Thanks for the reviews guys! Anyone else suffering from serious H50 withdrawal? I miss my weekly McDanno fix!
Enjoy :)
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Matthew visibly faltered under the heat of the death stare Steve was sending his way. He looked just about ready to run, and he might have if Kipton and Markowitz weren't flanking him like body guards.
"Steven, I haven't seen that look on his face since our cousin Jimmy threatened to feed him to the lions at the zoo when he was 8." Danny said. "So kindly direct your Navy SEAL death stare elsewhere."
Steve turned to Danny and then sent one more quick glare Matt's way.
"If looks could kill babe you wouldn't even need grenades." Danny muttered.
Matthew stood awkwardly in the doorway. "Hi Danny." He mumbled.
"Hi? He says hi! It's nice to see you Mattie, it's been what... Two years?" Danny said angrily.
"I need to talk to you." Matt continued, throwing a quick look at Steve.
"I'm not leaving." Steve growled, causing Matt to take a step back.
"Steve..." Danny started.
Steve glared at Danny. "I'm not leaving Daniel."
He knew that Danny was safe now. There were no more Harris siblings. He'd checked. But he still couldn't bring himself to leave. What if something else happened? What if something went wrong with Danny's recovery? Steve knew he was being irrational, but he couldn't help it. And his anger at Matthew wasn't helping the situation.
"Relax Steven I was just going to suggest that you wait right outside my door with the lovely Agents Kipton and Markowitz over there. Nice to see you guys." He called to them.
They nodded at Danny, ignoring his sarcasm. If only Danny knew what they'd said about him earlier he'd be a lot less polite right now...
"Danny..." Steve began unhappily.
"Nothing's going to happen to me Steve. I'm fine. You'll be right through that door, you don't even have to close it. Anything happens and you can bust in here with all your ninja glory and kick ass like Bruce Willis in a Die Hard movie, okay babe? Besides, it's not like Matthew's going to hurt me." Danny said.
Steve snorted. "No of course not." He replied sarcastically. "Call if you need anything and as soon as you're done that oxygen mask goes back on. I mean it Danny."
"Yes mom." Danny replied.
Steve turned and gave Matt one last glare on his way out the door.
Once he was out of the room, Matt turned to Danny.
"He's kind of terrifying... Every time he looks at me I have this feeling that he wants to kill me with his bare hands and bury me in his backyard." Matt said.
"He probably does, fortunately for you he doesn't have a backyard. He lives on the beach. Then again I guess he could just bury you out front. But is that really what you want to talk about right now? Steve?" Danny asked, annoyed.
"No. Just stalling I guess." Matt replied awkwardly.
Danny looked at him expectantly. He started to lean forward but winced when pain shot through his chest due to his broken ribs
"If you don't feel up to this Danny I could always come back..." Matthew said.
"Don't even think about it Matt." Danny shot at him.
"Right..." Matt cleared his throat. "I'm so sorry Danny!" He blurted out. "I never meant for this to happen. I never wanted anybody to get hurt, least of all you!"
Danny took a deep breath. He'd been planning what he'd say to Matthew when he finally saw him again for almost the entire time he'd been gone, and after the hell he'd been put through these past three days, Danny was more than ready to let his pent up anger- two years in the making- out.
"You can't just steal money from people and expect it all to go away after Matthew. How could you be so stupid? Of course there are going to be consequences to your actions! You can't commit a crime and get away with it scott free!" Danny replied angrily.
"I know..." Matt whispered. "I know... I just never thought it would go this far, I'm really so sorry this happened to you Danny."
"What happened, yeah it was bad and it totally sucked, but it isn't the only thing you should be apologizing for Matthew." Danny said.
"What do you mean?" Matt asked, clearly confused.
"What do I mean?!" Danny practically shouted, ignoring the pain that shot through him again. "I'll tell you what I mean. What I mean is that you never should have left. I told you I'd get you through it. That I'd be with you every step of the way, and you still ran. You left all of us. You left mom and dad. Do you know how much that hurt them Mattie? You missed Brenda's graduation. Our baby sister Matthew, she's growing up and you're missing it! You missed so damn much! Remember how I never thought I'd get over Rachel, but you believed in me? You told me that I would and one day I would meet someone who would make me just as happy and you were right. Her name is Gabby and she's amazing Matthew. Grace loves her. We've been dating a year and a half now and you never even had a chance to meet her. Did you know that Sandra also met somebody new? Or that Eric is cleaning up his act and going to college so that he can work in a crime lab? You missed it all Mattie. Every birthday, anniversary, holiday we celebrated wasn't the same without you. Knowing that you were out there somewhere and we had no idea where."
"And me being in prison would have been better?" Matthew demanded.
"Yes! It would have been Mattie because we could've still came to see you! You'd still have been a part of our lives these past couple of years! I'm not saying it would've been easy Matt but you could've gotten out one day and been a free man! Fleeing federal custody complicates things. You should've known you couldn't hide forever." Danny replied.
Matt just shook his head. "Maybe I thought I could. I thought it would hurt less for everyone if I just disappeared. I thought you'd all forget about me eventually and move on."
"Forget about you?! Move on? What, like you never even existed? You thought we could do that? We're your family Matt and we love you. Grace was 9 when you left. She's 11 now and she still asks for you. None of us could ever forget you Matthew. I can't believe you'd even think that." Danny said sadly.
"I'm sorry." Matt whispered. "I'm so sorry Danny. For leaving, for hurting you, mom and dad, our sisters... For missing Gracie growing up, for getting you kidnapped and beaten almost to death. For everything!"
Danny looked at Matthew in silence for a while.
"I forgive you." He said finally.
Matt looked up in shock. "You... You what?!"
"I forgive you." Danny repeated. "You're a schmuck Matt. One of the biggest I've known. And you're an idiot. But you're also my little brother. And I will always love you. Even when it goes against my better judgement, and believe me it does. So I do. I forgive you. And I'm still going to be there for you now, no matter what happens. But it's up to you now. You have to make everything right. With the law, with our family, with everyone and everything you left behind. Okay? No more running."
Matthew nodded. "I will Danny. I swear. I love you brother, and I'm sorry."
"You should be." Danny couldn't help but say. "I love you but if I had the strength to get out of this bed, I would probably... No, I would definitely punch you in the face right now."
He leaned back against his pillows finally, the anger and adrenaline leaving his body. He was completely spent and wheezing again slightly. Steve was going to kill him.
"You need to rest Dan. I'll come and see you again later. My FBI escorts are being pretty amicable, all things considered. They aren't dragging me to Virginia to be interrogated for at least another couple of days. Until you're back on your feet. Like I said, you're partner is a terrifying guy. Even the FBI knows not to mess with him." Matt said.
"Yes... Yes he is." Danny agreed.
"See you soon Danny." Matt called on his way out the door.
Danny waved at him and watched him go.
No sooner was he out the door than Steve was coming back in. He took one look at Danny and rushed towards the bed.
"Dammit Danny!" He exclaimed. "Are you okay? Should I call your doctor? Stubborn ass you over-exerted yourself!"
"Calm down Steve I'm fine." Danny said.
"No. No you are not fine." Steve replied. He picked up the forgotten oxygen mask and secured it back over Danny's face. "Rest now Danno. I'll be here when you wake up."
Danny nodded his thanks and was asleep in seconds.
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"When is he going to wake up?" Kono asked impatiently from the corner of Danny's room. "He's been asleep for hours."
"He'll wake up when he's ready to wake up." Steve replied. He was still sitting in his uncomfortable chair by the side of Danny's bed.
"Easy for you to say boss you already got to talk to him!" Kono complained.
"You sure you don't want to go home for a couple of hours brah?" Chin asked. "Me and Kono got it covered here."
"I'm not leaving." Kono replied for him, mimicking Steve's deep voice and his Lieutenant Commander tone perfectly.
Kamekona laughed at that. "Little sista's got mad skills."
"Well she's right." Steve replied. "When he goes, I go. But until then, I'm going to enjoy the relationship I've got going on with this chair right here. We're inseparable after only one day."
"That's commitment." Kono said sarcastically.
"Should I be jealous?" Catherine asked.
A groan from the bed brought everyone to their feet. Danny was surrounded in seconds.
"How's a guy supposed to get any sleep with all the noise going on in here?" He mumbled.
"You've slept long enough Danny. How about you open your eyes?" Steve asked.
"I'll open my eyes when I damn well feel like opening my eyes, thank you very much Steven." Danny muttered.
"Please Danny?" Kono begged.
"You know you can't resist Kono's begging brah." Chin pointed out. "Wouldn't want to make her angry."
Danny opened his eyes slowly and blinked a few times.
"When did it get so damn bright out?" He complained.
"It's the morning Danno you've been sleeping since yesterday. I told you, you overdid it!" Steve replied.
"Bite me." Danny said.
"How are you feeling Danny?" Kono asked. "It's good to see you awake finally!"
"I feel good.." Danny lied.
Kono glared at him. "I know that you know that I don't buy that for a second. How are you really feeling?"
"Fine, I'm sore as hell. But better than yesterday." Danny replied. "Can somebody raise my bed please?"
"You sure?" Chin asked cautiously.
"Yeah I'm sick of laying down." Danny replied.
Steve raised the bed carefully.
Danny reached up to pull out the annoying nasal cannula but Steve quickly slapped his hand away.
"Oh no no no." He said. "You can still talk. This one stays."
"It itches!" Danny complained.
"Deal with it!" Kono said.
Danny rolled his eyes. "Well aren't we all feeling overprotective this morning."
"That's what happens when you disappear for three days Danny." Chin said.
"Which you are NEVER to do again. You hear me Danny?" Kono demanded.
Danny put his hands up in surrender. "I would never dare cross you rookie."
"Good." Kono replied.
Everyone was silent for a moment, content to just sit there with Danny and enjoy the fact that he was alive and back with them, in one piece and with all ten fingers still firmly attached. It had been too close for all of them.
Danny cleared his throat, breaking the awkward silence.
"Just out of curiosity and concern for my personal well-being, are there any more Harris' out there just waiting to get a piece of this?" He asked, gesturing to himself with the hand that didn't have an IV sticking out of it.
"You don't have to worry about that brah." Chin replied. "We did background checks on every remaining member of the Harris family, from the 5th cousins twice removed to the family goldfish. All came back clean."
Danny nodded. "Well that's reassuring. Listen guys, I need to call my family in Jersey... My mom and dad..."
"Already done." Steve said. "I called them myself. Told them that you're on the mend and about Matthew."
"How'd they take it?" Danny asked.
Steve shrugged. "Relatively well actually. When they move Matt to the FBI headquarters for questioning your parents are going to fly down so they can see him. They also want to talk to you as soon as you're up to it. They've been worried sick. Your sisters too."
Danny nodded.
"Have you called Gabby yet?" He asked.
"About that..." Steve replied. "She's coming back here."
"What?" Danny asked in surprise.
"She talked to her supervisors and they gave her a couple of days to come and see you." Steve informed him.
"You got yourself a keeper there brah." Kamekona said. "A girl don't fly for hours to spend one day with just anyone. Trust me, I know."
"Oh, you do?" Danny asked, trying not to laugh. "Yeah she's great. By the way Steve, what's this I hear about you cheating on Catherine with that chair you're sitting on?"
Kono snorted with laughter. Even Chin couldn't resist laughing.
"What?!" Steve sputtered.
"Yeah Danny can you believe that?" Catherine asked with mock hurt.
"Men." Danny replied, shaking his head.
By that point everyone was laughing.
"DANNO!" They all heard. All heads turned towards the hallway.
The next thing they saw was a small girl run into the room frantically.
"Monkey!" Danny called enthusiastically, smiling bigger than Steve had seen in days.
Grace threw herself onto Danny's bed.
"Careful!" Everyone said at once.
Danny rolled his eyes. "Ignore them Monkey c'mere." Danny said, opening his arms.
Grace burrowed herself into Danny's chest. Danny winced but waved everyone off when they stepped forward to intervene. He needed this as much as Grace did.
Rachel stood watching the reunion from the doorway, her eyes shining mysteriously.
"Hey Rach." Danny said with a lopsided smile.
"Hello Daniel." Rachel replied with a smile of her own. "I'm glad you're alright. Really. It's good to see you."
"Thanks Rachel, you too." Danny replied. And he meant it. They fought a lot sure, but Danny cared about Rachel and he knew she cared about him too.
"I think that's our cue to leave guys." Kono said. "Feel better Danny!" She gave him a gentle hug and left.
"See you soon brah." Chin said while squeezing his good shoulder.
"As soon as you're feeling up to it, I'm going to bring you my shrimp special free of charge!" Kamekona said on his way out.
Catherine leaned forward to hug Danny. "Take care of my boyfriend." She said with a wink. "You boys be good."
Steve rolled his eyes. "I'll be right outside Danno." He said, before following them all.
Rachel stayed in the doorway. "I'll give you guys some time to catch up." She said. "I'll back in a couple of hours."
Danny nodded. "Thank you Rachel. Really."
She smiled and left Danny alone with his daughter.
Danny looked down at the little girl still clinging to his chest. Her sniffles broke his heart.
"Hey you." He said. "What's with the tears? I thought you'd be happy to see me!"
"You left me Danno! Why did you go? It was supposed to be our weekend! I missed you!" Grace whispered.
Danny squeezed her tighter.
"Oh Monkey I missed you too, very much!" He replied.
"Did I do something wrong?" She asked.
"No! Baby there's nothing you could ever do that would make me want to leave you. I love you more than anything in the world. You know that right?"
Danny felt her nod against his chest.
"Don't ever go away again, okay?" Grace demanded.
Danny knew it was a promise he couldn't keep, but he couldn't deny his daughter this small peace of mind. When she was a little older, he'd have to sit her down and explain the dangers of his job. But for now, he was going to hold her until she was all better.
"Nothing will ever take me away from you Monkey. I love you." He said.
"Always and forever?" She asked in her small voice, looking up at him with wide eyes.
"Always and forever. And ever and ever." He promised.
Grace wrapped her arms around his middle and rested her head against his shoulder.
"Can we still go to the movies?" Grace asked sweetly.
"Yes baby, as soon as I'm out of here, we're gonna go to the movies. Alright?"
Grace nodded.
"I love you Danno." She said tiredly. He immediately guessed she hadn't slept well these past three days and couldn't help but feel guilty about it.
"I love you too baby." Danny replied, pulling her closer and kissing her forehead gently.
When Steve walked in ten minutes later to see if Danny needed anything, he found the father and daughter fast asleep, clinging to each other.
He smiled and shut the door as quietly as he could, not wanting disturb them.
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Now wasn't that just a big ball of fluff?
I'm really nervous about the talk with Matt what did you guys think?
I'm thinking the next chapter will be the last :( :( :(
But don't worry! I haven't forgotten that Steve and Danny still need to have their "talk"
Drop me a review and let me know what you think! please and thank you :)