I'm so overwhelmed with all of the support that I've gotten really excited and may post TWO chapters tonight. If I don't, it's not because I didn't want to, I may just have fallen asleep before I actually did it. LOL
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Outside Catherine's Hospital Room – 2:30 PM
Danny was just coming back from getting coffee and an update from Chin and Kono who were back at HQ, when Catherine's door flew open and Steve came rushing out screaming for a doctor. A doctor and nurse converged on Catherine's room immediately. Danny grabbed Steve's arm and pulled him back out of the way as the doctor and nurse entered Cath's room.
"Danny, let me go!" Steve struggled, determined to get back into Cath's room.
Holding Steve back, "Babe, give the doctor a minute. Hey, take a deep breath and just breathe. I just talked to Chin and Kono." Steve stopped trying to get back into Catherine's room, but his mind was definitely not paying 100% attention to what Danny was saying.
"Hey babe, look at me." Danny waited until Steve stopped fidgeting. "Chin and Kono have found that before Tommy disappeared, he had purchased 6 different properties all across the island. We're gonna go check 'em out."
"Let's go." Steve started to walk away, but Danny grabs him again to stop him.
"Steve, you need to stay here." Tugging on Steve's shirt he spoke again, "Babe, you need to stay here with Catherine. You need to be here for her."
"Danny… I… I can't save her if I stay here." Tears were threatening to slide down Steve's face as he choked out the words just above a legible whisper. The look on his face and the anguish in his voice just about killed Danny. Danny knew he had to play hard ball if he was going to get through to Steve. He knew Steve wouldn't forgive himself if he wasn't here when Catherine needed him.
"Do you trust me?" Those four words stopped Steve dead in his tracks.
"What?" Steve wasn't sure he heard Danny correctly.
"Do you trust me, Steve?" Danny slowly repeated, knowing that Steve heard him the first time, but was digesting what Danny had said.
"With my life." Steve said without hesitation this time.
"What about with Catherine's life?" Steve should've seen the question coming, but didn't. He knew Danny wasn't beyond a blow below the belt when it counted, and this was one of those times. Steve looked down and sighed.
"You know I do." Steve knew that Danny wouldn't stop until he found Tommy Green and the antidote. Danny was like a pitbull when it came to people fucking with his family, and Steve and Catherine were family.
"Then let me take care of this. You need to be strong for that gorgeous girlfriend of yours in there. One day, I plan on watching the two of you get married and grace this world with little ninjas hell bent on blowing up this island just like their daddy. Heaven help us!" This got a weak smile out of Steve. Mission accomplished. "Now, go back in there. Give Cath a hug for me and let me go end this. Call it an early wedding present." Steve gave a subtle nod and watched Danny walk away until he was out of sight.
"Hurry Danny… please."
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As Steve entered the room, all he noticed was the silence. Cath had her head turned towards the window as if to not pay attention to what the doctor was telling her.
"Ah, Commander McGarrett, I presume. I'm Major Tyler. I was just telling Lt. Rollins about the poison that's in her bloodstream and that the lab is working furiously to find an antidote. I'm afraid I can't give her anything for the pain or the discomfort while we wait for fear that it might interact in a harmful way with the poison. Until we know more about what this is, we can't take any chances. I'm sorry the news isn't more hopeful. I'll be back in an hour to see how she's doing." The Major extended his hand out to Steve, who took it and shook it politely.
Once the doctor left, Steve turned to Catherine, who was still staring out the window. He sat down again in the same spot he had vacated a half hour ago when the bleeding first started. They both sat in silence for what felt like an hour, but had only been a few minutes.
Cath was the first to speak, still not turning her head around to look at Steve. "You're going to have to be strong and finish this even after I'm…" The last word went unfinished as Steve grabbed her hand and willed her to look at him.
"Please look at me. Cath, I need you to look at me." Steve pleaded having a hard time containing his emotions. Cath slowly turned her head and Steve lifted her palm up to his cheek and held it there while he gently spoke. "You're gonna be ok. Danny's out looking for Tommy right now. He's gonna find the antidote." Steve paused, hoping Cath would see the truth in his eyes and believe she would be okay. "We're gonna have a lifetime together. I can't do this without you."
Cath slowly stroked Steve's cheek. "Max told me about Sally. You're gonna have to be strong, ok? I need to know you're going to be okay." Tears streaked down her cheeks.
"I'm not going to lose you!" Steve leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on her lips and then rested his head on her shoulder with his ear pressed to her heart so he could hear her heartbeat. Cath slowly stroked her fingers through his hair to comfort him.
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On the other side of the island, Danny and Chin were racing against time. Both knew that the clock was ticking, and that there wasn't much time left. Neither of them wanted to stop and consider the consequences if they failed. Failure wasn't an option today.
They had just cleared their fourth warehouse when Kono called. "Kono, I sure hope you're calling with good news. We just cleared our fourth warehouse and nothing. It looks like it's been abandoned this whole time."
"I'm not surprised. I started thinking about how Sally Parker fit into all of this. Tommy used her for favors and intel, why not use her, or at least her name, to buy and hide a piece of property? So, I checked into her background and financials and found that she or Tommy purchased an old building that was in foreclosure about 3 months ago. Where are you right now?"
"We're just leaving Kapolei, why, where is it?" Danny and Chin were hopeful that this was the lead they were waiting for as they ran to Danny's Camaro.
"Kailua. Oh god Danny, you'll never make it in time."
