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Danny eased his shirt over his head, hissing as the wound pulled. The bandage wrapped round his ribs and across his back, hiding the deep red gash that cut into his skin. It wasn't wide, only a few millimeters, but it had been deep. Luckily the doctors were certain that it would fade to a thin, almost invisible, scar
"How do you do it?"
Danny smiled over his shoulder at his husband.
"Do what?"
"Look so beautiful without even trying."
"You're such a goof," the blond laughed, slipping his feet in his sneakers. "I'm so ready to go home. The food here is awful."
Steve smiled a little sadly. Every time he saw the bandage on his beloved, a tiny stirring of unease crawled through the pit of his stomach. He'd come so close to losing him for good and it made the SEAL nauseaous. Crossing the room he swept Danny into his arms, kissing him soundly, burying his nose in the bright sun streaked hair.
"Babe, you ok?" Danny asked after a few minutes, face pressed into the taller man's shoulder.
"Yeah. Ready to go? Jez and Kono said they'll come over for dinner tomorrow. I think we might have to talk about them. Something odd is going on."
"They're grown ups, Steve, leave them to it. Home please, I want a shower."
There was a brief argument about the necessity of a wheelchair but it was solved by a stern nurse who told Danny, in no uncertain terms, that he was leaving in the chair or not at all. The blond grumbled the whole way to the car, making Steve chuckle fondly.
"Jez lent me her car. She said we could use it til we get a new one."
"That's my sister, all heart," Danny smiled. The smile faltered and dissolved as he looked at the car. In his mind Danny saw the truck come roaring through the intersection, knew he couldn't get out of the way. He heard the scream of metal, the brittle crunch as his car folded under the impact, felt the crushing pain as his seatbelt locked tight. He saw himself crawling from the wreckage, bruised and shaken but otherwise unharmed. Then the gas tank exploded, shrapnel raining down on his unprotected body.
"Danny! Babe, you're ok."
The sound of Steve's voice brought the blond back to the present. Blinking rapidly he forced himself to meet his husband's worried hazel eyes.
"Sorry sweetheart, just... fazed out for a second there." His voice was shaky but he walked steadily to the car, slipping into the passenger seat and buckling himself in. Steve frowned, he knew the signs of a flashback. All he could do was hope that Danny would open up, eventually, and talk through the whole incident.

The drive home had been quiet. Steve saw Danny tense everytime a car came too close, everytime they came to an intersection. Steve knew it would take time for his beloved to feel confident in car and he was prepared to do whatever it took to make it easier for Danny.
"Home sweet home," Steve chanted as they pulled into the diveway. Danny quirked an eyebrow at him, noting the nervous excitment pouring off his husband.
"What have you done?" he demanded, stepping from the car carefully.
"Nothing," Steve protested, face innocent. Danny just snorted, disbelieving, opening the door. His foot clanged against a metal dish as he stepped inside.
"What the Hell?" he exclaimed. From deeper in the house came the scrabbling of claws on tile and a faint whine. Entering the kitchen the blond stopped dead, staring at the small cordened off section. In the middle of the fenced off part of their kitchen sat a small grey and white puppy. Its ears were stuck straight up, too big for its little head. It stared at Danny with huge blue eyes, little pink tongue lolling out in a doggy smile.
"A puppy?"
"Do you like him?" Steve asked nervously. "I know you wanted a dog and I found this little guy online. He's a wolf mix, quick as a whip, friendly, loyal..."
"You got me a puppy?" Danny asked again, interrupting his husband's rambling.
"Umm... Yes?"
Danny threw himself at Steve, kissing him soundly, arms wrapped tight around his neck.
"He's wonderful! You're wonderful, thank you!" Danny enthused against the dark haired man's lips. Spinning, the blond opened the puppy pen, sweeping the little dog into his arms. Clearly excited, the puppy began to lick Danny's face enthusiastically, tail wagging so hard his whole body wriggled
"Can we call him Fang?" Danny asked, laughing as he held the overexcited animal away from his face.
"Sure, but why?" Steve grinned.
"White Fang was one of my favourite books as a kid." Danny opened the back door and let the puppy down. He charged around the yard, yapping and tripping over his too big feet, ears flopping comically.
"Thank you," Danny smiled softly, leaning into his husband. "For everything. I sometimes wonder what I did to deserve you."
Steve kissed the top of the sun bright head on his shoulder, just breathing in the warmth of his husband.
"I was just thinking the same thing," he murmured. They watched Fang tumbling round the yard, chasing his tail, pouncing on leaves that skittered along in the breeze.
"So, Jez and Kono, huh?" Danny grinned. "Any idea what's going on?"
"A few," Steve grinned back, winking. "Should be fun finding out."