Chapter 9
During the operation, O'Malley was in full panic mode. Kalani was not stabilizing despite all his team's efforts. He usually never prayed but he was begging the powers that be to give the girl before him a chance to live a full life. He also didn't want to be the one to have to explain to SecNav that America's top secret weapon was no longer alive. That would most likely cause a demotion so close to his retirement.
Kalani was in peace. It was the only way she could describe the feeling she was experiencing. She wasn't feeling pain, anger or revenge. She was met by her Mom, Grandfather and Great Grandfather.
"Oh my baby," KaPua cooed as she wrapped her daughter into an all consuming hug. KaPua had long dark mahogany hair and the brightest blue eyes Kalani had ever seen. The woman before her was Kalani's namesake. To Kalani it was like looking into a mirror. There was no mistaking that KaPua Kalakaua was indeed her mother. She also now knew that every time her dad looked at her, he was reminded of his late fiancee. More so as Kalani was getting older and growing into a woman before his eyes.
Kalani knew she must be dead but the experience was surreal. Tears spring into her eyes as she felt her mother's embrace for the first time in her life. "Mama," she sighed. The words didn't feel as foreign as she thought they would be and she had waited a longtime to say them.
She then looked over at John and Steven. "Pops," she whispered not wanting to leave the comfort of her mother's arms.
"Hey Princess," John greeted his granddaughter. "I know you're feeling an overwhelming urge to stay here but you have to go back."
Kalani started shaking her head negatively. "No, I want to stay. I have to stay. Mama's here. I have to stay. Mama's here and I can't let her go."
Steven looked to his son and then to his great-granddaughter. "Kalani Adelle-KaPua you will go back. He says it's not your time and you are so close in capturing your Grandmother."
Kalani knew that He was God. Sadness filled her and tears sprang to her eyes as she felt herself being pulled from her mother's embrace. "We love you darling. We'll be here when your time comes. You and your father have a longtime before He says you can stay with us forever." KaPua whispered and kissed Kalani's forehead. "Go and finish your mission. Give your Dad my love and permission. Catherine is really good for both of you, she keeps you both balanced. Keep your family together darling."
All of a sudden she was forcefully pulled from the afterlife and Kalani sat up abruptly, desperately gasping for air. She took in her surroundings and let out a soft sob. It would figure she'd get a tease of what Heaven would be only to have it taken away.
The machines she was hooked up to had alarms sounding. All of the Medic Corps came running in, only to stop in their tracks to see that patient X as they had now classified Kalani was awake and alert.
O'Malley came in and let out a much needed sigh of relief. "Commander, It's so great to see you awake."
Kalani gave the Captain a grimaced smile, "Thank you sir. How long have I been out?"
O'Malley gave Kalani a grim look, "We had to put you in a medically induced coma to stabilize your heartbeat. You've been under for two weeks."
"Dammit, My primary objective has a three week head start on me." She shook her head. Anger was not what she was expecting to feel when coming back down to Earth.
"I'm sorry Commander but your primary objective is going to have to wait for about six more weeks." O'Malley began. "You had quite extensive internal damage that we had to repair. We had to stitch your uterine lining back to the uterine wall. We had to set your shoulder back into place and we had to remove a portion of your large intestines. The rest of your injuries are minor in comparison but will need this time to heal. You have a punctured lung, and several broken ribs we had to set into place as well"
"When can I be discharged. I can't have my identity compromised by staying here too much longer," she conceded.
"Well it's a good thing that we're here to take you home," a voice she hadn't heard in nearly a month blessed her hearing. Tears sprang to her eyes as all of her ohana came walking into her recovery room. She saw Captain O'Malley use the opportunity to duck out of the din.
"Dad, Godpa," she went into flew blown sobbing. Not realizing until now that if her grandfathers and mother hadn't urged her to return from the dead, she'd would have had to wait an eternity to see her two dads again. Steve and Sam sat on either of Kalani, each laying a kiss on each cheek.
Kono and Chin looked at each other and silently nodded, it was a miracle she had survived the ordeal. It was great to have their niece safe and sound. Even if the future was unsure. Grover and Danny stood with Grace and Charlie behind everyone else.
Two weeks ago, NCIS closed Kalani's abduction case. Ra'as al Jafar bin Rafiq was safely tuck away in Guantanamo Bay awaiting trial for the abduction and attempted murder of an American soldier. It was also the only way to keep mercenaries from killing him before trial. Tony DiNozzo and Timothy McGee for NCIS Washington actually arrived to Honolulu the day NCIS: LA closed Kalani's case. They came to fly Director Leon Vance back to DC. The President flew Air Force One straight to Massachusetts for a vacation on Martha's Vineyard. Sam's team went back to LA whereas Sam chose to stay behind. He wanted to see Kalani's condition himself.
"Hey kiddo," Danny spoke. "How ya feeling?" He had Gracie and Charlie wrapped in his arms. Charlie was a new addition to the Five O ohana. Rachel Gracie's mother had lied to Danny about Charlie being her new husband Stan's son. Charlie got sick and needed a transplant, Rachel had Danny tested for a match. That's when he found out that Charlie was his son.
"I feel like an avalanche of rocks fell on me and I've got all of my bones crushed in the process," Kalani joked. Her laughter was short-lived when she felt her broken ribs rattle with the movement. "But I think I'll live Danno."
"That's our girl," Danny said. "Go give your cousin some love but be gentle she's still healing," he warned Gracie and Charlie, more for Charlie's benefit though.
The preschooler walked up to her bed and put his tiny hands lightly around her waist and laid his head none to gently on her still healing stomach. Everyone in the room grimaced when Kalani let out a painful whoosh .
Kalani shook her head at Danny to stop him from chastising the poor scare little boy. "Hey little man have you been taking care of Uncle Steve for me," she asked her cousin. Charlie lifted his head and nodded it profusely. "I knew I left you in charge for a reason."
Gracie came over and kissed her cheek, "You need to come home soon Cuz. Damon is going out of his mind sick with worry over you." The latter was mentioned in a whisper to Kalani's ear.
Kalani hadn't realized just how much she had been missing her boyfriend, but looking around the crowded space meant more to her at the moment. These people were her family, everyone in this room would lay down their lives for each other.
"I let Grandma get away," she yelled in frustration. "She going to have another nine week head start on me." She roared.
Sam, Catherine, Chin, Kono, Grover, Danny, Gracie and Steve all looked at each other; all knowing that this was yet another set back but also knowing it wasn't the end of the world.
"Why don't we get you healed up first," Steve appeased his daughter. "You took a major hit and you wiped out all but a handful of Egyptian Special Forces. You singly orchestrated the extinction of your primary abductor's family and you also started a civil war."
Kalani's eyes widened, in her need to survive she had really only been thinking about revenge. Hearing this news, helped her to realize that she really was a monster on a mission. "Oh my god...They're going to come after me and kill me. I'm unable to defend myself in this condition. I'm a murderer..." Tears came pouring down her eyes.
Sam having been in a similar position as Kalani knew the psychological state she was in right now. Any true SEAL went through this at one point. He looked to Steve who nodded at the understanding. SEALs were trained to react without hesitation especially in survival mode.
"Hey Birdie," Sam cooed as he walked up to her bedside. "You did nothing wrong. You escaped and acted in self-defense. Quite frankly if you had a team with you, they'd all do the same thing. You killed to stay alive and return home."
Everyone was silent. Captain O'Malley had explained all of them, that Kalani had expired on the operating table. It took over three minutes to revive her. He was just about to pronounce her time of death when her heartbeat and breathing came back.
Danny had a hard time explaining this to Charlie. Charlie really only knew that when you died, you went to heaven and stayed there forever.
Kalani wanted to life at the irony her god father had just spoke. You did nothing wrong. ...acted in self-defense. You killed to stay alive and return home. If they all only knew that she almost didn't have the will to return to life, they'd probably think of her differently.
"Hey Sweetie," Catherine spoke. Kalani had the overwhelming sense to call Catherine Mom. She knew KaPua would probably actually want her to call the woman before her such an honored name. "We're not going to worry about Doris until your back on your feet and in the mean time, how about I come home and help you with your recovery?"
"I'd really like that Mom," Kalani breathed.
Everyone in the room gasped. When it came to relationships, Catherine and Kalani had the most strained in the room. Kalani could see tears forming in Catherine's and Kono's eyes.
"It's what my real Mom would want Aunt Kono," Kalani spoke knowing her Aunt would want the affirmation.
Kono nodded, "You're absolutely right sweetheart. This would be exactly what KaPua would want." Kono knew with absolute certainty that her niece was visited by her older sister. Just hearing Kalani explaining herself confirmed it for her.
Kalani looked up to her parents, "Can I go home now please Daddy. I hate hospitals."
All the room's occupants laughed because they all knew Kalani really did hate hospitals and they also couldn't remember the last time she has actually called Steve Daddy. "Let me see what I can do about that Lani."
Charlie walked up to his cousin timidly again. "I love you Lani," he said in a tiny voice.
"I love you too little man."
"Don't go away again," the six five year old implored.
Kalani's heart clenched at his pain. She wished she could reassure him that she wasn't going to go anywhere again but she couldn't. "I'm here now little man. Danno, Gracie, Auntie Kono, Uncle Chin, Uncle Lou and Uncle Steve are going to make sure I stay for a really long while. OK?"
Charlie only nodded, not really feeling reassured by his cousin's word.
The adults took the children's preoccupation to sneak out and see about getting Kalani transferred to Coronado. Chin and Grover stood as sentries outside Kalani's recovery room as Catherine and Steve find the Captain.
Kono got onto her cell phone to call her husband Adam to let him know about Kalani's condition.
