Thanks for reading and reviewing…..glad y'all sound like you enjoyed Chin and Kono's moments. I thought I'd lighten the mood a little. Now back to the darker shades…
Chapter 24
"Danno. Danno?" Steve gently shook his sleeping partner to wake him. He stood stooping into the passenger side of his Mercury as Dan slowly stirred to wakefulness. His look of confusion abruptly turned to one of dismay as the neon lights of ambulance vehicles came into view. He looked up at Steve and caught sight of the signage behind his friend's shoulders. They were parked at Queen's Hospital, the very place Dan had distinctly remembered asking Steve to not take him to.
"Steve - " before Dan could begin to argue, Steve held up a hand and shook his head.
"Danno, either I personally drag you in there or Doc Bergman can examine you here in the car, and I doubt you'd be too comfortable being prodded in my Mercury. Not to mention Doc will give you an earful. What will it be my friend?" Steve's ultimatum lingered in the air for several more seconds.
"Those are my choices?" Dan stared at Steve slightly annoyed by his stubbornness.
"Yes Danno, you better make up your mind, I'm not going to stand here all night while you come to a decision!" Steve's stern voice put an end to the matter and Dan reluctantly agreed to accompany him to see Bergman.
As Dan stepped out of the car, Steve stayed close by his side and placed a hand on his back guiding him. A wave of dizziness washed over Dan and he stumbled at the entrance. Steve gripped Dan's arm with one hand, whilst firmly grasping the back of his shirt with the other, "Easy Danno, easy,"
"I'm fine Steve," Steve ignored Dan's mumbled reply and together they crossed the foyer.
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Doc Bergman was less than pleased to see Dan once again sitting in the examination room with the buttons of his shirt undone. After routinely checking his blood pressure and respiration Doc instructed Dan to remove his shirt.
"Can't say that I'm happy to see you, Danny. I see you've chosen to dismiss my advice. You've also stopped wrapping those ribs which was not a very wise move," Doc admonished as he began to probe Dan's side, "Hmmm…I'm gonna have to get x-rays done on those. If you haven't fractured them again, they're pretty bruised. Ok lie down, Danny," Doc frowned as he helped Dan relax on the examination table, "Let me know if this hurts," Doc methodically palpated Dan's abdominal region. He carefully watched for Dan's reactions and quickly grew annoyed that Dan continuously gave non- committal answers ranging from hmmm, uh huh, ah, not really, little, or he simply grunted.
"Danny, you're going to have to be more specific than that! And don't tell me that bruise is a nah-huh. Let's try again shall we?" It's like speaking to a seven year old! Doc rolled his eyes and continued his examination. Before long Doc's fingers hit a particularly sore spot in Dan's left side right below his ribs. He let out a groan, "Yeah that - that hurts Doc,"
"Ok Danny. Just take it easy. Relax. Take slow breaths," Doc could feel the rigidity of Dan's abdominal muscles and the swelling beneath his administering touch. His frown deepened as he diagnosed the two possibilities of Dan's injuries in his mind.
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The laughter that was generated within the walls of the ward rang in Steve's ears as he paused outside of Chin's room. He looked through the small window on the door and what he saw filled his heart with a warm glow. Kono was seated beside Chin who was sitting up bed, a checker board between them on the bed.
"I hope I'm not disturbing anything, gentlemen?" After knocking the door lightly to Chin's room, Steve opened it and slowly entered.
"Steve! Kono's pretty good at checkers," Chin beamed at the sight of his boss.
"I'm glad you're both having fun. Where was my invite?" Steve smiled at the comforting scene before him. The last couple of days, Chin had been completely shut down, and now he reminded Steve of the Chin he had known before that tragic day. However, Steve could still see traces of that distant look imprinted in Chin's eyes. The laughter failed to reach them and he knew the moment they left, Chin would be return to his empty shell. Steve stood quietly, a burning sensation behind his eyes threatened to reach the surface as both happiness and sadness intermingled inside him.
"Steve! Steve are you still with us bruddah?" Kono's voice pulled Steve back out of his reverie and he blinked several times in an attempt to clear away the heat that stung his azure eyes.
"Yeah sorr- " Steve cleared his throat but was spared from having to explain his moment of reflection. Doc Bergman waltzed in and cleared his throat very audibly.
"Steve. Could I have a word with you in my office?" Doc looked up at Steve, his expression was unreadable.
"Sure Doc. I don't think I'll be back again so goodnight Chin. Kono," Steve, Chin and Kono exchanged farewells then the head of Five'O followed Doc out of the ward and towards his office.
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"What's goin' on Doc? How's Danno?" Steve sat across from Bergman in the doctor's office.
"Well firstly, it seems our young friend's aggravated those ribs. Fortunately the x-rays shows no new fractures, just bruising. He is also suffering from extreme fatigue and exhaustion,"
"Doc, why do I get the feeling there's something you're not telling me? What is it?" Steve sat bolt up right in his seat. He saw the troubled look in Doc's eyes and Steve's heart rate picked up speed.
"We're still waiting on more test results to come through. I've also asked for another set of x-rays. Hopefully they'll let me know the extent of his injuries. If we're lucky, it could just be a contusion to his spleen but I won't know for certain yet,"
"If Doc? What do you mean if we're lucky? What's the worse case scenario?" Steve almost jumped off the edge of his seat as he listened intently to the diagnoses.
"If the results are inconclusive he may need exploratory surgery to determine if he is bleeding internally, find and repair the damage. There's a possibility he may have ruptured his spleen from the impact,"
"But the accident - there was minimal damage to our cars. Neither of us were traveling at high speeds!"
"It doesn't matter Steve. We're dealing with heavy and powerful machinery here. What you consider a light collision only appeared that way to you. From my thorough examinations, Dan's injuries were caused by his own seat belt. These injuries are common even from impact of a low velocity range,"
"How long until we could expect the results?" Steve couldn't believe what he was hearing!
"Within the next half hour,"
"What are his chances if - " Unable to finish his sentence , Steve swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat.
"If he does have internal injuries, it all depends on the severity and whether or not he starts hemorrhaging as a result. With surgery the damage could be repaired however there's always the risk of complications and the onset of shock from blood loss. Bleeding of the spleen is not always easily detectable, Steve, and a ruptured spleen will bleed profusely which makes it a very serious injury. Danny could bleed to death,"
Steve sat frozen in his seat. I almost didn't take him to the hospital!
A pretty young Hawaiian nurse knocked on Bergman's door which stood slightly ajar. Doc gestured for her to enter. Acknowledging the seated detective with a smile and a nod, she walked past him and handed the physician a folder.
Steve anxiously eyed the grey haired man before him, his heart pounded hard and fast rhythms in his chest as Doc Bergman held Danny's life in his hands.