I took some poetic license on the episode "Cocoon" I felt some opportunity for hurt/comfort was missed. This starts after Danny shoots the guy in the tank that is trying to drown/strangle Steve.
I own nothing, characters, originally story lines, etc. This is just for fun.
Fifty Years
Danny had run into the room where the tank was, he saw a very large man trying to strangle his partner with a hose or drown him, he didn't care which and was not going to split hairs, so he just shot the man and ran around the edge of the tank to help his friend out of the tank.
Steve had begun swimming towards the edge once he realized the man that was previously trying to kill him and nearly succeeded given his fleeting strength, was now dead of a gunshot wound to the head, center mass; Danny! he thought, as he used what was left of his waning strength to make it to the edge of the tank. Once at the edge he felt Danny's hands on his arms, pulling him up. Danny helped him sit against the wall, Steve was panting, blinking hard, trying to do away with the grayness around his vision. His adrenaline was failing him, fast.
Steve looked at Danny as he pulled his chin up with his hand to make him engage with him, Danny was saying something...he was trying to listen…
"You OK? "You OK?", "Look at me! Hey, look at me, look at me, you alright?" Danny said grabbing Steve's chin to force him to focus on him as he spoke.
Danny did not like the look on his partner's face, his eyes were unfocused, he was pale, and he was panting, he was not sure Steve even recognized him at this point.
"What's my name, huh…what's my name" Danny repeated, concerned with the confused look on Steve's face as he asked such a simple question.
Steve frowned, like he had to really focus on the answer, eventually breathing out "Danny…"
"Good, good" Danny said, "How long have we known each other? He asked the Seal.
"Fifty Years" Steve responded
"Fift-y…" "That is not funny" Danny replied, "I'm trying to be serious here".
"It feels like fifty years" Steve quipped, "It's going to take more than a little brain scrub to make me forget you pal" Steve replied, still panting, trying to get his breathing under control.
Even though he was joking around some, his eyes were still glazed, and he was not fully tracking to what was going on Danny surmised.
"Hey!" Danny grabbed Steve's wrist and checked for a pulse, which was galloping, "you OK?"
Steve nodded, still looking dazed, water dripping from his face; he looked grey now, about ready to pass out.
"Sure you are" Danny quipped, releasing the Seal's wrist and grabbing his chin with his hand again when Steve was still not really looking at him. "Steve!, Steven!, look at me babe!"
Steve blinked at Danny; he was so tired, right now all he wanted to do was lie down and sleep for a week.
"OK Super Seal, let's get you to lie down before you pass out on me, OK" Danny said as he pushed down on the Seal's shoulders to force him into a laying position, his concern sky rocketing when Steve offered no resistance. Danny looked up when he heard a noise coming from the doorway, his hand on his weapon, ready to protect his brother, sighing with relief when he saw it was the rest of the team approaching.
"What's going on Danny, he OK? "Lou asked.
"Call a bus" was all Danny said before turning his attention back to Steve who was now laying on the ground, eyes closed, breathing labored, pale as a sheet. He heard Lou's voice calling for the ambulance.
"Hey, Steve, stay awake!" Danny tapped the Seal's cheek, 'Hey, you hear me Steven?" he said louder when Steve did not open his eyes at first.
Steve was relieved to be laying down, everything hurt, his head was spinning, his lungs were burning, his body was a giant bruise at this point. The giant Neanderthal Danny shot was strong and had landed a few good punches, he was sure at least some of his ribs were cracked.
He had closed his eyes hoping that he could just go to sleep for a while, Danny was there, Danny would handle things, he knew he could trust him to take care of everything, so a little nap wouldn't hurt, when he felt his best friend's hand on his cheek, rousing him from his stupor. He opened his eyes, wincing at the intrusion of the light on his headache.
"There you are" Danny said. "I know you're hurting Steven, but I need you to stay awake for me, OK?" Danny looked at Lou, "where is the damn bus?"
"Three minutes out" was the response, "How is he?" Lou asked.
Danny shook his head as he looked at the older man, "not sure, he is very out of it, not sure if it is a concussion or the drugs they probably gave him or both?" Lou nodded and stepped back to give them so room, putting a hand on Danny's shoulder and squeezing it as he walked away.
After what seemed like an eternity the EMTs arrived, Danny moved out of the way to let them work, worry written all over his face. The EMTs placed an oxygen mask over Steve's face and were currently cutting him out of the top half of the sensory deprivation suit he had been poured into by his lunatic ex girlfriend.
Danny could not help but gasp when they succeeded and exposed Steve's chest from within the remnants of the suit, it was covered in red and purple bruises and spots, he did not have to be a doctor to know, just by looking, that Steve's ribs were broken too. He ran a hand over his face.
He was going to track that bitch down and he was going to kill her with his bare hands for doing this to Steve, and he was not going to lose any sleep over it, not a damn wink.
Danny was brought out of his reverie when the EMTs began to move a very still Steve onto the gurney for transport. He followed them out and waited outside the ambulance while they loaded Steve into it.
"How is he doing?" Lou asked, Danny turned to find the whole team there beside him, all with worried expressions on their face, just as Danny was about to answer with "I'm not sure" the EMT spoke, "Sir" directed at Danny, "we have to go, if you're coming?"
"I don't know yet, but at least he isn't bleeding out for once" Danny answered his team as he climbed into the ambulance.
He slid down the bench was inside on the opposite side of the EMT to try and stay out of her way while she tended to the now "unconscious?" Steve, he looked at his partner's pale face and then looked up at the EMT, glancing at her name tag, "Laura" Danny spoke softly, "How is he doing"?"
The young EMT looked at him and smiled. "He is stable, body temperature is a bit low, so is his BP. Blood Ox has improved with the Oxygen mask" she stopped to adjust it before continuing, "he has some ribs which are likely broken so the hospital will want to do some scans to check for internal bleeding and make sure the lungs are not damaged, but he is obviously fit and strong, so he should be OK"
Danny nodded in lieu of thanks and proceeded to hold Steve's hand as they finished their ride to the hospital. Steve was too still Danny thought; as if reading his mind, Laura said "we gave him something for the pain, so he is resting comfortably right now, it makes his breathing easier"
"OK, thanks" Danny replied and continued to just hold Steve's hand in silence for the short trip to hospital.
Once they arrived Danny knew the drill, unfortunately too well, so he walked with Steve as long as he could and then walked over the waiting room and sank into one of the uncomfortable chairs, wondering for the thousandth time if they purposely made them uncomfortable on purpose so people would not loiter in waiting rooms. He was startled when his cell phone rang, it was Lou.
He had been in the waiting room for an hour now, after giving Lou an update on Steve and assuring them that Steve was stable and they should remain on scene and work that back carefully, he had gotten some stale coffee from the machine, paced a hole on the floor and sat back down. He was about to stand up again and start pacing when a doctor came in.
"Detective Williams?" the doctor, a man in his late fifty's, asked.
"Yes!" Danny answered and approached the doctor' hand outstretched in greeting.
"I am Doctor Marco, I'm the attending today and I am treating Commander McGarrett" the doctor greeted shaking Danny's hand.
"How is he doc?" Danny got right to the point.
The doctor gestured towards the chairs and sat, Danny followed suit, facing the doctor.
"The Commander is going to be OK"
Danny felt the weight of the World he had not realized he was holding up, leave his body. He ran a hand over his face and blinked unshed tears as he listened to the doctor.
"He took a lot of abuse, there were some paralytic drug traces in his system which are messing with his blood pressure and his respiration, he has a mild concussion, he has two broken ribs on the left and one fractured one on the right, he had cuts, abrasions and contusions pretty much all over his body, so he will be sore and in pain for a few days at least"
Danny nodded in agreement. "How long will he be in here?" Danny asked.
"Well, he is conscious now, sort of…, but he is exhausted, so I want him here at least overnight to just monitor his vitals and watch for any residual aftereffects from the drugs or complications from any other injuries"
"OK" Danny said, "can I see him?"
"Give us about 30 minutes to get him settled into a room, I will have a nurse come get you"
"Thank you, Doctor Marco," Danny shook the man's hand again, grateful for the good care he was giving his friend.
Once the doctor left Danny called the Team to update them. Thirty minutes, on the dot, a nurse came to get him and take him to Steve's room.
Steve was laying on the bed, head slightly elevated which is not unusual with broken ribs, that position was a bit more comfortable to breathe in, his eyes were closed, but Danny knew him well enough to know he was not asleep. He had an IV in his arm and the oxygen cannula was still there. His face was turning three shades of purple and he still looked ghostly pale, but at least he was stable and more importantly, alive.
He knocked lightly on the door before he entered his best friend's room.
Steve opened his eyes, blinking a couple of times to try and clear his vision. "Hey Danno"
Steve's use of 'Danno' was telling, he often used that nickname when he sought comfort from him, even if he would never admit it.
"Hey babe" Danny returned with his own term of endearment for his friend as he took residence in the recliner beside the bed. "How are you feeling?"
Steve closed his eyes and exhaled, wincing when it hurt his tender ribs, "tired and hurting" he replied.
Danny was surprised to hear the Navy Seal admit to being in pain, usually the stoic Seal was not one to volunteer to being in pain, at all; he could have a limb hanging from a thread and still claim he was 'fine'.
The Sensory Deprivation experience and the drugs they gave the seal, coupled with whatever pain meds he was currently on must have his walls down.
"You want me to call the nurse?" Danny asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No, it's OK" Steve spoke softly, eyes still closed. "I'm on Morphine already" he lifted the arm with the IV as way of proof.
"Right" Danny was still worried but decided to change the subject, "Lou called to check on you, the team sends their love. I told them to stay on scene since you were stable"
Steve nodded; eyes still closed.
Danny placed a hand on Steve's forearm, concern rising at the Seals' listlessness. Steve opened his eyes at his touch and turned to look at Danny, eyes were still 'lost'.
"I'm OK Danny, nothing a few days rest won't fix, so I'm told" He closed his eyes again and leaned his head back against the pillows.
"Right, and rest you will, so I don't want to hear any bitching or complaining about you wanting to go back to work for at least a week you hear me?"
"Yes dear" was all Steve said, a small smile touching his lips.
"Don't 'yes dear me' Steven", Danny countered, "I mean it, I will sit on you if I have to, but you will take it easy for a week at least"
Danny waited for a response but then realized that Steve was asleep, for real this time. He squeezed the Seal's arm and stood up, walking towards the window. He could not help but think how lucky Steve, and he, had been that he had gotten to the Tank when he did, before that Neanderthal that was trying to drown him succeeded.
The next day
Steve was released from the hospital early the next morning with the understanding that Danny, or someone (Danny), would stay with him for at least a couple of days.
Steve was still not himself, he was improving, but he was still not himself. He was too quiet, too complacent. He had not even balked at the wheelchair the nurse had brought in to wheel him out to Danny's car.
The ride home was done in silence, Steve was looking out the window, arm wrapped around his rib cage, forehead against the glass. Danny was gripping the wheel so tight his knuckles were white, he was biting his lip trying to determine if he should or should not speak; he decided not to, not yet.
"Shit!" Steve swore as he jumped, startled by Danny shaking him lightly on the shoulder, causing his ribs to jostle and remind him just how much moving the wrong way with broken ribs can hurt.
"Sorry babe, breathe….." Danny had parked the Camaro in Steve's driveway and shut the engine off, he turned to the Seal and realized that Steve had not even moved, he had not reacted at all actually, to the fact the he was home, so he had called out to him, but when that did not work, he gently shook Steve's shoulder to get his attention, unfortunately causing him to be startled and twist in a way that hurt his injured ribs.
Steve closed his eyes and tried to breathe through the pain, slow and steady breaths, he could hear Danny telling him to breathe. After a few minutes he opened his eyes and found the worried face of his partner staring at him from about 5 inches away, he blinked and looked around, realizing, just then, that they were in his driveway.
"You OK babe?" Danny asked, worried that Steve was not talking yet.
"No" Steve breathed, "but I'll live" Steve grabbed the door handle and began to exit the Camaro. Danny sighed, opened his door and jogged to the passenger side to make sure Steve did not face plant on the pavement as he exited the car.
Danny hovered but did not grab Steve when the Seal wavered slightly upon standing, grabbing hold of the car's roof for support for a few seconds before standing as straight as he could given his broken ribs.
"Ready?" Danny asked
Steve nodded and started towards his front door, slowly. He was grateful when he was finally sitting on his couch and was able to melt into the cushions.
Danny stood behind his partner as they made their way inside Steve's house, slowly, and then helped the Seal onto the couch, careful to not jostle his friend's ribs again. Once he was confident the Seal was settled on the couch and unlikely to move for the time being, he proceeded to go back out to the car to grab Steve's meds which the hospital had filled and send a quick text to the team to let them know they were home.
"Babe" Danny spoke softly this time, careful to not startle the Seal again. Steve opened his eyes and looked at him, blank expression on his face.
"Take these" Danny held out a couple of pills and a glass of water towards Steve.
"What are those for? "Steve asked suspiciously eyeing the pills.
Danny was glad Steve was questioning the pills, that was more like Steve than anything he had done in the last couple of days, so they were making progress.
"One is an antibiotic since the doctor was not sure what the hell was in that tank you were immersed in, the other is for pain"
Steve looked at Danny, then looked at the pills, "I will take the antibiotic, but I don't need the pain meds"
"Steven…" Danny began
"Danny…" Steve replied sternly, "NO" , "You know I don't like how those things make me feel"
"What, pain free?" Danny quipped, "Yes, the horror"
"Smart ass" Steve said under his breath.
"What was that Steven? "Danny asked innocently
"Nothing!" Steve replied, annoyed as he took the water and took the larger pill which he knew, from experience, was the antibiotic, from Danny's hand.
Danny was annoyed but decided to pick his battles, so he put the pain pill back in the bottle and then sat beside his friend on the couch.
"This conversation is on pause babe, but it is not over" Steve glared at him, Danny continued unfazed, "You OK on the couch or you want to go up to bed?"
Steve thought about it for a second, but decided option number three was a better choice, "beach" was all he said.
"Fine" Danny was not surprised that Steve wanted to go out the back and sit on the deck chairs on the beach, after all Steve always seemed to be more at home, more comfortable, when near the ocean., "but only for a little while babe, you can sit there while I make dinner, which you WILL eat so you can take the pain meds and then go up to bed for some rest"
Steve raised on eyebrow at Danny's tone, an order really, not a statement, but he was too tired to argue right now and besides, he knew Danny meant well; he accepted the hand that Danny offered as help to stand, closing his eyes and grabbing Danny's forearm forcefully when the room spun.
Danny didn't say anything at the Seal's unsteadiness upon standing, it was not unexpected given his injuries, he just held on to his friend tightly and waited for it to pass, then helped the Seal outside on the lanai and onto a deck chair; he returned with a bottle of water and patted his friend on the shoulder before going back in side to start dinner.
"Thanks" Steve whispered, clearing his throat from the unexpected emotions that having Danny there and helping him suddenly brought up.
"Anytime brother, any time"
Danny went back inside and let the Seal alone with his thoughts.