"Ta da!" Tani pulled a large piece of cardboard from behind her desk.

Danny frowned and then laughed in spite of himself. Tani had been going out of her way to cheer him up. She brought him malasadas every day, made sure he had rides to his appointments. She even programmed all of his favorite TV shows and sports stuff, leaving him notes about which things she didn't think he should miss. She barged right into his life when the others were more hesitant. He'd never be able to repay her.

"What is that?" He asked.

"Oh shit." She flipped the unwieldy thing around to reveal a stern Steve, arms crossed and glaring at them.

Giggling, Danny leaned on his cane. "Where did you get that?"

"The copy place on the corner. I figured you wouldn't want a happy Steve."

"You're the best." He reached to give her a one-armed hug.

"Go! Tell him how you feel." She pushed him toward the glowering Steve. "Try it out. Take it for a spin! Do something! Before I run out of clichés."

"This is so wrong." Danny shook his head as he took a good look at his present.

"That's what makes it so right." Tani said as she circled their former leader. "I might even take a turn or two."

"You might?"

"Hey, I've got some things to get off my chest, too. Your therapist is awesome."

Danny sobered and replied. "We'll see."

"What? Cat got your tongue? It's Steve…yet not Steve. But I get it, stage fright is understandable." Tani said. She waved at the grouchy likeness.

"Stage fright?"

"I won't listen. Take him to your office. Close the blinds." She stopped, hand covering her mouth as she snickered. "That sounded kinda dirty."

Danny grabbed the cardboard Steve and headed for his office, limping awkwardly. Junior jumped out of his way and said. "I'm not even going to ask what that's about. He okay?"

"Come here." Tani answered. She took Junior's hand and pulled him into her lair. "Let's give Danny some alone time with the boss."

/././

Danny stared into the eyes of the cardboard Steve. He laughed and rolled up his sleeves, glancing over his shoulder. No one was watching.

"I can't believe I'm gonna do this." He muttered and took a deep breath. "I miss you, you Neanderthal."

The silence was deafening, but what did he expect? He had to get over himself. Clearing his throat, Danny laid his cane on his desk. He was tired of hurting, physically and mentally. He worried that being stuck with this anger was slowing down his healing. Maybe the shrink was right. He needed to let it all out.

He giggled and said. "It feels weird, talking to you like this, babe. Tani outdid herself."

Sliding his hands into his pockets, he rocked on his heels. His knee did not approve of this movement, and he cringed, steadying himself with a hand on his desk.

"I get why you had to leave. Okay? I do."

The words felt wrong. They'd lost their meaning over the last month and some odd days. He'd been lying to everyone, including himself.

"No, you know what? I don't get it."

Frowning, Danny studied the fake Steve. Blue shirt. Cargo pants. Black shoes. Arms crossed with that practiced, stern look. He couldn't remember when this picture was taken. It had been Tani's doing. Danny didn't take many pictures of Steve in work attire. That's what this was. Steve's uniform. Utilitarian. Comfortable. Functional. No weapons visible, but Danny knew Steve carried at least one knife on his person at all times. Maybe a small firearm on his ankle. Hell, he could have a grenade in his pocket for all Danny knew. After ten years, Steve still never failed to surprise him.

That's what this was all about. Surprise. Shock at his leaving. Danny knew his best friend needed some time away. It was the timing that threw him.

"You couldn't have waited another week?"

A familiar feeling of frustration and aggravation rose in his chest, and he just started talking. Everything else fell away.

"A day would have made a difference."

"I needed you, Steve. You. Not anyone else."

"All the times I was there for you."

"I stayed on this rock for you. I coulda gone back to Jersey."

"You don't think I deserve peace, too? Huh?"

Danny took a deep breath, hand covering his face. His next words were softer.

"It's always about you. You've led such a terrible life. Nobody's been through the shitter worse. Poor Steve."

Danny kicked the cardboard and lost his balance a bit when the fake Steve fell into him. They danced for a few seconds, as Danny fought to right the cardboard man.

"Do I need to rattle off all the jacked up things that have happened to me? Huh? Because I can. I carry some heavy shit, too. Hell, I'm not even talking about what I carry for you. So fuck you!"

His next words were a litany of his own traumas.

"My best friend died when I was a kid. And you teased me for not liking the ocean."

"My partner died right beside me. And there was nothing I could do but watch."

"My ex took my kid 5000 miles and I left everything behind."

"My brother was stuffed into a barrel."

"I missed the first three years of my little boy's life."

"I was shot during quarantine for a deadly virus."

"My daughter almost died in a car crash."

"I was kidnapped and shot. "

Danny stopped, out of breath. He didn't add because of you but he thought it. He knew that's why Steve left so quickly. Guilt had pushed his quest for peace. That didn't quell Danny's anger though. Right then, he had more bubbling up, and he had to say it before exhaustion overtook him. Bent over, hands on his thighs, Danny shook with his next words.

"I gave you half my liver. And you mocked me. You stole all of my cards and flowers and thought it was hilarious. Then you said my son would hate me. Who does that?"

"I went to North Korea and Afghanistan to save your ass. God, I'd do anything for you. Like crash a fucking plane onto a beach so you wouldn't drown!"

He straightened and got close to cardboard Steve.

"And you leave me when I need you the most!"

Danny swiped at his eyes with the back of his hand and collapsed onto his couch.

"God, I hate being pissed at you. You're my best friend. What the fuck were you thinking?"

/././

"What is Danny doing?" Hands on his hips, face screwed up with confusion and amusement, Lou couldn't hold back his question. He'd just returned with lunch. He handed the kids cups of coffee. "Who's he talking to? Not Steve, I hope."

"Oh, he's talking to Steve." Tani's smile was thin but there. There was a hint of mischief under her feigned seriousness.

"Shit no. You can't let him. He'll – he's gonna –"

"Say something he'll regret?" Junior butted in, grabbing Lou's arm as he lurched toward Danny's office.

Tani put herself in Lou's path, too. "Yea, we thought of that."

Lou was slightly horrified. He looked between the pair, shaking his head.

"Then what are you two doing standing here?" Lou pushed them out of the way.

"Stop, Lou, don't go in there." Tani snapped at him.

He gave her the stink eye but did as she asked. "And why the hell not?"

"He's not really talking to Steve. I mean, he is but he isn't." She explained. "It's homework."

"He is but he isn't? I've gotten more intelligent answers from my teenage kids lying to me about curfew. Care to explain, rookie?"

"Rookie?" Tani scowled.

"You heard me, sister."

Junior turned so they couldn't see him crack up.

Tani took a deep breath. "Danny is yelling at a picture of Steve."

"A what?" Lou asked. He was confused and turned to Junior. "A picture? You're involved with this, too?"

"He had things to say." Junior replied with a shrug. He glanced at Tani for help.

She added. "This way he gets them out."

"Without possibly ruining the best relationship in his life. Sir."

Lou wrinkled his nose at them. "You two ain't right."

"Hey, unconventional times call for unconventional measures." Tani held her head up, proud. "He needs this. Plus it's a therapy thing."

"Therapy? This doesn't look like any therapy I've been through."

Junior and Tani exchanged a look. An awkward silence fell for a few seconds. No one liked to talk about therapy even though they all needed it.

Lou cleared his throat and asked. "So this picture of Steve?"

"Life-sized cutout." Tani replied, grin splitting her face.

Lou raised an eyebrow. "Life-sized?"

She moved for a better angle of Danny's office and pointed. "Look closer. See?"

Leaning in a far corner was Steve. Tani drank from her coffee, watching as Lou took in the sight of Danny having a conversation with a cardboard Steve.

"So, you got Danny a Flat Steve?" Lou asked and then chuckled.

Tani choked on her sip of coffee. "What?"

"Flat Steve." Lou replied, pleased with himself. "You two never heard of Flat Stan?"

"No." Both Junior and Tani answered at the same time.

"It's a kid thing."

Tani was already scrolling through search engine results on her cell and laughing. "Oh this is good."

She showed Junior her screen.

"I have plans for Flat Steve." She said. Her grin was devilish and contagious. Junior pulled her closer.

Lou shook his head. "Like I just said – you two ain't right."

Thanks, as always, for reading. Steve will be in the next chapter. He gets an unexpected phone call.