I've realized through writing this story that it's turning into a bit of an alternate version of events in the second half of the series. I hope you continue to enjoy it, though, as I give some of those events a bit of a twist. After all, that's what makes writing fanfic such fun! :o)

Allies And Enemies – Chapter Three

Connections

Another day. Another untraceable parcel. Another clue, that was driving Steve McGarrett silently nuts.

More photos this time. Four crumpled photographs of the car bomb that had killed his mother. Burnt and twisted metal that brought back so many painful memories, so many unanswered questions - so much so that he'd left the others in the den, and come here to the dining room's quieter sanctuary.

He needed its peace now, to reflect and remember, and work out why these photos were so significant. Spread out over the dining room table, he was still trying, so hard, to see the connection between them. So hard, in fact, that he was only aware of Charlie's presence when a soft voice broke into his thoughts

"You know, Steve, sometimes the most complex problem in math, just like the most complex of crimes, has the surprisingly easiest solution."

'Yeah, for you, maybe. For me, not so much.'

Keeping that thought tactfully to himself, Steve offered the young mathemetician a rueful smile instead.

"You mean I'm trying too hard? Trying to make solving this case more complex than it actually is?"

"Something like that, yes," Charlie grinned, sipping his coffee, using his free hand to emphasize his point, in a way that made Steve grin at its infectious familiarity.

"When it comes to patterns in math… well, I – I see things. What Don calls my Charlie-vision."

This was usually the point where people who didn't know him too well either raised their eyebrows, or just left the room completely. Even Colby, who'd become such a close friend, had been dryly sceptical at first towards his unique abilities.

He'd only known Steve McGarrett for a week, far less time than it had taken Colby to understand him. So it was a real relief when Steve smiled back at him, with such genuine interest in what he had to say, and grateful admiration for the quiet brilliance beyond.

"So you see things virtually? Like that shark analogy you used to describe Noshimuri?"

Astonished that he'd found such understanding so quickly, Charlie grinned back at him and nodded.

"Yes, it's how I always teach my students, and help Don when I work with him," he said at last, thinking for a moment, before a shy smile revealed the mutual pride that he shared with his brother.

"It took a while for Don to get used to it, but… well, even he sees things the same way sometimes."

"Yeah, it's your evil genius corrupting me," Don grinned, winking at Steve and gently ruffling Charlie's hair as he came to join them. "I gotta warn you, Steve. Spend enough time with Chuck here, and he'll corrupt you with it too."

"Hey, I can think of worse ways to be corrupted," Steve chuckled, gently patting Charlie's shoulder - hoping this new connection between them could help him to find the one that still eluded him.

"So what can you see here, Charlie? Can you see what these photos signify about my mother's death?"

"Not yet, no. But you're right, there has to be a pattern here somewhere," Charlie agreed – all quiet seriousness too now as he leant over the photos in front of him, studying each one in turn.

Within seconds he was so deeply absorbed that he didn't notice the quiet movement beside him. A proud brother, and a hopeful friend, left him to work in peace now while they returned to the den.

When Steve had left it, just minutes earlier, there'd been a now familiar hum of peaceful activity. Now, though, and long before he caught sight of his partner's face, he felt its change of atmosphere. A seething mix of anger and tension that, as Steve already knew, could only ever have two causes.

"Damn it! I – I warned her about him, and his shady deals, that no good son of a bitch!"

And that separation of the sexes clinched it. Stan Edwards. The other bane in Danny Williams' life. Fighting Lord Vader, and the rest of his ex wife's attorneys, for his access to Grace made that life stressful enough, without Step-Stan adding to it, and –

– and Steve's eyes widened too now, as he started to understand his partner's outburst of anger.

Reading over Danny's shoulder, he could see a new, disturbing name on the list of Wo Fat's associates. Stan Edwards made business deals all over the world, including Thailand, and the rest of the far East. If any of them involved Wo Fat, or the Noshimuri brothers, then… damn it, he was in serious trouble.

And any trouble that threatened him brought his wife and step-daughter into the same deadly danger.

For the ex husband who'd sacrificed so much to protect them, such a threat could never be allowed. When it came to protecting his family, and his daughter especially, Danny Williams forgot the rule book that he would normally live by. If anything threatened them, all restrictive protocols were off.

He had full means and immunity too, that gave him the freedom and power to do it, and… whoa! Already on his feet, striding at full length to the front door, he also had one hell of a head start. Not to mention a glower of pure fury on his face that boded pure hell for his ex wife's new husband.

Steve had to sprint after him to catch him up before he crashed through it to reach the street outside, leaving a roomful of stunned faces behind them, and Kono's quiet voice that spoke for them all.

"First Steve, now Danny. This case just got real personal."

Everyone in that room knew what an understatement that was, just as they knew that personal cases could so easily escalate into even more dangerous vendettas.

None of them envied the near impossible mission that Steve faced now, in trying to calm his furious partner down. And they certainly didn't envy him the drive across the island to his ex wife's palatial estate - because when they got there, all hell was going to let loose.