Chapter 11- Aftermath.
Hey guys, thank you for the wonderful reviews and sorry for the cliff hanger hey. I am really not. You guys are great, thanks for the reviews and do keep 'em coming. Joyfuljaj guest, you had me with that 'bit' reference. I laughed so hard at that. Anyhoo, i hope this is a good enough fix for you. Little by little yeah? Patience.
PS- imagine this song in the background.
Tired eyes, maybe you've seen too much
Tired heart, every end has a start
If you find yourself in trouble, falling off the track
Would you come back
Would you come back
Would you come back
Time will save you
You don't need to save yourself- By Turin Brakes.
...
Danny was so sure about what he was going to do. He was sure. He had no one and nothing to live for. Given those options and the possibility of going to jail he would choose death. Yeah, he would go his own way and this was the way he had chosen. He got out of the car. That guy's voice calling him, made him feel unsure. It shook him a bit. Shook his resolve but only some. He made a point of not looking into that guy's eyes; there was something about them that made him not want to die anymore. He felt like he belonged, like he was needed but then again he had by now realized that he was a bit coocoo in the head. So yeah. But when was the last time anyone ever needed him? He ignored him and raised his gun, that was sure to do the job. And it would have had not Navy Ninja guy dove into him from nowhere. He found himself on the ground, with more than a hundred pounds on top of him. Bullets where flying, the guy got hit alright. Trying to protect him. That was really weird, it blew his mind. Then he had said something about him being his brother. He had a brother? Then everything happened at once, some chick police officer was yelling at the other cops to stop shooting as they ran to them. Yeah, there were others with her. Two more cops, obviously with this other guy. They had pulled him off of him and some ambulance people started working on him. What shocked him though was the fact these other guys seemed to be concerned about him too. Like they cared whether he lived or died. Asked if he had been shot, called the paramedics to work on him too. Why would they care? Just a minute ago they wanted to shoot him. Then the other police guys approached, still guns raised, one of them roughly took his hands and yanked them behind him to cuff him. That had hurt because he had caught one in the shoulder. And they were taking his attention from the guy whom the paramedics were now frantically working on. He found himself holding his breath for the guy, praying that he lived. Even in all that chaos that was his life he could not just dismiss it and feel indifferent. One of the good cops, an Asian guy nearly punched the cop who was cuffing him. "Get your hands off him, he needs medical attention too. He's in our custody now, we've got this?" It may have been delivered calmly but Danny could detect a threat in that simple statement.
They had gone with him to the hospital, stayed with him until he had been all sutured up. The little lady cop came to check in, called him by his name almost close to tears the first time she saw him and he had looked at her blankly, not knowing who she was. He could sense the disappointment at the lack of recognition but he liked her. She was nice. The two other guys kept checking on him, not leaving his hospital door outside. He was now getting a sense of how everything was here. They were all cops but they were not necessarily on the same side. These ones were protecting him from the other cops. He had no idea why but he felt safe when these two where around. He didn't feel so much like a prisoner. He wondered about the Navy guy but never asked.
he wasn't comfortable enough to talk. He showed no hostility though when those two were near, when they tried to talk to him he just didn't answer. He wanted to but he couldn't, not yet.
There was talk of a psych evaluation but the FEDS managed to elbow that out. They probably had their own experts on that. His two protectors tried to fight his early release from hospital and failed. But they did manage to convince them to take him to Five O HQ, wherever that was. If they recommended it then it should be safe, he was sure he would be safe, because they seemed to think so.
...
Steve woke up with a struggle; there was something he needed to do. Something. He didn't know what yet but he was sure he shouldn't be sleeping right now. He struggled to pry his eyes open, he felt weird, all groggy.
"Hey brah. How are you feeling?" It was Kono, standing up to come into his line of vision.
"I am in hospital?" He said in realization
"That's right. Do you remember anything?" Kono asked, concerned.
'I got shot?" He said, as images started to come to him. "Danny! Where's Danny?' He asked anxiously, starting to get up. "Kono where's Danny? Is he ...is he alright?" He was almost afraid to ask. He remembered bullets; he remembered diving in for Danny's cover. He didn't remember being able to shield him from the bullets though. Did he get there in time? Did he shield Danny or did Danny get hit? Did Danny get hit?
"Was he hit Kono? Where is he?"
"Relax boss. Danny is ok. You managed to shield him Steve. You took the hits. Yeah you had a vest but some went astray. You got hit in your shoulder and one grazed your head. Thank God it was just a graze Steve or we could have lost you."
Steve didn't really hear much of all the other things she said. Danny was ok. "Where is he Kono. Is he here? In the hospital? He should be in a hospital he had a gunshot wound on the leg and..."
"It's ok boss. Danny was here. He got treated for the wound and other minor scratches. We were with him the whole time but, well the Homeland and the other guys were there too you know."
"No no no no, they should not take him, don't let them take him Kono. I've got to go there now." He said, getting out of the hospital bed.
"Hey hey hey," Kono tried to stall him, "It's ok. Chin and Lou are with him now; they managed to convince the other guys to let him stay at HQ in the mean time. Sighting that it was more secure. They agreed. He's safe right now boss. Chin and Lou have got him."
Steve relaxed for a bit but he did not stop, he was getting out of there. And Kono understood why. They kind of actually needed him right now anyway. Danny was safe for now but it didn't look like that was gonna be the case for long.
"Boss, I think maybe you should wait for the doctor to clear you?"
"No, no time. I have to get to Danny."
"One more thing boss. Rachel is here."
"What? When? How long have I been out?"
"Two days. Danny just got discharged this morning and Lou and Chin are with him at HQ, in custody."
"Custody?"
"It's all over the news. Rachel got accosted by the paparazzi at the airport this afternoon when they landed."
"They?"
"She has the kids."
"Grace and Charlie?"
"You cannot imagine the chaos..."
"Oh my God."
"If you are good enough to go boss, we kind of need you."
"Let's go then. My God, what was Rachel thinking, bringing the kids here? Danny is in no condition to see anyone right now. He doesn't freaking remember! Its gonna crash those kids when they look at their dad and he doesn't remember their names."
"They haven't seen him yet. Like I said he's in custody and Rachel and the kids have checked into the Hilton. You have to go talk to them."
"You think?" Steve said irritably.
His head was now clearing a bit but it still hurt. Still he walked briskly out of the hospital. He had to get to HQ.
"And I think the Governor will like to see you. There are a couple of things..."
"Only a couple?"
"Ok, a lot. Concerning Danny, there could be something we can do."
"You don't say. Step on it Kono, we need to get there today maybe." He said impatiently, regretting the harsh sarcasm immediately. "Sorry Kono..."
"I get it boss. I get it. We are all feeling it."
They pulled up at HQ and he was shocked by the security outside and the media, the crowd. There was a crowd outside HQ and the soldiers and police where having a hard time controlling the crowd. He could only gape at the scene.
"Yep, that's what I was talking about. And that's not all. At least these are on our side. To them Danny is a hero. Its the FEDS that are the problem." Kono said, getting out of the car.
Steve was already way ahead of her, taking two steps at a time. He busted trough the doors to their offices. "Where is he?"
"Steve, man are we glad you're here. How are you feeling?" Chin said, walking up to him. Relief showing on his face.
"How's he Chin? Where is he?" Steve asked anxiously, taking in the unwanted guests in the room. The FEDS and Homeland hounds, the army, Styles and his team. What the hell was he still doing here? He hated the guy's guts.
"He's in the interrogation room. He's still under custody Steve and until we can prove..."
"In handcuffs?" Steve asked, dismayed.
"We had to."
"Chin."
"Steve, Danny is not in his right mind right now, he doesn't remember any of us, and to him we are the enemy. Not to mention he just took out Hassan and his entire crew so forgive us if we're a little cautious. Plus we have all kinds of eyes on us." Chin said, looking around at the CIA and Homeland guys making themselves at home in their offices.
Steve understood but still, Danny in handcuffs? In the interrogation room? It just wasn't right. Especially now knowing what they know. Granted, it was all still under investigation but it was all pretty cut and dry.
He walked in.
...
Now he sat in the somewhat dark room, having nothing better to do but think. He had just come from the hospital and everything was chaotic to say the least but he felt safe here. Yeah in handcuffs and all but as long as his two protectors were there he felt safe. The big guy kept coming in to offer him a drink here, something to eat there or to just chat him up a bit. He wasn't in a really chatty mood but he appreciated the gesture. For cops they were being really nice. The other one was quiet, protecting but quiet most of the time. He would catch him looking at him with such sadness in his eyes sometimes. Maybe he had known these guys; it's obvious they knew him. And this place felt safe, it felt familiar.
He sat there, thinking about all that had happened. How the Navy seal guy, the guy he had seen in the jungle a week ago, had taken a bullet for him. Danny had not felt indifferent, no he had felt scared when he was shot. He had felt him sag, losing consciousness yet still clinging to him, shielding. He had felt regret, fear. He had tried to stop the bleeding on his shoulder, instinct maybe. And the the gut retching fear in his stomach. He had put his hand on the wound on his shoulder but he noticed that his head was also bleeding. He'd been hit in the head too. For him. He had panicked, he didn't want him to die. Then he was being pulled off and everything just started going crazy again. He sighed heavily now, realizing the heaviness in his heart. He really wished the guy survived. Nobody had told him anything and he didn't ask. But he really wished that he survived. He never got to know him.
He looked up with a start as the door was suddenly opened and the Navy guy walked in. Larger than life but with a bandage around his head. And he was so glad he was alright. All he remembered was him being whisked away in an ambulance after being shot multiple times. Danny couldn't stop to wondering why he cared so much. The guy did take bullets for him. He looked at him as he walked in, he had bust in through the doors with his face screwed up into a fierce frown like he had aneurysm or something. He had looked at him and looked at the handcuffs and the aneurysm got worse. Then he looked into his eyes and his face just completely changed from scary to gooey, so fast it was like magic. His eyes became soft and pitiful like the time he had seen him in the jungle, He looked nervous now, unsure.
"Hey" He said in nervous greeting.
"Hey" Danny said right back; he even managed a nervous smile. He liked him. He liked this guy. He was...kind. Crazy but kind.
He smiled back then walked in, took a chair and set it right across from him. They stared at each other for a while, Danny wasn't sure what to make of what he was seeing in this guy's face, his eyes, but it disturbed him somehow. The pain in the guy's eyes. Danny felt like he was the one causing him pain. Then Navy Seal looked away as if calming himself down. He looked at his cuffed hands distractedly then back at him again, aneurysm face was back on.
"I am sorry about the cuffs. I'll take them off now." He said, getting up to uncuff him.
Danny just rubbed his hands where the cuffs had been, feeling a new sense of freedom.
"I...uh...my name is Steve, McGarrett. And...uh, your name is Danny Williams. You ...uh...you do know your name now right?'
Danny hadn't spoken to any of them since he met them, he hadn't said a word, mostly because it was such a chore at the moment, but he felt he had to make an effort for this guy. He felt like he was waiting for him to.
"Yes...thank you." He said hesitantly
At that Steve wanted to cry, it hurt so bad and at the same time made him feel so happy that Danny actually wanted to speak to him. He dipped his head a bit trying for calm. He didn't know it would still hurt so much. He didn't remember. He loved him so much and still he didn't remember. He wanted to give him a hug, any connection would do right now.
"Can I...may I take your hand" He asked hesitantly
Danny was surprised by the request but he didn't take long to think about it, he stretched his hand out slowly. He trusted this guy. He didn't feel threatened in any way.
Steve took his hand and placed the other one on top of it. He would not take this level of trust lightly. He was overwhelmed by it but most of all, Danny was alive, he was here. He could feel it.
"We missed you so much. I missed you. You were taken from us almost two years ago and we thought you were dead until about two weeks ago." Steve looked into his eyes as he explained, trying to see if any of it was registering. "We worked together here. You are a cop, a Detective. A very fine Detective and we were best friends. We were like brothers." He snorted as he thought about it. "We were brothers." He amended.
"Yeah?" Danny asked, intrigued. He had worked here? He had friends like these. His hand was still trapped in Navy's hands, but he felt safe.
"Yeah." Steve said with a smile. "You have plenty of friends and family, some of them you have already met. I'll introduce you to them when you're ready."
Danny just nodded, listening with intrigue.
"Danny I need you to clarify a few things for me. We have come across some information, rather some evidence indicating that someone may have tempered with the bomb set up at possibly a school here on the Island. Do you have any knowledge of that?"
Danny looked at him, not quite sure if he should answer but Steve's eyes didn't convey any sort of reproach so he answered. Unafraid.
"Yes, I... we set up the bombs, six bombs in six different schools, me and Madison. But I couldn't let them so I pulled out some wires."
"Why did you do that?"
"They were so small, they were little kids I could not do it. I could not let them."
"Is that why you bombed Hassan and the others?"
"Yeah, Hassan was really angry. He knew it was me." Danny couldn't stop talking, Steve's hand holding his like that made him feel like he couldn't hold anything back. "Hassan wanted to kill me for that. He was going to kill me and then set up the bombs again to kill those children. I could not let that happen. So I got away and bombed them instead." Danny was sure he was going to get in trouble for that but this was his truth and he felt he couldn't lie to Steve, even to protect himself. But instead Steve smiled, broadly.
"You did good Danny. I am so proud of you buddy. Now can you tell me where the bombs are planted?"
Danny told him easily, giving the exact locations of the bombs. Six. There had been six bombs meant to go off all at once. Hassan's plan had been pretty brilliant. Except he had kidnapped and brain washed the wrong person. You can wipe out the mind but you can't wipe out personality. You can't wipe out the heart.
"I love you, you know? No you don't but you will. You're so you no matter what they do to you. I am glad you're back." Steve said, and Danny couldn't help but smile back. "With this evidence you're going to be a free man soon, just give me a few minutes to clear this whole thing up."
With that he got up and left the room.
...
Sorry eyes of those left behind
When we were kids do these thing we oblige
If you find yourself alone, with no need to call home
Will you come back
Will you come back
Will you come back
Time will save you
You don't need to save yourself.
..
And there. See you in a bit.