******* I am so sorry for the delay in posting. I had an extremely busy week at work and simply had no time at all to write. I hope you all enjoy this chapter ********
**** WARNING! This chapter contains violence and death by suicide ****
Danny glanced at his phone and sighed deeply as the name 'McGarrett' lit up the screen.
Muttering, "Oh thank God" he answered, "Steve….buddy where are you?"
There was no immediate answer but he could hear Steve breathing heavily on the other end of the line as he struggled to compose himself.
He asked again, "Steve? Relax partner and tell me where you are"
Several more seconds passed in silence before Steve said softly, his voice cracking with emotion, "Danno"
"Yeah babe, I'm here. I need you to talk to me okay?"
"Danno…..I'm sorry"
"There's nothing for you to be sorry about Steve. Please just tell me where you are…..please let me help you" Danny closed his eyes briefly and sucked air into his lungs as he heard the tortured sobs coming from his partner. He spoke softly as he tried to calm his distraught friend, "Steve….. everything will be alright, please believe me. I'm here for you"
"Danny….I….I need to talk"
"Okay, good. Actually that's great buddy….where are you?"
Steve was crying as he continued, "I feel so weak and so foolish Danny…..…..oh my God"
"Steve relax and listen to me…you have absolutely nothing to be sorry for, or to feel foolish about and dear God anyone who knows you knows you are anything but weak. Buddy, you're human, that's all" Danny swallowed hard as he tried not to cry, HE needed to stay strong for Steve and he again asked, "Where are you?"
"I'm at the Kelekolio Motel on 6th, room 18"
"Okay, I'm close Steve and I'll be there in about fifteen minutes. Hey you sound like you've been drinking?"
"Yeah, I've got a bottle of Johnnie Walker"
"Oh yeah? You make sure you save some for me alright?"
"Yeah….will do"
Danny was terrified for his friend as he was obviously drunk and he knew that Steve, like most people, became more emotional when he drank.
He had to keep him talking, "Hey buddy I just saw Gracie and she sends you her love"
Steve's voice cracked as he said softly, "God I love that little girl so much"
"Well I can promise you she feels the same about you and she can't wait to see you"
"God Danny...oh God I hurt..."
Tears slid down Danny's cheeks. He loved this hard-nosed, crazy-ass SEAL and his heart was breaking for him. "Buddy, I know you're hurting and I'm almost there"
"You don't understand Danny...I can't do this anymore...I'm so fucking tired"
Danny's heart was pounding in his chest and hearing the pain in his partner's voice it terrified him.
Steve added softly, "Twelve Danny"
Danny knew exactly what Steve meant. He had seen that picture in Steve's bedroom several times. Twelve brothers killed, twelve men that Steve had loved and lost.
Danny pulled into the parking lot of the Motel and parked in front of room 18.
Still on the phone he raced to the door and finding it locked he asked, "Steve…..I'm here partner. I need you to unlock the door"
"Gimme a minute Danno"
"Okay…everything's going to be alright buddy, I promise you"
"How can you promise that 'D?"
"Steve… open the door so we can talk okay?"
The phone disconnected and seconds later Danny heard the deadbolt being turned and Steve opened the door.
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Steve looked like hell. He hadn't shaved in a week and he looked like he hadn't slept in that time either as dark rings were under his red, puffy eyes. He said quietly, "Thanks for coming Danno"
Danny nodded as he entered the room, closing the door behind him.
Steve walked to the far bed and sat down.
Danny moved over to the dresser in the corner of the room and after turning on a small lamp, he moved towards Steve. He saw his note folded up on the nearby end table next to Steve's phone. As his eyes moved to the ground his blood turned cold as next to the half-empty bottle of whiskey lay Steve's service revolver. He leaned over and picked up the items from the floor and moving back to the dresser, he set them onto it and then he sat on the bed across from Steve.
Danny didn't speak. He knew that Steve would talk...he had said he needed to, and he would.
A few minutes passed in silence as Steve sat with his head down.
Eventually the SEAL said softly, "I'm losing my mind Danny"
"No you've just been through a lot and you need time"
"I need sleep...but I can't"
"You look exhausted buddy. When's the last time you slept?"
"Not much since Michael..."
Danny shook his head, "Christ Steve, that was ten days ago. The Doc never told me you were having trouble sleeping"
"I never told him"
"From what he's said Steve, you haven't told him much at all"
"I haven't really felt much like talking Danny"
"That's okay. I'm here for you"
"Thank you..."
Steve laid back on the bed and placing his forearm across his eyes he said emotionally, "It wasn't Michael's fault Danno...I tried for years to convince him of that. God Danno, I failed him"
"Okay but Steve, what happened to Michael isn't your fault either. You didn't fail him"
Through his tears Steve said softly, "He couldn't battle the demons anymore Danny...these fucking demons"
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Ten days earlier the 5-0 team had responded to Duke's call to find Michael inside Honolulu National Bank.
As they exited the Camero Duke met them, "Steve, this guy says he'll only talk to you. Who is he?"
Steve replied calmly, "He's my brother Duke"
Duke asked, "What are you talking about?"
"We served together Duke. How many people is he holding?"
"He's let everyone go except two female tellers"
"He won't hurt them Duke"
Steve then started to move towards the bank and Danny called out, "Steve STOP! What are you doing?"
"I'm going to go get those women AND Michael out of there Danny"
"Slow down Steven...when did you talk to him last?"
"Um, about two months ago...Danny he seemed fine. Things were going well with his wife and his job was going well"
Duke then said, "Steve, we ran a background on Turner"
As he hesitated Steve asked, "Okay Duke...what aren't you telling me?"
"His wife disappeared last week and he's the primary suspect in her disappearance"
The surprise on Steve's face was evident as he said, "What?"
Danny grabbed his arm, "Steve, you can't go in there"
"What are you talking about Danny? I have to go in there...he's not going to hurt me"
"You can't be certain of that Steve"
"Danny, Mike loves Wendy...he wouldn't hurt her...I know him"
Danny nodded, "Okay, but I'm going in with you"
The men walked side by side to the door of the bank and as the door cracked open, they entered.
Once they were inside, Michael turned to the women and said, "Go...go now"
As they left the bank Michael instructed Steve to lock the door behind them.
As Steve turned to face his friend he holstered his weapon and following suit, Danny did the same.
Steve then said, "Put down the gun Mikey, it's going to be okay"
"No brother, it's over..."
Steve held out his hand, "Hey Mike, relax now...let's talk okay"
Michael glanced over at Danny, "This must be Danno?"
Steve replied, "Yeah, it's Danno. Mikey why didn't you call me when you got to town? What in the hell are you doing here?"
"I fucked up Smooth Dog...oh shit I fucked up"
"Let me help you brother. I love you man...let me help you"
Michael laughed nervously, "It's too late for that Steve...no one can help me anymore...not even you"
"Talk to me buddy"
He paused for a few seconds before saying, "I killed her Steve...I lost it and I killed her"
"Wendy? Are you talking about Wendy?"
"She was cheating on me Steve. I came home from work early and caught them together. I left the house and went to a hotel. A couple of nights later she called me and asked me to stop by the house. I went there hoping that we could work things out, hoping that she still loved me, but she asked me for a divorce...she wouldn't even discuss it Steve. We were married for nine years and she wouldn't even consider trying to work things out"
Steve sighed and then asked, "So what happened Michael?"
"I don't know ...I remember hitting her and then I blacked out"
"You blacked out? I thought you stopped having blackouts?"
"I hadn't had one in over two years, but I remember hitting her...and seeing her fall up against the fireplace. The next thing I remember is waking up on our couch and she was gone"
"She was gone? So why do you think she's dead?"
"There was blood on the floor next to the fireplace and I panicked and left. Two days later the cops showed up at my work and told me she was missing. She hadn't shown up to work for two days and her co-workers were concerned so they went to the house. They saw the blood and called the police"
"Did they arrest you?"
"They questioned me"
"Did you tell them you had fought with her and struck her?"
"No...I told them we had separated and after they verified that I had been staying at the hotel they released me"
"So they're investigating. I assume they told you not to leave the State?"
"Yes, but I needed to see you"
Steve took a step towards his friend and Danny grabbed his arm to stop him as Michael raised the gun to his head. Michael took a step back and hollered, "STOP STEVE! I needed to see you brother...what happened to us in Iraq, and Jeremy's death are my fault"
"You know that's not true Mike"
"I love you Steve and you have always stood by me and supported me but I can't do this anymore, I'm sorry"
"Michael please...please don't do this. Let me help you. Let me find out what happened to Wendy"
"I loved her Steve...God I loved her"
Before anything else could be said, Michael pulled the trigger and as the bullet entered the side of his head Steve lunged towards him catching him as he fell to the ground.
"MICHAEL NO! OH GOD NO!"
Danny ran to the door and after hollering for Duke to call for an ambulance he raced back to his partner's side.
Steve was cradling his dying friend in his lap while encouraging him to hold on, "Come on Mikey, you hold on brother..."
Michael's eyes were opened wide and he said haltingly, "Soorryy...Ssstteve...ccan't"
Through his tears Steve said softly, "I love you Mike"
A weak smile crossed Michael Turner's lips as he drew his last breath.
**** More to follow and I PROMISE you the updates will be much quicker ! Thanks for reading and I'd love to hear your thoughts ****