Danny listened as Steve got out of bed, dissappeared into the bathroom and didn't come out until he was showered and ready for the day. Danny stood and turned to him.
"I think you should talk to Al about the nightmares," he said, approaching him.
Steve stared at him, brows knitting like he was wondering what Danny was talking about before he looked away nervously.
"Yeah, maybe," he replied with a sharp nod. "I'm going downstairs, you coming?"
"How long am I going to be kept locked up and watched over in this place?" Danny questioned as Steve went to the door and punched in the code.
"It's just precautions Danny," Steve said without looking at him.
"What if I promised I wouldn't take off?" Danny asked, following him as Steve left the room.
Steve turned to him as he reached the stairs, looking at him carefully. "Can you make that promise? Are you telling me there aren't moments you feel you can't be here any more, that you wouldn't dissappear like you wanted? It's only been four days."
"Used to be a time my word was more than enough for you," Danny said, drawing closer.
Steve pressed his lips together and turned away again, starting down the stairs. Danny wouldn't let the subject go.
"You know I've spent the last seven months being a prisoner in someone elses house, watched over by cameras, screens and guards," Danny said, bristling in frustration as Steve ignored him. "You've just swapped one prison for another."
Steve spun around as he reached the bottom of the stairs, facing up to him with an angry expression, a finger pressing into his chest.
"Don't you compare whats happening now to what he did to you," Steve snapped at him. "Don't fucking do it Danny. This is nothing like what he did to you."
"You're trying to make me think a certain way, just like he did," Danny replied with a shake of his head. "What makes you any better than him?"
Steve looked like he'd slapped him, shock crossing his features as he reeled back and he took in a breath before he replied. Danny knew it was a low blow, but he was being to feel frustrated, he felt urges for his routine and existence with Victor. But he also was beginning to question how right that had all been and where his own identity lay.
"I want you to be you Danny," Steve said finally, lifting his arms like he couldn't do any more than that. "I want the person who came into my life two years ago and turned everything upside down. I want you to be yourself. Not 'Daniel' - I don't know him. He isn't you. I'm better than Hesse because I don't need anything but you, Danny Williams, to be in my life. I'm sorry if you have a problem with that, but it's you I want back. It's you I came back for, why I'm doing all of this. 'Daniel' is just someone you hide behind. You're just afraid, a coward like he wanted."
Steve turned and marched off, shoulders tight, anger brimming and Danny knew better than to pursue it. But he was angry too and turned around, went back to their room, slamming the door closed behing him. He looked around the room wildly, full of his stuff and Steve's. All cleverly put together to make him feel at home, only he didn't feel at home, he didn't know this place, he didn't know where he was. Frustrated he picked up an ornament from the dresser and flung it accross the room where it richoched off the wall and smashed down onto the floor. The tinkling sound of glass, the actual act made him feel something, like a jolt of electricty going through him. It felt good to break it, even though he knew it was wrong.
Wildly he searched around for something else to break, to wreck, if he could vent all his anger into smashing things then maybe he'd be able to stand the pressure. He took up another ornament and sent it sailing over the room, before tearing down a picture from the wall and bashing it agains the wardrobe until it split in his hands. The wardrobe door swung open on it's old hinge and he saw all of his clothes hanging neatly. Angrily he began tearing them down also, tossing them down and trampling on them.
Why did he need to comply to this new way? How was what they were doing any better or worse than what Victor had done to him? He punched the wardrobe door and it swung back on it's hinge again. Pain shot through his knuckles and he gripped at his hand, kicking the door instead in his anger.
Turning he paused at the mess he'd created, a sudden jolt of fear hitting him where the anger had been. What had he done? What would Victor think if he could see him now? What would Al and Steve think? That he was crazy, that he couldn't cope. Would they send him to some pycho ward to be treated? Victor would have been dissapointed but then, his Daniel wouldn't have acted this way. Danny gripped his head and breathed, sobs developing from deep in his gut and shaking through him. He couldn't think straight any more and he stumbled over the clothes strewn over the floor.
Stop, he needed to stop and breath and think. China crunched under his boots and he leaned on the wall still crying, somewhere in the chaos of his mind he heard the door open and someone talking to him calmly.
"Danny," Steve asked, so calm and concerned Danny couldn't understand how he could be so nice to him after he'd been so angry not long before. Steve had every right to be angry with him, he couldn't understand why he had let himself get so far deep into Victor's control.
"I'm sorry," Danny whispered out, the wall the only thing keeping him on his feet. "I'm sorry. I just, I don't know -."
Steve got to him, put his arms around him and held him close which just made him cry even more. How could Steve be so understanding, so comforting when he'd hurt him so much? Steve should hate him, it would be better if he did.
"What if you can't fix me?" Danny said, gripping onto Steve's shirt like it was a lifeline. "What if he broke me too much? I can't go back like this, I can't go into some psych ward Steve."
"Fuck Danny," Steve said, holding him tighter. Danny's legs gave out under him and he sank down, Steve lowering down with him and Danny sat in a crumpled heap, cradled in his embrace. "You aren't going anywhere. I won't let anybody take you away ever again. Don't let him win Danny, don't you let him win. I just need you to fight, please, just fight what he did to you."