I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.
Notes: Bunny Thrasher. You know who you are!
Chapter Twenty-Three
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Sleepily, Mark lay on his side and tried to keep his eyes open as he listened to the weirdly melodic humming. Through his lashes, he could just make out Kia's shape in the side chair with her knees drawn up. She was smiling peacefully as she listened to the same soft tune. His father had been gone for some time. Mark knew he was speaking to the Five-0 officers about something related to his mother or even him, and he was worried.
That very concern had begun to trickle more into a real fear which Mrs. Montrose had unexpectedly seen. She had encouraged him to lay down and he'd reluctantly agreed. It was she who was now humming or almost singing a soft song while rubbing slow circles over his left shoulder and upper back. Mark fought the urge to doze which was sneaking more and more steadily up on him. He wasn't entirely confident in what was happening; not understanding why Kia's mother would even want to be nice to him. So he argued with his tired eyes and watched Kia for her reaction, not actually responding when she grinned shyly at him. She seemed to know he was tired and her patient smile deepened as her gaze flickered to watch her mother. Evidently, this was normal for Mrs. Montrose, so Mark tried to relax around a strangely shuddered inhale.
"You're okay, Angel," Gina stopped singing long enough to whisper when she felt his disquiet. The tune resumed for a few seconds until the bed dipped as she got up and he blearily peered up at her kind face. "Your father's back so we're going to go. You just think about what those nice detectives said, Mark. You have a lot to look forward to."
He felt her leave but her perfume lingered and Mark sighed to himself. His father came into view just as Kia was whispering her goodbye and just like that, their visit ended.
"Okay, son?" Roger whispered, equal parts worried and thankful by what he'd witnessed. Concerned by the unexpected doting, he fretted that it was much too soon for Mark to cope with; overly leery of the outward affection though it seemed honest enough. He was only mollified by the content, sleepy expression on Mark's face which provided answer to this primary concern. Swallowing hard to quench a rise in his own emotions, Roger decided to accept Gina's natural tenderness as a simple act of genuine kindness.
"She's nice," Mark's yawn was large and he blinked to vainly clear his vision but his eyes only insisted upon sliding shut. He wound up whispering so softly that his father barely heard him. "She's kind of ... strange ... but she's nice."
There was one cookie left in the small cellphone bag on the raised tray table and the purple beanbag dolphin was at first, nowhere to be found. Roger searched for it with his eyes, eventually spying it stuck between the mattress and the side rail. He retrieved the now battered and overused toy, positioning it by Mark's hand but his son's eyes were closed as his breathing eased into sleep.
"Strange?" The softly snorted reply held a hint of amusement as Roger smiled, his baffled eyes continually relaying his agreement. "Yes, that she is."
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Danny stood at the very edge of the last bit of damp sand just stopping shy of the ripples as they rolled gently up onto the beach. He had his arms draped comfortably over Grace's shoulders. Both were barefoot, but she had chosen to stand in the shallows while they watched the last of the sunset.
"I'm proud of you, Monkey," Danny said, smiling when she leaned backwards into him only to recover with a distressed sound. His first silent response was to pull her right back into the reverse hug, knowing that she thought she'd accidentally hurt him.
"Nope, you're fine." He voice his second reply to reassure her. However, he was proudly mulling on how perfect Grace was and trying to find even more words. In the end, Danny decided talking was over-rated as his daughter settled against him, happily squeezing her fingers when her hands came up to meet his in contentment.
They were stuck there; mired happily in place. Neither was willing to move from the tranquil spot after their lengthy private talk where Grace purged all of her worries. She began with the accident, sharing her anger over Sammi and Mark; then almost cried over her continued regret for being prevented by Sergeant Lukela to help. There was a near-frightened confusion about the elder Paquins, too. She had chosen to end her tale on the beanbag dolphin which Danny had known nothing about. Danny's ire about Mark's parents simmered and stewed in his daughter's defense but he remained sternly quiet, focusing on the value of her spontaneous small gift. Her intent to help Mark was innocently sweet and what she had done only raised her up higher in his eyes.
"We should go back," Danny finally whispered because the sun was disappearing with a vengeance. Chin and Kono had finally arrived, too. Delayed by their hospital visit to see Roger, they arrived closer to a late dinner hour. Their entrance preceded Grace waking from a rather long nap and seemed to prompt the advent of a beautiful sunset. The threat of rain had even moved well off leaving nothing but ribbons of red, mauve and pink streaking the horizon from left to right. That was when Grace and Danny's urgent need for private time had taken precedence.
"I think I feel them all watching us," Grace laughed without turning around. "It's probably time to eat anyway, Danno."
"I bet you're right on both counts," he replied, now reluctantly disengaging himself from their comfortable spot to begin their stroll back to the lanai. He snorted softly when he saw the three darkly outlined silhouettes all facing their way. Light from inside Steve's house spilled outside and they could smell the ample amount of cooked food on the breeze.
"Not very subtle are they?" Danny chuckled at their diligent keepers, smiling even more when he saw Kono blatantly tap her watch. "I hope you're hungry, Monkey. I think Uncle Steve barbecued an entire cow this time."
Grace laughed at the light joke, beaming as she tugged him slowly back hand in hand. "It smells like it!"
"Everything alright?" Steve mouthed with a serious tilt of his chin towards Grace. He smiled at Danny's answering nod which included a fond kiss on top of Grace's head before she could escape for two plates. Her imperious look at his partner's pleased face to the empty chair she sternly pointed to, settled any remaining concerns Steve might have had.
"You heard the girl, Danno," Steve snarked as Grace began to mount a quest to feed her father. "Sit. Stay."
The four caught up over dinner about the cousins' findings and Roger Paquin's emotional response, intentionally editing certain portions for Grace's ears. It was just enough detail though for both Danny and Steve to be completely disgusted by what Beth Paquin would seemingly get away with. But the importance of the findings which Chin and Kono shared with them that night wasn't lost on Danny as he eased gently back in his chair.
He frowned to himself pensively as he digested the adultery, the lies and years' worth of deceit. Knowing even more about Mark and his twin brother, Allen, twisted his chest both emotionally and physically. He felt as cheated as the boy he tried to soothe in the hospital stairwell. Cheated and let down time and again. Danny listened closely as Kono carefully alluded to the letter which Beth left for Roger to find; however, what it indicated brought Danny back to one key point: there would be no lawsuit.
"Danno, are you okay?" Grace saw his frown. She was uncertain now as the team fell into a quiet frame of mind. They had shared the information with such subtle ease, Grace was entirely lost in the conversation. Something which Danny greatly appreciated as he smiled soothingly in her direction, nodding that there actually were no issues. Chin's particular skill in providing just enough for astutely trained ears was astonishing in its weavings.
"We're good, Monkey," Danny re-affirmed with a grateful look aimed at each cousin. Though the two had done the bulk of the investigative work, he caught Steve's eyes to convey a deeper thanks; one particularly related to his partner's earlier vow when it seemed as if things would indeed spiral out-of-control.
"I promise you aren't going to have to worry about this."
The wry grin grew exponentially as the message was duly received and acknowledged. Danny chuckled softly at Steve's now very obvious 'I told you so' shrug. It was followed by a privately communicated toast as Steve tipped his near empty beer bottle in his direction. The smile beaming as large as Danny's at their success despite its traumatically sad origins. Kono's next question though had Danny thinking once more; deep thoughts that brought back a sense of disturbing feelings.
"Mark said you promised him a tour of the forensics lab," Kono prompted. "I guess when you were alone with him before the accident happened." They all knew that Danny had some holes remaining in his memory and his quizzical expression proved this was one. "He said that you told him he could see the lab and maybe learn about the weapon's history if we were lucky enough to find that out. He's very excited about it, Danny."
"Maybe. I might of," Danny scowled as certain dark memories flit uselessly just beyond reach. His own nasty demons always brought him up short and just after Grace's voice echoed in his mind's eye.
"Danno, they found a gun."
Even now, that one thing jolted him. The ghost-like words made him glance nervously in his daughter's direction. He had to forgive himself the remembered taste of raw fear because the accident had scarcely occurred four days earlier. Danny struggled to school his features, knowing that his face had darkened and that he'd became moody within the space of a heartbeat. He was relieved that Grace was looking elsewhere to miss his expression entirely. But after that mental picture, he shook his head because he barely remembered the two boys. He certainly didn't recall the conversation he'd had with Mark.
"So?" Steve breathed out the one word so quietly it was almost covered up by the sound of the surf. The tone begged to clarify that Danny was alright because he'd noticed what Grace had missed.
"Of course, I'll take Mark," Danny shrugged off the memory and forced his mood to lift. However, his lingering distracted attitude admitted he didn't quite remember the promise. "I probably did bring it up to him ... it sounds fair and if he's so excited, then he deserves to go."
"Well, at least someone else visited Mark, too," Chin gently changed the topic of conversation to divert down a different path. "Gina something or other, and her daughter. She stayed with Mark while we spoke to his father. She seemed nice enough."
"Oh no, she's a piranha," Danny declared, happy to move on to something else. He didn't say his words too unkindly though as he eyed the partly opened box of chocolate chip cookies. "A piranha who can bake ... and I bet, even that's a trap." His voice trailed off as he frowned after moving the white bakery paper to find one cookie at the very bottom surrounded only by crumbs and smudged bits of chocolate.
"Where did my cookies go?" Danny glared at Steve's not so innocent face as he crab-walked his fingers towards the rim of the box, missing the edge by a millimeter when Steve quickly scooped it off the table. "Hey!" he asked almost too softly. "You ate the entire box and I've only been out of the hospital for a few hours?"
"I thought we shared everything." Steve retorted, eyes laughing as he teasingly lifted the last double chocolate chip cookie skywards as if it were a trophy. "Besides, you just said you were full and couldn't possibly eat another bite. Verbatim actually."
"Dessert is not food. It doesn't count!" Danny argued much to Grace's growing delight. "And did you just say share? Since when? You take ... you take keys, cars, and now my cookies which are a case in point, my friend! But share? No. That particular word is most definitely not in your lexicon."
"My what?" Steve laughed as Grace's eyes flew from her father's face to the sweet token under discussion.
"Lexicon. Dictionary, vocabulary. The very short list of your everyday words," Danny ground out as he watched Steve break the cookie in half. Bits and crumbs fell to the table including a particular larger chunk which held an enticing chocolate morsel. Ever so carefully, it was Kono who casually swiped that broken portion to pop it into her mouth. Eyes dancing merrily, she grinned at Danny as he momentarily forgot his train of thought.
"Of which ... and in your case ... said list does not include a word like share!" Danny slowly continued, his eyes widening as Steve elegantly presented Grace with the first half.
"See, Danno. I can share," Steve stressed slyly, daring him to say something about Grace. The silence was deafening before he finally gave in and handed his partner the remaining half. "This proves we need an in with the piranha." Steve laughed as Danny mumbled something under his breath. Something no one could quite hear since his mouth was busily chewing.
"Well," Chin laughed as he got to his feet tapping his watch. "While you two devious minds try to take each other on, I'm bidding you all farewell for the night."
"Sounds like a plan," Danny agreed. Slowly he rose to his feet beckoning Grace to his side. "Anyway ... I'm with Chin since I think it's getting late and someone has school tomorrow." One hand went out stunningly in the dusky space between where Danny was sitting and where Steve was standing. "Dame mis llaves."
"What? No." It was the only remarkable reply Steve could think of as Danny demanded his car keys in Spanish as if the request was the most normal thing in the world. As if he'd be permitted to drive only mere hours after being released from the hospital. So Steve's eyes narrowed though his follow-up was equally less insightful as he stared in utter astonishment when Danny got to his feet. He leaned backwards as Danny leaned across the table, fingers outstretched.
"Come on. Where's my keys?" Danny pushed harder. "Are they in the house?" Somewhere between the chaos of the long weekend, Steve and Duke had arranged for Danny's car to be moved from the beach front parking area. For whatever reason, the Camaro had wound up miraculously in Steve's driveway instead of even the Five-0 office lot. It was a sort of divine pre-ordained providence and perfectly available for Danny to now take home.
"No." Steve shoved his hands deeply into his pockets as if removing them from view would help in drilling the obvious answer completely home. "Absolutely. Positively. Not. Are you crazy?"
"That wasn't the plan, brah," Kono smoothly replied while deflecting Steve's next incredulous remark which was sure to have been much louder. Her bland non-reaction while rocking her chin in the palm of her hand where she leaned so casually on the table settled Steve as she easily joined his camp.
"The plan was that you'd both stay here tonight so I could take Grace to school in the morning. Girl talk ... remember?" Nearly sing-songing each word, Kono quirked an amused eyebrow as Danny looked at each of his friends.
"I feel fine ...," not getting far as Chin heaved a dramatic sigh to interrupt him, Danny's voice trailed off. "... really. Good, in fact."
"I vote no on the keys," Chin helpfully supplied, much to Danny's chagrin. "Besides, as you just stated, you only got out of the hospital a few hours ago. You're on meds and need help for a day or two."
"Aunt Kono said she'd take me to school, Danno," There was a bit of a plea in her tone as Grace also weighed in on the conversation. She glanced worriedly towards his side where the bandage was hidden by his shirt making her other concern well known. "My stuff is already here, too."
"That's right. It is," Steve added with a certain smugness. He had retrieved her belongings from his partner's house just before the kayaking escapade and he had planned ahead quite well. With arms now folded tightly across his chest, his expression communicated that he was not up for a discussion on the topic. With three reinforcements fully vested on his side of the dictatorship, Danny didn't stand a chance.
"I didn't realize I was under house arrest," Danny muttered on his way back down to his chair. The only answer he received was the one-sided and much too self-satisfied smirk from Steve.
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"I was just thinking..." It was well after midnight and Danny's voice was raspy. He and Steve had migrated into the house, convening in the living room. The cousins had left hours earlier and Grace was long ago asleep on the floor in the spare bedroom after an exciting array of Steve's SEAL gear was rummaged through to make up a bivouac of sorts. The thick pad which the sleeping bag was arranged on, along with a pillow, made for a comfy corner and she was asleep before her head could be buried in the material. But even since the house had quieted, Danny had been unable to truly rest despite his growing fatigue.
"Again? You're beyond over-tired and starting to hurt," Steve warned for the tenth time. "On top of those two things, you and the thought process are not good friends at the best of times. You're starting to dwell on things you can't change."
The amused snorted sound indicated Danny's opinion of that special gem of understanding as he picked up blithely where he'd left off. He was dwelling and couldn't stop. He continued even as Steve frowned because his words were sadly serious. "Mark gave up on them. On his parents. I was just thinking and comparing him to me ... to Grace."
"Why would you do that? They're literally as different as night and day from you! Grace shouldn't even be mentioned in the same sentence," Steve objected almost crossly to the comment. "The Paquins are not you ... Beth Paquin is not like anyone I've ever known ... and thank god for that."
"How many books did his mother read to him before bed? How many times did he ask her to play with him and she didn't have enough time?" In response to Steve's disapproving look, Danny stopped there though he had many more mental imaginings running through his tired brain. He knew no one asked how Mark's day at school might have been; who his friends were or if he had fun. Or worse, if he was even bullied. What he felt in the boy while in the hospital stairwell was a sense of total desperation. Loss. Devastation. The worst possible things all coiled inside a twelve year old child.
"The one answer to every single question you have right now is going to be never, Danno. You know that. In fact by saying those things, you just proved the very fallacy of your attempted comparison." The timbre of Steve's voice matched Danny's, however his emotions bordered more heavily towards anger. "You're not being fair to Roger Paquin, either. The man was totally blindsided by what Kono found out. Completely in the dark for years and he's more than stepping up to take over; so end it there. We... you... should go to bed."
"Sure if the poor kid doesn't now blame himself for his mother walking out." Danny honed in once more on Mark's parents. He tensed as he raised his voice and flinched as the slouched position conflicted with a too deeply made inhale. He sank limply down into the cushions for a few seconds before continuing. Suddenly subdued, one hand flopped idly in the air. "I can't believe that woman made that boy lie for her … Steve, he was scared to death in the hospital."
"I know. But you have to admit that his situation is better than it was," Steve insisted. "Mark has a much better chance for happiness. You're going to help with something as simple as touring the lab which will prove to him that there are good people in the world. People who like him enough to give him a chance. People who keep their promises."
Inhaling a bit more prudently to say something else, Danny reconsidered and wound up merely nodded. His eyes closed against their dull aching burn at the same time he lay his head back into the sofa. "Later," he groaned unhappily when Steve's shadow lurked over him and something rattled annoyingly in the quiet of the room. Plastic on plastic was an irksome noise.
"You can go to bed or have another round on Webber's toy." Without looking, Danny knew Steve was holding the spirometer in his hands. Probably gleefully at that.
"First house arrest and now threats." Partly opening only one eye, Danny failed at leveling his best glare at Steve's imposing shape. "What is this? Heal thyself the Gitmo way?"
"Gitmo? Okay, now I'm impressed. That was actually a good one." Steve laughed even as the unexpected yawn swallowed any respectable potential for sounding convincing. But when nothing happened except for that one eye to close, he rattled the plastic breathing device warningly. "Pick, or I pick for you."
Eyes tightly shut, Danny blindly held his left hand out as a silent plea for help. The long day had taken a toll on him, as had the persistent penchant for thinking once he was able to marry up Mark's emotional tribulations to Kono's more factual findings.
"Meds are on the side table in the spare if you need them." Steve waited patiently, one hand on an elbow as Danny rocked forward. "Sleep yourself out, pal. Kono's got Grace covered for school tomorrow; she'll be back in the morning with breakfast in hand."
"Malasadas?" Danny cocked his head, peeling an interested eye open as he found his feet, swaying a bit in response to a hesitation in straightening his back until muscles acclimated from a lazy sofa-ridden slouch. He grinned at Steve's nod of confirmation.
"Gitmo with benefits; you may be forgiven." Danny smirked, waving more help off as he aimed himself for the spare bedroom.
"Just go to bed already," Steve chuckled softly, ambling behind at a respectable but cautious distance as his friend weaved awkwardly down the short hallway. Obstinate to his very core, Danny was virtually asleep on his feet as he maneuvered himself to sit on the bed. He looked up after checking on Grace from where he sat, smiling in contentment when he saw how peacefully she slept. Eyes meeting Steve's, Danny blinked through a blurry haze just in time to catch the warning. The silent message was delivered loud and clear as Steve meaningfully pursed his lips and raised one finger in the air before rudely tapping his temple a second time.
"Right, no more thinking," Danny groused inaudibly, easing himself under the covers with a pained sigh. He blinked again forcing his eyes to focus on Grace who was wrapped in dark forest green camo-like bedding ... and grinned. His last thought was of Guantanamo Bay and he sniffed back a strangely bubbled giggle before he obediently forgot everything else.
~ to be continued ~