I had a long note written for this chapter. I've decided not to include it. I'll keep it simple. I write these stories for fun and to practice my skills. I don't get paid. Most readers never comment. And that's fine. I share my stuff because I hope they brighten your day.
/././
Danny closed his eyes and listened as the voices of his friends faded with one quick burst of laughter from Tani punctuating the silence.
Leaving him alone in the office.
Well, not exactly.
Flat Steve stared at him, all smug and handsome.
"I miss you, you big goof," Danny said, "When are you coming home?"
He pushed up from his chair and limped to the giant piece of cardboard. Smiling he touched Steve's face. "Is this like a watched pot situation? I keep checking my phone, so you're not gonna call?"
Then, Danny turned the thing around, giving Flat Steve a different view.
He didn't have to wait long for a distraction. His phone buzzed. God, he hoped it was his idiot.
"Danny."
No such luck. It was Lou.
"Hey Lou."
"I can't drive back."
"What happened? Are you ok?" Danny instinctively grabbed for keys that weren't there. He had yet to replace his beloved Camaro, plus he wasn't cleared to drive. His heart raced as he added, "Do you need backup? I can call-"
"Danny, Danny, calm down," Lou replied, "I'm okay. Slow your roll."
Danny's gaze fell to a pink post-it stuck to his desk phone. Lou. Eye doctor 1030.
"Yea ok. I forgot. Sorry." He felt like an ass. He closed his eyes and rubbed his face.
Lou answered, "No man, I'm sorry. I should have reminded you."
With a sigh, Danny sat at his desk again. His mind wasn't what it used to be. He didn't want Lou to think he'd lost it, so he zeroed in on the thing he hated most about the optometrist.
"They put those drops in your eyes?"
"Uh huh."
"Oh man, I can't stand that feeling," Danny replied, "I'll send the kids to pick you up. They're out grabbing lunch."
"Thanks, Danny. You're the best."
/././
Danny pressed on his temples, unable to shake the dull ache creeping across his sinuses. The weather forecast called for possible storms later in the day. He hated being so sensitive to the barometer. He had enough pressure in his life.
He'd been back to work for barely a week, beginning his second desk duty tour. It felt like no time or 100 years, depending on the day. He still hadn't lived down his man vs. car incident. He knew he wouldn't ever get out from under that one. Things like that didn't roll right off of him. His talent wasn't throwing himself in front of danger. Not like some people. Though Tani (and Junior) would be forever grateful.
A certain absence was heavy. No one mentioned it or said his name. The empty office remained a monument to their friend. Danny had assumed defacto benevolent dictator status when he returned to duty. Some alphabet agency had grabbed Cole. It stunk of Catherine and her connections. Cole was too big time for the islands. He wanted more. Not the shadow of Steven J McGarrett.
Danny's cell vibrated from his desk calendar. He glanced at it, intending to let it go to voicemail. When he saw the area code, he stopped breathing.
A New Jersey area code.
Home. Apple pie. His parents. Sisters. Family. Newark PD. His old life. Too many ghosts. Please no new ones. Not yet. He wasn't ready.
Shit. Steve was in Jersey.
Danny shook away all the negative thoughts. Maybe this was something related to his time at Newark PD. Loose ends from the old days were always popping up. The number wasn't familiar, so it wasn't family. He took a deep breath. His hand shook as he answered the call.
"Detective Williams."
"Danny Williams?"
They weren't formal enough for anything work related. He decided to keep it light, even if something nagged at him.
"That's me."
"This is East Orange Medical Center. Your name and number are in the emergency contacts of…"
Danny lost time for a few seconds. Somehow his brain kept track, and he found himself answering correctly and scratching down some notes on a coffee-stained napkin.
Steve. East Orange hospital. Stable condition. Hadn't regained consciousness.
"What happened?" Danny asked. His heart raced. He hadn't felt this level of concern since – well not since his best friend ran off in search of that elusive peace.
"I don't have the details, sir. I'm sorry. All I know is he saved a girl. I've got the number for a detective from Newark PD."
Steve, playing hero. He couldn't escape the job. This was not peace on his own terms.
Danny snapped back to the conversation. "Newark PD?"
"Yes, Detective Williams. That's all I know."
"Okay. I'll take the contact info. Thank you."
Danny jotted down the information before ending the call with a shaky finger. He pushed away from his desk, totally spent. He turned to Flat Steve in the corner.
"What did you do now?"
/././
The quiet broke open as Junior and Tani spilled out of the elevator, Lou in their wake. He was laughing. Danny sighed and steeled himself. He didn't want to alarm anyone. Part of him wanted to keep the information to himself. To stay in this happy, normal moment. He'd made his travel arrangements and called his parents to let them know he was coming to Jersey. He'd also had a testy call with Rachel, which did not help his mood.
Lou looked into Danny's office and raised an eyebrow. He pushed the door open, coming only part way into the room, like he, too, was afraid to burst the bubble.
"Danny, what's going on?" Lou asked. He squinted; eyes still messed up from the dilating drops. Already knowing the answer. There was only one reason for the look on Danny's face.
"It's Steve."
"How bad?"
"They won't know til he wakes up."
Calm, Danny felt too calm. He wanted to bounce off the walls because of this worry. Yet it was all too familiar. Steve was injured. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.
"Shit." Lou hissed. He grabbed the nearest chair. "What'd that fool go and do now?"
Danny sighed, shaking his head. He crossed his arms over his chest and replied, "What he normally does. Save the day."
/././
Danny watched out the window. Peering into the night with tired eyes. The water a dark void below him as he hurtled through the miles toward an unknown. He'd spent the rest of the day tying up loose ends at work, and reassuring Rachel that he'd be home in a week to pick Charlie up from camp. He didn't tell his ex-wife about his backup plan. Just in case things went sideways with Steve. That thought felt wrong – the old Danny - and he pushed it away. Therapy had helped him with positive thinking. Things would work out; he'd be back. With or without Steve. If not, Lou and Renee would pick up Charlie. Junior and Tani were watching Eddie. Quinn and Adam were helping hold down the fort. They'd all encouraged him to take the time he needed. No exceptions.
His heart swelled with that old butterfly feeling. He had no doubt that Steve would be okay. His biggest concern was how things were between them. Danny felt like a teenager until reality washed over him again. No matter what happened in Jersey, Steve was a wounded man.
This flight reminded Danny of a similar trip. When he'd flown to DC because Doris was dead. Steve had been lost. Angry. Closed off. Worse than when his father had died. Which pissed Danny off. Doris didn't deserve to be mourned. Yet she was Steve's mother. Danny's heart still ached for the little boy in Steve who'd lost his mom. Twice.
The cabin was quiet. He'd taken this flight more than once. It wasn't popular with tourists. He knew he should sleep, but he didn't know what waited for him. The details from the hospital were meaningless until he saw his best friend.
His knee complained with a mild nagging but his hip was on fire. He stretched his leg best he could. He thought about getting up and walking the aisle, but turbulence kept him in his seat. His whole body ached. He'd been through the wringer this year.
Danny pressed his fingers to his temples, massaging away some of his stress. His brain spun at 40 mph. Nonstop. The what ifs and the if thens. The calm from earlier melted more and more as he got closer to the mainland and his final destination. His imagination could conjure up a million things. He wanted it all to stop. The Newark cop hadn't returned his call. Lord only knew what Steve had stumbled upon. He'd be a trouble magnet til the end.
He closed his eyes against that last thought. It was time to stop dancing around his feelings. Life was too short. Danny was on a mission. Get to Steve. Fuck the rest for now.
/././
Thank you for reading. I've been working to get to the last part of this story for almost a year. With this one, I wrote the end first. No – that's not entirely true. I actually wrote a scene between Steve and Catherine that I scrapped first…right after the finale aired. That was a much angrier story. This one will hopefully help repair some broken hearts.
