"Can you tell her? I-I don't think I can be the one to tell her."
Steve looked at his partner who was struggling to contain himself, not that Steve could blame Danny after all; his brother had just fled the country to avoid being arrested by the FBI. Turns Matt had stolen money from his investors and came to Hawaii to help launder money out of the country for the Columbians. Now Steve and Danny stood outside Emma's front door late at night waiting for her to open the door, Danny wanted her to hear what happened from and not from the FBI and the police when they came knocking on the door. "Yeah, sure thing buddy."
"Hey, what are you guys going here so late?" Emma asked when she opened the door and motioned for the two of them to come in, Danny and Steve made their way inside and after Emma shut the door the three of them made their way to the living room. "So what's going on?"
"Emma we need to talk." Steve began.
"Okay then. Go ahead I'm all ears." Emma replied with a smile, she had no idea what was going on but judging how late it was and the fact that her brother was here with Steve, they probably needed her help with something.
Danny swallowed loudly before speaking. "It's about Matty."
Emma stood there as Steve recounted everything that had happened within the last twenty four hours with Matt and at the start she laughed it off in disbelief until Danny finally spoke up and confirmed everything and the look on his sister's face just killed him. She looked absolutely grief stricken and shocked to the core and she slowly began shaking her head as tears threatened to fall and Steve made his way over to her but Emma refused to let him near. "Why didn't you tell me about this earlier?" She angrily demanded.
Danny sighed. "It was complicated, after everything that's happened to you I didn't want to bother you and I was taking care of it."
"Taking care of it? Matt's fled the country and considering how much money he stole he's probably on his way to the Maldives or some god knows place where if he is found he can't extradited back here. I don't see that as taking care of it! Jesus Danny! I'm not a child anymore and I certainly don't need you to protect me from things like this! I didn't go to law school for no reason, I could have figured everything it out… some kind of plan or strategy where Matty didn't serve much time." Emma yelled.
"You don't think I don't know that Em?" Danny shouted back. "When I realized that Matt was way over his head, I was going to bring him to you so the two of us could hand him but he ran before I could!"
"Momma, Danno?"
"Harry…" Turning her head Emma saw Oz in the doorway of the living room wiping his eyes in a tired fashion with one hand and his teddy bear in his free hand, her and Danny must have woken him up with all their yelling and she couldn't help but burst into tears.
Immediately Steve pulled Emma into his arms and this time she didn't fight him whilst Danny went over to his nephew and scooped him up into his arms "Uncle Danno, did I upset momma?" Harry asked.
Danny's heart constricted, he should have shot his brother when he had the chance as their sister was crying and in that bad place that he wanted to avoid and his four year old nephew thought it was his fault. "No, of course it's not your fault Oz… your mom's upset because I yelled at her but she's going to be fine so I'm going to take you back to your room and read you a book." Danny said stretching the truth ever so slightly before he left the room with his nephew.
"I-I can't believe this is happening to me, first I lose my husband then my best friend and now my brother, the men in my life just seem to keep disappearing one right after the other. I wonder whose next? Danny? My father? My son? Cousin Jimmy?" Emma said as she stepped back and took a deep breath.
"Hey, listen to me… none of that is your fault, George and Olly's deaths were not your fault and Matt chose to steal that money and flee the country. None of that is on you Emma, it's all on him." Steve said as he took a step towards Emma and used his thumbs to gently wipe away her tears, he could not believe that her and Danny were blaming themselves for this when it wasn't there fault in any shape or form.
"But I lived with him for two years Steve, I spend my days prosecuting criminals and I fail to recognize that my brother, who I live with is one. The feds are going to come knocking on my door first, thinking that I was involved with this and I helped Matty to escape…"
"And we will deal with them, you did nothing wrong Emma and they will see that." Steve assured her.
"How am I going to tell Harry? You saw him at dinner yesterday he idolizes Matt and he's been looking forward to having Matt take him to preschool, this is going to break his little heart when I tell him. How do I tell him for the second time within six months that he'll never see another one of his uncles again? Not to mention Jenny and my parents…"
Steve wasn't sure what he could say, this thing with her brother was threatening to tear apart her entire family and it was obvious by the way that Emma and Danny were handling the news that the rest of the Williams family were going to have some difficultly coming terms with it. "I don't know but I will be here for you, Harry, Danno and Grace throughout all of this."
Emma sighed and closed her eyes and Steve leaned his head against hers, "What if I can't?"
"I won't let that happen."