By the time Danny got outside the palace Steve was gone. And so was his truck. Sighing to himself he then got into his own car as he drove around to look for Steve. He wasn't sure where he would go. He'd made it clear that he didn't want to go back to the house and there weren't many places he knew that Steve would like to go to. There were too many memories of Sam and Alfie there and he just wasn't ready for that. Trying Steve's cell he then rolled his eyes a little as it went to voicemail. He should have known he wouldn't have answered. Dialling Kono's number he sighed putting it on speaker phone.

"Danny?" Came Kono's voice as she answered.

"Kono will you please trace Steve's cell for me? He left before I got a chance to catch up with him and I don't have a clue on where he is heading and he's not answering his cell phone." He mumbled as he kept glancing around to see if he could spot Steve's truck.

"On it." Mumbled Kono before she sighed a little. "Danny he's at home."

"You sure?" Came Danny's question as he looked to his phone briefly before he looked back to the road.

"Positive. He's at home."

"Thanks Kono." Sighed Danny as he hung up the phone as he then drove to Steve's house. Parking up next to his truck he headed inside. "Steve?" He called as he shut the front door after him before he looked around. As he got no answer he frowned. "Steve." He called once more before he then went into the kitchen. Looking out the window to the back he then sighed seeing his friend down by the water. Heading out down to him he then stood next to him. "I thought you weren't going to come here." He mumbled as he looked to him, his hands going into his pockets. He could tell he had been crying again.

Stood looking aimlessly out to the ocean. He felt nothing. Numb. As Danny stood next to him he didn't even look to him. He just kept his eyes ahead. Hearing him he shrugged a little. "Got to come here sooner or later haven't I?" He mumbled. "Might as well get it out of the way."

Danny sighed. "Steve…I can't imagine what you are feeling right now…"

"Then don't lecture me Danny." Steve snapped looking to him.

At his snap he frowned before he then looked to him. "I will lecture you. Cause I lost my sister and nephew on that plane…as well as another niece or nephew. If she saw you here now I know she'd be giving you hell for acting like this. I'm not saying you shouldn't feel like this Steve…but don't push the rest of us out. We wanna help you."

"You can't help me Danny. I lost my wife and two kids on that plane. Nothing is ever going to be the same again. My entire world has come crashing down." He shook his head and looked back to the water. "Just go away Danny."

"See I'm not going to do that because that would be very wrong of me as your friend and brother in law. I'm not risking you doing something stupid Steve."

"I'm not going to do anything stupid." He grumbled moving his arms around himself as he kept his eyes on the ocean.

"Yeah well I'm not risking it." He told him firmly as he looked to him. "I'm staying with you until…well for as long as need be." He mumbled telling him. "You're still family and you're my best friend and I'm not going anywhere." He told him as he looked to him trying not to well up himself but it was hard. Looking to the ocean he shook his head. "I don't even know how I'm supposed to tell Grace that two people she worshiped the most…are gone." He looked to Steve once more before he sighed. "Come on…lets go back to the palace…she what information we can dig up on this. Kono can get into databases…we can try and get some Intel…"

Steve sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "I can't." He whispered. "I have to sort out the house…"

Danny shook his head as he looked to him. "Don't you dare. Don't erase everything of them."

Steve looked to him. "I meant I had to clean up…"

"Oh…well come on I can help you do that. We'll clean up then go back to the palace okay?" He told him looking to him. There was no way he was leaving him alone.

Steve nodded a little before he moved his arms into his pockets before he headed back up to the house. Going into the kitchen he went over to the pile of dishes that were there and started to fill the sink with hot water.

Watching Steve for a few minutes Steve then went into the living room to straighten up. Picking up bits and bobs off the floor he then sighed as he picked up a soft toy. Looking at it for a few minutes he then moved it onto the side before he finished tidying up. Happy that it was tidy he then went back into the kitchen and grabbed a dish cloth as he dried up the dishes that Steve had washed. The sooner they got this done the sooner they would be out of here. He was worried the longer they were here the more if would bring Steve down even more.
Drying the last of the dishes he then put the dish cloth on the side before he looked to Steve. "Come on. Maybe the guys have found something."

Drying his hands Steve then sighed as he looked to him. "Find what exactly?" He asked with a shake of his head.

"Yeah well doesn't hurt to try. Now come on." He mumbled to him as he headed out to his car. As Steve followed him and got into the passenger side Danny sighed. He didn't even want to drive. That was so not like Steve. Getting into the Camaro he then drove back to the palace, parking in his usual spot he then got out of the car, walking beside Steve as they headed up to the path to the palace.

Stuffing his hands deep in his pockets as he walked with Danny, his eyes locked onto the ground a sigh passing his lips now and again. Hearing something he frowned and stopped in his tracks and lifted his head a little.

As Steve stopped Danny stopped and looked to him. "Everything okay?"

Shaking his head he sighed. "Just thought I heard something." He mumbled before he started walking again. Hearing the same sound again he frowned and stopped once more. He thought he was starting to lose it already. Hearing someone shout 'Dada' as clear as day he turned his head, the sight he saw? He didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He thought that he was dreaming it. Stood in front of him getting out of a taxi were his wife and his son. Watching as Sam put Alfie down and he started walking towards him. He was wobbly on his feet, but he was walking at least! Quickly rushing over he scooped his son up before he practically ran at his wife and embraced her and Alfie so tight the tears streaming down his face. She was here. Alfie was here. He was in shock. The last thing he expected was for them to show up.

"Hello to you too…" Laughed Sam as she hugged her husband back moving her arm around him before she then looked up to him, seeing the tears running down his face her face dropped as she looked to him. "What's wrong?" She asked looking to him. "What's happened?"

Steve shook his head and just embraced his family. He didn't want to talk. He wanted to hold his family.

As Danny came over she looked to her brother confused as to what was going on. She could tell he'd been crying too! As Steve tightened his grip on her she gently rubbed his back and laughed a little. "Pregnant woman remember…"

Letting go of her he sighed. "Sorry."

"What's…" She began before she stopped as Danny yanked her into a hug and hugged her tightly. "Okay one of you seriously need to tell me what the hell is going on."

"Didn't you hear?" Danny asked looking to her as he let her go.

"Hear what?" She asked with a frown as she looked to Steve who was holding onto Alfie as if his life depended on it. "I've been stuck on a plane for six hours…"

"Your flight…" Began Steve as he looked to her.

"Yeah there was space on the early flight.

My mom and dad came down with the flu bug, I didn't want me or Alfie to catch it so we left their place early, I took the chance trying to get an earlier flight and when I checked in they said we could go on the earlier flight because they were delayed anyway…I was going to call to tell you but we had to rush as it was so there was no time. I thought I'd surprise you…" She explained looking to them.

"The flight you were originally booked on…" Danny began as he then looked to her. "Blew up after take-off…"

Sam looked to her brother as he spoke, the colour draining from her face. She felt sick. She was supposed to be on that flight. Alfie was supposed to be on that plane. "Purposely?" She asked.

"We don't know…no one has come forward to claim the attack…" Danny explained with a sigh. Looking to Steve and Alfie he then moved over to Steve and gently took Alfie from him. "I'll go take this little guy inside…leave you two alone for a minute." He whispered before he smiled down to his nephew as he happily played with his tie and headed inside the palace.

Reluctantly letting Alfie go, Steve then looked to his wife. He looked a state. He was exhausted from crying.

Watching Danny go with Alfie Sam then sighed as she looked to her husband as she moved over to him and moved her arms around him. "I'm here…" She whispered to him gently rubbing his back. "We're both safe." She promised as she then looked up to him, wiping the tears that were falling down his cheeks with her thumb.

"I thought I lost you." He whispered to her as he tightened his arms around her as he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead avoiding her gaze. "All of you…"

Cupping his face with both her hands she looked to him, making him look her in the eyes. "Well you haven't. I am here. Alfie is here. Our unborn baby is here." She promised as she moved her arms tightly around him. "You're not going to lose us Steve. Ever." She promised as she looked up to him. She had never seen Steve like this. This was something different to how he would have normally behaved in this kind of situation. It had clearly affected him. He was a traumatised man effectively. He thought he lost his family and now they were here? She couldn't imagine how he was feeling. It was all so emotional and confusing. Keeping her arms around her husband she just held him a sigh passing her lips. He was clinging onto her as if his life depended on it. She hated seeing him like this. She just wanted him to feel okay, not this broken shell of a man he currently was.

Of course i wasn't going to kill them off ;) Wouldn't be much of a story if i did!

But things are only just beginning ;)

Love

K x