There's a lot more drama in this chapter compared to the other parts of the story. Please tell me what you think!
"Hey, did Serenity talk to you about a call she got from Meredith Townsend?" Chin asked Steve as they were getting ready to leave headquarters for the day.
Steve shook his head, but still paid close attention since this concerned his daughter. "No. Who's Meredith Townsend?"
"I should've said something earlier," Chin stated, his voice a bit regretful. It had been a week since John was born, a week since Serenity had received a phone call from an associate of her biological parents. She said she was going to tell Steve about it after the baby was born, but she still hadn't done so. "Serenity told me Meredith worked with Devin and Wendy Payne. She said she would tell you after John was born, but..."
"But she didn't." Steve suddenly felt like he was going to pass out. He worked so hard getting Serenity and Willow away from their past, did everything he could to make sure his daughters were safe. Now he felt as if his efforts were for nothing. It turned out someone who worked with Wendy and Devin was still out there, wanting to cause harm to the girls. "She never said anything." Steve felt like he was going to be sick. Why would Serenity keep this from him? Did she not trust him or did she just want to find her own way to handle it? Neither thing was good. "I have to get home. I have to talk to Serenity."
Danny would have ranted for a week if he had seen Steve driving home. He went over the speed limit and broke countless rules of the road. But he wasn't paying attention to that. He focused on getting home as fast as possible.
Serenity was downstairs with Willow and Catherine, who was holding John. "Serenity. We need to talk."
Serenity didn't dare argue. She knew that tone, and it usually meant she was in trouble. She followed him upstairs to her room.
"Who's Meredith Townsend?"
The question made Serenity tense. How did he know about that? There was only one explanation. "Did Uncle Chin tell you?"
"Yeah, but I hear that you said you'd tell me. Who's Meredith Townsend? Tell me the truth, Serenity."
Serenity shrugged, thinking of a way to get out of this. "One of my friends at school."
"Oh, really?"
Serenity nodded. "Yes, Dad, really."
"Well that's interesting, because I didn't know you were friends with, let alone in contact with, an associate of Wendy and Devin Payne. Guess I need to start doing a better job of paying attention to who you're friends with."
"She called me once," Serenity admitted quietly, now knowing there was no way out of this.
"So you didn't think it was important enough to tell me? What were you going to do, Serenity?"
"I don't know, Dad. I was going to ignore it, but if she called again, I definitely would have told you."
Steve sighed as he sat on the bed beside her. "You should have told me immediately. Why didn't you?"
"I didn't want to have to think about it anymore. It's been two years and I still have nightmares. There are times when I look in the mirror and see nothing but a little girl with bruises covering her body. That was me years ago. Sometimes I get up during the night to make sure Willow's okay and they didn't beat her, and then I remember we're safe now. This isn't supposed to be still happening two years later!" She was having flashbacks now and she couldn't keep her mind in the present.
Steve's voice softened from earlier when he said, "Sweetheart, why didn't you say things were this bad?" He reached to put his arms around his daughter, but Serenity's bloodcurdling scream immediately made him stop.
"Don't touch me!"
Serenity threw herself from the bed and into the corner of the room, her arms around her knees, her eyes filled with fear as she looked at Steve. "Please don't hurt me." Tears started to fall down her cheeks. "Please, I promise I'll be good. Just don't hurt me, please!" In that moment, as Serenity cried in the corner of her room, she couldn't tell that it was Steve walking towards her, not Devin.
By now, Willow and Catherine, with John in her arms, were standing in the doorway. They heard Serenity's scream and came upstairs as fast as possible.
"Steve, what happened?" Catherine asked frantically. When they saw Serenity in the corner of the room farthest from where they were standing, Willow and Catherine began to walk closer.
"Wait!" Steve held up a hand to stop them. "She doesn't know where she is." He slowly began walking towards Serenity again.
"Please. I didn't meant to do it. I'm sorry."
"It's Daddy, Serenity. I'm not going to hurt you." Steve kept his voice as gentle as possible. He crouched down in front of his daughter.
Serenity started to realize she wasn't where she thought she was. She realized it wasn't Devin Payne in front of her.
"Daddy?" she asked cautiously.
"I'm right here, honey."
Now Serenity was back in the present. She knew where she was. She flung herself into Steve's arms. "Daddy, don't leave me!"
Steve stood up with Serenity in his arms. "I'm right here, Serenity. You're okay. You're safe." He sat on the bed, Serenity on his lap as he wiped her tears.
"I don't know what happened," Serenity said, leaning her head back against Steve. "Suddenly I just felt like I was somewhere else."
"Do you have everything under control?" Catherine asked Steve. At his nod, she said, "Willow, let's go back downstairs so Daddy can talk to Serenity."
"Okay, Mom."
"Who's Meredith Townsend?"
"She's Devin's sister. Her husband's name is Eric. Devin, Wendy, Meredith, and Eric set up business here and a lot of it was done illegally. The Payne's killed anyone who came close to finding that out. I'm not sure if Meredith or Eric ever killed anyone, but they're definitely accomplices."
But Steve knew his daughter and he realized this wasn't the end of the story. "There's something else you're not telling me."
New tears threatened to spill from Serenity's eyes as she pulled her shirt just past her stomach to reveal a scar that, though it had faded a bit, was still present from when she first met Steve two years ago. "She did this."
Again Steve feels like he's going to be sick. It's this moment when he vows to find Meredith and Eric Towsend, no matter what it takes to do that.
After Serenity's explanation, the McGarrett house became headquartes for finding Meredith and Eric Townsend. Papers were spread across all surfaces, pictures scattered over them, most of the rooms downstairs containing something related to the case. The whole family was there, offering help and support.
"Eric Townsend served six months in prison. He got out three weeks ago," Kono stated as she looked at Eric's record. "He's been charged with a lot in the past but always managed to get out of it. His wife was on probation at the same time."
"Who was the probation officer?" Mary asked.
"Ashley Keloa."
"I just met her. She used to be an adult probation officer. Now she's a juvenile probation officer, like me. I'll talk to her and ask what she knows about Meredith."
They reviewed more on the case, taking a look at every possible angle. It was late, the night sky already showing, and they were still working. No one had any plans of leaving until there was a lead.
Willow and Grace, best friends and practically inseperable, were excited to be having a sleepover. Serenity even said she'd stay in Willow's room with them, something the younger girls were happy about. Serenity was a teenager, so that automatically made her cool in their minds.
Serenity became more and more curious as to what was being discussed downstairs. She was fourteen and she was part of the case, after all, so she should be allowed to participate in finding the Townsend's.
Yeah, because Mom and Dad will really see it like that, Serenity thought sarcastically. Especially after the meltdown I had. Stupid flashbacks!
But she didn't let that stop her. Serenity quietly made her was downstairs, telling Grace and Willow she'd be back soon.
"Meredith and Eric live in an apartment in Waikiki, but the landlord says it's been a week since they were seen there," Steve explained, recalling the details of the conversation he had with the landlord earlier. "That was the same time Meredith called Serenity."
"Hold on a minute," Catherine said, thinking she heard someone coming downstairs. She glanced over and sure enough, Serenity was standing there. "Go back upstairs, sweetie. It's late."
"Come on, Mom! I'm involved in this whole thing and I want to help!"
Steve sighed. "Serenity, you need to go to sleep. We'll talk about the case in the morning." But Serenity ignored his words and continued to argue about why she had to help right now.
Grace and Willow eventually came downstairs to see what was taking Serenity so long. Unfortunately for Willow, the poor girl, she happen to walk over to where a picture of Devin and Wendy Payne rested on top of the kitchen table.
Willow screamed.