Danny sighed as he looked at his watch, then up at the display board that still said that the flight to New Jersey wasn't ready to board yet due to the plane being refuelled.

He wouldn't mind so much if it wasn't almost 6am and he was tired, and if he also didn't have an equally tired Steve slumped against him on the bench in the departure lounge. At least Lou was here to help him with their luggage, even at the ungodly hour.

"Hopefully not much longer, buddy." Danny muttered, one arm around him and rubbing his bicep. "They just need to put lots of fuel in the plane."

Steve had an arm around Danny's waist and his head was nestled in the crook of his neck. He rubbed his eyes and nodded, when something caught his gaze.

"Danno?"

"Yeah, babe?"

"Man's watching me." Steve whispered. Danny frowned down at him before following his line of sight, and sure enough a man on the other side of the row of benches was looking at them with a strange expression.

Steve cringed and tried to hide his face in Danny's chest. Danny was pissed, but he wasn't quick enough.

"Hey!" Lou piped up from Danny's other side, causing the stranger to jump. "What you looking at?!"

The man flushed bright red with embarrassment, at being caught staring and by being told off by a large man with a gun holster on his hip. Lou raised his eyebrows, the man got the message and quickly grabbed his bag and fled to another empty seat as far away as possible from the three of them.

"That's what I thought." Lou muttered.

"Thanks." Danny said after coaxing Steve out of his hiding place under his arm.

Lou waved off his thanks, before gesturing to the board. "Looks like you guys are up! Have a safe flight."

Finally! Danny thought. He hauled Steve upright and made sure he had a firm grip on his hand before heading over to the desk and handing over their tickets, Lou following behind with their carry-on bag before bidding farewell.

Danny hadn't taken any chances - this was Steve's first flight after the accident and he wanted to be prepared, so he'd crammed in his medication, his stuffed cat, a couple of books and other toys. He'd also - again, no idea how it all fit in one bag - packed one of Steve's blankets; the ones on planes were never any good, plus it'll be cold in the air.

Once the plane was in the air and the seatbelt sign was off Danny reclined Steve's seat as far as it would go so he could sleep and covered him with his blanket.

"Here you go, babe. I'll wake you when they bring the food round, okay?" Danny said as he handed him his cat. Steve nodded into the toy's white fur and curled into his side facing Danny, and after a few seconds he was asleep with his face buried in the small pillow.

Danny got his Kindle out and shoved the bag back under his seat. He clicked to the page he bookmarked and settled back in his seat, one hand resting on Steve's shoulder.


Danny finished his book after about an hour and dug his iPod out, reclining his seat slightly - thankful again that he paid extra for First Class seats and therefore had lots of room and privacy - and shut his eyes for a quick nap.

An unknown time later Danny woke up as he heard the food trolley being pushed down the plane. He scrubbed his face to wake himself up and shoved his iPod back in his bag. Steve was already awake and sitting up, staring out of the little window at the ocean below them.

As soon as Steve saw that Danny was awake he beamed. "Danno!" He tugged on Danny's jumper sleeve to get his attention, pointing to the window. "Lots of sea."

Danny smiled at the excited look on Steve's face and rubbed his back after righting both of their seats. "Yeah I know, babe. We're-" He looked at his watch and raised his eyebrows when he saw the time. "Wow, we're almost halfway there."

It was then that he noticed that the air hostess had arrived with their meals. Danny gratefully accepted them and placed them on the tray-tables. Steve managed most of his on his own, Danny only helping to scoop out his dessert from the small plastic pot.

Afterwards Steve went back to gazing out at the world below them, and while he was excited at first when the ocean disappeared and became cities underneath them, it didn't last long when he realised that they still had a long way to go and he quickly became restless. Danny pinched the bridge of his nose and took several deep breaths. He spent the last few hours keeping Steve entertained as best he could with the toys and books that he brought, deciding that next time his parents wanted a visit they could come to him.

Danny breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his father waiting for them at the gate after they disembarked the plane - it meant that it was the end of one of the most stressful and longest plane rides of his entire life.

Hugs were exchanged and they made their way to baggage claim to collect their suitcase and Steve's wheelchair - they may be only in New Jersey for four nights but Danny didn't want to chance it.

After making sure that Steve was fine to carry on walking and was holding his hand, Danny followed Eddie out of the airport and to his truck.

Once they arrived at Danny's parents house he and Steve were instantly set upon by Clara, who nearly knocked Steve off balance with the force of her hug. Danny rolled his eyes and laughed as she led Steve around on a tour downstairs while he took their bags up to his old room.

"So, Danny," Clara asked him when he came back down, Steve happily engrossed in playing with their cat in the lounge under Eddie's watchful eye. "How was the flight?"

"Oh my God, it was… interesting." Danny meant against the kitchen worktop, nursing a much needed coffee. "We both slept the first half. But then Steve woke up raring to go and I tell ya, trying to keep him occupied for almost 4 hours was a nightmare."

"Well, you're here now. Does he know about the trip?" Clara asked, changing the topic before her son got into one of his rants.

Danny shook his head. "No. He's going to go berserk and it'll be a miracle if I can get him to leave the damn place later."

Clara raised an eyebrow and smirked as she put all the sandwiches she'd made onto plates. "I seriously doubt he'll be that bad, Danny."

"Oh, I think he will. I mean, I hope, I pray that Steve will be fine. But you know how he feels about animals. I told you about the time I took him to see the dolphins, right?" Danny drained the last of his coffee, setting the mug on the counter and rolling up the sleeves of his hooded jacket.

"I'm sure you'll be fine. You've done such a good job already."

Clara smiled as Steve appeared in the kitchen and Danny turned to see what she was looking at. "You alright, babe?" Danny asked, eyes scanning him for any bumps or bruises he may have acquired.

Steve nodded as he came up to Danny and wrapped him in a crushing hug. "Steve loves Danno."

"Aw, Danno loves you too, babe." Danny rubbed his back as Steve pulled away but lingered close.

"He was sitting on the couch one minute, then suddenly got up and came in here. Is something wrong?" Eddie asked from the doorway, having followed Steve.

Danny cocked his head and looked at Steve, who in turn was staring down at his fingers as they toyed with the strings on Danny's hoodie. He smiled softly and shook his head, hand still on Steve's back. "He'll randomly come find me and say he loves me. One time he waited until I came out of the bathroom to tell me."

Clara glanced at the clock on the wall behind them and tapped Danny on the arm. "Hey, you'd better have lunch if you wanted to get going, Danny." She glanced at Steve, but he was still transfixed by Danny's jacket. Danny nodded in agreement, and everyone sat down to eat.


"Where we going, Danno?" Steve asked, one gloved hand holding onto Danny's as they walked down the bustling sidewalks. He was under strict orders to not let go of Danny's hand in case he accidentally got knocked over by one of the many pedestrians.

"You'll see, buddy. It's a surprise." Danny said. "Are you warm enough?"

"Yeah." Danny had bundled him up in the thickest coast he could find, and a spare pair of his gloves.

"Good…" Danny replied, looking both ways before crossing the busy road. They came to a stop outside a large metal sign and Steve looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"Danno?" He said, frowning up at the sign for the Turtle Back Zoo and then back at Danny.

Danny pointed with his free hand up to the sign. "See, babe? What do those letters spell - a Z and two O's? 'Zoo'"

"'Zoo'?" Steve said the word again, before his eyes lit up in realisation and he squealed. " Yeah, Danno! Go see the aminals!" He tried to charge ahead but Danny pulled him back.

"'Animals' , Steve. And yeah, we're gonna go and see them - remember, you stay holding my hand, okay?" Danny reminded him as he paid for their tickets, Steve nodding vigorously as he looked around.

True to his word, Steve didn't let go of Danny's hands as he practically dragged him around the zoo. Danny had to rein him in a few times though, when he'd spot something in the distance and make a beeline for it.

Danny took many photos - he wanted some for Steve's bedroom - and by far his favourite was from the petting zoo, Steve's face as he got to touch the various animals was priceless as far as Danny was concerned, and was worth the 10 hour flight to get there.

They'd made their way round most of the zoo's exhibits, but Danny saved the best for last. As soon as Steve saw the sign for the aquarium (he had trouble reading the long word, but the fishes on the sign were a dead giveaway) he practically screamed in Danny's ear.

"Fishes, Danno! " He tugged on Danny's hand. "Fish!"

"Okay, first of all - ow ." Danny rubbed his ear. "Second of all, yes, we'll see the fishes. But then we're gonna go, okay?"

Steve nodded, grinning from ear to ear. "Yes, Danno."

"Alright. Come on then, buddy." Danny led him into the aquarium. "You don't have to hold my hand, but stay where I can see you please!"

Danny watched fondly as he followed him through the dimly lit halls. He saw how happy Steve was, practically bouncing from one tank to another to get a closer look at the different marine life.

As he moved to look at another tank Steve accidentally bumped into a woman. Danny shook his head at Steve as he walked over to where she was. "I'm sorry about him, he didn't mean to barge into you. Are you okay?"

The woman waved him off. "It's okay, I totally understand." She shot a gaze at Steve, who had his face and hands pressed against the glass as he watched the sea turtles swim around in their tank, and smiled.

Danny frowned at her. "You… huh?"

She looked back at Danny. "I look after people with special needs, too."

Oh. "Oh, right…" Danny trailed off, not know what to say in response.

"Danno, come look!" Steve called from where he stood by the tank.

"Sorry, but I'd better…" He thumbed in Steve's direction. "Thanks, and again, sorry for the whole bumping-into-you thing."

The woman nodded and watched as Danny joined Steve at the tank. She couldn't hear what either man was saying, but chuckled as she saw Steve pull Danny in the direction of the gift shop.


After they left the zoo Danny hailed a cab to take them home as Steve was beginning to flag, the days walking being more than he was used to, but once they were back Steve got a brief second wind as he told Clara and Eddie about their trip. He managed to eat dinner with Danny only stepping in to help towards the end, explaining to his confused parents that he only helps when Steve's either sick or tired.

Afterwards, Danny helped him up the stairs for a quick bath before getting him into the double bed in Danny's old room that they'd be sharing for their stay. Danny sat on the edge of the bed to read to him but only got a few pages into the book before Steve was asleep, his face smashed into the pillow and clutching his new stuffed toy that Danny had bought him from the gift shop. A soft smile graced Danny's face as he bent to kiss Steve's forehead before heading downstairs.

"Everything alright, son?" Eddie asked as Danny entered the lounge. He accepted the offered bottle of beer before dropping onto the couch next to his parents chairs.

"Yeah, after today I was surprised that he lasted as long as he did. Was out in five seconds." Danny chuckled. "Figured it would be a challenge though."

"How come?" Clara asked.

"Steve hates change. His routine, new people, that kind of thing. I guess I thought getting him to sleep somewhere that wasn't his home would be hard."

"But he's in your old room , Danny." She looked pointedly at her son, before sipping at her glass of wine. "He must think it's familiar enough."

Danny nodded. "Yeah… yeah, that makes sense." He took a swig of his beer.

"Danny?" Eddie asked.

"Hmm?"

"What's wrong with his eyes? I didn't want to ask earlier in case Steve overheard, but his pupils look-"

"Big? Yeah, I know." Danny took another swig of beer. "They're a side effect of his brain injury. He can see fine as far as I know, he's never complained about it."

Eddie nodded in understanding. When his wife came out to visit Hawaii previously he hadn't been able to join her due to ill health, so hadn't seen this 'new' Steve until now. "Steve seems… happy."

Danny let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

His father frowned. "What?"

"Nothing! I was just…" Danny sighed. "It means a lot to hear that."

"Do you not think you've done enough?" Clara said. "Because let me tell you, I do. I've heard from Grace what you do for Steve some days; you help him get dressed, you feed him, you read to him to help him sleep and you help him with his physio activities. Not to mention the day to day stuff."

Danny bit his bottom lip. "I know."

"Daniel." At his full name Danny looked up to meet his mother's gaze, feelings his father's eyes on him too. "When you rang and told us what had happened to Steve, of course we were worried for him - but for you, too. You're still going to that carers group, aren't you?"

"Yes, ma."

"Good." Clara reached across and took her son's free hand. "I was worried you wouldn't be able to cope, that this would be too much for you to handle. But you seem happy too."

Danny hummed in agreement. "I am. Don't get me wrong, there are bad days. Steve having a bad pain day, for example, and I don't think I'll ever forget when he got lost in the supermarket one time. Came back to me, face all blotchy and crying that he couldn't find me - I told him, 'You shouldn't have wandered off'." Danny shook his head at the memory. Then he smiled. "But then there's days like today, where he's so happy and loving - he's like that all the time, but you know what I mean."

Danny took a breath, not liking the sudden lump in his throat. "Sometimes… I forget that he's disabled. When we're just sitting watching TV or he's helping me do some chores, he looks so… normal. But then he says something to me, or I see the scar on his head or the toys that seem to be permanently scattered in the lounge no matter how many times I ask him to put them away…" He squeezed Clara's hand. "I remember, and then I feel guilty for wishing that they weren't there."

"What do you mean?" Eddie asked.

"Because I miss Steve - how he used to be, and what we had. But I love him now just as much as I did before, and try and make the best of what we have now."

"It's clear that he loves you too, Danny. Every man and his dog can see that you're his world." Clara told him, causing Danny to blush as he nodded and sipped at his beer.

"We're so proud of you, Danny, for all that you do for Steve." Eddie said, Clara nodding in agreement.

"I only want him to be happy and healthy. Some of the other carers in that group, they look after people who are far worse off than Steve. Some can't even communicate or move on their own. I don't even..." Danny shook his head and subtly brushed a stray tear away in the disguise of itching his face, not that he thought his parents would buy that. "If Steve was like that, I - I dunno what I'd do."

"You'd do exactly what you're doing now, son." The older Williams said sternly. "You'd look after Steve as best as you could."


Danny sighed as he stopped outside his bedroom door, one hand on the handle and his forehead resting on the wood. He was exhausted.

After what his father said earlier, the first tear escape and then it was as if the dam had burst. His mother always said that you feel better after a good, long cry, and she was right. Danny knew that his parents loved him and supported his decision to look after Steve, but hearing the things that they said meant the world to him.

He opened the door as quietly as he could and sneaked into his room, quickly closing the door behind him. Danny sighed as he looked at Steve, sprawled on his back with the covers kicked halfway off the bed.

Approaching the bed, Danny shucked his clothes until he was left in just his t-shirt and boxers. He spotted a familiar object on the floor and knelt to pick up Steve's toy. Danny smiled at it, remembering how its owner had pleaded until he had caved and bought it for him.

His smile turned into a frown, however, when Steve started muttering in his sleep, empty hands twitching around as if in search for something.

"Here you go, buddy." Danny whispered as he put the toy in Steve's hand. Steve's fingers curled around it as he brought it to his chest and rolled onto his side facing Danny. His eyes were barely open, still mostly asleep.

"Danno?" Steve muttered, free hand fumbling towards him.

"Sshh, Danno's here, babe. Go back to sleep." Danny said quietly, pulling up the covers around Steve before climbing in beside him.

He thought Steve had woken up properly when he curled around him and mumbled, but a quick glance down confirmed that he was dead to the world. Danny looked forlornly at the acres of space behind Steve, then down at the sparse gap between himself and the edge of the bed.

Well, Danny thought as he shifted, trying to subtly shift Steve across the bed but failing as the other man a dead weight. It could be worse; We could be in my old twin bed.

Suddenly Steve made a sound like a snore crossed with a yawn and rolled over to face the wall. Danny breathed a sigh of relief as he shimmied over, taking immediate advantage of the extra space. He shut his eyes and willed his brain to not plague him tonight, but this was Danny Williams after all.

He was a born worrier, always thinking of the worst case scenario first. Especially when it came to Steve. Danny opened his eyes and raised himself up on an elbow to gaze down at the slumbering man.

You don't worry, do you, babe? Danny smiled down at Steve who made a soft moan in his sleep as he hugged his toy close, his right thumb stuffed in his mouth. Nah, you don't have a care in the world. Maybe I should take a leaf out of your book…

Danny settled back down and wrapped the covers around him and Steve; he'd forgotten how cold New Jersey was compared to Hawaii. Maybe this week's holiday is just what he needed…