A/N: For those of you I told this would be up last night... sorry! I realised when I woke up around midnight I hadn't posted it. Duh. It's a slightly longer chapter so I hope that makes up for my slip! Not sure when the next one will be up as I'm still working on it. Thanks for reading, reviewing and alerting!
Chapter 14
Steve, Chin and Kono all sat in the hospital cafeteria nursing cups of coffee, they were bad cups of coffee but they did the job and none of them wanted to leave the hospital to go somewhere to find a decent brew.
"Are you going to call Rachel?" Chin wanted to know.
"I'll call her first thing in the morning. There's nothing she can do right now and Stan is worried about the strain all of this might have on the baby."
"Understandable. I still can't believe he didn't tell Grace he left the door to the cage open. This is his fault!" growled Kono.
"No, it's not," sighed Steve. Yes he'd been angry at the man for causing a rift between Danny and Grace but the fact that the detective was lying in a hospital bed fighting for his life wasn't Stan's fault, "The chances are high that Danny would have been shot anyway."
"True," Kono agreed, "but he might have been fighting harder from the beginning.
"Look, it's no good thinking about what ifs and maybes Cuz. What's done is done. The bullet did a lot of damage and Danny is fighting for his life regardless."
"Maybe the dialysis will help turn things around," Steve stated quietly.
"You made the right choice brah," Chin found himself in the unusual position of having to reassure the normally confident SEAL; "If there's a chance it will help improve his condition Danny would want to take it."
"Yeah I know. It's just when we set up this agreement to be each other's next of kin I always figured it would be Danny having to make the life and death decisions. God that makes me sound… I dunno what actually. The fact that I thought it would be Danny sitting here agonising and me in an ICU bed fighting for my life isn't any better. Knowing that he would be the one going through this isn't any better!"
"Look you're as close as two brothers ever could be, it doesn't matter which of you have to make the life and death decisions it would be hard. The fact is that you both agreed to the arrangement because you trust each other with your lives even if that means making the ultimate decision to turn off a life support machine. Each of you would do what you know the other would want, no matter how hard it was."
"He's right Boss," Kono gave her cousin and boss a watery smile as her eyes filled with tears, "You're both braver than I could ever be. I'd never want to make that decision." Kono had been more than happy when Malia became the person responsible for making those decisions for Chin, though her cousin was still the person she chose to make them for her.
A silence fell over the group, the seriousness of the situation leaving them with very little to say. Steve was constantly glancing at his phone worried he'd missed a call from Henry to say they could return. The heavy silence was broken by footsteps approaching their table.
"Hey," Henry greeted them. Not waiting for a response he continued, "Danny's hooked up to the dialysis machine now."
"How long will he be on it?" asked Steve, apprehensive about what his partner was going through and relieved, for the first time, that he wasn't likely aware of what was going on.
"Six hours this time, it may be less in future, if he requires further treatments. There is quite a bit of extra machinery in his room now so once you've seen him I'd ask that only one of you stays with him please. The nursing staff will be monitoring him very closely and will need space to do so." The doctor didn't even try to tell them to all go home because he knew them well enough to know they wouldn't, but at least this way he might be able to get at least two of them to get a few hours rest.
"Steve, why don't you go home for a few hours; get some sleep in a real bed," suggested Chin.
"Yeah Boss, you haven't been home since Danny was brought in and Grace is going to be coming in again tomorrow morning before school and she's likely to be scared by the catheter. Out of all of us you're the most likely to be able to calm her down," Kono was quick to point out when he was about to protest. It was ironic but it was true, Steve seemed to have a calming effect on the little girl.
"Alright, fine, but one of you needs to go home as well!"
"Malia's still working so why don't you go Kono? Both of you come back later when he's allowed more visitors and then I'll go home with Malia."
"Yeah, OK," agreed Kono a little reluctantly. It made sense but none of them liked the idea of leaving.
"Now that's decided let's go and see him," suggested Henry smiling.
"What about you Henry? You should be getting some rest too," Steve looked over the doctor with concern; the dark circles under his eyes were there for all to see under his tired, red rimmed brown eyes.
"Doctor Simons has said he'll be keeping an eye on Danny and I am also being banished from the ICU until morning. I've agreed to go home but only on the condition they call if there's a problem," Henry told the group. They could see that he was as reluctant to leave as they were.
"Danny wouldn't want you running yourself into the ground Henry," Chin pointed out gently, "Not to mention you have other patients to take care of."
"None of my other patients are in a critical condition in the ICU, thank heavens for small mercies! Of course I'd rather none of my patients were in the hospital full stop!"
"I'm sure that the hospital would prefer you were fit and able for your next shift though. Which is when?" asked Kono.
"I've got the late shift tomorrow," he glanced at his watch and grimaced, "today. I start at noon through to midnight."
"And my parents wondered why I didn't want to become a doctor," chuckled Kono, "Those hours are bad!"
"They're better than they used to be! Residency is hell on doctors. Long hours, short on sleep. Luckily I seem to thrive on little sleep. I'm actually covering for a couple of my colleagues in the ER tomorrow which is why the shift is at a bit of an odd time, but with Danny here it works out quite well as I'll be able to keep an eye on him between patients."
"Yeah, good luck with that Henry! Everyone knows that weekends are the busiest time for ER doctors."
"True, but like you I work with a good team and we cover for each other when one of us has a patient that we want to monitor closely ourselves."
The conversation stopped as the elevator arrived on the ICU floor and the doors opened. Henry led the way into Danny's room.
"Whoa," murmured Kono. Chin slipped an arm round her shoulders and squeezed gently.
"I know it's a bit overwhelming but just remind yourself that it's helping Danny," Henry ushered them all towards the bed and Dawn stepped out of the room for a few minutes to give them a little time, "Let me explain what's happening. Danny's blood is being drawn out through this tube, also called a lumens," he indicated a port hanging from the catheter, "this is then pumped through the dialyzer," he pointed to the machine, "the blood is processed through, the toxins filtered out and the blood is then pumped back into Danny's bloodstream through this lumens," again he pointed at the other access in the catheter coming out of Danny's chest, "His blood pressure is being closely monitored, if it becomes low then Dawn will administer extra fluid through the machine. Danny's entire blood volume, about five litres, circulates through the machine every fifteen minutes."
"The miracle of modern medicine," stated Steve quietly.
"Indeed it is Steve," responded Doctor Simons as he entered the room to check on his new patient, "The first artificial kidney was developed in 1913 and turned into clinically useful apparatus by a man called Kolff between 1943 and 1945. He constructed the first dialyzer in 1945. Patient's like Danny owe a lot to him and others who came up with the treatment, such as Thomas Graham who actually first presented the principles of solute transport across a semipermeable membrane in 1854."
Henry rolled his eyes at his colleague, "You'll have to forgive Wayne; he's heavily into the history of medicine and never misses an opportunity to try to share his knowledge!" Turning to his colleague he said, "Wayne, they probably only understood about half of what you just said and I'm not sure they really needed to know all that!"
"Come now Henry, it never hurts for people to hear how these treatments were made possible," Wayne grinned at his colleague, completely unabashed.
Henry threw his hands in the air in a way that was all too familiar to the 5-0 team, since it was a gesture they'd seen Danny use often when dealing with Steve and his penchant for explosives, the friends smiled at each other. It seemed that Henry Jensen and Wayne Simons were the doctor version of Danny and Steve, though the medical men obviously didn't work as closely together given they were in different fields of medicine there was still that bond. Steve made a mental note to ask Henry how that had come about if he got the chance.
The explanations out of the way the doctors checked their patient once more before exiting the room and giving the three friends some privacy for a few minutes.
"Well Danny it looks like you've got a great doctor to look after you while Henry takes a break," Steve told his friend as he gently took his hand, "We can't all stay with you while you have the dialysis so Kono and I are going home to get some sleep, but Chin is staying with you. He'll call us if you need anything. We'll be back in the morning to see how you're doing and Grace will be coming for a visit too so hang in there."
"Rest well brah," Kono leaned in and placed a kiss on her friend's too warm forehead, "I expect your temperature to have gone down by the time I get back," she instructed.
"Go on, go home," ordered Chin, "I'll call if anything changes."
Kono pulled her cousin into a hug and planted a kiss on his cheek; Steve slapped a hand on his shoulder and squeezed before the pair turned and reluctantly left the room together.
Dawn entered a minute later to once again check Danny's vitals, "So you're the moral support for the rest of the night then?" she asked as she worked.
"Yeah," Chin replied, pulling a seat close to the bed but ensuring he wasn't in the nurse's way. He picked up Danny's hand and squeezed it, "I'm here brah," he told his friend.
"He's tolerating the dialysis really well," assured Dawn finishing her checks, "I'll be back in about fifteen minutes. If you're worried or anything changes just press the button, but we can also monitor Danny's condition from the desk," she waved her hand in the direction of the area that was in the centre of the group of ICU rooms.
"Thanks," Chin smiled at her and turned back to Danny. He talked to him until he was hoarse but was rescued from having to leave the room to get a drink when Dawn produced a hot cup of coffee and a glass of water. Chin gave her a nod of thanks as he drank the ice cold water but then looked at the coffee warily.
"It's alright; I made it in the nurse's lounge. We actually have a decent coffee machine. It wouldn't do to have nurses drinking bad coffee!"
"Thanks Dawn."
"You're welcome."
The night carried on in much the same way. Chin talked to Danny about anything and everything he could think of, using his voice as well as his touch to let him know that he wasn't alone. Dawn kept him supplied with liquid refreshments and stayed with Danny for the few minutes it took for Chin to take a bathroom break. Malia had joined him during her breaks and brought him a sandwich, she'd have preferred he went to the cafeteria to get something more substantial to eat but knew he wouldn't leave Danny. She'd just make sure that he got a decent breakfast when they left the hospital and then ensure he got the rest he so desperately needed while others watched over the man in the bed.
Malia knew there wasn't anything she could do for Danny but she'd make sure that one of his best friends, the man she loved, was well taken care of. She also knew that between her and the Kalakaua clan they'd make sure Steve and Kono were looked after too. There was no way Danny was going to wake up and find his ohana dead on their feet if she had anything to say about it!
The next morning found Steve, Kono and Malia back in with Chin and Danny. The dialysis machine had been removed and they were waiting for a final report from Doctor Simons on how the treatment had gone.
"You two look much better," commented Malia gently.
"Thanks, that's more than can be said for you Cuz," Kono looked at Chin. The man looked worn out and his voice was croaky from talking through most of the night.
"Uh huh, thanks for that Kono!"
"She's right sweetheart," Malia told him, "Once Wayne comes back with the latest blood and urine test results I'm taking you to breakfast and then we're going home to sleep."
There was no argument from Chin this time, he was bone weary and he knew that Steve or Kono would call if anything changed with Danny's condition, "That sounds good. I'll come back and relieve you two this evening."
"Nope," Steve told him, using his best Commander voice, "I'm staying with Danny tonight."
"Steve…."
"No Kono," he held up his hand to forestall any arguments, "I've had a solid five hours sleep and I'm well rested."
"I wouldn't call five hours well rested," argued Chin.
"Neither would I," agreed Malia, "Steve if you're going to be here all night then I would suggest getting some more rest this afternoon."
"Yeah, I can stay with Danny while you go home," assured Kono.
Steve wanted to protest but one look at the faces of the three other members of his ohana and he knew that it was useless. His Commander tone never worked on any of them, though it never stopped him trying, "OK, fine. I'll head back out after lunch."
"Morning all," the way too cheerful voice of Doctor Simons prevented any further conversation on the matter. The man was far too chipper for someone who'd been up all night.
"Morning," came the more 'normal' tone of Henry from next to him. He also looked better, the dark circles and the red rimmed eyes gone, the sparkle back in his dark brown eyes.
"How did the dialysis go? What about his temperature?" asked Steve, getting straight to the point.
"Down to business, I can do that," Doctor Simons replied, "The treatment went very well. Despite Danny's weakened condition he tolerated it without any issues. The blood and urine results this morning are very encouraging."
"As for his temperature, that's gone down a degree again. The effect of clearing some of the toxins from his body no doubt helped," supplied Henry.
"What happens now?"
"He'll continue to be closely monitored with both his fluid intake and output being recorded. Later this afternoon another blood test and urinalysis will be carried out, depending on the results of that will depend on if further treatments will be required and if they are, when."
"One treatment could have resolved the issue?"
"I have to be honest and say it's doubtful, but it is possible. The more likely scenario is that Danny will need further dialysis but the results will give us an indication of if he will need it today. Dialysis is normally carried out three to six times a week depending on the severity of the kidney failure. As I said, we'll know more, later."
"OK, thanks Doctor Simons," Steve reached out and shook his hand.
"You're welcome. I'll see you later," with that he left the room.
"Come on Chin, breakfast and home," ordered Malia. The pair said their goodbyes and left Steve, Kono and Henry to stay with Danny.
"I take it you two ate before you came in?" asked Henry, eyebrow raised.
"Yeah, Kono came over with pancakes her Mom had made!" Steve rolled his eyes.
"Hey, I also brought you a fruit salad!" Kono gently punched his arm.
"You did and I called your Mom to thank her," reminded Steve.
"She loves to fuss over people," shrugged Kono.
"Well, I'm going to head out again for a few hours before my shift starts. Akela is back on shift and will page me if anything happens."
"Alright, thanks Henry."
Once the doctor was gone Steve and Kono pulled up chairs and took up their positions on either side of Danny's bed, once again keeping vigil over their sick brother.