So a friend of mine (and fellow author outside of fanfiction) told me once that the characters in a story will tell you their fate if you listen, so that is why this chapter is the way it is. Please don't hate me.
Tissue warning issued here.
When we got to Steve's work, both he and Catherine were frantic with worry and anger.
"I want to kill this son of a bitch," Lou was saying angrily. Danno and I came in together then.
"I got it," Danno said, holding out Ethan's shirt to Steve, who took it instantly.
"Will he find him?" Tani asked, sounding fearful.
"This is Eddie we're talking about here," Steve said. "He will find Ethan."
He bent down and gestured for me to come, so I did. I nosed him, trying to ease his worry. We sure would find Ethan. I'd die trying.
"Smell," Steve ordered, putting Ethan's shirt in my face. I knew what my best boy smelled like, but I went along with it anyway.
"What's the status?" Doris asked, coming in suddenly.
"Mom, this isn't a good time..." Steve started.
"This is my grandson we are talking about here," Doris said firmly. "I am helping."
"Fine," Steve agreed. "I don't have time to waste arguing with you anyway."
"Who has him?" Doris demanded.
"We think it's Wo Fat's cousin," Lou answered.
"He has a cousin?" Doris asked.
"Yea. Mei Chan."
"A woman?" Doris clarified, sounding surprised.
"She apparently was fond of Wo Fat and wants revenge," Catherine said quietly. I went over to her next and licked her hand. I wanted her to know that I'd bring Ethan home to her safely. I would.
"Was there a ransom demand?"
"Not for money. She wants evidence from our last case," Steve answered his mother.
"Why?"
"Because she's involved."
"We are wasting time here, people," Danno piped up. I paced the room, anxious to start looking. Danno was right. We were wasting time.
"Junior and Tani," Steve started. "Take Eddie and start a covert search. If Mei discovers we are using a dog to find Ethan, it could end badly."
"You got it, boss," Tani said. She snapped her fingers, and I went to her. I didn't really want to leave my boy or my girl, but I could tell they needed me to do my job, so I did. Junior, Tani, and I ran out, and the search began.
...
We searched for hours. I would get a lead and then lose it. I was frustrated with myself. We had to find Ethan before it was too late. Tani leaked from her eyes a lot, and Junior even smelled scared and sad. I felt like I was failing everyone. When it was dark, Junior and Tani took me back to Steve.
"Ethan's trail is cold," Tani told Steve. "We searched all day. I'm so sorry, Steve."
"You all did your best. It was worth a shot," Steve replied. I felt like a bad dog. I hadn't found Ethan like he wanted. I whined anxiously.
"Anything new on your end?" Junior asked.
"No," Steve shook his head. He bent to pat me and tell me good job for trying. I did not want "good" anything until I had found my best boy. I went over to where Catherine was sitting, and she grabbed a hold of me and hugged me tightly.
"I'm scared, Eddie," she whispered.
I was too. I tried to be brave for her, though. She needed it.
"This is insane," Doris said, slamming her fist on the table. "How can the evidence already be missing?!"
"I don't know," Steve answered, sounding very worried.
"Someone's on the inside," Danno commented. "Dirty cop?"
"Then why take Ethan if they could do it that way?" Steve asked.
"To mess with you?"
"Here," Lou said, joining them with a small box in his hands. "This is what she wants."
"How do we still have that?" Steve asked, surprised.
"Oh," Tani said sheepishly. "I forgot to take it to HPD. I'm so sorry..."
"It's fine," Lou cut her off. "We got our leverage back."
Steve's black box rang, and he answered it.
"Yea," he said. "I have it. All right. I'll meet you there."
Everyone was alert now, even me.
"I'm to go alone," Steve said.
"I don't like it," Doris said.
"Me either," Catherine added.
"If it means getting Ethan back, then I'm going alone," Steve said firmly. No one noticed me, though, as I followed Steve out the door as he stormed off alone. My boy was not going to go without back up. Not on my watch.
...
I had jumped into the open box of the truck without Steve noticing, and I rode along in the back, trying not to slide out. Steve was driving very fast, which didn't make it easy. I did vomit from being tossed around so much. I felt bad for doing that. When we finally stopped, I quietly jumped off and snuck away out of sight. I could hear him talking to someone, but I was busy finding Ethan's scent. I found it all right, and I began to follow it. An explosion made me stop in my tracks, ears perked. Steve was yelling and asking why they would blow up what they wanted, but the second person tore off in their car without answering. I hesitated for a brief moment, deciding if I should go to Steve or keep on my path to Ethan. It was getting fainter as the car drove away.
"Go get Ethan, pup," Joe said, suddenly standing there. I was startled.
When did he get there?
"I've been here the whole time. Now go! I've got Steve," Joe promised. I knew he did.
No longer hesitating, I chose Ethan. I raced after the car.
...
It did not take me long to find Ethan when I kept the car in sight. He was in a big, abandoned building and being kept in a wooden crate, and I was angry. Who would do that to a boy?
"Eddie?" he said softly. I whined. I'm here, Ethan.
"Help me," he pleaded.
I'm helping, I promised. I started to chew on the crate and pull at the wood. Ethan began to push where I was chewing. He was a smart boy, that was for sure. He was almost five after all.
"Good boy," he whispered. "Good boy, Eddie."
Yup, that was me. Good Boy Eddie. I was just doing my job and protecting my family. I pulled harder, and the wood finally let go. I shuffled backwards suddenly from the release, and Ethan crawled out to me. Even though he was heavy, I still let him climb on my back. Together, we crept out where I had come in.
Shouts came behind us.
"Oh no," Ethan cried. I hurried my pace. We had to get out of there. I ducked into an alleyway and ran fast. Ethan was barely hanging on, I could tell. I sniffed hard, trying to remember the way to Steve. I could not let him down.
More shouts sounded behind us, and Ethan begged me to go faster. I went as fast as I possibly could.
...
I had done it. I had found Steve's work! Ethan was still clinging to me, and we got to the doors. I stopped, panicked. This part I could not do.
"Get the kid!" a woman's voice shouted. Oh, how had they found us already? I hadn't been fast enough. I felt even worse.
"Shoot the damn dog!" a man's voice yelled.
This was not good. I skittered away again, howling now. Steeeeeeve! I ran around the building, evading the bad guys. Ethan was bawling now, and I felt bad that I couldn't get him inside to safety. I had to do better than this. I had to save my best boy.
Gunshots sounded in the distance then, and I flinched. Unfortunately, I got us cornered. Ethan buried his face into my fur, and I turned to face the woman who was aiming her death stick (a.k.a gun) at me.
If this was the end, then I hoped I got to come back and somehow be able to bite her. I growled and bared my teeth at her.
"Stupid dog," she snarled.
Stupid woman. I hated her. I snarled.
She shrieked in surprise, then, as Doris attacked her from behind. I barked joyfully. We were saved! They fought and wrestled each other.
"Nana!" Ethan was shouting. Doris hit the woman hard, making her stumble.
"Run, Ethan!" Doris yelled at him.
I lunged forward, Ethan running beside me. I kept him shielded from the nasty woman.
It all happened so fast. The bad woman managed to knock Doris over, and she went for her gun to shoot Ethan. I barked a warning, going for the woman to stop her. Without missing a beat, Doris was up and racing towards Ethan. The bad woman fired her gun before I got to her, and Doris fell, landing on Ethan. I lunged at this woman, grabbing her arm that was holding the gun. She screamed and yelled, trying to kick me. I wouldn't let go, and I tasted her blood in my mouth. I hoped I was hurting her.
"Eddie! Release!" Steve shouted. I twisted my head to look at him, making the bad woman yell in pain. I didn't want to let go. I saw Catherine bent over Doris, pulling Ethan out from under her. He had been a little bit hurt from Doris falling on him, I could tell.
"Eddie," Steve said again, his voice a warning.
Fine, but she better get put in a cage for this. I let her go and started to walk towards Catherine. I heard another gunshot, and I whipped my head around to see the bad woman on the ground now, dead. I could smell it. I turned back to Doris, and I could smell she was dead too.
"Mom," Steve said, bending to touch her face. "Mom."
"Daddy," Ethan cried, leaving Catherine and running to him. Steve turned to grab his son into a tight hug, but he was still staring at his mother. I whined and licked Doris's face. I didn't want her to go, but she had saved Ethan. I had seen her do it.
"Are you all right?" Danno asked, running into view. "Is Doris...?" He stopped short, realizing. "Oh God."
"Nana saved me," Ethan said in a small voice. "Is she sleeping? Please wake her up so I can say thank you."
Catherine choked at this and leaked from her eyes a lot. Danno pressed his face into his arm.
"Nana knows you're thanking her," Steve promised, sounding choked up too. The rest of the team was now there, and Noelani was there, looking at Doris and leaking from her eyes herself. I lay down beside Doris, refusing to leave her. Eventually, I was forced to leave by Steve, and I followed them to his truck. We went home, and I could smell sadness everywhere. They were sitting on the couch while I was on the floor next to them. Ethan was sleeping while resting on Catherine. Steve was sitting up with his head in his hands.
"I'm so sorry, Steve," Catherine said.
"She loved him so much," Steve told her. "She always told me she'd die for any one of us."
I knew the feeling because I would too.
"Have you talked to Mary?"
"Yea. She's coming for the funeral."
"Mei Chan is gone," Catherine noted. "I bet you're relieved. She's been on your radar for a while. Was she going to shoot you?"
"She was going to shoot Eddie," Steve said. "The moment he let her go and walked away, she pointed her gun at him."
What was this? I lifted my head, intrigued. The bad woman was going to shoot me with her death stick? That wasn't nice of her. I was glad Steve got her first.
"Mom's with Dad now," Steve said. "I believe that."
"They're never truly gone, Steve," Catherine said. I saw Joe standing there then, watching. I knew Catherine was right. I had seen Doris running towards a man while Noelani was putting her into a bag. They had embraced and then disappeared. I wondered why they didn't stay when Joe did.
"Because I promised to protect Steve no matter what," Joe answered, hearing my thoughts again. He was tricky with that.
Well, I'm glad you're around.
Joe just smiled. Then he turned and vanished.
...
Ethan did not sleep very well after that night. He screamed a lot, and Catherine or Steve would try to comfort him. In the end, it was me that helped him to sleep. I'd lay beside him, pressed into his side as his arm held me tightly. I knew he was having bad dreams. He cried a lot, and no matter how much I licked his face to make him feel better, it didn't help as much as I wanted it to.
"I think he needs to talk to someone," Catherine said one day. Ethan hadn't gone to school for a while, and he was currently sitting and looking out the window almost listlessly.
"I think you're right," Steve agreed. "Maybe we all do."
"It was very traumatic to start with. Losing his Nana at the same time made it all so much worse," Catherine sighed. Steve hugged her, and I went to sit with Ethan. My family was still so sad, and I didn't know how to make them feel better. I think that hurt the most.
...
Mary came with Joanie. There was a bunch more leaking of everyone's eyes and more sadness in the house. Joanie sat with Ethan, holding his hand. They were telling Nana stories, but Ethan was getting too upset to keep talking. I stayed with him, knowing he needed me the most. I had seen Steve break down and fall to his knees, gasping for air the night before. When I had gone to stand before him, he had grabbed me and looked into my eyes, begging me to never leave him. Then he had hung his head and said it was an impossible thing to ask of me before getting up and leaving me alone. I had been confused by it all so much.
"Are we ready?" Steve asked now. They were dressed for swimming, which confused me even more. I didn't understand. They took me with them but left me on the beach as they paddled their boards out into the water into a circle. I sat and watched carefully. Kamekona stood with me, making sure I didn't chase after them. I knew better than to do that, though. I sensed it was important. He was quieter than usual, and he didn't give me any shrimp. I was learning that I really didn't like humans to be sad.
...
One night, I found Steve and Danno sitting in the chairs in the backyard talking. I went to sit in between them, and Danno reached to pet me absently.
"You have that look," Danno said.
"What look?" Steve asked.
"The look that says you're thinking too much."
"I am thinking, yes."
"Care to share?"
Danno dug his fingers in deeper into my neck, and I felt my legs almost give out with pleasure.
"My son is terrified of his own shadow now," Steve said, sighing. "And my mother was killed. That's what I'm thinking about."
"No, there's more to it than that," Danno shook his head. I had fallen to my side at this point, and he was rubbing his foot on my belly.
"Catherine is going to homeschool him for a while since he is terrified to step foot into that school again because that's where he was abducted."
"And?"
"And we're thinking of traveling for a bit, give Ethan a change of scenery for a while, you know?"
"I see," Danno nodded. He stopped rubbing, and I looked at him, a little disgruntled at the sudden stop.
"This is our home, Danny," Steve said. "We just need to get away for a bit."
"I know," Danno replied. I gave up hoping he'd keep petting me, so I got up and put my head in Steve's lap. He rubbed my ears affectionately.
"Here's the thing," Steve said.
"What?"
"All the traveling is hard with Eddie."
"You're not...?"
"No, no. I was going to ask if you'd watch him while we're gone."
"How long are you gone?"
"A couple of months."
"Won't that upset Ethan not having Eddie with him?"
"He'll understand that Eddie can't travel as well as we do."
"And Eddie? Won't he be upset and confused?"
"I've been gone before," Steve answered. I was listening intently. What was going on here?
"All right," Danno agreed. "But if the dog gets depressed, you come straight home."
"Deal," Steve said. I had a bad feeling about this.
...
Ethan seemed to be excited about going away. He kept telling me he'd miss me but understood I couldn't travel with them. I wanted him to be happy, so I just licked his face and gave him my best smile. Steve and Catherine put stuff in bags, and one day, they were getting ready to leave. Danno was standing to the side as Steve bent down to me.
"Be a good boy for Danny," he told me, cupping my face with his hands. "We're just going away for a bit. We'll be coming home before you know it. This is going to be good for all of us."
I believed him. I did not smell distress on him. He was still sad, but he also had a smell of excitement about him. I knew they'd be back for me.
"Bye, Eddie," Catherine said, hugging me. "Be good for Danny. We'll be thinking of you every day until we're back home."
As long as I kept hearing "coming back home" I was good.
"Love you, Eddie," Ethan said, kissing me.
Love you too, Ethan.
"Have fun," Danno called as they got into Steve's truck. He had my leash in his hand now. I was tempted to chase after them, but I knew they needed to not worry about me.
"All right, you," Danno said, looking down at me. He tossed me a treat, and I snagged it as usual. "We're gonna have some fun, huh?"
Yes, I believed we would, especially if CharlieBoy was around.
I know, I know...I said I was going to keep Doris alive, but the second I decided to keep Doris alive was the moment I realized what I was going to do with her character (it had nothing to do with being told to let her go, just to be clear...my decision was made long before that). It pains me to have Steve lose both his parents, but I would rather Doris die saving Ethan than the way she died on the show. Also, you are all probably relieved I didn't go with my original plan of having Catherine die saving her son.