Danny would kill him…

After peppering Charlie with the same question in different forms, over and over again until he was satisfied the boy was physically okay, Steve pulled him into a hug. He mused that if he made it out of this, he would only live long enough for Danny to kill him. As sure as those hands would dance in time with his tongue, Mr. Negativity would throw it in his face that he continues to be the epitome of a trouble magnet and in no scenario would he ever be allowed to be alone with either of his kids again. Then he would kill him to make sure.

Charlie's head was still buried in his shoulder. His hand held the back of his head reassuringly until he felt Charlie's readiness to withdraw from the hold. Charlie pulled back and Steve could feel the cold, damp spot where his tee shirt had soaked up scared tears.

"Why is Tyler's dad mean?"

A little dumbstruck by the question, Steve simply answered, "I'm not sure."

"Will Tyler be all right?"

"Yes, I think Tyler will be all right. His dad has just made some poor decisions and once he sees that there are people who can help him and Tyler, they'll both be just fine. What is it, Charlie?" Steve narrowed his focus when he saw the way Charlie was staring at him.

"You're bleeding."

Steve ran the back of his hand along the side of his throbbing temple and felt the soreness of the touch and the beginning of a goose egg forming. He then tilted his hand toward the light source to see what Charlie had seen.

"It's ok, buddy. It's not bad. Dudn't even hurt." He smiled, hoping Charlie bought it.

"You get hurt a lot."

"Okay, little Danny," amazed at the similarity to his partner, wondering if Charlie would call him a trouble magnet next. "Yes, I get hurt sometimes, but it's just part of my job and your Uncle Steve is tough. Right?"

"Right. You're a SEAL."

"That's right, buddy, I'm a SEAL."

Steve could see the wheels turning in the little head. "Danno gets hurt sometimes, too." Steve's memory went to the all-too-recent gunshot that almost took his best friend. "…but he's not a SEAL."

Steve could see an epiphany revealed in Charlie's unfocused eyes as his juvenile imagination tried to take him places that a seven-year-old should not have to go. Worry gradually trickled across his face.

"Hey, hey, listen to me." Staying seated on the floor, Steve reached above his head and knocked on the girder above him. "Hear that? That's steel. Your Danno is just as tough as that steel. All right? He may not be a Navy SEAL, but he's one of the strongest, toughest people I know. There's no need for you to worry about him. Okay?"

"Okay." Charlie must have accepted and believed Steve's words because his shoulders relaxed just a bit but still held a rigidity due to the uncertainty of their current situation. His attention turned from his uncle to the room, turning his head to the right and then the left and then craning as far as he could see behind him without losing contact with Steve.

Steve answered his unasked question, "It's a propulsion console room. See all the dials and levers… that's part of what makes this girl move on the water."

"Girl?"

"That's what sailors call their ships. I know… silly, isn't it?" He tickled Charlie's side which earned Steve a giggle.

"Girls are yucky."

"Yeah, buddy, I get what you're saying, but just give it some time. You may change your mind."

"Nuhn-uhn."

Steve once again smiled and was liking the lighthearted mood. He thought Charlie was probably feeling better, and therefore sensed that this could be a good time to see about getting them out of here. "Can you sit here a minute? I'm going to check the door. You sure you're okay?"

Charlie nodded.

The flashlight was still on the ground, sending a beam of light, the only light, out to illuminate the space. Steve reached over and pulled the light toward him and shined it in the direction of the door. He climbed to his feet and immediately leaned on the same girder he had tapped a minute ago to get through the dizziness that swept over him at the change in position. Once the spell was over, he tried the door, only to find what he had figured, it didn't budge. Even though expected, he still felt disappointed and blew out some frustration in a loud huff. He then halfheartedly tried the light switch and again was met with disappointment.

He turned back to Charlie. "We might be here just a little bit. Shouldn't take too long. Someone will be looking for us soon," he tried to reassure. He knew they'd be found, but what he didn't necessarily believe is that it would be as soon as what he was telling Charlie. The beam from the light looked strong and bright, but he wasn't sure how long that would last.

"So, the door won't open?" Charlie genuinely seemed nonplussed.

"No, buddy, it's jammed. I tell you what. While we wait, why don't you come over here beside me and try to get some shuteye?" Steve was already easing himself back down in the same place as before. He patted the floor beside him. "You're gonna be tired in the morning if you don't get some sleep." Steve was hoping he would save Charlie some anxiety if he could sleep through some of the hours. He had also hoped to turn off the flashlight for a while to save the battery life. He was pretty sure that wouldn't go over well if Charlie was still awake.

Charlie held his ground. He stood staring at the door and didn't see Steve's gesture. Steve reached out and grabbed Charlie's hand. He sensed a subtle trembling in the touch and his small hand felt cold and clammy, even in the hot, stuffy air.

"Charlie? Hey, buddy, you okay?"

Charlie finally looked away from the door but again started to look around. He pulled his hand from Steve's grasp and looked above him and then unlike before, he pivoted his whole body around to see the interior of the room.

"You sure you can't get it open?"

"It's stuck. But, someone…"

"It's small."

"What's small?"

"The room… it's small."

"Um, yeah, it's a little small… kinda like the tent in your backyard. You remember that? The night me, you, and Danno stayed in the tent?

…That was a fun night.

…Wasn't it, Charlie?"

Charlie turned back to stare at the door and Steve could see his chest rising and falling with the larger breaths he was taking.

"You remember, Danno complained about the outside noises? He didn't like that. Remember, Charlie?"

"There wasn't a door," Charlie stated matter-of-factly.

Steve swung his feet around and got on his knees in front of Charlie, grabbing both of his arms.

"Hey, buddy, tell me what's going on. What are you thinking about? Look at me, Charlie."

"It's small."

"I'm right here, okay? You're fine. I'm fine. We're going to be out of here real soon and… Charlie?" Steve lightly laid his hand on Charlie's chest. His heart was beating fast and hard.

Charlie was his father's son… the lopsided grin, the mischievous sparkle in the blue eyes, the fearlessness, the innocent comments that were unintentionally so like his dad. He was Danno made over… and now he knew that included the claustrophobia.

Steve swiped at the sweat forming on Charlie's forehead and rubbed it off on his pajama pants and then wiped his own brow, trying to stave off his own foreign feeling of being unprepared to handle this wrench.

"Uncle Steve?"

"Yeah, buddy, what is it?"

"I don't feel too good."

"It's okay. You're feeling kinda scared right now. That's perfectly normal."

"My tummy hurts." Charlie's breaths were coming faster and his eyes were darting around the room, sometimes landing on Steve but never staying there.

"Charlie, look at me. Okay? Look at me. I think I know something that can help."

Charlie tuned him out. "I think I need to get out of here. I need to go."

"I know. It's okay. Just a little longer. Charlie, look at me."

"I need… to go…, Uncle… Steve." Charlie's plea sounded urgent as he spoke the words between each breath.

Charlie was not listening to Steve. He was in his own trapped world.

"Look at me, Charlie. Eyes right here." Steve pointed two of his fingers at his own eyes as he held onto Charlie's other arm. Still not getting his attention, he rubbed his hand above his upper lip and then down to his neck, flirting with an idea in his head, an idea he didn't want to resort to but felt he was running out of options. He spoke calmly one more time, "Charlie?" He sensed his nephew would be in an all-out panic soon so he gave in. "Charlie!" he yelled, shaking the boy gently but as firmly as he needed to get his attention.

It had worked. Charlie was quiet and looking in Steve's eyes. "I know you're scared, but you're okay. We're going to go soon, but until then I think I know something that can help. There's a little game your dad and I played once." At the mention of his dad, Charlie seemed intrigued.

"Danno?"

"Yeah, one time, we were alone and Danno was feeling a little anxious because we had to wait before we could leave and he taught me this game. You want to learn it?"

Charlie nodded as his breathing eased a bit.

"All right? What I want you to do is recite every player on your team and the position they play. Can you do that?"

Charlie crinkled up his nose in confusion. "Huh?"

"Just try, Charlie. Okay? For me. Let's see if you can do it."

Tyler was at the forefront of Charlie's mind, so it didn't surprise Steve that he was the first one named.

"Good, Charlie. And what's his position?"

"Catcher."

"Okay, next. Who's next?"

"There's Trevor. He's shortstop. And Corey and Cameron."

"Positions?"

"Corey's on second and Cameron's our pitcher."

"Charlie, you're doing great. Keep going."

Sure enough, it worked again. Charlie was able to get through his whole team and by the time he finished, his breathing had evened out and the shaking had subsided. Steve could still feel his arms trembling and the sweat was still on his brow making his hair stick to his forehead in clumps.

"Do you want to try sitting down beside me now?"

Without an answer, Charlie settled onto the floor beside his uncle. Steve draped his arm around his shoulders and pulled him close. Then he finger-combed Charlie's bangs away from his eyes and they remained there due to their dampness.

"Close your eyes and try to get some sleep if you can."

Charlie tensed and shook his head.

Fearing he could slip back into his panicked state, Steve calmly rescinded his suggestion. "It's okay. We'll just hang out together, you and me."

Charlie's body relaxed again and they sat in silence for a while. Steve wanted to get up and bang metal to metal to draw any searchers their way sooner, but he didn't want to upset the balance he had worked so hard to achieve. So, he sat there, content in the comfort he was providing to Charlie and the comfort Charlie was providing to him.

With a lack of anything to do and not wanting to fall asleep in case he heard a hint of a rescue, Steve watched the light from the flashlight. He could see the moment it dimmed, ever so slightly, but it had definitely dimmed. He held his breath a minute to see if he felt a reaction from the tired body beside him. Nothing. Maybe he didn't notice. He bent his head down and to the side as best he could to see Charlie's face without disturbing him and, in that fading light, saw the exhausted tyke had fallen asleep.

He smiled and stretched his free arm forward to reach the light. His fingertips barely touched it but he was able to roll it in his direction until he could get a better grip on it. When he did, he slid the switch on the side. Everything went dark and he was left with his thoughts.

Danny was going to kill him…


~to be continued~

BronsonL\,,,/