OK, I want to hear a collective groan. Here is yet *one more* Missing scene/Addendum to Episode 2.10, "Ki'ilua".
I was in the middle of writing another story and told myself I wasn't going to write anything on this because it had already produced a lot of fanfic. But the thoughts wouldn't leave me alone, and I put the other one on the back burner and began writing. When I began, I never realized it would take a couple months to finish, so for that, I do apologize. Once again, I own none of this franchise. I even checked my Christmas stocking a couple times looking for the paperwork, but Santa apparently said 'no'. So, I just borrow these guys from time to time and afterwards put them back where they belong.
Thanks to Sockie1000 and Rogue Tomato for their excellent beta work. Their ideas and suggestions always make my writing better. Any errors in content or execution are all mine.
Kalepa
By Cokie
Steve had listened to Danny's ranting for more than an hour. He knew Danny wasn't overly-fond of the trip he was preparing to take, but Mother Hen Williams was certainly making it easier to leave. His partner's nervous pacing and non-stop talking was wearing thin. Although, come to think of it, that wasn't anything new. But Danny had made it very clear that he was not one bit enthusiastic about the idea of this trip.
Truth be told, Steve wasn't looking forward to it, either. North Korea wasn't a hot spot for world travelers. And the memories of his last trip into Korea had been forever seared into his memory. But Jenna had asked for his help. He had tried to utilize contacts in the area, but they had been deployed elsewhere, so the rescue was up to him.
But what he wanted didn't matter at the moment; this was for Jenna. She had it on good authority that her fiancé was alive and Steve owed her, so he had no choice but to go. Jenna had saved Danny from his exposure to Sarin, and for that reason alone there wasn't enough Steve could do to repay her. Not only had she saved his partner's life, she had saved Grace's father. And he could not put a price on that gift.
So, he said goodbye to Danny in mid-rant and met Jenna at the airport.
The eight-hour plane ride to Seoul was long and arduous, but Steve was used to lengthy uncomfortable flights, so he sat back and endured it. If only he could turn off his mind. Steve's unwanted musings were filled with the details of his South Korean debacle over a year ago. His brain kept hitting replay, flashing on the scenes in the Humvee with Anton Hesse, the phone call from his father's cell, the black chopper rising above them that took out their convoy and then his own shoot-out with Anton. The culmination of the play-by-play was always Victor's angry voice over the phone and the reverberating sound of a single gunshot.
His body jerked in response, and he glanced around to see if anyone had noticed. Jenna seemed to be in her own world, so she wasn't paying him any attention. In fact, she had basically ignored him once they boarded the plane. He looked at her more closely, watching as she gnawed on her thumbnail, staring, but not seeing the dog-eared Air Mall magazine in her lap. Her movements were jerky and nervous and he reached over and laid his hand on her arm.
She jumped at his touch and made a gasping sound deep in her throat.
"Hey!" He quietly told the young woman, and then quickly offered her a crooked smile. "Didn't mean to scare you." He patted her arm, before removing his hand. "Don't look so worried. You're not second guessing the trip, are you?"
"Huh, uh, no. No, of course not," she assured him, offering him a fleeting smile while still not meeting his gaze. "I'm just, well, if you must know, I'm not really crazy about flying."
Steve glanced out the window, noticing they were descending. He pushed up and locked his tray into place and replied, "Well, this leg of your journey is almost over. Now, we just have to find a driver and a Jeep."
If he thought Jenna was nervous in the plane, she was about ready to come unglued on the trip through the jungle. He kept turning back to reassure her, but it was almost as if she refused to look at him. He watched her rock in the seat, while staring at the passing scenery and put it down to extreme nervousness at the prospect of getting back her fiancé.
The vehicle stopped just south of the border between North and South Korea and after last minute instructions to Jenna, he stepped out of the Jeep while she jumped from the back. A truck was rumbling toward them and stopped several feet away from their location before a man was pulled from the back of the truck. He was bound and his face was concealed, but Steve immediately sensed there
was something wrong. Josh's file had said he was six feet tall. This person was obviously several inches shorter than that. Steve had to physically hold back Jenna when she tried to run to the prisoner. And then all hell broke loose and he was in the middle of a fire fight, him against at least four others. But less than a minute later, the enemy had disbursed. And the feeling in his gut rocketed to the forefront in the same moment he heard the weapon cocked from behind.
Steve turned slightly to view Jenna holding a gun on him. But before he could understand, a blow to the head sent him to the hard ground. Blinking his eyes to clear the double vision, he looked up to see Wo Fat standing next to Jenna, a smirk on his face.
Well, shit.
Before he could move, three men were on him, one roughly pulling off his boots and socks and tossing them into the jungle while another bound his hands and the third knotted a rope around his neck. The rope circled his neck several times before he was forcibly jerked to his feet and shoved in the back, forcing him to move forward.
While they were tying him up, Steve stared at Jenna Kaye, wondering why. And how. And when she had turned on him and his team. Just how long had she been working for Wo Fat? Was this a recent occurrence, or had her entire time with them been a ruse? A total sham? Unfortunately, all he had was questions and no answers.
And then it hit him. Jenna's nervousness, her 'fear of flying', the not looking him in the eye. Guilt. He was her ticket for Josh's return. She had asked for his help and he had not even questioned her motives. But bottom line, it was a trade. His life for Josh's. Unfortunately for the young woman, Steve quickly realized the outcome she expected would never happen.
Steve was pushed in the back with a rifle and fell to the ground before being pulled upward once more. He knew that yelling at a rebel in his own language was not the wisest move, but he had a few choice words to say, which earned him another painful blow to the back. He attempted conversation with Wo Fat and received nothing in return except the almost constant leer on the man's face. In retaliation for his supposed insolence, the rope around his neck was jerked once again as he was forced to continue marching through the jungle.
One phrase came to mind.
Dead man walking.
~~~H50~~~
Danny's gut had churned as Steve told him his plans. He didn't know why, but he knew this was a bad, bad idea. But Lieutenant Commander Steven-"Ooh, Ooh-Let-Me-Help"-McGarrett said yes and had taken off into the wild blue yonder with Jenna Kaye in an attempt to rescue her fiancé.
Really, Steven… Korea? I know you remember what happened the last time you visited that wonderful country.
How could you not? It has defined your actions every day since.
But Danny had put worry for his partner on the back burner. The team remaining in Hawaii had a mission of their own to find Bethany Morris' murderer. Chin and Kono followed a lead and went to meet the last known person who had contact with the journalist before she disappeared. Upon seeing Jane Woodley's driver's license with a photo of Jenna Kaye staring back at them, panic ensued. At that moment, for whatever reason, they realized that Steve was heading into a boat-load of trouble.
In North Korea. Home to no one who wanted to be friendly.
They needed answers to questions they couldn't even ask but Danny knew one person on the island who had the ability to find out what he needed to know. Tracking him down took longer than he had anticipated, but after traipsing into and through the muddy jungle… in his dress shoes no less, Danny managed to find Joe White along with Navy SEAL Wade Gutches.
Seeing Joe's reaction to the news that Steve was in North Korea ratcheted Danny's concern up several more notches. And after discovering that Bethany had been investigating Jenna's fiancé's last mission when she was killed, the earlier panic became full blown.
While North Korea isn't a large country, locating one man inside it is an impossible task. They had no clue where Steve and Jenna were, but they knew something was very, very wrong. Jenna had lied about her location for the last three months and that in itself destroyed her credibility with the team. Danny repeatedly tried to reach Steve on his SAT phone, but the it went unanswered each time. The team continued to panic with each passing hour.
They were ready for Plan B.
Unfortunately, Plan B did not exist.
~~~H50~~~
Steve was forced down a ladder into an underground area of what looked to be an old army bunker. Two of his captors dragged him down the hallway, into a room at the very end of the hall. When the door slammed shut, he knew he only had one chance to make an escape. Two against one were much better odds than six against one. Unfortunately, before he was untied, he was thrown across the floor and his captors took turns kicking and beating him in the head with their fists. When they felt he was suitably subdued, the ropes were removed from his wrists and he was jerked to his feet, swaying and nauseous. Before he could protest, his arms were stretched above his head and he felt the cold, iron shackles on his wrists, locking into place, pulling him upward so that his bare toes just grazed the concrete floor beneath him.
The two rebels took delight in then attacking his exposed chest and stomach before they left him alone, hanging, to wait what would come next.
Steve looked up at the shackles before glancing around the concrete bunker. He knew he wasn't going anywhere for a while. Maybe forever. But that didn't mean he was ready to give up and hang there without a fight. His eyes searched the room for anything useful. Other than additional chains attached the wall, there was zip. Nada. Nothing to help him.
So he would do it on his own.
Taking a deep breath, he grasped the chains in his fists and pulled his body up so that he could see the locks. He tugged, first on one wrist, and then the other in a futile attempt to break them. Unfortunately, they refused to budge.
Crap.
He could almost hear Danny's "I told you so" in his head. Unfortunately, Danny or anyone else had a clue where he was. Come to think of it, even he didn't even know where he was.
Help was not coming. That was a given.
And, if that wasn't enough, also a given was the fact that, once again, someone he trusted had betrayed him. This time, more than likely, for good. Steve had always felt he had been a good judge of character. The trait had served him well as a SEAL. But when did that trait disappear? How did it happen that the line between friends and enemies became so blurred?
He thought back to Nick Taylor, fellow SEAL and his former friend. Danny had told him that Nick had used their friendship to blind Steve to his true motives. As much as he wanted to believe Danny, he couldn't believe Nick had changed that much. But in the end, the truth had stung, and had loosened a string on his psyche which he kept wound as tightly as a ball of yarn. Later in the year, when the governor betrayed him, his self-confidence in recognizing "the good guys" quickly began to unravel.
And Jenna... well, Jenna's betrayal just drop-kicked that self-confident ball of yarn down a North Korean hill. Was he so blinded by friendship that he could no longer see the big picture? Could he no longer think rationally? If he thought about it anymore, he would totally unravel and that wouldn't help his situation at all.
Instead, Steve chose to think of the other people in his life- his partners and friends. Danny. Chin. Kono. He was thankful that he had returned to Hawaii and had the opportunity to work with this team. Was proud of what they had accomplished together. His greatest regret was not getting to see them again; there would be no goodbye. And they would never know what had happened to him. He knew that even though some friendships had turned sour, he had a team who would have backed him up without question, without fail. And he knew his disappearance would be rough on them.
His thoughts wandered to some of the things he would have changed, given the chance. Tops on that list was to have visited with his Dad more. Finish the Marquis. Together, just like their plan.
Call his sister more than once in a blue moon. Try to have a real relationship with her and not the superficial one of two people who really didn't know each other.
Tell Danny he was honored to have him as a partner. Thank both Chin and Kono for all the work they did in getting him out of jail and keeping IA off his back.
Have a chance to tell Grace he was glad he had met her.
McGarrett's morose thoughts were interrupted when two "new" North Koreans entered the room, the look of gratification already on their faces at the task they had been given.
The beatings continued at varying intervals over the next several hours. The players changed, but the routine was basically the same. Hit and kick the shit out of him. Two or three men would enter the room and beat him until he came close to unconsciousness. Then they would silently exit, leaving him panting for just one good, non-pained-filled breath while sweat and blood dripped from his pain-wracked body.
His wrists were raw and blood-stained from being jerked by the chains with every blow to his body. All his weight rested on his arms and shoulders until the rebels would leave the room. Only then, for a few moments, he could balance on his toes. Until his feet and legs cramped so badly that he would have to raise them from the floor.
And the vicious cycle would repeat.
Things really couldn't get much worse.
Until they did.
Wo Fat decided to join the game.
~~~H50~~~
Steve's team was frantically trying to find information on the CIA operation they had found in Bethany Morris' files, but even that information would not lead them to find one man in North Korea. They had no place to start. That is, until Danny's phone rang and a hysterical Jenna was on the other end of the line. Williams' blood ran cold at the mention of two small words.
Wo Fat.
Wo Fat had Steve. In some God-forsaken country. And sweet and kind Jenna Kaye had lured him into the hostile territory. Rage rose in the detective. He held tightly to his cell phone to keep from throwing it against the opposite wall. With the fingers of his other hand, he pinched the bridge of his nose willing himself to calm down. Knowing that anger on his part wouldn't help Steve at all. There would be time later for him to release his fury, but right now he needed to concentrate on finding his partner.
Danny tried the proper channels, but no help came from the governor; or rather no timely help would be provided. They were essentially on their own, so Joe White made the call to go in and get Steve.
It wasn't a hard decision for any of them. They were all going to Korea to get Steve out.
Or die trying.
They met at the air strip and the team realized they were going into a hostile, foreign country incognito and without weapons on a 'humanitarian' mission, supposedly taking medical supplies into Seoul. At the last minute, their odds of coming out alive increased slightly when Gutches and members of SEAL Team 9 showed up… with full gear and ammo… to join them in the search.
On the long trip in the military plane, Danny kept checking his watch. Calculating. Jenna had said Steve was alive when she called… before the phone went silent. That was four hours ago. Danny was no idiot; he knew Steve's chances decreased the longer Wo Fat had him. And they had no clue how long Steve had been a prisoner before Jenna made contact.
~~~H50~~~
The frequency of the beatings increased, leaving less time between "sessions". Steve was trying to separate himself from the pain, but that ability became harder to do with each blow to his torso or head. It became more and more difficult to focus his thoughts and he prayed for another "break".
From what, he didn't know. His head was so muddled that he couldn't remember how long he had been there, where there was, or even why these people were hitting him.
Moments later, the two men stopped hitting him and Steve glanced up to see why, thankful for any reason for them to leave him alone. But he was surprised to see Jenna dragged into the room and cuffed to a chain in the wall.
And miraculously, all the rebels disappeared.
Slowly the fog began to lift. He stared at Jenna, his blurred vision wavering from the repeated blows he had taken to his head. He could see the bruises on her face and knew that her plan had not gone as she had hoped. And as much as it hurt to talk, he wanted, no, he needed answers. She at least owed him that much.
Jenna finally looked at him and he saw the remorse on her face, knowing she now realized just how futile working with Wo Fat could be. A lesson learned a bit too late… for both of them.
Steve couldn't help it. He asked her an important question… where Josh was. A low blow, but he was really, really beyond caring.
~~~H50~~~
Thankfully, Gutches had done his homework and had discovered a supposedly empty bunker hidden near the border in North Korea. Navy Intel had provided evidence of unsanctioned travel across the border to that destination in the last few days. Flying on faith that Steve was still alive and that they could find him, the group made it into Seoul, still needing transportation north, toward the border.
As luck would have it, Joe had contacts. Even in South Korea.
A pilot friend who owed him a favor lived in Seoul and drove them out to his farm, where his chopper sat in a field behind the house. While the team was appreciative of any transportation that would get them closer to Steve, they were not fully prepared for "Tangerine" and her cowboy of a pilot. Tangerine didn't look like she had been off the ground in decades. That fact was reaffirmed when Frank put a tape into the 8-track, something most of SEAL Team 9 had never seen or heard the likes of in their lifetime.
Kono remained behind at Frank's farm, setting up a satellite link to monitor their progress and to also keep tabs on the area in North Korea; Lori's job in the chopper was to relay messages from Kono to the team.
The mission was a go. No turning back and no aborting. Tangerine was in the air and they were heading in to get Steve.
~~~H50~~~
McGarrett felt as if his body was betraying him with each electrical jolt from the cattle prod. He couldn't stop the guttural screams escaping as his torso and abdomen were repeatedly assaulted with the prod, the electricity causing his heart to race as he felt the shock course through every portion of his body.
But he persevered, ignoring Wo Fat's repeated questions until the man eventually set the prod aside. He then began using his fists, hitting him in the face, causing Steve's body to jerk and spin on the chains like a broken marionette. When his body twisted around, Wo Fat would hit him in the back and kidneys. That blow would jerk him frontwards once again, when he was hit in the stomach. And the vicious cycle would begin once again.
The room spun sickeningly as the beating continued. Finally, Wo Fat stepped back in frustration, continuing to bombard Steve with questions about Shelborne.
But Steve finally got another reprieve. One of Wo Fat's men came into the room, gaining the man's attention. He showed his leader a phone and pointed outside, speaking in tones too low for Steve to hear his words.
But Jenna also saw the phone and knew what the conversation was about, knew Wo Fat would turn on her. Seeing maybe her only chance, she got Steve's attention, sliding a pin across the floor to him, whispering the words, "it's not for nothing"; words her fiancé had once said to her.
Confused, Steve managed to hide the pin beneath his foot before Wo Fat turned toward them. In one swift move, the angry man was across the room, firing two shots into Jenna's chest, instantly killing her before turning back to McGarrett.
Steve knew. He knew that this was his last minute on earth, but he used it to swear revenge on Wo Fat with what he thought was his dying breath.
But Wo Fat gave him an ultimatum… leaving in an hour… going to find Shelborne. Together.
Yeah, right. Sorry, can't help you there, Mr. Fat.
But it was at that moment that Steve realized something very important.
Wo Fat didn't know who or what Shelborne was. Maybe… possibly… he now had some leverage to use against the other man.
Wo Fat left the room taking his men with him, supposedly to prepare for a trip to who-the-hell-knew-where. Steve glanced once again at Jenna's body, this time with regret of a young life lost. But he couldn't help her now and resolved to get himself out of the chains holding him. With great effort, he grabbed the chains with his swollen and numb fingers and, holding the pin she gave him between his toes, raised his lower body up in order to grasp the pin with his hand. Forcing his fingers to work took great effort, but he finally managed to unlock the locks binding him. With a pain-filled thud, he fell to the floor.
Before he left the bloodied room, Steve limped over to Jenna's body, kneeled down and checked for a pulse before gently closing her eyes. Even though he was here because of her actions, in the end, she was the one who had given him a fighting chance out of the hell hole and he owed her for that.
He eluded two of the North Korean rebels inside the bunker, killing them both and taking a weapon before opening the door to the outside, never expecting to feel the sunshine on his face again. But his new-found freedom was short lived. He was surrounded by Wo Fat's men before a gun butt to the back of the head dropped him to the ground.
He didn't even feel his body being dragged across the ground and tossed into the back of a waiting truck.
~~~H50~~~
Had his body been firing on all cylinders, he would never have alerted the guard that he was even awake. But why should anything work for his benefit beginning now?
Once the guard saw McGarrett's eyes open, he kicked him in his already-stressed shoulder, flipping him onto his back before roughly grabbing his bound hands and dragging him to a metal bar in the front of the truck bed. Steve was pulled to a sitting position and tied before the rebel took up his weapon once again and sat, watching him.
Steve opened his eyes and tried to get them to focus. Tried to remember where he was. And why. He knew he was moving. That was evident when his body or head hit the truck with each bump in the road. He stared at his hands tied in front of him and could see the knot that tethered him to a metal bar. He was a SEAL; he knew he could get out of the knots without a problem. Think, McGarrett. It would just take a few moments and a diversion. He shook his head to try and clear the roaring sounds in his ears, but soon realized movement of any kind was a mistake.
Diversion.
He could barely keep his eyes open and focused, and unfortunately his body had plans other than creating a distraction of any kind. He tried to keep focus on the ropes, tried to think, tried to focus on anything, but his vision began to once again blur while the buzzing in his ears grew louder. When the truck made contact with a particularly large pothole, the side of his head smacked against the metal bar.
And the lights went out again.
~~~H50~~~
The combined Five-0 and SEAL teams hiked over the border into North Korea, finding the supposedly-abandoned bunker. Before heading in, they spied fresh blood on the ground near the doorway , realizing that the Intel was correct and there had been recent activity here. They cleared each room on the first floor, finding nothing before seeing the ladder leading to the lower level of the very musty and rank building. A body was found near the base of the ladder and another was around the corner, both with their necks snapped, confirming that something had gone down recently.
Danny positively knew that Steve had taken out these men. "He's not dead, he's not dead," reverberated through his brain like a mantra as he went from room to room searching for… anything positive to confirm that Steve had been there.
And then they opened the door at the end of the hall.
Danny stared at Jenna's body lying on the cold, hard floor. He moved toward her, taking in the unlocked, bloody chains hanging from the ceiling, small smears of blood on the floor beneath them. The scene was indelibly imprinted on his mind, and as much as Danny hated to admit it, he was glad that Steve's body wasn't lying there next to Jenna.
Which led him to his next question?
Just where the hell was he?
~~~H50~~~
Sound was the first sensation McGarrett recognized as he came to. Loud gunfire overrode the roar in his head and he realized that weapon fire was surrounding the truck he was in. He raised his head and blinked, realizing he was alone. And that he had stopped moving. Why? He couldn't think. The noise around him was too loud and he flinched, squeezing his eyes shut, just wishing the noise would stop, his eyesight would cooperate and his stomach would stop rolling.
It didn't matter where 'here' was, he just wanted out.
And then he remembered.
Korea.
Alone.
Jenna. Dead.
Wo Fat.
Alone. Lost.
Wo Fat.
No help coming.
Steve sighed and dropped his head once more.
The gunfire quieted and he heard movement around the truck and knew they were coming for him. Either Wo Fat or the North Koreans. Didn't really matter who, the outcome would more than likely be the same.
The tarp on the back of the truck was raised and sunlight hit his face. He squinted; not that squinting would help his wonky vision. But from a distance, he heard his name.
And someone was in the truck with him. Kneeling beside him. Touching him.
"Danny?" Steve asked, incredulously. How did Danny get here?
But he quickly pushed the thought aside. A more pressing question was at the forefront of his mind, demanding an answer.
"Where's Wo Fat?"
"Shut up."
Yep, that's my partner.
~~~H50~~~
It took Danny, Chin and Joe, all working together, to get Steve out of the back of the truck. Danny was worried; Steve must have taken his words 'shut up' quite literally because he didn't say anything else to them while they maneuvered him out of the truck bed.
Once on the ground, it was evident Steve wasn't walking out of there under his own power. His legs began to buckle and Danny and Chin held him upright while Joe gave him a cursory check to rule out obvious major problems. Danny's stomach churned and bile rose in his throat when he saw his friend's injuries. Bruising, burns, blood… and still his friend was remarkably conscious, although swaying on his feet. There was blood clotted in the dark hair, cuts and bruises on his face, nasty, round burn marks and bruises on his chest and stomach, and his wrists rubbed raw from the chains Danny remembered hanging from the ceiling.
SEAL Team 9 circled them as Chin and Danny slid their shoulders under Steve, placing his arms around their necks. He didn't argue or disagree with their movements, but looked at Danny, blinking owlishly. His partner spoke to him, hoping Steve understood. "We're heading to a chopper. It's not far and we've got you. OK?"
Steve's stare wasn't anything close to normal, but he managed a somewhat coordinated nod, hopefully understanding Danny's explanation.
Before they took a step, Gutches stopped them. "Hey, hang on." He knelt down next to one of the dead rebels and removed his shoes, returning to slide them on Steve's bloodied feet. "You need these more than he does," he explained. "Hopefully they will feel better than tree roots," Gutches added as he stood back up and grinned at McGarrett. He motioned to his team. "Move out, Men. Let's get this SEAL home."
The SEAL team surrounded the trio as they moved slowly through the jungle. McGarrett managed to place one foot in front of the other, matching his friends' steps, but the farther they walked, Chin and Danny found they were taking more and more of his weight.
And that was all right with them.
Against all odds, they were taking him home.
~~~H50~~~
Steve slowly walked with his friends' help. He really wasn't sure where they were going, but it didn't matter, he knew he was safe. His body was screaming for him to curl up under a tree and die, but that wasn't going to happen. He knew it was important to get away from where he was. Each step made him more nauseous so he looked down at his feet, watching them move, knowing that soon he should be someplace better.
Some place safe.
With his friends.
Any place but here.
They slowed and Steve looked up to see a chopper in the clearing in front of them. They continued to move forward until he felt himself lifted onto the floorboard of the helicopter and felt Joe's hands on his shoulders. Automatically, he reached for Joe's weapon that the older man had set aside. With stiff fingers, Steve readied it for action, should the need arise.
He was getting out of there, or he was going to die trying. Going back was not an option.
Steve sat there in the middle of his friends, feeling hands grounding him, and as the chopper lifted, he looked around at the people who had rescued him. His muddled brain knew he needed answers, but words were even harder to form than thoughts. He looked back at Danny and heard his partner's laughter. Then everyone laughed and he joined in, the laughter releasing some of his anxiety. He heard something about weddings and houses and women but he didn't really care. It just felt good to hear their voices.
He was safe.
And they said he was going home.
~~~H50~~~
McGarrett lowered the weapon into his lap and Chin watched as the wounded man struggled to remain upright. Steve's eyes began to close and Chin reached out to him, touching his knee.
"Boss? You doing OK?"
Steve raised his eyes and focused on Chin Ho. What's Chin doing here?
He tried to nod his head, but when he raised back up, his neck could no longer hold him upright. His head fell backward and lolled to the side. The last thing Steve remembered as his eyes slid shut was Joe's hand under his chin, guiding his head to rest against Joe's leg.
~~~H50~~~
Joe had kept his hands on Steve's shoulders in the chopper to help ground him back into reality. But he also managed to slide his fingers down Steve's neck to feel the injured man's pulse a couple of times knowing that once the adrenalin wore off, the wounded man would crash.
And crash, he did.
It hadn't taken long before McGarrett's eyes closed and his head dropped back against the seat. Joe guided him to lie against his own leg and checked his pulse once again before letting out a sigh, glancing at the people around him.
"Wondered how long that would take," Gutches commented.
Joe nodded. "Lasted longer than I expected," he admitted, looking back down at Steve. He called to Frank, "Mind if we bunk at your place for a couple of hours before we head home? We need to get him checked out."
Frank glanced around to get his own look at the rescued man. "Got a better idea." He turned to Lori. "Get that little gal back at my place on the phone. Have her load up her stuff and drive my truck to meet us back at the landing pad."
"Got it," she replied, turning to contact Kono.
"And, just to let you all know," Frank added, "we are now flying over South Korea. Almost home."
~~~H50~~~
"Are you sure about this?" Danny yelled to Joe over the engine noise as they bounced along in the back of Frank's old truck. Chin and SEAL Team 9 were piled in the bed with them while Frank had reserved the cab for Kono and Lori. Steve had yet to regain consciousness and presently was lying on the floor of the truck bed, his head in his partner's lap. Shortly after they had landed Tangerine on Frank's farm, darkness had begun to fall and now they could barely see each other in the twilight.
"I trust Frank," Joe replied. "Always have and see no reason to stop now."
"If you say so," Williams replied, wincing as they hit another pothole in the dirt road. He glanced down at Steve but his partner wasn't bothered by the bad road or maniacal driving, his bruised face slack in sleep.
Soon the truck stopped and they heard Frank's door close before hearing quiet voices converse in Korean. Danny glanced once again at Joe, watching as the man listened.
"You understand that?"
Joe nodded. "He's a doctor," he explained before the tarp on the back of the truck was raised and SEALs began exiting, immediately on alert, checking the area. Frank was standing with a Korean man about his same age and waited for the SEALs to move before getting their attention.
"Guys, this is my friend, Dr. Young-soo Hwang. He can patch up your boy there and get you on your way back home."
As Frank spoke, Dr. Hwang climbed into the truck and checked McGarrett's pulse, then raised one eyelid before peeling back the shirt and looking at his torso. He glanced up at Danny, Chin and Joe who were all huddled around their friend and spoke in perfect English, "Let's get him inside and see what the damage is, shall we? Frank, please ask Sun-ja to bring a gurney."
They entered the back door of the small building and found themselves in a relatively modern doctor's office. Danny's first observation was, at least it is clean.
As requested, a woman met them at the door with a gurney and they placed their friend on it. Before moving Steve into an exam room, Dr. Hwang waved his hand in her direction. "My wife, Sun-ja. She speaks little English, so if you need anything, you may need to go through Frank."
Joe bowed and spoke to her, "Go mab seum nida."
The doctor grinned and added, "Or not" as he pushed the gurney toward the hall. He pointed in the direction of the kitchenette area. "Go, have a seat and drink. We have coffee and tea on the stove. I'll come out and let you know what I find as soon as we're finished."
Danny started to follow him down the hall but was stopped by Sun-ja's small hand against his chest. She pointed to the kitchen and turned him around, while pointing, smiling and bobbing her head.
"She's telling you that you look like you need coffee," the doctor 'translated'. He nodded toward the kitchen and quietly assured Danny, "Go on. We'll take care of your friend."
Danny stood and watched as Steve was wheeled away from them, then ran both hands through his hair and sighed. Chin joined him in the hallway and clapped him on the shoulder. "Come on, Brah. We've got him this far. Let the experts take over."
Williams nodded and turned to join the others. Kono handed him a cup of coffee and he collapsed into a chair, noticing Joe, Frank and Wade talking in the corner.
Gutches nodded at the other men and moved to his SEAL team who were guarding the back door. "You guys take the truck to the airstrip and put the pilot on standby. Then unload those pallets of supplies and bring them back here. Hopefully we'll be ready to go by the time you get back."
The three SEALs nodded and headed back outside. Chin took up their spot near the back window as they got in the truck and drove away.
And the wait began. Joe and Wade leaned their chairs against the wall and waited patiently like the good SEALs they were. Kono sat and fidgeted with her cup of tea. Lori wandered around the room picking up and examining everything that wasn't nailed down, while Chin leaned against the door frame.
And Danny paced. With each trip down the hall, he stared at the closed door where his partner had been taken before finally coming to a halt in the doorway of the small kitchen. "What the hell can be taking so long?" he finally asked.
Frank replied, "Young-soo takes his time, but he's thorough. He's had to patch me up before, and trust me, there is no one better. Just have some patience, Kid." He grinned at Williams and slouched back in his chair.
Danny's reply was halted when they heard the door open and Dr. Hwang came out to meet them. "If you want, I can go over the commander's x-rays with you and we can talk." He motioned with his hand, "Come."
They didn't need to be asked twice and followed him into the room. Danny immediately looked for Steve and noticed another door off the other side of the room. "Where—"
"Sun-ja is getting him cleaned up a bit," the doctor answered. "We've poked and prodded, stitched and bandaged and he still hasn't regained consciousness, which has made him an ideal patient. Although it is his head injury that is my main concern. But from checking the x-rays, all in all, he is a very lucky person."
"And I'm sure he will agree with you as soon as he wakes up," Danny snarked.
"What did you find?" Joe asked, sending a glare in Williams' direction.
The doctor pointed to the first x-ray. "Two broken and one cracked rib on the left; two more cracked on the right. I assume the person or people or whoever beating him were right handed since most of the damage is on his left side." He pointed to the next x-ray, adding, "Left clavicle is cracked, most likely from a boot. We found a heel impression in the bruise above it." Continuing his commentary, he placed another x-ray on the screen, pointing to the head shot. "While he is concussed, I couldn't find a skull fracture, although his left cheek bone is cracked. The inside of his mouth is also cut up, and that, along with the bruises and a few stitches, will make talking painful for a few days."
Danny sighed and rubbed the back of his neck and the doctor turned toward him. "None of the injuries he received are life threatening, but he will be very stiff and sore for several days. When you get him home, he will definitely need more follow up medical care. I'm just doing a quick patch job. The person responsible for all this aimed for pain rather than permanent damage. He knew what he was doing."
"We know," Danny muttered. "I… uh, saw burn marks. How bad are those?"
"Burns on his chest and stomach, most likely from a cattle prod. We've cleaned and bandaged them, but watch for signs of infection. Same with his wrists and feet. Even though they are now clean, infection is still a possibility. Lots of nasty things in the jungle. He also took several blows to the spleen and kidneys, so don't be surprised if he pees blood for a while."
"Ana wae! Geuman"! Steve's voice was heard from the next room.
Dr. Hwang said, "Excuse me. Sounds like he is awake."
Danny followed him to the door, listening to the panic in his partner's voice.
"Ani, jebal geuman!"
"Geudaelo. Dangsin eun anjeon. Swis! Dangsin eun anjeon." Sun-ja's soft voice soothed him and he stopped fighting as the doctor and Danny entered the room.
Sun-ja had one hand on Steve's forehead and the other grasping his hand, holding him down when Danny and the doctor reached the bed. His eyes were now closed and he was breathing heavily, weakly trying to get his hand out of the nurse's grasp.
Dr. Hwang spoke to him, "Commander? Can you hear me? Open your eyes."
Steve continued to suck in air, not complying with the man's wishes.
Danny stepped in closer to the bed. "Steven, listen to the doctor. Open your baby blues."
They saw the frown on McGarrett's face before he grunted in pain at that small movement. "Danny?" he whispered.
"Who else but your partner has the right to badger you?"
Steve slowly opened his eyes and blinked, searching for his friend. He pulled his hand away from Sun-ja and reached out, touching Danny's chest with quivering fingers.
He swallowed nervously and grabbed his partner's shirt. "Real?"
Danny wrapped the shaking hand in both of his. "Yeah, Babe, I'm real. Now let the doc do his thing so we can go home, OK?"
"Home?" He looked around the room, seeing the Korean doctor and nurse, unsure where he was.
"Yeah, you big goof, 'we came, we saw, we conquered'; now it's time to go home. So settle down, will ya?"
The eyes slid closed. " 'K. Let's go."
~~~H50~~~
Dr. Hwang wasn't quite ready to release his patient so quickly and hung another bag of IVs under Danny's watchful eye. The rest of his team drifted in and out of the room checking on their leader… just to ensure he really was back with them.
Hwang and Sun-ja came in with bandages and motioned for Danny and Chin to join them. "We could use some help if you can," the doctor began. "Normally we don't bandage broken ribs, but in this case I'm going to bind them up for the trip, then immobilize his arm. He's got a long plane ride ahead and this might make him more comfortable."
"Thank you for your help," Chin told him, then turned to Sun-ja. "Go mab seum nida", he added to her.
The woman smiled and nodded her head. "Hwan-yong ham ni da."
"Not to be nosy," Danny began, turning toward the doctor, "but your English is impeccable. Did you study in the states?"
The doctor nodded. "I was born here, but my family moved to California when I was five. Graduated from Berkeley and became a medic in the U.S. Navy – that's where I first met Frank. After 'Nam I finished med school and practiced in California for a few years before deciding to come home." He glanced at his wife and smiled. "Met Sun-ja and have never wanted to go back. My clinic does well and helps many. Besides, someone has to keep Frank accountable for his actions."
"Well, I, for one, am glad you are here," Danny said with a smile. "Frank, too. Thanks."
Hwang smiled, accepting the thank you. "We're going to sit him up and wrap his ribs then immobilize his left arm. It's your job to keep him upright." He leaned over his patient. "Commander, can you hear me? It's time to wake up."
"Wakey, wakey, Steve," Danny added, placing his hand on his partner's upper arm and lightly squeezing. "Almost time to go home."
"Home" was the key word that got his attention. " 'M ready," he mumbled, slowly opening his eyes.
~~~H50~~~
"Go mab seum ni da," Steve quietly said to Sin-ja as she stood up after putting warm socks over the bandages on his feet.
She smiled a dimpled smile at him and replied, "You are welcome. Chal ji-nae-shŏ-ssŏ-yo?"
"Chal ji-nae-ssŏ-yo. Nŏ-mu ch'in-jŏ-ra-shi-ne-yo!"
In halting English, she continued, "Be safe."
Steve glanced around at his team who were waiting near the foot of the bed and then nodded to her. "We will."
With the doctor's help, Steve managed to stand, a bit wobbly, but on his own feet. Danny moved to stand in front of him, ready to help.
"How we gonna do this?" Danny asked him.
Steve took a tentative step. "I'm going to walk out of here," he told them, then turned to Dr. Hwang, holding out his right hand.
"Thank you for your help."
"You are very welcome," the doctor replied, clasping Steve's hand in his own. "Be careful. You've got a shot of morphine in your system and I gave your friend a couple more syringes to tide you over until you are home." He nodded to Joe who held up a plastic baggie for Steve to see. "And you will need medical attention when you get home, so don't try to tough it out on your own."
"Yeah, thanks," he replied, taking another step.
"Steven, that was an order," Danny warned him. "So don't think you can weasel out of it."
"Are we ready?" McGarrett looked to the others, while ignoring Danny's glare.
Chin moved to his other side and Steve was flanked by he and Danny. "Let's go, Brah. Let us know when you need help."
"Thanks, Chin."
They made it to the back entrance of the clinic and found three pallets all stacked with boxes. Joe turned to Dr. Hwang and explained. "This, by no means is enough payment, but we have medical supplies for you. We logged this as a humanitarian mission, after all." He smiled at the doctor and his wife.
"Thank you!" Dr. Hwang looked gratefully at the unexpected supplies. "This is more than ample payment. It will all be put to good use."
Frank stood at the door. "Taxi to the airport is ready to leave. Commander, just for you, I'm gonna sacrifice and make the little ladies ride in the back. You can sit up front. Only I've got to tell you that you just ain't as pretty."
"Watch it, Frank," Kono warned as they moved out into the alley behind the clinic. "I might have to hurt you."
"Aw, Honey, you know I'm just kidding with you, but I expect hugs from both of you before you leave."
"We'll all hug you when we leave, Frank," Joe promised him. "But let's get a move on."
~~~H50~~~
The plane was ready for take-off upon their arrival but Steve immediately began protesting his accommodations. After removing the pallets of supplies, the SEAL team had stacked two sleeping bags near the side of the plane, sliding the straps that held the pallets in place beneath them. Once Steve was in place, the belts would be secured over him to the side of the plane. Not quite as safe as a seat belt, but much better than rolling or sliding across the floor.
"I can belt in like everyone else," Steve protested. "In a seat."
"Son, you're going to lay there one way or the other. Want to make this easy or hard on yourself," Joe asked, a determined gleam in his eye. "And remember, I'm the one with the syringes to fill your butt full of morphine."
"You wouldn't."
"Don't try me. Now we're going to help you down whether you want it or not."
Even protesting, he finally gave in and was asleep in his make-shift bed before the plane taxied for take- off. Once they were in the air, Danny slid down on the floor next to him, watching. Steve woke about an hour into the flight and blinked to see his surroundings.
"Hey," he said to Danny.
"Hey, yourself. How ya feeling?"
"Alive."
"Yeah. That's a good thing."
"You know, this was a stupid move, don't you?"
Danny shook his head in disbelief. "Steven, you were in trouble. We couldn't just leave you there. Besides, it gave us all a chance to play Rambo for once."
"It was way too dangerous."
"Yeah, well, so was taking off to North Korea without backup, Partner."
Steve closed his eyes and grimaced at the memory, then continued. "He killed Jenna."
Danny scrubbed his hand over his face, flashing back to her body lying on the floor. With a sigh, he softly replied, "Yeah, I know."
"In the end, you know, she saved me," Steve quietly spoke.
"Yeah, she did. She called and gave us your location. Without that, well… " his voice trailed off; no words were necessary.
"Huh?" Steve thought for a moment. "So that's what the phone was all about. She gave me a pin to unlock the handcuffs, too," he explained. "Didn't have a chance without that."
"She allowed us to get to you," Danny began. "So, even though she was wrong, and pretty heartless, I can't really hate her," he admitted.
"Yeah, I know. Me either. I just wish…"
"What's that?"
Steve swallowed, then looked away. "I wish she would have asked for help. Things could have been different."
Steve blinked, fighting to stay awake, but Danny urged him to sleep. He didn't need much encouragement and Danny watched as his eyes closed and his breathing evened out.
~~~H50~~~
The next time he awoke, Steve found Joe on the floor next to him.
"How you doing, Son?"
"Like I told Danny, I'm alive."
"Well, then our mission is accomplished," the older man grinned at him. "Pretty fool-hearty undertaking if I do say so."
"Yeah, I agree. What were you thinking, Joe, bringing civilians to Korea?" Steve tried to grin through his split lip.
"Steve, if I hadn't brought them, they would have just followed on their own. I've never seen a group of more determined people. You did good in choosing them."
McGarrett raised his head and looked at the people sleeping in the plane. "Yeah, I did. How'd you get Team 9?"
"SEAL Team 9?" Joe looked confused and shook his head. "Don't know what you're talking about. I heard they are doing R&R in Seoul."
Steve saw the gleam in his mentor's eyes and grinned. "Yeah, think that's what I heard, too." He paused for a moment, and then glanced back up at his friend. "Joe?"
"Yeah?"
"We left her there, didn't we?"
Joe sighed and rubbed his hand over his mouth before answering. "We had no choice, Son. Right after we found her body, we got confirmation from Kono that a convoy was heading south. If we hadn't acted right then, we would have lost you. And you're the one we came to save. You're going to have to be OK with that."
Steve closed his eyes and sighed. "Thanks, Joe." He felt something cold swipe his bicep before the bite of a needle pinched his arm. "Don't—"
"Too late. Go back to sleep, Son."
~~~H50~~~
A fair amount of turbulence ushered Steve's third session of awareness. He grunted when the belly of the plane dropped several feet, then opened his eyes to see what was going on.
A soft hand caressed his arm. "Hey, Boss. It's OK. Just a bit of rain and wind."
He blinked up at her, trying to clear his foggy brain. "Kono."
"Yeah, it's me. You doing OK?" she asked, her eyes checking the bruising on his face.
He ignored the question. "You weren't on the chopper."
Chin was on his other side. "No, Brah, she was our tech support, stationed at Frank's farm. She spotted the convoy and led us right to you."
He glanced up at Kono. "Then thanks."
"Glad I was there," she replied with a smile.
A confused look crossed McGarrett's face and he glanced at Chin. "Was there something on the chopper about you getting married?"
Chin's smile beamed at him. "You heard right. But you never answered my question."
"I don't-?
"I asked you to be my best man. Think that would be possible?"
"I would be honored," Steve replied, raising his arm to clasp the older man's hand.
Danny dropped to the floor next to them. "What's going on here?"
"Boss man agreed to be my best man," Chin replied.
"You're still going through with that?" Danny asked with a grin.
"I am. And I don't need any comments from the Peanut Gallery."
"Then I'll try to shut up," Danny promised him. He looked down at his partner. "Pilot just announced that we're about twenty minutes out, so we'll be on the ground in no time. I'll have them call for EMS before we land."
"No hospital, Danny."
Williams looked at Steve like his partner had grown another head. "Say what?"
"Not going to any hospital."
"You most certainly—"
"Joe!" Steve shouted the other man's name, then grimaced at the pain the action caused.
The older man immediately squatted next to them. "You OK?"
"Tell this pig-headed nincompoop that he's heading to the hospital."
"Joe." Steve's voice was quiet, but he stared at his mentor.
White sighed, looking all four team members in the eye, hesitating before giving his reply.
"Oh, no, no," Danny began to argue. "You can't agree with him."
"Well, it's like this," Joe began. "We need to keep this as quiet as possible. Whatever hospital we go to, there will be questions. Questions we can't truthfully answer."
"Therefore, I go home," Steve said. "No arguments."
~~~H50~~~
By the time they reached his front door, Steve, himself was second guessing that decision. The short walk from the car to the front door seemed to get longer with each step he took. His right arm was draped around Joe's shoulder, causing the stiff muscles to scream at him. Danny was on his left, hanging onto his belt loops, trying to keep him upright and guide him toward the house. If neighbors had seen the trio, they would have been convinced the men had just ended a weekend-long drunken bender.
Chin had mysteriously raced off while they were still getting out of the plane, promising to meet them soon. Thankfully, Kono and Lori made it to the house before them and by the time they reached the door, Kono had it open and was punching in the code for the alarm.
"Couch," Steve bit out the word through clamped teeth, taking a step in that direction.
Joe argued, turning him toward the staircase. "Your bed would be better. That couch won't be that comfortable."
A female voice spoke from the doorway. "I agree. This man needs a bed," Malia said as Chin ushered his fiancée into the room. She clinically eyed McGarrett from top to bottom. "I understand you have been in a training accident, Commander. Let me see what I can do to make you more comfortable." She pointed upward. "Upstairs. Now."
Steve stared at her before turning his gaze at her companion. "Chin?"
Kelly shook his head and grinned. "If I were you, I'd listen, Brah."
~~~H50~~~
The sun was just beginning to set the following evening, painting the sky in brilliant combinations of pink, red and orange. Steve was on the lanai, reclining on a lounge chair, his left arm propped on a pillow. Dressed in sweats and a soft tee shirt, he appeared relaxed and comfortable until he tried to move. On closer examination, the bruises and scrapes were also a giveaway to his less-than-optimum physical state.
He watched Malia, Chin and Kono who were sitting on the beach, laughing and making wedding plans. Lori had left earlier for a meeting with the governor, hoping to put a positive spin on the details of their story.
Danny came out of the house with a beer for himself and a glass of juice for Steve. "Here, drink," he said, handing the glass to his partner. "Doctor's orders."
"I'd rather have what you're having."
"I bet you would," Danny agreed, taking a sip. "Because it's mighty tasty."
"Jerk."
Danny grinned, settling into a chair next to his partner. "Just drink your juice. How you feeling?"
Steve rolled his head to the left and stared at Danny. "I'm gonna shoot the next person who asks me that."
"Hey, how ya doin', Son?" Joe asked, walking out the open doors, a bottle of beer in his hand as well.
McGarrett closed his eyes and groaned. "Could someone go lock the front door, please?"
Danny chuckled. "Want me to find your SIG?"
"What's going on?" Joe asked, staring from one to the other.
"Nothing," Steve sighed. "I will say it again. I'm OK. Stiff. Sore. Achy—"
"Don't forget 'grumpy'," Danny interjected.
"- but I'll survive," Steve finished, ignoring his partner.
Joe smiled down at him and nodded. "Then we did good."
Steve looked at him, and then over to Danny and sighed. "Yeah, you did. Once again, thanks. Never thought I'd see your ugly faces again."
"Back at'cha," Danny shot back. "Speaking of, you aren't winning any beauty contests either, Steven. Have you looked into the mirror recently? Can you even see out of that eye?"
"I can see. And even though Malia tried to stand between me and the mirror, I got a glimpse. But, bruises fade." He quieted, staring at the glass of juice in his hand.
Joe snared a chair and dragged it closer. "Listen, I wanted to tell you something," he began.
"What's wrong?" Danny asked, sitting up straighter in his chair.
"Nothing." Joe held out his hands to calm down the detective. "Everything's fine. I-uh, Wade and I pulled some strings and managed to make contact with the CIA. A team is on its way to the bunker to retrieve both Jenna and Josh's bodies." He looked at Steve to gauge his reaction, and then added, "They deserve to come home."
Steve was silent, staring at the sunset for a few moments, before glancing at his friends laughing on the beach. He then looked at Danny, and back at Joe and nodded. "Thanks, Joe. They both need to be home. And…" he swallowed before finishing, "Jenna got her wish."
"What was that?" Joe asked.
He hesitated, finding the words difficult. "They are finally together," he whispered. "Jenna and Josh. He was the only family she had."
Danny nodded solemnly, then raised his bottle for a toast. "To family."
Joe and Steve brought their drinks up as well.
"Family," Joe seconded.
"In good times and bad," Steve added.
"But next go round," Danny added, looking at Steve, "let's try to shoot for good instead of bad. Deal, partner?"
Steve looked at Danny and then slowly grinned, his eyes smiling through the bruises. He nodded once and clinked his glass against Danny's bottle.
"Deal."
Glossary
OK, I hope I haven't butchered these Korean words too badly. I found a nifty dictionary of Korean phrases and went with what it listed. If the words, tenses, etc. are wrong, I do apologize.
The Title: Kalepa - A Hawaiian word which means "a trade" or "to barter"
Go mab seum nida – thank you
"Ana wae! Geuman"! - No! Stop!
"Ani, jebal geuman!" No, please stop!
"Geudaelo. Dangsin eun anjeon." Lay still. You are safe.
"Swis! Dangsin eun anjeon." Shh! Be quiet.
"Hwan-yong ham ni da." Very welcome.
"Chal ji-nae-shŏ-ssŏ-yo?" How do you feel?
"Chal ji-nae-ssŏ-yo. Nŏ-mu ch'in-jŏ-ra-shi-ne-yo!" I feel… so so. You are very kind.
Finis: ljw
1.5.12