Chapter 9

What happened last time?

Half an hour of banter later, both men were sitting on the lanai and nursing some cold beers. It was getting close to sundown and Steve could feel the heat leaving with it. Hunter was gnawing on some bone Danny gave him while he listened to the noises around him and Steve stared at the beautiful man beside him.

"You know if you are stare at me any longer your head will explode, so what is it Steve?" Danny asked, turning round to face Steve.

Steve turned a dangerous kind of crimson, as Danny turned to look in his direction. He opened his mouth several times resembling a goldfish before he had the right words.

"Danny, I hope to God that this question isn't going to ruin what we have right now, but it has eating at me and I have to know… do you like men." Steve now resembled more of a blue than red.

"Ok… I was not expecting that one but, yes Steve I like men but I know that men don't like me, I am too big a burden to bear to be worth any ones love." the more Danny spoke the smaller he appeared to be. The more Steve heard the more he found himself falling for the delicate person beside him. He never was the touchy feely kind of guy, but without the facial expression which were lost on Danny, he just hoped his touch would emphasize his feelings just as well.

"Danny why on earth would think that?" Steve asked, genuinely sad that Danny could possibly feel that way about himself, how anyone could feel this unworthy of someone's love and compassion.

"Because Steve, if you haven't already noticed I am as blind as a god damn bat, I can't see anything, I am not whole and I am more dependent on others than you may think." With that Danny stood up, he wouldn't want Steve to see his building tears. His whole posture was small his shoulders slumped forward and his head bowed. He feared that this breakdown was destroying what little friendship they had; his brain was turning and playing out possibilities. He was so absorbed that he hadn't noticed the approaching of Steve.

"Hey come on Danny" Steve grasped Danny by his shoulders "don't talk like that. I know I am not an expert in living and working with someone who can't see but I know something with 100% sureness that you, Detective Danny Williams, are a strong person who has a lot to offer and contribute, you may not see the world with your eyes anymore but you aren't blind. You are whole and worthy of every kind of love this world has to offer." With that Steve moved deeper into Danny's personal space and threw his arms around the shorter man.

Even Steve, who everyone thought of as emotionally stunted, knew that he would have to work on Danny's self-esteem before he could manage to take a place in Danny's heart. After a few minutes he took hold of Danny's hand and coaxed him to the vacated chairs. He felt Danny trembling and sniffling but Danny beat him to saying something. "Steve that's … what you said… thank you." Steve knelt down in front of Danny, and took him into his arms. He thought about what Danny had been exposed to that made him think this low of himself. Who treated him like he was a burden and who told him that he wasn't worth anything? Who could have possibly hurt him like this?

After a few minutes of sobbing Danny became quieter and his breathing evened out, Steve heard Hunter approaching, so he turned to him. Hunter held his head in a confused manner and Steve spoke to him, "Hunter what is it that your master endured? Who did this to him?"

He felt Danny go limper in his arms and his breaths were further apart. Danny was sleeping in his arms. Steve prepared to get up, he was lucky that he always had a bed prepared for guests. So Steve stood and took hold of a sleeping Danny. He carried him upstairs, Hunter on his heels and laid the more fragile looking Danny on the bed. Steve removed the shorts and the shirt, he brought Danny's cane and he placed a spare blanket down for Hunter. He laid Danny's cellphone on the bedside table, took hold of another blanket and wrapped it around the sleeping form then he turned around and walked out leaving the door open.

Steve cleaned downstairs, set the alarm system and locked everything else down. Then he climbed the stairs, walked to his bedroom after stopping at Danny's door and listening for a few seconds. Danny seemed to be sleeping peacefully so Steve walked into the master bedroom. After a quick shower he opened the door again so he could hear in case Danny needed his help.

After Steve fell into a light doze but that was when the nightmares began for Danny, he tossed and turned in his bed, it steadily got worse until Hunter began to whine and howl. Danny began to talk in his sleep, that was the last thing Steve needed to wake up again, he was a light sleeper, years in the Navy had taught him well. Steve was awake and alert instantly and up in the next second. He grabbed a shirt and left his room. This exact moment Danny chose to speak up "No don't take Grace away from me Rachel, I can be a parent… damn I am blind not dumb… please don't take the only light away I have left… its getting too dark " with that tears formed and began to roll down his face. Steve didn't know how to handle this properly, so he did the only thing he could, he climbed on to the bed and wrapped his arms around the shaking body trying to bring the fragile blond haole out of his nightmares. He took Danny's hand and laid it on his chest so his slow and rhythmic breathing may transport some calmness.
After another hour both men were fast asleep carefully watched by Hunter who looked like he loved what he saw.

The morning sun was up and it was way past Steve's usual rise and shine time before both men began to come to. Steve had turned on his side and Danny was turned in the other direction. Danny woke up and felt that the sun was on the wrong side of his face. So the fear was back and he began to listen for some clue as to where he was. After recapping the last wakening moments he determined that he was still at Steve's and that he wasn't alone. He heard the breathing of two individuals.

"Good Morning Danny, please don't worry, you are in my guestroom and I am here because you seemed to have trouble sleeping. I didn't do anything to you, even ask Hunter?" soothed Steve after seeing the scared look on Danny's face.

"Oh… oh…ahm thank you Steven" That was all he could say, he was embarrassed on one hand and felt loved on the other. "Now is the time you will see my limitations again Steve, I have no clue where I am and I really need to use your bathroom. Could you help me?"

"Sure", Steve got up and took Danny's hand and put it on his forearm.

After a few minutes of showing him the lay of the land, Steve decided to head down and prepare breakfast and coffee. He was totally absorbed in getting it all sorted that he didn't registered Danny coming down, a few minutes later, both were sitting at the lanai and enjoying the omelet and coffee.

"So Danny what do you want to do today? Any plans so far?"
_

Please review! Thanks to my beta !