Spirited

Chapter 3

Danny stretched out on the pathetic surface of his bed. He never thought anything could be as uncomfortable as the pull-out had been. He'd been wrong. He listened to various sounds coming through the paper thin walls: tv news, music blaring, a couple of arguments, the requisite baby wailing.

Such a lovely life he had.

He once more began drifting through his negative thoughts. So many things were wrong and not many things were right. At least he'd made peace with Grace. He'd apologized and promised to try to be a better father. Being the resilient child that she was she readily forgave him and promised to be a better daughter.

She was growing up.

Then he thought about Abesaloma, the Hawaiian priest, the Kahuna, who had taken the time no one else had to help him through these dark days. Guided the disrespectful, angry haole through his feelings. Helped him understand that there were no vengeful native gods looking to hurt him. No Christian god who had turned against him. Just that life continues on and one needed to work through the pain and strive for the good. Not to give up even though it all seemed pointless.

And if the pitiful Haole began to take comfort in the peaceful side of the islands, the gentle kindness of the kahuna who took him in, who would care? He wasn't ready to run back to church, not at all. But he'd made some peace in himself regarding all that had happened. Now he needed to work through dealing with his team mates.

A knock at the door pulled him from his mullings. At first he wasn't quite sure if it were at his door or his neighbor's. A second series of louder knocks let him know it was his door. He reached over for his shorts and pulled them on. A convenient t-shirt was next and he moved towards the door as the pounding increased.

"Just a sec! Geeze! give a guy some time," he yelled as he swung the door wide to glare at the interloper. The look on McGarrett's face was comical, registering surprise and something like anger or disgust. Some days it was hard to decipher all that crossed the Seal's face.

"What? What part of wanting to sleep didn't sink in?" Danny continued without much of a breath. Kono slipped into the room and disappeared into his bedroom. Steve simply took a step over the threshold and looked around. There was nothing but a picture of Grace to show it was Danny's place.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" Williams started towards his bedroom where the sounds of drawers opening could be heard. Before he could get to that door a heavy hand fell on his shoulder.

"Where's your gun and badge?" Steve asked unconcerned about the noises or his partner's angry confusion.

"By the bed," he ground out.

"Got it, Boss," Kono sang out. "You sure don't have much here." She came out with a large duffle slung over her shoulder.

"What the f*ck do you think you're doing?" he nearly screamed, his face flushing at the intrusion. "It's been a hell of a week and all I want to do is sleep the weekend away!" He made to grab at his things but was easily subdued by McGarrett and slung over his shoulder.

"You're being kidnapped, detective," Steve announced as if it were just another day in paradise. "I'd advise you go along with the flow if I were you." Of course, Danny struggled but the application of hand cuffs by Kono took him by surprised and soon the two native team mates had the front door locked and they were to the car in no time flat.

Manhandled into the back seat so he could not escape Kono threw the car into reverse and very soon they were heading down the road.

"Just what do you think you're doing? You just can't waltz into my apartment and drag me out against my consent," he built up a head of steam as he ranted. "Kidnapping is illegal!"

"Yep, it is," Steve allowed.

"So just what the hell are you doing? I have rights!" Danny ranted.

"Yep, you do," Steve replied.

"Let me guess, my rights don't count," he huffed. "As usual. I don't count for shit."

"That's not true!" Kono and Steve immediately responded. But all they received was icy-cold silence for the rest of the ride.

Once at Steve's home they reversed their actions, leaving Danny handcuffed, tossed on the couch, while Kono took his things up to the spare room that had once been his. Again, he was without an apartment. He'd given up his lease when he thought he was moving back to New Jersey. He certainly hadn't found a new apartment!

But the last time he'd been here he'd been beaten. Felt totally alone and unwanted.

Huh. Still totally alone and unwanted. Just not beaten. Danny sat on the couch, not moving, not speaking, not even acknowledging anything else existed in his pathetically crap world.

He heard his phone. The light tinkling sound told him Grace was calling.

"Hey! Let me talk with Gracie!" he complained as he reached out. Steve put the phone in his hand and backed off.

"Hi, Monkey!" he gushed.

"Danno! I had a great day at school! I was the special student of the day!" Grace gushed. She outlined all the special things she was allowed to do and her Danno praised her. After several minutes she calmed.

"What are you doing this weekend?" she asked.

"Well, uncle Steve and auntie Kono have kidnapped me!" Danny reported. "I have no idea what's going to happen."

"Kidnap? What do you mean?" she asked.

"Not sure. Includes handcuffs," he said. "Don't worry, I'm fine."

They discussed school and boys and the crazy amount of homework she had. With a smile and a "I love you!" the conversation ended. Before Steve grabbed the phone another call came through. Danny punched a button to accept the call. Standing up he moved away from the prying ears of his colleagues.

"Hey," he managed quietly, glaring at the twosome across the room from him.

"Daniel, I was wondering if you were alright," Abesaloma asked. "I felt your unrest." Williams eyes widened.

"I hate it when you do that!" he muttered. The priest merrily laughed.

"To be honest I went to the Varsity to share a drink," he fessed up. "Officer Weston was more than happy to tell me her observations."

"Really? Great," Danny said sourly. "She may be a good profiler but she lacks certain people skills."

"I did notice something like that," Abesaloma said. "Still, I worry about you. Is it not time to share your burdens with your ohana?" Steve watched intently as a slight blush crept over the haole's face as he looked down at his feet.

"They, they just kidnapped me from my apartment and handcuffed me," he confessed quietly.

"Handcuffs?" the kahuna was surprised. "That was not kind." At that moment the front door burst open and Chin entered laden with food.

"Hey guys!" he called out cheerfully. "Lots of great italian food..." his voice dropped down when he noticed the handcuffed detective.

"I can't trust you two at all, can I?" the older detective complained. He shoved the food into their hands and stomped over to Williams. Handcuffs were quickly removed.

"Sorry, Danny," he put a hand on the other's shoulder. "I agreed to bringing you over here for the weekend to reconnect. I did not agree to hard liquor or handcuffs!" Williams just shrugged and moved away, going into the adjoining room.

"So Detective Kelly came to your aid," Abesaloma noted.

"Yeah, he's good," Danny replied. "And yeah, maybe I can talk with my team mates."

"Your ohana," came the firm voice. "And you need to listen to them as well. Perhaps all of you have some unburdening to do." Williams agreed and they ended their conversation. Slipping the phone into his shorts' pocket he wandered back out into the front room.

Chin had cornered his other team mates and was reading them the riot act. Danny had to appreciate the man's style.

"I agreed to helping Danny, not hand cuffing him!" he was on a roll. "What the hell were you thinking? Bad enough taking him without explanation, but letting him think he had no rights? That you could do whatever you wanted with no consequences? You two lolos have to get it through your heads this is not a game or a competition! This is our ohana we're fighting for! Not for some rinky-dink first place of stupidity award!"

Really? They really wanted to be ohana again? So much had happened to tear them apart. He'd tried to be there for each of them but it didn't seem to help.

"Who kept everything going? Who lost everything to get the team back together?" Chin continued ignoring the cowed expressions. Williams had to stop it, the rant had gone on too long. He tapped loudly on the door jamb.

"So, what did ya get me for dinner?" he asked mildly.

All three Hawaiians shifted their eyes to the haole. Each noted the exhaustion written on his face, the way clothes hung a little too loose on him. The slight smile that was reflected in twinkling blue eyes.

"uh, ah," Kelly had lost his steam.

"Pizza," Kono chirped.

"And lasagna and antipasto salad," Steve quickly added.

"Alrighty!" Danny rubbed his hands together as his stomach registered its interest. Chin turned and walked over to the Jersey detective and grasped him in a hug.

"Sorry I didn't have your back," he whispered to the somewhat surprised man. After the hug registered he relaxed and held Chin as well.

"No bigs, bro," Danny returned. "Been a hell of a month, ya know?"

"Yeah," Chin replied with a barely disguised sniff. It had been a hard month! Which brought the other two over for a huddled hug. A few moments of collective sighs and they finally broke apart.

"Enough with the sap!" Danny declared. "There's lasagna to eat!"