Synopsis: It's common knowledge that Danny would do anything to protect his daughter, but now he has just one hour to prove exactly what "anything" means.
Disclaimer: I don't own them. Seriously.
Author's note: So, it's my birthday today – but I've decided to defy tradition and give all of you a present! Here's the next chapter – and a lovely birthday gift to me would be a review! Extra special thanks to everyone who continues to read and review.
One Hour
By
Helen Louise
Chapter Seven
"Look, Steve... About that whole partners/trust thing..." Danny looked up at him, sincerely. "I'm sorry. You were right; it was out of line."
"Hey, it never happened." Steve brushed the apology aside – not wanting his friend to be beating himself up over words that had only been said in the heat of an intense moment.
"And, ah... Thanks." Danny gestured vaguely towards his injured arm. "You know... for stopping me... For saving my life. Sincerely, thank you."
"It's what partners do." Another gentle smile accompanied the words; but he needed to get to the bottom of what was really going on with Danny. He'd played things through in his head and come to an inevitable conclusion – and so he added: "This is about Stan, isn't it?"
His partner snorted: "We'll make a detective out of you yet."
"Danny..." He shook his head – tamping down on the exasperation his partner could sometimes provoke in him.
But Danny's eyes had strayed to the right and were focussed somewhere in the distance. After a few moments – during which Steve wondered if he should maybe prompt him again – he sighed heavily.
"He beat me," he murmured softly. "He won."
"Not from where I'm sitting, partner," Steve instantly retorted. "After all, you're here and Grace is safe..."
"Only thanks to you." Heavy bitterness had returned to the detective's tone – and his eyes were filled with anguish. "That smug, arrogant, pompous..." He swallowed, biting down on the urge to simply spout insults about his nemesis. "He has my wife," he ground out. "He sees more of my daughter than I do and... And he played me for a fool. And I fell for it. He jerked me around and had me running all over the island; right up to the point where I almost..."
"But you didn't." Steve interjected, adamantly – needing to put a stop to the harsh, self-loathing flow of words.
"Only thanks to you," he said again. Another sigh followed – and finally his eyes focussed and his gaze locked with Steve's. "I heard what Chin said," he continued, almost accusatory. "You have nothing to charge him with; no reason to hold him."
"Maybe not yet..." Steve conceded; knowing it would be pointless to lie to the other man. "But we've hardly even started looking..."
"But you won't find anything!" Danny interrupted – frustration clear in both his tone and his features. "He planned this too well. He won't have left the cellphone lying around; or whatever it was he used to disguise his voice – by the way, I can't even identify his voice. And Grace thought she was on vacation, so you don't even have a victim."
It was Steve's turn to break eye contact – because everything his partner had said was true.
"He has money; he can afford the best lawyers." Danny closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "He'll be out of there probably before I'm even out of here."
Steve shook his head, tightly. His partner was probably right – but he had already vowed once that Stan Edwards wouldn't get away with what he'd done and he was determined the man would face some form of justice.
Going back over everything that had happened, he thought it might be useful to get his partner's perspective on it. The words might hurt, but the Jersey detective had often proved insightful and them thrashing things out often had a way of bringing a whole new perspective to light; of making Steve look at things ever so slightly differently.
"You know, I don't want to give Stan credit," he began, choosing his words carefully in order to try and pull Danny out of his self-recriminatory fugue. "But what he did to you was almost brilliant."
The tactic worked as Danny did an almost comical double-take of incredulity. "I'm sorry, but I'd say that sounded an awful lot like giving him credit!" he retorted.
"No, I said 'almost'," Steve corrected him, with a barely concealed smirk. "I mean, the deadline was... Well, it was pretty inspired. He didn't give you time to think; barely gave you time to even breathe."
"Because he couldn't afford to." Danny's reply was waspish, irritated. He could barely believe that his partner seemed to be almost in admiration of the plot which had come so close to costing him his life. "He knows what I do and he knows I'm damned good at it."
"He knows you – through Rachael and Grace." A frown settled on Steve's features. "I think he knew what decision you'd make."
"Is there a point to this?" Danny asked. He was definitely uncomfortable with the conversation and the reminders of what he'd almost been forced to do; of his defeat.
"Yeah, his choice of victim..." The SEAL's tone was more distant as an idea began to form in his mind. "He could have told you to kill anybody – and I think we both know that the outcome would have been exactly the same."
"The point, Steven." Danny snapped – beyond irritated now. All he was hearing were reminders of how Stan had bested him; and nothing to suggest he might have to pay.
"He chose the Governor, just in case he was wrong." The frown on Steve's face deepened. "He thought he knew you well enough to believe you'd choose suicide over murder, but he had to be sure. This was an all or nothing deal for him; his one chance to get you out of the way for good – however that might happen."
"So I was either dead or in jail." Danny gesticulated with his good hand. "Again, your point?"
"He chose the Governor because it was so high profile; something not even Five-0 could cover up." The frown faded and a slow smile spread across his face. "I've got an idea."
There was a gentle knock on the hospital room door and, before either man could react, it opened and Kono poked her head through.
"Are you feeling up to a visitor?" she asked, with a grin.
Then the door burst fully open and a small bundle of energy burst in, with a squealed cry of: "Daddy!"
The tension not only left Danny's face, but it also fled from the room. It was remarkable, really – the way Danny could put everything else out of his mind and just become a dad again.
"Hey, monkey!" His delight was genuine – and he held his left arm open for her to run to; ensuring she could fly into his welcoming hug, without her having to worry about hurting him.
"Are you okay, Danno?" she asked, as she pulled back and her eyes strayed to the sling binding his right arm.
"I'm fine, baby," he replied, sincerely. "Danno just had a little accident and I'll be out of here just as soon as the doctor comes back with my clothes!"
Grace giggled at that. Then a quizzical expression crossed her features: "Mommy went with Stan to the police station," she whispered. "She was mad."
"I bet she was," Danny murmured in response – but he kept up his cheerful facade for his daughter's sake. "Don't you worry about that. She's not mad at you."
Somehow, one-handed, Danny managed to hoist the little girl up onto the bed. "So, I hear you went on a boat trip."
Grace sighed and a hint of a scowl crossed her features. "Mommy didn't want me to miss school and then Mrs Woodward wasn't very happy. She gave me extra homework."
"Well, maybe I can help you with it," Danny answered – feeling bad when he felt happy that Grace's response hadn't been one of unadulterated excitement. He pushed the feeling – born only of jealousy – aside and focused solely on his daughter's needs. "Unless it's math," he finished with a conspiratorial whisper.
"It's math," Grace giggled.
Steve watched the father and daughter interact without even trying to hide the smile on his face. Danny was so good with Grace, it should have filled him with fury that anyone had tried to use their love against his partner – but instead it merely steeled his resolve.
The idea he'd mentioned to Danny was morphing into a full-on plan and the details were already beginning to take shape in his mind.
While Stan might not pay in full for what he'd done, he would at least go some way towards settling the debt.
And it would give Danny the 'win' he so desperately needed to restore his perceived loss of self-respect – providing he could convince his partner to go along.
There was no time like the present, so he put the first – and, potentially, most tricky – part of his plan into action.
He fixed a broad smile onto his face and said: "So, Grace, why don't you go with Kono and pick your dad some things up for the weekend from his apartment?" he asked, a little too brightly. He probably should have run this by Danny first – but there hadn't been time. "Then we'll meet up with you back at my place." He offered her his most endearing smile. "I bet you like the beach."
A bright smile lit Grace's face and math homework was instantly forgotten.
"Can we, daddy?" she practically squealed. "Kono's said she'll show me how to surf."
"Alright, monkey." He was never able to deny her – but the look he shot at Steve was nothing short of murderous. He kept his voice calm as he added: "I'll be there in a little while."
"We shouldn't be more than a couple of hours," Steve confirmed.
As the two of them left, Danny barely waited for the door to close fully behind them before he rounded on Steve:
"What the hell are you doing?" Then, without even giving him the chance to answer, went on: "Get some things for the weekend? Don't you think it would be polite to ask someone before you shanghai them from their own home?"
"Shanghai? Really?" Steve echoed, amusedly. "Never mind, I just thought you'd have trouble taking care of both you and Grace with only one good arm."
"So you thought. I'm so glad you thought." Typical sarcasm was heavy in Danny's voice. "Did you think that – aside from the fact I'm fine – Grace being on a boat trip with Stan and Rachael might hint that I don't even have her this weekend?"
"You're not fine." Steve's reply was mild and amiable. "And I'm sure Rachael will understand."
"Rachael will..." the other man blustered: "I'm sorry, have you met my ex-wife?"
"Alright, so maybe not understand – but she might be otherwise occupied." Steve was deliberately vague, but pressed on before his partner could interrupt him again: "Look, I'm going to track down your doctor; see about getting you out of here."
He half expected another tirade, but Danny relaxed back onto the bed and offered him a smile. Of course, his incentive for leaving the hospital was Grace waiting for him.
"Thank you," he said. Then, with a small scowl, added: "But this conversation isn't over."
"I never for a second thought that it was," Steve murmured, as he exited the room.
To be continued...
