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Danny's phone went off and he saw that it was a message from Steve.
Opening the message his heart skipped a beat and the world around him became a blur and noise ceased to exist.
Chin looked over his friend's shoulder and saw the message for himself, his heart dropped into his stomach.
"I'm sorry"
He's sorry? Sorry for what? It was a few seconds later that he got his answer.
The GPS on the truck vanished a few minutes later a call came in, from HPD, calling to inform them that an explosion had occurred at West Loch.
No, it was just a coincidence, the call wasn't about Steve, he refused to believe that Steve was gone.
Chin could see all the different emotions going through his friends expression and he could see that the main emotion that was running rampant through Danny's mind was denial. This was going to end well.
"HPD says that we should go" Chin said, continuing to watch Danny's facial expressions.
Danny remained silent, continuing to stare at the message on his phone.
Chin placed a hand on his shoulder but pulled back when Danny flinched away at his touch.
"Maybe you should stay here and I'll call Kono to come with me" he suggested but Danny shook his head.
"No, I need to...to see it with my own eyes" he just barely managed to get out.
Chin nodded in understanding, he could only imagine the pain that he was going through; he knew that Danny and Steve were close, maybe even closer than he even knew. He was about to dial Kono to tell her about what was going on but he was stopped by Danny grabbing his wrist.
"Don't tell her, not until we know for sure" letting go of his wrist Danny walked to the door, his phone still out and the same message staring back at him.
When Chin finally caught up with him he managed to stop him and turn him around to face him.
"Maybe I should drive, you and I both know that you're not in the right state of mind to be behind the wheel" he held his hand out for the key to the Camaro.
If this was a different type of situation Danny would have taken offense to what had just been said to him but the truth was Chin was right, his mind was in a total fog, nothing was making sense.
Wordlessly he dug his keys out of his pocket and handed them over. Chin took the keys and this time managed to put his hand on Danny's back without him flinching, and led him to the car.
The drive to West Loch was silent, Chin drove with a white knuckle grip and Danny rode along in pin dropping silence.
It took them 15 minutes to reach the sight and as soon as they pulled up to the other police cars that Danny knew this was really happening, it felt like a piece of his heart had been mercilessly ripped from his chest. And deep inside, he ran through all the things that he and Steve would never get to do together, like go on a proper date, find out all sorts of things that he didn't know about Steve, make love. All of those possibilities were gone.
Chin waited patiently, waving his hand at an approaching officer to give them a second; the officer nodded and stopped in his tracts.
Taking a deep breath Danny got off the door and slowly walked past the cop to the taped off scene. He didn't even have to show or announce himself as a female officer held the tape up and let him pass, they all knew who he was, and what he had lost.
Walking to the truck's carcass, he stopped about a foot away from it. Most of the truck had been destroyed in the explosion, the trunk, all of the interior and all of the exterior had been completely obliterated. The smell of smoke and burnt rubber to hung in the air.
Noticing that something shiny, and partially scorched he walked over to it and knelt down, it was a license plate, but not just any license plate, but Steve's. He knew this from the numerous times he had had to chase after Steve and stop him from doing something stupid.
He dropped to his knees, the tears finally starting to fall as the reality of the situation hit him full force like a punch to the gut. He was gone, Steve was really gone.
Chin had just finished talking to one of the CSA's and had been handed a slightly charred phone; he had kept an eye on Danny during the exchange and as soon as he had the familiar phone in his hand he hurried over to Danny and kneeled down beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder. He could feel Danny's body quivering beneath his hand.
"He's really gone, isn't he?" he said, in a low rough whisper.
Chin bit his lip and answered, "I'm sorry Danny" was all he could think to say, he had delivered a heartbreaking amount of death notices to all types of people, the receiving emotions surprisingly varied but this one hurt the most.
Danny nodded his head, as if in acceptance but continued to kneel on the ground, officers and CSA's walking by and around them giving them sympathetic looks.
"Did they...did they find him?" he asked, his voice quivering. He knew finding anything was rare but he had to ask.
Chin shook his head, "no...the explosion took out everything, but they found this a few feet away from the truck" he handed Danny the evidence bag with the charred phone in it.
Held the bag in one hand, and his phone in the other. The metal casing had almost completely been melted off and the screen was cracked, the buttons were nothing but a black mess. Standing up, he wordlessly handed Chin the bag back and began walking away from the crime scene; greatly concerned Chin followed him, quickly telling a CSA that he was taking the phone back to 5-0 to see if he could get anything off the hard drive.
The car ride back was just as quiet as, if not more, silent as the car ride back.
It was during the car ride that Kono called, putting the call on speaker; Kono's voice filled the car.
"Hey guys, where are you?" she asked, sitting in an empty headquarters.
"Kono, there's something that I need to tell you but I'd rather not over the phone" Chin said, glancing over at Danny who had a faraway look in his eyes.
Hearing this Kono became concerned, "Chin, what's going on? What's happened?" she asked, standing up from her chair.
He didn't know what to say, he really didn't want to divulge this information over the phone but he knew his cuz, and she wouldn't stop asking until he told her.
"Chin?" she asked again.
Sighing Chin decided that the best approach would be to say it straight.
"Kono...we were at a crime scene for an explosion that occurred and...it was Steve, he's gone Kono; he died in the explosion" he got out. He was greeted by deathly silence.
Danny continued to remain silent, staring aimlessly out the window.
"Kono?"
She collapsed into her office chair, the shock overcoming all her other functions. Gone? How could Steve be gone? It was unthinkable that her friend, 5-0's leader could be gone, and in such a violent way.
She ended the call, unable to form any response. Tossing the phone on the desk she leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, trying to comprehend what she had just been told.
When the call abruptly ended Chin became even more concerned, now not only did he have to worry about Danny but Kono as well, but right now his main concern was the catatonic man beside him.
"I'm taking us back to HQ and then when I'm done I'm taking you back to my place; I don't think you should be alone right now" he said, glancing over at Danny to see if there was any sign of life in him, but he was disappointed to see that he remained a man of stone.
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Meanwhile deep in to the jungles of the Oahu island Steve was walking up to a small cabin with several wind-chimes and different ancient markings that decorated the outside of the small cabin.
As he was approaching the steps the door opened and a young women, mid twenties, walked out onto the porch, a knowing smile on her face.
"I knew I'd be seeing you soon, please, come inside there is much that we need to discuss" turning she re-entered her home and Steve followed in behind her.
Entering the home he was met with the strong aroma of incense, herbs and smells that he could only describe as exotic. The front of the house had several ancient symbols painted on the walls, floor and the ceiling, there was also small vials of murky fluids that were a different array of colors but what stood at the center of the room was an altar.
She led him to the backroom, which resembled a more modern look, a wooden table, chairs, fridge etc. and they sat down at the table.
"You have caused quite the stir Steven, I could hear that explosion all the way from West Loch" she commented leaning back in her chair.
Steve gave a small smile, "had to make it look convincing" he replied, tapping his fingers on the wooden surface.
The atmosphere in the room suddenly changed and he sat a little straighter in his seat.
"I know why your here Steve, and I have to tell you right now, there is a chance that this spell won't work and if it does the outcome can be very dangerous" she cautioned, staring intently at him.
"I'm aware; please Sarai...I have to go away for a little while and you and I both know that they are going to go after everyone I care about and I can't let that happen! So please, do this for me and I will be eternally grateful" he watched her reaction and saw that she was pulling away from him.
She shook her head, "I don't know about this Steven, if I do this I am basically sending a signal to certain people, people that I don't want knowing I'm still breathing" she nervously chewed on her nails, a nervous habit she had picked up during particularly stressful times.
"This can go one or two ways, you can willingly help me or...I can call in that favor, your choice but personally, I would go with the second option because the first one comes with me personally telling those certain people that your still alive and your location" he deadpanned, not even blinking from the glare that seared into his eyes.
Sarai chuckled darkly and got up from her chair, walking over to a cabinet and opening it up, "bringing that up after all this time? You must be desperate if your digging up that artifact" she pulled down a bottle that looked to vodka and two shot glasses.
"It's Danny Sarai, I'd do anything to make sure that he's protected" he pleaded, exposing his soul to show her how sincere he was.
She returned to the table and sat down, uncorking the bottle and poured a shot worth in each, she slid the glass across the table to Steve.
"Hipahipa!"
clinking their glasses they both shot the vodka down and slammed their glasses down.
"Okay, I'll do it but remember my warning" she reminded him.
"I know, but you're the best option I have" he responded, determination lacing his every word.
A moment of silence followed before she got up from the table and walked back into the front of the house; they stopped in the middle of the room and she sat down, crossing her legs in front of her, Steve followed suit.
"Now I want you to close your eyes and relax, breath in and out"
Steve did as instructed,
"Picture Danny and all of your loved ones, think about how much you care for them'
Flashes and images of Danny laying over him, kissing him, a deep feeling of love and warmth filling his soul. Kono, her amazing intuitive ways, another little sister, Chin, a big brother, someone he could trust his life with. Flashes of other people who mattered to him went through his mind, like a film projector.
As he did this Sarai stood and walked over to a cabinet, pulling the drawer open she revealed a deadly knife with a red ruby encrusted in the handle of the blade. Picking the blade up she also grabbed a clay bowl and walked back over to Steven.
"Give me your hand, and keep your eyes closed and your mind focused on them" grasping his hand she brought the blade down and sliced it across his palm, Steve only slightly flinched but managed to keep his mind focused.
Taking the bowl she held his bleeding hand over the bowl and collected a generous amount of the blood before releasing his hand.
"Keep focusing on them" she encouraged, taking the blood and knife with her over to the altar and grabbing a velvet black bag and a box of matches. Walking back over she knelt down in front of Steven and placed the bowl, black bag and the matches down.
" Nui Aumakua kou koko lalani 'ohana maka nui mea po'ino kakou makilo nele kou kokua..." she started, picking up the bag and taking out a small handful of a powder that resembled sand, sprinkling it into the bowl." kakou ho 'oukou ka koko mai Kiwini Keaka McGarrett keiki hanau mai po'ele'ele neleola kiwini ka po'ele 'ohana nui. Ho'olu, kakouki'i 'oukou!" striking a match she dropped the flame into the bowl and the contents lit up in a loud flash, the house began to shake.
Steve could no longer keep his eyes shut when a searing pain coursed through his, looking down his saw the area around the cut begin to glow a golden hue and he could see the skin sealing itself closed.
As soon as the wound had healed itself the shaking stopped and the flame went out.
Sarai stood up from the floor and looked around at the damage the shaking had caused. Bookcases lay on the floor, their contents smashed and strewn everywhere and cracks had carved themselves along the walls and ceiling.
Standing up as well Steve looked down at his hand again and the only trace of the cut was a thin. almost invisible line from the left side of his palm leading up to his pointer finger.
While Steve was looking around at the destruction Sarai picked up the bowl and was pleased at what she found.
"They have accepted our offering and will protect your loved ones, but heed my warning, that scar on your hand is a reminder that you are in debt to them and at some point they will come to collect" she cautioned him.
Nodding he walked to the door and opened it,
She wrapped her arms around him, "I would give you an hour at the most before they come looking for you so I would get as far away from here as possible so please be careful" pulling away she gave him a smile.
"Keep an eye on them for me, please? Make sure they don't dig into my 'death' " he requested, waiting for her response.
"Don't worry, I'll make sure they're cared for. Now go! Your losing daylight" she urged him, giving him a small push.
Without speaking he walked out, letting the door shut behind him. He walked out onto the porch and took a moment to calm his racing heart. Another searing pain went through him and he looked down at his scarred hand again. It was glowing again.
They were giving him their own warning.
The pain, and glow, slowly ebbed away and he brought both his fists down to his sides.
Walking down the steps thunder clapped in the sky and rain began to pour down, soaking him to the bone. He couldn't help but laugh at timing. Continuing to chuckle quietly to himself he walked down the path, away from the house deeper into the jungle to make shelter and plan his next course of action.
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Danny was sitting in his office, his facial expression blank and his eyes vacant, like his soul had left his body.
Chin and Kono were standing beside the computer, watching Danny to be there to intervene when he finally cracked, because it was going to happen, it was only a matter of time.
"He's been like that the entire ride back, I'm taking him back to my place to keep an eye on him" he said to Kono, his eyes never straying from the stone-like figure of one of his dearest friends.
Even though Chin couldn't see her she nodded her head sympathetically and looked back down at the screen that currently displayed the scraps of memory that Chin had managed to recover.
"Is this all you were able to get?" she asked, Chin turned around and looked down at the screen.
"Yeah, unfortunately the explosion wiped out 90% of the memory but I was able to recover the last few numbers he called and one call he received" flipping data log to the large overhead screen he stated.
There was a total of 4 numbers, 2 of them were to us, the third to Danny and the 1 call he received from an unknown number"
Kono looked at the time stamps and saw that the phone call had occurred on the same day as the Governor's kidnapping and more than that it was around the time that they had been working the crime scene.
"This was the last incoming call he received, it's an unknown number, it occurred around the time of the Governor's kidnapping and he talked to them for about three minutes" Kono summed up, suspicion filling her thoughts.
"Generally, you don't talk to someone for that long if it's a wrong number " Chin added, suspicious as well.
A memory of something Danny had told him came to mind. Wo Fat had contacted Steve and Chin was willing to be all his life that the unknown number was Wo Fat.
Kono recognized the look on Chin's face and asked him what he was thinking.
"I know that look. you know something" she stated.
Chin nodded in an affirmative manner, "yeah, Danny told me that Mary had told him that before Steve drove off he had been contacted by Wo Fat and he was threatening him, and I'm pretty sure that even if we ran that number it wouldn't lead us anywhere because it's probably a stolen phone or a disposable one" he leaned against the table, hatred for the man that had caused his friend so much suffering bubbling deep within him.
"He's going to pay, Wo Fat is going to pay for all the suffering that he has caused!" Kono vowed, her voice low and her body shaking with rage.
Chin went over to her and wrapped his arms around her, shushing her and rubbing her back, she began to sob uncontrollably, her body trembling against his own.
"Don't worry Kono, he won't get away with this, I promise you he's going to pay" he promised her, tears filling his own eyes.
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The rain drizzled down, pooling in cupped leaves then showering down like waterfalls and the only protection Steve had was a shelter he had built from torn down branches and bows of leaves to keep as much of the rain out as he could.
He hadn't been able to pack anything before his sudden departure but he had been trained to survive in the wilderness and he was going to use those skills to wait out the storm and then move on.
He kept thinking of Danny, Kono, Chin, Mary...Gracie and all the other people had left behind. By now they were all mourning his death, though Mary knew the truth Steve knew that she was still hurting and more than likely feeling guilt for having helped him do what he had done.
Huddled up in the corner of his makeshift shelter he thought of his last few moments with Danny. Just the thought brought a warm tingling feeling to his lips and a small smile to grace his features. God how he missed him! He would give anything to just be able to hold him, to kiss him, one more time and he die with some feeling of completeness.
This isn't right! None of this should be happening! I should be able to be with the man I love, without fear of people coming in and destroying everything!
"I hope you can forgive me...someday" he whispered, whether it was to himself or an attempt at forgiveness he didn't know but his worst fears were that what he had done was too horrible to be forgiven.
Maybe he was meant to forever be alone; Maybe he truly was a monster.
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Danny sat in Chin's guest room, staring at the door before him, his eyes were still lifeless.
Chin had been in not three minutes ago with a tray of food, that sit beside him on the bed, untouched and not even acknowledged.
The images from the crime scene rolling through his mind and the text message he had received what was perhaps just seconds before...before he had been left behind.
It wasn't right! Steve could not be gone! He knew he always joked about him going out in a blaze of glory but when it actually happened he didn't know what to feel. Right now it was like his brain had been paused and the emotions that he was supposed to be feeling were waiting on him to press play, and his finger was slowly pressing towards the inevitable, he could feel it.
He knew why Chin had brought him here, he didn't want to leave Danny alone when the dam burst and he lost control, in fact, he didn't want to be left alone either because he wasn't sure what he would do and if he were to do something drastic he could potentially leave Gracie behind. He loved his daughter, it was impossible for him not to, he would do anything to keep her safe and keep her happy, even if it meant sacrificing himself but his heart was having conflicted feelings. It felt like his heart was being pulled in opposite directions and it hurt, physically and emotionally.
Looking away from the door he scanned the room around him and stopped when his eyes landed on a picture on the dresser against the wall. He managed to find the strength and pushed himself up from the bed and stumbled to the dresser, planting his palms on the edge of the dresser and staring down at the happy scene the picture depicted; He remembered when that picture had been taken, They had closed their first case as 5-0 and Kono had wanted a picture to commemorate the moment so Kono had quickly driven home then returned with her camera, setting the timer Kono, Chin, Danny and Steve had poised in front of the doorway to 5-0 Headquarters and the picture had been taken.
He couldn't take his eyes off the smiling face of Steve, the way his eyes twinkled and his smile lit up his face, even through a photograph he could feel the happiness radiating off the man.
Never again would he get to see those beautiful eyes, or that perfect smile and never again would he hear his addictive laughter. No more back and forth rants, that consisted of sarcasm and witty comebacks, no more watching him perform courageous stunts then later yell at him for being so reckless and no more stares of longing in his direction when he wasn't looking, and the worst part was he finally got to have him and God had to go and take him away from him, it was like he wasn't meant to have love in his life, of course he had his daughter, but was he cursed to spend the rest of his days without a lover?
Without warning the anger and sorrow that he had been keeping on hold burst through.
Grabbing the frame his grasp tightened, the frame shaking from the sheer strength he was forcing on the frame, without warning he threw the picture across the room, on contact with the wall the glass shattered and spilled out onto the carpet, the picture falling gracelessly to the floor.
His rampage not over yet he walked to the wall that was beside the bed and, clenching his fists, he smashed first his right fist into the wall, a loud crack was heard whether it came from the wall or his hand he didn't know, followed by his left. Repeatedly, he pounded his fist against the wall, he could feel the blood dribbling down his hands and the area he punched was beginning to dent inwards, paint chipped and fumes from the plaster rose up to the ceiling.
He didn't even hear Chin enter the room, or hear him calling his name, pleading for him to stop nor did he feel Chin grab him around the midsection and try to physically pull him away from the damage he was inflicting upon the wall and himself; but what did finally make him stop was a well placed punch to the left cheek.
Stumbling away, clutching his cheek he collapsed on the bed, breathing heavily and finally starting to feel the pain in his hands and now his cheek.
Chin was breathing irregularly as well, the shock and fear of seeing and hearing his friend breaking down. He casted a glance at the damage Danny had done to the wall and he noticed a small crack on the wall on the other side of the bed, he would check later to see what other damage had been done but right now his main concern was Danny.
The sound of deep sorrowful crying reached his ears and he looked back at Danny to see his body shaking and his right bleeding hand pinching the bridge of his nose and tears mixing together with the blood that painted itself on his face.
Walking over, he sat down beside him and in one fluid motion managed to turn Danny enough to face him and wrapped his arms around him. Danny didn't embrace him back but he did rest his head on his shoulder, he could feel the tears soaking through his shirt.
That was the way they stayed for a good ten minutes before Danny calmed down enough to pull away and wipe away the tears from his eyes. He clenched and unclenched his hands, wincing a little from the pain the movement caused.
"We should probably get that taken care of" Chin pointed out, not knowing what else to say.
Danny chuckled humorlessly and ran a hand through his disheveled hair, "yeah, don't want to risk infection" he replied, sarcasm clinging to each word.
Chin could feel that he was losing him again, "Danny I know that you're feeling out of control right now but Steve-" at the mention of Steve's name Danny stood up from the bed and headed for the door.
"You know what, I can't stay here! I feel like I'm suffocating! I have to get out of here!" before Chin could get another word in Danny had all ready opened the door and headed for the door. There was no use in trying to stop him.
Sighing he looked away from the door, he was worried out of his mind about Danny, he wasn't completely stable right now and with recent events he was afraid that he might do something he could never come back from. Out of the corner of his eye he saw that the picture he had on the dresser was missing. Standing up, he took a moment to scan the room and stopped when he saw the missing picture frame on the floor.
Walking over to it he bent down and picked the damaged frame up, he was careful to avoid the broken glass, and stared down at the frozen smiling faces of the team. Like Danny his eyes stayed on the smiling image of Steve.
"I'll watch out for him bro, I promise. Ke Akua pu a hui hou"
AN: I'm sorry it took so long for this update but I have been super busy and haven't had the time to sit down and write, that and I had a little bout with writer's block but that's pass me now. Review Please!
Translations:
Spell: Great Aumakua your blood lineage face great danger we beg for your help. We offer you the blood from Steven Jack McGarrett child born from darkness for salvation from the dark clan. Please we summon you!
Ke Akua pua hui hou: God bless you and see you later
