This set of scenes just didn't fit into the main story of The Light of 1000 Stars. It's rather Junior/Tani focused, but too good to not share with you.

"Danny, he didn't exclude you because he thought you weren't capable."

Danny took a deep breath. He let Junior finish. Their conversation had veered into territory Danny did not wish to tread. He wasn't even sure how they got there. Discussing Joe and the battle to avenge him. Danny didn't need reminding that Steve had contacted everyone but him first.

"He excluded you to keep you safe."

"Keep me safe?" Danny's whole face erupted in frowning disbelief. It was either that or laugh. And no way could his body handle the full-on bout of giggles that threatened to leak out, if he let them. He added with a scowl, "I'm not a fragile flower."

"Didn't say you were." Junior flinched. "Sir."

Danny huffed and shook his head. He didn't bother to mention the sir. Instead, he flexed his fists and let it pass.

Junior didn't allow Danny comeback with anything. Instead, he blurted. "He loves you. And love makes you do stupid things."

"Understatement of the decade." Danny replied with an eye roll.

"That's why he left." Junior shook his head, the realization of what he said hitting him. Steve loved Danny. Everyone joked about it, but here it was in action.

Danny stopped breathing for a few seconds. Then, he said, "Repeat that."

"Steve. He left because he loves you."

Smiling, Danny sighed. He couldn't be upset with Junior. He was only trying to make sense of it all, just like Danny. Steve left all of them. No ceremony. Little preparation. Just an exit. One that was on the heels of the latest trauma. This one almost shattering the group. Because it was Danny again. Which made sense. If Steve had been injured, he would have been around longer. Not much, Danny knew. With a chuckle, he remembered vividly watching Steve chase a suspect parkour style across the top of a building the very day he was released after the liver transplant. Nothing would have stopped Steve from leaving. There would only have been a delay. Which might have been worse. It kept you from living. Limbo was cruel.

Now, Danny only wanted to soothe everyone. To comfort them as they tried to comfort him.

"He loves you, too, Junior."

Junior dipped his head to hide his blush. His murmured yessir was barely heard. They were quiet for a few seconds. Conversation from Lou and Adam rose and fell in the kitchen. Eddie barked from outside. Tani had just come back from walking him in the scorching late afternoon heat. Danny knew the dog would need a bath as his auntie liked to stick to the shore line, giving the water-loving dog a coating of salt and sand.

"It's like when he went to find his mom."

This was the line. Mexico. Doris.

"See now, you're not making me feel better. You trying to make me feel worse? Mexico?"

"Shit, I'm sorry."

"If you hadn't rolled up with that team of - "

"Yea," Junior chewed on his next words, working his jaw. "It wasn't pretty."

"So you see how he gets. You witnessed it firsthand."

"He had it under control."

"But he needed your help," Danny replied, voice raised. "When he goes it alone – bad things happen."

Junior didn't add anything. Danny had the experience, he knew. This made Junior jealous, a little possessive of his time with Steve. Normally it was kinda cute. Especially when he used his SEAL toughness to cover his feelings.

"Well, I'm sure he knows what he's doing now, sir. Give him some room to operate."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Danny said. He turned away, beginning the long journey up the stairs. "Hold tight to what you have, Junior."

"Yes sir."

/././

"So Danny thinks Steve left because of him? That's crazy."

"I know, I tried to tell him –" Junior stopped, "How many of those have you had?"

Tani wiggled her eyebrows and said, "A lady never tells."

"Well, a lady never gets –"

She cut him off with a kiss before jumping back so he couldn't catch her in his arms.

"Not drunk. Just a little buzzed."

"Good, because we're on call."

"On call?"

"Here. Danny watch."

Tani laughed and then sobered. "Sorry, that sounds so funny. Like Baywatch without all the sex."

"No, so not like Baywatch."

"Yea, it's depressing. Drink." She shoved a wine cooler at him, which he accepted, but didn't open.

"I need to check in with Cole before I drink this."

"You're such a teacher's pet." Tani frowned.

"Hey, it's ok. I know it's hard. Cole gets it."

"Then why's he still here?"

"We need the help til Danny's ready."

"You think he'll come back?"

"You don't?"

"I don't know. I just don't like it. How much do we know about Cole anyway?" Now she was pouting and she knew it.

"Steve wouldn't have left him in charge if he didn't trust him."

"It's Steve's ship even if he's not here."

"Ship?"

"Hey, he's in the Navy. Sue me." Tani giggled. "And I'm drunk."

"You're something." Junior kissed her neck.

She made a wide circle with her arms before flopping them at her sides. "I say profound things."

He kissed her again. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling herself into his lap so she was straddling him.

"Uh, you're not wearing any –"

Grinning, Tani tilted her head. "I do profound things, too."

Junior swallowed hard. "Danny and Adam are –"

"So? They can't see us."

"Wow." Junior reached to adjust himself.

Tani stopped him. "That's my job."

She slipped her hand under his waistband, and he shivered.

"Let's take this inside, big guy."

He nodded and cleared his throat, repeating. "Inside. Really? But Lou and Adam. And Danny."

"We'll just have to be quiet then." She touched his lips with her finger. "Think you can handle that, sailor?"

Junior nodded and stared at her.

"Come on, let me drive for once," Tani said. She slid off of him and disappeared into the darkness. He listened for the slap of the door before following her into the house. Willing a certain part of himself to ease off a little so he could walk.

/././

Junior crept close to the bedroom door. It wasn't unusual for him to check on the occupant of this room. Only now it was Danny and not Steve. He hadn't been around as much once Danny started staying permanently. It was known as AD – After Doris. Junior went to Tani's place most nights. The house was crowded, and he felt like a third wheel.

Lately, he was on protective detail. Unofficial yet still mandatory. No excuses. This is what Steve wanted. It's why he left. To protect the ones he loved. Especially Danny. The one he loved most. How had Junior missed it? Or maybe he hadn't wanted to see it. He wasn't attracted to men but he wanted Steve's attention. There was a pull. Something magnetic about Steve. He made you feel good. Junior wanted that. He was drawn to it. Steve had helped him turn his life around. Because Junior knew he'd been headed down the wrong path. If his Hail Mary hadn't worked. If Steve had turned him down, he knew he'd still be at the shelter. Or worse.

So Junior did whatever he could to repay the debt, including standing watch. Steve had complained that he wasn't a child. Stating very firmly that he didn't need a babysitter on one drunken night. Junior knew Steve was hurting, and he'd believed Danny would fix him. He'd been hopeful. Turned out Danny was just as wounded as Steve. Danny hadn't caught him lurking yet. Junior knew it was only a matter of time because Danny was an unpredictable insomniac. He lingered downstairs on his worst nights, watching an incessant parade of infomercials. Since his kidnapping, pain meds kept Danny's sleeping patterns steady, but he'd begun weaning himself from the pills. Junior was willing to accept the inevitable rant. He would do his duty.

"Steve."

Hearing that name come from Danny, stabbed Junior in the heart.

He winced when the name came again. An unexpected prick of tears pinched his sinuses. That one word – the sound of it – was so weighted with sadness. Junior didn't want to know what Danny was dreaming about. He watched to see if he was needed. He'd heard him call out before.

On this night, though, the urgency in Danny's voice was different, more intense. Junior cracked the door open. Danny was asleep. Nightmare. He walked to the bed, and then backed up a few steps. What was he doing?

Junior held his breath and waited.

"Steve? God, Steve." Danny said. He sobbed and turned onto his side, facing Junior.

Without thinking, Junior moved close again, but didn't touch Danny. He was so out of his league.

"Danny, wake up."

Danny moaned, growing more upset.

"It's Junior, wake up," Junior said, "You're safe. It's a dream."

"Steve?"

"Nah man, it's Junior. You awake?"

With a sigh, Danny rolled onto his back, wincing.

"Hey, you okay? Need anything?"

"Where's Steve?" Danny asked. He pushed up, scanning the room. Eyes uncertain and a bit wild, "I wanna see Steve. He was just here."

"Danny," Junior began, "Steve – he uh – he's –"

"Ah no, not Steve," Danny replied, curling into a ball and then straightening. Pain waking him up. "Junior?"

"You with me now, man?"

"Yea, I just," Danny said with a sigh, "Dream."

"I get it. You need anything?"

They looked at one another. Messages passed between them. They'd both lost someone in a very real sense. Junior blinked and tears leaked from his eyes. Danny reached out, resting his hand in the empty space at the edge of the bed. His gaze shifted to the far wall, like he was seeing through Junior. He shrank before Junior's eyes, pulling the sheet to his shoulders.

"Close the door, please?"

"Yea, okay, goodnight, Danny."

"Get some sleep, Junior. I'll be fine."

Junior didn't believe him. And he knew Danny didn't either.

/././

"Promise me you'll never leave 'cause you're the only one."

Tani laughed and asked, "Did you just quote Ed Sheeran to me?"

She cleared her throat when she realized he wasn't joking. She looked away from his intensity.

He turned her to look at him, fingers on her chin.

"I'm ridiculous, I know," he said.

It was odd that he was the more emotional of the two of them, but Junior liked it. They both helped each other navigate the terrain of this relationship. Unsteady as it was because of their job.

"Nah, I like it. Do it every day. You big cheeseball." She punched his arm.

Junior gave her a crooked smile and said, "I love you."

"I love you, too," Tani answered. She tilted her head and

"I'm," Junior paused. He took a quick breath with closed eyes to steady himself. "I'm not a perfect man."

"Ok. Who is?" Her smiled changed to reflect approaching storm clouds. She took his hand and added, "You can tell me anything. You know that, right?"

He nodded. Her love and acceptance overwhelmed him on a good day. Tonight, it floored him. He didn't hold back.

"I've been giving Layla money every month. To cover bills. To –" Junior stopped and looked down. Some days he felt the money was covering his guilt.

"Hey, I get it. I do. It's something you have to do."

There was no judgement in her eyes. He felt such relief.

"You do?"

"I think it's sweet actually."

"I just feel so –" He wanted to lay it all out, but he couldn't say the words. She saved him.

"Hey you don't have to explain," Tani replied. She took both of his hands into hers and squeezed hard. "Unless you wanna talk about it. Because then I'm totally here for that. But I knew."

"You knew?"

"Of course." She shrugged, "I am a detective, right?"

Junior leaned in and pressed his forehead to hers. They stayed like that for a few breaths.

"Do you smell pancakes?" Tani whispered.

He cracked one eye open and replied with a chuckle, "Yes."

"Danny."

"Guess he didn't go back to sleep after all."

With an eyeroll, Tani deadpanned, "Well, we may as well go eat the pancakes of misery."

More extras to come...thanks for tuning in...until next time...