It was Friday. A whole five days has passed since that morning, since Steve got hit. For Danny they were five days that felt like they belonged to someone else. He, Chin and Kono had maintained a round the clock presence by their comrades were now starting to get in sync with the routine of the ICU. Knowing when the nurses would need to attend to Steve, when the Doctors were on rounds and when the free coffee machine had just been refilled. Contrary to the trauma psychologists advice, they were running themselves out. But no one was about to admit it, nor drop the ball for the rest of the team. They were all desperate for Steve to wake up, but simultaneously dreading it. Right now was like limbo, but when he woke up everything would change. They were in slow motion, things were about to rapidly speed up.

Danny had spent as much time as the others would let him sitting in the horrible hospital armchair at Steve's bedside keeping watch over his brother in arms and catching up on paper work on his laptop. I may have seemed strange but he had to be doing something, to somehow be productive. He had also been reading up on what to expect, what Steve's injury really meant. The trauma psychologists a has warned him to be wary of random internet searching of stuff related to SCI. He had been trying to stick to reputable sites, he had to be informed, to be prepared for what was coming. It still didn't seem real, he would glance at his partner, strong, powerful but locked into that neck and back brace, feeding tube taped to his cheek, it still didn't seem like his fate. Maybe he would wake up and it would all be fine. But Danny knew that was a lie. They were his Ohana and what ever happened when Steve woke up, they were going to be there for him.

H50H50H50

Kono had made the call to Catherine on Tuesday. She had waited until after the Trauma team meeting. Some part of her was waiting for this all to be a bad joke or misdiagnosis. However, by late Tuesday when she rang through to the the destroyer Catherine was deployed on, it was all becoming horribly real. Catherine wouldn't be able to come back to Hawaii until after the weekend as they were on active deployment carrying out a key manoeuvre and couldn't leave the ship. Obviously she couldn't say much, but Kono knew that she would me making every effort to get back to the man she cared so deeply about. She had sounded just how Kono felt, shocked. Like she had just taken a big hit to the chest, unable to breath either in or out. Her answers were short "yes","no", "okay", "I understand". She had clearly been holding back tears; as was Kono. When she had walked back into Steve's room after the call she rubbed his unbruised arm, brushing away tears. "Cath is coming home, she will be here soon" she hoped he could here her.

H50H50H50

The only time that Steve had been left alone was during the team's meeting with the Governor which took place late on Wednesday afternoon. It was a short meeting. They all awkwardly sat on the assorted couches and chairs in his office, not really knowing what to do or say. Luckily, the Governor was already aware of Steve's condition and had been closely following his case. He had assured the team that any resources that the state could provide would be available to CDR McGarrett when he woke up and began his long stretch at Tripler's for rehab. They would discuss his role with the 5-0 task force at a later date when Steve was able to be present. They were to continue with all still current cases, but their work load was to be reduced to cover only matters that were critical and that their skills where essential for. HPD was just going to have to pick up the rest of their slack. At the end of the meeting Chin, Kono and Danny stood an shook the Governor's hand before departing. There was a new sadness in the man's eyes that none of them had seen before. For Kono it was simultaneously comforting and unnerving. If other people shared her private worry and anxiety about Steve's future, then it made the situation even more true.

H50H50H50H50

Later that evening, back at Queens, Chin got a call from the Police Chief. They had tracked down the driver. It was just some local kid from the North Shore, methed up to the eyeballs. Normally so composed, Chin found himself fighting against his rawer instincts not to have the arresting officers bring the driver into 5-0 HQ so he could drag the him down to Queens ICU and show him what he did. That reckless actions on that day had irreparably damaged one of the greatest men to serve the State of Hawaii.

He was able to silence the screams of protest from inside his head. On the phone to HPD from outside Steve's hospital room he showed little emotion. Clenching his jaw, he drew a deep breath through his nose and exhaled firmly before replying. "No, its fine, you guys handle it".

He stared back through the glass the his motionless college. It hurt, but it was better this way. It was not their job to dish out tailor made justice. People get hurt, sometimes its the ones you love, but he was firm in his believe in the law. After all its the laws that hold this whole crazy island together.

H50H50H50H

During the past week, Grace had been forced to go to school. Danny and Rachel had both decided that routine would be the best possible thing for her. Danny really didn't want his little girl to visit her Uncle Steve until he was awake, but he knew that it was hurting her not being able to visit him.

He had gone over to Rachel's on Wednesday evening straight from the meeting with the Governor. Walking through those wrought iron gates up the paved path he felt the sense of dread which hung over him rapidly escalating. It was a feeling he been living with for the last three days. He rang the door bell. Danny could hear the sound of Rachel's heels trotting across the wooden floors as she quickly came to answer it. "Daniel" She flung open the door, "how are you?" she embraced him in a hug. She didn't need an answer. After being married to the man for so many years she knew he was barely holding on. His eyes had dark purple lines extending from the bridge of his nose almost to his cheek bones. He hadn't slept in days. She could tell there had been a lot of crying, even if he would never admit it.

"I'm okay Rach. I came to talk to Gracie". His fake smile didn't even reach to his eyes. The man was both physically and emotionally exhausted.

"Okay" she stepped outside and closed the heavy wooden door behind her "but tell me first. What is the prognosis".

Danny rubbed the bridge of his nose "well Rach, its not good. In short Steve broke his back, and permanently damaged his spinal cord" he locked eyes with his ex-wife. "When they take him out of the medical coma in the next few days he is going to be permanently paralysed". He took a deep breath in trying to keep his voice steady as he spoke about a man he had so much respect, care and love for. "He is going to be a paraplegic". The corner of his lips turned down as he fought away the sadness that welled up inside of him.

"Oh Daniel, I am so sorry. This is terrible" he could tell she truly meant it. "Do you want me with you to tell Grace"?

"No" Danny replied, he cleared his throat, psyching him self up again. "I will be fine". Rachel nodded, she was still shocked by the news, she had seen them all together only a few days ago.

The two walked inside and out to the back lanai where Grace was sitting at a big outdoor dining table doing her homework.

"Danno!" she exclaimed as she saw her father running towards him.

"Monkey!" He scooped her up, hugging her tight, he kissed her forhead.

"How is Uncle Steve? Can I please go and see him? I haven't been able to all week" she looked up at Danny, her big brown eyes filled with concern.

"Well, Monkey, that is what I am here to talk to you about". He pulled up a chair. "Let's sit down", it felt like the time he told her the he and her mother were getting a divorce. Grace must also have been able to sense it as she was suddenly very quiet, he eyes dart around as she grew anxious. Danny took a deep breath in.

"When Steve was hit by the car he got really hurt. He hurt his head and his back. The doctors have put him into a special deep sleep since he came into the hospital for his head to get better, when he wakes up, which will be soon, his head should be just about fixed. But" he took another deep breath "his back isn't going to get better". His little girl was looking up at him with a mixture or surprise and confusion on her face. It was breaking his heart. "It was damaged by what the car did, and um" he cleared his throat the way he did when he was searching for words, "and you see Monkey, your spine in you back is like a big phone cable between your brain and the rest of your body. The way Steve's back is hurt had broken up the phone call between his brain, which tell's his body to do things, and his legs". He looked down at his daughter his eyebrows furred and lips tight waiting for her reaction. "Now that the phone connection has been cut off, Steve won't be able to use his legs any more". Grace slowly nodded, it seemed that she understood, her brow creased in the same way her father's did.

"Okay, okay" she replied in a quiet voice, her brow still creased. "But he will be okay, right?"

"Yes Monkey" Danny pulled his little girl into his lap, "it will just be a different kind of okay, and he is going to need lots of love and encouragement from you". Danny picked up one of the drawing which was lying on the table, "and maybe some of this beautiful art to decorate his room, what do you think?". Looking back up at her father, a little smile broke across Grace's face. And for a split second the knot which had been growing in Detective Danny William's chest loosened slightly.

H50H50H50

While it wasn't his weekend with Grace, Rachel had agreed that she would be allowed to visit for a short time on Saturday morning. Danny just prayed that Grace would be okay with it, she had seemed to take the news of what had happened well, however Danny feared that seeing Steve in the ICU with the neck and body brace and all the machines might just make what Danny had told her hit home. God knows it did for him. He was protecting Grace as a way of trying to constrain his own emotions and pain. At least the breathing tube had been removed and sewn closed a day ago and replaced by a normal enough looking nasal cannula. A large white square dressing now covered where the hole had been made. After a week Danny just couldn't stand that raspy, whistling pump noise any longer.

His little girl was quieter than usual as they walked down the hall to the ICU. With one hand she clutched her fathers hand tightly, with the other a collection of drawings she had brought with her. By her silence Danny could sense she was nervous. "Me too, Monkey, me too" he thought to himself. Turning past the nurses station they entered into Steve's room. "CDR MCGARRETT - 2(TWO) SCI TBI" was now written over the door. During the week he had been downgraded to patient two after a young kid had come in from Maui with his head in three pieces after jumping off cliff and missing the ocean.

At the sight of Steve lying in the hospital bed, motionless, bruised black and blue, trapped in the back brace and collar, tubes and wires coming from all areas, a small gasp escaped Grace's mouth. He eyes were wide as she surveyed the scene in front of her. "Its okay" her father whispered to her, "you can come and sit here and tell Steve what you made for him" he gestured to the arm chair next to the bed. Grace didn't react, she continued to stare at all the machines and wires connected to the man she was surfing with only a six days ago. The man she thought of as her second protector.

Danny walked over to her and wrapped an arm around his shocked and frightened daughter. "He is just fast asleep Monkey, he isn't in any pain. The machines are just there to make sure he is okay". He kissed her softly on the head, "I know it looks scary but he will be awake soon and starting to get better. Uncle Steve might be able to hear you, let him know about the great drawings you brought for him". Danny could feel the tension between the ten year olds shoulder blades. He rubber it gently hating everything about the situation.

With a deep breath in, Grace walked towards the hospital bed and stood next to Steve's right hand. "Uncle Steve, I drew you some pictures for you. I know how you like blue so I did them with lots of different blues" her voice was small and quite "I hope you will wake up soon and start feeling better, I miss not getting to see you all the time, I know that Danno does to". Carefully she opened the roll of paintings and showed them to the unconscious Steve. "Danno says that the phone connection between your head and legs isn't working all that well, I really hope that it gets fixed, if not I will still love you the same".

Standing behind his daughter, Danny was close on tears. This was one time that he really hoped that Steve could hear what was going on. He cleared his throat and checked his watch, "okay Monkey, we had better head off now, the nursed will be coming in soon to check on Steve and look after a few things. Lets stick up your paintings over on this wall and then head off".

Danny helped Grace paste up the painting on the far wall of the room, across from the machines so that when they bring him out of he coma they would be directly in his line of view. At least there would be one nice thing to look at Danny thought ruefully. The long stretch ahead was beginning to sink in.