As always a huge thank you to anmodo for betaing this chapter. Also thanks to everyone that reviewed.
Chapter 12
"Sam, what is it?" Danny asked frantically.
"Nothing. Its nothing," Sam lied. She couldn't tell him that they'd lost communication with Viv, and she didn't want to worry him unnecessarily. For all she knew, Viv's cell phone battery had died. She hoped that was the reason, but after recent events, her thoughts were going in a somewhat darker direction.
"What aren't you telling me? What are you hiding from me? Please tell me." Danny pleaded. If something had happened to one of them because of him, then he needed to know, so he could make it right. He needed to know, so he could tell them how desperately sorry he was. "Please, Sam, don't keep me in the dark."
Sam looked at Danny and saw the tears that stung his eyes. She didn't want to upset him, but he didn't deserve to be kept in the dark like this. She looked into his soft brown eyes and tried to think of away to break it to him. That it was probably nothing and that it wasn't his fault. That they all loved him. That when he had returned to them, it was one of the best days on her life. She ran her hand down his stubbled cheek as she tried to come up with the words. She eventually found herself holding his hand, staring at his long elegant fingers.
"It-it's probably nothing, but u-umm, we haven't been able to get a hold of Viv. After what's happened in the last ten months, we automatically think the worst." Feeling Danny become restless, she looked up to see he was sitting up, and trying to pull the IV line out of his hand. "Danny, what are you doing?"
Danny winced and inhaled sharply, before replying. "Helping you find Viv."
"No you can't do that. You'll be a liability." Sam looked at Danny's downcast eyes and instantly regretted her words. She leaned forward and gently hugged him. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. But you're injured and I'm not going to let those bastards take another piece of you."
"But Sam" Danny started. "I have to help or maybe even better, I will just disappear and then all of this will stop and you can go back to the way it was before…when I was gone. You were all safe then."
"What are you talking about? Do you really think anyone of us, are going to let you out of our sight?" Sam smiled slightly despite her fear. "You are the closest I have ever had to a brother and I'm not going to lose you again." She finished looking into his eyes.
Danny frowned; he knew Sam and him were close. He thought of her as his sister and, considering how protective he felt over her, maybe his little sister – but he never thought Sam considered him as her brother. But it didn't change the fact that someone was trying to kill the people he loved. He felt so useless that he couldn't be out there protecting them. He needed to protect them… it was his duty.
"You are like the sister I never had. The team is like the family I never had. I don't want that family to be in danger. Let me discharge myself so I can get Viv back for you."
"No Danny" Sam said softly. "I'm not going to let you go anywhere. For all we know, Viv's cell phone battery died and she hasn't realised it yet. I'm going to make a couple of phone calls and you are going to stay put." She leaned forward and hugged him again before she walked out and dialed Martin's number.
Martin picked his phone up after the first ring. "Sam, I'm sorry I had to tell you like I did, but after what has happened I thought you would want to know asap." Martin said as he drummed his fingers on the table. At the moment he really didn't know what to think. Danny was alive and suddenly someone was trying to kill them. He wasn't blaming Danny; he knew that Danny would never do something like this. Danny was his friend and he had blamed all of his problems on him. His problems weren't Danny's fault they were his.
"Martin, Martin – what's happened to Viv? Martin-Martin." Sam asked as she tried to get Martin's attention.
Martin heard a voice that was pulling him out of his thoughts. Sam, he thought, Sam had rung him about Viv. "I tried her cell and home numbers and got no response. So I drove out to her place and she wasn't there. What if-"
"Don't even think about it!" She paused. This couldn't be happening – where was Jack – had something happened to him as well? "Do you know where Jack is?"
"No, but he's fine. I spoke to him recently." Martin paused. "God, this is such a mess. How's Danny?"
Sam smiled slightly because she thought he would never ask. "He's better but, he's worried about Viv. Do you need me to come back and help you look for Viv?"
Martin was just about to reply to Sam's question, when he saw Viv walk into the office, "Oh thank god. Don't worry, Sam. Viv just walked in. I'll see you later, bye." Martin said as he quickly finished the phone call and strode across the room. "Viv, you're ok. I was so worried."
Viv frowned at Martin. Why had he been so worried about her? She had only been out of the office for less than an hour; he could have always phoned her. She reached into her pocket. "I had my cell phone with me." She looked at the display to see it was blank. "Oh no. I'm sorry. It must not have recharged. It's been a mad couple of days."
"I'm sorry to have panicked, but with everything that has happened, I automatically thought the worse. I-I was just so worried after what happened to Jack and Danny. And then Sam and I-"
"What? What happened to you and Sam?" Viv asked frantically.
"Someone took a shot at us. We believe it was the same person that shot at Danny and Jack. Where is Jack, anyway?" Martin asked feeling relieved that he could talk to someone.
"Oh god! Are you both alright? Where's Sam?" Viv asked urgently as she hugged him.
"We are both fine. She's at the hospital with Danny."
Viv smiled in relief. "Jack's dealing with something in DC. How's Danny?" Viv asked. "I thought we could 'borrow' a computer for 'work purposes'." Viv said smiling. "I brought Danny a couple of DVD's. He's probably bored at the hospital already."
"You're going over to the hospital?" Martin asked, knowing that if Viv did go, he would have to go too. He wasn't ready to see Danny yet, and he doubted they would let him hang around the hospital until he was ready. But he didn't have a choice.
"Yes" Viv replied. "Are you coming?" She knew he would, she knew that they had to stick together.
"Yeah, sure" Martin said reluctantly as he grabbed his coat and followed Viv out.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Jack sat looking out into the rain, lost in his own thoughts. He was taking a dangerous path, but what other choice did he have? Someone was trying to kill them; but he wasn't about to destroy one of his agent's lives. His CIA friend had agreed to help him bring Michael Clarke down; in return he wanted to take credit. The problem was clearing Danny's name. Even though there was evidence that Michael Clarke had threatened Danny's life, the lives of several FBI agents, including the Director Deputy of the FBI, and their innocent families, Danny still may be convicted and this thought plagued Jack as he drove to DC. He wanted to put it off, but the longer he did, the longer his team would be in danger and the worse it would be for Danny. He didn't care how long he was forced to wait outside the director's office; he would sleep there if he had to. He knew Victor Fitzgerald would have briefed the director and he knew Victor wouldn't have been all that polite. But this wasn't his career… his life at stake, it was Danny's. Danny had never really done anything wrong. Sure he had made a few mistakes when he was younger. Considering Danny's childhood, he wasn't surprised that Danny had gone off the tracks slightly.
Realising he had somehow navigated the DC traffic including the infamous beltway to reach the Hoover building – pulled him out of his thoughts. Flashing his ID at the security checkpoint, he started to walk towards the director's office. He hoped he would walk out of this building with a spring in his step but he feared the worse.
He sat down on one of the couches outside the director's office and waited. He waited to talk to the man who may have the final hand in destroying his agent's life. He knew he should've waited. He knew he should've waited until Danny had recovered, but the presence of snipers had changed that. Danny was his responsibility and after Danny had saved his life, he felt a dept of gratitude that no one could touch. That maybe if he got everything worked out for Danny and Danny was back on his team, then maybe his debt would be paid.
Jack didn't know how long he had been waiting outside the office before he was finally summoned in. He needed to deal with this matter right now, but he didn't think he could. As he walked, he noticed several people surrounding the director. Suddenly feeling very alone, he wished he had brought some backup.
"Agent Malone, please have a seat."
Jack heard the director's words and felt his body cooperate, but he didn't know how. He looked around at the other people and tried to work out who they were. He heard the director introduce the people around him. He heard the names of FBI, CIA, and DEA agents, a couple of lawyers. Again, he couldn't help but feel outmanned.
"We are here to discuss Agent Taylor's actions." The director paused. "I would like to start by looking at his file, at the years before he started working at the FBI"
"I don't know how that is relevant." Jack replied.
"It shows the type of character he is." A lawyer replied. "I would like to look at his juvenile record; we have a couple of offences here. Do you care to explain them?
"I guess. At twelve years old, when you and I were picking school yard fights, Danny was trying avoid his brother's drug dealers. When you and I were deciding what posters to put up, Danny was trying to find a roof to sleep under. You have that childhood and try not to mess up slightly." Jack took a deep breath as he tried to control his anger. "If you think asking about his history will help you understand his character, then I don't know if I can help you. This Danny Taylor I know is of very strong character, and he is most definitely not a killer."
The director raised his eyebrows at Agent Malone's strong, compassionate defence of his agent. Victor Fitzgerald had told him that Agent Malone was tricky, stubborn and rude. But the director saw a man that been to hell and was now backed into a corner trying to defend his agent. He knew that Victor's kid was on Agent Malone's team and had been caught up in all of this. He knew that Victor had set up a job in DC for his kid, but Agent Malone had refused the kid's resignation. Seeing Agent Malone's defence of Agent Taylor, he knew it had probably been the best choice for Victor's kid. He glanced across to see the lawyer continue with the questions.
"I would like to talk about Agent Taylor's actions when he was with the FBI, particularly the Weisberg case. Do you remember it?"
Jack leaned back in the chair. The Weisberg case, how could he forget it? A sick SOB had posed as an ice cream vendor, he had kidnapped kids and murdered them, but not before he had tortured and raped them. The missing kid – Mary-Ann Weisberg – had died in Danny's arms. So when they had found Jones, Danny had understandably lost it and had delivered a sharp right hook to the Jones's jaw – breaking it. The fact of the matter was everyone had wanted to do the same thing and had backed Danny. So forty law enforcement officers stated that Danny had acted in self-defence. Jack looked up at the lawyer. "Do you have kids?" He asked.
"Yes, one girl." The lawyer answered.
"Would you be asking the same questions if your little girl was one of that bastard's victims?" Jack paused. "We had been looking for the missing girl – Mary-Ann – for three days, when we found her, she was in such a state that even the most harden cops were shocked.. But it didn't faze Danny; he just walked over, wrapped his coat around her and held her. He just reassured her until she died in his arms." Jack blinked back tears. "He was so god damn amazing that day, I felt so proud to even be associated with him." Jack paused and pulled himself back to reality. "Are you telling me that you wouldn't have hit that SOB? If Danny hadn't, there were forty other cops and FBI agents that would've been more that happy to slug him."
"That is beside the point." The lawyer started but was soon cut off.
"I would've hit him." The director started. "Agent Taylor was incredibly re-strained to just hit him once."
The lawyer glared at the director, while Jack smiled slightly because he knew he was winning the director over.
"Anyway" The lawyer continued. "Back to Agent Taylor's actions, we have established that CIA Agent Michael Clarke was acting outside the CIA, but Agent Taylor still carried out the hit."
"Okay, first of all, he had been threatened" Jack started. "Second, the cartel had a hit on the Director of the DEA and the Deputy Director of the FBI. If Danny hadn't carried it out, someone else would have. And that person wouldn't have deliberately missed like Danny did. So in a nutshell, Danny saved their lives."
"Thank you, Agent Malone. We have all we need. Now if you will excuse us, we have a decision to make." The lawyer said coldly.
Jack rose and tried to read the body language of the people around him but found he could not. He thanked them before he walked out. He did not stop in the reception area but continued down corridor after corridor. Finally he slumped against a wall, letting his head fall into his hands. The decision was out of his hands now; Danny's life was out of his hands. And for the first time in years, he prayed.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Martin paced up and down the hospital corridor. He couldn't walk in and talk to Danny as though nothing had happened because something had happened and the emotions were still too raw. The rest of the team had a hard job containing their joy that Danny was alive. But Martin didn't know what to think, his friend was alive and he didn't know what to do. He didn't know whether to blame himself, Danny or a third party for the events. He had and still did to some degree blame himself. Now that he knew Danny was alive, he'd even begun to blame Danny. But then someone had tried to kill them, so now shouldn't he blame the third party? He wanted to see Danny, but he didn't know what to say. He didn't know if it would start the flashbacks that he'd tried so hard to stop. But it didn't change the fact that Danny was his friend and to believe he was alive, to try and rest the demons of the last ten months. He needed to talk to Danny and hear in his words what happened ten months ago. Taking the last swig of cold coffee, he started to walk towards Danny's room.
After walking down many wrong corridors, he eventually arrived at Danny's room. He paused before entering; he knew he couldn't put on the manic grin that the rest of the team were wearing. He slowly opened the door and stopped. He was shocked to see his friend who was usually so full of life look so pale and fragile. It was then, he realised that Danny was as much as a victim of this mess as he was. He silently crossed the room and sat next to Danny, he was glad Danny was asleep; it gave him more time to think of what to say. He leaned back in the chair, closing his eyes, as the caffeine that he had drank throughout the last couple of days began to lose it's effect.
Danny slowly opened his eyes and looked around. His eyes stopped when he saw Martin asleep in the chair next to him. The rest of the team had said that Martin had taken his 'death' hard, but it didn't prepare him for the state Martin looked. He looked pale, tired and thin. It looked that he hadn't been eating. The Martin he knew ten months ago ate more that he ate in a day in one meal. Martin was his friend. So why couldn't he think of anything to say to him? It hadn't been Martin's fault, so maybe it was the fear of Martin's reaction.
Martin yawned and tried to work the clinks out of his back. He had fallen asleep in the office again, but as the smell and the sounds invaded his senses, he opened his eyes. Why was he in hospital? He looked around to see someone lying in a bed across from him – Danny? But Danny was- then the events of the last two days came rushing back to his memory.
"Hey" Danny said as he noticed Martin was awake.
"Hey" Martin replied looking at his feet.
There was a tense silence between the two men, before Danny broke it. "You look like shit."
Martin jumped slightly before he looked up at Danny. "Have you looked in a mirror recently?" He said smiling.
Danny smiled. "Ok fine. But I have an excuse for looking like hell. I was shot. Therefore under the rules of getting shot, I am entitled to look like hell. What's your excuse?"
Martin raised an eyebrow. "'The rules of getting shot', so under this Danny Taylor rules of getting shot, does it include beautiful ladies?"
"Funny, Fitzy funny." Danny said, but he didn't fail to notice Martin's obvious avoidance of his question. "Hey man I'm really sorry. If I knew that it was going to happen that night… Firstly I would've some how done the transport alone and secondly I would have some how told someone. You gotta believe me when I say I never wanted any of this to happen."
"I know you didn't want it to happen anymore that any of us did and I know it's not your fault. But ten months ago, I watched you die and now you're alive. I know it's not your fault but I'm having a hard time dealing with it." Martin said as he held his head in hands, unable to look Danny in the eyes.
Danny closed his eyes. He had to tell Martin about his father because Martin deserved to know. But how do you tell a good friend that you tried to kill his father? He looked down at his hand and noticed it was trembling; his shoulder hurt like hell and all he wanted to was sleep for a week. But he had to tell Martin. "Hey, I gotta tell you something."
Something in the tone of Danny voice made him look up. Danny looked so nervous and lost, he was scared of what his friend was about to tell him. But Danny was burdening this secret; surely he had the strength to listen to his friend and try to help him out. "What is it Danny?"
"You know- for the last ten months I was undercover in a Colombia drug cartel, it was a CIA op." Danny paused as he tried to work out how to tell him. "Anyway, the CIA threatened me and forced me to cooperate with the cartel. U-mm, they had a hit out and well-"
Martin stared at Danny; he could not believe what he was hearing. "It was you that tried to kill my Dad?"
"Yes, but you've gotta under-"
"I think I do understand," Martin said feeling an uncontrollable anger boil inside of him. "Your life is screwed up, so you thought you would fuck up mine, too." Martin yelled.
"No man, no way. It wasn't like-." Danny tried to finish explaining, but Martin stormed out. He felt a tear roll down his face; he never wanted to hurt anyone. He had done that enough in his life. He hadn't wanted to screw up Martin's life. All he wanted was for his friends to be happy.
Martin walked out and slammed the door. He didn't understand, or get why Danny would try and kill his dad even if he was ordered to. He carried on walking until he found himself standing by an open fire exit. He walked out and sat on the steps, trying to gather his thoughts. Something happened ten months ago, they believed Danny was dead but in fact he was working for the CIA, now Danny was alive and he had just told him he was the shooter. He felt the warm spring sun on his face as he allowed himself to get lost in his own thoughts.
He didn't know now long he had been sitting there before realisation hit him. There was a cartel hit out on his father, he was pretty sure Danny didn't have a choice. But there was a cartel hit on his father and if Danny had done it someone else would have. Danny had saved his life, Jack's life and his father's life. He had been a complete bastard and walked out on his friend when he hadn't had to tell him about his father. Martin stood up and started walking towards Danny's room again, only stopping briefly to buy more coffee and chocolate. He walked into Danny's room to see him staring out of the window. "I am so sorry. I really am. I know it wasn't your fault. I'm sorry I freaked out like. It's just…I was so surprised. I didn't expect to hear that from you. But I know you saved my dad's life. I'm so sorry."
Danny turned and looked at Martin. Martin was apologising to him but for what? He understood why Martin had walked out; he probably would've done the same thing. But did this mean that Martin had forgiven him for everything he had done? "It's okay. I understand. It was a lot to take in. Hey do you" Danny paused and looked away. "I need to know that we are okay, Martin. I need to know that you forgive me."
Martin took a swig of coffee and opened the chocolate. "What's there to forgive? It wasn't my fault. It wasn't your fault. It was the fault of some sick CIA dude." Martin held up the chocolate. "You want some."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Jack pulled into the hospital parking lot and rubbed his eyes. He knew he shouldn't be driving – and under normal circumstances he wouldn't have – but these were not normal circumstances. The sick CIA Agent Michael Clarke had been dealt with, but how—he didn't know. He didn't really care as long as Clark left his team and everyone he knew alone. He took one long last swig of cold coffee before he chucked the empty coffee cup into the passenger seat. He opened the car door and hoped the cold wind would wake him up. He had gotten updates from the team, apart from shooting at Sam and Martin, it had all been quiet. Even Martin had eventually visited Danny. Viv said she was nearly in tears when she saw her boys joking together.
He eventually made it to Danny's room, trying to come up with away to tell Danny. He didn't know how to break this latest piece of information to him. He slowly opened the door he see Danny sitting up watching TV.
Danny heard someone opening the door and moved his gaze towards the door, to see Jack. He didn't know whether to smile or cry. "I never realised how crap daytime TV, if I watch anymore of this crap, I will go mad."
"Danny." Jack said sitting down next to him.
Danny looked at Jack. "Oh god Jack, please no, please."
Jack broke into a smile and handed Danny a leather wallet that contained the gold shield. He watched as Danny opened it with trembling hands. "Welcome home, Special Agent Danny Taylor."