Work Text:
Scott gazed out of the darkened windows of the sleek black town car, streaming down the Hawaiian coastline towards set. He sat in the back, sunglasses on, hat pulled low over his face, his usual driver, Tommy, not bothering to make chit-chat. They both knew what day it was. Scott didn’t want to dwell on it too much.
The thing is, he’s made a nice life for himself in Hawaii, no matter how temporary it might be. Over the past two years, home has slowly started to take on a new meaning; before it would have meant L.A., the Malibu surf, Venice beach, family, friends…but now. Now it was somewhere else.
Now it was someone else.
They pulled up to the enclosed set, a lone security guard there to greet them and wave them on through the endless stretch of trailers and flatbed trucks. Scott found himself straining his neck to see over the buildings, searching for something, some kind of sign, he didn’t really care what kind. Shaking, he climbed out of the car, gripping his backpack like it was the only real thing in the world. For all he knew, it was. Scott slowly followed his usual path through the set,not sure if he was dreading the face he would see today, or looking forward to it. He wished that he’d thought to bring Dot to the set today, if only for his own distraction and sanity. No. It’s better this way, he thought. Just us. He walked faster.
The routine for the day was the usual: Straight to hair and makeup, followed by wardrobe, then rehearsal and shooting for the rest of the day. The scenes were supposed to be simple, some walk and talk action between Steve and Danny. Just us. Scott walked faster still. He wasn’t in the makeup truck. He also wasn’t in wardrobe. It’s his first day back, Scott thought. He has to catch up. He’s been here since early this morning. Scott was suddenly reminded of the anecdote they’d pulled out during the first season’s publicity tour, how prior to Scott's casting, Alex kept begging for his Danno. Now, it seemed their situations had been flipped - Where’s my Steve? I need my Steve.
I need my Alex.
Leaving wardrobe, dressed in Danny’s typical button-down and slacks, his hair smoothed into Danny’s signature style, Scott could see a rather large group of people rounding the corner of the farthest trailer. He recognized the PAs and the second assistant director, but his eyes locked on the tallest figure in the group; dark hair, t-shirt and cargo pants that on a lesser body would look sloppy, but instead were cause for reverence. Alex. The group began to peel off in different directions, running for coffee and back to set and Scott didn’t really care where else to; he kept his focus on Alex, desperately willing him closer. Finally, their eyes locked. Anxious blue met sheepish, sad brown. Scott understood; having to admit you need help, feeling like you’ve let down every single person around you, and then having to try and get back to normal is the hardest thing you can every try to do, never mind having to do it on a world stage. But Scott didn’t care. He needed to make sure that Alex knew he didn’t care. The last month had been hell; Alex quietly telling him why he had to go, their last hug goodbye full of so many emotions and promises with no time to explain them.
There were no phones or email in rehab. They had simply been left wondering.
So the world would have to forgive Scott for walking briskly towards his friend, grabbing him, and pulling him into the tightest hug he could possibly manage. He felt Alex ‘s head bury into his shoulder, his hands gripping at the base of Scott’s back. Scott exhaled slowly, letting the last month fall behind them, ready to start again. Steve and Danno. Alex and Scott. Welcome back.