Crumble
Chapter 3
Steve ran toward the water, pushing his legs as hard as he could. He jumped over the first few small waves, then dove in searching for Danny. The salt water stung his eyes, but Steve ignored it.
He pulled himself farther out to sea, his long, strong arms cutting through the water. Steve's eyes caught a glimpse of Danny's blond hair and he worked his way in that direction. The sweatshirt Danny had been wearing was adding to the weight, pulling him. As Steve got closer, he noticed bubbles coming out of Danny's mouth. Steve quickly pulled his body up next to Danny's and wrapped an arm around his chest, surprised when Danny started to fight him.
"Danny!" Steve yelled, a second after his head broke the surface. Danny was still fighting hard. He pulled Danny up so his head broke the surface, too. "Danny!"
Then Steve shoved his head back under. Taking advantage of Danny's surprise and shock, he got Danny in a head lock and pulled them both toward the beach. Danny still tried to pull away and fight Steve. But, Steve had him in the perfect hold.
"Let me go!" Danny said, trying to pull out of Steve's iron grip.
Once Steve's feet hit the sand, he stood up. Danny was too short to reach, yet, but Steve held his head above the water.
"Knock it off!" Steve barked at his partner. "You try to push off of me one more time and you're going back under!"
"That was kind of the point! Let me go," Danny yelled back.
Steve shoved his head under. "Happy now?"
"I said let me go," now Danny's feet could touch, too.
"And I said to knock it off." Steve made it the rest of the way up the beach and dumped Danny on the sand. He was shivering still. "You stupid or something!"
"Leave me alone," Danny turned his body away from Steve.
Steve took a moment to gather his thoughts.
"Rachel and Grace were not in the car when it exploded," Steve told Danny, whose shivering had gotten worse.
Danny didn't say anything.
"Did you hear me?" Steve asked, dropping to his knees in the sand. Danny had his head turned away, shivering and shaking uncontrollably. Steve made a decision. "Come on, we need to get you dried off and warm."
"Get lost, McGarrett," Danny mumbled, quietly.
"Oh, talking are you?" McGarrett pulled his partner into a sitting up, sort of, position. "You want a ride or can you save us both the embarrassment and walk?"
"Walk," Danny mumbled.
Well, Steve wouldn't have exactly called it walking. But, Danny did make it into the house and upstairs to the bathroom without being carried. They took a short stop at the back porch to strip off all but skivvies and undershirts.
"You with me?" Steve asked Danny, putting his hand on Danny's arm.
"Yeah, don't feel good. Can't stop shaking."
"You heard me say that Rachel and Grace were not in the car, right?" steve asked.
Danny nodded his head, unable to speak.
"Get in the shower." Steve steered Danny that way. "Make the water hot. Don't lock the door."
Danny seemed to nod at Steve as he headed into the guest bathroom.
Steve didn't bother to shower. He quickly used a towel to get any excess water off his body and out of his hair, them redressed. He made a quick stop in the guest room that he had been calling Danny's for some time, now. He knocked on the guest bathroom door a second before opening it.
"Feeling any better?" Steve called inside.
"Yeah," Danny answered.
"Okay, I've got some clean clothes of yours from your room. I'll leave them on the counter." Steve moved into the room and set the clothes down. He moved back out of the room and waited outside.
A few minutes passed by and Danny opened the door, sticking his head out he spotted Steve. "These are pajamas."
"I know."
"You said Rachel and Grace weren't in the car."
"I did."
"Well, I want to help find them."
"No."
"No?"
"Sorry, Danno. You're worn out. You need to sleep, put on your pajamas."
"No."
"No?"
"I feel way better, now."
Steve gave him a doubtful look, but humored him, anyway.
"That's good. I'm glad you feel better. But, Chin and Kono, along with HPD are still gathering evidence. When there's news, we'll be notified," Steve told his partner.
"I want to help, now."
"Maybe, once you stop shaking and Chin and Kono show up with some information, then, maybe, you can help." Steve kept his voice firm. Not thirty minutes ago his partner had tried to end his life. Steve was not going to let Danny over do it.
"But-"
"Get going. Pajamas." Steve insisted.
Danny shot Steve a half-glare and closed the door again. The sounds of someone getting dressed could be heard along with some grumbling. A moment later, Danny emerged in his sleep pants and a white tshirt.
Steve couldn't stop the smile that appeared on his face.
"Don't look so happy," Danny shivered.
"Come on," Steve put his hand on Danny's elbow and walked him to his room. The covers were already pulled back and the curtains already closed to block out the sun.
"Are you leaving?" Danny's body shook.
"No. Chin and Kono can handle the crime scene. When they know something, so will we. We will find them." Steve nudged Danny onto the bed, then covered him up. Still, Danny shivered. "You want another blanket?"
Danny shook his head, no.
"Want me to turn on the heat?" Steve joked, earning himself a half-glare. With Danny watching, Steve went to the closet and pulled out a heavy afgan that his grandmother had made. He returned to the bed and spread the blanket over Danny.
"I'm gonna be fine," Danny told Steve.
"I know you are," Steve said. "Need anything?"
Danny shook his head again.
"You going downstairs?" Danny asked.
Steve moved over to the chair and sat down, picking up the book that he'd left there from his last bedside vigil on Danny in this bed. "Nah, I think I'll stay here. Close. You know, in case you need another blanket or something."
"Or something," Danny mumbled, his eyes getting heavy.
"Sleep well, Danno."
H
5
0
Author's Note: Well, I hope you enjoyed this story. I have no idea how the season finale will actually go. I really hope they don't kill off a main character. This story is complete, it's more about Steve and Danny's friendship than anything else. If you've ready any of my other stories, you know I love to hurt Danny.
Please, no complaints.