Chapter 43

Hi faithful followers - sorry for the delay. Here's chapter 41, i hope you enjoy.

Steve was eating his third bowl of Jell-O, strawberry, lemon now lime with small pineapple tidbits. "You

know, I never truly appreciated Jell-O before, but now, I love it." Smiling, he greedily took another

spoonful. "I'm was - AM – so hungry. Can I have another flavor?"

Catherine smiled. She spied Dr. Charity entering the cafeteria. "Well, I'll ask." She gestured to Steve's

physician.

Steve followed her gesture. "Please do and invite her to join us."

Catherine chuckled as she stood and playfully saluted, "Yes sir, commander, sir."

"I like a woman that can take and follow orders." Steve said with a lopsided smirk.

"Eat your Jell-O, you dogmatist. Ah, sir." Catherine said in her lieutenant's voice but with a bright smile,

a mock salute and a wink.

Steve ignored her mock disrespect happily spooned more Jell-O in his mouth and watched Catherine

walk across the room. Funny how the removal of the jaw support made him feel normal again. Normal

enough to want more Jell-O. Even normal enough to entertain his favorite sexual daydreams featuring

Catherine as his leading lady. Now all he needed was his hair to grow back and he'd feel golden. He

looked up from his Jell-O to see Catherine approaching with Dr. Charity in tow.

He stood up and held Catherine's chair for her. Once seated, he scooted her chair closer to the table

and kissed her head. He quickly held the doctor's chair for her.

"Why thank you, Mr. Steve." Dr. Charity smiled.

"My pleasure." McGarrett grinned. "Thanks to you. Coffee?"

"My pleasure. Yes, please. But you don't have…" The doctor called after Steve, who was already in

motion. She turned to Catherine, alarmed. "He should still be in a wheelchair…"

"I know." Catherine agreed. "Let him have this, doctor. It will raise his spirits more than the Jell-O did."

Dr. Charity considered this and nodded. "I see your point. Look at him at the counter demanding 'fresh'

coffee for me. He has a good heart."

Catherine nodded. "That he does. That's what landed him here. He hates injustice and rallies against it

any way he can. I'm so grateful you were here to help him live through this mission." She fell silent as

Steve returned with a tray of three cups of coffee and two muffins.

"I thought you may enjoy some coffee too, Cat. I hope everyone likes chocolate chip muffins. Cream or

sugar?"

"Sugar please. I love chocolate chip." Catherine smiled brightly at her beloved sailor.

"Cream please. I'm a confirmed chocoholic." The physician admitted as she watched Steve take cream,

sugar and stir sticks from his robe's pocket. "You don't like chocolate muffins, Steve?"

"Love 'em. But I haven't eaten in a week; last time I didn't eat in week I learned you ease back into food

the hard way." Steve chuckled at the memory. "Oh no, I'm not doing that again." He sipped his black

coffee. "Man, is it ever great to drink again, not use a straw."

Dr. Charity finished mixing the creamer into her coffee. "Catherine, please give Steve some of your

muffin, I want to see his chewing ability. Not too many chocolate chunks, more soft muffin."

Catherine peeled the baker's paper off the muffin. "Just as I thought; the bottom is just muffin." She

broke off the bottom and passed it to Steve.

He took it and bit off half. Chewing, he was aware of both women watching him closely. Even though

the muffin was like manna from heaven, his jaw ached. As soft as the muffin was, he became acutely

aware that his broken teeth were scratching up his inner cheeks. He swallowed and waited for the

doctor's verdict.

"Well, Catherine, did he chew lopsided to you?"

"Yes."

"How did it feel for you, Steve?"

Steve shook his head. "I'll stick with Jell-O, thank you. It feels painful and misaligned. Will that correct

itself or does that need another surgery?"

"I'll bring in our consulting dentist and we'll come up with a plan to correct your chew alignment and fix

the broken teeth."

Steve smiled – with his lips closed – and both women noticed his self-consciousness about his teeth.

"We take breaks by seniority so being the new kid on the floor, I'm sorry but you go last, Mr. Azov."

Jenny was giving the new L.V.N. the tour of the fourth floor.

"Luka, please." Vasily smiled. He noticed the policeman reading the newspaper outside the room

across from the nurse's station. "Why the cop? A prisoner?"

Jenny looked at McGarrett's now empty room. "You aren't authorized for that patient. Do yourself a

favor: don't worry about that. We got plenty of work on this shift to keep you busy."

"Of course." Vasily smiled. He found his objective.

"Luka, you'll be responsible for restocking the work stations, rooms…" Jenny continued with

orientation.

"Did the packets generate any lead?" Danny asked impatiently. He sat at his desk with his back to his

office door, the chairs in front of his desk.

"Not yet, boss." Chin said quietly. He glanced at Lou who was sitting next to him as uncomfortable as

he was.

"It has only been one shift. I'm sure it's just a matter of time before something pops." Lou said softly.

"Yeah, yeah." Danny swung around to face the men. "I can't shake the feeling that Steve is in real

danger this time. When I sent the security detail, I was being cautious, over cautious. Vasily scares the

living shit out of me. He's methodical, cold blooded, entirely too efficient."

"I know. We've got alerts and BOLO's out everywhere. Something will turn up. We covered everything

we can. We're lucky, we got Miss Catherine there as an absolutely last line of defense. And Steve –

even in his condition – is deadlier than the average armed man, probably. This will turn out alright."

Lou reasoned.

"Can you guarantee that?" Danny snapped. "I really hate admitting this but the big goof kinda grew on

me and the family. When this stiff ass naval officer started giving me orders, I wanted this guy outta of

my hair. Now, I count him among my friends. Hell, my daughter already calls him 'Uncle Steve'. If

something else were to happen to him, she will be very upset with me."

Chin could barely contain his smile; he then made the mistake of looking at Lou Grover. Lou was already

losing his battle with his smile. Locking eyes with each other, both men busted up. "'Uncle Steve'?"

Both men asked before they lost their self-control as both men knew just how opinionated Danny's

precocious daughter was.

"Alright you clowns. If anything else happens to Steve, you guys tell Gracie!"

Vasily did all the 'grunt' work the nurses threw at him. Between restocking all the rooms with bed pads,

Kleenex and other consumable medical equipment and answering calls from patients, he kept an eye on

McGarrett's room. So far, he hadn't even caught a glance of the man who was vexing his younger

brother so.

It was a waiting game. While working, he kept a discreet eye on the policeman guarding the room. He

was young, over-confident and caffeine addicted. He went to relieve himself entirely too much and only

every third or fourth time did he call for someone to take his place. Perfect to slide in, double tap the

target and walk away.

Now, to watch for opportunity, after he got a look at this guy.

Dr. Charity threw away her trash and turned and looked back at Steve and Catherine. With their heads

together, sitting side by side, holding hands and smiling, the couple looked happily in love restored.

"Aren't they just the cutest?" Roberta asked as she handed the petite physician a coffee to go. "I'm

glad you were able to help him. I think she'd be utterly lost without him."

"You're right. He came around calling for her." Dr. Charity confided. She looked over at the navy

couple. "No doubt planning their wedding."

Steve was running his lips over Catherine's fingertips. He was concentrating on the sensation while

listening to her talk. Honestly, he had no idea what she was talking about specifically and he didn't care.

He loved her voice; she could read her car's owner's manual for all he cared.

With that damned jaw support off, life opened up to him again. He now realized just how much he felt

diminished by wearing that bloody thing but now, he was free; free to eat and drink, talk almost normal,

eat Jell-O as he pleased, smile whenever he wanted to and most of all - his favorite: ability to kiss and be

kissed.

Kissing Catherine's soft skin ever so gently with his lips was a personal fetish, her skin was cool and soft

against his lips, a pleasure he didn't fully realize he desperately missed – until now.

"And I managed to divert the cocaine shipment in its entirely to Honolulu for 10% of the profit, off the

top." Catherine said, watching Steve's face.

"Great job, Cat."

Catherine started to giggle. "You haven't been listening to me, have you?"

"Yes, I've been listening to your voice. Maybe not your words…" Steve knew he was caught but gave up

trying to defend himself. She caught him and he happily admitted it, followed by large puppy dog eyes.

"I'm wise to you, mister. You think you can flirt your way out of anything, don't you? You know, the

wedding ring brings immunity to soulful puppy eyes." Catherine cautioned.

"For most, but big puppy dog eyes is my superpower. You'll never defeat it. You are helplessly in love

with me. The wedding ring will only increase my powers…"

Catherine giggled harder, leaned over and kissed Steve's nose. "You did take a whack on the head,

didn't you? And remember: you're helplessly in love with me and that voids your superpower over me."

She looked into his eyes. "You're mine and completely my slave so just surrender to your fate, sailor."

Steve kissed the hand he was holding. "I already have, long ago. Take me, I'm forever yours."

Rolling her eyes, Catherine chuckled. "You give up easily, don't you?"

"Why fight the inevitable? I surrender to my fate so why should I play hard to get? Besides, I'm happy

with my fate." Steve said with a satisfied smile.

Catherine laughed outright. "Steve, you are just too much." She squirmed into his lap, grabbed him by

his pajama collar and kissed him.

"A-hem" An over polite, staged cough.

Catherine started to break the kiss but Steve hung on to her while motioning away the trespasser.

Giggling, Catherine turned to the transgressor with flushed cheeks and a flustered look. "Oh, hi, um Dr.

Charity."

"Nice to see Steve is feeling so frisky. This doctor recommends anything to get his heart rate up. He's

been loafing in bed long enough."

"I have not." Steve said pseudo offended, cracking up as Catherine playfully punched his arm.

Dr. Charity joined in the frivolities. "You two are too much. Two overgrown teenagers."

"Teenagers in love." Steve clarified with a straight face and a wink.

Dr. Charity just shook her head, Steve McGarrett was becoming her favorite patient. "The dental

specialist we have on staff will meet me in your room around three this afternoon to evaluate jaw and

teeth. We'll get started on that right away so you'll be wedding picture ready as soon as possible."

If that complaining older woman in room 432 used her called button just one more time, Vasily was

going to smoother her with a pillow! He sat down at the nurse's station and sighed heavily.

"You okay Luka?" Jenny asked.

"Oh yes." Vasily almost missed 'his' name. "Mrs. Ellis is just an unhappy woman with someone to call at

her fingertips. But she is abusing it just a bit, why don't we disconnect her call button?" He asked, half

serious.

"Oh I wish we could." Karen, the other floor runner said. "But we'd be terminated, on the spot. I don't

know about anyone else but I don't have any job lined up."

"You never work in patient care again." Jenny cautioned. "Better have a new career not just another

job."

The call board lit up room 432, again.

"I'll do it, Luka. You caught her 'summons' the last three times." Karen was gone before 'Luka' could

respond.

"Hey day shift." Melissa came up to the nurse's station.

"Hey Meliss." Jenny greeted her counterpart. "You're either way early or you need a life."

"Meeting some friends from day shift for lunch down stairs." Melissa noticed the door to McGarrett's

room was open and a cleaning crew inside. "Where's the sailor?" She lost her smile. "He didn't code,

did he?"

"Oh no, in fact, his jaw apparatus came off this morning. I'm not exactly sure where he is this moment,

I'd guess the cafeteria, but Dr. Charity asked that his room be refreshed so he's getting the works, even

the chocolate on the pillow. Some fancy consultation." Jenny reported with a smile. She realized the

man she hatefully called 'Capt. Ahab' had softened her view of him. No doubt the fiancée had a major

influence on him, but still.

Melissa leaned in, made eye contact with Jenny then looked at Vasily with a questioning eye brow.

"Oh Meliss, HR finally filled our request for another LVN to float between our shifts." Jenny stood so she

could face both. "Melissa, meet Luka our LVN floater. I think this will be the first shift change that will

have busy work done. No more starting a shift in a deep hole or bothering patients restocking during

the night."

Jenny made introductions. "I get him for four hours; he has lunch then joins your shift for four more

hours. He works Monday through Friday and has every other Thursday off."

Vasily a.k.a. Luka stood and smiled at his nighttime supervisor. "Miss Melissa."

"Hi Luka. Happy to meet you, welcome aboard."

Melissa had a beautiful smile Luka noted. Another pretty lady he hoped wouldn't become collateral

damage in his mission. He watched her walk away and wished he had this job years ago; he may have

been a good model citizen instead living on the fringe of polite society if he had worked here from day

one. Maybe he and Giorgi would have had the true American Dream.

Steve was elated. Speech therapy was happy with his diction and infliction without that damned jaw

thing. Now, he was finished until he had his corrective work done, then one more 'therapy' (he hoped)

and he'd be one step closer to recovery.

And his wedding. With one hurdle down, he felt downright giddy. Despite his broken teeth, he was

grinning like a fool.

Heather, the speech pathologist, was signing Steve's progress sheet. Closing his patient file, she turned

back to her patient and smiled. "Your progress is remarkable. Now the jaw alignment and your

language will be back to what it was because it will clear up your lip misalignment that causing your

slight lisp."

"And the broken teeth aren't helping." Steve said with a bit over emphasis on the 'th' sound. He

smirked at Catherine. "Well, I can't be stumbling over your name at the wedding now can I? I want to

sound like me not Elmer Fudd."

Catherine grinned and rolled her eyes. "Only you would think that. It's hardly noticeable."

Steve's turn to roll his eyes. "Yeah, right."

Catherine stood up and got behind Steve's wheelchair as he put his feet in the foot rests. "Thank you,

Miss Heather." They said almost in unison as the left the speech therapist's office.

Pushing the wheelchair, Catherine was in a playful mood. "On to your next appointment, Master

McGarrett. Any stops?"

"Master?" Steve chuckled. "I like the sound of that, my mistress. No, no stops. Let's hope the dentist

or whatever he's called can work fast."

"Have you considered it may be a … woman?" Catherine teased evilly.

"No, I didn't consider that." Steve said thoughtfully, and then he shrugged. Doesn't matter."

"Ah, but it does." Catherine smiled innocently when Steve turned to look at her. "Look at your hands,

now look at mine. Contrary to the popular belief: 'size does matter' mister."

"O ha ha." Steve countered as they boarded the elevator.

Catherine was still giggling when the elevator doors opened. Melissa knew that laughter so she got up

to greet the couple. 'Luka' noticed the sudden activity and turned to watch.

"Why the sour look, Mister Steve?" Melissa asked with pseudo concern after she caught Catherine's

laughing eyes and Steve's rather annoyed expression. They wheeled past the sentry cop who verified

blue dots.

"I just destroyed the myth of 'size doesn't matter'. " Catherine said smiling.

Melissa saw Steve roll his eyes and shake his head a bit. "Oh, ouch." Melissa smiled. "Well, Mister

Steve, time for afternoon vitals."

"Oh. Joy." Steve was less than enthusiastic.

"Stop you." Catherine tapped the top of Steve's head with her finger.

He ducked his head at her rebuke then burst into laughter. Both women wagged fingers at him and he

grabbed both and laughed even harder.

Catherine pulled her hand away to close his room's door for privacy. "You MUST be feeling better." She

caught a glimpse of an over curious nurse's aide watching Steve's room and staring at her. Meeting his

gaze, she closed the door.