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They were sitting on the beach...arguing? No, that wasn't right, the emotions were even more strong and clear than the hazy vision lingering behind his eyes, more than the salty spray of ocean and beer on his tongue. He felt, content, happy even, Danny by his side, the two, well exchanging words rapidly to each other was causing him to have the best dream of his life even as he came back to consciousness slowly, more disoriented than anything not to feel sand under his feet and a sunset in his face.
"Finally!" The same voice from his dreams popped into reality, as the Detective leaned quickly over his face, his mouth comically formed into a perfect O of concern. "I expected you to pass out from blood loss ages ago, but I can't say I was relived when it finally happened! Do you know how lucky you are I've been forced to learn some survival techniques from you, especially some field medic shit!"
His hand automatically flashed to the wound across his temple, and was amazed to not feel blood leaking between his fingers, or mud covering it for that matter. What he did feel was far more disorienting though. "Is, is this a sock? Your sock?" It certainly wasn't his, he even curled his own toes to affirm it.
"No, you neanderthal! It's that damned cloth you stuck in my mouth. I considered it slightly more hygienic than mud, you're welcome, now stop messing with it," he reached up and took Steve's hand, squeezing it for a moment before slapping it away. "I'm no Rambo like you, I don't know if I tied that tight enough with those stupid vines."
Steve swore his heart skipped a beat. There was something so breathtakingly familiar about all of this! The more he was around this man, he swore that dream had been more, so much more...
"Now that you're actually awake, let's see if we can get some work done, huh? How do you feel about getting out of this godforsaken jungle?"
"Rainforest," Steve instantly corrected. The relived smile that flashed across the mans face definitely made something inside him quiver.
"Whatever," was his only mumbled comeback, and something about that felt off to him. Somehow, he just knew this man never could give just a one worded answer unless something was wrong, that dream still lingering heavily in his minds eye. "Let's focus on the part we both agreed on. Now, I had a map of the area, but you took that along with my gun and decided to leave that behind like the neanderthal you are, but, I know you! You memorized that piece of paper, so how's about you lead the way to a safe post where we won't get shot at? Oh who am I kidding, you're incapable of that last part!"
Steve licked his lips with nerves, but whatever reserves he would have had about trusting this man had already vanished. The faith and trust he was showing now by asking Steve to continue leading the way only reinforced that. "Yes, alright, I memorized the map. There's a rangers station about seven clicks from here."
The Detective, Danny, didn't bother to hide a smug expression as he waved his hand around in an impatient gesture. "Well then, lead the way Ranger."
"Navy," Steve corrected in an instant, the sense of deja vu growing by the second. "There are no Rangers in the Navy."
"Ah, well then, now that that's settled," his smirk was definitely pompous. Steve wondered, if he did know this man before, how he hadn't killed him already for that look alone.
Despite his shorter stature, Steve felt his weight supported far better than he would have thought as they began the trek to his details. It was long, hot, and eventful.
"You talk in your sleep?" He hadn't meant to phrase it as a question, but at the last second it slipped out that way, still not entirely sure of this feeling he'd associated with the Detective since he'd first laid eyes on him.
"How the hell would I know that, I'm not awake when I sleep," he groused back, and despite the deep red of his face from their surroundings and his still injured leg, Steve couldn't help but wonder if there was a secondary source. "What kind of question is that anyways, huh? Thinking about knocking me out and then trying to interrogate me? I can't guarantee the results pal."
Through his long winded answer, Steve swore he was smiling. The two were now leaning on each other to keep going whether Steve would admit it or not. The wooziness from going about for nearly three days with a head wound and this mans leg meant they weren't exactly burning a trail behind them, but they were making progress, and he couldn't help but notice this chattering was helping.
They paused briefly at a tree so that he could try and get some of the water leaking from the top. This dense into the forest it was hard to tell if it was raining above or this was just left over leakage from the last downpour, but either way it was fresh on his fevered face. Always with the mouth, his partner in this made several retorts before finally allowing a few trickles of water into his mouth as well before the two were off again, and he just kept going.
"So, any other burning questions you feel the need to get off your chest? I've just realized if you don't remember me than I could maybe get away with some pretty screwed up shit and you'd probably believe me, at least for a short while, as I still have full confidence it'll all come back to you sooner rather than-"
"We're being followed." He stopped so abruptly he pulled the man up short, nearly sending them both to the ground.
The hand still holding the knife went very still, I watched him grip it uncomfortably and was once again reminded how out of his element he seemed out here. I clutched my rifle tighter to me for a moment, still with one load of ammo left now down two, and took a careful breath before making the decision. "Switch me weapons. If you're going to watch my back, you should probably have the weapon that doesn't involve as much movement."
"Hardy har," he grumbled, but seemed more than willing with the exchange. "You know, it might not be Hollard," he tried to remind, even as he checked the ammunition and frowned to himself at the supply. "We've got other people out here looking for us, friends, you know? Kono and Chin? Though I suppose, if you do remember them and not me, I probably will shoot you in the head myself in outrage- okay, poor joke, I admit!" He finished with an eye roll at the look he perceived on my face. There was definitely an unmistakable smile this time though as he finished quieter, "ah aneurysm face, there was some time there where I was worried I wouldn't see that again."
Steve, actually felt himself hesitate for a second. Doubt of his intent to circle off on his own and target the threat before circling back to the Detective like he'd been planning. What if it was an innocent person, he may not even know the difference anymore. He touched his head, and saw it was still coming away with blood. "I'm not taking any chances right now," he announced in a tone that showed no sign of compromise. "We need to get out of here, and lose whoever this is."
Not really to his surprise but still to his bewilderment, the guy still argued. "I disagree! I want out of here as badly as you do, and I'm not willing to lose a friendly park ranger in the process!"
He went to duck out from under his arm, gun raised in preparation for the worst even as he headed into the direction of the unknown. Panic, raw undulated fear for him flared more powerful than anything he'd felt sense waking up out here. "What are you doing? This isn't like you, since when do you look for the good outcome? You're supposed to be the pessimist here," he snarled, grabbing his shoulder and whirling him on the spot so they were facing, somehow even closer than when they'd been leaning on each other.
Hope flared across his face, but after studying me for a moment he seemed to decide that it was just my assessment of him more than anything, which was entirely true.
"I'm not the one with a brain injury," he retorted, gesturing needlessly to his own head. "You could be bleeding on the inside worse than the outside for all I know! If whoever's following us could be our friends, than I'm taking that chance."
"Well I'm not," his hand tightened on his shoulder rather than letting him turn away again.
The two were squared off, as courteous to the other as opposing sides could be. Honestly it was probably one of the most polite fights they'd ever had, Danny reflected, as he was still half terrified of Steve taking off again and his partner in turn still seemed to have some wavering trust over this situation.
Danny had to fight off the impulse to twist out from under his grasp, call out to who he desperately hoped was an ally, but he had to make sure Steve was still there when he turned back around. So instead he swung the rifle around so it was hanging on his back as he clasped both hands together. "Steve, please, listen to me. I'm going to help you, okay? You might have forced me into doing it all those years ago, but I'm here now, voluntarily through all the shit you've ever put me through. We'll play this safe, scope out who's after us, but we need to know for sure before you go off and do something stupid, right?"
There was really no excuse for what he did next. It was pure impulse, something his body did on pure instinct at the idea of the two of them heading into danger together. He leaned down and kissed him. Danny responded instantly, his hand going up to Steve's neck and holding him there for several long moments, Steve never wanted it to end.
Every other part of him was hyper aware though, and the feeling of being watched had never left. He pulled away just as fast, much to the confusion of the other. "Would you make up your mind if you remember what the hell your life is or not?"
Steve watched those blue eyes like he had from the beginning, but whatever answer he was trying to draw from them now would have to wait. He saw movement out of the corner of his eye, and instantly barked, "watch out!"
He didn't quite manage to shove Danny out of the way in time for the impact, which managed to hit him on his shoulder and Danny on his injured leg, the log keeping its course and keeping Danny pinned.
"Danny? Danny! Danny!" It didn't matter he'd crashed to the floor, he was already trying to get back up, shouting with renewed energy as a million memories collided in his head, and still only one thing was clear. Danny was in trouble.
So was he.
Hollard had followed swiftly after he'd thrown the log, the man was built like one too. He held a long, thin staff in his hand with practiced ease and swung it right for his face, and only a sense of deja vu saved Steve from going down as he ducked with purpose, bringing the knife up to block the rest of the strike.
He only got brief flashes of his surroundings, everything coming in with snips and blurs of movement. Hollards brutal features as he fought tooth and nail to take them both down, Danny struggling to get himself back up, the knife blocking yet another strike.
BLAM!
Shotgun, Steve's mind helpfully supplied, what, for some reason, felt like a familiar sound. The massive chunk missing from Hollard was certainly just as good an indication. Steve spun, knife still at the ready to find two dark skinned people coming forward, both saying something. He didn't care enough to make out their words, rushing back to Danny's side to find that he hadn't managed to get back to his feet despite throwing the wood away, because the log had caused his knee to bend in a strange way.
ACL injury, his brain told him, and he didn't care how or why he knew that.
"Steve, are you alright brah? Is Danny? What-" Words, too close. A hand on his shoulder, and he reacted still on pure adrenaline. The man cried out in pain as he kept him in a hold, his knees pressed to the Earth and his arm pinned behind him.
"Steve! What are you doing?!" The woman demanded, a rifle in her own hands but clearly unsure of where to point it. That hesitation spoke volumes. Her features, the man he was pinning down...the ringing in his ears wasn't fading, he had to flip desperately through his head to scrounge up something. "Kono? Chin?"
"Am I missing something?" Chin demanded through gritted teeth. "What's going on Steve?"
He glanced at Danny, who was clearly still groggy but finally coming back to his own awareness. It wasn't like a switch had been flipped and suddenly he remembered every single thing, but seeing his partner go down again had triggered something permanently. He was now far more aware of feelings, that he could trust Danny because he knew him. Same with his friends, the rest of his Ohana.
"Sorry," he gasped, finally releasing Chin. "I, I don't know, my head-" he ground his teeth in frustration before doing another about and crouching over Danny. "You got to help me get him out of here."
"Yeah, of course we will boss," Kono came forward without further hesitation, crouching down beside both of them with clear concern. "Sounds like a heck of a story."
Chin, rotating his shoulder, came back over just as willingly, checking on Danny as Kono peered forward to look over Steve. "Come on, let's get you guys home."
This probably needs a better ending, but I'm not really sure what else to say. I've never liked those hospital scenes, and I said all I wanted to say with the fic itself. My original plan was for this to only be like, three chapters, so I hope you enjoyed the extra that came of this.