CHAPTER NINETEEN

Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Elusive Dreams"

Author: Michelle Heath

Rating: MA for adult situations and language

Summary: Story #9 in the Salvation series. The bonds of family bring the Five-0 ohana even closer.

Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!

Date Written: July 12, 2012

(After speaking with an extremely distraught Rachel and assuring her they were on their way, Danny briefly explained the situation to Caroline and then called H.P.D. Seeing that her husband is in no shape to drive them anywhere, Caroline grabs the keys to the Camaro, shoves Danny toward the passenger's seat, and gets behind the wheel. In a matter of minutes, they are on their way to the hospital. The fact that Danny did not argue at all when Caroline insisted she would drive is a testament to how upset he really is, and Caroline is very, very grateful that he also called Steve while they're en route to the E.R. When they reach the E.R., they are shown to a waiting area where Rachel, looking like she's about to collapse at any moment is sitting all alone. She looks up as Caroline and Danny enter the room and shoots to her feet. Without hesitation, Danny immediately goes to her and hugs her tightly for a moment and Caroline does the same. They then take seats on either side of Rachel and Caroline gently pats her shoulder while Danny takes both her hands in his and tries to offer her some of his strength.)

"What happened, Rachel?"

"Grace and I were shopping and were walking back to the car when an SUV came flying around the end of the row where we'd parked and swerved in our direction. I was looking in my purse for my keys at the moment and Grace. . . Grace saw them coming and shoved me out of the way. . . "

(The poor woman nearly collapses from the fresh torrent of tears that flood her eyes and Danny gathers her in his arms and holds her close while she attempts to regain control. Although she understands that Rachel is naturally upset and that Danny is only trying to comfort her, Caroline is beginning to feel uncomfortable. After all, Rachel and Danny are Grace's parents and she is an outsider. Watching as her husband holds the other woman tightly and gently rubs her back as she sobs in his arms also causes a spurt of jealousy to run through Caroline. Deciding that, perhaps, her presence is not only unnecessary but unwanted at the moment, Caroline stands up, mutters something about getting everyone coffee, and walks out of the waiting room. Once she is outside the room, she walks outside and sits on a bench near the door to the E.R. staring off into space. One part of her is telling her that she has absolutely no reason to be jealous of Rachel; after all, she and Danny are divorced and have been for some time. Rachel is now married to Stan and they are seemingly happy. On the other hand, it is Danny who is holding Rachel tightly and murmuring words of comfort to her right now not Stan . . .

Tony had called Rosa as soon as Steve told them what had happened and she was at Sam's and Steve's house not long after to sit with Emily and Eric while the McGarretts and the Montgomerys go to the hospital. The two couples arrive just as Lana and Chin are parking and they all head inside and are quickly directed to the family waiting area where Danny is still holding Rachel; Caroline is nowhere to be seen. Excusing herself, Lana heads back to the E.R. to see if she can find out what's happening with Grace while the other five people join Danny and Rachel. Sam and Kono immediately go to the sobbing woman and Kono takes Danny's place on one side of Rachel while Sam sits on the other and they both do their best to comfort her while Danny, appearing to be scared nearly to death, stands up to talk to Steve, Tony, and Chin.)

"What happened, Danny?"

"All I know right now is that Rachel and Grace were walking back to Rachel's car after shopping and an SUV came flying around the corner, swerved, and hit Grace. . Who apparently saw them coming and shoved her mother out of the way. Damn, why won't they tell us anything?"

"Hold on, Danny. Lana just went back there to see what she can find out."

"Thanks, Chin. . . You guys see Caroline on your way in?"

"No. Didn't she come with you?"

'Yeah. She said something about getting us all coffee but that was about twenty minutes ago. Thought she'd be back by now."

"I'll go see if I can find her."

"Thanks, Tony."

(The fact that Caroline is glaringly missing is not lost on anyone and Sam sends a worried look in Steve's direction over Rachel's bowed head. Caroline should be with her husband right now, but, with the way she's been acting lately, there's no telling where she is or what she's doing. Sam is seconds away from excusing herself to join Tony in his search for her sister when Libby and Mike rush into the room looking beyond worried. Libby immediately goes to Danny and pulls him into a tight hug while Mike puts an arm around them both. Having held his fear in check for so long in an effort to take care of Rachel, Danny comes perilously close to breaking down and has to make a real effort to keep it together. After reassuring Danny that she and Mike are there for him and aren't going anywhere, Libby steps over to Rachel and takes Sam's seat. Sending her husband a look, Sam steps out into the hallway with Steve right behind her and already on his cellular phone.)

"Tony, have you found Caroline, yet? . . . 'Kay, keep looking. Sam and I will check the parking lot. . . . Yeah, you, too."

"Well?"

"Tony's checked the cafeteria, the Chapel, and the garden but hasn't found her yet."

"Where the Hell is she, Steve?"

"I don't know but she picked a fine time to pull a disappearing act!"