So, this is ridiculously short but I wanted to get something out Tomorrow's update will be a longer chapter and there's also two new oneshot's out! One is another in the High's and Low's series, from a time during Steve's childhood per a request I got on A03, the other is a tag to 1x20, looking at what might have happened if Steve was the one who got Sarin. So, onward!
Rose xx


The clock ticked over to nine o'clock as Danny pulled into the driveway of Johnson's house for the second time that day. Wiping a hand across his haggard face, Danny walked through the open door.

"Kono?" The house had been de-cluttered significantly since his last visit.

"Down the hall Danny."

He turned towards the back of the house and walked through a door he was sure hadn't been there the first time he'd been there. He stopped in his tracks. The room was near bare, aside from the desk in the middle of the room. The walls, however, were a different story. Plastered up were newspaper cut-outs, articles, photos and maps. It was chaos. Worst of all, however, were the four pictures in the middle of the wall opposite the door. The first was Hani Hirono. The second Declan Jenkins, the third Lane Bailey. Finally, circled in red marker, was Steve. The photo was of him from the side, eyes focused on something out of the frame. The bastard had been stalking him.


The two of them combed the room for an hour, finding increasingly angry letters of protest to various government bodies, please to medical boards begging for treatment for his daughter. Had the man not put his best friend in the hospital, Danny may have even felt bad for him. As they reached the last corner of the wall, Danny slumped to the floor.

"Look this shows he's a grieving wack-job, but there isn't anything here."

Kono slid down next to him. "I agree. There's nothing here, there wasn't anything in that stack on the table. We're about as close to finding this guy as we were yesterday."

"The table yesterday! Dammit I can't believe I forgot! There was a letter for rent for an apartment in Johnson's name, I was going to tell you but then I saw this room and I forgot. Dammit. Let's head back to the Palace, we'll get a warrant. Hopefully we'll have this bastard by tonight."


Back at the Palace, Danny paced. It was ten pm, and a warrant wouldn't come until the next morning. The lack of something useful to do was grating on him. The shrill ring of his phone broke his stride.

"Williams."

"Danny, the hospital called. I have bad news."

"Well don't hold your tongue, spit it out." Danny's nerves were on edge.

"Steve's primary has switched him to a ventilator and put him under. His breathing's worse. I'm starting to get worried brah."

Danny began swearing.

"I'm not one Danny. Just a second ago I got another call. Lane Bailey just died."

He didn't wait for the next word. He hung up, slammed the phone onto the desk the stupid, spotless desk that was more organised than any part of the case so far, and left.


Danny downed his fourth beer of the night, well, it was probably morning, he wasn't quite sure. Lane Bailey was dead. Lane, who had, the last time Danny had seen her, had her hair in two pig-tails, and big brown eyes that were exactly like Grace's.

"Hey 'nother over here." He flicked his hand up lazily as he tried to get the bartender's attention. By the third bottle, he'd felt buzzed, and he knew by this stage he was well on the way to being off his face drunk. The bartender sidled over, a man in his fifties with a kind face.

"Think you're done for the night bud. You got someone I can call?"

Suddenly enraged, Danny raised his eyes to meet the older man's. "I'm n' officer of the law. Show some respect and grab me 'nother dam beer!" The fist he slammed on the table garnered some eyes but the man in front of his just smiled sadly.

"Then I'm sure you know I have a right to refuse service. I'm going to call someone for you."

He hadn't realised, but while he'd been distracted his phone had been swiped from the table.

The bartender held it to his ear but frowned and lowered it.

"The first guy must be out." Baulking, Danny realised he must have used his speed dial. The first was Steve. Sobering slightly at the thought of his friend he tried to help.

"Go third. Second's m' little girl." Any drunken anger was gone and as the bartender placed a comforting hand on his back and hit number three, Danny let the first tear fall. Lane Bailey was dead. Steve was dying. And Danny had a little girl he wasn't sure he could protect anymore.


An hour later Kono stood in front of a slightly more-sober, much more embarrassed Danny.

"Get in the car."

Danny nodded his thanks to the bartender and followed the furious cop to his car, not hesitating to hand her the keys and slide into the passenger seat. They sat in silence for less than a minute.

"What the hell were you thinking Danny? Getting drunk on a case is one thing, but this case, Danny."

She glared at him. "You got anything to say?"

Danny didn't, but he went ahead anyway. "She looked like Gracie Kono."

The rookie's expression softened. "IT's late. You can crash at mine, for now, we'll get a few winks and head back out early okay?" He nodded. "There's a water bottle in the door, try and get some down. See if we can't stave off the hangover."

"Thanks, Kono."

"Anytime Danny." She turned the keys, giving the engine a second to heat up before pulling away from the curve. Danny took the bottle and unscrewed the cap, swilling the last quarter of water around. He had raised it to his mouth when something struck him. It wasn't the right brand. Steve always drank Waiakea. IT was some stupid volcanic water he ordered in bulk through an old friend. The bottle in his hand was Hawaiian Isles. Danny himself got Evian because it was still the cheapest, even on the island. There was no way it would have ended up in the car. Any other day would have ignored it. It was not any other day. Kono, we need to go to the hospital.

"Danny wha-"

Any lingering drunkenness gone, Danny interrupted her. "Now."


Love it? Hate it? Let me know and the chapter tomorrow will reveal more!