Chapter 5

Steve spent the way from the room to the car in a wheelchair and didn't complain.
Danny took that as a sign that his partner still wasn't back to his old self. In great foresight he had parked the car in front of the entrance, so his friend just had to walk a short distance.
He drove slowly and carefully. They also walked like that into the house.
Still, all that Steve wanted after arriving home was lying down and closing his eyes.
He didn't even want to go upstairs. He went straight for the couch. Danny wanted him in a real bed, but he gave in after he had one look at the SEAL.
Steve was pale and sweating and squinting his eyes like he couldn't see right.
That was enough reason for Danny to let his friend do what he had in mind.
Steve lowered himself ion the couch with a sigh. Danny helped him putting his feet up and lying down.
Steve put one arm over his eyes and mumbled "thanks, Danny."
"Don't mention it. You want some pain meds?"
"No. Just let me sleep. Eyes hurt. Need to rest."
"Okay. Tell me when you decide otherwise. I'll get you a blanket."

When Danny returned the SEAL was already fast asleep.
When he woke up again, Danny had a snack and something to drink ready.
Steve's appetite still wasn't very good, but he was okay with eating small portions several times a day.
"How's your head?" Danny asked hoping that the sleep had helped his friend, but if not he wanted to remind his stubborn partner that the pain meds are still an option.
"Better than before. But I think I'll need one of those pills anyway. Don't want it to get worse again. And then I'd like to go outside for a while."
"No! Doc said "no sun"!" Danny said very determined.
"Don't want to sit in the sun or go to the beach. Just some fresh air," Steve soothed his friend.
"Sure. No problem. I am coming with you," Danny was relieved that the SEAL didn't want to do something stupid. Just wanting to get some fresh air was something he could live with.
"I'd hoped for that." Steve smiled at his friend. "Still like your company."

They sat outside for about half an hour when Steve asked "Are the meds supposed to make me sleep?"
"No. They are just for the pain. We had explicitly asked for that if you remember."
"I do. I am just starting to feel tired again. I think I am going upstairs."
"You up for that?" Danny looked skeptically at his friend.
"At the moment, yes…I guess. Not sure if I wait any longer though."
"Let's go then."
"You good?" Danny asked when they were halfway up the stairs.
"Yeah, just going slowly. Don't want to trip."
"That is a wise decision my friend. Don't want you to trip either. Just tell me if you need to stop for a moment."
Steve didn't. He made it upstairs without a break and without any kind of incident.
But he was done. He was sweating profusely and his legs felt like jelly.
Danny helped him with his shoes again.
"You still good?" Danny wanted to know.
"Yeah, thanks Danny. I don't know why, but I am just so damn tired."
"You've heard the doc. It is normal. Your brain needs some rest. Glad you are listening to your body for once."

Although he still had bad headaches once in a while, Steve got better over the next two weeks. He needed less and less sleeping time, walked around the house and the garden without feeling worn out after a few steps and was even able to concentrate on a few things again.
Danny had returned to work after the first week, but was still crashing at his friend's house during the night.
It was Friday night. The two friends had watched a movie before going to bed. After saying good night, Steve had gone upstairs.
It was shortly after midnight when Danny woke up. He was thirsty and left the guest room to get some water.
On his way back he heard Steve talking. It didn't sound like he needed help, but Danny checked anyway.
He didn't hear anything more on his way up and already wondered if he had imagined the voice, but when he entered the SEAL'S room Steve said "You are not my brother."
He was caught in a nightmare, fists clenching and unclenching and his head rolling from one side to the other.
Danny knew it wasn't always a good thing to wake someone from a nightmare, but he decided this was one of the times you should do it.
It took Steve a few minutes to get out of it and when he finally was aware enough to register where he was, he needed another few minutes to compose himself.
"Sorry. Didn't mean to wake you."
"You didn't. I was in the kitchen, drinking some water. You want to talk about it?"
"No!" The answer came too fast and much more aggressive than Steve had wanted.
Danny knew that his friend still wasn't comfortable and ignoring the tone his friend had just used, he said "Okay. I know you had nightmares before – most likely about your SEAL time, but you've never talked in your sleep before. If you want to talk…I am here."
"Thanks. I really appreciate that..."
"Okay. Good night."
Danny turned and was about to leave the room, having already reached the door when Steve said "Wo Fat".
"What?" Danny asked and turned around.
"Wo Fat. He…he had said "Our mother". She wasn't his mother. I had gotten our DNA tested. I told him. Then he told me what she had done for him and why and although I know he had wanted to provoke me with calling her our mother, I can also understand his feelings and why he was probably really seeing her that way."
"But you can't accept it." It was a statement not a question and it was followed by a few minutes of silence.
Although Danny could see that Steve was still thinking about something he already thought this conversation was over when his friend started to talk again.
"After the fight…when…when we both pointed our guns at each other…Wo Fat…he…no…he had said earlier…if…if he had wanted to kill me, he would have done that already. But when we had our guns at each other's heads I…I could see that he would pull the trigger, because he knew I would do it. He had tortured me Danny…a second time. And…and I needed to get out of there. I mean, I knew you were looking for me, but I didn't know if you would find me in time. Wo Fat had a lot of resources, money and associates. I just saw this as my only opportunity – kill or be killed or even both.
But I couldn't…couldn't let him torture me again.
I think he knew he was done, but he still tried to talk me out of this, tried to appeal to my honor, saying "you are not going to kill me are you, brother?" Brother, Danny. He called me brother. He wasn't my brother."
"No, he wasn't. You have a great sister and for sure you didn't need a brother like this."
"Yes, I have a great sister and I do…I do have a brother as well. A real one."
"How comes you never mentioned him before?"
"You Danny. You are my brother. And I couldn't have asked for a better one."