Because I Love You, Steph: Chapter 4
Disclaimer: All familiar characters belong to Janet Evonovich & the Hawaii Five-O TV Series
Merry Christmas to the FanFic Family.
This drive has been the longest return trip from the airport. I've felt confused, angry, sad, infuriated and guilty. How could I not have been there to stop this from happening to my Steph? I don't even know what it is yet, but I can promise you one thing – whoever did this, whoever hurt my Stephie like this, is going to pay – not sure how just yet, but I will think of something. Something that is slow, painful as hell and torturous – I want them to suffer, to feel pain.
The traffic light in front of me turns red and I come to a complete stop. I look over at Steph and, even in sleep, you can see the pain and discomfort that she is feeling. I move slightly closer to examine the bruises on the visible skin of her neck – her hoodie doesn't quite cover everything. As I inch closer, anger builds inside of me and soon that anger turns to pure rage. The bruises on her neck look like finger marks, and I swear that the bruises further back towards the nape of her neck, where her beautiful curls would normally cover, are teeth marks. It looks like someone has tried to take a bite from her neck? What the hell?
"Beep! Beep! Beep!"
The horn from the car behind me pulls me from my divulging pit of rage and anger. We are less than 2 mins from Steve's. I've been living with Steve for a few weeks now - my place is going through renovations. I see Steve's truck as I come around the corner. His truck is parked on the curb but Steve is nowhere to be seen. He must be inside. I park the car in the drive way and peer over at Steph. She is still fast asleep but the stopping of the car has caused her to stir. Steve appears on the passenger side of the car. He immediately notices the tension in Danny's body and Danny raises his finger to his lips to show Steve to be quiet. Steph is sleeping. Steve peeps in the window and sees a broken, bruised and terrified, sleeping beauty in Danny's passenger seat. The person sitting in Camero is not the person Danny always talks about. It can't be the person that Danny tells him is confident, strong, brave and loyal. She can't be the badass, clever and witty Bond Enforcement agent, nevermind have the highest capture and apprehension rate in New Jersey State. This person looks worn out and broken. She looks terrified and scared. The person that I see sleeping in Danny's car, looks like a rape or kidnapped victim after we save them.
She is dressed in a pair of sneakers, blue jeans that are torn and scrapped at the knee (and he doesn't think they were made that way), and a black hoodie that is probably 3 or 4 sizes too big for her, with 'Rangeman' embroided on the left breast. Rangeman. Mmm, that's a name I haven't heard in a very long time and I wonder if it is still owned by Carlos 'Ranger' Manosa, Tank, Bobby and Lester.
Danny comes around the car. This car ride home has aged him a few days. His face is etched in worry and concern. You can see the love that he has for Stephanie in his eyes – the sister that means the world to him is hurting, so in turn he is hurting. Danny moves to open the car door and I place my hand on the door to stop him.
"Tell me what is going on, Danny."
Danny runs a hands over his face and through this hair. Giving himself a few seconds to gain some composure. He steps back, leaning his bum against the car and finds something interesting to stare at while he answers Steve's question:
"I don't know. I don't understand. Something is wrong, very, very wrong, but I don't know what just yet. Let's get her inside. I need a beer."
Steve opens the door and picks Steph up into his arms. She stirs at first, but Danny reassures her that it is just him and Steve, and that they were home. Steve carries her into the house with Danny leading him into the spare room. Steve walks a little slower than normal, taking in all the bruises, cuts and marks that he can see on her exposed skin. Danny pulls down the comforter and sheet, before Steve gently lays Stephanie down. Steph moans as the weight of her body puts pressure on sore and tender muscles and bruises. Danny moves to the bottom of the bed to remove Steph's shoes and socks, while Steve starts taking into account all the injuries that he can see.
Danny catches Steve scanning her body and he immediately realises the brotherly care that Steve is showing. Danny taps Steve on the shoulder and indicates for them to leave.
Steve knows that when Steph wakes up she isn't going to know where she is, how she got there or what is happening. He wants to make the transition as easy as possible for her. So, he pulls the covers over Steph lightly, turns the side light on in the far corner and closes the door slightly but not completely – that way she will be able to see her surroundings and hear their whispers in the background. He opens the window slightly to get some fresh air, but the sound of the waves is also very calming and soothing.
Steve walks into the lounge to see Danny lying in the rocking chair with his head back and a beer in his right hand – that is quickly becoming known around here as the 'fucking long day' pose. Eddy is stretched out on the two seater and a cold one is waiting in front of him for me. I make my way over, scoot Eddy over, take a long pull on my beer and put my feet up on the coffee table. I turn the TV on to whatever interesting sport I can find. The background noise is soothing and gives Danny a chance to gather his thoughts before talking.
Danny drops the feet of the lazy boy chair, places his elbows on his knees and focuses on the football match on TV, before he says: "When I spoke to her on the phone earlier, I knew something was wrong. I should have said something but I didn't. Steph has never been one to allow someone to help her, and she definitely doesn't ask for help. So, Steve, I know that she hasn't said those actual words of 'I need help' but her arriving here now, like this – this is her asking for help."
Steve waits as Danny tries to articulate what he has seen and what he has felt since he saw Steph come through those airport doors.
"The person lying in that bed now – I don't know her. That person, she is not my Steph. Steph is brave and strong, outgoing and charismatic. She is funny and witty. And nothing has ever scared her. When we were young, she believed that she could fly, and she damn well tried, right off the garage roof. Broke her arm and got grounded for weeks, but she stilled believed she could fly."
"When she came through those airport doors today, I could see that she was using her roller suitcase as a walking stick. She was limping and moving slowly, but when she saw me … Steve when she saw me …" Steve could hear the lump in his voice. "When Steph saw me, something broke inside her. She just dropped everything and ran. It looked like she was running away from the scariest perpetrator that she had ever met. She was petrified and was looking at me for safety, trust and loyalty. When I put my arms around, everything inside of her just let go. We must've stood in that airport for ages, just hugging and crying. She wouldn't let me go. She held on so tight. I don't know her injuries, but I have a feeling that this is bigger than just a bad apprehension. I need to know what is going on."
Steve took a moment to collect his thoughts and put into order the injuries that he had already seen on Steph. He could approach this in a more logical, detective manner than Danny could. Danny was attached emotionally, and Steve felt that he was going to head that way quickly. Before Steph had even set foot on Hawaii, Steve already had a liking for this Bombshell Bounty Hunter that Danny told fond stories about, and he couldn't wait to meet that side of her.
Steve took a long pull on his beer and said, "Danny, from the little that I have seen already, this isn't a once off insistence. There are scars, bruises, marks and I think a few broken bones, that date back months. I don't know how to say this, so I'm just going to say it – I think Steph has been abused and possibly sexually assaulted by someone close to her for months."
Bile rises in Danny's throat as Steve says that last statement. Danny jumps from his chair and runs for the bathroom – he is going to be sick. Who? Who could possibly do this to Steph?
Danny washes out his mouth, dries his hands and makes it back to the lounge. They sit back on the sofa chairs and watch the match in silence.
Steph stirs awake in a dark room. Before she even opens her eyes, she knows that something is different. This bed is comfortable and soft compared to Joe's bed, and she hasn't been woken up for sexual favours in hours. A shiver runs down her back and dread builds in her stomach, and she thinks for a split second whether she has possibly been kidnapped and taken hostage again. She thinks hard about the last thing that she remembers, and then it hits her. Hawaii. Danny. Safety.
She opens her eyes slowly and with that the pain throughout her body starts to build. There is a soft light on in the corner of the room that allows her to make out the layout of the bedroom. A big king size bed with comfy soft white linen and a hand-knitted blanket folded at the bottom. Huge double doored closets with a vanity area and chair next to it. And the windows are open with the curtains drawn. She can hear the push and pull of the waves outside. Back and forth, back and forth. The motion was soothing. Slowly, she pulled herself up in the bed and brought her legs around to the floor. Everything hurt. She looked over and on the bedside table right next to her was a bottle of pain meds with two out and a glass of water. Steph dumped both in her mouth and swallowed. She needed those to kick in quickly. As she sat on the side of the bed willing her body to move, she could hear the droning noise of a TV and some soft chatter between friends. Within seconds of swallowing the pills, she heard a soft patter of footsteps and then her door was gently pushed open by the most beautiful golden Labrador retriever. Eddie made his way over, gave Steph the royal two bark greeting and jumped onto the bed next to her, so he could put his head softly into her lap for some love. A moment later, Steve and Danny peeked their heads into the open door.
"Hi" said Steph, slightly shy and not expecting a second person to be present.
"Hi, I'm Steve. It's really nice to finally meet you Steph. Danny talks about you so often."
"Don't believe a word he says about me. It's normally not my fault. Somebody else did it."
And the tension in the room was broken. At that moment, Steph's stomach decided to make itself known with a huge grumble.
"Are you hungry?" Steve asked.
"I'm starved," replied Steph and Danny simultaneously. And with that the four of them made their way through to the kitchen for some supper.