I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.

Notes: Yes I know about the food/surgery thing - honest I do. Part of chapter 9 was story since surgery was up in the air for Steve and Danny wasn't really going to eat anyway. So let's see if the muse can make it more acceptable. I'd like to think that anything is possible! *Phew* I think the WHOLE team is up to speed now! Thank you for not finding C9 totally dull and monotonous. I seem to have a need to "over explain" in this plot line.

H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O*

Chapter Ten

The same nurse that had answered Steve's urgent call was still on duty and tasked now with gently rousing Danny from sleep. She'd come in only about fifteen minutes after Kono had taken a somewhat comfortable seat next to his bed. Before introducing herself, she immediately frowned at the untouched breakfast tray and then pointed to the pastry bag.

"He's not supposed to eat." She said with distinct disapproval and disappeared back to the nurse's station to return shortly with a younger nurse in tow. Ignoring Kono for the moment, the nurse took the time to make a point.

"This is one of things you need to monitor closely and especially for pre-surgical patients. Check and recheck all charts. Remove it please." And almost petrified by the stern tone, the younger nurse gave a quick nod of apology and snatched up the tray.

"Hello Miss?" Addressing Kono, her manner changed to be more agreeable and friendly but she hesitated slightly when she pointedly looked at the white bag.

"Kono Kalakaua with Five-0. And no, he's not had any of these." She replied quickly to avoid any issues with the perceptive nurse. But then thought guiltily of Steve's one transgression .. two if you counted the small bowl of fruit. "He's been sleeping."

Turning towards Danny and checking the monitors, she smiled warmly as she multitasked and the made notes on his chart. "It's nice to meet you Kono. I'm Ellen, the head nurse for this wing."

She kept up a serene but informative dialogue as she gently raised the head of Danny's bed and took up his hand. Kindly she started to work on waking him from his sleep as she explained to Kono what was going on.

"Well, Doctor Ramirez did give him a light sedative. But it's high time he woke up with his surgery right around the corner. I was asked to make sure he was aware and alert, or we'd have to reschedule. Dr. Strauss, the vascular surgeon will be here soon for a quick recap and then Danny will go downstairs for prep."

Directly addressing him now, Ellen raised her voice. "Danny? Time to wake up."

The almost annoyed and huffed out "M'up already with all this noise" had her chuckling softly.

"Good. Let's start with my name and then move on to you telling me where you are. If you pass the test, than you're mostly golden."

As he opened his eyes, Danny couldn't help smirking up at the older nurse. She in turn, was pleased to see a much more clear and aware expression.

"I'm always golden." He said cheekily and then began to complain good-naturedly. "But must you ask me this constantly?

"Yes. I must." Ellen said candidly but with a smile in her voice, and then added. "I've learned in our short time together that you're not exactly the quiet type. So let's get to it."

But then he noticed Kono standing now off to the side. Now distracted, Danny smiled widely and perked up. "Hey Kono!" Eyeing the bakery bag, he was immediately interested and gestured towards it.

"Pastries? Malasadas or cocoa puffs?" Hiding it behind her back, Kono shrugged helplessly at Ellen who frowned again at the white bag.

Pulling him back to focus on her, Ellen squeezed his hand firmly for a second time. "Nice try, buster. Now answer my questions."

Biting his tongue, Danny gave her his best radiant smile and quickly provided the right answers. "You my dear, are the lovely nurse Ellen Ramirez. And for the hundredth time, I know I'm at Tripler thanks to that bullheaded partner of mine."

Wistfully staring at the bakery bag, he frowned. "And today's surgery day isn't it?"

"Bingo!" Ellen said smartly as she took his pulse and then readied the cuff for his blood pressure. "We're back to normal on all fronts. But I gather you don't remember your little issue earlier? The Commander was quite put out by your conversation."

The creases across Danny's brow were deep and pronounced at the question. "I had an awful dream … McGarrett was in it … "

Unable to stop the chuckle that started first in his chest, he laughed out loud at his own words. Kono couldn't help joining in and Ellen rolled her eyes but soon had to laugh as well. "Of course he was …!"

But becoming serious, Danny tried to dig up the feelings and muddy memory. "We were back in that god-awful cave. There was something or someone there .. it wasn't good." His response trailed off as he tried to remember and then simply couldn't bring it all back. "It was just a dream."

Kono's snort of objection drew Ellen's attention briefly as she smiled and shook her head to agree on the contrary.

"No, not exactly a dream. You were a bit out of it and were quite convinced that you both were back there. But you're fine now and we've taken you off the responsible medication. You had a reaction to the strong antibiotic we had you on …Steve … Commander McGarrett rightly called us in as soon as he felt something was wrong."

"So Steve was here then?" Danny asked as Ellen nodded to confirm that part was very true. But he was still puzzled about what he'd said or done.

"Where is he now?" Realizing the day again, he rapidly changed mental course as he tried to sit up taller in the bed and then stared directly at Kono. Making a concerned face, Danny's question was at first voiced very low. "And where's Chin?"

But the rant started almost immediately from that point on as he thought Steve might be discharged from the hospital or worse - AWOL along with Chin - and his voice began to rise in alarm.

"What time is it? Who's with Cano and the DEA for the planned meet? Please tell me that they are not out there with that idiot." Muttering about pig-headed, obstinate Seal's, Danny wanted Kono's cell phone.

"Who let that fool out of here? Give me that. I need to call him." He demanded forcefully from the bed.

Ellen stood back with a bemused smile on her face as she shook her head. "Really? Danny ... he's in surgery. No one has gone anywhere …."

But Danny wasn't paying attention to the nurse, as he held his beckoning fingers out for Kono's cell phone. "Come on. Give it up."

"Whoa! Danny!" Kono held up one hand for him to stop the angry tirade, unfortunately the one that still held the pastry bag, and embarrassedly tossed it to the empty chair behind her. Groaning loudly, she apologized to Ellen self-consciously who had once again made a face at the demonic item. "Sorry."

Scowling at Danny for such an over-reaction, Kono was almost threatening. "Calm down. The Governor called it off; our participation anyway. Steve's gone down to surgery and Chin will be over here soon."

Almost reluctantly, Danny's rant subsided and he slouched back down into the bed. "Good. I guess." But he was still considering the information and realized what Kono had just said.

"Steve's in surgery?" And then he added softly. "His back is messed up."

Stepping closer to the bed, Kono picked up on his worry. "Yeah, the infection is bad and he's not comfortable. Dr. Ramirez took him down about an hour ago. What's important is that you two get back on your feet. So let's just get over all of this before we worry about the DEA."

And then all three looked up as a new doctor entered the room. Introducing himself as Danny's vascular surgeon, Dr. Strauss was a short and happily rotund man that often had to hold back a quick and biting humorous streak. Polite and official, he was pleasant when he asked Kono to please wait downstairs for the remainder of the surgical time. Danny liked him immediately and was chatting amiably with him as they reviewed what Danny should expect.

Escorting her out as Doctor Strauss began to remove the small dressings on Danny's wound, Ellen promised that she'd come down herself with word on either man as anything was made known.

"I'm on a double shift today. So as long as things are wrapped up by three in the afternoon, I'll see you sometime later."

But on her way down to the main floor, Kono's brain did a stutter-step. "Ellen Ramirez .. Ramirez?"

Talking to herself about the likelihood of two Ramirez's in the same building, she almost laughed out loud when she recalled a few photographs in the doctor's office and then Ellen's confident, charming mannerisms that were so much … like … her husband's.

"Oh my god." She crowed in delight as she changed course for the cafeteria for the long morning ahead. "They're married!"

~ to be continued ~