Baltimore, Saturday afternoon [NFB]

[grenadesandohana]

Steve had been dragging Danny through the Baltimore Aquarium (look, sharks were awesome, it was just demonstrable fact) when his phone rang.

"McGarrett," he replied, frowning lightly, and then harder as his listened.

"Danno, we gotta go," he said, taking off towards the truck. "The fake feds've kidnapped Parrish's daughter."

Comments

[hatesparadise]

Danny flipped him off, but it was affectionate. Somehow. Just go with it, Steve.

[grenadesandohana]

Steve laughed as he sped up (well, as much as he could in a Giant Ass Truck in a city).

[hatesparadise]

"Up ahead," Danny said, jerking his head in the direction. "Putz."

[grenadesandohana]

"Thank you," Steve said with a grin. "Jerk."

[hatesparadise]

Danny elbowed him before reaching into the glove box for the supplies he pretended Steve didn't always bring on dates. Like a gun. And cuffs.

"You're ridiculous."

[grenadesandohana]

Handcuffs: for when the zipties in Steve's pockets were considered tacky!

"You love it."

[hatesparadise]

"I something it," Danny corrected, checking the clip and safety before he got out of the vehicle. Not that he didn't trust Stee, but that shit was just ingrained in him.

[grenadesandohana]

Steve laughed. "I'll guess that's love," he decided, reaching under his seat for his service weapon.

[hatesparadise]

"You ready?" Dumb question, Daniel.

[grenadesandohana]

"The question is if they're ready for us," Steve said, attaching his badge to his belt.

"Five-O, Freeze!" he yelled, kicking down the door.

If they were in the backyard, this was gonna be very overdramatic.

[hatesparadise]

That was something that could happen another time. But this time, it was the man who'd taken them hostage, laying bleeding on the floor with his daughter trying to staunch it.

"Shit," Danny muttered, falling into step with Steve to check the area.

[grenadesandohana]

Steve was pulling off his shirt to use as a tourniquet. "Call the ambulance," he directed, even though his initial assessment wasn't looking great for Parrish.

"What happened?"

[hatesparadise]

"They were looking for him," Parrish's daughter sobbed. "I didn't even think--"

Danny was already on the phone, giving all the details he could for an ambulance.

[grenadesandohana]

"I'm sure you figured this out already, but they weren't real federal agents," Steve said.

[hatesparadise]

Parrish reached up a bloody hand to touch her cheek. "It's okay, sweetheart."

Because this was, again, just what Steve needed.

[grenadesandohana]

Hooray, new nightmare fuel!

Steve kept the pressure on the wound but tried to move out of the way for the goodbye he knew was coming.

[hatesparadise]

"I got to see you one more time," Parrish said, breathing shakily. "My little girl."

Danny shot Steve a grim look as this happened.

[grenadesandohana]

This was one of the worst parts of the job. Steve stared back helplessly.

[hatesparadise]

"I should have answered your letters," she sobbed as sirens were heard in the distance. Too far still to help.

[grenadesandohana]

The wooooorst part of the job. Steve kept his now-sodden shirt pressed against the wound entirely because pulling away now would just be tacky.

[hatesparadise]

The sirens, at least, got louder and louder as an ambulance arrived. "Steve, go get them," Danny said, going to swap places with him for it.

[grenadesandohana]

Steve shot him a grateful look as he got up and went out the door to greet the EMTs, shirtless and with bloody hands.

The EMTs were probably used to that, right?

[hatesparadise]

Oh, for sure.

"They're gonna do what they can for him," Danny promised.

[grenadesandohana]

"It's not going to be much," Steve murmured back. He'd been in too many war zones to kid himself.

[hatesparadise]

"What cam you tell us about them?" Danny asked as the paramedics took over, seperating the daughter and father briefly.