Danny closed his car door with a bit more force than he intended and sunk into the confines of the driver's seat letting out a long sigh. He dropped his head back against the headrest and squeezed his eyes shut, his fingers clenched securely around the steering wheel. "Why can't anything ever be easy?" he muttered under his breath. He let go of the steering wheel and fished in his right pants pocket for his phone. He unlocked the display and discovered three missed calls and five text messages from his partner Steve. "What part of 'I have an appointment' doesn't he get?" Danny grumbled as he scrolled through the messages.

"How'd the appointment go?"

Danny groaned. He didn't want to have this conversation with Steve or anyone. He started the engine of the Camaro and let the car idle.

"You coming back to the office? Where are you?"

Danny glanced at the time. He had left the office over three and a half hours ago.

"Never mind. It's getting late."

His appointment took an hour and a half longer than he had anticipated. It was after five thirty and he still wanted to drive Bridget to the airport for her flight home. Seemed like there was never enough time in a day anymore to get done everything you needed to do.

"I'll come over later, maybe bring some dinner and we can talk."

Talk. Danny groaned again and blew out another frustrated breath. It wasn't that he didn't want Steve to come over, but tonight, he just wanted to be left alone. To let everything sink in before he had to deal with reality.

"Danny? You okay, Buddy? Give me a call. Getting a little worried here."

Danny opened up a new message to Steve and began typing. "Sorry. Appointment took longer than expected." He made a face and added, "Short staffed or something, not sure. Going to run Bridget to the airport for her flight home. Should be home by 8." His thumb hovered over the send button for a few moments before he pressed the grey send arrow. He probably should have called Steve instead but he knew if he did, that would lead to talking and he wasn't up for any conversations at the moment. But he also didn't want Steve to worry, so he took the easy route and sent the text instead. He wasn't surprised when his phone chirped almost immediately. Steve must have had the thing glued to his hand waiting to hear something from his partner.

"Okay. Was getting worried. Give Bridget my love. I'll bring dinner. Can't wait to tell you about my appointment. Doctor was overly impressed. And here you thought I was going to ruin your liver. Where's the trust, Babe? We should have gone together."

Weary blue eyes stared at the message on the screen. Danny could feel his stomach twist into knots. That was fantastic news since he was certain Steve would have gotten himself killed long before his liver had any chance of regenerating itself. Looks like he was wrong.

"That's great. Call you when I'm on my way home." Danny tossed his phone into the passenger seat, threw the Camaro in reverse and backed out of his parking space. Why did life have to always get so complicated?

Steve pulled his truck alongside Danny's Camaro and killed the engine. Danny's silhouette came into view, perched on the stone wall, back to the road, dressed casually in jeans and a t-shirt, staring out over the moonlit ocean. This was Danny's special place where he always came to think, to reflect, to let go. Only Steve and Grace knew what this place meant to Danny. The spot where he ran out of gas on his first day on the island and was forced to stop and take in the scenery. Steve wondered when Danny went home to change. When he left the office earlier in the day he was still dressed in his button down shirt and khaki slacks.

"Hey," Steve called out casually as he approached, not wanting to startle his partner. The sun had set hours ago and it was dark, save for the moonlight dancing on top of the ocean as it illuminated the breaking waves.

Danny didn't even flinch when he heard Steve's truck pull in. He sniffled and rubbed his eyes dry. Steve knew him well enough to know he wouldn't be at home. "Sorry." Danny said quietly as he turned to face Steve. He gave him a small smile and turned back to face the ocean. "I wasn't ready to go home yet."

"I figured as much." Steve squeezed Danny's shoulder as he swung a leg over the stone wall and sat down beside his partner. "What's going on?"

Danny sniffled again and diverted his attention back to the crashing waves in the ocean. "Bridget says hello and next time I come home, I'm to bring you with me. Give you a taste of Jersey life."

Steve let out a small laugh. "That's very sweet of her. I'm not sure how well I'll take the cold though. Can we wait until after it quits snowing?"

"Yeah. After being here for seven years, I don't care too much for the snow anymore either." Danny rubbed his stubbled jaw. He closed his eyes and dropped his chin to his chest when Steve rested his hand on his thigh and gave it a gentle squeeze. He couldn't do this yet so he tried a diversion. "Hey good job on the case today."

"The case?" Steve questioned without removing his hand.

"Yeah. Can you believe we solved this case without even drawing our weapons or firing a single bullet? I mean that has to be some kind of record right there. I think this is the first time not a single person has died during one of our investigations. Well, except for the original dead person. But that doesn't really count."

"Danny," Steve began and stopped, followed Danny's gaze out over the ocean. "What's going on?"

"How'd your appointment go?" Danny asked switching the subject away from himself. "What did your doctor say about my liver?"

Steve huffed out a laugh. "Well, he said it's doing great. Everything looks good. Regenerating at the expected rate. I don't have to go back for another six months. I've got pictures in the truck since I knew you'd want visual proof that I haven't destroyed it yet."

"Visual proof?" Danny questioned with a smirk. "That's good. Yes, I'd like to see those at some point."

"So? What's wrong? You upset about Bridget going home, not able to be there to monitor her and Spencer's interactions?"

Danny shook his head. "No. We talked at the hotel and she realizes the mistake she would be making. I told her about my situation with Grace and how I understood what she was going through. That's how I could see what was happening between her and Spencer, even though she couldn't. She never knew any of that. Nobody did, until I told you earlier. She's lonely and I get that too."

"What's she going to do?" Steve asked.

"She said something about counseling. Her husband Ted is so consumed with work, he probably doesn't have a clue there's even a problem between them. I told her to call me, no matter what if she ever needs to talk."

"You're a good brother Danny."

"Am I?" Danny shrugged his shoulders. "Can I ask you something?"

Steve put a hand on Danny's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "You can ask me anything. You know that."

"Something Bridget said earlier today. Just isn't sitting well with me."

"What's that?"

"You think I'm selfish? Huh?"

"What? Why would she say that?"

"It's almost like she blames me leaving seven years ago for some of her problems. She says she has no support at home anymore because her husband's always working and our parents aren't around to do the grandparent thing and when they are around, they need something from her. Help with who knows what. And then she asks me what she's supposed to do and I tell her I don't know, maybe therapy or try a separation. And then she says-." Danny hesitated, swiped at a fresh tear. "She says unlike me, she can't just walk away from her children."

"Walk away?" Steve scoffed at the accusation. "Danny, you moved five thousand miles to be a part of Gracie's life. How is that being selfish? You gave bone marrow to Charlie at the drop of a hat, putting aside everything Rachel did to you by keeping Charlie's paternity a secret. You risked your own life and gave me half your liver without ever thinking of the risks to yourself. And she has the audacity to call you selfish?"

"I don't know. It just hit me you know. I'm torn either way. I couldn't be a part of Grace's life and stick around in Jersey to help with my family at the same time. I can't split myself in two and that's what it sounds like she expected me to do."

"Danny, she's just upset and she's using your leaving as an excuse to put the blame on someone else. So she doesn't have to accept responsibility for the way her own life has turned out. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure your sister is great, but that's not fair to you. You have a daughter that needs you more than your adult sister."

"Yeah, I know. Maybe." Danny kicked his feet against the stone wall and blew out a frustrated breath. "Today's just been a tough one. Grace and Charlie are in Vegas with Rachel and Stan. I just miss them to pieces when they aren't here."

"I know you do."

The two remained quiet for a few moments, the only sound between them was the crashing of the waves below.

Danny finally broke the silence. "My appointment didn't go as I was expecting."

"What are you talking about?" Steve turned on the wall and took hold of Danny's forearm. "What did the doctor say?"

A single tear slipped down the side of Danny's cheek and he brushed it away quickly. "Apparently you're the better patient. My liver isn't regenerating the way it should be."

"What? What do you mean?" Steve could hear the tremble of concern in his own voice. "Your first few follow up appointments went fine."

"They did. My doctor said something about scar tissue and it's causing issues with the new growth."

"Scar tissue from what?" Steve asked, a hundred scenarios already running through his head.

"From when Melissa's ex stabbed me."

"Oh God," Steve ran his hands through his hair. "Danny, you should never have given…"

"Don't. Okay? Nothing would make me change my decision." Danny ran his both his hands over the top of his hair, his own nervous quirk. "It's not just the scar tissue causing issues, there's other stuff as well."

"Other stuff? Like what?"

"You know me, Steve. I'm a natural worrier. I worry about something that doesn't need to be worried about."

"That you do, Buddy, that you do."

"Well, with worrying comes stress." Danny gripped the edge of the stone wall and dropped his head forward. "There's been so much going on lately. My dad's health issues, this new thing with Bridget. Finding out I was indeed correct about Grace having a boyfriend, which I might add has opened up a whole new chapter of anxiety for me. Even though Will's a great kid, I still worry, you know? Any parent in their right mind would." Danny quit kicking his heels against the wall and crossed his feet at the ankles. "I should have known something was up when I couldn't shake the flu last month. God and you. I worry so much about-"

"I'm sorry, Danny." Steve slid an arm around Danny's shoulders and pulled him close. "I know I don't make it easy on you either."

"I'm scared to death that something's going to happen to you because you jump and then think. And one of these days, there's not going to be anything there to break your fall. And where is that going to leave me? Huh? I'll tell you. It's going to leave me alone and that's not a place I want to be anymore."

"I don't know what to say."

"Here I was worrying myself sick that something would happen to you that I wasn't concerned for one minute about my own health. I just kept harping on you to be more careful, to rest, to relax some, to take your meds. But did I do any of those things for myself? No. Because I spent all of my waking hours making sure nothing happened to you."

"I let you down, Danny. I should have been just as worried about you. Truth is, you're always so together that I don't have to worry about you. Because I know you've already got everything in order. You're my glue." Steve's words were met with silence.

"I'm not used to letting others worry about me. Being the oldest, I've always been the one everyone came to when there's a problem. Just once, I want it to be the other way around. I don't think I can do it anymore, Steve."

"You're not alone anymore, Danny. You have to learn to put your trust in me as well." Steve leaned forward and swiped away at Danny's falling tear. He pressed their lips together softly. He pulled away and Danny leaned his forehead against Steve's, not wanting to break their touch. "So what does the doctor say?"

Danny turned his head and stared back over the ocean. "He wants to go in and make a fresh cut, eliminating the scar tissue."

Steve blew out a long sigh. "Wow."

"Yeah. Wow. Not exactly what you were expecting to hear tonight, huh? It will be the same recovery as the first time around."

"You gonna do it?" Steve asked, fear creeping into his voice.

"Haven't decided yet," Danny's voice quivered as he spoke. "Wasn't much fun the first time around. But If I don't do it, my overall health could be at risk. What if something happens and I don't bounce back?"

Steve took Danny's hand and laced their fingers together. He covered their clasped hand with his free hand. "I love you, Danny. Let's cross that bridge if and when we come to it."

"I can't ask you to take care of me, Steve."

"You're not asking. I'm offering. Let me do the worrying for a change."

"Or I could just ask for my liver back." A wide smile broke out across Danny's face despite the tears that were trickling down his cheeks.

"I love you, but you're not getting your liver back."

"At least I won't have to share a room with you this time."

And for a split moment in time, everything was back to normal.