A/N: Hey guys! I'm here with another update! Ya'll probably didn't expect that. I'll admit that I'm not a huge fan of this chapter but I think it sets the rest of the story up fairly nicely. I hope you enjoy and please leave me a review!
Guest: I had to go back and reread the entire story because I couldn't remember anything about it. This is a great story and I do hope you will continue. I can't wait for Steve and Jace to figure out their connection or does Jace already know? Please continue soon.
-I can't tell you how sorry I am for taking so long to start posting again! I thank you for taking the time to go back and read it. You will find out a whole lot more the following chapter about why Jace/Jay is investigating Shelburne and how he is connected with Steve. C: I hope I don't disappoint anyone.
Onward we go!
Chapter 7: Melt Down
There were two things Jay was sure of. The first one being that for whatever reason Zach's death is connected to their past. He didn't know how or why just yet but he would soon enough. Second thing is that Zach wants him to involve McGarrett. Unbeknownst to Zach is that McGarrett is already involved but Jay didn't want to share everything with him; at least not yet. Jay needed to have the details before he could even begin to consider telling him. Maybe there was something that needed to stay under wraps.
"Just a little longer." Jay thought to himself as he pulled out his phone. He opened the text Joe sent him. "As soon as I can spare a minute away from Steve I'll call you." Jay hit send then put his phone back in his pocket. He looked over and found Steve staring at him. Curiosity lurked within his eyes but Jay blew it off.
"Joe text me. I was letting him know I was okay." Jay didn't exactly lie but he wasn't being completely honest either. "He wants me to call him once I get the chance."
Steve glanced at the road and then looked back at Jay. "Once we get to the Palace I'll give you your privacy." Steve cleared his throat. "Unless you'd like to call now."
Jay smirked. "Nice try, but I'd prefer to talk to Joe in private. He knew Zach too." Jay's eyes averted back to his window.
Steve didn't let the silence remain. "Zach was what? Six foot?" Steve inquired.
"Six foot five." Jay corrected. "Why?"
"Whoever attacked him..." Steve began but was cut off.
"Killed." Jay corrected again.
"Whoever killed Zach had to..." Steve trailed off.
"Had to what?" Jay asked impatiently. Steve didn't answer. "Had to what, Steve?" Jay asked again but a little louder. Steve continued to ignore him. He looked as if he were deep in thought. A few minutes of silence continued to pass and they were at the Palace.
"Are you going to answer my question?" Jay asked. When he didn't receive an answer he unbuckled his seat belt and followed Steve out of the truck. He grabbed his bag and caught up with him. "You were going to say something on the lines of the killer having to be the same height or that there was more than one because of his size. Weren't you?" Jay asked as he followed close behind.
"I'm not sure." Was all that was said.
"You're not sure what you were going to say?" Jay asked. There was a tinge of anger in his voice. Steve stopped and turned to face him.
"Listen, I don't know. I can't be sure and I really can't be discussing this with you. I know you're not a suspect but I need more evidence. I need more facts. I get that you're all that Zach had. I get that. I really do, and I'm going to let you help with what you can or with what I see fit, but..." Steve stopped.
"But what?" Jay asked his voice hard.
"Forget it." Steve said as he turned around and began walking again.
"Screw this." Jay said as he walked the opposite direction. He pulled out his phone to make a call.
"Where do you think you're going?" Steve asked annoyed.
"To make a phone call. What does it look like?" Jay scoffed. The phone began to ring and then he heard the line pick up. "I'm at the Palace. Can you come get me?" Jay paused. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks, Joe." Jay hung up the phone and then looked at Steve.
"I didn't say you could leave." Steve folded his arms.
"You're not my boss." Jay countered. "You can't make me stay."
Steve raised his eyebrows. "Are you sure about that?" Steve asked. His voice low.
"What are you going to do? Tackle me to the pavement? Handcuff me, oh wait, you prefer zip ties." Jay paused. "Go ahead. It wouldn't be the first time." Jay turned and started to walk away.
"Kid, don't push your luck." Steve was getting irritated.
"My luck? What luck? There's no such thing as having good or bad luck. Zach's death wasn't bad luck. Someone wanted him dead so he is. They want me dead too and if it happens it happens. There's nothing I can do to change that but I can do whatever I can to help bring Zach's killer to justice with or without your help. Considering you don't want to share anything with me because you don't trust me or because of some bullshit excuse that you have yet to come up with then so be it. I'll do my own investigating. You can go do your thing and I'll do mine." Jay's face was turning red.
"Jay..." Steve was cut off.
"You know the worst part?" Jay asked. "The worst part is that I actually thought that maybe you would give me the benefit of the doubt and not treat me like the enemy. That maybe this guy that I have heard so much about from Joe and have read amazing stories about wouldn't be such an irrational jerk. I was happy this morning when I decided to finally have the courage to show up on your door step. I went about everything the wrong way. Your first impression of me was very bad and for that I am sorry but I thought that maybe just maybe with your help I could bring justice to your father." Jay paused. "I'm getting way off topic." Jay put his head down and looked at the ground. He let out a sigh. "I'm just...I need time for myself. I just lost someone that was like my own family. He has always been there for me. When Joe was gone he was all that I had. Zach thought meeting you would be the greatest day of his life. The Super-SEAL, the badass hero, the guy he wanted to be like. He was supposed to come with me today but he told me he had something to take care of. I told him I could wait another day. He told me not to delay it any longer. If I would have waited then Zach might not be dead." Jay was cut off from his ramble.
"Or you'd be dead too." Steve interjected.
"Who cares?" Jay asked angrily. "Maybe it would have been me instead of him." Jay felt his eyes swelling with tears. "This is my fault. All of it." Jay's voice cracked and he turned away.
Steve knew that Jay had to be an emotional wreck on the inside and he knew that he wasn't helping. Sure, he's Joe's kid, but he doesn't know him. Maybe he was intentionally being a jerk but he hadn't meant to start discussing the case in front of Jay. He was thinking out loud. "Look, kid, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to leave you hanging. I'm sorry about Zach and I wish I could have met him. He sounded like an amazing guy. I promise you that I'll do my best to bring him justice but I can't have you involved. You're already being targeted. I'm not keeping you prisoner either I'm trying to keep you safe because whether or not you believe it I actually do care." Steve sighed. "None of this is your fault. How could it be?" Steve's question was rhetorical but Jay answered anyway.
"Because I may have gotten a message from Zach." Jay said as he blinked away his tears.
"When?" Steve's voice was serious.
"About then minutes before we got here." Jay answered honestly.
"You're telling me Zach messaged you after he was killed?" Steve looked skeptical.
"He had pre-written it. He must have had it so that by a certain time it'd post." Jay said quietly.
"What did it say?" Steve walked over to him.
"Nothing really. Just apologizing for not telling me that some guy was on the island." Jay answered.
"Did he give a name?"
"No, he didn't give a name. He just said he was trying to protect me and that's why he hadn't told me." Jay looked up at Steve.
"That makes sense." Steve whispered.
"What makes sense?" Jay asked.
"You said he was supposed to be with you today but something came up. He told you not to cancel your plan. That's why. He knew that if you were with me you'd be safe."
Jay was speechless. How could he have not realized that? "He knew he was going to die." Jay whispered. "He intentionally let himself die? Why would he do that? We were a team! We were family! We would do anything..." Jay trailed off.
"To protect each other?" Steve asked.
"Yes. To protect each other." Jay answered. "He had no right to die for me."
"Apparently he thought so." Steve answered. "Jay, you would have done the same for him. He done what he thought was right."
"It wasn't right! None of this is right!" Jay yelled. A truck pulled in and the two of them looked to see who it was. Joe got out of the drivers seat and walked up to the two of them. He gave Jay a sympathetic look and then looked at Steve.
"Am I interrupting something?" Joe asked as he looked back and forth between Steve and Jay.
"No, Joe, you're not interrupting." Jay said as he choked down what was left of his breakdown. "I was just having a melt down and Steve hear was kind enough to let me vent. Thank you." Jay looked at Steve and then got on Joe's truck.
"He's taking this pretty hard." Joe said as he looked in Jay's direction.
"I'd say he's doing pretty well. It's taken him this long to let it get to him." Steve argued.
"That's the thing, Steve. He doesn't let anything get to him and he never let's his emotions show...especially tears." Joe looked up at Steve. "He's a lot like you." Joe gave Steve a small smile and then walked to his vehicle.
Steve watched as they drove off. He remembered how he felt when his mom died and how he felt when his dad was killed. As he walked up to the head quarters he kept thinking about what had been discussed. He didn't lie when he said that Zach sounded like an amazing guy because he really did. Anyone who would sacrifice their life to protect someone they love deserves respect and Zach had his. Once he was in his office Steve let out a tiring sigh. So much had happened today and he'd be happy when it was over.
He ran his fingers through his hair as he took a seat in his office. He opened his lap top and pulled up Zach's file. As he read through his background checks he couldn't help but smile. The guy was remarkably clean. Steve knew he wasn't going to find anything so he decided to go ahead and pull Jay's. Steve wasn't surprised to see that his record was also clean but he was surprised to see one thing.
"He really wasn't lying when he said he was eighteen." Steve mumbled. "Some way to spend your birthday." He sighed.
Steve continued to read through his records. Everything that he had been told was true. The adoption, his emancipation, graduation, everything checked out. The only thing he couldn't figure out was what the M in his name stood for and that bugged him. There was something fishy about it and he was going to figure it out...somehow...he just wasn't sure yet.
A/N: Was it terrible? You can tell me. I won't bite. Seriously though, don't be afraid to drop me a review. I love reading ya'lls comments and I'm going to try and start responding to the best of my ability. I'll see you in the next installment.
Until next time,
Elmerfudfry C:
