"Hey Tani."
His phone had become grand central. Steve didn't mind.
"Hey yourself, McGarrett."
He wasn't sure he liked the edge in her voice. Or that she referred to him by his last name. Was this a cry for help or was she pissed at him?
"Everything okay?"
"Peachy."
Steve relaxed a little. She wasn't in danger.
"How's Danny?"
The words were out of his mouth before he could stop himself. It was a default question, and lately he had a talent for making awkward conversations even more awkward.
"He's currently yelling at you."
Not the answer Steve expected.
"What?"
"Well, not you per se."
"Ok," Steve replied. He couldn't help himself. He laughed before adding, "Care to elaborate?"
"Nope. I've already said too much."
Tani hung up.
Steve stared at his phone, squinting in disbelief. Nose wrinkled. Took him a few seconds to process what had just happened.
While technology kept him in touch and made him feel like he wasn't 5000 miles away, he may as well have been blasted into outer space. He had no idea what was happening back on Oahu. And he wasn't gonna lie – it bugged him. The need to know. He hadn't expected he'd care so much. The space was supposed to give him freedom. But all he wanted to do was call everyone he knew and get the details.
Control freak.
He whipped around, half expecting Danny to be standing there grinning. Wasn't the first time either. Hallucinating his partner seemed to be a regular thing.
Steve needed to lay off the alcohol. It was messing with him.
/././
Lou watched the two young ones leave the office, arm in arm. They didn't have regrets and sorrows piled up like kindling, threatening to set fire to their sanity. He knew the line Danny walked.
"I feel better," Danny replied. He studied the floor for a second and added, "Yea, I really do. Thanks to Tani and this silly thing."
Both men shook their heads at Flat Steve.
"Good, I'm glad." Lou smiled.
"I know I'm not done with therapy, but I'm good. Thank you for pushing me to go."
"Hey, this is all you, man. Give yourself the credit. You wanna say those things to his actual face?"
"Sometimes."
The subject needed changing. Lou nodded and sighed, "You hungry? Because I could eat."
"Nah, I just wanna sleep."
"You sure?" Lou chewed on his lip for a second. He didn't want to push, but he continued. "I bet some garlic shrimp would hit the spot. We can call ahead and order some take out. Go back to the house and find a movie to watch?"
"If you're hungry, Lou, just say so. You're my ride. I'm kinda at your mercy." Danny shrugged with an easy smile. "Honestly, though, I should eat something before I take my meds."
/././
"Hi. Sorry to interrupt." Tani appeared out of nowhere. She flitted into the office and grabbed Flat Steve. "I have some therapy of my own," she paused, "if you're finished with him, that is."
"Sure, by my guest." Danny waved at her, giggling. "Take him home with you for all I care."
He winced at his tone and choice of words. Tani didn't seem to notice. She replied, "Oh, I intend to do more than that."
Lou moved out of her way as she manhandled Flat Steve, so she could easily carry him. He raised an eyebrow at her and said, "I'm not even gonna ask."
/././
"Don't look behind you but little sistah has McGarrett with her." Kamekona frowned as he added. "He's made of cardboard."
Danny closed his eyes and sighed. He didn't look, but Lou did.
"That girl," Lou laughed. "She ain't right."
"Why did she bring him here?" Danny asked. He didn't really want to know. He just wanted to eat. The smell of food and the fresh air had stirred his appetite. Which was good. He'd lost fifteen pounds since he'd been kidnapped.
"Maybe she thought he'd get lonely?" Lou deadpanned and watched her. "She's taking pictures."
"Like Flat Stan." Danny groaned. "Just what we need. Pictures of Steve in compromising positions."
Lou squeezed his shoulder, giving a reassuring smile. "Just go with it, man. This is her therapy."
/././
Steve's phone buzzed. He cracked one eye open to check the screen. A text from Tani. It was 7pm on Oahu. 1am where he was. She disregarded time zones like Danny ignored personal space.
With a yawn, he propped himself up on his elbow and opened the text.
"What the hell?" he asked the emptiness of the dark room. He laughed and studied the picture she sent. It was him at the shrimp truck. But not really him. It looked like a life-sized cardboard cutout. Steve shook his head. Only Tani.
He remembered when she'd taken that picture. It was an early morning. A Saturday. Danny had been in Jersey. Tani had been hiding from an oppressive heatwave, lurking in her office since her place didn't have working AC. He had no excuse for being there. Except that he was lonely and prowling because he missed Danny.
But why was the picture now blown to life size and standing at Kamekona's?
He typed a reply. "I'm not even going to ask."
Her response was immediate. An emoji wearing sunglasses.
This had become code for Danny.
"Everything okay?" He texted back. "Worried now."
He got another picture of his fake self from a different angle. In the background, he could see Danny. Probably ordering. Balancing on his cane. Lou grinning beside him, big hand on his shoulder. Leaning in like they were sharing a joke.
Steve's eyes watered, and a deep loneliness settled in his chest, squeezing the air from his lungs. He could taste the shrimp, hear the laughter.
"I miss you, too. All of you." He replied with clumsy fingers and then traced the screen, making the picture larger.
Danny. Still looking haggard. Tired and too thin. But there was something different in his best friend's eyes that gave Steve hope. He hadn't completely screwed things up. Danny's smile looked genuine. He was happy. And that was all Steve needed to know.
He exited the app and muted his notifications. He needed to sleep. He was too far away. Everything could wait til morning.