I wanted, I wanted you to stay

'Cause I needed, I need to hear you say

That I love you, I've loved you all along

And I forgive you, for being away for far too long

So keep breathing, 'cause I'm not leaving you anymore

Rori leaned her back against Danny's car and slid down till her bottom hit the pavement. The Camero was parked about a block down the road and she was in desperate need of a reprieve from the chaos. She pulled a cigarette from the pack in her tack vest and lit it. She pulled a breath of smoke into her lungs and let it out slowly. She knew what the guys would say, especially Danny. His voice echoed in her head about how idiotic smoking was and how she was going to kill herself. Right now she wanted to die. She should be dead. Not Danny. Not her husband. Not her babies.

All the pain she'd held in since before she started the task force boiled over. She'd hid it so well behind faux confidence and pure anger for so long that she'd forgotten what it was like to let herself feel pain. She'd forgotten that tears were wet as they escaped the edge of her eyelids and rolled down her cheek.

She heard footsteps on the pavement and quickly wiped the tears from her face. It was John. He sat next to her and didn't say anything for a moment to give her a chance to get control of herself.

"You okay?" He asked.

"Not really, no," she replied.

"Danny is strong. He's survived a lot in his life. He'll make it through this," John said. He reached over, took the cigarette, and put it out on the ground.

"It's not just that," she replied and stared at the squished cigarette on the ground. "I've been looking for that man," she pointed in the general direction of the police cruiser, "for the better part of two years. It's the whole reason I started this task force . So what now?"

"Now we keep doing what we do," he replied.

"And what about personally, John?" She asked.

John looked a little hesitant, like he wanted to say something but he was afraid to, or unsure.

"What?" she asked.

"I think I speak for all of us when I say we're not going anywhere," he said. "You are my best friend, you have been for a long time, and the guys… I never expected to fall for them like I have."

Rori wasn't sure how to respond to that. She'd known and loved John since before her family was killed. He'd been with her every step of the way. He'd literally saved her life when she'd hit rock bottom. He'd stuck around when she'd expected him to leave—not many guys would stay if their somewhat girlfriend admitted to falling for someone else, especially three someone else's. But he had. He'd excepted that she wasn't able to move on and settle down with just one guy till she got closure for losing her family.

Now, she realized, she wouldn't be able to leave any of them behind and he, apparently, understood that.

"Wait, what are you saying?" she asked. She was pretty sure, but she wanted to hear him say it.

"Nothing has to change for our Ohana, we're in this together and I think the guys would agree. We all felt the exact same thing when we saw Danny on that floor," he said. "We're a family and nothing changes that."

They sat in the quiet for a moment and watched as Chavez drove off with Sanchez in the back seat. Steve came and joined them. He plopped down on her other side.

"Sanchez is on his way to MDC and CSU has the crime scene," Steve reported.

"Mahalo," she said.

"You alright?" he asked after small moment of silence.

"Is everyone going to ask me that?" she asked as her phone rang. She pulled the slim device from her back pocket and took a quick, steadying breath when she saw the call was from Hank.

"Hank," she greeted as she accepted the call. "How is he?"

"In surgery. There's a lot of damage," Hank said. "I have the best trauma surgeon in Albuquerque in there."

"Why aren't you in there?" Rori asked. It was, after all, his job. The governor had approved adding Hank to the team as medical examiner and personal physician to all team members. It was a part time position that he'd taken in addition to his position in the emergency room.

"I, um, I can't operate on him, Rori," he said. "He's family."

"Okay," she said. She understood. "What's your assessment though?" she asked. She knew he could provide a medical opinion aside from his personal feelings, she'd seen him do it several times.

"Dr. Anderson is doing everything he can, but I think it's best if we prepare ourselves for the worst," Hank said.

"Understood, we just handed over the scene, we'll be on our way over soon," she said.

"I'll be waiting," Hank said.

She ended the call without a goodbye and stared blankly at the phone.

"Rori?" Steve asked.

"Hank thinks we should prepare ourselves," she said. "One of us should call the kids." Danny's kids. They were too young to lose their father like this.

"I'll do it on the way to the hospital," Steve said. He got to his feet and offered Rori and John a hand up. "Take my truck, I'll bring the Camero," Steve said as he handed John the keys to his truck. The Albuquerque Police Chief pulled up and parked across the street.

"I have to talk to the Chief real quick, I'll meet you guys over there," Rori said. John headed off toward Steve's truck with a quick nod. Steve pulled the door of the Camero open and paused for a second.

"Want me to stay?" he asked.

"No, go, call the kids and be with Danny," Rori said.

Steve nodded. He sank down into the driver's seat and started the engine.

"I'm sorry, Steve," she said.

"No, Danny's gonna make it, he's strong," he said.

"That's not what I mean," Rori said. "You two were happy in Hawaii and I changed everything."

"You made everything better," Steve said. "Danny and I couldn't even admit that we were in love before you raced into our lives. We wouldn't change a thing." She nodded. "I'll see you at the hospital."

He closed the door and pulled away from the curb. Rori headed over to where the chief was talking with the Crime Scene Unit Captain. The CSU Captain walked off with purpose as she approached.

"Director Rivera, how's your man?" the Chief asked.

"In surgery, not sure yet," she replied. "I'm sorry about Officer Denning."

"What the hell happened here?" he asked, ignoring her apology.

"Detective Williams was following a lead on one of our cases, my case," she said. "We're still not sure where he got the lead or why he came alone."

"He was chasing your case? As in the Honda?" the Chief asked for clarification.

"Yes sir," she replied. The Chief had been a friend for quite some time. He'd been on the scene that night and had followed every lead and bit of information she'd brought him from her independent undercover stint. He was the one that had sent her to Hawaii to help Steve and Danny in the first place and he'd been the one to recommend her to the Governor. "Roberto Sanchez, the suspect we took into custody, owned a black Honda Civic that matches my description from the accident. I don't why he opened fire so easily."

"It definitely sounds like something else went down here before Danny called for help," the Chief said.

"Yeah," she replied. "I just don't know what." Rori sighed as she leaned against the Chiefs SUV. He watched her quietly for a moment, his concern was written all over his face, but she couldn't take his pity right now. "Dick, I need you to do a background investigation on Sanchez. I know you want answers as much as I do. Sanchez told me he wrecked my car that night because he was losing the race, but there was plenty of space for him to go around and I very clearly remember him stopping until after my car hit the ground. I want to know why."

"You know you've always had my support, Rorianna," he said. "I figured your team would be taking the lead."

"Our focus is otherwise occupied," she replied.

"Otherwise occupied? One of your Agents was just involved in a shooting, your focus should be on this," the Chief said. She didn't reply. How could she tell this man who had been like a father to her that she was crossing all the lines that had ever been drawn for personal relationships with a subordinate? "He's more than just one of your agents, isn't he?"

"They're my Ohana, they're everything to me," she replied. "Call me as soon as you have anything."

"Of course, keep me updated on Williams," the Chief said.

Rori nodded. She headed off toward her Mustang. Now that the shock and adrenaline was wearing off she had an unsettled feeling settling in.