Danny sat holding his partner's hand. Over the last four days he had almost become accustomed to the whooshing of the respirator that was aiding in Steve's breathing. He had to keep believing. The Doctor was optimistic but God…..Steve's face was still almost unrecognizable. His head was heavily bandaged except for the small area on the right side of his temple where the drainage tube was inserted. A mixture of blood and a yellowish/grey fluid continually flowed from the SEAL's head through the tubing into a bag that hung from the side of the bed. There were so many cuts on his face that he couldn't even count them. At least a dozen of those cuts had required stitches to close and butterfly bandages peppered his face covering many more. The skin had been ripped from the right side of his cheek and jaw and that was also bandaged. His nose had been broken causing extreme bruising to the nose and both of his eyes. His right eye was swollen shut and there was a long, stitched gash where a micro surgeon had reattached his eyelid that had been nearly torn off. His entire face was horribly raw and swollen.
Danny stood and leaning close to his friend's ear, he whispered softly to him as he stroked his damaged face tenderly with the back of his fingers. "Hey buddy, I'm so sorry about everything…I'm here babe, you keep fighting. I'm right here"
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Steve had pulled up to the elementary school just as Gracie was coming out the door. The six year old spotted him and smiling broadly she raced down the steps squeeling. "UNCLE STEVE! UNCLE STEVE!" The SEAL was smiling as he knelt down to her level and she threw herself into his arms.
"Hi Sweetheart"
With her tiny arms still around his neck she asked, "What are you doing here Uncle Steve?"
"Your Mommy and Daddy both had appointments they had to go to. How would you like to go check out that new Ice Cream Parlor with me?"
"OOOOHHHH YYESSS! Can I have chocolate, and strawberry with lots and lots of sprinkles?"
"You can have ANYTHING you want honey. Lots of sprinkles, huh?"
"That's the best part Uncle Steve. I love, love…LOVE sprinkles!"
He chuckled at the little one's innocent enthusiasm. "Me too Gracie, and caramel!"
She added gleefully, "And Hot Fudge! Yummmmmyy"
Taking her hand in his, they crossed the street to his truck. He hoped that Danny would calm down by the time he met up with them. They had been partners for such a short time but yet he felt so close to the Jersey detective. He knew his partner cared for him too but sometimes his temper would get the best of him…..especially when the topic turned to Rachel. He knew Danny Williams loved his ex-wife and that he still held out hopes for a reconciliation. He should have known better than to ask for Danny to share his feelings without giving him time to process the news he had received. The bottom line was that he just didn't want to see his friend get hurt. He looked into the eyes of this precious little girl as he buckled her in and he knew that Danny hadn't meant what he'd said. Steve would die before he would let any harm come to Gracie and Danny knew that. It had become quite the joke around 5-0 Headquarters about how hard-ass Navy SEAL McGarrett would become a big softie at the sight of little Gracie. He had shared a special bond with the dark-eyed little girl since the first time they met. She confirmed her love for him by allowing him to share her term of affection in regards to her Father, her 'Danno'. Nobody but Gracie or her Uncle Steve could call him Danno…..nobody. As they drove downtown Steve knew he owed Danny an apology and he would give it to him. He had a huge smile on his face as he listened to the little girl chatter on endlessly as she told him about her day at school and about her new friend Sarah.
Steve parked across the street from the Ice Cream Parlor and he moved over to the passenger side of the truck not noticing the blue Dodge Caravan that had followed him from the school. Gracie was still chattering non-stop but now it was about what her favorite ice cream flavors and toppings were. She was on his right side holding his hand as Steve stepped out onto the road. He looked to his left and seeing no vehicles they began to cross. He turned his head to look down at her as she talked. He did not hear the car until it was too late and he heard the woman screaming, "OH MY GOD, WATCH OUT!"
He turned at the last second and instinctively bending down, he threw Gracie forward just seconds before the vehicle crashed into the left side of his body. His left shoulder and arm took the brunt of the hit as the seven thousand pound vehicle catapulted his body into the air. He felt the intense pain tearing through his body and he heard the terrified screams of Gracie as she called over and over, "UNCLE STEVE, NO NO UNCLE STEVE!"
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His body crashed to the ground, his head hitting the pavement with a sickening thud. He then skidded several feet. There had been at least a dozen people who witnessed what happened and several were writing down the license plate of the Caravan as it sped out of sight. Others were calling 911 and two women grabbed Gracie and raced with the screaming child into the Ice Cream Parlor, away from the horrific scene.
A young couple had grabbed a blanket from their car and they moved to tend to Steve who lay limp and motionless in the middle of the road.
He was on his right side, his left arm bent awkwardly back behind his body. He had a compound fracture of his clavicle and it was bleeding quite heavily. The young man was calling out to his girlfriend not to move him as he covered him with the blanket. The young woman knelt at Steve's head which was battered and bleeding profusely from a large gash on the back of his head.
She heard him softly saying, "Grraciee…..Gracciee"
She touched his cheek softly, "Gracie is fine Steve….you saved Gracie…..help is on the way"
"DDanny…ttell DDannyy…." His body shook in pain and she told him not to talk.
"Plleasse…ttell DDannyy nnott aa…nnot aaccident…wwatch Gggraccie"
She spoke softly, "Okay…..I'll tell him"
"Pllease ggo to GGraccie…kkeep….hher ssafe"
The young woman's boyfriend nodded understanding and he ran off to check on Gracie. She told Steve, "It's okay Steve. My boyfriend went to Gracie. She's fine, I promise…she's fine. Don't talk now, ssshhhhhhhh….don't talk"
Another man approached with a towel that he held to the back of Steve's head, causing the SEAL to grimace. The woman continued to stroke the injured man's cheek while softly encouraging him to hold on.
In the Ice Cream Parlor the little girl was sobbing uncontrollably as the two good Samaritans were sitting with her in a booth. The young man sat across from them and as Gracie looked at him, he asked "Honey, my name is Michael, who's Danny?"
Through her tears she sobbed, "My Daddy"
"And the man outside is your Uncle Steve?"
"Uhhh hhhuhh but he's nnot mmy real Uncle…..he's my Daddy's ppartnerr….tthey're ccops…..iis Uncle SSteve okay?"
"He's talking honey. He's worried about you"
They heard the ambulance and police cars arriving and Michael looked at Gracie, "I'm going to go help with your Uncle Steve Gracie. You stay with these nice ladies okay?"
"I want my Daddy…"
As Michael walked back outside the ladies continued to try to comfort her.
Micahel moved back to Steve. Sergeant Duke Lukela was just arriving on the scene as the paramedics where gently rolling a now unconscious Steve onto his back. "Oh my God...McGarrett"
Michael and the young woman who identified herself as his girlfriend Natalie, told the Sergeant what they had witnessed.
"He was with a little girl? Gracie?"
"Yes, he pushed her out of the way just before he was hit. She's not hurt"
"Where is she?"
"In the Ice Cream Shoppe"
Duke called one of his officers over to take over interviewing the witnesses and then he started to move towards the paramedics.
As he turned to walk away, Natalie called out "Sergeant, Steve said something"
Duke returned to her side as she told him, "He was in a lot of pain but he said to tell Danny that it wasn't an accident and to watch Gracie"
"Thank You for all you've done" Duke then moved to Steve's side. They had him in a neck brace and on oxygen and were working on immobilizing his left shoulder and arm, "How is he?"
"It doesn't look good Sir. He has a severe head injury"
"Carry on men. Please do what you can for him, he's a great man"
"We'll do everything we can Sir"
Duke reached into Steve's pants pocket and pulling out his cell phone he pressed speed dial number one dialing Danny.
The detective answered on the second ring, "Hey Steve, I'm on my way now"
"Danny, It's Duke Lukela"
Danny's heart dropped, "Duke…..what's wrong?"
"Danny, first off…..Gracie is not hurt"
"Duke, WHAT HAPPENED?"
"I'm just getting the details, we just arrived on scene. Steve was hit by a car. Danny, it's bad brother"
"Are you at the Ice Cream Parlor"
"Yes"
"Duke, let me talk to Gracie please"
"I'm almost to her, hang on" He entered the Shoppe and sat in the booth across from the little girl, "Gracie, I've got your Daddy on the phone"
She looked up and took the phone from him saying softly through her tears, "Daddy…Daddy Uncle Steve is hhurt bbad"
"Monkey are you okay, did you get hurt?"
"No…Uncle Steve saved me…Daddy…."
She started to cry harder and Danny spoke soothingly, "The Doctors are taking good care of Steve honey. I love you baby and I'll be there in just a couple of minutes okay? Now let me talk to Duke"
"I love you Danno" She handed the phone back to Duke.
Duke slid from the booth and moving away he said "Danny, before Steve lost consciousness he told a witness to tell you that this wasn't an accident and to watch Gracie"
"What? Oh my God…"
"There were about a dozen witnesses. We're talking to everyone"
"Okay….okay…good. Thanks Duke, I'm just a few minutes out"
Hanging up his phone, Danny pressed down on the accelerator, speeding towards the scene.