Note: This story was inspired by a review for my story Forgiveness. You do not need to read it but it will make more sense if you do. It started as a one shot but as it progressed I decided to split it into three chapters.
Many thanks to Wenwalke for the beta and for help with the title. I'm rubbish at that bit.
Disclaimer: I do not own H50
Chapter one
Danny followed Steve into the youth Centre carrying a white board under one arm and a digital projector in his other hand. He watched as Steve sat down the cases he was carrying which contained several unloaded guns.
"I still don't get why you had to drag me to this thing Steven. This is supposed to be your punishment, not mine. I was the one that got shot because you forgot all the gun safety rules, because you were impatient and thought your gun was way faster than bolt cutters. I'm the innocent victim here. Who has only just recovered from the ordeal may I add. And yet you decide to ruin my weekend off by dragging me to this awful place to sit though you babbling on to a room full of hormonal spotty teenagers." Danny ranted.
Steve turned and sighed. "I told you Danny, one of the youth leaders is sick, and we need enough adults to kids to be able to run the session. I'm sorry you had to give up some of your weekend. How about I let you drive the car for another week to make up for it?"
"The car! Don't you mean my car? My car that I never get to drive unless you shoot me or get me into trouble." Danny jibed.
"Yes. Your car. And I'm sorry I shot you, and I'm sorry I need you here." Steve replied downhearted.
"Hey Steve, I'm yanking your chain. Although I'll take the extra week. Just like I'll take the Malasadas and you buying a round of drinks. Guilt suits you babe. But honestly, I don't really mind helping. Rachel has Grace this weekend and they have gone to visit Step Stan." Danny said realising he may have pushed Steve a bit too far with the guilt trip.
"Cool, well let's set up quickly 'cos they should be here soon." Steve replied perking up.
They quickly set up and soon the teenagers started to arrive. Once everyone was there Steve started his session. Danny hovered at the side watching them engage with Steve. He was distracted from Steve's talk on how guns can kill when he saw movement at the door.
Quietly moving around the hall Danny reached the door and slipped out. Looking around he spotted a small boy who looked about eight standing by his bike looking unsure what to do next.
"Is everything ok?" Danny asked walking towards the boy. "You're too young for the session I'm afraid. You have to be over fourteen."
"I was just looking for my brother. He forgot something and I didn't want him to get into trouble for not having it with him."
"Ok, who's your brother and what did he forget? I can give it to him." Danny asked puzzled as the teenagers hadn't been asked to bring anything.
"He's Josh and he forgot his gun." The young boy innocently answered reaching into his bag and pulling out a hand gun.
Danny's eyes widened in surprise, he had been expecting something like a packed lunch, not a hand gun. "Whoa, where did you get that?" He asked. "Carefully give it to me."
The boy saw the shocked look on Danny's face and suddenly became nervous. With shaking hands he moved to pass Danny the gun. Taking a step closer the boy's foot got caught in his bike pedals and he fell forward, his finger hitting the trigger and the gun exploded into life. The gunshot echoed around the centre as both Danny and the boy fell to the ground.
Steve saw the movement at the door too and noted that Danny was already on his way to investigate, so he continued explaining the differences between the guns he had brought. Minutes later he heard the crack of a gun shot and immediately went into action. Demanding that everyone stay inside, he un-holstered his gun and headed to the exit.
Pushing open the door he took stock of the scene before him. A young boy was laid on the ground, a look of horror on his face. Danny was sat close by, his hand clamped around his thigh. Blood quickly staining the grey trousers he wore. Steve yelled back into the community centre for someone to call an ambulance, the scene was safe, and he needed help.
Placing his gun back in his holster he ran to Danny's side. Grabbing the gun that lay on the ground between Danny and the boy he quickly made sure it was safe before turning his attention to his bleeding partner. Danny was doing his best to stench the flow of blood but Steve could see the blood welling through his fingers.
"Steve, I think it hit an artery." Danny whispered.
"Ok, I got you buddy, helps on the way." Steve said removing his belt and applying it as a tourniquet around Danny's upper thigh. "I got it. Just relax."
"Steve, the boy?" Danny asked wanting to know if he was ok.
"He's ok. Think he might have pee'd his pants though, he looks that scared. What the hell happened?"
"He brought a gun for his brother, I told him to give it to me but he tripped and it went off. Oh god I feel dizzy." Danny explained laying himself down to try and stop his world from spinning.
One of the teenagers from inside had already run to his brother's side and was comforting the obviously shocked boy. While the youth centre adults were doing their best to herd the rest of the group, which had gathered outside, back into the centre.
Steve removed his shirt and used it to apply pressure to the bullet wound. He could see the bleeding had slowed since he applied the tourniquet. But he could still see a rhythmic pumping of blood that was obviously in time with his partner's distressed heartbeat. Knowing that Danny was right, the bullet had hit an artery, Steve was desperate for the ambulance to arrive.
"Danny, you with me?" He asked watching his partner's eyes close.
"Yeah. Just feel really tired all of a sudden."
"Stay awake. Ambulance will be here soon and we'll get you patched up and good as new in no time." Steve ordered.
"Ok." Danny replied his eyes still closed.
"Danny open your eyes, come on look at me. Aren't you going to tell me how this is all my fault?" Steve yelled desperate to keep his friend conscious.
Slowly Danny opened his eyes and stared at Steve. "Did you tell the kids to bring a gun to the class?"
"What? No of course not. Why would I do that?" Steve answered shocked.
"Then I really can't blame you for this one babe. Think this is just down to my bad luck. Who gets shot twice in three months? Seriously!"
Steve relaxed a tiny bit hearing his partner attempt to rant, as the wail of sirens could be heard in the distance. Around the corner came an HPD car, followed by an ambulance that pulled up close to Steve and Danny. Out jumped a familiar face.
Ani the EMT had been the one to attend to Danny, after Steve's bullet had ricocheted and hit him in the stomach. Now she hurried over and knelt at Danny's side.
"Hi guys. You know we have to stop meeting like this. Danny there are other ways to get my attention than getting yourself shot." She joked while quickly taking a set of vitals.
"Mmmm, but they wouldn't be as dramatic." Danny slurred.
Checking the wound and Steve's attempt at a tourniquet she calmly spoke to Danny. "Ok, Danny. If I remember rightly you're allergic to pain, so how about we get a cannula into you so we can give you some morphine and some fluids to replace this blood loss. Jonah, my partner here is going to get a pressure bandage on that leg of yours."
Danny just nodded.
Steve stepped back to allow them room to care for his partner, acutely aware of how much blood he was losing. He felt a hand rest on his shoulder and turned to face its owner, only to see Duke standing there.
"Steve, I've been filled in on the basics of what happened. You go with him. I'll take care of things here. I'll let Chin and Kono know what's happened too."
"Thanks Duke, I appreciate that." Turning back around Steve was surprised to find Ani still trying to get a cannula into Danny's arm.
"Gotcha!" She cried finally managing to find the vein. "Playing hide and seek there Danny." She joked attaching a bag of saline and handing it to Steve. "I need you to squeeze the bag to push the fluids in. He's really shut down from the blood loss. We need to get moving."
Returning to Danny she injected what Steve presumed, rightly, to be morphine into the port in the cannula, struggling for a second when Danny began to shake as the shock set in.
Then she helped Jonah get Danny on to the gurney and into the back of the ambulance.
"Danny, is moron partner allowed to come with us today?" She asked.
Danny gave a weak laugh, he liked this girl. She had a way of making him feel at ease despite knowing he wasn't in great shape. "Yeah, and moron partners name is Steve. Not his fault this time."
"Ok Steve. Let's hit the road." She said closing the doors behind him as Jonah ran to the front to start the engine. Checking Danny's vitals again she frowned and checked his leg. Seeing that the pressure bandage was already starting to bleed through she grabbed another, applying it over the top and then set up a second IV. Danny didn't respond throughout so Ani grabbed her pen torch and checked his pupils.
"Jonah, how long?" She asked.
"About five minutes." He shouted back.
"Make it sooner please. Radio through and make sure they have plenty of O negative ready."
"Is he ok?" Steve asked, already knowing that his partner's condition was poor. The colour had completely drained from his skin, and there was a fine sheen of sweat on his forehead.
Placing on oxygen mask over Danny's face she looked up at Steve. Now very serious she replied. "He's losing a lot of blood. The sooner we get him to the hospital and to surgery the better. His blood pressure is too low to sustain a conscious level at the moment. Squeeze harder." She added indicating the bag of saline Steve still held; then squeezing the second bag herself.
TBC
