I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.
Notes: We're here! We're done and we made it one whole piece! Thank you to KomodoQueen, CinderH and TheDogo for amazing help through this story from start to finish. My sincerest thanks to guests and reviewers for the fantastic comments through each chapter of this fun story. Sorry for the tiny Shakespearean quote - it begged for it.
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CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
The Five-0 team wasn't the only entity frustrated by Doctor Franklin Ray's disappearance. Once Hannah Murphy's cold case was officially reopened so that it could only be properly closed, a variety of different authorities wanted their hands on Riku Bhandari when they learned the primary culprit was still on the loose. One was better than none and each wanted their pound of flesh from the now terrified Indian. Feeling alone, lost and betrayed, Riku had become virtually mute behind a deep depression. But it was only Doctor Ramirez who seemed kind enough to express a certain sorrow for the man's plight.
"Riku didn't actually ask for any of this; he was an ignorant boy when Ray found him." Nonplussed by Danny's contemptuous animosity, Ponch continued speaking as the Ramirez clan joined the team along with Max Bergman at Steve's for what had become a fairly large, very extended get-together. While the adults visited in scattered groups, Rebecca and Grace had time to themselves on the beach where they'd been happily planning and plotting childish schemes. "He's far from blameless of course, but in a very big way, he didn't have much of a choice."
"He's going to take the blame for each and every one of these murders. It's hardly fair when the real criminal is still out there," Kono remarked with a minor feeling of empathy. "Ray left him high and dry; but by Bhandari's own admission, he did eventually gain more understanding and still he chose to stay for a very long time."
"His wanting to leave now means something I guess," Jazz offered as a type of compromise, but then Kono was disagreeing there too regarding motive.
"It doesn't mean any more than wanting to save his own hide." Kono used the neck of her beer bottle to make her point. Aiming at Jazz as if it were a hot pocket, she smiled before deciding to take a long swallow of beer to practically drain its contents. "He could have done so much more than just run."
For the length of the conversation, Danny had abstained from the discussion entirely. The personal nature of resolving the Murphy case was newly refreshed and frankly, he couldn't bring himself to care about Riku Bhandari. He couldn't even fathom the younger naïve version who had participated in disposing of another teenager's body.
Zoning out from the deepening views, Danny settled himself back in the chair to simply watch the two children play. Only Grace and Becca seemed immune to the adult's concerns and he wished it would stay that way forever. He grinned when Becca literally dumped a small water-filled plastic bucket over his daughter's head. His smile deepened in one corner when Becca took off screeching in laughter when Grace chased her half way down the beach with her own sloshing bucket.
The last bit of the case had been completed that very afternoon with his call to the Murphy family. The night before, Danny had taken time to prepare his words by literally writing down what he would say; a heart-felt script so-to-speak so he wouldn't forget a single thing when discussing old files to current reports. These were people who lived their daughter's loss every day and files, papers, and what was housed on ancient computer discs would mean nothing. So, he had spent time personalizing and fully remembering every part of who Hannah Murphy really was. The end result was a heart-wrenching prolonged conversation despite the added support of in-person involvement by his Jersey colleagues. The emotional exchange with newly distraught family members left Danny feeling utterly drained and he found his eyes closing now as voices turned into a lulled blending of a rising and falling droned buzz of sound.
"What do you think, Danno?" Steve hadn't noticed his partner's state until Kono softly leapt forward to retrieve the bottled water soon to fall from lax fingers.
"Shhh! He's out for the count, boss." Amused by Danny's slouched position in the lounge chair, Kono bit back a quiet chuckle. Ponch made a sound deep in his throat half in objection to his patient's obvious fatigue. However, he'd been fully brought up-to-speed by that point and kept his professional views to himself. If the man wanted to sleep in a chair, so be it because in the end, a well-deserved rest was rest regardless of where it took place.
Steve chuffed a knowing sound which nearly mimicked the big doctor's. His partner seemed wholly unable to keep his active mind quiet while on an imposed week of sick leave. But the unanticipated link which resolved an old troubling problem was vitally important and gave some meaning to what was clearly so horrifically wrong in the Ray case. Resolving the cold case didn't do much for Doctor Ramirez though who quietly continued to stew about his one-time friend's vile deceit. Angry and defensive, the older man felt used and cheated by someone whom he had originally felt a stronger bond. While he focused on Danny and showed a certain pathos for Riku Bhandari as a way to find meaning, Danny found solace in Hannah Murphy.
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Danny woke more than an hour later to Grace's highly amused smile. She was sitting next to him, rocked on one small hip and doing the job which her Uncle Steve had tasked her with: waking her father to eat.
"Hey-a, Monkey." Bleary eyed, Danny woke automatically smiling to her gentle tug on his arm which was soon combined with a drawn out hug. Cuddled across his chest, her ocean-scented hair tickled his nose.
"You fell asleep, Danno." Her soft lilt vibrated into his chest as he hugged her more tightly while one-handedly drawing circles on her back. Still damp, it was obvious that she'd been likely dragged off the beach. What was more obvious was the scent of food in the air signifying why Grace was waking him now. "Dinner's ready and Uncle Steve sent me to wake you up."
With her head still pillowed on his chest, a loud rumble emanated from his stomach and directly into her ear. The resulting loud peals of laughter had everyone looking over to the two. "Danno's hungry, Uncle Steve!"
Snorting in good humor, Danny laughed while tousling her hair. "Very helpful, Monkey. I'm sure everyone just needed to hear that announcement!"
"I heard more, Danno!" His stunned open-mouthed response had her laughing even harder as she took off on a run to join Becca.
"Nice. Very nice, Grace!" Danny finally called back as he wandered over to join the adults by the lavish spread. Obviously the work of both Ellen and Kono, the organized buffet filled an entire separate table. Completely ignoring the questioning expressions from every one of this friends, Danny only busied himself heaping the empty plate which Chin thrust into his hands from the various serving trays.
"Wait until you hear what Max found out," Kono almost purred with laughter. Her comment and Steve's disapproving murmur made Danny hesitate near the bowls of various cold salads before lobbing a plastic fork at each of his friends. "No, no more of this snake stuff!"
But it was too late as Max regained his excited footing on his latest subject of interest. Rolling his eyes skyward, Steve had tried to change the topic numerous times, but was failing as the smallest of inquiries rekindled the medical examiner's verbose capabilities.
"I agree," Steve's tone held a slight note of pleading. Danny hadn't mentioned a single nightmare, nor had he questioned Steve about what might have been on the second floor of the mansion. Still bothered by the much too strong similarities to what his partner had described, Steve completely wanted to avoid the subject unless absolutely necessary.
But Doctor Max Bergman was in research heaven and his enthusiasm overflowed. His fascination with Five-0's latest case had only grown once he learned that both Riku Bhandari and Doctor Franklin Ray were self-vaccinating against being bitten by one of their dangerous pets. He hadn't quite known that was possible; though it made sense the more he read up on the subject as it related to various individuals in the profession. But his interested truly blossomed once the veterinarian's report was tossed onto his desk. The three equines recovered and subsequently confiscated from Doctor Franklin Ray's property had snake venom in their bloodstreams. In response to the toxins, their bodies had already begun to develop antibodies which theoretically would be harvested to create a purity of antivenin.
"It's fascinating, really." Max exclaimed to only a partially enthralled audience. His interest had only escalated when the veterinarian reports were shared. At first not understanding the implications, he'd soon become enthralled in the process of how antivenin was created. "Evidently, snakes are milked of their venom and its diluted down. After, it's injected into horses. Some sort of immune reaction happens, the horse produces antibodies against the venom and the blood is re-harvested for pharmaceutical uses."
Ellen Ramirez had never heard of such a thing and her surprised exclamation even had her brother-in-law, Mike, seemingly interested. "Seriously? Horses?"
Her husband was betwixt and between in terms of his interest though. Having just met the eccentric medical examiner, Ponch was more engaged by the younger man's demeanor and way of speech. Ponch smirked when Max's enthusiasm boiled over again to take advantage of Ellen and Mike's reaction. His glance towards Danny raised his eyebrows as he waited for the detective to say something even more interesting. Danny had frozen mid-salad at the word 'horses'.
Missing or even not understanding Danny's disgusted fidget, Max excitedly continued when Steve glanced to Chin to share a look of total horror. "Horses and snakes ... the medical aspects of how and why such a method was even thought of to create a cure is simply ... well ... fascinating. An antivenin from horse antibodies ... it's an amazing medical intervention."
"Not fascinating, Max. Not even remotely interesting. Change the subject. Please." Danny stared at Steve for a split second before sliding his sunglasses on from where they had been tucked into the neck of his t-shirt.
Hiding now behind the best pair of sunglasses he could find on the island, Danny moved to an empty seat at the main table. Sitting between Ellen and Chin, he was suddenly disinterested in eating as Max prattled on obliviously to the rising feeling of anxiety. Frowning and studying his plate of food which merged into a colorful haze, Danny rocked in place when Max blithely noted that one of Franklin Ray's geldings was indeed a flea-bitten gray. Learning why they were there and that he also now had antivenin in his own bloodstream derived from horses, too, was not something he was interested in discussing at length.
No, it didn't matter to Danny that the antivenin used on him - no, in him - was fully approved and regulated from a reliable drug source. The concept was enough to make him more queasy and unsettled. Silently, he pushed his plate away after laying his plastic fork on the table. Standing near Steve, Ponch growled worriedly as everyone shared a concerned look amongst themselves, except perhaps for Max.
"Yes, well. Doctor Bergman, that is quite fascinating but perhaps we should move on to something else." Ponch assumed his full height to add actual weight behind his much stronger suggestion. For a moment Max's eyes widened in surprise. Despite not understanding the reasons behind the obvious cue, Max finally nodded to drop the subject entirely.
"Stupid horses. Who ever heard of such a thing!" Danny groused under his breath indignantly while rubbing the faint bruise where at least one intravenous had so obviously been pushed under his skin. The mood was changing and becoming negative at a startling pace. For a long moment, no one knew what to do as Danny retrieved his fork and determinedly pulled his plate back within reach. But then, he could only bring himself to push the food haphazardly around in a quiet brood.
Poised by the grill, Steve was stunned by the sudden change in climate. The gentle banter on the lanai had instantly dissolved into an uncomfortable silence; so much so, that even the two little girls had sensed it. Now watching the adults, Becca and Grace had also ceased their quiet hum of childish patter and giggles. Everyone was looking towards him for the solution and he gaped like a fish until Danny mumbled another displeased comment about horses.
Behind where Danny sat, Steve not so softly whinnied under his breath. It was wholly spontaneous and a completely terrible facsimile of horse whinny and donkey bray, broken up by an uncontrollable bout of abruptly cackled laughter. The second attempt was even worse as a snorted gurgling whooped sounded which ended on a coughed gag.
"Steve!" Ellen's stunned honest reaction was loud as her hand flew over her mouth. Eyes wide but sparkling with laughter, she shook her head in surprise. "Steve! You didn't just do that!"
There was a moment of silence before Chin lost his calm, bursting into stunned laughter entirely at Danny's expense. Eyes wide at the unexpected outburst, Danny struggled to turn around completely in his chair. One hand held up in supplication while the other waved a tined fork in the air, Steve's face reddened as he bent over at the waist to howl in laughter. Next to Ellen, Mike was also beginning to laugh as Ponch bit his lip vainly to keep from smiling.
"He did. He certainly did!" Chin snorted and gasped helplessly. Gesturing with his bottle of beer, Chin failed at dashing the tears which spilled over his eyes. "Oh, that's priceless."
There was silence though from Danny as he squinted dangerously up at his partner. Steve's hands were still held high, but now he took a full step backwards from where he was supposed to be focused on perfecting a rather intimidating steak.
"Sorry, Danny." Sniffing, snorting and gurgling Steve fought to regain a semblance of control as Danny rose to his feet. Unsure of his partner's intentions, Steve backed up more until his thigh hit the makeshift buffet table, leaving him with nowhere to go. "You have to admit that was kind of funny."
He winced as Danny's finger came up warningly, but there was also a glint of humor behind the eyes and Steve genuinely grinned.
"Shut. Up. You!" Danny enunciated each word, but then was unable to prevent his own spontaneous snort as Steve failed at holding his breath and another bout of laughter sent him reeling. The reaction had Chin coughing up the small mouthful of beer as sprayed laughter.
"Oh yeah, it was funny." Chin sniffed back tears as he wiped his face, laughing behind the napkin.
"Excuse me? You, too, Chin Ho Kelly?" Danny's et tu, Brute? was croaked out in mock disbelief as the two men roared side by side. He glared at Kono who was no better as happy tears spilled down her cheeks. Still, Danny's eyes were full of humor and his own chuckle turned into a louder laugh though he was trying to fight it. Soon everyone had lost any pretense of propriety as the entire lanai erupted. "I'm surrounded by a bunch of insensitive morons!"
The only one not laughing was Max, who had missed the point of the entire exchange. Confused and unsure if he should even quite offer a smile, his face adopted a more pained expression and he merely shrugged when Danny lobbed a blame-filled finger in his direction. "Find a new subject to talk about, Max!"
"Absolutely, Detective. No equines." Forever serious, Max practically bowed while the team inexplicably dissolved into laughter once more.
~ END ~