DISCLAIMER: I do not own the TV show "Hawaii Five-O" or any of it's characters.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hi everyone! So, the reason it took me a couple days to post this is that I actually finished chapters. 18, 19, and 20. All long ones.

Anyway, as always, thoughts are in italics.

Enjoy and thank you for all of you that are reviewing!

xo,

Divalola

CHAPTER 18

Once she entered the house Maddie began to run towards the stairs, taking them two at a time as the tears began to fall. Every time her right leg made impact with the floor it not only hurt her injured foot, but pain shot through her knee. You klutz, she chastised, sloppily hobbling down the hall to her bedroom on the other side of the house. She practically crashed through the door as she opened it. Once inside she rushed to her bed, burying her face in her pillow as the tears finally fell. She couldn't do this; it was torture. She couldn't stay in Hawaii and watch Steve with Lori. Maybe I'll take my two-month break in Los Angeles… or New York, she thought. Anywhere but here. It didn't take long for the pain in her knee to rival the pain in her heart. Sitting up, she stuck her right leg out in front of her, eyeing the damage. While it wasn't bleeding, she knew she'd definitely aggravated the old injury. The next few days were going to be even more difficult. Maddie sighed and whispered, "I didn't need this."

Pete was completely checked out from the conversation around him. He knew what had upset Maddie. He didn't understand how Steve didn't see what was going on. He'd brought her to Hawaii so Steve could figure out what was wrong and make things better. Not make things worse.

He glanced at his watch before looking Steve's way. Lori hung on his every word as he grilled. He sighed, worried. Although she hadn't said anything, he knew Maddie's knee had been bothering her more and more on this tour. While he hadn't seen exactly how she'd fallen, he was pretty sure she'd landed on it. He already didn't know how Maddie was going to get through the next few days of rehearsal and successfully pull off the concert, but if she'd aggravated her old injury he didn't think she'd be able to perform at all.

Checking his watch again, he realized Maddie had been gone more than ten minutes. "Shit!" he swore, quickly jumping up and hustling into the house. At the curse, Steve turned, eyeing Pete. As he rushed inside he debated going after him, but he and Joe had told him to let her go. Plus, she was the one who had told him to try things with Lori. So, he forced his attention back to his coworker, laughing at the end of her story.

Once Pete walked through the patio door and into the house he turned left jogging down the hallway. Passing the laundry room and movie theater he turned right through a door. Finding himself in the mudroom off the garage, Pete ran to the key cabinet on the wall, flinging it open. After taking quick inventory of all the car keys, he exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "Thank God I beat her here," he sighed. Reaching his hands forward he grabbed all the keys to the three cars and walked out.

As he walked back outside Steve tried to catch his eye. Although he knew it was childish, he purposely avoided his gaze, annoyed with him.

"Everything okay?" Joe asked as he took his seat at the table. By their gazes, he could tell Danny and Chin were wondering the same thing.

Pete glanced at Steve still behind the barbeque and laughing with Lori. "I don't know if I should have brought her here. He's making things worse."

Chin and Danny shared a quick look. "We were afraid something like this would happen," Danny admitted.

"Am I correct in assuming that Maddie's finally realized something," Chin whispered, not wanting Steve to overhear.

Having made her a promise, Pete said nothing. Instead, he raised his eyebrows and sighed deeply.

"He'll figure it out. Don't worry," Joe said. "Don't count him out yet."

"Before it's too late?" Pete asked. "Given her headspace lately, I don't know how much of this she can handle."

All immediately quieted as Steve walked by heading into the house with a plate.

Once he was out of earshot they continued. "Steve already knows there's feelings there. It's freaking him out, therefore that behavior," Joe whispered, subtly pointing to Lori with his head. "Steve has never done well with change, and in this case, it's a huge change. You're talking about his relationship with the one person who has remained a constant through his entire life changing. He and I are having lunch tomorrow to talk about it. I'll see if I can't shake some sense into him."

"Well, the next few days she won't have any contact with him, so hopefully that'll help both of them." While Tina had put it in the schedule that Maddie would return home every night, they knew that most likely wouldn't be the case. "If she's going to pull this off, and that's a big if, she has to be focused."

"It's going to be that bad?" Danny asked.

"Yeah, the next few days are rough. I don't know if she's going to make it through without," Pete stopped. He didn't have to voice his fears. They'd seen her faint days earlier.

"So, that means Steve's going to be worrying even more," Danny stated.

"I don't want him seeing her for a reason. It's not just for her sake, but his too. There's a huge chance she won't pull this off. Even if she was her normal self, pulling a show off like this with a few days of rehearsal would be a challenge. If Steve sees her trying to keep up and push through this schedule he's probably gonna freak. His behavior will only distract her, so I don't think I'll let him see her until the day of the show. But, I'll take good care of her."

"That's going to go over well with him," Chin said sarcastically.

"He's going to be a nightmare," Danny added. "Just stay in contact. Let us know how things are going."

"I will," Pete promised.

Maddie didn't sulk on her bed for very long before making a decision. She couldn't stay. It was too hard to watch him with someone else. She knew she could tell him how she felt, but it would only be awkward when he told her he didn't feel the same. Even if he returned the feelings, which she was sure he didn't, they couldn't be together. It would only put him in danger.

After grabbing her laptop from her backpack next to the couch in her room, she returned to her bed. Quickly she booked herself, Pete, and Tina on a flight to the mainland on Friday morning. Usually she flew on her plane, but she knew it had left Hawaii already. Once the tickets were booked her tears began to subside. She knew things would start to get better in a few days. At least, she hoped they would.

Knowing she better get back to her guests Maddie went into her bathroom and quickly touched up her makeup, trying to hide any evidence she'd been crying. Satisfied, she exited her room and walked down the hall and the stairs. As she entered the living room she began to slow, panicking at the idea of watching Steve and Lori. She wished she was braver, but, at the moment, she wasn't.

Without giving it a second thought, she turned right heading towards the mudroom. "I gotta get out of here," she whispered feeling as if she was suffocating. "Damn it, Pete" she cried as she stared inside the empty key cabinet. She stood frozen as she tried to decide what she was going to do. She could make a run for it, but knew she wouldn't get very far. Her shoulders hunched in defeat. Her only choice was to return.

Maddie walked into the kitchen and grabbed another Longboard Lager beer. Leaning against the counter she stared off into space as she started to drain it.

As Steve was walking back inside to grab more meat to grill he saw her in the kitchen. "Whatcha thinkin' about?" he asked as he washed the plate he'd brought in. Maddie jumped at his voice. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." Pete hadn't exaggerated. She was jumpy.

She turned around and leaned her elbows on the island counter. "How long have you been here?" she asked never once looking at him.

"Not long, but long enough," he answered, setting the clean plate on a dishtowel next to the sink. Steve walked a few feet to his right and opened the freezer.

Finishing her beer, she leaned back and pulled the refrigerator drawer open. Quickly she grabbed another one, using the bottle opener on the counter to open it.

Steve heard the distinctive "pop" as he found what he was looking for in the freezer. Another one? he thought. Given her concussion and dehydration, he didn't want her having anymore, but he also knew she wouldn't react well if he took sighed, hating the weirdness in their relationship. He closed the freezer and walked the short distance to her. Setting the frozen bag on the counter he positioned himself behind her. He planted a hand on the counter on each side of her, effectively caging her in.

"What are you doing?" Maddie nervously asked.

"Talk to me. What's wrong?" Steve gently said.

"Currently? You have me trapped. Let me out," she ordered, pushing her body against his left arm.

He didn't budge. "No. Talk to me," he repeated.

"Steven, let me out!" Maddie cried. She used her free hand to chop at his left arm hoping he'd let go of the counter.

Steve chuckled at her efforts. "We talked about this this morning. You're teeny. That's not gonna work, but you can keep trying. It's actually really cute."

Although his last comment gave her butterflies, it also made her mad. Here he was saying things like that to her when he'd been outside flirting with Lori only moments before. She hated how conflicted she felt. Part of her wanted to punch him, the other part wanted him to wrap his strong arms around her and kiss her. You gotta get out of this situation, Maddie, she told herself.

Rattled, she said, "Steve, seriously, let me out."

He could hear the panic in her voice, which only confused him. If she'd been mad or annoyed, that would have made more sense, but panic? "Turn around," he said, leaning in to her. His mouth was so close that she could feel his breath on her skin, leaving goosebumps in its wake.

Taking a deep breath, she turned, surprised by his closeness. Leaning her back against the counter, Maddie looked a bit to the left, unable to meet his eyes. "Look at me," Steve ordered. She refused as she took a sip of beer. He fought the urge to take it knowing it would only upset her more. "Come on, Madeline... look at me," he gently coaxed.

Knowing he wasn't going to let her go until she did what he wanted she turned her head and looked straight into his eyes. Although she'd given in, she made sure she silently communicated her annoyance.

"That's better!" he smiled, studying her face. Noticing her eyes were red and bloodshot, his brows furrowed. "Mads, were you crying?"

"No."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

Steve squinted at her. "You're lying."

"Why do you ask me if you're not going to believe me?" Maddie countered.

"I would believe you if you told me the truth."

"Fine. Yes, I was. Happy?" she seethed.

"Happy? No! Why would I be happy you were crying? It kills me when you cry," he exclaimed, a look of complete confusion and disbelief on his face.

"Could've fooled me," she mumbled. She didn't know why she'd said it as it was so unlike her to act like an immature teenager, but it was out before she could stop it.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Steve asked, his frustration evident.

"Nothing, Steven," she claimed, averting her eyes.

Never a good sign when she uses my full first name, he thought. "Look at me," he ordered. "And, I don't believe you. Tell me what you meant."

Meeting his eyes she said, "It doesn't matter. It didn't mean anything." Maddie moved her legs slightly, trying to distribute her weight differently. However, when she tried to put more weight on her right leg her knee began to throb. Her face scrunched in pain as she slightly fell against his left arm.

"Mads?" Steve questioned, his voice laced with concern. Before she could stop him he picked her up and set her on the counter in front of him. "I was afraid you hurt yourself when you fell. You okay?"

"I'm fine. Put me down!" She wiggled against him trying to get off the counter.

"Would you stop being so stubborn. Let me see it!" he ground out, wrapping his arms around her so she couldn't jump down.

Realizing it was futile to fight him, she stilled. "I'm stubborn? Seriously?" Maddie exclaimed, crossing her arms.

Steve gently put his hands on her bare leg as he looked at her right knee. He moved one hand to her left leg and looked back and forth between the two, comparing them. "You're right knee's already swelling a little. Does it hurt?"

"No," she lied.

"Really?" Steve smirked, his eyebrows raised questioningly. "Okay, then let's try this." He took a small step back and held her left shin. "Push your leg against me."

Maddie rolled her eyes, but did as he asked.

"Great!" Steve moved his hands to her right shin. "Same thing here. Push against me."

"Fine," she glared at him. Just as she put the littlest bit of pressure against his hand, she stopped, hissing in pain.

"Yeah, that's what I thought. You okay?" Steve asked his right hand caressing the side of her face.

Maddie nodded, pulling her face away from his hand. "I'm fine, Steve. So, it's a little sore?"

He shook his head, grabbing the frozen bag of peas he'd pulled from the freezer a few minutes before. He gently set it on her right knee, hoping to get the swelling to go down or at least keep it from getting worse. "This is a sign that you're not supposed to do the show, Maddie."

Shaking her head, she gave him a tight smile. "You don't get it. I have to do this show. Plus, it's nothing I'm not used to."

Steve's head shot up, his eyes intense. "What do you mean? Has it been bothering you?"

"When I'm on tour or on it too much."

"Which is all the time! Have you gotten it looked at?" he asked worriedly.

"I'm fine, Steve. Don't worry. It'll get looked at before the show."

"You promise?" he asked.

"Yes," Maddie replied taking another sip of her beer.

Out of frustration at her distance and attitude, Steve pulled the beer from her hand. "No more."

That's it, she thought. He didn't get to act like a concerned boyfriend when he was pursuing Lori."Are you kidding me right now?" Maddie fumed. She pushed him away and hopped off the counter. However, her right knee gave out as it hit the floor, causing her to fall on her ass.

"Maddie?" Steve exclaimed, immediately trying to help her off the floor.

"Leave me alone!" Maddie cried pushing him away again. Pulling herself up, she let her emotions get the best of her. "You can't fuss over me like this. I'm not your girlfriend! Go fuss over Lori!" The second it was out of her mouth she regretted it. Shit! Well, now he's going to know you have stupid feelings for him, she thought, angry at herself for losing it. Months of being terrorized by "Unknown Sender" had her so on edge that she apparently lost control of her emotions and mouth. Stupid, she cursed herself.

"What are you talking about, Maddie? Just talk to me. Tell me what's bothering you," Steve pleaded. She'd never acted like this, which further worried him. Too much was eating away at her.

"Nothing... Nothing's wrong," Maddie whispered with a look of defeat. As she turned to walk away, Steve grabbed her arm.

"Maddie, don't walk away. Talk to me," he begged. His chest tightened when she shook his hand from her arm, grabbed her beer, and walked outside.

Maddie was flustered when she rejoined her friends. "You okay?" Kono asked.

"Yeah, definitely!" Maddie smiled, trying to hide her embarrassment. He's going to figure out how I feel. This is gonna be so awkward, she thought.

"I saved your spot!" Gracie said standing up and smiling brightly at her.

"Thank you so much, sweetie!" she sat and pulled Gracie onto her lap.

Maddie pretended to listen as Rachel finished telling a story, her mind consumed with what had just happened with Steve. She had no idea what it was about, but laughed when everyone else did. Suddenly, Steve was in front of her. She met his eyes briefly, only because he'd surprised her, before looking away. Kneeling down he said, "Sorry to interrupt girl talk. I'll just be a second. Keep talking, pretend like I'm not here." Steve maneuvered Gracie so she was sitting on Maddie's left thigh giving him access to her right leg.

"So, any man in your life?" Rachel asked. Malia and Kono watched Steve's back tighten at the question. They noticed his movements slowed as he waited to hear Maddie's answer.

Maddie laughed uneasily. She didn't think it was possible to be any more uncomfortable than she was. Steve placed an ice pack on her knee and then tied a towel around it to keep it in place while she answered the question. "Nothing serious. It's hard when I'm on tour. They can sometimes be-"

"Completely psycho?" Kono interrupted, forgetting Steve was right there.

Steve felt Maddie tense under his hands.

"It's just hard being away from someone that much and most of the time they don't understand my job," Maddie answered, trying to distract everyone before they could ask Kono what she meant. She took a swig of beer, feeling awkward.

"What about here in Hawaii? Is there anyone here that you're interested in?" Malia asked knowing full well she was in love with Steve.

Not expecting the question Maddie choked on her mouthful of beer, spitting some in Steve's face. The women and Gracie laughed hysterically while Maddie looked wide-eyed at Steve as she coughed.

"Sorr," Maddie coughed. "reee!" She coughed again. Gracie handed her a napkin and she began wiping Steve's face off.

"You okay?" he asked, an amused smile on his face. "What happened?"

"Wrong pipe?" she coughed.

"That sounded more like a question," he said to her, laughter in his eyes. Turning to the ladies he asked, "Am I missing something?

"Yes!" the three said in unison.

Maddie coughed harder. Why are they doing this to me, she wondered. Steve looked back at her, a smirk on his face. "You okay?" He patted her back a few times. When her coughing subsided, he took in her blushing face and smiled. "You know what that was a sign of?"

"Hm?" Maddie answered unable to meet his eyes.

"A sign that you should've listened to me." He grabbed the beer from her hands and then bent over placing his mouth practically against her ear. The feel of his breath whispering over her skin caused her to shiver as goosebumps covered her body. I can't believe he has this kind of effect on me, she thought, still not used to her feelings. "No matter what you are to me, I'm always going to take care of you. That's just the way it is. I'm not going anywhere, no matter how hard you try and push me away." He kissed the side of her head before standing up and walking back to the grill.

Maddie sat frozen, staring off into space. She knew she should've felt better after what he said, but she didn't. Had she been "normal Maddie" she wouldn't have read into his comment, but she'd been living in fear for months, and it was taking a huge toll on her. Awesome! So, I'm just some pathetic girl he feels he needs to take care of? she thought as tears burned in her throat. She swallowed them, refusing to cry.

As Steve watched Maddie from across the patio, he was confused by her sadness. He would have thought she'd feel better after what he'd said. Did I make things worse somehow, he worried. He was on uneven ground when it came to her. Pete had been right, she was not herself. Not only were things weird between them, but he didn't know what the right thing to say was. "Normal Maddie" said what she meant, talked things out if she was upset, and didn't take things so personally. It was just another reminder that he had to find her stalker so she could stop living in fear.

Lori stood next to him telling a story about one of her friends, but he didn't know any more than that, and to be honest he didn't care. He was too concerned about Maddie. Looking down at the chicken, he called out over the noise, "Food's almost done! Should we get the rest of it ready and bring it outside?"

Maddie jumped at the chance to excuse herself. Quickly she pulled the ice from around her knee and Gracie stood. "I'll get it!" she said, hopping up. However, she moved too quickly and became the familiar dizziness came over her. Desperate to get inside, she didn't stop and wait for it to pass. Instead, she kept walking, only making it worse.

Steve tensed as he watched Maddie get up. He nearly growled out loud when she didn't wait out the dizzy spell. She's so damn stubborn, he fumed. "Pete!" he called to his friend. "Take over, would ya?" Steve didn't wait for his response. He was already halfway to the backdoor of the house. Maddie was just a bit in front of him, wavering slightly from side to side. When she disappeared into the house, he felt a twinge of unease that he could no longer see her.

Just as he walked through the backdoor, he saw her go down. "Maddie?" She was just sitting on the floor staring off into space. Coming around in front of her he picked her up and carried her to a barstool. "At least you didn't completely pass out. That's an improvement. You okay?"

"Yeah," she mumbled, the dizziness slowly fading.

"Why'd you do that? Why didn't you wait until you felt better? Or better yet, why didn't you sit back down?"

"I don't know," she whispered noticing that her headache had worsened.

"Maddie, just cause you're feeling a little better, doesn't mean you're actually better. You have a serious concussion. Stop scaring the crap out of me!" he raised his voice at her, his frustration and fear evident.

"Steve, stop yelling," she mumbled, squinting her eyes.

"Sorry," he quieted. "I'm just... you're scaring me. You're so distant and you just pulled that. What's next?"

"I'm fine! I'm not a little kid," she retorted. "I don't know why you're so concerned."

"Seriously? Because!" he cried. Because I love you, he thought. He didn't know why it was a big deal if he told her that. It wasn't that he was in love with her. He loved her, and she knew that. They'd said it to one another since they were little kids. Even knowing this, he felt weird telling her. Like it would mean something else other than what it actually meant.

"Because why?" she challenged, staring into his blue eyes.

Steve paused, his heart pounding. Just tell her the truth, he told himself, but knew he wouldn't. "Because," he began. "You're like my sister." The second the words were out he knew they were a mistake. He didn't want to think about why, but he knew it was wrong. He watched her face change. At first she looked devastated, but as soon as the emotion had appeared, it was gone, replaced by nothing, which scared the hell out of him.

Maddie was trying so hard to keep it together while her heart was breaking. Well, there's the answer. He thinks of you as his sister, she thought. Don't let him see he hurt you. "We better feed everyone. I'll be right out with the rest of the food," she said, her voice lacking emotion.

Before he could say anything or try and take back what he said, an excited male voice cried, "Even though it's only been a few days, I've missed you like crazy!"

Relief filled Maddie as she turned her head to the entrance of the kitchen. "I didn't think I'd see you till tomorrow!" She rushed over and gave him a hug.

Steve watched the entire exchange with an ache in his chest. Why do I feel like I might have just destroyed us? he wondered. Knowing he better get the meat ready he turned around to head outside, but came face to face with Pete.

Having heard the conversation, Pete shook his head and glared at his friend. Without a word, Steve pushed by and walked outside.

"Hey Ryan," Pete greeted as he entered the kitchen. "Good to see you." He turned to Maddie. "He didn't mean what he said. Trust me."

"It's fine. He's right. It's not a big deal," she responded, trying to act as if her heart hadn't just been shattered into a million pieces.

"Maddie, don't give up."

"I booked us flights back to the mainland on Friday morning. I told you I didn't want to see him."

"I don't agree that that's the right move, but you know I have your back with whatever you decide. We can talk about it later."

"Thanks, Pete."

Pete grabbed the huge bowl of pasta salad and the basket of silverware and napkins. "I'll take this stuff outside."

"Great, thank you." Maddie opened the fridge and pulled out a couple heads of lettuce, a bag of tomatoes, four avocados, two cucumbers, two carrots, and a head of red cabbage and set them on the kitchen island. "Can you grab those cutting boards right there?" she asked Ryan, pointing across the kitchen.

Something was obviously going on, but he'd wait and let her bring it up.

"Everything's already washed. I just need to cut it up. Wanna help?"

"Of course!" He grabbed two knives, handing her one, and they went to work. Ryan glanced at her out of the corner of his eye every so often as they chopped in silence.

After a couple minutes he heard her knife stop. He looked up at her and saw her chin and lower lip begin to quiver. "Maddie?" he whispered. Her face crumpled and tears spilled from her eyes. He immediately set his knife down and pulled her into his arms. He said and asked her nothing. He just let her cry, something it seemed she needed to do. He just held her in silent support. He could count on one hand how many times he'd seen her cry over the years, so he knew something was really wrong.

Catching movement, Ryan looked towards the patio door. He wasn't sure the man's name, but he could have sworn it was Maddie's uncle. The bald headed man walked briskly over to them and pulled Maddie from his arms and into his. Ryan returned to the salad as Maddie sobbed on the man's shoulder. Once he was finished, he put all the contents in a giant bowl and tossed it. Satisfied that the salad was mixed enough, he took it outside.

"Where should I put this?" Ryan asked as he approached the large, patio table.

"How about right here," Pete said, making room for the bowl. "Everyone, this is Ryan. He's one of Maddie's dancers."

"I've seen you on TV with her. You picked her up and walked around with her on your shoulder," Gracie said from her spot at the table.

Ryan smiled at her. "That's me! Good memory! What's your name?"

"Gracie," she answered.

"Nice to meet you, Gracie!" he told her. Turning to look around at everyone seated he asked, "Does it matter where I sit?"

"Maddie's gonna sit right here," Gracie said pointing to the chair to her right. "You can sit on her other side if you want."

"Perfect! Thank you!" Ryan sat in the chair Gracie had pointed to. Looking around he noticed Steve was sitting on the other side of the table, his chair directly across from Maddie's. The two men made eye contact.

"Hey Ryan! Good to see you," Steve greeted.

"Hey, Steve! Long time!" Ryan replied. He had no problem with Steve, in fact he liked him. However, he had a feeling that the reason Maddie was currently sobbing in the kitchen had to do with him, which upset him. From the first time he'd seen Steve and Maddie together he knew they were in love with one another, but hadn't realized it yet. He had a feeling Maddie had figured it out and Steve hadn't.

"Hey, Ry!" Tina said from her seat to his right.

"Tina! I'm so sorry! I didn't see even see you! It's been a long day! It's so great to have you back!" he exclaimed as he hugged her close.

"Where were you when you got the call to come to Hawaii?" she asked him.

"LA. Was only there a couple days, trying to catch up on sleep."

"Yeah, this is definitely a last minute thing."

"And from what I understand the next four days will be hell," Ryan said, shaking his head. He turned, looking at Pete down the table. "She get any rest the last couple days? She looks like she doesn't feel well. Everything okay?"

"No, she hasn't gotten much rest. There was an incident when she arrived."

"Is that why she has cuts on her arms and legs? And a wrap on her foot?" he asked.

"Yeah. She has a pretty bad concussion."

"Huh, well... the next four days should be interesting," Ryan said trying to hide his worry.

"Speaking of Maddie," Danny said. "Where is she?" He glanced around. "And where did Joe go?"

Although she lived her life in the public eye, Maddie was a private person, especially when it came to crying. Because of that, he hedged, "They'll join us soon."

Steve caught Ryan's eye and motioned his head in the direction of the house while raising his eyebrows. Understanding his silent question, Ryan shook his head.

"Do you think Maddie will sing for me? Uncle Steve thinks she probably will," Gracie asked.

"I can't speak for her, but I bet she would. Did you know that she has a ton of songs she's written that aren't on any of her CD's?"

"Really?" Gracie asked.

"Oh yeah. She's got a lot. In fact, lately, when we aren't on stage, all she's been doing is writing. You should ask her to play some of those songs." Ryan hadn't heard them, but he thought maybe they'd give Steve some insight into whatever she'd been hiding. Pete had told him why he was bringing her to Hawaii and he'd agreed it was a good idea. They'd all been worried about her as they watched her change the last few months. He'd tried to convince her to confide in him, but she'd always insist that everything was fine. "Her band will be here in a little bit. Maybe you can ask her to give you a mini show," he added.

At the thought, Gracie nearly squealed in excitement.

"Shhh, princess," Joe whispered as he held Maddie. "He loves you back don't worry. He's just scared."

Maddie pulled back from his chest, some of her makeup smeared on her face. "How'd you know what was wrong?"

"I just did," he sadly smiled. He hated seeing her like this. Something was off with her. She wasn't just upset about Steve. "So, you finally figured out you love him."

Maddie's face crumpled as a sob escaped and she laid her head back against his chest. "I wish I never figured it out. Now everything's weird and messed up."

He rubbed her back. "Don't say that. He feels it, too. Trust me."

"No, he said he cares about me like a sister." More tears fell from her eyes.

Joe shook his head at Steve's stupidity. "Maddie, you know how he is. He hates change. I'm sure he's worried he'll lose you if things change and they don't work out."

"I'm just his sister. He wants Lori. I mean, he hooked up with her."

"I've been watching, and trust me, it's mostly Lori. And even then he's watching you the entire time." He gave her a little squeeze before asking, "And what do you mean hook up?"

Maddie pulled her phone out of her back pocket and showed him the photo of Steve and Lori. What an idiot, Joe thought as he handed her phone back and met her broken-hearted eyes. "He's not thinking clearly. He's confused and freaked out. He's a guy. What do you expect? And where did you get that photo anyway?"

"Someone texted it to me," she answered, suddenly becoming nervous. Not wanting him to question her further, Maddie said. "I know he slept with her last night."

He reached forward and wiped her tears away. It's definitely a possibility, he thought. Of course, he wasn't going to tell her that. Instead, he said, "You don't know that. Don't jump to conclusions." He wanted to ask her more about where the picture had come from, but given how she'd skated over it, he knew she wasn't going to tell him. She's definitely hiding something.

"How'd you know to come in here?" Maddie asked, as she sniffled.

"I saw the look on Steve's face when he walked outside and knew something had happened. Then I saw Pete's face when he came out a minute later. Let me tell ya, if looks could kill, Steve would be dead," he laughed. "In fact, we should get out there and make sure Pete hasn't murdered him."

Nodding, Maddie walked to the sink and turned the cold water on.

"Just, do me favor?" Joe asked, as she splashed cold water on her face. "Give things a little more time and try to give him the benefit of the doubt." He handed her a towel when she finished.

Maddie dried her face and looked at the only real uncle she'd ever had. Even if she wanted to give Steve a chance, "Unknown Sender" would go after him, something Joe wasn't aware of. "I don't know."

"You guys have been through so much, you owe it to him to give him more time." Seeing the hesitation on her face he added, "Just, think about it at least." Joe walked to the other side of the kitchen. "Besides this, do we need to bring anything else outside?" he asked picking up the basket of bread.

"Salad dressing," Maddie answered, pointing to the different bottles on the counter.

"Okay, you grab this." Joe handed her the basket and he picked up the bottles. "And I'll take these. You ready?"

Maddie paused, looking unsure. "Do I have makeup all over my face?"

"No, you look beautiful," he told her.

"Maybe I should grab some tissues," she wondered as she continued to sniffle, a result of crying. Grabbing a few tissues, she stuffed them in her pocket.

"Good idea!"

"Oh, one more thing!" Maddie said as she grabbed two more beers.

"Now you're just trying to piss him off," Joe smirked.

She grinned back, mischief in her eyes. "Hey, you asked me to give him time. You said nothing about not pissing him off and driving him crazy."

He shook his head, unable to keep the smile from his face. "That's the Maddie I know and love!" Joe put his arm out for her to link hers through it. "Let's go."