Chapter 20

Guys , i really appreciate your reviews, i like to hear your thoughts on this. We are soon coming to the end of this story just stick with it a bit more. Here's another chapter for you Hope you like and don't forget to review. Love you.

...

Jason sees Steve sitting with Danny, talking to him animatedly. He talks to him like he's talking back. Anticipating his come backs. Engaging in a solo argument. Jason has been observing him for sometime now, trying to find an opportunity to approach him. That guy who's lying there comatose, he's a very lucky guy. He has people who genuinely love him. Jason has been observing the family with him, but especially this guy, McGarrett. Mostly because of their feud and all. But seeing him with Detective Williams, seeing his face, there is so much pain there he wishes he could take away. He is reminded of why he became a doctor in the first place. To take away pain like this. To be able to wipe away that look on McGarret's face and replace it with a smile. He walks in hesitantly, not quite sure what he's gonna say.

McGarrett looks up , animosity registers briefly on his face at the sight of him. And something like resignation there too. It almost looks like defeat. like he's giving up.

"Ah...hey Commander. Can I come in?" Jason asks hesitantly. McGarrett looks at him for a moment then nods, he doesn't say anything. Almost like he doesn't have the strength to fight with him, even verbally.

Jason takes a seat in the chair next to him. He's on night duty and he thought he could keep the Commander company. Right after he apologizes. He sits there in the uncomfortable silence, staring at the comatose patient, not knowing what to say.

"What is he like?" Jason starts , looking contemplatively at Danny. He doesn't know where that came from but he's just really curious about this patient. He has become acquainted with most of the people who visit him, and that's not to say that they were all good encounters. Most of them were quite the opposite. But it all made him feel with these people. Feel for the patient in a way he has never done before.

He's surprised when McGarret, instead of shutting him down, takes a deep breath before replying sadly,

"Daniel. He's ... he's pigheaded." He says with a sideways glance at Jason. He gives him a lopsided sad smile before giving his attention back to the patient.

"Yeah?" Jason asks encouragingly

Steve sighs, "Sometimes I feel like he really doesn't understand that I am a trained Navy Seal. The way he worries about me sometimes." Steve says,looking at Danny. "He's the only one who doesn't get that. Or just doesn't care. I am a Navy Seal but I can still bleed, that's what he says."

"Its because he cares a lot about you." Jason suggests

"Yeah," Steve says contemplatively, "Yeah he does." Then suddenly he snorts, almost a laugh, "And boy can he rant." He says jokingly, looking at Jason.

"At you?" Jason asks, a little surprised

"Mostly at me. Especially if i do anything 'Ninja stupid', his words." Steve says, "He worries about me like I am no older than Charlie, his five year old son."

"I've seen the little chap around, he's very sweet." Jason says, colloquial.

"He is. The way he protects his kids is the way he protects me . I am the Navy Seal and he feels the need to protect me." Steve shakes his head in wonderment. "And i always feel safe when he's around."

Jason listens to all this all the while wishing he had someone like that in his corner too.

"And to think when we first met we hated each other." Steve says

"Wait a minute , when you first met? Are you ...are you not brothers?" Jason asks, bewildered

Steve gives him a sideways smile, then scoots forward closer to Danny, taking his hand into his. "We're brothers in every way that counts." He looks at Danny contemplatively, "You don't have to be blood to be brothers. He's the brother i never had. He is a gift to me."

Jason nods in understanding.

Steve sighs again despondently, looking at Danny. "And now i might lose him. I don't know...i don't know what i'd do." He bows his head dejectedly, hands still clasping Danny's. "I always seem to let down the people I love."

Jason takes in the whole seen. He doesn't know why the Commander is opening up to him like this. Maybe because there is no one else and the guy feels like he can't take it anymore. The guy hates him. Jason had had to chide himself into getting a ball or two in order to approach him like this. He had become very unpopular with this patient's family as the doctor to hate. The patient's nephew, Eric, had threatened to deck him if his uncle D doesn't make it. You'd think he was the one who'd shot the guy. He heard that the guy who'd done it never lived to talk about it. So excuse him if he was more than a little scared. But looking at the Commander now, head bowed, shoulders dropped, he cant help it. He has to get through to this guy, he would dare take another step and suggest something here.

"You're wrong Cmmander," Jason starts in earnest and Steve just looks at him. "You're wrong, you're not letting him down. You're having his back. For all i know you're the reason he's still fighting, you're the reason he's still here. Because you refuse to let him go. And thats commendable."

"I am not quite sure i made the right decision." Steve says doubtfully

"You did everything to hold on to him. That's the right decision Commander. And i must say i am impressed. You didn't give up even when everyone else had given up. And now everyone is rallying behind you, even i am on board." Jason says with a sheepish smile. "You've inspired me to want to be the kind of Doctor who saves people for the right reasons . There's more to just the technical stuff, and you've made me see that. And whatever the outcome here, know that you made the right decision. You are his rock right now. Be his rock"

Steve looks at the the young man thoughtfully, "You're alright Dr Jason Minn. You're alright." He says with new appreciation.

Jason smiles, feeling like he just helped build a mountain. His pager beeps at that moment and he looks at it with a grimace , "I have to go. I am on night this whole week, i can come hang out if you like." He says hesitantly, "That is if i am not busy with patients or anything."

"I'd like that." Steve says, sometimes he may need someone to talk back. To pull him off the ledge like this young man had just done. He could use some of that. His thoughts tend to go very dark , very depressing sometimes. He needs to be Danny's rock right now.

Jason walks to the door and then turns to look at Danny for a moment, then he looks back at Steve. "I 'll keep an eye out for him. Whatever i can do."

Steve just nods in gratitude and Jason turns and walks away.

...

Catherine stands at attention as her CO enters; she's holding an envelope in her hand and her heart in her throat. This is the most important decision of her life and she's not quite sure if she's made the right one. What she knows though is that Steve needs her right now. Even as a friend she'll be there for him. Danny's in hospital. Danny could die. He was her friend too. She is tired of being needed by strangers while her friends need her too. Charity begins at home after all. This was her family, her friends. She recalls the voice message she had received from Kono just yesterday.

Cath, I don't know how important what you're doing over there is. Your job...is very important I get that. But I thought we were family. At least to Steve. I know you're no longer together but... we are still family Cath. Danny... he's... um...he's in the hospital . He got shot. And...um...the doctors...they say he might die. It's bad. And Steve...I don't know Cath. The people you're helping there are very important and without you the world...I don't know... will come to an end? But just remember one thing, the man you fell in love with...he may not be the same when you decide to come back again. If Danny dies... I don't know Cath.

Kono had sounded so angry and sad at the same time. These are her people and they may not necessarily need her but she needed to be there for them. She loved these people, she loved Steve. And he loved Danny. They were closer than most blood brothers. And if he lost him, he'll never recover from that. Steve didn't grow up with much family; this will be a dead blow to him. She had heard that Steve had almost died and was given a liver by Danny. She was shocked that things like that could happen and she was out of the loop. She had taken herself out of the loop. She isn't quite sure that she wants to stay out anymore. She had ran away when Billy got shot on the job and died. It had hit her so hard she didn't want to ever witness anyone she cared about in a situation like that. Steve tends to get into trouble like that, its his job. Its her job too. She thought it would hurt less if she were far out, it hurts just the same no matter the distance.

Catherine stretches her hand to hand over the letter to her CO. "This is my resignation letter. I am leaving the force." She says hesitantly. "People I care about are dying and in trouble while I am here, occupying myself with my work. Helping other people. I have to be there for my family. I would never be able to live with myself if I don't."

The CO looks it over. They discuss it a bit more and finally came to a decision. Cath will be transferred to work in Hawaii for good, pending a one month vacation. She is good with that. She'll take it.

If only resigning from the CIA were this easy. She'll have to deal with it as it comes . There's no resigning from the CIA but hopefully the terms can be renegotiated. She got herself into this mess. She just hopes it wont come back to haunt her and her family. Meantime, said family is in trouble and she has to deal with that now. One thing at a time.

...

Steve is sitting in his usual chair besides Danny's bed, keeping vigil. It's been over a month now and Danny is still not improving. The silence is driving him crazy. He looks up to see Cath walk into the room. He is so shocked to see her, at first he doesn't know what to say. They lock eyes and his heart makes a tiny painful twist. She then looks at Danny lying on the hospital bed for a moment. Her eyes start to well with tears. He doesn't allow tears in this room.

"Cath, what are you doing here?" He asks, diverting her attention from Danny.

"Kono called me." She says,

"Cath...I don't..."

She walks to crouch down besides his chair. She takes his hand, "I am here as a friend Steve."

"Well thanks. How about work?"Steve asks

"We'll talk about that later." She says, observing him a little more. "You're holding a lot inside Steve. You haven't cried once right?"

"Danny's not dead. I won't." He says curtly then realizes that he's taking his frustration out on the wrong person. He sighs, "I can't. I am afraid if I do..."

"You'll lose your grip on him." She finishes for him

Steve looks at her, she gets it. Cath gets it. He just nods in affirmation.

"Then I won't cry with you." She says firmly, squeezing his hand.

...

I gave Danny his Rachel back, thought i might do the same for Steve. i hope we don't hate Catherine as much as we hate Rachel. Still this is Steve and Danny centric so no worries. See you in a bit.