Chapter Four
It was three hours before Dr. Pearce returned to tell them that Danny was out of surgery, doing well, and being settled into a private room. During that time, Chin had left the hospital and returned with a change of clothes for Kono, who was still wearing her bikini under cut off shorts and a vest top. All of which were stained with blood.
Dr. Pearce explained that Danny was over the worst of the shock, but the cleaning of the wounds had caused them to bleed again, so he was receiving yet another transfusion. The scalp laceration had been glued and was expected to heal well. Thankfully they hadn't had to shave any of Danny's hair. The numerous scrapes had been cleaned and treated with antibiotic cream. The cut to his back had required 82 stitches to close it, and his foot had needed 15. However, Dr. Pearce was concerned that this wound was infected and would need to be closely observed.
The team were shown to Danny's room, where they were told that Danny was yet to wake from the anaesthetic, but they could sit with him. Danny still looked pale, and the team were concerned to see a fine sheen of sweat on his brow from a low grade fever he had developed. The blanket had been replaced with a thin sheet, and Danny now wore a standard hospital gown. In the back of both hands was a cannula, one running in the blood, and the other fluids with the antibiotics piggy backed to it. His injured foot was raised on a pillow to take the pressure off his heel.
The team settled down, waiting for Danny to wake. Only once they had spoken to him would they feel better. But Danny seemed dead to the world, the anaesthetic taking a long time to leave his system. Finally, an hour later, Danny started to show signs of waking. Steve was the first to notice the movement under his eyelids, and the subtle movement of his head. "Hey, come on sleepy head. Time to wake up."
But Danny didn't wake, he just tossed his head a little more, and his breathing changed to rapid pants. "I'll get the nurse." Chin said fleeing from the room.
"Danny, it's ok. You're in the hospital. You just had surgery. Come on open your eyes." Steve reassured.
Danny tossed his head a little more and groaned. The nurse entered the room, Chin following after, and she started checking Danny's vitals and trying to rouse him. "He's just having a hard time coming out of the anaesthetic." She explained. "Keep talking to him." She reassured.
"Danny, time to wake up," Kono said taking hold of his hand, careful not to dislodge the IV access.
Danny tossed his head once more, wincing as it caused pain to flare across his back, but he finally opened his eyes a little. "Hey." Kono said seeing hazy blue eyes. But Danny stared right through her, still lost in his anaesthetic bubble. He groaned again, then whispered, "Billy?"
"No Danny. It's Kono. Come on brah, you're starting to worry me."
"Billy, no. Where are you?" Danny muttered.
Kono looked around at Steve and Chin. "Who the hell is Billy?"
Chin shrugged his shoulders, but Steve sighed and rubbed his face, "Billy was his best friend growing up. They were swimming when Danny got caught in a rip. Billy went to help him but got caught too. He didn't come out of it." Steve sadly explained.
"Oh god, no wonder he's not keen on the water." Kono said putting her hand to her mouth.
"I'm guessing being trapped under the water today has brought some of those memories to the surface, and the anaesthetic is confusing him." Steve moved over and took hold of his friends other hand. "Danno, wake up." He demanded. Intentionally using his nickname to try and bring him into the here and now. "Come on buddy, you're safe. Billy isn't here. You're in the hospital, now wake up."
Slowly Danny's breathing began to slow and his eyes opened further, blinking as he focused on his worried team member. "Steve?" He finally said.
"Yeah, I'm here buddy. You just had surgery on the wounds you sustained in your wipe out. You're doing good bud. Just take it easy."
"Billy?" Danny asked confused, his dream had seemed so real as if Billy was right beside him.
"It was just a dream Danny. The anaesthetic's playing with you." Steve explained as he let go of his friends hand.
"Seemed so real." He said rubbing at his eyes.
"Yeah, I know, been there buddy." Steve said remembering how he had flashed back to missions while under anaesthesia.
"How are you feeling, Danny? Are you in pain?" Kono asked concerned.
Danny seemed to consider the question for a while before replying, "A little sore maybe, but I'm ok. Thanks babe, for all your help."
"I didn't do anything." Kono quickly replied.
"Are you kidding me? I'd have bled out if you hadn't stopped it." Turning to Chin he said, "Did you know she carried a knife in her purse? I think we need to split these two up for a while."
Chin just laughed. Relieved to hear the Danny they knew and loved.
"So when can I get out of here?" Danny asked. "I'm presuming I'm all stitched up now."
"Yeah you are, an impressive 82 for the back and 15 for the foot, but that ones infected and you will need IV antibiotic for a few days, so you're stuck here for a while I'm afraid." Steve explained.
"See, I told you I should have re wrapped the foot." Kono said.
"Babe, I think the damage was already done by then." Danny sighed and closed his eyes sleepily. He could still feel the remains of the anaesthetic pulling at him, and he was so fatigued from the day's events.
"Get some more sleep, Danny." Steve ordered. We're gonna go get some food and will come back in a bit.
"K." Danny replied already half asleep.
5-0-5-0-5-0-5-0
Steve, Chin, and Kono spent an hour in the hospital canteen, before returning to Danny's room. When they did they found him awake and sat up in bed. The nurse having just taken down the blood transfusion that had finished.
"You look better brah." Chin commented.
"Thanks, I feel better now." Danny said itching at the back of his neck.
"Careful Danny, they had to glue the cut on your head." Kono warned.
"Sorry, it just really itches, and pulls, every time I turn my head." Danny said wincing as he felt his matted hair.
"It'll be all the dried blood. Hang on." Kono said before disappearing from the room. A few minutes later she returned with towels.
"You gonna make me some new head gear again babe?" Danny asked upon seeing the towels.
"Funny." Kono smirked. "If you feel up to it, and you want me to, the nurse said it would be ok to try and wash your hair. We just have to be careful not to wet the glue."
Danny smiled and threw back the sheet covering him, "do you know how much I love you right now?" Then he frowned at the hospital gown.
"I sweet talked the nurse in to these too." She said holding up a pair of blue scrubs.
"Careful, or I'm gonna have to ask you to marry me." Danny joked.
Kono smiled and passed Steve the scrub pants so he could help Danny on with them, carefully passing them over Danny's damaged foot.
Chin and Steve helped Danny to stand, and while Danny balanced on one foot, his eyes closed to help stop the room from spinning, Steve supported his friend.
Finally Danny gave the nod that he was ok, and while Chin guided the IV stand that Danny was still attached to for fluids and antibiotics, Steve helped Danny to hop to the bathroom attached to his room.
Kono had already placed a chair by the sink, so Danny was able to sit. As he lowered himself down, Danny was out of breath. "Man, how can I be so tired after such a short trip?"
"You have been through a lot today, Danny, and you're fighting an infection. Cut yourself some slack." Steve said as he helped Danny shed the gown.
Kono had already run some water into the sink, so she carefully started to wash Danny's hair, using a sponge to avoid wetting the glue holding his scalp back together. It took some doing, the occasional flinch from Danny, as it pulled at his hair, and caused flashes of pain across his back. But finally Danny's hair was mat free, if still a little tinged pink. Kono carefully towel dried Danny's neck and hair. "Better?" She asked.
"Much, thanks babe." Danny said grateful for his Ohana's help.
The boys then came back in to help him back to bed. As Danny hopped out of the bathroom he suddenly felt very dizzy and ended up lurching forward. Fortunately Chin had been watching him closely, and was able to let go of the IV stand and grab Danny before he could fall.
"You ok, D?" Steve asked trying to take more of his friend's weight.
"Dizzy." Danny managed to answer. Between them, Steve, and Chin managed to get Danny laid back on the bed. Kono had gone to fetch the nurse who came in and took Danny's vitals. She then helped Danny on with the scrub top, feeding his IV through the arm. She told Danny to take it easy, and that he had probably just over done it as his blood pressure was still on the low side. Danny was happy to follow her orders, for once. He now felt totally exhausted, and every part of his body ached from his tumble against the sea bed.
Finally opening his eyes, which he'd had closed the whole time, he saw three concerned faces staring back at him, which caused him to smile. "Put the faces away guys, I'm fine. I think I just need to stay horizontal for a while."
"I'm sorry, Danny, it was a stupid idea. You weren't up to it yet. You should have stayed in bed." Kono apologised.
"Are you kidding, babe? I feel a hundred times better now I can turn my head without feeling like all my hair is being ripped out. I'm tired, and I hurt, but at least now I can try to get comfortable." Danny sighed closing his eyes. "And it was worth it to get out of that gown."
The others started to relax a little, thinking Danny was drifting back to sleep, so he surprised them all when he suddenly opened his eyes and said, "You guys should go home. Make the most of the weekend. I think I'm just gonna sleep the rest of the day, anyway. Thanks for everything guys. Sorry I scared you all."
"Are you sure?" Steve asked. He really wanted to stay, but he felt sure the staff would kick him out at the end of visiting, since Danny was stable and not in any danger.
"Yeah, just can you do me a favour on the way out?"
"Of course, anything Danny." Kono replied.
"Can you ask the nurse if I'm due any pain relief, my foot is throbbing, and I think my head is gonna explode, not to mention my back feels like its on fire."
"We'll try and get you some of the good stuff, brah. That way you can sleep 'till the morning, when we'll come back?" Chin said.
"Thanks, but you don't have to come tomorrow."
"Shut up, Danny, we'll be here." Steve said as they left the room to go find Danny's nurse.
TBC