"Doc said that you're on strict bed rest, Danny," Steve gently reminded his partner as he guided him into the house and closed the door firmly behind them before leading Danny towards the bedroom. Danny was extremely lucky not to be spending the night in a hospital bed.
Steve shivered unconsciously as he remembered the sight of the car as it sped towards the ex-Jersey cop. The only thing he could do was shout a warning and watch as Danny desperately threw himself out of the way. McGarrett wasn't sure if the car actually hit him; the doctor said the bruises could have been the result of Danny hitting the ground, but Steve did remember the horrible thump of his partner slamming into the pavement, and he could not forget the sight of Danny's body as he rolled like a rag doll across the road before stopping motionless face down in the gutter.
The blond haired detective had been extremely lucky escaping with a severely bruised hip, abrasions down his right arm and face and damaged ligaments in his shoulder. The doctor had initially been concerned with head injuries, but the x-rays had been clear, and other than a headache, Danny showed no other symptoms of a concussion. Steve shook his head in disbelief after hearing the doctor's report-he had feared for the worst - and had never expected to be standing next to Danny's gurney in the examination room just a couple of short hours after the hit and run, listening as Danny argued against being admitted to the hospital. Initially he had agreed with the doctor's orders for Danny to be admitted overnight, but Danny's desperate pleas to be discharged and rants about the hospital food had changed his mind.
"Come on, let's get you straight to bed," Steve ordered his partner softly as he tried to guide him towards the bedroom.
"I'm okay," Danny mumbled as he tripped unsteadily over his own feet, "I can rest just as well on the sofa."
Steve was unable to stop the smile, caused by his partner's stubbornness, that spread across his face as his arm quickly snaked around Danny's waist, preventing him from falling as they continued their trek towards the half closed bedroom door. "I know you are, Bruddah, but humor me a little. I have a habit of following doctors' orders, especially after I have been given the amount of painkillers that the doc gave you."
Danny mumbled under his breath and Steve laughed. Although the words were indecipherable, the tone was not, and told him of the other man's displeasure at the doctor's instructions and disbelief that Steve had ever following any doctors' orders in his life. As they halted near the bed and he turned Danny around to face him. "Nothing wrong in going to bed." Steve reiterated firmly as he reached up and gently removed Danny's sling, watching for any signs of discomfort before he removed Danny's tie and began to undo the buttons on Danny's shirt. "Especially after the beating your body took today."
Steve gently removed Danny's shirt, being careful not to jostle Danny's injured arm. He reached across and pulled down the blankets on the bed before silently nodding to Danny sit down before he knelt down and removed Danny's shoes and socks. "Okay Danny, into bed." he ordered.
Doing as he was told, Danny eased himself back into the bed and sighed as his eyes slowly drifted closed and a moment later he began to gently snore.
Standing beside the bed, Navy SEAL was unable to stop the small tremor of fear that rippled through his soul. Today his worst nightmare of losing his partner had almost came true. It had been close, too close. A nightmare he never wanted to relive again, awake or in his dreams.