Disclaimer: I don't own anything that is a proper noun. No copyright infringement intended.

Thirty-nine…

Forty…

"Steve, here. I got you a bottle of water."

Forty-one…

"Steve?"

Kono withdrew her offered hand and sat down in the chair beside Steve. She cradled two bottles of cold water in her lap and sighed as she tried to think of something to say. Everything that started to come out was quickly discarded as a feeble attempt at encouragement. When the condensation began to soak into her jeans, she set the bottles on the end table beside her.

"I'll just put this here for now, until you want it." At this point, she didn't expect a reply knowing Steve's worry for Danny was oppressive, but she said it anyway .

Steve's tenacious gaze held steady. "Forty-two…"

"What?" Kono inquired, surprised that finally Steve had spoken. "Forty-two? Forty-two what?

Steve now spoke more audibly, "That door… Someone has gone in or out that door forty-two times since they took him through it… forty-three times."

Kono followed Steve's gaze to the large swinging double doors to which he was referring. She took a minute and steepled her index fingers on her upper lip in thought. Then when she was ready, she angled her herself toward Steve until their knees were touching. She took his nearer, casted hand in both of hers and decided on three words. "You got there."

For the first time, he looked away from that door and looked at Kono. An orderly, number forty-four, went through the door and he didn't notice.

She released his hand momentarily to secure a loose tendril of hair behind her ear and then replaced it on top of his. His attention emboldened her to continue. "You were there for him. You made it in time and now he's here, where he can get the help he needs to get better."

Steve looked down at their intertwined fingers and then returned his attention when she spoke again.

"You said the medic said he was holding his own. Right?"

Steve nodded.

Kono smiled in encouragement and reinforced his nod by vocalizing the answer to her own question. "Right."

"You didn't see him, though, Kono. I've never seen him so pale. I've never seen anyone so…" Unwanted memories forced their way into his thoughts and interrupted his statement. "Except…" This final word slipped out unintentionally as he chose to abandon that train of thought and Kono didn't press. She knew he was probably recalling past SEAL missions and assumed he was thinking of those that didn't make it home. "...and he was about to give up. I could see it in his eyes." He immediately regretted his last statements. He felt as if he were betraying his brother. This time it was Steve that released his hold and sat forward in his chair, resting his arms on his knees as his head dropped to his chest.

Kono shifted in her seat and wrung her hands as she searched for her next words. However, Lou's timing was once again impeccable as he arrived and joined the pair, releasing them both from their awkwardness. Before his teammates could ask, he began to report. "They just finished up with Chin and got him settled in a room. The bullet nicked his pelvic bone so he'll be on crutches a while, but he should be fine. They're just going to keep him overnight for observation. Should be good to go tomorrow."

Kono looked over at Steve. "You want to go see him?"

Steve looked back toward the door without responding.

"They'll come and get us when there's word," she assured.

"Um hm." Steve nodded and stood.

Kono smiled and shared an understanding look with Lou.

"Let's go see Chin," Steve said, saying the words aloud to commit himself.

Lou led the way and entered Chin's room first. "Brought you some company."

"Hey, guys. Howzit?" Chin's dependable, contagious smile was still persevering through the pain and pain medication.

"Hey, Chin. You doing alright, buddy?" Steve asked as he stepped over to his bedside and folded his arms over his chest. Chin was sitting up in bed, and besides appearing tired, he looked well. Kono came over to the other side and leaned in for a peck on his cheek.

"Thanks, cuz. Yeah, I'm going to be fine. They said the bullet went all the way through. Just needs some time to heal. Any word on Danny?" Lou had filled him in on the events of the evening after Steve had left the hangar.

Steve raised his eyebrows and took in a breath. "No, no, not yet. They're going to come get us when there is."

Chin nodded. He could see the worry in Steve's expression and decided to change the subject. "What about Hollis Killian? Has the Coast Guard found anything yet?"

Steve looked up at Lou because his attention had been diverted to other things since getting to the hospital.

Lou answered, "Last I heard, they were still searching. May be morning before we get any news. Well, I guess it's already morning, but when there's enough daylight to help out."

"Steve, is there any chance…?"

"No!" Steve broke in, knowing what Chin was going to ask. "There's no way Killian could have survived that. I was there and he almost took Danny with him. There's just no way."

Chin closed his eyes for a moment in acceptance. "Alright. I just wanted to make sure."

"Yep, there's no way," Steve reiterated as if assuring himself.

"And I concur," Lou added with the goal of reassuring his friend, but the thought behind the statement was still laced with a degree of unintentional insincerity.

After a few moments of awkward silence, Steve spoke up. "Look, Chin, I'm sorry about this." He pulled one hand out from its hammocked rest and gestured at Chin lying in bed.

"Hey, we got Grace back didn't we? She's safe, and Killian's dead… and Danny's going to be okay too. That's what matters."

Steve seemed unconvinced and was preparing to give a rebuttal when a nurse walked into the room. Steve narrowed his eyes and tilted his head at his arrival. The nurse's words cut short his mental search to satisfy his elusive recognition.

"Commander McGarrett?" The nurse looked around the room not knowing which of the visitors was the person he was looking for.

"I'm McGarrett." Steve hastily stepped around the side of the bed and toward the nurse.

"Doctor Colbert has asked to consult with you about Daniel Williams?" He posed the statement as a question, wanting affirmation that the Commander knew who and what he was talking about.

"Yeah, yeah, how is he?"

"You'll have to wait and speak with the doctor. I can take you to him."

"Let's go." Steve impatiently took a step toward the door but then turned back to his team.

"Go, Steve. Let us know what you find out," Chin gave his unrequired approval.

Steve nodded and followed the nurse out.

~~~~~H50~~~~~

When Steve entered the office, Doctor Colbert was already seated at his desk scribbling notes at the bottom of a form clipped in a seafoam green folder with a "W" prominently displayed on the edge. Feeling he needed to preface his consultation with an explanation of the archaic paper form of organization, he simply uttered two words as he waved a hand over the file. "Old school."

Enough said. Steve immediately felt at ease with the older, white haired, but balding physician. He didn't wait for an invitation as he pulled out the chair across from the doctor's desk and took a seat. The doctor removed his black rimmed glasses and laid them on top of the closed folder. He folded his hands and leaned forward to give Steve his full attention.

"Commander, I'm Doctor Jon Colbert, the attending assigned to Detective Williams."

"So how is he, doc?"

"No nonsense. I like that. Bottom line… he's going to be okay."

Steve released a tentative breath sensing there may be more. "But…?"

"Not really a 'but', just a reality. He's lost a lot of blood and he's undergoing a transfusion as we speak. He's also on fluids, antibiotics, and, of course, pain meds."

Steve appreciated the reciprocated 'no nonsense', layman's explanation from the doctor as well.

The doctor continued, "The laceration in his side was what took so long in surgery. After we got the blood loss stabilized and determined there was no damage to the lungs and liver, it took a while to repair the jagged tear. He'll be left with an ugly scar."

"It'll just match his others," Steve teased.

"Don't think his others are quite as large and uneven as this one will be." The doctor smiled and pushed back from his desk. He folded his arms momentarily before liberating one hand to use to gesture as he spoke. The doctor's body language evoked thoughts of Danny for Steve. "The broken rib and the bruised one, and the other injuries, were comparatively minor. They'll heal in time."

"What about the drug in his system?"

"We ran a tox screen and found what you had already given us, Trihyptomine. Didn't find anything else."

"I'm not familiar with it. Any lasting effects?"

"You don't know much about it because few people do. It's relatively new on the scene. It has very limited and controlled uses in mental health practice. It should exit his system fairly rapidly. If he wasn't so heavily sedated from the surgery, I'd say he could have a doozy of a dream or two, but I doubt that since he's so deeply under. When he wakes up, he could feel a little extra wooziness and maybe even a hangover-type headache, but with the beating he took, any difference probably won't be noticeable. Oh, yes, that brings me to the scan. The CT looked good, no bleeding, but I suspect he'll have concussion type symptoms for up to a week or so, maybe longer. He'll need to follow concussive head injury recovery protocol. Can you help to ensure he does that?"

"Oh, no problem there. He likes it when I hover. Anything else, doc?"

"Lucky young man. Lucky to have you as a friend and get him here in time."

"I don't know about that. He wouldn't get into these messes if it weren't for me."

"For some reason, I have a feeling he's right where he wants to be… not in a hospital bed, mind you, but working alongside a devoted friend. Your concern for your partner is obvious. I'd say you have a rare friendship."

Steve looked down at the floor, considering the older man's words.

Doctor Colbert leaned forward again, resting his forearms on his desk. He briefly looked at the ceiling, searching for more words to reassure his patient's self-appointed keeper. "You know how they say laughter is the best medicine? While it definitely has its merits, I have found time and a good support system is actually what is usually needed. I've had a lot of years of testing this theory and it seems to prove true more often than not. Give him some time, and his physical body should heal and be back to his old self."

"What about his mental healing?"

"It's clear he's got the support he needs. That will follow suit as well. Again, experience… I'm old and this ain't my first rodeo, young man. I've seen a lot. Trust me."

Steve felt like he could. He stood and offered his hand. The doctor stood as well and received his handshake.

"Thank you, doc. Can I see him now?"

"Of course. I'll get Todd to come back and take you up to his room."

Todd. Steve filed the name away.

~to be continued~

\,,,/BronsonL