CHAPTER TWENTY
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 a few more minutes of frantic searching, Sam and Steve locate Caroline sitting in the Camaro with tears slowly sliding down her face. Caroline seems to be off in her own little world and doesn't see either of them at first. Steve, well aware that Sam is furious with Caroline, hurting for Danny, and almost insane with worry about Gracie steps between Sam and the car so that he can run interference. While he's also angry at his sister-in-law, he knows his wife is out for blood and that he can't allow that to happen. Sam, although she doesn't like it one bit, allows Steve to take the lead and waits. Surprisingly, Steve's voice is very calm and non-threatening and he takes a very gentle approach to the situation.)
"What are you doing out here, Caroline?"
"I . . I just needed a few minutes."
"Danny's inside going totally crazy right now. He needs you."
"No, he doesn't. He has Rachel."
"Rachel's in worse shape than he is and her husband isn't here. Danny needs his wife right now."
"You're wrong. Danny hasn't so much as looked in my direction since we got here and he saw Rachel."
"I know you're upset, but Danny needs you and sitting out here by yourself isn't doing either one of you any good. Come on; come back inside with me and Sam."
(Much to Sam's amazement, Caroline looks up at Steve with a lost and forlorn expression on her face but she actually opens the door and gets out of the car. Steve smiles encouragingly and holds out his hand, and, miracle of miracles, Caroline takes it and allows him to gently pull her toward the building. Sam opens her mouth to say something but thinks better of it and follows her husband and sister silently, earning a grateful smile from Steve. .
When the three walk back into the waiting room, Libby and Kono are still sitting with Rachel and Danny is pacing the room like a caged tiger while Chin and Tony try to calm him down. Mike leans against the wall in one corner shrewdly taking in the scene before him. As soon as he sees Caroline, Danny grabs her and holds her tightly,)
"Where were you, Baby? I was so worried when you didn't come back!"
'I just needed to get away for a few minutes. Have we heard anything about Grace, yet?"
"Not yet. Lana is back in the E.R. now trying to get some information. Are you all right?"
"I'm fine. . . Danny, I'm sorry if I worried you."
"It's all right, but please don't disappear on me again. I need you, Caroline."
(Lana, accompanied by a woman in scrubs, enters the room at that moment and all eyes immediately turn in the direction of the two women.)
"Lana! What's going on? How's Grace?"
"Danny, Rachel, this is Dr. Moody; she's a pediatric trauma specialist. Dr. Moody these are Grace's parents, Rachel Edwards and Danny Williams."
"Mrs. Edwards, Mr. Williams. I know you are all quite anxious for information about Grace's condition so I'll get right to the point. . Fortunately, Grace doesn't have any fractures or internal injuries and that is very good news. It would seem that she only received a glancing blow from the SUV that struck her so the physical trauma from the impact with the vehicle itself was minimal; just some bruises and scrapes. However, Grace was thrown into a parked vehicle and then to the pavement, and both were direct impacts. Her head struck first the vehicle and then the concrete causing a fairly severe head injury. According to what Mrs. Edwards and the paramedics have told us, Grace has been unconscious from the moment of impact. We're doing a CAT scat and an MRI of the brain to get a better idea of exactly what type of injury we're dealing with here. I can tell you that her vital signs are all very good, she's breathing on her own, and her EEG indicates a significant amount of brain activity; again, good news. Until I have the test results, I'm afraid I can't give you more specific information."
"How long will our daughter be unconscious, Dr. Moody?"
"I don't know, Mrs. Edwards. With injuries of this nature, particularly in children, it's impossible to predict when the patient will regain consciousness."
"But she will come around, won't she?"
"We have every reason to believe she will. As soon as we've completed the scans, we'll be moving Grace to a private room and you can sit with her then. I will also be speaking with you again once I have reviewed the test results. The best thing you can do for Grace, and yourselves, right now, is keep a positive attitude. Children are very resilient; they bounce back much quicker than you or me. I'll have a nurse come and get you as soon as Grace is settled in her room."
(The doctor slips out of the room to return to the E.R., and there is silence for a few moments as Grace's family absorbs the information they've just been given. Rachel, looking scared, turns to Danny with a pleading expression on her face and he doesn't hesitate to go to her and put a reassuring arm around her shoulders as they both sit back down. Libby also resumes her seat on the other side of Rachel and does her best to encourage both of Grace's parents. Caroline, having been left standing alone, doesn't run again, but she finds a chair as far away from Danny and his ex-wife as she can, sits down, and settles in; her eyes never leaving her husband. Mike, deep into SEAL mode, watches Caroline closely and tries to figure out exactly what is wrong with his daughter.)