A/N: For those of you familiar with SPN Danny is going to pull a Dean Winchester. Thanks so much to those who have alerted this story and reviewed. I originally intended for this to be just a one-shot but it seems to have spiraled into something more.
The term 'partner' means that sometimes you have to stand on the ledge and watch your partner fall…
Steve wasn't pleased when he watched his partner start his day off with a Bloody Mary but he understood. Danny was in pain and this was way of dealing with it. Grief and denial were funny things; they both had a way of changing you into something you were not. Now mind you, until last night Steve had never seen Danny drink more than one or two, beers at a time so this was new experience for him. He'd seen plenty of men in the Navy drown their sorrows with alcohol and though it wasn't his personal preference he understood the numbing effect it had on the soul. The only problem being to stay numb meant you had to keep drinking. Knowing Danny as well as Steve did, the Navy Seal felt confident that the hard drinking wouldn't last much longer.
After all how much more could Danny's body endure? The man had already polished off more than a case and a half of beer, two bottles of wine, a fifth of Absolute Vodka, and now a Bloody Mary in a time span of less than 36 hours. It had to stop at some point.
The Jersey born detective had yet to say anything about his encounter with Matt and Steve decided it was best not to push. Danny would talk to him when he was ready. Until then, Steve would be content just to watch and make sure that Danny didn't become a danger to himself.
The ride from Kamekona's place to Danny's had been quite a one (mainly due to fact that that Danny slept most of the way).
When the Silverado came to a halt in front of Danny's complex, the blond slid out of the cab with a stumble but managed to keep his balance.
"I told Kipton we'd meet him at the office at noon. So, I'll pick you up in a couple of hours." Steve said from the driver's seat as Danny pinched the bridge of his nose against the bright sunlight.
"I appreciate your offer to baby-sit but I can get to work just fine on my own." Danny returned, noting his prize muscle car was parked in its customary spot thanks to Chin and Kono. At some point, they had showed up at Kamekona's to brief Steve on the funeral arrangements for the children of Judge Kamalei and DPA Chen and then offered to take the car back to Danny's place.
"Danny—" Steve began to protest but the look on Danny's face stopped him.
"I'll be there. I'm just going to go inside and take a shower and then I'll be there. " It was more like he was going to go inside and die on the fold out couch. His eyeballs felt like they were going to explode and his forehead felt like someone had nailed him with a two-by-four. Even his hair hurt but the strange thing was Danny Williams didn't care. The physical pain from the hangover was sure a hell of a lot better than the ache in his chest where his heart used to be. First, Rachel had torn it out and now Matt?
No matter what he had to do he definitely wasn't going to set himself up for that again.
From his office, Steve watched as Kipton began to pace in the conference room. Danny was 55 minutes late. Damn, Steve thought slapping the file folder in his hand against the desk. Crossing the hallway, he entered the conference room quickly coming up with a plausible excuse.
"I just talk to Danny. He's got a flat tire. He'll be here as soon as he can."
Kipton raised an eyebrow of disbelief. He was just about to say something when the 5'5 detective came through the door, clean shaven, sporting his blue raspberry colored shirt and navy Dockers. "Sorry, I'm late. I had car trouble."
Danny locked eyes with his partner hoping that Steve would once again cover for him. The truth was he'd been at Waiamea Airlines trying to get a copy of Matt's itinerary. But as luck would have it the airline still seemingly had no record of Matt Williams or Matt's third grade gym teacher chartering a plane out of Hono. Supposedly, their computer system had been hit with a nasty virus that conveniently wiped out their last six months worth of transactions.
"Like I told you, flat tire," Steve said again watching Kipton nod, content.
Steve rolled his eyes heavenward offering a silent word of thanks as Kipton began to take Danny's statement. As least this would get the FBI off Danny's back.
Or not… Kipton just had to end everything with one last dig.
"You know its department policy that we keep tabs on you until your brother is found. So, if you should hear from him, call me before we have to come to you."
"Sadly, as soon as you leave I plan on losing your number," Danny retorted rolling his bloodshot eyes.
Kipton glared at the shorter man pointing a finger "I'm serious Williams, if we find anything linking you to your brother's sudden disappearance your life will over."
"Are you pointing your finger at me?" Danny shot back, pulling a Steve as he got right into Kipton's face. " DON'T. YOU. EVER. point your finger at me! Cause if you do, I'll throw you down and beat your secret agent ass until you can't get up!"
"Enough!" Steve intervened, stepping up to his partner's side. The last thing they needed was for Danny to take a swing at Kipton and end up in jail.
Kipton smelled the linger of alcohol as soon as the detective had entered the room. The man was either seriously hung-over or he'd just come from the bar. "Listen," he started with a smile. "I respect what you're going through and I'm willing to cut you some slack but if you cross that line, not even the Governor will be able to help you."
Danny lunged forward, only to have Steve latch onto his bicep. Nostrils still flaring, the blonde swore a string of colorful comments as Kipton and his partner made their way out the door. "Did you hear what that bozo said to me?"
"He was just following procedure." Steve defended making his partner's blue eyes grow wide.
"PROCEDURE? YOU ARE GOING TO TELL ME ABOUT PROCEDURE!"
"NO, But unfortunately Kipton has a point," Steve returned. IF you know…"
Danny put his hand up, silencing anymore that Steve might have wanted to say. "You know what? I can't be here right now. I can't be here having a conversation with you about my brother—"
Steve pursed his lips, bobbing his head, "Ok, take the rest of the day. In fact, take as much time as you need. Go home sober up and then call me when you're ready to come back or…just call me if you need anything-"
Once again, Danny found himself driving aimlessly. He knew he should be at home sleeping off the hangover from hell but he was just too keyed up. No matter what he did the anxiety and pain over Matt's actions would not let him go. He needed something to calm him down.
But what? He'd already tried alcohol and aside from giving him a stroke inducing headache, it had done nothing to take his mind off of Matt.
Veering off the side of the road, Danny drove the Camaro onto an isolated section of the beach and turned the engine off. Making sure that there was no one around, he circled around and popped the trunk where he took out the Louisville Slugger that he toted around just in case Grace suddenly had an urge to learn how to crack a bat.
Crossing back to the front of the car, Danny did the only thing he could think of. Pulling the bat back, he took a mighty swing and slammed the Louisville into the windshield, spider webbing the glass.
"You stupid, son of bitch!" he swore taking another swing, this time striking the hood. "How could you?
"HOW COULD YOU?" he repeated, taking a second crack at the glass.
"WHY? DIDN'T MOM and DAD RAISE YOU BETTER THAN THAT?" Bam, right into the center of the hood.
"WASN'T I A GOOD BIG BROTHER TO YOU?" The driver side mirror went flying.
"DIDN'T I TRY TO TEACH YOU RIGHT FROM WRONG?" Glass from the driver's window shattered into the front seat.
"HUH?" A muscle jarring, bone tingling crack just above the front driver's side tire.
The pummeling of the car continued until Danny had successfully managed to break out the front and side windows, along with the side view mirrors, and leaving the hood to look like it had been through a West Texas hail storm several times over. The front end was almost completely destroyed.
Exhausted and sick, Danny tossed the bat into the sand and dropped to his knees. He couldn't take anymore. Uncontrollably tears were sliding down his face like slithering snakes and no matter how he tried to quit they just kept coming. Damn it. He never cried like this. Not even when Rachel had left him.
"Why?" he croaked softly before turning up the volume. "WHY!"