******** A short chapter, but a good place to stop… More to come soon, I hope you enjoy! *********

Danny woke to the sound of the patio door shutting. Sitting up on the couch he listened intently trying to determine what he heard. Not hearing anything else he walked up the stairs to check in on Steve. He saw a light coming from the room and he made his way down the hallway. The new Nurse on duty, Lisa was sleeping in the spare bedroom and he pulled the door closed as he passed hoping not to wake her. He walked into Steve's room noting the empty bed immediately. He spotted the letter and moving to the bed, he picked it up and read it.

My dearest Steve,

The last four years of my life have been filled with love, joy and excitement…..all because of you. I never thought that anything could ever diminish that joy, but here we are. I'm just not strong enough Steve. Every time I look into your beautiful eyes or hear your voice I think of Christina. I have tried to move forward baby, but I just cannot do it with you still in my life. I hope someday that you can understand why. I do not blame you for this, no one does. This is a tragedy that we will never have answers for. I need you to know that this is the hardest decision I have ever made in my life and that I will always love you dearly…. Please forgive me.

Forever,
Emily

There was a picture as well of Steve with his arms wrapped around a beautiful blonde with blue eyes.
Emily? Steve had never mentioned her to him. He quietly said to himself, "Shit, one more thing for him to dwell on"
Danny turned and left the room, placing the letter and picture on the dresser as he walked past it. He checked the bathroom and the upstairs office before heading back down the stairs. Moving into the kitchen he turned on the light and as his eyes scanned the countertop, his heart sank, "Oh God no….no, no, no!"

He moved to the sink and looked at the empty whiskey and pill bottles, "Oh God Steve…no" Moving quickly, he checked the lower level of the house and not finding him he grabbed a flashlight and walked out into the darkness.

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Steve walked and walked on the sandy beach. There was a place he used to go to when he was a kid, a quiet place where he could think. A short time later, he reached the cliff and he began walking up the steep, narrow path.

Not finding Steve at the Ocean's edge he followed his partners footprints in the sand down the beach, continually calling out for him. He was terrified, all those pills and the whiskey gone….along with the meth still in his system….."Oh God, please…...please let me find him in time"

A short time later he spotted Steve up on top of a cliff a short distance ahead. He moved swiftly up the path and soon he was standing about fifty feet from his partner. He moved gingerly along the rocks towards Steve not wanting to startle him. He was sitting cross-legged only inches from the edge of the cliff. When Danny was about ten feet away he spoke loudly enough to be heard above the sound of the waves crashing onto the jagged rocks below them. Damn he hated the Ocean.

"Steve….Steve…."
Steve continued to stare straight ahead, his hair blowing in the wind.
"Steve, partner…let me help you…God, please let me help you"
"Danny…you can't help me….no one can help me"
Danny slowly walked closer, "Babe talk to me…let me try. God I want to help you"
"It's over. Everyone I love dies or leaves Danno. I can't do it anymore" Steve continued to stare straight ahead but as Danny drew closer he could see the tears streaking down the SEAL's face.

Danny was shaking with fear as he asked, "Steve, I need you to tell me….how many pills did you take babe?"
"None...I dumped them down the drain"
Danny sighed deeply, "Good…..that's good buddy. You scared me man. How about the whiskey?"
"I just took a couple swallows"
The detective nodded and decided not to hold back. He had to get the SEAL to open up, "Fine, hey Steve...who's Emily?"
"Danno…..pplease nno" His voice cracked with emotion as he choked out the words, "I cc….ccan't"
Danny could see the SEAL's body shaking as the cool Pacific breeze hit his sweat drenched skin, "Steve, you have to talk about it. It's eating you alive partner" He then repeated, "Please buddy, let me help you"

Steve then turned the conversation, catching the Jersey detective off guard by stating, "Gracie told me Danny….it's okay"
Danny felt his stomach sink. He was now about six feet away from his distraught friend, "Babe you misunderstood. She's nine years old Steven"
"I didn't misunderstand, and you're right, you need to take your family and go back to New Jersey. You need to be far away from me, it's the right thing to do. You're in danger around me….Danno, you have to protect her from me"

"Steve, stop…..Gracie overheard me talking to Rachel last night and she's upset. She told me she had heard us talking and that she doesn't want to leave Hawaii…..that she doesn't want to leave you. God Steven, I'm so sorry" Danny felt sick to his stomach. He should have known Gracie would call him to try to 'fix' things. She always told Steve everything…..God he felt so stupid. He took a deep breath and continued, "Buddy, you're my brother, my best friend and I love you…..but you made me so damn angry. Have I thought about leaving 5-0, and moving back to Jersey…..yes, but do you really think I would make a decision like that without talking to you about it? No, no I wouldn't…Gracie heard talk but that's all it was. I told you that when you beat this shit we would need to have a good long talk, and I meant it. I need to understand why Steve. Why would you once again go off alone putting yourself at such great risk but then even worse than that, you make us think you were dead?"

Several seconds passed before Steve turned and faced him, saying "It's cold up here. Let's go back to the beach and I'll tell you everything"
Danny reached out a hand and Steve accepted it. Once he was on his feet the two men slowly made their way back down the narrow path. They did not speak as they walked and soon they were back at the McGarrett beachfront, sitting in the deck chairs.
Danny waited patiently and after a few minutes of silence, Steve began…

"Chad Reynolds was my best friend, he was married to Christina, and she was the sister of Emily Tate….my fiance'"….