You are my comfort

Chapter 7

Danny was getting up every thirty minutes to check. At three am, he woke up, looked at Steve's bed but he didn't see him there. He immediately started thinking; Did someone abduct him when he went to the bathroom, or did something else bad happen?

He grabbed his gun and headed out of the room to check the rest of the house. When he arrived in the kitchen,he saw Steve hidding behind the counter. He approached him. He knew it was dangerous, but he couldn't talk to Steve since he couldn't hear or see him.

He hid his gun behind his back, he put his hands up and tried to look as unthreatening as possible. He went and stood in front of Steve.

Steve looked at him, put his hands in front of his head, trying to protect himself. "Don't hurt me" he shouted.

Danny's heart broke hearing Steve saying this, watching him being so confused. Feeling helpless, he grabbed Steve's hands, and lowered them so Steve could see what he was signing.

Danny let go, "I'm not here to hurt you.I'm here to help you. I'm Danny, remember?"

==H50==

Steve kept looking at Danny. He couldn't understand if this man was a terrorist or a soldier.

Danny signed the name sign that Steve did for him back in the hospital. He signed, "I'm your friend. We're in New Jersey, remember?"

Steve shook his head and signed back, ’’I thought I was in Afghanistan’’

"I know, buddy, I know." He wrapped his arms around Steve's head and pulled him into a hug. He rubbed his hand in Steve's back which seemed to relax him even more. After a couple of minutes, he tapped his shoulder, and Steve sat back and looked at him.

"You want some warm milk?" Danny asked.

He remembered from the last time Steve had a nightmare, that the warm milk calmed him down. Steve nodded in agreement and Danny stood up to make some. Steve stayed where he was, he didn't move an inch.

Danny was feeling awful seeing Steve like that, so helpless. This was not the man he'd known the past few months. He gave him the milk, and sat next to him while he was drinking it.

Danny signed, "You O-K?"

Steve nodded.

Danny signed again, "O-K, shall we go back to bed?"

Steve nodded again.

"O-K." Danny signed, taking the cup from Steve's hands, and leaving it on the counter.

He helped Steve get up, and they go went to their room. Steve sat on his bed, looking at Danny, who was lying on the other bed. He made Danny’s new name sign.

Danny turned and looked at him, "Yes, Steve?"

Steve was only signing. "Thank you, sorry."

Danny signed back, "Always Steve,why are you sorry?’’,his expression soft.

"Wake you, you deal with me.’’ Steve signed.

Danny replied, "It’s my job, no problem helping you, not your fault.’’

Steve let a tear slide down his face; he was embarassed for letting himself being seen so vulnerable. "I let you down, Danno."

Danny signed "You are the most hardcore SEAL I know, you had no control over that’’

Steve stayed silent. After a couple of minutes, Danny got up slowly, leaving Steve lying in bed, since he'd fallen asleep in Danny's hug. He got up slowly and laid in his bed. He stared at the wall, and he thought of how bad he was at protection detail. He'd let his guard down too many times, which could get Steve killed. He just wished he could be as professional now, as he'd been at his other assignements.

Damn, he loved the guy. He had feelings for the man, which could get the same man killed. He'd tried to dismiss those feelings and thoughts so he could get some sleep, but it wasn't easy. Thoughts and memories from the night of the crash came to his mind.

Steve had tried to tell him something. What was he trying to tell him?

He been wanting to ask him since that night in the hospital, but he just couldn't. He thought that that was probably for the best. After a while he fell asleep, grabbing a few hours, before he woke up for his next round.