Chapter 4

I held her hand all the way to the hospital and I ran next to the gurney as they took her to the ER. When the doors swung behind them, I had never felt more alone. I walked over to the waiting room and sat down. I looked at my hands; I was covered in her blood. I couldn't believe I almost lost her today and that scared me more than anything in this world.

Two hours passed and still there was no word on Jessa's condition. I took to pacing the waiting room. It was oddly empty and I hated the lack of noise. I heard the sliding doors open and turned to find Danny, Kono, and Chin.

"Hey, any word?" Danny asked coming up next to me.

I shook my head and ran a hand over my face. Everyone sat down and I continued pacing.

"Malia is working so I'm going to have her keep an eye out for news." Chin got up and went to find his wife.

"Steve?" I turned to Kono, "Maybe you should go clean up, you know before you can see Jessa?"

I nodded my head and made my way towards the bathroom. I watched as Jessa's blood ran down the drain. I splashed some water on to my face and wiped it down with paper towel. I shot a glance into the mirror and anger took a hold of me. I slammed my hands down on the sink, "How could you be so stupid, McGarrett? You should have just taken her to the office with you!" I growled at myself.

I cooled my frustration and walked back out to the waiting room. I resumed my pacing and stayed that way for the next eight hours. Kono had fallen asleep resting her head on Chin's shoulder. Danny was sitting next to Kono, watching my actions.

A doctor and Malia walked out of the wing where they had taken Jessa. The doctor asked, "Jessa Lawrence's family?"

"Yes." I stood still, facing the doctor.

"Are you her father?" The doctor questioned.

Everyone was up at the sound of voices and they stood behind me, "I am." I nodded.

"Dr. Charles, I work closely with Dr. Kelly." He said grasping my hand, "Your daughter is alive and well. The surgery went as good as expected and we are just waiting on her recovery. She suffered a concussion, five broken ribs, her right knee was severely fractured and we had to put in pins. Both of her arms were dislocated and she sustained many cuts and lacerations. The bruises will take time to heal and she'll have a few scars, but other than that your daughter is going to be just fine."

I breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank you, Doctor. Can I see her now?"

Malia smiled, "Yes, the anesthesia will wear off in a few minutes and it'll take a couple more for her to get her bearings. She'll need lots of assistance in moving around. She's in room 313." Dr. Charles nodded his head in agreement and walked away.

"We'll wait back here, buddy. You go talk to your girl." Danny said patting my back.

I walked quickly down the hallways until I stopped in front of her door. I didn't hesitate to open it. I stepped in and looked at the girl I had come to love. Her leg was suspended in the air; her whole torso was wrapped in a tight bandage to heal the ribs. She began to stir so I stepped closer.

She began moving frantically, trying to rip the IV out of her hand. I held her hand tightly, "Hey, it's ok. You're ok, I'm right here."

Her tense body seemed to relax at the sound of my voice. Her eyelids fluttered open and she searched the room until they landed on me. "Hey." She smiled.

I sat down in a chair next to her bed and kept my hold on her hand, "Hey yourself, kid. How you feeling?"

"Like I got beat with a bat." She smiled at her joke.

I shook my head, "I'm sorry about everything. I should have listened to you this morning. I should have just taken you to the office."

"You did what you thought was best." Jessa smiled. "I don't blame you, I couldn't blame you. I'm just glad you found me."

I nodded my head; she pulled her hand away and pulled out the oxygen cannula from her nose. "Hey, what do you think you're doing?"

"I'm breathing just fine on my own." She grinned.

I rolled my eyes, "Jes, about what you said before you blacked out..."

She stopped me, "Oh. Don't worry about it. I understand you already turned me over to the state. I get it. The case is over, you fulfilled your promise. It's cool."

"No. It's not cool and I didn't turn you over to the state." I shook my head.

"You didn't, but why? I'm no longer your responsibility!" Jessa said.

"I made you my responsibility. Look, I have a proposal for you. I would sign your adoption papers but there's really no point. You'll be 18 next year and then you'll be off on your own, but what I can do is become your foster parent. That way you won't have to move, or be bounced around." I said.

"Oh." Her face fell.

"Unless you don't want me to. It's your decision." I waited for her response.

"Yeah, no! That's fine, I guess I just thought- Never mind it's stupid." Jessa shook her head and gave me a fake smile.

I took her hand and squeezed it, "Hey, listen you can tell me anything."

"No really! It was stupid, it's better if we just drop it." She sighed.

"Jessa, we both know that this subject isn't going to get dropped. So tell me, what's on your mind?"

She looked away from me and her gaze landed on the windows. I heard her take a deep breath and then she finally spoke, "I guess I thought there was a slim chance you'd adopt me. Crazy right? I just wanted it to be permanent. You know? And yes, I realize that I'll be 18 next year, but it's still nice to know that I'd have a home."

Guilt settled into my stomach, "So you want me to adopt you?"

"Well, yeah, but not if you don't want to. With foster care you can still have a way out. Adoption, once those papers are sealed, it's a done deal. Honestly it's your decision right? Go for foster care. Once I'm 18 you won't ever have to deal with me again." Her voice was like venom.

"Whoa, Jes. Seize fire! Who said I had to deal with you?" I questioned.

"Steve, no one and I literally mean no one, wants a daughter with as much baggage as I have." She laughed, "It was a miracle that I found a family when I was 11. I'd be asking too much for another one. I get it, I do. No hard feelings."

"I honestly don't understand. I, for one, could care less about your baggage. That's something we all come with. I don't think you do get it! And you know what I'm going to prove a point." I picked up my phone and clicked the number, it rang for a few seconds and then there was a click. "Hello Governor." Jessa's eyes grew wide in shock.

"Commander McGarrett, is Jessa alright?" The governor asked.

"Yes, she is fine, but I need a favor. I know you already have the adoption papers in order, could you have them brought over to the hospital right now so that I can sign them?" I asked.

"I can do you one better, Commander. They're outside your door, along with a judge ready to give approval." She stated. "Detective Williams called me and filled me in on the situation. He said it would be wise to send a judge over right away."

"Thank you, Governor." I ended the call and walked over towards the door. "Please come in. Consider this my point proven." I said to Jessa.

"Commander McGarrett, I am Judge Hawthorne." The judge shook my hand and handed me the papers. I initialed in the proper places and it came down to the final signature. I hesitated, wanting to make Jessa a little nervous.

I looked up and met her gaze. She was holding her breath and I could tell she was anxious. I gave her a smirk and signed my name. The breath she was holding in was released. "I hate you." She said through gritted teeth.

The judge looked at me with a raised brow, "This arrangement might not be the best one, Commander. I'll have to take time to consider it."

"What?!" Jessa and I shouted in unison.

"I cannot put Jessa into a home where she doesn't feel comfortable." The judge stated.

"No, no, no, no! I was only joking. I don't actually hate him! I just said that because he made me freak out like he was rethinking the adoption. I really didn't mean it. I do want to stay with him. I swear." Jessa said quickly.

"If you're sure..." He waited.

"Trust me, I'm sure." She smiled.

The judge authorized the paperwork and quickly sent a copy to the state department, "Your adoption papers, Commander."

I took them from him and held them in my hands, "Thank you." I watched as he left and I handed the papers to Jes, "I believe my point has been proven."

She smiled up at me through her tears and laughed, "You are a terrible person! But I'm glad that you did it."

"I am too." I said squeezing her hand.


Three weeks since that day in the hospital, two and a half weeks since I buried my parents. Steve was with me every step of the way. I didn't think it was possible to ever have another dad, but he proved me wrong. No, I didn't call him dad, but he definitely was mine.

I was discharged from the hospital two days after the adoption was final. The following day was the funeral and after that what little bit of normalcy I had left was gone. Jake and Lacey found out about my parents' murder, which led them to ask questions about my history.

I tried to dodge the questions, but they wanted none of it. One day, I snapped. They wouldn't stop calling and texting. Steve was on his way home from work when I lost it. I threw my phone at my bedroom wall and heaved a vase on the ground. It shattered into a million pieces. I was yelling and screaming. At who, I didn't know.

The front door opened as I continued to dismantle everything in my sight. "Jes? What's wrong?" Steve called from downstairs; I froze.

I could hear his footsteps coming up the stairs and I quickly tried to clean up the glass. I managed to cut my hand and my foot as I tried to hide the evidence. "Ouch."

Steve knocked on my door, "Jes? Is everything alright?"

I tried to steady my breathing as I sat down on my hardwood floor in a sea of glass. My blood dripped in tiny pools around me, "Yes." I said shakily, "Everything's ok."

I could hear his hesitation, "I'm coming in."

"No you-" he opened the door, "don't need to do that."

"What happened in here?" He exclaimed looking around at the damage and finally his eyes settled on me. Shock was the first thing that registered in his eyes, "Are you ok? Where did you cut yourself?"

I tried to pull away from him, not wanting him to see any of the lasting scars my brother parents had left me. "I'm fine. Just a scratch. I, uh, dropped the vase by accident."

"Jessa Mae..." He stated firmly. I cannot believe he middle named me, "Come on let's get you out of this mess and take a look at those cuts."

I tried to protest, but he scooped me up anyways. Steve took me down to the kitchen and placed me on the island. He got out his first aid kit and sat it next to me. Without any warning he took my hand and examined the cut.

"It's not to deep, I'll just clean it up and bandage it." He put some rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball and dabbed my wound. I didn't even flinch when it made contact with my cut and Steve quirked a brow at me. He wrapped my hand in a tight bandage and then examined my foot. "This one is going to need stitches."

I sighed, "Hospital, again?"

"No, I can do it."

"What?!" I almost shouted.

"Seal training. You forget that I am trained in just about everything." Steve grinned. He pulled out some stitches, a needle and a vial of something. I assume to numb the pain.

"Oh no! No needles. I'll be fine. Actually, can't you just glue it together? I used to do that a lot!" I panicked.

"Jessa, it'd be a lot less painful with this." He said putting the needle into the vial and drawing out its contents.

"Steve. Please, no needles." I said through gritted teeth.

"Fine, we won't use the numbing agent, but this has to be stitched. If the pain is to much I can't stop that." Steve held up his hands in surrender.

"Ok, fine. I'll be ok. That's why I have you. Your shoulder will be a nice stress reliever." I grinned at him through the panic.

"You think you're so funny." He muttered as he cleaned out my cut and began stitching. I bit my lip and held back my tears. My hand instantly went to his shoulder and I squeezed the tight muscle with all that I had in me. "Alright, you're done. You can release your grip on my shoulder now."

"Oh sorry." I said quickly, taking my hand off of his shoulder. I froze, realizing for the first time that I wouldn't be able to get around. I still have a cast from my mid thigh down to my toes on my right leg and now I had stitches on the bottom of my left foot.

"What, what is it? What's wrong?" Steve searched my face.

"Well you see, oh boy, this is awkward. I can't walk. Gosh, I can't wait to get this cast off!" I scratched my head. Steve stared at me for a few seconds and then burst into laughter, "Oh you think this is so funny, don't you? Well, we'll see about that. Alright Mr. Giggles, take me to the living room!"

I held my arms up, waiting for Steve to pick me up. "What do you want me to do?" He questioned.

"Well, I can't walk and by law I am your responsibility, which in turn means you have to take care of me." I grinned.

He rolled his eyes playfully, but gently picked me up. "My little crippled princess." He joked.

"You're just really feeling it tonight aren't you? For that little nickname you owe me ice cream. And not just any ice cream. My favorite." My smirk turned into a genuine smile.

"Your wish is my command." He bowed and went to the kitchen. A few moments later he came back with a bowl of ice cream. He handed it to me and sat down. I took a bite, savoring the flavor, but my eyes never left Steve. "Ok. We need to have a talk."

"About what?" I asked.

He put a hand up to signal me to stop, "No, we aren't playing those games. Do not act all innocent. Tell me what I walked in on?"

I sat down my bowl of ice cream and looked at Steve. I sighed, "I was frustrated and angry. They won't let it rest or leave me alone!"

"Who?" Steve questioned.

"It's mostly Jake. He calls and texts me 24/7. He's left me over a hundred voicemails. I just don't want to have to explain everything. I'm afraid they'll judge me." I shrugged.

"Why would they judge you? If Jake is truly your best friend, then I see no reason why he'd judge you." His eyebrows furrowed.

"Maybe I'm not worried about him being the judgmental one." I looked down at my hands, "Marissa, she's very controlling. Take it from someone who was once her best friend. She manipulates you until you're her minion. She did that to Jake and now it's like if she doesn't like someone, Jake doesn't like them either." I heard Steve sigh and I continued, "I know it's not in your job description to help with teenage drama."

Steve laughed, "Jes, contrary to what you think, I was a teen once."

"Oh, you were?" I teased.

"Yes, I was." He came closer and began tickling me.

I laughed until my ribs began to hurt, "Ok, ok. Truce?"

"Truce... For now." He grinned, "Jes, there's still something I want to know about."

"Ok, I mean I already told you about everything else in my life, might as well lay down the honesty rule." I smiled.

"Why don't you like needles? I know some people just hate them, but you didn't even flinch when I cleaned your wounds. So why needles?" Steve asked gently.

I nodded my head at his question and turned to look out the window, I took a deep breath and then met his eyes again. I was wearing one of Steve's Navy crew neck sweatshirts, so I rolled up the sleeves. I showed him the inside of my elbows. Right where an IV would have gone in, were two vivid scars. "This is why I hate needles." My voice came out barely a whisper.

Steve took my hands and examined my arms, "They did this to you, didn't they?"

I nodded my head, "When I was still in their custody. I told you they kept me in the basement right?" He nodded so I continued, "If their, uh, disciplinary actions didn't work on me, they would inject me with some type of drug. I don't remember much when that happened, but I do remember them pounding the belief of being unwanted into me. They told me to keep my mouth shut or they'd kill me. So naturally the fear of dying overtook my fear of being beaten, I kept my mouth shut tightly."

Steve ran a hand over his face and then looked at me, "I'm really sorry."

"Why do you keep apologizing?" I asked.

"Because I let it happen to you again! I let them take you away and hurt you all over again." He shook his head, "I won't ever forgive myself if that."

"Well, that's kind of stupid! If it'll make you stop feeling guilty then know that I've forgiven you. For what? I don't know because even though I was taken, you found me and killed my birth parents. I'm not condoning killing in any way, but you saved my life. Stop beating yourself up over it!" I smiled.

Steve nodded his head and we began our Friday night ritual; we sat on the couch and watched a movie. This week's choice was Captain America. "Oh please tell me you didn't pick this movie because you think he's hot? If that's the reason then I cannot in good conscience watch this with you. You aren't allowed to think that about any guy!" Steve commanded.

"Oh really now? Who says?" I teased.

"Me, being your adoptive father, I say." He said.

A grin spread over my face, "Well then, I guess I cannot argue with that! And no it's not because Chris Evans is gorgeous. It's because in all honesty I love the thought of superheroes."

"I don't understand how any one can think superheroes are cool! There's no such thing as one! They're fake." Steve muttered.

I sat up straight and said with all seriousness, "That is not true! There definitely are superheroes in this world. They may not have fictional powers, but they are real. I know at least 4!"

He laughed, "Jessa, who might these 'superheroes' be?"

"They call themselves Five-O. They are the most real superheroes I have ever seen. The best part is that my adoptive dad is their leader!" I smiled.

"I wouldn't say we're superheroes. We just do our job." Steve remarked.

"That's because you're humble." I winked.

"Let's watch this movie." He shook his head as a smile formed on his face. He pressed play and we sat as the movie unfolded before us. Some time, about half way through, I had scooted closer to Steve. I was freezing and needed warmth. He wrapped an arm around me and never I had I felt so safe. Sure, I did with my parents, but even then the threat of Laura and Bill hung over us.

I don't know when I had fallen asleep, but the next thing I knew Steve was carrying me up to my bed. He pulled back the covers and laid me inside the warmth. I heard him stand up and he thought I was asleep, so he whispered, "I love you, Jes."

When he had closed my door, I whispered back, "I love you too, Dad."


Hey guys! I'm so extremely sorry for the wait on chapter 4! School has been stressing me out and on top of that I had an awful cold! I have so many more chapters that just need to be edited so I am going to try and post at least once a week! I hope you guys enjoy this story! It is one of my favorites that I've written! Also, if you're a fan of The Flash, you should check out my other stories! Fair warning: they contain some spoilers for season 2!

Who's excited for season 7 of Hawaii Five-0?! The first episode was sooooo good!

Until next time,

Theatrefreak10