AN: Here's the third and final instalment. I have to say it was hard to keep this down to three chapters, but I vowed to myself that any prompts would only be one-shots, so this one is special in that it was a 3 parter as is.
Please read and review!
PS: In reply to the review left by a guest, any similarities between my story and any other story and/or tv show is completely coincidental. I do not plagiarise. If you wish to know how this story came to me, please leave a comment and I'll post another chapter with all the details. (I'm not at all offended, I'm just offering! (: )
Anyway,
Onwards and upwards.
GB xox
Tell me you love me (& that it's all gonna be alright)
Part 3
Steve doesn't move from Danny's side for a long time – long enough to make his back twinge and each of his limbs to throb in unison. The sound of the doors to the isolation unit makes Steve jump awake, and he almost falls from the stool he's been balancing on artfully. The doctor – one Steve's never met before – smiles softly, doesn't hide behind a mask, isn't gloved up, and that can only be a good sign, Steve decides.
"Good morning, Commander." The doctor greets placing a large, white paper bag on the end table, as Steve rubs at his eyes, stands to stretch his legs. "How are you feeling today?"
"I'm good." Steve nods, because any time spent speaking about him, is time their attention is deflected from Danny.
"That's good." The doctor nods, looks down at the ipad in his hand, before looking back up at Steve. "Well, I've come with good news. The official reports that have come to us match those that your team offered us yesterday. You had your blood drawn in the early hours of the morning?"
"Yes." Steve nods, because even though he has no recollection of time, he remembers the nurse waking him to prick his veins a short while ago.
"Okay, yeah, the results have come back." The doctor nods as he swipes fingers over the small computer screen. "It looks like you've been lucky enough to avoid serious infection. It says in your notes that you've recently been vaccinated?"
"Yeah, last year we had a scare at HPD. As far as I'm aware, every cop on the island had to get one; Governor's orders."
"And you've no symptoms?" The doctor looks up at Steve, his green eyes intense as if trying to read Steve's soul. He shifts a little uncomfortably, ignores the pounding in his temples.
"None, I feel fine."
"Okay, well then I'm comfortable discharging you today. As long as you promise to take these antibiotics. The infection should be taken care of before it can take hold."
"I will." Steve nods, reaching for the paper bag.
"If you become symptomatic at all over the next few days, you're to come straight back to hospital, am I clear?"
"Of course." He nods again, sure he can feel his brain shaking in his skull. "What about Danny?"
"We'll be shortly moving Mr Williams up to the ICU, where they are better equipped to look after him. Fortunately, isolation is no longer needed, as there's no risk of the infection spreading."
"And his test results? Is he getting better?"
"The infection levels have dropped a small amount, but it's still very early days. We're expecting it to take at least three days before we start to see a real improvement." Steve nods, because that's still better news than he was expecting. "Once we get him settled into ICU, the plan is to start him on antiviral medication alongside the antibiotics, just to try and give his immune system a little rest, so it's not working so hard. He looks sicker than he is, just because his body is having to fight two illnesses at the same time."
"Thank you, Doctor." Steve says, swallows hard, his throat dry and sore.
"Your team members are waiting outside the room, shall I send them in?" The doctor asks before leaving.
"Of course." He answers, because he can't imagine why he'd ever refuse them access. "Oh, doctor, when I can I leave? I have a job to do."
"I really do advise you take it easy, Commander. Your body needs to rest and heal." The doctor warns raises and eyebrow. "But you can leave as soon as the paperwork has been filed."
"Can I appoint someone to do that for me? The paperwork, that is? I'd really just like to get home, get some decent sleep." Steve lies easily.
"Of course, just let the ward sister know before you leave." The doctor says, opening the sliding doors, and pressing the button that locks them so they can't close again. Steve's sure the air that rushes in tastes cleaner, slowly shuffles over to his own bed, ignores the twinge in his neck, as he slips his feet into the only shoes he has; the disposable slippers.
He looks up as Chin and Kono rush in, the relief on their faces evident until they take their eyes from Steve and turn them to Danny.
"Hey Boss. Nice digs." Kono jokes, smiles awkwardly. "How you feeling?"
"Yeah, I'm good." Steve says for what feels like the hundredth time. "Kono, I need to ask a favour of you."
"Sure, what's up?" She nods enthusiastically, ever eager to help.
"I need you to stay here with Danny, fill out my paperwork, whilst I go back to the office." Steve says, as he tries to stand, moves to quickly and almost falls back on to the bed. Chin reaches out to steady him, but Steve isn't about to let anything keep him from doing his job.
"Maybe you just need to go home and rest, Steve. We've arrested Maye – we can handle this one." Chin suggests, but knows that the fire in Steve's eyes is not going to extinguish easily.
"No, I need to see her, ask her why myself." Steve shakes his head, determination pulsing through his body.
"Go and do what you need to do." Kono nods, and Steve doesn't miss the look exchanged between the cousins. "I've got this."
"Thanks, Kono." He says, touches her arm briefly before forcing his legs to work, to carry him towards the door. "Come on Chin. I need a ride." Chin sighs, defeated – knows which fights to pick and this isn't one of them.
"Okay. We'll swing by your place first, get you a change of clothes." Because, even though he's sure that Steve has worked in clothes much worse than cotton scrub pants and scratchy hospital gowns, he doesn't like seeing the constant reminder that Steve should be resting, not working.
"I have a chance of clothes back at HQ." Steve says, almost as an order, and Chin doesn't argue, follows the stubborn team leader in silence, instead.
Steve stands, leant against the cold, brick wall, using it as a prop because he's not sure if he has the energy to hold himself up any more. The woman before him bares no resemblance to the girl he used to know, wonders where in life she'd gotten lost, if he was partly responsible. Her blue eyes that were once bright and full of mischief are now dull and almost lifeless, dart around the room, wide with fear. The bouncy brunette curls that Steve used to love so much fall flat and her limp hair clings to clammy skin – skin that used to be clear and dewy but is now ashen and sports a few infected spots. As she shifts nervously, pulls against the wrist restraints, Steve is shocked to see skin so translucent he's sure her bones are visible, and she's lost so much weight since he last saw her, he barely recognises her.
"Rebecca." Steve says softly, tired, because they've been at this routine for the past hour, and it's draining him emotionally and physically. And whilst he would love to rip shreds into her for harming his partner, intimidate and shout and release his frustrations as he paces the room, something stops him; empathy.
Terrified eyes flick to him, and then just as quickly away again, as her tongue dances out of mouth to lick dry lips.
"Don't talk. Hush hush." She barely whispers as she shakes her head in short, jerky movements.
"Where did you get the Anthrax from?" Steve asks, again, pinches the bridge of his nose as his sinuses begin to join in on the throbbing party taking over his body. Wishes Chin had warned him that Maye was all nine kinds of crazy.
"Shh. Secrets." She says again, her voice squeaking slightly, before biting her lip so hard she draws blood.
"Rebecca...Becky...can I call you Becky?" He asks, rocking off of the wall, approaching the shackled woman, doesn't wait for an answer as he continues. "Who was the card for?" Crouches down in front of her as pressure builds in his skull.
"Ding dong the witch is dead." She sings absently, as she stares at the far wall, seeing something that nobody else can. "Ding dong. Ding dong."
Steve sighs, runs a hand over his face and up into his hair, wonders how long he's supposed to go at this for, if there's even any point.
"Becky, look at me." He gently coaxes, tries to use the same tone he uses with Grace, even if his patience is running on empty. Big, wide eyes eventually look down at Steve, or through Steve – he isn't sure which – but he takes the opportunity whilst it's there. "Where did you get the powder from?" Rebecca's head tilts slightly, lips twitch upwards.
"Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow." She sings softly, almost in a child like manner.
"Yeah, snow." Steve sighs, recalls Danny calling it the same so many hours ago, and decides to give up, because this is pointless and whilst he knows that Maye is going to be locked up in a psychiatric unit for the rest of her life, if Steve has anything to do with it, he feels a little disappointed and underwhelmed that this couldn't be a little bit more of an interrogation.
"He says you like snow." She whispers, as if sharing her biggest secret, and Steve almost stops breathing, scared of making a sudden movement in case it scares her into being quiet again. "Did you like your snow?"
"Yes. Yes I did." He nods slowly, starts to feel optimistic because it's the most information she's offered up since being arrested, even if it doesn't make much sense to anyone else.
"I like snow." She smiles, looks up at the ceiling as if watching snowflakes fall, starts to sing again. "Let it snow, let it snow, let is snow."
"Where can I get some snow, Becky?" Steve asks eagerly.
"Shhh. Secrets and Lies. Ding dong the witch is dead."
"You can tell me. I'll keep your secrets." Steve insists, swallows hard against his dry throat, edges a little closer to her, tries to hide the desperation for information, the need to spring into action.
"Row, row, row your boat." She sings, rocking on the chair, the cuffs rattling loudly.
"On a boat?" Steve tries decipher. "Is the snow on a boat?"
"Shhh." She smiles. "It's a secret."
"Thank you." Steve sighs, relieved, places a hand on her knee as reassurance, doesn't expect her reaction to his touch; she screams, loud enough for Steve to clamp his hands over hear ears, doesn't stop even when her lips turn blue, thrashes in the chair, pulls on her restraints. Steve stands back, isn't sure what to do. The more he tries to calm her, the more she screams and Steve's sure his head is going to explode.
Chin appears quickly, pulls Steve from the room, and slams the door closed, instantly silencing their captive.
"Sorry, I should have warned you about that." Chin apologises, looks a little sheepish.
"That's not the only thing you should have warned me about; she's bat crap crazy." Steve says, squeezes his eyes closed to try and rid the grey spots crossing his vision, recognises them as a threat of an approaching migraine.
"You should be grateful you weren't there when we arrested her. She didn't stop screaming for the whole journey, even managed to bite Kono on the hand."
"She didn't say anything earlier..."
"Oh it was nothing serious, didn't even break the skin. It was more of a warning nip." Chin explains. "Did you manage to get anything out of her?"
"She kept on about a boat, figure it's worth checking out." Steve says, rubs at his temples.
"That backs up what I came down to tell you." Chin nods, hands a printout to Steve. "I've had HPD running backgrounds on Rebecca and any known associates. Turns out she's been linked to this guy, Ryan Holiway. He's wanted worldwide for stealing a large quantity of pathogens from the lab he worked in in Germany, but is a slippery guy, has been almost impossible to catch. But duke called me about ten minutes ago, apparently a yacht docked in Ala Wai habor the day before yesterday and hasn't paid. Nobody has seen anyone aboard the boat and several people have complained about an odd smell. We've acted on a lot less."
"Okay, call Grover and tell him to pick up Kono and meet us down there. First, I need to find some advil." Steve commands, swallows against the wave of nausea.
"You okay? Wanna head back to Queens?" Chin asks, although he already knows the answer.
"Nah, it's just Danny's cold making it's rounds and a bit of sleep deprivation. I'll be fine." Steve insists, heading for the upper level.
"Alright then." Chin sighs in defeat once more, before following after his team leader.
Steve stands in front of the Swat team, Chin on his six, Kono behind Chin, fingers poised above the trigger, itching to jump to action. They edge along the docks, keep low, use the bows of boats as cover as they hone in on their target – the only new yacht to the area. The mid day sun beats down on Steve's back, sweat runs down his neck, he blinks several times to see past the grey spots interfering with his vision.
They stop, and Steve signals to Grover to approach the left whilst he and his team go for the right, and then they're moving again, feet landing silently on old wood as they edge closer. Steve holds one hand up, halts Chin and Kono, slowly straightens to peer over the edge of the boat, sees nobody but Grover doing the same on the other side. Steve signals for the SWAT team to board the boat, and even though Grover is taller than Steve and is built for comfort more than speed, he jumps aboard with grace and lands almost silently on his feet, the five SWAT members close behind. Steve, Chin and Kono copy as soon as Grover signals that it's clear.
"We'll take up, you take down." Grover whispers so quietly Steve can barely hear him. But he does, so he nods, wipes the sweat from his brow as he convoys his team down the narrow, wooden steps, his gun drawn and leading the way.
Steve signals for Chin to take the left side, Kono the right, and he takes the three room ahead of them. The separate, moving silently, pushing doors open and disappearing into separate rooms as they search for something, anything, that can link the yacht to the Anthrax attack. All of the room are empty, with no signs of being lived in, and Steve lets Grover know over the comms as Chin and Kono join him in the hallway, their guns lowered.
"All clear down here." He whispers softly, and the three FIVE-0 members wait with baited breath for an update from their back-up.
"All clear up here, but I've got something you might want to see." Grover eventually says into their ears, his voice low and grave. They don't hesitate, and Chin leads the way, with Kono and Steve behind, as they hurry to join Grover two levels up. Steve swallows again, his throat drying out quicker than before, and he tries to remember the last time he had a drink, tries to fight the dizziness as he forces one foot in front of the other, using Kono's back as his anchor to reality.
"You okay, Boss?" Kono asks, keeping her voice low so no one else can overhear, when she notices Steve's lagging behind.
"Yeah, just the meds the doc gave me, I think." He answers, wonders if he should have read the side effects leaflet the doctor had provided. "I'll be okay, just need a drink." He assures, pushing off of the wall he'd stopped to steady himself with, and heading after Chin.
"Okay, if you're sure." Kono nods, trusting Steve's judgement, because he's almost never wrong.
They head to the back of the yacht, where two SWAT men are standing with guns lowered, waiting for their arrival. They push through two sheets of thick, hanging plastic, can't believe they're seeing the scene before them; tables with bottles of chemicals, test tubes, portable gas stoves and jars of cloudy yellow liquid line the left side. Desks with microscopes, labelled boxes and papers line the right side.
Grover stands in the middle of the room, next to a dead body, and when Steve approaches it, he recognises the man as Ryan Holiway.
"Oh my god." Kono breathes from behind them, and Steve spins, too quickly, and is just as shocked as everyone else; there are two large, dog crates stacked on top of each other, one with the body of an elderly woman in, the other empty except a pair of discarded handcuffs. Steve recognises the second body instantly by the large wart on her chin, the ugly, pink birthmark covered most of the left hand; Rebecca's mother.
"Ding dong the witch is dead." He says to himself, finally understanding.
"I'm guessing he was in the process of making a dirty bomb." Grover addresses the room, points out the equipment with the nuzzle of the gun.
"Would make sense." Chin agrees. "I'm guessing he needed to test the Anthrax, make sure it was deadly enough for the job. Used Rebecca as a way to get to Five-0, took her mother to use as blackmail."
"It's hot in here." Steve concludes, tries to ignore the sweat trickling down his back, slipping under the waistband of his pants. Starts to feel faint. Really needs a drink. "We should clear out until we know it's safe to be in here." He says, tries to clear his throat, hopes to get rid of the tickle, begins to cough. He ignores the concerned glances of everyone as he tries to catch his breath, winces as his head throbs painfully with every lung-rattling hack.
"You heard the guy, everyone out." Grover booms, and Steve's sure his voice is getting further away, tries to focus on the floor, but it's moving, heading closer to him as he struggles for breath. Feels something firm tighten around his back, clutching at his side, as his eyes roll up into his head. The last thing he hears is Grovers deep, commanding voice ordering someone, anyone, to call 911.
He's not aware of much, just that his chest aches with every breath he takes, and his head, although isn't painful, feels heavy and there's a thick fog clouding his brain. It takes a while before he can piece together coherent thoughts, make sense of where he is, what's happening. He can breathe, and that's good in itself, he decides, because that means he didn't die. His arms and legs, although still and not in use, ache and feel like they're filled with lead, but after a quick experiment, he realises he can flex his fingers, wiggle his toes. It takes more energy than it should, wears him out, but he's alive, and for now, that's enough. Allows himself to drift back into nothingness.
The second time he wakes, it's a less than pleasant experience. His chest feels like it's being crushed by a ton of cement, his head is throbbing so hard it feels as if his brain is ramming against skull, his body aches so bad, it feels as if the muscles are cramping and about to snap. Even his ear hurt. He tries to groan, move, anything, but he's still, can't move, and then it all becomes too much as the darkness grabs hold of him and forces him back under.
The third time is easier, and he's becomes alert much faster. There's a warm hand clasping his own, gives a gentle squeeze every minute or so, and although his body doesn't exactly hurt this time, it feels a little achy, kind of like he's recovering from Flu. He tries to remember what got him here. Recalls the Christmas card, the puff of powder, being shoved in a fish tank for observation. Remembers he wasn't alone.
"'eeee." He tries to speak, but his throat is dry and scratchy, just makes garbled sounds. "'teeeee." He tries again, and he knows that if his friend was here, he'd understand. But it's not Steve's hand holding his own, isn't Steve's voice that answers, trying to coax him to the surface.
"Danny?" Kono's soft voice coos. "Danny, can you hear me? I'm calling a nurse in."
"St'eee." He tries, attempts to lift his heavy lids, closes them instantly as blinding light burns his eyes. Waits another couple of seconds and tries again, blinks several times, allows himself to adjust. Directs his eyes to the smiling, bronzed face besides him.
"Hey big guy. How you feeling?" She asks gently, and he feels her other hand rub his arm encouragingly.
"'m'good." He forces out, winces as his voice reverberates through his head. "Wh'r 'tve?"
"That's not important right now, Danny." Kono says, looks up as the doctor walks through the door.
"K'no. Wher's Steve?" He forces, his voice cracking, but determination pushes through.
"I'm sorry Danny..." Kono shakes her head, eyes water. "We didn't know he was sick..."
"No..." Danny starts, fear and dread twisting knots in his stomach, forces bile to crawl up his throat. "No. No."
"Danny, please, calm down." Kono begs as the doctor silences the rapidly beeping machine, pulls a sedative from his pocket as Danny begins to thrash, trying to sit up. "Danny, please."
"No. Steve." He cries, forgets any pain or sluggish limbs as he thrashes around, tries to get up. Kono's warm hands press down on his shoulders, pinning him to the bed. "Steve!" He cries louder, before warmth spreads from the crook of his arm, through his body, and he's forced back into peaceful darkness.
When Danny finally stirs again, he wishes the darkness would take him back under. Almost as soon as he is aware, he's able to put two coherent thoughts together; Anthrax poisoning. Steve's dead. An invisible wave of grief hits him, knocks the air out of his chest, and he sobs loudly.
"Danny?"
He tries to ignore the cool, calm voice he recognises as one of his best friends, his colleagues, doesn't think he can face Chin just now.
"Danny, come on Brah, wake up." Chin coaxes, and Danny whimpers, because as much as he'd like to wake up, go home, get back to life, he can't because Steve isn't here, and without Steve, Danny isn't sure what he's supposed to do.
He squeezes his eyes closed tighter, refuses to give in to consciousness, waits for the darkness to take him again. He hears the door open, recognises that it's not a sliding door but a normal push door, realises that means he's not in isolation any more. Another wave of grief as he remembers that Steve was sharing the fish tank with him, and Steve's not here any more.
He knows the sound of those feet, small and delicate, yet booted to pack more punch when she needs to kick into action. He can't place the sound of the squeaking accompanying her though, isn't sure he should even care.
"How is he?" Kono asks Chin, and Danny raises a heavy arm, places a hand over his eyes, refusing to open them.
"He's conscious, but I don't think he's aware yet. He hasn't responded to me."
"He doesn't look as pale." She says, sounds closer, and the squeaking stops as a hand reaches for his and squeezes hard.
"Open your eyes, you stubborn SOB." A male voice commands, and Danny stops breathing, his heart skips a few beats, because either he's finally died or he's losing his mind. "C'mon Danno." It's weak, that's for sure, sounds scratchy and different, but Danny would recognise that voice from anywhere.
"St've?"
"Yeah, babe. Open your eyes."
"'m I dead?"
"Not yet, tiger." He's sure Steve is laughing at him.
"Must be crazy." Squeezes his eyes so tight he sees blobs of colour in the darkness.
"All nine kinds." Steve agrees, and that annoys Danny a little.
"You laughing at me?"
"I will be if you don't open those baby blues for me." Steve says quietly. "You slept through Christmas, you can't sleep through the New Year, too." Danny ponders that, figures Steve has a point. Slowly, carefully, opens his eyes, blinks against the bright lights, and then glances around him as his vision adjusts. Chin and Kono stand side by side at the foot of his bed, and then his eyes fall down, onto Steve's pale and clammy face.
"You're alive." Danny sighs with relief, forces a smile onto his dry, cracked lips.
"Of course I am."
"Thought you were dead."
"I just forget to take my meds and got a little dehydrated."
"Even anthrax can't stop Superman, huh?" Danny jokes.
"You look like crap." Steve laughs, and Danny closes his eyes again, already exhausted.
"Yeah, you too." Danny forces his mouth to smile, is sure his lips crack and split, but he doesn't care, because Steve's here, Steve's alive. "'nd St've?" Mumbled sleepily.
"Yeah Danno?"
"Love you."
"Yeah, love you to, buddy." Steve breathes, and squeezes his partners hand.