Thank you for everyone being so patient and sticking with this! I'm so terribly sorry it took me this long to update, RL has been hectic and my part time job turned into a full time 80 hours a week job (and I love my job, it's just not what I was expecting when I signed up for it and completely exhausting). With that said, this story is a blast to write and I can't wait to finish it :) (what does that say about me that's its fun to do this to Steve and Danny?)
Comments are greatly appreciated (and like motivation cookies (?) for writers!) and the response for this has honestly blown me away. Thank you guys so much!
They never knew when exactly Steve disappeared, besides somewhere between Friday night and Monday morning. The file on his disappearance remaining furiously thin until the Navy finally, finally admitted that Steve had been flying to Washington Friday night to testify in the Court Martial of a former SEAL - Dave O'Connell - who was suspected of joining a terrorist cell. The Navy had been hesitant, but they also revealed that Steve had been their main witness, and that O'Connell had escaped custody.
From there it was easy to track the chartered flight into Hawaii that O'Connell had taken, and then the same flight out early Saturday morning. They never found O'Connell, or any proof that he had taken Steve.
Danny studies the file, however empty it may be - regardless of the fact that he memorized it several months ago - in the days following Steve's reappearance. He adds the new information, commits it to memory easily. Then he waits.
He's been waiting for three days, ever since the doctors told him it was necessary to put Steve in a medically induced coma to allow his body to heal and recover. He doesn't let himself think about all the conversations he's had with the doctors since then, or the scars telling him the stories of what Steve been through - the long thin scars of a whip, twin dots of a cattle prod, burns marring his skin, hand shaped bruises on his hips, circular bite marks on his back, neck, around his nipples. Don't go there. Don't go there.
The doctors tell him that the seizures were a side effect from the sheer amount of drugs in his system, and now that everything is pumped out - they should stop. Should. Really though, the doctors don't say much, not least not since Danny punched the one who said that it was unlikely Steve would survive, much less recover.
Danny doesn't think much, focusing on the steady rise and fall of Steve's chest, responding to Lou, Chin and Kono's few updates, and making small talk when they come. At some point Abby returns, taking a silent seat and staying until the nurses make her leave.
They don't make Danny leave, silently regarding the cot in the corner with annoyance. But they never make him leave. They tried to at first, threatening to call the cops even (I am a cop, and I'm not leaving. He's my partner!), but Danny thinks the Governor took care of it. It doesn't really matter to him, Steve. Just Steve. That's what's important.
When he wakes up he's scared. The echo of pain is familiar, comforting, but everything else is confusing. The smell is clean and fresh, light peeking through his eyelids, skin surrounded by softness. He's not used to waking up slowly, They forced him awake with punches and kicks, needles jabbing into his skin. Things shoving in in in into his mouth, his bottom.
There's voices nearby, talking softly. He can't make out what they're saying, but he wants to run.
The first thing he sees when he opens his eyes though is a large man with dark hair. The man isn't looking, but he terrifies him. The man looks like Them with the same dark skin, almond eyes. Large hands to hit hit hit.
When the man looks at him - surprise and happiness in his eyes - he runs, propelling himself off of the bed (been so long. so soft). He feels a tearing in his arm and the man is shouting something, but he's not paying attention. He sees the corner of the room (safer, safer, safer) and pushes his body into it, tucking his knees to his chest and wrapping his arms around them. His body is shaking, trembling with fear.
There are more voices now, but he still ignores them, hiding his face in his legs and whispering leave me alone don't hurt me just go away don't hurt me don't hurt me don't hurt me.
He knows he's begging, knows They don't like it when he begs, knows They never listened. Also knows the door is blocked and he can't fight and escape again, has no other option.
He realizes someone is crouching in front of him the same time he realizes the collar around his neck is gone. No no no no. He knows what happens when the collar comes off, knows it will be ten times worse then whatever punishment they will give him for escaping.
His plea's immediately change to im sorry, im sorry, im sorry, i didnt mean to, no water, please im sorry, no water, no water please.
"Hey. Hey. Babe? I need you to calm down okay? No one is here now but me, it's just me and I'm not going to hurt you. No one is going to hurt you again Steve. I promise okay?"
That voice. The voice. Danny, he remembers from the beach. Flinching away from 'Steve' (knows that name means pain, remembers the interrogations (what is your name?) until he couldn't stand the pain of saying it anymore) but Danny Danny Danny.
"Alright, babe? You with me? Here's what we're going to do, I'm going to count and on three I'm going to inhale, then exhale, can you breathe with me?"
He thinks he most nod.
He doesn't know how long it takes.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Danny counting, talking nonsense, breathing with him until his heart rate slows and his trembling all but stops.
Danny's not touching him he notices, sitting with one leg stretched out in front of him with the other bent. Body facing his, but not touching.
"Do you know where you are?"
He doesn't move from his position. He doesn't know the man in front of him. He knows his voice, remembers every time that voice comforted him, soothed him and kept him sane; but he doesn't know this man. Master? Savior? What does this man want from him? Silence? Obedience?
"You're in a hospital Steve, back in Honolulu. It's been a year since you went missing, but you're safe now okay? They can't hurt you anymore."
He looks up now, meeting the eyes of the blonde man from the beach. Friend. Friend. Friend. His brain says. From before, before. Before what? He doesn't remember Before. That's what The Voice had done. Danny? Will Danny help him now?
"Danno?" It's a question, not a statement. Voice cracked and broken, memory fleeting, flickering at the edges of his subconscious. Book em' Danno. It's patchy, blurred, but he can see the glare he was given in return. How many times have I told you not to call me that?
The face in front of him breaks into a grin, a full grin as warm, comforting arms wrap around him. The hug doesn't trap and panic, and he leans into it, nestling his face into the shirt collar, the neck, in front of him. He is overwhelmed with the smell of Danny, wrapping around him saying safe. safe. safe. He doesn't know what to do with his hands, so he lets his arms hang by his sides, unsure.
"Yeah, babe, its me."