very glad to see Danny again, even if he wasn't sure how he knew the animal was Danny. It was just that Danny was acting a little weird. Every time Steve turned around Danny was shoving his nose against Steve's butt or crotch, sniffing him! And when Steve wasn't paying enough attention he would suddenly find himself being carefully herded away from the truck and back into the forest, like he was now.

Steve tried to sneak around Danny as he heard the sound of Chin's motorcycle coming up the road. Danny wasn't having it though. He pushed Steve harder and swung his body between Steve and the road that Chin was on.

"Calm down, Danno. Its just Chin." Steve tried to dodge again only to find himself knocked forward onto his hands and knees. There was another nudge as Danny pressed his nose against Steve butt again, but Steve let out a sigh of relief as the sound of the motorcycle got closer. Steve could just see it coming into the lot now. A loud snort and the soft chime of hooves by his ears drew his gaze away from the motorcycle. Glancing over his shoulder Steve was surprised to be looking straight into the unicorns groin. Blushing Steve looked away and saw Chin standing by his bike, helmet in hand and a very shocked expression on his face. Yeah, this really wasn't a position he had ever thought one of his teammates would find him in.

Nervously glancing up at Danny, Steve slowly crawled out from under the unicorn, brushing the dirt and grass off his shirt as he stood. "So…"

"Brah, that's…is that really?" Chin set his helmet on the bike and rubbed his eyes, blinking rapidly several times as if that might change what he was seeing. "Brah, that's a unicorn!"

"Yeah," Steve rubbed at the back of his neck. "Yeah, it really is. Also, uh…I think it might be Danny."

"What," Chin squawked.

Steve tried not to be amused at how ruffled the normally Zen man was. "Can we go over this some other time? We have to figure out how to get Danny back to my place and how to keep him there."

"Well, once Kono gets here the whole getting him there thing will go much easier." Chin took a step closer to Danny, who took a deep breath before nudging gently at Chin shoulder with his nose. "I can't believe that this is a real unicorn."

Chin shook his head, a rueful smile on his face. Watching the unicorn carefully he reached out to gently stroke over its nose. "This is unbelievable, brah."

"I know." Steve smiled and shook his head. "I wonder what Kono will think of this?"

"Wonder what I'll think of what," Kono asked as she came up behind them. "Holy-"

Kono blinked and looked at her cousin and her boss, who were standing next to a white shimmery horse like animal with a very long spiral horn rising out of its forehead. "That's a unicorn."

"Yeah," Steve smirked like a goof at her.

"Then the little girl and her Mother were telling the truth," Kono eep'd as the unicorn looked up at her, its blue eyes going wide as it saw her. In the single beat of her heart the animal had pushed passed Steve and Chin and knocked her to the ground, dropping its head into her lap. Letting out a very contented sound the stallion nudged a bit at her hand and looked up at her imploringly. Blushing Kono reached out to stroke the silky mane.

"Its so soft," she said with a voice full of wonder.

Steve smiled even wider to try and hide the jealousy burning in his gut. If the unicorn was Danny then he should know better than to cuddle with anyone but Steve. Steve didn't share his lovers. He was far too much a "Neanderthal" as Danny called him, to share the person he loved with another. Even if that other person was Kono.

Chin glanced knowingly between Steve, Kono and the unicorn and tried not to sigh or laugh out loud. None of them would appreciate it. Well…Danny might. Speak of…"Steve, where is Danny? You said you found him when you called."

"I did." Steve nodded his head towards Kono and the unicorn.

"No…" Chin looked at the unicorn, his eyes widening. "That animal cannot be Danny."

"Why not? He was pulled under in a pool that everyone says is the home of a mo'o wahine."

"Steve, brah, that kind of stuff just doesn't happen. They may pull a man under to drown but I've never heard of them turning a man into a unicorn. Plus, the unicorn is a haole myth, not something from Hawaiian mythology."

"Yeah, but the islands are getting to be a bit more of a melting pot as more people from the various mainlands come here. Why couldn't the mo'o wahine have chosen a haole spirit animal?"

"Cuz, let's not argue about this now. We've got a unicorn sitting in my lap at the place that Danny disappeared." Kono pushed a little at the unicorn, trying to sneak out from under his head. The unicorn made a frustrated noise and pushed more of his body over her lap, further pinning her to the ground. "Either way, can you guys please help me get up? He's heavy!"

- - - H50 - - -

Steve's House, Oahu

Getting Danny out of the horse trailer ended up being far easier than getting him in had been. Getting him in had taken almost an hour of pushing and pulling on him until they finally realized that if Kono just crawled inside he would happily follow her. Steve had not been pleased at that, but in the end whatever had worked, worked and he was glad to get out of the park before anyone came by for a night hike.

Getting Danny out of the trailer had taken nothing more than to open its doors. Once they were open, Danny had darted out and into the Steve's waiting arms. Steve had cuddled Danny, stroking his nose to calm him down while Chin and Kono finished getting the straw laid down in the garage. It wasn't ideal, but would have to do for now. Steve really hoped that it wouldn't be needed for too long. He missed his partner and wanted Danny back as a human. They had hardly gotten to do more than acknowledge that they were attracted to each other before this all happened and he had been looking forward to getting a taste of Danny.

"We've got the garage set up best we can for now," Chin said walking out towards Steve.

"Good. I'm not real sure how long I can keep Danno here occupied enough not to wander off. "You certainly are sure this is Danny."

"Yeah. I wasn't sure at first why I was so sure this was Danny, but I've been thinking it over. I think that unicorns may be telepathic because when it touched its horn to my bare skin it felt like I could hear him, in my head. I knew it was Danny."

"Huh," Chin gave the unicorn's horn a thoughtful look before carefully placing his hand against it. Steve watched as Chin's eyes glazed over momentarily and when he pulled his hand back he had a look on his face that Steve had never seen before. It went past the normal Zen he seemed to radiate, to a contentment that went soul deep. "He really is Danny."

Steve smiled at the affectionate look Chin was now giving to there partner turned unicorn. "I was kinda surprised too and I think he still recognizes us, at least a little."

"I got impression as well."

Steve yelped as Danny lurched out from under his hands, running lightly over to where Kono was coming out of the garage. Kono gave another startled yelp as she was nearly bowled over by over excited unicorn. "We've really got to figure out why he keeps doing that to her."

"Hey cuz," Chin called out. "You a virgin?"

"What," screamed Kono, her face going red. "You've gotta be kidding!"

"Well," Steve smiled, teasingly. "Unicorns are supposed to go all funny around virgins right?"

"And you know this how," snarked Kono.

"Wikipedia." Steve grinned. "And Grace. Her favorite movie is The Last Unicorn. I think she's had Danno and I watch it like a dozen times so far."

"Speaking of," interrupted Chin. "Isn't Danny supposed to have her this weekend?"

"Shit," cursed Steve, looking at Danny who was happily nibbling on some of Kono's hair as she tried to twist away from him. "Yeah, he is."

"What are you going to tell Rachel? Or have you told her?"

Steve glanced over at Chin, his lips pressed tightly together. "I haven't told her anything. I didn't want to worry her."

Chin nodded and glanced behind him as Kono finally got away from Danny and darted behind Chin, pulling on him in order to keep him between her and Danny. "Well, if you aren't planning to tell her anything you'll have to come up with some excuse for why he won't be there to pick up Grace."

Steve pushed his hands through his hair and ignored Kono twisting between him and Chin, Danny still following her about like a love-sick puppy. "I know. I think I may just pick Grace up myself."

"Are you sure that's the best choice," Chin asked worried.

"No but in all honesty I don't think Rachel would buy me saying Danny can't take Grace this weekend without saying his I the hospital or putting him on the line with her. And as magical as all that," Steve waved his hands at Danny's sparkly unicorn body, "is, I doubt he can speak English in that body."

Steve let out a loud "oof!" as Kono pushed him into Danny as she made a break for her little red car. "He's all yours! Call me when he's human again."

"Damn it, Kono! He's not gonna hurt you," Steve called out to her while trying to keep Danny from charging her car.

"Says you! Looks like my virtue is in danger here, so you boys keep him entertained. I'm gonna see if one of the Aunties knows anything that might change him back." Rolling her window back up, Kono started her car and backed out of the drive.

Steve patted Danny's head as the unicorn made a rather mournful noise at the loss of Kono. Steve was fairly sure now that their rookie really was a virgin. Which seemed odd considering Kono's outgoing personality and general pervyness.

"Well, this has been interesting," Chin shook his head at Danny and Steve. Danny was leaning his head over Steve's shoulder, making snuffling noises as he nuzzled Steve's neck. "I think I'm gonna head out too. Can you handle this on your own?"

"We'll be fine. I may need you to find some horse food. Grain or straw or whatever it is horses eat."

Chin nodded. "I see what I can find."

"Thanks, Chin."

Chin slapped Steve's shoulder and grinned at him again before turning back to where he had parked his bike. "I call you in the morning. Don't do anything foolish."

Steve stood out in his drive, Danny's large head nuzzling at his neck as he watched Chin drive away. He and Danny were alone. That wasn't anything unusual, they spent a lot of time together here alone, but Steve doubted very much that when he had asked Danny on that dreadful date that this was how he would get Danny back to his house afterwards. In his mind he would seduce Danny with his abs and the jut of his hips, which Cath always said was attractive enough to make a woman go stupid. He had hoped a bit of skinny dipping might happen and that it would lead to some outdoor sex which would lead to even more sex back at his place after. Instead he thought Danny had drowned, then thought it had all been a hallucination brought on by heat stroke, only to later realize that his partner was alive but had been turned into a unicorn.

This had easily been the weirdest week of his life.

"Alright, Danno, let's get you in the garage so that I can try and get some sleep." Steve smiled sadly at the unicorn and tried to nudge the animal to follow him inside.

Getting Danny settled in the garage turned out to be easier than he thought now that Kono wasn't there to distract him. And while Steve was pretty sure Danny didn't like being locked in the garage, he really didn't have a choice. There wasn't anywhere else they could keep him and Steve wasn't about to turn him over to the SPCA to hold until they could figure something better out. Turning in a horse would have been one thing, but Danny was very obviously not a horse and he didn't want to risk any unscrupulous people getting a hold of him. Unicorn horn was considered a power medicine in many traditional Asian medicines. And Steve didn't want to risk someone killing Danny just for the horn on his head. Of course keeping him close also meant that he didn't have to worry about Danny running off to chase down bad guys like he had the other night.

Rubbing his palm over Danny's head again, Steve leaned down to plant a quick kiss just below Danny's horn, feeling its warmth pulse against his forehead. In the back of his mind he could feel Danny's pleasure at being there with him, as well as the longing for the forest and the worry that he would be stuck forever like this.

Resting his forehead against Danny's, Steve whispered, "No matter what I'll find a way to fix this, Danno. I promise."