Breakfast.
(Chapter Nine)
"Are you sure you're ready for this, Vi?" Steve asked from the kitchen doorway.
Bailey was standing in the kitchen making breakfast and coffee for herself and her husband. Her doctor had finally cleared her to go back to work with severe limitations. Limitations that would most likely be lifted after two months of being back at work.
"Yes, Mac," Bailey replied with a smile.
"I know you're ready to get outta this house and I've been trying to stay out of your way when I am home but you remember what Dr. Ghee said right?" Steve asked anxiously.
"Yes, Mac. I am on desk duty. No going out into the field with you or the rest of the team. No gophering. Strictly computer/paperwork and take frequent breaks to avoid setbacks." Bailey recited patiently.
"I'm driving you crazy, huh Vi?" Steve asked playfully.
"Just a little. But it's fine, I get it. You're worried. You're being a good husband because you love me." Bailey replied with an indulgent smile.
"Yeah, I do. Ready for work?" Steve asked slightly sad.
"Yep. You catch the bad guys. I'll do the paperwork." Bailey replied trying to lighten the mood.
Steve gave an amused snort.
"What's so funny?" Bailey asked.
"That's what you said after you're first field trip with Five-0," Steve replied gathering up their lunch.
"Hmm, maybe I'll remember that today. It feels good for it." Bailey said tilting her head slightly to the side.
Steve grinned. He knew that tilt, usually meant she was thinking about something or remembering it.
"Hey, any breakfast left for me before we head out for the day?" Danny asked entering the McGarretts' kitchen.
"Usually people say hello when they enter a room or break into someone's house." Steve slung back.
"I am almost positive that no one says hello during a B&E (breaking and entering). Besides Bailey texted me while you were in the shower to come to grab some breakfast before we started her first day back at work." Danny teased.
"You ever heard of knocking?" Steve asked.
"Sure. But I figured that since I was already invited by your lovely wife that I'd just let myself in." Danny replied nonchalantly.
"And exactly why did we need to include this Lolo in breakfast this morning?" Steve asked his wife exasperatedly.
"Lolo? Now Steven it isn't very nice to call your best friend, your partner, the man who lets you high jack his car every day crazy." Danny admonished.
Bailey put a plate of breakfast down in front of the two men and drank her cup of coffee while watching the two men go back and forth like she was watching a tennis match.
"Where do you get the idea that I am high jacking your car. You know I get car sick if I'm not the one driving." Steve defended himself, starting in on his breakfast.
"Car sick? Since when do you get car sick? I can see other people getting car sick from having to ride with you 'cause quite frankly you drive like a maniac but I wasn't aware that sailors got seasick in cars." Danny ribbed, munching on his bacon.
"I get car sick not seasick, Danny. And only when other people drive. Besides what are you talking about? I don't drive like a maniac and I've never seen you or Vi get carsick from my driving." Steve rejoined, quickly finishing off his eggs.
"The reason you have not seen me get carsick from your driving is that I've been too busy white-knuckling my seat to worry about being sick. And could you eat your breakfast at the speed of a regular person, please? You eat like an animal on death row with his last meal." Danny complained, eating his own eggs at a more leisurely pace.
"When you two have finished could you please put your dishes in the sink? I'll wash them up tonight after I get home from work. Which by the way we should be heading to, soon if you two would care to wrap this up or at least move it to the car." Bailey interjected while exiting the kitchen.
The two men quickly wrapped up their breakfast, put their dishes in the sink, and followed Bailey into the living room. Bailey already had her work bag by the front door and was sitting on the sofa with her purse. She was trying to remember if there was anything she had forgotten to grab before they left the house. The irony of this was not lost on her.
"Everything good, babe?" Danny asked noticing the concentrated frown on her face.
"Just trying to make sure I haven't forgotten anything, Detective," Bailey replied distractedly.
Steve and Danny exchanged a look. There was the "Detective" thing again instead of "Danny".
"Did you remember to grab the memory book, Vi?" Steve asked gently.
Bailey's eyes lit up. That's what she was forgetting. Thank goodness her husband was seemingly obsessed with that thing or she would have left it at home. That would have been a disaster if she remembered something.
"I left it upstairs on my nightstand. Give me a minute to run upstairs to grab it and I'll meet you at the car." Bailey told the men jumping up.
"Okay, babe. We'll grab your bag for you and meet you out there." Danny agreed for the two men.
"Thanks, Danny!" Bailey called cheerfully over her shoulder as she climbed up the stairs as quickly as she was able.
Steve grabbed his wife's work bag, gave an amused frown, shook his head, and gestured an "after you" to Danny. Danny softly chuckled, walked out the front door to his car, and leaned against his hood. Steve joined him.
"You wanna just take my car or should we ride separately?" Danny asked Steve.
"You sure you want to "white knuckle it" all the way to work?" Steve asked in return teasing his partner.
"I do it daily. So I think I can survive the trip to work. Besides, I have Bailey for company and that's always a bonus." Danny replied.
" Are you saying you prefer my wife's company to mine, Williams?" Steve asked in mock outrage.
A soft chuckle and the sound of the front doorway came from in front of the two men.
"At it again already? How much did I miss?" Bailey asked joining the men.
"Not much. Just trying to determine if we should all take my car or ride separately." Danny answered nonchalantly.
"Too busy going back and forth to come up with a decision?" Bailey asked with a smile.
"We were getting to it, Vi," Steve replied with a grin.
"Any chance of you two "getting to it" before we are late for work?" Bailey asked her husband with a small smile and a roll of her eyes.
"Okay, why don't we all take my car. I don't mind dropping you and Steve off after work." Danny suggested.
The McGarretts agreed and Steve stole Danny's keys right out of his hand.
"How foolish of me to think I would be the one doing the driving." Danny cracked to Bailey sarcastically.
"He gets carsick if he's not the one driving," Bailey said in a mock whisper.
The two of them laughed.
"Haven't even gotten in the car yet and you two are already ganging up on me." Steve playfully complained.
"If you wanna ride up front with your Super Seal husband, I'll ride in the back this morning Bails." Danny offered.
"Nah, it's okay Danny. Mac has already stolen your keys. I'd feel bad stealing your usual spot from you." Bailey replied turning down the offer.
Danny smiled and held open the backseat door for Bailey. Bailey climbed in the car and Danny shut the door for her. Steve started the Camero while Danny climbed in and shut his own door.
All of a sudden a huge wave of panic and anxiety washed over Bailey. She started to hyperventilate and become very afraid. Her heart was pounding in her ears and she was certain she was going to faint.
Steve and Danny immediately noticed what was going on and were trying to talk to Bailey and help her calm down. Unfortunately, Bailey neither heard nor noticed their attempts to help her. Without saying a word to either man Bailey flung open the backseat door and scrambled out of the car. Once she was a few feet away from the vehicle Bailey took deep gasping breaths. She stumbled trying to steady herself and promptly fell on her bum. Danny had gotten out of the car only a few seconds after Bailey had and was desperately trying to help her, but she was deaf to the sound of his voice. Steve turned off the Camero and joined his partner and wife as quickly as he was able, but he had no more success than Danny had.
Wracked with worry about his wife Steve called Lou. The phone rang twice before it was answered.
"Hey what's up, man? Are you and Bailey on your way in? I'm stopping to get some Malasadas, Coco Puffs, and her favorite coffee as a welcome back to work present." Lou answered his cell cheerfully.
"I don't think we will be coming in today Lou. Bailey is having a panic attack and I don't want to leave her like this. Danny's with us and I'll send him in as soon as we can get her calmed down." Steve explained.
"How bad is it?" Lou asked concerned.
Steve turned and looked at his wife just in time to witness her throwing up what little breakfast she had eaten and her morning cup of coffee on the lawn.
"Pretty bad man. She was just sick on the lawn." Steve responded.
"Alright, well I'm pretty close so I'll see you all in a moment," Lou said and ended the call.
"Lou you don't need to do that. Lou? Lou?" Steve said into dead air and then realized his friend had already hung up.
"Toss me your keys," Danny said coming up to Steve.
"What do you need my keys for Danny? Don't you think we should get Vi calmed down before we try to move her?" Steve asked incredulously.
"She needs a glass of water, you big dummy. Give me the keys so I can run in the house to get your wife some water to rinse her mouth out with and help her calm down." Danny replied exasperatedly.
Steve gave his keys to Danny and then made his way back over to his wife.
"Guess you weren't ready for this after all, huh babe?" Steve asked with concern lacing his voice.
Bailey looked up at her husband, his words finally penetrating the fog her mind had placed her in. She gave an ugly, angry look and slowly stood up, smacking Steve's hand away when he tried to assist her. Danny jogged back to the McGarretts in time to notice Bailey smacking his partner's hand angrily away and pushing off his assistance.
"What the hell did you do?" Danny asked Steve confused as he reached them.
"I think I put my foot in my mouth." Steve quietly replied sheepishly.
"By the looks of things both feet," Danny replied.
"Is that for me?" Bailey asked Danny quietly indicating the water.
"Yeah, sorry here you go babe," Danny confirmed apologetically handing her the water.
Bailey took the water from him and before she could thank him the sound of another car pulling into the driveway captured their attention. It was Lou Grover in his SUV. Lou parked his vehicle, hopped, and joined the trio.
"Everything alright, Bail? McGarrett said you were having a little trouble?" Lou asked walking up to Bailey.
Bailey looked at Lou embarrassed and upset. She didn't know what to tell her friend. It was all she could do not to cry from frustration and confusion.
"She had a panic attack after she got in the car," Danny explained.
"Ah, your husband in the driver's seat of Danny's Camero?" Lou asked her gently.
Bailey nodded not trusting herself to speak.
Lou nodded his head in understanding and then said, "Well I can see what the problem is."
"You can?" Bailey asked softly.
"Yup. See the problem is I got a box full of Malasadas and another two of Coco Puffs in my car along with some coffee from my favorite assistants coffee place. Made just the way she likes it and I'm worried that it's gonna spill or get cold before we all get to work. So what I need is someone to ride with me to work to make sure that doesn't happen." Lou answered with a smile.
"That was so transparent you could be made of Cling Wrap. You know that right?" Bailey asked with a snort of laughter.
"Possibly, possibly. But I still got this problem either way and if I accidentally eat one too many Malasadas or Coco Puffs we both know how Renee is going to feel about that. So why don't you ride with me to work and help me out?" Lou requested good-natured.
"Okay. Thanks, Lou." Bailey said with a genuine smile and a feeling of relief.
"Alright then now that, that is settled I guess we will see you, boys, at work," Lou said to Danny and Steve.
Bailey walked around to the other side of Lou's car, opened the passenger's side door, hopped in, and closed it. Lou followed suit, turned on the engine, and gave the other two men a wave before leaving the McGarrett driveway.