Cujo V – Chapter 3

Here's a nice long one. Hopefully it will help make up for me missing my deadline - again. Thank you so so much for taking the time to let me know what you thought of the previous chapter and for adding this to your follows, and favorites. I NEVER take you guys for granted and will be replying shortly.

With the number of errors in the first draft of this puppy, SPNGran must have thought I'd written it while plastered. It might actually be a good idea to pound some tequila before embarking on the next chapter. Imaginary Beta could definitely use the assistance of Mr. Cuervo. After rereading this for what must have been the eightieth time she finally yelled out, "Screw it! Just post the damned thing already!"

Disclaimer: Still hanging onto that dream of winning the lotto and going to Hawaii even if the one about getting paid to write this stuff still isn't working out all that well.

*5-0*5-0*5-0*5-0*5-0*5-0*5-0* Hawaii 5-0*5-0*5-0*5-0*5-0*5-0*5-0*

Alarming Discoveries

Around them buzzed the usual activity of a busy ER. Along with the chimes and beeps of medical equipment, the sounds of coughs, wheezes, moans, and even wails punctured the illusion of privacy given by curtains uniting the two separate bays.

As far as 'back-up' goes, this seemed a bit of overkill. Commander McGarrett and Detective Williams, lying in adjacent beds, wearing identical hospital gowns, and hooked-up to identical bags of fluids stared vacantly into their shared space while they waited for the doctor to return. Both men's wounds were painful, yes, lethal, no. Overnight hospital stays wouldn't be required but they'd been here for hours now. Having been ordered to remain in their thinly padded ER beds until infusions were complete the two had finally lapsed into bored silence.

The curtains parted and Dr. Acuna, clipboard in hand, entered the space between the two beds. "I want both of you to go home, get into bed, and stay there." she ordered; pausing to frown when she realized what she'd said and how her words could be taken.

"I know there are rumors," grinned Steve, still pale beneath his tan. "But we're just work partners."

Gesturing toward the man smirking at him from the bed next to his, Danny said, "Even if I was inclined in that direction, anyone with a scrap of sanity knows it would be a huge mistake to have anything to do with Rambo here. Just being his work partner means I'm subjected to danger on a much too regular basis. We don't need to add the possibility of domestic violence as well."

"I wouldn't beat you!" exclaimed Steve.

"I'm not talking about you beating me, you caveman. I'm talking about when I've finally had enough of your craziness and I just friggin' shoot you!"

"Already been shot." smirked his partner.

The medic only rolled her eyes and continued to write out the orders releasing her patients. "You're just lucky I don't keep you guys here. Even if we didn't give you any whole blood, your stats weren't all that great when you were brought in. And I mean it about staying in bed! The more you move around the more chances you'll have to tear those stitches that were so artfully put into your hides. You, for sure, don't want to end-up back here where a really cranky doctor . . . ," the medic peered over her gold-rimmed eyeglasses; raising a brow to emphasize who that doctor might be, "will have an even crankier nurse greet you with big needles and enough medication to keep you sedated until doomsday."

"No protest from me, doc." grinned her blonde patient. "Talk to the one who thinks winding-up in the ER is just another Tuesday."

"He's just annoyed because the straps on the oxygen mask mussed his hair." snorted the taller man wincing when he wriggled to find a more comfortable position on a surface that would never allow it.

"Says the man who probably doesn't even own a comb let alone a blow-dryer." responded the detective.

No longer amused by their bickering, Acuna admonished, "Well, wherever you go – stay there! Even if this is just another day at the office for you two; wounds like these are no laughing matter."

"I assure you, doc; I rarely laugh when bullets enter or break the surface of my skin." huffed Danny. "At the very least, it reinforces my goal to find a different partner. This one has far too many issues."

"I don't have issues. I'm the best thing that ever happened to you." said Steve with all the confidence in the world that it was so. "Your issue is that there's not another human being on this planet who'd be willing to put up with you."

"It's either find another partner or die in a hail of bullets, babe. No issue there."

"You know what, Daniel?" snorted the SEAL, "You don't have to worry about me getting you killed. Your mouth will accomplish that long before I do."

The doctor took a deep breath and signed the last sheet attached to the clipboard; her ballpoint pen actually tearing the paper when she crossed the t's in 'McGarrett'.

…..

It was late afternoon when Chin and Kono finally dragged themselves back to HQ. Heat, humidity, and the stress of having half of Five-0 hauled off in an ambulance wasn't the best recipe for a relaxing day. Despite the immense relief of finally being able to get into an air-conditioned space, from the moment they entered, it was obvious something was amiss.

There in the middle of the floor lay the remnants of what was their only months-old printer – a replacement required by a previous feline misadventure. It lay in pieces along with the remains of several other objects. The place is a mess.

Immediately drawing their weapons, the two Hawaiians automatically fanned out to clear the area. Checking each room, they encountered further evidence of battle but no combatants.

"Clear!" called out Chin as he peered into the last possible hiding place for an intruder – the closet just outside the break room. Besides the usual office supplies its occupants are Queen Liliuokalani and several of her brood who cautiously regarded him from behind a large stack of copier paper.

"Clear!" confirmed Kono from near the emergency exit at the very back of the offices.

"What the hell happened here?" muttered Chin mostly to the alarmed animals that hadn't yet made a move to come out from their hiding place. Leaving the closet door open for them to exit at their own volition, he holstered his SIG and hurried back to the main room.

"I found what looks like blood drops on the floor outside the break room." said Kono as she entered to find Chin examining his beloved smart table for damage.

"I found Lili and several kittens hiding in the supply closet but no Cujo." replied her cousin.

"Louie and either Chuck or Diana are under the credenza in Danny's office."

"Steve's the only one who can tell them apart." replied Chin, patting his table affectionately now that he knew it had survived unscathed.

Kono, turning in a slow one-eighty, swept the room for sign of their missing rodent control officer. "Here kitty, kitty!" she called out.

"Cujo!" yelled out Chin, hoping the furriest of Five-0's team members, (the designation had been Danny's prior to the arrival of the cat), would stroll into sight.

Instead, they heard a muffled meow from somewhere not too far away. "Cujo?" asked Kono of the seemingly empty space; a forlorn meow answering her.

In the corner, from beneath an overturned wastepaper basket they heard a scrabbling sound. Striding quickly to its source, Kono lifted the leather covered bin normally found in Steve's office. A dazed looking cat peered up at her.

"So, there you are!" she exclaimed, waiting a moment to make sure the fierce feline was no longer in 'battle mode', (she'd learned that lesson the hard way), before bending to pick him up. "You poor baby!" she declared as her hand stroked through fur matted with drops of something sticky. "Chin! He's got blood on him!"

After gingerly searching the little animal's body for injuries they found none. Cujo did wince however when Kono pressed gently along his ribs. Thankfully, he realized there was no harm intended and didn't take her hand off.

Relieved they wouldn't have to rush Steve's land shark to the vet for immediate repair, Chin said, "Whoever was in here has got to be regretting their decision to come for a visit."

"Yeah, I hope it wasn't someone we like or, you know, someone who could get us fired." replied Kono, forehead knotted with worry.

"Anyone who could do that would most likely have called ahead to make sure we'd be here before they showed up." advised Chin.

"The only one who comes here without checking first is Dave when he drops off paperwork." she answered, speaking of the Governor's aide and soon to be adoptive parent of Chuck and Diana. "Maybe we'd better check to make sure Dave's still alive?"

Starting to pull out her cell she stopped when her cousin said, "He's probably okay, Kono. Cujo usually leaves him alone." But she changed her mind again when he added, "Of course there's always the possibility our furry piranha was in a bad mood. No one is safe when that's the case."

Hurriedly scrolling through her contacts to find Dave's name, she hit the call button.

….

Who is this?! Why does he keep looking at me?

He stared back at the big Tom who'd been motionlessly perched on the wall at the edge of the grass for the last ten minutes. This wasn't going as planned for the kitten named Attila. Here he is in a place that's really big and maybe a little scary. The unfamiliar surface beneath his paws feels damp . . . and fuzzy. It's not like the shiny ground where I live. It's a different color too!

The tall female had gotten away. That was bad enough. Now he's being challenged by someone he's never seen before and the someone is really big! After several more minutes of the stare-down; the hulking tomcat had enough and emitting a low growl jumped down from the barrier to advance menacingly.

He stares back at me! I am bigger and stronger and older! I'm going to teach this small one a lesson! vowed the feral tom.

The grey kitten with the white spot on its chest hissed loudly. With fur standing on end and stubby tail bristled he stood his ground.

I am a big cat now! He will not win this fight! Thought the animal not even a quarter the size of the other. Baring his fangs and doing his best to look intimidating, Attila braced for battle.

…..

Checking one more time before they begin to walk the short distance to the palace, Dave confirmed that 'Operation Kitty Concealment' had been successful. All surplus felines had been rounded up and stashed in the sound-proofed room where Five-0 interrogates suspects.

He'd actually been about to call Five-0 to sound the alarm when Kono, fearing he may have been eaten by a furry piranha, called to check on his welfare. The aide had learned that neither Steve nor Danny would be available; having again landed in the hurt locker. It wasn't good but at least both men's injuries weren't as serious as they could be. If all goes well, they should be able to return to work within a couple of weeks and he would bet that McGarrett will be the first of the two to resume his duties. The man is as tough as they come, (and as cute). Williams is quite attractive as well but the guy can be a bit of a drama queen at times. How McGarrett manages to spend so many hours with the argumentative blonde without hauling off and decking him is still a mystery.

In any case, the Governor's Annual Charity Bash is today's topic. It's Five-0's turn in the barrel. This year's presentation is to highlight The Governor's Special Task Force and Denning expects them to take part in its planning. The thought of McGarrett having input into the presentation is actually scary. Here he has to agree with Williams; Steve is much too fond of explosions.

But, even if its members are better suited to chasing bad guys than party planning, it couldn't be as bad as last year's attempt by the Water Department. What had been planned as a Vegas style 'Dancing Waters' show turned into a massive disaster when a section of their specially constructed pvc piping had burst. The resulting deluge had nearly drowned several of the expensively attired attendees. Perhaps he should try to convince Denning that mandating the participation of a division much too familiar with firearms isn't such a good idea.

Besides, Dave had his doubts about Kono's enthusiasm for her assignment. The job been had foisted upon a woman better suited to kicking ass than picking out center pieces and cocktail music. Though he admires and genuinely likes Officer Kalakaua, in his opinion the job should have gone to Williams, a man with a sense of fashion. Those fitted slacks and tapered shirts are quite attractive on the compact but muscular detective. McGarrett isn't the only one who warrants a second, (or third), glance.

Oh, well. thought Matsui, we'll work with what we've been given. Besides, I'm a married man these days and I have my own muscled dreamboat at home. It had actually been Steve who'd introduced him to Navy Lieutenant Warren Evans; now his husband of several months.

As they walked along, Dave's mind drifted to the one waiting for him at home with a cold beer and a hot body but was pulled from such thoughts when Denning, ever the vigilant state official, spotted something to be addressed. He'd halted in his tracks to point out some minor damage to the exterior of the state house; requesting that his aide capture the image with his phone and send it to the maintenance department. Resuming their journey both men nearly jumped out of their skins as, from behind a shrub beside the walkway, a large black cat streaked past them; a smaller grey one right behind.

"What the hell!?" exclaimed Denning to the man next to him who'd been just as startled, "I thought all the feral cats around here had been trapped and relocated to that shelter on Lanai?"

"Yes sir. Animal Control reported they'd trapped them all except for one they couldn't catch. The program was a big success."

"Looks like they declared it a success too soon." frowned the Governor, annoyed that stray cats were still roaming the grounds, trying to decimate every species of bird they could get their paws on. The danger that feral cats present to wildlife on the islands is significant.

"That lone holdout is probably the big one that just ran past us." answered Dave who suspects his day is about to go downhill with the speed of a rocket, (or a fleeing cat).

"And the smaller one? Where'd it come from?"

"That one umm, that one does look familiar, sir." stammered the aide.

"Wait!" said Denning, "That's not McGarrett's cat is it? He's full grown by now, that was only a kitten that ran past us."

"Well, umm, no and maybe yes about it being McGarrett's cat." hedged Matsui.

"Explain." demanded Denning who crossed his arms over his chest as he waited for the suddenly nervous looking man to provide an answer.

"Well, the Commander's cat somehow managed to escape one night a few months ago." Matsui paused to think how best to describe what was most likely a frighteningly tumultuous mating process, "His clandestine liaison with a female resulted in several offspring."

"Clandestine liaison?" Denning had to chuckle at his aide's delicate description of a feline hook-up. He knew the little bastards screeched and howled bloody murder when they were doing it.

"Yes sir. The result of which was eleven kittens."

"Holy crap!" exclaimed the Governor; surprised at the number, "I certainly hope they found homes for them all. There'd better not be an office full of cats when I get to Five-0." warned Denning. "I don't need any more crap after having to listen to that dickhead planning commissioner after McGarrett's little buzzsaw somehow pushed that table through an expensive to replace window and damaged an even pricier sports car.

"No sir. I assure you, it's all been taken care of." said Dave with more conviction than he felt. The kittens hadn't yet been picked up by their new owners, (as if one could actually 'own' a cat). Someone, (McGarrett), had read that kittens needed to be at least eight weeks old before separating them from their mothers and some breeders even wait twelve weeks to make sure the animals are sufficiently socialized before they go to their new homes.

Currently, there are far too many felines at Five-0's headquarters. The goal of ten weeks had been settled on but the fuzzballs are at least a week shy of that. For all his tossing of rulebooks regarding police procedure, McGarrett is a stickler when it comes to responsible cat parenting.

Thankfully, the Governor had accepted Cujo as part of the Five-0 team. The fierce little cat had actually proven to be a valued addition on occasion, (when he wasn't wrecking sixty-thousand dollar Porsches). Cujo was 'grandfathered in' so to speak. As to the recent addition of the female tabby; they could probably talk the stern official into overlooking her as well; especially if they played on her name 'Queen Liliuokalani'. Denning was fond of anything relating to the last indigenous monarch of Hawaii. He considered it his duty to promote the state's native heritage.

Thought Dave, At least they'd found homes for ten of the kittens. That third one however . . . The kitten that had just streaked past them is the one who'd been christened Attila. The little shithead is quickly living up to the reputation of his father.

Heaven help us all. glumly thought Dave Matsui.

…..

The meeting had ended and the Governor had just left when her cell rang almost simultaneously with the one belonging to Chin. One caller was Steve and the other was Danny. The cousins knew that both men would be eager for escape from Queens Hospital, (and likely from each other by now), and had been anticipating a request to come fetch them from the clutches of the medics.

Kono, after discussing music choices and floral arrangements for much of the past hour, desperately needed a break. They'd told the Governor of the intruder and he'd nodded approvingly and actually patted Cujo on the head before he'd left.

It still wasn't the right time to introduce him to Lili; they needed Steve's help with that explanation, so Cujo's baby mama had been banished to the blue room along with the kittens. She didn't remember seeing Attila during the rush to roundup the fuzzballs but maybe Chin had gathered him up with the batch he'd stashed there. That old joke about herding cats isn't so funny when one is frantic to gather them up and hide evidence of their existence.

Head still reeling from Dave's dissertation on the finer points of raised vs table level centerpieces, Kono picked up her keys and went to fetch her boss and his second-in-command. Who knew line-of-sight needed to be considered unless it was when you were aiming a gun? She and her boss are going to have a discussion when he gets back. If she's going to remain part of the planning committee for these stupid functions, she needs a raise!

….

Kono met them in the lobby. She didn't have to say anything. The look on her face proclaimed her non-approval of the two leaving the hospital so soon.

"Hey Kono, thanks for picking us up." smiled her boss as he pushed his wheelchair bound partner toward the exit.

Though he'd never admit it, Steve thought it was probably a good idea to hold onto something for stability. Even after treatment and hours of forced rest, he still felt a little wobbly.

The orderly whose job it had been to shepherd them to the lobby had given up trying to persuade the stubborn commander to ride rather than walk. Relieved to be rid of his bickering charges who'd been arguing with one another since he'd picked them up in the ER; he'd abandoned his assignment at the first opportunity. They'd given him a headache.

"I know that you'd much rather sitting in the AC and filling out paperwork but thanks for coming to pick us up." winked Danny knowing that Kono, much too like his partner, considered paperwork a form of torture. Both much prefer to sweat their asses off in the outdoors rather than be stuck behind a desk; even on ferociously humid days like today. In Danny's opinion both of his friends are certifiable.

"The car's at the entrance. I left the engine running and the doors locked. It's really hot today and I thought you'd need the AC if you weren't feeling all that great." smiled the Hawaiian woman.

"Thanks, Kono. That was thoughtful." said Danny, "But I know that's not the entire truth. You were probably pretty certain that Steve was holding everyone hostage so he could break outta here and you are the getaway driver."

"Almost plausible, Danny." laughed Kono, her dimples making their usual appearance as McGarrett rolled his eyes.

Reaching the SUV parked only feet away from the entrance, Kono took hold of Danny's arm to steady him as he rose from the wheelchair, "Why did they let you guys go so soon?" she asked, "Shouldn't they have kept you overnight?"

"Nah, Rambo here has no need for such things as rest or even blood." said Danny as he carefully clambered into the vehicle. He already had crutches waiting at home from the last time. "The doctor couldn't sign those release forms fast enough. I think he threatened her with something."

"Boss?" asked Kono to confirm she really wasn't aiding and abetting a getaway.

"The doc said it was okay to leave if we take it easy." assured Steve as he settled into the seat, wincing when his bandaged wound came in contact with the leather.

"By 'take it easy', she meant go home, go to bed, and stay there." said Danny. "I know I'm looking forward to cranking up the AC and crawling into my own bed."

"Nope, you're coming to my house." said Steve

"I have a home!" protested Danny.

"A home for shattered dreams maybe." smirked his partner.

Kono hung in for as long as she could before relenting as they made their way through Honolulu's congested streets during evening rush hour. They were just going to make a 'fast' stop at HQ before she dumped them off at Casa McGarrett. After that, she was going to get some aspirin and go lie down somewhere.

"Hey buddy!" greeted Steve as he walked in the door and his 'not my pet' spotted him and made a beeline across the floor. "Ooof!" grunted Steve as the cat immediately launched itself into his arms and, after pausing to sniff at the hospital smell that still clung to his human, began to lick the bristly jaw.

"I only saw you this morning!" laughed Steve at the cat determined to exfoliate his face. "But I guess it's nice to be wanted."

"Cujo actually took part in an op while we were at the warehouse." said Chin, not looking forward to what he was about to impart to his friend.

"What happened?" asked Steve, his keen gaze sweeping the room and noting some things were missing while others weren't in their usual locations. Why isn't my trash can by my desk? he wondered as he noted the heavy container sitting outside the door to his office. "I don't see any broken windows but I know there's an empty space where the copier usually is."

"You're missing a lamp as well." hedged Chin.

"Spill." said Steve. "Do we have to fill out requests for replacement equipment again?"

"I'm sure that'll be on the list." said Kono, looking to her cousin to complete the rest of the tale.

"We had an intruder, Steve. One that Cujo apparently took care of."

"Way to go, buddy." said Steve as he ruffled the silvery fur of the animal clutched against his chest.

"You might want to sit down before you find out who it was though." said Chin with a sigh.

Danny, who'd already taken a seat in a rolling chair parked near the smart table, looked up sharply.

"I checked our video, and spotted someone familiar." said the Hawaiian man.

Five-0's office surveillance system, (installed during an 'investigation' several months earlier), had captured quite the battle. The identities of its participants may or may not be a surprise.

"Who?" asked Steve.

"Doris." responded both cousins simultaneously.

*5-0*5-0*5-0*5-0*5-0*5-0*5-0* Hawaii 5-0*5-0*5-0*5-0*5-0*5-0*5-0*

So, what is Mama McG up to? Have a lot of the next chapter written. Besides Mama McG, another familiar character will be showing up soon.

I'm still a cheap date. Reviews make me happy.