"How could you do that to him? How could you lie and keep Charlie from him for the first four years of Charlie's life and then tell him that you're sorry, that you loved him and never meant to hurt him and then ask for him to forgive you? ... Do you even know how deeply you hurt him? Or did you even care?"
Steve's angry and upset voice softly filtered through the warm darkness that cocooned Danny, pulling him into the twilight world of being half awake and half asleep. He momentarily wondered who Steve was talking to as he started to drift back to sleep, only half-listening to the conversation taking place just a few feet away.
"I know that you are, and always will be, a big part of Danny's life, after all, no matter what happens between the two of you , you are Grace's and Charlie's mother and he is their father and that the both of you have to get along for their sake. But you can't keep doing this to him, Rachel."
Rachel? Was Steve arguing with Rachel? Danny frowned in confusion, why was Rachel here? And why was Steve arguing with her? Danny frowned in confusion as he tried to ignore the cotton wool, fuzziness that filled his head and listen to what they were arguing about.
"You can't keep stringing Danny along. You made your bed, Rachel and divorced him and married Stan. You can't keep both men dangling on a string while you decide which one you want to be with. It's not fair to Danny and it's not fair to Grace, Charlie or Stan. And it's not fair to anyone else who wants to be in any sort of a relationship with Danny!"
Lying as motionless as he could, his confusion grew. They were arguing about him. More specifically, Steve seemed to be doing all the arguing, and he was arguing about his and Rachel's relationship.
"Oh my God, you love him, don't you? Yeah, that's it, you do!"
Danny froze, not game enough to move or even breathe as he waited for Steve's answer.
"Yeah, I do."
Danny's eyes flew open, his heart pounding in his chest as he stared at the wall as Rachel's and Steve's words echoed loudly in his head, "Oh my God, you love him, don't you? Yeah, that's it, you do!" "Yeah, I do."
H50 H50 H50
Turning to watch Rachel flee from the room, Chin momentarily wondered if he should follow her before deciding that she probably needed some time by herself. Turning back to Steve, he asked, "You don't think you were a little rough on her, do you Steve?"
Staring past Chin at the now empty doorway, Steve shook his head before he looked back at his friend, "No, I've watched her waltz in and out of Danny's life, turning it upside-down for too long for her own selfish reasons, Chin, and I was going to let her do it to him again-"
"So, you decided that you had to protect me by interfering in my relationship with Rachel?" Danny asked softly as he rolled over to face Steve.
"Danny!"
"Just what the Hell ... is the matter with you?" Danny demanded a little breathlessly as he glared across the small distance that separated them.
"Danny-" Steve began.
Watching the exchange between his two friends, Chin nervously cleared his throat, not wanting to be present for the argument that was just about to erupt. "Umm, I better get going, Steve, I have to be in court by nine to testify in the Brennan case." Looking across at Danny, he smiled, his genuine relief that Danny was awake and seemed much stronger evident on his face as he added, "It's great to see you awake Danny, I will be back as soon as I can."
He hesitated a moment for some sort of a response but if either man heard him, they did not react. Silently grateful that neither Steve's or Danny's attention were on him, he turned and hurried out of the room.
Stepping out into the corridor, he saw Kono heading towards him. Glancing back at the two men in the room, he turned and hurried towards her, gently grabbing her by the elbow before turning her around and steering her back towards ICU exit doors and the elevator beyond as he told her softly, "Now's not a good time to visit."
"Chin, what's going on?" Kono frowned in confusion as she turned and looked over her shoulder towards Steve's and Danny's shared ICU room before turning back to her cousin. "I thought I just saw Rachel rush out of here in tears. But she got into the elevator before I was able to catch up with her and ask her what was wrong." Swallowing hard, she asked worriedly, "Has something happened? Is Danny okay?"
Chin nodded as he pushed the ICU doors opened and led Kono across to the elevators. "Danny's fine. I promise that I will explain everything once we get to the car. But just trust me Cuz, now isn't the time to visit either Danny or Steve…they need some time alone together to talk."
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AN- Yes I am finally up to our guys talking- I'm hoping to post the next chapter either later today - Aus time or tomorrow morning- so please keep an eye out for a 2nd update.