Chapter 7:
The peace was broken.
That damn dream again. The incident in Afghanistan.
Walking down the dirt road, with the backside of buildings on either side. Two of his mates were ahead of him. Steve looked everywhere for signs of irregularity along the alley way.
And then Mike stepped on a hidden IED.
The blast sent Steve flying.
Back in the cabin, on the bay window bed, Steve's stiffened body was drenched in sweat and trembling. He shuffled about in bed, turning and twisting in his sheets. "Mike." He whispered out clenching the sheets.
In his mind's eye, shrapnel flew everywhere. He looked over at Mike's body as the dust cleared slightly. He crawled to him. His hazel eyes stared lifelessly into Steve's. Steve felt that lump in his throat start to form.
Not Mike.
The dream changed in Steve's mind.
Oshiro stood over him.
"No." Steve muttered. "No, please."
Steve saw the sword.
"Don't!" He spoke out louder.
Terror shrouded him. He tried to move, but he couldn't.
Oshiro raised the sword over his cowering body.
Steve closed his eyes tightly and cried out.
Oshiro drove the sword into his bicep.
Pain seared in his arm and thigh.
A deafening screech erupted from Steve as he felt the amplified pain in his wounds. "Stop! Please! Leave me alone! Please, stop!" he bawled.
Steve thrashed around as he saw the sword enter into his arm and then in his leg. Pain spread and magnified.
"Stop!" He begged "Please!"
"Steve." Oshiro said to him as he knelt near him.
He writhed away, squeezing his arm, curling into a fetal position.
"Steve."Oshiro said once again reaching out. "Steve, wake up."
"Don't touch me! Help! Please!" His muscles tensed until a touch to his arm and Danny's worried voice brought him out of the dream.
"Steve!"
His eyes opened as he sat up on the bed. He took in the cabin and Danny sitting next to him. Even though he knew where he was, he still took a look around. He was sweating, and panting, his chest heaving like he had just ran a marathon. His arm and thigh throbbed in discomfort. He felt sick. He finally turned to Danny, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, concern streaked through his face.
"Steve, babe, you okay?"
Steve could only stare at Danny before he looked away. He wasn't okay. Nothing was okay and never would be. He wrapped his arms around his knees as he continued to breathe hard. He started to tremble and shake uncontrollably. Tears overwhelmed him and spilled down his face. It was so real. . .what had happened to him was real.
Steve was not there. He was not in Afghanistan. He was home. He was in Hawaii. And Oshiro was not there. Danny was. Everything was okay. Everything was going to be alright.
No, it isn't, though. This is never going to end. The nightmares, the flashbacks, the constant fear and anxiety that wiggled into Steve's life. . .none of it would end. None of it would ever end for him no matter how badly he wanted it to.
Steve hid his face behind his knees so Danny wouldn't see how pathetic he was. A Navy SEAL, a powerful man who had been assigned to protect their country, and assigned to protect the state of Hawaii, reduced to crying over nightmares, like a child.
As tears trickled down his cheeks, he didn't notice Danny crawling up behind him and placing his legs on either side of Steve, so Steve sat in between them. Danny pulled Steve backwards out of his current position, allowing him to turn to Danny. Steve placed his damp forehead to Danny's chest. Danny placed his back against the wall and wrapped his arms around Steve loosely.
"It's okay." He whispered softly into his ear.
Steve was still shaking, breathing in heavy sobs. Steve took in a breath. "It's not, Danny. It's not. I'm. . .I'm falling apart." He whispered before more tears made their way down his face. Steve closed his eyes tightly.
"It is okay, Steve. If you need to fall apart, just fall apart. Everything's going to be alright."
He let Danny run his hand through his hair like he did earlier that night when Danny rescued him. The tears continued to fall on to Danny's shirt.
"It was so real." He whispered in terror.
"I know, babe, I know." Danny said quietly.
Steve was glad Danny didn't push him to talk. Steve didn't want to. Not yet, anyway, but he couldn't go back to sleep.
"Steve, just relax." Danny said.
His muscles were tense and he continued to tremble. He was unable to relax. He was still breathing hard and let the tears run down his face. He grasped onto Danny's shirt, balling his fist around the fabric as panic came down on him.
"Danny, I can't. I can't go back to sleep! I can't." Steve felt the fear crippling him. "I just can't."
"Shh-shh-shh-shh. You don't have to sleep. It's alright. I just need you to relax, okay? Can you do that for me?" Danny spoke soothingly to him.
Steve took comfort in his words. He didn't have to sleep. That was good. He knew he needed to at least just relax. He'd do it for Danny.
However, he would have to sleep sometime and when he would fall asleep, the nightmares would be there, waiting to consume him in terror again. More tears made their way down Steve's cheeks. The silence was deafening as they sat there, except for the occasional sounds of Steve's soft crying and sniffling.
After a while, Steve heard Danny humming. The tune was familiar. He had heard it before he wasn't sure where though. Danny started softly singing to him. Steve liked the song. He also loved how Danny sang it. The tears slowed as Danny continued his soothing lullaby. Danny must've had a lot of practice with nightmare terrors with Grace.
Danny kept Steve wrapped in his gentle embrace. Steve took a deep breath, finally feeling himself start to calm down. Steve's grip on Danny's shirt loosened as he felt the weariness begin to take him away. He tried to stay awake. It was no use. He closed his eyes, still listening. Steve strained to hear Danny's voice. Danny loosened his tight hold on Steve. Steve breathed in Danny's scent and it calmed him. It reminded him of peace… serenity...
Home…
Once again, he slipped off into a calm, deep sleep.
