Somehow this chapter was replaced by a chapter from another story of mine. Very weird! Soooo...this is the correct chapter for You Are My Peace.
/././
Danny checks his phone for the time and then scans the arrivals board. Again. Steve should be here soon. The plane is on the ground. There's a swarm of activity. A door opens. Danny peers around the throng of people. He knows how it feels once you get off the plane. Like you've been released from prison, and he should know. He still has memories of Colombia. On his tip toes, he keeps searching until he realizes it's the wrong flight. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. He turns around to double check for Steve's flight, and he's swept into a familiar embrace.
"Danny, Danny, Danny…" Steve murmurs in his ear.
He smells like coconuts and sweat. His cheek is rough with days old scruff.
Danny tears up and gets a hardon at the same time. He's pressed so close to Steve, there's no way he doesn't notice. And wait a minute – he's not the only one.
"It's good to see you," Steve says. He takes a deep breath nuzzles Danny. "So good."
Danny cannot speak. They've always invaded each other's space, but this is – he isn't sure what this is. He sobs instead overthinking, holding Steve tighter. He's so happy and a little bewildered. This is happening too fast. Months without Steve, and now - he's in his arms.
"Hey, you okay?" Steve asks. He pulls back, assessing Danny like they've just been in a fire fight. After all, isn't that what these last months have been?
"I'm fine. Just, it's been –" Danny answers. He feels oddly shy. Steve's concern is too intense.
"Too long. I'm sorry, Danny. I – I don't know what else to say. I don't have an excuse."
"Apology accepted, but not necessary, babe. Water under the bridge."
Steve nods and chews on the bottom of his inside lip. His eyes are nearing the overflow point. Danny shivers when Steve slips his arms around him again. This time, there's something more intimate. They allow themselves to fit together. Danny melts a little. Steve is warm and real and, Danny can feel his strength. He's missed that feeling of protection. He hopes Steve feels the same about him. They stand there for a few seconds and breathe together.
Then, someone bumps into them, and the noise of the airport returns. Reality rushes in. A toddler shrieks, an announcement urges passengers of a certain flight to please board and one of those courtesy carts honks for them to move. Danny pulls away.
Steve frowns and sighs. Danny can tell he's hurting. Headaches are a bitch.
"Let's go home, Steve," Danny says, "I bet you're exhausted."
Danny won't mention he knows Steve probably still doesn't sleep on planes. They both have issues with flying.
"Yea, home sounds good. Is Junior there?"
"Nope. He and Tani found a little place. They have Eddie this weekend."
"Oh?" Steve smiles, looks amused.
"Shared custody. We worked out an arrangement."
"My dog has an arrangement? Really?"
"Yup," Danny let the p pop a little. He catches Steve looking at his lips. They both dip their heads. Danny feels warm all over, and he has to adjust his pants. He really needs a distraction. "Do you have luggage?"
"No," Steve replies. He taps his duffel with this foot.
"Of course you don't. You're Jack Reacher."
"Jack Reacher. I like that. But he doesn't have a duffel."
"Only you could quibble about Jack Reacher."
"We've watched that movie a million times."
"Come on, you," Danny grabs Steve's arm.
"Wait – is that lei for me?"
"Yea, it's silly."
"It's great. Thank you. I love the colors," Steve says. He lowers his head, and Danny slips the orange and red flowers around his neck. They're inches apart. Neither moves for a few seconds until Steve smiles and says, "Let's go home, Danno. We can talk there, yea?"
Danny nods. Steve slings his arm over Danny's shoulders, and they walk to the parking garage.
/././
Traffic slows their journey. Danny doesn't complain. He's oddly quiet.
Steve is giddy despite a headache creepy over him. He hopes Danny still has a pile of ibuprofen in the medicine cabinet. Rubbing his eyes, he takes in the scenery. He didn't realize how much he's missed this island. Even the hustle and bustle of the tourists. The energy makes him feel more alive.
He sneaks a few glances at Danny and sobers when he notices how tense Danny is holding his jaw. How tight he's gripping the steering wheel. He imagines this is quite a change for his best friend. Steve knows what it feels like to be left behind. A pain in his chest makes it tough to breathe. He decides to focus on something else.
It's been ages since they've been in a vehicle together. Never in Steve's truck with Danny driving. He wants to ask if he replaced the Camaro. It's terrible that he doesn't know. He never asked.
"No, I didn't replace the Camaro," Danny says.
Steve turns to face Danny and replies, "You read my mind."
"No – I know you."
"You never drive my truck."
"I do now."
Steve isn't sure how he feels about this news. And the flat tone Danny uses feels cold and wrong. There are so many wrongs he needs to make right.
"Things change, Steve."
"Yea," Steve says. He hopes that's true for more than vehicles. He studies the lei he's still wearing. These colors could symbolize love. He closes his eyes and smells the flowers. He's home. Doesn't matter where they go in this truck. He reaches across the console and lays his hand over Danny's arm, gives him a squeeze. "I'm here now, Danny."
"With Grace in college and Charlie eating me out of house and home, I decided to save some money," Danny rambles, which is normal but uncomfortable. "I hope you don't mind. You weren't using it. I figured –"
There's worry and aggravation in Danny's voice. Steve feels left out of the loop. He's been away too long. He wants to make this all better. …if he could just think straight. He says the first thing that pops into his head.
"Five-0 has the money for - "
"No, not this time. Budget cuts. And insurance won't touch me on a new vehicle."
"I'm sorry."
"What for?"
"I know you loved that car."
"Nah, it's just a car."
"Danny…"
"Stop. Don't think too hard about this. I can tell you've got a monster headache. Relax. We're almost home."
Steve smiles, and his eyes well up with tears. Not good for his headache. He pinches his nose. He can't think of anything to say.
Danny reaches for him this time and asks, "What's going on in that head of yours?"
He shakes his head and focuses on the highway flashing by. Danny nods and puts both hands on the wheel. He's patient. Steve appreciates this. He didn't realize how overwhelming coming back to Hawaii would be. Again.
He notices a hardness lingering in Danny's posture, despite the tenderness. He's stiff, reserved. Like when they first met. Danny is protecting himself. From Steve.
This breaks Steve more. His head throbs. He sighs and rubs his eyes, then moves his ministrations to his temples. He leans back against the seat and focuses on his breath. He zones out.
"We're here," Danny nudges him, "Steve? You with me?"
"Yea, I'm here," Steve comes to attention. He sits up straight, scans the perimeter and braces himself on the dash when a wave of wooziness hits him. He even reaches for a gun he hasn't carried for as long as he's been gone.
"Whoa, hey, chill. It's just you and me, remember? Nobody knows their fearless leader is back."
Steve gets it. He doesn't have to perform. He can just be. Danny does this for him. Creates a safe space. He's a shield. He clears the way.
"Thanks, Danno," Steve replies.
"Let's get you out of the sun," Danny says. He's got the passenger door open. How did that happen? "I'm sorry I didn't bring sunglasses."
"It's okay. I have you."
Danny scrunches his nose, but doesn't respond. Steve grabs his hand. They stare at one another. Steve curses his eyes for watering. Danny's eyes do the same, and their color does that thing Steve loves. They change to a deeper blue almost green. It's like a storm. He knows his own eyes do the same. Danny's commented on them in the past. He notices the lines at the corners of Danny's eyes. There are more there than there used to be. Steve wants to make them all go away.
"Danny, please," Steve says. He's not sure what he's asking.
"Come on, you big jerk. Stop giving me sexy eyes."
"Sexy eyes?" Steve laughs. He's lost. "What?"
Danny laughs, too, and answers, "The song."
"Oh yea. You remember that? Wow, that was – how long ago was that?"
"I remember everything, babe."
They walk to the house, hand in hand. Which should be weird. Steve feels like he's floating. Doesn't take Danny but a second to open the door and disarm the alarm. When did he get that? What other things has he done? This is Danny's place now. Steve likes that. Danny belongs here. But he doesn't dwell on this thought. He can't. What he really wants is the couch or another soft place. He's done. He hates his body. It's such a betrayal. But he knows he's the one who's done the betraying with his actions over the years. Leap first, ask questions later has earned him a lot of pain.
"Steve, sit," Danny says. His voice is soft as he guides Steve to the couch. "Rest. It's been a long day."
Closing his eyes, Steve wants to agree with Danny. He wants to thank him and ask him when he got the bigger TV and what happened to the couch. Most of all, Steve wants to tell Danny that he's home to stay. For good. But he's asleep before he can do anything more.
/././
I hope you're loving this story. It's all for you... Thank you for reading.