Author's notes: 'More!' I hear you people say, well here you go chapter three of my story. Thanks again to breakcamp for beta
Hope you enjoy x
Chapter Three
Steve couldn't sit still; he was the first one in on Monday morning, only just managing not to jump up from his chair and running into the bullpen when Chin and Kono came in. 'I haven't had a single cup of coffee and yet it feels like I've had five. I need to calm down. Today is just going to be like any other day. It's just Danno and his girlfriend, just the man I have the BIGGEST crush on and the girl he's dating who I didn't know about. Yep, a totally normal day.'
Steve groaned and put his head on the table with a thud. He sighed, how was this his life? He needed to talk to someone. Mary, Kono, Catt and Kamekona were out and NO way could he speak to Danny, which just left Chin. Steve really didn't want to talk to anyone, but Chin was cool, calm, understanding and, above all, wouldn't judge him – he was Steve's best bet.
Sitting up and looking out into the bullpen, Steve could see both Chin and Kono were looking at something on the computer table. Sighing again, Steve got up and walked into the bullpen, he needed to talk to Chin alone. Looks like he was going to risk mentioning it with Kono around. Walking over to the cousins, Steve lent his hip against the table and opened his mouth when the unmissable sound that was a Danny rant could be heard coming down the corridor.
"And another thing how can you tell me off about eating malasadas, when you had them for breakfast?" said Danny, opening the glass doors for him and a young tanned blonde who looked barely 18. He had an arm around her shoulder as she laughed, patted his stomach and said "Yeah, but D I don't need to watch my weight." This caused her to laugh harder when Danny made a noise of protest. 'D? Oh sure, it's okay for her to call him a nickname but when Steve started to call him 'Danno' all hell broke loose.' Chin quickly cleared his throat when it looked like Danny was setting up for another rant. Instead, he smiled, pulling her closer to him and said "Em, this is Chin Ho Kelly, Kono Kalakaua and the big lug over there is Steve McGarrett." He pointed to each team member in turn.
Kono gave her a big smile and waved, Chin gave a small smile while Steve just glared. This 'Em' was quite pretty with ocean blue eyes, shoulder length hair and a bright smile. She could pass for Danny's daughter if it wasn't for the fact that she was several inches taller than him and the colour of her skin was too dark to be from a weekend tan. Her age puzzled Steve; he didn't know the age difference between Danny and Rachel but Danny came across as someone who cared about these things and wouldn't date someone who could pass as his daughter.
"And this," Danny continued turning his head to smile at her "is Emily Hartell. She's my—" But before Danny could finish, Emily, who been staring at Steve since being told who he was, stepped out from under Danny's arm, pointed a finger at him, turned her head back to Danny and said "Oh my God! How can you say those things to me on Saturday when he looks like that?" Fear and anger flashed in Danny's eyes before his expression turned to one of annoyance, "Maybe there's a reason why I said those things." Emily immediately put her arm down and went back over to him. "I'm sorry. I know you don't like talking about it."
"Uh? What do I look like?" asked Steve at the same time as Kono asked "Talk about what?"
"It's nothing okay?" Danny sighed as Emily gave him a worried look.
"You're in a room full of detectives, who are all curious as to whom this girl is, seeing that, on Friday, you pointed out several times she wasn't your date." stated Chin.
"You haven't told them what happened? Or who I am?" the worry was evident in Emily's voice; she knew Danny didn't like to talk about it but the way he talked about the team seemed to show he trusted them enough that he could and it wouldn't affect them. He didn't tell them who she was either. That still hurt even though she was used to it. Clearly Emily was wrong. "No, because if I told them who you are I would have to explain everything and I just can't...not yet. But you wanted to meet these crazy people so badly how could I not take a risk and say yes?" Turning Emily around and pushing her towards his office, Danny said "Now go sit your ass down, while I try and stop what you started." Emily walked towards his office, turning her head back to mouth 'sorry' at Danny who smiled back, showing that he wasn't really mad at her. He knew this day would come and turned back to face three concerned faces. "Danno? Is there something you need to tell us?" asked Steve, walking over to him and placing a hand on his shoulder. "No, it's all in the past and, like I said on Friday, it's classified."
"Classified? Really Danno? You can't just act like that and then refuse to talk about it."
"Oh really?" asked Danny with anger building up inside him, brushing off Steve's hand, "it's not like you haven't used it before or refused to talk about things."
"Look Danno that's—"
"No don't you dare say that's different!" shouted Danny, taking a deep breath before he continued. "Steve you heard what Emily said: I don't like to talk about it and I can't even if I wanted to. It's in the past. Can we please just drop it and do what we're paid to do – work?" Walking towards his office, Danny stopped "And if you really can't let it go, well you're detectives, you could work it out - who Emily is and what she was going on about because, for the last time, she isn't my girlfriend!" And with that Danny walked into his office, wishing the glass doors could slam, and sat down at his desk, leaving the remaining three in the bullpen, each one wearing a shocked expression on their face. Steve was the first to snap back to reality. "Well," he said clearing his throat, "you heard what Danny said lets...uh...get back to work."
"But Boss what about this thing going on with him and Emily? If you want, Chin and I could do some digging, look through some files from the New Jersey police department, see if they know anything and find out who she is?" Steve shook his head and looked through the glass into Danny's office to see Emily standing behind Danny's chair, arms around his shoulders, smiling and saying something causing him to laugh. Steve's heart ached at the look on Danny's face. The look of pure happiness that only Grace seemed to bring out and Steve hoped, one day, he could too. But it looked like someone beat him to it. "No," Steve sighed. "If Danny can't tell us himself then I don't want him thinking he can't trust us if we go snooping for ourselves. I for one don't want to lose his trust."
Chin made a noise of approval and headed to his office. Kono sent a worried look Danny's way before heading to her own. Steve stood there for a few moments, thoughts running through his head. Something bad had clearly happened to Danny in the past if he had managed to keep quiet about it for so long, the fear and anger was so raw in his eyes. If Steve didn't know about it, it suggested that whatever happened in the past happened in New Jersey but how could Emily know?
The way she looked showed that although her parents weren't from Hawaii she had been living here for several years. Family friend who visited a lot? Or just family (as she did look a little like Danny). Cousin maybe? Niece? Danny hadn't made any suggestion that he knew any one in Hawaii or that he had family over here before Grace. Maybe she lives on one of the other islands? But wouldn't have Danny been over the moon and not stop talking about her coming to stay like he had been with Matt? Although it didn't end well that's no reason for him not to introduce Emily to the team sooner. As she had been staying for quite a while if she had heard a lot about 5-0 from Danny. Steve shrugged inwardly, heading to his own office and mound of paperwork. No matter what, he was going to find out the truth. Giving his heart a little hope to think that maybe he wasn't too late and once he did find the truth between Danny and Emily's relationship he was finally going to make his move.