I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.
Notes: Oh. Look ... an actual final chapter! thank you ALL - for such wonderful comments along the way. CinderH, TheDogo and KomodoQueen - never ending thanks for all of the help you gave me throughout the entire story.
Chapter Twenty-Four
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"Mark likes math," Roger offered in response to the forensic scientist. "And all the sciences ... especially chemistry, though." When his son suddenly became more shy than usual, Roger Paquin found himself taking over the bulk of the conversation with Doctor Charles 'Charlie' Fong. The Asian scientist was young and very amiable, yet Mark had lost his ability to speak.
"Those are critical subjects not only to like, but also to be very good in," Charlie concurred. The general tour had begun well and Mark had participated fully until they journeyed specifically to the ballistics section. When Charlie pulled out the 9mm gun, tagged and sealed in a plastic bag, the boy had reverted to be as silent as a mouse. Attempting to re-engage him, Charlie hunkered down with a friendly smile. "To work in a forensic science lab, you need to go to college and get a degree in science. But you don't stop there, Mark. After college, you need to get what's called a Master's degree in forensic or natural science. This means you have to take biology, chemistry, physics, math, and advanced science courses. Do you think you can do all of that?"
Mark wanted to answer yes to each of those things. He tried inside his brain where an inner voice was hollering in excitement. His eyes however were focused on the 9mm weapon and the sight of it dampened that inner voice until it squashed it entirely. Placed next to the gun, Charlie had taken out two other smaller bags which were also tagged for identification. None of these items had been explained in detail yet, nevertheless Mark knew one of the bullets had been his. He was calling it his bullet because it was his fault Grace's father had been shot.
"I want to go home," Mark whispered out of the blue. He even surprised himself, yet as soon as the five words were uttered he knew the truth of it. He desperately wanted to leave and find a quiet, safer place to be alone.
"What's wrong?" Stepping forward, Danny glanced to Roger before bending down next to Mark. "Why do you want to leave all of a sudden?"
Danny had been the perfect host, explaining and coaching but allowing the subject matter expert to run the show. Charlie had been great, too. His light banter and ability to keep complicated things more simple had been a critical part of the visit. Mark was excited and on the edge of his seat as he listened and learned about the various departments. Now though, he had completely changed upon setting eyes upon the weapon.
"Just do," he whispered again, swallowing hard as his face flushed a hot red into his ears. He felt his father come up from behind and still couldn't move even when he sensed his father's concern. In fact, he barely had managed to answer Danny and yet, Mark couldn't take his eyes off the gun. It was bigger than he remembered. Blacker than black, solid and very heavy-looking. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know more or find out what the lab report would reveal about its past.
"Roger, do you mind if I talk to Mark privately?" Danny asked as he comfortably placed his hands on the boy's shoulders which were tight with tension. "It may ... uh ... take a few minutes, alright?"
"Of course," confused and worried, Roger reluctantly agreed. "Sure. That's fine. I'll wait here." He and Mark were still feeling each other out; trying to find their new balance together and mutual comfort zone. Torn by wanting to help, Roger grimaced uncomfortably before sighing in understanding and offering a reassuring smile to his son as the detective steered him out of the ballistics lab.
Once clear of the department, Danny guided Mark down the hall to an employee break-room. "You feel okay?" Danny asked, taking a seat at one of the small round tables. "Do you want to talk about it, Mark?"
The answering shrug was far from convincing about either of his questions; the general air of stress was only compounded by Mark's refusal to look up from where he stared at the tiled floor. "It's not what you remembered, is it?" Danny gently asked. He thought he had understood the problem and now, based on Mark's increase in anxiety, Danny knew he was correct.
"Seeing it in person brings back some bad memories and makes it ... real ... all over again, doesn't it?" Waiting patiently, Danny watched for Mark's reaction. He wasn't at all surprised to see the tears building behind the boy's eyes.
The lead ball that was lodged in the pit of Mark's stomach lurched painfully to swell into his throat right before he burst into tears. He wanted to say he was sorry but he couldn't stop sobbing over and over as days' worth of residual anxiety broke through the surface. Then it was Grace's father who was apologizing as he stood there choking, gasping and crying when tears flooded his face. Unintelligibly, Mark hiccupped and coughed as he refused the kindness and understanding words.
"You've got a truckload of stuff piled on you, don't you, buddy? No one is mad at you ... it was an accident." Danny was upset too, nearly unable to keep his response to the boy's heartfelt crying under wraps. The choked sobs lasted longer than even Danny had thought possible and he wound up pulling him into his lap by the table. "Take big, deep breaths, Mark. Try to calm down. Alright?"
Exhausted, Mark tried to nod or say something because he was trying. Eventually he managed an agreeable murmur, pushing himself away from Danny and wobbling unsteadily on his own two feet. Sniffing and rubbing the wetness from his face, Mark attempted to smile and failed, embarrassed by his unexpected emotional display.
"I'm sorry," Mark whispered, finally looking into Danny's face. But his apology meant much more than for that moment and a fresh spate of hot tears welled in his eyes. "I didn't mean for it to happen."
He didn't know what to expect, but he certainly didn't think he'd see a smile which lit the older man's features to his very eyes. Tentatively, Mark felt himself beginning to smile in return even though his head hurt and his throat was scratchy and tight. He didn't know what to say anymore but he was confused by the enormity of Danny's smile.
There was no way for Danny to voice what he was thinking. Mark's apology simply brought Steve to mind and he couldn't prevent himself from a soft chuckle. "Apology accepted," Danny grinned at his private joke while ruffling Mark's hair with one hand. "It's time we got back to your dad. He's really worried about you. But you need to tell him if you still want to go home, or if you want to finish the tour. I can tell you though that what Charlie found out is really exciting."
Danny's tone was light and held no reproach. He only waited for Mark to decide if he truly could manage learning more about the weapon and where it had originated from. Five-0 knew the results of the forensics lab's ballistics tests the same week which Danny had been released from the hospital. In fact, testing and analysis had only been delayed due to work backlog and the staffing flux during the long holiday weekend. Once the lab focused on their next case, the weapon was traced back to a shooting at a liquor store committed four months earlier. The gun had been used to rob the store's owner just as he closed for the night. The owner had been shot in the shoulder during the brief altercation and the robber had gotten away with an entire day's worth of sales.
The bullet from the first victim matched the one also removed from Danny. So while they had their original victim and now the weapon used, the criminal was still at large. They had their crime and for Mark's sake, Danny was desperate for the perpetrator.
"I think I can stay," Mark murmured as he gained some more confidence. He was still wiping his face and trying to get himself under control but most of the big knot was loosened in his chest. He nodded when Danny pointed to the small sink and he dutifully washed his hands and face in cold water, drying them in a paper towel. When he turned around, his father was standing in the doorway. Completely uncertain on what to do or say, Roger glanced from Danny to his son.
"I ... uh ... got worried and couldn't wait. Is everything okay? Can I do anything?" Roger apologized lamely. "Are we staying, Mark? Whatever you want to do is fine."
Leaning back in the chair, Danny smiled at Roger to communicate his arrival as being perfectly timed; as were his appropriately phrased questions. His smile broadened as Roger let out a relieved breath of air that he'd been undoubtedly holding for quite a long time.
"Stay," Mark offered quietly. He wiped his eyes one more time with the side of his arm before grinning tiredly at his father. His nose was swollen and stuffy to match the thickness in his head from stress, nonetheless he felt a growing conviction as he voiced his decision more loudly. "Yeah, I want to stay. I want to hear what Charlie found out."
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"This was a great idea," Steve said, almost gleefully rubbing his hands together as Grace's entire home room class convened in the Five-0 war room. Twenty-six twelve-year olds ranged around the Smart Table, with a few parents included to co-mingle with each Five-0 team member. Three weeks had elapsed since Mark, Danny and Roger had visited the forensics lab. During that time, acquaintances had become friends and another favor had been requested. This time, Mark had asked if his class could visit both HPD and the Five-0 Headquarters to learn more about real police work. Unable to say no to the boy and having no reason to deny him, Danny had readily agreed and then had coordinated the outing with Duke.
"Only because Gina is here," Danny smirked, but he was privy to something which his partner was not. An interesting union of like-minded people who simply needed to be ... needed. It was true though that Steve's reasons were selfish because Gina's participation with her daughter included the largest tin of home-baked cookies he'd ever seen. Two tins actually. One had been presented sweetly by Kia to Sergeant Lukela for the HPD contingent. The second had gone directly into Steve's hands followed by the most skillful diversion Danny had ever witnessed. Worthy of a SEAL team strategic operation, Steve had graciously accepted the Five-0 gift given by Gina, herself, only to duck and weave away with an obscure excuse before the woman had a chance to raise a single finger.
"I need to warn you," Danny whispered. "They aren't all for you." He was just getting back to full-time field work after time off and desk duty. Feeling healthier each day, he also considered the concept more than a brilliant idea for his own purely selfish reasons. The school event given had him an additional free day with Grace and neither could be happier. Grinning, he waved to Grace who was standing near her Uncle Chin while he demonstrated the finer points of the Smart table itself.
"I thought I already demonstrated my capacity for sharing, Danno?" Steve bumped into his friend on purpose softly chuckling as Gina returned the wave meant for Grace. Where Gina happily gushed during her misinterpreted automatic response, Danny was hiding his hands behind his back. "Careful there, you're going to start something."
"Shut up. You don't actually know what you're talking about," Danny whispered even though Gina's eyes lit up when they landed on Steve's face. At the woman's side, little Kia shyly gazed at his partner, too, with an innocent expression that combined mixed feelings of awe and adoration.
"What does that mean?" Biting his lip to keep from laughing, Steve dared to wave back to the divorcee. She beamed, blushed and then unconsciously stroked Kia's hair. "She likes me."
"Gina likes everyone," Danny said with a sly tone while watching the group. He smiled to himself when he noted precisely where Roger had stationed himself. Near Gina but not obtrusively so. Close enough and yet in reality, a hairs-breadth from his son. His smile quirked into a larger grin when he noticed Mark shadowing Kia much the same; perhaps being even innocently protective. Their eyes met and Mark grinned in return, eyes shining in excitement as he absorbed what Chin was explaining.
During the last many weeks, Danny had obviously stayed in touch with Roger to inquire about Mark's well-being. It was one of the key reasons the school event had come about. But he'd also coached and supported Roger on finding a respectable Michigan-based divorce lawyer, one with a penchant for understanding the ins and outs of abandonment and the legalities of claiming spousal desertion. Kono had then remained involved due to her ongoing disgust of Beth Paquin's life story. Her unethical behavior, lack of mothering, and the final letter left for Roger dwelled on Kono's psyche so much so that she prepared a deep file for Roger's lawyer. Factual details related to the affair, commitment of adultery and any other evidence relevant further substantiated Roger's discussions with his legal counsel.
"Are you saying she likes Roger?" Steve shifted next to Danny as he finally saw the clues in front of him. "Or, that Roger likes her?"
Steve made a quizzical sound in his throat when Danny nodded to indicate he was correct on both counts. It was the only response he dare provide in such large, mixed company. The two had forged a companionable friendship through their children, which for Danny as a father, was the only best possible way. For whatever reason, the gentle platonic friendship simply worked and the two children happily merged into one unit.
"Well, isn't that an interesting state of affairs," Steve breathed out, his eyebrow raised when Gina glanced over her shoulder to gaze at Roger. The look was different too ... entirely different. Gone was the flirtatious challenge, replaced with a calmer, more confident ease.
"It is," Danny muttered. "He's got at least two years to finalize all of this though." He caught Steve's displeased scowl about the length of time needed to secure a justifiable divorce. But two was better than the original six years at first presumed.
Roger was not a vindictive person by nature and he lacked the words to use. He was also focused solely on Mark and not thinking of himself to consider his own legal future. While he could sever Beth's ties to her son within twelve months, his own future was an unknown and it took a great deal of one on one discussion for Roger to see the value. With Danny and Kono's help, he learned about abandonment, adultery, child endangerment and desertion. For Beth, charges of abandonment would mean that she had left her husband without mutual consent. It carried weight along with the proof of adultery, but proving desertion needed Kono's further factual findings. Once assembled in a cohesive whole, she was more than happy to present it to Roger's lawyer with a perfectly tied red bow. By the time she was done with her file, there would be no way for anyone to argue that Beth's departure was caused by her husband. With Five-0's help and guidance, not only would Mark be free of any potential future anxiety caused by Beth Paquin, so would Roger.
"Nothing on the gun though?" Steve whispered, sighing deeply when his partner shook his head. They had more than before by knowing the gun had been used in the liquor store robbery; but that was all they really knew. There was no DNA and nothing more to act upon without witnesses or more solid leads. Because the criminal had been dressed completely in black and wearing gloves and a ski mask, the man was unidentifiable. The injured store owner had only a partial description of an estimated height and weight.
"We'll get him. Eventually," Danny softly said under his breath. By his side, he sensed Steve's ready acceptance of the challenge and he smiled. "It's just a matter of time."
~ End ~