Steve and Danny were walking to the parking lot a little before noon on an unusually rainy Thursday.
"Steven why can't we just order Chinese and have it delivered?"
"Danny we've had Chinese three times this week already. This new Indian Restaurant is great, I ate there last week. You'll love it brother"
"If they're so great Steven, why don't they deliver?"
"They've only been open a month Danny"
"So you're telling me that this is so amazing that it's worth getting drenched for?"
"It'll be worth it Danno, I promise!"
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They walked into the little restaurant still bickering back and forth about Danny's irritation with getting wet.
"Come on Danno it's just a little rain, you're not going to melt...you're not that sweet!"
"A little rain! It's almost a monsoon out there!"
"Come on now, let's look at the menu"
"I need to go use the head first" Danny moved towards the restrooms at the far side of the restaurant as Steve stood at the counter opening up a menu.
Steve did not hear the man who stepped up behind him. He had been sitting at a small table next to the front door and due to their squabbling they hadn't even noticed him when they had entered. The gun cocked and the cold metal pushed against the back of Steve's head, "Don't move, keep your hands on the counter"
Before he even had time to react Danny came out of the bathroom. A second robber, sitting at a table near the bathroom stood and drew his gun. As Danny's eyes met Steve's they both instinctively made their moves. Danny dove behind a nearby booth firing his gun in the direction of the second robber as he fit the ground hard. He heard the gunfire erupt from the far side of the restaurant and spotting the first robber running towards the front door he hollered, "STOP, 5-0…DROP THE GUN" The young man was firing his gun as he turned towards Danny. Danny fired three shots dropping him.
Danny moved quickly to check out the man closest to him, confirming he was dead. As he was bent down feeling the man for a pulse he called out to Steve, "This one's dead partner, how about him?" He received no response…."Steve?" Danny turned his head and his nightmare began. He saw his partner lying face down on the floor in an expanding pool of blood.
"Steve! Steve! Oh God no!" Danny raced to quickly confirm that the other robber was dead as he hollered to the man behind the counter to call for an ambulance and the HPD.
He then knelt at his partner's side, "Steve, oh God…please no…" Danny placed his fingers on Steve's neck and thankfully he felt a pulse. He was light headed and nauseous as he looked at his best friend lying horribly still with a bullet wound to the back of his head. He shook his head trying desperately to calm himself down, think….think….think…..
He yelled to the employee behind the counter to please bring him towels and a blanket. As he waited he pressed his fingers to the wound trying to staunch the bleeding. A young female waitress soon knelt down beside him. "Cover him with the blanket please" She did as asked after handing him a towel. As Danny placed the towel against his head Steve began to moan softly. Afraid to move the injured man, Danny lay down next to him whispering into his ear. "Steve, don't move babe. I've got you"
"Dddan…nno"
Danny lay down on his stomach so Steve could see him. With one hand he held the towel to his head and with his other hand he caressed his partners face speaking to him very softly, "Hey Steve, I'm here buddy. The ambulance is on the way, don't move now…you're going to be okay"
Steve's eyes were open wide, fear evident in them. "DDan…..ooohhhhhhhhhh hhuurts…Daanno"
"Don't talk babe…..ssshhhhhhhhhhh"
"Diiid yoouu get ….eeem Dannno?"
"Yeah…no worries okay…..."
Steve suddenly started to try to move, "OOOOHHH GGOD DDANNNO"
"STEVE STOP! DON'T MOVE…STOP... STEVE" Danny moved quickly grabbing his friends' shoulders and pinning him to the ground. He looked up frantically at the waitress, "Can you help me please?"
"What do you need me to do?"
"Hold the towel here sweetheart but don't push too hard" Danny took her hand and guided it to the towel, "Just push here…just like that…thank you"
Danny held Steve's shoulders tightly with one arm and with the other he held his head still.
Steve was moaning loudly and crying out, "DDannno….oooooooohhhhhh mmy hhead….hhurrts DDannno"
"Sssshhhhhhh babe….I know, try to relax…..ssshhhhhhh"
"Dann…..nyy the pppain….oooohhhh GGod….hhuurts….mmmy hhead"
Danny heard the ambulance pulling into the parking lot, "The medics are here Steve, sssshhhhhhhhh, relax"
The EMT's were there in moments, "Sir let us get to him please"
As Danny stepped aside Steve called out, "DAANNO…DDANNOO"
As the EMT's worked Danny grabbed his partners' hand squeezing it tightly, "STEVE, I'M RIGHT HERE…SQUEEZE MY HAND BUDDY"
Danny kept talking to Steve trying to keep him calm as the EMT's worked to stabilize him and prepare him for ride to the hospital. "Hang on Steve, you're doing great buddy. Squeeze my hand now" He was growing more concerned as his partner's grip weakened, "STEVE, STEVE…squeeze my hand man, stay with me Steven"
The EMT's were calling out his vitals as they too tried to keep him awake. "Steve, can you hear me?"
Danny spoke frantically, "What's happening?"
"His blood pressure is dropping and he's lost consciousness. We need to get him to the hospital as quickly as possible. What's your name sir?"
"Umm, Danny…..Danny Williams. This is Steve McGarrett. We're with the Governors' 5-0 task force. Is he gonna be okay?"
"I hope so Danny. We'll do everything we can. We need you to help us now"
"Yeah, what do you need?"
"We're going to slip the back board underneath him and then lift him onto the stretcher. We have to keep him as still as possible. We'll maneuver him and when we tell you to, we need you to place the board tightly up against his body"
"Okay…okay" Danny took his position. He was shaking as he looked at Steve, who had grown still and deathly pale very quickly.
Danny followed their instructions and as the EMT's gently rolled Steve onto his side, Danny slid the board underneath his body. He then slanted the board up against Steve's body and the EMT's eased him onto the board and back onto the ground.
"Good. Now let's lift him onto the stretcher" As the three men lifted him off the ground the HPD officers arrived on the scene. Danny barked out orders to Duke Lukela to handle the crime scene and he would be at the hospital with Steve. He then climbed into the back of the ambulance with his partner.
