Chin and Kono followed Steve's truck to the airport.
Catherine was sitting between the two men as Danny asked, "Are you sure you should be driving Steve?"
"I'm fine Danno, don't worry"
"Did you remember to grab me clothes for the funeral?"
"Yeah, black suit, grey shirt"
"A tie? You didn't forget my tie?"
Steve glanced over at his partner, raising his eyebrows, "As much as you love your ties, how could you even think I would forget it? Yes, Daniel…I brought your favorite black tie, the one Gracie bought you. And before you ask, I didn't forget your shoes either"
Danny grinned, "Thanks babe…sorry. I've got so much on my mind"
"I know. The Governor called me while I was at your place, he's sending a cargo plane and pilot from his personal fleet to Washington tomorrow to transport Matthew and us to Jersey"
"Wow…I didn't expect that. When you get right down to it, Matty was a criminal"
"Matt atoned for his wrong doing by testifying against Felipe Ocinco. Do you think that living in witness protection wasn't punishment for him? It's a horribly lonely life Danny"
"I know that Steve. The last time we talked he basically said that. He had taken responsibility for how his life turned out and he had regrets. His biggest regrets were losing contact with his family….and what had happened to you" Steve glanced at Danny who was staring straight ahead, a tear sliding down his cheek. Catherine took hold of his hand as he continued, "He wanted to talk to you, to apologize for putting your life in danger…again. Matty was a tender soul, he always had been. He was amazed by your strength and courage" Danny chuckled, "I don't think I ever told you this but when I took Gracie to his hotel room when he first arrived in Hawaii the conversation turned to you"
Steve interrupted, "Oh yeah…how did that happen?"
Danny glanced at him, "That's a story for another day babe. Anyway, Gracie called you SuperSEAL and he thought that was just hilarious. He couldn't stop laughing and Gracie got mad at him, really mad…..she scolded him, telling him not to laugh and that her SuperSEAL was 'the greatest man in the world'. The only way he could calm her down was by putting on a little princess tiara he had bought her and he danced around the room waving a magic wand and singing a silly little song he made up on the fly about SuperSEAL Steve to the tune of Puff The Magic Dragon. Then after you saved him from Ocinco's men a year later, he told me that the title was truly fitting"
Steve said quietly, "Why didn't you ever tell me this?"
"Well, I really didn't think your ego needed another boost"
Catherine laughed as she added, "I can understand that"
Steve smiled, "Hey you two! How about a little respect for SuperSEAL huh?"
As Steve broke out singing Aretha Franklin's R.E.S.P.E.C.T (very badly), they all laughed for a few minutes and it felt good….so good.
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With the time zone change they arrived at their hotel in Washington a little after seven that evening. Steve had made arrangements with the State Medical Examiner for Danny to meet with the coroner at eight o'clock to make a positive ID of Matthew. They decided that the men would go to the coroner's office while Kono and Catherine set up their make shift office in her room. They were scheduled to meet with the Police Chief the next morning.
Danny was very pale and he was shaking as entered the morgue and the coroner led them to the body. Danny slowly approached the stainless steel table and the body, which was covered with a plain white sheet. Chin stood at the foot of the table and the coroner was on the right hand side of the table.
Danny stood across from the coroner, his hands scrunched into his pockets, the tension in his body evident. Steve stood next to his friend, his eyes never leaving him. Danny nodded to the coroner and the man pulled back the sheet exposing the dead man's face.
Danny knew what to expect, he had seen many dead bodies over the years but nothing could have prepared him for sight of his brother's lifeless body. His knees buckled underneath him and if Steve hadn't been there to grab hold of him, he would have collapsed to the ground. Danny said softly, "Yes…it's Matthew" The coroner began to pull the sheet up and Danny held out his hand, "Can you wait a minute….."
The coroner said, "Certainly. Take your time, I'll be right outside"
Steve stood supporting Danny as he stood silently for several minutes looking at Matty lying naked on the cold table. The sheet was pulled down past his chest leaving four bullet wounds visible. He had been hit twice in the center of the chest and once in the upper left arm. Danny took his right hand and with his fingers he tenderly traced circles around the forth wound, a shot that had entered and shattered his left cheekbone. The bullet had left a gaping exit wound on the right side of his jaw.
After a few minutes Danny asked, "Guys, can you give me a few minutes alone with him please?"
Steve squeezed his shoulder firmly, "Sure, we'll be in the hallway buddy"
As his friends left the room, Danny's hand lingered on his brother's face and tears welled in his eyes. "Matty, why babe? God I loved you so much…..why didn't you listen to me brother? I was there for you, I was always there…" He couldn't talk anymore, the lump in his throat huge. He stood staring at his brother for the next twenty minutes before leaning over and kissing his forehead. His voice was choked with emotion, "Good bye brother, I love you" He then pulled the sheet over this brother's face and without looking back he left the room.
He stepped into the hallway and shook hands with the coroner, "Thank you" He looked at Steve and Chin with dampened eyes filled with pain, "I've got to get out of here"
As he turned to walk away Steve and Chin shook hands with the coroner thanking him and then they quickly caught up with the Jersey detective in the parking lot. He was standing near their rented SUV bent over, his hands on his knees, gasping for air. Steve stood next to him, rubbing his back soothingly in small circular motions. No words were spoken and after several minutes Danny stood upright and turned to Steve asking, "How many times was he hit?"
Steve responded softly, "Eight…..three to the abdomen and one to the hip. The coroner said he died instantly, both of the chest wounds pierced his heart. Danny….he didn't suffer"
Danny shook his head and wiped the tears from his eyes.
Following Danny's lead, Steve reached out and pulled him into an embrace, "I'm so sorry D".
Chin called Kono to let them know that they would be back shortly and soon the three men pulled onto the road unaware of the danger they would soon face.
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Chin was driving, and Danny was in the passenger seat with Steve behind him. They were only moments from the morgue when it happened. None of them saw the truck that hit them. It came from a side road and with no lights on it barreled into the passenger side of the SUV. The force of the impact was so great that the SUV flipped twice before landing upright forty feet away.
Chin hollered, "Are you guys alright?"
Danny responded as he coughed, "Yeah, Steve?"
Both men turned their heads as Steve screamed, "GUN!"
The word had no sooner left Steve's mouth as gunfire erupted, filling the dark, quiet night.
Steve's shots blew out the window and one of the approaching gunmen fell to the ground as he was struck.
Chin had exited the vehicle and was firing over the hood of the SUV at the second gunman who had taken cover behind an opened car door. The man was firing an AK47 at the SUV. Danny staggered across the front seat diving through the open drivers door as glass shattered around him and bullets flew. Danny hit the dirt and rolled towards the back door as Chin continued to fire. Reaching up, Danny opened the back door hollering "STEVE, STEVE!" The back doors were riddled with bullet holes and Steve was lying on the floor unconscious. Grabbing Steve's shoulder's Danny pulled him out onto the ground and then moving to the back of the vehicle he had a clear shot at the attacker and without hesitating, Danny ended this by putting a bullet into the man's head.
Before the attacker even hit the ground Danny had raced back to his partner "STEVE, Oh God NO!"
Chin glanced at his friends and then he moved towards the fallen attackers.
******* MORE TO FOLLOW – hope you're enjoying – feedback is always appreciated ! ********
