Chapter Two
Disclaimer: I don't own anyone but my OC's. All other rights go to CBS. Thanks for Reading!
The picture of the bastard who took Kono was all over the news and circulating the Island. Steve had put in a call to the Governor and had them granted full immunity again for this one and only case. Danny wasn't really sure how he had managed it, but here they were on the way to the docks to see Tony Archer, who apparently had been in touch with Kamekona…
Danny felt a migraine coming on.
''You think he has anything useful?'' Steve asked, stopping at a red light, while trying to glare it into submission.
Danny shrugged, ''Dunno, but it can't hurt to check in and get a little help.''
Steve nodded and stepped on the gas pedal a little harder than necessary, before continuing, ''How could he just disappear? The entire Island is on the lookout for him; we are monitoring all of Delano's contacts and there's nothing suggest he has tried to get off the Island,'' Steve pulled into a space closest to where they needed to be and put the car in park. ''So how the fuck has he just disappeared?''
A little wide eyed; Steve didn't usually say that many words at once, Danny shook his head slowly.
''Looks like we might be about to find out,'' He said, nodding to where Tony Archer was leaning against his boat.
They hurried along the pier and stepped on board.
''You called?'' Danny started.
Tony smirked at him, ''Yes I did. Well done. I have news, I saw the guy you're after on the news and straight away knew who to speak too…''
Steve gestured for him to give them more information, but Tony just shrugged and said, ''I know a guy, who knows a guy, who has a second cousin.''
Danny squinted up at the sky and sighed in exasperation, ''Could you just tell us please, so that maybe just maybe, we can go and do our job?''
''Sure.'' Tony replied, clapping his hands together. ''Couldn't get a name, but I got the address where you can find your guy.''
''Well, what's the address?'' Steve pushed after a pause.
Tony Archer smirked at them again, and handed Steve a piece of paper.
HPD hit the address and unfortunately had to use force to bring the SOB in, but really who was complaining?
''Tell us what Delano has planned and maybe we'll put in a good word for you.'' Danny lied, straight-faced.
The silent guy in front of him to stared blankly at the wall.
Steve opened the door and motioned for Danny to follow him out. ''We have nothing on this guy. No name, no prior address, nothing.''
''Well at least he's consistent. I'm getting nothing either.''
Running his hands over his face, Steve sighed. Danny frowned at him, ''When was the last time you slept?''
Steve shrugged non-committedly, ''I'm fine,''
''That's not what I asked. I asked; When was the last time you slept?'' Danny repeated.
''Before I left for Japan, so…three days maybe?''
Danny rolled his eyes, ''Well that's fine then!'' He said, sarcastically.
Steve gave him a look and changed the subject, ''Fong ran his prints,'' He shook his head. ''Nothing came up. The best bet is to get Kono to identify him once and for all, then we can lock the bastard up and throw away the key.''
Pursing his lips, Danny pulled out his phone, ''I'll call Chin and update him, then I'll call Kono.''
Steve nodded and walked into the room that held their mystery suspect, leaving Danny to handle to team.
Two hours later and Steve still had fuck all from the sonofabitch.
Danny had stuck his head in earlier to let him know that Kono was being released from hospital and he was going to pick her up and bring her into HQ to ID him. He hadn't been able to get through to Chin but would check in with him when he got there.
While Kono was being signed out, Danny made the trip up to the third floor to find Chin.
He checked in with the nurses and was pointed towards Malia's room, barely noticing the sympathetic looks they were giving him.
He found Chin sitting next to the bed with Malia's hand in his, his lips moving silently.
''Chin?'' He said, quietly.
The man in front of him turned slightly, and looked through him as he weren't even there.
Danny was trying very hard not to stare at the tubes and wires connecting Malia to the life support machine. She looked so small and fragile against the stark white sheets.
He took a couple of steps forward and laid a hand on the older man's shoulder ''What have the doctor's said?''
He was unsurprised to see a lone tear carve its way down Chin's cheek.
''Infection,'' He took a deep breath and let it out heavily. ''Spread from her kidneys to her lungs…she stopped breathing this morning.'' He waved towards the beeping machine, without a glance.
His gut clenched in anticipation Danny squeezed gently, ''And?''
Chin shook his head and shrugged minutely, ''And they said that she's unlikely to regain consciousness…''
Danny ran a hand through his hair; what the fuck was he supposed to say to that? He felt about as emotionally constipated as Steve.
He was saved from answering when Kono appeared at the door holding three cups of coffee awkwardly.
''Thought we might need this…'' She said, softly.
Chin stood up and hugged her tightly, ''I'm sorry…''
She nodded, ''I know, me too.'' She replied.
Danny stood there uncomfortably wondering whether he should just leave; when Chin pulled back, took a cup from Kono and sat back down to continue his vigil.
After another hour of stunted small talk, Danny left with promises to return tomorrow.
Steve McGarrett paced in the study, listening to Maddie bustle around upstairs, putting the children to bed.
Helen sat in the chair behind the desk, watching her son wind himself tighter than steel.
She knew she owed him answers; she just wished she were able to give them.
Steve didn't want excuses; he wanted a normal family that's all. He wanted to able to go to bed at night knowing that his family, all of his family, were safe.
Was that too fucking much to ask?
''Steven,'' Helen started. ''If there was any way to take back all these years away from you and Mary, I would, in a heartbeat.'' Steve looked at her and the muscle in his jaw jumped.
''I would. But the facts remains, that if I hadn't have left you wouldn't be the man you are today…''
Steve snapped and whirled around to face her, ''No I wouldn't, you're right! I wouldn't have been almost blown up so many times even I have lost count, I wouldn't have been sent to Godforsaken places the world over on fucking suicide missions, I would have been here, happy, married-''
''Steven-''
''No! You left us for whatever reason, we mourned your death, Mary nearly died because if it!''
''STEVEN!'' Helen shouted, sternly.
''Both of you, shut up now! The kids are finally asleep and if I hear one cry from them because of the noise from down here, so help me God…'' Maddie glowered at them from the doorway.
Steve snapped his mouth shut with an audible click, and nodded tersely. Helen apologized quietly and retreated upstairs.
Maddie walked over to where he husband stood in the middle of the room and cupped his cheek.
''You're both too stubborn for your own good, you know…'' She whispered.
Steve frowned at her, ''I'm not that-'' A look from Maddie had him changing directions. ''Yeah okay, maybe a little bit…''
''You just have to give her time…''
''Maddie, I've waited twenty years!''
Maddie sighed and brought her hand down from his face to his chest, ''Then a few more days won't kill you.''
Kono watched the life slowly die in her cousins eyes, and cursed her inability to do anything to help. She felt completely useless; she couldn't even imagine how Chin must feel.
''So you're saying I should give up?'' Chin said, monotonous.
Kono winced; there was nothing the doctor could say to make this any easier, and it showed on his face.
''I'm afraid there is nothing more we can do, except keep Malia comfortable-''
''How can you be sure that she won't wake up? You could be wrong.''
''Chin,'' Kono said, quietly. ''You know Malia wouldn't want this…''
''I know! I just…'' He sighed again for the millionth time. ''I just got her back, how am I supposed to just let her go again?''
The doctor made his exit, as Kono sat down next to her cousin.
''I'm sorry. There's no-one in the whole world who knows Malia better than you do, you don't need me or anyone else telling you what she would want.'' She said.
Chin shook his head slowly, ''I'm not sure anymore. All I know is I can't leave her like this.''
Kono frowned as he stood up and watched Malia's face.
''After the wedding we sat down and talked through all the hypotheticals; illness, medical arrangements. We agreed that if anything happened we wouldn't hold on to what was no longer there, we would put our feelings for each other aside and concentrate on what was best for the other.'' Chin's voice wavered.
''I guess I just always assumed that it would be me lying in the hospital bed…''
Kono wiped her eyes before Chin could see her tears.
''We were stupid to think we could just distant ourselves from this,'' He gestured around the room. ''How could we?''
Kono stood and walked to the bed, placing her hand on top Chins, ''By doing what's right for Malia.''
With that, the usually calm and collected cousin she grew up with finally let go.
Chin stood by the head of the bed, and looked at his wife. He had asked the doctors and Kono if he could have a few minutes alone with her.
He knew deep down exactly what she would say if she were able. He knew deep down that he couldn't allow her to suffer any longer.
He remembered when, a few months after starting work at the hospital, Malia had come home in tears after losing her first patient. He had been in an accident at work, and had been put on life support several months prior. His family had decided to switch the machine off, and let him rest.
Chin remembered clearly the conviction in Malia's voice as she stated that she would never want to be kept alive by a machine. She had already seen what doing so could do to a family.
He held her hand tightly in both of his own, stroking his thumb over her skin.
''I'm sorry,'' He whispered. ''I should have protected you. I should have been there.''
His soul ached with his wish to feel her hand move in his, or to see an eyelid flutter. But his prayers went unanswered.
''Malia, I love you,'' He throat felt like someone had a vice grip on it. ''I have always and will always love you. You know that…''
The monitors continued to beep slowly in the background.
''When we made our vows we swore they would last until our deaths,'' He took a deep breath and squeezed her hand. ''But I swear to you now, that they will last long after.''
The noise from the monitors kept on burrowing into his brain.
A little while later the door opened, and the doctor stuck his head in. ''Are you ready?'' He asked, gently.
Kono, who was right behind him, pushed her way through and hugged him tightly.
''Yes…'' He said, brokenly.
A minute later, and the monitors and the room were silent. The clock on the wall read 12:04am.
Steve was lying on his back staring up at the ceiling, his mind racing a mile a minute, when his cell phone rang.
Maddie groaned something unintelligible and rolled over away from the noise. Steve sat up, whipped back the covers and hurried out of the bedroom.
''McGarrett.'' He answered, quietly.
''Steve, it's Kono,'' Came the reply.
Steve's gut clenched in anticipation as he heard the emotion in her voice.
''Malia's dead.''
Wiping a hand over his haggard face, Steve promised to be right there. Walking back into the bedroom, Steve shook Maddie gently.
''Maddie,'' He said. ''Wake up…''
''I can't hear a baby crying Steve,'' She peeked an eye open and looked at him, then sat up slowly as she saw whatever expression was on his face. ''What is it?'' She asked, sounding as if she already knew.
''It's Malia,'' He sat down on the bed next to her. ''Chin let her go.''
He held her tightly as she mourned the loss of her friend.
As Steve drove over to Danny's to pick him up, his cell rang again, this time it was HPD.
''McGarrett,'' He growled.
''Commander, we have received a tip-off that Delano is hiding out at a house in Waipahu.''
As he screeched to a stop outside his partners house, he snapped, ''What's the address?''
3 minutes later they were tearing off towards their, now, murder suspect.
TBC