Believe it, hold on to me and
Never let me go, keep breathing
Keep breathing, 'cause I'm not leaving you anymore
Believe it, hold on to me and
Never let me go, keep breathing
Hold on to me and never let me go
Keep breathing
Hold on to me and never let me go
Rori stared at the carpet of the waiting room. The swirled orange and green pattern mimicked the chaos she felt inside. The sun was starting to come up, it felt like a dagger in her sleep deprived eyes as it sliced through the window. None of them had slept, who could?
Steve was pacing, again, from the window to the door and back. He'd barely said a word, which was so out of character for him.
John's quiet brooding in the corner, on the other hand, was par for the course. She'd seen it before. He'd pick a chair, or a spot on the floor like he had now, and sit where he could watch everything that happened. It was his defense mechanism.
Hank had gone, once again, to check on the surgery. The last time he'd gone he'd come back with coffee and had quietly said "no updates." But Rori could tell that something was happening because Hank had seemed nervous and had left for another check only a few moments after returning.
Dr. Anderson appeared with Hank in the doorway. Hank was wearing his Doctor face. Steve, John, and Rori rushed over to meet the doctors and Hank stepped over next to her as if switching roles. He gripped her hand reassuringly and rested his other hand on Steve's shoulder.
"He's out of surgery," Dr. Anderson reported, "but not out of the woods."
"What does that mean?" Rori asked.
"There's some pretty extensive damage to his heart and lungs," Dr. Anderson said. "And there is concern about possible brain damage from the amount of time he was without oxygen."
The four of them shared a look, Rori saw her own fear and uncertainty reflected in their eyes.
"Can we see him?" Steve asked.
"Right this way," Dr. Anderson led them out of the waiting area to the ICU where Danny was in a glass walled room laying, frail and broken, on a hospital bed. Rori stared at the heart monitor as it beeped a steady rhythm and relished in the small confirmation that Danny was, for the moment, still alive.
"Oh Danno," Steve said. No one else spoke as Steve gently squeezed Danny's hand. Steve was crying. Rori has never seen him cry before and, judging by their expressions, John and Hank hadn't either.
They settled in, taking up every seat in the room and just watched Danny and listened to the monitor beep away. It was going to be a long day.
Rori's phone startled her from the sleep she had drifted off to. She silenced it and glanced around the room. Steve was asleep in the chair next to Danny's bed, head slumped forward and arms crossed over his chest. John and Hank were both on the small couch by the window, Hank was snuggled up in the crook of John's arm and John held the doctor protectively. She slipped out of the room and checked to see who had called. It was the Chief. She dialed his number and watched the guys through the glass wall of Danny's room. What outsiders must think of the scene inside the room…
"Rori, you were right," the Chief said in lieu of a greeting as he answered her call.
"About Sanchez?" she asked.
"Yes, he had a large sum of money deposited in his account a few days after your accident," the Chief said.
"So, not an accident," she replied. "I suppose we can't trace the money?"
"I'm working on that," he replied. "It was a cash deposit. I'm at the bank now trying to get video footage."
"That's a long shot, but thanks for the update," Rori said.
"How is Williams doing?"
"Hanging in there, he's stable but still hasn't woke up so we have no clue of if there's brain damage or not," she said.
"How are you and the guys holding up?" he asked.
"I don't know yet," she replied. "Get that footage and let's talk to Sanchez. I want to know why this whole thing happened."
"Understood," he said.
"I gotta go," she said when she heard alarms from Danny's room. She ended the call and ran in after several nurses. They crowded around Danny's bed with Hank. John and Steve had been pushed back against the wall. Danny was kicking and rolling back and forth in the bed.
"What's happening?" Rori asked.
"He's breathing over the vent," Hank replied without looking up. He was leaning over Danny and gently grabbed his face in both hands. "Danny, Daniel, I need you to calm down. Don't fight that tube," Hank said firmly. Danny calmed, his body went still and he stared Hank in the eyes. "I'm gonna take it out, okay."
"Dr. Lawson, I'd rather if we waited for Dr. Anderson," one of the nurses said. "He's not your patient."
Hank stared at her as if she'd just kicked his puppy.
"I'm sorry, Hank. Dr. Anderson doesn't want you treating him," the other nurse said.
Rori wasn't exactly sure what that was about. What she was sure about was the panic she saw in Danny's eyes. What it must be like for him to wake up in a strange room with a tube crammed down his throat. She knew his claustrophobia had to be in overdrive.
Dr. Anderson breezed into the room a moment later and shared a look with the nurse, who stepped aside to give him space at Danny's bedside.
"Detective Williams, I'm Dr. Anderson," he introduced himself calmly. "It looks like you're breathing on your own now. I'm going to take the ventilator off and get that tube out of your throat. I just need to have your family step out." He said that last part with a pointed look at Hank.
They all waited for just a second before turning to the door. They stood against the wall, hand in hand, and waited without a word. It was only a few minutes before Dr. Anderson stepped out.
"He's going to be tired and groggy. His throat may be sore, which will make it difficult for him to speak,"Dr. Anderson said. "I did a basic neurological exam, he doesn't appear to have any lasting damage, however, there may be some memory loss. Only time will tell."
"Thank you, Dr. Anderson," Rori said. "Can we go back in now?"
"Go ahead," he replied. He stepped aside to let them pass.
They filed into the room and surrounded Danny's bed. Steve stood across from Rori and they each held one of Danny's hands while John and Hank each rested a hand on his legs.
"Hey you," Rori said softly.
"Rori," he said. His voice was forced and pained.
"Don't talk, babe, " Steve said.
"No, Sanchez, was, paid," Danny said, pausing in between each word. "A hit."
"I know, I just don't know why yet," Rori said. Steve, John, and Hank gave her a questioning look. She realized she hadn't had a chance to share that news. "And why they haven't come for me since."
"They are," Danny said. He pulled his hand away and held his throat as if it would help the pain.
"Drink some water, Daniel, it'll help," Hank said as he handed a cup with a straw over to Steve, who helped Danny take a sip.
"My phone," Danny said after he'd taken a second.
"Danny, conserve your energy," Rori said.
"Rori, listen, please," Danny said.
"Okay," Rori said with an understanding look. "Where's his phone?" She asked Hank.
Hank went over to the dresser that was built right into the wall and pulled out a clear bag with his personal belongings, including his badge, gun, and phone. She took the phone from Hanks outstretched hand and typed in the unlock code. There were photos open of Sanchez with another man. The photos were taken inside the trailer house from the kitchen. She knew the man.
He'd robbed a bank. She'd seen his face, but they'd never identified him. She'd always thought he'd run with the money and that was that. The robbery had happened over a year before her accident and she had never forgot it, but there hadn't ever been a lead, especially not one that connected the robbery and her accident, so she'd just kept the file in her desk.
"Oh my god," she said.
"What?" Steve asked.
"This guy robbed a bank three years ago. The police never identified him, but I had seen his face during the robbery," she said.
"And you never thought to mention it?" Steve asked.
"I didn't think the robbery and my accident were connected, I thought he ran with the money," she defended. It wasn't like she had purposely kept it a secret. It had never been pertinent.
"There were never any leads on him," John said.
"You knew that she could identify a dangerous bank robber and you didn't say anything?" Steve questioned.
"Hey, we weren't trying to hide it from you. We all have things in our pasts that could put us all in danger. None of us openly share or discuss any of it," John said with his angry Colonel glare.
"He's right," Hank agreed.
"We have to assume that Danny is on that hit list too. The news has been all over this thing and they have said he survived," Rori said. "John, Hank, stay with him. No one gets in here unless they are hospital staff and are providing care. Steve, you're with me, we're going to talk to Sanchez."
"Rori," Danny spoke up.
"Danno, rest, that's an order," she said.
"Be careful," he said.
"Of course, babe," she replied. She squeezed his hand, gave him a quick kiss, and stepped back. Steve leaned down and kissed Danny's forehead softly. He then leaned his own forehead against Danny's and squeezed his eyes shut.
"Don't die while I'm gone, Danno," Steve said. "Just don't die."
"I'm not gonna die," Danny assured him. "Now go."
Steve stepped back and headed out the door without another word. Rori followed quietly.