dann_0 | PSL: Sentinel AU

"Grumpy." Steve says. Most people would just consider him to being annoying, but Eliot can also likely hear his increased heart rate and the slight nervousness in his tone that he's attempting to cover up.

He can hear Eliot's and he'd hoped that his lightness would help the other man to relax. Since it didn't seem to work, Steve sighs out, deflated. Danny has told him that Eliot is worried the distance and Danny will get frustrated with it and give up, but Steve's tried to be as supportive as he possibly can. He has the worry the opposite way. Eliot will be able to give Danny the things he can't and eventually Danny will move on. Being friendly with Eliot had been one of the ways Steve had hoped to lessen that for the both of them. It doesn't seem like that's going to work at least not right now.

"Look, man, don't worry about it. I'll figure out another way. I shouldn't have called."

Eliot doesn't know what to make of the nerves he can hear in McGarrett's voice. The heart rate he could attribute to anger or frustration, but that's not what he's hearing in his voice, and he makes himself take another deep breath, even if McGarrett can hear it on the other end of the line.

"Look, I'm sorry, but yeah, I'm a little on edge. But you called for a reason, so just spit it out, okay? Even if I wanted t'bite it's not like I can over the phone from twenty-five hundred miles away." And he doesn't want to be left wondering, dammit.

Biting the inside of his cheek for a moment, Steve then sighs out and decides to go for it. The worst that can happen, he figures, is Eliot brushes him off and tells Danny about the call. He can deal with that. "I'm assuming Danny has told you about Rachel and Grace... Has he mentioned anything about him and Rachel reconnecting about a year back and her finding out she was pregnant not long after?"

"Yeah, he talked about them." And Eliot's read all the background, including that the ex has another kid with the new husband. "Mentioned the baby, too. Charlie, right? But-" He pauses, scowling, and shakes his head. "Not hooking up with her, no."

"Yeah, Charlie." He confirms, happy to hear that Eliot is aware of all the players at least, makes things a little bit easier. "At first Rachel told Danny the baby was his. They were going to move back to Jersey together. Danny was delayed in going back and it wasn't long after she found out the baby was further along than where she thought and she decided to work things out with Stan, the baby's father."

Frowning, he's still having difficulty wrapping his head around what he's about to accuse Rachel of doing. They'd met and while he could see why she and Danny weren't a good match, he wouldn't have expected her of being this cruel to him either. Still, he knows what he smelled and that baby is Danny's. Perhaps she didn't know... "When we picked up Grace earlier tonight I got to hold the baby while Danny and Rachel talked. Danny is Charlie's father."

Eliot just grunts noncommittally at the first half of the explanation. It sounds like an all 'round shitty situation, but he's not sure where it's leading. The punch line actually manages to catch him off guard, though, and he sucks in a quick hiss of breath.

"You're sure?" Which isn't a completely stupid question, because while he knows how sure of it he could be in the same situation the one thing he doesn't actually know for sure about Steve is exactly how acute his senses are. It hadn't seemed relevant enough to be worth having Hardison poke around in the kind of files that would record that information. "And d'you think she knows?"

"It wouldn't be the first familial connection I've successfully made." The military had employed Steve and his guide-of-the-month to track down relatives of known terrorists more than a few times. "Yeah. I'm sure."

He's quiet for a moment on the either end of the line before deciding to be completely honest about it. "I hate to make that assumption. It will crush Danny if she deliberately did this. That it happened at all..." His partner wasn't going to take the news easily. Thankfully he'd been there for the birth but he'd already missed months of his son's life. "But with what was going on at the time... She took a chance on Danny, going back to Jersey with Grace, and when he didn't immediately follow... Knowing Rachel and some of the shit she's tried to pull, I wouldn't put it past her that she panicked and this was a convenient way to get back with Stan and get rid of Danny."

"Okay... shit, that's-" He stops and scrubs a hand over his face, brain going a mile a minute as he assesses the situation. "What's he likely t'do if you tell him that?" Because Eliot's racking his brain for anything he might know about paternity laws, but it's never been a particular area of interest for him. "'Cause I'm not sure he's got any damn rights, even if he can prove the kid's his." And if that's the case... well, he might need to make sure Rachel has some good, solid incentive to see the light.

"If I tell him now... He's going to be devastated and will likely confront Rachel about it immediately. She'll deny it of course - regardless if she knows. They've already said they want to move to Vegas for Stan's work. Danny is fighting it in court, but I can easily see her relocating Charlie immediately so Danny doesn't have any possible access."

"Getting the DNA run is easy enough, but explaining why Danny became suspicious to run it will be the problem and she'll make it more about that than whether Danny is the father." As for rights, Steve doesn't think that will stop Danny from seeing his son if Charlie is his. "Danny would move hell and high water for his kids. He'll fight with everything he has, regardless if it's a losing battle." It was one of the things Steve admired most about the other man, and in turn Steve will do everything he possibly can to help him.

Steve knows Danny is going to be upset when he finds out, and would ideally like to have as much concrete evidence and reasoning prepared in advance for when he does. There's no if, Steve will be telling Danny, but not while Grace is visiting. That gives Steve some time to get things moving in Danny's favor.

Eliot listens, texting Hardison as he mulls over both the information and the possibilities it raises. "Guess we're just gonna have t'make sure it's not a losing battle, then." Which it probably would be in the courts, so they'll just make sure it never gets that far.

"Gimme a few hours t'make do some digging an' make some arrangements-" He breaks off for a moment, reading the return text, then adds, "My flight'll get in around eleven. Don't do anything 'til I get there."

Steve blinks. That wasn't what he was expecting. "What are you thinking?"

Not what he was expecting, but he's not complaining either. Having Eliot here and working together could be a good thing. He can get to know the other man better and vice versa. If they're going to be sharing Danny as a guide he'd rather they get along at least than feel like adversaries.

With a look at his watch, he nods, he can tell Danny he has to go in for a case but that they don't need both of them so he can stay with Grace. Nothing abnormal with that. "I'll meet you at the airport."

"Well, first we need concrete evidence he's Danny's," because if Rachel's kept it from Danny on purpose he doesn't imagine she'll be all that cooperative about a paternity test. And even if Danny has no legal rights, and they're not going to be going through a court, being able to shove proof under her nose can't do anything but help.

"An' then, well, we'll just hafta find the right leverage to get her to see things our way." And that, he doesn't expect to be a real problem. Not with what he's seen of the information Hardison dug up. "We'll talk details when I get there."

Running the DNA won't be a problem, getting it might be a bit more tricky. Though they can discuss and figure that out once Eliot arrives. Steve didn't have the time to collect anything when he'd been there earlier. Sadly he's not the best with kids, especially babies and Charlie had started to cry being picked up by a stranger. Rachel had come to investigate not long after.

"Sounds like you may have done something like this before." Steve is resourceful but this is somewhat outside his wheelhouse. The sitting Governor wasn't likely to do him a favor and talk to Stan like his predecessor had. "I'll see ya in a few hours. Safe travels."

"Might have a bit of experience," Eliot concedes. "Sit tight an' we'll sort this out when I get there."

***********

In the time it takes him to pack a bag and get to the airport Hardison's already started pulling up information on Rachel and her husband that might be useful in bringing pressure to bear if it becomes necessary. Hopefully it won't, given that could be a hell of a strain on familial harmony, but Eliot's not about to risk things going south. If Rachel isn't willing to roll over, admit she lied, and let Danny have access to his son because it's the right damn thing to do, well, they'll just have to make sure that she has plenty of incentive to see the error of her ways.

By the time his plane lands in Hawai'i he has an email waiting from Hardison with preliminary information on some of Stan's more sensitive business dealings, and a cover arranged to get him access to the house so he can collect DNA. It's not guaranteed smooth sailing, but he's feeling pretty confident about working things out when he spots Steve in the terminal and makes a beeline for him.

"Hey man."

In order to keep Danny from getting suspicious, after speaking with Eliot Steve got what he needed and returned home, pretending all was normal. Once Grace went to bed it became more difficult keeping that something was up from Danny. By ten Steve was more than ready to make his exit.

When Eliot arrives off the plane, Steve is there waiting. He smiles and nods when he sees the other man approach. "Eliot. Thanks for coming. How was the flight?"

The marks on Eliot's neck are plain to see and after seeing similar on Danny, there's no doubt in his mind what they are. When his eyes land on one, he's quick to move them off when he realizes. Similar as to what he did to Danny, he averts by looking for the baggage pickup. "Did you check anything?"

"Not a problem, man." Eliot's a little tense at the meeting, a little wary of how Steve's going to deal with him, but the guy called him for help and he's here for Danny, so he'll make it work. He would have noticed the way Steve's gaze flicked to the hickeys on his neck and then pointedly away even if he hadn't been on high alert, and while it's not surprising it does make him hesitate for a moment before offering his hand to shake.

"Nah, I travel light." Which amounts to a duffel and a garment bag, both thrown over his shoulder. "My friend thinks he's a damn comedian, an' he's got me booked into one of the tourist resorts. We can start talkin' business on the drive over." Which is one of the reasons he hadn't waved off the offer of being picked up in favor of a rental car, though he'll have one for tomorrow.

Realizing that Eliot is also nervous is what helps Steve to relax. Danny mentioned Eliot's had his own concerns and Steve can relate to the reasons behind them. It's enough that for the time being he can focus on what's at hand. Well, that is if he can keep his mind off the damn hickeys.

Accepting Eliot's hand in a solid hand shake, Steve smiles. "Let me guess, that's the same friend who introduced himself at the pub? Tell me he didn't prebook you time to swim with the dolphins while you're here?" Steve teases as he turns to lead them out the door. With the late hour he left the Camaro in the emergency services parking out the front so they're not going far. As they approach he uses the fob to open the trunk for Eliot's luggage. "I would have recommended one of the resorts as well mind you. Unfortunately Hawaii is very hit and miss when it comes to non-tourist lodgings."

Eliot's had his senses dialed back as far as they'll go since the airport in Portland, self defense against the stale, recycled air saturated with sour sweat and too many clashing perfumes and deodorants and the stink of anxiety off of stressed travelers, too many voices and just too much. But this close even that's not enough to keep him from catching the way Danny's scent clings to Steve, and it's only a quarter century of hard-earned self control that keeps any reaction from his face as he shakes Steve's hand. His return smile is a little strained, though, and he doesn't look away in time to hide the way his nostrils flare and his pupils dilate as he feels a sharp stab of something caught between jealousy and longing.

"Same friend," he agrees, voice suddenly a little hoarse as he follows Steve out of the terminal. "An' a god damn luau too," he adds, hoping to at least partially cover for his reaction to Danny's scent with generalized grouching about Hardison trying to plan his life.

Seeing the reaction, Steve nods as he lets go of the other man's hand and looks away himself, not taking the reaction personally but offering a bit of privacy for Eliot to regain his composure. It's not like this is a situation either had ever expected to be in. The only way he can think to handle it and make it any better is to try to be as welcoming and reassuring towards Eliot as possible. It's not easy though when his own instincts are screaming warning signals to what they perceive is a threat. It was for that reason that Steve was also keeping his sense of smell as low as possible. He may have also rubbed a small amount of Vicks under his nostrils before leaving the house to help block the scent coming off of Eliot. Sooner or later he was going to have to adapt, but he figured if he could reduce the overwhelming stimuli for even a little bit it might help ease him into it.

Steve laughs. "The luaus here are pretty legendary though. If you've not been to one before they're definitely worth being checked out." After Eliot has his bags tucked away into the trunk, Steve ducks into the driver's seat waiting for the other man to join him before heading to the resort Eliot's booked into. "So, you said on the phone you had some experience with this kind of thing...?"

Eliot's not entirely sure if the car's better or worse. It's permeated with both Danny and Steve's scent, overlaying each other with a depth and complexity that makes very clear how much time they spend together here. It's also laced with anxiety and fear that's fresh enough it sets his teeth on edge, makes him want to find Danny right the hell now to try and fix whatever caused the worry. Except he's pretty sure he knows exactly what it was, and there's not a damn thing he can do to make it better.

"Not sure I'm really the luau type," he counters, and doesn't share that Hardison had very pointedly made sure he knew the reservation for the luau--and the damn dolphins--was for two, and that he could make it for three in a heartbeat if Danny wanted to bring his little girl along. That's really not the kind of thing he sees panning out, especially not under the circumstances.

"Yeah, my partners an' I have some experience... helping folks see the error of their ways." Or at least pay the price for them, whether they see the light or not. "Usually it's something a bit more far reachin' than this, but basically we just need to get the evidence lined up so the ex knows she can't wiggle out with more lies. Hopefully that'll be enough, but if it's not, well, Hardison's already got some information that'll help her see the light."

Eyes flicking over to Eliot, before returning to the road, Steve shrugs. "Everyone is the Luau type, there's some part of it for everyone. You... My guess is you'd take extra interest in the food portion. If you've not had Hawaiian Kalua pig before you're in for a treat." There's other aspects that he thinks Eliot would enjoy as well, given the chance. It's on the tip of his tongue to suggest taking Danny with him but there's a difference between being supportive and too supportive and Steve's pretty sure that's going beyond what he really needs to be doing.

Running what Eliot has told him over a couple times in his head, Steve frowns for a moment and bites the inside of his lip, and then runs it through his head one more time. Each time he comes out with the same result - Eliot's a restaurant owner by day and a professional extortionist and blackmailer on the side. Lifting an amused eyebrow, he turns to Eliot when he stops at the next light. "So you dig up something incriminating on the person and threaten them with it unless they cooperate?"

There's no judgment in Steve's voice. At the moment he's more amused than anything else, partially because he does similar things in the line of duty regularly when he needs one criminal to turn on another. Perhaps not exactly the same but close enough. But mostly because Danny, who is a damn good cop and a stickler for the law, is dating a man who skirts the law. It's possible that it's completely on the legal side, but considering one of his partners is a hacker, he's sure it dips over the line from time to time. That's not Steve's problem though, he's got no evidence that any crime has been committed so he's not going to let it bother him, especially if it ends up helping Danny with Rachel. "Does Danny know about this?"

Eliot's taking a risk with this and he knows it, and he's not just risking himself, he's risking Parker and Hardison too. He hasn't even told Danny what they do yet, not wanting to risk exposing the team when he still more than half expects Danny to decide that this is too difficult and inconvenient to follow through on, no matter how much his gut screams to trust the man. But Steve had told him the situation and he hadn't even stopped to think, just set the ball in motion, because even with as little time as he's spent with Danny he knows exactly how important his daughter is to him, and how having this, his own damn son, taken away from him will gut him. Eliot will do whatever he can, whatever he has to, to help make sure he gets to be a real father to his child.

"It's a little more involved than that as a rule, but at the heart of it, that isn't exactly wrong," he admits. "We like t'think of it as providing the little guy with some leverage against the kinda rich, powerful assholes who think they can walk all over anyone who gets in their way." Which, yeah, frequently involves breaking the law, though never in ways that can be pinned to them... which probably won't matter to a pair of cops.

"An' no, it didn't come up. We didn't exactly spend a lot of time together, though." And entirely aside from Eliot's trust issues, there'd been a fair amount of that time spent pretty much non-verbal. Or at least not using a lot of words longer or more complicated than yes and more and harder and please... which is not something he needs to be thinking about right now.

His amusement fades as Eliot clarifies what they do. "You even the playing field so the rich don't win just because they have money. Is that what you're saying?" In principle, he actually has no issue with that. Steve's not a cop. He doesn't look at the world through the eyes of the law, but instead through the morals he's been instilled with. That those with power and money think they can get away with anything they want pisses him off. It's why he enjoys his job. That's mostly who Five-O goes after and for similar reason.

Frowning at being told they barely spent that much time together, as he'd been under the impression they spent most of the last three and a half days together, he thinks about that for a moment. Not a long time in the grand scheme of things, he supposes but he would have thought enough to get into careers. Than again, he can understand why Eliot may have wanted to wait. In any case his amusement returns. "Unless you're hurting people, exploiting them or taking advantage," none of which he's getting the impression is the case, "I'm happy to provide you back up there when you do. I've softened Danny up a bit over the last couple of years, but I expect he'll fall into a rant and turn a bit red when he finds out." While his words may paint the picture of that being a bad thing, Steve's tone and amusement indicate thays it's not as bad as it sounds.

"Close enough. Someone's generally gotta fuck up pretty excessively t'get on our radar, but once they do, well... we handle it." For Eliot three and a half days had felt like no time at all. Barely enough to scratch the surface of what they are to each other and how to make this work... not really enough to make him feel confident that it will work, not when Danny's already so clearly devoted to Steve, and when Steve is so clearly uncomfortable with their relationship, no matter how well he's handling things right now.

"Yeah, well, I guess I'll be findin' out what he thinks sooner rather'n later," Eliot answers. And hopes he doesn't end up regretting... any of this. "An' thanks. I know this, that it ain't easy on you. So thanks."

It's difficult as part of him clearly sees Eliot as a rival, one that has the advantage and he shouldn't be helping the other man. Intellectually he knows that's not necessarily the case. If he helps Eliot, in a roundabout way he's helping himself as well. More to the point, he's helping Danny.

"Probably better that way to be honest. Just... Focus on the helping people aspect more than anything else. Five-O has immunity here on the islands, we're known to... Push the boundaries somewhat, but we get the desired results and Danny's seen that following the book doesn't always work. Those with power and money don't always play the rules, to get them sometimes you can't either." His eyes flick to Eliot's and he bites on his lower lip a moment before shaking his head. He hadn't planned on breaching this topic with Eliot, but since the other man has. "It's not, but I expect it's not on you either. This is about as far from an ideal situation as we can possibly make work, but Danny is determined to try."

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