Debrief

They pull into the driveway and like he hasn't been practically passed out the whole way home, Steve sits up and says without missing a beat, "Hey, thanks for the ride."

"You think you're getting away that easy?"

"What?"

"I'm coming in with you, that's what."

"Why?" That muzzy, sleepy look of his needs to be licensed –it's that dangerous.

"Number one, I happen to be the only one with a key to your house right now and number two, no way I'm letting you stay by yourself. You just got stabbed, in case you forgot."

"So, what? You're going to come in and watch me sleep?"

"Something like that."

"That's very considerate, but I'm fine Danny, really, I am."

"Good then I'll get a decent night's sleep for the first time in a week."

"Suit yourself. I'm too tired to argue."

"There you go, now you're starting to show a glimmer of sense." As he says it, he watches the poor guy get out of the car.

Ouch.

When he pushes himself up out of the car, there's no mistaking that it hurts. In fact, he has to stand there for a second just to get his breath back. "Oh yeah, you're fine. Here," he slides an arm around him, "how about you lean on me just for the hell of it?"

"You really did … miss me … didn't you?"

Don't do this to me.

Steve, goddamn him, is pulling off a playful smirk even though every word he just said had to be gritted out. Danny feels like he's in some kind of wind tunnel –like he can't get his breath and each step takes incredible effort. "Just shut up and let me help you," he actually manages to pull off sounding a little pissed, "I'm pretty sure if you pass out on this driveway there's no way I'm going to be able to get your ass in the house."

There's a different tone to Steve's voice when he drapes an arm over Danny's shoulders and they start walking, "You know … I don't think I had a chance to tell you how much I appreciate … everything you did for me?"

Being this close to him makes Danny have to coach himself just to answer, Okay, deep breath and speak, "No as a matter of fact-" he pauses to unlock the door and steer him inside, "you didn't have a chance to tell me much of anything seeing as we jumped feet first into hunting down a certain slimy bastard two seconds after you resurfaced. Ah ah ah, don't you dare go in there. You park your butt right here on this couch."

"I'm just going to get a glass of water."

"No you're not. I'll get it."

"Fine. Wait on me hand and foot if that's what you want."

"There it is again, another glimmer of hope." Jesus what's with his heart? Would it just slow down a little? Please?

Danny comes back a minute later with not only ice water but a First Aid kit under his arm and an envelope in his other hand. The unrequested items earn him a scowl.

"What's that stuff?"

"This," he drops the kit on the table in front of the sofa as he hands Steve the glass, "is everything I need to change your bandage and these-" he fishes two pills out of the envelope, "are an antibiotic and a painkiller, courtesy of our friend, Max."

"Do you mother everyone like this or just me?"

"Everyone? No. You and Gracie? Yes. Here take these."

"Which one's the antibiotic?"

"It doesn't matter. I saw that look on your face when you hauled your ass out of my car-you're taking both of them."

"Danny, it only hurts when I move around and I'm getting ready to go to bed- how about I don't take the pain pill unless I need it?"

That part about it only hurts when he moves?

He knows better.

He's caught Steve grimacing plenty of times today when all he was doing was sitting on his ass. He cuts him some slack, though, knowing just how much the guy hates being told what to do. "Fine, play Mr. Tough-Guy if you want. Swear to God though-first moan or groan I hear and you're taking the damn pill. Capeesh?

"Capeesh?"

"Yeah. It's what my dad always said when he laid down the law-I'm guessing it's Italian for "Catch my drift?" with major attitude on the side."

Okay, that seems to amuse Steve. After he takes the pill, a weary smile softens the harsh lines on his face. He even scoots back so he's not sitting on the very edge of the couch. "Before you start playing nurse, back to what I was trying to tell you earlier … thank you Danny... for everything. I really mean it."

Damn if there's not a little catch in his voice.

Okay that does something to Danny deep down inside. He was going to get right to work changing the bandage but instead, sits down as gently as he can next to Steve. "You're welcome."

Damn if those incredible eyes of McGarrett's aren't filling up and getting all shimmery. That plus the look on his face makes Danny feel uncomfortable and ecstatic at the same time. It's not a logical combination, granted, but it's what he's feeling. "Hey, I didn't do that much. And, anyway, it wasn't anything you wouldn't have done for me if the tables were turned."

Steve shifts sideways so he can see Danny's face, "I know but they weren't turned and it was you running on fumes for a week non-stop. It was you tracking down Joe and getting him here and it was you coming to see me every day even though I was an ungrateful horse's ass each time."

"You were pretty much that."

"I'm sorry, I couldn't help it."

"Hey- don't sweat it, it's not like you were in your comfort zone."

"You got that right,"

Something about the look on his face makes Danny wander into the minefield he'd skirted all week, "You know how every time I asked you if you were okay and you bit my head off and said you were fine? Well, we both know that was a lie. What was it like in there? I mean obviously they did a lousy job keeping you segregated today," he nods at Steve's midsection, "but what about the rest of the time?"

Big mistake?

At first he thinks it is the way Steve looks down at his hands and doesn't answer right away. "Hey forget I asked- I'm an idiot. You don't have to go there if you don't want to."

"No it's okay, I just didn't want to tell you anything while I was still in there."

The way Danny's heart suddenly starts pounding feels like he really is in a minefield, "Why?"

"It…it would have been too hard on you."

"Too hard on me? You're in that hell hole putting up with who knows what and you were worried about me?"

"Yeah I was worried about you. Every time I thought of you all I kept seeing was your face when they had me in that patrol car- it just about killed me."

"That makes two of us, only flipped - all I kept seeing was you staring at me with that get-me-out-of-here look on your face."

That earns him a little huff, but it's short lived and followed by an expression that's hard to read. "What?"

"Well they didn't do a real good job of segregating me the rest of the time either."

"Fuck. How bad was it?"

"Let's just say no one made me their sweetheart but a few came pretty close."

"Shit. They hurt you?"

"Not really."

"I want to personally kill that fucking warden."

"It's not his fault-the guards dropped the ball."

"The guards who he's supposed to be in charge of."

"Danny he can't be everywhere at once and that place is a whole other world- the rules are all about survival of the fittest- for the inmates and for the guards."

"So what … happened? I mean only if you want to tell me."

Steve stares straight ahead but his eyes don't seem to be seeing much of anything. "It happened in this grimy, stinking bathroom –they let me shower -supposedly alone-every other day. The second time I was in there the door opened and I knew it wasn't time for the guard to take me back yet." He stops and locks eyes with Danny.

"And?"

"And then some bastard comes at me wanting you know what."

"But you-I mean he-"

"Calm down D, like I told you- it was close but I managed to hurt him enough to change his mind."

Danny's relieved but furious, "How the hell did the guy get in?"

"It's not like there's a lock on the door, Danny. If the guard detailed to watch me goes off for a smoke, and the guard escorting another prisoner doesn't check to be sure the bathroom is empty before he drops off his charge off- I've got company."

"Shit. Did it happen more than once?"

"Yeah, but only one other time."

"You sure you're okay-"

"Danny, I told you, I'm okay…"

There it was again, that catch in his voice, "But what,"

"Well the second time, two of them managed to sneak in at once. The floor was slippery and I couldn't get any leverage. He looks up; blinking hard, "They threw some shampoo in my eyes and had me down on that filthy floor, one of them holding me and one of them sliding a gritty bar of soap back and forth between my butt cheeks to-" he shudders, "get me ready." I guess I was screaming pretty loud because suddenly about six or seven guards stormed in."

"Oh Jesus, Steve, I'm so goddamn sorry. Those bastards-" Danny feels sick to his stomach. He doesn't know what else to say but he does know it feels right to scoot closer and put an arm around him. It just does.

Steve didn't fight it. In fact it looks like he needs the embrace as much as Danny needs to give it. He collapses against Danny and croaks so softly- almost whispers, "It was … hell."

"Of course it was, babe."

No reassuring; no placating.

Danny knows better. Instead he validates what he'd been worried sick about every second of the interminable week. "It was hell," he repeats Steve's exact words, "and it's going to take a while to get over it."

They must have sat there for close to five minutes, Danny with his arms around him, rubbing his back and Steve not saying anything more as he lets himself be comforted. No surprise, he's is the first to pull away. No surprise he does it with a sheepish shrug, "And so now you know."

"And I'm glad I do. You keep something like that to yourself and it'll eat you up."

" I guess."

"You guess?"

"Look, I'm really beat, Danny."

Okay he's had as much as he can take. Fair enough. "Based on how you look right now-I believe you. Let's get you upstairs-it'll be easier to change that bandage once you're in bed."

"Look, you don't have to-"

"Would you just stop with that nonsense?"

"I was just going to say-"

"Stop already."

"Fine, I surrender."

"Ah there's that glimmer again."

And it's like Steve really does surrender.

He lets Danny help him up off the couch and steer him toward the stairs, leaning on him heavily as he takes each step. When they get to his bedroom, he stands next to the bed like an overtired child, shucking off his t shirt then letting Danny unzip his pants and gently work them down. He sits on the edge of the bed with his pants down around his ankles and his arms wrapped around his middle as he watches Danny take off his shoes and socks and then his pants.

"You need to pee?"

The question seems to startle him.

"What? No, I'm good."

"Okay then lay back and let me do my Florence Nightingale thing."

He does what he's told without a protest.

"Max said this might hurt a little-" Danny warns as he peels the bandage off.

"It's fine...I'm okay." Each word's a pained hiss.

"Why don't you ever just say, 'Ouch that hurts like a son of a bitch?' "

"Why should I?"

"Because it does, you great big lovable moron."

"Lovable?"

Had he just said that?

"Yeah, loveable as in clueless."

"Or as in, just, loveable?"

Danny's swabbing his sutures with peroxide and there are a few places where his wound has opened up and is oozing- he's pretty sure it stings like hell but damn if the guy isn't giving him a devilish, you got to love me smile.

"All right, yeah, you're loveable. You're loveable like the mutt that chews every damn shoe in the house. Hold still, I'm nearly done."

"Christ!"

"Just say it why don't you?" It's not on purpose that he hurts him, it's just that the far end of the angry gash is gaping open and he's got to be sure it's clean.

"Ouch!"

"There you go! Bingo. Prize goes to the Lt. Commander for finally admitting he's human!"

"P…please, Danny… h…hurry."

Okay, that pretty much convinces him he's lost it. One minute he's pleased, as punch to make the guy admit he hurts likes any other poor bastard and the next he hates that it's true. "Oh God, I'm sorry, Steve. I got to do this - come on-take a pain pill-please. It'll help.

"No, just finish what you're doing, I'll be okay."

"You don't look okay"

"I am. Just hurry."

Danny's staring at a jagged red suture line and a torso so bruised there's literally no normal colored skin. There are scrapes and abrasions too- some of the worst are along Steve's thighs. He wants to throttle someone. For his part, Steve looks like he's going to hyperventilate he's taking so many deep breaths .

"Okay buddy, I'm nearly done. There. Just a little of this ointment and then this gauze and I'll tape you up good as new." It's hard to see what you're doing when you're blinking back tears.

As much as he's hurting, Steve catches him brush at his cheek, "Don't worry, Danny… I'm okay."

"No babe, you are not okay, but you are going to be okay. And I Danny Williams am going to do my damnedest to keep you that way, or else."

"Danny…?

"What ?"

"I'm really lucky you walked into my Dad's garage that day."

"You bet your sweet patoot you are." He sniffs and stands up , practically leveled again by another wave of that crazy ecstatic-uncomfortable feeling. "Now let's get you under these covers. You need anything before I go?"

"Where are you going?"

"I assume there's another bed in this house?"

"What's wrong with this one?"

"Other than the fact you're in it?"

Steve glances sideways, "It's a big bed."

"You want me to sleep in the bed with you?"

"Sure , how else are you going to hear if I moan or groan?"

"Why do I get the feeling that you're pulling my leg?" And that I'm about to self-combust?

"Danny, I was alone 23 hours a day-it was only for seven days but it felt like a hundred. I … I just don't want to be alone tonight."

"Okay babe, I get that."

He does- but he feels like he's inching out on very thin ice.

"Good then just get in bed and shut up."

"Nice mouth on you," he's starting to undress but can't really believe what he's doing. His voice, thank God, doesn't give him away, "If you promise not to hog the covers I guess I can find enough room in there for my aching bones."

"Sure you can, see-" Steve carefully slides toward the edge of the bed nodding at all the space beside him, "there's plenty of room."

And there was.

Not that they needed all of it though, at least not by morning which is when Danny woke up with his back spooned against a warm broad chest and his bottom pressed against another equally warm and apparently waking up part of Steve's body. He rolled away immediately, his face instantly turning about fifty shades of red, but then when he realized Steve was still sound asleep, curled up on his side facing him just to watch. Don't ask what he was thinking. Don't ask anything-not yet. Later he was gong to have to try to make sense of a lot of things but for now, all he wanted to do was lay there and stare at those lips and eyelashes and that chin and that chest and everything else that he had just gotten back and was never going to lose again.