Later that morning, Amanda dropped by for a visit. She peaked inside the dimlit room and entered shyly. "Hi!" she whispered.
"Amanda! Please come in," Chin beckoned and stood to meet her halfway.
"The doctor said I can only stay a few minutes." She stepped up to the bed and gazed down at the patient. "How is he?"
"Well he survived the first twelve hours," Chin informed.
"He survived much more than that," Mandy said referring to the time spent agonizing on that cot before the cavalry came. She then turned to Danny asleep on his right side in the next bed. "So that's Danny."
"The one and only."
"I can tell he's one special man," she mused.
"They both are," Kono chimed in.
"I can believe that."
"So what's happening with the investigation? Any leads on your brother's whereabouts?" Chin asked.
"Not yet. Ron's a shrewd man. Very resourceful and sly. But he's also trapped on the island. Authorities have an APB out on him and placed airports and docks on high alert. He won't get away this time. And Carl and Bill are tight-lipped but I doubt they know more than I do."
"We're all very grateful for what you did. If it hadn't been for you, Steve would surely be dead. And it took guts to turn on your on brother," Chin praised.,
"I figured it was about time to break free. I might have shut my eyes on many of the disgusting things that Ron's done in his line of work, but what he did to this man," she turned to Steve with tears in her eyes, "letting him agonize and all is more than I could bear. Despite his flaws I loved him but he crossed the line this time. It was the straw that broke the camel's back."
"We're happy to see you're turning a new leaf. And believe when I say that we'll all help you adjusting and you can count on our protection," Kono pledged.
"Thanks. Chief Lukela is talking with the FBI about placing me into the Witness Protection Program."
"Amanda?" mumbled the groggy voice from behind.
"Hey, Danny!" she greeted. "Good to see you again. How are you?"
Danny sat on the edge of the bed and stood on his shaky legs. He paused to recover his poise and gain a steady balance before walking over to Steve's bed with a slight slouch. "I'll be better when he gets through this hell." He turned to her with a strain smile. "I'm sorry, I..."
"Don't be. It's obvious you care deeply for him."
"I don't say it often enough but he's like a brother to me and losing him..." again he faltered as the emotions threatened to engulf him.
Kono placed a consoling hand on his shoulder.
"I just came by to see how he was doing. He made it through the first critical hours, which is encouraging."
"Yeah. However if you'd seen him last night... God, I thought we were losing him."
Kono wrapped her arm around his shoulders and leaned her head against his.
A sudden jerk of Steve's head caught Danny's attention. He practically leaped over the bed and clasped Steve's hand. "Hey Steve! Steve, it's Danno. I'm here, We're all here." Danny assured with a nudge on his hand that turned into tight squeeze. "I got you. Can you hear me? Squeeze my hand if you can." All four focused on the limp hand in trepidation of the outcome. They erupted in a quiet cheer when Steve began curling his fingers around Danny's hand. "That's it. Now open your eyes, babe. Come on!" Danny rejoiced.
Danny was quick to push Steve's hand away as he weakly reached for the annoying tube stuck down his throat. "Don't. That tube is there to help you breathe. Kono, would you go tell the doctor that Steve's awake?"
"Right away."
Again Danny nudged Steve's hand away from the tube. "Don't touch it. I know it's a nuisance but wait till the doctor gets here. He'll probably remove it."
"I think he's doing better. He's back to his stubborn self," Chin remarked amusedly.
Danny glanced up at the monitor. "Well his fever's down a bit and the blood pressure's up. That's good." He turned to Steve and smiled in amazement. "You fought to good fight, babe. Keep it up."
Kono returned with the doctor.
"Doctor, he's awake and he wants the tube out."
"Yes I think we can remove it now." He rounded the corner of the bed to go study the pupillary reflexes. "Okay Commander, I'm going to remove the tube from your mouth. On three I want you to give me a big cough, do you understand?" He waited for Steve to acknowledge before counting. With one deftly pull, he slid the pipe out with Steve coughing and gagging. He wiped the mouth dry of saliva dribbling down the patient's chin. "Take easy breaths. That's it."
A sudden coughing fit prompted the doctor to quickly elevate the head bed and place a basis underneath Steve's mouth just as he started vomiting phlegm mixed with droplets of blood.
Danny went numb at the sight of the blood. With a hand on Steve's shoulder to hold him in place, he looked up at the doctor with a questioning look.
"We'll take him down to X-Ray for further tests," That's all the doctor would say to ease Danny's worries. He then placed a nasal cannula underneath Steve's nose and lowered the head bed to a comfortable angle. "This cannula will help you breathe easier."
"Hurrrrts to breeeeathe."
"It will be for some time. You had a severe hemothorax. Take slow and deep breaths. Avoid gasping if you can."
"Trrrrry," Steve burbled out painfully and licked his parched lips.
"Steve, are you thirsty?" Danny asked, receiving a weak nod in return. "Doctor, can I give him some water?"
"Use the wet handkerchief for now."
"Throat hurts."
"That's due to the tracheal tube. The water will help soothe the oesophagus."
"Dan...Danny?" Steve whispered hoarsely.
Danny handed the handkerchief over to Chin to wet it with fresh water, while he leaned over Steve and clasped his hand. "What is it?" His brows furrowed deeply at his friend's obvious distress.
"Danny, my legs. I can't...I can't feel my legs."
"You have some major swelling in your lower back that's compressing your nerves. It should dissolve in a few days," the doctor explained while Danny applied the wet cloth to Steve's lips.
However Danny knew better from the doctor's explanation earlier that if the neuronal connections were severed the paralysis could be permanent, but right now was not a good time to give his partner the flip side of the medal. He needed to think positive, even though the likelihood of paralysis lingered in the back of his mind.
"Are you in any pain?" Danny asked.
Steve scrunched up his eyes. "Just my chest'.
The doctor pressed the medication release button on his IV line. "That ought to make you feel better."
"Hate drugs but... thank you," Steve said, sighing contently as the fluid coursed through his veins and gradually relieved the pressure on his chest. His eyelids were growing heavier with his heartbeat steadying to a normal rate and his breathing evening out into a calming rhythm.
"He must be in an awful lot of pain if he said thank you to drugs," Danny remarked.
Hanlon went to the side of the bed and held the urinary drainage bag up to study the content. Danny's concern shot up a notch upon noticing the redish color.
"I'll go arrange it to take him down to X-Ray. It'd be best to let him rest now."
They nodded in unison but as Danny started pulling his hand away, Steve gave it a faint tug and a small moan seeped out.
"No I'm not leaving, babe. I'm staying right here with you." He turned to the group. "You go ahead. I'll stay with him."
"Okay. We'll bring you back breakfast," Kono offered.
"Very light. I don't think I can eat much."
"I need to go back to see Chief Lukela anyhow." Amanda then approached Danny. "I'll try to visit with him later when he's better."
"I'm sure he'd like that."
Once they all left the room, Danny turned to Doctor Hanlon. "That was blood, wasn't it?" he asked worriedly.
"Yes, but understand that he came to us with renal trauma. His kidneys were bruised. The good news is that the injury wasn't as severe as to require dialysis."
Danny let out a heavy-laden sigh, which prompted the caring physician to lay a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Hey, he's still with us and breathing on his own. It may have been a rough night but nevertheless he made it through. It might look bleak but I assure you it's not."
"Thank you, Doctor," Danny smiled tiredly.
"You're welcome," he smiled back.
H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50
Danny kept another faithful vigil throughout the night and to his relief, Steve didn't stir and rested in a satisfying condition. Doctor Hanlon had made the right call with the Vancomycin. The fever was gradually breaking and his vitals were returning to normal. It was still an uphill battle but clearly Steve was fighting his way back to health.
Late morning the next day, Steve moaned awake to the feel of a gentle hand on his forehead. His eyes fluttered open to see a bleary beaming face smiling down on him.
"Steve? Can you hear me?"
"Dannny?" he breathed out as he tried to adjust his focus.
"No it's Amanda. Danny stepped out to stretch his legs for a bit. He'll be back shortly. How are you feeling?"
"Like...like I've been hit by a truck." She laughed at his sense of humor. "Still can't feel my legs."
"I know but it's temporary," she said with a strained smile.
"Every...everyone keeps telling me that but...but their faces tell another story."
"The truth is no one really knows how long. The swelling needs to go down completely before we know if..."
"The paralysis is permanent," he quickly finished for her.
"Yeah."
"Thanks for...for taking care of me out there."
"I just couldn't allow a handsome guy like you die. It wouldn't have been fair to all those women out there. Or maybe there's one in particular?" she probed innocently.
Steve thought of Catherine but their relationship was never exclusive to begin with. "No one," he answered truthfully. "What are you going to do now?"
"Chief Lukela spoke with the governor who in turn contacted the FBI. They offered to place me under the Witness Protection Program while I work with the authorities at identifying, and hopefully, locating some of my brother's business associates."
"That's good," he said, licking his lips, Amanda obliged by applying a water-soaked handkerchief to his lips. "Thanks. That feels good coming down."
"You're very welcome." Her smile quickly changed into a concerned frown upon noticing the slight rise in his temperature.
"You know... you're wel...welcomed to stay at my house. Plenty of room and...and you'll be safe and, well," he paused as he wondered how to phrase his next request, "I expect I'll need some...someone to look after me once I...I get out of here, especially if I'm," he closed his eyes at the thought that send shivers down his spine, "I'm bound to a wheelchair."
"I was told your partner already volunteered for that job."
"That's right. Are you two-timing me already, babe?" Danny teased as he walked into the room.
"Sorry...sorry to disappoint you, Danno. Not pretty enough," Steve ribbed back with a slight discomfort that he tried to conceal.
"It's good to see you awake, Sleeping Beauty. You had us worried there for awhile."
"Sorry for...for being such trouble."
"That's your middle name, Steven. You can't help it," Danny teased. "And I say that's a good idea that Amanda moves in with us. That way I'll be able to keep an eye on both of you and you, on him. You might be better at it than I am. I've been trying to teach this stubborn Neanderthal good manners, especially when he's sick but he won't listen. Keeps jumping out of bed and off to the field oftentimes with sprained wrists or a concussion and broken ribs. He just won't stay put." Danny suddenly noticed Steve wincing. He moved closer. "Steve? What's wrong?"
"Belly...hurts bad," he hissed with a hand over his stomach.
"I'll get the doctor."
Amanda ran her hand over his stomach and gently pressed down. Steve reacted with a small painful yelp. "It's tender, isn't it?"
Steve nodded and dry heaved twice. She quickly snaked her arm around his shoulders to pull him into a sitting position, and held the large emesis basin underneath his mouth just as the phlegmy blood spurted out. She held him until the crisis passed before dabbing at his mouth with a facecloth to wipe the speckles of blood.
Danny hurried back into the room just as Mandy was easing Steve's head back onto the pillow. "The nurse will notify the doctor to...oh my God," he exclaimed upon noticing the blood in the basin. "I thought he was done vomiting blood."
"His abdomen's distended. He's bleeding out again."
"Can you tell how bad?"
She shook her head dismally. "Not really, but," she glanced up at the heart monitor, "his blood pressure's down and his fever's up. They'll need to go in again to stop the bleeding. Could be a ruptured spleen."
"But the doctor said they took care of that already. They did a partial...something."
"Splenectomy. Could be something else they missed."
Steve began to trash about as the pain intensified. Danny reached to clasp his hand. "Hold on, babe. The doc will fix you right up." Steve's vice-like grip may have been draining Danny's hand of all its blood but the blond would not break the contact under any circumstances.
H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50
Two hours later, Danny, Chin, Kono and Amanda were still waiting for news on Steve's condition after he'd been rushed down to emergency surgery.
So intensely withdrawn from the people around them were they that they didn't notice the odd-looking man wearing a cap and dark glasses walking up to them. He pulled a gun out from underneath his denim jacket and grabbed Amanda's arm to hold her in a chokehold.
