Ok, so I'm really late. You guys must be getting used to my complete failure at meeting deadlines. I hit a major writer's block, and genuinely just couldn't write a chapter. Then I had a massive argument/fight/bitching session with loads of my friends and was too depressed and angry to write. However, I'm now back. So, sorry for the really long wait. You guys are awesome for putting up with my completely erratic updates, so thank you for that. And for all the AMAZING reviews. They make me glow :) Now I feel is a good time to mention that in two and a bit weeks I'm on holiday for a really long time. As in three weeks, minimum. So there will be a major lack of updates (read as none) during that period, and I apologise in advance.
Also: Alwaysateen – you are my 50th reviewer! And you therefore win a metaphorical prize :) Send me a message if you want something.
^^ I know it's long, but you should probably read that. Thanks :) ^^
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"Got any ideas on what it means?" The young rookie looked over the poem neatly printed on the pristine paper. Having not been in the force all that long, Kono wasn't as used to trying to decipher cryptic messages as the others, and she had no idea what the poem was all about.
"Not a clue," Steve responded, his voice low, his eyes downcast. Kono understood why. Danny had been able to subtly get the cousins alone and explain things to them, warning them that this would be touchy for their resident SEAL. Having investigated her old surfing trainer's murder, she understood completely.
Danny pulled the paper towards himself and read it over once more. "I get that they're trying to get at you. I assume that they think if you're... distracted," the Jersey native had to search for a word that didn't equate to 'emotionally unbalanced,' "then you'll be easier to outsmart. That much makes sense. But what I'm not getting is why you? How did they know that you would be on the case?" His partner just shrugged, but Chin perked up slightly.
"Unless they aren't trying to distract him." Three sets of eyebrows rose at the suggestion, and the Hawaiian was suddenly less sure of himself. "No, hear me out. Maybe the poem was... bait as it were. To make sure you took the case." Kono nodded her agreement, at the same moment as Danny scoffed.
"Super SEAL here has solved every case that has come through this office since he came to the island. Why would anyone want him to be the one investigating?" A wan smile lit Steve's face.
"Never knew that you had such faith in me, Danno." The Jersey native rolled his eyes and sighed, but made no further comment. Chin frowned, then shook his head; he couldn't explain it. Kono however looked thoughtful.
"Maybe to draw him out?" Steve was starting to be slightly annoyed at the way the others were talking about him as though he wasn't there. It wasn't like this didn't concern him. "To get him into the open?"
"You think someone's gunning for him?" Chin's voice was deadly serious, a sudden concern coating his face and tone. The same expression was mirrored on Danny's face. It took all of Steve's self control not to snap at them as he felt three sets of eyes ghost over him. This was his problem. They should all mind their own damn business.
"We're going to need to be more careful from now on." Danny said, his voice brooking no argument. Steve felt his muscles twitched, and he had to fight to retain control of his already frazzled nerves.
"A protection detail on Steve's house would be a good idea." Chin put in and Danny nodded at him.
"Get on that," he ordered and the Hawaiian pulled out his phone almost instantly. "Kono, I need you to get hold of SOCO and see if they have turned up any prints from the house. Tell them to hurry the labs if they can." The rookie spun and headed towards her office.
"Steve?" Danny's voice was quieter this time, his words for the ex SEAL alone. The other two members of the team were well out of ear shot. "How are you doing?" Steve glared at him, and the Jersey native was taken aback by the intensity of the gaze.
"What, are you done trying to baby sit me now?" Steve's voice was low and angry, taught with the stress that Danny could feel rolling off him in waves. Danny knew that it was only that tension that was making his partner lash out, but the words still sent a slight flicker of hurt through him.
"Hey, we're only trying to help here." Steve's eyes flashed dangerously.
"Maybe you can help by staying the hell out of my way while I hunt down the bastards that did this." Danny blinked in shock. "I can't do anything if you're all determined that the only way to keep me safe is to have me under guard. I'm a SEAL Danno, I can take care of myself."
'Ah, I see.' It all snapped together in Danny's head. 'We stepped on his SEAL pride.'
"I know that you can. I've seen you, with a punctured lung and sever bruising and trauma, launch yourself – with me, I may add – into the path of a bullet and off the side of a boat."
"It was a yacht," Steve deadpanned, and Danny had to resist the urge to smack him.
"Either way, I know that you can look after yourself. The problem here is that those amazing things you did? They were only a few months ago. Steve, I know that you're a SEAL and you like to believe that you're invincible, but at the moment all that's keeping you together are the stitches. If these people – whoever they are – are out there gunning for you, I'm sure that the rest of the team, including myself, would sleep better at night knowing that if things go south then there is help at your side." Danny watched the words sink in, and knew that he had hit his mark. A small part of his morality told him that it was wrong to play on Steve's sympathies to get what he wanted, but in this case, it was for the best.
Steve for his part knew that he had to concede the point. By swallowing his own pride he could allow the rest of his team, his family, some comfort, and there was no way that he was going to deny them that. It wouldn't be too hard to go about working this case with an officer or two shadowing him. So long as they stayed out of his way.
"Alright then. The protection detail can stay. But I meant what I said about steering clear of me. I'm not letting this case go, even if it means I am playing into their hands." Danny observed the set of his partner's jaw, the steel glinting in his eyes, and knew that no matter what he said there was no way he could talk him down from this.
"Alright then," he copied Steve's words. The SEAL didn't comment, but stood up from his seat and stretched out his legs. His arm was throbbing lightly under his shirt, but he pressed down the pain, compartmentalising it like he had been taught in the Navy.
"We should go and check out Benji's place. See if we can find out what he was doing before he died."
"Give me a minute, I can pull his address off the files," Danny glanced around him for his folder. Steve shook his head, a grim smile on his face.
"Don't need to. I know where we're going." Without another word, he strode towards the glass double doors, leaving Danny, trying to crush the small swell of guilt, to follow him.
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When Steve pulled into the driveway, he was almost overwhelmed by the sudden rush of memories that broke past the barriers he had built over the years. A thousand moments, each unique. Steve had lost friends before, but this was the first time he felt solely responsible, and it was painful.
'I have to make this right. I have to make them pay for what they did. I owe it to him.' Steve told himself over and over again; a mantra that stopped him from tumbling over the edge of his grief.
"Steve, are you sure that you want to do this? We won't think any less of you if you want to let us handle this." Danny was trying his best to be sensitive, but his strongest impression of Steve had always been 'bulletproof.' Dealing with this slightly more human model, he felt out of his depth.
"What are you talking about? I'm fine." To prove his point, he shoved the door open with more force than was truly necessary and scrambled out, doing his best not to move his arm. The burning sensation was really starting to bother him, but he wasn't going to let it get to him. Walking over to the front door, Steve could see that it had been kicked in at some stage. A very strong sense of déjà vu flooded him, and automatically he reached for his gun.
Danny saw the weapon in his partner's hand and without thinking about it, reached for his own. This was a pattern that they had grown used to, clearing out houses. They both knew where the other would go, and what to look for. It was almost a dance.
Within half a minute they had ascertained that the house was abandoned now, though, like at Steve's, belongings were scattered everywhere.
"Whoever these people are, they're looking for something. And judging by the amount of destruction they haven't found it yet." Steve spoke his thoughts aloud.
"Which means that they're going to keep looking." Danny summarised glumly. His partner nodded, then something caught his eye. Without a word, he walked into what appeared to be a study of some kind. The drawers of the desk had been ripped out, their contents spilled over the floor. One entire wall of the room was covered by an enormous bookcase that would have been impressive, had all the books not been ripped off the shelves. What had caught Steve's eye was a small, unobtrusive leather bound book that was still laying slumped on one of the shelves. Carefully, he picked it up, turning it over in his hands, his fingers tracing the familiar patterns in the leather. One the side of the book there was a latch holding it closed, that had been locked. For what seemed like the hundredth time that day he forced down the memories that threatened to choke him, and forced himself to walk to the desk.
Danny watched his partner from the doorway, mildly amused by his partner's strange behaviour. When Steve crouched down though, to peer beneath the desk, he felt compelled to inquire about his mental health.
"Steve, in the nicest possible way, what the hell are you doing?" He was ignored. The SEAL in question however stood up again after a second, having found what he was looking for and prying it out of its home. He held it up for Danny to see. In his palm was a tiny golden key, that obviously matched the lock on the book. "How did you know where the key was?"
"I put it there," he responded simply, shrugging. Carefully, he pushed the key into the key hole, and turned, the latch giving a satisfying click as it slid open.
Slowly, ever so gently, Steve pulled back the front cover, revealing a mostly blank page, but for one sentence written across the middle of the page:
'For Friends.'
And pressed between the pages, was a small folded piece of paper.
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Wow, long chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. I don't really like the way it ends, but as I said, I had writers block so I sort of gave up. And I didn't want to keep you wonderful people waiting any longer. Thanks for all the support, it really keeps me going :) Hope you liked it!