The battle rhythm was packed just as CAPT Lloyd had said. However, there were the things that weren't on the "official" battle rhythm that also happen daily. Steve had been there at Tripler for three weeks now, he was starting to recognize a "pattern of life".

At least once a day some fresh sailor or junior officer would side up to Steve in the mess or at the PT gym. Nervously they would introduce themselves and then tell him how they were going for BUDs and ask for training tips. It almost seemed crazy for Steve, not only was he surrounded by broken people but he was being asked about best ways to prepare for initial screening or what swim training he should be doing by some of the guy who was really not going to be in selection shape for a long time. But he got it, they needed something to train for and goals to set. So, instead of growling at them or brushing off their questions, he would try to remember what he did to train and then offer any advice. It felt good to be talking about something that wasn't related to his injury, but the usual pang of sadness mixed with anger would sit in his stomach as he look down at his own situation feeling weak.

There was one kid, Kieran, Steve knew he had some kind of blood cancer, probably lymphoma, that was receiving chemo for in the oncology wing. Kieran was an Ensign, fresh out of the Naval Academy - his class ring still shining on his finger. Kieran was certain that when his treatment was finished he was heading to BUDs and then to a Boat Crew based in Hawaii. Who was Steve to crush that dream? So he would tell him about BUDs and the training after to get certified and various other quals that he could do. It made him feel better and useful and you just couldn't crush the keenness out of the kid. It took him a whole week to stop calling Steve Sir every second sentence.

The other thing that seems to occur at least daily, almost on queue, was that one of the quadriplegics or multiple amputees would tell him to "suck it up". LCPL Polanski was particularly fond of throwing banter - he was a Marine heavy weapons specialist who had been involved with a humvee roll over and was now a high quadriplegic. This 20 something went from slinging a machine gun to not being able to breath on his own or move much past his head. But that didn't stop him from dishing it - particually at other services and especially at officers.

"Aren't you a - green beret - or something?" he asked across the gym floor while Steve was struggling to transfer from the floor to his chair for the tenth time in a row. "You don't look - very special forces to me - with that pussy-ass - transfer".

"For the fifth-time Polanski, I'm a SEAL you dumb grunt" Steve retorted. "Go eat a box of crayons."

Both of the men laughed. "EE-YUUT Brah" Polanski replied perfectly in time with his ventilator, his head swaying from side to side within his neck support. "You'll have to - feed them to me - the red ones - are my favorite". This kind of banter certainly helped morale and reminded Steve that things could have turned out a whole lot worse.

###

The best parts of Steve's days were visits. News from the outside world helped to break the limbo he felt he was trapped in at Tripler. Danny would bring Grace in for visits on the weekends. At first she was shy. The first visit Steve had finished physical therapy for the morning and had finally successfully transferred into bed un assisted. She appeared at the door clutching a handful of paintings. She stared into the room, after making eyecontact with Steve a small smile came across her concerned face. Her eyes then darted to the wheelchair next to the bed and lock on to it, she initially looked puzzled then looked back to Steve concerned. Danny appeared behind her placing his hand gently on her back leading her into the room.

"Gracie!, climb on up on the bed and let me give you a hug!" Steve reached his arms out to her trying to sound as upbeat as possible so to calm the concerned little girl. She climbed onto the high hospital bed and gave Steve a hug.

"What is this? More art to add to the gallery?" Steve examined each drawing like he was looking at a priceless artifact. She nodded, still quite.

"What is wrong Monkey? Tell uncle Steve about the Honu picture" Danny asked, holding up a brightly coloured picture of a sea turtle.

"We have been learning about Hawaiian culture at school, and Honu is the symbol for good luck and endurance. I didn't know what endurance meant but my teacher explained that it meant working hard at something for a long time, so I thought that Honu would bring you luck in your recovery so that you can come back home" Grace explained.

Steve looked at the drawing and then back to the little girl that he cared so much about. She did it to him everytime, he felt immediatly emotional but was fighting back, trying to keep up beat "It is beautiful, thank you so much. Danno, can you please put it in the Gracie Williams Gallery". He smiles warmly back at her, she was made of pure goodness.

Danny stuck up Grace's pictures with the originals that he she had brought back when Steve was still unconscious at Queens.

"I have missed you so much" He reached out for another hug, and she leaned into his embrace. "You probably have some questions for me? Anything that you want to know?"

Grace leaned back, and bit her bottom lip slightly. She loved her uncle Steve, and didn't want to ask anything rude or something that would make him sad. She pointed to the low black wheelchair that was next to the bed. "Is this your wheelchair? Do you need it all the time?" she asked.

"Yes, this is my wheelchair for now. I belongs to the Hospital, but I have ordered one similar. I know that Danno explained that my brain isn't talking to my legs anymore, so I need this wheelchair to get around. Hopefully in the next week or so the doctors will let me try to use leg braces and crutches, but they are more for exercise. I will be using the wheelchair instead of walking". He hoped his explanation made sense.

"Will it be forever or will you get better" She asked.

Steve looked back at her, this was hard to vocalise. He took a steadying breath "forever. The damage done to my back means that my legs won't be getting better". He took another breath, "but that doesn't mean that I wont be getting stonger and more use to it. I promise things wont change that much".

She could see the sadness in her Uncle Steve's eyes and leaned in giving him her biggest hug, her small arms just reaching around his chest. "I don't mind if it is different Uncle Steve. At least you are okay".

Danny covered his sniffle with a cough, turning away to wipe the tears that were welling in his eyes.

"Does it hurt?" She looked down at Steve's legs lying motionless in sweatpants, sneaker clad feet pointing in unnaturally.

"Not too much" he replied. Which was a complete lie, but he was hardly going to tell her about the burning nerve pain that he felt almost constantly. He put his hands next to his butt and did a pressure release lifting hit hips up like the physio had taught him. He didn't know how long he had been sitting still in the bed. "It is nearly lunch, there is an icecream machine in the mess. Normally it is for dinner, but if we ask the nurses really nicely, I am sure they will get you some for lunch. What do you say?"

"Sounds great!" Grace replied, and hopped off the bed.

Steve readied for the transfer, leaning over to check the breaks on the chair and shimmying his body over to the side of the bed. "Please dont fall, please don't fall" he chanted to himself.

"Do you need a hand?" Danny hadn't seen Steve do a transfer before and was looking nervous.

" I will be fine" Steve said through gritted teeth, all his energy was directed at not missing the chair. He placed one hand on the seat and the other next to his hips before lifting and pivoting down onto the thick padded pillow that sat ontop of the seat. It wasn't graceful and he somewhat dropped onto the chair, but it wasn't a fall. He quickly grabbed his legs one by one at the kneed placing them on the foot rest.

"Okay Gracie, lets go get some icecream". Steve pushed off with his partner and Grace next to him down to the mess.