"Forever and Always – For Eternity"
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"
Author: Michelle Heath
Rating: MA for adult situations and language
Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.
Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original
(With every mile she drives, Lana's heart is feeling lighter and lighter; she is totally convinced that they're going to be able to work everything out, and, in less than to weeks, she will be Mrs. Chin Ho Kelly. A goofy, little grin spreads across her face as that thought runs through her brain as she sits at a traffic light. When the light turns green, Lana accelerates into the intersection and hears the horrible, high-pitched sound of squealing brakes. Snapping her head to the left, her eyes fill with horror as she sees twin headlights bearing down on her at a rapid rate of speed. Chin's sweet smile is the last thing her mind sees as the terrible sound of metal crunching into metal and intense, hot pain shoots through her before darkness engulfs her completely. . . .
Chin has just put the baked potatoes in the warmer drawer and is putting the salad together when he glances at the clock and smiles. Lana should be home in the next ten minutes or so, and he can't wait. He can't wait to tell her that he loves her more than anything or anyone and wants to spend the rest of his life with her. He can't wait to take her in his arms and kiss her until she's lightheaded and can't breathe. He can't wait to take her to bed and make love with her all night long. He laughs out loud as the thought that he owes Tony, BIG TIME, crosses his mind and he tries to figure out a way to pay his cousin-in-law back for bringing him to his senses. . .
An off-duty H.P.D. detective happened to have been sitting in the turn lane and witnessed the entire accident. A white SUV, traveling at a high rate of speed, had run the red light and barreled straight into the driver's side of Lana's Jeep Cherokee. The resulting impact had sent both vehicles spinning in the middle of the intersection and Lana's jeep had ended up on the right side with the white SUV partially on top of it. The detective is on his cellular phone calling for emergency crews and running toward the two wrecked vehicles in an instant. Gas from the white SUV is pouring down onto Lana's dark blue Cherokee and a rapid rate and sparks are coming from underneath the hood. Shattered chunks of glass and pieces of jagged plastic litter the intersection. By the time the detective reaches the mangled vehicles, other bystanders have joined him. One of them, thank God, is an off-duty fire fighter/Paramedic with the Honolulu Fire Department, and he has a small fire extinguisher in his hands. After identifying themselves to each other, the two men try to find a way in to both vehicles. The tangled, twisted metal of both vehicles is meshed together in a fashion that it's difficult to determine much of anything about either of them. They quickly determine, by peering in through the shattered windshield of the crumpled Cherokee, that there appears to be only one occupant although a blood-covered arm is all they can see. Because of the way the vehicle is bent and twisted and is lying on its right side, they're going to have to wait for the rescue vehicles to cut a hole in the roof to get to the person inside. Fortunately, they hear sirens getting closer to the scene and pray they can get to the individual in time. Loud, abusive cursing can be heard just above them and they glance up to see an obviously drunk and angry man attempting to climb out of the SUV that is lying on top of the Cherokee. Fury written all over his face, the detective reaches up to assist the man, who appears to be completely uninjured except for a couple of small scratches on his face and arms, down to the ground and takes him over to one of the three police units that have just arrived. Instructing the officers to handcuff him and make sure he's thoroughly checked over by the Paramedics once they arrive, the detective rushes back to the vehicles. . . .
Glancing at the clock, Chin realizes that Lana should have gotten home by now and hits her speed dial. Her voice mail picks up after four rings and he ends the call. Okay, Chin, get a grip, she was working the E.R., so she may have had to work late and may not have been able to call you and let you know. She'll be here in a little while, and, if not, call the hospital. Either way, there will be no doubt in Lana's mind that he loves her when he does see her. . . .
The heavy rescue trucks, along with two ambulances, have arrived at the scene of the accident and firefighters and Paramedics are literally swarming over the two mangled vehicles. One paramedic has checked on the driver of the white SUV and determined that, other than the few scratches, he appears to be fine. An H.P.D. unit takes him to the E.R. to be checked out by a doctor to make sure the guy really is okay. The detective is certain that the driver of the Cherokee is either dead or dying and he doesn't want the man responsible to have any excuse to get out of a manslaughter charge on a technicality. The process of cutting the roof off the Cherokee has begun, but it is taking longer than any of the rescue workers like. . .
Chin is starting to get a little worried. Lana should have been home thirty minutes ago but she's still not there. Her cellular phone has gone to voice mail again, and he's worried. Ending the call, he calls the hospital's main number and asks for the E.R. Once someone answers, he asks for Lana and an uneasiness grips him as he waits for her to come to the phone.)