It had been a week. A week of routine, of being kept away from the other prisoners. It was for their safety, not his. There weren't many vampires in Halawa but those who were there knew better than to mess with one as old as Steve McGarrett. As for the humans in there, well, even in a group they didn't stand a chance against him in close quarters and even if they did manage to beat him, they couldn't kill him and no one wanted an angry vampire riding their ass.
So Steve was kept on his own, for safety and for the severity of the crimes he was accused of.
He didn't get many visitors, though that was by choice. He hadn't seen Danny the entire time he'd been in here and it was beginning to have an effect. He didn't feel so grounded despite hours of meditation and other techniques he used to calm himself. He had an emptiness inside that couldn't be filled without Danny's presence and, although he refused to give it any real thought, he occasionally felt… shaky. He could only think that maybe it was withdrawal. He hadn't tasted Danny's blood in that time, instead drinking whatever crap they served in the prison system. Danny's blood wasn't just fresh, warm and taste of home - there was magic in Danny and maybe it had affected him. But then, magic wasn't supposed to affect vampires.
Steve had sent Danny into hiding. He'd been in contact with Chin who had assured him Danny was safe and following Steve's orders. Five-0 may not exist right now, and Steve may not officially be anyone's boss, but they were all doing as he asked. Chin and Kono had kept Danny at a safe house that only the members of the team knew about. Danny was on just as complete a lockdown as Steve was. He didn't even have his phone in case it could be traced to him so he had a cheap burner to call Grace on. Kono had been put in charge of Danny's health and wellbeing, as well as making sure the man stayed put despite any protests. Chin was trying to work out how to prove Steve's innocence. Steve knew Danny wanted to help and was trying, but there was little he could do offline.
Steve was occupying himself with a workout when his door opened and he was told he had a visitor.
He sat on the cheap plastic seat and picked up the phone on his end, smiling at the person across from him. He had a feeling he knew what the other vampire was going to say.
"He says no, not without you. And he also says it's ridiculous that you won't let him visit because then at least you could have a conversation that wouldn't take 4 days."
Steve was right, and smiled smugly through the glass at Chin who laughed openly.
"I can't believe I'm the go between for one of your and Danny's insane arguments. I mean, really. Asking him if the bed is comfortable in the safe house? Especially when you knew what the answer would be? Oh, that reminds me, he also said you really had your priorities wrong if that's all you could think to ask."
"There are cameras in here, I'll bet the network is easily hacked so not only will I not discuss certain other issues in front of them, but I also don't want Hesse knowing Danny's on a nice day trip to visit me. He stays where he is, where he's safe from Hesse and.."
"… and nobody else can go sniffing around him? I know you, McGarrett, and I know what you're both like together. I know it's killing you being separated from him."
"If he came to visit me," Steve shook his head ruefully, "it would just set me off, even with this glass I'd be able to get a fix on him. Better to have the clean break until this is all cleared up. It's fine, hell week prepares you for anything."
Chin changed the subject. "The Lt. Governor wants to step up the trial."
"He wants to show the public he's a zero tolerance guy so convicting me of Jameson's murder is his first order of business."
"We're going to make sure that doesn't happen, Steve."
"I assume you came here for more than Danny's response and to keep me company. Is there word on Victor Hesse?"
"No," Chin looked around a moment. His eyes glanced at the camera but he came to a decision, though his phrasing was careful. "I got a visit yesterday at the precinct. Related more to Jenna's line of work but he's higher up. Way higher up."
Steve interpreted Chin's words easily enough. Whoever it was that arrived was Guild, possibly one of Jenna's bosses at the CIA and that meant he was there for Danny. They'd been worrying about this visit for weeks and he chooses to turn up now? The timing couldn't be worse. No doubt they wanted access to Danny and probably to take him away. There was little Steve could do from prison except hope to hell that Chin and Kono kept quiet.
"Don't tell him anything, Chin."
"I don't plan to, but you know they have their ways of finding things out."
"I know," Steve sighed. He knew they could likely use some form of location spell to find Danny. If Danny was a beacon to Steve, there was no doubt he would be to members of the Guild too, and depending on how high up this guy was, if he wasn't just a practitioner but an actual witch like Jenna expected might take interest? He'd definitely find a way to get to Danny.
After Chin left, Steve was given some time in the yard for fresh air. He looked up at the sky, at a burning bright sun that he had to use his hand to shield his eyes from. He'd become used to the Hawaiian sun after many years and though vampires didn't fear the sun, their eyes were sensitive to it more than a human's. After a week in prison, he wasn't so used to the brightness.
Because of it, it took him a few moments to adjust before seeing that the person coming at him from the darkness by the door was Sang Min, who somehow had a pair of sunglasses to protect him against the glare.
Despite the impairment, Steve had plenty of training and experience to fall back on and the hand to hand combat was something he had the upper hand in, but while Sang Min managed a moment of triumph over Steve, he was able to take a shiv from where it was hidden up his sleeve and strike Steve right in the heart.
Vampires wouldn't be affected for long by being stabbed. Anywhere else on his body and he'd be bouncing back from it in a few hours with no treatment necessary, but hitting him in the heart was more serious. It hurt like hell, it weakened him, and though it wouldn't kill him, it could send him into a coma from the trauma. His hands curled around where the shiv was sticking out of his chest, he could taste the blood in his mouth as Sang Min leaned over him and whispered in his ear. He couldn't concentrate on much - he was too busy hoping it wasn't deep enough to put him unconscious, leaving him vulnerable to beheading or burning - the only good ways to kill a vampire.
He could hear some of the words Sang Min said. They weren't instructions, and it wasn't snitching, but he knew that Sang Min had done this to give Steve a chance to get out of the prison. He should be taken to a hospital and if he's still conscious, he could escape. He could sort this out on the outside.
What Sang Min was doing made sense and though he hated being indebted to a criminal, he was oddly thankful for the injury. If nothing else, he'd be able to get to Danny before the man from the Guild did. Keeping Danny safe from Hesse was best done in person, or in simply making sure Hesse couldn't find him by keeping him hidden - it was his own version of witness protection. Keeping the Guild back couldn't be done from a distance. He needed to be by Danny's side.
Oh God. It hurt. He wanted to see Danny right now.
When Chin arrived at the safe house, groceries in hand, he walked in to discover Danny sitting at the kitchen table on a laptop.
"Brah, what the hell, where did you get that?" He walked over and pushed the laptop cover closed and yanked out the power cord.
Danny just watched Chin as he tried asserting himself but failed in his attempt at Steve's aneurism face. "Like that's going to make a difference," he gestured at where Chin was holding the power cable in his hand.
"Where did you get it?" Chin said again in a measured voice.
"Contacts. I have contacts, I know people, I had it delivered. You did, after all, leave me this lovely phone and I am not so old that I have forgotten how to make a phone call after looking through an old fashioned phonebook." He gestured at the yellow pages sitting on the counter top.
Chin's shoulders drooped as he let go of the cable. "You called Kamekona. Steve is going to kill me if he finds out."
"Then don't tell him."
"Danny, I'm doing my best here. I've got Steve being Steve, I'm leading an investigation on Victor Hesse despite the fact that the captain wants me to concentrate on convicting Steve for the murders and today I have the Guild coming at me looking for you. I do not have the patience nor the time to babysit you like you're a surly teenager!"
"Hey!" Danny stood and faced Chin head on, "Steve is not in charge of me, okay? Yes, I told him I'd do things his way but it's been a week, Chin, a WEEK, and things just keep looking worse. I can't sit around and do nothing, I can't let people wrap me up in cotton wool because of whatever the hell might be wrong with me. I'm a detective. I'm good at my job, and I'm trained in the use of weapons, hand to hand, pursuit driving…" he trailed off and took a breath, "I can take care of myself and I've had enough of Steve's coddling. I need out of this house."
"Fine, join in, by all means, but when Steve comes for my throat you better be there to calm him down."
Chin's phone rang and cut off the conversation. "Kelly… when?… I'm on my way." He hung up and looked at Danny. "Steve's been attacked."
Danny had convinced Chin to let him go with him to the prison. He'd been able to jump into the car before Chin had much choice and Chin just shook his head and floored it. Once at the prison, they headed straight to Sang Min's cell.
Danny had very little patience. After a week of being kept out of the investigation and away from Steve, he was at the end of his tether. He shoved Sang Min hard and he landed awkwardly back on his bed.
"You're a vampire, you know Steve can't be killed by just stabbing him so what was it, huh?" Danny asked. "Wanted to see him in pain? Or is Hesse waiting at the hospital to finish the job?"
"You got it all wrong, magic cop. I wasn't trying to hurt him, I was trying to help."
"Why would you do that?" Chin asked.
"Because, it gives him the best chance to escape. My chances of survival are higher if Hesse is concentrating on taking on Five-0. McGarrett in here and you on the outside walking the beat? My health could be in grave danger."
"Way to make it all about you, Sang Min," Danny strained a smile.
"Hey, with McGarrett out there and on the rampage, he might finally kill Hesse and I'm in the clear. And maybe the detective holding his leash will get my sentence reduced."
Steve came to in the back of the ambulance. He could feel his body already beginning to heal itself but it was painful in a way that other organs weren't. He'd only had this happen once before a long time ago and he'd forgotten how painful a hit to the heart was. As a vampire he needed his heart more than any other organ because he needed to keep blood pumping through him. With it injured, it was severely impaired and his strength wasn't as good as it should be.
He watched as the paramedics took care of him and remembered Sang Min's words of warning. This was his chance to escape and he wouldn't waste it. He pulled the oxygen mask from his face and muttered a quiet plea of Danny's name. It was enough to bring the paramedic closer and once he was, Steve grabbed hold of him and knocked him out. He rolled from the stretcher and grabbed at his chest, holding back the groan of pain, he pushed the back doors open and collapsed out into the street, narrowly avoiding the cars behind. Coming to his feet, he stumbled off, running as fast as he could away from the scene before the driver realized what had happened.
He avoided the sirens as best he could but running through back streets in an orange jumpsuit was still too conspicuous and his injury was still trailing blood down his chest. He needed to get away quickly before he passed out next from blood loss.
In a gas station toilet he did his best to stem the blood flow but was distracted by the appearance of HPD on the scene. Coincidental it may be, but he couldn't take the chance. He hid in the stall but it wasn't good enough and he was seen, but it meant he could get a change of clothes and transportation to get to Danny quicker, so he took the chance and launched himself at the cop.
He could feel himself becoming weaker as he drove away in the squad car. His eyes were drooping. He needed blood and he needed it quick. There was no way he'd make it out of town to the safe house in time. Checking the street signs to see where he was, he took a swift right and redirected himself to the closest place he knew of that might have things to help - Max's house.
He woke slowly, the world coming back together and Max's worried face looking down at him, saying his name.
"After patching me up, the least you can do is call me Steve." At Max's smile he continued, "sorry about breaking into your house, but I couldn't get anywhere else fast enough."
"No apology is necessary. In fact I feel quite humbled that you feel comfortable enough to come to me. I know vampires are very territorial and trust very few people."
Max began asking him more and he did his best to answer without scaring the medical examiner too much. He sat up and then there was a knock at the door. Steve turned to it and sniffed. He could smell vampire. He stood, but kept bent low, his teeth pushing through his gums, his eyes brightening. He could smell Danny. Danny was here with another vampire and he could smell that vampire on Danny.
There was a rage that went through him as Max opened the door and let the visitors in. He growled, deep and feral as Danny strode in.
"What the hell is the matter with you? What are you doing?" Danny turned to see where Steve was looking at Chin.
Chin's eyes widened and then he backtracked out of the door. "I'm outside, Steve. Don't worry."
Danny moved around the couch, closer to Steve, "Hey! Hey, caveman, why are you like this? Settle down, okay?" Danny reached up to Steve's face. After a year it didn't shock him to see Steve in his vampire state but he didn't normally see it like this, so angry.
"Chin was taking care of you."
"That's right, Chin's been helping me out this week, he's been trying to keep me sane at that house."
"I can smell him on you," Steve's voice was rough and shaky, from the injury and his primal rage that another vampire had been close to Danny. His logical mind knew why but he was still weak from the trauma of his escape and he hadn't seen Danny in a week - it had been difficult. He could no longer smell himself on Danny and that wasn't right.
"Oh, ho, wait a minute, here. Chin's done nothing, he is a perfect gentleman and you know that. We've been running around all day after your ass since you broke out so don't give me any crap right now. Pull it together."
Steve's eyes left the door where he was attempting to burn a hole in it to make sure Chin stayed away from him, from Danny. The tone in Danny's voice snapped him back. When Danny had that tone it meant he wasn't going to put up with anything from Steve and it was his signal to get himself calmed down. He looked directly into Danny's eyes. They were closer than he'd realized. Danny had pulled him in, hands on either side of his face. He was trying to make sure Steve was only paying attention to him, and like a switch going off in his head, suddenly that was all he could see. He took deep breaths, he let his teeth retract and concentrated on the smell of Danny so close to him. He trailed a hand onto Danny's chest, capturing the warmth and the light and then bundled Danny into his arms. He hugged him tightly and it stole the breath from Danny's lungs. Danny pushed and pulled until he was more comfortable, then one of Danny's hands tangled in the hair at the back of Steve's neck just where he liked to be touched and it brought him back to himself.
He opened eyes he hadn't realized were closed and saw Max standing carefully near the door, looking like he didn't know if he should leave or try to help out somehow.
"Buddy, you gotta let me go," Danny said, voice muffled in Steve's shoulder.
"No," he replied, not ready.
"Come on, babe, you're injured. You can't lean on me all day, you're too heavy for that." Danny was able to force himself back from Steve's hold and he turned to Max, but Steve kept one of his arms around Danny's waist from behind, the other steady on Danny's shoulder.
Danny called out to Chin to let him know he could come in, which he did, warily. "You sure?" Chin asked, head poking in the doorway.
"I told you I'd keep him in line, didn't I?" Danny smiled.
"Any sign of Hesse?" Steve asked, getting down to business. Chin was a vampire, he understood Steve's baser needs and wouldn't need him to start apologizing for it.
"No, right now we need to concentrate on you. HPD said you took a squad car, where is it?"
"I ditched it a couple of blocks to the south, behind a construction site."
"Okay, I'll get rid of it, take it to the North Shore, but I'll need help getting back again."
"I'll come with you," Max immediately volunteered, clearly wanting away from the situation he was in. "I can follow you in my car. I believe it is in our best interests to leave while Commander McGarrett and Detective Williams reconnect."
"Woah, we're not 'reconnecting' right now, we've got bigger things to worry about." At that, Steve ran a hand up and down Danny's arm and breathed on the back of his neck, which brought Danny's head around to watch. He pushed his groin forward against Danny and heard the gasp Danny couldn't hold back.
Chin smiled, "Sorry, brah. You want him calmed? You'd be best to help him out with what he needs."
"He needs a doctor," Danny argued, but Steve could feel him relaxing again in his arms. His dissension for show more than anything else.
"There is little else that can be provided for the Commander's medical needs. My only advice is that he requires rest. That is something he can have while we dispose of the police car. Oh!" Max exclaimed then ran into the back bathroom. He came out and placed a small bottle and a few condoms on the coffee table. "I believe you may need these. Please try not to stain the couch." He gave a small wave to them as he left the apartment, Chin following, closing the door behind them with a laugh, leaving Danny and Steve alone.
Steve took the opportunity to begin trailing kisses over Danny's shoulder. He pulled the shirt back, thankful that Danny wasn't wearing a tie today and hopeful he could dissuade him from wearing one again for a while. He knew Danny liked the added benefit of the tie covering the marks on his neck, but Steve much preferred them on show.
"Max said you need rest," Danny spoke, and Steve could feel the vibration of the sound as he lay gentle kisses onto Danny's throat.
"I'll get rest," he turned Danny in his arms, "once we're done." He kissed Danny, reclaiming his mouth just as he had begun reclaiming Danny's body. His hand fumbled with the buttons on Danny's shirt and then he pulled it out from the waistband of his trousers and down over his shoulders to fall on the floor. He then attacked Danny's pants, letting Danny shuck his shoes and pushed every piece of offending material away from Danny's body so he could see all of him. He was already topless himself so he only had to divest himself of the HPD uniform pants that were too big on him anyway.
He pushed Danny to lie down while he kicked off his underwear.
"Aren't you embarrassed that Max hunted out lube so you can fuck me on his couch?"
"He's a doctor," Steve shrugged as he lay on top of Danny, hands exploring and rediscovering the plains of Danny's chest and hips. "I'm sure he's seen it all before."
"Yeah, but we have to work with him, and Chin."
Steve lifted himself up on his arms, wincing only slightly with the strain as he manhandled Danny's body around, moving cushions to make things more comfortable for them.
"Shut up, Danny," he lay over the smaller man's back, mouthing open kisses on whatever patch of skin was beneath him. "Concentrate on me." He felt Danny's nod as he pushed a thigh between Danny's legs and then lost himself in Danny's body, on their connection, the feeling of everything coming back to an even keel in his head. That feeling of everything being right calmed him.
Danny lay curled on the couch with Steve behind him. If it wasn't for Steve's iron grip on him, he'd probably have fallen off by now. He could feel the warm body pressed tightly behind him, breathing evened out. Steve had fallen asleep shortly after they finished, too exhausted and worn out from his wound and the escape to keep with it.
Danny had managed to reach Steve's underwear and used it to wipe them down a little but was unable to reach around to Steve's groin where it was still pressed against him. Though one of Steve's arms was clamped around him, the other was on Danny's ass. He could feel Steve's fingers pressed against the sensitive skin from where Steve had just roughly reasserted himself as Danny's partner.
With a small moan, Steve rubbed his stubble against Danny's shoulder.
"Hey, babe," Danny said quietly. "We need to get dressed before the guys get back."
"In a minute," Steve mumbled.
"I don't know if we have a minute. They've been gone a while. And you and I are naked here."
Steve blindly fumbled behind himself and then pulled a blanket from the back of the couch down and over the middle of their bodies. "There," he said, with a smile against Danny's shoulder.
"Yeah, that's really helpful," Danny sighed.
"You're welcome."
"I'm serious, Steve. We've got more important things to do than lie on Max's couch."
Danny could feel Steve's eyelashes flutter against the back of his neck as Steve opened his eyes. With an annoyed groan, Steve stretched against him, pulling slightly on his wound, then pushed himself up to sit. Danny followed him up and then Steve pulled him back against him before he could stand.
"Steve, come on," Danny was expecting that Steve wanted to go for another round, or was just going Neanderthal on him for a moment. Usually a certain tone of voice stopped Steve but his arm tightened this time instead.
"Max gave me blood but…" Steve's voice trailed off and Danny felt the huff of his breath on his neck.
"Okay, just make it quick," Danny knew there was no point fighting Steve on this, and he knew it had been a while, so to complete Steve's need to mark him, he tilted his head to allow Steve more room. His teeth sank in and Danny automatically jerked forward at the pain but Steve held on tight. No matter how many times Steve bit him, he would never get used to that initial shock, but the feeling that came over him as Steve drank was one he never minded. He relaxed into Steve, gliding on the feelings it brought him and his hazy mind registered the sound of the door opening and closing but in this moment he didn't care who was around or what was happening.
As Steve's mouth left him it was another few moments before he was able to begin understanding the words being said around him. He opened his eyes to see Max sitting on the footstool in front of him. "… fascinating. Detective, I wonder if you would be interested in discussing the effects of the vampire toxin on you. I have read many articles on the subject but have never been privileged enough before to witness the intimate act of the bite. I have only ever seen the aftereffects."
"Whatever, Max," Danny turned his head into Steve's, his hand lifting to run the backs of his fingers along Steve's neck. "Did you just do that in front of them?"
Steve's eyes were dark now, proprietary. He grunted as he ran a hand over Danny's cheek then closed the distance and kissed him. A hand trailed low on Danny's back and lower causing him to yelp a little as Steve's finger pushed against him.
"Woah, hey." He broke the kiss and looked down, grabbing the blanket closer around both his and Steve's bodies. He could feel the smug satisfaction rolling off Steve in waves. Danny could only assume he looked wrecked, hair everywhere, body covered in marks and stinking of sex. Steve loved Danny like this, so there was no doubt the vampire would be happy with it, but Danny felt self conscious. Steve continued to nose at Danny's neck, tongue darting out to taste his sweaty skin.
"Naked. Okay, we're naked under the blanket and we need to get dressed so we can sort out the fact that Steve escaped from prison." Steve's hand was still on Danny's ass, his fingers still pushing against him, but there was nowhere for Danny to go right now and he didn't want to say anything in front of Chin or Max. He cleared his throat, hoping to pull the sound of it down a notch or two. "Can you pass over our clothes, please? Then maybe turn your backs or something? Steve, stop it!"
They were sitting on Max's couch. Steve had his arm flung around Danny, while Max sat gingerly beside them. Chin hovered over on the other side of the coffee table.
The evidence they had on Steve was circumstantial but it was still damning, and anything they could think of to use against it could easily be thrown out as it just wasn't a strong enough defense. What they needed was rock solid proof, the problem was finding it. Even the photos of Danny that Steve had found wouldn't work as anyone could have ordered they be taken.
There was a knock on the door and all their heads turned to it.
"Kono?" Danny asked quietly, but Steve and Chin both shook their heads.
"Not her smell," Chin said.
"I don't recognize it," Steve said, wary. He raised himself from the couch, pulling Danny with him and then making a point of standing between Danny and the door. "Danny, into the kitchen," he said, but Danny grabbed onto the sleeve of Steve's borrowed shirt.
"You too. Maybe they found you."
"If it was HPD they'd have announced themselves," Steve argued.
After a second knock there was the sound of a man's voice, muffled slightly by the wood of the door. "Detective Daniel Williams? I'm not here to hurt anyone, please open the door."
Max started towards the door until Chin stopped him.
"But it's my understanding that although someone says they don't want to hurt anyone, it seems that they will do so if they do not get what they want."
"What they want, Max, is Danny," Steve said, locating the gun he took from the HPD officer and raising it. "They're not getting him. Danny, get to cover, now."
"Didn't we talk about this before? With the orders? I'm not a damsel in distress, I can fight my own battles."
In the next moment the door flung open on its own accord and standing framed in the sunlight through the door was a bald headed man in dress pants and a shirt. His hands in his pockets, he seemed deceptively relaxed.
"I hope I didn't startle anyone, but I was tired of waiting out there," the man looked around and his eyes fell on Danny. Recognition flared on his face and Steve adjusted his grip on the weapon. "It is true. Remarkable."
"Who are you?" Steve asked, making sure Danny stayed where he was while he and Chin kept their weapons at the ready. Danny's gun was still on the floor in front of them. He hadn't had a chance to get to it yet.
"My name is Joe White." He dug in his pocket and brought out his ID. "I represent the Guild within Homeland Security. We've become aware of the situation out here and after countering various attacks on our network, they asked that I investigate. I'm aware of the CIA's unauthorized involvement. I'm here to officially make this a case for Homeland."
"You've got to be kidding me, please tell me you don't have a personal vendetta against Victor Hesse. I've had enough of those already."
White gave Danny a curious look and then answered, "No, I don't. I know Victor Hesse as a criminal that the Guild has wanted dead for over a century, but personally? No, I've never met him." White turned his gaze to Steve who still had his gun perfectly positioned to take White's head off if he wanted. "You must be Commander Steve McGarrett. I've heard good things about you. Please, there's no need for the weapon."
"I'll be the judge of that."
"I don't know what you're expecting me to do, but I'm just here to talk. I've been tracking Detective Williams for the last two days, since I arrived. I finally locked onto his essence about an hour ago. This is the first time it's been still since I began."
Steve turned his head slightly and saw the blush creep up Danny's face. There was no way to tell if it was related, but it was an hour ago that they'd been on the couch together. It would be yet another complication to find out that their being together solidified the magic in Danny, and it made Steve wonder. But there was no way he was going to let on to anyone that sex made Danny's magic brighter.
When Steve and the others in the room still didn't seem ready to believe Agent White, he tried again. "Please, I know you have no reason to trust me, but I know that whatever investigating you've been trying to do isn't getting you too far. I think I might be able to fill in some blanks."
Danny's hand reached up and covered Steve's on the gun. "Steve," he said carefully, the intent clear. Steve slowly lowered it but kept poised, ready to stand in front of Danny at a moment's notice.
"Please, sit," Danny motioned.
Chin turned to Steve, "Maybe it would be better if Max left, we don't want him in trouble for your escape. I can go check the area, make sure Agent White didn't bring any friends to the party."
Steve nodded and the other men left, pulling the door closed behind them. "Actually, it's Director White," the man said.
"You aren't the director of Homeland Security," Steve said.
"No, I'm a Director of the Guild. I liaise with Homeland. I've done similar work with the CIA and the Navy over the years."
"You said you had more information," Danny rubbed his hands together and Steve clasped them to him as he pulled Danny over, dragging him to sit on the footstool, giving Danny a chance to reattach his hip holster. He noticed White's eyes dart to the coffee table where the condoms were still sitting unused and was thankful Danny was too busy to notice, knowing he'd blush at the realization.
"Yes. The files you acquired from our system on the Shelburne Project. I'm sure you have questions." He looked at Danny.
"Well, for one, we didn't know its name. That must have also been under the big black marks covering the document. Pretty much everything on it was redacted except the date."
"Your birthday," White nodded.
"Apparently so," Danny answered.
"You have magic. You only recently discovered that you carry it and now you know the Guild did something on the day of your birth. Honestly, I'm surprised you're not more agitated about this."
"My life used to be simple. Wife, kid, job. Then it hit the shitter when I got divorced and she moved out here to pineapple hell. SInce arriving on this Island my life has been nothing but complications. I'm learning that whatever's around the corner is invariably worse than what I've already been through, so nothing you can say is going to surprise me."
"You think your life with me is hell?" Steve asked, head turned to Danny. He kept his hand clasped around Danny's arm.
Danny reached for Steve's free hand. "Did I say that? I didn't say that, I said it was complicated and you can't deny that."
"I was told that you were… close." White interrupted. "This may make things difficult. I've not seen a vampire intimate with someone with magic power before, the 'species' tend to avoid each other."
"Another thing to add to our pile of weirdness," Danny muttered.
"Do you know what Danny is? Has? I mean, what level he is with this magic? Guardian, Witch?"
White almost looked surprised at Steve's knowledge of the Guild's terminology for the strength of the practitioner. There was no doubt that Danny was more than a basic practitioner who could do little more than the odd spell and trick. It was more likely that he was a Guardian due to his 'serve and protect' nature but Jenna had mentioned before that Witches were the highest level and rare. Not so much was known about how their magic manifested but they had the ability to draw more power and were rumored to be the ones to originally create the spells practiced today by understanding how the power flowed through them.
"He's neither. All the things you think you know about magic comes from those who are born with the innate abilities and have trained at various institutions across the country since they were young. Detective Williams wasn't exactly born with it. If I'm right about how the project went awry, then he was sent it by us. We didn't mean for it to happen."
"What do you mean, you didn't mean it? How can you accidentally make someone a… whatever you think I am?"
"Witches are old and can live for a long time, longer than a regular human does because the magic sustains them," White began. "One such witch devoted the majority of her life to creating a spell so powerful as to give back life to others."
"Wait, to bring someone back from the dead?" Steve asked. He glanced at Danny, vague thoughts of Thomas running through his mind. Maybe there was more to the resemblance than they realized.
"Not exactly. Think of it more to do with healing, not bringing someone back. The spell is complicated, sounding quite vague but we interpreted it to be that we would create a 'key' that would then be protected by 'one of our own'. That's the wording we have."
"How can the spell be vague? Why not just ask the witch what she meant?" Danny asked.
"The spells come from the magic, the witch interprets the spell. Like it's a separate entity inside us, a witch can commune with the magic and interpret as best as he or she can. In this case, the witch asked the magic for a way to restore someone to how they once were. We hoped it could be used to cure cancers, diseases, degenerative conditions. It would be a huge breakthrough in medicine."
"Sounds impressive. But something went wrong?"
"Maybe not. I don't know. Nine Guardians assembled with the witch to try the spell. We understood that the magic was to be given to someone to be nurtured. It was to be protected while it grew. One of our Guardians was newly pregnant. We thought that if the magic was given to her unborn daughter, it would be nurtured by the child as it grew and protected by the mother, hence the child would be the key and the mother would be the one protecting her. After all, she was 'one of our own', they both were. We were wrong, the magic that was created dissipated."
"Why not try again?" Danny asked.
"Four Guardians gave themselves to create the magic necessary to pull off the spell. The magic was ripped from them and combined to be made into the key. The shock of losing that part of themselves... It was agony for them, I can still remember their cries. None of us wanted to put anyone else through it."
"You were there?"
"Yes. I watched the magic leave us. I remember how great the sacrifice those four men gave for it, and the disappointment and feeling of failure that the witch felt. She'd given decades of her life for the spell, she was convinced it would work and when it didn't, she was broken hearted."
"Wait, I'm confused. I get the whole idea of the project, and what went wrong, but how do I play into this? It may have happened on the day I was born but I was in Jersey. This happened, I assume, in Washington?" Danny waited for White's nod. "There's no magic in my family, nothing to involve me with the Guild in any way, so what have I got to do with it? Why would it hunt me out when it must have had a lot more kids to choose from?"
"Honestly, that part I still need to work out. But one thing I do know now is that the spell worked. The magic that was combined that night didn't want to go where we wanted it to, instead it sought you out and stayed hidden inside you until you came here. We need to work out what triggered that, too."
Danny rubbed at his face and Steve's arm around Danny's back tightened in moral support. Pieces of a puzzle were slotting into place but there were still questions. Steve didn't trust this man to tell him anything else, like the fact he could see Danny's magic glow.
Danny broke the hanging silence. "This is insane."
"I thought you said nothing would surprise you," Steve lightly knocked his shoulder against Danny, trying to make him smile.
"I'm not surprised, I just don't think he's right. I'm pretty sure he's insane."
"It's you, Detective. All the signs point to this, it makes sense."
"To you, maybe, but to me? No," Danny stood and paced away. Steve watched as he tried to get his thoughts in order, and not for the first time wished he could comfort Danny, calm his racing brain, take away any burden he might be feeling. "No, this whole magic thing? I've never wanted it. I just want to do the job I'm good at and raise my daughter. I didn't ask for this and I'd really rather not get involved."
Steve went over and bundled Danny in his arms. There was clearly more Danny wanted to let out but was careful of his words in front of White.
"Can't we just do all of this later? We're a bit busy right now what with needing to clear Steve of a murder charge."
"I did hear about that, I thought it might make my job easier," White stood and regarded them both. "With you being out of a job right now, Detective, I thought you'd be more willing to come with me to train."
At White's words Steve turned to him and bared his teeth. This was what he was afraid of, that the Guild would sweep in here and take Danny away from him.
"Your teeth don't frighten me, son," White spoke and Steve snorted at his nonchalance. And his use of the word 'son' when Steve was 4 times the man's age. "Detective, you need to train. The power in you needs to be harnessed and you can only do that with the help of the Guild. Your power is raw, vulnerable. If you're to fulfill your destiny you must come with me."
"Destiny? Bullshit. I don't believe in that crap and I'm needed here. Hey," Danny grabbed Steve's face again. "Stop it, rein it in."
White looked them over and seemed to come to a decision. "If I help you exonerate Commander McGarrett, will you reconsider?"
"No he won't, he's not going-"
"Wait, Steve," Danny cut him off. "Wait, if he can help prove your innocence, no, just listen to me," Danny wouldn't let Steve say anything. "Working with the Guild isn't nearly as bad as not seeing you because you're locked in a jail cell."
"Hesse, he's still out there."
"I know, but babe, there's no way I could stay in hiding for long, you know that. As much as I don't want to believe any of this magic crap, if they are right then I can learn some things that might help against Hesse. And maybe having their agents around would be a nice deterrent for Hesse too, okay? We can probably work out some kind of half decent deal here. I'd rather make sure you were on the outside with me. You're my priority, just like I'm yours."
Danny kissed Steve chastely after he gave an acquiescing nod.
They'd move themselves to Kamekona's back room. They'd been at Max's for a long time and felt the need to keep moving so as not to arouse suspicions by having the entire team hanging out at one apartment, their cars filling the lot outside. It was easier to blend in at the beach.
Director White sat in front of a laptop that he wouldn't let anyone look at over his shoulder. Steve sat in an old chair, occasionally rubbing against his heart where the wound was still healing. Danny paced nervously nearby. Jenna nursed the shave ice Kamekona had conned her into buying on the way in and Chin and Kono stood close by discussing what they knew about how far HPD were in the hunt for Steve.
"Okay, here's what I know," White began, almost surprising them with his announcement. "A certain agency, I won't name which one, has been keeping tabs on elected officials. They only pay attention to the taps if that official is accused of anything or there are rumors, etc."
"Are you saying Jameson is one of those who were checked on?" Danny asked.
"Yes, there's a camera in her office as well as one at her residence, in her study where she works."
Chin perked up from where he was by the wall, "If the camera is still there it might have caught what happened."
"I can't go, I need to stay hidden here," Steve said.
"I'll go," Danny started but Steve put a hand out to stop him.
"No, I need you here with me, Chin, take Kono with you, Director White, do you know where it's hidden?"
"No, the only information I have is that it's in there and would have a pretty decent view of the desk area on each side. They usually hide these things in everyday objects, but ones that won't be moved around the place… check light stands, clocks, things like that."
"Okay, we're on it," Chin said, nodding to Steve and beckoning Kono with him.
"We'll be back soon, boss," Kono added on the way out.
Steve turned to where Jenna was, "Kaye, you should take off as well, I don't want you getting in more trouble if anything happens. We need you to see if there's any chatter about Hesse. He'll know I'm out of prison by now and he might have surfaced somewhere."
"On it," Jenna nodded, taking a big slurp of shave ice as she headed out of the door.
There was silence in the room, it had an awkward edge to it. White leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms, looking as if he was sizing Steve and Danny up. Danny was somewhere behind Steve and though he couldn't see him, he could sense his unease. Steve himself was keeping all his senses primed in case something happened, making him feel very on edge.
"You know," White began conversationally. "Your big friend out there is quite the entrepreneur. Told me all about his plans to open a shrimp truck, asked if I wanted to get in on the ground floor."
"Kamekona's good people," Steve said evenly.
"This whole team seems to be good people. You look out for each other, it's admirable."
"It's Ohana."
"That's Hawaiian for family."
Steve didn't respond to White again, just kept his eyes on him, sizing him up still.
Danny cleared his throat from behind Steve. "If this lead pans out, then I need to follow through on my half of the bargain."
White nodded and looked up at Danny as he moved to be by Steve's shoulder. "Ideally, you would fly with me to Washington. The Institute there is the best in the country, also the safest. We have the best equipment and that would help get to the bottom of things. Considering that you're worried about seeing your daughter, I'd be willing to organize her visiting you. Or I can look into relocating the whole family."
"I'm not uprooting my daughter. This is her home now, whether I like it or not. And I have Five-0, I'm not leaving the team. We do good work." Danny's hand rested on Steve's shoulder, the small connection between them holding Steve off from doing or saying anything he shouldn't.
White seemed to consider things. "You mean you won't leave McGarrett."
"That too," Danny's voice remained steady but Steve could hear his heartbeat speeding up, worried about what might happen to him, to them. If the Guild wanted, they could take Danny. The fact that White was negotiating was unexpected and they couldn't look the gift horse in the mouth.
"I could force you."
"You could tie my hands, put a bag over my head and lead me to a plane. You could force me away from my home and my family, but you can't force me to do anything with magic and you can't make me learn anything. Test me all you want, but that destiny crap you've tried to feed me? None of it will happen if you don't have my co-operation, so here's the deal - I will learn from you, I'll believe whatever you want me to, but we do it here, in Hawai'i. And it can't interfere with my job or my family."
As Danny finished, Steve reached his hand up and grabbed onto Danny's that was still tightly holding to his shoulder. White couldn't miss seeing how close they were and how resolute.
"I admire you, Detective, you have strength that doesn't come from the magic but is all yours," White leaned forward, elbows on the table. "Very well. There's a retreat on Mount Tantalus. It's quiet, secluded. I can speak with the other Directors and we can begin by testing your abilities there."
White could get nothing more from them at the moment. The man seemed adamant that his help would be the key piece in clearing Steve of the charges. He'd dropped his card on the table and told Danny to call him to make more arrangements.
Since he'd left, Steve and Danny had stayed quiet in the back room, not discussing anything more to do with the magic and still waiting on Chin and Kono, so there was nothing in Steve's case they could hash out.
Danny had pulled a chair up. He now sat awkwardly in it at the corner of the table, his hand in Steve's.
A far off sound of sirens began to wail, piercing the quiet and Kamekona rushed into the room. "We got company."
Steve and Danny darted to their feet, Steve checking out the window to see the cruisers beginning to arrive and surround the place. Danny joined him at the window, peering out. He recognized the man getting out of the unmarked car. Detective Chang. The guy was a bit of a hard ass, had never taken to Danny and had vocally been opposed to Steve's methods in the past. He was a good cop, just a pain. Which meant this probably wasn't good with him calling the shots out there.
"Steve McGarrett, we have the building surrounded. Come out with your hands up." The tinny voice came across the bull horn.
Danny turned to Steve, "What do you want to do?"
"Yeah, brah, just give us the word," Kamekona added.
"I need to go out there."
"Okay, bad idea, babe."
"I have to, Danno, I can't get you or Kamekona in trouble. I can tell them you had nothing to do with it, that I forced you."
"You know they won't believe that, not about me anyway. We just need to stall them until Chin and Kono come through with the evidence."
"You can tell them you forced me, brah. But with my prowess, they won't believe that either," Kamekona agreed with Danny. "Jersey is right, you gotta stall, man."
"We can't hide out in here. If they raid the place people can get hurt, you can get hurt," Steve paced a few steps, hands on his hips.
"Fine, okay," Danny was trying to think, fast. "I'll go out. I can tell them what's going on, get them to see our side of things."
"Danny-"
"It's the best idea we have, Steven."
"I don't like it, Danny-!" Steve tried to grab for Danny's arm but he'd already turned round and was headed to the door. Steve launched himself after Danny, but the smaller man had deftly slipped by Kamekona's large frame, and now the big man was in Steve's way just too long, and Danny made it out to the door before he could stop him.
He held his hands up after turning the handle, "Chang? It's Danny Williams…" He made his way out, hands in the air, "Steve didn't do anything, we're just trying to clear his name."
Danny didn't get a chance to say any more as Chang rushed forward, gun still pointed at Danny and with SWAT around them, he shouted at Danny to get on his knees. He complied, not wanting to get himself shot. As one of the other officers came with cuffs he looked up at Chang, his eyes squinting but he was pretty sure his look conveyed one of 'what the hell?'.
"Williams, you're under arrest for harboring a fugitive," Chang looked up to see Kamekona's bulk in the door frame, "Him too," Chang gestured for the officers to head back to the building.
"I'm not harboring anyone, McGarrett's not even here," Danny tried, but it was a lost cause when he heard Steve's voice coming from behind Kamekona, pushing the big man out the way and rushing out into the sunlight. Danny turned his head enough to see Steve halt and put his hands up.
"They had nothing to do with it, I forced them, do you understand me?" Steve said loudly for everyone to hear as the officers approached him.
"Steve, I told you to stay inside!" Danny shouted to him as he was lifted to his feet between two armed officers, the cuffs digging in painfully where they'd attached them too tightly around his wrists. He stumbled in their hold and they must have thought he'd tried to get to Steve because in the next instant he was being hauled backwards at an uncomfortable angle.
"Hey!" Steve roared, "What are you doing? Leave him alone!"
Steve lunged out of the hold they had on him, but it was short lived. He must have forgotten that he wasn't at full strength still and he wrenched his left shoulder in the process, the pull likely hurting his already damaged heart and he sank back down to his knees and was roughly kicked over onto his stomach while they tried again to get the cuffs on him.
Danny yelled Steve's name and got no response from him, but he could hear the breathy growls from the ground where Steve's face was mashed into the grass. Given another minute, Danny was sure he was going to fight his way out of this hold and over to Steve. He was also sure Steve would gather his strength and fight his way over to him. There was no doubt in Danny's mind that the whole thing could degenerate into a situation with bullets, which is why the sound of his Camaro pulling up was one of the most welcome he'd ever heard.
"Let them go!" Kono yelled, jumping out of the driver's seat.
"Get the cuffs off them!" Chin shouted after, making his way around. Chin went straight to help Steve up, while Kono came over to Danny. She touched his face, trying to gauge if he was okay, her eyes soft as she regarded him before turning to steel as she ordered him to be released.
The confusion around the officers was palpable, until the Lt Governor stepped in. "You have the wrong man, Detective. McGarrett's innocent. He didn't kill the Governor, he didn't kill anyone."
Denning nodded at Steve as he was released from the cuffs, then Danny caught his eye and there was nothing that could stop Steve rushing forward to him. He pulled Danny into his arms, hugging the life out of him before breaking away just enough to make sure Danny wasn't hurt.
"I'm fine, don't coddle me, it was nothing," Danny frowned at Steve, whose face hardened as he made it clear that nothing Danny said would make him worry less, and Danny should realize that by now. He did, he just knew that if he didn't argue back, that would probably worry Steve more.
Steve's hands made their way to either side of Danny's face. Between their bodies, Danny rubbed his wrists where they bore the indentations of the cuffs. In the next moment, Danny was smothered again, his hands trapped between their bodies as Steve pulled him back in, his head ducked into Danny's shoulder.
They watched the video together in the back room. They saw the whole thing, but the angle wasn't great, you couldn't see Hesse. Nonetheless, it proved that Steve hadn't killed the Governor.
"You can't see it's Hesse, you can't see his face."
"But the accent is a clear giveaway, surely," Danny put in from beside Steve.
"We've looked at some other footage from the night before. It shows Jameson and Hesse discussing how to frame you for the guard's murder," Chin said as they turned off what they'd watched. "We caught his face on it then too."
"It doesn't make a difference though, right?" Kono chimed in. "It proves you definitely didn't do it, boss, and on top of that, everyone knows Hesse is a wanted criminal, it doesn't change his status."
"Commander McGarrett," Denning moved forward, but was wary of Steve, whose hand ghosted out to cover in front of Danny. "You have my sincerest apologies for everything you've been through."
"With all due respect, sir, I don't need your apologies. What I need you to do is reinstate my Five-0 task force so we can of after this son of a bitch."
Denning crossed his arms, his eyes darting between Steve and Danny. "Well, there is no doubt that Five-0 had an impact on crime. So as Lt. Governor I'll grant your request."
"Thank you, sir."
"But," Denning continued, "there are conditions."
"What conditions?" Danny asked, having a feeling Steve wouldn't like this and frankly, they didn't need any more complications in their lives. Not today.
"Governor Jameson gave you full immunity and means to basically run roughshod over ever law on the State's books. That's not going to happen on my watch. You cross the line, you answer to me."
"Understood, sir," Steve said, clearly not happy but willing to do what it took to get Five-0 back in place. "But just so we're clear, sometimes we get put in positions where lives are on the line and we have to make split second decisions and when that happens? The line you're talking about gets a little hard to see."
"Fair enough," Denning nodded, holding his hand out to Steve who shook it without hesitation.
"I'll reinstate Lieutenant Kelly and Officer Kalakaua immediately."
"Don't forget about Detective Williams. He's been off grid for the past week, he didn't go back to HPD," Chin said.
"I'm afraid that won't be possible." Denning turned his eyes between Steve and Chin, practically ignoring Danny who stood up straighter, confused but ready to fight to be back on Five-0 as well. "Detective Williams has come to the attention of the Guild. I had one of their Directors on the phone this morning telling me they want him for some kind of special project."
"Son of a bitch," Danny said. It sounded like White had double crossed them, demanding Danny's time and using the new Governor to see to it.
Steve stepped forward, "We came to an agreement. Director White told us Danny would stay where he was."
"It's out of my hands, gentlemen," Denning backed away, "You need to take it up with him, but when Homeland Security and the Guild come to me with this kind of request, I need to honor it."
Danny kicked the door after Denning left. He was angry. No, he was livid. They'd made a deal that said Danny's life wouldn't be messed with and yet here was White sticking it to them and they hadn't even begun anything yet.
"Hey, hey," Steve enveloped Danny from behind and Danny was well aware, with the sound of Steve's soothing voice in his head, that it was ironic that he was the one being talked down from an angry ledge for once, and that Steve had somehow remained relatively calm through it. It was like they balanced each other out - only one of them could be angry at any one time.
"Why are you so calm?" Danny asked through gritted teeth, as he leaned back in Steve's hold.
He felt Steve's lips against his hair as he replied. "Because no one is taking you from me, I won't let them. Besides, the Governor said he got the call this morning, that was before we met White. I'm sure it's a misunderstanding. If it's not? Then we'll stop the son of bitch. Let's celebrate today's win."
"Urgh, it's been a long day," Danny moaned as his head fell back on Steve's shoulder. He felt Steve nod against him, but then he pulled out of their embrace, aware that there were others in the room.
"Celebrating sounds good," Kono said with a smile for them, "How about we start with some shave ice. I mean, since we're here and all."
"Steve's buying," Danny smiled.
"I don't have my wallet," Steve answered.
"Figures," Danny rolled his eyes.
"Hey, I broke out of prison and have been on the run all day. When did I have the time to get to an ATM?"
The others just laughed at him.
It had started as shave ice, then had become beers. Somewhere further down the line there had maybe been vodka, possibly rum and definitely tequila.
Danny wasn't sure exactly where the Camaro was but he thought it was still at Kamekona's. The taxi had brought them back to the house and he'd only thought about the car when he realized he didn't see it in the driveway. Steve's truck wasn't there either. He had absolutely no clue when they'd last seen that.
"We can use the GPS on it," Steve said. Danny realized he must have said something out loud. But GPS, of course, it was handy. They could find their vehicles in the morning.
Danny collapsed on the couch with a thud as he watched Steve carefully put the code into the alarm to reset it again. He giggled, though he refused to think of it as a giggle, but he couldn't help it as he thought back over the evening and absently ran a hand over his neck where Steve's bite marks were.
"What's up with you?" Steve asked, joining him on the couch and crowding him into the corner.
"Just thinking about your lame excuses, Smooth Dog. The last experiment on your ability to get contact drunk was inconclusive? Bite me," he said.
"I did," Steve smiled against Danny's neck, his fingers fumbling with the buttons on Danny's shirt, his mouth trailing after into Danny's chest.
"I think it's pretty conclusive now," Danny sing-songed. "You, my friend, are entirely too drunk, hey, hey, hey," he pushed against Steve. "Who said you were getting any tonight?"
"Danny," Steve attempted to look sternly at him. "You're talking too much, and the words you're using are too big. Shut up and let me drive."
"I am not a car, Steven, you don't get to drive me." Danny's argument wasn't working so well when his body was betraying him and opening up to Steve's touches. "Control freak, primitive buffoon," he murmured.
He lost himself in Steve's hands, his lips, his skin caressing Danny's, their clothes tangled around them, oppressing them. He moaned as they kissed. There was no hurry, there was no marking going on, this was purely for their enjoyment and they were taking their time through hazy, alcohol fuzzed brains.
Danny's eyes opened abruptly, his brain catching up to him. He captured Steve's face in his hands and looked at him earnestly. "Hey, what are we gonna do about this Shelburne thing?"
"The project?"
Danny nodded.
Steve shook his head, a hand running up and down Danny's arm soothingly. "Tomorrow, D, tomorrow. Right now? We're good, everything's good…" Steve smiled evilly, "and your ass is mine."
"Oh really?"
"Yeah," Steve's voice was low, breathy and it did things to Danny that he couldn't put into words. He smiled as he looked into Steve's playful eyes and realized that for now, everything was fine. Their problems, old and new, could wait until morning.
