I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.
Note: The following is from the breakfast muse who (after sleeping all day on Saturday) demanded "Chin and Danny time"this morning. I'm not sure this chapter adds value but I sure hope it does - so, after flipping a coin, I'm letting the muse win this battle.
Plus I'm behind again with responding to reviews - if I missed you, my sincere apologies. Thank you for all the great reviews and kind words.
Best wishes for a very safe, healthy and Happy New Year!
"Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." ― A.A. Milne
Chapter Eight
H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O*
Danny's restless sleep had become downright disturbed as the long night wore on and Chin alternated between using the cloth to wipe down his face or trying to talk nonsense to calm him. His temperature was normal and his blood pressure only slightly elevated, so it wasn't from delirious ramblings. And so Doctor Byrnes had blamed the restless body and seemingly upset murmurs to a series of bad dreams. But he hadn't been overly happy about the unintelligible and troubled tossing and turning; worried that Danny might strain his stitches or bang his arm. However, the pain medication was also strong and with the concussion, he preferred to avoid a sedative.
"He'll be fine." The doctor frowned as his patient stilled for a millisecond. "He'll calm down eventually .. it could be residual trauma from the fall .. plus any number of underlying stresses of course."
But after Byrnes left, Chin continued trying to soothe the anxious sleep and soon understood the true reason based on the few words he was able to just make out. Words like, 'Grace', or 'can't, or even what sounded like 'can't do it' and 'no time' mumbled in an almost pleading, fearful voice. So soft, yet plaintive and it finally dawned on Chin that Danny's long buried worries were just under the surface. Weakened by his injuries and subject to the strong medicines, his unease was wholly due to the expectations he'd piled on himself and the custody battle for Grace.
"Easy Danny." Chin whispered with new realization as he laid the cloth over the stressed forehead and then gripped Danny's flailing fingers. "You'll have all the time you need with Grace. Always."
Some of Chin's soft words seemed to get through and Danny eased slightly, almost as if he were listening. More than half asleep, he muttered a distressed retort though and tossed his head as if arguing. "What … who .. what if …?" The words were strung together in an anguished exhale and Chin moved to sit next to him on the bed.
He shushed him as he wiped Danny's brow. "None of that. We're all here to help .. we aren't going to leave you to handle this alone." And then he repeated words that he'd said once during Meka's terrible case .. the case where Danny's first HPD partner had been murdered. Danny had bullied the case to pieces, earning the respect of HPD as a whole when he identified the real mole hiding in HPD and then cleared Meka's name. But before that happened, Danny had words with Steve about his instincts, trust and Meka's innocence. And after Danny had walked out in a fury, Chin had tracked him down to offer his support.
Quietly and urgently, he whispered something that he hoped Danny would hear in his exhausted state. "Danny, it's Chin and like I said before, I'm in your corner one thousand percent. We all are. Get some sleep and just think about getting better .. Grace will be home soon and she'll want to see you."
There was a lull in the troubled tension that filled Danny's body and then a subtle sigh. A few minutes later, Chin was surprised and then pleased to see that something had in fact possibly gotten through as Danny truly stilled. Re-wetting the cloth a final time, Chin gently pulled the blankets up and smoothed out the mass of tumbled folds. He heaved his own concerned sigh as he settled himself down near the bed. Like Steve, Chin was always astounded by Danny's overwhelming and complicated sense of duty, responsibility and perfection … coupled with love for Grace and an unending loyalty to his friends, Danny was simply … uniquely .. Danny. Sometimes - actually more often than not - his own worst enemy.
He grinned at the finally sleeping man and shook his head fondly. "You're giving your Ohana a run for their money my friend. But mark my words, we're ready for it."
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Long after that, Danny had woken two other times to finally realize that Chin was consistently present. His first disorienting awakening had him mumbling something about not needing a nursemaid. Chin should go home and get some rest of his own.
"M'good. How's Steve .. Belle?" The words were brief and softly sighed out as Danny fought to keep his eyes open. The first time, Chin had softly chuckled while he shushed Danny back to sleep with guarantees that everything was fine. He couldn't help the gentle reprimand for Danny to simply rest for himself though.
"Yeah, Steve's good. Belle is leaving for the mainland tomorrow .. so she and the baby are okay too. Stop worrying about everyone else .. just think about getting better Danny." It had been enough and Danny had then fallen back to sleep, but he was more aware this second time as he frowned up at his friend.
"Where is everyone? Why are you still here?" In a voice roughened by a combination of medication and sleepiness, Danny was demanding and he could sense that something was not entirely right with the world. In fact, he could tell that it was the middle of the night and Chin was painstakingly present - again. It didn't seem fair that Chin wasn't getting any rest but it was also worrisome that there was still no sign of either Steve or Kono.
As Chin explained what had happened, Danny slowly raised the head of the bed. And then he woke even more at the startling news. "Steve was admitted late yesterday afternoon after his follow-up exam. Even though HPD is here and yes … even though Denning released the press release … Kono and I decided to stay to make sure nothing else happens with you two."
Chin sighed with a thoughtful half smile as he snagged the remote from Danny to stop the nervous movement of the bed and to fix it at a comfortable elevated position. "He'll be okay if he follows doctor's orders."
Words like 'follow', 'doctor', and 'orders' lived happily in Steve's lexicon – but rarely in the same sentence, unless of course he was personally dictating their use or inflicting them directly on someone else – and certainly never would he allow them used against himself. The disgusted sound that erupted from Danny made Chin smile more openly as he raised his finger so he could continue without interruption.
"The doctor rattled him good about potentially losing the use of his hand. Permanently. It worked because Steve listened." Chin stressed the last word as Danny's eyes widened worriedly but he waited for him to finish.
"His hand was becoming infected and his temperature kept going up, so to be on the safe side, he was admitted. Intravenous fluids, badly needed rest and a stronger course of antibiotics. But he should be fine and he's just a few doors away with Kono. And according to Kono, he was out before his head hit the pillow."
There was really nothing to say about the frightening information. And with Steve accepting proper care, Danny could only nod in agreement as he closed his eyes. "I didn't know it was that bad."
His own migraine was peacefully now gone, but he was wide awake. He felt remarkably better even though various other aches and pains still echoed through his body.
"Do you need anything?" Danny opened his eyes to find Chin studying him closely and he waved off the concern.
"No. I'm good." Danny pointed towards the door and outer hallway. "You know … you should go home and get some rest. The reinforcements are here and neither of us will be going anywhere."
But Chin pulled up a chair and shrugged happily as he found the remote for the television. Truth be told, he was able to sleep just about anywhere and was completely content now that Danny had woken feeling better. "Nope. I'm good too."
So they channel-surfed aimlessly until Danny came up with a new idea. "Let's go for a walk."
Chin narrowed his eyes to gauge the seriousness of the sudden request. "Seriously? A walk? It's the middle of the night and I don't think you could take two steps without falling flat on your face. Besides the fact, I'm not sure you are allowed out of that bed yet."
"I feel fine." Danny turned his good hand over to demonstrate that he was free of impediments. "And I'm not hooked up to anything right now. Find a wheelchair .. I'm bored." His voice was pleading and his eyes were bright at the idea as he started to slowly kick the bedding off his legs.
"Come on Chin … what are we going to do, just sit here and stare at each other for hours?" There was a subtle lilt to the right side of Chin's lip and his own eyes began to laugh back which meant that Danny now had a willing accomplice. Earlier in the night, the doctor had removed the constant flow of fluids and had just left the port accessible in Danny's right arm in case additional medications needed to be administered. But he was at that moment, not hooked up to anything and no one was around to stop them. He hesitated briefly, but Danny's eyes were clear and a change of scenery might do him some good.
Chin groaned just once to half-heartedly object as he measured Danny's overall comfort level, but he was already on his way out the door. "Okay .. wait here, I know where I can get one." And then he was back seconds later with the wheelchair that had been left in Steve's room. Kono was stretched out on a short bank of chairs in the small waiting room, while Steve slumbered on with an HPD officer stationed just outside his door. No one had questioned Chin as he silently stole into the room and removed the wheelchair for Danny.
He had the same sly smile plastered on his face as he easily helped Danny slide over into the chair and then fixed a blanket over his lap. There was a slight wince stemming from his damaged rib where his chest was still sore, but Danny's mood improved even more as he settled himself. He tucked the sling with his broken arm into his lap and then considered his head which held a dull but very manageable ache before smiling.
"You okay? Still want to give this a try?" Chin asked quietly. "Not dizzy or in any pain? How's the arm?"
Chin waited and his expression warned Danny about lying or holding back, but Danny only threw Chin's own words back at him. "Nope, I'm good."
"Of course you are." Chin snorted warily as he wheeled Danny out of the room. They wandered slowly up and down the hallway and even took the elevator down to the lobby and cafeteria until Danny started to look truly fatigued.
"Still okay?" The warning tone was back in Chin's voice as he parked the chair near the nurse's station on his own floor. One nurse had looked at them curiously and made a face, but had quietly allowed the indiscretion. Now that they were back, she tapped her watch and glared at Chin. Her stern expression made him walk blatantly to stand in front of Danny with his hands on hips. And he cocked his head while he examined the injured man closely.
"I think we're done?" It was part question and half statement as he noted the tight-lipped stress around Danny's mouth.
Danny smirked as he agreed with the verdict before making an obvious gesture towards one particular room and then whispered, "I want to see him first."
Chin laughed quietly as he turned them towards Steve's room. "Why am I not surprised ... of course you do … but then, you've had enough and we're done before we're set upon by the locals." He said the last part just loud enough for the nurse to hear and her stern face softened into a smile.
Once there, Danny didn't speak as they approached Steve's bed. He was definitely out for the count and though Danny didn't know, Chin could tell that Steve was already improving under the aggressive care. The flushed, fevered look to his face was gone and his injured hand appeared to be slightly less inflamed.
He settled a restraining hand on Danny's shoulder as he tried to rock forward out of the wheelchair in order to stand. "Oh no you don't." Chin whispered in alarm. "Sit there! Trust me .. he looks better already."
Danny gave a scant nod as his gaze fell from Steve's face to what he could see of the bandaged hand and fingers. To him, the right hand held an angry red color and the base of the thumb was still badly swollen. And besides, it was after all, Steve's right hand and if it didn't heal ... it would be disastrous.
"That's better?" He whispered worriedly and Chin squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah it is Danny. Really." Chin stressed his words as the same nurse from the front station came in for her night rounds. She spoke so quietly, they could barely hear her words but it was enough and it allowed them to leave with peace of mind.
"Temps down to 100 degrees. Antibiotics are working .. he's much better. I bet he's even released sometime tomorrow." After her kind update, they sat there for a just few minutes until Danny's head began to droop onto his chest.
He barely registered that Chin had rolled him back to his own room until he felt the warm blanket leave his legs. The nurse was miraculously there for him too and Danny was soon relaxing deeply into plumped pillows. A cool hand brushed his forehead and then found his wrist to check his pulse. His temperature was taken and blood pressure was double-checked.
"Well, you're looking good. Anything hurting?" Danny wearily opened his eyes as the nurse pulled up the blankets across his chest. She was smiled approvingly and he grunted out a barely understandable negative sound to her question about being in any pain.
As Danny began to doze, Chin appeared in his bleary line of sight .. he was smiling as he lowered the head of the bed. The spontaneous tour of the hospital had been a good idea, for much of the stress around Danny's face had definitely eased. "Now get some rest .. think about getting well for Grace." There was a soft agreeable sigh to Chin's whispered demands as Danny's eyes closed and he fell back into a truly dreamless sleep.
~ to be continued ~
