Title: Impact
Disclaimer: As much as I like to claim them, I really can't. I'm just going to play around with them for a bit.
Rating: T
Summary: When I saw Lori rushing into the hospital right next to Steve's gurney, I asked myself, where's Danny? I liked Lori, and I'm a tiny little bit sorry that she's gone. But she doesn't belong next to the hurt SEAL. That's Danny's place. So I had to go and 'fix' that, explaining why she was there. Hope you like my little 'between the scenes'.
My thanks go to Cokie316 for a great and fast job on this one. You're a real inspiration. And thank you for the title.
IMPACT
Danny heard the screeching of the tires from his position down the road. He just knew something had happened to his partner, even though he couldn't see the actual impact from around the corner. But as he got closer, he saw in vivid technicolor and in slow motion as the two men rolled over the hood and the roof while the car sped through the intersection, taking the two victims with it. And he will remember the thud as Steve's body impacted the pavement for a long time to come.
He saw Vonekov lying a few yards from Steve, but at that moment, he couldn't have cared less about him. Danny only saw his partner down for the count. And it looked bad. Nobody gets up after such an impact, not even a SuperSEAL. Danny hadn't even realized that he was already running, when he saw Kono and Lori rushing to his friend's aid.
His friend, who was lying so frighteningly still. Thrown there like a rag doll. He registered how Lori knelt next to him while Kono stayed back a little. She looked almost scared to face the outcome of the accident. Kono standing there was what made Danny double his effort to get to the scene as fast as possible, at the same time calling the accident in and requesting EMTs and back up.
He ran down the street, and for a fleeting moment, he thought how much better Steve's boots were for running than his own dress shoes. It took Danny only a few seconds to reach his three teammates, but he was shocked to see that a pool of blood had already formed under Steve's head.
Steve was breathing, that much was clear. But the extent of his injuries were unknown; he could be just bruised or he could be paralyzed from the neck down. And that scared Danny, thinking about his friend, seriously injured by a freaking accident. Danny knelt next to his partner and saw now that the blood was from the wounds on the side of Steve's face and head; he hoped there was not also a wound on the back. A real possibility judging from all that blood. Danny thought it was a huge amount, even though head wounds always bleed a lot.
It took a few seconds for Danny to assess the whole situation and take charge. "Kono, check Vonekov. Lori, get the first aid kit out of the van. We need to stop the bleeding." Both women moved immediately, both complete professionals. Shocked to see their friend on the ground, but doing their job regardless.
Danny laid his hand on his friend's forehead, where it was not smeared with blood and bent down low to talk to him. "Steve, can you hear me? Come on, open your eyes. Stop scaring us. Steve, come on, you have to wake up."
But there was no reaction, not even a twitch. Nothing. Steve was completely motionless.
Danny opened the fasteners on Steve's vest and removed the front part. Glad that Steve switched to a different model after his old vest was lost at HPD during Steve's arrest. Now he could easily take it off without moving the injured man. He was not completely done when Lori came back with the first aid kit.
"Lori, I need help over here." Kono shouted from where she was kneeling next to the second victim.
Danny grabbed some gauze pads and gently but firmly pressed them on the wounds on Steve's head. They were soaked almost immediately. Danny used both his hands for the task, so that he didn't move Steve's head while applying pressure on one side. He threw the soaked pads aside and applied new ones, happy to see that they didn't get soaked right away. The blood flow was finally slowing.
Danny was almost elated when he heard the soft groan. "Steve. Steven! Come on babe, open your eyes for me." Danny watched as Steve's eyelids fluttered and how he fought his way back to consciousness, trying to move his head in the process. "No, no, Steve, don't move. Stay still." Danny was by now kneeling behind Steve's head, keeping it still and in line with the rest of his body. "Don't move Steve, you may have injured your neck. Paramedics will be here any minute."
"Danno?" Steve blinked in confusion up at Danny.
"It's okay, you're going to be okay. Just don't move." Danny looked down with worry at his friend, whose eyes were already back at half mast. It was obvious to Danny that his partner was starting to feel the pain the violent impact caused. His breathing was beginning to get labored, and Danny felt they were obviously looking at some injured ribs.
There was no response from Steve, who lost his battle to stay conscious. Danny could only watch and hope that the EMTs would arrive soon. He took a quick glance over to Kono and Lori, who were busy with Dmitri Vonekov. It took another minute for the medics to arrive on the scene and Danny wondered how much time had passed since the accident.
"Sir, you can let go now. Could you make some room please?"
Danny watched as the paramedic took over and quickly and efficiently checked Steve over. A neck brace was put on and they started oxygen through a nasal cannula. One of the medics checked for broken bones and only found some tender ribs. That explained the labored breathing. Towards the end of the prodding Steve came to again.
"Danny!"
"Steve, don't worry, they are getting you ready for transport." Danny again knelt down next to his friend while one of the medics got the gurney ready.
"Can't… breathe," Steve panted out.
"We'll sit you up in a moment. Commander, hang on." The medic rolled the gurney close to Steve and it took the two medics and Danny only a moment to get Steve on it, without jostling him too much. But they still heard him groan when he was moved. Tim, as Danny read on his name tag, had a blanket rolled up and placed it behind Steve's head to make him comfortable on the too short gurney.
When Steve was settled on it, Tim raised him into an almost sitting position, which led to another groan, but his breathing eased instantly. But all the moving was obviously a bit too much for Steve, who was by now more unconscious than awake.
Moments later Steve disappeared into the ambulance with Tim at his side.
"Lori! Stay with Steve. Kono and I are right behind you." Danny practically pushed her into the ambulance, to sit next to his best friend. He would have liked nothing more than to go himself, but being the senior person at the crime scene, he just couldn't leave before HPD took over. Kono also needed a ride and his car was sitting in the middle of the street. He had no idea what would await them at the hospital, but he was sure that this case was not over yet.
Kono and Danny made their way over to his car after informing HPD of the situation. And thanks to some driving Steve would be proud of, along with the intensive use of the lights and siren, they pulled into the emergency room drive right after the ambulance.
Danny and Kono almost caught up with Steve and Lori at the entrance and rushed in to see their friend again. Hopefully more alert by now.
H50 - H50 - H50
I hope you liked it. Let me know!